I looked up from the pile of glossy college brochures in front of me to grin as the door to the Lima Bean opened only to drop the smile again when it was just a random woman pushing a stroller. School had started the Monday before, but now, finally, I was free for the weekend. Not only that, but Dad agreed to having Blaine come over for the whole thing, as long as we both got our homework done.

Blaine and I had talked and texted almost constantly since the end of camp, but this would be our first chance to actually see each other. To say that I was looking forward to it was an understatement. A big understatement.

The door opened again, and this time my smile wasn't preemptive. Blaine was making his way inside, glancing around hesitantly. I could tell the minute he spotted me, because his face lit up.

When he got over to me, I grinned up, reaching to tug at the lapel of his blazer. "Look at you. Fancy private school boy."

Blaine laughed with a blush. "Gee, shucks." He joked before adding, "Is the uniform more offensive to your sense of fashion than some of the camp outfits?"

I shook my head with an amused smile. "Definitely not. This could never be worse than a ratty t-shirt and basketball shorts hanging so low they show off boxers." I paused to give him a longer look over, from the blazer and tie to the way he'd returned to gelling down his hair. "It would be better if you'd let me tailor this for you. It's a good look on you, though. You can pull off the dapper gentleman thing quite well."

"Well, thank you? I think." Blaine glanced down at the table. "Let me get a cup of coffee, and I'll join you? And maybe someday I'll give you the privilege of altering my uniform."

I nodded over. "Go. Get a drink. I'll be waiting right here.Or maybe I'll run out now that I've seen the horror of your polyester uniform." I teased.

He laughed lightly before he made his way over toward the line. I tried to occupy myself with the college information, but really, I was spending my time trying not to let Blaine see that I was watching him. It felt like a worthwhile pastime for late Friday afternoon.

The line wasn't long this time of day, so Blaine was back over at the table fairly quickly, settling down into a seat across from me. "What are you reading?" He asked curiously, sipping at his cardboard cup.

"College brochures." I spread them out in front of me for him to see. "I've started to plan for next year to keep me sane." That got a burst of laughter.

"Parsons. FIT. Making serious on those plans to go into fashion?" Blaine asked looking them over.

I nodded. "I think so. I might decide against being  a designer personally in the end, but there are other careers I'd love that it could lead to as well. Like being a stylist or a fashion columnist."

Blaine looked me over, taking in the tightly cut jeans I'd pared with a waistcoat, knee high boots, and a broach in the shape of a hummingbird. "Forgive me for not saying it earlier, but you look wonderful. This career choice is so much more obvious in your not-camp apparel." He reached out and touched one more. "Kent State?"

"Still not sure about that one." I admitted. "They're supposed to have a great fashion program, randomly enough, but I'm really not sure I want to stay in Ohio, unless needing instate tuition makes it necessary. My guidance counselor practically forced the brochure on me, so I gave in and at least added it to the pile."

Blaine nodded understandingly. "As much as I'd like to selfishly suggest you stay somewhere nearby for another year, I won't. I'd rather you be happy. You might want to go visit though. See how much it is or isn't like Lima."

"I might. I haven't ruled it out yet. I'm not sure where I'll get in for one thing. It'd be silly to only apply to one college. Maybe I will visit." I reached out to practically pet the brochure for FIT as I stacked them all back up together. "I'm going to go stay with Mike next month and visit a few colleges in the New York City area. I'm excited for that on three fronts: visiting colleges, seeing Mike and New York, and getting out of a couple of days of school here."

"How has that been going so far, really?" Blaine asked looking me in the eye. "Not just the 'it's fine' you text me."

"It isn't any different than any other year so far. No better, no worse." I said, reaching up to rub unconsciously at a sore spot on the back of my shoulder where I'd been slammed into the corner of the hallway wall earlier that day. "I'll get through it. Five days down. One hundred, seventy-five left to go."

"You've started a countdown already?" Blaine asked, chuckling at the 'of course I did' look I gave him. "I brought a tube of arnica. For your bruises."

It felt rather odd to have the tables turned there. Wasn't I supposed to be the one taking care of him? It was odd, but nice. If we were going to survive as a relationship, that couldn't be one sided. We'd have to take care of each other. "Thank you. I may need help getting to some of them, though." I didn't even quite think through the relevance of that until I saw Blaine gulp and nod.

"I suppose I could offer a helping hand there." He admitted with a blush.

"We'll just have to make up a good excuse, if my dad walks in." I said then shook my head. "Never mind. I'll make sure he doesn't. There are things he doesn't know, Blaine. I mean, he knows school can be rough for me, but he doesn't know how bad, and I don't want him to."

Blaine nodded slowly, considering that for armament before he spoke. "I think he'd want to know, but it isn't my place to tell him. I'll keep quiet."

I looked over thankfully to him. "His health hasn't always been the best. He doesn't need one more thing to worry about." That seemed like a good time to change the subject. "Speaking of schools, how has your first week been at your fancy new one?"

Blaine glanced down to his blazer then smiled over. "Great. Sometimes I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop, but my time at camp gave me enough confidence that there are actually decent groups of guys in the world to be more open to the fact that this might be another good place." I nodded, letting Blaine continue on. "The classes are harder, but I like that. It's nice to sit in a room with other people who actually want to challenge themselves and learn."

"I'm so glad for you." I said earnestly. "I only wish your parents had made the change earlier."

"Me, too." Blaine agreed. "But then, if things didn't happen the way they did, I wouldn't know just how strong I can be. And I wouldn't know you."

I reached out to rest my hand on top of his. "Maybe we would have met someday anyway. I can't imagine going through my whole life never knowing you."

"Destiny?" Blaine broke the serious mood by joking before he added, "So, this weekend, I was hoping you could help me get something ready." I raised my eyebrows curiously, and he took that as a sign to keep going. "There's an acapella singing group at my new school. Auditions are next week. I'm working up the nerve to try out. Getting in would be great. It would give me an instant connection to a group of people. Make me something more than just about the only new junior in school."

"Camp should have given you experience of feeling that way, too, huh?" I teased lightly before I nodded. "Of course I'll help. Acapella? So you can't even accompany yourself with your guitar?"

Blaine shook his head. "No. It makes the song choice that much harder, I think. It has to be something more difficult to get off key on."

I laughed at that then picked up my cup and my brochures. "Well then, we'd better go get busy. I mean, start on that!" I covered, even if I had every chance of making up for not being able to kiss him here as soon as we were alone. "Follow me home?"

"Does that make me your little lost puppy?" Blaine asked as he stood, grabbing his cup as well. "I'll follow wherever you go. Lead on."