"He said what?" Kurt just stared up at Artie as they sat across from each other, eating their lunches. Artie wasn't even really friends with Kurt and for all he knew, Kurt would blab his secret, but who else could he tell? Jacob Ben Israel? Artie's name would be disgraced all over the McKinley High blog, if it wasn't already. That girl from the AV club who liked him? Sure, and he would ruin his chances with the only other girl he might have a chance with. So, he sat next to Kurt, hoping he wasn't risking too much.

"Yeah," he said shyly.

"Well, don't worry about him," He shook his head with a kind of attitude that only Kurt was capable of. "One day, he'll be lowered down a notch."

"I'm not so sure," Artie shrugged. "I take all high school threats seriously."

"You need something to undermine him. Do something that you know he would never do."

Artie raised an eyebrow. "Which would be what, exactly?"

"Well, your thing is music, right? I saw the jazz band perform last year at spring fest. You're a pretty good singer."

"Thanks, man, but that's just for fun..." Artie shook his head. He had been pretty embarrassed when he had ended up filling in for Matt Jones at the last second, singing at the school's largest concert.

"I'm serious. And you know the glee club really needs some new singers this year."

"I don't know. I'm already sort of an outcast in this school. No offense, I know you love glee club, but glee club is pretty lame."

"Not for long. Mr. Shue is the best. You know he used to be in glee club, like when we were babies. He was the star. He told me they used to rule the school. I think he could really make it cool to be in glee again."

Artie just shook his head, finishing off his sandwich.

"Just think about it. Puck will never join glee and I'm pretty sure Tina wants to join. It will be one place where he can't get you."

Artie sat in silence for a long moment. "I'll think about it."

"S-S-So wh-what d-do you th-think, Artie?" Tina smiled at him a few minutes later at the sign up sheet outside Spanish.

"I don't know..." Artie knotted his eyebrows. He would be much happier to just stay an unknown in high school. He didn't need to join any weird clubs, especially clubs where he couldn't even do half the activities, like dance.

"Oh c-c-come on," he shot him a shy smile, warming his heart. "It c-c-ould be f-fun."

"I'll think about it. For now, put your name up. I'll go with you to auditions."

"Th-Thanks, Artie." The smile stayed on her face as they turned around to enter the Spanish room.

And all too soon, they were outside the auditorium, waiting to be auditioned. "Sh-she s-s-sounds re-really good," Tina stuttered nervously, listening to Rachel Berry belt a ballad.

"Don't worry about it, you'll do great," Artie smiled, encouragingly.

"No, f-f-forget about it. I ch-changed my mind." And she started walking away.

"Hey wait," Artie turned, trying to catch up with her.

"Tina C?" Mr. Shue shouted from within the auditorium.

Artie finally headed off his friend. "What do you have to lose?"

Tina looked up at Artie softly. "I-I guess you're r-r-right." She paused, thinking. "I-I-I'll try out if you try out."

Artie breathed deeply. It wasn't just about him, but about Tina and all the other rejects in their school. Didn't they need somewhere to feel at home? And hey, it might actually be fun. What did he have to lose? He looked up into Tina's soft round eyes and lost his heart. "OK, let's do it."

The next few weeks were pretty OK for Artie. Between glee clue, jazz band and real school work, he had almost forgotten Puck's threat. His father had even let him drive to school a few days, based on the argument that they had paid to have the van modified, so they might as well make use of it. Artie found himself smiling while he rolled down the halls, humming a song they were working on in glee club.

"Hey, Artie!" Tina shouted from behind him and skipped a few steps to catch up to him. She was smiling widely, like she was hiding some great news.

"What's up?" Artie had to laugh. He was almost overwhelmed to see Tina so happy. They had really started talking a lot more recently and he had really starting liking her, but he wasn't so sure how she felt.

"Th-there's s-some great news. C-Come with me to the practice room."

"OK," Artie just shrugged, wildly confused.

Tina pushed him down the hall and they soon arrived in the glee club's practice room. The whole glee club was waiting for them and the crowd turned towards the door, all smiling and laughing. Artie immediately noticed the three new additions: Puck and two other football players that he didn't know. Artie's face fell immediately.

"I-Isn't it gr-great?" Tina asked, looking at Artie. "We f-finally have the twelve p-people we need for s-s-sectionals."

"Yeah, great." Artie smiled, not missing that threatening look on Puck's face for an instant.

Artie spent that rehearsal wishing he were anywhere but there. Puck would look over at him every once in a while, threatening Artie to say or do the wrong thing. Artie just ignored him, but Mr. Shue did not have such a strategy. "Hey, Artie," the teacher caught him on the way out. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing," Artie shrugged.

"OK, but if anything is bothering you, just let me know." Artie shuddered, wondering if his parents had been talking to Mr. Shue, but as his teacher turned to compliment Mercedes on her solo, Artie knew he was just doing his job. Mr. Shue really cared about them.

Outside the practice room, the whole glee club was gathered around a poster. "What's going on?" Artie asked, unable to see the poster from his line of sight.

"It's the homecoming dance," Rachel exclaimed. "I think we should all go. It could be fun."

"No way," Kurt exclaimed, actually looking offended. "Last year I went and the jocks spilled spiked punch all over my suede shoes. It still hurts me to look at them."

"Yeah, we'll be laughed out of school for sure," Mercedes chimed in."

"Well, I-I-I th-think it could be f-fun," Tina chimed in.

"Why?" Artie asked, looking surprised. Why would she want to go to an event like that and risk public humiliation?

"Oh, I-I-I al-already have a d-d-date," she said nervously, pushing back her hair.

"What? Who?" He knew he sounded stupid, but all he could get out were the one sentence questions he'd been asking.

"Puck," she said with a smile and Puck walked up to her, putting his arm around her shoulder.

As the couple walked away, Puck looked back and gave Artie the smuggest look he'd ever seen.

Artie turned around and rolled away, ignoring the rest of the glee club. There was only one question on his mind and that was why.