Find Yourself-
Sorry to go MIA again. It's not that the muse left me this time I swear to god… nope it's just that between Real Life and my Degrassi x-over well… anyway thanks once more for reading and I so hope this chapter doesn't disappoint
XX
Sunday May 23rd 2010-
Kurt had practically dragged her out of bed that morning rambling a mile a minute about there planed trip to the mall and the infamous Marc Jacobs Outlet.
Now Kristina found herself crammed like a sardine at the store watching her non brother-grabbing item after item off the rack.
"You should get this," he said as they now stood in the misses department where Kurt had held up a cobalt blue dress.
"Try this on," he said… no he demanded as he mumbled something about the dress matching her boyfriend's eyes.
God she wished makeovers weren't his crack at this point… not this was a lagitamate makeover…right?
"And since when did I have to coordinate my wardrobe to match Artie's eyes?"
He flashed her a look as if he were offended somewhat.
"Just try it."
She let out a sigh.
"Fine."
She braved the insane line for the changing room where she soon tried on the dress.
It definitely suited her nicely to the point that Kurt was so buying it for her.
"Told you that you'd look fabulous," Kurt said with a smile as he was balancing the stack of his own personal purchases in his hand, watching her model the dress for him.
She just nodded as they finished their epic spree in just that one particular store.
XXX
As they headed out of the store they spotted a familiar being exiting the hot topic, bag in hand.
"Hey Tina," Kristina said as she approached her friend whose hair extensions had gone from blue to green in the few days since she'd seen her.
Kurt watched as the young Asian approached clearly walking on eggshells, as she still was feeling bad about the whole Finn thing.
"I didn't think you were the mall going type," Kurt said trying not to sound like a jerk after all Tina was his friend still.
"What made you think that?"
"Well whenever me and Mercedes go you always would decline our invites."
"Because I knew you'd want to drag me into American Eagle and try to make me over into some cookie cutter girlie girl… no offence Kristina."
The brunette shook her head.
"None taken, but speaking of… I hear they are having a sale and I could use some new clothes… want to come with."
"It depends," she said eyeing Kurt who simply shook his head, his own eyes looking across the way at the bookstore.
"I'll let you two ladies bond…. I need to stock up on some trashy tell alls, the perfect summer reading material."
The girls nodded and headed over to their destination while Kurt headed toward his.
XXX
Skimming through the latest issue of sports illustrated he half expected an employee to come over to him ranting how this was a place of business and not a library, he did NOT expect to see a familiar face, shopping bags in hand entering the store like a man on a mission. But there he was clear as day…Kurt Hummel.
Kurt meanwhile had spotted the books he was anxious to read and he picked his head up eyeing the jock, a smile on his face.
"Matthew, what brings you to the mall this fine Sunday? Getting an early start on your summer reading as well?"
Matt let out a laugh. Although he was one of the smarter members of the schools jock population with his A- average he wasn't the kind of person who would pick up a book when he didn't have to… ok so maybe a sports magazine or an old playbook but that was different right?
He let out a laugh as he looked into Kurt's eyes, a smile crossing his lips.
"Me? Summer Reading?" he paused waving the magazine he held in his hand.
Kurt just nodded as the usually silent teen spoke up once more.
"So…you…alone?"
Kurt just rolled his eyes at the way his glee mate couldn't form a coherent sentence. It was kind of adorable really.
"Krissy's with me."
Matt nodded noticing the bags.
"Ahhh the big grand opening."
Kurt nodded.
"So, where is she now? Sharing a shake with Artie in the food court or something."
Kurt just had to laugh. God he could so picture those two doing something as 1950's as sharing a milk shake.
"With Tina actually…shopping up a storm if I had to guess."
"I never pictured Kris for the Hot Topic type."
"Actually our dear friend Tina was leaving the aforementioned store when we ran into her."
Matt just nodded as an awkward silence filled the air.
"Do you want…"
They both said at once.
Matt motioned for Kurt to speak first.
"I can pick up some paperbacks later on, do you want to wait at the food court for the girls or are you here with Mike or some hot date."
Matt laughed.
"No dates… and Mike and I aren't joined at the hip 24/7 as if you didn't notice."
"Right… Mercedes."
Matt nodded.
"Anyway Kurt, I could use a Coke so it's a date."
Matt bit his tongue while Kurt rolled his eyes as he watched the other boy place his magazine back on the rack before following him out of the store and over into the food court.
XXX
It shocked Kurt just how much he and Matt had in common outside of glee club and Kurt's brief stint on the football team.
"You know," Kurt, said with a playful smirk as Matt had shocked him by confessing his secret shame of being a fan of Bravo Reality shows, "I think I love you."
Matt's face flushed a bit as two giggly voices approached.
"So Krissy," Kurt said looking at the new bags in the girl's hands, "is Tina holding for you or did you succeed in doing the impossible in getting our girl to broaden her fashion horizon."
Tina smiled.
"Yes the bag is mine but it's not what you think."
"Well then," Kurt said, "what is it?"
"Well, T and I were talking and on Friday when school is out we're going to the Country Club to play Tennis."
"You mean if I play my cards right," Matt said with a smile, "I'll be privileged enough to see you in something other then black that ISN'T a costume for glee?"
Tina smiled.
"If your lucky," she said with a flirtatious wink before Kristina nodded placing her hand on her hips tauntingly and looking at the two young men.
"So, what are you boys chatting about?"
"Nothing," they both said at once before letting out a laugh.
Soon the girls abandoned their bags to grab drinks of their own before rejoining the boys… Matt left soon after followed by Tina and the not quite siblings headed home to prepare for their last few days of academia before summer break.
XXX
The next four days seemed to drag by at a snails pace making Kristina kind of long for a traditional final other then projects and essays and the like.
By lunchtime on Thursday it seemed that everyone's brains had already reached vacation mode.
Kurt was talking about Memorial Day with Tina, Mike, and Mercedes back in the cafeteria while Kristina and Artie wheeled toward the picnic benches outside to spend some time alone.
The young man entwined his glove-covered fingers in his girlfriend's loose hair, a bright smile crossing his lips.
"So, what are you doing to kick off your summer?"
"Well… I plan to go to the country club tomorrow to play some tennis."
She watched as he pouted.
"You can come around if you want."
He shook his head.
"Country clubs aren't my scene Kris."
"Why?"
He looked down at his lifeless legs letting out a sigh.
"I'd stick out like a sore thumb."
Kristina let out a laugh.
"What."
"Nothing, it's just…your not using your chair as an excuse."
Artie let out a sigh.
Yea that was a total cop out he admitted it. However he did feel kind of jealous over the fact that his girlfriend could so easily run around the tennis court while he was forced to watch from the sidelines… then again he'd seen matches on television and the thought of his girl in one of those short little tennis skirts….
"Fine," he said with a smile, "I'm in."
Kristina smiled as the bell rang and the last leg of the last day took place.
XXX
The following day Tina arrived at the Davis-Hummel home, instantly catching Kurt's curious gaze.
"Tina? Is that you?" he asked looking at the young Asian girl, her black and green hair pulled back into a loose ponytail while her normally black, red, and purple attire was replaced by a white pleated skirt and matching polo, the same uniform that Kristina was wearing.
"Yes, it's me Kurt."
"Wow," was all he could mutter before the trio piled into Kurt's baby to head to pick up Artie who shared the same 'wow' reaction in seeing both his girlfriend and his best friend in their tennis whites.
XXX
It was kind of a shock for Artie, Kurt, and Tina as they made their way through the Lima country club en route to the tennis courts and in Kristina's observance it definitely showed.
"Welcome to the dark side," Kristina said with a smirk, 'seriously though you guys better get used to this cause Kurt and I are members of the club now and as long as you two are our friends you are on our guest list."
Tina and Artie smiled as Kurt still couldn't believe the fortune that befallen him.
All his life he longed to know how the other half lifted… not that there was a big contingent of that half in the cow town that he was tragically living in…however now that his dad and Alexis were together…well his dreams were slowly but surely coming true.
Arriving at the pro shop that sat besides the court, the quartet was surprised to see a familiar face who'd also been decked out in tennis whites.
"Mike," Kristina said with a surprised smile as she tossed her hands enthusiastically around her friend's boyfriend in a non-flirtatious way,
"What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Well, Kurt and I are members here and Artie and Tina are our guests."
Mike nodded.
"Well…I work here."
"You work at the country club?" Artie asked in shock, "what do you do?"
"What don't I do?" he said, 'mostly I wait tables at the restaurant, sometimes I caddy, if they need an extra towel boy sometimes I fill in… and well today I'm working here at the pro shop."
"Boy you're a regular jack of all trades now aren't you?" Kurt said.
"Well with the way the football team plays I can't rely on a football scholarship now can I?"
The quad nodded in agreement as Tina of all people smiled.
"Mike," she said, "do you HAVE to run the shop or are you up for a little game."
Cocking an eyebrow with interest Mike looked at his fellow Asian who just so happened to be his girlfriend's good friend.
"What do you have in mind."
"I don't know… how about a harmless game of tennis… mixed doubles… us Asians vs. Ryan and Sharpay over there."
"Please tell me you did NOT just reference High School Musical T," Artie said with a smile.
"Oh I think she did," Kristina said.
"It's so on," Kurt replied as the foursome headed to the court while Artie watched on trying to figure out who he should cheer for.
XX
The game was in full swing now when a voice behind Artie spoke up.
"Who's winning?" he asked.
"I have no clue, Tennis isn't my forte," Artie replied turning round to face Matt, "geeze school has been out less then a day and we're already having a New Directions reunion?"
Matt laughed.
"I was about to say the same thing," he replied watching the foursome…well mostly Kurt until the game broke up and laughter filled the air.
"You guys had a disadvantage," Tina said, "I mean Kristina's been playing all her life."
"And I'm just as much a novice at this sport then you are," Kurt replied catching Artie's companions gaze.
"Matthew, if I swore then I'd swear you were stalking me."
Matt let out a laugh though stalking Kurt…why hadn't he thought of that.
"In your dreams Hummel," he instead chose to retort with playing it like the painfully straight jock Kurt assumed he was, "It's just pure coincidence that Kristina mentioned you'd be here today to play tennis and that my parents just happen to be club members."
"You just couldn't resist seeing me in my Tennis Whites," Tina said as she pulled the elastic out of her hair, "admit it."
Matt just smiled not dignifying Tina's comment with a response… at least to her. Instead he turned to Kristina.
"Kris, can we talk…in private?"
She paused looking at the others that surrounded her.
Tina smiled, asking Mike to help her on her swing while Artie and Kurt commented that they would go on water run.
"So," Kristina said once they were alone, "this is the time that you ask me for a female prospective as you wonder if it's too soon to ask Tina out am I right?"
"Kristina I'm gay," Matt just blurted out shocking his companion and himself, "I kind of like Kurt…though I don't know what to do about it."
Kristina rolled her eyes.
This couldn't be happening. It was like Finn all over again, confiding in her about his feelings for Kurt and everyone knew how THAT turned out.
"Seriously?"
Matt understood her response and nodded.
"Seriously."
"So- your not really just bi-curious…testing the waters."
He shook his head.
"And you choose now to come out of the closet? Why?"
"Glee club."
"Glee club?"
Matt nodded.
"At the beginning of the year Kris I was just another football playing alpha male, a face in the crowd hiding who I really was from everyone…well that is everyone except Mike."
Kristina just nodded.
"And well glee club helped me to realize to stop caring about what other people might say about my sexuality and just be myself… not to mention that Kurt is…"
"Don't… he's practically my brother…I don't need to hear how 'hot' you think he is."
Matt nodded.
"So… is it too soon to come out to him."
"To come out to him…no…to ask him out…well."
"I'd have to just come out to him first and let the chips fall where they may?"
Kristina just nodded thinking that this was definitely going to be an eventful summer.
TBC
Yes this basically became a Murt free for all… I blame Beth and Gina for that….seriously. Anyways so I have one more 'chapter' involving Matt's coming out to Kurt and the Memorial Day BBQ followed by an epilogue of sorts. After the epilogue I do have a few different angles as far as a companion piece could go though I am torn between playing with one of said bunnies and making another multi chapter (though hopefully not as insanely long) piece in this verse or to create an in-verse collective of one shots and minis. Anyway once again thanks for all the alerts and reviews this piece has gotten… don't stop reviewing as that has been the fuel to give this piece it's epic longness! Anyway seeing as it's my last REAL chapter coming up next any storylines that you wish to see wrapped up?