The teenage bodies in front of her are dancing wildly to the music from the speakers. Solo cups are in the air and the sweaty bodies are all jumping and moving to the beat of her music and she loves every second. With one final downward strum of her guitar and a loud crash from the drummer the song ends and so does their set and the crowd roars for them. Quinn can't help but smile as she waves and walks offstage to be met with a huge hug from one of her best friends Brittany.

"You were amazing Q!" She yells into her hair before releasing her from her embrace.
"Yea not too bad," Her other best friend says off to Brittany's side with a smile.
"Thanks guys, I can't wait for this year that was just a taste of how great our school band is going to be this year!" Quinn said excitedly still on a high from her performance.
"Not to mention us cheerleaders," Brittany said adding to the excitement.
"Exactly B, it's going to be an amazing senior year," Santana added taking hold of Brittany's hand.

XXXX

"What do you mean there isn't going to be a band this year?!" Quinn all but screamed at the principal.

"Look Quinn I know you are passionate about the arts but there is only so much room in the budget and we need to put that into our most successful programs, that being Vocal Adrenaline at this time," The principal of Camel High told her, she wondered if all principals were this cheap.

"But this isn't fair, how are we supposed to get music scholarships or into college music programs if we aren't in a program that we can add to our applications?"

"I'm sorry Quinn, but that is not my problem and besides you yourself have the possibility of a cheer scholarship so the others will find ways into college as well, and if they are that desperate they will go to McKinley ," Her principal said finally.

Quinn was distraught. Sure he was right she could probably get a cheer scholarship and leave Ohio but she loved music and that is where she wanted to go in life, not that her parents would approve but to hell with them anyway.

Dejected she walked down the school halls and passed the auditorium. She heard Vocal Adrenaline practicing and was struck by an idea.

She entered the auditorium and waited for them to take a break. She had to admit that they were good and very well organised. When they finally took a break Quinn approached the choir director.

"Can I help you?" The tall woman asked not lifting her eyes to greet the newcomer.

"I want to try out," Quinn said squaring up to the woman.

"Sorry try-outs were months ago and we have a perfectly fit and well performing team at the moment," the director said dismissively still not making eye contact.

"No, for your band," Quinn added.

"We have highly qualified musicians at our disposal Miss…"
"Fabray-Evans."
"Right, and so we don't require amateurs," She finally looked at her. The rest of Vocal Adrenaline had gathered around during the discussion and were nodding in her direction.

"I'm no amateur," Quinn defended.

"Regardless of how good you think you are Miss Fabray-Evans, we are at Regionals in a few weeks against McKinley and we can't have a sloppy soundtrack holding us back, so good day to you, end of discussion," the woman had turned back around and was yelling at her team for standing around and to get back into position.

Knowing she had lost her chance Quinn left still feeling frustrated. It was the end of the day so she grabbed her hoodie from her locker and started her journey home after she put in her headphones.

XXXX

Making her way up her garden path Quinn was blissfully lost in her music and it wasn't until she was forcefully spun around and had her headphones yanked from her ears that she realised anyone had been trying to get her attention. Unfortunately it wasn't anyone she wanted to see.

"Oh, it's just you," Sugar her brother's girlfriend said in a disgusted tone, "I swear you look just like him from the back, must be your distinct lack of curves," She added looking Quinn up and down taking in her jeans and plain shirt and short choppy hair.

"It's great to see you too Sugar," Quinn said in a false happy voice.

"Whatever, have you seen your brother?"

"Nope, but I'll be sure he calls you, what was your number again, 1800 BEYOTCH?" Quinn questioned trying to get a rise out of the girl. It worked and the girl left with a huff. Quinn smiled to herself and opened the door to her house.

"Quinnie!" Her mother called down the stairs as she entered.

"And you wonder why I never bring friends over," Quinn mumbled to herself.

"How was school darling? Any new boys you're interested in?"

"Mum, what the heck? No." Quinn answered confused as to why her mum always was so interested in her love life.

"How did I end up with the only teenage girl not excited by boys or dresses but just want to play heavy metal and wear band shirts all the time," her mother sighed to herself.

"We don't play heavy metal mum and the world has been set right, the school cut the band," Quinn said in a sad tone.

"Oh, you'll just have more time to focus on cheerleading now," Her mother said with a smile on her face. Quinn didn't want an argument so she just headed to her room.

On the way she passed by her brother's room and saw him hastily packing.

"Going on a trip?" She asked from the doorway. Her brother looked up at her and smiled.

"Something like that," He said tossing his suitcase out the window.

"You know we have a door right?" She asked raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yea, but I can't let mum see me," He said lowering his surfboard onto the roof below his room.

"Why, where are you going?" She asked taking a seat at his desk.

"Surfari with the boys to Cali," He said a huge grin taking up his face.

"Sam, you just got kicked out of Camel for ditching school, do you really think this is a good way to start at McKinley? What will Mum say?"

"She won't know, she thinks I'm at Dad's and dad thinks I'm here, the beauty of divorce," He said slinging a backpack over his shoulder and climbing out the window.

"Could you call McKinley pretending to be mum and say I'm sick, something that sounds like it will last a few weeks, thanks Q," And with that she heard him drop to the floor below his window.

"Sam!" She called after him.

"Were you just talking to your brother?" Her mother asked suddenly appearing in the doorway. Completely caught Quinn tried to think up an explanation. Her phone in her hands gave her an excuse.

"Yes, on the phone. Bye Sam, say hi to Dad for me," She said pretending to hang up, "I was actually thinking I might go and stay with Dad as well," Quinn added as an idea appeared in her mind after thinking over Sam's words to her.

"No Quinn, we hardly spend any time together," Her mother said putting on a puppy dog pout.

"I know but you know, Sugar is always over there and maybe she could help me get a handle on some of this dating and boys stuff," Quinn hoped her mother would buy it, it was so far from the truth it was insane but if the look on her face said anything it was totally working.

"Oh Quinnie, that would be great, tell your father I said hi," and with that the woman was gone and Quinn was for the first time thanking a higher power for divorce.

Back in her own room Quinn was packing a bag and calling her best friends.

"Hi Q what's up, you're on speaker," Santana answered and she could swear she heard Brittany in the background giggling. Quinn didn't want to think about what that could mean.

"I need a couple of huge favours, starting with a place to stay for a few weeks."