FEBRUARY, 1988, SEATTLE, WA

            DALTON'S LAW OF definite proportions. A chemical reaction always proceeds according to the ratio defined by the balanced chemical equation.

These were the words pounding through Lindy's head as she walked to her first test chemistry exam of the new semester, clutching her backpack and recounting in her head all the information she had studied the week before. 

As she walked the campus through hundreds of milling students, she recalled the previous night, when Kurt had helped her study with homemade flash cards.

"Okay, this one," he'd said, holding it up to her face.

Lindy squeezed her eyes shut, trying to remember her pages of notes from lecture.

"Okay, that's definitely the molecule for sodium chlorite."

"How the hell did you know that?" Kurt asked in wonder, flipping the card over and looking at it for himself.

"Practice," Lindy had sighed, exhaustion rushing over her, heavy and fast.

That felt like it had happened ages ago. Now, Lindy was meeting her fate as she pushed open the downstairs door to her building, entering the first lecture classroom and taking a seat.

As she unpacked her pencil and a loose leaf sheet of paper, a voice whispered across the next seat over from her.

"Hey, it's Lindy, right?"

Lindy looked up abruptly, staring into the face another young student. He looked to be maybe a year or two older than her, with light brown eyes and and a kind smile.

"Yeah it is. Hi," she offered, though she returned quickly to digging through her bag, trying to find a better eraser than the nubby one on her pencil.

"This is kind of random, but my name is Daniel and I was wondering if you'd want to do that upcoming project with me for this class. My other friend Candice is in my group as well, but we need one more person."

Lindy laughed a little nervously. "Uh, sure. But I can't promise I'll be much of help. Chemistry isn't really my strong suit."

"I doubt it," the boy smiled back, his eyes shining at her in a way that made it plainly obvious what was going on — he was hitting on her, and he was hitting on her hard.

Lindy smiled back politely, but turned back to her desk supplies and began to organize them neatly. It was flattering, having someone look at her like she was actually worth staring at, but it did not matter.

She had Kurt. Her heart and mind were consumed by him, and it didn't matter how many men looked her away with a yearning interest to catch her eye. She didn't feel anything towards them. For her, there was only Kurt. Every other guy had melted into the background of her life, never to be taken notice of.

Once the test was over, Lindy prepared to leave feeling way more confident than she did coming in. There was no way she had gotten anything below a B.

As she walked out, Daniel called for her again.

"We're meeting up this Thursday night at my apartment, seven p.m sharp. I'll have wine there, too," he grinned, as if this might have sealed the deal for her. 

Lindy only laughed. "Okay. Thanks."

She strode out of the building, not looking back at her new admirer. In her opinion, he ought to give up on her now before he became truly disappointed.

No one, not a single person in the world, would ever compare to the beautiful human waiting for her to return from class at that very moment.

_________

Instead of going to her dormitory, Lindy hitched a ride on the bus to Kurt's place. It dropped her off a few streets over, which was unfortunate since a misty drizzle of rain began to come down from the sky.

Holding her jacket over her head, Lindy ran down sidewalk until she was at the house, hurrying up the front porch and letting herself in. She could hear evidence of an apparent jam session going on from inside, the floor practically quaking. The door, as usual, was unlocked.

She was welcomed in by the shrieking sound of guitars and pounding of drums and Kurt's voice singing. They had set up in the living room, their equipment strewn haphazardly across the floor like a maze. Kurt was standing lead, his long, normally matted hair pulled back with a rubber band. Krist was behind him with his bass slung over his shoulders, and their new drummer, Chad, was going at it on his drum set.

Two guys that Lindy vaguely knew from their frequent stops by to watch the guys play were sitting on the couch, nodding their heads to the music.

Lindy smiled and held her hand up in wave, slinking past the performance and into the kitchen to make herself a quick snack. To her pleasant surprise, Shelli already had a sandwich laid out on the counter for her. It was very much like her to know Lindy would be coming.

"You're a goddess!" Lindy shouted over the riff of guitars. Shelli grinned, closing the fridge and sliding her a can of Coke.

"Anything for my child," she teased. Lindy grabbed her plate and Coke, retreating back into the living room where she plunked down in the loveseat and proceeded to devour her sandwich.

The band closed out their last song, the final notes ringing around the room and bouncing off the walls. Lindy put down in her sandwich in time to clap loudly.

"Thank you, thank you, you're too kind," Krist said, bowing with flourish before switching into a curtsy.

"Excellent work there boys," Lindy complimented, dusting sandwich crumbs off her hand and saving her gaze at Kurt for last. He looked at her the same always, like she was the only person in the room.

"You think so?" he asked hopefully, removing his guitar strap from around his neck. "We've got a gig this Thursday. I want to be ready."

Lindy's face fell. "This Thursday?"

"Yeah. Don't make any plans."

"Kurt, I've got a project due for chem soon. Some guy asked me to join his group and I have to go to his house Thursday night."

This had clearly been the wrong thing to say, for Kurt's eyes did the 'thing,' as Lindy liked to call it -- their dreamy blue hue turned stormy, and Kurt pursed his lips, obviously holding back what he really wanted to say.

"You're going to a guy's house?" he asked, sounding off. 

"For a project," Lindy said, emphasizing the word project with relish. "It's for class, just remember that."

"Well, why did he ask you?" Kurt pressed, his brow-line creasing.

"Damn Kurt, you don't think it had to do with the fact that she's as smart as a whip?" Krist piped in, coming to Lindy's defense. She wanted to shoot him a grateful look, but decided against it when she saw Kurt's annoyed expression.

"I know she is. But he obviously singled her out for more than that."

Lindy could not help but to laugh. "How would you know?"

Kurt stared at her, his gaze firm. "Because I know."

He looked away quickly, regaining his composure before carrying on, still seeming affronted by the news that Lindy wouldn't get to see him play for a reasoning that he did not approve of.

"Can't you reschedule then?"

"Kurt, it's not my house or my plans. I've got to stick with it. This is what I signed up for, you know that. I wish I could be there though. I really do."

Kurt did not respond. Instead, he walked broodingly over to the corner of the room where he could set his guitar on its stand. He busied himself in taking its strap off, not meeting the eyes of anyone else in the room. Lindy felt a twinge of guilt, believing that she may have embarrassed him.

Getting up from the couch, she walked over to him and tucked her hands around his waist, resting her cheek on his back. She inhaled, loving the natural scent that he carried, intermingled with smoke and the smell of his body soap.

"I'll make it up to you on your birthday," she murmured. His birthday was coming soon, only a week away.

"You don't have to," Kurt told her. Lindy drew back, stung by his response.

"I want to, though. It'll be your twenty-first birthday." She paused, wondering if now would be an appropriate time to make him laugh. "You'll have your very first sip of alcohol!"

This seemed to lighten his mood. He clutched Lindy's hand and his mouth broke into a tiny half smile.

"There's a first for everything," he said, playing along.

"I'll make it so special," Lindy insisted, stepping back into his embrace and nuzzling herself into the warmth of his arms. "It will be the best birthday that you've ever had."

"It already will be because it'll be my first birthday with you."

"I just want to get you something you'll love," Lindy explained. "But it's hard when I'm jobless and broke."

"No gifts," Kurt said, before smirking impishly . "Does that sound familiar to you?"

Lindy rolled her eyes at him, but continued to mentally turn over what would be a decent thing to give him on his birthday. She couldn't afford anything that she actually wished to gift him -- a new guitar, a record deal, a trip somewhere. Hell, it broke her bank account to even purchase a pack of cigarettes these days.

Feeling nervous about what to do, Lindy chewed the inner corner of her lip, sifting through a variety of different ideas in her head.

"I'm getting him pajamas," Krist announced. "The kid loves his pajamas."

"You're not supposed to tell him that, Krist!" Lindy cried in disbelief.

"I didn't say what kind of pajamas," Krist said defensively.

"I can hardly wait," Kurt said sarcastically, taking Lindy's hand and leading her towards the stairs. They went into his bedroom, curling up beneath his comforter and listening to the sound of the rain beat down steadily harder against the window.

"Seriously," Lindy said, finally breaking the silence, "I don't know what the hell to get you."

"Give me you," he suggested, turning over and taking her face in his hands to kiss her. It was a slow kiss, gradually heightening into something more. Lindy felt a heat flare upwards in her body, never able to resist the lust she had for him. He moved his mouth downwards to her neck, kissing her there with the same leisurely energy. She whimpered with longing when she felt his hand slide into her jeans. But even then, she tried to maintain the conversation.

"Kurt, I'm serious, what do you want?"

He sat up, pulling her along with him. Once upright, he gently helped Lindy out of her jacket, before gingerly taking her shirt off. She stretched her arms above her head, and Kurt took the opportunity to smooth his hands down her arms all the way to her side.

"I want you," he said simply, kissing her again and leaning her back onto the bed, lapsing into the one happy place that he had, the one happy place that existed within him besides when he was on stage, doing what he did best.