See Chapter 1 for warnings, still not a nice happy fiction.
Battered Knight In A Letterman Jacket
11
Miss K is really impressed with me today and my partner for the last dance gushes happily, I haven't trodden on her feet once.
Smiling I go to the gym.
And then I spot Odette.
Crap I've tried to forget about her and her homophobia. I know the routine I normally do and the dancing's warmed me up so I can do a quicker warm up making sure I get all the muscles I'm going to use in a moment ready.
Settling on the first piece of equipment I check all the weights out and then run what I need to do through my mind before I even move. It's no use doing the damn exercise if I can't do it properly, I'll end up hurting myself and overstretching the wrong muscles.
Half way through a soft voice says, "Hey Dave."
It's Odette and she's smiling at me, a bit sad but still a smile. Grunting and letting the weight come to rest I smile back, "Hey Odette, you doing okay?"
"I'm fine," she's fiddling with her hair again, "You?"
"Peachy," I lie and she laughs brightly.
"Really?" She counters.
"No, school's shit and I can't wait to leave," I admit, "College has got to be better than High School, less idiotic dicks for a start."
Nodding she sits on a bench near by, "Yes Dave, College really is better, there are still idiots but you'll find they tend to leave and the people who want to be there stay, and they tend to be more interested in partying than picking on people," she frowns, "It still happens but the college's usually step up and stop things getting bad."
"God that would be good," I mutter and go back to lifting weights.
And with that we go back to normal like last week never happened. I've read about people that freak out when they first find out and later come around to the idea, maybe she's one of those. She's still giving me weird looks and seems sad but that's all.
It makes the whole exercise thing go so much faster and I make her laugh a few times at my jokes. I get a few dark looks off the guys here but if the trainer wants to give me free help then I'm up for that.
Warming down I go to get changed, I don't bother showering, I have hockey after I chomp through the sandwiches dad made me this morning, he hopes I have a great day at hockey and I nearly snorted at the thought of that, how the hell am I supposed to have a good day at practice?
The sandwiches mean I have time to turn up at hockey and digest my food while Tanner and I wait quietly for absolutely no one to turn up to practice. I don't think they realise just how happy that's made the coach and then some guy turns up, he must be a friend of Tanner's and they're soon talking and back slapping.
Fuck Tanner is a sadistic asshole.
He seriously puts me through my paces and pushes me to the limits of what I can do. "Take a breather," he calls out at last and I try to lean against the side and not wheeze like a bellows, I'm not sure I pull it off.
Then both Tanner and the guy get on the ice and make me go two on one against them, and I get to learn the humiliating lesson of why Tanner's the hockey coach. He's good, I mean he's pro good and he doesn't hold back. His friend is shockingly better and I am soundly thrashed, but I refuse to give up I make them fight for every goal, for every second they have the puck.
"Enough Karofsky, hit the showers kid, you did good, you did damn good," and as I skate off he's says, "See, I told you I had a kid with talent."
He can't mean me can he? Confused I go and take a shower in the safe knowledge that it's just me. The water feels so good and I soak a bit letting the heat hit my many bruises.
Drying and dressing I'm towelling off my hair when they walk in and Tanner nods, "So that's why I'm kicking all the fuckers off my team, seriously, they're a bunch of useless assholes, I'm not going to waste my time teaching them if they can't even be bothered to turn up to most of my practices."
"I can see your point," the other man is agreeing, "But all the jocks off the team bar the wonder kid? Man be prepared for the parents to hunt you down like a dog…"
"Nah, got it covered," Tanner's confident, "Not only have most of their grades slipped but they've all missed too many practices, I've got them both ways and they are gonna have to work to get back in my good graces, I got the letters all ready for them on Monday, I can't wait to hand them over."
Uh-oh.
I think Tanner's really going to kick all the jocks off the team, I'm so fucking dead when that happens. Crap just when things were starting to look up too.
Grabbing my things I head for the door with a polite thanks and bye for the Coach. Now I just have to go to Kurt's and I can finally relax for a few hours.
Mr Hummel's waiting for me at the door and as I begin to freeze he winks at me and then calls out, "Kurt! Get in here now!"
Flouncing into the room with poise and grace my fake boyfriend swaggers over to me, "Hi David, and hi dad, what can I do for you?"
Crossing his arms and suddenly looking really intimidating Mr H says, "Well Kurt, it's Saturday, you've been grounded for a week, barring Glee related things, and the restrictions are lifted today," I have no idea what he's talking about but Kurt must as his whole face lights up. Lifting a finger and waving it as his son Mr H is firm as he says, "Just remember no means no, the door is open at all times, and you do not push boundaries."
Flushing bright red Kurt nods and he's staring at his feet, "Yes dad, I'm still really sorry and it won't EVER happen again."
"Okay, go have fun," and Mr H freezes muttering, "I can't believe I just said that," clearing his throat he says more loudly, "Help Carole for dinner and that's all the parental interference you're getting kiddo." Turning to me Mr H pats my shoulder, "Dave if he gets out of hand and won't take no for an answer come to me, I raised my son to be better than that."
Baffled I stare at him and then nod, "Yes sir," I have no idea what I'm agreeing to, but it becomes pretty obvious as Kurt grabs my hand and drags me up the stairs into this bedroom. A bedroom who's door is kept open, Kurt even puts a book down to keep it open.
Sitting on the edge of his bed composed and gorgeous he pats the covers next to him and gives me big eyes. Hesitatingly I sit down and realise I'm still holding my backpack in my hands but I hang on to it to give myself something to do with my hands.
"I picked up some good bargains at the mall," Kurt's smiling at me and then he shudders, "Never let Rachel help you with shopping, she tries her best but she just has no concept of fashion," and then I get to listen to him tell me all about his trip, some of it goes over my head, but I get most of it and I'm soon laughing at his descriptions of people and sales assistants, and oh god the escalator moment.
He's turned and is sitting relaxed and smiling on his bed when his dad's head comes round the door, "Hey guys, can you help Carole?"
"Sure Mr H," I stand up grinning and hold a hand out automatically to Kurt who graces me with the privilege of helping him stand.
I never realised that getting dinner ready could be so much fun, Kurt and Carole are really nice and help me learn how to do the things they want me to do, and then Carole is happy to take as long as she needs to so I can understand cooking times and getting everything ready at the same time.
Dinner is wonderful and I happily eat everything in sight, Finn is his normal self, Mr H talks about the garage with his sons and I don't get most of it but they do and Kurt clearly understands all of it. Carole talks about her work too and then they ask me about my day.
"Um, I went to the gym and then I went to hockey practice, none of the other jocks turned up so Coach came on the ice," I'm not sure if I'm supposed to talk about Tanner's friend or not. "He's really good at hockey and I didn't even stand a chance at holding my own against him, I think I learnt a lot from it though, including the bit where there are guys out there who are way better than me."
"That's always a tough one to learn," Mr H is nodding.
"We're not always as unique as we think we are," Kurt grimaces, "But it makes us work harder to be better instead of coasting along."
"Huh?" Comes from Finn and for once I'm not the one who's the butt of the joke but I hate it when it happens to me and Hudson's frowning.
"Um, they said that no matter how good we think we are, there is always someone better, but that's no reason for giving up, instead we should work harder so we can be as good as the other person," I try and explain.
"Oh," he thinks it over and it's almost painful to watch, "That makes sense," and the boy nods, "Thanks," we share a nod and that's that.
After dinner Kurt manages to bedazzle his dad and sneak me back up to his room, I go to sit on the bed like we were earlier but Kurt talks me into sitting with my back against the bed rest so we can watch the comedy series he'd just bought.
I feel really stupid that he's careful to tell me that he won't do anything, I'm stronger than him and I've already proved I can shove him off of me, but he still talks me through how he's going to be sitting and we watch the TV and hold hands on his bed.
Now this is something I never thought I'd get to do and he hums and laughs at the program as I chuckle at the joke and wrestle with myself about him and Blaine. Maybe not saying anything about how Blaine looked at him is a good idea because then Blaine will redouble his efforts to get to Kurt? But what if he gives up without a fight? Except this is Kurt and Blaine so I'm sure he'll get the idea and come sniffing around Kurt soon.
Refusing to dwell on that or the fact the ex-hockey team are going to kick my ass on Monday I enjoy the evening with Kurt and he kisses me goodbye at the door.
Dazed I must have driven home but I don't remember any of it at all. Wanting to sneak in and avoid mom I open the door quietly and put my sandwich box in the dishwasher.
Congratulating myself I turn to see her standing in the doorway, "Well, did you have a nice day?"
She's being nice and my stomach plummets, "Um, yeah? I went to the gym, and I went to hockey practice, Coach Tanner said I did good…"
"Excellent," she interrupts and I'm glad I don't have to cover the time I was at Kurt's, "Tomorrow dress up nice for church, you'll get to meet your new girlfriend."
"What?" I blurt in shock. Girlfriend?
"Yes, her name is Daisy and she's eager to meet you too," and then she's gone.
In shock I stagger to my room and try and make sense of it all, how the hell am I supposed to have a girlfriend?
A/N: Sorry for any and all mistakes, I've tried to catch those I could, but I'm only human.
Hi, I'm really sorry but I'm suffering from writers block (still) and can't seem to shift it. So I won't promise there will be an update next week, it might be two weeks, again sorry about that, it should shift soon (I hope).