Enormous thanks to SLopez who encouraged me to write that and actually helped writing it, and to Beget who pointed me to a bit of the last episode to include here :)

Thanks girls, you rock!

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Looking back, Rachel was able to pinpoint the moment when it all started. But it had actually taken her quite some time to realize what was happening.

She was trying to convince her fellow glee-clubbers once more to use an original song for Regionals when Quinn had burst out, yelling at her and telling her to shut up. No one had defended her as usual, not even Finn whom she knew agreed with her on the point. But the boy had never defended her when they were together, why would he now when her torturer was his new girlfriend, new ex-ex-girlfriend, she had thought with a pang of pain.

She had hoped for so long for her reconciliation with the boy of her dreams that, even if she had seen it coming, seeing him back with Quinn was hard to bear. Her hand flickered to the necklace he had given her, fingering the small star, squeezing it so hard with the pulp of her fingers that it started to hurt, remembering her that this was her new reality and that whatever he would tell her in private, she was on her own for this one.

Mr. Schuester wasn't of help either. He once again ignored her being yelled at and resumed his speech, dismissing the situation altogether and even preventing her from finishing her argumentation. But she was used to this. Used to him seemingly ignoring her. A mere weeks ago she had tried answering his question about anthems but he had preferred doing so himself, letting her with her arm in the air, dejected as she realized she would never get the attention she felt she deserved from her teacher.

The rest of the glee members seemed shocked by Quinn's outburst but none said a thing. Sure, she and Mercedes were now friends but not that much that the other girl took her defense when it came to Glee. They were still rivals when it came to solos and Mercedes never failed to remember Rachel that.

The bell finally rang and Rachel went home without talking to anyone and no one trying to talk to her. It was usual. Tomorrow would probably be better.

It wasn't.

Everyone was ignoring her guts, teachers overlooking her outstretched hand, friends paying no attention to her. Quinn was probably responsible for that. Her recent break-up with Sam had turned her back to the cold-hearted bitch she had been last year and her being back with Finn, even if Rachel had a feeling it was just for the façade, had propelled her back to the heights of the school stratosphere. Everybody was probably working on her orders to act as if Rachel Berry had never existed.

Rachel took the best of it and used the quiet to work on the song she was writing for Regionals. So far she had a theme, some lyrics and a general melody for the chorus. Even if Finn had told her she had to do it herself she had run her ideas by him and he had seemed enthusiastic enough. She had a feeling that once the song was done he would help her "shove it down their throats" to paraphrase him, but she had a long way to go to fit the requirement of "anthems" especially if no one would listen to her…

She went home not really paying attention to anything, engrossed as she was in her rhymes and meter for the song, making a detour to her favorite vegan shop on her way. The automatic door didn't open and she almost ran into it, stopping just in time. Another client passed her and she stepped into the shop with her in disbelief. She had probably stepped to the door too fast.

The cashier was reading a magazine and scanned her articles without once looking at her or acknowledging her presence. He took her money distractedly, humming to the music blasting from his earphones, his eyes focused on whatever he was reading.

The door didn't open when she tried to step out of the store either. She backed away and tried again with no more luck. She was about to turn to the cashier for help when someone brushed past her hurriedly, almost knocking her over, setting the door open. Rachel trotted to the street, disgusted at the rudeness of the other client for not even apologizing for bumping into her.

She got home to an empty house. She hadn't seen her dads in a couple of days as they had a lot of work and usually got home late and left early. Sure enough there was a message on the answering machine but it was unlike anything she had heard from either of her fathers.

"It's me, I'll be home late, don't… what is that? You need what? Couldn't you say that earlier?" and then he had hung up, obviously absorbed in the conversation that had prevented him to finish his voicemail to her. It was the first time he didn't finish a message with words of love for his daughter. Regardless of the little amount of time he had to spare her, he would always at least tell her he kissed or loved her before hanging up.

Rachel's face fell down at hearing the message. She had hoped to see her dads at least tonight after the weird day she had had.

She dined alone, did her homework and went to bed after taking a shower and washing her hair, the routine of it all helping her to go through each task, sad as she felt.

The next morning was no better as she only got a glance of her daddy hurryingly dropping his paper on the breakfast table before dashing out the door with an inattentive grunt in answer to her greeting.

Things at school hadn't calmed down, or rather hadn't picked up and she was still being ignored by everyone she crossed path with. She spotted Karofsky heading her way with a slushee and prepared herself for the shock of the ice beverage hitting her face, but it didn't come. Instead the jock strode past her and poured his cup on some first year's head much to Rachel's astonishment as she had always been one of the favorite targets for slusheeing.

She went from class to class like the day before, not even making an effort this time to try and answer her teachers.

At the end of the day, after the worst Glee practice of her life she decided to talk to someone about the silent treatment she was getting. The only person she could trust enough for that was Finn and even if she had to endure seeing him with Quinn she knew he would be the only one giving her truthful answers on the matter.

She spotted him at his locker and went to him. Quinn was nowhere to be seen and she took comfort in that. At least he would talk to her freely.

She started talking to him but he took no notice of her, which silenced her immediately. He wouldn't do that to her would he? Sure he was with Quinn, but he was her friend too, right?

She stood there a couple of seconds, watching him rummage into his locker, when Sam joined them, hailing Finn and starting to talk to him animatedly, quite aggressively even. Finn engaged the conversation and she watched as he hovered above her talking to Sam who was behind her. Were they talking above her head? Really?

She had never had any problem with Sam and surely he wouldn't follow Quinn's order anymore.

She never thought Finn would ignore her for no reason.

It really looked as if they were unaware of her presence between them. Her breath started to increase in speed, her pupils got wider as fear spread inside her. She waved her hand before Finn's eyes and it was as she hadn't done a thing, he was still arguing with Sam.

As a last resort she flicked Finn's cheek with her fingers hard enough to earn her a slap from anyone, even him. All she got was a simple wave of his hand, as if he was trying to get rid of an annoying fly. She stumbled back, retreating against the row of lockers heavily. Her hand flew to her necklace and she pinched the star so hard she actually pierced her skin.

It was true.

It was happening.

She wasn't there anymore.

Only she was!

She could see, she could hear, she could smell, she could feel.

She tried to speak, call him back as she watched him make his way to the exit.

"Finn?" her voice was too weak to manage more than a croak.

"Finn? FINN!" she finally yelled at the top her lungs as he crossed the threshold of the school. The door closed on him and she collapsed on the floor sobbing as student after student passed near her, completely oblivious to her presence.

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"Did you hear someone call me?" Finn asked Sam, as they reached the front stairs of McKinley High, his eyes drifting back to the door.

"You're hearing voices, dude," the blonde boy said shrugging.

They hurried to catch their bus.

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To be continued, in Finn's POV…

Let me know your thoughts guys!