CHAPTER SEVEN
Golden Star

The soft rumble of the car filled the silence between them. Neither of them spoke and the radio wasn't on, yet the silence wasn't uncomfortable. Both boys were lost in their own thoughts, too deep for them to even notice there was a person next to them.

It wasn't until the car cut off that Blaine blinked his way back into reality, meeting Kurt's amused gaze with a small smile.

"What?" Blaine asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Nothing," Kurt said shaking his head. "You're just so...calm about all this, I guess."

Blaine shrugged, "When you stop carting me around I'll probably have a chance to freak out properly," Blaine said with a joking smile.

Kurt gave him a playful swat. "Oh hush, I'm just making sure you won't have a break down meeting the Berry's; they're pretty overbearing."

"Why do I feel like there's a story there?" Blaine asked cocking his head slightly.

"Because you're weirdly observant and because you've met Jeff," Kurt answered unbuckling his own seatbelt, before returning his gaze to Blaine. "So you're okay?"

Blaine nodded.

"Alright," Kurt said, not sounding too convinced. "Let's go."

They exited the car simultaneously, Kurt walking around the vehicle to stand next to Blaine. The curly haired boy looked up at the store sign written in sparkling gold.

"Golden Star," he read aloud.

"Literally," Kurt said rolling his eyes. "It's her thing.

Blaine glanced at Kurt, "why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

Kurt smiled, taking a step forward. "Because you're smart."

"Is it really that bad?" Blaine asked letting his smile drop for the first time. Kurt looked at him shaking his head.
"Nah, I'm just saying that because she's my best friend. You'll love her."

Blaine nodded taking a deep breath. "Alright let's go," he replied pushing past Kurt before the boy could say anything.

With a slightly shaking hand Blaine pushed the store door open.

They were met with silence.

"That's odd," Kurt said after a few beats. He took a hesitant step forward, his doc martens echoing loudly through the large store.

It was nice, Blaine had to admit. With bountiful amounts of instruments hung up on the walls. There were racks of music books and rows and upon rows of cd's and records. But what caught the majority of his attention was the right wall. There was a stage. It stood about one foot off the ground, was covered with red carpet, a microphone stand, and a gorgeous white piano that was begging to be played. Damn, if this place was back in Westerville Blaine was sure he'd be a regular.

They stopped in front of the stage, Kurt looking around in confusion. "I told her we were coming, she wouldn't just leave."

"Maybe she hasn't gotten here yet?" Blaine offered.

"They live in the apartment above the store."

"...Oh."

The lights went out.

"Well that's different," Kurt quipped turning his attention to the stage. "Get ready for a show."

Darkness encompassed them for five more seconds before a spotlight shone on an Asian girl with a microphone in her hand.

"That's Tina," Kurt informed Blaine.

Blaine nodded but couldn't reply because music started loud enough to cut off anything he could possibly want to say.

"Regrets collect like old friends
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to play"

Tina's spotlight shot off, and another one came on the other side of the stage, this time illuminating a voluptuous black girl with a microphone.

"That's Mercedes."

"And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn"

Her light went out, and in the middle of the stage a short brunette girl was illuminated holding a golden sparkly microphone.

"The infamous Rachel," Kurt whispered.

"And I've been a fool and I've been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way
I'm always dragging that horse around"

All the lights turned back on. Tina walked towards Rachel as she sang.

"Our love is questioned, such a mournful sound"

Mercedes mimicked Tina.

"Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground"

They reached Rachel and put a single hand on each of her shoulders as she sang.

"So I like to keep my issues drawn
But it's always darkest before the dawn"

Rachel ducked down and moved backwards while Mercedes and Tina took each other's hands and moved forward, all of them singing together.

"Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa"

Tina and Mercedes parted, crossing each other and moving to opposite sides of the stage. Tina sang:

"And it's hard to dance, with the devil on your back."

Mercedes answered.

"So shake him off! Oh Woah!"

Rachel walked forward, stopping at the front of the stage.

"And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
And given half the chance would I take any of it back"

She stepped off of it and stood in front of Blaine, taking his hand and pulling him onto the stage behind her.

It's a fine romance but it's left me so undone
It's always darkest before the dawn."

She handed Blaine her microphone and stepped off of the stage to stand next to Kurt. Mercedes and Tina flanked Blaine offering him a reassuring smile. He shook his head but didn't hesitate, holding the golden microphone up to his lips.

"And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't
So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road
And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope
It's a shot in the dark aimed right at my throat
'Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me
Looking for heaven, found the devil in me
Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me, yeah"

As Blaine held the note, Tina and Mercedes rejoined him; all of them singing together in perfect harmony.

"Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa."

The music trailed off into silence.

Blaine panted slightly, an almost manic smile on his face. Those lyrics had cut close to home. He was sure they hadn't meant to do it, but his heart was aching and it hurt more than he let show. But it had felt amazing to sing again, it'd been so long.

"You are amazing," Tina squealed breaking the after song haze.

"Damn, boy!" Mercedes said giving his arm an affectionate squeeze. "We are keeping you!"

"You didn't say he could sing," Rachel said to Kurt something akin to hurt on her face.

"No I didn't," Kurt started crossing his arms. "And you were just going to bring him up there anyway?"

Rachel shrugged, "We're hiring him without knowing anything about him. That's a pretty big risk on our part, I'm allowed to have some fun."

"I vouched his credibility," Kurt argued.

"Yes, but you did that last time too, and we all saw how well that turned out."

"Rachel," Mercedes warned stepping off of the stage to stand between Kurt and Rachel. Blaine glanced at Tina who had a worry line in her brow as she watched the exchange.

"What was that about?" he asked her quietly, not wanting to draw the hostility towards himself.

"Rachel doesn't like competition," she answered, taking the microphone that hung limply in his hand.

Rachel scoffed glaring at Tina. "That's not true," she said stepping onto the stage and taking the golden microphone out of her hand. "I just don't like smarmy dicks who—"

"Okay Rachel," Kurt said cutting her off. "Do you have a job for him or not?"

"I just said so didn't I?" She rolled her eyes before moving to the side of the stage and putting the mike in the microphone stand. "How much do you like music, Blaine?" she asked doing a small pirouette to face him.

"A lot," he answered with a fond smile. "It's one of the biggest joys in my life."

She nodded walking towards him. "What do you play?"

"Piano, guitar, violin, harmonica, and oh man I'm killer on the tambourine."

Rachel's eyes bugged for a second before she controlled herself, but the motion didn't miss Kurt who snorted and gave Blaine a reassuring smile. Rachel moved to stand beside Blaine, her heavy brown gaze meeting his calm hazel ones.

"Do you want a job here?" she asked him.

"That would be nice, yes."

"Why?" Blaine furrowed his eyebrows slightly, glancing at Kurt who just shrugged like the helpful person that he is.

"Because I'm a Lost Boy," he said with a smile. "And it's a part of my duty to keep Hangman's Tree up and running."

"Hangman's tree?"

Kurt snorted rolling his eyes. "Peter Pan," he said not giving Blaine a chance to respond. "The name of their hideout is Hangman's tree."

"Ah," Rachel nodded in understanding before turning her attention back to Blaine. "Have you ever had a job before?"

Blaine shook his head. "Not one like this anyway."

"Right."

"But I'm a fast learner! And I'm good with people so your sales are going to through the roof."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Rachel warned.

"Oh cut the crap Rachel," Kurt said in frustration. "I know you're going to give him a job, especially with a voice like that. So hush and move on with it."

Rachel rolled her eyes and made a sound of annoyance before crossing her arms. "Fine, Blaine, you have a job."

"Awesome, thank you," he said with excitement stepping off of the stage to join her. Kurt noted that they were almost the same height and he had to repress a snicker. Rachel was one of the shortest people who knew, oh goodness, Santana was going to start calling them the Hobbit Twins he just knew it.

"You won't regret it," he continued.

"I'm sure," Rachel replied giving him a smile. "And, so you can get to know the gang, we shall have a party here tonight!"

Mercedes and Tina cheered giving each other quick hugs. "That's a great idea!" Mercedes whooped giving Blaine a hearty pat on the back. "There's no faster way to get to know someone than to get them drunk."

"Yeah," Tina agreed. "There are some things that you just can't go back from."

"This sounds like a cult," Blaine said with a breathy laugh.

"Does it have to be tonight?" Kurt asked Rachel with a slight plea in his voice. "He literally got here this morning, it's a bit much don't you think?"

Rachel shook her head clapping her hands. "It's a good way to test what he's made out of. Tonight, here, nine o'clock. My dads are out of town for a Cher concert, so y'all can crash here too. I'm inviting everyone so you better be ready to party!"

Mercedes and Tina let out another whoop, and Rachel joined in with them laughing at Kurt and Blaine's faces.

"Oh cheer up guys," Tina said. "Everything will be fine."

"And don't even think about not coming," Rachel staid turning her attentions back to them. "Just remember I know where you live and who you live with. Jeff and Santana will make you come if it's the last thing they ever do."

Kurt rolled his eyes but exhaled in defeat. "Fine, whatever. We'll be there."

"I know" she said with a wink. "So I suggest you two go rest because tonight is going to be amazing. Oh and Blaine," she said to the brunette who raised a brow in acknowledgement. "You start on Monday."