METANOIA. glee.

5. "the rhodes not taken"

"so you're really not coming back?" rachel looks at me, guilty. she looks away. "yes. its obvious you guys don't want me or need me, so i'm going somewhere where my talents will be appreciated." i roll my eyes. "you know that's not true." i say as we get to the choir room. "not everything is going to go your way, and that's not a bad thing. please just come back." i plead with her but she can't seem to look me in the eyes. "fine. be like that. i'll see you tomorrow." i walk into glee before she can respond.

everyone turns and looks at me expectantly, and i frown. "i tried. she's not coming." finn walks over to me. "are you serious?" he says, annoyed. "she'll listen to you if you talk to her. she's kinda in love with you." i say. "i know, i know."

mr. schue comes into class. "ok guys! let's run don't stop believing. finn, quinn, you're up." we start running the choreography for don't stop believing, but halfway through quinn runs out, looking ill. after she leaves, we all look at each other. "can we please talk about the giant elephant in the room?" kurt says. "your sexuality?" santana says, and kurt rolls his eyes. "rachel. we can't do it without her." he says. "that's not true. we may have to give santana and ivy some of quinn's lines, but its ok. we'll be fine." mr. schue says not very confidently.

"maybe for invitationals, but not for the sectionals and certainly not the regionals." artie says. "the wheelchair kid's right. that rachel chick makes me want to light myself on fire, but she can sing." puck says. i think that's the nicest thing he's said about anyone ever. "rachel left, guys. she's gone. now, if we're going to make this thing work, we can't look back." we all seem to not be satisfied. "all right take five guys." he says, and i wave kurt and mercedes over. " we need rachel back. though i hate to say it, we might not win without her." kurt says, annoyed. "you're right, and i think i know how to get her back." mercedes says excitedly. i see finn talking to mr. schue and i sigh. "the 'puppy dog' face again!" mercedes whispers to kurt. i turn and look at them. "so, what's the plan?"

"ok, so. you need to boost her ego as much as possible, make her feel like it is a good idea she's in the musical. maybe ask her to run lines or something." i say to finn as we stand outside a classroom. "do you think she'll fall for it?" he says nervously. "definitely! like i said, she's in love with you." he looks me in the eyes. it seems like he wants to say something he just says "ok." i softly hold onto his shoulders. "you got this! ok?" he smiles, and goes into the classroom.

i stand outside of the classroom, waiting for finn to come out. kurt and mercedes walk down the hallway. i didn't know they'd be here. i was going to tell them if the plan worked tomorrow. "is he talking to her right now?" kurt asks me and i nod. they link their arms into mine and we walk away. "wait no i have to wait for him-" they don't stop dragging me away. "this is an intervention." mercedes says as they sit me down in a empty classroom.

"wait what? why? did i do something wrong?" they look at each other. "you've been acting strange lately. you barely try to wear something nice, you seem out of it every rehearsal, and every chance you get, you stare at finn with your 'puppy dog' face." kurt says, and i stifle out a laugh. "that's not true. and whats my 'puppy dog' face?" mercedes purses her lips out, and sighs longingly with her hand on her chin. "that's the face! just admit it, you have feelings for him." kurt slams his hands down on the desk very dramatically and i jump. mercedes does the same and raises her eyebrows. "i don't! can you guys just lay off?!" i say as i get out of my seat. they follow behind me. "ivy, are you ok?" they ask. "i-i'm fine, see you guys tomorrow." i walk out, and as i'm about to leave i feel a hand on my shoulder. "mercedes just go away." i mumble. the person laughs. "what did mercedes do to you?" mike. shit. i put on a smile and turn around. "nothing. hey, what are you doing here?" he shrugs. "i like using the dance room after football practice. what are you doing here?" we walk out the doors together. "trying to get rachel back." he smiles. "that's really nice of you, the glee club really needs her." he says shyly. "thanks mike." i say. "i think it's really cool that you joined glee club. if you don't sing a duet with me i'll be really mad-" he stops me mid-sentence. "oh no no i'm not a singer." he says, and we both laugh. "don't worry, just use some of your sweet dance moves and i'll sing. perfect combo." i say back to him.