The piano bench creaks as you shift uncomfortably. You still don't know why you're in Glee Club. Junior year was supposed to be about coasting, not performing show tunes in a sweaty auditorium. But here you are - again - sandwiched between Tina's enthusiastic shoulder shimmies and Mercedes' powerhouse vocals that always make you feel like an understudy in your own life.

Then the door bangs open.

Finn Hudson lumbers in with what looks like a sun-bleached golden retriever in human form. The new kid - Sam Evans, you think his name is? - all surfer-boy smiles and limbs that haven't quite learned how to fold properly. His football jersey stretches across broad shoulders as he slides into the row below you, smelling like Axe body spray and something inexplicably like pancakes.

Mr. Schue claps his hands. "Okay, guys! This year for regionals, I want new singing couples! Duet competition starts today! Anything goes! Boy and girl, girl and girl, and boy and boy!"

The room erupts. Brittany immediately tackles Santana. Mike Chang and Puck start some elaborate bro-handshake that will inevitably end in injury. And you? You're mentally calculating how fast you can bolt to the bathroom when-

"Whoa. That's actually kinda cool."

The voice comes from below you. Sam has twisted around in his seat, ocean-blue eyes lit up like he just discovered free wifi. His gap-toothed grin is alarmingly infectious. "I mean, not that I can sing or anything. But the whole... pairing up thing. That's progressive, right?"