Kurt stared after Dave's retreating back, his eyes wide in shock. He knew he was pushing him too quickly, trying to force his confession out before Dave was ready, but he only wanted to help. He wanted Dave to see that being out and honest was much better than torturing yourself into thinking you're something that you're not. He was in the middle of contemplating running after Dave and comforting the distressed jock when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He unglued his eyes from the gym door Dave had exited through and turned, looking directly into his boyfriends eyes.
"May I have this dance?" Blaine asked, his smooth tan hand extended towards Kurt.
He looked at the boys hand and nodded slowly, placing his own pale hand in his boyfriends. Blaine quickly spun them into motion around the dance floor, twirling Kurt and pulling him close, gazing deep into his eyes and dipping him low. Kurt tried not to stumble but keeping up with Blaine was proving harder and harder the more he thought of Dave running out and the look of pure anguish in those hazel eyes. Blaine spun Kurt out, his arms outstretched and began to pull him back in for a tight hug when Kurt's feet stopped moving. He looked back at Blaine, trying as hard as he could to put as much of an apology in his expression as he could.
"I will be right back. I swear." Kurt said and took off towards the exit Dave had used only minutes before.
Kurt quickly turned left in front of Mr. Shue's Spanish classroom, and headed in the direction of the parking lot. "Please don't have left." He thought as he slammed into the doors labeled 'Parking Area B'. He knew there was another lot entirely, but Dave most likely came out this way seeing as how the other lot was on the complete opposite side of the building. The parking lot was mostly filled with cars, only a few spaces empty, and Kurt cursed under his breath. How was he supposed to know if Dave had left or not? He didn't know what car he drove. Before he could beat himself up to much Kurt noticed a black heap sitting at the bottom of the stairs leading to the second lot further down a hill. He squinted as he descended the stairs, wondering if bears were attracted to loud music and terrible tasting punch and if one had decided to crash the McKinley High Junior Prom.
"Dave?" He called, his voice soft so as not to disturb the figure huddled just a few steps below him.
The mass shifted, growing taller, allowing the street lamp to illuminate its features. Dave Karofsky sat with his head in his hands, his shoulders hunched in defeat, as Kurt tip toed his way around the upset boy and sat beside him. Dave looked up at Kurt, half of his face shadowed with only a slight gleam from the street lamps to help the smaller boy see the rest of him.
"Why are you still here?" Kurt said, the words bursting from his lips.
He yelled at himself internally, "That isn't exactly the best thing to say to the kid who just ran out of a crowded gym after being almost forced to claim his homosexuality." But he couldn't help but wait for the answer. He didn't know why Dave was still here. Kurt figured he'd hop in his car and go home, having dealt with enough embarrassment for one night.
Dave lifted his head and looked a Kurt, his eyes opening wide as his eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "Well if you want me gone that badly..." He left the sentence hanging.
"I-I didn't mean it like that. I just figured you'd have gone home by now." He replied, a light blush burning his cheeks and turning them a bright pink.
Dave's face relaxed, "I'm waiting for Santana. I drove her here and I can't just leave her hanging."
Kurt nodded, feeling dumb for not having realized it sooner. Of course he was waiting for Santana; she was his date, no matter how fake, after all. "So, did you have fun?" The smaller boy asked. Kurt turned his head away from Dave and mouthed, "What?" Why was he asking Dave if he had fun? Of course he didn't, the boy had just been humiliated.
"Did you really just ask me if I had fun?" Dave asked, his voice unreadable.
Kurt turned back to him only to notice Dave was staring straight at him, his brows furrowed with a slight smirk playing at the corners of his lips. Nodding again, Kurt lifted his shoulders and dropped them, using body language to say, "I don't even know."
Dave gave a slight chuckle,"I had a blast, Hummel. And the funny thing is, I'm being serious. Up until I was supposed to dance with you, that is. I'm the Prom King." Dave paused for a moment and looked Kurt in the eyes; an emotion Kurt couldn't name playing out in those amazing hazel orbs. "Kurt, I'm sorry for what happened, I mean the Prom Queen thing."
Kurt waved his hand in a dismissive fashion. "Honestly I'm over it. Plus, I'm rocking this crown." He motioned towards the gold plastic halo on his head. He noticed for the first time since he had walked outside that Dave was not wearing his crown. Dave understood why Kurt was staring and pointed to the layer of bushes separating the parking lot from a thick lining of trees. Kurt automatically knew he had thrown it.
They sat in an awkward yet slightly comfortable silence. He knew he had come out to ask Dave why he hadn't danced with him and let the entire school know he wasn't afraid to be honest and let them know he was gay. "I shouldn't have tried to force him" Kurt thought again, guilt spreading through his body. "Not everyone needs to be shoved face first out of the closet. Just because I can walk around proud of who I am, doesn't mean that he can too. God I'm so stupid. I need to tell him I'm sorry, that I didn't mean to force him into anything. Hell, I just told him the other day that he should come out when he's ready and here I am trying to get him to declare himself in front of the entire school."
"When are you going to ask me?"
Kurt was shocked when he heard Dave's voice break through his thoughts. He had been so caught up in trying to form an apology he hadn't noticed the other boy waving his hand in front of his face. Of course he knew what Dave was referring to; why hadn't he asked Dave why he left. Secretly he knew it was because of himself, but he still wanted to hear Dave give his reasoning.
"Ask you what?" He decided playing oblivious would make it seem like he hadn't come out here to question Dave.
"I'm calling bullshit, Hummel. You know what."
"Alright," Kurt said holding his hands up in defense. "Why didn't you tell everyone? It was kind of a perfect moment; being crowned Prom King opposite a male queen, a slow dance with McKinley's only out gay student. It was the best opportunity."
Dave took a deep breath, almost mentally preparing himself, it seemed, to reveal everything to Kurt. He turned sideways so he could look directly at the jock, wanting to read his expressions while listening to the truth.
"You think," he began slowly, "that what you had was bad? I know I was terrible to you, Kurt, trust me, I do, but can you imagine what Azimio and the rest of the team would do to me if they found out I'm gay? You don't have it easy, not by a long shot, but compared to what would be coming to me if I ever came out, it would look like you're getting the royal treatment." He sighed deeply, his shoulders rising and falling greatly with the action. "The football team, the rest of the school, hell, even the Glee club would have it out for me. If your friends ever found out that what I was doing to you was because I was jealous…I can't even imagine. Finn would probably try to kill me before even Azimio got to me."
Kurt stopped breathing. "You were jealous?"
Dave looked at him incredulously. "Of course I was. You were, well are, so comfortable with yourself. You take crap from no one and you tell it like it is. Why wouldn't I be jealous?"
Kurt blushed. That was the closest thing to a compliment Dave had ever given him. "But you're wrong about the glee club. They, we, would have your back. If they found out what you were going through I'm sure it would make a lot more sense to them, not that what you did was right, it'll just become easier to understand."
"Yea, well what about the rest of the school?"
Kurt didn't have an answer. Well, he did, but it wasn't a reassuring one. He knew the entire school would taunt and tease him; the names they would call him behind his back, the fear of not knowing who was around the next corner ready to pummel him. He heard Dave huff, a mumbled reply of "Thought so" barely reaching his ears.
The silence that followed was clearly more uncomfortable than the last. Tension was almost visible in the air as Kurt tried to think of something to say, something helpful.
"You know." He began, noticing how Dave jumped slightly at the sudden noise. "Even if the entire school turns against you, I'll still be here." He blushed, noticing how romantic it sounded.
Dave turned away from him, looking out over the parking lot, trying not to make eye contact.
"You know," Dave said mimicking Kurt, "I doubt you could fend off Azimio, let alone the entire football team. No offense."
"I can try." Kurt said simply, the tone is his voice implying if he had been standing he would have stomped his foot.
Kurt heard a burst of noise come from Dave that sounded like laughing. Dave dropped his head, supporting it with his right hand. It wasn't until droplets of tears began to make dark gray circles on the stairs did Kurt notice Dave was crying. He felt useless. Here Dave was, sobbing next to him and he didn't know what to do. Slowly, so as not to startle him, Kurt put his right hand on Dave's left forearm. It was a simple gesture, but to him and Dave, it was much more. He looked up, his eyes red from crying, at Kurt and attempted a smile. Before he knew what happened, Kurt was comforting a bawling Dave Karofsky who had fallen into his arms, his head resting again Kurt's shoulder. Kurt patted his back and slightly rocked back and forth, though, he was silent. He didn't tell Dave it would be alright or that it was ok, because he knew that whatever road that may lie in front of Dave was not going to be easy. He would have to work through it, but he wouldn't be alone. Kurt would be there with him, as a friend, helping him along the way. Kurt then settled on one phrase and kept repeating it to Dave in a soft whisper as he rubbed soothing circles in his back.
"I'm here, I'll always be here. I'm here," He whispered, meaning every word. "I'll always be here."
Blaine crossed his arms as he looked out the window at his boyfriend and his former bully. Karofsky had just fell into Kurt's arms and looked like he was crying and Kurt didn't seem to mind. He knew he shouldn't be jealous, that Kurt was trying to comfort a fellow student in need and clearly there was nothing to be jealous of, but seeing his boyfriend in the arms of that…that idiotic goon, it was disgusting. He turned on his heel, ready to try and forget what he had just seen, when he noticed a familiar Latina diva leaning against the window next to him. Her eyes were focused on the scene outside as she addressed Blaine.
"You're boyfriend's getting a little cozy out there with my date." Santana said, a smirk toying at her mouth.
"He's just being a good…friend." Blaine had trouble saying the last word.
"Well," She replied quickly, "you might want to keep an eye on your boyfriend, because that ain't no friendship hug there, babe."
Blaine glared at her, not wanting to hear anything else about Kurt and Karofsky, especially from her. He had seen enough and heard enough. He just wanted to forget about it, to let it drift out of his memory so he would never have to think about the jock's meaty hands all over his boyfriend again. He shuddered as he walked past Santana, not bothering with a goodbye. He would make sure that Dave Karofsky would never come near his boyfriend again.