She can feel tears pricking her eyes; Quinn Fabray and her minions laugh cruelly from down the hallway, even though they've joined Glee and should be nicer to her. She jumps, bouncing on the toes of her feet.
She manages to knock a few pieces of paper off the top of the pile, perched on the top of the wall of lockers, and bends to pick them up and place them gently in her bag.
The bell rings, and she hears the hallway clear out, but her pink scribbler and her math textbook are still up there, so she presses herself against the locker and stretches her arm up, straining for a moment before rocking back on her heels.
She sighs, staring up at them and trying not to cry, and then a hand comes over her head and sweeps her stuff off the lockers and onto the floor, where her math book opens and the spine cracks.
"Stop being pathetic, Berry."
She wishes she had the guts to tell Puck that breaking her books was worse than putting them out of her reach, but she stays quiet while he walks away; she bends down to pick up her damaged property with too-small hands and too-big tears.
Rachel doesn't want to ask Jesse to move so she can get the stool out from under the sink, so she leans up on her tip-toes and tries to wrap her fingers around the dish she's looking for in the cupboard.
Her fingers slip against the cool plastic, but the dish doesn't budge, and she lets out this tiny huff, bracing one hand against the counter and jumping a little to reach it.
A hand closes around her wrist and Jesse's body is pressed so close she can feel his chuckle, and he puts the dish in front of her and kisses her cheek, "You're so adorable."
She pouts, refusing to acknowledge her shortness–which is going to present challenges later in life when all the lead roles go to tall, leggy blondes–as a positive trait. But when Jesse sets his chin down in the top of her hair and holds her close, she has to fight to keep the smile off of her face.
She succeeds, naturally, because of her impeccable facial control.
She can feel eyes on her back, and she wants to scream and yell because this isn't fair; they shouldn't have to listen to the competition sing material that the judges wrote.
Puck says something behind her and she nearly growly, because he's definitely tall enough to reach the speaker; does nobody see her straining to reach it.
Mr. Schue comes up behind her and flicks the switch off, not even bothering to spare her a glance, and she makes her way to the couch and sits down, pouting.
She glances across the room and sees Kurt whispering something to Quinn; they glance across the room at her and laugh quietly and suddenly Rachel knows that somebody noticed her struggles.
It hurts how little her club cares about her, especially when Quinn and Kurt getting along feels like the world has turned on its head.
She's in the public library, knowing she should probably ask for help but fighting to reach the songbook on her own. She tries using a pen to tilt the book towards her, but even with the pen she can't reach it.
She glances down the aisle, knowing that she'll be kicked out for what she's about to do, and then puts her foot on the second shelf, gripping the highest shelf she can and pulling herself up.
She struggles for a moment, one foot dangling uselessly, and manages to hook her fingers over the top of the book, and she pulls.
The book falls down, the spine hitting the shelf, but it doesn't follow her when she tilts backwards; her hand tightens on the shelf, put she has no grip and she falls back, closing her eyes in preparation for the landing.
She doesn't hit the floor, or another bookshelf, but she lands against something solid, "Are you trying to do us all a favour, Rachel?"
He makes sure she's on her feet and then lets her go, stepping around her to reach up and pluck the book off the shelf with ease, and she feels tears welling up in her eyes against her will.
Kurt turns around and blanches, looking far more panicked than she thinks he has a right to, "Dear Armani, tell me you're not crying."
She drops her gaze to the floor and reaches up to brush her tears away with one hand, taking the book from Kurt with the other; she turns to leave and manages to take a quick step before Kurt catches her arm.
"I'm sorry, Rachel. I didn't mean anything by it, just–please don't cry. I'll buy you lunch or give you a makeover, but I can't handle girls crying." She stares up at him and realizes he's not just feeling guilty; he really hates seeing anyone genuinely upset, so she manages a small smile and his entire body relaxes.
She tries not to hope for more than just one pity friendship date as Kurt links arms with her and drags her from the library.
Rachel is smiling as she reaches up to grab at an object on a high shelf in Sheets N' Things. She was hoping Finn or Puck would be working, because she knew beforehand that the towels her dad's wanted for their anniversary were on the top shelf, but neither was.
She just wants to grab the towels and leave, because Kurt, Mercedes, and Quinn are waiting in the car for her. She'd thought about asking Kurt to come help her, but his grin had been so dazzling she'd forgotten that she needed help in favour of basking in his friendship.
She strained a little bit, half-considering climbing the shelves like she'd tried in the library, and then a firm body is pressed too close for comfort behind her. A broad arm reaches up over her head and grabs the towels she's reaching for, bundling them in his arms as she turns around.
She gulps as he smiles at her, looking predatory, and reaches out, fumbling to collect the towels from him, "Thanks, Mr. Ryerson. I really hate when I can't reach anything and I really appreciate you doing this even though I'm the one who reported you and..." she trails off, staring up at his disturbing smile uneasily.
His mouth twitches and she can tell he's about to say something and then Mr. Schuester's ex-wife comes around the corner; her smile is strained as she talks, "Mr. Ryerson, I understand that you know the products in our store quite well, but I insist that you stop helping customers on behalf of our employees. It's bad for business and I really need the money to afford my condo."
Rachel takes advantage of his lack of attention and bolts, listening to Terri droning on about her circumstances to Sandy as she pays and fleeing before the two of them can remember her and come to find her.
She strains, tilting forward on her big toes–thank God for ballet–and reaching her left hand up to reach for the box of sheet music Mr. Schue was talking about.
She fights the urge to turn around and question why she is the only one who volunteered to get the box on the highest shelf in the choir room, but she knows everyone is involved in their own drama, like usual.
The box remains still on the shelf, even as her fingers catch the edge of it and her fingernails dig into the cardboard. She huffs, stomping her foot once before catching herself and remembering she's sixteen and shouldn't be stomping her foot like a child.
She barely starts turning around before hands land on her waist and lift upwards; she squeals and Finn laughs against her, but he lifts easily, and she manages to grab the box and tug it towards her.
Finn puts her down and she turns, box in hand and a wave of color spreading up her face.
"We can reach stuff together."
Finn smiles goofily and she hears somebody–likely Kurt–snort at the cheesiness, but she grins up at him nonetheless, taking his hand once she's dropped the box on the piano and snuggling against him when they sit down, even though Santana spouts, loudly enough for everyone to hear, "Get a room."
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