Kurt rushed forward, not caring about the mess he left on the floor. He enveloped Blaine in his arms and just held him for a few moments as he felt Blaine's frame shaking with his sobs. When Blaine seemed to have calmed a little, Kurt stepped back and examined him further.

Blaine had on different glasses that appeared to be too small for his face. His normally perfectly gelled hair was strewn about in gelled chunks. His right cheekbone was red and Kurt could see the beginning of a bruise forming. His quivering chin had a small cut on the left side. Kurt's eyes made their way down his clothes and saw his collar was jostled and one side of his shirt was untucked.

Kurt felt tears in his own eyes as Blaine led them to their table. 'What the hell happened?'

When they sat down, Blaine began pulling out his packets and appeared to still be holding back tears.

"Blaine?" Kurt said; Blaine didn't look up from the papers. "Blaine. Look at me please."

When Blaine looked up, Kurt felt his heart break in half. A single tear slid down Blaine's cheek and his mouth was pulled into a frown as his chin quivered. He sniffled quietly and adjusted his glasses.

"Blaine, what happened?"

Blaine shook his head sadly, "N-nothing Kurt. I'm sorry I'm late. Did you-"

"Blaine, don't worry about being late. It's fine. Please just tell me what happened." Kurt interjected. 'Why won't you tell me?'

Blaine sighed and looked back down to his papers as more tears escaped his eyes.

"Please, Blaine? I'd really like to help y-"

"T-there's nothing you can do to help. I have to l-live with this. I'm going to the bathroom to clean up and I'll grab us some coffee on my way back." Blaine choked out as he stood.

"Will you tell me what happened when you come back?"

Blaine stood still for a moment as he seemed to think it over. He nodded as he slowly turned to walk to the bathroom.


Blaine inspected himself in the mirror. He tried unsuccessfully to hold back the fresh tears that slid down his cheeks as he applied more hair gel to fix the mess on top of his head.

'Thank god I left my stupid old glasses in my car. Why'd he have to do that? Why is he so upset? Why didn't she stop him? Why do they suddenly pick now to come back and act like they care?'

XXXX

When he had successfully put himself back together, Blaine went out to order coffee for Kurt and himself. He avoided the barista's sympathetic look as he grabbed the coffees and headed back to the table. He felt a pang of guilt when he saw Kurt wipe a tear from his cheek. 'You can't do anything right, can you?'

"Listen, Kurt. I'm sorry I didn't tell you what happened, I just don't want to burden you with my issues." Blaine said as he sat down.

"You could never burden me." Kurt's eyes shone with honesty and worry.

Blaine sighed. "Okay, well let's just say this morning was not the best of all mornings in the Anderson household. My parents aren't usually around because of their jobs, so this weekend I didn't call to check in with them to let them know I wouldn't be home. This happened to be the one fucking weekend they decided to show up." Blaine rolled his eyes as tears threatened to spill again, "Anyway. I wasn't even aware they were home until this morning. My brother said something about it last night when we talked, but I thought he had been mistaken. This morning when I was heading downstairs to grab a water bottle for my car I heard people talking. When I walked into the kitchen, my parents were sitting at the table." Blaine paused and took a deep breath. He looked down at his coffee cup and adjusted his glasses.

"Then what happened, Blaine?" Kurt asked from the other side of the table in a quiet voice.

Blaine shrugged one of his eyebrows and met Kurt's gaze again. "My father questioned where I had been all weekend. I told him the truth; you and I had taken the weekend to go to Cincinnati for a show. He said he was disappointed that I hadn't called to inform them of my whereabouts, especially when travelling with another boy. He and my mother, well, they don't exactly approve of my lifestyle." Blaine frowned even deeper and took a deep breath as anger began to build up inside of him. "When I tried to defend myself, saying that they're never around anyway so it didn't matter whether or not I called because it wasn't like they'd usually even notice my absence, he got even more upset." 'If it was even possible.' "He lost control of his actions and threw a one-two punch. I learned to box from Cooper when I first came out. He had learned from our father. Basically, my father can throw a good punch when he wants to. Cooper tried to teach me to box to defend myself from other kids in school. I'm annoyed I didn't see it coming." Blaine shrugged and looked to the table again. 'Too bad I could never use it on my father.' "My father broke my glasses. I loved those ones and the store doesn't sell them anymore. I have to go buy another pair this afternoon because these don't fit right and aren't my current prescription." Blaine said while adjusting his glasses. "Anyway, he and my mother left right before I did. They brought their luggage with them so I'm guessing they won't be back for a while."

Blaine looked up to meet Kurt's gaze again and saw the tears forming in Kurt's eyes.


'Poor Blaine. Any parent should be proud to have him for a son. He deserves better than that. And I had caused his life in school to be horrible too. What the hell was I thinking?'

"Blaine, I'm so sorry. You don't deserve to be treated like that."

Blaine straightened up in his chair and adjusted his glasses. "Well, like I said, they're never around anyway so it's not like it will happen again anytime soon. I might see them once before I graduate. I doubt it though. They send me money and pay the bills so I can't really complain." His voice had a proud tone to it that warned Kurt not to say anything further about his family.

Kurt simply nodded and opened his math packet.

XXXX

Once lessons were officially finished for the day, Kurt sat back in his chair. Blaine was putting his belongings into his bag.

"So, should we talk about Thursday?" Kurt asked, 'Please don't change your mind. PLEASE!'

Blaine smiled and it warmed Kurt's heart. After seeing Blaine so upset earlier he was worried he wouldn't see the boy smile at all that day.

"Yeah. What do you want to do?"

Kurt weighed his options for a moment, "Well, how about dinner at Breadstix and if we are up for it we can go for a walk in one of the parks?"

Blaine's face fell a little as he shifted in his seat, "Uh, Kurt. That sounds great and all, but Breadstix is really popular. Aren't you worried that your friends will see you?"

'Oh, shit. He's right. What do I do? No. You asked him, don't back out now.'

"W-well. Uh, it's okay. I want to go there." Kurt said and cringed slightly at how uncertain his voice sounded.

Blaine nodded slowly, "Kurt. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable about this. It's okay if you don't want to go there or just not go out at all. We had a really great weekend and I don't want you to try this and regret it later when you are upset from your friends catching you spending time with me."

Kurt's heart sank. 'Don't give up on him. Allow yourself to be happy.'

"Blaine. I'm sure I want to do this. I wouldn't have asked you if I didn't want to."

Blaine's face lit up again and it made Kurt smile as well.

"Okay. It's a plan then. What time should I pick you up?"

"No, no you don't. I asked you so now I'm driving. Plus you drove all weekend. I'll pick you up at seven."


The next morning Blaine woke and sighed when he realized he still didn't have any good glasses. 'One week. I have to wear these stupid things for one week. Thank god for rush order.' Blaine stumbled to the bathroom and winced when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His cheek had swollen a little and there was a dark bruise showing. His chin had stopped bleeding and was only sensitive to the touch. He shook his head as he stepped into the shower.

When Blaine got out of the shower, he put on his old glasses and was reminded again of how horrible they looked. He narrowed his eyes and headed back into the bathroom to finish putting himself together.

XXXX

When he arrived at the coffee shop, Blaine saw Kurt seated at their table with his head bent over his phone. Blaine smiled and walked over. When he set his bag down, Kurt looked up and his smile immediately turned to shock. 'Uh, oh. Man. I guess it's not a good look after all. I should have brought my glasses as a backup.' A second later a wide smile played at Kurt's lips.

"Blaine, no glasses today?" Kurt asked, still smiling.

Blaine shifted in his seat and reached up to adjust his nonexistent glasses, earning a poke to the bruise. He winced at the pain, but laughed nonetheless.

"No. I hate those old ones. I'm stuck in contacts for a week until my new glasses are in."

Kurt's warm smile began to fade as his eyes made their way to Blaine's cheek.

"Oh, Blaine." Was all Kurt said before opening his packet.

Blaine was grateful not to have to talk about it. He already knew how bad it looked.

XXXX

The following night, Blaine was sitting on Sam's couch, laughing heartily as Sam and Finn were yelling at each other as their video game characters shot at one another. Mike turned to Blaine and handed him five dollars when Finn was the first to throw his remote on the ground. Blaine laughed harder, his stomach hurting.

"So, Blaine. Did you talk to Tina today?" Mike asked next to him.

Blaine shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Tina was hosting a party the following night and Blaine couldn't think of a valid excuse not to go. 'I can't tell her the truth. I don't know if Kurt wants it getting out.'

"Uh, no. I got her text though." Blaine replied noncommittally.

"Oh, why didn't you respond? I know she really wants you there. Says you're her favorite guy besides me." Mike responded, laughing uncomfortably.

'Shit. I should have asked Kurt about this sooner. Maybe I can text him? Will Mike read over my shoulder?'

"Well, I just don't want to let her down. I can't come though." Blaine replied.

Mike frowned but let it go. Puck, however, was not so forgiving.

"What's so important that you can't hang out with your friends for once? You've been dodging us all summer, man."

Blaine sighed. He knew he hadn't been spending as much time with his friends as he should through the summer, but he really couldn't join them tomorrow.

"I'm here tonight." Blaine said weakly.

"Dude. Just come hang out tomorrow. It'll be great to get everyone-well, almost everyone-together." Sam said next to him.

"Almost everyone?"

"Yeah, when have you ever seen Quinn, Santana or Brittany at one of our gatherings? Except when Britt was dating Artie, of course." Mike said.

Blaine nodded his agreement. "I just can't."

"You haven't even told us why. This is bullshit, Anderson." Puck said.

He knew his friends weren't going to give up on him, so he excused himself to go to the bathroom for some privacy. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and took a deep breath.

TO KURT: Are we telling people we are going on a date? My friends are having a party tomorrow night and are pestering me as to why I'm not coming. It's okay if you don't want me to tell, I am just curious.

Blaine entered the main room again where Finn was already jumping on him.

"Blaine. Come hang out, man. I really wish you'd join us tomorrow night. Seriously."

Blaine's phone buzzed in his hand, he looked down to read the message.

FROM KURT: You mean Finn hasn't let it slip yet? Surprising. Carole told him accidently in her explanation of where I was last weekend. She was a little too excited that I had asked you out. :) Up to you…What do you want to do?

'Finn knew?' Blaine looked to Finn who was looking at him nervously as he shifted in his seat.

TO KURT: What would you do if it were your friends asking?

FROM KURT: *sigh* I guess since it's our FIRST date we could keep it down. If it works out we can tell our friends. I'm not scared of telling them, I just think we could wait before people's opinions attempt to tear us down before we give ourselves a shot.

TO KURT: Okay. See you tomorrow.

'It makes sense. Kurt is right. His friends are assholes, my friends care too much about my wellbeing and would never let this slide. We can do this.'

"Sorry guys. I promise I'll come next time but tomorrow I have plans already with a friend of mine."

"Who? JILL?" Puck said laughing loudly as he held up his right hand and pantomimed masturbating.

Blaine blushed immensely, but realized he was out of the woods and allowed them to tease him for the rest of the night. Finn kept shooting him uncomfortable glances, but kept his mouth shut. 'Thanks, Finn.'


A/N: I don't own Glee nor it's characters. Poor Blaine. :( At least they're going on their date! Anyway, thanks to those who favorited/began following since last chapter! Welcome! Special thank you to those who reviewed last chapter! We hit a new record, most reviewed chapter of this story so far! THANKS! I appreciate knowing what y'all think! HUGE, SPECIAL, GIGANTIC THANK YOU to Becca who stepped in as my beta for this chapter when my usual beta couldn't help. :) I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter! Who's excited to see their date?! MUAH!