Quinn heard everything. She felt her heart aching for Rachel Berry. She'd sat outside the auditorium, listening to Rachel's audition, and she heard it. She heard Rachel choke. Twice.
When Carmen Tibideaux exited the auditorium, Quinn saw her chance to make it right. So, she trusted her gut and called out.
"You can't do this."
Her voice caught Carmen's attention. She turned to face Quinn and asked, "I can't do what?"
"You have to accept Rachel Berry into your school."
The girl's hazel eyes were piercing. Carmen had to admit, she looked rather intimidating for someone in a wheelchair.
"I'm sorry. You don't get a say in who I accept at my school," Carmen didn't want to sound rude, but that was the way it was. She was the only one who called the shots, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go."
The blonde girl shook her head, "No, sorry. I can't let you leave, Miss Tibideaux. Not until you give Rachel a chance."
Carmen looked at the girl pointedly, "I did give her a chance. I gave her two chances, Miss…"
"Fabray. Quinn Fabray," The girl said, "but my name doesn't matter. What matters is that you give Rachel a place at NYADA."
Carmen sighed, "Miss Fabray, I believe I just told you that you haven't got a say in this."
Quinn dropped her eyes and was silent for a moment.
"Miss Fabray?"
Suddenly, Quinn locked eyes with her. Hazel eyes, soft and sweet a minute ago, were ablaze.
"You don't understand," Quinn said in a low voice, trying to keep herself from yelling, "I feel like this is all my fault."
Carmen shook her head, "Miss Fabray, I assure you, my decision has nothing to do with you. In fact, I'd never seen you before you stopped me in this hallway."
Quinn screwed her eyes shut and clenched her fists. She didn't want to lash out at Carmen because, even though she really wanted to hit something, she knew this unexpected turn of events wasn't her fault. Not really.
"No, I mean… Rachel not getting into this school is the cherry on top of the cake – a cake that I built. A cake made from years of bullying and teasing and taunting," Quinn looked almost close to tears now.
Carmen wondered if she was bipolar.
As Carmen wondered, Quinn continued, "Miss Tibideaux, did you know that I used to torture Rachel Berry?"
The blank look on Carmen's face gave her the answer, "Yeah, I know, right? It's crazy."
At this point, Quinn did kind of look crazy. She had some manic glint in her eye, and Carmen questioned whether or not she should be scared. Against her better judgement, she let Quinn go on with her soliloquy.
Quinn kept talking, "We used to tease her and taunt her. The jocks, the cheerleaders… pretty much the whole school, actually. We'd throw slushies in her face, steal her sheet music and burn it, call her names…"
Now Carmen was seriously starting to question the girl's sanity, "Why would you do that?"
Quinn shrugged, "I did it because I knew she would make it out of here. I was jealous, I guess. Everyone else did it because I did. I was the Queen Bee, and everyone just followed what I did. I wanted to break her. I wanted to bring her down and make her think she was just a Lima Loser like the rest of us,"
Quin scoffed, "I wanted her to think she wasn't good enough for Broadway, that she was stupid for even thinking she could leave Ohio. But I knew that she'd make it. She'd make it to the bright lights of the city. New York, Broadway, musicals, movies, TV shows, record deals… whatever she wanted. I knew she'd get it. And I was jealous,"
Quinn paused for a moment, "Every time we knocked her down, she'd just stand up, brush herself off and say something like 'I'm better than you'll ever be. I'll make it to New York. I'll be on Broadway. Nothing you say or do will ever stop me from reaching my dream'."
Carmen figured that Quinn was just a stressed teenager letting off a lot of steam, so she stood and listened.
"She always offered her friendship to me, even when I tormented her. She was there when I was pregnant. She's been there for all the dramas in my life, even if no one else has been," Quinn took a breath. Carmen wondered when she'd stop talking, "She should hate me for all I've done to her. But she says she doesn't have time to hate anyone, because all her time is devoted to performing. She wants to be well practiced, so that she's good enough to make it big."
Now, Carmen listened intently. If Rachel Berry really was this driven, maybe she could give her a second (third) chance. A lot of people had talent, but not everyone had the drive.
"She doesn't have to practice though. She's more than qualified to make it in New York. She's the perfect performer. She's perfect," Quinn gave a small smile, "I've sort of forgiven myself for what I've done to Rachel, because she keeps telling me to. But if she doesn't get into this school, I won't be able to forgive myself,"
Quinn dropped her gaze, "She is so strong, so determined, so dedicated. There's no one like her out there. You'd be a fool not to take her," She added, looking back up at Carmen.
"I thought I'd already discussed my choice." Carmen said, giving her a stern look.
Quinn sighed, "Rachel Berry can make it in New York without NYADA. I know she can. But I just want what's easier for her, and NYADA is her biggest opportunity. I've made her life hell during high school. I just… I want this for her. So badly. If she doesn't make it…" Carmen swears she hears Quinn's voice crack, "I don't know what I'll do. Everything will be wrong. She's supposed to make it big, and if she doesn't escape Lima and make it to New York… all this guilt I've been trying to suppress for treating her so badly? I… I don't think I could live with it, Miss Tibideaux."
Carmen regarded her seriously. Admittedly, Rachel Berry had a voice. A very, very good voice, from what she'd heard. But she didn't exactly show herself in a very good light during her audition.
Quinn's voice grew quiet, "She thinks I hated her. But I didn't. Not really," She gave a sad smile, "I hated her drive, her passion, her talent. I never hated her. In fact, and I've never said this out loud before, but…" Quinn took a deep breath, "I loved her. I love her. More than I've loved anyone in my whole life. I lashed out at her, made it look like I hated her… because I love her. And I hated how she didn't love me back."
That definitely pulled on Carmen's heart strings. She realised that she was no longer just tolerating Quinn's speech, but actually listening to it. Patiently, she waited for Quinn to continue.
"I love her so much. She deserves more than this town. She deserves New York and Broadway. She deserves to see her name in lights. She deserves the chance to live her dreams, Miss Tibideaux," Quinn looked up at her with pleading eyes, "Please. You have to give her a chance."
That certainly did it.
"Miss Fabray…"
Quinn watched Carmen with bated breath, "Yes?"
"Tell Miss Berry that I'll be back in the auditorium tomorrow afternoon, at 3:30pm." Carmen saw movement by the door to the auditorium and felt the corners of her lips turn up.
Quinn's eyes widened, "No way. R-really? You're giving her a chance?"
"Yes, Miss Fabray. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to." Carmen gave her one last look and disappeared off down the hallway.
Quinn sat in her chair, dumbfounded. She did it! She grinned and was about to set off to find Rachel, when she heard someone clear their throat behind her.
She turned her chair and saw Rachel standing by the door to the auditorium.
"Hey, Rachel! I was just about to go looking for you. I have some great news." Quinn schooled her features into a look of composure. She smiled up at Rachel.
And then she realised... if Rachel was standing by the door the whole time, then she would have heard…
"You love me?" Rachel asked.
Quinn's cheeks flamed, "I-I-I… what?"
Rachel's expression darkened, "Quinn Fabray! You loved me and you never told me? I spent my high school years looking for a compatible vocal lead to be in a relationship with, and you neglect to mention the fact that you love me?"
"Wait, what?" Suffice to say, Quinn was confused.
Rachel took a couple of steps closer, "Well, I must admit… I've always harboured feelings for you, Quinn. They've been less than platonic, of course, but I never acted on them for fear of being ridiculed even more by you and your cronies."
"You… me… what? I-I don't even… huh?"
"I like you, Quinn." Rachel kneeled in front of her and took her hands in her own.
"But-but…" Quinn looked around desperately, lowering her voice. There was no way that this was happening. She must be dreaming, "What about Finn?"
"I broke off the engagement," Rachel shrugged, "We all heard you talking to Carmen from the auditorium. I explained to Finn that, while I don't quite love you just yet, my feelings for you are much stronger than my feelings for him have ever been."
Quinn gaped at her. Rachel giggled.
"I see that I've rendered you speechless. Well, I hope that you don't mind me doing this…"
Rachel leaned forward and captured Quinn's lips with her own.
She pulled back a little and murmured, "Thank you, Quinn. For everything."
Quinn's eyes were still closed. She opened them to find Rachel barely an inch away from her face, chocolate orbs looking into her own hazel.
"You're a star, Rachel Berry. New York is going to love you."