Summary: Sugar's got a crush. No big deal, right? When the crush can lead you to you reevaluate yourself, maybe it is a bit of a big deal. When those feelings don't seem to be reciprocated, things can get messy. Then again, some people can surprise you.
Word count: 1400
Sugar knew she wasn't the greatest singer. She knew she wasn't the smartest girl around and that she could often be incredibly self-absorbed and obnoxious, even rude. She knew she got away with things like that because her daddy had money. She knew not many people actually liked her and she knew and hated that she had to watch her back all the time for the people who wanted to get close to her the money.
One person in particular at McKinley didn't seem to care. They treated her the same way they treated everyone else, really. They didn't seek her out and they werent interested in getting closer to her but if they saw her or had a class or a club together they'd smile and say hello. They ignored that fact that she had money and just treated her like another girl, and Sugar loved that. It was nice to not have to act up or be on high alert, even for those few seconds. Maybe it was silly of her but Sugar just couldn't help but find herself falling for them after a while.
It got to the point where Sugar would actively seek them out, just to see them smile; to hear them talking and laughing with their own friends in the hallway. If she couldn't be the one sharing it with them, she could at least enjoy it from a distance. It's not like anyone would notice anyway; no one cared what Sugar got up to when she was alone. No one really cared what she was up to when they were with her either, so long as she was there for their birthday party to buy something expensive. That's what drew Sugar to this individual. They just didn't care about that stuff; they never had when it came to Sugar, she guessed. Apparently in past years they'd worried about that kind of thing but this new person was someone completely different and Sugar was thankful for it every day. There was so much about them that Sugar loved and admired, so much to be grateful for having even a second of their presence or influence in her life each day.
They didn't need to comment on everything around them or constantly fight to be the centre of attention. They were quiet a lot of the time but when they did speak, people listened because they knew what they were saying and it was something worth hearing. They weren't always "right" but their heart was in it, and it was refreshing to listen to someone like that every now and then.
They had their own problems. They had and still were dealing with a lot. What Sugar admired them for was the fact that they didn't make a big deal out of it or complain to anyone; they kept their issues quiet instead of alerting everyone and dragging them into the problem. She thought it was both tragic and courageous of them to be like that. Tragic because they were having problems in the first place, and that they didn't want to share so it might make it harder to fix things, but courageous because they were trying to get through it relatively alone, fighting their own demons without hurting anyone else.
They helped others. They had fun. They stuck up for the Glee club, their friends; their family. Their voice, maybe not the strongest in the group, was still one of the most magical things Sugar had ever heard. Whenever they sang, Sugar simply had to listen, no matter what else was happening. The soft sound, the beautiful melodies, the strong emotions they could evoke, their modest yet captivating presence: the fact that they didn't get more solos left Sugar resenting their teacher even more.
Sugar had reached the point where not only did she love them as a friend, appreciate their actions towards her, adore their talents or admire their looks and personality; it had now gone beyond infatuation. She loved them, or at least, she was on the road to being in love with them, and it was hard trying to deal with the knowledge that they'd never see her the same way.
That's why she worked harder in Glee club; to try and impress them. To make them realise that she was capable and just as enthusiastic and dedicated as they were.
That's why she worked harder in class, to try and improve her grades to show them that she wasn't just some ditzy girl who relied on her daddy's money and that she could get herself into a good college and good career.
That's why she tried to be nicer to everyone, and why she stopped trying to be the centre of attention all the time.
That's why she asked her daddy to stop spending so much money on her all the time, as there were more important things than money and material possessions.
That's why Sugar tried to change; tried to be better, smarter, nicer.
That's why when Quinn Fabray came up to her and asked her if she was okay, because she'd noticed her acting differently and couldn't understand why; when she went on to say that as nice as this new Sugar was, she missed the old Sugar because she was the one who had wiggled her way into her heart – that's why Sugar finally spoke up.
She confessed how much she adored Quinn's smile, and how she appreciated every little look, wave and greeting she gave. She talked about how she admired Quinn's strength, her courage, her determination, and how she wished she could be a little more like the older girl. She got teary explaining why she loved coming to Glee club so much, and how Quinn's voice made her feel things she couldn't any other way.
She told her that she thought she was in love.
Then she left. She couldn't wait around for a response. Her daddy could get her transferred to another school over the weekend, she wouldn't have to worry about the fallout from this. She'd embarrassed herself and made herself so vulnerable; it wasn't something she was proud of, admitting some of her most personal thoughts to the one person who was involved in them and breaking down in tears while she was at it, but neither could she regret it. At least she'd finally voiced aloud exactly how she felt.
That's why she was so surprised to see the stunning blonde leaning against her locker at the end of the day. She cautiously walked over, planning to apologise, stash away her books quickly then run.
"Look, Quinn, I'm really so—"
"So, Sugar, are you free tonight?"
"I know, I'm sorry! Like I was trying to say – wait, what?"
"Are you busy tonight? If not, I've got a table for two at Breadstix, if you're interested," Quinn said with a warm smile.
"Um, well ah, I mean uh… That sounds great!" Sugar stammered, completely taken off guard by this turn of events. "I mean, if you don't mind. Only if you want to go. I'm sure you'd rather take someone else, maybe Sam or Finn or even Rachel…" she trailed off.
There was a pause where Sugar assumed Quinn was reconsidering. Of course she would; after the earlier outburst this was probably just a pity date and she'd much rather be spending the evening with someone else. "So I'll pick you up atI've seven?"
"Are you sure?" Quinn looked at her calmly, arching one perfectly tweezed brow as if to say You're joking, right? "Sure, okay. Thanks!" Sugar went quiet, holding her books close to her chest.
"Okay, great! It'll be fun," she reached out and gave Sugar's hand a quick squeeze, turning and walking away.
"Quinn?" She paused, looking back. "Just…why me?"
The senior girl broke into a soft smile, "Well you said it yourself at your audition—"
"But you weren't there."
"And I'm sorry about that, but I did hear all about it. So, like you said, you're awesome!" Her smile widened and she gave a quick wink, effectively silencing any protests Sugar had been planning. "I'll see you at seven," and with one last, lingering smile, Quinn left.
Sugar leaned back against her locker and sighed, unable to contain her grin or giggles any longer. She was going on a date with Quinn Fabray! Tonight!
A/N: I've had a request for a second chapter and I'd love to do it, but due to school commitments I won't be able to work on it for a few weeks. I'd love to explore the characters and their relationships a little more so I'll work on the second chapter as soon as I have time. It should be up before Christmas! Thanks for reading :)