(s a m pov)
"You know, they aren't ever really going to be over each other, right?" she whispers it so softly that you almost don't hear her.
"What do you mean, Berry?" you ask just as quietly, already knowing her answer. The two of you stare down the hallway at the Quinn and Finn, Rachel clutching her books to her chest while you grip your locker door.
"Quinn. And Finn. They're always going to be irrevocably each other's," she says gently, her eyes full of pain that doesn't come out in her voice.
You glance down the hallway again and see Finn wrapping a hand around Quinn's waist, her eyes fluttering up to meet his as a giggle escapes her lips. Your grip on your locker tightens when you notice the glint of light off her promise ring when she rests her hand on Finn's shoulder. You tear your eyes away from them and try to swallow past the lump in your throat. "Yeah, Rachel. I know."
And then you stride down the hallway to your next class, passing them without so much as a glance. You look back towards your locker once you're in the doorway to chemistry and see Rachel still standing there, her tiny frame hunched over as if she's expecting a blow or a slushy to the face. You wait just a second longer and Puck comes out of nowhere, wrapping an arm around her fragile shoulders and turning her around.
You enter you classroom and try to forget that she's prettier fragile than she ever has been strong.
After class, you go to your locker and find a blonde leaning up against the door, her smile gentle when she sees you. She breathes your name and you want to just let it go so badly because this beautiful girl with a soft voice and blonde hair is everything you've ever wanted. Then your mind flashes to an infectious Finn and a feverish Quinn and your hands ball into fists.
"What do you want, Quinn?" you don't say her name the way used to, don't call her beautiful or look at her like she's the greatest thing in the world.
"Well, I, I hadn't seen you all day. I thought you could walk me to class?" she's looking at you with this mixture of shock and hurt in her eyes, and all of a sudden you can't take it.
"No. I'm not gonna walk you to your fucking class. I'm also not gonna go out on dates with you or carry your books or let you jerk me around while you decide if you like me more than your ex!" you're nearly shouting and she's cowering against your locker and you're just furious that she's acting like the wronged party in this situation. Just as you open your mouth to yell some more, a small hand lightly rests on your arm. You glance from the delicate fingers to Rachel Berry's face, her brown eyes dark with understanding.
"Sam," she says, her voice so much stronger than Quinn's breathy whisper, "you don't want to do this here. Not now. You know you will regret it later."
You glance away from her face and see Puckerman standing at her back, arms crossed as he glowers at Finn who is standing uncertainly at the fringes of the scene. You don't trust yourself to speak do you just nod and follow her down the hall when she tightens her grip on your arm.
You hear footsteps and then Puck is sliding his arm around her waist. "You okay, Berry?" he says it quietly and doesn't look at her, like he doesn't want anyone to know that he cares.
"I'm fine, Noah," she says, her voice back to it's regular volume. Her hand slides off your arm but you grip it before she can move away, her palm soft against yours. "Ready for Glee?" She asks, smiling brightly at you before grinning up at Puck.
"Sure, B. Let's go get this ridiculousness over with," Puck laughs back, his eyes twinkling when she gasps in outrage.
"Noah Puckerman! Glee Club is not ridiculousness!" she yells, the two of them arguing heatedly all the way to the band room.
You follow their conversation like a tennis match, your hand still encasing Rachel's and you just try to not think for a while.
You just don't want to hurt for a little while.
Puck pulls Rachel into the seat next to him in the front row of seats, throwing a quick smirk at you when you settle on her other side, your hand still grasping hers. The two of them continue to talk before Lauren comes into the room and Puckerman moves to sit next to her, an adoring smile gracing his lips. Rachel giggles quietly and smiles at Mike and Tina will they fill the vacant spots on the other side of her.
Quinn walks in next, Finn trailing behind her like and oversized puppy dog and a snarl forms on your lips before you can control it.
Rachel's hand tightens around yours and you look away from them to find her staring determinedly at the whiteboard. You squeeze back and start looking forward too, waiting for Schuster to show up.
"Alright guys!" Schue yells as he steps into the room. "I have a great idea for this weeks assignment!" groans echo around the room while everyone shifts uncomfortably. Rachel grins next to you and you glance at her, looking away as soon as you realize you're thinking about how pretty her smile makes her eyes look. Because shit you cannot be falling for another girl hung up on Finn Hudson. You just can't be.
"I've decided that everyone will be working in groups of four!" Schue keeps going, grinning out at the room as if he can't hear their groans of dislike. "And, it's being left up to fate! The winning group may have their song featured at Regionals!" he smiles again as he pulls a hat out from behind the piano, holding it up proudly. "Rachel, come up and pick three names please?"
She stands and walks to the front of the room and you're shocked by how much you miss the feel of her hand in yours, looking at your suddenly empty palm. "Santana, Mike, and Sam," she reads out, the look of relief on her face clear for all the room to see. You grab her hand again when she sits down, this time lacing your fingers through hers and ignoring the heat of Quinn's glare on your back. The rest of the groups are chosen, Tina ending up with Brittany, Puck, and Mercedes while Lauren, Artie, Finn, and Quinn ended up in a third group together.
"So," Rachel starts as Santana slips into the seat on the other side of you and Mike moves closer, "what do you guys want to sing?"
Santana stares at her for a second, opening her mouth a couple of times before shrugging and looking kind of shocked. "Rachel, you don't have anything you want to sing?" Mike asks, looking just as shocked as Santana. Her fingers tighten with yours and she takes a deep breath before shaking her head.
"I'm not really in the mood to pour out all my heartbreak and depression into a song. Finn isn't really worth the emotional pain it would no doubt put me through and I would prefer to preserve those raw emotions for a time when I'm on Broadway and need to cry for the undoubtedly amazing role I will have," she states, smiling at the three of you when everyone looks at her once again surprised.
"Wait," Santana starts, "you're saying that you don't want Finn's skinny ass back? What happened to the crazy midget stalker we all know and hate?"
You and Mike glare at her but before either one of you can speak, Rachel does. She stands up, her fingers once again slipping from yours as she places her hands on her hips and glares down at the Latina. "This may come as a shock to you, Santana, but some women actually take pride in being independent. We divas don't need men in our lives in order to feel good about ourselves. We determine our own self-worth," she huffs before flopping back down into her seat, a glare still covering her face. You smile at her and Mike laughs when he hears Mercedes' 'You go girl!' from the back of the room. Santana just narrows her eyes for a second before nodding contemplatively and smirking at the rest of the group.
"So, what song are we singing?"
The four of you practice all weekend at Rachel's house, her dads more welcoming than any other parents you've ever met. They even welcome Santana into their home and offer her snacks and you know that Rachel told them everything that she did to her at school. When you asked her about it, she said that everyone deserved more than one chance and that her fathers were the ones that taught her that particular lesson.
It's one of the greatest weekends you've had in a while, full of laughter over Rachel's diva moments and Santana's bitchy comments and Mike's jokes. You never feel like you did with Quinn, like you have to act differently because these people don't expect anything of you. They don't think that you should be the perfect boyfriend or the stereotypical football player. They just accept you as Sam Evans. Santana only makes three nerd jokes when you say goodnight to Rachel in Na'vi and Mike argues with you over the Superbowl and Rachel spends the weekend more relaxed than you've ever seen her. She's comfortable in her own skin here, the security of her home providing her with the confidence to wear jeans and a sweatshirt she must've stolen from Puck forever ago because it has the number 20 faded on the back.
On Monday morning, you're almost scared to go to school. You don't want to leave the bubble that was created this weekend, don't want to find out if Santana's going to start acting like a bitch around the three of you again and Mike's gonna go back to only talking to Finn and Rachel's going to revert to only speaking with words that contain three syllables.
You drive to school and get out of your car, smiling at the sight of a tiny brunette in a plaid skit walking up the front steps. You jog to catch her and wrap your arm around her shoulders, smiling when she looks up at you with her eyes wide from surprise.
"Morning, Rach. Ready for our performance?" she grins up at you and starts talking excitedly, most of the words slurring together because of how fast she's speaking. You just smile and tighten your arm, returning the nod that Mike sends the two of you from the other side of the hall. Rachel waves at him and then turns to her locker, still talking to you as she gets out her books for first period.
"I really think that our choreography could have used a little more work, but the vocals are really good and I think that the song choice was rather well-" she cuts herself off abruptly, glancing over your shoulder. You turn to see Quinn standing there, arms crossed over her chest tightly.
"Can we talk?" she demands more than asks, glaring at Rachel. "I mean, only if you can tear yourself away from Man-hands," she practically snarls the last word, her pretty face turning ugly with jealousy. You take a step back and lean against the lockers, close enough to Rachel that you can feel her warmth at your back.
"You can talk now. I don't see why we need to be alone to do it. It's not exactly like this conversation is going to be surprising for anyone. Pretty much the entire school has witnessed you and Finn pant over each other," your shoulders tighten as you speak, rage and hurt seeping their way through your body. A delicate hand presses into your back, right between your shoulder blades and you close your eyes and try to focus on the strength of the brunette behind you instead of the betrayal of the blonde in front of you.
"But," she pauses, clearly not expecting you to have put up any resistance. "But you're my boyfriend." She states, her voice slightly bewildered as she stares up at you.
"No, Quinn. I'm not," and with that you turn around, asking Rachel if she's ready to go to class before you stride together down the hallway.
"So…" she starts as you wrap your arm around her again, "no more Finn for me and no more Quinn for you?" she sounds almost in shock and you really can't blame her. From what you've heard she's been pining after Finn for forever now and you were so into Quinn that you gave her a promise ring.
"I guess not," you respond, shrugging when she glances up at you.
"Okay. When are you going to ask Santana on a date?" you stumble slightly out of shock and her laughter sounds in your ear as she grins impishly up at you.
She slips out from under your arm and walks into biology, throwing a blinding smile at you over her shoulder.
The day passes surprisingly quickly, people looking at you and whispering something about Quinn being with Finn again but you don't pay any attention. You sit in between Rachel and Santana at lunch, jokingly flirting with Santana while Rachel laughs with Puck and Mike.
In Glee Tina's group goes first, Puck and Mercedes singing The Underdog by Spoon while her and Brittany sing back up and dance around them. The next group goes and Finn sings Set the Fire to the Third Bar by Snow Patrol with Quinn while Artie and Lauren back them up. Both you and Rachel smirk when Quinn's voice breaks on a high note and you hear Puck snort when Finn stumbles mid-dance.
Your group is last and Rachel smiles brightly before squeezing your hand and letting go, moving away to lean with Mike on the opposite wall. You and Santana stay by the piano, waiting for the beat to start up.
The music begins and Rachel starts singing, smiling at you slightly before she begins.
There's a fire starting in my heart,
Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark
Finally, I can see you crystal clear.
Go ahead and sell me out and I'll lay your ship bare.
See how I leave, with every piece of you
Don't underestimate the things that I will do.
You take a deep breath as she finishes and begin to sing, twirling Santana across the room while Mike does the same thing to Rachel.
There's a fire starting in my heart,
Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark
The scars of your love, remind me of us.
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless
I can't help feeling
Santana and Rachel meet in the middle of the room, giggling slightly as they spin around each other and Rachel ends up in your arms, smiling while the two of you sing together.
We could have had it all (you're gonna wish you, never had met me)
Rolling in the deep (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart (you're gonna wish you) inside of your hand (never had met me)
And you played it (tears are gonna fall) to the beat (rolling in the deep)
Santana starts singing next, walking around you and Rachel so that she's facing the audience as Mike dances behind her and you lean next to Rachel on the piano.
Baby I have no story to be told,
But I've heard one of you and I'm gonna make your head burn.
Think of me in the depths of your despair.
Making a home down there, it reminds you of the home we shared.
You and Rachel sing again when she fades away, Mike pulling her backwards into his arms and to the other side of the room.
The scars of your love, remind me of us.
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless
I can't help feeling
All four of you sing together, waltzing and spinning around the room, you and Mike once again switching partners.
We could have had it all (you're gonna wish you never had met me) rolling in the deep
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart (you're gonna wish you) inside of your hand (never had met me)
And you played it (tears are gonna fall) to the beat (rolling in the deep)
Could have had it all, rolling in the deep.
You had my heart inside of your hand, but you played it to the beat.
Mike spins Rachel out and she stands in front of the three of you, belting out the lyrics.
Throw your soul through every open door (whoa)
Count your blessings to find what you look for (whoa-uh)
Turn my sorrow into treasured gold (whoa)
You pay me back in kind and reap just what you sow.
(You're gonna wish you, never had met me)
We could have had it all (years are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
We could have had it all yeah (you're gonna wish you, never had met me)
It all (tears are gonna fall)
It all
It all (rolling in the deep)
We could have had it all (you're gonna wish you, never had met me)
Rolling in the deep (tears are gonna fall rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside (you're gonna wish you) of your hand (never had met me)
And you played it (tears are gonna fall) to the beat (rolling in the deep)
We could have had it all (you're wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart (you're gonna wish you) inside of your hand (never had met me)
But you played it,
You played it,
You played it,
You played it to the beat.
The four of you finish together, your arms wrapped around Rachel and Santana with Mike on Rachel's other side.
Everyone starts clapping, except for Finn and Quinn, and when Schue stands and says that your group clearly won, Rachel squeals and throws her arms around your neck.
You grin and hug her back, wondering if you're gonna bother asking Santana out.
After all, Rachel was pretty cute.
Okayy. I totally love Rachel and Sam together and I'm not sure why, because they haven't really had any interaction on the show. But whatever. Sorry the ending sucks, I'm kind of terrible at them. This story is unbeta'd, so any mistakes are my own.
I do not own Glee or the song Rolling in the Deep by Adele.
Thanks for reading. Please review.