Chapter 32 - Relax
I awoke to the sound of banging on my door. Loud, panicked, relentless banging.
"Ok! Jeez – I'm coming!" I called out, running my fingers hurriedly through my hair as I dragged myself out of bed and trudged towards the door. It was nine thirty for Gaga's sake.
"What is going-" I opened the door, ready to unleash my tirade of frustrated abuse to whoever had interrupted my lie-in, but stopped. There, in front of me, was a very ruffled boy. A boy with his uniform on skewed, his hair sticking up in various places, and a terrified look on his face.
"We are doomed."
For a second I just stopped and stared. Scott looked drained – his face completely white. He seemed to be clutching some kind of post-it note, but was holding it so tightly the ink was beginning to run from the sweat on his hands. Either the Buckeyes had just lost a crucial game or something serious was up.
"Marc Jacobs what the hell is wrong?" My tone was still fairly upbeat but Scott batted away my attempt to bring him inside, his eyes still wide with fear. "Scott you're gonna have to tell me before I start to get worried."
"Damien is in the war." Again I was confused. Damien? Well he was…
"He's the guy that won the fencing right?" My best friend nodded. "And he's joined the prank war?" A large shudder ran through Scott's body and my confusion grew. "So, that just means it's three against two-"
"-NO. Kurt. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND." A hand gripped my shoulder tightly and panicked eyes stared fiercely back. "Damien is…" Suddenly he composed himself, obviously realising a rational explanation was the only one I was really going to take seriously.
"I woke up this morning an hour late for my meeting with the disciplinary board about invading the debate competition – someone had got into my room and changed the time on my clock. Next to it was this note." Now he held up the post-it. Squinting to read the now smudged writing I saw it said
'Hello Scott. Looks like I'm in the game. D'
"Damien is the king of pranks. Last time he got involved with a prank war – I nearly got suspended." My eyes widened in understanding. So he had been the perpetrator of the text to Conners. "I can take Phoenix and Oscar – they're good, but they're still pretty much amateurs. Damien has contacts. And I mean serious contacts. I say we concede now." Now my eyebrows furrowed.
"Hey, no need to say that." Scott laughed.
"Kurt you don't understand. You're part of this now. You could get into serious trouble."
"I know. And I know you didn't mean to get me into it, but you did. But I'm your best friend. And I know you. You're not the kind of person to back down from anything. Even if it's something ridiculously stupid that's probably going to get you killed."
"Or suspended."
"Or suspended. I think we can take Damien. And Oscar and Phoenix. But we both need to work together." It was funny – we were talking like this was the apocalypse – like we were the last two humans with a huge store of ammo psyching ourselves up to go fight the aliens. Wait – was I making a sci-fi reference? Jeez, I hung out with Scott too much. My best friend smiled, the cheeky smile that I was used to, and then clapped me roughly on the shoulder.
"Thanks dude. You rule."
"I try." I was about to say something else when he whisked off down the corridor and I was left wondering why I bothered.
An hour later and I was strutting down the corridor to Home Ec. Blaine and I were going to have lunch today, and then this evening was our planned date. I'd put myself in charge and let's just say our upcoming cinema experience was going to beat the pants off the Sound of Music sing-along. Glancing down at the new room number I'd scribbled down on the back of a receipt from the email I'd received this morning I turned the corner and found the correct door. I pushed it open triumphantly and got ready to spread my good mood around my classmates.
The room was full of freshmen.
"Excuse me?" I now found myself being stared down by twenty or so fresh faces, including the strict looking teacher, who obviously hadn't taken kindly to me barging into her lesson without knocking.
"Um, I thought I was supposed to be having Home Ec in here." I mumbled, my cheeks turning red. "I got an email…"
"I am quite sure that if there was a room change I would have been informed." The teacher replied, her voice haughty and unimpressed. "I suggest you return to your normal room, which I suggest would be the kitchens." Now the freshmen began to snigger and I flushed deeper. Of course. Of course Home Ec wouldn't be anywhere else but the kitchens. I looked like an idiot.
"Oh, ok. I'm sorry." I mumbled an apology but it was too late now – I had already embarrassed myself and probably written myself off with strict teacher for the rest of my life. Exiting the classroom as quickly as I could I scrunched the receipt up in my hand and chucked it onto the floor, frustrated. Then my phone buzzed.
'Interrupt a lesson? D'
Sweet Prada. I'd been pranked. My class had never been moved – Damien had sent the email. Suddenly I stopped. Wait – that email had been from my professor's account. How had he hacked in? And how had he got my phone number? The realisation that everything Scott had said had been true and some, hit. I was in the prank war. And so was Damien.
"You were totally right." As Scott and I sat having lunch we were both shell-shocked. I was chewing my sandwich very slowly and Scott had very uncharacteristically barely touched his fries.
"Damien is a demon."
"I know."
"What are we going to do?"
"I have no idea." Suddenly I noticed Gabriel emerging from the servery with a tray full of food. He hadn't noticed us so walked towards the nearest empty table and went to sit down.
"Hey!" I suddenly called out, making Scott jump in surprise and spray fries all over my shoulder. Gabriel looked up and I waved so he saw us – instantly a smile spread across his face and he changed direction.
"Woah, what are you doing?" I ignored the warning of my best friend and smiled again when the Wildeian reached us and sat down.
"How are you?" To be honest it was a nice distraction from everything that had happened. Plus I was trying not to watch the clock for Blaine.
"Good thanks. You guys look like someone told you you have a test tomorrow."
"Pah! This is way bigger than any test Gabriel. Not that you would understand." Immediately I turned to look at Scott, who had suddenly become very defensive, his arms folded across his chest and his eyebrows furrowed.
"Hey! Scott! Sorry" I continued, turning back to Gabriel, who seemed relatively nonplussed, "it's just prank war stuff. Scott's a bit riled."
"I am NOT riled." I cocked my head to the side, raising my eyebrows to prove my point and he slumped further into his chair, sulking.
"Damien Dubrisque has decided to get involved." Immediately Gabriel's eyes widened – it seemed the Dahl fencer's reputation really did precede him. "It's ok – we can handle him." I grinned, attempting to nudge Scott and get him back in the conversation, but he shrugged me off and sulked further. Suit yourself.
"What've you been up to?"
"Oh, not much." Gabriel began meticulously cutting up the pieces of chicken in his salad to tiny little chunks, before stabbing them all onto his fork and slipping them into his mouth. "I aced my last trig test though – your tutoring really helped."
"Awesome. Well we can move onto the next chapter then." He smiled and I returned it. I'd really enjoyed our session in the library – and the fact that it was obviously working made me feel great about it.
My eyes glanced up at the clock to see that it was past twelve thirty – I was about to get my phone out and give my boyfriend a ring when it suddenly buzzed with a call.
"Aha." Happily pressing accept I put it to my ear and smiled. "Hey baby, you better get here soon or-"
"-Kurt." Blaine sounded rushed – in fact he sounded like he was jogging as he spoke, the noise of other students in the corridors bubbling all around him. "Kurt, I'm sorry, I can't make lunch."
"What?" My tone was half surprised half upset. This wasn't the first time he had bailed on me – it was beginning to get annoying.
"I know, I'm bailing again, I'm so sorry! But they just sprung this meeting on me and I have to go – it's about the House Cup and we get deducted points if we skip it."
"Oh." I didn't know how else to respond – obviously I didn't want Wordsworth to lose points, but I'd been looking forward to lunch the whole day. "Will you be done by tonight?"
"Oh God Kurt, I really don't know. I'll have to postpone my class and then there's apparently some other thing on this evening. We might have to reschedule."
"We always reschedule." Now the disappointment in my voice was impossible to conceal. Blaine made a pained noise down the phone and I wanted more than ever to have him here with me, to make him make noises of an entirely different manner.
"Baby, please, I feel terrible already." He said, obviously extremely guilty. "I'll try and speak to someone, see if I can get out early. But whatever happens you know I'll make it up to you. Like Valentines Day."
"Like Valentines Day." I repeated the words to myself – somehow the memory of that made me feel slightly better.
"Ok, I've gotta go now. But I'm so sorry. I love you."
"I love you too." Pressing the end call button I placed my phone silently on the table and then slumped back into my chair, almost completely mirroring Scott.
"Was that Blaine?" Gabriel asked, looking sympathetic. I nodded morosely.
"Yeah. He bailed on me, AGAIN. Some stupid House Cup meeting. And he might not be able to make our date tonight. I hate those things." Pushing my phone further away I sighed and the Wildeian touched my arm supportively.
"That sucks. But I'm sure he'll make it up to you."
"Yeah, that's what he said." I looked up to see him smiling and managed to return it, before Gabriel suddenly caught a glance of the clock and leapt up.
"Oh God, speaking of bailing, I am gonna be late for my class if I don't go now. See you later." Hurriedly gathering up his things he waved a hand in goodbye and I raised one too, letting it fall slowly back down to the table as I watched him scurry out of the cafeteria.
"Hey." I said after a couple of seconds of silence, looking back at Scott, who was still sulking quietly in his chair. "Are you back in the land of the mature yet?"
"Shut up." He replied sharply, sitting up but still keeping his arms folded. "Why the hell were you talking to Gabriel anyway, he hates Blaine." I sighed.
"Yeah, Gabriel's changed now. He realised he was being stupid before so he wants to make amends." A harsh laugh echoed out over the cafeteria.
"You really believe that?"
"Yes, in fact. I do. And now I might as well go to History, seeing as there's nothing keeping me here." Standing up I roughly gathered up my things and walked defiantly out of the room.
History sucked. Having no Blaine or Scott around was depressing, even more so when I got the inevitable text confirming that yes, my boyfriend was holed up in meetings and discussions and we would definitely have to postpone our date. There went my carefully constructed plans. After trudging back to Wilde I was about to collapse onto my bed and wallow in self-pity ala pre Christmas, when suddenly my phone buzzed. Immediately I jumped to attention, praying it was Blaine saying something had been cancelled. It was Gabriel.
I have something for you to do tonight. Come to mine at 7pm. G
My brow furrowed. Well that was unexpected. What on earth did he mean? Was he asking me out again? Suddenly Scott's scepticism didn't seem so stupid after all. What if the whole tutoring thing had just been a rouse, and now he was back to his old self? I was half tempted to text back, or go to his room right now and have it out - but I stopped myself. If this was something dodgey then I would catch him at it first hand – then we really would be through as friends.
At seven I was outside Gabriel's door. I'd made a conservative effort to dress as casually as possible (well, as casual as my subconscious fashion critic would let me) to show that this was definitely not anything romantic, and was perfecting my nonchalant look as I waited for it to open. When it did the Wildeian looked at me, puzzled.
"What are you wearing?" I was about to reply and begin my rehearsed speech, but he interrupted. "Blaine's not gonna leave his meeting for that. Do you have any candles by the way?" I paused.
"Um…?"
"Do you have any? Because I have some if you need." Holding up his arms, which were full of waxy creations he smiled and I nodded slowly, still completely confused.
"Awesome. Let's go."
Twenty minutes later I stood outside a new door in a completely new outfit. Well, this door was the janitor's closet, and I was hiding in it. Gabriel was around the corner, waiting to orchestrate the first part of his carefully constructed plan, which, if I hadn't said it already – was genius. Keeping as quiet as I could, I listened for the knock on the door, and then him going inside.
"Blaine? Is Blaine Anderson here?" There were muffled murmurs, someone that sounded like Nathaniel and the low pitched grunting of Xavier.
"I'm here." My heart skipped a beat.
"There's a phone call for you. Something very important. About your mother I think." I knew the mother trick would work – that had been my main contribution along with the room decoration. Instantly the sound of a chair scraping back reached my ears and I braced myself for the next part of the plan.
"What's going on? Is she ok?" Blaine's voice got louder, full of worry and I figured I'd better put him out of his misery, opening the door and stepping out with a finger already pressed over my mouth.
"Kur-!" The shout came anyway, but thankfully my boyfriend slapped his hand over his mouth to silence it.
"Sssh!" I hissed, but with a grin on my face. He looked adorable.
"What's going on?" Blaine whispered, motioning to Gabriel and then back to me.
"Be quiet and follow me."
Just feeling Blaine's hand in mine again lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. It seemed like ages since we'd touched – I know it sounded strange but it was something I had begun to crave, and seeing his from across the hall or skyping together was only so much. As I lead him down the corridors, Gabriel already way ahead to do final preparations, he didn't say anything, but I could tell he was intrigued. The feeling of risk and mystery in what we were doing was incredibly exciting, my heart began to pound and my footsteps quickened.
When we reached my room I spun round to face Blaine, the movement a little too fast so I went temporarily dizzy and had to grab onto him for support. Gaga he smelt so nice.
"Are you going to tell me what you dragged me out of this meeting for now?" He asked, still the look of confusion on his face, but also a smile. I hoped I would be able to get my words out.
"Well, you've been working your ass off lately with all these meetings and study sessions and whatnot, and frankly I'm getting a little tired of it. So we thought you deserved a little relaxation time." Signalling to Gabriel he opened the door and revealed our creation. The lights had been dimmed so the twenty or so candles flickered brightly, sending out a delectable smell of roses and wax. There were flower petals scattered about and some mood music playing from my stereo. Blaine's mouth dropped open.
"You did all this?"
"Well – the idea was Gabriel's. I can hardly take credit for that. But we teamworked." Glancing back to the junior I saw him smiling, the satisfaction of his plan coming together obviously very pleasing. I grinned and gave a thumbs up in return and he nodded.
"Well, I guess I'd better leave you two to it then." Edging out of the room he smiled again and Blaine suddenly grabbed hold of his shoulder as he passed.
"Thank you." He said, sincerity in his eyes, his other hand now having slipped round my waist (which was incredibly distracting).
"No problem." Gabriel left and I dragged Blaine into the room, my emotions finally taking over.
As soon as the door was closed I slammed him up against the wall, making him make a shout that sounded surprised but was also a groan of pleasure as I smashed my lips to his. The taste of his tongue was still something I would never get tired of – the sweet bubblegum and coffee doing something to my libido that nothing else ever could. Wanting more I moved my hands away from his shoulders and began exploring – running them down his strong arms and underneath his blazer. Blaine groaned again and bucked his hips against mine, Holy crap.
"Kurt." He panted, breaking away so I growled and began kissing his neck instead. "God…"
"I missed you so bad." I said in reply, my voice hoarse with passion.
"I saw you yesterday."
"I know, but I missed you. I missed this." Suddenly I grabbed hold of his ass tightly – Blaine squealed but to my annoyance, broke away again.
"Kurt." I looked at him, annoyed. "I thought this was supposed to be relaxing." Suddenly understanding hit. Blushing, I pulled away and he laughed.
"I'm sorry – as much as I was enjoying that, I didn't think you'd want to lose sight of your objective." Damn him. Even when he was refusing sexy times he was still incredibly dapper.
"Yes, eh hum, relaxing…" Walking over to the dresser I began fiddling around with matches trying to light one of the candles that had gone out. My hands kept fumbling and I was getting annoyed, when suddenly I felt hands slip around my waist and a chin on my shoulder.
"What did you have planned?" Blaine smiled into my neck, his warm breath making me sigh and the tension drain from my shoulders.
"Well, I have a foot spa. And I thought I could do your nails – your cuticles are frightening." For a second I was apprehensive – not quite sure if my boyfriend was the kind of guy to enjoy pampering. Despite my prayers, not every gay guy in the world was like me.
"That sounds great."
Ten minutes later all that could be heard was the sound of bubbling water and sandpaper rubbing against keratin. It was quite nice not saying anything – I was concentrating on my task and Blaine had his eyes closed, his head resting back against the wall as we sat on the bed.
"Mmn." Suddenly he let out a murmur of pleasure and I felt my cheeks flush, not wanting to get excited again. "This is heaven." As I set down the nail file and reached over for the polish a lazy smile spread across my boyfriends face and he waved the hand I wasn't holding around to try and grab me.
"Hey, keep still, I'm not finished." If there was one part of Blaine I didn't find stunningly attractive, it was his hands. In fact I'd been gagging to work my magic on them ever since we'd started going out. The downside of being Mr Popular meant very dry skin.
"Where did you get this foot spa from?" He asked, still a drawling relaxed quality to his voice that felt like honey trickling down my back.
"I found it ages ago when I was clearing out one of the closets. Tried it out on Artem."
"It's fabulous." If Blaine's hands were bad – I dreaded to think what his feet would be like.
"I'm glad." Unscrewing the lid I coated the brush and stretched out his fingers. When the clear liquid touched them he wriggled and I laughed, gripping on tighter. "When I'm done with you you are going to have to most beautiful hands anyone has ever seen."
"What? Even more beautiful than yours?"
"Well, maybe not that beautiful. But almost." We both laughed softly and I moved onto the next finger. I couldn't believe how long it had been since we'd spent time like this together. We lived five minutes for each other and yet we barely spent that amount of time in the same room. I couldn't even imagine how hard it was for Scott – now I sympathised with his lovesick whining much more. Having Blaine around me like this made me wonder how I survived being apart from him at all.
"This is so much better than that Goddamn meeting." Blaine said with another lazy smile. I chuckled and nudged his leg with mine affectionately.
When the nail polish was dry and I was satisfied with my work we switched the foot spa off and lay together on the bed. Slowly my fingers rubbed circles in the muscles on Blaine's shoulders and he closed his eyes again, letting out more little satisfied murmurs.
"Kurt, if you ever decide not to be a fashion designer, then you should definitely work in a spa." I chuckled, moving along and working at the tight knots I felt. Jeez, he had a lot of tension.
"In fact," my boyfriend continued, "I think I might just hire you as my private masseuse."
"Oh you don't need to pay me." I replied softly. "I'd do it for free." Without saying anything more I leant forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
"Hey." Blaine said, sounding slightly surprised, "Is that what you do to all your clients?"
"I thought you just hired me as your private masseuse? And anyway, this is part of the massage."
"Oh really?" I kissed him again and felt him exhale deeply.
"Yes, really."
"I like this massage." Laughing I moved to lay on top of him and we kissed deeper, Blaine reaching his hands underneath my shirt so I giggled.
"Hey - isn't that breaking the worker-client barrier?"
"I don't care. I hired you to do anything." He ran his new nails down my back and I groaned. "I still can't believe Gabriel helped you set this up."
"Yeah, I know - weird huh?"
"He really seems to be making an effort to be good again."
"Mh hmm."
"Well I can't say I'm dissapointed - if it gets me this." I laughed.
"We should make it a weekly thing."
"I was thinking more daily - hourly even."
"Oh Gaga don't tempt me."
"I love you."
"I love you too." Silencing the room with kisses my thoughts spiralled off into blissful daydreams, where finals and House Cup meetings didn't exist and Blaine and I could be together twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Oh well - at least we had now. Thank the Lord for Gabriel.