Part 29

They still have the final exam week before the summer break. Quinn was walking down the hallway early Monday morning when she saw Rachel standing in front of her locker. She wanted to walk over to Rachel but her feet had somehow stopped moving. After a few minutes, she took a deep breath and turned around. She would have to take the longer way to get to her locker.


Rachel had just closed her locker and about to walk to her class when she saw a blur of Cheerio outfit and blonde hair disappeared around the corner. It saddened her how things had digressed. Just a few days ago, they had a romantic date in New York City and now they were not even talking to each other. But she wasn't going to budge. It wasn't her fault that all this happened. She had nothing to apologize.


The next time she saw Quinn was at the cafeteria. She was having lunch with Kurt while Quinn was having lunch with Mercedes.

"So what happened between you two?" Kurt wondered.

"We just had a fight," Rachel said solemnly.

"But you two just got together, you can't be breaking up already."

"We're not breaking up," Rachel quickly said, but suddenly she wasn't so sure anymore. "Well, at least I hope not," she said while looking at the back of Quinn's head.

Mercedes saw her and they exchanged a weak smile.

"What happened between you two? You two were all over each other just a few days ago and now you're not even talking." Mercedes was trying to probe the information out of Quinn.

Quinn looked sadly at her salad, she stabbed the celeries repeatedly. She didn't answer Mercedes, just merely shrugged.

"If you think we're angry about the lost, don't be. Rachel's right, if we did lost because of what happened … well, in the bathroom, then that judge is a bigot. Sure we're all bummed that we lost but we'll get over it. Besides, like Rachel said, there's still next year."

Quinn looked up at Mercedes slowly and thought about what she just said. She knew that Mercedes was right but that wasn't the real reason that she was upset, and she didn't even know how to voice it out.

"She said I'm insecure," she found it hard to get the words out; "like how could she even thought that I am insecure. I'm the Head Cheerio, the most popular girl at McKinley, people part ways for me, and I can pretty much command guys to do whatever I want."

"So it must have been frustrating when she's not," Mercedes said matter-of-factly.

"What?" Quinn frowned.

"You know … do whatever you want."

Quinn huffed, "It's not that I'm asking for much."

"What do you want her to do?"

Quinn looked around to see if anyone was listening, "I don't want her to be friends with Finn. I don't see the point. She said he's a good friend, oh yeah, like what good has he done for her so far? Why is it so important for her to be friends with him?"

"Why don't you want her to be friends with Finn?"

"Because … well, because, Finn and I used to date, then they used to date too. I don't know. I just find there are too many people in this relationship. And most of all, Finn still have feelings for her; he's been putting moves on her whenever he can. Who's to say that one day she'll not return it?"

"Okay! I'm going to make you stop right there," Mercedes stopped Quinn from going on her tirade. "Quinn, remember what you said in the beginning?" Quinn looked confused. "That she said that you're insecure and you said you're not, but then you sound like you're worried that she might return his feelings. So, what does that sound like to you?"

"That I'm thinking of possible outcomes?" Quinn looked annoyed.

"You know what I mean," Mercedes knew that Quinn didn't want to admit it, "that sounds like 'insecure' to me."

Quinn crossed her arms and leaned back on her chair.

"I might not be the best person to advice you on relationship. Sam and I are still pretty new and we're nothing like you two. You two are pretty intense; all I see is fire in your eyes. That's good but that could also easily cause rifts between you two. Come on, she's a drama queen and you're … stubborn." Quinn pouted; Mercedes was amused because she had never seen Quinn pouted. "Anyway, what I actually want to say is, one of the most important things in a relationship is trust. If you trust her, then it doesn't matter who she's friends with, Finn or Jesse or Puck," Quinn raised her eyebrows, "I'm just giving examples. The thing is you have to trust her, trust that she will never do that to you. So the question is do you trust her?"

Quinn couldn't look at Mercedes; she didn't have an answer to that. All this while she was worried that she could never gained Rachel's trust, but only now she realized that she didn't fully trust Rachel too. "I want to," she finally said.

"Well, another important thing about relationship is communication. You should talk to her."

"Why should I start?"

"Because someone has to, besides you look so miserable right now. Don't make me lock both of you in a room."

Quinn gave out a short laugh. "Thanks Mercedes."

Meanwhile, back in the other table, "Why don't you go talk to her?" Kurt was insisting.

"No, she's the one at fault. She should be the one to start it."

"Well, good luck with that," Kurt rolled his eyes. "Both of you are too stubborn for your own good."


Rachel closed her locker after getting the book she needed for her last class. When she turned around, she almost walked into Quinn, so she quickly stepped back. Apparently Quinn had been standing there waiting to talk to her.

"Hi," Quinn said slowly.

"Hi," Rachel said hesitantly.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine," Rachel was surprised that Quinn was making a conversation with her while there were still other students around, but no one seemed to bother much with their conversation. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Quinn said while nodding her head. "So … are we okay?"

"Umm … it depends."

"On what?"

"Well, are you here to apologize?"

Quinn looked stunned, "Why should I apologize? You're the one who should apologize."

Rachel looked at her disbelievingly. She didn't want to go through the same argument, so she shook her head and walked away.

But Quinn followed her, "So is that it? I tried talking to you and you just walked away."

People were looking at them now but they went on their way because the sight of Quinn and Rachel arguing was a pretty common occurrence, even though they haven't done it for quite some time now.

"Because I know that it's going to be about the same thing. So there's no point of rehashing it."

"Well, if we're both thinking about the same thing, that you should have enough time to think about it and admit that you are at fault here."

Rachel was climbing the stairs while Quinn was trailing her from behind, but she suddenly stopped when she heard what Quinn had just said. She turned around to face Quinn.

"I am at fault?"

"Yes, if you didn't do what you did then we wouldn't be in this position."

Rachel was completely baffled; she could feel her headache creeping in. She turned her back on Quinn and continued to climb the stairs. Quinn was still following her. Then she stopped and turned around again to face Quinn.

"Well, if you didn't put me in a certain position, then I wouldn't be this angry at you. And I am not at fault, you are."

Rachel turned around again and walked up the stairs. Quinn was still rooted to the same spot; she too was confused with their conversation. The bell ring stopped her from her thoughts. She looked up the stairs and Rachel was already gone.