Title: A Moment's Peace
Author: Live Like You Mean It
Pairing/Character(s): Quinn Fabray
Rating: G/PG
Word Count: 710
Spoilers: General Season 1
Genre: General/Character Development; Slight angst
Warnings: None.
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, it's characters or it's writing. I only can claim my plot and original characters.
Summary: When she was still a Cheerio she could just come to practice out on the field and cheer, focusing only on the routine. No drama, no idiotic boyfriends, no stupid tests. Just step, turn, jump, flip. And now even though she was anything but a cheerleader, there was an odd comfort to the place for her.
She hadn't felt this good in ages. Nine months to be exact. To some it may have seemed like the girl was putting herself through torture running mile after mile in this God forsaken humidity, but in all honesty that was the last thing on her mind. Quinn Fabray was loving every moment of this. Who knew running could feel so good? But after being deprived of the simple feat for months on end it was a big deal. Blonde hair thrown up in a messy pony, sweat making her t-shirt stick to her and out of breath, she had never felt better.
She would go running everyday, reveling in the freedom she felt, being able to move her body again. It didn't matter where she would go, she just had to go. She had to get out of the house she called home for the time being, ever if it felt nothing like home though she had lived there most of her life, but a lot had changed since she was a little girl. Everything about it just seemed fake now. The smiles, conversations, everything. Even if her mother had gotten rid of her father, that didn't mean she had fully let him go.
Sometimes Quinn would find herself at a park, maybe the library and though she couldn't explain why, a lot of times she was drawn to her high school; William McKinley High. She didn't know what it was about the place but it was almost peaceful. The ex-cheerleader would run the track a few times and sometimes just sit on the bleachers and think. Yes, cliche, she knew. When she was still a Cheerio she could just come to practice out on the field and cheer, focusing only on the routine. No drama, no idiotic boyfriends, no stupid tests. Just step, turn, jump, flip. And now even though she was anything but a cheerleader, there was an odd comfort to the place for her.
Usually the blonde didn't mind the heat or even the humidity but today was just ungodly. It was the middle of July and a heat wave was sweeping through Lima. No one had wanted to set foot outside for the last two days. Quinn's body was drenched with sweat, her t-shirt clung to her, dare she say it, newly toned midsection. She couldn't even think straight in the heat, so begrudgingly she got up, walking towards the school building hoping for some relief. She was surprised when the door swung open easily, thinking the place would be locked up for the summer, but all thoughts fled her mind as a heavenly wave of air conditioning hit her. She almost let out a moan of pure pleasure.
Quinn just stood there for a few minutes, leaning back against the door, enjoying the bliss of air conditioning. Soon enough though she started walking around the school, her footsteps echoing in the empty hallways. It was different seeing the school so vacant, usually it was filled with rushing teenagers doing this or that. Somehow she found herself standing outside the choir room, a small smile playing at her lips before pushing the door open to the room that held so many memories.
She sat down at the piano for few minutes, or maybe it was longer, just thinking back on the school year. Again, it was cliche she realized, but who cares? This room had been her home more than any other place she could think of. It was a place she felt relatively safe. Smirking to herself she remembered the first time she had set foot in the room to audition to get Finn back, vowing she would never actually care about the stupid club. A lot changed since then.
Taking one more look around, Quinn smiled to herself before deciding she did probably have to go out and face the heat again to head 'home'. She didn't know how much longer she could stand it though, but for now she would grin and beret just like she always did, and with that thought she pushed herself up, walking back out the door towards the heat. But now she could run, which always cleared her head, making up for it all.
