Kurt had never felt more on the spot than that afternoon in the McKinley gym. His eyes searched amongst the crowd, staring at them almost one by one and feeling mixed signals from everyone.

It was no surprise Kurt had been the only one crossing the line, but now that he was standing there all alone it put things in a lot of perspective.

This didn't feel like the purpose of today - sad and lonely on the other side while everyone else stared at him, judging him and only a few people were raising their hands to sign love to him. This day was supposed to be about acceptance and getting to know other people on a different level instead of knowing them by cliques.

But being truthful to one other didn't mean other people would follow him across the line when one of the challenge day leaders, Blaine even - cute and funny Blaine who had been running around the gym, lifting everyone's spirit - asked the people to cross the line if they had ever been bullied because of their sexual orientation.

Kurt had stiffened at the question, already feeling his legs moving towards the line and ignored the soft mumbling behind him.

"Remember what I said, try to be quiet." Blaine said through his microphone to silence the other students of McKinley High. He was standing on a chair on the sideline, right between the students and the line and watched Kurt carefully cross the line to confirm he had been bullied because of his sexuality.

Today had been refreshing and real ever since they entered the gym, greeted by pumped-up teachers and the two happily jumping challenge day leaders: Blaine and Quinn. They weren't even much older than most of the students, early twenties tops, but they knew exactly what to do and to say to the student body. It was going to be a day of getting to know everyone else for real.

Quinn had told a story about her baby and how she got through the hell of it, being thrown out of her house and left to raise the baby alone. She explained the ice-berg theory, how they only knew people on the surface, but not what was underneath the water.

Blaine had been the second one to tell something about him and Kurt wasn't going to lie that Blaine was making him all fluttery inside with his handsome features and magical smile.

"If you really knew me." he started. "You would know that I don't have a good relationship with my father." He told the story of how he felt like he was invisible at home and that he always had the urge to help people, and therefore became a challenge day leader.

Next up they were asked to sit in their groups and do the same - tell something about themselves that would make the people really know them, happy or sad - didn't matter what. But as much as the day was about acceptance, Kurt found himself in the group with his biggest tormentor Dave Karofsky, a football player with his only goal in life to make Kurt miserable.

Soon enough it was his turn and he took a deep breath.

"If you really knew me," he looked around the group and stopped at Karofsky, who had told a story about the pressure to keep his popularity up, "you would know my dad is the most important person in my life." He talked about the time he was in the hospital and at the end he even got a pet on the back from the girl next to him he had never really talked to.

"Okay guys!" Blaine shouted across the gym. "We're going to the peak of today - crossing the line - so if everyone could gather up here please." They were told that if they felt the statement applied to them, they had to cross the line. People that didn't have to cross it would raise their hands and make the love-sign.

Kurt had to cross the line three times: once at the general question of being bullied, the second time at losing one of their parents (and was shocked some other people joined him) and now the third time, because of his sexuality. And he was crossing it all alone.

He waited for Blaine to tell him to cross back, but Blaine kept his eye on the students, shocked at the lack of love-showing hands.

Please, send me back, Kurt thought desperately, but instead Blaine jumped of his chair and walked to the front of the students, almost blending in with them. Then he looked straight up to Kurt,  clenching his fist around the microphone and started to walk towards him.

Blaine was crossing the line.

The students were muttering again and Quinn told them to be quiet.

Kurt watched him step over the line, remembering how Quinn was amongst the students and crossed the line herself at a statement that applied to her. Blaine was doing the same and had his eyes on Kurt. A small quirk on Blaine's lips assured him what he knew what he was doing and soon enough he was standing next to Kurt, grabbing his hand quickly and held it against his heart.

Kurt stared at their entwined hands, feeling the soft fabric of Blaine's shirt, but also his heart pounding against his chest, telling him Blaine wasn't that composed on the inside. In his other hand he raised his microphone.

"If you really knew me." he said and his voice spread through the entire gym. "You would know that when I was fourteen, I was beaten to living crap because I took a boy to a dance." Kurt gasped and Blaine tightened his grip on his hand. "You would know that I was forced out of my school and transferred to another one, because I am gay."

Kurt scooted closer, wanting to wrap Blaine into a hug, but Blaine wasn't done talking yet.

"Seeing this." He nodded at the students across him. "Makes me doubt whether you all understand the true meaning of today. This brave young man," his head jerked to Kurt, "crossed the line because he dared to tell you he felt threatened at school because of who he is and you don't even dare to praise his courage."

Kurt looked sidelines to the teachers, not in the least surprised they were just standing there.

"So please," Blaine continued, "be brave yourself and show this wonderful young man he is not alone and raise your hands to show love."

Blaine's face was hard, tightening the grip on his microphone as well on Kurt's hand. Then a rumble of shock went through the crowd as Dave Karofsky raised his hand and signed love. He ignored his football friends asking what he was doing and kept his hand sturdy in the air.

Kurt gasped at the effect it had: more and more people raised their hands signing love and Santana even walked forward, crossing the line with her head high - followed by Brittany who was probably supporting Santana more than actually understanding the question.

He reached out to Santana, grasping her hand in his free one and held it to his heart as Blaine did with his, ignoring the odd angle.

That's how they stood together, watching the students of McKinley High raise their hands until Quinn said through her microphone that people who had crossed the line could come back and that they moving on to the last part of the day.

The last part of the day consisted a moment of truth and apologizing. It was a lot of girls telling sorry to other girls, but the gym turned completely silent when Karofsky walked up to Blaine. He whispered something to him and Blaine raised his microphone.

"Kurt? Could you come up here, please?"

At first he was stiffened on his seat, but was stared at by dozens of eyes and stood up to walk to Blaine and Dave.

"Kurt," Blaine said, "Dave has something to say to you. Floor is yours, Dave." He handed Karofsky the microphone and Kurt was frightened to the core of his heart.

"Kurt." Dave said. "I know that we are everything except friends and I know that everybody knows I bully you the most, but after today..." He took a deep breath. "I wanted to take this opportunity to say I'm sorry what I did and that I hope after today we can maybe... start building peace and I promise to keep myself from bullying you. I understand if you don't want to forgive me, but maybe... in the future."

He lowered the microphone and Kurt flicked his eyes from Dave to Blaine, who smiled at him encouraging. Kurt felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to find Quinn holding out her microphone. He accepted it, trying to find the words before raising it to his mouth.

"Yes. In the future." he muttered and Blaine was grinning widely now, taking over both Dave's as Kurt's microphone.

"Show Dave and Kurt some love, people!" he shouted and declared the day to almost done. "Everybody get a piece of paper and let someone pin it to your back, we have loads of markers here and I want everybody to sign other people's papers with a nice message to remember this day!"

Kurt groveled at the pins going through his jacket, but eventually had a paper on his back and a marker in his hand, writing something on Rachel Berry's paper.

Someone tapped him on the back and Santana stood there with a marker in her hands, forcing him to bend over a little so she could write something. Without realizing it, a line had formed behind him, everyone eager to write something on his back and after he thought every single person of McKinley was done, someone else walked up to him with a marker in his hand.

"Turn around." Blaine grinned and Kurt felt the blush creep up his neck when Blaine held his back straight with one hand and started to write with his other. There was one final swoop before Blaine said he was done.

"Thank you." Kurt said with a smile and Blaine understood it was for more than just signing his back.

"You're welcome." Blaine winked and walked towards to stage to declare this successful challenge day to be over.

Everybody was ushered outside the gym, talking to each other about the things that happened and someone squealed behind him.

"Kurt! Kurt! Look at your back!" Rachel said with another squeak.

"I can't look at my back, Rachel!"

He felt hands detach the paper on his back and Rachel handed it to him. A smile formed on his lips while reading the sweet messages but then his eye caught a little message in the lower corner.

COURAGE! xBlaine was written in a sloppy handwriting together with a cellphone number.

Days after Kurt was still smiling.