Rachel Berry had just got back from her Sunday morning ballet class when both her fathers directed her into the kitchen to sit down opposite them at the table. She noticed they had laid out her favorite snacks and a can of coke. She knew they wanted something…
"So, I'm supposed to just walk up to him and be like hey, my dads said we need to be friends and I should help you out. How embarrassing" Rachel grunted loudly until she felt her father's eyes directly on her. She sat up and decided she'd at least go see him. He was going to be attending her school from Monday onwards so she would eventually bump into him, if not at one of the dinners they had kept regularly scheduled with their neighbors.
Finn Hudson was a boy the same age as Rachel. His father had died when he was younger, leaving only his mother and when she remarried, his step dad to raise him. He never accepted his step dad and refused to get to know him despite how often he tried to help the young lad out. Finn had continued to get lower grades as the year carried out and if he carried on he wouldn't be graduating. Last week his mother, Carole, decided she needed to do what was best for him. When he was younger he was always fond of her sister Katie and her husband Matthew. She had rang her sister crying one night when suddenly a plan came up. she would never want to not be with her son, after all he was all she had left but she looked at her boy and she couldn't realize him anymore. Her sister had agreed to take him on for the few years he had left at school and would ring up the local high school in the morning to make sure they had places. Once everything was set Carole told her only son he would be transferring schools for his last two years in education and he would moving to Ohio with his aunt and uncle. He didn't react very well. He began shouting in his mothers face and raised his hand when his stepfather stepped in and made him realize through his rage what he had just attempted. It was that moment that he fell down and agreed to go. His actions were outta control, he was outta control and he needed to change. He would never admit this to anyone but he knew being around new people would maybe make him want to change his ways. And that is how he came to living in Ohio.
Rachel hesitantly left the safety of her own home and knocked on her neighbor's door. She had got to know them over several dinners they had attended in the past at her house and the few times they had babysat her when her dad's were both at work but this was different. She knew it was their idea for her to help Finn out. She didn't mind in all honestly, it was just the things she had heard from them in the past when they mentioned him didn't give her much hope she'd be able to do anything. I mean a boy like that is never going to listen to someone like Rachel.
"Ahh Rachel, come in" Katie welcomed her into the home, and saw the worried expression across her face. "Don't be worried, he's in his room. Second door on the right" she pointed in the direction of his room and left her to meet him while she went back into the kitchen and continued to prepare lunch for them all.
Rachel straightened her dress out and bite her lip nervously as she waited for the door to open. When he finally opened the door she could instantly see why he had been sent across the state. She walked in and noticed him head straight back to lay down on his bed. She found his desk chair and turned it around to face him. he hadn't unpacked and it looked like he had made no effort either.
"I'm Rachel Berry. You must be Finn" she nodded calmly. Finn sat up and looked at her pathetically. "You must be a psychic or something as well. They didn't mention that" he laughed and saw her head instantly fall into her chest. Why was he so mean? She was just nervous. She hadn't ever been put in this situation before. At her school, and where Finn would be starting on Monday she was the quiet, geeky girl who got straight A's. She didn't have anything that made her special or singled her out. And she didn't need him and his super big ego to upset her. She stood up and went to walk out the room. But something made her stop, a burning passion inside her made her turn around on the spot and face him.
"I tried okay, but you're obviously too stuck up to even be polite anymore. Maybe when you've grown up you'll realize you need to accept help" she slammed the door hard behind her and walked out of the house and back into her own.
Within seconds Finn grunted as Katie walked into his room and sat at the end of his bed. "What was all that about?" she questioned him. He shrugged oblivious to the situation. Katie had heard the whole conversation as soon as she heard the voices raise she came and stood around the corner. She had heard the way Rachel spoke to Finn. And the way his face was now meant that maybe Rachel was beginning to sink into him.
"God knows. You know what girls like that get like" he sighed. He knew especially what she was going to be like at school. She was going to be a nobody. Someone who didn't matter. He mattered though. He knew that. He had to stand by that, or who was he?
Katie wanted to loose her patience but then she remembered what her sister had done. She had lost her temper and constantly shouted at Finn as a punishment.
"You realize she was just trying to help?" She wanted to admit defeat with the young boy but she couldn't. She could still see her nephew when she looked at him. Finn knew she was right and the guilt was already eating away at him.
Katie needed to go a different way about this. "Finn, you will be driving Rachel to and from school every day okay?" she directed her nephew. He went to resist then just nodded in defeat. He knew she was proving a point but he was too tired to fight her. I mean a car journey was only quarter of an hour two times a day.
The next day Finn's alarm was loudly sounding next to his bed. He couldn't make the noise stop and ended up knocking his phone off the bedside cabinet and onto the floor causing it to finally shut up. He turned back over and felt his eyes tighten again. "Right up you get finny" Matthew came in and pulled the duvet away from the boy. He was still like he was when he was a kid. Nothing had changed.
"Uncle Matthew" he tiredly replied, curling his body closer as all the heat was slowly being taken away from him. "You do realize I'm like 16 now right?" He spoke out. "Yes, but if still want to act like a child I will treat like one so get up and come have breakfast before you go to school" and with that Matthew left Finn to get ready on his own.
Finn took himself into the shower and freshened himself up. He went into his suitcase that he hadn't managed to unpack yet and picked out some plain jeans and a basic top for the day. He looked into the mirror and allowed himself to put a small amount of gel into his hair to turn it into his signature look before heading downstairs. The smell of bacon led him to the kitchen were his aunt and uncle were already sat eating their breakfast. He noticed an extra place mat was set out and he assumed it was for him. She had cooked him a full cooked breakfast and even cooked his items the way he liked it. She must have remembered from when he was younger and would stay over the night. "That's how you have it still right?" She questioned him and he nodded shocked. "Good" she carried on eating her own food as she saw him settle down and tuck into the food. "As soon as you finish that you better leave to get to school on time. Rachel will meet you outside in 5 minutes I have already spoken to her fathers this morning and they were very grateful for your offer" she confirmed with him. He raised his eyebrow at the last part. "Wait hold on my" he went to carry on when she cut him up quickly. Her stern look was coming out. "I mean you would want to offer and apologize for being so mean yesterday to Rachel when all she wanted to do was help right?" Finn just nodded slowly and grabbed his bag before heading out of the house.
Finn stepped outside of his door and saw her petite figure already standing by his car door. She was tapping the window with an irritating rhythm. "How did you know which was my car?" He was surprised to see her standing there. She looked different somehow. She was more covered up now. Her hair was straighter and only had small earrings in. she looked cute Finn thought. Wait hold on cute. What was he even thinking? She looked like she was five with her animal sweater and small skirt with long knee-high socks.
Rachel breathed deeply. "Well I know what your aunt and uncle's cars looked like. And I assume you'd only be able to afford this sort of car" she referred to the tiny vehicle in front of them. Finn hated when people dissed his car. He was proud of his baby. "Anyway before you defend you "baby" can we just go" she let herself into the passenger door and waited for him to get in and start the engine. He was completely taken by the way before he even told her this was his baby she worked it out. Maybe she was actually physic or something.
"Go that way" Rachel instructed him. As soon as they left the drive they both realized Finn had no idea where he was going. Rachel had told him where to go and even helped where certain cameras were hidden and what he could expect concerning traffic. For someone who didn't drive she clearly knew the roads well and even knew when Finn was in the wrong gear a few times. She directed him into the parking lot of their school and allowed him to park in one of the spaces near the front. "I'll meet you here at 3 okay" She asked him and he nodded. He assumed that's when school ended; he hadn't even checked into any of that he anticipated this morning all of that would become clear to him.
He stayed silently in the car. He wasn't actually sure what he was meant to do. Where was he meant to go? They hadn't really mentioned anything to him over the phone when his mother handed him the phone except just to say hello. Rachel had begun to walk away when she turned around and saw him looking like a lost puppy. She sighed evidentially before walking back to the car and tapping on the window. "Come on, I'll take you to the front office. Can't have you sitting here looking lost anymore" She waited for him to get out and saw the first actual smile come across his face.
"Why are you helping me?" He honestly didn't get it. He had treated her so badly when they met yesterday and yet here she was helping him out. He didn't deserve this and quite frankly she didn't deserve to the hassle of him. He could tell when they walked down the corridors she wasn't well liked or popular by the way the people stared at her for being close to Finn. The worst part was Rachel was used to this and just kept her head held high and continued to walk quicker until she reached the principles office and knocked allowing Finn to follow her in.
"You must be Finn Hudson" the man put his hand out to shake the lad's. Finn gripped on and shaked his hand back. "I am principle Figgins and I will be keeping an eye on your progress with your time here" he explained a few things such as the basic rules and what to expect from them as a school and community.
"Now I'm afraid to admit but your timetable is still being worked out as your grades have only just been sent over, so if miss. Berry would be okay with it, you could just tag along with her today and I will meet you just before the final bell sounds and we will hand you your timetable so you are ready for tomorrow morning" Rachel went along with it and walked out after Finn left.
"Finn come on now" Rachel sighed louder, she had only 5 minutes to change her books and get to class and Finn was currently doddling around. She understood he was most likely just trying to find his bearings and work the places out but still she had all lunch to show him around. She hadn't been late to a single lesson since she started this school and she didn't intend to start now. "This is your locker okay" she showed him a locker that was next to hers and told him how to use it and what he could and couldn't do. It all seemed pretty pointless but he went along with it and followed like a sheep when she took him to their first class. He instantly felt like the odd one out when everyone was sat down in what looked like their designated spots and he just stood at the front waiting to see an empty space to sit in.
"Oi, you're the new boy right?" Puck directed him and pointed to space left available next to him. Finn nodded and sat down where the other boy had pointed. He shook his hand and smiled. "Finn, Finn Hudson" he directly told him. Puck laughed. "Puck, just Puck" he kept it short and simple. That was him though.
"So what brings you to transferring, most kids don't do that in their last two years" Puck asked intrigued. He was right though. It wasn't best as that's when your grades would most likely slip up. Truth was Finn's couldn't get any worse even if he tried.
He decided to hold back the truth until he trusted him more. "Just moved in with my aunt and uncle for a few years" Puck just nodded. He totally got it. "Well if you want we're having a party Friday night your welcome to come" Finn nodded before even thinking to ask his aunt and uncle. This was the beginning for him. The chance to make new friends and be accepted. He shoulder tapped Puck before walking out and seeing Rachel waiting for him. She was tapping her foot against the floor impatiently.
"What now?" He once again didn't care what Rachel thought. She was staring at him like she wanted to punch him. in all honestly he was surprised she hadn't already.
"Your meant to be following me around for the day remember?" Finn nodded and it suddenly hit him again. He was meant to following her until they sorted him his own timetable out. He could see how uncomfortable she was waiting for him to finally finish socializing before he left.
As soon as the last bell sounded Rachel told Finn she'd need to go back to their lockers to get a few things before they left. He just sighed and followed her like he had done the entire day. When they walked back he felt her move away from him. he looked down to see her on the floor with her books scattered around her. Puck was standing with his friends and laughing. It was then when it occurred to him it was Puck who had pushed her over. He leant down to give her his hand to help her get back up but she refused him and got herself up and composed her hair before carrying onto her locker. She acted like nothing had happened and Finn was even more speechless. She was soon quick to tell him what she thought of him yesterday and yet something bad actually happened to her and she didn't blink an eyelid at them.
Rachel had walked even quicker back to the car and in the end Finn had jogged to catch up with her. As they were about to drive around to where their houses were he stopped the car. "Finn what are you doing now" she felt the tears in her eyes. She just wanted to get home and cry on her bed with a Barbara Streisand CD playing. It had become the normal routine for her once things happened at school. But with Finn now messing them up she couldn't even imagine stepping out of the car without crying and allowing her dads to see her in such a state.
"Why did you let them do that to you?" He didn't understand her sudden change in behavior. He had noticed her trying to hide the tears that were now running down her cheeks but she failed and allowed them to run so she could hide them again.
"Finn, what part of not all of us just go to school and fit in. I don't fit in okay. And Puck who you're so buddy buddy with he's a jerk, a real jerk and just ugh. Leave me alone" she opened the door, throwing her backpack over her shoulder and walking the rest of the way home.
He paused before he carried on driving the left of the journey. He left enough time for Rachel to get into her home before he drove onto his own front drive. He hadn't thought about anything like that. it was true though at his old school he was popular, here we got on with what seemed like the popular crowds on the first day. If there was one thing he was going to achieve it was to make Rachel happier.