Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan.
CHAPTER 1
What Is Wrong With You?
The summer had been good. Finn had behaved like such a gentleman all through it, it was marvelous.
He even had gone to the community play she participated in during the summer, she had played such an excellent Evita that even Madonna would be jealous. Finn said he liked it, and even though Rachel knew he had fallen asleep while watching it, she couldn't help find it endearing that he would still show up instead of staying at home playing his video games.
There was nothing more the brunette could ask for. She had everything, the talent, the loving parents, and the boyfriend. Her senior year was a bout to start and as she walked through those doors, she was unexpectedly happy about it. She couldn't wait.
As she entered the school with Finn in hand, Rachel heard the student's murmurs, she knew it was about herself and she loved it. She saw it as practice for when she finally was at the top in her Broadway career. Nevertheless, she tried to differ what they were saying, it couldn't hurt to know, right?
She heard the name Quinn Fabray several times. Then, after all, maybe it wasn't about her and Finn's relationship everybody was talking about. She felt as if someone had taken her birthday present away from her.
As she said goodbye to Finn with a chaste kiss on the lips and entered her first class, Rachel spotted Mercedes and Kurt and went straight to them. If there was anybody who knew what was going on with Quinn, it had to be them.
"How was your summer? Mercedes, Kurt."She nodded as she said each name.
"Perfectly well Rachel, now if you don't mind, Mercedes and I wer-"
"But I do mind. You see, I've come to acquire some information from the two of you."
"Girl get down to it already so that my boy here and I can continue our business!" Mercedes had a wild look in her eyes that made Rachel wonder what was this business they were talking about. Could it have something to do with Quinn Fabray.
"Very well, Is Quinn Fabray pregnant again?"
At this, Kurt's eyes almost got out of his sockets, but not because of the brunettes inquiries. It was something else, and this something definitively had to be behind Rachel's shoulders because that was exactly the place Kurt was looking at. At this, Rachel turned around to find the matter of the subject: one Quinn Fabray. She looked mad, in fact she looked crazy mad. But it was not this that stunned Rachel to silence. It was her hair, a shocking shade of pink instead of the usual blonde.
"What did you just say?" Asked Quinn, still with the crazy-mad look in her eyes.
It seemed as if her words gave Rachel permission to breathe again, and at this, the brunette started to cough very strongly.
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?" Asked Quinn again, ignoring Rachel's tirade for the dramatics.
But the diva just kept coughing and coughing, she seemed paler now too. Quinn wasn't gonna put up with this show much longer, offering a defiant look to a shock-looking Mercedes and a gaping Kurt, Quinn grabbed Rachel's hand, and yanked her out of the classroom with as much strength as she could muster.
Rachel looked like she was about to pass out due to the lack of oxygen. Therefore, Quinn took her to the bathroom and splashed her with some water straight in the face. Apparently this had worked because Rachel started breathing almost immediately.
"Now, I'm only gonna ask this again once more, and If you don't answer so help me God I will make your first day as a senior a living hell. What did you say back there?"
With a firm hand on her throat, Rachel reexamined the pink-haired girl once more. She dressed a black long sleeveless t-shirt that said "Hell is so hot right now" and a black skirt and boots. What in the world had happened to her over the summer?
"I just- I thought- people were whispering and I heard your name and not mine. I thought- I just thought that maybe you were pregnant again and that's the reason for all the murmurs in the halls. I admit that I was upset and maybe a little resentful that it wasn't me they were talking about. It was, of course, wrong of me to ask this to Kurt and Mercedes so very loudly in the middle of the classroom. But you must understand that those feelings and the mere thought of it not being me were the reason behind my imprudence. I mean, I got back together with Finn, the quarterback, but they weren't talkin-"
Through all her babble Quinn just stared at Rachel with a blank expression in her face. "What does Finn see in this girl? She is so self-centered and annoying. Why won't she stop talking?" Quinn decided she wasn't gonna put up with her rant anymore and simply left the bathroom without another word.
At Quinn's departure the brunette just stood in the middle of the girl's bathroom speechless. "How rude could Quinn be? Why did she even brought me here if she wasn't gonna listen to my answer? Oh that's right! I was practically coughing to death. But still, she was utterly rude!" After drying her face with a paper towel, Rachel strode back to the classroom and sat on her desk looking straight to the board and not even once to the pink-haired girl. She did not notice when Quinn answered the teacher's question and shook her pink hair in a negative response. She did not notice when she started biting on her pencil. She did not notice when Quinn was the first one to get up and leave the room, and she did not notice the way her black skirt complimented her ass.
"What's wrong with you Berry?" She thought to herself, and the voice inside her head sounded a lot awful like Quinn Fabray.
The rest of the school day went by without any other extravagances. Now that Rachel did knew what the student body was gossiping about in the school halls, loneliness started to sink in since she could not talk about it with anybody. She still, after three years of high school, had no friends. Fine, Kurt would be fairly nice to her from time to time, but he seemed to be glued to Mercedes the whole day and every time the diva tried to engage them in conversation, Mercedes would keep giving her a savage look, as if telling her that Kurt was her property and to stay away.
Where was Finn? Maybe she could gossip about Quinn's new hair with him. Did men gossip? Well Kurt obviously does but he's an honorary girl. Anyways, with the intent of finding her boyfriend, Rachel headed to the cafeteria. And surely enough, there he was, at the jock's table.
Rachel tried to make eye contact with him so that he would signal her to sit beside him, but the task proved impossible since he was too distracted laughing along with the other jocks. "What was he doing with them?" The diva thought that stage of his life where he kept trying to fit in was over. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of someone waving at her, it was Brittany, she looked so happy and innocent, but then Santana caught her hand and stopped her from waving it, giving Rachel a cold glare and then resuming her conversation with Quinn. She obviously wasn't welcomed at that table either. Either? No, Finn had never told her she could not sit with him at lunch, in fact, Finn was her boyfriend, and as such, he probably expected her go straight to him and just sit. What was she thinking?
With renewed determination, Rachel walked straight to the jock's table, and at this, Finn rose from his seat, grabbed her arm, and sat her down on another table with him sitting in front of her.
"Rach what were you thinking? You just can't sit at the jock's table. Do you really want to get slushied so bad?"
"Wow! Where had all this come from?"
"Sorry Finn, I simply thought that enjoying the mealtime with my boyfriend at the table were he was seated was the typical thing to do. Evidently, I was mistaken."
"What?" Finn asked dopily.
"I thought you might have wanted me to sit with you and have lunch since I'm you girlfriend."
"No Rach, it's not that I don't want you to have lunch with me. I was actually waiting for you, but then I got bored and started talkin' to those guys while I waited."
"Are you implying I took too long?"
"No! You are twisting everything I'm saying. It's not that, I was just bored.
"With me?
"No! I was just tired of waiting!
"For me?
"YES!
"I can hear just fine Finn, you don't have to yell at me. You just got tired of waiting and started talking to them, then obviously you sat down at their table, and then, when I arrived, you were just too ashamed to introduce me to them and therefore yanked me away to another table."
"C'mon Rach! You know what you're saying it's not true. I was just trying to protect you."
"I don't need protection! I've been fine on my own! Even when you left me to find your inner rock star! I can handle anything on my own, always have."
"What is wrong with you Rachel Barbra Berry?" It was almost as if she had wanted to pick a fight with her boyfriend. "What was that?"
With that, Rachel got up from her seat, went straight to the unholy trinity's table and sat down.
"What do you think you're doing Hobbit? Santana asked.
Brittany gave a stern look to Santana and put an arm around Rachel's shoulders.
"I want her here San, I had a dream last night where Lord Tubbintong married Rachel, I think I'm meant to introduce them."
Quinn scoffed.
"You find something funny Quinn?" Rachel asked, daring the pink-haired girl to speak up.
"Yeah, kinda... I just pictured you and Lord Tubbington getting married in a church."
Santana looked down at her meal and started smirking.
"Who is this Lord Tubbington?" Rachel asked.
"It's Brittany's fat cat" Quinn answered.
Santana could not hold it any longer and started full on laughing at the diva's face
"Hey! Don't call him fat, I think he smokes because he thinks it'll help him lose weight. But please don't call him fat." Brittany requested.
Now it was Rachel's turn to start laughing along with Quinn who had just joined in.
Rachel looked so care-free when she was laughing, she almost looked... cute. Too bad she was so uptight all the time and would laugh so little, Quinn thought to herself.
"No but seriously Man-hands, what are you doing sitting at our table? Did you and Finnessa broke up or something? Santana inquired after she managed to stop laughing.
"That is none of your business Santana. But for your information: No, we haven't broken up, we just got into a small argument."
"Get out Berry. We don't want you sitting with us, people might start thinking we are some kind of foundation set out to help people with no fashion sense whatsoever. Go back to the quarterback." Quinn said, coldly and matter-of-factually.
Rachel winced, but managed to recover.
"Brittany just stated that she does want me here. As long as she does I'll stay."
"Whatever." Quinn responded.
"Either way, how was your summer girls?" Asked Rachel, with her eyes still on Quinn, whom was just looking down to her salad.
"It was great! I had so much fun, Artie got me a wheelchair and we raced in this track he knows that's really close to his house. I almost won every time!" Brittany informed.
At this, Santana rolled her eyes but kept quiet.
You Santana?
"Same old, same old. In fact, shut up Berry! it's not like you actually care how my summer was. Why don't you ask Quinn what you so obviously have been dying to know and let me gets my food on!" Santana practically belted out.
At the mention of her name Quinn looked up from her salad to find a pair of intense brown eyes looking at her.
"What is it that you want to know Berry? FYI: I'm not pregnant. It'd be literally impossible for me to get pregnant over the summer."
"Don't be stupid Q! She wants to know about your "Extreme Make-Over: Hair Edition"
"Then why doesn't she just ask?"
"I don't know. Maybe Berry finally admitted to herself that she's had a crush on you since forever and this is making her speechless."
"Shut up S!"
"She does have a point Q. Rachel is so red right now, it's making me think that maybe she does have a crush on you." Brittany said, pointing to the diva.
Quinn turned from Brittany to look at the Brunette and almost immediately, Rachel got up from her seat.
"I'm not just gonna sit here and put up with your bullying. Enjoy you meal. Goodbye."
Rachel did her trademark storm out except that she added a little hip-swinging to it. Quinn just stared.
"She didn't deny it though." Santana confirmed.
The moment Rachel stormed out, she regretted it. Now where was she supposed to sit and eat? She looked through the entire cafeteria. Finn was still where she left him, eating on his own. She couldn't go back to him, her pride would sunk so very low if she did. Therefore, she got out of the cafeteria and went to the girl's bathroom and ate there, alone.
She still did not know what had happened to Quinn over the summer, and what did the girl mean when she said it was "literally impossible" for her to get pregnant over the summer. Could it be that after Beth's birth something horrible has happened to Quinn and she no longer could conceive any children. "That would be so sad" Rachel thought to herself. And what in the world was wrong with Santana? A crush? On Quinn? The absurdity of the statement was beyond words. Rachel could only hope that on Glee she could work out things with Finn and finally be done with this weird day.
Quinn entered the choir room to find everyone staring at her hair, then her clothing.
"Get over it people! What's the big deal anyway? It's just pink."
"Yeah, but why girl?" Mercedes asked.
Finally! Now Rachel would know what had happened to Quinn over the summer that made her change so dramatically.
"I just felt like it. OK? Leave me alone! It's nobody's business but mine!" Quinn yelled.
Great! Just great! Rachel should have guessed that Quinn wouldn't actually answer the question. How naïve she had been. Still, no matter what, she was set on finding out.
"Geez midget! Stop staring at Quinn so much, you might as well declare your undying love for the girl, that's more subtle for a change." Santana teased while looking at her own nails.
Everybody turned to Rachel, waiting for her comeback.
"I wasn't staring!"
"Is that the best you've got?" Santana questioned, still finding her nails far more interesting than Rachel.
"Leave her alone S... She's just still surprised because of my hair."
Had Quinn just defended Rachel from Santana? Was this real life? What was happening? All of these questions went through the diva's mind as she offered the seat next to her to the pink-haired girl. Not before giving a smirk to Santana, Quinn sat beside Rachel giving the brunette a grateful smile which Rachel returned.
"That was really weird." Tina affirmed, voicing everybody's thoughts quite loudly.
After that everybody minded their own business, waiting for Mr. Shue to arrive.
"How was your summer kids?" Mr. Shuester asked the glee-clubbers. He had already seen Quinn's new look during Spanish class but it didn't stop him from staring at the girl from time to time.
One by one, each of the glee members said something about their summer. Mercedes apparently had a boyfriend named Bubba. Quinn tried really hard not to laugh at this, remembering Forest Gump's best friend.
"Does he like shrimps?" Santana asked.
Quinn couldn't hold it anymore and bursted out with laughter. She looked back to where Santana was seated and gave her a full smile. The Latina smirked and gave her a wink. They were good again.
Rachel observed this encounter between the two girls. She didn't like it and made it known.
"Why don't you shut your mouth Santana? You don't even have a boyfriend to begin with."
"If I wanted I could have yours Berry. Oh wait! Been there done that!"
Everybody ooohed at this and waited for Rachel's reply. Instead it was Finn who spoke.
"Yeah! And I've regretted it ever since!"
Rachel got up from her seat and gave Finn a full kiss on the mouth and without noticing it, after the kiss ended she looked at Quinn to see her reaction. The pink-haired girl was still laughing.
"OK guys that's enough! Please Rachel return to your seat. And Santana, you and I will have a talk after glee club." Mr. Shuester said.
Rachel went to her seat, and Quinn gave her half a smile as she sat down.
Then she inclined herself towards Rachel and whispered in her ear: "Pay no mind to her, she's just pissed all the time."
God she smelled so good! Rachel found herself moving towards Quinn when the girl finished what she had to say, trying to get one last whiff of her scent.
"What's wrong with me" Rachel thought to herself as she woke up from her daze.
"The assignment for this week is called: New Beginnings." Mr. Shuester said as he wrote down the words on the board. "Now kids, I want you to come up with a song that expresses what new challenges or roads you wanna take to start off this year, for some of you this is your last year. So think about it guys! What is it that you want to start over with? Something that makes you wish you could go back a change it, but you can't, so now all that is left for you to do is ask for a new beginning. Got it?"
The choir room was filled with a unison "Yes" from all the kids.
"Mr. Shue?"
"Yes Rachel?"
"Actually if you don't mind, I prepared a song for today's meeting, it is sort of a welcome song, to begin the year with enthusiasm. May I perform it?"
"Sure Rachel, go ahead!"
Rachel stood up and performed her song with as much heart as she could, she even came to tears by the end of it. It was beautiful, when this girl sang it was as if the world had vanished and all that existed was her and you. How come such a selfish person could give so much to her audience? Such intimacy. It was incredible, Quinn could only imagine what it felt like to have such a gift. She remembered when they sang together "I Feel Pretty/Unpretty", the way Rachel had looked at her, such fragility in her eyes. It all made her want to wrap the brunette in a bear hug and tell her everything was going to be alright.
When Rachel finished she found the pink-haired girl's eyes filled with tears and smiled to herself. Quinn brought her hands up to her face in an attempt to clean her eyes while she pretended the song had made her sleepy and was actually rubbing her face to try to wake herself up.
"Well, I guess that's all for today guys. Good luck trying to find your song! You can go now." Mr. Shuester waved everybody goodbye and then went to Brad to apparently start a conversation. "Did Brad ever spoke? How did we even know his name was Brad?" Quinn tried to listen if Brad was going to actually say something. But as it turned out, Mr. Shue was the only one talking.
Rachel on the other hand, gave Finn a look saying: "We need to talk." Finn understood and the two of them remained seated in the choir room, waiting for everybody else to leave.
Brad and Mr. Shue both started walking out of the choir room and Quinn found herself in the room with only Finn and Rachel. The awkwardness was tangible.
Quinn didn't know what to do or say. So she just voiced aloud what she had been thinking.
"Have you ever heard Brad talk?"
"No, but please Quinn, could you leave? Finn and I need to be alone for a while."
"Oh! Sure. No prob, it's not as if I care about what you guys are gonna talk about. By the way, you sang really well Rachel, but then again... When dont'cha?"
"What the fuck is wrong with you Fabray?" Quinn thought to herself.
After the compliment, Rachel was left speechless.
And then Quinn just left the room. Mentally slapping herself.
"Wow! What was that all about? Right?" Finn asked.
Rachel just glared at him.
"Finn, I need to know you're serious about this relationship."
"Rach I am as serious as I can be, I promise."
"Then what happened at the cafeteria? Huh Finn?"
"I just thought it would be uncomfortable for you to sit with them."
"What do you mean Finn? Please explain yourself."
"Well, think about it Rach, if you had sat there at their table everything would've been so awkward and probably they'd be slushing you after lunch so that you get the message that you can't sit with them."
"But that's exactly my point Finn. Why is it that I can't sit with them if I'm your girlfriend, I thought that gave me some sort of free access."
"Well, it doesn't Rach, I don't know why, but it doesn't."
"Then why did you sat with them in the first place if you knew I couldn't."
"I was just waitin' for you, but they started talkin' to me, and then I lost track of time. I know I should have payed more attention and get out of there in time before you came, but I got distracted and I'm sorry for that."
"That's just it Finn. Does this mean you want to live some kind of double life because I'm your girlfriend? Can't I be a part of both your worlds?"
"What? I never said that."
"But that's what you meant."
"Rach, you almost sound as if you want to keep fighting. I said I'm sorry, what more do you want from me?"
"I just don't want you to go through your life pretending."
"Pretending what? I don't understand. I said I'm sorry."
"The fact that you don't understand makes it all the more easy for me to do this. I want you to know I am doing this for your own good. I don't want you to have to live a divided life just because of me. You have enough stress with this being our Senior year, you have college to think about, and there's also Football. The point is Finn, that I don't think we should be together anymore. You may think of it as being about some silly fight because of some seating arrangements, but that's not it Finn. You need to understand that I want to be part of the whole you, and apparently that's just not possible for us right now. I'm sorry but you must learn how to conciliate these two worlds if you really want to be with me. I didn't realize it over the summer because it was just you and me, but now it is so evident. Thank you for everything and I hope you know that I love you. Bye Finn.
"So that's it? You're the one that gets the last say in the matter? I don't think I understood half of what you said, but I did get that you wanna to break up with me. Can't we work it out? Can't you help me work it out? Isn't that what relationships are about?"
"I'm sorry Finn, I just think it would be best if this life-change comes from yourself. It'll make it true and powerful. I can only hope you had some sort of epiphany after this conversation, I know I had."
"Rach please! I can't figure out what you're saying! I know you told me I should read more, but please y'know I'm so very bad with words. Please don't leave me! I need you!"
"And yet you wrote "Pretending"."
"There are no fancy words on that song! Only my true feelings. Please Rachel, what is it that I must do to try to win you back?"
"Finn you make me sound as if I was some witch that gave you a difficult riddle to solve!"
"That's what it sounded like to me!"
Rachel couldn't handle this any longer. What was it that she saw in this boy? She could not even uphold a decent conversation with the guy!
"Get a dictionary Finn!"
Having the last word, Rachel stormed out of the choir room. Being all alone in the hall gave her an empty feeling in the pit of her stomach. Wanting to get away from it all, Rachel started running towards the exit of the school.
When she got to the parking lot, the only person who was there was Quinn Fabray.
"What's up with you Berry? Why are you so out of breath?"
"Nothing, I'm fine."
"I can tell it's not nothing Berry. First of all, you were running. Divas like you don't run, you think it's distasteful. Second of all, I left you in there with Finn. So something must've happened."
Rachel frowned.
"I do run."
"If you're saying you exercise daily, I can tell you obviously do. I didn't mean you don't run at all. I meant you wouldn't normally run in the school halls. Now, don't avoid the subject. What happened?
"Why do you care Quinn? You only want some gossip to keep your phone warm tonight."
"Whatever, don't tell me if you don't want to. And FYI: I don't gossip. Not since my pregnancy."
Rachel's eyebrows went up. Quinn never said anything about her pregnancy. Not since Beth had been born. Trying to deviate the subject Rachel asked:
"Why are you still at school anyway?"
"What do you care?"
"Fine! I don't. Stay here all night for all I care!"
Rachel started her storming out, even though she was already out persé. Nevertheless, a hand on her arm stopped her.
"Don't go."
Rachel turned around to find Quinn's pleading eyes.
"Very well. Since you asked so nicely, I'll stay." Rachel said.
"Thanks." Quinn smiled gratefully.
God! She looked so pretty when she smiled, if she would only smile more often. But she was so mad all the time instead.
"My car broke down, I barely made it back to Ohio. So now I have to wait for my mom to pick me up. I have called her many times already, but she won't answer her cell. That's why I'm here, waiting."
Just when Rachel was about to ask where she had come from to Ohio, Finn got out of through the school doors. The air became tense among the three of them. Rachel suddenly found her shoes very interesting, and Quinn looked Finn straight in the face, daring him to say something. He didn't and just left.
"That sure was an uncomfortable atmosphere. You OK there Rach?"
Rachel gasped.
"What? What is it?" Quinn asked the brunette.
"You called me Rach."
"I did, didn't I?" Quinn said bashfully. -"If you don't want me to, all you have to do-"
"I do! I do want you to. I like it!" Confirmed Rachel, while she blushed.
"Keep it together Fabray! God! If I knew she would react in such a cute way if I called her Rach, I would have done it a hell of a lot sooner!" Quinn thought.
"Then I guess I'll be doing it from now on." Quinn said as she blushed as well.
"My Lord! She's so beautiful... What? I've told her before I think she's very pretty. That's no secret, everybody knows she's beautiful. I'm just recognizing it once more, that's all!"
"You look beautiful." Rachel said matter-of-factually.
"What?"
"Did Rachel Berry just told me I look beautiful? She's told me I'm pretty, but beautiful? That's a whole other level!"
"Uh- I meant it! It looks beautiful, your hair! Yeah that's it! I meant your hair!"
"Nice save! I hope she eats it."
"Um- Thank you? I thought you didn't like it. I mean, you just had this look in your face when you first saw me. I thought it meant you didn't like it."
"Well, I was just very shocked! I mean, if yesterday someone had told me Quinn Fabray had pink hair I would have checked both my legs to see which one they were pulling!" Rachel chucklingly said.
"Well, then I'm glad at least someone at school likes it!"
"Doesn't Brittany like it?"
"As a matter of fact, she doesn't. She said it reminded her of something Lord Tubbington had puked several times all over her room."
Rachel laughed so loud it made Quinn jump a little bit.
"I think I wanna meet that cat someday. Anyways, shall we?"
Rachel said, pointing to the parking lot.
"Shall we what?" Asked Quinn
"I'm taking you home Quinn" Rachel stated matter-of-factually.
"I'm waiting for my mother Rachel" Quinn looked straight into those big brown eyes and found tenderness and acceptance.
"Quinn" Rachel started "Your mother is not even aware you await her. You told me yourself that you haven't been able to communicate with her yet. Therefore, I'll just take you home myself. After all, it is the best solution to your problem."
Quinn found herself staring at Rachel's mouth all throughout her long reply. Once the smaller girl had finished, Quinn looked back to her eyes and said:
"Ok"
"Very well, my car is parked just right here to the left. Please follow me." Rachel instructed and then proceeded to walk, leaving Quinn behind, stilled as stone yet hyperventilating.
"You coming?" Rachel asked as she signaled with her head to the road ahead while giving Quinn a kind smile .
Quinn woke up from her daze and followed the brunette.
Once inside the car, Quinn noticed a flowery scent that embellished all her other senses as well. She looked at her arm and realized that she had goosebumps all over it. In the meantime, Rachel had finished putting on her seatbelt and looked at the girl beside her.
"Oh my! Are you cold Quinn?" Rachel leaned to the girl and put her right hand on top of Quinn's left arm while the other one grabbed under it and started to rub. Quinn suddenly felt very warm, yet the goosebumps wouldn't leave.
"You know what? You can just take my sweater, it's no problem whatsoever." Rachel said as she took off her seatbelt and slid off her brown sweater with an owl on the center.
"Here you go." Rachel offered. As Quinn was about to shake her head in denial, Rachel had already put the sweater around her neck.
"Rach- I.. thank you." Quinn responded, as Rachel started the car and drove off.
All throughout the car-ride Quinn realized that the goosebumps never left her. However, thanks to the sweater she managed to hide them from Rachel and stop her from delicio- -what?- rubbing her goosebumped arms with her hands.
"We're here." Rachel got out of the car and went to the co-pilot's seat, opened the door, took Quinn's hand and helped her out. Got back inside the car and left. She probably achieved the world record for doing all of that in less than twenty seconds.
On her part, Quinn entered her house, went upstairs, took off Rachel's sweater and took a nap with it wrapped around her face. The flowery scent gave her beautiful dreams.
"I already said that it is beneficial to the both of us if we remain separate Finn." Rachel stared at her Wicked poster figuring out what would happened if you changed the all the black for white. How Glinda would probably disappear and Elphaba would look completely hideous. Her cellphone felt warm on her right ear as she was sitting on her calves on her bed. She would explain to Finn why they were not together anymore a million times if that's what he needed. After all, she was reassuring herself as much as she was explaining to him.
"Wait a sec Rach, I got a dictionary like you told me. Well, it's actually my laptop, but it works all the same! Finn replied as he murmured "Beneficial: Good for both parties. Party: 1. A festivity. 2. A group of people. Festivity: A celebration."
"Rachel I'm confused" Finn let out in a groan. "I'm pretty sure that you didn't mean it was gonna be good for a party. Are you sure you're not the one that needs a dictionary?"
"Finn. It will be good for the both of us if we don't get back together. You should work on finding out who you are and who you want to become and I should focus on extra-curricular activities and college applications. We'll be fine, really. We'll become better people at the end." Rachel clarified one again.
"But why can't we be together and work on all that stuff at the same time Rach?" Finn needed Rachel back. She gave him security, he knew that what was up ahead wasn't gonna be easy. Rachel could help him with college, Rachel could be there to tell him he that was awesome no matter what. Where else was Finn supposed to find the comfort and familiarity that Rachel gave him?
"Because I don't want to. Because I don't want to have to feel uncertainty every time I go into the cafeteria to eat lunch. Because I know you care more about your reputation than me. Because you fell asleep watching my play and only attended once. Because I know you think I'm a freakin' boomerang you can just toss aside knowing it'll come back to you in no time. Because you're not even capable of understanding any of my needs, least of all anything I say. Because you don't know what you are doing with your life and it scares me that maybe you want me to do everything for you. Because a boyfriend should be an enjoyment and not a burden. Because you look constipated when you think you look thoughtful and understanding. Because I love myself more than anything in the world and that's what makes me stand out from everybody else, yet somehow, you don't seem to respect that. Because... I simply don't want to be with you anymore. I deserve better."
"Finn, there's something I need to tell you. I ..-There's someone else.. I cheated on you." Rachel let's out a long sigh to bear what's coming. She regrets that it had come to this, but apparently this is the only language that Finn understands. After all, it will feel better for him to be the one that breaks-up with her, than the other way around and maybe, he will finally start to move on.
"Who is he?" Finn asks with a leveled tone, trying to push down all of his anger.
"It doesn't matter, Finn. What matters is that I cheated on you." Rachel starts to get nervous. She has realized that if she doesn't give him a name, he will never leave her alone.
"Of course it matters Rachel! Was it Puck? Did you kiss him again? It's a slip Rachel, it's totally stupid and I forgive you." Finn understood that leaving Rachel for having kissed Puck was absolutely ridiculous. It means nothing because she's not in love with him and never will.
"I'm in love Finn. I've never felt this way before, not even with you. It's not Puck, it's someone else." Rachel responded with as much sincerity as she could fake. She was an actress through and through. As the doorbell rang and Rachel proceeded to walk downstairs, in her mind, Rachel started going over people at school that could perhaps be this person she was in love with. Nevertheless, all of her scenarios ended with Finn punching the guy Rachel was supposedly in love with. Rachel wouldn't dare to get someone beat up for something they hadn't done. She thought about girls maybe, she was certain that even though Finn was a very temperamental guy, he would never hit a girl. She could only hope though. Rachel opened the front door of her house still with the cellphone in hand.
"Quinn?" This was definitively the last person, Rachel expected at her doorstep.
"Hi, yeah I'm here to give you back your sweater." Quinn said with what she what she hoped was an aloofness to her voice. Nonetheless, this all went unheard by the brunette due the person on the other line had started screaming at her.
"QUINN! WHAT? ARE YOU SERIOUS? IT CAN'T BE HER RACHEL! TELL ME IT ISN'T TRUE!" Finn was loosing all sense of rationality by the second. Not that he had much anyway, but the point is that he actually lost all of what he had.
Rachel knew it had to be a girl, that way Finn would not resort to violence. But what was absolutely perfect about Quinn Fabray was that Finn feared her. Therefore, Rachel did the only thing that was left to do.
"Yes Finn, I'm in love with Quinn Fabray."