Life for Rent - Chapter 6
Rachel POV
I’m always ready for performances on Wednesday after being set them on Monday. I dedicate all of my free time to preparing and perfecting my vocals and overall presentation. Being viewed well and thought of highly is important to me, and Glee club is one of the only places I can feel like that. But with Quinn I have to prepare for her too, her voice is very pretty, but she is definitely not a belter. In some respects that’s why I’m glad she chose this song for us to do.
It was after we finished another run through of our arrangement of Lloyd Webber’s song in the auditorium that Quinn asked me what she thought of her voice in the song.
‘Honestly I think your voice fits this brilliantly Quinn’ I shuffled the sheet music on the hood of the piano. I don’t need it anymore.
‘Thanks. I just hope I’m not being too emotional with this song. I don’t want to sound like I’m pining for him.’ Quinn replied, she seemed to study the last part of the second chorus on the sheet music. I guess she doesn’t have the experience in reading scores like I do.
‘I don’t think you are. You’re singing a song that allows you to express emotions. As long as you don’t look directly at Puck during particular lines it shouldn’t look like you’re singing it to him. Music shouldn’t be obvious, it should be interpreted the way each person wants to understand it.’
Quinn looked at me with a smile, as she gently lowered herself down to the piano stool and hummed the last three bars of the song to herself. She then asked to run through it one last time before leaving for home. She thanked me yet again as we left the school.
This was going well, and it’s nice mentoring someone else who has the talent but just doesn’t know how to use it. I mean I’ve been singing Lloyd-Webber since I was four, so I could sing this whole song backwards, but Quinn’s learning.
Kurt POV
I still have no idea what Finn and I are going to sing on Friday, we’ve only got three and a bit days to start learning and arranging, so we need to find something fast and get going on it. I don’t want to rush it thought because it’s supposed to be fun. Luckily no one else seems to be ready, not even Rachel and Jesse, and they’re real musical theatre buffs, only just ahead of me. I think it’s either that no one really knows much about musicals or they know so much they want to do it real justice, and that’s my problem.
I educated Finn on Rent the other week, so I’m thinking about choosing something from there. But finding something we can sing together is proving difficult. I’ll suggest some songs to Finn when I see him for lunch later and see what the others have come up with, it might inspire me.
Speak of the devil.
‘Hey girl’ Mercedes stood at her locker, as usual, neck deep in it looking for a book. She really should use the shelves better like I have.
‘Hey Kurt, how’s it going?’ her voice was weirdly echoed by the metal casing over he head. I giggled a little to myself.
‘Pretty good thanks, I’ve no idea what song to sing with Finn for our musicals task though’ I opened my locker to get my books for next lesson. ‘Do you know what you’re doing?’
Mercedes whipped her head out of her locker. ‘You, Kurt Hummel, when set a musicals task don’t know what you’re going to perform with your boyfriend?’ she asked with a mix of surprise and disgust in her voice.
‘I know right!’ I had to laugh at her facial expression; her eyes were completely different sizes and her mouth was in an odd shape.
‘Well I know that I’m singing’ she grinned at me widely as she pulled the book she had been looking for out of her locker and shoved it into her bag.
I looked at her to ask what, she just smiled at me.
‘Do I have to tell you? Can’t it be a surprise?’ she asked looping her bag strap over her shoulder.
‘I suppose so, it’s more fun that way I guess’ I replied. Damn, I hoped for some inspiration.
‘Yeah, but you know I’m fabulous baby!’ she giggled giving a brisk finger click.
‘I’ll see you later Kurt, I’ve gotta go and see Artie about some science evolution chemical thing that’s going straight over my head and through my weave’ she said giving me a little hug and walking down the corridor in the general direction of the library.
What am I going to do? I’ll just wait till I see Finn and see if he has any ideas. He could surprise me; it wouldn’t have been the first time.
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‘Finn? Do you have any ideas about what song we could perform on Friday?’ Finn and I were sitting at lunch playing with the beef stew on our plates, neither daring to eat it.
‘Erm, well I did have one idea. It jumped out at me when we watched the Rent DVD the other week. I’ll Cover You? or something like that? The one that the guy and the guy dressed as a girl sang running down the street’
‘Yeah that’s the one. You fancy singing that then? It could work.’ It could work actually; the parts are written for our respective vocal ranges. I always take Angel as a female character so it didn’t even cross my mind.
‘Wait’ Finn said putting his fork down and looking over the table at me. ‘Mr Schue said to get background info on our song and do things like that. Does that mean… you’ll have to dress up as a woman?’ he asked with a chortle.
‘Well I suppose I could, but I think I’m woman enough without a Christmas Dress in the equation, thank you’ I said sarcastically as Finn carried on laughing. ‘No, I mean we could learn the dance, that could be worth a watch.’
‘Sure, I liked the movie’ Finn replied. I’d never seen him get emotional about music or any kind of performance before he watched Rent. It was fascinating to see him become really quite upset when the story happened in the second half of the film.
‘But I think Mr Schuester meant get into the characters. Like you’re character will be Collins. He’s a college teacher but he’s also an anarchist. But he’s mellowed by the fact he has AIDs. Do you think that’s something you could find the ability to understand?’
It would be interesting, also for me. Angel is another extremely complex character. Anyone who knows anything about Rent knows that.
‘That sounds like a good plan then’ I said with a smile. ‘Do you want to come over tonight and watch the DVD then? Just to get a proper insight into what we’re going to be doing. I can get the sheet music and everything ready for tomorrow.’
Finn gave me a resounding nod as we got up from the table and cleared our trays away just in time for the bell. We’d been sitting there for ages and neither of us had noticed.
Finn POV
Friday Glee practice; we’re ready for this. I’m actually pretty pumped for it. It’s the first time since Kurt and I revealed ourselves as a couple that we’ve performed together on purpose, especially after the week we just had. No one has any idea how relieved and content I am that that’s over now.
‘Hey guys’ Mr Schue really needs to update his greetings; he uses the same old ones every time.
‘So who is ready to perform their musical track today?’ He was met with everyone’s hands going up for once. Everyone laughed as they realised they’d all gotten themselves prepared.
‘Right, how am I going to do this? I’ll just pick at random’ Mr Schue closed his eyes and pointed his hand at a random spot in the room.
Mercedes giggled in victory, gave a quick ‘I’ll be right back then’ and bolted out of the door. The entire room looked as confused as I did until she returned in a gold and silver sparkly top and skirt with silver shoes. She had obviously made her hair into a kinda big afro under the hat she was wearing before, it was now gone. I heard Brittany giggle and Santana whisper something to her. I couldn’t hear but I guessed it was rude.
She was met with a wow from Kurt as she walked over to the band and handed them her sheet music.
‘Ladies and Gentlemen, Miss Deloris Van Cartier is back!’ Mercedes announced giving a little wiggle.
The string and drums started sharply as the rest of the band followed their lead.
Look at my style, could it be more glam?
Look at my look, can you say, hot damn?
Look, an' at once, you know what I am:
Me, I'm fabulous baby!
Look at my moves, don't they blow your mind?
Drama, and talent, and sex - combined!
Hell, you could tell even if you're blind!
See? I'm fabulous, baby!
I'm meant to be where the spotlight shines!
Born to be on display!
Built to be dressed to the ninety-nines,
and ready to stand and say - hey.
Look at me!
Can't ya see,
I'm fabulous, baby!
Look right here,
ain't it clear,
where I'm heading to?
And look at the time -
honey, I can't stay!
Look while you can,
'cause I'm on my way!
Me, I'm fabulous baby.
I got fabulous things to do!
Mercedes began to walk towards the door when Santana called over to her. It really took me by surprise.
Where you goin'?
Mercedes turned back and looked at Santana.
Wherever it's happenin!
New York, Vegas... Pittsburgh!
Brittany stood up next to Santana and talked to her too. Was this part of the number?
Oh now we're talking' big-time
Hello, Pittsburgh, I'm Deloris Van Cartier!
Yeah, its part of the number… I never expected Brit and Santana to work with Mercedes on a song. Everyone seemed just as shocked as I was as the two girls started singing.
Look at my boobs!
At my clothes!
My hair!
Look what's up here...
and then look back there.
Look all you want,
I got lots to spare!
They were hilarious, pointing and over acting everything, pretending to take the mic out of this character that Mercedes was performing as.
Just stand back and clear the track
'Cause look at me!
Can't ya see
I'm fabulous, baby!
Check me out!
Ain't no doubt,
Where this girl is bound!
So joke all ya want,
go ahead and laugh.
One day you'll beg for my autograph!
Oh, I'm fabulous, baby!
So damn fabulous, baby!
Fine and fabulous,
wait and see!
The room erupted into applause and whoops as Mercedes finished her killer of a last note. That was brilliant. Kurt was the first to jump out of his chair, manically clapping and cheering. I think the unlikely combo of Brittany, Santana and Mercedes surprised everyone so much, but it worked so well. Kurt and I have got to do something special after that.
Mercedes was grinning from ear to ear as she gave a little clap to Brittany and Santana and mouthed thank you.
‘Nice one ladies, very good; I’m glad to see that you’ve looked into your characters and have made your performance suit that’ Mr Schue said walking into the centre of the room. ‘Who’s next?’
Jesse raised his hand, was given the floor by Mr Schue and belted out a song I’d never heard of before. I didn’t really expect to know many of the songs today; I’m not very up on my musicals.
Kurt POV
Mercedes was obviously buzzing as she sat next to me; she was shuffling around everywhere, really distracting when I’m trying to get into the right mindset to perform. She was brilliant thought, especially getting the girls to perform with her. I’d never have thought of that.
Jesse stood up and performed, quite practically, a flawless version of Anthem from Chess, no wonder he always gets the male leads nowadays. Tina, Artie, Matt and Mike followed with a hilarious version of Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist from Avenue Q. Seeing Tina overplay her Asian side to take off the character of Christmas Eve has to be the highlight of my week. Puck followed with One Song Glory from Rent. Great, now we’re doing something from the same musical, it’s going to make us look so unoriginal.
We’ll just have to perform our best to make our number stand out then won’t we? Mr Schue commented on Puck’s performance as the bell rang for next period. Finn and I, Rachel and Quinn would have to perform our numbers on Friday. No doubt Rachel has chosen a big diva ballad to bring the house down, and God knows what Quinn is going to sing on her own.