Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.

Note: Okay, so this will probably be short, but I got this on prompt from a friend, so I decided to honor it while working on things for my multi-chapter stories. Enjoy!

Will Schuester looked up to see a student in his doorway. On second glance, he noticed that it was Kurt Hummel, a member of the recently formed Glee Club, which Will had decided to name New Directions. Kurt was a small, pale boy, brunette with light, haunting eyes. Will had been very impressed with his audition for Glee, and thought that the boy would really bring something new to the table in competitions.

"Hey, Kurt. What's up?"

"I…I…I…," the boy stuttered.

Will saw that he was covered in garbage. "Kurt, what happened?"

"They…they…they…tossed me in the Dumpster again," he said softly, picking a banana peel off his shoulder.

"Who's 'they', Kurt? Anyone I know?"

"Just some Neanderthals," Kurt murmured, for fear that if he gave any names, they would only do it again.

"But why would they toss you in the Dumpster, Kurt?" Will looked concerned. He had seen Kurt standing by the Dumpster that morning with a couple of the football players, but he'd assumed that he was just making some new friends. Had he known that this poor boy would be thrown into the big, black trash bin like yesterday's trash, he would've stopped it in its tracks.

"Dunno," Kurt muttered, picking a piece of something off his pants. "Guess they don't like me very much or something."

"But why would they toss you in a Dumpster?" Will caught sight of a bruise growing on Kurt's cheek. "Oh my God, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm used to it," Kurt wandered into Will's office, touching some of the posters and knick-knacks.

"Used to it? But Kurt…"

"Don't," Kurt cut him off. "Please just…don't. I came in here…because I knew you wouldn't judge me."

"But what about your friends in the Club?"

"Rachel's only concerned about herself. Finn, well, he was the one that ordered me to be tossed the other day, which I haven't forgiven him for. Tina and Mercedes, I don't really know them. And Artie and I used to be really good friends, but…something happened, eight years ago, and we…we don't talk much anymore."

"Why, what happened?" Will pressed.

"Don't want to talk about it," Kurt mumbled. "Just came here to…to talk."

"Well, I'm here for you, Kurt. Not as a teacher but, you know, as a friend."

Kurt turned and closed the door to the office. He whirled around and put his hands on the back of the chair in front of Will's desk. "You can't tell anyone," he implored.

"I won't, I promise," Will said, just curious to see what the soprano boy had to say.

"I'm…the reason why…they tossed me because…they did it…I'm gay," Kurt finally whispered. A silent tear rolled down his pale cheek, landing on his shirt.

"Kurt, are you…am I the first person you've told?" Kurt sniffled. Will didn't have to know the answer. "Are you okay?"

"I'm so…scared," Kurt managed to get out, his voice cracking on the last word. "I'm scared."

Will got up from behind his desk and wrapped the student into a hug. Kurt sobbed into Will's shirt, soaking it with tears, but Will didn't mind. This was what he was here for: the kids. This was why he was an educator. For the kids. He patted Kurt on the back gently. "It's okay, you know," he said. "I have a really close friend who's gay. I don't think anything of it."

"But this is Ohio," Kurt said between sobs. "People aren't out here. They stay in the closet their whole lives because they're scared like me. I…I don't want to be like them, Mr. Schue. I want to be…comfortable…with this. I want to be able to tell my dad, to tell the other kids, to walk down the hall with pride in who I am."

"And you can, Kurt."

"No. I can't tell my dad, he'd freak out…and and the kids in the Club, they…Finn would…and Rachel! And I want to be friends with Artie again, but what if he finds out and he hates me and now I've ruined everything and…"

"Shh, Kurt. Listen to yourself! You're all worked up about this, and you don't know how they're even going to react!"

"But….but…"

"Relax, Kurt," Will laughed. "If they're really your friends, they won't care. You'll feel much better once you've told them, I swear. When my friend came out to me, he felt much better. Once you've got that load off your chest, you'll feel so much freer and lighter. Listen, do you want to talk to Miss Pillsbury about this?"

"No," Kurt wiped the tears from his face. "I…I'll tell them…when I'm ready."

"Okay, Kurt, but you know my door is always open if you want to talk."

"I know," Kurt started towards the door. He paused, and ran back to Will for another hug. "Thanks, Mr. Schue. For listening, I mean."

"Anytime, Kurt. You gonna be okay now? Do you want me to talk to the boys about not throwing you into the Dumpster anymore?"

"No," Kurt shook his head. "Maybe now I'll have the power to say 'no'." And with that, he let go of his teacher, and left with his head held up a little higher than when he walked in.

"And Kurt?" Will called before Kurt was fully out the door. Kurt turned to listen. "You're not yesterday's trash. Don't be tossed out like it."

Two weeks later

"Mercedes…I lied to you. I'm not in love with Rachel." Kurt looked left and right to make sure that no one was around. "I'm gay," he whispered.

"Kurt…why didn't you tell me before?"

"You're the first person I've told," he lied, not wanting to hurt her feelings. Besides, it didn't count coming out to your teacher…did it?

Did it?