Chapter 3

"Can you?" The words escaped Darren's lips a little too quickly, and he hadn't even realized that he had answered the boy's question until the boy smiled and nodded, sitting down in the empty chair across from him.

"I'm Kurt." The boy extended his arm across the table, waiting for Blaine to return the gesture. Blaine smiled nervously, biting his lip. He closed the gap between them, shaking Kurt's hand, and replied, "Blaine Anderson."

"Nice to meet you, Blaine Anderson." Kurt smiled, propping his elbow up on the table, resting his head in his hand. Blaine sheepishly grinned in return, and Kurt racked his brain for something else to say. He was breathless, and more nervous than he had ever been before. However, he was more determined than ever before. He wasn't going to let one second of awkward silence pass between him and this dream that he had stumbled upon in a bookstore. "So, I see you're having some problems, eh?" he ventured, motioning toward the book. Blaine blushed, closing the book and setting it face down on the table. "Um, yeah. That's kind of a bit of an understatement though."

"Well, as the only openly gay kid in my entire high school, I think I can help you out."

Blaine blinked. This kid didn't beat around the bush. "What high school do you go to?"

"William McKinley. We don't have those fancy uniforms like you Dalton boys do."

"Well you know, everyone loves a man in uniform." It was extremely difficult for Blaine to resist the urge to just stare at him. Kurt was the first boy that had ever been remotely close to hitting on him, and he did not want to move too fast and mess things up. Kurt snickered and looked down, averting his eyes from Blaine's for the first time they sat down. Blaine's palms began to sweat, worried that he had made a move too quickly.

"Ain't that the truth." Kurt had a mischievous smile on his face, and it was definitely turning Blaine on. He had been fighting with his sexuality ever since he could remember, trying to fight it, trying to be normal. He had tried so hard that, a few years ago, he convinced himself that he was heterosexual, he was just confused. But the feelings that Kurt was rousing in Blaine made it impossible to deny his true sexuality any longer.

"So you can help me?" Blaine asked, pretending to ignore Kurt's comment, because he had no clue how to reply to it. Kurt smiled sweetly and nodded. How did he do that? How did he look so…provocative one minute, and so innocent the next? This mystery intrigued Blaine and left him wanting more.

"Are you really the openly gay kid at your school?" Kurt nodded, but didn't elaborate. Cautiously, Blaine pressed, "I know we just met and everything, but do you mind me asking how you did it? How you still do it?"

"How I do what?"

"How you do it. How you live. There are a few openly gay boys at Dalton, and no one seems to think anything about it. I'm not worried about my friends as much as I am my family. To be honest, I think one of my friends, Rob, is kind of starting to suspect it. I think I could tell him, and he could help me tell the rest of my friends. But he can't help me with my family. My family are your stereotypical conservative, Christian, Midwest family." Blaine couldn't believe how quick he was to tell this complete stranger so many personal things about himself and his family. Kurt was just so easy and comfortable to talk to.

"Well…" Kurt's voice trailed off for a moment while he thought. "My situation was similar, only opposite. My mom died when I was really young, I'm an only child, and my family all lives down south, like in Georgia and Florida. So really, the only family member I had to worry about was my dad. But I think he knew that I was different. I mean, I never was one to play with cars or build things when I was little. I liked having tea parties and playing dress up. My dad finally just asked me one day, and I said that yes, I was gay. He looked disappointed, but he never stopped loving me. He told me that I still mattered, and that I couldn't help my sexuality any more than I could help my eye color, or what color my skin was. It's out of my control." Blaine nodded, wanting Kurt to continue. "School was a different story. When everyone there found out, I was bullied constantly. Hell, I'm still bullied." He paused. "It's really hard sometimes. But I just have to remember that one day I'll be out of that school, living my dreams, and that one day, I'll be so successful that the little details about me, like my sexuality, won't even matter. I mean, they shouldn't matter now, but unfortunately, they do." Blaine nodded again, agreeing. "Sorry if I'm ranting, ha. It's just that I don't really have anyone else in my life that understands. Like I said, only openly gay kid in my school." He let out a small laugh, relaxing his shoulders. Blaine hadn't even realized that Kurt had been so tense. "I appreciate you sharing all of that with me," Blaine replied honestly. "I think it would be so much harder for your school to be unaccepting than your family to be unaccepting." Kurt nodded. "I don't know your family or anything, but in most cases, I think so, too. That's why I'm almost positive that I can help you."

"I'm sure you can," Blaine assured him, offering a genuine smile. Kurt returned the smile and then took a deep breath, his eyes piercing into Blaine's. "So, Blaine. Has your family ever brought up the topic of homosexuality before?"

"Yeah. I mean, the Andersons get into as many political debates as any other family," Blaine joked, the corners of his eyes wrinkling as his smile widened. Kurt laughed, and asked him what his family had to say about the topic

"Well…"

"Thank you so much, Kurt. This has been really helpful. And a lot of fun." Kurt gathered up his things and shyly murmured a "you're welcome". He slung his bag over his shoulder and faced Blaine. "I'm glad I was able to help. I hope you know that you can always come and talk to me if you're having problems." Blaine nodded enthusiastically, his puppy dogs eyes glistening. "Yeah, I'd love that!"

"Really?" Kurt immediately regretted his insecure remark.

"Really," Blaine repeated, his face breaking into a big smile. "In fact…." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a shiny black phone, handing it to Kurt. "I'd love it if you could put your number in my phone, and we can meet up again sometime. If I'm really going to do this, I need all the support I can get."

Kurt's trembling hands wrapped around the phone, touching the screen and bringing it to life. "Nice background," he smirked, holding the phone up. "Are they friends of yours?"

"Yeah, that's Rob, Jacob, and Don. They're three of my best friends. Especially Rob. We've been friends since elementary school." Kurt smiled, but on the inside, his heart crumbled with jealously. He longed for a friendship on that level that had lasted that long. Most of the friends he had, he had only had since his sophomore year, when he joined Glee club. They were all wonderful people and even better friends, especially Rachel and Mercedes, who he was closest to, but he had always wanted that childhood best friend that everyone else seemed to have.

Kurt self-consciously typed his phone number into Blaine's phone, completely aware of the way Blaine's gaze had landed on his face. He could feel Blaine's eyes watching every movement his fingers made, every movement his chest made while he breathed. When he was finished, his eyes lingered on the background of Blaine's phone. He and the three other boys were all laughing and making funny faces. It was dark, and there were people in the background. Kurt presumed it was taken at a party, and that assumption only raised more questions. Was Blaine a big partier? Did he drink? Was he a good dancer? Before Blaine could become aware of Kurt's staring, he handed the phone back to Blaine. Blaine's face lit up and he slipped his phone back into his pocket. "Thanks, Kurt!"

"You're welcome," Kurt replied, awkwardly adjusting the strap of his messenger bag. They both caught each other's eyes, and they both smiled. Kurt could feel his cheeks reddening, and Blaine's were turning pink as well.

"I should go," Kurt said abruptly. "We're having this big family dinner tonight because my stepmom was out of town for a business meeting, and she gets back in like an hour so we're having this big family dinner and I can't be late." He could feel himself rambling and repeating himself, but Blaine was making him ridiculously nervous. How did all of that confidence he had just an hour ago fly out the window so rapidly? It didn't make sense.

But love doesn't always make sense.

Kurt swallowed hard, his eyes bugging out. He did not just say the "L" word. His cheeks reddened even more with embarrassment for even thinking it. He had just met Blaine; there was no way he could possibly be in love with him. Not yet, at least.

"Ha, okay." Blaine was smiling really big now. His perfect teeth and lips were enough to make Kurt's heart want to melt. "We'll see each other around, okay?"

"Yeah, definitely. I would love that, actually," Kurt answered, a tint of hopefulness in his response. Blaine nodded. "Have fun with your family."

"Thanks, Blaine. We'll be in touch." Damn it, Kurt! Another awkward choice of words.

"Of course we will. I really enjoy talking to you, Kurt." Kurt's knees threatened to buckle as he heard his name escape from Blaine's lips. "I like talking to you, too," Kurt managed to stammer. Blaine wasn't leaving, he was just continuing to look at Kurt's face. You have to say something and get out of here before you just grab him and kiss him, Kurt told himself. "Good, I'm glad. I'll see you later."

"See you. Hey, have fun with your family!" Blaine called as Kurt started to walk away.

Kurt paused, turning his head around and looked into Blaine's deep, chocolate brown eyes. "And good luck with yours."

"Thanks. I really appreciate that." Kurt offered a small wave before hurrying out of the bookstore. The moment he slammed his car door, he let out the breath he had been holding in for the past hour, finally able to relax. When he realized what had just happened, he squealed with delight and dug through his bag, frantically searching for his phone. He had to text Rachel and Mercedes and tell them what happened.

But before he could set up the message, he received a text from an unknown number, reading "I miss our talks already, what about you? :) "