Disclaimer-I do not own Glee or any song lyrics

Thank you so much for the reviews everyone, it really means a lot, please, keep them coming.

As I've said before, this fic is heavily based on my own experiences. But from now on, it will for the most part be purely fictional, just in case you wondered.

Lyrics are in italics song is: 'Sorry' by Maria Mena

Chapter 18-The Back Row

After Kurt's drunken love declaration, it was shockingly easy for Kurt and Noah to carry on with their friendship as normal. There were even moments when Kurt wondered if perhaps that miserable night had been his imagination, but in the back of his mind he always knew it was true. But the two of them had made the agreement to forget about that night and it seemed to be working. To their credit, they were both great actors, or maybe their friendship was simply strong enough to overcome such an obstacle.

For about a week, all was well, or at least as good as things could have been given the circumstances. But soon enough, things turned sour once more for the heartbroken Kurt Hummel.

To the shock of many, Noah strolled into Glee rehearsal one afternoon with a beaming smile on his face and announced to the group that he had a new girlfriend.

That rehearsal, Kurt sang and danced half-heartedly. He shouldn't have been all that surprised really. Someone as gorgeous and charming as Noah wouldn't stay single for long. But taking into account that Kurt had so recently confessed to the other teen how he felt about him, one might think Noah would handle the delicate situation with a touch of sensitivity and at least wait longer than a week before flaunting off his new girlfriend.

It was another Cheerio; Noah did favour them after all. In fact, it was Claire, the girl Noah had made out with at the party Kurt had been talked into having.

Claire was very pretty, dressed well, made decent grades and, as much as it pained Kurt to admit it, she was rather lovely. She didn't try to change Noah as Leanne had done. She didn't constantly hang off his arm or keep him away from his friends. She seemed more than happy to give him his space so long as he in turn respected hers.

This infuriated Kurt. He was jealous of her, of course he was, but he couldn't bring himself to hate her. He liked her. He liked Claire.

"Just so you know," Santana said to him one day. "I am more than willing to hate her enough for the both of us."

Kurt smiled slightly but shook his head. He forced himself into seeing Noah's relationship with Claire as a good thing. She really was a great girl, far better than that Leanne creature. Perhaps she was the one to make Noah happy. If it couldn't be Kurt, then he'd rather it was somebody like Claire than anyone else.

They performed at Sectionals and New Directions sailed through to the next round. Claire was in the audience to support them. For a few moments, Kurt wondered how it felt for her to sit and watch himself and Noah sing 'I didn't know I'd love you so much'. Then he shook the thoughts from his mind and joined his teammates in celebrating.

When he turned to hug Noah, the Jewish boy only wrapped one arm around him briefly before stepping away. That single action hurt a hell of a lot more than it probably should.

Kurt thought things were ok between them, painful at times to be honest, but still good. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe Noah was more uncomfortable with the knowledge of Kurt being in love with him than he let on.

After fighting his way through the crowd, Kurt followed after Noah determined to confront him. He knew there was a possibility that he was simply over-analyzing and overreacting, but if Noah had a problem he needed to know about it so they could talk it out and resolve it. Noah was still his best friend, he couldn't lose that.

Following the other teen down a relatively empty corridor, Kurt watched as he disappeared into a room. He crept up to the door and stood carefully out of sight as he peered inside.

Noah was with Claire. At first, Kurt was going to just turn around and leave, but when he heard Noah speak he froze to the spot.

"This isn't working." Noah told Claire gently. "I want to break up."

"Why?" Claire asked in response. She didn't sound upset or angry, Kurt noted. It sounded as though she already knew the answer but was waiting for Noah to realise it and speak it aloud.

"You're a nice chick, I just… I'm not looking for a serious relationship right now." Noah mumbled awkwardly.

"Wrong answer." Claire commented calmly. "Be honest Puck, why are you breaking up with me?"

Looking on, Kurt found that Claire seemed to find the whole thing amusing but Noah looked torn and frustrated as he paced the room babbling incoherent nonsense but not able to provide a proper answer.

"Don't worry, big guy." Claire told him in a perfectly friendly manner. "You'll figure it out eventually."

As Claire made her way to the door, Kurt quickly scarpered away and rejoined the rest of the Glee club. He wondered what Claire had meant. What was it that Noah would eventually figure out?

Craning his neck round, Kurt kept his eyes peeled for Noah. When the other teen returned, their eyes met for a few seconds before Noah dropped his gaze. Even though it was only a fleeting glance they had shared, it inspired a new wave of hope within Kurt.

Perhaps it was a result of too many chick-flicks and countless hours of daydreams and fantasies, but somewhere inside his heart, Kurt truly believed that Noah at least felt something for him in a romantic sense. Maybe Claire suspected something of that nature too.

Of course, Kurt should try not to think of things like that. It would only cause more pain of the emotional kind. Even if Noah did return his feelings, that didn't necessarily mean Noah would ever act upon them. It was possible that Noah would forever drape himself in a cloak of denial, much like Sandy Ryerson, now that man was a closet case if there ever was one. Although, if Noah did remain in denial of the feelings he could potentially have for Kurt, then Kurt was at least sure that Noah would be a much sexier closet case than Sandy.

After Mr. Schue had managed to calm the Glee club down and get hold of everybody, he ordered them back to their bus, Rachel holding their trophy proudly in her arms.

The majority of the club were still giddy and excited from their victory and were talking happily on the trip home. However, Kurt and Noah were both silent as they sat on the back row, two empty seats in between them.

Kurt had taken his seat first and expected his friend to sit beside him as he'd done on the journey to the competition. But Noah didn't. He sat two seats away from him staring out the window, not even acknowledging Kurt's existence.

For about ten minutes, Kurt tried to convince himself that having Noah ignore him didn't hurt and that he didn't care. He failed miserably. Staring down forlornly at his lap, he fitted his earplugs into his ears and tried to take comfort in his music. Just as the first song began to play, rain fell from the heavens, the drops lightly smattering against the windows of the bus.

Vague sound of rain

Pierces through my song again

But I get distracted by the way his toes move when he plays

So I let it burn

I just poured my heart out

There's bits of it on the floor

And I take what's left of it and rinse it under cold water

And call him up for more

Turning his head, Kurt cast a longing look over Noah's form. As though sensing his gaze, Noah turned from looking out the window to meet Kurt's eye.

After a brief hesitation, Kurt lifted his arm and held his hand out to the other teen. Running a hand over his head, Noah moved from his seat then scooted over to sit beside Kurt, but he did not take hold of his hand. However, he did pull out one of Kurt's earplugs and insert it into his own ear so he could listen too.

And I say baby, yes I feel stupid to call you, but I'm lonely

And I don't think you meant it when you said you couldn't love me

And I thought maybe if I kissed the way you do, you'd feel it too

Feeling intensely awkward as the lyrics sounded in his ears and in Noah's as well, Kurt kept his eyes focused on the front of the bus and concentrated on breathing.

He said I'm sorry

So sorry

I'm sorry

So sorry

He felt Noah tense up beside him and instinctively knew that he was reliving the night of the love declaration. Kurt's mind was replaying it too, and all the hurt, desperation and humiliation he'd felt that night came flooding back somehow stronger.

He grabs my wrists

As my fingers turn into angry fists

And I whisper why can't you love me, I'll change for you

I'll play the part

Finally, Kurt found the courage to twist his neck slightly and look at Noah. As he did, he sang along to the song, singing the lyrics quietly so that only Noah could hear him.

"And I say baby, so I feel stupid to call you, but I'm lonely

And I don't think you meant it when you said you couldn't love me

And I thought maybe if I kissed the way you do, you'd feel it too…"

As he finished the lyric, Kurt saw how Noah closed his eyes before he quietly started to sing the rest of the song.

"He said I'm sorry

So sorry

I'm sorry

I am sorry

He said I'm sorry

So sorry

I'm sorry

I am sorry."

The song ended and a much more upbeat track began to play but the words didn't make sense in Kurt's head. All he could focus on was Noah who still had his eyes closed and continued to quietly murmur apologies.

Turning the music off, Kurt pulled his earphone out and gently took back the one Noah had in his ear. Hands trembling slightly, he slipped his iPod away back into his messenger bag.

Noah's eyelids flew open but he kept his gaze fixed to the front. After a few moments, Kurt turned to look at the front too. The others were still in a euphoric mood, all of them singing songs at the top of their lungs, Mr. Schue singing and laughing along with them.

It looked like tremendous fun, and Kurt longed to be a part of it. But he couldn't and neither could Noah. The happiness that seemed to be flooding through the veins of their peers clearly didn't reach as far as the back row of the bus. All Kurt and Noah had was the gentle patter of the rain and the undeniable unease that drifted between them. Even though Noah sat right beside him now, he felt further away from Kurt than ever.

As this thought entered Kurt's head, he bit down on his lower lip to stifle the sob that threatened to escape and lifted a hand to fight away the tears that dared to fall from his eyes. Ducking his head, he closed his eyes for a few moments. He knew what was happening, knew he didn't like it, but he didn't know how to prevent it. He was losing his best friend, he was losing Noah.

The bus went over a speed bump and the movement jostled Kurt in his seat, making him let out a small gasp. He turned to look at Noah and the darker-skinned teen finally looked back at him, his expression an emotionless mask that chilled Kurt's blood.

They held one another's gaze until the bus drove through a tunnel sending them into almost complete darkness. When the vehicle emerged from the other side permitting Kurt to see again, he found that Noah was no longer sitting beside him. He'd moved back to the other side, once again leaving two empty seats between them and with his back to Kurt as he stared out the window.

"Noah?" Kurt croaked out feebly, his pitiful whisper lost in the joyous noise of the other passengers, never meeting Noah's ears and therefore remaining unheard and unanswered.

To Be Continued

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Love and hugs, IceQueenRia xxx