A/N: Sorry for taking too long to post chapter two, but here it is and I hope you enjoy it. Also wanna say thanks to my new beta ohnanagleek. Chapter three goes out next wednesday, promise! And tell me what are you guys thinking about the fanfic so far.
Enjoy! :)
Chapter two
The days were going by and I hadn't yet made a final decision about what to do with my life. Didn't know if I would continue in Lima or if I would actually go to New York, I was hesitant and in the middle of this indecision I was feeling very lost. If only Santana were by my side to go through this whole phase with me... But she wasn't and I had to deal with that by myself. Maybe I should just stay in Lima, get a job, anything that could sustain me for a little while. I could learn anything fast and easy and maybe I could arrange a small room in some pension. At least until I could gather more money to keep me in New York.
I wasn't stupid, I knew that life had never been cheap in New York and although I knew that four years had passed, I believed that life there would be more expensive and... Well, with many people being called to fight in the World War II in Germany and leaving their homes and their jobs, it wouldn't be so hard to find something that I could do to support myself.
On a Friday night, likely in July, wasn't sure, I snuggled myself better on the wall that has been my bed for the last few days and closed my eyes slowly. I felt the discomfort because of the position and a groan of pain escaped my lips when I tried to get comfortable. The weather was a little cold and now and then made my skin crawl. Falling asleep seemed to be a struggle, so I opened my eyes and looked at the sky. The sky was beautiful and starry in Lima. Even though the moon wasn't full tonight, the sky was more beautiful than ever; it's been a long time since I've stopped and admired the stars. I instantly remembered my necklace with the butterfly pendant. I took it off my neck and started playing with it, passing it between my fingers.
I was playing with my new doll named Stacey when I saw Frannie entering our room. Her smile was wide and radiant as ever and her eyes seemed to have acquired a new luster.
"Hey, why are you like that?" I asked clearly curious.
"I met a boy." She told me whispering like it was a precious secret.
"What? Who? "
"His name is Noah. He's so cute, Quinnie. "
"What?" I asked again still confused.
"I met him a few days ago when I went shopping with Mom at Mr. Hummel's grocery store. We met again today and he gave me this necklace, you know. And he told me a very sweet thing. I think I'm in love! "
"What?" I dropped my doll and climbed into bed sitting beside her.
"Look." She reached for the item hanging off her neck took it off. It was a little necklace with a butterfly pendant, studded with tiny blue stones and took my hands putting him there. "Isn't it beautiful?"
"Uhum." I confirmed shaking my blonde hair. I passed the small pendant between my little hands. It was very intriguing. The small stones reflected the bright light like diamonds.
"He said I was beautiful." She said with her eyes shining.
"But we know you're beautiful Frannie." I said confused, I didn't understand how she could be in love with a boy who stated the obvious.
"I know Quinnie." She laughed. "But it's more ... I dunno ... I think I feel more beautiful when he says that to me."
"Okay. And what else did he say? "
"Well, when mom got distracted he pulled me to the tool section, mom never goes there anyway, so it was safe. We talked a little and then he suddenly kissed me." She gushed.
"He kissed you? How? Like mom and dad kiss?" I asked curiously. She chuckled.
"Uhum." She sighed. "And it was so good, Quinnie. I felt butterflies in my stomach. "
"Like this one?"
"Yes, like that one. So, when we move away from each other he took the necklace from his pocket and gave it to me. It made me wonder why he was giving it to me, because he only knew me for a week; he told me that when you love someone, the time you know this person doesn't really matter. Then he said he was giving me a butterfly because one day he was walking through the park and remembered me when he saw one on a tree... that I was like a butterfly."
"Like a butterfly?"
"Uhum. He said that a butterfly goes through several stages before true transformation. He said that it teaches us that everything in life is important and its necessary to achieve freedom and inner transformation. I didn't quite understand what he meant by that, but it must mean something, right?"
IIIIIIII
When I woke up, it was already morning. It had yet to reach dawn, so I had the opportunity to once again see the sun rise. My back was killing me and the muscles felt like it would rip at any time because of the pain.
Only God knew how much I needed a hot bath right now. I washed myself and as soon as the sun rose completely, then I headed to Breadstix. My clothes were rumpled and my hair a little dirty of dust, my shoes weren't in their best state either. But even then the waitress whose name was Sugar let me stay to take my usual coffee with the toasts barred with butter. She was the waitress who pulled more subject with me although I didn't tell her much about my life, much less that I was fighting in a war that was slowly but surely sinking Western and Eastern Europe. The war was ruthless, it was really kill or be killed. The fools were the ones who dared to interfere in the plans of the great leaders who commanded everything and hardly gave effort in time to fight for what they believed. The others were the ones who did that for them and they didn't know the time to stop and acknowledge that they were wrong. Every day new people were called to fight, inexperienced people who barely knew how to explain the properties of a gun, but it wasn't for me to judge whoever it was.
I turned my attention to the small TV hanging from the ceiling. President Franklin Roosevelt was talking, he stated that the death of American troops in Japan were increasing at an alarming amount. I could no longer swallow what was left of my coffee and much less could I help feeling my stomach turn. I got up and left without saying goodbye to Sugar. Minutes later I sat against the wall where I was sleeping.
I liked to observe people but today wasn't really a good day. I was distracted when I felt a small figure stop in front of me, blocking the sun that was shining in my face.
"Hey Quinn, what are you still doing here?" I looked up and I came across the tiny brunette who I had met few weeks ago, smiling this time in a green dress with white polka dots and with a green ribbon holding her hair. "Quinn?"
"What?" I asked wondering why she was calling me and now she was looking worried at me.
"Are you okay? Are you feeling something? "
"I ... n-no, I ..." I stuttered not knowing what to do. Why was she talking to me?
Then the tiny brunette crouched beside me, careful of her dress so that it wouldn't fly with the wind, tightly clutching her purse to her stomach.
"Why are you still here? Why are you wearing the same clothes that I saw you on that day? What's the matter Quinn?" She put a hand on my forehead. And like the last time, I could feel how soft and warm she was, even with the wind that blew. I didn't notice I was wearing the same clothes I had worn on that day. Actually, I think I was a little stunned by the questions, hindering my chances to answer them.
"I ... I'm fine ... um ..."
"Rachel."
"Rachel... yes. I'm fine, don't worry about me."
"You look pale, of course I'm going to worry. Have you been eating, you look a little too skinny?" I tried to smile. How could she have noticed? "Come with me." She said, trying to pull me to my feet.
"What?"
"I said come with me. I think you're lying to me when you say that everything is okay and it's not like I really believed you, so... I think you should come with me. I'll take care of you."
"But ... but ... but ..." I kept repeating as she lifted me by my arm. I saw her grimace and then look sideways at me.
"What's that smell? Quinn, is it you?" She asked pulling a funny face.
I felt my cheeks going warm and looked around to see if anyone had heard her. Thankfully, I saw no one had; everyone were too preoccupied with their things to pay attention to a beggar being helped by a petite brunette.
"Wow! Ok, no offense, but you definitely need a bath. Those are your things?" She pointed to my bag covered by the jacket. I shook my head yes. "Ok, let's get your stuff too."
"But you don't know me!"
"Of course I know you! You are Quinn, the girl who risked herself chasing a little thief only to recover my purse and if I remember correctly, you didn't know me well too."
She was right, but still... "It's different, he was just a kid and anyone could have gone after him."
"True, but what matters is that you went after him and no one else did, so I feel like I owe you this. Plus I want to, in some way, help you. Just accept my offer, ok?" Rachel looked at me and I could see how brown her eyes were. I shuddered, seeing the intensity in her eyes.
"You don't know me." I repeated. While a part of me wanted to go with her, the other was suspicious, because no single person I knew was so naïve to want to take home a strange person. Even if this unknown person looked like a beggar who wore the same clothes and smelled badly. "I may be a thug, a thief, or... or... or, I don't know, someone who wants to hurt you."
"We both know you're not like that, so stop trying to trick me. Pick up your things, you're coming with me to my house, period." Rachel looked at me seriously and I arched an eyebrow surprised with the authoritative tone of her. With that gesture I remembered Colonel Sylvester and a shiver ran down my spine.
"All right."
She smiled with satisfaction of my answer.
IIIIIIIIIII
I followed her through the sunny streets of Lima until I saw a white and baby blue wooden house with a huge garden and a short wooden fence very similar to my old house. The house was very beautiful and seemed to have two levels. Rachel opened the little door and pushed me inside. I stepped onto fresh green grass and instantly wished to be barefoot to better feel the touch of the grass with my feet. Before I could work up more wishes, Rachel appeared beside me and placed one of her hands on my waist, exactly on my injury and squeezed a bit making me let out a groan of pain. I stopped in the way to support myself on the railing of the wooden staircase that led to a small porch.
"What? What happened? Are you okay?" Rachel looked at me worried. "I'm sorry, I... I didn't mean to hurt you, did I hurt? Quinn, say something! You're making me nervous."
"It's okay, I just felt dizzy. Don't worry, it's nothing." She still was looking at me and I could clearly see in her eyes that she didn't believe a word I said. "Trust me, I'm not lying." I lied trying to give her a smile. "I'm okay now, we can continue or you've already given up on taking me inside?" I joked trying to assure her that everything was fine.
"Of course not."
She opened the door and I followed her into the house. I stood at the doorstep as she closed the door and headed for the kitchen. Then she noticed that I wasn't following her and that I was still standing near the doorway. I felt intimidated by the look she was giving me. Something inside of me said that I shouldn't follow her into the kitchen, but it wasn't a bad thing at all. I think she noticed my hesitation in following her as she returned by my side, taking me by the hand.
"You don't need to be afraid Quinn, I'm just trying to help." She said with her soft voice. Her brown eyes now looked at me with pity. I bet I really looked like a wet dog shrunk from fear. She pulled me by the hand and I saw myself being dragged to a small but cozy kitchen. I wouldn't know why, but deep down I kind of thought that the house matched perfectly with her. Small, beautiful and delicate as its owner...
"Can you wait here for a moment?" Rachel asked, pushing me gently into a chair. I nodded and she was gone for a few minutes. I was analyzing the kitchen wondering why a woman like her would help someone who she barely knew, inviting me inside her home without so much of a second thought.
When Rachel returned she was carrying in her arms what I could recognize as some towels, a toothbrush, a pair of men's pants and a white shirt. The shirt was of an immaculate white, a white that I had never seen of, so clean.
I stood up and picked the things from her arms.
"I think that you should take a bath first, you know... So you can feel better and to get that smell out of... not that you're not smelling good... um... I mean... you're not... I mean..." She was blushing hard and I couldn't help thinking about how beautiful she was at the moment.
"It's alright, I get it, don't worry."
"Okay then." She wrung her hands shyly. "I thought of lend you my clothes, but you are a bit bigger than me and I thought that maybe they weren't going to fit you, so I took the clothes from Jesse, my brother. Actually, my dead brother... if you don't mind. I don't know if they'll fit you... but at least they are clean."
"There is no problem, I'll use them. Thank you, Rachel."
There was an uncomfortable silent and I didn't know what else to say. I was still standing holding towels and now she was messing her hands nervously.
"Well, umm... the bathroom is upstairs and I already placed your hot water, so... I think you'd better go or it'll grow cold." She finally said. My lost eyes denounced me. "Just take the stairs near the doorway; once you get there you'll see three doors, two on your left and one on the right. It's the first door on the left. Everything you may need is in there, if you need something else don't be afraid, just shout it. I'll be here preparing something for us to eat."
"Rachel?" I called when she turned away from me and had already opened a closet full of pots.
"Huh?" She turned and looked me straight in the eye.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Why am I doing what?"
"This... Helping me."
She seemed to think a bit before giving a small smile. "Because you're a good person and I really liked you. As I said before, I'm just trying to help you like you helped me."
I really felt bad when she said I was a good person, but I didn't let her know that and just muttered an "ok, thank you" leaving the kitchen and following her instructions. If she really knew who I was and how many lives I had taken away...
When I got upstairs I actually saw three doors and walked in on the one she told me. The bathroom was relatively large and I thanked the heavens for finally being able to take a real bath with really hot water. I didn't know if Rachel was really speaking the truth when she said that she wanted to return the favor, but I wouldn't be stupid enough to not accept what she was giving me. Maybe it was God or something like that giving me perhaps a second chance to start again? But I knew it was temporary and that it wouldn't last long. She will probably want me out of her house at the end of the day and I would come back to the lonely train station, sleeping on the cold floor leaning against a hard, cold wall.
I left the things I was carrying in a white bench beside the tub and carefully pulled off my shirt. I entered the bath being careful not to touch my back on the edges and sat in the hot water, first washing my face with clean, warm water. My wound was burning in contact with the warm water and soap, but I really wasn't caring much about the burning as I struggled to make my body as clean as possible. I don't know if I will have another chance of taking a hot bath, so it was better to take advantage of this moment before it all ended. It was some time until I saw the skin on my fingers wrinkling and decided to get out.
I went downstairs already dressed in the set that Rachel had given me and with my dirty clothes in hands. A good smell invaded my nose, and I followed it to the kitchen where the smell was coming from. I approached the door and saw Rachel stuck in a red apron with some yellow and orange flowers, her hair tied in an impromptu ponytail and singing softly some music near the stove. Her image was simply lovely and spread a sense of warmth and comfort, things that I haven't felt in a long time. Like for example someone cooking for me...
I couldn't really figure out her reason for helping me... Maybe she is just really thoughtful like that. After standing there for a moment I cleared my throat, catching her attention. She immediately turned to me, her face on a frightened look and holding her chest with her hands. I just murmured a "sorry, didn't mean to scare you" and waited for her to tell me what to do.
"Here, give them to me." She took the clothes from my arms. I quickly stopped her when I saw her walking out of the kitchen.
"Wait! You can't throw them out, they're all I have! "
"Don't worry, Quinn. I was just putting them to wash later; I would wash now but I don't want to leave my wonderful stew to burn. "
"Oh. Ok. "
"Why don't you sit here while I finish? The stew will be ready in a minute, okay?" She smiled. "But I must warn you not to get too carried away. The stew is simple and it was the only thing I could think of that was fast to make; I thought that you must be hungry and it would be very inelegant leave a hungry person waiting."
"Well... I am pretty hungry." I sat at the table laid for two people and watched Rachel. Watched how smooth and precise her movements were, her steps were light and at the same time hypnotizing as she moved throughout the kitchen. Only after a long time did I notice this graceful woman already sitting in front of me and serving me.
"The sun sets in a bit." Rachel said looking at me. "Where are you from Quinn?"
"I was born here in Lima, but some issues had me elsewhere. I just got back not more than a month ago. "
"Can I ask you why you were sleeping on the train station?"
"How do you know I was sleeping in the train station?" I asked surprised, feeling my face begin to heat up.
"I saw you there." She answered and I noticed she was a little embarrassed. Neither of us said anything for a few seconds while I played with the rest of the stew of potatoes on my plate. "That was the day you recovered my bag, when I arrived home that day I noticed that my agenda wasn't in the bag and with the rush it should have fallen on the train station, so I went back there because she is very important to me. I know Mr. Figgins, the watchman; he let me in and then I saw you. You were in the dark part on the other side of the tracks and was laying on the floor covered with something. I recognized your blond hair." Rachel smiled shyly. "Guess he didn't see you because he can not reach the other side, you know, because of his leg."
"Yeah, I know." I assumed embarrassed for taking advantage of Mr. Figgins and his condition.
"So? You're not going to tell me? "
"I had... some problems." I answered as vaguely as possible averting my eyes from her curious eyes. I felt that Rachel wasn't satisfied with my answer by the disappointment on her face.
IIIIIIIIIII
I felt I could trust Rachel, she gave me this feeling of confidence. There was this calm sense about her that made me feel good. I couldn't explain how she was doing it, but at the same time I kept thinking about what she would do or say if I told her the truth. If I told her that I had killed hundreds of people in an empty war, that I was on leave from the army and had nowhere to drop dead and was living at the train station because a cheater woman had sold my mother's house which was mine by right for an unknown married couple; that I didn't even have a penny in my pocket and had to receive a few bucks from people who thought I was begging money not to die of hunger. That one of the things I asked the most when I layed down on the cold floor of the train station was to be able to take a hot bath again and sleep in a warm bed exactly equal to that sometimes Frannie and I used to share.
No.
I intended not to tell her anything about my miserable life.
"I know I shouldn't be insisting, but what kind of problems?" Rachel crossed her cutlery and then crossed her fingers expectantly.
"Family problems."
"I see that you are not of many words, Quinn. But... well, if you don't want to tell me, all right, I will respect it...but if you ever decide to tell me just know I'll be here to listen you, ok? I will not insist further on the subject." She stood up, taking her dish to her sink. "How about you help me with the dishes now?" Rachel cracked a smile that I just thought was lovely. I then stood and took my dish too.
When delivering her the dish our hands brushed and I could feel again the warmth emanating from Rachel's soft skin as an immediate chill went down my spine. She looked at me smiling sideways and broke our contact. I smiled as she turned away from me and continued washing the dishes. Her skin could be hotter than the summer and softer than silk sheets.
And for the second time since I met Rachel Berry, I asked my stupid brain where I had taken those stupid thoughts about Rachel's skin?!
Well, the answer doesn't really matter to me.
Rachel kept me in her house until the sunset, I was alert because I knew that anytime she would send me away from her house... but she wasn't doing it. The hours passed and she didn't send me away like I thought she would.
One of the things that I caught about Rachel Berry, was that she wouldn't stop talking. Rachel would shoot dozens of words per minute and I would usually find myself distracted when she began to ramble. I watched the movement of her mouth opening and closing, the smile that sometimes framed her slightly pouty lips painted of a pale pink and of the lovely smell of fresh grass she gave off.
I got scared as soon as I realized the hour on the small clock on top of her kitchen door and then I stood up in a hurry, scaring Rachel who was speaking to me about something related to the mayor of Lima.
"Rachel... I need to go." I said afflicted, praying that Mr. Figgins wouldn't close the doors tonight. "I think it's my time to go, you should be wanting to rest and here I am bothering you and not letting you sleep."
"What? No. No, Quinn. I think you misunderstood me." Rachel stood up and stopped in front of me. "When I said I wanted to help you I was serious. And that included not leaving you go back alone in that cold and dark train station. You will sleep here with me today."
I felt my heart speed up a little when I heard her say that I would sleep with her tonight. My incredibly perverted mind didn't miss the double meaning in Rachel's last sentence and felt my cheeks grow warm. Why was I thinking about those things?
"I ... I can't accept, Rachel. You've done so much for me, I can't ask you that anymore."
"Of course you can accept!"
"No, I can't."
"Quinn..." I realized that she was getting a little irritated and her cheeks were flushed. "I want you to stay and I will not take a no for an answer." Rachel said in a tone that clearly meant that the subject was closed.
I snorted a little annoyed for Rachel being so persistent. Why couldn't she just let me go? Why delay the time to say goodbye? Ok, maybe I was being a little dramatic. After a moment of pondering I came to a conclusion; if she wanted myself there, why not stay?
"Okay, but just for tonight." I said defeated and Rachel opened a huge smile.
So stayed in her house. Time passed while Rachel and I talked. In fact, I think she was trying to subtly pull something from me, after all, we were two strangers towards each other. At bedtime Rachel insisted for me to sleep with her since she didn't have another room in the house. I almost rolled my eyes at the thought of what kind of sane person would take a stranger to stay in your house and nonetheless, to sleep in your bed. At the end of the little discussion we had about it Rachel gave in and went to get me some bed sheets, then packed the small living room couch for me although I protested saying that I could do that by myself.
"If you need anything, and I mean anything at all Quinn, don't hesitate to knock the door of my room, ok? So, you already know that the kitchen is over there and the bathroom is upstairs if you need to drink water or feel like using the bathroom in the middle of the night because I usually tend to get anxious when I drink lots of water..."
"Rachel, breathe, okay?" I said with a small smile. "Don't worry about me, I don't want to disturb you."
"No, you will not disturb me! I'm serious Quinn..."
"Ok, I get it. If I need something just ask."
"Ok, Quinn. So... Goodnight."
"Goodnight Rachel."
She still gave me one last worried look before climbing the stairs with hesitant steps. I heard her door close and sat myself on the small couch. I curled up on it, could feel my back throb because of the injury and even though the couch was small I felt comfortable and warm; it was much better than sleeping on a cold floor.
For a moment, I admired Rachel's fireplace that was decorated with some younger pictures of her. Then I covered myself with the blanket Rachel gave me and when the smell of the soft tissue hit me I could smell Rachel Berry's scent all over me. Her perfume made me slightly dizzy. I said prayer before closing my eyes, the smell of Rachel Berry helping me to fall asleep happily.
IIIIIIIII
The next day I woke up sweating and scared after another tormenting nightmare; unpleasant mix between deaths, screams and blood. I was slowly catching my breath tying to call myself down. So much for falling asleep peacefully...
Not long after, Rachel greeted me with a warm good morning smile as she headed to the kitchen.
That day Rachel made me agree to stay for some time in her house; it wasn't like I was very willing to refuse anyways. I just didn't want to bring trouble to her, because I knew that they would happen eventually. Sometimes, I took the moments when she was distracted and studied her.
I noticed the small details in her which were absolutely adorable and sometimes annoying. Like for example the ability she had to insist so much on something that sometimes made me irritated, or even her bossy personality. I knew she was just trying to please me, but I couldn't understand why.
I got lost at nights, lying on the small couch in the living room, wondering how my life had come to this point.
You know what, I take that back... That was a lie.
I lost most of the time thinking about Rachel and remembering our conversations, replaying scenes of our conversations in my head. Sometimes I lose myself, remembering silly things she'd do and smile like a complete idiot.
I helped Rachel with some of the house work, like washing the dishes or watering the plants in the small garden she kept behind the house; I also helped cutting some firewood in the back of the house since it was a rather heavy duty, and Rachel couldn't exactly do it. When I asked what she did to have some firewood she told me she paid a boy named Artie who did that kind of work in the neighborhood. It wasn't a difficult tasks for someone who could carry a heavy backpack with almost twice their weight and still ran with it dodging gunfire, grenades, and other things that I would rather not recall at the moment. I always tried to do everything right to please Rachel, despite the pain because my back injury didn't healed properly and it insisted on giving me some dizziness (I tried to disguise them so that Rachel wouldn't notice).
A week passed, and I was still in the home of Rachel. The nights were getting colder in Lima and Rachel liked it when I lit the fireplace. I was cutting wood with an ax in the backyard, piling the mounds on the floor; grimacing because of the pain lifting the ax caused me. I would smile, imagining the smile that Rachel would give me when she got home and saw that everything was done the way she asked. When I felt the kitchen door slam, I turned, expecting to see Rachel smiling and wearing one of her wonderful dresses. But Rachel wasn't who I saw when I turned around. I freaked out when I saw a tall man wearing a suit and a fine hat on his head approaching me. He took the hat from his head and stared at me annoyed.
"Who are you?" He asked dryly, looking at me from my head to toes. I didn't like his gaze.
"Good morning." I said annoyed, trying to keep my good education. He didn't answer me. "My name is Quinn."
"I didn't ask your name, I asked who you were! What are you doing here in Rachel's house? By the way, where's Rachel? "
I put the ax on the ground and stared at him angrily. I really wanted to punch him right in the middle of his face.
"Why should I answer you? I don't know you, much less know how you got here and what you want with Rachel." I replied defensively.
"Look, girl..."
"Quinn." I growled through clenched teeth. I wasn't liking the way he was treating me, much less the annoyed look he threw me. I nervously played with my shirt. "I said my name is Quinn."
"Look, girl," He said on purpose just to annoy me. "Just tell Rachel that Finn Hudson was here, she'll understand when she get the message." He finished with a smile on his lips and turned away from me without waiting for my response, walking out the kitchen door.
I continued what I was doing, using a little more force than necessary to cut the wood, the pain I felt no longer bothering me. It was when I heard the kitchen door open again I turned around ready to send that Finn Hudson to hell, but then I saw Rachel running in my direction all beautiful and smiling. I was static as she hugged me.
"Quinn! I made it! I made it!" She repeated, throwing her arms around my neck. She released me soon after, straightened her red polka dot ribbon that held her hair back and it also matched the red polka dot dress that hit just below her knees.
"What did you accomplish Rachel?" I asked her smiling and leaning the ax again on the floor.
"A job for you. You were complaining that you didn't want to stay doing nothing while you were here, so today I took the opportunity and went to talk to Burt Hummel, an old friend of my father." Rachel said smiling. I vaguely remember that name. "He owns the Hummel grocery and he's an old man, he needed some help there in the grocery store and I suggested you. If you accept, of course."
"It's ok, Rachel." I smiled without much enthusiasm.
"What? You don't like it? If you don't like I can, maybe..."
"No Rachel, I'll accept it. It's just..." I sighed in defeat.
"Just..."
"It's not that I'm not happy about it, but... you know, I wish I had gotten that job on my own and not because you asked for it."
"Stop being stubborn Quinn, you know that I was only trying to help. And there's nothing wrong with accepting help when it's needed."
"I know, Rachel... but you've already helped me a lot and I don't know how to pay you, I have no way to repay and I really can't understand why you're doing this though you have already said that you just want to help me and return the favor for what I did helping you with your bag. But you're doing much more than that. "
I saw Rachel take a deep breath before looking at me with this serious look.
"Quinn, you know I don't want you to pay me anything. I'm doing this because I want to and I don't expect anything in return, believe me. I know you're confused and I am too. But I want to help you, I feel I must help you. So you will go to the grocery store tomorrow to speak with Mr. Hummel and you will get the job. Period."
"Look, Rachel..." I spent a hand through my hair a little annoyed.
"I'll make lunch in an instant and you can go up and take a shower to get all that sweat off of you." She ignored me and continued talking as she walked back to the kitchen. I realized that Rachel wasn't going to make this easier for me. "I'll make a fast and practical lunch that I know you'll like it."
I let my arms fall around my defeated body. Rachel always got what she wanted from me. I just didn't know if I could resist much more of her persistence with those brown eyes looking at me the way they do when she wanted something from me. I didn't know what was happening to me and didn't even know if I really wanted to find out. Rachel left me intrigued. And I don't know if that was good or bad.
We had lunch almost without exchanging more than ten words and I felt little uncomfortable every time she glanced at me. Then she went to work with the dresses that she'd to sew and sell to the young ladies from Lima to sustain herself. Dresses that seemed to me wonderful, even though she insisted that they were very much simple and were nothing compared to the big and famous designers from New York.
I sometimes found myself imagining Rachel in one of those dresses; twirling at the sound of romantic music with a smile framing her face and happiness in her bright eyes. But then I would quickly recompose myself and attempted to send this picture to the back of my mind and try to concentrate on other things.