"What is up with you, Blaine?"

"Nothing's up with me! Why is everybody saying that?" I snapped.

"Because you're being crazy quiet and ignoring everybody and when people try to help you, you just turn them away," Ava glared at me with piercing eyes, a look that I've only seen used a handful of times, and never directed at me before. I broke her eye contact and looked out the window. "When was the last time you talked to Kurt?"

I had to think about it. I get a text from him every hour, I knew that for sure. I haven't actually responded to any of them, but I'd read them all. They started out friendly. Along the lines of "hey, do you want to talk?" or "I hope you are doing okay, I miss you". They soon started changing into the "why aren't you texting me back" and the "what's the matter?" texts. Now we're reaching the "I thought you loved me" texts, and it breaks my heart every time I read them, but it'd break my heart even more to reply. "I love you, too. More than ever, but I want you to be safe."

"Not since Sunday..." it was Wednesday. Ava sighed.

"Blainers, he's really worried about you. He texts me all the time, you know? He thinks you're cheating on him or something. He's freaking out."

"I'm not cheating on him! I just-" I tried to protest.

"I know that, Blaine, and I think he does, too. It's just that we all want to help you. We want you to be happy, Kurt more so than anybody, and you're just... not."

"Listen, Ava. I don't want to talk about this now, okay? Just bring me home," I was sick of hearing this. I've heard it enough from Kurt, and it was getting repetitive.

"Fine," she said. And then there was silence.

And then there was silence. Silence. In a car with Ava. I repeat, silence.

Silence, and it felt like someone had just stuck my entire body in this huge freezer and locked the door shut. It was cold.

It felt like forever until we finally pulled into my driveway. Ava's car came to a stop suddenly, and we just sat there, engrossed in a terrifying silence.

"Blaine, you have to talk to Kurt. You love each other, and your love is the only thing that's going to get you through whatever rough patch you're going through," she looked me in the eye, her gray eyes almost sparkling silver as she gazed. "You know, when you're isolated like this, you're not only hurting yourself, but you're hurting Kurt as well. You know he's spent thirty dollars on ice cream alone this week? You don't want to do this to Kurt, do you?"

The silence stung again, and I looked down.

"You don't have to answer that. Just get your act back together, and talk to Kurt. He's trying to fix things the best he can, but he can't unless you open up. Just a little. Just to him. You love Kurt, right?" I nodded. About this I was sure. "Then you need to be with him. You can't say you don't miss him. I know you do. I can see it in your eyes every time I say his name. It's like... this glimmer of... I don't know... Light, I guess. God, that sound's cheesy. I'm like a terrible chick flick, aren't I?"

She gave me her goofy grin and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"I'll try, Av," she ruffled my hair. I smiled again. "Thanks."

"No prob, Blainers. Text me, kay? And come to the zoo again! Bring Kurt, and this time I'll stick with you. I promise," she winked, and I nodded. I opened the door to her car and slid out, swinging my backpack I'd brought to Kurt's on Friday over my shoulder.

"Thanks for the ride, Ava. Thanks for everything."

"Bye, Blainey," I shut the door and waved as she pulled out of the driveway and drove away.

I barely had enough time to crash on the couch and flip on the TV, before I heard a knock at the door. My first thought was that it was Ava, probably saying how I forgot something, give it back, then start digging through my fridge for food and forgetting that she probably had somewhere to be. But, surprisingly, I was wrong. I answered the door.

"Blaine Anderson?" two police officers stood at the front door. My breathing hitched, and I nodded, slightly terrified. "Do you mind if we come in? We just have to ask you a few questions."

I nodded again, stepping out of the way, not daring to speak a word. I led him to the kitchen table and I sat down, the two men getting settled in the two seats across from me.

"Alright, Blaine. Can you tell us about what happened on Saturday at the zoo?" I sat there bewildered, my eyes wide, and I wasn't quite sure what to say.

"You can start from the beginning. When did you get there?" said the other officer.

"I... well I had slept over my bo-" I stopped myself short. "Kurt Hummel's house that night, and we left there at... I don't know... noonish? We got there and I had my best friend, Ava, who's the owner's daughter, let us in the back," I paused, making sure the information got across okay.

"Can we get more information on your friend? Name, age, maybe a physical description?"

"Uh... sure... Ava (A. V. A.) Dunn, twenty-six. Short, blue eyes, wavy brown hair that goes below the shoulders... and bangs... How's that?" the investigators scribbled in their notebooks.

"That's fine. Continue."

"Right... so we spent the day at the zoo with Ava, but Ava had to leave for work around two, so then Kurt and I went to the polar bear exhibit together. I have a keycard because I spend a lot of time at the zoo and the owner trusts me and stuff, so I was going to take Kurt into the exhibit to get a closer look. I had unlocked the door and we were about to go in when..." my voice cracked. "These three guys..."

"Did you recognize any of the boys, Blaine?"

"I... yes. I did. Well, I only know the name of one of them, and I've seen the other two around," I paused. "Luke Mills. He goes to the public high school here. I... I went to middle school with him. I go to Dalton now, though. He... he's bullied me before."

"Can we get a physical description on him, too?"

"Uh... tall, short brown hair... I don't know him that well, I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Did they say anything before you were attacked?"

"Yes. We fought. They called us names and stuff."

"Who threw the first punch?"

"I-" I took a breath. "I did, sir."

"Why?"

"They were harassing Kurt. I just- I couldn't..." I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"What happened then?"

"They got angry and they beat up Kurt. I tried to stop them but they're bigger than me. They made Kurt bleed and then he stopped screaming and then they beat me up after that."

"And then?"

"I was unconscious. I woke up in a hospital."

"You're medical papers say that you had two week old fractures in your ribs. Care to explain?"

"I..."

"Yes?"

I stayed silent.

"Blaine, you have to answer the question."

"I can't."