Blaine was only thirteen, but he already knew his life would suck. There was no way around that fact, nothing you could sugar coat it with and nothing that could make it better. To put it plainly, Blaine hated his life.

Alright, hate is a big word. Blaine didn't believe in hate. If he did, he'd have to believe his parents hated him, but that wasn't true! They just…didn't know how to share their feelings….yeah.

Blaine's gay. He's known since the fourth grade when he was caught holding Kurt Hummel's hand on their way to math class.

Yes, caught.

Because ever since that day, Blaine's life has been a lot like what he'd consider hell to be like. Of course he didn't believe in hell, seeing as if he did than he'd have to listen to what his parents say the bible says, and he'd end up there. So he just didn't believe in it, simple as that.

But if there was a hell (not saying there is, I'm not going there!) than his life since holding Hummel's hand would be it. When his parents had caught wind of his little schemes, they had ripped Blaine away from Lima and away from all his friends that he had grown up with.

And they have been moving around since then. It always would happen, Blaine would go to a new school, spend the first two months terrified of his new surroundings, eventually growing to be Okay with things, actually make friends, and then…. Yep, always happens.

Somehow, always somehow, murmurs of his sexuality would leak out around the schools halls, or between the teachers (in the case of the rest of fourth grade and fifth grade). And you know what happens when his parents would catch winds of these murmurs, or actually catch Blaine with another boy? They would move. Immediately, or as soon as it was possible, they would leave. No questions, no looking back, no excuses, nope, they were leaving.

No matter how hard Blaine pleaded and cried and begged, they would leave. Just to start the whole nasty cycle again. And Blaine really hated that cycle.

It was one of only two things that stayed constant in his life. The other, of course, was his parent's firm belief that he just wasn't gay. They refused to believe it, refused to accept it. They had seen him kiss another boy, and boy did he get it for that (but his parents rarely hit him! They still loved him; yes they still loved him very much!).

They'd deny it. Uproot their family and move away. Blaine wasn't allowed to mention his sexuality. He had to keep his mouth shut as his parents constantly said "So any cute girls at the new school?" or "Isn't this celebrity or that celebrity hot?"

He knew his parents knew, deep down he knew they knew. But he had never gone out and said the words. He couldn't. His parents didn't give him a choice. Blaine knew, for sure, that if he sat his parents down and told him, made them hear it from him, that he was gay, shit, he'd have no place to live by the following morning.

So there he was, dangling from a swing set in Lima's Lions Park, staring at the woodchips and wishing, really wishing, that he wasn't where he was.

It was just two weeks ago that his parents had looked through his phone and saw a message that read you're a fag. Blaine had been bullied at his last school for about a month prior to that text, but had not wanted to move. No, he still had friends. Sure he'd take the locker pushes and the punches, but he had good friends.

But than somehow, always somehow, some asshole got his number, texted him, and his parents just had to read it. Then the red lights had gone up and they (of course) rushed out of town.

But they didn't have any place to go, yet. His dad was still looking for a different branch in his company to go take residence in (they were running out of corporate branches), so they decided to take a break back in Lima. They were living with Blaine's aunt for the time being, but as far as Blaine could tell, they weren't planning on staying.

Then again, his rich (horribly snotty, but he would never say that) aunt was only home a few days every few weeks. Blaine was told that he could stay in Lima, and they could stay in the house, as long as he didn't try to rebel again.

Rebel, again.

Blaine's eyes watered at the thought. He refused to believe his parents would hate the real him, because he didn't believe in hate.

No, he didn't hate that he was back in Lima, he just strongly disliked it. Why? Because it was going to be unbearable; seeing his friends again. It was his first night back, he wasn't even unpacked, but he knew word would spread. Blaine Anderson is back after three and a half years, woop-de-doo.

And oh was it going to hurt so badly when he had to leave. And let's face it, Blaine wasn't stupid. He may only be thirteen, but he wasn't stupid. His horrible excuse for a life made him grow up fast, and he knew, very well, how cruel the world could be. So he wasn't about to kid himself and believe that he would get his happy ending in Lima.

No, sooner or later, he would be leaving again.

That's probably why, Blaine thought as the summer sunset ghosted on his back, I'm so depressed. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep his friends away from him. He'd fall back into the best friendships of his life, and they would be ripped away. They were always ripped away.

He didn't want to leave Rachel twice. He didn't want to say goodbye to Kurt again. He didn't want to tell Sam he didn't know if he'd ever see him again.

Blaine kicked the woodchips that were under his swing and groaned. Why? He always thought. He didn't really know what his question was, but he just wanted to know why. Maybe it was "why does the word hate people like me" or "why does my life suck" or "why can't my parents just love me?" Why? Why?

Why?

Eighth grade, Blaine thought, was probably going to suck. Just like fifth, just like sixth, and just like seventh.

At least he had a good amount of summer left before he had to return to McKinley's school system. Maybe he could keep low enough on the radar that nobody would notice his return.

Wouldn't that be amazing?

Blaine was only thirteen, but he knew he was different from most kids his age. He just didn't know if that was a good thing, or a really bad thing. He was leaning towards a bad thing.

Noah Puckerman couldn't have been more excited for eighth grade. He and his friends would be kings of the school! They would be the absolute oldest, all the other kids would look up at him and it would be the total definition of awesome.

He'd have his partner-in-crime by his side, Finn Hudson, and together they would totally take over the school. They would be the stars of the middle school football team, and let's face it, there both totally studs. At least Noah thought he was.

I mean, Noah wasn't one to describe himself as being a stud, that's just not how he rolled. He hated people who were full of themselves and self centered. But he's pretty sure he'd earned the right of the title. Santana Lopez? Yeah, that chick like threw herself at him last year during the seventh grade. Once her boobs started coming in (and hell yeah they just kept coming in) she practically launched herself at Noah. Not Finn, not Sam, not Mike, but Noah.

Not really knowing what to say, Noah allowed her to become his first actual relationship. She was his first make out session, his first time cupping a girl's boobs, and the first time he'd gotten a blowjob (holy shirt, the rest of the seventh grade has no idea what their missing out on) but things didn't work.

Santana suddenly lost interest in Noah (something he still can't figure out why) and started spending all her time with her friend Brittany.

It was okay though; Noah didn't stay single for long. He dated three more girls before the end of seventh grade, and Noah was pretty sure his rep was insanely insane by the end of the year.

So yeah, Noah was pretty sure he was a stud. So he was a stud, and he was about to go into eighth grade, and he was going to rule the football team, and he would rule the school, and he'd have every girl craning to be with him, and he'd….. still be miserable sometimes.

Sometimes being the key word. Because yeah Noah was totally happy with his school life and his social life and this summer was going to be so awesome.

So in reality (Noah liked to be optimistic), it was only a small portion of his life that he was miserable in.

It wasn't like his dad got wasted every night, okay. It hardly ever happened, actually! Noah refused to believe it was an actual problem; his father was just going through a phase.

This phase started about a year ago, so Noah was really hoping it would end soon. Because he was really tired of watching his dad smack his mom around every other week. Hell, he was really tired of himself being slapped around every other week, but he could deal.

Hey, his dad always apologized, and he always told Noah that he loved him. So everything wasn't that bad. His dad was… just a little lost. And so was his mother. But they were fine, Noah was fine.

He was going to be the king of his school! Oh! He forgot to mention that he was about to turn 14, meaning he would be the oldest in the class! Another check on the why I'm going to rule this school checklist.

Yep, Noah could ignore his home life. Like he said, it was only bad sometimes.

Sometimes!

Noah was going to be fine, as was his mother and his father. He was happy. Yes! He was happy.

Eighth grade was going to be so good. Next year, everything will be perfect. Everybody will be happy and nobody will get hurt. He'd than tell himself it again so he might actually believe it.

Sam Evans wasn't happy. His parents had practically kidnapped him and locked him in the back of the car. He was on his way up north, one of the last things he wanted to do. What he wanted to do, very much, was hang with his friends.

But he couldn't. No Finn and Noah to hang with, no Quinn to stalk, no Rachel to ignore, no Blaine to catch up with…

WHAT? Sam's head instantly snapped around and he stared out the window, open mouthed, at Lion's Park. It couldn't be! It so was. He had just seen Blaine Anderson, the Blaine Anderson who was totally one of his best friends back in grade school, sitting on a swing set. In Lion's Park. Which was here, in Lima.

Can you imagine how much Sam didn't want to go on this stupid camping trip now?

Now Sam really did glare at his parents. He whipped out his phone and quickly went to his "da group" contact friend group.

You will never believe who I just saw sitting by themselves at Lion's park…. BLAINE ANDERSON! – Sam

Sam waited a short minute (using the time to glare at his parents) before his phone was bombarded with incoming texts.

The first, of course Sam thought, was Rachel.

You are lying. Do not lie to me now! Is he really at Lion's Park? You better tell me right now because I'm already walking out the door as we speak. – Rachel

I remember that kid! Dude was cute, but he was so gay wasn't he? Shame, I've been looking for some fresh blood – Santana

That's cool, you still going camping this whole week? – Finn

Is Rachel heading over there now? – Noah.

Sam sighed. He forgot Blaine turned out to be gay. Suddenly he didn't want to go catch up so bad. He also rolled his eyes at Noah's text. Only Noah would figure Rachel to go over there immediately. What he saw in her Sam had no idea, but it probably was something along the lines of a challenge.

All though she could be cute when she wanted to be….

"Why did your phone buzz, like, fifteen times?" Sam's mother questioned. "All that we ask is one week Samuel, phone away."

Sam rolled his eyes and moaned, before turning his phone off and handing it to his mother. Sam Evans was certainly not happy.

Noah grinned as he pocketed his phone. Sam didn't text back, but he didn't care. He knew the answer. Rachel Berry was so going to be at Lion's Park tonight and he would too.

This could actually be good. Rachel has been smitten with Blaine since the first grade, so it might be for a good thing that he's back. Hopefully he'll drill it into her head that he's gay (which Noah totally didn't have a problem with the gays, he just didn't…well, really socialize with them, bad for his game) and not available.

But Noah could totally learn from this guy. What did Blaine have that he didn't? Well, Noah would find out.

"Ma, I'm going out. I'll see you later."

"Noah, wait, what? Where could you be going at a time like this? Your father's going to be home soon and I don't…want him to think your running around the streets at night."

"Mom, I'm only going to Lion's Park. It's only like a ten minute walk…" Noah quickly thought on his feet. "Remember Blaine? Well he's back in town and a lot of us are going to go hang with him."

"Oh alrighty, tell him I say hi!"

"Okay, love you mom!"

"Love you too Noah, be safe and be back before dark!"

Noah shuffled out the door with a slightly pink face. So what if he still told his mom he loved her? He was only fourteen, he had the right. And besides… he kind of always told her how much she meant to him when his dad wasn't around. He just felt like he should…

Okay, back to the task at hand. Go get her, Noah huffed out his chest and put on the best smirk he could. He then realized he had a good ten minutes before arriving at the park so he could probably calm down. Alrighty, smirk on in t minus eight minutes, he told himself.

Blaine startled out of his dream like state as a van passed the park and his phone rang. Blaine swore he recognized that van from back in the day…

He shifted on the swing set and dug in his pocket, quickly pulling it out and sighing. His phone read Home, and what a joke that was. He has changed the number under Home probably ten times, and he had just plugged in the new "home" number earlier that day.

His phone read home, but it never felt like that's what was actually calling.

"Hey!" Blaine put on a fake cheery voice, acting as if he was having the time of his life now that he was back in Lima.

"Hey Blaine," his mother sang, acting as if she didn't just uproot his entire life for the umpteenth time. "You're going to be home before it gets dark, right? You've been at the park for like an hour now."

"Oh I'll for sure be home before dark," Blaine guaranteed. "I really missed the swings here, you know?" He put on a fake laugh which only resulted in his spirits falling even further.

"Well that's understandable sweetie! Okay I'll see you when you get home. Before dark," She reminded.

"Bye Mom," and Blaine hung up the second his mother finished saying "bye".

He gritted his teeth and sighed. No he did not want to leave the park, and no he did not want to go home to his parents.

The sound of woodchips being moved around caused Blaine's head to snap up. His mouth dropped. On the opposite side of the jungle gym stood the one person he missed from Lima the most. She too was looking at him with wonder, inching closer quietly. It almost felt like she thought too much noise would scare him away. Blaine didn't say anything as she picked up her pace, face set as she crossed the woodchips and plopped down on the swing next to him.

Blaine waited for her to say something – who wouldn't say something? – For awhile. Soon he realized she either was too embarrassed to speak, or too nervous. Her hands her fidgeting together on her lap, and her eyes were gazing at them.

Blaine smiled. Man she had such a charm. I guess he had to talk first.

"Hi Rachel…I'm back."

A/N - I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS. Ok, please review and tell me that this awesomeness isn't just in my head. And tell me i should continue. I do plan on for sure continuing (because boy do i have some plans for this story!) but it would still be nice. Smiles.