Hello there! As promised, here is part two of the Regionals chapter. I apologize, but just to give a little forewarning, the ending is a little dark, but it all happens for a reason. Seriously, my eyes started to well up a bit as I wrote the ending because I know people who have attempted such a thing before. Nevertheless, thank you so much for following my story and as always I appreciate your feedback.
"Dad, I've decided that I want to be a writer…"
The silence on the other end of the phone was deafening. Jeff could hear his mom sighing heavily in the background.
He had decided to take Kurt's advice and tackle the issue at hand. It was already bad enough that Headmaster Kane was making his life difficult at school. He certainly didn't want life at home to be at the same (or worse) level.
Edwin Honeycutt cleared his throat uncomfortably before addressing his son. When he spoke, it was with an iciness that he had never heard before. "Now you listen to me, son. We are not spending our good, hard-earned dollars for prep school in Ohio so that you can study to be a… A…" The word was almost too despicable for him to even force out. "…A writer!" He heard a dramatic whimper from his mom.
Jeff had had enough. "Why can't I be? It's my life and my future! I should be able to have the first say in the matter! Besides, it's not like the South is illiterate! What about Tennessee Williams? Margaret Mitchell? If I became a writer, I'd be partaking in an honorable Southern legacy!"
"ENOUGH OF THIS TALK!" He could almost imagine his father, red-faced with veins bulging out of his neck. "You are not going to be a writer! You are going to be a lawyer, goddamn it! You will follow in my footsteps and continue the legacy that old Hiram Honeycutt began back in 1854! I don't want to hear another argument about it, IS THAT CLEAR?"
Jeff, who was never one to show too much emotion, started to cry. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and sobbed softly to himself. Why couldn't they just accept it? Why couldn't his parents take the time to understand their only child?
"And don't cry! You're stronger than that!"
That did it. "You'll be glad to know that there are plenty of men who cry! And don't worry. You won't have to concern yourself about me upsetting you anymore, because I just might trade that judge's gavel in for a harp!"
"Now you just wait a goddamn…!"
Jeff closed his phone and threw it against the wall, the battery flying out. He sobbed violently into his pillow. The emotional pain cut through him like a knife. He cursed his parents' stubbornness and their inability to grant their only child's wishes. He hugged himself tightly to try and ease the angry shaking that coursed through his entire body.
He would show them. An idea was already forming in the back of his mind. The thought was the darkest and most morbid he'd had yet, but he knew it was probably for the better. He just couldn't take the struggles of life anymore. I'm going to do it, he thought to himself. I'll show them! He nodded.
But first, he was going to Regionals. If I'm going to go, I want to go out in a blaze of glory! He suddenly had an idea for the group number, and he would volunteer to sing the lead. He put his phone back together and immediately texted Wes.
Kurt couldn't sleep. The day of Regionals had arrived and he was frantic knowing that, within a matter of hours, he and his fellow glee-clubbers would be due at the Paramount Theatre in Columbus, Ohio. He was simply imagining that everything that could possibly go wrong would. The thoughts that had pulsed through his mind were enough to jar him awake, and that's what was frightening him.
He was even more startled when there was a soft knock on his door. Who could that be? Confused, he answered the door, only to find Blaine leaning suavely against the doorframe in, of all things, a bathrobe, pajama pants, and fluffy slippers. Kurt marveled at the fact that, even in such clothes, he remained so attractive.
"Oh, hey Kurt!" Blaine instantly straightened up. He seemed surprised that Kurt had answered the door. "I was just heading out of the bathroom when I saw your light on through the second-story window and assumed that you were probably awake…"
Kurt smiled at the delightful awkwardness of the entire scenario, barely believing that it was happening at all. "That was a pretty accurate assumption. Come on in, Blaine."
His boyfriend smiled and entered the room. "What's going on? Why are you up so late?"
Kurt ran his hands through his hair, which somehow managed to maintain its well-coiffed shape even in the dead of night. "Everything is on my mind. That's why you find me awake at odd hours of the evening when I should really be resting up and saving my energy and strength for Regionals which are mere hours away!"
He looked up to find that Blaine had narrowed his eyes in confusion during the entire rant. "I'm sorry," Kurt quickly added as he watched Blaine take a seat on the edge of his bed. "I'm probably just stressing myself out."
Blaine smiled warmly and patted the area of mattress on the opposite side of the bed. Kurt took a seat with a soft plop.
The handsome Warbler gazed intently into Kurt's sea-blue eyes as he took the boy's hand. "Do you trust me?"
At first, Kurt felt this to be a strange question. Of course he did! They were friends as well as boyfriends, after all. "Of course I do," he simply responded, feeling almost breathless after being hypnotized by the liquid gold stare.
Blaine turned away from Kurt so that the two boys' backs were facing one another. "Lean up against me, Kurt…"
The words sounded almost sensual, taboo, forbidden, and yet he found himself leaning against his boyfriend, back-to-back.
Their hands clasped and it was almost as if the two melded into one being, each feeling the other breathing. "Now, take a deep breath. In through the nose and out through the mouth."
Kurt took a few breaths. He had never heard Blaine's voice so commanding and yet so smooth and relaxing at the same time.
After a few calming breaths, Blaine continued to instruct. "Close your eyes, Kurt. I want you to clear your mind of everything. You should see nothing but a dark, black void before you."
Kurt did as he was told and sure enough, within minutes, he noticed that his thoughts were completely nonexistent. It was as if everything had disappeared. He was simply being.
Blaine's sultry voice seemed to come from miles away. "Only now can you be at peace. Only now can you become one with the universe and know that everything will go according to plan. In the grand scheme of things, everything will work out exactly as you want it to."
Kurt could feel himself smiling as a warm pleasure filled him with light and joy. He decided he would focus on meditation whenever he was stressed from then on.
Suddenly, despite the fact that his eyes were closed, he sensed that someone was standing directly in front of him. The warm, smooth hand that caressed his cheek let him know that it was Blaine. The strangest thing was that Kurt had been so focused on concentration that he hadn't noticed that their hands had unclasped and that the boy had moved at all.
He could feel warm, voluptuous lips brush his own, and yet he wasn't nervous in the least. Even after the traumatic encounter with Dave Karofsky in the locker room, nothing could prepare him for the sweet tenderness of Blaine's kiss. It was unlike anything Kurt had ever experienced and he knew in that moment that he would never want to kiss another set of lips ever again. Blaine's lips were his permanent address.
The boy finally opened his eyes after the two had disengaged from the kiss. Sure enough, Blaine's face was mere inches from his and was resting on the other end of the elongated pillow. Kurt realized that he had somehow managed to lie down on the bed during his metaphysical experience. He didn't know how it was possible.
The two laughed at the near absurdity of the situation. As their laughter died down, Blaine spoke, gently stroking Kurt's soft face. "Feeling better?"
"Actually, yes," Kurt nodded.
"Good," Blaine replied not taking his eyes off the beautifully crafted face that stared back at him. "I think it's time you get some sleep."
Kurt's smiled but noticed that Blaine wasn't leaving the mattress. His heart started racing. He wasn't sure he was comfortable to have Blaine sleeping in the same bed. "Wait, I don't think we should do…"
His expression must have been easy to read because Blaine said, "Oh, no! Don't worry. That's the last thing on my mind." He smiled warmly. "I just thought maybe you'd want to cuddle to further calm your nerves."
The puppy dog face that Kurt had come to love was causing his heart to melt. As if responding, he sidled up against Blaine's slim yet warm and welcoming frame. "Don't get yourself worked up over the competition," he said, running his fingers through Kurt's silky smooth hair. "You'll be terrific. I just know it."
They were the last words Kurt heard before falling asleep in Blaine's embrace.
The school bus on loan from McKinley High arrived on schedule at 9:00 am and was on the road by 9:30. It was relatively easy for the Warblers to sneak across the campus that morning, as the headmaster's few days off had begun.
Kurt spoke with Rachel on the other bus via the radio system.
"Yay! You're on your way!" Her voice cracked through the old radio.
Kurt held down the button and spoke. "By the way, the Warblers have something to say to you guys."
He raised the hand-held into the air and the boys chorused "THANKS, NEW DIRECTIONS!" They clapped and cheered and Kurt smiled at the togetherness he suddenly felt for both glee clubs.
"Well, I best head back to my seat," Kurt said, smiling. "We'll see you when we get there!"
"BYE, KURT!" Tears of happiness almost came to his eyes when he heard everybody on the New Directions, including Mr. Schuester, over the radio speaker. He clicked it off and replaced it on the dashboard.
He took his seat next to Blaine who grinned warmly up at him. Kurt smiled back, and he knew that he was ready for the competition. A week prior, the Warblers hadn't even thought about their plans for Regionals, and yet there they were, on a bus speeding toward Columbus with two songs and a winning attitude. Kurt was ecstatic as he watched the rolling countryside pass by in a blur out the window.
Bring it on! He thought to himself.
None of the boys on the bus noticed or had any inkling that the very same silver Chevy Cruze had been following them since they left Dalton Academy. Had they been paying attention and looked closely through the driver's side window, they would have seen a blonde, curly-haired young man whose green eyes were hidden behind large aviator sunglasses.
Jeff sat at the very back of the bus going over the song for the group number he'd suggested to Wes a week before. His heart was racing but not because he was nervous about the competition. It was after the competition that he was worried about. He was still questioning his sanity for what he planned to do.
The blonde Warbler shook his head as if doing so would rattle his thoughts. No, you're not backing out of this! He folded the sheet music up and placed it in his satchel. Dad always used to tell me to stick to your guns. Well, this will prove to him that I can. He looked out the window and noticed that the sun passing behind a cloud turned the sky a temporary blood-red. He shuddered, feeling it an appropriate omen of what was coming for him later.
The Warblers didn't know how they managed to sit through Aural Intensity's rendition of "Jesus is a Friend of Mine." David stared, mouth agape in horror and disgust while Thad slowly shook his head. Kurt caught Mercedes' eye a couple rows down and the two made gestures signifying that killing themselves would prove to be a viable solution to this travesty. It completely made sense that Sue Sylvester had been the one to coach these kids. It wasn't that they sounded terrible or anything, it was simply a very poor song choice.
Before they knew it, the Warblers were headed backstage to the green room for warm-ups. They had absolutely no idea that at that very moment, Jeremiah was taking his seat in the back of the theatre, waiting to see them perform.
Wes led the boys in a football-style huddle. "Alright, gents," he began. "Let's take a step back and realize that one week ago, we weren't prepared in the least. Look how far we've come in seven measly days? It shows that we work well together and motivate each other. I just want to congratulate all of you on your willpower, focus, and drive this past week."
They all clapped before the senior councilmember continued. "Now, Kurt and Blaine will be taking the lead vocals for the duet first before Jeff, Thad, David, Trent, and myself come in. Then, we'll all be sure and follow Jeff for the group number. Let's also please give him a round of applause because this is his first solo singing debut at any competition."
Jeff was touched by the pats on the back and the applause he received. It made his decision for later that evening all the more difficult to come to terms with.
The boys' heads turned when they heard the emcee sending Aural Intensity off the stage. "That's us," Wes said with a pumped-up grin. "In the words of Katy Perry, 'Show 'em what you're worth!'"
"Now, this next group performed smashing renditions of Keane and Sara Bareilles songs back at Sectionals a couple months ago. Please welcome to The Ohio State Regional High School Show Choir Competition, for the fifth year in a row, the Dalton Academy Warblers!" Loud, approving applause temporarily filled the performance space. The curtain rose as the Warblers set up the beautiful, hauntingly moving melody of "21 Guns."
Kurt stepped forward into the spotlight and sang with such emotion that a complete hush had come over the audience:
"Do you know what's worth fighting for when it's not worth dying for? Does it take your breath away and you feel yourself suffocating?"
Blaine stepped forward into another spotlight and picked up where Kurt left off:
"Does the pain weigh out the pride?"
Kurt sang the next lyric:
"And you look for a place to hide…"
Shivers ran down Kurt's spine as the backing vocals melded beautifully together to create the harmony. Blaine took the last lyric before the chorus:
"Did someone break your heart inside? You're in ruins…"
It was then that Blaine did something that Kurt was not at all expecting: He took Kurt's hand in his own and looked directly into his eyes. All he could do was stare back in awe and surprise as their fingers interlocked and he continued to sing:
"One, twenty-one guns, lay down your arms, give up the fight…"
Kurt joined in to create the harmony as his and Blaine's voice intertwined like two saddened lovers seeking comfort:
"One, twenty-one guns, throw up your arms into the sky, you and I."
The two boys shared a very private moment as they held hands and gazed into each other's eyes. They smiled and headed to the main line of Warblers as the audience applauded their singing.
Jeff was the next to step forward. He desperately fought back tears hearing the gorgeous music in his ears and knowing that it would be one of the last times he would ever sing.
"When you're at the end of the road and you've lost all sense of control and your thoughts have taken their toll, when your mind breaks the spirit of your soul…"
Thad stood directly next to Jeff as he took the next line:
"Your faith walks on broken glass…"
Wes came forward and took a stand to the left of Thad as he sang a lyric:
"…And the hangover doesn't pass…"
Finally, David and Trent stepped out from the line of blazers and ties to complete the bridge:
"…Nothing's every built to last. You're in ruins…"
The voices of Kurt, Blaine, Jeff, Thad, Wes, David, Trent, and all the other Warblers crescendoed into one beautiful harmony. Jeff could no longer fight back the tears and simply let them fall.
The audience roared their approval as the Dalton Academy glee club launched into the chorus. The New Directions were on their feet in an instant, cheering the Warblers on. Most of them, even Noah Puckerman and Mr. Schuester, had tears in their eyes from the sheer beauty of the song.
"One, twenty-one guns, lay down your arms, give up the fight…"
Jeremiah's eyes began to mist as the song continued. He rarely cried during performances of any sort, but there was something so powerful about this particular rock ballad that he just couldn't help himself. But he wasn't only crying because of the song, he was crying because he was facing a moral dilemma.
"One, twenty-one guns, throw up your arms into the sky, you and I."
There they were, the Dalton Academy Warblers, deliberately disobeying Allan Kane's rules and decree. Jeremiah could have easily called or texted the headmaster already with the news, and yet something was holding the young man back. He couldn't explain what it was, but there was definitely something on the glee-clubbers' faces that made him think twice.
They were happy. They were free. The man Jeremiah worked for had seen to it that all happiness was sucked out of learning and education. Perhaps that was why the Warblers were now performing in front of thousands, doing everything they could to win that trophy and the advancement to Nationals in New York. They were doing it because it brought them joy, and damn the consequences.
Jeremiah smiled peacefully to himself as he watched Blaine in particular sing out with so much passion and exuberance. "Break a leg, 24K," he said to himself. "You guys definitely deserve to win." He strode silently out of the exit at the back of the theatre. He would let them be. He felt he owed them that much. After all, it had been he who ratted out Ivy Caplesmith to the headmaster. It was one of his biggest regrets. "Today, I repay my debt," he whispered to himself as he stepped into the bright sunlight.
Jeremiah's heart nearly stopped when he saw Allan Kane leaning against his silver Chevy. He was about to turn when the man grinned devilishly and beckoned the young man over. He gulped, wishing he could do anything in his power to make the man disappear.
"Headmaster Kane! I thought you were in Cleveland?"
The grin on the older man's face grew even more sickening. "It was cancelled until next week. I see you've led me right to the Warblers! Excellent work!"
Jeremiah gulped. His worst fears were playing out before him.
The crowd got to its feet and a storm of cheers and applause filled the auditorium with deafening noise. The Warblers smiled, and Kurt waved at his friends in the New Directions, who were cheering just as loudly as everyone else. A tingle went down his spine. This was what he absolutely loved about performing.
The boys all lined up behind Jeff who had stepped forward to the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said, indicating the navy blue sea that stood behind him. "The Dalton Academy Warblers!"
The audience roared once more before they took their seats and eagerly awaited the next song to start.
Jeff growled into the microphone in a way that none of the boys had ever heard before. Kurt's heart raced in excitement. Knock 'em dead, Jeff, he thought to himself. This is your chance to shine!
"They're gonna clean up your looks with all the lies in the books to make a citizen out of you…"
The crowd, especially the students and younger people, began to cheer as Jeff lunged into "Teenagers" by My Chemical Romance. Kurt saw Finn and Puck rise out of their seats and throw the famed rock and roll "devil horns" into the air.
"Because they sleep with a gun and keep an eye on you, son, so they can watch all the things you do…"
Kurt was impressed with how much tenacity and anger Jeff seemed to use to attack the words. Jeff was usually just such the antithesis of the song's message that he was startled and amazed by the transformation.
Jeff threw his arms up into the air as he punched his way into the chorus. The other Warblers all jumped out of line and started to run/dance around the stage in true rock concert fashion.
"They said all teenagers scare the livin' shit out of me! They can care less as long as someone will bleed! So darken your clothes and strike a violent pose, maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me!"
Thad ran over and picked up the microphone and held it over Jeff's head. The blonde boy screamed into it as he and the other Warblers careened all over the stage in a series of crazy stunts and antics. The audience went wild watching the beautifully chaotic spectacle unfold before their eyes.
After the instrumental break, the boys all lined up with Jeff in the center at the lip of the stage to sing the chorus:
"They said all teenagers scare the livin' shit out of me! They can care less as long as someone will bleed! So darken your clothes and strike a violent pose, maybe they'll leave you alone but not me!"
Jeff threw his hands up, encouraging the audience to join in. He never felt more alive than he did in that moment, and once again, the tears fell from his eyes. He was grateful and happy that he was going out with a bang.
The song came to a crashing finale. Once more the audience roared its approval. The Warblers all took a bow before the emcee returned once more to the stage. "Let's hear it one more time for the Dalton Academy Warblers!" The wave of sound was overwhelming as the boys waved out to the audience and headed backstage.
Kurt caught the New Directions cheering the loudest and chanting "Hummel! Hummel! Hummel!" as he exited the stage. He sheepishly grinned and waved their way before he disappeared behind the curtain.
Meanwhile, at the back of the theatre, Allan Kane and Jeremiah watched as the audience cheered. "They're actually here! They're performing on that stage when I specifically told them that they were disbanded!"
The young man glared up at him suddenly finding his voice and anger. "With all due respect, sir, can you honestly blame them? All these kids want is to have fun! And you took that away from them!"
The headmaster's veins bulged as he turned to face his secretary. "How dare you! What, you're siding with them now? Blaine dumped you, Jeremiah! Don't think I don't know what goes on! HE DUMPED YOU LIKE A PIECE OF TRASH, and now you want to defend him?"
Allan Kane glared wide-eyed and hysterical into Jeremiah's blazing green eyes. The young man shook his head and bitterly snapped his words. "No, I'm simply doing what I feel is right because I have an actual, working conscience."
The headmaster glared at Jeremiah with enough intensity to set a house on fire. The headmaster could hear his own heart pounding in his ears before he returned his gaze to the stage. "I'll deal with those boys myself! The Warblers won't know what hit them!" He returned his gaze to Jeremiah. "As for you, I suggest you have a change of heart and think about where your true allegiances should lie!
The blonde young man watched as the man he was forced to call his boss stormed out of the exit. He eyes went back to what was happening on the stage. What am I going to do?
"Oh my god, they're doing original songs."
Kurt was amazed that his old friends had been able to compose their own works for the competition. He imagined that it must have taken a lot of work and effort. The Warblers all nodded in rhythm to the music and Blaine was smiling.
Rachel sang a heartfelt, beautifully captivating original song that she herself had penned titled "Get It Right." Kurt couldn't help but think that the song was dedicated to Finn, whom she had had a major crush on since the New Directions had formed a year prior. This had been followed by the more upbeat group number, also an original song, titled "Loser Like Me," which was fitting for the New Directions seeing as how everyone at McKinley High would always try to put them down.
Before they knew it, it was decision time. All three glee clubs stood on stage, congratulating each other and awaiting their fate. The colorful clothes of the New Directions blended with the navy blue sea of Dalton blazers as they mingled with the Warblers. Kurt took Rachel's hand and gave it a squeeze of comfort.
Blaine suddenly appeared on the other side of Kurt. "Are you nervous?"
Kurt stared ahead at the audience. "Please don't judge me! It's always the moment of the big reveal that I always go into a mini panic."
The boy with the golden eyes laughed. Kurt exhaled. "Crap, you're totally judging me…"
Blaine shook his head. "I think it's adorable. I think you're adorable. But honestly, don't worry about it, whether we win this or not, at least we got this far." He took Kurt's free hand and held it before the emcee proceeded to open the envelope.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we now wait with bated breath to find out which of these fine show choirs will advance to Nationals in New York City in May! Are you ready?" She turned to face the students onstage, who responded enthusiastically. "Are you ready?" She faced the audience, who cheered, whistled, and cat-called loudly in response.
"Alright, in third place…" The emcee opened the envelope. Rachel's grip tightened painfully around Kurt's hand, causing the boy to whisper "Ouch!" She quickly let go and said "Sorry!" before waiting for the verdict. The emcee read the card for what seemed forever. "...Aural Intensity!"
The audience applauded respectfully as the students in red stepped off the stage congratulating the New Directions and Warblers. Kurt shot a glance at Coach Sylvester in the audience and watched her storm off toward the exit at the back of the theatre. Yep, she's angry…, he thought to himself.
"And now, for the second place winner…" The emcee brought over a medium-sized trophy from a nearby table that had been set up on the stage. She grabbed the envelope and began to open it. "…Of these two glee clubs, the one who will be advancing to Nationals is…"
Kurt's heart started pounding like a drum as he heard the adhesive of the envelope give way. He gave Blaine a side glance and the boy's eyes said, quite calmly, "Everything will be fine."
It truly felt like years had passed when the emcee finally spoke. "Well, it looks as if the Dalton Academy Warblers will be heading to New York in May!"
Kurt was numb. He didn't feel anything at all for the first couple seconds. It wasn't until Rachel smiled at him, gently cradling his face in her hands and Blaine's warm embrace that he realized what he'd heard. The sound of the audience roaring in approval echoed and reverberated around the theatre.
The Warblers were going to Nationals in New York City!
Kurt couldn't hold back the tears that started falling immediately after the realization had hit him. His friends on the New Directions gathered around him in a big group hug. Finn and Mike Chang hoisted the boy up onto their shoulders while the Warblers cheered and clapped.
As he was being tossed into the air, Kurt realized that he would be going to New York for the very first time. He knew at that moment that this was one of the greatest days in his life.
David and Thad carefully brought the giant trophy into the common room of Dormitory One. The Sons of Ignatius Dalton cheered as the award was placed on the table in the center of the room. Blaine stood next to the table and held his punch glass up in a toast.
"Hey everyone! I just want to say that it was a pleasure being back onstage with you all this afternoon and that our work this past week really paid off!"
The other boys all held their glasses up into the air and toasted. "To work under pressure and to teamwork in general!" Everyone toasted Nick Corwin in approval of his statement.
Kurt was seated on the cushy leather sofa sipping his fruit punch. He watched as Wes started to tinker away at the piano. Some of the Warblers gathered around for a community sing.
Blaine plopped down on the seat next to him. "Hey gorgeous!" He flashed his sexy grin that not even a dead person would be able to ignore.
Kurt chuckled. "Hey," he said, smiling back. His eyes averted back to the trophy. "I still can't believe we won."
Blaine tilted his head sideways. "Why are you so surprised? We've got a lot of talent on our side! And most of which we owe to you, my little countertenor!" Always the gentleman, the handsome Warbler took Kurt's hand and gently kissed it, sending a wave of heat up his arm and into his chest. Their eyes locked and another otherwise very private moment was shared between the two boys.
It was Nick who broke the tender scene. "Hey guys! I just realized something." The dark-haired boy looked around the room for a brief second. "Where's Jeff?"
Jeff Honeycutt placed the stylus down and the simple scratch meant that contact with the record had been made. A haunting, bluesy, sensuous jazz melody filled the room as the female singer's voice projected out of the Victrola horn:
"Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin. Dance me through the panic 'til I'm gathered safely in…"
Jeff removed his Dalton blazer and folded it neatly on the bed, placing his canary pin/Sons' badge on top. He ceremoniously loosened his tie and rolled up his dress shirt's sleeves as he walked over to the attached bathroom in his dormitory.
"Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove. Dance me to the end of love…"
Kurt and Blaine exchanged a puzzled look. Indeed, they hadn't seen Jeff since they had returned from the competition. "Maybe he's upstairs in his room," Kurt said, thinking it to be the only logical explanation.
Nick shook his head. "He'd better get down here! The celebration's just getting underway!" He smiled and immediately joined Trent, Joe Holden, and David by the piano.
"Oh let me see your beauty when the witnesses are gone. Let me feel you moving like they do in Babylon…"
Jeff shut off the sink and dried his freshly washed face with a towel. He took a good look at his reflection in the vanity mirror. A boy with bright gold, almost platinum blonde hair, dark brown eyes, a rather thin oval-shaped face, and a small sloping nose stared back at him. He looked every bit pathetic as he had remembered.
He opened the top right drawer of the sink's cabinet and produced an old straight razor with a green wooden handle, a priceless antique that his grandfather had given him before he passed away. The blonde Warbler opened the razor and saw the shining, shimmering blade glisten in the pale glow of the bathroom's lighting fixtures. He tested its strength on his index finger and flinched as a tiny sliver of blood appeared. Nodding and sucking his index finger, he put the blade down on the counter and turned on the water in the bathtub.
"Show me slowly what I only know the limits of. Dance me to the end of love."
Kurt patted Blaine's knee as he rose from the couch. "I'd better go see what Jeff is up to. I'll be back." He tried not to let the concern show too much on his face. He knew all about Jeff's personal family problems as of late and hoped that the boy hadn't locked himself up in his room in a fit of deep depression. Partaking in the festivities would be the ultimate solution to the problem.
"Dance me to the wedding now, dance me on and on. Dance me very tenderly and dance me very long…"
Jeff shut off the water and stepped, fully clothed with razor in hand, into the room-temperature water of the tub. He sat and basked for a few seconds before becoming fully aware of what he was about to do. He knew that once the deed was over, there was no reversal or going back. It would be the end of the line for him. And yet, he knew he had to do it to teach his parents a lesson. Maybe they'd understand their son now.
He opened the razor blade…
"We're both of us beneath our love, we're both of us above. Dance me to the end of love."
Kurt ascended the spiral staircase listening for any sounds coming from the second story floor. He heard soft jazz music that he was certain was coming from Jeff's room. He followed the sound and sure enough, it was coming from the slightly opened door of the blonde boy's room.
"Jeff?"
"Dance me to the end of love…"
The bloody straight razor slipped out of Jeff's hand and fell to the bathroom floor with a soft clink. His vision was blurred and yet he could still make out the bright red marks that now showed ostentatiously on his wrists. The setting around him seemed to spiral out of control as the darkness closed in around him. But just before it surrounded him completely, his life quite literally flashed before his eyes like a fast-paced film reel. He saw his mother and father smiling and laughing, he saw his grandfather fishing in a nearby river, he saw his first day at Dalton Academy, and he saw Kurt's smiling face. How angel-like that face seemed to him in his last dying moments. Lastly, he remembered arguing with his parents about his future, a future that they would no longer need to concern themselves over.
Finally, the darkness took hold and he suddenly saw no more.
"Dance me to the end of love."
The record came to a stop as Kurt noticed the bathroom door was slightly ajar and that the light was on. He could have sworn he heard trickling water. Gingerly, he pushed the door open and instantly felt as if a rock had been placed on his chest.
His eyes widened as he tried to scream. There, in the reddened bathtub water, was Jeff. His wrists had been cut with an old straight razor and his normally rosy complexion had suddenly turned very milky and pale.
"No…," Kurt managed, putting his hand over his mouth. "OH MY GOD, NO!" The boy ran over to the bathtub and dropped to his knees as he tried desperately to pull Jeff out of the tub. Hot tears streamed down his face as he called for help. He placed his hand on Jeff's chest and felt his stomach ice over when he felt a dangerously slow heartbeat.
Blaine was at the bathroom door in an instant. "Kurt, what…?" He saw Jeff and visibly shuddered. "Oh my god…!"
Kurt's face was contorted in fear and sorrow. "Call an ambulance right away!" He watched as Blaine ran out of the room holding his cell phone.
All Kurt could do was hold the boy close and gently stroke his hair. "Hold on, Jeff, just hold on! You're going to be alright! You're going to be okay. Everything's going to be okay!" He kept repeating the words like a madman, although he knew he was saying them less for Jeff and more for his own reassurance.
Kurt looked toward the heavens. He still wasn't sure if he completely believed in God, but nevertheless, he prayed. "Please," he said as he started to cry. "Please God, just let him be okay." He hugged his friend close as the tears stung his eyes.
To be continued…