Concerns about Sebastian are on Blaine's mind continually during first period. Thankfully, the excitement of seeing everyone at glee during second period serves as the perfect distraction. Blaine had spent the majority of the summer savouring every last moment with Kurt. It certainly isn't something he regrets, but it had meant that Blaine barely had occasion to see the other New Direction members, bar the occasional double date with Tina and Mike, and farewell parties for all the leaving graduates ("Everyone who's leaving Lima has to host their own farewell party!" Puck had declared, "It'll be eight times the piss-ups!".)

But it isn't long until Blaine is forced to consider Sebastian again. Blaine's up the back of glee club, raving about the latest Katy Perry chart topper, when Mr Schuester calls out to him from the piano.

"Blaine, can I have a word with you?"

Blaine looks up. The smile on his lip disappears as he sees the worry in Mr Schuester's face.

"Sure," say Blaine uncertainly, crossing the room to Mr Schuester.

"Look," says Mr Schuster, leaning his forearms onto the piano. He holds Blaine's gaze with a look so serious it makes the boy uncomfortable. "You probably know by now that Sebastian's transferred here." Blaine gives a small nod. "He asked me this morning if he could join glee club."

Blaine's stomach knots up. Of course, it's a prospect that he had considered during the last period. Sebastian may have, according to Kurt, considered the New Directions below him while at Dalton, but right now it's his only option when it comes to show choirs. Besides, Blaine likes to think that Sebastian holds the New Directions in a higher esteem now that they've managed to win Nationals.

"I don't know what's going on between you two now," Mr Schuster continues, "and I'm not just going to forget about the rock salt incident. But I wanted to ask if you were okay with him joining?"

This, Blaine wasn't expecting. He had thought Mr Schuester would be the one to bar Sebastian from joining – Blaine himself could never bring himself to do it. Had it been naïve of him to think that Mr Schuester would consider Blaine's comfort as more of a priority than expanding the glee club? They were currently short on members, after all. Blaine's shame at his selfishness manifests itself in a blush. He averts his gaze to the floor, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"I wouldn't ask, normally," says Mr Schuester, "but given Sebastian's-"

Mr Schuester stops himself. Blaine looks up, curious, in time to see the panic in his teacher's eyes. His eyebrows knot in confusion.

"Look, I just think that he – he needs this," implores Mr Schuester. His words are filled with the weight of secrets. And there it is again – a sign that Blaine should be concerned for Sebastian. A sign that Sebastian's transfer isn't just the universe's attempt at making Blaine's Senior year as erratic as possible.

"But if it makes you uncomfortable, I'll say no," offers Will.

But what kind of an offer is that? Blaine can't be the reason Sebastian doesn't join glee club. Not when they're in desperate need of new members. And not now that Blaine knows (and he actually pities Sebastian as the meaning of the words sink in) that Sebastian needs this.

"No, it's fine," says Blaine politely. Because that's how he always does things: politely. Because he's been told, time and time again, that his life is too good, his parents too wealthy, his family too perfect, for him to have anything legitimate to complain about.

"Thank you, Blaine," says Mr Schuester. He rests an arm on Blaine's shoulder, his lips curling inwards as he gives the faintest smile.

Blaine smiles back, donning a façade of nonchalance. But inside, his concern is building. Not just for Sebastian, but also for himself. Because he doesn't know if he can handle Sebastian in not only the same school as him, but also the same glee club.


By the end of the day, the fact that Sebastian Smythe has transferred to McKinley has spread around the school like wildfire. Eyes continually fixate on Blaine as he passes through the hall between classes. It had, after all, been Sebastian's unabashedly loud flirting with Blaine which had given the new student a reputation in the first place. This was the first bit of information that trickled around the school. It was only afterwards that the student body even learned just who Sebastian Smythe was: Dalton Academy transfer student, ex-Warbler, and, as the two Cheerios that Blaine followed out of his Maths class would attest to, easy on the eyes.

"But he plays for the other team," one of them points out, unaware of Blaine being within earshot, "he basically confessed to the whole school that he's here to fuck Anderson."

"Maybe he's a best of both worlds kind of guy," says the other, a pathetic amount of hope in her voice, "God, Tianna, he can't be completely gay. I mean, have you seen him."

Blaine grimaces at those words. But, as much as Blaine wants to continue his eavesdropping, he feels a tug at either of his arms. Before he knows what's happening, Tina, Brittany and Sugar are dragging Blaine into the girl's bathroom.

"I really shouldn't be in here," Blaine says worriedly, glancing around at the empty stalls.

"We all know you're scared of lady parts, Blaine," says Sugar, as if it's obvious.

Tina stares, mouth slightly agape, at Sugar, before rapidly shaking her head to clear her thoughts of Sugar's words.

"We just saw him," she rambles "I had to do a double take and he accused me of checking him out - which kind of confirmed that it was him more than the double take - but why is he here?"

The last words come out as a hiss, and Blaine can't help speculating that she feels that this is somehow his fault.

"I don't know," shrugs Blaine. "Honestly, I don't," he adds at Tina raised eyebrow. "It's been bugging me all day, too."

"Are you going to tell Kurt?" probes Tina in a businesslike fashion.

"What, why?" asks Blaine, thrown off.

"Well it's obvious something's going to happen between you two," says Sugar. "He's so much hotter than Kurt."

"He isn't hotter than Kurt," says Blaine automatically, because, in his eyes, no one is.

"He so is," argues Sugar. "He might even be hotter than you."

"He can't be hotter than me though," Brittany pipes up. "Santana says I'm the hottest thing in the world, and Santana got into college so she must be right."

"Would you two just," snaps Tina, before catching herself. She turns to Blaine. "Look, Blaine, I'm not saying that anything's going to happen between you two. I'm merely suggesting that you tell Kurt that Sebastian's transferred. It's about honestly, right?"

Blaine sighs, hating that Tina is right. He promises that he'll tell, tonight. But it isn't a conversation that Blaine is looking forward to.


By the time Kurt logs on Skype that evening, it's just past 10pm. He launches immediately into a 5 minute explanation for the reasons behind his lateness – picking up textbooks he'd forgotten to purchase earlier, a failed attempt to get into a sorority, and an afternoon spent with a couple of students from his course at Max Brenner's, getting acquainted as they satisfied their sweet tooth.

"And obviously I had to do a little Tracy Anderson before I could Skype you," says Kurt guiltily. "I'm sorry, it's just that the guilt of all that chocolate was too much to ignore.

"I wouldn't mind watching you do that," shrugs Blaine with a devious grin. His boyfriend stretching his perfect body in ways that would only make it more perfect? How could he say no to that?

"I'll keep that in mind," laughs Kurt. "How was your day?"

Blaine gives a quick recap. He censors Sebastian out because that, Blaine tells himself, deserves a separate explanation, later that night, when he can ease Kurt into it. Kurt gushes some more about New York, about the perks of his college, about how he's joined the queer union on campus – "They actually have a queer union, Blaine! And it's everything that I ever wanted at McKinley" – and about how Blaine will absolutely love New York once he gets there.

By the end of this, Blaine's finally built up the courage to bring up Sebastian. He opens his mouth, the words "I need to tell you something" on the tip of his tongue. But then his gaze catches on the time displayed on his screen. It's 1am. Shit.

"Kurt," says Blaine apologetically. "I'm so sorry, I have to go. We have glee tomorrow morning before school."

"You don't have to apologise for sleeping, Blaine," says Kurt tenderly. "Besides, I should probably head off too."

"I love you," says Blaine.

"I love you too," says Kurt.

Blaine shuts down his computer before tucking himself into bed. If he's lucky, he could get a good five hours sleep before that early morning glee practice. A glee practice which, Blaine suddenly remembers will include Sebastian. An immense feeling of guilt floods through him as he realises that he has yet to tell Kurt about the other boy's transfer.

The other boy. The words make Blaine cringe. No, that isn't anywhere near what Sebastian is. He's simply another boy.

Tomorrow, Blaine swears to himself.

He shuffles around in his bed, but he knows he won't get much sleep tonight. Not when worries about Kurt and Sebastian are filling his head.