CHAPTER I - June 22nd, 2012 - McKinley High Auditorium

It was 7 pm exactly, and the McKinley High School auditorium was excessively decorated with red and white balloons and streamers as crying parents and hyperactive younger siblings gathered and piled into the seats. Blaine had arrived a little late, so the best seat he could get was up in the nosebleeds, but that was okay, as long as he was here for Kurt, though this was definitely a bittersweet occasion. There was no doubting that he was infiinitely proud of Kurt for having gotten through high school and the hell that came with it, but he couldn't make himself thrilled to be that much closer to the year without his boyfriend. Nonetheless, he wore a smile on his face and meant it.

Kurt bounced on his heels anxiously backstage, trying to peak around the curtain to spot Blaine in the audience. He knew Blaine was apprehensive about the event, but he hoped that wouldn't keep him from showing up. Most of the graduating class was going to receive their diplomas in alphabetical order, but the top ten would be going first, and Kurt wasn't valedictorian (Mike) or salutorian (Quinn), but still with a 4.0 GPA and a favorite of his teachers, Kurt was in third, between Quinn and Rachel. Yeah, it was a little strange how the top four were all in glee club, but it was the club for 'losers,' after all. Figgins had arranged all the seniors in a strict line, so Kurt couldn't see around the curtain. Rachel had been hugging him from behind for about ten minutes, her forehead between his shoulder blades, assuring him that Blaine had to be there. He patted her hand tucked against his ribcage and nodded, trying to convince himself of it.

Blaine waited as patiently as he could, replaying his last conversation with Kurt over in his head. Blaine had been bitter about Kurt leaving for New York -in August, mind you- and Kurt couldn't understand his frustration. Blaine had accused Kurt of not caring about him, and Kurt had come back -lost- with how he belonged in New York. Blaine had spat something about one more year being too much to ask for. He felt horrible afterwards, he hadn't meant to put Kurt in a compromising position like that. He just really was gonna miss him. Digging his phone out of his pocket, he shot a quick text to Kurt. 'i'm so sorry about yesterday. ur gonna do great in ny, it is where u belong. i love you 33' He smiled to himself and resisted the urge to kiss his screen, hoping it would somehow get to Kurt before realizing it couldn't, and stuffed it away. Then, as an afterthought when he realized Kurt probably didn't realize he was here, he pulled his phone back out of his pocket and typed 'seat AB-16,' sending it.

Kurt secretly pulled his phone out of his pocket, grateful that he'd put it on vibrate before coming backstage. Technically, they weren't supposed to have their cell phones with them at all, but since when does anyone actually listen to the rules? He unlocked his phone screen and saw that the message was from Blaine, smiling brightly as he read it. He let out a soft sigh of relief when he realized that Blaine was indeed here, at what was the biggest accomplishment of his high school career -getting out. He sent a quick 'i love u 2' before Figgins could catch him on his phone.

Blaine, phone still in hand, waited for the text back, hoping Kurt wasn't still mad at him, at least not too much to tell him he loved him. Blaine was still having a hard time accepting that Kurt was going to New York, and he couldn't let him leave without being reminded that they were going to always be together. He just didn't want the distance to break them up.

The lights went out and the ceremony began.

Blaine maneuvered his way through hoards of happy crying parents and the younger kids who were tired and thinking all this fuss over a little graduation was overrated. Blaine congratulated the kids he knew, and told them he'd miss them, but he was a little too preoccupied to even quite mean it. He searched the crowd, but his boyfriend seemed to be nowhere in sight. Sighing, he decided to just stand there, ignoring the protests of the people telling him to "move his ass." He wasn't going anywhere until he found Kurt.

Kurt, meanwhile, had managed to get away from his own family, letting them know he needed to go find Blaine, now that he knew he was there. He stood on tiptoe to look over the sea of familiar and stranger faces, but Blaine wasn't exactly one to stand out in -or over- a crowd. "Blaine?" he called out, his voice a little hoarse from a combination of his gutty speech on the horrors of high school and an oncoming summer cold.

But Blaine heard him. "Kurt!" he shouted back, clawing his way through the swarm of bodies. He spotted him for real about two minutes later. "Kurt!" he cried again, this time out of happiness. Kurt ran to him -well, running's a strong word for this situation- and the young couple pulled each other into a tight hug. Blaine buried his face into his boyfriend's shoulder, taking in his familiar scent seeping through the satin graduation gown. "I'm gonna miss you so much..."

Kurt held him close, laughing sadly. "Me too... But I'm still here til August..."

"I know, but... Still..."