I'm so sorry this took so long. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and I know it's late but…Happy New Year. I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday. Thank you to every SINGLE one of you that read and reviewed. I'm so grateful. I'm sorry but there is no Sam in this, I know how anxious you all are to see him but I promise he will be here in the next chapter.

Enjoy

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Chapter 3: "First Day"

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She prepared herself thoroughly for this. Researched every little detail she could, researched Lima, researched Primrose Valley, and researched McKinley. She thought and planned her every move from the moment she would have to step through the doors. In San Francisco when people looked at her they saw a spoilt rich annoying Jewish Girl. A girl who had two loving parents, a big house and anything she wanted she got and now in McKinley she had no doubt her peers here would see the same thing. She was used to it but what she wasn't going to do was let these people's snide comments and hurtful remarks stop her from achieving her goals.

Eight years from now she was going to be a Broadway Star and all those people would pushed her down or ridiculed her will be worth it because it would motivate her all the more and because of it, it would get her all that she ever dreamed of having. She would get the chance to show the world just her talent. Not her religion, not her beliefs, not her looks just her on the stage and her voice and if she could get at least one person to see the beauty, if she could give one person faith then that would be enough. Of course it wouldn't hurt if the numbers were higher, like hundreds.

So with a smile on her face and her head held high she sauntered into the school only letting her peers see confidence and poise in her step and not her nervousness and fear.

Her first stop was the principal's office where she had to receive her schedule and also because he wanted to know what the new girl in his school looked like. "Miss Berry, please take a seat," he indicated to the black leather chair opposite his in greeting, the gold template on his table reading Principal Figgins in neat block letters. She let out a small forced smile she acquiesced to his request.

"Here is your schedule and a map to the school so you don't lose your way. I am sorry to inform you however our school doesn't offer music as a subject and therefore your request at studying it is denied."

After hearing that Rachel was greatly disappointed. Music was a huge part of her life and now being told she couldn't study it in school saddened her. Maybe she could start her own music club…come to think of it that wasn't such a bad idea. She would have to give it some serious thought before approaching anyone with her idea.

She gathered her belongings and made her way out of Figgins office, her pink trolley bag in tow, "thank you for your time Sir," she said in farewell.

Her first step was her locker, to get her books for the first period. The secretary told her that all the textbooks that she needed were already stocked in her locker and all she had to do was retrieve it.

Then something happened that made the petite brunet girl stop dead in her tracks. There before her she was a geeky looking boy with glasses in a wheel chair. On a normal day there was nothing wrong with that picture but what shocked her was the group of boys, most probably jocks, threw an orange flavoured ice drink at his face, laughing manically and then walked away as if it was nothing had happened and the he boys face offered no answers to how he was feeling.

Forcing her feet to move she rushed over to the boy, "are you okay?" she asked warily.

"Come here to brag too?" he spat out angrily.

"No I just wanted to see if you needed any help." She stuttered shocked at his tone. She was only trying to be friendly and do the right thing.

"Why? Just because I am in a wheelchair you think I can't fend for myself?" the now orange face boy enquired coldly.

"N-no-"

"Good because I don't need anyone's help, least of all yours." He interjected before wheeling of angrily leaving Rachel speechless.

'So much for that' she thought bitterly as she continued on her journey.

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It was the beginning of third period and Rachel quietly took her set looking curiously around the history classroom her eyes focusing on a few posters here and there. There were still a few empty seats scattered around the room indicating that there was still some students that needed to arrive.

Her attention was then directed at the boy that sat next her. She had never seen a guy dress as stylish and impeccable as him. He was looking bored while doodling on the inside cover of his notebook and humming "A Boy Like That" from West Side Story. She had also never come across a boy who liked West Side Story either.

His gaze then shifted from his notebook to her when he felt her stares penetrate him. "What?" he asked his humming seized.

"Nothing, it just occurred to me that you were humming 'A Boy Like That,'" she shrugged nonchalantly or attempted to sound nonchalantly.

"Yeah, I think it's the best musical ever made," he beamed ecstatically.

"The best?" she raised her eyebrow in question and disbelief. "If you are talking about the best musical ever then Funny Girl wins hands down. Barbra was EPIC as Fanny Brice," she countered his remark raising both her hands, palms facing him.

"Yes I will admit Barbra was iconic in Funny Girl but the way in which West Side Story was told was so raw and provocative in the way they blended the music and dance sequences and the storyline."

"Agreed but it was not as good as Funny Girl, in fact Roger Ebert called Barbra "magnificent" especially in the way she moves her hands and face that are simply individual." Rachel spoke in a strong tone.

"Okay I agree with that fact but…"

"Hey, could you two ladies cut it out. Your conversation is more annoying and boring than History and that is saying something," a black haired boy interrupted with a look of disdain on his face.

Before either Rachel or the pale boy next to her could even come up with a response the teacher walked in and with her entrance the entire class plunged into silence.

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The buzzer sounded signally they end of class and Rachel gathered her things before taking her leave. Just when she got to the hallway she felt a hand grab her elbow. It was the same boy from her class.

"Hey. I'm Kurt Hummel," his hand outstretched for a handshake. Rachel hesitantly put her hand in his. "I've never met a Broadway junkie before."

"Excuse me?" Rachel asked affronted pulling her hand from his.

"Oh no, it's not an insult, I'm one too. Every morning when I wake up one of the first things I do is check what is happening in the Broadway world. I even have the limited edition copy of West Side Story."

"Did you just say limited edition?" She interjected in shock, "as in the copy with never before seen backstage footage and secrets? How did you manage to obtain it? There are only 3 copies in the world. I begged my dad to get it for me and when he couldn't I cried for months."

"It was a gift," Kurt whispered while an unknown emotion clouded his eyes.

"Can I see it? You can come over to my house." Rachel beamed, "if you want too," she finished off lamely. She didn't really have friends in San Francisco. No one had taken the time to get to know her and after numerous failed attempts she stopped trying.

"Cool," he agreed wholeheartedly, "but not today. I'm on strict orders to be home in time for dinner tonight."

"Ok, another time then."

"Awesome. Wanna get some lunch?" Kurt asked.

Well it was lunch period and she didn't want to eat alone, "Sure."

Rachel had planned this entire day. From what she was going to use to what she was going to say and do yet nothing went according to her plan but somehow she couldn't find it in herself to be sad about it.

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Rachel sat at the dinner table that night with her dads and chatted away aimlessly until they asked the dreaded question, "so honey, how was school?"

"Really good actually, I even made a friend, even though the first conversation I had with him was a debate. His name is Kurt so if u see a really pale boy come around the house asking for me know it's him."

"That's great sweet heart. So you…like…this boy?" her daddy asked.

"Yes I do like him just not in the way you are implying and you being my dad you are not supposed to support the idea of me like anybody in that way."

Her dad then stepped in, "it's not that honey, we just want you to be happy and if a boy makes you happy…really happy then we wouldn't mind it. All we want is your happiness especially after-"

She paused in her eating and sucked in a large breath as images filtered through her head unwillingly. "I know," she squeaked out cutting him off, but then lowered it to show that she meant it, "I know. And I love you both for it but really I'm fine and you needn't worry…oh and Kurt's gay so me liking him would not go all that well," she finished off hoping to lighten the now serious path the conversation was taking or at least bring the conversation to a standstill.

After that the rest of the dinner was tense with Rachel gripping her fork and knife more tightly than needed and her dads trying to engage her in conversation again but also not say anything that they thought would hurt her in anyway. She didn't wish to hurt her dads feeling but their words triggered thoughts that made her lose her appetite and for the remainder of the meal she felt like was forcing the food down her throat due to the lump lodged there.

Later that night she promised herself never to crumble so easily and like she always does she looked past it and put on an air of confidence until it stuck.

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Before she knew it the next day of school arrived. It may have only been her second day but she already had gotten the hang of it. Like every other school McKinley had its cliques. The jocks, the loners, the geeks/losers who got bullied and the geeks/losers that was invisible. Rachel didn't care what she was classified as so long as she got into NYADA at the end of the year she would be happy.

Somewhere inside of her she knew that she was meant to go to New York, that she was meant to perform on Broadway and if having to endure name calling and bitchy cheerleaders got her there then it wouldn't matter, it'll be worth it.

When she went home yesterday her parents had drilled her about her first day of school. How were her classes? Did she make any friends? Did she like the atmosphere? And then the conversation had gotten tense, so tense, Rachel was so glad when they had finished their dinner and she was allowed to retreat to her room and she spent the majority of the night looking out the window from her window seat with her earphones on, her mind elsewhere.

She closed her locker and turned to look at Kurt who was leaning on the locker next to hers and staring at his phone intently. She still had a few minutes left before class started and her and Kurt was discussing when and where they were going to get together to have a musical marathon. "Anyways I have to go, you know where your class is right?" he double checked.

"Yes I do. I appreciate your help greatly Kurt"

"No prob, see you at lunch?"

"It's a date," Rachel beamed before turning and walking down the hallway.

She was on her way to English when she was stopped by the same boy who got it with the iced drink and was rude to her yesterday. He wheeled right up to her and she looked on in curiosity. "Hi, I just wanted to apologise for yesterday."

"Yes, that wasn't really nice of you. I was just offering my assistance and you practically shunned me for it." Rachel interjected.

"I know and I'm sorry for that. People haven't really been nice to me in this school and I just assumed you were like everyone else and I guess by me doing that I became just like everybody else in this school"

"Well I am not like everyone else."

"I can see that. So what do you say? Friends?" he offered his hand.

Rachel bit her lip in thought. Right now she only had one friend, Kurt, and that was more than she had in San Francisco. One more wouldn't hurt, "friends," she smiled taking his hand.

Just then the bell rang and Rachel hurried on to class but not before saying, "the names Rachel Berry in case you were wondering."

"Artie, Artie Abrams," he shouted to her retreating back.

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Rachel and Kurt grabbed their trays and made their way to a corner table in the cafeteria. Halfway through the meal Kurt finally broke the silence with something he had been waiting forever to tell the short girl, "Rach, you're my first best friend, basically my only friend which is why I have to say this, I don't like you." he whispered.

She looked affronted, "you don't like me? I thought you said you were my friend, and I may not have a lot of them but I do know that friends like friends."

"No don't get me wrong I do like you. I just don't like like you."

Realisation clouded Rachel's face, "oh you mean like that. Aren't you gay?" she asked confused.

"I am and that's why I wanted to tell you that I don't like you like that and if you don't support the fact that I like boys then I'm sorry but we can't really be friends."

"Well if I say that I don't support gays and their rights then I would be hypocritical considering the fact that I have two gay dads that I very much love and are in love with each other," she smiled devilishly.

Just then Artie and two other girls walked right up to their table. "Hey," it was Artie that spoke.

"Hi Artie," Rachel replied. "Is there something we could help you with?"

Just then one of the two girls spoke, "we wanted to tell you that you have an amazing voice. I've never heard someone sing like you do"

"I know." Rachel agreed confidently, "but how did you hear me sing again?" she addressed the Chinese girl.

"Oh I heard you sing yesterday in the toilets."

"Ohkay…"

"That sounded creepy didn't it?"

"A little bit," Rachel admitted.

"Anyhow, my name is Mercedes and we are part of a glee club, a club where we all get together and sing songs and participate in competitions, and we need at least 11 people otherwise we can't keep the club running anymore and we were hoping that you would join," the other girl spoke.

"Yes. My name is Tina and even though we all want the spotlight for ourselves we are willing to admit that if we don't make the numbers then there will be no spotlight at all. So what do you say?" the Chinese girl, Tina said.

"Well thank you for the offer. I was really sad when Principal Figgins told me that music wasn't part of you curriculum. This is amazing. Consider Kurt and myself in. When are auditions?" Rachel asked.

"Wait, you don't even know if I can sing," Kurt retorted when he heard his name.

"Well can you sing?" the brunet asked.

"Yeah but…"

"Splendid. When are auditions?" she turned to face the three people in front of her.

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Rachel and Kurt had spent the rest of the day after school preparing themselves for their audition for glee club. They decided that they were going to do their audition together and that they were going to sing Defying Gravity. It was a classic and a song both her and Kurt loved so there would be no fights at least on the song choices.

They spent the first hour choosing the song and once it was chosen they fought for another hour on who should sing what part until they decided to just throw it in a hat and pick randomly.

It was now the day after auditions and Rachel's and Kurt's first day in glee club…officially.

Mercedes, Artie, Tina, Rachel and Kurt were walking down the hallway together, making their way to the cafeteria when out of nowhere the pale boy and his best friend was assaulted with a red gooey substance to their persons.

Rachel gasped and screwed her eyes tight in shock and agony of the assault and Kurt screamed in pain at the ice that was biting into his skin.

"And that was the official Welcome to Glee Club Committee," Artie commented.

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So how did you like it? Tell me what you think. I promise that Samchel will be in the next chapter. I'm almost done with it. Oh and anything I got about West Side Story and Funny girl I got from the internet. I don't know if there is a DVD of West Side Story so I made that pat up I hope no one gets mad.

Miss Keri Baby