I think we are all dying, waiting for tomorrow's episode. Let's hope it brings good things for our boys, eh? This one is dedicated to all of my faithful reviewers: LizzyPoodle, jekyllhj7, Dreaming-of-a Nightmare, Carly, Eowyn Rain, Spooky Bibi, and so many others. You people honestly inspire me.

Life was ironic, really.

Kurt couldn't believe that his first glimpse of Dave Karofsky at school on Monday was in the salad line during lunch.

Kurt had decided on salad for lunch as his favorite jeans were fitting a little too tightly for his liking. He loved his jeans tight, but not 'can't close the button' tight.

Which was why he found himself empty plate in hand, in front of McKinley high's version of a salad bar. Casting a leery eye at the wilted and unappetizing options, he began to second guess his dieting plan. But McKinley didn't offer a lot of options. And today was corn dog day. Deciding that he couldn't go wrong with lettuce, he began piling it on his plate, debating mentally whether or not the full fat ranch dressing was worth the calories.

Then he heard it. Click. Huff. Click. Huff.

He almost laughed at the pure irony. Dave Karofsky.

The other boy hadn't seen him, as he was busy pulling his phone out of his pocket over and over, gazing distractedly at the screen. He was the source of the 'click, huff' noise. He would click open his phone and then huff in impatience. Over and over and over. It didn't look like he was texting. Maybe he was waiting for a call.

For some idea that thought of Dave waiting for someone to call raised Kurt's blood pressure, just a little bit. Who was he waiting for? His mom? Maybe another girl? A boy? His secret boyfriend? The love of his life? WHO?

Frustrated with himself and the other boy, he slammed his plate onto his tray and his tray down on the edge of the bar, spilling half his lettuce onto the floor.

"So...salad again, Karofsky?"

Dave literally jumped, spinning around only to realize that Kurt was standing across the length of the salad bar, on the other side. Jamming his phone into his pocket, he grabbed his own tray, and shifted down the salad bar, until he was directly across from Kurt.

"What do you mean by that, Hummel?"

Great. They were back to last names. Even though he'd initiated it, Kurt felt a little piece of the secret hope he'd been harboring in his heart; the hope that they could at least be friends, chip away.

He should have let it drop there. But for some reason, it was important that Dave knew that he knew.

About Finn's phone.

"Finn told me that he saw you at the salad bar on Friday night."

Dave went pale, then his cheeks flooded with color.

My god, he's blushing. Kurt couldn't help but let his fading hope rekindle. Just a tiny bit.

"Umm yeah, I saw him"

Kurt arched his eyebrows, letting Dave know that he was waiting for the rest of the story.

"I…uh…I must have forgotten, I had a question about our trig homework..."

Dave was tripping over his words, his face getting progressively redder with each stumble.

Kurt smirked; smacking more lettuce onto his plate and skipping the dressing altogether.

"Well, when you're ready to man up and tell me the real story, you know where to find me, Karofsky"

Mercedes dipped her second corn dog in mustard and shook her head, taking a bite.

"Why would you pay 3 dollars for a plate of lettuce?"

Kurt had been sitting across from his best friend for over twenty minutes. His lunch sat untouched in front of him.

He couldn't eat. His conversation with Dave had caused his stomach to churn and the brown edged lettuce and overwhelming smell of corn dogs wasn't helping.

God, he was so dramatic. Not eating because of a boy.

When had his life turned into an episode of gossip girl or some other teen drama?

What the hell was it about Dave that got to him so bad? The salad bar conversation had made him realize that his feelings for the other boy had always been passionate. He'd passionately hated and feared him and now he passionately…liked to talk to him?

God, what was he even thinking?

He was making all of this drama up in his head. Dave had probably just called by accident, like he said, felt bad for Kurt being home alone and that's why he'd talked to him.

For three hours.

Instead of going to the movies with his cousins; who were visiting from out of town.

Boys make no sense.

For one brief, fleeting moment, Kurt dreamed of the simplicity of dating a girl...girls had to be easier than this.

His dream didn't last long. He'd been zoning out from Mercedes's incessant chatter, but now she was snapping her fingers at him, giving him 'the mad face'.

He hated the mad face.

"Are you even listening to me? Did you hear what I just said?"

Kurt lowered his eyes in contrition.

"Ugh...figures! Boys are all the same. Anyway, I was saying that Eddie called me on Friday to wish me a happy birthday. Can you believe that?"

Kurt was confused.

"Wasn't Friday your birthday? Isn't that why your mom and aunts took you out?"

Mercedes rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Friday was my birthday. But he called me. And then he acted shocked when I told him it was over. Probably because he's hot and Latin, he'd never been dumped. Well, he had the nerve to act like he didn't know what he'd done wrong. That boy has another thing coming if he thinks he can just call…"

Oh my gosh. Girls made no sense either.

Kurt frowned. A grim picture of his future began to paint itself in his mind.

There was no one for him to date.

The whole world was stark, raving mad.

He would always be alone.

Maybe he needed to get a cat.

With that heartwarming thought, he dumped the lettuce and headed for his study hall.

Maybe he'd get lucky and this day would get even worse.

"Why did you hang up on me?"

The hushed query broke into Kurt's reverie.

Kurt had secluded himself at a small table in the reference section of the library during his study hall. He needed to get used to being alone, as his future offered nothing but dreary seclusion, unable to understand, much less date, either gender.

It had been during these bleak moments of introspection that he'd heard the whispered question from the stacks of reference books behind him.

Spinning around he'd seen Dave. His eyes were lowered, seemingly fascinated by his shuffling feet. His large hands were jammed in his pockets; presenting the inadvertently adorable image of a shy little boy.

Kurt had beckoned him closer, and he'd eagerly grabbed a chair, pulling it right up next to Kurt at the small round table. Invading his space, really.

Kurt wondered why he wasn't scared.

Maybe it was the look on the other boy's face. Kurt felt like he was seeing the real Dave for the first time. Not the bully who'd pushed him. Not the closet case who'd kissed him. Not even the Super man who'd saved that kid the other day.

All the masks were gone.

His face was open, revealing anxiety and…pain.

He was hurt because he had thought Kurt had hung up on him.

This changed something fundamental in Kurt. Knowing that he had the power to hurt Dave. The last remnants of resentment, bitterness, and fear…they drained away.

Leaving him staring at Dave. Just as open, just as vulnerable as the other boy.

It scared the hell out of him.

Lowering his voice to a "library appropriate" volume, he answered back.

"I didn't hang up. Finn's phone died and I couldn't find the charger and I didn't have your number and I tore his room up looking for it and…"

Kurt stumbled to a halt, realizing that he was probably revealing too much.

But he couldn't regret being honest when he saw the change his words wrought in Dave.

The other boy seemed to have had a weight lifted from his shoulders when Kurt had said that he hadn't hung up.

That he'd tried to call back.

"Oh"

That was all Dave said. But his blinding grin and suddenly relaxed posture spoke volumes.

"So yeah…it was…nice to talk to you"

Kurt couldn't believe how nervous he was. He could hear it in his voice and his whole body had begun to tremble. It was like his body knew; even if his mind refused to acknowledge it, that they were crossing some invisible line. Some line that; once crossed, they would never be able to go back from.

Dave seemed to sense it too.

His blinding grin slowly relaxed into a quiet half smile (one of the sexiest things Kurt had ever seen), and when he spoke, it was with a gravity that Kurt hadn't been expecting.

"Yeah. It was one of the best nights of my life"

Leaning over; taking a chance, Kurt placed his hand over Dave's.

The other boy's breath caught; the flush returning to his cheeks.

But he made no move to move his hand.

This gave Kurt the courage to ask,

"So, you want to talk tonight? I've got your number in my phone now"

Dave was already nodding, before Kurt had even finished the question. Seeming to realize that his quick agreement was sending a powerful message, he quickly inserted

"That would be cool. Just no more Cosmo confessions...dude, they freak me out"

Kurt laughed; earning him an immediate look of censure from the school's ancient librarian.

Quickly separating, Kurt grabbed his stuff; and tersely instructed the other boy "follow me"

2 minutes later they were on the side of the school where the incident had occurred the week before.

Now they wouldn't be overheard.

Kurt heaved a sigh of relief; muttering under his breath about fascism and small Ohio towns.

Shaking his head, he met Dave's eyes.

"Ok, so I won't read any Cosmo confessions, but you can't talk about Dale Jr for more than 5 minutes total"

Dave huffed in outrage.

"Only 5 minutes, but Dale Jr deserves…ok fine, no more than 5 minutes of nascar, I promise. "

Kurt smiled at his willingness to compromise. But he wasn't finished yet.

"And one more thing. "

Dave looked nervous now. First he had limited Nascar time, and now…

"We have to talk about it."

"It?"

Kurt took a deep breath, gathering his courage.

"Our attraction to each other"