Luckily, Burt hadn't noticed anything off about Kurt's behavior or appearance that night. For the first time since she'd obviously decided to make herself at home in his house, Kurt was grateful for Rachel's presence during dinner. She didn't pressure him into telling her like he'd thought she would and the little smiles she offered him whenever he looked over at her actually helped him stay calm.

His phase of somewhat inner peace was over the minute he woke up the following day. He had no idea how he was supposed to face Blaine knowing what he probably looked like. Blaine had spent quite a bit more time on this world than Kurt, surely he knew what a teenage boy in love looked like. He would take one glance at Kurt and know it all and things would become unbearably awkward.

Kurt supposed he could always avoid Blaine if he really tried. But he had no intention of doing so, no matter how embarrassing sticking around might become once Blaine knew. He deserved to move on and Kurt was the only one able to help he'd probably get his hands on for quite some time. For Kurt, it wasn't even a question what he would do.

He convinced himself to get out of bed and put on his carefully planned outfit and fix his hair like he did everyday, forcing himself up into the kitchen to have breakfast with his Dad. He chatted away about some Broadway musical he knew Burt couldn't care less for to distract from his nervousness, for once actually glad that it could be that easy to lose his father's attention so quickly.

When he crossed the parking lot, the nerves came back with a vengeance. Not only because he'd be facing Blaine in a matter of minutes, but also because of the three looming figures next to the dumpsters. The dumpsters he had to pass at some point if he wanted to get inside. It wasn't hard to guess how this would end.

This time when he crawled out of the dumpster once his tormentors had left, there was someone already waiting for him. He didn't know if he should be disappointed or grateful that it wasn't Blaine.

"Hey Hummel. Looking good," Sebastian smirked, walking so close next to him that Kurt's right arm tingled with the chill of the contact all the way across the lot.

"What do you want, Sebastian?" Kurt growled, not in the mood for snarky banter right now. He had enough problems without an obnoxious ghost adding to them.

"I've heard you turned into some sort of ghost charity. You offered Blaine help to move on," was the reply. Sebastian's tone didn't betray what his opinion on the matter was.

"Well, that's what a medium is for, Sebastian. Why, do you want me to help you, too? Because I'd gladly do anything that puts as much space between us as possible," Kurt hissed out of the corner of his mouth, trying not to attract any more unwanted attention than his ruined Marc Jacobs shirt already got him.

"You wish, Hummel," Sebastian said, leaning against the lockers next to Kurt and looking as unaffected as ever. "I can get by on my own and I most certainly don't need your help. Not that it would be of much use, anyway, with the zero experience you have. I'm just here to warn you. You mess up with any of them and you won't know what hit you."

Kurt smiled to himself, shoving his books into his bag with just a little more force than necessary. "Why, Sebastian, do I detect a bit of protectiveness? And here I was thinking you were a heartless bastard," he chirped, reveling in the way the other's brows furrowed in frustration.

"You may think you're clever, Hummel, but you'll be proven wrong soon enough. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into. Mark my words," he just said before turning around and disappearing down the hallway. Kurt followed him with his eyes, not sure what to make of his words. An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach as he realized that Sebastian was right. He really had no clue what he was getting himself into.

Kurt didn't see so much as a trace of Blaine until he'd finally dragged himself through another day that had him doubt the appropriateness of McKinley being called an educational institution. By then he was so fed up with everything that he didn't even notice his presence right next to him and walked straight into him when he turned around to leave. Surprised, Kurt stumbled back, almost losing his balance. He was caught in the very last second by a pair of sure hands that had his skin tingling with warmth wherever they touched him.

"Blaine?" he squealed before he'd even looked up to verify his assumption. He didn't need to, the butterflies in his stomach and the way his skin felt like it was on fire were unmistakable.

"Careful there. Are you alright? I didn't mean to scare you, I'm sorry," Blaine apologized, quickly helping Kurt to his own two feet. As soon as he'd made sure Kurt's legs wouldn't just give out beneath him he pulled away as if he'd been burned. Kurt tried his best not to let show how much that gesture hurt and keep a neutral face.

"I'm fine. You didn't scare me, I guess I just wasn't paying attention," he uttered, head down and trying to brush past Blaine so he could get away from the humiliation this conversation was bound to become judging by Blaine's reaction.

"Hey, where are you going?" If he didn't know any better Kurt would have said he'd detected a hint of the hurt he was feeling in Blaine's voice. It was probably just in his head, but it softened him up a bit. Blaine was too nice to make this any more awkward for him than it already was.

"Home. Lots of schoolwork to do," he offered, smiling weakly. Blaine just snorted in response.

"Oh please. Rachel told me that you already finished that during lessons. I'm sure McKinley doesn't pose enough of an intellectual challenge to keep you occupied for too long, either way."

Next time Rachel insisted on keeping him company during History, Kurt was so going to turn her down. No matter how much she'd pout at him.

"True enough. Is there anything I can help you with now that we've established that I don't really have anything better to do?" he quipped, trying to lighten up the mood. The smile he received in return was so beautiful he wanted to swoon over it.

"Actually, yes. I'm sure you remember how I asked you to come with me when I go see my parents?" Kurt nodded. "Well, I thought that maybe... If you don't have anything else to do... We could perhaps go tomorrow? Together?" He looked so hopeful and honestly excited at the prospect of Kurt accompanying him, there was no way Kurt could have denied him even if he'd planned on it.

"Well, tomorrow's Saturday and since I don't really have anything else planned..." he said, smiling so hard it would probably give him wrinkles long before his time.

"So... Is that a yes?" Blaine inquired cautiously, obviously not getting the hint.

"Of course it is, silly. I promised you, didn't I?" Kurt laughed. Before he could say anything else, Blaine had practically jumped him in a hug so tight and warm Kurt never wanted to let go ever again. It left him tingling all over and he was incredibly grateful for the way McKinley's students positively fled the hallways the minute the last bell rang. So he just stayed in Blaine's arms, hugging back as much as he dared, trying to savor every moment, for there was no guarantee how many more there would be. After all, accompanying Blaine to see his parents was the first step in the direction that would, eventually, lead them inevitably apart.