Being the new girl is never easy. I should know 'cause I've been the new girl so many times I've lost count. Five schools in different districts, one in a different country. This is not how I'd have chosen my life to be.
The car pulled up outside of the building. Kids were mulling about everywhere, like a cruel and deathly sea. I closed my eyes.
"Beth. Beth!"
My eyes flew open once more, my expression turning from exasperated to angry, as it always did when my gaze fell upon my father. He was looking at me sternly.
"Here we are. I've arranged everything with the Principal. You go to his office and he'll have someone show you around. Now go, or you'll be late."
I sighed and glanced out of the window, dreading this new school, the new people who would hate me, the new classes I would hate.
"How many time do I have to tell you? Go!"
I vigorously opened the door and stepped out onto the curb. I slammed the car door shut before my father drove away. I looked after his fancy, black car, not wanting the feeling of homesickness that was washing over me as it vanished. I hated that car and my father…but it was the most familiar thing I had in these new surroundings.
Taking another deep breath I shifted my bag on my shoulder and marched towards the school building, skirting around the edge of the different cliques. I felt like a stranger, an alien being. Nobody took any notice of me, but that's just how I liked it.
I walked up the small staircase before proceeding into the school building. Great…no signposts. How the hell was I supposed to know where the principals office was? I glanced at my watch. The bell would probably be ringing soon and the hallways would fill up with shouting, laughing, chattering teenagers, all whom I didn't want to interact with.
I took off down the corridor at a fast pace and rounded a corner. Two boys were standing by a locker, laughing about something. I turned the other way and walked briskly down another corridor. Lockers lined the walls, different to my last school, which had been in England.
"Principal's office…where are you? C'mon…" I muttered to myself, glancing down another long hallway.
"Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness." a voice said from my right.
I swivelled around and came face to face with a teenage boy with perfect pale skin, styled hair and an outfit to die for.
I gave him a once over before replying.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" I snapped, narrowing my eyes.
"Hey sister. I was only joking. You're new aren't you? Well, that sort of attitude isn't going to get you anywhere."
I shuffled my feet awkwardly. Was I going to take the high road or was I going to sink deeper into the pit of gloom I called a life. I sighed.
"Sorry. I was looking for the Principal's office? Any help?" I asked, trying to place a smile on my face but failing miserably.
"Sure thing. I'll show you the way. Want me to give you a little tour while I'm at it?" the boy asked in his falsetto voice as we walked down the corridor.
"Nah, that's alright. The principal told my dad that he'd do it…or something." I explained.
"Ok then. Well I'm sure you'll like it here…" he said.
I noticed him grimace suddenly before plastering a smile on his face again a split second later.
"This is it. Principal Figgins' office." he stated, grinning. "See you around!"
"Yeah, bye." I said as the boy walked away.
I pushed open the glass door as I saw a secretary sitting on the other side.
"Hello. How may I help you?" she asked monotonously as I stepped inside.
"I'm new here. I have an appointment with the Principal…"
"Oh, I see!" she took a moment to type something into her computer at the speed of light before glancing up at me with a bored smile. "Beth Tarrant, is it?"
"That's me." I replied, awkwardly.
"Take a seat. I'll go alert the Principal to your arrival."
She got up from her desk and walked into the Principal's office. I couldn't see why the blasted woman couldn't have just tapped on the glass as the office had glass walls. Before I had too much time to mull this over however, the secretary opened the door and gestured her inside the office. I sat down automatically on one of the chairs before looking at the headmaster.
"Well, the first thing I can say is welcome to McKinley, Beth." he said chirpily. "I'm Principal Figgins and we're glad to have you."
As he warbled on about classes and documents I couldn't help but wonder how life at this school could be different from the last. As I'd done at each new high school I'd been to in the past year and a half. As Principal Figgins started handing me pamphlets and documents from across the desk I snapped back into the conversation.
"As you'll see, there are many clubs you can join. Popular ones being the cheerleading squad for girls and the football team for boys, but there are an array of other ones if you care to look at these pamphlets…"
'Oh great' I thought to myself. 'Another school filled with neanderthal football players and bitchy cheerleaders'.
As Principal Figgins came to the end of his welcome speech I plastered a grin on my face.
"Why, thank you Principal Figgins. It's an honour to be at your school." I said sweetly, wanting to vomit at my own fakeness. "I'm sure I'll be very happy here."
"I'm glad to hear it!" he replied happily. "Now, let's get you a tour guide.'
He got up from behind his desk and marched out of the office, leaving both doors marginally open. I turned around in my seat to see who was to be showing me around this place. The bell had conveniently just rung in the middle of our little talk and so the corridor was filled to the brim with students. The Principal craned his neck before he waved someone over. I'd hoped it would be the girly boy from before. At least he had some sliver of humour in him and didn't seem to be horrible...but no, instead of the porcelain boy or in fact any other student, a man, presumably a teacher, stepped through the throng of students.
The man was rather short, thin and had hair styled in Jherri Curls, kinda like Michael Jackson in his Thriller phase. How naff. Principal Figgins conversed with the man in question before ushering him into the office. I gazed at him hopelessly. I didn't want to be stuck with a teacher all day. No sir-ee.
"Hey there Beth. I'm Mr Schuester, the Spanish teacher." he said, beaming at me.
"Spanish? I love Spanish! It was my favourite subject at my last school!" I answered, truly enthusiastic. His smile was infectious and I found myself grinning back at him.
"Well, I'm looking forward to seeing you in my class." he said happily before Principal Figgins stepped in.
"Beth, Mr Schuester also runs the show choir and he volunteered one of his students to take you around the school." he explained.
I nodded. Better than being with a teacher tour guide anyway. I picked up my bag and followed Mr Schuester out and down another maze of corridors.
"I'm sure you'll like it here. My Glee kids are great, I'm sure you'll be friends in no time."
"I don't wanna join the Glee Club." I stated quickly. I knew the reputation that Glee Club held in most high schools. Even in England, the stakes of being bullied were much higher if you were into theatre.
"Oh. Well, you don't have to, but I'm sure you'll find it interesting after sitting in a few times with your mentor."
"Are there a lot of kids in the club?"
"Well, we have 13." he explained. "We've taken Regionals two years running and we made it through to Nationals at the end of last year."
"That's great." I said absently.
As we rounded a corner, Mr Schuester suddenly opened a door and gently ushered me inside. I found myself in a room surrounded by twelve teenagers, all of whome stopped chatting to each other and looked at me, puzzled.
"Listen up guys. We have a new member of our school here with us today. This is Beth Tarrant everybody!"
There was a sudden sound of muffled hellos before one girl stood up, beaming at me. I cringed away as she walked over confidently and grasped my hand.
"Very nice to meet you. I'm Rachel Berry and although I do get most solos here in Glee Club do not be afraid to try, as we need all the backing singers we can get!"
I saw a blonde girl roll her eyes as the Rachel girl spoke. I pulled my hand away from her grasp.
"I'm not joining Glee Club!" I said, taking a step back. Mr Schu walked towards me and put a hand on my shoulder.
"No, she's right. She's not a new member of New Directions...but who knows what might happen? For the moment though guys, she needs a mentor and a tour guide. Anyone up for it?" he asked the class hopefully.
Rachel's eyes lit up and she was about to stand up again when I whispered a pleading "No!" to Mr Schu.
"How about you Finn? Or Puck? Quinn?"
"I've got loads of Spanish homework Mr Schu..." spluttered a broad-shouldered guy from the front, looking like he'd just awoken from a long slumber.
"I'm too bad ass to be a tour guide, Mr Schu." said a hot guy from the back. He had a mohawk and was raising his eyebrow as he looked at me. I glared back at him.
"I'd be happy to Mr Schuester, since nobody else wants to be welcoming." piped up a familiar voice from the back.
The boy that I'd met earlier stood up and descended from the platform where most of the chairs were placed. He walked towards me and extended his hand to shake mine.
"Kurt." he said, smiling warmly at me.
"Beth." I replied, shaking his hand, grateful that someone was vaguely pleased to see me.