Nick was singing loudly to the tune playing on the radio, drumming his hands rhythmically against the steering wheel of his corvette as he headed down the highway back towards Dalton. The window was open, a cool breeze ruffling his untidy brown hair and making the magazines he had placed on the passenger seat flutter. Nick was a radio guy. It hadn't always been so. Before he met Jeff he was particular about the music he listened to, he would find an album he liked and would remain faithful to it for several weeks before moving on to another. The radio was random, it didn't offer him any control, and Nick liked to have some element of control, even if it was over the smallest aspects of his life.
However, this was before Jeff. Jeff, who had come barrelling into his life with his spontaneity and complete lust for life, Nick had been swept up by his infectious nature and in return Jeff had opened Nick up to the wonders of being carefree and impulsive. Something of a new feeling for Nick.
This is how Nick had come to find himself listening to the local station singing unashamedly to whatever track was playing instead of his ipod.
Nick smiled at the thought of his boyfriend as the next track began. If Jeff had been with him he would have been singing along, his blonde mop top falling over his face, his blue eyes shining with barely suppressed mischief, his feet tapping on the floor. Jeff had a real problem with keeping still.
Jeff had tuned Nick's stereo to several different stations to make sure they had a wide variety of music choices with Jeff usually playing DJ if they were out together as Nick would be driving, something he was more than happy for Jeff to do. If Jeff was happy then he was happy, and Jeff was happy pretty much all of the time.
Nick turned the car into the schools long driveway and headed down the impressive drive. He loved coming back to Dalton even if he had only been gone a few hours. There was something comforting about the austere buildings, emanating warmth that only age could bring. The grounds were aged with large trees lining most of the walk ways and paths, providing cover during the day and spectacularly delicate shadows in the darkness. There was peace at Dalton, a stillness that enveloped you as soon as you entered its grounds, a sensation that wrapped itself around you and eased your tension.
Nick audibly exhaled as he drove through the grounds, turning the radio down so that it was little more than background noise.
He loved Dalton, he loved the calm that enclosed him while he was there and he loved his boyfriend, his completely nutty, perfect boyfriend and he counted himself extremely lucky that he got to have both at the same time.
Nick had been at Dalton for several years now. His father was extremely wealthy but Nick couldn't really remember when he had last spent any time with him. He was a busy man, a busy man with a young wife. He and Nick's mother had divorced some years ago, resulting in her moving across state and having very little contact. Nick had tried many times to bridge this gap with his mother but to no avail, leaving him with an emotional hole in his chest which he continually struggled to fill. Nick's father had decided in recent years that buying him outlandish gifts would compensate for the lack of time he needed to spend with him, the corvette being the latest in a long line of such offerings. Not that Nick was complaining; the corvette was a beautiful machine; he had actually chosen it after noticing that Jeff had turned the corner down on a two page spread about the car in one of his many petrol head magazines and Jeff certainly appreciated the car.
Pulling into the parking area Nick glanced around for a vacant spot, some of the students had begun to filter back this evening and the parking area although not busy was definitely busier than when he had left. Heading towards the back corner he noticed the large black haphazardly parked navigator, smiling he wondered how Blaine was getting on with his chem report now that Kurt was back. There was no question in Nick's mind that the chem report would be long forgotten if Blaine had Kurt as a distraction.
Parking swiftly Nick jumped out of the car and scooped up his magazines and the small gift bag from the foot well. Heading across the campus towards the dorms his thoughts returned to Jeff, he had certainly been acting a little strangely, even for Jeff so Nick had picked up a small something for him while he had been out, just a token novelty but he hoped it would cheer him up.
Strolling down the corridor Nick paused outside Blaine's door a wicked thought crossing his mind and coming to rest as an evil grin formed on his lips, turning he raised his hand and knocked loudly hoping to interrupt the couple from whatever they might be doing.
Disappointingly Blaine's call of "Come in" was almost instant.
Scowling slightly Nick pushed open the door and peered in eyes going straight to the bed expecting to see Blaine and Kurt curled up together confused for a second when he found it empty, his eyes turned to the desk where Blaine was studying him with an amused expression.
"Hey Nick" said Blaine.
"Hey" replied Nick looking around the room, "Where's Kurt?"
"Not you too" Blaine huffed.
"What do you mean" asked Nick coming further into the room shuffling his magazines back under his arm as they slipped down gradually.
"Christian was here earlier asking me about Kurt" explained Blaine, "and Jeff for that matter" he added.
"Jeff?" repeated Nick with a frown, "What does he want with Jeff?"
"No idea" said Blaine as he stood and stretched his arms behind him and rolled his head forward to stretch the muscles in his neck.
"Anyway, you know Kurt's gone home" said Blaine looking over at Nick as he pushed his chair under the desk and made his way across his room to grab a bottle of water.
"Uh, well, his cars in the parking area" Nick stated.
"You sure?" asked Blaine turning to look at Nick as he took a swig from the bottle he had extracted from his mini fridge.
"Yep. Actually I'm disappointed he's not here" mocked Nick, "I was hoping to be a proverbial bucket of cold water on you guys."
"Well gee thanks for that buddy" laughed Blaine, "I'll remember that when you and Jeff want some alone time."
Nick laughed.
"But no, he's not here" clarified Blaine, "actually I haven't heard from him since he left yesterday and he hasn't replied to the voicemail I left him earlier which is unusual" he added taking his phone from his pocket to check his calls.
"Perhaps he headed straight to his room" piped in Nick helpfully.
"Yeah, maybe" Blaine thought out loud, "he wasn't coming back until tomorrow night though, so I don't know why he would be back today. Are you sure it was his car?"
"Yes Blaine I definitely saw that giant black car your boyfriend drives in the car park not ten minutes ago" replied Nick rolling his eyes.
"I might take a walk down to his room then" said Blaine casually as he motioned for Nick to exit through the door, grabbing his keys from the desk and closing the door behind them, "just make sure he's back okay", he added.
"Yeah sure" smiled Nick, "the same way I check on Jeff every morning" smirked Nick, "just looking out for his welfare."
"Well you know we are very caring guys" Blaine winked, "and if our boyfriends want to show their appreciation of our consideration who are we to deny them?"
"I like the way you think my friend" laughed Nick clapping his free hand around Blaine's shoulders as they headed down the corridor.
Blaine and Nick parted at Nick's room and Blaine continued on to Kurt's door, knocking loudly he listened for a response from his boyfriend but heard nothing, trying the door he found it locked. Frowning at the door he knocked again, pressing his ear to the wood as if this could conjure up the reply he expected to hear. Still nothing.
"humph" he grumbled pushing away from the door and turning back down the corridor.
Pulling out his phone he scrolled through his contacts again until he found Kurt's profile, pressing the phone to his ear he listened to it ring.
"Any luck?" asked Nick sticking his head out of his room as Blaine passed.
Blaine shook his head still listening to the sound of Kurt's phone ringing on the other end.
"You hear that?" Nick asked waving his hand in front of Blaine's face to get his attention, "sounds like Kurt's phone."
Lowering the phone but letting the call continue Blaine listened closely. Sure enough the faint sound of Kurt's ring tone could be heard coming from down the corridor, Nick closed his door and fell into step beside Blaine as they headed toward the sound of the song.