A/N: So I won't be doing too many author's notes, just the last one about the way driver's ed works and this one about the way this fic will work. Because of my schedule, chapters are going to be pretty short. But this will enable me to update more often (we'll see exactly how often) and will keep me from getting burnt out which is GOOD. If you have any more questions, you can go to my Tumblr (tinyasfuck.) Special shoutout to my beta for this entire fic, the lovely Dani (morelikemidsized.) Reviews are ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS appreciated and I hope you enjoy!


Before Kurt and Blaine could react to Santana's statement, a car pulled up to the curb in front of them.

"I'm guessing that's us?" Blaine wondered.

"I'm not sure. I mean, there are probably millions of cars that come by here with student driver bumper stickers all over the rear window. We wouldn't want to get in the wrong one." The words were out of Kurt's mouth before he could stop them. God, Kurt, really? he mentally chided himself. A lot of people may know how sarcastic you are but Blaine most certainly does not. And now he's going to think that you're a giant bitch. Way to make a good first impression.

But Blaine surprised Kurt by chuckling softly in response. "Yeah, I guess I did deserve that one." They both turned to look at the instructor who had just gotten out of the car. She was older than Kurt had expected and had on a floor-length velour skirt that made Kurt shudder in disgust, but she seemed nice enough and that was really all that mattered. Kurt most certainly did not want to end up with one of those strict teachers he had heard horror stories about who kicked you out if you so much as let out a peep from the backseat.

"Hi, Mrs. O'Brien. I'm Blaine Anderson." Blaine stepped forward and extended his hand, much like he had done to Kurt just minutes before.

But unlike Kurt, the teacher waved his hand away. "Oh sweetie, you can just call me Jeannie."

"Okay, um, Jeannie it is then!" Blaine closed his hand, which was still outstretched, into a fist and brought it to his side, where he started to tap out a little drum beat in what was clearly an attempt to make it look like he hadn't just been left hanging. Kurt watched him do this with amusement. When Blaine looked up and saw the smile playing at Kurt's lips, he shot him a look that Kurt would have described as petulant, like Blaine was a child who had just gotten his favorite toy taken away, except for the odd fact that that it sent shivers running down his spine.

Next, Santana and Kurt introduced themselves and Jeannie asked to see their learner's permits. Kurt had barely pulled his out of his wallet when Santana grabbed it out of his hand and peered at the picture with a smirk. "Wow, Hummel, if I didn't know any better, I would say you took this picture right after getting laid."

Kurt turned bright red and immediately went on the defensive. "For your information, San, my hair looks like that because I'd been running my fingers through it for an hour wondering when the fuck I was going to be able to take my road test and freaking out about if I was going to pass. And the fluorescent lighting in that building was not doing my complexion any favors."

Santana handed back the license with a shrug and snapped her fingers before expectantly reaching her hand out to Blaine.

"Um, yes?"

"Can I see your permit?" Santana demanded.

"Well, that depends. Can you ask nicely?" Blaine wondered, imitating Santana's tone.

She sighed in frustration. "Mini me, could I please see your permit? Pretty please? With a cherry on top?"

Blaine ignored Santana's request. "Well, I'm not so sure I want to give it to you, seeing what you just called me and how much you insulted Kurt's picture. Which looked incredible, if I do say so myself." Kurt blushed for what felt like the fiftieth time in five minutes-wow, he really needed to work on keeping that under control-while at the same time desperately hoping for Blaine to say his name again.

"As a matter of fact," Blaine said with a grin, "to make Kurt-" yes, there we go, keep it coming, Kurt thought- "feel a little better about what you said to him, I'm going to show him my permit picture." He moved away from Santana, who was rolling her eyes and crossing her arms, to stand next to the boy in question. "Okay," Blaine whispered as he leaned closer to Kurt's face, making the other boy suddenly feel a little weak in the knees. "You have to promise not to laugh."

Kurt held his right hand up in the gesture for scout's honor. "I swear." Blaine nodded and pulled out his wallet with great fanfare, as if instead of a learner's permit it held the meaning of life. He slowly slid out the small plastic card and passed it to Kurt, who was starting to wonder what the hell made this picture so special. But then Blaine flipped it over to reveal the front and Kurt couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Oh my god," he started giggling. "I cannot believe it. You- that- how…" At this he stopped to catch his breath because he was wheezing from laughing so hard. In the picture, Blaine's hair looked completely normal-great, actually- and his clothes looked absolutely fine. But his face. Just thinking about Blaine's squinting eyes and large toothy smile that stretched from ear to ear made Kurt double over from another round of giggles. He looked up, dashing tears from his eyes, to see Blaine pouting above him.

"You said you wouldn't laugh. You even gave me scouts' honor, Kurt, c'mon!" But he was- as he always seemed to be, Kurt had realized- grinning as he said this. Then he turned to stick his tongue out at Santana, who was a couple feet away from them, looking very pissed off. "Don't worry, San!" he called out, already adopting Kurt's nickname. "I'll show you the very last day. It'll be our big surprise!"

Santana's frown softened slightly. "Fine, hobbit. I'll be patient. But just you wait. I am not the girl you want to mess with. And I cannot wait to show you how we do it in Lima Heights."

Before Kurt could say anything- because he never stayed out of a bitch fight and really wanted, if he was being honest with himself, to show off some of his verbal sparring skills in front of Blaine- he was stopped by the sound of a throat clearing.

They all turned toward Jeannie, the instructor, who already looked sick of them. "Look, I'm fine with chit-chat but we need to get started." She pointed to Kurt. "You have your junior license already, so I'm guessing you're the most comfortable. You okay with going first?"

"Sure," Kurt said, already skipping around to the driver's side of the car. He slid into the driver's seat, adjusted it, raised the front mirror a little, and of course pulled down the visor to check his hair. After making sure every strand was in place, he turned around to see Santana slide in behind the passenger seat and Blaine, who had been holding the door open for her, get in behind him. Jeannie was already next to him making a note on what looked to be a chart of driving time. "Um, when can I go?"

"Whenever you're ready, honey."

Kurt shifted the car into drive and pulled away from the curb. Even though he hated the idea of driver's ed, he absolutely loved driving, the feeling of power and control it gave him, of the outside world speeding by, of being able to get in a car and experience the drunken possibility of being able to go absolutely anywhere and everywhere. Driving made him feel like one day he would be able to escape Lima, that small pond in which he was unfortunately the big gay fish.

As Kurt slowed down to stop at a red light, he saw Santana nudge Blaine in the rear-view mirror. She opened her mouth and Kurt focused on trying to catch what she was about to say. This didn't prove difficult as she made no effort to keep her voice down. "So. Brian or Billy or whatever the hell your name is,"- "Blaine," he muttered under his breath- "the siren in my head is giving me a freakin' headache every time I look at that god-awful bowtie around your neck and those pants the color of my abuela's lipstick. I just want to make sure my accuracy is still 100%. Basically, what I'm asking is… are you or are you not gay?"

At this the light turned green. Kurt, startled by how bluntly Santana had asked the question- which he, admittedly, really wanted to know the answer to- slammed his foot on the accelerator, making the car shoot forward before he pressed gently on the brakes and was able to get it under control. He took a deep breath and kept driving, trying not to appear like he was listening too hard.

"Wow, Santana, your subtlety astounds me." Huh, guess I'm not the only sarcastic one around here, Kurt thought. "But yes," Blaine answered. "I am 100% gay."

Kurt, returning his full focus back to the road, smiled. Maybe driver's ed wasn't going to be so bad after all.