New Kid in School

Finally, it was Monday.

Today was try-outs for McKinley High’s glee club, New Directions, which I wasn’t too sure if I was up for auditioning, but Kurt was counting on me. He believed I sounded amazing the Saturday night I sung to him, and that I’d be a great addition to the New Directions.

I couldn’t just let him down, could I?

I was nervous, and I wasn’t even halfway to school, yet. Don’t get me wrong, I practiced almost the entire weekend with Kurt there by my side. He had coached me on breathing and pitch, and not to mention gave me a few pointers. I was so grateful for his help, but one thing I didn’t understand is why he was so possessed on doing so. We hadn’t known each other for that very long, but I felt we had known each other our whole lives.

Parking my car after arriving, I inhaled a deep breath of air before opening my car door. I then, gathered my purse and messenger bag from the passenger seat, and walked toward the school. Like before, I kept my head down, and didn’t make eye contact with anyone, who would want to start a confrontation like one Santana Lopez, who had been hounding me ever since I got here. I guess she wasn’t too pleased with my stepsister, Jade’s antics, and was waiting for the opportune moment to get at me instead of her.

To my relief, I made it to the school’s double doors without any run-ins with the Queen of McKinley High. I gathered my school things from my locker, and hurried to my first class of the day, which was Biology.

“Rayne, wait up!” I turned to see Artie wheeling himself up to me. I stopped and waited for him to catch up. Students rushed by like they didn’t see him or me, for the matter. Someone shoved passed me and I received a nasty look of “Watch where you stand.”

“Hey, Artie, what’s up?” I asked when he caught up with a smile. We began to make our way down the hallway.

“A little birdy told me, you’re trying out for glee club,” Artie said with a genuine smile.

“Does that “Little Birdy” go by the name of Kurt Hummel?” I asked, hitching my messenger bag up on my shoulder. It was heavy; I had so many damn books.

He nodded still smiling. Artie appeared genuinely happy that I was auditioning. “Do you want me to hold those?” He asked, indicating to my messenger bag.

I blushed. I was still a little shy around him even if we’ve known each other for a couple days. Artie is so sweet. “Are you sure?” I asked, lifting it up. “This bag is pretty heavy.”

“Nah, I don’t mind,” Artie reassured me. I handed it to him, and he sat it in his lap.

It was quiet for a moment before he asked, “What song are you going to sing?”

“I can’t tell you that, Artie,” I smirk as I crossed my arms.

“Ah, come on, Rayne!” He persisted of me. “You can tell me.”

“Nah, I want it to be a surprise.”

We were at my classroom door. I looked down at Artie, I laughed, “Are you seriously pouting?”

“Yes, I’ll keep pouting until you tell me what song you’re trying out with.”

I giggled. It was cute. “You’ll just have to wait until after school.”

Artie sighed. “Okay, you win. See you in Spanish.” He wheeled away, but not before waving goodbye with a smile.



The rest of the school day rushed by quickly and before I knew it - it was time for lunch.

Like all the last couple of days at McKinley as the new kid, I sat at a table alone because I knew no one in my lunch period, save for my step sister Jade, but she didn’t count. She was family, and she would never be caught sitting with me.

The reason I say this is because she seemed to have made friends pretty quickly. The group she hung out with was known as The Skanks. Kurt had told me this one day when we saw them walking down the hall bullying freshmen for their lunch money. He had told me to stay away from them because they were bad news and they were a “fashion disaster.”

Unloading my lunchbox, I didn’t see them approach until they had sat their tray down. “Rayne, wasn’t it? You’re the girl who felted me up the first day of school.” I glanced up to come face to face with Noah Puckerman, who wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. His green eyes had that same old glint of mischief in them, and he had a smug smile on his lips when he realized a faint blush had crept across my cheeks. I thought about getting up and moving tables, but he hadn’t done anything to me.

Not yet, at least.

“Hey, Noah,” I said, softly looking down at my turkey sandwich.

“Please call me, Puck,” He insisted, smug smirk still placed upon his tanned face. He was up to something.

When I didn’t say anything for a good ten seconds, Puck decided to break the ungodly awkward silence that seemed to be forming between us with a quite surprising statement.

“I heard we might have a new addition to the New Directions.”

My head shot up in disbelief.

“You’re in glee club?!”

Puck nodded. Looking at him, now with his McKinley High football jacket and Mohawk, I would have never ever pegged him to be a gleek. Wasn’t he supposed to be popular and why was he talking to me of all girls?

“I know it’s hard to believe. The club is good for singing about my feelings and shit.” He said, nonchalantly as he shrugged his shoulders, and leaned back in his chair.

“Who told you I was trying out anyway?”

“Artie told me.” He said as he rolled his eyes. “He wouldn’t stop going on and on about it in first period.”

There was an interval of silence where I began to eat my lunch. I felt kind of self-conscious with Puck around. Who wouldn’t be? Even if he looked like bad news, he was quite handsome in a bad boy way. I would have never thought I’d think that! Jade’s the one who goes for guys like this, not me.

“Anyway Rayne, I was wondering if you – Puck was cut off just as three girls came walking over to our table.

“Is he bothering you?” A black girl asked who was heavyset. She sat her tray down with her food and the two others followed. One was an Asian chick, who dressed like a Goth. I liked her style. The other girl had long dark brown hair and a big nose. Jewish, I supposed.

I shook my head “no.” Puck shook his head. He looked like he had wanted to ask me something very important. His jaw tightened in agitation because of the interruption

“Hey, you must be the new kid?” The girl with the big nose said with much enthusiasm as sat down beside me. “I’m Rachel Berry.” She put a hand out for me to shake, smiling all the while.

I turned to her and we shook hands.

“Hey, I’m Tina Cohen-Chang,” the Asian girl said as she sat down on Rachel’s other side.

“I’m Mercedes Jones,” the black girl said from beside me with a smile as she began to eat.

All the while, Puck sat silent on the other side of the table.

“I heard from Kurt that you moved from Akron, isn’t that right?” Rachel asked as she took a bite of her salad.

“Yeah, I did. I moved here because my dad got a new job as a physiatrist.”

“Isn’t that where Carmel High is?” Tina asked. “Were you in their glee club?”

“No, I wasn’t, but my step sister Jade was,” I explained. The three look suspicious of me, because they all gave one another a look. “Look, I’m not here to spy.”

“I remember her. She’s one scary chick.” Mercedes stated with a shake of her head.

“I know,” I agreed. “Try living with her.”

All three of them laughed. I heard Puck groan annoyed. They all turned to him and stared. He rolled his eyes and got up, not even bothering to take his tray.

“What is wrong with him?” Tina asked confused.

"How rude, he didn't even say goodbye," Mercedes said, shaking her head.