Blaine winced slightly at the words that came out his five-year-old self's mouth on the television. It wasn't noticeable to those around him, but the wince was there. Once again, Blaine Anderson found himself why he had let his mother do this to him. It was embarrassing to have all of his extended family and friends watching his childhood from the day he was born up until yesterday, the day he had graduated high school.

Since he couldn't glare at his mother, Blaine glared at his two best friends, Wes and David, instead. They were completely unaffected by it and began to coo and sniffle theatrically in response to the glare. The brown-haired boy groaned quietly and set his head on the table, wishing for it to be over. He knew that this graduation party was a bad idea.

"So how's that plan coming along?" Blaine sat up straight at Cooper's voice. He looked up and pretended to shield his eyes from the whiteness of his brother's smile.

"Plan?" he questioned as the older brother took a seat.

"Yes, plan." Cooper replied, stretching out in the chair. "You know, the plan to become a doctor?"

Blaine flushed, partly out of embarrassment and partially out of frustration. Thirteen years later and that day still haunted him.

"You do realize that on average, a person will change careers seven times in their life?" he retorted. "I don't have to become one right away."

"That's an average person," Cooper waved off Blaine's retort easily. "You're not an average person. You're an Anderson."

"And Anderson's go to college, graduate with a high earning degree, get married, have a family, and live happily ever after," Blaine finished dully. It sounded like the perfect life but it was a life he was starting to imagine he would never have. His great-grandfather had started the tradition and since then, his grandfather, his great-uncles, and his father had all kept with tradition and managed to have the perfect life. His brother, Cooper Anderson, was going to be the next one on that list in just a few short years. Cooper was going into his fourth year at Brown University, preparing to graduate with a degree in economics and a minor in political sciences. Already he had the perfect internship set up that would lead to the perfect job.

"Cooper!" A pretty young woman across the room gestured for the taller Anderson child to come over and Cooper gave her a sign that he needed a few more minutes. Oh, and Cooper had the perfect girlfriend and soon-to-be-fianc�e.

"Don't sound too thrilled about the Anderson life," Cooper commented dryly and clapped a hand on Blaine's shoulder. "And don't think about it too much. Just enjoy college. It's going to be the best time of your life. It'll be the perfect experience for you. I know it."

The taller man stood up and walked over to his girlfriend, whistling as he did so. Blaine closed his eyes and tried not to grit his teeth. Perfect. He hated that word. It only meant one thing. Pressure.

"You still haven't told any of them yet?" David asked as he and Wes approached the third member of their trio. They couldn't help but overhear the conversation between the two brothers from their spot at the next table.

Blaine let out a harsh laugh and reopened his hazel eyes.

"No. In case you haven't noticed, I'm supposed to make the perfect life for myself." Blaine practically spat out the word 'perfect'. He gestured to himself, saying, "What I am doesn't exactly figure into having that."

Wes hit his friend upside the head with a hand.

"Says who?" The Asian boy demanded, other hand on his hip. "Just tell them to screw themselves." David rolled his eyes at the comment while Blaine made sure that his hair hadn't been messed up by the whack.

"Easier said than done," Blaine replied. "Why haven't you told your parents that you don't want to join the family business?"

Wes glared at his smaller friend for bringing that into the conversation. He still had yet to find a way to break the news to his parents.

"I think what Wes meant," David intervened, "is that being perfect means something to different people. You can still have the perfect life you want, just with who you want and not who your parents want."

Blaine opened his mouth to disagree but was stopped by a call from his mother. Abruptly, he turned on his heel and walked away, starting to feel the irritation and frustration all over again. As he walked away, David and Wes let out simultaneous sighs.

"You two better kiss and make up before we leave tonight," David informed Wes. "We're not going off to college fighting."

"Yes, mom." Wes drawled, locking his hands behind his head and taking a seat in Cooper's vacant chair. "Although, I do maintain that he really should just tell everyone to go screw themselves. It would make things so much more easier."

"Blaine, Mrs. Linden was just telling me about her son that goes to Virginia Commonwealth," Mrs. Anderson informed her youngest son as he approached. "He's studying biology there."

Blaine smiled politely at his mother's friend.

"What are you planning on studying?" Mrs. Linden asked. Blaine's smile tightened slightly. He had been asked that questions so many times today and throughout the year that he was starting to get annoyed whenever he heard it. After all, a question could only be answered so many times before it got old.

"I'm not sure yet," he replied. "After all, there's so many choices that VCU offers."

"His father and I are hoping that he'll go with the pre-med program. After all, it looks wonderful and I think that he would do marvelous as a surgeon." Blaine's mother added. "Plus, we haven't had a doctor in the family for a while."

Blaine gave an embarrassed laugh at his mother's backhanded compliment. She had been saying that a lot throughout his high school years. It would be a dream come true for her if one of her sons became a doctor.

The rest of the party passed by quickly but in a slightly painful manner. Blaine tried to keep count of how many people he had talked to, how many of them asked where he was going and what he was studying, and how many times his parents had called him over so he could talk to one of their friends about his plans for the future. Needless to say, he quickly lost count. Oftentimes the three cases overlapped. At the end of the day, his cheeks hurt from forcing himself to smile too much.

"When are you leaving?" Wes popped up besides Blaine during one of the few times when Blaine wasn't discussing his plans for college.

"Classes don't start until late August but there's a summer orientation next week. We're choosing our classes for the fall then." Blaine replied in a dull tone that signified that he had been asked this question a lot as well. "The orientation starts on Monday so me and Dad are catching a plane on Sunday. After the orientation ends on Tuesday, we'll spend a day or two with Cooper before heading back."

"Are you excited to get out of boring old Ohio?"

Blaine had to stop and think for a minute.

"I think so? I don't really know. At least here I know what to expect. I don't know what to expect there. I don't know if I'm going to get those hell teachers that assign ten page papers due every week or if I'm going to get a class that gets cancelled every other day. I don't know what teacher to pick if there's multiple timeslots for a class. I don't know if I'll have a roommate that pulls all-nighters three times a week and procrastinates on homework or a roommate that makes me look like an underachiever. I—" Blaine was cut off by Wes placing a hand over his mouth and giving him a look that clearly said 'Shut up'.

"Relax. That's what summer orientation is for, right?" Blaine nodded reluctantly and Wesley removed his hand. "Just don't do what you always do and fall into a routine. Be someone outgoing for once in your life."

The hazel-eyed boy rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to college to graduate with a degree, Wes, not party it up."

"Did I say that you had to be a party animal like me? No, because no one can party it up like me. I'm just saying, don't continue being a creature of habit."

"I'm not a creature of habit," Blaine protested weakly. Wes raised an eyebrow and gestured David over.

"David, what time does Blaine get up on weekdays?" He asked their darker friend. David looked slightly confused but answered anyways.

"Six."

"What time does he get up on weekends?"

"Nine-thirty."

"When does he take a shower?"

"As soon as he gets up."

"What does he do as soon as his hair is dried?" Wes continued the interrogation and Blaine rolled his eyes.

"Gels it."

"What kind of candy does he eat when he watches movies?"

"Twizzlers."

"Sometimes they're Red Vines or Skittles," Blaine threw in, trying to prove Wes wrong.

"What kind of solitaire does he play?"

David grinned, starting to understand what Wes was doing.

"Klondike," he replied.

"It's the only kind I know how to play." The curly-haired boy explained.

"What's the brand of cereal he eats every single morning?"

"Rice Krispies, but if it's gone, he'll eat something else that is made by Kellogg's."

"What does he drink for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?"

"Skim milk and a medium drip, apple juice, and lemonade or water."

"Which direction does he turn every time he enters a store?"

"Does it matter?" Blaine cried.

"Left, even though most people turn to the right."

"What song did he always suggest the Warblers sing, even though we never did?"

"Blackbird."

"We're called the Warblers, the song is called Blackbird. It fits!"

"What side of the bed does he sleep on?"

"Whatever side is closest to the window."

"What side of the bed does he nap on?"

"Whatever one is closest to the door."

"I get it!" Blaine finally snapped. "I'm a creature of habit. I like my routines and I like sticking with things that I know are safe. I can't help it, though. It's just something I naturally do."

Wes and David grinned at him.

"I thought he would never pick up on it," Wes sniffled.

"Our little boy is so insightful," David chimed in. Blaine gave them a dull look through narrowed hazel eyes.

"I hate you both," he decided. His two friends just laughed.

"But seriously, don't be that guy that falls into a routine and shuts himself off from everything else." David said, suddenly serious and all business. "Don't be safe. Be brave for once."

Blaine made a face but said nothing.

"Anyways, we're going to get going. Lots of summer to enjoy." Wes winked at Blaine, who shook his head. Summer for Wes and David meant playing video games and going to the nearest pool to check out girls. The short teen turned to leave and see what he could do to help clean up but Wes stopped him one more time.

"I'm sorry about earlier."

Blaine looked over his shoulder and back at his longtime friend.

"It's okay. I'm sorry too," he responded before walking away again.

For the rest of the weekend and for most of the following week, Blaine found himself with a sore hand and bored out of his mind. His mother insisted that he hand wrote thank you cards to everyone that attended his graduation party and for everyone that had given him gifts. It was easy enough but when he took in the fact that there was over three hundred people on the list and his mother wanted a letter that was at least half a page, if not more…Yeah, his hand really hurt and he still hadn't gotten the taste of envelope out of his mouth and tongue.

David and Wes visited every other day, brightening things up a bit. They mainly hung out in Blaine's room, playing video games or at the park, playing on the swings. At night, Blaine would read the book Cooper had given him for graduation. 1001 Things Every College Student Should Know. It was interesting, it was entertaining, and it was slightly helpful. It eased some of Blaine's worries but it also brought new worries to the forefront of his mind. He wouldn't admit it, but the ones he found particularly helpful he would type up into a word document and save it onto the desktop of his Mac. He felt better doing so, as it felt like he was preparing himself for the next four years.

Sunday afternoon, a week and a day after his graduation party, Blaine found himself on a plane, touching down in Richmond, Virginia, ready for Virginia Commonwealth University's summer orientation.