A severe looking woman with horn-rimmed glasses peered intensely at our young countertenor. The coffee stained teeth and the chapped lips smudged in "Mocha brown" moved like the wings of an acid-tripping butterfly. She spoke to him as if he was on trial.
" Welcome, Mr. Hummel.I understand your reasons for enrolling here and I assure you we will not allow that kind of ignorant behavior here. This is Dalton Academy and I do not want you to forget so I will say it again. This is Dalton Academy. You are transferring from McKinley and I will be blunt. You will struggle here. We expect much more from our students because they are more. Therefore, we will tolerate no less than the absolute best and that is the least we will ask of you in exchange for the great education that is Dalton. Discipline is also a principal we hold strong here and I hope you do not bring any trouble such as the abuse of drugs, alcohol, profanity, and all disruptive outbursts including those with song. Here is your schedule, locker information, and slips that need to be signed by tomorrow morning. Thank you, Mr. Hummel."
"Does this woman breathe? Is she supposed to be real? I wonder if she watches The Notebook her circuits will go haywire," thought Kurt.
He lingered a moment too long with these rambling thoughts and the school principal gave him the farewell, "You may leave my office now, Mr. Hummel."
"Oh, of course. Sorry. I'm-I'm out this way…through the door," Kurt awkwardly mumbled as he stepped out of the android's office.
Before he could let out the gust of air he had just heaved in, a steady hand landed on Kurt's shoulder.
" I know," chuckled Blaine. Kurt's breath had hitched with the touch and the sight of Blaine again in uniform. As not to embarrass himself by dwelling on particular thoughts and standing there with mouth agape, he was quick to respond, "I'm sorry, I thought when I enrolled here that this school was run by people not…whatever she is supposed to be."
They walked down the hall together as boys in uniform rushed by to their own classes.
" Sure, she's intense but she actually doesn't follow through with half the things she says."
" She basically said no singing whenever I want. Obviously, she is new to the world that is Kurt Hummel."
" It's fine. Just don't be obnoxious about it and you won't be reprimanded."
" Now when would I ever be obnoxious?"
Blaine raised a knowing eyebrow at him and swiftly took Kurt's schedule into his own hands.
"…We have one class together," observed Blaine.
" Just one?" asked Kurt, obviously disappointed.
" Yup."
"Well, what is it that we have together?"
"Chemistry."
" Oh sweetie, I already knew we had that," said Kurt rolling his eyes then giving a teasing glance at Blaine. Then the last bell rang and Kurt took back his schedule to leave.
As Kurt hurried off to find his first class, which was Spanish, Blaine was left smirking still in the hallway with hands in his pockets. So with a very dapper turn, he walked with a slight bounce in his step towards the opposite direction.
Oomph!
With a rough crash, Kurt and another student fell to the ground as their belongings scattered onto the floor.
" Oh gosh, I am just struggling. I'm sorry," apologized Kurt.
" No, no, man. It was all me. Shouldn't be running…that was breaking a rule," reasoned the boy.
"Yes, one out of the trillion."
The boy laughed as he helped Kurt finish re-gathering his things.
Kurt looked up to see that the boy had short, straight brown hair. He also noticed why the boy was so quick to run over Kurt. He was almost as tall as Finn and probably didn't notice the precious porcelain.
"Shit, are you new? Cause Dalton isn't that big and I've never you seen you around," questioned Finn's wannabe duplicate.
" That I am."
" Good…Imagine the awkwardness if it turned out you went here since like freshmen year."
" Well, you're spared. I transferred from McKinley and today's my first day."
" Wow, alright. Look, man, I'll make it up to you. Where's your next class?"
By now both students were off the ground and standing. The hall was quiet for all the others had gotten to class.
" Spanish with Olson."
" Okay, cool I have her, too."
" That's too much of a coincidence."
" Like I said, Dalton isn't that big."
Kurt followed the boy's lead and they ended up face to face with a particularly annoyed woman, who had decided today was a good day to wear a frumpy vest with various pumpkins stitched to it. Since he already knew he was about to be scolded for being so tardy, Kurt kept back the less than polite comment he had for the teacher's attire.
Señora Olson walked up to the two boys with crossed arms.
"Adam, you're late."
"Thank God you reminded me Olson, I already forgot," said a sarcastic Adam as he slipped to an empty seat.
He continued, "But you've got to excuse me. I was helping poor…Hey, what's your name?"
Kurt turned toward Adam and indirectly the whole class when he answered, "Kurt…Kurt Hummel."
"Yeah, I was helping my buddy Kurt Hummer."
"Hummel."
"Hummel, sorry. Anyway, he's new. But you should already know that Olson. You know like everything. Things like the fact that I'm tardy. You should use that power for good by the way. Because with great power comes great re-."
"Thank you, Adam. That will be enough flip from you today," remarked Señora Olson.
The old woman now turned to Kurt with an appraising look.
"Mr. Hummel. You're new and it's your first day so I'll excuse the tardy, but this is Dalton so expect to be here on time from now on, yes?"
"Yes…or should I say 'Sí'?" joked Kurt, who began to laugh but cut short under Señora Olson's stare. The only other person laughing was Adam.
"My oh my, today is about to be quite the long one," thought Kurt as he settled to the last empty seat, which was about two rows completely from Adam.
"Blaine! Blaine! Jesus, wait up!" cried Kurt as he chased down the Warbler in the hallway towards the cafeteria. It was the lunch period and since Blaine was the only student he really knew, Kurt was trying to eat with him to avoid the awkwardness of being alone. He finally caught up to Blaine, who had turned to see who was calling his name.
" Oh hey, Kurt! How'd the first day go?" asked Blaine sincerely.
" It's fine-just hold on a second," replied Kurt as he heaved with knees bent to catch his breath from running.
"Uhh…you okay Kurt?"
" Yes, yes, I'm fine. Just not used to cardio while carrying Pangaea in the form of textbooks in my side bag."
"Oh, you'll get used to it. Are you heading for lunch?"
" Yes, are you coming?"
"Actually, no, I can't," confessed Blaine looking quite apologetic.
"Wh-Where are you going then? You can't expect me to go in there alone!" exclaimed Kurt, who looked around at the blur of strangers hurrying on by.
"I'm really sorry, Kurt, I wish I could, you know that, but I have a Warblers meeting today about Regionals."
Slightly offended, Kurt pointed out, "Well, it's obvious that I'm going to join the Warblers so couldn't I just come with you?"
"Sorry, again, Kurt. You haven't auditioned yet. So therefore, you're not a member and can't come to the meetings."
"Wait, I have to audition? At McKinley, we auditioned but I mean that basically just meant we got in. How come you didn't tell me I had to? How long do I have to prepare something? Am I too late to get a chance at a solo for Regionals-Blaine, where are you going?"
Blaine had begun to move away from him when a couple of other Warblers had come to find him to go head off to the meeting.
"Kurt, I'm really, really sorry, but I've gotta go. I'll talk to you about all that stuff in Chemistry, okay? Anyway, have a good lunch!" yelled Blaine over the crowd of students that were steadily filling the increasing space between them.
"Alright, Hummel. Calm yourself. A true diva would be able to sit at lunch alone because they knew in the end others would flock to them…but how do I make them flock?" Kurt mulled over his head for a while as he approached the cafeteria doors. When the perfect idea hit, so did Blaine's stern voice in the back of Kurt's mind, "…Just don't be obnoxious about."
Kurt knew nothing about him was obnoxious but the right level of grandeur. This could be like a real musical!
So with an intense level of determination, Kurt broke through the cafeteria doors and marched expecting to belt the first when bam!
Adam had dropped his lunch tray when Kurt had slammed the doors against his body, and now was rubbing his left knee on the floor.
"Are you fucking kidding me right now? The one thing I had to look forward to is in a shit pile on the ground…YOU! You, again! BRO, I helped you out last time cause it was my fault. This, though, is all on you. You're buying me a new lunch," cried Adam to Kurt in front of a crowded yet now silent cafeteria.
"Oh my God, I am so sorry," said Kurt in shock, not even listening to Adam's yells.
" Dude, it's fine. Just buy me another lunch," reasoned Adam as he got up.
" Uh-uh okay."
He wasn't about to deny the boy his lunch when it was clearly Kurt's fault.
When Kurt had paid and brought Adam his fresh tray of meatloaf, he saw it as an opportunity to sit with the tall boy for company. Adam didn't seem to be too disturbed by his presence and just went on eating his food. Once he was finished, which was took only about ten minutes; Adam looked up at Kurt and asked, " Why did you barge into the room like that? You could've killed more than my lunch with that kind of force, which by the way I find impressive since I feel like I can literally break you with my eyelash."
" I was going to come in and sing," replied Kurt with an odd confidence.
" Sing?" asked Adam with a cautious look at his lunch mate.
" Yes, I was going to sing as a way of introducing myself to the school."
"Well, thank God then for my lunch tray. You would've made a fool of yourself."
Kurt narrowed his eyes and retorted, "I'm actually quite good thank you very much! I'd like to think they would find me very impressive in fact. Performing is what I do."
" Then join the Warblers or something."
" Oh I am."
" Well, I don't see you with them so shouldn't you get to that?"
" In due time, Adam, dear. I still need to prepare an audition song."
" What, you're not talented enough to just bust one out?"
" You can't just bust one out for something like an audition."
" Then I guess you're not as good as you say."
Kurt was starting to find this boy exhausting. In an attempt to change the subject, Kurt asked, " Do you usually eat alone during lunch?"
" No, it's probably your dangerous presence that is keeping away my many fan boys in uniform."
Kurt raised an eyebrow with doubt.
" Oh, really now?"
" No, I'm kidding. People don't sit with me because they don't know me. I'm new, too, you know."
" What? As in you just enrolled today?"
" No, I got here just about a month ago."
This was interesting to Kurt and a great opportunity to make a friend at Dalton who wasn't already caught up with everything. Now Kurt wouldn't have to depend on Blaine as his only friend here.
" Oh, why'd you transfer here?" pushed Kurt now a lot more invested in this conversation.
Adam wasn't fazed by Kurt's newfound interest and casually replied, "Dad got a job in an insurance branch here and so we moved to Ohio."
" Where from?"
" San Francisco."
" California! That's amazing! Do you know any celebrities?"
"I might kill you for being the fiftieth person to ask me that. I lived about 500 miles from Hollywood, smart one."
" Oh, gosh. I guess I forget California is bigger than most states…do you and your mom miss it though? Having to leave this late in your life must weird because of your dad getting a new job."
"Uh, actually it's just me and my dad. No mom."
Kurt turned red a little, sorry that he had brought up a touchy issue.
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to-"
Adam interrupted Kurt's apology to assure," Relax, they divorced like years ago. She's still in San Francisco."
A bit relieved yet still sad to hear about a divorce, Kurt just smiled and was starting to find Adam fascinating with a thought in the very back of his mind he was trying to hold back. Then Adam beat him to the punch.
"So, what. You're like gay, right? Or am I being ignorant right now?"
Kurt laughed at Adam's forwardness, "Yes, I'm gay. It's fine."
"Oh, cool. Yeah, I was just wondering."
"So…you're fine with it?"
"Did I not just say I moved here from San Francisco? Believe me, I'm barely moved by this."
" Well, that'd good I suppose. So…you're...what?"
Adam actually began to chuckle a little bit at Kurt's insinuating words.
"No, I'm straight as my boner."
Kurt actually spit a bit of the water he was drinking out of his canister at Adam's choice of analogy.
"So are you cool with that? Me being straight," asked Adam both teasingly and seriously.
"Of course I am. You're not my type anyway."
"Well, duh if I'm straight."
The two both laughed and got up when the bell rang. They walked out together and Adam asked, "Hey what class do you have next?"
"Oh, I have Chemistry with Slizeski."
"Shit, me, too."
"Oh, that's amazing! Now you can just lead me to class instead of me being independent and doing it myself."
"Whatever you say, majesty," said Adam with a sure roll in his eyes.
After a left, right, and another left the two boys found themselves in a clean cut class with half of it being a mini laboratory. Blaine was already sitting in his assigned seat talking with some other students.
"Oh, hey Kurt! How was lunch?" asked Blaine, whose face lit up at the sight of Kurt walking in through the door.
Kurt, too, at the sight of Blaine seemed to glow a bit brighter and with a slight skip walked over to Blaine.
"It was actually very nice. I made a new friend! Adam!" said Kurt as he threw his arms up in a grand gesture to Adam, who looked mildly embarrassed.
"Just cool it, Hummer."
A bit miffed, Kurt reminded him, "I told you. It's Hummel."
"You know what? I think I'll stick with Hummer."
"Whatever."
Blaine laughed at the two's banter and turned his full attention back to Kurt.
" I'm glad you had a good lunch. Do you still want to talk about how you're gonna audition for Warblers?"
"Oh, yes yes yes," replied Kurt with strong eagerness.
However, that was the exact moment Mr. Slizeski decided to walk in signaling that class was about to start and that the boys should grow quiet.
Mr. Slizeski's hair was all gray-white and he wore thin-rimmed glasses that made his eyes bug out a little bit. He also seemed to never close his mouth so he was always looking at the boys with his large teeth clenched and showing. To put it simply, he looked fucking crazy.
"Alright, I'm here now so the fun can stop," said Mr. Slizeski jokingly. He continued, " Okay, I know that we have a new student, Mr. Hummel. Mr. Hummel you will sit with the other new student, Mr. Havens, for he will be your lab partner since every one else is already paired. Is that put simply enough, Mr. Hummel?"
Adam was seated in the very back about three rows away from Blaine. A bit disappointed that he wasn't paired with Blaine, Kurt was still relieved to be sat next to, whom he labeled a friend.
"Yes, Mr. Slizeski."
"Alright, good. Now let's start with the actual fun."
As Mr. Slizeski went on to write the warm up problems on the board, Adam leaned in towards Kurt and whispered in his ears, "By the way…when it comes to Chemistry…" Kurt was for some reason holding his breath in a weird kind of anticipation. Then Adam said his finals words to the sentence with, "I'm a dumb ass." This made Kurt bark out a pretty loud laugh that caused many of the students to turn back and stare at them including Blaine.
Blaine looked a bit confused and took longer to turn back to face the front than the rest of the boys. His shoulders were also tensed now.
Neither Kurt nor Adam noticed this and Adam just continued the joke by saying, "No but really. If you don't want to die, don't make me touch any of that chemical shit."