The Beginning

She refused to cry. Nothing could make her cry, she was Quinn Fabray, the meanest, toughest girl at William McKinley, and nothing could change that. Yet, after all she had been through, how could she not cry ?

It seemed appropriate that it would rain as she cried her heart out, alone in a bench at the park. As Quinn sat and thought there about what a mess she had made of her life, she felt someone tap on her shoulder. She quickly turned around to see who it was, expecting it to be another person making fun of her, or pitying her, she hadn't decided which one was worse, but it turned out to be a vaguely familiar face.

"Quinn, what are you doing here in the rain ?" the tall guy asked.
"I'm sorry, do I know you ?" she responded, slightly confused that someone would take the time to be kind to her.
"I'm Brandon, from the painting class you had to take."
Something clicked, and Quinn remembered that she had seen him all the time, in the class that her parents had forced her to take. He had been a wonderful painter, and always got compliments from the instructor about his wonderful work.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I just blanked for a moment."
"It's okay, but you never answered my original question, why are you sitting here in the rain ?" he repeated as he took out an umbrella from his backpack and handed it over to her.

She was supposed to be tough and mean, but something about that unexpected act of kindness made her spill out all her heart's contents to him. For a few moments, he looked completely astonished. Then, he said in a calm and slow voice, "This might seem too forward, but if you want you can come live with me. I live alone, and I have an extra room in my apartment that you can use."

Quinn looked completely astonished, but managed to nod.

A few weeks later it was like his existence had turned her life completely around. She couldn't help how she was treated in school, but she had gotten a job, and her and Brandon shared the rent of the apartment. It felt inexplicably wonderful to be independent, yet if she needed she could have someone to rely on.

She wasn't the only one who noticed the change either.
"Hey Kurt, did you see Quinn today ?"
"I know right, she was smiling, it's like something's truly changed inside her."

They both shut up as Quinn walked in. "Oh come on you guys, by now I can tell when people talk about me, so continue." she said as she walked in, however, even this came with a bit of the old Quinn that they had all known, and maybe not loved, but it still made them smile.

"We were just wondering why you seem so happy all of a sudden." Kurt said.
"What ? I'm not allowed to be happy ?" Quinn said with mock anger.
"Oh you know what he means." Rachel said, and as she did, she couldn't help but smile.
"Well, I guess it has mostly to do with Brandon, I mean he hasn't changed the way people look at me, but he's changed the way I look at myself. I mean, I have a job, I have a place I can call home, I have friends that I can trust and depend on, what more can I ask for ?"

As if an answer to the question, Finn walked in. Quinn stopped talking for a second, but then shook her head and resumed, "Anyways I can't be here for the practice after school, Brandon's taking me to the doctor's for a checkup. Please tell Mr. Schue."
"Will do. However, other than being a friend, is there anything going on with Brandon ? You seem pretty comfy with him." Kurt said with a smirk, but the only reply he got was a songbook thrown at him as Quinn rushed out so she wouldn't miss Brandon.

As she got to the front of the school, she saw Brandon waiting for her with his car, and a group of students watching her as she made her way over. One person however wasn't content with just watching and had to make a comment, "Oh look, the slut's got a new man."

Quinn just bit her lip and continued walking, but apparently Brandon didn't have quite the same thoughts. He strode over to the group of students, and punched the person who made the comment square in the jaw. Just as calmly, he walked back, unlocked the car doors, and soon they were off.

After a few moments of silence, Quinn blurted out, "If you don't mind me asking, why did you punch the captain of the lacrosse team ?"
In response, Brandon just shrugged and said matter-of-factly, "I don't tolerate hate well."

Quinn knew she should advise him not to engage in violent activities on her behalf, but all she could do was smile.