Quinn's POV
Do you trust me?
The words echoed in my head, though I already knew the answer.
My eyes were still locked with Spencer's. For Hanna, Aria and Emily, her question was merely a vice to convince them to follow her up the fire escape, but for me, it was truly a question, something Spencer was still trying to figure out.
Surely, she must know that I trust her, I mean, after the information we'd exchanged last night, she has to know.
I wanted to tell her right then that I trusted her with my life, which, though we'd only known each other for a short time, I found was true. I, however, refused to be the first to acknowledge Spencer's question.
I tried to convey to her just how much I trusted her with my eyes, but I wasn't sure if it was working.
"Of course we trust you," Aria finally said, "It's just that this place seems very…"
"It reminds me of the greenhouse," Emily said.
I wasn't sure what exactly had happened in the greenhouse, but it was clear to me that Spencer and her friends had not had a pleasant experience there. I knew better than to ask though, Spencer had shared some of the details of her past, and they were frightening enough to think about as it is. I did however, raise an eyebrow to Spencer. I wasn't sure what could be so frightening or creepy about a greenhouse.
"Trust me," Spencer said, "This place is nothing like the greenhouse."
I saw the girls nod out of the corner of my eye.
"Okay," I finally said, "Let's go."
I followed Spencer up the fire escape to the second floor of the building. Her friends followed after me. We climbed in through the window, and I couldn't help but think how this must have looked to anybody who might be watching.
We were now in a hallway. Spencer led us down to a door, and opened it.
The place I walked into looked like a restaurant. In fact, it was a restaurant, a large one at that. There were people seated all over the large room. There was a bar at the back, a staircase leasing down on the left, and tables throughout.
"Uh, Spence," Hanna said, "I hate to break it to you, but we just ate."
The place we were in now didn't seem so sketchy. It seemed normal, with the exception of climbing in a window to get here.
"I know," Spencer said, "We're not here for the restaurant, we're going downstairs."
We followed Spencer downstairs. I heard the music before I saw anything. There was somebody singing "Raise Your Glass" by Pink. It reminded me of McKinley, and the Glee Club. Back when Kurt and Blaine were Warblers, and they sang that song when we competed at Regionals.
There were tables spread out around the whole downstairs with a huge stage in the front and a bar in the back. The girl singing reminded me a little bit of Rachel. She was very talented, with no fashion sense.
Spencer was right. I loved it, already. It was the perfect place for someone like me.
Spencer's POV
The girls looked astounded. I had probably looked the same way the first time I had been here, but seeing their faces made it more real. Hanna looked both mildly confused, like she was trying to figure out how someplace this nice could be located in a rundown building where you had to climb in through the window, and excited. Aria's attention had flittered to the stage. She never sang much, but the few times I'd heard her, I could tell that she loved it. She had an amazing voice, too. Emily just seemed surprised. I think it was because nobody pegged this as the type of place I would know about, let alone go to.
Quinn's presence here seemed so natural. The fire inside her, to sing, to perform, radiated from her. She was grinning hugely and just that made the trip here worth it.
We sat down at a table, not directly in front of the stage, but close to it.
"So, Quinn," I said, "Care to grace us with a performance?"
"Sure," Quinn responded confidently; she was definitely in her element now.
Quinn's POV
As I stood up on the stage in front of Spencer and her friends and several other people, I felt a sense of familiarity and nostalgia. I remembered sitting in front of the glee club singing a mash-up of "I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story and "Unpretty" by TLC when Rachel was thinking about getting a nose job like mine. I remembered singing "Lucky" with Sam to win the free dinner at Breadstix, which ended up being out first date. I remembered singing "I've Had The Time Of My Life" with Sam at sectionals. I remembered standing in public for the first time since being confined to a wheelchair during prom, when I was singing "Take My Breath Away" with Santana.
The stage, it felt like home, like it was where I belonged. The only thing missing from the stage was Spencer, and I could see her smiling expectantly up at me. I wasn't sure what I should sing. Should I sing something to her, something that might hint at the way I feel? No, too obvious. Plus, I promised myself I wouldn't make a move on Spencer while she was still dating Toby. It wouldn't be fair to her.
I took a deep breath.
Show time.
Spencer's POV
I sat in anticipation, waiting for Quinn to start singing. A small part of me hoped she would sing to me, though I knew that wouldn't be wise with the girls sitting right here, but hey, what girl doesn't dream of being serenaded.
Toby had never serenaded me, though I'd heard him sing. He was amazing, and he could play the guitar well, too.
"Hey everybody," Quinn finally said into the microphone, "My name is Quinn."
Quinn paused, looking around at what I assumed was the entire audience, I was too busy watching her to check.
"So I came out tonight with my new friends Spencer, Hanna, Emily and Aria," Quinn said pointing to us.
I smiled at her; I may have even blushed a little.
"Spencer wants me to sing a little something for you, what do you think?"
Quinn winked at me as the small crowd here agreed with me.
"Alright, well the first person I thought of when I heard the person before me singing was my friend Kurt, who had sang the same song when we were competing at regionals a couple years ago, so I think it's fitting that honor him tonight. I sang this with my friends back home at his father's wedding."
I thought it was amazing that she was dedicating her performance to her friend that wasn't even here. If I ever meet this Kurt guy, I'll have to mention it to him. I wondered if she'd ever dated this guy. Maybe she has feelings for him?
I need to stop thinking.
"It's a beautiful night
We're looking for something dumb to do
Hey baby, I think I want to marry you."
Her voice was angelic, and I was completely mesmerized by her. The stage suited her well.
"Is it the look in your eyes?
Or is it this dancing juice?
Who cares, baby?
I think I want to marry you."
I couldn't help but notice that Quinn was looking everywhere except at me.
"Well I know this little chapel on the boulevard
We can go-o-oh, no one will no-o-oh
Oh come on, girl."
I wondered why she wouldn't look at me, she looked at the girls, but not me.
"Who cares if we're trashed
Got a pocketful of cash
We can blow-o-oh
Shot's of petro-o-on
And it's on girl."
Quinn's eyes flashed toward me, locking with mine for an intense split-second, making my heart melt, before continuing to wander through the room.
"Don't say no, no, no. no-no
Just say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah
And we'll go, go, go, go-go
If you're ready, like I'm ready."
What do you think? Please review!
