The Anderson house was located on top of a hill, with miles of land all for them. It was three stories high and elegant in every sense of the world. Their driveway looked like its own street, and there was never a flower out of place. It was the most pristine house in all of Ohio. The funny part, hardly anyone lived there. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson were always jetting away on vacations or business trips, and the kids living at their respective boarding schools for most of the year. But even with Blaine, his sister, and mother occupying the house it never felt emptier. For Blaine, this had never been a home. It was just a massive house Daniel could call his.

Amelia tapped her loafer covered feet against the hard wood floor of their dining room. She was usually never home, attending an all-girls boarding school when Blaine had transferred to Dalton. But now Blaine was ready to face public school again, he was sick of living in a fantasy, and Blaine’s mother only found it fair to include Amy in the discussion.

Ignoring the deafening tap in the thick, awkward silence, Blaine began to pick at the table cloth. They were waiting for Mr. Anderson to return home from work. He would saunter in, rest his hat on the coat rack, and drop his brief case by the door; his mother would put it in its rightful place after dinner. He’d plop down in his usual seat, and Mrs. Anderson would rush to fix him a drink. Blaine was sure his parents were brainwashed into thinking they lived in the 1950’s opposed to 2011. God, even the way Blaine and Amy dressed reflexed the household. Blaine’s parents prided themselves on tradition.

Caroline Anderson never worked. She had always dreamed of being a painter, and she did it in recreation but what woman can make a living off painting? That’s what Daniel had told her. Plus, he made plenty of money working for his own firm, being the best prosecution lawyer in Ohio. To put it lightly, Mr. Anderson owned everything, even his wife. The man provided for the woman, who would cook and clean. That’s what a real family and marriage was, that’s what Daniel expected of his children.

That’s why it had taken getting beaten to a pulp for Blaine to admit that he was never going to marry a senator’s daughter and have babies but that he was going to marry a boy because he was gay. After Blaine’s bones had healed, Mr. Anderson did everything to show Blaine that being straight was a better life choice that it didn’t have to be that way. Blaine would like being straight if he just tried. Mr. Anderson still doesn’t look at him the same.

“What’s taking him so long? I thought this was important,” Amy rolled her eyes. Blaine caught her glance and he just shrugged. Blaine’s mother smoothed out the invisible wrinkles in her apron but didn’t answer Amy. No one understood Daniel Anderson not even his wife. Amy had this grudge against her father for god knows how many different reasons, so, she tried to isolate him from most of her conversations. “Let’s just start, Dad’s not going to say anything nice anyway,” she stated firmly grabbing the spoon and serving herself a hefty amount of mashed potatoes.

Blaine smiled gently because Amy was all he had. She had known he was gay from the start, and she had embraced it. She was the first person Blaine officially came out to, and she had rolled her eyes and told him it was about time. Amy spent most of her time googling about being gay and helping Blaine come to terms with it. She’d even planned a coming out speech that never got used. After being rushed to the hospital, Blaine just let it all out in a jumbled puddle of words. Amy’s version had been a lot more sophisticated and elegant. And to think she was a year younger than Blaine. She was his best friend, and he couldn’t imagine doing anything without her.

Caroline nodded thoughtfully at Amy’s comment because she was right. Daniel wouldn’t say anything at all. “Blaine has decided to go back to public school,” she stated quickly. Daniel didn’t want Blaine to go back to public school. He said it was because Dalton would look impeccable on Blaine’s college applications but Caroline knew that he feared for his son. Daniel wasn’t evil just old fashion. That’s why Caroline always stuck around because no matter how many times she had to compromise her dreams she knew Daniel loved her and the kids. He just had a funny way of showing it.

Amy’s fork clattered against her plate loudly bringing the family out of their personal thoughts. “What?” she asked. Blaine couldn’t tell if she was surprised or upset. “You aren’t sending him back to his old school are you?” she asked quickly because seeing her brother eat through a tube once was more than enough. Those stupid bullies hadn’t gotten expelled like she demanded. Amy was skeptical if they even got the slap on the wrist the principal had promised. Daniel demanded they take the boys to court, and for once, Amy agreed with her father. The bullies ended up getting charged with assault and only had to pay a small fine. The judge had brushed off any mention of a hate crime, and Amy had wanted to wring his neck. She didn’t want Blaine in the same environment as those assholes.

Blaine placed his hand over his sister’s because he knew how she was feeling. “No, we live close enough to the district line that I was admitted into McKinley High School,” he stated to his sister softly because he needed to do this. He needed to prove to himself that he could face the challenges of the real world. Dalton was a nice distraction, a bubble from the fear he had ran from but it was time to face that fear. Blaine was ready to face the world because he was gay and they weren’t going to change that.

Amy nodded thoughtfully, gripping Blaine’s hand tightly. “Well, obviously that means I’m transferring too,” she shrugged shoving a fork full on potatoes in her mouth. Blaine rolled his eyes. They knew this was coming just like they knew Amy would want to transfer out of their old high school after Blaine’s incident. Caroline smiled gently. She knew her family wasn’t perfect, far from it. But she was astounded at how protective Blaine and Amy were of each other. Everything had gone so right with them and Caroline thanked anyone in the sky who would listen.

After a few moments of silence, the front door opened and closed, and Daniel entered the dining room filling his plate with food and beginning to eat. Caroline rushed to fix his drink. Blaine slumped back in his chair; everything was as it once was.

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Saying Blaine was nervous was an understatement. He’d never really hung out in Lima before. Sure, the Warblers went to the coffee shop, The Lima Bean, every once and a while but they never mingled with other kids. So, Blaine knew no one. Ultimately this might be good for him, going in with a clean slate, but that also meant he would have to make new friends, and well, he was never good at that.

Before he even considered getting out of the car, he straightened his bowtie, wiped the invisible dirt off the lenses of his glasses, and smoothed down his unruly curls. “Calm your tits, bro,” Amy laughed gently. “You look great, don’t sweat it,” she smiled sliding out of the passenger seat. Making friends had always been easy for Amy because she was laid-back and cute. Blaine was awkward and apprehensive. No one ever talked to him.

Blaine jogged up behind Amy. She had gotten half way across the parking lot before Blaine summoned up the courage to get out of the car. The deep breath Blaine took as Amy pulled the doors open didn’t help him much. He was never going to be truly prepared for this moment. Public school seemed to be his own personal hell. Blaine stood in the doorway taking in the scenes of the hall. There were groups of kids talking and laughing, like any other school. Then a tough looking boy with a Mohawk pushing a boy wearing a sweater vest and in a wheelchair passed Blaine. They were followed by a Goth Asian holding hands with a football player. They were all laughing and enjoying themselves. It was the oddest pairing of friends Blaine had ever come across. “Movie it,” a voice called from behind as he was shoved through the door, suddenly in the middle of the chaotic hallway.

It hadn’t even been a minute before a boy dressed in a green button up was shoved against the wall. The burley hockey player laughed slapping the awaiting high fives, Blaine shivered at the awful memories. Amy didn’t seem to notice Blaine’s discomfort for she was already kneeling in front of the boy. Blaine hung back and waited for his sister to finish up.

She helped the boy gather his things while chanting sweetly with him. Blaine saw the boy taking adoring glances at Amy when she wasn’t looking. It was another five minutes before the boy bid her a goodbye in his thick Irish accent. “His name is Rory,” she stated dreamily. Blaine rolled his eyes, five minutes, they’ve been here for five minutes and she’s already managed to find a boy. Blaine zoned out as Amy began listing off the things she had learned about Rory; it wasn’t the first time Blaine had to listen to his sister drone on and on about a boy. It made him feel worse. He was the older brother and he hadn’t even been properly kissed by a boy yet.

Blaine wasn’t just smart; he boarded on genius. Not having much of a social life encouraged Blaine’s success in academics. That’s why as a junior he was in a majority of senior classes. It wasn’t until lunch that McKinley High and the student body had truly rendered his attention. Blaine had yet to make any friends. The smart seniors in his advanced classes loathed the smart junior. So, he opted to sit alone then seek out a peer. And it was at the back table in the courtyard where Blaine first saw him or rather his hat. This guy was standing in a high school courtyard in Lima, Ohio wearing a top hat.

The sun was hitting his pale skin just right and Blaine almost thought he wasn’t real just some fantasy, the guy of his dreams. He was breathtakingly beautiful in every way. He was tall and slim, and he held his frame with an air of confidence even as a few hockey players pushed passed him bumping his shoulder. Blaine yearned for the open and out poise he embodied. Blaine felt wrong assuming but he had to be gay. It was written all over his face, and that was a major turn on for Blaine. He had never been so assured in his own sexuality. He was beaten at school and practically shunned at home. He had never found that confidence to say he was gay and proud, and this guy said it without words. Blaine was impressed. He watched silently as the boy talked to a group of cheerleaders. He wisped a piece of hair out of his eyes setting it back into place, and Blaine imagined running his fingers through that hair. God was this boy something.

Rachel Berry, an obnoxious senior from his AP history class, dragged the boy towards a nearly full table. He was pushed in a seat right next to Amy. Wait, Amy? What was sophomore Amy doing at that table? Blaine noticed Mike Chang, an extremely smart Asian from most of his classes; he was half of the Asian power couple he had seen in the hall just this morning. The boy in the wheelchair and the boy with the Mohawk were both there, too. He guessed the majority of the table had to be seniors. Then he spotted Rory, who was chatting Amy up quite a bit. And with the twin telepathy they manage to have without being twins, Amy looked his way. She waved enthusiastically for him to come over.

Blaine seriously contemplated. He knew Amy wouldn’t let him sit alone but he also knew she didn’t want to leave her precious Rory. So, he grabbed his brown-bagged lunch and headed towards the table. They looked accepting enough. “Everyone,” Amy addressed the table when Blaine came up to stand beside her. “This is my brother Blaine, he’s a junior,” She patted the seat next to her, which just so happened to be next to the top hat. Blaine glanced at the boy to see him looking back. Blaine almost gasped because he was even more beautiful up close, and his eyes were this mix of colors that plunged into Blaine’s soul.

Blaine shifted in his seat feeling attracted, aroused, and intrigued by the boy beside him. Rachel launched into a fit about him being in her AP class and Mike commenting about the same thing. Amy talked for Blaine explaining that he was a genius and taking all senior courses as a junior. The way Amy talked it seemed like he was some award winning physicist or something. The boy in the top had watched him closely. Blaine blushed and waited patiently for the subject to change, and it didn’t take long with Rachel. She didn’t like talking about anyone but herself.

She huddled close to the group and started whispering about Sectionals for the glee club. Blaine’s ears perked. He’d only been away from the Warblers a day, and he already missed performing. He hadn’t been aware that this school even had a glee club. “Can I audition?” Blaine asked suddenly. Maybe being in glee club would give him more credit like with the Warblers. It’s also the best chance he has at making friends. The whole table turned towards him, and he realized this was the first time he’d spoken. Rachel rolled her eyes ready to protest. Blaine had anticipated it; he never really seemed like the glee club member. Blaine was unbearably awkward and shy but when he was singing, performing that all seemed to melt away. When he performed, Blaine was some kind of stud that both ladies and men loved.

Top hat boy shot Rachel a glare, cutting her off. “Sure, we were all going to head over there for free period,” he explained gently. Blaine tried to listen but the boy’s voice was so distracting. His talking seemed like a gentle song. It had Blaine mesmerized. Everything about the boy seemed appealing to him. Blaine realized this was his first proper crush because Ryan Gosling didn’t seem like a realistic option.

The group continued their lunches in peace. No one addressed Blaine again, and he didn’t mind. He spent the rest of lunch sneaking glances at the beautiful boy.

When the bell rang, Blaine sprang from his seat and headed off to class without another word. He felt a pair of eyes on the back of his head but he figured it was just Amy. She was going to give him crap for not involving himself in the conversation. It just wasn’t his thing. Then it all happened so fast. A hand grabbed his bicep, stopping his progress to class. The only thing going through Blaine’s head was protect your face because the last time he had been grabbed there he went home with a broken nose. The tall football player dropped his arm when he realized how scared Blaine was. “Do you tutor?” the large football player asked, taking a step back and giving Blaine more room to breathe. Blaine let the tension fade from his shoulders and nodded shyly. Normally he didn’t tutor. His painful awkwardness made it really hard for both parties. He agreed because he was just incredibly intimidated by the size of this guy; he must have had a foot on Blaine. “I could really use some help in Calculus,” he stated.

The football player’s name was Finn. As they walked towards the choir room, he had made plans to meet Blaine after practice so they could head to his house and get started. When they got to the room Finn gave him a pat on the back and went to sit with Rachel. “You’ll have to sing,” Rachel stated. “And I know not everyone can be as prepared as me, so you can just sit in this time and sing next week,” Blaine nodded gently at her words. He understood where she was coming from. The Warblers only held auditions on certain days and if you weren’t ready, you weren’t getting in. The lenience was new.

Blaine watched quietly as the group proceeded with their meeting. There were quirky jokes and even some gossip throughout the meeting. Blaine quickly came to realize that New Directions was nothing like the Warblers. They were all friends and misfits who loved to sing. The Warblers had been a rigorist extracurricular activity that looked good on college applications. While most of the boy loved to perform, the Warblers were just something to pass the time. New Directions had a real heart for what they were doing. Blaine could tell that this group had changed and affected every one of these students’ lives, and it made him yearn to be a part of it all.