Aug. 6, 2012, 11:35 a.m.
State of The Art: Chapter 7
M - Words: 1,446 - Last Updated: Aug 06, 2012 Story: Complete - Chapters: 21/21 - Created: Apr 23, 2012 - Updated: Aug 06, 2012 530 0 1 0 0
Blaine clicked Bentley's cage shut and tied his scarf loosely around his neck as he descended out his front door. Thankfully, the locksmith would be over some time tonight to measure, and Blaine had off tomorrow so he could relax. He slowly crossed the street and began speed-walking to work. He was a little late, but his shift didn't even start for another 15 minutes. The New York morning sky was beautiful. It was rich with promising hope and filled with wonderful desire to aspire with every ounce of hardwork you could give.
It was open mic night tonight, and Blaine planned to sing. He still had to get over his fear of singing in public which started a little after he graduated. For Christ's sake he was in Glee Club, so it should be fairly simple.
Since he stopped performing for a few years, he rarely even used his voice to fill the air with wonderous harmonies. He wondered if he could get Kurt to sing with him one night. Blaine knew that their voices could mesh together perfectly, and that there wouldn't be any homophobia flying around. Hopefully. When Blaine got to Starbucks, he noticed that it was closed.
Confused, he glanced around and waited patiently. Maybe Wes was late, or called in sick and forgot to open up today.
Blaine took out his cell phone and called Wes, quietly waiting for him to pick up.
"Yes Blaine?" Wes croaked, probably just waking up from a long night.
"Where is everyone? I'm at work, it's closed.." Blaine stared at the door again, the CLOSED sign blatantly staring back at him.
"Yeah, didn't you hear? We're done, man. Julie closed on his, she's moving to Canada or some bullshit. I'm out of a job too, I needed that bro. I-" Wes sighed and Blaine realized he was about to say something else, but paused midway through.
"Okay.. Well, is she going to give me my stuff from my locker?" He stared at the door again and started walking to a nearby bench. Blaine was essentially fucked
"Y-Yeah Blaine I gotta go. I'll text you the uh, um, details later. Bye!" Blaine heard rustling in the background and a woman's lusty growl.
Blaine rolled his eyes and ended the call. That was typical of Wes. Getting laid everyday, picking up random girls on the street when he was bored. Okay, maybe Blaien was a little jealous. He hadn't had a boyfriend in ages, and he was just annoyed that Wes got more action in one week then Blaine had in his whole life.
His blackberry buzzed in his pocket, and he saw he got a new text. Coop.
"Hey Blainers, you picking me up soon? My flight's coming in." -Coop
Oh shit, he totally forgot. Was today really Friday?
"Yeah Coop, I'll be there in about an hour and a half. Will you be ready?"
Blaine tighted his scarf tighter around his neck, and shoved his hands into his coat pockets. It wasn't even that cold outside, maybe about 45 degrees. But Blaine absolutely detested the cold, it made him feel weird and uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, his whole life he'd been doomed with the fate in living in the part of the country where all 4 seasons hit them like bricks, slamming them with inches of snow each Winter, and sweltering hot Summers.
Over here in New York was a little different though. It was much colder during the Spring and there was little wind. He decided that the wind was kept to a minimum due to all of the rocking skyscrapers, not that he missed the wind.
He hated the chill of the Winter air and adored the swish of the Summer heat. Cooper told Blaine that he'd better be there in an hour, because he just landed but still had that long ass walk from the platform to the agonizing wait for baggage.
Blaine also hated planes. He was afraid that they'd go down and he knew there was little chance of survival in a large, combustable crash.
He always panicked when his family came to see him. Even though he wasn't attached to his mother or father, they insisted on stopping by for Christmas and his birthday, and Blaine still panicked.
Thankfully Coop landed safely and Blaine could grab his car and pick him up. Blaine rarely used his small Lexus. It sat in the garage behind his apartment. New York was a big city and he usually just stayed around in the confinments of his work, or his old job, to his apartment.
Occasionally Blaine would drive out and see the rush of the city, go shopping and all that fancy stuff. He jogged a little to his garage and pulled out his keys from his pockets. He always kept his keys with him just in case, because he had a tedency to lose them or forget where they were.
Blaine unlocked the door and climbed in slowly, syncing his phone to the automated phone system in the radio. The Sync program was actually really annoying, insisting on screaming in his ear when he got a text. It also always answered every single call, and the speaker unit made it hard for the recepient to hear Blaine on the line. He started his car and texted Coop to tell him he'd be there soon, that he was driving and not to text him.
He pulled out of the small, confined storage garage and set his GPS for the JFK airport. From previous experience, he knew that the airport was a good 45 minutes on the highway, and it was early morning rush hour so it would probably take him an hour.
The sync machine rang and called out the name on the caller ID: "KURT COLON RIGHT PARENTHESIS" Blaine cracked up a bit when he heard Sync mention the smiley face, but braced himself for the call.
"Hey Blaine, it's Kurt. I'm sorry to bother you but I actually had a question." Kurt had a nicely pitched voice, and he seemed almost calm.
Oh God was he asking Blaine on a date?!
"Y-yeah? What is it?" Blaine stuttered about with nervousness, and realized he sounded almost rude.
"Oh well, I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out later? I know we just met and all, but I think it'd be really nice to get to know you better." He could detect a smile in Kurt's voice, and god how and WHY would Blaine turn that down?
"Um, I'm actually heading to JFK to pick up my older brother, but maybe we could all hang out a little later tonight after he adjusts? Pizza or something?"
"I'm not really a huge pizza fan, but yeah I'd love to do something. Oooh, i'm intrigued to meet older Blaine." Blaine smiled and the slight purr of Kurt's voice.
"Hmm.. vegan pizza? Haha, I don't know. But yeah after he gets adjusted I'll text you. I know he's excited to see the wonders of the city, and you'd be welcome to join us if you want. I pretty much just got laid off, so I have some more free time now until my job hunt.."
"What!? Starbucks is gone? Blaine, are you joking right now?" Kurt sounded absolutely horrified and appauled by the statement.
Blaine giggled a little, and continued in a laughing tone.
"No, I'm dead serious. The owner left or something so now we're all forced to suffer through mornings without the wonderful bliss of caffeine."
"Bliss. Hmm, I like that word. I feel you though, coffee is literally my love. Well, I have to go. I have another seminar for about an hour. But text me when you can and I'll talk to you later. Goodbye Blaine!" He heard Kurt rushing and could hear his body position changing, as if he was standing up.
"Bye-Bye Kurt." Blaine smiled and tapped the red phone icon on his screen.
Blaine clicked on his music option and put on his favorite playlist. He still had a while to go, and needed to past the time.
He hummed quietly to the soundtrack of Wicked his all-time favorite play. This is where Blaine fit the stereo-type of all gays loving drama and music. He didn't really mind it though, because it really was his passion.
Blaine pulled up to a red light and noticed the same meerkat-faced man he saw with Kurt earlier this week. He sighed and eyed the man critically. This guy wasn't bad looking, but he had this eerie feel about him. He walked with this awkward smirk on his face, and Blaine noticed the way he checked out every guy's ass in the near proximity.
As soon as Defying Gravity started playing, Blaine completely forgot the clean-cut man and started to sing along. This was his all time favorite track but he could never nail the high notes in the song.