Nothing Normal

Blaine took a deep breath and wiggled around nervously. It didn’t matter how many times he took the stage, every time he was getting ready he got butterflies. He and Justin were just doing a small gig in a one of their friend’s clubs.

Blaine had began to go through his vocal warm up when Justin rushed into the back room, talking frustrated into his phone.

“What are you talking about you can’t make it?!” He yelled furiously into the phone. Kelsey and Vivian, who had been chatting nonstop since they had taken their seats on the couch in the corner, tensed with Justin’s angry tone. They had never seen him like this. He was sweet and pleasant almost all the time, but if something happened and he was angry you did not wanna get in the middle of it and Blaine knew this.

Blaine leaned over and motioned to Kelsey and Vivian to keep it down, but he didn’t have to worry about that. They had frozen in place and weren’t so much as breathing.

Justin was pacing and yelling into the phone. Blaine picked up that he was talking to their drummer. Their drummer was unreliable and kind of lazy he infuriated both of them all the time. By keeping him they were really just buying time until they found a drummer you really liked.

Justin hung up and slung his phone toward the couch. It was headed to the side of the couch opposite the girls. However, both of them screamed and flung themselves off the couch and landed in a heap. Both of them instantly began to giggle.

Justin and Blaine both laughed as the girls popped their heads up from the other side of the coffee table obviously embarrassed but quickly broke out into laughter again.

Blaine laughed but turned back to Justin who was pacing the floor again. “What’s up, Justin? Who was that?”

Justin rolled his eyes at Blaine, “Who do you think? It was Adam just calling to let me know that he wasn’t going to be able to make it about...” He looked at his watch considering it, “...ehhh...thirty minutes before we go on.”

Blaine looked away, he had been right.

“Shit, I don’t know why we even keep him around. Oh, yeah isn’t it you that says ‘everyone deserves a second chance’, ‘just give him one more chance’, ‘I’m sure that he will pick it up’.” Justin sat down with a huff.

Blaine shook his head, “Listen we don’t need to argue about him right now. We need to figure out what we’re gonna do. We will deal with him later.”

Justin leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath trying to calm down. He always was the worrier. Blaine knew better than to speak up and voice anything. Everything worked better if he let Justin collect his thoughts and speak up first.

Justin spoke without opening his eyes, “Ok this is what we will do. We will set you up at the drums for the first half of the set with a mic you will have to sing but we can improvise with just one guitar.
Then I will take over drums and we will switch roles.”

Blaine looked at him, “Justin, you know that won’t work. My drumming is ok at best and the songs NEED two guitars in them they will sound weird because we worked out the covers for two guitars.”

Justin rose up, frustrated, “I know, man, I know but the drums are a definite everything will sound weird if they aren’t there and I don’t know anyone else we can call in on short notice to play drums.”

Kelsey spoke up, “I know someone.” She flashed a look in Vivian’s direction.

Vivian elbowed Kelsey and turned reassuring the boys, “No we don’t.”

“Yes, we do,” battled Kelsey.

Vivian gritted her teeth, “No... we... don’t... Kel-SEY,” she said stressing the use of full name she
hardly ever didn’t call her Kels.

“Yes... we... do... Viv-IAN.” They went back and forth like this until Kelsey turned to face Blaine and Justin. “Vivian can drum like... amazing.”

Justin smiled over towards his girlfriend, “Is that true?”

Vivian glared at Kelsey for a moment longer before turning to face him. “I- yes- I mean no- I mean
yes I drum but I’m not good.”

Kelsey shook her head, “Not true. She is really good.”

Justin smiled and began to work his way towards Vivian. “Is it true are you good?”

Vivian tried to stay away from him while he began to playfully interrogate her. Finally Justin caught up to her and wrapped her in his arms. Vivian squealed and tried to move out of his arms.

“Will you drum for us?” He said with a peck to her lips.

“No.” He stopped her by planting another kiss on her lips.

“Are you sure?” Kiss. “Please.” Kiss. “You would be doing me a big favor.” He continued to kiss her in between each question.

Her responses changed from adamant “no’s”, to un-sure “maybe’s”, and then to “Ok I will...ok...Justin stop I said I would.”

Finally Justin released her, well stepped to the side but kept his arm slung around her shoulders.
“Looks like I found our drummer,” Justin said triumphantly.

Vivian shot Kelsey a death stare and mouthed, “You are so dead.” Quickly Justin caught her attention and took her over to a drum set up there for any band about to go up to practice. Justin began to run through each song with her; she was picking up fast and was doing totally amazing already.

Blaine was running through his vocal exercises again. Usually, as his final exercise, Justin and he would run through some of the songs just to make sure they were comfortable with them. Justin was trying to work Vivian through the last song in their set, so Blaine figured he could just get Kelsey to run through the songs with him.

Kelsey had lost herself writing into a notebook and listening to her iPod. “Kels?” She kept her face down in the pages of the notebook. “Kels?” She just kept writing, and leaned up to think momentarily but didn’t notice Blaine trying to get her attention.

Blaine laughed loudly. “Kelsey?” He tried louder. Finally he grabbed a piece of paper near him and balling it up, threw it toward Kelsey. It landed perfectly in her notebook, right next to her hand. She jumped and sat straight up. Kelsey looked over toward Blaine, who motioned for her to remove her head phones.

“Are you trying to make me have a heart attack?” She asked teasingly as she threw the paper ball back at him.

Blaine laughed, “Hey Justin’s busy will you run through some of the songs with me?” Kelsey tilted her head questioningly. “You just have to sing Justin’s part.”

“Sing?” Kelsey asked, not too thrilled by the idea.

“Yeah, come on, I just need to warm up my voice.”

“I don’t care to help, but it just...um,” she looked away, “I just don’t really sing.”

Vivian spoke up from the corner, “Yes, she does. She’s amazing.”

Kelsey shot Vivian a stare and opened her mouth to protest, but Blaine raised his hand to stop her.
“Uh-uh I’ve heard you sing. You are amazing.”

Kelsey tilted her head, “Where?” She was praying he hadn’t heard her in the shower or somewhere embarrassing like that.

“That day me and Justin came over and you were cleaning...you were singing Katy Perry, if I remember correctly.”

Kelsey blushed and looked away remembering that day, suddenly embarrassed again. Blaine laughed and walked up behind her grabbing her shoulders and guiding her to a stool opposite his. He picked up his guitar and flipped through the lyric sheets.

"Ok this is one of the ones I've had trouble with." He began to play the first few chords of "Glad You Came" by The Wanted.

Kelsey began to sing the lyrics labeled 'Justin'. The further they got in the song the bigger Blaine's grin grew.

Kelsey sang timidly at first but risked a glance at Blaine. Her eyes met his and there was a glowing that she had never seen in his hazel eyes until now. She grew more and more comfortable with
Blaine looking into her eyes like that.

Kelsey drew out the last note singing it softly but rich. She smiled and bit her bottom lip as she finished.

Blaine's eyes were gleaming as he stared directly into hers. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted.

Justin sprang to his feet clapping, "Damn, Kels I didn't know you could sing like that. I mean I heard you singing that one day and thought you had a good voice but I didn't know you could do that."

Kelsey ducked her head, bashfully as Vivian announced, "I told you. That's my girl.”

Kelsey peeked up again to Blaine, who had begun to smile. He was still staring at her, silently. Why is he just staring at me like that, Kelsey thought. He is just sitting there smiling and--wait is he about to cry? No, maybe not, but his eyes are definitely misty.

All of the sudden a guy barged in, apologizing all the way. Blaine had snapped out of whatever day dream he was having. He and Justin’s faces flashed with recognition.

Justin had already opened his mouth wide, his face was flushed, and he looked like he was about to yell. But before he could say anything, Blaine spoke up.

“Adam! Outside, now!” He yelled angrily. Adam muttered something as he walked back out into the hallway.

Justin stopped Blaine on his way to the door. “I can take care of him Blaine. I’m usually the one that chews him out anyway.”

Blaine stopped him, “No, I go this. You’re right I’m always the one that lets him off easy. It’s my fault that he’s even still around. I got him.”

Justin nodded, “Ok, we go up in five make it short.”

Blaine was already stomping out into the hallway slamming the door behind him. They could still hear
him chewing Adam out. Justin laughed, “Listen, I may yell a lot and what not but trust me when it comes between me and Blaine, you’d much rather have me. Because I just yell. Blaine yells, makes you feel terrible about yourself, and always follows up with punishments. When you get him mad enough to say something then he is really mad. He will make you kind of hate yourself and want to make you give him the world to make up for whatever you did. All without saying so much as one cuss word.”

They all sat in silence, listening to Blaine yell. After a few minutes there was a stall in Blaine’s lecture and a guy slipped into the room.

Justin smiled and gave the guy a high five and chest bump. “Hey, man, how are you?” Justin asked.

“Well, I was ok, and then I came to tell y’all it was about time to go on.” He paused, “So everything is ready. Just whenever Blaine cools off y’all can go on.”

Justin laughed, “Yeah, I think he’s almost done. He’s not yelling anymore.”

“Yeah alright just whenever y’all are ready you can take the stage.”

“Got it.”

Just as the guy was leaving, Blaine came back in. Blaine turned to Kelsey and Vivian rubbing the back of his neck embarrassed, “Sorry you girls had to listen to that, I was just fed up with him.” He looked at Justin, “Don’t worry we won’t be seeing anymore of him well other than to pay us back for all the times he showed up late or didn’t show up at all.”

Justin nodded, “You ready to go on or do you need a minute?”

Blaine shook to get loose, “Nah, man, I’m good. You ready?”

Justin nodded back. “Viv?”

“Yeah, ready as I’ll ever be.” Vivian laughed. She gave Kelsey a quick hug. Kelsey wished her good luck and Justin led her out.

This left Blaine and Kelsey alone in the quiet green room. Blaine rubbed the back of his neck; Kelsey had noticed this was a nervous tick, in addition to when he pulled the right corner of his mouth into his cheek. These meant that he was either excited, stressed, or nervous.

Finally, Blaine broke the silence, “I’m really sorry that I chewed Adam out in front of you like that.” Blaine’s voice broke and he sat down roughly on the couch with a huff. “God, I’m such an idiot.”

Kelsey smiled and sat beside him on the couch. She laid her hand in between his shoulder blades; she noticed that he shivered under her gentle touch. “Blaine, you are not an idiot and Adam deserved it. I feel like I keep having to say this. You don’t ever have to be afraid to say or do something in front of me. Nothing could make me like you any less or feel any differently about you.”

Blaine looked up; his eyes were gleaming like they had been earlier. “You mean it?”

Kelsey smiled sweetly, “Of course I do.” She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Now get out there and blow that crowd away or I may have to reconsider being your friend.”

“Thanks. See you from the stage.” Blaine smiled and rose up heading to the door. He picked up his guitar on the way.

“Oh and Blaine!” Blaine turned back to Kelsey, who leaned in a whispered something into his ear. Blaine’s face flushed and he watched as Kelsey walked away, her hips swinging from side to side. Shaking his head, she’s going to be the death of me.

Kelsey bit her bottom lip. She was hoping that didn’t sound too forward, but she was wanting to get a point across. I shouldn’t have said that. Sure other girls can say it and it’s ok but not me. I’m Kelsey Coldheart, straight-laced, never cusses, goody-two shoes Kelsey Coldheart. I’m so stupid I shoulda kept my mouth shut. She stopped to gather her thoughts, What would Viv say if you told her what you just said and thought afterwards. “That’s what you’re freaking out about?! Kels, you know me that’s child’s play to me. I woulda said something much worse.” The pretend, yet accurate Viv in my head is right it was nothing. Stop stressing it and get out there and look cute.

Kelsey stepped out into the noisy club with her head high and a bounce in her step. A few guys took notice but she quickly brushed them off. A few of them were too drunk to see and one almost threw up on her boots. She had shoved him back not wanting his alcohol to splash on her clothes and he had gone crashing to the floor. As soon as he hit the floor he began to blow chunks and she took that as incentive to slip out of the commotion and over to the bar. Trying to find a seat.

As she reached the bar, she instantly recognized the bartender. “Cory!” The bartender instantly turned in her direction.

“Kelsey!” He made his way toward her. He reached over the counter and gave her the best hug he could. “What are you doing here?”

Kelsey laughed pleasantly, “What?! I’m not allowed to come to clubs?!”

Cory laughed good naturedly, “No, not really, this doesn’t seem like your kind of place. Well unless you’re here for the band.” Kelsey smiled, cheesy. He nodded, “Figures.” He craned his neck to glance around the counter. “Where’s Vivian? I thought you guys were like joined at the hip or something.”

Kelsey smiled, “We usually are...she’s performing with the band.”

“Well look at her! Putting herself out there!” He hit Kelsey playfully in the arm.

Kelsey raised her hands, “I know, I know. Our friends are the guys performing and their drummer bailed. So I forced Vivian to step in.”

“Oh, always the encourager.” As Cory was saying this guy pressed up flush with Kelsey’s back.

“Hey, let me buy you drink,” the guy slurred out.
Cory hit the guys hands off forcefully. “Beat it, pal, she’s with me.” He said it with so much authority that the guy didn’t stick to see if he would act on it.

“Kelsey, it’s getting pretty rowdy out there. Come in here, I’ll go clear it with Terry, hold on,” he said as he helped her behind the counter.

Kelsey saw Cory talking with a guy she already knew to be Terry. She and Vivian had met both Terry and Cory their freshman year. They had two classes the same. They had hung out a good bit then but since then the four friends had fallen out of touch. Terry waved ecstatically down toward Kelsey promising to come visit in a minute.

Cory came back, “Terry said it’s cool since it’s you.”

“Cool.” They continued to exchange pleasantries. Kelsey took a place seated on the back counter. She was facing the customers and the stage. She had picked somewhere that was close enough to talk to
Cory, while he was working, but she was also positioned so that she wasn’t in the way.

After a few minutes, the lights on the stage lit up and she saw Vivian take her place behind the drums. Blaine and Justin were discussing something but quickly wrapped it up and began to address the crowd.

Blaine took to the mic first, “Hey guys thanks for coming out. We are going to try to be entertaining, but well let’s be honest I’m kind of a dork so it’ll be hard for me. My name is Blaine and this is Justin. We had problem at last minute with our drummer, so being kind and gracious, this amazing girl took over for us. This is Vivian guys give her a big round of applause she deserves it.” He took a step back and applauded Vivian himself. “This is her first show ...at least with us it is and I think she will do amazing.”

Blaine continued to talk to the crowd making them interact and he was working them over perfectly.
Kelsey bit back a smirk. He really was good at this. When they started playing the crowd sang along
like they were all enjoying it. To be honest Kelsey knew she was. Justin and Blaine were working the stage like they lived up there and it was just normal to have a whole room of eyes on them.

Vivian was doing extremely well; Kelsey hadn’t heard one mess up yet. At first Vivian’s face had been in perfect concentration but now it was relaxed like she was just doing something completely natural and at home to her.

Almost all of their songs were acoustic covers of popular songs. They did a few originals and for these Vivian just sat back and didn’t drum. Every song they did was really good. The songs were so raw and didn’t sound fake. They were just simply amazing.

The crowd at the bar had long since thinned out and listening to Blaine and Justin sing. Cory leaned up against the counter next to her and just talked excitedly over the noise about Vivian and the guys and what they had been doing since the last time they had talked.

“Hey, Kelsey, can I have you number? Maybe we can meet and catch up more later in a nicer environment.”

“Yeah sure...um I don’t have a pen or paper, but I do have my phone. Why don’t you just give me yours?”

“Ok that’ll work.”

A few minutes later, Kelsey had his number in her phone and was posing with him for a picture for her to use for his profile. She hated having a person in her phone without a picture.

Blaine smiled and began to thank everyone for coming out. He was always the one at the mic talking. Justin hated any kind of public speaking.

Blaine’s eyes flashed toward the back of the room where Kelsey had been sitting the whole time and grew jealous for about the hundredth time that night. One of the bartenders had been back there flirting and carrying on with her all through his performance. But now he got even more jealous as he watched the guy pull Kelsey close and press their faces together. Kelsey was holding her phone out for what looked like a picture. The guy suddenly pressed a kiss to Kelsey’s cheek for the picture. Kelsey giggled under the touch.

Blaine felt blood rush to his face because he knew he was about to do something stupid. Vivian and Justin were both bowing next to him with the applause.

Blaine eyed Kelsey in the back of the bar with the man he didn't know he quickly bowed and went back to the sound room.

He was sitting on the olive colored couch when Kelsey walked in, "Viv, Cory's here!" Vivian squealed grabbed Justin's hand and ran out within five seconds before she could mention that Terry was too.
Kelsey smiled as the door closes leaving her and Blaine alone in the sound room.

Blaine looked up to her with a blank look as she turned to face him "I take it y'all know him?"
Kelsey smiled thinking of him "Yeah for some time now, but his classes changed and we all stopped hanging out."

Blaine, not happy with that answer, looked at her beautiful face. A face he was falling for quickly,
"Kelsey could you help me with something?"

Blaine didn't wait for an answer he quickly handed Kelsey a paper with lyrics and began playing.
Kelsey stared at the words on the piece of paper recognizing the song instantly. She looked up to Blaine and smiled.

“Take my hand I'll teach you dance, I'll spin you around won't let you fall down," Kelsey's lyric came out of her mouth like a beautiful summer breeze blowing you away with ever word.

Blaine smiled as he sang “All About Us” along with Kelsey not once losing eye contact with her. The song came to an end as most do but still contact remained.

Blaine put his hand on her and she closed her eyes. She felt Blaine close when suddenly.

"Well, well what's going on in here?" Justin's voice echoed through the room as him and Vivian crashed through the door.

Kelsey felt the blood rush to her head as her face turned red with embarrassment. Vivian started to giggle as Justin winked at Blaine.

"What do you say you two love birds hit up the after party with us?" Justin said, grabbing Vivian by the waist and pulling her close.

Kelsey and Blaine nodded and quickly followed them out the door hand in hand. Blaine squeezed her hand and saw her smile out of the corner of his eye.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Cory come dance with us?" Vivian shouted beside Justin.

"Vivian I would love to but I'm at work," Cory assured her.

"Boo... whatever." She waved him off. "Come on Justin lets go dance."

Vivian hugged Cory one last time and disappeared into the crowd with Justin after he gave Cory a
small wave goodbye.

"I think Kels and Blaine are over here," Vivian pushed her way through the crowd, stopping when she met Blaine and Kelsey.

Kelsey had her arms around Blaine's neck and they were swaying slightly but they were more interested in talking than they were in dancing. Every once in awhile Blaine would lean in and whisper something in her ear, pecking her cheek before pulling away.

Kelsey settled into Blaine resting her head on his shoulder as they began to slow dance. Vivian followed suit and settled onto Justin as the slow song continued.

Vivian noticed Blaine place a soft kiss in Kelsey's hair as the two friends' eyes met.

Vivian winked at Kelsey whose face spread into a wide grin. Kelsey picked up her hand from Blaine's shoulder and blew Vivian a kiss, who smiled and blew one back.

After a few songs Kelsey and Vivian headed toward the bar for drinks because Justin and Blaine had gotten caught up talking to someone they knew.

"Soooooo, Kels do tell... what's with Blaine," Vivian asked, cocking her eyebrow.

"Well..." Kelsey looked at her best friend, grinning ear to ear. "He asked me to be his girlfriend."

"Oh my gosh! That's amazing! I'm so happy you!" Vivian wrapped her arms around her friend.
Kelsey pulled away, "I wanted to run over to you and tell you but I had to play it cool."

Vivian laughed, "Oh yeah cause you're sooooooo cool."

Kelsey rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but you love me," Kelsey laughed.

"Well, well, well, look who we got here. The head whore and her holier than thou best friend." A voice said threateningly behind the two girls.

Justin glanced over toward the counter to see what was keeping the girls. He wasn't too concerned those two were easily distracted, but as he looked over he saw the two girls tensed up as a guy stood behind them, too close for comfort. The guy was vaguely familiar but Justin could put a finger on who it was.

Kelsey closed her eyes, "Jake. What are you doing here?"

Jake laughed coldly, "Well I came looking for a hookup, but look at my luck I found two."

Both girls remained silent until Kelsey found her voice again. "In your dreams," she spat back harshly,
as she whipped around to face him.

Jake grabbed Kelsey's face firmly, "I wasn't asking. I don't need permission, got it princess."

Justin broke in swatting Jake's hand away and pushing Kelsey behind him. "Hey! What's going on?"

Justin was facing Kelsey and Vivian but when he heard the voice he felt a dark shiver run down his spine. "What's up retard? Long time, no see."

Blaine came in grabbing Kelsey's hand, "Are you ok, Kels?" He had taken off after Justin when he had bolted. However he had looked just in time to see Justin swat the guys hand away from Kelsey.

"Well, we’ll look who comes to the rescue special Ed and his main gay. Look at me tonight I'm going to get to lay two girls and kick two butt buddies asses."

Blaine came to before the rest. "Jake just leave us alone."

"Why? I've missed you so much. You guys are so much fun," Jake went to reach around Blaine.

"Don't touch her!" Blaine emitted so much force it caused Kelsey to jump backwards into Vivian.

Jake didn't skip a beat as he came face to face with Blaine, "or what? What are you gonna do?"

Justin saw Blaine clench his fists and in one last attempt to dissolve the situation stepped forward.
Jake mistook this for an attack and swirled around punching Justin squarely in the jaw.

Justin fell to the floor but before he hit the floor Blaine had already made a move to punch Jake. As
Blaine's fist made contact Jake shoved him backwards both Kelsey and Vivian went crashing to the floor.

Blaine jumped on Jake, tackling him to the floor. "Get off of me homo!" Jake flipped them over and began to punch Blaine over and over in the face.

Justin finally recovered and shoved Jake off of Blaine. He pinned Jake to the floor and gave his face the same treatment he had just been giving Blaine's.

By the time someone stopped the fight each of the three guys had their share of bruises, scrapes, and cuts. Justin practically passed out in the car on the way home and Blaine couldn't get his nose to stop bleeding. Jake had been knocked out in the fight but from what Kelsey could tell when he was awake he wasn't going to want to be. His face looks terrible and incredibly painful. Oh well he deserves it, Kelsey thought.

Kelsey could see Vivian in the backseat shivering with a look of absolute hopelessness on her face. Vivian had scooted in as close to Justin as she could try to feel his warmth despite him being almost unconscious.

Kelsey wished she could hug her friend right now but as she looked around the car she knew there were more important things. We need to get our boyfriends home and better first, Kelsey smiled at the thought. Boyfriends. I have a boyfriend.

She bit her lip as she glanced over at the passenger’s seat. Blaine was holding his nose high trying to stop the bleeding. To anyone else this would not have been attractive but he looked adorable to her.
Kelsey grabbed his hand over the console and his eyes met hers and he gave her his best smile.
Yeah, Kelsey smiled. I like having a boyfriend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You look terrible," Kelsey dabbed a cloth against Blaine's face.

He flinched away gasping a little bit, "I feel terrible." He flinched away again.

Kelsey laughed, "If you don't stop acting like a baby I'm going to make you feel a lot worse."

Blaine smiled, "You wouldn’t do that to your new BOYFRIEND.”

She smiled as he emphasized the last word, but dropped her smile in mock seriousness, “Oh yes I would.” Kelsey leaned in close and whispered in his ear, “Try me.”

Blaine smiled and kissed her cheek. Kelsey pulled away smiling, “Now go get Justin and send him in here.”

Blaine pouted, “No kiss goodbye?”

Kelsey leaned forward and planted a kiss on his cheek one last time. She pulled him off the counter and shoved him through the bathroom door. “Now, goodbye! And send Justin.”

“Yes, my love,” he called back dramatically. Kelsey rolled her eyes, Sometimes he’s such a dork but it’s adorable. She corrected herself, He's adorkable.

Kelsey turned as she heard a slight knock on the door. Justin smiled as she looked at him, "You ready for me?"

"Yeah, hop up." She patted the counter.

Kelsey began to work on the cuts on his face. They stayed silent for the longest not because they didn't have anything to say but because Kelsey could tell that Justin had a lot on his mind and didn't want to push him.

When she had turned to place a bloodied tissue in the trash he finally broke the silence. "How do you know Jake?"

Kelsey frowned, no reason to not be honest. "Jake and Viv dated."

Justin looked down, so Kelsey continued, "It was our first year here and he pulled out all stops. He made her feel like a million bucks and befriended me. I can say looking back that I never really trusted him," Kelsey put all of the supplies away and took a seat on the edge of the bath tub across from Justin.

"I can say that in hindsight but what counts is I didn't discourage it when it was happening." Kelsey paused, "Anyway, he was just the greatest thing that happened and four months after they started dating, he went behind her back and cheated. We caught him a few times out with other girls he came back said everything she wanted to hear and made her want him. He strung her along all the while cheating on her and completely ruining her self esteem to think she could do better than him. Finally he got another girl pregnant and that was the last straw. She dumped him flat. She surprised even herself."

Kelsey stood up and shrugged, "That's the story. Every once in a while he tries to pull her back in. But honestly," she turned and smiled, "don't worry about it. You're like Viv's knight in shining armor. And for the first time I've actually seen her happy...and it's all because of you."

Justin smiled and looked away. He was brought back when Kelsey said, "Your turn."

"What?"

Kelsey sat on the counter beside him, "I told you how I know him. How do you?"

"We went to high school together. Me and Blaine played baseball and football with him. We ran in the same circles but we weren't really friends."

Kelsey thought back to the fight earlier, "it sounds like y'all weren't even close to being friends from what I could gather earlier."

Justin laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, she had noticed that this was the same nervous tick
Blaine had. "Yeah, um...can I...uh...ask you something?"

Kelsey squinted her eyes, confused, but nodded. "I've been struggling with telling Viv something."

"What is it?" Kelsey asked straight out, she was never one to sugarcoat or ease into a subject.

"Earlier when we saw Jake the reason I got upset was because in high school he picked on me really hard... well Blaine too but he could handle it better... Anyway I was teased a lot thankfully me and Blaine were well liked so it was never too bad but it still happened. I was teased and called dumb, the retard...they just did general...you know...slow, idiot jokes because I always needed extra help in school. I ended up in the top ten of my class but I always had to get extra help. All the guys found out because I would have to miss at least one practice every week. I would be pulled out of class to get help. The school was never actually sensitive with me and needing help so it was out in the open. All my classmates thought I was just stupid but it wasn't that simple..."

Justin paused to look a Kelsey, she just smiled encouragingly. "I have dyslexia," he said finally.

Kelsey just smiled, "So..."

Justin laughed at her pretending it was nothing, "It may not seem like a big deal but I really need to tell Vivian. It's not bad I just have a hard time reading and writing. I used to have a bad stutter in high school but I got over it. Now I only stutter when I'm really nervous or stressed out. But I need to tell her because she doesn't realize that when she hands me papers to read that I can't do it sometimes, that sometimes they are hard for me. The other day we were looking for something fun to do together and she had looked something up on her phone and told me to read it out loud to her while she did something. I looked at the screen and couldn't make out half the words so I just distracted her. Over the last few weeks I've done a lot of distracting when we've gotten into situations like that. I just need to tell but I'm afraid of how she'll look at me when I do..." He finished in a small voice, "I'm afraid of what she'll think. I'm afraid she won't like me."

Kelsey smiled stood up and jerked Justin into a standing position. "Listen to me Viv will not think any differently of you. She thinks the world of you and something as simple as you having dyslexia is not going to change that. So what? You need help reading and writing, she isn't going to care because she real likes you. However Viv gets confused about what all those terms for things mean so you are going to have to explain what dyslexia is to her, but I can promise that is the only problem you are going to have."

Justin looked away smiling but still unsure. Kelsey grabbed one of his hands, "Justin she really, really likes you and I can promise all she going to do is think it’s cool you have dyslexia...Just like I do. I'm letting you off because you just told me and you haven't told Viv but sooner rather than later I'm going to bombard you with questions and pick your brain about what it's like cause I'm curious. So get ready." Justin laughed, "But really don't be worried about her. She is not even going to care."

Justin smiled, "thanks Kels."

When Kelsey walked in the den, she could see Vivian in the kitchen making a sandwich she assumed was for Blaine who was on the floor looking through their DVDs. She plopped down next to Blaine who wasted no time pulling her into his lap. He rested his head on her shoulder and continued to scan the movies.

Kelsey could hear Justin in the kitchen talking to Vivian and couldn't help but giggle when she heard
Vivian ask, "What's dyslexia?"

Blaine had noticed her listening and when she giggled he kissed her cheek and pulled a DVD. "This one, ok?"

Kelsey nodded and smiled, "yeah it's perfect."

"I swear Blaine if that is Disney so help me." Justin said as he entered the room.

Blaine laughed and slid the movie back on the shelf, "I guess we won't watch anything then."

"Here you go, Blaine," Vivian handed him a sandwich as he and Kelsey say down on the couch across from her and Justin.

"Thanks."

The two couples talked lightly for another half hour before all four decided to go into bed.

"Are you feeling better?" Kelsey asked Blaine as she got up from the couch to head to the bedroom.

He smiled and rose up to kiss her cheek. "Yes I am. Goodnight, beautiful."

She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. "Goodnight."

Kelsey rose up and without turning, yelled, "Vivian get off Justin and get into our room."

"I'm just gonna sleep here."

"No."

"Blaine can sleep in my bed so you two can be in the same room."

"No, Viv." Kelsey turned to face her friend.

Vivian stood up knowing she was fighting a losing battle. "Come on Kels, it's not like we're going to try anything with Blaine right there."

"No, Viv, our room now. Kiss him goodnight." Vivian gave Justin a quick peck and went to deepen it when Kelsey shoved her into their bedroom.

Kelsey turned to face Justin, "Sorry."

"No it's cool I think it would have gotten very uncomfortable really fast on this couch."

Kelsey laughed, "Yeah, alright night guys. If you need anything we're right in here. Goodnight."

She had almost made it in her room when Blaine called after her, "Goodnight, love."

A smile spread across her face, "Goodnight."

Yeah, I REALLY like having a boyfriend.