Wait? What? Did I hear him right? Did Mr. A. just suggest that we could practice at his place? Private? I must be dreaming. Kurt, it’s time to wake up.

And with that thought he focused again on his teacher. Mr. A. still stood right in front of him. Smiling from ear to ear. Oh, don’t give me that look. “Kurt? Did you hear me? Did you hear what I suggested?” he asked him again.

“I… I. Yes, I heard you. I’m just trying to make my mind around that, since I’m not really sure what to think about this.” Kurt answered his teacher and looked on the ground. He was too scared to look him in the eyes anymore.

“Oh, ok. I see. I… I mean we don’t have to do this. And if you feel uncomfortable about it it’s ok as well. I just thought that it would be a good idea.” Mr. A. responded.

What am I doing here? Now I hurt my teacher’s feelings. And I really didn’t mean to do that. Wait, since when do I care about his feelings?

“Mr. A. I’m really thankful for your suggestion but I’m not sure if it would be appropriated. I mean, you are my teacher after all. And I guess Figgins would not be satisfied with that, right?”

“Yeah, yeah you are right, Kurt. It was a stupid idea. So you better forget about it, ok?” Blaine told Kurt and finally looked him in the eyes again.

No, please. Don’t look like that. He really looks like a lost puppy that got kicked for being bad. I can’t handle this look.

Sighing, Kurt looked at Mr. A. again and tried to figure out what to do. On the one hand he really wanted his help even if he was faking the performances. But on the other hand he wasn’t sure if this would be a good idea after all.

“Hmm, ok. Mr. A. can I think about what you just told me and make a rain check with you? I mean if you really want to help me that is?”

“Yeah, sure. Ehh, I mean. Yeah. I really want to help you with your singing voice.
Otherwise I wouldn’t have suggested it. But I really don’t want to force you to do anything, ok?” Mr. Anderson asked him.

“Ok, I got it. I will think about it some more and will tell you my answer ASAP, ok?”

“Sure, that’s fine with me. Thanks though.” Mr. A. said to Kurt. “I guess, I… I should let you get going then. I’m sure you have other stuff to do than hanging around with your teacher after school, right?”

“I… I yeah. I still have football practice since Friday will be the first game of the
season. I guess I should go then. Have a nice day, Mr. A.” Kurt answered him.
And with that he grabbed his stuff and made his way out of the choir room.

What the hell did just happen? Did I really just consider that I will take private (!) lessons from my teacher? What is wrong with me? I mean I know that I can sing and that I’m not bad at it. But why would I want his help. That would mean that I can’t fake it any longer. Can I?

The student made his way down the corridors to his locker. He still needed to get his stuff for football practice. He wasn’t really sure what he should do about Mr. A. and it was really hard to focus on something else.

That was when it happened. Karofsky was waiting for him. Again. Kurt didn’t even saw him. But when he felt something behind him it was already too late. David pushed him into the lookers on his right side and he felt a sharp pain running through his body. That’s going to be a bruise for sure. Great.

Kurt grabbed at his shoulder where he hid the locker and screamed out in pain.
Karofsky made his way over to him and put his hand over his mouth.

“Stop screaming for fucks sake. Will you!?” Karofsky commented him.

But it was hard for Kurt to oblige. He was still in pain and even felt tears in his eyes. Breathing felt even harder since the hand was still over his mouth.

OMG he is trying to kill me, right? Should I just let him kill me?

With those thoughts he stopped screaming and felt that Karofsky removed his hand from his mouth.

“Good boy. Now promise me you won’t start screaming again.”

Kurt could only nod at this. He wasn’t able to say anything since his shoulder still hurt badly and he couldn’t find any words.

“Good. Now I hope you finally learned your lesson. Or otherwise the next meeting with me will be a lot painfully.” And with that Karofsky left him.

Ok, I’m glad he is gone now. But what does he mean with that? More pain? I already feel bad and am in pain. What is wrong with this guy? I didn’t do anything to him, did I?

Kurt shook his head to clear his mind. He really didn’t know what was wrong with David. He never acted like that towards him. They were in a team together. Winning football games together. Since the incident at the beginning at the school year it got worse. But I really thought we were fine again. Guess I was wrong about that.

I really have to watch out more and watch my back more. I don’t want that to happen again. Definitely not.

Kurt finally got to his locker and put his schoolbooks away. He got his sports bag
and made his way to the locker room to change for practice. He didn’t really feel like it right now. But he can’t miss another practice. Coach Beiste would kill him with her hands. And that is something he is not looking forward to.

Luckily he wasn’t late for practice and Coach Beiste was glad that he showed up. He made his warm-up along the others and watched them from afar when they started their training. Since he was the kicker he wasn’t needed for the other stuff they did and could relax a little.

Kurt sat down on the bleachers and managed to lose his focus again. His thoughts went back to Mr. A. and his suggestion from earlier. Should I really do this? I mean I do like him – as my teacher it is – but I’m not sure if it would be a wise decision. Maybe I should ask my dad what he thinks about it.

“Hey, Kurt. Kurt? K-U-R-T.” Coach Beiste screamed from the field.

With the last loud scream he finally looked up and saw her standing on the field. “Yes, Coach Beiste?”

“Would you give me your honor of joining me and the rest of YOUR team down here? Right now.” She answered him.

Kurt was really terrified of her when she screamed like that. He made his way down to the field. They were practicing he few kicks – which he all managed to score – and he was finally free to go.

Not minding how sweaty he was he got straight to his car and went home. He was exhausted and just wanted nobody to see anymore. Finally home he went to his room and took a quick shower. He was glad when he could wash off all the dirt he felt from earlier.

Getting out of the shower he went over to his sink and looked at himself in the mirror. He saw a really big purple bruise on his shoulder. When he tried to touch it he felt the pain from earlier again and couldn’t stand it. With the pain came back the tears. And with the tears he sank down on his bathroom floor and started to cry.

His crying went over into sobbing and he felt numb.

Burt Hummel got home earlier this day and hurt the sobs from downstairs. As fast as he could he made his way down to his son’s room. He couldn’t find him anywhere in his room. The sobs where coming from his bathroom.

As quite as he could he opened the door and saw his son crying on the floor. He went over to him and took him in his arms.

“Shh, it’s ok Kurt. I’m not going to hurt you.” He told him when his own son flinched away. He let him cry some more and tried to think about what could have happened to him.

Gosh, look at you. What happened to you? Who did that to you? You don’t deserve to get hurt. You are my life and I can’t help to feel sad and mad when I find out who hurt you so bad.

Burt tried to calm his son down. And it seemed to work out. The sobs got quieter and his breathing got back to a normal pace.

“Can you tell me what happened, Kurt?” He asked his son. Kurt on the other side just shook his head. He wasn’t comfortable to talk to his dad right now. He just wanted to get to hold some more.

“I… I … Can you just … just hold me … a little longer?” He asked his dad and started to cry again.

“Of course I can. That shouldn’t even been a question if you ask me!”

And with that Kurt finally could smile a little again. He really enjoyed spending time in his father’s arms. In moments like this he missed his mother and he missed spending lots of time with his dad. He is glad that he still has him.

Even after his heart attack a few years ago – when he thought he would lose him – he is grateful for every day he still can spend with him. He knows he doesn’t tell his dad that much often. But in situations like this he is sure that Burt can
feel his love to him.

Maybe I should open up to him? I should tell him what happened to me today. But I don’t want him to get mad. How do I tell him…

And with his last thought he took a deep breath and opened his mouth.

“I… I… I had an audition today at school. [sigh] For my new Music teacher. And I really freaked out about it. So I messed up and pretended to be someone who I’m clearly not.”

“Hmm, ok. That doesn’t really explain why you are on the floor sobbing. What else happened?”

“My… My teacher wants to help me with my singing. I guess he was really disappointed at me since I told him beforehand that I could sing really high. And I didn’t at the audition.”

“Ok. Go on.”

“I didn’t lie to him. I swear. It was just that I didn’t want to be judge by the other
students in Glee club. That’s why I sang with a really deep voice – which hurt by the way.”

Burt was nodding and he knew that his son wasn’t done yet.

“Mr. A. – who is my teacher – suggested singing lessons for me and went to talk to principal Figgins after the audition. After Glee club he made my stay and told me that we couldn’t use any room at the school. He then suggested that he had a recording studio at home and that he could teach me there. “

Burt still listened to every word his son said and tried to get his head around
everything. He wasn’t sure what to think about this teacher, Mr. A. He sounded
nice so far. Offering those lessons was really nice of him. A little weird, but
nice. I don’t really see a problem here. There must be something else.

“I didn’t know how to respond to his offer. And told him that it was a little weird since he is my teacher. He looked really sad after that. So I said to him that I
would think about it some more and that I would do a rain check with him. And I
really wanted to know what you think about this? I mean you are my dad and you are able to give me some advice, right?”

“Hmm, ok. Let me think about it for a second or two. But I’m still not convinced that is why you are sitting here sobbing when I got home. What else happened today?”

He really is smart. He could look right through me. I guess I have to tell him the rest then.

“Ok, Dad. Please don’t freak out, ok?”

“We will see about that. Continue please.”

“Ok, when I left the choir room and went down the corridor to my locker I was still thinking about what I should say to Mr. A. about his offer. So I didn’t
recognize that somebody was behind me. Until that someone pushed me in the
lockers to my right side. And that’s when that happened…”

Kurt turned around then and showed his dad his shoulder with his big purple bruise. Burt gasped at that and felt his eyes sting with tears of his own.

“Who did that to you, Kurt? Why would someone want to hurt you?”

“Dad, calm down. Don’t forget your heart. It was one of my teammates who did it. And why? I wish I could give you an answer to that one. But I really don’t know. You have to believe me.”

“Kurt, of course I believe you. But I don’t see why someone would try to hurt you.”

“I really don’t know. The guy already was haunting me since the start of the school year. But I thought it was over. And now this!”

Burt checked his shoulder again. When he tried to touch it Kurt flinched away.

“Let me get some ice for that shoulder and you will put some clothes on. Then we will order pizza, sit down, eat and talk some more about all this, ok?”

Kurt could only nod at this. He was really thankful for his dad right now.

“Ok. So let’s get going.”

Burt ordered pizza as he told him and got the ice ready for when Kurt would be
upstairs with him. They waited for the pizza to be delivered and sat down at the kitchen table.

“Thank you for doing this dad. I love you.” Kurt told him.

“Anything for you, Kurt. Don’t even mention it”.

Shortly after that the doorbell ring and Burt got up assuming that it would be the
delivery guy. But when he opened the door he was faced with a short man with
curly hair.

“Excuse me, but who are you?”