CHAPTER 2: OF TIRES AND TRIERS
"Noah said we should meet in front of the school."
"Berry, you put Noah Puckerman in charge of our transportation? Is your brain as small as you are?"
"Ignore her, she's a little cranky," Brittany said cheerfully, steering Santana away. "We couldn't get our sweet lady kisses on."
Santana's protests faded out as Brittany led her to sit on a bench with Quinn, who was reading a book.
"Lord help us all if we're gonna be stuck for three hours with the two of you," Mercedes muttered to Rachel. "How are we getting there anyway?"
"Noah promised transportation and I trust him when he says he can deliver. I expect he'll be arriving soon, although I'm not sure if it can be said that Noah Puckerman is one to adhere to time constraints."
"Don't worry Rach, he'll be here," Finn said confidently patting her shoulder.
Sitting on the bench, Santana grimaced. "Ugh, three hours of watching the man-child and child release their hormones everywhere…I don't know if I can stomach that." She turned to Quinn and smirked. "How do you stop from pouncing on the giant every time he goes near Berry?"
Quinn sighed in exasperation, turning a page and not even sparing Santana a glance. "What are you talking about, Santana? It's too early for your crap, isn't it?"
"You're a good actress, Fabray, but not good enough. Now how about you cut your crap and tell me when you decided you were gay for Berry."
Quinn slammed her book shut, tucked it back into her bag and stalked off.
Brittany frowned. "That wasn't very nice."
"What?" Santana asked irritably. She tried to ignore Brittany's disapproving look and attempted to snuggle into Brittany's shoulder. She frowned as the blonde's shoulder remained stiff and tense. "Can you stop being all...huffy and disapproving while I'm trying to get my cuddle on?"
Brittany remained silent.
"Oh my God!" Santana pushed herself into an upright position. "Fine! I'll go apologise to Quinn!" She stalked to the curb where Quinn had settled, reading her book again. "Quinn?" She cleared her throat, nudging Quinn's rear end with her toe. "Fabray!" she barked. "I'm talking to you!"
"And I don't really have anything to say to you, Santana," Quinn replied shortly, never turning to face her. Santana nudged her again. "Stop that!"
Santana sighed, sitting next to the blonde. She picked a few pieces of gravel off Quinn's backpack. "I know how you feel, you know."
Quinn scoffed, but said nothing else. Santana sighed, but stretched out her legs and admired her shoes. She tapped her feet together, knowing that Quinn could probably see it in her peripheral vision and that it was probably annoying her to no end.
"What do you mean?" Quinn finally asked, her voice wavering on the last word. Santana had never heard Quinn use such a timid voice before.
"She speaks!" Santana said triumphantly. Quinn said nothing and returned to glaring at the book. "OK, look Q. I know- I know what it's like to be so completely terrified of what could happen if I just acted on my feelings. I can't- I can't even begin to think about what my family would say."
"That doesn't stop you from being with Brittany."
"But we're not..." Santana pursed her lips and exhaled loudly. "I can't even put a label on what we are. It's just really complicated."
"Wait, so how do you know how I feel?"
"Have you been listening to me at all? I just said-"
"-I know what you said!" Quinn closed her book and propped her chin on her hand. "I'm just- I don't even know if I'm-"
"-Please, Fabray," Santana drawled, drawing out the syllables. "My gaydar has been going off around you since forever."
Quinn lips curved upwards at that. "I don't know what I'm doing anymore."
"That bad dye job was a sign. I know a cry for attention when I see it."
Quinn snorted, but sobered up immediately. "Do you-" Quinn struggled with what she was going to say for a few moments. "Do you think- I mean, you said you knew how I felt, so…what should I do?"
"As if I know." It was Santana's turn to sigh. "I'm still struggling with Brit, but I – God, I can't believe I'm saying this – I know I want to help you, because you and the hobbit-"
"-Don't call her that!"
"Sorry – the shrimp. You guys are just so hopeless and I'm sick of this weird sexual tension you've got going on."
Quinn's cheeks flared. "We don't have-"
"-You can deny it all you want, but that doesn't stop it from being so completely nauseating every time you guys go at each other's throats."
Quinn ignored that. "Well...she doesn't like me that way." She chanced a glance in Rachel's direction. "And she's really into Finn, so..." she trailed off, realizing how futile all her actions would be.
Santana stared at her incredulously, then violently slapped Quinn's arm. Or punched her. Quinn couldn't tell because the pain spread immediately. "Ouch! Santana, what the hell?!"
"Who are you? Ay dios mio," she muttered. "Aren't you supposed to fight for what you want or something? Isn't that the Fabray thing? Or was I imagining that speech you gave us freshman year when we were in cheer camp?" Quinn shook her head, glancing over at Rachel again. "Jesus Christ, she's ruined you," Santana whispered in a horrified tone.
As if sensing her gaze, Rachel's eyes landed on them, and she said something to Finn before happily skipping - skipping?! - over to where Quinn and Santana were seated.
"Good going Q," Santana muttered.
"I didn't do anything," Quinn whispered back, almost urgently. "Why is she coming here?"
"Yes you did - you looked at her. Ugh, you two are so ridiculous. I'm out." She stood up and glared at Rachel. "Keebler Elf," she said dismissively. She did a double take, a once-over on Rachel's outfit, then scoffed before stalking back to Brittany.
"Hello Quinn," Rachel greeted.
Quinn stifled a smile. "Rachel," she greeted, picking up her book and standing up. Even standing on the curb, Rachel was still shorter than her by a couple inches. "Where's Puck?"
"Arriving shortly." Rachel was practically bursting with excitement. She swung her bag (pink, Quinn thought) back and forth.
"How are you so..." she gestured at Rachel.
"So what?"
"Just...so excited and happy. All the time."
"It's my daily workout routine. I get up at 6 AM each morning to run on my elliptical which is motivated through my exercise playlist. The exercise itself provides endorphins, more commonly known as the happy stuff."
"Most people just enjoy coffee," Quinn pointed out.
"I don't believe in caffeine," Rachel sniffed. "The addiction inhibits the ability to properly function when the high runs out." She beamed at Quinn. "The natural way is much more satisfying and produces better results. That reminds me- I must get Finn out of his coffee addiction."
Quinn hummed in agreement, suddenly uninterested in the conversation.
"Quinn, I had something to ask you actually," Rachel said, nervously clasping her hands together.
"Ask away," was Quinn's immediate response.
Then a roar startled them both out of their conversation. They whipped around to face the source of the noise, which turned out to be a school bus engine being revved as it came around the corner.
"Oh my God," Quinn muttered, just as Rachel cursed Puck beneath her breath.
The bus rolled to a stop in front of them and Puck grinned at them from the window. "Sweet ride, huh?"
"Where- Where- What is this?" Rachel asked uncertainly.
"This, my little Jewish princess, is our transportation."
"You got us a school bus," Quinn said flatly, stepping up next to Rachel. "A school bus. Not to mention, a full-sized one too."
"How did you get it?" Rachel asked.
"Babe-" Quinn stiffened. "-I have many skills-" he raised his eyebrows suggestively, smirking at them. "And hot-wiring any vehicle is one of them."
"You stole this?!" Rachel screeched, while the other Glee club members stood staring at the bus, open-mouthed.
Except Santana who was laughing and already skipping on to the bus.
"Why?" Tina asked timidly.
"Yes, I'd like to know as well. Stop that, Finn," Rachel said sharply as Finn reached up to give Puck a high five.
"I couldn't find an affordable place that could rent us multiple cars and trailers are way too expensive."
"You're so dumb," Quinn said in a monotonous voice. "Come on guys, we might as well just get on the bus before the police chase us down." She grabbed her backpack, one of her duffel bags and to everybody's surprise, Rachel's hand. By the time she realised what she had done, Rachel was staring at her with wide eyes, Finn looked confused, Puck was leering at them, and everybody else looked surprised.
"Quinn-"
"-I, uh-" She quickly dropped Rachel's hand like it was on fire, and then grabbed her other duffel bag. "Sorry," she muttered, sounding quite the opposite, but adding a glare for good measure.
"It's OK," she heard behind her as she quickly boarded the bus. She dumped her bags at the back where Santana had put hers.
Santana was snickering. "Smooth."
"Shut up. I'm tired. It was an accident."
"Yeah, soon you'll accidentally kiss her."
"Shouldn't you be helping Brittany with her bag?"
Santana laughed sarcastically, but got up nonetheless.
Quinn smirked.
"I've compiled a playlist of songs that relate to being on the road. We should sing along and create harmonies. It'll be good practice for when we get there," Rachel chirped as she stood at the front of the bus.
"Stuff a sock in it," Santana snapped, hugging a pillow to her chest and leaning on Brittany's shoulder.
"You know, I've never understood that saying. What does it mean, to stuff a sock where? In my mouth? Because I suppose that would make the most sense."
"Understand this: I'm going to kick your ass."
"Santana, that's hardly appropriate."
"What's hardly appropriate is the ungodly hour you made us all wake up at," she grumbled and the other Glee kids nodded in agreement.
"This is actually really funny," Mercedes noted. Kurt nodded.
"It's like a tennis match," he whispered.
Finn leaned over the back of his seat to glare at Santana. Or attempt to anyway. "Stop picking on Rachel."
"Don't you have little villages and small cities to crush?"
"Why are you so-"
"-Can you both cut it out?" Puck shouted from the front. "I don't think I can drive with you two- you three constantly going at it."
"Why are you driving anyway?" Rachel asked, whirling around. "Shouldn't somebody with more responsibility and respect for the law be driving?"
"What, like you?" Santana asked. "You can't even see over the steering wheel, dwarf." Quinn scowled at Santana, who shrugged in response.
"I'll have you know that I can see perfectly fine."
"You could always sit on my lap," Puck said suggestively. Finn and Quinn glared simultaneously, but the latter went unnoticed by Rachel.
"If you go over the speed limit once, I swear, Noah..."
"Yeah, yeah. Take a seat and let the Puckasaurus deliver you to your destination." Rachel rolled her eyes, but took a seat nonetheless, next to Finn.
"I'm merely trying to develop more team spirit," Rachel piped up again, turning around and looking at Santana.
"I'm merely trying to find the self-control to stop from hitting you. Now stop talking to me," Santana said, waving a hand dismissively. "Actually, just stop talking."
"Life is a highwaaaay, I'm gonna ride it all night long- OUCH! Santana!" Rachel bent down to pick up the shoe.
"Oops, sorry, my foot slipped." Santana sneered at her, gripping the front of her seat and leaning forward. "If you're not careful, that shoe's sister will be somewhere much more painful."
Brittany could only smile apologetically as Santana settled back in her seat.
"Santana, I will not apologize for merely trying to get everybody to participate in vocal exercises."
"I won't apologize for throwing you out the bus."
"I resent that."
"Oh my goodness!" Kurt shrieked. "Both of you shut up! Some of us are trying to relax! It's bad enough that we're going to be with you two for a month." Mercedes patted his arm gently. "I'm sorry, sometimes I go to that angry place." He exhaled slowly.
"I'm surprised Quinn hasn't destroyed Rachel yet," Mercedes commented. They both chanced a glance at the back where Quinn was sitting by herself and reading, seemingly ignorant of everything that was happening.
"I'll give her two weeks," Kurt murmured. "Hm, maybe three weeks until she cracks."
"Is this a bet?"
"Yes!"
"What's on the line?"
"Limited edition Whitney CDs. I have one and you have the other. The winner gets the loser's copy." Kurt grinned. "What's your wager?"
"Fine, I bet that after three weeks, her and Rachel will be best of friends."
"Are you serious?" Kurt asked incredulously. "This is Quinn Fabray and Rachel Be-"
"What are you two whispering about?" Rachel's voice sounded from right beside them. They jumped, looking up at her in surprise.
Mercedes recovered first. "We're betting on how long it'll take for Quinn to beat you up."
"That's not fair! You're not supposed to tell her!"
Rachel for once did not have anything to say and merely walked back to her seat, shaking her head.
"Noah! SLOW DOWN!" Rachel screeched for the twentieth time.
"Shut up!" Santana yelled. "Seriously Berry, shut the hell up!"
"Noah is exceeding the speed limit like some dare devil-"
"-I'm only going five miles over! I'm trying to get us there faster!"
"Berry, one more word and I swear-"
"That's five miles too fast!" Rachel said shrilly.
"Finn!" Puck whined. "Finn, seriously man, come and take care of your girlfriend." He narrowed his eyes at Rachel through the mirror. "And by 'take care', I mean find some way to shut her up."
Finn snored from somewhere in the middle of the bus.
"Come on," a quiet voice said. Rachel's eyes whipped up to meet Quinn's. "There are empty seats near the back. You know, far away from the front," she teased.
"Why? Who's going to monitor Noah's driving?"
"Nobody. That's the point." Quinn closed her hand around Rachel's forearm and pulled her up. "Let's go."
"Quinn!" she whined, using her other hand to attempt to push Quinn's off her arm.
Quinn gently pushed Rachel into a seat sat herself firmly next to her, ignoring the way Santana was grinning at her like the Cheshire cat. "Finn's sleeping. Guess you're stuck with me," she said, trying to be cheerful.
Rachel fidgeted around, huffing every now and then. "First Noah steals a bus, then he speeds down the freeway. It's almost as if he wishes to intentionally incarcerate all of us."
"I'm sure he means no such thing," Quinn said, pulling her book out of her bag.
Rachel sighed. She noticed the way Quinn had immersed herself in her book, such that her brow furrowed in concentration. "What are you reading?" she asked, leaning over Quinn's arm.
Quinn shivered and moved away little. "Uh, Bridge to Terabithia. I know it's considered more of a children's book," she admitted, fighting back a blush. "But it's really good. You've probably watched the movie."
"No," Rachel said, leaning over again and trying to see the words on the page. Quinn willed herself to stay still. "So what's it about?"
"I'm surprised you're interested," Quinn said raising an eyebrow.
"If you're going to kidnap me, you should at least entertain me," Rachel pointed out.
Quinn rolled her eyes, but smiled. She flipped through a few pages, before closing the book and settling on looking at the cover. "This is my favorite book. Maybe you should read it. I don't know if I can do it justice."
"Quinn!"
"OK, OK!" Quinn laughed, settling back down in her seat, allowing Rachel to lean over her again to pluck the book from her hands. "Well, it's centered around this boy named Jesse. He's really artsy and stuff at the beginning, but also really angry and scared and- and kind of depressed." Quinn cleared her throat a little. "Then- Then he meets this girl, Leslie, who changes his life."
Rachel brought her eyes up to meet Quinn's. "How?" she asked quietly.
Quinn looked slightly dazed and confused. "How what?"
"How does Leslie change his life?"
"Oh! Um, well, she basically shows him that...he should be a stronger person and a braver person. She makes him want to be different- to be good."
"What happens at the end?" Rachel asked in a whisper, unconsciously leaning closer.
Quinn blinked and jolted out of the Rachel-induced haze she was in. "Y-you have to read the book to find out."
"No!" Rachel gripped Quinn's arm frighteningly fast. "No! Quinn, tell me! I need spoilers! Tell me!"
Quinn winced at Rachel's nails, wrapping her own hand around Rachel's wrist. "Rachel-"
"-Please?"
"No," Quinn said firmly. She managed to extract her arm just as the bus lurched to a stop. She instinctively reached for the seat in front of her to brace herself, while it appeared Rachel's instinct was to shriek and grab the closet living thing.
"Noah!" Quinn winced at the increased volume due to Rachel's sudden proximity to her.
"Sorry!" he called back, over the groans and grumbles of the sleep-befuddled glee club and Santana who was cursing in Spanish. "Almost missed the red light!"
"You- you can let go of me now," Quinn whispered.
Rachel quickly unwound her arms from around Quinn's shoulders. "My apologies," she said hastily. "I didn't mean to um-"
"-Hug me like I was the last person on earth?" Quinn suggested.
"Well, yes." Rachel frowned. "Wait, I'm not done. Please tell me what happens at the end, Quinn."
Quinn sighed, picking up her book from where it had fallen. She smoothed out a few of the dog-eared corners. "Here," she said, handing the book to Rachel. "You can read it. I've read it so many times, so it's probably about time somebody else read it."
Rachel sighed. "Oh, alright. But only because I want to find out what happens." She set the book in her lap before turning back to Quinn. "I've only just remembered that I had a question to ask you, Quinn."
"Oh, right! Well, what was it?"
"I just-" Rachel raised her fingers to her chin, tapping thoughtfully. "Hm. I would like you to be honest with me. It's a very important question and will determine my fate this summer and the rest of my life."
Quinn's heart pounded almost painfully. "Go ahead. You can ask."
"Quinn, do you think I should ask Finn out?"
Quinn's heart dropped painfully. "Oh- I, uh-"
"-I understand this might be a sore topic for you, but you did say that you were not jealous of me-"
"-I'm not," Quinn muttered.
"-So that's why I thought you might be able to give me the best answer."
Quinn was quiet for a few moments, turning to face the front again, replaying Santana's words over and over in her head.
"-Quinn?"
"Honestly?"
"Yes, that would be preferable."
"Why are you asking me this?"
"We're...we're friends right?"
"Yes," Quinn said instantly, ignoring how vulnerable Rachel had sounded.
"I trust you, Quinn," Rachel said simply. "I just...know you'll help me make the right decision."
"OK," Quinn sighed. "OK. Honestly? I think-" you could do so much better "-that if he's really what you want, and the person that makes you happy-" but he shouldn't be "-then go for it. Ask-" me "-him out."
Rachel stared at her for a very long time. Or it felt like a very long time.
"I- thank you," she said quietly. "Do you mind if I leave now? I think we're almost there, and I promise not to yell at Noah again."
Quinn stood, allowing Rachel to leave. She didn't bother watching her slide into the seat next to Finn.
Santana and Brittany moved into the seat in front of Quinn. She turned her attention away from the window to return their stare.
"We saw Rachel go to Finn," Brittany said sadly.
"What did you do, Q?" Santana asked.
"Nothing." Santana raised an eyebrow. "OK, well, she asked to borrow a book and I let her borrow it, then she asked whether she should be the one to ask Finn out."
"What happened? What did you say?" Santana asked quietly.
"Which book was it?" Brittany asked instead.
"Bridge to Terabithia." Quinn shrugged. "She wanted to know what happened with, um, Jesse and Leslie."
"What happened?" Santana repeated, more forcefully. Quinn contemplated what to say.
"He loses her," Brittany said very quietly, surprising them.
Santana watched Quinn carefully before turning to Brittany. "You've read that?"
"I thought it was a treasure map to another world."
Quinn merely returned her gaze to the window, thinking that Brittany's response couldn't be more right.
- review? :)