AN- Sorry about the delay! My apartment flooded. Sigh. But I'm back, with more chapters coming at you ASAP.

I was getting massacred. After I got Rachel's second phone call, I was in the mood to do some damage, so I decided to play a video game—one of the bloody ones that makes my mom yell about de-sensitive-ing me to violence or something. Usually, they calm me down, but today I was getting killed over and over really fast, so it was making me madder instead. Then the doorbell rang. I quit the game and went downstairs. When I opened the door, Rachel rushed past me before I could even say, "Hi." She was talking really fast, and I was, like, too far behind to catch up.

"Rachel!" I interrupted.

"Yes?" she replied, all puzzled, looking up from a list.

"I didn't get any of what you just said."

"Oh, Finn!" she said, and hugged me, wrapping her arms around me. She's so tiny, but her arms are really strong. I wanted to hug her just as hard, and maybe put my hands in her hair, but I could feel that she was already moving away. "I was just saying that I know you have your doubts about this arrangement, but I think it's going to work out. You and Quinn and Noah will work through your anger. I don't buy Velma Kelly's claim in "Chicago" that in show business, hatred among coworkers is "no problem at all." Hatred requires energy—energy that might better be used on perfecting vocals and choreography. Besides, we were all becoming friends, and that rapport served us well."

"Wrapper? Rach…" I was going to ask her what that meant, but I was too tired, so I flopped down on the couch.

At first, the problem with liking Rachel was that I had a girlfriend, a pregnant girlfriend. Even if I hadn't had a girlfriend when I joined Glee, though, I probably wouldn't have asked her out—not at first. She was all intense, and the guys on the football team would have made fun of me. Now I'm single, and I don't care what anyone thinks about Rachel, but she's so smart. She never tries to make me feel dumb, but when I'm with her, I just do.

Rachel being so smart never bothered me before, but now everyone knows about Quinn, and how I believed that stupid hot tub story. It feels like that day in second grade when that jerk Steve Johnson figured out that the Cardinals were the best readers, the Robins were in the middle, and the Bluebirds were slow, and he announced it at recess. Being a Bluebird sucked.

Rachel was rushing around, putting Quinn's stuff into a cardboard box. She was singing to herself, that "Annie" song about hanging on until tomorrow. I could hear it, no matter where she was in the house. I just lay there on the couch, listening to her voice get louder and softer as she moved close and then away again. Then it stopped. I opened my eyes and Rachel was bent over me, about to touch me. Part of me wanted to reach up and slide my hand into her hair, pull her down and kiss her until I forgot about everything else, but she looked startled and straightened up.

"Oh, Finn, I was about to wake you! I'm done gathering Quinn's things. Can you help me take them to the car?"

When she said Quinn's name, it felt like when the shower runs out of hot water. I shrugged and stood up, then grabbed the box while Rachel held the door. It wasn't that much stuff. It seemed like more when it was spread out, though. Like Quinn had left it everywhere to torture me: "Remember when I looked so cute in this sweater? Remember taking this barrette out of my hair? Remember when you thought I loved you?"

I don't know why, but while putting the box in the car, I grabbed the hair clip and put it in my pocket when Rachel wasn't looking. It had flat white plastic flowers and was the kind little girls wear, but looked pretty in Quinn's hair. God, I'm such a…

"Finn, are you okay?"

If wanting to either bawl like a baby or rip the door off your car is "okay," then, yeah, I'm okay. I just kinda nodded at her.

"Well, when you're ready to talk about it, call me or text or IM or come over. You're welcome at any time."

I nodded again.

"Goodbye, Finn." She gave me another hard hug, like she was trying to squeeze all the sad out of me. It was even harder not to cry then, but I managed not to while she drove away. There it all went: Rachel Berry and all that was left of me and Drizzle and Quinn Fabray.

I cried later when I put my hand in my pocket and felt the stupid plastic hair clip. I tried to throw it away then, but I couldn't.

AN- Thanks for reading. Please leave a comment. They're such great motivation!