Silence [Discontinued]

XIII

"Kurt," Sebastian spoke up quietly. "Can you see if he's okay?"

Kurt followed Sebastian's gaze. "Is there someone sitting behind Thad?"

"No, I mean him."

He looked at Sebastian in shock. "Are we sure you didn't get a concussion? He's an asshole."

"Doesn't look particularly asshole-ish away from Anderson."

Kurt knew he was right. Thad had been acting strangely, including hardly talking or making passive-aggressive comments. He wasn't even sitting with the rest of his clique.

"Please? For me? I would myself, but..."

He nodded, standing up. "For you. Not for him."

Kurt walked over to where Thad sat, sitting across from him. He hadn't exactly been eating, more like making it look like he was.

"Are you okay?"

Thad looked up, looking surprised to see him. Then his face turned expressionless and he looked back down. "I'm sorry about Blaine, man. He's an asshole."

That's not what Kurt expected. "What?"

"He blackmailed you to kiss him. Don't worry- he didn't tell me what he knew. I didn't exactly give him a chance."

"Is that what this about?" Kurt asked, mildly surprised. He didn't really think Thad had... Well, a heart.

He shook his head. "I don't want to bother you with it. You have better things to do."

Kurt wasn't sure if it was a pity act or if he was sincere. "I do. So bother me."

"Why do you even care?"

Kurt glanced over at Sebastian, something Thad didn't miss. "What, is this some plan for revenge because I was a complete dick about his social anxiety? Don't worry, Blaine's got ruining my life covered already."

"No, it's not revenge. But if you knew it was social anxiety, then why were you so cruel about it? And how's Blaine ruining your life? You two are, like, best friends."

Thad was quiet a minute. "We were best friends because when I transferred, he kinda... Helped me. Took me under his wing. And when in Rome... Be an asshole with the rest even though it's hypocritical."

"You have anxiety? Then how come you didn't stop them?"

His answer was so simple. So stupidly simple.

"They wouldn't like me if I did. If I went along with it, they'd still like me."

Kurt wrinkled his nose. "So you were an asshole to fit in with them? To be accepted? You know, if you have to be an asshole in order to fit in with people, you shouldn't be fitting in with those people."

Thad shook his head. "You don't get it. They're all I have... Had. You have people."

"Um, I was an utter outcast at my old school and I was hated by basically everyone."

He sighed. "When you wake up on a Saturday morning, what do you do?"

"Get ready for the day and go downstairs for breakfast?" Kurt wasn't sure where he was going.

"Who cooked?"

"My stepmom."

"When you have dinner, who's there?"

"My dad, stepmom, and stepbrother. Occasionally my stepbrother's girlfriend."

"If you were to wake up in a hospital, what's the first thing you see?"

Kurt could answer that one vividly. "My dad, worried out of his mind."

"You have people," Thad restated. He stood up and left, leaving Kurt to mull over the conversation.