So...do I get to say sorry oorrrr... This took me forever and I'm going to tell the truth. I got bored with it. I wasn't very inspired and it just felt kind of out of hand. But here's the next chapter, It isn't anything special, and you'll hate me for it no doubt, but I'm pretty sure you already do so *shrug* Sorry again.

There's a kind of silence in the car the next morning, one that almost manages to pierce your ears. It's awkward, and strange, one that is making you deeply regret what happened the previous night. Quinn was right, it was too fast, but while it was happening, it didn't feel fast at all, you were more than happy to have shared such a moment with Quinn, but now you were wondering if the effects of a painfully heightened state of arousal were similar to the effects of an increased blood alcohol level.

The sound of the tires on the road was almost patronizing, a dull constant thudding that almost made you pull your hair out. Your eyes shifted to Quinn, then the road, back to Quinn, and road again, waiting desperately for something to be said. It shouldn't be this awkward, it wasn't like any of it was real, but then it was…the ending result was very real.

You felt your thighs push together at the thought, brow quirking for a second until you're able to gain control again. You shouldn't be thinking about this, not when Quinn was acting so strangely towards you.

Brown eyes move to her face once more, and you can almost feel how pleading your eyes are. You're silently begging her to look, to see how distraught you are over the silence. There shouldn't be any silence, not after last night. Not after sharing something like that. Sure, it was slightly awkward, but…there was something about knowing how Quinn felt about you that made it less awkward, that made it less strange. Or at least how you thought Quinn felt about you. Right now you weren't so sure. That glare she was holding, looking out the front windshield, it was like going back to square one, and before you could even say anything, she's parked at the school and saying she'd see you in first hour.

She flashes you a smile, a wary one, and now you know you're back at square one. Quinn's eyes showed far more than the blond realized. You aren't even allowed time to mention it before Quinn is scurrying off to the building, leaving you in the dust. This girl was going to be the death of you.

She tries to sit next to you in first hour. Or you shouldn't refer to it as tries, because she does. Her body is sitting into the desk next to yours and she's sitting their wordlessly. There's no smile, no light in her eyes, there's only walls. And it hurts. God it hurts so badly. Because you did this, you practically forced Quinn last night. It wasn't the same as the real thing of course, but somehow it still manages to feel the same. It still troubles you, and it still bothers you. Even through Glee, Quinn's cold exterior makes your face contort into a glance of worry. How were you supposed to fix this? How could you get your Quinn back? The one that held you, and that kissed you, and sneakily touched you when her mother was looking, and that made you smile with a simple glance. Now, if those hazel eye's came anywhere near you, all you were able to do was frown in shame. How could you have let this happen?

Movement catches your eye, but only for a moment. That pull to look at Quinn, the one that's been there all your life, is far too strong. The worry and fear much too urgent for you to be bothered with whoever was standing up front. But the voice, the sadness, and the person it belongs to, it's a bit much, almost too much for you to ignore. Noah wasn't an emotional guy, not outwardly. Only in brief private moments did someone get to see this brooding side of him; and yet there he stood, eyes turning a pinkish shade as he spoke, talking about Beth, how he knows everyone probably already thinks he's over the whole thing. That he's forgotten about it. But he hasn't. How could he? That's his baby.

"This is just something I'd sing to her, if I ever got the chance." His voice was low, eyes looking at a wall, or a chair, never anyone's eyes. And especially not Quinn's eyes.

The song started, and the moment you hear Noah's voice, you knew how hard this was going to be. The words were raw, his voice was shaking, rough, almost cold with anger. Not at Beth or Quinn, but at himself. He was so upset and it was only just now shining through.

Tears welled up in his eyes as the song went on, much like they had in yours, and as you looked to Quinn, you just catch her wiping away her own. You've never seen Noah like this. Not in the entire time you knew him. The three years that he had been in your life had you seen this side of him. It was nice, even though it hurt to see someone so dear to you hurt in the way you did.

With a final long breath, Noah finished his song, still refusing to look at anyone. He was fighting back the tears, you could see it. The clenched fists, the firm glare, the stiff jaw. It isn't until Quinn slowly makes her way to him that the first one falls, and then Mr. Schuester lands a comforting hand on his shoulder and you hear the first sniffle. The first crack in the tough guy exterior. You had no idea he felt this way still. He'd been playing the detached guy for so long and so well, how could anyone have seen this?

The rest of Glee had a dark cloud over it, and for a moment you worry that maybe Noah feels guilty for it, but by the look on his face he is far off in his own head that there isn't a chance he notices. Not the slightest chance at all.

When glee ends, Quinn rushes out before anyone, even before Brittany and Santana. It isn't like her, and she's frustrating you unlike anyone has before. Even Finn. If only you could just get inside her head, figure out why she was so terrified. Her mother didn't seem to mind how affectionate the two were with each other, and sure, your own fathers may not have taken to her so quickly, but they would. Eventually they would. At least you hoped so. If they didn't then too bad for them. You had been working so hard to get here, or it felt this way anyways. It felt like a war, fighting for Quinn and finally it seemed to be as if you were winning. For once you felt like you were getting the upper hand when it came to romance. The odds were in your favor. Or they were, until this morning. Until you woke to a Quinn that was stand offish and strange. You had the upper hand until this morning. Now you were back to square one and you had no idea how you landed yourself there.

Something catches your attention, and as you look up and see Santana Lopez standing just a few feet away, determination overcomes you. Each step you take seems firmer than the last. If anyone could explain what Quinn was feeling it was Santana. "Santana," You call finally reaching her. She sends you a grimace as she turns to you for a brief moment, then turning back to her locker.

"What do you want Yentl?" the name takes you back for a moment, not used to it. It had been some time since you've been called this in a long time truthfully. Of course, this could be because you've hardly spent any time with anyone outside of Quinn after school, and during you were so consumed by her that no one else seemed to matter.

"I was hoping to ask you a question."

"Yes your wardrobe is one that could only attract a pedophile and that's why Finn keeps on running back to you even when he has a hot hot girlfriend like Quinn." Santana rambles as she switches out her books, not once looking you in the eyes. You try to ignore the insult, push past it and get to your question. This was just how Santana was, snarky and sarcastic.

"What are you so afraid of?"

"Excuse me?" Now you're a little scared. The latina turns to you, that look of anger bubbling behind those dark eyes. You can't help but gulp audibly and look away for a moment. If there was one thing that terrified you more than failing in your broadway dream it was Santana Lopez's alter ego she called Snix.

"You…you and Brittany. It's clear you two have feelings for each other, I was merely wondering why you never say anything, why you don't…aren't more open with her about everything. Why you won't just be with her." There's a pleading tone in your voice and you hate that it's there. What Quinn is doing to you, the pain that comes with the words falling from your lips. It isn't fair, and you're finally realizing this. Though, now was certainly not the time for self revelations. That fire behind Santana's eyes burned bright and she moves to step into your personal space as venom seeps from the words she says.

"Listen here treasure trail, just cus you and Britt's play buddy bud with the boys and their stupid video games doesn't make you two friends. And it sure as hell doesn't make us friends. You don't know a thing about me or what I have with Brittany, so run along and get the hell out of my face." By the end of it, her nose is centimeters from yours. You don't even know how to move, you can hardly breathe. Fear is shining blatantly on your face, you're sure of it but you can't move. Not until she slams her locker shut and walks away herself, storming down the hall with her head held high and arms clung to her books over her chest.

You're not sure when you move, but you do, and shakily your legs take you out of the school. Quinn's car is still here, and she's leaning against the driver's door, chewing her lip until she finally see's you. You're so torn at what to do. Get in the car and hope for a conversation that you know will never be had, or walk and pray she doesn't bother you on your way home. Neither seems like a win, but you choose to walk, turning to the side only to be met by Noah's tall build. You bump into him gently, his hand comes to your arm to steady you, and as you look into each other's eyes there's an understanding that you both need each other for a moment. You need to talk about yourselves to each other because no one else will listen like you two will.

Sending one final glance to Quinn, you follow Noah to his truck, allowing him to help you up to the tall seat. It's eerily quiet, Noah still fighting to keep his composure. He hasn't told you yet where the two of you are headed, but you don't care to ask. Anywhere away from Quinn seems to be okay with you. The shame seems to be too much for you, as well as the whiplash you are currently receiving.

Eventually, the truck pulls up to a small park with a basketball court, Noah steps out, opens your door and helps you down. He's being extra polite today it seems. You wonder if it's his way of trying to say thank you. Even you know Noah is about as great with sentimental things as Santana.

He goes to the court, pulling off his shirt, revealing his incredibly body before you and starts to dribble his ball, leaving you to work on your homework until the both of you are comfortable enough to talk to each other.

Funny how the complete opposites are able to understand each other so well.

Twenty minutes pass of him grunting and panting, scoring every couple shots but mostly slamming the ball on the ground. He's frustrated, and you let him be. No sense in trying to cool the boy that was the biggest hot head you knew. When he does sit next to you, you close your book gently and place it on the grass you're currently sitting on. Still he doesn't speak, and you wonder if you need to say something first, until "You know, Finn and I were best friends because neither of us had fathers. We liked to be each other's father figure because we didn't have one. She chose Finn, guess I failed at my buddy duties." His eyes were distant, fingers wringing the shirt in his hand. For once the sweat on his skin doesn't disgust you, there's far too much going on for it to be any kind of inconvenience to you.

"I don't think so, there was a moment where she was leaning towards you, right?" You don't know the full story, but there had been rumors. Even the social outcast heard a few things now and then.

But Noah just purses his lips and continues to stare off. "He'd have been a good dad."

"With no job, no direction, no idea who he is. He's a child himself, Noah. You need to stop thinking like this."

"Sometimes it just feels like he's turned out to be more of a man than me."

At this you scoff, how couldn't you? "Fins is nowhere near the man you are, Noah. Finn runs from things, he clearly doesn't know how to treat a girl properly. He is selfish in his actions. You have always stood up for me without questions, you've respected my opinion. You know Finn tried to convince me to eat meat because it was the normal thing to do."

"Prick."

A small smile crossed your features as you look to Noah. He truly is a wonderful boy, if he would only get over his wish to be known as the biggest badass around he could have such a wonderful life, a wonderful girl. You don't stop yourself from what you're about to do. You don't want to. It isn't anything romantic, you know this and he will too. Placing your hand on his arm you lift yourself up just enough to place a soft peck to his cheek, staying there a moment before pulling back, still smiling as he looks to you. There's an understanding in his eyes, and you know you two will always be the best of friends.

Carefully, he lays his head atop yours and you giggle lightly before silence over comes you two. It's comfortable, welcome, both of you simply getting lost in your own thoughts for a moment before Noah interrupts your thoughts with truthfully the last thing you want to thnk about the first thing you should be. "So, what's next on your plan to win Q's heart?"

"Nothing right now, I think I'm just going to come out next week. That way Finn can let that sink in first."

"You know, if things don't work out with you and Q I don't make a bad second choice."

A loud laugh leaves you, the first true laugh you've had all day. It feels wonderful, just to be here with someone so close to you. "We'll just have to wait and see." And with one long sigh of a breath, Noah turns to you and kisses the top of your head.