Kurt didn't tell his father about his car. He didn't even tell Finn. No point in getting everyone worked up. It was probably a one time thing and Kurt really believed his silence was what was saving him. The way Kurt saw it, he'd attend Dalton, keep to himself, with the exception of the handful of friends he had and then apply to colleges FAR FAR away. He was ready for his escape and this was just the beginning of it.
Waiting outside on the school steps, he saw Mercedes car pull in. He missed his girls. He missed seeing them everyday, all of Rachel's drama. Okay, maybe not so much that last part, but it did save him DVRing all of his soap operas. Getting up, he raced across the parking lot, throwing himself at Mercedes. She laughed, catching him with ease.
"Hey beautiful! Uniform life really is your style, Kurt," she said, taking him in. They hadn't had a 'girls night' in a while and she missed her best friend.
"Kurt I've missed you!" Rachel said coming around to hug him from the other side. "I mean, not the fighting for solos part-"
"I know, trust me," he smiled, hugging her back. "Come on, auditions are starting in a few minutes. Sorry to say, you two have to get in line with the rest of the girls," he said, pointing to the line outside the building. Both of them had their mouths open.
"Kurt, there's like sixty girls there, at least! I mean I'm going to beat all of them, but this is insane." It was like she was trying out for a musical on Broadway, not at a private high school!
"You two are the best damn singers in this state. This is going to be a piece of cake. Now get over there before another bus pulls up and unloads. The boys are going to start soon and you don't want to miss their auditions."
"Wait- another bus?" Mercedes stared at Kurt.
"It's a figure of speech." Only it wasn't. That's where this first group had come from. He gave them both a kiss for good luck, before heading back to the school. "Oh and Rachel, no On My Own. It's so overdone for auditioning," he called.
Scooting back into the school, he made his way around to the Auditorium. Stepping in, all the Warbler's were there. Blaine waved to him. He'd saved him a seat. Kurt moved down the aisle as the director came out.
"Now boys, as you know, there are just enough male parts as their are you. This isn't an audition to get in, it's to see who is suitable for which role. We'll get your auditions done in here. The girls are being filtered through now. The top ten will come in at the end to try out for Sarah and Medda."
Blaine leaned in, whispering to Kurt. "So what did you decide to sing?"
"I thought I would leave it as a surprise. Why? What did you decide on?" Kurt glanced over to Blaine.
"Up first, Blaine Anderson." The director had the list in his hand, stepping up to the desk.
"Guess you're going to find out," he smiled. That wonderful, addictive, beautiful, brilliant... were there enough adjectives to describe Blaine Anderson's smile? Kurt snapped out of his daze and looked up to the stage. He may complain about Blaine getting all the good solos, (who was he kidding, Blaine deserved all of them) but a rush hit Kurt everytime he sang. It was like he did it just for him.
Blaine walked over to the piano, starting to play. Kurt sat up a little more, wondering just what he was about to sing. He was so used to him singing pop hits. What might he sing to try out? And then the sweet melody left his lips.
There's a grief that can't be spoken. Here they talked of revolution. From the table in the corner Oh my friends, my friends forgive me That I live and you are gone. Phantom faces at the window. Oh my friends, my friends, don't ask me
There's a pain goes on and on.
Empty chairs at empty tables
Now my friends are dead and gone.
Here it was they lit the flame.
Here they sang about `tomorrow'
And tomorrow never came.
They could see a world reborn
And they rose with voices ringing
I can hear them now!
The very words that they had sung
Became their last communion
On the lonely barricade at dawn.
There's a grief that can't be spoken.
There's a pain goes on and on.
Phantom shadows on the floor.
Empty chairs at empty tables
Where my friends will meet no more.
What your sacrifice was for
Empty chairs at empty tables
Where my friends will sing no more.
"N-nothing. You were great." He was perfect. Kurt hated how much farther down the rabbit hole he fell for Blaine everyday. He got it, he knew how he felt about Blaine, but Blaine was content just testing the waters. Now, if they were going out, Kurt would have dragged him out into the hall and kissed him. The man sang Les Miserables! His heart hadn't stopped pounding.
"Thanks." He gave Kurt's knee a squeeze as he turned his attention back to Wes.
Kurt was starting to second guess his song choice. He wanted Blaine to feel the same way he did. Maybe that would knock his senses around. Kurt watched Wes finish up. The boys clapped. "Kurt Hummel."
"Break a leg," Blaine smiled, moving so Kurt could get up to the stage.
Kurt made it on, taking a deep breath. He sat himself down at the piano, feeling out the keys a moment, before he looked into the audience. Blaine was leaning forward, his eyes intent on Kurt now. Closing his eyes, Kurt started to play and sing.
There's a saying old
Says that love is blind -
Still we're often told,
"Seek and ye shalI find."
So I'm going to seek
A certain lad I've had in mind.
Looking everywhere,
Haven't found him yet;
He's the big affair
I cannot forget.
Only man I ever
Think of with regret.
I'd like to add his initials to my monogram.
Tell me, where is the shepherd for this lost
lamb.
There's a somebody I'm longing to see
I hope that he
Turns out to be
Someone who'll watch over me.
I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood.
I know I could
Always be good
To one who'll watch over me.
Although he may not be the man some
Girls think of as handsome
To my heart he carries the key.
Won't you telI him please to put on some
speed -
Follow my lead -
Oh! How I need
Someone to watch over me.
Someone to watch over me.
Kurt's fingers moved away from the keys as the Warbler's started their applause. Looking out, Blaine was on his feet, that wonderful smile spread across his face. Kurt blushed, walking back up into the audience.
"Nice choice," Blaine said, sitting down when Kurt did.
"One of my favorites. You liked it?"
"It was perfect." Those words were better then anything to Kurt. He could sway in the back in this musical and he'd be completely content with it.
Soon enough, the boys had all finished and the girls were brought in to try out. Of course, Rachel and Mercedes were there. Kurt didn't have a doubt in his mind that his best friends would make it to the end.
Mercedes busted out her classic version of Respect, while Rachel seemed to have taken Kurt's advice. She put the other girls to shame with her rendition of Funny Girl. Like birth mother, like daughter.
The girls moved up to join the boys. "That was hard a contest. So when we get the roles, practice will be every day right? The flyers say the show starts in five weeks. My Shue isn't going to be to happy about this, but your whole group is doing the musical. Don't you think that will kill your chances of winning at Regionals?" Rachel crossed her arms, wondering if they had the upper hand.
"Rachel, our set list was finished weeks ago. We know our songs by heart." Blaine grinned. "Nice thought, but we're a force to be reckoned with."
Rachel pouted, but she couldn't help but grin too. She liked Blaine. And she wondered just what was taking him so long to see how head over heels the boy beside him was about him.
"Thank you all for coming. The list will be up tomorrow morning." They were dismissed and Kurt and Blaine followed the girls out to the parking lot.
"I should be heading back to Lima. Homework and all that. What are you girls up to?" Kurt fixed his scarf around his neck, taking out his phone to check it. He'd missed a call from and unknown number. He didn't think anything of it.
"I have to finished writing! And no! I won't tell you what so don't ask!," Rachel huffed.
"I didn't ask..." Kurt looked confused at Mercedes.
"Trust me, you don't wanna bother. Come on Rachel. Kurt, I'll talk at you soon." She kissed his cheek as they made to head home.
"We'll check the list first thing in the morning," Blaine said, hands tucked away in his pockets. "Drive safe all right?" He moved to head back to the school, but stopped himself. "Hey, Kurt, did you talk to your Dad? About what happened yesterday?"
Kurt paused. Lie or tell him the truth? "Yeah. He told me to be careful. I was right. Not much we can do without proof." Kurt shrugged.
Blaine just nodded, giving a wave before heading back to Dalton. Kurt hated himself for lying to Blaine, but really, what could he do? Without proof, they couldn't pin anything on Karofsky.
xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx
Kurt flew to school the next morning. He was so nervous to find out what part he'd be given. Any part would be nice. Maybe not to big. He still wanted to keep his grades up and some big tests were coming up soon. He passed a few Warblers in the hall, all of them giving high fives and a pat on the back. "Congrats Hummel!" they called, heading off to first block.
Kurt walked a little faster, meeting Blaine at the board. "Who did you get?" he asked, bouncing on his heels. Blaine wrapped his arm around Kurt's shoulder, bringing him over to the board.
"Jack Kelly," Blaine said, rather proud of himself.
"Congrats!" Kurt said, giving him a squeeze.
"Congrats yourself, Davie."
"Davie- No." Kurt rushed to the paper, looking up and down the list till he found his name. He was second lead. He'd gotten the part of David. "Oh my God."
"Looks like we'll be spending some serious practice time together," Blaine said, making his way off to class. Kurt stared at the paper as the warning bell blared. Him. A lead in the school musical. This would have never happened at McKinnley.
It was then his phone went off, bringing him back to reality. Racing to class, he answered it. Why would he answer it? He didn't have time to talk to phone robots. "Hello?"
"I'm serious Hummel, not a damn word to anyone." And the phone went dead. Kurt stopped in the middle of the hall, the phone still pressed to his ear. He had to be as white as the marble walls. The halls were silent and Kurt was alone, only his labored, paniced breath could be heard.
To Be Continued...