If his dad found out that he was skipping his afternoon classes, he'd probably kill him. There was no doubt in his mind that it would be brought up at dinner tonight; probably because Finn would tell him. Kurt found that he didn't actually care that much. He needed to do this.

After making a quick stop at the house to change, Kurt found himself out on the highway driving toward Westerville. It was both familiar and oh so very new to him.

He'd been on this road before at least a million and one times when he'd been attending Benjamin Harrison Elementary & Jr. High for the gifted program he'd been in. They'd driven this route day in and day out. Kurt had watched the grass roll by for miles' watched the wide-open country around the highway become cramped as the cities began to expand. In fact, his favorite strip mall had been built during the year of seventh grade, and resided almost exactly halfway between the two towns. He could remember every bump, grind, and contour of the grimy grey pavement that had definitely seen better days. He'd made trip a hundred times with his mom before her death, and many more with his dad afterward. He'd ridden with Blaine and Wes and their parents, and on occasion he'd made it on the school bus with his other classmates during field trips.

This was, however, his first time going it alone. Even more, it was his first time driving it at all. It was an exhilarating experience- a bit like going on a surprise road trip without telling anyone. He felt a bit like a badass, being out on the open road and relying only on himself; sneaking away from school to spy another glee club. Kurt wondered what Puck would have to say about that, when he found out that he had actually taken his advice.

The thrill of this unexpected mission had taken the edge of his anger toward the other boys. He was still pretty pissed off, but he'd deal with them later. Now, he had something more important to do.

His heart jolted in his chest sharply as he realized, for the hundredth time that hour that he might potentially see the two people who had at one time been amongst the most important people in his life. Not that they weren't still important- were they? His mind was at war with himself, and all he really knew for sure was that his stomach was a bundle of nerves and flashes and tingles.

Now, he knew that there was one major flaw in his grand scheme. Since he was going to spy on a fellow glee club at a school where it was likely that a lot of people would recognize him he needed to be extra sneaky. Many of the boys who'd gone to Benjamin Harrison with them had ended up at Dalton, because that was the general transition for students at Benjamin Harrison. Did he try play it by ear and just say he was there to see Wes and Blaine? Did he tell the truth and say he was there to check out the Warblers? No, probably not. Probably admitting that he was from a rival glee club would just get him laughed at. More likely someone would recognize him right off and just assume he was there to see Wes and Blaine. He sighed. Obviously he was not actually cut out for the spy business if he couldn't even find a way to go incognito.

Kurt had tried to copycat the Dalton uniform as best he could, but it was difficult because he'd actually never owned one. He also prided himself in the fact that he'd grown a lot taller in the last few years and finally finally lost the last of his baby-fat, but he wasn't na�ve enough to think that this made him unrecognizable. Oh god- especially if he ran in to Blaine or Wes first! He hadn't thought of that. His stomach lurched again and he rubbed a nervous hand against his temple.

Oh well, he would just take it one thing at a time. Spying on another glee club couldn't be that hard, could it? Rachel did it all the time. Surely anything she could do, he could too. And really, he probably would see his friends before he left the school anyway. He wouldn't be telling a complete lie. How could he go to Dalton and not see them? It just seemed wrong. He missed them, and as usual Dalton was never far from his mind anyway.

He tried to shift his thoughts away Dalton and what he was missing, but it was difficult. Some days, when the bullying reached a high, and he hated McKinley, the jocks, glee, and even himself; he seriously considered begging to come to Dalton. But he always stopped just short of asking, the pleading words stabbing at the tip of his tongue and staging a rebellion to flee the confines of his lips when he remembered that his father needed him. With Kurt gone, who would make him take his medication or keep him from sneaking bacon in the morning, or be there to help out at the garage when he was short staffed? He remembered his new family and his new room and the new house, and all of the money they did not have. And each and every time the words would die a succinct, quiet death, leaving his tongue numb and his throat dry, and a feeling of shame digging its way through his esophagus.

So Kurt stayed at McKinley and tried to pretend that he didn't know of a safe and familiarly welcoming world just beyond his own. He went to class, kept his grades up, went to glee, and smiled for his father. He hung out with Mercedes and Rachel, Tina, and occasionally Brit, Santana and Quinn. He would pretend that the reason he had more girl friends than guys was not because he was gay. And hen he did hang out with some of the guys, it wasn't really the same. He got together with Sam and Mike once in awhile to watch Star Wars or something equally cool, and other times he played video games with Finn and Puck. But it wasn't really the same; it was lacking that deep connection he sought in friends. That connection he'd found once in Blaine and Wes, where they just knew everything about him and knew what he wanted and what he needed even before he did.

A surge of hope flared behind his eyes and he considered that maybe he could get it back.

Without really noticing, Kurt realized he'd reached the Westerville exit. With a quick look back, he swung into the exit lane and took a right at the stop sign. Westerville was a happy little town: home to about 35,000 upper class citizens, with perfectly paved streets and the greenest grass (now browning at the slightest hint of the upcoming winter) and tall buildings and charming offices lining the business district. In the neighborhoods there were a few rows of expanding layers of three story homes with huge beautiful gardens creeping around the front and large expanses of yard fenced in at the back. It was a paradise that Kurt often imagined himself living in someday.

Several blocks later Kurt spotted the gateless limestone arch that was the entrance to Dalton Academy's parking lot, and with a smile he pulled in easily. The main building was a gorgeous as it had always been. It was full of windows and softly curving corners that made it seem more like a mansion than a school.

Parking in the back, he made his way up the stairs of the front entrance and slipped through the door casually, eyeing the halls for roaming teachers or administrators. Luckily, he found the hall empty.

Click, click, click. Probably he shouldn't have worn the boots. He clapped a hand over his eyes in brief embarrassment and made a mental note to add it to his list of things not to do while spying. The floor beneath his boots was a glorious marble tile of swirling brown and tan, and the walls accented this by being a creamy white decorated with thick black portraits of former headmasters and school board directors. Each corridor was marked with an arch and strikingly beautiful French doors to classrooms. It made him feel like he'd stepped into another dimension.

Kurt had arrived in the middle of sixth period, meaning that there was just one more period after this; and he was sure that the Warblers would either be practicing in one of these periods or right after school. All he had to do was wait it out.

Or so he thought.

Suddenly, the hall began to flood with boys and he was lost in a sea of blue and red blazers. His mouth opened in a comically wide "oh" as he realized just how poorly he'd done with his "uniform." He let out a squeak as he was stampeded, and he half expected to be shoved to one side or another so that the mass of boys could get to their destination. Instead he found that he was the unintentional five-boy pile up as one after another skidded to a halt and tried to avoid running into him. He flinched back as more than one tossed him a slight scowl, but was surprised when nothing else happened.

So Dalton was really s different from McKinley as he'd imagined. He kept a casual eye on his surrounding and started following some of the boys down a spiral staircase on the left. Where were they going, and what could be so important that it took place in the middle of class? An assembly? Well, the only way to find out was to ask someone. He flicked his eyes around quickly and reached out to grab someone gently. He opened his mouth to say: Hi, I'm new here. Could you tell me what's going on?

Instead, he took one look at the guy he'd grabbed as he turned around and his mouth dropped open. Holy crap!

"Blaine?" he gasped, dropping his hand from the shoulder as if he'd been burned. It felt like time had stopped.

Wide hazel eyes locked onto his and thick black brows flew up.

"Kurt?" he sounded shocked, and looked equally confused. "What are you doing here?"

Kurt gave the boy a nervous smile and tried to pull himself together. Don't mention glee, don't mention glee, don't mention glee he chanted himself.

"I'm actually here to see you," he said with a nervous laugh, "and Wes. Funny, running into you here. I mean… not here like Dalton, because you go here. Heh. And I came to see you. I mean, just funny because you're right here at this exact moment, and I was lost and looking for you and… I don't really know exactly what I mean, but…"

Blaine was giving him and odd look, but smiled slightly. "Wow, I mean, I really wasn't expecting to see you today, not after all this time. Not that it's a bad surprise!"

Kurt swallowed another nervous chuckle and resisted the urge to start wringing his hands together.

"So, what exactly is going on here? Don't you have class?"

"The same could be asked of you…but there's an impromptu concert being put on by the Warblers in the choir room. It happens every now and again. Kinda shuts down the school for a bit."

Kurt's eyes narrowed. "Wait… the Warbler? Like the school's glee club? Glee club is cool here?"

Now Blaine really laughed. "Dude, the Warblers are like rock stars!"

Well shit. Kurt was going to transfer here tomorrow.

"Oh… well that's cool. I mean, I can umm totally wait or come back after or… maybe I shouldn't have…"

"I can see you never grew out of the rambling," Blaine said with a knowing grin, and suddenly everything felt a bit easier.

Kurt looked at Blaine and his eyes locked onto the dimples and his eyes widened. Wow, Blaine had filled out really well.

Oh no. What was that feeling in his stomach that was threatening to bubble upwards until it reached his brain? No. He refused to give it a name, but he was ignoring the fact that it probably had something to do with the intense way that Blaine's were focused on him and the smile that was making his heart long for his best friend to just know everything about him again like he used to.

"Come on," Blaine interrupted with a smile, "of course I'm not sending you away, dummy. You can come see the Warblers with me. We'll grab coffee afterwards."

Well, that worked out.

"Okay," he said awkwardly.

"Come on, I know a shortcut."

And then Blaine grabbed his hand and his brain short-circuited. They were running at a fast pace down the hallway and he reveled in the feeling of Blaine's familiar warm hand clasped around his. He let himself pretend that they'd never stopped being friends and that this was just a normal occurrence.

They arrived at a big common room completely packed front to back with boys waiting for the show. Oh God. He stuck out. So much. Boys were looking at him in confusion, and a few with recognition.

"Oh… I stick out like a sore thumb," he whispered to Blaine.

Blaine laughed and reached out to pat him on the shoulder and winked, "Next time, don't forget your jacket, new kid."

Kurt's eyes grew even wider at the implication that Blaine realized the similarity between his outfit and the Dalton uniform. Surely he didn't think he was here to spy on the Warblers. No… that was silly. He thought Kurt was here to see him, and oh great this was just so messed up. He should probably just mention glee club and get it out in the open.

But then Blaine was backing up and handing his bag off to another boy before joining the group in the middle of the room that had begun to sing.

Oh, and there was Wes, also in the group of what he now knew to be the Warblers. He resisted the urge to panic at the epic failure that was his spying expedition.

Except, well he was getting to see the Warblers. He just hadn't actually considered that his friends would actually be a part of the group. He was starting to feel a little bit bad about the spying thing. Stupid brain. Stupid feelings.

Wes spotted him and a confused frown found its way to his features, and Kurt waved at the boy in greeting. He received a small smile in return. And then he'd turned away as the song really started.

He let out an audible gasp as Blaine opened his mouth and began to sing the opening verse of Katy Perry's Teenage Dream.

In retrospect, he probably should have realized that Blaine would be amazing at singing. He'd definitely sung a few times when they were younger, and had always been good. Wes too. But now that he'd grown up a bit and matured, and his voice had deepened slightly he was just… amazing was the only way for Kurt to describe it. He was definitely going to be fantasizing about a duet with him in the near future. Except of course they had no idea that eh could sing too. He'd always refused to sing with them because at that time in his life he'd been a bit ashamed of the high pitch of his voice.

And oh lord, was Blaine singing directly to him? This was all very confusing because friends who hadn't seen each other in like 2 years didn't sing songs about touching each other's skintight jeans, did they? His hormones were jumping the gun a bit, and he tried to push them down fiercely. His mind was spinning in dizzying circles and he was just so so confused. Why was he here again?

He was this close to fanning himself. Hooo-boy. Blaine, and the uniform, and the hair…well actually he liked Blaine's hair a lot better without the gel. Probably… If he didn't know Blaine, and didn't know that the hair was a vital part of the boys personality… then maybe he would insist on the gel.

When the song ended and the boys were breaking up to head back to class, he watched the Warblers patting each other on the back, and all of a sudden Kurt did not want to be here. His mind was warring with delight and fear at how good the Warblers were and slight shame at spying on them.

He'd just lied to Blaine and told him that he'd been here to see him, and then used him to see the Warblers sing. He watched Wes sling an arm around Blaine's shoulders and laugh at something he'd said, and he just felt so out of place. Why couldn't New Directions be like this group of boys here who seemed so friendly and genuine and not at all dramatic.

And why wasn't Kurt a part of it? Why was he feeling so insanely jealous? It wasn't fair. He couldn't do this. Couldn't be here.

Before Blaine and Wes could turn their attention away from their companions, he turned around and slipped quickly out of the room and into the hall.