Meanwhile at McKinley Kurt had managed to get Mercedes away from Rachel, so that they were seated alongside at a lone table with their food.

Mercedes was eating French fries while Kurt only managed to pick at his salad.

"So what's the big news you wanted to tell me about?"

Kurt looked up, his eyes serious and wary, deliberating whether to risk being interrupted while telling her about Blaine or just trying to get her after school.

Mercedes stared back at him questioningly. "Kurt? You spilling now or what? You made me quite curious." She smiled at him broadly, her curiosity and honest interest reflecting in the way she looked at her best friend. Kurt smiled back and took a deep breath. He was strangely excited. Nobody knew about his new friend and he wanted to share the joy it had already brought him.

"Okay. Where do I start...?" Kurt began, turning slightly to face her and putting down his fork.

"You remember the glee clubs which are going to be our competition for Sectionals?" He paused until Mercedes confirmed with a slight nod.

"Well on Wednesday, I went there to... check them out." He concluded lamely.

She looked at him puzzled before understanding spread over her face.

"You did what? Did you find out something!" She looked excited before another thought seemed to take over. "Wait! Hell to the no boo! You didn't get caught, did you? That could cost us the competition, couldn't it? Think of the fuss people made about this mattress!" Mercedes looked at him in terror.

Kurt grabbed her hand, his face showing only limited guilt.

"I know, I know, I know and a totally stupid idea but I was simply curious! Dalton seems to be so different. And this isn't the point. Like... at all! And I didn't get caught. Well, in fact I did..." Mercedes gasped at this, so he shook his head quickly and gave her a soothing smile, reassuring her that nothing bad had come from it.

"Not the point Cedes. The point is who caught me." He grinned at her widely and Mercedes returned this simile with a vary gaze but he could see her mouth twitch at his excitement.

"Okay... so who did? And where is the good news? All you're telling me is kinda alarming." Mercedes chuckled.

This was what he had been waiting for all morning. To praise the beautiful boy he had met. He shifted a little in his seat getting more comfortable before he started speaking.

"I met someone amazing Mercedes. His name is Blaine Anderson and he is the lead singer of the Warblers. He is cute and friendly and..." Mercedes looked at him in a way he didn't like. It looked like worry and he didn't understand what would worry her. Did she fear another St. Berry situation coming up? He stopped his praises and gave her a questioning smile, asking her to express her thoughts.

"Kurt. You're like totally glowing. Are you crushing again on a... guy?" She finished cautious. It was obvious that she thought that he was hopefully obsessing about another straight guy. It hurt. Bad. Though he kinda couldn't blame her... and she did it out of worry... still... it hurt.

"He is gay, Mercedes." He emphasized stiffly before he added: "And don't worry I am not "crushing" or anything close... it is just..." He looked around, fishing for words.

"It is just nice to know that in fact I am not alone." She opened her mouth to protest. "Stop it Cedes. I don't mean it that way. I mean... that there are really people like me. Especially boys like me... that I am not the only out and proud boy up to Columbus. He understood me in ways you girls just can't and be happy about that because it's the crappy stuff about being the fabulous person I am." He winked at her but she cringed a little at his words.

"I am sorry boo, did I let you down or something?" She really looked worried and guilty. He smiled at her taking her hands once more.

"Don't be silly! I would not live through the day without my favorite diva by my side! The past week was just bad and being with our guys just reminded me of how I do not work with them... and I missed you in glee! And then I met Blaine and he just understood how I felt with school and these jocks and everything! It felt good. I felt more excepted than ever. And I love you girls... but it felt awesome to get this kind of appreciation from another guy..." Kurt looked at their locked hands. He loved his friend so much. Couldn't she understand how difficult life was for him on so many occasions?

"Hey Kurt." He looked up and his heart felt a lot lighter as he saw the broad smile playing across Mercedes face.

"I get from where you're coming here. I missed you too. Spending every free minute with Rachel is worse than having tea with the Devil and George Bush! And it's great that you made a new friend... though I'd preferred it if he wasn't in show choir we are up against for sectionals. But nobody's perfect. Btw. Tell me again how great he is?"
She winked at him and Kurt felt like flailing, suppressed it though. He wasn't a 14 year old excited girl after all.

"Again, where do I start?" The junior said, shrugging at his best friend with a melodramatic expression painted over his face that made Mercedes laugh.

"I think I really need time for that! Oh that reminds me: what are you doing for the weekend? After this hell of a week I really need some quality time with my bestie!" Mercedes looked at him lovingly.

"Oh so sweet boo! Let me think... how about manicure, pedicure tomorrow and a little bit of shopping afterwards and then you can stay over at my place for some Rent and Hairspray and a good long, detailed reconstruction of your encounter with the boarding school boy?" Mercedes smirked.

"That sounds perfect. Though... could you come over to my place? I am still not really comfortable with staying away overnight with my dad and all. We won't bother him as long as we stay downstairs in my room but I'd really prefer to be there in case he needs me."

"Yeah sure. I understand that." Mercedes started to eat her lunch, which she had neglected in favor of talking to Kurt. "Say: you want to ask someone else to join? Not Rachel of course but maybe Tina..."

"Definitely Tina." Kurt cut in. He looked around his eyes searching for Tina. She was seated at the New Direction table with all the glee guys and girls, her and Mike sitting on opposite ends.

"Say Mercedes... I haven't seen this much of Tina this week... but did you notice her behaving different from her normal self?"

Mercedes followed his gaze, taking in the scenery and the way that Tina and Mike shot each other glances, avoiding each other though.

"Well..." She said, her gaze still resting on their favorite couple. "I can't really say. She was totally normal in glee. Like helpful and reassuring, sweet and giving good input. She also managed to separate Santana and Rachel from each other... but I guess yeah... she behaves oddly as soon as Mike is around."

Kurt made an affirming sound and Mercedes turned back to him, her eyes narrowing as she tried to remember more of the last days.

"Yesterday Finn came to pick up Rachel and Mike tagged along and I thought they'd both had come to pick up their girls but while Finchel were all lovey-dovey over each other Mike just stood in the door awkwardly avoiding to look at Tina who chatted with Brit. Uhh! Reminds me! Guess who else stopped by yesterday?"

Kurt looked at her confused.

"Puck and.... Wait for it.... Artie!"

"Yeah... so?" Kurt questioned. The boys had obviously not been working and though it seemed strange that those two came together he still didn't find it such a big deal.

"They asked Brittany and Santana out! And they said yes!"

Well that was surprising. Artie had been sulking since Tina had broken up with him for Mike ''the abs'' Chang, but a double date with Puck Dumbass and the Cheerios, one poisonous as a cobra and the other sweet but also stupid wasn't the way to go in Kurt's mind...

"Okay. Strange. I just can't imagine how this will go or how this even happened but I'm still concerned with Tike first."

Mercedes nodded. "Sure. Just wanted you to catch up on the gossip."

"Have you any idea when they started behaving this out of character?" Kurt had been so occupied with his own life he couldn't figure out how his friends had been acting this week.

"Well on Wednesday Mike picked Tina up from glee and they seemed to be as into each other as normally so I guess whatever happened, happened that afternoon or yesterday morning..."

Mercedes was still making assumptions about what had happened but Kurt was distracted by his phone buzzing in his pocket.

I'd say 3 pm at the Lima Bean? I'm sure you know it. The coffee is even better than at Dalton. But don't be too hard on me. I truly am hopeless. - Blaine

Mercedes must have noticed that he wasn't paying attention, as she stopped mid sentence to look at him questioningly. "Something interesting Kurt?" She asked.

Kurt could feel a blush creeping up his cheeks. Not that that ever worked and so he hurried to answer her before his skin could betray his inappropriate excitement.

"Just a text from Blaine." He tried to sound casual. "He told me he was really bad in French and I offered to help him out. I mean he's only a sophomore and my French his pretty decent so I figured it would be nice..." He stopped himself from rambling. That wasn't helping.

Mercedes grinned. "You met him two days ago and you already have a study date for French with him? Keeping up that speed you'll be married by eastern." She joked but hurried to correct herself as Kurt gave him one of his bitch faces. "I know, I know. Nothing romantic. Just someone to talk to. Just... just watch out... like I don't want you to get hurt or... I mean you do remember the whole St. Berry catastrophe, don't you?"

Kurt bit his lip. He knew that this had to be where her thoughts were going but still the Warblers weren't like Vocal Adrenaline, taking into account their whole fairness and equality policy.

"Sure I haven't. How could anyone? Even I was ready to beat up this piece of filth but this is different. I feel it. Will you trust me?" He looked into Mercedes eyes. They seemed to be searching for something and Kurt hoped that she found nothing but honesty in them.

It seemed like Mercedes had found what she was searching for, as she nodded slowly and relaxed. Kurt exhaled relieved. His best friend approving of his new friendship with Blaine would make things easier, if the other glee members would jump to similar conclusions as her, once they found out about it.

"On the condition that I get to meet this Blaine guy like very soon, understood?" Kurt smiled at his best friend.

"Of course I want you to meet him, but give me some time, will you?" The look she gave him wasn't pleasant and he hurried to explain why. "I just want to get to know him better and see if we work as friends before I make him meet all my friends."

"Yeah I guess I understand where you're coming fr..." The diva was disturbed by the sudden loud ring of the bell, signaling the end of lunch.

"Dammit!" Mercedes expelled looking at her only have finished lunch. She shoved some more French fries into her mouth, while Kurt already stood up to put away his tray. He waited at the door for her, where she joined him a moment later to walk him to class.

"So," Kurt said thoughtful, trying to get back into their conversation, "We have a date tomorrow and we still need to figure out what happened to Chang-Chang."

Mercedes made an affirmative noise. "We don't have glee together, again even though it's Friday. I talked to Mr. Schue earlier and he said because a mash-up is so much work he extends the task to next week." Kurt sighed at that news. He really wasn't eager to spend another five, well four as he planned on skipping Wednesday, days with the boys.

"But at least that means, that I can try to get Tina after glee and question her a little. Maybe I'll take her to the Lima Bean or Breadstix to get her talking. You wanna join?"

The offer was tempting, but Kurt knew that Mercedes might find out more in a private conversation than with them both of them interrogating the Asian girl. Also he had neglected his homework and his family over the last couple of days and he was really looking forward to stalk Blaine's Facebook profile.

"Nah, sorry, though I'd love to. It's Friday night's dinner and I've got homework I want to finish so I can concentrate on us having fun tomorrow."

They stopped walking in front of Kurt's classroom.

"Yeah I understand that. Okay boo. We'll stay in touch. I guess you'll have your phone on anyway." She winked with him and went off waving, heading for her own class room.