A/N: Okay, new story. I'm still working on Coming Home. I'm not sure how many more chapter of that I'm going to do yet but I am still writing it but I also started writing this as well so I decided to put it on here.
Disclaimer: I don't own glee.
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Jesse and Rachel are the same age in this fic. =] It starts completely AU but will head more towards season one plot as it goes =]
Rachel walked into the local theatre where they were holding auditions for a production of Grease. Rachel knew it was unlikely for her to get the part of Sandy due to her appearance but she wasn't going to let that stop her. She smiled at the woman at reception before writing down her name and putting a gold star after it. The woman gave her a funny look but Rachel ignored it and sat down in the waiting area.
It was only girls and women auditioning today and Rachel tried to block out some of their conversations but was failing.
"I hear they've already cast all the guys." One girl said to another.
"No just Danny, I think the others are still being decided." Her friend replied.
"Do you know who it is? I bet he's hot."
Rachel sighed before getting up and moving, not wanting to hear any more of their inane conversation when she needed to concentrate.
Inside the auditorium Shelby Corcoran and Jesse St. James sat at directors table that Shelby had set up.
"I appreciate the invite but why am I here?" He asked.
"We both know that your audition was just a formality, I chose Grease with you in mind." Jesse rolled his slightly but let her continue. "So I brought you here to help pick Sandy. I don't want to pick someone you don't like and have to do this all over again."
"Fine, I'll sit through hours of terrible singers until we find someone mediocre enough to not get tomatoes thrown at them."
Shelby glared at him before calling the first girl in to audition. Jesse didn't focus too much on her performing he just judged whether he wanted to sleep with the girl. That would be the best way for him to judge, a nice summer romance with his leading lady was just what the doctor ordered. His ex-girlfriend Quinn had broken up with him a couple of months ago before jumping into the arms of quarterback Finn Hudson. She had told him that while he was cool he didn't have the power or influence of a football player. Jesse scoffed at the memory. All those stupid football players weren't going anywhere. They would be stuck in this cow town reliving their glory days for the rest of their lives while Jesse would be in Hollywood or on Broadway.
Jesse had never told anyone that before, it was his dream and he didn't feel the need to share it with everyone he knew. His parents had encouraged him to join the glee club at his school but he knew it was a waste of time, there were on a couple of students and even his superior talents wouldn't be able to turn that around and he would make himself a social pariah for the rest of his high school existence for no reason. Instead Jesse sang in his room or performed in community theatre over the summer holidays. It was just out of Lima so he didn't have to worry about running into anyone from school. He had been doing these shows since he was seven and so knew Shelby Corcoran, the director very well.
It was a long day as girl after girl walked onto the stage and failed to impress him and Shelby. Some weren't completely terrible and a few he had put a mark next to because they were hot but Jesse was starting to feel tired of the play before they had even really begun. Shelby should have spared him from this he kept thinking.
"There's only one more." Shelby whispered to him.
Jesse looked to the stage as a small girl he recognised from his school stepped out onto the stage. He had seen her around and had seen her getting slushied by Puck and the football team. She was at the bottom of the social ladder at McKinley while he was at the top.
"What are you going to sing?" Shelby asked her.
"On my own from the seminal Broadway classic, Les Mis." She spoke confidantly.
"Okay then." Shelby said and the music started.
Jesse watched her sceptically. He knew she was one of the kids in glee club but that didn't mean anything, you didn't even have to audition to get in. He even moved to start packing up not bothered about hearing this last girl, she didn't look right for the part anyway but as soon as she started singing he stilled. He looked at her in awe, her voice was incredible, she sang with emotion and she didn't seem nervous at all. He would go as far as to say that she was almost as good as him. As the song progressed she hit and held every note.
He looked at Shelby who was smiling. After Rachel finished singing Shelby spoke again. "That was lovely Rachel. I'll be out in a couple of minutes if you could just wait outside."
"She goes to my school." Jesse told her.
"You know her?"
"No, we don't exactly run in the same circles."
"She's talented." Shelby spoke.
"She's not blonde." Jesse argued. He was wary of working with someone from school. He didn't want it getting out that this was what he did with his spare time. He wasn't ashamed, he just knew that people would give him crap for it and he didn't want to have to deal with that.
"It doesn't matter. She was the only one good enough."
"I guess she's it then." He sighed and Shelby looked at him worriedly.
"If you don't want her-"
"No it's fine." He said shaking his head.
Shelby picked up her things and headed out into the waiting area. Jesse stayed in the auditorium and sat on the stage.
Shelby dismissed the rest of the girls and asked Rachel to stay and informed her of their decision.
"Thank you so much." Rachel gushed.
"You deserve it. You're very talented."
Rachel smiled at the compliment and followed Shelby back into the auditorium before she realised something. "You're not going to make me wear a wig are you because I just can't pull of blonde" She said and Shelby chuckled.
"You don't have to be blonde to be Sandy you just have to be innocent and you definitely have that essence about you."
"When do we start?" She asked enthusiastically.
"Well I still need to cast the other characters bar one so we'll probably start rehearsals next week. I'll email you the details when I know and here's the script." She handed Rachel the paper she had just pulled out of her bag.
Jesse saw them coming in and deciding to get it over with, jumped off the stage and made his way over to them.
"This is Jesse St. James, he's playing Danny Zuko." Shelby introduced.
"You?" Rachel asked with her eyebrows raised and Jesse chuckled.
"Yes, me."
"Are you any good?" She asked and he laughed sardonically before jumping onto the stage and motioning to the band. Rachel was surprised when One Song Glory began playing and Jesse belted it out. Rachel's eyebrows did not lower as she stared at him in complete surprise. She had never thought that Jesse St. James one of the hottest and most popular guys in school was hiding a talent like that.
Shelby waved goodbye to Jesse and spoke it to Rachel before walking out and heading home.
When Jesse finished Rachel clapped. "Impressive, but you were a slightly flat in places."
Jesse looked at her, shocked that she would criticise him. "No I wasn't."
"I have an amazing ear and you were definitely flat but for an impromptu performance it was pretty good. I'm sure with some rehearsal you'll be great."
"I'm amazing. I don't need to hear your opinions." He spoke to her, his temper slightly getting the best of him.
"It's not opinion." She argued back. "Just because everyone in school kisses your ass and thinks you're perfect doesn't mean there isn't room for improvements."
Jesse scoffed. "If anyone needs work it's you."
"You try and convince yourself of that. I'm going to outshine you and every member of that audience is going to agree."
"Audiences love me."
"You've never had to compete with me."
"I have more experience."
"I'm more confident."
At the last statement Jesse laughed loudly. He had never met anyone more confidence than him and she could tell that's what he was thinking.
"Tell me Jesse, do any of your friends know you sing?" Jesse's face fell at her words. "You may be able to walk through the halls and turn heads, you may be able to perform confidently but that's not you. Jesse isn't confident, at least not enough to be yourself."
He stared at her in shock. He couldn't believe her gall or how easily she had seen through him. "Who the hell do you think you are?" Before she could give him an answer he turned and stormed away.
Rachel sighed. That had not gone well but she had been right. She would probably have to apologise when they started rehearsal. She still couldn't believe that Jesse St. James was doing community theatre or that he was possibly the most talented person she had ever met. However she definitely wasn't wrong about what she said, he wasn't himself in school. If doing this was what he loved then hiding it from his friends meant that he was hiding himself.
She could understand why. She was proof of what love of show tunes and Broadway could do to you in high school. Just because she was driven and passionate people thought she was weird. Just because she was a bit bossy and high maintenance people didn't want to be her friend, and just because she dressed differently and didn't have the most traditional upbringing people made fun of her. She could understand why Jesse hid it. She just thought he was a coward for doing so.
Soon enough they started rehearsal and Rachel and Jesse were sitting in a room for a read through. He had ignored her since he arrived and even when they were reading scenes with each other, he was avoiding looking at her. Even Shelby noticed something was wrong and told them all to take a break. They split into groups and started talking.
"Jesse?" She caught his attention. He looked at her blankly. "I'm sorry for what I said. It wasn't my place and I understand." She spoke softly and he watched as her face fell slightly. "Let's face it. I'm a prime example of what it's like when you're yourself in high school. It's not exactly an enviable existence."
He looked at her sadly. It couldn't be easy for her. He had seen the girls picking on her and the guys making fun of her. He had never personally slushied anyone but he didn't stop them either so he was just as bad. Jesse hooked his finger under her chin and lifted her head to look at him. "You're better than them. You're better than all of us." He spoke, knowing it wasn't easy if you weren't popular.
"I know. I just have to wait until they all see it too."
He smiled at her confidence. "You really are confident." He laughed and she joined him. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have flipped at you like that. Would you believe me if I said I'm not used to criticism?"
"Yes but get used to it, I'm here now." She teased and he rolled his eyes playfully. "And you know you will actually have to look at me while we do scenes don't you?"
"Ha ha." He deadpanned. "I was committing to being pissed at you."
She laughed and he couldn't help but notice how pretty she was when she smiled. He turned his head quickly so she wouldn't think she was staring. The rest of the read through was a success and the tension had lifted from the room and it became much more enjoyable. Shelby let them go and as Rachel waited outside the building for her dad who was going to be late Jesse walked over to her.
"How are you getting home?" He asked.
"My dad's coming to collect me but he's running a bit late."
"Call him, I'll take you home." He said.
"No, it's okay."
"I'm not taking no for an answer." He told her and so she called her dad as she got into Jesse's car.
"Hey Dad, don't worry a friend said he'd drop me home. Yes I have it. Bye dad."
Jesse looked at her. "Sorry about that." She smiled apologetically.
"What do you have?"
"My rape whistle."
Hope you liked it. =] Please review, I love reading your thoughts and reactions.
Jesse laughed and directed Rachel over to his car.