Chapter 2: Alone With Many Excuses
Thank goodness this was the last class of the day. Today has been long. Math wasn't that bad now. Blaine tutored me a bit when I first transferred here so that I would understand everything that I missed. We weren't in the same math class, but we had the same teacher so it worked out well. Nick even helped me a bit when Blaine couldn't, seeing as we shared a room and he was in the class as well. We had a test today, and I was confident that I was going to do well.
I was close to the last one in the class when I walked in. Sighing, I instantly begin looking around for an empty seat available. Nick, Jeff, Trent, Thad and David were the only Warblers in that class and they were all already seated. Seeing a spot open next to David, I hesitantly take a seat next to him. I glance at David to see if it was okay and he gives me a reassuring smile in return. Nick and Jeff greet me from the table behind, and Thad and Trent greet me from their seat in front of us.
The teacher walked into the class a few minutes later, and instantly began explaining the rules for the test, not giving anyone a chance to really talk to their friends.
"Good luck," Nick whispers to me while the tests were being handed out.
"Thanks, you too," I reply as the test gets placed in front of me.
"No talking Kurt," Mrs. Flare told me. I smile weakly at her and mumble a 'sorry' and get a reassuring smile in return. I may not be a fan of math, but Mrs. Flare was one of my favourite teachers here at Dalton. The test began once she handed the last sheet to Jeff and the room filled with silence. We had 1.5 hours to complete the test, so I got started right away.
The test was varily easy. I made sure to study, and do all of the review sheets and I crammed in extra help sessions in order to be prepared. I wanted to maintain good marks, as my dad and Carole were paying so much for me to be here. And with all of the help Blaine and Nick have given me, the least I could do is receive a good mark.
I breezed through the first few pages with barely any problems and struggles. Smiling, I take my time completing the last three pages, before I check to make sure I answered every question, and that I put my name on the test before flipping it over to indicate I was done the test. I glance around the room, and see that most of the class was done already. Thad and Trent were done, and they were waiting quietly like the rest of us. I glance behind me and see Jeff turn over his test as well and see that Nick was already done. I look at David, who had finished right before me, and see him humming under his breathe. Mrs. Flare comes around and begins to collect all of the finished tests. I glance at the clock and see that we still had 30 minutes before class was done.
"Alright, is everyone done?" Mrs. Flare asks, while glancing around the room to see if she could see anymore tests. When everyone seems to nod, she puts the tests on her desk.
"Okay, then you're all free to talk until class is over." Instantly the room fills with chatter.
"Quietly though!" Her voice calls out. We lower our voices.
Thad and Trent turned their chairs completely around to face David, Nick, Jeff and I. I turn my body slightly so that my back wasn't to Nick anymore and that I could see the rest of the guys.
"How do you think you did on the test?" I ask the five of them. Thad and Trent shrug in response and mutter an 'I don't know' while Nick and David smile confidently and Jeff grins.
"I think I did great!" Jeff says. "I actually reviewed for this test!"
I smile. "Same. And Blaine and Nick have been a huge help."
Nick smiles in return. "Anytime."
Thad begins texting on his phone, barely paying attention to us, and Nick and Jeff begin an intense game of tic tac toe.
I look towards Trent and remember the Mario Kart game he was having with Jeff last night.
"So, how did Mario Kart go?" I ask Trent curiously. I may not be interested in video games. The endless hours I've watched Finn play them, could honestly be enough for me, but I wanted to feel included with more of the Warblers.
"It was good... Jeff crushed me though," Trent replies sadly.
I smile sympathically at him, and turn to Jeff.
"I take it you had fun?"
Jeff looks up at me weirdly from his game and takes a second before answering.
"Yeah, I did."
"When are you guys doing it again?" I ask. Nick looked up surprised at my question and Jeff looked unsure on how to answer. Trent and Thad didn't seem to be paying much attention to us now and David was looking at me weirdly as well. I was also shocked at my question. I always try to stay as far away as possible from video games. I got lucky since Blaine doesn't play them much, and none of the girls from McKinely do. But, I want the Warblers to like me, so would it hurt to try?
"What?" I asked when no one answered me.
"Nothing-nothing," Jeff replies quickly. "Um, we're not sure when. I'll let you know I guess." He and Nick return back to their game of tic tac toe, indicating the end of the conversation. David didn't look too comfortable in his seat.
"Actually...it's fine. You don't have to," I tell Jeff. They don't want to try, so why should I?
Nick and Jeff look up at me confused, and David's looking at me concerned. The bell rings, signaling the end of class and I quickly gather my stuff and make my way out of the class without saying anything to them.
The hallway was quickly filling up with students; most of them heading towards their dorm rooms, like I was doing.
I spend the next few hours alone in the dorm room, glad that Nick hadn't come back. I didn't feel like explaining myself to anyone. Well, that was if anyone actually was interested enough to question it. I received a text from Blaine asking how the math test went, and I told him that I thought I did great on it.
Soon dinner time came around and I left the dorm room, and headed to the dining hall. A few fellow students are also heading to dinner and when one of the side staircases come into view and I'm halfway down them, I hear running feet from above.
"Hey Kurt!" a voice shuts.
I turn around while on the stairs and spot Wes rushing down the stairs to catch up to me. I smile, glad it was him and not Nick, Jeff or David coming to ask me about my comment in math. I regretted saying anything in the first place about it.
"Hey Wes," I greet him, when he ends up next to me. I slow my pace down and we both head towards the dining hall for dinner.
"Blaine mentioned that you were feeling a bit down about us rejecting your idea yesterday..."
I sigh. I told Blaine I was fine.
"Wes, it's fine. I told Blaine that I was okay with it."
"Are you sure?" Wes asks me cautiously. We stop outside the doors to the dining hall.
"Yes. It's not a big deal." It wasn't a lie. The rejection wasn't a big deal. The fact that I still wasn't fitting in the Warblers was though. But I wasn't going to tell Wes that. He let me in the Warblers, I wasn't about to complain.
"Okay..." Wes says. I smile and turn to walk into the dining hall. Once I get to the Warblers table after grabbing a tray full of food, I notice that I was had no one beside me. I glance behind me, to see if Wes was coming and I spotted him still standing by the entrance, but with Nick and Jeff now there as well. David walks right by them and makes his way over to the table with Thad and Trent right behind him; all of them carrying their dinner trays.
"Hey Kurt," David greets me. Thad and Trent smile at me and take their seats.
"Hey," I reply politely. David smiles and takes a seat. A few more Warblers show up with food and they all take their seats and the chatter begins amongst them. I look at Wes, Nick and Jeff and noticed that they were looking straight at me; all of them concerned. Ignoring their looks, I take a seat at the table and save the spot next to me for Blaine. Moments later Wes, Nick and Jeff join the table with their food in hand. Wes takes a seat across from me, and Nick sits down on my left, while Jeff sits down beside Nick; the both of them knowing I was saving the seat on my right for Blaine.
"What were you guys talking about?" I ask, even though I knew it was about me.
"Uh, nothing," Nick answers before Wes can. Wes glances at Nick for a moment before nodding his head in agreement. I nod, and begin picking at my food. It looked good; mashed potatoes, corn and chicken, but I wasn't really hungry.
"So Kurt, we're having a movie night in our room tonight, do you want to come?" Jeff asks me, while chewing at the same time. Wes frowns at Jeff's lack of manners, but turns to me to wait for my answer.
"Uh," I search my brain for an excuse. "I can't. I still have a bunch of homework to get done."
"You have the weekend for it," Wes reminds me.
"Yeah, but I like to get a head start," I lie. This was the first weekend since I came to Dalton, that I didn't have homework. It was honestly a refresher. I know they were only offering for me to come because of what happened in math class, and I wasn't buying into whatever pity they were trying to send my way.
Nick frowns at me, while chewing, but nods his head indicating he was letting it go. Wes exchanged looks with Nick and Jeff before eating his food.
"Alright then. You can come if you want," Jeff tells me.
"Thanks," I reply and smile. I try to make it seem less forced then I know it appears. I was hoping they would insist that I come. I watch as Nick gets busy in a conversation with Jeff, turning his body so that he was completely facing Jeff, while still eating away at his food. Wes seemed engrossed with his homework, while striking up a conversation with David. I pick at my food and take a few bites when Wes glances at me. Nobody pays me much mind, they just continue with the discussion of their weekend plans.
"So, do you guys want to do anything?" David asks us. Nick and Jeff glance at him.
"Jeff and I are probably going to be off campus for a lot of the weekend. Maybe go to the movies and the mall or something. I need to grab a few more supplies for school," Nick tells us before taking a sip of his water.
"Cool. David and I are staying on campus too. I think everyone else is going home or made plans with each other. I'm not sure," Wes says.
I stuff some of the mashed potatoes in my mouth, chewing quietly when I realized how much was in my mouth. I may be upset, but I still had manners.
I feel my phone buzz with a new message. Sighing, I place my fork down on my plate, and retrieve my phone from my pocket. I frown at the screen. It was from Karofsky.
That singing club of yours is really getting annoying.
I roll my eyes. Really how?
First they made us sing and now your idiotic brother thinks I'm about to join them or something.
I try not to laugh at the idea of Karofsky in the New Directions. It was ridiculous.
Maybe he thinks it will be good for you.
Karofsky replies. Yeah whatever. I can almost guess that I would have been shoved around for that comment.
I send a message back. And they're technically not my singing club anymore.
Karofsky messages me back immediately. Right. Because you freaked out and left.
I feel a slight amount of anger run through me. Did he really not think anything of what he did to me? No. Because you threatened to kill me.
My phone buzzes with his reply. You still overreacted.
Another message comes in. Plus, it's not like anyone else has ever given you that much attention before.
I flinch slightly at his words.
"Hey," a voice says from my right, breaking me from my phone. I look up and smile slightly.
Blaine.
He takes a seat on my right at the dining table, setting his tray down, and shoots me a smile, which I return. To my left, Jeff was chatting aimlessly at Nick. I glance around the table and see the rest of the Warblers in deep conversation with each other, most likely talking about their girlfriends, or weekend plans.
"Hey," I greet him. I ignore that last message from Karofsky and put my phone back in my pocket. I feel tears prickle my eyes a bit, thinking of that message. Who really did care about me?
"How long have you been here?" Blaine asks me. He takes a drink of water.
I think for a moment. "Uh, probably 20 minutes or so."
Blaine places his water down onto the table and looks at me with apologetic eyes. "Oh. Sorry. My brother called me just as I was walking out the door."
"Oh? Everything okay?" Blaine hasn't told me much about his brother.
"Yeah. Yeah. We just haven't talked for a while because he's been busy with his job and stuff," Blaine explains.
"Oh. Well, at least he called you." I think of how much Finn and I have talked since the wedding.
"Yeah."
Blaine turns to his food and spends the next few minutes eating it, before looking towards the others sitting near us at the table.
"So what's everyone doing for the weekend?" Blaine asks Nick, Jeff, Wes and David and I. He listens as they all relay their weekend plans for him. I finish off the last of my potatoes while they talk, and feel glad that Karofsky hasn't sent me anything else.
"How about you?" Blaine turns to me.
"Huh?" I ask. I had partially tuned out that conversation and didn't know they had finished talking.
"What are you doing for the weekend? Are you going home?" Blaine asks me.
I take a sip of my water before answering. "Uh no actually. My dad and Carole are going on a weekend vacation, to get some alone time and I think Finn is going to be spending most of his weekend with Puck or Sam or someone."
Blaine smiles. "Oh, so you'll be here then?"
I nod. "Are you staying on campus as well?"
Blaine nods. "Yeah. I normally do. I like spending time around here with everyone."
I smile. I had to agree with him on that. Dalton sure did have it's perks.
"Hey Blaine! Movie night in my room tonight!" Jeff leans over Nick to talk to Blaine. Blaine turns a bit towards me to talk to Jeff.
"Cool! Who's going?"
"Most of the guys. Some of them are heading home tonight. But there will be a lot of us there." Jeff grins.
"Yeah, maybe you can convince Kurt to come," Nick adds before taking a bite of his food.
Blaine looks at me and frowns. "Why aren't you going?"
"I have a bunch of homework to get done," I tell him, repeating the excuse I used earlier.
"Do it later," Blaine instantly replies with.
"See! Blaine agrees with me!" Wes chimes in.
"I told you that I like to get a head start," I remind him.
"Are you sure you can't come?" Jeff asks me.
I turn to look at him. "Yes." They all look at me and it seems as though they keep wanting to convince me to come.
"Look, thanks for the offer, but I'm going to stay in my room tonight. Maybe some other time." I finish off the last of my water, before standing up and picking up my tray.
"I'm going to go and start it all now," I tell them.
"Okay," Blaine says hesitantly. Wes sighs and turns back to his food, while David does the same.
"Have fun without me," I add.
"If you change your mind..." Blaine says and looks at Jeff. He nods immediately in agreement.
"If you change your mind then just come," Jeff tells me.
"Okay. But I think homework will take a while," I reply.
They all nod and I bid them goodbye before heading out of the dining hall. Just as I walk out the doors, I turn to see Blaine listening away as the others begin talking to him. Sighing, I turn and make my way towards my dorm room. Alone.