You know you've been in love with her from the first time you set eyes on her. Long dark hair and these big eyes, that look slightly big for her face, but she looks... You don't even know how to explain it yet. Your eyes don't leave her as she stares back at you before whispering to your friend, you wonder what she's saying before her head is thrown back and a melodic laugh escapes her lips, straight white teeth sparkling in the light. She looks at you again with a confused look before quickly diverting her gaze. You push a few strands of blonde from your hazel eyes and you just know that she isn't going to leave you alone, whether she knows it or not.
The first time you spoke was even weirder, she sounds like a melody when she speaks, her voice carrying itself through the space like a tune. You're short, as always, simple and direct. You can't let her get to know you because you don't understand what's going on. She talks so much you zone out, focusing on her features. Tanned skin that looks soft enough to touch, her eyes full of emotion so you can really read her, and those lips, deep and red, you just want to lean down and... No wait you shouldn't think that, she's a girl and you're a Fabray, this isn't what either of you want. Right?
The more you speak, the closer you get, she's very touchy and hand's on, she loves to hug and link arms with you, slowly melting away that icy exterior of yours because honestly you can't resist her, not that you'll let her know that and when you have to say goodbye, well that's the worse part of your day.
Soon enough, you exchange numbers, so even when you say goodbye, you're not really because in the next hour she's texting you random stuff, about what she's eating or what one of her dads have said, you laugh and wish you was still with her, maybe one day you'll have the courage but right now you can't be weak, not even for her.
The day you tell her, she's out. You're too scared to say it to her face. So you text her. You can't look her in the eye because you're scared she'll shut you out. You await her reply and it comes almost instantly, it's simple and sweet. Nothing like the lecture you expect. Suddenly all these little texts and random moments become clear, she's been flirting with you. Your more open to the possibility now, that maybe, somehow, she wants you back.
A few nights later and it's the first time you've called her, you're walking home from work and its late, you don't want to keep her awake but she insists, you're both laughing at something you say before she says it. Quietly and whispered like she's scared.
"Do you like anyone?"
You freeze and don't say anything; you try so desperately to be honest, to tell her the truth.
"You should sleep" you reply, your heart falling in your chest, just like hers does even though your unaware of her feelings. After about two hours, even though you know she'll be asleep you text her a three letter word, and pray silently for the best.
You.
She says she likes you back. Your heart swells slightly in your chest, and you finally feel excited about something. The next few weeks are amazing, day by day things get better, little looks in the cafeteria, holding hand's under the table when the whole glee club is at breadstix's. Nothing more. Not yet.
The first time you get jealous, you get mad. Angry. Hurt. You don't think she means to do what she does but it still hurts. That oaf flirts with her and she responds, maybe it's just her friendly and confident personality, but you can't watch. Your hearts pounding in your chest, the blood rushing to your ears, so you walk off. Then you can hear her footsteps, softly behind you, chasing you. Leaving him for you. You try to smile at this but you're still upset.
"Quinn" her voice calls you desperately, her steps quickening before she grabs onto your hand.
You turn to face her and even though she's smiling she has sad eyes, you pull her into a tight hold. She's yours, even though you're too scared to confirm it yet.
When your lips touch hers for the first time, you feel like your hearts going to explode. It's in the bathroom at breadstix's but it still feels perfect, her lips are as soft as you first thought, she sighs softly parting from your lips before pushing herself onto you again, your hands instantly finding her hips and pulling her closer, so that she's slightly on her tiptoes. And you swear that soon, you will make her yours officially.
You curse as you take another breath and run along the path behind her, your first fight and for a small person she is very fast, she continues to run away from you, and you can hear her sobbing, and you feel your heart break because you've never wanted her to cry this way, not over or about you anyway. Finally you catch up to her and pull her close, whispering promises of soon, and one day, before gently kissing her and wiping the tears away softly.
And for a while everything is perfect, you kiss, and hold hands, alone. You whisper sweet words to each other but never those three important ones. Until one day, she's laying under you, your arms pushing you up as you separate from a heated kiss.
"I love you" she whispers, hair fluffy and lips red and puffy from all the kissing.
Hazel eyes meet scared brown ones; you smirk before going back down to her lips.
"I love you too" you whisper against her before sealing it with a kiss.
One day's become too far away, and she's slipped from your grasp and into the arms of another. You hate yourself. You hate him. But you can't bring yourself to hate her, not really. You tell her; every time her texts or calls you either scream it down the phone or don't answer either. And for months you don't speak. Not at all. You miss her. Everything about her. Those eyes, that soft skin, the pouty lips, the text messages & late night calls. But you know she's with him, and deep down it kills you.
The next time you see her, you're alone. At your house, she's underneath you once more and you're in the familiar positions, once again she whispers those three words and you reply whole heartily, yet you know when she goes, she's going back to him, and that kills you. This happens, over and over again, each time you tell yourself you'll fight for her, make her stay but every time she's in your grasp you let her walk back out of your life.
Two years. That's how long it takes. Two years of making up and fighting before you finally get her. It's one of them days, she's underneath you once more, her hair is messed and her lips chapped.
"I'm single" she barely whispers, its soft and her eyes are closed.
You look at her, your head reeling.
Her eyes open slowly and you know she's telling the truth this time.
You lean in to kiss her but just before you whisper "I know" gently against those plump red lips. For the first time you make love, full of passion and desire. Exploring every inch of each other's bodies, because this moment, will define the rest of your life. You roll over after an unknown amount of time and she curls into your side.
"Be mine" you whisper into her dark hair, you feel her smile on your skin and know the answer but she says a soft "yes" before leaning over and kissing her, starting another round of love-making.
"I got in" she screams down the phone. The first to know. Then it hits you, she's moving to New York. And you're going to Yale. And even though it's not that far, you won't be together. But you've just found out she's gotten into her dream school, so you push all those worries out of your head and scream with her, because you know she's going to make it.
And then there's the one time you came last.
October 10th.
Not by her decision but by your choice in being last.
She's done it with everyone else, Kurt, her dad's, your mom. And now it's time for it to be done with you, and you wait, until the last possible moment because this one counts.
You walk hand in hand along the marble tiles until you find a close-yet far enough spot from everybody else. You sit down on the bench and you can see the tears threatening to escape her eyes, but you try and keep them down for now. Your hand cups her cheek softly and you bring her eye level to yours.
"I love you Rachel Barbara Berry" and there they are, tears spilling down her cheeks. You wipe them away gently before kissing the tear tracks. "And I will always love you, I am so proud of you. Okay?" Rachel nodded slowly. "And I will be there every step of the way, and I will move to New York soon enough" tears threatening to spill from your own eyes but you beg them not to. She nods again. You tilt her chin upward and kiss her gently; her lips part and you deepen the kiss, one of the last kisses for a while because you don't leave for another two weeks. You gently fiddle with the charm bracelet that hangs loosely on her left arm and your finger finds the first charm you gave her, your heart. You go into your pocket and pull out a tiny white box. You place it in her hand and she opens her mouth to complain.
"Open it"
Her eyes widen as she opens the box, it's an apple. She smiles before kissing you.
"It's beautiful" she says against your lips before kissing you again.
Your phone vibrates and its time.
One last goodbye.
You both get up. You squeeze her hand in yours.
"You ready little star?" She shakes her head negatively. A small sob escapes her and her head bobs. They walk toward the others and Rachel's sobbing increases, she hugs Kurt and sniffles, your mom and then she hugs both her dad's together, lingering a little.
Finally it's your turn again.
She wraps her arms around your neck and you pull her in by the waist. One last chaste kiss before your letting her go. One last glance until she's gone behind some doors.
But no matter how many firsts you've both had, you know you'll always be there, for the firsts and the lasts. Always the lasts. Because one day, you're going to marry that girl.