Prologue
"Jeez hold your horses I'm getting there," she sighed, working her way out of her blankets and hustling out of her dorm room to get to her suite door to stop the obnoxious knocking. "Can I help you?"
"I'm looking for Lizzie Lyle," he easily peered over her head into the living space of the shared suite that was mostly dark, aside from the beam of light streaming through the open door of her room.
"She's not here, I believe the girls are at the Delta Upsilon house tonight," she shrugged, going to close the door quickly, only to be stopped by his large hand against the door. Tonight of all nights the most desired man on campus had to show up at her door, wearing what had to be the hottest Letterman jacket she'd ever seen with jeans that hugged his lower half in all the right places. And she was barely presentable.
"Now see, that's where I just came from and I know that she's not there," he shrugged leaning into the doorway, forcing her to step back to avoid his invasion of her personal space. He gave a cursory glance at the girl's appearance, and couldn't hold back a grin at the plaid flannel pants and oversized Adams High School t-shirt hanging down to her knees.
"Well I guess you've been stood up, now if you don't mind I have a movie to get back to," she gave him a small smile before trying to close the door again.
"I don't mind," he nodded stepping in before she could, "I'll wait."
"Suit yourself," she returned heading for her room, leaving the door open to keep an eye on the strange man in her suite, "I really don't think they'll be back anytime tonight, though."
"What cha watching?" he entered her room with a curious look around.
"Funny Girl," she responded, turning up the volume, hoping he would take the hint and go back out into the common area.
"Broadway fan?"
"What gave it away?" she gave up finally putting a stop to the DVD and switching over to TV, muting it to carry on this conversation.
"I never got your name, I'm Finn, by the way," he stuck out a sure hand, larger than any she'd ever seen she knew that.
"I know," she smirked, "Rachel Berry, and although I don't look it I've been to a few football games in my two years here."
"Big fan?" he grinned, taking a seat at the rolling desk chair opposite her, on the bed.
"Like I said, been to a few games," she couldn't help but grin at this boy, who'd completely ruined another pointless Friday night for her, "So what makes Lizzie so irresistible that you came all the way across campus to look for her?"
"Nothing," he shrugged, "to be honest I was tired of hanging with the frat tonight, plus with curfew for tomorrow night's game I'm supposed to be back by midnight."
"Gives you less than an hour," she noted, "I expect a win tomorrow, Illy Illibuck (A/N: look it up it's quite cool) is quite comfortable in her current location."
"You're right he is, and don't worry he will be presented to us tomorrow no matter because we won last year," he winked, "you will be there tomorrow right?"
"I have a ticket yes," she nodded, "it all depends on how hung over my suitemates are come tomorrow."
"Well then in person or on TV, you should look for the signal," he smirks, "I signal to my family every game, with two pats to the center of my chest."
"I bet you tell that to all the girls," she winked flirtatiously.
"Actually you're the first," checked his wrist watch and then stood, "I need to leave, but I'll see you around?"
With that he let himself out of her room and her suite, leaving a stunned Rachel Berry behind. Had she just been hit on by the starting quarterback for The Ohio State Buckeyes? She could hardly believe that he had even showed up at her suite much less had invited himself in and was open to conversation with her. Squealing to herself she double checked the locks before locking herself into her room, determined to go to the game tomorrow whether her roommates were hung over or not.
Trekking across campus in the cold had never been so enjoyable. With a bounce to his step and grin stretched across his face, he hurried to his truck knowing he had to make it to the dorm before lights out. He didn't know what possessed him to go looking for Lizzie when 10 other girls were lined up waiting. Once he didn't find her he didn't know what possessed him to barge in on her suitemate but he wasn't going to regret it now. Letting her in on his secret ritual was a shock even to him, and he sometimes forgot to give the pats to his chest protector but he'd make sure that tomorrow he double tapped that thing every chance he got.