Note from the Author:
I am so sorry it took me longer than I said it would to upload this chapter. Not only did I make last-minute plans to hang out with my friends the last 3 days in a row, but even after I finished I was really unhappy with it and felt the need to keep editing and editing... Anyways, it's here now, and I will try to have the next one up tomorrow or Wednesday! Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing, every single review has made me smile =)
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Finn still sat beside Rachel during meetings and in class, but what used to be awkward attempts at conversation and hints towards his romantic interest soon became questions about her relationship with Will.
"So... isn't it weird pretending like he's just another teacher?" Rachel looked around to see if anyone had heard Finn's question; Kurt and Mercedes were across the room, which she was thankful for as they gossiped incessantly. The only person close enough to possibly hear was Puck, but he was asleep on Quinn's shoulder. Otherwise, all eyes were still planted firmly on Mr. Schuester.
"I am perfectly capable of keeping our relationship professional at school, Finn" she replied, more quietly than he had asked.
She knew this to be a partial lie. At first it was quick glances during class, attempts to distinguish what was on the other's mind. He didn't need to remind her to continue to act the way she usually did; she was still Rachel Berry, after all. But there were subtle differences, little games they played, meant only for each other. She would cross her legs and flash a little thigh, silently hoping he'd lose his train of thought. He would write on the board, wondering if she was staring at his ass, (maybe triggering some memories of the night before in his bedroom, or the very same day against the wall in his office).
They knew how to control themselves. They just didn't want to.
It wasn't until the annual 'Welcome Back Assembly' during the second week back that they decided to be more careful.
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"Welcome, students, to the 2010-2011 school year!" Principal Figgins' voice rang through the auditorium and was met by a halfhearted round of applause.
"We are all here today to discuss new school rules and regulations. Firstly, I must address these "wars of slush" you have going on. They have been going on for too long and will no longer be acceptable!" The teachers just shook their heads as the senior boys at the back burst out into laughter. He said the same thing every year, and it never made a difference.
"Silence! Secondly, a more serious matter has arisen. One of a very inappropriate nature. You may have heard that a teacher from Lima Central Catholic has been fired and taken into custody after being caught in a," he cleared his throat, nervously, "... a sexual act with a student." As anticipated, the volume level in the room increased immensely; Rachel felt the blood rush to her cheeks as a boy behind her cried "Ooh, Mr. Schue!" which was met by the laughter of his peers. Others simply muttered things along the lines of "Ew," or "How could you be so stupid," and some repeated "sexual act" in Figgins' accent while the teachers tried desperately to shut them up.
The principal cleared his throat into the microphone before continuing. "However, we here at William McKinley have a professional staff who would never consider doing anything of the sort. I do need to remind you, however, that absolutely no acts of a sexual nature will be permitted on school property. The breaking of this rule will call for suspension!"
Rachel's pulse was quickening rapidly as her head filled with 'what ifs'. The rest of the meeting was rather dull and barely managed to hold her attention; she thought only of how Will was faring and feared what he would say when they were alone next.
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"So you only... do stuff in private? Where's the fun in that?" Finn asked with a soft chuckle. Rachel blushed at the question, knowing full well how exhilarating it was to do something that was against the rules. "Are you guys gonna, like, tell anyone else?"
"Tell anyone what?" Puck asked, poking his head over Finn's shoulder.
"That you should go back to sleep and mind your own business," Rachel said without actually looking at him.
"Whatever, it's probably something completely lame, anyways. You don't have the guts to have a real secret," Puck retorted.
"No, Finn," Rachel began, turning to Finn, "I don't think I'll be telling anyone else. Because if Noah ever found out, who knows what he would do."
"He's right th-" Finn interrupted.
"I know," she said, rolling her eyes.
"Puckzilla is intrigued," he said as he pulled his chair closer.
"Rach has a...boyfriend," Finn said, unsure what word to use.
"Finn!"
"What? I didn't say who."
"Lame," Puck said, folding his arms behind his head. "Probably some geek from band camp or something."
"Exactly, it is lame," Rachel said. "So let's just forget about it."
"Well since you insist... does he go here?"
"No." "Yes." Rachel and Finn said simultaneously.
"Wow, you guys suck at lying."
"Finn," Rachel said, doing her best to ignore the other member of their conversation, "Don't say anything else."
Puck considered taking a jab at how whipped Finn was, but the serious expression on both their faces (especially Rachel's, which both guys agreed was kind of scary) told him two things: firstly, that joking around probably wasn't a good idea. And secondly, that he needed to find out who Rachel's new guy was. After all, if it was anyone normal, she would be wearing a t-shirt with his face plastered on it by now.
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"Mr. Schuester?" She asked, knocking on the door of his office. She wasn't particularly fond of calling him by his last name, but the halls were busy as students visited their lockers before lunch, and the assembly earlier had sparked a level of paranoia inside her.
"Hey Rach," he greeted her as she shut the door.
She took a seat in the chair across from his desk, facing him. It was usually occupied by a student with whom he felt "a talk" was necessary, or a parent wanting to know why her son wasn't getting a 90. Rachel fit the part perfectly as she folded her hands and placed them in her lap, looking as though she was about to deliver a speech.
"I am just going to come out and ask you, because I don't want this to take longer than it needs to," she began. "I have to know what is going on in your head following that assembly today."
"Rachel-"
"Wait, do you have any tissues? I want to be prepared, just in case."
Will couldn't help but laugh to himself as Rachel braced herself to cry. He'd been with her long enough to know how she acted in different situations. When Rachel was upset, she tended to return to the controlling girl he'd met over a year ago.
"Rach, I've known the consequences all along. Why would this change anything?" Rachel was silent for nearly a minute as she absorbed what he'd just said.
"I don't know, I guess I didn't really think about it. I just panicked. We haven't spent much time talking about the future, or the 'what ifs', even after all this time..." In fact, the last time they'd brought the subject up was when Rachel tried and failed to break things off. "I know it's a little awkward and morbid but I feel like it needs to be done."
"Rachel, we haven't been very obvious about it." Will was very aware of the fact that he had much more to lose than she did.
"What about the park two weeks ago?" she reminded him. What had started out as an innocent walk turned into holding hands, which turned into third base under a tree. Sure, they hadn't been visible from the road or the main path, but all it took was one person who knew who they were, and that could have been the end of life as he knew it.
"You're right. We've been lucky. But what other measures could we take?"
"Well I've been thinking about it for about an hour now. I think it would be acceptable for us to go out in public together. Glee director, captain, not so weird. But nothing that could possibly indicate anything more. Which means no public displays of affection, obviously," she said, "and no real dates."
"Okay."
"And no more fooling around in the choir room."
"Well, that only happened...twice. But okay," he sighed, begrudgingly.
"Or in here."
"I think I get the picture," he joked.
"Sorry."
"It had to be done-"
"No, for being so controlling. It's one of my biggest faults," she said.
"So maybe you're sort of...high maintenance. But that's what makes you you. And you've changed since I met you. You've matured," he assured her.
"Really?" She smiled shyly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I generally like being in control. But not with you. I don't see a million things that need fixing."
He took her hands in his and she drew circles in his palm, smiling at the size difference.
"Is this acceptable?" he asked.
"I don't know...maybe we should stop... associating at school, just to get used to the new...rules."
"I hate that we have to sneak around. It isn't fair to you."
"Well, if it makes you feel better, I'm really not missing out on anything. It's not as though any boy my age would take me out, either," she said with a smile. "And even if they would, I'd still choose you."
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Rachel left class that day completely confident that Puck couldn't care less who she was seeing. The rest of her night went by quickly; she didn't stay long at Will's because she had two tests to study for, and she went to bed early. She woke up the next morning to a blue sky, positive that it would be just another, if not slightly above-average school day. She didn't even see Puck coming before he'd managed to whisper in her ear, "Tell Mr. Schuester I say 'hi.' Or should I say..."he continued as he walked away, air-humping the next cheerio that walked by him and moaning the name, "Will!"
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