Blaine enjoyed his new found freedom. After being cautious the first day, he had realised that nobody in the house really bothered with him or where he was, so he had taken the first opportunity to slip out of the house.

The walk to the public library felt like the best experience of his life: the sun bright and warm on his skin while everything smelled so refreshing!

Inside he went straight for the magazines, searching for the latest issue of Vogue, reading every article and admiring the pictures. He could spend hours with a good Vogue and he did so as often as possible. He didn't care what people thought of that, if they minded. It was just one of the few things that felt good in life. The articles, telling people of the importance of style and colour with such conviction, made him forget his problems. At least for two or three hours.

After he had thoroughly examined every last millimetre of the magazine, he went to listen to new CDs. He didn't care for genres as long as the melody was good and the message honest.

As always, closing time came way too early and Blaine had to leave, still feeling better as he had in weeks. He tried to keep this feeling in his heart as he suffered through dinner and went to bed that night.

Little did he know that things were about to change more drastically than he could have ever dreamt.

In the morning he went down with the vague thought that his birthday was only a couple of days away and the question, if the Andersons would even acknowledge it.

He sat down at the table, still sleepy eyed as he noticed that something was out of the usual. Next to his plate there was an envelope. A letter. A letter for Blaine.

At first he was sure that Miss Figg had accidently dropped it while passing his seat, as she handed the post to the rest of the family but as he took it into his hands and examined the addressee he knew that a mistake was impossible.

Blaine Anderson

Attic room

Dalton Drive 16

Westerville

Kent

It was all written in bright green ink and his attic room was on it. That was way too accurate for a mistake. He turned the letter and saw that the envelope was sealed with a red wax seal. Blaine brushed his fingers over the seal in awe. He had never in his life received a real letter. Something that was addressed to him and not some letter of complaint from his school. This letter was for him and for him only. Still, he had no idea who could have written him anything. There was just no one on earth who would.

He was about to open the letter and find out what the mystery was, as Cooper's voice got through the fog that was his absorption.

"Blainers. Really. You shouldn't play with daddy's mail. It might be important and you could damage it." He gave Blaine a patronising smile before grabbing the letter and handing it his uncle.

"Cooper! That's for me!" Blaine blurted, watching with agony as uncle Vernon took the letter.

"You shouldn't lie about things like that Blaine. You never get mail." Cooper said, but Blaine didn't listen. His eyes were fixed on Vernon, who went from smirking amusedly to staring blankly in a matter of seconds. He held the letter up so that the green ink was on display and looked across the table. Blaine followed his uncle's gaze and saw his aunt's expression going from utter confusion to blank horror.

Blaine had no idea what was going on but all he knew was that that was his letter and he wanted it back! He had just opened his mouth to state that exactly that as Vernon spoke. "Cooper? Don't you have a date or something? I think you should start getting ready..." He trailed off, his eyes never leaving his wife's.

"No I am good. I don't have to be ready for hours and I haven't finished breakfast yet." Cooper shot his father a dashing smile, which went completely ignored.

"Cooper. Please go get ready." Vernon's voice remained calm but Blaine as sure to hear a slight tremor in it.

"But dad ..." Cooper started, but his father cut him short with an insistent Now!

Cooper looked baffled, looking for support from his mother but she was still focused on the green letter, now lying next to Vernon's plate. With a slight shake of his head and a mumbled "Why is everybody so mean?" Cooper left the room.

As the door fell shut behind him Blaine could literally see some of the tension leaving his aunt and uncle. That was until he started to speak.

"I want my..." He started but his uncle barked "Out!" and let his hand hit the table hard.

Aunt Petunia cringed and said in a small voice. "Vernon... darling maybe it's better... maybe we just can't change..." She paused. "Maybe it would be better to let it happen?"

"No!" Vernon yelled. "I won't let that happen." He had stood up and was now leaning over the table, the letter wadded in his left hand. He looked furious but Blaine needed to know what was going on.

"Please..." He whispered, looking at his uncle with pleading eyes. "This is for me."

"Out I said!" His uncle was still yelling.

"But..." Before Blaine could even really start the sentence, Vernon had crossed the room and grabbed him by the neck, dragging him to the door and out into the hall, screaming at Blaine all the way.

"What did I tell you boy? Behave and obey what I say. Now out and don't tempt me to make your worst nightmares become very real."

With that he turned around and stormed back into the dining room, locking the door behind him.