章 1: CHAPTER 1: "Trust and Courage"
NOTE The story was written for the contest "And it's now Christmas", organized by Prince Dracula on the face book group "EFP family: reviews, advice and discussions". My prompt was: "Write a story using the Jingle Bells song with children trying to sing it."
It is said that time changes people and yet, in the small town of Ohio, it seemed just the opposite since, despite the past six years, many were still the same. McKinley High School had become a model for everyone, it had inspired many people only thanks to a tenacious professor who had always fought to ensure that it could become a true art school. In the end, the dreams came true and the great changes that followed have never hindered the values and principles he continues to pass on to his students. The professor in question is the current headmaster, William Schuester: a man who has been a model for both young people and adults, capable of bringing to light every small form of art that can be born in each of us. Everything must have the same value, no one must be excluded as it is precisely the differences that make people special: with these principles, Principal Schuester continued to sing and despite the role of principal kept him very busy, the will to teach he would never abandon him. The atmosphere of that period was exciting, the magic of Christmas that surrounded and inspired everyone was perfect for the souls of his students who were trying to give their all, despite being five or ten years old. His dream was to teach in a Glee Club and in the end he had much more: he found pupils who became his friends, his family, inspired them, gave teachings that not everyone had been able to give and offered them hope. After becoming headmaster, he decided to open enrollments for the best children who would give them the opportunity to improve, learn, sing and have fun. So, a few months later the supervisor Harris gave him the good stay and within a few days he had already formed a class of little singers. It hadn't been easy to choose because they were all very good, but he really juggled his job as headmaster and teacher very well; he wanted to change the world of art, music and so he could do it. The boys were all already in the classroom, they were waiting for him excited and happy, waiting for him to make his entrance and couldn't wait to start. Their eyes lit up every time he sang and their emotion made the Christmas air even more evocative. Here then is that Principal Schuester entered the singing room with his vest, his neatly combed hair and a felt-tip pen in his hand; it was her outfit that hadn't changed much over the years, except perhaps for a few white hairs. He went directly to the blackboard he had put on one side and began to write under the watchful eye of the little ones. That singing room reminded him so much of his first Glee Club, his old students, despite the many innovations that had been brought to it. As always, almost in the center there was a piano, a white board to the left of the entrance, while in the other entrance on the right there was a wall where to put photos and souvenir phrases, sofas in the corner and finally some tables where they they could learn to write and read music; a small room for some little singers.
"Christmas!" Charlie exclaimed joyfully, turning everyone towards him. A child who had an extraordinary way of seeing the world and his shyness did not stop him from making everything fun; he had many qualities that not everyone could see, not everyone but Lily did: luckily he had her supporting him. 'But really Professor Schuester? Christmas is for losers, "Danny said, infuriating Lily. He was perhaps the toughest of the group, it wasn't easy to make his friends and others often pushed him away, even though he had managed to bond with Tommy. "There is nothing more beautiful than Christmas, everything is colored with light, there is hope, love and joy. Danny don't understand anything, as always of course. Professor what will we sing? " he answered his companion and at the same time asked curiously Lily, who, acting a bit like a diva, infuriated everyone except Charlie and Tommy who every time looked at her with a lost look, let's say even in love. "Calm down, calm down guys!" trying to calm the discussions that were arising in the classroom. A simple reminder was not enough to return everything to tranquility, but as soon as he began to speak he had everyone's attention. Every professor in that high school wondered what his secret was, what he did that was so special to get their attention; no one could understand him except two people: his friend and former Glee Club professor Finn and the current one Sam. Both of them had been his students and they knew well what was so special about him: the heart and passion with which he taught, but certainly it was not only this that made him unique. Finn once said, "There are a lot of good professors in this school who teach very important things like road education or math, but she teaches us to dream," perhaps this sentence fully explains Professor Schuester's true secret or maybe not. You should look with your own eyes at what he does in that singing room, what he transmits and how he succeeds; it sure has something really special and it's not just because of the magic of Christmas. "Christmas is not just a party in which to receive gifts, shop, decorate the tree or create a nativity scene: it is much more. Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain but everyone's inner growth actually takes place while climbing that mountain, happiness is on the way, "said those words, leaving the children speechless; maybe they couldn't understand what he meant, but no one spoke because they knew there was still much more. "Christmas should be a time to slow down a bit, stop, listen, reflect on emotions, on the feelings we experience and share them with those around us. The true meaning of Christmas is to have optimism and happiness, to have hope and serenity with oneself and with others, to bring peace, to be filled with smiles and to surround oneself with harmony and solidarity. Christmas should be about giving a smile, making a gesture of love and giving a caress: these are the most precious gifts both for those who make them and for those who receive them. And then… let's not forget that Christmas is also music! ». And at those last words all the children burst out laughing, they began to move clapping their hands to the rhythm of the music, until an adult voice rose from that harmony and began to sing. They might have known it among billions of others; Professor Schuester did the honors and gave them a song that was a classic: White Christmas. The atmosphere was colored with a thousand lights, the music spread throughout the classroom while the children hummed, clapped their hands and danced: that was the Christmas air to surround yourself with. "Um ... I know well that after this song you would like to do nothing but sing, but I have to tell you something that I'm sure you will like" and it didn't take long because a silence fell into the classroom and their eyes began to light up, even if they knew what it was. "This year, for the first time, we will stage a Christmas show and you will be the protagonists. You will sing various Christmas songs, you will have a solo or a duet and there will be various group songs, but the most important thing is the final song that will close the show and ... I chose Jingle Bells for the occasion "said Professor Schuester excitedly in the see their looks filled with happiness, joy, resourcefulness and determination. They had started rehearsing the same day, the children were no longer in the skin and wanted to get to work immediately. The group of the mini Glee Club, despite having been together for a short time, were more united than one might expect, however even the union sometimes hides weaknesses.
"Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh"
It was the fourth time they rehearsed the song and they always stopped at the chorus because they had encountered difficulties, especially four of them: they could not work together and this started to create imbalances in the group.
"Charlie, you sing like a sissy; put a little more male voice in it, man! And you, Tommy, we tried that step four times, do you have jelly legs or what? " shouted Danny tired; they couldn't go on and he started attacking his friends because it was the thing he could do best, especially at that moment. Charlie, Tommy, Danny and Lily had always known each other: they had attended the same kindergarten, the same school and now this music preparation course too, if it could be called that.
«Well, dear Danny, you tell the others but didn't you see that halfway through the song you forgot the words? We're all good at bullying people who don't know how to defend themselves, "replied Lily angrily, pointing her finger at Danny to defend her friend Charlie.
"Sure, here comes Lily to defend everyone!"
"Stop blaming everyone Danny. Arguing doesn't help us, "Tommy retorted, trying to stop the fight that was about to break out.
"You do this because you feel alone, because you think you have no friends, but if you stop for a moment and stop bullying, you will realize that the four of us are the only ones who are here with you, who are friends with you."
"Sometimes I would like ..."
"Would you like what?" asked Lily, Charlie and Tommy in unison, raising their voice to the point that Professor Schuester turned around and intervened.
There was nothing worse than arguing between friends and above all saying words that none of them really thought, but they were small and perhaps they could not fully understand the true meaning of friendship.
"Now enough guys!" he slammed the scores on the piano attracting their attention and calming their spirits, until there was complete silence that was almost frightening.
«But have you heard? Each of you accused the other when in reality you were all wrong, there was no team union and this led you to miss steps, rhythm and harmony ". Their eyes were low, they felt embarrassed and none of them dared to speak, they were small but not stupid. They knew well that by attacking they would achieve nothing, yet they continued to do so, they just couldn't stop arguing.
«I don't know how many times I have told you that this will not serve you; it is not fighting that you will improve and neither is it how you will learn the song. You must have faith in each other, learn to collaborate, to support each other, in a nutshell you must be a united group not only because you are friends but above all because you are stronger in this way. Friends always help each other, they never leave their friend in difficulty and extend their hand to him every time he falls. One day, when you are older and remember this moment, you will laugh about it, thinking back to how stupid it was to fight. Now stop and start getting along, "he told them, placing his hand on the shoulder of each of them, as a gesture of comfort.
"How can we improve?" Tommy asked in a faint voice, embarrassed by what had happened and sad for being a disaster both as a singer, dancer and friend.
"Guys you must know that for the song to really work you have to believe in yourself and in your companions, in the group and in the person you have at your side".
"But how can we ..." Charlie was about to say, just before Professor Schuester interrupted him.
«Guys, I know that being ten is not easy and you want everything immediately, but it doesn't always work like that, indeed it never works. You, Danny, forget the words because you don't study the song; Charlie your voice is fine you just have to raise the pitch and so you can reach the right pitch; Tommy, you have to believe in yourself because otherwise you will never be able to dance and sing at the same time, you know the steps as well as the song but you have to believe it and you Lily, you are perfect but you have to stop trying to always be at the center of the 'attention, you are an excellent singer and you don't have to prove it to anyone by showing off. Each of you has really extraordinary qualities and you could do great things, but you have to work together and then… Danny will help Tommy and Lily do the same with Charlie, then you will swap pairs. " The boys were about to protest, but they were silenced by the professor who with a dirty look made it clear that the speech was closed and could not be discussed.
"Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh".
A week had passed since the day of the quarrel and it seemed that tempers had calmed down; that afternoon they all found themselves in the singing room rehearsing, but the situation was deteriorating again as soon as they reached the chorus, that cathartic piece.
"Before you start fighting again I want to tell you that you have all made great strides and each of you has improved a small part of yourself. You must be proud of the result you have achieved ».
"It's true we improved but that's not enough, we still couldn't finish the song without stopping or making a mistake once again. We'll never make it, we'll never be ready for the show, "said James, a very shy kid who rarely came forward. It didn't happen often but, for some strange reason, this time everyone was in agreement.
Their expressions, their eyes became sad: they had lost hope and trust in others and above all in themselves. They were children who were just discovering the world and seeing them thus destroyed it: he had to do something, he would never allow them to give up, at least not as long as he was there.
"No, that's not true, you can only do it if you really believe it. The first Christmas I remember was the one I celebrated at the Glee Club, that was the best day of my life ever. Being gathered in that classroom, singing while breathing the magical atmosphere was all I needed to be happy. With time we grow and the repetition of the days, school or work, takes over so much that Christmas becomes almost a forced banality. Gifts, mistletoe, trees do not give us back the joy of something we have not experienced: enjoying this atmosphere now, however, you will remember that day forever; you will remember a Christmas full of energy and love. When you reach a certain age you are desperately trying to recover this magic, you would do everything to relive the feeling of that first Christmas. You must not allow anything or anyone to take it away from you. ' The boys were still down and despite his words they had entered their little hearts, he had not given them the hope and strength to fight, he had not yet managed to make them believe in them and in others. The real victory was not in reaching the summit immediately but arriving in small steps: it was the path that each of them traveled to reach it that made that moment special; they would have overcome pitfalls and difficulties and once at the top, just like after having climbed a mountain, the only important thing would have been the view, the happiness for an infinite emotion.
"And ... for the occasion, since I haven't managed to convince you yet, here are the New Directions," he shouted enthusiastically, making a sweeping gesture with his hand to let his old students in. Every child who was in that auditorium, exactly in the Finn Hudson Auditorium, a special name for everyone but more than ever for those grown-up boys who were entering, came back to life. That surprise made the eyes of those little singers sparkle: no more words were needed because their astonished, excited and joyful expressions already spoke for themselves.
One by one they all entered and stood near the professor: the first was Rachel with her diva air, followed by Kurt and Blaine holding hands as well as Brittany and Santana, then Mercedes and Sam entered close and still embarrassed for their brushing by chance, followed soon after by Tina and Artie who came running and finally Puck and Quinn with their lover's looks. That crazy group had nothing in common, they were so different that it seemed impossible to see them together, linked by a friendship that the music itself had made blossom.
«Before every performance, competition or show, Professor Schuester put us in a group and instilled in us courage with wise words that more often than not we could not understand; only time helped us understand and today those wise words have become part of our principles, "Rachel said with shining eyes, smoothing her hair and placing herself in the center of the auditorium.
«You must have heard many rumors about us and certainly not all of them beautiful; We weren't easy kids but he changed us, made each of us better, "Brittany said shortly after, approaching Rachel and holding her in a hug.
«He taught us to dream and to believe in ourselves; he gave us so much that a lifetime would not be enough to thank him. It is only thanks to him that we are here today with our lives, our careers, doing what we love most, "Santana continued, standing next to his wife, taking her hand and kissing her on the cheek.
"He believed in us when everyone else didn't, he never let us give up, he insisted we fight," Sam said shortly after, moving to the right and putting himself next to Santana.
"Friendship and music have transformed us, they have taught us that beautiful things are possible. This is a fortune that does not happen to many and I will always remember it "Mercedes added, finishing Sam's sentence and putting herself at his side to take his hand.
"We have been hindered by so many things and people, we often thought we could not make it and ..." Artie was speaking just before being interrupted by his wife who gave him a big smile in apology.
"And even with our faces in the mud we continued to fight, for ourselves, for the group and for him," Tina concluded the sentence, smiling too with shining eyes and, after pushing her husband's wheelchair, together they next to Mercedes and Sam.
"He taught me a lot, he focused on each of us not only to improve our strengths, but above all to mitigate our weaknesses," confessed Puck shyly, embarrassed by the admission that seemed to make him weak.
"He helped me to stand up when I was in a thousand pieces, when I had sent everyone away and hurt everyone; he continued to follow us even after we got out of this school, "Quinn revealed just before she leaned on Puck and squeezed his hand tightly.
"It's wonderful that there is a place where you can be yourself and love whoever you want without danger or criticism, like this auditorium or the singing room," said Blaine happily and excitedly, standing next to Puck, joined shortly after by her husband.
"We would like to encourage all of you to be proud of who you are, to find friends who will accept you and not just dream: surround yourself with people to help you make your dreams come true," Kurt finally announced, positioning himself between his best friend Rachel and his. husband Blaine.
"There should have been another person here with us, Finn would have surely added that the lives of all of us changed thanks to the magic that Professor Schuester gave us in that singing room and finally he would have told you to get up and fight for what you really want because nothing is impossible. This is for you, "Rachel concluded, her eyes still shining, hastily wiping a tear from her face. It was not difficult for them to understand her: that school for her included the happiest period of her life, where she had found friends, her family and love, in fact each of them had done it.
That day marked a new beginning, it had been a day dedicated to music. After that first long speech, the New Directions (yes, they still called themselves that, even though it had been six years and they were no longer in school) gave them a lively song "We Wish you Merry Christmas". It was certainly not the only one, they sang so many songs that they lost count; in all this, something even more important had happened: each of them had helped the little singers, had given them tips, had been a point of reference just as Professor Schuester had been with them. The final moment ended when young and old alike sang the song At Christmas time and then ended up in a mega, big group hug. It was those moments that made that place, those classrooms, those lessons and that professor special, moments that no one would be able to replicate because not everyone could see the world as he did: with passion, love and a pinch of magic.
クリエイターの想い 
TheDreamer92
TheDreamer92 Author's space:
Well, in the meantime, before starting to say anything else, I apologize for this story, because it doesn't convince me very much despite the fact that I put the best of me in it, but I still hope you like it anyway.
I think those who follow Glee understand well, but I say it anyway XD. The story develops after the 6 season, in fact we see that 6 years have passed since then. I have not made many clarifications on the characters of New Directions so as not to stretch too many and not to give them too much weight, since the protagonists had to be those kids and Professor Schuester.
Also, those who follow the series may notice that there are three phrases that have been said in the series: the two that Rachel says were taken in the 5x03 episode dedicated to Finn / Cory, and the other one that says Lillian's Prof Schuester Adler, if I'm not mistaken he says it in the first season. I started with an OS, but as I wrote I had to divide it and I apologize for this, with the hope of not being boring or repetitive.
For this story I have to thank my cousin Viviana and my sister, who supported me and listened to the story several times, which was boring and very repetitive. Finally, but not because it is less important, I thank all of you, both those who comment or those who will only read it.
Happy reading everyone, I hope you like it * _ *
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