“No, no, it makes sense,” Biting her lip, Ellie twirled a lock of hair around her finger as she thought. “I just… kind of wish I knew what that was for me.”
“It’s okay if you don’t yet,” Blaine nudged the side of her foot with the tip of his shoe giving it a tap, tap trying to get a smile. “I think we figure it out as we go. Life changes things constantly. What matters the most today? Might matter more or less tomorrow. Maybe you can think about what is most important to you right now and go from there. Any ideas? Sometimes talking it through helps. Suddenly you discover you’re not as lost as you thought you were.”
“I’d sooner strip down and jump in. No need to waste money on this.” He looked down at his down before tugging uncomfortably at the collar – which he was already told not to do for fear of tearing the seams. He was starting to relax more now that Blaine was so easygoing around him. Duran wasn’t sure if they’d be able to even have this conversation if both of them were uncomfortable. He could also tell how homesick for Dalton he was, and Duran couldn’t blame him. As much as he hated the uniforms, he still enjoyed attending the school. (Plus, there was plenty of eye candy.) Putting his hands in his lap, Duran slumped a little in his seat. “I’d love to hear the lecture,” he said. “Not gonna lie, I do enjoy it here, and I can see why anyone would miss it. But I also understand why you left too.” He tilted his head to the side. “You should come back and visit more though. Maybe we could get to know each other better that way.” Hopefully that didn’t come across too strong. Duran knew why Blaine left, and he didn’t want to sound creepy. “I mean, I understand if you don’t want to. I don’t–” he cut himself off. “As friends,” he added, a second later. “I think we could be friends.”
Blaine shook his head and laughed towards the plastic lid of his coffee cup. “They’re not cheap so I won’t blame you for not wanting to turn them into an over-priced bathing suit. “I’m glad you enjoy your time at Dalton but trust me you don’t want to hear me start.” He paused and glanced up without lifting his chin at the mention of Duran understanding why he left. An impressed but half-disbelieving look pinched the edges. “You do? Word travels fast there. I forgot just how quickly it spreads. Thanks for understanding, though. It means a lot. Even if we barely know each other.” Weirdly enough? Blaine seemed sincere in how much the approval and understanding on why he left meant to him from someone. There were plenty of protests, shock and awe in the announcement that he was leaving and why. Those that knew him best weren’t that surprised but others? Weren’t overly thrilled to see him go but did their best to lend him their understanding while he knew they were having to keep their mouths glued together to talk him out of it. Knowing he disappointed people wasn’t something Blaine ever took lightly and the fact that he did gnawed at the pit of his stomach still. Get to know one another better? Blaine blinked and looked back down at his cup, laughing embarrassedly because he felt a warmth across his cheeks that he knew had to be noticeable. “No. No it didn’t. Trust me. It’s okay and I get what you’re saying,” he smiled earnestly, “I think we could be friends and you’re right. I should visit more. I guess I’ve just been going with that ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mentality. Even if it isn’t working very well.”
Duran raised an eyebrow the second the high school was named. He’d only heard of McKinley in passing before, but Duran really had no opinions of it other than they didn’t have to wear uniforms. As much as he loved Dalton, Duran hated the snooty atmosphere half the time, even if some of the boys here were his closest friends. He’d reserve judgement for later though, since he was more interested in making friends with Blaine, since the former Warbler seemed pretty nice. He didn’t seem like the holier-than-thou type, and that reason alone was enough for Duran to feel like they could strike up something. “I hate the blazer sometimes,” he admitted, looking down when Blaine pointed. “I’m grateful for the dress code, but sometimes I feel like I’m sitting through a Pink Floyd video. It also gets really hot sometimes and I just want to jump in a pool and stay there.” Was he rambling? Duran felt like he was rambling.
“Aw, come on. They aren’t that bad.” Relieved to not have a dozen vaguely insulting questions about his decision to leave Dalton for McKinley=-Blaine relaxed enough that the tips of his fingers were no longer pale from where they gripped his cup. He even slid into a chair opposite of Duran. “I don’t suggest jumping into the pool wearing that, though. Dry Clean Only,” he grinned easing back and scrunched up his nose and lips into a smirky pout. “I don’t think it’d survive the dunk. Plus the chlorine? You’d be wearing a half vest by the time it dried and shrunk. Besides,” his fingers twitched off his coffee and towards Duran. “Wearing it’s a privilege. It means you come from a pretty fantastic place.” Did he sound like he missed Dalton as much as he felt inside? Especially after sitting down to talk to someone wearing the clothing he’d become so fond of once the school began to mean as much as it did. “Sorry,” he towards his hand as it lifted rubbed the back of his neck laughing embarrassedly. “I’ll leave out my Dalton fanboy lecture. I guess I’m more homesick than I’d like to admit. Sort of snuck up on me. Anyway. How’s Dalton? Besides making you feel like you might need to burst out into singing about being another brick in the wall thanks to navy blue and red piping.”
“It’s Duran.” He looked Blaine up and down before looking back up at his face. “I know, weird name. It’s a nickname, actually, but my real name isn’t much different.” He grinned as he fiddled with his blazer. “So tell me. What school did you find that’s way better than Dalton? I hear you don’t have to wear these stuffy uniforms in public high schools.” Not that Duran entirely hated the uniform, it just felt stiff compared to his usual attire of t-shirts and sweatpants. “I wanna hear more about this new school of yours.”
Blaine stood awkwardly as he watched Duran look him over before making eye contact again. “McKinley High,” he hummed hoping to stay away from any downfall of admitting to where he transferred. He knew the opinions most Dalton students had of McKinley. His friends supported him but most of them had it too. Even–at one point–he did for other reasons. Obvious ones that he kept to himself but were far more than surface dislike of thinking you were better than someone. “It’s not that it’s better.” All that aside? To say McKinley was better than Dalton wasn’t true. Even if he enjoyed McKinley it wasn’t Dalton Academy if he was honest–was he horrible thinking that? Skimming past the answer that instantly came to mind, Blaine shrugged. “What do you want to know? No dress code but I do miss the blazer,” he grinned and thumbed towards Duran’s lapel. “Made getting ready so much easier.” Yeah! Sure! Only for that reason, Blaine. “It’s different. Strange being back in public school but the kids are nice–enough.” Mostly.
“So, I think I remember seeing you at Dalton before. I never got a chance to actually talk to you, since you were always hanging out with the school celebrities.” Duran rocked back in his chair, making eye contact. “It’s Blaine, right?”
Blaine tossed the wooden stirrer from his coffee into the trash and turned to go when a voice caught his attention. A brow raised as he glanced Duran’s direction heard the name Dalton. Lowering his coffee, his lips quirked in a puzzled smile. “Um–Yeah, it’s Blaine. I just transferred from there actually.” Seeing the blazer the other boy wore made him feel homesick but he took another sip and approached the table. “I’m sorry. I don’t know your name,” but he offered him a hand happy to see someone from his the Academy in spite of it making him miss it.
“After everything…..how could I not? I’ve tried that, Blaine and it blew up in my face.” Tina sighed. What Blaine was saying sounded really nice, too nice. She had gotten her hopes up before and well, it didn’t turn how she hoped. But this was Blaine and everyone loved him. She couldn’t help tearing up slightly. “Okay Blaine, we can give it a try. I can’t make any promises though.”
Blaine’s gaze widened as he saw Tina’s fill with tears. “Hey–hey. No crying today,” he sighed as he drew nearer and delicately cupped her cheeks. Then lightly ran the edges of his thumbs along the corners of her eyes to catch any would-be streaks of wet before they could become actual, real ones. “I promise I’ll help you get past this. I’m sorry I haven’t noticed how bad you’ve been struggling. Just–been in a weird place, you know? I haven’t been the best kind of friend and I promise to fix that starting now. You and me,” he ducked down and made sure to be looking up at her with an encouraging smile and a sparkle in his eyes, “We’re going to rock that stage today for an audience of none. By the end of the week? We’ll bring the roof down at glee club. Leave them sitting there with their mouths open wondering what just happened.”
“So have you decided where you’re going to go for college?”
“Um–Yeah. Of course! It got complicated but–I think we–I–have it figured out. That answer was a mess. I’m sorry. Apparently my caffeine levels are WAY off today.”
“It’s kind of hard to feel like that when I’m stuck in the background of this stupid thing called Life. You’re the greatest, you know that? I don’t deserve a friend like you.”
“Why would you think that? Of course you do. You’re a pretty great friend, yourself, Miss Tina Cohen-Chang. As far as you being stuck in the background? Maybe it’s time we start pushing you to the front where you belong. What do you say start now? Starting with a warm up performance with just you and me after school? And then–next week–you’re taking glee club by storm and who knows where we’ll go from there. Together. I’ll root you on every time you start that doubting yourself thing you do. Which you should stop, by the way. Okay?”
“Uh–I like them? I’d ask you what your pink rhinestone thermos is for but I can smell the answer all the way over here. Miss Rhodes? If you don’t mind me saying? You should be more careful. Before they kick you out–again.”
“Yeah, if its not too much trouble. I’m not sure it will even work.”
“It’s no trouble, Tina. I’m just worried that you think you have to pretend you’re taken to get someone’s attention. You are so much better than that. I mean? You’re perfect. Whoever he is should love you for you. The real you. Not the My-Pretend-Girlfriend you.”
pianokeysandbowties back up 