A/N: Hello again! Here's chapter 5, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, I do not own Adele's music and I do not own Mr. Hudson's music.
Rachel Berry walked into Glee rehearsal the next afternoon with a giant smile on her face. The previous evening, she'd gone on a date with Jesse and it only served to reaffirm her love for him.
Yes, sometimes she felt that Jesse was more than a little distant towards her, but he always made up for it. Rachel couldn't be happier. She practically skipped to her seat and sat down with a graceless, but merry 'plop!' Rachel checked the wall clock and saw that there were a few minutes before rehearsal officially began.
The brunette took out her phone with the intention of texting Jesse. They hadn't spoken since last night and Rachel just wanted to say hi.
However, she was stopped as soon as Finn walked into the choir room. All thoughts of texting her boyfriend flew from Rachel's mind, replaced by the fury she felt for Finn.
How dare he presume to tell her whom she should and should not date? Rachel had been practically throwing herself at Finn for longer than can be considered dignified, and for what? For him to continuously lead her on while he struggled to maintain his own failing relationship with his girlfriend? Looking back on it, Rachel found the entire situation pathetically laughable.
She needed someone stable, who wasn't ashamed or afraid to be with her. She needed someone who could understand what it was like to be an under-appreciated star. She needed someone who put as much into achieving their dreams as she did. That's why she and Jesse were perfect for each other.
Let's face it, Finn is sweet and a perfectly suitable person to have a relationship with, but when Rachel made it big as a Broadway star, he wouldn't be able to keep up with life in the Big Apple. Jesse would.
As Rachel was mentally going over the reasons why she was better off with Jesse, Finn made his way over to her seat cautiously. Rachel crossed her arms and looked up at him with indifference.
"Can I help you with something?" Finn was taken aback by Rachel's cold tone. He must have really done it this time.
"Look, Rachel, I just wanted to apologize for yesterday afternoon. I guess I was a bit out of line but you have to believe me when I say that I wasn't trying to tell you what to do. I was just channeling my emotions like Mr. Schue wanted us to do and that seemed like the perfect song to get my feelings out there." Finn felt more awkward than usual towering over the girl so he sat down in the empty chair beside her.
"Hm. Well maybe you should have thought about that before singing such an inappropriate song. I mean, really, Finn. You'd rather me date the entire McKinley football team instead of one guy just because you don't like him?"
"Uh…I don't think it was meant to be taken literally." Finn did not like where this conversation was going. He'd intended to apologize to Rachel and maybe persuade her, in a much less obnoxious way, to hear him out. It didn't look so promising.
"That's not the point. I'm done with you, Finn. I'm happy with Jesse and if you really cared about me, you'd be happy, too." Rachel stared ahead, determined to end her conversation with Finn.
It was just as well, since rehearsal was beginning and Mr. Schue was asking for volunteers to sing one their songs.
Finn sighed and slumped in his chair. He was at a loss for where to go from here.
"Mr. Schue, I've prepared a song that would be more than appropriate given some recent events in my not-so-personal life."
"Sure, Rachel, the floor is yours."
Rachel nodded and took her place in the front of the choir room.
"As you all know, yesterday Finn tried, quite unsuccessfully, to woo me away from my boyfriend, Jesse St. James. While at one point I would have swooned at such a display of affection, now it is simply too late. Since Finn won't heed my rejection in a simple conversation, perhaps a song will do the trick."
Finn blushed with embarrassment as Rachel spoke. Is this really happening right now?
Rachel took a deep breath and began to sing. Yes, this was really happening.
Right under my feet
Is air made of bricks
That pulls me down
And turns me weak for you
At one point in time, perhaps not that long ago, Rachel would have done anything Finn asked of her. She would have gone to the ends of the earth with him, if that was his desire. Rachel, did genuinely love Finn. Hell, she still did. But time after time, he'd left her with a broken heart and tearstained cheeks.
I find myself repeating
Like a broken tune
And I'm
Forever
Excusing your intentions
And I
Give in
To my pretendings
Which forgive you
Each time
Without
Me knowing
Rachel remembered the first time she'd laid eyes on Finn. He wasn't like all of the other brainless jocks on the football team. Sure, he wasn't the brightest person, but he was much sweeter than the rest of them.
You melt my heart to stone
And I hear your words
That I made up
I say your name
Like there should be an us
I best tidy up myself
I'm the only one
In love
I'm the only one
In love
She remembered when he'd come to convince her to rejoin the Glee Club. She remembered the way they'd had what could be called a perfect date. She still relished the memory of the brief kiss she and Finn shared at the end of it. Rachel could slap herself for being so stupid. He was still with Quinn when all of that happened!
Each
And every time
I turn around to leave
I feel my heart begin to burst
And bleed
So desperately
I try to link it with my head
Rachel thought back on all of the times that she'd professed her love for Finn. She felt herself starting to tear up but she was determined not to break down. She had to get through this. Not only for Finn, but for herself as well.
But instead
I fall back to my knees
As you tear
Your way right through me
I forgive you
Once again
Without
Me knowing
You burnt my heart to stone
Finn stared in awe as Rachel continued to belt out the ballad. He'd always known that Rachel was pretty but this, this was something different. Whenever she poured her heart into any song, the brunette was stunning. But in this song, Finn saw Rachel's true beauty. He saw the heartbreak that she'd endured over him. He saw the strong girl who, despite her self-proclamations of stardom, just wanted to be accepted. He saw the girl that he'd fallen in love with-
'Wait. Do I really love Rachel?' Finn was mildly startled by this revelation.
And I hear your words
That I made up
I say your name
Like there should be an us
I best tidy up myself
I'm the only one
In love
I'm the only one
In love
As he listened to Rachel sing the ballad, Finn decided that yes, he was indeed in love with one Rachel Berry.
'How could I have been so stupid? Sure, I was happy with Quinn, we had good times, but she never really appreciated me for me.' Finn paused in his thoughts. 'Well, maybe Rachel did try to change me in her own ways, but at least she fell for me as a person and not as a symbol of popularity...'
Finn continued to watch the brunette belt out Adele's heartbreak as he slowly experienced his own. Why on earth hadn't he acted sooner? Here was the girl that he loved essentially telling him that she was through waiting for him and he was powerless to do anything to stop her.
Why
Do you steal my hand
Whenever I'm standing my own ground
You
Build me up
And leave me there
Rachel, on the other hand, was feeling no sort of regret as she sang. Adele's words only confirmed her beliefs that it was too late for her and Finn. She'd spent far too much time hoping and wishing and praying that Finn would realize that the two of them were meant to be together. All of the after-school practice sessions, all of the duets, all of them supporting each other when no one else would, all of it was for nothing. Rachel felt a new strength surge through her as she went through the final bars of the song. Sure, a small part of her might always love Finn, but the window of opportunity was shut and sealed.
I hear your words
You made up
You say my name
Like there could be an us
I best tidy up my head
I'm the only one
In love
I'm the only one
In love
As Rachel held the last note, she caught Finn's eye and thought she might have seen a tear there.
'No, that can't be right. Why would Finn be crying?' Rachel was mildly confused as she walked back to her seat, only vaguely acknowledging the applause and praise that she so often sought.
'I know my performance was brilliant but I usually go for the endless ovation, not the tearjerker...' Rachel's train of thought trailed off as she heard her phone's discrete text message notification chime from her backpack. It was from Jesse.
'We need to talk,' was what the message read. Rachel's face fell. She knew she was naïve, even she knew the one, true meaning behind those four words.
A/N: Woo! Chapter 5! It was a bit shorter than I would like, but sometimes that happens. For this one, I used Adele's "Melt My Heart to Stone." It's one of my favorites by her (but then again, I could say that about almost all of her music). I have a lot of stuff happening within the next two weeks so I don't know when I'll be able to update. I'm trying to work my way through another chapter but it's not going so well. But never fear! I'll work it out. Please don't forget to review. Until next time, folks!