"Deep breaths, remember, you are a future Broadway star, and you can definitely handle something as simple as stepping out of this car."

As he resisted the urge to stay where he was, in the confines of his navigator, and continue worrying himself with prospects of screwing up his first day, Kurt Hummel whispered words of assurance to himself. If anyone was to look into his car right now, they would automatically label him as a proper freak, nothing else.

"Stop scaring yourself," he snapped, "it can't possibly be worse than McKinley."

Nothing could be any more treacherous and menacing than the public school he had been attending up till the week before. The bullying escalated, with Dave Karofsky being his number one tormentor, and a death threat was the last straw for his father. Despite his numerous attempts to protect himself by listing off the numerous brain damages the jocks were suffering from that accounted for their underdeveloped and below average intellects, he still couldn't fight off the hurt and emotional pain they inflicted on him every time an insult was dished out, a slushy was flung in his face and a shove was delivered to send him crashing into lockers, guaranteeing a new array of bruises for him to admire.

Dalton Academy, along with the lucrative scholarship deal for a straight As student like him, was not unlike a safe house for him.

"That's right, I am ready for this, and let's hope Dalton is ready for me," he plastered a confident smile on his face, excitement genuinely felt as he grabbed his satchel and exited his nest of steel and metal. Inhaling much need oxygen, along with the stench of car exhaust, he stared straight ahead at the main school building.

Yes, I can do this.

*

No, I can't do this.

An hour later found the new transfer student finally making his way out of his very first lesson, one that he was miserably late for, having been delayed by a lengthy speech from the school director and the front desk lady's inefficiency in printing out a simpler than ever timetable and school directory.

"Why hire someone who can't even work the telephone?" his tone reeked of utter displeasure and incredulity, eyes scanning the paper he was holding onto for his next lesson.

It was then that he noticed the direction in which the hallway crowd was heading towards, and the brunette was confused by the palpitating thrill and anticipation the student population was giving off, chattering, a sense of urgency and all.

Not wanting to be left out of the loop, Kurt reached out to tap a passing blonde tentatively, unsure if it was the right thing to do.

"Uh, sorry, what exactly is going on?"

Whatever he was expecting, it was definitely not a wide grin and a hand grabbing at his, earning a gasp and a instinctive flinch that went unnoticed by the eager blonde, but not his companion.

"The Warblers," the enthusiastic blonde replied as if that was the most obvious, fantastic answer. "Every now and then they throw an impromptu performance in the senior commons. It tends to shut the school down for awhile."

He and his silent companion was met with Kurt failing to mask his surprise and disbelief.

"So, wait, the glee club here is actually kind of….cool?"

The two, unbeknownst to Kurt, junior Warblers let out indistinguishable noises of mock offense and indignation.

"Beyond coolness. The Warblers are like rock stars!" the shorter, black-haired boy replied, a hint of pride and self flattery easing its way into his tone as he sent a nudge to his best friend, signalling that they should get going lest the performance got delayed and Wes ended up wielding his gravel of doom to torture them.

"Come on," the blonde called out to the deep-in-thought Kurt before the trio raced down the almost empty hallway, making their way to the Senior Commons.

"I'm Jeff and he's Nick, by the way," introductions were made midst heavy breathing and quickened footsteps, and Kurt found himself returning the toothy smile Jeff flashed at him.

"Kurt," he gave, coming to a stop in front of closed doors that led them to their destination.

Nick stepped forward and pushed opened the doors to the senior commons and led them into the room. Kurt was discomforted as he took note of just how many boys had assembled in the room, and the trio's arrival had attracted just about everyone's attention.

"Well, Kurtie dear, I'd love to stay around to chat but it's show time," Jeff send a wink and grabbed Nick's hand before leading his friend to join the other Warblers on the other side of the room.

Without the company of his newly made acquaintances, Kurt felt out of place and quickly took a step back towards the doorway.

A boy who had his back facing the entrance suddenly turned around, and Kurt felt his heart leap up into his throat as rich hazel eyes met his. He was truly gorgeous, with jet black hair and those eyes flecked with amber, green and gold. Despite the slight, if even significant, height difference that his posture and poise made up for, he looked like he belonged in a magazine, with lightly toned and tanned skin accompanied by well defined muscles that the Dalton uniform exhibited quite nicely.

The minute he parted his lips to sing, however, Kurt felt the last bit of control he held disappear into nothingness, eyes widening in amazement as he followed the lead vocalist's every move.

Well, damn.