A lack of communication
Keep walking. That was all he needed to do. Eventually they would get bored, perhaps find someone else they could ridicule and taunt because they weren't willing to blend into the sea of normality they were forced to conform to. But Blaine Andersen was willing to blend in; he just didn't know how. The jocks knew this, that's why they were following him like bloodhounds. That's what they were, they could literally smell vulnerability. "What's up, faggot?" David Karofsky jeered, "You in a hurry?" The chorus of laughter from his 'cronies', as Kurt had branded them, made Blaine cringe. He knew what was coming next. The onslaught of abuse, the product of their persistence. Blaine would turn round and reply because his stupid temper would make him; that would cause it. "Come on, we just want to have a chat with you!" It wasn't Karofsky this time. He didn't know who it was. Should he turn round? He could run if he wanted to. "What do you want from me?" Blaine spun round, unable to block it out. A satisfied smirk crossed the jocks' faces and he felt the anger churn in his stomach. "Like we said, a chat" Dave chuckled. Blaine put his hand outward and by his hips, a gesture for them to carry on. "Why are you so gay?" One of the shorter, stockier boys asked, cueing the guffaws from the rest of the group. Blaine shrugged. "I was born this way, no reason, it's just me" he responded, slightly thrown by the surprisingly civil nods and almost interested expressions. Not Karofsky though. He stood there, looking disgusted and smug. "Are you sure it can't be kicked out?" He asked sourly. Blaine rolled his eyes and turned around, starting the block-out 'walk of shame' again. "Don't turn your back on me Andersen!" Karofsky yelled, pulling Blaine down by the collar and slamming him into the locker. Blaine slid down into a squat, his vision blurred by throbbing in the back of his head. "If you're not gonna' tell me, I'll have to test it out won't I!" Karofsky growled the last words and kicked Blaine hard in the face. "Oh God, please stop!" Blaine half sobbed and half screamed, his mouth full of blood. He spat it out, letting it all drop into his lap along with two teeth; one canine and one premolar. The taste and image made him gag into his sleeve but it was cut short by another blinding kick in the ribs. He was going to be found. Kurt would see that he wasn't in after-school Glee club and would come looking...right? "I'm begging you, stop" Blaine was full-on crying now. The tears cut lines through the slick layer of blood on his face. Another blow came into his stomach, winding him and heightening the nausea. "Come on Karofsky, leave him here" One of the guys said, dragging him away, but not quick enough to stop Karofsky spitting in Blaine's face, and then following the rest. Blaine sobbed as he passed out, bloodied and beaten in the corridor.
"Blaine?" Kurt called out down the corridor. No answer. He started to walk, speeding up when concern kicked in. Blaine was never late for practice, especially this close to regionals. He had turned up when he was ill, he had cancelled visits to Italy with his family, all just to turn up. "Bl- HOLY JESUS!" Kurt screamed as he saw him, slumped over and bleeding heavily. "Oh God, sweetie?" Kurt shook lightly on Blaine's shoulders. Nothing. Checking his pulse, Kurt sighed with the most relief he had ever felt. "FINN, HELP!" Kurt shouted, knowing that Finn was probably the only one big enough to carry Blaine, who although he was small, was really freaking heavy. Finn came jogging down the corridor, followed by Puck and Rachel, who all gasped simultaneously. "Oh my Lord, is he alright?" Rachel asked, clasping her hands over her mouth in shock. "Honestly, Berry...does he look alright?" Puck turned on her, protective and almost angry. "He's alive" Kurt whispered to himself. He was shocked that he was! The pool of blood on the floor beside him was enough to tell him otherwise. "Dude, call an ambulance!" Finn said loudly, shaking him from his bubble. Kurt nodded and pulled out his iPhone. He dialled 911, feeling strange having to actually do it. "Please, can you help me?" Kurt breathlessly begged the dispatcher.
"Go on sweetheart, calm down first"
"M-My boyfriend, I don't know what's happened but h-he's covered in blood, a few of his teeth are missing...please help!"
"I swear to Godiva, I'm gonna' run over a lot of toes when we get back." Artie growled into his 'Hello' magazine. Santana huffed in agreement and continued braiding Brittany's hair. "I think someone hurt him" Tina whispered, a slight air of caution in her voice. Mike raised his eyebrows as if to ask why. "Because...there is a freaking footprint on his face!" Puck pointed out, almost shouting and standing up. "How the hell did we not notice that?" Kurt just shook his head and swallowed the information. It was clear now. They had all just sat there, in the hospital room, not seeing the purple shoe tread bruise on Blaine's battered face. "Wait a second..." Artie wheeled over and brushed the tips of his fingers lightly over the bruise. "I know those sneakers when I see them, the limited edition Nike 6's" Artie's identification sprung something in Santana's memory. "Hey, Karofsky didn't stop speaking about those. He is like the only one with those shoes." She snarled shrilly. He was also the only one with a big problem with Blaine. "I will rip his kneecaps out" Artie declared proudly. "There will be no kneecap ripping going on!" The group all turned round to meet the voice. "Mr Schue?" Tina said, confusion spreading over her face. "Karofsky confessed, he's being temporarily excluded." Schuester informed. "Temporarily? Tempor-freaking-arily?" Kurt shouted, obviously irate, the colour was rising in his cheeks. Mr.S shrugged apologetically. "It was the best we could get" He changed the subject "Is he ok?" Will rose up onto his tiptoes, trying to get a better look past the mountain that was Finn. Finn shuffled out of the way muttering apologies. "Holy crap" Mr.S said monotonously, clapping a hand over his mouth. "They said he has a few broken ribs, a collapsed lung, whiplash and a fractured cheekbone." Listing Blaine's injuries made Kurt's tears impossible to hold, made his voice shake. Mercedes pulled him into her arms. "Don't worry...he's a fighter"
"What happened, Kurt?" Blaine croaked groggily, burying his face into Kurt's chest; the light made him feel sick. "Karofsky beat you up and left you to bleed" Kurt explained, to angry to sugar-coat. "Oh...what did I do?" Blaine asked tentatively, not sure if he wanted to remember. "Absolutely nothing, he did it because of his own sick fear of anything unknown" Mike answered, looking like he had a bad taste in his mouth. "My head hurts" he groaned putting his hands up to his eyes, then wincing and putting them down again. Kurt frowned. It was like he felt Blaine's pain. It was only Mike, Tina, Brittany and Kurt in the room now but Blaine felt like a thousand eyes were on him. He didn't mind, he was just happy this hadn't happened to Kurt.