The hallway seemed long and daunting. Blaine had walked down these hallways many times before and was a tad bit overjoyed that this was his last year in this miserable place. Blaine had gotten their early to avoid the crowd. Last thing he wanted was to be bullied on the first day of school. Any other day of the year, or in case every other day of the year, was fine but not today he prayed.
Apparently his prayers fell on silent ears because as he turned the last corner to get to his locker he saw Karofsky standing there waiting for him. Great, just great he couldn’t even have one day. Blaine closed his eyes and took a deep breathe. He could have turned and run but that would only make it worse. Blaine could feel the pain from the beating they had given him on the last day of school. Because of the bully that was waiting for him he had spent most of his summer vacation in a hospital bed. Being the only out gay kid at this school put a bright red bulls eye on his back.
“Hey Anderson, hope you had a great summer,” Karofsky mocked. He knew very well how Blaine had spent his summer.
“Karofsky can we please not do this today? It’s only the first day of school,” Blaine pleaded.
“As if Anderson,” the bully grabbed Blaine by the collar of his shirt and shoved him up against his locker. Blaine could feel the lock digging into his spin as the bully pushed harder. Karofsky went to go raise his fist, Blaine braced himself for pain but instead he heard somebody holler.
“What do you think you’re doing to that young man!?” Blaine tried to turn his head to see who had saved him. But the grip on his collar was so tight his movement was impaired.
“Just who the hell are you?”
“I’m your new music director. And if you don’t put that boy down I’ll be forced to have you suspended for bullying,” the guy said with a fierce attitude. Blaine fell to his knees when the bully released him and stormed off.
“The day is just starting Anderson and your little teacher buddy won’t always be around to protect you,” with a smirk Karofsky turned the corner. Blaine felt himself being helped to his feet.
“Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you did he?” Blaine finally had a chance to look at his savior. He was expecting it to be a familiar face, but he had never seen this teacher before. The teacher was taller than him but couldn’t be more than five years older than him. He had brown hair that was perfectly styled and the most brilliant blue eyes.
“I’m fine. You got here just in time before he beat the crap out of me again.”
“Again? This isn’t the first time?” Blaine shook his head. The teacher sighed and wrapped his arm around Blaine’s waist leading him into the choir room. The teacher set Blaine down in a chair and hurried to the other side. Blaine didn’t really want to be alone incase Karofsky showed back up but the teacher was back in a flash holding two cups of piping hot coffee.
“I don’t know how you take your coffee so I just left it black. I hope that’s okay,” he said handing him the cup. Blaine didn’t usually take his coffee black but he didn’t want to put out the guy who had just saved him. “I’m Kurt by the way. Kurt Hummel. I guess it’d be Mr. Hummel huh? Sorry this is my first teaching job, so I’m not use to the whole last name thing.”
“That’s right you said you were the new choir director, what happened to Mr. Shue?”
“Him and his wife are having twins and decided they need to move so he decided to be a stay at home father and she now works at Dalton academy. So lucky me I’ll be filling both their positions.”
“So you’re also the new guidance counselor?” Kurt nodded
“So since you know Mr.Shue does that mean you’re in New Directions?” Blaine shook his head no.
“Being in glee club would make me even more of a target. As much as I love to sing it’ll have to wait till I get away from this horrible town.” Blaine didn’t continue, he had already revealed too much. But something about Kurt or Mr. Hummel was comforting.
“Why do they pick on you so much? I mean you don’t have to tell me but I am the guidance counselor,” Kurt reached over a place his hand on top of Blaine’s. It was so warm and soft. Blaine felt his heart flutter. What was wrong with him? He knew he was gay but he had never held hands with a guy before. And who was to say this guy was even gay and could feel that way about someone as messed up as Blaine saw himself. Blaine shook his head. This was a teacher for crying out loud. Even if by some chance Kurt was gay it could never work out but Blaine wasn’t satisfied he had to at least know if this beautiful man in front of him was gay.
“They pick on me because I’m the only open gay kid at this school. Maybe even in this whole town. Sure there is a lot of closet says but I don’t believe in that. I don’t want to hide who I truly am even if it makes me a target. ”
“Well I can assure you that you are in fact not the only out gay person in Lima, because I myself am gay and proud. Also you say that you don’t want to hide who you are correct?” Blaine nodded, not quite sure what the teacher was getting at. “Then why don’t you sing? I heard you say that you love to and if that’s who you are then why not display it proudly?” Blaine had never thought of it that way before. The real reason he didn’t want to join glee was because he was terrified of people. All his life he had been alone and only ever sang in his shower. What if he really wasn’t as good as he thought he was? What if they laughed at him? That was his true fear. The excuse of being bullied anymore was just that an excuse, and an easy one at that because everyone believed it.
“It’s not that I don’t want to but I don’t think I can. People scare me because the only people who actually talk to me beat the living crap out of me. It’s been that way for so long. I haven’t had a friend since my 6th grade year when I came out of the closet,” Blaine could feel himself starting to cry. He had never cried in front of anyone, not when his “Friends” abandoned him, not when people said mean things to him, not when people beat him within an inch of his life, and not even when his own father had tried to beat the gay out of him. But now, in front of a total stranger all the pain and worries he’d been holding in for so long all the tears he never cried began to flow. Blaine just let the dam break. He didn’t care anymore. He felt Kurt wrap his arms around him and pull him close as he cried. He didn’t understand why but he clung to Kurt like if he let go everything would crumble around him. Hell it probably would. They sat there like that for a long time, Blaine letting out long painful sobs and Kurt stroking his hair and trying to calm him down with soothing words. Finally Blaine found the strength to stop the waterworks. He pulled away from Kurt and just looked at him. What made this man so special that with just a few simple words he could tear down the fortress Blaine had been building around his heart for years? He watched as Kurt walked over to the piano and extracted a box of tissues and brought them over. Blaine thought he must look like crap. He quickly hide his face and blew his nose to avoid that whole puppy dog with a red nose look. “I’m sorry sir I don’t know what came over me,” was all Blaine could think of to say. Instead of the harsh words and judging eyes he was so use to but when he looked up at Kurt all he saw was compassion and caring. He smiled warmly at him,
“Don’t be silly Blaine. Everyone breaks down sometimes. Crying is part of life. And sometimes all we need is someone to be there for you when you fall apart and help you pick up the pieces. Look I know we don’t know each other very well but I think you and I have a lot to talk about so I’m going to give you this,” he took out a tiny notebook from the breast pocket of his vest and quickly scribbled something down and tore the page out and extended it to Blaine. “I know that high school is hard for everyone but when you’re gay it’s three times as worse and sometimes you just need someone to talk to who understand what you’re going through. If you ever need me I’ll be here for you Blaine, don’t forget that okay?” Kurt smiled and looked down at his watch. “Well classes will be starting in ten minutes. I suggest you go splash your face with some water and get to class. Don’t want to start off a new school year by being late now do we?” he smiled. Blaine gathered up his bag and blew his nose once more before heading out of the room. This school year looked like maybe it would be different because Blaine had finally found a light in all the darkness in his life and for once in his life he would throw caution to the wind if it meant he could hold on to the little piece of happiness life had gifted him with.