the song featured here is "Apologize" by OneRepublic and Timbaland.

the fist section of italicization is for thought, the second is for song lyrics, and the third is a text message. it'll be obvious from the context, but i thought i'd make a note of it anyway.

yah, i know finn's being super wishy-washy right now (being mad at rachel (during 'special education' and 'AVGC') to being sad and 'broken' ("Broken" - ch 1)) but i feel like finn's still pretty much in character. if not, let me know! i have a plan to fix it if need be! and sorry this chapter is so short! i only really had inspiration for the first chapter, but people requested a sequel, so i wrote one, and well, here we are. haha

reviews are always appreciated!

happy reading!

~matchbook

After Puck's seeing performance of Seether's cover of "Careless Whisper", Finn isn't really sure what he feels. Puck's song reminded him that Rachel cheated on him, which made him mad at her again. But he understands that Puck feels bad (in fact, he's happy that Puck feels bad, he should feel bad!), but he doesn't think he'll ever be able to forgive him. This is what Finn is thinking about that afternoon after getting home from school.

He's such a jerk! He betrayed me again! How can he just expect me to forgive him!

But it was Rachel who actually cheated on you. (Which brings out a whole new set of emotions)

It's not like she actually slept with Puck, they just made out.

Kissing is still cheating, though!

You cheated on Quinn with Rachel when you were together! Where do you get off saying you're all perfect here?

Quinn cheated on me first, so those cancel each other out or something, right?

But you didn't know she'd cheated then, which means you still cheated on her.

So, I'm not perfect! I'm still not forgiving him! He's an asshole and doesn't care about anyone but himself! And Rachel only cares about becoming a star and getting exactly what she wants!

Huh, sound familiar, Mr. Inner Rockstar?

Ahh! Stop it! Why am I even doing this? Fighting with yourself in your head is freaky! No more self-arguing!

With that, Finn decides he should just focus on something else, something non-friend/ex-girlfriend related. So, he turns the radio on and pulls out his homework.

It's been a month, and still Finn finds himself avoiding and at the same time looking for Rachel. During glee he listens to Rachel singing, secretly wishing she were singing to him, like she used to. He notices that she's gone back to the old songs she used to sing, the ones posted on her MySpace music page, the ones she sang before they were together. Puck sees him in the hall on the way to class one day. Puck opens his mouth to speak, and slows as if he's going to approach him, but just ends up shaking his head to himself and keeps walking.

It's Friday again, and Finn is happy to be going home. He's still all mixed up inside. He knows he's still mad at Puck (but also sort of proud of him for "saying 'no'"). And he knows he's mad at Rachel for cheating on him, and he feels like he can't trust her completely like he used to (but he also knows he still missed her like hell). So, in the end, all he really knows for sure is that he's confused and upset and hurt, and he just wishes he wasn't.

So, because he knows he's no good at talking, and Kurt, his mom and Burt shouldn't be home for another half-hour yet, he turns the radio on, hoping to find something he can sing along to, something that will help ease all of this tension. He flips to one of his favorite rock stations, waiting for the announcer guy to stop talking and play the next freaking song. The music starts, and he's so happy that his wish was granted.

I'm holding on your rope
Got me ten feet off the ground
And I'm hearing what you say
But I just can't make a sound
You tell me that you need me
Then you go and cut me down
But wait...
You tell me that you're sorry
Didn't think I'd turn around and say..

That it's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late

I'd take another chance, take a fall, take a shot for you
And I need you like a heart needs a beat
(But that's nothing new)
Yeah yeah

I loved you with a fire red, now it's turning blue
And you say
Sorry like the Angel Heaven let me think was you,
But I'm afraid

It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
Woah-oooh woah

It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah

I'm holding on your rope
Got me ten feet off the ground

His cell phone buzzes in his pocket as the song ends. Finn turns the music down a bit and looks at his phone to see who's texted him. Rachel.

Hi Finn. I just wanted to say Hello, and ask how you are. You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I just wanted to know how you were doing. You seem really quiet lately, so I thought maybe you were upset- I mean, maybe about something that I could fix. I'm not trying to be too pushy or forward, I just wanted to see how you were doing. Just text or call me if you want to talk, okay? -R

In the back of his mind, he smiles for a moment at the familiar length of her texts, but in the forefront, he's still mad at her. So he ignores the text, tosses his phone onto his bed, and pulls out his homework.