Chapter 10: First
The juniors of Dalton Academy piled into the auditorium building, bracing themselves for their fifth round of extremely graphic images -possibly inappropriate- and pubic hair overload. Their previous month of sex ed lessons had resulted in a few people vomiting. The six Windsors only gawked at the pictures, wondering whether or not this was even legal to show to teenagers.
'Oh my god, I can't take more of this.' Talia said, exhaling hand on her face.
'I want to die.' Blaine said. The two had now developed the habit of going out on weekends together, and had been for the past month. Rita, who sat in the middle, now carried a small bucket, in case any of the six felt the urge to vomit.
'Is it honestly legal to even show us all of that? It's basically porn.' Wes said.
'Dude, it's just wrong.' David said, shaking his head. 'Either way.' Ms Greene came onto the stage, smiling. Talia fought the urge to just stand up and throw something at her and yell 'You think this is funny?' at her.
'Today, we will continue our discussion of STDs from last week.' A collective groan arose from the hall. They had been showed picture after picture of herpes last week. They continued with the pictures, everyone groaning. Ms Greene scolded them for being immature, when really everyone was just disgusted. Talia, who was especially effected, grabbed the bucket from Rita and promptly vomited into it. She had prepared for this, having tied her hair up already. Everyone near her looked back sympathetically. Blaine rubbed her back soothingly. Mr Woodward, who had been supervising the Windsors, walked down and took the bucket in one hand and beckoned for Talia to follow him to the nurse. Farrah grabbed the bucket back from him and vomited into it on top of Talia's. Everyone winced, and made a face, finding this mildly disgusting. All the while, new pictures kept coming on and the lesson continued. Farrah then gave the bucket back to Mr Woodward and followed Talia out.
'Those pictures are a bit disgusting, aren't they?' Mr Woodward said, looking back at the two girls now clutching each other.
'A bit? Is it even legal?' Talia asked.
'Honestly, I wouldn't have taken you to have been the type to vomit so easily, Talia.' Mr Woodward said, as they entered the cafeteria building and walked up to the second floor for the clinic. Mr Woodward opened the door to find two students already being tended to by Mrs Woodward.
'Joshua?' Mrs Woodward looked up and smiled. She was extremely beautiful. She had dark blonde hair that curled in large waves, and blue eyes, the only description doing her justice was like an old Hollywood actress, from the black and white films. She wore a white doctors coat over a peach colored blouse and black pencil skirt.
'These two vomited during sex ed.' Mr Woodward said, grimacing. He held up the bucket.
'I'll just go take care of this.' He said. Mrs Woodward smiled at the two girls.
'Why don't you sit down and I'll get you some water to rinse your mouth out?' She said. She finished off with the two other students, one boy one girl. Mrs Woodward went into a back room and came back out with two cups of water and basins.
'An awful lot of you have been coming up here during sex ed.' She said, smiling kindly. 'Is it really that gruesome?'
'It's like watching porn except everyone in it has herpes or crabs or some form or another of STDs.' Talia summed up, rinsing out her mouth and spitting.
'Really?' Mrs Woodward said curiously.
'We've just been shown pictures of rashes for the past two lessons.' Farrah said grimacing. 'I honestly wonder where Ms Greene's getting these pictures.'
'Is it even legal?' Talia asked Mrs Woodward. 'They have literally been showing us pictures of people doing it.' Mrs Woodward raised a perfect manicured eyebrow.
'Then that's questionable. You're just juniors, aren't you?' She asked. The two girls nodded. 'I guess it should be all right. If your teacher's been showing you all this. Do you still feel queasy or unwell?'
'Not really. I think it was just the shock.' Farrah said.
'Then why don't you head straight to the cafeteria? There's only ten minutes left of your lesson and I don't think it would be good for anyone to go back there.' Mrs Woodward smiled. Farrah and Talia walked downstairs to the cafeteria, where the rest of the school had already started to file in. They sat down at their usual table and waited for the others to come in. Eventually, all of them walked in looking in shock and petrified. Rita and Wes were leaning on each other, while David and Blaine walked slowly and in shock. They arrived at the table after getting their food and sat down.
'So, how was it?' Talia asked Blaine.
'It was horrific.' Blaine said. 'They showed us videos of people giving birth. Like zoomed in right on the vagina, and watching the head come out and hearing all the screaming.' He held his head in his hands. Talia patted his arm sympathetically.
'It's like they're scaring us into not having sex.' David said, poking at his potatoes.
'You would only get STDs if you have sex with a lot of people or have sex with someone who's had sex with a lot of people.' Rita said. 'So that's irrelevant. But showing us that half an hour of that woman just screaming and watching the baby being pushed out. Ugh.'
'I am scared for life.' Wes agreed. The four retold everything that had happened in the lesson, going into detail as they walked back to Windsor. Other people joined in the conversation, hearing that someone was talking about it. They returned to their rooms, and Talia and Blaine got ready for their nightly ritual. Every night, Blaine would go to her room, as he had to share his with Wes and David.
Blaine was happy with where he was with Talia. He had made his point extremely clear, he wanted them to be an official item. Blaine still sensed Talia's hesitance, still not sure if this was the best for him. She had been, however, letting him in more. And for some reason, that day, Talia had voluntarily touched Blaine first. He always made his affection for her clear, in simple touches. Letting their fingers touch when possible, a hand on her back. She had, that day, patted Blaine's arm and let her fingers linger on his hand. Blaine changed into his pajamas, which were now a pair of Dalton swim team sweats and hoodie. He and Talia had tried out for the swim team after Mr Trenton, their swimming teacher recommended them. Blaine walked over to Talia's room with a spring in his step and knocked animatedly on the door. Talia opened the door wearing a Warblers' sweater that was five sizes too large, the sleeves reaching the first joint in her finger, the neck so wide that it clung precariously to her shoulders and so long it reached to the middle of her thighs. She smiled and took Blaine's hands in hers, pulling him into the room.
She closed the door with her foot and stayed there for a few moments, seeming like she was hesitating, debating whether or not to do something. Blaine didn't say anything, sensing her hesitation, waiting patiently by, smiling softly. Talia let go of Blaine's hands and stood up on tiptoe, becoming slightly taller than him. She put her arms on his shoulders to steady herself and clutched the hair at the back of his head with her fingers. She leaned forward quickly, pressing her lips gently but with a steady force to Blaine's lips. Blaine responded after a millisecond, taking a moment to register the fact that he was indeed kissing Talia and to happy dance in his head. He smiled softly against her lips and supported her back to help her to keep tip-toeing. They broke away, lungs burning -even with their combined singers' and swimmers' lung capacities-, to take a breath for a short moment, foreheads rolling off each other before they joined in another lip lock. Talia pushed Blaine back gently against the door and jumped up to encircle his waist with her legs. He caught her instinctively, this was a move they had practiced in their tango routine. They didn't let go until they couldn't take it anymore, their lungs screaming out in protest. They rested their foreheads against each other and waited for their breathing to return to normal.
'I'm falling for you, Anderson.' Talia whispered, smiling softly and looking down into Blaine's eyes. She noticed they seemed greener now, the light from the room shining into them. He set her down and brushed her cheek with his thumb, smiling tenderly.
'I get you.' He said. They held hands, walked over to her bed and lay down side by side. They stayed like that for a long time, falling asleep eventually. Blaine woke up abruptly. He looked over to Talia's desk seeing her clock read ten fifty, he got up as gently as he could. He picked Talia up easily, surprised by just how light she was. He slipped her under the covers, successfully not waking her up. He smiled and let himself out, closing the door with a soft click.
The next afternoon, Talia didn't bother putting her things back in her bag, but gathered her journal and binder and raced out of literature class and across the courtyard to Warbler Hall, meeting Kylie along the way.
'Why are you smiling like that, Tal?' Kylie asked, raising an eyebrow, her lip curling into a knowing smirk. Talia broke out into a grin.
'I kissed Blaine last night.' She confessed. She hadn't told anyone yet, but now that Kylie asked, she answered. Kylie squealed.
'Was he good?' She exclaimed. Talia shushed her, afraid people would think she had done it with someone.
'I've only been kissed one other time in my life, so I don't think I'm one to judge, but it was amazing.' Talia said, grinning like a fool, she bit her lip. She took out her phone to text Farrah and Rita, knowing they'd kill her if they found out any other way.
We kissed last night. ~T
She texted to them and stuffed her phone back into her pocket. Within seconds, it buzzed.
OMG. SRSLY? WE R SO HAPPY 4 U! ~R & F
Kylie laughed as she read the text over Talia's shoulder.
'They sure have been waiting for you two to get together.' Kylie giggled. The two girls walked into the Hall, finding groups of Warblers lounging around on the couches placed around the room and on the floor. They found Kyle with Blaine, Wes, David and Charlie sitting in an incomplete circle on the floor, waiting for them. Blaine was on the edge, evidently, they had all heard about their kiss last night and had planned this. Talia sat down, her fingers intentionally brushing Blaine's casually. Blaine looked up and smiled at her.
'Woodward and Shay not here yet?' Kylie asked. Kyle shook his head.
'It seems they are otherwise engaged.' He raised an eyebrow suggestively.
'Ray and Edith rushed in here three minutes ago saying they saw them by the art department talking quite heatedly and near to each other. Kissing distance.' Charlie said, smiling slyly.
'I don't see Miranda here.' Talia said, raising an eyebrow. She leaned back, supporting herself with her arms like Blaine, letting her hand touch Blaine's ever so slightly. Miranda had made a habit of following Charlie to Warblers' practices, hoping that eventually Mr Woodward and Ms Shay would let her in.
'I made her go back.' Charlie said, pressing his lips into a line. The usually quiet Warbler Hall door, decided then to creek as Mr Woodward and Ms Shay walked in, both looking slightly disheveled. Mr Woodward smiled at them all.
'Good to see that all of you are here already.' He said. The students merely stared at them.
'Today, we'll discuss our set list for the Winter Festival, that as you all know is coming up in a short two months.' Mr Woodward started.
'Since last year was such a big hit, we want to do the same and vote two soloists, and two duets. Now, for our new students, last year we nominated our singers by voting. In the event that the people nominated don't want to do it, then the role will be passed to the person who had the second-most votes.' Ms Shay explained. She passed out slips of paper with the parts printed on it. Immediately, everyone set to scribbling the names of their favorites down. Talia put down Kylie and Charlie for the solos, and then Ray and Edith and Lily and Charlie for the duets. She folded up the paper and put it into the bowler hat that they were using to collect the votes. Everyone had put their votes in and sat in excited anticipation.
'Who did you vote for?' Blaine asked her.
'Kylie.' She replied. Kylie smiled at her.
'I voted for you.' Kylie said.
'I don't have a Christmasy voice.' Talia said, shaking her head.
'You could do one if you wanted to.' Kylie said, raising an eyebrow.
'Yeah, I could but you already sing like an angel.' Talia said. Kylie rolled her eyes at this. But she did. Mr Woodward and Ms Shay shushed them all.
'Our soloists, are Kylie and Charlie!' Mr Woodward grinned and clapped. The group clapped exuberantly while Kylie beamed at Charlie.
'Our duets, are Ray and Edith and Blaine and Talia.' Ms Shay smiled and clapped demurely. Blaine and Talia grinned at each other and hooked their fingers together.
'Decide what song you will sing and tell us so that it doesn't clash.' Mr Woodward smiled.
'Baby, it's cold outside!' Talia and Blaine said loudly before Mr Woodward could even turn around and let them think.
'Last Christmas!' Ray and Edith shouted from the back of the hall.
'What song are you going to sing?' They all asked Kylie and Charlie.
'Jingle Bells.' Charlie said, smiling. They all laughed and shook their heads. Kylie was quiet.
'I think you should do O Holy Night, K.' Talia said, smiling. Kylie smiled.
'I thought about doing that one but I don't know if I can pull it off.' She said worriedly. Blaine rolled his eyes.
'Of course you can.' He said. She smiled softly.
'Really?' She asked them all. Kyle rolled his eyes.
'You sang it at church two years ago and you were fine.' He told his sister. She smiled and bounced off to tell Mr Woodward and Ms Shay.
'How did you know I was going to say 'Baby, It's Cold Outside'?' Blaine asked Talia. She smiled.
'You seemed like the kind of person that would have wanted to sing that.' She said. Blaine smiled at her, a look in his eyes saying he definitely would have kissed her if they hadn't been in public.
'Judging by the song choices that you all have, Charlie will be first, then Ray and Edith, Blaine and Talia and then Kylie to close the show.' Mr Woodward said.
'We've decided that only Kylie will have us backing her, to keep with that churchy, gospel feel.' Ms Shay said, everyone nodded.
'So, Kylie, if you're okay with it we could try it now.' Mr Woodward said. Kylie beamed.
'Of course.' She said. She got up and stood in the front of the Hall and closed her eyes and started to sing. With Kylie's usual bubbly, sassy personality, her singing was definitely a contrast. Her voice was sweet and refreshing, like a sip of cool spring water. Ms Shay directed the girls, getting them to start to harmonize. As she hit a high note, Mr Woodward conducted the boys, getting them to softly start harmonizing with Kylie. After a break in the song, they started to echo her quietly so that she could still be heard. Talia smiled as she sang. This was why she loved singing in a choir, no matter she was singing the solo or in the back. She was always amazed at the powerful, harmonious sound that they made. The last few notes of the song Kylie belted out, as the others harmonized, making the already powerful notes seem even more powerful. She finished the one final note, her voice lowering in volume to a quiet hum. Everyone clapped loudly, Wes, David and Kyle even whooped and wolf called. Kylie beamed and bounced back to the group. Ms Shay and Mr Woodward smiled.
'Well, evidently, you all chose right.' Mr Woodward chuckled. 'That's the end of our rehearsal, don't be late on Thursday. Blaine and Talia, I want you to be ready for next Tuesday.' Blaine and Talia had traded Thursday's Warblers practice for swim training, also their Monday, Tuesday and Friday mornings.
After dinner, Talia changed into her Warblers' sweatshirt and stretch capri pants, having already showered twice that day. She walked over to Rita and Farrah's room. She knocked and the door immediately opened. Rita grabbed the sleeve of Talia's shirt and dragged her into the room.