Disclaimer: Glee is a property of Ryan Murphy and Co. I own none of the characters you recognize.

Open Book

"Doesn't it bother you though?"

Rachel looked up from the sheet music she was currently writing all over and furrowed her eyebrows at Finn. She prided herself at being an excellent listener and she was fairly certain she and Finn were not engaged in a conversation that would have brought up that question.

She assumed he was talking about the song they were currently rehearsing since that's what they have been doing the past half hour or so in the choir room. "Of course it doesn't bother me," Rachel answered with that assumption in her head. "I've been transposing music since I was three, I'm sure my new arrangements will fit our vocal ranges perfectly." She smiled at him before resuming her work.

Finn scratched his head and looked down at his own sheet music. Truthfully, he hadn't been listening to a single word Rachel had been saying the past thirty minutes. His mind was still preoccupied to a point he finally blurted out that question to Rachel.

"No, I'm not talking about the song. I don't even know what it is," he said shaking his head and dropping the sheet on the piano.

Rachel narrowed her eyes. "Finn, you do realize we only have three days to practice this song and you don't even know your parts let alone the lyrics yet, I'm sure whatever you want to talk about can wait. We have more important matters on our hands." She grabbed the music and shoved it back to him.

But Finn wouldn't take it. "No, it's been bothering me for a while now, so I have to know if it's bothering you."

Rachel sighed, finally relenting. "Alright, fine, what is bothering you so much that you have to interrupt our very important post school hours glee rehearsal?"

Finn fidgeted now that he had Rachel's undivided attention. His eyes darted back and forth trying to look everywhere but her face.

"Quinn."

At the sound of her name, Rachel tensed. "I thought that we discussed that it was completely inappropriate to broach that subject matter considering how uncomfortable it would make all the parties involved?"

Finn was confused again. "No one's having parties."

She was a patient person, at least that's what Rachel kept telling herself, but Finn was getting on her last nerve. "Finn, I refuse to discuss anything involving Quinn with you. So, please can we get back to rehearsing?"

"But doesn't it bother you that you have no idea what she's feeling?" he finally blurted.

It was now Rachel's turn to be confused. "Finn, I honestly have no idea what you're talking about or what you're even alluding to, but I'm already tired of this conversation, sopleaselet's get to work, okay?" There was finality in her tone that Finn would've been careless to cross but something in him made him push the issue further.

"Come on, Rachel, it has to bother you that you never know what she's feeling at any given moment." He ignored the dangerous glare that Rachel was giving him. "I was always walking on eggshells around her, never knew if what I would say or not say would set her off. How can that not bother you?"

Rachel took a deep breath and tried to compose herself.

"I'm only going to say this once and then I will refuse to discuss this matter any further."

She made sure he was really listening and stared straight up at him. Their vast height difference always made that difficult for her but at this moment, Finn was almost cowering.

"Obviously my relationship with Quinn is completely different from yours because never once do I feel like I need to walk eggshells around her. Quinn may not be the most expressive person when it comes to her feelings but trust me when I tell you, I alwaysknow what she is feeling." She said it with pride and almost smirked.

Finn just gave her an incredulous look. "So you're telling me she just tellsyou what she's feeling and thinking?"

"She doesn't have to tell me anything, Finn, it's really not that hard to figure out."

Now he just was getting frustrated. How could Rachel not know what he was talking about? And how does someone Quinn Fabray hated for so long understand her more than he did? It just didn't make sense.

"She's going to break your heart." He regretted saying it the second he saw the look on Rachel's face. "No, wait, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."

"This conversation is over, Finn." Rachel swallowed the lump in her throat and started gathering her things. "And so is this rehearsal."

"Rachel, wait, I didn't mean-"

"Am I interrupting something?"

Rachel and Finn turned their heads towards the doorway where Quinn was standing. Her face was impassive but her eyes were staring at Finn.

"No," Finn quickly said suddenly very nervous that he actually knocked over the stool in front of him. He grabbed his bag and quickly walked pass Quinn careful not to make eye contact.

Rachel just watched him leave and rolled her eyes. "Coward," she muttered but her face lit up when Quinn walked into the room. "What are you still doing here?"

Quinn's expression didn't change as she picked up the abandoned sheet music. "I figured I'd finish my art assignment while you were rehearsing so I could take you home after."

Rachel beamed. "That's very sweet of you Quinn but I could've called one of my dads. I already informed them I was having after school glee practice."

"I know," Quinn said moving closer to Rachel. "But I wanted to."

Rachel smiled. "Well, I'm about ready to go anyways although I am disappointed that we didn't make any progress on the song."

Quinn smiled as well but hers was forced and not genuine. "Oh really? Why's that?" She knew it had to do with whatever conversation Rachel and Finn were having when she walked in and she was almost certain it was Finn's fault.

"Finn decided to digress and ask me inappropriate questions." Her frustration returned.

"Inappropriate questions?" Quinn asked raising an eyebrow and tried to control her temper. "What kind of inappropriate questions?"

Rachel sighed and took Quinn's hand in attempt to assuage the oncoming anger. "He was just asking about my relationship with you but I refuse to talk about it because obviously it would've been awkward."

Quinn clenched her jaw. "What gives him the right to ask about our relationship?

"Quinn, I can assure you I ended the conversation as quick as I could but Finn wouldn't let his issue go." Rachel could see that Quinn was also not going to let this go anytime soon and frankly, she was getting a headache. It was already difficult enough trying to get Finn to drop the subject matter and now Quinn just latched on to it.

"Fine whatever," Quinn said dropping Rachel's hand and headed towards the door. "You ready?" she called out already half way down the halls.

Rachel frowned but followed Quinn to the parking lot. "Quinn, please don't be mad, I didn't say anything about us as a couple. I just answered his question to the best of my ability given the situation."

Quinn was now stomping down the pavement towards her car as she unlocked the doors with her key. "Rachel, just get in the car." She didn't look at her as she yanked the car door open and sat down.

Rachel quickly hopped in the front seat. "Quinn, please don't be upset."

"I'm not upset," Quinn lied. She still avoided eye contact as she started the ignition. "I'm tired."

Rachel stared at the side of her face and let out a frustrated sigh. "You're also a horrible liar."

Quinn gripped the steering wheel. She could feel her blood boiling and Rachel's stare was starting to burn the side of her face but she just concentrated on the road.

"Quinn…" Rachel tried again.

"Would you just stop that?" she finally said.

"Stop what?"

Quinn took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. "Stop assuming you know what I'm feeling."

Rachel bit her lip. She wanted to tell her that there was no assumption on her part only basic knowledge but she knew that would just further anger Quinn.

"I'm sorry," she said instead and then turned to face front.

Quinn quickly glanced to her side and immediately felt guilty. The rest of the drive was in silence.

"I'll see you at school, Quinn," Rachel said the second Quinn pulled in her driveway. She reached for the door but Quinn stopped her by grabbing hand. Rachel looked at her expectantly.

"What did Finn ask you?"

Rachel looked down at their hands where Quinn was rubbing her thumb across her knuckles. Quinn wasn't angry anymore but just genuinely curious.
"He asked me if it bothers me that I never know what you're feeling."

"But you always know what I'm feeling."

"I know, Quinn." Rachel smiled. "That's what I told him."

"But how?" Quinn looked down at their hands and turned hers over so she could intertwine her fingers with Rachel's. "How is it you always know what I'm feeling when half the time I don't even know myself?"

"Because you let me." She lifted their joined hands to her lips and kissed them.

Quinn smiled. "I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier."

"No apologies necessary, but if you really want to make it up to me, you'll stay for dinner."

Quinn was already out the car and opening Rachel's door. "Do you even have to ask?" she asked holding out her hand.

Rachel smiled as she took it. "No, I guess I don't."

-End-