When Kurt said he didn't see it coming, he was telling the truth. It had lasted the whole week long. The anonymous cards, the balloons at lunch, the gorilla grams. He just figured it was Blaine compensating for being stuck at home all week. It was almost Valentine's Day, so it made sense why he would be sending cards.

Kurt was so eager to get to see him again, so he showed up to Breadstix almost half an hour early. The restaurant wasn't that big, and it was obvious Blaine wasn't there yet. Kurt sighed, content to wait however long for him. But when he turned around, the big gorilla suit stood in front of him. Kurt was handed a box of chocolates, with another card taped to the front of it. His finger traced over the decorated edges of the cardstock as he read the words aloud.

"Dear, Kurt. Happy Valentine's Day. I think I love you." His big grin slowly faded away. He'd been dating Blaine for nearly a year, and he thought he loved him? He had trouble coming up with something to say, so he remained honest.

"Wait," he began, "you think you love me?"

The person in the gorilla costume pulled off its head. David Karofsky. They stared at each other for several seconds, the silence was deafening between them.

"Karofsky," Kurt managed to spit out. The bigger boy smiled at him, and they both stepped over to sit down at a booth. No one else had arrived for Sugar's party yet, so they were alone, other than the employees.

Kurt was a little more than confused by what was going on. David had basically forced him out of McKinley after physically hurting him and kissing him, and he was sending him candy and cards? Kurt could barely look him in the eye as he put a sentence together in his head. His fingers traced over the card again, a distraction from the person across from him.

"So, you tormented me, shoved me into lockers, called me horrible names, and kissed me. Now after one conversation in a bar you want us to be together?" he asked. Kurt honestly still felt a little nervous just being around him. It wasn't nearly as bad as it had been junior year, but there were still those scars he had left. Kurt wasn't going to just ignore him, but there was no way they would ever be together. Not after what he had done.

"When I was at McKinley, I hated who I was. I took that out on you because there you were, so proud." Kurt looked up at him, his jaw tight. I've wanted to call you since that night at Scandals, and look, it's taken me a while, but for the first time in my life I'm trying to be honest about what I feel." Karofsky reached over and took hold of Kurt's hand. Kurt didn't grab his back. He didn't want to hold hands with David. He thought he had genuinely changed since the year before, but it felt wrong being affectionate with him.

Kurt pulled away from his hand and took a sip of his Diet Coke. "Look, David, I'm flattered, I-I really am, but you just think that you love me. You don't really." He wanted to say more, but Karofsky interrupted. Kurt looked at the door, wanting someone, anyone, to come in so their conversation could be over.

"You've helped me so much, Kurt, you don't know," Karofsky said. "I haven't come out at school yet, but maybe next year." Kurt let out a sigh. It wasn't rude, he just felt awkward.

"Look, David. I am so proud of you for coming so far," he told him, and he meant that. "And I want you to be happy, a-and you will be. But I'm with Blaine." Karofsky looked at him, almost with a desperate look in his eyes. "I-I like you, David, but just as friends."

Karofsky huffed and grabbed his jacket. "I should go." Kurt didn't want to turn him away, it was just so complicated. But then on the other hand it really wasn't.

"Wait," Kurt stammered. "No, you don't have to go." He stood up in an attempt to stop him. Kurt didn't want to leave things like that. He knew what it felt like to be in love someone he had no chance with.

Karofsky's voice was bitter and hurt. "I hope you like the candies. The butterscotch ones are my favorite." Kurt opened his mouth to say something to him, but Karofsky turned and walked off.

"They're my favorite, too." David stopped walking, and Kurt followed him to see who it was that had said that. There was a blonde boy, sitting at a table with a girl who was obviously his girlfriend. "Karofsky."

"Hey, Nick," Karofsky mumbled. Kurt didn't know the other boy, but it was obvious they went to the same school. If he had seen David there, with him, then that made things obvious. If one person knew Karofsky was gay, then it could just be a matter of hours before his whole school knew.

"You guys hanging out for Valentine's Day?" Nick asked.

Kurt spoke up before he could stop himself. He couldn't let David get outed to his whole school. He wasn't ready. "No, no. We-we used to go to the same school. Just bumped into each other." Karofsky nodded, trying to look convincing.

"That's exactly what it looked like," Nick said sarcastically. Kurt could tell Karofsky was panicking.

"I gotta go," he muttered.

"David," Kurt pleaded. He certainly didn't want it to end that way.

"I'll talk to you later," he called, pushing open the door of the restaurant and hurrying out. Nick started to laugh, and Kurt shot him a look before running after Karofsky. It was freezing cold, but Kurt didn't care. He had to apologize. Karofsky was all the way over to his truck, fumbling with the keys to unlock it.

"David!" Kurt called, jogging over to him. He stuck his hands under his armpits so his fingers wouldn't freeze.

"What do you want?" he snapped, his voice cracking. Kurt took a step back, intimidated by the harshness of his voice.

"I'm-I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry," he stuttered. "I don't want you to feel like I don't like you, because I-I do, David. I just don't want to be with you. I appreciate your cards, and-and the candies, but can we please just be friends?"

Without warning, David turned and pushed him up against his truck. Kurt's head slammed against the window and he winced, caught off guard by his sudden outburst.

"Why would I want to be your friend?" he asked, his voice low and empty. "That guy, Nick, is the captain of the football team. If he knows I'm gay, the rest of the team will know by tomorrow. Do you realize what you've just done?" Kurt tried to wriggle away from him, but his large chunky hand was firmly planted at the base of Kurt's neck. He struggled to breathe, but he wasn't sure if it was from his hand or just the sheer panic of being caught in his grip.

"Don't kiss me," Kurt pleaded. Karofsky let go of his neck and punched him in the nose. The force of the blow was so strong Kurt fell over onto his knees. Loose gravel from the asphalt parking lot embedded in his hand, and he felt blood running down his face.

"Why?" he demanded, getting in his face. Kurt shrunk to the ground, visibly shaking. Karofsky had wanted him to date him not ten minutes ago, and suddenly he was hitting him? Kurt's head hurt too much, or else he would've tried to think of the possible reasons he had turned on him. "Why can't I be with the person I love? You're in love with that curly haired kid, what does he have that I don't?" Kurt pushed him by his shoulders away from him, desperate to put some space between the two of them, but it had no effect. He was so weak already, and pushing him just made him angrier. Kurt didn't see what had set him off. He was like a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

"Don't hurt me," Kurt begged. He tasted blood in his mouth from his nose, and he spit into the grass. He'd had so many bruises from being shoved into the hard metal lockers. He didn't want any more pain like that. He wouldn't wish it on anybody. Just the sight of Karofsky in the hallway was enough to send Kurt into a panic, even after he returned to McKinley the year before. David kicked him right in the stomach. Kurt let out a cry and curled up, arms wrapped around his abdomen. He moaned, feeling sharp, stabbing pain all over his torso. It was possible Karofsky hurt him more, but his vision went funny after his head was slammed against the curb. Kurt felt a kick in his upper back between his shoulder blades and the wind was knocked out of him.

"David," he pleaded, gasping for air.

"Shut up!" Karofsky yelled in his ear. Kurt felt hot tears falling down his cheeks. He knew if he appeared weak in front of him then it would only give him more power, but he couldn't help it. It hurt everywhere. It was like being slammed into a locker a hundred times, and then run over by a bus. The pain in his stomach intensified, and there was a funny taste in his mouth. Kurt coughed and choked, and then his stomach cramped and he threw up on himself and the pavement. Bright lights flashed in his eyes and he heard the screech of tires as David Karofsky got away.

Author's Notes:

I wrote this today in hopes that I could turn it into a multi-chapter thing. I decided to post this before I left on vacation to see what people thought. If you like it enough I'll continue it, so give me feedback!