Cinderella said to Snow White
How does love get so off course?
All I wanted was a white knight
With a good heart, soft touch, fast horse

This Kiss by Faith Hill

The van pulled up in front of the dorm and dropped everyone off. "I'm starving," said Kurt.

"There's a little store right in the lobby," said Erin. "Come on in and name your poison."

"Ice cream. Definitely ice cream," said Kurt.

"I guess we worked off enough calories tonight," sighed Winston.

"Dancers," Erin muttered.

Soon they were all sitting on Erin's bed with plastic spoons and pints of coffee, mint chip, and cookie dough ice cream.

"Ugh, I'm so sweaty," said Kurt.

"Ice cream first," said Erin. "Then you can take a shower. "

"Does one of you have an extra towel?" asked Kurt.

"Of course. But ice cream first. And gossip," she said.

Kurt smiled. "This was so much fun you guys. Thanks for including me."

"No prob," Winston said, his mouth full of coffee ice cream. "Now. Tell me all about you and Sebastian."

Kurt laughed. "You mean the guy who used to bully me and try to steal my boyfriend? He's hot, isn't he? Absolutely gorgeous. Rich too." Kurt took a bite from his carton. "But he's an absolute nightmare. He claims that he's changed, though, after he did a couple of mean things that went too far and two guys ended up in the hospital." That was as short a sentence as Kurt could think of to describe what had happened with Blaine's eye and Dave's hospitalization the previous year.

"With the way he was looking at you when you came out of the bathroom together, I wasn't so sure," said Winston with a grin.

"He's incredibly hot, I'll give you that. He actually did hit on me tonight. But we spent the entire time in the men's room talking about the fact that my ex has been playing us both."

"Sebastian can be charming when he wants to. If you're on his good side." Kurt dug into his ice cream with his spoon and it broke, so he reached for the box to take another spoon. "But no. No way. I'm not touching him. My life is complicated enough. "

"Okay, so what about Chase?" asked Winston. "The way he looked at you...I don't think anyone has ever looked at me like that. Sebastian looks like he wants to eat you up, but Chase looks at you like he wants to ride off into the sunset with you."

"I met Chase when I was doing my internship at Vogue and we dated for a while in the fall.

"Was that the nasty breakup you told us about?" asked Erin.

"No. That was Blaine, my high school boyfriend. We split up in the fall."

Winston and Erin looked confused so Kurt clarified for them. "Blaine and I split in October, because he cheated on me. Chase and I got together a few weeks later, and we dated from Halloween to the end of December. But Chase and I were never as serious as Blaine and I were. I was with Blaine for over a year and a half."

"Blaine and I...I've had some trouble staying broken up with him. Even though I know he's bad for me, I have a really hard time staying away from him. He's like a magnet."

Erin nodded with a knowing expression.

"Are you sure I'm not boring you guys?" asked Kurt.

"No way!" said Erin, and Winston shook his head.

"Chase is a great guy, but I didn't feel as strongly as he felt, so I needed to end it. He wants to be my sugar daddy. He wants to spoil and pamper me."

"Oh you poor thing," said Winston with a mischievous expression. "It must be so hard."

Kurt grinned back and took another spoonful. "Oh believe me, it was very nice when I'd just had my heart stomped on. And the sex. Oh my GOD."

Erin choked on her ice cream.

"You okay there, honey?" said Winston sardonically, rubbing her back.

"Yeah fine," she gasped. "So you're not as innocent as you look then."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Please."

"How old is he anyway?" asked Winston.

"Thirty one," said Kurt.

"Holy shit." Winston looked surprised.

Kurt just smiled. "But anyway," he continued, "I didn't feel like Chase saw the real me, you know? Not like Adam does." Erin and Winston exchanged emotional little smiles with each other, with their hands on their hearts. "Honestly, you two," said Kurt, rolling his eyes fondly.

"So..." said Erin. "What about Adam?"

"I am crazy about Adam. I wish he was at the club hitting on me tonight, instead of those other guys. But...can you two keep this to yourselves?" They nodded. "I'm not actually sure I can trust him. I told him something personal that he shared with someone else and I really didn't want him to. He had a good reason, and he came to me right away to tell me and apologize, but it still hurt. "

Kurt sat up straighter on the bed. "So that's my story. I am so into Adam, but my head is a mess about Blaine. Even though I just found out he was lying to me again. When it comes to love, things don't tend to go well for me." Kurt's eyes dropped to his lap and his voice sounded like he was trying not to sound sad.

"Can I say something?" asked Erin. "I'm sorry Adam told your secret, whatever it was. I'm not saying he's perfect, but he's probably my best friend. He's the best man I know, after my dad. And I would trust him with my life."

"Me too," said Winston.

"I don't have a crystal ball and I don't really know you, so I can't tell you if you two are right for each other. But I can guarantee he would never screw you over intentionally. "

"No way," said Winston. "He's a really good guy. He wouldn't jerk you around."

"You know him," insisted Erin. "You've seen how he always puts other people first. That's not fake. That's really who Adam is. I know in a school full of actors it's hard to tell sometimes, but Adam is a very genuine person."

Kurt was nodding as he listened. "You know what else," said Kurt, digging his spoon into the cookie dough ice cream. "You guys saw that picture Tommy put on my Facebook page right?"

"I was in that picture!" said Erin.

"Oh right. So can we talk about how freaking hot Adam is?"

"Seriously," said Winston.

"Hey, at least you got to make out with him," Erin said to Winston.

"Yeah and you totally would have too, if he was into girls," he answered her.

"This is true."

They both froze, realizing what they were saying, and looked at Kurt with guilty looks on their faces.

"Shit Kurt, I'm sorry. It wasn't a big deal. We're just friends now," said Winston.

Kurt didn't answer for a minute. And then he shrugged. "We should start a new singing group and call it Adam's Abs. We'll devote ourselves to serenading Adam with songs about how hot he is."

Erin and Winston burst out laughing. "I like Kurt," Erin said to Winston. "Kurt can stay."

"Kurt can definitely stay."

Kurt grinned. "So can I take a shower now?"

"Yeah, let me grab you a towel. Do you need soap and stuff?"

"I have some stuff in my bag," said Kurt.

Kurt headed down the hall and found that no one else was in the bathroom this late at night. He walked into one of the shower stalls and locked the door behind him and stepped under the spray. As he lathered his body up he realized how turned on he was. He had been for hours.

You can't. It's so rude and someone might hear you. That thought only seemed to make him harder. Fine. Just make it fast and be quiet, he told himself. Chase and Sebastian and all the other guys at the club had been turning him on all night. But when he took his cock in his hand, all he saw in his mind was Adam's smile and Adam's blue eyes.

Kurt tugged on himself, slowly at first, and then faster, until he was coming over his hand, biting down on his knuckles to keep himself from making any noise. He leaned panting against the wall for a minute and when he had recovered, he finished cleaning himself up.

He dried off and put on the pajama pants and the sweater he had brought with him that morning, and headed back down the hall. When Kurt got back to Erin's room she looked worried. "Your phone is going off like crazy."

Thirty notifications? What the hell?

"Something's up on Facebook. Can I use your laptop?" asked Kurt.

"Yeah, sure."

Sebastian had posted some pictures and tagged Kurt in them. Kurt had accepted Sebastian's friend request earlier at the club, and apparently Sebastian had also friended Chase. One picture was Chase holding Kurt and looking at him like he was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Another picture was the group hug where Chase and Kurt and Winston and Sebastian were all smiling and laughing. They were great pictures.

But that's not what was making Kurt's phone blow up. It was the picture of him and Sebastian in each other's arms. Sebastian looked amazing. Most of the buttons on Sebastian's shirt were open and sweat was gleaming on his chest. His hair was messy, and he looked absolutely gorgeous.

And while Kurt would never call himself gorgeous, he thought that otherwise, he looked very similar. Kurt's shirt was open, and he looked sweaty and wrecked. Sebastian's lips were on his neck. Kurt was laughing and his eyes were closed. The two of them looked really happy together. In fact, they looked like they had just hooked up. More proof that you can't trust a photograph, he thought. And then he saw the comments.

Sebastian Smythe: The world is a funny place. After my Columbia interview, I had a blast in NY dancing the night away with a surprising person. I was not expecting to get dragged into a men's room in by Kurt Hummel!

Blaine Anderson: Really Kurt? What the fuck?!

Tina Cohen Chang: I don't approve of the way you're acting Kurt. First you break Blaine's heart, and now you're cheating on Adam with Sebastian? Kind of slutty, don't you think?

Santana Lopez: Jesus Hummel. I leave you alone for five minutes and you're hopping on every dick in the city?

Noah Puckerman: little harsh, Santana

Britney S. Pierce: why are you all being so mean to Kurt?

Blaine Anderson: Seb's a whore. He's not even that good in bed. His legs are too long and they get in the way.

Mike Chang: I'm really disappointed to see the way some of you are treating Kurt and his friends.

Trent Pulaski: not cool Blaine! What is wrong with you?

Blaine Anderson: you should be with me Kurt. I love you sooooooooooo much!

The comments went on and on. Blaine had also commented on the picture of Chase and Kurt.

Blaine Anderson: who is this ugly Chase guy? Are you whoring around with him too?

Kurt gasped and covered his mouth with his hand. "I think Blaine is drunk Facebooking. This is bad."

"Can I see?" said Winston.

Kurt was shaking as Winston and Erin read a few of the comments.

"Oh hell no," said Winston. He ran out the door and came back with his laptop so he could log into his own account. "Wait," said Winston. "You know Mike?"

"Mike who?" Kurt was dazed.

"Mike Chang! You're from Lima Ohio!?"

"Yeah." Kurt looked really confused now.

"Mike is my cousin."

"Shut up!" said Kurt.

"I'm serious. Our dads are brothers."

Kurt vaguely remembered that Mike's parents had moved to New York after graduation, but he didn't have time to think about Mike now.

"I don't fucking believe this," said Kurt. He posted a new status update.

Kurt Hummel: Some of you seem a little confused, so let me clear some things up for you. Sebastian was JOKING. I am SINGLE. I am not in a relationship with Adam. (Although anyone would be lucky to be with someone as sweet and gorgeous as Adam.) I am not in a relationship with Blaine either. Chase is BEAUTIFUL. And no one deserves the disgusting things some of you are saying about me and Chase and Sebastian. I. Am. Single. I date. I go dancing. If any of you has a problem with that, feel free to unfriend me.

"Oh my God. I love you," said Winston.

Erin just sat there with her mouth open, too stunned to talk.

Kurt's phone beeped. New text messages were coming in.

Sebastian: I screen capped the whole thing if you need it for a restraining order.

Sebastian: And I'm fantastic in bed.

Kurt barked out a loud laugh.

Chase: Wow, Blaine is really a piece of work isn't he.

Kurt: I'm so sorry you had to see that.

Chase: not your fault

Kurt: You're not ugly. You're gorgeous.

Chase: Thank you sweetheart. So are you. Don't worry about me, I'm fine. Are you okay?

Kurt: I will be. I'm with friends.

Chase: Good. Also, I'm getting some interesting messages from your friend Sebastian.

Kurt: Be careful. Not sure he's legal yet.

Chase: scary

Kurt: Two words for Seb. Gorgeous. Trainwreck.

Chase: LOL!

Kurt kept the pictures on his page, but he deleted all the comments and then he updated his status again.

Kurt Hummel: Blaine, Tina and Santana are now unfriended and blocked. Who wants to be next?

"Amazing," murmured Kurt with a dazed expression, his eyes on the computer screen

"What?" said Winston.

"Remember how I said I was addicted to Blaine?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I've been cured."

The next morning, Sebastian was on his laptop in his hotel room while Tyler was sleeping nearby. Sebastian was reading the screen cap he had saved from Kurt's Facebook page.

Wow, Prince Charming sure has fallen off his white horse. And right into the gutter. I'm done with Blaine, that's for sure.

Sebastian looked at the picture of Kurt in his arms again.

I'm an idiot. Look at that sweet little mouth. That tight body. I don't know how he does it but Hummel just gets hotter every year. Oh man, the fun I could have had with him.

I should have played this whole thing differently. The minute Blaine introduced me to Kurt at the Lima Bean, I should have been giving Kurt the heart eyes and the compliments instead of Blaine. I could have set myself up as the best friend Kurt ever had. I could have been right there when Blaine cheated on him and I'd be benefiting from Blaine's stupidity right now.

But no, I had to let Kurt get under my skin with his insults. I had to start a war.

Stupid.

Oh well.

Sebastian found an email address on Kurt's Facebook page and sent him the screen cap of the comments from the previous night. Then he took his phone into the bathroom. He shut the door and turned on the fan so he wouldn't wake Tyler up, and called Blaine.

"Sebastian?" Blaine moaned. "Why are you calling me so early?"

"I don't mind you hooking up with Hummel, because I'm hooking up with other guys too. I already told you that," Sebastian began. "But I don't like you lying about it. But I've done the same in the past, so I suppose I can't really be upset about that either."

"What?" said Blaine, obviously confused.

"But none of that really matters. What really pisses me off is how you insulted me and publicly humiliated me on Facebook. We both know I'm amazing in bed."

"Shit Seb, I don't even remember what I wrote. Hold on a minute..."

"You and I are done, shorty."

"WHAT?!" yelled Blaine. "I just woke up! I don't even know what I did!"

"I also don't like you calling Kurt a whore, when we both know that is the furthest thing from the truth. Hummel is many things but he's no whore."

"Ohhhhhh." Blaine was starting to remember. "This is about that picture. So Kurt is your friend now," said Blaine, his voice dripping with disgust. "Right. Yeah, I believe that."

Sebastian didn't bother telling Blaine that Kurt had turned him down. Let Blaine wonder. "You better get your shit together Anderson, or something a lot worse than losing me or Kurt is going to happen to you."

"So are you and Kurt together now?"

"Lose my number Blaine. And get help. You're a train wreck waiting to happen."

Blaine opened his mouth to yell at him, but Sebastian had already hung up.

Blaine's head hurt, and he was furious, but he realized he had some damage control to take care of.

In Lima, Burt and Carole were having a peaceful Sunday morning, reading the newspaper while Sam and Finn were playing a video game in the living room.

The doorbell rang. Carole got up and peaked through the curtains to see who was there. "Guess who's outside."

Burt shook his head. "I am not ready for this."

"You want me to send him home?

"Nah. Let's get it over with. "

"Hi Burt! Hi Carole!" Blaine came bouncing into the house. He frowned when Carole stepped back as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. "I brought you guys your coffee just the way you like it!"

"Come on in," said Burt. "We need to talk."

Blaine's fake, cheerful smile fell.

Carole walked over to Finn and Sam, who looked up from their game. "Would you boys pause that for a bit?" asked Carole. "We'd like you to hear this too. Blaine, sit down."

"So," said Burt. "We saw Kurt in New York yesterday. And we learned a few things."

"Is Kurt okay?" asked Sam.

Burt smiled at Sam and sat down in one of the easy chairs as Carole took the other. "Yeah, he's okay kid. I have his permission to talk about this with you boys."

"Kurt told me what really happened between him and Blaine. "

The color drained out of Blaine's face.

"Yeah, he told me how you two broke up because you cheated on him. He also told me he's pretty sure you've been screwing around with that Dalton kid. The one that put you in the hospital. Sebastian, right?"

"What?!" yelled Sam.

"There was some drama on Facebook last night too," said Finn. "I missed it but I heard Blaine was calling Kurt disgusting names on his wall and he blocked him."

Burt shook his head. "This just gets better and better," he said. "So after Kurt told me that Blaine had cheated on him, he told me something even worse." Burt's lips curled in disgust and he looked at Blaine.

"Kurt showed me a scar. He said he got it from an ice scraper in his car, one night at a gay bar when you were pushing him down in the back seat of his SUV. He told me that you held him down by his arms while he yelled Stop. And he yelled No. And then he ended up in the hospital getting stitches because he was bleeding so much."

Finn and Sam were both looking at Blaine in shock.

"What?" said Blaine, his face the picture of innocence. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he said in a smooth voice. "I don't know anything about that scar on Kurt's butt."

Burt was having trouble accepting the whole story up until now, but in that moment, he felt his connection with Blaine sever for good. His eyes were blazing.

"I never told you where the scar was," said Burt.

Finn stood up and lunged for Blaine. "You little bastard!" he yelled. Sam grabbed Finn and held him back, and Carole moved toward her son..

"Finn!" she yelled. "You're not helping!"

Breathing hard, with Sam's arms wrapped around him and Carole standing between him and Blaine, Finn got himself under control. "I'm sorry Mom."

"I know this is upsetting but I need you to stay calm, or we're going to have this conversation without you," she said.

"Sorry," muttered Finn, but his cold, angry eyes never left Blaine. If the looks on Finn and Sam's faces could kill, Blaine would have been in a coffin.

"So let me get this straight," said Burt calmly, his angry eyes fixed on Blaine. "You callin' my boy a liar?"

"I..." Blaine didn't know what to say. He looked down at his lap.

"Didn't think so," Burt muttered. "So apparently Kurt and Blaine struggled, and Kurt hit him. And then Blaine stopped what he was doing, and he yelled at Kurt and he went home."

"Blaine, you walked away. You stopped. That's good. That was the right thing to do. And as for the scar, maybe it was an accident. Maybe you never meant to hurt my boy. Maybe you just got carried away because you were drunk."

Blaine looked up with a hopeful expression.

"I don't give a damn," growled Burt.

"You cheat on my kid. You disrespect him. You ignore him when he says No and Stop over and over. And then when you finally back off, you make fun of him. You laugh at him, and you tell him he's not being FUN."

"You make me sick. Kurt loved you. He trusted you!"

Blaine just sat there looking ashamed.

"So here's what's gonna happen Blaine. You don't call Kurt. You don't talk to Kurt. You don't touch my boy. You see him in a hallway? You turn around and walk the other way. You leave him alone or you will have me to answer to."

"And if I EVER hear about you hurting Kurt again, or any other boy, I swear to God you'll be sorry."

"I may be sick, but I have some old high school buddies on the police force who love Kurt like he was their own. I never called them when Kurt was dealing with that Karofsky kid in high school because Kurt didn't want me to. But I have no problem picking up the phone right now if I need to. You understand me?"

Blaine nodded.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU."

"Yes, sir," Blaine answered quietly.

Burt let out a breath and straightened up in his chair. "That goes for all you boys. Someone tells you to stop, you stop. Some says no, you stop. I don't care if she already said yes. I don't care if she changes her mind. Or he changes his mind. I don't care if you're already INSIDE somebody and they tell you to stop. You STOP. Am I clear?"

"Of course, Burt," said Finn.

"Yes Mr. Hummel," said Sam.

"Yeah," said Blaine, his voice barely a whisper.

"Good," said Burt. He looked up at Carole with pleading eyes. He was exhausted.

"One more thing," said Carole. "We have Kurt's permission to talk to the three of you about this. No one else. You are not going to talk to anyone else about this. Not your girlfriends, not your parents, not the other people in you glee club. This is Kurt's story to tell, or to keep to himself, and none of you are going to take that choice away from him. Do you understand?"

"Okay,' said Finn.

"Whatever you say," said Sam.

"All right," said Blaine quietly.

"Good," said Burt.

"Good," said Carole."And you know what else, Blaine? Kurt has family on the Westerville police force now, because I have a nephew who's a cop there. So you'd better watch yourself around Dalton too."

"That's everything I have to say," said Burt, standing up. "Now get out, Blaine, and take your goddamn coffee with you."

Blaine was out the door and driving down the road before Burt could even turn around.

Burt walked over to the phone and picked it up and dialed a number. "Officer Donnelly please. Burt Hummel. Steve! Hey buddy, do you have a minute?"

Burt paused, listening to his friend.

"Yeah, yeah. So anyway some punk ass kid just went flying down my street. Must have been doing ninety. Yeah. He's in a '59 Chevy. Candy apple red. Sweet little ride. I got the plate number. "

Burt chuckled. "Yeah, I'd hate to have something happen to that car too. Seriously though, there are a lot of little kids in my neighborhood and he's driving like a maniac."

"Sure, I'll hold."

"Beating him up is not the answer," said Burt to Sam and Finn, covering the phone with his hand. "You've gotta go through the proper legal channels."

Meanwhile Adam and Stavros were at a coffee shop in Philadelphia eating their breakfast, and Adam was apologizing again.

"I can't believe what an arse I was last night. I was so rude to you."

"Adam, for the hundredth time, it's okay! You were drunk."

"That's no excuse."

"Would you please stop apologizing, and let me give you some advice?"

"Okay," said Adam.

"You're always happier when you find an artistic outlet for your troubles."

"That's true," said Adam, sipping his tea.

"So take this crush or this love or whatever it is, and write a play about it. Put it in a song. But don't drown your feelings in a bottle. That will only make you feel worse."

"Very true," sighed Adam. "For an accountant you certainly have an artistic soul."

"You know I don't," said Stavros with a laugh. "I work out my troubles at the gym, or by going for a run in the woods. I just know you."

"You do," said Adam. "And I'm not even sure how Kurt feels. He has some unfinished business with his ex for one thing."

"That's gotta hurt."

"Yeah. He's very young, and there's a lot of chaos in his life right now. "

"Sounds like someone else I used to know," said Stavros gently.

"You were such a comfort to me in those days," said Adam with a small smile.

"We had a lot of fun too," said Stavros.

"We did indeed."

"Do you have a picture of him?"

Adam looked through his phone and found one of Kurt, caught off guard at an Apples rehearsal. He looked relaxed and happy.

"He's adorable. It will be an honor to dance at your wedding one day to that sweet young thing, and bounce your ten blue-eyed babies on my knee."

"Ten?" asked Adam with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, not all at once. Seriously though, whether it works out with him or not, you know I'm always here if you need me."

"You're too good to me, Stav."

"Don't feel sorry for me. That cute bartender at the wedding last night gave me his number."

"Did he now?"

"And that's not all I want him to give me," Stavros whispered.

"You're terrible."

"That's not what you used to say."

Adam laughed.

"Good," said Stavros. "I got you to laugh. My work here is done. You all set?"

"Yeah, I'm done. Let's go."

They settled the bill and got back into Stav's car, and headed back to the bus stop.

"Goodbye Adam," said Stav, leaning in for an innocent kiss and a big bear hug. "Text me when you get back home safe."

"I will. Thank you for listening," said Adam.

"Anytime."

Adam's sadness was a heavy feeling in his chest, a fog he knew he had to just be with until he moved through it. Settling into his seat on the bus, he put in his ear buds and started one of his favorite playlists.

like a fool I fell in love with you
turned my whole world upside down

Oh no.

please don't say I'll never find a way
and tell me all my love's in vain

He was not doing this again. No more sad songs. He stopped the song and scrolled through his other playlists as his thoughts turned to Kurt again.

Kurt was going through a lot of drama and that was the last thing Adam needed in his life right now. He needed to focus on his last semester at NYADA, not get swept up in someone else's troubles.

But was Adam any different at that age, after everything his father had put their family through?

And while Adam and Stav were great together for a while, they never had that same kind of passion, that spark he felt for Kurt. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Did it mean that Kurt and Adam would burn out as quickly as they started? Or did it mean Adam would be the luckiest man in the world if he and Kurt did end up having something that lasted?

He had no idea.

Kurt really was very sweet, Adam thought. They had been only been on one date together when Kurt had apologized for hooking up with his ex. But they were at a school where hookups were as common as impromptu sword fights in the halls. If Kurt knew the way some people at NYADA jumped in and out of each other's beds, he never would have apologized so much. Adam had been single himself for the last two years, and he hadn't exactly been a monk.

But Adam was ready for a relationship, not an angst-filled love triangle. He had witnessed enough of those during his college years, thank you very much, and when performers' egos were involved, he had seen arguments among his friends become explosive.

And if Kurt was still speaking to him, if he and Kurt were going to have a chance, did Adam really want to be messing around with other guys right now, even though he was well within his rights?

Maybe it would be better to just quietly decide to not see anyone else for a while. It would avoid adding any drama to his situation with Kurt. Adam knew Kurt would feel pressured if he told him about his decision, so he could just keep it to himself for now. He didn't have to do it forever. If things didn't work out with Kurt, he could always revisit the question. It wasn't like he was ready to propose to the guy. He just had a raging crush on him. Or maybe he was in love with him.

He didn't know how this was going to play out, but it was too late to back out now. He was already in too deep.

Scrolling through his music, Adam found a playlist of Beethoven violin concertos. Perfect. As light snow began to swirl outside the bus window, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, enjoying the gentle sound of the violins. He thought about Kurt's beautiful face and the way Kurt's eyes crinkled when he laughed.

The next thing he knew Adam was waking up in New York at the bus stop. His phone was buzzing with a text message.

Kurt: Don't believe anything Sebastian says about me on Facebook. Have I got a story for you when you get back.

Puzzled but smiling, Adam stretched his arms and legs, cramped from the long bus ride. Stepping off the bus, he collected his bag from the compartment underneath and started walking over to Penn Station to catch the subway to NYADA.

By the time he got to his room, Adam was exhausted. He dropped his bag on the floor and tossed his coat on his chair.

He looked down and saw a small piece of paper on the floor. Someone must had slid it under his door. He picked it up. Kurt was here, it said. There was a little drawing of a heart, and a sweet, badly-drawn sketch of Kurt's smiling face.

His heart soaring, Adam held the note to his heart for a moment, and then he kissed it and folded it up and put it in his pocket. He pumped his fist in the air, and then he headed downstairs for lunch, feeling lighter than he had in weeks.

The next day at work, Stavros got a delivery. It was a small bouquet of flowers and a gift card for his favorite coffee shop, with a note that read:

Sorry I was such a wanker. Feel free to tell me to sod off. Your pal, Adam.

He laughed until his stomach hurt.

NOTES:

Hello my lovely readers! The song Adam listened to on the bus was Layla by Eric Clapton. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing and following. More than 900 people read this story in June. That's amazing! Thank you!