The pretending had protected him and made him strong, and Kurt, more than ever, needed be strong. Why? Because right now Kurt was alone, he was without his biggest hero, without his father.
The man that Kurt had admired wasn't able anymore to be by his side and that had happened because Burt Hummel had a freaking heart attack while Kurt make out with Brittany.

Everything happened so fast, in one moment Kurt was asking Brittany how boys lips taste and in the other Burt was walking on them and passing out in the middle of the room.

And that was the reason why Kurt never leaved the "straight role". He created that role to impress his dad. And sure, Burt was a good father, but he never had the chance to tell for his son how precious he was to him, and how Burt would love Kurt no matter what, and now unfortunately Burt wasn't able to do that anymore, he was too sick.

Burt was in a coma.

Leaving Kurt lost, the boy was a mess, he could not lose his father, he needed his father's love, but more than anything Kurt needed Burt's acceptance.

And once that Kurt wouldn't get that so soon, he thought that the better was face this new life style, this "straight thing" in order to survive, in order to be something that Burt would be proud of.

XXXXXXX

Another problem in Kurt's life was that nobody was there to protect him, and even Finn, with his new and scary brother behavior, wasn't enough to keep the bullies away.

And they didn't care if Kurt's dad was sick or not, the bullies just keeping pushing until he can't take anymore, until Kurt give up. He was so tired, tired of all the suffering, the pain, of all the crap that the bullies had put him trough. So why don't give them what they want so badly? A quiet loser, someone that don't capture so much attention, that didn't offend their stereotypes and ignorance.

And guess what? The straight thing actually made the bullying decrease, and the new Kurt was much more accept, of course he still was a loser of the glee club, but at least he wasn't the fag loser of the glee club. And besides the ugly clothes and the messy hair, maybe some good came of this after all that, and maybe this was the only way to guarantee Kurt some peace.

So for the his peace, for the proud of his sick dad and for fear , Kurt worked hard every day to look straight like his father or even Finn, not like Puck, God no! That hair was just too much to handle, even his new straightness had limits!

Of course that others things were worrying Kurt, he still wasn't sure of his sexuality, after what Sue had told him and the entire make out with Brittany, well, Kurt got more confuse than ever. Sure kissing Brittany was… Well… wasn't that great, but maybe, just maybe, she just wasn't the right one, the right girl, at least that was what Kurt truly hoped, and for his luck the "Kurttany" thing was over even before had a real chance to start.

"The nickname for this relationship was far too weird" Kurt though remembering his first attempt to have a relationship with a girl. And was about his first relationship that he was thinking before enters in his favorite coffee shop and everything starts to change.

XXXXXXX

The change began with a cup of coffee, a really huge one, and all over Kurt's shirt.

"What the FUCK.. Are you blind!" he yelled before realize the scared girl beside him with an (now) empty cup.The girl besides him had these pretty hazel eyes, a tan skin and her black hair were covered with soft curls.

Her pretty eyes were at that moment so, so scared, that just look at them made Kurt regrets the yelling almost immediately.

"I am so sorry! Really I was… Just…God I ruined your shirt!" The girl said truly regretting what she had caused.

"It's okay is not like you ruined some Alexander McQueen's or something like that right?"

Kurt said before notice that no straight man with 17 years really knows who Alexander McQueen was, and this fact didn't escape of this girl perception.

"I never met a boy that knew who Alexander McQueen was! That is so cool! I totally need to redeem myself! I buy you a coffee!" Said in an enthusiast way.

Kurt begins to stare her kind eyes, "These are really pretty hazel eyes", he thinks, and actually begins to consider her proposal. But he was in his way to the hospital and he didn't could be late for his dad, Kurt need see him. So apologizing and not accepting the girl's offer Kurt begins to find a way to leave this shop. But something stops Kurt before he actually do it, a little and delicate hand, with an owner that really had find him cute, and interesting for know who Alexander McQueen was.

This owner, this curly haired girl, was now smiling to him, in a way so shy and adorable, that Kurt unconscious stars to compeer her smile to his mother's smile. And men, they look alike. And is this familiarity in this warm smile that blocked Kurt from leaving and he just stop to hear what this girl had to say:

"I-I really want to redeem myself…and I think that you are kind of cute, actually you are like super cute... So can I buy you a coffee, you know, when you have time to…?"

"You are asking me out? Should be me the one who should be doing this?"

Kurt asks surprised and without thought first, making the girl ridiculous embarrassed.

"I am sorry ... I just thought… I just made fool of myself didn't I? Gosh! I am so terrible at this I guess this is some family thing, the shortness came with dapperness and the terrible romantic sense…" Said the girl wanting to hide or despair faster as she could.

"What's wrong with me? What kind of guy make a girl practically cries when asks him out?" Thought Kurt seeing that this girl was starting to look extremely red and embarrassed, making him really regret his words. And after all this regret the image of this girl's smiled run through his mind and in a strange way, that smile was familiar.

Her smile that really look like his mother's smile, so kind and in the same time so shy, so maybe, just maybe, she was different, and maybe like his father he just need a shy smile of a cute girl to became a man who prided everyone. So before she leaved ashamed, Kurt just smiled to her saying:

"No, no I was the dumb one here, you didn't anything wrong, it's me that don't have any romantic senses at all... Sure I would love grab a coffee with you, with me paying of course, after all I am the gentleman here, aren't I?

"You definitely are!"

Said the girl in a way a little too enthusiastic that made her immediately blush and smile shyly.

"Well here is my number" Says Kurt giving her a little piece of paper and smiling in charming way, or at least trying to , after all he didn't made a clue of what was a charming way to smile. The girl took the number and left Kurt make his way to the hospital, giving him her number in a pink piece of paper.

Kurt smile himself while look to this tiny piece of paper, his dad definitely would approve this girl. "He would be proud" Though Kurt before climb in his car and go, leaving the pink paper on the passenger seat.

"Kate Anderson – 555 096 399" It said, in this clean and dapper handwriting that was teach to Kate by her older and dapper brother so many years ago.