Early September had finally arrived, meaning the students of William McKinley High School had been in various stages of preparation for the return from summer break. While most had been dreading this day, one person, in particular, had been excited for it to arrive. This was none other than Kurt Hummel.
"I can't believe we're actually graduating at the end of this year," Mercedes said.
Kurt couldn't help but smile at his friend. He was looking forward to starting something brand new, which was only about nine months away. "I know, it's crazy. Honestly, I'm just glad that I'll finally be able to get out of this state when we're done."
Mercedes sighed as she put a few textbooks into her locker from her bag. "I hate that you're planning on leaving," she said with a frown. "Have you even applied for NYU yet?"
Kurt leaned back onto the lockers next to hers, patting her arm lightly when seeing her frown. "Not yet, but I'll probably start filling out the application soon." She smiled slightly, though he knew it was forced.
"You should just stay here. Come to OU with me!"
"Mercedes, you know how much I've dreamed of going to school in New York. Besides, I haven't even been accepted yet. For all I know, they'll send me that letter that says, 'sorry, we don't want you,' and I'll end up having to go to OU anyways."
Mercedes, unsurprisingly, smiled as she thought over what he had said. "Maybe I'll just start praying for that," she said as she slammed her locker closed.
"You're such a great friend." Kurt tried to hide his smile, but couldn't help but laugh just a little bit.
"Damn straight, white boy," she replied.
Kurt sighed, looking up and down the hallway as many faces passed him. He recognized a few, though could still certainly tell who the freshmen were. Things were going to be different this year, he thought.
Things were going to be better.
"I gotta go. Tell me why I agreed to go into AP English this year," he said.
Mercedes gave him her famous diva-like smirk, "No idea. But you enjoy!"
He scoffed a bit, rolling his eyes at her. "Thanks, 'cedes. See you at lunch."
Kurt wasn't sure of what the exact time was, but he knew the warning bell would be ringing soon and he hadn't stopped at his locker yet. Turning the corner to go down another hallway, he was suddenly stopped by three large teenagers wearing red and white.
Letterman jackets.
Great, he thought. Standing before him was Azimio, holding a blue slushy, as well as two other jocks that he recognized.
"Welcome back, Hummel," Azimio said. Kurt couldn't help but glare at the three of them. Courage, he thought.
Courage.
"Don't you guys ever get tired of doing the same thing you've been doing for the past three years?" He just didn't understand why people got so much enjoyment out of bullying and insulting others for no reason at all.
Azimio and the two other jocks just looked at each other, laughing at what Kurt had asked them. "Nah, but we definitely get tired of seeing you walking down these hallways."
"You do realize that this is the last year for you to make something of yourself, right? Or is it your lifelong dream to work at the local Wal-Mart until you retire?" Kurt couldn't stop himself from saying it. He realized it was probably the wrong response, watching Azimio's eyebrows come together while he took a step closer.
Kurt moved his back a little closer to the wall, telling himself to not let the glare leave his face. "Shut your mouth, Hummel," Azimio yelled, pushing Kurt against the wall with his free hand.
A year ago, Kurt would've been scared. He possibly would've felt like crying, though he decided a long time ago that he was done being the victim. "Whatever, Azimio. If you're going to throw that slushy in my face, go ahead and do it."
Azimio grinned at his statement, shaking his head in obvious amusement. "Yeah, no problem with that," he said. Kurt closed his eyes, readying himself for that feeling of being slapped with ice.
It took all but two seconds before he heard the sound of something hit the ground near him, as well as a splash that couldn't be anything other than the slushy. He opened his eyes and looked over to the ground on his left, seeing the cup and its contents all over the floor. It hadn't hit him.
What the..., Kurt thought.
Looking back up and to his right, he saw someone he definitely wasn't expecting to see.
Dave Karofsky.
"Dude, what the hell is your problem?" Azimio yelled at Dave, getting right in his face.
"Z, just back off," Dave yelled back.
He hit the cup out of Azimio's hand, Kurt realized. He looked around the hallway and noticed a bunch of students had stopped to watch what was happening. He couldn't help but look back at Dave, wondering why he had done that for him.
He then noticed that Azimio was really pissed off.
"Seriously, what is with you? You gonna keep on protecting this loser all year?" Dave squeezed his fists tighter as he took another step towards him.
From Dave's past history, Kurt wouldn't have been surprised if a brawl would break out right here in the hallway. While waiting for Dave to, quite possibly, punch Azimio in the face, he was surprised at what Dave said next.
"Dude, don't you get it? Did you not just hear what Kurt was saying to you? We have one year left and then this," he circled his right index finger above his head for a moment, "all of this, is over. Why do you have to be such an idiot all the time?"
Azimio hit Dave's hand down. "Shut up, Karofsky. Man, I should've known you'd start pulling this crap by the way you've been acting all summer. You gonna join him in glee club now?"
"Whatever, Z. Just leave Kurt alone."
Azimio looked back over at Kurt, who was still pressed up against the wall and was continuing to look back and forth between the two jocks standing in front of him. "Yeah, we'll see about that. You better be watching your back now too," he said to Dave as he hit him with his shoulder as he walked away, with the two other jocks originally with him following closely behind.
The people that had stopped in the hallway began moving again, most likely disappointed that a fight hadn't occurred. Kurt was still confused as to what had just happened, which must have shown clearly by his facial expression as Dave turned to look at him. "Are you okay?"
Something was different about the Dave standing in front of him, but Kurt wasn't sure of what it was.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied. Swallowing, he looked around the hallway again before looking back up at Dave. "You didn't have to do that, you know."
Dave nodded slightly, "I know. I wanted to."
"Well... thank you." Kurt smiled, internally saying to himself that he was glad his outfit hadn't been ruined on his first day back. "How have you been?"
Dave had clearly thought that their conversation was over as he had taken a step back from Kurt, though a smile formed when he had heard Kurt's question. "Okay, I guess. Just been trying to find myself this summer, more than anything." He looked at the ground and shrugged, letting both of his hands slide into the pockets of his jeans.
Why does he seem like he's nervous, Kurt asked himself.
"That's good, David. I'm really happy to hear that."
Dave looked up and smiled a bit more before looking away again. "So, uh, how have you been?"
"Not too bad, actually. I probably spent more time this summer thinking about how it was our last before high school ends rather than enjoying it, but... oh well." Kurt laughed to himself. He had thought that it was going to be the best summer of his life. He had his friends. He had Blaine. Though, he spent more time daydreaming about what it'd be like living in New York City than anything else.
"Yeah, it's hard to believe we're almost done," Dave laughed a bit. "You, uh, planning on going to college?"
"Definitely. Hopefully I'll start to fill out the paperwork tonight to try and get into NYU. I'd love to be able to go to school in New York... try getting into Broadway one day or something." Kurt was beaming over the thought of this.
He then noticed that Dave smiled sadly at him, though only a little bit. "Yeah, I could definitely see you doing that," he replied.
He's acting... weird, Kurt thought. Had he came out to his family over the summer? Did something else happen over break? Kurt wasn't sure, and he was beginning to get nervous until he finally realized what it probably was.
The last time he had spoken to Dave Karofsky was in the school's gymnasium at prom. They had just been named McKinley High's 2011 Junior Prom King and Queen and were supposed to dance, though Kurt had asked Dave to come out then and there as they were walking to the floor.
Yeah, that was a bad idea, he thought. Maybe I should apologize...
The three-minute warning bell rang, which made Kurt jump just a bit. Dave still had his hands in his pockets, though he was still smiling at him.
"Do you, uh, want me to walk you to class?"
"Oh," Kurt replied. "Yeah, sure." He realized he still hadn't made it to his locker, but decided that it'd be fine to go later. "Are you planning on continuing with the Bully Whips then?"
They started to walk down the hallway, passing the slushy as if it wasn't really there. Dave's eyebrows rose a bit, "I don't know. Santana definitely doesn't want to, so..."
"I heard she..." Kurt lowered his voice as they continued walking, "broke up with you... awhile back."
Dave shrugged, "yeah."
Technically, Santana had decided at the beginning of the summer that she didn't want or need Dave to be her beard anymore, though they still talked from time to time. Kurt was glad that she, at least, hadn't completely blown Dave off since their "break up."
"Well, even though she doesn't want to be involved, I think keeping the Bully Whips alive would be great. Something to put on your college applications or your résumé, you know?" Kurt knew that the Bully Whips had been great for Dave, and continuing what he had started would still help him now.
"Yeah, that's true," he replied.
Kurt looked over and noticed Dave looking all around the hallway, just like he had been doing at the end last year. He couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Dave thinking someone was going to just bust out of a locker and attack them.
"Maybe the beret will be making a comeback then?" Kurt laughed a bit harder.
Dave shook his head and laughed too, licking his upper lip before saying, "nah, I'm not too sure about that. I hated that thing!"
Kurt remembered how both Dave and Santana looked while wearing them. "Well, I thought they were adorable." Dave smiled as he looked down at the floor while they were still walking, blushing ever so slightly.
"My class is right here," Kurt said as they came upon the door to his AP English class.
Dave was in front of him now, where he appeared to be thinking hard about something while he continued to look at the floor. Kurt wasn't sure if he should just say bye or wait for Dave to say something before Dave finally broke the silence. "Kurt, I... uh..."
Another few seconds of silence passed as Kurt forced one of his eyebrows up. "What?"
"Nothin'. Did you, um..." Dave let out a little, nervous laugh, "want an escort to your next class after this then?"
Kurt only took a moment before he replied. "Not really."
Dave looked back down at the floor. "Oh," he said. Kurt could see him frown before he looked back up with a fake smile. "Okay, I'll, uh..."
"I just mean," Kurt smiled back, "I don't want an escort. I'd rather have a friend."
Dave's obviously fake smile turned into a real one. He nodded and looked away. "Friend," he said to himself, nodding again before looking back at Kurt. "I'll see you in a little while, okay?"
"Okay. Bye Dave."