Blaine’s shortcut turned out not to be so short. Kurt could’ve taken them right to the choir room of course. But Blaine was holding his hand! After three wrong turns and several red faced grinning apologies, they finally arrived at the choir room. It was only then that Blaine let go. Kurt sat down and pondered his now still tingling fingers. He’d known Blaine, sorry, Mr. Anderson for all of five minutes and all he could think about was how much he missed touching him. Kurt was in love with his teacher. His teacher! He didn’t want to let this happen again. He was so sick of unrequited love. He had first hand experience and knowledge of why they were called crushes. What a perfect name. Crush. Interchangeable with press, squeeze, squash and pulverize. Kurt knew he had to push these thoughts to the back of his mind and remember why he was here. Why was he here? Oh yeah, because he is a lying liar who lies. A big fat deceptive liar who is in love with his teacher. His teacher!

Kurt couldn’t take his eyes off of him. He grinned at the show that was currently on display. As soon as they had entered the room one of the students, who reminded Kurt so much of a girl he used to know, challenged Blaine. She wanted to know if he was talented enough to teach the class. Which was why he was now enjoying the sight of his teacher standing on top of his desk singing a mash-up of Katy Perry and Pink. And doing so at the top of his very impressive lungs. Kurt was so intent on his staring that it took him a moment to register the silence. Kurt blinked until the rest of the room came into focus. Blaine stood in front of him expectantly.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“I asked if you were ready to show us what you can do. Are you ready to audition Kurt?”

He panicked. Sing at the drop of a hat? Just draw a song out of his head, stand up and perform in front of strangers? There was a time that Kurt would have jumped at the chance to solo in front of, well, anyone. It had been too long. He just wasn’t that person anymore. Sadness washed over Kurt. Why wasn’t he that guy anymore? He hadn’t realized until that very moment that, that part of him was missing. If he were to get through this little adventure, he had to try to find him again.

“Actually I haven’t decided whether or not you’re worthy of me yet Mr. Anderson.” He grinned up at Blaine and winked. Kurt was taken aback slightly at the blush that worked its way over Blaine’s face. He had a momentary panic at his own bravado. What made his teacher react? Anger or, something else?

“Kurt. Do I need to do another mash-up? Because I have a million possibilities just floating around in my brain.”

From what he could hear over the sound of his own pulse pounding in his ears, he was fairly certain that the other students laughed. Blaine grinned down at Kurt and answered his wink with one of his own.

As Kurt stared up at that smile and into those eyes, he realized he’d just forgotten every song he ever knew. “Can I have some time to ponder my song selection?”

“Of course.”

The class drew to a close. Kurt took his time gathering his things so he could watch Blaine interact with the other students. He had a quick smile and an infectious laugh. He had an easygoing persona that made the students talk to him like a fellow student rather than an authority figure.

After he said all of his goodbyes, Blaine turned toward Kurt. “Well Kurt, how was your first day? Can I expect to see you back in Glee club tomorrow?”

Kurt wondered if this was just small talk on Blaine‘s part. Did he want to see Kurt again or was he just being polite? Was it possible that he could be interested? Maybe he was just being silly. Blaine probably wasn‘t even…

“Gay.”

“Pardon me?”

Oh crap, he said it aloud! After a quick mental face palm, he tried to think of a way out of his embarrassment. “Me! I’m gay. If I were to join, we would be spending a lot of time together and I just wanted you to know that about me. That’s not a problem is it?”

“No! No of course not, I’m… So not a problem Kurt.”

Kurt had to get out of there! He had to get away from those golden smiling eyes. He had to get away from the lovely domestic scenarios he had been painting in his head for the last hour. He had to get away from the guilt that was about to overwhelm him as he looked into that beautiful face.

“Great. Good to know.” He snatched his bag up from the floor and quickly made his way to the door.

“Kurt! See you tomorrow?”

Turning away from the smile on Blaine’s face was one of the hardest things he had ever done. Kurt walked out without answering. He only made it a few feet before his legs refused to carry him anymore. He leaned face forward into the nearest locker. The cold metal touching his forehead did nothing to quell the headache that was starting to pound there. Tomorrow. Blaine asked about tomorrow. There wasn’t supposed to be a tomorrow! He was only supposed to be here one day. One day to do the job he was sent here for and get out. Nothing about this day had gone as planned. He hadn’t planned on spending his day getting lost in the halls and making amateurish French teachers cry. Her pronunciation was horrific! He hadn’t planned on reliving his past by dodging bullies all day. And he certainly hadn’t planned on Blaine.

Kurt took out his phone with every intent on texting a white flag. He would say that he failed and he was coming back to New York tonight. Nora was going to kill him but he didn’t care. This was all her fault…

~~~~~~~

One week ago:

“Kurt darling! Look at this photo and tell me what you see.”

He approached cautiously. One never knew what to expect from Nora Norbert. Her personality could be as severe as her hairdo. Which currently was pulled back in a tight bun situated on top of her head. Kurt rolled his eyes at the dye job. Jet-black save for the white steaks on each temple. Nora thought it made her look stylish he thought it made her look like an insane skunk.

He peered over her shoulder at the lap top sitting on her desk. “What do I see? I see a girl who was obviously in some kind of fugue state when she dressed herself. She has leg warmers on her arms! Also in this other picture that has to be the most hideous,” he squinted and moved closer to the screen, “carousel horse sweater I have ever witnessed. And believe me, I‘ve seen some doozies! I knew this girl once who…”

“No dear. That is the future of fashion! A very popular fashion blog recently named her the trendiest girl in America.” She turned to face Kurt and placed both hands on his shoulders. “You are going to save me Kurt. It’s no secret that my critics have accused me of losing touch with what the youth of today are wearing.”

Kurt tried backing away but Nora’s red lacquered talons kept him in place. “Nora what are you talking about and how does it involve me? Oh God. This isn’t going to be a repeat of fashion week is it? You made me dress up like a steam punk schoolboy gone wrong! I refuse to….”

“You my dear boy are going back to high school.”

“Oh. Wait, what?”

“You are going to this girl’s school. You will pose as a fellow student and observe her in her natural environment.”

“Natural environment? Nora it’s high school not Animal Planet!”

“What’s the difference? Anyway, you are going to help me tap into the mind of the youth today. My new line will blow everyone out of the water. Will you do that for me Kurt? Your answer is yes of course, correct?”

“And what if my answer is, no way in Helen of Troy am I going to do this!”

Nora placed a hand on his cheek and smiled up at him. “You are a twenty year old college student Kurt. It is only through the generous salary I pay you that you can afford to have your own apartment in New York City. You are the assistant for famous designer Nora Norbert! Would you really want to give that up?” With a quick tap to his cheek, she turned away.

Kurt let out an exasperated sigh. “Okay. Where am I going? And I hate you by the way.”

Nora let out a delicate giggle. “I feel the same about you my dear boy. With all my heart. All right enough with the sentimental poo! You will be attending William McKinley High in Lima, Ohio.”

Oh God. This was going to be a lot worse than he thought. “You want me to go back to Ohio to attend high school? Nora! There are so many reasons that won’t work. First, I can assure you the only fashionable thing to ever come out of Ohio was me. Second, I went to that high school and I went through hell! Third, someone there might recognize me. Fourth, I went through hell there! I don’t think I could go through that again. I‘ll feel as though I‘m walking backwards through my life instead of forward.”

“It will only be for one day Kurt. Just avoid any of your old teachers. And don’t think of it as going backwards. Think of it as continuing to move forward with a twist! It is not often that we get a do over Kurt and this could be yours! Ask yourself this: If you could change something from that time in your life what would it be?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I wouldn’t have spent so much time pretending to be strong, pretending that things didn’t get to me. I would have fought back sooner. I would have had more courage.” The sound of his voice echoing through the empty hallway snapped Kurt out of his reverie. He turned back toward the choir room and sent off a text as he walked.

‘To Nora: I need more time. No arguments!”

Kurt slipped his phone back into his pants pocket and opened the door to the choir room. Blaine was standing in the back of the room staring out of the window. At the sound of the door clicking shut he turned. The force of Blaine’s smile when he turned and saw Kurt almost knocked him to the ground.

“Hey, you‘re back! Did you forget something?”

“I thought of a song that I wanted to sing for you.”