It’s Tuesday afternoon a few weeks later, it is the last class of the day. Kurt was really looking forward to going home. He hated school. He hoped this class went by quickly. This wish changed when he heard: “Hey loser, how are ya?” Kurt turns his head to see a cheerful Blaine settling into the seat beside him. He puts a smile on his face and replies: “I’m fine. How are you?” As Blaine and Kurt continued to exchange pleasantries and talk about pointless things, Kurt's mood- which had been low due to some kids whispering “no one wants you” to him as he walked passed- was on the rise thanks to an unusually cheery mood by Blaine and when Blaine smiled, Kurt smiled.

 Things had been going pretty well the last few weeks. Kurt and Blaine had talked more in class, in fact they were nearly inseparable in the three classes they had together. Sadly this positivity didn’t transfer over to the rest of Kurt's high school life.  He was feeling more alone despite sitting with Rachel and friends most days, he didn’t seem to click right with any of them, and his class was slowly starting to hate him. He didn’t know why this was happening, he just didn’t fit in and seemed to be drifting further and further apart from everyone. Kurt didn’t feel comfortable raising the issue with Blaine so he kept it to himself, the loneliness starting to burn a hole in his chest. The one time he didn’t feel like this though, was sitting beside Blaine, his warm body angled in his direction, his curly hair flowing over his face and his eyes shining right into Kurt's. He liked seeing this side of Blaine, not the moody stereotypical teenager side that everyone saw, but this Blaine, his Blaine. The one that discussed the movie he watched last night in great deal, or the book he is reading, or something funny he saw on the Internet. For those few hours, Kurt felt special. Like his place was right beside Blaine.

“Soooooo, what are you doing Saturday night?” Blaine asked nervously. He was biting his lip and his eyes kept darting around the room. It was very unnerving. Kurt’s heart suddenly started racing. Was this a date? Was he asking him out? Was this real life? Kurt shrugged, trying not to show how excited he was. “Oh, nothing planned. Just me and my book if things work out how they usually do.”

“Well that movie we both wanted to see is on at the outdoor cinema if you want to go with me? We could do a picnic or something?”

Kurt couldn’t believe it. He nodded his head rapidly. Before he could get a word out though, the bell rang.

“Um, can I have your number and we can organise it later?” Blaine asked. Kurt typed his number into Blaine’s phone and then they both went on their way, waving goodbye before leaving in separate directions.

XXXXXXXXX

Later that night Kurt was in his room working on his maths homework and thinking about Blaine when he got a text, he ran and jumped on his bed, nearly banging his head on the headboard in his haste to read it. He was yet to hear from Blaine about Saturday. But, oh, it was just Rachel asking him if he has done the history essay yet. He rolls his eyes; it was due yesterday, and types out his answer. Yes. She replies back moments later.

Shit, I haven’t started. The teacher is going to kill me. -R.

Sucks to be you. -K.

Kurt, please can I just copy yours, change some of the words. -R. At this Kurt hmphed angrily. This wasn’t some 10-minute maths work; this was a long essay that he put hard work into.

No. -K.

Kurt shook his head angrily and went back to his homework. A few minutes later it bleeped again.

Kurt, I need you to help me. I would do the same for you and if you don’t you will regret it. Just give me your homework, friends help each other out. -R.

Kurt was outraged, anger was bubbling in his chest. How dare she? It wasn’t his problem that she neglected her work. He wasn’t sure what Rachel’s threat meant but he was sure he could take it. He had morals, and he wasn’t giving her the essay just because she demanded it. He typed back a reply, overcome by his anger.

How dare you Rachel, I am not scared of the threats. Do your worst. And do your homework yourself. -K.

Kurt sort of regretted it once he sent it, knowing he should have not replied and stirred up trouble but Rachel also needed to know that was not okay, she cant use him for his homework. Well I’m going to find a new place to hangout, Kurt said to himself. He didn’t receive any texts for the rest of the night, which disappointed Kurt big time. He went through all the possibilities, maybe he put his number in wrong, maybe Blaine lost it, perhaps he didn’t want to text him after all and it was all a huge joke. The thoughts became more irrational through out the night at Kurt lay awake, too anxious to sleep, staring blankly at the ceiling. It was 3am when his phone went off. Please don’t be Rachel, please don’t be Rachel, Kurt chanted over and over as his hand blindly groped his bedside table until he felt his phone. Sitting up and putting his glasses on, Kurt opened the text.

Hey, you awake? Blaine.

It’s him! It’s him! It’s him! Kurt did a little happy dance in his bed before typing out an answer.

Yep. What brings you here this late hour of the night? –K.

Kurt sat there clutching his phone, waiting for a reply.

Insomnia. How was your afternoon? –B

Got into a fight over text with Rachel, wasn’t pretty. Dreading school tomorrow. –K

That sucks, she can be scary when she wants to be. Good luck. –B

Kurt frowned, that definitely made him feel even more uneasy then he did before. Crap. Maybe I should have just let her copy my damn paper. Kurt shrugged, too late now and he wasn’t going to go back on what he said.

Thanks. Did you mean what you said today about Saturday night? –K

Yeah, do you want to go? –B

Definitely. Should I meet you there? –K

Okay, do you want to do the picnic idea? –B

I’ll bring the food and you can bring desert and drinks. Deal? –K

Deal. –B

Kurt didn’t really know what to reply to that so he just put is phone back on the table beside him, took his glasses off and decided it was time to go to sleep. *

XXXXXXXXX

The morning didn’t go too badly by Kurt’s standards. He didn’t see Blaine and Rachel kept shooting him nasty glances from across the room but it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. He put his headphones in and hummed to himself, pretending that since he had things in his ears, he couldn’t see the looks he was getting. Now it was time for PE, a class that while typically was painful for Kurt because Blaine didn’t socialise with him apart from that one race a few weeks ago (that gave Kurt butterflies when he thought about it) and today they had to play soccer. Not only did Kurt have to run through mud, but they had to team up. The teacher decided that it would be a really good idea to let the kids pick the teams. So two people stood at the front, calling names of people in his class until, of course, he was the last one left. Rachel was standing beside one of the team captains, Finn and was controlling all his choices. The other team was lead by David, one of the meatheads calling Kurt names and was unfortunately friends with Blaine. Blaine was in team two but seemed to pay no attention to what was happening, his face was composed into its usual bored expression and he was picking grass repetitively. Kurt was looking at his curly hair being tangled by the wind and imagining what it to be like to run his hands through them. He too focused on this activity to notice that both teams started to walk to separate sides of the field, not even bothering to add him to either of the teams, as if he was invisible, not a part of the class. He looked at the teacher expectantly, wanting her to say that he didn’t have to play since no one clearly wanted him but teachers never tend to do what you want them to, so Kurt was placed on Finn and Rachel’s team. Great.

Kurt noticed one of Rachel’s good friends Quinn walking over to him with a bitch glare on her face. He felt icy just looking at her and wouldn’t look her in the eye in case he froze him with her mind or something. He had a hunch she was capable of evil things. He should have realised that when he was rude to Rachel, he wasn’t going to get crap just from her but her wide circle of friends too. He should have made more of an effort to talk to them when he sat with them at lunch. Crap, well too late now. He stood his ground while he waited for Quinn to finish her walk over to him and say what she wanted to say.

After what felt like several decades, Quinn brushed past him, saying loudly “no one wants you Hummel, go stand on the side alone. Your rightful place.” Chuckles were heard from the class and Kurt’s cheeks burned red with embarrassment. He looked around at the group; no one seemed to disagree with Quinn. Kurt looked around for Blaine, hoping to find comfort in him but he was murmuring to a friend on the other side of the field and seemed not to notice the exchange. Tears burned in Kurt's eyes, and in that moment he truly felt worthless. But fuck them, Kurt played the stupid game anyway, not letting anyone tell him what to do and got a few decent kicks in. He walked away with his head held high, hiding the shame, smothering it under a front of dignity.

That night, after waking up at 5am to get a glass of water Kurt checked his phone and saw that he had one new message. He opened it cautiously.

They are such assholes. –B

He smiled at Blaine’s attempt at comfort and replied:

Indeed. –K