Mr Schue looked around at the Glee Club members and smiled.
"I know you think we need to spend more time doing modern music…"
"Any time would be good," Kurt muttered under his breath.
Mr Schue ignored him. "But the point is, we can learn a lot from old musicians. Artists who lived in a different era. Experienced a different life." He looked at all of them intently. "Who here, would dare to say a word against John Lennon, for example?"
The choir room stayed quiet.
"I didn't think so. How about the Rolling Stones? Or the Who? David Bowie?"
"They're all great artists Mr Schue, but we prefer listening to stuff that was written less than a hundred years ago…"
Mercedes looked around for support.
"Speak for yourself," Rachel said. "I for one, value those artists. They are inspirational and offer us so much more…"
Mr Schue put up his hand. "Yes, thank you, Rachel." He smiled. "The point is guys, that some of the older artists had a different view of the world. Their music tells a story in the same way a great piece of literature does." He paused and walked to the whiteboard. "I've been so focused on you guys getting to express yourself in Glee Club and, of course, the winning has been great, but shouldn't we be learning something too?" He took hold of his marker. He looked at them all again and waited.
"I'm totally into the old dudes," Puck said. "I mean I never thought I'd dig Neil Diamond, but you know, 'Sweet Caroline' totally did something to me." He grinned.
"Thanks Puck, but we're not going to be singing any Neil Diamond." He put the marker to the whiteboard and scrawled a name. "The artist I want you to listen to. To explore. Is… Cat Stevens."
Finn put his hand up. "Can I say something?" he said. Mr Schue nodded with an air of resignation. Finn stood up and faced the rest of the Glee Club. "I gotta say… Cat Stevens is awesome." He looked at Mr Schue and smiled. "My mom played Cat Stevens when I was growing up and, sure, a lot of it is kinda dated now, but there's a lot worth listening to."
"Thank you, Finn," Mr Schue clapped him on the back, relieved.
"But his music is so old." Kurt rolled his eyes. "There's so much modern music that speaks to us."
"I'm with Finn and Mr Schue," Puck said standing up. "I had a stepdad a few years back. I hated him. But the guy liked his music and played Springsteen, ACDC and when he was feeling mellow, he put the Cat on." Puck stared at Kurt. "It's just him and his guitar in the studio. His music means stuff."
Kurt folded his arms. He wasn't convinced, but there was no point in arguing.
The bell jangled and he stood up. He loved Glee club, but he was sometimes very frustrated at the lack of imagination in the room. He looked around and sighed. He missed Blaine not being there.
"Kurt, can you hang back?" Mr Schue said. Kurt rolled his eyes again. It was a day of it. He sat back down and folded his arms.
Mr Schue waited until the room had emptied.
"Mr Schue, I'm sorry and I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I'm entitled to voice my opinion."
"This has nothing to do with Glee Club, Kurt."
"Oh?" Kurt looked at Mr Schue and saw something was troubling him.
"Where's Blaine today?"
Kurt uncrossed his arms. "Sick," he said quietly. "He called me this morning and said he was ill."
"Did he say what was wrong?"
Kurt shook his head slowly. "Why?"
"I think you were right to be worried, Kurt."
"Did you talk to his dad?"
Mr Schue nodded. "I did, but I didn't get very far. He was quite…uncommunicative. Have you met him?"
Kurt shook his head. "I've never even been to Blaine's house."
Mr Schue sighed. "Blaine came and saw me yesterday afternoon…have you spoken to him since then?"
Kurt shook his head again. "He's been distant," he said. "I'm trying to be patient."
"Good. He needs his friends," Mr Schue said.
"Why do think something's wrong, Mr Schue? What did Blaine say?" Kurt felt his heart pick up. He knew he was a drama queen. He embraced it, but sometimes it was exhausting.
"I can't betray his confidence Kurt," Mr Schue said. "You know that. But let's watch out for him."
Kurt nodded. "Okay," he said. He was wondering if he should skip class and go over to Blaine's. Talk to him. Try and get him to confide in him.
"Let him come to you Kurt," Mr Schue said as if reading Kurt's mind.
Blaine looked at his phone. Another missed call from Kurt. He sighed. He couldn't talk to him. He didn't know what to say. He felt frightened and alone. And ashamed.
He climbed out of bed stiffly and went to his bathroom. He pulled his t-shirt over his head, wincing as he moved. His bruises were a violent purple. He closed his eyes and leant his forehead against the cold glass. He tried to breathe deeply, but it hurt him. He suddenly felt so helpless. He felt the heat of his tears as they sprang from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. Then he looked at himself again.
His face crumpled, but he held on. Letting go would be the end. He clenched his fists and thought about smashing the glass, but if his dad found out… He swallowed and tried to regain control. He held his gaze.
No one must ever know.
He pulled his t-shirt back over his head and walked away from his tormented reflection.
"I've been calling you."
Blaine smiled. "I know Kurt." He held up his phone. "Seven missed calls." He stopped at his locker. "I was in bed asleep most of the day, and then I had this thing with my dad last night and he likes me to be phone free." He grimaced.
"You were in bed ill all day, but then you had a 'thing' with your dad?"
Blaine buried his head in his locker. "I think it was a 24- hour thing, you know. I felt good once I had woken up and it's kind of a tradition…"
"What did you do?"
"What?" Blaine was putting books in his bag.
"With your dad? What did you do?"
"Oh." Blaine looked at Kurt and shrugged. "Just Monday night TV you know. Watched a game…"
"You watched a game?"
Kurt laughed. Blaine laughed too.
"I know, right." He closed his locker. "See you in Glee Club."
Kurt stayed standing at Blaine's locker. He saw Finn down the corridor.
"Hey, Finn," he called out. Finn turned around with a smile. "Was there a game on TV last night?"
Finn shook his head. "Nope, why?"
"Just wondering," said Kurt.
Only Finn was sitting in the choir room when Blaine walked in. He looked up and smiled. Blaine smiled back. He felt exhausted. Every step was painful, and he was finding it increasingly difficult to hide his discomfort.
"You okay, dude?" Finn asked.
Blaine smiled and was about to reply when arms suddenly circled him from behind. He yelled out in pain and stumbled away.
He bent over, panting. He was starting to think he may have a broken rib.
"My God, Blaine!" What's wrong?"
Blaine put out a hand to stop Kurt coming closer.
"Nothing." Blaine's face was almost grey, and a sheen of sweat had broken out on his face.
"Don't tell me nothing!" Kurt said gently. He stepped towards Blaine and went to touch him.
"Don't!" Blaine yelled, panic stricken. "Please." He stood up straighter. "Just leave me alone," he said. "You have to leave me alone, Kurt."
Finn came and put an arm around Kurt as Blaine staggered from the choir room.
"You okay?" Finn asked. Kurt wiped the tear that had rolled down his face. He shook his head. "Who did that to Blaine?" he asked.
"Did what?"
Mr Schue walked in smiling, but the smile died on his face when he saw Kurt.
"What's happened?" He looked at Finn.
"I would say someone's used Blaine for a punch bag," Finn said.
"What?" Kurt felt sick. He had seen the pain on his face, but to think someone had beaten him up. He put his hand to his mouth, not wanting to believe it.
"Are you sure Finn?" Mr Schue said.
Finn nodded. "I'm positive," he said. "I know what it looks like to try and hide that pain."
Mr Schue looked at Kurt. "Go and try and find him. Bring him back, if you can. Don't put pressure on him, Kurt. He has to want our help."
"Let me go," Finn said. He put a comforting hand on Kurt's shoulder. "It might be less confronting…" He shrugged.
Puck and Quinn walked in. Then Tina and Mike.
"What's going on?" Puck looked at Finn.
Tina put her arm around Kurt. "What's happened?" she asked.
Kurt looked at Finn and nodded as the tears continued to flow down his cheeks. Finn gave him a small smile.
"Don't worry," he said. "I'll find him, and I'll bring him back and then we can work out what to do." He looked at Mr Schue. "Right, Mr Schue?"
Mr Schue applied a smile and nodded. "Right," he said.
But he had a terrible feeling it was a whole lot worse than any of them could imagine.