Bells ring for so many reasons, thought Quinn Fabray, as she heard the final bell of the semester ring, walking out of homeroom towards her locker. She knew the sunken look in her eyes was not reflecting the look of joy on everyone else's face. The jocks, the nerds, the teachers- even David Krafosky was humming as he slammed shut his locker. Quinn felt otherwise. Last time she heard a bell was walking out of the church after Jean Sylvester's Funeral, towards Finn. Believing everything might turn out alright. She almost smiled at that. He sat at the driver's seat, and told her it was over. And went back to Rachel Berry. Quinn slid out her final textbooks and softly tugged down the blu- tacked photos on her locker door, pausing at the one of Finn, before putting them in her soft brown leather tote. She thought back to those long weeks since, leading up to this moment. She hadn't been herself, even in the recent trip to New York, where she had tried to hide things with a smile. Only Santana and Brittany had found her, tearfully applying her make up in the bathroom, and asked what was wrong. They even gave her a makeover. Sure, that helped, Quinn had told them. She had plastered yet another smile, and got on with things. But it was onstage at Nationals when Quinn felt the worst. The last shreds of hope died inside her as she watched Finn and Rachel carelessly make out, and ruin their chances of winning. As well as Quinn's chances of ever getting Finn back. Quinn was a performer though, and she got through the group number, through the rest of the trip, the plane ride, and these last few treacherous days. So here she was now. Making the 20 minute walk home to the Fabray's Tudor style mansion, with the ugly 'FOR SALE' sign, piercing the beautifully mowed lawn. Quinn and her Mom had been struggling financially since her Dad had left them. The first few months had been okay, until the divorce was finalized, and then a week later, her Mom had received a pay cut. The house had been for sale for some months now, and although there had been lots of interest, nobody had bothered to make an offer. That just added to Quinn's list of problems. Walking up the stone pathway, Quinn forced herself to look happy, for her Mom. Because, however hard it was for Quinn, it was a whole lot harder for her, she reminded herself. She pushed open the door, and walked into the kitchen, where her Mom was sitting with her sister, Judy.
"Hey, Mom!" she said slowly. No, she sounded too depressed. She forced an unnatural optimistic tone. "And Hi, Judy,"
Her Mom jumped up and embraced her. "Quinnie! Great News! We found a buyer, and they're willing to move in within the end of the month!" Quinn found herself smiling, naturally this time. Seeing her Mom so happy made her feel better. Seeing her since she split from her Dad was like a personality transplant. Her Mom bustled about, and poured some lemonade and gestured to the cookie tin, while Judy said hi to Quinn, embracing her in a bear hug. Although their relationship had undoubtedly changed since last year, Quinn thought they were getting back on track. Judy sat back down, nibbling the cookies their Mom had laid out, pulling faces but acting as if they were edible. Quinn shrugged and took one anyway. Since last year, she found herself less worried about her food and weight. She was an amazing size still, since she took her frustrations out on her Just Dance games. Halfway through her third bite, she looked up at Judy, who was rapidly gulping water and miming to abandon the cookie. Quinn had to laugh, though the sound felt wooden and hollow inside her head, and did as Judy said.
Quinn soon tuned out of the conversation, and began absent-mindedly checking her iPhone. Wow, she thought, looking at the screensaver. Looking right into Finn's face. She had forgotten to change it, after the breakup. She sat gazing at it, his tousled hair, his dreamy, chocolate brown eyes… Quinn swallowed. Hard. His eyes. Her brain was whizzing a hundred miles an hour, her heart thudding against the soft cotton of her cardigan. She felt dizzy. Where was her drink? She took a sip and nearly threw up. No. lemonade was wrong. She needed water. Lots and lots of icy water. Feeling shaky, she got up and ran a glass, glaring at the photo between her tear-filled eyes. The photo was taken backstage, only seconds before they went on to perform 'Loser like me'. And following Finn's gaze she saw someone else. Finn was looking at Rachel Berry. Not Her. Had they ever been in love in the first place? "Mom, I'm going to see Mercedes, my cell's on," She called out. Without waiting for an answer, she ran.
And suddenly Quinn was out in the front yard, halfway down the road and before she knew it, she had reached a friendly brick house, with honeysuckle draped across the doorway and an engine red door. She pressed the doorbell, her manicured fingers almost shaking with anger, and smoothed her hair. She was a carefree, happy teenager. It was summer vacation, she was ready to have fun… the door opened and there stood a friendly, curvy black woman, her face lighting up seeing who it was.
"Oh, Quinn!" Cried the lady, patting her on the cheek, "I haven't seen you since last year, oh, you haven't changed at all!" Quinn blinked, and her brain remembered how to function. She stood there for a minute, making polite conversation, forcing herself to giggle and unclench her fists, when the woman rolled her eyes. "But of course, you'll want Mercedes, won't you?"
"I-Is that okay?" Quinn asked. She blushed, feeling stupid. Mercedes was probably celebrating her freedom at the mall with Kurt.
"They're having a night in, Pizza Takeaway, Mercedes, Kurt, Blaine and maybe Sam later on," She said, winking. "Care to join? I think Mercedes could use some girl talk, if Kurt doesn't count," She gestured inwards, and the smell of scented candles and baking made Quinn want to step in. "Yes please," Quinn replied quickly, but not wanting to sound rude, adding, "If it's okay with them." Mercedes's Mom pulled a mock angry face, laughing at Quinn's reaction and grinned. "There's always room for more, sweetie," she giggled, and called out, "Mercedes! Get your butt down here!" Turning to Quinn she added, "I'll leave you to it."
Mercedes trotted down, her face, a picture of surprise when she absorbed an all forlorn looking Quinn Fabray standing in her hallway.
"Hey, Quinn, you okay?" Mercedes voice was tinged with shock as she hugged Quinn.
"Mercedes!" Quinn cried, hugging her. It seemed a lifetime ago she was in second period English Lit. with her. Mercedes laughed, and put her arm round her calling Kurt and his boyfriend Blaine to come down. Kurt's face appeared from behind the staircase, soon followed by Blaine's.
"Miss Fabray," Kurt winked squeezing her shoulder. "I haven't seen you since… ooh, at least sixth period Spanish?"
"Homeroom with Mr Horn," She corrected, kissing him on the cheek. "And Blaine, nice to meet you, if regionals and sectionals don't count."
He shook her hand and said, "Yeah, let's forget Rachel's Party. Although all I remember is a bottle and some alcohol," he grinned. Quinn smiled too, not in the mood for laughing, but not wanting to be a buzz kill.
"Ovalatine for five!" Mercedes announced, handing out warm mugs.
"Five?" Kurt Quizzed. He was answered by a knock on the door, and in walked Sam Evans. "Hey, everyone. S'up, Quinn?" She nodded in reply, because she didn't want to lie and say she was fine. Even though Sam was her ex, and things should be cold between them, they got on well, and she helped him when he was going through rough times, as they both went to Church. Sam sat next to Mercedes, exchanging looks when they thought no-one was looking. They sat in silence, sipping their drinks until Quinn and Mercedes looked at one another. "Me and Quinn will be in the lounge," she announced. Sam raised an eyebrow. "Looking forward to the big game on Sunday?" Blaine sighed. "Yeah, Last week's game was awful, how we made it in the final I don't know…" Kurt mouthed 'Help Me' at the girls, and after shooting a puppy-dog look, followed them to the squishy sofas in the lounge.
"So what's wrong?" Kurt asked when they were huddled around Mercedes's television while a rerun of 'Pop Idol' was playing in the background.
Quinn sighed. "It's Finn." She blinked a few times before adding, "I know we broke up, and I should be over him, but... I can't let it go. It's the way he just doesn't care, rubbing it in with Rachel. I know teens break up all the time, but... Finn was different. Anyway, I've been trying to get on, until today, when I saw my wallpaper." She sighed and held out her phone. "We'd been together two weeks. Two weeks, and he'd already stopped loving me. Which questions whether…" Quinn felt the tears rise, and she was nearly choking by the time she finished "… Whether he really loved me."
Mercedes rubbed her soothingly until the tears stopped, but it was Kurt who spoke. "Quinn, I saw the way he looked at you. Even if it wasn't love, he felt something: you two had something. And if Rachel is better suited to him, somebody is better suited to you. Finn's a good guy, but, is he really the one for you if you don't even trust him to love you?" Quinn paused. She hadn't seen it like that. She swallowed and nodded. "You're right, Kurt. I mean, it's better I knew he preferred her when we're over I guess. It hurts less… right?" Quinn said it to convince herself, but as she spoke, she saw Kurt and Mercedes nod. They sat in silence for a while, Kurt still rubbing Quinn's shoulders, which had slowly stopped shaking. Quinn sniffed and rubbed her nose, and they walked back into the kitchen, where Sam and Blaine were still discussing the upcoming football game. Kurt shot a look at Blaine who muttered an apology and twisted his chair to look at the girls and Kurt, Sam doing the same. Mercedes clapped her hands and spoke. "So what are you guys doing this vacation?" there were vague mumbles from everyone, so Quinn assumed that, like her, they were stuck in Lima for the next couple of months. Mercedes nodded. "So I was thinking; what we all need is a holiday…"