Fan Fiction

Football camp. What is Finn thinking?! FOOTBALL CAMP?! He’s going to get his face bashed. He just better protect himself. How will he be able to sing if he has broken ribs?

Rachel’s mind was racing for the 47th time today as she sat in her room, frustrated that Quinn was not available at the end of her cell phone. It was summer. It was Ohio. And she was bored.

With nothing to do and no Quinn to entertain her, Rachel opened her MacBook to check out Broadway.com.

Jordin Sparks will be starring in In the Heights on Broadway. WHAT!??!?!?!! Insanity! Broadway was being taken over by American Idol. Fantasia was in The Color Purple; Clay Aiken was in Spamalot; Taylor Hicks is still in Grease.

What she wouldn’t give to make it to Broadway…it was so unfair that these runner up pop stars were gracing the Great White Way. Rachel’s greatest dream was to be a star on Broadway. When she was 14, her Dads took her to New York for the best time of her life. She got to see Wicked, Spring Awakening, Rent, and The Phantom of the Opera, such a classic. She spent 5 days walking around Time Square, in and out of theater lobbies, staring at buses passing her by, their sides covered with advertisements for all the Broadway shows.

Rachel wanted nothing more than to live in Manhattan and star in a Broadway musical. Every bit of her being was focused on achieving her goal, and she couldn’t wait to make it a reality. It was so frustrating that these American Idol people were fast tracking to HER dream.

A fast track to Broadway?

Rachel’s fingers stopped flying across her keyboard.

Could it be true? A fast track to Broadway…?

Just that fast, Rachel left broadway.com and went to AmericanIdol.com. The first tab was AUDITIONS. Perfect! Her heart sank… Nashville, Milwaukee, San Francisco, New Orleans, Austin, and somewhere called East Rutherford. She clicked…New Jersey.

Rachel sighed. Nowhere close. She popped into Google maps. Milwaukee and Nashville were almost 7 hours away. Her Dads wouldn’t let her drive that far alone. Maybe she could talk her Dads into a road trip! Rachel’s smile spread wide across her face as she stared off beyond her screen … Austin? No…while it is a great music city, it just didn’t seem like a city for her family. New Orleans? They all loved the Big Easy, but the Superdome was daunting. San Fran? Yes! Her Dads would love any excuse to take a trip to the City by the Bay. And…what was that other city in New Jersey? She popped into Google maps. OH. East Rutherford was almost New York City! Many of the New York sports teams even played there as their home field. New York City! Broadway! That was it! She’d lay out the whole situation for her parents. She’d be happy going to San Francisco, but she’d LOVE to go to New York. Really, she’d go anywhere … as long as she could try out for American Idol.  She’d surprise her Dad’s with a wonderful dinner, and she’d make her case for trying out for American Idol. Rachel closed her Macbook and headed to the kitchen, a smile covering her face.

Rachel rifled through the Viking fridge that was stocked as if they were hosting the Food Network. Bacon wrapped figs… proscuito with melon…lemon dill tilapia…new potatoes…seasonal berries with crème freche. Perfect! She checked the wine fridge to make sure both Dad’s favorite Sauvignon and Daddy’s favorite Pinot Gris were stocked and chilled. Of course they were. Rachel began preparing, docked her iPod on the Bose dock, turned it up, and began cooking and planning.

What should she sink for an audition?

Oh.

Rachel stopped mid-chop.

“What will I sing?” I need the perfect song!

With that, Rachel’s brain went into overdrive, scanning the hard drive of her own head, trying on for size her favorite songs…

Of course, show tunes stood out in her mind, but there were so many shows to choose from… Phantom, Wicked, Les Mis, Cats, A Chorus Line…her mind went back and back through the years.

“YES! It’s PERFECT!” Rachel hands flew in the air, dropping her Henckel knife on to the cutting board.

She grabbed her iPod out of the Bose dock and scrolled to the most amazing song ever written for the the most amazing play, starring her favorite Broadway actress of the 1980s.

She re-docked the iPod and turned the volume to high. …

It won’t be easy
You’ll think it strange
When I try to explain how I feel
That I still need your love
After ll that I’ve done
You won’t believe me
All you will see
Is a girl you once knew
Although she’s dressd up to the nines
At sixes and sevens with you

I had to let it happen
I had to change
Couldn’t stay all my life down at heel
Looking out of the window
Staying out of the sun
So I chose freedom
Running around trying everything new
But nothing impressed me at all
I never expected it too

Don’t cry for me Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don’t keep your distance

And as for fortune and as for fame
I never invited them in
Though it seemed to the world
They were all I desired
They are illusions
They’re not the solutions
They promise to be
The answer was here all the time
I love you and hope you love me

Don’t cry for me Argentina

Don’t cry for me Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don’t keep your distance

Have I said to much?
There’s nothing more I can think of to say to you
But all you have to do
Is look at me to know
That every word is true

to be continued…

FYI – I wrote this chapter a year before the Glee Cast sang, “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina.” It’s posted on myFandoms.com.

“Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” is from the play, Evita. You can see and hear the Madonna version here: