I've always been stronger than my friends, more flexible. And here I was, thinking that it was just because of my dancing and intense exercise regime.
Then a guy, Roger Gardiner, comes and tells me that I'm the Slayer, some super kid supposed to save the world from vampires and other incredibly gross looking demons. I was only 14! He said that I will have one year training, nothing too intense or dangerous, then take on one big bad and see how I go with that. If I stuff that up and get myself killed, then I die. Another slayer is called. End of story.
I had to leave my home in Rockwell, Iowa, because too much time was spent on training and combat, I was fired from my volunteer job at the Rockwell Retirement Centre for missing too many of my shifts (courtesy of Roger), my grades had slipped dramatically, although they were still high and my life as a social outcast had hit its lowest, although, I admit, it did help when nobody noticed me. I could just slip out of lessons and train, taking all of my anger out on my punching bag which I hung in the basement of my new house or on my cross-trainer in my room.
I was starting senior year at my new school today; William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio. My first day of school ever and I have no friends. If I act all myself, then I'll probably lose my cool and break down, so I decided that I would dress the part of a confident smart girl.
I applied the last of my makeup (just the basics, eyeliner, mascara and lip gloss) and slipped into my pair of comfy canvas flats and ran a brush through my hair and made my way downstairs. My parents were both at work and picked up my lunch and walked out of the door, locking it behind me, crossing the road to the bus stop dressed in the outfit that my cousin Buffy Summers, who also happens to be a slayer, gave me.
"Here goes!" I said to myself as the bus turned the corner and pulled up in front of me.
I got on and looked around for a seat. The bus was full apart from one seat next to an Asian girl with blue in her hair and wearing lots of layers in a gothic way. I went to sit by her, hesitant, before asking her.
"Hey, is this seat taken, because everywhere else is," I asked her in my new, confident matter-of-fact tone.
She looked up at me and smiled before moving her bag off the seat to let me sit down.
"Y-You must b-be new here," she stuttered. I nodded and she laughed quietly.
"How'd you know?" I asked her, holding onto the seat in front of me as the bus turned a few rough corners.
"One, I-I've never s-seen you b-before, and t-two, y-you're talking to m-me," she smiled.
I gave her a smile. "Okay, let's start this again. Hi, my name is Rachel Berry, I love to sing, I've been home schooled my whole life and Geography is my least favourite subject," I stuck my hand out for her to shake. She smiled and took it.
"H-hi, my n-name's T-Tina Cohen-Chang and I-I also love to sing. I'm in Glee Club, a c-club for the vocally t-talented and my l-least f-favourite subject is m-maths," she smiled nervously, then added, "oh, and I'm r-really unpopular, as is e-everyone in G-Glee Club, and e-everyone who s-sits with us are n-named a l-loser for life."
Her smile had faded by the end of her introduction.
"Well, if you're sitting next to me now, and I'm willing, then I guess I really don't care. Wait, Glee kids don't get a lot of attention from popular kids, do they?"
"Sometimes, but not all the time," she said. Her hand flew to her mouth as she looked at me. "I didn't stutter!"
"Wow! Is that a good thing?" I asked, unsure. She just nodded hysterically.
"I feel really confident with you. That must be the cause of my stuttering. Thank you!" she pulled me into a hug.
"Um, glad I could help!"
O.o
Tina and I walked in to the school hall, arms linked and laughing just loud enough to get stares from every single student in the school.
We stopped walking and I looked around. "What, you've never seen two friends laugh before?"
"Rach, I don't think that's a good idea," Tina whispered in my ear.
"Relax! I know what I'm doing... I hope," I whispered back in a matter-of-fact tone.
All of a sudden, slight giggles were heard from all around. I shrugged it off and kept walking.
"Well, I would walk you to your class but if I'm late to my class, then I'll draw too much attention to myself. I hope you get there alright," Tina waved goodbye to me and we went our separate ways.
I was walking past a group of popular looking guys when I saw a foot appear in front of me. I was walking too fast to stop, so instead of cart wheeling over it, like I normally would, I decided to trip over it instead. I fell into a guy with a short, dark mow hawk.
"Sorry!" I said in my quiet voice.
"Watch where you're going!" He said loudly before speaking quietly in my ear. "It's okay. I'm Puck by the way. I got a rep to keep up, so if you could just act like I said something insulting to you just now, that'd be great."
"You jerk!" I said loudly before winking very subtly and walked off.
I turned the corner and walked into her history class. As I approached my seat in the teacher-less room, I could feel the burn of eyes through by back and turned to see a small group of guys following me. One of them was holding a slushie in his hand. Before I knew what was going on, he had jerked his hand, sending the contents of the cup flying onto my face.
They were all laughing a furious look on my face. Truthfully, the cold helped my pores to contract and the syrup made me smell nice, but all the same, I had to keep up an image.
"You know, that was a complete waste of money. Thanks for the thought, but I go to a spa and get a professional facial every second day. And, also slushie facials aren't my thing. Oh, and if you really need to, next time try just using one. It'll save you heaps of money, since half of it ends up on the floor anyway."
Behind them, I saw two guys who were equally as shocked at my small speech. One was tall with light brown hair gelled into a flick at the top of his head.
The other was Puck, his mouth gaping at my confidence. I looked down and noticed my now see-through shirt. I quickly grabbed my cardigan, put it on, and walked out of there.
O.o
Glee Auditions
Auditorium
3-30 to 4-30
Today
Sign up:
.___________.
.___________.
.___________.
.___________.
.___________.
I read the notice with interest and wrote my name on the signup sheet with the pen that was attached the wall by a stapled piece of string. I pulled out a sticker and stuck the gold star next to my name.
As I turned to walk off to my next class I felt the coldness of ice on my skin. I closed my eyes just in time to stop the juice from entering my eyes.
I shrugged it off and kept walking with a smile on my face. I was joining a club! Finally, some roots are set and I don't have to leave anytime soon!
O.o
I walked out of my class, still soaked and now shivering, and over to my locker to get a fresh change of clothes before turning to the bathroom. I was quickly changed and freshened up.
I exited the girl's toilet, looking down at the soaked clothes in my hands. It was my favourite outfit.
Man, I was peeved off. I walked over to the gym door and went to the punching bag and began punching really hard.
School had ended a while ago, so I shouted in my head, "That was my favourite outfit! My cousin gave it to me! She's died twice and I don't know if she'll come back next time!"
With one particularly strong punch, I broke the chain, causing the bag to fall onto the ground with a thud and I began to sob. I heard a gasp behind me. I turned to see Tina, by a boy in a wheelchair with glasses, my Spanish teacher, a boy with a fashion sense, the guy I saw before with the flicky hair and a large black girl all standing there, staring at me in shock. I noticed Puck standing by the lockers on the other side of the gym, peeking out behind a corner, also wide-eyed.
"Um.." I spoke, finally breaking the long silence. "I can pay for that."
"The auditorium w-was booked s-so we d-d-decided to come and do th-the auditions in here," Tina said, walking towards me and embracing me in a hug. "R-rough day?"
"Yeah, kind of. They ruined my favourite outfit!" I said softly, hugging her back, not sobbing anymore. "Hey, you're stuttering. Is something wrong?"
"Well, when you've just seen one of you best friends break a brand-new solid-hard chain, you tend to get a little nervous. You auditioning, too?" she asked, back to her non-stuttering self. I nodded and she smiled, turning me around to face the rest of the kids. "This is Artie, Mercedes, Kurt, Mr. Schuester, and Finn. They all made it through last year and decided to help Mr. Schue."
Everybody was staring at her in surprise.
"Wow, you people stare a lot," I noted.
"You're not stuttering!" Artie said to Tina.
"I feel a strange feeling of confidence around her," she said simply.
O.o
Soon later, I was standing in the middle of a basketball court, singing my heart out to On My Own from Les Miserables.
By the time I was done, the rest of the glee members had gathered at the door, clapping. I notices Puck standing in the back, smiling. He noticed me looking at him and gave me a little nod in approval.
"Uh.. Welcome to glee!" Mr Schue said, grinning. I grinned back.
"Thank you!" I looked at the clock behind his head. Shit! "Um... I'd love to stick around, but I've got to be somewhere. My cousin has come all the way from California to see me and I don't want to be late. Bye, everyone!"
I hurried out the door, hearing faint what's and um, okay, then's. I made it to the school gate and I looked around, making sure that nobody was looking, before stealthily flipping over the fence and into the bushes. I began to run as fast as I could to the cemetery, being late enough as is.