Being a Cheerio had never been part of Blaine's original high school plan. Glee club and student council were supposed to be his main focus. Despite the fact that he was a co-captain, cheerleading did little to boost his résumé and took up a large amount of his time. Coach Sue was horrible in practices. She yelled constantly about how horrible and lazy they were, ironically, from her chair seated high on the top of the bleachers. Practices could be very exhausting and strenuous. They would warm up with 5 laps, jumping jacks, crunches, push-ups, and then whatever else Sue could come up with to torture them. After they were finished with that they would prepare for the upcoming football game that week. They practiced all their cheers and routines until they were ready to drop. Practices stayed consistent, until the week of regionals. Blaine was so stressed out with everything on his mind. Mr. Shue had scheduled more rehearsasl to prepare and Coach Sue bumped up the number of workouts a week as well as the length of the practices, and the intensity of her torture methods. On Wednesday, two days before regionals, Blaine was forced to go to both practices. He finished glee club's rehearsal and then quickly walked down the hallway and into the gym. He changed into his uniform and rushed out on the field. Sue was in her normal position at the top of the bleachers. Blaine hurried up and stood in front of her.
"Sorry I'm late Coach, Glee rehearsal ran long." Blaine said.
"You know I don't accept people coming late." Sue replied.
"I know but…" Blaine began before she cut him off.
"I really don't care gay Clark Kent. Go and take your 5 laps and then add 10 more onto that for being late." Sue replied.
"But, that's like 15 laps!" Blaine exclaimed.
'Well, maybe you'll think next time before coming late to my practices again." Sue replied in a cold voice. Blaine nodded. There was nothing more he could say to change her mind. So, he walked off the bleachers and began his laps. The sun was sweltering that day and it was also humid. By the time he reached lap nine, he was sweating and having a hard time breathing. His asthma had never been this bad before. He was wheezing to the point where little to no air was entering his lungs and he was feeling dizzy. He managed to make his way over to Sue through the haze forming over his eyes and his minimal breathing.
'Coach *wheeze*, Can I *wheeze* please go get my *wheeze* inhaler?" He asked through his wheezes.
"I only counted nine laps, Anderson." Sue said without even glancing in his direction.
"I know *wheeze* but I can't *wheeze* breathe." Blaine managed to get out. Sue rolled her eyes.
"Fine, you have five minutes." She said loudly. Blaine hurried off to his locker and searched desperately for his inhaler. He finally found it in the very back of his locker. He pressed it to his slighty blue lips and took two deep breaths in and let the medicine filter into his lungs. Slowly he felt his lungs open back up and the wheezes subsided. He stowed his inhaler in his back pocket, because if he was going to have to run six more laps he was going to need it. He walked out of the locker room and back onto the field. He glanced back up at Sue and started running again. By the time he had reached the fourteenth lap, he couldn't take it anymore. That nauseous feeling you get when you run too much was completely occupying his stomach. He could feel the nausea increasing and then he felt the vomit begin to rise in his throat. He quickly got over into the grass off of the turf field. He bent over with his feet apart and put his hands on his knees. Then he threw up all over the grass. He coughed and continued to vomit. A lot of the cheerios grimaced and turned away, some looked concerned but no one went over to help him. When he finished he ran his last lap and then walked over to join the rest of the group. He was a back spotter a lot of the time so he took his spot in the back. As a team, they did their routine. It went well until the very end. One of the flyers lost her balance. She fell and Blaine caught her, but he rolled his ankle the process. He knew it wasn't broken, but was most likely only sprained. He hobbled around on it for the rest of practice. It throbbed with his every move. By the end of practice it was swollen and black and blue, but no one even seemed to care. Miraculously, he was able to drive home. He sat most of the night alone on the couch with just the television and a bag of ice to keep him company. His parents were, of course, out of town like they always were. With that said, Blaine didn't sleep very well. He hated being alone in that giant house. He hadn't really slept in a few days because of it.
When he got to school the next morning his ankle as killing him and he was exhausted. Dark purple bags made a permanent home under his eyes. Tina was the first to see him.
'Hey Blainey Days" She said happily.
"Hey" he muttered back as he limped his way over to his locker.
"Are you okay? You look like your limping." She asked.
"I'm fine. I rolled my ankle at Cheerios' practice." Blaine replied.
"You didn't break it, are you sure?" She asked. "It looks pretty swollen and black and blue."
"I'm fine, really. I iced It all last night." He replied. "Come on, let's get to glee." He said as he shut his locker and limped over to the choir room.
"Blaine, I really think you should take it easy." Tina commented.
"No, this is out last rehearsal before Regionals. I can't. We need to practice. Don't worry about it. It doesn't even hurt that much." He replied. Tina rolled her eyes and realized there was little hope in convincing him to do what she wanted. They went through rehearsal. Each step left him in agonizing pain but he pushed through it. The rest of the day passed by slowly. He suffered through another unbearable Cheerios' practice and then went home to an empty house. Friday was regionals. His ankle still hurt, but it wasn't as bad as it was before. He sat behind the curtain icing it one last time. Maybe if it was numb, it would feel like people were sticking red hot fireplace tongs into the bones of his ankle. He was so drained. He had a horrible migraine that was clouding any attempt at making an understandable thought. He was also experiencing that always annoying scratchy throat, which always leads to a lost voice and a painfully sore throat. His immune system just wasn't up to par to compete with the illnesses wanting to infiltrate his body. He just needed a break, but that wouldn't even be a possibility until later tonight. Luckily for him, Regionals was schedule for the afternoon and the Cheerios' last football game was scheduled for later that night, so they didn't conflict. When he looked up next the Hoosierdaddies had just left the stage and it was time for the New Directions performance. He coughed into his arm miserably before standing up.
"Are you okay?" Sam asked in a concerned voice.
"I'm fine." Blaine replied before walking to his spot to enter the stage. The music began and the New Directions entered onto the stage as "Hall of Fame" began. Blaine didn't have a large part in this song, so he just focused on not falling while he tried to execute the dance moves. He made it through that song and moved onto "All or Nothing" with Marley. There wasn't much dancing in this song, but his throat was killing him. He sang the best that he could, but his voice cracked once. Luckily, the judges didn't seem to notice. When they finished they rushed off of stage and waited until the judges called the winner. When the judge called their name for 1st prize, they all rushed onto stage. Everyone was celebrating, but Blaine could only focus on the fact that he was so tired. He saw Kurt in the corner of his eye coming up the stage. He was back for his Dad's appointment which had went well. Blaine, because of his busy schedule, had little time to spend with him. Kurt ran up to him and pulled him into a hug.
"You did it! You sounded great!" Kurt said.
"Thanks." Blaine replied in a tired voice.
"Are you okay? You look pale?" Kurt replied as he tried to press a hand to Blaine's forehead. He flinched back.
"I'm fine." Blaine replied. "I need to head out. I have another thing to do." He said nervously.
'What are you doing?" he asked. "I'll come with you, if you want." Kurt replied.
"I have to go to a football game…to cheer." Blaine mumbled.
"Wait what?" Kurt asked. "You're a cheerleader. When did that happen?"
"A while ago; I really have to go." Blaine stammered before turning and rushing off of stage. He had his bag in the back, so he grabbed it and left. Kurt was left standing on the stage. He knew something was wrong with Blaine. He could just tell, so he decided to go to the football game, despite the fact that he hated football. When Blaine got there he changed quickly and hurried to join the rest of the team. They began their cheers and before he knew it was halftime. They went onto the field and set up for their halftime routine. At the end the same flyer lost her balance again and went crashing down. Blaine tried to catch her, but his body was so weak he just couldn't hold her. His hurt ankle buckled and he went crashing down. Went he hit the ground his head collided with the hard turf field. The girl who fell was fine but Blaine was down for the count. When he didn't move, a whistle was blown and Sue and a personal trainer rushed to his aid. Kurt and Santana who were in the stands rushed from their seats and down onto the field.
"Blaine, hey, can you hear me?" Sue asked. Blaine slowly opened his eyes and nodded his head, but it hurt. "Okay, stay still. We need to make sure you didn't injure your neck." She replied. Kurt rushed onto the field.
"Blaine, are you okay?" he cried as he sat down onto the ground. He turned to Sue and said, "Go make sure the other girl is okay. I've got him." Sue nodded and moved over to the other girl. Kurt looked down and saw tears in Blaine's eyes. "Hey, hey don't cry. It's okay. You'll be okay." Kurt soothed as he brushed a hand over Blaine's hair. They heard the siren of the ambulance and then saw the paramedics rushing over. They examined Blaine and then secured him on the stretcher.
"One of you can go with him." The paramedic replied. Sue looked to Kurt.
"You go." She replied. Kurt nodded and climbed into the ambulance.
"Santana, can you meet us at the hospital with the car?" he asked. She nodded.
"I'll be right there." Santana replied. "Hang in there Hobbit." She said with a smile, but Blaine couldn't see it because he was strapped to the stretcher. Kurt reached out and grabbed his hand. They drove to the hospital. When they got there, doctors rushed out and pulled Blaine in. They did tests on him, but it only confirmed that he had a broken ankle. Although he hit his head, tests proved that he didn't have a concussion. They discharged him two hours after he came in and Santana was waiting in the parking lot. Kurt walked out with Blaine who was hobbling along on his crutches with his foot in a large blue cast.
"Nice leg Anderson." Santana said with an innocent smirk.
"Nice smirk Santana. Did you steal it from the devil?" Blaine shot back. Apparently extreme insomnia and exhaustion made him quite sassy.
"Ooh, when did you get so sassy?" Santana retorted. "I like the new you." Blaine just ignored her. With Kurt's help he was able to get into the car. "Where am I driving to?" she asked.
"Blaine's house." Kurt replied. "I'm going to stay and make sure he's okay." Santana shot Kurt a look and gave a little "ummmhmmm". Kurt gave her his best bitch glare. She smiled and continued driving. When they arrived Kurt and Santana had realized that Blaine had fallen asleep in the back seat.
"I'm not getting him. He's your boyfriend." Santana replied.
"Shut up Santana. You know he's not my boyfriend." Kurt growled.
"Could have fool me." She retorted. Kurt rolled his eyes and opened the back seat. He rubbed Blaine's back and whispered soothing words to him.
"Blaine, wake up." He said. Blaine showed no sign of waking up. "He's really out." Kurt whispered to Santana. She rolled her eyes and squeezed Blaine's knee.
"Anderson! Wake up." He said loudly. Blaine's eyes fluttered opened and he looked around confused. "Where are we?" he asked.
"We're at your house. Can you get out and walk?" Kurt asked. Blaine nodded and got out the car with the help of Kurt and his crutched. They walked together to the front door and Kurt got Blaine inside. He waved to Santana to tell her that she could leave. Kurt got Blaine settled on the couch with a blanket. Blaine just looked so upset, like the tears could burst out at any moment.
"Blaine, I know you. What's the matter?" Kurt said as he sat down. Blaine tried to speak but he just crumbled. Kurt pulled him into a tight hug. "Shh Shh it's okay." He said.
"I'm just so tired." He cried. "I haven't slept all week and practices were so long and hard. I just can't take it. I don't feel good. I just want to feel better." Although they weren't together Kurt couldn't bear to see Blaine so upset. He settled into the couch and forced Blaine's head onto his shoulder.
"Just go to sleep. Everything will be alright. I'm here with you." He said. Blaine's sobbing slowly came to a stop and he ended up falling asleep. He may have had a hard week, but this moment was worth it.