Blaine stood slowly from his seat and gathered his things. He wasn't in a hurry, next was his lunch period and since he had no friends here he was not looking forward to facing his time in the cafeteria alone. But he had to eat so there was no getting around it, not today at least. Maybe the next time he would bring his lunch, Blaine thought. He followed the crowd to the large cafeteria. He was not surprised to see the food offerings were not quite to the standards of Dalton but he quickly chose what seemed the least offensive to his senses: an apple and bottled water. He made a silent vow to himself that he would eat a better meal when he got home.

Blaine looked around the crowded room, it was clear everyone had a place here. There were tables of boys in letterman jackets, another with cheerleaders, though there seemed to be crossover between these two groups. He saw groups of kids talking over books; some more laughing together. He spotted Kurt sitting with a ragtag group over to the side: there were football players, some cheerleaders, his friend from class, and a few others. They were laughing, though Kurt seemed to not be interacting with the whole table but just with the one girl he saw earlier. Blaine wanted to go over and talk to him, but was afraid he hadn't made the best first impression with the boy. Instead, he found an empty table and ate his meager lunch alone.

After lunch, Blaine was left with the rest of his filler classes. First, was wood shop, a class Blaine was not looking forward to, but it was the only one to fit in his schedule and seemed to make his dad happy. The class was boring and they merely went over safety rules.

Next was art, it was an advanced class, since Blaine had taken it a Dalton, but he had planned to drop it this year as it was not where his talent lie. Blaine was pleasantly surprised when he saw the interpreter from earlier seated at one of the tables in the crowded room. Blaine could not help but sit catty-corner from her in the hopes he could talk to Kurt again. Upon entering the room, Kurt seemed to look around before finding the interpreter. His eyes landed on the table and noticing Blaine, he just shook his head before taking the seat beside him.

Blaine smiled at Kurt once he was seated, but it was not returned, Kurt just raised an eyebrow at him before turning to the interpreter. They seemed to talk for a while and Blaine just wished he knew what Kurt was saying. Blaine watched the interpreter as the teacher went over the supply list and what they would be working on first. What Blaine didn't notice with his careful study of the woman was the covert glances Kurt kept shooting him.

Kurt was once again out of his seat before Blaine had even gathered his things. His final class of the day was home economics. Blaine was a poor cook and decided this was one of the best ways to ensure he wouldn't starve once he was on his own at college. He was not excited about the class per say, so he dragged his feet and was one of the last ones to arrive. As it happens, the only free seat was on the front row of desks, right next to Kurt. With a sheepish grin, Blaine sat down next to the boy.

Blaine had to admit that watching the interpreter seemed to make the class go by quicker. It gave him something to focus on instead of the teacher’s droning voices as she talked them through the course outline.

Ready for the day to be over with already, Blaine watched the clock and packed his things away as it ticked closer to three-thirty. Therefore, it was that he was right behind Kurt as they left the room. Blaine didn't try to communicate with him, feeling it was a lost cause for the day.

His head bowed in frustration at the long lonely day he walked back to his locker. He had just turned the corner into the hall where it was located when a hateful voice and a hated word made his head shoot up. "Stupid fag freak," the voice spat, not even bothering to quiet itself. However, Blaine saw the words were not aimed at him, but rather at the silent figure walking a few feet in front of him, head held high and completely oblivious to the slurs slung his way.

Anger flared from deep within Blaine and the blatant hatred and cowardice it took to insult someone like that. Someone who was right there but had no way of knowing the words said to cut him. "Hey!" Blaine shouted at the large boy, "Leave him alone."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth he knew it was a foolish thing to do. The jock was over twice his size, not to mention his friend who was just as big. But Blaine couldn't stand by and watch them spew their ignorance like that.

"Oh, so you are gonna stand up for that Hummel freak are you? You must be a fairy too." the large boy spat slamming Blaine against the row of lockers behind him. The air was knocked out of Blaine leaving no room for response. "You better learn to keep your mouth shut or next time you'll get worse." The jock raised his fist, but walked away laughing when Blaine braced himself for the punch.

Blaine leaned against the locker for a moment thinking through what just happened. He was about to stand up and continue on his way when a voice broke through his thoughts once again.

"Thank you" Blaine looked over in confusion at the black girl who sat next to him in ASL class. It took him a moment to remember that she seemed to be friends with Kurt. Seeing his confusion, she continued, "for standing up for Kurt. That was really nice."

Blaine couldn't help but smile, "it was anything a decent human being would have done surely."

"You’d be surprised how few of those there are in this school. I'm Mercedes by the way."

"Blaine, Blaine Anderson." he said holding out his hand.

Mercedes laughed as she took his offered hand. "Thanks again, not many people stand up for Kurt, just us glee kids really."

Blaine's face lit up, "you have a glee club?"

"Yeah," then Mercedes face brightened too, "you don't sing do you?"

"As a matter of fact I do, I was in glee at my old school." Blaine told her unable to hide the smile the memories of his old club brought.

"You should audition!" she just about squealed. "We meet tomorrow in the choir room after school, just come with something prepared. And don't worry no one has not made it in yet."

"Thanks Mercedes, I just might do that."

"Well, I've got to run. See you in class tomorrow Blaine."

With the prospect of singing in the near future, Blaine continued on to his locker with a new skip in his step. That night Blaine searched for the perfect song for his audition. Here was what he was hoping for with this transfer, the chance to sing, make new friends, and belong. As he drifted off to sleep, his mind wondered back to Kurt. Blaine wasn’t sure why his thoughts drifted to that boy, there was just something about him that intrigued Blaine.

Blaine got ready for school the next day with new excitement. Not only was he going to be joining the glee club and be able to sing again, he was also determined to get to know Kurt better. So many questions from last night flooded his brain again as he made his way to school.

His first three periods went by in a blur. He hadn't caught a glimpse of Kurt all morning, but ASL was next. On the way, he got turned around, so he made it to class just as the tardy bell sounded. Blaine's heart fell when he saw Mercedes in his seat from yesterday beside Kurt. She spared a smile at him though as he sat at her other side, before she turned back to her animated conversation with Kurt.

Class wasn't as fun practicing new signs with the girl next to him and not Kurt. Blaine chastised himself for feeling that way, he didn’t know Kurt, and he obviously was happy chatting with his friend. He saw they weren't really practicing what everyone else was, but then again it seemed Mercedes was fairly fluent in the language that was new to everyone else.

At lunch, Blaine took his packed lunch to the courtyard to eat. He couldn't help the lonely feeling that was creeping in. He trudged through his afternoon classes, his hope of finding a group to belong in the only thing keeping him motivated. He still sat near Kurt in their remaining two classes of the day, but didn't try to communicate with him, not even a smile. The desire to know him more was still there, but Blaine just couldn’t put himself out there right now.

Blaine wasn't sure what was making him feel this way, but he didn't want to see the eye roll Kurt might throw him if he tried to talk. It was stupid, and he knew that, but it didn't make the terrible feeling in his chest go away. Blaine was so caught up in his loneliness he didn't catch the shy looks Kurt was sending him, he didn't see the hurt in those stunning blue eyes when they were not returned.

Blaine slowly packed his things after a boring lecture on cake baking before heading to his locker at the end of the day. As he walked into the choir room, he heard excited voices clamoring for attention over each other. A curly hair teacher stood at the front of the room calling attention before noticing Blaine hovering in the doorway.

"Can I help you?" he asked confusion written on his face.

Blaine smiled faintly, his usual air of confidence unable to be found. "I was hoping I could audition."

The teachers face brightened at the prospect, "Of course, I'm Mr. Shuester director of New Directions."

"Blaine Anderson."

A short brunet spoke up then, "I know you, you were lead last year for the Warblers." seeing Blaine's confused look she explained, "As co-captain of New Directions I make it my goal to find out everything I can about all the show choirs in the state. You were beaten out of your sectionals last year by Aural Intensity, not by talent but by their blatant pandering to be judges."

Mr. Shuester shook his head, "That's enough Rachel thank you. Now if you are ready, Blaine, the floor is yours."

Blaine nodded to the teacher before handing sheet music to the band (a surprise for sure) and took his place at the front of the room. As he turned to face the group he wanted so desperately to join, he noticed a familiar boy with a woman sitting in front of him, her hands in her lap and still in the silence. He took a moment to wonder why a deaf boy would be a member of a glee club, before clearing his mind to sing.

“You are the girl I’ve been dreaming of ever since I was a little girl.” The beat, the band and the excitement of the performance filled Blaine, as he started moving in his own exaggerated, and admittedly silly, way. He flashed a confident smile, when two of the girls came forward to join him, backing him up. Soon the whole of the club, save Kurt, were up dancing and singing along with him. Being a part of this, clearly being accepted, made his heart swell. He looked at the remaining audience members, Kurt, and Mr. Shuester (the interpreter he saw still had her back turned clearly signing his words) both had smiles on their faces. Kurt’s smile made Blaine’s heart stop, it was unreserved and seemed to light up the room. Not thinking, Blaine sent him a wink, causing the boy to blush.

Blaine couldn’t hold in his laugh as the music ended he wasn’t alone either. Everyone was laughing as they went back to their seats; Kurt’s shoulders were shaking in silent laughter as well. As Mr. Shuester clapped him on the back Blaine couldn’t help but wonder if Kurt could talk, if he could laugh a loud boisterous laugh, what noises he would make if Blaine kissed him… This last thought startled Blaine. He stared for a moment at the handsome boy a new yearning in his chest.

His thoughts were broken by a Latina Cheerleader saying, “Damn, Anderson, you are one fine piece of ass, me likes!”

Blaine replied automatically, “I’m gay.”

“Yeah, well, so am I don’t mean I can’t appreciate a fine piece of man meat.” She replied with a shrug.

It hit him then; he just came out, in this new school, where he has already seen blatant homophobia. He looked around; fear already rising only to see no looks of shock, no judgment, only smiles. He glanced over at Kurt where a faint smile turned the corner of his mouth up, and he was biting softly on his lower lip. Blaine threw him another grin as he took the seat on the other side of Mercedes.

Blaine’s confidence was back, he sat through the rest of the meeting thinking of ways to interact with Kurt. When Mr. Shuester dismissed them though, a rather intense Rachel quickly intercepted him. She led him out to the parking lot, telling him how wonderful they would sound together and how nice it would be to have a duet partner besides her boyfriend. Half an hour later once he had finally convinced her he needed to head home, the parking lot was empty and his last chance to talk to Kurt that day was as well.