A/N: Sorry this took so long to get out. But I've written a bit of the next chapter and I've found the direction (see what I did there) that I want to head down for this story. So yeah.

After band practice, the members began to pack up, Rachel exclaiming loudly about some performance that they all needed to practice for in a couple of weeks and the others had rudely ignored her and hurried out. Blaine assured her that he would practice, although he wasn't really sure what for yet…

He was just finishing packing up his folder when the flutter of falling sheet music sounded across the room. Blaine looked up and saw Kurt hurriedly picking up the mess of paper that was floating around. Summoning up all his gentleman courage, Blaine hurried over to help.

"Thanks," Kurt said gratefully as he began to gather pieces. "I'm not usually this clumsy you know…"

"Thinking about something else?" Blaine asked, trying to retract the bitterness from his tone. No, he was not going to ask Kurt about Sam. Not when this might be his only time to talk to him.

Kurt shrugged, thankfully not picking up on the implication. "Guess so," he said.

"First alto, eh?" Blaine noted as he quickly scanned the music in his hands. "Niiice."

Kurt quirked a smile, taking the music back from him hastily. "Only alto actually," he quipped. "Not that impressive…"

Blaine let out a laugh that was maybe a bit too loud and familiar as Kurt got to his feet, shoving the rest of the music in his folder. Blushing a little, he returned to his own stand, continuing to methodically alphabetise his pieces.

"What are you doing?" Kurt asked, sounding amused as he approached.

Blaine made a face. "The old pianist completely messed up the music – it's all out of order."

"Sebastian," Kurt informed him, folding his arms across his chest, "was nothing if not methodical."

Blaine snorted. "Somehow I doubt that… unless you agree that," he held up the current piece of music he was sorting, "Selections from Wicked, goes before Big Fun in the Sun." Blaine let out a giggle. "What even is that?"

Kurt raised an eyebrow. "Beach Boys," he explained, giving Blaine a look as if he doubted his sanity. "Please tell me you've heard of them."

"Maybe in a distant nightmare…" Blaine quipped as he sight read the music, playing it out in his head. "This arrangement is ridiculous…"

Kurt shook his head in amusement. "Music snob," he said teasingly. Blaine rolled his eyes playfully, not really taking offence to Kurt's words.

"Maybe a little," he agreed lightly. Kurt giggled prettily, his nose crinkling and his brilliant eyes sparkling.

"Well, have fun with that," he said, gesturing to the sheet music still in Blaine's hands, "but I have to go. Wouldn't want to keep Finn waiting. He's prone to throwing things at birds when he gets impatient."

"Wouldn't want that on our conscience," Blaine teased.

"Absolutely not," Kurt concluded solemnly, throwing him a quick wink before exiting the room, leaving Blaine alone, his heart fluttering madly in his chest.

He winked at me.

Does that mean anything?

Is he just naturally flirty?

Or is that how all the kids act at state schools?

But what about Sam?

And what about Finn?

Why was he waiting for him in the car anyway?

But he winked at me.

And he has such pretty eyes…

"Blaine." The sharper than usual tone of his mother's voice brought him out of his trance. He looked up with a start, an apology ready on his tongue. "Your father was talking to you."

"It's okay, Sylvie," his father said gently, never the confrontational type between the walls of the Anderson home. He had enough of that at work. "The boy's had a long day. He doesn't want to have to come home from school just to here about my work…"

Blaine immediately felt guilt run through him. "No, dad, sorry. I want to here."

With a pointed look from his wife, Arthur Anderson continued.

"I was just talking about the new case at work," he directed at Blaine, "we've got our suspects down… but we just have to send out the enforcements to check up on their background, their families, past relationships – find out as much as we can about them before we get them out-"

Blaine's father worked for a special government agency that protected the top secret service files. Anytime they suspected somebody was trying to tamper with anything or anybody in the government, they would investigate, and have them arrested.

It was a pretty fucking cool job.

But as Blaine listened to his father, an idea sparked in his mind.

Find out as much as we can about them before we get them out-

If he really wanted to find out the truth about Kurt and Sam, he was going to have to get his information from the inside.

Sam Evans, he thought to himself, smirking into his pumpkin soup, looks like you've found yourself a new best friend.

Back at his first high school Blaine had learnt the art of keeping quiet. It came in handy now when he was in the halls. Nobody noticed him as he crept along the lockers, secretly listening to their conversations.

Apparently Sam Evans was the talk of the school.

He was the boy Blaine had spent so long trying to be; good looking, well liked, sporty, intelligent, popular… and at Dalton he had been that guy.

But at McKinley…

The coloured syrup was freezing as it hit his face. He shuddered as it trickled across his skin, raising goosbumps as it trailed down his cheeks and neck in thick clumps of ice, staining the collar of his pressed shirt.

"Nerd!" he heard a jock crow over the roaring laughter that echoed cruelly down the halls.

At McKinley he was an outcast.

So now, with that in mind, plus the fact that he was a potential rival for Kurt, Blaine felt his resentment for the blonde intensifying.

It was time to take action.

"Hi, Sam."

Sam blinked up at him in confusion, taking off his large headphones as Blaine smiled brightly down at him.

"Uh… hey, Blaine. How can I help you?"

Blaine's smile didn't falter.

"I was just wondering if you would be my partner for the Music assignment. I don't really know anyone else in the class…" Blaine put on his best puppy dog eyes, and gave him a pleading look.

The assignment was a decomposition of a few different pieces of music. Blaine could do it by himself in his sleep, but the teacher had assigned them to get into groups of two.

It was the perfect excuse.

Sam's expression softened. "Of course," he said kindly, gesturing for Blaine to take a seat beside him.

Blaine grinned as he took a seat beside him, grabbing his task sheet.

"So I think we've got a big job ahead of us," Sam said with a little chuckle, reading over the material.

Blaine smirked to himself.

Oh Sam… you have no idea.