Life. It’s never been easy. But then again, it’s never been this hard.

Why was life so hard all of a sudden? Where people getting meaner? Was the world getting harsher? Was he making no progress at all?

Kurt Hummel found himself struggling with life a lot these days. Things were just so hard.

He had gotten used to being harassed. Gotten used to being physically beat along with the emotional pain he felt on a day to day basis. But things just seemed so much worse these days.

He couldn’t take it. He needed an escape. A way out. Sure he’d contemplated it before, but even just the thought of it made him shiver.

Suicide.

He began to wonder if he really could. Really could go through with such a thing.

He shook it off, not today, things will get better.

What had Blaine told him the first time they met, oh right “COURAGE”

Kurt missed Blaine.

They’re relationship had just began to blossom when Carole’s shifts at the hospital where she worked got cut short and the already steep tuition to Dalton became even more unaffordable that Kurt had to transfer back to McKinley.

Sure they were still dating, they talked every day, hung out all weekend long, and even after school most days Kurt still missed him.

Sure his friends were more than happy to have Kurt back. But Kurt didn’t want to be back.

He hated this school. He hated how tortured he was. He hated feeling like he had nothing to make him feel safe. He missed Blaine.

Kurt didn’t know where he wanted to cry or run or both. He wanted to escape. Escape feeling like this.

School was unbearable. He thought he had gotten used to the taunting. Gotten used to the shoving. Gotten used to the physical beatings along with the emotional turmoil this all caused.

He was wrong. Oh so very wrong. In fact he had gotten weaker.

He could barely manage to sputter out the snarky comment he had come up with after being abruptly slammed into the row of lockers before the oh-so-dreaded fist crashed into his face.

He was certainly ready for his test this afternoon in Honors AP Physics because he knew so well that the force of impact done on his face had caused an inelastic collision between his head and the fist and an object in motion tends to stay in motion until acted upon be another force that stopping force being the row of lockers his head painfully slammed into.

He fell to the ground as the jock walked away. His head was spinning. The cartilage around his right eye profusely throbbing.

His head was pounding by the time he reached the nurse office.

“Oh sweetheart are you okay? What-”

“I’m fine.” He cut her off midsentence. “May I just have some aspirin? Please.” He asked trying to but on his best I’m fine face.

She handed him the bottle and instructed him to take two.

As she turned to grab a cup of water he dumped out a large handful of the pills. He didn’t care about feeling better. He just wanted to feel numb.

The rest of the day was a hazy blur. A few more assaults in the hallway and a few more trips to the nurse.

He hated this. Absolutely hated this. He was he going to get by.

At least he had a coffee date with Blaine after glee club. That’s something he could look forward to.

His phone vibrated in his pocket almost on cue.

“Hey Baby! What’s up?” Kurt said feigning composer and enthusiasm.

 “Hi Kurt! Not much I’m about to go to Warblers practice. I just called to see how your day was?” Blaine said sweetly.

“Ah, it was     fine.” Kurt said after awhile. “Yours?” he followed p quickly as not to make Blaine suspicious.

“Oh baby, I knew you weren’t fine going back to McKinley. Are you okay? Did anyone hurt you?” Blaine asked sounding genuinely concerned and worried.

“No. I’m fine” Kurt lied wincing as he brushed his hand against his newly blackened and swollen eye, while running his hand through his hair.

“Oh-okay” Blaine mumbled not sure whether or not to believe his boyfriend that he was truly fine.

“So coffee?” Kurt changed the subject.

“Yeah certainly wanna meet me in an hour or so? Blaine asked.

“Sounds good see you then.” Kurt replied.

“Love you, see you soon.”

“Love you too.”

Kurt hung up his phone and started to go back to grabbing books from his locker when he noticed Karofsky lurking over him.

“Talking to your faggy boyfriend are you?” Karofsky teased.

“Leave me alone.” Was all Kurt could bring himself to say.

“What if I don’t want to?” Karofsky said with a smirk as he push Kurt at the row of lockers.

“Maybe I don’t want to leave you alone.” He said again.

“I-I want you to le-leave m-me alone.” Kurt stuttered.

Before he knew it he was being hit and pushed and shoved and everything else. He was engulfed with pain and couldn’t even bring up the willpower to fight back. Next thing he knew he was outside in the dumpster.

“Great.” He mumbled to himself.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and shot Blaine a quick text saying “Can’t do coffee babe. I smell too much like the innards of a dumpster. I’m going home.”

“Okay. I love you.” Was what he got back in a matter of minutes.

Why did people do things like this to him?

Why was the world so cruel?

Why couldn’t he escape it all?

Well maybe he could. Could he?