The rest of AP Calc went smoothly. Blaine plastered a smile on his face, took notes, and didn’t speak unless the Mr. Cepress called on his raised hand. The usual.

Halfway through the class Blaine noticed a rapid movement out of the corner of his eye and he glanced to left to see Kurt writing rapidly in a notebook. Blaine wondered what he was writing for a moment, then mentally kicked himself and turned his attention back to the lesson. But he couldn’t help but glance in Kurt’s direction every five minutes or so to see he was still at it, scribbling away with a vengeance. 

Mr. Cepress’ lesson was extremely well taught, as expected, and the only question Blaine had left by the end of it was: what did Kurt Hummel write in his notebook?

If someone had asked him why he cared so much, he couldn’t have told them. Blaine almost always had a reason for the things he did, and curiosity didn’t usually nag at him like this. He didn’t like it.

In the final minutes of class Mr. Cepress handed Kurt a textbook and a syllabus with all the assignments for the semester, then started explaining the daily extra credit. Gesturing to the problem on the board written in blue and telling him not to get it confused with the one for Pre-Calculus, which was written in orange.

Kurt smiled at Mr. Cepress as he said that then ripped out three pages of his notebook and handed them to him. Mr. Cepress’ eyebrows went up in surprise then he said, “Good work… But you have two weeks to catch up on all the homework, quizzes, and the test you missed, no exceptions.”

“Yes sir.” Kurt said sarcastically with a mock salute and Blaine couldn’t help the surge of annoyance at the treatment of his favorite teacher.

He glowered at Kurt, starting to get sick of his attitude, and he returned Blaine’s gaze with a superior look. Blaine couldn’t think of a reason why Kurt would look so smug, but he felt as though he should know.

Before he could say anything the bell rang and Kurt had shot out of the room like a bullet. Blaine frowned after him, wondering what his hurry was.

“I can’t believe he finished the extra credit.” Artie said breaking Blaine’s gaze away from the now empty doorway.

“What?” Blaine asked as he packed away his things. He still couldn’t believe he had to have Kurt as a roommate. He had been so excited for summer to end so he could get out of his parents house. Blaine had come back to McKinley excited for his junior year but now he had to share his room with a boy he was half scared of already…

“He finished the extra credit.” Artie repeated.

“Who?” Blaine asked, his mind still far off.

“Kurt.”

“What about Kurt?”

“Blaine are you even listening to me?” Artie asked, sounding annoyed and worried.

“No, sorry. What were you saying?” Blaine asked as he followed Artie out of the classroom.

“Kurt finished the extra credit.” Artie said, sounding exasperated.

When Blaine didn’t respond Artie just sighed angrily and said, “I’ll see you at lunch,” before swinging his wheelchair around and rolling away.

Blaine had heard him that time, but he had been too shocked to respond before his friend’s patience had ended. So that was why Kurt had been so smug… 

Blaine started after Artie, hoping to apologize but had already lost him in the crowded hallway. Blaine sighed, making a mental note to apologize later, before he hurried back to his dorm to get his English things.

He fumbled with the lock to his room for a few seconds before realizing it was already open and stepped inside. He saw the large black bag Kurt had thrown through Mr. Cepress’ window sitting on the unused bed and grimaced, hoping that Kurt would lock their dorm if Blaine asked nicely.

Blaine walked quickly over to his desk and searched around for his English notebook and To Kill a Mockingbird, which they were now close to finishing. In his haste to leave before Kurt might come back to the dorm, he almost left with his math things.

He sighed and turned back around to leave his huge Calculus book, notebook, and calculator behind. He had just placed them neatly on his desk, in size order, when a voice behind him spoke.

 “Quite the neat freak aren’t you?”

Blaine quickly spun around to see Kurt throwing his Calculus book unceremoniously on the bed. “If you damage the book, you’ll have to pay for it.” Blaine said without thinking.

Kurt snorted, “I put it on the bed, not in a wood chipper.”

“Well… All the same.” Blaine said looking down, shifting his feet uncomfortably, suddenly nervous in the other boy’s presence.

“Whatever.” Kurt said, unzipping the large black bag on his bed and pulling out a stack of clothes. Blaine watched quietly as Kurt started putting his clothing into empty drawers, pondering whether or not it would be rude to simply leave.

“Plan on staring at me all day?” Kurt asked sharply, turning to face him.

“No. Sorry. I didn’t… I was just...” Blaine mumbled then he saw a large bruise forming high on the other boy’s cheek that hadn’t been there before. He took a step closer and asked too loudly, “What happened to your face?”

Kurt shrugged as he started to hang things in his closet and said, “I had an unfortunate run in with a fist.”

“You must have been running pretty fast.” Blaine said without thinking. Kurt turned to look at him again and he froze, not daring to even breathe. Kurt was going to punch him. Then he would probably try to do something horrible like slit his throat with his pocketknife. Blaine hoped that the few students still left in the hallways could hear him scream.

Kurt’s eyes just narrowed, “You sure have some guts for a pious nerd.” When Blaine didn’t say anything Kurt turned away again, ignoring Blaine as he edged his way towards the door.

Blaine felt a wave of relief wash through him as he set his foot in the hallway, glad to be out of what soon might have become a violent situation. Then- “Wait.”

Blaine stopped the groan threatening to escape his throat as he turned back around. “What?” He asked harsher than he intended.

Kurt gave him a cold look before he asked, “What’s your name?”

“What’s my name?” Blaine parroted back.

When Kurt just glared at him again Blaine quickly answered, “My name is Blaine Anderson.”

Kurt gave him a small nod and gestured that he could go. Blaine was about to shut the door behind him when he remembered he still had to ask Kurt something.

“Umm… Kurt?” Blaine said tentatively.

“What now?” Kurt asked sounding annoyed.

Blaine refrained from reminding him that it was Kurt that had held him back the first time, guessing it wouldn’t do much to help his situation. “Can you lock the door when you leave?”

Kurt smirked at him, “You want me to lock the door when the only person you are probably worried about stealing your stuff has the other key?”

Blaine frowned, “I don’t think you’ll steal my stuff.”

“Oh?” Kurt asked shock flicking across his smirk before he could stop it.

“No.” Blaine said stiffly. Later, Blaine would wonder why the thought never really crossed his mind. But now, the thought the Kurt would think it would kind of insulted him.

Kurt and Blaine just looked at each other for a few moments, and then Blaine jumped wildly when the warning bell rang. He has five minutes to make it to his class on the other side of the school.

“You almost made me late!” Blaine shrieked before taking off down the hallway.

“If it is any consolation,” he heard Kurt call mockingly after him, “I’ll lock the damn door!”

Blaine had just spent twenty minutes convincing himself that Kurt wouldn’t be in his English class when a sharp knock resounded through the room. Mr. Henan called “Come in!” too lazy to leave his podium. 

When whoever was at the door only knocked again he shambled over and pulled it open saying, “Sorry, I forgot it was locked.”

Blaine pounded his head down onto the table when he saw it was Kurt. Ugh! Just when he thought he had gotten rid of the boy for an hour!

He could see Kurt grinning at him as he handed Mr. Henan a blue slip of paper and Blaine could feel himself blushing. There was no doubt a large red mark on his forehead now. 

At least it was nothing to the large red mark on Kurt’s face. Blaine knew it would become a ugly blackish purple sometime tomorrow and wondered again how he got it.

“This is Honors English 3?” Kurt asked, taking in the other eleven students. “It’s so small.”

Mr. Henan glanced at the paper quickly before throwing it away and saying, “Most students choose to take the electives.”

“Apparently.” Kurt said with an emotion Blaine didn’t recognize. And he didn’t have time to guess either because he realized that Kurt was now slipping into the seat next to him.

“Class,” Mr. Henan said, “This is our new transfer student Kurt Hummel. Do your best to make him feel welcome.”

A few people in the class murmured assent and Mr. Henan went back to talking in monotone about Tom Robinson’s court trail.

Kurt made no further disruptions and Blaine was soon zoning out. English was one of the few classes that he allowed himself to do so, besides he had read To Kill a Mockingbird like ten times.

“So…” Kurt suddenly said in a hush, causing Blaine to jump. “You scare quite easily don’t you? Are all the classes usually lectures with you being the only one actually listening?”

Blaine ignored his questions but instead asked the one that had been on his mind for a while. “How did you get a hall pass?”

“Oh, I didn’t.” Kurt said with a wave of his hand, “Teachers never really look at them anyway.”

Blaine couldn’t help the strangled sound that escaped from his throat. Kurt laughed quietly, “Anderson. Come on. I forged at hall pass. I didn’t kill your cat. Calm down will you?”

Blaine just stared at him. He had never met anyone with such a disregard for school rules and he had only known Kurt for the span of three hours. 

“Anyone?” Mr. Henan was asking. “Somebody has to know.”

Blaine look down guiltily biting his lip, wondering if he should ask Mr. Henan to repeat the question he hadn’t heard. 

Kurt snickered at Blaine and answered, “Ewell’s slutty daughter.” 

Mr. Henan looked taken aback for a few seconds before he said sternly, “We will refer to her as Mayella is that clear?”

Kurt shrugged. “Sure. Whatever lights your smoke.”

Blaine gasped loudly, causing several people to look at him, and said, “You can’t talk to teachers like that!”

“Blaine is right Kurt. No more coarse language or I will have to give you a detention.” Mr. Henan said sounding sterner than before.

Kurt sighed and said, “Whatever.”

Neither Kurt nor Blaine said a word to each other for the rest of the hour. Kurt eventually began doodling what Blaine couldn’t help but notice were very gruesome or inappropriate pictures and seemed to be paying no attention. But Blaine could here him answering Mr. Henan’s questions under his breath in offensive language. Things like “That fucker who hid in his house” or  “The shitty little pickle boy.” Blaine was pretty sure the swearing was for his benefit, so he held his tongue and did his best to ignore him.

When the bell rang Blaine sighed in relief and Kurt said, “Well that makes two of us… Will I see you in gym next hour?”

Blaine groaned because yes. Yes he would. 

“Oh come on Anderson,” Kurt said teasingly, “If I wasn’t there you’d miss me.”

Kurt was gone before Blaine could deny the statement and Blaine found himself banging his head on his English desk for the second time, feeling like the day would never end.

Kurt found himself smiling every time he thought Blaine. He was just so… adorable. He was so cute and innocent. Blaine had all the virtues Kurt secretly admired and all the faults that made him laugh.

Stop it. No. Bad Kurt. 

He was staring again. Watching Blaine as he pounded away at a large cylindrical punching bag. Each time he powerfully drove his fist into the bag the tall Asian kid named Mike was jerked back a little. Sweat was pouring from his forehead and soaking the tank top that fitted his small, but muscular form.

“-and I just don’t know what to do.” Puck was saying next to him.

Kurt scolded himself mentally again before he turned to Puck and said what was hopefully a good response, “That’s rough.”

“I know!” Puck said obviously relieved that Kurt agreed with him.

Kurt didn’t respond; trying to maintain his focus on the barbells he was lifting. There were a few minutes of heavenly silence then Puck interrupted it, like Kurt guessed he would. “Dude! How much do you bench?” 

Kurt shrugged, annoyed. He had no idea why the McKinley “badass” felt the need to have a mohawk, much less why he had attached himself to Kurt so suddenly.

“I am just lifting whatever was on here before.” Kurt replied sharply, hoping Puck would get the message and leave him alone.

He didn’t.

“Stop for second and let me check how much you are benching.” Puck insisted.

Kurt put the bar down and sat up, stretching out his arms. 

“You were benching 225 for the last 20 minutes... Do you know how many reps that is?” Puck asked, sounding impressed.

Kurt shrugged and said, “I took long breaks.” Ya, Kurt told himself as Puck went into a long rant again, You took long breaks all right. Long breaks staring at Blaine.

When Kurt realized that staring was just what he was doing, he forced his eyes away from Blaine and tried to concentrate on Puck. Besides, if there was one person that could help him keep the reputation he wanted, it would be Noah Puckerman.

“So,” Puck was asking him, trying to sound nonchalant, “Where did you transfer from?”

“Juvie.” Kurt answered offhandedly, hoping it would scare the boy off.

Puck just whistled and asked bluntly, “What did you do?”

Nothing. Kurt thought to himself. He grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from his body but didn’t answer as he held Puck’s gaze coldly.

“That bad huh?” Puck asked, mistaking Kurt’s anger for shame.

“No,” Kurt said roughly, “It’s just none of your fucking business.”

“Fine.” Puck said offhandedly. Damn this kid was hard to get rid of. Kurt had tried everything from ignoring to insulting him since Puck had introduced himself at the beginning of the hour, but he hadn’t batted an eye. 

“So,” Puck said and Kurt knew a question was about to follow just like it had the other ten thousand times, “Who are you rooming with?”

“Blaine Anderson.” Kurt replied snidely. He couldn’t help but feel bitter at the nerdy boy who was now his roommate. Why couldn’t he just be ugly and not so frickin hot?

“Look,” Puck said at Kurt’s tone, “I know how Blaine first appears, but he really is a nice dude.”

Kurt sensed he had struck a nerve. Finally. “Why?” Kurt sneered, “He a friend of yours?” 

“Ya,” Puck said defensively coming around the bench in front of Kurt, “He is.”

Kurt snorted and Puck frowned and said, “Look, I heard that you handed Karofsky’s ass to him and I respect you for that, but if you are some kind of homophobe-”

“What?” Kurt asked incredously.

“Just because Blaine is gay doesn’t mean that-”

“Puck, stop.” Kurt cut him off, amused in spite himself. “I am not a homophobe.”

“Your not?”

“No I don’t care that he is gay… but he is just such a dork!” Kurt tried to make himself sound annoyed but it was hard since he was doing an inner happy dance. He’s gay! He’s gay!  He’s gay!  He’s gay!    

“Well I can’t argue that.” Puck replied, sounding relieved, as Coach Beiste told them to clean up and hit the showers.

Kurt and Puck both glanced over to where Blaine was laughing with Mike as the two put away their boxing gear. Puck grinned and started for the showers and Kurt paused for a moment before following, his mind still whirling.

Blaine is gay. 

Kurt couldn’t help but think maybe this school wouldn’t be so bad after all.