Kurt dashed out of the auditorium and made it to his Navigator. He chucked his belongings in the back seat and hopped into the driver seat. He put on his seat belt before finally stopping to take a breath and looking into the rear view mirror. His eyes watered with tears while he tried to control the vast amounts of mucus trying to flow out of his nose. He wiped the snot off the tip of his nose and took a deep breath again before putting the keys in the ignition, starting the car, and leaving the McKinley parking lot for what would be the last time in his life. He took one last look in his rearview mirror as he rounded the nearest corner. Goodbye, forever.

Ten minutes later, Kurt pulled into his driveway and parked the car. Both Carole and Burt were already home as he opened up his back door. He looked at his backpack for a second before shutting the door. He wouldn’t be needing that anytime soon. He grabbed his Diet Coke from the outside fridge before walking inside.

“Hey, Sweetie!” Carole said, taking a homemade apple pie out of the oven at that precise moment. Kurt’s sweet tenses were tingling with that one waft as the aroma caught on to his taste buds and made him drool in his mouth. “How was school today?”

Kurt opened his Diet Coke and took a swig.

“Ahhhhhh.Yes, it was good…until the end where Sue dropped a bomb shell on us.”

“Aww, honey I’m sorry. What happened? Did she threaten to shut down the Glee club again? It’s okay. Will won’t let that happen to you, you know that.”

“Ehh. I’d rather not talk about it right now. Could I just go to my room?”

Kurt’s disheartened eyes told Carole a different story, but Carole knew that in order to get Kurt to really open up when things were troubling him, you just had to keep going until his shell cracked. Then it would turn into either Krakatoa or Niagara Falls, pending on his mood. She could tell this would be a severe case of the Falls.

She took the pie cutter and sliced two, very large pieces. She opened up the freezer and grabbed the vanilla ice cream. She scooped a healthy chunk for each piece then added a dollop of whipped cream before finally finishing off the delicious treat with a tiny pinch of Cinnamon.

All the while, Kurt intently watched Carole’s every move as he continued to lick his lips. He had much strength in life and could battle through a lot of obstacles like being bullied or taunted for his wardrobe or his sexuality, but one of his few weaknesses included homemade desserts. That and being told his life was about to end in a month.

“There ya go, Sweetie,” Carole said as she handed him the succulent dessert.

“Wh-What?” Kurt gasped, not expecting to have the dessert already in his possession. “I thought this would be for after dinner? Won’t dad or Finn be mad?”

“Ehh, what they don’t know won’t kill them,” Carole winked, eyeing the pie equally as much as Kurt. “Dig in!”

The taste was tantalizing. Every perfect flavor and emotional combination that could fit and be produced by a dessert expelled itself in Kurt’s mouth while he ate through his piece of pie.

“So tell me, what’s up with you? Anything or anyone looming on the horizon for my little fashion icon?”

Kurt blushed from the compliment. He shook his head, giggling, while he gulped the last of his pie down.

“Currently, this pie has a better shot of finding someone to date than I do,” he said sarcastically.

Carole smiled. She had always admired his humor, even at times when he was down.

“Don’t worry sweetie, you’ll find someone soon enough. You’re too special of a person to not have someone gawking over you. Besides, look at you. You’ve got a great sense of fashion and humor and my-my how your butt is just so-”

Kurt couldn’t contain himself from laughing. This woman always had the most awkward, yet perfect ways of cheering him-up.

“I-ha-did know-haha- that, thank you. But I’m not going to worry about that anymore. It’s not like I’ll ever have a chance in the next month.”

“Kurt, finding the right person doesn’t just happen over night! You can’t just expect it to come out of thin air! Give it time!” Carole said, trying to console him.

Kurt chocked up a minute. His fingers started to sweat while his forehead felt like it was dripping liquid lava. He didn’t want to admit to his unfortunate circumstance, but he had to. He couldn’t not tell Burt or Carole anymore. They would find out and better sooner rather than later.

“What if I don’t have that much time left? What if I only had a month left before I left forever and ne…never came back?”

“What do you mean by, ‘never come back’ honey? Do I need to call the school? Is someone hurting you?” Carole asked, worriedly.

Kurt gulped. He could feel the saliva dripping down his dry throat while he mustarded up the strength for what he would say next. Half-awkwardly, half-stoic, he looked Carole dead in the eyes and said:

“I mean that Sue called us into the auditorium today and told us that she had talked to President Figgins himself…and that she had managed to cut a deal with him…and that she…she…” He choked up for a moment. He stood there, trying to take in air and control his emotions. He got a cold chill as the hairs across his body spiked and his teeth rattled with jitters.“…Sh-he told us that-t the games have changed and are going district-by-district, starting with ours. And she…she…volunteered herself to go back in.”

“Oh..whale…honey I didn’t know Sue ment that mu-…” Carole started but Kurt cut her off.

“But then Figgins put her in charge of the reaping. Which basically means she can choose whoever she wants to go into the games and she…she…”

Carole’s eyes grasped the severity of the situation as her pupils went wide-eyed and tears started to swell-up along with horror.

“…she told us we’re all going in.” Kurt buried his disheveled face into the palms of his face. Carole leaned in and hugged him, patting him on the back while silent tears streamed down from her face.

Suddenly, the garage door flung open where Burt’s look of horror and sorrow told it all: he knew. He walked over to add to the group hug.

“Buddy, I-I just want …Kurt you’re so strong and I…” Burt couldn’t finish his statement. His emotions got the better of him as he ran up the stairs and broke into a hysterical fit of sobs.

“Would you mind if I just went to my room? I just want to be alone for a little.”

Carole nodded as her eyes sparkled from her tears, glimmering in the light. “Alright, Sweetie. If you need anything just call for me. I’ll be tending to Burt.” Carole said, rubbing his back before getting up from her seat and making her way upstairs.

Kurt went downstairs where he got into his bed and curled himself up into a ball and proceeded to think about his life. Thoughts about the future ran through his head. He would never get to see himself graduate; never get to compete again for the title at Sectionals or Nationals. He would never be able to go on his first date as would also never be able to have his first boyfriend or his first kiss. He would never get to see the look on Burt or Carole’s face when he walked in and told them he was engaged. He would never get to have his lavish, ornate wedding with his significant other where he would never be able to tell that person how much he truly meant to him. In short, he realized he would not be doing a lot of the things he thought he would.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The rest of the night was a constant stream of tears and tissues as someone in the household proceeded to cry. Burt would walk downstairs, thinking he was perfectly capable of containing himself, but one look at Kurt would send him right back upstairs. Then there was Carole who was tending to not only Burt and Kurt but also Finn, and then she made the sudden and horrific realization about Finn.

No one had per say forgotten about Finn, but everyone neglected the fact that both Kurt and Finn were going into the games; that both were being pit against one another with only one victor. The chances of one of them coming back alive were slim; the chances of both, however, were impossible. Carole wept for the unfairness of it all while Finn remained mostly stoic, showing little to no emotion at all as he stared at his bedroom walls.

The next morning was a little better. They all managed to sit at one table together without anyone losing it. All came close, but they held it in. In the mean time, Carole asked Finn to go to the grocery store to pick up some food for tonight while Kurt offered to go to the local coffee shop and pick-up everyone’s coffee order (minus Finn because he honestly detested coffee). Burt and Carole both agreed the boys could withdrawal themselves from McKinley—it’d be pointless to sit in a classroom for a month, learning useless junk before the big day that they said goodbye and left for the Capitol, and most likely, never return.

Most people were either at work or school at eleven in the morning so the coffeeshop was relatively empty; only a few customers sprinkled here and there throughout the establishment.

“Hi, how can I help you today?” said the person at the register.

“Hello. Yes, I will have a medium-hazelnut latte with cream and sugar, a large dark roast with just cream anddddd…. A medium non-fat mocha, please.”

He paid and waited a couple of minutes. He looked around. There was an old man on typing his computer and a business woman vociferously yelling into her cell phone while her daughter colored in her Disney princess coloring book. The little girl looked-up and smiled at Kurt, before continuing on with coloring. Kurt smiled back at her. She was so precious and innocent. He couldn’t image how in years to come, she could go from wiping colors across her page to wiping up her competitors blood.

“Hey! Hey!” a voice yelled from next to Kurt.

Kurt shook his head from his thoughts and turned. It was one of the workers, handing him his holder with his orders in it.

“Oh sorry, yes, thank-you! Have a good day!”

He smiled and looked at the little girl one last time before turning to leave and then….

“Owww!! Ouuu! Hot! Ahhh!” yelled Kurt. His orders, still scolding hot, had been accidentally dumped onto him by a curly haired stranger.

“Oh my God, I am SO sorry!” said the stranger.

“It—It’s fine. I should have look—”

“No! No that was totally my fault. I was totally walking without paying attention. Here, I’ll take these…”

The stranger took the remainders of what was in the holders from Kurt’s hands. Kurt looked up.

Holy shit, was he attractive.

A little short, but extremely dapper, the young, handsome man made Kurt blush. He had dark, black curls for hair, autumn-hazel eyes, and a warm and welcoming smile that made you want to smile back.

“…and let me buy you your order.”

What!? Kurt’s mind had a way of drifting out of conversation when he was admiring a fine specimen. He shook his head out of his trance.

“What?! No, it’s fine. I really should get home and change.”

“No, I’ll buy your order and then give you some of my clothes—I have an extra change in my car anyways.”

“Well, I—uh—okay, yes. That would be great,” Kurt said, trying not to drip all over the floor.

“Hey, guys? Could you make another of what he just ordered? I accidentally spilled it. Just charge it on here? Thanks” said the stranger. “Alright, here follow me.”

They walked outside to his parked car, a green Volvo. Cute

“Judging by your taste, it might not be your style but it should fit and definitely feel better than having soggy, wet caffeinated clothing,” he said, chuckling and handing the clothes over to Kurt. "Take it as another token of my apologies."

They were definitely not his first choice, but to say this kid didn’t have style would be a lie. It was a black Polo shirt with a red logo and red Polo shorts with a black and white belt. It was actually quite cute.

“I usually wear em’ with a bow tie, but I sadly forgot those at home today!” the stranger chuckled.

Kurt laughed. “Thanks. I’ll be right back.” He turned and went to change in the shop’s bathroom. The shorts were a little tight on his rather large glutinous but then he put the shirt on and goodgodwhatwasthatsmell! He
smelled the shirt while pulling it over his head and my god did it not just smell like the most magical creature he had ever smelled. The shirt fit quite snuggly as he looked in the mirror and admired the outfit the stranger had given him. He liked him.

Kurt picked-up his wet clothes and went back into the shop. The figure was sitting down at a table, already with Kurt’s coffee orders in hand.

“Here you go,” said the stranger, handing Kurt a large plastic bag for him to put his clothes in.

“Thanks,” Kurt said, taking the bag and placing his damp clothes in. “And thank-you for the coffee orders and the clothes as well. Though this may not be my first choice of an outfit, I must say, you do have a good sense of style. At least, better than any of the other straight males at my school.”

“Thanks, but who said anything about me being straight?”
Kurt’s ears perked-up.

“You—you’re not? I guess that explains why you’re so nice to me.”

“I’m nice to everybody! Are you insinuating that you are too?”

“What was your first guess? My incredibly well groomed skin or my uncanny fashion choices for most boys our age?”

The stranger laughed. “Actually, it was your hand on your hip when you were waiting for your coffee, but those were close seconds.”

“Did you potentially come up with the cruel intention of running into me and spilling my coffee just so you could flirt with me?”

The stranger laughed again. “I wish I could say I did, but no—but I’m glad I did,” he said, smiling. “I’m Blaine,” he said, extending his hand.

Blaine. Blaine.Blaine. The name rang throughout Kurt’s mind.

“Kurt. Pleased to meet you Blaine.” He said, extending hands as they shook. Blaine’s hands were soft and felt so warm around Kurt’s fingers. Kurt stared into his eyes for a little before realizing he had been grasping Blaine’s hand and shaking it for a little long.

“Oh—sorry. I—”

Blaine leaned across the table and surprised Kurt with a kiss. Sparks flied as Kurt’s brain reduced itself to mush and particles while the canons started going off. Blaine’s lips were so delicate and soft and the way he surprised Kurt made him jolt in ways he had never experienced. The kiss only last a moment, but it caught Kurt off guard, as his body searched for some use of air and lungs. Kurt withdrew himself form Blaine and stared into his beautiful, glittery eyes.

You are so freaky pretty was all the ran around in Kurt’s mushed-up mind. After giggling for a moment, he spook first:

“Whale…that was a nice surprise,” Kurt said, blushing.

“Sorry, but I…I couldn’t resist. Your lips just look so soft and perfect.”

“Mine? Yours are the soft ones.”

“Would it be weird if I…if I asked you to go on a date today?”

“I don’t think it’d be weird at all,” Kurt said. “I actually would really love to.”

“Pick you up at noon?”

Kurt looked at his watch and chuckled.
“Blaine, it’s already eleven thirty. That’d mean…”

“That’d mean I guess you only have a half hour to go drop off those drinks of yours to whomever before I come to your house and take you on a magical adventure of awesomeness.”

He’s such a dweeb. But he’s a cute dweeb.

“I—okay, yes. Would you like me to change into something else so you can have these back?” Kurt asked, pointing to Blaine’s outfit.

“Whatever you want. I’m in no rush to get those back. Besides, my shorts make your cute bubble-butt stand out.”

Now Kurt was really blushing. They both exchanged phone numbers and Kurt wrote down Blaine directions to his house.

“Alright. I’ll hopefully see you soon?”

“Count on it,” Blaine smiled.

“Then au revoir, mon ami!”

“Adieu!”

Kurt smiled one last time at Blaine before grabbing his coffee holder and leaving. He rolled down the windows of his Navigator and blasted Hilary Duff’s So Yesterday. He couldn’t resist smiling. He laughed and started to almost cry, happily. It was a lovely spring day as the flowers seemed to dance with the wind and the clouds painted a pretty picture along the skyline. Kurt couldn’t believe his circumstances as he continued to playback the last few moments in the coffeeshop and repeating his new favorite word over and over.
“Blaine….Blaine…Blaine.”