His fake ID in hand, Kurt got out of his car. A part of his mind was free. After all, he knew for sure that his dad was not expecting him to come back home tonight. He was supposed to be with Blaine. He also knew for sure that Sebastian and Karofsky were avoiding Scandals on Friday nights. The doormen were more suspicious on week-ends. He knew that he might not enter but nonetheless he opened the door and handed his ID to the man waiting by the door. He got a nod from the doorman and made a bee line for the bar.

He was not surprised to see that almost everybody in the place was a college student. The semester was over for almost everyone and many people were back in Lima and its surroundings for the summer. Kurt's heartbeat fastened when he felt a hand on his upper arm, trying to turn him around. He twisted his head to face the person he feared had recognized him. He was surprised to find the visage of another guy, in his early twenties, smiling at him. The stranger had green eyes and dark blonde hair. He also had a dashing smile and very nice clothes.

"Hi!" The stranger said holding out his hand "I'm Jake"

"H-hi. Kurt" Kurt responded, taking the other boy's hand and trying not to look at the floor.

"Kurt..." the blonde repeated as if he could taste the name on his tongue.

"Jake" Kurt said, even more nervous than he was before. After all, he was flirting with a college boy in a gay bar.

"Do you want a drink?" Jake asked, still smiling dashingly

"Oh - hum..."

Kurt was thinking hard. He was thinking of the way the things with Blaine ended. He was thinking about the way he could start anew. He thought about the fact that he didn't want a relationship right now nor did he want a fuckbuddy until he left for college. But he wanted to have fun and lift the heavy weight that was resting on his shoulders, on his heart.

Jake was looking at him, seeing Kurt's struggle with an answer for few seconds.

"Don't worry. It's never the first night with me." he said with a wink. And that was it for Kurt.

"Anything with cherries and vodka!" Kurt asked, having no idea what he would get.

He then followed Jake to the bar. After all, he was not that naïve and he knew what could happen if he didn't look carefully at his drink from the preparation to his lips. Jake ordered something for Kurt and for himself. When they got their glasses, Kurt let himself being guided to the dance floor.

They danced the first few songs with a reasonable distance between themselves. Jake was closer to him by barely an inch every few minutes. Kurt was feeling desirable. Maybe Blaine didn't want him anymore but at least, a complete stranger, a college boy, per se, wanted him. They headed back at the bar when the music became slower. Kurt ordered another drink just weaving his empty glass to the bar tender and mouthing the word same.

Kurt knew he couldn't hold alcohol. After his first drink, he was already feeling tipsy. Nonetheless, he was thirsty after all this dance. And he was feeling hot. The crowded little bar in that late may evening wasn't helping his body temperature. He drained his drink in a few gulps while Jake was watching him with amusement. He didn't order a third though, but his shyness and his filter were gone. Born This Wayfrom Lady Gaga started playing. Kurt looked at Jake with a glint in his eye and he started to make the old choreography he made the previous year in Glee Club. While he was dancing, he didn't even know why he was doing it. But he knew that people were watching him and his perfectly executed steps. He was tipsy, yes, but still coordinated.

At the back of his mind, Kurt knew that he could slip up any time and say that he was still in High School. He tried to bury all his current thoughts at the back of his mind and finished his dance.

When the song was over, Jake was waiting for him at the bar, sitting on the same stool he was.

"You're one of a kind, Kurt!" Jake said when the teenager approached him again.

"Oh! I know..." Kurt responded, not knowing where is confidence was from.

He asked the bartender for another drink and he dragged Jake to the dance floor.

Kurt had lost track of time. He had lost track of drinks too. He was tipsy, his head was fuzzy. He didn't even remember why he was there in the first place. All he knew was that he felt good and that Jake's arms were around him. They weren't grinding, Kurt knew he would not have accept that. But they were swaying in sync and Kurt was taking a lot of comfort into Jake's arms.

Somewhere, at the back of his head, he realized that neither Blaine nor his dad would be proud of him. But he also knew that he needed to lose himself in order to heal. Maybe he was currently in denial. Maybe he would, sooner or later, need to wallow and watch P.S. I love you and The Notebookbut right now, in this moment, in some stranger's arms, he was feeling as if he could do anything.

Eventually, the DJ said it was the last call, that the bar would close down and Kurt started to panic. Jake led him outside when, under his hands on Kurt's chest, he felt his heartbeat increase.

"You okay, Kurt?" Jake asked once they reached the parking lot

"I-I don't know..." Kurt said slowly, words were not coming as easily as usual to his mind. "I - I don't know how to get back home. I can't dr-drive and I can't call my - my dad or..."

"I can drive you home if you want." Jake said simply "I haven't drink as much as you." Kurt nodded slowly to accept the offre.

" But before I forget it," Jake added "give me your phone. I'll write my phone number in it"

Kurt fished his phone from his back pocket and handed it to Jake.

"Hey! Who's the guy?" Jake asked showing the lock screen picture of Kurt's phone.

"My boyfriend!" Kurt responded automatically, his drunken self responding in lieu of his composed self.

Jake's eyes widen at the confession.

"What the fuck, Kurt? That is not something you do! I'm not a cheap drag you can make fun of I liked you! I thought you were single! At least, that's what you let me think!"" Jake then proceeded to take off, walking towards a car in the parking lot while Kurt was still processing what Jake had said.

Kurt didn't really care about Jake. He hadn't really planned to see him ever again after that night. But he still felt bad for him. Even if Blaine was not his boyfriend anymore, he knew that the other man was hurt. Maybe it was the alcohol (it probably was) but Kurt started crying again. He was disappointing strangers now. He was not good enough for Blaine and he was not good enough for Jake. There was a strange pattern in the way his nights at Scandals were ending.

Kurt looked at his phone. He saw his smiling face. He saw Blaine's smiling face glued to his. They were happy, what happened in between?

Trying to see past his tears, Kurt unlocked his phone and looked through his contacts. He called the only person he knew who would not judge him for his actions. He called the only person he knew he could trust in this very situation. Blaine trusted that person with all he had. Kurt knew that he could too.

"Hello?" a sleepy voice answered

"Cooper? Can you come and get me..." Kurt said between his sobs

"Kurt? Is that you? Are you crying?"

"Yes!" Kurt simply answered, this single word enough for every questions Cooper had asked.

"Where are you?"

"Scandals. The gay bar in West Lima"

"I'll be there in ten minutes! Hold on!" Cooper responded simply, fully awake now.

When the phone disconnected, Kurt immediately regretted his actions. Cooper Anderson, Blaine's brother, was coming to get him. Kurt was still drunk and Cooper had the legendary Anderson's charm. In three words, Kurt was fucked.