When Blaine got back from Breadstix, he was still thinking about the gorgeous boy from the other side of the room, and how much he really did look like Kurt. But that was impossible. Kurt didn't live here, he would have known if he did.

Shaking his head to get rid of the silly thoughts, Blaine got out his laptop and went to check Tumblr and Facebook. He had a few messages on Facebook, which he answered quickly without really thinking about it. The one message he had on Tumblr was much more special to him though.

“Blaine… I'm so happy. I don't even know why. Today's just been… the most perfect day. Maybe it's because I finished our fic. I must be relieved to have it over with. Will you please beta it for me? You'll be the first one to read it.”

Blaine grinned to himself, giddy with the thought that he was going to be the first one to read Kurt's new fic. He couldn't believe that the author he had admired from afar for so long had now become one of his absolutely best friends. And they hadn't even been talking for that long.

Kurt seemed to understand him in ways that not even his closest friends did, and he couldn't help but hope that one day they could meet in real life. If only so Blaine could see that Kurt was real. That he wasn't just a figment of his imagination. Because if Kurt wasn't real… Then Blaine had no idea what was. He had no idea how to go on if someone as amazing as Kurt ceased to exist.

Blaine knew he should be focusing on Sectionals. The competition was, after all, the next morning, but he couldn't help but think about the possibility of him and Kurt ever getting to know each other in real life. And maybe, if the fates would have it, their friendship could progress to something more.

Blaine might have fooled around a bit and kissed a few boys at parties whenever the Warblers felt up to experimenting. They were all too drunk to remember much the next day anyway, so it never really mattered, but Blaine had never been anyone's boyfriend. He had never gotten the chance to go on dates and hold hands and cuddle while watching movies.

The last time he had held someone's hand, he had ended up in the hospital for it. Blaine shuddered violently, not wanting to remind himself of what had happened that night, with George. He had moved past it, and George's parents had moved out of town. He had put it behind him, and moved on.

He took a shuddering breath, and closed his laptop, figuring he needed as much sleep as he could get before the big day, especially when Wes was waking them all up for a 6 am last minute practice. He quickly got changed into his pajamas, and pulled back the covers to get under them.

He sighed once he was safe in bed, trying to steer his mind onto a safer topic than Sadie Hawkins. The last thing he needed was to have a panic attack the night before his big competition. He was sure Wes would just love that last little bump in the road just a few hours before they were set to go on stage.

So, to escape his mind for a few seconds, he did what he always did. He closed his eyes tightly, breathed slowly in through his nose, imagining that the air flowed through his nose, tickling down his spine, past his butt before taking a turn, going up through his stomach, past his spine and out through his mouth. He repeated, just as his boxing coach had told him to do, and at once felt a lot more relaxed than he had just a minute ago.

He could do this. He could go up on that stage, and win Sectionals for the Warblers. He wouldn't let them down. And he would not let his past define who he was today, because those were two wildly different people. Blaine had grown from his experiences, and while he certainly wouldn't wish them on anyone else, he didn't regret them.

If he hadn't come out and asked George to Sadie Hawkins, and if they hadn't gotten the shit kicked out of them, he wouldn't have transferred to Dalton. He wouldn't have met Jeff, or Wes or David or Nick, and he wouldn't have the Warblers.

If it wasn't for them, he would probably be the same shy, jumpy kid he had been when he'd first started. He might seem like he has full control over his life right now, but when he got to Dalton, he'd been a complete mess.

It had been the fall after the attack, and he had spent his summer mostly alone in his room, not talking to anyone but his parents and his psychiatrist. His mom had gently suggested that maybe they wait a bit longer but Blaine had insisted that he start school that fall.

The first day of school he'd been a mess. He hadn't talked to anyone, not even to ask for directions because he had absolutely no idea where he was going. Some of the students around him had given him curious looks, but none of them were hateful like Blaine had originally expected. He had heard the words ‘zero tolerance bullying policy' and thought it had to be too good to be true. But no, no one shoved him into lockers or hissed hateful slurs into his ears as they walked by. Some of them even smiled to him, which made Blaine very unnerved.

He had just stumbled late into his French class, and given the teacher his note when he was told to go sit at the only free desk in the room, next to a blonde boy who smiled kindly at him. He had met Jeff, and though Blaine hadn't said much beside his name to him Jeff didn't prod for more information, like he was sure he wanted to.

They had been friends ever since, and Blaine had slowly but surely grown out of his insecure little shell until he finally got up the courage to try out for the Warblers, like Jeff kept suggesting for him.

Blaine rolled over in bed to stare fondly at his sleeping friend. He hadn't exactly told him, but Blaine was eternally grateful for what Jeff had done for him that day. He rolled back onto his back with a smile, and closed his eyes, sleep coming quickly this time.