As Kurt lays curled up in his bed his heart is beating to the rhythm of the passing train on the tracks, a million thoughts are running through his head like that of the carriages attached to the train. He wonders why did this happen to him. He knows why, he just wants to believe there's some other underlining reason. The past events begin to flash through his mind like a perfectly clear thunder storm. Closing his eyes to watch back what happened in his head almost like his eyes had recorded the whole scene, keeping his eyes open to just see the invisible face staring back at him, the face of whom did this to him. A face he would never forget.
"Hey Kurt" came the familiar voice of Mercedes as Kurt stood in front of the mirror in his locker fixing his hair.
"Hey Merc" Kurt called back, trying not to lose concentration, his hair is almost perfect.
"I hope you've got your prom outfit sorted, I'm nowhere near ready with mine. I'm gonna need you to come to the mall with me to help me pick, I'm thinking red or pink?"
"Definitely red, pink was so last year. Red will appreciate your skin tone more, I'm thinking diamante crystals with a gorgeous broach and some lace, lace is so in this year since Kate Middleton's wedding."
"What would I do without you Kurt, anyway I said I'd meet Sam by the fountain so I'll see you at glee club."
Kurt dazed in his own thoughts forgot to reply, his head full of ideas for the prom. The truth was Kurt hadn't even started on his outfit, he didn't even know if was going to go to prom. Nobody had asked him to be his date. He was the only openly gay kid at school and this did not help matters at all.
"Hey Lady" called the school bully Karofsky as he pushed Kurt into the lockers.
"Found your dress yet, Lady?" Karofsky said menacingly before taking a punch at Kurt's stomach leaving him breathless and numb. Kurt remained crouched on the floor, waiting for Karofsky to go.
Kurt constantly told himself it would get better, but who was he kidding, it wouldn't. Things just seemed to get worse by the day, people would give him funny looks as he walked down the corridor and would 'accidently' barge past him.
Kurt was always happy during glee club, glee club was the club for the 'misfits' or the 'social rejects' and Kurt felt comfortable being himself there. Kurt loved musical theatre and was able to express himself through music. The problem with glee club was Kurt enjoyed it so much that the classes went so fast that by the time he'd just begun to really get into it the class was over. Kurt ended the class by belting out a beautiful rendition of 'Rose's Turn by Ethal Merman'. Kurt was an emotional train wreck by the end of the song, everyday Kurt would convince himself he was going to be strong and that everything was all going to be okay, but the tough reality was it wasn't. Kurt just wanted somebody to hug him and tell him it was all going to be okay.
Mercedes was Kurt's best friend but he didn't want to rely on her for everything, he needed other people to be able to be open with. He wanted to talk somebody who understood what he's going through and would be able to tell him everything was going to be fine.
Kurt met Mercedes at 'Gowns for All' in Lima Mall, he took a seat in front of the changing room door with his legs crossed ready to critique the beautiful or disastrous outfits Mercedes was going to come out in. The first outfit was a stunning elegant rose red fitted dress which really complimented her figure, Mercedes wasn't a small petite girl but this dress made her look really good.
"You look fabulous Mercedes!" cried Kurt, spelling out the word fabulous to her for dramatic effect.
"I'm not sure Kurt, I feel like if I bend down my booty's gonna do some poppin' outta this dress!"
Mercedes waddled back into the changing rooms; Kurt could hear her clambering around in the changing rooms. Perhaps she was trying to take the dress off whilst standing up Kurt thought to himself.
"Ready!" screamed Mercedes as she pulled open the changing room curtain dramatically as if it was some big unveiling. This dress was a pale red with a ruched effect stitch and it had a beautiful corset back which really complimented her figure once again. Kurt thought it could do with some tweaking, some glitz and glam here and there then it would be perfect. This was the dress.
Kurt fiercely spent the next two hours at home finalising his touches on Mercedes dress, he'd added some diamante crystals and put some elegant lace around the strapless arms just to treat his Kate Middleton obsession he had going on at the moment. Kurt still hadn't begun to work on his own outfit, he wasn't even sure if he was going yet. He didn't want to let Mercedes down because she was looking forward to going with him and Sam. That was the problem. Sam. Kurt didn't want to be left out by Sam and Mercedes even though she constantly told him he wouldn't be but Kurt failed to believe this.
Kurt relaxed on his bed after finally finishing the dress, he lay gazing at ceiling with thousands of thoughts swimming through his head. Would he go to prom? Would he let Karofsky pick on him tomorrow? Would he stand up to him finally? Should he tell his dad about Karofsky?
Kurt had thought for a long time about telling his dad about Karofsky, but Kurt didn't want to upset his dad. Burt, Kurt's dad cared a lot about Kurt and he saw Kurt being gay as a reason for people to pick on him. The last thing Kurt wanted to do was worry him, especially with what had happened the previous year with his dad falling ill and him having to take it easy from now on. All this thinking was too much to handle, Kurt closed his eyes and fell asleep.
It was Friday, the day of the prom. Kurt slowly got dressed and readied himself for the day ahead. He had no idea what to expect today, other than being pushed into the locker and teased by Karofsky.
By 4th period Kurt had already been called 'Lady' by Karofsky, pushed into his locker numerous times and had his bag emptied on the hallway floor.
"You shouldn't let them do that to you, Kurt." Said Quinn Fabray the leader of the Cheerio's.
It bemused Kurt that Quinn Fabray had just spoken to him. Quinn was the most popular girl in school, and she had just spoken to him. Why?
"I've become accustom to it." Kurt said awkwardly, not knowing whether to make eye contact or not so instead stared at her shoes and thought to himself 'Louboutin's, fabulous.'
"I've seen you perform in glee club Kurt, you're really good. You shouldn't let people push you around like that. You're probably one of the bravest people I know, coming to school every day knowing that people like Karofsky are going to push you around. It's a shame not everybody admires your courage Kurt."
For the first time this year Kurt smiled, a real smile, one that wasn't forced or faked, it was real.
As Kurt looked up from picking up his books from the floor he saw a pair of blue sneakers approach him, great it's Karofsky. Kurt prepared himself for what was about to happen by taking a deep breath. Instead a hand gestured out in front of him, Kurt didn't know what to do but looked up at the face who was gesturing it, it wasn't Karofsky it was Finn Hudson. The quarter back of the football team, the popular boy and boyfriend of Quinn Fabray. Kurt didn't know whether to take it. A sudden flush of panic came across Kurt; he'd just been talking to Finn's girlfriend.
"I'm sorry Finn; she just started talking to me. She, I mean Quinn. I'm sorry." Kurt quickly and awkwardly recited to Finn.
"It's okay man, I came over to offer you my hand to pull you up." Smiled Finn.
Pulling Kurt up Finn picked up the last few books on the floor, smiled at Kurt then walked off.
In the space of 5 minutes Kurt had genuinely smiled and had a glimmer of hope that for once, everything was going to be okay.
Kurt was thrilled when school was over, he had exactly 4 hours until prom, 4 hours to make and prepare his outfit. Kurt was going to the prom.
Kurt spent the first hour planning and designing, the second hour getting all the fabrics and sequins to perfect size and the final two hours sewing and fitting it. Kurt decided to debut the columbia blue shirt he had bought with an over the top sparkly bow tie which he spent 10 minutes trying to align perfectly. He decided on pin stripped ash grey trousers with a ash grey waist coast and to top it all off a black top hat with a pale red flower to match Mercedes dress.
The limo arrived at Kurt's house at 7:45pm; Mercedes and Sam were already in the limo. Sam looked very handsome in his black tailor suit and his small bow tie, which he hadn't done up to create the actual bow. Mercedes looked fabulous and thanked Kurt once again for putting some finishing touches on the dress. After a few sodas and a sing along to Katy Perry's 'Last Friday Night' which would probably have been more suited to sing next Friday, they arrived at prom at 8pm sharp.
As they left the limo and entered Mickenleigh High the main hall was draped in red and white silk sheets with a huge black chandelier at the centre of the room. There were roughly 30 tables set out each seating 5 people, the tables had gold plated vases with a bouquet of an arrangement of flowers in each. The tables faced the dance floor which faced the stage, the dance floor wasn't as big as anticipated but people never danced at any of the dances Kurt had been to so he didn't have high hopes for the prom either.
Kurt, Mercedes and Sam took their seats at the table they'd been assigned upon arrival and set their belongings in the cloak room which was being run by Noah Puckerman who was known to steal people's belongings and spent most of the time drinking liquor whilst pretending to put the coats on the hangers.
After a few dances to the 'Cha cha slide' and the 'Macarena' Kurt decided to call it night, he was pleased that he had shown his face and had a good time but was ready to get into his pyjamas and watch The Notebook curled up in bed. Kurt said his goodbyes and made his way home; because he had left early he couldn't get the limo home as they had agreed to all be picked up by it together.
Kurt only lived a few streets from Mickenleigh so it wasn't a very long walk, Kurt took the usual route through the side streets to make the journey home as quick as possible; he was freezing.
He was walking down Merald Street when he saw a group of boys gathered at the end of the street, Kurt thought about taking the longer route home but he had texted his dad saying he'd be home in 10 minutes so didn't want to keep his dad waiting, his dad was the biggest worrier ever after all. Kurt kept his head down as he walked past, trying to avoid trouble, trying to not give them a reason to say anything. But they did.
"Hey Lady" screamed the familiar voice of Karofsky.
Kurt's heart skipped ten beats; everything around him froze including himself. Kurt knew what was going to happen but he couldn't move, he was physically and mentally frozen.
"Hey Lady, nice dress" said Karofsky and he started to push Kurt down to the ground. Karofsky's friends joined in punching and kicking Kurt as well as yelling homophobic abuse whilst he was on the ground. Kurt was still frozen, he felt like he'd just been put to sleep but was wide awake and couldn't move. It was so surreal it was like a dream, he was expecting to wake up any minute after dozing off during The Notebook, but this wasn't a dream. It was real life.
Why me Kurt thought to himself, why are they doing this to me? Kurt knew why, it was because he was gay. 'Fag' 'Homo' just a few of the words Kurt heard as he lay completely still on the floor, the only movement being that of when they hit him so hard it forced his body to move.
Each punch left Kurt with a tingling feeling where he'd been hit, he wanted to get up and run but he couldn't. His body wouldn't let him. Kurt kept telling himself it'd all be over in a minute and they'd go away, but five minutes passed, ten minutes, twenty minutes and Kurt was still on the floor being beaten. Kurt looked up and saw straight into Karofsky's eyes, a sickening evil look of enjoyment rang through them. This would be a face Kurt would never forget.
The yell of a nearby neighbour made Karofsky and his friends stop hitting Kurt as they ran off.
"Hey, I got over here as quick as I could are you okay? Do you want me to call anybody?" said the middle aged man with brown hair and glasses.
"No, it's fine. I'm okay." Mumbled Kurt as he got to his feet and began to stumble home.
Arriving home Kurt went straight to his room, shut the door and got into his bed.
"How was prom Kurt?" his dad called up to him
"Yeah, it was great." Lied Kurt.
Kurt lie in silence for what felt like an eternity.