Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
I.
Finn looked on in oblivious merriment as Rachel tried to comfort a semi hysterical Sam while seemingly on the verge of a breakdown herself. The three teenagers stood backstage waiting for Principal Higgins to call the two glee clubbers on to stage for their performance.
"I wonder if my parents would let me wear full on Jedi armor to school." Sam thought out loud while grasping his hair at the roots tightly to lessen the throbbing pressure in his skull.
"That's a ridiculous idea." Rachel scoffed as she rubbed the boy's heaving back.
"I obviously won't wear the helmet part," Sam said with a pointed glare. "And I'd like, hide it under some huge clothes-"
"That's smart," Finn chirruped positively.
Sam shrugged. "I'm pretty, but I ain't dumb." He stubbornly affirmed.
Rachel rolled her eyes at her best friend's ludicrous behavior. "I don't even know how to respond to that." She huffed, "Where would one even get such a suit?"
He gave her a look of boredom. "Craigslist, bro. Look it up. Pretty sure you can like, get a unicorn there."
Finn looked positively delighted at this new found information. "Are those the horses with the horn on em'? Those things are awesome. It kinda sucks that they don't have em' here in Ohio."
Sam snickered to himself. "Yeah, it really is too bad that they only migrate west."
The tall boy frowned in dejection. "That's all the way across the country, like Alaska, or whatever."
Ignoring Sam's sarcasm- something the boy used as a defense mechanism-, and Finn's utter...incoherence- Rachel cupped her best friend's cheek in one hand and smoothed his shaggy blonde hair away from his eyes with the other. "We've both been rehearsing this number nonstop all week and the last time we rehearsed it, you were absolutely perfect. You're not going to embarrass us, or yourself, Sam." She said reassuringly.
Sam gave her a look of doubt and glowered. "I've never even had a girlfriend before, Rachel."
"Neither have I."
Finn nodded vigorously. "Yeah, and at least you're not in love with Quinn 'Scary' Fabray." He replied pointedly at Sam.
Scowling in offense, Rachel shot the boy a dirty look. "She is not scary."
The two boys guffawed and snorted in amusement.
"Um, Okay. And Santana Lopez is totally hot for me." The blonde boy responded dryly.
The tall boy piped up in amusement. "No offense, Rach. I know you totally dig Quinn and all," Finn said sympathetically. "But she's like- she's like..."
"Terrifying?" Sam suggested helpfully. "
Finn wholeheartedly agreed. "She has serial killer eyes."
"Finn Hudson!" Rachel huffed in indignation. "Quinn has amazingly expressive eyes. I haven't had the opportunity to study them as up close as I've wanted to, but from my careful observations from afar I've come to the conclusion that no one at school has eyes that could even rival Quinn's in beauty."
Finn's eyes glazed over as he zoned out. "Yeah, sure, totally." He mumbled lazily.
"Weirdo," Sam muttered with mirth, shooting his best friend a look that said 'you're bat shit crazy but I love you like sister anyway.'
"You know, one time, she took Puck as her date to a Chastity Ball," Finn disclosed with a muddled expression. "And I guess he embarrassed her in front of some people. The next day at school, she totally broke into his locker and filled it with dirt."
The blonde boy hummed in thought. "I think her bitchiness just turns Rachel on."
"That's kinda hot." Finn's faced morphed into that of gassy baby's. "Mailman, mailman, mailman," he chanted quietly to himself.
"Moving on." Rachel ignored their comments and sighed patiently. "Look, we're going to rock this, Sam. I'm sure of it. With my immense talent and your leading man appeal, they won't know what hit em'."
"She's right, bro." Finn said, shooting the other boy a calm smile. "I'm kinda glad Rachel made me watch you guys practice-"
"Rehearse, Finn. Practices are for sports."
Ignoring the interruption, the boy merely grinned and continued. "You guys are super awesome singers and like, its really cool watching you guys be rock stars, you know? It kinda makes me wish I could do what you do."
Sam managed to calm down long enough to give Finn a brief smile. "I'm not scared we're gonna suck." He sighed. "I know that we're good at this whole performing show choir...whatever- thing. It's just...okay, look, we all know how much kids at this school hate people like me and Rachel."
Rachel frowned in thought. "They don't really hate us so much as they completely disregard our existence."
"Like that's any better." Sam huffed out a large breath.
Finn patted them both in the back and wrapped his long giant arms around his two friends. "Think of it this way, guys. No one ever pays attention at stuff like this anyways. Half the kids out there are gonna be asleep and the other half will be too busy making out or whatever to even pay attention to you guys."
"Great," Sam muttered depressingly to himself.
Rachel patted the heavy arm wrapped around her in thanks. "Thank you for that, Finn." She deadpanned.
"Well, I meant it, Rach." The giant beamed back at them both obliviously.
A few minutes later, Finn left to go back to his seat leaving Sam and Rachel alone with matching self deprecating thoughts. Rachel tugged at the collar of her plain baby blue button up shirt. She decided to forgo on wearing one of more colorful her bow ties, instead deciding to go for a more sophisticated look by wearing a classic white bow-tie, and pairing it all up with black skinny jeans and white high-top sneakers. Sam was wearing the same thing as her and her fathers had praised their outfits calling them 'adorably charming yet hip' in their getup.
"You think Quinn's gonna like our performance?" Rachel asked timidly, breaking the tense silence that enveloped them.
Sam rolled his eyes fondly at his best friend. "She better like it," he said hotly. "You did pick the song out especially for her."
When Rachel looked up at him with mild embarrassment at herself, he just shook his head and laughed endearingly at her. "Dude, you're literally the craziest person I've ever met."
Rachel smiled at him warmly and unashamedly shrugged. "Love makes people that way."
"Then you're tiny little body must just filled with that love stuff. That's disgusting, bro."
The two best friends grinned goofily at each other, for the first time all day they finally felt like they could breathe alright.
"Up next, William McKinley high's own glee club Captains, will be performing a duet."
Principal Higgins' voice cut through the moment like a stake through the heart.
"I was not aware that we even had a glee club at this school, but well, lets welcome Sam Ev...is that an a? Yeah- okay, Sam Evans and uh...Rachel Berry!"
The introduction felt like a huge blow to the gut and it made Rachel wince in pain.
"We're up." She said morosely.
Sam gulped and nodded to himself in reassurance. "Those who are tardy do not get fruit cup."
II.
Quinn sat in her seat right at the front of the auditorium with the rest of the cheerios. She would of been slumped down in her seat because of her utter boredom, but Quinn Fabray does not slump.
God forbid.
Brittany and Santana were currently sat to left of her playing footsies and giggling coquettishly to each other, while Coach Sylvester sat to her right with that ever present look of pure apathy on her aged face. Puck, Finn, and the other football players were sitting in the row behind them, obnoxiously trying to get girls' attention by making crude comments and lewd gestures.
She rolled her eyes in annoyance as Puck made another futile attempt at getting her to notice him. She had dumped the boy via text message a few days ago and had since then actively avoided all his efforts at a reconciliation.
If it wasn't for the fact that he was the most 'wanted' boy at school, and that dating him was really good for her reputation, she wouldn't even consider being with such a sleaze bag.
But this was high school and the only thing that mattered was what people thought about you, not about who you really are as a person. Nobody cared if you were having a bad day, or if your man whore of a boyfriend cheated on you. Again.
It wasn't like Ice Queen Fabray had a heart anyway.
Quinn grimaced as she thought about her breakdown at the bleachers a few days ago.
Thank god no was there to see that.
When the lights in the auditorium dimmed and the stage spotlights came on, she snickered at the dramatics of it all.
.
The first melodiousness chords of the piano permeated the darkened room and then a girl-
-the very same girl who seemed to lack any social skills as Quinn had concluded from the brief 'conversation' she had with her. The grimy little thing that was covered in sweat and blood- walked in from one side of the stage as that blonde boy entered through the other.
The brunette looked absolutely...different... from the way she had looked the last time Quinn saw her.
"Hello, hello, anybody out there? 'cause I don't hear a sound."
The girl began to sing and her best friends' flirty giggles or the footballs teams idiotic taunts and jeers seemed to fade away. Quinn's whole attention was locked onto the stage.
Her bright golden eyes roamed rather unabashedly over the girl's lean figure as she glided across the stage. She couldn't even bring herself to care that her Coach was currently hurling insults at a proud looking Will Schuester who was sitting in front of them, staring at the stage in awe, with a wide eyed Emma Pillsbury next to him.
"Alone, alone, I don't really know where the world is but I miss it now..."
.
"Listen, listen, I would take a whisper if that's all you have to give."
Puck looked on in barely concealed surprise at the sight before him. Damn, that Berry chick could sing. Glancing over next to him, Finn was grinning his dopey grin at the sight of their obnoxious new teammate singing with that kid who could open jars with his lips.
A loud snicker drew his attention away from the stage. Puck glanced behind him and raised an eye brow at the smug smirks some members of the hockey team were shooting him.
"Heard that loser up on stage is your new half back," a pug faced hockey player spat out with a sneer. "It's bad enough that you let a chick into your team, but her? Seriously?- Damn, bro."
"Fuck off," Puck said as he glared daggers. "I'mma take care of her, alright? That shit don't fly here."
"But it isn't, isn't, you could come and save me, try to chase it crazy right out of my head..."
.
"She's totally hot, San." Brittany whispered giddily to her secret girlfriend as she watched Rachel with twinkling blue eyes. "We should introduce ourselves."
Santana gagged at the suggestion. "Britts, that's Rachel 'Yentl' Berry. I've been torturing her since preschool." She said, giving the distractedly leering girl a pointed glare. "We trash her year book pictures every year. You helped me hang her up on the flagpole during our middle school graduation."
Brittany tilted her head in thought. "But San...look at her."
"No, thanks. I'd rather not go blind." The hostile cheerleader bit out.
"She's gotten super hot over the summer, like seriously smokin'."The bubbly blonde murmured, ignoring her San's comment. "Q, what do you think?" She whispered to the other blonde beside her.
"..."
Brittany looked to her other side and smiled to herself at the flustered look on Quinn Fabray's face.
How curious.
Beaming brightly, she looked back towards the stage. "Lord Tubbington will so be hearing all about this tonight."
.
"I don't wanna be down and, I just wanna feel alive and, get to see your face again but 'til then..."
As Rachel sang passionately to the crowd, in her mind she was singing the words just to Quinn.
She imagines the auditorium completely deserted, save for the most beautiful girl in the world looking up at her with shining molten gold eyes.
The lights above her shone so brightly that she could barely make out anyone's face, it was impossible to find the girl the song was meant for. As Sam harmonized with her in the background, she wondered if Quinn was watching her right now, what the girl thought of her performance.
I hope she knows that it's for her.
"Just my echo, my shadow, you're my only friend..."
.
"That's disgusting, Brittany." Santana looked like she was about to projectile vomit all over the auditorium. "I'd rather be marooned in an island with Coach Sylvester than have anything to do with tickle me Elmo." The Latina vehemently whispered.
Brittany just sighed patiently at her girlfriend's petulant behavior. "Well, I think Elmo's adorable, and so is Rachel."
Behind them, Finn perked up having heard the last part of what Brittany said and grinned at merrily at the mention of his teammates name.
"Are guys talking about Rach? You know, she's on the football team now." The towering boy leaned forward in his seat with that ever present oblivious glazed over look in his beady eyes.
The blonde dancer practically swooned at the information. "No wonder her ass looks so fine."
Finn's eyes bulged out comically at the look of disbelief on the Latina's face, he immediately leaned away before the hostile girl could assault him, or his very fragile man parts.
Santana turned around and quickly grabbed a hold of his shirt, yanking him forward and keeping a tight grip on his collar. "Hold up, Gigantor. Explain your huge, puffy pastry nippled, gelatinous man tits, Finessa." She growled at the cowering oaf. "Now. Before I ends you."
The tall boy gulped nervously. "Yeah, she like, tried out a week ago and kinda killed it. She's really fast and like- slippery and stuff."
Santana rolled her eyes at the lumbering bonehead before frowning in thought. "Was she that little punk that got bulldozed by that idiot mammoth, Adams?"
When Finn nodded, Brittany let out a small gasp. "That is so rude. She's just the smallest cutest thing."
"Rachel can take a hit, Brittany," Finn beamed proudly for his tiny creature of a friend. "She can do like, a million situps and a bunch of other things."
"Her abs probably kept her safe." The blonde said with a bright grin. "That is beyond sexy."
Santana growled beside her petulantly.
Brittany nudged the girl gently. "No need to be jealous, San. You know I only wanna get my sweet lady-"
"Okay!" Santana interrupted her pointedly. "Tell me more, Finnept. This is probably the only time anything you have to say will ever interest any non-brain damaged person, but try to make it quick. It's exhausting to look at you."
The boy frowned thoughtfully in concentration. "Well...Coach keeps talking about how 'valuable she is to the team' and how she's like, guaranteed to be a starter on our first game this season."
Brittany grinned excitedly at Finn. "Could you introduce as to her after this?"
The brunette shot the boy a death glare before he could open his mouth to respond. "No, babe, I'm sure Finnept here has some place he needs to be later. Like a liposuction clinic." She quipped giving the boy a smile that caused more fear than comfort. "We're done now. Try not to trip suffocate everyone back there with your fat rolls." Santana said as she shooed him away.
.
"I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name, like a fool at the top of my lungs, sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright, but it's never enough..."
Quinn gasped as doe brown eyes met her own as the girl on the stage sang down on her. There was so much passion in those dark eyes.
They glistened dazzlingly with emotions Quinn couldn't decipher.
It almost seemed like the girl was singing it solely for her.
Her eyes fluttered shut at the thought.
She didn't know what was happening.
She's never been this affected by someone singing before, let alone a girl.
"cause my echo, echo, oh my shadow, shadow..."
But there was just something so raw and honest about this girl's performance. Like she truly meant the words she was crooning to the party dazzled crowd.
.
"Hello, hello...anybody out there?"
III.
There's nothing that could quite compare to a slushy to the face. No matter how prepared you think you are for the assault, nothing can really prep you for the stinging shock of the cold ice as it hits your naked skin. It felt like tiny little needles prickling burned flesh.
It fucking hurt like hell.
Sam and Rachel stood absolutely still as every inch of their bodies were bombarded from every corner with the icy drinks.
They had been waiting at the school parking lot waiting for one of Rachel's fathers to pick them, seeing as neither of them had driven to school today. Both teens had wide grins on their flushed faces, still high from the modestly positive reception they got after their performance. A number of kids had come up to them and shyly complimented their voices and arrangements. The glee kids had given them warm smiles and proud pats on the back.
There was nothing in the world that felt better than feeling accepted.
Except the feeling of Quinn Fabray's legs wrapped around-
Do not even go there.
Right. Right. Sorry.
Rachel was positively glowing with delight. And Sam- he felt like he was on top of the world.
Then the football team came, along with some members of the hockey team-
-and they all held slushies in their hands.
Sam gulped in alarm and whipped his head around looking for an escape. But they were surrounded, there was no way out of this. He stared blankly at Finn as the tall boy gripped the slushy cup in his hand tightly.
"I can't do this," the quarterback muttered, staring at the ashen faces of his new friends.
Puck rolled his eyes as he came forward stopping in front of Rachel.
"Look, teammate, it's nothing personal." The mohawked boy shrugs with a semi sympathetic expression. "But we just can't have a member of the football team making us all look bad by singing karaoke in front of the whole school wearin' a freaking bow-tie and getting away with it."
Rachel gasped as the bitingly cold drink gets dumped on her head.
She heard Sam splutter beside as he too was hit with a slushy.
Then one by one- each person around them began throwing the contents of their cups of numbing drinks onto the two helpless singers standing despondently in the middle of the circle.
.
Rachel didn't open her eyes till the last of their laughter faded away.
They had all left, dumping the empty cups all around the empty parking lot. Wiping the cold liquid away from her watery eyes, she glanced to her side and took in the heavily breathing form of her best friend.
"Sam?" She voiced timidly. "Are you alright?"
The boy let out a hollow laugh. "I'm fucking great, Rach."
She watched with guilt gnawing at her heart as Sam roughly wiped the slushy from his face. "I'm so, sorry, Sam." She emptily muttered.
"Not your fault, bro," Sam stated honestly as cold slushy dripped from his shirt, pants, everywhere.
Shaking her head in absolute disagreement, Rachel wrapped the blonde up in a comforting hug. "They never would of done this if it wasn't for me."
Sam burst out in genuine laughter at the girl's earnest statement as he pulled away from the hug. "Dude, so not true."
"Sam-"
"They would of super soaked us with or without you being on the football team." He says with a small shrug.
"But-"
Rolling his eyes, he gently shoved the tiny girl in mock annoyance. "We're Fish Lips and Man Hands, getting slushied is like our thing, you know?" Sam smiled at the bashful look on his best buds face. "I would hate to live in a world where singing about our feelings goes unpunished," he quipped with a grin.
"Did Finn..." Rachel trailed off, not wanting to voice the question they both asked in their heads.
"I'm not sure. This guy with a mullet got me before I could close my eyes so I was pretty blind for awhile there," he answered, running his hand through sticky blonde locks.
Rachel's expression clouded up at the thought Finn betraying them, after they had shown him nothing but kindness and friendship. "I really hate high-school."
Sam snickers. "Damn, and here I thought we were gonna be good friends."
Rachel merely nods in agreement. "I guess it's just you and me, again, Sam." She said as she glances up at her blonde best friend, holding up a fist.
He bumped it with his own and sighed loudly. "Whatever, man. Finn smelled a little funky anyways."
Rachel chuckled before quieting abruptly. "You don't- you don't think he'd... tell people about my feelings for Quinn do you?"
Sam grimaced at the thought of everyone finding out about Rachel's feelings for Quinn before the girl could confess them herself. "Shit," he mumbled anxiously. "I don't know, bro."
.
Two steps forward, three hundred steps back.
Author's note: I really don't mean to make Puck out to be the bad guy. He's really just a boy in high school that's trying to live up to his image, so I hope you guys don't hate on him too much. Anyways, thank you for reading! As always, sorry for all the errors.
Song used: Echo by Jason Walker.
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