someone else | j st. james [on hold]

20 | senior year

Dan heard Jacob Ben-Israel before she saw him and let out an annoyed groan. They hadn't even been to first period yet, but the menace was as active as ever.

"Shalom blogosphere! Jacob Ben-Isreal here at McKinley High. Sudden death - big stakes senior year. Who will succeed and who will fail?"

The next thing Dan knew, he and his stupid microphone were right in front of her.

"Dan Hummel-Hudson, sources say you've accepted a full-ride offer to New York University, committing extremely early to the private institution."

"Yes, JBI," she told him. "I'll be getting out of here as soon as possible."

"And everyone wants to know if you're still with one Mr. Jesse St. James — also known as the jobless, washed up, shell of the talented man he once used to be."

"Butt out, cretin," Dan said, rolling her eyes. Jesse was only nineteen. He didn't need a job — and not that it was anyone's business, but he was taking online classes through Ohio State, this time determined to take college more seriously.

But the cretin known as JBI did not, in fact, butt out, and instead followed Dan down the hall. "Ranked number one in the Nation in all but show choir. Word on the street is that you're still fuming over Rachel Berry and Finn Hudson's public display of affection that people are saying cost the New Directions first place at Nationals. Do you dispute these rumors?"

Then, as they passed by Rachel, the girl opened her locker. A flood of green apple slushie poured out all over the short girl, covering her from head to toe. All her books and pictures were covered in the sticky, sugary drink.

Jacob's cameraman panned back and forth from the locker, shocked Rachel, and a smirking Dan. In addition to the slushie, the small, twelfth place trophy from New York fell out as well, full to the tiny brim with green slush, which Dan had swiped from the classroom and planted in the locker with the other surprise.

"Was this Dan Hummel's doing?" Jacob asked eagerly.

Dan smirked into the camera. "Oh, of course not. That's bullying, JBI, and I would never bully a fellow student."

She spun on her heel, her perfectly spotless Cheerio sneakers squeaking as she did, and walked down the hall, her ponytail bouncing along as she left Jacob Ben-Isreal and the slushie-covered Rachel in the dust.

It was going to be a good senior year. Dan could feel it.

☆︎

The first Glee rehearsal arrived that afternoon, and everyone filed into the choir room. In the middle of the floor were all of their trophies from the past two years, including the small one from Nationals that Rachel had cleaned and returned.

"Mr. Schue, why are all of our trophies in the middle of the room?" Tina asked.

"I was sure that our nationals trophy would grow during the summer," Brittany said, staring down at the tiny one.