PTXperience(s)

Welcome to the Academy

AN: Hi again! I'm back with another one-shot! If you're looking for my little seven-part thing, Haunting in Visalia, it's now its own little fic on my page, just like my other ficlet Here There Be Dragons. Thanks for reading!

* * *

"Okay, so, some ground rules." Avi glanced around the auditorium at the fresh, eager faces and couldn't help smiling. He couldn't wait to get to know all of them. Some were staring in rapt attention; some were goofing around quietly with old and new friends; some were gazing shyly into their laps. All of them were very talented—he even recalled a few of the auditions—and very soon they would all discover the magic of a cappella: it destroyed barriers; it brought people together; it was about harmony, cooperation, working together, appreciating each other...

No one stayed a stranger for long in an atmosphere like this one. Very soon they would be a family.

There just needed to be some ground rules to this family.

"One," he said, holding up a finger. "I am not looking for a girlfriend. Please don't ask. I would love to be friends, that would be great, but I'm not looking for anything more. That's all I'll say about that. Two..." He held up a second finger. "Boys are in one dorm, girls in another. Let's keep it that way. If you want to hang out together please do it somewhere besides the dorms. Three..." Third finger. "Cafeteria closes at eight, curfew is at ten, please be in your rooms by then. No one's going to make sure you're sleeping but you at least need to be in your room. And no excess noise, please. Some of us..." He lay a hand against his chest. "...really, really, really like sleeping. Be considerate."

A few chuckles followed.

"Four." One more finger. "This is not a competition. This is not a race. This is not highschool. A Cappella Academy is here to help you learn to use whatever gift you possess, and every gift in a cappella is equally important. How many of you have heard of Pentatonix?"

Cheering ensued.

Avi's smile widened. "Now, Pentatonix would not be Pentatonix if all five of us were counter-tenors, or baritones, or mezzo-sopranos, or beatboxers. Maybe if we were basses."

More chuckles. He couldn't help a grin.

"Pentatonix is Pentatonix because all five of us have different, special, equally important gifts that we bring to the group. That is what a cappella is about—using our gifts in synchronicity to create music. Helping each other. Appreciating each other. Listening and being receptive and sharing ideas. Understand?"

Nodding from many of them.

"Now, with that out of the way..." He rolled a long bass note into the microphone, finishing in the sentence, "Wwwweeeelllcome to A Cappella Academy!"

More cheering. He pumped a fist into the air, a gesture many of them mimicked.

He could already tell this semester was going to be a lot of fun.

* * *

He met Isaac that afternoon. Isaac was a fifteen and small with wispy white-blond hair and a blotchy complexion. He also had extremely blue eyes, a very sweet smile, and a tendency to stutter when he was nervous. Which seemed to be most of the time.

Avi liked him instantly.

"Excuse me, Mr. Kaplan..."

"No, no, please don't call me that. I'm Avi. Just Avi. What can I do for you..." He peered at the name-tag around the boy's neck. "...Isaac?"

"Uh, I...I'm not sure. I'm just s-starting to think that maybe I shouldn't be here. I mean, I thought this place was for me but...I'm not so sure now. I m-mean, some of these people are so t-talented..."