Quinn walked across the parking lot, and stopped as she reached her car. Her hands automatically went to her stomach, expecting to feel a baby bump, or a kick.
She shook her head and fumbled in her cardigan pocket for the car keys.
"Crap." Quinn redrew her empty hand. She must have left them in the changing room. Did she want to run over and get them, or walk home?
The sky answered her question by sending out a clap of thunder and opening its flood gates.
"Car it is then" She said to herself, and holding her folder over her head as protection, she ran back into school.
Inside it was dry and warm. Sue must have complained to Figgins about the heater blowing. Sue wanted the Principle to buy a sauna for the cheerleaders use only, but Figgins told her there was no more money in the kitty. Quinn winced at the memory of several broken windows as her coach went ballistic.
There were still a couple of kids and teachers hanging about the building. They walked straight past her, not caring if their bags hit her thigh, or if they didn't hold the door open for her. Quinn could remember an age where everyone was scared of her, and worshiped her every move. Finn had been her boyfriend, her lovely adoring boyfriend, Santana and Brittany had been her back up, and Puck had been her toy boy.
Noah Puckerman. He ruined her life. He got her drunk and nine months later, she had a little bundle of joy. Oh how she hated him. No, Quinn reminded herself, you messed up. Puck isn't the problem. It's you.
She pushed open the door in front of her and slipped inside quietly. Oh god, it stank. She looked around. The boy's locker room.
A smirk spread across her face. She could sneak around here and embarrass the boys! She almost laughed aloud, feeling like a girl in one of those old fashioned stories. She'd be playing hockey and having tea parties with Rachael Berry next.
Quinn walked down the narrow aisles, her sleeve covering her face to prevent her from gagging. She found Finn and Puck's locker easily enough. On Finn's locker there was a giant F, drawn on in blue crayon. It was decorated with fish. On Puck's locker there were cut outs from a Playboy magazine. She had a feeling Puck's locker was a popular place to hang out.
Quinn turned down another aisle and stopped in her tracks. A boy was sitting on a bench, wearing a letterman jacket. He was bent over, looking at a picture in his hands. She would know the boy in the picture anywhere. It was a photo of Kurt Hummel, held by Dave Karofsky. Who was crying.
She stood there for a moment, not saying anything, not wanting to intrude. Karofsky took great gulping sobs, tears spilling onto Kurt's face. He looked so vulnerable, and Quinn was afraid. He was a big guy, and could easily take her down in an instant.
And hurt the baby. No, there was no baby. She wasn't pregnant anymore.
"Karofsky?" She said timidly.
He looked up, and hit his head hard against the wall. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Quinn stepped back. "I forgot my car keys. And I came here instead."
"How long have you been here?" His voice was filled with anger, but his eyes showed fear.
"A couple of minutes. That's a nice picture of Kurt." She held out her hand. "May I see?"
Karofsky looked down at the picture in his hand. "Suppose so."
She took it from him and studied it. It was Kurt, with perfectly groomed hair. He was dressed in his cheerleading outfit, and looked the happiest Quinn had ever seen him. The black girl, Mercedes, was linked arms with him, and she was smiling a big toothy smile. Her eyes flicked to the corner of the photo and saw herself staring straight back.
She traced a finger over her body, her blonde hair, her tiny flats and the baby bump. Inside there was little Beth, or Drizzle or Jackie Daniels. Her little baby girl.
"Can I have it back?"
Karofsky's voice jolted her back to the present. She nodded and shoved it back, trying to ignore the tears threatening to spill.
"Are you ok?" He was holding the photo to his chest, as if he could kid himself he was hugging Kurt.
"Yes." She said, but then reconsidered. "No, I'm not ok."
"Is it something to do with the baby?"
"Yes. I miss her so much." Quinn wiped her eyes.
Karofsky twisted his hands together. "Sorry."
"What are you saying sorry for? You haven't done anything."
"I threw slushies over you and Finn."
Quinn's head jerked up. "That was you?"
He nodded.
She wanted to yell at him for ruining her reputation, for making Finn break up with her, for being mean to her friends. And then he did the unthinkable. He hugged her.
Quinn wrapped her arms around him and sobbed into his chest. It was weird, letting out all her emotions on someone who made people's lives hell.
"When I'm angry my mom always gives me a hug." Said Karofsky. "It makes me feel better."
"I don't really have a proper mom." She mumbled, letting go of him.
He looked down at her and smiled. "I'm afraid I'm not a good replacement."
She looked back up at him. "Why were you crying?"
Karofsky thought for a moment. "Kurt"
"But you hate him." Quinn sat down on the bench and Karofsky did the same.
"No, I don't. He's annoying, with his fancy clothes and hairdo."
"Yet you like him, because he's dangerous, and you're not meant to like him."
"How do you know?" He frowned.
"Puckerman."
"Oh. You're really nice Quinn."
"No I'm not. I'm a bitch."
"Ok, some of the time you're a bitch. But normally you're talking to people and making them feel good."
"It's like a shell, isn't it? We pretend to be tough and snarky, but inside you're all emotional." Quinn stretched out her legs.
"Kurt hates me."
She didn't know what to say. Kurt did hate Karofsky.
"I stole his first kiss."
"Brittany kissed him when he pretended he was straight."
"I stole his first kiss with a guy. He should have kissed Finn or Blaine, but he got me."
Quinn tried to picture Kurt and Karofsky together. It didn't fit.
"Kinda a broken dream, ya know?"
"Yeah. I better go get my car keys, or my mom will start to worry. She'll probably think I've been knocked up again." She stood up.
"I'll see you tomorrow"
Quinn bit her lip. "I don't think so. You should keep your reputation intact, and hanging around with me will make you bottom of the food chain."
"I know. Just, let out your anger once in a while. For me."
She smiled. "My pillow will feel the burn."
"I better go too. Jacob Ben Israel needs a trip to the dumpster." Karofsky got up and they walked to the door together.
Karofsky, no, Dave, nodded his head at her and joined Azimo who was staring into space by one of the classrooms.
"Hey Quinn!"
She turned around and saw Sam Evans racing towards her.
"Hello Sam"
He twirled a bunch of keys around his finger. "I think you'll need these to get home."
"My keys! Thanks Sam, where did you find them?"
"Glee Room. Can you do me a favour? I walked to school this morning and I don't want to walk home in the rain. Can you give me a lift?"
Quinn shrugged. "I might as well. Someone told me to carry on being my kind and charming self, and this seems like a good opportunity."
"Who told you that?" asked Sam, dropping into step with her.
"Someone with a broken dream."