Very few noteworthy events ever happened in Lima, so graduation was just an excuse for everyone in town to dress up and gossip. The auditorium had proven to be useless against the gathering masses, and not for the first time in McKinley history, they were forced to move the ceremony outside to the football field. A rented stage had been built out in the center of the field, and everyone's mother, father, third cousin, and elderly neighbor crowded into the bleachers on this sweltering mid-May afternoon.
Inside the gymnasium, students pulled their gowns on over dress clothes and shed tears here and there as they hugged every acquaintance and enemy as if they had been the best of friends. A few last minute signatures were collected in yearbooks that were, for once, not filled with scribbles over faces and rude language.
It's a symptom of all High School Graduations, really. Fresh from the oddly unifying Senior Trip, and on the threshold of the empty unknown, nearly everyone clings to what is familiar, even if they had hated every second of it until this moment.
Kurt Hummel didn't feel the 'Grad Fever' that everyone else did. As he fiddled with the yellow tassel in his hand, he only felt a sense of deep emptiness, and an overpowering desire to run from this place and never look back.
Nearby, Rachel had stopped chatting with him in order to give a warm hug to Jacob Ben Israel and tell him what a wonderful person he was, and wish him all the best in his future as a journalist.
Kurt had to try very hard not to smack her across the face and remind her of the boy's weasel-y ways.
Noah Puckerman found them and Rachel turned to her boyfriend with a tearful smile. He hesitated only for a moment before lifting her up and twirling her around, both their robes fluttering slightly as he did. When he placed her feet back on the floor, he didn't let her go. "New York sucks ass, stay with me."
She let out a sharp, tear-choked laugh, and hugged him back. "If I said yes you'd pick me up and put me on the plane yourself."
They had spent months agonizing over their future and Rachel's career, and finally agreed that a long distance relationship was the only thing to do. They both realized it wouldn't work, and no one had the heart to say it aloud. Puck knew that if he ever pulled out his grandmother's ring and fell to his knee, Rachel would stay. But he loved her too much to let her dreams not come true.
"You two are disgusting."
Quinn voiced Kurt's own thoughts as she rushed up, flying into Rachel's arms just as Puck released her. The two impacted hard enough to make Rachel stumble back a few steps, but she held onto Quinn, her face buried in the blonde hair. "I'm going to miss you, Q."
"Shut up, I'll come visit you every chance I get." She gave her one last squeeze and then pulled back just enough to smile into her eyes, pride shining from every inch of her. "I told you that you didn't belong here."
Kurt looked away from them, across the gym floor. Such goodbyes were happening everywhere. Endless hugs, tearful kisses. A part of him wished he was a part of what they were all feeling. A part of him wished that he would miss this. But he wouldn't.
He stopped scanning the crowd when his eyes fell on Santana Lopez, standing on her tiptoes, arms clutched around David Karofsky's neck as he leaned down awkwardly into her death grip. Tears were streaming from her face and she was speaking to him in rushed, harsh Spanish. From what Kurt remembered from Schuster's class, she was telling him that if they didn't continue to hang out and remain friends after today, she would track him down and pull his ribs out one by one with her bare hands. David rubbed slow circles into her back, letting out an uncomfortable laugh. Brittany seemed to be trying to pry him free by peeling each of Santana's fingers loose individually.
"Why are you smiling?" He turned to Mercedes, face all wet, clutching Azimio's hand as she dragged him over with her. "Kurt there is nothing to smile about, this is awful."
Kurt hadn't been away he was smiling actually, but now he forced the expression away as he brushed a bit of his best friend's hair behind her ear. "Baby girl, it is just graduation. Life goes on. I promise."
"Yeah, with you in New York and me all alone!"
"Alone? What the hell-"
She ignored her boyfriend's offended tone as she released his hand to throw her arms around Kurt dramatically. "I can't believe you're leaving me!"
He laughed softly despite trying to hold back, and gave her one squeeze before pushing her gently away. "Sweetheart, we're going to talk on the phone every night, Skype constantly, and I'll be flying in for your birthday and any major holiday. You're still my bestie."
She drew back and wiped the back of her hand against her face, nodding sourly. "If you forget about me I'll never forgive you, damn it."
She stomped away, and Azimio just shrugged and followed.
Kurt shook his head and laid his cap on the ground by his feet, finally unfolding his gown. The travesty had to go on over his beautiful suit some time. As soon as he had it over his head he was lost in the sea of maroon. He struggled for a few very long moments, horrified at the idea of anyone watching the awkward wriggling blob. He heard a deeply amused laugh and felt an extra set of hands tugging on the fabric.
David was still laughing when Kurt's head finally poked free. "Having a little trouble there, Fancy?"
Kurt barely resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at the boy. "I would've been fine on my own."
"That's what every damsel in distress says." He looked much too proud of himself.
Still, Kurt smiled. "Ah, lucky for me the big strong hero saw fit to rescue me."
"I'm always happy to rescue you."
Emma Pillsbury's voice was just barely heard about the crowd. "Alright everyone, be getting into your places please! Remember who's in front of and behind you. Please don't attempt to stand with your friends or-" She trailed off, squeakily muttering something about chaos as Will tried to hide his chuckle behind his hand.
Kurt began to head closer to the front of the crowd, and Dave draped an arm around his shoulder as they walked. No one blinked an eye. It was no longer an uncommon sight to see the two of them walking down the hall together or sitting close and speaking in hushed tones. Of course now that David was out, there were the ever popular rumors of a budding romance, but both boys ignored them with ease. Their friendship, close as it was, was still a new and fragile thing. No reason to go leaping into dangerous waters.
Blaine Anderson positively bounced up to them, grinning wildly. "I'm so excited, aren't you guys excited? I am so excited."
David shook his head. "Dapper, you're not supposed to be in here, this is grads only. Guests have already been seated."
"Oh, pish posh. I wanted to see everyone before you put your grown-up faces on." He slammed into them both, pulling the taller boys down into his very short embrace. They eyed each other behind his head, sharing in their loving annoyance. Just as quickly he released them and hopped back a step, still grinning. "Kurt, I cannot wait to get to New York, can you? You, me, and Rachel are going to have so much fun!"
Kurt couldn't help notice David swallow hard and look away.
He forced a smile. "Yes, Blaine darling, we are. And if we're super lucky we'll find you a boyfriend with more energy than you have so he can tire you out." He linked his arm with Dave's, and it was enough to draw the boy's eyes back to his as they walked on. "Don't look so forlorn."
"I'm really happy for you, Fancy."
Kurt waited for him to say something more, but he didn't. They reached Kurt's spot in line, and on impulse he turned to the boy and fell against his chest. "I'm going to miss you, too."
David put his arms around Kurt, and rested his chin on the other's head. After a moment he pulled away. "I'll be right back, don't move."
"Um… okay."
Kurt stood there, looking around, as Dave ran to his backpack leaned up against the far wall. After just a second he returned, holding something behind his back. He was smiling a different smile than usual, and Kurt wasn't sure what name to put on it.
"I… I'm not mad anymore that you don't remember, but I-" He paused, looked down, smiled bigger. Finally he met Kurt's eyes and extended his hand. In it was a rather old, rather fuzzy, floppy brown teddy bear. "I never forgot."
Kurt Hummel froze. He didn't know what to say, what to think, what to do. He wasn't convinced he knew how to breathe. Somehow he managed to reach out and take the bear. David's eyes lit up at the recognition in Kurt's eyes, but Emma called out again and he ran back the way they'd come to his own assigned place in the line.
He looked down at the bear. It looked the same, exactly the same. And as he clutched it to his chest, almost desperately, it felt the same.
How could he have forgotten?