December 7, 2012

"You have to help me choose what to wear tonight."

"Excuse me?" Kurt almost choked on the cereal he was eating.

It was a Friday morning and the teenager was having breakfast with his dad, before they parted for the day – one to school and the other one to work. Nothing was out of ordinary, except for the fact that Burt was more fidgety than Kurt could ever remember seeing him.

"I'm sure you heard what I said. You set me up for this so you are going to help me," Burt said pushing the bowl of his unfinished breakfast.

"First of all, I didn't set you up for anything. It's two friends catching up after not seeing each other for years. Unless you want it to be a date, it's not," Kurt said with a grin. "Fortunately for you, your amazing son has a great taste in clothes and is willing to lend you his hand in picking out an outfit. Though I'm not sure how I'm going to survive going through all that plaid disaster that you call your closet."

"That's the spirit I was looking for!" Burt laughed and took his bowl to the sink. "I can't eat anymore."

Kurt shook his head. "You would think you were a teenager going on his first date and freaking out thinking it would turn out to be a disaster."

"I haven't been on a date since your mother, I'm rusty," Burt said and after a moment looked at Kurt with a serious look on his face. "Hypothetically speaking, if this was a date, would you be okay with that?"

The boy finished the last drops of milk and went to wash his bowl. "You need a woman in your life, dad. You have been lonely for too long."

"I have you."

"That's true but I'll go to college soon and I would feel better knowing that you weren't alone," the boy said and finished cleaning up. "Besides, I need an ally to help me talk you into a makeover. Two against one always works better."

"Good luck with that," Burt rolled his eyes. "You've been trying for a very long time and still I have made no change. Don't think some woman will get it done."

"Not some woman, dad, but the woman. You just haven't met the right person yet."

"The right person for me or you?"

"Both," Kurt winked at his dad. "Anyway, I'll be late if I don't leave now. Make sure you get some lunch even if you don't feel hungry."

"What if I feel like I'm about to throw up?"

"Eat anyway," the boy said. "I'll see you in the evening."

"Have fun at school."

Unfortunately, by the end of the day, 'fun' was the last word he would have used to describe his time at school.

When he got to Spanish, Mercedes wasn't there and it was strange. Now that he went to school by his own car, he usually arrived a few minutes before his first class started and his friend was always there. This time she was late and Kurt got worried about her. He checked his phone but saw no new messages.

When she finally did arrive, she was ten minutes late, looking positively angry.

"You are late, Mercedes," their teacher – Mr. Schuester – commented when the girl entered the classroom.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Schue. My slave was acting out and I had to punish it. I promise, it won't happen again," she said breathlessly, as if she had been running.

"Okay, I'll let you off the hook this time but make sure to take care of your slave at proper timings," the teacher said and Mercedes went to take her seat.

Kurt waved her 'hello' but other than that he didn't try to communicate with his friend. The class went on and after the rest equally boring forty minutes, it was over. At first he succeeded avoiding the topic but when they were walking to their next class, Mercedes brought it up herself.

"You won't believe what happened this morning," she said. "Yesterday I told my slave to write my geography essay. This morning, I got up, went to the study room and you know what? The essay was still unfinished and that lazy bastard was asleep! It is useless, I should sell it and buy a new one."

Kurt made an indistinct noise in the back of his throat, hoping that the girl would not push him for a better response. Luckily, she was too caught up in her own problems to notice anything. For a few seconds the countertenor felt relieved only until someone passed him, bumping harshly on his shoulder. Kurt looked up to see Puck looking over his shoulder at him. The feeling of uneasiness settled in his stomach but the other boy did nothing and just walked away.

When Mercedes and Kurt reached their next classroom, Rachel was already there, beaming at them. "I won, I won, I won!" she squealed. "My slave is arriving tomorrow in the afternoon and you two are invited to a sleepover at my place. Come at around seven. Kurt, I'll text you my address. There is no need to bring anything except your pyjamas since I will provide sleeping bags, snacks and a few musicals for us. And my slave will provide us a high standard service. It's going to be so much fun!"

Mercedes' eyes grew big with an equal excitement. "That's awesome! If you want I could bring my slave and we could compare them so you would know what your slave is lacking in training."

"That's very kind of you, 'Cedes, but we've had a house slave for as long as I remember so I'll be fine evaluating it. So thank you but no, thank you."

"Well, if you ever want to do that, the offer still stands," Mercedes winked at her and they finally went into the classroom as their teacher was already approaching. "Kurt, do you think your dad will let you come over Rachel's?"

Kurt nodded without hesitation. "He'll be okay with it, I'm sure. I've been on my best behaviour and he actually wants me to leave the house more often."

"You are lucky to have us then," Rachel laughed and their teacher announced the beginning of the class.

For a while things went normally for Kurt but people say that 'there is calm before the storm' for a reason. The storm in his case came during the lunch break.

As always Kurt went alone to the cafeteria to find Rachel and Mercedes already in a queue saving a spot for him. At least that's what they called it whenever Kurt jumped the queue to join them.

The teen grabbed some fruit salad and natural yogurt together with Rachel and didn't even complain as it was already normal for him. The trio went to their usual table and began to talk about their English assignment when Rachel's boyfriend Finn decided to join them.

"Hey guys," a tall bulky guy said in a low voice and sat down next to Rachel, who at first looked at him with big heart-eyes until she took in his appearance.

"Oh my god, what happened to your face?!" she asked horrified and touched a dark bruise around Finn's left eye.

"Nothing I can't take care of," the jock said and took a piece of Rachel's apple. He then noticed Kurt who was still to be introduced. "I don't know you."

"Oh yes, right," Rachel remembered. "I can't believe I haven't introduced the two of you yet. Finn, this is my new friend Kurt Hummel. He is French. Kurt, this is my boyfriend Finn Hudson."

"Hi," Kurt said politely. "Nice to meet you. Though I'm not French."

"Whatever, dude," Finn said nonchalantly and looked at Rachel. "My friends and I have something to do tonight so I'll have to cancel on you."

Rachel frowned at him. "What's more important than your girlfriend?" she glared at him angrily.

"Don't be like that," Finn rolled his eyes. "I can't have guys thinking that I'm weak," he said pointing at his injured eye.

Kurt, however, didn't hear their silent exchange, distracted by Mercedes, who was explaining to him why she didn't like Shakespeare, whose plays they were analysing in class.

"Karofsky is waiting for me," Finn said in a moment and stood up. "I'll see you later."

The jock kissed his girlfriend on a cheek and left. Rachel sat there pouting, like a kid who didn't get what he wanted.

"It's unfair!" she grumbled. "Why did he have to ruin my mood like that? I had everything planned for this weekend. Tonight I was supposed to go on a date with my boyfriend, tomorrow I'm getting a slave and having a sleepover with you, guys, and on Sunday I'm going shopping for my slave. Perfect weekend! And now Finn had to ruin it all for me..."

Kurt knew the girl was being silly but couldn't help but comfort her. "Hey, don't be upset. He must have an important reason to cancel your date. I'm sure he will make up for it. Think about the positive things. Like our sleepover! It's going to be fun."

Mercedes nodded at that and stuffed another tot in her mouth. "The boy is right. Forget Finn – tomorrow you are getting a much better looking toy. It's even better because you can get morally ready for that tonight. Take a long relaxing bath, go to bed early. Enjoy your last night without a personal servant."

"You know what? You are right," the girl nodded enthusiastically. "Starting tomorrow I will have the time of my life so I won't let that stupid Finn ruin my mood. Thank you, guys."

"You are very welcome," Mercedes smiled. "Have you thought about what you would do if your slave turned out to be disobedient and impossible to train?"

"Why would I?" Rachel questioned her. "My dads never resell slaves. I know it's uncommon but they have this policy that it looks bad to do it. I don't completely understand that but since we don't have financial problems, I don't mind it. They usually take them to some other city but I think I would prefer seeing my slave in Lima. It could be smelly-ass' bestie. And seeing me it would always feel the shame of not having been good enough for me. Still, I'm hoping it will be good."

Kurt gave her a fake smile and played with the fruits in his plastic box. "Change of subject. Have you seen the newest collection of–"

"Hey, ladies," a voice came from behind Kurt and the boy instantly recognised it. "Can I borrow Kurt for a moment?"

"Ew, Puckerman, get lost," Rachel looked at him with disgust. "Nobody wants you here."

"It's okay," Kurt reassured her, curious about what Puck wanted from him. He hoped that Blaine was fine. "It won't take long."

Kurt stood up and grabbed his bag just in case it did take long. Puck walked in front of him and the teenager just followed him until they ended up in the same bathroom they were in the first time they met. This time there was another person there.

"Get out!" Puck shouted at the boy, who was washing his hands.

The said boy quickly finished and ran out of the bathroom without wiping his hands.

"What do you want, Noah?" Kurt asked watching the other boy pace the floor.

"I want to know what you want from Blaine," he finally said and Kurt frowned at that.

"I want to help him," he said, tiredness in his voice. He hated having to defend himself in front of the boy once again.

Puck laughed coldly at that. "Help him? You are a hypocrite, princess. Yeah, I know some big words. You pretend to care about Blaine, you give him some charity but in the end, you are no better than any of those friends of yours," he said spitefully. "I've heard you talking to them. Secretly being nice to a slave and then lying everyone in their faces don't make you a better person. Actually, it's even worse. At least they are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in. You, on the other hand, imagine yourself as some saint but in reality you are doing this only to calm your conscience."

Kurt stood there stunned, not able to utter a word, his hands clutching to the strap of his bag.

"Is it helping you to fall asleep at night? Does knowing that Blaine treasures your newly formed friendship make you laugh? Do you ever see his smile in your head whenever your so called friends call him smelly-ass? Do you feel proud of yourself each time you get him to open up more and more to you?" Puck yelled, his voice getting louder and louder. "Answer me!"

Kurt couldn't answer though. He could only stand there thinking of what had just been said to him. Deep down he knew it all along but hearing it from someone else was different.

"What? Are you going to keep quiet just like you do whenever your friends make fun of slaves? Of Blaine? You know what? Until you grow a pair, don't dare speaking to Blaine. Don't even look at him because you are not worth of his friendship. You are disgusting, princess."

Finally Kurt mustered the courage to speak up. "No, you can't tell me not to see him anymore."

"Oh, I can."

"No! I care for him, I really do. Honestly, I have no idea what I'm doing most of the time but I do know that I want to help him, I want to be his friend," Kurt said, words coming out as a plea. "Yes, what I do with Mercedes and Rachel is wrong and probably it does make me a hypocrite but it doesn't mean that I'll hurt Blaine."

"I don't give a fuck," Puck grimaced. "Today you sat with a person, who physically hurt Blaine. You chatted with him and were all friendly. Well, did you get a good look at that bruise on his face? I hope you did because if I have to, I won't hesitate to put one on you too."

With that the boy stormed out of the bathroom, leaving Kurt alone with guilt. He vaguely heard the bell announcing the end of the lunch break but he ignored it. No matter how hard he tried, he knew he wouldn't be able to concentrate anyway.