CHAPTER 4

It takes a while, but the opportunity virtually drops into Kurt’s lap the first week after Christmas break, in their morning History AP class.

“This project will be half of your final grade in my class, so I suggest you put some serious thought into choosing your topic and working on it – no last minute essays, no delays, no excuses will be accepted. This assignment’s aim is to prepare you for college-level projects – it includes a wide spectrum of research, writing, presentation and teamwork. Now, I know it’s a lot, so I’m letting you decide on the topic yourselves. The research is to be focused on an aspect of local history or culture, but I want it described in a nation-wide, or even global context. For example, if you decide to write about history of the anthropological museum in Columbus, you need to include historical background of anthropological museums in America in general, understood? You have a month, but I expect you to present a brief outline of your topics next week.” There’s a murmur of voices as everyone starts discussing potential research topics with their friends. “Oh, and one more thing: I don’t want the usual pairings. Work with someone you’ve never been paired with in my class.”

Before the bell announces the end of the class a minute later, Kurt already has a plan. His heart is pounding even as he smiles at Quinn’s, his usual partner, apologetic shrug. They work well together, both equally smart and focused, but it doesn’t matter – she can find a project partner without difficulty. And he will make sure he will get exactly whom he wants, too.

All around them people are gathering their things and leaving, or discussing alternate pairings. In all this chaos, Blaine’s calm movements and slightly slumped posture by his desk at the front of the classroom pull Kurt’s attention like a beacon. Mike Chang, the only person Kurt’s ever seen working with him and probably the closest to what Blaine can call a friend, is already talking about potential research topics with Quinn.

Kurt makes sure he looks suitably bored and slightly disdainful before he approaches his target. People stare as he stops by the front row of desks.

“Hey.” Blaine turns, surprised; when he sees Kurt, his eyes widen even more behind the large glasses. Around them, other students already start to whisper, so Kurt keeps his voice cold and loud enough to be heard by those eavesdropping. “I need a good grade on this thing. Will you be my project partner?”

Someone dares to snicker at the word partner, muttering something about that fag and not giving him ideas, but one glare from Kurt and they’re retreating hastily. Blaine’s face is neutral, his eyes cast down.

“Sure. You want to discuss topics?”

“Lunch break, library.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

Kurt turns and leaves without another word, feeling like an asshole. Telling himself repeatedly that he’s just doing what he has to do doesn’t help this time.

Meeting during lunch break is a way to avoid attention and it should only take them a moment, but Kurt feels bad for taking away Blaine’s chance to eat in peace, and even worse because he can’t act thoughtfully and bring him something instead. They’re on school grounds, after all, the walls have ears. And eyes. Finally he decides that even Kurt the Cheerleader can be in a generous mood sometimes, and grabs two apples for them on his way to the library.

Blaine is already there when Kurt enters, sitting at a table with a notebook laid out in front of him, rows of even, neat writing covering the pages. His head snaps up when Kurt calls out from several feet away, and he catches the apple easily. Kurt smirks half-heartedly and slips into a chair opposite, biting into his apple with a juicy crunch. “Nice reflexes.”

Blaine’s clearly tense, but manages a ghost of a smile. “Thanks. So, I was thinking… how do you imagine this thing going? I mean, will you do any part of this or did you want me to do it all? Because I’m not sure I’d be comfortable with that.”

Kurt swallows another bite his of apple – it’s bad manners to speak with your mouth full, after all – before leaning closer to Blaine and frowning.

“I hope I don’t look dumb and you’re just assuming that I must be since I’m a cheerio, but you’ve got me wrong, Blaine. I’m not looking for a sucker to do the job for me. I’m a straight-A student like you; and so is Quinn, just so you know. I work hard, and I don’t want my grade ruined by some half-brained project partner.”

“Oh fuck, I’m sorry, I just –“ Blaine blushes pink.

“You just assumed. It’s okay, I don’t exactly advertise my grades. So, I’ve been thinking – you transferred from Dalton, right?” Blaine nods. “From what I heard before Sectionals, it seems to be a school with quite a lot of history and traditions. I thought we may write about it, set in the background of the history of private schools in America. It would be a big topic, but I think that we’d be able to handle that.”

Blaine opens and closes his mouth soundlessly a couple of times before closing his notebook and smiling widely. All tension gone from his compact frame, he looks so enthusiastic now that Kurt has to smile a little.

“Brilliant! Okay, I won’t even talk about my idea, yours is much better. I’m sure I could get some historical source materials as an ex-student, maybe we could even interview the archiver? Or the history professor there – he’s a genius, been working there for 40 years. And we could – “

Kurt laughs, short and surprised. “Whoa, whoa, wait. We’ll discuss it all in detail when we meet to do some actual work; now it’s time to try and get some lunch. I have cheerios and now Glee, too, so my afternoons are mostly packed, and we should meet twice a week, I think, so – “

“Whenever you have time. My afternoons and evenings are free aside from Glee.”

Oh. This is just sad, even though it should help them with setting up some kind of schedule for their project meetings. His face carefully controlled, Kurt thinks quickly.

“Okay, we don’t have Glee tomorrow and I should be done with Cheerios early, around four, I think. Where should we meet?”

“My house? I mean, if you – um, or we could go to the library, instead.” Blaine is blushing again and Kurt suddenly wants to touch his hand – just a friendly gesture – and tell him that he understands and doesn’t take it as some kind of pick up line just because Blaine is gay. But he doesn’t, of course. How could he? God, he needs to get a grip, what’s going on with him around this boy?

“Your house is fine. Give me your phone.” He taps his own number quickly into Blaine’s cell, then calls himself and saves the number under “.--O-O--.“. After all, Blaine is too rare a name to risk having it in his contact list for anyone to see. Now, he can always say it’s his eye-doctor or something. He returns Blaine’s phone. “Text me your address, I’ll be there tomorrow after four. Now, I gotta go. Thanks!”

With that, he’s gone. When he reaches the cafeteria, his heartbeat is back to normal and the bitch face set firmly in place, just in case.