Rachel Berry took long, purposeful strides down the hallway with her head held high and a wide smile on her face as usual. She passed off the sniggers and glares as jealousy like she usually did, it was very easy to do because of her gifted talent. She was a rising star. People would one day look up at her on the big stage in awe, and later ask for her autograph and she would sign there autograph paper with her elegant scrawl-
A stinging sensation across her face snapped her back to reality. Dark purple globs of ice ran down her cheeks and onto her gold star sweater. The burning in her eyes grew as she tried to remove the frozen drink from her eyes. When her blurry vision cleared her sight was greeted by two neanderthal football players. What a brilliant way to end the day.
"Hey Berry. Did that taste good?" one of them asked mockingly. "We didn't want you to have to go through all that effort to drink. A star like you shouldn't have to break a sweat."
A few of the people that gathered around laughed at the obvious discomfort the small girl was showing and her purple stained clothes. Rachel cringed at the sounds of her peers loud, obnoxious laughter.
"Hey Pipsqueak, why the long face? Didn't land a solo in homo-explosion?"
"Why don't you pack up your fag dads and move back to the Shire!"
"Who picked your clothes this morning? They're so horrible, I have to say the slushie stain is an improvement."
"Come on Berry, sing us a song! A song about the horrors of high school perhaps? We know you love those gay musicals."
The brunette's eyes started to water. Why couldn't anyone leave her alone for one day? Just one friggin day. The brunette shut her eyes tightly, as if closing her eyes would make all her problems disappear.
"Stop it..." she muttered under her breath as the laughter and insults continued. Her classmates surrounded her in a large circle. It was like she was fenced in with no escape.
"What's that, Berry? Did you say something? Has the Rachel Berry lost her voice?" the jock sneered.
"Stop it..." she repeated a tad louder. He continued assaulting her verbally as if she hadn't spoken.
"You know what's fun about you Berry? You're always back for more. Usually people, umm I don't know, are smart enough to take a hint!" The other jock barked out a laugh at his friend's joke as Rachel clenched and unclenched her fist. "Why can't you get it through your head, midget? I try to help you out by giving you some of my 'talks', but you're to self centred to take my advice. Is that the problem? You to good for our help?"
The jock advanced on her with a smirk.
"I said to stop it." she repeated in a tone which she hoped was confident. To her dismay her voice wavered due to the advancing teen.
"No way Berry. It's not everyday I catch you alone without your little boy-toy. Then again, I have no idea what the fuck he would want with someone like-"
"I SAID STOP IT!" Rachel screamed at so high a volume that everyone withing a five meter distance took an involuntary step back .
Everything froze at that moment. The jock's jaw dropped along with all on lookers. Rachel's eyes flashed dangerously as her knuckles turned white.
Before the jock could snap out of his shocked daze, Rachel jogged quickly away from the scene, only to stop by her locker for gym clothes. As she dashed to the girls washroom, she wondered why everyone was looking at her oddly.
0o0o0o0o0o0
Rachel lent against the sink as she washed the purple ice chunks from her hair. She stood in the washroom in only a tank top and her gym shorts. She wasn't going to lie, this happens way to often. At first it only started because of her love for the musical arts and her habit to talk in paragraphs. Later on it was the fact that her fathers were one of the only gay couples in Lima, Ohio.
Her first slushie attack, was by one of the many McKinley Cheerio's. It ruined her favourite tank top and jacket, it also was impossible to remove slushie stains from skinny jeans. After four of her favourite outfits getting ruined she decided on wearing some of her old sweaters from late elementary school seeing they still fit. Her fathers were absolutely appalled by the thought of their daughter leaving the house dressed like a toddler, but if it was for the sake of saving expensive clothes.
She convinced her father not to complain to the school board. Even though they were respected pharmacists they weren't really respected as people. Besides, she needed to learn how to fight her own fights.
The small girl was at least grateful that they slushied her at the end of the school day. She shuddered to think of the looks she would receive in class if she showed up wearing shorts and a tank top.
Two cheerleaders entered the ladies room with there signature smirks. She really didn't want to put up with more harassment today. She silently prayed that they would get along with their 'business' and eave her alone. But apparently God wasn't listening to her today.
"Hey RuPaul. Getting ready for the tranny prom?"
Rachel rolled her eyes. Really? Rachel happened to know she looked acceptably feminine, and she knows from hands on experience that she is a hundred percent female.
"Come on Treasure Trail, why don't you go back to that gay club of your-"
"Rachel?" A familiar voice called, followed by a few rhythmic knocks on the bathroom door. "Some guys told me you got slushied again, I am so fucking sorry-"
"Language, Finn." Rachel warned. The two girls shot her an annoyed look and entered their separate stalls.
"Sorry, but I should have been there. I just feel so bad-" he continued from the other side of the door.
Rachel exited the bathroom, almost running face first into Finn's chest.
"Finn it's fine, can you just... Will you please just drive me home now."
"Right! Yes. Sure thing." he answered hastily grabbing her backpack for her.
Finn was sweet. He really was. And she was lucky to have him as a best friend. Usually it was totally uncommon for someone like him to be in the company of a show choir geek, but they seemed to work. At first he was harassed for it by his teammates, but once he got his position as team captain boys settled for making fun of him behind his back.
Rachel was grateful for the effort Finn goes through to try to get people to stop people bullying her, but it was hopeless. People just didn't have the compassion that he did.
0o0o0o0o0o0
"R-Rachel?" Finn asked nervously from Rachel's bed.
The two were sitting in her room working on homework together, by now it was routine for them so her fathers downstairs had little to object to.
Rachel sat by her vanity in her skinny jeans and a blank tank top, applying her mascara and eye liner. She doesn't bother wearing eye make up at school for when she got slushied, she looked like a wet raccoon.
"Yes Finn?" she replied without breaking gaze from the mirror.
"Well, I was w-wondering what you were doing this weekend?" he asked, wringing his hands together.
The brunette broke eye contact from herself in the mirror, and glanced at her friends overly nervous reflection. She knew Finn was an awkward clumsy person, but right now she could guarantee he was sweating heavily.
"Finn, are you alright?" she asked concernedly. "You look quite pale and you just sweat through a layer of clothes."
Her friend turned a hundred shades of red while running a shaking hand over his sweaty brow. Rachel was now very concerned and turned to face him, which seemed to cause him to shake even more.
"I just- I just wanted- I just wanted to ask-" Finn pause and took a deep breath to compose himself. He was so embarrassed. He was never this nervous around Rachel. Usually her presence was kind of calming to him.
Rachel got up and walked over to sit next to him on the bed and grabbed his large hands with her rather tiny ones. She absently noted his hands were rather slippery from his sweat.
"You can ask me anything, you know that right? You're my best- my only friend."
'You can do this, Finn. You can do this. You are the man. You are the-"
His eyes met her beautiful chocolate ones and his newly regained confidence shattered into tiny pieces around him. She looked absolutely stunning right now. In a way, he was grateful only he got to see her like this. Dressed in her fashionable clothes and with her styled hair. It made him feel special. Special, that she trusted him to see her like that.
Every time he saw her his heart melted a little bit. When he listened to her sing in her room in the evenings, it was literally impossible for him to get that 'god-damned' goofy smile off his face. He liked the way she carried herself down the hallway, even though the whispers. He liked the way she looked to him when things got tough. He loved the way her hair would spread across his chest when they lay next to each other talking about everything and nothing.
And he wanted her to know it. He wanted to tell her that he loved her.
"I lo-"
"Hey kids!" Rachel's dad Hiram, peeked his head through Rachel's door. "Hope I'm not interrupting."
'OH COME ON!' he thought angrily, practically shouting inside his head.
"Not at all daddy, I was just helping Finn with algebra." she answered, lightly punching Finn's arm.
Finn flushed and mumbled "Numbers and letters shouldn't mix..." under his breath.
Hiram chuckled lightly and pecked his daughters cheek.
"I just wanted to know if you wanted anything to drink."
'Rachel's father had the worlds absolute worst timing. Seriously! Just when he was about to say the three forbidden words he just happens to pop in and ruin the moment all in a matter of-'
"Finn?" Rachel shook his arm lightly, trying to snap the boy out of daze.
"Huh! Uhh- what?" he stammered looking around fanatically.
"I asked if you wanted anything to drink?" she asked worriedly.
"Are you alright, son?" Hiram asked giving him an odd look.
"No, I'm fine, it's alright. Just all that algebra..." he trailed off looking down at his hands.
"Alright..." Hiram replied, unconvinced, and exited the room without another word.
"Are you sure you're alright, Finn?" she was really starting to worry for his health.
"I'm fine, Rachel." he answered, trying to reassure her.
"Okay..." she trailed off.
The two friends sat together in uncomfortable silence. Finn was silently cursing Rachel's dad. Rachel was worrying about Finn's mental health. After a few silence filled minutes Rachel spoke up.
"I've got an idea!" she exclaimed turning on the bed to face him.
"What?"
"I need your help with a glee thing-"
"I am not joining."
"No not that." she waved off that idea right away due to Finn's unfortunate stage fright. "I just need you to practice a duet with me-"
"I don't know, Rach. I've never sang in front of you before-"
"Relax Finn, most of the kids in glee are tone deaf any way." she laughed "and besides you can't be much worse." she added jokingly.
Finn laughed along nervously.
"Please." she whined pleadingly "You already know the song..."
When Rachel flashed her five star pout, he was goner and she knew it.
"Fine." he let out a deep sigh and ran his hands through his short hair "What song?"
"'Don't stop Believing'. I must say the song does accompany my voice quiet well, I can't say the same for my duet partner though."
"Okay let's do this." he clapped his hands as if in a football huddle causing Rachel to giggle as she walked across the room to her ipod dock.
The familiar tune waded through the room. Finn bobbed his head and tapped his foot to the beat, at the same time lightly clearing his throat.
"Just a small town girl... Living in a lonely world... She too the midnight train going... anywhere..."
Rachel blanked out slightly, shaking her head to regain focus. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She swayed lightly on her feet and her eyes started to droop. Finn's low baritone voice echoed through her head over and over. It was like she was sleeping but more aware at the same time. When she finally was able to open her eyes she was greeted with a blinding light.
"She took the midnight train going anywhere..."