Meant to Be (You Belong with Me)
Summary: They say that when you love something, you set it free and if it comes back, it's meant to be. Well, Rachel Berry learned that the hard way. Rachel/Finn. Finn/Rachel. Starts with Fuinn, but Finchel endgame. Based on Taylor Swift's You Belong With Me.
A/N: Just popped in my head one night. Had to write it; stayed up all night writing it. Hope you guys like!
Disclaimer: Glee's not mine.
meant-to-be
They say that when you love something, you set it free and if it comes back, it's meant to be. Well, I learned that the hard way.
Finn Hudson and I, Rachel Berry, have been next-door neighbors and best friends all throughout our childhood. As we grew up and attended elementary school, we remained pretty close. But that all changed when we entered high school.
Freshman year, I found myself crushing on my best friend. I didn't realize that when we were kids, I only realized it now. I like him; I really do, although I didn't do anything about it for fear of ruining our friendship. But Finn didn't seem like he was interested in me since he seemed pretty smitten with Quinn Fabray, our beautiful, blonde freshman classmate who was a cheerleader. In order to impress her, he joined the football team as quarterback. They went out on dates, and it really wasn't that big a deal to me. Until one day, it was.
Finn and I start to drift apart slowly, as he spent more time with Quinn, her cheerleader friends, and his football buddies. Sophomore year, he tells me that he and Quinn are dating. Exclusively, officially dating. Finn and Quinn. Quinn and Finn. Huh. (Wasn't it a little weird how their first names kind of rhymed?)
Can you imagine what I felt in that moment? Somehow, I felt happy for my best friend, but also deeply crushed that he loves someone else. Someone who's not me. I told him that I was completely okay with it and that I was VERY happy for him. I didn't, however, tell him that I wish it was me who he was in love with. (Because that would totally seem kind of desperate on my part.) Yeah, I was happy for him. But was I really? I guess you pretty much know the answer to that one.
Junior year, on a typical Tuesday night, I was working on my homework for English, on my study desk, whilst listening to music she doesn't like and I saw him on his bed—wearing one of his many football t-shirts, his favorite worn-out jeans, and his classic black Converse Chuck Taylors—talking to someone on his phone, rambling on and on about something, and it was clear from his facial expressions that he's looking pretty pissed.
I sighed. I miss him so much. I mean, we see each other at school, have small talks and all, and say our awkward occasional hi's and hellos, but it wasn't the same. It'll never be the same.
I saw him sighing, then throwing his phone on his bed, and finally, looking up at me, a huge board in his hands. This was one of the things I miss the most about… about our friendship. When we were younger, if we wanted to talk to each other, but weren't able to go out of our own houses, we'd always write messages on huge placards as our own way of communicating, without really talking. Did that make any sense to you? Yeah, you get what I mean.
He raises the board up and I squint my eyes a little to read.
It said, in his doodle-y kind of writing:
Hey, how've you been?
I wrote my reply as quickly as I could and raised it up.
Mine said:
I've been good. How 'bout you?
Not so good.
Why is that?
Nothing, just tired of drama, I guess.
I'm pretty sure he's talking about Quinn.
Well, I'm sorry about that. But Finn…I miss you. So much.
I miss you too, Rach. And thank you. For being sorry.
I quickly scribbled my reply, but when I raised it up, he was gone.
My last message said: I love you.
It's fine. I could deal with unrequited love JUST FINE.
And finally, senior year, he (randomly) offered to walk me home from school. And before I could stop myself, I said yes. So there we were, walking down the street taking the quickest route home, before I realized something. (Again, he was wearing his favorite worn-out jeans, classic Converse chucks, and a football shirt.) I didn't want to go home yet; I told him I wanted to go to the park, so to the park we went.
We sat on a park bench and there, we really talked. We talked about happy memories at first and that was the first time I ever heard his hearty laugh in a really long time, since Quinn's always getting him down with all her dramas and crap. I laughed along with him. I know for a fact that Quinn doesn't really get his humor like I do.
And then we got down to business. No more stalling.
Finn was the first to speak. "So, um… Crap, this is so awkward. I'm sorry that our best friendship just stopped just like that. I let Quinn control my life, but now I'm just so tired of it and all her dramas. I don't wanna end what I have with her, though. For fear of losing my current reputation and cool factor."
I don't really agree with him, so I countered, "Finn, can't you see that I've been here all along? Can't you see that Quinn's not the one for you? You're so blind if you actually think that she loves you only because of your reputation whatsoever. You're letting her control your life, you're tired of it, and yet you don't wanna break it off with her for fear of losing your "cool factor" and jock reputation? Really, Finn? Your reputation is more important to you? You're unbelievable. What about me, huh? What about our friendship, or lack thereof? What, you're just gonna throw that away? Oh wait, you already did."
"Rachel, I… that's not how I…" Finn stammered, unable to continue.
So I did. "I can't believe I'm hearing this from the guy who's supposed to be my best friend. Finn, I'm the one who understands you the most. Quinn doesn't know your story like I do. Look at it this way: Quinn's a cheer captain and I'm a glee kid who sings her heart out in the auditorium and oftentimes spend her time on the bleachers, supporting the football team. But let me ask you, out of these two completely different girls, which of them have you known the longest? Who's the one that has been here all along, the one who completely understands you, and the one who gets your story like nobody else does?"
"Rachel, I…" He said again, but I wasn't having it.
I rambled on, "Me. Okay? I'm the one who has been here all along, who completely understands you, and who gets your story like nobody else does. Me." I paused to take a breather. For like, a full three seconds before continuing my rants. "But seeing you happy with someone else breaks my heart. You wanna know why? Because I just want to be happy too. I want to be happy with my best friend who I really love with all my heart, only to find out that said best friend was, is in love with someone else. I spent all those months apart dreaming about the day when you finally wake up from this dream of yours and find that what you're looking for has been here the whole time."
"Rach…" He interrupts again, making him touch my hand, but I scurried away from him.
I continued. "You know, I remember all those times when you would drive to my house in the middle of the night; we would have these talks and I'd make you laugh when you know you're about to cry. I know your favorite songs and you tell me about your hopes and dreams for the future. Finn, if you can see that I'm the one who understands you, that I've been here all along, then why can't you see that you belong with me? You always have and always will be. Have you ever thought just maybe, you belong with me?"
"Rach, I had no idea you felt that way." Finn tells me.
Duh, how was he supposed to know?
"Yes, because you were too focused on football and Quinn." I said, point-blank.
Finn went silent and I went on. "You know, sometimes I stand waiting by your backdoor to tell you that I freaking love you. But I never really got the chance, that is, until now. I love you, you jerk. Since freshman year, I've loved you since freshman year; I still love you, and I can't help myself from loving you." I added, "All this time Finn, how could you not know that you belong with me?"
Finn was about to reply, but he didn't get the chance as we heard a car pull up just in front of the park bench that we're sitting on. It was the blonde monster.
"Finn, let's go! We're going out tonight, remember?" Quinn said and glanced at me. "What is she doing here?" She spat, shooting me a glare.
"We were just talking." Finn said, standing up and hopping in her convertible.
"Yeah, what he said. I better go now. Goodbye, Finn. Quinn. Have a nice night." I said dejectedly and walked home, alone, that fateful night. If I had stayed a little longer, I might've seen his reaction. But I didn't stay; I couldn't bring myself to stay.
The night of our senior prom, he finally mustered enough courage to break up with Quinn. I asked him what changed and he told me that he was in love with someone else; he was in love with his best friend. And that he was sorry for taking him this long to realize that he was in love with his best friend all along after all this time. And said best friend was me. As we danced, I told him that he belongs with me and no one else. Finn told me that I was right, I was absolutely right.
Finn made my special night even more special as he kissed me, for all of McKinley High to see. It was a long time coming. It wasn't easy getting there, but we got there all right. Finn came back to me; we repaired our broken best friendship and started a new relationship as a couple.
They say that when you love something, you set it free and if it comes back, it's meant to be. Well, yeah sure, I may have learned that the hard way, but the most important thing is that Finn, my Finn came back to me, and there's no doubt in my mind—I'm pretty sure it's meant to be.
fin.
A/N: How'd you guys like it? Thanks for reading! :)
Note: This fanfic is dedicated to Cory Monteith and Lea Michele.
#staystrongleamichele
#corymonteithforeverinourhearts