To Be Like Father

5

**•**Blaine's POV**•**

It was 6:30 and I was about to step into the choir room for my first day of teaching glee club. I had called Mr. Schue and Jake Puckermann since they have the most experience with glee club. I told them my plan and they approved of it. Good. Then I told them that only five kids had signed up, including my son. They said it would get bigger and better, as long as the five kids I had now spread the word. If not, they told me that I could just have the best five-person show choir in Indiana!

I turned the knob on the door with a click and opened it. Sure enough five teenagers sat scattered amongst the plastic chairs in the back. Nick was in the front row, alone.

Behind him were two girls I recognized from choir. One was a sophomore. She was an alto with pretty long brown hair that was kept out of her eyes with bobby pins. The other girl was a junior. She was a soprano and was also the star on the softball team. She had obviously just showered from practice and had a towel draped over her shoulders to keep her damp hair from soaking her T-shirt.

In the farthest back row was a boy in dark skinny jeans, black Converse hi-tops, a grey T-shirt, and a navy blue jacket that clung to his narrow shoulders. Next to him sat a girl with thick, sand-colored waves. Her only visible make-up was mascara and she smiled at me with genuine confidence and optimism.

"Welcome to glee club!" I started, managing a smile. In my head I kept repeating, What would Mr. Schue do? What would Mr. Schue do? He would smile and be engaging. "As you all know, my name is Mr. Anderson." I took out a short list I had made on a piece of scratch paper. "So, I know Nick, because he's my son." I laughed nervously then pinched myself for my awkwardness. "And you are..." I looked to the long-haired sophomore.

"Crystal Peters." she said and then self consciously rubbed her shirt hem between her thumb and forefinger.

Then the other girls said their names. Sporty Girl was Jessa Reikes. Sandy Hair was Renee Jeffery.

"How about you?" I asked the darkly clothed boy. He had been really quiet the whole time and just stared at his lap.

Renee nudged him and whispered in his ear. He shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Ben Havelock."

I clapped my hands once. "Its good to see you all here! Were any of you in glee club last year?"

Renee's hand shot up and Crystal just nodded. Jessa pretended she didn't hear me and Ben continued to examine the fabric of his jeans. I needed to get them up and moving.

"Well then, welcome back girls. Nick is also familiar with this club because he was in a glee club back in the Big Apple." I went over to the old piano that was pushed to the far corner. As I walked I spoke, "I don't know how your club worked last year, but this year we'll be doing it like my glee club did it back in 2010-2013. Each week there will be a theme that you will have to think about and by the end of the week you will have had to perform a song that goes along with that theme in front of the club." I sat down on the piano bench. "So to begin I will perform for you."

"Um... Mr. Anderson?" I turned and saw Renee's hand again.

"Yes, Renee?"

She blushed and said, "I've already prepared a song to perform. I thought there were going to be auditions so I have it all practiced up so can I please do it today?"

I laughed to myself. That sounded a lot like Rachel, but I hoped Renee wasn't like her. I guess I'd have to wait and see. "Sure." I told her. "Do you want to do it now? I might know the song."

Renee practically sprang up from her chair and walked to me. "Okay. You might know it. It's an old song. Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson."

I smiled. "I performed that for my glee club a little before I graduated. I know it on guitar not on piano, but I can do it."