Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
...
I.
The smile sent her way blindsided the halfback in its intensity. "I get it. So, will you, Rachel? Go on a date with me, I mean."
'It was Quinn...'
'Miss 'I'm done with you for good' came crawling to me last night beggin' for another chance to be with the Puckasuarus...'
'Couldn't keep her hands off me...'
'She was way into it... I give it a week or two, tops, till I'm swiping her precious V-card...'
'She can't even admit to herself that she likes you, but god forbid other girls do...'
Rachel looked up into hopeful eyes and smiled. "Yes. I'd love to go out with you."
The halfback stared dazedly at the bathroom door as it closed behind Gabrielle. She shuffled backwards and leaned against the sink, struggling desperately to snap herself out of the neurotic musings her mind tortured her with. The reverberating sound of the bell startled her, causing Rachel to stumble out of the bathroom. The football player ambled to her locker, still very much disoriented. She blindly grabbed her Patti LuPone backpack out of her locker, stuffed whatever book her hand came in contact with inside it, and hugged it to her chest.
She had already spent the duration of first period blubbering pathetically in the stalls, drowning in melancholy. When the tiny football player arrived to her second period Spanish class - a class she shared with not only Quinn but Puck as well - the room was already halfway filled up. Sam was doodling on a notebook in boredom, Brittany and Santana were whispering in each other's ears, immediately stopping when they catch sight of her. The more hostile half of the pair scowled at her as she walked past, making the halfback avert her gaze as she wobbled over to her seat.
Once seated, she didn't let go of her backpack, continuing to embrace it tightly to her front as she faced forward, staring blankly ahead at nothing.
"You're acting weirder than usual." Sam commented, poking her cheek with his pen. "Didn't think that was possible."
Rachel stayed silent as she shook her head, eyes wide and unblinking.
"Dude, hey, it's okay," he patted her on the arm kindly. "I'm really sorry about...you-know-who but, hey- maybe this is a sign that you should just move on."
But I don't want to move on.
Puffing out a shuddering breath, Rachel glanced at him briefly. "I think I may have just made a very reckless decision."
"Oh god. You didn't join the hockey team, did you?"
She shook her head morosely. "It's worse than that, Sam. Gabrielle Avery just asked me out...on a date...and I said yes." She gulped loudly and returned to her comatose-like state.
She vaguely hears the sound of Sam's pen hitting the ground as the big lipped boy fully swivels in his seat, clutching at her arm like a koala.
"Dude...," he breathed out.
Rachel robotically answered his unspoken question. "I'm not quite sure if it really happened, or if this all just a dream concocted by my currently fragile state of mind. One minute, I was crying over the devastation Noah caused my easily shatterable heart..and then the next, I find myself getting propositioned by one of the most attractive girls in possibly the whole state of Ohio."
"I don't- how, how does that even happen?" the big lipped blonde whispered as he gazed at her in awe. "That's just, I mean, wow." He let out a sigh. "So..." he prodded as a grin began to form on his face.
"Hm," she hummed distractedly.
"So, dude! What's it like having one of the hottest girls at school ask you out on a date?"
The halfback paled. "It feels like I am seconds away from traumatizing everyone in this room by up heaving vegan yogurt all over this desk."
Sam grimaced and scooted away from her thoughtfully. "This is huge, bro. How are you not happy about this?"
"Happy?" Rachel faced him with an incredulous look. "How can I be happy about this? I just lost the girl of my dreams without even getting the chance to have her," the tiny brunette sank cheerlessly in her seat, "There's a huge possibility that she hates me, her best friends think I'm a degenerate hellion, she might be back together with her hunky ex-boyfriend-who in some weird turn of events-is now my Jew-bro, someone left a thong in my locker-"
"-whoa, whoa, whoa-"
"-This was never part of my methodically thought out plans, Sam. I was supposed to get the girl."
"You did get the girl!" He argued vehemently. "Multiple girls, really."
Frowning deeply, the halfback shot her best friend a meaningful look. "I don't want multiple girls. I just want her, Sam. Everything's so muddled, and all I wanted was for her to notice me."
The blonde boy scratched his head before nodding in accession. "Yeah, your plans are sort of shot to hell. But it's gonna be okay, man. You still have me, and Finn, glee club, football, a whole bunch of girls wanting a piece of you...and you mentioned something about a thong..."
Rachel ignored his suggestive grin and sighed. "What am I to do, now? I've agreed to a date in a spur of the moment, heartbreak laced decision with a girl I know nothing about. I don't even know what sort of activities she would enjoy participating in."
"Just do whatever it is that people do on dates." He offered unhelpfully.
"My knowledge in the field of dating is severely lacking due largely to the fact that I've never been on one, not counting all the ones I imagined myself taking...you-know-who on."
Sam shrugged helplessly. "What about dinner and a movie? You can take her to see that new Marvel adaptation, and then after, you can take her to Breadstix. They're like, legally forbidden to stop serving you breadsticks."
"Are we talkin' about Breadstix? Love that place."
As the sound of Puck's combat boots coming to a stop in front of them, Rachel brought a hand up to rub tiredly at her eyes. "Noah, we were in the middle of discussing something very important."
"What, lame comic book movies and dinner? Yeah, sounds very important."
"Dude, we're not joking around here," Sam crossed his arms resolutely.
Puck threw his backpack on his desk, turned his chair around to face them, and plopped down on it. "Sorry, didn't know you guys took planning your sad weekends so seriously."
Sam bristled beside her. "Actually, Rachel-"
"Sam, don't."
Puck squinted his eyes, staring at them both intently. "What's goin' on here?"
"Nothing," Rachel replied immediately.
"Right, I totally believe you," the mohawked boy drawled out. "Wait a second...Dinner and a movie...looking and acting like a complete hot mess... hold up, Jew bro." Puck shook his head in disbelief. "Are you going on a date?" The telling blush on the halfback's face was all Puck needed for an answer. "What the hell, man! Bros don't keep secrets like this. Who are you going out with?"
Rachel placed her backup on the floor as she covered her blushing face with her hands. "Oh, dear Barbra."
"Dude, back off." Sam tugged fruitlessly at the other boy's shirt sleeve.
"Aw, come on, Sammy boy. I'm just being curious here. But seriously, I knew comin' to class today was good idea." He exclaimed loudly. "Tell me who it is, I gotta know!"
Rachel leaned forward in her seat. "If you would kindly lower your register, Noah, perhaps I'd be more inclined to tell you." She hissed, glancing around the room and flushing at the looks being casts her way, mostly from inquisitive looking girls.
Puck grinned. "Alright, alright," he cupped a hand over his ear. "Whisper it to me."
Hesitating for a moment, she glanced at Sam who nodded at her in reassurance. She whispered it in the Puck's ear and immediately regretted it as she watched Puck's eyes widen with mirth.
"Holy shit! You're going on a date with Gabrielle Every? Score!"
Almost instantly, whispered conversations erupted within the classroom, girls shot her looks of outrage, and some guys nodded at her with approval.
"Oh, god, Noah." Rachel muttered to herself, closing her eyes shut.
"That is some top notch snatch, babe. Way to go."
Rachel winced, absolutely revolted. "Please refrain from ever saying the word snatch in front of me again."
"Really can't keep it in your pants, can you, Hobbit." Santana snarled from her seat.
Puck smirked at the cheerleader. "What's it to you who my Jew-bro gets nasty with, huh, Satan? Jealous?" He glanced between her and Brittany suggestively.
"Shove it, Puckerman." The Latina barked out, turning away from him.
Before Puck could hash out some idiotic retort, Quinn Fabray entered the classroom room, taking a seat next to Brittany and Santana. She glanced between her two best friends and furrowed her brows at surly expression on their faces. "What's going on?"
Santana glanced at Rachel with an unreadable expression. "Nothing, just Puck being a pig like always."
Rachel couldn't tear her eyes away from her as Quinn methodically unpacked her things. Her chest constricted at the thought of the girl being back in Puck's arms.
"Sup Q." Puck hollered at the cheerleader, popping his feet up on the desk in what was meant to be a suave manner. "Lookin' super fine as usual."
"Puck, be a dear, and leave me alone." Quinn turned to glare at the pouting boy.
"Drop the act, babe. We both know how much you still want me."
Rachel looked away, redirecting her gaze towards the door of the classroom, inwardly cursing Mr. Schue for being the most maladroit educator in existence.
Seriously, has the man never heard of punctuality.
"Hey, guys, sorry I'm late..."
Speak of the overly gelled devil.
Quinn turned to face forward, not sparing another glance in Puck's direction as Mr. Schue began to lecture about verb conjunctions for the twenty-seventh time.
Puck shook his head, eyeing Quinn with a smirk. "Always playin' hard to get, you feel me?"
"Not at all, Noah."
"Nope."
Puck turned around to frown at them. "You guys are such nerds, for real."
...
Rachel pulled out a plain blue button up shirt. She laid it out on the bed on top of a simple black skirt and her favorite argyle sweater vest. She examined the outfit carefully, glancing up at Sam and Finn who were foaming at the mouth in boredom.
She crossed her arms, eyeing the match up for a few moments. "What do you guys think?"
"It looks great, Rach."
"Yeah, just wear that."
With a nod, Rachel came to a decision. "I'm not sure it sends the right message."
From his spot on the brunette's floor, Finn groaned. "We've been doing this for hours, Rach. I'm sure she's not going to care what you wear."
Next to him, Sam perked up in agreement. "Yeah, bro, she already likes you, judging from her letter." He nodded at the opened envelope on her desk.
"This is my first date. I can't just show up in sweatpants, a hoodie, and crocs-"
"You don't own any of those things." Sam interrupted with an eye roll.
"And besides, you guys don't even have any plans yet since you're too scared to call or text her."
Rachel glared at the two snickering boys. "I am not scared."
Finn jumped up and strode over to her desk, grabbing her cellphone and the letter. "Alright, call her and ask her what's up, then. And after, and only after, can you start planning your date outfit."
The halfback faltered. "Or I could call her tomorrow. She could be busy, I wouldn't want to bother her."
Sam groaned and stood up as well, snatching the phone from Finn. "I'll call her then."
"Wait! Stop! Okay, fine, I'm scared, alright?" Rachel sighed. "What if- what if she doesn't really like me? What if she just feels sorry for me? What if I call her right now and she laughs at me?"
"What are you talking about?" Sam frowned. "She was the one who asked you out, she wrote you a letter telling you all about how much she wants you-"
Finn cut in. "Rach, she totally digs you. What's this about?"
She shrugs dejectedly. "I- I really thought I was getting somewhere with Quinn, and then the next thing you know, she's kissing Puck. I'm just not sure if I can believe that a girl like Gabrielle could ever really like someone like me."
"You're the best bro a guy could ask for, Rachel." Sam said softly to her. "You're the best friend I've ever had, you've helped me and my family without even asking for anything in return-"
"You always help me with my rights and my lefts," Finn announced dopely.
Sam grinned. "And if Quinn can't see how amazing you are, it's her loss, not yours."
Rachel gave them both a thankful look. "I don't know what I'd do without you guys."
"Probably get yourself locked up in a mental ward," Sam quipped.
Finn sat down on her swivel chair. "Hey, Rach?"
"Yes, Finn?"
"Maybe you could take her bowling," he spun himself around. "Bowling's always fun."
"Bowling?" Rachel echoed with interest.
...
Later that night, Finn and Sam made their way home, leaving Rachel alone in her room with her phone and Gabrielle's letter on her bed. With shaking hands, she brought the phone up to her ear and waited for the other girl to pick up. It took three rings before the sound of the other girl's voice filled her senses.
"Hello?"
Rachel shot up from where she was perched on her bed. "Um, hello, Gabrielle. It-It's Rachel. Rachel Berry. From school."
There's a soft giggle, then, "Hi, I was wondering when you'd call."
"You were?" she squeaked. "I mean, I- I was just, um, do you want to go bowling?" She blurted out. Rachel mindlessly started pacing back and forth across her carpet. "It's fine if you want to do something else, or if you don't want to do anything at all with me anymore. I understand, I'm sorry-"
"Rachel," Gabrielle interrupted her softly. "I would love to go bowling with you."
"Really?" The halfback breathed out. "You would?"
"Of course."
The tiny brunette collapsed on her bed with a relieved sigh. "Great, um, could I text you sometime? To work out the details of our- of our d-date?"
"You can text me whenever you want."
Rachel grinned goofily to herself. "Okay."
...
II.
She barely had one foot inside the halls of McKinley high before she found both arms locked into Brittany and Santana's as the two cheerios dragged her towards an unknown location.
"Unhand me this instant!" She demanded fearfully. "Santana, what is the meaning of this?"
Santana pursed her lips. "Oh please, Hobbit. As if you don't know."
That was helpful.
Rachel turned to Brittany. "Where are you taking me?"
Brittany glanced at her briefly. "Coach wants to talk to you."
"Couldn't you have brought me to her without manhandling me?"
With a smirk, the Latina merely shrugged and pulled a her arm rougher. "Figured you'd enjoy the dramatics of it all."
The halfback sputtered. "W-why does she want to talk to me?"
They don't answer her question. As they reached the door to Sue's office, Santana pushed it open and they yanked her inside.
Sitting behind her desk, Sue slurped loudly on a large cup of protein shake as she stared down at the befuddled halfback. She nodded at both cheerleader, silently asking them to leave. The two left without another word, but Santana did manage to spare Rachel one last withering glare before she shut the door behind her.
"Take a seat, lady." Sue leaned back in her chair, eyeing the football player intently.
Rachel sat down nervously, her hand reaching up to fiddle with her bow-tie. "Coach Sylvester," she began with dread, "you wanted to talk to me?"
Sue stood up, towering over her. "Look behind you. Go on, do it."
The halfback bit her lip apprehensively before taking a glance back.
"Do you see those all those majestic gold trophies?"
"Yes, ma'm."
"Those aren't even half of what my cheerios have accumulated over the years. I have the rest of them locked up in a secret room I've had built at this very school. But you didn't hear that from me."
Gulping loudly, Rachel merely nodded.
"Now, I'm sure you're wondering what this has to do with why I had you brought in here." Sue stepped out from behind her desk and leaned right into the frightened football player's face, the woman hissed. "You and your so called little person 'charms' are causing me my Nationals Trophy."
"I-I don't know what you're-"
Sue slammed a heavy palm on her desk. "At today's six-am practice, one Gabrielle Avery messed up an otherwise flawless routine twice. When questioned why she was performing like a doped up chimpanzee, she said she was just 'distracted'," the woman air quoted with disgust.
"Distracted by what?" the football player asked naively.
Sue simply nodded. "Exactly. Distracted by what? I asked her that very same question." The woman paused, "And you know what she said after some very forceful prodding? She confessed that she was too distracted thinking about the date Rachel Berry is taking her on to focus on anything."
Rachel frowned at the livid woman. "Coach Sylvester, it wasn't my intent-"
The coach brought up a hand to silence her. "Wasn't done yet. After she confessed, all hell broke loose amongst my cheerios."
"What do you mean?"
"For some inane reason unbeknownst to me, apparently, she's not the only one of my cheerios drawn to your vertically challenged, bow-tie wearing form. You've managed to turn my girls against each other, and the worst part is?" Sue winced in what seemed like pain. "My captain, the one person I thought I could count on to keep the others in check...bolted the minute she heard all about your dastardly deeds against one sue Sylvester." Sue scoffed. "I was hoping that she had ran off to have a "word" with you...and by that I mean destroy every single cell in your body, but alas...You don't have any idea how disappointed I am right now in Q." The woman sighed heavily, shaking her head. "I can't stand to look at you anymore. Get out of my office."
Wordlessly, Rachel stood up and made her way out of the woman's office.
Before she could close the door, from behind her, Sue called out, "I've got my eye on you, Berry."
...
Rachel jumped as her locker door was slammed shut, barely giving her chance to get her fingers out of the way. She looked up to see a flushed faced Quinn staring down at her with swirling hazel eyes.
"Quinn-"
She was cut off when the girl grabbed her arm, and yanked her towards an empty classroom. The blonde turned her back on Rachel as she leaned her forehead against the locked door.
"Is it true?" Quinn murmured, a hint of pleading in her tone. "Are you really going out on a date with Gabrielle Avery, or was she just making it up?"
Rachel glanced away. "It- it's true, Quinn. I know it's hard to believe that someone like her would actually like me-"
"God, you really don't get it do you?" Quinn turned around to face her.
"Get what?"
"It's not hard to believe that someone could like you," the blonde uttered quietly."Rachel, you're...you're a great girl. " Quinn bit her bottom lip, drawing Rachel's attention to it.
What is happening right now?
You're dreaming.
"T-thank you, Quinn."
Quinn puffed out a breath. "A-are you and her- I mean- I..." she stuttered, sighing in frustration. "Why are you going out with her?"
Because you kissed Noah Puckerman when I thought that maybe, perhaps, we had something between us.
"I-I don't know."
"You told me you didn't have time for dating." The blonde stepped closer towards her, making Rachel back up against a desk.
"Well, things change-"
You kissed Puck. You pressed your lips to his and forgot all about me.
"So, I guess you were just waiting for a certain type of girl to ask you out, right?" Quinn arched a perfectly plucked brow at her. "Do you think she's hot, Rachel? Is that why you said yes to her?"
"I-I don't have to explain myself to you, Quinn." She tried to sound confident, but the crack in her voice gave her nerves away. "You're not my girlfriend,"-but I wish you were-,"and I, I can do whatever I want."
Quinn looked down. "You hate me, don't you?" she whispered brokenly.
Rachel - for once in her life - was speechless.
How could Quinn even think such a thing? Moses, everything Rachel's been doing has all been for her.
"No, not at all. If anything, I should be the one asking you that."
"I don't hate you, Rachel."
"But you are mad at me."
The blonde shook her head, and looked up. "I'm not mad at you. I don't think I ever was."
Rachel licked her lips. "But you threw away my 'I'm sorry' cookies. And you won't even talk to me anymore."
Quinn exhaled a shuddering breath. "I know I've been acting like such a lunatic, getting mad at you when I have absolutely no right to be...I just- I don't know what's going on with me," Quinn brought up a hand and pressed it to her chest.
Pushing herself off the desk, Rachel walked over to the distraught girl and frowned when she saw the tears in the girl's eyes. "I hate seeing you cry, Quinn." She swallowed with difficulty. "I'm so sorry about everything. I never wanted those letters, and that picture-"
"Rachel, stop. You have nothing to be sorry about."
"I'm sorry for making you cry," the halfback uttered softly, delicately wiping away a fallen tear from her dream girl's perfect cheek.
"You're the most frustrating person I've ever met..."Quinn trailed off, leaning towards Rachel's palm.
The brunette drew her hand away in confusion. "Quinn-"
"No, wait," the blonde took hold of her hand and pulled her closer, so close that Rachel could feel the other girl's chest beating against her own. "Rachel..."
Rachel's pulse was going into overdrive. "What, Quinn?"
"You- you make me feel like I'm going crazy."
"Crazy?"
Quinn nodded.
"Perhaps, crazy enough to kiss Noah?" Rachel blurted out, looking away from the girl's wonderful eyes.
"You know about that?" Quinn whispered, looking down guiltily.
"Yes. He said you were all over him, Quinn." The halfback tried to pull away from the cheerleader, but Quinn grasped her other hand and intertwined their fingers.
Rachel's breath caught in her throat.
This is a dream. I'm dreaming.
Don't wake up.
I won't.
Quinn was looking at her so earnestly. "What happened with Puck was a mistake, I just- when I saw how much attention you got from all those other girls I felt so...betrayed...and hurt. And it scared me...why I felt that way. I couldn't understand why I was so angry..."
"I never wanted to hurt you."
"I know, Rachel." The blonde smiled at her gently. "I couldn't stop thinking about everything for days, but then finally it hit me...I wasn't mad, I was jealous..." she trailed off, faltering.
"Jealous of what, Quinn?" she whispered.
"Jealous of all those girls thinking they could have you."
What?
"I like you, Rachel."
Suddenly, Rachel didn't know what happened. Everything around her just dissipated, her brain shut down and her body went on auto-pilot.
...
Without thinking, she leaned in closer and pressed her lips firmly against Quinn's lips.
...