"Hey, Fabray! What's crackin'?" Lauren's voice echoed across the hall.

"Nothing much, Lauren. You?"

"Being the Zizes." she replied. "Wanna walk together?"

"Sure." Quinn smiled. She closed her locker and joined Lauren on the way to the choir room.

"I didn't see you at lunch today. I didn't have anyone to give a cookie to." Lauren joked.

Quinn laughed. "I went to drop Kurt off at Dalton and then I waited for him. I probably won't be a lunch much anymore. I'm gonna start leaving to go get lunch somewhere else."

Quinn shrugged. Before Lauren got to question her, Schuester was pushing them both into the room.

"Let's get in here ladies, we got some exciting news to talk about."

Quinn took her seat, next to Mike Chang, the only person who she felt didn't want to purposely hurt her. He smiled at her and said, "Hey."

"Hi."

"Okay guys, listen up." Schue started. "We've got a duet performance coming up."

Quinn's stomach did a double over. She didn't want to do another duet. Everybody looked faithfully at their partners and no one even looked at her.

"But this time, it'll be different." Schuester said. "Now, I've decided that the New Directions need a little more publicity, so what I've decided to do...is this. I want you to find a partner that's NOT in this Glee Club."

Quinn's ears and attention perked up.

"It has to be someone that's not in this club. Someone from the outside. Someone that you think would be perfect for you AND would bring in a large crowd."

Kurt raised his hand. "So, someone to sing in a public performance with, that's not in this club."

"Yes."

"Anyone?"

"Well, I would like it to be someone around the same age but if worst comes to worst than yes, anyone."

"What am I going to get when I win?" Rachel said. Everybody rolled there eyes.

"It's not a contest it's to showcase talent. Show's in two weeks. In the auditorium. Start getting to thinking."

Quinn stood quiet as everybody talked. She could see Kurt already texting his fingers away. To Blaine, no doubt. She thought long and hard on someone, but all she could think about was Jeff and her singing on the auditorium stage. She smiled to herself.

Finn looked her way but she ignored him and looked at the time. 3:00.

"Perfect." Quinn muttered. She grabbed her phone and walked over towards the door as quietly as possible, but everybody watched her moves. She hovered in the doorway, everybody curiously watching her.

"What do you think she's doing?" Mercedes asked.

"I don't know. Do you think she knows someone who could sing with her?" Rachel asked.

They all turned to Finn. "I don't know anything." he responded. "She never said she knew anyone."

"I know." Kurt said. Every bodies head turned to him. "OH!" he said. "And NOBODY is allowed to have a Warbler as a partner. Two is enough."

"Two?"

Out in the doorway, Quinn was listening to the song play on the other side. She laughed at the dorky Star Wars ringtone that played in the background.

"Hey Quinn." Jeff said.

"Hey Jeff."

"I didn't think you'd want to hang so soon." He laughed.

"Actually, me either. But I've gotta ask you something. Do you feel like going to McDonalds at 4:30?"

"Sure. What do you need though?" he asked.

"A favor." she smiled.

"What KIND of favor?" Jeff laughed.

"A singing favor." she said.

"I'm interested. Where do I pick you up?" he said.

"I'll meet you at the McDonalds off the parkway." she said.

"See you then, Butterfly."

"Oh God." she laughed.

"Bye."

"Bye." Quinn said. "OH and I like your callback." she muttered.

"Shut up." he said, and the line went dead.

She walked back happily and was greeted by a smiling Kurt. Quinn smiled, cheekily. "Don't even."

Kurt grabbed her hands and jumped up and down in front of her. "He didn't say yes yet, Kurt."

"I DON'T CARE!" he yelled and straddled her like a teddy bear. Behind Kurt's head, everybody was staring curiously.

The only thought in Quinn's mind was 'None of your guys FUCKING business.'

"Hello, GORGEOUS!"

Quinn looked around as she exited McKinley. A bright red jeep caught her eye and she looked at the tall guy in a long sleeve shirt and jeans. She would never have noticed who it was had it not been for the blonde hair and the smile.

She walked over. "What are you doing here?" she smiled.

"Kurt said your phone died but you changed the plans and I was supposed to meet you here."

Quinn looked stunned for a minute and then she shook her head laughing. Jeff put his head back against his car. "He's butting in." Jeff said.

"Really badly." Quinn laughed, as she spoke. She couldn't help it.

"Alright. Why don't you get in? We'll come back and get your car after." Jeff said. Quinn smiled.

She noticed Jeff's gaze look around her and crease his eyebrows. "What?" she said.

"Your friends seem very interested in me."

Quinn didn't turn around. "It's none of their business. They've never cared about me before. They shouldn't start now."

Jeff looked at her, straight into the eyes. There was something sad about her eyes. Something he couldn't quite place but he knew he had seen it before. In his own eyes, only a few years back. He smiled the best smile he could muster, trying to make her feel better. "Well, then, Butterfly," he started, opening the passenger side door for her, "Let's leave them guessing."

He smirked at her as he held the door open, but she couldn't stop smiling to make a remark back. She climbed in without hesitation, and jumped in the seat. When Jeff got in on the other side she said, "Just pull up to Kurt walking."

"Okay." he said.

Jeff moved his car into the road and pulled up beside Kurt, who was walking to Finn's car. "Hey," she said. He turned his head and smiled at them. Jeff shook his head.

"Oh." Kurt said. "Jeff, what a wonderful surprise."

"Oh shut it." Quinn smiled at him. "We know it was you."

"Yeah, stop butting in." Jeff said from the driver's seat.

Quinn grabbed her car keys from her backpack and she tossed them at Kurt through the open window. "Take my car tonight, and pick me up tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Will do, my lovely Quinn." he said. Then he turned to keep walking. "Have fun!" he yelled.

Quinn shook her head as she pulled onto the road.

Just as their car left the parking lot, Kurt was caught up to by Mercedes, Tina, Brittany, Rachel, Finn and Sam.

"What was all that about?" Mercedes asked.

"What was what about?" Kurt said, playing dumb.

"Oh please." Rachel said. "We mean Quinn getting into the car with the cute blonde kid."

"Oh! That's Jeff. He's from Dalton. They're going to hang out. Quinn is allowed to have friend that aren't in the Glee Club and nobody owns her. She's allowed to be friend with whomever she wants."

"That looked like more than friendship." Finn noticed.

"It looked like she was interested." Tina said.

Kurt stopped as he got to Quinn's car and turned to face them all.

"You guys are just mad because her life isn't messed up. She's finding herself and she's fixing herself. Quinn Fabray is changing and so, if we both like hanging around with the Dalton boys who are our F-R-I-E-N-D-S," Kurt said, emphasizing the words, "we can. I'm changing too. So, the best thing to do, is leave her alone and let her fix her life because at least half of you are responsible for ruining it."

With that, Kurt got into Quinn's car and Put it quickly into reverse. He backed up and pulled out, leaving a group of stunned singers behind.

"I'll have a large Number 5 and medium Number 13 with two cokes and two strawberry dollar sundaes to stay. And a second Number 13 to go." Jeff ordered. When he paid the cashier, he turned to Quinn. "I have to get something for Nick. The food at Dalton sucks."

"I think it's wonderful." Quinn said.

"How would you know? You've never tasted Dalton food before."

"I meant you ordering him food." Quinn noted.

"He would do the same for me." Jeff mentioned. "And get me a toy with it."

Quinn laughed. "I meant, the friendship you guys have. It's..."

"Classic?" he laughed, as they took there seats in the booth.

Quinn just smiled and sighed. She took a sip of her drink and opened her McNuggets. "Not the word I would have used but a good word, all together."

"It's because we have known each other since we were in seventh grade at Dalton. He's seen me through my worst and best. We've helped each other through it." Jeff said, biting into his burger.

"I wish there was someone there for me through everything that's still by my side today." Quinn noted.

"My guess is that you've been through a lot." Jeff said, looking at her.

Quinn gave a humorless laugh. "Yeah, but that's a story for another time. What I really wanted was to ask you a question."

"Ask away." he said.

Quinn explained what had been explained to her in Glee Club just previously and Jeff kept his attention with her the entire time. When she was done she said, "...and I was wondering if maybe you would be the one to sing with me."

Jeff didn't even hesitate. "I would love to! I'd be an honor. But I must tell you, I don't have the strongest set of pipes but I would love to perform with you."

"I don't care if you can't sing at all." Quinn noted. "I just want you on the stage with me."

"Why?"

Quinn hesitated. "Because you're the only person I could even imagine singing with on that stage and feeling like myself."

Jeff smiled and there was a pause.

"And Nick of course, but I mean, I had to pick and however cute I think his Jimmy Neutron lunchbox is, I don't think it would impress people too much. And also, he said it earlier, he's more of a writer than a performer anyways. You probably live to perform."

"Only a little bit." Jeff said. They finished their McDonalds and headed out the door. Jeff held the door open for her.

"Is one of the classes at Dalton Chivalry 101?" Quinn joked.

Jeff laughed. "No, but it was always in my mother's conduct that I respect girls. I sorta grew up with a father who... didn't." Jeff mentioned. His tone implied that he wanted to stop talking about it, so Quinn said, "Your mother sounds like a wonderful woman."

"She was." he said. They stood at the passenger side door, Quinn's back against the car. Jeff stood there, the sadness in his eyes, Quinn saw it perfect. She placed a gentle hand on his cheek. She understood what it's like to have a mother leave you.

"I understand, what it's like." She said. "I'm sure you're mother didn't want to leave you. Mine chose to disown me as her child out of shame, which made me shameful. You were right earlier. I didn't hurt myself. Other people hurt me so much, I started to believe I did. But not anymore." she said.

"Do you think it was fate that we met today and then you just so happen to have an assignment for Glee Club...?" Jeff murmured.

"Yeah." Quinn whispered. "I do."

At first, both of them thought that was the perfect blissful moment for a kiss. But, both of them seemed to change their minds. Instead, Jeff grabbed her hand from his face and held it in his. He opened the passenger side door. "You'll learn pretty soon, my philosophies tend to be right."

Quinn just laughed and got in.

The door slammed behind her and she watched as Jeff walked around the car to the driver's side door. Before he reached it though, she slammed down on the lock and locked the door. When he pulled it open, the door remained shut. She stuck out her tongue at him from inside the car.

"Wow!" he noted. "Because I definitely don't already have the keys in my hand."

Jeff unlocked the car door and opened it. He climbed into his drivers seat. "That was a stupid joke."

"Hey," she said, playfully hitting his arm. He smiled at her as he pulled out of his spot on the lot.

Quinn spoke. "Well, don't you like saying you fooled someone, even if it was only for a stupid moment?"

Jeff looked at her, across the seats. He wanted to say something witty, or even funny back but he had no words. What she had said was right; he did. All he did was smile and get on the parkway to take her home.