A/N This is an AU fic, everyone is still in high school, Quinn is the captain of the XC team and Rachel is still a singer for glee club as well as an actress in school plays and plays soccer. My teacher told me after a creative writing assignment that my characters are 'too perfect' so this is my foray into flawed characters. Granted all of these characters are flawed in their own ways on the show I had to get creative to figure out my own flaws for them, let me know what you think.
WARNING- there are allusions to self harm that will be elaborated upon later in the story.
This is pretty Quinn centric and Rachel will be coming in later though. Oh and this is more emotions heavy so those of you that want all high speed action this may not be the story for you.
It was a hot summer day, the first day of the school year. Most normal high school students were spending their afternoon lounging at the pool or roaming the local mall in an attempt to hold onto any trace left of summer, but the extraordinary ones were sitting in a huddle behind the bleacher of the school. Dressed in shorts and tank tops they all had a few things in common; perpetually horrible tan lines, plastic watches, and a peculiar addiction to water. Together they comprised the William McKinley cross country team.
The head captains were delivering their beginning of the year speeches as customary on the first day of practice.
"You losers all probably have something wrong with you since you made the conscious decision to sign up to pay money to run for miles on end but hell were all kinda crazy here." The head captain for the boys team said. He was tall and mow hawked. He possessed natural good looks accentuated by bulging muscles from hours in the gym, he looked amazing and knew it. And flaunted it, "I guess we're kinda like the island of misfit toys went to Wonderland. But trust me, you are gonna love being on the team this year."
He ended his speech with a wink at a group of new freshman girls which got them giggling.
"Very inspirational Puckerman. It's no wonder the boys voted you as captain." The unofficial girls co captain drawled from her place leaning against the bleachers next to the other captain.
"They voted for me cause I'm hella fast and my abs are like sculpted marble. Lets see why your captain got her spot!"
There was a constant competition between the two teams because though they were often grouped together as one the boys and girls competed separately and it was always a silent competition to see who could place higher or pr by more. The girls had won last year when they took second in state and they boys didn't even qualify to compete at the meet.
"That's a funny coincidence you see we voted for our captain for those same reasons. Oh and she has half a brain!" The Latina shot back, not willing to be urlsurped by him. You wouldn't have guessed it but the two were really close friends, they were also both insanely stubborn and competitive so these things rarely ended well.
"Thank you both for that marvelous introduction." The blonde captain finally pushed herself upright from her post leaning on the bleachers. All heads turned to stare at her, the new kids openly appraising their leader for the season. "My name is Quinn, and its an honor to serve as your girls captain this year."
She made her way to the front of the group, walking slowly and meeting the eyes of each person seated on the floor in front of her. Quinn was just above average height but her short running attire made it look as though her naturally golden legs stretched on forever. Her face was soft but she made up for it with piercing hazel eyes. The blonde hair was swept up into a messy pony tail from which a few strands escaped to frame her sun kissed face.
"I'll try to keep my speech short so we can get to What we all came here for, running. When people ask you why you run you better have a good answer ready. In this sport it is an inevitability. Our biggest mystery and our greatest secret. It defines us as runners and as competitors. The first time I was asked that question I was a freshman who just joined the team; the senior captain approached me and asked those four magic words I replied so my ass doesn't get fat. But the truth is I'm still not sure why I run, one day I hope to figure it out. Now get out there and find your reason for running!"
Everyone moved to their feet and secured their personal items under the bleachers, moving with a certain sense of lethargy from the heat.
"Coach sends her regrets she couldn't be here this summer but assured me she will be back from her family emergency in time for the first race of the season, today's run is an easy 3 miles for new kids, 4 and a half for returning runners." Quinn announced.
Upperclassmen grumbled but began dispersing in small groups, "And nobody runs on their own!"
"Except you of course." Santana countered, sneaking up behind her best friend. "Where to today boss?"
"First I don't run on my own anymore and second we are going to Safeway." The blonde replied irate.
"But that's only one and a half away."
"Exactly. We are taking novices on an out and back then extending our run to make it four."
"Fine." The Latina knew from experience there was no use in arguing with her friend when she went into her 'responsible mother' mode. "But if those slow ass kids fall behind I'm leaving them behind!"
Quinn smirked, remembering when santana was one of those slow ass kids, "Fine."
William McKinley High School sat at the bottom of a hill so you had to hike up the driveway to get to the road from the parking lot. Each day before they ran the team would make the climb up to the main road and from there split to their different destinations. At the very top of the hill there was a brick sign that said 'William McKinley'. It was the graduation gift from the Class of 2010.
The team called the sign 'the laundry basket'. On hot days it became a dumping spot for the team's unwanted layers.
"Are my pecs uneven? I think the right one is bigger than the left." Puck asked, flexing afore mentioned muscles and dropping his black t-shirt into the quickly forming pile.
"Maybe it's because you only have half a brain so it distorts your vision." Santana offered, shedding her own tank top to reveal a dark blue sports bra and softly defined abs.
"Children, don't make me separate you. I will pull this car over!" Quinn was quickly growing tired of playing mom but she was well used to the role. "Puck just take your boys and get going. San and I are taking the girls to Safeway so you all should head the other way to the 7-11."
"Slurpee challenge on the first practice?" Puck's face immediately lightened, "That seems a bit harsh coming from you Q but if you think they are up for it.."
Quinn's face darkened, "NO! That's not what I meant!"
"Oh! Q if they are doing the slurpee challenge I want to go with them instead! Please?" Santana was practically bursting with excitement. The new kids eyed their captains curiously, scared expressions on their faces and many of them were slowly getting pale despite the heat.
"Santana you are not running with them because they are not doing the slurpee challenge on their first day of practice! Now get out of here Puck and when you get back they had better all be in one piece." Head Captain Quinn Fabray was back in charge and spouting orders like only she could.
"Fine, move out troops." Puck turned and lead his boys down the opposite side of the hill to the nearest gas station.
"Don't leave anybody behind!" the blonde gave one last warning, "Come on girls."
"Are you seriously wearing your shirt on the run Q?" the Latina asked, eyeing her best friend curiously, normally Quinn was one of the first to remove that article of clothing on runs. "You're gonna overheat to death."
"Huh oh yeah." it was by no means a requirement that the team run shirtless but it was normal and eventually, everyone spent half the summer topless.
"I know your abs aren't quite as impressive as mine, I mean I have bedded at least half of the Cheerios with these babies but that's no reason to be self conscious." Santana joked.
Quinn peeled off her grey tank and added it to the pile, "Shut up and run Lopez."
Half way to the store their group of 10 freshmen had dwindled to an impressive two who were able to maintain the pace of the two top girls on varsity, but it was an easy run day.
Santana and Quinn had been deep in conversation for most of the time but had recently fallen into a comfortable lull. One of the freshmen filled it.
"What is the slurpee challenge Puckerman was talking about earlier?"
"What's your name fresh meat?" Santana asked over her shoulder, completely ignoring the question.
"Marely. I just moved here."
"Well 'Marley I just moved here', the slurpee challenge is the holy grail of rites of passage. Each year after our in house time trial to determine who runs varsity the boys team 'welcomes' on their new varsity by running from gas station to gas station for over an hour, making the new members drink a super sized slurpee at each one." Santana seemed pleased at the horrified expression on Marley's face.
Quinn was quick to step in, "Don't worry, we don't do that on the girl's team. We just run with them or ride the golf cart and watch."
"Oh."
They continued in silence for a bit, the shopping center was in sight and just a few more neighborhood exits to cross. Quinn was in the lead with Santana a bit behind then the three freshmen. The blonde raced across the intersection without even pausing, there was a stop sign after all, she should have been fine.
But drivers roll stop signs and don't look both ways. It was a small blue toyota. The driver rolled the sign right into Quinn's hip.
"WHAT THE HELL! IT'S CALLED A STOP SIGN JACK ASS!" Santana was livid, she slammed a fist on the hood of the car. "THERE'S PEDESTRIANS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!"
After making sure the driver was too afraid to drive she knelt down next to her best friend who was sprawled on the pavement in front of the car. "Q, are you all right? Did you hit your head?"
Quinn just groaned and pushed herself into a sitting position. "I'm fine San. Just a bit sore, I think I got road rash on my back."
The two struggled upright and Santana examined her friend closely, "Yeah your back is definitely a bit burned and your elbows too. Other than that," the Latina took a step back, carefully examining the front of her friends torso. "What are those?"
Her brown eyes narrowed on thing white scars along her friends narrow hips. There were multiple lines tracing across her creamy skin, crossing and blurring.
"They're nothing." Quinn shoved her friend's concerned hand away from where it was probing the lines.
"That's not nothing Q! What the hell happened to you?" Santana didn't take anything lightly when it came to her close friends.
"Just drop it Santana. We will talk about this later." the blonde eyed the group of freshmen forming around them, in all of the commotion a few more had caught up to them and now there were seven of them watching the scene between the two friends.
Quinn brushed off gravel that had clung to her legs after the collision and continued on the run to the Safeway. The freshmen snapped out of their surprised daze and followed her.
"And that, is why you look both ways before crossing the road." Quinn said, trying to lighten the situation.
Santana finally caught up to her friend and jogged along in silence the rest of the run until they made it back to the school to drop of the freshmen. "Good job today ladies, same time tomorrow, make sure you all drink plenty of water."
The freshmen echoed a tired, "Thanks Quinn." and made their way down to the parking lot where their parents were waiting.
"Come on Q, we're going to Candy Land." Santana spoke for the first time since the accident but didn't wait to see if the blonde was following before she headed off into the woods behind the school.
Candy Land was a trial the two had found their freshman year that twisted like the old board game and just stretched on for miles, they would run back there when they didn't want to be disturbed. It was their secret place.
After a few minutes Santana stopped dead in the middle of the trail, "Spill it, and don't even try any shit with me Fabray. I know you don't have cats or had surgery as a little kid so you better tell me the truth."
Quinn's head hung in shame, "You don't have to worry about me San, I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself. I promise you what you saw isn't as big of a deal as you are making it out to be."
"Not a big deal?" Santana closed the distance between them and grabbed the waistband of Quinn's shorts, tugging them down lightly so the marks were fully exposed and swallowed a gasp when she saw how far down they went. "This looks like a pretty damn big deal."
"Please Santana, just drop it." Quinn made no move to step away from the Latina, she was frozen. Not because the brunette's hands were in her shorts -they had been best friends for twelve years and physical boundaries had disappeared around that same time- but by the intensity of her gaze. "Just please, I can't talk about it right now."
Santana softened her gaze and moved her hands up to cup Quinn's face, "Honey it's not nothing. You are hurt or you were hurt. I get it if you don't want to talk about it right now, just promise that you are ok."
"I promise I'm ok." she finally brought her gaze up to meet Santana's.
"Ok, because you know I don't like to say it but I love you. You're my best friend and if anything happens to you, well it would really suck."
"I love you too San. I'm going to be fine."
Santana nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer and turned to leave the forest back to the parking lot. Quinn waited a moment but followed.
"Lopez, did you knife Quinn in the forest or something?" Puck asked after seeing the two emerge from the woods.
"What the hell are you talking about mohawk for brain?" the Latina shot back.
"Q is bleeding, did you knife her or was she attacked by squirrels again?" that actually did happen their sophomore year, Quinn wasn't paying attention and she tripped right into a fallen squirrel's nest and was clawed by the mother squirrel until she ran screaming half a mile back to the school.
"I'm not bleeding."
Puck put a hand on her shoulder and it came back covered in red, "I think you are blondie."
Quinn's eyes widened, though she had become accustomed to seeing her own blood recently it was so much and on somebody else, she was almost sick.
"It's from the road rash Q." Santana was behind, checking the injury, "Bastard took off the top layer of skin from your shoulders and upper back."
"It can't be that bad, all I feel is some stinging." the blonde was trying to look over her shoulder to see the injury but the movement caused shooting pain through her opposite side.
"Lay down Q." Puck said, "I have a first aid kit in my truck, just hang on."
"This is insane-"
"Do it Q!" Santana was not having a debate on it. The freshmen had left earlier, before the two had gone on their extended run. It was just the three of them left now.
"Fine." she laid down on the hot track on her stomach, the black tar bits digging into her abdomen but she liked the uncomfortable pain, it distracted from the stinging in her back.
"I'm back!" Puck announced, kneeling on the opposite side of Quinn, "Here's some pads, let's just wipe off the blood and then go from there." Puck was EMT certified and spent his free time at the local hospital, riding along on the ambulances and getting in the field training.
He handed Santana some pads and began gently wiping away the red stain, "So if San didn't knife you, then what happened?"
"I got hit by a car."
"Dude, join the club. But when I got hit I didn't start bleeding." Puck said, "Guess I'm just stronger than you."
"In you're dreams Puckerman." Quinn replied through clenched teeth, the boy had started sterilizing her wound with alcohol pads and it stung like a mother. "I got road rash, now fix me!"
Puck laughed, "You are an insanely stubborn patient. We are almost done, just going to attach some gauze so you don't get infected."
"Can you do this without me Puck?" the Latina asked, "I mean I think of Q as my sister but I can't stand her blood."
"Yeah." Noah said, already securing the gauze with medical tape, "Don't shower until tomorrow and after you do reapply more clean gauze with some antibiotic, got it?"
"Yes sir!" Quinn mocked.
"Yeah yeah, get off my track, gimp."
"Thanks Puck."
"No problem Q."
Quinn pulled herself up to her feet and gently tried stretching her shoulders, wincing in pain at the small movement. "Drive me home San?"
"You got it gimp." She grabbed her bag and Quinn's from under the bleachers.
"Don't you call me that too!"
"Come on gimp." They made their way to the Latina's car, "Don't bleed on my seats."
"Shut up and drive." Santana drove up the hill and paused by the sign, Quinn jumped out and grabbed their shirts, it was an automatic motion done dozens of times before on days like this when they would run. She hopped back into the car and Santana took her home.
A/N- Rachel will be making an appearance in the next chapter. I have been playing with this idea for a while and am open to any feedback on the content and style of the story so please do tell me what you think!