The trees rushed by the closed window; leaves blurring into shaky lines, trunks blending together, details and colour getting lost as pale eyes awakened into the oncoming darkness.

The d�cor matched Blaine's mood as his fingers tapped restlessly against his thigh, his other hand holding his head as he stared resolutely out the window.

This was such a bad idea.

Like really bad.

Which was definitely saying something since Blaine had had his fair share of bad ideas. Like that time when he'd thought it would be fun to jump off of his shed onto a trampoline into the pool, except he'd over shot the distance and ended up breaking his right leg. Or when he'd asked Heath to go to the Sadie Hawkins dance with him and by the end of the night he was lying in a back alley praying to god that the ambulance would come before he died.

Blaine knew firsthand what a bad idea was, and this, this was by far the stupidest thing he'd ever done.

Four hours ago he'd had a home. He'd had a room, and an older brother, and friends, and a massive closet. Now he had enough clothes to last a week, his guitar, his laptop, a couple thousand dollars, and a one way trip to the middle of nowhere.

He was the biggest idiot in the entire world.

His life wasn't even that bad really, his parents were perfect, his brother was the perfect poster boy eldest child, and his future was to be just as perfectly, and he supposed, that was the problem. It was too perfect, and he'd had no choice in the matter. The sad thing was everyone meant well, he was sure of it, but their kindness was like a hunter's tranquilizer gun. It knocked him out and stuck him in a cage before he could even process what was happening. His future was no longer his and the pressure of it was choking him, making the cage impossible to stay in any longer.

So he ran.

And now he was second guessing that brash decision.

He sighed and brought his attention back inside the train, eyeing the ragtag group that sat in the same car as him. Was he the only one running right now? Did these strangers actually have places to go when the train reached its final destination? Or were they just as lost and desperate as him; running from an inevitability that never lost speed, no matter how far or fast he moved.

Blaine shook his head and looked outside the window again, nerves shaking through him in time with the rumble of the train. He didn't even know where the train stopped. It could be a city or a town, or all the way across the country; Blaine really didn't know. But he did know that his parents were going to have a fit when they realized he was gone.

Oh god.

He groaned and put his head in his hands as a wave of panic rushed over him. They were going to flip out! They'd probably call the cops and his face would be on milk cartons and they'd never forgive him for betraying their trust.

He let out a deep breath and looked back to the window, the trees now indistinguishable figures in the inky blackness of the sky.

He'd call them once he settled in somewhere so that they don't worry. The police didn't file reports until 48 hours anyway, and because of his note they'd know he wasn't kidnapped.

But if they asked him to come home, he'd have to refuse.

This trip, this impromptu vacation, it wasn't for the want of nothing.

Blaine exhaled.

He'd give himself the summer.

One season.

104 days.

And if he can't find what he's looking for, then he'd go home and accept whatever's waiting for him; he'd accept the future he had been dealt with no complaints.

But if he did find it, the missing something, then he'd go forward from there. One day at a time. One foot in front of the other until everything made sense again.

But until then...

Blaine closed his eyes.

--------_O_--------

He awoke with a groan, wincing as he stretched and took in his surroundings. It was still dark, but the train had stopped moving. The last stragglers packed up their things, readying themselves for the next part to their journeys.

Blaine sighed and nodded to himself; it was time for him to do the same. Standing, he picked up his duffel bag and guitar, slinging the instrument onto his back before slinking the duffel bag over his shoulder and moving to the doors. He took a deep breath, steadying himself in his half-hearted affirmation before stepping out into the cool night air.

The night was calm; stars twinkled dully as the moon hung low in the sky. Fireflies buzzed lazily on the outskirts of the stop that consisted of nothing more than a slightly raised cement platform and a streetlight.

So this is where the tracks had taken him.

Blaine shook his head but continued to look around anyway, searching for an information booth, or a street sign—something to give him some clue as to where he was. He didn't luck out though as he twirled around in a circle, looking for some sign. He really didn't want to wander around a strange town alone at night with bare cash and a guitar on him. Blaine already knew what it felt like to beg for his life, he really didn't want to do it again.

He sighed and leaned dejectedly against the lamppost, his head hanging slightly as he weighed his options. He could give up now, just call home and let his parents know he was coming back. He could stay under this lamppost until somebody found him, if he didn't get mugged first. Or he could suck it up and wander around, get to know the town he'd be spending the rest of the summer in.

"Excuse me," a voice said breaking Blaine out of his thoughts. He looked up and met gazes with a pretty blue-eyed girl. She couldn't have been older than him with blonde hair that was up in a high pony-tail and a smile on her face that Blaine couldn't help think looked a little bit vacant.

"Hi," he replied warily, his guard going up instantly.

"Are you lost?" she asked cocking her head.

Blaine hesitated, not wanting to admit to a stranger that he was lost. But at the same time she screamed harmless to him, and he doubted the slim girl could take him in a fight. "A little bit," he admitted finally.

"Oh," she said smiling broadly. "Well I'm lost too. Can I stay with you until they come and find me?"

Blaine paused not sure what to say. "Umm..."

"Please?" she asked her smile faltering as her lips started to tremble. "It's really late and I don't want to be by myself."

Blaine sighed nodding his consent. "Of course you can stay with me," he said offering her a small smile. After all, he couldn't call himself a gentleman if he left this poor girl on the streets by herself.

She squealed and pulled him into a hug, surprising Blaine with her strength. He faltered for a second before hugging her back lightly, patting her back awkwardly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she squealed happily in his ear, her breath hot against his neck.

"You're welcome," he replied awkwardly.

She let him go, still bouncing happily as she stepped back. "My name's Britney by the way," she said holding out her hand as if the hug wasn't enough.

Blaine took it limply, still not trusting the girl.

"Blaine."

Britney cocked her head, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Blaine," she said processing the name in her head. "Blaine. Blaine. bLaine."

"Is something wrong?" he asked crossing his arms.

"No," she replied cheerily shaking her head. "I just like your name. It's unique. Like your hair." She leaned closer and pulled one of Blaine's loose curls, giggling as it sprung back into place. Blaine frowned, instantly feeling self-conscious of the wild mane that he'd been cursed to call his hair.

"Aw dolphin," she said frowning. "Don't be embarrassed, your hair is beautiful."

Blaine raised a triangular eyebrow at the strange girl in front of him. "Dolphin?" he asked with a hint of exasperation.
"It's what you are, isn't it?" She asked cocking her head again.

Blaine laughed nervously shaking his head. "No," he said as if talking to a small child. "I'm a human."

The girl rolled her eyes. "I know that," she replied. "But you're gay, and dolphins are just gay sharks."

Blaine stared at her mouth agape for a few moments before he burst into laughter. The deep laughs doubled him over and he held onto the post for support before he crumbled to the ground completely.

"What's so funny?" Britney asked looking at Blaine like he was crazy.

The boy in question just shook his head, wiping his eyes absently as he tried to regain control of his breathing. "N-nothing," he answered righting himself. "You're very right."

Britney grinned broadly patting Blaine's head. "I thought so. I know a dolphin when I see one."

Blaine shook his head again, the smile still playing on the corner of his mouth. "So who are you waiting for?" he asked after a beat of silence.

"The gang," she stated simply, looking off into the darkness as if they would just appear upon being summoned.

Blaine balked, freezing where he stood. "What do you mean, gang?"

Britney shrugged turning back to him. "A group of people?" she asked cocking her head. "That's what Mike always tells me to say."

Britney turned away from him again, leaning this way and that way as she searched the night. Blaine paled as he mouthed the name 'Mike' silently. With Blaine's luck, Mike was probably a massive bald biker dude who was Britney's sugar daddy and the leader of the "gang." How did Blaine get so lucky?

"Look," he started, readjusting the guitar on his back. "I think that I—"

"There they are!" Britney yelled. She promptly started jumping up and down and waving her hands like a maniac. A few seconds later Blaine saw flashlight heads moving around, their light piercing through the darkness. One of them waved back and Britney stopped jumping, but she still bounced on her toes energetically, her hands clasped together in anticipation. Blaine debated leaving, allowing Britney to deal with whatever people she found in the darkness, but once again his gentleman nature forced him to stay and make sure that she was okay, and that her "gang" wasn't too shady.

A tall Asian boy stepped out of the cover of the night, the rest of the lights staying dormant in the shadows as he enveloped Britney in a massive hug. She giggled and wrapped her legs around his waist, laughing as he spun her around. Eventually he put her back on the ground and gave her a quick once over, making sure she was alright.

"Don't you ever get lost like that again," he reprimanded pointing a finger dangerously close to her face.
Britney pouted, her lips trembling. "I know," she said lowering the Asian's hand as she spoke. "I just got distracted for a second and when I looked around again you guys were gone."

"We were worried sick!" he said exasperated putting his hand on her shoulder. "You could have gotten hurt." Britney shrugged.

"Blaine looked after me."

The boy's face scrunched up for a second before he finally noticed Blaine standing an awkward distance away. The stranger nodded towards him, "This Blaine?"

"Yup," Britney nodded with a smile.

The Asian took a threatening step towards Blaine before smiling and holding out a hand. "Thanks for doing me a solid, Blaine," he said eagerly. Shocked, Blaine took the hand on auto-pilot, noticing the firm grip and perfect-length of the hand contact. "I don't know what I'd do if anything bad happened to her."

"So these are bad sorts then?" Blaine asked instead of acknowledging the stranger's recognition. He still had no idea where he was, but if the stranger was so worried Blaine figured he should have some idea what he was walking into.

The boy gave him a strange look before laughing softly over his words. "No," he replied. "But it doesn't take a bad area to have bad people who'd do bad things to a vulnerable girl if given the chance."

"I wouldn't call her vulnerable," Blaine scoffed. "She's stronger than she looks."

The stranger automatically got defensive, his easy smile falling off of his face as he gave Blaine a judging once over. "How would you know?"

Blaine shrugged, feigning nonchalance though his muscles were tensed ready to defend himself if the stranger lost control.

"I hugged him," Britney said before Blaine could answer. "But don't worry," she continued seemingly unaware of the budding tension. "I kept it P.G. He's a dolphin so he wouldn't want anything else anyway."

The stranger relaxed at that, nodding to himself as he seemed to have a quick internal debate before plastering his easy smile back on his face. "So Blaine," he said. "I can't help but feel the urge to repay you somehow."

Blaine shook his head, his hand wagging with it. "No reward will be necessary," he replied honestly. At this point, he just wanted to find a motel and have a nice hot shower before crashing. Finding himself could come later.

"Oh come on," the Asian boy goaded, "there must be something that you want."

"Well..." Blaine started. "If you could point me in the direction of the nearest motel I'd appreciate it."

The stranger cocked his head, giving Blaine another once over. The curly haired boy had never been checked out so much in his life, and the way this was going, he didn't want to. It felt like being a pot roast being prodded in the oven, or like he was naked with nothing around to cover himself in. The boy had soul searching eyes and Blaine was worried at what he would see.

"And your name would be nice," Blaine added with an awkward laugh.

The stranger relaxed his intense gaze and laughed shaking his head. "Goodness, you must think I'm so rude. Sorry," he apologized. "My name is Mike, Mike Chang, and the nearest motel is three blocks in that direction."

Mike pointed to the left in the opposite direction in which he and the other flashlight wielders had entered form. Blaine let out a relieved sigh because this was the Mike Britney had been talking about. He was nothing like the Mike of Blaine's imagination and he thanked God for that small mercy.

"Thank you," Blaine said with a small smile. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem," Mike shrugged.

"Well bye," Blaine said doing an awkward half bow thing which he mentally berated himself for as soon as it was executed.

"Bye dolphin," Britney replied as Blaine walked past. They both watched him leave, eyes trained on his back when the cement beneath his feet turned to grass and then back to cement again. He hit the sidewalk and paused turning to look behind him.

Mike and Britney were gone.

Blaine shook his head and didn't linger, pushing forward into the cool claws of the night.

This would be an interesting summer. He could feel it.