Burning up ☞︎ A Jesse st. James Fan Fic

Opening Night

Rachel bursts into my room with a half-a sleep Kurt on her tail and wakes me up.

"What?" I groan.

"Help me!" Rachel says in a panic. We sit in the dining room area as the turn the kettle on while she explains her dream to us. More like nightmare.

"I don't know why you're so anxious. You killed it in the previews up in Syracuse." Kurt says.

"No, you didn't read any of the reviews." Rachel argues.

"Yes, I did, I read every single one of them." Kurt rushes out.

"No, you only read the legit ones. You did not read the independent bloggers or you didn't read the comments sections." Rachel explains as Kurt walks over to us with tea.

"Those were rough. Like... really rough." I laugh. Kurt gives me a look.

"I told you to stay out of that comments sections." Kurt scolds sitting down next to us.

"I know, but I couldn't help it, and now it's like they're my anxiety avatars. Like the people in my dream. They're the voices of all the self-doubt that I've ever had about myself. And, you know, why do people become actors in the first place? You know? It's because we want to be loved. We're like a bottomless cup that just constantly needs to be filled with love and validation." Rachel rambles.

"Oh my god." I mutter.

"Give my your phone." Kurt says holding out his hand. Rachel grabs her phone and hands it to him. He gets it out of reach before he talks again.

"You're being unplugged until after your opening night." Kurt says, getting up.

"Wait..." Rachel trails off.

"No going on the internet for anything. All the greats do it. Scorsese, woody, Miley. None of them read reviews or blogs or check Twitter, Okay? We are going to hermetically seal this loft into a big love bubble and fill it with positive affirmations and validations from the people who know you and love you and have no doubt that you're going to be amazing. If you need your cup filled, we'll fill it right here." Kurt tells her. I grimace.

"Okay." Rachel says, getting up to hug Kurt.

"So, should I leave?" I joke. They both hit me and bring me into the hug.

Later In the day a bunch of people are in our apartment, excited for Rachel's performance. Tina walks in and I hug her, saying hi. We all walk into the living room.

"Hello, big fat broadway star. [we all welcome her, Rachel walking over to her] these are for you." Tina says handing her flowers. Rachel mouths thank you.

"Oh no, do you have laryngitis?" Tina asks, worried.

"Oh, no, she's just resting her voice." Kurt assures.

"Oh, thank god. This would not be a good time for your tonsils to flare up again. Remember that? First year of glee club?" Tina laughs. I smirk and look between her and Rachel's back.

"What a reasonable reference, Tina. We sure are lucky." I say over enthusiastically.

"Hey where is everyone? Rachel's opening night on broadway is a big deal. And where's Artie? I was hoping to get to see him." Tina asks, disappointed.

"Oh, his short film Bags in the Wind got accepted into the Ft. Lauderdale international short film festival." Kurt explains as I go and sit down next to sam.

"Oh, that's too bad. I mean, what about Quinn and Puck and Santana? I mean, are they just not being supportive?" Tina rants. I smirk.

"Tina! Why don't you catch us up? How's brown university treating you?" Mercedes asks, successfully changing the subject as Tina sighs and goes to sit on a chair.