AN: Oh my lord. Thank you guys SO much for reading! I'm surprised it got so many hits/reviews. I didn't really expect anyone to read it, haha. Your reviews, faves, & story alerts all keep me writing!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Glee, these characters, or Charlie Fabray. This is merely my take on her and should not be taken as canon.
There was something different about Rachel Berry.
Charlotte noticed it as soon as she walked into the Glee club - along with her sister's dumbfounded expression, of course - but there was a different vibe or aura she got from Rachel.
It said confident. It said self-reliant. It said professional. It said… lonely.
Despite Charlie's ulterior motives to unseat Quinn Fabray as the Queen Bee, she couldn't help but notice the unhappiness surrounding the brunette - which is why Rachel was her first victim… er, friend.
It was all too easy for Charlie. All she had to do was sit beside Rachel, smile a few times, and she would make the girl feel wanted, or like she had a friend.
Charlie could see right through Rachel's 'confident' exterior, and would expose the insecurities beneath it at any cost.
Still, there was something tugging inside of her, pulling on her chest and making her stomach turn. Sure, 'befriending' Rachel was step one - and as a bonus, it angered Quinn - but there was still guilt inside of her. As shocking as it seemed, Charlotte Fabray had a conscience; the best she could do was ignore it, and carry on with her plan.
"I know just the place to go!" Rachel chirped with the brightest expression on her face.
Charlie snapped out of her trance, glanced around, and remembered. She was in the car with that same brunette who was occupying her mental capacity - the one she was trying to win over. Charlie had to stay focused. She would 'befriend' the glee club, one at a time; their popularity didn't seem like much, but it had jumped since Regionals, which was broadcasted (Why? Who would ever watch a show choir on TV?). She had seen her sister in the spotlight, singing a duet from Dirty Dancing, and all Charlie could think was I need that stage. So, here she was. In Rachel's car.
"Oh, uh, sorry. Where?" Charlie smiled at Rachel in the driver's seat - she was much too short for it, really; there was a pillow on the seat to prop her up. She tried to express as much interest as possible in the brunette, but you can only tune into her babbling for so long. If she listened more, she might have found it endearing. Or realized why Quinn hated her so much.
"Here." They had already pulled into the parking lot of a quaint coffee shop fit for a movie or book. "You were kind of... zoning out on me. I-is something wrong?" Rachel stammered.
"N-no, sorry. Just thinking." Charlie silently cursed herself; she wasn't being her usual 'charming' self. She needed to step it up a little bit, or she'd just seem rude.
"Oh, right. Sorry... I'm just not really used to this whole Quinn-twin-thing. It's kind of ... awkward, for me. No offense, but... every time I look at you, I just see a flurry of red ice flown at my face…" Rachel's voice trailed off as they walked into the cafe.
"I'm nothing like Quinn, Rach." Charlie murmured, but it was difficult to convince herself that. Their exchange in the bathroom showed how aggressive each other could be - Charlie was verbally abusive while Quinn was physically abusive. Quinn was losing her fire, and didn't deserve her place at all. Charlie did. "She's the cheerleader who got… everything. Sh-she's prettier than me, more athletic, a-and she has her place in this school. While I was the one who was shipped away by our parents, she got to stay with normal people and all I ever got was a pat on the back for good grades."
Rachel furrowed a brow as they inched ahead in line. "Why did you transfer here, then?" She couldn't quite figure how one identical twin could be prettier than the other, but Quinn did have this stony, I'm-better-than-you beauty that proved it. Charlie had a more sweet, approachable expression. Rachel liked Charlie's much better.
Charlie averted her eyes. "They got sick of paying for it. And I might have to move in with my twin that hates me more than anything."
Rachel nodded slowly, "I'm so sorry." She turned to the cashier and gave one of those 500-watt Rachel Berry smiles that could knock out a deer. "One Peach White Tea, please?" She began to take out her wallet when Charlie stepped in front of her. "No, I'll pay." Rachel's eyes widened; she was not used to such a noble action unless she prompted Finn or something. She beamed at Charlie. "That's very sweet of you." Charlie looked over at the surprised cashier and ordered, "One mocha, with extra chocolate please."
The cashier grinned at them. New friends, I suppose. "Your total is $7.34. What's your name..?"
"Ray Charlie," the blond deadpanned.
The pair walked over to the other side of the cafe to wait for the order. Rachel burst into a fit of giggles, "Ray Charlie?"
"It's like both of our names put together! And.. white tea? Who orders white tea?"
Rachel rolled her eyes in mock-exasperation. "Lots of people! And besides, peach white tea especially is good for your vocal cords, which is imperative to maintain proper speaking and singing skills. I lost my voice once and it was terrible."
Charlie was instantly seeing Rachel's star personality; if losing her voice seemed like the end of the world to her, then she might pose a threat to Charlie's own spot in the limelight. "Oh, I see. I heard you sing at Regionals, though, and you were terrific." Charlie may be burning with jealousy over multiple things, but she could still admit the truth.
"Thank you. I wrote one of the songs myself. After ... well, Quinn told me off." Rachel looked out the window, at the entrance, anywhere but in Charlie's eyes. They seemed too much like hers and it would kill her. Rachel and Quinn had built a small friendship over the songwriting, but it was knocked down by the bomb that Quinn dropped. We could never be friends, Rachel had thought. We're just... too competitive and too stubborn over what we want. But is it even for the right reasons?
Charlie frowned and pursed her lips. "I'm sorry." A thought dawned on her. "Out of curiosity, what did Quinn say to you?"
"She told me that she would get Finn in the end - that's the guy she was sitting next to today with a blank expression - and I would get heartbroken. She then proceeded to tell me how she would spend the rest of her life here, and she told me I didn't belong here. She remarked she was just helping to send me on my way." Rachel blinked and widened her eyes. "She was ... complimenting me."
Charlie felt awkward; Quinn hadn't just been a bitch the whole high school. Displacing her sister would be harder than she thought. The pregnancy had to have affected her somehow, right?
Well, if Quinn was going to play nice, then so would Charlie.
"I can see why." At this, Rachel's ears appeared to perk. "With vocal talent like yours, there's no way you're destined to stay here. You need to go." Charlie drew in a breath, "You need to go to the bright lights, headlining a new musical 'Starring Rachel Berry!' where people will flock to the theatre at the mention of your name, having photo-shoots, getting interviewed… those things; not staying here with some idiot who can't figure out what he wants."
Rachel's eyes twinkled, and she was wearing her signature smile again.
As soon as Quinn got home, she collapsed on top of her bed. She buried her face in her pillow, hoping to avoid her mother seeing her eyes, which clearly showed that she had been crying.
Her phone buzzed and she groaned; it was probably Charlie gloating again.
Hi, Quinn. I didn't mean to bother you, but thank you.
Quinn was extremely puzzled; why would Rachel send this to her? She debated even replying.. Rachel was with Charlie, right? She could practically hear her fear in a text. Quinn carefully chose her words so they wouldn't be offensive - something she neglected to do the last time.
For what? Simple enough. She hit send and waited on her crinkled sheets, gathering homework & taking textbooks out from her bag.
The time by the piano. By only listening to the Finn parts, I took it the wrong way and neglected to take notice of the compliment you were giving me. You said I didn't belong here and you were helping to send me on my way. I thank you for that.
Quinn raised her brows and recalled that she didn't have the best tone. The encounter made her feel a bit jealous of Rachel; she was going places. Rachel would have a legacy of stardom, while the closest taste Quinn could have of fame was cheerleading for college football.
You're very welcome.
Quinn sighed; this could be the perfect opportunity to apologize.
No.
She would face her fear of the worst case scenario and do it in person, sincerely. There wasn't much more guilt she could afford. She had treated the brunette as an inferior through years of school, whether it was by slushie, name-calling, teasing, anything-due to the insecurity Quinn felt for her own future. Rachel had a destiny, knew what she wanted, and had her life figured out. while Quinn never could. That was always something she would envy.
Another buzz of her phone.
PS - You don't belong here either, Quinn. You shouldn't let Finn hold you back from what you want to be or where you want to go.
Slightly shocked, Quinn found herself pondering that text until dinner.
The doorbell rang at Quinn's door and she leaped off her bed from her dreary Calculus homework. Her mom had already opened the door and she heard an exchange of greetings. Quinn crept down the stairs, peering at the surprise visitor. Of course, it would be her lovely sister paying a visit.
Quinn stumbled down the stairs, stricken, turning her head to the mother and daughter embracing. "W-what is she doing here?" There was no way she could disguise the menace in her voice.
Judy's ecstatic expression reflected the one Quinn always saw at a young age. She was definitely being replaced again. "Charlie's staying for dinner!"
"Great."
Steak and potatoes had been made to commemorate Charlie's arrival - Quinn's mom almost never cooks - and Quinn never felt more alienated in her own home.
Small talk was being made and Charlie was telling the most 'fascinating' stories that managed to make her mother laugh. Quinn couldn't help but roll her eyes in irritation.
As Judy took out ice cream for dessert, she offhandedly questioned, "So, Charlie... are you thinking of moving in?" Quinn's heart dropped. How could she forget about that?
"Mm... not now, sorry." Charlie tapped her chin in thought. "I'm living with Russell and his new wife now. Maybe later." Judy froze in her tracks. Charlie shot her eyes at Quinn. "Of course, I'll visit Quinn very often."
Quinn could feel the venom laced into her voice and clenched her fists. "That would be lovely."
Judy failed to hide her disappointment, and smiled sadly at Charlie. "Well... the offer is always there."
"I really appreciate it."
An awkward gap of silence filled with Quinn shooting daggers at her sister. There honestly was nothing she could do to stop Charlie from stealing her life. Fuming, Quinn barked, "I think you'd better go."
"Quinn!" Judy reprimanded. "You don't just say that to a guest!"
Charlie shook her head. "It's alright, Mom. I agree with her. I've got a lot of paperwork to do to finish transferring."
Before Quinn knew it, Charlie was out the door and she could breathe a sigh of relief.
Judy shook her head at Quinn. "How could you be so rude to your older sister?"
"By two minutes."
"No excuses, Quinn. She's new to McKinley, and you have to at least try being nice to her."
Quinn finally reached her boiling point, releasing her budding anger. "She doesn't seem so new, Mom! She's completely replacing me in everything!" She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. "Charlie always had everything I've wanted. She can do everything I've wanted to do. Charlie this, Charlie that.. never Quinn. And the one time where I've gotten something right, gotten my life set straight and reached the top, Charlie comes in and snatches it all from me. She's already stolen the glee club from me. And now, she's won over you. Not like that's anything new," Quinn sneered. "You and Dad always favored Charlie... never me."
Her mother was taken aback by Quinn's fury spilling from her lips. The house was usually so civil; she knew Quinn was truly upset by Charlie. "D-don't be silly, Quinnie.. You know I love you."
"Nowhere near as much as her."
Tears began to stream down Quinn's cheeks, colored pink by her brief fit of rage. Judy took her into a loving embrace, rubbing her back and kissing her hair. "You know that's not true, Quinn. Please. I love you, dear. Charlie may have gotten into glee with you, but that doesn't mean she's taking your life, okay? It's going to be okay."
Quinn just nodded along with her mother's words, knowing they were a complete lie.
