I rounded the corner of the street, every step growing closer to home, and relative safety. And then the familiar dirty grey pick-up skidded to a halt ahead of me.

Great. 

I turned on my heels and hurried in the opposite direction, hoping that my blazer was unrecognizable under my over-sized hoodie. I doubted that it was visible, but the passengers of the truck filed out anyways. They were looking for a fight, but if I could help it, they wouldn't get one.

"Hey, Shortie, " one of them yelled, "Gonna sing us a song? "

The sound of footsteps drew nearer and I froze. I remained silent, but I was racing through possible answers in my head.

I could feel breath on my neck, and an overwhelming scent of cologne wafted through the air around us.

"I-I'm not a Warbler. " I tried and pulled my hoodie tighter across my chest.

"Oh quit it. Do you really think we're stupid? You're that super-Warbler...Brian? "

A strong hand gripped a tuft of my hair and I was forced to spin around to face them. 

There were three of them. I pondered the possibility of actually fighting them all off. Finn Hudson, I knew from several experiences similar to this one.

He was tall,so tall that I had to crane my neck to look him in the eye.His dark hair was cut close to his head and tiny beads of sweat trickled down his face. He'd kill me with his bare hands if he wanted to.

Sam I recognized too. He employed ruthless fighting techniques, and would stop at nothing to put a Warbler out of action. But the other kid I only knew from competition season.

He was almost as tall as Finn, but was much slighter. He didn't look like the type that'd spend their time with thugs like Hudson. His hair was gelled into a high quiff, and our eyes met as I sussed him out. Those ice blue eyes had something pleading about them. He said nothing at all, but I could tell that he didn't want to be there.

I kneed Sam in the stomache on the spur of the moment and he doubled up on the concrete, writhing with pain. I twisted in Finn's grip in an attempt to do the same to him, but he tightened his grasp on my hair, digging the nails of his free hand into my back.

"You're gonna get it now you little punk. " Finn hissed at me, his face uncomfortably close to mine, and knocked me to the floor with one clear blow.