New Kid in School

Before I knew it, the school day was over - time to audition.

My nerves were acting up. What would the rest of the glee club think? I was so nervous! My heart racing a mile a minute, and I was biting my lip. What if I choked? What if I forgot the words and ended up looking like an idiot in front of the whole entire glee club?

Many scenarios formulated in my mind as I walked out of Spanish class with Artie wheeling alongside me. He was going to walk with me to the class room - in which, glee club took place at after school. Kurt had told me he’d wait for me there.

With every single step I took, the urge to run was palpable, but I thought of Kurt. I didn’t want all his teaching to go to waste. I could do this.

“You’ll do just fine, Rayne,” Artie reassured as if he had read my thoughts. He smiled widely up at me as we made our way down the hallway.

I smiled softly down at him. “I sure hope I don’t choke.”

“You won’t. Just act like everyone isn’t there and you’re singing alone in your bedroom.”

“But, it’s not that easy,” I said anxiously, starting to freak out. “How can I ignore the fact that people are sitting and staring at me at the same time?” Then, I added with a sigh of defeat. “Maybe, shouldn’t try out, I’m nothing special to hear, anyway.”

Artie reached out for my hand, he took it and gave it a squeeze meant for encouragement. “Rayne, don’t give up. I believe in you.” He looked up at me with those clear blue eyes from behind his glasses. “You’ll never know what you’re made of until you try.”

His words rang true in my head.

“Yeah, I can do this,” I said with a lot more confidence than before. I squeezed his hand back, and smiled down at him. “Thanks, Artie for that.”

“No problem,” he replied, smiling with satisfaction that he had gotten through to me as we made it to the classroom door where Kurt was waited, leaning against it as he checked his cellphone.

He smiled once he glanced up from placing it in his pants pocket. He looked genuinely happy that I didn’t chicken out as he pushed himself off the wall next to the classroom door as a girl with the same cheerleading outfit as Santana, walked into the classroom without a single glance in our direction.

“Come on, girl, time to break a leg,” Kurt said, dragging me by the arm into the class room before giving me a hug. There was no chance for escape, now. “If you get nervous just look at me, Rayne – sing to me.” He turned to me with the same reassuring look in his eyes as Artie’s.

Artie came in behind us, and wheeled his way over to be beside Mercedes. She looked surprised when she saw me, so did Rachel and Tina, but they smile nonetheless. There weren’t many people in this club. No wonder why Kurt wanted me to try out.

“Are you trying out, Rayne?” Rachel asked.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Tina asked.

“It didn’t come up,” I replied with a shrug, and that’s when I noticed her

Santana

She sat in her seat with this smug smirk on her full lips. Her dark brown eyes bore holes into my face when she noticed my existence in the room. I felt like ducking behind something, but there wasn’t anything to hide behind, expect Kurt, who was quite taller than me. Thinking against it, I didn’t hide because I didn’t want to give Santana the pleasure of letting her know how much she frightened me.

“Rayne, what are you doing here, need something?” Mr. Schuester asked absence mindedly as he flipped through some sheet music when he noticed me.

“Mr. Schue, Rayne is here to try out,” Kurt spoke up for me with a smile, putting his hands on my shoulders as he wheeled me to the dead front and center of the class room.

The Spanish teacher/ music instructor had to double take. “Really, Rayne is this true?”

I nodded my head “yes.”

He smiled and clapped his hands together saying, “Well, then let’s see what you’ve got.”

Kurt squeezed my shoulders tightly with reassurance before walking to his seat beside Mercedes. He gave me the thumbs up and smiled. “Show them what you got, Rayne!” He said, crossing his legs.

I took a deep breath, but before I could begin, someone came walking in. I turned to see him- Puck, who walked by giving me that same smug look, but he nodded his head in acknowledgement in my direction. He then, went to the very back of the classroom at the far right. I stood there clasping my hands together to keep them from shaking.

I turned to the man playing the piano and gave him the sheet music for my song. When I turned my back, I heard Santana sneer, “Don’t choke.”

Mr. Shue gave her a sharp look when I turned around to begin my song. She rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms and legs with that same nasty sneer on her pretty face. The girl beside of her with a dreamy look in her eyes giggled.

Pay them no mind, I thought as I began to sing as the pianist plucked out the first few notes:



I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, but I continued to sing though I was sure I was sweating like a pig. My voice was a little shaky, but as the song wore on, I kept going and did as Kurt said – I looked at him instead of the rest of the glee club. I especially didn’t want to look in the direction of Santana.



I’m almost halfway done with the song. I close my eyes and sing with more self-confidence than before, and I even begin to sway in time with the music. I catch myself getting lost in the music, and so far I haven’t gotten off pitch. My voice is no longer shaky. It feels as if the song is flowing out of me.



I have a few minutes break in the song where the piano has a tiny solo, where I look nowhere, but at Kurt, who mouths, “Remember to breathe.” I do as he says and get ready for the hard part of the song, which I have trouble with going off pitch. Kurt had shown me how to use my breath support.



I open my eyes. I hadn’t even notice I had closed them again. I step back, taking a deep lungful of air. I scanned the room to see the expressions of the group and teacher. Rachel is smiling widely up at me. Santana doesn’t look impressed as everyone except her gets up and starts to clap. I can’t help myself; I glance up, scanning for Puck’s expression. He has a smug look on his face, but otherwise, he does look fairly impressed with my singing ability. My chest tightens, and I blush as Kurt runs up to me.

“Take a bow, Sally,” He says jokingly as he elbows me in the side.

Artie wheels his way up to me, smiling. “I knew you could do it. You have more confidence than you think, and your voice is amazing.”

“It almost sounded like Amy Lee was singing,” Tina said shyly, running over to me.

“Looks like we have a new addition,” Mr. Shue smiles, clapping his hands. “Welcome to the New Directions, Rayne Kelley!”

And I do bow with a huge goofy smile on my face.