Even if news of the Sadie Hawkins dance hadn't spread through the entire school before the council had finalized a date, Ryder would have known something was up. The girls of McKinley were looking at him more lasciviously than usual. If he was honest it was really starting to creep him out. It's not that he didn't like girls. He really did. In fact, if Marley hadn't started dating Jake, Ryder thought he might be able to fall for her, but the truth was, since he joined glee club there was only one person he thought of in that way - Blaine Anderson.

It wasn't the first time he had a crush on a boy and he'd lusted after enough movie stars and starlets to know he was bisexual. He'd done enough research on the Internet to understand the whatfors and whys and how's of it all and he was confident enough in his sexuality to be OK with it. He just didn't know how to ask out a boy. In theory it should be the same as asking out a girl, but girls always gave him unspoken signals that his advances would be welcome. Guys never gave him those signals. He understood why. It was Lima, Ohio after all and he had heard enough about what Blaine and Finn's brother had gone through to understand the risks.

But asking out Blaine should be safe, at least in that respect. He didn't assume he was guaranteed a "yes", but at least he wouldn't be ridiculed or worse in return for affections. The problem was that he really likes Blaine. He liked him more than he had ever liked another boy or girl. He saw Blaine every day in glee club, but couldn't speak to him. He ended up mumbling and stuttering and tripping over his own feet. Finn had already sentenced him to permanent booty camp and judging by the looks Blaine always gave him, he was pretty sure Blaine thought he was a blithering, bumbling idiot.

As the glee club watched Tina's performance it was pretty clear who she was singing to. Clear to everyone but Blaine that is. Blaine was completely unaware right up until Tina asked him to the dance. That level of obliviousness shouldn't be so hot, but Ryder was more charmed than ever. How could someone that attractive be that unaware of the effect he had on people. He really wanted to go to the dance with Blaine.

He had a pretty detailed fantasy about how the night would go. He pictured Blaine in a really well tailored, classic black suit and he would go easier on the gel than usual. All the better for later in the night when Ryder imagined running his fingers through Blaine's hair. He didn't know much about Blaine's home life, but he hoped his parents were proud of him and would want to take pictures by the living room fireplace. He could just imagine how good Blaine looked when he blushed from the parent induce embarrassment. He imagined them walking into the dance hand in hand, slow dancing, and in his bravest fantasies he imagined a good night kiss. He really wanted to go to the dance with Blaine. He just didn't know how to ask.

Jake interrupted him during one of his more vivid fantasies. He was just about to go in for a goodnight kiss when Jake dropped his books loudly on the table. "Hey buddy. Anyone ask you to the dance yet?"

"No, Chrissie McIntyre keeps following me to my locker, but runs off when I ask her what's up."

"Wow. Chrissie McIntyre? She's pretty hot."

Ryder just shrugged, "I guess."

Jake smiled to himself. He was starting to understand. "You want someone else to ask you."

Jake blushed to his very core. "Maybe I should be doing the asking?"

Jake thought maybe he didn't understand at all. "It's a Sadie Hawkins dance. The girls are supposed to ask the guys."

"We'll, the guys are supposed to get asked..."

"Who are we talking about here?"

Here goes. He looked up and for the first time looked Jake on the eyes. "It's Blaine. I want to go with Blaine."

There was a long pause while Jake processed the information and to Ryder it felt like an eternity. "Anderson? Wow. I'm not going to pretend I'm not surprised, but from a purely theoretical standpoint, I suppose I can see the attraction."

"Theoretical?"

"Yeah, I mean he's talented and smart and I suppose he's a good looking guy. Although, now that I know you're into that, I'm a little hurt that you don't want to get all up on this." Jake gestured to his own body in a way Ryder assumed was supposed to be alluring, but just made him laugh. It was just the release he needed and he silently thanked his friend for breaking the tension.

Jake was happy to see his friend relax for the first time since he had sat down. "You know, my brother got pretty close to Anderson last year. He says that he heard Blaine went through some pretty bad stuff at his old school, the one before Dalton, but that he still stood up for Kurt more than once. He fought off bullies and danced with him in front of the whole school and sang to him in the courtyard. He seems like he'd make a pretty great first boyfriend. And considering all he's been through, he must be tougher than he looks to walk into school every day in pants that tight. Don't get me started on the bowties."

Ryder blushed again and averted his eyes. Jake noticed and chuckled a little under his breath, "don't tell me?"

"What? I think the bowties are hot."

"You really do have it bad."

Ryder just groaned and put his head down on his books. He really wanted to go to the dance with Blaine.

Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. Tina had somehow convinced Blaine to change his mind and they went together. The closest he got to a slow dance was backing up Blaine on Scrubs. As he was packing up to leave that night Jake came over to check on him before he left to drive Marley home, "You doing OK?" Jake had noticed Ryder watching Blaine during 'I Only Have Eyes for You' and her was worried about his friend. He also noted where Blaine's attentions were directed and knew that Ryder wasn't the only one with a crush.

But Ryder seemed to be handling it all fairly well even if he was a little disappointed, "Yeah, sure, I mean..."

"Don't sweat it. We'll figure something out."

"We?"

"Sure. What are best friends for?"