#tmhsp10

Well, hell sees her shadow in my backseat And her friends are standing right in front of me World wide from the center burning turkey Open up, said everybody loves me!

Soft piano music, the gentle tinkle of glasses, and warm, dark lighting gave the hotel's bar a very inviting atmosphere. Hunter straightened the collar of his shirt and then slid onto one of the padded stools. The bartender - a short, plump woman with a haircut that reminded him of the brainy girl from Scooby Doo - caught sight of him and smiled.

"Evening, sir. Can I get you something?"

Hunter gave her a playful half-smile as he pulled out his driver's license - not that the woman looked at it. "Can you decide for me? As long as it's strong, I don't mind what's in it." The blush that rose into her cheeks greatly improved her appearance and she nodded and moved away toward the shelves that lined the back wall.

Turning to survey the room, Hunter felt his smile fade. The trip had been going well so far. It was Saturday night, and the group had spent nearly the entire day on the beach. Though it had been mostly too chilly for swimming, sunbathing, frisbee, and volleyball were still valid options and Hunter had done his share of all three. It had been nice to get his mind off of school for a little while, but as was normally the case as soon as his thoughts were freed from one worry others hurried to take its place.

It had been impossible not to notice - not to see it nearly everywhere he looked - but somehow the casual road trip had turned into more of a couple's vacation. Mike and Cassie. Sebastian and Blaine. Tina and Sugar. The only unattached misfits were Hunter and Amanda. Hunter didn't know her thoughts on the subject since he hadn't asked, but he'd been extremely conscious of his third-wheel status ever since they'd all left McKinley.

All day he'd watched the playful teasing, the flirting, the occasional kissing of those around him, and while such things didn't normally bother him at all in sparse doses, for the last twenty-four hours he felt as if he'd been submerged in a concentrated vat of other people's love. It was awkward, it was uncomfortable, and it made him feel horribly, wretchedly alone, which was why (as soon as everyone else had retreated into their rooms), Hunter was to be found in the hotel's bar. Generally speaking he didn't approve of drinking, but he was more than willing to make an exception tonight if only the burn of the alcohol would provide him a distraction for a little while.

And you don't have to make a sound Cause they got what you need Oh Oh Oh Oh

The lounge wasn't full, but there were a few people milling around or nursing drinks at the little tables - lonely people like himself, perhaps, who were just looking for a temporary escape from reality. Hunter noticed several pairs of eyes on himself and he tried not to smirk as he accepted the drink from the still blushing bartender. He sipped it unconcernedly and winked at the bartender over the rim of the glass.

Oh my! Feels just like I don't try Looks so good I might die All I know is everybody loves me!

His heartbeat picked up at last as he caught the eye of a woman sitting at the end of the bar. She was young, much closer to his own age than the thirty-something bartender, and her hair fell in a pretty cascade of nut-brown curls over her slender shoulders. She gave him a smile that was two parts shy with just a hint of mischief, and Hunter casually made his way to the stool beside her. Half an hour later he was closing out both their tabs and following her out of the bar.

Get down, Swaying to my own sound Flashes in my face now All I know is everybody loves me Everybody loves me!

The door of her room closed behind them, plunging them into darkness, and Hunter felt her tremble with eagerness as he pressed her first against the wall and later the mattress. Her breath was warm along his neck, her taste very sweet on his tongue. His shoulders and hips shook as he pushed into her, and her soft moans filled up the blackness that surrounded them. She clung to him and he held her until she cried out. His release hit him a few seconds later and he collapsed beside her on the sweaty sheets.

Hours later when the little clock on the bedside table read 4am, Hunter carefully and quietly unwound himself from her arms and slipped to the edge of the bed to pull on his pants. Her fingers stroked slowly along the bottom of his spine and she whispered something to him, still mostly asleep. Hunter turned, his shirt in his hand, and leaned down to kiss her first on the forehead and then on the mouth. Humming drowsily, she smiled up at him.

"Mm.. you're leaving?"

Hunter kissed her again and grazed her lip with his tongue. "I've got your number. I'll give you a call later, baby. Go back to sleep."

He watched as she smiled again and rolled over, and he tucked the blankets around her body before letting himself quietly out of the room. He didn't feel bad about any of it - not about going with her and not about leaving. As he'd gazed into her eyes, the color of which was already fading from his memory, he imagined he'd seen a flicker of sadness. Maybe her life was a mess too, just like his. It was alright then, in the end. He hadn't used her.. or if he had, then she'd been using him right back. She had her motives and he had his. All he didn't have was her number.

Hello, hello Anybody out there? Cause I don't hear a sound Alone, alone I don't really know where the world is but I miss it now

Kurt carefully climbed out his bedroom window, out onto the ledge of the roof of his home in Edmonton. The spot overlooked the woods behind the two-story house that he and his father called home. Settling down into his favored spot, close enough to the window to clamber back in easily, with enough space to sit comfortably. Kurt’s gaze wandered over the top of the treetops, towards the stars that were just starting to sneak out. He shivered as the wind gusted about him, just barely warm enough in the October air with his sweater on. But the cold wouldn’t get to him tonight. He had too much else on his mind. How much longer can I do this? he thought, wrapping his arms around his knees. I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name Like a fool at the top of my lungs Sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright But it's never enough

Freshman year wasn’t supposed to be this hard, was it? Yet it seemed like everything had changed the moment Kurt had walked into high school. Some of the faces were the same from middle school, but their expressions seemed harder. Their eyes judged him wherever he went. And the few people he’d called friends back in middle school? Well, they’d hardly spoken to him ever since the year started…

Cause my echo, echo Is the only voice coming back Shadow, shadow Is the only friend that I have

Kurt knew why that was. He could hear the whispered conversations in the hallways. It wasn’t like he hadn’t heard snide comments about being gay back in middle school. But it was only one or two times, and he’d brushed it aside. It hadn’t mattered, and he wasn’t about to come out and confirm suspicions. But it was different now. Suddenly the comments weren’t so innocent. He’d heard some rather… unsavory phrases being associated with him from some upperclassman. People who didn’t even know him. They just assumed things about him… Listen, listen I would take a whisper if that's all you had to give But it isn't, is it? You could come and save me and try to chase the crazy right out of my head

Mom would know what to do, he thought, curling up a bit more against the wind. He’d never had to explain himself to his mother. She just always knew what he was thinking, what was worrying him. But that wasn’t an option anymore. Hadn’t been option in years. And his dad… well, Burt tried, he really did. But he never seemed to understand Kurt in the same way his mother had. And as far as Kurt knew, Burt had no idea what was bothering him. How could he? Kurt was terrified of telling his father the truth. He’d heard enough horror stories of parents who had turned their backs on their children the moment they found out they were different. That they were… I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name Like a fool at the top of my lungs Sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright But it's never enough Cause my echo, echo Is the only voice coming back Shadow, shadow Is the only friend that I have

Kurt bit his lip, glancing up at the stars. He was running out of options though. Today he’d nearly broken down by his locker when heard a group of juniors talking about him. And then the look of disdain from that senior… And the whispered insult from a couple sophomore jocks… He didn’t’ have any friends he could just run to and talk about it with.  Maybe he should just bite the bullet, tell his father the truth. At the least he could get some piece of mind. Someone to get some advice from. And if Burt didn’t approve, didn’t want to see Kurt anymore… at least he could stop worrying about the inevitable. I don't wanna be an island I just wanna feel alive and Get to see your face again  I don't wanna be island I just wanna feel alive and Get to see your face again

“Dad won’t do that,” Kurt whispered, trying to reassure himself. “Even if he doesn’t show it… He cares just as much as Mom did…” Maybe even more so. How many times had Burt tried to help Kurt with his sewing projects? Of course, those had all ended in disaster, but he’d tried. He’d even sat through a viewing of Wicked with Kurt. Granted, he’d asked a bunch of questions and wondered aloud if there really needed to be that much dancing, but… He tried. He did. But 'til then Just my echo, my shadow You're my only friend and I'm

And hadn’t his father always said Kurt could come to him about anything? Maybe he even knew already. Kurt had noticed his father giving him more concerned looks since the school year started. Maybe… I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name Like a fool at the top of my lungs Sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright But it's never enough

“It’s now or never,” Kurt decided, getting up from his spot on the roof. For better or for worse, he was going to come out to his father. Even if this didn’t change anything for school, at least he’d have someone to talk to. He wouldn’t be alone. Not in this. Nodding, Kurt climbed back into his bedroom, ready to seek out his father.

Cause my echo, echo Oh my shadow, shadow

“Well you can’t win ‘em all…” Finn reminded himself again as he wandered through campus. The football game hadn’t gone as he planned. MKU had done really well in the first half: Finn had thrown two touchdowns, they managed to keep the opposing school down to only a measly field goal, and it was looking like an easy win. Then they reached the second half, and MKU’s defense fell apart. They were rolled over in the second half. But that’s how games were sometimes: you win some, you lose some. Still, it didn’t stop the loss from stinging Finn’s pride. And thus here he was, a Saturday evening endlessly wandering around campus, trying to get his mood down before he headed back home.

The quarterback glanced up as he realized where his feet had led him in his random wanderings. Victors Hall. He’d been there earlier in the week with Cassie for her “audition.” The band hadn’t gotten very far the rest of the week. Finn had been distracted by planning for the GTA V purchase and schoolwork. He’d get back to it soon. But at least one thing had come from that audition: he’d discovered a place to practice.

In middle and high school, Finn had taught himself how to be a drummer. It started out banging around on pots to the radio and what-not, but eventually his mom had found him a second-hand drum set, put ‘em in the basement, and Finn had been banging on them ever since.  Whenever he had a bad day, he’d head downstairs, stick on guitar backing or even the actual songs, and play drums along with the music. No matter what mood he was in when he started, by the end he’d be smiling and happy.

And now that he’d found the practice halls, he could continue that practice. Grinning, Finn hurried inside, heading down the deserted hallway to the practice room with a drum set he’d found earlier in the week. Luckily the place was empty; well it was dinnertime after all, and a Saturday night to boot. Fine by Finn; he’d have the place to himself. Closing the door to the room behind him, Finn slipped off his jacket and settled in behind the drum set. Picking up the set of drumsticks lying there, he banged around a bit, feeling his muscles warm up with the sticks in his hands before pulling out his ipod. It only took him a moment to find the song he was thinking of. As the guitar started and the singer came on, Finn started playing along.

Manage me, I'm a mess Turn a page, I'm a book half unread I wanna be laughed at, laughed with just because I wanna feel weightless and that should be enough

This had been Finn’s anthem back in high school. He hadn’t really understood the lyrics the first time he heard it, just enjoyed the beat and drum along whenever it came up on the radio. But then he started listening, and started feeling like the song was about him. But I'm stuck in this fucking rut,  Waiting on a second hand pick me up And I'm over getting older If I could just find the time Then I would never let another day go by I'm over getting old

Finn had never left Philly growing up, aside from trips up to Lancaster to visit his grandparents. Every day was the same: school, football, video games. There had to be something more than that. Even in high school he knew that. He was going to get out of there, he knew. He was going to go to Penn State, kick ass in school, and then get picked up by the NFL and see the world. Finn smiled a bit as he started singing along while he drummed.

Maybe it's not my weekend but it's gonna be my year And I'm so sick of watching while the minutes pass as I go nowhere And this is my reaction to everything I fear 'Cause I've been going crazy I don't want to waste another minute here

Things hadn’t been as simple as all that of course. Penn State didn’t happen. Now he was at McKinley. Sure the location had changed, but that hadn’t altered his plans. He was going to make a name for himself, no matter what was thrown at him. Make believe that I impress That every word by design turns a head I wanna feel reckless, wanna live it up just because (Just because) I wanna feel weightless 'cause that would be enough

Finn knew people thought he was just a dumb football player. Sure, he did silly stuff sometimes, like talking about how to deal with the Sharkpocalypse with Shay or running off to find Storybrooke with Brittany. But he was having fun. That’s all that mattered to him. He was going to live his life, make friends, have an amazing time, and in the end, he was going somewhere. He knew it.

This could be all that I've waited for (I've waited, I've waited for) And this could be everything, I don't wanna dream anymore

But in the back of his mind, Finn wondered… what if it didn’t all work out? Maybe he wouldn’t get drafted. Maybe he’d end his adventure here in New York. But… Maybe it's not my weekend but it's gonna be my year And I've been going crazy, I'm stuck in here (I'm stuck in here)

No, that wasn’t the case. Finn grinned as he sped up the drumming. Even if he had some shortcomings, he knew he was going somewhere. This weekend was just a setback, just one little loss. In the grand scheme of things, it didn’t mean anything. He’d get there. Finn was going to make a name for himself, show his mother an amazing life that she was never able to give him, and through it all he was going to be happy. Maybe it's not my weekend but it's gonna be my year (it's gonna be my year) And I'm so sick of watching while the minutes pass as I go nowhere (go nowhere) And this is my reaction to everything I fear (everything I fear) 'Cause I've been going crazy I don't want to waste another minute here