As Kurt walked to the coffee shop, he reflected on how badly his audition had gone. Not his singing, of course. He'd sounded amazing. "Not the Boy Next Door" was HIS song. It was the song that almost got him into NYADA. And he had sung it amazingly back then too. It's just that Rachel had convinced them to let her in because of her "determination" and "drive" even though she had failed her audition. Not that he was bitter or anything (much)…anyways. He, like all the auditioners, had been listening through the door to hear the other's auditions. And it just so happened that the guy before him had chosen to sing "Not the Boy Next Door" as well. Then afterwards he read some sappy poem about why he would be the best choice for the lead because he was "trustworthy" and "reliable". By the time Kurt walked in, the director was almost in tears. Then halfway through his version of the song, he had been cut off with a "Thank you for coming". It had been a disaster.
When he walked into the shop, there was no line. The only barista was doodling on a napkin behind the counter. He walked up and ordered his coffee (and a muffin, because it had been a bad day; he should be allowed to eat junk food). The man behind the counter barely looked at him. He looked slightly familiar, although he didn't know why. "That'll be two seventy-"The man said, and Kurt nearly dropped his coffee when he realized who it was. It was the stranger who had paid for his groceries the day before!
They stood there for who knows how long, just staring at each other. Kurt felt like he was sinking into the man's gorgeous hazel eyes. They were almost golden, like honey. He snapped out of his daze when the man let go of the coffee cup and said, "Hi."
Blaine had no idea how long he stood there, staring at this beautiful man. It was the same porcelain face, the same chestnut hair, the same blue eyes. The very same. Suddenly, he realized he was still holding the coffee cup, and their fingers were lightly touching. He let go, and, not knowing what to say, said "Hi." Hi? Really Blaine? Could you not think of anything better? But really, he could barely think at all.
They stayed silent for a few seconds before the other man said "This is weird. It's like the universe has decided that we need to be best friends."
Blaine's heart fell a little bit when he said 'best friends'. But he laughed uncertainly and said "Yeah." Not knowing what else to say, he took a deep breath and said "Look, I finish my shift in, like, 30 seconds. Are you staying here to drink your coffee?"
The man nodded. "Then how about I join you?" What are you doing Blaine? His mind was screaming. But he didn't care. This mysterious, beautiful person had slipped through his fingers once, and he'd be damned if he let it happen again without at least trying to get to know him.
He nearly had a heart attack when the man said: "I'd like that." Blaine smiled.
"I'll be right out." He said, running to the kitchen. Before he could hang up his apron, Wes grabbed his arm.
"Blaine, what the hell was that?" He asked.
"He's…just a guy," Blaine answered nervously.
Wes shook his head. "That was not 'just a guy'. You stared at each other for like 10 minutes. Tell me what's really going on, or I'll have to find out myself." Blaine groaned. He knew that Wes 'finding out himself' meant going out there and asking the guy a bunch of embarrassing questions like 'Are you Blaine's boyfriend?' or "Have you slept with him yet?'. So he explained the situation briefly, and by the end, Wes was hopping around and screaming excitedly.
"OH MY GOD! THIS IS IT, BLAINEY! I SAID MAYBE YOU WERE GOING TO MEET YOUR SOULMATE IF YOU WENT OUT AND FINISHED YOUR SHIFT, AND I WAS RIGHT! I WAS RIGHT FOR ONCE, DAMMIT! I KNEW SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, I JUST KNEW IT! I-"
'WES!' Blaine yelled. "First of all, he is not my soulmate! He is just a guy that, yes, I find attractive, but that does not mean that I am in love with him or he is in love with me. Second of all, stop jumping around like that. You look like you're having a spasm."
Wes giggled. "But it's just so romantic!"
Blaine rolled his eyes. "I swear I'm best friends with a fourteen-year-old girl."
"But in all seriousness, Blaine, what do you feel when you look at him?" We asked him.
Blaine paused, trying to sum up his feelings. "I can't really explain it. It's like…I'm drawn to him. There's just something about him that makes me want to get to know him."
"AWWWWWW!"
Blaine sighed. "I'm going to go back outside before he thinks I left." He walked back into the shop and saw the man sitting at a table in the back of the shop. He smiled and walked over.
The stranger grinned. "I thought you'd ditched me, Blaine!" he said.
Blaine stared at him. "How'd you know my name?"
"Because I'm psychic!" He said in a spooky voice. Blaine stared at him, unimpressed. "Fine, I read your name tag."
"Ah, and here I thought I had stumbled upon someone with superpowers!" Blaine said laughing. "Alright, lemme try and guess your name."
The man smiled. "Go ahead; I would love to see your best attempt."
Blaine grinned. "Okay…your name is…Chris!" He guessed. The man chuckled.
"No. Good guess though. Everyone thinks I look like one." He said, laughing again. God, his laugh is so beautiful. It was high pitched and reminded him of wind chimes.
"Well, then what is your name? You've kept me in suspense long enough!" Blaine exclaimed.
The stranger flashed that beautiful smile. "Kurt. Kurt Hummel." Kurt. It fit him perfectly.
"Well, at least I don't have to refer to you as Stranger anymore!" Blaine mentioned. Kurt smiled, and Blaine was practically left breathless. He was amazing.
They talked for hours. It seemed like minutes. Kurt didn't even notice the tie flying by. He was just so lost in Blaine. Blaine. He was so happy that he could put a name to that face. That beautiful face.
When Kurt finally decided to check his watch, he was shocked to realize that he had spent an hour and a half at the coffee shop.
"Wow, we've been here a while!" He said.
Blaine checked his watch. "I guess it's cause you're so easy to talk to." He said with a wink. Kurt blushed. Was he…flirting? No, he was probably straight.
"Well, I'd better get going before my roommate sends out a search party, or worse, comes and finds me herself," Kurt said, getting up.
Blaine furrowed his triangular eyebrows. "You room with a girl?"
"Well, yeah. I mean, it's not like anything's going to happen, considering I'm gay and she has an on/off thing with my stepbrother." Kurt said casually.
"You're gay?" Blaine asked.
"Um…yeah. I hope you don't have any issues with that." Kurt said simply.
"No, no, it's fine. I am too. I just didn't expect it." Blaine answered.
Now it was Kurt's turn to look confused. "You didn't expect it? Look at me; I'm a walking, talking stereotype!"
"You? Are you kidding? I wear a bowtie to work; I'm one of the most obvious people you'll ever meet!" Blaine argued.
"I carry copies of Vogue in my bag."
"I haven't worn socks in 6 years."
"I spend an hour moisturizing my face at night."
"I spend 2 hours on my hair every morning."
Kurt laughed. "Okay, I don't think I can beat that!" Blaine grinned. "But seriously, I have to go. It's been nice talking to you, Blaine. I hope we can do this again."
"Can I have your number?"
Kurt froze. Blaine wanted his number? The last time a guy had asked for his number…he shuddered and tried to shake off the memory. When he looked back at Blaine, he was looking panicked.
"I mean, it's okay if you don't want to give it to me, I understand, I mean, why would you anyways? I just meant so that we could try and see each other again, but it's fine if you don't want to, really-"
"Blaine!" Kurt said, cutting him off. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, handing it to Blaine. "Give me your phone." He said. Blaine sighed in relief and handed over the phone. Kurt put in his number and handed it back. "I'll talk to you later then." He said with a smile and walked out of the shop.
You idiot! Why would you ask for his number? Why would he want to give you his number? He just met you! God, you can be stupid sometimes Anderson!
"I mean, it's okay if you don't want to give it to me, I understand, I mean, why would you anyways? I just meant so that we could try and see each other again, but it's fine if you don't want to, really-"
"Blaine!" Kurt said, handing Blaine his phone. Blaine sighed in relief. Kurt had gotten this frightened expression on his face when he had asked him, so it was a wonder to Blaine as to why he actually wanted to exchange numbers.
"I'll talk to you later then," Kurt said with an adorable little smile as he walked out. As soon as Kurt was gone, Wes sat down in the empty seat in front of him.
"So, what happened? Did you ask him out? Did you profess your undying love for each other? Did you propose? Did you suggest that you run away to the countryside and elope because you're part of rival gangs who will never allow you to be together?"
Blaine rolled his eyes (for the fifth time that day). "Why, again, did I force you to watch West Side Story?"
"THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER!"
"Fine. To answer your questions, no we are not part of rival gangs, no we are not engaged, and no I did not ask him out." Wes reached over across the table and smacked him in the face.
"OW! What was that for?" Blaine yelled his cheek red.
"Why didn't you ask him out? This boy is clearly the one; you need to get together already!"
"Wes, he is not "clearly the one", he's just a guy who I happen to get along with!"
Wes shook his head. "Someday, when you two are old and married and living in a nursing home, you're going to look back on this moment and remember how stupid you were."
Blaine nodded sarcastically. "Alright, I'm leaving before you start planning our wedding."
"AHA! SO THERE WILL BE A WEDDING!"
"Goodbye, Wes."
Rachel, I'm home!" Kurt looked around. His roommate was nowhere to be found. "Rachel?" Maybe she was still out with her friends. He turned around and nearly had a heart attack saw Rachel sitting in a chair, stone-faced and silent.
"Rachel, you scared me!" Kurt yelled, clutching his heart.
Rachel stood up. "I scared you? Where in Barbra's name have you been? I was expecting you home an hour ago!"
"Why do you care? You're not my mom." He thought about his mom and how if she was still around he would have probably called home to gush to her about Blaine.
"So what's his name?"
Kurt jumped. "What do you-" He was biting his cheek. Dammit. Rachel stared at him, waiting for an answer.
Kurt sighed. "His name's Blaine. He's…nice." Rachel's face broke out into a smile.
"Tell me everything! Wait!" She said. "What about the guy you met at the supermarket yesterday?"
"Funny story actually…that guy I met yesterday is Blaine." He launched into the story. Once he finished, Rachel was screaming in joy.
"I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU YOU'D SEE HIM AGAIN! THIS IS AMAZING AND SO ROMANTIC AND OH MY GOD THIS GUY'S PROBABLY YOUR SOULMATE AND OH MY GOD!" She yelled.
"Rachel! Stop acting like a 12-year-old girl meeting Taylor Lautner!"
"I CAN'T HELP IT! IT'S JUST SO ADORABLE!" She grabbed his shoulders. "Did he ask you out?"
"No."
"Did you ask him out?'
"No."
Rachel put her head in her hands and groaned. "Why not?"
"Because! He's just a guy that I happen to get along with! There's nothing going on!"
"But Kurt, this guy could be the one!"
"I thought Tim was the one. And look how that worked out."
Rachel's face fell. "I'm sorry, Kurt. I should have known you wouldn't want to get into something like that after what that asshole did to you."
"It's fine. I…I'm just not in the place to be in a relationship right now." Kurt said.
Rachel nodded. "I understand. Are you going to see him again?"
"I'd like to."
"Alright. Who knows, maybe a flirtationship is just what you need to get you back on your feet."
"It's not a flirtationship, it's just a friendship!"
"Okay, okay, no need to be so defensive!" Kurt rolled his eyes when his phone buzzed. It was Blaine.
Hey stranger ;)
Kurt smiled. Rachel ran over to see what it was. She stared at him pointedly after reading it. "A winky face, Kurt? Really?"
"Shut up!" Kurt said and walked into his room.
Well hello Blaine.
I had fun today :)
What is it with you and emoticons?
What, you don't like it? :(
*virtual eye roll*
Oh, come on, admit it's adorable
Not a chance. Say, are you working tomorrow?
As a matter of fact, I am. I get off at 4
Well then maybe I'll stop by ;)
Oh, so you can do emoticons and I can't? Where's the justice in that?
I can use emoticons because I'm amazing.
And I'm not?
No. You're…I'm trying to think of the perfect word to describe you but I'm blanking.
Adorable? Swell? Dashingly handsome?
Eh, it'll come to me.
Well, in that case, I guess I'll see you tomorrow :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
I'm officially adding 'immature' to the list of possible adjectives.
Bye Kurt ;)
Bye :)
