Rachel rushed into the bathroom but stopped as soon as she saw someone was already there, retouching their make-up, and was actually surprised to find out she was hoping they would be there.
"How much of your free time do you spend in the bathrooms?" – Quinn stopped her eyeliner just to make quick eye contact with Rachel before getting back to it.
"Apparently just as much as you do." – Her lips twitched slightly and Rachel found herself slightly startled, still unused to not getting snarky remarks, she loved that they had gotten past that but it was still a little startling. She took a deep breath, getting ready to confront Quinn about the one thing that has been bothering her since the blonde told everyone about Yale.
"That was extremely uncalled for, you know." – She watched as Quinn mashed her lips together while applying the last touch of eyeliner, turning around as soon as she was finished, her brows knitted together in confusion.
"What exactly was uncalled for?" – The lack of forcefulness on the blonde was getting annoying to Rachel, she wanted to pick a fight, she was frustrated and upset and the only thing she wanted was to have a good argument with someone, why couldn't Quinn just do it then. She then scoffed and glared at the blonde trying to get a reaction out of her by putting some attitude, but Quinn only arched one of her famous eyebrows highly.
"The way you stared at me while giving that little speech in the choir room. That is what was completely uncalled for." – Rachel narrowed her eyes getting more upset by the amused little grin that appeared on the blonde's red lips.
"Well considering how surprisingly upset you got and the fact that you actually came to confront me about it… I would say it seems even more fitting and that it hit a little too close from home for you to feel comfortable with it." – Rachel felt a sudden rush of hatred for the logical and calm version that the blonde had been showing lately. She didn't want logical, she didn't want anymore speeches from Quinn, she wanted forceful, arguing, maybe some name calling would be helpful for her to calm down. But Quinn saw right through her, through her annoyance and took a step closer. – "Can I…I know you probably don't want to hear anymore from me, but can I just say one last thing? After that I promise I'll stop arguing with you about it. I need to have my conscience clean that I did everything I could to help you, Rachel." – Rachel took into the slightly pleading in the blonde's tone and the way those amazing hazel eyes were once again locked with hers, no faltering, and nodded her head. She watched as the blonde closed her eyes taking a deep breath, before opening them and staring right at her coffee ones.
"Rachel I understand that you think that Finn is the one for you and that you'll never love anyone the way you love him and that you'll have an amazing love story like the ones in your musicals." – Rachel mashed her lips together suddenly unwilling to agree or disagree with the blonde until she made her whole point across. Quinn rewarded her with a light smile. – "And it's extremely odd that I find it adorable, to be quite honest. But this is Lima, Rachel, this is all you've ever seen. You are going to New York, you are going to get into NYADA. You are going to meet interesting people, people who will share the same interests with you, people who will listen to what you have to say instead of zoning out because you are not talking about football or videogames." – Quinn paused hoping that Rachel would actually let what she said soak in. And Rachel did, she could see her eyes shifting from annoyed, to thoughtful, to regretful, then suddenly joyful and regretful again. – "You have so much to see, and to do, Rachel. You have so many people to meet in your life. You are only seventeen, you can't know what you'll want once you get out of here and you can't drag Lima with you or you won't be able to fully enjoy all the new experiences you are destined to have." – Quinn stared at Rachel for a whole other minute, watching the girl while she stared at everything but the blonde. She turned around to get her purse when the little brunette finally spoke up.
"I received my NYADA letter." – Quinn turned back around quickly locking eyes with a now shyly excited Rachel. – "I'm a finalist." – The blonde beamed and quickly wrapped her arms around the tiny girl.
"Oh my god, Rachel. This is great, I totally knew you would." – She chuckled lightly until she felt the brunette's grip tightening around the back of her cardigan. She pulled away completely to look at her. – "What's wrong? Why aren't you…" – And then she finally saw it, Rachel had her eyes glued to the floor while she absently played with the silver ring on her ring finger. Quinn closed her eyes tightly and puffed out a heavy breath of air. – "You already said yes to him."
Quinn was pulled out of her thoughts and her annoyance when she heard a low sob, she opened her eyes only to find Rachel with her eyes still glued to the floor, her shoulders shaking with each sobbing. Her heart broke for how lost and out of control the little diva looked, and it broke a little further after she realized how she must have looked just like Rachel in the last three years of her life.
"Rachel…" – Quinn took a step closer, standing just in front of the brunette, who's reddened and teary eyes snapped up and locked with hers.
"I have no idea what I'm doing…" – Her next audible sob was louder this time and Quinn didn't give a second thought before opening her arms and letting the tiny girl wrap herself around her body.
"Shh, Rachel. You'll figure something out, you'll find out what to do. We…" – Quinn took a steadying breath while she pulled the brunette even closer with the hand that rested around her shoulders and made soothing patterns in her back with her other hand. – "We'll figure something out, I'll help you. You'll see, it will all be okay." – The little brunette finally took some deep breaths steadying her breath and rested her chin on the blonde's shoulder instead of her forehead.
"You realize this is the third time we've hugged today?" – Quinn grinned and only hummed back. – "Don't you have a problem with it?" – This time Quinn scrunched her face and held Rachel a little tighter.
"Nope, I don't. I have absolutely no problem with it. Do you?" – The brunette breathed unsteadily, taking a moment before answering.
"No, this is nice. It's comfortable… Finn always has to bend his knees to hug me properly." – Quinn laughed loudly which caused Rachel to let out a tiny smile.
"Yeah, I know, it's really creepy."
"Quinn!" – Rachel chastised her while pinching her sides before quickly rewrapping her arms around the blonde's waist.
"What? It's true! Finn needs someone with at least Britt's height for him to not look absolutely creepy. I was absolutely weirded out every time you guys hugged and the way your face got all smashed up against his chest and the way he had to angle his body." – Quinn shivered a little at the thought and Rachel laughed at her before shifting slightly in the blonde's arms.
"You also smell really good." – That thought had been in Rachel's mind since she had hugged Quinn earlier that same week, but she instantly kicked herself internally for saying it out loud. For her credit the blonde only chuckled.
"Well, thank you. I take it that Carole still uses that bad smelly liquid soap." – Rachel nodded and unconsciously snuggled closer. Quinn quickly dropped a kiss to Rachel's temple and squeezed her one last time before pulling away just enough to look at the girl's face.
"Go home, talk to your dads, get some advice. Think a little about it all. I'll see you tomorrow and we'll figure something to do, okay?" – Quinn's smile widened a little with the firm nod she received from Rachel.
"You are truly amazing, Quinn Fabray." – Rachel smiled cheekily at the light blush on the blonde's cheeks before turning serious. – "Thank you, Quinn." – She got on her tiptoes and dropped a sweet kiss on the taller girl's cheek before hugging her one last time and walking to the door. – "See you tomorrow." – She waved one last time and then she was gone.
The blonde tensed a little trying hard to suppress all the feelings that were telling her to simply go after the girl and take that ring out of Rachel's finger, hand it back to Finn and then come back and kiss the brunette's full lips and claim her. But Quinn knew this wouldn't work for the same reasons she has been preaching to Rachel all week. She was ready to get out of Ohio and wait and hope that maybe her path and Rachel's would cross again and then she would finally have her chance.
