Author's Note:
So, I kind of rushed their relationship but I don't want this story to be too dreadfully long and, if I go with how I have it planned, I still have a lot to cover. Rest assured that this story will NOT be getting boring after this. I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews and their subscriptions so far. I'd also like to apologize for the wait. The last chapter left me feeling shitty and afterwards, I got sick and the story was pushed to a nice little corner of my mind. But, it's here now and I'm working a new fanfiction. So, if you like Grey's Anatomy, keep an eye out.
All my love,
Dietcokeandcigarettes.
"I don't remember much until right before and after graduation. I remember Finn and I finally making it official that not only was our engagement off but our relationship was ended as well. He was quiet when I told him and merely nodded before walking away. I, on the other hand, wasn't quite so composed. I cried, as I had ever since the day he walked out of my room. My face crumpled up in that ugly way that you once told me had always broken your heart," Rachel broke off as Quinn's eyelid twitched ever so slightly. It was just enough to give her hope and, when nothing followed that precious and tiny movement, she felt incredibly disappointed. She blocked the disappointment from getting to her and continued with her story.
"And you? Well, during that time you sang the sweetest songs, met me with the deepest and most confusing gazes, and studied harder than I ever thought possible for you. It was crazy. It was like you changed so completely. You got into Yale, Lucy. You got into Yale and I got into NYADA. The entire Glee Club threw a party for everyone. As a sort of farewell, I suppose. We were all graduating and taking that first step into the 'real' world. I personally thought the party was traced with a little too much nostalgia for me. The thought of leaving the Club and everyone in it upset me. And I showed it. I sang a song. No, I don't remember which. This is the part where you normally jump in and remind me. You tell me the name of the song, the original singer, and how silly you thought I was for singing it. And then, you tell me how passionate I was and how you sat, enthralled, until the very end."
She smiled and nodded slightly. How many times had they told this story together? Late at night when they were cuddled in bed, in the morning while they drank their coffee, and when their newer friends asked them how they met and how their relationship started. Rachel would reach over and bring one of Quinn's hands to her lap, intertwining their fingers. Quinn would lean into Rachel and get that obnoxiously cute little smile on her face. And then Rachel would start the story, with Quinn jumping in and adding little things Rachel had forgotten or found slightly embarrassing. They'd make their friends 'awh' over their more than adorable story and the sickeningly cute way in which they told it. But now, she was alone. She was alone and telling it to the girl that was normally sitting with her head nestled in Rachel's shoulder and her thumb rubbing small and soothing circles on the back of Rachel's hand. This was wrong. This was all so wrong.
But, at the same time, it was right. It was right to be sitting by the love of her life's bed, reliving every wonderful, heart-breaking, and infuriating moment of their relationship. It was right that, even though Rachel was worried to death about Quinn and questioning if she'd wake up or if Rachel would someday have to give the damning command to pull the plug, she be sitting here telling this story. After all, if the roles were reversed, would Rachel not want Quinn to at least try to get her to remember?
"That party that was supposed to be an epilogue, to tie up all the loose ends, was actually a prologue for the next book. I never expected a party that was supposed to serve as a 'good-bye' to turn into a 'hello' for you and me."
Rachel had sat with Mercedes and Kurt nearly the entire party. Mercedes had rattled on and on about how excited she was for the future. She had plans. She had big plans of traveling before settling down and getting somewhere in the music industry. While she was just as big a diva as the other two settled in on the plush couch, she didn't see herself on Broadway or acting, really. She wanted to sing. She wanted to spend her life belting out the best tunes. And hells yes, she was going to make her dreams come true.
While Mercedes filled one ear with all of her wonderful plans, Kurt filled her other with how much fun they were going to have at NYADA. They would be together. At least two of the divas will get to stick together. He rambled on and on about the joys they were going to have exploring the new territory together and how they were going to set NYADA on fire.
And as they spoke, she listened. She tried to listen and she tried to respond when appropriate, but she was finding it more than a little difficult. Finn and Quinn were dancing. She knew that Quinn wasn't interested and that she had never really been interested in Finn for anything more than popularity. But, it didn't help the surge of jealousy she felt. It didn't help the way her fists clenched and unclenched in her lap and it definitely didn't stop the lump rising in her throat.
His hands were on her waist and he was meeting her eyes. He wasn't looking over her shoulder or even at his extremely clumsy feet but in her eyes. Their lips were moving in turn as they spoke to each other and she wondered what they were discussing. When Quinn's eyes flickered to her before returning to Finn and speaking, Rachel naturally assumed they were talking about her. She felt herself blush at the thought. What were they saying? Nothing good, of course. But, still, what could Finn have to say about her that Quinn would actually jump in on?
She and Quinn had never been the best of friends. They had never really gotten along and Rachel never really expected them to. But she thought Quinn had matured quite a bit and was too mature to still pick up on idle gossip. Of course, gossip is amusing and it never really loses its charm. After all, isn't that why there are magazines? It would just really shock Rachel if Finn and Quinn were actually sitting around, gossiping about her.
"Damn girl's ignoring us!" Mercedes voice brought Rachel out of her paranoia and caused her to look at the girl in question.
"I am not," Rachel said, crossing her arms and meeting Mercedes' eyes. "I was merely…appreciating my surroundings."
Mercedes rolled her eyes. "I thought you were over the giraffe."
Rolling her eyes at the pointed look and accusatory tone, Rachel shrugged and leaned back into the cushion. "'Cedes. I love Finn. Just because we're not engaged—or dating, for that matter—doesn't mean that I don't love him," she looked at Finn and felt Kurt lay his head on her shoulder. He was giving support and she laid her head slightly on top of his, breathing in the companionship she felt with the two. "It doesn't just go away."
Mercedes sighed at the softly spoken sentence, suddenly melancholy. Rachel wasn't oblivious and she noticed the change in the mood. She lifted her head quietly and took Mercedes' hand, giving her a sympathetic smile. She wasn't the lonely girl with no friends anymore. Now, while her dreams stayed as big as ever, she was greeted with smiles and friendly words from her new friends. She spent her days at school happily and her nights at home with the knowledge that while she didn't really have a true best friend, she did have people she could look to for kind words and smiles that made the days seem wonderful.
"Ladies," Kurt's voice broke through Rachel's thoughts and she lifted her head as he moved his from her shoulder. "It's a party. Why the hell are we sitting here like the wax models they'll make of us someday instead of having a good time?" He jumped up, grabbing their hands and pulling them with him. They giggled and started dancing, outrageously at first. The dancing calmed when Blaine came up and placed his hands on Kurt's hands. As Kurt gave in to his wine cooler and began to dance in a way that made Rachel more than a little uncomfortable, Sam came up and playfully bowed to Mercedes, leading her into giggles and a dance. And, like that, Rachel felt secluded. She quietly backed away from the two couples and towards the bar, where she picked up a wine cooler of her own.
She had never been much of a drinker. Most of the time, she avoided anything with even a little bit of alcohol. But it was a party and she was alone. So, she drank. She didn't figure it would take too long for her to get pleasantly drunk and she wasn't wrong. Before long, she was giggling by herself, swaying to the music. The people spun around her and the room almost seemed like a rollercoaster, tilting and rocking. It made her giggle and she let herself give way to the music. She continued dancing in rhythm, her hips moving softly to the slower song until it ended, giving way to a much faster one.
That was when, as her hips gained speed and her head lolled back, she felt the soft hands grab her hips and pull her into the arms of the last person she would have expected. Her brown eyes found the other person's hazel eyes and she giggled drunkenly before drunkenly trying to jump back.
"Quinn!" She said, her voice slurring. Quinn's hands were still gripping her hips and Rachel momentarily found herself feeling safe knowing that the blonde wasn't letting her go. Quinn smirked at her and Rachel knew she had to be drunk. There was no way Quinn would be anywhere near her if she wasn't extremely drunk.
"I just wanna dance," Quinn stated, spinning Rachel around and pulling her closer. Once space was completely inexistent between the two of them, Quinn pinched Rachel's right side. "Dance with me, Rachel."
Rachel let her wine coolers come into play. She started moving her hips. Hesitantly, at first, but she gained confidence after Quinn didn't push her away. Quinn's hands slithered up her sides, grazing the sides of her breasts and she fought not to jump. She kept her hips swaying innocently at first but, with that touch, she started grinding against the girl she normally considered her enemy.
This was weird. This was weird and wrong and it shouldn't be happening, should it? No, no, it shouldn't. Quinn's hands shouldn't be touching her and she definitely should be grinding her ass up against the cheerleader's front. But when Quinn's hands started to creep up underneath her shirt, Rachel dismissed all the pesky thoughts and reached up to wrap her hands in Quinn's hair. And, with Quinn's hands always touching Rachel and Rachel's hands entangled in Quinn's hair, they were anchored together.
Rachel didn't stop to think how wrong this all was and how crazy this night was turning out to be. She told herself she was drunk and went with it. She didn't care that Puck was staring at them and licking his lips. She didn't care that Finn and Sam were looking at them with jealousy. Finn's jealousy was clearly directed at Rachel while Sam's seemed to be directed not only at the blonde Rachel was dancing against, but also the diva dancing beside them in her skinny jeans and furry boots. Santana and Brittany's eyes followed their dancing until Brittany broke eye contact to whisper something in Santana's ear, leading to them both standing from their perch on a bar stool and leaving the crowd.
"Pity you've wasted all this time dancing with Finn," Quinn's voice whispered in her ear. "He's terrible. You're pretty good, though. Could never tell with the Ape Man lurking over you."
Rachel turned in Quinn's hands and sent her a quizzical look. "You've watched me dance before?"
Quinn just shrugged and smirked a little, not caring to deny or confirm. They stood there for awhile, Rachel staring into Quinn's eyes while Quinn tried to keep their hips swaying to the music, until a giggle bubbled up in Rachel's stomach. When the drunken giggle finally slipped out from between the brunette's lips, her head fell forward to rest lightly on Quinn's shoulder, falling dangerously close to falling on the blonde's chest.
She closed her eyes, still giggling manically. Her mind barely registered Quinn's arms wrapping around her tightly, holding her close. She felt protected suddenly and she savored the warmth of the feeling. To feel protected, even if there was no love in the act. Quinn smelled like lavender with a hint of something more…exotic. Plus the strawberry wine coolers she had had, of course. Anyways, she smelled good and Rachel breathed in deep, letting the scent drown her. The laughter having subsided, she clung to the other girl, not wanting to move from this spot. Quinn kept them swaying and Rachel was slowly beginning to sober up, at least enough to grasp the oddness of her current situation. She couldn't say that she was drunk and hadn't thought the closeness of Quinn was odd. She suddenly wished for another alcoholic drink in her hand.
She didn't want to give this moment up. The warmth, the comfort, the ease, the sheltered feel of it all—it was all so new and refreshing to her. She didn't want to give it up just yet. With Finn, she had felt loved but never true comfort. He was tall and awkward, making any type of cuddling extremely difficult. He didn't know how to hold her, how to make her feel protected and cared for. And with Puck, his arms had given her an undeniable feeling of comfort and warmth but as far as protection went, he had never given her that. She never felt protected with him, feeling instead wary, afraid he would decide she wasn't fun anymore. And Jesse? Jesse gave her it all but she had never trusted him and, as a result of such, didn't feel quite as comfortable as she had felt with Puck and Finn.
She thought it weird that she had automatically began comparing Quinn's embrace to that of her ex-boyfriends. She had never even considered comparing it with the hugs of her friends. She felt, in a way, guilty for automatically comparing Quinn's innocent hug to those of the guys she had been romantically involved with. To remedy the mental fluke, she thought of the hugs she had shared with her friends. Few and far between, all the hugs had given her was a sense of respect and acceptance. This, while being something she wasn't used to, didn't quite measure up to the wonderful feelings she was gathering from Quinn's embrace.
Quinn's arms around her left her with a feeling that she couldn't describe. It was more like multiple feelings, all fighting for dominance. She felt like Tinkerbell. For once, it wasn't to reference that she needed applause to live. This time it was that she felt too small to adequately express more than one emotion at once. She was too tiny, too small, and too little to express all the emotions dueling in her head. Or heart? Which would it be, really? Her head was telling her that she was being a complete dumbass while her heart was telling her that there was no way in hell she was imagining all of this.
She pulled away hesitantly and smiled inwardly when she felt Quinn's arms fall and rest on her hips, loosening but not letting her go. Meeting the taller girl's eyes, she wondered how she was supposed to word the question floating about in her head. Luckily, Quinn read her face and smirked, shrugging yet again.
"Damn it, Quinn," Rachel's voice slurred a little, the effects of the drinks still fading slowly. "Stop shrugging. Why are you hugging me? You hate me. Or, at least, don't especially like me."
"Oh, stop. You're drunk. As am I. I can hug whoever the hell I want, and tonight, you just happen to be that lucky girl."
Rachel put on her best pouty face at Quinn's words, pretending to be hurt. "I just happen to be the lucky girl? I feel special," She said as she pulled herself out of Quinn's arms, much to the other girl's displeasure.
"Rachel, I…" Quinn was interrupted by Puck, who walked over to give her and Rachel an appreciative and lusty once-over.
"How drunk are you two?" He asked, and Rachel knew exactly what he was thinking. It wasn't the first time he had proposed a threesome to Quinn. Rachel normally heard his comments and gritted his teeth. She had thought he had changed a lot, especially after his tryst with Shelby but, once he cut his hair, it seemed it was right back to his old ways. His hair must have been the only thing taming him. Rachel found it kind of ironic, as his hair was far from tame.
"Not that drunk," Quinn responded, sending him a glare as she crossed her arms. Sometimes Rachel found herself wondering about Quinn and Puck. They seemed to be so…rocky. It was like they couldn't decide what they wanted to be and so they settled for something similar to frenemies. Only, there was Beth to add in to the equation. From what Rachel understood, both Quinn and Puck still had something to do with their daughter, even if it wasn't as major as actually raising her. Quinn took her shopping every so often; spoiling her baby with dresses and teddy bears that Shelby was smart enough not to go overboard on. Quinn enjoyed spending her money on the little girl though and, more often than not, ended up blowing all her money on little trinkets. Puck, on the other hand, treated Beth to ice creams and fun days at the park. Admittedly, he somewhat used Beth to meet new women but, after realizing that most women he found attractive thought that a baby was a sort of anchor, he dropped the 'I'm a great daddy' act and instead focused on spending time with the daughter that wasn't technically his. So, yes, Rachel would say they got along for the most part. Though it wasn't the type of friendship you see on TV or in the movies or the kind you read about in books.
"What a shame. Last time you drank this much, you were 'that drunk'," Puck said, shooting low as a result of the drinks and rejection. He had never handled rejection of any kind particularly well.
"Yeah, well, things sure have changed since the 'last time', haven't they?" Quinn shot back, sparing Rachel a quick glance before returning her eyes to Puck and nailing him with a cold glare.
"They have. Well, really, you have. I'm still a manwhore. Only difference is, you went from the hot dog to the bun," He lowered his voice and leaned in close. Rachel could feel Quinn tense, probably preparing for the harsh and nasty comment sure to fly out of his mouth. "Guess I really do make those good girls go bad. Or, at least go les."
Quinn grit her teeth together and Rachel's eyes widened in shock at Puck's audacity and anticipation of Quinn's response. Rachel knew that was a soft spot with Quinn. Not only did it bring back memories of her pregnancy and Beth, but she also hated anyone thinking that anyone, Puck especially, had made her 'go gay'. But Quinn said nothing and, as Puck walked away, Rachel couldn't keep herself from doing something no one really expected. Rachel stood up for Quinn Fabray.
"You're just scared."
Puck froze and turned to meet Rachel's accusatory eyes. After a moment, he chuckled and ran a hand over his head. "What'd you say, Princess?"
"You're scared. Quinn's going to get all your girls. Because, really, with a girl like Quinn, a guy like you doesn't stand a chance," She said, her voice not slurring anywhere near as much as it had been earlier. She turned towards Quinn and took her hand, interlocking their fingers and pulling Quinn close to her. Puck's eyes widened and Rachel resisted the urge to laugh at the comical result.
"I've dated you. And, to be completely honest, holding Quinn's hand feels far better than yours. Hugging Quinn feels much better than hugging you," She bit her lip, knowing that to really finish this statement, she has to go all the way. She turned Quinn towards her and leaned in, her head turned slightly, until their lips touched. She didn't hesitate in intensifying the kiss, trying desperately to prove her point. With one hand still holding Quinn's, she let the other come up to cradle Quinn's face. A grin came to her lips when Quinn wrapped her free arm around Rachel's waist, pulling her close. And, as she pulled away and faced Puck, Rachel tried to fight the little thoughts sparking up in the back of her mind. Painfully aware of the staring eyes of everyone around her, she gulped before speaking. "And she kisses way better. So, I believe you're scared and for damned good reason. With Quinn Fabray around, your 'manwhore' days are over."
Admittedly, Santana would have done a much better job at telling him off. Hell, Brittany could have probably done a better job. But she was satisfied with her work and when she pulled Quinn away from the crowd of now-still bodies, it was with a satisfied smirk on her lips. She kept leading Quinn away until they were in a guest bedroom; the two of them perched on the bed with more than enough space between them.
Quinn's eyes were focused on the floral bedsheet and Rachel's were studying the blonde's face, waiting for Quinn to decide to break the silence. But, since Quinn had apparently decided to brush up on her mime skills, Rachel took the lead and opened her mouth to hesitantly break the silence.
"Sorry," She muttered quietly, not wanting to speak too loud in case of eavesdropping ears, "for kissing you, I mean. I shouldn't have done it."
"Yeah. It's okay. I mean, you were proving a point, right?" Quinn said, looking up inquiringly before returning her gaze to its previous spot on the bed.
"Right."
"Okay then. No big, then," Quinn's voice was quiet and she hesitated slightly before continuing speaking. "Besides, it's not like you're an awful kisser. I mean, your breath was fresh so that's always a plus. And you didn't break my neck, either."
Rachel giggled a little, glad to hear that she wasn't as bad as she had feared. She was a bit self-conscious when it came to any type of PDA. No matter how many times she kissed Finn or Puck or Jesse or even Blaine, she was just never certain that her kissing skills were up to par.
"Did you see Puck's face?" She asked, her giggles subsiding. It was weird to laugh like this in front of Quinn. It was something she had never expected. But, she had to admit, it was nice. She felt comfortable. She didn't feel like she was being judged for once. It was weird but extremely nice. She liked it.
"Oh my God. His face was priceless. Damn, Berry. That was the last thing I would have expected from you."
"The last, really?"
"Nah. The last would be you eating bacon," Quinn teased, relaxing and leaning back on the overly large pillows with the sickeningly feminine design and color. It made her nauseous, really.
"Oh, ew! Never, Quinn. Never."
"We laughed a lot that night. While everyone else got drunk and said their good-byes, we said our hellos. It was as if it was the first time we were meeting. You told me later that you had wanted to laugh with me for the longest time before that and actually getting to had been even better than you had expected. Anyways, we laughed that night. We talked, we sang, we danced. And, at the end of the night, we fell asleep in the same bed for the first of what would be many times. We fell asleep on our respective sides but, when we woke up, your arms were wrapped around me and my head was tucked under your chin."
Rachel smiled, memories of the first time she had been spooned by Quinn running through her head. "You held on to your title of 'Big Spoon' like a kid at a game of tug-of-war. Looking back, it was really cute. I never tried to argue with you. You did let me hold you every once in awhile, though. After a long day of work or when your family was being exceptionally bitchy, I was allowed to wrap you in my arms and hold you until you fell asleep. The rest of the time, I was content with being safe and huddled in your arms."
"Anyways," Rachel said, trying to return from the slight tangent she had went off on. "After that, we could really be considered friends. Of course, rumors spread like wild fire. I had kissed you, after all. But we ignored them. They were easy to ignore. For time, I'll skip our becoming truly close and just say that we were best friends. We didn't let the nasty rumors bother us or the fact that Brittany and Santana seemed to always be giving us these knowing stares. We just didn't care. And then came graduation. You were valedictorian. You had prepared a speech and I couldn't wait to hear it. You weren't nervous, which absolutely amazed me. You found me beforehand. I was doing my make-up in the only bathroom that wasn't filled with primping girls and you walked in, looking gorgeous and remarkably composed. You had grabbed my hand and led me away, a weird look on your face that kind of concerned me at first. You led me to the choir room and, after finding Brittany and Santana making out in a corner, you kicked them out and sat me down in a chair in the front row."
"Quinn, what's going on?" Rachel asked, fiddling with the sleeves of her shirt nervously. She felt like something was going on and it kind of scared her.
"I have to tell you something. But I need to tell you without you interrupting me in that annoying little way of yours, okay? So, no talking until the last notes of the song, okay?" Quinn said quietly as Brad took his seat behind the piano and began to play the first few notes of a song that Rachel instantly recognized. Quinn noticed the recognition and pressed a finger to her lips, signaling Rachel to stay quiet. With a quick nod, Rachel consented and got comfortable as Quinn leaned against the piano, steadying herself before singing the first few lines of the Ingrid Michaelson version of one of her favorite love songs.
Wise men say
only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you.
Quinn looked over Rachel's head, afraid to meet her eyes. If she looked at her now, she was sure she'd falter and mess up the entire song. So she looked at the wall behind Rachel and tried to keep her voice from shaking.
Shall I stay
would it be a sin
if I can't help falling in love with you
Like a river flows surely to the sea
darling, so it goes
some things are meant to be.
With shaky steps, Quinn made her way to stand in front of Rachel. Her hands fiddled with the hem of her skirt before she extended a hand towards Rachel, in time with the next few words of the song.
Take my hand
take my whole life too
for I can't help falling in love with you
Rachel took Quinn's hand and slowly rose with her, letting her lead her to the center of the choir room. Quinn's left hand found hers and her right arm wrapped around her face. "Dance with me," she whispered quietly, quoting the words she had said that night at the party before she resumed her singing.
Like a river flows so surely to the sea
darling, so it goes
some things are meant to be.
They danced, Quinn taking the lead and leading them into a slow waltz. As the room spun around them, Rachel anchored herself in Quinn's eyes to reduce the dizziness. Quinn was impossible to read most of the time. She was a kaleidoscope of emotions and thoughts. Quinn was kaleidoscope that gave Rachel an insane headache but left her feeling ridiculously giddy afterwards. But now, as she sang this song to Rachel, Rachel could tell what she was thinking. She was scared, Rachel could tell. Scared that Rachel would take this the wrong way, would reject her, would run away and call an end to their entire friendship. Her hand was so soft around Rachel's hip that she wondered if her hand was even still there anymore. Glancing down to see that her hand was still there, Rachel squeezed Quinn's hand lightly and gave her a smile. She didn't have a clue what she was going to say when the song was over. It didn't matter though because, right now, Quinn was singing to her.
The last word rang through the room but the music continued after Quinn's voice cut off and Quinn kept them dancing. Rachel was told not to speak until the last note ended and she wasn't about to disobey a direct order. So, they danced and she waited for Quinn to say whatever it was she had intended to say after the song.
"Rachel," She finally said in a quiet voice, barely audible over the piano. "I'm not in love with you. Not yet. I could be though. And I want to be. I can see myself falling in love with you. And before you scoff or laugh or do whatever it is you're trying so desperately not to do just yet, understand that I have liked you for quite awhile now. This isn't new for me. I started liking you here, in this school. In this room. And that's why you're here and that's why we're dancing. Dance with me. Hug me. Kiss me. Fall asleep with me and wake up with me. Date me. Love me."
Rachel was quiet, not knowing what to say as the music ended. They continued dancing, despite the silence. Quinn endured it for a moment, sending Brad away with her eyes to occupy herself with something besides waiting for the petite brunette to say something. Confirm, deny, something. She needed to know.
"Rachel?"
"Quinn, I never thought you'd say anything like that. I never imagined you and I. Our kiss was…amazing. But, it was one kiss. It was one drunken kiss. And, I never thought you liked me. Really liked me, anyway. I was just glad that we were able to be friends. But, now, at the end of the year and right before we both depart to our very separate destinations, you tell me you like me or…whatever it is you're trying to tell me," Rachel rambled on and on, trying to wrap her mind around everything Quinn had said. It was odd and weird, to say the least.
"Rachel."
"I mean, it's not that I don't like you or whatever. It's just…It's sudden and it's crazy. And, we're graduating! We're graduating today and you're saying this and you're singing this song and…I don't know. I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to say or do right now. You can see yourself falling in love with me? What does that even mean? God. I'm just…I'm sorry, I need to sit down. I'm getting dizzy," She stepped out, ending their silent dance and leaving Quinn standing alone in the middle of the choir room while she returned to her seat.
"Rachel."
"Stop saying my name, Quinn! What do you want from me? We're graduating today! Now! In just a little bit, actually!" She groaned in frustration, throwing her head in her hands.
"Berry!" Quinn yelled, causing the girl to snap her head up and meet Quinn's eyes with an extremely shocked expression. "Would you listen to me, please? One date. Agree to that much and we'll go from there."
Rachel nodded, looking up at her nervously. "Okay. Okay. I agree to a date."
Quinn smiled and returned the nod, laughing a little. "Good. Next Friday? Seven?"
Rachel nodded again, giving her consent and waiting for Quinn to leave the room. She watched the girl leave and shook her head once the door shut. She had a date with Quinn Fabray.
X-X-X-X-X-X
The graduation ceremony had begun and it was time for the speeches. Salutatorian said her speech first, short and to the point. Everyone was really excited for the valedictorian as she was not only the valedictorian but also the teen mom, the head cheerleader, and the future Yale student. The moment her dainty white heels hit the stage, applause echoed all around and Rachel smiled at the blush that rose to her cheeks. Mr. Figgins introduced her, somehow managing to sneak in a slight dig about Quinn's pregnancy that made Rachel grit her teeth but she ignored it, focusing instead on the beaming girl stepping up to the podium.
Quinn waited for the applause and yells to die down before smiling and nodding her head to accept and thank them for the applause. Rachel watched her as she cleared her throat and wiped a stray strand of hair out of her face.
"Teachers, students, and parents—spare me your slushies. Every student that has graced the halls of this school with me has either been the one slushied or the one throwing the slushies. I was lucky enough to be both. I am many things besides a high school student. I'm a daughter, a mother, a student, a teacher, a friend, and more. So is every single person at this school. Every student here is more than just a student. Every person here has the potential to be more than just a high school graduate and more than just another resident of Lima, Ohio. Being in Cheerios, Glee Club, and various other clubs at this school, I've run into many talented people. People that can be and do anything they want. There are people that I honestly believe have no limits. It seems as if even the sky isn't their limit," Her eyes found Rachel's and she smiled. It took everything in her power not to giggle at the proud grin on Rachel's face.
"And that's what I want to encourage. We made it this far. We're here, at our graduation, together. Despite the fights and the drama and even the crazy relationships that make absolutely no sense, we're here. We are here and we're getting those diplomas today. And that means we made it. That means we are strong enough to endure four years of what most people consider hell. But it doesn't mean that that's the end. We have so much left to do and so much we need to do. We can't stop and we can't just say that we've made it far enough. Because we haven't. We haven't made it far enough. So, don't quit yet. Let's keep going and keep moving. Let's get somewhere. And, years from now, let's see where we all got. Don't accept this graduation as the end. Take it and think of it as a totally new beginning. Each and every one of us is getting a new beginning. Starting now."
"You nodded and muttered a 'thank you' after that. I thought you were going to run. But you didn't, though the look on your face clearly said you wanted to. Later, you told me that you had suddenly felt scared and inadequate. You had felt small and that feeling scared you. But you recovered fine, masking your fear and insecurity with calmness."
"After graduation, my mind began to race with thoughts of our date. The more I thought of it, the more nervous I felt. I knew then that there was something there. Something that I was reluctant to admit was actually present but there was nonetheless. Even then, I have to believe that I subconsciously loved you. As the night of our date approached, I found myself going crazy. Kurt was the only one I told, as Mercedes was busy with her post-high school plans. He calmed me down and, before I knew it, it was Friday. Date night. The first of many dates for Quinn and I.