Kurt was being unusually quiet. During Glee club meetings he didn't often say more than a few sarcastic comments, but as Mr. Schuester told his story, he stayed quiet. As they went around, saying what they looked forward to, Kurt fought an internal battle. He wanted to tell them, but the words wouldn't come. The guilty feeling twisted in his gut and rose to his throat. He wanted to speak, but even after all this time, he still feared that he would be judged.

The group had quieted down, all seemingly content, almost happy. But a storm of emotions still wracked it's way through Kurt's body, tearing him up inside until he finally managed to choke out a sound.

“Mr. Schuester's not the only one,” he said. Thirteen heads swiveled to stare at him, and he cast his eyes down. “Junior year for me, too,” he continued. “When things were hitting it's peak with the bullying, sometimes I would lie in bed at night, and it was like someone was whispering in my ear, telling me they were all right, that I should just k-kill myself, that it would make everything easier. I would cry myself to sleep, wishing that I would stop thinking these things. I wanted so badly for all of the humiliation, the pain, the betrayal to stop.

“Finn, when you set up Lady Music Week, it broke my heart a little. You didn't do that for me when I was going through the exact same thing. I understand that you didn't really know how to deal with it back then, and I forgive you for being a crappy brother, but that doesn't mean it didn't still hurt.”

Kurt took a deep breath, and looked around at the faces of his teammates, his friends. Every single one looked back morbidly, some with a few tears. He avoided Blaine's eyes, though.

“When Puck told me that I'd fit right in at the gay prep school,” he heard a choked chuckle from his boyfriends direction, “it was just the final straw. So I went to Dalton, I failed at an attempt of not-really spying, and I met Blaine. For the first time in my life, I had proof that out and proud people really did exist, and I had someone who understood, and who could tell me to my face that all of these bullies wouldn't mean anything to any of us in ten years.”

The entire club was crying now, Kurt especially. His tears dropped down to the stage below at a rapid pace. “It may be the cheesiest thing I've ever said, but if Blaine hadn't been there to support me and care about me when it seemed like no one else did...” Kurt breathed deeply. “I think I can guarantee I would have t-tried s-s-something.”

Kurt was full-on sobbing now. He pulled his knees to his chest and cried into them. He didn't notice anyone had moved until two strong arms wrapped around him. The scent and the feeling of Blaine enveloped him. Kurt latched onto the arms in front of him and held on for dear life.

“Shh, love, you're okay,” he soothed, stroking Kurt's shoulder with his thumb. Kurt shuddered and gasped for a minute more before Blaine stopped him. “Kurt, look at me.”
Kurt pulled back and met his boyfriend's watery eyes with his own.

“I love you, and we're here together now, okay? Everything's fine. You're going to NYADA next year, and then I'm moving out there with you after that. You don't have to worry about those bullies anymore, because you've beaten them. You know that, don't you? You've won, and I am so, so proud to be with you.” Kurt sniffled and buried his face into Blaine's shirt again.

“I love you so much,” he choked out.

“I love you, too.”

Things were going to be okay. High school was hard for everyone, and harder for some than most. But the hardest thing to learn, but what really needs to be held onto, is that there's an entire future waiting, and it gets better. It always does.