Mike walked down the hallway, on a typical day at McKinley High. He got to his locker and started to put the books he needed for his next class in his bag. His muscles were aching after a gruelling football session with Coach Tanaka and he longed for a good long sleep in his nice soft bed at home. It didn't help much that Matt was angry at him for seemingly nothing. It seemed as though after sectionals – after Ms Pillsbury didn't go to her wedding with Coach – he had decided his new lifestyle would be to eat from his never-ending supply of Snicker bars and make the team run laps.
Mike was glad the glee club had won sectionals. He loved glee club – it was the only place he could do the thing he loved. Dancing.
He wasn't really there for the singing. He didn't mind vocalising because he was definitely not as good as that Rachel girl, but he liked the dancing sessions much, much more. Not that he was being arrogant or anything, but Mike was pretty sure he, along with Brittany, are the best dancers there. He had voiced that to Matt. Maybe that was why Matt was angry at him.
The footballer slammed his locker shut at the thought of his best friend and slung his backpack over one shoulder, ready to struggle through History and Glee while being half asleep. He looked across the corridor and saw the co-captains of the glee club – Rachel and Finn. They were apparently the new 'power couple' as Rachel kept on saying it.
The 'power couple' were having an argument. Some part of Mike was thinking, 'Not so power-couple now, are you?' but another part told that part to shut it. He wasn't like the other footballers – he didn't participate in bullying Rachel. Yes, she was obnoxious and loud, but she wasn't that bad. So he never slushied her and just tried to ignore her during Glee.
Mike walked right past them, ignoring Rachel's near-crying voice and teared-up eyes. After all it was Rachel. Rachel Berry, who had a fit every other day about how the rest of the club weren't pulling their weight or how she was being hindered by the rest of them.
She'll probably be alright by 3 o'clock in the afternoon. So Mike walked away thinking about where he was going to sit in glee club that afternoon.
It was time for glee and Mike was one of the first ones there – his History classroom being close to the choir room. He chose a seat in the back and when the rest of the club filed in they all sat away from him.
But on the other side of the room was Rachel, sitting on her own as well, glaring at Finn. Mike wondered if the oddly matched couple had broken up, especially since Finn was engrossed in a talk with Santana and Brittany about Hawaiian pizza.
Mr Shue walked in and Rachel announced she had another song she was going to sing. The club sighed as one, but they were used to it. The short brunette had a song to sing every single session and was always to the first to present her assignment, unlike Mike, who had every single chance he had, didn't perform his assignment.
But when beats of All-American Rejects came on, Mike was surprised. Usually Rachel sang songs by some Barbra woman. Not something like 'Gives You Hell' by the All-American Rejects. He thought that hell was probably a swear word in Rachel's vocabulary.
The funny thing was Mike started to think that Rachel looked... very pretty at that moment. There was a kind of fire that was in her eyes as she directed her song as Finn. Mike felt himself admiring those smooth notes coming from the singer.
Then he realised something. Was he having feelings towards Berry?
Mike shook those feelings away and sang along with the rest of the club when it came to the chorus.
But then Rachel suddenly pointed to him, sitting alone by himself at the back. Something fluttered in his ribcage as he stood up. It was obvious that he was wanted for his dancing skills. He jumped down the steps and started dancing.
But this time it felt like he wasn't dancing for fun. It felt like he was dancing to prove to someone that he was talented. And that someone... was Rachel Berry.
Mike danced around her and when she put her hand on his shoulder the fluttering in his heart became a thumping. When Rachel sang facing him he was amazed at her talent. He was angry at Finn for making this girl feel this sort of anger.
But he pushed those thought away as he listened to Rachel sing. He smirked at Rachel, maybe hoping that Rachel would notice him as more than some bullying jock. Mike's hand made an involuntary movement as it beckoned Rachel closer to him. But Rachel placed her foot against his chest and pushed him away.
He pretended to be hurt, as was expected from him, but deep inside, he was actually disappointed that he lost contact with Rachel. He stood up quickly again though and danced again, losing himself in the beat of the music and the vocalising done by his peers.
Mike danced with Matt and the rest of the club and then positioned himself conveniently behind the chair Rachel was dancing around. Rachel sat down on that chair and crossed her legs. Mike just pushed the chair forwards, surprised the little resistance made by Rachel's weight.
Then at the front of the room Rachel stood up and Mike offered her a hand to get up onto the plastic chair. Mike was surprised at the small size and softness of her hand. He wanted to hold that hand for a longer time, but he knew that letting go immediately was what was required of him, if he didn't want to get slushied.
After the song ended and Mr Shue was giving a lecture again, Mike was not paying attention at all. He was just focusing on Rachel and seeing her in ways that he never saw her. He was thinking that she didn't look that beautiful at the start of the year.
When it the bell rang Rachel was on the first out the door, probably not wanting to see Finn's face any longer. Mike started to trail after her, maybe to go ask her if she needed a lift home. But Matt stopped him and apologized for today.
He knew then, even if Finn could go out with Rachel, there were things stopping him going after Rachel. Things that he wasn't sure he could take for someone who might not even like him. So Mike turned around and smiled at Matt.
"It's ok, bro. I understand."
A/N: Sorry if this ended abruptly. I was disheartened by the lack of MikexRachel fics online. But please, read & review!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise. :)