I apologize for any mistakes. My wife (who edits all of these things) has the flu; she read it, but considering she isn't feeling very well, there's a good chance she didn't catch all my mistakes. And you're lucky she's dedicated. I was going to wait a few days for when she was feeling better, but she said she didn't want people to be disappointed, so she edited it for me so it could be posted on time.
Chapter 25 – Just Another Day
"She's getting really good," Zoe commented.
Rachel smiled. "She is. So is Emma. I think they're going to be at the head of the class soon, don't you?"
She heard a light scoff behind them and looked over her shoulder to find Sheila giving her the evil eye. Rachel flipped her hair and crossed her arms as she turned back around, ignoring the older woman. She was getting tired of her behavior, but she wasn't going to let Sheila know she bothered her. She was just going to try to ignore her like she always said, regardless of how many catty comments came out of the woman's mouth.
"I think someone's jealous," Zoe whispered.
"That wouldn't surprise me," Rachel replied. "It must be a miserable life when you have a stick stuck up your butt."
Zoe laughed loudly and Rachel smiled to herself. She was glad she at least had one ally in the class; it certainly made the situation a little more bearable. So many of the parents were much older than her and she hadn't really talked to any of them beyond small talk. She felt a little out of place there, so it was nice that she had one person who made her feel welcome.
"How are things going with Quinn?" Zoe asked.
Rachel instantly smiled at the thought of the blonde. "Things are still going well. I haven't seen her much this past week, but we're going out tonight."
Rachel was excited for her date that night. The week had been a busy one for both of them and other than meeting for lunch on Wednesday, she really hadn't seen Quinn in person. They sent texts to each other whenever they could, but it just wasn't the same. Rachel missed hearing her voice and the feel of Quinn's lips against her. Unfortunately, Quinn had been a little more hesitant ever since Rachel had her little panic. Not that she could blame her after what happened, but Rachel was beginning to want more.
She blushed at the thought and glanced at Zoe, wondering if she'd noticed, but she was busy watching her daughter. Breathing a sigh of relief, she glanced at her phone to make sure Quinn hadn't tried to contact her. She was afraid the blonde was going to have to cancel even though Quinn assured her she had the time. She would be disappointed, but she would understand if she did have to cancel. She knew Quinn already had some big project she had to work on and Rachel didn't want her to get behind because of her.
"Is Emma still enjoying school?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah, except some boy in her class keeps picking on her," Zoe answered. "She was crying when I picked her up today because he pulled the head off her doll."
Rachel frowned. "That's terrible."
"I'm going to set up a meeting with her teacher, the principal, and anyone else I have to talk to," Zoe stated.
"That's understandable," Rachel replied. "I'm lucky Beth hasn't had to deal with anything like that yet, and I hope it stays that way. I was miserable for most of the time I was in school and I don't want her to have to go through the same thing." She sighed. "I'm sorry that Emma had to experience it."
"Hopefully we can sort it out on Monday," Zoe said with a slight shrug.
"I'm sure you will," Rachel replied. "I've heard the school is very good and has a zero tolerance policy for bullying."
"Yeah," Zoe said. "I guess we'll see, won't we?"
The class was dismissed a few moments later and Rachel smiled as Beth and Emma came running over to her and Zoe. They were both energetic and smiling widely. Rachel wondered if she had missed something because she had never really seen Beth look that happy before, but before she had the chance to ask, she saw the dance instructor walking over to them.
"Did they tell you the news?" Mrs. Lewis asked.
"What's going on?" Zoe asked, putting her hand on the little girl's head as she looked down at her.
"I've asked several students to attend a recital that some of the more advanced students are putting on next month," she explained. "I want them to put on a short group performance to demonstrate what the beginners' class has learned so far. It would be a sort of opening act. I would like Beth and Emma to be a part of it."
"That sounds like fun," Rachel said, looking down at Beth. "Would you like to do it?"
"Yeah," Beth said with a nod.
"Me too," Emma answered.
Zoe laughed. "I think they're both in."
"Well, they would have to stay after class a little bit," Mrs. Lewis explained.
"I'm sure that would be fine," Rachel said, not wanting to deprive Beth the opportunity.
"Yeah, I'll work it out," Zoe added.
"Wonderful," Mrs. Lewis said. "I'll see you next Friday. Don't forget to practice what we learned today, girls."
"Okay," Beth answered.
"Ready to go home?" Rachel asked and Beth shrugged. "How about we get some ice cream on the way."
Beth smiled and Rachel took that as her answer. As Beth took her hand, Rachel looked over her shoulder to see if Sheila was still there, but was slightly disappointed when she wasn't. Rachel had a feeling Sheila's daughter hadn't been one of those asked to participate in the group performance and her vindictive side wanted to rub it in her face. Of course, she would never say anything, but if she'd happened to overhear it, then so be it.
"We'll see you at school," Rachel said to Zoe before turning to leave.
"Have fun tonight," Zoe called after her.
"Thanks," Rachel said, looking over her shoulder, and smiling.
"Taste," Kurt said as he walked into Rachel's room with a spoon.
Rachel tasted the sauce and thought for a moment before saying, "I think it needs a touch more garlic."
"Really," Kurt said, licking the bit that was left. "I think you're right."
"What are you making?" Rachel called after him as he walked out of her bedroom.
"Homemade pizza," Kurt answered.
"Definitely more garlic, then," Rachel called out.
She looked at herself in the mirror, turning to the side to see how the dress looked on her. She scrunched up her nose as she looked at her reflection; it definitely wasn't the most flattering outfit on her. Sighing, she unzipped it and let the dress fall to the floor. She turned to her bed, where her other outfits were, and grabbed a skirt. She had only bought it a few days ago—a black, slightly ruffled one with grey stripes—so Quinn hadn't seen her in it yet; now she just needed to find a top to go with it.
She walked over to her closet and looked through everything she owned, pulling out the ones that were a 'maybe'. By the time she walked over to the mirror again, she had a half a dozen tops in her arms, which she laid on the nearby chair. She pulled the skirt on before going through the tops one by one. When she finally had it narrowed down to two, she put one of them on, picked up the second, and walked into the living room.
"I need your opinion," Rachel called out as she walked toward the kitchen.
"Don't you always," Kurt joked.
"This one or this one," she said, pointing to the one she was wearing, and then placing the other in front of her.
Kurt tilted his head, looking her up and down. "The one you're wearing."
"Are you sure?" Rachel asked.
Kurt rolled his eyes. "Why do you ask me if you're always going to second guess me?"
"I just want to look good," Rachel replied.
"Have I ever made you not look good?" Kurt asked, and Rachel narrowed her eyes. "Don't answer that; it was merely a lapse in judgment and I have apologized."
"Yes, well, I didn't appreciate being called a sad clown hooker," Rachel said with a huff.
"I can assure you that you look amazing in that outfit," Kurt promised.
"I hope so," Rachel said, looking away. "Where's Beth?"
"Rehearsing in her room," Kurt answered.
Rachel smiled. "I really glad we signed her up for that dance class. Even if I do have to endure Sheila every Friday."
"Did she say anything to you today?" Kurt asked.
"She didn't have to," Rachel replied. "She can make it perfectly clear that I'm not welcome with a simple look."
"Maybe you should bring Quinn along again," Kurt said with a smirk.
"Believe me, the thought has crossed my mind," Rachel replied.
"At least I'll be there next week, so you won't have to face her alone," Kurt commented.
Rachel smiled; it would be nice to have Kurt there with her. He'd been working on Fridays a lot, so he hadn't been able to attend much lately. She knew Beth would like it, too. As soon as she saw him after a lesson, she always wanted show him what she'd learned. Rachel thought it was cute how Beth was so attached to Kurt. If it was anyone else, she would probably be worried about it, but she knew he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. He would be in her life for a long time—probably always—so she didn't have to be concerned that he was just going to leave one day.
"That will certainly be nice," Rachel finally replied before looking at the time. "Oh, I need to get ready."
"I thought you were ready," Kurt called after her as she quickly left the kitchen.
"Not completely," Rachel replied.
She was almost ready, but she still wanted to check over her hair and makeup once more before leaving. She always had to make sure she looked perfect for Quinn. She had always been like that when she was going on a date, but even more so now. She knew it was probably because the blonde made fun of her so much in high school because of her appearance, and even if Quinn would never do that now, it was always in the back of her mind.
Rachel looked at herself in the mirror, checking her outfit to be certain that she really was satisfied with it. She nodded to herself and then carefully checked her makeup for any imperfections before making sure there were no errant strands of hair. As she was still staring into the mirror, she heard a knock on the door and knew Quinn must be there to pick her up. Rachel had offered to meet Quinn considering the other woman was making dinner at her apartment, but she'd insisted on picking Rachel up. The brunette eventually relented when she realized Quinn wasn't going to back down.
"Rachel!" Kurt called out.
"I'm coming," Rachel called back.
She walked out of her room and smiled the moment she saw Quinn standing near the door, looking beautiful in her red dress. Sometimes—like in that moment—when Rachel looked at Quinn, she couldn't believe the other woman had fallen for her. Rachel knew Quinn could have anyone, but yet she was in her apartment, picking her up for a date.
"Can I help with anything?" Rachel asked as she watched Quinn work in the kitchen.
"Are you any good at chopping things?" Quinn asked.
"Not really," Rachel admitted.
Quinn laughed lightly as she handed Rachel a knife. "Try not to chop off your finger."
"I actually knew that one," Rachel joked.
She went about chopping up the peppers Quinn set in front of her. The pieces weren't very even, but she did the best she could. Besides, she figured it didn't matter too much if every piece was perfectly the same size. It's not like it would taste any different.
"I've been thinking about taking a cooking class," Rachel said.
"Oh?" Quinn responded, looking over at her.
"Yeah, there's a place not far from NYADA and they have classes at night," Rachel explained. "I feel bad that Kurt is the one who has to cook anytime we want a home cooked meal. I mean, I'm going to have Beth for a long time and I know Kurt won't always be living with us. And it's not exactly healthy to eat out every night, so I figured it was time I learn."
"I could teach you, you know," Quinn commented.
Rachel shook her head. "I couldn't ask you to do that. You're plenty busy with school and I'm sure it's not going to be a very enjoyable experience for anyone."
"Throw them in," Quinn said, holding out a bowl, and Rachel tipped the cutting board so dump them in. "And if you change your mind, let me know."
"I appreciate the offer, but I'm so terrible that it would probably be better left to a professional," Rachel joked, smiling.
"But not nearly as fun," Quinn whispered into her ear as she walked past her.
"That's probably true," Rachel agreed. "Maybe once I'm done with the beginner's lessons, you can teach me the more advanced things."
Quinn's eyebrow rose and she gave her an intense look that made Rachel nearly blush. She had gotten used to seeing that look, but in the past, it had been filled with dislike or even hatred. Now, it was something quite different, and she was still getting used to seeing that look directed at her.
Rachel cleared her throat and looked down at the counter. "Are classes still going well?"
Quinn shrugged. "I guess. I have a feeling that group project is going to be horrible. One of the guys already isn't doing his part and this one girl hasn't shown up for half the classes."
"But you haven't even been back for a month," Rachel stated.
"I know." Quinn rolled her eyes. "I think I got stuck with the worst group."
"Maybe your professor will let you switch," Rachel replied. "It couldn't hurt to ask, right?"
"Believe me, I'm not going to do all of the work and let them take credit," Quinn said. "I don't care if they fail; it's not my problem."
"I'm thankful I never have group projects beyond having to perform with others," Rachel remarked. "And everyone at NYADA is so concerned with their future that there's no chance they will slack. Everyone wants to show everyone else up far too much for that."
"So, it's a whole school of Rachel Berrys," Quinn said with a smile.
"Yes, except the real Rachel Berry is far better than any of them," Rachel replied, smiling back.
Quinn laughed. "I don't doubt it."
"Oh, I forgot to tell you," Rachel said excitedly. "Mrs. Lewis asked some of her better students to be a part of the advanced student's show to show what the beginner's class has learned so far, and she wants Beth to be a part of it along with Zoe's daughter, Emma."
Quinn smiled. "Really?"
"Really," Rachel answered.
"You'll have to let me know when it is," Quinn said.
"I will," Rachel replied. "Right now, I just know it's sometime next month. She's going to have to stay over after her class to rehearse for it; I assume she starts next Friday."
"Did the bitch's daughter get picked?" Quinn asked.
"No, she did not," Rachel said, trying not to grin too much.
"Good," Quinn replied.
Rachel laughed. "That was exactly what I thought, too. At least I can be there for a little bit without wondering if she's listening to my conversation and judging me." She shook her head. "I really dislike that woman."
"Some bullies never learn," Quinn remarked.
"But thankfully some do," Rachel replied, glancing at Quinn.
"Yeah," Quinn agreed softly.
"I've been thinking about a weekend trip to the zoo soon," Rachel said, changing the subject. "Maybe sometime next month, so I can make sure I have the day off. I was wondering if you would like to join Beth and I."
"No Kurt?" Quinn asked.
Rachel shrugged. "I was sort of thinking it could be fun with just the three of us since we haven't really gotten the chance to do anything like that before. I mean, if you want Kurt to come, I'm sure he would, but—"
"No," Quinn interrupted. "That sounds fun."
"Great," Rachel replied. "I'll figure out a weekend tomorrow and let you know."
She was happy Quinn was on board with going to the zoo. She could always tell that Quinn was a little apprehensive when it came to Beth and she wanted to change that. Of course, she didn't want to push her, but she hoped she could at least help things along a little bit. She knew Quinn wanted a relationship with her daughter—she never would have asked to see her otherwise—but Rachel had the feeling she didn't really know how to go about it. She thought about talking with Quinn about it, but she didn't know if she should; it was a very sensitive subject, and the last thing she wanted was for it to cause problems between them or for Quinn to shut down.
"It should be ready in about thirty minutes," Quinn said, opening the oven door, and putting the dish in.
"What are we going to do until then?" Rachel asked with a smile.
Rachel tried to discreetly wipe the tears from her eyes as she and Quinn watched a movie. She didn't want Quinn to see her crying over a movie, but when the blonde glanced at her, she knew she'd been caught. Instead of saying anything, though, Quinn just smiled affectionately.
"I'm such a sap when it comes to movies," Rachel commented, ducking her head, and laughing at herself. "Of course, I'm even worse at Broadway shows. I've seen Wicked six times and I still cry every time they sing For Good." Rachel paused for a moment. "And Defying Gravity."
"I think it's cute," Quinn replied.
"I don't know about that, but thank you," Rachel said. "Finn used to make fun of me for it."
"Finn's an idiot," Quinn stated.
Rachel laughed; almost every time she brought up Finn in any way, that was Quinn's response. Thankfully, Quinn didn't seem to get upset when she mentioned him. He'd been a huge part of her life for several years, so it was inevitable that she would bring him up every now and then.
"I believe you made fun of me on more than one occasion for getting emotional during a performance," Rachel said lightly.
"Yes, well—I was an idiot, too," Quinn said, looking at her, and giving a wry smile.
"I like to think of it as misguided," Rachel replied.
"That would be putting it too nicely," Quinn said, shaking her head.
"I'm not saying that what you did wasn't terrible, but maybe you should begin to forgive yourself," Rachel replied. "I have."
"Have you?" Quinn asked.
"I think so," Rachel answered. "I mean, I still think about it sometimes and I'll admit that I've had some reservations about certain things, but I trust you now, and if I hadn't forgiven you, I wouldn't be able to do that. That's why I can also joke about our past. I know you're sorry and I know you hate the way you were, but I also know you're a different person. You know that, too, which is why I think you should forgive yourself for who you once were."
Rachel meant everything she said; she had forgiven Quinn and she did wish the blonde would forgive herself. Her feeling bad about it really didn't serve a purpose if they were going to try to move past everything. And they needed to move past it if they were going to have a healthy future together. Rachel knew she would never be able to completely forget about it, but she didn't feel like she needed to. It just showed her how far they had come and she felt like it would make their relationship stronger in the end because if they could make it past everything, then she felt like they could make it through any obstacle.
"Maybe," Quinn finally said after nearly a minute of silence.
"This movie is very good," Rachel commented, not wanting the evening to become too awkward.
"Even though it's making you cry?" Quinn said with a slight smile.
"Especially because it's making me cry," Rachel replied. "If I wasn't invested in what happens, it wouldn't move me to tears."
"I guess that makes sense," Quinn remarked.
"Are there any movies that make you cry?" Rachel wondered.
"Maybe one or two," Quinn said, and Rachel could see a slight blush to her cheeks.
"Which ones?" Rachel prodded, wanting to know.
Quinn sighed, tipping her head back. "Homeward Bound."
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I cried every time I saw Homeward Bound as a little girl," Rachel replied. "I wouldn't be surprised if it makes everyone cry. I know my Dad does, and Daddy leaves the room before the end every time." She laughed lightly. "I don't think he knows we've noticed, but we have."
"You're lucky," Quinn said.
"Because my fathers cry?" Rachel joked.
"Yeah," Quinn replied. "I don't think I've ever seen my father or my mother ever do that. They were always more about not showing any emotion. My father always thought it made you look weak and Fabrays aren't supposed to be weak."
"I'm glad you're not like that," Rachel said, reaching over, and entwining her fingers with Quinn's.
Quinn sighed. "I tried to be." She shook her head. "I tried to be a lot of things, though."
"When all you needed to do is be yourself," Rachel replied. "Because this Quinn is so much better than all the rest."
"You think so, huh?" Quinn said with a smile.
Rachel smiled back. "Definitely."
Quinn's eyes locked onto hers for a moment before Quinn leaned forward, capturing Rachel's lips. The brunette was taken by surprise, but that didn't stop her from eagerly returning the kiss. Within seconds, Quinn's tongue ran along Rachel's bottom lip and she granted it entrance. The blonde's tongue tangled with her and Rachel let out a low moan.
It was the first time they had really kissed since they got interrupted in Rachel's apartment, and Rachel had missed it. Of course, this was also the first time they had been completely alone together. Rachel was just glad her little freak out hadn't completely deterred Quinn from making a move. She didn't think she was quite ready to sleep with Quinn just yet—it just felt like they would be moving a little too fast if that happened—but that didn't mean she wasn't ready for other things.
When Quinn let out a moan of her own, Rachel couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to be closer to Quinn, so she threw her leg over the blonde's lap and began straddling her. Quinn pulled her closer, pressing their bodies together, and Rachel deepened the kiss further. When Quinn's hands landed on her ass, Rachel let out a slight gasp. She could feel Quinn smirking against her mouth, so Rachel reached up and palmed Quinn's breasts, which elicited another moan, wiping the smirk off her face.
Rachel could feel her nipples harden through the fabric as she pulled away, ending the kiss. She looked down at Quinn, wondering if it was okay that she was doing that, but judging by the look on the blonde's face, it was more than okay. Quinn bit her bottom lip as she looked up at her and Rachel never imagined she would see Quinn giving her that look. She smiled slightly, committing it to memory, and leaned in to bring Quinn into another kiss, but then the blonde groaned, and not a groan of pleasure.
"What is it?" Rachel asked.
"It's my phone," Quinn replied, and Rachel became aware that it was vibrating nearby. "I told my roommate to call when she was coming home."
Rachel let out a slight sigh before smiling sadly. "I guess I should go, then."
"I wish you didn't have to," Quinn said, reaching up, and tracing Rachel's bottom lip with her thumb.
Rachel kissed Quinn's thumb. "I wish I didn't, either."
As much as she really didn't want to go, it was probably a good thing that she was. If they continued doing what they were doing, she didn't know if they would stop. Every time she started kissing Quinn, all reason and thoughts of taking things slow seemed to fly out of her mind.