Please see chapter one for all warnings etc…

Make My Heart Start Beating

11

It's one thing to say you're going to do something, but some of those somethings are harder than others. The college and night school idea is still a mess, I really don't know what I want to do, singing was once everything to me but since I was a teen I've discovered I really do enjoy working on cars, that I like helping kids, and a myriad of other interests.

I have summer to make my mind up and credits towards a degree are still credits, I don't really need to study to get a job, and it's freeing to be able to study to please myself.

Clothes.

That was harder than I thought, but I'm pleased with my conservative, yet well-tailored suit that I'm wearing tonight. I've even used a small amount of product to keep my hair out of my eyes.

Sebastian.

How do you ask someone out? It's something I've never done before. The movies make it seem easy but I'm having little freak-outs in the car as we drive to the Smythe residence, or mansion. I'm not completely convinced he likes me that way but David and Kyle's arguments have been compelling, and I know that I'm attracted to him so I'm going to try.

I've wracked my brains for information I remember about the meerkat and other than smirking, scheming and living in the Lima Bean all I have is France and speaking French. With that in mind I've come up with an idea for a date night with him, one that doesn't involve me getting more intimately acquainted with his freckles.

At least not too much.

Dad pulls up the drive and we park, climbing out the back I'm nearest Carole's door and open it for her offering my hand.

"Thank you dear," she says and then glances down at my hand, "Are you alright Kurt? You're hand's freezing."

"I'm fine Carole," I wave her fears away, no one but David and Kyle know what I'm going to be doing, this way if I go down in flames no one else needs to know.

Walking in, Mr Smythe and Julia, his wife to be, greet us. We've been here a few times, Mr Smythe is really nice and welcoming, Julia can be a bit standoffish but I wooed her with my knowledge of fashion labels and we hit it off really well. I'm not sure I approve of the fact she's only two years older than me, and I was shocked when I found out that Sebastian has three older brothers the youngest is fifteen years his senior.

All three of the brothers, with spouses, are there and all three of them became lawyers too, only Sebastian's bucked the trend to go and be a writer instead.

Speaking of Sebastian I glance around trying to be subtle but he's not there, that's strange, I frown and then I'm greeting the hosts and wishing them well in their future life.

We're dead on time so there aren't a huge number of people here, wandering through the house, well mansion, I'm glad I've been here before because otherwise I'd be hugging the rooms and whimpering over the interior decorating.

I find Sebastian at the bar that's been set up in the garden, "Hi," I say brightly and sit on the stool nearby.

He glares at me and sips his drink, the amber coloured liquid sloshing in his glass. His shoulders seem really tense and his eyes are a bit red.

The bartender asks me what I want and I chose, "A cranberry cutie cocktail please."

That confuses the man and I have to talk him through the ingredients of cranberry juice, apple juice, some honey and pouring the mix all over the ice cubes in a glass, I'm also disappointed I don't get a cherry on top.

Holding my glass out to Sebastian I try and get him to clink glasses instead he grunts angrily, "What do you want?"

"Um," oh god I can do this, David and Kyle's pep talk is firmly in the front of my mind and I just go for it, the worst he can do is turn me down. "Sebastian I'm hoping that you're free next Wednesday, um because," I can do this and wipe my sweaty palm on my pants, oh no, no I did not just... Forcing myself back on track I blurt out, "well you see, there's this French film that has a good write up and I was hoping you'd go with me and maybe we could have dinner too, I know a nice French restaurant…"

I'm shaking, I'm actually shaking, why does it always seem so easy in the movies? This isn't easy at all. And it's nerve-wracking as he stares at me.

"You're asking me out on a date?" He's incredulous.

"Yes…" I bite my lip, "I'm doing it wrong aren't I? I've never done this before, if you don't like the idea of a film we can do something else," I trail off as he continues to glare at me.

"You don't even know me," he growls and if it wasn't for him being Sebastian Smythe I'd say there's self loathing in his voice.

"Well that's the point of dating isn't it? I can find out more about you and you can find out more about me. All I know about you is your coffee order, your t-shirt is really soft, you lived in France for an unknown amount of time before Dalton and you speak French beautifully."

If anything it makes him angrier and he leans forward, "No, no I will not date you, if you want something with me then all you're going to get is a damn good fucking, remember the hotel room? Just like that, never anything more," he hisses at me and his breath is sweet with no hint of alcohol on it, just what is he drinking?

"Oh, it's just you were flirting with me and…" I refuse to mention the t-shirt, and maybe David and Kyle got it wrong, he wasn't flirting with me, even though he said he was at the school.

"It's what I do," he spits, "Flirt and fuck and drink," he tips his head back draining his drink and he slams the empty glass on the bar leaving behind the half melted ice cubes. Then he storms off and I deflate on the barstool.

David was wrong, being turned down wasn't the worst thing he could do, turning me down and telling me he only wants me for one thing is worse. Eyeing up his glass my curiosity gets the best of me and I sneak a sip from it, ginger ale, he was drinking ginger ale.

Confused I sit for a few more minutes until dad finds me and then I go into guest mode. I eat, I smile, I talk to guests, I do my best to charm and then I go home to David and Kyle who pounce once I'm through the door.

"He said no," I tell them and David's face falls, "It's probably for the best, it's not like Sebastian would hang around Lima for the rest of his life, but I promise not to go back to sleep."

"Damn I really thought he was interested," David sighs and slings an arm around me, "Sorry Kurt, my bad bro," I guess David and Kyle like me enough that they think I'm dateable even if I'm not.

"Well at least I know," I try and cheer him up, "I can move on right? And aren't there supposed to be dating sites for gay guys who want to settle down, you said I'm a good catch, I mean I run a garage and things."

"Yeah you do," Kyle joins us and I get hugged from the side by him too, "And yeah there are sites that are for relationships not just hooking up, we'll find one and you can give it a try."

"Right," I nod not holding out a lot of hope on it.

I go to get changed and pull on a pair of jeans and I grab Sebastian's t-shirt, it's mine now. I'm not really that enthused with finding someone else, after all I know the kind of cliental Scandal's gets.

Jogging downstairs I join the guys in the living room and watch the news with them, when did I grow up enough to want to watch the news everyday? Winding down we tell David and Kyle about the party and make plans for next week, oh no, no, no, no, no, no. I am not going camping and fishing with them, I plead work, then insanity, and then I point out that I can use the time to go through all those lovely booklets about college courses and night schools.

Dad caves and I win.

No camping for me.

A/N: Sorry for any and all mistakes, I've tried to catch those I could, but I'm only human.

Okay from various comments I've gotten I'm now trusting you to accept the flimsy plot in my romance story. And yes I will be posting everyday, this is pre-written, all done and dusted, the only changes that may happen are later on if anyone wants to correct my attempts at French and Latin. Cheers