The grocery store was a few miles away and she was happy that the taxi driver offered to wait for her.
Rachel had to make sure to only buy the basics and necessities right now, especially since she didn't have her own car to drive down the to blocked off employee parking.
She was already dreading walking down the small hill once she got back into the cab.
Atleast she felt like home when she was seated in the cab. She remembered all the times she took a cab home from dinner with friends, or sharing a cab with strangers. She never thought she would be as open as she was in NY, but the city was just freeing for her. It completely broke her out of her shell and allowed her to be who she really was.
Long gone were the argyle sweater and mini skirts, they were replaced with leggings, scarf's and mittens in the winter.
Now she would have to get new wardrobe again to fit in with the warm southern California weather. She already missed the cold, but that could be because it was comfortable to her already.
The drive back to school made her think about other things that had changed, like the fact that she was no longer vegan. She had given that up after meeting Vanessa, her first girlfriend during the second year at school.
Vanessa was just to open, and vibrant and determined to make Rachel try things atleast once. So that's how she tried her first real hotdog at Coney Island.
That had been just the start. But eventually Rachel admitted that she was no longer into it. Or maybe she never was, she just liked the attention and it was nice having someone around. But she never felt the flutters in her stomach, or any of those other cliché love symptoms.
As the taxi rounded the corner and exited towards her new place, she prepared to make the long trek back to her apartment.
After paying the driver she turned and watched as the sun was halfway through setting. It was then that she looked down the grassy slope and saw a woman lying down. She was on a blanket, and was immersed in a book. She had long tone legs underneath her cut off shorts, and a yellow tank top. Her hair was short and choppy from what Rachel could see.
She was so engrossed with the woman that she didn't notice the tear in her grocery bag, until she saw her bag of apples sliding down the hill.
Oh Shit! She thought to herself as said bag of apples hit the blond on the top of her head.
Rachel went half running/ half walking down the hill towards the other woman. She felt so embarrassed and didn't want to tumble over her in the process.
Once she approached her she came to a screeching halt. She literally dug her heels into the grass so hard that some grass and mud flew up.
It can't be, she thought to herself. This is just too much of a coincidence. Maybe if I just turn around and run she will not see me.
By that time the woman had stood up and was bending down to pick up the apples that had attacked her in the middle of her book.
Turing around, she was surprised at who she saw.
"Rachel?" she said fully turning around and seeing the short brunette after 5 long years.
"What are you doing here? How are you?" Quinn couldn't ask the questions quick enough. After high school Rachel pretty much lost contact with all the glee members. Quinn had even tried reaching her a few times during her first semester at Yale, but she never got through.
Quinn couldn't believe that she was standing there in front of the girl she had thought about pretty often. She definitely looked different from her high school days, although Rachel had started dressing better senior year.
"Uhh.. Quinn, wow hi, I guess I could say the same for you" she looked awkwardly at her shoes. She felt like she was right back in school, she was nervous and couldn't exactly meet the intense gaze Quinn was giving her.
"I am actually a teacher here, Literature. I just got here earlier today." She said approaching the brunette and handing her the bag of apples.
Quinn wondered why Rachel looked so awkward, but then she actually felt anger come over her.
"What happened to you Rachel? I tried reaching you years ago and its like you fell off the face of this earth." She didn't realize it but her face had become a little red and she couldn't honestly say where this anger was all coming from. She and Rachel were actually friends when they had graduated. But maybe that's why she was so angered.
"Well Quinn I'd love to talk more about this, but perhaps we can do it someone less public" she said looking around, even though there wasn't really anyone else within hearing distance of them.
"Oh and to answer your question, I am also a teacher here, music of course, and this is my first year as well. So it would probably be for the best if we went to my place to talk." Rachel said, she honestly didn't know what to say. Of course she knew that she would run into people from McKinley eventually, but this was just so unexpected.
"Actually Rachel, I really should be getting back to my place as well, I need to set up lesson plans and get settled in. I guess I'll see you around" she said and then bolted in the opposite direction.
Rachel just stood there for a few moments watching the blond walking off.
Flashback : Freshman year Nyada
Rachel had just gotten back to her dorm after a social mixer with the other freshman.
She was so excited that no one knew of her past. She finally fit in.
Rachel had always wished she had fit in more in high school, but that's wasn't possible since Quinn had targeted her from their freshman year as the loser of the school.
It wasn't until she started dating Finn that people were kind of nice to her. But she knew it was all fake.
Now she was finally in a place where people accepted her and wanted to get to know her.
As she got into bed, she noticed a text from Quinn.
Quinn: Hey Rach, how's Nyada? It definitely feels different from Lima. Well I hope you are doing well, we need to catch up soon.
Rachel looked at the screen a few times. She was a mixture of awe and annoyance. She never thought her and Quinn would get to the point of texting eathother. But they had grown closer last year.
Now though, as she looked at the text she was reminded of all the bad things Quinn said and did to her.
She should have been accepted in high school, but that was impossible after she was labeled a loser by the rising star and eventual cheerio captain.
It was then that she decided that she no longer wanted anything to do with Lima or anyone there. She was relieved that Finn had forced her to go, and she would always be grateful for that. But she needed to cut ties.
This was her time to shine. It was her time to finally be who she was always meant to be.
Sure it would be hard at first to not call Kurt or Tina when she needed to vent, and even Quinn. But she had to do it.
Kurt had Blain, and Tina and Mike. They didn't need her, and she didn't need them either.
And Quinn. Well Rachel couldn't figure out why it would be so hard to shut out the girl. But she was sure that she could do it.
Quinn, was smart, and beautiful and just exuded confidence. Surely she'd make friends soon enough and forget all about the short brunette. So its better to do it first and save the heartache… not heartache.. just disappointment and cut her losses first.
And so that's what she did. She ignored calls unless they were from her parents. And when holidays came around she would always try to convince her parents to visit her instead of going home. And if she did go home she would leave the house. Telling her fathers that she just missed the house and her room.
Ultimately Rachel felt as thought this would be better for her and her future. Did she miss her friends? Of course, but she figured after a few years they wouldn't want to continue with her friendship anyway.