Chapter one;
'Comparisons are easily done, once you've had a taste of perfection.'
Throwing her keys into the small dish in the hallway, Quinn took a seat on the leather couch in the overly decorated living room, looking around in silence. Despite being home, she still felt out of place here…this was everything she had hoped for and more, but she couldn't help but give in to that thought in her mind screaming that it wasn't who she had wanted it with. She glanced at the large plasma television, to the mantel piece over a grand fireplace that had never even been used, then to the pictures of herself and her family…and lastly to the pictures of her and him, all smiling and carefree. The latter were always fake smiles, and forced laughter, but being a drama student, she excelled in pretending, performing…presenting.
Her fiancé isn't even horrible, he's complimentary, kind, good-looking, has an incredible personality, and gets along with her family. He was indeed the perfect gentleman. But there was never a spark or fireworks when they kissed. He was everything her parents wanted her to marry, to them and everyone around them, he was considered perfect. But she couldn't help but draw comparisons…the way his hair was too short, too blonde. His eyes were a beautiful blue, but not the deep brown that she had seen her future in. He was too tall, the way he towered over her, instead of being a comfortable little difference, that she could wrap her arm around a slender waist and lean her head against a full head of long, luscious brown locks. His laugh was too deep, and not light and airy.
Most of all…he was not her. Not the little brunette that plagued her mind ever since her first day of elementary school, when she had bumped into her, sending her flying and seeing stars…literally. The short girls dress was covered in gold stars, matching her dazzling smile as she apologised and leant forward to lend a helping hand. She spoke at an incredible pace, although Quinn heard hardly any of it. Her mind was too lost in her thoughts of the girl stood above her…and since then, not a thing has changed, and she has never returned from that star shaped bubble.
She wrapped her fingers around the small Gardenia charm on her necklace, a faint smile dancing across her lips as she bowed her head lost in thought. She knew it was her all along; there was no way that Finn had thought of matching the green ribbon and gardenia to her eyes. Not to mention she had seen a small trail of green ribbon fall from Rachel's locker before she quickly picked it up and hid it again. The girl was never discreet.
The blonde was broken from her thoughts as the door slammed shut and a voice rang through the house, shouting her name.
"In the living area," she replied, her voice soft and gentle. Her husband entered the room, smiling warmly as he joined her on the couch, wrapping an arm around her dainty waist and kissing her cheek lovingly. His cologne invading her senses rudely.
"You're quiet, what's bothering you?" He said after a few moments, his tone concerned. He was very perceptive of people's emotions, often picking up on how they were feeling.
"Just thinking about old times…" She said in return, shaking her head to lift her from her daze as she smiled up at him. "Have a good day at work?" She asked, changing the subject, revelling in her thoughts once again as he spoke animatedly about his day. She knew this was wrong; it wasn't fair on him to keep him dangling when her heart isn't his at all. She felt trapped and lost like she was struggling for freedom, but she was so afraid that she would fall within seconds of gaining it.
Opening her eyes, Quinn twirled, her surroundings familiar but…different.
Her eyebrows furrowing together she finally recognised it as the park that she and Rachel had their first date at… although everything was enhanced, bright, new and hypnotising. The tree leafs were a vivid, beautiful bright green, as well as the grass, looking the healthiest she had ever seen grass look. The water upon the lake
Where was she? Turning each way she peered around, looking for someone- anyone, but the area was deserted. There were no sounds of the big city they lived in, no cars, no busy traffic, and no commuters rushing about their way, nothing. The park was deserted, desolate.
"Hello?" she called out, frowning as she tried to find any sign of life around her, and just as she was about to give up she saw a figure stand up from their seating on a bench nearby… wait. That bench wasn't there a second ago, and she would've noticed the female sat there. If she wasn't sure before, she was sure of it now that she was dreaming.
"Who's there?" She asked curiously, tilting her head and squinting against the bright sun that shone down upon them both.
"You don't remember me?" the familiar voice replied, a teasing tone to her voice as she moved closer. Quinn squinted, the sun was still obscuring her view of the figure, which she now realised to be female.
"If you come closer, maybe I will." Quinn replied, feeling oddly at ease with the stranger, although she wasn't sure why, she still had no clue who it was.
The figure laughed a light, airy laugh that invaded Quinn's senses and made her feel strangely like she was floating. "Confident Quinn, just as I remember you." The voice replied, her voice had a sad tone to it now and for some curious reason, Quinn had the overwhelming urge to rush forward and comfort the girl, but she remained silent, observing as the girl slowly came into the view. The breath was knocked out of the blonde as she took in the features of the girl, the long flowing brown locks, tanned olive skin that seemed to be glowing. Quinn was sure the girl had swallowed the sun's rays and was now projecting them from within her incredible smile, for how else could her smile be as stunningly blinding? "Rachel…" "I miss you." Quinn said simply, swallowing a lump in her throat that pained her, as she admired Rachel's beauty through teary eyes. "I miss you every single damn day, and I want you back. You shouldn't be just here in a dream…you should be in my dreams, and then I can wake to your perfect face, so I can make you breakfast and hold your hand on the way to work, and kiss your nose so that you scrunch it up, because that's my favourite." She said softly, tapping Rachel's nose and laughing lightly as Rachel crinkled her nose a little.
Quinn breathed out; her eyes still looking like a deer caught in headlights, as Rachel laughed again and Quinn swore it was the best sound in the world.
"Am I dreaming?" The blonde questioned, her eyebrows furrowing as now it was her turn for her tone to be saddened.
"Regrettably, yes." Rachel replied, close enough now to reach out and take her hand. "How did we become this Q?" She queried her eyes downcast as a troubled look was worn on her face.
"How did we become so far apart when we had everything planned? We had so many amazing things we were going to do together, and now it all is but a dream." She spoke with such regret and sadness it made Quinn's heart ache terribly. She too had questioned that, all these years. Of course she knew the answer, she had let Rachel go, knowing that she was destined to reach for the stars she rightfully belonged among, and she thought it was the right decision…she had regretted it every single second since Rachel got on that train bound for New York and Nyada, and her for Yale.
"We should be planning
"We should be living our dream, not meeting in my dream."
Rachel had tears of her own now cascading down her cheeks as she stared back at Quinn with equal adoration and longing. "Hey, I see you're still wearing that necklace I gave you…what grade was it again?" Rachel trailed off, "Grade 2." Quinn replied, answering for her with a fond smile as she reached a hand up to hold the necklace lovingly. "I've worn it every single day since." She finished, looking up, her eyes searching Rachel's.
"I miss you every second of every single day, I always talked about singing being my biggest passion…my dream, but I was lying Q. It's you. It always has been."
Quinn choked back a sob, looking down as she wiped her tears away and tried to will herself to get it together.
"I don't want to wake up."
Quinn admitted after a comfortable silence of which the girls held hands and admired each other.
"Me neither." Rachel replied, fresh tears soon making their way down her face as they both realised the inevitable was coming- dawn.
"Will we find each other again?" They both asked at the same time, before laughing at their synchronisation.
"I hope so Quinn, I really do." Rachel spoke up, admitting her fears.
"Until then, at least we have our dreams, right?"
"Promise" Rachel replied, smiling as she sighed sadly and leaned forward, her eyes closed. Quinn's breath caught in her throat before she gently pressed her lips to Rachel's, pouring all of her love into the kiss; she had missed this so dearly.
But all too soon the feeling of Rachel's lips was becoming distant, and Quinn tried to hold on to it as long as she could.
"Rachel, please stay, I don't want you to go!" She pleaded, keeping her eyes tightly closed, praying to any God out there that this was not a dream and she would wake up beside Rachel.
"Quinn…Quinn? Wake up." She heard Rachel's voice drift through the darkness, and elated, she threw her eyes open only to see her fiancé looking down on her. The feminine voice slowly became more and more masculine as she tried to mask her heartache and disappointment, putting on a fake smile.
"I-I…was having a horrible nightmare." She lied, rolling her eyes in mock embarrassment and trying to offer her fiancée a convincing smile, before turning over and burying her face against her pillow, which absorbed her tears.
Only a day to go; and she would be reunited with her true love once again…