A/N: Hey! This is my first foray into fanfiction. So be gentle, please. ;) And review! I need reviews to live!
Running was the only constant in Quinn Fabray's life.
While everything changed, her relationships, her friends, her living arrangements even, she would still run. The only time she stopped was when she was pregnant, in the final few months. But that was all over now. It was the summer before senior year, and Quinn was focusing on herself.
Every day she would take the same route; past the park, by the street full of stores, winding through the rows upon rows of suburban houses.
She would pass the same houses every day. Finn's house, Mike Chang's house, Santana's house (which, contrary to what she would say, was in a relatively upper class area; not the much more "badass" Lima Heights.) Her friends were never awake to see her speed past their drives, though.
However, one day she decided to change her route. Quinn couldn't say why she did it; it was very unusual for her to change anything to do with her running. Her routine was almost a new religion to her. It had been there for her when no one else had.
She liked things in their place, in the correct order. Her obsession with doing things in the right way was not far from Ms Pillsbury's obsession with cleanliness. So what made her change it now?
As her feet pounded at the pavement, she considered where her subconscious was taking her. The reasonably sized house with a large porch that she was approaching was vaguely familiar... who lived there? She must have been to a party there or something. Yes, that was it. She remembered stumbling down the gravelled path in a drunken haze a few months ago. But she still couldn't remember who lived there.
Wow, Quinn thought, I must have been wasted.
When she was only a few metres away from the house, she realised that there was a small figure sitting out front. The girl's head was bent over and she held a newspaper in her lap. Her rich chestnut hair curtained around her face, obscuring it from her view momentarily. The noise of Quinn's trainers against the road seemed to surprise the girl. Her head snapped up, looking for the source of the noise, and her deep brown eyes connected with Quinn's hazel ones.
It was suddenly apparent to Quinn why this place was so familiar to her...
It was Rachel Berry's house.
Every morning Rachel would wake up at five thirty am sharp and do her daily exercises on her elliptical, and then eat a simple vegan breakfast consisting of a grapefruit and green tea on her porch.
She never saw anyone at that time in the morning. It was just another time when she was alone.
It was a bit of a surprise to her when she heard a runner approaching. She lifted her head from the newspaper she was reading to smile at them, or maybe say good morning.
She nearly had a heart attack when she saw that her fellow exercise enthusiast was none other than former Head Cheerleader Quinn Fabray.
What the hell do I do now? Quinn thought frantically. I've been staring slack-jawed at her for too long already! She's going to think I'm insane or worse, that I'm stalking her or something!
"Uh. Um. Hi."
Real freaking smooth Fabray.
"Hello, Quinn. I was certainly not expecting to see anyone out at this time of the morning."
"Well, you're up.."
"I.. guess I didn't really think of it like that. This is just so normal for me."
"It is for me too. I run at this time every day. I just kinda changed course today."
Rachel smiled. There was a touch of sadness in there. It wasn't the Rachel Berry patented megawatt smile.
Quinn looked down at her laces. This conversation was the definition of awkward. After everything that had happened between them over the past couple of year, it was hard for it not to be.
Especially after prom.
Quinn still felt terrible. It was in her nature for her to lash out at those she loved. She was instantly sorry after she had delivered the slap to Rachel's face, and she'd gushed with apologies straight away. Rachel had been so nice to her afterwards, wiping away her tears and consoling her with compliments. She didn't deserve her as a friend.
"I really am sorry, Rachel. Not just for prom, but for everything. For ever making you feel like you were worthless, for making your life a living hell. You know, you're one of the nicest people I've ever met. You're so, so talented too, and I've always been... jealous of you.
When you said I was your friend at the doctor's office, it hit me. I don't deserve your kindness at all. I'm the worthless one. I..." Quinn swallowed. A tear landed on the dusty pavement. "I'm sorry I came. I didn't mean to intrude."
She turned on her heel and began to leave. But before she could, she felt a small hand on her arm, stopping her. Rachel walked around her so they were facing each other. Slowly, almost as if she was almost checking that Quinn wasn't going to lash out and hit her, she put her arms around Quinn's waist and enveloped her in a gentle hug.
Rachel was everywhere. She assaulted Quinn's senses. Her hair was silky soft against her cheek, her smell infiltrated her nose, and her compact body pressed against hers. It was too much, but at the same time not enough. All Quinn could do was relax into the embrace and hold on to her for dear life.
Time seemed to slow down. When Rachel finally pulled away, it felt like her arms were missing something dear. Their eyes locked again and something passed between them. It was like a slow burning fire in Quinn's chest.
It was all too much for her.
"I, I should go. I'll see you around, I guess. Um, bye Rachel." Quinn stuttered. Quinn Fabray doesn't stutter. What was the matter with her?
"Goodbye Quinn." Rachel smiled. It wasn't her megawatt smile, but something different; it was real, happy and honest.
Quinn set off at a slower pace than before. Her heart was beating at a hundred miles per hour. It felt like it was pounding out a steady beat – Ra-chel. Ra-chel. Ra-chel.
Quinn shook her head, thoroughly confused. Why am I feeling like this? It's just Rachel Berry. My friend. Nothing more. Really.