And Kurt's day didn't really brighten up after that. As much as he disliked Sebastian he couldn't just ignore a comment like that which caused him to make a detour to the bathroom and be even more ridiculously late to his first period. It was safe to say that his teacher wasn't thrilled.

Then there were the slurs and the looks and the locker shoves as he walked down the hallway to his next class. Of course the teachers present made it a point to look away just in time so they'd miss all of it. Class was - as per usual - boring as hell and absolutely no challenge. Kurt started to assume that at least half of McKinley's student body was actually illiterate. Along with some of the teachers, it seemed.

Lunch was spent on his own once again and he found himself craving for the presence of Sebastian or Rachel just so he'd have some company. He should probably see a psychologist sometime soon if he'd stooped that low.

At the end of the school day Kurt considered himself lucky that he'd only been slushied twice and shoved into a locker three times. Some days he wondered what life was like for people who could honestly say of themselves that they'd never had to experience either their whole lives.

Kurt was so distracted by his musings that he nearly repeated his earlier mistake and just barely stopped himself from walking right through Blaine.

"Whoa, easy there. Someone's in a hurry, it seems," he laughed, steadying Kurt with his hands. His touch was still as warm and even better than Kurt had remembered it and the stupid butterflies in his stomach just wouldn't stop moving.

"Sorry. I promise it won't happen again, I'm usually more attentive than that," he apologized, offering a weak smile in Blaine's direction.

"Another bad day?" He looked so very understanding Kurt had to fight the urge to throw himself in his arms and shut out the world. Instead, he just shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"I've seen worse. Nothing I can't handle." For some reason Blaine didn't really look reassured. In fact, he looked even more concerned than before.

"You don't need to play it down in front of me, Kurt. I know what high school is like when you're different. I really think you should complain to the faculty."

"And what good would that do?" Kurt snorted. "There are teachers in the hallways. Every single one of them looked pointedly away whenever something akin to bullying happened in front of their eyes. How would complaining to the faculty help? It would just make things worse when the jocks would find out."

"But you can't just let them do that to you!"

"Good thing I refuse to play the victim, then. I'm more intelligent than any of them, either way. One day, they're all going to work for me. Or maybe not since I don't plan on owning a fast food chain in the near future."

Blaine just laughed and stared at him quite fondly with those eyes that got his heart racing whenever he looked into them. "You're one of a kind, Kurt. What are your great plans for the future if it's not being the next director of McDonald's?"

"Broadway. Maybe fashion. But probably Broadway. Where I'm pretty sure I won't meet any of those neanderthals ever again," Kurt replied, leaning against the wall and looking down the empty halls.

"Oh, so you're a singer?" Blaine asked, his interest piqued.

"Why, of course," Kurt waved it off, rolling his eyes. "I'm going to be the next Patti LuPone if I have any say in it."

Blaine looked appropriately impressed. Could he be any more perfect?

"That's quite a high aim. I'd really love to hear you sing now," Blaine grinned at him.

"You're interested in Broadway?" Kurt was still a bit dumbstruck at this revelation.

"Of course I am! If you wouldn't mind I'd love to judge for myself if you're up to your own expectations. There's a choir room right down the hall."

He looked so serious about it that Kurt couldn't say no. And what was there to lose, anyway? He knew he was a fabulous singer and there was no one but Blaine around to hear him. So he just nodded and followed Blaine's lead.

In the choir room, Blaine immediately sat down at the piano, expectantly staring at Kurt. With a sigh, he crossed the room and sat down next to him, hands automatically going up to the keys. The years of piano lessons had left their mark.

"Anything you want me to sing?" he asked. He knew what he wanted to sing but maybe Blaine had had a specific song in mind for better comparison with Patti.

"I don't really care," Blaine shrugged. "Just sing whatever you feel like singing right now."

So that was what Kurt did. And he could honestly say that Blaine's expression as the last notes of ‘Don't Cry For Me Argentina' rang out was rather priceless. He was about to make a smug remark at his open mouth and his awestruck gaze when his features returned to his trademark charming smile and he started to sing ‘Something's Coming' out of nowhere.

It was Kurt's turn to sit there dumbfounded and just stare. When the song came to an end, Blaine positively smirked at him. "Thought it was fitting. The world won't know what hit it once you're out of here, Kurt."

It was official. Kurt Hummel was in trouble. Deep trouble. Because he was pretty sure he'd just fallen in love with a ghost.