Season 1, Episode 12: Mattress

Ownership of Glee: FOX, Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuk

/ / /

The New Directions were in the choir room when Kurt came in with a stack of yearbooks. "Where's Rachel?" He asks.

"She's not here yet." Finn answers.

"Perfect. Glee club stands on a delicate precipice. We have all felt the cold humiliation of a slushee in the face. But as of right now, our relative anonymity as a club shields us from more severe persecution: swirlies, patriotic wedgies..." Kurt lists off.

Mercedes is confused. "What's a patriotic wedgie?"

Finn smiles a bit. "It's when they hoist you up the flag pole by your undies."

Angie glares at Finn, who shrinks into his seat under his friend's stare.

"Strangely, it did make me feel more American." Artie comments. Angie glares harder at Finn and Puck.

"Based on my investigation, I am of the opinion that a yearbook photo would only fuel the flames of anti-glee-club terror. I've done a little library research. Peter Gellar. Glee club second tenor, 1998. He can be seen here with both a drawn on Hitler mustache and rice paddy hat. Shortly after the yearbook came out, Mr. Gellar had a nervous breakdown. He is now the homeless man who sleeps in front of the public library." Kurt reveals.

Quinn's eyes widen. "Patches?"

"Patches." Kurt confirms.

Brittany looks down slightly. "He barks at my mom."

Kurt continues with his findings. "Exhibit B: Tawny Peterson, glee club class of 2000, seen here in her photo with a cartoon knife stuck in her head, in a macabre tableau that, in four years would prove eerily prescient. I think I speak for all of us when I say that not having to pose for a yearbook photo might be a blessing in disguise. I suggest not fighting Figgins' ruling." He says.

Will arrives. "Oh, hey, guys. Ah, looking at old Thunderclaps?" He asks, inspecting the yearbooks Kurt had brought in.

Artie nods. "It's really unsettling."

"And totally unfair. Hey, can I borrow one of these?" Will asks as he takes a yearbook from Kurt. "You know what? This year's thunderclap is going to have a glee club photo with every one of your smiling faces. You have my word on it." He smiles at the kids before he exits.

New Directions share uneasy looks... but Angie seems to be the only one happy to get a yearbook picture of Glee Club.

/ / /

The following day at rehearsal, Rachel walks up to Kurt and Angie, who are sitting at the piano. "Kurt, I have a fantastic idea for a club that would officially make me the most involved student in the whole school. I want us to start a GayLesbAll."

"I'm sorry?" Kurt blinks.

"The gay-lesbian alliance. Gay-lesb-all." Rachel explains.

Angie face-palms. "You're an idiot Rachel."

Kurt walks away just as Will arrives.

He smiles at the kids. "Hey, guys! Great news! Glee club gets a photo in the thunderclap." He informs.

It seems that Rachel and Angie are the only ones genuinely pleased with this. The rest of New Directions respond with fake enthusiasm.

Will smiles more. "Yep. It's going to show everyone at the school that glee club is on its way up. When we win regionals, those claps are going to be collector's items. I mean, all of your classmates are going to be begging for your autographs. But, I had to compromise to do it. Um, we only get a quarter page in back. Which means we have to pick two team captains to appear in the photo. So, tomorrow we're going to put it to a vote! Exciting, huh? All right!"

Angie smiles at her teacher's enthusiasm, hoping to maybe represent her club in the yearbook.

/ / /

The next day, the New Directions have gathered into the choir room to vote on who will represent the glee club in the yearbook.

"Well, we're all here. I guess we should vote." Mercedes says.

Rachel stands. "With your permission, I have prepared a few words."

"I nominate Rachel." Mercedes says quickly.

"Second." Kurt adds.

"Third." Angie says.

Puck smiles. "All right, let's vote up in this piece. I gotta go hit the gym and load up the guns of Puckerone for the football picture."

Will counts the votes once everyone finishes voting. Angie casts her vote for Rachel, and decides not to vote for herself as co-captain. She wants to earn it.

"Looks like everybody voted for Rachel. Including Rachel. But, we need two captains, guys." Will says.

"Why two? We're fine with having Rachel represent us in the Thunderclap by herself." Quinn says.

"We'd actually prefer it." Kurt agrees.

Angie can't help but feel a little sad that her classmates are this scared of having their glee picture taken for the yearbook.

/ / /

Rachel is walking down the halls, trying to get her classmates to join her for the picture on Thursday. She approaches Mercedes.

"Um, I can't be co-captain. No time. Kwanzaa." Mercedes lies.

Rachel gives her a look. "Kwanzaa's late December, Mercedes. The photo's this Thursday."

"Yeah, prepping early this year." Mercedes notes before walking away.

Artie begins to back away from Rachel. "I'd love to be in the photo, Rachel, but you'd be standing and I'd be sitting and it would throw off the whole composition."

"I'll lean over." Rachel states.

"But if you lean over... It will look like you have stomach rolls." Artie says.

Rachel frowns. "On second thought, I don't think that you're leadership material, Artie." She chastises before walking towards Brittany.

"Brittany, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity." Rachel tries.

Brittany keeps walking. "No way."

"Why not?" Rachel inquires.

"Because I don't want to be in a picture with you. It'll get defaced." Brittany answers.

Rachel shakes her head. "No, it won't."

Brittany nods. "Yes, it will. I'll be the one doing it."

Angie sees Rachel walking, hoping to ask her to be co-captain. Instead, she gets her hopes up.

Rachel decides to ask Finn Hudson to be her co-captain.

/ / /

It's Wednesday. Rachel is calling a glee club meeting. "I'd like to call this meeting to order." She says and notices Finn has arrived. "Oh, hello, Finn. How nice of you to show." She says coldly.

Finn looks at her with a frown. "Look, I'm sorry. The guys were harassing me in the locker room about it. They said that if I took the glee club photo, that they'd make me choose between a Hitler mustache or buck teeth, and I can't rock either of those looks." He says and looks to Quinn. "Do you think I have a potato head?"

"Okay, look, I realize now that all of you think that glee club is just a joke. Okay and you're convinced that we can't win, and you're content to just sit idly by until Figgins cancels the club. Well, I'm about to present to you a rare opportunity. The opportunity to become stars." Rachel informs.

Quinn raises a blonde eyebrow. "How?"

Rachel smiles. "We've all been cast in a local commercial."

"Are you serious?" Finn asks.

Rachel nods. "Yes, Finn, and while all of you have been so concerned with your appearance in this school, I've landed glee club its first big break. Simply put, making us all celebrities. Okay and no one messes with celebrities or defaces their pictures."

"What's the commercial?" Tina asks.

Rachel smiles bigger. "Hold on to your hats and get ready to sell...Some mattresses!"

Artie smiles. "I'm getting a nice pair of black suspenders. Simple black."

Finn looks at Quinn. "My mom's going to be really proud."

Mercedes looks at Kurt. "Let's do our camera face."

Angie holds back a grimace.

What has Rachel done?

/ / /

It's Thursday morning. Angie and Artie made it to school early today. Angie walks by the choir room and then backtracks to see Will asleep on a mattress.

She walks in and shakes him awake. "Mr. Shue? Wake up. It's 7 am." Angie tells him.

Will wakes up and jumps to be greeted by Angie's concerned face. "Angie? What're you doing here?" He asks.

"Artie and I have been in school for the last 15 minutes. However, you've been here all night." She infers.

"What makes you say that?" Will asks.

"You're wearing the same outfit from yesterday." Angie says.

Will gets up from the mattress and sits at the piano, watching Angie pull up a chair. "Wanna talk about it?" She asks.

Will sighs and runs his hands through his hair. "Terri... she isn't pregnant. I found out she's been faking it since I started the club. And y'know why she did it? Because she thought I spent too much time with this club, and she didn't like the fact I was feeling good about myself. God, I feel like such an idiot." He rants.

Angie frowns. "What was she planning to do when the due date came?" She asks.

"That's the kicker. She was going to take Quinn's baby and have us raise it." Will says.

Angie puts her hands over her mouth in shock. She then gets out of her chair and hugs her teacher.

"What was that for?" Will asks as they finish hugging.

Angie shrugs. "You looked like you needed it." She answers. "Mr. Shue, I'm really sorry that your wife did this to you. It's not right. I know how it feels to be hurt by someone you love."

Will furrows his brows in confusion. "What do you mean?" He asks.

"Finn. When we hang out together, he's really flirty. But then I see him talking to Quinn or Rachel, and it's like they've given him the entire galaxy just by a smile or a laugh. Why did I have to fall in love with him? Why can't he look at me like that? Why do I suck at love?" Angie states and begins to cry.

Will's heart breaks, and he pulls Angie into his arms, trying to console the crying sophomore. "I got you Angie. I've got you. You'll be alright."

/ / /

Later that afternoon, Will gathers the kids into the choir room. With most of the kids — with the exception of Angie — being in the commercial and Will sleeping on a mattress, they were almost disqualified from competition. However, Will had made a deal with Figgins to let the glee club stay in Sectionals.

"But, we don't want to go to sectionals without you." Artie says sadly.

Angie nods. She was looking forward to seeing Mr. Shue at their Sectionals performance.

Will sighs. "It's without me or not at all. Look, I was the one who slept on the mattress, which means I accepted them, not you. Which means I'm disqualified from competition, not you guys." He says.

"He's taking the bullet for us. Solid." Puck says.

Angie glares. "Now's not the time."

"We have worked too hard for you guys not to get your shot." Will says.

Finn frowns. "We can't do this without you, Mr. Shue. Hell, we probably can't do it with you."

"That's not true. You guys are good. You're really good. You did "Jump" for that commercial without me, right? Look, the best teachers don't give you the answers. They just point the way and let you make your own choices. Your own mistakes. That way you get all the glory. And you deserve it. Look, if... If you can't win without me there, then I haven't done my job." Will says.

Rachel smiles sadly. "We're really sorry, Mr. Shue."

Will sighs. "I know. I want you guys to go get gussied up and take that glee club photo with pride. I want to see a smile on every one of your faces." He says.

/ / /

That day, the New Directions took their yearbook picture as a whole club.

When Angie gets her yearbook from Finn, she smiles brightly at the picture, seeing all of them together. Underneath the picture, she sees a little note written.

'To the coolest girl in the world: Never stop being awesome. Lots of love, Finn.'

Angie can't help but feel her heart melt more as she reads it.

She knew one thing was for sure: Finn Christopher Hudson had her heart in his hands.

/ / /

2060 words

*There were no songs here because most of this was from Angie's view*

Not much content containing Fangela, but I'm not complaining.

Next update: Sectionals

2 episodes to Hell-O
3 episodes to The Power of Madonna
4 episodes to Home
5 episodes to Bad Reputation
6 episodes to Laryngitis
7 episodes to Dream On
8 episodes to Theatricality
9 episodes to Funk
10 episodes to Journey to Regionals