Chapter 3.

Thank you to everyone for the Story Alerts and to everyone taking some to read this story. Beta reader required! If anyone is up for this, do let me know. In the mean time, I apologize for all the mistakes, I am working hard on not making them! Read and Review please :)


I've been crazy busy. With the assignments I picked up at the school's newspaper, exams coming up and essays due all through the next few weeks, I have more than enough than I can deal with at the moment. Thanksgiving is around the corner and then its Christmas break. While some of us are just going home, I think Mike's thinking about traveling a little, he's been talking about Mexico nonstop. I'd love to come along, yes, but I also need some time to relax, do nothing, and see the family, of course. And then I have been thinking about Rachel… but the NYU geographical distribution doesn't play in my favor. Though may be it does, because we have obviously not bumped into each other just yet. Either way, I have been drowning myself with work very much on purpose and Mike soon notices.

"Look Q, whatever you have going on inside that head of yours, just let it go", he starts saying while we sit in a little coffee shop near by the dorm. "What if we call Santana this weekend, may be her and Britt would up for a visit"

"Finals, winter break"

"Right, look, you haven't been yourself lately. You are actually kind of annoying me". He smiles, I know he's joking, but it's true. I've been all weird and negative lately.

"I know, I'm sorry"

"How about we go out tonight? Rob told me about a party at his friend's house, close to the park. I promise not to get too drunk and we can have a good time"

"Could be…" I do want to go, but I am not sure I'm up for a party.

"Well, what about a birthday party? Those are always fun"

"Whose birthday party is it?" I have learned to enquiry, with Mike sometimes you don't know what he might be up to.

"John texted me today, he's turning 22. Can you believe that?"

"God, we're old.

"I know: so should we go, have some fun and forget the clock is actually ticking?"

"Don't know. The idea of seeing Rachel makes me feel funny and I'm not sure if it's funny good"

"You know? Just because you didn't ask for her number, doesn't mean you screwed up or that you can't be friends or that it'll be awkward forever. And I feel funnier about everyone getting older"

"I know, I know"

"So? Are we going or what?"

"I want to say yes, but…"

"No buts, look, I get it. You feel like you lost your change with her or whatever it is. But you could use a friend, a cool and good one. And hey, forget about numbers, Facebook, Quinn Fabray!"

"No, I mean, if I can't ask for her number then we probably shouldn't be Facebook friends"

"Don't be so strict". I look at him, I want to go to the party and yes, it's probably just me and my crazy head, thinking that things with Rachel are weird. I mean, we only met once after all.

"Just because you are a professional stalker…" I say anyway. I like to mess around sometimes.

"Q… we promised not to talk about that anymore". We laugh some more, I don't know what would I do without him, secretly I hope he never gets a girlfriend so I can keep him for myself. Minus the sex part, we're great together.

"Yo', Earth to Quinn", he snaps at me, "look at me, we're going to go the party, we're having a few drinks. You are gonna see Rachel, get over yourself, deal with your stuff and move on, comprende?"

"Sí, whatever, let's do it. I'm far too young to be this stressed"

"Indeed".

I miss Santana. Even though I love having Mike here, it'd be great to have her here as well. Some days I just need a different type of support and some rough love. See, my friend's really feisty, crazy and sometimes a little aggressive, but she knows what she wants. At least she does now. It took us all sometime to really figure it out. But she came out first, and then she helped me and the world was a brighter place. She never gives up, not without a fight. When we were in High School life was not always easy, but she managed to get around. She always helped me out and taught me how to stand up for myself and live a little, I used to be super uptight but she showed me how to let go and just have fun. Especially when you're in high school, you feel like you're running out of time when, in fact, you're actually just starting to live. Santana, or as Mike calls her, Satan, has a special place in my heart, just like I know I have some in hers, though she'll never admit to that. She's like Hulk in The Avengers, when he pushes Thor right after they won a fight. That's her.


John's apartment is nothing like I pictured in my head. It's an open space with a big balcony, there's a DJ blasting some music, some people are dancing and drinking on the place where the living room/dinner should be. The kitchen is behind a closed door where I can see some people standing and talking. There's a hallway and a door.

"The door leads you to the bathroom, the hallway to my room", John tells us as we walk into the party. We bring some beer, but I see it was actually not necessary. "There are jelly shots in the kitchen; we have all kinds courtesy of my band mates, and of course you'll find them there. The DJ will be here all night, though I am sure some crazy child will want to perform live… and well, it's some people from school, from Shade, from everywhere, so go ahead guys, mingle"

"Don't mind if we do", replies Mike, handing me a beer. "Hey, let's go to the kitchen". I nod, the place is crowded, although I am sure that a lot of these people don't even know who John is, but he doesn't seem to mind. He is now talking to some tall blonde woman, really pretty. We walk into the kitchen and see Rachel sitting on the counter, with her back to us. Leo and Taylor are standing in front of her, laughing and talking. They recognize us.

"Hey guys", says Taylor first, "welcome to one of the best parties ever. All the cool artsy kids from the city will be here… and then there's us. Come here!" he yells.

We walk towards them; Rachel is already standing up next to him and hugs me when I get closer.

"Oh, God! It's so good to see you", she tells me not letting go. Then she takes a step back, "I thought you were gone for good"

"Rach, don't be so dramatic", says Taylor putting her arm around her shoulders, "she has been talking about you two non-stop this week. She made sure John had invited you to the party and I am sure she was this close to sending a search party to look for you if you guys didn't show up tonight", he finishes while she blushes.

"I didn't think we were that interesting", Mike replies. I am blushing as well and I don't know why. He takes one of the jelly shots, I know he's trying to dissipate whatever awkward mood was going on in the kitchen.

"Man, those are good", Leo says taking one for himself, "come everyone, we have vodka, tequila, whatever you like". I take a red one. "Vodka, good choice… come on Rach, here's a green one for you". I am pretty sure those are the tequila ones. I'll try to stay away from those. We start chitchatting about life and school and where everyone's from. They are not surprised to learn Mike and I once dated, but they seem a bit shocked when I tell them I'm gay.

"Hey, it's cool", Leo explains, "it's… I don't know why are we surprised, we shouldn't assume things from people". Rachel is looking at me, like staring.

"It's great, if you ask me. Man, Quinn, we should go party some time. I mean, we all should", Taylor says.

"Isn't that kinda what we're doing now?", I ask. They all laugh and we carry on with conversations. There's some heavy drinking going on, but actually a lot of fun.

"So, are you two single?", Leo inquires while John joins the conversation.

"Yes, we are", replies Mike taking another jelly shot.

"Mike was dating a really nice girl, but she was a exchange student…", I explain. I don't know why I started talking about his love life, thankfully, he doesn't seem to mind.

"Yeah, I mean, we knew it'd be complicated, but we gave it a shot", he says.

"That's great, that you took the chance", John adds.

"What about you?", Rachel asks. I hesitate for a second and Mike looks at me and smiles.

"I had a girlfriend, we were together for a year and broke up about seven months ago. It was hard and tough. But yeah, it was good while it lasted"

"And you haven't been dating since?", that's Rachel again.

"I… well, not really. Not properly"

"Well, maybe it's about time", John replies, "may be we'll find you a nice girl here". They all nod and then Leo starts pointing at some girl that's standing on the other side of the kitchen. I smile.

"Come on, guys, not right now", I blush.

"Alright, let's get out of here", Taylor says, "let's move to the living room and dance a little."

We all go, the living room is even more crowded, is that even possible? The DJ's playing some electro music, and everyone is just dancing and having fun. So we all get on the dance floor and start dancing. Mike's an incredible dancer and to my surprise, so is Taylor. Leo and I are alright, Rachel of course is amazing and John is a terrible dancer, but he has a great attitude and we're just goofing around. This is what I needed, just to go out and have fun. But then I feel the need for some fresh air, so I just walk to the balcony, "I'll be right back", I tell Mike. The others don't seem to mind and carry on with the dancing.

The view is pretty cool. It's cold but not too much, I can manage just fine without my jacket. I am sipping my beer and trying to relax. Tonight's going great. Granted, I can't really stop looking at Rachel, but I think I'll be fine and we could all definitely be good friends.

"Hey", says a voice coming from the door, "now who's going to freeze to death?"

"Hi", I reply looking at her. She's handing me my jacket and I put it on. "Thank you".

"I wouldn't want you to get sick"

"Yeah, why is that?"

"I care"

"Why?"

"Are you always this weird about people caring about you?"

"Sorry, self preservation? These are my natural reflexes"

"What ever happened to you?", she asks laughing. "But really, you should know people actually care about other people"

"I know", I try hard not to stop looking at her, I also need to move on from things past, my ex, being hurt. Not necessarily with Rachel, but just by talking about these things. "It's just hard for me, to talk about how I feel. And then after what happened with my ex, it got even harder. You know? She knew almost everything there's to know about me and then we were done…"

"I understand, but you have to eventually trust in the world again, you know? It'd hard but doable. I've been there"

"You have?"

"Of course, I mean, most people here have been in love and gotten their hearths broken. It's bound to happen. But hopefully, someday at some point, you'll find the person that will make you whole and will actually stay"

"You really think so? And I don't mean it in a bad way, I just mean… do you truly believe that?"

"I do, I am a hopeful romantic"

"So I see… but yes, I am working on things. I feel much better, you know? School's really well, I have amazing friends and I think I have met some really good and cool friends now"

"Oh, I know, and we're here to stay", she winks. "Now, let's exchange numbers once and for all, and Quinn... let's be Facebook friends?"

"Oh, only if we must... and then may be we could stop from having conversations at people's balconies". She punches me lightly in the arm and smiles.

"Only if we must"


Thank you for reading! Please review this chapter? Thank you!