AN: Sorry for not updating too frequently. I've been so busy the past few days/weeks that it was almost mandatory for my body to pass out when I got home. Also, I apologise for the slightly lacking length, my creativity's being used up enthusiastically by everything at the moment. However, I will try to get the next chapter up tomorrow, or the day after that. I don't own City Of Angels by Corrinne May, cheers.

Tip: This is a Rachel-centric chapter, Sebastian will reappear in the next one, but I'm not sure if Rachel will make an appearance.

Empty beds in furniture stores
Angels sleep on skid row floors
Broken wings for a dollar a pound
"Can you spare some change?"

It was business as usual the following weeks, with less stress on college applications. School work, schedules, the occasional slushie, a few taunts from the jocks that were brushed away easily enough, and – of course – glee club. It was a Friday, and everyone was jittery to return to their schedules for the weekend.

Thirteen or so people were seated on uncomfortable plastic seats, and the bell rung for the last time that day. Mr. Schue asked if anyone wanted to perform a song today, naturally, everyone looked at her, but it was another person who held up their hand.

She sat out a performance today, as she didn't prepare one. (She had to practice her scales and had piano lessons, successfully mastering a few pieces both modern and classical, to make up for the absence.) Instead, Sam had taken his place in front, a mic in front of him, and an electric guitar playing a tune from Parachute. She and he had a project for another subject two weeks prior, and he overheard the song playing from her iPod dock. He was grinning, another blonde (a certain cheerio and ex-bitch) in front of him both affronted and flattered at his song of choice. It was a rather funny face she pulled, and Rachel wished she had brought a camera with her.

She had spaced out, and snapped back to reality, just as the instrumental ended and the second verse started.

"She wears a gold cross," Sam sang, as the strong guitar chords simmered back into background music. "She sheds her skin but it never comes off," he winked at Quinn, who blushed quite prettily at the words. Some of the glee members made hoots, hollers, and catcalls, until they settled down and continued the song.

"She hears the angels on the streets tonight, and she walks right by," he looked at the back, where Brittany and Tina were swaying, and gave them two thumbs up. "And they sing so softly," he pointed to the two girls.

"They sing oh whoah, oh whoah, oh whoah," the two harmonised beautifully, as Sam rejoined them, taking the mic off the stand. "Love's right behind you," he left the guitar playing to the band, adding an instrumental instead of going ahead with the chorus. He led her to the front, and she sat down on the chair. He resumed his guitar riffs and replaced the microphone, starting the chorus just in time.

"I wanna love you more," he put a foot on the side of the stand, and let it fall towards Quinn, who smiled brightly. "Than all of the things you wanted, than all of the things you're not," he nodded to the backups, then continued. "You wanna have it all," she had the gall to be insulted, though everyone in the room knew that it was true. "She found it in the city, but the city doesn't talk," the guitar ended, and only the drums' shimmering sound remained.

She spaced out again, looking at the people in the room. Clearly everyone was having a good time, she even saw Santana smiling proudly at the back, and that was a feat in itself. Rachel looked over to the other side, and saw that one wasn't having a good time. One that towered over her by more than two or three inches, and was the quarterback of the school football team. He was glaring at the wall in jealousy, as always.

Barely a wisp of him appeared in her thoughts the past few days. Heck, they haven't been in a proper date for a month! It was a little unsettling, but Rachel didn't really care about it. She was shocked at her own reaction, but thankfully everyone was still absorbed in Sam's performance to care much about everything else. A fleeting thought of maybe I should break up with him crossed her mind, and she seemed to contemplate this, but the day was almost over, and she didn't have enough time to reflect on the hours after. She tucked the idea in the back of her head, as everyone clapped for the rendition of White Dress.

"Rachel, we need to talk," were the urgent words she heard the countertenor utter to her, just as she closed her locker for the last time that day. She sighed and looked over at resident fashionista (alongside Mercedes Jones), who looked at her up and down – as he always did with her – and nodded approvingly at her blue and brown getup.

"What is it Kurt?" she asked, genuinely confused. They didn't have any sort of party with alcohol, nor did they have some sort of get-together the weekend before (not that anyone invited her to any of them, she thought bitterly).He sighed, exasperated, and gave her a piercing stare, as if she should already know what he wanted to talk about.

"That little performance you had with a certain Warbler?" his tone was tight but oddly gleeful, as he adjusted the strap of his satchel. She was puzzled, how did he witness that little stunt they pulled? They were barely at the edge of town! Her face must have been an open book then, when he replied with, "You passed by a boutique that I was about to exit. You two were so enamoured with yourselves that you didn't even notice me," he seemed affronted by this, but it was far too trivial a matter that he only laughed it off then.

Rachel Berry was a hard person to render speechless, however, these were the very few times that she was. Her lips were pursed, arms crossed, and oh god how was she going to get herself out of this now?

"I will explain everything to you if you don't tell anyone else," she proposed, twisting the heel of her foot in the peeling linoleum floors. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Why should I trust you? Remember the last time you were infatuated with the opponent?" he said frostily. She tried her best not to flinch when she remembered the memory of egg goop running down her face, mixed with her tears.

"Because I assure you, this will be the last time I'm going to mingle with the competition," which was the truth, since they were all heading for university the next year, anyway. He paused, thinking of another question.

"What about Finn?" he asked, and she was reminded of the idea she had conjured in the middle of glee.

"I admit, our relationship was rocky at best, but I feel like that chapter of our lives is coming to a close. It was an amiable one," compared to others, anyway. "But I don't think we'll last another four years," he nodded in what seemed to be approval, then offered his arm to link.

"Right answer, Rachel Berry. Now spare no details," he said with an ecstatic smile on his face as he led them both to the doors to exit the building.