Express Yourself Chapter 4: Girl Next Door, a glee fanfic

A/N: So, this chapter almost ended up being a filler chapter which was really annoying me so instead its just a reeeeeeally long chapter (in the sense that not much happens, but there's 1150 words so yeah. Sorry about the filler content but I wanted to get the chapter the way I wanted it. So enjoy! R&R please&thank you :D

A/N 2: Oh, and apparently my muse has decided that Quinn and Finn are still together/ got back together even after the babygate outing in "Sectionals" since I have already referenced "Theatricality" and now here they are together LoL

Downloads of the songs are available below. I will keep this updated as I continue the story :)

www. mediafire . com/glee_expressyourself

Disclaimer: Still don't own Glee, nor do I own "Girl Next Door" it's just a favorite song, so I borrowed it to share with you all!

Glee rehearsal disbanded quickly after Puck's performance. Brittany followed on Santana's heels, with Mike in his usual place just behind her. Quinn asked Mr. Shue about the assignment before also heading to practice. Matt and Puck began making their way to the locker room after knocking Finn in the back of the head to remind him that practice was in just a few minutes. Rachel watched Mercedes and Kurt make their way out of the choir room with Artie and Tina to go discuss ideas at the diner the foursome frequented. Soon, only she and Finn were left packing up their belongings.

"Hey, Rach. Do you think you could work with me on my song a little bit after practice tonight? I know what song I want to do but I just can't seem to get it right."

A wide smile spread across the tiny brunette's face as she turned toward the quarterback. "Sure, Finn. Do you wanna come over around six thirty?" Rachel made sure to flick the light off as they left the choir room.

Finn chewed the inside of his cheek before answering. "Actually, do you want to just wait until practice is over and I can drive you home? It's just a team practice and we're only running drills today so it won't be too long. I don't even think Coach T will show."

As much as she dreaded sitting in the empty bleachers like a complete cliche as the head cheerleader stared her down, Rachel only smiled at Finn as they made their way down to the field. She never could deny that boy...

Cheerios practice was in full swing when the football team made its way out to run drills. Quinn took a moment to wave at Finn from her choreographed split next to the pyramid, earning the usual tirade from Coach Sylvester. The blonde didn't even hear her coach today as Finn wasn't smiling and waving in her direction; it was Rachel that was causing his true smile to break out over his face as he jogged onto the field.

Quinn was not a malicious person. That role was permanently occupied by Santana, but she couldn't help the death glare that she directed to her Glee Club teammate before she moved to spot as Brittany cradled out. Or the one she threw at her before the tumbling routine twenty minutes later. Or the one she directed to the oblivious sophomore as practice was wrapped up at five. And it definitely wasn't intended to hurt anyone when she ran to to the football bench and all but threw herself into Finn's arms and planted a kiss on him that had several members of his team looking elsewhere uncomfortably. Take that, Man Hands...

Rachel looked up when she heard the whistles and whooping on the field and felt her heart break just a little more. This was a common occurrence; but what else does one expect when they fall for someone else's boyfriend? It still stings, though. She can't help that any more that she can stop her feet from stumbling her quickly out of the stands and away from the field.

She is halfway to the parking lot before she is able to breathe again. And then in true Rachel Berry fashion all she can do to release her pent up emotion is head to the auditorium. She offers the ever present Brad a watery smile and a quiet "Thank you" as she hands over the sheet music. This song has been weighing heavily on her for a while, it's time to 'sing it out' as Kurt always says. And as the music leads her in, Rachel stops in the single spotlight. Wiping the tears from her face, she closes her eyes and just feels...

"Small town homecoming queen. She's the star in this scene. There's no way to deny she's lovely." A half sob-half humorless laugh escapes between lines as Rachel continues.

"Perfect skin, perfect hair. Perfumed hearts everywhere. Tell myself that inside she's ugly. Maybe I'm just jealous. I can't help but hate her. Secretly I wonder if my boyfriend wants to date her."

The door in the back of the room opens but the tiny girl doesn't acknowledge the entrance, simply continues. She is clapping a hand against her thigh since she can't bring herself to actually dance.

"She is the prom queen, I'm in the marching band. She is a cheerleader; I'm sitting in the stands. She gets the top bunk, I'm sleeping on the floor. She's Miss America and I'm just the girl next door."

He makes his way down the aisle as her feet take charge again, moving her to the music. She is simply too charged to stand still.

"Senior class president, she must be heaven sent. She was never the last one standing. A backseat debutante. Everything that you want, never too harsh or too demanding. Maybe I'll admit, I'm a little bitter. Everybody lovers her but I just wanna hit her."

Rachel doesn't even try to stop her fist from cutting roughly through the air at her side.

Her tiny hand comes up to clutch at her heart as she lets loose, singing with all that she has.

"Oh, I'm just the girl next door."

Another humorless laugh and an equally haunting smile spreads across Rachel's sad face.

"I don't know why I'm feeling sorry for myself. I spend all my time wishing that I was someone else."

The tiny brunette can feel his eyes burning into her as she lets out all the anger so that she can go back to pretending when the song winds down. She's back in the spotlight as

"She is the prom queen, I'm in the marching band. She is a cheerleader; I'm sitting in the stands. I get a little bit, she gets a little more. She's Miss America and..."

"She's Miss America. I'm just the girl next door!"

"I'm just the girl, I'm just the girl..."

She can see him making his way up the steps at the edge of the stage; his eyes full of the pity she can't stand to see. Just this once she wishes life was like a musical so she could sing without getting that look...

"I'm just the girl, I'm just the girl..."

The tears are gone. Rachel, once again, feels only acceptance as she looks up to meet Finn's gaze.

"And I'm just the girl next door."

The spot light cuts out then, and Rachel is able to make her escape stage left, silently thanking whoever was in the lighting box (probably Jacob) for giving her an out.