If the Roles Were Reversed
6:00 AM
Rachel's eyes blinked.
Once.
Twice.
She was facing Quinn's bedside table, so she slowly reached out to turn the other girl's alarm clock towards her.
Huh, she thought. I guess I've trained my internal clock well.
She carefully lifted the covers and rolled out of bed. Her feet quietly hit the floor, and she turned to look at the girl she had spent the night with.
Quinn's long, blonde hair was splayed out and contrasted starkly against the black pillowcase her head was resting on. Her hand lay next to her face, wrist facing upwards. Rachel bent low over the bed, resting on her elbows, and lightly pressed her lips against Quinn's palm. The sleeping girl's fingers naturally responded, curling slightly against the soft flesh of Rachel's cheek.
Rachel pulled away, her back straightened, and she smiled brightly down at the still-sleeping figure.
Refusing to dwell - for now - on the events of the night previous, Rachel's only thought was, My, haven't we come a long way in just a few months?
As she left Quinn's room, she resisted the urge to skip.
6:04 AM
Streisand's Greatest Hits played from Rachel's iHome as she completed her morning exercise routine on her elliptical. The bright pink piece of paper with the word SECTIONALS filled her vision - this was what they had been working towards for weeks. Months, even. New Directions had overcome challenges - as a group and as individuals.
Bullying, slushies, football team conflict, Sue Sylvester Sabotage... Pregnancy. Abuse.
And we're all better people for it, Rachel thought. We're a team - a family. And today, we are going to win Sectionals.
She began to pump her legs even more furiously, a smile once again gracing her lips.
7:33 AM
Quinn trudged down the stairs. Her feet 'tap tap'd lightly as she descended. The smell of bacon and French toast wafted through the air and hit her nose with a wave of mouth-watering deliciousness.
"Dad, you can't make fun of me for my bacon consumption," Quinn heard Rachel chastising Brendon in the kitchen. "I have a growing child in my stomach, for goodness' sake!"
Quinn entered the kitchen to see a chuckling Brendon standing in front of the stove, turning over a fresh pan-full of crispy, yummy bacon. "You're right, pumpkin," he said. "I shouldn't make fun of you."
Marcus looked up and exclaimed, "Ahh! Good morning, Quinn! Come, sit down. You girls need to eat a good breakfast. It's a big day! Eggs are coming up next. How would you like yours?"
"Scrambled is fine, thank you so much." She headed towards the table and took a seat - she strategically shifted her chair as she sat down, scooting it closer to Rachel's already seated form. Purposefully catching the other girl's eyes, Quinn mouthed the question, Are you ok? Rachel's lips lifted upwards in a grin - a beautiful, charming, full-blown grin that made Rachel's eyes sparkle. She nodded in response and mouthed back, I am now.
Quinn tried to hide her blush. Unsuccessfully.
She saw Rachel's hand reach out for her own, and Quinn immediately - without hesitation or fear or a second guess or even a nervous glance in the direction of Rachel's dads - met Rachel halfway. She grasped the girl's hand in her own, laced their fingers together, and gently settled their hands on her lap while she traced the back of Rachel's hand with her free one.
Staring down at their joined hands - their contrasting skin tones and Rachel's skin that just looked as soft as satin - Quinn thought to herself, This is a family, Fabray. And you are one lucky bitch.
7:54 AM
Santana closed her car door behind her and began briskly walking up the sidewalk. It was wickedly cold and Santana was tired and she had a test first hour and a headache was definitely forming in her temples...
An extra fifteen minutes of sleep would have been great.
But when Brittany threw the door open and greeted Santana with a warm, perfect hug and a brilliant smile and a kiss on the cheek that lingered just the perfect amount of time and then laced her fingers with Santana's, pulling them back out to the car while already chatting animatedly about the glee club competition later that day...
All Santana could think was, Screw those fifteen minutes of sleep.
7:57 AM
Kurt placed a brown paper bag on his dad's desk.
"Breakfast," he said.
"No Slim Jims?" Burt questioned.
"No Dad," Kurt sighed while walking back out of the garage. "No Slim Jims."
As Kurt's perfectly groomed head disappeared around the corner, Burt called out, "Hey Kurt!"
Peeking just his head back inside, Kurt rose an eyebrow in question. "Yes, Dad?"
Burt took a bite out of the muffin he had already extracted from the confines of the brown paper bag. Swallowing, he said, "Knock 'em dead today, kiddo. I love ya."
Kurt smiled. "I love you too, Dad."
8:01 AM
Mike Chang was glad that the snow had finally disappeared from the sidewalks. With a beanie, gloves, a scarf, and a heavy jacket - he hoped that maybe he would manage to stay warm on his way to school. He kissed his mom on the cheek and then grabbed his skateboard from its place next to the front door, waving goodbye as he headed out.
As his wheels hit pavement and he kicked off, the cold wind stung his eyes and his lungs. But it was worth it.
Three houses down, Mike saw movement. Matt was closing and locking his front door behind him and then running down his sidewalk, his own skateboard in hand. As Mike passed, Matt ran along next to him, threw his board down, and jumped on it.
They high-fived before cruising along next to each other, headed towards WMHS.
8:06 AM
Tina waited patiently in her living room, staring out the large glass window towards the street. She excitedly grabbed her backpack and (literally) skipped to her front door as she saw her ride arrive.
As she slid open the side door on the van, she greeted the driver. "Good morning, Mr. Abrams!"
"Good morning, Tina," Mr. Abrams replied.
Tina closed the door behind her and turned to her boyfriend. "Hi," she said quietly, shyly.
"Hello," Artie replied.
"Big day today, kids," Mr. Abrams said.
The whole way to school, they all talked about Sectionals - and the whole way to school, Tina and Artie's hands never parted.
8:08 AM
Puck hit the snooze button on his alarm.
For the seventh time.
8:09 AM
Mercedes' mom - whom the diva had obviously inherited her vocal abilities from - was singing backup harmony for her daughter on the way to school.
"Tear down the mountain,
Yell, scream, and shout.
You can say what you want,
I'm not walkin' out.
Stop all the rivers,
Push, strike, and kill.
I'm not gonna leave ya,
There's no way I will."
As they pulled up to school, Mercedes finished the song. She looked over at her mom while catching her breath. They pounded fists, fingers splaying out as they pulled away.
"You go get 'em, girl," Mrs. Jones said with a warm, loving glint in her eyes - so, so proud of her daughter.
It was with a light, happy heart that Mercedes exited the vehicle and headed into WMHS.
8:14 AM
Finn had missed the bus.
He missed the bus at least twice a week, but today was just... Well, really inconvenient.
Turning around, he started planning out his plea to his mom to get her to drive him to school this morning. 'Finn,' he could already picture her saying with a sigh. A pause. 'Ok, come on.'
She was the only parent he had really ever known.
But she sure was awesome.
9:31 AM
Quinn met Rachel as the diva exited her first hour classroom.
"Hi," Rachel said - a bit breathlessly.
Quinn grinned back. "Hi." She gently - yet, firmly - took Rachel's stack of books out of her arms.
"Well, you're being incredibly chivalrous, Miss Fabray. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Quinn shrugged as if she had no idea what Rachel was talking about.
"I see..." Rachel trailed off thoughtfully. "You're not going to tell me what this is about?"
Quinn just raised her eyebrows as a smile lit up her face - but she still refused to answer Rachel's queries.
"Fine. But I promise that I will break you eventually, Quinn."
They arrived at Rachel's next classroom and Quinn carefully returned the books to the other girl's arms. She leaned down next to Rachel's ear, the books pressed lightly against each girl's chest. "As long as you plan on keeping that promise, Miss Berry."
Quinn pulled back from Rachel and took a few steps before winking salaciously and turning around, headed off to her own classroom.
Rachel cursed her traitorous heart - which, she was sure, was beating so loudly that everyone in the hallway would surely know what was going on in her head and her chest and her stomach...
Quinn Fabray was hot. And Rachel was certain that horrendously blatant flirting had just taken place.
And she was very, very pleased.
10:26 AM
Quinn was - again - leaning against the wall outside of Rachel's classroom when the bell rang to head to third hour.
She must be a power walker, Rachel mused.
No words were spoken as Quinn - again - took Rachel's books and they headed off in the direction of Rachel's next classroom.
But something was different now. Rachel didn't miss the looks Quinn kept shooting her away. They were confusing Rachel. The looks were full of expectancy and just a bit of disappointment. Had Rachel missed something? Maybe she hadn't flirted back appropriately. Maybe Quinn was let down or embarrassed or -
"Are you doing anything the last week of December?" Quinn questioned - it was an unexpected inquiry, and Rachel didn't have an immediate answer.
"Uhhh -" she stammered. "I really don't think so, Quinn. Why?"
"Just check your planner for me, ok? Next hour? And let me know."
"This mysterious persona is very intriguing," Rachel mused quietly.
Quinn just chuckled in response. "Maybe you're just more easily amused than I had ever anticipated, Rach."
Rachel's lower lip stuck out in a completely fake pout. "I'm not easily amused," she said in a tiny voice.
Quinn turned towards her as they stopped a couple feet from Rachel's next classroom. "Ahh. I didn't mean it." Rachel's pout started to recede slightly. "Just... Check for me, yeah? See you, Rach."
And then Quinn was gone and Rachel was walking into her class and sitting down at her desk and wondering what on earth had gotten into Quinn Fabray.
And when she opened her planner to December, out fell a neatly folded note. Rachel's breath caught in her throat for a moment as her mind immediately flew to the note in her bedside table - the note she knew was from her mother, the note containing who knows what.
But this note was different. A neat hand had written
OPEN ME
on one side of the paper.
Rachel wasted no time in doing just that. Her eyes traveled quickly over the words:
Dear Rachel,
Will you be my girlfriend?
Sincerely,
Quinn
P.S. - I didn't give you 'yes' or 'no' boxes to check because you should just text me your answer. Like, now.
Rachel pushed her hand to her lips as she attempted not to laugh out loud. Her face felt like it might break with the sheer force of her smile. She just sat at her desk - reading and re-reading the note for at least seven minutes before finally pulling out her cell phone and covertly texting Quinn underneath her desk.
Rachel: I think that you're the cutest thing I've ever witnessed. Where have you been all my life?
It didn't take long to receive a response.
Quinn: I've always been here, Rach. But that was a different version of me. I like to think this one is a bit better... Can I take that as a 'yes'?
Rachel tucked the right corner of her lower lip between her teeth before punching the buttons on her phone again.
Rachel: Yes, that's a 'yes.'
Quinn: :-)
12:19 PM
Eleven of the members of New Directions sat together at lunch. They were all talking at once - about their set list and their choreography and the other teams and the fact that they would have to pull this entire thing off without Mr. Schuester's guidance. In the middle of everything, Rachel and Quinn sat across from each other - shooting coy looks at each other when they thought no one was looking their way.
"So has anyone seen Puck yet today?" Artie questioned.
Several people shook their heads before Kurt looked towards the entrance to the cafeteria. "Speak of the devil," he said.
"Never fear," Puck said dramatically as he forced his way in between Santana and Brittany on the bench they were sitting on, wrapping his arms around each of their shoulders. Santana looked mildly disgusted while Brittany simply continued eating her Goldfish. "Puckasaurus is here!"
"Oh, joy," Santana muttered drily.
2:30 PM
The glee club met in the auditorium for a final run-through of their set.
Every note. Every step. Every dip and sway. Every wheelchair push. Every brilliant smile.
Perfection.
As the final note faded out and the group was engulfed with an incredibly satisfying silence, Rachel turned around and looked proudly at her friends.
"We so have this in the bag," she said.
Everyone broke out in cheers, jumping around excitedly and hugging each other.
"Ok everyone!" Miss Pillsbury called out, clapping her hands twice. "To the bus!"