Meet Cutes Are Better the Second Time

Chapter 4: Conscious Desires

"Wipe the stupid grin off your face." Hunter glanced up from his phone in time to see Sebastian flopping into the desk next to him. "It's eight am on a Monday."

"Shut up," Hunter said.

He checked quickly that their German teacher was still out of the room before returning his gaze to his phone. He propped his elbow up on his desk and leaned into his palm. He wasn't sure if the grin comment had just been Sebastian teasing or not, but he didn't particularly want anyone to see it if it really had been there.

"I find this whole situation truly nauseating," Sebastian declared. Hunter could hear the shuffling of papers as Sebastian drew the materials he'd need for class from his bag. "You're so love-struck you couldn't wait three hours much less three days before texting her-"

"I told you the three day rule was stupid," Hunter commented absently. His fingers were flying across the keyboard of his phone. "She agreed with me."

"-and then you proceeded to text her literally all weekend. I don't think your phone has been further than an inch away from your body since Friday," he continued, unfazed by Hunter's interruption. "And now you're texting her first thing on a Monday morning."

He set his phone back down before saying, "If I hadn't spoken to her this morning, she might have made after school plans before I could ask her out."

"You're going out with her again already?"

"I'm meeting Rachel for coffee at the Lima Bean after school, yes."

Sebastian gave a sigh and a shake of his head. "You couldn't wait another day? Really?"

"We have a double lacrosse practice tomorrow and Warbler practice will run late on Wednesday because we're still fighting over the set list. And I know that you know New Directions meetings last longer on Thursdays because that's the one day you never go to the Lima Bean." Hunter took his phone from his desk as the bell rung overhead and their teacher slipped into the room, tucking it safely into his pocket. "I point blank refuse to wait until Friday to see her when I'm available today."

He found the laugh that Sebastian let out to be extremely irritating.

He questioned, "Why are you giving me advice on when to contact a girl anyway? I was under the impression you didn't usually talk to people a second time."

Sebastian let out an over dramatic sound of hurt. He pressed his palm against his chest and closed his eyes as he curled fingers around his shirt. "It truly wounds me that you see me that way."

"I'm sure. It's not like you go out of your way to give people that impression or anything." Hunter tapped his pencil against his lip before adding, "I was joking but now that I'm thinking about it, I'm genuinely curious. Who told you about the three day thing? You've obviously never had to apply it."

"I heard it in a movie once."

Hunter stood outside the Lima Bean, leaning against the store window with his hands in his pockets.

"Hunter!" He tipped his head to the side, smiling when he spotted Rachel walking towards him. "I hope you haven't been waiting long. I was a little late getting out of rehearsal."

"I only just got here myself," he assured as she came to a stop in front of him. He took a second to glance over her appearance. She was wearing a navy blue dress with red polka dots scattered across it. The dress had long sleeves which covered her arms and a skirt which twirled around mid-thigh. A red headband had been pushed into her hair. "Do you always dress this nicely for school?"

"I prefer to dress well no matter where I am," Rachel informed. "You never know when you'll bump into someone important."

"True enough." He pushed himself off the wall and held his arm out for her. "Should we go inside then? As cute as you look, I can't imagine you're very warm."

"Some sacrifices have to be made, yes." She tucked herself into his side, looping her arm through his and settling her hand on his bicep. She made a soft sound as they stepped into the coffee shop together, warm air wrapping around them. "I didn't even know we were going out when I got dressed this morning, and yet we still somehow managed to match."

He glanced down at himself. Still dressed in his Dalton, he wore the same navy and red combination as her. He let out a small laugh before suggesting, "Maybe your subconscious was hoping to see me today."

Her lips quirked in a small smile. "That would imply I wasn't aware of that desire."

He felt a flash of happiness at the idea that she had wanted to see him as much as he'd wanted to see her.

As they fell into line with the other customers in front of the counter, he asked, "You said rehearsal ran late. Were you preparing for sectionals?"

"Oh, I didn't mean glee. We aren't meeting at all this week."

He raised an eyebrow, "You aren't? Don't you have sectionals in a few weeks?"

"Yes, but our school musical opens this weekend. Majority of our glee club is involved," she explained. She added, "Also, the idea of us having a sectionals set list this early is laughable. Mr. Schue always waits until the last minute."

Hunter cringed a bit at the thought. "That would kill me. Our sectionals is only the week before yours, but I'm already upset that Sebastian hasn't chosen our songs yet."

Rachel let out a soft sigh, "I wish we had that much time to practice a piece. It would calm my nerves at competitions if I knew we actually had things under control for once."

They were silent for a moment before Hunter said, "So, what musical is it?"

"West Side Story. I'm playing Maria."

"The leading role? Congratulations." He smiled down at her, "I'm sure you'll be fantastic."

"I will be."

A laugh bubbled out of his throat. "Confident."

She gave a small shrug. "I'm destined to be a star."

"You said it opens on Friday?" She gave a soft hum and a nod. "I'll have to come check it out myself. See if you're as good as you say."

"I can assure you that I am." She gave him a grin of her own. "But, I certainly wouldn't be upset to have you in the crowd."

"I'll be there." They stepped up to the counter. He gestured a hand in front of them. "You first then, Maria."

E/n: So timeline! This fic starts out near the beginning of The First Time. I think I already mentioned that Rachel and Finn aren't together and haven't been since the season two break up? Kurt and Blaine are together but Sebastian appeared earlier then he did canonically and the interaction Seb mentions in chapter 2 is actually the interaction that takes place in Hold on to Sixteen. I hope that isnt too confusing for everyone?

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