Blaine was only a Freshman when it all occurred, and it was just after he had come out to his parents. However, Jake Pastrano was really the first person he came out to. He was a year older than Blaine, and had no resemblance to the pale-skinned elfish boy who currently occupied his romantic thoughts, but back then, Jake was all he thought about. He was his only real friend, at a time when Blaine never really felt visible to anyone except for a few of the older girls who were in the school's choir with him.
Everyone in the school knew that Jake was gay, and while he was pushed around and whispered about, he never seemed to be phased by it. He just strutted around the school in black eyeliner and dark skinny jeans, with his dirty blonde hair spiked up. He was so bold, and so seemingly uncaring.
"A Sady Hawkins Dance? Really?" Blaine remembered thinking to himself upon hearing the announcement. He wondered why that was even something teenage girls needed in the 21st century. "Maybe this could be good for me," he thought, "true, I am in no way a girl, but fuck it, now is as good a time as any."
His knees were shaking as he approached Jake at his locker. The older boy looked at him through his golden lashes, only making eye contact with him for a moment. "Oh hey. Wassup Blaine?" Blaine took a deep breath. "I was wondering…..if you w-wanted to be go to the Sady Hawkins dance with me? I know it's silly, but I thought it would be fun." Blaine tried hard to say these words as if they meant nothing to him, despite the fact that at that moment, he felt more vulnerable then he did when he came out to his parents. Jake looked back up at him and smiled. "That actually sounds great really cool. Do you mind if I wear something crazy? I've been thinking about this white suit with a black collar that my dad has. It's awesome!" "That sounds great." Blaine said, before walking back to his locker on a cloud.
Blaine didn't really remember specific details about the dance itself, as he blocked much of the night out of his mind. However, he remembered how amazing Jake looked, and that he was even ballsy enough to slow dance with him during one song. He stepped into Jake's shoes that night, and felt what it was like to turn a blind eye to everyone else who might have judgements and just be who he was.
Jake and Blaine sat on the curb in front of the the school after the dance, waiting for Jake's dad to arrive. "See?" Jake said, resting his hand on Blaine's shoulder. "Not so bad. You gotta just ignore all the stares and whispers and-" "HEY FAGGOTS!" someone screamed behind them. The two turned to see three of the school's football players, who, looking back on it, all looked vaguely like that pathetic asshole Karofsky.
Blaine had blocked so much of the minutes that followed that only glimpses remained in his head. He remembered the disgusting, degrading names that they called Jake and himself, the punches in the stomach that hurt like nothing he'd ever felt before and left him gasping for breath. He didn't fight back that night, he just let it happen, waiting for the moment they would stop. He remembered the way the blood from Jake's nose had dripped onto his spotless white suit jacket, making it look like a white canvas with that a painter had accidentally dropped dark red paint. It seemed like forever before the boys stopped, walking away playfully punching each other's arms, as if they had just won one of their games.
Blaine's transfer to Dalton Academy came soon after, as this was just the beginning of the bullying. He never fought back, and while he was sure he would have had it somewhat worse if he did, that was the one thing that he regretted for a long time.