GLEEKs all across the country can agree on two things: 1) The music is what makes the show and 2) Finn (Cory Monteith) and Rachel (Lea Michele) are the "it" couple of McKinley High. And on Saturday, November 7th, GLEEKs from all across Los Angeles lined up at the Barnes & Noble at the Grove to celebrate both. They picked up their copies of "Glee: The Music Volume 1" and got ready to meet their favorite stars. Unfortunately, though, some only got to do one (the former) of those two things.

Though Columbia Records had announced prior to the beginning of the event that Dianna Agron (Quinn) and Amber Riley (Mercedes) both had previous engagements and could not attend Saturday's signing, everyone lined up was expecting-- and excited-- to meet the rest of the kids. Cory Monteith (Finn) was undoubtedly the fan favorite amongst the hundreds of teenage girls who lined up around the block, eagerly entertaining themselves by singing a capella to "Don't Stop Believin'" and snapping photos in their homemade "I'm A GLEEK!" tees. They told Starpulse.com that they were there to see him and Lea Michele...and some were even hoping for an impromptu duet.

However, upon snaking up the escalator to where the cast was chattily signing CD inserts and smiling for photos, many were disappointed to learn that the other half of the super couple was mysteriously missing. Lea Michele seemed to have pulled out at the last minute and the sixth chair was removed from behind the signing table just before the fans were let in.

GLEEKs speculated at Michele's absence, wondering everything from if she had come down with a touch of the swine flu or if she was just stuck in the horrible LA traffic. Though her presence was surely missed, GLEEKs quickly turned their attention to the ones who were there, showering them with cheers, gushing over them with "I love you's," and in the case of one particularly energetic GLEEK, proposing parenthood to Monteith (for the record, he nodded and laughed but it was unclear if he truly heard the question).

Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Mark Salling, Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz © Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos

The rest of the cast was in great spirits and more than showed the GLEEKs (including actress Teri Hatcher and her daughter Emerson!) a good time, though. As the CD pumped through the loud speakers in the store, Chris Colfer (Kurt) bopped along. Mark Salling (Noah 'Puck' Puckerman) showed off a newly shaved head but played coy when asked if he just had some time off from shooting or if his alter ego was going to undergo a makeover on-screen as well. Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina) wore an ear to ear grin for everyone that crossed her path, and both she and Kevin McHale (Artie) thanked everyone profusely and told them it was great to meet them.

Barnes & Noble was guaranteeing the first four hundred people to get their CDs signed, but the cast agreed to stick around to sign many more, and just about every person on the stand-by line got their signature and their moment. These kids may have big diva voices but they certainly do not have big diva attitudes!!

"Glee: The Music Volume 1" is in stores now, and Volume 2 has been announced to drop on December 8th-- just in time for the holidays!


Story by Danielle Turchiano

Starpulse contributing writer