• MARINA • Hunter Clarington-BOOK TWO✔

t h i r t y - s i x

Marina was surprised when she discovered the New Directions hadn't even began to do the photoshoot for their Men of McKinley calendar. She showed them the one the boys had done, kindly asking Tina if she needed any help. Tina denied the offer.

Everyone sat in the choir room as Jake began to sing to Marley, a soft tune playing on the piano. People showed various reactions: Kitty looked bored, Joe, Blaine, and Artie were all admiring the song, Kara and Arabella rubbed their fingers over the other's knuckles, and everyone else was simply enjoying the song.

Everyone clapped and cheered when he finished, Marley clapping loudly with a wide smile and tears in her eyes. "That was awesome, man. Absolutely a contender for Regionals." Finn stated.

Marina paused. "Wait- if it was a contender for Regionals, I think I should have known that. And the Warblers should be here. But, Jake, that song was amazing."

"Who was that song for?" Brittany questioned.

"Uh, that was for Marley." Jake responded, a small smile on his face.

"Is there anything else you wanted to say to her?" Ryder wondered with a knowing smile.

"Uh, I think the song pretty much said it." Jake responded as the group burst into another round of applause.

Marina stayed and helped set up each set for the photoshoot, glad she could at least help. Ryder stood as July; his theme based on the 4th of July. "Give me sexy liberty. Give me sexy freedom. Give me 'I want you' sexy." Tina grinned as Ryder posed, Brittany taking the photos of the guys.

"All right, August is up next!" Tina announced, Sam moving to the screen to get into position. Tina turned to Artie. "Artie, are you sure you don't want to pose?"

"Oh, I'm happy posing with this bounce-board over here." Artie said, brushing off the idea of posing.

"Hey! Why don't we do August with a few of the guys? Blaine, why don't you jump in with Sam? You're looking particularly cute today." Tina grinned, Blaine giving her a look of confusion.

Joe raised a hand. "I'll do it, too." He offered.

"No offense, Joe, but I don't really think you want to be in a shot next to me. My washboards are gonna make you look like a bloated white Bob Marley." Sam said to the boy, hands on his hips.

"I'm as God made me, dude." Joe refuted.

"Look, the reality is that we probably should have just done a Sam Evans calendar." Sam said to them all, his hands thrown in the air.

"Yes, and every month we could see you dressed as a different brand of jerkwad." Artie replied dryly, a frown on his face.

Marina sighed, "Hurry up and you guys can get your money."

Sam sighed, aggravated. "Guys, we waited too long! I lost my pump. I need five minutes." He stormed off, getting multiple sighs and words of confusion. Blaine silently followed.

Brittany curiously looked to Marina. "How much money did you make?"

Marina looked to them all. "I.... uh.... We made $100,000. We're going to be converting my family's mansion's first floor into a multitude of dance studios and choir rooms. We'll be open to public choirs and vocal training, hosting dance groups and teaching lessons while I balance my fashion career and Hunter'll balance his modelling career while the other eight balance that and college." Marina rambled nervously, Kara, Arabella, and Jamie nodding in agreement.

"How'd you get so much?" Tina wondered.

"Crawford Country Day," Marina explained, "All rich girls. Dalton's sister school. 200 copies for $500 per calendar. I can get some copies to Crawford for $200 and you guys can sell some here. You'll get enough for the ride, and spare."

Tina accepted, Marina grinning at her response. "Awesome. I'll get you 200 copies, 100 for here, the others for Crawford. Charge $10 here and I'll stick to the Crawford $500."

Sam convinced Artie to fill in on their missing months, the boys working together to fill and perfect the calendar. Marina worked with Tina and Brittany to edit and print the photos, binding them into their calendar. Marina took their first copy, coming back to McKinley with a total of 201. She gave Tina the original copy, splitting the 200.

"They sell fast." Marina informed as the girls began to set up the stall, they would be selling them at, Marina placing a banner above.

"Oh, I can tell." Tina responded, referring to the money Marina had made on the Warbler's calendar.

The brunette left to Crawford, many of the girls recognising her car. "It's not the Dalton boys," Marina yelled loudly, "But here are the Men of McKinley!" They, too, were a quick sell out- but not as quick as her boys.

She drove back to McKinley, Tina and Marina going to Finn with a total of $51,000. Marina raised the $50,000 at Crawford while Tina and the girls raised $1000 at McKinley.

"Oh my god," Finn gasped, "This is so much money."

"We can get to Regionals now." Tina grinned.

"Don't waste the money, though," Marina warned, "It can get to people's heads."

"I know." Finn smiled slowly, "I want you girls to do one thing for us boys, though. Sing."

The ten girls stood in the centre of the choir room, the six McKinley boys sitting there, the six Dalton boys beside them. "The girls." Finn stated, moving to sit down as they all began to sing. 

"Since you guys did all this, we thought we'd upstage you with Broadway." Tina grinned to them all.

They sang Six from the musical SIX, Arabella being Catherine of Aragon, Marina being Anne Boleyn, Marley being Jane Seymour, Unique being Anne of Cleves, Kitty being Katherine Howard, and Tina being Catherine Parr. Sugar, Jamie, and Kara were all more than okay with only singing the chorus, the girls all dancing and having fun as the boys watched on with smiles.

They received standing ovations when they finished, the boys whooping loudly before the twelve ran up to them, creating a group song.