Chapter 61: Beginnings

"She's a nightmare! A total monster!" Rachel dragged the metal industrial door closed. "I've never met anyone so mean." She dropped her books on the floor and collapsed on the couch.

Kurt looked up from his laptop. "I assume we're talking about La Cassandra?"

"Yes! Kurt, she's such a bitch!" Rachel clapped her hand over her mouth, shocked at herself.

Kurt looked at his watch, and grinned at his roommate. "Two and a half weeks in the Big Apple and you're already swearing like a native. I'm impressed."

Rachel dropped her head on the back of the couch, and held her hands up. "Look at me. I'm shaking." She groaned and turned on to her side, curling her legs up under her, facing Kurt. "This isn't at all what I thought it would be."

"I know." Kurt smiled. "You thought you were going to sweep into NYADA and everyone would throw flowers at you and proclaim you the world's greatest gift to song."

A tiny twitch of the lips was all the smile that Rachel could manage. "Well, maybe not the world's greatest gift, but New York's? Yeah." She ducked her head, and played with the edge of the couch cushion. "Arrogant, right?"

"A lack of self-confidence has never been your problem." Kurt captured the nervous fingers, and made Rachel look at him. "Every single kid in your class was a big star back home. You're competing with the best of the best. Cut yourself a little slack. You're at NYADA for a reason."

Rachel squeezed Kurt's hand. "Thanks. That's what Brody said."

"Brody?"

Rachel looked down, a small shy smile hovering.

Kurt pushed a hand into her shoulder. "Rachel Barry! Talk."

"It's nothing. He was just being nice."

"Uh-huh." Kurt waited, he knew Rachel. There was no way she could keep something like this to herself.

"He's a junior. Cassie asked him to come to our class, 'as an example of what we could become'. He was just being nice."

"Cute?"

"So cute! Eyes, and smile, and…" Rachel waved her hand. "Just everything." She grinned at Kurt. "Dance clothes don't hide too much."

Perspectives in World Art and Design was nowhere near as interesting as it sounded. Paleolithic art from the Americas, wasn't all that entertaining. Kurt yawned and decided to take a break. He clicked onto Skype.

"What's happening at McKinley?"

"Not much. We've got some new kids in Glee, and I'm President of the Student Council."

"Blaine, that's great! So why do you look like the dictionary definition of bleak?"

"It's not the same without you guys, and I miss David."

"So, call him."

"No, I don't want to bother him. I don't want him to know what a baby I'm being about this."

"Speaking as someone who's trying to get used to a new city, a new school, and a bunch of cut-throat strangers who call themselves design students, trust me, he misses you too."

"Yeah?"

"Yes, call him."

Blaine's screen image looked a lot happier. "Okay, I will." He smiled at Kurt. "What's this about cut-throat strangers?"

"You wouldn't believe the kids here. You'd think the Design School was part of the cold war, and the classrooms were full of spies." Kurt rolled his eyes as Blaine laughed. "And we're supposed to work in groups. Most of them have excruciatingly bad taste anyway. There's only one or two that have any fashion sense at all."

"And you, of course."

Kurt grinned. "And me, of course."

His fingers were cramped, the charcoal sketch was a complete mess, and the floor was littered with failed attempts. Kurt ripped another page off his sketch book and groaned. How was he ever going to be able to draw fashion designs when he couldn't even get the lines right on a freaking still life? He dropped the charcoal pencil and sketch pad on his bed, and stood, stretching out his back. "Rachel, I'm making tea. You want anything?"

Rachel's voice was very clear, the curtains they had hung to delineate personal space, did nothing to block out sound. "No, thanks, I'm good."

Kurt zapped a mug of water, dipped an Earl Grey sachet a few times, and called it tea. Mug in hand, he piled his pillows behind his back, and opened his laptop.

"Hey, you."

"Hi, Babe." Nigel leaned closer to the screen, as if that would shorten the distance between them. "You look fantastic."

Kurt snorted. "Then you're blind! Who has time to look good anymore? I've got three projects due next week, and that's not counting the assigned reading." Kurt glared into the screen. "You're in deep shit, Dennison."

Nigel just laughed. "I go to work, I come home, eat dinner alone, and Skype my boyfriend. Pretty sure that makes me innocent of whatever you think I've done, Kurt."

"You didn't warn me. You never told me how much harder college was than high school. It's overwhelming! I finish one thing, and six others are there waiting for me. It never ends."

"It's a steep step up from high school, but you'll get used to it. The first term is the worst."

Kurt tried for a pathetic smile. "A good boyfriend would come to New York this weekend, just to be supportive."

"I can be supportive from here."

"No." Kurt's voice dropped to a whisper, in the hope that Rachel wouldn't hear him. "I need up close and personal support."

"I miss you too."

"I miss everything; your smile, your hands, your mouth. I miss the way you feel. I even miss the way you push your glasses up when you're working on your laptop."

"I push my glasses up when I'm working?"

"Yeah, you do."

"Want to know what I miss?"

"Yes."

"Everything you do. Everything you say. I miss the way you touch me, and fuck me. I miss holding you at night."

"Stop!" Kurt stared into the screen. "This is what you're going to do, Nigel. The first thing tomorrow morning, you're going to your supervisor, and the HR department and anyone else you have to talk to get a transfer to New York."

"I haven't even been at the bank for five months yet, Kurt. And even if I could get a transfer now, which I can't, I wouldn't do that to you. You need this year on your own."

"Really? Because all I do, is go to class, work on my projects and miss you."

"Kurt, I know it's a lot of work, and it's lonely in a new city. But tell me that it isn't just a little exciting. Tell me that you don't get off the subway, and walk down 5th Ave to school every day, and think 'I can't believe this!'"

"Okay, New York is awesome, but it could be just as awesome with you here."

Nigel smiled, and shook his head, and totally sidestepped the argument. "I love you."