Chapter 2: No retreat, no surrender
i.
Kurt mumbles under his breath as he makes his way to Rachel's dance studio. A long day at work - with snobby clients and short-tempered bosses - has left him almost lethargic, but he needs to stop by to confirm again with Rachel about Finn's joining her class - he wonders what she would react to that. Probably kill him. And that's the best scenario already.
He's about to step inside the studio but stops when he sees people gathering around and talking to each other, some look amused, others annoyed. He checks his watch (it's Versace, thank you for your compliments), shouldn't they be learning Ballet Basics with Rachel?
"Don't you dare Finn Hudson!"
"Oh my goodness! Oh hey Rachel, didn't see you there, sorry, I thought you were a Gremlin."
"Oh hey Finn! How are you these days? Still giving people diarrhea for a living?"
"It's not my fault you ate the spoiled cupcake. I remember it was you who were insisting on saying that cupcake was yours."
Oh no.
Oh could this be happening? Finn wasn't supposed to be here before Kurt is, he was supposed to be working at this time.
Shoot.
He messes up his timetable. Crap. Trisha is so fired.
Kurt regrets not bringing his Survival Bag - which includes a mask to hide his face in cases like this. Also documents to help him change his identity as well.
"You know what Finn Hudson? You haven't changed one bit! Still as atrocious as ever!"
"I could say the same to you!"
Kurt quickly turns around and salsas his way towards the door, but before long, he bumps into Blaine, whose excitement of seeing his fioncee is too obvious - and extremely dangerous for Kurt at the moment.
"Oh my god, Kurt! Baby! What are you doing here?"
"Blaine..."
"Did you see that? Did you see Rachel and Finn fighting? Here, I was YouTubing it the whole time!"
"Blaine honey..."
"What?"
"Please stop talking. I need to go before..."
"Kurt Elizabeth Hummel soon-to-be Anderson!"
Kurt feels as if the whole room's temperature has just dropped 100 degrees - he can actually feel the cold, scary force that is Rachel Berry and Finn Hudson coming closer and closer from behind him.
He whispers desperately to Blaine before sucking in a deep breath and turning around to face them :" Blaine, please know I love you."
"Heyyyyy Rachel, dearest sweetest pie. Heyyyy Finn. How's it going dear brother of mine?"
"Cut the crap Kurt. Explain!"
"Yes, please do explain" - Finn chimes in.
"Could you not repeat what I say?" - Rachel furrows her eyebrows at Finn.
Before Finn can say anything, Kurt interrupts: "Okay guys, please. I thought this was going to help you both okay? You guys haven't seen each other since high-school, right? And this whole cupcake thing was in what, kinder garten, third grade? Can you guys just please drop it and work together for only 2 and a half months?"
"DROP IT?" - Both of them say in unision, then immediately turn to glare at the each other . Rachel continues:
'Kurt, I missed out my chance for cheerios try out that day because of him! I could have been head- cheerleader you know? And look what my school life turned out because of that. So to answer your question, no, I can't drop it."
"I refuse to work with her, she's obnoxious and arrogant, and who knows what she would do to me?"
"Excuse me, what exactly does it mean?" - Rachel squints her eyes.
"It means" - Finn steps in closer - "You may have a crush on me, like you did in high-school, and who knows you won't be taking advantage of me while teaching me how to dance?"
Rachel throws her head back and laughs "Oh Finn, in what world sweetie, in what world would I ever have a crush on you?"
"I'm not sure" - Finn licks his lips and leans in even closer - "Maybe, right now, right here?"
Rachel pushes him away and the two dive right in with their fighting yet again.
"Guys..."
Kurt tries to be the referee to the heated argument going on in front of him, but all of his attempts are all in vain.
All of a sudden, Blaine yells out "GUYS!"
Everyone turns to look at normally the least threatening guy in the bunch, whose expression is not so lovely.
"Okay, you know what" - Blaine walks towards Rachel and Finn, pointing his finger at them - " I have had enough of this. You two are acting like children! Get over it. All we are asking is a good performance from Finn at MY wedding day,okay? Your job is, Rachel Berry, to make it happen. And you, Finn Hudson, you are expected to take whatever routine she throws at you and RUN CIRCLES AROUND AND IN AND UP OF THAT SHIT!Okay?"
"But..."
"One more word Finn, and I will make sure that no one from work is going to date you anymore, clear?"
Rachel crosses her arms in front of her chest and exhales :" Fine. I'll try my best."
Finn looks at her, then at Kurt and Blaine, and finally rolls his eyes and says : "As long as she doesn't take advantage of me then I'm good."
Rachel glares at Finn and walks away, saying as she disappears behind the door of the next classroom :" Class starts now, Hudson. Move it."
Finn picks up his duffle bag and looks pointedly at Kurt, who is too busy peppering Blaine's face with kisses : "I'm doing this because you're my brother, alright?"
"Hudson, making the class wait already?"
Finn just rolls his eyes and walks inside the room.
ii.
"Class, my name is Rachel Berry, and I'm going to be your dance instructor for the next 2 and a half months. You are all here for different reasons, but I expect the same thing from all of you, and that is working hard. I know some of you think this is a piece of cake" - She looks directly at Finn - "but everything needs effort". She stops right in front of him, "I will not tolerate any slaking and procrastinating. And also, have a good attitude. Don't be a jerk. Are we clear, class?" Finn chuckles and speaks in an English accent "Yes,miss Berry".
Rachel tilts her head to aside and stands on her tip toes to whisper into his ear - he can see clearly the curve of her cleavage, thank Mom and Dad for his height. " I will make sure you can't stand this class and quit on your own".
She pulls away and stares at him. He never noticed how big her eyes are until now. They're kinda shiny too.
Finn licks his lips - he catches her staring at them, ah hah - and smirks : "Well, we'll see about that, Miss Berry."
Rachel walks around the class, her hair is up in a high pony tail. They start with some normal warm ups. He can totally see the way other women in class checking him out - what can he say? The ladies love him, and he silently thanks Kurt for getting him into spending money in proper sports clothes. Rachel's watching him like a hawk, she'd stop every 5 minutes to correct his posture. However, he's quite surprised that so far he's doing quite okay, and by that he means no-falling- on -his -face okay. Now that he gets the chance to really look at her, although she doesn't seem so different from high-school, Finn can definitely realizes the curve of her now much more toned body. He wonders what he would do if he didn't hate her so much.
Just as he begins to think he will survive the class, Rachel changes his mind.
"Okay, class. The first thing you need to know is to stretch properly. It will enhance your flexibility and endurance. Okay, now, kneel and put your legs like this..."
"Ouch!" - After 7 seconds, Finn exclaims, doesn't bother with hiding his pain anymore. He feels as if his muscles were being torn apart.
"What's wrong, Hudson?" - Rachel walks over, "SATISFACTION" written on her face. Playfully pouting her lips, she bends down and asks him: "Giving up yet, Hudson?"
Finn breathes loudly through his nose, and inhales deeply before answering in a high-pitched voice : "No".
"Give up, Hudson. You won't be able to stand the next sessions."
"No retreat, no surrender" - He looks up at her - " That is Spartan law".
"Yeah well, let's see how far that'd take you. Just give in already."
"No,I laugh in the face of danger" - He hisses - " Simba, The Lion King, you're welcome."
Before Rachel can respond, the bell rings and pretty much saves his life. He slowly stands up - as dramatically as possible- (And yes, it's not because he wants to make a scene, he actually can't feel his legs anymore) and towers over Rachel, who takes a step back and whose eyes widen with surprise.
Gathering his best acting skills, Finn flexes his muscles and picks up his duffle bag, looks into her eyes: "I'll see you on Monday, Berry."
Yep.
She definitely looked at him when he walked through that door.
Although having to spend the rest of the day putting ice and different types of pain - relief cream on his legs, the look on Berry's face is totally worth it.
iii.
Monday rolls into the universe faster than he has expected - Did... he just say "roll into the universe"? He should stop watching those Kingsley videos - but who can blame him? Dude's hilarious.
Somehow, the thought of being in that dance class doesn't scare him anymore. He has decided that no matter what Berry throws at him, he would take it. He loves challenges - and come on, Berry is easily his biggest challenge so far - except that time his Irish friend challenged him in a round of drinking games. He should have known better than competing against an Irish - those pints of Guiness shall haunt him for life.
He tells himself in his best impression of Gerald Butler as he climbs the stairs to the dancing class, "No retreat, no surrender. That is Spartan law."
Finn Hudson shall not retreat. He shall not surrender to one Rachel Berry and her dancing routines. He will run circles in, up and around those dance routines - just how Blaine said.
"Okay, class, today we will start up with a basic Foxtrot dance routine" - He has his arms behind his back, nodding and looking at Rachel with the best smug face he can come up with - no retreat, no surrender, right? He'll manage.
"Can I have a volunteer? Oh yes, " - Rachel points at him as the whole class turns to look - "Yes, come here.'
"I didn't even raise my hand" - Finn furrows his eyebrows in confusion.
"Oh, shy?" - She walks over to him, her lips pouting. When she's right in front of him, Rachel stands on her tip toes to whisper into his ear, "Or shall I say, scared?"
He looks down at her. Rachel's crossing her arms in front of her chest, which pushes up her cleavage - the view is marvelous from here to be honest. Her eyes stare into his, demanding, asking, mocking.
Finn tugs her arm and drags her in front of the class - whose participants are exchanging looks and whispers to each other. By the look on Rachel's face, he knows she's amused.
"So? What do we do now?" - Finn asks.
"Make your life hell" - She replies. Finn could have sworn he saw fire in those eyes.
Oh crap.
Yeah okay, so, that thing he says about not giving up, no retreat, no surrender?
It sounds like a better idea 5 minutes ago.
tbc
A/N: Hey you guys, thank you for the reviews. I realize the first chapter was not so good - there was no tension built there. I hope I have done a better job with this one. Please be so kind and leave me honest reviews, eh? Constructive criticism is always welcomed :)
Til next time lovelies!