Title: Balance
Category: TV Shows ยป Glee
Author: vcg73
Language: English, Rating: Rated: K
Genre: Family/General
Published: 06-28-10, Updated: 06-28-10
Chapters: 1, Words: 1,295
Chapter 1: Chapter 1
"But, Dad!"
"No."
"Dad, please!"
"No, I'm sorry. Every day after school, you come straight home and start hitting those books. No mall, no trips to your friends' houses, no hour-long texting sessions. Nothing until I see these grades pick up."
"But, that isn't fair!"
"Kurt!"
The boy instantly swallowed the next protest when his name was snapped out in that particular tone. Any more attempts at argument and he would be facing worse than a restriction from shopping and socializing. As if there was anything worse. Jutting his chin out and crossing his arms, he sat back harder in his chair and glared at his father just to let him know how mean he was being.
Burt Hummel sighed, removing his cap and scrubbing a hand over his bare scalp. "Kurt," he said again, in a much more moderate tone, "I'm sorry if this seems harsh, but it has to be done. I'm glad you've been having such a good time this year with Glee Club and football and Cheerios and everything, but we had a deal. I told you that you could be involved in as many extra-curriculars as you pleased, as long as you kept your grades steady. And lately, you haven't been keeping up your end of the bargain."
Kurt dropped his gaze. "It's only a couple of classes," he mumbled.
"Try four classes," Burt said bluntly, holding up the page showing his son's current academic record. "You dropped a whole grade in English, Algebra and History, and two grade-levels in French. How could you be getting a C- in French? You speak it better than the teacher does!"
Kurt shrugged one shoulder. He knew that he had not been devoting as much attention to his studies as he should lately, but it had not seemed all that important until now.
"What's going through that head of yours? You used to pull straight A's, every quarter. What's different now? I mean, are the classes harder than they used to be? Do you need a tutor? 'Cause if that's the case you don't have to be ashamed to tell me. I wasn't such a whiz with the books myself and if you need help, I can totally understand that."
Squirming with discomfort at the compassionate offer, he shook his head. "I can do the work, Dad. I just . . ." he paused, face flushing brightly as he admitted, "I just haven't been, lately."
Burt frowned, posture slumping as he leaned forward to rest his forearms on the table that separated him from his son. "Why not? I mean, you sailed right through freshman year and you were doing just as good with this year, at first. What changed?"
Hating that he had to say the words out loud, Kurt nearly whispered, "I have friends now."
The father blinked. "What?"
"Friends," he repeated, louder. "Do you know how many friends I had last year? None. Not one single person, all year long. I was a complete loser and keeping up with all of my classes was easy, because I didn't have anything else to do with my time other than study."
A deep sigh filled Burt's chest at this miserable-sounding confession. "Yeah. And now that you do have some friends, you been sort of making up for lost time, right?"
"I guess."
When his father did not respond, Kurt looked up. He had not intended to say anything more, but the expression of understanding and fathomless love in his dad's pale blue eyes somehow drew the words out anyway.
"This year, with glee club and everything, it's been totally different. Mercedes and Tina and Artie . . . even Finn; they all get who I am and they actually like me, without any demands that I try to be somebody I'm not for them." He could not hide the wonder in his voice as he said this. "Then Coach Sylvester invited me to join the Cheerios, and things got even better. Whenever we have an event or a pep assembly and I hear everybody cheering and clapping for me after I sing, it's better than any feeling I've ever had before. Almost like I'm getting a free preview of what my future could be if I ever get out of this town."
Kurt had not realized that he was stretching his hand out in a pleading gesture until his father reached forward and grasped it.
"I get it," he said, a roughness in his voice that always appeared when Kurt spoke aloud his desire to leave Lima far behind some day. "All that appreciation just makes you want to spend more time practicing your music and hanging out with your friends. I don't blame you. I'd probably feel that way too if I was in your shoes, but you can't just throw away your obligations because it feels better do something more fun, Kurt. Right now, being a high school student is your job, and you have to do that job to the best of your ability. Otherwise, you're letting down everybody who's working to give you a better future. Me, your teachers, and most of all yourself. Life is a balancing act, kid, and no matter what you do or how far you go in that life, you always gotta pay your dues."
"Meaning that my books and I have a lot of catching up to do?" Kurt said, a half-hearted smile breaking through.
Burt smiled back at him, giving his hand a little squeeze before letting go. "You got it. I want you to let me see all your grades in these four subjects every day for the next couple of weeks. I'm not saying they all have to be perfect, but if you can show me that you're putting some honest effort into improving your work, then you're a free man and I'll trust you to bring back a much better report-card next quarter."
Heaving an unhappy sigh, he nodded. The restrictions still stung a little, but he knew that he was getting off super-easy compared with what some parents would have done to a kid who had allowed his social life to torpedo his GPA.
"Get cracking then."
Kurt started to leave, then turned around and asked hopefully, "Can I at least invite some of my friends over to study with me?"
"Maybe tomorrow, and only one at a time. As long as by study you don't mean watching TV and texting all the rest of your friends."
Kurt smiled a little guiltily. "We won't."
"All right. You can ask, then."
"Thanks, Dad. And I will do better. I promise."
Burt nodded, voice full of confidence as he said, "I know you will."
The boy's slumped posture straightened, his chin lifting once again. Dad believed in him, and was still proud of him in spite of his recent failure.
Determination surged through Kurt. Last year's pathetic loser was long gone now, and he was going to keep it that way. He was going to compete at Regionals with the glee club and Nationals with the Cheerios, spend time with all of his new friends, and he would bring his grades up to 4.0 perfection again.
From now on, he was going to have it all.
THE END