Author's Note: *gives each of you a puppy as peace offering.* I'm sorry! It's been for ever I know! I started this chapter weeks ago and I just now finished it. I promise I'll try to get back on track with this story. Thank you to everybody who's still reading! Read, review, and I hope you enjoy!
I didn't sleep well that night. I was already awake when Dawson's alarm went off. It was cold in the dorm despite it being late summer. Dawson groaned and turned off the alarm. I was sitting up with my back against the head board sending a text to Kurt. 'I miss you already babe. I love so me much. Have a good day.' I slipped laid my phone on the night stand and changed in my practice cloths.
Dawson was just getting out of bed when I was putting in my contacts. "Why are you up so early dude?" Dawson mumbled. You could tell he wasn't really awake. "I got up when the alarm when off." I shrugged. Dawson huffed and rolled out from under the covers.
"What time does practice even start?" I asked. "9-12 then 3-4 we condition. We usually eat dinner together too." Dawson said. I just nodded. Did I really want to hang out with a bunch of college guys? "Ready?" Dawson said starting to lock the door. I followed him out the door and out to the parking lot.
He unlocked a small black car and tossed his stuff in the back. We started to drive off the lot. "I wonder what hick drives that junker." he laughed pointing at my pick up. "Um, that'd be my truck." I said. "Oh sorry dude." Dawson said turning bright red. "It's alright man." I shrugged.
Dawson is a terrible driver. He almost hit three bikers in the five blocks that it took to get us to the ball diamonds. I got out of the car as fast as I could.
"Hey Dawson, come over here." A guy yelled from by the dugout. I follow Dawson over. "I'm Coach Fletcher." He said sticking his hand out. "Blaine Anderson sir." I smiled grabbing his hand. "Dawson, go with the rest of the guys. Blaine, I want you to come with me."
The camp was a lot different than I thought it would be. They gave me a bucket of balls and a target. The coach stood behind me the whole time giving his input. It was nerve racking. Every pitch I threw could be the difference between me having a scholarship and having no college education.
Pitch, to low. Pitch, to high. Pitch, little faster Blaine. Pitch, very nice. Pitch, nice split. Pitch, just a couple more Blaine you're doing good. Pitch, come on now. Pitch, last one. Pitch, one more. "Alright Blaine that's enough for now." I unstrapped my brace and looked at him. "You're very good Blaine." Coach smiled. "Thank you sir." I said amazed. "Come with me." He said walking toward the field.
"Hold up guys." Everybody stopped. "Grab your bats and lineup. This is Blaine; he is going to pitch at you." Coach said handing me a bucket of balls and pushing me toward the pitcher's mound. I was shocked. How the hell was I supposed to strike out a bunch of college players? I did as I was told.
Pitch 1, home run. Pitch 2, fair ball. Pitch 3, fair ball. Pitch 4, foul. Pitch 5, fair. Pitch 6, home run. Then pitch 7, strike one. Pitch 8, another strike. Pitch 9, three strikes you're out. We went through two buckets before Coach came and told us to stop.
"Alright boys, go to lunch. I have a little treat for you too. Conditioning has been cancelled." A cheer went up and some of the guys chest bumped each other. "Yeah, yeah. Get going will ya." Coach laughed.
Dawson and I were about to walk out of the gate when coach stopped me. "Blaine I want to talk to you. Can you meet me in my office at 3 please?" Shit, was I being kicked out already? "Um yes sir. I'll be there." I nodded.
I climbed into Dawson's car and sighed. "What was that about dude?" Dawson said speeding out of the lot. "He wants to have a meeting with me in his office." I said nervously. "Oh, you'll be fine. Don't be nervous. It's not like you have any big secrets right?" he laughed nudging my shoulder. "What? No." I said quickly. "Hey calm down. Coach is a really good guy. I doubt it's anything serious." Dawson shrugged turning into the dorm lot. I just nodded.
"I'm going to go shower, Dawson." I said collecting my stuff. We had just got back to the dorm. "Okay, showers are across the hall." he said with his nose buried in his text book again.
My elbow hurt so badly. Every time I moved it, it felt like an arrow being shot through it. If it totally locked up I'd be screwed. I took two pain pills before I went back to the room.
I put on nicer cloths for my meeting with Coach. Jeans, blue button, and my boot. 2:30. Coach's office was right across the road but I didn't want to be late. "I'm headed out dude." I said pulling my ball cap on. "Alright. If you're still alive after your meeting the team's going to eat if you wanna join?" he offered. "Um sure." I shrugged and walked out the door.
'Knock, knock.' I rapped on Coach's door softly. "Hey Blaine, come have a seat!" he said cheerfully. I sat in one of the leather chairs in front of his desk. The office was nice. Trophies and awards lined the walls and old team posters covered any available space.
"So, how'd you like practice today?" Coach asked leaning back in his chair. "I liked it a lot sir. Everybody else is so talented, it was amazing to see a team like that up close." I schmoozed.
"You're talented too Blaine, but you don't see it do you?" he asked chewing on a pen. I shrugged. "Tell me about yourself Blaine." Coach said. "What do you wanna know?" "Anything." he shrugged.
"I'm from Newton. I play football, race motocross, sing, play instruments, baseball obviously. I don't know I'm not that interesting." I shrugged. "Tell me about your home."
"Um my dad's a preacher, my mom works at my school. I have an older brother; he's a Buckeye though. Most of my friends play sports too. We farm. Yeah." I said. "What do you do for fun?"
"Well sports, music, go mudding, campout with my boyfri-" shit, did just say that? I froze. What should I do, should I leave, apologize, keep going? "Are you alright Blaine? You look like you're gonna be sick." Coach said staring to stand up. I shook my head. "I didn't mean to say that." I whispered. "Say what?" he frowned. He was gonna make me say it again. "I started to say my b-boyfriend. I'm sorry sir. I shouldn't ha-" "Stop right there Blaine." he said holding up his hand. I gulped.
Coach slowly stood up and walked over to one of the shelved by the door.
Was he gonna throw me out? How would I explain to everybody why I need to come how early?
He grabbed a picture frame and handed it to me. It was a picture of two guys in tuxes. "That's my brother and his husband. Luke got married last spring in New York. One of the best weddings I have ever been to." Coach smiled. "Why are you showing me this sir?" I asked handing it back to him.
"Because you remind me so much of Luke. He let slip one night at dinner when he was home from college that he had gone to a movie with his boyfriend. My dad lost it on him. 30 minutes. Pack and get the hell out, were his words. My mom never said a word though. I left the second I turned 18. I spent 4 years not speaking to the people who were supposed to love me and my brother.
We got our justice though. They've never heard anything from us since. No word that I graduated with honors. And no invite to Luke's wedding. My parents have two grandkids that don't know they have grandparents." Coach sighed.
"I'm sorry that happened sir." I whispered. "I'm not." He shrugged. I just nodded.
"Now for the reason I called you in here. I haven't seen a player like you in a long time Blaine." Coach said sitting back in his desk chair. I shrugged. "At the end of camp we're gonna have another meeting, but with your parents. We'll talk all the scholarships and boring stuff then." he smiled leading me out of the office.
I was speechless. Scholarships? I was just a junior. Those were meant for seniors who were graduating. What would I get them for? I'm not top of my class. Sure I have Boy Scouts and music and all that but I'm not the best at those either.
I ran up the stair well that led to the dorm.
"Hey Blaine." said Dawson. Dawson was sitting on his desk and another guy was sitting on his bed. "Hey Daws." I said pulling my boots off. "Nice manners D. I'm Jace, it's nice to meet you man." The boy in the bed said. "You too." I said pulling my phone out of my pocket. Shit missed call from Kurt. "I'll be right back guys I gotta make a call."
"Better go down stairs. Phones don't work for shit up here." Jace yelled.
I ran down the stairs and sat in the common room. I stretched my feet out on the couch and dialed Kurt. He picked up on the second ring.
"Blaine!" I could hear the smile on his face.
"Hey babe, how's it going back there?"
"Not a lot. I just got back from having lunch with Tyler about an hour ago. It really boring here without you." he laughed.
"I'm sorry. But I'll be home before you know it. Then I'm gonna kiss you so hard." I grinned.
"I was right when I told Cooper you're a tease."
"You can't see me but in sticking my tongue out at you."
"Dork."
"Where are you right now? I thought I heard guitar."
"I'm in your room messing with your stuff. And wearing one of your football hoodies.
"Just don't break anything please, I may not forgive you if you break my baby." I laughed.
"I thought I was your baby? I'm offended!"
"You're my babe. My guitar is my baby. I love you more either way so there!" I smiled.
"I love you too honey. So how's everything going up there?" Kurt asked.
"Well Coach Fletcher wants to have a meeting with me and my parents at the end of the week to discuss scholarships and financial aid. They really want me here Kurt." I sighed.
"Blaine, that's amazing. You have a college who's dying to have you! I'm a senior and I've barely started looking at schools.
"Hey Blaine, we're going to dinner. Are you coming along?" Dawson shouted from the top of the stairs. "Yeah, one second Daws." I yelled back covering the phone with my hand.
"Sorry Kurt. I've gotta go. I'm going to dinner with Dawson and Jace and the guys."
"That's alright honey. Go have fun. Don't drinking or doing anything stupid. Don't be like the college guys you see on Cops that are total jackasses." He laughed.
"I promise. I love you Kurt. I'll call you tomorrow." I said making a kiss noise into the phone.
"I love you too Blainers. Talk to you soon."
I pressed end call and ran up the stairs.
"What took you so long? Get your stuff and lets so." Dawson huffed. "You're such a baby Dawson.
Jace said shoving Dawson. "Whatever, I'm ready to go now." I said pulling on my ball cap.
We had walked about a block before anybody spoke. "Who were you talking to back there Blaine?" Dawson asked. I froze. What would Kurt do? He would talk about me. I need to be proud for him. You can do it Blaine.
"My boyfriend." I said quickly. "Oh nice, how long have you too been together?" Jace asked. "April, so not that long. But I know he's the one." I smiled a little. "Ew. I'm never getting married. Marriage is for lovers and losers." Jace frowned.
"Shut up Jace. You're just pissed Blaine's got somebody to love and you're gonna die alone." Dawson quipped. "I'm not gonna die alone. I'll hire a butler and they'll take care me until I die." Jace said smartly. Dawson and I looked at each other and laughed.
Yup, these guys are awesome.