Chapter 1.
Eight years. Eight years since she left this town with the man of her dreams. She gave up her dreams for his. She gave up her everything so he could have a chance at making it.
(Knocking on her car's window)
"Oh gosh. Sorry!"
"Rachel! Earth to Rachel!" It's Kurt, dressed it what he deems scolding summer time appropriate in an elaborate outfit which still includes an undershirt, short sleeve button up and vest. God, how does he survive this heat in those layers?
"Kurt! Sorry I got lost in my thoughts! How are you?!"
"Yeah, yeah, great. Just get out of the car so we have get some frozen yogurt and cool down. This heat is melting me and is no way good for my skin." Always with the skincare she thinks.
The two past besties, Hummelberry as every called them in high school try their best not to mention him and keep things light. But every few sentences his name almost leaves her lips and she bites her tongue. Things got rough after her world turned upside down. She stayed in their home, never boxed up his things or tried to move on. Her Dads tried to get her out of this funk with music and tickets to the Barbra Streisand Classics concert but even that didn't work. She was too heartbroken, too broken all over.
Kurt tries to steer the conversation and talks about the rest of the glee clubbers and how he's been doing in his little shop for children's clothes. She's glad he still got to create a life for himself even after Burt's passing kept him in Lima.
They order smoothies once they're done with their froyo and decide to take a walk through the playground down the street. She sees parents with their children enjoying the day and can't help but be a little jealous.. and sad.
They're walking past the grassy area and suddenly a small pink nerf football comes flying at her feet. She's picks it up and hears. "Uncle Joey! Why'd you throw it soooooo far!" A little brunette girl with ringlet curls comes dashing towards her and Kurt, barely able to keep her hair out of her eyes. She's wearing a jersey with the number 10 and Manning written on it. "How adorable" Kurt says as she makes her way to Rachel.
"Miss Lady, can I have my ball back?"
"Of course sweetie, here you go."
"Cool beans, your hair so very pretty."
Rachel is so captivated with this angelic little girl who couldn't be older than seven that she doesn't notice someone approaching them.
"Ahem Suzie, what did I tell you. Cool beans doesn't replace thank you." The voice is soft and smooth but assertive, masculine but friendly. I bet he sings. She finally looks up and sees him, small in stature, but still taller than her. Dressed in a simple plain white vneck that shows off toned arms and dark cargo shorts with converse. He shares the same head of curls as Suzie and has the most beautiful golden hazel, or is that tints of green? Gosh who cares they're beautiful eyes she's ever seen.
"It's okay, I learned a new phrase to try with my students" she finally manages to say.
"Yeah Dad, she's chill." Suzie says. She really is the most interesting little girl in all of Ohio.
"You can take the girl out of New York but not the New York out of the girl. Sorry, I'm Blaine Anderson. This munchkin is Suzanna.."
"SUZIEEEE, Suzanna is my Mom, DAD!"
"Suzie, sorry." He glares down at her but still chuckles.
"I'm Rachel Berry and this is my friend Kurt Hummel."
"Of House of Hummel! No way!" Blaine says with a smile.
"The very one" Kurt seems shocked a straight married man knew about his clothing store that usually filled with Moms and their rugrats.
"I love your miniature kid sized bowties, this one loves them. I spent my lifesaving at your shop last week."
And then Uncle Joey, who Rachel assumed was behind the long pass approaches the foursome and introduces himself. The five, especially Blaine and Rachel instantly click and retire to a bench under the shade for a snack break for Joey and Suzie and Kurt and Rachel to finish their drinks. Blaine tells them he and Joey went to high school in Westerville and he recently moved into town from New York after seeing that Suzie needed a more stable home life rather than traveling with him for his job as a junior coach for the Giants.
"Wow, Rachel's hus-. My stepbrother Finn was a great football player, went to Texas U for it" Kurt says.
"Awesome, what team does he play for now?" Rachel instantly becomes withdrawn and silent and starts to visibly shut down.
"Rachel.. are you alright?" Blaine asks.
"Maybe she has a brain freeze, I get those ALLLLL the time" Suzie chimes in as Rachel gets up from the table and starts to walk away and towards her car. Kurt starts to get up to follows but Blaine says he'll go after her.
"Rachel! Rachel wait up!" He catches up to her and sees that she's about to burst into tears. "Rachel, what's wrong, was it something I said?"
"No. Nothing. I just need. I just need to go home."
"Rachel please, tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing, just let me be Blaine."
"No!" He says a little too harshly, stunning her, and even scaring her a bit. He moves in a little too close, backing her against the driver's side of her car. She can smell his cologne, it's the same one Finn used to wear, masked with hints of sweat and grassy aromas as if he'd been at the park all day in this heat.
"I thought we were beginning to be friends. I apologize if something I said upset you." His eyes turn another shade of adorable, like a puppy, a puppy no one could walk away from.
"It's just.." She tries to form a sentence but can't stop looking at him. A handsome, sexy, successful man who wants to talk to her and comfort her. "Football's a sore spot."