The Consequences of Your Choice

              Chapter 7 - Finding Blaine

Kurt has been waiting for months now hoping that today would be the day he would hear from Blaine. Ever since Blaine left the hospital without a word Kurt's days have ended in disappointment. Even though Kurt would check on twitter and Facebook daily searching for any knowledge of Blaine his efforts went unrewarded until one day his phone rang. “Hi Sam, how is everything in Lima?” Kurt asks as he sits down on the couch in the loft. “I think I found Blaine, Kurt.” Sam said excitedly. “I was looking at some You Tube videos of our competition for Nationals and I saw him, or at least someone who looks and sounds a lot like him. He is singing for the Ann Arbor Academy Pioneers and they are going to Nationals.” Sam explains. Kurt quickly opens his computer and finds the video Sam is talking about and watches it. “That's him Sam! That's him. I am pretty sure, but he looks so different. His hair is curly and he's not smiling. He always smiles when he performs. Sam, do you know where this Academy is?” Kurt asks. “It's in Ann Arbor, Michigan according to the information I have about the Academy.” Sam answers. “Do you have an address to the Academy? I need to contact him. Nationals are in two weeks in Orlando right?” Kurt inquires anxiously. “That's correct and I am going to make sure I see him when I get to Orlando and give him a piece of my mind.” Sam informs Kurt. “Sam, you can't do that. At least not until we find out what is going on with him, remember he is your friend. Give him a chance to explain.” Kurt reminds Sam before ending their conversation. Kurt goes into his bedroom and lies down on his bed and watches the video over and over. He ponders what he should do. He'd like to get on a plane and fly to Ann Arbor right now and knock on his dorm door tonight, but he knows he can't do that. He doesn't have the money or time right now because of work and school, so he wonders if he should call him. “No, I need to talk to him face to face.” Kurt decides the only answer to this situation is to go to Nationals. “I've got two weeks to get work and school in order and make plans. I can do this. That is the solution.” Kurt closes his eyes feeling relieved that he knows where Blaine is and starts thinking about what he is going to say to Blaine when he sees him in just two weeks. He'll finally get the answers and closure that he needs to move forward in his life. Kurt sleeps soundly for the first time in a long time.

The teams competing for Nationals arrive in Orlando on Friday. All teams are required to meet in the auditorium at 3 o'clock for a welcoming reception. At the reception there will be an orientation program that will go over the rules, rehearsing schedule and rooms, and the order of performance drawing. Sam and the New Directions are walking around checking out the place and meeting the other teams. Everyone is so excited and nervous at the same time but Sam keeps an eye open looking around hoping to see the Pioneers but he doesn't see them. At last everyone is called to take their seats so the drawing can begin. When the participant's team name is called a representative will go up to draw a number out of the box. The New Directions name is called and Sam goes up on stage and draws the number 15. Sam waits on stage along with the previous teams that have drawn their number. They continue to call teams when finally Ann Arbor Academy Pioneers are called. Sam looks at the group of kids cheering in the seats, trying to spot Blaine. He notices a guy in a uniform being pushed forward by the others telling him to go to the stage. The kid walking forward has black curly hair. Sam is surprised when he notices that it is Blaine.  He walks onto the stage and draws the number 7. Sam watches as Blaine walks to the other side of the stage never looking at him. Blaine stops and stands with the other representatives as the drawing continues always looking straight ahead or with his head down. Sam watches Blaine and notices that he is starting to move off the stage and seems to be exiting to the side. Sam moves quickly towards that side of the stage trying to catch up to Blaine. Sam sees Blaine near a stage door about to open it and go through when he shouts. “Blaine!” Blaine freezes and drops his head so his chin is touching his chest. He slowly turns around and looks at Sam with a blank expression and says. “I need to go.” Blaine begins to turn around when Sam replies. “What, you can't give me one minute of your time. You can't even say hello. I haven't heard from you in months. I've been worried about you and wondering if you were alright because you just vanished. You didn't even have the decency to say why you were leaving or at least say goodbye. I was shocked when I went to your house and your Father said you were gone and going to a school somewhere else. I thought we were friends but I guess I was wrong because friends don't treat each other like this. So go, because I'd hate to hold you up any longer from doing something that is more important than giving me one minute of your time.” Sam turns and is walk away when he hears, “Sam.” Sam stops. “I'm sorry I let you and The New Directions down.” Sam turns around to look at Blaine. “But you guys are better off without me because I'll only end up hurting you or disappointing you and then I'll be left alone. That's how it works in my life.” Blaine explains with moist eyes, turns, and leaves. Sam wants to follow him through the door but members of The New Directions start calling him from the stage and stops.

Kurt checks into his hotel, takes his luggage to his room, and sets it down on his bed. He quickly calls Sam to let him know he is on Orlando. Sam tells him about finding and meeting Blaine and what he said. Sam informs Kurt that Blaine and the Pioneers will be performing at 10:00 and The New Directions will be performing at 1:00. Sam ends the phone call so he can go through one more rehearsal before tomorrow's performance. Kurt decides to go get something to eat so he heads out into the city of Orlando. He starts walking through the city looking for an inviting place to grab a bite. He sees a quaint little café and decides since it is such a nice spring evening to take it to go. He had passed a beautiful park so he'd return there and have his own little picnic. When he got to the park he heard music coming from the center of the park. Apparently it was Music at the Park Night and people and bands were playing all types of music while couples and kids were dancing in front of the open stage. Kurt sat down on the grass under a tree and watched and listened happily as he ate his food. He was looking around the park when he noticed a group of teenage boys laughing under a tree across the way. He wondered if they were here for Nationals. They remind him of last year when he would hang out with The New Directions and they would laugh at the silliest of things. Life was so much easier and fun then. He did notice one of the kids though was sitting off to the side looking at the ground. He didn't really seem to joke around like the others. Kurt watches him from afar for awhile before he notices the kid has a head full of black curly hair. “Could it be him,” he thought instantly. “No, what are the odds.” Kurt kept watching this person and his stomach started getting a nervous feeling. “This is crazy,” Kurt thought. So he picks up his trash to through away before he heads back to the hotel. He starts to leave the park and then he suddenly stops and turns to look at the kid one more time. “I could get a little closer,” he thought and does. Pretending to be walking in the park he keeps an eye on the boy. When boy looks up and says something to one of the other kids Kurt notices those triangular eyebrows. “This doesn't happen in the real world,” Kurt thought as he slowly walks closer to the boy feeling like he is being pulled by a magnet to him. “Geez Kurt, gather some courage up and just go walk up to him.” Kurt's inner voice chides him as he keeps moving closer. The boy's head was down and he didn't notice the stranger getting closer but one of the other kids did. “Is there something we can do for you?” The boy asks as he stands up. The other boy raises his head and looks at the person that is only five feet in front of him. Kurt asks, “Blaine?”