CHAPTER FIFTEEN

After a long weekend, McKinley welcomed back its students in its usual fashion; packed out hallways, filled with teenagers, gossiping and discussing their previous weekend activities. Most of the jocks were gathered by the dumpsters, reminiscing over the college pool party they were luckily invited to while the Cheerio's were huddled by the locker room whispering and giggling about Lauren Zizes, who they had heard was crushing on Jake Puckerman. All in all, nothing much had changed within the halls of McKinley.

Except it had.

The sassy larger than life black girl, who could usually be found with her closest friends, was sneaking around corners, eyes darting in hopes to avoid the ginger stoner whose laugh was almost endearing to her. The freshmen jock who usually spent his pre-class period in the science lab chatting up the prettiest cheerleader was instead sitting on the bleachers cuddling up to the one that had confused him for months. The pale senior boy who once spent his time discussing the latest fashion magazine with his boyfriend was now weighed down by the shoulder of a strong muscular arm as he tried played nonchalant to the teasing closeness. While the Latina girl who confused the whole school with her rage and unstable sexuality was smiley widely down at her phone as she received short sweet sentences from a girl she once fought to reject.

"… It was totally awesome dude." Brett explained to his friends about a car collision he had witnessed the previous day. His friends, who were at an equal level of stoned, laughed and high fived him in appreciation. "But the best part was when… MERCEDES!" he shouted, spotting the bright neon pink of her jacket. The black girl groaned in annoyance, admitted defeat and walked sluggishly over to him.

"What?" She said impolitely and impatiently, tapping her foot and crossing her arms.

"Don't be like that babe." Brett laughed, reaching out the tug Mercedes closer. The black girl stepped out of his reach and arched her brow.

"Hunny, I am just not into you." Mercedes said bluntly, looking his up and down in displeasure.

"That's not what you implied on Saturday, over Skype." Brett answered smugly, wagging his eyes at his friends, who ohh'd and ahh'd.

"I spoke to you for about 20 minutes. You asked me to hear you out, I heard you, I disconnected the call. End of." Mercedes replied, suddenly feeling awkward in front of her Alpha's interested friends. "Besides I told you…. Kurt!" she shouted loudly, spotting her best friend walking towards her, with Puck attached to him. She ran over to get into step with them. "Have I missed something?" she asked, eyeing Kurt and Puck skeptically.

"Kurt's agreed to give us a go." Puck answered quickly, with a smug grin on his face. Mercedes shot a curiously look towards Kurt, who rolled his eyes in return.

"No I haven't. I still haven't decided, I just like his arms." Kurt replied like it was obvious. Puck's grin just grew further more.

"He's going to make a decision by the end of the day though right?" Puck asked turning from Mercedes to his Beta. Kurt gnawed his bottom lip for a second, his eyes darted between his best friend and Alpha and than subtly nodded.

"Fine, yes I will… Santana!" Kurt yelled and ducked out of Puck's hold and skipped away from the questioning teens. Santana lifted her dark eyes from her phone up to the pale boy and groaned in irritation.

"What do you want Hummel?" she asked without her usual snap.

"How's Dani?" Kurt asked with a smug smile on his face as he walked in step with the Latina.

"She's Ok. Not that it's any of your business." She replied, eyes falling back down to her phone to read yet another message from the Beta in question.

"When are you next seeing her?" Kurt questioned further.

"After school, and before you ask, no you can not hang out with us." Santana answered, flipping her dark locks over her shoulder and fixing Kurt with a stern look.

"I'm glad you have decided to finally listen to your heart-"

"Ryder!" Santana interrupted, not wanting to listen to Kurt be a hypocrite. Ryder, who was walking through the front entrance of the school, stopped talking to Unique to look over at Santana nervously. "Just wanted to apologize for pretending I was into you… well, falsely promising sexual favors that I had absolutely no intention on following through with." She attempted a sweet smile which came out more like a grimace. Kurt, Ryder and Unique looked at her in puzzlement. "I also think you and Plus size Rupaul here wont make a completely hideous couple." She finished with a shrug and walked on , Kurt hot on her heels.

"I'm proud of you." Kurt whispered quietly as he leaned in once he caught up with her.

"I seriously have no idea what you're on about." Santana mumbled, rolling her eyes. Kurt however, could see the vulnerability in her eyes, so in an act of impulse, he hugged her. Tightly. "God, you are so gay." She groaned and not so gingerly peeled him off of her and stormed down the hall.

Kurt watched her fade amongst the flood of students with a smile on his face.

"Say it." Blaine demanded playfully down the phone at lunch. He had been able to steal himself away from the rest of the group after shoveling down his food. His current location was the science lab.

"Don't be needy, Killer." Sebastian's exasperate voice came back down the receiver.

"I don't think it's needy for you to say three words to me."

"Suck me off."

"Wrong three words Seb." Blaine smiled, but it was tired and weak. He knew he sounded pathetic and weak, but this was important to him and if Sebastian couldn't appreciate it, Blaine wouldn't know what to do.

"You know how I feel about you." Sebastian replied, now sounding slightly angry. "Why are you making a big issue out of this? No one likes a drama queen B."

"I want you to say it."

"Fucking hell." Sebastian mumbled barely audibly before sighing deeply. "I care about you deeply."

Blaine exhaled heavily and hung up the phone without so much as a goodbye.

It had been weeks since Sebastian had practically demanded possession of Blaine and the Beta was beginning to have doubts. With Kurt, things were so simply, easy and carefree. With Seb, everything was a battle, a competition, a fight for control and Blaine was official tired. He loved Sebastian, he really did, more than he probably thought healthy and all he wanted was an inkling that his Alpha felt the same. But his Alpha was Sebastian Smythe, probably the most infuriating and stubborn man he had ever known and as much as it made Blaine want to rip his hair out, he knew without the snark and arrogance that Sebastian wouldn't be the same.

Still, everyone wants to know their loved, especially by the person who was supposed to love them unconditionally.

His phone bleeping to signal a message ripped Blaine from his inner brooding. Cracking his neck from side to side until it clicked loudly, he opened the latest message from his Alpha.

It always was and always will be you.

It wasn't 'I love you' but it felt just the same.

Blaine smiled widely and hugged his phone tightly to his chest.

"Hello Dani. This is Finn, my Soulmate." Rachel greeted as she bumped into the New Yorker in the parking lot at the end of the day. She elbowed Finn in his ribs, causing him to let out a whimper and awkwardly wave to the blonde. Dani smiled happily and grabbed Finn's hand in her own and shook it, startling the tall teen.

"Nice to meet you Finn. Is Santana around?" Dani asked, climbing on her tip toes to peer over Finn's shoulder at the crowded school doors.

"Yeah, she was just talking to Puck… here she is." Rachel answered, waving Santana and Puck down as they pushed their way through the crowd, laughing amongst themselves.

"You alright babe?" Dani asked curiously as Santana stopped in front of them and nervously bowed her head and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Oh I'm sorry." Dani recoiled slightly, frowning. "I didn't mean to embarrass.."

"You didn't." Santana said quickly and rather loudly, snapping her head up and unconsciously grabbing onto Dani's wrist. Dani looked down at their connected hands in just as much surprise as Santana did. "You don't embarrass me. Finchel, Fuck off." She ordered, not moving her eyes from Dani's hand. Rachel looked mortified while Finn honestly looked pleased for a reason to leave. "Graduation is a pretty long way away." Santana remarked with an air of nonchalant once Finn practically grappled Rachel away.

"It's a couple of months." Dani chuckled humorously.

"Yeah.." Santana said slowly, moving forward and guiding Dani's hand to drape it over her neck. "Way too long." she whispered and finally closed the gap between them to place the smallest and but significant kisses to the side corner of Dani's mouth.

"Puckerman." Kurt called out, looking past Santana and Dani who were nose to nose in the middle of the parking lot. The scene looked ridiculously romantic and helped Kurt to make his final decision. Puck, who was arguing about Gaga knows what with Finn, turned around expectantly. But before he could even open his mouth to respond, Kurt's lips covered his.

"I hate you." Kurt pouted against Puck's lips.

Puck just grinned widely and pulled Kurt closer by the waist. "I hate you too." He whispered and recaptured Kurt's mouth with his own.

FIN