The collage and letter were refolded and stowed as Kurt reached for the next grouping in the box. This letter had more photos tucked inside, along with the official program for the 2012 Sectionals competition.

It had been odd to see this for the first time, proof of a show choir contest he’d not been a part of. Even when he’d been with the Warblers, Kurt had still been at Sectionals and Regionals. Now, he’d moved on with his life, aspiring to bigger and brighter things. Still, that moment of sadness had come, more nostalgia than anything.

By now, Kurt had looked at the program and read this letter so many times that it no longer hit him. Instead, just remembering what would be inside brought out a laugh. Katy Perry. It was that letter.

Kurt,

Sectionals were this morning. I’m writing this at two in the afternoon, curled up in one of the comfy chairs in the Lima Bean. I’m sure at some point between now and Artie’s after party tonight, we’ll make the times work out for more communication than a celebratory text. I’m pretty sure I’ll have told you most of this over the phone well before this letter makes it all the way to New York even if we don’t but maybe not. Some things are easier to admit on paper.

One of those would be the fact that I was really nervous. Like throwing up in the bathroom before the competition nervous. I’ve been on stage in front of much larger crowds. I’ve had the lead in two musicals. I was the lead soloist for the Warblers as a freaking sophomore. I was never this nervous for any of that. All I could keep imagining this morning was the New Directions losing at Sectionals. We’re the reigning national champions. If we lost at Sectionals, we’d never live it down.

Things haven’t been great at school this year, but we haven’t taken /as/ much crap for being in glee club. Younger students have actually even tried joining. We added another girl, a sophomore with a wonderful alto voice, since the start of the year. We actually have twelve full members. No need to drag in band members or bribe random students to compete. If we’d fallen short at Sectionals, how long do you think that would have lasted?

Looking back, I think the horrible nerves were more fear that I’d let the team down than that I’d make a total fool of myself. What if I was the one that made us the laughing stock of the show choir world? How would I show my face in that choir room?

I was worried for nothing, though. The freshmen remembered their choreography. Rory remembered his choreography, too, even.

I remembered how to dance and sing at the same time. Yes, it’s stupid that I was worried about that considering how many times I’ve performed. Sometimes fears just aren’t rational, right?

The fear was gone the moment I walked on stage. As soon as I was in front of that crowd, it just felt right. It wasn’t the giant rush I’ll forever remember from singing Dashboard Lights as a team at Nationals, but it was wonderful.

Have I told you a million times already how excited I was to be up on a stage singing Katy Perry? Yeah, I know. Big shock. I’ll try to find someone who taped it so I can send you video footage of Part of Me. It was pretty epic with the dancing and all, worthy of the artist.

I have this whole picture in mind right now of what your face looks like as you laugh at me over this. As a result, I also have a big grin on my face, just so you know.

Anyway, to continue the play by play, even though I’m sure I’ll have admitted to this part of the phone, even if I left out the nervous hurling, the Katy Perry number was first. I took lead, but the whole club was part of it. It was great. High energy and the audience just ate it up, I’ll humbly admit.

Next, I got to pretend to be passionately in love with Tina again. We dropped the energy level a bit for a cutesy little duet to give the rest of the club time to actually breathe. I never saw myself as the kind of guy that would have a female best friend, but at least for this year, I feel Tina sliding into that role. She’s just plain nice, and we have that whole boyfriends in NYC thing to bond over.

Man, I’m really all over the place this afternoon. Back on track, we finished with a ridiculously boyband number. Seriously, we went old school with some NSYNC. Artie and Sam took lead on that one, with Joe, Rory, and Elliot getting lines. It was very suave. The rest of us had a grand old time dancing like fools in the background.

In the end, we pulled through. We’ll be off to Regionals, with fingers crossed that we might make it to Nationals this year. I’m still not sure who decided it was a good idea to hold a competition for a group of high schoolers in Las Vegas, but I hope we’ll get there a midst the drunks and the lights.

And that’s my rambling rundown of Sectionals. It was amazing to have you home, but I can’t say I wish you’d stayed. Well, selfishly I could, but I know you need to be in New York learning how to take Broadway by storm. I’m glad you’re there, and I can’t wait to be there with you. In the meantime, I’ll look forward to seeing you at Christmas.

Love,

Blaine

P.S. I’m including Exhibit G, a copy of the Sectionals program and some pictures from our dress rehearsal on Friday.

Kurt ran his fingers over Blaine’s name in the program for a moment, laughing over the Katy Perry comments replaced with a sappy smile.

The photos turned that into a grin. At some point, Artie’d ended up in one of the choir room seats while Joe tried out wheel chair tricks. Another shot showed Tina and Blaine cracking up completely in what was probably supposed to be a cheesy romantic embrace.

The last picture was actually serious, or at least more serious. Mr. Schue or someone must have taken it, because it was of all twelve members of the club in mid-dance move on the McKinley stage. Blaine was standing in front of the formation, so it was pretty likely that this was the Katy Perry number he’d talked New Directions into.

Kurt gave the image one last look before moving to tuck these away with the earlier letters. Someday maybe all of this would end up in a scrapbook, or at least the totally PG parts would.