Chapter 2
Kurt had never felt more depressed. He was once again sat at the back of the choir room but this time, everyone else was in the middle of the room singing or dancing. Rachel had insisted that he not sing the numbers they were rehearsing for Sectionals in a few weeks. Everyone knew that there was no way that Mr Schue was organised enough to have actually chosen the songs they will be performing and all of these songs are likely to be scrapped a day before the competition. Rachel had explained in great detail why she didn’t want Kurt singing and the rest of the New Directions agreed with her. After the song was over Kurt couldn’t control his anger any further.
“As much as I enjoy watching the majority of you perform, I really want to be a part of the group for a change. Sometimes I wonder if any of you even know I exist!” Just as Mr Schue was going to say something reassuring, Rachel decided to take over.
“Kurt, you know if there is even the slightest chance that your mystery soulmate is in another glee club, you shouldn’t rehearse in case they get ideas of our songs. You should take it as a complement that we think you don’t need to practice!”
Kurt was finding the whole experience extremely embarrassing and really wanted the floor to open up so he could fall into a never ending pit of his own misery. Glee club is the only part of Kurt’s day that made him feel good about himself and he was slowly slipping into a state of depression now that he couldn’t do what he loved. What made things worse was the fact that all of his friends agreed with Rachel of all people.
“As much as I hate to say it lady Hummel, I have to agree with the Hobbit. You can’t be giving anything away, so for the sake of the team and by team I do of course mean myself, just quit arguing and sit there or leave.” Santana’s input into the conversation sent Kurt over the edge.
“Fine. If no one wants me here because you are worried about something I have no control over, I will just leave you to it. Have fun at Sectionals with only eleven members.” As Kurt grabbed his bag and rose from his chair, the rest of the group looked at each other and did a quick headcount. They realised Kurt was right, without him there would not be enough members for the group to compete! As Kurt was walking past them towards the door, Puck reached out and grabbed his arm to keep him in the room. Kurt visibly flinched and wrenched his arm out of the footballer’s grasp.
“Kurt, you can’t leave us. We need you. We don’t want to stop you from singing with us, you just have to stop singing during rehearsals.” Kurt had found that the footballers in glee club had actually become pretty good friends so when Puck tried to convince him to stay, he hesitated.
“I promise you, Kurt that this isn’t going to be a permanent problem. As soon as you find this soulmate of yours, we will know exactly what we are dealing with. So for now, will you stay and just run scales with us during warm-ups to keep you at your best? Because Puck is right, we do need you Kurt.” Mr Schue had somehow managed to get Kurt to reconsider his situation, as well as encourage him to actually start looking for his soulmate instead of letting fate decide when they meet.
Kurt let out a long sigh of resignation and the group of friends looked at him with hopeful expressions. He knew he should stand his ground and not let his friends push him around but he also knew that he couldn’t let them down, because there would be no way that they would ever let him back into the group. Kurt silently turned on the spot and walked back over to his seat. As the group cheered in response to his decision, a small forced smile appeared on his face to keep up the façade that he was as happy as he could be in the situation.
“I just can’t believe those people!”
Kurt and Mercedes were in Kurt’s basement room curled up on the futon and watching the Sound of Music. After Kurt’s traumatic day, Mercedes decided that he deserved some much needed girl time and had invited herself over for a while.
“I know Kurt, but at least everyone thinks you are good enough already and that you don’t need to practice.” Kurt was handling this situation like a break-up and the friends were on their second tub of ice cream. Kurt paused with his spoon halfway to his mouth.
“You are sounding more and more like Rachel every day. It’s kind of disturbing.” They looked at each other for a few moments before breaking down in fits of giggles. It was the first time Kurt had properly laughed in weeks.
“Oh no! Quick Kurt do something, I can’t transform into a Berry clone it would ruin my flawless image!”
A few hours later, Burt and Finn walked down into the basement. Finn had told Burt all about Kurt’s soulmate story and what had happened that day in glee club. Burt was dubious at first but as he found more and more information online, he knew he had to check on his son to see how he was handling everything.
“Hey Kid. Oh, hello Mercedes.” Both kids looked up from the film.
“Hiya Mr Hummel, how are you?” Burt had always had a soft spot for Mercedes, and knew what her friendship meant to his son.
“I’m not bad, but I will be better as soon as Kurt tells me about what happened today in that glee club you are all in.” Burt was looking between all three of the kids with a deadly expression.
“Well, I think it is probably time for me to head home. See you tomorrow Kurt! Will you walk me out Finn?” Mercedes knew that Kurt and his father had to be alone so made her way to the stairs, whilst ignoring Kurt’s pleading look.
“I thought you would know your own way round this house by now Mercedes.” Finn didn’t understand why Mercedes was trying to get him out of his own room, but after she had grabbed his arm and dragged him up the stairs she told him to go and play a violent computer game in the living room to give the guys downstairs some privacy.
Meanwhile, downstairs Kurt was telling his dad all about the songs in his head and Rachel’s theories about his soulmate. Burt could see the look of hope in his son’s eyes and knew that he was losing him to a guy that neither of them had met! As Kurt was explaining what had happened in glee that day, he could hear the well-known first lines of the Wicked song Dancing Through Life roll through his mind. Burt could see Kurt’s eyes mist over during his story and wondered if he was hearing his soulmate right in front of him.
“Well Kurt, however this whole situation plays out, I’m proud of you for doing what was right in your club today and I want you to know that just because this guy singing in your head is supposedly your soulmate, you don’t have to throw yourself at him. Remember this Kurt, because you matter and I can’t bear to see you hurt.” Kurt had never felt more love towards his father and threw himself into his arms as the line ‘It’s just life, so keep dancing through’ played in his head and gave him hope.
Blaine had always heard his soulmate’s song choices at the same time each day. Usually there were pop songs or music classics like songs by Journey after school and during Warbler rehearsals, then an odd mix of Broadway, Gaga and Beyoncé throughout the evenings. So when the earlier songs suddenly stopped, Blaine was forced to conclude that maybe his mystery man was in another glee club and had stopped to make sure that his song choices were not overheard. After talking it through thoroughly with Trent, Blaine decided that he had to bring it up with the Warbler Council to make sure if the truth came out and he competed against his soulmate he wouldn’t look like a traitor. Before the next meeting was started, Blaine asked Wes if he could have the floor before the group started rehearsals. Wes slammed the gavel onto the desk a few times to quieten the rowdy boys.
“Before we begin, I believe that Warbler Blaine has something to tell us. You now have the floor Warbler.”
“Thank you Councilman Wes. I actually have something to ask for your opinion on, fellow Warblers for I need your assistance. Have any of you read or heard about the soulmate connection through songs that has recently been discovered?” To Blaine’s surprise all of the Warblers seemed to know what he was talking about.
“Well, I can inform you that I appear to have this connection with my soulmate, who may or may not be in a rival glee club.”
There was a thunderous racket as all of the Warblers began talking at once and it took Wes several thwacks of his precious gavel to calm everyone down.
“If you don’t mind me continuing, I would like to add that since this connection has developed, my soulmate has appeared to have stopped singing at this sort of time, so after school and in rehearsal time. With this in mind I have decided to ask your permission to step down as lead soloist to avoid giving away too much information about our song choices.” Blaine looked down sadly but Wes soon stepped in.
“Permission denied Warbler Blaine. You cannot step down, you might as well leave the group but I cannot have that. Therefore I would like to suggest that we perform more regularly to the whole academy, therefore we can rehearse those performance songs as well as our competition songs. Also if Warbler Blaine sings a wide range of songs outside of rehearsals, this soulmate of his will not know which songs we plan to use for Sectionals. All in favour of this proposition?”
Blaine looked up hopefully and was glad to see that every hand was raised. He was going to continue as the lead soloist and the whole group got the chance to perform more regularly. The only thing that could possibly improve his day, would be that chance to find out a little more about the soul that was linked to his own. He already knew what sort of music he seemed to prefer, so this time in the shower, Blaine chose one of his favourite Wicked songs which always gave him strength during his difficult years at his old school, and hoped it would help his soulmate too.
