Killer in Shadow

5.

The hallway.

School hallways were the places where many captivating things happened. Pen dropped, door slammed, some were coming from their classes, and some were leaving. Blaine stood next to his locker, not caring if the others were watching, stared into the souls inside this vivid corridor. He wished for one more things to happen. 

Kurt.

It had been four days since Blaine last spotted Kurt talking to his friends while he took out his books from his locker. Blaine was standing at the opposite end, barely had a clear view on what books Kurt was holding, and two seconds later he was gone. Like many times before, Blaine kept his distance. It wasn't his initial intention, he was only afraid if Kurt found out more about himself, he would not think Blaine as the person he originally thought to be. It was a truly scary thought. So he embraced the moment when he could merge himself into the background, listened to all kind of sounds coming to his ears like a chaotic melody. His body leaning against the cold, hard metal, he felt the time swept across his face. 

“Excuse me.” 

Blaine turned to see who was speaking. 

“Haven't seen you in a long time. What're you doing?”

“Kurt!” Blaine said in surprise.

Kurt, who came from behind, was now leaning against the locker doors copying what Blaine did. His eyes scanned through the hallways but did not find anything interesting so he moved on.

“I was just thinking.”  Blaine wasn't even sure what he was doing, he explained vaguely. 

“Thinking.” Kurt looked into his eyes, but then he sighed. “You're a very mysterious man, Blaine.”

Blaine looked back.

“I've known you for almost a month now, and I still don't know what you do on the weekends or where you live. Lima is such a small place so that must mean something.” Said Kurt followed with a laugh. “I want to know more about you, as a friend.”

Blaine nodded unconsciously. He had no idea how to face Kurt's curiosity without concerning too much about revealing his ugly side. He knew he could not keep his silence for much longer, but what could he do? He couldn't resist the magnetic attraction from Kurt either. He could not imagine his life rewound back to the past few months.

“Well since you nodded,” Kurt said as they walked slowly, “I get to ask you one question.”

Blaine smiled.

“Why are you always wearing long sleeves in summer? They're cute, don't guess me wrong, but don't you feel hot?”

“I – “ Blaine thought for a second. “Hey, you asked two questions.”

“It counts as one.” He shrugged.

His right eyebrow raised, Blaine recognized Kurt was not going to give up easily, he answered. “It's a very long story, I... really don't know where to begin with.”

Kurt was going to encourage him to say more, but he realized he had put Blaine in an uncomfortable spot.

“It's okay. I don't want to force you to explain anything you don't want.” Kurt continued. “Let's have coffee.”

“Now?” Asked Blaine, tried to catch up with the quick topic change.

“Yeah, aren't you just going home? Or do you have something else to do?” 

“No, um, yeah sure.” Blaine nodded. “Oh but, not the school one please. It's pretty horrible.”

Kurt laughed.

“Let's go to Lima Bean, they have student discount there.”

“I should – “

A nasty bang stopped Blaine from talking. He turned back and saw Kurt was sitting on the floor in shock with his face flushed in red. Students who witnessed it happened froze in their spots, eyes opened widely as they watched. The guy who was in his football gear slammed Kurt against locker as he was laughing in disrespect. He walked near them. 

“What's up faggots?” 

Blaine knelt down and checked on Kurt. Kurt seemed to be shocked but luckily there was no injure. Blaine helped him to get up as he looked to football player who just walked past them. On the back of his uniform it said ‘Karofsky' with number eleven below. 

He stopped the guy. 

“Hey you!”

“Blaine, don't. He's much stronger than you.” Kurt tried to convince him.

But Blaine was not going to let him get away free. His fury was growing like boiling water inside. He ran in front of the boy, face to face, he bit his teeth down. 

“You don't touch him.” In anger, he warned.

“Oh yeah?” Karofsky touched Blaine's right shoulder with a mouthful of ignorance. “Did I ruin your little tea party with your lady friend there?”

Blaine gave his warning, he gave the guy a chance to stop and never come back, but he was not going to tolerate the bully. He grabbed the shirt collar and shoveled him to the locker.

“I said,” his eyes narrowed and his voice lowered, “you do not touch him.” 

“We'll see about that.” Karofsky fought back, he pushed Blaine to the lockers on the other side, making huge metal noises when combination locks hitting one and other. 

The adrenaline ran through his veins, his hands turned into a fist, aiming for the head. If anyone wanted to go against him, Blaine thought, they should watch it. The guy woke up the monster in him who had been asleep for a month and now he had to pay for his words. He hit right on Karofsky's right eye as he watched him covered the eye and groaned. Karofsky tried to hit back with one hand but Blaine dodged, his hand landed on the hard surface instead. 

“You little fucker!” He yelled at Blaine.

Did not think he would fight back, Blaine was caught in unexpected. Karofsky pinned him down with the side of his shoulder pad while Blaine was trying to break free from the fists. 

“Stop it Karofsky!” Kurt shouted. “You're just a scared little ignoramus boy who can't accept the fact that you're as ordinary as we are, so get off him!” 

Karofsky breathed heavily and glared at Blaine. “Well push me one more time and you'll be dead. Both of you.” 

He pointed at them and walked away, leaving Blaine quietly moaned in pain. Kurt rushed to him. 

“Oh god, we need to get you to the nurse.” 

“No.” Blaine shook his head. “I'm fine.” 

“No, you're not fine!” Kurt argued back. “He hurt your shoulder really bad. We should make sure he didn't break a bone or – "

“Kurt.” Blaine put his hand on Kurt to comfort the distress. “Just get some ice packs and I'll be fine.”

“But – " 

“Please.” He reassured.

“Okay. Wait in the changing room and I'll get the ice pack.”

Blaine watched Kurt hurried down the hallway and he pushed the changing room's door open. He could barely touch his shoulder without any pain. He sat down on the bench and waited.

It was not his first time to see bullies at school, and it was not the first time he was one of the victims, but it was the first time he chose to speak up. The conflict inside was killing him. What exactly was he now? Was he now a murder who was against bullying in schools? How absurd that sounded to Blaine.

He smiled in bitter.

“I've got it.” The door was slammed open, Kurt, short in his breath, had run as fast as he could with the ice pack and a few paper towers in his hands. 

Kurt sat next to Blaine and hit the instant cold pack on the bench. 

“Take off your shirt.”

In surprise, Blaine swallowed. He did not want Kurt to see the scars on his arm.

“I can do it myself.”

“No, Blaine.” Kurt demanded. “I need to see how bad it is. Take it off.”

Blaine sighed. 

“What's wrong?” He asked.

“My right arm.” Blaine looked to Kurt.

“Your right arm?”

A moment was paused, then Blaine spoke again.

“You asked me why am I wearing long sleeves.” He explained. “It's my right arm.”

Blaine carefully lifted up his shirt and tried not to hurt his shoulder, but each single movement was painful. He groaned.

“Let me help you.” Although unsure what Blaine was trying to show him, Kurt helped him to take off the shirt as gentle as he could. The moment when the shirt was fully taken off, Kurt gasped in surprise.

“Those are burnt scars...” He said.

“It's ugly.” Blaine frowned and looked away.

“No. It's not.” Kurt commented. He put the ice pack on the paper towers and applied on Blaine's left shoulder. The dark bruise covered half of the shoulder. He wished the bruise was on him instead.

“Okay um, I'm gonna try to rub your shoulder so the bruise will heal quicker, okay? It's gonna hurt.”

Blaine nodded.

Using the ice pack, Kurt rubbed around the shoulder softly. His sight, however, could not leave the scars. He knew it was rude to stare, but he could almost sense those throbbing pain just by watching the enormous scars on Blaine's arm. It extended from the shoulder to just above the wrist. He could feel that Blaine knew he was staring at it, so he asked to ease his uneasy atmosphere in the room.

“How did you get those scars?" 

Blaine cleared his voice.

“It was on my seventh birthday. I had an accident.”

“I'm really sorry.” 

Blaine smiled faintly. “It's fine. It was my fault anyway.”

Kurt smiled back but quickly returned to the bruise. He put on light pressure on the ice pack and rubbed around on it. 

Blaine let go a moan.

“Did I hurt you?” Kurt stopped and asked in worry.

Blaine shook his head. “No, it feels much better.”

“Well, I owe you more than just a cup of coffee now.” Kurt joked, concentrating on the shoulder.

“You don't owe me anything.”

Kurt laughed. “I think I do – “

He stopped.

Blaine put his hand onto Kurt's. He put down the ice pack and held his hand, his eyes looked into the grey blue maze.

“You don't." 

He leaned toward Kurt, with his hand holding on the cheek, he kissed on the soft lips. But Kurt broke the kiss, he moved away from Blaine.

“You should put your shirt on. I think it's gonna be fine by tomorrow.” Kurt looked shocked. He said to Blaine as he tried to catch his breathes.

Blaine realized he did the wrong move as he watched Kurt stood in unsettlement. A moment later he finally nodded to agree and put his shirt on.

“You just need to put the ice pack on again once you get home.” Kurt grabbed his bag. “I should go now.”

Blaine nodded, but didn't say anything.

“I'll see you around.” Kurt left. 

Air started to thicken and the silence in the room started to become hard to endure. He stood up, feeling the whole world was spinning around him, and he punched the locker hard.

Blaine sighed.

He sat down on the bench and covered his face in his hands.

It was too late to take his wish back.