Chapter Text
“Urgh! Can this week be over already?” Tina groaned as she burst into the Andersons home through the back door that led straight into the kitchen.
“The hazing hasn’t stopped yet?” Blaine asked his best friend sympathetically.
Tina plopped down into the booth in front of Blaine in the breakfast nook. “No, and today is particularly worse than other days.” She reached over and grabbed a grape from a fruit bowl on the table and popped it into her mouth. “They stole my towel while I was taking a shower after practice. I had to walk out naked from the showers back to where my locker was. It was humiliating!” Tina covered her face with her hands.
“Oh my God!” Blaine exclaimed reaching over to hold his best friend’s hand.
“Oh, that wasn’t it. When I got to my locker, it was opened and all my clothes were soaking wet!”
Blaine’s mouth hung opened as he gasped. “I’m so sorry, Tee!” Blaine moved to sit next to Tina and brought her into a hug. “I can’t believe those girls! Don’t they have anything better to do than bully you?”
Tina sighed. “I guess it’s part of the deal, right?” Tina looked at Blaine. “To be a part of the team?”
Blaine shook his head. “Screw them, Tina! You don’t want to be on a team with people who treats you like that.”
Tina frowned. “But I need to be on the Cheerios. You know that I want to go to Julliard and study dance. McKinley doesn’t have any dance teams or classes. Cheerios is my only option. Even with my ballad classes on the weekends, I need to be at a competitive level. A recommendation from Coach Sylvester can pretty much get me into any dance school in the country. It’s our Junior year, Blaine. We need to start thinking about college. You have your Science Club, Student Council and you’re a Mathlete. With your grades, you’ll get into MIT or Harvard for sure. I need this, Blaine.” Tina reached over and hold Blaine’s hand. “As my best friend, I need you to support me on this.”
Blaine sighed. “Okay. You’re right.” He put his hand on top of Tina’s and squeezed it. “I’m here to support you. Whatever you need. What can I do to make them stop harassing you?”
Tina smiled. “Thanks, Bee. Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s anything you can do. Every new recruit goes through this hazing period. I just have to tough it out until the end of the week.”
Blaine smiled as his mom walked into the kitchen. “Hey guys!”
Blaine stood up and walked over to his mom and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Hi Mama.”
“Hi Pam!”
“Hi Tina. Are you staying for dinner?” Pam Anderson asked her son’s best friend, already knowing the answer.
“Yes, please! My parents are still doing their Whole 30 diet. I need my carbs! Especially after the day I had.”
“Perfect! I’m making Fettuccini Alfredo with chicken and spinach. Blaine’s favorite.”
“Can I help?” Tina offered.
“No, I got it under controlled. You guys continue with your homework.” Pam replied as she started to take ingredients out of the fridge.
Tina sighed. “Well, Blaine was doing his homework. I was just complaining about how cruel cheerleaders can be.”
“Aren’t you a cheerleader now too?” Pam asked.
“Yes, but I’m new, so I’m being hazed. I guess they do that to all the new members.”
“I was a cheerleader in high school, but we never did any hazing.” Pam replied.
“These are mean girls, Mama. Especially since their coach is leading by example. She’s the queen of mean girls. She was so afraid of her Cheerios budget being cut that she made sure there are no dance clubs or other performing arts teams at the school. She literally shut down Glee club our Freshman year after Mr. Ryerson got fired. Tina, Sam, and I would have loved to join Glee club.” Blaine told his mom.
“Well, they’re not all girls.” Tina corrected Blaine.
“Boy Cheerios are mean too?” Pam asked.
“There are only 3 boys on the team, but yes.” Tina answered. “But you know, most of the Cheerios are followers. If the team captains put a stop to all the hazing, they would stop.”
“Can you try talking to the captains then?” Pam asked.
Tina and Blaine scoffed. “Quinn Fabray and Kurt Hummel?” Tina said with an eyeroll. “They are such divas. All they care about is their popularity and social status. They enjoy having power over the team and the entire school.”
“Hummel?” Pam asked. “Does his dad own a tire shop? Burt?”
“Yes.” Blaine answered.
“Oh, Burt is such a nice man. I highly doubt he raised a son who is anything less than nice.” Pam reasoned.
“I’ve met Mr. Hummel a couple of times when he came into our café, and you’re right. He is a nice man, but Kurt is a jerk. He walks around the hallways at school like he owns the place. He’s pretty much spear heading this whole hazing, borderline bullying the Cheerios are doing to Tina. I can’t stand the guy.” Blaine replied, making a disgusted face.
Pam frowned. “That’s too bad. Burt and I always share parenting stories about raising a gay teenager. It would be nice if you two are friends. You would have someone to talk to and confine in.”
Blaine scoffed. “The only thing I have in common with Kurt Hummel is that we are both gay. I do not want to be friends with him. Plus, I do have people I can talk to and confine in. I have you and Tina, and Sam, and Artie.”
Pam smiled softly at her only son. “I know, sweetie, but sometimes it would be nice to talk to someone who’s going through the same thing you are going through.”
“Kurt and I are not going through the same thing. We may both be gay but he’s popular and I’m not. He’s had many boyfriends and I’ve never even been on a date.” Blaine replied and when Pam opened her mouth to say something, he stopped her. “And last thing I want is a relationship advise from a floozie like Kurt Hummel. Plus, I have gay friends I can talk to from PFLAG.”
“But Bee, it wouldn’t hurt to go on a date and have fun!” Tina chimed in. “Granted, the only dates I’ve been on are the ones my parents set me up with, but I still had fun with those guys.”
Blaine shook his head. “I don’t want to go on a date just for the sake of going on a date. I like romance. I want to meet my Prince Charming and fall madly in love and get married. And I’ll find him when I get to college. I don’t want to get distracted with relationship drama in high school.” Blaine said with conviction.
Pam looked at her son somberly. “I just don’t want you to miss out on any high school experiences because you are living for the future.”
“I’m not, Mama. I’m in a lot of clubs at school and I’m involved in school activities.”
“Okay.” Pam chose to let it go for now. Blaine was too mature for his own age. She wanted her son to relax and enjoy being a kid, but Blaine can be too serious sometimes. A trait he inherited from his late father.
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Next Day at School
Blaine was reading the Great Gatsby for his AP English class in the Tutoring Center as he waited for Sara, one of his current students he’s tutoring, to show up. Blaine worked as a tutor at school Monday through Thursday. He’s always been a morning person, so having to show up at school at 7 am for zero period to tutor fellow students wasn’t a chore for him. Plus, he got paid a decent amount by the school district. Not to mention, Blaine loved tutoring. He loved being able to make a difference in someone’s life. If his dreams of working for a company like Tesla to design and engineer electric cars to reduce carbon waste in the environment didn’t pan out, he would become a teacher.
Blaine looked up from his book, when he heard the door to the Tutoring Center opened, ready to greet either Artie, his friend who was also a tutor; or Sara, his student. But the person who entered into the Tutoring Center was neither Artie nor Sara.
Kurt Hummel strutted into the Tutoring Center in his Cheerios uniform complete with a Varsity Cheer jacket. He smiled when he saw Blaine and walked over to the table where Blaine was sitting at.
“Are you Blaine Anderson?”
Blaine raised his eyebrow as he glanced up at Kurt. “Are you lost?”
“What?”
Blaine sighed. “This is the Tutoring Center. The gym is on the other side of the campus.” Blaine simply replied before looking back at his book, already ignoring Kurt.
“Nooo.” Kurt drawled out. “I know where the gym is, and we don’t have practice in the mornings. I’m looking for Blaine Anderson, he’s my new tutor for Trig.” Kurt replied as he took out a slip of paper from his jacket pocket.
Blaine snapped his head up and looked at Kurt incredulously. “No, I’m not!”
Kurt smirked. “So, you are Blaine.”
Blaine rolled his eyes. “Yes, and you’re Kurt. We’ve only been going to the same schools since 6th grade.”
Kurt put his hands up in defense. “I’m sorry, I’m not good with names. Plus, didn't you use to wear black framed glasses?”
Blaine blushed and rubbed his palms on his camel-colored high-water pants. “Yes. I um... wear contacts now.”
Kurt simply hummed and smiled. “So, do we get started?” He said before he sat down in front of Blaine at the table. “I brought my Trig textbook.”
Blaine put his hand out to stop Kurt. “No, we don’t get started. I’m not your tutor.”
“Yes, you are.” Kurt showed Blaine the slip of paper that his guidance counselor had given to him the day before. “Ms. Pillsbury scheduled me for tutoring sessions with you for the next month, or at least until I can get my grade up in Trigonometry. I haven’t been able to do any of the homework assignments because I don’t understand any of this.”
Blaine grabbed the slip out of Kurt’s hand and there it is in Ms. Pillsbury’s neat handwriting, states zero period tutoring session with Blaine Anderson for Trigonometry. Blaine sighed and gave the paper back to Kurt. “Well, I’m sorry but I can’t help you.”
“Why not?”
Blaine glared at Kurt. “Well, let see...” At Kurt’s confused look, Blaine narrowed his eyes. “You’ve been tormenting my best friend, who by the way is your teammate!”
“Who’s your best friend and how have I been tormenting him or her?” Kurt asked confusedly.
“Tina Cohen Chang. She just joined the Cheerios.” Blaine answered getting frustrated.
“No way, Tina’s your best friend?” Kurt said almost in a joking manner, which made Blaine angrier.
“Yes! And I am not going to help out a jerk who has been stealing her towel in the locker room or soaking her clothes wet or filling her locker with a pile of dirt!”
Kurt put his hands up. “Whoa, whoa! I haven’t been doing any of that.”
“You may not be the one actually doing those things to her, but you clearly ordered your minions to do your dirty work. I’m not an idiot.” Blaine replied with a huff.
“No, you’re not. You are really smart. That’s why I need your help with Trig. I have a test next week and I need to get at least a C on it; otherwise, Coach Sylvester would put me on academic probation. Please!” Kurt actually looked sincere and the nice guy in Blaine wanted to help him out. But his loyalty lied with his friends.
Blaine sighed. “Look, I’ll get you another tutor.”
“I don’t want another tutor. Ms. Pillsbury said you’re the best math tutor at school. She said you’re a Mathlete and that you led our school team to win a championship at last year’s Academic Decathalon.”
“Artie is also a Mathlete and on the AcDec team with me. He’s a great tutor. He should be here soon and he can tutor you.” Blaine told Kurt just as Sara came walking into the Tutoring Center. “Look, one of my students is here for her session. You can wait for Artie over there.” Blaine told him dismissively before turning to smile at Sara. He saw Kurt walking away from the corner of his eyes, but he paid no attention to him.
Artie rolled in five minutes later and when Blaine looked up to greet his friend, he noticed that Kurt was no longer in the Tutoring Center. Blaine shrugged, not surprised at all that Kurt left. He probably didn’t care enough about his education to want to do better in class.
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Later that day, when Blaine was walking to his locker before heading to his 4th period APUSH (AP US History) class, he heard girls yelling, “Welcome to the Cheerios, Newbie!”
Blaine turned toward the voice and that’s when he saw Tina standing in the middle of the hallway, drenched in slushie. Blaine ran over to his best friend.
“Oh my God, Tina!” Blaine gently touched her arms. “Come on, I'll help you clean up.” Blaine led her into the nearest boys' restroom. Tina began to cry as Blaine started to clean up the slushie from her face.
“I really hate those girls. I thought my slushie days are over now that I’m a Cheerio, but my own teammates are throwing it at me! At least it’s just basically ice without food coloring. They know Coach Sylvester would go ballistic if they ruined my Cheerio uniform with red dye number 4.” Tina said as she wiped her tears from her cheek.
“I’m really sorry, Tee. I wish I...” Blaine began but stopped when he realized something. “You know what? I can do something about it.”
Tina looked at him confused. “What do you mean?”
Blaine smiled encouragingly at Tina. “Are you gonna be okay? I promise I’ll make things better for you.”
“How?” Tina asked after she finished wiping her body down.
“If you want the minions to stop the bullying, you have to go after their leader.” Blaine said before leaning over to kiss Tina’s cheek. “I gotta go take care of this. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, I’ll see you at lunch.” Tina replied as Blaine ran out of the restroom.
Blaine rushed back out onto the hallway in search for Kurt. He found him at his locker pulling books out of his bag. He ran over to Kurt as he heard the warning bell went off. He had 2 minutes to get to class before the final bell rang.
“Kurt!” Blaine said as he stopped in front of Kurt, out of breath.
Kurt smirked and looked at Blaine up and down. “Hi Tutor Boy.”
“I’ll tutor you.” Blaine said ignoring the way Kurt was looking at him.
Kurt immediately perked up with a smile. “You will?”
“Yes.” Blaine nodded but put his hand up. “But you need to promise me that you will leave Tina alone. Tell your minions. No more bullying, no more hazing, no more slushie. From now on, you will treat Tina with respect and welcome her to the team as a valuable member of the Cheerios.”
Kurt nodded with his chin upturn. “Fine. Tina’s off the hook.”
Blaine didn't look convinced. “I mean it, Kurt. The minute you start hurting her...”
Kurt held his hands up. “Okay, I promise! Geez! What is she, like your girlfriend or something?”
Blaine rolled his eyes. “No, she’s my best friend. Why does everyone automatically think that? Gosh!”
Doesn’t Kurt know that he’s gay?
Blaine didn’t have time to ask Kurt. He needed to get to APUSH now if he didn’t want to get a tardy slip. And he had a clean record that he didn’t want to put a blemish on it.
“I gotta get to class. Tomorrow morning at the Tutoring Center.” Blaine said as he started walking backwards towards his class. “Seven am sharp. Don’t be late. And bring your Trig book!” Blaine said before turning around.
He smiled when Kurt called out, “I’ll bring coffee too!”
Blaine walked away from Kurt not knowing that this was the start of something new. A beginning of his love story, the one he didn’t think he was going to be able to experience until he got to college. And how could he have ever known that the other leading man in his love story was none other than Kurt Hummel?