14~ Seven Nation Army

"Those Golden Goblet madrigal singers were way better than I thought they'd be." Puck said as he applied eye-liner... I can't even believe I said that either, I know.

"Are you high? I couldn't hear their instruments at all." Brittany said. I thought about explaining to Brittany about how acapella church choir worked, but I thought better of it. More because I would get a headache just from the stress of talking to someone who had the same brain capacity as a squirrel. Then Mr. S came in and stood on the piano bench.

"Alright guys, listen up. Don't let them get into your heads, okay? Stay focused on what he do best," he said.

"Show circle time, come on! Let's huddle up!" Artie announced. Everybody started cheering as we merged into a circle.

"Okay uh... Finn, you wanted to start us off?" Mr. S asked him.

"Yeah. I know it's kind of short notice but... after the competition, Rachel and I are going to get married," he said. I think Sam's jaw hit the floor at his words.

"At the Justice of the Peace at the Lime Munical Center," he added.

"There will be some light refreshments afterwards, my dads and I were rolling finger sandwiches all night long," Rachel pitched. Is there anything her dads don't do for her?

"With everything that's happened lately, we thought a lot about what Mr. Shue said. We didn't want to wait anymore. We just want to live everyday like it's our last," Finn explained, "So we wanted to thank a lot of you guys were supportive of our decision to get married,"

"And-and for those of you who maybe weren't the biggest fans of our impending nupitials, we thank you also," Rachel looked directly at Quinn as she said that, "So after we win, we would really love it if all of you would come to our wedding,"

Artie was the first to break into applause, then the rest of us followed with happy whoops and cheers of joy. I was happy for my friend, although it may not be a smart decision, I'm happy for her.

"And! And! Another big applause for Reese whose going to blow the audience away with her amazing solo!" Rachel added. I couldn't help but blush and laugh.

"Hey, yeah! Reese, how do you feel?" Mr. S asked me.

"Like I'm going to puke." I replied. Not my best answer but who cares?

"As long as you don't do it on stage you'll be fine," Blaine said.

"Come on, bring it in!" we put our hands in the center, and doing our famous and signature "Amazing" cheer before running out fully pumped to win.

⚥⚥⚥

"[Rachel:]

I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive

I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise

[Rachel with New Directions:]

To fly, to fly

[Santana:]

Oh yo, yo

[Artie:]

I used to think that I could not go on

[Santana:]

I wish today it will rain all day

Maybe that will kinda make the pain go away

[Artie:]

And life was nothing but an awful song

[Santana:]

They got their guns out aiming at me

But I become Neo when they aiming at me

[New Directions:]

If I can see it

[Blaine:]

Me, me, me against them

Me against enemies, me against friends

([New Directions:] Then I can do it)

Somehow they both seem to become one

A sea full of sharks and they all smell blood

([New Directions:] If I just believe it)

They start coming and I start rising

Must be surprising, I'm just surmising

([New Directions:] There's nothing to it)

[Blaine and Santana:]

I win, thrive, soar, higher, higher, higher

More fire

[Rachel and Reese:]

I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive

I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise

[Finn and New Directions:]

I believe I can fly

([Rachel:] Fly)

I believe I can touch the sky

I believe I can fly

([Rachel:] Fly)

I believe I can touch the sky

[Artie:]

See I was on the verge of breakin' down

[Santana:]

Paint they own pictures, then they crop me in

But I will remain where the top begins

[Artie:]

Sometimes silence can seem so loud

[Santana:]

I am not a word, I am not a line

I am not a girl that can ever be defined

[New Directions:]

If I can see it

[Blaine:]

I hear the criticism loud and clear

That is how I know that the time is near

([New Directions:] Then I can do it)

See we become alive in a time of fear

And I ain't got no motherfickle time to spare

([New Directions:] If I just believe it)

Cry my eyes out for days upon days

Such a heavy burden placed upon me

([New Directions:] There's nothing to it)

[Blaine and Santana:]

But when you go hard your nay's become yea's

Yankee Stadium with Jay's and Kanye's

[Rachel and Reese:]

I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive

I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise

[Finn and New Directions:]

I believe I can fly

([Rachel:] Fly)

I believe I can touch the sky

([Mercedes:] Ooh)

I believe I can fly

([Rachel:] Fly)

I believe I can touch the sky

([Mercedes:] Touch the sky)

[Finn:]

I believe I can fly

[Reese with ND girls:]

Get ready for it, get ready for it

[Artie:]

Then I can be it

([Mercedes with ND Girls:] Get ready for it, I came to win)

If I just believe it, there's nothing to it

([Mercedes with ND Girls:] Get ready for it, get ready for it, get ready for it)

[Mercedes:]

Get ready for it!

Yeah!

[Artie and New Directions:]

I believe I can fly

([Rachel:] Fly)

[Finn and New Directions:]

I believe I can touch the sky

([Mercedes:] Sky)

I think about it

([Rachel:] Fly)

Every night and day

Spread my wings and fly away

([Mercedes:] Ooh)

[Finn and Artie with New Directions:]

I believe I can soar

([Rachel:] Fly)

([Mercedes:] Get ready for it)

I see me runnin' through that open door

([Mercedes:] Get ready for it)

([Mercedes:] Fly)

I believe I can fly

([Rachel:] Fly)

([Mercedes:] Get ready for it)

[Finn:] I believe I can fly"

This has to be one of my favorite songs to perform ever with my friends. Gives a great message, too.

Next up was the mini all girl group we made after a bit of a spat we were all having at the begining of the year. We called ourselves the Troubletones, but that another story I'll save for another time.

"You know the bed feels warmer

Sleeping here alone

You know I dream in colour

And do the things I want

You think you got the best of me

Think you had the last laugh

Bet you think that everything good is gone

Think you left me broken down

Think that I'd come running back

Baby you don't know me, cause you're dead wrong

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

What doesn't kill you makes a fighter

Footsteps even lighter

Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger

Just me, myself and I

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

Thanks to you I got a new thing started

Thanks to you I'm not the broken-hearted

Thanks to you I'm finally thinking about me

You know in the end the day you left was just my beginning

In the end...

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

What doesn't kill you makes a fighter

Footsteps even lighter

Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone

[2x]

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger

Just me, myself and I

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone"

You're not alone"

When I sing thins song I like to think of my parents, and I like to think they're somewhere rotting in a deep, dark hole... man, I'm sick.

But here it is, my turn to blow away. Either good or bad, and I couldn't be more scared. the rest of the girls left the stage, leaving me with the floor. My heart was beating in my throat, and I thought I was going to vomit, but I pushed away my nausea as soon as I caught Hairgel in the crowd. He was smiling at me, he knew I could do this, and he knew I could too. Well, here goes nothing...

"I'm gonna fight 'em off

A seven nation army couldn't hold me back

They're gonna rip it off

Taking their time right behind my back

And I'm talkin' to myself at night

Because I can't forget

Back and forth through my mind

Behind a cigarette

And the message comin' from my eyes says, "Leave it alone."

Don't wanna hear about it

Every single one's got a story to tell

Everyone knows about it (yeah)

From the Queen of England to the hounds of hell

And if I catch it comin' back my way

I'm gonna serve it to you

And that ain't what you want to hear

But that's what I'll do

And the feeling coming from my bones says, "Find a home."

I'm going to Wichita

Far from this opera forevermore

I'm gonna work the straw

Make the sweat drip out of every pore

And I'm bleeding, and I'm bleeding, and I'm bleeding

Right before the Lord

All the words are gonna bleed from me

And I will sing no more

And the stains comin' from my blood tell me, "Go back home!""

I couldn't believe it, I actually did it... and everybody loved it! How do I know? The entire joint was on their feet cheering and screaming... happily now happily.

My friends were in the wings, jumping and cheering, Rachel looked tempted to run onto the stage and give me a hug. And in the mass of the audience, I could see my parents, Ryan looked like he was going to burst into tears and Charlotte had her hand over her heart, looking me in the eye with so much love and pride.

Sebastian was cheering for me, you know, one of those big applauding cheers to say 'Hey, i'm proud of you and you're not a loser'. It felt good, it made me happy. It was then I realized that I had made a friend: a strange, misguided, unlikely friend.