(no subject)
Title : Before I Warbled 4/8, 5/8, 6/8
Characters : Blaine, Wes, David, OC-Dalton Boys, OC-faculty
Rating : PG-13 I guess for some language and older-ish themes
Words : 1248
Summary : It's pre-Dalton Blaine, Wes, and David. NOTBlaine has taken Blaine's place after a visit home. Wes and David need to discover why
Warnings : Some language, some angst
OT The way you can cut a rug, receiving feedback's the only drug I need. So gangster and so thug, your feedback's what I'm dreaming of. Constructive criticism is appreciated and encouraged.
Disclaimer : Not a part of Glee in any way, shape or form
“Alright, what did you two do to Blaine?”
“Why hello Evan. Pleasant to see you here. Won’t you please join us?” David deadpanned as the older boy joined their table in the coffee room.
“Yeah yeah yeah. You two. Blaine. Spill.” Evan waved off.
“Um, nothing.” Wes said with a shake of head.
“No sale. Talk.” Evan commanded.
“Seriously Ev. We don’t know what’s going on.” David said, his feet grabbing the RA around the ankle.
“What the?” Evan jerks, surprised by the trappage.
“Sorry. Withdrawals.” David explains.
Touching the older boy’s arm Wes pulls the conversation back to the matter at hand.
“We haven’t seen Blaine since Monday night.” he confided. With a look of “should I?” to David and a nod in answer, Wes confesses “We don’t know where Blaine was or slept last night.”
The two brace for the consequences of their actions. They just admitted to their Resident Adviser that a Dalton student was MIA at bed check and two other students did not report that fact. All three of them could be in big trouble.
“I know. He slept in my room last night.” Evan said, sitting back in his chair.
Two jaws drop in unison.
“Wait. What?” David stammered
“Okay pause that. Rewind.” Wes said in disbelief.
“Blaine crashed in my room last night.” Evan repeated.
The mystery just deepened.
Evan, as an RA, gets a room to himself.
He has a policy though that if anyone is having roommate problems they can crash in his room.
No questions asked.
While Dalton policy is to hold an immediate mediation session to work out the problem, Evan’s found that sometimes people just need some space from one another.
Take some time, cool off, and the individuals resolve their problems, more often times than not, on their own.
He has the lowest rate of roommate conflict on campus.
If necessary though, Evan will intercede in his official capacity to rectify the situation including rearranging room assignments.
This thought runs through David and Wes’ minds.
“So what’s wrong with him?” Wes questions.
“Dude. Unless he makes an official request for mediation, I don’t pry. You know that.” Evan reminded him.
“Did he seem okay?” David offered next.
“He crashed in my room. Does that sound okay?” Evan countered.
“No. What I mean is...was he Blaine?” David clarified.
The look of confusion on the RA’s face caused Wes to add “Did he act Blaine-ish or was something just not right about him. Something a little off.”
“Now that you mention it, he did seem off. I’ve seen pretty much all of his moods, but last night was like a bad copy or a robot or something. Like...”
David jumped in with “NOTBlaine!”
“Yeah. Yeah, NOTBlaine.” Evan agreed.
“So like, what happened last night? When he came to you? Without breaking any confidences, but please break a confidence.” Wes pleaded.
“Nothing to break man. He came to me. Asked if he could crash. I said yes. He put his earbuds in and listened to his ipod til he went to sleep.” Evan admitted.
“Katy Perry.” Wes and David chimed knowingly.
“No.” which again caused two jaws to drop.
“It wasn’t Katy Perry which is NOTBlaine number one.” Evan ticked off.
“It was depressing and melancholy from what I could hear which is number two.” another tick.
“Or maybe one and a half cuz what I could make out, it was good song. Nice melody.” he amended.
“I managed to peek at his display and it said Depeche Mode. Bringing the count to NOTBlaine number two and a half/three.” Evan leaned in and whispered.
“And then the smile...” Evan continued.
“Plastic. Number 13.” Wes nodded.
“Exactly.” Evan leaned in and whispered.
The RA wasn’t breaking a confidence sharing the information but discussing NOTBlaine-isms felt taboo and needed hushed communications.
“Depeche Mode? Blaine doesn’t listen to Depeche Mode. Who is Depeche Mode?” David queried.
“No David. He doesn’t listen to Depeche Mode anymore. But he used to.” Wes answered, thinking back to a time before.
Evan gave them until Friday to fix the problem or else he was going to officially intervene. That gave them two days to solve the mystery of NOTBlaine.
David couldn’t help but laugh.
“Dude. Shut up.” Wes demanded.
“No way. I don’t believe it.” David giggled.
“I’m serious. I’ve seen the pictures.” Wes added.
“Blaine? Emo? No chance.” David busted out laughing again.
Wes had related pre-Dalton Blaine to David, including all black attire, a big fro of curly hair, and a penchant for Depeche Mode music.
“So what song do you think he was listening too?” Wes asked hoping to get his friend back on the subject at hand, namely Blaine.
“No clue dude. I’m not up on 80’s emo bands.” David said truthfully then added wistfully “Afro. That’s so adorable.”
“Well we gotta find out.” Wes concluded.
“Youtube search?”
“Youtube search.”
“Doin it hacker-style?”
“Hacker-style.” The two fist bumped.
“To the computer lab!” David declared.
“Dude. World Geography.” Wes reminded him.
“Okay. To World Geography, then the computer lab.” David amended jumping on Wes's back.
Wes and David spent their study period in the computer lab pouring through Depeche Mode songs and lyrics, trying to identify the mystery song Evan spoke about.
The time was spent scanning song lyrics and swapping earbuds with each other.
“What about this one?”
“Depressing but too pop. Try this one.”
“Morbid not depressing and no melancholy. This one.”
“Dude I’ve heard this one on the radio. Top 40. Not a chance. This...”
“Too S and M bondage scene. Here.”
“That’s, that’s...I pray that’s not the one he’s crushin on. I don’t even wanna think suicide.”
An involuntary shudder sweeps through both of them.
“Come on. Keep looking.”
“Dude he’s here.”
Blaine walked in front of the desks his two friends are occupying, looking straight ahead towards the library.
“Hey Blaine.” David offered.
Just the barest flicker of eyes towards them but Blaine continues on his way.
“Wes man. I’m going crazy. I’m gonna tackle-hug him if this keeps up. We’re on day five here.”
“I got it.” Wes said.
“I mean this is cruel and unusual punishment. How can anybody not hug him every single day.” David continued, not paying attention.
“I got it.” Wes repeated.
“He’s adorable and cuddly and tiny and oh so endearing,” David babbled.
“DUDE. I got it.” Wes said again grabbing his friend’s chin and turning the face towards his. “Listen.”
Popping the offered earbud in, “Are you sure?” David listened, then pulled up the lyrics.
“Depressing. Melancholly. Beautiful melody. This is it.” Wes put forth.
“But the lyrics...” David counters.
“You know how Blaine’s mind works when it comes to songs.” Wes reminded.
“She to he.”
“Looking for love.”
“Agree to disagree.”
“Love and acceptance.”
“Breaking down ignorance and labels.”
“A place like this.”
“Yeah, but Dalton is a place like this. Or that.” David pointed out, finding a speed bump on their road of back and forth.
“True. We gotta be missing something. But I’m sure this is the song.” Wes confirmed.
“I think you’re right, but just in case it’s the other one...” David shuddered again.
“We’ll follow him. Make sure he’s never alone.” Wes offered, throwing an arm around David.
“Agreed. Let’s show NOTBlaine he ain’t the only one with an invisibility cloak.” David agreed, slumping into Wes’ body.
“Stalker-style?”
“Stalker-style.” David and Wes fist bumped.
Amazingly the two boys managed to stalk their friend to the rest of his morning classes and to the lunch room without being spotted.
Blaine had chosen a table by himself, having begged off all offers from others to join them.
He then purposely pulled out his classwork to give the appearance he was working on an assignment and didn't want to bothered.
From their spot at a table on the opposite side of the cafeteria, Wes and David watched him and brainstormed.
"Dude. I think I figured it out." David declared.
"Well? Don't keep me in suspense, spill." Wes demanded.
"He's homesick." David nodded.
"Homesick?" Wes questioned in disbelief.
"Yeah, it fits. He's been all NOTBlaine-ish since he came back from his trip home." David counted off.
"Yeah." Wes agreed.
"He's stomping around like he doesn't wanna be here."
"Yeaaaah." Wes sounded a little less sure.
"And the reason he won't let me hug him is cuz he wants his mom to hug him." David concluded.
"Dude. His mom always hugs him." Wes pointed out the flaw in his logic.
"Well duh, but now that he's homesick he wants it even more." David guessed.
"I think you've lost it." Wes declared.
"Then what do you think it is?" David challenged.
"If I had to guess, I'd say he's horny." Wes put forth.
David busted out laughing.
"And how, oh wise one, did you come up with that?" David giggled.
"Okay maybe not horny, but feeling unloved." Wes amended.
"I might be able to see the second one, but convince me." David challenged.
"Well he's only had a couple of boyfriends since being at Dalton." Wes counted.
"Okay."
"As far as we know, those relationships never got past hot make-out sessions. Maybe some grope-age." Wes continued.
"TMI! And true." David scolded, not one to get into the details of anyone's sexual business.
"Him and 'Hot Soldier' broke up right before summer break." Point number 3
"Okay."
"He didn't hook up with anyone over the summer or he would have told us." Number 4
"But NOTBlaine hasn't talked to us."
"He just became NOTBlaine though. He was fine the past two weeks."
"True again."
"He's moody, stompy, doesn't want the straight guys touching him." Point 5.
"Well that would go towards the horny theory. Mixed signals and all." David agreed.
"And the song is the clincher for feeling unloved." Wes finished, holding up six fingers for all his points.
"How is the song the clincher for that?" David asked.
"When I'm a sleep I want somebody who will put their arms around me and kiss me tenderly?" Wes quoted.
"Maybe, but I'm still likin the homesick theory better." David decided.
"Well I think we should help him." Wes said.
"I am not helping him get unhorny!" David shook his head. "That's what ties on door knobs and earbuds on laptops are for."
David's declaration referring to the code of 'I need some alone time with myself so stay outta the room' for the first signal and 'you're in the room but I'm gonna do this anyway so you better listen to some music and don't turn around' for the second.
"DUDE! Totally not what I meant. I was referring to a small gesture of appreciation to let him know he is loved and we're glad he's here." Wes clarified.
"OH. Sorry man. Brainwaves still jammed. What did you have in mind?" David grinned sheepishly having misinterpreted his friends thoughts.
"Candy counter." Wes grabbed David and off they went.
While Blaine had his head and thoughts into whatever assignment he held in front him, David and Wes sneakily and stealthily deposited their prize in front of their goal.
This may have involved army crawling to and from the table.
Both would deny it if asked.
While staring at his English Lit assignment, Blaine attempted to lose himself in the work.
He didn't want to think about what was eating him up inside, since that's all he'd done for the past three days.
English Lit seemed like a good distraction, if only for a bit and only partially successful.
While the assignment and his thoughts warred in his head, he suddenly detected the slight aroma of berry.
Putting his paper down on top of his tray, Blaine noticed a package.
A package of Red Vines Licorice and he smiled. It was small, David and Wes noticed, but it was still a smile.
A real one.
As he picked up the package, he discovered the note hidden underneath.
Opening it, he reads -
We love you --W
Glad you're here--D
Each boy writing what he thought Blaine needed to hear and hoping for a reaction.
What they got wasn't what they wanted.
Blaine ripped the note to shreds.
He then picked up the package of candy and dropped it on his tray.
Which he then promptly slid off the table in anger before stomping outta the lunch room.
Luckily, a garbage can positioned close to his table caught the tray and it's contents.
"Whoa man!" David exclaimed.
"That was not...That was..." Wes stammered.
"That was NOTBlaine to the extreme." David finished. "Let's go."
The two boys grabbed their friends abandoned backpack and sped off in pursuit.
The two manage to catch up with Blaine on the stairs to English Lit.
Each noting that for the shortest of the three, Blaine could move awfully quick.
"Blaine. Talk to us man." Wes pleaded.
"What's going on? We're worried about you." David begged, putting a hand on Blaine's shoulder.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Blaine snarled, spinning around to face his pursuers.
This stopped the other two boys dead in their tracks long enough for Blaine to make it up the stairs and into English Lit.
David and Wes get to the room and place the forgotten backpack on the back of his chair.
They crowd around his desk and softly try to talk to him.
He hears their sounds but not their words. His own thoughts buzzing around drown out any meaning they might have had.
The sounds in his ears and the buzz in his head just keep pounding and pounding and pounding.
One of them has to stop.
"Shut up! Stop harassing me!" Blaine growled low through clenched teeth.
This halts any more words from assaulting his ears for the moment.
And before it can start up again, "Alright boys, let's begin."
Professor Scott enters the room and begins class.
"I hope all of you found Monday's homework assignment very stimulating."
Mumbled grumbling permeated the room.
"Wonderful. You all loved it I hear. Well I'll find out how much later. Now pass them forward."
"Shit." a low curse.
The students in the class pass their assignments forward to the first boy in the row.
The stacks collected one by one by the professor.
"It seems I have four boys in this row but only three assignments here." the professor noted.
"Shit." another low curse.
"Blaine?"
A murmur of "oooohs" circulate the room.
"Yes Professor Scott?"
"I seem to be missing your assignment."
'Because I left it on my tray and threw it away at lunch. Shit.'
"Yes Professor Scott."
"Hand it to me please?"
The last three days start building up in him.
The sadness, the irritability, the sleeplessness, the frustration, the memories, and now his stupidity all churn inside of him.
He tries hard to keep them under control.
"I can't."
"Did you do the assignment?"
Churning and churning, building in intensity.
"Yes."
"Then hand it to me please."
Churning and building, starting to boil.
'Just give me the zero and leave me alone. Please.'
"I don't have it."
"Well that's not an answer."
'Leave me alone.'
"..."
"Did it jam in the printer?"
'Leave me alone. PLEASE.'
Boiling and bubbling, growing hotter and hotter.
"Did your dog eat it?"
A chorus of giggles from most of the class.
'Stop laughing at me.'
Building and building.
"Was it abducted by aliens?"
More giggles and a squeeze on his shoulder.
He shrugs the hand off.
'Stop laughing. Leave me alone.'
Burning and blazing.
"I think I need to know what I don't have it means?"
Flash point.
"I means I don' t fucking have it!" Blaine exploded, receiving double "DUDE!"s from Wes and David.
"As opposed to, I do have it which I don't!" he continued.
He pushed forward in his chair, chin out defiantly, eyes blazing.
The profane outburst startled the class and shocked the professor.
"Fuck! For a professor you're not real bright are you!" Blaine challenged, slumping back in his chair, exasperated.
The professor opened the door to the classroom and motioned to the student hall monitor who came as commanded.
"Please take charge of the class. Blaine. Dean's office. Now!" The professor demanded tightly.
"Seriously?" Chris the monitor questioned upon seeing who was being sent down.
"Seriously. Now Blaine." The professor again commanded.
Blaine gathered his backpack and walked out of the classroom escorted by the professor.
And as the door closed, Chris gave a quick look to the remaining students in class and said "Really? Blaine?"
As the rest of the class buzzed about "the incident" and retold the story and all it's gruesome details to Chris the student monitor,
David and Wes brainstormed.
"NOTBlaine is beyond extreme. He's outta control." David declared.
"Agreed." Wes confirmed. "We got to get down to the dean's office asap."
"Agreed." David nodded. "Ideas?"
"Yeah. It'll go something like this." Wes pulled out a sheet of paper and drew it up.
"Alright. That's the plan. Got it?" Wes asked.
"I know how to get there from here. I didn't need a diagram." David deadpanned. Then turning the paper sideways, "Is that a duck?"
"Come on dude. You got it?" Wes asked again.
"Prison Break-style?"
"Prison Break-style." Plan confirmed with a fist bump.
"Sharpen my pencil boss?" Wes asked.
Chris just waved his approval, too caught up in the story to care.
Wes made his way to the corner of the class and sharpened his pencil.
On his way back, his foot snags the leg of a desk effectively tripping him and down he goes.
Two seconds after he hit the floor, Wes grabs his elbow and a howl silenced the room.
"What's going on back there? What happened?" Chris rose from the head desk and moved to the back of the room.
To where Wes was on the floor, hand clutching his right elbow, face screwed up in pain, tears leaking down his face.
Before David could recite his line, the boy closest to the incident said "I think he broke something. I heard it snap."
"Everyone stay in your seats. I'm going to take him to the infirmary." Chris commanded.
"Dude, you're in charge of the class. If you leave, someone might get up outta their seat. If one person gets up, we'll all get up, it'll be anarchy. Breakfast Club-style." David declares.
Chris hesitated for a second.
"Plus I know everything he's allergic too." he added.
"Alright, take him. But keep me apprised of the situation."
"Sir, yes sir." David saluted, then helped Wes off the floor, picked him up into a fireman's carry, and carried him out the door.
As he made his way down the stairs with Wes over his shoulder, David congratulated him on his performance.
"Dude that was awesome. Academy Award winning even. Totally believable. I so bought it."
"I do my best."
"And Jim with the whole I heard it snap. Where did that come from?" David laughed.
"I can walk you know. I hurt my elbow, not my legs." Wes quipped sarcastically.
Upon reaching a landing, David set his friend down. Wes then opened his hand to reveal his sharpened pencil, broken in half.
"Brilliant. Brilliant. And then squeezing out the fake tears. That was the topper." David beamed.
"Those were real."
"Dude why? I thought Krav Maga teaches you to handle falls?" David questioned.
"It does. But it doesn't teach you what to do when you stab yourself in the hand with a broken pencil. I think I have splinters." Wes explained, picking at his palm.
"Come on. To the dean's office."
"May I help you boys?" the secretary asked from behind her desk.
"Yes Ms. Sommers. We need to use the copy room please?" David smiled brightly.
"For what may I ask?" she inquired.
"To, uh, make some copies." David's smile dimmed slightly.
"Well I figured that. Copies of what?" she teased.
"Oh. Of the, um, the..." David stalled, giving Wes time to grab a flyer off a nearby bulletin board.
"Of the soccer team's breakfast fundraiser this weekend. Everyone wants one." Wes jumped in, brandishing the stolen flyer.
"They're going like hotcakes." David punned, getting an elbow in the side for the joke.
"Okay then. Do you need me to show you how to operate the machine?" the secretary smiled.
"Nope. We're all good." the two boys thanked her and went to the copy room.
Which happened to have an air vent connected directly to the dean's office next door.
They started the copy machine and then put their ears to the vent.
"You've always been an excellent student. And a good role model for your fellow classmates and this academy." The dean's stern voice echoed tinny through the vent.
"So this outburst and vulgarity towards a member of the faculty does not please me at all. In fact, I'm disappointed in you."
"yes sir."
"And over what? Not finishing an assignment? Really Blaine." The dean's voice dripped with disapproval.
David and Wes flinched at the tone and hoped NOTBlaine was under control.
"I did" The angry response started. David and Wes grimaced.
"You did what?" The dean interrupted, irritated.
The two eavesdropping boys waited with crossed fingers for their friend's response and prayed he stayed calm.
"I did...n't. use. the best. judgment. Sir." Blaine replied haltingly, defeated.
"I would say you didn't." Professor Scott chimed in.
"Professor." the dean halted.
"Now Blaine, for not turning in the assigned work, it's a zero as per policy."
"I know." came the soft answer.
"For the profanity, it's garbage duty from now until the end of dinner."
"Dude that's harsh." David whispered. Wes nodded. Neither heard a response.
"And for the insubordination of a faculty member, you are suspended from the Warbler Team."
David and Wes both sucked in their breath.
"SUSPENDED?" Blaine burst out in disbelief.
"Yes. Suspended." The dean confirmed sternly.
"For how long?" The voice was tinged with anger.
"Is there a problem boys?"
David and Wes scrambled from the vent upon hearing the secretary's voice.
"Uh no Ms. Sommers. Everything's uh, fine." they stammer.
"Now boys, eavesdropping is not polite. I don't think the dean would approve." she warned.
"Please Ms. Sommers. We're sorry." David said guiltily.
"He's our friend. We're really worried about him." Wes added sincerely.
The look of worry and remorse on the two faces soften her heart.
"Go on. Get out of here. Look after your friend." she shoo'd them off with a kind smile.
The two smile with sincere gratitude and exit the copy room.
"Oh and boys." she called to them.
"I'm sure Hallman house will appreciate you printing up flyers for their fundraiser this weekend." she pointed out.
"Dude! You grabbed the enemy's flyer?" David demanded in disbelief as they walked out the door and the secretary laughed.
"I'm thinking one week." the dean replied.
"That's not fair!" Blaine challenged.
"Now it's two." The dean countered.
The only answer was a scoff.
"We could make it permanent." The dean finished. Blaine remained silent.
"I know you think this is unfair and heavy handed, but you have to remember that actions have consequences.
Your actions today are unacceptable. You lost control." The dean reminded him.
"And the price of that loss of control is the temporary loss of something you hold in high regard."
"yes sir." again the tone was defeated.
"Use this time today and for the next two weeks to think about what's really important."
"yes sir." Blaine whispered.
"Dismissed." the dean concluded.
Blaine pushed open the double doors of the dean's office angrily and stomped out.
"Two weeks suspension. Happy fuckin anniversary to me." he grumbled.
He never noticed that the two doors didn't swing back closed automatically, having been held open by his two friends.
They used the doors as shields from his eyes.
"Man. Two weeks suspension? Matthews is gonna be pissed." David thought aloud.
"What did he say? Anniversary?" Wes quizzed.
"Yeah. But what anniversary? Blaine's not seeing anybody." David asked confused.
Wes just stood there and started adding.
Adding things up. Pulling their wrong theories apart and reassembling them in their correct order.
"David this isn't about Blaine being unhappy here or feeling unloved. This is about Blaine being unhappy with himself here, not loving himself here."
"Dude what?" David asked, confused again.
"I need to check something out first but if what I'm thinking is right, we need to confront him." Wes informed. "Come on."
The two boys re-enter the dean's office. "Ms. Sommers?" Wes asked.
"Yes boys?" The secretary looks up from her typing.
"Do happen to know when we started school last year? It's kinda important. Please?" Wes pleads.
"Dude." David makes the connection. "Real important." He added.
Flipping through her date book, "Well we had a late start last year due to the new building being built." she checked.
"So last year, we started two weeks later than this year. Which means we would have started...this week. On Monday."
"Is that all you..." She looks up from her date book to find the two boys gone, the double doors closing in front of her, "needed?"
Characters : Blaine, Wes, David, OC-Dalton Boys, OC-faculty
Rating : PG-13 I guess for some language and older-ish themes
Words : 1248
Summary : It's pre-Dalton Blaine, Wes, and David. NOTBlaine has taken Blaine's place after a visit home. Wes and David need to discover why
Warnings : Some language, some angst
OT The way you can cut a rug, receiving feedback's the only drug I need. So gangster and so thug, your feedback's what I'm dreaming of. Constructive criticism is appreciated and encouraged.
Disclaimer : Not a part of Glee in any way, shape or form
“Alright, what did you two do to Blaine?”
“Why hello Evan. Pleasant to see you here. Won’t you please join us?” David deadpanned as the older boy joined their table in the coffee room.
“Yeah yeah yeah. You two. Blaine. Spill.” Evan waved off.
“Um, nothing.” Wes said with a shake of head.
“No sale. Talk.” Evan commanded.
“Seriously Ev. We don’t know what’s going on.” David said, his feet grabbing the RA around the ankle.
“What the?” Evan jerks, surprised by the trappage.
“Sorry. Withdrawals.” David explains.
Touching the older boy’s arm Wes pulls the conversation back to the matter at hand.
“We haven’t seen Blaine since Monday night.” he confided. With a look of “should I?” to David and a nod in answer, Wes confesses “We don’t know where Blaine was or slept last night.”
The two brace for the consequences of their actions. They just admitted to their Resident Adviser that a Dalton student was MIA at bed check and two other students did not report that fact. All three of them could be in big trouble.
“I know. He slept in my room last night.” Evan said, sitting back in his chair.
Two jaws drop in unison.
“Wait. What?” David stammered
“Okay pause that. Rewind.” Wes said in disbelief.
“Blaine crashed in my room last night.” Evan repeated.
The mystery just deepened.
Evan, as an RA, gets a room to himself.
He has a policy though that if anyone is having roommate problems they can crash in his room.
No questions asked.
While Dalton policy is to hold an immediate mediation session to work out the problem, Evan’s found that sometimes people just need some space from one another.
Take some time, cool off, and the individuals resolve their problems, more often times than not, on their own.
He has the lowest rate of roommate conflict on campus.
If necessary though, Evan will intercede in his official capacity to rectify the situation including rearranging room assignments.
This thought runs through David and Wes’ minds.
“So what’s wrong with him?” Wes questions.
“Dude. Unless he makes an official request for mediation, I don’t pry. You know that.” Evan reminded him.
“Did he seem okay?” David offered next.
“He crashed in my room. Does that sound okay?” Evan countered.
“No. What I mean is...was he Blaine?” David clarified.
The look of confusion on the RA’s face caused Wes to add “Did he act Blaine-ish or was something just not right about him. Something a little off.”
“Now that you mention it, he did seem off. I’ve seen pretty much all of his moods, but last night was like a bad copy or a robot or something. Like...”
David jumped in with “NOTBlaine!”
“Yeah. Yeah, NOTBlaine.” Evan agreed.
“So like, what happened last night? When he came to you? Without breaking any confidences, but please break a confidence.” Wes pleaded.
“Nothing to break man. He came to me. Asked if he could crash. I said yes. He put his earbuds in and listened to his ipod til he went to sleep.” Evan admitted.
“Katy Perry.” Wes and David chimed knowingly.
“No.” which again caused two jaws to drop.
“It wasn’t Katy Perry which is NOTBlaine number one.” Evan ticked off.
“It was depressing and melancholy from what I could hear which is number two.” another tick.
“Or maybe one and a half cuz what I could make out, it was good song. Nice melody.” he amended.
“I managed to peek at his display and it said Depeche Mode. Bringing the count to NOTBlaine number two and a half/three.” Evan leaned in and whispered.
“And then the smile...” Evan continued.
“Plastic. Number 13.” Wes nodded.
“Exactly.” Evan leaned in and whispered.
The RA wasn’t breaking a confidence sharing the information but discussing NOTBlaine-isms felt taboo and needed hushed communications.
“Depeche Mode? Blaine doesn’t listen to Depeche Mode. Who is Depeche Mode?” David queried.
“No David. He doesn’t listen to Depeche Mode anymore. But he used to.” Wes answered, thinking back to a time before.
Evan gave them until Friday to fix the problem or else he was going to officially intervene. That gave them two days to solve the mystery of NOTBlaine.
David couldn’t help but laugh.
“Dude. Shut up.” Wes demanded.
“No way. I don’t believe it.” David giggled.
“I’m serious. I’ve seen the pictures.” Wes added.
“Blaine? Emo? No chance.” David busted out laughing again.
Wes had related pre-Dalton Blaine to David, including all black attire, a big fro of curly hair, and a penchant for Depeche Mode music.
“So what song do you think he was listening too?” Wes asked hoping to get his friend back on the subject at hand, namely Blaine.
“No clue dude. I’m not up on 80’s emo bands.” David said truthfully then added wistfully “Afro. That’s so adorable.”
“Well we gotta find out.” Wes concluded.
“Youtube search?”
“Youtube search.”
“Doin it hacker-style?”
“Hacker-style.” The two fist bumped.
“To the computer lab!” David declared.
“Dude. World Geography.” Wes reminded him.
“Okay. To World Geography, then the computer lab.” David amended jumping on Wes's back.
Wes and David spent their study period in the computer lab pouring through Depeche Mode songs and lyrics, trying to identify the mystery song Evan spoke about.
The time was spent scanning song lyrics and swapping earbuds with each other.
“What about this one?”
“Depressing but too pop. Try this one.”
“Morbid not depressing and no melancholy. This one.”
“Dude I’ve heard this one on the radio. Top 40. Not a chance. This...”
“Too S and M bondage scene. Here.”
“That’s, that’s...I pray that’s not the one he’s crushin on. I don’t even wanna think suicide.”
An involuntary shudder sweeps through both of them.
“Come on. Keep looking.”
“Dude he’s here.”
Blaine walked in front of the desks his two friends are occupying, looking straight ahead towards the library.
“Hey Blaine.” David offered.
Just the barest flicker of eyes towards them but Blaine continues on his way.
“Wes man. I’m going crazy. I’m gonna tackle-hug him if this keeps up. We’re on day five here.”
“I got it.” Wes said.
“I mean this is cruel and unusual punishment. How can anybody not hug him every single day.” David continued, not paying attention.
“I got it.” Wes repeated.
“He’s adorable and cuddly and tiny and oh so endearing,” David babbled.
“DUDE. I got it.” Wes said again grabbing his friend’s chin and turning the face towards his. “Listen.”
Popping the offered earbud in, “Are you sure?” David listened, then pulled up the lyrics.
“Depressing. Melancholly. Beautiful melody. This is it.” Wes put forth.
“But the lyrics...” David counters.
“You know how Blaine’s mind works when it comes to songs.” Wes reminded.
“She to he.”
“Looking for love.”
“Agree to disagree.”
“Love and acceptance.”
“Breaking down ignorance and labels.”
“A place like this.”
“Yeah, but Dalton is a place like this. Or that.” David pointed out, finding a speed bump on their road of back and forth.
“True. We gotta be missing something. But I’m sure this is the song.” Wes confirmed.
“I think you’re right, but just in case it’s the other one...” David shuddered again.
“We’ll follow him. Make sure he’s never alone.” Wes offered, throwing an arm around David.
“Agreed. Let’s show NOTBlaine he ain’t the only one with an invisibility cloak.” David agreed, slumping into Wes’ body.
“Stalker-style?”
“Stalker-style.” David and Wes fist bumped.
Amazingly the two boys managed to stalk their friend to the rest of his morning classes and to the lunch room without being spotted.
Blaine had chosen a table by himself, having begged off all offers from others to join them.
He then purposely pulled out his classwork to give the appearance he was working on an assignment and didn't want to bothered.
From their spot at a table on the opposite side of the cafeteria, Wes and David watched him and brainstormed.
"Dude. I think I figured it out." David declared.
"Well? Don't keep me in suspense, spill." Wes demanded.
"He's homesick." David nodded.
"Homesick?" Wes questioned in disbelief.
"Yeah, it fits. He's been all NOTBlaine-ish since he came back from his trip home." David counted off.
"Yeah." Wes agreed.
"He's stomping around like he doesn't wanna be here."
"Yeaaaah." Wes sounded a little less sure.
"And the reason he won't let me hug him is cuz he wants his mom to hug him." David concluded.
"Dude. His mom always hugs him." Wes pointed out the flaw in his logic.
"Well duh, but now that he's homesick he wants it even more." David guessed.
"I think you've lost it." Wes declared.
"Then what do you think it is?" David challenged.
"If I had to guess, I'd say he's horny." Wes put forth.
David busted out laughing.
"And how, oh wise one, did you come up with that?" David giggled.
"Okay maybe not horny, but feeling unloved." Wes amended.
"I might be able to see the second one, but convince me." David challenged.
"Well he's only had a couple of boyfriends since being at Dalton." Wes counted.
"Okay."
"As far as we know, those relationships never got past hot make-out sessions. Maybe some grope-age." Wes continued.
"TMI! And true." David scolded, not one to get into the details of anyone's sexual business.
"Him and 'Hot Soldier' broke up right before summer break." Point number 3
"Okay."
"He didn't hook up with anyone over the summer or he would have told us." Number 4
"But NOTBlaine hasn't talked to us."
"He just became NOTBlaine though. He was fine the past two weeks."
"True again."
"He's moody, stompy, doesn't want the straight guys touching him." Point 5.
"Well that would go towards the horny theory. Mixed signals and all." David agreed.
"And the song is the clincher for feeling unloved." Wes finished, holding up six fingers for all his points.
"How is the song the clincher for that?" David asked.
"When I'm a sleep I want somebody who will put their arms around me and kiss me tenderly?" Wes quoted.
"Maybe, but I'm still likin the homesick theory better." David decided.
"Well I think we should help him." Wes said.
"I am not helping him get unhorny!" David shook his head. "That's what ties on door knobs and earbuds on laptops are for."
David's declaration referring to the code of 'I need some alone time with myself so stay outta the room' for the first signal and 'you're in the room but I'm gonna do this anyway so you better listen to some music and don't turn around' for the second.
"DUDE! Totally not what I meant. I was referring to a small gesture of appreciation to let him know he is loved and we're glad he's here." Wes clarified.
"OH. Sorry man. Brainwaves still jammed. What did you have in mind?" David grinned sheepishly having misinterpreted his friends thoughts.
"Candy counter." Wes grabbed David and off they went.
While Blaine had his head and thoughts into whatever assignment he held in front him, David and Wes sneakily and stealthily deposited their prize in front of their goal.
This may have involved army crawling to and from the table.
Both would deny it if asked.
While staring at his English Lit assignment, Blaine attempted to lose himself in the work.
He didn't want to think about what was eating him up inside, since that's all he'd done for the past three days.
English Lit seemed like a good distraction, if only for a bit and only partially successful.
While the assignment and his thoughts warred in his head, he suddenly detected the slight aroma of berry.
Putting his paper down on top of his tray, Blaine noticed a package.
A package of Red Vines Licorice and he smiled. It was small, David and Wes noticed, but it was still a smile.
A real one.
As he picked up the package, he discovered the note hidden underneath.
Opening it, he reads -
We love you --W
Glad you're here--D
Each boy writing what he thought Blaine needed to hear and hoping for a reaction.
What they got wasn't what they wanted.
Blaine ripped the note to shreds.
He then picked up the package of candy and dropped it on his tray.
Which he then promptly slid off the table in anger before stomping outta the lunch room.
Luckily, a garbage can positioned close to his table caught the tray and it's contents.
"Whoa man!" David exclaimed.
"That was not...That was..." Wes stammered.
"That was NOTBlaine to the extreme." David finished. "Let's go."
The two boys grabbed their friends abandoned backpack and sped off in pursuit.
The two manage to catch up with Blaine on the stairs to English Lit.
Each noting that for the shortest of the three, Blaine could move awfully quick.
"Blaine. Talk to us man." Wes pleaded.
"What's going on? We're worried about you." David begged, putting a hand on Blaine's shoulder.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Blaine snarled, spinning around to face his pursuers.
This stopped the other two boys dead in their tracks long enough for Blaine to make it up the stairs and into English Lit.
David and Wes get to the room and place the forgotten backpack on the back of his chair.
They crowd around his desk and softly try to talk to him.
He hears their sounds but not their words. His own thoughts buzzing around drown out any meaning they might have had.
The sounds in his ears and the buzz in his head just keep pounding and pounding and pounding.
One of them has to stop.
"Shut up! Stop harassing me!" Blaine growled low through clenched teeth.
This halts any more words from assaulting his ears for the moment.
And before it can start up again, "Alright boys, let's begin."
Professor Scott enters the room and begins class.
"I hope all of you found Monday's homework assignment very stimulating."
Mumbled grumbling permeated the room.
"Wonderful. You all loved it I hear. Well I'll find out how much later. Now pass them forward."
"Shit." a low curse.
The students in the class pass their assignments forward to the first boy in the row.
The stacks collected one by one by the professor.
"It seems I have four boys in this row but only three assignments here." the professor noted.
"Shit." another low curse.
"Blaine?"
A murmur of "oooohs" circulate the room.
"Yes Professor Scott?"
"I seem to be missing your assignment."
'Because I left it on my tray and threw it away at lunch. Shit.'
"Yes Professor Scott."
"Hand it to me please?"
The last three days start building up in him.
The sadness, the irritability, the sleeplessness, the frustration, the memories, and now his stupidity all churn inside of him.
He tries hard to keep them under control.
"I can't."
"Did you do the assignment?"
Churning and churning, building in intensity.
"Yes."
"Then hand it to me please."
Churning and building, starting to boil.
'Just give me the zero and leave me alone. Please.'
"I don't have it."
"Well that's not an answer."
'Leave me alone.'
"..."
"Did it jam in the printer?"
'Leave me alone. PLEASE.'
Boiling and bubbling, growing hotter and hotter.
"Did your dog eat it?"
A chorus of giggles from most of the class.
'Stop laughing at me.'
Building and building.
"Was it abducted by aliens?"
More giggles and a squeeze on his shoulder.
He shrugs the hand off.
'Stop laughing. Leave me alone.'
Burning and blazing.
"I think I need to know what I don't have it means?"
Flash point.
"I means I don' t fucking have it!" Blaine exploded, receiving double "DUDE!"s from Wes and David.
"As opposed to, I do have it which I don't!" he continued.
He pushed forward in his chair, chin out defiantly, eyes blazing.
The profane outburst startled the class and shocked the professor.
"Fuck! For a professor you're not real bright are you!" Blaine challenged, slumping back in his chair, exasperated.
The professor opened the door to the classroom and motioned to the student hall monitor who came as commanded.
"Please take charge of the class. Blaine. Dean's office. Now!" The professor demanded tightly.
"Seriously?" Chris the monitor questioned upon seeing who was being sent down.
"Seriously. Now Blaine." The professor again commanded.
Blaine gathered his backpack and walked out of the classroom escorted by the professor.
And as the door closed, Chris gave a quick look to the remaining students in class and said "Really? Blaine?"
As the rest of the class buzzed about "the incident" and retold the story and all it's gruesome details to Chris the student monitor,
David and Wes brainstormed.
"NOTBlaine is beyond extreme. He's outta control." David declared.
"Agreed." Wes confirmed. "We got to get down to the dean's office asap."
"Agreed." David nodded. "Ideas?"
"Yeah. It'll go something like this." Wes pulled out a sheet of paper and drew it up.
"Alright. That's the plan. Got it?" Wes asked.
"I know how to get there from here. I didn't need a diagram." David deadpanned. Then turning the paper sideways, "Is that a duck?"
"Come on dude. You got it?" Wes asked again.
"Prison Break-style?"
"Prison Break-style." Plan confirmed with a fist bump.
"Sharpen my pencil boss?" Wes asked.
Chris just waved his approval, too caught up in the story to care.
Wes made his way to the corner of the class and sharpened his pencil.
On his way back, his foot snags the leg of a desk effectively tripping him and down he goes.
Two seconds after he hit the floor, Wes grabs his elbow and a howl silenced the room.
"What's going on back there? What happened?" Chris rose from the head desk and moved to the back of the room.
To where Wes was on the floor, hand clutching his right elbow, face screwed up in pain, tears leaking down his face.
Before David could recite his line, the boy closest to the incident said "I think he broke something. I heard it snap."
"Everyone stay in your seats. I'm going to take him to the infirmary." Chris commanded.
"Dude, you're in charge of the class. If you leave, someone might get up outta their seat. If one person gets up, we'll all get up, it'll be anarchy. Breakfast Club-style." David declares.
Chris hesitated for a second.
"Plus I know everything he's allergic too." he added.
"Alright, take him. But keep me apprised of the situation."
"Sir, yes sir." David saluted, then helped Wes off the floor, picked him up into a fireman's carry, and carried him out the door.
As he made his way down the stairs with Wes over his shoulder, David congratulated him on his performance.
"Dude that was awesome. Academy Award winning even. Totally believable. I so bought it."
"I do my best."
"And Jim with the whole I heard it snap. Where did that come from?" David laughed.
"I can walk you know. I hurt my elbow, not my legs." Wes quipped sarcastically.
Upon reaching a landing, David set his friend down. Wes then opened his hand to reveal his sharpened pencil, broken in half.
"Brilliant. Brilliant. And then squeezing out the fake tears. That was the topper." David beamed.
"Those were real."
"Dude why? I thought Krav Maga teaches you to handle falls?" David questioned.
"It does. But it doesn't teach you what to do when you stab yourself in the hand with a broken pencil. I think I have splinters." Wes explained, picking at his palm.
"Come on. To the dean's office."
"May I help you boys?" the secretary asked from behind her desk.
"Yes Ms. Sommers. We need to use the copy room please?" David smiled brightly.
"For what may I ask?" she inquired.
"To, uh, make some copies." David's smile dimmed slightly.
"Well I figured that. Copies of what?" she teased.
"Oh. Of the, um, the..." David stalled, giving Wes time to grab a flyer off a nearby bulletin board.
"Of the soccer team's breakfast fundraiser this weekend. Everyone wants one." Wes jumped in, brandishing the stolen flyer.
"They're going like hotcakes." David punned, getting an elbow in the side for the joke.
"Okay then. Do you need me to show you how to operate the machine?" the secretary smiled.
"Nope. We're all good." the two boys thanked her and went to the copy room.
Which happened to have an air vent connected directly to the dean's office next door.
They started the copy machine and then put their ears to the vent.
"You've always been an excellent student. And a good role model for your fellow classmates and this academy." The dean's stern voice echoed tinny through the vent.
"So this outburst and vulgarity towards a member of the faculty does not please me at all. In fact, I'm disappointed in you."
"yes sir."
"And over what? Not finishing an assignment? Really Blaine." The dean's voice dripped with disapproval.
David and Wes flinched at the tone and hoped NOTBlaine was under control.
"I did" The angry response started. David and Wes grimaced.
"You did what?" The dean interrupted, irritated.
The two eavesdropping boys waited with crossed fingers for their friend's response and prayed he stayed calm.
"I did...n't. use. the best. judgment. Sir." Blaine replied haltingly, defeated.
"I would say you didn't." Professor Scott chimed in.
"Professor." the dean halted.
"Now Blaine, for not turning in the assigned work, it's a zero as per policy."
"I know." came the soft answer.
"For the profanity, it's garbage duty from now until the end of dinner."
"Dude that's harsh." David whispered. Wes nodded. Neither heard a response.
"And for the insubordination of a faculty member, you are suspended from the Warbler Team."
David and Wes both sucked in their breath.
"SUSPENDED?" Blaine burst out in disbelief.
"Yes. Suspended." The dean confirmed sternly.
"For how long?" The voice was tinged with anger.
"Is there a problem boys?"
David and Wes scrambled from the vent upon hearing the secretary's voice.
"Uh no Ms. Sommers. Everything's uh, fine." they stammer.
"Now boys, eavesdropping is not polite. I don't think the dean would approve." she warned.
"Please Ms. Sommers. We're sorry." David said guiltily.
"He's our friend. We're really worried about him." Wes added sincerely.
The look of worry and remorse on the two faces soften her heart.
"Go on. Get out of here. Look after your friend." she shoo'd them off with a kind smile.
The two smile with sincere gratitude and exit the copy room.
"Oh and boys." she called to them.
"I'm sure Hallman house will appreciate you printing up flyers for their fundraiser this weekend." she pointed out.
"Dude! You grabbed the enemy's flyer?" David demanded in disbelief as they walked out the door and the secretary laughed.
"I'm thinking one week." the dean replied.
"That's not fair!" Blaine challenged.
"Now it's two." The dean countered.
The only answer was a scoff.
"We could make it permanent." The dean finished. Blaine remained silent.
"I know you think this is unfair and heavy handed, but you have to remember that actions have consequences.
Your actions today are unacceptable. You lost control." The dean reminded him.
"And the price of that loss of control is the temporary loss of something you hold in high regard."
"yes sir." again the tone was defeated.
"Use this time today and for the next two weeks to think about what's really important."
"yes sir." Blaine whispered.
"Dismissed." the dean concluded.
Blaine pushed open the double doors of the dean's office angrily and stomped out.
"Two weeks suspension. Happy fuckin anniversary to me." he grumbled.
He never noticed that the two doors didn't swing back closed automatically, having been held open by his two friends.
They used the doors as shields from his eyes.
"Man. Two weeks suspension? Matthews is gonna be pissed." David thought aloud.
"What did he say? Anniversary?" Wes quizzed.
"Yeah. But what anniversary? Blaine's not seeing anybody." David asked confused.
Wes just stood there and started adding.
Adding things up. Pulling their wrong theories apart and reassembling them in their correct order.
"David this isn't about Blaine being unhappy here or feeling unloved. This is about Blaine being unhappy with himself here, not loving himself here."
"Dude what?" David asked, confused again.
"I need to check something out first but if what I'm thinking is right, we need to confront him." Wes informed. "Come on."
The two boys re-enter the dean's office. "Ms. Sommers?" Wes asked.
"Yes boys?" The secretary looks up from her typing.
"Do happen to know when we started school last year? It's kinda important. Please?" Wes pleads.
"Dude." David makes the connection. "Real important." He added.
Flipping through her date book, "Well we had a late start last year due to the new building being built." she checked.
"So last year, we started two weeks later than this year. Which means we would have started...this week. On Monday."
"Is that all you..." She looks up from her date book to find the two boys gone, the double doors closing in front of her, "needed?"