A/N: Sorry, again. Been busy with oneshots ...

How was Special Education, eh? I loved it, and all the PR moments made me squee. I had to write this, though, no matter how much I love PR, because I think Rachel's got to be torn up about the Finn thing at the very least.

Hope you enjoy!

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Silence …

The most deafening one she's ever heard, to be sure, but it's like all the sound has been sucked out of her world. And she hates it.

If she were in a dramatic type of mood, she'd say that the entire world had been turned on its axis. But she isn't; and she knows that logically it hasn't. It kind of feels like her world has, though; because ever since she looked into his eyes and heard his voice and kissed his lips, he's been her world. A sad fact, maybe – to have so much of her devoted to a boy when she's only sixteen – but it's the truth.

She thinks it's odd that she doesn't know what she's supposed to do without him now, considering the amount her life – and even just the amount of time since she met him – that he wasn't hers. But up until this afternoon he was and, even though she's the reason he's not hers now, she's lost.

She was spiteful, sure. And yeah, she's more upset about the fact that it was Santana; but she's angry he lied, too. She really thinks she has a right to be. Maybe it isn't totally his fault that she's so insecure (about everything, including her relationships with people), but his decision to ditch her and 'find his inner rock star' didn't help matters at all. Especially since he ended up on a date with two cheerleaders, one of which being Santana herself (and God, why does that girl seem to have it out for her?)

That doesn't matter now, though, does it … Because one shitty decision (she refuses to call it a mistake; she won't do that to Noah, even in her head. An error in judgment for the time, though, it definitely was) and suddenly Finn can do wrong. Sure, it was awful; and with the same guy who happened to impregnate his previous girlfriend and who used to be his best friend? That was beyond cruel. But Finn's made mistakes; he's done stupid things (sleeping with Santana notwithstanding, even), and she's forgiven him for them. Beyond that, she's given him chances. Second chances, and third chances, and fifteenth chances … More chances than probably was intelligent to, considering the number of times he's ripped her heart out of her chest and stomped on it. (Maybe she is in a dramatic mood, after all.)

That doesn't matter now, though, either, does it? Because he broke up with her; he doesn't have to listen to her reasoning or change his mind. A persuasive argument on her behalf isn't going to change that, and there isn't much she can do at all.

That – more so than almost anything else in this situation – is hard to come to terms with; being completely helpless.

She's quiet at dinner. Which she's sure sets warning bells a-ringing in her fathers' heads immediately, because there have been very few times in her memory that she has not been more-than-openly vocal about school and glee and her other various lessons. (Of course, there are plenty of things which she keeps quiet about; the way she's treated, the name calling and slushies etcetera, especially. But her dads don't know about any of that to be concerned by her silence on the subject – which is the point.)

Daddy gets up and leaves, and she hears the tap running. She swallows thickly, because he's so very predictable. Dad scoops another serving of his special vegan (made that way just for her, naturally) casserole, because her strict diet self-imposed restrictions and exercise regiment tend to go out the window when she's upset, and he's predictable too.

Daddy comes back in, glass full. A drop of condensation running down the side of it mirrors a stray tear streaming down her cheek, and not even because of Finn (or at least, not exactly); but because it's never failed to make her feel better, before …

But this time, a drink of cold water isn't going to solve any of her problems.

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Please review!