Sideways

Chapter 18

"Is that.. Is that what you're wearing?" Kurt asked, wide eyes taking in Rachel's outfit. She was wearing a hot pink, short-sleeved, button-up blouse and a knee-length, champagne pink, pleated skirt, complete with baby pink, knee socks and a pair of slip-on, pink, ballet pumps. A pink, bedazzled head band sat on top of her head and Kurt shuddered at the sight.

"This," Rachel said, nose high in the air. "Is what I call 'Sexy Schoolgirl Librarian Chic'. It's a Rachel Berry original."

"Rachel," Kurt exhaled. "There is a librarian at the local library and she's at least 55 and she dresses better than you. That is definitely not the look of a librarian."

Rachel narrowed her eyes at him. "Well, I happen to like how I look."

Kurt shook his head and gave himself a once-over in his dresser mirror. He smoothed the side of his hair down, then turned to look at Rachel. She was flipping through his CD collection.

"You ready?" he asked.

"I'm very impressed with your musical tastes."

"That wasn't the question," Kurt deadpanned.

"What?" Rachel asked, looking up. "Oh. Right. Did you get him anything?"

Kurt paused for a second. "No."

Rachel laid the CDs down. "I got him a card with a bear on it that says 'Happy BEAR Day' and a voucher for Build-a-Bear."

Kurt choked. "You got Blaine Anderson a voucher for Build-a-Bear? Are you high?"

Rachel sighed, sounding exasperated. Kurt couldn't believe she was serious, but she seemed to be. She rolled her dark eyes and placed a hand on either of her hips.

"Kurt, everyone loves Build-a-Bear! It's a well-known fact!"

"Okay, if you say so," Kurt smirked, because he could not wait to see the look on Blaine's face when Rachel handed him that. "Let's get going."

***

"Oh, uhm...wow," Blaine said, staring down at the rectangular, red voucher, with the orange bear on it, holding big, yellow, block letters that spelled out 'BEAR BUCK$ $30'. "Um, thanks. No one else has gotten me one of these, believe it or not."

Rachel grinned, happily and nodded. She flicked her dark hair over her pink-clad shoulder and said, "You're very welcome. I know we're not really friends, Blaine Anderson, but it is your birthday and I hope you're having a good day."

Blaine smiled, then, because this girl, who he had slushied probably every day since freshman year, was being unnecessarily nice to him. He felt his insides warming. "Thanks," he shrugged. "Um, I hope you have a good time."

Rachel nodded, then turned around and walked towards Finn Hudson, who had just entered with Sam Evans and Artie Abrams.

"So, what's the expiration date on that thing?"

Blaine turned around and saw Kurt standing there, smiling at him. He was dressed in a dark jacket, with an azure shirt underneath. He was wearing his usual tight pants, but today they were white and showed off his finer assets. Blaine looked back up to Kurt's face and smiled.

"I have no idea, but I'll make sure I don't miss it," Blaine told him, placing the card and the voucher inside his mother's glass unit.

"Well, I don't think my gift can beat that, to be honest."

"I told you not to get me anything," Blaine said. A gift from Kurt would just be a painful reminder of what he could never have again. The past week had been bad enough. They'd been sort of shy around each other, which was ridiculous, really, but things had changed, Blaine guessed.