AN: Thought I'd get the second chapter up ASAP! Hope you enjoy. Might be a little more of a wait till the next one, sorry. Please review, means the world to me.

As the sun slowly rose, spreading warmth and light over the valley, a young man opened the door of his homely cottage and breathed in the still morning air.

"I'm just going down to the village Father. See you later!" He called into the house before picking up his satchel and a small pile of books. A muffled reply that sounded something like "Stay out of trouble!" came floating through the house, but the boy just rolled his eyes and sets off down the wide pathway towards the road. Several birds flew around him, happily chirping their song as he crossed the bridge. He paused to gaze into the water, smiling at his reflection, before looking up at the little town spread out before him.
"Ah, little town. What have you got for me today?" He laughed to himself as he stepped off the bridge and into the town.
All around him, the streets were suddenly bustling with noise and activity. A baker with a tray of bread passed him and the boy raised his nose to the smell of fresh, hot bread.
"Good morning Kurt!" The baker greeted him. Kurt smiled and skipped over.
"Morning sir!" Kurt selected a small roll and paid the baker, before biting into and rolling his eyes with delight. Delicious as always.
"And where are you off to this fine morning?" The baker propped his tray up on the hatch of the bakery, smiling at Kurt.
"The bookshop! I just finished the most wonderful story, about a beanstalk and an ogre and..." Kurt's eyes lit up as he started to tell his story but the baker cut him off.
"That's nice...Marie, the baguettes! Hurry up!"
Kurt sighed and waved his goodbye before continuing on his journey through the town. He saw people stealing glances at him when they thought he wasn't looking before gossiping with their friends. He knew what they thought about him. Strange, distracted, lonely. He sighed and looked around him. It's not me, he thought, it's them! Them and this provincial life. But, enough. He's reached the bookshop and is pushing the door open, listening to the tinkling of the merry bell above him.
"Ah, Kurt!" The bookseller rose from his desk, smiling at his favourite customer.
"Good morning Mr Schuester! I've come to return the book I borrowed." Kurt offered the book to Mr Schue before wandering over to the shelves, running his fingers lightly over the spines of the books. "I just couldn't put it down. Have you got anything new?"
Mr Schue laughed lightly. "Not since yesterday!"
"Hmm... Well, that's alright. I'll borrow..." Kurt scanned the shelves, looking for his favourite book. "This one!" He slid it off the shelf, lightly running a hand over its glided cover.
"But you've read it twice already." Mr Schue gave him a puzzled look as Kurt sighs softly, leaning on the shelf's ladder.
"But it's my favourite. Far off places, a Prince in disguise, an enchanter with magic spells..."
"Well, if you like it that much, you can keep it!" The bookseller smiled kindly and handed Kurt back the book. "I insist. You deserve it."
"But Sir, I couldn't possibly!" Kurt hugged the book to himself as Mr Schue propelled him out the shop. "Thank you so much!"
He happily skipped out the shop, sliding the book into his satchel. A new book, his favourite, all his! He wandered through town towards the fountain in the centre, a favourite place of his to sit. He passed a group of children and neatly jumped over their skipping rope, smiling as they asked him to come and play. He ruffled one of the girl's hair and continued on to the fountain. He perched on the edge, mindful of the water and carefully took out his book, admiring its cover before beginning to read. A small flock of sheep ambled past on their way to market and one of them poked its nose under Kurt's arm.
He laughed. "Here, do you want to read too? Isn't this amazing? It's my favourite part because, you see, here's where she meets Prince Charming, but she won't discover that it's him till chapter three!" He shooed the sheep away as it tried to take a bite out of his book.
"Heads up, look up!" Kurt looked up in alarm as a football came flying towards him, followed by a heavily built boy who caught it inches from Kurt's terrified face.
"Azimo! Be careful!"
"Sorry there twinkle toes!" The boy laughed as Kurt huffed and returned to his book. He strode away, back to his friend who was standing idly nearby.
"You idiot David, you almost hit fairy boy! Then we would have been in trouble."
David wrestled the ball back off his friend before gazing over at Kurt. "Shut it Azimo. I've got my sights set on him! He's the one, the lucky boy I'm going to marry."
Azimo pulled a face. "The mechanic's son? But he's-"
"The most beautiful boy in town." David narrowed his eyes, looking determined. "And that makes him the best. And don't I deserve the best?"
"Well, of course, I mean you do, but I mean..." Azimo stumbled over his words, confused by his friend's choice and determination.
"Right from the moment when I saw him, I said he's gorgeous. He's the only one for me, so I'm making plans to woo and marry Kurt." David smiled charmingly and pushed his hair back, flexing his muscle, as Kurt passed by, nose still in his book. He narrowed his eyes as the younger boy ignored him, before beckoning to Azimo and following the object of his desire.
"I'm going to make him fall in love with me, Azimo. I'm talking flowers and chocolates and walks through the forest at sunset. He won't know what's hit him!" David pushed past a cart of apples and ducked under a wooden beam. He peered through the crowds, desperately looking for Kurt, before spotting him in the distance. He quickly caught up with him and blocked his path.
"Good morning Kurt." He beamed charmingly at the boy.
Kurt sighed softly, but closed his book and smiled back, slightly strained. "Good morning David."
David took the book from Kurt's hands and flicked through it, frowning. "How can you read this? There's no pictures!" He laughed and dropped the book; it landed in a puddle of mud. "Kurt, it's time you got your head out of those books, and out of the clouds, and paid attention to things down here. More important things." He grinned. "Like me."
Kurt gasped in horror as his book hit the ground, and hastily picked it up, cleaning it with his handkerchief. "David, you are such a Neanderthal."
The Neanderthal draped his arm round Kurt's shoulders. "Why thank you Kurt. Tell you what, why don't you and I take a stroll through the village, maybe go look at some of my trophy's?" He spread his arms invitingly, eyebrows raised.
"No thank you David. I have to go home to help my father."
By this time, Azimo had caught up and heard the last part of the exchange. "Help your father? That crazy old loon needs all the help he can get!" He laughed loudly, David joining in.
Outraged, Kurt stomped his foot. "Don't you dare talk about my father that way!"
David punched Azimo in the shoulder. "Yeah, don't talk about his father that way!"
"My father isn't crazy, he's a genius!" Kurt threw one last look of disgust at the laughing pair before storming off out of the village, towards his home.

Kurt sighed as he opened the door of the cottage that he and his father lived in. He dropped his satchel by the door and put his book down on the kitchen table, before wandering through to the adjoining garage where his father was working.
"Father? I'm home."
A figure, dressed in oil stained overalls, slid out from under the engine he was working on. Burt, Kurt's father, was a mechanic who specialised in the new-fangled car petrol engines. "Hey kiddo. Good time in town?" He wiped his hands on an already dirty rag.
"Well, I did get a new book... Father, do you think I'm odd?" Kurt looked at the floor.
"Odd? Of course not! Where would you get an idea like that from?" Burt frowned at son's obvious distress.
"It's just... I'm not sure I really fit in here. There's no one to talk to..." Kurt sighed and looked around for a place to sit. The garage was covered with dirty, oily parts and pieces, so he chose to stay standing instead.
"What about that David fellow? He seems like a nice lad. Plays very good football." Burt watched the boy shake his head. "Don't you worry Kurt. Once I've finished building this engine, we'll be rich and famous! It'll be the start of a whole new life for us." He smiled and lifted his son's chin. "It'll all work out in the end. You'll see. Now go saddle up the horse. I need to go get some extra parts."

Kurt stood at the door of the cottage, watching his father mount up.
"You won't be gone long, will you Father?" He bit his lip worriedly.
"No more than a day Kurt. You will be okay alone?" Burt settled into the saddle, but looked equally as worried.
Kurt nodded firmly. "Of course I will. Goodbye Father, be careful!"
"Take care while I'm gone Kurt." Burt smiled fondly at his son, before kicking on the horse and riding out onto the road.