Chapter Two: Desk Partner
"And your name is?"
Kurt Hummel closed the Biology Lab door behind him with an unintentional slam. His cheeks red, he pushed back a stranded piece of hair as he said:
"Kurt Hummel."
The women behind the desk looked down at her attendance sheet, then back up at Kurt.
"You're late Kurt."
"I know,' he said in a quiet tone to match that of the teacher's. 'I was at a meeting with Mr. Tanaka."
She frowned, and looked him over.
"You don't seem like the kind of boy who would be on a football team." she muttered softly while marking an "L" next to Kurt's name on the attendance. Kurt just stood there, not knowing what to do.
Mercedes, who coincidentally happened to be sitting at the double desk closest to the teacher's desk and the door, looked up from her sheet at the teacher.
"What did you just say to Kurt?' she snapped. 'Were you harassing him, because my mother is a lawyer and she can sue you so hard…"
"Mercedes, it's fine.' Kurt murmured under his breath as he put his Wicked binder on Mercedes' desk, and sat down next to her. 'I didn't take it that way: besides, I'm not on the football team anyways."
"Well, the next time that witch says anything nasty about you, Kurt, you know I've got your back.' Mercedes smiled. 'What did Mr. Tanaka want, anyways?"
"Just wanted to ask me to tryout for the team again.' Kurt explained. 'Apparently, his nephew is coming and Figgins-'
"Mr Hummel, that isn't your assigned seat." the Biology teacher said sharply. 'Miss. Cohen-Chang, who is currently relieving herself, sits there, and would probably like it better if you sat in your assigned seat."
"Where is my assigned seat?' Kurt snapped impatiently.
"Over in the back, with the new student. The one in the varsity jacket… I can't remember his name, but he's who you're sitting next to. Just promise not to do anything sexual in my class."
Kurt narrowed his eyes, but nodded solemnly in agreement. Taking a worksheet from the teacher's desk, he walked to the back of the class.
"I heard what Ms. Erfan was saying to you.' said the boy in the green varsity jacket as Kurt put his binder on the double desk that they were to share. 'Tough luck, man."
"I try not to let it get to me.' Kurt answered simply. 'I've been getting treated like that for a long time, but mainly by jocks, but not really teachers." He paused, eyeing the jacket, and bit his tongue. This unfamiliar boy was clearly a jock, with his varsity jacket, nice hair and muscular build. Kurt said nothing more, and instead started to work on the assignment.
Question One:
Describe, in a paragraph of 250 words or less, the essential function of a tapeworm in the intestine of the male Holstein bull.
Crap. Maybe Question Two would be easier.
Question Two:
What is the difference between a flatworm and a tapeworm?
Kurt sighed as he read through the rest of the questions. Not surprisingly, they all had to do with tapeworms and flatworms. Kurt's eyes floated over to his partner's sheet. He was already on Question Nine on the back:
Question Nine:
How do the presence of tapeworms factor into many common diseases today? Use examples.
"How do you know so much about tapeworms?" Kurt asked. The jock stopped writing and looked over at Kurt.
"Well, I'll let you in on a secret.' he said, blushing slightly. 'I've kind of- already taken this course."
"So you failed Grade 11 Bio, and you're re-taking it?" Kurt assumed quickly: he chuckled huskily when the jock gave him a confused look.
"No… I got a 96 when I took it in Grade 10.' the jock said slowly. 'I'm only retaking Biology this year for easy marks."
"Oh,' said Kurt. "To bad you didn't already take Study Hall 11… easy marks there." He chuckled again.
Kurt's desk partner seemed to suspect something was up. In a low voice, he said:
"Look, I'm flattered that you like me, but I have a girlfriend."
"Oh,' Kurt felt somewhat relieved. 'That's cool." And he returned to his worksheet.
"What's in your binder?' asked the jock moments later.
Kurt's eyes darted over to his binder at the corner of the desk. He had completely forgotten about it.
"Oh, um, there's showt- lyrics in there. To the musical Wicked. I'm, uh, I'm reviewing lyrics for Glee club."
To Kurt's relief, the jock smiled and nodded.
"Glee club, that's cool. My girlfriend's in it, she told me, and it was big at my old school."
"Oh, so you're new here?' Kurt asked, though he was definite that he knew the answer already. 'Where are you from?"
"Yeah,' he said, tossing his pen up and down casually. 'Just transferred from Westvale."
"Westvale: isn't that a little far to come to McKinley then?" Kurt asked nonchalantly.
"No, McKinley's got a great athletic program."
Kurt snickered.
"Great?' he said in disbelief. 'Our football team won one game last year."
"Yeah, but have they ever have to give up a game because the other team scored seventeen touchdowns in the first twenty minutes?"
"Okay, even McKinley's not that bad.' Both boys laughed.
"Boys, I do not want to have to go over there and break you two up." Ms. Erfan scolded loudly across the room. Heads turned to see what was going on in the back desk. Several guys started sniggering, and Kurt heard a couple of insensitive names being tossed around. Cheeks only a tinge of pink, Kurt looked down at his paper and continued to work silently until the bell rang.
"Hey, see you later, man." the jock grinned as he left the class. Kurt grinned back, and continued to pack his papers into his shoulder bag. He intended to slip out of the classroom quietly, but no sooner had he finished packing his bag that Mercedes appeared, with Tina in tow.
"So, Kurt,' Mercedes asked, beaming. She clutched her own shoulder bag eagerly. 'Tell me about this new man."
"Yeah,' chimed Tina. 'We think he maybe kind of thinks you're cute, Kurt."
"Ladies, please.' Kurt grinned: though he didn't like to admit it, he enjoyed attention as much as Rachel did, though he wasn't as needy and desperate for it as she. 'We were merely having a light conversation. We talked about Ms Erfan and football, that's it. Besides, he has a girlfriend."
"Ooh, a girlfriend?' Tina teased.
"Wonder who it is?' Mercedes said, in a tone that really was more sarcastic than curious.
"Well, whoever she is, she's in glee club." Kurt concluded as he fumbled with his locker code. After struggling for several moments, he was able to open his locker and put away the 'Wicked' binder.
"Oh, who could it be?' Tina wondered aloud: she seemed to be more curious than Mercedes.
"What if it's Rachel?' Mercedes said quietly, and Kurt and Tina both looked at her in horror.
"Well then that's not fair.' Kurt said simply as he returned to emptying the pens from the shoulder bag. 'How could somebody who dresses like her be involved in so many relationships?"
"Somebody who dresses like whom?' piped up Rachel , who arrived carrying a thick textbook.
"Nobody." answered Kurt all-too-quickly. 'We're just talking about the new boy in school."
"Kurt's got a crush on him.' Mercedes announced. It was meant as a tease, but Rachel obviously saw past the teasing.
"What new boy?"
Tina and Mercedes exchanged a glance. They had no idea what his name was. But Kurt was certain he did.
"Bradley. He's the new boy, I sat next to him in Biology."
Rachel raised her eyebrows in suspicion.
"How can that be?' she said. 'I just sat next to a new kid in Chemistry, and he said his name was Bradley. I'm fairly sure he was also flirting with me, and if it weren't for the loving bond I maintain with Jesse, I would have definitely let him tap me."
The other three stood there awkwardly. Rachel, however, saw no problem with what she had just said, and she beamed brightly before sauntering away.
A/N: Yeah, so that wasn't Ken's nephew in Kurt's class. He'll come into the story again later. Apologies for un-witty Kurt and narcissistic Rachel: I'm not as witty or as Rachel-istic as they are. Thanks for reading, I'll update soon!
