Quinn woke up the next morning with puffy eyes and a bright red nose. As soon she sat up she felt the banging headache. "Man I should drink while I weep." Mumbled Quinn quietly, trying not to wake up the sweet couple either side of her. She wandered off to the bathroom to fix herself before school. Slipping into her perverted cheerio's outfit and applying make-up. Every single day at school she would hide behind her hard, popular exterior and forces herself to go out boys and act as though she's not impregnated with Puck's kid. She sighs taken over by the stress. She wandered back to her bedroom and found Santana and Brittany in each other's arms still asleep, Santana's tanned skin meshing perfectly with the Brittany's pale complexion, a miraculous yin yang attraction.
Wow they even seek out each other when they sleep. Its cute Quinn, face it. I know it is adorable.
Finally after numerous seconds of watching the two sleeping she walked over and harshly prodded both of them. "Ughh, Jesus Q that freakin' hurt." Murmured an irked Santana as she slowly got up and hugged Brittany and told her to wake up. Brittany is an insanely deep sleeper, so it usually takes a lot to wake her up. After the doves in love had finally finished getting ready they grabbed some fruit and went to practice.
"You bag of greasy chips; I can make fifty pots in my sleep better than you can do this routine. Again chip shop!" Sue Sylvester roared through the megaphone, at the drowsy Cheerio's. At the end of practice all of them were aching in places they couldn't even imagine. Quinn stripped down and had a shower when the stalls were quieter. She didn't care if she was late for first period. As the cold water streamed down her face and through her hair, she tried not to think of anything but it's difficult when those memories and thoughts fail to leave completely and are left lingering on the surface.
"Quinn?"
Quinn spins around following the sound. "San!" She yells in shock. "You scared the shit out of me."
"What is that?" Santana say's ignoring Quinn's shock. She walks over and pointing to the bruises and belt marks on her toned back. She seizes Quinn with to both hands and looks her directly in the eye. "Q? Tell me now." She demands.
Quinn stands there and breaks down slowly. "Please don't tell anyone. Please, please San..." She begs, sobbing. Santana kneels down next to Quinn's bare, soaking body and turns off the shower. Instead of asking again, Santana looks at her genuinely and then pulls Quinn into a tender supportive hug. "I-I don't kn-know if I can d-do this." Quinn sniffles into Santana Cheerio's costume.
"Yes you can, and I will never tell a soul I promise. Just tell what happened." Santana whispers gently into Quinn's ear.
"Okay. Promise me." Quinn starts hesitantly. "I promise, go on." Santana urges calmly. "He gets angry, really angry at some things. Sometimes he's drunk but sometimes he's not. He did this." Quinn gestures to the wounds.
"Oh god, Quinn..."Sighed Santana slightly shell shocked. "Can you say who?" She knew that there was something awful going on behind closed doors and knows who is harming her but she didn't realise the extent of the damage, she only thought of the emotional side, and she needs confirmation that it is her Dad torturing her best friend. She held on tighter and tried again. "Is it your Dad?" Quinn just start's to bawl again, validating Santana's beliefs.
"Just stay with me for now... And get me a towel or something. Talk later..." Joked Quinn half-heartily. Santana looks up uncertainly. "Like seriously I want my private parts covered. You may be my friend but I feel very uncomfortable right now." Quinn repeats.
"Fine, I'll be back in a second." Said Santana and jogged off to her locker. She takes out her emergency clothes and black ultra soft towel. You never know when you need spare clothes in this school. When she comes back Quinn is still sitting there with a blank expression on her face. "Here you go." She said as she passed the clothes to Quinn gingerly.
Quinn's slips it on carefully, avoiding the bruises, and goes back to Santana's shoulder. "Thanks." She mutters.
"Do you want to go home?" Asks Santana steadily.
"No."
"Are you sure? You can come back to mine instead."
"No, that's not necessary." Answers Quinn stubbornly. "It's best if I stay, I kind of want to go to Glee Club tod-"RING RING RING. The bell goes off signalling second period. "Oh for fucks sake. Talk about interruptions." Curses Quinn.
"Off to next class then, maths for the both of us." Declares the Latina delicately. She grabs Quinn's hand and drags her off to their lockers. They walked down the hall to the next class with hands intertwined and HBIC masks on, kind of. As they walking into class Santana apologized with a lame Miss Sylvester wanted to speak to us excuse.
Quinn kept her expression completely vacant for the whole period and it was evident she wasn't paying attention. "Miss Fabray? Are you with us?" Miss Haymer asks strongly but lightly. Quinn just nods absentmindedly. The teacher decides not to press the matter further, fortunately.
When the bell rings Santana has to practically push Quinn out to the next class. "Quinn? Are you alright?" Examines someone with a soft; memorable voice behind the distressed best friends. Santana turns round as does Quinn gradually. Santana looks at Quinn only to find she has turned completely pale and green but yet with wildly rosy cheeks. Santana snickers inwardly towards the odd contrast, and then goes straight back to concern.
"Quinn's a little sick at the moment, now scoot Berry." Santana replies surprisingly coolly.
"Santana... Don't be mean. She's just being kind." Quinn warned weakly.
Rachel starts to blush crimson. Did she? No it can't be. May be she did. Not possible.
"Sorry. We're alright Rachel..." Santana forced out that name. "After you." She gestures towards the classroom uncharacteristically.
Rachel looks at Santana disbelievingly. "Right, well. I wish you to feel healthier soon Quinn." Then she strolls into their history class. That's bizarre, never seen Quinn like that. May be I could help. No, that's not a good idea; neither Quinn nor Santana likes you. But they were just very kind to you. Santana was just obeying Quinn and Quinn didn't feel like a battle. So she looks dreadful, absolutely atrocious and she might want a shoulder to cry on. She's got Santana. Still Santana's a bitch, unless she's with Brittany. But Quinn trust's her. Oh shut up, damn it I'm going to attempt to offer help at least. There's no beating you. You're me. Still I'm your mind and you're the spirit that means you have the advantage. Just let me deliberate, Spongy Organ. Oi, that's not nice. You lose.
"The Vikings were first found to been in the Norway region until deciding to sail over to the top of Scotland. Well, the Highlands, Orkney and Shetland. Many have believed to wear horns on their helmets but that is not entirely true. Even if they did wear the horns it would only be to frighten the villagers out of their homes so they could steal the money and gold. Now turn to page 236 in your textbooks." He ordered after his, what seemed like hour long, lecture on the vicious Vikings. Quinn sat there a million miles away while Santana found the page in her book. "Quinnie, wake up you got work to do." Santana whispered caringly. She waved her hand rapidly in front of Quinn's face. That still didn't work so she poked her roughly instead. Quinn's head finally snapped up and looked at Santana with glazed eyes.
"Wait what... What do we have to do?" Quinn slurred dazedly. She was still looking completely under the weather. Santana walked her hand over to Quinn's and held it soothingly.
"I'll do it for you. You just sit and pretend." Santana offered encouragingly. She winked charmingly and ducked her head down to write and worked at lightning speed. After a long five minutes she had finished both pieces, carefully reworded each and tried desperately to imitate Quinn's cursive handwriting. "There all done." She smoothly murmured with a proud expression from having finished before half the class even if she had to do two copies with different styles.
Quinn blinks and smiles thankfully.
From across the class a brunette with perfectly chocolate brown eyes was watching purposefully. Checking all actions and interactions made between the pair. She wrote all the different signs and body language down. This is where her unnecessary organisation and observation abilities become somewhat useful. Almost constantly she saw Quinn with deep emotion engraved in her eyes. A mixture of what she thinks is terror, worry, sorrow, blame and reflection.
Not good. Not good. Not good. I have to help.
When the bell goes off for break Rachel deliberately times her exit so she can speak to the blond Cheerio. She falls in step with them as they head to the field, the most peaceful place in the school. "Um, hey?" Rachel says hesitantly.
"Yes Berry?" Santana answers wearily.
"I'm just checking on Quinn. You seem a little preoccupied and completely out of the zone. Quinn, you look terrible. Well not dreadful but you look ill but still attractive. I mean... I'm going to shut up now... Sorry." Rachel rambled out. With a face like a tomato and ear's white hot, just blatantly flustered.
"Calm down Berry, we get you. Quinn's just a little insecure and sick at the moment." Santana managed to tell some of the truth without engaging her in the entire story.
Rachel looked sceptical. "That's not it there's something more. Something I believe she's hidden for a long time. There's something, I don't like seeing Quinn like this I really care."
"Woah, Berry are you some kind of psychologist. That's creepy." Santana questioned with distaste.
"Rachel, you're just smarter than Santana in many other ways than your more than adequate vocabulary." Quinn compliments lamely. Rachel catches her hazel orbs with her chocolate spheres. A strong tug started forming at the edges of Quinn's mouth.
Wow her eyes are like, beautiful. Rachel you do know that's Quinn? I do but come on look at her flawless facade even though she looks very jagged. Rachel she's a bitch. Come one that's the Cheerio's outfit talking. Still. At least I get an exceptional view with the scandalously short skirt. When did you turn gay, you have a boyfriend. Oh god, damn it what's wrong with me. I was thinking the exact same thing. Anyone would fall for Quinn particularly when she's in charming mode. I suppose that's accurate.
Santana then decided to break the sexual tension. "Right... We should be off." Santana virtually started to drag Quinn down the hallway. Quinn whacks Santana in over the head. "Ow... What was that for?" Santana replies rubbing her skull vigorously.
"For being mean to Rachel. She's just being polite." Answer's Quinn unsympathetically.
Santana glares at Quinn suspiciously. "Seriously? What the hell happened to you? You're being nice to Hobbit."
"I'm sick of being mean to her. It's not fair." Quinn declares. She elbows Santana harshly.
"Joder. Suave ido de Quinn." The Latina comments mockingly.
"Stop with your Spanish crap." Quinn scowled. "She deserves some respect. On that note I'm going to stop the slushie attacks on her. Actually you only get to slushie someone if you ask me first and have a legitimate reason." She continued forcefully, and well, unexpectedly.
"I have no idea what changed but I'm doing to let that drop. I will obey you weird person who has abducted my friend. You really are changing alr-"
"Wait up!" Santana was cut off by some lunatic pattering towards them, Rachel, again.
"Fucking hell, Berry," That received a slap over the head. "What on earth do you want?"
"N-nothing I just want to help Quinn. Truthfully I hate seeing her in this kind of distress. I mean I would for anyone, just in this circumstance. Actually not everyone. I don't want to see you suffer. If you don't want any help now, I'll always be here if you need me. You can trust me." Rachel said smoothly.
"Okay we appreciate the concern but you don't have to help. We're fine." Santana replied carefully to not receive another slap.
"Santana is just being irritating and filling in for me by saying the wrong thing. Here's what I say. Rachel, thank you for looking out for me and I will be sure that I will come to your for help if I need it but right now my Santana need to have some time to talk." Quinn added graciously.
"Okay sure, I'll be in the choir room if you ever want to discuss anything. See you in Glee." The short brunette responded uncertainly and ran off towards the choir room.
"Wow she needs to take a chill pill." Santana states exasperatedly. "Quinn? I hope you realise you look like a green tomato that has lovey-dovey goggle eyes staring after the girl with the business Japanese man's specific fetish of fashion." She insults dryly.
"Whatever... She's very considerate." Quinn comments dreamily. She was still staring after the brown eyed girl. Until Santana gets feed up and forces her to come to the bleachers outside.
What's wrong with Quinn she's gone all soft, especially for Man-hands. You know what's wrong. I know but its stubbles. She's scared and traumatize, she doesn't act normally at school or at home. Okay, Okay but why? Cause she has to be the perfect daughter to Russell. That makes sense. Now speak to her.
"You want to talk?" Santana asks warmly. Quinn nods exceedingly deliberately. "Okay. What happened?" Questions as she pointed to the wounds on her back. As Quinn thinks of what to say Santana takes her hands and holds them securely, rubbing supple comforting circles on the back of them.
"Well I can't remember when it started; I guess it always just happened. He used to only get angry at big things like fights or stealing, sins. But then he started to drink. It all changed he got more and more abrupt and aggressive. When I was 11 I came from school and didn't clean my shoes before entering the house. He took off his belt and whipped me at least 20 times telling me to stop screaming and how useless I am. I had to be perfect for him to avoid it, one small mistake and all hell breaks loose. When he's angry and drunk he doesn't need a reason to hurt me, he'll do it anyway. Do you remember the time when I said I slipped down the stairs and broke my ribs?" She looked up at Santana. Her eyes went big in realisation.
"Hell no!" She exclaimed angrily. "I should have seen this earlier. I'm so sorry, Quinn. I'm sorry." Santana sobs regretfully.
Quinn looks at her and a small grateful smile traces her lips. "Santana you wouldn't have known. I gave no clues. I am thankful that you are here right now helping me."
"I understand why you act, well acted, like a bitch. You were hiding trying to stay at the top and earn everything to be perfect but also so you could act out your emotions towards others." Santana says knowing that Quinn is already aware of it.
"I know. I don't want to do it anymore. I have a baby, sadly Pucks but a baby all the while. She's mine and I have to protect her and be myself to be a worthy mother. I wash my hands of this HBIC role. I'm letting go, I'm going to be me. Real me." Quinn validates. Santana's mouth forms a watery smile, a smile that no one else other than Quinn or Brittany has seen.
"I do it too you know. I'm not actually a bitch." Santana whispers hastily. She lowers her head and looks at her hands intertwined with Quinn's, a connection of friendship.
"I know. I can see right through you." Quinn answers consolingly.
"I should probably tell you something. I'm a..."
"Lesbian? Yea I know." She finishes for Santana. "It's alright I won't tell a soul. I'll help you too." Quinn pulls Santana in to a gentle embrace.
"Thank you." Santana murmurs against Quinn's ear making her shiver. They sit there for a good ten minutes until the bell rings for the rest of the day.
The rest of the day was pretty uneventful apart from Santana beating up a freshman pupil because he insulted Quinn. It was uneventful until Glee.