Chapter Two: Fights

Thank for all those who wrote reviews, your comments are much appreciated. If you guys want, I can post the full lyrics on tumblr or something so that they are more coherent without the dialogue in between, as well as more clear labels of who is singing what. I apologize if it gets confusing switching back from Dalton and New Lima, but then again that's what they do in glee.

Anyways to the point here is the next chapter, if you forgot, Blaine just found out he has to get married.

~k8y411


Blaine was backed against the door staring at the book that looks miles away. He closed his eyes and sighed as he slumped to the floor. "Even if..." he sighed again his head facing the ceiling, eyes closed as if wishing the law would change itself. The laws of Dalton were old, and the Daltonians were mainly traditionalists, change was feared. Among the many laws Blaine already hated, the marriage code was now on his list. Despite the fact that he had never even been anywhere close to being in love, Blaine knew they would never allow him to marry another man. Yes, the young prince was gay a secret that burdened his soul, a secret that could get him killed.

The laws and beliefs of the land were against people like him and the punishment as written five hundred years ago, was branding, and if not cured, death. The people of Dalton thought they could scare the gay out of them. It had been years since any mobs were formed and gays were killed, but that was because they had learned to live in secret. Nowadays people if they were found out, they were branded and killed in secret, rather then public hangings like the olden days.

Blaine knew that if he found someone to love, they would both be killed for it, no to mention to wrath of his mother. "Marriage...to a girl..." Blaine groaned, If I wasn't already gay Princess Rachel's sure a good enough reason to stay away from women. Blaine let out a small chuckle at his thought. He knew that there was nothing he could do, running away was an option, but he could not bear to devastate his family. "I'll just have to pretend...I have been getting quite good at it." He needed to get his mind of the marriage code. Blaine picked up the closest book he could read from where he was. To his surprise it was a novel, "Henry and Danielle by Lou Ponpatti" Blaine whispered out loud. He flipped through the pages breathing in its aged smell. "Haven't found a novel I haven't read..." Blaine opened the book and began to read.


Back in New Lima, Kurt was walking down the empty street with a basket of food for his father. From the seamstress shop window Peyton saw the danger before it hit. The town bullies, and stubborn traditionalists Dave and Azimio were creeping up on Kurt.

"Not again." Peyton mumbled. She dropped the dress she was supposed to put on the mannequin and ran for the door.

"Peyton!" the low and forceful voice of Peyton's step mother Dolores came from the back of the store. Her head was peering out from the back door. Her hair was graying, but she always covered it with a fashionable hat that matched her outfit. This time it was pink,with a small bow. It looked ridiculous on her head.

"It's lunch break, be back later!" Peyton had her foot out the door.

"You will hang up that dress before you leave. You are my apprentice and you will do your job." She disappeared back into the back room. Peyton knew there would be hell to bay if she didn't hang the dressed. She groaned with frustration as she tired dress the mannequin as quickly as possible. The more time she wasted on the dress, the more likely Kurt was going to get hurt.

Kurt soon realized that the street was empty, a sinking feeling came over him. There streets were never empty, he stole a glance backward and saw Dave and Azimio closing in on him. Kurt made a run for it and they ran after him. In his haste, Kurt turned to soon and found himself in a dead end. He could hear the clang of his father's working, but there was no time to get there. Dave and Azimio had him now. Kurt dropped his basket of food as he backed up towards the wall.

"Hey, Lady boy, where's your girlfriend?" Dave taunted him.

"She finally gonna let you fight your own battles?" Azimio punched his hand making Kurt flinch at the sound.

"What is your problem? I have never done anything to you, either of you?" Kurt's back was to the wall he was trapped. There was no way he would come out of this without a beating. Dave rolled up his sleeves, he and Azimio were withing punching distance.

"But I have." Peyton was behind Dave and Azimio with her homemade sling shot. They turned and stared at her, anger rising.

"Like you can even hit us" Dave feigned confidence.

"Yeah, besides we can kick your boys ass before you even let to." Azimio and Dave laughed.

"Wanna bet?" She aimed at a pile of old scrap metal and released her sling shot, the clang against the metal was startling as the pile began to sway.

"You call that aim?" They continued laughing, but stopped when they noticed she was too.

"Actually I call it two idiots with one stone." The scraps of metal fell on them, giving Kurt enough time to grab his basket and run to Peyton.

"Are you insane?"

"No time to discuss sanity, let's go." She pushed him towards his dad's shop. "Go inside, you'll be safe there."

"Peyton wait!" Kurt tried to grab her but she ran off. Kurt heard the metal scraping and ran into his dad's shop angry at himself for hiding, but glad to be unharmed. He peeked through the window to see Dave and Azimio running after Peyton.

"Over here you great lummox!" Peyton taunted them, knowing this could be the end of her. She hurried up a ladder onto a roof as they closed in on her.

"Get her!"

She ran back in their direction but by hoping from roof to roof of the small shops. Looking back she smiled enjoying the thrill and sang as she jumped from roof to roof, escaping the boys.

(To the tune of One Jump Ahead from Aladdin)

Gotta keep
One jump ahead of the boys now
One block ahead of the horde
I only fight to settle a score
and that's all the time!
One jump ahead of the bullies
keep them away from my friends
these guys just don't know when to end

Peyton reached the end of a line of shops and the boys caught up on foot on the ground. Thinking fast Peyton jumped off the roof landing on the them. Dave and Azimio yelled at her

Get off!

They pushed her off them.

Take that!

Peyton punched them back to the ground and took off, the screamed angrily at her again.

Slow down!

Get back!

As they catch up she stops at a house with laundry hanging.

Just a little punch guys

The bullies catch up just in time for her to pull a string, and drop the hanging clothes on them. They stick their heads out and stare angrily at her as she runs

Kick her ass, take her down guys!

Peyton continues to run cutting corners taking shortcuts, making back towards the blacksmith.

I can take a hint, gotta face the facts

oh what i go through for friends

Kurt stuck his head out the window and watched Peyton whizz by.

Hey, its sad when you fight like no tomorrow

there's no one to save your butt this time

If your dad finds out he is going to kill you

By this time townspeople were peering out their windows while eating their lunch to see what was causing such a fuss. Peyton flew by so quick no one recognized her.

Gotta fight to live, gotta win the fight

Tell you all about when i got the time

One step ahead of bad guys

Got two guys on my tail

Escape seems to be of no avail

One jump ahead their leader

One hit ahead of their punch

Peyton cut a corner but they boys caught a glimpse and ran towards her. "Hey!"

She felt her stomach rumble and found herself by the bakery.

I think I'll head out to lunch

The bullies caught up to her, before she had a chance to get any food.

Stop her!

Rebel!

Get her!

Go to hell!

Peyton underestimated how fast they were and needed a quick escape.

Let's wait just a minute

Kurt appeared above her, on the roof of the bakery.

Get up here, you're gonna get hit!

Kurt let down a rope for her and she climbed up to the roof this time higher, so there was no way she could jump off them safely. She looked back down at them as they also grabbed the rope.

They harass my friends so i beat 'em up, otherwise we'd get along

They climbed up after both Kurt and Peyton jumping after them from roof to roof.

Argh! one jump, catching up to her

One hop a land with a thump

One step running behind her

Kurt and Peyton jumped from roof to roof and stopped at the last one. They looked at each other and saw the large trees of the forest just over a jump's length away. They backed up, and ran at full speed.

They're quick but we're much faster

Here goes

quit while we're ahead

better alive than dead

all we gotta do is JUMP!

Kurt and Peyton jumped and landed in the soft leaves and branches of the tree. Not a perfect landing, but save for some cuts and bruises they were fine.

"So..." Peyton was out of breath. "how was lunch?"

Kurt rolled his eyes and lightly punched her shoulder. "With all that crap going on, didn't really get a chance to eat." They laughed. "You know you don't need to fight my battles for me...you're get in enough trouble as it is..."

Peyton jumped down from the tree. "I know, I know. I promised to stop, but I can't just let them beat you up. Remember last time?" Sadness filled Peyton's face Kurt mirrored the emotion.

"I know" he said softly as he climbed gracefully down from the tree.

"Kurt, I can't just stand by and watch. They pick fights for no reason. You have never done anything to them. If they picked a fight with me, I'd understand...I mean I kinda ask for it-"

"Peyton." He stopped her. " Thank you. If you hadn't have come, I would have to explain bruises to my dad again...I don't think he'll believe that I fell out of a tree again." They stayed hidden behind the trees in the forest and listened for any sign of Azimio and Dave or Daz, as they called him.

"Coast is clear." Peyton walked out first and ran straight into Dolores. Kurt was about to walk out but stopped and hid behind the trees.

"Peyton! What are you doing in the forest? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is in there?" Dolores looked at her from head to toe examining the leaves and twigs in her hair and the rips in her clothing. Peyton rolled her eyes thinking about how the forest wasn't dangerous at all and how much time she and Kurt spent in it. "I have to say you look nothing like a lady, and from the state the village is in, you must have been the one causing all the trouble."

Peyton didn't want Kurt to get in trouble so she responded before he had a chance to reveal himself from the trees. "Yep. Those guys were harassing me, is there a lady-like way to kick someone's ass?" Peyton knew this would get her in trouble, but it would also lead Dolores away with her to be punished.

"Oh that is it young lady, let's go. Just wait til your father hears about his. Another fight! I can't believe..." Her voice trailed off as she dragged Peyton away. She smiled and waved to Kurt as they disappeared into the distance.

"One of these days she is going to get herself killed." Kurt shook his head as he came out of the forest. He smoothed out his clothes and picked the twigs and leaves from his hair as best he could and headed off to his dad's shop. Burt looked up as his son came through the door.

"Hey missed you at lunch. Out hanging with the guys?" Burt gestured to the twigs his missed in his hair.

Kurt smiled awkwardly and nodded as he quickly made his hair perfect once again. "Yeah, had uhh...a race, I won." He hated lying to his father, but there was no other way. Burt just nodded.

"Come on we've got some horseshoes to finish." Burt gestured to Kurt and they went into the back room. Kurt sighed and picked at the leftover food from the basket he dropped off. He hated working here, even though he had quite a talent for it. The only part of the job he liked was when they worked on jewelry. "Kurt? The shoes aren't going to make themselves."

"Coming!" He put down the food and ran off to help his father.


Blaine was back in his room, his desk covered in papers from the record room, the novel on his bed and the law book in his hands. He was pacing back and forth as he read the law over and over, looking for a loophole. Finally he threw it on the floor and collapsed onto his bed. "It's no use. I am going to be forced by law to get married...to a girl." Pav chirped at him and Blaine lifted his head to look at him. "What? The only girls I know are stuck up princesses, not that it matters, because I am not on their team." He groaned. "I have to keep the peace here, but..." He sighed again, got up and walked to his window, the window that could see out over the kingdom.

"I wish I knew what it would be like to live out there, to be free from," He looked around at his giant room, with all of its lavishness. "from this." and Blaine began to sing as he walked around the room.

(To the tune of Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid)

Look at this place.

More than a suite

Wouldn't you think my life'd be complete?

Wouldn't you think as a prince

I would have everything?

Blaine returned to the window and opened it, feeling the breeze oh his face.

Look at the town

out there, beyond

A life filled with freedom, freedom I want

my life may look perfect

but I don't have anything

Blaine picked up an old photograph of his family, the four of them, all together, looking so happy. A time before he had figured out who he was and what it meant for him.

No one to listen or care if I cry

No understanding for what I feel

Family? They don't get it.

Blaine put the picture back on his dresser face down.

But who cares?

No big deal.

I'll escape

He ran back to the window leaning out of it dangerously.

I wanna be where people are

Totally free, free to go out dancing

walking around with...well actual friends

Blaine continued to dance solemnly around his room.

In the castle you can't get to far

lessons, meetings, ballroom dancing

I want a place where my, my pain can end

Out where they're free, be who they want

Out where they can do what they want

wandering free wish I could be

out in that world

He turned around and stared out the window.

What would I give if I could live out of the castle?

What would I pay to spend a day out in the land

I'll bet somewhere out there

someone will care, and understand my feelings

open minded, never blinded

never banned

Ready to know what is out there

Ask all my questions and get some answers

Be myself with out fear of being burned

He jumped on his bed looking up at his high ceiling as if talking to it.

When's it my turn?

When I am free?

free to be who I want to be

He fell back with a thump onto his bed still staring up.

Love who I love

Freedom above

Out in that world

He put his hand up to grab something imaginary, then turned his head to look out at the kingdom. "I wonder if there's a way I can sneak out...or something, just one day without all of...this." He sighed and saw the novel on his pillow. He didn't want to think about the law book, or the pile of papers on his desk, so he sat up and read.

Before he could be fully immersed in the story Cora barged in. "What are you doing?"

"You know, for a princess you have horrible manners." Blaine didn't look up from his book.

"Ha ha very funny, I just came to make sure you were still alive, mother asked to see you an hour ago and when you did not show up you made her upset." Cora walked to his bed.

"Well tell her I didn't mean to make her upset, I'm just working on my studies." Blaine tried to keep reading the book but it was hard while he could feel Cora staring at him.

"Studies? You are reading a novel...You have read every book in our library, is this one new?" She took it from him once again without asking.

"Cora! Hey I was reading that!" He got up from his bed and grabbed it back from her.

"Calm yourself...'Henry and Danielle'" She read it from his hands. "As in Prince Henry?"

Blaine looked at her confused, how could she know? This book had been rotting away in a secret room in the castle since before she was born. "What about him?"

"Mother and our professors mentioned an old book based on our ancestor Prince Henry. Something about him breaking the customs. It was a controversial at the time." Cora knew everything, Blaine should not have been surprised, and he thought he might as well ask more.

"Wait so you are saying that the rules and codes can be broken?" If she was the perfect know-it-all, she would know a way to beat the system.

"Well yes. If someone wants to bend the rules, break them or change them, you must consult with both the king and queen as well as the current head of Dalton's Law Enforcement, and get the approval of seven others of high status."

"Ah so it's a piece of cake..." Blaine's sarcasm was never lost on his sister.

"Yes, it is quite hard to get the approval of all ten, but Henry did it, so I guess it can be done."

"Right...well I would like to continue reading if you don't mind." Blaine sat back on his bed and opened the book. Cora didn't budge.

"Oh I do not mind, but mother will. She wants to see you, something about plans for the wedding ball." Cora abruptly left, leaving Blaine frozen in anger, pain, and defeat.

"Wedding? Ugh. I don't want to have a wedding..." He got up and left the book on his pillow. "Wish me luck, Pav." He nodded to his bird who answered with a chirp as he walked out the door, to face his mother and the thought of marriage. It still bothered him that he never formally told her about it and just assumed he knew. They made their way to the large ballroom in the castle. Blaine's friends Wes and David were there along with various other princes, princesses and nobles. Blaine looked around confused. "Is this an intervention? I don't remember needing one just yet..." Wes and David laughed and stood on either side of him.

"You have a wedding ball coming up, we are all invited." David gestured to others and Blaine avoided looking at Rachel.

"And we must all learn the traditional wedding ball dance." Wes added.

"But we have all been to weddings before..." Blaine continued walking with them to the middle of the room.

"But this isn't just any wedding." Queen Olivia overpowered the room with her presence. "This wedding is being held along with the kingdoms anniversary ball. So I had a mixture of the anniversary and wedding dances made so we can show it off to the kingdom."

Blaine faked some enthusiasm. Normally he would be thrilled to dance, other than his books and singing, dancing brought him joy, but now it was coupled with the thought of marriage. "Sounds like fun." He faked a smile and Olivia brought in the choreographer, to help teach them.

"Alright everyone pick a partner." Blaine looked around in haste, he really did not want to be stuck with one of the many girls who swooned over him. He backed up as Rachel came towards him and ran into Cora.

"Where are you going Blaine?" Cora looked over his shoulder and saw Rachel. "Oh, another crazy fan?"

"Dance with me. Please? You have to learn this dance too, and chances are we will learn it fastest with a skilled partner...Be my partner?"

"Well...I do have to learn it too. And you are the best dancer here...Alright fine." She took his hand and they took their positions. Olivia gave them a strange look, but they were the only two who could keep up with each other. Blaine was an excellent dancer and Cora picked up everything easily. After one round of teaching the two of them had it down flawlessly.

"Well that was quick." If Olivia was impressed she did't show it. "Well since you two are done, you may leave no use wasting your time. Cora be a dear and tell Blaine about the other preparations for the ball." She always did that. Said something to get Blaine's hopes up and then crushed them. Cora nodded and they both left. Blaine hurried ahead of her.

"Hey where do you think you are going?" Cora ran to catch up.

"My room."

"But I have stuff to tell you."

"Then tell me in my room."

Cora hurried after him, she could tell something was wrong and she was going to find out. She got to his room, the door closed and locked. Blaine was inside looking in the mirror trying to find a way to hide his emotions. He took a deep breath as Cora banged on the door.

"Come on Blaine let me in" When he didn't answer Cora thought for a second and then said. "We don't have to talk about the ball, can I just talk to you?" She heard the door unlock and came inside. "Are you alright?"

Blaine composed his face. "Yes, fine. Why do I look...sick or something?" He knew it, he was losing his touch, it was getting harder and harder to mask his pain.

"No, not sick. I noticed while we were dancing too. You love dancing, but you did not seem happy while we were learning so I thought about what else could be bothering you. It wasn't me because you asked me to be your partner and then you locked your door, but opened it when I agreed to not talk about the ball, so it has to be the ball is what is bothering you. Otherwise it is some boy thing that I have no hope of understanding." Cora and her logic. Blaine sighed still trying to hide his pain, if he told Cora she would tell their mother and she would be upset and Blaine just wanted to keep things peaceful.

"Look Cora..." Blaine sighed and sat on his bed, there was no point in lying, she already figured it out. "Yes. The ball is bothering me. Mostly the wedding part." Cora took his desk chair and sat across him.

"Why?"

"I-" Blaine looked into her golden hazel eyes, the one trait they had in common. "Promise you won't tell mom? I don't want to make her upset"

Cora contemplated for a bit and nodded. "Promise."

"OK." Blaine closed his eyes and sighed. "I don't want to get married. Marriage is for people who love each other, and I have never been, and will never be in love."

"That's a rather cynical way to look at it. You can't know that for sure, I have read all about love, and it often comes in unexpected places." Cora could tell this method was not working.

"Look, Cora. Besides the fact that love is not a science, they only people I ever come into contact with are you and the people in our lessons. Mother runs my life and never lets me leave unless it is for one of her events. How am I supposed to meet anyone if I am trapped in this castle?" Cora looked as if she was trying to calculate an answer.

"Well the ball is gonna have all the noble women in the kingdom, so you can meet them there..."

"One night to meet and decide who I will be spending the rest of my life with doesn't seem very practical, does it? You have to get to know someone and fall in love. There is no way I am going to go to this ball and miraculously see the one I want and know just from a look that I am in love."

"So you are saying that you want to meet all the girls first?"

"No. I want to be able to go out and meet someone without it being planned out, or scheduled or chosen for me. Take my chances with fate, instead of mother." Cora was silent for a while and let out a sigh. Blaine looked at her. "What?"

"I am trying to think of a way you can do that, so that mother will approve, but...she is very strict and follows all the customs."

"Just like you..."

"What?" Cora got up from her chair to have higher ground than Blaine sitting on his bed. Blaine could sense a fight, as much as he wanted to keep the peace he couldn't help himself.

"You are just like mom. You follow her every word, do everything she does the same way she does it, half the time you practically dress the same, don't you ever get tired of not being your own person?" Blaine said it calmly but there was anger beneath his words. Cora had a quick retaliation.

"You are going to lecture me about being my own person? You think I can't tell that you are just acting all the time! You have been different for so long I don't really know who you are anymore."

Blaine stood up now, "Since when was this conversation about me? I just answered your question."

"So you think that I am just like mom? I am your sister, I though you knew me better than that. I do what I have to to keep the peace around here."

"You? You think you keep the peace around here? If I didn't fake it there would be no peace!" Blaine realized he admitted to acting all the time and sat back on his bed, head in his hands. "I have to keep the peace, I see how mom looks at me sometimes, and if dad was proud of me, he would find time to spend with me. And if acting is a way to get them to accept me and make us a big happy family so be it."

Cora sat back down sympathizing with his sadness. "But we're not happy are we? We rarely act like siblings anymore. What happened Blaine?"

Blaine looked at her remembering how close they were as kids, before his father took him away to go hunting, before Blaine realized he was gay. "We changed. You started acting like mom...you should be yourself." Blaine felt like a hypocrite in saying so. Cora took his hand.

"And you should stop trying to make everyone else happy, and make yourself happy for a change." Cora gave him a sad smile.

"I can't" Blaine used all his strength to keep himself from crying.

"Blaine what are you talking abo-" Blaine got up and took her to the door.

"I'm sorry Cora, but there are things that I must sacrifice for the good of this family" With that he pushed her out closed the door, locked it and sank into his bed covering his head with his pillow stifling his sobs.


Meanwhile in New Lima, Kurt and his father were walking back home from work later than usual. The horse they were shoeing gave them excessive trouble, resulting in Burt getting a black eye and a cut from a flying they got inside Kurt hurried to the bathroom to get the medical supplies to clean his fathers eye.

"Just let me see it, dad."

"Kurt I am fine, just a bruise. I'll tough it out."

"Will you please let me just clean it, I don't want it getting infected."

Kurt and Burt struggled for a while as Kurt insisted on cleaning it up. Finally Burt gave in.

"You are just like your mother, you know?" Burt smiled at him and winced as Kurt cleaned the wound.

"She had to force you to clean your cuts?" Kurt smiled.

"Always worrying about me, cleaning me up, helping out people even when she wasn't working." Kurt smiled at the thought of being like his mother, Burt often compared him to her. Kurt's mother had been a nurse before she died. Kurt remember some of the things she had taught him about healing people, as well as read all of her books on it. Oddly enough healing people up made him feel closer to her.

"There all done." Kurt finished and put a salve on his father's cut. "Next time we have the black stallion in our shop, we get an extra man to help" Kurt walked off to put the medical supplies away, but Burt stopped him.

"Hey Kurt?" His tone made Kurt anxious.

"Yeah dad?"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

Kurt almost feel over in shock, a laugh escaped his lips. "No, dad. I don't."

Burt nodded. "What about Peyton, you two are always together right?"

Kurt had no choice but to burst with awkward laughter. "I have known her all my life, she is like a sister. Dad what is this all about?"

Burt just shook his head. "Nothin'" and he walked into the kitchen to start dinner. Kurt stared after him confused, then put away the medical supplies.

On his way back to the kitchen he could hear the muffled yells of Dolores, coming from next door.

"What do you mean no punishment?" Dolores and Edgar were arguing across the dinner table as Peyton sat there in silence.

"There is no proof she got in a fight with those boys." Edgar was calmer than his wife, but the anger was still there in his voice.

"She admitted it to me as she came out of the forest. She looked like she had been climbing trees to say the least."

"The forest? Don't be silly, she knows not to go in there, besides she would never start a fight with boys, and if she did we would know, she would be head to toe in bruises,"
"You know I am sitting right here." Peyton was miffed that he father still refused to believe that she could hold her own in a fight. "And I was in the forest and I did get in a fight. In fact I won."

Edgar laughed and Peyton had the urge to challenge him and prove it, but she knew better. "Peyton, honey don't be silly. The forest is no place for anyone but a hunter, and you do not look like you have been in a fight at all."

"That's because I won!" Peyton groaned. "I give up, you never listen!" Peyton stormed out the door. Dolores turned to Edgar.

"I told you. See she admitted it."

" She just wants attention, she probably saw the boys ransack the town and made up the story. She keeps trying to prove to me she can go out and hunt" Edgar laughed and shook his head. "Could you imagine? Peyton hunting?"

A sly smile appeared on Dolores's face."Take her."

"What?" Edgar stopped laughing.

"Take her with you and prove to her that she can't handle it."

Edgar looked at her waiting to see if she was joking.

"It might scare some sense into her!"

"I'll think about it."

Peyton was sitting on the top of the last hill before the forests staring into the sky. She sighed and laid down on the ground with her eyes closed, when she opened them she found a pair of bright blue eyes staring back at her.

"Kurt?" She twisted and sat up, to face him.

"Everything ok? You looked as though you would rather be skipping stones somewhere." They laughed.

"I guess I should be happy I'm not in trouble...but it's only because my father still refuses to believe what I can do."
"At least you have the guts to try to talk to him about it..." Kurt sat next to her on the grass.

"My dad asked me if you were my girlfriend..." Peyton burst out laughing, but Kurt shushed her. "It would have been the perfect time to tell him...but I just...I'm scared."

Peyton put her arm around him. "Kurt, your dad loves you, he will always love you, no matter what. Ok?" Kurt nodded. "Tell him when you are ready, no rush." She kissed his forehead. "Come on lil' bro we better get back before your dad thinks I'm your girl again." Kurt laughed and they got up and walked back to their houses.

Kurt said an early goodnight to his father and went up to his room. He sat by his window and stared into the stars. "I can't keep lying forever."