Warbler Infections

Chapter 2: "What in the Warbler?"

  I was panting by the time we reached our dorm after running the whole way. "That", Blaine was out of breath too, "was a longer way than I thought it was!" A grin spread across my face as I saw he was bent over and his hair was escaping it's gel cage. That's when I looked down to see our hands still intertwined and my eyes went wide. "Oh sorry that must have been awkward, I sorta dragged you the entire time." He didn't seem like he was uncomfortable though.

    "No it's fine really, I like being dragged." Just shoot me already. He cocked his head. "No wait! I meant it wasn't awkward, just unexpected. Real smooth, Kurt.

  "Good to know...", he started again. "Well we're here so I should probably let you get settled in so I can show you around" I frantically nodded just hoping to end the odd conversation in the hallway. His key clicked and the brass door handle revealed a huge yet cozy room, and I'm not kidding about the huge part.

    "I'm sorry you're telling me that only two people live here? This is twice the size of my basement room and I thought that was big!" He watched as I stood in awe at the living space.

    "Well you get what you pay for, and usually friends can hang out in each other's rooms."Friends, right. Don't really have many of those. Blaine seemed to notice my change in demeanor. "Don't worry about it. If you want you can hang with me and my friends. They love new people. Mostly cause they need somebody who isn't used to their crazy antics yet."

  "I don't know, you probably just want to hang out with them alone. People will get tired of me quickly." He frowned and his eyebrows scrunched.

   "That's not true. It's not just gonna ditch you every night and leave you alone here. I mean you can totally find some friends if your own, but mine aren't too bad." I cheered up a bit after hearing him say that.

    "Well I'll worry about getting some friends another time, we came here so I could unpack right?" His face softened. "Right, yeah sure I'll help you."

    We spent the next hour sorting through my things and finding space for them among his belongings. "Kurt, I think if you're going to be my roommate we're gonna need another bathroom and closet. You own a disturbing number of scarves and moisturizers."

   I crossed my arms. "Well this", pointing to my blemish free porcelain skin, "doesn't just happen everyday." He smirked and shook his head. "As long as your skincare doesn't get in the way of my hair gel, I guess we won't have any problems."

  We continued sorting through my things until it came down to jut my wall decorations. Mostly old certificates and medals from the New Directions, but lots of photos, too. He would ask me questions about the places or people in them.

    "Are these your parents?" He was looking at a picture of me, my dad, and my mom on a family vacation when I was 7. "Yeah, that's them." My eyes started to water a little. "My mom died a few months after that trip from cancer. None of us knew but she was so strong. This is my favorite picture of the three of us."

  Blaine stood there for a moment in silence, not an uncomfortable silence, but one of remorse. He then walked up to me and wrapped his arms around me. At first I was startled but then I relaxed into the hug. I sniffled into his shoulder and he rubbed circles in my back. When we separated he put his hands on my forearms.

    "I'm so sorry you lost her so young Kurt. She looks like a wonderful woman, you can see it in her eyes. In fact, you have the same eyes as her. And I don't think she would want to see you crying. Be strong for her." This really calmed me down. I wiped away the salty warm tears from my cheek and smiled at him. "You're right."

  We continued to put up the pictures on the wall of my side of the dorm. There were a few photos Blaine kept till the end, I guess to ask me questions about them. "Ok, first off would you care to explain this ensemble?" He pulled out the photo of me dancing to Single Ladies with Tina and Brittany last year.

   "That", I laughed, "was when I did a fabulous dance routine to Beyoncé in my basement. My dad walked in on me and asked what was going on. This was before I came out to him so I lied and said it was for football. I was the kicker for a game and we won. Turns out he knew I was gay for 12 years. Oh well."

   Blaine cracked up. "That's some commitment, were you good at football?" I raised my eyebrows. "Who do you think won us the game?" He laughed even harder after I said that.

   "And I guess you're athletic career didn't stop there considering what I see in this one?" He slid over a photo of me and Mercedes performing 4 Minutes by Madonna when we were on the Cheerios.

     "Oh that was when me and my bestie 'Cedes were cheerleaders and sang at the school assembly. She quit a few weeks later but I stayed for the rest of the year. We won nationals too. I did like cheer but coach Sylvester just called me lady and said I had pear hips."

   Blaine seemed concerned by this. "Nationals? Isn't that like really hard for cheer?" "Yeah but we were shooting girls from cannons and I sang a 14 and a half minute Celine Dion melody in French. Those were the good days." I think Blaine thought it would be better to stop asking questions.

When we finished setting up my part of the room he showed me around his side. His side was a little less classy then mine, not ugly by any means, there were just Star Wars posters and Harry Potter memes hung up everywhere. He was definitely a geek at heart. He had a photo wall like mine, but there were less photos of himself. Does that make me narcissistic, maybe.

    One particular picture caught my attention. "Who are they? You're friends?" A group of smiling boys clad in blazers stood around Blaine on a stage. "Those are the Warblers, pretty much all of them are my friends." Now I was for sure confused. "Warblers?"

   "That's our schools show choir. I'm the lead singer, we all get solos though. You should totally audition, considering your past experience, you're bound to get in. We always love new voices. And if you joined you could get to meet some of my friends."

    It was a lot to take in. I love singing and performing, it was my favorite thing about McKinley. But that's the thing, if I join the Warblers aren't I betraying the New Directions? They'll be my competition and they're all my friends. But this is about my happiness now.

  "Could I have some time to think about it? I mean I'd love to join but it's going to be a big decision for me." Blaine looked like he understood what I meant. "Sure, take as long as you need. And you don't have to audition right now, you can wait a week or two. You can still meet the guys if you want to."

    "Yeah, I'd like that. I'm not intruding by hanging out with you guys if I'm not a Warbler yet, right?" He nodded. "We won't mind at all. The others will probably just say a friend of mine is a friend of theirs. Besides the more the merrier." I was starting to feel more welcome here.

   We headed down to what I assumed was the practice room judging by the grand piano and music stands. Blaine pushed open the giant oak doors and we were met with about twenty pairs of curious eyes. The boys mostly just sat and stared except for a giddy and tall boy with bleach blonde hair like Sam's. But his didn't look like it came from a bottle. He ran up to us and hugged me tight.

     "Uh-I-kinda-like-to-breathe", I choked out. "Oh sorry! I'm Jeff, and I guess I just get excited about new people. I'll try to never strangle you again but I can't make any promises."

    Blaine rolled his eyes. "Jeff I think we would all appreciate it if Kurt returns back to our dorm unharmed and alive. Don't scare him off yet, that'll probably be Sebastian's job." He mumbled the last part.

Hey guys! I was kinda bored today so I decided to write the next chapter earlier. I started this story on the weekend so I may not update until next Saturday cause of online school. I can't believe I have any readers at all. Thanks so much! It was so weird when I wrote about the pictures. I listen to the glee cover when I write since it gives me inspiration and 4 minutes came on! Idk I thought that was odd. The other chapter will probably be a little shorter than this one was, I don't have very much free time anymore. Again leave comments and suggestions please! See you soon.
Your fellow gleek
-Lindsay 💕