New Girl In Town (1) ✔️

Before Truth Goes Back Into Hiding

"Belle, what the hell was that?! And in front of everyone?? OH MY GOD!! I'm going to punch him again. Right in his stupid big nose!!"

Blaine is practically dragging me back to our warmup room, talking way louder than he needs to be in this instance. Desperately I try to break myself free of his grasp. At least so I can quiet him down. I need to avert a full blown crisis here.

"Blainey-bear..."

Nothing. He just pulls me along further.

"Blainey??"

Nope. Still not stopping. We are legitimately almost to the room and he is still ranting and raving.

Loudly.

"I swear Shann, Clarington is a dead man. If Bas won't do anything about it then I will. I don't care what you say. This just isn't right."

Finally I am able to get my hand free and I yank my cousin back by the collar of his shirt.

"Blaine Devon Anderson?!"

I hiss just loud enough and with enough anger that he stutters to a stop and turns back to look at me stunned. "Aladdin STOP IT! Right Now! You will not touch a hair on his head, you hear me...."

"But Shann..."

I hold my hand up to stop him. "No. You don't touch him. Like EVER. HE'S MINE. Both he and Bastian are out of your jurisdiction.  Completely off limits. I understand you think you are helping me but you're not. This is my business. My issue. My problem. I'm a big girl. I can handle this.  Get it?"

"But Shann..."

I shake my head and pull him quickly towards a quieter corner, my eyes on the door to our practice room the whole time.  I need to make this quick and concise.  "No Blaine.  You are 18, an adult. Hunter is still only 17, at least until July. You will not touch him. Ever. Do you understand??  We will go back into that room and change.  We will ride the bus back to school. And we will go to the party at Noah's.  But you WILL NOT mention ANYTHING to ANYONE.  If people say something, ask anything, notice ANYTHING I will handle it.  This is my life.  My choice."

Blaine heaves a gigantic sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes for a split second.  Finally he mumbles back at me. "Belle, I don't like this.  Any of this. But I trust you.  I just don't trust him.  Like at all..." I pat my cousin on his shoulder and then step away from him, turning to head back towards our rehearsal room. "That's perfectly fine, cousin dear. You don't even know him though. But I do. And I trust him implicitly. So come on, lets go get party ready my darling Blainey-boo."

Blaine rolls his eyes at me yet still grabs my hand allowing me to lead him back to our friends, our teammates.

No one notices us as we slip into the room, they are all still too busy celebrating our victory, some in street clothes but others still in their costumes. Quickly I sneak behind the partition again and slip back into my impossibly soft jeans, tank top and Sebastian's comfortable Warblers fleece that I may or may not have stolen from him and never given back. Although I keep on my heels. Mainly because my boys are so much taller than me.

Costume safely tucked in the garment bag once again and flats in hand I emerge to gather up my makeup and purse.  I keep my gold headband on but still pull my hair up into a ponytail, curls cascading haphazardly down my back.  Using makeup wipes I take off some of my heavier performance makeup, replacing my red lipgloss with a lighter, shinier pink shade, flavored like cupcakes.  Finally I toss my shoes in my bag with my makeup and gather everything up just as Mr Schuester starts ushering us out of the room.