Chapter Two: Cloud Nine

"Miss Johnson?" Blaine knocked nervously on the Glee director's door.

The teacher looked up. "Hello," she smiled. "Can I help you?"

"I wanted to join the Glee club," Blaine said. "I know I have to wait until the next semester, but-"

"You want to join?" Miss Johnson interrupted. "Actually want to?"

"Yeah," Blaine nodded vigorously. "I saw the concert last night and it was- it was amazing."

Apparently Tyler hadn't been exaggerating about the Glee club being uncool. Miss Johnson looked like Christmas had come early. Twice. "Well, you're welcome to join us now. We can always use new singers. Do you dance?"

"Not- I've never had any lessons, but I'm sure I could get it if I tried."

"That's what I like to hear!"

"I have an after school job, though," Blaine confessed. "I can't make all of the rehearsals..."

"That's alright," the teacher told him. "We'll get you a parent form and you can join us whenever you can. We'll get you a head start for next semester. Now-" she pulled a slip of paper from a file- "What name should I put on the form?"

Blaine's face fell. "Um." Suddenly he felt nauseous. "Never mind."

"What?"

"I changed my mind. I'll just- I'll see you around."

"Hold on," Miss Johnson said, and he stopped, feeling a powerful impulse to run. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Blaine mumbled.

She stood up and shut the door. "Now, that is not a nothing face. Sit." Blaine hesitated, and she gave him a look. So he sat. "Now, what's up?"

Blaine shrugged. "Is there a reason you don't want to ask your parents to sign the form?" she pressed. Blaine's eyes widened. "Are you having trouble at home?"

"What?" Blaine blurted out. "I- No, everything's fine-"

"You can talk to me, sweetheart."

"Nothing's wrong at home," Blaine insisted. "I just... Don't like my name."

She half-laughed as though she thought he was joking. When she realized he was serious, her face switched to confusion. "What's wrong with your name?"

Blaine shrugged. "I don't like it."

"Then how about we give you a nickname?" she suggested. "It'll take some thought, but off the top of my head..."

"I don't want a nickname," Blaine cut her off. "It's... Corinne. My name's Corinne Anderson."

Her face lit up. "Are you Cooper's little sister?"

For reasons that he couldn't explain, he just started crying. "Okay," Miss Johnson said quickly. "Wrong thing to say. I'm sorry I upset you. Would you like a hug or...?"

Blaine shook his head, wiping his eyes, face burning in humiliation. "I'm sorry. I promise I'm not like this."

"You have nothing to apologize for," she assured him. "But, if you want to join the Glee club, and I think you do, we're going to have to figure out how to make it so that this doesn't happen again. And to do that, you have got to talk to me, kiddo."

"Can I be called Blaine?"

The question clearly wasn't the response she was expecting. She canted her head, as if questioning whether or not he was serious. "Sure," she said. "Any particular reason?"

Suddenly Blaine started talking. And talking. It felt like he was pouring out everything he'd thought in the past year until, finally, he said "and my parents don't know," and went silent.

She studied him for a moment and the full weight of everything he'd said dawned on him. His hands balled into fists. What if she was like his parents? What if she was worse? What if she was part of some secret religious cult that was going to corner him in a parking lot late one night- he wouldn't know when or where, but they'd find him kind of cult.

"That must be hard."

"Yeah," Blaine agreed, still not quite sure where she was going with this.

"So, Blaine," she picked up the conversation. "I should put your other name on the form and we won't mention it again?"

His mouth fell open. "I- what? I mean, you- I can-?"

She smiled kindly. "I'm not in the habit of excluding students for being different," she shrugged. "And I'm not in the habit for making them feel bad for things they can't help. In fact, I think you should celebrate what makes you different."

"Really?"

"Don't let anyone tell you that what makes you different makes you bad or wrong, sweetheart," she said, and for the first time the endearment didn't make Blaine flinch. "Get that form signed and come to rehearsal."

"Okay," Blaine beamed. He nodded as he stood. "Okay."

"See you soon."

"Bye," he grinned and practically flew down the hall to Tyler's locker.

Tyler was just closing his locker, so Blaine had made it in time to walk him to his next class. He'd used his entire lunch period, but it had been worth it. "Someone looks happy," Tyler remarked.

"You are looking at the newest member of Glee club," Blaine grinned.

"Congratulations," Tyler laughed.

"She called me Blaine and everything," Blaine said. "I think- I think I'm going to talk to my other teachers and ask them to-"

"To call you Blaine?" Tyler suggested.

Blaine nodded. "Do you think-?"

"I think it's awesome," Tyler said. "But only if you really think you're ready for that. You shouldn't... make a rash decision about it."

Blaine nodded in understanding. "Hey, I was thinking," he changed the subject. "If you can't find anyone else, do you want to go to the dance with me?" Tyler seemed caught off guard by the question. "As friends," Blaine added quickly.

Tyler smiled. "Sure." Blaine beamed. Tyler held up a hand. "But this deal goes both ways, dude. I'll only go with you if you don't find anyone else."

Blaine shook his head and laughed. "Okay," he agreed, even though he knew Tyler was just being nice. "I've got to get to class and you, my good sir, are going to be late for English."

"You know my class schedule," Tyler mock-flailed.

"You knew mine first," Blaine threw back in a tone of mock accusation. They both smiled as they parted ways.

Blaine had a problem and his name was Tyler. He had fallen far and hard, and it was going to be really hard to climb back up. He'd been pretty sure before, but when he started googling phrases like "how do trans guys have sex?" he knew he was a lost cause.