There is something wrong with me.
This happened. I am so sorry I started something else but rather than hide it in my computer I might as well post it! The glee club members aren't very nice here, glee is popular and Kurt is truly alone. This will be in 3 parts, so here is the first, let me know if you would like to read the rest and have a happy weekend!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kurt stands up with the rest of the school and claps along at the glee club's latest performance. They had been amazing, like always. He claps half-heartedly, grabs his bag and slides out of the gym where the latest pep rally was being held. It was last thing on a Friday and the next biggest hockey game was tomorrow morning, everyone in the school was happy to miss out on the last couple of lessons of the week but Kurt just wanted to get home. It isn't fair that they can't control the jocks and the cheerleaders from ditching class to do whatever they want but of all things a pep rally is mandatory attendance.
Unfortunately he was followed. He had hoped that this weekend he would be allowed to go home unharmed in the chaos of the pep rally, but Kurt had really bad luck.
He gets to the parking lot and hears raucous laughter behind him, he looks round wildly and tries to get to his car, but someone strong and twice his size is gripping onto his arm and yanking him to the side near the dumpsters.
Nathan, one of the football guys opens the lid to the dumpster and scowls.
"Damn they've been emptied."
Kurt has no time to feel relief, because Puck, the guy squeezing his arm so hard it will bruise speaks up. "Throw him in anyway, who cares. Plus it's Friday, it'll give him something to remember us by over the weekend."
Kurt was terrified, being thrown into a dumpster usually hurt somewhat, but however disgusting it was he usually at least had something soft to land on.
Puck was on the football team, he was tall, threatening and was also in the Glee club, that made him a prominent member in the schools two most popular teams which means he can get away with doing whatever he liked.
And what he liked doing, was torturing people.
Puck throws his bag to the side and Nathan picks it up, opens it and throws Kurt's belongings in every direction he can. Puck grips him underneath his armpits hard and Azimio, a massive lump even bigger than Puck was, sweeps up his feet with no effort at all. They swing him back and forth to tease him and Kurt closes his eyes and feels himself soaring the short distance through the air before he lets out a yelp of pain as he lands on his side and his head and arm feel the cool impact of the metal.
The laughter starts again, there's more voices than before. He squints up to see that Finn has joined the scene as well as a couple of others. There's choruses of 'see you on Monday fag' and finally, he is left alone.
He was lying there for ten minutes before he managed to move. He banged his face and it hurts so much he knows it's going to bruise, he landed on his wrist is his failed attempt to protect his face which also hurts but he's had it twisted before and thinks he might be lucky enough for it only to be a normal ache.
He stands carefully and now realises he's going to have a problem in getting out of the dumpster. He has to hoist himself up in the corner because usually he had something to stand on to help him out. He gets out but he lands roughly on his hands and knees. He's glad to be out of that foul smelling and slimey dumpster. He's still on his hands and knees, his head is spinning and he feels like he's going to be sick. He can't move.
He can hear the football team laughing at him and shouting from where they stood watching his failed attempt to climb out.
"Bet you're used to that position!"
His cheeks are burning and he is utterly humiliated but his embarrassment doesn't out measure his pain so for the moment, he stays where he is, taking deep breaths and trying to figure out if he has a concussion or not. He just hopes that their fun has been had for the day.
He sees his bag out the corner of his eyes and blinks back tears, because he now has to walk round and collect his belongings. He's just glad he stopped keeping his phone in there after they stole his number and made horrible house calls.
He just wants to go home. Home to his dad. Home to Friday night dinner.
Shit!
Shit.
His dad's girlfriend and son were coming for dinner tonight, that's the last thing he needs when he needs to explain his new bruise, his lateness and his smell to his dad.
Carole, the woman his dad was seeing, was a lovely woman and Kurt was so thankful his dad had met her, only she came with baggage. That baggage was Finn Hudson and he was one of the guys who had stood by and watched, stood and laughed at what he had just been through. Sometimes he even joined in. By the standards of almost everyone else on the team he was kind, he humiliated him and hated him just for being gay - for being different, but was almost always absent whenever they guys decided they were bored enough to actually beat him up. Still, the thought of Finn watching him right now, and laughing and then going into his home and eating his food and talking to his dad was enough to make him want to crawl back into the dumpster.
Kurt had been horrified to find out that he was related to the woman he taken too so quickly who made his dad so happy, but he promised himself he would never tell his dad, it was more important his dad was happy.
Kurt wanted to cry at the injustice of it all but had to get through dinner first, he could do that later. Now he sees that thankfully the jocks had departed which means Finn must already be on his way to Kurt's house.
He eventually gets up and gathers his things, his head is thumping but he's been concussed before and pretty sure he knows the difference now. He drives carefully and lets out a growl when he sees Finn's car is already parked outside his house.
He enters and straight away his dad is there, he will have been waiting.
"You're late." Kurt carefully takes his shoes off and tries to do it without whimpering, his hand still hurts, he takes his time because he knows as soon as he sees his dad he's going to have to have the same conversation he has had increasingly often once more.
"Kurt what the hell happened to your face?"
"Nothing dad, don't worry. I'm going to shower and then I'll start dinner okay?"
"Kurt!"
Burt's hand gently tilts his son's face upwards as he examines the bruising.
"Oh you poor thing!" Carole's there and her concern, unlike her sons is not fake.
"What the hell happened?"
"Just another dumpster toss that's all. I slipped on something in there and banged my face on the side, nothing else was hurt - soft landing you know?" Finn looks awkward but relived and Kurt wants to yell at him that he isn't lying for him, he's doing it for his dad and his heart.
"Finn do you know anything about this?"
He shakes his head at his mom who is fondly playing with Kurt's hair.
"Finn…if you see who it is doing this to him I want to know okay? So I know who to kill."
Finn stammers, "Of course Burt."
"Kurt honey you go shower, let me cook okay? I know you do it most nights anyway so it will be a nice change for you."
The more Carole assimilates herself into their lives like this the more he has to put up with Finn, but he loves this woman who makes his dad happy so he nods and thanks her and rushes to the bathroom so he can rid himself of the stink everyone was too polite to mention and cry quietly whilst he sits at the bottom of the shower.
Carole cooks a wonderful dinner and Kurt is fast to place himself next to his dad and opposite Carole - as far away from Finn as he can get.
Kurt is quiet throughout dinner, he's trying to stop himself from scowling as he listens to Finn talk about what a wonderful time he has of it at school just because he's tall and straight. He's talking about glee club and Kurt contain the look of horror that forms on his face when his dad speaks.
"Kurt you've always loved singing I don't see why you don't join."
"Dude you sing?"
Kurt ignores Finn because the less personal information he acquires about him the better.
"I wouldn't exactly be welcome there dad. I don't have any friends in that club."
It goes unspoken that he has no friends period.
"Well I'm sure you'd make some easily enough if they heard how good you are. He can audition right Finn?"
Finn to his credit, does not show how horror stricken he must feel at this suggestion and smiles as widely as he lies.
"Of course!"
"Dad I'm pretty busy right now, I'll think about it though okay?"
Burt seems placated at this and Kurt, although the food is lovely, feels like he has lost his appetite.
He has always wanted to join glee club, but it has always been one of the most popular clubs, after Mr Schuester took it over they had made it to nationals every year and every year they got closer to winning, New York nationals last year saw them finally take the title. Kurt had always loved to sing, it gave him joy and he was good at it, his voice could go both high and low, and he wasn't a bad dancer either. It made him so jealous that the place in school that had potential to let him be happy held half of his tormentors. He was good enough to get in but would be physically pushed from the doors if he wasn't laughed away first.
No, he had a year and a half of being alone left before he could get out of Ohio, and that was it.
xxxxx
After school on Tuesday Kurt is grabbed and forced into an empty classroom. He shouts and struggles but stops when he sees it's just Finn. Even if Finn hurts him it won't be as bad as anyone else, but he still backs away, he's trapped but he won't make it easy for Finn to catch him.
Kurt and his dad had gone to Carole's house for dinner last night, they were seeing more and more of each other and it just made Kurt anxious.
"Relax I'm not going to hurt you."
Kurt laughs. "Right. So that means your friends are on their way and you're just going to watch." He moves to the window and tried to open it, thinking he can climb out and make a run for it.
"Your dad spoke to me last night. Wanted me to see if I could find out who was hurting you. Said he was going to start coming to school to see if he could see anything for himself."
"Oh. So in here, people can hurt me without my dad seeing and that will save your ass. Let me just hang around until they come just to make things easier for you."
"Look, you obviously don't want your dad to know about me because you would have told him otherwise. I don't want my mum to know either - she'll kick my ass and I'm happy that her and Burt are together even if it means getting stuck with you."
"Oh you are so sweet. Minus the fact it sounds like you're trying to blackmail me somehow."
"I can get you into glee club. I can't stop them from harassing you unless you change your identity but I can get the worst of it off your back as long as you're in glee."
"Why would you do that?"
"I just told you why."
Kurt cannot believe he used to have a crush on this guy. Fortunately for him though having someone empty a slushy all over your face kind of kills any positive feelings you have towards them.
"Listen come with me to glee now. I am going to talk about you like you're not there and you're just going to shut up and take it."
"It won't be worse than the stuff you have said to my face."
"You had better be good at singing or nothing will get you in."
"Glee would be lucky to have me."
"Well however good you are you won't be doing any singing."
"What?"
"Dude you'll be lucky just to be seen with us."
"That is ridiculous I know no one likes me but if I'm good I can help you win!"
Finn backs him into the wall, all he needs is his height to threaten him, Kurt quietens down instantly. "Listen to me my reputation is on the line for you so be happy I can get you in and shut the hell up or I'll make sure you regret it, remember Puck and everyone else in that club won't stand for you trying anything. Just make sure you tell your dad I got you in alright?"
Kurt nods.
Every time he has daydreamed about being in glee club, doing it by force and promising to stay quiet so his dad wont find out the boy who will probably be his stepson in the future ever hurt him, wasn't how he imagined it.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Rachel Berry, one of the most popular girls in school was looking at him in disgust. She was going to Broadway and everyone knows it, Kurt is just as good - if not better than she is but he will never have the opportunities she has had that all colleges search for. "Finn, why would you bring him in here?"
"Guys Kurt's joining glee club."
"Nice joke Finn, you lured him here, now let's go lock him in a locker."
Sam and Puck walk up to him threateningly and grab his arms, Kurt's struggling like hell - they're right, how could he have been so stupid? Obviously this was a trap.
"I'm not kidding."
"I have no problem with him joining," Quinn was smirking and Kurt knew she definitely did so whatever she was about to say wasn't going to be nice. "I'm all for more girl power within the club."
Everyone laughs and Kurt snarls at her and manages to pull away from the idiots gripping onto him in their distraction.
"Screw you Finn, I'll manage without this, you'd just better hope my dad doesn't find out."
"Guys look. Kurt's a lost cause but my mom deserves a good guy and that's Burt. His dad is fricking scary I can't have him find out I have anything to do with him getting hurt."
Artie scowls. "Come on man the guy is such a loser."
"I'm not agreeing to this if it means he's off limits."
"Look, he's not off limits at all, just keep the really bad stuff to a minimum and do it where it doesn't leave bruises his dad can see."
Thanks a lot Finn. Kurt scowls at him, Finn is so spineless. These were the exact reactions he had been expecting about Finn's stupid plan.
"Guys. I like Burt he's good to my mum and if I do this he'll be good to me. He was talking about lurking around the school and trying to catch people and he'll have us kicked out off glee and off the football team instantly. This way we're safe."
Mike shrugs, "as long as he can sing I don't care who joins I just want another nationals trophy under out belts."
Thank you! Mike, was the best out of all of the football players, he was quite, hung out with his girlfriend Tina a lot who was also nice and in glee, he was popular and actually stayed away from all the bullying full stop - he knew about it, of course he did - even the teachers did so Kurt wouldn't hold that against him- but he had never even been there to stand idly by throughout it and Kurt will always be thankful for that - it's as nice as anyone in this school ever gets towards him.
Mr Schuester walks in at that moment.
"Oh brilliant, hello Kurt!"
Rachel sniffs. "Kurt is auditioning, although it's doubtful he can live up to our standard."
"Okay well I'm sure you'll be great Kurt, do you have a song prepared?"
"Yes I have."
Kurt sings and he is fantastic. He shows off his range and no one says a bad word about him afterwards, had he made even a little slip up he would have been ridiculed so he knows he killed it.
Now Brittany, was the only cheerio he didn't mind. And it was her who sealed his fate in the New Directions.
"I think Lord Tubbington would like you."
"Thank you."
Mr Schuester was the only other person to look happy. "Well it looks like we have another member! Kurt I'm so glad to have you with us - you should have auditioned sooner your range is incredible!"
No one clapped. Everyone's expressions ranged from jealous and sour to disgusted.
"Finn you owe us for this." Mercedes had a brilliant voice, and she knew it.
Apparently Kurt's reputation outweighed his talent.
"Guys do it for me his dad's really scary - I'm not lying! And he can sing…"
Rachel snapped. "Look we all don't get enough solos as it is! Kurt you can stay as long as you shut up. We could use more back up dancers."
Santana snarled at her, "Berry you get more solos than anyone, he can have yours!"
Kurt has no idea how this group is so successful if this is how all their practices go.
Kurt makes his way to the back row so he can still down, but a foot kicks out and catches him in the ankles, he hit's the ground and everyone laughs and pretends it was an accident. He catches Finn's eye when he stumbles to his feet, but Finn just shrugs as if to say this is the best he can do.
In truth, it probably is.
xxxxx
"Hey dad. So I spoke to Finn today…"
"Kurt I -"
"It's okay dad, don't worry I'm not annoyed."
"I didn't know if you were going to be mad or not."
"Finn got me into glee club! Well he got me an audition - my voice got me in!"
Burt hugs Kurt, "I'm so glad son! Do you…do think that it will help?"
"I hope so."
"Kurt if not…we're going to have to really think about moving you out of that school."
"I'm okay dad, I promise. Thank you." Kurt would love to move schools but it would be too much stress for his dad for him to ever agree to ia transfer.
Kurt thinks the conversation is over, but his dad gestures for him to sit down. "Kurt how do you feel about Finn, really?"
Kurt knows this conversation has been a long time coming. He knows his dad is serious about Carole, he will take any shit with Finn he has too for his dad to be happy, so he lies through his teeth.
"We don't…we don't have much in common at all…but I like him dad. And I love Carole."
"Thank you son. I just want you to be happy again Kurt."
That is all Kurt wants for his dad. He and Carole both deserve to someone to love - she had lost her husband just like Kurt had lost his mom, if he had to put up with Finn and being bullied for a bit longer he would do it with a smile on his face as long as his dad was happy. Besides, he can't move out to college and get as far away as he can if it means leaving his dad alone.
xxxxx
It only takes the second glee club meeting for Kurt to get threatened.
Everyone except Puck, Sam, Finn and Artie have left and Kurt knows whatever this is it isn't good.
Turns out, Puck needs homework help.
Kurt closes his eyes in pain as his head bangs against the wall until he is literally shaken back to reality.
"Listen if Finn says we cant knock the shit out of you then alright. But it doesn't men we can't make your life a living hell. If I'm not going to be getting my kicks by kicking you then I want something in return - it's only fair, right?"
Kurt swallows. "What do you want?"
Puck takes a green folder from his bag and slams it into Kurt's chest who opens it suspiciously.
"This weeks homework. I want Bs in everything or else my teachers will get suspicious."
"I don't, I don't take psychology…"
"Then you'd better study hard, right?"
Kurt nods and puck laughs.
"Sweet. You might be tempted to do a poor effort, but if you do, I might have to call your dad and have words about his little girl. Okay? This whole thing is about him not worrying about you isn't it? I'll give him a reason to worry."
He grabs Kurt's jacket and pulls him forward to thrust him back into the wall. Kurt feels dizzy and scared. Is being threatened like this really better than what he was going through before? Probably, but only just.
xxxxx
True to their agreement - of that was even the word - Kurt had not been beaten up in the three weeks he had been in glee club. He was forced into doing other peoples homework and feeling tired and stressed because of it - but he didn't exactly have any friends or anything he was missing out on…he was just so frustrated. Glee is the only thing in this entire school that has the potential to make him happy and no one is interested in having him sing because why they let the school fag be their front man? He just had all of his suggestions ignored and had to make sure he learnt the dance moves for their routines. He was still being shoved around and slushied and he was still miserable but the look of joy on his dad's face the couple of times Finn and Carole had joined them for dinner again, when both boys spoke of their now mutual club was enough to keep him going.
Things had changed as much as a backwards high school like this ever could.
At least that's what Kurt thought, until one of the most gorgeous guys he had ever seen walked through the glee club's door one day and changed everything.