By the time we were pretty much all settled in and finished unpacking the new school year was about to start up in a few weeks.

I’d be attending William McKinley High School, I’d barely even heard of it before only that their glee club beat the Warblers at Regional’s, and I actually a little nervous of what it might be like.

Sensing my nervousness at the dinner table that evening my dad spoke up.

“Blaine, you’ll be fine. Don’t worry about it kid.” He said lovingly.

“I know, I’m just nervous.” I shrugged.

“I’m sure you’ll make plenty of friends in no time.” My mom assured me.

“What if no one likes me?” I asked genuinely concerned. I always had to be liked by everyone so this was a real fear.

“You’ll do fine. I hear they even have a glee club, so I’m sure you’ll make friends from the extra-curricular activities you do.” My mom smiled.

“Do you plan on going out for a sports team?” My dad asks.

“I was going to try out for football.” I shrugged.

“Well you should go for it.” He encouraged me.

“What if I don’t make the team, I’ll be a loser. What if I don’t make the team because I’m gay?” I asked hesitantly.

“Blaine, you’re an excellent football player. Why would they cut you because of your sexuality?” My father laughed.

“No I’m serious! What if they’re like super homophobic? What if the whole school is? What if they hate me? I’m going to die.” I complained.

“You’re not going to die.” My mother giggled.

“This isn’t funny.” I groaned.

“Just go out for the team. No one even needs to know your gay.” My dad offered.

“So I should hide who I am?” I asked a little annoyed.

“Blaine, you know what I was trying to say. I accept you, I’m just saying until you get adjusted, until you get comfortable just roll with it. You don’t have to date the cheerleaders or any other charades. You can even tell people if they ask, but if you’re scared of how they might treat just don’t walk in there like ‘hey guys I’m gay’ you don’t have to announce it if you’re scared. I’m not telling you to go back into the closet, I’m just saying if you’re uncomfortable you don’t want to cause any more trouble.” He explained.

“Yeah, I understand what you mean.” I shrugged.

“So when are try outs?”

So there I stood the side lines of the football field at William McKinley High School. I was going to do this.

I joined in with a small group of guys warming up on the side. They seemed to all have known each other pretty well and they were talking about their summers.

“Hey new kid catch!” One of them said as a football came my way. I caught and threw it back a perfect spiral.

“This kid’s good. What’s your name?” The boy who threw the ball asked taking off his helmet and running over to me with a few other guys.

“Hi I’m Blaine, Blaine Anderson.” I said extending my hand for him to shake. Damn me and my politeness he probably thinks I’m weird.

“Well I’m Noah Puckerman, but you can call my Puck.” He grinned, slapping my hand as if it was some awkward high five.

“Welp, this is the quarterback, Finn Hudson.” Puck introduced me to what had to be the tallest person I’d ever seen. And my height didn’t help, he was practically towering over me.

And he noticed it too. “Oh my God! He’s so tiny! It’s adorable!” Finn laughed.

“Hey Hudson you catch the gay disease from your little fairy?” A stocky football player yelled to him.

“Watch your mouth Karofsky or I’ll beat your ass!” Finn yelled back at him.

Was this Karofsky kid talking about me? How did he know I’m gay? Oh God, this wasn’t going to be good.

Finn must have noticed my internal panic because he turned to me with a sad yet comforting expression. “He’s a jerk.” He said simply.

At least Finn and Puck didn’t seem to share the same views as the Karofsky kid so I knew not everyone was all that bad.

I was introduced to cute blonde named Sam Evans and a funny Asian boy named Mike Chang.

I hung out with them for the rest of the day of try outs.

They were super nice, and so far they were the only friends I was making.

I made it past the first round of cuts so I had to come back tomorrow. Luckily so did the rest of my new friends. They had all been on the team since freshman year and they told me I had a really good chance, so I was pretty happy.

We were walking through the school on our way to the locker room when I noticed it. Karofsky had just finished spray painting the word “FAG” on some one’s locker.

Finn seemed to notice it to because one minute he was at my side the next he was holding Karofsky up against the locker about to beat the shit out of him.

“Oh God, Kurt’s not going to be happy about this.” Sam said sadly.

I wanted to ask who Kurt was but I was too busy watching Karofsky get his ass kicked.

“School hasn’t even started yet Karofsky! Why do you have to do this to him?” Finn yelled.

Karofsky just snickered and walked away.

“It’s okay bro; we’ll help you clean it up.” Puck said calmly patting a very angry Finn on the shoulder.

“It took most of last year for it to fade off the first time, there’s no way we’ll be able to get it out.” Finn sighed.

“Then we’ll just talk to Figgins’ and get your boy a new locker.” Puck added.

“Yeah maybe he’ll just stick some new kid with it or something.” Sam shrugged.

I audibly gulped. Oh God, what if I was that new kid who got stuck with it.

“You guys can go change, I’m going to try and clean this off.” Finn sighed.

“Okay. You need a ride home?” Mike offered.

“Nah, Kurt’s supposed to come pick me up.” Finn shrugged.

“Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow. Call me if you need anything. Oh and how is Kurt doing?” Puck asked sadly.

“Better I guess. I’m not really sure.” Finn said sadly.

“Is he coming back to McKinley?” Mike asked.

“Yeah, unfortunately. He really really doesn’t want to.” Finn shrugged.

“We’ll have his back man. Don’t worry about him. Plus now we’ve got Blaine here to help out. Right Blaine?” Puck smiled.

“Um, yeah sure.” I replied.

I had no idea who Kurt was. From what I gathered maybe Finn’s boyfriend or something? I don’t know. But what I did know was that these guys were starting to be good friends and I didn’t want to let them down.