#sabevent

Marley nervously adjusted her cheerleading uniform as she lined herself up on the football field. A few other girls were in the running for Homecoming and joined her on the field, including a few seniors. Marley was only a junior, of course, which put her at a slight disadvantage, but she had campaigned hard along with Noah and already had two Homecoming Princess titles to her name, so that had to help the process. Plus, you know, cute boyfriend and Head Cheerio and the Fabray name and all. It was destined to work well for her.

Of course, it hadn’t for Franny. Franny had all the same things going for her during her junior year and she still lost to a senior. She won her senior year, of course, but that was a given. Anyone could win their senior year; winning their junior year was a bigger accomplishment, and quite a lofty goal, even for someone of Marley’s status. Or, well, at least she thought so.

Soon the announcer started naming off all the candidates for Homecoming Queen. She smiled and waved at the crowd as her name was called, her eyes scanning the bleachers for her parents. They didn’t come to most games, though she normally looked out for them every game to hope that she’d see them. It wasn’t a really big deal that they never came, since it wasn’t like she was actually playing anyone, but, well, it would be nice if they came to see her perform with the squad, especially now that she was the captain - 

Whatever. The point was they didn’t come too often, if ever, but this time she knew they were there and were waiting to see her win - or possibly fail. When she finally found them clapping in the crowd she beamed and waved at them, her smile somehow growing as they waved back. As she started to shift her gaze back down, she saw Mr. Hummel - Burt - in the crowd and managed to catch his eye. She waved at him, too, her eyes then naturally searching for Noah on the bench with the other players. Marley waved at him discreetly and sent a wink his way as the announcer continued on down the line of girls. If all things went according to plan, they were definitely going to have their own private celebration after the dance the next day. She had to thank him for his help, after all.

Once all of the girls’ names had been read, Marley rolled her shoulders back and stood up straight. Her stomach churned in anxiety as she waited for the results to be read, her heart racing. Logically she knew this was the stupidest thing to get worked up about, but she couldn’t help it; she was terrified. She wanted to win - she needed to win.

‘And this year’s Homecoming Queen is...Marley Fabray!’

Marley’s heart skipped a beat as she brought her hands to her mouth and squealed. The other nominees clapped for her politely and she honestly felt tears in her eyes that she started to fan away as someone put a sash on her and handed her flowers. When she felt the tiara touch her head, she laughed out of joy and blew a kiss into the crowd as they cheered. She did it. She had really done it. And, just like Marley had told him to do, Noah ran over to hug her, lifting her off the ground and spinning her before kissing her sweetly on the lips as the yearbook committee took pictures.

She had to make things look picture perfect, just like any Fabray would.

Marley had to remove the sash and put the flowers and tiara away for safe keeping for the rest of the game, but as soon as she had finished her post game shower and was back in a nice dress, she slipped them back on. She found her parents in the parking lot and eagerly hugged them. They had the same look of pride in their eyes that they had when Marley came home with her report cards or when she told them she was the captain of the cheerleaders or when she told them she had started the Chastity Club with Kitty - 

Like how proud they looked of Franny at her wedding.

Marley stood up even taller when Noah came over and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek after greeting her parents. She greeted Burt with a hug after a moment of hesitation, and they all talked about the teens’ plans for the next day. They had a dinner date before the dance, then the dance itself, and they both got permission for an extended curfew for the school-hosted after party - though they planned on going to Sugar’s party instead, of course. Soon Judy and Russell said they needed to head home, so Marley, sadly, returned the crown and sash to the Homecoming Committee for safe keeping as she had been instructed. At least she’d see it again tomorrow.

Once Marley and her parents were home, she eagerly posed for a few more pictures before her mom sent her to bed. She had a full day for Saturday, after all, and needed her beauty sleep before her hair appointment - she couldn’t have roots at Homecoming! - and mani/pedi session. Marley gave them both a hug and a kiss goodnight before heading up to her room. She put her flowers in an old, beautiful wine bottle her mom had finished off a few days ago and hummed to herself as she arranged them. 

As Marley heard whispers of people getting their DNA results back, she had started to fear the upcoming call for a meeting at the hospital. She constantly cycled on whether she thought she was switched or not. But after that night, she knew she couldn’t be anything but a Fabray. Even if she somehow didn’t win the same title next year, she had the same amount of Homecoming titles as Franny did. 

In fact, she was ahead of Franny in something for once, or at least for the first time in something her parents cared about, and a sense of pride and relief welled in her chest. If there was anything that proved she was a Fabray, it was this. The title was more than the sash and the tiara and the praise; to her, it was the proof that she was truly a Fabray, and there was nothing that could change that. True, it meant dealing with a borderline alcoholic mother and parents who didn’t approve of her musical ambitions and a conservative climate she wasn’t all too fond of, but it was better than all of that being a lie. It was better than having to start her life over again or realizing all her hard work to be their perfect daughter was all for nothing.