Chapter 1-You Won't Believe What Happened

"Damn you, Finn," Kurt muttered. He noticed it was starting to rain so he walked back into the entrance to the mall. Kurt's car was in his father's shops waiting for parts that his dad had regretfully informed him would not be arriving from some place in Asia for at least three weeks. Dad and Carole were visiting her sister for the day and evening and Finn was supposed to be Kurt's ride home from the mall and back to Dalton. Finn had not answered his phone or responded to a text message in several hours.

Kurt hated taking the bus. He saw the big white behemoth pull into the far side of the parking lot and he snuck back outside careful to keep himself, his perfectly done hair, and his bags and packages under the awning as he dug in his pocket for some change. He'd make a run for it in a moment.

Suddenly, he felt his packages ripped from his hands and his own self being thrown back against the glass door.

Some guy he'd never even met snarled "Faggot." The other guy was stomping in a puddle. On top of Kurt's bags.

Then suddenly a McKinley letter jacket slammed one of the guys into the decorative concrete block retaining wall. "Leavehimalone!"

The two thugs ran off and Kurt looked up to yell at Finn for being late and looked right at Dave Karofsky.

"What?" Kurt said, shaking. "Did you chase those two assholes off so you could finish me off yourself?"

Dave Karofsky hated the mall. So, after picking up a new battery for his cell phone he had started to make a quick exit. And that's when he saw Kurt emerge from Abercrombie and Fitch. What Dave didn't understand is why he started following Kurt around the mall. It was kind of fun to play secret agent spy but even Dave had a sneaking suspicion that his curiosity had ulterior motives.

Instead of answering Kurt's question, Dave picked up the bags by their white wire handles and passed them back to Kurt. Most of the bags were wet. Kurt pulled out a shirt from the bag that was so wet it was practically disintegrating.

"This was a dolce and Gabana…You wouldn't believe the deal I got on this shirt."

"A what?" Dave asked.

"A Dolce and Gabana." Kurt paused dramatically. "Never mind."

Then, Kurt heard the diesel rumble of his bus pulling out of the parking lot. So now, not only was everything he bought ruined (okay, he was an expert at laundry-he could probably fix most of the damage- but he wasn't going to let reason interfere with being a drama queen-even if it was just in his own head) now he has to wait for the next bus. And be sitting prey for the next homophone to come along. No, I will not cry, Kurt promised himself.

"That your bus?" Karofsky asked.

"I'm going to kill Finn!" Kurt replied. Why did this guy never make any sense? Dave wondered.

"My car's in the shop. My dad is hanging out with Carole's family. Finn is supposed to be my ride and he's obviously lost or misplaced his phone."

"Do you want a ride?" Karofsky asked, surprisingly them both with his offer.

There was a beat. "This isn't a case of moving the victim to a second location?"

Huh?

"Yes. Thank you."

Karofsky grabbed a few of Kurt's bags. None of them were heavy. All clothes apparently. And led him to his small, red truck.

"Hop in." Karofsky invited. What he didn't invite was for Kurt to spread his wet, soiled purchases over the seat and dash as if the tiny Toyota were a laundry mat. But Dave was surprised that he found this amusing rather than worthy of a pummeling.

He drove Kurt home, realizing too late, and hoping that Kurt wouldn't notice, that he didn't need to ask directions. Most of the ten-minute ride was spent in uncomfortable silence. Finn's car was not in the driveway when they got back to the house.

"He's supposed to be my ride back to Dalton!" Kurt said. "I hate this day!"

"I can drive you." Another surprise for both of them.

"Dalton is in Westerville." Kurt offered and then sighed. "It's almost an hour and a half away."

Dave shrugged. "That's fine."

Kurt couldn't believe he was actually considering this. After all the things Karofsky had done to him. But if he had wanted to hurt him, the bully had already had plenty of opportunity. And Kurt knew Karofsky's secret. There was a part of him that wondered if the other boy wanted-needed-to talk or something. Why else the offer?
"Thanks. I'll grab my bag. I'm already packed."

Kurt was gone only minutes. He was afraid, Karofsky would change his mind and disappear ending his opportunity to get back to Dalton at a reasonable hour. Kurt was hungry. He should have had dinner at the mall but he could eat when he got back to Dalton. He grabbed a couple cookies our of Carole's cookie jar. Then he grabbed a couple more for Karofsky.

Actually, Karofsky talked very little during the ride. He didn't talk at all about –that. Karofsky offered him control of the radio and after a few more moments of uncomfortable silence Kurt talked almost non-stop for the rest of the drive. He actually found Karofsky an appreciative audience. The jock-bully, don't forget bully- laughed at all of Kurt's stories and seemed to find the younger countertenor completely entertaining. Kurt did love himself an appreciative audience. He even sang along to one of the songs on the radio and not even that seemed to bother Karofsky.

"Your different outside of school." Kurt observed-this being the closest either came to acknowledging anything that had happened between them.

Karofsky had only shrugged. Then said, "I'm hungry. I'm going to pull off and go to McDonald's. Do you want anything?"

"No!' Kurt said a little too strongly. "And you shouldn't either. Do you know how bad McDonald's is for you? What it can do to your skin? Not to mention all the other parts of your body?"

"It tastes good. I like it." Karofsky replied.

"I have a better idea." Kurt offered. "There is a malt shop in a couple more exits. It serves burgers and fries but is a real restaurant. I'll buy us dinner to thank you for the ride."

It suddenly occurred to Kurt that maybe Karofsky had chosen McDonald's for the drive-thru. That he wouldn't want to eat in a sit down restaurant with someone who is obviously gay and that would make whatever internalized crap Karofsky was dealing with come violently bubbling to the surface but the linebacker simply nodded.

The two actually had a good time at dinner. Karofsky did get a burger and fries. Kurt chose the Caesar salad but he did splurge and join Karofsky in having a malt with his meal.

Karofsky dropped Kurt off at the door to Dalton. Whistling a little at how fancy the school was. "I know." Kurt said packing his new purchases into his bag. "But it's a good school. I like it here. Thanks for the ride. I appreciate it."

Karofsky just nodded. "See you around, Hummel." Dave wanted to add. "I'd help you out anytime." But of course, he didn't.