"Miss Fabray, whenever you're ready"
A single spotlight suddenly focused on the otherwise darkened stage, gracefully she moved forward into the space, her dress swaying with her forward movements.
Her hands hang loosely as does her hair and her breathing is steady, for now.
"And what have you prepared for us,Miss Fabray?"
In through the nose, out through the mouth.
"It's a piece about a girl proclaiming her love"
"Splendid, proceed whenever you're comfortable"
"Thank you"
She took a few moments to clear her mind of everything but her words, the words that were more than mere dialogue; it was her true internal monologue. It was everything she'd wanted to say but never been brave enough to.
"I never in a million years thought that it could happen to me" she began, her arms still hanging loosely but her shoulders a little more rigid.
"But it did, and though I tried my hardest, there was nothing I could do to change that. I guess I was just made to love you. For so long I tried to fight it, I couldn't be in love with another girl I just couldn't! I couldn't be that girl. I had too much to lose. Fear turned me into someone I never wanted to be, someone I despised. Someone that made looking into the mirror an even harder task" she paused as she took a few steps across the stage, the one spotlight following her every move.
"I was told I was beautiful, a lot, by everyone except the one person I wanted to hear it from. My parents only ever told me that after I'd lost all that weight and fixed my nose. My friends said it out of obligation and boys said it because I was popular and they were all trying to see who could get me into bed. I didn't care about them, I never have, but when you have to keep up a certain act or pretense you just do what you have to" she bit her lip and took a step back.
"I think I fell for you the very first time I saw you, I'd never seen anyone like you before" she smiled.
"You were wearing a skirt that was much too short to be considered appropriate for school, but all I could focus on were the fact that your legs seemed entirely too long for such a petite person. Your jumper was a disgusting shade of maroon and had a design on it that looked like it had been designed for five year olds, but the bow in your hair matched it and you looked so adorable that I felt like all the air had been kicked out of my lungs"
"The first time you approached me I was alone, I almost contemplated answering you until I saw a football player aim his ball at your head. The laughing that filled the hallway was unbearable, but it proved that you weren't someone I could be seen with let alone be crushing on. The second time I saw you you practically beamed as you made your way over to me, in a last minute struggle I wrestled that cup from the jock's hand and tried not to cry as I threw it's contents in your face. I froze as I saw the tears running down your face, I had no idea that there'd been a slushie in that thing, I felt so guilty that I ran to the bathroom to throw up"
There was a long pause and she gently lowered herself to the stage floor and propped herself up on her arms.
"I tried so hard to keep away from you, but you had other plans. No matter what I did you were still determined to be my friend, I had no idea why after the pain and ridicule I put you through. Eventually we became sort of friends, and that made things even harder for me. Do you know how difficult it is to watch the girl you love with someone else? Do you know how hard it is to put on a smile and pretend that everything's okay? Do you know how tiring it is to pretend to be into someone and constantly have to fight off your own boyfriend's advances?" her voice grew more frantic and she paused to take a breath.
"Rachel Berry, always determined" she smiled as she began to get to her feet again.
"I don't know when it became more than a crush but I know it was faster than a freight train speeding down its tracks. It hit me, harder than I knew possible. I found it hard to keep from looking at you. Your eyes were just so inviting and easy to get lost in, those lips so desirable and kissable. You hadn't grown at all but your body had changed, I'd blush and get entirely flustered when I realized what exactly I was noticing. Except I wasn't noticing, I was leering. Rachel Berry was turning me into a teenage boy! My heart would race whenever you spoke to me and my hands would clam up until I fumbled an excuse or spat something deliberate your way"
"We're older now, and I never told you any of this before we left that little city behind, but I love you. I love you so much that it's killing me" a single tear fell down her cheek.
"My heart hurts, Rachel, it hurts so bad" she whispered.
"And the only thing that would take the pain away is you loving me back, but I know that that's never going to happen" she sighed heavily and wiped at her eyes.
"But I'll never stop being your friend, because I value our friendship too much to simply walk away and leave you without explanation. But if there ever comes a day you're ready, then you let me know, because I think I'll always love you. It's already been four years; I think you're the only thing I've been in for the long haul"
Slowly the room flickered back to life and she collected herself ready to face the people she'd just bared her soul to.
She could finally see their faces and she grew nervous, they were quiet for a few moments before all three of them stood to their feet and applauded her.
"Miss Fabray, that was simply outstanding. Tell us please how you came up with such a remarkable piece"
She smiled sadly.
"Thank you, and I'm afraid I take much inspiration from both my past and my present"
They looked both surprised and impressed.
"So this girl, Rachel, you must really love her"
She nodded her head as she buttoned up her coat.
"I really do, I guess I've always hoped she'd just guess so I didn't have to say anything"
"Miss Fabray- May I call you Quinn?"
Quinn nodded and smiled slightly.
"Quinn, nothing is achieved by silence. Take it from an old man who missed out on a lot of things he wishes he could change; tell her. My guess? She already knows, and if she appreciates fine talented beautiful women then chances are she feels the same way too"
The blonde blushed before thanking them profusely and rushing out of the auditorium, she pushed open the double doors before making her way outside.
She instantly wrapped her arms around her and made her way to where Rachel was picking her up, all the way hoping that she'd had the heating on a while.
She threw open the passenger door and got in, quickly slamming the door. She shivered and rubbed her hands together before holding them in front of the heat.
Rachel looked a little pale and was staring out of the fogged up dashboard, as if on cue the windscreen wipers started to clear the fog yet she just blinked and remained motionless.
"Rach?" Quinn asked before poking her on the arm. "Raaaaachel" she sang.
"Hmm?"
"You're in your own world" Quinn chuckled as she buckled herself in, "are you okay?"
Rachel didn't answer she just carried on drifting.
"Rachel, what's wrong?"
Finally the brunette turned to her with shiny eyes and a quivering lower lip.
"When were you going to tell me?" she whispered.
"Tell you what?" Quinn asked puzzled at what had gotten Rachel so emotional.
"I know, Quinn"
"Rachel I have no idea what you're talking about, can you please help me out here?"
She bit her lip before gulping.
"I was listening, Quinn"
The blonde froze; she didn't know which feeling was stronger; the one telling her to run or the other telling her to vomit.
"How?"
"Bribery goes a long way in this city"
The tension in the car grew thick, even thicker than the fog on the windows.
"So what, do you- do you not want to be friends any more?" Quinn asked timidly.
Rachel reached out and took a pale hand before placing it on her chest, her heart beat quickening behind it.
"You do that to me, Quinn, and apparently I do the same to you"
"Rachel"
The brunette smiled and let go of her hand, but not before giving it an encouraging squeeze.
"Quinn your monologue was beautiful, even more than beautiful because it was truth. You were so vulnerable that I was moved to tears, you were more naked up there than anyone could've been without their clothing"
Quinn flushed pink.
"Thanks, but I guess it's easy when you've got the inspiration"
"So, where do we go from here?"
"That depends on what you want"
"I'm sorry; did my erratic heartbeat not give me away?"
Both women chuckled.
"I want to be with you, Rachel, more than anything in the world, but only if you need this to work as much as I do. I don't want to risk losing you"
"And I don't want to lose you, ever" Rachel told her as she reached out and gently touched her on the arm, "but I think this is worth a shot, don't you?"
Quinn chuckled.
"Definitely an understatement but yes, I think we're too important to pass this by"
"Then I'll jump if you jump" Rachel replied.
"So, you'll be my girlfriend?"
"Only if you finally give me a taste of those lips, you're not the only one that's been craving, Fabray"