I awake to the sound of whispers coming from the hall.

"But you said I could have a few days."

"Im sorry, Kurt. George is down visiting his parents in Boca this week, and I just got a call from Jack, saying his kids got the flu. Were swamped with customers and Im short-staffed."

"Cant you ask Finn?"

"Hell be there. So far its me, him and Hank, and theres no way the three of us can handle it all. Even if you could come in for half a shift, just to get the oil changes and tire rotations out of the way..."

"He needs me right now, Dad."

"I know, bud, but I need you too. I wouldnt ask if I had any other option."

I sit up, rubbing my eyes blearily. Kurt and his dad are standing in the doorway, looking back at me. "Morning," I croak out.

"Morning," Kurt replies, coming over to kiss me. "Nice bedhead."

I scowl, trying to flatten it with my palm, and Burt chuckles. "You have to go?"

"Just for a bit. Will you be okay?"

"Yeah... Times it?

"Its not even seven oclock yet. Go back to sleep. Ill try to finish up by noon."

"Kay." I flop back onto the bed, falling asleep in moments.

When I wake again, its just past eight. I make Kurts bed and take a quick shower before dressing and heading into the kitchen. To my surprise, Carole is in here, drinking coffee and reading a newspaper. "Good morning," she says. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you. I thought everyone had left for work already."

"My shift doesnt start until nine. You want some cereal?" She pushes a box of Froot Loops toward me, then gets up to pull a bowl and spoon out of the cabinet for me. "Kurt always wants high-fiber cereal, but I remember you like the sugary stuff." She stops, one hand reaching for the milk. "Unless your tastes changed, like with the minestrone?"

"Nope, I still like it." I take the chair across from her, thanking her and pouring myself a bowl of cereal.

Carole sits back down, wrapping both hands around her coffee cup. The house feels chilly this morning. "What do you have planned for today?"

"Not sure. Ill probably just hang out here, if thats okay."

"Its always okay for you to stay here. I just thought you might want to see some of your friends."

I chew my mouthful of cereal thoroughly, feeling embarrassed. Finally I swallow and admit, "I dont have any friends."

She stares at me incredulously. "What?"

"My parents didnt let anyone contact me after I woke up from the coma. So I havent talked to any of my old friends in over a year."

I can tell by the way Carole sets her jaw that she has a lot to say about that. Instead, she just says, "You should get in touch with them. Bet theyd love to hear from you."

"Id like to... its just complicated."

"Because of your parents?"

"No, because of Kurt." She cocks her head questioningly, and I add, "Theres this guy in the Warblers..."

"Ah. Right, I forgot."

"Im worried that hell keep pursuing me if I go visit my friends at Dalton, and Kurt—"

"Will have to deal with it," she interrupts. "If you want to visit the Warblers, visit the Warblers. I know this Sebastian kid makes Kurt feel threatened, but he needs to get over it. Therell always be someone who takes too much of an interest in one of you. He has to trust that youll be faithful to him. And you have to be able to choose your own friends." She glances over at the clock on the microwave, then gets to her feet. "If I dont get going, Ill be late. Youre all right here?"

"Im fine. Thanks, Carole."

She ruffles my hair as she leaves. I smile in response, even though itll take a good five minutes in the bathroom with my hair gel to fix it.

I do consider going to Dalton, but instead — once I trudge through some freshly-fallen snow to my car — I decide to drive to the Lima Bean instead. I expect that a hot cup of freshly brewed coffee will help clear my head.

What I dont expect is to see Sebastian sitting at a table right by the front door.

"Well, well, well," he drawls slowly. "Looks like Santa brought my Christmas present a little early this year."

I give him a curt nod, then go over to stand in line for coffee. I can feel him watching me as I get my order and add cream, sweetener, and a few shakes of cinnamon to my coffee. When I turn around and catch him looking, he gives me a wide smile and shrugs, calling out, "Just enjoying the view!"

"Shouldnt you be in school?" I ask stiffly, walking over to his table.

"ICHSA semifinals are coming up. Warblers are excused from morning classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays so that we can prepare."

I look down at the table. Hes got an issue of GQ magazine and a cup of coffee in front of him. "This is preparing?"

His smile falters for a moment. "Im, ah... actually on hiatus from the Warblers for a bit."

"Then shouldnt you be in class?"

"What are you, my mother?" he snaps.

I lift my hands in surrender. "Fine. Forget I said anything. Have a nice day, Sebastian," I say as I turn to leave.

"No, wait..."

"I dont have time for—"

"I got suspended from Dalton."

I turn around slowly. "You what?"

"Got suspended," he says more quietly, glancing around.

"For what?"

"I, uh... got caught with liquor in my dorm room. It was the second time this semester, so I got a week-long suspension."

Sighing, I sit down across from him. "Are your parents upset?"

"They dont know yet. Theyre in Rome until after the new year." Hes spinning his cup around in a slow circle. "The headmasters overreacting. Its not like I have a drinking problem. I only drink every once in a while, to relax."

"Like last night?"

He stops, looking at me curiously. "Howd you know I was drinking last night?"

"You sent me some interesting texts."

"Oh." He pulls out his phone, scrolling through his messages until he finds them. "Oh. Sorry about that."

"Yeah."

"Usually I just hook up with Morgan if Im feeling horny, but he was away at some taekwondo competition yesterday. Jeff and I messed around at a party once, but lately he doesnt answer when I text him." He laughs shortly. "None of the Warblers do, anymore."

"I thought you said you were their leader."

"I was. For a while." He sips his coffee, not meeting my gaze. "I guess they got tired of me eventually. Theyd probably have kicked me out of the group already, except Im their strongest singer."

"And humblest."

"Well, that goes without saying." The smile is back, his teeth blindingly white. I never noticed before, how sad he looks when he smiles. "So what brings you to the Lima Bean, Blaine? Shouldnt you be off somewhere with your frigid, girly boyfriend—"

"Why do you like me?" I interrupt.

His eyes flicker strangely in the light. "What?"

"I dont drink. Im not promiscuous. We dont have the same friends. Or the same interests, other than singing. And I said no when you asked me out last year. So whats the appeal? Why do you keep hitting on me?" He stares at me, speechless, so I push on. "Is it the thrill of the chase? A conquest thing? Am I just the only guy whos ever turned you down?"

"You..." he shakes his head. "Its hard to explain."

"Try."

"You dont take me at face value." He smiles and dips his head when I look confused. "I know I can be obnoxious. Bit of an egotist. Everyone else puts me in that box without a second thought, but youve always understood that theres more to me. Even last year, when Kurt threw a hissy fit that we were talking, you didnt cut me off. We used to chat online all the time. About movies, and music, and how much we hated our parents social circles."

What hes saying doesnt jive with whats in my journal, and yet it sounds believable — Ive always been the type to try to befriend everyone, to see the hidden good in someone even when others cant. But why wouldnt I have written about it in my journal? Was I worried that Kurt would read my entries and get upset? "So I was a friend to you," I surmise.

"I guess. Yeah."

"Then why keep hitting on me?"

His cheeks are turning pink. "Like I said, you always seemed to get me. And I think youre hot. And I know you think Im hot." He glances up at me, as if daring me to deny it, but I dont. "So would I like to date you? Sure."

"But you knew from last year that I didnt like it when you propositioned me..."

"Yeah. Thats why I tried doing it right this time."

I squint at him, lost. "Right?"

"You know. Wooing you. Taking you out to karaoke night, so we could bond over music again. And to a movie, so we could talk about the plot afterwards."

"You offered to blow me in the back of the theater," I remind him, my own cheeks flushing.

"Did I?" He laughs. "Well. Old habits die hard, I think. And Id like to."

"Youd like to what?"

"Blow you." He leans in, as my breath hitches. "I love it. I love everything about it. The smell, the taste, the sense of control... my favorite part is that one split second when a guy freezes, right before he comes hard down your throat—"

"This," I squeak. "This is a perfect example of why were wrong for each other. Kurt knows Im nervous about sex, so he says hell wait as long as I need to. Meanwhile you cant seem to talk about anything else."

"I can too."

"All right, prove it."

He looks around, considering. "I like to play Scrabble online."

This literally might be the last thing I expected him to say. "Really."

"Yeah. You can play it through Facebook — its called Words with Friends there. Or theres other websites, too. Im kind of awesome at it."

"Isnt it sort of a game of chance, though? Doesnt it depend on which letter tiles you get?"

"God, no. Its all about strategy. That, and having a good Scrabble vocabulary. Like, you think any word starting with a Q has to have a U come next, right?" At my nod, he continues. "Well, there are exceptions. Like QI and QAT. I always try to put my Q on a triple-letter spot, because it really racks up your points."

"Thats... interesting."

"No, its not. Its boring, and Im boring for bringing it up. Want me to tell you more about my blowjob techniques?"

"No."

"You sure? I do this thing where I sort of curl my tongue around your—"

"No." Were both laughing now.

"Well, let me know if you change your mind and need tips." His smile fades. "Even if you wont ever be using them on me."

"Sebastian—"

"I mean it. You had a really shitty thing happen to you last year, and you deserve some happiness. And maybe... I dont know. Maybe theres a chance for us to be friends this time around."

"I... think Id like that," I tell him, and to my surprise, I realize I mean it. I could really use some friends.

"Me too. And at some point down the road, if you and Kurt break up—"

"Never gonna happen."

We sit in a comfortable silence, sipping our coffees. Part of me wants to ask him about those creepy things I read in my journal. I want to know why he used to call me up in the dead of night and threaten me. Was he drunk? When his inhibitions are down, will he sing a different tune?

Eventually I notice the clock. It would be pointless to drive to Dalton for a visit now; Warblers practice would be over by the time I got there. Besides, its after eleven. Kurt should be done with work soon. "Ive got to head out," I tell Sebastian.

He nods, then cocks his head. "Any chance I could get a hug?"

"A hug?"

"Friends hug each other, right?"

I shrug, confused, but stand up anyway, accepting his hug. He wraps his arms around my shoulders and squeezes me tight.

"Ill text you later," he says, before pulling back.

"Okay."

"I didnt grab your ass, did you notice?"

"I did notice."

"Progress, huh?"

"Id say so."

I throw my cup in the trash and head out to my car, feeling lighter somehow. Im able to make it back to the Hummels house by 11:30, and Kurt walks in the door at 12:15. Hes full of apologies and rains kisses all over my face to try to make it up to me. I think for a moment that I should tell him about my talk with Sebastian, but then he starts sucking on the underside of my jaw, and I dont think of much of anything after that.

I try telling him late in the afternoon, after we finish an extended makeout session on the living room couch. His lips are red and swollen from our kisses, his gaze heavy-lidded and warm. Hes so relaxed, it seems like a good time to bring it up.

"Kurt, Ive been thinking... It would be good for me to make some friends."

His face brightens. "Oh, honey, absolutely."

"Really? You wouldnt mind?"

"For gods sake, Blaine, its not like Im planning on keeping you tied up in my room, or..." His eyes grow hazy, suddenly, and I know he must be thinking something dirty. I clear my throat pointedly.

"Focus, please."

"Thanks. Yes. Anyway, I think its a great idea. And actually, therell be some friend prospects coming over here tonight, if you dont mind us sticking around here for a bit."

"I dont mind. What sort of friend prospects?"

"A bunch of guys are home for winter break, so Finn invited them over for some big video game competition." He squints, thinking. "I forget what the game is called. Has to do with shooting... things..."

"Ah, right. That one."

"Anyway, Puck will be there — you met him already. Sam Evans and Artie Abrams, theyre both seniors this year. I should ask Finn if Mikes coming."

"Whos Mike?"

"Mike Chang. He was probably your closest friend at McKinley."

I have a sudden vision of a tall Asian guy doing some hip-hop moves. "Was... was he a dancer?"

Kurts eyes light up. "He was. Give me a second, Ill call Finn at the tire shop right now."

He pulls out his phone, and I take the opportunity to check my own unread text messages. Theres a new one from Sebastian: Just saw a hot guy at the mall. What pickup line do you think would be most effective?

I think for a moment, then type back: Hi, my names Sebastian. Whats yours? I press send before re-folding the throw blanket and straightening up the couch. A couple of hours of frantic kissing can really do a number on the cushions. Kurt is still on the phone — it sounds as though hes talking to his dad now about ordering several pizzas for dinner. I hear him mention that Mike Chang will indeed be coming tonight, and I feel a surge of excitement. Maybe Mike and I will still have a connection, and hell want to be my friend again.

My cell phone vibrates with a new message: Ah. So you wouldnt recommend "Are you a top or a bottom? Because Im a switch hitter and I just want to score with you."

I stifle a laugh, replying: Yeah, I would not recommend that.

Probably why he ran away, then?

Probably. Try mine instead next time, see how it works for you.

The guys are planning to meet here at six oclock for pizza and gaming, so Kurt and I enjoy a few more hours just to ourselves. He takes the couch while I sit on the floor between his legs, getting a nice shoulder massage as we watch a few episodes of What Not to Wear. Then we bake four batches of truly spectacular oatmeal chocolate chip cookies before setting out plastic cups, plates, and napkins for tonights dinner.

"What kind of pizza do you want?" he asks.

"Anything. You know me; Im easy."

His eyes twinkle, and I have to laugh. He calls the pizza place, ordering five pizzas with different toppings and a few bottles of Coke and Sprite.

I lean against the counter and watch him, feeling warm and contented. Not even one month ago, I was still driving around every morning, on a quest to find the perfect coffee shop. Now Ive somehow landed the worlds sweetest, funniest, most handsome boyfriend. His family loves and supports me. Theres even a handful of prospective friends coming over soon. I cant believe my life has changed so profoundly in a matter of weeks.

Just as Kurt is hanging up, I feel my cell phone vibrate in my pocket. Pulling it out, I read a new text message:

Hi, my names Sebastian. Whats yours?