AN: I wrote this over the summer and never got around to publishing it until now. For a while I didn't really intend to publish it- I thought it wasn't good enough and I was too lazy to edit it properly- but all of this talk about bullying really got me thinking and I decided to publish this anyway. The Glee writers never really covered Rachel and Quinn's relationship before the show (they didn't really cover anyone's relationship before the show), so I had my work cut out for me. Disclaimer of sorts: I do not condone the type of behavior that Quinn, Santana and Brittany exhibit. It is blatant bullying and no one deserves to be treated that way, no matter what. Also, I don't own Glee. If I did, everything would be different.
Rachel swung her arm wildly, hoping to achieve her personal goal of completing the monkey bars three at a time and impressing Finn Hudson. She gripped the last bar, hoping that her aching hands would hold up for just a few more seconds. She pointed her toes so she could reach the ground. Quinn helped her down and pulled her hand back for a high-five. They both wiped their sweaty hands on their matching purple skirts.
"Nice, Rachel! That was awesome! Finn's definitely gonna love you now. I mean, you were, like, right in front of him! I bet you're the best monkey bar-er in the whole third grade! " Quinn congratulated her best friend.
"Thanks, Quinny. Do you really think Finn saw?" Rachel asked nervously.
"Duh! You almost kicked him, you were so close to him," Quinn reassured her.
"Yeah, but he was talking to Noah- I mean, Puck- the whole time. About a basketball game!" Rachel scoffed.
"Basketball is stupid. Finn should notice you, especially after he hears you sing at the talent show!" Quinn shook her head in dismay.
"You're so nice. Did I ever tell you you're my best friend in the whole entire world?" Rachel said.
"Really? You're my best friend, too. You'll always be my best friend!" Quinn said, "Okay. Now let's go on the bars and see if we can do four at a time! Plus I heard Finn saying he likes to play there so you need to get even better."
Rachel slammed her locker shut, her mind still on the age-old picture she kept hidden under her spare sweaters. She still couldn't believe that Quinn Fabray- the popular, beautiful, talented Quinn Fabray- had ever wanted to be her friend.
"Hey, Rachel!" Quinn shouted, running up to the tiny girl. "I have something for you!"
"My homework?" Rachel joked (Quinn had developed a nasty habit of copying Rachel's homework when she forgot her own, but Rachel was willing to look past it).
"No, a present!" Quinn pressed a colorful friendship bracelet into Rachel's palm. "It's to apologize for not playing with you at recess for the last couple of days. I felt so bad cause you were all alone, playing handball with yourself, so I made you a bracelet!"
"Thanks!" Rachel beamed at her friend. "So we'll meet by the monkey bars again?"
Quinn rocked back and forth on her feet nervously. "I…um, I kinda can't play with you at recess again. I'm gonna go…hang out with Santana from church. You know, cause she's new and she still doesn't really know anyone else."
"Oh. Okay, then. Have fun with her," Rachel said dejectedly.
"Uh, yeah. Thanks. You should go with Tina today. She always looks lonely, you know," Quinn offered.
"Whatever. I guess I'll see you at lunch."
"Uh, actually…I'm eating lunch with her too. It's easier cause she's in my class. I would invite you to come with us but Santana says she…oh. Never mind."
"She what, Quinny?"
"Nothing, it's nothing. Also, can you call me Quinn now? It's way more adult. Very fifth-gradey. Santana said it was cool. She's so cool."
"Okay. Bye…Quinn."
Rachel walked over to the playground and lined up with her class, her shoulders slumped and a frown on her face. This was the third day in a row Quinny- no; Quinn- had "hung out" with Santana at recess. And she had only been over to Rachel's house once this week. Why was Santana stealing her best friend and what made Quinn think she was so "cool"? Rachel was coo, too, right?
Well, whatever it was that made Santana so cool, Rachel was going to get it. And nothing could stop her.
Rachel reached into the pocket of her skirt, rubbing the tattered bracelet in between her fingers. She knew Quinn hadn't given it to her because she was her best friend; she had given it to her so she wouldn't get mad at Quinn for having other friends. But it was still evidence that once upon a time, Quinn had cared about her, and that was enough.
Rachel walked into Allen County Middle School completely transformed. Over the course of one summer, she had removed all traces of her awkward, dorky fifth-grade self and become cool. Or at least, what Santana Lopez thought was cool. She turned the dial of her locker, pretending not to look at it even though she was terrified that the one broken lock would belong to her. She stuffed a photo of Quinn and her in third grade into her pocket and removed the stylish green jacket. She could practically feel the boy who just passed her do a double take at her tight blue tank, even tighter jeans and kitten heel sandals. He hadn't even seen her dramatic black eyeliner. She reapplied her lip gloss (she kept licking it off because it tasted so good) and waited for Quinn to pass by her locker. Quinn had come over two weeks ago, when Rachel was still pre-makeover. Was she in for a shock!
And sure enough, Santana sauntered past Rachel with Quinn right behind her, both of them proudly sporting green and white Junior Cheerios uniforms.
"Hey, guys," Rachel said, feigning confidence.
"Damn," Santana whispered to Quinn, "she looks like a slut."
"Santana, really?" Quinn reprimanded her.
"Hey, if you want in with me, you've gotta pass the test," Santana wiggled her eyebrows and sipped a grape slushie.
"Okay," Quinn said nervously.
"Um, still here?" Rachel interjected.
Santana handed Quinn her drink. Quinn looked around nervously and removed the lid.
"Rachel, close your eyes for a sec," Quinn said.
Rachel obeyed. She was willing to do whatever it took to get Quinn back, including crazy "tests." She waited.
"Do it!" Santana hissed, not realizing that Rachel could hear.
"But-" Quinn protested.
"Just do it."
Rachel wondered what exactly Quinn was going to do to her. Maybe it was some weird coolness test, or maybe she wanted to admire her eyeliner technique, or-
"Now!" Santana shouted.
Cold, sticky liquid hit her face and dripped down on to her shirt. Rachel opened her eyes to see Quinn and Santana sprinting away.
"Nice outfit, Berry!" Quinn shouted, laughing hysterically.
Rachel smoothed her blue tank top over her skirt. Of all the tops she could have worn today, she just had to wear the one that reminded her of that day, didn't she? The warning bell rang and Rachel power-walked towards her first period class, passing the cafeteria on her way.
Rachel stood in the lunch line at the ACMS cafeteria, breezing confidently past the sixth and seventh-graders and entering the eighth grade line. She tried not to notice that Quinn was standing right behind her with a malicious gleam in her eyes that Rachel knew all too well. She was screwed.
Rachel grabbed her lunch tray off of the counter, bracing herself for whatever insult Quinn was about to throw at her. Sticks and stones, she told herself, sticks and stones.
SLAP!
Rachel felt burning-hot soup soak her new dress.
Rachel made a mental note not to have soup for lunch today. She sprinted down the hall, almost late for class. She tried to channel all of her energy into getting to biology on time. She couldn't be late- Rachel Berry had never gotten a tardy before and she wasn't going to spoil her perfect record anytime soon. She slid into her seat right before the bell rang and began copying down the warm-up on the board. Someone new walked in as she was working. Rachel paid no attention- it was still the beginning of the school year; switched classes were normal. She could see the teacher point to a seat in the room out of her peripheral vision. She could hear the familiar tapping sound of a Cheerio's sneakers. Shit, Rachel thought, of all the lab partners I could have assigned, I get a Cheerio? The girl slid into the seat on the desk. Rachel looked up.
Today is really not my day.
Quinn Fabray looked uncomfortably at Rachel. Rachel quickly averted her eyes and scribbled furiously on her paper. Why? Why Quinn? Hell, I'd take Santana, even. Anyone but Quinn. Quinn unpacked her things and rearranged them neatly on the desk. She elbowed Rachel and quietly asked her what to do. Rachel applied so much pressure to her pencil that it ripped a tiny hole in her paper.
Rachel sat alone in the McKinley auditorium, finally finding solace after her confusing first day of high school. Afterschool classes didn't start until next week, so she was sure that no one would come in. She walked onstage, pacing as she mentally reviewed her musical repertoire. She stood center stage as she opened her mouth to sing:
Something has changed within me,
Something is not the same.
I'm through with-
Her quasi-performance was interrupted as Quinn entered the auditorium, flanked by Santana and another blond Cheerio whose name Rachel couldn't remember (Bethany? Bianca?).
"What's up, man hands?" Quinn said playfully. "Get lost on the way to the tranny prom?"
"Shut up," Rachel muttered.
"Look," Santana said, putting her hands on her hips, "a little bird told us that you've got the hots for Finn."
"I-I…what? I mean, yes, he's…he's quite attractive, but Quinn! I mean, he's Quinn's. I would never…" Rachel stammered.
"I think you should go for it," Quinn suggested.
"Really?" Rachel said hopefully.
"Yeah, sure. We're not exclusive," Quinn seemed to scoff at the thought of only seeing one person.
"Well, okay. We…our science class is going on a field trip next week. Can I ask him out then?" Rachel asked, longing for Quinn's approval even more that she did for Finn.
"Don't just ask him out," Santana said, "Kiss him."
"Yeah, you should totally do that," Quinn added. "Finn's always saying he has to do something for charity because he and Puck got into some trouble. And you're a needy person- you're in need of a boyfriend!"
"But I don't know how to kiss, really," Rachel said.
"So? I didn't know how to kiss until Santana let me practice on her," the blonde cheerleader said.
"Practice? Like, kiss a girl?" Rachel was no homophobe- she had two gay dads- but the thought of kissing Santana or Quinn was ridiculous.
"Duh!" Quinn said. "You can practice on me, if you want to. Right here."
"But I'm not a lesbian! And neither are you!" Rachel protested.
"So? Just close your eyes and sort of pucker your lips. I'll take care of the rest," Quinn said encouragingly.
Rachel closed her eyes, waiting for Quinn's lips to touch hers. She waited and waited.
"Fuck, it's not working!" Santana cursed under her breath.
Rachel wasn't sure what the cheerleader was talking about, but she didn't really care right now. She was about to have her first kiss! True, it was with a girl, but still. It had to count for something. Rachel thought she saw a camera flash, even though her eyes were closed, but she thought nothing of it. Finally, Rachel felt Quinn lean in. Her lips barely brushed Rachel's. Kissing is fantastic! Rachel thought. Now I just feel sorry for girls who have boyfriends because they can't just kiss them all the time at school. If this is what it's like kissing a girl, it must be even better to kiss a boy. Rachel pulled Quinn closer to her and pressed her lips hard on the cheerleader's face. Quinn backed away.
"So that's how you kiss. Now, I'm going to teach you some more. Next time, when I kiss you, open your mouth a little. I'm gonna stick my tongue in your mouth and you have to stick your tongue in my mouth. That's how you make out."
"Wait…why are you doing this?" Rachel asked.
"Because, Finn's always talking about you, and I want you to kiss him so he can be happy. Plus I know you like him, and I want to help you. That's what friends do, right?" Quinn smiled.
"Well, okay…but I thought you hated me."
"We were wrong, Berry," Santana said, "You're really awesome and you deserve to have Finn."
"Okay."
Quinn kissed Rachel. Rachel parted her lips slightly, letting Quinn's tongue in. This was brilliant. Whoever thought of doing this was a-
Rachel saw the camera flash again. Quinn pushed her away, wiped her mouth with her arm and ran away with Santana and the other blonde following close behind.
The next day, Rachel came to school late- she had overslept because she stayed up until midnight worrying about why Santana was taking pictures of her kiss. And lo and behold, when she got to her locker, it was plastered with photos of Rachel before the kiss and Quinn making a face. Above Rachel's face was a little thought bubble with a picture of her and Quinn making out. SHE DIDN'T LOOK GAY AT FIRST was scribbled on the pictures. Rachel tore them down, tears streaming down her face. She crumpled them up and on her way to the trashcan, bumped into Quinn.
"I knew you'd love 'em," she said sarcastically. "Brit may be an idiot, but she's great with Photoshop, don't you think?"
Rachel's tears proliferated as she uncapped her thermos full of tea.
"Fuck you, Quinn," she growled. "I hope you die."
"Ooh, someone's feeling feisty today," Quinn teased.
"You bet I am," Rachel said as she threw her scalding tea on to Quinn's pristine uniform.
There was a pregnant pause as Quinn stood there, shell-shocked.
"You'll pay for this, Berry!" she shrieked, sprinting away.
Revenge was sweet.
Rachel looked at Quinn briefly. The blonde scooted her chair near the edge of the desk. We were so close to friendship, Rachel thought. But she pushed the thought of being friends with Quinn Fabray out of her mind. She must have merely felt sorry for the girl; getting kicked out onto the streets, having her boyfriend break up with her, and then giving up her baby was no picnic. But what she had done to her these past few years was unforgivable, and that was that. The bell rang. Rachel shoved all of her notes hurriedly into her backpack and rushed out the door, bumping into Quinn on the way.
"Watch where you're going, man hands."