Dancing Through Life; Trying to Hide in the Shadows.

"Keri, what the hell happened to you this weekend? You didn't answer any of my calls. Or texts." I looked up from my lunch to see a very concerned Mercedes.

"Sorry... I lost my phone.....Turns out it was under my bed." I lied. It was Monday morning and I was trying to eat lunch when Mercedes appeared out of nowhere. She obviously didn't buy my lie.

"How was your date with Puck?"

"How did you know about that?"

"Kurt." She only had to say that and I understood perfectly. Great. Thanks Kurt.

"It was fine. Won't happen again though."

"Why not?" She shot me a look that I couldn't decipher.

Shrugging, I told her I wasn't all that in to him. She asked why. I just shook my head. "Do we have to talk about it?"

"I guess not. But I will find out eventually." I nodded, not really paying attention. Puck had just walked through the doors, his eyes searching the room. I stood up and swiftly left out a different set of doors.

And that's how my day went. I avoided Puck, and Mercedes, as much as possible. However I couldn't skip Glee so I was forced to see them. But as I was the last one there, I grabbed the only open seat left. Slipping in to the seat next to Finn and behind Quinn. "Alright guys, today I'll be selecting some of you guys to sing the songs you were to pick last week. So who had a heartfelt song they would like to sing for us?" Obviously Rachel raised her hand first. I didn't pay attention to her song at all. Kurt went after Rachel, then Quinn. "Alright guys, we have time for one more performance. Who is it gonna be?"

"I'd like to go Mr. Schue, if that's alright with everyone." I heard no objections. Walking over to the piano, I asked if I could play the piano. Brad nodded. I sighed before placing my hands on the ivory and ebony marble keys.

Nobody knows
Nobody knows but me
That I sometimes cry
If I could pretend that I'm asleep
When my tears start to fall
I peek out from behind these walls
I think nobody knows
Nobody knows no

Nobody likes
Nobody likes to lose their inner voice
The one I used to hear before my life
Made a choice
But I think nobody knows
No no
Nobody knows
No

Baby
Oh the secret's safe with me
There's nowhere else in the world that I could ever be
And baby don't it feel like I'm all alone
Who's gonna be there after the last angel has flown
And I've lost my way back home
I think nobody knows no
I said nobody knows
Nobody cares

It's win or lose not how you play the game
And the road to darkness has a way
Of always knowing my name
But I think nobody knows
No no
Nobody knows no no no no

Baby
Oh the secret's safe with me
There's nowhere else in the world that I could ever be
And baby don't it feel like I'm all alone
Who's gonna be there after the last angel has flown
And I've lost my way back home
And oh no no no no
Nobody knows
No no no no no no

Tomorrow I'll be there my friend
I'll wake up and start all over again
When everybody else is gone
No no no

Nobody knows
Nobody knows the rhythem of my heart
The way I do when I'm lying in the dark
And the world is asleep
I think nobody knows
Nobody knows
Nobody knows but me
Me
I wiped away the tears that had fallen. I gave the song my all, belting out the lyrics and pounding the keys. I looked up and was shocked to see everyone with either a shocked expression or tears. I hurried back to my seat, avoiding their gazes. Maybe I should have picked a different song.

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As I walked out of the Choir Room after Glee, I was stopped by Mercedes. "Girl, where did that come from?" I shrugged. "Not good enough. Now tell me where that power, that passion, came from. Scratch that, I knew you had that in you. I wanna know why that song is heartfelt. "

"I've had a hard life, believe it or not. I may look like I'm fine but I'm not Mercedes. I haven't been fine for the past three years!" We were now in the deserted hallway. At least, I thought it was deserted. "I've dealt with more shit these pas three years than anyone should ever have to deal with. Think of the worst possible things that could happen to you, and it's happened to be sometime in the past three years. That's my life. So yes, "Nobody Knows" is a heartfelt song for me. That's what happens when you're in foster care because your parents are dead." I pushed past her and ran out of the door. I didn't stop running. Not when Finn and Rachel saw me outside the school, not when Will told me to hop in and not when I'd run ten blocks away from the school. I just kept running, and I didn't look back.

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MERCEDES'S POV

I stared after Keri, a million thoughts running through my head. It was then that I noticed Puck and Kurt standing about 15 feet away. "You guys heard all that, didn't you?" They nodded. I had suspicions that Keri wasn't telling us things. But now I knew for sure. And I was determined to get to the bottom of it.