THESE DAYS, finn hudson

xvi. home

"My mom and Kurt's dad are dating." Finn sighed.

Magnolia smiled at him. "Cute! I hope he does right by her, your mom is a godsend." She complimented. Finn gave her a look making Magnolia frown. "You don't like that?" She asked.

Finn shrugged. "I don't know. She's been acting different. She changed her hair and almost sold my dad's chair." He explained to her.

Magnolia gave him a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry she almost sold his chair." She apologized. Finn smiled a little bit. "But, you need to let her move on. It's only fair." She added.

Finn scoffed. "She's changing! It doesn't feel like moving on to me." He shouted.

Magnolia sighed. "Well she is. Maybe you aren't ready but this is good for her! Let her have this." Magnolia stated.

Finn smiled a little but it disappeared when he looked behind Magnolia. "Rachel wants to know if you're still walking to class with us." Jesse said, making Magnolia turn around.

Magnolia looked at Finn and then back at Jesse. "Tomorrow! I think I'm going to walk with Finn today." She told him. Jesse nodded and walked off, leaving Magnolia to fully turn back around.

"I can't believe you're friends with that guy." Finn huffed.

Magnolia shook her head. "I'm friends with Rachel, I tolerate Jesse." She corrected him.

Finn rolled his eyes. "I see you two talking in the halls, he looks at you like you're some goddess. He's an eye cheater." He scorns.

Magnolia crossed her arms. "Finn, you're being very immature today. I don't appreciate you accusing Jesse of eye cheating with me, especially when he's dating my friend." She lectures. Finn was going to respond, probably with another complaint but Magnolia just walked passed him, not allowing him to speak.

She liked Finn, a lot, but she wasn't going to stand by as he complained about Rachel and Jesse. It was annoying.

• • •

Magnolia was worried about Mercedes, who had fainted recently during the day. But Quinn assured her that Mercedes would be ok.

She sat beside Quinn and Gavin for the pep rally and when the Cheerios came out, she clapped with everyone else. But Mercedes came out separately and grabbed the microphone in the front.

"Hey, guys. I'm Mercedes Jones." She introduced herself. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "So most of you know Cheerios is about perfection and winning, looking hot and being popular." The microphone gave some feedback as Mercedes tried to build up more courage. "Well, I think that it should be about something different. How many of you at this school feel fat?" Mercedes questioned.

A few people raised their hands, slowly and hesitantly. Quinn was one of those people who raised her hand. "How many of you feel like maybe you're not worth very much?" Mercedes asked. Another couple of people raised their hands, including Magnolia. "Or you're ugly, or you have too manny pimples and not enough friends?" A lot more people raised their hands, this time Gavin did as well. "Well, I felt all those things about myself at one time or another." She stated.

"Hell, I felt most of those things about myself today."Mercedes corrected herself. "And that just ain't right. And we've got something to say about it." She gestures towards the Cheerios. "And if you like what we have to say, come down here and sing it with us." She encouraged as the song started playing.

Mercedes sang Beautiful and it moved everyone in the gymnasium. Just as she had encouraged, people came up to sing with her. People didn't feel alone anymore and Mercedes had gotten just about everyone to cheer her on.

As she sang with the rest of the people up with Mercedes, Magnolia caught a glimpse of Finn. He stared right back at her and smiled just as everyone had begun clapping for Mercedes' wonderful performance.

• • •

"I'm sorry." Finn blurted as he approached Magnolia. "I can't come to you for all my problems and I realize that now." He explained.

Magnolia smiled. "It's ok." She looked down at the ground, not knowing if she fully did accept his apology. "I guess we need to have better conversation topics." She stated.

Finn nodded. "Did you finish that one book?" He asked.

"Jane Eyre?" Magnolia questioned, earning nod from Finn. "Yeah, I've started reading The Time Traveler's Wife." She added.

Finn clearly had no clue what she was talking about, but pretended to. "Guys! Come to the choir room! There's big news!" Tina exclaimed as she rushed to go to the choir room.

Finn looked at Magnolia and smiled. "What's the news?" She asked.

"You weren't told?" He asked. Magnolia shook her head. "April bought the auditorium, it's ours again!" He explained to her.

Magnolia let a big grin form on her face and she impulsively gave Finn a hug. "I'm so glad! I've been stress eating over it all week!" She shouted with joy.

Finn laughed as he hugged her back. Shortly after, Magnolia realized what she was doing and let go. Finn smiled down at her.

"Well, let's go!" Magnolia encouraged, rushing down the hall. As she walked, Finn watched her. He always seemed to forget how beautiful she was unless he really looked at her.

And this time he felt like he wouldn't forget.