Chapter 10

I'll be right there. That's what Rachel said when I called her, she asks where I was, I was still at school and it's conveniently closer to her house. Stay put, I'll come and get you dear. I sat by the footsteps at the back of school, it's almost lockdown and I was one of the few students left at school. I decided to wait for Rachel outside.

I kept repeating what she said, how she said it and how it's making me feel now. I'm feeling a bit nervous waiting for her. I didn't even know why I told her to pick me up, sure I would eventually need to ask for someone get me, since there are no school buses anymore, but for the life of me, I don't understand why I didn't initiate any conversations first, and just blurted "pick me up" to her.

I guess part of why was because with Rachel I can be who I am without asking or begging her to like me. She already does, and I do with her. She cares about me, about being happy and safe. I felt that from her, so I guess it was a blessing in disguise that she wanted me to come with her dads, although right now, I'd much prefer if it were just us. I teared up again, overwhelmed all about Rachel, but it didn't feel weird at all.

I wiped the lonesome tear that escaped when I saw Rachel pulled over in front me. She smiled blindly at me, or was it the sunset reflecting her smile? It made her looked like an angel, she waved at me and my heart started pounding nervously. She and stepped out of the car as I was walking towards her.

"Let me help" "You didn't have to" we looked at each other and laughed. "You didn't have to get out of your car anymore" I told her completely this time. "I wanted to help you gather your things, looks a lot." She offered to get my duffle bag.

"Thank you." I handed her my bag not missing to linger my hold on her hand too. I gave her petite hand a little squeeze before letting go and going around the car to sit in the passenger's seat.

"Rae, thank you so much for coming to get me." I told her with all sincerity, she just smiled at me and continued to drive. "I.." "Yeah?" she asked.

"Uhm, nothing, are we headed to Lima Bean now?" I asked. "We still have an hour before dinner, or we can totally just go someplace else." She suggested, "You look like you needed a place release a breath" she added. I just stared straight ahead, nodding my head. Yes, I actually need that.

"Where do you want to go Quinn?" Rachel asked, focused on the road ahead. I don't know where she's headed to but I just didn't have a place in mind, I just thought Lima Bean was the destination, until she suggested otherwise.

"I have an idea, I hope you'll appreciate it, but first a stopover." She said rhetorically. I just nodded and smiled. Reaching for her hand this time, I gave it another squeeze and just held her hand until she needed to shift gears.

I can feel my face heat up, I felt conscious that Rachel might notice and when I looked by mistake, she's blushing as well. Must be the hand holding. "I hope this is okay?" I held our joined hands up, indicating the gesture and she cleared her throat before saying "Er, Yes, of course it's fine," she assured with a smile, she had our fingers intertwined to give emphasis.

We stopped over a diner a little over outside town; she turned to me and unlinked our hands to turn the engine off. "Do you want anything? I want to surprise you, but if you want anything I'll get it as well." She looked at me questioningly, and I shrugged "I'll wait to be amazed right here" I said cheekily. She smiled and leaped off the car.

I didn't realize that my heart is racing until Rachel got in the diner. Why am I suddenly feeling like a teenage boy? I think I know at some level that Rachel might have a little crush on me, but am I crushing on her too? Could it just be because I am overwhelmed with emotions right now? I shouldn't be agonizing over this; I should just be having a good time with my friend. She didn't deserve to be strung along my mess of emotions for Santana right now.

Rachel got out of the huge doors with loads of bags of food and I jumped off the car to help her "Did you leave anything for the people in this town?" she laughed at my attempt of a joke, but seriously, there are mounds of food. "I figured you must be hungry after today's practice…" she explained.

After loading the food at the back of the car, she drove again. "Please tell me where were going." I turned to her and she just smiled at me and shushes me, "Come on Rae… Tell me" I poked at her cheek playfully. She just giggled and shook her head "Na-ah, sit properly baby, we'll get there." she said to me like I was a child. "Baby huh?" I teased.

She blushed profusely; "because it's like asking 'are we there yet' like those baby kids do" she defended. I held her hand again and it was ice cold. "Are we there yet mommy?" I asked teasingly again, she just looked at me and stuck her tongue out.

She drives a few minutes more and slowed down into an unkempt pathway "I knew it! I should have sent my mom a GPS tracker of where I am." I told her mock scared. "Is there where you'll throw my body?" she looked at me with horror. "God No!" she shrieked. "I thought we were friend Rae?" I asked her keeping up the charade. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry Quinn; let me turn the car around." She started the car again and I stopped her.

I looked at her and she looked like she lost all the color of her face. "Rae, I was just teasing you." I told her softly this time. She had her head down and looked about to cry. I felt guilty as hell. I was just trying to kid around, why did I have to screw this up?

"I wouldn't do anything to hurt you." She said after a few minutes of just being quiet, she was still refusing to look at me. I held her chin up, and looked straight into her eyes, "I know Rae, and it's me. I'm the jerk." I said with contempt. She shook her head, "You're too much of a genteel woman to be one."

We shared a few moments, just looking at each other, until I leaned in and she slightly moved back as I steal a kiss at her cheek. It kind of hurt me that she got scared that I'll do something to her, so I just smiled and whispered I'm sorry and Thank you.