A ten minute walk later and we're standing in front of a block of apartments – not the best looking neighbourhood around but, hey, I can't complain. Without Kurt and Rachel, I'd be on a park bench right now. We enter the building, making our way to an old elevator and piling in, pulling the iron gate across. Rachel looks over, seeing the uncertainty on my face.
"It looks pretty run down, but it's completely safe," she reassures me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. It stops at the sixth floor and we walk down the hallway to apartment 6G. Kurt reaches into his pocket and pulls out a key.
"Welcome to your first home in LA," he says, spreading his arms as we walk inside. The room is large, with a brown sofa and recliner that look worn from use. There's a glass coffee table covered in sheet music and empty cans and a small TV on a stand against the back wall. I turn, looking over the small kitchen nook to the right of the room and a small corridor with five doors.
The large window on the back wall catches my eye and, wow, the view is amazing. I wander over to it, gazing at the bright lights from a passing bus. A smile takes over my face – I'm really here. And it's only when Kurt starts talking that I snap out of my daydreaming.
"So, we have the main area to the right, kitchen to the left and if you follow me..." he walks over to the corridor of doors.
"This is Rachel's room," he points to the right, "and next to it is the bathroom. That's my room," he points to the door behind him, and then the one next to it, "and that is your room." I nod, but wonder what's in the final room. Kurt must notice my eyes on it.
"That's our music room, for when our band rehearses."
I don't really have anything to say to that, so just nod.
"Well, I 'll let you settle in and tomorrow, we'll go and get a key cut and hit the record store." The key place I understand, but why would Kurt want to take me to a record store?
"Why the record store, exactly?" and I get a smile in response.
"So we can mark down the records you lost, of course," Oh. Right, I forgot about that. I feel a little sad, but thinking about spending the day with Kurt makes me smile.
"Okay, well, thanks. I'm- yeah." I mumble like a fool, moving towards the door of my new room.
"Night, Blaine!" Rachel says, diving onto the couch.
"Goodnight, Rachel," I open the door, "Kurt." I look at my room.
It's small, but my room back home wasn't huge. I like the small space, everything I own seems to fit nicely in here. I unpack and get changed, sitting on my bed and staring out of the window in my pyjamas. This room also has a great view and I think it may be my favourite part of the room. It feels a little empty, so I decide to purchase some things to make it more home-y as soon as possible.
Looking at the clock, I ring my grandmother before it gets too late and spend the next hour telling her everything – from how amazing the city is, the mugging incident, finding a job and a place to stay and new friends. She can't see me, but when I talk about Kurt, she can tell I like him. How she always knows, without me saying anything will never stop amazing me. Eventually, I say goodnight and fall asleepwith a smile on my face.

I'm obviously not used to the time difference yet, I think to myself as I awake very early the next morning. I want to take a look around the apartment before everyone wakes up, so I pull on some jogging pants, not even bothering with a shirt and pad out of my room. I make my way over to the kitchen and begin hunting for a glass.

"Far cupboard on the right."
I have never jumped so high in my life, spinning around quickly to see Kurt, sitting on the recliner with a book in his hand. Placing a hand on my chest to feel my rapid heartbeat, I am suddenly aware that I have no top on. I self-consciously cross my arms across my chest – like it will actually make a difference.
"Jesus, Kurt. I didn't know you were up. I mean, it's really early." He chuckles lowly, setting his book down and looking at me. I pull my arms a little tighter around myself.
"I'm an early riser, what can I say?" he answers with a shrug, eyes roaming across my body. I remember why I came here and turn, reaching for the cupboard Kurt had said. I fill it up with water and Kurt has moved from the chair to the other side of the breakfast bar.
"If you want to get ready, we can head off. Get you that key? And I promised Rachel we'd meet her for lunch."
"Sure, I'll go do that." I feel like I'm constantly making a fool of myself because of the way he's looking at me – I can't think straight. I wash the glass off, heading to the bathroom.
"And, Blaine?" Kurt calls, just as I'm about to shut the door.
"Yeah?"
"Don't be self-conscious; you have a great body," he winks at me.

Showered and ready, I shove my money into the pocket of my jeans, along with my phone and head into the main living area where Kurt has gone back to reading, and Rachel is sitting at the breakfast bar reading a newspaper and eating cereal.
"Good morning, Blaine," Rachel says and I return her 'morning', and turn to Kurt. He's looking at my body, again and I follow his eyes, trying to see what's wrong. I can see nothing but when I look back up, he's stood next to me.
"Ready to go?"
"Yup."
We wave goodbye to Rachel, confirming that yes, we will meet her for lunch. We're going somewhere that I've never heard of, but must be somewhere they go regularly, as Kurt says we'll meet her at the usual table.

We talk, getting to know each other, as we head to the key cutting place and then again on the way to the record store. I learn that Kurt is from Lima, Ohio. His mom died when he was only 8 years old, but his father remarried and Kurt is happy that he's happy. He moved away when he was 18, had 7 jobs before the Bourbon Room and wants to be a famous singer, with the likes of Freddie Mercury. I tell him that my dreams are the same and that's why I came here – I confided in him about my parents, grandparents. I left out high school memories, because they aren't very happy.
We stop talking as we enter the record shop, my eyes going bright with wonder. This place is huge. Kurt laughs, asking me to list some of the records I lost.

He then hands me a sharpie, telling me to put my name on the ones I need replacing, saying it will make it easier later, when I can afford to buy them again.
I ask him about his band and find out that he also plays the guitar but Rachel is the lead guitarist, and Kurt is lead singer. The other two members are Sam, a bassist and Mike who plays the drums.
"How many gigs have you played?" I ask as we stroll down aisle after aisle of records. "Um, none." He answers, picking up record and writing my name.
"Oh. Why not?" I'm watching him closely because, from what I've heard, they should be pretty good. Well, the way Kurt talks of them, they should be good.
"I have stage fright. So, it's kind of hard to perform."
My face turns sad, because this is stopping his dreams.
"Do you only sing in front of your band?"
He looks down to the floor.
"Yeah. I mean, I have all of these dreams about how it would be if we played and they're amazing."

"Yeah? What are they like?" I ask and am very surprised when he starts to sing. No-one else is and I wonder if this is a common thing here.

Standing in the rain, with his head hung low
Couldn't get a ticket, it was a sold out show
Heard the roar of the crowd, he could picture the scene
Put his ear to the wall, then like a distant scream

He jumps up onto the stand, playing air guitar and I'm taken aback because he isn't alone. People around him are doing the same.

He heard one guitar, just blew him away
He saw stars in his eyes, and the very next day

I join in, picking up from there and taking the energy from around us, letting images of my own dream fill my mind. I can picture it; walking across the stage, a packed crowd screaming my name and lyrics.

Bought a beat up six string, in a second store
Didn't know how to play it, but he knew for sure

I climb up onto the stand opposite Kurt, and I look over to see him smiling at me.

That one guitar, felt good in his hands, it didn't take long to understand

Just one guitar, slung way down low
Was a one way ticket, only one way to go
So he started rockin'
Ain't never gonna stop
Gotta keep on rockin'
Someday gonna make it to the top

And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes, he's a juke box hero
He took one guitar
Juke box hero
He's got stars in his eyes , stars in his eyes

We finish, jumping down from the stands and the store returns to normal – like nothing ever happened. Was that all in my mind?
But Kurt is breathing heavily next to me, answering my question.
"Kurt, you're really good!" He laughs, "You just need... courage."
He looks into my eyes, "Maybe you could help me some time. We could get drinks afterwards."
I'm confused.
"Are you asking me out on a date?" Oops. That was meant to be in my head.
"Maybe," he winks, and leaves the stores, letting me follow with my mouth slightly open, like a dog chasing after its owner.