I was told in a review that university in America lasts at least 4 years – I would like to claim artistic license on this! I'm sorry, being only 15 and from the UK, I have no idea of how the entire school system works, let alone in America.

I hope you'll forgive me! ;)

Onwards! :)

Also, I'm extending the competition for the best story of unrequited love until the end of this story – which is currently set to be 15 chapters long, so you have that long to submit your story in a review – remember the winner gets a prize of their own choosing :)

BY THE WAY – I'm always in the market for a great story I would love to hear some recommendations you guys have for me to read, so if you know any good ones, let me know! Thanks! :)

Chapter four

3rd July 2014

Too long I've been afraid of,

Losing love I guess I've lost,

Well, if that's love,

It comes at much too high a cost!

It's time to try –

Kurt rolled over in his bed in his scabby apartment, grabbing his cell phone off of his nightstand. He groaned when he saw the caller ID. He quickly accepted the call and fell back in bed, phone to his ear.

"Finn Hudson, this has better be good. It's 4 in the morning! I've been asleep for 2 hours and I have to get up in another 2. You owe me for this. So much." Kurt told him, menacingly.

"She said yes! She said yes!" Finn squealed, voice uncharacteristically high with excitement. "Oh my God, Kurt, say you'll be my best man? Please? I can't believe it – Rachel actually said yes!"

"Oh sweet Jesus Finn, you asked her to marry you?" Kurt's eyes were wide; his voice an octave he didn't even know existed.

"Yeah! It was so romantic, neither of us could sleep and so I just…we were just talking and then I just asked her – just straight out asked her! And she said yes!" Finn was near-yelling now, and Kurt had to move the phone a good distance away from his ear.

"Oh my God, Finn, I'm so happy for you! And her! I can't believe it!" Kurt admitted.

"Me neither! Please be my best man, bro? Please? You're my brother; I don't want it to be anyone else but you!"

Kurt could have cried. His voice wavered as he replied, "Of course, Finn. I'd love to, but are you sure?"

"Of course! And you can even bring that Warbler you like so much – Bryan?"

"Blaine, Finn, but thank you. I'm sorry to dampen the mood but could you maybe call me back at a decent hour and we can talk about this?" Kurt asked, politely.

"Oh sure, sorry, dude!" Finn said, sounding far too excited to be apologetic.

"No problem, I'll speak to you soon," Kurt replied and hung up. Okay, there was no way he was getting back to sleep now…

Kurt wasn't surprised that nothing had changed between him and Blaine. The morning after the second incident had been as un-awkward as the first. It had remained unspoken of and that suited both boys just fine. It was easier to bury their heads in the sand than to face up to what they both felt.

However unsuccessful the night had been, it was the hours when they were in bed that haunted Kurt…

"Kurt…I – Seeing as well broke all the rules, could I – could I maybe sleep in your bed?" Blaine was wringing his hands behind his back, a sure sign that he was nervous of the answer.

"I – yeah, okay," Kurt relented, sighing slightly. He tugged back the duvet and shifted over in the bed to make space for his friend.

Blaine smiled, not needing to vocalise his thanks to make them heard. He slid onto the mattress beside Kurt, instinctively wrapping his arms around him in a tight embrace. Within moments, Kurt heard the deep, even breathing that told him that Blaine was asleep.

Kurt, enveloped in Blaine and the memories of the hours previous, soon fell into a dream-like state, though he was still far from sleep. Dozing peacefully, he lay, rewriting the previous hour into one where he and Blaine hadn't been interrupted…where Blaine had confessed his love for him and they'd gone the whole way, swimming in the moonlight and dazed by the love they both felt…

Until Blaine's voice sounded, pulling him from his reverie. Kurt turned in the older boys arms to see that he was still asleep, but talking with such a passion and severity that Kurt could have sworn he was wide awake.

"Kurt…Kurt, I love you. I say it all the time but I do. There's no one in the world who can replace or erase that. You're a fundamental part of my existence. You may think that as a player, a cheat and a love rat, that I wouldn't know love. But that's not true anymore," Blaine's voice was barely above a whisper and as he buried his head into Kurt's shoulder, his voice became muffled but Kurt knew what he was saying, and it made his heart pound.

"You showed me love, Kurt. I can never thank you enough for that. You've done for me what no one else can or ever will. And I know you think that I love you like a brother, or as a friend, but there are times when I doubt that. There are times I question my feelings for you. All the time, actually. Because we could be happy together, Kurt. We could, and it makes me so angry that I'm the only thing stopping us. But you're right. I'll get bored; I always do. I'll lie, cheat, break your heart. I wish I could say that I won't. But I know I probably would. I just wish I could ask you to take that chance. I wish I was worth taking that chance for." A pause, punctuated only by Blaine's errand sniffling and the heavy thud of Kurt's heart against his ribcage. He let out a shaking, shallow breath, thinking Blaine was finished.

He wasn't.

"But that's not your fault. That'll never be your fault. But I'll never stop hating myself for it – that I'm the one thing stopping myself from being truly happy, happier than I've ever been with anyone. You make me that happy. And I love you more than you'll ever know." What more was there to say?

With a quivering lip and watering eyes, Kurt rolled back over in bed, trying to block out everything he'd just heard. He'd just made this whole situation a million times harder…

So when Blaine turned up at Kurt's office, the younger boy wasn't as surprised as maybe he should have been. Part of Kurt told him to run and hide, but he remained planted firmly in his seat. He'd only seen Blaine sparingly since the second 'incident' and the truth was – seeing Blaine terrified him. But he had to get through this. They were friends, first and foremost. His eyes zeroed in on the non-fact mocha clutched in Blaine's hands. Okay, so it was important.

Kurt – thankful he was the only one left in the office before lunch – raked his gaze over Blaine's appearance. He looked good, slightly more scruffy, but otherwise acceptable. He was wearing a tight, red polo shirt and black skinny jeans. For Blaine, he looked decidedly normal.

Kurt smiled. "Blaine, what brings you here?"

"I heard there was a cute intern here, thought I'd come check him out," Blaine replied, winking and passing the coffee to Kurt.

"What makes you think he would give you the time of day?" Kurt replied, shortly, arranging the papers on his desk into neat piles without looking up at Blaine.

"I've got a watch, I'm fine. I'm hoping he'll give me a bit of time from his day?" Blaine asked, hopefully, bending his knees and trying to lower himself to enter Kurt's line of vision. Kurt hid his smirk behind another stack of sheets. "So, is he here?"

"He just went on his lunch break," Kurt apologised, trying hard not to laugh, "better luck next time."

"Oh, that's a shame," Blaine replied, winking, "I suppose you'll have to do then," he said, offering his arm to Kurt as the latter stood up and walked around to the front of his desk.

"Sorry, didn't I tell you? I have a date with a…sorry, what is it you do again?" Kurt asked, smiling innocently and taking Blaine's arm.

"That's what I want to talk to you about…"

"You first,"

"No, you,"

"No, go on!"

"Kurt Hummel. Tell me. Spill. Now." Blaine insisted, taking a long sip of coffee. They'd ventured out of the coffee shop by this point, and were now sitting on a bench in Central Park. If you'd have told Blaine five years ago that this was where he would be in his later years, he'd have told you to pull the other one. But right now, this was perfect. This was everything he wanted.

"Okay," Kurt obliged, turning to face Blaine slightly, "Finn's getting married!" He squealed, excitedly clapping his hands together and grinning.

Blaine mirrored his expression. "Really? Oh wow, Kurt, that's great!"

Kurt's expression quickly turned serious. "You are coming as my plus one, right?"

Blaine pretended to consider this. "Well, since the hot intern didn't turn up…I guess it'd be rude not to, wouldn't it?"

Kurt's grin returned and he launched himself at Blaine in a fierce hug. "This is going to be epic," he breathed.

Blaine returned the embrace, smiling. "It sure is."

"Go on then," Kurt urged, pulling away from the older boy, "tell me your news!"

Blaine tried to look as sombre as possible, trying desperately to hide his excitement.

"Oh my God," Kurt gasped, pressing a hand to his mouth, "who died?"

Blaine couldn't hold back his laugh at this. "No one, Kurt, I promise! Okay, it's good news, I promise!"

"Tell me then!"

Blaine sucked in a huge breath, "I got signed! I'm officially a recording artist!" Kurt's mouth fell open and he froze, gawping at his friend. "Er, Kurt? This is the part where you jump up and down and hug me, or squeal in that adorable way you do or plan to throw me a party or insist to duet with me on my first album…you don't just sit there! You never do that!" Blaine was so thrown by Kurt's reaction – or rather, lack of it – that he was rambling.

"Come on, Kurt. Aren't you happy for me? You're the first person I've told! You're the first person I wanted to tell, only now…" He trailed off as Kurt suddenly came back to life.

The younger boy leapt across the park bench and flung his arms around Blaine once more. He pulled away slightly and kissed Blaine chastely, before burying his face in his friend's shoulder again. "OhmyGod, Blaine, this is amazing! I'm so happy for you, I can't even…!"

Blaine's eyes were wide and he used the arm that wasn't around Kurt to raise his hand to touch his lips. What the… What the hell was that feeling?

"I'm so surprised and happy and ohmygod that I can't even bring myself to be embarrassed about the fact that I just kissed you!" Kurt exclaimed, grinning. With all the good news in the air and how amazing Blaine looked, he just couldn't help himself and he couldn't be bothered to care. He knew Blaine wouldn't mind. "Jesus, Blaine! Well done!"

"T-thanks," Blaine replied, hesitantly. He shook his head slightly, wrapping both arms around Kurt again and pulling him closer. "It really means a lot. And," he continued, pulling away from his friend so that they could look each other in the eye, "I know you think everything's gunna change now, but I promise it won't. You're still my best friend and my…whatever else you are. You know I love you and I won't ditch you because of this, I promise."

Kurt smiled his beautiful closed-mouthed smile and nodded, eyes brimming with tears. "I know. I love you too." And no matter what side-line feelings he had for Blaine, Kurt pushed them aside for that moment. In that second, Blaine was his best friend. That was all.

"And that brings me onto my second lot of news…" Blaine continued after a few moments of silence.

"Shut up! There's more?" Kurt asked, incredulously.

Blaine just smiled. "I'm seeing someone."

Kurt faltered, his smile dropping instantly. "O-oh. Blaine, that's brilliant. I'm really happy for you." The words were false, they tasted and sounded wrong but Kurt knew he had to say them. He was Blaine's friend above anything else. He couldn't let his feelings get in the way of that.

"Thanks, Kurt. Again, it means a lot."

Kurt's eyes suddenly grew wide in his face. "Oh my God, I just kissed you! You have a boyfriend! Oh my Christ!" He clapped a hand to his mouth.

Blaine chuckled, putting an arm around his friend. "Honestly, don't worry about it. I know you meant it as my friend. It's fine, Kurt," Blaine insisted, smiling.

"If you're sure…"

"Absolutely. Actually, if you're ever up for round two…" Blaine joked, nudging Kurt, who blushed profusely.

"I'm fairly sure it'd be round four by now." He replied, trying to turn it into a joke, even though he was deadly serious.

"Yeah, but that doesn't have the same ring."

"Of course it doesn't."

Kurt flopped back down at his desk. Lunch with Blaine was a blur of weddings and recording contracts and…seeing people. Kurt's stomach clenched at the thought and he had to take a few deep, calming breaths.

"Hey, Kurt," Came a voice from above him. He looked up into the face of his – astoundingly useless – co-worker. Oh, he thought, let me guess. She wants me to finish her work for her. Because she's just so darn busy…

"Yes, Amy?" He replied, voice sickeningly sweet.

"Would you mind finishing up here for me? Just for tonight?" She simpered, smiling brightly at him. "It won't take a moment, I just have to be home early tonight. It's a one-time thing, I promise!" Oh, that's funny, he thought. Considering I've done it eighteen times over the past month. Not that I'm counting or anything.

"Okay, I'll be honest," she continued, "it's my boyfriend's birthday today and I just need to get home to see him, I feel so awful being here when he's stuck at home…"

Oh, I thought it was his birthday last week. Funny that.

"Oh, fine," he sighed, melodramatically, shifting paper around on his desk, "but just for tonight!" Kurt insisted, pointing an accusing finger at her. But they both knew he'd do this again and again.

"Oh, Kurt, you're an angel. I love you lots, see you later!" She flitted out of the office, pausing only to grab her coat before letting the door bang in Kurt's face.

Maybe if I was Blaine, he thought, maybe then I'd have a boyfriend to go home early for. Maybe if things were different, I'd be the boyfriend that Blaine would go home early for.

Kurt sighed. Yeah, right. Like that was ever going to happen…

TBC, but only if you review! :)