I wanted to say thank you to boriqua522, kyoujinKRISTA, stupidameriacnidioms91, njferrell, and pink lemonade 89 for their kind reviews. These are my first reviews so they meant a lot to me.

I ended up dividing this chapter into two parts because it was getting REALLY long. Sorry for the lack of songs in this chapter, but the next one should more than make up for it. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, Disney, or Darren Criss.

Blaine sat in the Trinity common room nursing a cup of coffee and staring blankly out the back window toward the parking lot, a copy of The Great Gatsby in his hand. Out the grand front windows he could easily see "the lawn" around which the four dorms and community building of Dalton were situated. Blaine's eyes first settled on Westcliff Hall which housed the cafeteria, reading library, and various community and study spaces. Then his eyes wandered across the lawn to Grayson Hall and Craven House, home to the athletes of Dalton Academy. To the right of Trinity Hall, Blaine could just make out Muir House which housed the Dalton academics, those who participated in Speech and Debate, Math League, Model United Nations, and Future Business Leaders.

Looking around the common room his eyes landed on the baby grand piano. Trinity Hall was the only dorm that had one because Trinity was home to the artists (visual and performing). All of the Warblers resided here as well as the school's resident thespians, dancers, sculptors, and painters. Trinity hall was active with creative energy. Creativity ran rampant through the halls often transforming the community room into a stage, rehearsal space, or impromptu art exhibition. Blaine smiled to himself when he realized the relative quiet around him. The calm before the storm he told himself.

Though the houses were divided by extracurricular activity (since every boy was required to participate in something outside of classes), there was no division between them. Dalton Academy was about inclusion and never was a person's house of residence used in a divisive way. A Dalton boy's house was a place to sleep and study, the division simply a practical one, grouping those with similar activities and interests together. It was common on any given school night to find boys from all the houses grouped together studying in one of the study rooms or watching TV together in one of the community rooms.

Blaine looked back at the book he had been holding in his hand. He was pretending to focus on the story, but the face of a certain brown haired boy kept interfering with his concentration. He glanced out the window toward the parking lot again. Did I end the conversation? Did I tell him goodbye? He wondered as he looked out the window. He honestly couldn't remember. When he had awoken several hours later his phone was sitting on the bed next to him and Kurt was no longer on the line. Had he fallen asleep on the phone and made Kurt hang up on him? Did he think I was ignoring him? Due to the long trip back from Colorado, Blaine had not been able to call Kurt yesterday like he wanted. Traveling halfway across the country with his parents had not given him the time or privacy he needed. He didn't know if Kurt was upset about the way that things had been left and he needed to talk to him right away. He wanted a chance to explain before it could go on too long.

"Blaine!" David shouted as he entered the common room, Wes at his side.

"Hey Guys!" Blaine rose to meet them exchanging bro hugs and back pats.

"How was your vacation?" Wes inquired.

"It was fine, I guess." Blaine wasn't really sure how to answer. "Pretty much the same as every year."

"No developments that we should know about," Wes asked grinning ridiculously. A smile grew on David's face as well.

Blaine felt a bit of a blush coming on, they all knew exactly what Wes was talking about. He wanted to feign ignorance, but he knew Wes would call him on it, further embarrassing him, so he decided to tell the truth.

"No," he sighed, and then changed the subject. "How were your vacations?"

"Great! I always love New York at Christmas time," Wes offered. "And I got to meet Lily's parents, which was AWKWARD! Apparently she hadn't bothered to mention to them that I am Asian and they were completely shocked and went around bowing to me the whole night. Lily was mortified. I found the whole thing hysterical." All three boys laughed.

"I had a great Christmas, too. I got to see my whole extended family. I was like a non-stop party. Jessica and I got to hang out almost every day. My family started referring to her as my 'backpack.'" Blaine could see where that would be an appropriate nickname considering that at barely 5 feet tall Jessica was nearly a whole foot shorter than David and David loved to carry her around like his little doll. It was almost too sweet for Blaine to think about without feeling nauseated, and a little jealous.

"We are headed to eat, join us and we can finish catching up," Wes said starting to turn for the door.

"Yeah, I'm starving," David added.

"I'm not quite ready to eat yet. I'm behind on my reading and trying to finish this chapter before I take a break."

Wes spun around to meet Blaine's gaze, a surprised look on his face. He had never known Blaine to turn down food even when he was completely engrossed in studying, which, at the moment, he clearly was not. And even less likely than turning down food was the idea that Blaine Anderson would ever be behind with his studies. Wes starred hard into Blaine's eyes as if he was trying to read his thoughts. Blaine willed himself to think about anything else besides the reason that he had been seated in that particular spot all afternoon. After a few seconds a small smirk spread across his face. Dammit how does he do that?

"This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain countertenor we know?" Wes pried.

"You aren't sitting here waiting for him are you?" David asked.

"No," Blaine squeaked, no longer able to arrest the blush that was spreading across his face.

"Oh, well that's good because he just pulled up outside," Wes commented looking out the window behind Blaine.

Before he could think, Blaine grabbed his coat and scarf off the back of the chair, throwing them on as he quickly made his way toward the door, leaving the two older boys laughing hysterically in his wake.

"Let me help you with that." Kurt looked up to find Blaine running toward him as he hefted one of his massive suitcases out of his car. Kurt smiled immediately, much to Blaine's relief. Kurt was pleasantly surprised at the lack of awkwardness in Blaine's demeanor. He didn't like the way that he had left things when they had last spoken and he was afraid that Blaine might be upset about it.

"Thanks!" Kurt said handing over the largest of the three suitcases to Blaine, then picking up a smaller one himself. How chivalrous! Kurt thought, silently swooning, then he corrected himself. Blaine was not being chivalrous; he was being a good friend. Friends, dammit, we are friends! Kurt reminded himself. But, oh did Blaine look handsome in his nicely fitted black peacoat as he lifted the suitcase over the snow, smiling dreamily over his shoulder before heading toward Trinity. This is going well, Kurt thought to himself, less than a minute and I have already lost my resolve!

Once they reached his room Kurt pulled out his key, unlocking the door and ushering Blaine in ahead of him. Kurt noticed that Patrick had definitely already arrived, but was not in the room. But before he could notice anything else he felt Blaine's tight embrace.

"Welcome back," he said brightly.

"Thanks," Kurt smiled putting his arms around Blaine as well; relishing the contact even if the thickness of his puffer coat diminished the amount.

"I missed you," the older boy confessed leaning back a little to catch Kurt's eyes and scanning them for any sign of upset over what had transpired on the phone. Relieved when he didn't seem find any.

Kurt tried to fight the blush he felt coloring his cheeks and felt a small pain growing in his stomach where the jittery butterflies used to be. Would he always feel sad now when Blaine touched him? He craved this kind of contact with Blaine, but it didn't feel the same now that he knew it didn't mean anything. It was clear that Blaine just wanted him as friend, but Kurt wanted so much more.

"I missed you, too," Kurt sighed, willing a smile to his face.

Twenty minutes later they made their final trip from the Kurt's car to his dorm room.

"You didn't forget anything did you?" Blaine teased, setting a stack of books on Kurt's desk and lifting the younger boy's messenger bag over his head.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Actually I thought of three more things I forgot on the drive here," he said as he gently set his two down pillows on his bed. "Thankfully none of them are life or death," he smirked.

"What, like your skin care?" the older boy chuckled.

"Oh you know I would have pulled a u-turn on 33 if I had forgotten that," the younger boy deadpanned, putting his hands on his hips.

Blaine smiled, causing Kurt's face to soften into a smile as well. Kurt sat down on his bed motioning for the darker haired boy to join him. Blaine obliged sitting next to Kurt at a far-too-close-to-be-friends distance.

They hadn't even begun to speak when the door opened, causing both boys to jump back a bit.

"Kurt!"

"Hey Patrick!" Kurt hopped up to greet his roommate with a handshake.

Patrick Davison was one of Dalton's most devoted thespians. A dramatic actor and leading male, he was commanding on stage. But despite his stage presence, he was exactly the opposite in his everyday life. Pensive and introverted, when Kurt first met him he wondered how he even willed himself up onto the stage. But, after having seen him perform, Kurt could see the brilliance in him. He was completely transformed on the stage, truly becoming the character that he embodied.

Kurt and Patrick enjoyed having each other as roommates as much of an odd couple as they might seem, shy, straight as an arrow Patrick and flamboyant, confident Kurt. They had found common ground in both their meticulous keeping of their living space and persons. Both relished in being well groomed and properly attired, though they had different ideas about what that meant. Being almost reclusive Patrick usually hid away in the back corner of the library during the evenings to study, read poetry, and run lines with himself. That left Kurt with their room to himself most of the time which allowed him to sing along to his music and sprawl out while studying.

Kurt, Blaine and Patrick were just beginning to exchange vacation stories when there was a knock at the door. Kurt walked over to answer it, leaving Blaine and Patrick in their exchange.

"Kurt!"

"Hey Jeff!" Kurt said as he embraced his friend in the doorway.

"Hey Jeff," the two boys sitting on the beds greeted.

"Oh hey, Patrick and, uh, Blaine," Jeff said trying to hide his surprise. Why would he be surprised? Of course Blaine would be hanging out in Kurt's room.

"How was your vacation?" Jeff asked returning his attention to Kurt.

"It was great! It was so nice to get to spend time with my family and friends from McKinley," Kurt beamed, his comments not being missed by the curly haired boy sitting on his bed. "How about you?"

"It was good. Nice to have a break," Jeff exhaled. "But, I could have done without the divorced parent drama."

"Sorry," Kurt said giving his friend a reassuring pat on the back.

"Oh well, that's life," Jeff shrugged. "I'm starving. Did you want to walk over to the cafeteria with me?"

"Sure," Kurt grinned. He turned to the boys on the beds, "Dinner?"

"I just came from the cafeteria actually," Patrick stated.

"I'm game," Blaine said, a broad smile creeping across his face, then standing up and bidding goodbye to Patrick.

As Kurt made his way down the stairs behind his two closest friends at Dalton he felt his heart swell a little bit. He really was glad to be back. And he was glad that there didn't seem to be any weirdness between Blaine and him. Sure, he was going to have to try hard not to stare too long, or sit too close, or smile too much when Blaine was around, but just being back in Blaine's presence felt wonderful and he knew it would be worth the trouble.

The first few weeks back at Dalton went much the same as those proceeding vacation. Kurt and Blaine hung out, exchanged lingering glances, and flirted often. The awkward way that their phone conversation had ended never even came up between them.

Kurt started to get comfortable with the idea of being close to Blaine and having a different kind of friendship than the ones he had with the other boys. He and Blaine were becoming best friends, so the physical closeness and constant complimenting seemed to make sense. The pain that he felt when he was around Blaine subsided a little as he followed Blaine's lead into their new relationship. Besides, Kurt told himself, any greater level of closeness between them was good.

Blaine felt likewise, but for a different reason. He saw Kurt's newfound willingness to touch and be touched, to flatter and be flattered as a sign that maybe Kurt did have the same feelings as Blaine after all. Kurt wasn't just accepting Blaine's flirting, he was actively flirting back. The younger boy sat close to him on the couches during Warbler practice and always found a place next to Blaine during movies. If their hands found each other's under the lunch table or as they sat reading on Blaine's bed, they lingered together, neither wanting to move away. Kurt's actions and reactions were giving Blaine the confidence that he needed to make the next move, but he wanted it to be perfect. Kurt had been deprived of any romance before now and had been robbed of his first kiss. Blaine wanted to make his next move very carefully. He had decided that Winter Formal would make an awesome first date and had decided on how he was going to ask. He just needed to practice his song and wait for the right moment.

"Wow, Blaine. I mean really, wow!" Wes was trying to find words. "I knew you were a total romantic and head over heels for Kurt, but seriously, if you sang that to me and then asked me to the dance, I think that I would say 'yes'."

"It's good then?" Blaine asked from where he sat on the edge of the coffee table, guitar in hand, an anxious look on his face.

"Buddy, you are going to have to fight that boy off with a stick," Wes said smiling when he heard Blaine start to laugh. "He is going to want to jump your bones right here."

Blaine blushed at that comment, mind starting to wander. "I don't think it was THAT good," Blaine shyly replied.

"Trust me Blaine, if Kurt isn't a puddle in your hands after hearing that he must be a soulless automaton."

"Okay, I think I got it," Blaine replied still blushing furiously. He stood up to take his guitar from around his neck and return it to its case.

"So when are you going to do it?" Wes wanted details.

"This evening. I asked Kurt to help me work on my solo for the Winter Formal auditions. Then I am going to sing this to him and ask him to the dance. No one else should be around so that should be perfect."

"Oh, I'll make sure it's just the two of you," Wes offered supportively. Then added with a cheeky smile, "Even if I have to stand outside the doors to guard them myself."

Blaine rolled his eyes. "That won't be necessary."

"I don't know, when it starts getting all hot in heavy in here, you may wish that you had someone on the lookout for you."

"Trust me, it's not going to be getting 'hot and heavy' as you so eloquently put it."

"Yeah, I'm sure that if Kurt jumped you, you would turn him down," Wes teased. There was the image in Blaine's head again.

He tried to shake it out. "Kurt is not going to jump me, that's not his style."

"Alright, lover boy, whatever you say. I would hate to tarnish that perfect image you have of him in your head."

"Yes, please don't."

"I want details, Anderson. Tonight. Lots and lots of details." Wes raised his eyebrows suggestively, causing them both to burst into laughter. Blaine could feel his nerves tightening his stomach. It was going to be a real challenge to get to four o'clock without coming unraveled.

Blaine purposely avoided the routes that he knew Kurt took between classes so as not to run into him before their rehearsal that evening. Blaine felt like his thoughts were written all over his face and he couldn't risk Kurt reading them before he was ready.

"Hey Kurt, can I talk to you for a minute?" Cameron asked as they packed up their books and prepared to leave Mr. Filbert's Chemistry class.

"Sure," Kurt responded, intrigued to know what Cameron would want to talk to him about outside of class.

Cameron had been Kurt's Chemistry lab partner since he transferred to Dalton. Tall with medium brown hair and brown eyes, Cameron was, even though only a junior, team captain of the school's soccer team. From what Kurt had seen Cameron seemed to be friends with everyone and was well liked. They worked well together, Kurt's intense eye for detail and general panache matching well with Cameron's superior understanding of Chemistry, but admitted dryness. They got along well during class, filling the time between experiments with small talk, though they didn't really have much in common. But they had never really spoken outside of class. Kurt wondered what Cameron could possibly have to say to him.

Cameron lifted his messenger bag over his shoulder and led the way out of the room, Kurt following close behind him, and then meeting his stride as they entered the hall.

"Feel free not to answer this if it is too personal," Cameron began as they made their way toward the grand staircase, "but I was wondering if you were going with anyone to Winter Formal?"

Kurt was a little stunned by the forwardness of his question, but none the less intrigued.

"No, I'm not going with anyone specific," he admitted, finding his eyes landing on the tile of the hallway floor. The boys kept walking as an awkward silence ensued.

"Why did you have someone in mind?" Kurt wondered honestly.

Cameron spun around in front of Kurt just as they got to the grand staircase, halting him in his tracks.

"Well actually, yes." Kurt was flabbergasted. Kurt didn't even realize that Cameron knew who he was outside of their Chemistry class and now he was going to try to set Kurt up for the dance.

"Me," Cameron nearly whispered.

"You?" Kurt said in a voice all together too loud and riddled with shock, becoming instantly aware of the wondering eyes being cast his direction. Cameron Porter wants to go on a date with me? Wait, I didn't even know that Cameron was…

"What I meant to say was, um, oh…" Kurt tried to recover, but Cameron grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the back of the stairway where they would have a little more privacy.

"Nope, it's not going to be like this," Cameron said under his breath as he walked until finding a suitably isolated spot, then turning to Kurt while still holding his hand.

"Kurt, would you go to Winter Formal with me?"

Kurt felt his cheeks grow rosy and his heart race, a giant smile creeping across his face. "I would be delighted," Kurt managed confidently.

"Really?" Cameron could hardly believe his ears.

"Yeah!" Who wouldn't be honored to go with you? Kurt adding the last part in his head.

"Wow, that's great! I just kinda thought that somebody would have asked you by now." Kurt had kinda thought that too, but he pushed the thought of Blaine from his mind. He and Blaine were friends, but Kurt had just been asked on his first date by Cameron. His heart did a little flip.

Kurt was surprised that he hadn't seen Blaine most of the day. He was bursting with excitement and couldn't wait to tell him about Cameron. He knew that Blaine would be happy for him, but he didn't want him to find out from anyone else before he heard it from Kurt. Which is why, even though he saw Wes, David, and Jeff several times during the day, he didn't breathe a word of it to them.

When Kurt returned to Trinity at the end of classes there was a note on his desk. Kurt recognized the handwriting immediately.

Meet me in the music room at 4:00. I need help with my solo. –Blaine

The clock read 3:20. Just enough time to freshen up and walk over.

When Kurt arrived at the music room 40 minutes later, Blaine was nervously pacing. He looked a little white and agitated. Kurt wasn't quite sure what to make of his shaken state.

"I'm so glad you are here," Blaine blurted out as Kurt entered the room, coming toward the younger boy and closing the door quickly behind him, then wrapping his arm around Kurt's shoulders.

"Everything okay?" Kurt wondered, as Blaine led him into the room.

"Yeah, but this audition has me really freaked," Blaine lied. Kurt had never known Blaine to be shaken before; he was usually the picture of calm collectedness.

Kurt thought maybe a change of subject would be just what was needed.

"Blaine, I have to tell you something," Kurt began as he settled down in one of the chairs, forcing a smile to his face.

Blaine, internally cursing himself for being so nervous and wearing his emotions much too prominently, lifted his eyes to meet Kurt's.

"Cameron Porter asked me to Winter Formal today after class," Kurt almost squealed.

All the air left Blaine's lungs; the color left his face, and the mass of nerves that had taken over the area that used to be occupied by his stomach, tightened forcibly. He felt like someone had punched him hard in the stomach and knocked the wind out of him. He could hardly breathe, his head spinning in confusion. His mouth was all of the sudden like cotton and he thought he could feel his heart dissolving into a million little pieces.

Seeing Blaine's reaction, Kurt was confused. "Aren't you happy for me?" he asked.

Blaine didn't know what to say. He dug down deep through his shock and hurt, summoning up his best mentor voice and managed, "Of course."

"I still can't believe it," Kurt beamed. "Did you even know he was gay?"

"I did know that," Blaine confessed sadly. Of course that is who he is going to fall for, the hunky, athletic, GAY lab partner. Not you, the much-too-short, dorky friend and mentor.

Blaine was crushed.

Kurt could see that Blaine was uneasy, but he wasn't sure why. Had Kurt crossed some line in their friendship? Or, maybe it was something else?

"Do you not like Cameron? Is there something about him that I need to know?" Kurt asked.

Blaine had to recover and get back in control of himself, the situation was starting to spiral down a whole different path.

"Well, I don't really know Cameron that well," Blaine began, trying to pick his words carefully and not scream but I'm in love with you and you belong with me. "I mean we have had some classes together, but I'm not sure that I have ever really talked to him that much. He seems like a really nice guy though. He's friendly to everyone." And although true, those last two statements hurt Blaine to say.

"I'm so excited," Kurt mused, a little more contemplative and demure now.

"I'm excited for you," Blaine offered, catching Kurt's gaze for the first time since the mention of Cameron's name. Kurt's beautiful blue-green eyes tore a hole in his soul.

"So what are you going to sing?"

Shit! Blaine had completely forgotten that he was supposed to be singing. Well, I can't sing that song now. What am I going to sing? His mind raced. No, that's a love song. Love song, love song. Why can I only think of love songs?

"You really are having a hard time aren't you?" Kurt questioned upon seeing the look of sheer panic in Blaine's eyes.

Really? This is the only song that I can think of that I know how to play and sing that isn't a love song. But, I haven't played it in years. Oh well, what else am I going to do?

Blaine picked up his guitar and began to play.

Look at this stuff isn't it neat,

Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?

Several minutes later, Blaine strummed the last chord and looked up to meet Kurt's confused expression. Kurt had never heard Blaine sound so unpolished and he wasn't sure what to say. No wonder Blaine needed his help.

"Terrible wasn't it?" Blaine said hanging his head. He couldn't wait to get out of this room and retreat to his bedroom where he could process what had just happened.

"I'm not going to lie, it wasn't your best," Kurt said still puzzling at Blaine's demeanor and the performance. "It just… it seems a little rough. Maybe it needs some more practice. What made you choose that song anyway?" It didn't seem like the type of thing that Blaine usually sang.

"I used to sing it with Caitlin when we were little," Blaine said honestly, hanging his head. "But, it's not the right song for me."

Kurt nodded his head in agreement, but he could sense that there was more that Blaine wasn't telling him.

"I'm going to head back to my room and see if I can come up with anything else."

"Okay. I will think about it, too," Kurt offered, moving toward Blaine and putting his arm around the older boy's shoulders. "Whatever it is that is bothering you, Blaine, it is going to be alright. I'm here for you if you ever want to talk, okay?"

The feel of Kurt's arm around him and the sound of Kurt's kind words was too much for Blaine. He nodded and then feeling tears starting to fill his eyes quickly stood up and began to pack up his guitar.

"You can go ahead back. I think that I need to walk alone right now to clear my head," Blaine managed before the tears really began to fall, his back turned to the younger boy.

"Okay," Kurt agreed before slowly turning for the door. Kurt didn't like that there was something that Blaine clearly wasn't telling him and he didn't like seeing Blaine so upset. He wanted to pry and force it out of Blaine, but he thought, at least for the moment, he would be better off to give Blaine his space.

When Wes saw Blaine walking dejectedly up the path to Trinity, he ran outside to meet him.

"Oh my God, what happened?" he questioned loudly. "Did he turn you down?"

Blaine looked up at his friend and Wes could see that he had been crying.

"He did! He turned you down? I'm gonna…"

"Stop," Blaine choked, completely concentrated on his feet now. "He didn't turn me down. I never got to ask him. He's going with Cameron Porter. It's my fault. I'm too late."

Blaine pushed past a stunned Wes, beating the path straight to his room, slamming the door behind him, and collapsing on his bed.

Song: Part of Your World from Disney's "The Little Mermaid" (If you haven't seen Darren Criss's version of this song, do yourself a favor and go look it up on Youtube. Also, my commentary about how Blaine sings it does not reflect my opinion of Darren's performance, JFYI.)

In the next episode: Lots of singing! :)