Deep breath Berry....

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

Screw it.

I'm panicking here. 

But at least I made it back inside the building, out of the public eye before I completely shattered.

How??

How did my letters get out?!

And I kissed Sebastian!!

Holy Shit, I kisses Sebastian Smythe!!

Santana is going to crucify me....

Crap crap crap crap crap.

I'm fitting to bash my head off the wall of the bathroom stall, right below the prominent script letters ('BritBrit + Sammy 4eva') when a voice startles me out of it.

"Rach??  Rachel, is that you in there??"

And I freeze. Maybe if I don't make a sound whoever it is will go away.

But they don't. Because the next thing I hear is a disgruntled sigh and that voice again.

"Rach.... I recognize your running shoes with the pink and gold stars all over them. I know its you...."

Shit. 

Of course the person would recognize me.  And seriously, that voice sounds awful familiar.  The clip of their shoes on the floor draws them closer.

"I....   I thought you might like this back...."

And placed gently on the floor, slid slightly under the door into the stall in front of me is the piece of the puzzle that confirms the identity of the person on the other side of the door.

The pale blue envelope, name and address written in my own loopy script.

Blaine Anderson
745 Meadow Ridge Court
North Lima, Ohio

Well shit....

Reluctantly I unlock the door and exit the stall coming face to face with the boy with the hazel puppy dog eyes and gel barely containing his curls.

Blaine Anderson is, naturally, dressed impeccably.  Like really. Carefully color coordinated with a matching bow tie, impeccably.

I'm so busy fingering the corners of the envelope that I almost miss when he begins to speak again.

"I remember that night....   winter semi formal during ninth grade.  My fashion sense was well...."

He laughs and I finally look up from my own hands.

"A bolo tie Rach, what was I thinking?!   You though....   you looked utterly ravishing in that turquoise dress.  Your hair in that cute little milkmaid-esque braid, all wound about your head. So darling I swear..."

He smiles at me as he grabs a handful of paper towels, wetting them in the sink before he starts gently wiping the sweat off my face. I'm watching him so intently through the mirror that I almost miss what he says next.

Almost.

"....kinda made me wish I liked girls."

My eyes go wide and I must have made some sort of unintelligible sound because next thing I know Blaine has stopped cleaning off my face.  He's scrunching up that adorable little nose of his as he tosses the towels in the bin.  Sweet smile as he brushes my hair out of my eyes.

"You did know I was gay right?"

"Oh.... yeah... of course I knew that."

Nope.

I didn't know that.

Not at all.

Not even the slightest inkling.

Blaine smiles and takes my hand to lead me out of the bathroom just as the bell rings.

He kisses my cheek and flits down the hallway with a talk more later Rachie leaving me alone again with my thoughts.

Somehow I make it through what is left of the day by avoiding everyone.

Blaine.
Finn.
Sebastian.
Even Nicky.

I don't know how I even manage it but somewhere up there someone is looking out for me.

Collecting Marley is a little harder.  She's turned into quite the chatterbox lately. Spending most of the ride home going on about the freshman pep squad she's joined with Kitty when she isn't criticizing my driving skills.

"Rach, I could have walked home faster than that.  Pretty sure I saw old man Gomez lap us in his rascal scooter.  Twice."

I stick my tongue out at Marley as she scurries out of the car and past me into the house. Daddy is already home from the office, it must be one of his early days. And he passes me a letter on my way in.

I arch my eyebrows at him and he shrugs.

"Says return to sender Star."

Hmm.....

Upon further examination as I climb the stairs to my room I recognize the pale yellow envelope and heave out a sigh of relief.

Jeff Sterling
Bunk 21
Iroquois Cabin
Camp Cuyahoga
Silver Lake, Maine

Thank goodness I addressed this letter to his cabin at camp.  As adorable as he was with his floppy blonde hair and washboard abs, it's one less weirded out boy showing up at my doorstep.

And speaking of....

A cursory glance out my bedroom window and I can see Finn pacing in front of my house.  Turning to walk up the front walk.  I can't deal with this right now. 

Hastily I slip my flats back on and grab my purse.  Sliding the window up, the one on the side of the house, I swing my legs out one by one.  Once I have a good grip on the rose trellis on the side of the house I begin my quick decent.  Grabbing my bicycle hidden in the bushes. And leave.

Just for a little.

Escaping everything at my favorite diner, mom and daddy's diner.  And Florence has just placed my guilty pleasure treat in front of me (French fries and a chocolate malt) when I hear it.

In that voice I'd recognize anywhere.

"So Berry, when are we going to discuss that kiss??"