"Finn says you used to be on our team."

Kurt looked up from the homework he was working on in the library, surprised to see Sam Evans standing there with that cute, half-shy, half-friendly smile of his. This was the first time the other boy had initiated a conversation with him and for a moment Kurt did not know what to say. "Our team?" For a second he thought he was making some 'playing for the other team' gay joke, then he realized. "Oh, football. Yes, I was the kicker for a few weeks."

Taking that as an invitation, Sam sat down across from him. The smile got warmer and Kurt firmly stomped on the butterflies that dared to start fluttering within him. "How come you quit?"

"Oh, um, not really my thing. You know? I only joined to give me and my dad something to talk about, really."

"How is your dad?" he asked, startling Kurt yet again. Seeing the look on his face, the quarterback hastened to add, "Not that I'm prying! I heard Artie and Quinn saying something about him being in the hospital recently."

"No, it's okay. I don't mind you asking, I just wasn't expecting it. He had a heart attack recently, but he's doing much better. Passed his stress-test yesterday so he's looking forward to going back to work."

Sam smiled, looking genuinely pleased and those damned butterflies instantly rose from the dead and started a jig in Kurt's belly. "Cool. So . . . you mind if I stick around awhile and study with you?"

Kurt gulped. "With me?"

"It's okay if you don't want to. I'm kind of dumb when it comes to class work."

"You're not," Kurt said firmly. "Dyslexia doesn't make you dumb, it just means you're a little different and have to try harder to fit in."

Sam smiled. "Guess so. I'm not the only one who talks to those guys, I see."

Kurt laughed. He had indeed grilled Artie Abrams for information on the new Glee student and apparently he had given himself away. "Know your enemies, and potential duet partners," he joked. "I believe that's in chapter 3 of Sun Tzu's "Art of War."

The other boy grinned. Kurt had no idea whether or not he got the joke, but it was enough that he was playing along. "I don't think we're either of those things. Unless you want to be."

"I don't need any more enemies, and the duet thing has been pretty well settled," Kurt replied, ducking his head and pretending for a moment to be silently studying his text book when the gimlet-eyed old librarian shuffled past and gave him a dark look for daring to speak above a whisper. Glancing up as she hobbled away, he met the still grinning blond's eyes and smiled. "I could always use another friend, though."

"Me too. And study partners?"

Kurt met Sam's extended hand with a firm shake. "How's your Algebra?"

"Stellar. How's your World History?"

"I could be a college professor. You help me with math and I'll help you with history?"

The bright white grin got bigger and Kurt felt the butterflies move up to his heart when the jock brushed those impossibly blond bangs out of his eyes and said in a horrid Bogey impersonation, "I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

Kurt nodded, smiling shyly as he returned to his book, not seeing a single word written on it. The way Sam was looking at him, he did not feel it was entirely out of the question to hope that this might be the start of something even more.