Under Feet Like Ours – Chapter 2

"So this Puckerman fellow," Gabby began, across the table from Quinn during dinner, "what is he studying again?"

"Political Science," Quinn answered taking a forkful of lemon chicken pasta in her mouth. It was delicious. Gabby was, in fact, a very good cook. "This is amazing, Gabby."

"I know, right?" she beamed across the table. "I thought you said he was dumb in high school?"

Quinn laughed. "Yeah, just like every high school guy, but he apparently nailed the SAT, and now he wants to be, and I quote, 'a badass lawyer who cracks down on criminal bullshit.'"

"And he's our dinner guest Friday?"

"Yes. He's also Jewish, so dinner has to be kosher." After taking a bite, Quinn added, "Gabby, you've know this for a week. Why are you asking?"

"I have just never met a guy who could actually pull off a mohawk. I'm trying to figure out what that kind of guy is like," Gabby replied in all seriousness.

"Well, all of your questions will be answered Friday."

After a few minutes of simply eating, Gabby spoke again.

"Okay new question. Not about Mohawk Man."

Quinn took a sip of grape soda—a staple of her diet since the graduation party. It might be destroying her dental hygiene, but she simply did not care.

"Yes?"

"Hypothetically," Gabby began, "How mad would you be if I stole your phone while you were in the shower and invited Rachel Berry?"

Quinn gasped. "This better be legitimately hypothetical, or I will be very tempted to end your life."

"Don't worry, it is, but God, Quinn! I want to meet this girl! I want you to talk to her! I want plot development!"

Quinn stared across the table. "My life is not your movie."

"I know, but come on; it would be a perfect opportunity to break this romantic code of secrecy you are sworn to!"

Quinn looked down at her food. "I am not sworn to a romantic code of secrecy."

"Sure thing."

"I'm not!"

"Then why won't you go with Puckerman when he hangs out with her?"

"How do you kn—"

"You both talk really loud on the phone. It's your own fault."

Quinn smirked at her friend. "Well, sorry."

Gabby grinned back. "Oh, no, by all means, continue. It makes eavesdropping so much easier."

Gabby took a bite and began to chew, so Quinn figured the conversation might be over. However, once she swallowed, she was back at it.

"Seriously though, why can't you just ask her to coffee to catch up, then casually invite her to dinner with Mohawk Man and me! I promise I will behave!"

Quinn smiled. She had no doubt that Rachel would like Gabby. She knew Puck would. Heck, he might even ask her out. Wouldn't that be a situation?

"I know you would. But…I can't. Not yet."

"Quinn, it's the romantic code of secrecy!"

"Come on, Gabby, that's ridiculous."

"Is it now?" Gabby countered. "You threatened to end my life only moments ago for breaking it!"

"Yes, it is. I am by no means in love with Rachel."

Gabby practically dripped with sarcasm. "Oh, well then I bear no resemblance to Shirely Temple."

"Gabby—" Quinn began.

"Fabray, listen here, you have lived here for a little over two months. Every day, since you've moved in, you have gone to NYCDA, pulled out your phone, stared at the stupid pretty building and then left. Every time we talk about high school, you talk about Rachel Berry: Superstar. Every time you talk to Puckerman, he asks you if you 'told her yet,' to which you reply, 'I can't' over and over until he drops the subject. It's like you are following the script of some kind of indie film!

"You can be angry at me if you want. I will still cook an amazing, kosher dinner and probably flirt with this Puckerman fellow. All I'm asking for is for you to take this opportunity and invite your amazing Rachel Berry, who you may or may not have romantic feelings for, to dinner."

Gabby gave Quinn a hesitant smile and hope that she didn't piss her friend off too much. Then she added, "Besides, I didn't say you were in love with her. I just think you might want to take her on a date or something."

Quinn was beside herself. Gabby said everything like it was obvious. Like it was the easiest conclusion to make in the world. But she was wrong. She was so wrong. Right?

Fine. She would ask Rachel Berry to coffee. Then she would invite Rachel Berry to dinner Friday. She would do it. Gabby was right. It was the best opportunity.

"Fine, but you should know, she's a vegan," Quinn replied quietly.

"OH CHRIST, first kosher and now VEGAN? Why don't we just eat cardboard!"

The blonde was not fazed by Gabby's dramatics. "Oh, please. You know you love a culinary challenge."

Gabby smiled. "I will make vegan cooking my bitch."


Rachel and Puck walked arm and arm through Central Park. Fall was finally turning chilly and everything about the city was beautiful. Since moving to New York, Rachel and Puck met in Central Park once a week. Every Sunday, in fact. It started as an exercise in reassurance—they were both really out of Lima, and really in New York, and really making the most of their lives. It became a ritual between friends.

During the walks, both former Lima residents would share each new wonder of New York City life they had discovered throughout the week. They would discuss their classes. They would discuss how their parents were coping. But, almost as if they didn't want to jinx anything, they would not discuss anything that happened during high school. Former classmates were seldom mentioned, with the exception of Kurt who was quite happy at UCLA, and with whom Rachel maintained a Skype correspondence.

However, today, Rachel felt slightly nostalgic. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that today would probably be the last time she would be able to wear a sundress until Spring. Perhaps it was the little blonde girl they had just passed by. Perhaps it was something else entirely. Rachel was just going to go with it.

"Noah?" she asked tentatively, looking up at him after he had just finished relaying exactly how he dominated his first ethics essay.

"Yes, Rachel?" he replied, looking down at her and slowing his pace a bit.

"How do you think everyone else is doing?"

"I'm sure they are fine. I mean, I'm friends with everyone on Facebook, so if anything big happened, I think I would know." H resumed looking ahead.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." He let out a small laugh.

"Okay."

They continued on for a few more minutes in silence before Rachel broke it again.

"What about Quinn?" her voiced quivered out.

Puck stopped, untangled his arm from Rachel's and turned to look his diminutive friend. Rachel eyes harbored a desperate quality.

"I'm sure Quinn is fine," he said evenly.

"But do you know for sure?"

"Yes."

"You've talked to her?"

"Of course I have talked to her."

The Rachel Berry Floodgates opened.

"How is she? Where is she going to school? When I last talked to her, she hadn't decided yet. However, that was quite some time ago. Oh my goodness, I haven't spoken to her since the graduation party! This is horrible! What is she studying? Is she still in Lima? Does she still sing? Is she happy?"

Great, Puckerman, how are you going to get out of this one? Puck thought as he took a deep breath.

"Uh…"

Rachel stared up at him so very expectantly.

Only because she's my baby-momma…

"Um, she actually decided to take a year off last-minute. I think she works part-time at the library in Lima. You know…she always loved books…and stuff."

Thankfully, Rachel looked convinced.

"I see," she looked down thoughtfully. "She's still in Lima."

"Yeah."

Puck offered his arm and they resumed their walk.

The sun was setting and it was that time of day where everything looks golden and grey at the same time. When they came upon Rachel's dorm, Rachel spoke again.

"Noah?"

"Yeah?" Puck replied wearily.

"When we go back to Lima for Thanksgiving, do you think Quinn would mind if I paid her a visit?"

Puck smiled. "No, Rachel, I think she would love that.

"Still, would you come with me, so it's not, you know, awkward?"

"Sure thing. Anything for my Jew."

"Thanks, Noah," she said hugging him, "text me to let me know you made it home."

"Yeah. See you next week."

"Without a doubt!" the brunette said happily.

As soon as Rachel was inside of the building, Puck angrily pulled out his phone and dialed Quinn, stalking off back to his dorm.

Quinn fucking Fabray!

"Yeah?" she answered.

"Where are you?"

"The subway. Why?"

"Are you on your way to NYCDA?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Well, you better not actually pull the trigger today. God, I can't believe I said that!"

"Puck, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong? I just had to lie to Rachel to cover your ass, that's what's wrong, Quinn!"

The line was silent for a moment.

"What do you mean?"

Puck laughed humorlessly. "She asked me where you went to school. She asked me what you were studying. She asked me if you still sang. She asked me if you were happy for fuck's sake! She wanted to know if you were happy! And I had to bullshit that you were taking a year off and working at a fucking library because you love fucking books!"

"What do you want from me, Puck?" Quinn ripped out bitterly.

Both of them were yelling in their phones now, not caring who overheard or who felt uncomfortable.

"I want you to get it together, Fabray! I don't know what the hell your deal is when it comes to Rachel, but she asked after you today. And I know she deserved more than the shitty lie I came up with!"

"Well, for your information, Puckerman, I am going to invite her to Friday's dinner, today!"

Laughter erupted from the line. After a moment, Puck composed himself.

"You have to be fucking kidding me."

"I'm not."

"Well, you can't do that today, since I literally just told her you were living a shitty life in Lima."

Quinn sighed out of frustration. "Fuck. My. Life."

"I don't know how you are going to get out of this Quinn, but I am done keeping your secret."

"Fine. I'll go home a see what Gabby thinks I should do.

"Whatever. I just better not be blamed for anything."

"Screw you."

"You already did."

The retort came so quickly that Quinn couldn't help but laugh.

"That was inappropriate, Noah Puckerman."

"Yeah, well my voice was getting hoarse, and I have to give a speech tomorrow."

Quinn laughed at this as well. The conversation had taken a decidedly more lighthearted tone, but she knew she was at the end of her rope with this.

"Hey, I'll call you later. After I talk with Gabby. I am such and idiot.

"Yeah, I wasn't going to say it, but thank God you did."

"Bye, Puck."

"Bye, Baby-Momma"


Quinn slammed her keys down on the kitchen counter, and Gabby peeked out from the study. She had just sat down with her guitar, hoping to take advantage of the empty apartment to practice some songs. "Home already?"

"FUCK MY LIFE!"

Gabby swiftly put her guitar away, vowing to return as soon as possible, and met Quinn in the kitchen. She was sitting in a chair slumped over the kitchen table with her head buried in her arms. Gabby took a seat at the opposite end of the table, folded her hands in her lap and waited for something a bit more descriptive.

"Fucking Puckerman," came muffled through Quinn's arms.

Still not much to go on. Gabby continued to wait.

"Fucking libraries."

Now she just wasn't making any sense.

"Quinn, could you maybe lengthen your sentences? I mean, you are an English major."

Quinn lifted up her head and held it in her hands lazily.

"Puck went on a walk with Rachel today. Like he does every Sunday," she whined.

Gabby continued to look expectantly at Quinn, but after a moment, she realized Quinn needed more prompting. "I was pretty sure that wasn't new information."

"It's not."

God, Quinn wasn't going to make this easy.

"What is different this time?"

Quinn dropped her head back down on the table. Her reply was again muffled by her arms.

"Today, she asked how I was doing."

Gabby waited a moment before asking, "Isn't that a good thing?"

"Absolutely not."

"Why?"

Quinn released a guttural sound of frustration before replying.

"UGGGHHHHHH. Because she asked where I was going to college."

Gabby's face lit up. "So the Code of Secrecy is broken?"

"Worse."

Gabby's face fell. "How so?"

"It's worse because Puck lied to cover me literally a half hour before I was going to invite Rachel to Friday's dinner."

"Oh."

Quinn's head remained on the table as she screamed again.

"FUCK MY LIFE!"

Gabby folded her arms in thought. After a moment, Quinn lifted her head up again. "She asked if I was happy, Gabby. If I was happy!"

A silence fell over the friends.

"You know, this probably seems like the end of the world. The worst case scenario—" Gabby began.

"It is!" Quinn bemoaned.

"Okay, look. It's really not though. The worst case scenario would have been if you arrived at NYCDA just as Rachel was arriving back from her walk."

Quinn mumbled in agreement. "True."

"So, with that said, what are you going to do?"

Quinn glared at her friend. "I was hoping you could tell me!"

Gabby thought a moment.

"Just ask her tomorrow," she said as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

"You say that like—"

"It is that easy, Quinn."

"You don't understand—"

But Gabby wasn't letting Quinn get a word in.

"You're right, I don't, but whose fault is that? All you have to do is ask her tomorrow. Yeah, she'll be so surprised and she will probably bring up Puckerman right away, so all you have to do is say that he doesn't know that you are here either. Or at least, he didn't until you called him last night to invite him to dinner."

"That's not going to work. Puck won't go with it," Quinn said evenly.

"Sure he will. At least this is progress."

"But what happens when Rachel finds out that that is a lie?"

Gabby smirked and Quinn was almost dreading her answer.

"Well, hopefully by that time, you and Rachel will be BFFs or whatever and it won't even matter. She will just laugh at your silliness and you will laugh at your silliness—it will be such a funny moment."

Then, almost as an afterthought, Gabby added, "And then you will make out."