“Luke!“ Kurt grabbed his best friend by his wrist and made him stop. “Where the hell are you going?”

“To the bar.” Lucas said as it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“We can’t go inside.” Kurt protested.

“Yes, we can. You’ve been avoiding this place for months Kurt.”

“I have a good damn reason for it. I’m not going to run into Mathew.”

“Kurt, you can’t hide forever. Besides, Mathew won’t be there. It’s Wednesday. They play pool on Monday.”

“Why did you have to pick up this bar? Can’t we go somewhere else?”

“I love this bar, Kurt.” Lucas whined. “Stop being ridiculous. You meet him for a coffee once in a while, you can go to the bar he likes attending.”

“I don’t want to look like I’m seeking his company. We meet for a coffee only because he is the one inviting me.”

“You’re over thinking. One drink and we can go, okay?”

Kurt knew he was being irrational. He couldn’t control whether he met Mathew by coincidence or not but he could at least try. He’d been doing his best in trying for the last couple of months. He should be awarded for how hard he tried.

“Kurt, I’m going. You can stay here or come inside with me. Your choice.” Lucas freed his wrist from Kurt’s grab and headed to the entrance. Kurt followed him with determination of allowing Lucas just one drink. One drink and they would go elsewhere.

The bar was full of people. It surprised them since it was in the middle of the week. Lucas was searching for a free table. If he had managed to convince Kurt to come he wasn’t about to turn around and leave because the place was overcrowded.

“There is a table. Come on.” He motioned his head to the opposite side of the bar. Kurt nodded and let himself to be dragged towards the table. They were wading through bodies surrounding them, not paying attention to anyone. By the time they got to the table, it wasn’t empty anymore.

“You have got to be kidding me.” Kurt murmured under his breath.

“Hmm…hi.” Lucas said, not sure what the etiquette for this kind of situation was.

“Hi guys. I guess we had the same intention with this table. Do you want to join us?” Blaine slid to the wall, leaving a spot next to him free.

“Thanks but…” Kurt started but he didn’t have a chance to finish because Lucas nudged him and forced him to sit down.

“That’ll be great. Thanks. I’m going to order. Be right back.” Kurt was speechless. He was watching how his best friend walked away and left him with the two people he really didn’t want to sit with.  Or be with. Or do anything with.

“So…we haven’t seen you in a while.” Nick said. “How are you?” Kurt finally raised his sight from the ground.

“I’m fine. How are you?” Blaine started to laugh. The whole situation was ridiculous. They were trying to be polite but in fact none of them knew what to do. Nick and Blaine hadn’t seen Kurt in a few months. Since he and Mathew had broken up. They weren’t friends with Kurt. They knew him just because Mathew had introduced them but it was obvious from the first time they had met that Kurt didn’t feel good in their company. He’d always been sweet and polite but they could tell he hadn’t been comfortable.

“Blaine!” Nick hissed.

“What? This is hilarious! Let’s stop pretending that everything is okay when none of us knows what to do.”

“Maybe I should go.” Kurt stood up.

“No!” Blaine shouted. “Stay. I’ll behave. I promise.”

“I hope so or I won’t take you out again with me.” Nick warned him, patting on the spot next to him. “Sit down here. It’ll be safer. Blaine is out of his mind today.”

“Oh, come on, Nick. You know you won’t be able to go out without me. You can’t live without me.”

“Wanna bet?” Nick challenged him and Blaine threw a paper coaster on him. Kurt eased a little. He remembered how crazy Nick and Blaine could get and without Mathew around it could be fun. Mathew…Kurt started internally freaking out once again. What if Mathew was somewhere in the bar? Or what if he was on his way there?

“Can…Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.” Blaine said with a warm smile.

“Don’t get me wrong…I’m glad we can sit with you but I would rather not bump into Mathew tonight. Is he here or coming or…?”

“Don’t worry. He is with his fuck buddy.” Nick responded carelessly

“Oh…”

“Nick! You can’t just say things like that. What if Kurt didn’t know?”

“I know about him. It’s okay. No hard feelings…”

“Well, you seemed to be surprised.” Blaine noted.

“Yeah…Mathew never missed time for fun with friends. Even our anniversary didn’t stop him from going to the bar later that night.” Silence fell on them. Nick and Blaine considered the relationship Mathew and Kurt had as strange. They thought Kurt had been too controlling, not letting Mathew enjoy enough freedom, permanently ordering or forbidding him things. But maybe it wasn’t about Kurt being a bad boyfriend. Maybe Mathew wasn’t the greatest one as well.

“This place is hell tonight.” Lucas appeared by the table, no beverages in his hands.

“So are we leaving?” Kurt asked hopefully.

“What?! No! Our drinks are on their way!”

“You’re not having fun.” Blaine told Kurt an hour later when Nick and Lucas left the table because they wanted to play pool.

“I am.”

“No. You’re not. You can’t wait to get out of here. I’m sorry if we ruined your evening.”

“You didn’t ruin anything. I didn’t want to come here in the first place.”

“Why not?”

“Because of Mathew. I’m not the type of man who needs to visit the places my ex likes going to just to gain his attention.”

“No one thinks that. I think you are pretty cool. “

“You and Nick don’t like me. Let’s stop pretending.”

“You don’t like us either. We are even. Maybe we didn’t give each other the chance to get to know better.”

“Maybe…”

“Look. Nick and Lucas have just started a pool game. It’ll take some time for them to come back here. We have two options. First – we can talk and actually find out something pleasant about each other or second – we can join them.”

“I can’t play pool.” Blaine grinned and stood up, holding his hand for Kurt.

“I’m a pro. Give me some time and I’ll teach you how to hide all the balls in one turn.”      

Watching Kurt learning how to play was fun. He loosened up a little and they found out he wasn’t so uptight all the time. He was witty and sarcastic, he always knew what to say back and he laughed a lot.    

Nick gave up. Playing pool with Blaine was a lost case. There was no way he could ever win. He was looking forward to a game with Lucas, a game he could have a chance in winning when Blaine decided to play with Kurt against them. No matter how bad Kurt was at pool. Blaine could beat them even if he played with a trained monkey. Although Nick wasn’t pleased with the loss, he was still enjoying the evening. He would have definitely never said that Kurt could be so entertaining and easy to be around.

“It’s almost midnight. We should go home.” Lucas looked at his watch.

“Yeah…” Kurt agreed. “This was fun. Thank you, guys.” Blaine smiled at him and took his cue to return it on its place.  

“Well, maybe we should meet here for a pool game tomorrow. You know, practice makes perfect…” Blaine suggested, looking hopefully at Kurt. He had a great time and making new friends couldn’t be wrong even if one of them was your best friend’s ex, right?

“I’m not sure if it’s good idea.” Kurt started hesitantly. “Mathew will be mad. We didn’t meet on purpose tonight and it was fun but I don’t think we should make plans. I know how he feels about me being in touch with his family or friends…”

“Kurt, you shouldn’t let Mathew dictate who you can and cannot be in touch with…” Nick stated. “He is one of my best friends but I don’t give a shit what he thinks about us meeting you.”

“Please, don’t tell him we hung out tonight.” Nick and Blaine exchanged confused looks at this request.

“Why not?”

“He will be mad. Trust me. I don’t want to cause you any troubles with him.”

“Okay. We won’t say anything if you promise to come tomorrow.” Blaine told Kurt with a smirk.

“It’s blackmailing.”

“Take it or leave it.” Kurt looked at Lucas, searching for help but didn’t get any. Lucas just nodded his head with a big smile on his face, evidently enjoying how desperately Kurt was trying to get out of the situation.

“Fine. We’ll come.”

“Kurt. Kurt, please. Kuuuuuuuuuuuurt…”

“No way, Nick. Are you crazy?” Kurt laughed at his…friend? Were they friends now? Since their first encounter at the bar they’d been meeting regularly. It was three weeks now.

“What’s going on?” Lucas asked them as he and Blaine approached their table.

“Kurt refuses to drink with me.” Nick answered with a pout.

“He is drinking…” Blaine pointed on Kurt’s glass full of wine-cola drink.

“That’s lemonade, Blaine. I want him to drink alcohol. Make him at least drink one beer or something.”

“Kurt doesn’t drink beer.” Lucas noted, still not getting where Nick was heading with this.

“I know. And it’s frustrating. I want to get wasted.”

“And how is me not drinking what you want me to drink is going to influence that?” Kurt asked amused.

“I can’t get wasted when you are planning on staying sober. You’re like this ethereal creature everybody looks up to. I would feel like I’m going against the law of nature, like I’m disappointing you…”

“Nick, I really don’t care whether you ended up wasted or not tonight. You would be the one with the hangover tomorrow…”

“I know you don’t give a damn. But in my drunken condition it would look like that. I have quite an imagination…” Nick shrugged his shoulders and took a sip. He would probably have to leave drinking his brain off to the night out with his colleagues.

“You’re ridiculous…”

“Yes, he is.” Blaine admitted and Nick snorted.

“I’m going to play. Luke?” Lucas nodded and joined Nick, leaving Blaine and Kurt in their spot at the table.

“So are we still up for the trip on Saturday?”

“Of course. I can’t wait.” Kurt responded but Blaine missed the enthusiasm in his answer.

“Is something wrong?”

“What? Why?”

“I don’t know. You seem like something is bothering you...”

“Are you guys okay with lying to Mathew? I feel bad about it.”

“Technically, we’re not lying. We’re hiding things but not lying. And we know your reasons so…Honestly, I think it’s pretty late to tell him anything. One day he’ll find out. And then we’ll face the consequences. Don’t worry.”

“Maybe we should stop hanging out…” Kurt said in a whisper but Blaine heard him.

“You want to stop hanging out with us?” It was the first time Kurt saw Blaine’s puppy dog eyes expression. Kurt had an urge to hug him and hold him, never let him go and assure him everything would be alright.

“No. I don’t. I just don’t want to cause you any trouble…”

“You’re not. I’m not saying I’m completely thrilled by the idea of going behind Mathew’s back but I like spending time with you and Lucas. Nick feels the same way; we’ve been talking about it. So quit over-thinking, okay?”

“Okay.”

Kurt was nervous. He was on his way to the bar, where he was supposed to meet Nick and Blaine, without Lucas. He couldn’t tell if he was more excited or terrified. He had never been with the guys alone. What if they would decide they didn’t like him after all? What if they had been tolerating Kurt just because he was coming as a package with Lucas? What if they wanted to be friends only with his best friend? Get a grip, Kurt. Stop freaking out! It’s been almost two months. If they didn’t want you around, they would stop making plans with you. Kurt tried to calm himself down unsuccessfully.

He saw Nick and Blaine immediately when he entered the bar. They were playing pool and Nick was smiling.

“Hi guys. How are you?”

“Hi.” Blaine greeted him but his sight was focused on the balls on the table.

“Nick is winning?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Just because you have hidden more balls doesn’t mean you are winning. You win when there is no ball for you to hide.” Kurt laughed. Blaine repeated the exact words Nick told him every time when they played pool.

“We should stop and sit. Kurt is here, we don’t want him to get bored. We can play another time.” Blaine said like it was the sure thing and his cue were put aside in an instant.

“Don’t mind me. I like watching you play…” Kurt sent him a smirk. He really wanted to see Nick win at least one game.

“Blaine is just afraid he is going to lose. You can’t gain any dignity with withdrawal, my friend. Keep going.”

A few minutes later Nick hid the last ball with a triumphant cry.

“Finally! I can’t remember when the last time I beat you was!”

“I really didn’t have a good day…” Blaine murmured and Kurt somehow knew he wasn’t referring to a lost game.

“Come on. Let’s sit down. Drinks are on me tonight.” Nick ushered them to a table and left for the bar.

“Are you okay?” Concern was evident in Kurt’s voice and Blaine looked at him with a soft smile.

“Yeah. I had a bad day at work and then my brother called me and he was…well, he was my brother – you have to meet him to know what I’m talking about…I’ll tell you about him one day but right now I want to enjoy the evening with my friends.” Kurt returned the smile and let silence fall on them.

“I’m glad you came.” Kurt’s smile grew even bigger. Every doubt he had had disappeared.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t want to be with us without Lucas…Nick and I like your company. It’s a shame we didn’t get along well when you were dating Mathew. We should have been friends for ages…”

“Yeah. But at least we found the way to be friends now…”

“Guys, the cute bartender the three of you were ogling last week is working tonight. He is bringing our drinks. How much of an amazing friend I am?” Nick sank down next to Kurt and nudged him with his shoulder.

“So, Kurt. We are invited to a cabin in the mountains next week. I hope you and Lucas will join us…”