Here is chapter 8 for my lovely readers; I hate to keep you waiting ;)

Reviews are much appreciated and I wont lie, they fuel me to write/update quicker!

Something was up with Quinn, but for some reason I just couldn't put my finger on it.

I held the door to the bowling alley open for Rachel who gave me a gracious smile and a small nod in lieu of a thank you. I smiled back, twice as bright-it was hard not to. Rachel just had that effect on me, even when my head was clouded with thoughts of my insane girlfriend and her more than seemingly-odd duet project with my best friend Puck.

"I'm going to go and use the restroom for a moment, do you think you can find us a table?" Rachel asked, peering up at me with her adorable brown eyes. She was so short that I just wanted to pick her up and carry her everywhere. My smile widened at the thought.

"Sure thing, but be careful-don't fall in." I joked. "I don't wanna have to come in there and rescue you. People would probably think I'm weird for being in the girls bathroom."

"Is that a midget joke?" she tried to seem slightly offended but it wasn't working. One of my brows perked up as my smile turned more to a lopsided smirk.

"What if it is?"

"Then I may just have to embarrass you." she said nonchalantly, turning toward the lanes. I scoffed and crossed my arms across my chest. Embarrass me? Please. Bowling was as easy as breathing to me-I was a champ at bowling. I had this in the bag.

"We'll see about that. Now hurry so I can make you eat your words!" I nudged her forward, urging for her to head toward the bathrooms. She giggled and scurried off, leaving me amidst the surprisingly small crowd for a Saturday evening at the bowling alley. I decided to go with the table that was closest to the concession stands for reasons that were obvious. It smelled awesome.

I felt my stomach growl. I had forgotten to eat before I picked Rachel up to go bowling and now I was going to pay for my mistakes. Besides, it wasn't like I had much time to focus on eating anyways, which is amazing since I always had time for food, but with Quinn and her antics infecting my head it made it hard to think about anything other than breathing and using the bathroom.

I palmed my face at that thought. That made me sound so stupid.

Still, what was up with Quinn? I knew she had been assigned to be partners with Puck for the duets which I totally understand, but it just seemed like she was spending an oddly large amount of time with him lately, especially today... I mean we just got the glee assignment today and just like that, they were working on it. Didn't that seem a little fast? Especially for those two, who I'm pretty sure are the least interested members of the glee club. Even Rachel and I, the friggin co-captains of the glee club, don't get to work that fast on assignments! Hell, we haven't even discussed which song we'd sing yet.

It wasn't even just the assignment though. I've been noticing them hanging out around each other a lot in school lately and I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me feel a bit confused. Why were my best friend and my girlfriend talking to each other so much? Was I missing something?

Oh, my birthday is coming up later this month-maybe they're planning a surprise party for me?

I shook my head. That was a stupid idea, even for me to think. Last year, Quinn paid no attention to my birthday. Nobody did, except for Puck and Rachel who had gotten me a dime bag of weed and some strange birthday card that sang when you opened it respectively. I was still grateful for what I received, even if I may or may not have had some strange allergic reaction to the weed that caused me to itch all over my face and throat and if the card sort of creeped me out. It was the thoughts that were worth counting or something like that.

"You alright?" Rachel's words brought me out of my thoughts and back to the real world. I noticed that I had been staring quite hardly at a spot on the table where a piece of it had been chipped off. I nodded, giving her a small smile.

"Yeah, just thinking." I assured her. She took a seat across from me, playing with the ends of the sleeves of her powdered grey sweater. She was so cute.

"About Quinn?" she asked. I nodded again. "Everything alright?"

I sighed. "Yeah, just... you know, she and Puck have been hanging out a lot. I don't know why I'm worrying so much about it though, it's not like I'm jealous." I was completely honest. I really wasn't. I just didn't understand what was going on with them. "I mean yesterday they were together all day from the time school let out to as late as like, nine at night. Possibly even later."

She furrowed her brows together in confusion. "How do you know they were together that late?"

"I had to drop off some money, you know, for hospital bills and stuff for baby Drizzle." I informed her. "I didn't get around to dropping it off to her until around nine o'clock and even then she was still at Puck's place. She said they're just working on their duet but you know, it's just odd to see them working so hard on a glee assignment. Not to mention she was in pajamas when I saw her..." I thought out loud, remembering last night when I had given her the money I had saved for college. She seemed so happy to see that I was stepping up and really helping out with the baby. It made me feel a little better about myself, even though I had handed over the only funds I had for my future.

"Maybe she's staying the night?" Rachel suggested.

"Her parents never let her stay the night at other peoples' houses, especially another guys."

"Well," She chewed at her bottom lip for a moment. "I don't know. I don't want to just assume anything because I don't know anything about the situation, so maybe jumping to conclusions might not be the best thing to do."

I nodded, agreeing with her. Maybe I was just looking to far into things. I just had to chill out. "You're right."

"Everything is going good with the pregnancy though? You said you dropped off some money for the baby-it's good to know that you're really taking responsibility, Finn. Not a lot of men are brave enough to do that. I'm proud of you." She smiled at me. I shrugged and looked down at my hands, letting out a long sigh. Her smile turned into a frown. "Was it something I said?"

"No, it's just-No," I answered. "I'm glad to know you're proud of me, and I mean, I feel pretty good about it too and all, but... the money I gave to her for baby Drizzle was my college fund." I paused and looked up to see Rachel wearing a look of immense interest.

"Your college fund?"

"It wasn't a lot, but it was all I had to get me out of this place and into a college somewhere else where I could make something out of myself." I continued. "I guess there's nothing I can do now but stay here and raise Drizzle with Quinn, though."

The idea of having to stay with Quinn to raise our daughter in this town, keeping me from my dreams of becoming something, made my chest burn with annoyance. Rachel continued to watch, but her expression of interest turned to one of sorrow.

"I didn't ask for this life, I don't want it! I want to do something-I'm not sure what I want to do, but I know it's not this." I lashed out, unaware of the anger that I had pent up inside of me. I instantly felt horrible though. "Oh my god...I'm so selfish."

"Hey," Rachel placed her hand atop my own fidgeting ones. "It's all going to be okay."

I furrowed my brows. How could she be so calm about this? "Impossible."

"Just because you're having a baby doesn't mean your life is over."

I shook my head. "It's not even about the baby, really. I mean sure she's unexpected, but I've learned to understand that hey, I can still be happy, it's just... it's Quinn."

"Quinn... but what do you mean? You can't be happy with her?" I shook my head. "Don't you love her though?"

"I don't know," I buried my face into the palms of my hands. I was rambling and I knew it, but I was telling the truth. I just needed to spill my thoughts and feelings out and apparently my mind and body felt like right now, in the middle of a bowling alley with Rachel Berry, a girl who was barely a friend of mine, was the right time to do so. "I just don't know anymore."

From between my fingers I could see Rachel who folded her arms across her chest, leaning forward against the table. "So you think you've fallen out of love with her."

"I never was in love with her."

"You've been with her for a year!" Rachel shrieked, taking this a lot more seriously than I would have expected her to. "You don't just stay with someone for a year if you're not in love with them!"

I tore my hands away and looked her dead in the eyes. "Look, it just seemed like the right thing to do, alright? I mean she was the head cheerleader, I was the captain of the football team..."

"So it was a popularity thing."

I hated the way she said that, making me feeling as if I was one of those guys that you see in the movies and read about in books who were way too worried about where they stand on the social ladder in high school. Then I realized I actually was just like those guys.

I nodded shamefully. "I guess."

Her frown returned, this time seeming more directed toward me and not at what was making me feel so down. "I'd hate to make you feel even worse about yourself Finn Hudson, but I must admit that I am quite disappointed in you at this point in time."

I let out a long distressed breath. "I get it and I understand that, but right now, please Rachel," I pleaded. "Can you just not judge me? I'm so sick of being judged and having all these high expectations from everyone only to let them down. Right now I just need a friend-someone to listen to me and help me and not completely hate my guts for my stupid decisions-and the only person I have that's even close to that is you," It came out like word vomit, amazing even myself with what I had actually just said. "Because everyone else already has their thoughts and ideas about me. They all expect from me. You're the only one that doesn't. It's like we have this totally clean slate, and I like that."

Her demeanor softened. "I never expected to hear anything like that from you, Finn." I offered her a hesitant smile.

"There's a lot that you don't know about me."

"Well then," she tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and gave me a small, reassuring smile. "If we're going to be friends as well as partners, the least I can do is try to help you out with your problems."

My hesitant smile was no longer hesitant. "I doubt you'd be able to help, but it'd do wonders if you'd maybe just listen to me vent and complain."

Rachel nodded and stood up. "Of course. How about we get something to snack on while we talk about this, then we can do some bowling."

"Oh, um," I stammered, trying to figure out how I could get around telling her that I didn't have enough money-it was either food or bowling, and I'd already promised to go bowling with her. "I'm not really hungry. You can get something though."

"Are you sure? They've got nachos, and I know you love those."

"Really, I'm sure."

Right when she was about to counter my objection, my stomach let out a rumble that even a deaf man could hear. My face flushed red in embarrassment. I probably seemed like one of those girls who were shy to eat around their date in fear of them seeming fat. Oh god. That's probably even worse than the actual fact that I was broke.

Rachel crossed her arms and glared at me.

"Finn."

I focused on the zipper of my jeans, hoping that Rachel would just walk off and forget this ever happened, but she stood her ground. It wasn't for long though because after a few more strung out seconds I heard her shuffle away toward the concession stand and away from our table. I let out the breath of air that I hadn't even realized I was holding in and looked up. Thank goodness that was over.

My stomach let out another rumble, making me feel sick this time, almost as if I was about to start dry heaving. This night was not going to be pretty.

Just don't think about it so much, the hunger pains will pass. Focus on Rachel-soon she'll be back and I'll be able to talk to her about everything. I'll feel so much better then. Now that I think about it, Rachel looks really pretty today. She should wear jeans more often, they fit her really nice. A little too nice... okay, stop it stop it. I already decided that nothing between Rachel and I could happen, I've got to stop thinking like this. We're just friends. That's. It.

"Here you go."

A small basket of nachos drenched in cheese was pushed in front of me. My mouth started watering the instant my eyes set sight on them. I looked up at Rachel who was taking her seat across from me with her own small basket of nachos, only without the cheese.

"I know you like cheese on them because you're always drowning your nachos in cheese at school." She put down a cup full of a dark liquid next to my nachos as well. "It's cola."

My stomach was officially trying to kill me for not digging into the deliciousness that sat in front of me. "Rachel-"

"Hush up and eat," Rachel cut me off as she nibbled on a nacho. I went to object once more but she shook her head. "It's okay. I understand."

I furrowed my brows. "You... do?"

"Yes."

I palmed the back of my neck nervously. "Oh."

"Don't be embarrassed about it Finn, it's okay." She gave me a warm smile. "I'm your friend, and friends do things for each other... like buy each other nachos!"

I shifted in my seat, trying to hold back from grabbing a handful of the cheesy nachos in front of me and just stuffing them into my mouth. "But-"

"Please, Finn. Just eat them."

I opened my mouth to argue but I quickly closed it when I realized that I didn't know what else to say. I should be grateful that Rachel was nice enough to actually get me something to eat. I had nothing to be embarrassed about; she had said so herself. There was only one thing I could say as I went to grab a cheese-drenched chip.

"Thank you."