Kurt spent the next two days, chatting with the other users who had been matched with him. He didn't like any of them, but one. He had really liked the architect, whose username was jlaw. He had claimed it was because he was also a lawyer, his first name started with a J, and also because he loved Jennifer Lawrence. They had a pleasant conversation about her movies and how much they both loved The Hunger Games films. They had also discovered a shared passion for musicals, cats in clothing, the smell of new books, and quaint little coffee shops off the beaten path. J told him about a new discovery he had found in Harlem and told Kurt about it. Kurt felt he had made a connection with someone and promised J another chat "date" soon.

Once again he clicked over to the general chat and saw elithebarrowboy in the room. He was having a discussion about hockey with passthepuck. Eli was claiming that Chris Osgood was an underrated goalie and should be allowed into the NHL hall of fame the first time he's eligible, whereas passthepuck though Osgood was overrated and should not be allowed in, ever. Most of the other chatters were ignoring them, but every so often someone would chime in with an opinion. Eli quickly refuted Puck and told him based on the stats alone, especially in the playoffs, Osgood was one of the best of all time and those stats alone would guarantee him a place in the NHL hall of fame. Talk turned to other sports with both going back and forth. Kurt found himself growing bored. He never cared for sports. In fact, the only reason he had joined football was to be closer to Finn and his friends, and because he wanted to make his dad proud. He was just getting ready to close the window when a chat screen popped up.

It was Eli. All it said was, "Can you believe this guy?"

Kurt just typed back, "Sorry. I don't follow sports, but I can only assume, he's an idiot. He's never given me reason to think otherwise."

Eli quickly replied with, "It's okay, sports aren't for everyone, but at least you can spot a moron quickly."

They chatted for awhile about the chat in general, about what most of the guys were like. Eli told Kurt all about the various "relationships" that had happened and why certain members avoided each other at all costs. Kurt asked him how long he had been part of the site. Eli didn't respond for awhile. So Kurt went to get coffee and pull on a sweater.

When he got back, Eli had type,

"I haven't been on long, honestly. Just a few weeks. I come on most nights though, just to have someone to talk too. After I had my heart broken, I just needed someone to relate to me and let me know that I'm not hopeless or alone. Most people are really easy to read, even if they're typing."

Kurt admitted that he was lonely too. He told Eli that he wasn't sure about himself after he had his heart broken either. He told him about the guilt he still carried with him after everything fell apart with his ex boyfriend.

The more Kurt talked to Eli, the more he grew to like him. He was kind and Kurt felt like he could talk to him about anything without fear of judgment of ridicule. It had been a long time since he had felt that with anyone.

The next day was Rachel's shower. Kurt didn't want to go. He would rather spend all day online talking to Eli, but he knew that Rachel would be upset if he didn't show up. He stopped to get some coffee before he had to face David and Brody, but as soon as he walked into the shop he saw David sitting there.

His heart caught in his throat. He hated the visceral, physical reactions he always had whenever David was near him. They were disconcerting and unwelcome. He wanted to be able to see David and feel nothing for him. Kurt knew that would never happen though. No matter who he ended up with, a part of him would always be desperately in love with David. His mind flashed to Eli. While he didn't have quite the same reaction to Eli as he did to David, he felt that in time he eventually would.

David was engrossed in his phone and Kurt walked past him quickly. He ordered his drink and waited for the barista impatiently. He tapped his foot and looked at his phone as the minutes seemed to drag by. The barista finally called out for Kurt and he knew that David had heard his name.

He grabbed his coffee quickly and ended up spilling some on his hand. He cursed as he grabbed a napkin to clean off his hand and his coat sleeve. When he turned around David was standing up and looking at him with a look. Kurt wasn't sure if it was concern or just condescension, but either way it drove him mad. He didn't want David's sympathy or for him to feel sorry for him.

He tried to walk away but David lightly grabbed his arm. Kurt was on the brink of either yelling at David or breaking down and crying and he both options were horrible. He simply sighed and turned to face David.

"What do you want, David?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You just burned yourself on scalding coffee!"

"I'm fine. And even if I weren't, it's not your place to care."

David sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair,

"I will always care, Kurt. Even if I do hate you sometimes and am currently still mad at you, it doesn't mean I actually hate you."

"Yeah, and that's not confusing at all. Let me make it clearer for you, David. I don't want you to act like you care about me, when the majority of the time you're going to make me feel like crap for something that I didn't even do."

David's expression changed for concern to anger. Kurt could tell David was holding himself back from yelling at him and Kurt felt the urge to just push every one of his buttons and get him to lose control.

"Jamie kissed me. He forced a kiss on me. You should know what that looks like."

As soon as those words left his mouth, Kurt regretted them instantly. No matter what David and he was going through, he had forgiven him and it was wrong to throw it back in his face, but for some reason he kept going.

" I didn't want it, I didn't like it, and I sure as hell didn't initiate it. But then you knew that, right? I mean you're the one who testified against Jamie and got your divorce. So either you do believe me and that he initiated the kiss or you lied under oath to get what you wanted and really don't care about anyone but yourself and what you want."

David threw up his hands in frustration,

"Did you just throw high school back in my face as a way of arguing? Are you kidding me right now? Whatever, Kurt. So glad to know that you will always bring that back up."

Kurt knew he shouldn't have said it. He knew that it would wound Dave and yet he couldn't bring himself to stop. He tried to keep that aching, awful feeling he got when he realized how much he had just messed up. The shame that crept in and surrounded his heart and the heat that radiated up his face and made his head tingle. He felt awful and he had tried to make David feel just as bad. He hated what they had become. He just wanted his friend and their friendship back.

He tried to form words to tell David, but all he could say was, I'm sorry. David looked at him with pain in his eyes and told him that he was sorry too. They both rode in awkward silence on the subway. No one else but them was on the same car and it was filled with silence and tension for twenty minutes.