Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.
Over the next hour, without even asking her, Finn took the reins on the assignment. He could've guessed that she would be uneasy about dissections. Look at how jumpy she was about bacon! Besides, looking through the insides of a frog was fun for him. Science has got to be the his favourite class. Occasionally, he would asked if she'd like a peek. He didn't want to seem like an ass, and she did need to know what they were doing.
But with every rubbery squeak between the tools and the poor amphibian, Rachel would shut her eyes, and only instruct Finn to keep it down. He found it adorable how she would freeze up at the sight of the tiny intestines, so without a doubt, he wasn't about to stop. When the class continued, he would start to joke about how it's not as though she had to fry the thing, so she needn't worry about the poor animal burning before her eyes.
At this, her eyes would narrow into slits, and it most definitely got him to keep quiet for a minute.
Towards the last quarter before they were dismissed, they were to discuss what they had done, and submit a report the following week.
"It's a good thing we live together now huh?" She said nonchalantly, while he widened his eyes and inspected the area for eavesdroppers. When she saw this, her heart hit against her chest, witnessing for herself what Kurt had warned her about.
The smile he had for the past time started to disappear and it was as though he was like a turtle, retreating back into its shell.
"Yeah, I, uh guess so." He said it so quietly, she had to strain herself to hear. Then, he moved towards her, and instructed harshly.
"I uh, didn't tell the guys that you were staying at my place, so don't go telling people that you are okay? Like I thought Kurt told you about it!"
Rachel Berry was genuinely very disappointed.
She started to pile her books up, one after another. Then, in the same manner he used, she gave him a piece of her mind.
"Look, I expected more of you. But if you were so convinced that I would be bad for your image, perhaps you should just choose another partner. I'm sure any girl in this class would gladly volunteer."
From the very beginning, she was and will always be in love with him. But even so, she sticks to her dignity and principles. Having Kurt tell her the way Finn was and seeing it take place before her very eyes made her question if really she was in love with him, or just the idea of a perfect him.
She rushes out of the room, and Finn caught her swiping her eyes with her fingers. He didn't think that she would be crying, after all he found out that she was stronger than that. But it was quite simply a look he wished he could forget. He wants to chase her, he really does. But timing can be a pain in the ass, especially when the infamous bully Dave Karofsky comes by, patting his back on a job well done in making the school's loser leave the class in tears.
When he got home that day, he wanted to set things straight. She needed to see it from his perspective. So, opting an afternoon away from Quinn, (which in total honesty, he found it to be relieving), Finn Hudson was found walking through the front door at 3pm.
Kurt was off in his room with the scheduled nap, while Rachel was in her room. He snagged a couple of those vegan-lite soy chips he got for her as a form of truce before rushing up the stairs and into her room. He knocked on the door twice, before her voice allowed him to enter.
She was at her desk, working on the Biology report, which was a little bit of a surprise to him. He did think she was serious about swapping partners.
"Hey."
She didn't greet him the way she usually does, but instead just turned to look at him. Her eyes went to the snack he brought up and he rubbed his neck sheepishly.
"I, uh, I uh, I..."
"Finn, assert yourself."
He tossed the snacks her way, and as much as she wanted to hide the joy from food, she couldn't. Within seconds, she was munching on them like a child opening her presents on Christmas Eve.
"Look, I'm not really here to apologise. I just wanted to explain about what happened during lab hours earlier."
At this, she stopped chewing and set the food down.
"I don't mean to offend you or anything, but I don't want to be some high school loser. Not to say that you are, but the school sort of sees you that way, and I just, I just don't want to get a slushie in my face."
"What are you so afraid of Finn?"
He stole a stuffed kitten from her mountain of toys on her bed and started playing with the ears.
"Being unhappy." She saw him swallow, and took it upon herself to move and position herself beside him. "You're not happy with the way they treat you right?"
She shook her head.
"Well then yeah, I don't want to be without friends. It gets extremely lonely."
"And yet, you're willing to settle on superficial ones?"
He looked at her. He wanted to read her expression, but even with the disappointed look, he was confused.
"You're better than all of them Finn. You could have the potential to be someone beyond this stupid jock stereotype, and yet you're willing to settle for something less than who you truly are?" She didn't wait for him to answer. Instead, she asked him another question that nobody ever did. "Tell me, are you happy right now?"
His hands froze, along with every other limb of his body.
"No." She answered for him. "Because if you were, you wouldn't think it was necessary to keep Quinn away from Kurt. If you were, you wouldn't even care about following Kurt to the schools musicals. If you were, you wouldn't be here right now and finding it necessary to explain it to me."
She snatched the stuffed toy from his prowl. Pushing him up with her hands, she tells him to leave. But when his eyes saw the snacks on her table, he was reminded about what took place 24 hours ago.
What possessed him to even spend a good ten minutes at the vegan aisle for her was beyond reasoning. He wants to change. He has been wanting to change from the very beginning, and Rachel Berry might just be his last chance.
She starts yelling that he needs to sort out what is truly important. And man, for such a little person, she sure was feisty. And what was up with that crazy strength? She could practically lift a bull! Not to say that he should be compared to one, but you get the picture.
He allows her to push him to the door, but suddenly, he swivels around so quick, she was caught off guard. And then, like the start of a drizzle that makes you question it's existence after the first drop, he asks for her to help him get his priorities right. When he repeats the question again, that was when it hit her like a thunderstorm, strong and yet unknown to the consequences it can produce.
Mm, yes, there is a little angst in this one but fear not, my update tonight will be a chapter of resolution! ;) But oh dear, all of you have been the sweetest! The followers who have alerted for this story just keeps rising and I am just so very blessed by that! All of you are just magical beings to be doing that! Much love from me to you! xx