LUCY CABOOSEY

[REDO - s2x18 BORN THIS WAY. Let's revisit the whole Lucy Caboosey moment through more logical, FINCHEL FRIENDLY EYES, shall we? =) ]

. . . . .

Finn slowly approached his girlfriend at her locker, having just seen the posters plastered all over the school hallways. A chance run in with Puck brought him up to speed on the Lauren versus Quinn feud for prom queen. It made Finn think about a few things though, and now he needed to talk to his girlfriend to sort it all out.

"Hey Quinn. So, uh... Lucy, huh?"

"Yeah. I guess it's over."

"What's over?"

"Our campaign. I'll never get elected prom queen now."

He cinched his brows together curiously. "Really? And you think Lucy has something to do with that?"

"Of course she does, Finn! This is dreadful and humiliating and–"

"Why would you be humiliated?"

"Because all it does is remind me of how ugly I was, and how horribly I was treated back then."

"Maybe you should explain this whole Lucy - Quinn thing to me, because I don't know if I understand..."

"It started when I was in grade school... I stopped going by Lucy because kids made up a mean nickname. They called me Lucy Caboosey. I hated the way I looked. I had zits. I was chubby. I felt terrible about myself. I didn't have friends. Nobody would talk to me. But then... I joined ballet, lost a little bit of weight, found out I was athletic, joined gymnastics, then cheerleading. Went on Proactiv for my acne. And when my dad got transferred and got a raise, I asked him if I could get a nose job. And he said yes. Then I asked them to call me by my middle name... Quinn."

"So, your nose isn't really yours?"

"Not the same one I was born with, no. Well, it's been surgically altered."

"So... I guess now I understand why you've been going along with Rachel on this whole idea of changing HER nose. And she wants your nose but it's not even YOURS. Does she know that? Or does she think you were BORN that way?"

"Okay fine. I admit I didn't tell her I'd gotten a nose job, no. But Rachel needs one, my god that schnoz of hers – and she asked ME to go with her on her own; I didn't approach her. She admired ME, I didn't force anything on her; I just didn't correct her assumptions or disagree with her plans."

"Because why, because you think everyone has to look like a Victoria's Secret model or something to be someone important? To be someone worthwhile? Someone worth liking?"

"No, Finn, I just... Look, if Rachel wants to change herself to feel better about herself, well...then who am I to stop her? I mean, I'm just saying I get why she would feel like that, okay? And I won't be the one to tell her not to do it because I WAS that person before. I wanted to be someone else."

"But Rachel never did before. She was always happy with who she was. And okay, I know my really shitty dancing played a tiny part in this, because without a broken nose she wouldn't have ever seen that stupid doctor who put that dumb idea in her head about getting a nose job... but I don't understand why you're so gung-ho for her to go under the knife now. You said YOU wanted to be someone else when you were Lucy? Yeah well, it shows. You sure became someone else alright. I wonder, what would grade school Lucy would think of high school Quinn?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, grade school Lucy might not have had friends, but that's just because... wait – why was that exactly?"

"I told you already. Because kids are cruel. They treated me horribly. I didn't fit in. When you look different and you don't fit in, they make up terrible nicknames about you, and humiliate you and—"

"Nicknames... like... man hands? Or tranny? Did they make fun of your clothes? Did they throw SLUSHIES in your face, too?"

"Finn, I–"

"Did they leave shitty comments on your social media about things you posted that you were proud of?"

"I wasn't even on Myspace at the time, I'm not sure it even existed–"

"Did they gather in groups of three mean girls and talk shit about you, spread rumors, or draw pornographic pictures of you on the bathroom walls?"

"Finn that wasn't me, that was San–"

"You were there for it though, Quinn, and you sure didn't stop it. And I know for a fact you encouraged it. You sure as hell never tried to stop it either. What's worse, LUCY was there, before you, only she was on the other side of the fence. The girl with zits and no friends. The girl I'm guessing the Quinn Fabrays of her time looked down their FAKE noses at. And Lucy? I think she'd have a pretty low opinion of Quinn. She probably would call this Quinn a bully. She might even HATE Quinn.

"But not everyone can be as thoughtful and willing to rise above the shit they've been put through by others simply for being different the way some people can. Not everyone can learn to love themselves for exactly the person they are, flaws and all, inside and out. It takes someone strong and special and confident to do that... or to be able to look their bully in the face and say, 'hey, whether you treat me like crap or not, you're my teammate and I'm still willing to be your friend and I still have respect for the person you are underneath all the bullshit'."

"That's not fair Finn. She's not some Joan of Arc, you know. You make her sound like some, Mother Teresa or something."

"Well, whoever those ladies are, I'm sure they'd agree with me, too. Not everyone can be a Rachel Berry either. And I'm kinda glad, because it makes it easier to see FAKE PEOPLE when they're standing right in front of you – at least if you're paying attention. And guess what, Quinn? I'm finally paying attention. This thing with us... it was a mistake. And you know, I wish you luck with the prom queen thing, but I'm not gonna be your running mate. I'm not interested in this prom royalty crap. I don't need a crown or votes or even popularity to make me feel better about myself."

"Finn, that's not why I want to win!"

"Oh, but I think it is. But you know what makes me feel better about myself?"

"What?"

"Rachel. She makes me feel better about myself. All the time. Because she's kind to me. And she supports me and believes in me, even when I KNOW I don't deserve it, she's there anyway. Just like she was there for YOU last year when you were pregnant."

"That's just because she was in love with you and was trying to steal you away from me."

"Maybe that was part of it before you and I split up, but what about after that? When Rach and I weren't a couple yet. She was STILL on your side, Quinn. And to this day, she's tried to be your friend, be supportive of you, and you STILL treat her like crap. What would Lucy say about that, huh Quinn?"

"She would say... good for you Quinn, for not being the victim anymore. For standing up and being your own person."

"Well, if that's the case, then I guess I'm glad I won't ever get to know her either. Because I feel like I'm pretty much done knowing this Quinn."

She looked at him with contempt and disbelief. "You'd really walk away from me, all because of Lucy Caboosey?"

"No. Because of Rachel Berry. Because I need to be able to convince her that she doesn't need your fake nose or your fake friendship – which I'd bet my drums you only offered at all to get her prom vote. She's a better person than that, Quinn. She's better than BOTH of us. And she deserves people in her life who are HONEST and real and genuine with her the way she is with everyone else – even if that honesty costs her big."

"She cheated on you Finn, on purpose, to hurt you. You really want to take the chance with her again?"

"Really? You cheated on me and lied to me about a kid that wasn't mine, for MONTHS! At least she confessed right away...for BOTH of you, actually. You sure never would've come clean last year and told me the truth, would you?"

"Finn, we don't need to rehash last year's dirty laundry. I told you I regretted what I did–"

"Yeah, a few weeks ago you did. Why not last year? Okay fine. Whatever... you're right, we don't need to rehash it all again. I forgave you because... well, because I figured it was easier. Because I figured you were messed up last year too. Maybe everyone deserves a second chance… and I know I wasn't innocent during our last time together either, so maybe in some way we kinda cancelled each other out. You cheated with Puck and I cheated with Rachel. We're even."

"Wait, what do you mean you cheated with Rachel? I thought your whole break up was because you slept with Santana and she was still saving herself for YOU?"

"No, we didn't have sex, but I kissed her, Quinn. Twice, while you and me were still together. And I wanted to keep kissing her. And if the opportunity to have sex would've come up, well... who knows. Truth is, I've loved Rachel for a lot longer than I ever admitted to anyone – even myself."

"That's really GREAT, Finn. So... you just never loved me?"

"Not like I love her. And you don't love me that way either, you know you don't."

"So why have you been with me?"

"Honestly? I don't know... I guess at first, I was letting you distract me from the heartache. Then I let you convince me that what she did means she didn't really love me if she could hurt me like that on purpose – which is stupid, because I know Rachel better than that, and I sure know her better than YOU do. So I've been this complete idiot, thinking you and me had some unfinished...I dunno, whatever from last year. But it's high time I let Rachel know how much I appreciate her for who she is. It's high time I told her that I can accept her, flaws and all, and that I forgave her long ago. I lost sight of that for a little while with my stupid pride and ego and fireworks getting in the way. But I guess I can thank Lucy for reminding me who Finn Hudson really is, and who he wants to be, too."

"And who is that?"

"Just... Finn. Not The quarterback, or the prom king, or the popular guy 'on top' dating the head cheerleader... Just Finn."

"Great. Well. I hope you two will be very happy together," she spat at him, her voice thick with sarcasm.

"We were once before, and I'm not gonna rest until we are again. I hope you can find happiness too someday, Quinn. Good luck with the prom queen thing... In case I wasn't clear yet, I'm officially breaking up with you – for good this time."

. . . . .

~️F❤️R~