Blaine walked down the hall to the bathrooms. His body was ridiculously tired, and if he was going to sound decent at all tonight, he had to let hot water wash away all the travel stress. He didn’t even have to look at the placards on the door to know which one was the bathroom. There was a steady stream of Broadway’s best bellowing out in all ranges from the room at the end of the hall. Of course these NYADA kids sang in the shower…

As he walked in the restroom, he came face to face with all that Brody had warned him about. Did these people have no shame, really?! Where were their robes? Girls absolutely everywhere, mostly in little to no clothing. Not one other guy to be found. Maybe that’s why they didn’t seem to care that all their goodies were out. Blaine thought, “No one wants to see boobs all out on display…” Well, he guessed a lot of men actually would, but Blaine just wanted to jump in the shower and forget that mental image that he probably never will.

He hoped in the stall, removed his clothes, and started the hot water. He rinsed away the heavy gel that had settled in his hair, the road dirt that had splashed up on his ankles as he walked from the subway stop to the dorms, and the tension he had built up in his shoulders. He was here, he was REALLY here! He was in the NYADA dorms about to go out to a trendy karaoke bar and essentially make his NYC stage debut. This was it, his dreams were really coming true. 

“Hey, you all ready to go? Is that a bowtie? Nice, I mean, I couldn’t pull it off, but it looks good on you.” Brody said as he walked back into the room. Blaine had been staring at himself in the mirror for 30 minutes or so, making sure that his hair was perfectly gelled back, his bowtie was the perfect proportion, and that his jeans were rolled to the perfect length. First impressions meant a lot, and he wanted to make a good one.

“Yeah, bowties are kind of my thing. Most people think they are just for 60-year old philosophy professors in cheap suits, but I say pair it with a good polo, and bam, instant seventeen year old theater kid!”

“I don’t think I ever really looked the part of a theater kid. I’ve always kinda been a jock. In fact, that’s how I got into dancing to start with. My dad read that the Packers used to take ballet to improve their skills on the field, so he thought ‘Why not start him early?’ and put me in dance at 7. I always loved football too, but it was the swing splits that I enjoyed more.”

“I love football. I mean, I never really played since I’m kinda tiny. Maybe I would have been a good running back, I dunno, but I love watching it. Been a Buckeye fan my whole life.”

“You are quite the well-rounded guy, aren’t you Blaine? Anyway, we better head out. We wanna get there before Rachel if we want any shot of getting on the song docket.”

“Rachel? Who’s Rachel?”

“Oh, you’ll soon find out!”

Blaine and Brody walked downstairs to the lobby of the dorm and met up with a few other people before heading out. That Chandler guy was there, but everyone else was completely new. They all looked so stylish, and so very New York. Maybe the plaid shirt and bowtie wasn’t the greatest idea.

“Hey! Good to see you again, and by see you I mean, wow, GOOD TO SEE YOU!” This Chandler guy might be a problem.

“Hi, Chandler, right? Good to see you too.”

“I’m so glad you are coming out to Callbacks with us tonight! It’s always a blast. I love being up there on stage, singing my heart out, just laying everything out on the line. It’s the perfect place to just use your voice, practice your stage presence, and all that, without all the pressure.”

“’Cept no one here has heard me sing…I’d dare say there’s a little bit a pressure.” It’s all Blaine had been thinking about. He had his audition piece down cold. He’d practiced over and over again, and he was gonna nail it. But this, this was different. This was supposed to be spontaneous and fun and off the cuff. He had no clue what he was gonna sing, and what kind of impression he wanted to make tonight. He just knew it had to be good.

“Please, you’ve made it this far, you’ve gotta have killer pipes behind that adorable bowtie! Just get up there and do what you do best!”

“Ok, yeah, thanks.”

“Come on, let’s go.”

“Callbacks open-mic night should just be renamed NYADA night. I mean, it’s not like anyone else ever comes.” one of the girls said, the one with the pink hombre. Blaine couldn’t remember her name, or if she’d even said it. All he knew is he was ready to get off this train and away from the man that smelled a little like feet sitting next to him.

“Occasionally someone else comes along. There are a few people in New York that didn’t make the NYADA cut that still think they can make it.” another one of the girls said, “I mean, we are nice, we let them sing. Some I can’t figure out why they AREN’T at NYADA. Brody, do you think Berry’s roommate will come out tonight?”

“I texted Rachel and said for them both to come, like Rachel would pass up an opportunity to sing at Callbacks. I figure they’ll both be there.”

Blaine was anxious to meet this Rachel girl, and apparently her roommate. This was gonna be interesting.