Rachel Berry was on top of the world, the taste of her soy vanilla latte still on her lips as she skipped to her car, waving goodbye to Jessica and making a motion for the girl to call her. She couldn't stop smiling, her life was so perfect. She finally had friends who loved her for her. Not just her overwhelming talent. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, her smile nearly bursting from her cheeks as she thought, "I knew they were just jealous."
She had never been insecure about not fitting in, or being better then everyone else, that is until the end of senior year when she had nothing but an oaf of a boyfriend's half hearted signature in her bedazzled yearbook. Kurt ran off with Blaine, texting her goodbye, Mercedes didn't even attempt to contact her, Tina smiled but didn't speak as Rachel glimpsed her across the room. She felt so alone that night. The only thing that stopped her from crying was her daddy taking her out for vegan ice cream. Rachel broke ties with Finn, saying that the long distance wouldn't have suited them, and mostly just confusing him with her vocabulary purposely. He'd kicked a wall, but they'd left on good terms. She left that retched town without looking back and it was the best choice she had ever made.
And her life was perfect.
She hailed a taxi, smiling at the billboards and ducking into the cab. Thankfully she'd gotten a driver who didn't look like a serial killer, it always was one of her fears that she'd get abducted and held for ransom, because of course, that's what she was paranoid about. The tiny brunette told him the address to her apartment and sat back, enjoying the cinnamon car freshener.
Generously tipping the nice man she jumped out when she arrived at her building she made her way up. She smiled happily at Henry, the door man as he opened it for her, and waved at Tiffany, the receptionist. The small girl couldn't help but twirl into the elevator and thankfully the less than graceful girl didn't run into anyone. Clicking her floor she made her way up.
Her phone rang when she was outside her door and she picked it up and smiled when she saw who it was. "Dad" Flashed on the screen. Rachel answered as she twisted the key in the lock and walked in.
"Dada!" She exclaimed. "I haven't heard from you in ages, its ridiculous! How're you?"
There was no cheerful bellowing laugh on the other line, just a soft sob. "B-babygirl…" The man said softly, his voice cracking.
"Dad? Is everything alright?" Rachel asked softly, her eyebrows furrowing in worry.
"No, Rachel, something… something's happened."
"What?" She was terrified now.
Then he told her.
Rachel's lips quivered. "N-no…" Her heart ached, her head spun, the innocent phone fell from her shaking hand and crashed to the floor, shattering with the break. She didn't even hear, the burning scream that was threatening to burst past her lips too much. Her knees buckled as she fell down the ground, knees digging into the glass that had previously occupied her iPhone's screen. She felt numb, terribly painfully numb.
And she curled up and cried her eyes out for her daddy right there in the middle of her lavish apartment, nothing mattering anymore. For her daddy, who was no more.