Road To Nationals // Hunter Clarington

{Chapter 26} 5 : 15

Rose's POV

"Yes. Oh, gosh, I'm so excited that we're all together for our weekly potluck dinner." Rachel hugs Sam when he reaches Kurt and Rachel's apartment. "Well, it is only week number two. The tradition will be falling apart in no time." Artie reminds her. "Hey, um, who's this?" Mercedes asks, holding up a paper. On it is a picture of the person who's memorial we went to yesterday. "That was our, um, neighbor's friend. He got beat up last week." Rachel explains nicely. "That's a nice way of saying he was gay-bashed." Kurt comments. "Apparently he was just walking down Bleecker Street and these guys jumped out of a pickup truck and just decided to beat him up. He's lucky to be alive." Blaine shrugs his shoulders with wide eyes.

"It's so depressing. Like, hate crimes in America keep decreasing, but in New York they're actually increasing." Artie explains. "Yeah, why?" Mercedes asks. "Well, a few ignorant idiots just hate the idea that we're finally being accepted. They hate the fact that we're marrying. They hate that we're moving into neighborhoods that are supposedly 'straight.' So they lash out by trying to kill us." Blaine rants. "It's just awful." I frown. "This world is so full of hate and spite now. No one is trying to act civil anymore. Everyone has as much freedom as the next, I just don't get what people don't get about that." I furrow my eyebrows and Hunter grabs my hand.

 "Okay, well, let's change the subject before we all get so bummed we can't eat." Kurt says and we all agree. "Well, NYADA Midwinter Critiques are upon us and our fearless leader, Madame Tibideaux, has tightened her turban and given us the ultimate musical theater challenge. Sondheim!" Rachel joins Kurt in the announcing of the last sentence. "Oh, my God, it's amazing. But how are we gonna pick? It's so hard." Rachel groans. "We have to do a duet." Blaine begins to tell Rachel. "Hold the phone." Artie interrupts.

"Are you two playing footsie?" He asks Sam and Mercedes. "No." Mercedes clears her throat. "I have that, uh, restless legs sydrome. I just, I forgot to take my iron pills." Mercedes lies. "All right, so, Rose? How's the album coming?" Blaine asks, turning to me. "It's good. It should be coming out in a few weeks." I state. "That's great. I mean, after those collabs." Blaine does a 'mind-blown' expression. "Aren't you supposed to be going on Ellen for that soon? Burbank, right?" Kurt wonders. " Yeah. I'm flying out this weekend. And I may or may not have gotten my publicist to get you all tickets." I pull tickets out of my purse. "But I have practice for Fanny." Rachel says.

"No, you don't. Sidney cancelled last minute because of his granddaughters birthday party." I tell her. "Oh, my God! Thank you so much!" Rachel hugs me. Shortly after, everyone else joins. I love New York.

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"I mean, she just turned and walked out. It was like some horrible nightmare." Sam leans into me as I wrap an arm around him. "I'm sorry, buddy. Wish I knew what to say." Blaine apologizes. "I mean, because I'm too white, can you believe it? Like, I'm telling you it's really hard to be a straight white male these days." Sam rants. "We should probably change the subject." Blaine looks to me for help. "Hey, at least you decided to live with Hunter and I instead of living on Mercedes' couch. You actually have your own bedroom with us." I smile and lean my head on his shoulder.

"And, hey, I can give you your old kazoo back. Remember this guy? Remember that? Anytime your feeling down, and you have trouble sleeping, just give that thing a little toot, and I'll read you some Star Wars fan-fiction!" Blaine grins. "No, I don't really want to." Sam frowns. "Come on, it'll be fun! Hey, I just read a Web site all about Ewoks and how they're polygamists." Blaine walks to the table. "How is that fan-fiction? Of course they're polygamists. That's obvious." Sam puts on a 'duh' face. "Hold on. Watch this, it's crazy." Blaine is interrupted by his phone. "Hello? Yeah, this is Blaine." Blaine's eyes widen and we are rushed to the E.R.

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"Is he okay? Is he awake yet?" Mercedes asks as she walks through the door. I got here before them, and Hunter was right after us. " I have no idea. They won't tell me anything. I'm not family." Just then a doctor comes out of the room. "Is he okay?" Blaine inquires. "He has a hairline fracture above his right eye socket. Some other cuts and bruising. He's alive, and he will be okay. Now, he's sleeping now from the morphine, but you can see him." We  walk into Kurt's room.

"Hey, Kurt, hey. I know you're on a lot of painkillers, buddy, but you can wake up any time now." Sam tries to get Kurt to respond. "Sam, just leave him be." Mercedes whispers to him. "I just feel so responsible. We had this huge fight. And then I just left him all alone." Rachel sighs. "If you'd been with him, he would've done the same thing." Blaine reassures her. "I want to kill whoever did this to him." Sam's jaw clenches. "Don't say that, Sam. You don't mean that." Mercedes sits down, and we all go silent. "I just wish he could hear me. So I could tell him I was here." Blaine grabs Kurt's hand. "He knows we're here. He does." Rachel gestures for us to leave him and Blaine alone.

I can't believe somebody could do this to Kurt.