Rachel Barbra Berry doesn't lose.

Or at least that's what she was trying to tell herself. Yes. You guessed it. That good old Finn Hudson had broken her heart… again. She should have seen it coming. What kind of future did they have together anyway? They were polar opposites. She was ambitious, intelligent, determined, over dramatic, controlling and bossy. She could admit even that to herself. He was placid, unintelligent, funny and gentle, boring and negligent. They never could have worked.

As soon as high school finished Rachel was heading out to some exclusive college that would set her on the straight golden path to Broadway. After school Finn would be lucky to make it into college. That was a bit harsh, but Rachel was angry. Oh yes she was so angry. She didn't have the time or the patience to be sad anymore. She was a senior at William McKinley High School, captain of the Glee Club, which under her fantastic lead vocals had won Nationals last year. She was a member of the ballet club, speech club, mock United Nations club, renaissance club, Muslim students club and black students union. She had already received early acceptance into so many different colleges... what with her amazing grades, extra curriculars and amazing auditions. What did she even need Finn for anyway?

So if Rachel wasn't going to lose, she better not let anything distract her from winning.

So she knew to win she would have to act like everything was normal. The next day she woke up at six, drank her protein drink, ran on the elliptical for twenty minutes, then got dressed, brushed her teeth and was out the door.

It was Monday. Which meant no glee practice, and Rachel was grateful for that. One step at a time, she cautiously reminded herself.

Of course there was still Science, which she had to endure with him. But instead of dealing with him straight off she sat next to Tina, which she scolded herself for. She should have gotten it over with.

She was going to talk to him at lunch. She spotted him over at the cafeteria at his usual table. He always sat with the football team. Another thing she didn't like about him. He never sat with her. She sat at what they called the Glee Club table with Tina and Mike (Mike always sat by his girlfriend even though he was on the football team) and Mercedes. Kurt, before moving to Dalton used to sit with them. Quinn had sat with them in the days when she was an outcast. Now the whole school had nearly forgotten about her teen pregnancy, now that she was head cheerleader again. She sat at the cheerio's table with fellow glee clubbers Brittany and Quinn's rival Santana. Puck, Sam and Artie sat with the footballers. Artie was cool now, which according to Rachel who had been in Artie's class since kindergarten, was weird. Finn sat with them in the small period in which he was kicked off the football team.

So she was heading straight for the jock table when something caught her eye, making her stop. It was a bright blue flyer reading; PROM NOVEMBER 10TH.

All of a sudden Rachel turned and fled the cafeteria. She was going to need a new game plan.

It was seven pm, that night and Rachel was on her laptop. She had just posted her nightly myspace video and had finished her homework. Now she had an important task to complete.

Phase one of the game which Rachel liked to call life. MSN Finn Hudson.

She opened up Messenger and saw he was online. He immediately sent her a message.

Quarterback: Hey Rach

Barbra_Streistand_2.0: Hi Finn

Quarterback: Are you still mad about the Santana thing…coz i'm sorry I didn't tell you… I kind of regretted it and wanted to pretend it didn't happen

Barbra_Streistand_2.0: Yes Finn I am still a bit mad. It hurt me that you would keep something like that from me.

Quarterback: I'm really sorry Rach. Pls don't b mad…

Barbra_Stresitand_2.0: Finn I gtg dad is calling me

Quarterback: Hold on! Do you want to go to Prom w me?

Barbra_Streistand_2.0: yes.

Quarterback:

Barbra_Streistand_2.0 logged off

How could she have forgotten about Prom? The single most important night in the school social calendar? And did she think she would be able to win the game if she didn't even have a date to Prom? No. She was going to have to keep Finn around a little longer.

But it was hard. She was still so hurt and angry… she felt so uncomfortable around him. Yes she still loved him a little. She could feel it, under all that and anger and hurt she still loved him.

And she would continue loving him… for a while at least. She knew they weren't forever. She felt a bit bad for leading him on like they had a future. She felt bad about a lot of things. Something she would need to change if she was ever going to make it.

So to feel less bad about herself and her relationship with Finn she did what she did best (apart from singing of course). She made a list.

She was inspired, during the bus trip home (she didn't usually catch the bus but Finn had wanted her to come over for the afternoon and he always caught the bus home. She heard a girl in front of her listening to her Ipod. The song playing was practically ancient but she still remembered it. It was Miley Cyrus. The song – seven things.

SEVEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT FINN HUDSON

His smile

His voice

His name

His eyes

The way he cares so much about his family

The way he is so devoted to Glee

He loves me

So every time she felt bad or doubt about their relationship or Finn she would look at that list.