Chapter 1:

Who brings Slushies to high school?

"Millie Hart? What the hell kind of a name is that?" George was staring down at her registration card just outside the principal's office at her new high school. Rube joined her earlier for a brief McKinley High. The entire 'orientation' had consisted of an awkwardly edited video featuring Principal Figgins addressing incoming freshman (which would have made sense if 'Millie' wasn't supposed to be a senior) followed by an even more awkward Q&A between the principle, the new student, and her 'Uncle Bill'.

"Welcome to William McKinley High, Miss Hart. I will be your principle for what I hope to be an exciting and wonderful year for you." Well, George had to give the man credit. He'd definitely mastered the 'fake optimism' part of his job. Right down to the creepy smile he gave his newest student who sat across from him, eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, I gathered that from the video", the girl muttered sinking lower into her seat. Her 'Uncle' was quick to speak up, an almost convincing smile as he leaned forward to drown out 'Millie's' comment.

"We really do appreciate the quick registration. Millie's had..problems in the past, if you know what I mean."

"Of course, I understand. Anything to support a fine, upstanding, and generous family like yourselves." Figgins gave Rube an enthusiastic smile and George was half tempted to ask just how much her boss had donated to the school to get her in, no questions asked.

Thankfully, she kept quiet.

Must be one helluva reap to be paying that kinda loot to get her foot in the door.

"It's your name, peanut, and keep it down. I know you're only here for a week. The less suspicion you raise, the better." He didn't miss a beat, popping jelly beans as the stepped into the main halls of the school, already crowded with students mingling between the classes.

"Oh, right, like me suddenly showing up and leaving a week later isn't going to raise suspicion. " It all felt strangely familiar and foreign to the reaper, all at the same time. The crowds, the mechanical bell, smell of tater tots in the air mixed with the stench of gym socks… No, it wasn't her school, but it was close. Way too close for George's liking.

Maybe she'd gotten her lights and she just didn't remember. Maybe this was her own personal hell, Rube was escorting her into and he just didn't have the heart to tell her.

"You owe me after this one. This crap was bad enough the first time around." The girl muttered as she readjusted the backpack over her shoulder, eying the other students with suspicion and getting politely ignored in return. Okay, that wasn't too bad. They weren't staring back at her. Maybe she could just lay low…just let the week go by, pop the soul, and get outta this dump without anyone being the wiser.

Maybe.

"Don't think of it in those terms, Millie." Yup, now Rube was just mocking her. She just knew it by his town and that little smirk on his face. Son of a- "Consider it a fresh start. A chance to go back and be the 'cool' kid- isn't that what people want? A chance to go back? Like in that movie with the blond actress- what's her name? Dana? Dressel?"

"Drew Barrymore, and no, actually, I don't want to go back to this at all", she mumbled as some kid in a letterman's jacket ran into her shoulder, probably on purpose. George glared after him, giving him the best stink eye she could until she saw what he did next. The girl never even saw it coming as she turned away from her locker, smiling one moment...and covered in sticky slushie the next. The reaper stopped and blinked, gaping almost as shocked as the dripping wet girl as the jock high fived one of his buddies and moved on, laughing down the hall. None of the other students seemed to take notice, save for a few who sniggered as the girl quickly made a bee-line straight for the nearest restroom.

Behind her, Rube stared as well, popping another piece of candy. "Huh. That's gotta hurt."

"Yeah- ya think? Shit, what the hell is this? Since when are you allowed to throw slushies around school? When I was their age I couldn't even bring a slushie to school."

Oh shit, did I just say that? I'm not that old, am I?

"Times change, Peanut. When you were their age, they were in elementary school." Rube smirked, handing her a notice he'd picked up while she was forced to watch the video- a poorly designed photocopied flyer he'd borrowed from a bulletin board outside the principle's office.

"…Glee Club?" The girl stared at the flyer dryly. " You want me to join Glee Club? You're joking right? I don't even know what glee is!"

"Its show choir, kiddo, look it up."

"What's that?"

"You know…singing, dancing- seriously, what did you learn in school?"

"I dunno…how to make spit wads? A couple dozen ways to sleep through math class? How to write reports based on movies based on books?" She made a face at the wording- hell, even the badly copied picture of Justin Timberlake. Really? Who came up with this crap?

"The American Educational system ain't what it used to be. Read the flyer. They're National Champions, so you better start practicing.", Rube sighed and turned to her. "They meet every Tuesday and Thursday at 3:15 in the music room."

"It says they got 12th place. And I don't sing."

"You do now."

"Have you heard me sing?"

"Don't care to." He was already walking away, leaving George standing in the middle of the hallway holding the ugly flyer and glaring after him.

"This is cruel and unusual punishment you know!"

"Have fun, Peanut!"

"…I hate you."

Four years of high school, and George Lass could only remember one vital lesson she'd learned from all of it.

School. Sucked.

Well, for her at least. She just wasn't good at it. Classes. Homework. Extracurricular activities. It was why she hadn't done well in college- why she'd dropped out after one semester. It wasn't that she didn't try (okay, so she didn't really try). She just didn't care.

First period was uneventfully boring. George thought she might just get away with sleeping her way through class- that was, until the English teacher with a lazy eye slammed a ruler on 'Millie's' desk, waking her up and asking her something about Hamlet. George could barely remember the play when she had read it, so she just gave some answer remarking how everybody died.

And was surprised that she seemed to get it almost right.

Of course, she hadn't had a chance to settle back into any sort of nap when she found herself hit in the back of the head with something cold and went. Reaching over quickly, she spun around to glare at the other student who was laughing and putting down the straw, preparing his next spit wad for another unsuspecting student.

Gross! Wonder if the little son of a bitch would be smiling if he knew what I could do to him-

"Ms. Hart, can you tell me the significance of the ghost's appearance in Act 1?"

Ugh.

Second, third, and fourth period didn't go much better. No sleep, more questions, more snickering. And worst of all, homework. On her first day of school! Sheesh, she couldn't wait to get out of this dump. But, on the bright side, it was lunch…which, apparently still translated into crappy, cafeteria slop.

George made a face down at the steaming pile of what she guessed was stroganoff, but she couldn't be sure. Great. Well, tomorrow she would remember to bring something- or maybe she could just sneak off campus? Oh, this was ridiculous.

Almost as ridiculous as the fact she couldn't even find a table she wanted to sit at.

She had been wrong when she told Rube this school was as bad as hers. No, this one was worse. It was like walking into a living stereotype for all the bad things in high school. The clicks were obvious and mean- the jocks, the cheerleaders , band geeks, drama geeks, nerds, and...well, there was a table of such an eclectic group of kids even she couldn't tell why they were hanging out together.

To be honest, George had no intention of interacting with any of them. She'd made up her mind early on that she was going to do here exactly what she did at her real high school- stay quiet and unnoticed and hope the day went by quickly.

There was only one table that had less than five kids sitting around it, and it was still occupied, but the reaper figured it was as safe a bet as any. She made her way over with her tray of…whatever it was, and took a seat at the far end, making a face at the goop and picking up her fork to start shifting it around.

Her presence did not go by unnoticed. The five were talking animately- well three of them were. Two of them were just making out. George kind of wondered if those two were even with the group. A boy who was pretty obviously gay or very, very metrosexual was leading the conversation with two female friends.

"Please don't pretend to argue the subtle differences between Armani and Wang with me. You really don't want to go there." He was addressing an African American girl who just rolled her eyes at the subject. On the other side of the fashion-foward boy, a dark haired girl immediately looked over when she realized someone else was sitting down and started watching George.

It was kind of annoying, and 'Millie' was about to get up and go look for a place to eat lunch outside, when the girl suddenly moved closer to ask. "...You're new here, aren't you?"

"What?"

"You're new here. We obviously haven't met. I'm Rachel Berry." George just stared at the girl at first. Her friends apparently had also noticed George and suddenly the reaper realized this was the last table to sit at if you wanted to go unnoticed. Great.

Wait, why did this girl look familiar? It hit her suddenly. It was the same kid that had been 'slushied' that morning in the hall…except, she was now wearing all yellow instead of purple argyle- did she change?

"Did you change?" The question was forward and at first, Rachel looked confused. It was the boy beside her that smirked and rolled his eyes. Oh yes, this girl was definitely new.

George wasn't the best with starting conversations or making friends. Not that she intended to make friends, but…she found it odd that the girl would be prepared for something like happened in the hallways. The girl immediately looked back up, looking at George with confusion then looking back down at her clothes.

"Only since this morning…I usually keep a spare change in my locker just in case. I had thought that being a senior AND dating the star quarter back would prevent this, but it appears some things never change..."

This girl was dating the star quarterback of the school? The one dressed like a reject from the cast of Clueless? Not that George ever watched Clueless...

George just nodded dumbly. "Yeah, I saw you in the hallway this morning when that idiot dumped that drink on you."

"Yes, well, being prepared is just par for the course for a successful future starlet like me."

Say what now?

"Future starlet?"

"...Here we go...", the black girl muttered rolling her eyes. Her gay friend just smiled a little bit and sat back to listen to it all over again. They were used to this speech by now.

"Yes." Rachel smiled, suddenly beaming so much it was starting to scare George a little. Oh shit. She knew that look. "I'm going to be a star someday. I'm surprised you haven't heard of me. I'm actually quite famous in the show choir circuit in Lima." That beaming smile and a perfectly manicured hand offered across the table and George hesitated. She suddenly realized where she knew that look from.

Dye that hair blond and add a few years and she would be staring into the face of a Jewish Daisy Adair.

"Millie. Millie Hart…" She shook the girl's hand. She let go of the girl quickly and looked back at her food.

"So…you're in show choir? As in glee club?"

"That would be it. Hi, I'm Kurt Hummel." Behind Rachel, the other boy held out his hand and offered an almost apologetic smile. "And this is Mercedes, Tina, and Mike."

The others nodded. Well, Mercedes did. Tina and Mike were still busy making out. George made a face.

"Uh…huh. Um...pleasure."

So...Rachel was part of glee club. George could already guess she was the diva of the bunch. Well, that was something, right. At least it was a good lead in.

"So you're in glee? I was thinking about joining, actually..."

Rachel's eyes lit up at that. Only for a moment though. She immediately remembered the last time she found talent in school- Sunshine was a new girl, too. "You're a singer?"

"Mostly in the shower. My uncle...thinks I should join extracurricular activities or something..." George was doing her best not to mutter. Or scathe.

"Oh, well that's perfect then! We're always looking for new talent. And as president of McKinley's award winning glee club, maybe I can help? What were you planning on auditioning with?"

Good God, she was the president of that thing?

"I really don't think you need to-"

"Trust me, she does. It's what gives her a reason to live and breathe- that is when she's coming up for air and away from my step-brother." Kurt deadpanned the comment as Rachel turned to glare at him then quickly looked back at George.

"Just ignore him. I'm going to make YOU my new project." Oh shit, scary Daisy-look again!

"...You really don't have to do that."

"I know, that's what makes me so nice!" Rachel all but squealed that part. Kurt just stared then sighed and gave Mercedes a knocking look.

George only had one thought. Rube was definitely going to owe her big for this.