Note: Hello my lovely readers. So I just wanted to put this out there for those of you who don't know my style of writing. For starters, if I put a story in a certain category, it's there for a reason. If you don't like certain parts of the story or don't like where it's heading by all means don't read it. There are certainly more lovely stories out there. Second, I never like to rush the characters. Great things take some time. I'm more about the journey rather than the destination.

Ps. People CAN be attracted to more than one person. It's human nature.

Thanks, Enjoy!

Ch 10

Time Sequence: Rachel Berry age 12

Sam Evans moved into the house next door to Rachel when she was twelve years old. It was on a sunny April afternoon when she first laid eyes on him. The small blonde haired boy was outside on his front lawn, battling against a fire breathing blood dragon. Rachel watched on in amazement as the boy flipped onto the ground and slashed at the incredible monster. The boy was brave and strong. He reminded her of a knight in shining armor and it took her breath away. Sam made another hit to the dragon, using his broad steel double edged sword (Which was made out of the finest oak tree from his back yard). The attack made no difference to the large dragon because its skin was made of steel. The dragon blew a breath of fire which missed the boy by nearly an inch.

Out of nowhere a second dragon had arrived. Sam's face filled with fear. Using this moment of distraction the first dragon quickly swiped its tail and knocked the magical sword from the boy's hands and threw him across the yard. It was at that moment that Rachel quickly ran across her yard toward him. She grabbed the nearest and largest stick she could find. Once she got to the boy she slammed her stick into the ground, releasing a powerful magical force field.

"Hurry, we don't have much time. My spell can only last for so long!" Rachel yelled out.

Sam drew his eyes upon the smaller girl. Her bushy brown hair and pale face stuck him to his very core. Immediately he knew that she was his princess and savior. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. After a few precious seconds he leapt to his feet and grabbed her hand. Fire surrounded them. The dragons were trying to attack but Rachel's strong force field was keeping them back.

"We cannot defeat them right now. They are too strong and too many." Sam called out.

"What are we going to do?" Rachel cried out.

The two younger kids gazed out into the lawn which was covered in dirt, rubble and fire. The skies were lit with dark shadows. It looked like all hope was lost. Sam looked over to Rachel and tightened his grasp on her.

"There is only one thing left to do. I must save our people."

"What?" Rachel shrieked.

"Goodbye my friend. See to it that this world lives." Sam announced with a puff of his chest.

Tears trailed down Rachel's face. Sam dashed out from the safety of the force field and into the line of dragons. He quickly pulled out a large stone, which was really a magical bomb that could destroy any and all dragons, and threw it at the large creatures. A white light appeared and blew up everything in sight. By the time all the smoke cleared Rachel let down her force field and ran to Sam. He was on his back, eyes rolled to the back of his head. He wasn't breathing. Rachel quietly cried for a few seconds until it was all over.

Suddenly Sam opened his eyes, a large and wide smile coming into view. Rachel sat back with relief and happiness.

"I'm Sam by the way! You were totally awesome! I didn't know you had secret magic powers. That was super cool. I wish I could've thought of that. But thank you for saving my life!" The boy enthused.

"I'm Rachel Berry. I'm glad I could help. It looked like you were struggling there."

The two eyed each other with bright young smiles. This was the first time that Rachel had ever played with anyone. It was also the first time that anyone had ever really talked to her. Sam was her first friend. Ever since that day the two were inseparable. Sometimes they would be outside playing in their fantasy world filled with fairy princesses and strong knights. And sometimes when feeling a bit rebellious, would venture out to McGregor's peach farm. They would sneak underneath the gates and pick at the fresh ripe peaches. Every once in a while when Mr. McGregor caught them, he would chase them out of his yard with a rake.

Rachel and Sam laughed and played underneath the sun and stars. It didn't matter where they were. They would always come up with something to do or chase. Sam was always chasing after Rachel. But it wasn't until one day when Rachel had turned fourteen that Sam bravely got the courage to press his lips against hers. It was the day after her birthday underneath the willow tree in Rachel's backyard that Sam Evans had declared his love for her. They've been dating ever since. Sam loved her with all of his heart and treated her like a princess. And she loved him. They were soul mates.

Time Sequence: Present

Sam and Rachel were walking down the hall, holding hands. The sight made me smile. Rachel wrapped her arm around him, leaning into him. Sam smiled widely and pressed a gentle kiss to her head. I was happy for them. I couldn't wait for the day till they got married. I could already picture their life and how wonderful their children would be.

Tina came up to me and eyed the young couple. I heard a large heavy sigh escape from her. "They are really fucking adorable."

"I know. I'm happy." I nodded, looking over at Tina with a warm smile.

Tina was still staring over at the couple with this far off look in her eyes. Something looked to be bothering her. But I couldn't tell what.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Do you think we will find love?" Tina asked with a heavy voice.

I shrugged, not really caring if I found love or not. It wasn't what I wanted or what mattered to me. My mind was far from it. It didn't make sense. Why would I bother? In a year I would be gone. Then what? Heartbreak? No, way. Love is not at the top of my list.

The young couple stopped at Sam's locker. Rachel leaned against the adjacent locker waiting for her boyfriend to collect his books. She looked around the hall. I could feel the exact moment when she spotted me. A flurry of energy sprang up. And suddenly I felt like I wanted to run a mile.

"It's a real shame, you know? What if we never really experience love?" Tina groaned out.

There was that strange yet familiar feeling once again. It was the one when I knew Rachel was watching me. It's been happening a lot lately. She'd been watching me for the past week. Whenever she would look at me she would look away when I spotted her. It was a weird game. We haven't talked since our run-in in the restroom.

I was finding all of this a bit odd, all the staring. What did it even mean? I couldn't tell if she liked me or not. Her face was usually blank when I was around her. It was obvious that I piqued her interest. But she wouldn't talk to me. Was she scared of me? I looked up and found Rachel's eyes on me. She quickly looked away as if nothing had happened. I went back to feeling just as confused as ever.

After the first class ended Puck came up to me and walked with me. His eyes were off, his face a mixture of confusion and regret. He stuffed his hands into his pockets as we rounded a corner. Once we did the taller boy cut in front of me, stalling me to a stop. My eyes drew up to his face. His head was aimed at the ground. His eyes had dark circles and his clothes looked dirty. It looked like he barely slept. He was a mess.

"I'm not that guy." He whispered to me. His gaze lifted up as he met my eyes. "At least I don't want to be anymore."

I smiled softly. "I'm glad to hear it."

"Will you help me?" he asked.

"Of course." I nodded.

I reached out and grabbed his hand. His eyes went cloudy. It looked like he was about to cry. But instead he hung his head low. Together we walked down the hall hand in hand.

It was the last class of the day. Mr. Larson happened to be coming out of the room just as I was going in. We both smiled awkwardly as we did that awful shuffle dance, trying to get past each other. The taller man chuckled deeply before shaking his head.

"Care to dance?" he mocked a bit sheepishly.

I ignored his comment, trying to avoid his gaze. I just wanted to get into the room. The teacher huffed out a breath of air before he moved out of my way to let me pass. His arm brushed against me as I walked in. I bit into my lip just as I turned to watch him leave. I didn't understand this attraction that I had for this man. It's weird and I can't really explain it. But he makes me feel a little brighter. I'm not sure if that makes any sense. But there is something there. I huffed out in frustration and went to my seat. I began unpacking my stuff for the class.

Out of the corner of my eye Rachel walked in. Immediately the room shrunk into a tight airless vacuum. My alarm bells were going off, my head ringing with warning. Rachel took her seat in front of me and started unpacking her stuff. We were extremely early for class. No one was in here besides us. The walls were beginning to close in on me. My heart started racing. What the hell is going on?

Suddenly a noise shattered the silence. I froze. My eyes landed on the pen that was lying on the ground and rolling toward my foot. It was her pen. I eyed the item on the ground then looked at the back of Rachel's head. She didn't notice. I reached down and picked it up. It had little bite marks at the end. I knew for sure that this was Rachel's. She had started that nasty habit when she was in kindergarten.

Sucking in a deep breath I reached out and gently tapped her shoulder. She froze, her body becoming stiff. I didn't move for fear I would drop a hundred feet below ground. As it was, I was barely breathing. My fingernails dug into my desk. Maybe she didn't feel it? I was suddenly very aware now and decided to do it again. My fingers gently tapped her once more. This time she turned her whole body very slowly. Big brown eyes came into view like a flashlight. I felt blinded for a moment.

"You dropped this."

Rachel eyed the pen in my hand and then at me. She was in a daze of some sort, in between bewilderment and surprise. I felt like a jack ass for some strange reason. My face felt hot and my body was burning up. Brown eyes blinked a few more times. It looked like she was trying to get herself back on track. Rachel slowly reached out and grabbed the pen from my hand, avoiding physical contact.

"Thank you." She rasped out.

"It's no problem Rachel."

Her eyebrows shot up. She quickly looked away, her face turning red. Her body was still facing me as if she wasn't done yet. The air between us was getting awkward and I was feeling more and more embarrassed. I don't know why though. I haven't done anything embarrassing. So why am I feeling like this? Rachel's eyes shot up to the ceiling. She was thinking. A moment later her eyes were back on me, fresh and ready.

"Quinn right?" she asked.

I nodded my head in agreement.

"So ….. do you like it here so far?" she asked, getting her words right.

I licked my lips and released a shaky breath. "Yeah, it's a cute town. The people are kind and friendly."

Rachel nodded and sucked in her lower lip. "I'll bet it's a big change from LA."

"Yeah, it was a big city. And there was always something to do. Everything over there was very high paced. Sometimes it was a bit overwhelming."

Rachel chuckled a bit. "I would take high paced any day than in this turtle paced city. It goes by extremely slow. "

"It seems that way" I smiled softly.

Big brown eyes studied me with a strange kind of focus. This time it wasn't penetrating or trying to dig beneath the surface. It was learning and observing, soaking everything up like a sponge. Once again I felt under the microscope. But I didn't really mind. It was Rachel. Rachel was looking at me. She was really looking at me. And I was looking at her, each getting lost in one another. It's strange that you could know someone your whole life yet you can still discover something new about them. In a way Rachel was like the sea. She was vast, deep, and beautiful. You could explore the sea many times but you would never really be able to know everything hidden beneath the water. I was quickly learning that Rachel was even more dangerous than I thought. Why? Because I'm drowning in her and it can't be helped.

"I'm sorry, but I just have to ask. It's been bothering me ever since I've met you. Are you sure we have never met before? I mean besides your first day here?" Rachel asked with a firm tone.

I shook my head. "Of course not. I would've remembered. I'm sure you would've too. But why do you ask?"

"I don't really know how to explain it." She expressed. "This might sound a bit weird but it feels like I've met you before. Like, I've known you for a long time."

"That is strange." I commented, knowing that it was a lie because I felt it too.

"Yeah, I don't know. Maybe I'm just being weird. It's kind of one of my traits." She said, pulling her gaze away, now embarrassed.

"You're not weird. You're just being honest." I replied back.

Brown eyes returned back to me with caution. She was studying me again, searching for something. It was clear she didn't find what she was looking for and focused her gaze on my desk. "Funny, you're the only one. Most people can't stand me. They say I'm too abrasive and come off as a bitch."

I scoffed. "There's nothing wrong with knowing what you want."

"Tell that to the others."

"You shouldn't worry about those idiots. It just means you are way ahead of their time."I threw out.

Rachel glanced up at me. Her brows furrowed. She was getting suspicious of me. I didn't know why. Had I done something wrong? "Why are you being nice to me?" she asked quietly.

"Why would I be anything but nice?"I replied back.

"Please don't answer my question with a question. It upsets me." Rachel expressed with wide eyes.

I shook my head and rubbed my face. This girl was frustrating, even when I know everything about her. Why is she getting so defensive with me? "I'm sorry. I'm just a little confused by your question. Do I have to have a reason to be nice to you?"

Rachel was eyeing me closely. "Girls like you don't interact with girls like me. It's just the way it works. No doubt that soon enough you will become one of the popular girls. So it makes me wonder what it is that you want from me."

Are you serious? What- What kind of fucked up shit is that? Want something from you? What the hell would I want from you Rachel? I'm not trying to take anything away from you. I'm here to protect you. Ugh, what have these fucking idiots put in your head? "You are being paranoid." I stated firmly.

Rachel nodded her head and crossed her arms across her chest. "Yes, I am. But it also protects me from getting hurt."

"That also keeps people at arm's length." I pointed out.

"Yes, but it also keeps the wrong people away. The fake people won't have time to deal with my shit. It also allows the real people who would want to get to know me to stay and fight." She threw back.

I chuckled softly and sat back in my seat. "You're certainly not making this easy for me then."

Rachel paused, biting down on her lower lip before looking away. Her face was tinting with a pink hue.

"To answer your question, no, I don't want anything from you. I barely even know you." I answered back.

Rachel casted her gaze down at my desk, focusing in on a spot. Her hands were messing around restlessly. "You are certainly spending a lot of time with my boyfriend. He's very attractive. It's understandable really. He's wonderful and very sweet. He's got an amazing personality, and he's friendly. Physically he's in tremendous shape."

"What are you getting at Rachel?" I asked with confusion.

"I would understand if you felt some type of attraction toward him." She stated.

What the fuck? "Are you aware that he's totally in love with you? He can't stop talking about you."

Rachel looked up at me and met me with a fierce look. "Things can change in an instant."

There was a long pause and for a while I felt like I was floating again. I couldn't feel my feet. Rachel's words were running through my head like a toxic poison. I didn't understand why she was filling me up with this crap. Was she really afraid that I would try and steal her boyfriend? Was she that insecure? I've always known Rachel to be the dramatic type. Her insecurities were always farfetched. But this? This was way past ordinary. In no other circumstance would she EVER say this kind of stuff to a person she's only known for maybe five minutes. But here she was, telling me, insinuating her insecurities in plain color. Maybe I wasn't the only one being affected by this connection as well.

"I'm not here for him."

Rachel's brows furrowed with that dark intensity. She didn't understand. It looked like she was about to ask what that meant but I blinked and suddenly we weren't the only ones in our world anymore. When the hell did this room get so full? Rachel swallowed heavily. She was staring at me hard. Her intensity made me feel nervous. A silent shiver ran through me.

"Rachel Berry!" Mr. Larson spoke out loud.

The smaller girl pulled out of her trance and looked around. She found the teacher and everyone in the room staring at her.

"Class has started now. You're here to learn. I'd appreciate it if you would now face the front. You have time for chit chat later."

Rachel's face turned red as she turned and faced the front. Mr. Larson eyed me for a moment before looking away. "Now that everyone is paying attention. Let's start."

Halfway through class I was summoned by Mrs. Oatley. I didn't know what for. For some reason I had the unconscious belief that I had done something wrong. It especially felt like that when I left the classroom with all eyes on me. I could practically feel the nosy prickling in my back. They were dying to know why too.

"Hey sweetheart how are you doing?" Mrs. Oatley responded from behind her desk.

"Great!" I answered back a bit unsure of myself. "What's all this about?"

The older lady threw me a large warm smile before adjusting the glasses on her nose. "Well, I was taking into consideration about what you said a couple of days ago, about your schedule?"

I nodded my head, eyeing her with curiosity. "What did you come up with?" I asked brightening up.

"I think I may have found a way to reschedule your classes." She announced.

"HOW? I'll do anything." I blurted out.

Mrs. Oatley chuckled before eyeing her computer screen. "You would have to select an extracurricular activity. I've been looking around and there is only one that is available that would give you what you want."

"Which is?" I asked.

The lady threw her gaze at me and gave me a hesitant smile. "Cheerleading."

"Cheerleading?" I threw out with a frown.

"Yes." Mrs. Oatley replied with an unsure tone.

"You want me to be a cheerleader?" I clarified.

The older woman casually pushed her shoulders back. "It is a really great program. Our cheerleading team is ranked number one in the state. We take pride in them. And it's really the only way we can reschedule your classes."

Great….. sell my soul… or stay and die? Why can't choices ever be simple? Things would've been a lot simpler if Rachel didn't affect me so much. There's nothing I can do about that or the connection we have. All I can do is try to stay away from her.

But how can I do that when we've…..

"Can I think about this for a while? This is a really important decision." I answered back.

Mrs. Oatley nodded her head. "Go ahead. But if you decide to change your mind go see Ms. Sylvester."

"Thanks." I mumbled out as I rose from my seat. "I really appreciate what you've done for me."

"No problem sweetheart. Have a wonderful day."

Like fuck I will….

School couldn't have finished any faster. By the time it was done I was rushing out of the classroom ready to leave. The weekend was here and I was ready to be done with all this shit. As I rounded a corner something caught my nose. I paused in the middle of the hallway, sniffing the air like a hound. Food! My mouth was watering. Whatever it was smelled delicious. I followed the scent down the hall and into an empty room. Well almost empty. That kid in the wheelchair was at a stove mixing some kind of sauce and noodles.

"Hi."

The boy jumped a bit in his wheelchair, startled by my presence. "Hey. Come on in." he croaked out, trying to get himself together.

"Sorry I just smelled something really delicious and I couldn't really help myself." I admitted feeling a bit sheepish and self-conscious. My love of food was something to be reckoned with. "I had no idea they had a kitchen here. Well other than the cafeteria."

"This is the Home Ec building." He pointed out. "They have all sorts of stuff in here."

"That's really cool." I nodded feeling a smile wrap around my face.

"Did you want to help?" he asked.

I nodded. "I love cooking. It's becoming one of my favorite things to do."

"Really? Me too! I come in here every Friday after school and whip up a new dish." He explained.

"Wow! And what are we making today?" I asked walking up to the stove, completely forgetting about leaving.

Artie eyed me with a look. I didn't know what it was supposed to mean. But it was obvious he wasn't used to this sort of attention. I'm assuming it's because of the wheelchair. It must put people off because he's different. No one wants to feel awkward or uncomfortable so they don't bother. Self preservation is human kind's greatest survival instinct. But it is also their greatest flaw.

"Listen I- I just wanted to say thanks for what you did for me earlier this week. You're the only person that's ever stood up for me." He spoke softly.

I eyed the boy sternly. "It's a real fucking shame when I see stuff like that going on. I just don't understand how people can sit there and watch? It makes me sick! I was more disappointed in the fact that NO ONE did anything."

"It sucks. But you can't really blame the others. They live in fear of the popular kids at this school. They hold the power. They're just trying to save themselves." Artie sighed out.

I shook my head and eyed the pot of noodles. There it was again, that damn fucking word. Self preservation. Psh! Just another lame fucking excuse to chop some kid's head off. Next time someone else might not be so lucky.

"By the way, it's Pad Thai." Artie answered back.

My thoughts returned back to reality as I eyed the boy. "What is that?"

"It's basically noodles mixed in with some vegetables."

"Hmmm….I've never had it before."

Artie smiled at me before rolling to the refrigerator. "Then prepare to be amazed."

I chuckled softly. This guy is a….. what's the word? Dork? Yeah, that's it. Dork. But he's sweet and kind. He's exactly what I need while I'm here. "Next Friday I'm picking the new recipe."

The boy gazed at me with wide eyes. "You're coming back?"

"Of course I am. You're not eating alone anymore. And this way, we can totally try and create some extravagant meals that are bitchin. " I replied back.

The boy blushed and nodded his head. "Bitchin…. That sounds good to me."

What do you guys think? Should Quinn join the cheerleading squad or stay in her class? You decide. Comment to let me know. Just remember, whichever you choose, there WILL be a consequence. Take that into consideration. After 24hrs, I will count up the comments. Please don't comment more than once for this.

Want to give a shout out to SageXFallen. You totally get it! My vision of Mr. Larson is like a combination of Zac Efron and Ryan Reynolds.

Anyways thanks for the love peeps! UNTIL NEXT TIME!