Cuddling with Rachel Berry was great. She was tiny, and he was tall. They fit perfectly with each other. And in that moment of tenderness, Finn thought everything finally made sense. They were together, in love, and happy. Life was good, he thought. He had an awesome girlfriend who made awesome cupcakes. She was still ambitious and annoyi- driven, but it somehow toned down with him. She was like a gentler Rachel Berry, and he liked it. Until she asked a question he didn't know how to answer.
Finn, would you elope with me? If there were a chance... Nevermind.
When I do become a Broadway star, you'd visit me often, right?
How will you take it when I have to kiss a fellow actor on stage?
I know I'm not fat- I exercise daily and maintain a very healthy diet, and I will not be a stereo-typical teenager, but does my stomach look a bit plump in this outfit?
Her bubbly voice interrupted his reverie.
"We're dating." Rachel stated proudly. "Right?"
Oh no.
"Yeah, yeah. We are." Finn replied, confused. "Why? Rachel, are you dating someone else?"
She looked offended (she was).
"I'm not! I would never do such a thing." She said, her tone haughty. "I don't cheat, Finn. It's wrong."
"I know." He agreed. "But why did you ask?"
She looked a bit hesitant (which wasn't Rachel Berry at all) before replying, "I wasn't sure. We've never been out on an actual date." He looked a bit hurt. "I mean, we have. But it wasn't really official." She explained, careful not to hurt his feelings.
She did.
"We're dating, Rachel. What do you want me to do?" He asked in exasperation.
Girls are all the same. They're nice and sweet when they want to be, but underneath the flirty looks (Rachel's skirts in this case), they're never content.
"I-I don't want you to do anything. I was just asking for conformation. I didn't want to assume that we were dating when we're actually not."
"No, you want something."
"I don't, Finn. I'm happy with our relationship." she answered confidently, but her face said it all.
"Did I do something wrong?" he asked, just to make sure.
"Of course not." Her reply was quick, too quick- almost defensive.
"I'm sorry, okay?"
"You didn't do anything." She reassured him, snuggling closer.
He had no choice but to believe her.
"Okay." He complied, cuddling with her again, but still suspicious of her behavior.
"Why do you love me?" she asked, her expression serious.
Crap.
"Rachel, we're in the mall." He gestured around them. He was having a great time… until she asked that question. He did love her, he seriously did, but she's been acting weird lately. She's been distant and kind of cold. He felt weird without her smiles and hugs.
Finn knows he's not smart, but he's not exactly a… Britney (no offense to her, of course). And he had a feeling this conversation was going to end up pretty bad, so he tried to change the subject.
"We shouldn't talk about these things." She looked offended. "In the mall." He finished.
"But we need to talk about this, Finn."
Something in the way she said "this" made him feel uneasy.
Finn laughed nervously.
"What do you mean? We're happy. I love you, and you love me. We're okay. We don't need to talk about. Live in the moment, you know? See where this is going." He knew he was rambling but he couldn't stop. When he got nervous, he just had to talk (even when it didn't make sense).
She nodded (which was a good sign), and sighed.
"I am happy." He smiled. "But I don't know where this is going."
Finn was almost always confused, but when Rachel said that, he just didn't understand.
"Wha-what?" he stuttered.
"I do love you, Finn. But- what I'm trying to say is that- what are we doing here?"
"We're being a couple?"
"Are we?" she questioned him.
Without hesitation, he answered, "Yeah. We are."
"We're not acting like a couple." She admitted quietly.
Then he understood.
Communication wasn't something he was good at, but with Rachel, it was kind of easy. She tells him everything, and she expects him to do the same. And she tells people the truth (which is why she's disliked so much, but at least she's honest), and she says what's on her mind. That's why talking to her was easy for him, except for the fact that she talks way more than he does… but hey, they work.
"Then we'll be one." He told her, his voice a mix of gentleness and authority.
She smiled up at him and he knew they were going to be okay.
He thought wrong.
Finn only had one real girlfriend before Rachel- Quinn. Sure, she was kind of mean, but they worked too. They didn't talk a whole bunch, and they didn't hang out a lot, but they were there for each other (they did kiss a lot though). And even though they were McKinley High's "It" couple, they didn't act much of a "real" couple. They held hands, kissed in public, that sort of thing, but Finn had no idea how to treat a high-maintenance girlfriend. Rachel was patient, but even she had to draw a line.
"I don't mean to sound so ungrateful but this is horrible."
He frowned. "It's supposed to be a symbol or something like that."
She looked at the dolphin figurine and asked, "Do you hate me, Finn?"
"What? No!" She looked unconvinced. "I think you're amazing. Why would you think that?"
"I'm sorry for sounding like a bad girlfriend who only uses you for your wealth, but your gift- your gift is…" She shuddered. "I'm thankful that you even remembered our monthsary but you shouldn't have gotten me something…"
"Oh, c'mon. It's not that bad." Finn tried to convince her.
"No. It's terrible."
"Don't you think you're being dramatic?"
"No. I'm not."
He rolled his eyes.
"Rachel, you're being unfair. I'm new to this thing, and this is my first time buying a gift, for a girl, that isn't flowers." He told her, hoping she would understand.
She did understand. She was smart. But she didn't have to accept that.
"You should've gotten me flowers then." She replied, her tone cold.
"Wait. Since when were you so demanding?"
She just looked at him.
"Okay. Fine. Wrong question. But you told me that you accepted me! That's gotta count for something, right?"
"Right."
"Then why are you acting like this?" he asked, really puzzled.
"I know I'm being extra difficult tonight. But you have to understand where I'm coming from. I'm Rachel Berry. My whole life, I had one real boyfriend and he used me. And even though he was awful, he was romantic and sweet. He gave me really thoughtful gifts and- I'm not saying you should follow his footsteps, but I was hoping you'd be more… you'd notice the little things about me."
"I do notice the little things about you!" He argued.
"No, you don't." She said quietly. "I'm lucky that you're so accommodating because any other guy would've left… and I'm extremely thankful for you. But you don't know me."
"I know your favorite color's pink." He announced proudly.
"Contrary to popular belief, it's not. My favorite color is yellow."
"Oh."
"Exactly. I know you love me, Finn. I love you too. And I know you love me for the right reasons, but sometimes, I doubt us."
She looked so hurt that he wanted to hug her right on the spot. But he was upset too.
"I don't doubt us." He said confidently.
"I know you don't."
"This conversation is going nowhere."
She nodded in agreement. "That's why… I'm going to be direct about this." She warned.
"Maybe we should take a break."
He froze.
"Finn, I'm sorry. I do love you but I just- I need time to think. I'm sorry. I'll miss you."
He wanted to argue, to plead with her, to serenade her, but a relationship is a two-way thing, right? So he agreed it was for the best even though he wanted to punch the closest thing near them.
Oh nooooo!
Why is Rachel acting like this? I don't know either! Kidding. I do know. Mwahaha. And I'll never tell you!
I kid. I shall update ASAP, gleeks.
(I'm not the type of author who'll leave you hanging in the dark. Everything will be explained.)
Have a lovely day! :)