A/N- Thank you all for reading, and for the lovely reviews ;) A bit of a twist coming up (nothing too awful!) which you may or may not like. But I urge you to stick with it, next chapter will be up in a few days.
Blaine slams his locker door shut loudly, resting his head against the cool metal and breathing deeply before turning to look at the small brunette standing beside him.
"For the final time, Rachel, I solemnly swear I have practiced, and am ready to perform this afternoon."
"You'd better be," Rachel huffs as they start down the hallway together. "Artie and Quinn are doing Elton John and Kiki Dee, and if we don't beat them Blaine, I swear to God..."
"Rachel. Please. I am sorry that we haven't had much time to practice, but I'm confident that we are good enough to still win. Ok?"
"Ok." She smiles warmly at him, to try and appease him somewhat. It doesn't do to have the best vocalists in Glee club mad at each other, she thinks. Besides which, Blaine is really the best friend she has. "Do you have this class now?" she asks as she stops outside the classroom door.
"It's AP English, Rachel. You sat with me all last year, remember?"
"Yes, I just didn't know if our schedules were still the same since Mr Tyler left that's all."
"Mr Tyler left?"
"Yes Blaine. Anyway, come on. I don't want to get stuck at the back." She strides into class as Blaine follows quietly, taking his place next to Rachel in the second row, and nodding at Mike and Quinn sat behind him.
"So who's Tyler's replacement then?" he asks, turning to Rachel as he takes his books from his bag.
"Not sure. This guy I guess." Rachel nods towards the door, and Blaine turns.
His heart plummets as he turns and catches sight of an all too familiar tall figure walking elegantly into the room. His hair is not as high on his head as it had been on Saturday, it looks smarter and makes him look older somehow. The dark jeans have been replaced by white ones, still equally as tight and paired with high black boots. Blaine cringes internally as he remembers getting turned on at the sight of his ass.
And now it appears that Kurt Hummel is his new English teacher.
"Oh fuck." Blaine tries to sink lower in his seat as Kurt settles behind his desk.
"Blaine? Do you know him?" Rachel hisses, as Blaine's face burns.
"Kind of. A bit. Not really."
"Well, which?"
"No. I don't know him"
"You do." Quinn interjects as she leans forward in her chair, "I could cook toast on you, you're that embarrassed. Spill, Anderson."
"We sort of met a couple of times. Both by accident- before you get any ideas. That's it."
"Well, where?" Rachel demands, "And why are you only just mentioning this?"
"God, you're like a dog with a bone. Just leave it. I didn't mention it because there's nothing to tell."
"Shame he's your teacher," Quinn says with a small smile, "You could do with some action, and he's hot."
"Yeah." Blaine mutters as he turns his attention to the front of the class. No point in trying to hide, he thinks, Kurt will notice him soon enough.
"Ok." Kurt claps his hands to get the class attention, then stands in front of his desk. "Hello everyone, I'm , and I'll be teaching your Senior AP English class. I'm looking forward to...Oh." His eyes land on Blaine, sat frozen in the second row. There is a pause, which feels to both like it carries on for an eternity, before Kurt gives a small- almost imperceptible- nod in Blaine's direction before continuing.
"I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you. I'm new to teaching here, but I actually went to school here, so I know my way around, and I can tell you it's a bit strange to sit in the teacher's lounge with some of the staff that taught me when I was your age. So, any questions before we begin?"
"Why would you choose to come back to a dump like this?" someone calls out from the back of the class.
"Well, it's a long story, but basically my partner changed jobs and had to relocate, so I had to move too."
"Where were you before?"
"I was in New York. I was actually only teaching part time, I also wrote for an online fashion magazine."
"That sounds better than living as a Lima loser." Quinn stated.
"Yes...well. Let's get started..."
"Partner? So are you a fag, Hummel?" one of the jocks sneers from the back. Kurt's eyes turn dark as he pulls himself up to his full height and glares at the young man lounging in his chair.
"Firstly, let's get one thing correct. I am gay. Do not call me anything else. No one deserves to be spoken about in such a derogatory manner, gay, straight or otherwise. My sexual orientation- or anyone else's for that matter- is not your concern. I am here to teach you, grade your papers and make sure you don't fail my class. I would like to be a friend to any one of you that is mature enough to accept that, but let me tell you, I have spent twenty seven years of my life being gay and that is not about to change just because you happen to think it's amusing to throw a few insults my way. I put up with that crap all through high school, and I will not tolerate bullying in any way, shape or form in my class. Are we clear?" The class murmurs it's consent, and with that they set to work.
As the bell goes, the students swarm towards the exit. Rachel taps her foot impatiently as she waits for Blaine, who seems to be taking forever.
"You go ahead Rachel, I'll catch up." Blaine says as he ushers her towards the exit.
"Are you kidding me?!" She screeches. "If you're late for Glee because you stayed behind to flirt with a teacher, I'll...I'll." She is cut off as Blaine swiftly shuts the door in her face and turns to face Kurt in the now empty classroom.
"So... This isn't at all awkward." Blaine says as he walks hesitantly towards the desk where Kurt is sitting.
"It needn't be," he repiles, gesturing for him to sit. "We can both be mature about this. Do any of your friends know?"
"No. Although I had to say that I had met you before. I didn't add that I made a total jackass of myself."
"Don't say that Blaine. You didn't. Really. And I promise not to mention it ever again if it would make you feel better."
"It would."
"Ok then. I really would like for us to be friends though. Well, as much as a teacher and student can be, I guess."
Blaine nods, he feels like he's settling but really, what else can he do? "I have to go, I have Glee club now and my friend will literally kill me if I'm late."
"You're in Glee club? Me too. Well I was. And now I am again I guess. I said I'd help Mr. Schue, since he's going to be quite busy with this blue ribbon arts panel."
"That's great!" Blaine exclaims, although he's actually wondering who hates him so much that they'd torture him by deliberately flaunting his crush in front of him at every opportunity.
"Hold up and I'll walk with you." Kurt says as he gathers his bag and jacket. Blaine stops with his hand on the door handle, and turns to face Kurt.
"Would you have said yes?" He asks quickly, nervously. "If you didn't have a boyfriend I mean. Would you have said yes?"
"Blaine...I..." Kurt trails off helplessly, unable to meet Blaine's adorable, earnest gaze.
"It's ok. You can't answer. I understand." He pulls the door open but Kurt reaches out quickly and grabs Blaine's hand before he can leave the room.
"Yes." He says, simply.
It could have been worse, Kurt thinks to himself as they walk towards the choir room in silence. He had at least managed to hold back from saying everything else that he's been keeping inside since Saturday. How, not only did he desperately regret turning Blaine down that day, he is also cursing this cruel twist of fate that has now firmly placed any thoughts of a relationship with this beautiful boy completely and utterly out of reach. That despite lying in bed with his partner next to him at night, it's been Blaine's honey eyes and dark curls that have been keeping him awake, and Blaine's name whispered on his lips as he worked himself to a hurried frenzy in the shower that morning. He wants to ask, wants to know, did Blaine think of him, after that first chance encounter in the park all those weeks ago? Did he find himself daydreaming, as Kurt so often did, replaying that moment over and over? The spark when their hands had briefly touched, the shock of looking into a strangers eyes and feeling something deeper and more profound than ever before, had any of that been the same for him too? All those questions and more must remain forever unanswered, Kurt realizes with a heavy heart as he smiles softly at Blaine and enters the choir room.
"Ok guys, listen up!" Mr. Schuester called over the chatter, "As you all know, I'm going to be away quite a bit this year taking part in the Blue Ribbon Panel for Arts Education. So in my absence, Kurt here, sorry- - will be watching over things for me. Now Mr. Hummel was part of our Glee club here a few years back, the year we won Nationals in fact, so he really knows his stuff. I want you all to respect him, listen to his advice and remember, just because I may be in Washington on the Blue Ribbon Panel for Arts Education, doesn't mean can't contact me if he feels he needs to."
"Seriously, is there not an abbreviation for that ridiculous panel title?" Kurt asks suddenly, and the whole Glee club titters as looks affronted. "Oh, I'm sorry. Still no better with that whole think before you speak thing I'm afraid. Anyway," Kurt turns to the students with a warm smile, "I hear you've been working on duets over the summer, so I'd love to hear what you've all done. Who wants to go first?"
"Mr. Hummel ?" Rachel inquires as she stands and drags Blaine to his feet, "As Glee club's lead vocalist, I always begin our sessions, so the other members won't feel so bad when they don't quite come up to par. At my insistence Blaine and I have been paired together for this assignment, and we would like to present 'I'd be surprisingly good for you,' from the Broadway classic, Evita." She smooths her skirt down and heads towards the center of the room, before Blaine speaks.
"Actually Rachel, I think we should see if someone else wants to go first."
"What?" she demands as she turns, eyes flashing, to glare at Blaine.
"I think we should hear some others first, that's all."
"What a refreshing idea," Kurt interjects as he steers Rachel gently towards her seat. "Ok, so, how about we hear from...um...Santana, is it?"
"Suck it Berry," Santana sneers as she pulls Brittany towards the front and they begin to sing.
The rest of the time passes uneventfully, each pair perform their duet while Rachel alternates between pouting and glaring at either Kurt or Blaine. As it turns out, they are the last to perform, mainly because Blaine keeps putting it off, feeling more nervous than usual. It's ridiculous he knows, Kurt has heard him sing before, but he was caught off guard last time. He feels vulnerable, more exposed this time around. He can feel Kurt's eyes on him as he performs, and makes sure not to look in his direction. Everyone applauds at the end, and Rachel seems somewhat appeased.
"Wow. You guys can really sing!" Kurt exclaims. "So I think that with the right songs we stand to do really well this year. Over the coming few weeks I'll be thinking over who is going to perform the solo number for sectionals."
"Oh, you don't need to worry about that, . I do the solos." Rachel simpers as she smiles sweetly at him.
"Well maybe you did Rachel, but I'm going to do things fairly, and I want to give everyone a chance to shine. This is a group, Rachel. It's not just one singer and her backups."
Without saying a word, Rachel spins on her heel and exits, nose in the air. Kurt bites his lip anxiously, which in turn causes Blaine to sit down rather rapidly and cross his legs.
"Don't worry about her," Quinn says as she pats his arm. "She storms out at least once a week. We'd all worry if she didn't."
"Ok," he sighs. "Well I guess I'll talk to her tomorrow. You guys can go, I'll clear up here."
They all say their goodbyes, hurrying out through the choir room door. Blaine is the last to leave, with a lingering look in Kurt's direction, but he's distracted by a text on his phone, and doesn't notice Blaine has left until he looks up and sees the empty room. Grabbing his bag quickly, he hurries down the corridor and out into the parking lot. He can make out Blaine's form across the lot, heading towards a smart black Lexus. He quickly looks around, but can't see anyone else.
"Blaine!" he calls, and jogs across to the car.
"Hey Mr Hummel." Blaine smiles questioningly at him.
"Wow."
"Wow what?"
"It just sounds strange, you calling me that."
"You're my teacher, what else am I supposed to call you?" he asks, with just the tiniest touch of aggression in his voice. He's hurting, Kurt realizes with a pang, he's hurting just as I am hurting. Shit.
"How about we keep it to first names outside of lessons then?"
"If you want," he mumbles as he unlocks his car and pulls open the door. "I've got to go. See you tomorrow I guess."
"Blaine..."
"What, Kurt?" he bites, he can feel the tears beginning to sting behind his eyes and just wants to go home and fall face first onto his bed.
"Still want to buy me that coffee?" Kurt asks. And he knows he shouldn't. Really, he does. But Blaine looks so upset, so bewildered, that Kurt wants to do all he can to make him feel better. That's the reason Kurt tells himself. Not acknowledging that really, he just desperately wants to spend more time in the company of this magnificent young man who has captured his heart so thoroughly.
Blaine runs a hand over his face and composes himself. Looking up at Kurt, he manages to smile weakly. "Not right now, ok? I realize that you're trying to make me feel better by doing this whole 'friends' thing, but right now I just need some time to myself. It's been a pretty shit day by all accounts."
"Don't say that."
"It has though. Maybe teacher and student- or friends- works for you Kurt, but it doesn't for me. You having a boyfriend was bad enough. Now I find out you live with the guy, and I've got to sit and look at you every single day for an entire year knowing that the one man in my life that I've ever actually really wanted, can never be mine. Never. I'm seventeen years old and I have no friends, no family and a heart that feels like it's been shattered into a million pieces. So excuse me if I'm not feeling up to feigning a friendship with you over a cup of coffee." With that, he slams his car door and drives away, tires kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Fuck," Kurt mutters as he turns and walks towards his car with tears stinging at his eyes.