| Reaching For The Stars | |
| Season 01, Episode 1x01 | |
 | |
| First Aired | August 9, 2012 |
| Song(s) | Keep Breathing, Run & Beautiful |
| Episode Guide | |
| previous "N/A" |
next "Audition Day" |
Reaching For The Stars is the first episode to the first season of Glee: The Beloved Harmony. It was released at August 9, 2012. The episode was written by ChemicalTrees.
Story[]
“Goodmorning class!”, Ms. Avery Edwards greeted as her students entered her cooking room. After seeing that all her students are seated down, she started giving out books. “I’m Ms. Avery Edwards but you guys, can call me Ms.A”, she introduced as she gave out the books. “This book has everything you need to know about food and nutrition and our recipes is inside too”
A boy raised his hand. “Ms. A, I think I’m the best cook here so you can put me in a group with people who has lesser experience in cooking”, the boy pretentiously said.
“Oh yeah, groups!”, Ms. A exclaimed as she took out her Class Record. “Okay, what’s your name?”, she asked, pointing at the boy who presented himself.
“Darian. Darian Michael Castle”, the boy replied.
“Okay, Darian you’re in a group with”, Ms. A said as she looked through her class record. “You’re with Maribel Hale and Isabella Leyva”, she added.
Ms. A continued grouping her students as Darian, Maribel and Isabella gathered themselves on a table just for their group. Darian stared at the two girls across her table, waiting for them to say a word.
“It seems like the two of you are mute, huh?”, Darian pointed out.
Maribel smiled at him uncomfortably. “N-no, I just don’t talk that much”
Darian pointed at Isabella who was looking the other direction. “What about her?”
Maribel shrugged and opened her cooking book. She started reading and Darian did the same. Isabella started humming quietly which was noticed by Ms. A who was passing by their table. Ms. A took a step back after recognizing the song Isabella was humming.
“Hey, I know that song!”, Ms. A told Isabella. “It’s Parachute by Ingrid Michaelson, right? I love that song!”, she cheerfully added.
Isabella nodded and continued humming.
Ms. A smiled at her and stood in front of all her students. “First order of business in the cooking room, cookies!”, she exclaimed.
____________________________________________________________________________
Avery was walking through the hallway to go the Teacher’s Lounge so she could take her lunch when she heard something unusual. She has been teaching in Beautiful View High for three years now but, this is the first time she heard such a wonderful noise. It was coming from the girl’s bathroom.
The storm is coming but I don't mind.
People are dying, I close my blinds
All that i know is I'm breathing now
The girl sang it with her heart and soul. You could feel the sorrow that she was trying to convey with song. Ms. A waited outside the bathroom to hear the girl sing more but the girl stopped and went outside.
“Hey, you sing great!”, Ms. A complimented, shocking the girl who was unaware that somebody was listening. “What’s your name?”, she asked.
“Jasmine Marquez”, the girl replied and walked away. The girl’s eye was red and she looked like she was about to faint.
Ms. A continued making her way to the teachers’ lounge as she kept thinking about the Jasmine’s wonderful voice. Avery thought that voice like those needs to be heard, they need to shine but she didn’t know what to do.
I want to change the world... instead I sleep
I want to believe in more than you and me
A flashback bombarded her mind, making her realize different things. When she was in highschool here in Beautiful View High School, she was part of Harmony, their Glee Club. Everybody in the club had a chance to shine, a chance to be heard and a chance to be happy. No, it wasn’t chance. Everybody was really happy, especially when they won Nationals. It was the time where they finally realized the true meaning of Glee.
___________________________________________________________________________
Maribel entered the bathroom and proceeded to the sink to wash off the flour from her hands. She pumped the soap dispenser and spread the liquid soap all over her palms. She looked around and after assuming that nobody was around, she started to sing.
Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you, dear
Suddenly, two people from the same stall came out, shocking Maribel. Those were Jennifer, the school’s queen bee and Kristen, her right-hand man.
“Wow, you’re great. You sing better than Jennifer!”,Kristen complimented as Jennifer glared ar Maribel.
Jennifer rolled her eyes. “Don’t be nice Kris. She’s nothing but a wannabe”. The two cheerleaders walked out, leaving Maribel wondering why they were at the same bathroom.
______________________________________________________________________________________
It’s lunch time. Willow and Lucas sat in the far back of the cafeteria, trying to isolate themselves from the bullies who were all over the place. Lucas rested his head on the table as Willow put her phone out.
“Hey Will, can you get me a hamburger?”, Lucas asked.
Willow rolled her eyes and yelled, “No freaking way! Get it yourself!”
Lucas pulls Willow’s hair and covered her mouth. “Will, shut up! We are trying not to get noticed so hush hush”. He lets go of Willow and rested his head on the table.
“That hurts, you know? You’re so gay!”. Willow fixed her hair and looked the other way.
“Because I am! Can you get me a burger now? I’m starving but I’m so lazy to walk so the only way I could get there is to crawl on the floor and drag my legs all the way there”, Lucas explained.
Willow was still fixing her hair and didn’t want to make eye contact with Lucas. “Good luck doing that”
“Willow!”
“Okay,okay! I’m going Unicorn Boy”. Willow stood up and breathes. “The cafeteria is the jocks’ territory and one wrong move, you’re socially disintegrated”, Willow thought. She was walking while texting when she bumped into a girl.
“Oh hey there, you look lost! Do you want me to take you on a tour?”, Willow asked.
“No,no. I’m just looking for a place to sit”, the girl shyly corrected.
Willow smiled. “You can sit with us! By the way, I’m Willow. And I’m a very wonderful person to be with so don’t look in other directions and sit with us!”, she invited.
Maribel introduced. “Thanks, I’m Maribel.”
“So, go to the far end in the cafeteria and look for the gay boy. Don’t worry, he’s the only open unicorn in this school so it’s not hard to look for him. I’m gonna go get lunch, kay?”, Willow instructed.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Ms. A entered the Principal Office’s room to talk about resurrecting Glee Club. Vice Principal Brooks was also present, disappointing Avery. Melinda and Avery never really liked each other ever since Avery started working at Beautiful View. They are completely the polar opposite of each other.
Avery smiled at Principal Stern and started reading the file on her hands. “First of all, I would like your permission to resurrect Glee Club from the graveyard of cancelled Arts programs”
“It’s a no, Avery. It was cut for a reason. It’s a waste of time, budget and for god’s sake, what are the benefits that tone-deaf club can bring to the table? It’s a waste of everything”, Melinda bluntly said. “Glee Club is useless”
“Melinda, this isn’t your call. Let’s hear the other things that Avery has to say”, Principal Stern advised, making Melinda lean back.
“Actually, Glee Club is not useless. Glee Club and other Art programs make students less prone to doing drugs and substance abuse. Glee Club also means higher SAT scores and better equation. And let's get real, teens are more prone to depression and when they don't have anybody, they have music”, Avery explained.
Melinda glared at Avery. “You came prepared, eh”
“Avery, I gotta hand it to you! You’re enthusiasm and marvellous effort is really remarkable so I’m letting you take over Glee Club. But, you need to win in Regionals or the program is cut. Congratulations”, Principal Stern congratulated.
Avery almost jumped in joy. “Thank you so much! You won’t regret it!”, she exclaimed as she shook Principal Stern’s hand. She walked out, still and joy but before she could go to the Teachers’ Lounge to tell her friends about the her victory, someone pulled her back. She turned around and saw Melinda Brooks, the witch vice principal.
“This isn’t over yet, Avery. I will bring down Glee Club!”, Melinda said with assurance in her tone.
Avery rolled her eyes. “Good luck with that. I always wonder why you’re so bitter and jaded but today, you just proved that you just hate without reasons. Glee Club is not going to hurt you so leave it alone”
Melinda smile viciously. “Oh, I have my reasons but I won’t say them just yet because my priority is destroying you and you’re little club”
Avery walked away angrily. She was walking towards the lounge when her surroundings started darkening. She felt dizzy and after taking one more step, she fainted.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Maribel and Aaron, a football player were in the library working on their Chemistry project. Maribel felt comfortable with Aaron. She thought that he’s not like the other jocks, Aaron is nice and understanding.
“Okay, your turn. Draw the electrons of mercury”, Maribel instructed.
Aaron giggled. “I don’t really know how”
Maribel smiled, out of frustration. “C’mon, I already explained how”
“Then don’t smile! I get easily distracted by your smile”, Aaron said.
Maribel threw a crumpled paper on Aaron and it hit his nose. The two laughed until the librarian told them to keep quiet. Aaron felt palms leaning on his shoulder so he turned around. “Hey Tyler! What’s up?”, Aaron greeted the guy who was leaning on him.
“Dude,we have practice. And by the way, Jennifer is looking for you”, Tyler informed.
“Oh. Wait up”, Aaron said as he cleaned up his things. “I gotta go Maribel, I got football practice. And by the way, that’s Tyler, my best bud!”
“Okay,but try to do the mercury illustration at home, alright? And Hi,Tyler”, Maribel said and waved at Tyler.
“Hey Maribel, don’t get too close with Aaron because you might catch his crazy virus”, Tyler said.
Aaron smiled. “I’m not crazy”, he told Maribel.
“Dude, remember 3rd grade? You poked holes in your parents’ condoms so that somebody else could do the dishes!”, Tyler laughed.
Maribel laughed. “Is that true?”
“Yeah”, Aaron confessed.
Tyler and Aaron left but Maribel stayed and continued doing the rest of their project. Unknown to them, a cheerleader was watching and eavesdropping their conversation.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Avery awoken in the school clinic and seemed to forget what happened to her. She sat up and noticed the guy who’s doing some paperwork on a desk.
“Why am I here?”, Avery asked
The doctor turned around and smiled at Avery. “Oh, you’re awake! You fainted in the hall, your blood pressure was high”, the doctor explained.
“Thanks, but I need to go. I have a class to get to”, Avery said, worrying about her cooking room.
The doctor smiled. “It’s okay, school time is over.”
“Oh, I’m Avery by the way. I’ve never seen you before, are you new?”, Avery asked.
“Yup, I started yesterday. By the way, I’m Tobias. Tobias Fitzgerald. But you can call me Toby”
“I’m Avery”, she introduced. “But I really have to go because my cooking room is a sacred place! I still need to clean it up!”, Avery explained. “See you around”, she said as she waved while walking out.
_____________________________________________________________________________
“One of my friends told me that you were with that freak, Maribel!”, Jennifer exclaimed.
Aaron rolled his eyes and put his hands on Jennifer’s shoulders. “We’re just friends, Jen. And she’s nice and kind so don’t call her a freak”
Kristen whispered at Jennifer’s ear. “It’s obvious that she having a thing with that bitch”
Tyler stood up from the bench and put his hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “Yeah, Maribel is really nice , there’s no need to be mean”
Kristen glared at Aaron. “Aaron, stay away from that Maribel. She’s a loser”
Another football player ran to them. “Aaron and Tyler, coach is looking for you!”
“We’re coming Chris, just wait”, Tyler said.
Aaron turned around. “Maribel is my chemistry partner, I can’t stay away from her. And Jen, you’re my number one girl so please stop making a big deal of this”
“I don’t need to be you’re number one, I need to be your only one!”, Jennifer exclaimed.
Aaron,Tyler and Christopher walked away, going to the football field, leaving the cheerleaders behind.
Kristen smiled viciously and turned to Maribel. “Maribel needs to be punished”, Kristen said.
Jennifer thought about it. Aaron seemed honest about not having an affair with Maribel but there’s something else going on. “I don’t know, Aaron looked so honest”
Kristen rolled her eyes and folded her arms. “I think we should spit ball massacre that girl”, she suggested and the other cheerleaders agreed.
Maribel was putting her books in her locker when cheerleaders started gathering around her. The cheerleaders took out straws and started blowing spit balls, aiming at her. Maribel immediately closed her lockers and ran to the girl’s bathroom.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Avery was wiping one of her stoves and when somebody knocked on the open door. She turned around and saw Devon, the sophomore social studies teacher.
“Oh hey ,Devon! What’s up?”, she greeted.
“You know my name?”, Devon asked.
“Well, ofcourse! You’ve been teaching here for like two years now!”, Avery pointed out.
Devon smiled. “But we never talked before”
“So, why are you here?”, Avery asked.
Devon was not sure if he could do what he’s just about to do. He has been teaching in Beautiful High for two years now and in those two years, he secretly loves Avery. He was married before but it didn’t work out but when he saw Avery, he thought she’s perfect. But he was afraid that everything won’t work out like the time with her first wife. But now is what matters that most. It was time to take chances. “Avery, can I ask you on a date, Friday nigth?”, he asked, hesitating.
“I would love to go on a date with you but I have it’s my mom’s birthday on Friday”, Avery sadly said.
“Oh, how about next Friday?”, he asked, still taking chances.
“Maybe, I don’t know if I’ll have plans that day but I’ll tell you if I’m free!”, Avery cheerfully replied.
Devon smiled at Avery. Avery smiled, giving Devon hope.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Maribel was in the washroom, trying to untangle the spit balls from her hair when Jennifer and her friends came in. Maribel took a step back, scared of what else will the group of witches do to her.
“Hey freakshow, don’t fix your hair. The spit balls looks good on it”, Kristen, one of Jennifer’s minions sarcastically said.
Jennifer wants to go out but the door is blocked by Jennifer and her friends. “W-what do you want?”, she stuttered.
Jennifer walked towards her as Maribel took steps back. “Don’t be scared,honey. I’m not going to hurt you”, Jennifer said as her and Maribel’s eyes met. Maribel stopped and Jennifer threw daggers at her with her eyes. “So you think you’re better than me? You think you’re so good at everything,huh? And stay away from my boyfriend, Ugly Betty”
“I don’t think that at all. What did I ever did to you that made you hate me so much? Yes, your boyfriend is my lab partner. Yes, one of your minions said I sing better than you but so what? Why are you making such a big deal of all of those?”, Maribel expressed with frustration.
Jennifer rolled her eyes. “I’m just warning you. Steal my spotlight once again and boom, you’re socially destroyed. And please, don’t think that you could steal my boyfriend because you’re nothing but an ugly outcast.”
Tears fell from Maribel’s eyes after Jennifer’s last six words repeated again and again like a broken CD in her mind. She ran out of the washroom and looked for her sister so they could go home. She doesn’t want to steal Jennifer’s boyfriend and she never intend to sing better than Jennifer, in fact she never wanted anything but to have a peaceful highschool life and reach her Broadway dreams. But now, Jennifer is ruining it and she didn’t even do anything to make it happen. Jennifer’s words started to repeat in her mind again and again. “You’re nothing but an ugly outcast”.
Everyday is so wonderful
Then suddenly
It's hard to breathe
Now and then I get insecure
From all the pain
I'm so ashamed
Maribel was walked past the Bulletin Board when her eye caught something in the corner. She walked back, wiped her tears and looked at the Bulletin Board. “ The Beloved Harmony : Beautiful View’s High Glee Club. A place where you can be yourself. Sign-Up Below:”, the sheet says. “Finally, a place where I can express myself”, she thought. But the thought of Jennifer bullying her just because she sang in the bathroom stroked her. A part of Glee Club is showcasing your talents in front of the school and she wants to stay away from trouble ,meaning rule #1 is ‘Don’t sing when Jennifer and her Legion of Doom is in the radar’ but being a part of a Glee Club will be good for her NYADA Application. Maribel just stood there, hesitating to follow her dreams and reach for the stars.
I am beautiful
No matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful
In every single way
Yes words can't bring me down
Ohh no
So don't you bring me down today
She realized that her dreams are more important that anything. Nothing can bring her down if she takes a stand and not let anything get in the way of her dreams. “People will always judge you. Whether you like it or not, it’s up to how you handle it. You can let it get to you or you can just brush it off and continue on with your life. People will judge you on the mere reflection of your life rather than to know the truth. Some will try to drag you down and spit bullshit that isn’t true, but once again. It’s up to how you take it. Instead of trying to get revenge or something, I will just continuously prove that I am a better person that they’ll ever be”, Maribel thought.
No matter what we do
No matter what we say
The sun will shine your way
Cause you are beautiful today
Everywhere we go
The sun won't always shine
But tomorrow's another day
So keep on looking to the sky
She took a pen from her pocket and signs her name on the fifth line. “Maribel Hale”. Maribel started reading the other names in the sign-up sheet from top to her name. “Isabella Leyva”, she read. That name rings a bell, Isabella is the girl from Cooking Class who’s really shy and basically, she doesn’t talk to anyone. Next on the list are Lucas Anderson (who is his neighbour),Willow Robinson (the really loud girl she bumped into in the cafeteria) and lastly, Tyler one of Aaron’s friends. Maribel was happy that all of those auditioning are people who is already familiar to.
We are beautiful
No matter what they say
Words won't bring us down
Ohh no
We are beautiful
In every single way
Yes words can't bring us down
Ohh no
So don't you bring me down today
Don't you bring me down today
Don't you bring me down
Today
Harmony, her sister ran to her and started dragging her down the hall. “Come on! I’ve been looking all over for you! Dad is waiting at the parking lot so let’s go home because mom cooked an amazing dinner.I’m starving!”, Harmony expressed with excitement.
Maribel, as being dragged down hall, smiled at the sign-up sheet.
Featured Music[]
- Keep Breathing by Ingrid Michaelson. Sung by Jasmine and Avery
- Run by Snow Patrol. Sung by Maribel
- Beautiful by Christina Aguilera. Sung by Maribel
Videos[]
Keep Breathing - Ingrid Michaelson
Smash - Run
Christina Aguilera - Beautiful