Something - Quinn Fabray

Chapter 81

"Your mother is insane."

Ryan rolled his eyes at Santana's pronouncement. He was sitting at the Lima Bean with the Unholy Trinity, nursing a coffee after yet another Troubletones rehearsal during which Shelby had nitpicked their performances to death. They had a little less than three weeks until Sectionals, and they needed to get cracking. "She's not insane, she's just trying to get us to the top of our game." He fully supported his mom's drive, even if he was absolutely exhausted.

"She's kind of like Coach Sylvester without the megaphone and the insults," Quinn commented, taking a sip.

"I like it," Brittany said.

Santana rolled her eyes even as she smiled a little at the blonde's pronouncement. "Of course you do, you've got, like, eternal batteries or something."

"Wouldn't it be weird if people really ran on batteries?" Brittany asked thoughtfully. "And then when they ran out, they'd just sit there until someone came to change the batteries." Then she looked sad. "What if they didn't have anyone to change their batteries?"

"Don't worry about it, Britts," Santana said comfortingly. "If that ever happened, I'd change yours every time. Promise."

That brought a smile to the blonde's face, and she gave Santana a hug. Ryan smiled in amusement, exchanging a glance with Quinn. After that week when the now-infamous ad had run, Santana had slowly been getting better than she had been before. Yes, she was still upset that she'd been outed without her permission, but now that the secret was out she seemed lighter. Brittany brought it out in her.

"Well, if it isn't Ryan Corcoran."

Ryan turned around, a smile appearing on his face when he saw a small, pale brunette in a beret smiling at him. He quickly stood up. "Harmony! So nice to see you again!" He gave the girl a quick hug, and Quinn narrowed her eyes. Ryan turned back to them. "Guys, this is Harmony Pearce, I met her last summer at a theater workshop. Harmony, these are my friends and fellow glee clubbers - Brittany, Santana, and that's my girlfriend, Quinn."

"So nice to meet all of you," Harmony said brightly, as Ryan pulled a chair from a nearby table and offered it to her. "I've heard quite a bit about the New Directions, but the Troubletones are obviously new. I'm actually the lead singer of the Unitards."

"Wait, isn't that the group we're competing against?" Santana asked. Shelby had told them that the Troubletones were up against the New Directions - because of course they were - and an unknown group called the Unitards.

"I know, isn't it such a coincidence?"

"We've never heard of you guys," Quinn noted. "At least, not until Shelby told us you were the other team we were up against at Sectionals."

"That's because this is our first time competing on the circuit," Harmony explained. "You see, I'm a sophomore. Last year the Unitards were rather uninspired and as such we weren't able to reach the requisite number of members to compete. However, thanks to my tireless campaigning we've managed to reach the quota. We've also acquired a decent vocal coach, though nowhere near the caliber of one Shelby Corcoran." She turned her smile to Ryan. "I've said it before, I'm extremely jealous that you have her as your personal vocal coach, and now your glee club adviser."

"I'm lucky that way," Ryan grinned. "So tell me, do you have anything exciting planned for Sectionals? I'm sure you've already started preparations as we have."

"Oh, Ryan, you know I can't tell you anything about that," Harmony replied coyly. "But if you offer some information on your performance in exchange, perhaps we can negotiate an agreement..."