Hello Readers! I'm back, now a married woman! So far, so good! I'm so excited to be posting this chapter tonight. I wasn't expecting it to be finished, but it came to a nice close, and I decided to post it and explore the things I wasn't able to cover in this chapter in the next one (and hopefully get 22 published even faster!). I hope you all enjoy this next installment of the story. Please review and let me know what you think!
Much love,
DARecruit
Chapter 21: Back to School Blues
"Do I really have to go to school tomorrow?" Rachel asked Monday night. It was Labor Day and school was to begin in the morning. As it neared the girl's bedtime, it was getting harder for Rachel to pretend she wasn't going to her own personal hell in less than twelve hours.
"You do," Shelby said gently, pulling the girl close to her. It had been rocky between mother and daughter these last few weeks; Rachel had been in a mood that Shelby just couldn't figure out. Things had been less tense since Thursday night, when Rachel came to Shelby and apologized again for her behavior that day. They wound up having a nice evening together, and Shelby even managed to take the girl school shopping the next day without much fuss.
The weekend proved to be quiet, with Rachel wanting lots of comfort from Shelby. It was a complete one-eighty from the girl's previous behavior, and was clear to Shelby that there was something more going on in her daughter's head. Try as she might, Shelby couldn't get Rachel to open up to her; the girl was clamped up tight and wouldn't share her fears and worries with her mother.
"Can't I just be homeschooled?" pressed Rachel, snuggling into her mother's side. Her stomach was a mess of butterflies and her chest felt tight. She wished she could tell her mom what she was really thinking, but she was still too scared.
"I think not," answered Shelby with a light laugh. She kissed Rachel's head and rubbed the girl's arm. "I wish you would tell me what's going on, Rach," she added pleadingly.
"I wish you would leave me alone about that," Rachel mouthed, disentangling herself from her mother. She was able to slip through her mother's grasp as the woman went to grab her and pull her back down. She took off for her bedroom without a second glance.
"Rachel! We aren't finished here!" Shelby called after her daughter, letting out a frustrated huff.
Rachel flung herself onto her bed, smiling when Tigger meowed and crawled out from under her covers to come cuddle with her. The kitten had grown to twice the size he was when they brought him home, and was more independent now. He slept with Rachel every night, but came for cuddles only when he wanted now.
"Rachel, you have got to stop walking away from me when we're having a conversation," Shelby said, making her way into her daughter's bedroom. Her heart ached at seeing her daughter curled up in a tight ball, hugging Henry to her chest as she cuddled with her kitten.
Rachel groaned, but otherwise ignored her mother. She squeezed her eyes shut when she felt her mattress sink as Shelby sat down next to her.
"Rachel, look at me," Shelby said in a firm, but gentle tone. She waited until the girl complied before continuing. "I can help you, but you have to tell me what's wrong, honey."
"You can't," Rachel pouted, still curled up and laying on her bed. She cast her eyes away from her mother and back to the purring kitten besides her.
"Rach—"
"It's nothing, Mom," Rachel insisted. "It's just…back to school crap. Back to homework and tests and bull...shit." Rachel kicked herself for almost letting her secret slip. She thought she covered well enough, but then her eyes went wide when she realized what she had said instead.
"Sorry!" she added quickly, glancing at her mother to gauge her response. The woman shook her head but let it slide.
"Is that all, Rach?" Shelby asked, frowning. She wanted to shake her daughter and make the girl talk to her. She hated that Rachel was so stubborn and refused to say what was wrong—especially when it was obvious that something was!
"I hate the first week. I have to get used to the routine again. It's always really hard," said Rachel. It wasn't an absolute lie. The first week was hard. Rachel had to yet again get used to being the butt of all jokes and the target of many pranks.
Without a word, Shelby scooted over and crawled in behind Rachel, so that she could hold her girl. Rachel slowly uncurled herself and rolled over so that she could cuddle into the safety of her mother's arms.
"And…I'm worried about how everyone is going to react. You know…to the news, of me—and us," Rachel continued, meeting her mom's eyes. She wanted so badly for her mom to make everything ok, without giving away her deepest secret.
"I'm going to go talk to the principal tomorrow and straighten that out for you. There's no reason the school can't help with this," Shelby said in a determined voice. She wouldn't have Rachel feeling uneasy about school, especially when there was such a simple solution.
"But Mom—"
"Hush now. Go brush your teeth and everything, and I'll lay with you for awhile," Shelby said, sitting up. She patted her daughter's leg several times before making the girl sit up as well. "Go on," she said, nudging Rachel off the bed.
Rachel returned several minutes later, ready for bed. She smiled shyly at her mom who was waiting on her bed, blankets pulled down, ready for Rachel to curl up into. Rachel was glad her mom would stay with her for a bit. She needed that comfort tonight especially.
Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms
Shelby groaned and rolled over, hitting the snooze button on her alarm clock. Five thirty-five had come far too quickly. With a big yawn, Shelby sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
Fifteen minutes later, Shelby was in the kitchen brewing a pot of coffee and mixing up some pancake batter for breakfast. She planned on giving Rachel another ten minutes to sleep before going to wake the girl up.
Shelby had just rinsed off the wooden spoon she had used to stir the batter and was about to start the first of the pancakes when she heard keys rattling and the front door opening. "Rachel?" she asked, bewildered. "What are you—Were you out?"
Rachel was just as surprised to see her mother as Shelby was to see her. "Mom? I didn't think you'd be up yet. I went for a run," she said.
"It's a bit early for that, don't you think? The sun is barely up!" Shelby said.
"I did it all the time when I lived with my—with them. It's no big deal," Rachel shrugged.
"No big deal? Rachel, I had no idea you were even up, let alone out of the house," Shelby scolded.
"What? Mom! I left you a note!" Rachel hurried as the woman started towards her, wagging a large wooden spoon at her as she went.
Shelby sighed and relaxed. "I didn't see your note," she said.
"Sorry. I left it on your dresser. I figured you'd see it…Guess not, huh?" said Rachel with a small, sheepish grin. She was relieved her mother's stern glare was gone, replaced with a smile.
"I didn't even look at my dresser when I got up," said Shelby. "Next time, leave it near the coffee pot. I'm guaranteed to see it there," she added, giving the girl a tap with the spoon.
"Yes, ma'am," Rachel smiled, absentmindedly rubbing at the slight sting.
"Go shower—you stink," Shelby ordered, crinkling her nose at her daughter's sweaty aroma. "Don't take forever! I'm making pancakes!" she called after her.
An hour later, mother and daughter were in the car, on their way to Rachel's school. Rachel was anxious and kept trying to convince her mother that she didn't need to go talk to the principal.
"Rach, it's no big deal. I just want him to be aware of our situation. Besides, I should introduce myself anyway," Shelby said, reaching a hand over to pat her daughter's bouncing knee.
"You're just going to make things worse," Rachel mumbled, crossing her arms and turning away from her mother to look out the window.
"Rachel," Shelby sighed, her frustration at Rachel's constant refusal to tell herwhat was bothering her wearing thin. "I could make things better if you would just talk to me."
"Yeah, right," said Rachel with a roll of her eyes.
Shelby huffed and gripped the steering wheel tightly. She wanted to smack her daughter upside the head to knock some sense into the girl. She wanted to scream and throw her hands up. Instead she focused on the road, becoming lost in her own thoughts.
Rachel watched with dread as McKinley came into view, and felt her stomach knot the moment her mother pulled into the parking lot. Kids were already milling around outside, laughing and sharing their summer adventures. Rachel noticed a group of jocks lifting a boy she knew from Glee and tossing him into the dumpster on the side of the building near the cafeteria. She was glad for the first time this morning that her mother would be coming into the school with her, so that she could avoid that same fate for today, at least.
Shelby could feel the stares and hear the whispering from all around her as the students noticed her walking towards the school with Rachel practically glued to her side. She held her head high and ignored them, whispering words of comfort to her daughter as she went.
Rachel let out a sigh of relief the moment she and her mother made it into the school. It was less crowded inside, but the stares and whispers continued. Rachel groaned as they rounded the corner and a group of cheerleaders came into view. There were four of the snickering girls, lead by their ringleader, Harper Daniels. Rachel hated her worse than even Quinn Fabray.
Harper was the epitome of that girl—tall, pretty, blonde, and the biggest bitch you ever came in contact with. She had been Rachel's biggest bully since kindergarten. It was as if her single goal in life was to make Rachel's as painful as possible, and she managed that splendidly.
"Rachel! Oh my God!" Harper squealed, pulling Rachel in for a hug.
Rachel's eyes were wide when Harper let her go a moment later, squealing again as she said, "We have so much to catch up on! I can't wait to hear all about your summer!"
Shelby watched with narrowed eyes as her daughter was pulled into the blonde teen's arms. She could tell Rachel was tense and wanted to be anywhere by here in this moment. The mother cleared her throat loudly, which immediately gained the attention of the blonde.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. I'm Harper Daniels. Rachel and I are, like, best friends," the cheerleader said in a sickeningly sweet tone. "You are of course Rachel's mother—I can see where she gets her good looks from," the girl added, offering her hand out in greeting.
Shelby bit the inside of her cheek and quickly shook the girl's hand. "It's a pleasure, Harper," she said, giving the girl a fake smile.
Rachel felt her blood boil as she watched her biggest bully touch her mother's hand. She bunched her fists and looked away.
"Rachel and I have a few things we need to straighten out before classes start. If you'll excuse us," Shelby said, not waiting for an answer from the teenager standing in front of her. She wrapped a protective arm around her daughter's shoulders and steered them both away from the group of girls.
Rachel almost felt relieved when she stepped through to the main office a moment later. There were no other students in here, only a few teachers over by the wall of mail cubbies. None of them looked over as Rachel and Shelby walked in.
"Well good morning," greeted the office secretary. Rachel had only ever talked to her a handful of times last year, but the middle-aged woman was always very sweet to her. She smiled warmly at the mother and daughter, and Rachel couldn't help but smile back.
Shelby returned the woman's smile; she had met her a few weeks ago when she came in to update Rachel's information. The woman had been very sweet and helpful that day, and she was hoping she'd be the same today.
"Good morning," Shelby replied, flashing a 1000-watt smile. "I was hoping to talk to Mr. Figgins this morning. I have a few things I'd like to discuss with him in regards to my daughter's safety and well-being."
"Of course. Let me get him," the woman said, leaving mother and daughter standing at the desk. She returned a moment later with the principal, who looked less than pleased to be summoned.
"Mrs. Berry, I presume?" the man asked, extending his hand out with a bored air.
"It's Corcoran, actually," Shelby said shortly, eyeing the man suspiciously.
"Ah. Mrs. Corcoran—"
"There's no husband, it's just Ms.," Shelby said, catching Rachel rolling her eyes out of the corner of her own. "I'd like to speak with you in your office, Mr. Figgins. Shall we?"
"Of course," Figgins replied tersely, motioning for the pair to follow after. He hated being the principal of a high school, having to listen to the complaints of parents and teachers day in and day out. Everyone was always trying to tell him how to run his school, as if they knew anything about the matter.
Shelby let Rachel into the office before she followed and they both took their seats in front of the large desk. Mr. Figgins closed the door with a crisp click before making his way over to his own chair.
"So, Ms. Corcoran," he sighed, "What can I do for you today?"
"I'd like to go over safety issues that may arise with Rachel this year. I'm sure you are aware of the events surrounding my reunion with my daughter, and why certain measures may need to be taken to keep her safe," Shelby started, frowning slightly at the look of confusion and indifference that crossed Figgins' face.
"Ms. Corcoran, we take the safety of every student very importantly. Rest assured that your daughter is well taken care of while under our supervision. What happens outside of school grounds is beyond my control," Mr. Figgins said, wanting nothing more than for this conversation to be over with quickly.
"Mr. Figgins, I'm not sure you realize the seriousness of this situation. This school needs to be a safe place for Rachel to learn, and I don't want her to be bombarded by questions about me or have her surrounded by flocks of students trying to get close to me. I'd also like to discuss the protocol you have in place in the event that paparazzi or the press come on to school grounds," Shelby said, feeling her Mama Bear protectiveness coming out.
Rachel watched the back and forth between her mother and the principal, trying very hard to hide her amusement. Rachel had never held any respect for Mr. Figgins as an administrator, and what little amount she had held for him as a person was rapidly disappearing. She did find it humorous to watch his reactions to her mother's words. Figgins was quickly unraveling and was now attempting to backpedal.
Rachel covered her mouth to stifle a snicker when Figgins began to stutter and fall over his words. She sat up straighter when the man turned his eyes on her.
"I think it's time for you to go find your class, Miss Berry. Your mother and I can finish this discussion without your presence," he said with a condescending air.
Rachel stood from her seat and was about to put Figgins in his place when a gentle hand squeezed her shoulder. She looked up into her mother's eyes and willed herself to calm down.
Shelby breathed a sigh of relief when Rachel kept quiet; she knew how the girl felt about the principal, and Shelby had to admit that what her daughter had said was true. Mr. Figgins was indeed an inept administrator; however, Shelby felt she could get through to him one way or another. She had, after all, dealt with her fair share of incompetent producers and directors trying to convince her to work with them. She could certainly handle a principal of a high school with ease.
"Her name is Rachel Corcoran, and I would appreciate it if you would pass the word around to the rest of the administration and teaching staff of that change so everyone is on the same page," Shelby said with an edge to her voice. "Now, if you'll excuse me for a minute, I want to say goodbye to my daughter, and then we can continue our chat." With that, Shelby guided Rachel out of Figgins' office and into the main one.
"I told you he was an idiot," Rachel whispered, earning herself a warning glance from her mother.
"I want you to have a good day today, ok? I'll be here to pick you up right after the final bell today, I promise. I love you, sweetheart. And here," Shelby said, grabbing her daughter's hand and planting a kiss to the girl's palm. She gently tucked Rachel's fingers in and held onto the girl's fist.
Rachel gave her mother a look and tried to pull her hand away—what if someone walked by and saw this? She didn't need any more things to be made fun of for.
Shelby ignored her daughter's annoyed glance and said, "That's there for when you need it. LuLu used to give me a kiss to save in my palm when she went back to college and I didn't get to see her all the time."
Rachel huffed but her heart wasn't really in it; she was comforted by her mother's gesture, and felt like she now had a bit of her mom to carry around today for protection. "I love you," she mumbled, looking around swiftly to make sure no one was staring before giving her mom a quick hug.
"I love you too," Shelby said, just managing a quick peck to Rachel's head before the girl was walking away from her. Shelby could feel tears burning in her eyes and she looked up into the florescent lights to help keep them at bay.
Get a grip, Shelby, she scolded herself, turning her attention back to the task at hand. She needed to get back into Figgins' office to finish their conversation.
Rachel stopped at a bench in the lobby so she could pull her schedule out of her backpack. She had homeroom with Mrs. Weir, followed by biology with Mr. Atwater. She quickly scanned the rest of her schedule—she had math directly after biology, and then Spanish before lunch (she had A lunch this year, so that was nice). Her last class of the day was chorus with Miss Doherty, a young woman two years out of college. She was one of Rachel's favorite teachers by far, and was glad she could end the day on a high note (in more than one way).
Stuffing her binder back in her bag, Rachel made her way towards her homeroom. She groaned when she walked in the room to find Quinn and her two lackeys, Santana Lopez and Brittany Pierce, sitting in the back, laughing and joking with each other.
Quinn looked up at the new person coming in the room, interested to see if any of her other friends were going to be in homeroom with her. She met Rachel's eyes and gave her a small, friendly smile.
Rachel met Quinn's eyes and then looked behind her to see if someone else was there that Quinn was really smiling at. There was no one. She was smiling at Rachel. Rachel could feel her lips turning up at the sides, but before she could smile back, the two other girls met her eyes. And they laughed.
"Well look who it is!" Santana called, nodding her head at the small brunette standing in the doorway. "Man Hands!"
Rachel bit her lip and moved towards the closest desk to take a seat. She held her head high even as she heard Santana's jeers continuing.
"So I read in a magazine that you've been causing all sorts of trouble for Mommy dearest this summer, Man Hands. When do you think she's gonna get tired of you and dump you like your dads did?" Santana said loud enough for the whole room to hear. She smirked when she heard snickers from several other kids.
"I'm surprised she hasn't pushed you off the Empire State building yet. Guess there's still hope!" a boy Rachel didn't know added as he high-fived Santana.
Rachel bit her lip and blinked back tears. She couldn't let them get to her, but it really was hard. She had forgotten just how bad the taunts could be. Rachel felt it had been easier to deal with when she was living with her dads, because she hadn't known any better. They ignored all the signs of her suffering, and so it was easier for Rachel to ignore it too. Now that she was with her mom, Rachel knew what it felt like to be happy, and loved. She knew what it was like to have a parent that cared about her life and what was going on in it. But Shelby didn't know about any of the bullying Rachel put up with day in and day out; had she known, Rachel was sure she would be ashamed to have Rachel as a daughter.
Rachel was so lost in her thoughts that she nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a boy's soft and somewhat timid voice saying "Hello." She turned and was met with the big eyes of the boy from Glee she had seen being thrown in the dumpster earlier.
"Hello, Kurt," Rachel said, giving him a sad smile. Kurt was a very well dressed boy with a baby face and perfect hair. His voice was much higher than a lot of boys at school, and he was known for hanging out with mostly girls. Rachel was never sure what to make of Kurt. They were both constantly picked on for their choice of clothes and the way they acted; and while they sometimes sympathized with one another over their bullying, Kurt was quick to say harsh things to Rachel too, especially when other Glee kids were around.
"How was your summer?" the boy asked.
"It was good," Rachel shrugged. She didn't want to give him much information for fear that he would then find a way to make fun of her for it. There was still a small chance that some kids in school didn't know about Rachel's home life yet, and she was hoping to keep it that way until at least first period.
"That's all? Good?" Kurt pressed. "You were just dropped into the lap of your famous Broadway mother and your summer was just good? She had to have taken you all over New York and introduced you to all kinds of celebrities. I need more than good."
"We spent most of the summer here in Ohio, and I met my family. She's really kind of boring," said Rachel.
"Like I believe that for minute!" Kurt huffed. "I thought you would be dying to tell someone all about how amazing your mother is and how she's going to get you on Broadway and blah blah blah."
Before Rachel could say anything, Kurt got up and moved to another seat, mumbling, "Last time I try being nice to you" as he went.
Rachel sighed and spent the last of homeroom trying very hard to listen to the announcements and ignore everyone else. It wasn't working too well, but finally the bell rang and she made a mad dash for the door. She was well down the hall before anyone else from that classroom ventured out.
The first four classes went by without much incident. Each one of Rachel's teachers spent the entire class going over their syllabi and told the kids their homework was to go home and read it over, sign the bottom, and have their parents sign their portion before turning it in the next day. Rachel was glad that there was no real homework so far. She doubted there would be for any classes today.
Rachel was on her way to Mr. Schuester's fifth period Spanish class when Harper ran up to her again.
"Rachel!" the girl called, linking arms with Rachel once she got to her side. "We need to have a little talk!"
"About what?" Rachel asked nervously.
"About you! You've got a great opportunity in front of you, you know. I'd hate to see you waste it," Harper said.
"What opportunity?"
"To be popular! You're the talk of the school right now—and not in a bad way, for once. I'm going to transform you from this," Harper pointed at Rachel's clothing with a look of disgust, "Into someone you'd actually like to be—like me. So, you're going to do exactly as I say, when I say it and—"
"I think I'll pass, Harper. I'm not looking to be like you," Rachel said, pulling away from the taller girl.
"Don't be stupid, Rachel. Of course you are. I'm not doing this just out of the goodness of my heart. I expect you to repay me for everything I'm about to do for you. You're going to invite me over to your house, introduce me to your mother, and you're going to do any and all homework I tell you to. I'm sure I'll come up with more for you to do, don't worry," Harper continued.
"I'm not doing any of that, Harper," Rachel said angrily, pushing Harper away from her roughly. The girl fell backward into another student and had coffee spilled all over her perfect cheerleader uniform. Rachel laughed before her eyes bulged at the look Harper was giving her. She turned and ran to Spanish class.
Harper pushed the boy who spilled coffee away from her and shrieked in anger. "I'll get you back for that, Rachel Berry!"
"It's Corcoran!" Rachel yelled back over her shoulder.
Rachel was feeling extremely proud of herself for standing up to Harper for once—she hadn't even done that before—but her euphoria was short lived. She was ten feet from Mr. Schuester's classroom door when she noticed Quinn and Santana walking into the room. Great, Rachel thought, them again.
Will Schuester smiled as his fifth period students filed in. "Hola clase! ¿Cómo estuvo tu verano?" he said, receiving blank stares from all thirty kids. "Ok, we'll work on that! Let's get everyone in the correct seats and we'll start class!"
Rachel felt the universe was punishing her for defying the high school social system and standing up to her bully. She found herself sitting between Quinn Fabray and Santana Lopez. This was going to be a very long year for her.
"Rachel, can you stay back for a minute?" Will said after the bell rang forty minutes later. He leaned up against his desk and waited while the rest of the class scurried past him. "I wanted to tell you I've got some great ideas for Glee this year. Mr. Figgins has even said we can compete this year, as long as we can get at least twelve kids to sign up."
"Twelve? But Mr. Schue, there's only five of us! How are we supposed to get seven more people to sign up? Everyone hates us!" Rachel said.
"But they won't! They just need to see how much fun Glee can be! So that's why I've planned for us to put on a bit of a show at the assembly next week," Will said excitedly.
"Are you sure we're ready for that, Mr. Schue? I am, of course, but the others…"
Will covered his laugh up with a coughing fit before saying to the precocious teen, "With some practice, Rachel, we'll be ready. I want to start tomorrow as soon as school lets out. We'll meet in the choir room. Pass the word along to the rest of the kids for me, will you?"
Rachel left the classroom several minutes later on a mission to find the rest of the Glee kids and tell them the good news. She stopped by her locker to pick up her lunch on her way to the cafeteria, hoping the Glee kids were sitting at their normal table together. She was in view of the cafeteria doors when her path was cut off by a very angry, coffee-stained cheerleader holding a plastic cup.
"I told you I'd get you back, Berry," Harper spat, flinging the contents of her cup at the smaller teen. She smirked deviously as Rachel sucked in her breath at the icy cold of the blue slushie now dripping down her face.
Rachel's breathing was coming fast from the horrible shock of the slushie. She forgot just how bad it truly was. It made her head ache from the cold and her eyes burn and tear up. Rachel heard the laughter echoing around her, thundering in her ears until she could feel it in her bones. She needed to get away. She wouldn't let them see her cry. She would walk away with her head held high.
Rachel saw Quinn and her lackeys coming her way. They were all laughing and Rachel saw Santana pointing at her. Quinn met Rachel's eyes and it became too much. Rachel ran for the nearest bathroom, hoping to wash away her sadness along with the slushie.
"Shut up, Santana!" Quinn said angrily, pushing her friend roughly. "You've been torturing Rachel all day. I told you to stop!"
"When did you get a stick stuck up your ass, Q? Why are you so concerned about the Hobbit?" Santana bit back.
"She's a person too!" Quinn yelled, stomping away from her friends.
"I can't believe you're sticking up for Gayberry! Come find us when you've pulled that stick out, will ya?" Santana yelled after her friend.
Rachel jumped when the door opened, spinning to see who was walking in. She was afraid it was going to be Harper coming to strike her final blow. She was only slightly relieved when it was Quinn instead.
"Come to laugh at me too?" Rachel asked harshly as the blonde came towards her.
Quinn looked at Rachel's pitiful, blue-stained expression and felt a twinge of guilt for all the times she had been mean to the girl in the past. She thought back to the most recent time over the summer, and again realized how fragile Rachel was in these moments. Gone was the girl's fierce and over-confident outer shell, revealing the hurt and damage underneath.
"I came to help," Quinn said gently. "I've got some extra clothes in my gym locker. They'll be a bit big on you, but—"
"I don't need your help," Rachel snapped, grabbing a handful of paper towels from the dispenser on the wall. She wetted them and began scrubbing at her face to get the sticky, sugary drink off before it stained her skin even more.
"Please let me help you, Rachel," Quinn pleaded.
"Why do you want to help me? Last year, you were the one giving me daily slushie facials. Why do you care now?" asked Rachel.
"I'm sorry for everything I did last year, Rachel. And I'm sorry for what I wrote on your cast over the summer. I really am so sorry," said Quinn. "I, um…I had a lot of fun last week during the storm. I thought we could—"
"What? Be friends?" Rachel interrupted again, glaring at Quinn in the mirror.
"I'd like to try, Rachel," Quinn said, stepping forward to lay a hand on Rachel's shoulder, not caring that it was covered in blue slushie. "Didn't you have fun the other day?"
Rachel stared into Quinn's eyes, looking for any hint of malice or mockery. She could find none. Still, she worried that the girl was trying to pull a fast one over on her, and was luring Rachel out into some kind of ambush. Rachel shrugged the blonde's hand off her shoulder and spun to face her.
"We can never be friends," Rachel declared.
Quinn took a step back at Rachel's uncaring tone and wondered if she was doing the right thing. But something made Quinn push forward. "Rachel, I know I've treated you horribly before, and I know I can't take that back, but…I'd like to start over, if you'll let me. Maybe I can make up for what I've done?" she said, hoping her sincerity was coming through.
"We're in different worlds, Quinn," Rachel sighed. "You're head cheerleader and I'm…me. I'm a loser."
"But you're not!" Quinn insisted.
Rachel scoffed and returned to her task. "Please! You and your Cheerios made sure I knew I was a loser. Or do you not remember the 'Loser Luau' the Cheerios and football team held for me last year, when you all threw pineapples and slushies at me after school?"
Quinn grimaced at the memory of Rachel covered in red slushie and pineapple pieces in the middle of the school parking lot one day. Quinn remembered that two of the members of the varsity football team then picked Rachel up and tossed her into a nearby dumpster, slamming the lids down as they all walked away laughing. Quinn hadn't technically participated, but she had been there and watched as her teammates tormented the small brunette. Quinn had felt sick and disgusted watching that scene, but she never once tried to stop it. She never tried to stop any type of bullying towards Rachel.
"I wish I could take it all back, Rachel, I do," Quinn said, not knowing what else to say. "Look, if you don't want to be friends, fine. But please let me help you out now, at least," she begged.
Rachel sighed and turned the faucet off. She still had slushie in her hair, and her clothes were wet and sticky. She didn't want to admit that she needed help, but she couldn't deny that it would be nice to change into clean clothes.
"Fine," said Rachel, turning again to the blonde cheerleader.
"Go ahead and get into the showers and clean up. I'll get some fresh towels for you," Quinn said several minutes later as she steered Rachel through the girls' locker room.
"Are you sure we aren't going to get caught?" asked Rachel nervously as she looked around for any sign of Sue Sylvester.
"Don't worry. It's lunch period, which means Coach's in the teacher's lounge wreaking havoc on unsuspecting victims," said Quinn, pushing Rachel towards the showers. "Go on," she encouraged.
Rachel hesitated, looking uncertainly towards the blonde teen. What if this was a trap? What if Quinn was planning some kind of cruel prank after Rachel was unclothed? Rachel knew she wouldn't be able to overcome that. She would have to convince her mother to let them move as far away from Ohio as possible—perhaps the moon.
Sensing Rachel's unease, Quinn stepped forward slowly, not wanting to scare the smaller teen any more than she was. "I swear it's ok, Rach. My sister promised to give me the spanking of my life if I ever bully you or anyone else again," she said, blushing profusely. But she wanted to do something to prove to Rachel that she wasn't going to pull anything, and in order to do that, Quinn had to be just as vulnerable as Rachel.
"Besides," Quinn continued, "I was telling you the truth before—I really did have fun last week. And I would like to be your friend."
Rachel sighed and nodded. She didn't know what to think, but she was sure that Quinn would have to be mental if she did something after confiding that Frannie would spank her for it. Not to mention that she just gave Rachel a huge piece of information she could use for blackmail, if she wanted. That in and of itself made Rachel feel better about trusting Quinn…at least in this moment.
Turning, Rachel went into the communal-style showers and turned on the nearest tap. She quickly stripped out of her cold, sticky clothes and threw them towards Quinn, who was waiting nearby.
The blonde teen found an old plastic bag in the bottom of her gym locker and stuffed Rachel's dirty shirt and skirt in it before grabbing her bottle of bodywash and shampoo.
"Here, Rach," she said, placing the bottles on the ledge of the half wall separating the showers from the rest of the locker room.
"Thanks," Rachel mumbled as she stepped completely under the stream of water.
Quinn returned once more to hang a towel on the hook for Rachel before going to sit on a bench and wait for the girl.
Rachel could hear Quinn humming as she washed her hair. She didn't have much time to wonder what song it was before Quinn's clear voice carried over to her.
Mother cannot guide you.
Now you're on your own.
Only me beside you.
Still, you're not alone.
No one is alone. Truly.
No one is alone.
Sometimes people leave you,
Halfway through the wood.
Others may deceive you.
You decide what's good.
You decide alone.
But no one is alone.
Quinn's voice trembled slightly at the beginning. She wasn't sure why she decided to sing, but something about it just seemed right. Keeping her eyes closed, Quinn continued on, her voice becoming stronger with each passing second.
Just remember:
Someone is on your side,
Someone else is not.
While we're seeing our side,
Maybe we forgot,
They are not alone.
No one is alone.
Rachel paused in between her second and third shampoo cycle—she had found out last year that it took three times before the drink's sticky residue was completely gone—to watch Quinn sing. Rachel couldn't deny that the girl was good. Not as good as her, of course, but who was?
Hard to see the light now.
Just don't let it go.
Things will come out right now.
We can make it so.
Someone is on your side.
No one is alone.
Rachel turned off the water just as Quinn sang her last note. Grabbing the towel, Rachel wrapped it tightly around her body and moved towards the blonde girl. She didn't know what to say; she just stared at Quinn.
Quinn gave the smaller teen a sheepish smile and shrugged. "I, uh…I thought you might be, you know…comforted? By the song? I dunno, I just…Nevermind," she faltered, blushing.
"Um…maybe I should get dressed?" Rachel asked, suddenly remembering she was only in a towel. She felt a blush creep up into her own face and crossed her arms over her chest to make sure the towel wouldn't fall.
"Oh yeah," said Quinn, jumping into action. She quickly handed over her spare pair of jeans and a red McKinley t-shirt.
Rachel took the clothing and snatched up her bra and undies from the locker where she left them, and made her way into the bathroom. She came out a few minutes later clean and dry. She had to roll up the bottom of Quinn's jeans a few times in order for her feet to actually touch the floor, but they worked well enough.
"Thank you for the clothes, Quinn," Rachel said sincerely.
"You're welcome, Rachel," Quinn replied just as sincerely.
"Quinn?" Rachel said nervously. "Can I ask you for, um…a favor?"
"Yeah, of course," said Quinn.
"Do you think you can take my clothes home with you and wash them? I, uh, I don't want my mom to know about…you know," said Rachel, looking down at her ruined flats. She sighed.
"Yeah…But won't she notice when you come home in different clothes?"
Rachel's face fell and her shoulders slumped. "Oh," she said, "I completely forgot about that."
"Why don't you just tell Shelby the truth?" Quinn asked.
"I can't do that," Rachel said, beginning to pace.
"What? Why not?" Quinn asked, staring at the smaller teen in disbelief.
"Then she'd find out how much of a loser I am and leave!" Rachel declared, feeling the first stirring of tears. She had done so well up until this point in holding herself together. Revealing her worst fear to her once-hated enemy was just too much—it broke Rachel's last resolve.
"That's crazy, Rachel!" Quinn sputtered without a second thought. Her heart sank at the defeated look Rachel gave her.
"I thought you were going to be nice to me now," Rachel mumbled, sniffling.
"I'm sorry, Rachel. I didn't mean it the way it sounded," Quinn said, taking a step forward so that she stopped Rachel's frantic pacing. She placed her hand on Rachel's shoulder in what she hoped was a comforting gesture and met the girl's eyes.
"You won't lose your mom though, Rachel. She loves you!" she added firmly.
"She can't find out I'm this big loser, Quinn," said Rachel, her eyes pleading with the other girl. "I don't have any other parent to go to."
Quinn sighed and dropped her hand from Rachel's shoulder, contemplating her next step. "Ok," she said after a moment, having formulated her plan. "Why don't you come over my house after school today? I can wash your clothes for you while we watch a movie or something, and then you can change back into them before you go home."
Rachel looked up at Quinn with misty eyes, not believing what she had just heard. "Me? Come to your house?" she questioned.
"Yeah! Unless you have a better idea?"
Rachel shook her head and the two girls began to work out their plan for that afternoon. Rachel was to wait in the library until four when Quinn was finished with Cheerio practice, and then the two of them would catch the bus home. Quinn would throw Rachel's slushied clothes into the wash for her and Rachel would be able to go home in the same clothes she left the house in. Shelby would never know anything had happened. It was foolproof. Now all Rachel had to do was come up with an excuse so her mother wouldn't come pick her up after school.
"Tell her you're going to hang out at the library for a bit," Quinn suggested as the two left the locker rooms.
"She'd still want to come pick me up," Rachel sighed. "Are you sure you want to be seen walking the halls with me? What if someone sees us?"
"Let them," Quinn said confidently. Inside, she was feeling a little more uncertain, but she had told Rachel she wanted to be her friend and she meant that. So, she'd take a page out of Rachel's book and hold her head high. She could do this.
"Tell her…um…Tell her the Glee kids are going to The Lima Bean after school and you'll get a ride home from one of them after," Quinn said a few minutes later as they neared the cafeteria. "Lunch is almost over. Damn!" she noted, feeling her stomach rumble.
"I brought my lunch. We can share, if you'd like?" Rachel offered, holding up her brown paper bag as evidence.
"Thanks, Rach," Quinn smiled. "Whadda ya say to finding a place to hang out where we won't be bothered?"
"The auditorium is always free this time of day," Rachel suggested. Quinn nodded and off the pair went, falling into their newfound friendship with apparent ease.
So that's it for this chapter! In the next, we'll see more Quinn and Rachel bonding, an increasingly frustrated Shelby, and hopefully some scenes with the much-loved Corcoran family! I've got a lot of ideas of what I want to see in the coming chapter(s), but let me know if there's anything in particular YOU want to see, either in reviews here, OR on my tumblr page (search for DARecruit!). Until next time, dear readers!