2020

Blaine still gets such a kick out of the moments when his music lines up with what is going on in his life. He walks towards his university building and the Legally Blonde (Remix) starts playing. Now, Blaine isn’t blond, legally or not, but he is a law student and the Remix always gets his spirits up.

Back in the game
(Yes!)
Back to the trial
(Yes!)
But I'm going back in my style
(Back in her style!)

' Cause it's a fact
(Yes!)
When you're attacked
(Yes!)
You've got to respond
(Got to got to got to got to respond!)

Bella’s once again waiting outside the lecture hall. She sees Blaine lip-syncing along.

“You’re in a better mood,” she says happily. Blaine is indeed in a better mood. He didn’t see Kurt this day. At this point he’s wondering if he truly saw Kurt yesterday. It has happened before that Blaine was just thinking about seeing Kurt, but Kurt was never actually there.

Yes, they stopped talking, but over the past years there have been several daydreams about seeing him again. What would happen? Some of those scenario’s ended in tears and screams. Some in relaxation and happiness with both of them being in a better place. Some are a bit more unclear, though.

Yesterday’s daydream was probably the most accurate and realistic: nothing happened. They’re no longer part of each other’s lives. Their friendship started feeling as an obligation and then it ended. Unexpectedly. Blaine doesn’t want to think about it.

“Sanders today?” Bella asks as they go inside.

“You’re making it sound like Sanders is the hottest club in town,” Blaine laughs.

“Isn’t it?” Bella jokes, “I spent more time at Sanders than at my own room. Which is why we gotta go out tonight.”

Blaine frowns. Bella’s always declining to go places since she wants to study. But maybe she’s right. Student life is supposed to be fun.

“What do you have in mind?”

“Yannick’s got a friend who lives in Kralingen-Oost.”

“Fancy.”

Bella rolls her eyes. Blaine’s the one living in a studio in the city center of Rotterdam. Sure, that’s fancy, but not Kralingen-Oost fancy. How is it possible for a student to live there?

“Anyway. There’s a party tonight. I thought we could go. And don’t dare telling me you’re too old, because that excuse doesn’t work on me. You’re only nine years older than I am.”

Blaine thinks about it. If Bella’s up for it, then why wouldn’t he? Maybe Bella’s right and this is something they both need.

The teacher starts the lecture and the two of them sit back in their seats.

College parties from movies are accurate about one thing: people are hammered. Blaine’s walking around with a red plastic cup in his hand and he’s looking for Bella. He’s lost her somewhere in the crowd. Often, Blaine is her wingman, although when Blaine finally finds her, he realizes she didn’t need his help today. Bella is kissing another woman against the fridge.

Blaine raises his cup as a salute before leaving her and her business. They all need to calm down after all this academic stress. He’s pleasantly buzzed and he loves being around people. Yannick seems to know everyone.

Including a Kurt Hummel.

Blaine grips his cup and he watches Kurt fucking Hummel talk to Yannick. He’s leaning against a wall and he’s laughing at something that Yannick said. Blaine blinks a couple of times, but no, he’s really here, which means that he was probably on the metro as well.

Kurt’s head falls back as he laughs and Blaine shouldn’t be staring. It doesn’t do him any good. After all, Blaine’s the one who broke contact because he was so ashamed of what he did. And then Blaine spent years banishing every thought of Kurt, but that never worked, no matter how hard he tried. It got easier over the years, because the distance grew between the past and present, but now Blaine feels like he’s been slammed back in time.

Kurt is here. In Rotterdam. At Yannick’s friend’s somewhat nice place in Kralingen-Oost.

Blaine should walk away, just like in the metro. They’re no longer part of each other’s lives and it should stay that way. Kurt didn’t want to talk to him yesterday, so why would he now?

Well, that’s how it is, right? Blaine starts to doubt himself, because Kurt’s stopped him and now he’s walking towards Blaine. Blaine downs his drink.