Chapter Text
J esse St. James lived his life thinking that everything he had was owed to him, as if the universe had made a terrible mistake by damning him to life in his family and so it had to repair this great inaccuracy by making sure he always had the best in life.
At the age of eight, Jesse already showed how much he excelled in the performing arts by winning the elementary school’s talent showcase with a moving cover of All By Myself; as a gift for this achievement, his parents - utter idiots when it came to beautiful things such as music, or so Jesse always said - made sure he received the best training one could hope for, or at least they hired the best vocal coach and dance experts Lima had, who were nowhere near Broadway level, but Jesse never complained.
His journey to success began the moment Mrs. Corcoran clapped eyes (and ears) on him, declaring he was the most promising student in all Carmel High and making him head of Vocal Adrenaline, the best show choir in all America, at the age of fifteen.
More than twenty years later, Jesse was auditioning for one of the most tricky parts a person of his vocal range could ask for: Jack from Into The Woods .
He had auditioned for that particular role knowing it would display how humble a man he was, but he hoped the casting director would notice his handsomeness and offer him to read for Prince Charming, a part that fitted him far better than Jack, had more songs and far better scenes.
He could already picture the moment they would ask him to take Charming. He would start with, “Oh no, but I’m not worthy! He’s such a strong character. But if you insist…” and accept the part after praising the writers. Like Mrs. Corcoran always said, he had to make sure the important people felt appreciated even if he didn’t appreciate them at all.
Unlike many others, Jesse didn’t go away after his try-out. He sat at the far end of the theater and watched as the rest of the candidates - his enemies - made their way to the stage. There were three unimportant boys between the age of eighteen and twenty-five, who would have done an average job as Jack, but no-one who would be good for Charming. Jesse grinned - his plan was working just as he wished.
“Kurt Hummel, would you come out, please?” The casting director announced the name of a boy around Jesse’s age. He was more of a man than any other who had crossed that stage before him: long, slim figure and characteristic clothes that caught the eye even from where Jesse was sitting at the far end of the theater. His voice was high and clear, he had a good vocal range, and obviously he had had some vocal training.
As soon as he belted out the final note, Jesse knew he would see that kid again, maybe even beside him, playing Jack in the play. He didn’t care all that much who he was working with as long as he got what he wanted, so he shrugged and got up to leave, but the producer’s voice brought him to a halt.
“I have a question for you, young man. Do you think your vocal range can reach a few bars lower than what you just sang?”
There was no answer, but Jesse could see the man nodding anxiously.
“How about you come back next week - same time, same day - and show me? Would you like to bring me Agony ?”
“But that’s a Charming song…” the guy replied. His talking voice was as high as his singing voice, and Jesse had to stop himself from raising an eyebrow at his naiveness.
The director laughed into the microphone, his deep voice filling every corner of the theater. For Kurt that laugh meant nothing but good things, for Jesse it meant catastrophe. “I know.”
“Oh, you mean. Oh. Oh. Sure, yeah. Absolutely. I- sure.” He was hyperventilating. Jesse rolled his eyes in annoyance. What a brat.
Kurt left the stage with a spring in his step. Jesse was feeling a bit unsure. They hadn’t given him a callback, and they sure hadn’t asked him to read for anything other than Jack. The director, old man that he was, had just nodded his head and thanked him with an air of finality. Jesse decided there had been a misunderstanding. He made his way to the table where all the production crew was seated.
“I don’t usually do this,” he never did it, he never had to go and beg for a role, “but I was wondering if you could give me an opinion on my performance.”
The director looked around at his colleagues, who nodded their silent approval to whatever was going on that Jesse wasn't aware of, and then he spoke, “We don’t think you’re suited for the role of Jack. He’s a young boy."
Jesse had reached the age of thirty, yes, but he didn’t understand how they couldn’t see he was perfect for Charming. That was the whole plan, why didn’t they see it?
He got out of the auditorium with rage filling his vision. The director had given him the full “Sorry, but we think you’re not good enough” speech, the one he’d had to say a hundred times to people trying out for Vocal Adrenaline. He knew it by heart and hearing it said to him had been like a punch to the guts. His plan would have worked perfectly if not for that skinny little prat who ruined everything.
He should have gotten a callback for Charming, he should be the one singing on that stage. He deserved his big break in the Broadway world. Mrs. Corcoran always said he was the best of the best. Why couldn’t those asinine people see that? That Kurt was young, inexperienced and about as manly as a pink dress. Surely, he had had some kind of recommendations.
Jesse was sure that guy didn’t deserve the role, and if he could score it by playing dirty, Jesse could do the same.