A/N- This is the prequel to 'Fruit Loops' though you do not need to read that story before reading this one and I actually encourage you not to as 'Fruit Loops' will be rewritten into the conclusion of this story. So really don't read it, unless you want to, but maybe even then just wait until after this story is done...
SO this is an AU Faberry threeshot
This whole little endeavor was going to be called 'Fuck Beautiful' but since Fanfiction likes titles rated T the title comes from this quote-
"That's always seemed so ridiculous to me, that people want to be around someone because they're pretty. It's like picking your breakfeast cereals based on color instead of taste."
― John Green, Paper Towns
Quinn is revolutionary, Quinn is brilliant, she is raw, and she is outrage. Quinn is smiling politely while her agent, Carla is making a toast. Quinn is wearing cobalt blue because Carla says that it's a power color. Quinn thinks that Carla is full of shit because Carla is six feet three inches of tan legs and cutting smiles and every color is a power color for her. But Carla read her first shitty manuscript when Quinn was hardly out of college and she believed in Quinn, and Carla and her wife have had Quinn over for thanksgiving for the past two years because Carla doesn't believe in people being alone on holidays, and Carla is the closest thing to family that Quinn has, so Quinn is wearing cobalt blue even though she's half sure the dress must be washing out her complexion.
When Carla finishes her little toast and everyone claps politely, Quinn winds her way through the crowd to the bar. She orders a gin and tonic because it reminds her of her mother and she is feeling nostalgic.
The party is in the lobby of the publishing company and it's a small thing for New Years, but Carla is convinced that it's the perfect opportunity for Quinn to network. But when Quinn accepts her drink, she sends a look around the room at the group assembled- it's all writers and editors, publicists and interns who have given up the usual trashy college parties hoping that their dedication to the company will show through. Everyone has something to say, and Quinn doesn't want to hear any of it.
She swirls her drink and takes a sip, at the very least she's getting an open bar out of this whole evening.
Quinn isn't in the mood to is kiss some Random House exec's ass. She wrote her first poetry collection off her gut wrenching college years struggling to come out and stay out. The book floundered at first but after one of her Yale literature professors discovered it, it grew like a forest fire- the university finding every excuse to highlight her as an alum.
Now all that anybody wants to know is when her next book is coming out, has she been writing, what fresh blood will be dripping from her new poetry?
Quinn has been writing alright, but it's all shit. She hasn't written anything worth reading in ages and she's worried that she's a has been at twenty three after one book.
It's with this bitterness in mind that her attention is caught by a flash of brown hair and captivating green eyes. The woman orders a drink at the bar and spins around to catch Quinn's gaze, a smirk makes its way across her face and Quinn can feel a blush spreading already.
When she gets her drink, she takes a seductive sip and practically stalks over to Quinn, "I don't recognize you from around the office, and you're far too pretty to be an editor so you're either here as someone's date, or you're one of the elusive writers." The woman says boldly.
"Guilty, I'm a writer." Quinn laughs, "Or at least I pretend to be."
The brunette gets this little smirk, like there's an inside joke only she knows, "We're all pretending."
The woman is Melanie and she works for the publishing company, and Quinn learns that her little smirk defines her personality.
They date casually, a confusing on and off thing, Quinn hardly keeps from getting whiplash at how quickly their relationship changes. She does her very best not to get too attached, she knows that Mel isn't the commitment type, and she knows that she isn't the only girl that Mel is seeing.
But Quinn's feelings are quick and they're intense, and before she can really stop herself, she's in deep.
Until Valentine's Day a year later. Quinn has been doing well for herself, her book was released in the UK and she's spent her year writing various shorts and small poetry pieces that have run in large publications or anthologies. She writes some good poetry out of the angst of her relationship with Mel, she hates that it's one of the reasons she keeps coming back to the brunette.
Until the brunette doesn't come back. Quinn takes some of the money she's made off of a recent short story that ran in a well known publication and she buys Mel a pair of earrings. They're sterling silver with real diamonds, they're small enough that it doesn't put Quinn back at all and she knows before she even gives them to Mel that they're "Too much, Quinn. I can't accept these."
"It's just a pair of earrings Mel, it's valentines just take them."
The brunette shakes her head and puts the black velvet box on Quinn's nightstand, "You know I can't."
"Why?" Quinn knows it was a mistake, but she couldn't keep herself from this push.
"Because of what they represent."
"They don't represent anything."
Mel sighs with a sad smile, "You're a writer, Quinn. You know everything is a symbol or a metaphor or a turn of phrase and we aren't at earrings. We are maybe at a novelty beer kozy, or a drugstore box of chocolates."
"It's been a year."
Mel nods.
"We're never going to be at earrings, are we?"
"I thought you knew."
"I did." Quinn's lips pull tight as she keeps tears at bay, "I just didn't want to believe it."
Mel leaves, and Quinn never sees her again, not at the publication parties that Carla makes her go to, not at the clubs they used to frequent, not even when she has to stop by the publication office to meet with an editor.
Quinn turns her heartbreak into poetry. It's some of the best and the worst that she's written. She keeps the best, arranging what she already knows will be another outstanding book, the rest she shreds.
Carla is there and she refuses to let Quinn mope for any extended period of time and she and her wife set Quinn up, she goes on three terrible dates with three mediocre people before she puts her foot down. Carla ignores her completely and takes her chances with one last blind date.
Her name is Jennifer and they connect immediately. Jennifer is a lawyer and she is safe and she smiles reassuringly on their fourth date when Quinn asks her to be exclusive and says 'of course'.
Quinn finishes her second book and within the first two weeks, it surpasses what her first book sold in its first two months. Yale adds it to the list of freshman summer reading. Jennifer takes her shopping for a dress to wear at the party Carla is planning as a celebration.
She picks out this cute soft orange dress and sneaks into Quinn's dressing room when she tries it on.
"I don't know about this color." Quinn says, pulling at the skirt, "What do you think?"
"I think it makes you look incredibly sexy." Jennifer teases, easing Quinn's hands away and smoothing down the material. She takes a step back to appraise the blonde before nodding with a smile, "Yup, totally sexy." She decides, walking back into Quinn's space and pressing their lips together in a quick kiss.
That evening, Quinn has to bow to one of the inevitabilities of adult life- laundry. She lugs her hamper down to the basement, while she is loading her clothes into a machine Cute Brunette comes in with a friendly smile to collect her clothes from a dryer. Quinn has seen cute brunette every other Tuesday evening for the last few years ever since she moved to the apartment building.
On Wednesday she decides she will surprise Jennifer at work with a coffee to thank her for being so understanding the past few weeks while Quinn was going crazy over her book release.
On Wednesday they will break up.
A/N- I'll have the next chapter up soon! lmk what you think of this start.