The Colours I Can't Remember

Prologue

Kurt reached his arms out and felt for the locker with Braille along the side. He knew it was here somewhere. Out of French class, turn right, then left after a few seconds, he recited to himself, checking he was going around a corner by swinging his cane in front of him, hearing a resounding thunk against the wall and feeling the cane vibrating against his fingers.

He finally felt the Braille of his locker number under his fingers and fumbled slightly as he found the lock. The corridor was empty, the bell still a couple of minutes from ringing. Being let out early was a privilege Kurt was very thankful for. He didn't fancy being bumped against purposely by oversized jocks, whose idea of a good time was yelling, "Watch where you're going, Hummel!" obviously finding their dim-witted remark hilarious as they ran, laughing down the corridor.

Kurt knew if he could see his torment would be worse. There were a lot of football players who didn't pick on him because he was blind.

Not that it's decency, Kurt thought bitterly, More fear of what other people would say for picking on poor, blind Kurt Hummel.

Placing his French book in his locker, he heard the bell ring shrilly through the school, screaming against his eardrums. He winced, the sound of it and students emptying into the corridor loud against his ears. He didn't have super-enhanced hearing like Noah Puckerman liked to think so, but he was more sensitive to sound without having his sight (and one of the few perks in his life was to walk by whispering groups and say, "Oh I heard that!" and hear them gasp in shock- even if all he could hear was a low mumbling).

Wanting to get out of the busy corridor quickly, Kurt ran his hands down the spines of his text books until he found his chemistry one, and pulled it out, rushing. Thicker than a usual textbook, as it was written entirely in Braille, it was hard for Kurt to keep hold of and it flew out of his hands.

"Crap!" he hissed, hoping someone would pick it up for him. Against any hope. Cursing again, and sliding his glasses back up his nose as they fell down slightly, he carefully lowered to his knees. Random passersby knocked against his shoulders, and he stumbled to the ground fully, banging his knees on the hard floor.

He half-yelled out another swear, splaying out his arms to cushion his fall. He almost yelped in shock as he grabbed someone's trouser leg, and bumped his head into them.

"Oh my God!" he heard someone gasp from above him. "Are you okay? What are you doing down there?" Kurt bit his tongue to stop himself retorting dryly, but more so because of his confusion. He was good at voices, and he did not recognise that one. That and the locker next to him had been unoccupied his whole time at high school.

"I'm fine," he replied. "I'm just looking for-"

"This?" the other voice asked, closer now, as the boy the voice belonged to must have crouched down to Kurt's level. Kurt tried to look in the direction the voice was coming from.

"My Chemistry textbook?"

"Yes, I have it, can't you s- Oh God," the voice cut off, staying completely silent for a moment. "I'm sorry. I didn't know." He pressed the book towards Kurt's hands, and Kurt took it, standing straight, and attempting to brush himself down.

"It's fine," Kurt said, coldly. "You're new here." He turned from the voice and felt for his locker to close it, and reached out for his cane, which he'd left leant against the wall.

"Here it is," the voice said. "It must have fallen before when everyone was here. I didn't even see it." Kurt reached for it and took it, suddenly noticing the eerie silence surrounding them. Everyone was gone from the corridor, meaning they were all in lesson, and he was going to be late again.

"Are you in AP Chemistry now?" the boy asked.

"Yes," Kurt answered, warily.

"Oh, great!" he said, enthusiastically. "Me too! We can walk together!" Kurt turned swiftly, his head looking towards the place the voice was coming from, though the boy wouldn't have seen Kurt's glare, hidden behind his dark glasses.

"I can walk myself," he said bitterly. "I've been at this school for over two years. I can get around without-"

"Hey!" the boy broke in, surprisingly soft. "I know, I know! I was going to ask if you could show me the way- so I don't get lost again." Kurt raised his eyebrows, and felt them knit together, looking towards the boy in confusion, shocked at his response.

No one had ever asked Kurt to show them way.

"Okay..." Kurt answered slowly. "Fine, follow me." He went to turn, and then added, "I'm Kurt by the way."

"Hi Kurt," the voice said brightly. "It's lovely to meet you. I'm Blaine."