Perfectly Imperfect

Dream On

"What's your dream future, Dani? Like, what college do you dream to go to?" Mike inquired as they awaited the start of the rehearsal for that afternoon.

"In a perfect world, we'll graduate, leave this crap town and we'll be going to some school known for its arts program. Like Juilliard, they have a good cello and dance program."

Mike marvelled at her optimism and believing their dreams of performing after high school was well within their reach despite the odds and opposition from family, resting his chin on the heel of his hand, "How are you so sure that we have what it takes out in the real world, Miss Sunshine?"

Danielle Karofsky hadn't heard that nickname in years, a name her Grandpa used to call her every time she saw him growing up. Her grandfather was the real reason she picked music over sports, he used to play classical music religiously on his record player. Those memories and the support she received from her grandfather was what molded her into the optimist she was. "I believe that there's always something amazing going to happen, that if you believe in yourself and work hard enough your dreams will come true. And you, Mike Chang, are the best dancer I've ever seen. If you can't make it out in the real world, the world is corrupt and I don't wanna live in a corrupt world."

As Mike pressed a smiling kiss onto the blonde's pink lips, Mr. Will Schuester enters the choir room with his old classmate, Bryan Ryan, "Okay, guys, listen up. This is Mr. Ryan. He's a member of the school board, and he would like to say a few words. I-I just want you guys to listen critically and know that what he's saying is just one of many opinions."

"Take out a piece of paper. And on that paper, I want you to write down your biggest dream. A dream that means so much, you're afraid to admit it even to yourself." Bryan waits for the students to write their dreams on some loose leaf paper: Rachel Berry scribing 'HUGE STAR', Puck scribbles '3SOME', and beside Dani, Quinn Fabray writes 'NO STRETCH MARKS'. After Artie scratched his dream onto the paper, Bryan snatches the paper and crumples it into a ball, "Your dream is never going to happen. Ninety one percent of you will spend your entire lives living in Allen County, Ohio. So unless you wrote down that your dream was to "work for a mid-market health insurance provider" or "find an entry level job in an elderly care facility," you're going to be very disappointed."

The fourteen teenagers share the same look of disappointment, all brought to silence by the former Glee Club alumni. Mercedes looked around the room, seeing even the most optimistic and driven people of the McKinley High Glee Club upset by Bryan Ryan's words, "This is really depressing."

"I'm going to guess that a lot of your dreams involve "showbiz." Well, let me tell you. Showbiz dreams are the most unrealistic of them all." Bryan spoke these words, his tone dripping with hatred and pain when speaking about a line of work he once sought to take part of. But show business and stardom was fleeting and invasive in the case of Bryan Ryan and he now tried to save the doe eyed youth from suffering the same fate.

Tina's voice caught on her tears, furthermore frustrated by the discouraging words of the adult, "But... that's what I want to do with my life."

"Oh, look, I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, I'm just trying to spare you disappointment."

"I think we get your point."

Bryan smirks at the Glee Club director, his pale blue eyes glistening with Sue Sylvester level chaos, "Aw, well, Schuester here's a prime example. He used to have that glimmer of hope in his eyes that I can see right now in all of yours. But he couldn't make it happen for himself, so he now has to try and convince you all that it will happen for you. Guess what? His dream didn't work out. And neither will yours."

Mercedes started to console Tina as she sobbed hard into her shoulder, others having much harder expressions directed to the man whose intent was clearly to destroy their spirit. Will Schuester couldn't handle hearing or seeing a student cry, so throwing caution to the wind he glared at his former classmate and made his tone firm, "Okay, you're done here."