A sea of red and navy blazers swarm through the gates of Dalton Catholic on Monday morning. Boys laugh and chatter as they fill each other in on the events of their weekends. Within the halls, Blaine stands by his locker, unpacking the contents of his satchel as he's approached by a dark-haired boy and a blonde boy.

"Good morning future first son," mocks the dark-haired boy cheerily, his warm hazel eyes alight with a happiness that's a definite rarity for this time of the week.

"Hey, Nick," says Blaine, shooting a smile to his best friend of five years. "What's got you so happy?"

"He had a quick rendezvous with Lily this morning," says the blonde boy, speaking of Nick's girlfriend from their sister school, Crawford Catholic Preparatory.

"Ah," says Blaine knowingly. His gaze shifts to something in the blonde boy's hand - a rolled up copy of the morning paper. "Well, Jeff, anything in particular I should know about this morning?"

"Just something about those idiots who graffitied that billboard of the Hudson-Hummels," says Jeff.

But what doesn't appear newsworthy to Jeff wins Blaine's attention, as he turns to face Jeff full-on.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh," says Jeff, holding out the paper for Blaine to take. "I thought you would have heard by now - it's pretty big news."

Blaine unfolds the paper and gives himself a minute to take it all in. Taking up half the front page is a photo of a billboard of the Hudson-Hummels. Senator Hummel and his wife stand with their arms around each other's backs, smiling warmly. Flanking them on either side are Kurt and Finn, the two boys having their arms crossed over their chest. But scrawled across Kurt's eyes is one word which sends chills down Blaine's spine.

Fag.

Blaine breathes in sharply. He doesn't fail to notice that the other family member's faces remain unmarked.

The son of presidential candidate Burt Hummel has been the target of what can only be described as a cowardly hate crime. A poster of openly gay eighteen-year-old Kurt Hummel was vandalised early yesterday morning. Police suspect supporters of conservative John Anderson are behind the act.

As Blaine skims through the article, his stomach knots up from increasing disgust, until he finally reads the last line.

The Hudson-Hummel family was notified of the incident early yesterday afternoon.

Early yesterday afternoon. That must have been before Kurt called, Blaine thinks.

"I have to call Kurt," says Blaine automatically, before he has time to process what he's saying, or who he's saying it in front of.

"Oh yeah," says Nick sceptically, "like you just have Kurt Hummel on speed dia- what are you doing?"

Nick looks completely stunned as Blaine pulls his phone out of his satchel to sort through his contacts.

"Calling Kurt," replies Blaine. As if it's the most normal thing in the world, for the son of one presidential candidate to call the son of another.

"Hey, you've reached Kurt Hummel's voicemail. Unfortunately, I can't come to the phone right now, but-"

"Crap," mutters Blaine, ending the call and slamming shut his locker. "I have to go to him."

"Wait a second," says Jeff, placing a hand on Blaine's chest and effectively stopping him in his tracks. "Since when are you and Kurt so chummy?"

"Since the last debate when we exchanged numbers," says Blaine hurriedly. He really doesn't have time for this discussion right now. "Look, I really have to go make sure he's okay."

Jeff takes his hand off Blaine and raises it in a I'm-still-so-confused-but-you-do-what-you-got-to-do manner. Blaine knows he'll have to face his friend's interrogation eventually, but for now he rushes down the hall towards the doors, fighting his way against the throng of students headed in the opposite direction.

"Excuse me, Anderson!" calls a voice curtly.

Blaine curses under his breath, before turning around to give Mr Noakes a tentative smile.

"Good morning, sir," he says. Behind Mr Noakes, Nick and Jeff give Blaine sympathetic looks.  

"Where do you think you're heading off to?" asks Mr Noakes. "Classes are about to start. You're not thinking about taking the day off, are you?"

"Of course not, sir," says Blaine quietly. "Sorry, wasn't thinking straight."

Had circumstances been different, Blaine would have found amusement in the double meaning of his words. Instead, he walks back towards his locker, groaning in frustration as soon as he's far enough away from Mr Noakes.

"C'mon, you're just going to have to talk to him after school," says Jeff comfortingly, as the three of them set off down the hall.

"Yeah, and in the meantime, give us his number," demands Nick.

"What?" says Blaine, staring at Nick as if he'd just asked for State Secrets. Which, Blaine reasons, he might as well have. "No way. Are you crazy?"

"Aw c'mon," whines Nick, and Blaine can't help but picture an oversized toddler in his mind. "Lily's obsessed with Kurt!"

"Er," says Jeff, his confusion speaking for both him and Blaine. "Why, exactly?"

"I don't know," shrugs Nick, "I'm still trying to understand girls, but Lil has this thing for gay guys. She actually told me once that she wished she was a gay guy just so she could date a gay guy."

 "Isn't that kind of offensive?" asks Blaine, his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Probably," shrugs Nick. "Anyway, it's nothing to do with your dad's party or anything Blaine. I'm sure she'd want your number just as much if you were the gay one -"

Good to know, thinks Blaine, smiling to himself.

"-all I know is that getting her and Kurt in contact will get me some serious brownie points with her, if you know what I mean."

Nick shoots Blaine and Jeff a suggestive wink just as they reach their History classroom. Blaine simply rolls his eyes. Jeff, meanwhile, stares long and hard at Nick before saying, "Don't ever wink at us like that again."

Blaine can't help but chuckle as he and Jeff go to take their seats. Behind them, Nick stands in the doorway for a moment and calls out a confused "Is that a no, then?" before following them in.