Friday and Saturday were monotonous.

Not that my days usually weren't, but time just seemed to be ticking slower this week.

I played with Vale, sang with Blaine, attended class, sang with Rachel, did homework, changed Vale's diapers (shiver), and sang by myself. There was eating and drinking in there too, of course, but barely any sleeping. Instead, I spent my nights lying awake and staring at the wall which was dimly lit by moonlight. Maybe I couldn't sleep because of that light, but it hadn't ever been a bother for me before. No, it was the whole Dianne thing. Which should not have been bothering me so much, but I guess I just didn't want to lose her as a friend. Sigh. Life was too complicated.

By Sunday morning, I was feeling exhausted. I was driving myself hoarse with all the singing I was doing to keep Dianne off my mind. Not that it really worked, since I was great at multitasking.

I made it to Blaine's house by ten thirty, only an hour and a half early. Blaine came to the door in his pajamas.

"It's Sunday and I wasn't expecting you yet," Blaine said before I could even utter a syllable about the rags.

"You really do know me," I said. "So, can I come in?"

"No, sorry." Blaine shut the door in my face.

I waited, eyebrows raised patiently.

Blaine yanked the door open with a bright smile. "Of course you can, Kurt." As I entered and carefully removed my jacket, he commented, "You didn't even yell at me. You're really in a funk, aren't you?"

I nodded miserably, and he wrapped me up in a hug. "We can see what's on tv and cuddle," he suggested.

I sniffed. "Blaine, I might be in a funk, but I still have a nose. When did you last wash these pajamas?"

Blaine stepped back to look down at himself. "Um, a few weeks ago? Maybe?"

"Go change. And throw those in the trash. Really."

He grinned. "Nah," he said. "I'd rather chase you."

And he did. I legitimately screeched as I ran away from the musty rags surrounding my boyfriend.

I led him around the house, forming a plan. Which basically consisted of me getting just far enough ahead to lock myself in his room and lay out an outfit. Blaine spent that time making up bad lyrics and putting them to the tunes of nursery rhymes.

"C'mon Kurt, that was a super sexy love song. You're totally persuaded, right? You can let me in now!" Blaine begged. He started another one, banging on the door to the tempo.

Somehow, almost two hours later, we made it to the mall without driving each other insane.

We loitered in the food court for ages, since we were early. Kind of my fault since I was the one who forced my presence upon Blaine way earlier than planned, but he didn't seem to mind, if the fact that he kept gushing about how good the fries were said anything. I was kind of disgusted that he bought so many of the oily things, actually. Just looking at them, I could feel my skin breaking out. Blaine, however, seemed happily immune. Or oblivious.

I ate none of them. Really. None.

While we waited, Blaine and I decided we would let Dianne talk first. If she brought up the glare, then they would talk about what the hell was wrong with her. If not, we'd just pretend that it had never happened.

Dianne was kind of late. We actually spotted her standing in the corner and frowning, and we didn't know how long she'd been there but I guessed it was a while. We waved awkwardly to her for a solid minute before she noticed us, and started walking, excruciatingly slowly, towards our table.

"Hey, Dianne," Blaine said.

"Uh, hi," she said.

"Going to take a seat?" I asked, trying to smile. She fell into the empty chair, looking, for some reason, as tired as I was.

"So obviously Blaine couldn't sit here and not eat," I said, "But I was thinking we could share a tray of sushi or something since it's cheaper when you buy for two? I've been craving it all day."

"I'll go buy!" exclaimed Dianne.

"Sure, can you just get water for me and I'll pay you back... After?" Dianne was already halfway across the room. She probably hadn't heard anything I'd said. "Something is up with her," I observed, watching her chew on her fingers in the line for the Asian food counter.

"Maybe she just doesn't know how to act," Blaine said.

"I don't see why it has to make such a big difference," I sighed. "But you're probably right. And she'll figure it out. She's not stupid, I know."

"Even if she is blonde." Blaine couldn't resist. I snorted delicately.

*

Lunch consisted of Blaine and I attempting to include Dianne in our conversation. We pretty much were forcing her, actually, and she was still barely talking.

"So, is your hair naturally blonde?" Blaine asked.

I sighed. "That's a dumb question, Blaine, of course not. It's easy to tell... But, is it?"

"Yeah. Natural," Dianne said quickly.

"Okay, well have you ever dyed it then? Or done anything to it? You've got to have something you can tell us, Dianne."

"It's always been natural," she said.

"Okay, then... Did you see the leaked photos from that Vogue photo shoot? I can't believe they let those get out, someone is so getting fired."

"Yeah, can't wait for the issue," she said. "The article will be interesting."

Your turn, I looked at Blaine. He shrugged - out of ideas.

There was an awkward moment of silence.

"So, um, how did you guys meet?" Dianne asked.

"Oh! At my old school," Blaine said, grinning. "Kurt was spying on my showchoir."

"It wasn't even my idea, Blaine, you know that. I didn't even want to go. They made me."

"Oh, like you didn't want to spy on an all boys school."

"You make me sound like a creeper. Do you want to date a creeper?"

Blaine laughed. "I'm only implying it, love."

"You're just being mean because of my super amazing spy skills."

"Are you kidding? You were nervous the entire time and you kept trying too hard to act cool. Even after we bought you coffee. It should have been apparent that we weren't going to dumpster toss you by then, I think."

"I'm sorry, I was just ogling the students may not beat each other up policy. Sorry if I felt like I was in Narnia."

"It's okay, you know."

"Of course I know."

I looked up into Blaine's eyes then, and we both smiled.

Dianne coughed. "Uh, please don't start making out," she said.

Blaine actually laughed. I grinned. "You think we'd actually - oh my god, you do. Ha!" Blaine shook gently with laughter. Dianne looked at him like he was crazy.

"We're two guys in Ohio," I clarified. "If we kissed in public we'd probably end up in dumpsters and comas, courtesy of some homophobe."

Dianne looked properly horrified. "It's okay," I told her. "We're gay. Our lives are just going to suck."

"That's - that's my line!" Blaine exclaimed.

I shrugged. "It was a good one, so help me."

"Help you with what, exactly?"

I punched him on the shoulder. "Oh, shut up. You're way too cheeky, you know that?"

"You love me," he said. I grinned, because it was true. Still is.

Blaine flexed his arm, pouting as he rolled his shoulder in its socket. I tried to ignore the way his muscles rolled together, considering we we in public. "It's going to bruise, Kurt," he whined.

"You made the mistake saying I probably hit like a girl," I said, shrugging. "He's the one who was gender stereotyping, by the way," I offered Dianne. She shrugged.

"That was like, three weeks ago!" Blaine exclaimed. "How do you remember these things?"

"I'm the reincarnation of Einstein, obviously."

"Hmph. And everyone hits like a girl compared to me; I'm a ninja, Kurt."

"Two words: Chuck, and Norris," I enunciated flamboyantly.

"Yeah, well... The Game!" Blaine said.

I let my head fall into my hands, mocking him. "Really, Blaine?" I mumbled though my fingers.

"I, um, lost the Game," said Dianne.

"She speaks!" Blaine declared.

"Oh, be nice, Blaine."

"No. You're the one who owes her money."

"Oh my god, you're right. Dianne, how much was lunch?" I asked, rifling through my bag for my wallet again.

She shook her head. "No, don't pay me," she said. "It's, um, the least I can do."

"For what?" I blinked, confused.

"Oh. Uh, nothing. Like you said. Your life's gonna suck. So I, uh, bought you lunch."

"I appreciate the sentiment, Dianne, but five or six dollars really doesn't make a difference to me. Just tell me how much, or I'll make sure to overpay you back."

"Um, six-fifty."

I gave her seven bucks. "Just keep it," I sighed. She put it away, but didn't stop looking at it like some super precious gift or something

"So!" I clapped. "Lunch is done; where should we start shopping?"

"Wherever you'll buy the least," my packhorse said.

"Um, let's go to Payless," Dianne said. "I heard they're having a sale. And, I like the heels they had in their catalogue, so we should go see them, in real life."

I didn't bring up the fact that Payless never had interesting shoes. They sold Converse and runners and gumboots, plus all the styles everybody already seemed to have. Because Dianne was actually talking; like, oh my god. And they usually had little booties and things for babies; I could comb the isles for the perfect pair to be Vale's first real pair of shoes.

We made our way through the halls slowly, and I chattered on about various displays. My chatter was not pointless, I was simply being observant and vocal. Don't listen to Blaine's version of this tale, he lies. 

"Dianne, are you okay?" I asked.

She jumped for the nth time at me saying her name.

"Uh, I'm actually feeling kind of bad. I'm going to go to the bathroom," she said. Then she took off.

"Someone's in a hurry," Blaine commented.

I sighed. "Something is up with her."

*

Blaine and I sat on the benches outside the washrooms for ages. We'd seen Dianne go in but she had yet to emerge.

"Maybe you should text her, Kurt," Blaine said.

(To Dianne at 1:38)

Are you okay?

"She hasn't replied and it's been like, ten minutes," I complained.

"Text her again. She's probably pretty busy being sick in there, she might have missed the first one."

(To Dianne at 1:48)

I repeat: Are you okay? I don't mind being seen in a girls washroom, you know.

(From Dianne at 1:48)

No don't come in, they'll ban you from the mall or something.. You shouldn't wait up for me. I'm going to be a while but I can take the bus home.

(To Dianne at 1:49)

Are you sure? I've been in there before; nobody will actually say anything.

(From Dianne at 1:50)

Yeah, just go.

"Let's just go, Kurt," Blaine said. We grabbed our bags and headed for the closest set of doors.

Blaine rested his hand in mine. Risky, unlike in the baby department store, with so many teenagers-

"Excuse me, are you Kurt and Blaine?" a tall manchild was standing in front of us. He looked awful, with his blue letterman jacket from some other school and jeans from the thrift store (I could see the tag, still dangling from the belt).

"Yes, and who are-"

Blaine shreiked as cold, sweetened ice slammed into us and ran down our backs.

The guy in front of us started laughing. Someone passed him a cup, and then there was cold red ice in our faces, too.

We'd been slushied. In the middle of the mall.

I cracked up. Our lives really did suck.