A/N: Hello all! Just to be clear, this takes place right after Original Song. That's about it, really. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, I do not own Adele's music and I do not own Mr. Hudson's music.
Finn Hudson was not stupid. Sure, he didn't always understand what was going on in his classes but that was just because he was too busy thinking about other stuff. Like how many grilled cheese sandwiches he could eat before he passed out. Or how may marshmallows he could fit into his mouth at once. Last time he got up to nine.
So, just because he was constantly wrapped up in his food-related musings and often tuned into the conversation without the slightest clue as to what was going on, did not mean that he was stupid.
He also wasn't blind. Though Finn might seem oblivious, he was actually quite observant. Finn took advantage of the Glee Club's lack of confidence in his intelligence to simply sit back and observe everyone else.
At this moment, he was watching Rachel Berry. He was seated next to her and was completely ignoring Mr. Schuester's Journey-centric prattling in favor of watching the brunette jiggle her leg nervously.
To anyone else, Rachel's twitching leg might have looked like she was waiting for Mr. Schuester to finish speaking so that she could immediately start demanding that they ignore this week's mini-British Invasion assignment and continue practicing for Nationals.
Finn knew that wasn't the case at all. Between Rachel's crossed arms he could see the glint of her cell phone and a list of messages that she'd received from someone that made Finn's nostrils flare. She was waiting for a text message. From Jesse St. James.
Finn was well aware of the not-quite relationship between Rachel and the former Vocal Adrenaline star and it made him fume to know that someone like Jesse was slowly making his way back into Rachel's life. Jesse was just such a…sleazeball.
Finn suddenly raised his hand as an idea struck him.
"Mr Schue, I know what song I want to sing for this week's assignment. Do you mind if I sing it now?"
"By all means, Finn. Go for it!" Mr. Schuester recovered from his sudden interruption and took a seat off to the side of the classroom as the tall boy made his way to the front.
He was nervous but he'd been practicing the song ever since he found out what they were supposed to be doing. Finn nodded to the ever-present band and began to sing.
Anyone but him
I'd rather here you'd have the whole football team
Than have to watch his filthy lips on your skin
Anyone but him
Anyone but him
Rachel, who'd resorted to covertly checking her phone every few minutes looked up at Finn with wide eyes. Was Finn singing to her?
With schoolboy fists we can take this outside
But knowing my luck
That fuck would win
Anyone but him
Finn began the chorus, walking to stand directly in front of Rachel. He looked down at her, fighting the urge to grab the phone from her hand and throw it across the room. Instead, he let his hand lightly stroke her cheek before he backed up.
Who's gonna take you home?
Who's gonna take you home?
Who's gonna take you home if it isn't me?
If it isn't me?
Finn thought back to when Jesse first made his unwelcome appearance in their lives. Though he was still with Quinn at the time, he knew that the fierce protectiveness that he'd felt towards Rachel wasn't strictly platonic.
Anyone but him
My blood boils as my eyes turn green
Is this the best of the best of the scene?
Anyone but him
Anyone but him
The way that Rachel smiled whenever Jesse was near her or even when she talked about him made Finn jealous. It was a completely new sensation for him and it took quite a while for him to figure it out. But when he did, it was quite the shock. After all, Quinn was his girlfriend when Rachel and Jesse were dating. Why on earth was he jealous?
With schoolboy fists we could take this outside
But knowing my luck
That fuck would win
Anyone but him
When Jesse broke that egg over Rachel's head, and subsequently, her heart, Finn decided that he would never let anyone hurt her that way again. Now that he and Quinn were officially over, Finn was planning to ask Rachel out properly. But Jesse's reappearance was quickly ruining his plans and Finn figured this was the only way to stop Rachel from falling back into older boy's deceptive arms.
Who's gonna take you home?
Who's gonna take you home?
Who's gonna take you home if it isn't me?
If it isn't me?
Finn looked directly into Rachel's eyes as he continued to sing. He was silently pleading with her to see through Jesse's sweet words and gentle looks. Finn mentally willed her to realize that Jesse would break her heart all over again. He couldn't stand by and watch that happen for a second time.
Look past the leather and the dash and the rims
And you see his whole hustle wears thin
Anyone but him
Anyone but him
He's gonna take what you can't take back
Then he's gone out the door on a whim
Anyone but him
As Finn sang the chorus again, he noticed Rachel's phone light up from where she'd abandoned it in her lap. He hoped that it was Jesse. He wanted it to be him so that when he was done singing, Rachel could respond to whatever message he'd sent with a quick dismissal. He wanted Rachel to realize that the only person she'd ever need was standing in front of her.
When Finn came to the end of the chorus, Artie suddenly joined him in the front of the classroom to rap Kanye West's verse of the song. All heads turned to the bespectacled boy as Kanye's verse flowed effortlessly from his lips. If Finn didn't know any better, he'd think that Artie had written the words himself, as comfortable as he was with playing the role of a rapper.
Now when she go black
She ain't never coming back
I'm sorry Mr. H.
I thought you already knew that
You'll see her on a black street like Chauncey
I'm a bad boy like Sean C.
Roc-A-Fella like Shawn C.
Keep them Apes with me like Don C
Like Jay, keep Beyonce I'm just talking nonsey, so nonchalantly
See my Mark like Ronsy
Pop my collars like Fonzy
Paparazzi is on me
While Artie continued to rap over the mild beat, Finn never took his eyes off of Rachel. He saw her quickly check her phone before turning it off and putting it in her backpack.
I see your girl want me
I'm filling up her glass
Feeling on her ass
Feeling so upper class
And your boy, so fresh
I might even flash cash
So at the end of the night
You ain't even gotta ask
Finn rejoined Artie as they both sang the final chorus of the song. Finn slowly walked back over to Rachel and sat down beside her as he continued to sing the rest of the chorus.
Who's gonna take you home
Who's gonna take you home?
Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me?
If it isn't me?
If it isn't me?
If it isn't me?
By the time the last line was uttered, Artie had stopped singing and Finn's voice was barely audible to the rest of the Glee Club as he looked directly into Rachel's eyes.
"Rachel, I know I haven't been the best about showing my feelings for you and I know that you have feelings for Jesse but you can't go back to him." Finn fumbled for words as he became aware of the gazes of everyone else in the Glee Club. Finn blushed slightly and soldiered on.
"I mean, he only pretended to be your boyfriend so that he could spy on us. And he broke an egg over your head," Upon seeing Rachel inhale sharply at the memory best forgotten, Finn apologized. "I'm sorry to bring that up, but don't you see? He can't be trusted. And I know that you want to believe everything he tells you because he's just so good at it, but he's no good for you."
Finn searched Rachel's eyes desperately for any sign that his little speech got through to her. The silence was starting to make Finn nervous before she finally spoke.
"And you are?"
Well. That was unexpected.
"What do you mean? Of course I am!" Finn couldn't quite believe that Rachel would question something so obvious.
"Really? Because it sure doesn't seem that way." Before Finn could dispute Rachel's statement, she plowed on. "First, you constantly lead me on, making me think that you actually like me - maybe even love me! But then, as soon as I show that I have feelings for you, you push me away. Not to mention that this is all while you're still with Quinn. I won't even get started on that. And now, you try to tell me whom I should and should not date when you haven't even made the slightest move towards progressing whatever there is between us?"
Rachel barely glanced at Finn's shocked expression before she continued.
"Look, Finn. I'm really flattered that you feel so strongly about me to the point that you put it into a song, but did you really think that I would sit back and wait for you forever? I've loved you from the moment I saw you and I suppose a small part of me always will. But, as much as I'd like to think of myself as the slighted heroine in a vintage love story, I refuse to sit back and continue waiting for you to come to your senses. If I want to date Jesse, that is exactly what I'm going to do. If you really feel that he's 'no good for me,' maybe you shouldn't have waited so long to tell me."
Rachel turned to Mr. Schuester, who had been watching the scene play out before him, unsure of what to do.
"Mr. Schuester, may I be excused?"
"Sure, Rachel. Go right ahead." When Rachel left the classroom, he looked around at the rather uncomfortable faces of his Glee Club.
He couldn't blame them. It was fairly common knowledge that Rachel and Finn were going to end up together and that Jesse was more or less of a speed bump. At least, that's what they all thought. Mr. Schuester checked his watch and saw that there were only ten minutes left in the period.
"Alright guys, we're almost out of time here. So why don't you all head out and work on your songs?"
Finn didn't make a move to get up as the rest of his classmates hastily left the classroom.
Mr. Schuester sat down beside the boy and waited a few minutes before he spoke.
"Finn, I know that was really rough for you but it's not the end of the world." Mr. Schuester awkwardly patted Finn's back. He was unsure of what else to say since the boy hadn't acknowledged his presence since he sat down.
Finn finally looked over at his mentor to reveal that he was barely holding back heartbroken tears.
"I really thought she'd understand…I wasn't trying to tell her who she should date," Finn paused. "Okay, maybe I was, a little bit. I was just trying to get her to see who she shouldn't date. I mean…I was going to ask her out today, actually. I really was. I guess I just assumed that after I sang that song, everything would click. I'm such an idiot!" Finn buried his face in his hands as he tried to keep himself together.
Mr. Schuester really felt for the kid. He'd been in a similar situation not too long ago and it, too, had gone seriously awry.
"You just have to give her some time. If she really wants to be with you, then she'll choose you. If she wants to be with Jesse, you'll just have to try to be happy for her."
Finn straightened up as he regained his composure. He nodded slowly as Mr. Schuester's words sank in.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." The bell rang, letting Finn know that he needed to get to his next class. "I gotta get going, Mr. Schue. But thanks." Finn smiled weakly as he headed for the door.
On his way to the school's exit, Finn saw Rachel standing in front of her open locker. She didn't see Finn because she was engrossed in whatever was on her cell phone's tiny screen. After staring at her screen for a few seconds more, Rachel's thumbs frantically flitted across the keypad, typing a response.
When she was done, she looked around, feeling a pair of eyes on her. When her gaze met Finn's, her eyes hardened and she slammed her locker shut, storming off in the opposite direction.
Finn just hoped that his message actually had gotten through to her. If Rachel didn't want to be with him, that was fine. Finn just wanted her to be happy. He wanted her to be happy with anyone but Jesse St. James.
A/N: If any of you are curious, the song I used in this chapter was Mr Hudson's "Anyone But Him." Also, the song that I used in Chapter two was Adele's "Cold Shoulder." I figured that it would be a good idea to include song titles at the end of each chapter. That's all for now!
- Jaz