Hey there, so I've been working on this for a little while and I just figured I'd put it out there for you to read it...
...it's a two part story so, this is only part one...
"You know graduation is next week," Rachel stated as she sat next to her boyfriend in his living room, on the couch.
Finn just shrugged because he did know that. However, he was currently staring at the TV in front of them far too engrossed in the program that was on to actually have a conversation with Rachel.
That was until she said, "I think we should break up."
Finn immediately reached over and grabbed the remote, clicking the TV off just as Chandler was telling Joey that the word was supposedly not supposably.
"What?" He asked.
Rachel shrugged as she said, "our relationship has run its course."
"What?" The boy repeated because he wasn't sure what that meant exactly.
The Jewish girl smiled, "you and I have had plenty of good times, we've been successful within our relationship. I mean, you were my first." She shrugged, "I'll never forget that, and you'll always have a place in my heart. However," she paused again, making sure she had his full attention, "I'm going to NYADA with Kurt, that's in New York-"
"I know where it is." Finn interjected.
Rachel ignored him, "I'm going there and you're not. You said so yourself, you don't think you could pick up and leave just like that. You never put in an application so there would be no way fro you to go to school at NYADA also, so-"
"Rachel," he said because she was beginning to ramble, and when she did that there was a higher risk of her losing his attention.
The girl smiled, "it's just that when I get to New York, when I get to NYADA I need to focus on my goal. I need to focus on Broadway, not my personal life." She grabbed his hand, "you know that I love you, a part of me always will, I just-I need to start clean, new...focused."
Finn nodded along because he wasn't really sure what to say to all of that.
He realized he didn't really get a say in the whole decision, they were breaking up no matter how he felt about it all.
Rachel continued to hold his hand as she said, "aside from all of that, now you are free to tell Quinn how you really feel."
Finn's eyes widened as he eyed his girlfriend well he guessed she was his now ex-girlfriend, "what?"
Rachel smiled, "please, Finn," she laughed, "you don't honestly think I never noticed when you looked her way?...You know she's valedictorian, you could do something all sweet and romantic for her on graduation day, profess your love for her as she descends the stage away from the podium perhaps."
Finn still had no idea what to say, the only word that seemed to slip through his lips that night was, "what?"
"I understand that you didn't want to hurt me again by feeling something for her. So, you stuck by your choice and you continued to date me. As our relationship progressed I noticed you looking at her lovingly again, those feelings are never going to just disappear Finn." She reached up and brushed her free hand against his face, "Quinn and you are like a force that should not be reckoned with or something." She eyed his confusion before saying, "you're meant to be together and I realize that now. Though I also note that I'm sure you are terrified that she'll say no, you need to put yourself out there Finn. Let her know that you want her again. You must take action before you lose her completely."
Finn was going to object, sure all that Rachel was saying was true, he didn't want to just pick up his things and leave just like that and Quinn was valedictorian and he had started feeling something for her again probably several months prior to now, but he couldn't just tell the blonde. He knew Quinn had moved on, it was clear that she had when she showed up to school with her pink hair and her Ryan Seacrest tattoo (which ended up being fake) along with her forty year-old boyfriend (who was imaginary) but still, she was over him. She ended up pursuing Beth and she and Puck rekindled their flame for a while before it was her and Sam again.
However, none of Quinn's relationships seemed to last, and Finn noticed that too.
Finn had watched Quinn change over the course of their senior year and he couldn't just walk up to her and change it all. He couldn't tell her how he felt, it might just make her world crumble all over again.
"I don't think she's over you," Rachel whispered almost as if she could read his mind.
"What?" Finn said once again.
"Quinn's not over you." She repeated, "I catch her staring at you from time to time as well."
"But-"
"No, this conversation is over," Rachel said snatching the remote from Finn's hands, "that was one of my favorite episodes and you shut it off." She clicked the TV on again and began to stare as a different episode of FRIENDS started playing.
Over the course of the next five days Finn had decided Rachel was right. He ended up trying to talk to Quinn, trying to win her back, however, each time he tried he failed; just like that.
He was too scared to say anything to her so he instead backtracked his steps and always ended up walking away.
"Okay, lookie here Scooby-Doo," Santana said as she shut his locker, causing him to look at her shocked the Friday before graduation.
"Scooby-Doo?" Brittany wondered as she stood beside her girlfriend, "where?" She then preceded to look around the hallway for the aforementioned dog.
Santana rolled her eyes at her adorable girlfriend before looking back to the tall boy standing before her, "I see you hovering around Quinn, you walk over to her and get her attention somehow and almost say something to her before walking away. It's obnoxious." She said, "I mean, come on, you're like a stalker now!" She laughed, "you walk over to her almost seven times a day and what you're doing is so obvious I don't even understa-oh, my God why are you so tall!"
Finn just continued to eye her oddly before saying, "I just am." He shrugged.
Santana nodded, "yeah. Well, it's distracting."
"What is your point?" Finn wondered, because this was kind of freaking him out. Santana and Quinn had had their differences over the past four years but this year was different. This year they had rekindled their actual friendship and were practically inseparable. So, Finn was a little worried that Santana was over here to kick his ass or something, because whenever something was going on with Quinn, Santana took care of it.
The Latina shook her head, "my point; Lanky Kong, is that Quinn told me you're bothering her, so me being the awesome best friend that I is, am telling you to either tell her how you feel or leave her the hell alone okay. She's really stressing about this whole speech thing she's got going and you stalking her is seriously not helping with the whole relief side of it all."
Finn stared at her a minute before saying, "you know how I feel?"
It was Brittany who answered him as she stopped her search for the cartoon dog finally realizing that he mustn't be around anymore, "it's totally obvious that you love her Finn. At least to anyone willing to look."
Finn nodded, "oh, well-"
"Look all I'm saying is you're running out of time." Santana interrupted.
And before the boy could say anything more the couple was off in the other direction walking down the hallway.
"Schools out!" Finn said to his love as she closed her locker looking at him.
"Yeah, but I've still gotta worry about this graduation and everything, so it doesn't really help to know we're out." Quinn told him picking up her bag.
Finn smiled, "yeah, but now you can focus solely on that and not worry about finals and all."
The blonde shrugged, "yeah, I guess."
It didn't matter what Finn did, he couldn't get the girl to smile. It was the end of the last day of school, High School was practically over for them, all they had to do now was get their diploma two days from now and they were officially kissing William McKinley High School goodbye.
Why wasn't she excited about that?
"Look," Finn said as he held the door open for her and they descended the school steps together heading out to the parking lot. "I'm sure your speech is going to be awesome." He told her, "you're Quinn Fabray, you can do anything." As he stopped walking and pulled her arm lightly so she stopped walking too; turning around and looking at him, he gave her his best smile, "writing has always been a strong suit of yours, so this won't be any different than an essay about what you did last summer or a personal narrative over giving birth to Beth and the whole pregnancy thing changed your life-"
"You read that?" Quinn interrupted.
Finn shrugged, "yeah-but that's not my point," he looked at her, really looked at her before his brown orbs locked with her hazel ones, "my point is Quinn, that I lov-" for some reason the words just wouldn't come out. He was getting embarrassed as he couldn't form his words and he was sure that he was beginning to redden however he quickly shook his head saying, "I would love to help you in anyway that I can."
For a moment it looked as though disappointment had spread across Quinn's face before she nodded, like she was wanting him to finish his first sentence. Like she wanted to hear him say he loved her. "Okay," she sighed, "how? What'd you have in mind?"
The boy shrugged, "well, I could listen to it for you if you'd like."
"You're asking me to give you my speech?"
He smiled, "yeah, you could run it by me, see if there's anything major that should be fixed...or if you're uncomfortable doing that you can let me read it, and have me help that way."
Quinn smiled, "that's a good idea Finn." She turned around and began walking back to her car.
Finn followed her to his own truck. He was a little confused though. He wasn't sure which idea Quinn thought was good.
They stopped at their vehicles and Finn watched as she unlocked her car before he opened his truck's door, "which one?" He wondered.
The blonde looked up from her car after throwing her bag in the passenger seat and smiled, "be at my house around seven tomorrow night."
Finn smiled, "awesome, okay!"
"It took me a lot of mistakes and fights with my best friend and quite a bit of heartbreak to realize that we are all the same. And there are many, many people I represent here, because we all deserve to be heard, we all deserve to say what we're wanting to say. We all have a voice. I represent the change that we're all here to make, and as we leave here today each to be their own, I represent us all in saying our goodbye. So class of 2012 I tip my hat to you, because you all are everything and we are all unique. So congratulations! You've graduated."
Finn smiled as Quinn took a shaky breath and sat next to him, "was it too long? It was too long wasn't it?"
Finn laughed shaking his head, "no, it wasn't too long, it wasn't too bad it wasn't too corny, Quinn it was perfect. It was honest and it was true." He shrugged, "It was totally you."
"So it was good?"
"Perfect."
She hugged him and it could have been his chance, he could have kissed her and he could have proclaimed his love for her...but just like every other time he chickened out. He was too afraid.
"Thank you so much Finn, you have no idea how relieved I am to hear that. God, I've been freaking about this for the past three weeks and now I can relax and be set to give it tomorrow." She paused, "oh, God! I have to give it tomorrow!"
And all of a sudden she was hyperventilating, "Quinn!" Finn said, "hey, hey, look at me," he told her calmingly, "just look at me, right at me."
And Quinn did just that.
Finn smiled, rubbing her back soothingly, "you're going to do amazing tomorrow, that speech will blow them away, it was perfect. And if you get too nervous, if you freak out while your standing up there then you look at me. Look right at me."
Quinn's breathing was calming down as she nodded, "o-okay." she shook her head, "right, okay...l-look at you, I can do that." She nodded once more, "I'm okay."
"Yeah," He told her softly, "you're okay."
Sunday morning for the graduation ceremony of William McKinley High, principal Figgins said a few words before he introduced the salutatorian; who happened to be Rachel, she said her little speech before smiling and introducing Quinn as the valedictorian.
Finn watched the blonde approach the podium, she smiled, "uh-hi," she said, "I-I mean good morning." Finn laughed as she shook her head dumbly. And then she looked at him, her hazel eyes locked with his brown ones and he smiled at her encouragingly.
"It is an honor for me to be speaking to you today." Quinn continued, "I was a little shocked when I was told I was valedictorian, because I know the race was between many of us out there.
I wasn't sure what to talk about for a while but it all came to me one night when I couldn't sleep. Glee Club." She shrugged, "many of you don't realize how special Glee Club is, you're too busy making fun of everyone in there or ignoring us when we speak or throwing slushies in our faces to even realize that we're truly happy.
When I started high school, I had just finished transforming myself from my former body, I had just changed from Lucy Fabray to Quinn Fabray. I had arrived in Lima and had sworn to myself that I would never fall to the bottom of the social latter again as I had just climbed to the top. I made friends and I became popular, I was no longer the girl people zeroed out and made fun of everyday. Instead I helped choose that girl, and I helped put her through the hell that I had gone through.
It wasn't until I made the mistake of cheating on my boyfriend with his best friend and getting pregnant with his baby that I realized how truly messed up this whole social status of the High School realm is. And when I started crashing down falling from the top to the bottom it was that girl, that one girl that I had zeroed out, the girl that we had preyed upon that offered her hand and helped me climb back toward the top.
Being in Glee Club helped me realize how messed up this whole situation is. When you're inside that choir room; being popular means nothing. It doesn't matter if you're the loner in the wheelchair, or the girl who fakes the stutter. It doesn't matter if you're the quarterback of the football team or the girl who's so sure of herself she knocks everyone around her down. It doesn't matter if you believe you're the best because behind the doors of the choir room all disguises come off, we are who we really are and we become a family. We don't care about social status's and who's better at anything. And sure there have been many arguments, some slight battles but in the end Glee Club is the safest place for any of us to run, in the end we are one.
I stand before you today as the one chosen to give this speech. Like I'm the one most important to say these words, like I am more than all of you and you know, four years ago I would have believed it to be true. I would have stood up here and believed that I was better than everyone of you, but it took me going through all of the crazy that I have gone through to recognize that we all have hardships and we all have struggles that we are each just trying to get through the days of our lives. It took me a lot of mistakes and fights with my best friend and quite a bit of heartbreak to realize that we are all the same. And there are many, many people I represent here, because we all deserve to be heard, we all deserve to say what we're wanting to say. We all have a voice. I represent the change that we're all here to make, and as we leave here today each to be their own, I represent us all in saying our goodbye. So class of 2012 I tip my hat to you, because you all are everything and we are all unique. So congratulations! You've graduated."
The speech was over and the caps flew off and Finn had been right, everyone loved the speech, he couldn't even make his way over to Quinn because she had been crowded by friends and family along with some of the senior class, everyone telling her how great it was.
He smiled to himself as he turned around noticing his mom dabbing her eyes as she smiled at him, "Finny!" She cried.
"Mom!" He said catching her as she attacked him in a hug.
"Congrats Finn!" Burt said, "I'm proud of you buddy!" He continued on to clap this step-son on the back.
"Thanks Burt."
"Oh, honey, you have no idea how proud I am of you, honey, I'm so proud of you," Carol continued to cry.
"Thanks, mom." Finn said, hugging his mother again.
It had taken a while but he had finally escaped the crowd and gotten some breather room. He looked around at his classmates, looking for Quinn because this was it, he was going to tell her how he felt.
"Hey," Rachel greeted as she stepped up to him, "congrats!" She said.
Finn smiled, "thanks, you too, that was a nice speech."
"Yeah, I know, I'm surprised Quinn came up with one that good, especially after all of her freaking out and everything."
Finn laughed, "I meant yours, but Quinn's was awesome too."
Rachel smiled, "oh, well thanks."
And Rachel hugged him once before walking back over to her family. She had told him that her fathers had gone all crazy and called practically everyone in her family to come and see her graduate.
"Hey, Santana!" Finn hollered out as he saw the Latina pushing her way from the crowd, "Brittany!" He ran over to them as Santana pulled her girlfriend with her.
"Hey, Finn," Brittany smiled, "congratulations."
Finn smiled, "yeah, thanks, you too."
Brittany looked around, "wow, I never really thought this day would ever come."
Santana nodded as Artie rolled over Mike and Tina following along, "hey," Artie said.
Tina smiled, "we just came over to wish you all well as you head off to college."
Artie nodded, "yeah, we were looking for Quinn to tell her we liked her speech-"
"And tell her how we loved how she wrote us in," Tina added.
Artie smiled, "yeah, but we can't find her?"
"Yeah, she's gone." Santana said.
Finn furrowed his eyebrows as he stared at the Latina, he was just going to ask where Quinn was before Artie, Tina and Mike came in. "Gone?" He wondered.
"Gone where?" Mike added.
Santana shrugged, "she was accepted into Yale University and she's on her way to Connecticut today, she said something about just wanting to get the hell out of here as soon as she could."
Brittany nodded along, "she's been packing for weeks."
"Oh." Finn said, "well, is she already gone?"
Santana shrugged, "she has to pack some of the boxes in her car-"
"Not all of them though," Brittany said, "because San's going with her."
"You're going with her?" Artie wondered.
Santana shrugged, "Britts got into Juilliard and Quinn's into Yale, I got into Harvard's Medical school so Quinn and I are living together. She's going now and I'm going in a few days."
Tina shrugged, "Harvard is in Massachusetts, Yale's in Connecticut."
Santana nodded, "yes, thank you Einstein." She rolled her eyes, "we've worked it out, living in the halfway point between the two schools. We already know the routines as to get there when we have classes, we've done the research...and it's only temporary. Q and I just didn't want to be stuck living with some stupid roommates and we didn't want to have to pay for a whole apartment alone, so we've arranged it like that for us. With Brittany only a state away from Q's school and two states from mine it's been planned out perfectly. Only a few hours."
The tall blonde nodded, "yeah, you can't break up the Unholy Trinity." She smiled, "we're the three Musketeerettes!"
"Musketeerettes?" Mike wondered.
"Yeah," Brittany smiled, "because we're girls!"
Finn shook his head again, because he couldn't just let Quinn leave, "That's actually a really awesome plan." He smiled at the Latina who just nodded along, "duh!" She snapped.
Finn smiled, "I-uh, I have to go...Tina, Artie, thanks for coming to our graduation, I hope you consider inviting us to yours." He said before he raced off to his truck. He had to stop Quinn before it was too late. She needed to know how he felt.
"Finn, hey?" Judy Fabray smiled as she opened the door, "what can I do you for?"
Finn shrugged sheepishly before saying, "I uh, I came to talk to Quinn."
Judy smiled, like she was happy the boy had finally got something right, "well good for you," She said.
Finn nodded along, "uh, thanks I guess."
"She's not here." Another voice said as a brunette girl who looked to be in her early twenties said.
"Frannie," Judy said lightly, "this is Finn Hudson. Finn, this is Frannie, Quinn's sister."
Finn nodded, "hey, uh-I-I mean hi." He reached out his hand and shook the older Fabray daughter's hand, "what do you mean she's not here?" He wondered.
Judy frowned as if she was sorry she had to deliver the news, "Finn, honey, Quinn left about thirty minutes ago. She's off to her and Santana's apartment in Connecticut."
Frannie nodded, "ready to start her life fresh."
"oh," Finn said crestfallen. He couldn't believe he missed his chance, "t-thanks, I uh, I guess."
"Finn," Judy started, "why don't you come in, I could call her for you, tell her to come back home for a little while."
The boy shook his head, "no, it's okay. She's driving, we wouldn't want to distract her."
He turned around and started heading back down the steps.
"That poor boy," he heard Judy say behind him, "he finally realized what Quinnie means to him and he doesn't even get the chance to say it."
"Yeah," Frannie muttered, "well, in that case I say good for her."
"What?" Judy whispered back, and Finn stood there bending down to tie his shoe so he could hear what Quinn's sister had to say.
"If there was any doubt in that boy's mind that Quinn was the one for him, than he should go to hell. Quinn is perfect and any boy would be damn lucky to have her in their life and he went and messed it all up. There's no need for Quinn to hear what he has to say, you know she'd give him another chance in a heartbeat mother." She sighed, "and frankly I think that boy's had plenty of chances to get it right. So good for her, I'm glad Quinn's moved on."
And as Finn stood back up and made his way back to his truck without a second glance back to the Fabray women he knew her sister was right. He was an idiot for ever doubting that Quinn was the one he loved, he was an idiot for ever letting her go.
But he was an idiot who in the end couldn't just forget about it.
He had to go after her.
Okay, so there we have part one, I would appreciate any reviews you have..good/bad/maybe in-between, whatever you've got send it to me, I'd love to hear how it is...
...Thanks for reading and part two will be up soon!