Thanks to my beta, Gothic Lolita Darling!
Kurt closed his notebook for the last time that year. He was done. Yes! It was a humid June day and the stickiness could be felt on the walls, stairs, seats and lockers of McKinley High School. It was disgusting, especially the smell. How could twelve-hundred students produce a stench that vomit-inducing even with the lights turned off and the fans at full power?
Kurt glanced sideways at Mercedes. She had had enough too. Kurt could tell she was texting her new boyfriend, Matt, by the smile on her face. Ever since they started dating two weeks ago, he was all she ever talked about. Kurt was happy for her, particularly since she was considerably happier than she was before. She smiled more, and sometimes, a smile is all that's needed to brighten the day.
The bell sounded over the PA system, the blissful echo of the last bell to ring that year and Kurt jumped up from his seat, relieved that he could go home and shower. He shoved his books into his bag and followed Mercedes out of the classroom.
They grabbed the last of their belongings from their lockers, which wasn't much, and headed down the hallway. Groups of kids ran past them in their desperation to be free, and really, who could blame them?
"Finally," Mercedes exclaimed as she descended the steps with Kurt, the fingers of her right hand grasping her key ring, while her other hand slipped on her sunglasses.
Kurt laughed. "I know. I can't wait to wear the new summer line by Marc Jacobs."
Mercedes grinned. "Didn't you tailor it yourself?"
Kurt nodded excitedly. "I did. Right down to the patterns on the sleeves. I will own my own line one day." As if he didn't already own his own line in his ever-growing closet.
"I don't doubt it, white boy."
They had reached their cars in the parking lot and were getting ready to part ways for the rest of the day. Mercedes was going to the beach with her new boyfriend, and Kurt was going to the movies with Blaine later that night.
All of a sudden, Puck rode down the stair railing screaming:
It was 1989, my thoughts were short my hair was long
Caught somewhere between a boy and man
She was seventeen and she was far from in-between
It was summertime in Northern Michigan
Ahh Ahh Ahh
Ahh Ahh Ahh
Kurt laughed and turned to watch as Mike flew through the air after Puck and actually jumped the stairs. Where did he learn to do that?
Mercedes, car forgotten, grabbed Kurt's hand and dragged him across the student parking lot. "Come on!" She yelled.
Kurt struggled to catch up. Darn her, if I break out she is paying for my prescription of Proactiv.
"Kurt, I can practically hear your thoughts. Calm down and don't worry about your appearance for once; you're perfect."
And we were trying different things
We were smoking funny things
Making love out by the lake to our favorite song
Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long
Kurt rushed into his friends. The smile on his face was amplified by the realization that summer was upon them.
For once, he didn't mind the sun in his eyes or the fact that he just ran across the parking lot to sing with his friends.
He belonged here.
And there was no place else he would rather be-save for Blaine-than with his friends.
"So, what movie are we seeing?"
Blaine and Kurt lounged on Kurt's bed flipping through the newspaper until they found the entertainment section that posted the movies playing at the theatre.
"I don't know. This surely isn't the entire selection of movies." Kurt looked disbelievingly at the practically nonexistent selection of movies.
"It should be pretty accurate."
Kurt huffed and rolled over onto his back. "Why can't we call or look online like normal people?"
Blaine frowned and snapped playfully, "Normal people? Kurt Hummel, I like to think of myself as normal thank you very much." He leaned over Kurt as he spoke, losing himself in the depths of his bright, glasz eyes.
Kurt felt his heart catch in his throat as he played along. "Why Blaine Anderson, I had no idea you were normal. I thought you were an alien that had come to abduct me."
Blaine smiled. "Referencing Katy Perry are we?"
"Only because you would get it," Kurt replied quickly.
Kurt then leaned forward to give his boyfriend a quick kiss, leaving Blaine breathless, and then got out his phone to dial the movie theatre.
"Why is everything computerized these days?" Kurt complained as he followed the prompts for selecting a movie.
"You were the one who decided we should call instead of using the newspaper," Blaine shrugged and nestled his face into Kurt's leg while Kurt continued huffing over the technology.
"Did you find anything yet?" Blaine asked a minute later.
"No. I'm stuck between a late night showing of a movie I'll love and you'll snore through, or another late night showing of a movie I'll cringe through and you'll love." Kurt stared down at Blaine and gave him a look that said, if we do what I want to do, I'll buy you a month's worth of hair gel.
Blaine pushed himself into a sitting position, he couldn't say no to Kurt even if he tried, . "You win, Kurt Hummel. What time is the movie?"
"Nine-thirty."
Blaine laughed. Kurt was smiling like a goof-ball and he absolutely loved it. "Come here, you." He tackled Kurt into a hug, crushing their bodies together. Kurt gasped at the sudden gesture of affection, then held Blaine tightly as they felt their hearts beat as one.
"I need to tell you something and I want to do it now because it's important." Kurt was staring at Blaine with so much intensity that Blaine forgot how to breathe. He brought his lips to Kurt's forehead and smiled in encouragement.
"I want to be with you forever and sometimes I feel like time is slipping away." Kurt was choking back tears now. "I'm not going to be with you forever because one day I'm going to die and I won't be able to see you, and when I think about how I won't be able to see you I get this tightness in my chest that hurts."
Blaine was horrified. Why was Kurt thinking like this? It certainly wasn't healthy and Kurt was near hyperventilating in Blaine's arms.
"It's okay, sweetheart," Blaine shushed, squeezing Kurt tighter to him although the space between them was already non-existent. "Let's not think about that okay? Let's think about right now, while we're both alive and together."
"I'm so scared, though," Kurt said closing his eyes against Blaine's gentle touch.
"I know, but the important thing is not to think about what's going to happen and think about how we can make the best of the time we have now." Blaine could feel Kurt's heart pounding through his shirt and continued kissing and holding him until his pulse reached a more normal level.
"I love you."
Blaine felt a warmness seeping through his chest at Kurt's words. "I love you, too. Think about right now. What do you want to do now?"
"Let's get ice cream," Kurt suggested.
Blaine laughed. "Alright, let's go."
"And then after that, we can go see our movie." Kurt jumped up and held a hand out for Blaine.
"It'll be about that time, won't it?" he asked as they pulled on their shoes.
"I would think so. It's almost eight right now."
Blaine was silent. "Blaine, are you okay?" In one movement, Blaine took Kurt in his arms again and pressed his face into his shoulder. "I'm perfect," Blaine sighed.
Kurt melted as Blaine held him and decided that they could call the whole night off if Blaine wanted to keep holding him like that.
However, once presentable, they walked down the driveway, the sun warming their backs. Even though it was late in the day, the air hazed and they literally had to swim through the heat.
"I thought we might take the freeway to the movies." Blaine said as they strapped themselves in.
"Sounds fine to me." Kurt was so excited. He was spending the night with Blaine, and possibly tomorrow and the next day and the day after that. They might as well just say their vows now and move in together. Kurt sighed and sank against the seat happily. This was a perfect start to his summer and he for one, would take nothing for granted.
"Can I have one Peanut Butter Cup Sundae and a Banana Split?"
The woman smiled at them from behind the counter as she called out their orders.
"Kurt, put your wallet away."
"But-"
"If it means so much to you, you can pay next time."
Kurt pocketed his wallet with a scowl. "Just so you know, I will be paying for the next one."
"I don't doubt it," Blaine said with a smile.
After they were handed their ice creams, they took their heaping bowls to a seat in the corner.
"So, Kurt Hummel. Will you be paying for the movie?" Blaine was smirking and Kurt knew why.
"Why, Blaine Anderson, you were the one who asked me to the movies. Therefore, it is only fair that you pay."
Blaine watched Kurt scoop a mouthful of ice cream out of the bowl. He had never seen someone stare with such intensity at peanut butter.
"I thought you wanted to pay."
"Blaine, I can practically feel you smirking. Don't you know it's rude to smirk?"
"Is your ice cream good?"
Kurt put his spoon into the bowl. "Yes. Yes it is. How is yours?"
"Wonderful."
"Blaine, why are you smiling?"
"Because you secretly like that I pay."
"Well-"
"It's okay." Blaine leaned forward, capturing Kurt's gaze in his own. "I like it, too."
As they walked back to the car, Blaine noticed Kurt smiling. "What are you smiling about?" he asked.
Kurt took his hand and swung their hands between them as they walked. "I'm just happy that I get to spend all summer with you."
Blaine could feel himself melting-and not from the sun-Kurt did that to him. How could one person affect him so much? It seemed impossible, but as they headed into the violet, ruby, and buttercup-yellow streaked sunset, Blaine realized it wasn't so impossible after all.
As they turned onto the next block, they could hear high pitched laughter and smell the scent of steak in the air. Steve's Steak and Fries seemed to be open all the time and attracted as much attention in the morning as in the evening. Business, was just that good.
Kurt wouldn't mind, but the small bar that pulled guys to it like magnets had him wrinkling his nose in disgust. It was annoying to watch a bunch of people get drunk in public and then act like they were five years old. Didn't anybody have any decency these days?
"Look at them." Kurt said sympathetically, pointing out a young man in his late twenties leaning on his equally drunk friend as they exited the restaurant. The stench of alcohol was so potent that Kurt could smell it in his hair five minutes later.
Blaine had to agree. While he had gotten drunk in his very short life, there was no need to get that unraveled and make other people suffer while you scream for a taxi. The man did call for a taxi, correct?
Blaine shook himself free from his thoughts and pulled out his keys. They had reached the car at last, and were going to head to the theatre for a late night showing of a sappy romantic comedy. But, the wedding gowns are to die for! Kurt had said earlier that afternoon as they were picking out a movie to see. Even as Blaine had shaken his head with the notion that his boyfriend could be a tad bit insane sometimes, he had to adore his boyfriend because it was the cutest thing when Kurt got excited like that.
So, off they were to watch a sappy romantic comedy.
The ride to the theatre was pretty quiet. Kurt had flipped through almost every radio station before sighing into his seat dramatically, which only made the corners of Blaine's lips turn up. "It is not funny, Blaine Anderson!"
Blaine took his eyes off the road. "You're adorable, and I love you." He waited and then, there it was: the pink flush that covered Kurt's cheeks made him want to reach over and kiss him senseless. His cheeks of course!
"Blaine, the light's yellow!" Kurt's voice raised a few octaves and his feet pressed on imaginary brakes as they reached an intersection.
Blaine turned his attention back to the road in time to see the light turn red, and his feet slammed on the brakes just in time. His heart pounded in his chest as the car stopped short and threw him back against his seat. "Are you alright?" Kurt opened his eyes and turned to see Blaine looking a little frazzled. "Yeah, just give me a chance to breathe again."
"Kurt, I am so sorry." He reached across the seat to squeeze Kurt's hand quickly and then brushed his hand along his cheek, his fingers shaking along the smooth skin.
"It's okay, Blaine. As long as we're okay."
Blaine nodded. He kept his hand on Kurt's skin as they both relaxed enough to begin driving. Blaine knew he needed to pay more attention, he could get so distracted-mostly because of Kurt,-but that was no excuse.
He pressed lightly on the gas and off they went again. Kurt let out a shaky breath but smiled as he said, "I'm just too irresistible. You can't take your eyes off me."
Blaine grinned. "A little smug, aren't we?" He didn't glance at Kurt again and if only he did, he would have been able to see the car speeding at them from a side road. It wasn't slowing, and unfortunately, neither was Blaine.
It happened so fast.
An eyewitness would say the east-bound car was traveling at a reasonable speed when a car coming from it's left smashed into it at twice the legal speed and the car was pushed north before flipping over and landing on it's side. The eyewitness would be shaking and teary-eyed as she recounted the event, but she would move on…eventually. She might be plagued by nightmares, it might even trigger something from her past, but it wouldn't affect her directly.
It's different when you're the person that takes the hit directly. Everything looks different, feels different, smells different, sounds different and there are moments where you remember what you saw so clearly but fail to register the events as they took place.
You see things from a different perspective.
In more ways than one, it changes you.
Kurt was looking at Blaine who had his eyes trained on the road and the sound of metal hitting metal was earth-shattering. You know what they say about slow motion? That didn't really happen here. The force of the crash was too quick for Blaine to process anything in the moment, though he would afterwards, and he felt his neck whip back from the effect before a heavy weight was pressing against him from above.
He groaned. The smell of burning rubber filled the air and made him sick to his stomach. There was too much noise. He struggled to get up but there was this weight that held him down, almost suffocating him. If only he could get up!
"You need to stay still!" Someone called. An EMT? Already? Blaine couldn't think. How long had he been lying here? Why was this thing heavy? He closed his eyes. He was so hazy. It was like the heat. He felt sick. Then, he remembered Kurt. Oh, God, Kurt! His eyes shot open and his heart accelerated. Where was Kurt? Where was he? Blaine struggled even though the responder told him not to because he didn't care. He needed to know where Kurt was.
They reached for him. No! Get Kurt first! Go get him! He was screaming but they couldn't hear him. They just continued to remove him from the wreckage. "Ku-urt," he mumbled.
"Is that the other boy?"
"Yeah."
Why wouldn't they get Kurt? Kurt needed to be taken out of the car. He got the full brunt of the crash. They needed to get him!
That's when he saw. And oh God he needed to look away but he couldn't because oh God, Kurt!
Kurt seemed to be crushed between the window and his seat. How was that possible? His eyes were closed and he looked, peaceful. No! He couldn't be…No!
Blaine wanted to cry out. He wanted to swear. He wanted revenge on whoever did that to Kurt. Kurt wasn't supposed to be held together like that. They were supposed to be buying tickets and popcorn right now, and Kurt was supposed to be yelling at him for pumping too much butter into the bag.
This isn't real. This can't be happening. He wanted them to stop loading him into the ambulance and go back for Kurt.
Kurt couldn't be dead.
It happened so fast.