Author's Note:

I've tried to post my Tumblr address to no avail at least twice, but I'm going to try once more. My Tumblr URL (username + tumblr) is the same as my username for this website = these words in quotes without the spaces "i rent a wicked apartment on avenue q" Feel free to stalk me or pester me to update :0)

In this installment of Chapter 4 (and in ones to follow), you'll slowly begin to see more of Blaine, his past, and personality.

Also, when things are slow or if I'm unable to post, I may start posting a few spoilers or fun facts about the story (for those interested) and I'd love to get to know the people reading. So...If you have any questions/comments/etc., Tumblr is the easiest means of contact. (Hopefully the URL will show up this time since I spaced it out.)

As always, reviews still = love and fuel my inspiration.

Disclaimer: I still own nothing other than my own thoughts. :0)

Stephanie (lionphantom), this is for you.

Chapter 4 Pt. 3: The Way I Am

As Kurt laid his eyes on this beautiful man, everything else seemed so very unimportant. He was genuinely able to lose himself whenever he'd meet the man's gaze. Trying to quickly regain composure, the boy's smile remained. It was hard to do much else when he was staring into those dazzling hazel eyes.

"Likewise," replied Kurt, trying his best not to blush but his efforts to no avail. Thinking on his toes, he gestured to the cup of coffee the man held in his hand. "Invite me for a coffee date and cheat on me this early? I thought of you as a man with higher standards, Mr. Anderson," said the boy, a smirk slowly making its way across his countenance.

The man was caught off-guard by his comment. "Oh my gosh, wow…we were supposed to have coffee. I said that on Friday, didn't I? I owe you coffee."

Keeping the grin plastered across his face, Young Hummel stepped towards the counter. "Um…yes, can I get venti non-fat mocha and a pumpkin spice muffin, please?" As Kurt dug his wallet out of his out of his satchel, the dark haired man gently nudged him out of the way.

"What are you doing?" asked the boy genuinely.

Mr. Anderson smiled. "I owe you coffee."

Cocking his head slightly, Kurt replied. "I know, but…what are you doing?"

Paying the cashier, his dapper professor grinned. "Your money is no good here."

"They've taken it before," protested the boy.

He quickly winked at the young teen. "Well…not today." Mr. Anderson glanced at his watch. "It's actually a lot earlier than I thought. You do you want to grab a table? Sit and chat for a few? I mean, unless you've got somewhere to be…"

"NO!" he exclaimed, trying to register how foolish he had been based on his professor's half smirk/half puzzled reaction. "I mean, no…I don't have anywhere else to be." Other than school, he thought, completing the statement in his mind.

Kurt reached for his order and tried not to seem as excited as he truly was. The boy was practically squealing on the inside, but he knew he had to contain himself. While it might have only been just coffee, to Kurt, that meant something. At that very moment, they weren't trapped inside the walls of William McKinley High School. They were in a coffee shop, his favorite coffee shop to be exact, and Bla-Mr. Anderson had just paid for his non-fat mocha.

He followed the dark haired man to a table perfectly nestled in the corner. "He wants privacy. Interesting." The two sat down and awkwardly waited for the other to bring up a topic of conversation. Feeling that it was his duty to amuse Blaine, and partially due to wanting to be in control of what was discussed, Kurt did his best to open the door to a nice, friendly chat.

"So…are you from around here? I've never seen you in town before…"

"Mmm mmm," said Blaine, taking a small bite of his breakfast sandwich. "Westerville, actually. It's about two hours away from here."

"What brings you to Lima? I mean, with everything going on in Westerville, I personally can't imagine why anyone would want to leave."

His professor smiled fondly, wiping his mouth. "Before I moved here, I had lived in Westerville all my life. Got my degree in education from U.C. Berkeley, moved back here and started teaching ironically at the same private school I had attended for my high school years. Stayed there for a couple years before I resigned from that position to take some time off to travel and...now I'm here.

Kurt sipped his coffee as he listened intently and clung to every word. However, what he wasn't expecting to hear was that the fine looking fella before him had taught at Dalton Academy. Other than its sister school for girls, Crawford Country Day, Dalton was the only private school in Westerville.

"You were a teacher at Dalton Academy? I literally just transferred back from Dalton this year," said Kurt softly, still pleasantly surprised.

Blaine grinned. "It really is a small world. I taught there until I turned 25 and then decided that I had just had enough of the same old routine and quit."

Trying to make mental notes as he spoke, Kurt continued with his questioning. "Were you in any clubs?" The boy was beyond fascinated that the two shared a common bond.

The charmer nodded. "Glee club. I was lead warbler for my junior and senior years."

The songbird bounced with excitement in his seat. "I was a warbler, too! I was actually the first countertenor to come along in quite some time. This is amazing! And lead warbler! Wow!"

Kurt happily shook his head in disbelief. "Did the council still have that annoying gavel back then?" he asked with a smirk.

Blaine laughed. "They still have that thing?"

Kurt nodded, giggling and smiling fondly at his teacher. Dammit. There was that word again. It always managed to sneak up on him when he would least expect it, but right now, he just didn't care. Right now, Blaine…Mr. Anderson, was his friend.

"So, no glee club for you during your first two years there?"

The man shifted uncomfortably in his seat. There was really no way for him to avoid talking about it. After careful consideration, he decided to come clean. "I didn't always attend Dalton Academy."

"Oh?" Kurt seemed surprised.

"I had always been enrolled in public school and never had any problems until I was about thirteen. That's when…" The man paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "That's when I came out. My mother accepted it, my father hated it, but my close friends still loved me for me. It didn't matter to them, but it seemed to become an issue for everyone else. I'd get bullied: thrown into dumpsters, have my head shoved into toilet bowls, hear every name in the book as I'd walk down the hallway. The teachers didn't really know how to handle it so they'd reprimand here and there, but kind of sit back and let it all unfold. My sophomore year of high school, I went to a dance with one of my best friends who happened to be the only other gay boy in school. I made the mistake of kissing him on the dance floor and got us both thrown out. He and I both were beaten within an inch of our lives. At that point in time, my mother decided that it was best for me to leave the school district and enrolled me at Dalton Academy."

Listening to the pain in his voice as he told his tale, Kurt became misty. Before he could think about what he was doing, he reached over and softly took Mr. Anderson's hand in his own.

"We're not so different, you and I. I wasn't beaten up, but I lived every day in horror. The slushies to the face weren't that bad. Those I could tolerate. Even being shoved into the lockers I could deal with. It was the fear of not knowing which day might be my last. One of the football players, one who had been the biggest bully and neanderthal that one could imagine, kissed me."

The man lightly squeezed Kurt's hand, letting him know that he had his undivided attention while neither of them realized what they were doing.

"After that, once I knew his secret, he threatened to kill me. When the school did nothing other than suspend him, my father and stepmother decided that it would be best for me to go to Dalton."

With a furrowed brow, Mr. Anderson sighed. "Oh Kurt…" It wasn't until he began rubbing small comforting circles atop the boy's hand with his thumb that he realized it was still in his own. Slowly, he pulled away and glanced at his watch. 7:45am. He didn't want to leave. He wasn't ready. How would he leave the poor boy like this? How could he let him pour his heart out and then force him to close the wound again so quickly? He didn't want to do it, but he had no choice.

"It's fifteen 'til. We should probably get going," he uttered softly.

"That we should," offered Kurt with a sigh.

Both stood, collecting their trash before throwing it away and heading toward the door. As they moved to their respective vehicles, the dark haired gentleman stopped his student.

"Kurt?"

"Yes?" replied the brunette, moving so he could see him.

"This isn't over, okay? I mean, we don't have to talk about this anymore if you don't want to, but if you do…come by my class during lunch or after school. I'm here for you if you ever need or want someone to talk to."

The boy smiled softly. "Thank you. See you in few."

As Kurt climbed into his SUV, it was the first time that Mr. Anderson had really looked at the boy. Today, over coffee, he had truly seen Kurt for everything he was, inside and out. Remembering the soft touch of his hand, Blaine stood in the parking lot and watched Kurt drive away. He was conflicted. In all his years of teaching, he had never looked at a student as anything other than a protege. While he was unsure of what he was feeling, he knew that he couldn't ever let it become more than friendly.

Taking a deep breath, Blaine climbed into his Audi and drove to the high school. Once he arrived in the parking lot, though he wanted to go inside, Mr. Anderson wasn't sure if he could. He was afraid of what might happen in that classroom.

"He's my student…and friend, at best…" he said aloud, reassuring himself. Forcing himself to leave any unnatural feelings for Kurt in his car, he grabbed his satchel, said a silent prayer to whomever might be listening, and made his way into the school.

The stroll down the Honors Hall was surprisingly silent for 8 o'clock in the morning, but he didn't give it much thought. While other classrooms had their doors closed for morning announcements, his was wide open, the dull roar of chatter spilling out. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. Luckily, the announcements were slightly longer this morning, allowing him more time to get settled in. Grabbing his satchel, he pulled out his Macbook and began taking attendance. He came to a stop at the H's and glanced discreetly over the top of his screen.

As he did, gorgeous pair of glasz colored eyes met his gaze. Quickly returning back to his screen, Blaine suddenly realized that he was in for a very long day.