Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.
He was driving with her in the front passenger seat. When they came to the red light, he caressed her face tenderly.
"This is it babe. You finally got your own opening night. You excited?"
Her palms were sweaty with anxiety and excitement. She didn't know what she could do to calm her nerves but he always managed to soothe her effortlessly. He wasn't supposed to be with her, so hearing his voice was all she asked for. Instead, he quit his job just so that he could be present. He said that it wasn't about supporting her through a phone call. It was about being with her, in that front row seat and giving her a standing ovation even before she began.
"Because when you love something, you got to go for it. And well, I love you Rach. I care more about you than some stupid job, which wouldn't even allow me to attend my fiancé's opening night. So I left my job, for you." He had said.
"A little." She replied timidly at his question.
"You'll be amazing. I've seen you practiced that scene a thousand times. You were meant for this baby."
"This has been my dream; to be performing on a Broadway stage in New York. I can't believe it's happening. What if I mess this up?"
"You wouldn't because you're perfect for this. But even if you do, I'd still be proud of you because you're going to be excellent. This is not a dream. A dream is something that fills up the emptiness inside. The one thing that you know if it came true, all the hurt would go away. You singing in front of a sold-out crowd is not a fantasy. It's an inevitability."
"But you haven't even seen the musical yet."
"I wouldn't need to know if it's going to be good. It's you. You're going to kill it."
"Thanks honey. You know, if it's going to be a huge success like how you're convinced it would be, do you think that maybe it's time to let them know? I mean, we have been keeping it –"
She hadn't had time to finish her sentence. A yellow light had flashed before their eyes. It all happened so fast; she didn't know what to do. She couldn't even form the words in her mouth. And right to the very last second before she passed out, all she heard was his voice screaming her name.
Finn Hudson nodded at the last of his customers before pulling the metal rollers down. Burt had left his stepson in charge of the garage and Finn felt a sense of pride every time he did so. It mattered to him that his stepfather invested a significant amount of trust in tending the garage. Finn thought about the possibility of taking over the place one day and every time he did, it made him feel good about himself.
Tonight was going to be a big night. Kurt was arriving home from New York with an, 'important announcement'. Finn guessed it might have something to do with his partner Blaine Anderson. They had been together for a while now, and things had been getting serious. He made a bet with his mom that it was toss between marriage and adopting a baby.
He took the shortcut from the back of the garage and headed northwest towards his home. He had waited a little later after sunset before closing the shop. He loved walking home in the early evening sky. The sun had just disappeared behind the houses of Lima, Ohio and the smell of the crisp autumn leaves was exquisite, just the way he liked it.
Digging his fingers into the pockets of his old high school varsity letterman jacket, Finn Hudson slowed down in his steps. He was comfortable with his life in Ohio because he had everything he asked for, a stable job and a loving family. And when Burt could finally see that he was ready to take up the role as manager of Burt's Mechanics, he'd do his utmost best in making his parents proud.
He turned the keys to his house after walking up to the front door. The second he stepped inside, Kurt had dove for him.
"Finn!" His high-pitched voice was somewhat squeaky.
Blaine Anderson, the partner of his stepbrother came up behind Kurt. He placed his hand on the porcelain-faced man's shoulders just as Kurt released his older brother.
"Hi Finn." Blaine Anderson greeted solemnly, always countering the actions of Kurt Hummel. Extending his hand, Finn shook it with a welcome-back nod.
"How have you been?" Blaine had started to ask. However, before the giant in the room had the chance to reply, Kurt began hopping. He caught hold of Finn's elbow and pulled him into the living room where their parents were settled on the couch. Unable to regain his composure, Kurt was bouncing everywhere. Pushing him, Finn sunk into cushions of the couch beside his mom.
"Okay Kurt, now that you've gotten all of us together in one place, maybe you could tell us what was so important that you had to rush back to Lima for?" Burt Hummel asked impatiently.
"Honey, don't rush the kid." Carole Hudson-Hummel said gently. "They're getting to it."
"Mom, Dad, Finn." With every word, Finn had to cringe from the volume. It was definitely getting too high and squeaky for his comfort. At this rate, he'd just hope that Kurt was able to deliver his announcement without hyperventilating too much before passing out.
"Kurt, maybe I should tell them. You look too excited to talk." Blaine spoke up.
"YES!" Finn agreed whole-heartedly, earning a glare from his stepbrother.
"Carole, Burt, Finn. As you all know, the bill for same sex marriages was passed in New York a couple of months back. When the grant was passed, we'd –"
"HE PROPOSED!" Kurt Hummel shrieked and had gotten back into his Tigger-like bounce.
Blaine smiled at shook his head. "No honey, you proposed and didn't give me any choice."
"Blaine! We said that it's going to be you who proposed! It's more romantic that way!" Kurt's whisper to his partner was much louder than intended, causing Finn's uproar of laughter. He had to applaud Blaine for putting up with his overly dramatic stepbrother. He still remembered the lecture Kurt had given him for missing out on a word in his speech at their parents' wedding.
"Oh honey that's wonderful! Isn't it wonderful Burt?" Carole clapped her hands together in delight as she got to her feet. She opened her arms to give Kurt a tight embrace before welcoming her new son-in-law.
Burt remained in his seat and smiled. He didn't say anything, with the smile disappearing after a minute. He turned away and muttered something to the family who were all so busy celebrating the good news.
Finn didn't want to probe. Burt was always a private man that way. Before he left, he was certain there was a twinkle in the old man's eye. And as Finn was watching his stepfather take in the news of the new addition to their family by the dining table, he saw that Burt had taken out his dingy old leather wallet. Finn knew what was in there. It was the baby picture of Kurt and him.
He walked towards the stepfather, away from the celebratory trio.
"Burt?" He said softly.
Wiping his eyes with his sleeves, Burt looked up at the man who had just entered the room. He motioned for Finn to take a seat beside him.
"What is it Finn?"
"Are you alright?"
"Of course I'm fine."
"It was just that, you know, you didn't celebrate with the rest of them. I thought maybe –"
Burt looked into Finn's eyes. "Listen. Your brother didn't have it easy. Whether it was dealing with the loss of his mom or coming to terms with his sexuality. The first time, the first time that I had been truly proud of him was when he came up to tell me about who he was."
Finn heard the slight quiver in his voice and remained silent. He gave Burt a few moments to compose himself before speaking up again.
"I just, I just have never been happier for him. And for Blaine too."
Finn nodded in understanding.
Burt Hummel swallowed hard, hoping that it would take his emotions away. His only born was together with a man who loved him, and their relationship was finally recognized by people. Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson were finally recognized because love, like theirs, mattered. This was a moment that he had never been happier.
"Jeez Finn, get a move on will you?" Kurt yelled at him at the entrance of their hotel. Finn chose to dawdle and take his time. If Kurt were bent on rushing him, then he'd do the exact opposite, just to spite the little fellow.
"Kurt, come on, give me a break will you? I've been moving all the damn boxes from the truck for the past hour. Why in God's name do you need that much stuff for a wedding is beyond me. Couldn't you have planned for this party in your own apartment? I mean that's why you moved out here didn't you?"
"Because." Kurt tried to stay patient in his explanation. "Like I've said for the millionth time, it would be much easier for me to plan this wedding with everything and everyone I need in the same building."
"You mean easier for US to plan this wedding honey." Blaine said as he stuck his head from the back of the vehicle.
"That's right Blaine." Kurt smiled sweetly at his partner before looking back at his clipboard. Muttering the words, "If only you'd be able to agree with what I want, can it be said that we're planning this wedding together." Finn had to laugh at the sassiness of Kurt.
The giant man headed for the back of the truck to unload the rest of the boxes. "You've got yourself a real keeper Blaine." He commented, earning a light laugh from the man.
"Hey I love your brother. And when you love someone, these little controlling habits isn't that bad."
"Are you sure you're ready for this? I mean, look at him." The pair sneaked a look at the porcelain-faced man barking orders into his phone. His face was turning red with rage because of some problem with the menu. Laughing at the scene, they leaned back into their original positions and stacked the boxes neatly.
"I'll be okay."
"I heard that!" Kurt screamed the minute he hung up from his call.
Finn titled again to look at him. "Well, at least I wasn't talking behind your back."
Blaine laughed at the countless Hudson-Hummel squabble. Over the years, it was the only thing that filled their house in Ohio every time he and Kurt took a trip down. Sometimes, he even found himself to be the subject of their little arguments, unsure even to this day of how anything they talk about could be related to him. Blaine loved every second of it though. He had never felt more welcomed by any other family than he did with the Hudson-Hummel's. There was nothing measurable to the warmth and love he had experienced ever since Kurt introduced him to each family member.
"Finn, why don't you carry all of these boxes while I round up the remaining ones. I think that's the last of it." He spoke up, breaking the brothers from their mindless bickering.
"I highly doubt that I'd be permitted to take a break anyway, with Mr. Bossy Pants on my neck."
"I heard that too!"
"I wasn't whispering for a reason!"
Shaking his head, Blaine laughed without any other response.
Finn wiped his face with the towel hanging on the hook. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. His head wasn't hurting like how it was before he went down for a nap. In the midst of the fury, whilst moving the boxes into the hotel room of the grooms, Finn had knocked his head on a lamp. Kurt freaked at the impact, only realizing then, that he should give his brother a rest.
Rubbing his eyes, he wasn't even sure of the time. Moving had been a tiresome job and the nap was exactly what he needed. His stomach rumbled with hunger and he left the bathroom.
Walking out to his room, he still couldn't believe the size of his temporary stay.
He had a king sized bed, backed up against the wall. It was facing a flat screen television, mounted above a fireplace. There was a couch and two armchairs on its ends to complete the full living room set towards northeast of his bed. Behind the furniture was floor to ceiling glass doors that led to a balcony with a view of Central Park.
Kurt wanted a spring wedding, but was currently waiting for the cold winter to dissolve completely before anything could happen. In the meantime, while standing by for the perfect season to set in, Finn's view from his hotel still had evidences from the early February around the city. It was a little chilly, although not as cold as how it was in March. It was now mid-April and in one month's time would be the perfect season. Or at least, a Kurt Hummel approved season.
Blaine and Kurt sure took no care for expense when it came to the wedding. With the amount of money they had spent on everything Finn knew about, he wouldn't be surprised if it was going to be the wedding of the year. Then again, who was he to kid? One of the main leads was none other than Kurt Hummel.
Checking the time on his phone, it was nearly midnight. Thankfully, he was in the city that never seemed to sleep. If he hurried, he might be able to get a bite and have a stroll in Central Park just like how he always loved.
He adored New York City. However, being cooped up in Ohio, he had been exceptionally busy with Burt's garage over the past year. He couldn't even remember the last time he had been here. But as the cold wind hit his face, he took a breath of the air around him. A pang of familiarity hit him hard and he smiled. New York was just as he remembered it to be. It was wonderful.
Walking down his street, he tried to take in every sight he saw. As much as he loved the quietness of Ohio, he also worshipped The Big Apple. He understood why Kurt chose to live here, because well, New York City is breathtaking. Finn wouldn't admit to anyone else in his family, but he had dreamed about living here. Ohio was good and he was content. However, there was also this possibility of living in New York City.
Recently, more often than usual, he found himself having this same dream. Like as though he was meant to live in New York his entire life. Or perhaps he was a New Yorker his past life. He brushed it off every morning when he woke up to reality. Because he knew that there was no way he could leave his family behind. Maybe, it was the excitement of Kurt's wedding that got him craving for this idea. Now that he had one month here, it should be enough to satisfy this crazy thought.
His eye caught sight of pizza. Smirking at his jackpot, he went straight for his treasure. Food, come to papa.
Rachel Berry massaged the temples of her head. She didn't understand why she was still experiencing a slight throb. The accident, to her knowledge, had happened over a year ago. There were so many foggy memories. She'd find herself not being able to remember the names of her loved ones or anything significant that happened in her life. Who was she? What was she like? Who was her family? Did she have a family?
There wasn't much the police could do about it either. Her ID wasn't with her, so she was an unidentifiable citizen when they found her in the car on that fateful night. According to the doctors, she was lucky she to have survived. There was a man who was seated beside her in the car. He wasn't that fortunate. They needed some information about him so that the hospital could reach his family. But at the time she woke up, she couldn't even remember who she was, let alone identify her partner.
Slowly, in the past year, everything was starting to fit again. With the help of those who knew, she'd start to remember the main events in her life. She now knew that she was a singer. Not just any singer but a Broadway singer. She had done supporting roles for a while now, and finally, she was the star of a new musical. However, just as she was on her way to her opening night, it was when the car crash had happened.
Because of the accident, everybody ceased to acknowledge her presence in the Broadway community. Rachel Berry was now back to being a nobody who had to climb her way back up to the top if she still wanted the same dream. She remembered Mercedes Jones by her bed, 2nd month in her recovery, crying her heart out for missing out on the opportunity. When she got better, Mercedes started to schedule her for auditions, in hopes of getting her back into the business.
At this point, Rachel remembered very clearly about her reply to Mercedes' actions.
"There's a lot of fear like I need to act quickly because my window of opportunity is so limited. But I don't want to do it just because I have the opportunity. I don't want to jump into something that I'm not sure I'm ready for. I think if I showed up and worked hard and I'm straightforward, I can always create my own opportunity again." She had said.
Mercedes had smiled at that comment, which made her confused by the sudden change in behavior.
"You wake up from a coma a month later and you're still the same Rachel Berry I know and love."
Rachel Berry knew that she couldn't rely on Mercedes for every single detail about her family. Because despite the facts, there were other things she couldn't go to anybody for help. Who was her best friend? Mercedes seemed to be the natural answer, but was she really? It didn't seem so to Rachel. There were many things Mercedes couldn't answer as well. Like how did she feel about her job? Did she love it? Was it what she had always wanted? Heck, the chocolate woman didn't even know her address.
According to her source of help, Rachel Berry was a very private person. She didn't welcome just anybody into her life. But Mercedes did tell her about a man. Rachel didn't want to know anything more. She believed that if he were significant enough, she would be able to remember. But every single time she forced herself back into the past, there came that throbbing pain again, as though it was a painful memory. After several failed attempts to piece that part of her life back together again, she gave up trying. Perhaps, it was for the better. The funny coincidence was that when she started resenting the memories, her doctors realized that she was getting better. So, it all worked out.
This made her confused about the slight headache she was having. Nothing too serious had happened recently and it was ages since any sign of the accident prevailed. However, she didn't have time to ponder. She had to get back to work.
Despite how horrible her pay was, she started to believe that she did love her previous job the second she opened her mouth. The fire in her soul transcended into her vocal cords. And when she started to let the music move her, she was unstoppable. She was on fire.
She didn't want Mercedes' help in getting back on her feet again. It wasn't fair to the poor girl who was already taking care of her day in and day out. So Rachel Berry ran to every audition she could, hoping that somebody would take her in. But that's the thing in this line. There would always be somebody better than she was. The past few months after her recovery, she had gotten a few jobs lined up as extras. It wasn't much, but she was finally getting her life back again.
These callbacks weren't paying a lot, seeing that she was still 'inexperienced'. She didn't worry too much. She was sure of herself. She will bounce back from this setback. In the mean time, because of the harsh world she lived in called reality, there were bills to pay. She had barely scraped through the first month of rent in the dingy apartment Mercedes had found for her. So Rachel Berry was now working at a bar located on the ground floor of her apartment building. She didn't like the environment, but at least she could sing.
And when the tears you cry
Are all you can believe
Just give these loving arms a try, baby
And have a little faith in me
The bell on the door jingled as new patrons walked in. She turned to look at the new guests who had just arrived. It was a group of middle-aged men, a group she usually hated. It meant having to entertain them with possibly a perverse set list of songs in the next hour of customers' pick. Still, this was her job now, whether she had a choice or not. Gritting her teeth, she continued with her song.
Cause I've been loving you for such a long time
Expecting nothing in return
Except for you to have a little faith in me
You'll see time, time is our friend
Cause for us, there is no end
All you gotta do is have a little faith in me
She noticed one of the patrons who had just walked in. It wasn't difficult to, because he was the tallest out of the bunch. Perhaps she had judged too quickly because by the way he moved away from the group made her wonder if he belonged with them. He was finishing up a slice of pizza, and had called for a drink at the counter. Realizing that she was losing her concentration, she returned back to her song.
I will hold you up
I'm gonna hold you up
Because your love it gives me strength enough
So have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
The group wolf-whistled in admiration and applauded loudly, banging the tables they were seated at. She hated the way they responded. It made it seem as though they were cheering her on because she was some desirable object instead of her talent. Still, she graciously bowed just as her manager had instructed after every performance.
Stepping down from the platform for a water break, the crowd boo-ed at her stop but she ignored them nonetheless. There were pros and cons to her current job. In fact, it was a longer list of cons than pros. She hated how it seemed as though nobody appreciative of music had walked in. She hated how the patrons never seemed to respect her. She hated how she had to perform for all the wrong reasons. Most of all, she hated how it seemed as though she was stuck with this job for the rest of her life.
Her initial plan was to stay on this for a couple of months, just to tide her by. After 3 months of working part time, she noticed how her shifts has steadily increased, without anything coinciding with the amount of money she was paid for, 'coincidentally'. Then, just last week, her manager had approached her with a promotion to lead singer. Like it made a difference, because she was the only one who brought in patrons. She didn't refuse the offer, much to her regret. The bills were piling up, and she had no choice.
She saw the man from before looking at her. Mingling was part of her job scope, but the one criteria, she was brave enough to disobey. She had her principles. Still, he looked decent and she saw the way her manager watched her like a hawk. If there was anyone in that room that seemed remotely like a gentleman, it was him. She swallowed her drink and made her way towards the counter.
Before she got to him, she felt a grope in her buttocks and she winced at the repulsive action. Sighing, she knew the procedure.
"Why'd you stop sexy?"
The man was tanned and stout. He had a cigarette at the left end of his mouth and was drinking straight from a jug of beer. His collar was unbuttoned and revealing too much of himself that was deemed decent. He was the typical sort of patron she loathed, but had to deal with on a regular basis.
Tonight, she didn't have to pull out the guns. Because when he was exploring her revoltingly with his sexist eyes, the man she had intentions to make small talk with came to her rescue.
He grabbed the disrespectful man by the wrist. "That shouldn't be the way you talk to her, or to any lady for that matter. So I suggest you –"
He didn't have time to finish his sentence. The man had scrambled to his feet. Much to her delight, her hero was very much taller than he had seemed. She had come up to his chest, and the other man on his feet was up to his shoulder. The rest of the table started to stand, sensing an upcoming fight. It didn't matter though. Her hero was still very much taller than the rest of them.
"And who are you to tell me how I should talk to women?" With every word the stout man spat out, he poked the opposing male in his chest.
The tall man cleared his throat. "You don't need to know who I am. All you need to know is that, for anyone, anyone who had seen what you just did, wouldn't approve of your dirty actions as well."
"Who are you calling dirty?" The voice roared through the bar and had silenced everyone in that confined space. Rachel Berry made eye contact with her manager, willing her with her eyes that she should do something before everything became out of hand.
Coming up to the angry group, the owner placed her hands on both the patrons. "Guys, is there a problem here?"
"I didn't do anything wrong. All I wanted was for the singer to start singing again. Who knows what's wrong with this douchebag here who had to butt in?"
The manager turned towards the man who had simmered down. "Is there anything wrong sir?"
He didn't want to cause any trouble. After all, this wasn't his home city. All he wanted was to have a drink and enjoy the wonderful singing he had heard while strolling past this bar. Shaking his head, he returned back to his seat by the counter.
"Rachel," Her manager said warningly. "I think your break's over."
"Yeah Rachel." The tanned man had a smirk on his face and Rachel had to control herself from leaning over to slap it off. He had a voice so disgusting; she had to refrain from gagging. "I think it's time you danced for us too. What do you guys say?" He turned to look at his group who cheered his suggestion.
"Rachel's our best performer here. She'd do anything you'd request for."
"Is that right?" His voice thickened sexually. He stroked her arm and she gulped with repulsion. "How about a little Push It?"
She closed her eyes at his suggestion. She had received many offensive requests but this had to be the worst demand ever.
Finn shook his head at the man he nearly had a confrontation with. Did every New Yorker have to be so crude? He didn't even know what a pretty brunette was doing, working at a place like this. Didn't she have any form of self worth? What was it that was so bad in her life that she had to wound up with this job? Her voice was angelic, like one of those singers Kurt raved about. She shouldn't be performing in places like this.
He contemplated making a quick exit after the manager came up to him. Staying in here just wasn't worth his time. He could very well take a nice stroll to Times Square at 3am and admire the lights by himself. But when he saw the way she looked up-close, he felt this pull towards her. He had to stay, for her sake. So he hung around by the counter and made a decision to leave only after she was done with her shift.
He wasn't being a creepy stalker or anything. It's just that his mom taught him well. There was no way he would leave her in the lurch after watching what was happening. Despite the fact that she was a complete stranger to him, he had to make sure she would be safe.
He saw the nauseated look on her face when the man stroked her arm. He had to hold back every vein in his body to keep himself from screaming. He settled himself back to his seat slightly when he saw her coming towards him. Feigning nonchalance, he let his vision return to his drink as he casually sipped into the cool liquid.
"Hey Mike," She called out softly to the bartender. "Could you get me a glass of water please?"
The manager had marched up to the brunette, grabbing her by the elbows. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Look Sue, I know you said that we have to perform every single thing the customers requested for. But that number he suggested was plain disgusting."
"You don't make the decisions here alright? I do! And I say you march right up to that stage and perform that number as he requested!" Then, the manager stormed off to another angry group of drunken patrons.
Sighing, Rachel Berry looked down at her hands.
"Is it always like this?"
She raised her head at Finn's question. "There have been better days. But you know, life's no picnic. So you're bound to meet with a couple of assholes."
He smiled at her answer as he lifted his glass to his mouth. "You could not have used a better description."
As pathetic as it sounded, this sentence was the only thing that brightened her day. So she smiled at his reply.
"Thanks for sticking up for me."
"Nah, that's okay. You looked like you needed help anyway."
"Not that it made a difference, but thank you again."
He turned to look at her for the first time since she had stood beside him. He studied her face. Her eyes were sad, evidently from her plight. She had bangs that stopped just below her eyebrows and hair that curled neatly at the edge of her shoulders.
She looked into his eyes. They were the kindest pair she had seen in months. It was filled with compassion, mirroring the way he behaved earlier. He smiled softly at her and it made her heart skip a beat. This was the nicest feeling she had since the accident and if it wasn't for him, she'd almost forgot that the world wasn't such a bad place after all.
"What song were you asked to perform?"
"Push it by Salt N Pepa. Have you heard of it?" She asked, sipping into her drink.
He shook his head with disappointment at the song choice. "Seriously, is every New Yorker's music library that sick? Are you going to do it?"
She gave a sad smile. "I don't have a choice. It's my job."
At that moment, the table that requested the song erupted with devilish laughter. Finn sighed along with Rachel and the pair laughed at their unison. He took another sip and looked at her.
"Let me perform that song with you."
"Excuse me?"
"I wouldn't you know, try anything with you, I swear. It's just that, it's the only way I can think of to get back at those guys. It may not end up pretty, but at least it'll teach them. You're way too good for this place anyway. The least you could do is to shut them up."
"So like, giving them what they want?" She asked slowly but surely.
"Exactly."
The man laughed loudly at his table again and yelled for Rachel. "HEY! What does it take for a customer to get a littler service around here?"
Rachel's eyes narrowed at the way he treated her. She saw the glass in front of Finn and downed the remaining bits left.
"Woah, easy tiger." He said, now a little afraid at the suggestion he made.
She wiped her mouth with the back of her palms and grabbed his wrist. "Come on random stranger. Let's give them what they came here for."
The beat of the song blasted through the speakers and cheers erupted, especially from the requested table. Rachel cringed at the tune. Looking at him, she saw him give her a nod of encouragement. She positioned her arm vertically on his chest. When he came into contact with her, he asked,
"Are you sure about this?"
"This might be the alcohol talking. But right now, I know what I'm doing." Then, she bend down and took another deep breath.
Ah, push it
Ah, push it
Oooh, baby, baby
Baby, baby
Oooh, baby, baby
Baby, baby
Get up on this!
Salt and Pepa's here, and we're in effect
Want you to push it, babe
Coolin' by day then at night working up a sweat
C'mon girls, let's go show the guys that we know
How to become number one in a hot party show
Now push it
She was dancing so provocatively he had to look away. He was after all, a man too. Snapping out of his thoughts, he continued to move around her. Then he licked his lips for he knew what was to come. He had never really rapped before, not that he tried anyway. So after she was done with the chorus, he was going to give all that he got.
Ah, push it - push it good
Ah, push it - push it real good
Ah, push it - push it good
Ah, push it - p-push it real good
Hey! Ow!
Push it good!
She looked at him and gave him a nod. He took a deep breath and swallowed hard. Now, he wished that perhaps he should have downed the remaining bits of his drink instead of watching her do so. He definitely needed more alcohol than she did if he didn't want to embarrass himself entirely.
Yo, yo, yo, yo, baby-pop
Yeah, you come here, gimme a kiss
Better make it fast or else I'm gonna get pissed
Can't you hear the music's pumpin' hard like I wish you world?
Now push it
Push it good
Push it real good
Push it good
P-push it real good!
Their ending position was the limit. She had climbed unto him and he was supporting her by holding unto her upper thighs. The entire bar had gone quiet, and every single customer was staring at them. He was breathing heavily along with hers as she too, gasped for oxygen. He let her down slowly. Moments later, in the deathly silence, she heard a rumble from the horrible man's table and knew better than to stick around.
"Hey, you any good in sports?" She whispered to her partner.
"I used to play football." He replied quietly.
"Yeah? Then I hope that you still got that athletic bone in you because RUN!"
She tugged his wrist as he tried to register what she was saying. When he saw the way the men at the table began to charge towards them, he finally understood and made a beeline for the exit, following closely behind the brunette singer.
"Well you're quite the runner tiger." He leaned forward to place his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath from the exercise he just did. She was leaning against a wall and had her hand on her chest. Smiling, she bit the left side of her lip.
"When you're stuck with a job that requires running away from perverts like them, you get used to the exercise."
He laughed and stood upright. "I'd say."
She didn't have time to collect her stuff from the bar and figured she could just do it tomorrow. Right now, she had to stay as far away as possible from that place.
"So do you have to be anywhere right now? Or do you know how to get around? I mean I sort of inferred that you aren't from the city."
"I'll manage. It's getting a little late though. You shouldn't be out on the streets at a time like this. Let me walk you home."
"That's okay, I live really close by."
"No, come on. Let me take you home. Take it as a form of thank you for saving me earlier."
"Well, alright. If you insist." A genuine smile inked on her delicate face and he eased into comfort.
"So where are you from?" She asked as they started to stroll down the street before them.
"Lima, Ohio."
Hearing that state, it rung a bell in her head. Then, she realized, it was Mercedes Jones' hometown and brushed away that glimmer of hope in recollection.
"So New York's a big change for you in that case huh?"
"Yeah, I guess you could say that. But I love it here though. I mean, not all those assholes that we saw, but you know the city, the lights and the places. It's pretty incredible."
"It is."
"Have you always been a New Yorker?"
"Well yeah. I think so."
"You think so? How could you not know?"
"I lost my memory a year ago."
"Oh." He wanted to slap himself for sounding so rude. He honestly had no idea. His cheeks started to flush with embarrassment and she had to smile.
"I'm so sorry!" He started apologizing profusely, hoping that it would help ease the impression she had of him now.
"That's okay." She laughed it off and he was amused at how calm she was. "I get that a lot. And not like it's a big deal anyway."
"It isn't?"
"I mean, I guess I struggled for a while to find out who I was. But when I was slowly recovering from all that physical pain, it got me thinking. Losing my memory isn't all that bad. I mean I basically had another shot to rebuild my life. And who's that lucky to have this chance to start from scratch? It sucks that I can't remember everything right now, but I wasn't going to let it affect my current state. So I'm just taking things as they come along."
"That's another way to look at it."
"Well, that's refreshing to hear. Whenever I get asked that question, people don't agree with what I say. Like as though it was necessary to keep on looking before I can really start living again."
"Well, they're wrong about that. I mean, despite forgetting about every important thing in your life can be pretty horrible you shouldn't have to let it affect what you can do now. And that's to continue living. Like you said, who's that lucky to have this chance to start again?"
"I like you, random stranger."
He chuckled at her response. "You're not so bad yourself too, tiger. Not that many people can look at life the way you do."
"Ah, it's all about perspective really. You're only as happy and optimistic as you make your mind up to be."
"My point exactly."
She led them to a back alley and he started to panic. "Hold on tiger, do you have any idea where we're going?"
"Relax, I may have lost my memory, but this is my New York."
"This is not where you'd kill me right?"
She giggled. "No. Now come on."
After a few minutes, she stopped at a stairwell. "Well, this is me."
"Wow, you sure do live in some kind of neighborhood."
Smiling, she started up the stairs. Thankfully, after months of experience, she'd always make a point to keep her keys in her pockets along with her phone.
Realizing a familiar sign on a metal door, he moved closer to inspect the words. "Hold on, this is the bar that you were working at. We just made one huge round."
"I told you I lived close by."
He didn't know if he should have been shocked or angry. She, however, chose his emotion for him.
"Well good night random stranger." She started to walk up the stairs. He watched her climb up the first two flights before speaking up.
"Hey tiger!"
She looked down at him.
"You got a name?"
"It's Rachel Berry. And yours?"
Her name had a nice ring to it. He liked it.
"Finn. Finn Hudson."
I know I usually start on a new story whenever I'm nearly done with one. But for whoever that's familiar with my stories, I'm not about done with The Love Pundit yet, so don't you worry! This was what has kept me busy all day yesterday and today, explaining the delay in updates for that story. Nonetheless, I owe this to whoever's been a faithful reader :') Do enjoy!