Ten years after the Sadie Hawkins dance, Blaine finds himself in LA for his cousin’s wedding. Eli still lives in town, in a house right on the beach.

Blaine is a bundle of nerves as he pulls up in front of the house in his rental car one evening. Though they’ve talked a lot over the years, reconnecting on Facebook during Blaine’s last year of high school, they’ve never actually talked about that night. He knows that Eli was in therapy for a long time afterward, as was (and is) Blaine. But maybe talking to each other about it is what they always needed.

When Eli opens the door, Blaine is shocked by the person behind it. Eli is tall and athletic and so much more confident looking than Blaine could ever imagine feeling. Eli grins at him, that same grin that Blaine remembers from 9th grade, the one that seemed to warm him up and make him feel noticed for the first time in his life.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Eli says as he closes the door.

They spend the evening on the beach, drinking Coronas with lime, getting perfectly blitzed on them and Blaine can’t help but think about what his life might have been like if they hadn’t gotten beaten up. He must say this out loud because Eli is saying to him, “Gay bashed, Blaine. We were gay bashed.”

“We were gay bashed,” Blaine says quietly, testing it out.