One of the great things about Cooper relocating to New York was that Blaine could stay with him and still be close to NYADA.
Blaine sat on the end of the spare bed in Cooper's apartment, dialling Kurt's number yet again. No answer. Again.
"aaaaARGH!" Blaine groaned frustratedly, flinging his phone away and falling heavily back on the bed, running his hands through his hair.
Cooper walked past the open door.
"You spoken to him yet?"
Blaine turned his head towards the door but didn't get up.
"No. He won't pick up the phone."
"It's been three days – he still hasn't answered?"
"No, and he's not going to. He doesn't want to see me anymore." Blaine said, rolling over so his back faced Cooper.
Cooper walked in and perched on the bed, next to him.
"You don't know that -"
Blaine turned his head round to face his brother.
"Yes! I do! Or he would have picked up the phone!"
"Kurt, answer the phone."
Rachel sat with Kurt at the kitchen table. Kurt's phone had buzzed five times that morning, and five times Kurt had let it ring.
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because I hurt him, Rachel – you didn't see his face." Kurt told her, "I hurt him, I walked out, and I don't want to have to face the damage I've done. Okay?"
"Just talk to him, I'm sure he'd understand."
"I told him I didn't want to marry him, I'm pretty sure he understood that - hence why he's not here anymore."
"But-"
"I've got to go, Rachel, I've got class in twenty minutes."
Kurt sat in the back row of his singing class. Their assignment had been to pick a song from a musical that was currently on Broadway and sing their own version of it. He wasn't really paying attention to the lesson and just clapped when everyone else did.
"Ok, who's next? Ah, Mr Hummel, can you come up please?"
Kurt walked slowly up to the front of the room. He had asked a few of the girls in the class to back him up and they stood behind him. The girls began the song with layers of angelic 'ahhh's, accompanied by a violinist. Then, slowly, Kurt began to sing.
They passed me by
All of those great romances
You were, I felt, robbing me
Of my rightful chances
Kurt stood very still, and found he was singing to the back wall of the room, his eyes slightly glazed.
My picture clear
Everything seemed so easy
And so I dealt you the blow
One of us had to go
Now it's different, I want you to know
Kurt shifted his feet and started playing with his hands, twisting the engagement ring he was still wearing.
One of us is crying
One of us is lying
In a lonely bed
Staring at the ceiling
Wishing he was somewhere else instead
One of us is lonely
One of us is only
Waiting for a call
Sorry for himself
Kurt dropped his head and sang to his feet.
Feeling stupid feeling small
Wishing he had never left at all
Somewhere in the depths of New York, Blaine hadn't moved from his position on the bed. He stared numbly at his phone, silent on the desk.
Kurt continued the song.
I saw myself
As a concealed attraction
I felt you kept me away
From the heat and the action
Kurt shook his head, with a crooked smile.
Just like a child
Stubborn and misconceiving
That's how I started the show
One of us had to go
Kurt lifted his head up and his voice became more powerful, as if somehow he thought Blaine would be able to hear him. The girls joined him and together their voices soared.
Now I've changed and I want you to know
One of us is crying
One of us is lying
In a lonely bed
Staring at the ceiling
Wishing he was somewhere else instead
One of us is lonely
One of us is only
Waiting for a call
Sorry for himself
Feeling stupid, feeling small
Wishing he had never left at all
Never left at all
Kurt felt a lump rising in his throat and his eyes started to water. It took everything he had not to start sobbing. His voice cracked.
Staring at the ceiling
Wishing he was somewhere else instead
One of us is lonely
I miss him, thought Kurt.
One of us is only
Waiting for a call
He only wants to talk.
Sorry for himself
Feeling stupid, feeling small.
God, I was so stupid.
Wishing he had never left at all
Never left... at all
The song ended and the class applauded. The teacher came forward and congratulated Kurt.
"Outstanding as usual, Mr Hummel. But what I was most impressed with today was the emotion behind that song. Well done."
Kurt hastily sat down before he broke down in front of the whole class. He pulled out his phone and saw three more missed calls. He went to select 'reply' and hesitated.
I can't do it.