"Can I help you?" The man at the door raised his eyebrow at me, probably confused. A sweating teenage boy accompanied by a guitar showing up at your door probably doesn't happen every day.
"Yeah, probably. Is Kurt here?"
He narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, he's downstairs in his room. You a part of the Glee Club or something?"
"Uh, no. Football team."
"Oh, well, okay then. Come on in. Just follow this hallway." He pointed me in the right direction.
"Cool, thank you."
I made my way down the hallway, kind of barging in, which might've been a bit rude. But hey, what do you expect from me?
"Dad, I'm bu- Cole?" He was sitting in front of a mirror, probably doing some sort of makeup thing, beats me.
"Hey, Kurt."
"What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see you."
"...what for?"
"You got me thinking."
"About?"
"Well, you."
"Me?"
I sighed and jogged down the rest of the stairs. "Yes. You're right."
"About what, Cole? You're being really vague..."
"I'm sorry. I'm just nervous." I pulled my guitar off my back and placed it on the bed. But then I just stared at it.
"You don't have to be. You can talk to me."
"I know, Kurt. I know." I sighed. What was I supposed to say here? I can't get you off my mind since you questioned me about my singing and I guess I kind of want to impress you but I'm so nervous I could throw up? "I've never sung for anyone before."
"Aha! So you do sing."
"Congrats, you figured it out."
A small hint of hurt showed on his face, but then he apologized. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I pressured you, didn't I?"
"No, no. It's alright. I think I want to."
"I'd love to hear you."
"Just...don't tell anyone, okay?"
"Okay, sure, Cole."
I sat down and took another breath to try to ease my panic. This is Kurt, I reminded myself. He's not going to make fun of you.
Is he?
I started the first chords of the very familiar tune. "It's kind of a depressing song. But everything I like is."
"That's okay." Kurt said, walking over to sit cross legged on his bed by me, which didn't help the fact I was freaking out. Of course he had to be close to me. Of course he had to actually hear me. Oh, god. What was I thinking?
But suddendly, as effortlessly as my hands played the notes, the lyrics came out. "I tried to be perfect, but nothing was worth it, I don't believe it makes me real. I thought it'd be easy, but no one believes me, I meant all the things that I said. If you believe it's in my soul, I'd say all the words that I know, just to see if it would show, that I'm trying to let you know, that I'm better off on my own."
I thought that maybe I should look up at Kurt, but quickly decided against it, knowing it would freak me out to know what he was thinking.
"This place is so empty, my thoughts are so tempting, I don't know how it got so bad. Sometimes it's so crazy, that nothing could save me, but it's the only thing that I have..."
The chorus came around again, followed by a more complex guitar riff and my favorite verse. "I tried to be perfect, it just wasn't worth it, nothing could ever be so wrong. It's hard to believe me, it never gets easy, I guess I knew that all along. If you believe it's in my soul..."
I continued, and to my surprise it wasn't only my voice anymore. It was a higher, sweeter and way nicer one, too- Kurt's. "I'd say all the words that I know, just to see if it would show that I'm trying to let you know..." I shut up, letting Kurt finish by himself. "That I'm better off on my own,"
I still didn't look at him, instead just staring down at my now silent guitar. In the silence, Kurt spoke first. "Cole..."
"Don't," I interrupted, standing up. "I don't want to know."
"Cole. That was beautiful. Really amazing. We could use a voice like yours in Glee Club." He got off the bed as well, placing his hand on my arm. I let him, and didn't say anything. Until he said, "I'm serious," at which point I shrugged him off.
"No."
"No?"
"Do you know how hard it was for me to do that for just you? And I actually like you, Kurt."
"Stage fright?" He questioned quietly.
"I guess that's the word for it." I grumbled, hating to have to admit it.
"People overcome that fear all the time," He said encouragingly.
"Stop it, Kurt. You swore not to tell."
He looked at the floor. "Alright, fine...I'm sorry. But you have serious talent, you shouldn't hide it."
"Kurt..." I muttered, slighty frustrated.
"From me, at least." He moved so he was in front of me and we finally made eye contact.
I sucked in my cheeks, but agreed. "Alright. Will do."
Kurt smiled. "Great."
•••
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𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝑩𝒐𝒚 ꨄ︎ 𝑮𝒍𝒆𝒆
FanfictionCole Newman is new at McKinley High. He's sarcastic and rude, but has some serious talent for football- and singing. However, he's got really bad stage fright, but he'd rather die then admit it. When someone comes around and melts through Cole's col...