Okay, here is chapter numero two. To be clear, you all know that Kurt isn't a Christian yet, right?
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Kurt came to believe that the day it all started was September 3rd, the day that his life began to change.
It had begun normally enough; he had gotten up, dressed, and went to class as per usual. Blaine had ignored him all day, not even bothering to sit with him at lunch like he usually did. Kurt found himself wondering whether they would even make it the forty-three days Blaine had unconsciously allotted, the forty-three days in which Kurt was supposed to make Blaine fall in love again.
Kurt thought bitterly that they might've had more time if Blaine's damned parents –who didn't approve of their relationship- hadn't sent in that internship application to Vogue. Blaine's mother, being a famous fashion designer, had been able to pull quite a few strings; at least, enough to get the application.
The application, which was due October 15th, of course, was currently sitting on the desk in their room, and as Kurt entered the room at the end of the day, he was tempted to tear it to shreds. Just seeing it sitting on the desk, as if daring him to seize it and rip it up, made Kurt's blood boil.
He still couldn't believe that Blaine had filled out the application already. He had informed Kurt a week later that if things between them didn't change, he'd submit it as planned. If they did change, then Blaine would throw it away.
Kurt wondered idly if Blaine had placed it there to motivate him, to tell him that it wasn't too late. His thoughts, however, were interrupted when he heard a knock at the door.
Walking over to the door, Kurt muttered to himself unintelligibly, feeling slightly annoyed at the disruption of his thoughts. He flung the door open, only to see a freshman, who he recognized as a young Warbler, standing there with a brown package in his hands.
"Hey," the boy said, holding the box out limply. "Um, a girl dropped this off for you, told me to make sure you get it."
Kurt's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "And why didn't she bring it to me herself?" he asked, and the boy cocked his head.
"You know we're not supposed to have girls up in the dorms!" he exclaimed, seemingly appalled. Kurt realized his slip-up and backtracked immediately.
"Of course I know that," he said, clearing his throat and waving it off. Kurt would have smacked himself if the boy wasn't standing right there; every time Mercedes had been over, he had had to sneak her in when no one was around, and he sometimes forgot the rule against girls even existed. He tried to seem authoritative as he held out his hand. "Well, hand it over, please."
"Johnny," the younger boy said as he held the package out to him, though Kurt hadn't asked his name. "My name's Johnny." He ran a hand through his thick, dark hair as Kurt took the package.
"Johnny," Kurt repeated, nodding his head as if filing it away. "Thank you."
Johnny smiled. "You're welcome," he said, and began walking down the hall. Kurt stepped back into his room and shut the door behind himself, gazing curiously down at the package in his hands. His inquisitiveness finally got the best of him, and he carefully opened the brown paper, wondering who the hell could've sent it.
When he got the paper off, the object inside slipped from his grasp and onto the floor, resulting in a light thudding sound. Kurt bent over to examine whatever it was, only to see that it was a book.
The Love Dare.
What the hell is 'The Love Dare'? he thought to himself. Who sent this?
Kurt picked up the book, brushing random bits of detritus that it had collected whilst on the floor. He opened it cautiously, and realized who the sender was as soon as he recognized Mercedes' messy script on the title page.
Kurt,
I know you're going to hate me for this…scratch that, you're going to KILL me for this. But it worked for my Aunt Linda and Uncle Jack, and I hope it can work for you, too. If you really are uncomfortable with it, you don't have to do it. But please, Kurt, give it a chance. I don't want you to hurt anymore, and I think this can help.
Love ya bunches,
Mercedes
By the time Kurt finished reading, he was incredibly suspicious; what could be so bad that he'd kill his best friend?
When he turned to the first page he figured out why.
"Mercedes," he growled under his breath, feeling his face growing hot. He turned a few more pages, and there they were, over and over again, screaming at him.
Bible quotes.
Mercedes was right.
He was going to kill her.
….
Kurt's tires screeched against the asphalt as he executed the turn into Mercedes' driveway, leaving satisfyingly noticeable skid marks along the blacktop of Hamilton Street. Seeing that her parents weren't home, he stopped the car, throwing open his door and grabbing her gift from the passenger's seat.
Kurt stomped angrily up to the front door of the small yet elegant house, feeling his blood boil slightly in his veins. He knocked three times, waiting somewhat patiently for Mercedes to answer the door. When she didn't, however, his patience began to fade, becoming replaced with annoyance.
"Screw it," he muttered to himself, thrusting open the door and marching into the front room. Without pausing, he trudged down the hall towards Mercedes' room, hearing voices when he reached the entrance.
"Oh, come on!" he heard her exclaim, sounding congested. "The baby is pointing to her! Go, before she dies!"
Kurt tilted his head, his anger replaced momentarily by confusion.
"Well, I did warn you, girl. You should've adopted," Mercedes spoke again, her voice full of sympathy.
Kurt, having decided he had had enough of her crazy-talk, stepped into the room with his hands on his hips. She was sitting on her bed with a bowl of popcorn, watching some movie and crying silently. Confused further, Kurt just shook it off and cleared his throat loudly.
Mercedes looked up, letting out a shriek and tossing her popcorn at him. She toppled off of the side of her four-poster, hitting her forehead on the far wall. Lifting a hand to her injured temple, she closed her eyes.
"Mercedes?" Kurt asked frigidly, reaching up a hand to swipe his bangs out of his eyes. He rolled his eyes when she still didn't look up at him. "Mercedes!"
She finally glanced up at him, doing a double-take, before her eyes widened in horror.
"Kurt," she began, standing up slowly. "Wh-what are you doing here?"
He walked over to her, trailing his pinkie finger along the bed in a way reminiscent of a sadistic killer in a horror movie. "Oh, I just came over to watch-" he paused, before glancing at the television and finding himself pleasantly surprised, "-Steel Magnolias? Is that why you were crying?"
She wiped her face on her shirt. "Well, Julia Roberts just went into a coma! I would think you of all people would understand my crying."
"Yes, yes, very well, we all know Julia Roberts is a goddess," he conceded, waving a dismissive hand. "But I came because I was curious as to when and under what circumstances you lost your damn mind."
Kurt saw comprehension flash on her face, and Mercedes stepped back cautiously. She held up her hands as she backed away, her eyes wide and fearful. "Whoa, now, Kurt, let me explain-"
"Explain? Explain? Please, by all means, explain why you would send me this," he spat, holding out the book in his grasp.
Mercedes reached out to take the book, running her hand across the surface. "Kurt, did you even read any of it?"
He glared at her. "I saw Bible verses-"
"But did you actually read any of it?" she cut him off, raising an eyebrow.
Kurt opened his mouth to respond, but then shut it quickly.
She pursed her lips and ran her tongue along the inside of her cheek. "That's what I thought."
"But I know what it is, Mercedes," he said with a sigh, rubbing his temple. "It's just going to tell me to pray until Blaine and I get better, and that if I have hope in God, all that crap-"
"Hey," Mercedes said in a warning voice. "Stop yourself right there, before you get me mad. This," she held up the book, "isn't what you think. It's a guide."
"A guide?" he asked, sarcasm evident in his voice.
"Every day, it tells you to do something else for your partner, or yourself, that will make your relationship better. Sure, there's a kind of lesson before it, but they aren't that long. And if you really want to save your relationship, you'll try it."
Kurt folded his arms. "And what about the fact that it's based on your God's word, huh? Will it still work for me? Even though Blaine does, I don't believe in that stuff, Mercedes, and you know that."
"Kurt," she began, shaking her head. "I know you don't want to hear this, but God still loves you, even if you don't believe in him. I can't really explain it, but I think this will help you." Mercedes sighed, sitting down on her bed. "Just- just give it a chance, please? You don't have to pray or anything. Just do what it says to do."
He regarded her with nothing but a stare, contemplating her offer. Just do what it said to do? It didn't sound as bad as he thought. Her eyes pled with him, and as he thought he found himself smiling at her. What the hell, he thought. Might as well. I can skip over the Bible verses.
"My uncle didn't believe in God, either, and the dare worked for him," Mercedes interjected helpfully, though she neglected to mention that he had become a believer halfway through the dare. Oh, well.
Kurt gave her one last, long look, before exhaling in defeat. "Fine," he said, and took a seat beside her on the bed. He pointed to the TV. "Now, let's watch Sally Field have an emotional breakdown."
What did you think?
Next installment: Day 1 of The Love Dare