Just take a deep breath, Blaine.  Get through today and tomorrow will be easier.

The new boy continued down the hallway, glancing down at the papers in his hand and searching for his locker.

“Number 394.” he said.

Trying desperately not to look so lost, he waded through the sea of students heading to class.  None of them really paid him any attention save for a few curious glances.  He was a bit of a sight with his thick, black-rimmed glasses, his green shirt with the pink suspenders, and his matching pink bowtie.  He was short and had a thick mane of untamed, curly black hair.

Jesus, where is this thing?  394…394…Ah, there it is!

He read off the combination in his head as he twisted the dial and then pulled open the door, bringing his backpack around in front of him to rest on his knee as he unloaded the contents.

Suddenly, his locker was slammed against his arm, and a tall, husky boy wearing a McKinley letterman jacket shoved him hard, causing him to drop his backpack and all his papers.

“Welcome to McKinley, new fag.” the bully laughed in the boy’s face before continuing down the hall with a posse of giggling goons following behind him, high-fiving each other and mocking the kid they had just assaulted.

The boy had fallen to the floor, holding his injured arm.  Not this again, please he thought as he began to gather his scattered text books and papers.

“Oh, my God!” said a high-pitched voice.  The boy on the floor looked up to see the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on.

“Are you okay?” a girl’s voice asked.  “Kurt, what happened?”

“Karofsky.” Kurt said as he reached his hand out to help the new boy up.

“Th-thanks.  I’m not really sure what I did wrong.” the boy managed to say.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, honey.” said the girl.  “Those assholes are like that to everyone who isn’t ‘popular enough’.  I’m Mercedes, by the way, and this is Kurt.”

“I’m Blaine.  Nice to meet you both.”

He shook both of their hands and spoke to both of them, but his gaze was fixated on Kurt.  Never in his life had Blaine seen such amazing blue eyes, and then there was his gorgeously pale skin, and his thick brown hair styled to perfection, and his hands were so soft and oh, my God is he wearing a cheerleader uniform?

“You…okay, Blaine?” Kurt asked after a moment.  Blaine hadn’t realized how long he had been staring at Kurt.  His eyes immediately dropped to the ground and his face flushed bright red.

“Yeah, yeah.  Just, uh, a little shook up, I guess.” Blaine lied.  He was so stricken by the beauty in front of him that he actually momentarily forgot about the unpleasentness before.

“Oh, let me help you with that!” Kurt offered as they both bent down to gather Blaine’s belongings.

“Y-you don’t have to.  It’s okay.” Blaine squeaked out, still blushing.

“Nonsense.” Kurt said warmly.  He smiled at Blaine, and Blaine’s knees turned to jelly.  He smiled widely at Kurt, much wider than he meant to.  Kurt’s eyelashes fluttered as he let out a chuckle.

Blaine was cute, no doubt.  Behind the thick glasses was a pair of incredible golden eyes that seemed to actually sparkle like those of a Disney prince.  His lips were full and kissable, and he had the most adorably thick, triangular eyebrows Kurt had ever seen.  And Kurt, though fairly popular himself, had always had a soft spot for dorky boys.

The hallways were nearly clear as the bell rang, signaling the beginning of class.

“Shit, Kurt!  Coach Sylvester is going to kill us for being late.  Again.” Mercedes said as she tugged at Kurt’s sleeve.

“You go ahead.  I’m gonna finish helping Blaine here.  Coach Sylvester will get over it.” Kurt said as he smiled at Blaine with a twinkle in his eye.  Blaine returned the smile but broke the eye contact, suddenly overwhelmed with shyness.  Was Kurt…was he…flirting?

“Thank, thank you again.” Blaine said softly when he found his voice, still avoiding Kurt’s eyes.

“A’ight, but I’m not making excuses for you this time, Hummel.  See you in class.” Mercedes said as she strutted off.

“Don’t mind her.  She’s always sassy like that.” Kurt said with a playful eye-roll.

“No, you guys are really nice for stopping to help me.  I, I don’t know anyone here yet.”

“Well, now you know us, and really we’re the best people to know.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because we’re fabulous.” Kurt joked.  He and Blaine both giggled as they reached for the last item on the floor.  Their hands accidentally met, and both boys felt a jolt of electricity run through their bodies at the contact.  Kurt’s hand lingered for just a second, long enough for his finger to trace the length of Blaine’s with a gentle and not-entirely-accidental caress.

Kurt jerked his hand away and stood up, blushing lightly.  Blaine followed suit with a heavier blush, his face completely scarlet.  They stood there in silence as Blaine nervously fiddled with the book in his hands.

“Oh, you’re a Harry Potter fan?  Me, too!” Kurt said enthusiastically as he noticed Blaine’s worn out copy of The Goblet of Fire.

“Yeah, totally!” Blaine said, not really knowing what to say.  He wanted to sound cool, and going into a fanboy spiel about how much he absolutely adores Harry Potter didn’t seem like the route to take.

“Well, I’ll have to pick your brain sometime.  It’s always nice to meet people with similar interests.  Right now, though, we should probably get you to class.”

Blaine had forgotten about class.  He forgot he was at school.  He forgot there were other people on the planet.  He was too busy in a different world, a world where this beautiful boy, this Kurt Hummel, was talking to him and helping him and being nice to him.  This was entirely new territory for Blaine.  His past interactions with ‘cool people’ never ended well.  Not only was he a nerd, but he was also gay, and that combination alienated a lot of people.  He was beginning to think he’d never meet anyone who would be interested in what he had to say.

But then there was Kurt.

“Come on, show me your schedule and I’ll walk you to class.” Kurt said as he reached for the paper in Blaine’s hand.  His fingers grazed Blaine’s once more, and this time Blaine was certain it was on purpose.  Was this actually happening?  Did people like this exist?

“Ah, history with Ms. Hagberg.  Follow me.” Kurt said with a nod and a smile.

Blaine walked beside his new friend as they made their way down the hall to his first class.  After a few awkward moments of silence, Blaine finally gathered the nerve to speak.

“So, you-you’re a cheerleader?”

“The uniform gave it away, huh?”

Blaine chuckled nervously and nodded.

“Yeah, Coach Sue can be a pain sometimes, but overall I enjoy it.”

“Is it not- I mean, is it hard?  B-being a cheerleader and also a guy?” Blaine stumbled over the words.  “Sorry, not trying to be nosy.”

“No, it’s fine.  At first people looked at me a little funny, but now its old news.” Kurt said.  “Karofsky’s groupies hound me sometimes, but the rest of the Cheerios help me keep them in line.”

“Karofsky?  That’s the same guy that shoved me?” Blaine asked, looking down at his arm at the giant bruise that was beginning to form.

“Yeah, he’s a jerk.  He gave me a really hard time after I came out, but I refuse to be bullied.  He may be bigger than me, but he also knows that not only have I been practicing mixed martial arts since I was five, but my father is a State Senator who could have him put in juvie if he even looks at me crooked.  Oh, here’s the classroom.”

Blaine just stood there, mouth agape, absorbing all the information Kurt had just laid on him.

Kurt is a cheerleader.

Kurt is strong-willed and refuses to be bullied.

Kurt knows mixed martial arts.

Kurt’s dad is a Senator.

Kurt is gay.

“Wow.” Blaine said softly as he continued staring at Kurt.

“Wow what?” Kurt said coyly, leaning slightly closer to Blaine.

“N-nothing, uh, just- martial arts and your dad.  That’s cool, is all I meant.” Blaine struggled, mentally kicking himself for sounding like such a bumbling idiot.

“Uh-huh.” Kurt said knowingly.  He then handed Blaine’s schedule back to him.  “Do you think you can find your way to the rest of your classes, or do you need a guide?”

“I, uh…” Blaine sputtered.

“You seem smart.  I think you’ll be fine.  But hey, if you’re interested you could come try out for the Glee Club after school.  Mercedes and I are members, as well as most of the rest of my friends.  Can you sing at all?” Kurt said, still inching closer to Blaine and batting his eyes more than necessary.  He was definitely flirting, right?

“Actually, yeah.  I’m not too bad.” Blaine was being modest.  He was really an exceptional talent, but he never joined the glee club at his other school for fear of more harassment.  Glee clubs weren’t exactly number one on the ‘cool factor’ list, but if Kurt was a member then Blaine was more than willing to join.  He would have taken any excuse to spend more time around Kurt, even if it was just sitting across the room from him and occasionally stealing glances.

“Good.  Come by the choir room after school and I’ll arrange an audition with Mr. Schue.  Now, we really do need to get to class.  I think I hear Coach Sue yelling from here.  I’ll see you after school, okay?”

“S-sure.” Blaine nodded.  Kurt gave Blaine a wave and a smile before prancing off down the hallway with a little extra spring in his step.  Blaine couldn’t resist watching Kurt walk away, especially in that tight Cheerios uniform that perfectly highlighted all of his assets.

Blaine stood outside the classroom for a few more minutes, taking in the events so far on his first day at McKinley.

He had dreaded starting at yet another school.  They had always been the same, after all:  Blaine was different, he was nerdy and way too smart for his peers, and he was gay.  It was never easy for him to make friends.  He was always shy around others and never initiated the conversation.  He had been teased and tormented by bullies like Karofsky everywhere he went, and he never thought McKinley would be any different.  Karofsky shoving him into the lockers was pretty much what he had expected, but then he met Kurt, who took him completely by surprise.

Not only was Kurt insanely attractive, he was also sweet and actually seemed to like Blaine.  Blaine continued trying to wrap his mind around the fact that a hot cheerleader might actually be interested in him.  No one had ever flirted with him like that before.

No, Blaine.  Do not get overly excited.  You’re not sure that he was actually flirting.  He could have just been being nice.  Don’t get your hopes up.  Now, get to class before you get in trouble.

Blaine walked into the classroom with his head held slightly higher than usual.  He had at the very least made a friend, and that was a good start.

“You totally have a thing for the new kid.” Mercedes said as she and Kurt walked down the hallway towards the choir room.

“No, I do not!” Kurt protested a little too vehemently.

“Yeah, right.  I saw you batting your eyelashes and smiling at him all flirty-like.  I’m onto you.”

Kurt couldn’t hide anything from Mercedes.

“Oh, alright!” he snapped playfully.  “Yes, he’s totally cute, okay?  There, I said it.”

“Well, ask him out.”  Mercedes rarely had trouble going straight to the point.

“What?  I can’t do that!  I don’t even for sure if he plays for my team.”

“Oh, please!  He couldn’t take his big, puppy-dog eyes off of you and you know it.”

Maybe she was right.  This Blaine kid was awfully cute and obviously in need of a friend.  And he did seem to respond positively to Kurt’s flirting.  What was the worst that could happen if he asked Blaine on a date?

“Is it too soon?  I mean, we just met after all.” Kurt asked.

“Just ask him to hang out with you, you know, as friends.  Get to know him for a while first.”

“Hmm.  Well, he should be in the choir room.  I invited him to try out for Glee.  God, I hope he can sing.  That would only make him that much more attractive.”

“He is pretty cute.  He could use some gel in that hair, though.”

“Oh, there he is!” Kurt said excitedly.  He picked up his pace and walked up to meet Blaine just outside the choir room door.

“Hey, Blaine!” he said, trying to tone down his enthusiasm.  “I’m glad you made it.”

Blaine wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

“Yeah, I really like to sing, so- hey, Mercedes.” Blaine smiled.

“Hey there, new kid.  See you two inside.” Mercedes said quickly as she slipped past Kurt and into the choir room, looking back to give Kurt her best ‘go get him’ look.

“How was your first day?  Did you find your classes okay?” Kurt asked as he toyed with the strap on his book bag and cocked his head to the side.

“Yeah, no problem.” Blaine responded, smiling and putting his hands in his front pockets while rocking back on his heels.  “It’s actually been a really good day.”

Blaine looked at his feet then back up at Kurt, who was the reason his day had been so good.  Blaine thought about Kurt all day, wondering if Kurt was thinking about him.  He played that morning’s meeting over and over again in his head, analyzing everything Kurt had done and said, toying with the idea that maybe Kurt wanted more than just friendship from Blaine.

He allowed himself to fall into the fantasy that Kurt did like him.  He daydreamed about what it would be like to be Kurt’s boyfriend:  holding his hand, touching his hair, kissing him…

As he stood there looking at Kurt he began to question himself again.  How could this Adonis possibly be interested in him?  Embarrassment washed over Blaine as he thought how foolish his daydreams had been.

Kurt watched Blaine’s face as his cheeks grew redder, and he decided Mercedes must be right.  Blaine was obviously attracted to him, so Kurt decided to take advantage and maybe get himself a new boyfriend in the process.

“So,” Kurt said in a slightly huskier voice as he closed the gap between Blaine and himself, “you say you can sing, huh?”

“Uh, y-yeah.  I’m pretty good, I think.”  Blaine avoided Kurt’s gaze.

Kurt leaned in slowly until his face was right next to Blaine’s.  Blaine froze in confusion and arousal.

“Prove it.” Kurt whispered oh-so-seductively in Blaine’s ear before quickly turning on his heels and skipping into the choir room.

After a few seconds Blaine finally remembered to breathe.   A huge smile formed on his face as he realized maybe his fantasy wasn’t so crazy after all.

“Come on, Blaine.” Kurt said as he reappeared in the doorway.  “Mr. Schue is ready for your audition.”

Blaine nodded and followed Kurt into the choir room.  Kurt made the introductions around the room, and everyone was really nice and welcoming to the new guy.

During the day when Blaine wasn’t thinking about the hunky cheerleader he had been thinking about songs to perform for his audition.  He was nervous, no doubt, especially since Kurt was going to be there, but at the same time he looked forward to it.  Performing was simultaneously stressful and relaxing for Blaine.  He had always found it easier to express himself through song.

He tossed a few songs around in his head for a while before narrowing it down to a couple, and since he was now almost positive that Kurt was interested in him, he made his final decision.  He wanted something that wasn’t too suggestive but that would let Kurt know how Blaine was feeling.  He chose Till There Was You by The Beatles.  It was a sweet, romantic classic.  Of course he couldn’t sing directly to Kurt, but he was hoping maybe Kurt would take the hint.

Blaine told the piano player his song selection and took his place in the center of the room.  He was sweaty and his hands were clammy, but as he scanned the room and saw the Glee Club’s friendly, encouraging faces he relaxed a little.  He really enjoyed performing, and he was glad to have finally found a place that would welcome him.

The music started.  Blaine closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began:

There were bells on a hill
But I never heard them ringing
No I never heard them at all
Till there was you

There were birds in the sky
But I never saw them winging
No I never saw them at all
Till there was you

Then there was music and wonderful roses
They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows of dawn and dew

There was love all around
But I never heard it singing
No I never heard it at all
Till there was you

Then there was music and wonderful roses
They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows of dawn and dew

There was love all around
But I never heard it singing
No I never heard it at all
Till there was you

Till there was you

Blaine did his best to not focus on Kurt as he sang.  He concentrated on the words and his voice, doing all he could to be absolutely perfect.

His voice was absolutely dreamy.  Kurt watched with wide eyes as Blaine sang, his velvety notes filling the room and Kurt’s heart.  It wasn’t that difficult of a song, but Kurt could tell Blaine was giving it his all, wanting desperately to impress everyone and maybe sending Kurt a message through the lyrics.

When Blaine finished, Kurt led the room in a standing ovation.  Blaine simply smiled and nodded, proud of himself for not screwing this up.

“Well, I guess that settles it.” said Mr. Schuester.  “Blaine, welcome to the New Directions!”

Another round of applause for Glee’s newest member.

Glee practice was over for the day and everyone began packing up and leaving.  A few of the kids went and talked with Blaine, introducing themselves properly and making friends with the new guy with the killer voice.  Blaine didn’t talk much, but he smiled a lot and listened to everyone, thanking them for their compliments on his performance.

After everyone else left only Blaine, Kurt, and Mercedes remained in the room.  Kurt and Mercedes were whispering and giggling with each other and Blaine didn’t want to interrupt but he didn’t want to be rude by leaving without saying goodbye to his new friends.  He pretended to look for something in his backpack, hoping that Kurt would come over and talk to him.

“You need to go talk to him.” Mercedes whispered.  “He’s waiting for you.”

“Well, why don’t you get out of here where I can work my magic?”

“You are so bad.  Be easy with that boy, Kurt.”

“He’ll be fine.  I have to have a little fun, though, right?”

“I guess there’s no harm in that as long as you’re not just leading him on.”

“Oh, no.  Nothing like that.” Kurt was a little offended by the accusation.  “I’ve decided to make him my new boyfriend.  He’s cute, sweet, intelligent, and I like him.  I just want to make him want me desperately before giving myself over.”

“God, you are so dramatic!” Mercedes chuckled.  “Then again, I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same thing.  Boys are fun, aren’t they?”

“Yes, they are.  Now, you get out of here and I’ll text you details later.”  Kurt and Mercedes did their secret handshake and Mercedes said ‘goodbye’ to Blaine as she left the room.

Now the boys were completely alone for the first time.

Blaine felt as if he had been looking for nothing in his backpack for ages before Kurt finally came over and sat down in the chair beside him.

“Your voice is amazing.” Kurt said.  “I was very impressed, especially since you said you were only an ‘okay’ singer.”

“Well, I mean, uh,” Blaine floundered.  He seemed to have difficulty looking at Kurt and talking at the same time.  “Thank you.”

“So, what do you think about the New Directions?” Kurt tried to make small talk.  Blaine was obviously really shy, so Kurt knew he would have to lead the conversation.

“Everyone seems really nice.”

“Some are nicer than others.” Kurt’s voice had that husky, seductive tone again.  Blaine squirmed in his seat and felt the flush come over his face.  He hated turning red so easily in front of Kurt, and thinking about it only deepened the color in his cheeks.

Kurt leaned closer to Blaine and put his hand on Blaine’s chair, right next to his thigh.  Blaine was nervously playing with a pencil, adjusting his glasses, and avoiding eye contact while wishing he could think of something clever to say.  He ended up making a few sounds that could have been words, but they didn’t make any sense.

Kurt stared at Blaine as he brought his elbow to his knee and rested his chin on his fist.

“You’re cute.” Kurt said unexpectedly.

Blaine laughed timidly as he tried to respond, but once again he couldn’t form words.

Had Kurt really just said he was cute?  Blaine felt as if he had stumbled into a romantic movie.  All of this was too good to be true.  His mind was jumbled with a million different thoughts and feelings, all revolving around Kurt.

“We should go out.” Kurt said, reaching out to touch Blaine’s arm.  He let his hand linger, toying with the fabric of Blaine’s shirt as he looked up at Blaine through thick lashes.

“G-go out?”

“Yes.  You and me.”

“On a, on a date?”  Blaine was dumbstruck.

“Yes, silly, on a date.  That is, if you want to.” Kurt said as he pulled his arm back, doubting himself a little bit.

“I’d love that.” Blaine said a little too eagerly, smiling wildly at Kurt.

“Good.” Kurt said with a coy grin.  “How about tonight?  We can go to Breadstix.  How does that sound?”

“G-great.  Should I-should I pick you up or are y-you, are you wanting to meet there, or-“

“You can pick me up if you like.”  Kurt took Blaine’s hand in his.

Blaine’s mouth hung open for a moment before he could answer.

“O-o-okay.”

“Blaine, you don’t have to be so nervous.  I promise I don’t bite, unless you want me to.”

Kurt’s face was now inches from Blaine’s.  He admired Blaine’s impeccable beauty, from his brilliant eyes to his pouty lips.  Blaine remained speechless, not knowing how to respond to such advances.  All he knew was that Kurt wanted to go out with him, and he kept hoping this was reality and not just some dream.

“You are really pretty, Blaine.” Kurt said as he brushed some of Blaine’s hair behind his ear.  “Can I kiss you?”

Blaine gave half a nod in response, this time keeping his eyes on Kurt and having waves of new, intense feelings envelop him.  The world had fallen away and it was Blaine and Kurt, two people who had only just met but were already starting to fall in love.

Kurt’s plan to tease Blaine for a while was failing spectacularly as he found Blaine increasingly impossible to resist.  Kurt had had boyfriends before, but something about this boy was different.  He was new, yet familiar.  He was sweet and shy and everything Kurt found adorable.  Kurt used to think love was something that was made up to sell Valentine’s Day cards, but now he wasn’t so sure anymore.  Could this be love?  Is it possible to fall for someone in less than a day, after having spent only minutes in their company?

Kurt, excited and scared of his feelings, took Blaine’s face in his hands and gently pulled him in.  Kurt parted his lips and closed them on top of Blaine’s.

Neither boy had ever experienced such a surge of passion coursing through every inch of their body.  Kurt’s grip on Blaine’s face tightened as Blaine’s hand found the back of Kurt’s neck and pulled him closer.  The kiss was long and deep, fueled by intense attraction and blooming love.

Kurt eventually pulled back, resting his hands on his knees and looking intently at the red-faced boy across from him.

“You’re beautiful.” Blaine said without thinking.

Kurt laughed and blushed at the compliment.

“You’re sweet.”

“S-so I should probably get your phone number.  And your address.  For tonight.  For our…for our date.”  Blaine was getting a little better at this whole talking thing.  Not much better, but better still.

Kurt and Blaine exchanged numbers and addresses.  Blaine was still in a state of disbelief at the entire situation.  He tried not to question it and just go with the flow.  Kurt really seemed to like him, and he liked Kurt very much.

Blaine managed some conversation as they walked together to the parking lot, although Kurt did most of the talking.

“Do you happen to have contacts, by chance?” Kurt asked as they reached his SUV.

“Why?  Do you not like my glasses?”  Blaine was suddenly self-conscious about his eyewear.

“No, no, no, it’s not that.  I think your glasses are cute, it’s just a shame to hide those pretty eyes.” Kurt said as he removed Blaine’s glasses.  “Wow, they really are gorgeous.”

Blaine simply smiled as Kurt gave him a kiss on the cheek before returning his glasses.

“You homos need to stop faggin’ up my parking lot.” Karofsky said as he crept up behind Kurt.  Blaine jumped and cowed in fear.

“Listen, meat stick, have you forgotten who you’re talking to?” Kurt said defiantly with his hands on his hips.

“Yeah, yeah, I know.  ‘My daddy will lock you up, waah-waah’.” he mocked.

“Or, how about I just beat the shit out of you?”

“Pfft, like you could.”

“Try me.”

Karofsky looked uncertain as he glanced back and forth between Kurt and Blaine.

“Not worth my time.” he said as he turned around and walked away.

“What an arrogant asshole.” Kurt said as he faced Blaine, who was still scared after the encounter.

“I can’t take this, Kurt.” Blaine said, his voice breaking.  “I’ve had to deal with this everywhere.  And now I finally find a decent school and here’s this Karofsky guy-“

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay.” Kurt said softly as he wrapped his arms around Blaine.  “You don’t have to worry about shit from Karofsky.  I promise I’ll protect you.  He’ll never lay another finger on you, I swear it.”

Blaine was overwhelmed.  He felt so comfortable and safe in Kurt’s arms.  He knew in his heart that he could trust Kurt, and Kurt would make good on his promise.  He had been searching for someone like Kurt forever, and he finally found him.

Kurt felt terrible that Blaine had obviously dealt with a lot of harassment.  He didn’t understand how someone could be mean to this adorable boy, how someone could ever hurt him in any way.  Tears formed in both boys’ eyes as they stood there together, neither one wanting to part from the other.

Blaine eventually pulled away and wiped the tears from his eyes before reaching up to wipe away Kurt’s.

“Hey, thanks.  And don’t worry too much about me.  I’m pretty resilient.” Blaine said, his voice still a little broken.

“That’s good, but like I said, don’t even give Karofsky a second thought.”

“I don’t think even he could ruin this day.” Blaine said as he smiled up at Kurt, feeling much less bashful than before.

The boys hugged each other again and said their goodbyes, at least until later that evening.

Blaine thought about that day’s events on the drive home.  He couldn’t help but smile as he thought of the handsome boy who made him feel things he’s never felt before:  the boy who protected him, who shamelessly comforted him and cried with him, who was kind and gentle with him, and with whom he shared his first kiss.

What a difference a few minutes can make.