AN: Obviously by early this morning I meant late tonight... sorry about the wait! Thank you to everyone for the wonderful reviews/favorites/alerts! You're all wonderful. Have some awkward!Kurt and some angst. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own glee.

Ch 15: Truth

On Saturday, two days after Kurt's impromptu meeting with the Divas, he found himself back at the Lima Bean picking up some coffee on his way to meet the guys at Dalton. They were going to hit the mall and then have a movie/gaming night with some of the other Dalton students. He had ordered his drink and was standing to the side waiting for it to be made.

"Hey, you're Kurt right?" a voice to his left asked.

He turned around and he had to actually work to keep the surprise off of his face. It was that stupid Jeremiah guy.

"Yeah, that's me," he said, a touch of bitterness creeping into his tone. "Didn't you get fired?"

Jeremiah looked annoyed, "Yeah, I did. I'm just here to pick up my last check."

Wonderful, maybe he could do so and leave Kurt alone.

"Listen, I was wondering if you'd sit down and talk with me for a few minutes.

Awkward. So so awkward.

"What?" he asked in confusion. "Listen… I don't think that's a good idea."

Jeremiah smiled and held up his hands in defense, "No, hey. I'm not like, asking you out or anything. I just wanted to talk to you about Blaine."

And that was how he found himself sitting across from Jeremiah in his favorite booth. It felt a bit like sacrilege to be sitting with the enemy in a place that he loved, but he pushed down his negative feelings as he sipped his coffee.

"Well… This is sort of beyond awkward for me," he said as he twiddled his thumbs around the edges of the cup. "I mean… I don't really know what I mean. I'm really bad with awkward situations. I'm sorry. It's just up until recently I haven't gotten coffee with anyone. And then my teacher asked me to coffee- oh god but not in a weird way or anything- just… to talk to me about some things that were bothering me. Not that I'm bothered a lot. I mean, I sort of am- I failed a test the other day. But really, not crazy… you're not like going to kidnap me are you?"

There was a pause as the boy across from him stared with disbelief.

"You're insane."

"Your hair makes you look like a greasy blonde poodle…"

Kurt hadn't really meant to say that, but it was a knee jerk reaction. And this guy had been a dick to Blaine. Blaine, who Kurt was very possibly in love with. So he figured he was well within his rights.

"Well I don't think that was necessary. What is with you and insulting my hair?"

"I… it's just an insult to nature. That's all. Seriously, give it a little trim and wash it a bit more often and you're golden."

Silence followed this.

"Is there something we were supposed to talk about, or did you just decide that we should drink our coffee together? Because really, as one of Blaine's friends I should probably be lecturing you or yelling or something…"

"But you're not. Why is that?"

He sighed.

"Listen, Jeremiah, I know what it's like to not be out. I could never in good conscience be upset with you for not wanting to deal with that. Ohio is like the worst place when it comes to being accepted for who you are. But… I do think you could've gone about rejecting him a different way. I mean, he's still pretty upset."

"I'm still pretty upset about it. I got fired. I got outed to all of my coworkers and everyone that was there at the time. And not only that, but I got serenaded by a high-schooler."

"How old are you anyway?" he asked curiously.

"24, so you can see the main problem."

He could see that, but it mostly made him thankful for the fact that Jeremiah was not some creepy older guy who got off on getting with younger boys. Blaine didn't need that."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"That's not to say Blaine's not really nice. We had coffee a few times, and he was a really great guy. And it's not to say he's not attractive- because whoa – those eyes and the arms and just everything about his physical appearance is attractive."

Kurt scowled.

"You're attractive too."

Oookay. Entering awkward territory. Kurt coughed and looked away.

"Well, yes. That's an established fact. But, umm, I think we should just forget you said that."

"It was just an observation," Jeremiah said with a shrug. "But you're right, I'm sorry. That was completely inappropriate. You have feelings for Blaine, right?"

He blinked. Was there a flashing neon sign above his head?

"I…yes," he agreed carefully, not sure why he could tell a stranger but not Blaine. "I do. But he doesn't have feelings for me. So I am content to leave it as it is."

"You're all he talked about," Jeremiah said. "Those few times we hung out. It was all about you and the Warblers.

Well okay. That was confusing.

"Look," he continued. "Just because I rejected him and whatever doesn't mean that I don't think he deserves happiness. I don't even know why I'm discussing this with you. Maybe because I wish I could've said yes to him…but I don't know. It would never work out. What I'm trying to say is that maybe you should just take a chance and tell him how you feel."

A lot of people seemed to be saying that.

"I don't really know what to say…" he responded weakly.

Jeremiah shrugged and stood.

"Don't say anything. Just make sure you think about it. It was nice talking to you."

"Yeah…" he said dazedly, waving the boy off as he walked away.

Could he tell Blaine how he felt? And if he did, when did he tell him? And why was this so damn complicated?

He tried to imagine himself with someone else, and couldn't. And he knew he had to tell Blaine. So he would. He would tell him that afternoon when they met up. He glanced at his phone for the time and then stood up and made his way out. If he didn't hurry, he'd be late.

By the time Kurt had made it to Dalton he'd psyched himself up so much that his stomach was fluttering anxiously with every trembling step he took toward the front door. His current mantra was an echo of Blaine Blaine Blaine, I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. He clenched and unclenched his fists as he almost hurled himself up the steps.

He could see Wes, Blaine and David standing just inside the atrium, and he smiled nervously at them. As usual, David was glowering at him.

He ignored it.

"Are you guys ready to go?" he asked breathlessly as he stopped next to them. "I am actually pretty hungry, so I could totally go for lunch. I thought maybe I'd drive."

When no one answered he looked around at all of them again, and his heart dropped into his esophagus and fizzled. They were all looking at him. Wes looked a bit upset and Blaine looked troubled.

"Kurt, there's something I need to ask you."

He was a little surprised, but still smiled and cocked his head to the side as a gesture to 'ask away'.

"Are you in the McKinley Glee Club?" he asked, dark eyes locked onto Kurt.

Kurt felt his heart sink, and his mouth fall open. His eyes dropped to the ground and he was sure that the guilty look on his face was answer enough. He swallowed and looked up again.

"Yeah. I am. How did you find out?"

"That's the question you're asking?" David exploded. "How we found out? No apology? No explanation?"

His hearth thudded and he felt sick. The other two looked angry as well.

"Kurt," Blaine began quietly. "Why didn't you just tell us you were in the glee club when you came to see us that first time?"

"To spy on us," Wes clarified.

He remained quiet for a moment, unsure of how to respond. He had told them most of the truth. He had just left out they spying part. How could he make them understand that he had just needed to get the hell away from McKinley for a few hours? To go somewhere, anywhere, and do something. Somewhere where he could pretend he was important and wouldn't be tossed into a dumpster or called names everyday? He'd told them about the bullying. They knew, but were they questioning it now? Were they thinking it was all a lie that he made up to get the inside scoop? Blaine had experienced the slushie first hand….but… he just didn't know anymore. All he knew was that he had to fix this, and fast.

"Did you come to spy on the Warblers? Or did you really come to see us?" Wes demanded of him, fists curled into his sides. "I want to hear it from you. Not some psycho blonde lady in a red jumpsuit."

He gasped. That bitch! He should have been more wary when Coach Sylvester had threatened to crush him unless he rejoined the Cheerios.

He looked up finally, eyes sweeping over each of them, before landing on Wes'.

"I did come to spy on the Warblers," he said firmly. "It's a thing at McKinley, okay? Spying on the competition. But I didn't know you were on the Warblers. If I had, I would never have come… I was having a bad day… We-"

"I can't believe you're trying to make excuses," Wes sneered. "Kurt! You were my- our- best fucking friend for almost ten years. And then you disappear off the face of the Earth and show back up two years later, and we've been working really hard to make things right again. I wanted you back in our lives, and now come to find out that you weren't actually taking the first step and coming out here to see us? You had so many opportunities to just tell us, and we had to find out from someone else. And now our Glee Club is on the line, because we don't know what you told your friends and what else you've taken from us."

The look in his eyes spoke volumes about how he was feeling about Kurt right now. He gave a jerk of his chin and closed his eyes.

"I didn't tell them anything important!" he snapped out.

"But you did tell them something," Blaine stated softly.

"This isn't a big deal, okay?" he said, looking around at them with wide eyes. "I didn't realize that stupid Glee Club stuff was more important than our friendship!"

"It's not just about the Warblers!" Blaine exclaimed furiously. "This is about the fact that you've been lying to us. Kurt, you're our friend. I expected more than a lie from you. How do I know that you haven't been hanging out with us in order to spy these past few months? If you could lie about why you came here, what else could you lie about?"

"Nothing excuses the lying," he said; voice trembling, "but it didn't start out that way. I know it doesn't make much of a difference now, but I came because I was feeling underappreciated. Yes- I came because they sent me to spy- but all I wanted was to see if the Warblers were as good as everyone said. I wanted to see if Dalton was as amazing of a safe haven as I always imagine, and I wanted to see if I could have been … happy all this time. I needed to know."

You don't seem that unhappy to me," Blaine said stiffly, "in fact, you seem pretty well off if you ask me. You're making good grades, singing in a glee club, successfully infiltrating other Glee Clubs and ruining their chances at Regionals. And for the record: the 'stupid Glee Club stuff'? You were taking something away from us. Dalton hasn't been to Regionals in three years. Right now, you're no better than those bullies at your school."

Kurt's eyes locked onto Blaine, wide and horror-filled. He could feel the prickliness in his nose that told him any minute he would start crying. He knew, knew, that he'd screwed up. But how could Blaine be so cruel? Blaine knew Kurt, inside and out, and sure, they hadn't been close for a while... but still.

"What?" he gasped backing away. "How can you even say that to me?"

He didn't wait for a response. He didn't stay and try to explain or make them see that he hadn't meant any harm. He ignored his mind telling him that Blaine was just upset, and as always he was letting his anger run away with him and he would probably be sorry later. He didn't spare a glance for Wes, or for David.

He just spun on his heel and hurried away, swiping at frustrated tears that were leaking out of their own accord. God, this year just really sucked.

Up Next: Kurt, Wes, and Blaine aren't speaking- not for a lack of trying on Kurt's part. He finds support in all places, even some unexpected ones.