WELCOME TO PINEWOOD

[SUMMER 2007]

"The salt in the air, It brushes the rough sand.

A whisper touch of light, a lingering touch of hand…"

(June)


She doesn't wave.

And neither do they. She watches forlornly, as the taillights of her father's Mercury descend through the walls of pine trees blanketing the gravel road. Her mother had followed, giving Quinn a short wave and a half- hearted smile before climbing back into the passenger seat. Francesca never even said goodbye. They had just finished their 14-hour car ride from Lima. Quinn's bag had already been shipped through camp baggage, and she only carried with her a small duffel with her striped Jan Sport backpack. She turns around as a breeze lifts her blonde hair around her face, taking notice of the small area around her. She's quite literally in the middle of nowhere, and she's being forced against her will to stay here for the duration of her less than spectacular summer vacation.

Quinn Fabray is not thrilled. She lets her mask rise above her worried eyes, and she watches stoically as the head counselor makes her way over with a heavy clipboard in her hands. "You must be Quinn! It's nice to meet you, I'm Bo." The enthusiasm radiating off of the middle-aged woman should be nauseating, but Quinn somehow feels reassured.

"Come on, time to meet your counselors." Hazel eyes scan up, just noticing the small crowd at the picnic tables nearby. There are at least fifty smiling and inquiring faces looking out at her, and it's already setting her demeanor at unease. She grimaces slightly before worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, letting them sink in deeply so as not to let any of her less than satisfactory thoughts escape. She follows Bo through the maze of tables, her backpack hanging heavily from her slim shoulders. She can feel her ponytail tickling the back of her neck whenever she sways her head. She decides to concentrate on that to occupy her attention. Bo's clipboard pops open and through her lashes she can see Bo's hands rifling through paperwork, finally settling on the pages that she needs.

"Ah…alrighty. Quinn Fabray, cabin 22. Abee Robertson and Megan Wilke." As the number is called the sea of counselors part, and two women run up, laying claim with beaming smiles. Quinn tries to smile back as she calculates them, but fails miserably. She doesn't want to be here, she won't be pretending otherwise. Nevertheless she watches them approach her, and when they extend their hands she lets them take her belongings. She also lets them walk her to the nurse for her lice check, and she sits quietly while she lets them talk to her about things that she has no real care for.

"Do you like Tennis?" Abee asks whilst they pass through the gazebo towards the upper cabin line. She doesn't look very old, maybe twenty-two at the most, and her strawberry blonde hair falls down in loose waves clouding her face. She looks too happy – and Quinn is assured that it will fade…no one stays that happy all of the time. Her own family is testament to that. Quinn shrugs her shoulders silently.

"Oh…how about water-skiing? We have a property on Lovewell Pond nearby, and we'll be taking the campers on three-hour long trips every day throughout the summer. Sounds awesome right? I'm actually on Lovewell staff." Quinn shrugs her shoulders again, and Abee stumbles in the conversation. Unfortunately Megan takes up the slack and as they walk down the cabin line, her round of questioning becomes much more annoying for the small blonde, despite the cool accent.

"Do you like peanut butter? I've never actually tried it outside of a candy, but I imagine it tastes good yea? I've always wondered." Perhaps Megan is expecting an exclamation of "WHAT? I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER" but Quinn won't have it. And although she'd never admit how cool it is to have a counselor from Wales, she isn't giving up that easily. She still doesn't want to be here, she won't be making this harder on herself. She needs to prove to them that she doesn't belong. Megan takes the silence to study Quinn's small suitcase and the Cheerleading pin hanging off of one of the handles.

"You cheerlead, yea?" The small blonde nods in her indifference, she hasn't spoken a word yet since her family packed up and left Lima.

"Is it a private squad or is it for school?"

Quinn doesn't answer, she lets the silence fall between their trio as they approach their cabin. The outer walls are painted a horrendous forest green, and the door a bright red. A large pine-tree insignia hangs on the door overhead with the number 22 written across in white paint. Abee smiles as she leads the way inside. The smell of wood and dust is overbearing, and Quinn grimaces at the small space that she is now enclosed within. She took notice of the ten beds lining the walls. All equipped with striped mattresses, a pillow, and a folded pair of sheets. The two beds nearest the front door are already made and embellished with pictures and water bottles and posters. Those must belong to Abee and Megan, Quinn surmises. The cubbies along the far back wall are empty, and she can see the door leading to the small bathroom beyond.

"Lucky you, you get first pick." Quinn doesn't nod or say anything in response, she simply walks forward to a bed in the back far corner, setting her duffle bag on top of the mattress. She looks down to the wooden floor and notices the bags by some of the beds. She can see her two over in the other corner by the cubbies.

"Your bags, along with some of the other girls' arrived a few days ago. Do you need some help unpacking?" Quinn shakes her head as she finds her two large suitcases. She opens them both to find things that her parents and her housekeeper had packed away for her weeks ago. Bedding and foam, pillows and pillowcases, stuffed animals and posters. Her next suitcase is filled with shoes, jackets and clothes. She sighs lightly before setting to work, starting at an even pace as Abee and Megan settle into their own beds quietly. She doesn't particularly care if they think she's a mute, or that she may be slightly off kilter. She sets to her unpacking, letting her thoughts carry her forward.

"You're our first camper…but we're supposed to be getting the next member of our cabin tomorrow when most of the other campers arrive on the buses. It won't be quite so empty anymore…you'll be able to make friends." The words are said with a thick undercurrent of pity. Quinn may only be thirteen years old, but she can trace their conversational motives from where she stands folding her clothes into piles. Abee doesn't say anything else when she notices that Quinn won't be answering, instead sharing a leveled glance with Megan from across their beds. And Quinn bites her lip, trying to keep her emotions at bay as she loads her clothes into her cubbies. She already wishes that she were anywhere else but here.

- {||||||||} -

The bugle is loud and alarming, and Quinn blinks her eyes open to the sound of fanfare shaking her awake. She's cold and chilled underneath her sheets and blankets, and she can see the mist of her breath surrounding her like a halo in the early morning frost. She squints her eyes and turns her head seeing her counselors already shuffling about the empty cabin and she groans lightly. Burying her blonde tresses deeper into the cotton of her linens.

"Good Morning." Abee trills.

"Morning' Quinn. Time to get up." Megan shakes her lightly by her covered feet and Quinn can't help but scowl into her pillow. She wouldn't be obliging them were it not for the sound of the bugle ringing again through the loudspeakers. With a leveled brow and a scowl on her face, she finally succumbs to their wishes - climbing out of bed and hurrying to the bathroom to brush her teeth and change into a new pair of paints and underwear. By the time she leaves the bathroom she's donning a blue headband with jeans and a light zip up jacket, her sandals clack against the wood flooring as she follows Megan and Abee out into the brightening morning. The smell of pine is ubiquitous here in the forests of Maine. And Quinn would be lying if she said that she hates it. She scrunches up her nose nonetheless - appearances of self-righteous disgust are her forte these days - and she squints up into the rising sun as she follows the small horde of counselors and camp staff to the flagpole.

Everyone stands in a circle while a group of counselors take their time raising the flag, Quinn stares transfixed in her boredom. By the time flag raising is ended she can feel the claustrophobia of the other counselors eyes as they circle her and try to swarm her with questions. Her silence isn't ignored this time, but respected. She eats her breakfast in silence in Tanglewood. The dining hall appeals to her literary nature, and all throughout the meal she finds herself glancing up at all of the painted plaques from campers long departed. It isn't until the words escape her lips that she realizes that she's already breaking her own rule.

"What do Green and Tan mean?" The slip of her tongue causes her to internally flinch and outwardly pause. She wants to take it back, but the air hangs thickly where her words have already rippled. Megan smiles at her widely, and Abee almost looks shocked, but she hides it well. Quinn almost hates their nonchalance more than their feigned indifference.

"From what we hear…those are teams for Color War. The campers get broken up into Green and Tan teams, and at some point during this summer a competition of sorts begins with events. It sounds like loads of fun." The young blonde nods her head almost unnoticeably as she turns back down to her bowl of rice krispies…upset that her emotional wall has already managed a small crumble in the heavy foundations already laid.

By ten thirty the bugle sounds again, signaling the arrival of the first coach bus to Pinewood Camp. Its large windows and bright lights further illuminate the sunny day as the bus makes its slow ascent up the parking lot gravel road. Its berth is overlarge and long, and from the tinted glass, smiling faces can be seen as if in a silhouette. Megan had urged Quinn to stay and to see the first arrivals, and she obliges. The blonde can feel the sweat tickling the back of her neck and in the time that they all spend waiting, she's already fallen victim to a couple of mosquitos. She would have much rather stayed in the cabin to read her book in silence than to be here exchanging silent pleasantries with people that she doesn't even particularly care for. The heat burns her light pupils before she brings her hand up to cover the glare. And as her eyes refocus she hears the hiss of breaks, and the swinging of a door. Bo hurries past with an even larger clipboard than the one she had the day before. And in a flurry of movement, girls of varying ages can be seen making their way off of the bus steps into the overflowing pine enclosure.

"Melanie Clearwater, It's good to see you back this summer!" Melanie looks to be no older than ten, and a large puppy backpack falls off of one shoulder as she bulldozes into Bo, giving her a squealing hug. Quinn watches curiously as this greeting takes place over and over again with each exit of a new camper, even including some of the counselors. And for the first time, Quinn Fabray realizes that while she was completely ignored and underappreciated at her last middle school…here…she is nothing more than a new camper. With all of the changes she's undergone in the last six months, she realizes that most of these girls probably won't even care. She's Quinn – but somehow Lucy is still here, hiding in the shadows. She's essentially a nobody in a place where cliques and friendships have already been established. And all too suddenly, the blonde feels ridiculously out of place - and totally inadequate; Abee must have sensed her discomfort, and Quinn can feel her nudge her softly in the side with an elbow, leaning over to give her a reassuring smile. Quinn still isn't sure whether or not she cares for Abee and Megan, but the small things have always mattered. And that small touch of recognition doesn't leave her feeling quite as alone as she anticipated, she is silently grateful for small wonders.

"Rachel Barbra Berry, I never thought I'd see that face again."

And like a beacon, Quinn snaps her head up to the line of descending campers exiting the bus. She sees her, a small thing really – with hair falling about her shoulders and a green and white bedazzled PINEWOOD STAFF '85 vintage sweater on. She has on blue jeans and penny loafers; a smile surrounds her face in a tight embrace. Quinn watches this girl curiously with an ounce of interest. "Hi, Bo!" She hears the girl named Rachel beam in return, her arms flying out and around the woman in a binding bear hug. And in a flurry that passes by in a curious haste, Quinn watches as the girl named Rachel Berry descends upon her, assigned to Senior Cabin 17.

"Hello, my name is Rachel Berry, it looks like we're in the same Cabin!" The girl smiles at her, showing off a small smile that's all teeth and big brown eyes. Quinn stares at her for a moment too long – studying the girl – before shaking off the deep feeling of unease fluttering around her head. She bends her lips into a frown and turns away without answering. Abee and Megan stare between their two campers with awkward half- smiles – both of them silently dreading the nightmare that Quinn Fabray will no doubt be…for all of them. But Rachel Berry is a trooper – she smiles at Quinn again, linking their arms despite the other girl's silence.

"I hear you're new...there's so much to tell you…"

- {||||||||} -

Quinn sits at an empty wooden picnic table that's been set out on the Senior cabin line just in front of cabins 16 and 17; A moleskin notebook rests between her palms as she writes. She's lost within her head as she transcribes letters to friends she doesn't have, and relatives that she's never liked, the ink is bold on the paper. However the silence that she's created for herself doesn't last long, within minutes she can hear the nearby sound of feet on dirt and rocks, descending down wooden cabin steps. She already knows who it is; Rachel Berry hasn't let her alone in the five hours that they've come to know each other. Quinn can't stand her already. The girl in question skips over to the picnic table and takes a seat, a welcoming smile on her lips as she sets a small iPod Nano down between them.

"Do you mind if I run scales while you write Quinn? I need to stay in tip top shape this summer if I plan to make it to Broadway someday."

Quinn doesn't say anything; she doesn't even look up – instead focusing all of her concentration on the scribbles that are now lining her notebook. A fire burns somewhere in her belly, and while it should be…it isn't completely unsettling. Quinn furrows her eyebrows slowly as her pen strokes against the paper.

"I'll take that as a yes!" Rachel beams.

Within moments, the empty cabin line is filled with the melodious voice of one Rachel Berry. Earphones plugged in, and voice trilling with the words of a song that Quinn's never heard before, but as she stares at her pages of notebook paper – she's sure that Rachel Berry has the most beautiful voice that she's ever heard. This makes her hate her all the more as her pen digs grooves and turns lines into squiggles over and over and over again.

- {||||||||} -

By the second week of camp, everyone already knows her name. They call her at dinner and lunch. At rest hour even. The other girls ask her questions and attempt to include her in conversations that she has no interest in. And she wonders how they know her. They link arms with her and pull her to activities that she has no care for. She still isn't even sure if she remembers the names of her other six cabin mates – in her mind she simply refers to them by monikers she fashioned for them on the first day of camp.

There's "Weird Haircut," at this point Quinn thinks her name may be something like Taylor, or Tara – she isn't quite sure. But what she does know is that she's tall and lanky with a terrible shaggy shoulder length haircut and braces. Quinn thinks she must be from somewhere remote, like Kansas. And then there's Veronica from Spain. Quinn knows this because Veronica trills her name in her native Madridian tongue and if Quinn had forgotten how to pronounce it properly – No, it's Ve-rrrrrrrronica – than she would have gotten a Spanish earful, ripe with words like: estupida, mierda, and joder - also, Veronica is beautiful which only adds to Quinn's distaste. Thirdly there's Avery – Jewish, recently Bat-Mitzvah-ed and New Yorker through and through – if Quinn didn't hate this place so much, and her parents weren't so adamant about Judaism's flaws as a whole – they could have possibly been friends in another life. Sky comes from hippie parents somewhere out West and progressive, like San Francisco. All Quinn knows is that she seems overly passionate about soccer, and disappears for ridiculous lengths of time only to return completely sweaty and covered in grass stains – she's not sure how she feels about the girl just yet. Fifthly, there's Grace – a quiet demure thing – with pretty hair ties and ribbons, and red cheeks. She's ridiculously boring and she doesn't seem to have many friends, Quinn can relate in ways that she doesn't care to admit.

And finally…there's Rachel Berry. She's from Ohio just like Quinn, Lima actually. Quinn doesn't tell her that her parents have just moved in to the small town via relocation from Bellville. She doesn't want to give Rachel that kind of hold over her – the advantage of commonality. Rachel is everything that Quinn thinks that she hates. Loud voice, big eyes, exuberant type-A personality…the girl's a control freak. She's thirteen, with a nighttime, a daytime and a morning routine. She's up before the bugle and always the first to flag raising – she holds Quinn's arms and smiles at her like the two of them are friends. The counselors love her, they crave her excitement…people adore her here.

It's dreadful.

- {||||||||} -

Avery sits atop Rachel's bed as she paints her fingernails. She's precise in her brushstrokes, and her eyes never leave her task as she trills out questions in her native New York accent.

"So, what team are you gonna be on Rach?"

"Green." Rachel responds happily. She's busy writing her 50th letter back home, and it's only been two weeks of summer camp. Talk about anal, and compulsive. Quinn frowns from her bed where she's fully immersed herself within the pages of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.

"How do you already know that though, you weren't a camper last year." Grace responds demurely. However quiet, she must be intrigued, her eyes wide as she lingers on the final tips of the conversation.

"I visited over Mini-Camp. You know that two-day thing for people who are thinking of sending their kids here? You get to live in the cabins for 2 days and go to activites. Well I did that, and then my Dad's mom was a camper here in the 40's and 50's, she was on the Green Team. It's in my blood really." Rachel lists excitedly; she's bouncing on her back legs now as she kneels on the bed. Quinn's lost interest and stopped paying attention a long while ago. But quite suddenly, she hears her name leave exuberant lips. Rachel Berry of course, Quinn rolls her eyes and turns a calculated page.

"Quinn?"

"Quinn."

"Maybe she has her headphones in." Avery whispers. Weird Haircut shrugs.

"Quinn, I am aware that you can hear me." Rachel nudges, Quinn looks up to roll her eyes and pauses…Rachel Berry is at the foot of her twin bed, smiling at her. Quinn huffs, lowering her book – her hazel eyes are blazing.

"Do you have a specific team that you think you'll be assigned to?" Rachel asks. Quinn raises her book back over her eyes, but she doesn't read any of the words. She let's her pupils scan over the printed ink slowly, letting her mind wind down, her ears are buzzing.

"I think you look like a Tan, but obviously these things can't be guessed." Rachel surmises. Quinn shrugs her shoulders just as a weight descends on top of her comforter. Brown hair flows out on the bedspread, some if it fanning out to curtain her right calf. She looks down to see Rachel Berry lying there, back against the comforter, eyes peering up at the graffiti colored rafters of their cabin. No one else bats an eyelash, Quinn tenses, her fingers freezing alongside the margins of her book. Rachel peers up at her innocently, a question on the tip of her tongue. She opens her mouth once, but no words come out – it's like she's looking for the right thing to say. Quinn studies her curiously.

"Is it alright if I stay here…?" Her words are quiet, and Quinn thinks that this is the most timid she's ever remembered Rachel Berry being in the few weeks that they've known each other. Quinn doesn't say anything…she turns back to her book, her teeth sink into her bottom lip as her eyebrows scrunch together.

Rachel smiles.