Kurt

It was kind of endearing really, the awkwardness that Ryan seemed to have about him. He could not move anywhere do anything or even say anything without it being slightly awkward. Not too awkward, but there just seemed to constantly be an uncomfortable feeling that hung about him at all times. He was currently riding in the passenger seat of my car, he didn't seem to know what to do with himself at first. He crossed, then uncrossed his legs, twiddled with his thumbs and fidgeted in the seat. Finally though he had settled with just starring out the window.

"So, Ryan what are your interests?" I asked, in an attempt to start a conversation. He tore his gaze away from the window to look at me, gosh, he really is very good looking, I thought to myself.

"Oh, um I guess I love drama and singing and dancing… well just performing in general." was his reply.

"So, you must really enjoy being in a show choir." I stated.

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, it's fun, but my sister sort of forced me to join. She's kinda the one who came up with the idea, but it's really just another way for her to be the 'star of the show' again." he said.

"Oh, your sister? Is she here?" I asked.

"Yeah, she's my twin." he replied.

"Oh, was she the blond one that was wearing the outfit that matched yours?" I asked.

"Sadly, yes she is my sister." he sighed.

"Do you two not get along?" I asked.

"Well if you ask her she'll say we're the best of friends, but anyone who knows me knows that I only put up with her because she protects me." he said.

"What do you need protection from?" I enquired.

"This sounds kinda juvenile, but she keeps people from calling me names… or worse." he said.

"Oh, don't worry Ryan. I know exactly what that's like," I said, while bitterly remembering all of the times I'd found myself at the bottom of a dumpster. After that, the conversation died and Ryan returned to starring out the window. Luckily though it wasn't long before I was pulling into my driveway.

"Ok so, I guess this'll be your home for the next month," I said as I parked the car in the driveway. Ryan didn't say anything to that, but he did go very white. I wondered if the prospect of staying with me for a month was really that scary. I helped Ryan gather his luggage, which there was quite a bit of, and then led him to the front door.

Once we were inside I called out to my dad, to make him aware of our arrival. He turned up in the hallway a few minutes later. "How was your day at school?" he asked.

"same crap as always," I replied.

"I wasn't asking you, Kurt," he said, "I was asking our guest. Do you think you could introduce us?"

"Oh yeah sure, Ryan this is my Dad, Dad this is Ryan," I said. My Dad held out his hand to Ryan and Ryan shook it, yes, awkwardly. As I said before he can't do anything without it being awkward. "Alright, I'm going to go show Ryan where he will be sleeping for the rest of the month," I said. My Dad nodded and then went back to wherever he had previously come from. I started walking down the hall and motioned for Ryan to follow.

"You'll be staying in the guest bedroom which is across the hall from my bedroom in the basement," I told him.

"Oh, ok," he replied quietly. I showed him to the room and then excused myself to go to the bathroom.

Ryan

The room smelled slightly of flowers and cinnamon and I believe that was due to the many air fresheners that I found in the drawers of the dresser while I was emptying my suitcase. I figured I was going to be here for a month, and I am NOT living out of a suitcase for a month. I dropped down onto the bed and lay down face first. I was so tiered, the bed was so soft, sleep was inevitable. Apparently though Kurt decided he wanted to stall the inevitable, because it was right at that moment that he came bursting into the room.

"So," he asked, "How do you like the room."

"I, um, like it a lot," I said. Kurt chuckled quietly and smiled at me. I returned his smile awkwardly. That's when my cell phone went off in my pocket, I picked it up, it was a text from Sharpay.

Having fun with Rach. You?

I just put the phone back I didn't feel like talking to her at the moment, it was a refreshing break being away from Sharpay. I couldn't remember the last time we had spent this much time apart… and I just realized how sad that is. "Just a text from my sister," I told Kurt.

"Oh, what'd she say?" he asked.

"Just that she's having fun with…" I had to check the phone for the name of the girl she was staying with, "Rach?"

The smile was wiped off of Kurt's face and he pretended to choke himself before saying, "Yuck, Rachel."

I laughed, "so I take it you don't like her?"

"Well she is only just the most bossy, egotistical, loud mouthed person I have ever met." he replied.

This made me laugh more, "Sounds like Sharpay."

"who?" he asked cocking his head to the side in confusion, an act that for some reason made me laugh even harder.

"My sister," I said, in between giggles.

"Oh," Kurt said, "no wonder they're having fun." I couldn't tell you why, but we both looked at each other and started laughing like crazy people.

"So, should we get started on dinner?" Kurt asked.

"I-I've never cooked before.." I said.

Kurt laughed, "What? Do you have like personal servants or something?"

"Yeah, kinda," I said.

Kurt looked surprised, but then his look of surprise turned to a suspicious looking grin, "Well I guess I'll just have to show you what it's like to provide for yourself." With that, he grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the room. My stomach did a flip flop as our hands touched, great, I thought, I've known him for how long? And he's already making me blush.. This'll be a long month.

He took me into the kitchen and started pulling bowls and pots out of cupboards. "We'll start with something easy."

"How easy?" I asked.

"I was thinking spaghetti," he replied.

"Since when has making spaghetti been easy?" I laughed.

"Since forever, obviously" he laughed as well. It seemed that perhaps this student exchange wasn't going to be as horrible as I had dreaded it being, heck if things continued this way I may even make a new friend… maybe more? No, I shouldn't be stupid, no one in Albuquerque was ever interested in me, so why would that change just because I'm somewhere different now? I couldn't help it though, the sudden picture that made it's way into my mind, of what it would be like if Kurt were my boyfriend. I have to admit it was a pretty damn happy looking picture.

"Ryan?" Kurt tapped my shoulder, "Ryan could you please open this jar of spaghetti sauce for me? Well that is if you know how."

"Hey! I am not completely useless!" I proclaimed.

"Yeah? We'll see," he laughed.

Kurt

Well, the kitchen was now a complete mess and so were Ryan and I for that matter, but there was a delicious smelling bowl of spaghetti sitting on the dinning room table. Which Ryan and I were currently helping ourselves to.

"So," I said, "what is it like being a wildcat?"

"Well, I'm not really a Wildcat per say, but I guess that I have become a bit more involved in the 'group' since the spring musical." he replied.

"Why the spring musical?" I asked.

"Well the leads of the spring musical were Basketball jock Troy Bolton and Science whiz Gabriella Montez and they kinda flipped the entire school upside down for a short while. The end result was that breaking the 'status quo' became a regular occurrence." Ryan explained.

"I think Mckinley could use a Troy Bolton and a Gabriella Montez," I say. Ryan just nods and scoops up the last bite of spaghetti in his bowl.

After we had finished cleaning our mess, which took a whole hour. I decided a movie was a good idea. So I popped one in and sat down with a bowl of popcorn, ready to enjoy it. Ryan's attention however seemed to be directed everywhere but the screen. I could help but notice the way his eyes kept going from the ceiling, to me, to the floor, to me. It was a little unnerving and flattering all rapped up in one. The movie seemed long and drawn out, every second I was acutely aware of Ryan sitting beside me. I however was much better at hiding it than he was. I wondered if it would be like this the whole time, with this strange awkwardness between us.

After the movie, we split up and went off to our separate bedrooms.

Ryan

I lay awake in bed, my mind a swirling vortex of confused thoughts. I was worried about tomorrow. I was feeling homesick. I was wondering what Sharpay was doing. But most of all, I was thinking about Kurt. The way he made me feel, the way he looked and talked. He seemed like a very interesting person and I couldn't wait to know everything there was to know about him.