A/N: I feel a teansy bit guilty starting a new fic when I haven't finished my others, but I got the idea and simply could not contain it. I also have perfectly laid out in my head so my updates should (hopefully) but a little more consistent. Please, please, please tell me what you think!

Kurt Hummel literally cannot remember a time when he did not dream of being on stage. If you were to ask his parents, however, they can pretty much pinpoint it to a moment when he was four years old. They went on a trip to New York City and saw a performance of The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Halfway through the show Kurt began tugging down on both his parents' sleeves.

"One day," he whispered, "that's going to be me."

Of course, both his parents just smiled because what child didn't have a dream of becoming a performer? They simply assumed it would pass. But Kurt Hummel is nothing if not ambitious. From a very young age he had his mother taking him to see any kind of play or musical going on in town, limited as they may be in Lima, Ohio, and learning every song in every musical that he saw. After his mother passed away, for a short time his love for theater seemed to vanish. He became more introverted and stayed in his room basically all the time. After a few months, his father started to get concerned. But one day, as soon as it had happened, Kurt was back to his old self. His playbill collection began avidly growing again, and he started dragging his dad to all the shows as opposed to his mom. Burt was so relieved that he didn't even mind watching an endless number of musicals that he just didn't understand no matter how many times Kurt tried to explain them.

After those few months, Kurt's passion for Broadway never wavered. At least, that is, until he started high school. His freshman year, Kurt started getting bullied. He joined the least popular club in the school – glee. However, the glee club was a close-knit group, and he had a good support system. Everyone in the club was picked on, but they all looked out for each other. After the glee club lost their sectional competition in his senior year proving once and for all they were not a winning team, the club was disbanded. They attempted to all remain friends, but together they continued to be tormented. Without the love of glee holding them together, they all went their separate ways in the hopes of spending the rest of their high school careers blending in. Unfortunately, there was nothing about Kurt Hummel that blended in.

Kurt's high-pitched voice and over-the-top fashion sense made him stick out like a sore thumb, and the jocks loved nothing more than picking on the school queer. Without the rest of the glee club to pick on, Kurt's bullying got so much worse. They would thrown him in to dumpsters every morning and slam him into lockers every time they passed him in the halls. Kurt hadn't really had friends outside of glee, so now he was on his own. He began to withdraw back into himself and stopped doing the things he loved. He knew the things he loved only gave them more reason to taunt him. Eventually, Kurt's love for performing was buried so deep that it became a hidden side of himself that he didn't even let show when he was alone. The bullying finally got so bad that he was being beaten up almost everyday. He would come home with severe bruises all the time until his father had had enough. There was a job offer on the other side of Lima that Burt had been going to ignore, but this seemed like the perfect opportunity to give Kurt a fresh start. Kurt felt guilty that his father had to sell his shop for him, but Burt continued to assure him that it was for the both of them. They moved immediately. Now, Kurt was set to start at a brand new high school three months into his senior year, and he was a nervous wreck. Gone was the charismatic, brave performer replaced by the socially awkward boy who had no idea where his place was in the world.

"You doing alright, kiddo?" Burt asked him on the way to his new school.

"Just a little nervous," Kurt said with a forced smile. "But I'm excited to get a fresh start."

"Glad to here it, son. You're going to do great. All these kids will be fighting to have the great Kurt Hummel for a friend."

Kurt gave him another tight smile that he hoped looked genuine.

"Good luck today," he said as they pulled up in front of the school.

"You too. At your new job," he said awkwardly hopping out of the car.

The principal had given him a quick orientation over the weekend to get him ready for his first day since it was a mid semester transfer. Now he didn't have any of the easy stuff to worry about like where his classes were and if his teachers were nice and instead could focus on nothing but the fact that he knew no one and probably wouldn't make a single friend.

Why did I let my dad talk me into wearing my normal clothes? I'm going to be a target day one.

Kurt easily found his locker that the principal had pointed out a few days before and unlocked it to place his bag inside and take out his history book. When he shut it there was an unfamiliar face staring at him.

"Kurt Hummel, countertenor," said an overconfident voice from a poorly dressed girl. It was a statement not a question.

"That would be me," Kurt replied.

Actually poorly dressed was an understatement. Kurt had to physically force himself not to cringe as he noticed her high socks when she stuck out her hand. "Rachel Berry," he shook her hand. "Student council vice president and co-president of the drama club."

"Lovely to meet you, Rachel Berry. How is it that you know who I am?"

"I make it my mission to keep track of all the talent in the area. It's necessary if I hope to receive an HST for the fourth consecutive year."

"What's an HS – "

"You were in your high school glee club for three years before it was disbanded, and even though you lost at sectionals this year my sources tell me that you were the most talented one on the team."

"Sources?"

"So, as the co president of the drama club it is my responsibility to make sure you join."

She seemed to be finished, so Kurt took this as his opportunity to get a word in. "You want me to join your drama club?" Suddenly he didn't know what else to say.

"Absolutely! We need all the talent we can get! Of course, you missed this years fall play, although, who even knows if you can act, but musical auditions are next month!"

"Uh…I don't know. I used to love that stuff, but lately I've been – "

"You can rediscover your love!"

"Listen, Rachel. I'm going to be frank with you here. Being in the glee club at my old school pretty much got me moved straight to the bottom of the food chain, and I don't really need more of that. I'd rather just get through the rest of my time here with my head down."

"Oh! Theater kids aren't losers if that's what you're thinking! In fact we're pretty well loved. My co drama club president and I are president and VP of student council. Didn't I mention that? And it's not like we were the only ones running. We had a lot of competition, but people just like theater here. They think it's cool. I swear."

This caught Kurt by surprise, but he still wasn't sure he wanted to go back down that road. "I don't know…"

'"Just think about it, okay? I'm going to go now. B is always saying that I'm a little overbearing when you first meet me, so it should only be in small doses. Bye, Kurt Hummel!"

Kurt stood there dumbfounded so long he was almost late to his first class.

The rest of his first day was significantly uneventful. But, he was so relived that he didn't have any new bruises or smell like trash by the end of the day that he didn't even have to lie when his dad asked if he enjoyed his first day.

"Oh yeah, dad. The people are really friendly. This one girl even asked me to join the drama club. I probably won't, but the thought was nice."

"What do you mean you won't join? You love that stuff!"

Kurt shrugged. "I used to, but it's not really my thing anymore."

"Not your thing? Kurt, that's a load of BS and we both know it! You are just scared of putting yourself out there, and I am not having you miss this opportunity to make friends."

"Dad, I just don't want to join, okay?"

"Even if you don't join this one you need to join at least one club, okay?"

Kurt shrugged again. "It's senior year. What's the point of making friends now if I'm just going to leave at the end of the year and never see any of them again?"

Burt sighed. "You want to play it like that, huh? Allow me to rephrase: join a club or lose your car keys until you graduate," he said firmly.

"You cannot be serious."

Burt only gave him a stern look.

"Fine! I'll audition for the musical."

Burt smiled genuinely.

Rachel approached Kurt's locker at the exact same time the next morning. Kurt was beginning to wonder if she was on a schedule. With this girl, he would not put it past her.

"Hello, Kurt Hummel."

"Hi, Rachel. You know, you don't need to address me by my full name every time we talk."

"We're on a first name basis now?" she practically squeezed while she clapped enthusiastically. "I knew we were going to be fast friends! Okay, okay. Back to business. I know I can be a little intimidating. I think it's my talent just itching to get out."

Kurt fought to conceal his grin.

"Anyhow, I need to introduce you to my co president. He has a tendency to charm the pants off everyone, so he'll have you auditioning for the musical and in his bed before the day is out."

Kurt blushed suddenly making Rachel remember herself.

"Oh! I'm so sorry. I just made a sex joke to someone I barely know! I say awkward things when I'm nervous."

"It's okay, Rachel. Really."

She let out a breath in relief. Rachel was an odd one sure and she was a little in love with herself, but Kurt found himself liking her despite himself.

"Wait, why are you nervous?"

"Okay," she said taking his hand and not responding, clearly past the awkward encounter. "Let's go."

She dragged him down the hall until they reached the locker of an overly gelled head. "B!" Rachel exclaimed much too loudly.

He turned around and holy hell was he gorgeous. He gave Kurt a winning smile that made Kurt weak at the knees. Focus, Hummel.

Kurt, this is my co prez, B. B, I told you about Kurt."

Blaine rolled his eyes good-naturedly at Rachel's failure to actually say his name in her introduction. He held out his hand. "Blaine Anderson."

Kurt couldn't even remember if he said his name in return while he shook the gorgeous boy's hand.

A/N: Two questions for my readers: First off, I'm not sure what I am going to make the musical just yet so if you have any suggestions that would fit the character I definitely won't mind. Second, I was thinking of making a few of the Warblers characters. Obviously they don't usually go to school with these characters but I love them so much and it's AU so I can do as I please. Let me know if you'd be into that or not.