SMACK

As soon as he stepped through the door he received a hard slap around the side of the head from his Grandfather, sending him to the ground.

"What the hell?" Blaine didn't even know why he'd said that, it wasn't like he was confused about what was happening, it wasn't like he wasn't expecting it and it wasn't like this was the first time it had happened.

"You think you're so clever don't you?" asked his grandfather angrily as Blaine stood to his feet rubbing the place on his head that had just collided with his grand fathers hand.

"Was that a rhetorical question? If not then yes I do."

SMACK

He was knocked straight back down to the floor again with another hard smack, but this time he didn't get up, he didn't see the point if he was going to get smacked back down again.

"Watch your tongue with me boy!"

"I take it grandma isn't here you'd never hurt me like this if she was!"

He felt the wind get knocked right out of him when his grandfathers boot smashed into his ribs, he heard none of them break but he just lay there on the ground gasping for air. It wasn't until he heard his grandfathers footsteps move towards the kitchen did Blaine feel safe enough to get up quickly and run up the stairs which were right next to the door, he had to be fast but he didn't know how fast he could move in his condition. He slowly got up quietly grabbed his bag and tried to make a run for it, when he was up four steps he felt a hand grab his neat hair and pull him backwards and slam him onto the floor. He felt a boot bulldoze into his back and again winding him. Blaine could feel the tears streaming down his face, but he couldn't cry, he couldn't even get word out, he just lay there on the ground crying and defenceless trying to catch his breath back.

"Stop thinking you so clever! You're not! Just a little pussy, its not my choice that your here! Your grandmother is the one that wanted you! You know what? My guess is your parents saw that tree coming and headed straight for it, just so they didn't have to see your whiny little face again."

He hated his grandfather more than anything but he never let it show, his grandmother didn't know any of these beatings went on and she didn't hear the snide remarks he'd make to Blaine on a daily basis.

"That's not true." Blaine gasped out breathlessly "They loved me."

"Did they? Then why did they leave you with me? Your Dad knew what I was like."

"You hurt my Dad too?"

"Only when he deserved it."

"You think I deserve this?"

"Do you know how fast rumours spread in this town, you get in trouble at school people won't think I'm taking care of you properly and start asking questions."

"If I could get enough breath I'd laugh right now." Blaine sat up against the back of the sofa gripping his stomach.

"You know what your problem is kid? You're a smart ass, you think you're so clever."

"You made a mistake you hit me in the head, if it bruises and people see then-."

"You walked into a door."

"Original."

His Grandfather just stared at him with angry eyes. Blaine knew the beating was over, it never lasted too long but it was always long enough to do some damage. His Grandfather reluctantly offered him a hand to get up but Blaine dismissed it, he didn't want his help, he used the sofa to get himself up grabbed his bag and slowly made his way up the stairs. He collapsed on his bed and curled into the foetal position and just cried to himself.

He didn't know when he fell asleep but he was woken by someone shouting his name.

"Blaine, sweetheart dinner is ready." He heard his Grandmother calling from the bottom of the stairs.

He had for a second forgot about his earlier beating and got up too fast, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back and abdomen, he lifted his shirt to see the damage and he had two very purple bruises going round his body. He quickly looked in the mirror and saw a small bruise forming just above his temple.

"Blaine! Dinner!" This time it was his Grandfather calling him.

"Coming Grandpa. " he shouted back, not wanting to anger him again. He quickly tucked his shirt back in, messed his curls into some sort of order and went downstairs.

As he got in the kitchen he saw his Grandmother and Grandfather already sitting at the table eating, he took a seat next to his Grandmother. He saw her face narrow as she looked at his head.

"Blaine, sweetheart, what have you done to your head?"

"He got in a fight at school today, isn't that right kiddo?"

"A fight? Blaine that's not like you!"

"I know Grandma I'm sorry."

"What happened?" his grandmother had clear concern in her eyes.

Blaine looked at his Grandfather and he had false concern in his eyes. Blaine didn't know how one man could be such a good actor that he fooled the one woman he had spent most of his life with, she had no idea what he was really like and they had been married forty-five years.

"Oh there's this new kid in school, and he just rubbed me up the wrong way."

"Even so, it's not like you to get in a fight."

"I know Grandma I'm sorry."

"Did you get in any kind of trouble?" She asked innocently, not knowing that the main punishment had come from the man sitting opposite her.

"Yeah, I have detention for two hours every Tuesday after school for the next six weeks."

"Blaine-."

"I know Grandma, I'm sorry."

"Well to be honest I'm not to happy about this." His Grandfather piped up.

"What?!" Blaine asked, he was so shocked that his Grandfather would even consider saying something like that, hadn't the beating been punishment enough?

"I said I'm not to happy about this, and don't use that tongue with me young man."

"Well what do you suggest we do?" His Grandmother asked not sure where this was all leading.

"I think we should at least ground him for two weeks."

Blaine just sat there open mouthed, he just couldn't believe the cheek of his grandfather.

"Don't you think that's a bit much? Having detention and being grounded it's not like he's done anything like this before."

"I know Judy but he has to understand that there are consequences to actions like these."

"I'm still here you know! You don't have to just talk to each other! You can talk to me too!"

"Blaine we are just thinking of what's best for you."

"What's best for me? You think grounding me is what's best for me? Keeping me from my friends, you know if anything it will just make me act out more. Grandma please it's Mercedes' birthday next week and I can't miss her party! Please! I have been talking about it for months!"

"Okay how about, your grounded for this week and next week, but your grounding can end on the Friday so you can go to Mercedes' party."

"Really? Thank you Grandma!"

Blaine jumped up out of his seat gave his Grandmother a hug and took his plate to the sink, as he was about to walk out of the kitchen he looked back to his Grandfather who was giving him a very angry look, he obviously didn't like being undermined, Blaine just looked back with a slight smirk on his face knowing he'd won this round, but he decided there and then he would be getting a lock for his bedroom door, just in case.