2.

Her small hand had given his large one another gentle squeeze and that's when he broke down.

Tears stung his eyes. He wouldn't have even noticed that they actually started falling freely if it weren't for Rachel snuggling into his side, placing her chin on his shoulder and leaving a kiss on his cheek. This only made him cry even more. He felt like a total baby when he cried, especially around her. The first time he cried in front of her was when they were fourteen years old.

They had been having one of their classic all day movie marathon in which she got to pick her favorite movies (ALWAYS Funny Girl and How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days) and he got to pick his favorite movies (ALWAYS Braveheart and Spiderman).

"My mom is getting married," Finn said, interrupting the 'You're So Vain' number.

Rachel smiled brilliantly and clapped her hands excitedly.

"That's so great!" She cried out in bliss. "I hope I get to be in the wedding."

He shakes his head angrily, "Well I'm glad someone will be there, because I definitely won't be!"

He had jerked his now ginormous length wise body off the comfortable couch and stormed out of her house. He had just gotten to his bike when she made it out of the house herself wearing her little pink shorts, pink flip flops, and pink tube tank top. It showed off her very skinny stomach, and since it was pretty humid, was suitable towards her bodily needs.

"Finn!" She yelled, running down her driveway out to where he had just hopped on his bike. "Don't ride off, please."

So he didn't. And before she could even say anything he burst into tears.

"I'm going to have to share a room with Kurt," He wept.

"That'll be fun! Kurt is really funny and dresses really-."

"He likes boys, Rachel," Finn deadpanned.

"So?" She shrugs. "My dads' are gay and you don't have a problem with them. At least you better not."

"Of course I don't," He sniffs. "But it's different this way. I mean, Kurt asked me to a school dance just this year. He likes me… like has a crush on me. I don't know if I can deal with that. And the guys' at school, they'll have a hay day with this one."

"Who cares what they think?" She interrupts his wet rant. "You're better than all of them."

After that he was totally okay with his mom marrying Burt. He knew that Rachel was genuine when she said he was better than all of them; he knew that she truly believed that he wasn't just a run of the mill average. He had been ready to accept that his mother was going to remarry and he was ready to accept Kurt as his brother, no matter what the jocks at school had said. And now he couldn't imagine having a different brother or dad. But this was a different situation and he's afraid that this is it for he and Rachel. This was where their friendship turned to a big piece of shit because he screwed everything up.

"Shh," She soothes, her had moving up to his face to caress it. "It's alright, it's alright."

"No it's not," He chokes out. "I just fucked everything up, Rach."

She doesn't say anything and that makes him let out a groan of frustration.

"Stop, Finn. It's alright. Who says you screwed anything up, though?" She questions. "I mean, you still have time to get into a college. Even if it's not a school in New York, it'll be alright."

"Yeah," He bitterly agrees. "The thing is I don't want to be anywhere but with you."

He looks into her eyes, sees how they darken noticeably even though a stream of sunlight dances around on her face, highlighting her every feature.

"Finn," She shakes her head.

"No, don't argue with me about that. Rachel, I can't handle being so far away from you. Maybe you're okay with leaving the person who knows everything about you, but I'm not."

"Who said that I'm okay with leaving you?" She shrieks angrily, moving her hand from my face and separating her body from mine. She now sits perched at the foot of my bed. Finn still remains in the same position, too broken to make any move.

"Well, you have no problem going to New York, do you?"

Finn knows he's being selfish right now. He shouldn't have said that to her; New York is Rachel's everything. It's where her dreams began and where they thrived. She spent her entire childhood preparing to go to New York.

"Being a part of something special makes you special."

She had always said that about New York. That's why she wanted to go. Rachel had never fit in here. People always put her down, the dull state of Ohio put her down. Plus, she was meant for something larger than this. She was meant to share her talent with more than a few people in a small town. She was bound for stardom and she deserved even more than that.

So why, why the hell did he say that to her?

"It's not easy for me to leave," Her lower lip trembles. "You think that I don't toss and turn at night, dreading the day that I have to leave my family and friends? And of all things, leave you?"

It's her turn to cry and she lets out a choked sob before covering her face with her hands.

"Rach, I didn't… Please don't cry," He begs, now sitting up.

"I'm leaving, Finn."

"I know. I know you're going to New York and-."

"No, I'm leaving right now."

And with that she gets up and leaves.

Totally fucked.

Those were the only two words that came to mind for Finn lately. It had been two days since he told Rachel off. Since he told her that she was escaping everything and everyone in Ohio.

Doing the math, he has exactly four months and two days left with Rachel. Which is why it was super dumb to let her walk away from him over some stupid little argument. He shouldn't have said anything to her. He shouldn't have been so harsh when he told those things to her.

Yet again, Finn Hudson was in the wrong.

School was getting more boring every single day. He had a serious case of senioritis, a common disease in which a soon to graduate senior just gets more and more anxious to leave school. It was probably the worst feeling ever.

Right now, he was sitting in Chemistry, being bored out of his mind. The teacher is trying to teach still, which baffles him. The senior class would be graduating in less than a month. Why even try to shove any more information into them? There was already a lot to think about.

He turns his head to the left and looks at her. Rachel has Chemistry this hour as well. They usually sit by each other as lab partners, but today she sits next to Puck. That's strange since she usually avoids Puck as often as possible since she was afraid he was going to try and steal her money and use her for her body. But they knew each other enough to be friends. In fact, in Finn's eyes and in most people's opinion, Puck and Rachel were actually best friend. Nowhere near being as close as Finn and Rachel, but pretty close.

He remembers when they all hung out for the first time. It was seventh grade and both parties involved were offended.

Finn Hudson's doorbell rang, causing him to spring off his dad's chair in the living room and towards the front door. He knew it was going to be her. Even though he had two guests coming to hang out at his place today, he knew that the other would no way in hell be there on time, let alone ten minutes early.

Swinging the door open, he's met with Rachel Berry, his friend of an entire year. They had automatically meshed together well after they met for the second time. Rachel was a really great listener, was really smart, and pretty. Finn was funny and charismatic. They were complete opposites. Rachel perfect and Finn a mess. But they worked. And Finn was more than happy to further their friendship. He had a feeling this was a once in a lifetime relationship and didn't want to ever give up.

So he invited her over to watch the first game of the World Series. She didn't even know that the World Series was for baseball, which made him even more anxious to get her over to watch.

The only problem though was that Puck and Finn always watched the World Series together. No matter what through sickness and even death. Yeah, one time Puck's Great Aunt Something died and Puck managed to sneak out of a funeral dinner and to Finn's house to watch game 3. It was worth it though.

"Hi Finn!" Rachel brightly greets with a huge smile. "How are you?"

"Good. Come in, Ray," He uses his new nickname for her.

"Thank you," She walks across the threshold, past Finn and to the living room. It wasn't her first time over here, though she still wasn't entirely familiar with the directions of the house. However, she remembered the living room.

Popcorn and butter was a very loud scent in the room, but she didn't mind. She happened to love popcorn.

"What kind of butter did-."

"Organic. 100%," He interrupts, reassuring his little health nut of a friend.

"Well, looks like everything here is good. We have ten minutes until the game starts. What do you want to do?"

"I don't know… Maybe get some drinks from downstairs? I think my mom has juice and stuff stocked up."

"Where is Carole?" Rachel wonders aloud, following behind Finn. She can't help but stare at the back of his head that had to have been at least six inches higher than her own. Finn, once a runt, was now the tallest boy in his class.

His shoulders shrug before elaborating.

"Apparently she's at Burt's Auto Shop getting her car repaired and stuff. But the car is perfectly fine… So maybe the oil needs to be changed or something."

They continue their journey to the basement where they retrieve some drinks before heading upstairs. The game had just started when the door swung open with Noah Puckerman. He waltzed right in as if this were his own house; exactly opposite of Rachel's calm and collected entrance.

"Wassup', wassup Hudson!" Puck wails loudly, rounding the corner to the living room.

He stopped in his tracks. Rachel spit her juice over Finn's bean bag that was in front of her.

"No. Way." She shook her head violently.

Finn face palmed before looking back and forth between his two friends.

"What is she doing here? No one said losers were invited," Puck comments.

Rachel gasps audibly before returning the insult.

"No one said buttheads were invited either."

Finn can't help but chuckles slightly. This catches the attention of both the very angered people in his living room. He blushes a bright red and wishes he would have just invited Rachel to watch the recap with him or something else. This was definitely not worth it.

"Why is he here, Finn. Explain."

Her voice is so stern he breaks.

"Puck always watches the World Series with me. I couldn't tell him no just because you were coming."

"Why did you even invite her, dude? She's a total loser. No one at school likes her. Quinn will never want to date you if she finds out how much you've been spending time with her," Puck harshly rants.

Finn's eyes dart over to Rachel. She looks so innocent and small. Her petite frame and pink sundress. She was adorable. But on her small face was a saddened expression. Finn knew popularity was a soft spot for Rachel for she had never fit in anywhere besides at home. That's why she wanted to leave Ohio so badly. Apparently New York has all the things she needs. Finn just hopes he can move out of his mom's house.

"She's not a loser. And who cares what Quinn thinks? I don't want to date her."

Lie. Finn has had a crush on Quinn Fabray since the beginning of seventh grade. But Rachel seems to brighten up a little after he says this, making him think it won't really matter if he fibs a little bit.

"I like Rachel. She's really cool. If you don't want to hang out with her, Puck… then leave."

Finn hated that he had to do this, but it was impossible not to. He did really like Rachel. Like he said before, he and Rachel had this weird connection and he wasn't ready to give up on her. He'd never be ready to give up on her. So he had to do it.

With the finality of his statement, he had plopped back down on the couch. Rachel gently sat next to him, crossing her olive skin toned legs.

And Puck flung himself down onto the couch right next to Rachel.

So they watched the game, and Rachel had asked tons of questions that Puck mostly answered for her. Though he was jealous that Puck was spending time with Rachel when he couldn't, Finn wanted them to get on each other's good side, so he mainly just tuned in to the game and let them chatter away. This is good. Both his friends were on good terms with each other. This was how it should be. Now he didn't have to worry about that.

"I'll see you at Temple, Noah," Rachel smiled and waved after leaving the house and hopping on her bike.

"She's not that bad," Puck comments. "Except that 'Noah' shit. I'm Puck."

Finn chuckled and punched Puck playfully in the arm.

"Yeah you are."

"She's also all kinds of hot. Wouldn't mind getting my mack on with her after Temple this week. Catch you on the flipside, Hudson."

Yeah right, Finn thought, as if Rachel would ever kiss you.

Turns out Finn's assumption of Rachel not ever kissing Puck was quite off base considering she had shared her very first smooch with him. He was pissed that Puck would make the moves on his best girl friend and was pissed that his best girl friend would allow Puck to make the moves on her. It was all just stupid.

Short update, I know. I hardly have time since it's the end of the school year and I'm swamped with school work and tests etc. Next chapter will be the 'start' of this story. No more flashbacks either, to young friend finchel. Thanks for reviewing and please keep doing so!