Blaine had led them into the school's lounge. It was nothing like their cafeteria at McKinley and it seemed to be only for coffee and maybe having tea in the afternoon.

Blaine had guided him to a table and had pulled out a chair for him while the other two boys were getting coffee. Kurt felt shaky, looking down at the table. Blaine hadn't said a word and neither had he, while the other two boys had been whispering so low that he hadn't been able to understand anything.

Now the other two boys were sitting down with them, looking at Blaine, waiting for him to start talking. Blaine pushed one of the coffee cups over the table. "Latte?" he asked. Kurt tried to find his voice but all he could do, was mouth a silent "Thank you."

What kind of a beginning for an interrogation was this?

"This is Wes and David," Blaine moved his hands, introducing the other two boys. When Blaine called their names they were both smiling at Kurt. There was a certain seriousness to their look but no hostility as Kurt had expected.

He was definitely confused. What was their angle here? He still hadn't taken a sip from his coffee, was just holding onto it.

Carefully Kurt started to speak, watching their every reaction with caution: "It's very civilized for you to invite me for a coffee before you beat me up for spying."

The guy called Wes immediately put up one hand in a defensive gesture: "We are not going to beat you up" and the other guy, David, added: "You were such a terrible spy we thought it was kind of endearing."

Endearing? Seriously? What was going on here? Who were these guys? They weren't going to beat him up and now they called him endearing?

Blaine had just been drinking his coffee, casually following what had been said, he cut into the conversation: "What made me think that spying on us wasn't really the reason you came."

He was smiling. This was so strange that something popped into Kurt's head. A question, sort of all the guys he knew would kill him if he asked them... but here things seemed to be ... different.

"Can I ask you guys a question?" They were all looking at him curiously and Wes even nodded slightly, all three still smiling.

"A-Are you guys all gay?" His voice was low and unsure and Kurt already expected some kind of outrage but David, Wes and Blaine just laughed.
Kurt tried to smile. But he was just too tense, still waiting for whatever was bound to be coming.

"No", Blaine said, still sort of laughing: "I mean I am. But these two have girlfriends."

Kurt smiled automatically at this confession and was finally able to actually drink his coffee while David continued talking.

"This is not a gay school. We just have a zero-harassment-tolerance policy," and with the same serious expression Wes added: "Everybody gets treated the same no matter what they are. It's pretty simple." Wes smiled and something inside Kurt shattered.

It was simple. It explained everything that had happened in here. The nice welcome, Blaine taking his hand as if it meant nothing, chatting with him about fashion, the boys not hitting him but buying him coffee and talking to him as if he were just like them. Treating him as if being gay were absolutely normal and not a reason to avoid him.

He could hear a rushing sound in his ears and tears coming as he relived all the humiliation and harassment he had experienced at McKinley in a split second. Blaine's voice sounded extremely distant, when he turned to Wes and David to say: "Would you guys excuse us?"

"Take it easy Kurt", Wes tried to comfort him before he and David left the table.
Kurt felt that his breathing had become heavy and that his fingertips hurt from digging into the coffee cup.

"I take it you're having trouble at school?" It was a mixture of a statement and a question. Blaine seemed to know what was going on but wanted Kurt to tell him. An invitation to finally confide in someone, who would actually listen.

"I'm the only person out of the closet at my school", finally he was able to look up, though he didn't manage to stop his voice from trembling: "And I-I-I tried to stay strong about it but there's this Neanderthal, who made it his mission to make my life a living hell. And nobody seems to notice."

He had to blink heavily to fight back the tears he felt coming. He already felt weak enough. He didn't want to give up all his self-esteem.

He looked at Blaine who nodded slightly. His voice was low when he spoke, like he, too had to fight unwelcomed memories: "I know how you feel." He was finally looking into Kurt's eyes again.

"I got taunted at my old school and it really...," he exhaled heavily "Pissed me off. I had complained about it to the faculty and they were sympathetic but you could just tell that nobody really cared. It was like "hey, if you're gay, your life's just gonna be miserable. Sorry. Nothing we can do about it."

Kurt could see what Blaine was telling him. It wasn't exactly what had happened to him but it was similar. Suddenly he felt less alone though what Blaine was telling him didn't cheer him up at all.

He looked down at the table, drawing small patterns onto the shiny table top. Blaine paused. Kurt could feel him looking but he didn't raise his head, waiting for Blaine to tell him the "happily ever after".

"So I left. I came here. Simple as that." Another pause and Kurt had already kind of figured that in the end help was not on its way when Blaine continued: "So you have two options." Kurt looked up.

"I mean I'd love to tell you to just come and roll here but tuition at Dalton is sort of steep and I know that's not an option for everybody or... you can refuse to be the victim. Prejudice is just ignorance, Kurt. And you have a chance right now to teach him."

Blaine's gaze was serious, fixated on Kurt's eyes and Kurt just wanted for Blaine to mean what he was saying. He had no idea how he could teach anybody at his school and the thought of showing Karofsky that what he was doing was wrong, seemed utterly ridiculous.

Yet there was something about Blaine. Kurt wanted to trust him and he felt like this boy might actually be able to help him.

"How?" he breathed.

"Confront him. Call him out." The picture of himself confronting half of the football team, Karofsky up front appeared in front of his eyes and his courage sank again.

Still, Blaine was looking at him intensely. He had leaned slightly over the table while speaking and his gaze didn't let go of Kurt's eyes. "I ran, Kurt. I didn't stand up. I let bullies chase me away and it is something I really, really regret", he admitted.

Kurt still felt unsure about the whole thing and Blaine seemed to notice. He leaned further forward, resting his weight on his elbows looking Kurt deep into his eyes. "Be brave Kurt. I believe you have the strength I hadn't."

"How can you know that?" Kurt croaked. He felt the tears coming again.

Blaine smiled. "How long has this stuff been going on at your school?"

Kurt closed his eyes. "A year, maybe longer. I was harassed before I came out officially..." he mumbled.

He heard Blaine laughing and opened his eyes, surprised by that reaction. Blaine had leaned back in his chair looking at him with what Kurt recognized as ... amazement.

"Over a year?" He chuckled again, his gaze drifting off, while he unconsciously rubbed his neck.

"Yeah?" Kurt asked, in need of some sort of explanation.

Blaine's attention was instantly back on Kurt. "When I came out and I have to say nobody really harassed me before, it took them mere weeks to send me packing. I was weak. But you managed to be strong so long. I know you'll get through this and win!"

Kurt still wasn't quite convinced and Blaine noticed, as he leaned forward again. "Give me your phone."

"Uhm... what?" Kurt asked, puzzled by the sudden change of topic. "Give. Me. Your. Phone." Blaine repeated very slowly, pronouncing every word carefully, a huge grin on his face.

Kurt was still somehow perplexed but he got his phone out and handed it over to Blaine who took it and began to type.

"Wha-What are you doing?" Kurt asked blankly.

"I'm giving you my phone number." Kurt inhaled sharply. No guy had ever given him his number. Unless he like really needed it for Glee Club or something. This was different. Blaine handed him his phone back and he took it his hands slightly shaking.

Blaine smiled widely: "Whenever these idiots harass you or you feel bad or you just need somebody to talk, text or call me. I will be there to help and listen to you. Alright?" Kurt nodded faintly.

"Awesome," Blaine remarked his grin getting even wider: "So I really don't want to end this little chitchat but it's late and I kinda need to get to my room before dinner. Come on Reggie Lampert. I'll show you out."

Kurt grinned at Blaine's joke and stood up, following him out of the coffee lounge through the empty school. They talked all the way about old movies and bad spies - especially in connection and Kurt felt more at ease than he had in weeks. When they were in the car park, Blaine walked him to his car and took his hand like he had the day before.

"Courage Kurt", he said, making Kurt look him in the eye. Blaine squeezed his hand lightly and smiled reassuringly before he let go.

"I see you around. Call me when you need. Or if you just want to talk." Kurt nodded and smiled as Blaine walked off, the warm feeling of earlier back, flowing through his whole body.

Blaine was already some feet away when he found his voice again. "Blaine?" he called and made some steps in his direction.

"Yeah?" Blaine turned around. "Thank you," Kurt said and he could feel himself blushing.

"Anytime", Blaine answered and Kurt felt that he meant it. Blaine waved again and walked off leaving Kurt behind with a lot to think about.