Erika's eyes darted around nervously as she entered the school the following day, paper copies of the Cheerios photos clutched in her hands. The cheap envelope trembled in her hands as she walked, each step forward feeling like another step towards her execution. Students turned to face her, smug smirks lighting up their faces maliciously. They clearly didn't expect this to go well.
Erika wasn't quite sure what to feel. She'd managed to get a solo shot of each member, along side the many group shots, but it hadn't been easy. Despite the physically gorgeous subjects and their photogenic nature, the 'shoot' of sorts was the tiniest hair short of a disaster. There had been three little nuisances that seemed desperate to make her life harder.
- flashback -
The sun bore down on Erika's neck as she entered the football field, hurriedly holding up a hand to protect her eyes. She peered around the field, taking in the impressive cheer team and trying to spot the formidable coach. In her head, she rushed through everything she knew about taking photos of active subjects. Which was extremely little, now that she thought about it. Why did she agree to this again?
Her search came to a frantic stop as she watched a long pale leg be lifted into the air in a mount. Jaw tumbling to the floor, Erika slowly trailed her eyes over the unblemished skin and the curled ponytail. The folds of the skirt that fell away to make room for the impressive display of flexibility. Absentmindedly, Erika wiped a hand along her mouth, swiftly wiping away any drool.
There she was. Quinn Fabray.
Erika followed along Quinn's form, slowly zooming out and taking in the rest of the team. The strong tan arms of Santana Lopez provided a surface for Quinn to grab on to. The Latina looked almost bored as she supported her friend's weight, her eyes scanning the field. A malevolent smile bloomed across her face as her sharp gaze landed on Erika.
She must've said something to Quinn, because all too soon the two were making their way towards Erika. Santana paused briefly, tapping another cheerleader that was resting in the splits on the back and gesturing. The other cheerleader popped up, revealing herself to be Brittany Pierce.
The trio of cheerleaders made their way towards Erika, all with a mischievous look in their eyes. Erika froze in a gay panic as they made their way over. Her mind shut down, restricted to only one thought.
GIRL. GIRL. GIRL. GIRL.
"Erika Addams," Quinn sneered with a quirk of her flawlessly plucked eyebrow. "What can we do for you? Last I checked-" she smirked deviously. Erika tried desperately to regain some common sense. The effort was, of course, fruitless. "-you weren't a cheerio."
Santana snorted, a delicate hand coming up to cover her mouth as a nasty grin smeared on her face. "Last I checked, with those flabby thighs, you never will be."
Erika sent Santana a wide, sarcastic smile. "Bite me, Santana," she said, overly cheerfully. She'd successfully gathered her wits, but she was pretty sure she'd left some of her self-respect on the floor.
"Someone's feisty today," Santana leaned on Brittany's shoulder. The blonde girl grinned with a dazed smile.
Erika shook her head, redirecting her focus onto Quinn. Her breath caught in her throat as she met her eyes. Her big, beautiful, hazel eyes that glared at her with suspicion. Any fight that'd once been in her body left her instantly.
"Um, Coach Sylvester sent me. She-she wants me to take photos."
Seriously? She snapped at herself, that's what you say? You sound like a wimp. What do you know, she wasn't wrong. She did sound like a wimp.
"Really?" Quinn's voice was soaked in disbelief. "Coach Sylvester asked a sophomore to take photos of a cheerleader squad that has been asked to be featured high class magazines by world renowned photographers?"
"Well anything sounds dumb when you say it like that," Erika muttered under her breath. Quinn did have a point, but it wasn't one that Erika hadn't already considered.
"ADDAMS!" A sudden roar came from across the pitch. Erika snapped to attention, eyes immediately finding the lone form of Coach Sylvester. The Coach was a terrifying woman, both in looks and personality. She wore a red Adidas tracksuit that only emphasised her thin and willowy figure. She honestly reminded Erika of a banshee.
"ADDAMS!" came the screaming call once more. Erika bolted, dodging passed the three cheerleaders and pretending to ignore their knowing grins. She clutched her camera close to her chest to keep it from moving, glad she had the lens cap securely on. She would genuinely cry if the lens got scratched in her pathetic attempt to appease the demon shouting for her.
She came to a slow, panting stop in front of the Coach. Her lungs burned from the lack of oxygen, her eyes stinging from the glare of the sun.
The Coach stared down at her, lips turned downwards in an unimpressed frown. "So you're Kayleen Addams' sister?"
Erika suppressed a wince, nodding.
"And you're Mary Addams' daughter?"
Erika sighed, nodding once more. She got it now. The Coach hadn't been wowed by her photography skills or awed by her talent. She'd been impressed by her linage. Not the first time that'd happened.
"Hm," the Coach muttered, eyes seizing her up. "You've got one chance to impress me, Addams. If those pictures don't make my girls seem like the pure incarnate of Aphrodite and my boys the living, breathing version of Eros, I will ensure that your family's legacy is reduced to dust. Got that, Addams?"
Erika nodded, biting her lip to stop herself from telling the Coach that her 'family legacy' wasn't anything of importance to her. She did not want, nor need, Coach Sue Sylvester going after either her mother or her sister. She'd never hear the end of it.
The Coach smirked. "Good." She nodded over in the direction Erika had sprinted from. "Stick with Quinn. She'll make sure your work is worth our time."
Erika's eyes widened and she slowly turned on her heel. The blonde beauty of her nightmares stared back at her, eyes burning with an untamed evil.
She.
Was.
Fucked.
- flashback end -
Stuttering breaths exited Erika's mouth as she came to a gentle stop at the office door. The small window revealed Miss Sylvester seated at her desk, surrounded by an array of trophies. She was scribbling haphazardly, messily into a notebook and Erika almost turned back around.
Shuddering slightly, she took a deep breath in. She could do this. She was Mary Addams daughter and Kayleen Addams sister. She was Erika fucking Addams. She had singlehandedly won every photography competition she'd entered. She could do this... couldn't she?
- jupiter & mars -
author's note;
hello everyone! i'm back! sort of... can't promise it. i really wanted to thank you all for you amazing support for this story. it genuinely means a lot to me to see all these comments and votes and 'added-to-library's.
so this chapter was a bit of a filler, i'm so sorry, i promise we'll get to the glee club soon enough, but first off, we must focus on the present before we focus on the future. i deeply apologise for my sue sylvester, i really tried my best. and quinn and erika's first interaction! i was reading back through and i noticed that i, mistakenly, said that quinn's eyes are blue. they really aren't so I apologise for that mistake.
i hope you've all enjoyed this update, however small it may be, and i look forward to seeing you all again soon. please leave more comments as well! i really appreciate every single one!
- evelyne xx