A/N: So, I wanted to write more finchel fics, but because of college I knew that I wouldn't be able to update a multi-chap fic as much as I'd like to. Therefore, this is my answer. On here I will post one-shots that have been inspired by songs that I've listened to, each chapter will be a new song and a new story, most of them AU.

I will also take requests for songs/stories that you'd like me to write, as long as they're finchel related.

This is the first story, inspired by the Glee song 'Pretending'.

Will we ever say the words we're feeling
Reach down underneath and tear down all the walls
Will we ever have our happy ending?
Or will we forever only be pretending?

Finn stood with his back against the wall, looking on as Rachel danced happily with her Dads. When it came to parties, Finn had always been a bit of a wallflower, largely due to his two left feet. He preferred to watch from the sidelines and just bust out the moves internally, rather than embarrass himself and risk the well-being of those around him by dancing externally. However, parties were usually a place to be happy and to celebrate, but this party was quite the opposite. It was Rachel's goodbye party.

She had finally done it. She had finally graduated high school and got a place in NYADA: her dream college. She was going to go to New York and live out her dream on Broadway, Finn was sure of it. Unfortunately, New York had nothing to offer Finn. He hadn't got into his college of choice and had therefore decided that he would stay in Lima and work for Burt, which he didn't mind because he didn't have big ambitions like Rachel did. The only thing that broke his heart was the thought of a life without Rachel living right around the corner.

Ever since they were kids they had been best friends. When they were in kindergarten, all the other kids had found out that Finn didn't have a dad and they started treating him strangely. Just because he was different and, even at such a young age, freakishly tall, he was teased constantly and no one would be his friend. Until one day when a tiny brunette called Rachel Berry came wandering up to him. She said, "Is it true that you don't have a dad?" Finn had shyly nodded in response, expecting more laughter and judgement. "Well, I have two and I don't mind sharing." Had been Rachel's response, and ever since the pair had been inseparable. Now he was older, Finn knew that the other kids only picked on him because he was different and they didn't really know what else to do, but at the time he was pretty damn upset about it, until he met Rachel. Even from a young age the small brunette had known how to put a smile on Finn's face.

When they got to high school they went down very different paths. Finn was an athlete; he made the football team and the basketball team and even gave lacrosse a try, while he passed his other classes by the skin of his teeth. Rachel was a drama nerd; a member of the glee club and the drama club and every other club she could join, while passing her classes with flying colours. The laws of the school hierarchy said that Finn and Rachel should have been enemies. Finn should have slushied Rachel every chance he got, while Rachel took it without complaint. However, Finn and Rachel broke those rules and continued to be best friends, despite the heat that Finn got from his jock friends and head-cheerleader girlfriend.

They had been through so much together, through good and bad, and now Rachel was leaving to live in another state, miles away from Finn.

Just the thought made Finn's chest hurt and he tried to forget about it. He tried to look on the bright side: that they could text and call each other and skype all the time; that she was only a train ride away and they could visit each other on alternate weekends. It helped dull the pain a little, but not much.

"You look like crap." Finn was pulled out of his depressing reverie by the flattering comment and looked to see his step-brother beside him.

"Thanks." Finn commented sarcastically, though it didn't hold much humour.

"You're really going to miss her, aren't you?" Kurt asked, putting his hand on Finn's shoulder to try and comfort him.

"She's my best friend." Finn said sombrely, never taking his eyes off the girl in question. "The longest I've gone without speaking to her has been a couple of days whenever we were having a stupid fight, and now she's leaving."

"Seriously, you're still calling her that?"

"Calling her what?"

"Your 'best friend'." Kurt stepped in front of Finn to make him look at him. "You're not fooling anyone, Finn. We all know that you are absolutely head over heels for Rachel, and we know that she feels the same way about you, one of you just needs to admit it."

"What?" Finn frowned, feeling himself starting to blush. "I don't love Rachel. I mean, I do, but only because we're friends. I'm not in love with her."

"You don't have time to be in denial." Kurt pressed on. "Rachel is leaving so you need to tell her how you feel and stop pretending that you're OK with just being friends."

"You're crazy." Finn stated, and attempted to walk away from his brother.

However, Kurt grabbed his arm and kept talking. "Listen, I know why you haven't told her already. You're scared that if you do then she might not feel the same way and you're friendship will be ruined. But Finn, she's leaving tomorrow. What have you got to lose?"

Finn pulled his arm away and walked towards the door. He needed some air right now. He had thought he had done a great job at hiding his feelings for Rachel and that no one knew that he was secretly in love with his best friend. But if Kurt knew, then who else knew? Did his mom know? Did the people at school know? Did his ex-girlfriend know? Was that why she hated that Finn was friends with Rachel? Oh God, did Rachel know?

"Finn." An all too familiar voice sounded from behind Finn and he stopped in his tracks. He turned around and let his eyes fall on the girl in front of him.

Rachel was wearing a black dress tonight, with her hair curled in the way that Finn loved. Rachel had always said that she was ugly. She thought that she was too small, that her nose was too big, that blondes were prettier than brunettes, and that her smile wasn't as nice as all the other girls' from their school. Finn had personally never agreed with any of that, but tonight it couldn't be further from the truth.

Finn loved how small she was because it made her look cute, he loved her nose because it reminded him that she wasn't perfect but was still beautiful, he loved the colour of her hair and he thought that her smile could light up even the darkest night. It was true that he was head over heels in love with her but he'd lie about it any day.

"Are you OK? I've barely seen you all night." Rachel said, her eyes full of concern.

"I'm fine." Finn assured her, offering her his signature half-smile. "I'm just going to miss you."

Rachel's eyes softened. "I'm going to miss you too, but we'll still talk all the time. Well, I'll probably do most of the talking, but you can pretend to listen and it'll be like nothing's changed." Rachel laughed slightly at herself, though Finn could see the sadness lying beneath. He knew her too well.

What Kurt had said was playing in his mind like a broken record. Should Finn tell Rachel the truth? Kurt had said that Rachel felt the same way about him, but how could he possibly know that? Finn thought back to the last few months with Rachel to see if Kurt was right...

Wait... Rachel had curled her hair tonight. She always said that she hated curling her hair because it took too long, but Finn said he liked it and now she had curled her hair. Last week, Finn went shopping with Rachel to help her pick out a dress for tonight. Rachel had loved a tight red dress and been about to buy it when Finn said he preferred the black one. Without hesitation she had bought the black dress. When Finn was dating his ex-girlfriend it had been Rachel who hated her and had been ecstatic when they broke up. Maybe she did feel the same...

"I love you."

"I love you too." Rachel smiled and wrapped her arms around Finn.

"No," Finn pushed her away and looked her in the eye. "Rachel, I love you."

Rachel's face morphed into confusion as she frowned at Finn. "I don't understand..."

"I can't do this any more, Rachel. I can't pretend that I'm OK with being your friend, because I'm not. I don't want to be your friend any more. I don't want your dads to let me sleep at your house because our relationship is platonic. I don't want to be the person that you call to tell about all the great guys that you've met while you're in New York. Instead, I want to be your boyfriend. I want your dads to make us leave the bedroom door open when we're upstairs because they don't us to have sex. I want to be the great guy that you tell the people in New York about. I want to be your boyfriend because I am completely, utterly, hopelessly in love with you, Rachel Berry. And I want you to love me too."

Rachel lifted a hand to wipe away a tear that was rolling down her cheek. She didn't say anything for a few seconds, which felt more like hours to the incredibly nervous Finn. But eventually, she opened her mouth. "I do love you. I love you too. I'm completely, utterly, hopelessly in love with you too."

Finn's mouth stretched into the biggest smile imaginable. "Really?"

"Really."

Finn tucked a stray strand of Rachel's hair behind her ear before crashing his lips against hers. Rachel instantly reciprocated, turning it into the most passionate kiss that she could muster. Finn wrapped his arms around Rachel's waist while she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Finn may have been in love with Rachel for most of his life, but this kiss made it worth the wait.

And suddenly, this party wasn't so sad after all.

A/N: Thank you for reading my first story! Please leave me a review to let me know if you think this is a good idea, if you would like to read future one-shots of mine, and if you enjoyed this chapter!

Finally, don't forget to send in your requests for a song/story that you'd like me to write. You can either leave them in a review or DM me :)