Disclaimer- I own nothing.
Synopsis: Matt Rutherford hadn't simply transferred. Oh no, that didn't even begin to cover it.
May 28, 2010
Matt was crouched down behind a three ton bronze of a lion devouring a seal puppy. He was trying to go incognito, and if there was one thing that Matt Rutherford excelled at, it was being invisible. You would think that he would be more noticeable- he was a running back for the McKinley High varsity football tem, which was a real accomplishment considering he was only a freshman- that the school football team was far below average was beside the point. He had dedicated his life to football, his dad had had him in full pads by the time he was four. Matt's dad had been a professional football player… for the span of one game only. He had gotten seriously injured and confined to a wheelchair and now played the game vicariously through his eldest son. But no matter how good Matt was at the game, the spotlight would always shine on the one and only Finn Hudson. Matt hated Finn Hudson with a passion. They had been friends, but that was so far behind them in the path of life that neither acknowledged it. Things hadn't always been this way, however.
August 28, 2000- Kindergarten.
Matt stood by the bus, clutching onto his Power Rangers lunchbox, as if that would help somehow. It was Matt's first day of school, and he stood on the freezing Ohio day alone. His mom hadn't been able to stay with him because it was his older sister Lizzie's first day of third grade, and Princess Lizzie could never take the bus. Matt's dad was busy watching Matt's baby sister, Abigail. His parents never had time to do things for Matt, because it always seemed like in the pecking order of their family, Matt was dead last. Matt kicked an old Pepsi can that sat in front of him. It made a nice loud sound against the curb, which Matt enjoyed. He kicked the can once again, and again, until he forgot about everything else.
Matt was having so much fun kicking the old can; he almost didn't notice an extremely large little kid come up behind him. Matt was so involved in the game that he kicked it right to him, and the boy kicked it right back. They continued to do this without speaking for the next ten minutes, until the bus came.
Once on the bus, Matt looked around for an empty seat. He nervously sat down next to the boy he'd played with minutes before. Neither said a word to the other until they got to the next stop.
Out of nowhere, the other boy began to speak. "Hi, I'm Finn!"
"Hi, Finn," said Matt, quietly. He quickly returned to gazing out the bus window, counting each red car that passed, a little game he played with himself whenever he was bored.
After a few moments, Finn spoke again. "Do you have a name?"
Matt gradually came back to reality. "What? Oh. Yeah, I'm Matt."
The two boys engaged in that casual conversation the way only two five-year olds could. If they had been adults, they would have been more conscious of the fact that they were nothing more than strangers. But to those two boys, they were already best friends. Neither boy had actually said this aloud- there was no need to. They just, simply knew.
When they got to kindergarten, the two boys cheered with glee that they were sat at the same table. They immediately claimed two spots right next to each other, ignoring the other four people that sat next to them.
"Good morning class!' exclaimed the overly cheery kindergarten teacher, who looked something like a roly poly with glasses. "Why don't you introduce yourselves to the other people at your table?"
Although this had been phrased like a question, it was most definitely an order.
The girl who sat directly across from Matt started without asking anyone else. "My name is Rachel Berry! I'm going to be a star one day! I have two daddies! I have one sister, and that's Quinn," she gestured to the petty blonde girl who sat beside her, who was currently rolling her eyes.
Quinn interrupted her speech. 'Rachel, we're not sisters. I already told you that."
Rachel did not look as if she was really taking what her 'sister' said into consideration. "Yes, we are. My daddies are your daddies. We live in the same house."
Quinn yanked Rachel's tight braid. Rachel squealed. Quinn kept holding onto the braid, "Take. It. Back," she said in a raspy voice.
"You're hurting me, you're hurting me!" repeated Rachel. Matt and Finn looked at each other, neither boy having any idea what this fight was about.
Quinn yanked the braid again. "Take it back."
Rachel squealed. "Why? I don't understand!"
"We're not sisters. I'm not going to be in foster care for long. My real mommy and daddy are coming back for me soon. Or a normal family will adopt me. But I would rather die than be your sister."
Rachel stopped caring about the words escaping Quinn's mouth at this point, and paid little attention to anything but the pain. "Okay, okay! We're not sisters, we're not sisters!"
Quinn let go. The teacher finally became aware of what was going on. "Both of you girls are on time out now!'
"But… but!" protested Rachel. "It was all her!" She pointed her index finger at Quinn.
"I don't know what she's talking about," claimed Quinn innocently. "Ever since I came to live with her daddies, she's been making up lies about me and hurting me. I tried to call social services, but her daddies won't let me use their phone! Please, please help me Miss Claire!" exclaimed Quinn. Quinn had been sent to countless foster homes and was an expert at getting adults to do what she wanted. As the icing on the cake, Quinn batted her long eyelashes at the teacher twice.
"I'll have to talk to Mr. Berry after school today. This is quite a cause for alarm. Rachel, you are most definitely on time out!"
Finn and Matt looked at one another. Matt looked over to the corner of the room, where Rachel was blubbering with her head against the wall.
Matt could not take it anymore. He walked to the front of the room and tugged on Miss Claire's long sleeved shirt. "Miss Claire?" he asked.
The teacher whirled around. "Yes…." She scanned her list of names at random and took a wild guess at which one belonged to Matt. "Dave?"
"It's Matt," he muttered. It just figured that the teacher didn't even know his name. "Um, that Quinn girl made all that stuff up. She was hurting Rachel, because Rachel called Quinn her sister."
Miss Claire raised an eyebrow, as if determining whether or not to trust Matt. She called Rachel from time out and Quinn from the arts and crafts table. She sent Matt back to play with Finn.
Finn crashed his truck into Matt's. "Roar!" he yelled.
"Uh, Finn? Trucks don't roar,' said Matt.
"Oh. Well, mine's a dinosaur truck," said Finn, who then began running around the room with his truck held high in the air. "Vroom, vroom!" he yelled.
Matt looked back at the teacher and the two girls. Rachel was crying again and Quinn looked like the cat that swallowed the canary. Although he didn't know her all that well, he knew he disliked Quinn already.
At the end of the day, the entire kindergarten class was excused to wait by the curb for their parents. One by one, Matt saw each kindergartener leave. Two men held Quinn and Rachel's hands. Now Quinn was the one in tears. Matt could make out just the smallest bit of their conversation.
"I don't want to stay here," sobbed Quinn. "I want to go back to my mom and dad! I don't even like you!"
"I'm sorry Quinn, 'the shorter, Jewish man said softly. "You have to stay with us until we find someone who wants to adopt you. It might take months or even years, but we'll find someone. We'll do it ourselves if we can't find anyone. I know you don't like us very much, but we like you."
Quinn ran in hysterics to the car, followed by Rachel, who yelled out, "Quinn! Quinn!" repeatedly. The Berry dads followed them, exchanging words in hushed tones.
After about fifteen minutes, Matt and Fin were the only ones left waiting. "Where's your mommy?' asked Matt.
"Oh," said Finn, cautiously. "She probably won't be here for a while. She works at the bank and the grocery store, so sometimes she can't get here on time. Where's your mom?"
"My mom is probably too bust taking care of my stupid sister to come get me," said Matt bitterly.
"Oh, I don't have any sisters," said Finn. "I have a puppy, though! His name is Peanut Butter!"
"You have a dog?' asked Matt, excitedly. Finn nodded. "I always wanted a dog, but my big sister Lizzie is allergic, so I can't have one."
'You can share mine," offered Finn, kindly.
"Really?" shrieked Matt. "This is the best day ever!"
"We're best friends now, right?" asked Finn.
"Of course," said Matt, just as his Mom pulled up and started to honk. Matt ran to the car and got into the backseat. His mom immediately started driving, and Matt waved to the sad little boy sitting on the curb.
"Mom, guess what," said Matt, not bothering to wait for an answer. "I got a dog today!"
"That's great honey," Matt's mom said, not really listening. "Lindsay, did you remember to pack your bag for gymnastics?"
Matt slumped down in his seat. "Hey Mom, I got a dinosaur with head lice that's gonna live in Lindsay's room."
"That's nice, sweetie."
That was really fun to write! I'm going to write a chapter for every year of Matt's life up until high school! If you have any ideas, please tell me in a review or PM!