Chapter Ten
"Joe, hey. Can I talk with you."
The dreadlocked boy turned around, and the peppy Quinn Fabray showed up right in front of her. He closed his locker door, stood up, and looked her in the face.
"It's about the Valentine's Day party. I wanted to know if you were alright."
He was silent. He couldn't believe that she was okay talking with him after what all he did to her. Even after Sam telling him, he felt guilty.
The blonde's eyes reached for his. "Joseph…"
He still couldn't respond. He felt another eruption coming on.
Quinn stepped a little closer, but he backed away. "Joe, I want to help. What's wrong?"
Unfortunately, he wouldn't let her. "I…Quinn, I'm—I'm sorry. I have to get to class." With that, Joe grabbed his things and ran to seventh period, leaving the blonde curious. Her heart skipped a beat, and her throat held a lump. She felt that she screwed something up.
Why is Joe ignoring me? I just wanted to return the favor he gave me and help him. This time, he's not letting me.
The bell was about to ring in forty seconds. Quinn shook her head watching Joe run away, and went to her seventh-period class.
She went into her American Literature classroom, and took a seat next to Mercedes. She was disappointed with herself.
"Quinn…what happened?"
Quinn shook her head, grabbing her notes and her American Lit notebook. She was too ashamed to look back at how worried Mercedes was of her.
Mercedes placed her hand on Quinn's shoulder. "Quinn, I'm here to help you. Come talk with me."
Quinn shook her head once again. "I wanted to help, too, but I was turned down on. That's all."
Mercedes shifted her desk closer to hers. "Help who? Maybe I can help."
The blonde looked down at her hands. They were trembling a little. Joe leaving from her kept repeating like a broken record. She was nervous to talk to Mercedes about him. "Joe. I wanted to know what was going through his mind at the V-Day party, but he walked away from me without answering my question."
Joe? Joe did that? Mercedes couldn't believe it. "Why would he…"
"I don't know. Did I do something wrong? Was I being too interrogative or something?"
Mercedes rubbed the girl's back. "No, you weren't. Like you said, you just wanted to help."
"But like I said as well, I was turned down. Before Joe wanted to help me, and I let him. I don't understand what's wrong with him. It's like he doesn't like me or doesn't want to be around me."
Mercedes took a second to think about it. "Maybe it was something else."
Quinn looked bewildered. "Like what?"
The black-haired girl's eyebrow cocked up and down. "It's not because he doesn't like you. It's because he really likes you."
At this point, Mercedes wasn't making much sense to her. What did she mean by that? It lingered through Quinn's brain for the remainder of the class session. It's not because he doesn't like you; it's because he really likes you. It repeated on and on. It still didn't make any sense to her.
After about fifty minutes of class time, Joe wouldn't even talk to her afterwards. He would walk past her, not looking her in the eye. He would rush to the bathroom when he was close enough so Quinn wouldn't see him have a panic attack.
This has been going on for about a couple of weeks now. The poor girl couldn't get a word out to him. He just wouldn't stick around and listen. Mercedes and Sam both noticed this and watched as the sad girl walked away every chance she had to speak with the dreadlocked kid.
One day in the middle of March before the school day ended, Quinn hasn't said anything to him before that day. She thought she would have a shot with him.
He was at his locker, grabbing his books and getting ready to go home. The blonde approached him and leaned against the lockers.
"Joe…"
He immediately looked up at her. He got a little nervous again.
"Can I please…please talk with you?"
Joe bit his lip and his eyes wandered around. He then turned back to Quinn and got up with his things. "I…Quinn, I can't," he said before finding the front entrance.
Quinn was feeling let down. Joe wasn't letting her talk to him, stand next to him, or even look at him. The blonde felt like crying. Did she lose another friend already?
"Hey Fabray. Can we talk?"
A perky Cheerio with a smooth-curl ponytail stepped next to Quinn, stopping on her heels. She had a serious facial expression.
Still thinking about Joe, Quinn turned the other way towards her. "Oh…hi, Santana." Her voice choked along with her trembling lips.
Santana noticed her upside down smile. "What's wrong? Someone crap in your coffee?"
As much as Quinn enjoyed Santana's bitchy humor, she wasn't so much in the mood to chuckle or anything. The blonde shook her head slightly before it fell down to face the flats on her feet.
Santana shrugged and wrapped her arm around Quinn's back. "Well, I wanted to say that I'm sorry."
"Sorry?"
The poor blonde was so worried about her friendship with Joe that she couldn't remember what she and Santana had together.
"I'm talking about on Valentine's Day. You know, when we bickered back and forth and stuff. You know, that Snix just wants to come out and torture people, you know?"
Quinn couldn't imagine how Santana was letting her alter ego, Snix exist upon everyone. She found it hilarious, though. That was so Santana.
The Cheerio smoothed the flaps on her Cheerios skirt and tugged Quinn, encouraging her to take a few steps with her. "Look, I want to make it up to you. I hate when I'm a bitch to the people I love. That's why I wanted to ask you if you could come out to a little girls' outing with me and Brittany to the mall afterschool. I'll pay for snacks, if you like."
Quinn needed a moment to think this over. At the moment, she was feeling very emotional. Her newest friend she met last month wasn't speaking with her, and she was close to crying her eyes out. She wasn't even sure if he ever wanted to talk to her again.
Santana grabbed her hand and shook it rapidly. "Come on. Look here." She took a black wallet with a smooth fabric on it out of her backpack. Inside was a twenty dollar bill, a five, and about six singles. "Here's close to thirty bucks in this thing. I'll pay however much you want. No fooling."
Quinn stared at the money in her wallet. The presidents printed on them nearly shouted to her. Come with her, Quinn Fabray! Spend us! Have a good time with us! Quinn couldn't turn that down.
Then she turned behind her. Joe had just come out of a classroom for a worksheet he needed for a class. He spotted Quinn looking back at him. He still had that nervous facial expression. The dreadlocked boy ran past to another hallway.
Oh, Joe. Why do you keep escaping her? All she wanted right now was a soft, sweet hug.
On the other hand, Santana's offer seemed to calm her down right now. She turned back to her and signaled with a nod.
Santana smiled back. "Super. Come on, let's go."
The Cheerio pulled Quinn's arm, and she ended up running after Santana to find Brittany.
Joe took a peek around the corner. Quinn and Santana had already left to go. He felt extremely guilty. He had no idea what he was doing anymore. He couldn't tell right now if the blonde was crying or not even caring about what he was thinking or doing.
He leaned against the wall, glaring up at the ceiling. He felt like crying himself as he thought about the precious Quinn Fabray.
Oh God, what did I do now? I'm really trying to solve this problem with my urges. I really am. But I ended up hurting Quinn emotionally. Is there anything else I can do? Can you please stick with me and help me out on this?
He spent the next five seconds praying for hope and mercy.
"Joseph. Hey."
"Dude, seriously, we need to talk right now."
Sam and Mercedes strolled down the hall after witnessing Quinn leaving with Santana. They had a clue on what was going on with the blonde, but needed proof from Joe.
Mercedes placed her hand on Joe's shoulder. "Joe, what's wrong with her? Did something between you and her happen?"
The dreadlocked boy shook his head. "No."
Sam couldn't believe what he was seeing and hearing. "You keep doing this, man. Is there anything we can do to help you?"
Mercedes looked up at him, tapping Sam's arm. "Sam, don't," she warned.
"I'm not doing anything bad here, Mercedes. I'm just trying to help Joe. I mean, look at him."
Joe innocently looked down at his bare feet. All of this avoiding Quinn was coming to some serious terms. "I…I'm just praying that I won't…well, lose myself."
Mercedes glared at him. "Lose yourself how?"
"My…my faith."
"You're worried about losing your faith. Joe, it'll never be lost. It will stick with you forever."
"I'm not lying here. Something's been going on for over a month here, and…it's disturbing." Mercedes closely listened. Behind her, Sam folded his arms and smirked, wondering if he was going to tell her the same thing he told him. "Every time I'm with Quinn, I start to…to…erupt."
Mercedes shook her head in confusion. "I…I'm not—Joe, I'm not following you." Ugh, it was going to get even weirder than this. Unfortunately, he had to confess himself anyway. Joe's head jerked down. "Down…there."
Oh.
Mercedes giggled a little. Wow…this was embarrassing. Joe watched as the awkwardness whirred around like ceiling fans.
"Joe…you're having erections?"
Joe waved his hands in front her, trying to keep her quiet before anyone heard them speak. "I beg of you, please don't."
Sam sighed. Wow, this was silly, he wanted to say.
Mercedes stopped laughing, but she couldn't stop smiling. "Joe, why do you have to be worried about this? This is a good sign. It shows that it's time for you to confess yourself to Quinn. She's alone at the moment—"
"Exactly, Mercedes. Thank you for proving me right again." Sam spoke up, glancing towards Joe.
"I have to stand by what God and my parents tell me what to do. I can't just go off, tell Quinn how I feel, and then extend that. I would've sinned."
Sam scoffed, looking at his chest. However, it was covered with his cardigan. "I don't know, man. You pretty much did already," he said, pointing to the hidden Bible-quote tattoo.
Mercedes slapped him with the back of her hand. "Sam!"
"What?"
Joe sheepishly looked down again.
Mercedes put her hand back on Joe's shoulder. "Joe…you have nothing to worry about. All that matters is that you like Quinn and that your feelings show."
Sam slapped his hand on Joe's back. "Yeah, dude. You're going to be fine. Just go after her."
Joe bit his lip again. "I'm not sure if I can, though. You saw Quinn, didn't you? She was sad. I disappointed her. I'm the worst friend she's ever had. On top of that, she'll be graduating soon. She won't ever see me again, probably. I would've let her down."
Sam and Mercedes realized what all he said, and realized he was right. They felt bad for Quinn especially. Every moment Joe walked away from her, she would feel twice as alone as she'll feel once she moves on to New Haven.
It was going to get twice as emotional as all those times Joe avoided her.
"You're not the worst friend she's ever had," Mercedes spoke up. "It's clear that she likes you as a person. Just take a moment to speak with her. You'll be fine."
Joe looked Mercedes in the eye. "You really think so?"
"I'm positive."
Sam put his hand back on Joe's back. He gave Joe an assuring smile. "Best of luck, man." Joe smiled back. He felt ready thanks to the two of them.
"Santana, I don't think the cotton candy milkshake is working. She still looks sour."
The Unholy Trinity were in the food court. They had gotten some treats from Cassie's Classics department. Quinn had ordered a cotton candy milkshake. Santana and Brittany figured it would cheer her up since she was feeling down today. Unfortunately, it did nothing for her.
"Quinn, you've been like this for hours. Come on, girl. Say something."
Quinn appreciated Santana's kind words. However, they weren't helping one bit.
Brittany folded her hands together. "Look, if it'll help you, I can do my impression of Elmo from Sesame Street. He cheers up little kids and their families; it'll do the same for you, too."
"I would love a kid-show impersonation, Brittany, but I'm not in the mood."
Brittany pouted. "Aw, it always worked with Santana."
When it came to any secret that the girls promised to keep under the sheets, Brittany would never shut up about them.
Santana smirked and hit her in the arm. "Brittany, what did I say about—"
"I'm sorry, Santana, but I'm telling the truth."
Quinn enjoyed the girls' company. Not only because they had flirtatious comments right in front of her, but they made her think about positive things aside from the negatives.
Unfortunately, it wasn't working right now. Joe Hart was the only thing the girl could think about. She wondered if he was thinking of her at the moment. The poor blonde missed him. She wanted to see him. She wanted to talk to him. She wanted to…just everything.
The lesbian Cheerios turned back to the blonde. "Quinn, just tell us what's going on. We'll be free to give any advice on anything."
"Yeah, tell us, Quinn."
Quinn's small fingers tapped against each other. She hadn't had the slightest clue on how she was going to tell Santana and Brittany what was going on or how she was feeling. She had no other solution but to just let it out.
"It's…about Joe. I miss him."
Santana looked perplexed. "What do you mean? Did he transfer himself back home or something?"
"No. It's just that…well, it's been a month since he's talked to me. He's been trying his best to get away from me. I don't know what's wrong with him. He won't tell me."
Santana rolled her eyes. "Ugh, I hate it when some people are like that."
Quinn gripped at her milkshake glass. "Santana, don't—"
"I'm just sayin'. Joe shouldn't be hurting your feelings like that. In fact, why leisurely beg for him to have a conversation with you?" Quinn didn't know where this was going, but she hinted that it was bad. "You need to stand up for yourself. Don't plead him. I mean, how do you think you got Finn to go to prom with you last year?"
"She wanted sex from him, remember?"
Santana groaned at how loud Brittany's question was. She imagined the old lady two tables away from them eavesdropping.
Quinn gasped. "Brittany, I didn't."
Wow, did that bring a smile to the blonde's face or what? "But, Santana, that does seem like a good idea."
Santana nodded, eating the rest of her banana split. "That's right, girl. Stand up for yourself. Joe won't have anywhere to run. If you need any help, Auntie Tana is here to assist you."
Quinn smiled again. "Thanks, Santana."
The girls decided to change the topic. "Hey Santana, have you heard about Puck? He got in trouble again."
Santana turned to her girlfriend. "About what?"
Brittany sipped onto her fruit smoothie. "I don't know. I heard about it from the Asian guy."
Quinn tried to continue listening to the Cheerios gossip about random students in McKinley. However, only one of them stuck to her and never went away. She was pretty nervous about taking Santana's advice. What if Joe would get mad at her or something? What if she scared him away?
On the contrary, Santana did say that she had her back. What could possibly go wrong?