.
i've seen better days
sometimes life's hard to take
it gets hard to face it all alone
.
The sky looked like it was about to fall, and Rachel Berry was holding a newspaper above her head, trying to save her freshly coiffed hair from the rain.
To be fair, it wasn't raining yet, but the clouds were dark, the wind was roaming violently over New York and thunder and lightning were approaching fastly. Rachel was running through a small playground a few blocks away from her apartment, hoping that the newspaper could serve as an umbrella for the next ten minutes. Running on high heels wasn't exactly the safest thing ever, but if she could handle eight hours of rehearsing per day, she could definitely run on high heels.
A thunder roared in the air, and the rain started falling so hard that Rachel almost dropped her newspaper. She risked slipping on the newly wet grass and she managed to find her balance again just in time, gripping tightly the back of a bench. "Fuck," she hissed when she heard a worrying cracking sound coming from her left heel.
She was just about to keep running, when she saw a girl.
Rachel thought she was having hallucinations, because she was convinced that she was the only one crazy enough to go out with that kind of weather, but as she squinted her eyes and looked with more attention, she realized that the figure standing in the rain was definitely a girl. She looked hopeless as she tried to tuck a big book and a couple of notebooks in her bag, soaked with rain.
Now, Rachel's selfish part was yelling at her to stop staring and just run home, prepare a nice hot chocolate and start rehearsing her new songs by herself. Kurt wasn't home, so she had the whole apartment by herself. But the human part of herself was urging her to go and help the girl.
Go away, the voice that sounded too much like Santana suggested into her head. Come on, you'll catch a cold. Go away.
But the girl looked so pathetic in her light rose dress, as she tried to put the books in her bag, but it just kept slipping out of her hands. Rachel sighed.
Groaning and rolling her eyes, she dropped the now wrenched and useless newspaper in a bin and started walking towards the blonde. She observed a minute of silence for her hair which used to be perfectly coiffed by the theatre hairdressers and she vowed to never wear high heels on a rainy day again. "Hey!" she called. "Do you need help?"
The girl snapped her head up. Now Rachel was close enough to see her and…wow. Wow was the only coherent thought that crossed her mind. Because the girl was…stunning. Her skin was pale and looked soft and smooth. She had wide, hazel eyes roaming over Rachel's figure, and the Broadway star could see the distrust and the scare in her eyes. Wet, golden locks were falling around her face. Rachel spent a second wondering if she was even human.
"Hey," she repeated, realizing that she must have looked pretty dumb, standing there and staring. "You looked like you were struggling, I just—wanted to help you. Can I? Help you, I mean."
The girl stared at her. She looked down at her books laying on the ground. Rachel could see it in her eyes how much she wanted to say no, but she also knew that she wasn't going to get anything done by herself. Eventually, the girl raised her head and nodded thankfully.
Rachel smiled at her and leaned down, picking up the books. "Here, keep your bag open for me," she instructed. The blonde did as she was told and Rachel easily slid the books in it. "There you go! Two is better than one, right? I thought I was the only fool walking around during a day like this…not that I think you are a fool, of course. It's just weird to see someone else in the rain…oh, but I'm keeping you! Sorry! Never mind. Do you have a close place to go?"
The blonde looked at her wordlessly, and she shook her head, gesturing for the bus stop down the street.
"Well, you don't talk very much, don't you?" Rachel mumbled. "But when it rains like this the bus never arrives. Where is it that you have to go?"
The taller girl looked like she was struggling, and she vaguely pointed to her left. Rachel had never been too good at locating herself, so she blurted out the first thing that came into her mind. "Manhattan?"
The blonde nodded, grateful that Rachel guessed it on her first try. Normally, Rachel would have been so pissed that a stranger refused to talk and just kept her guessing things, but there was something in the way the girl jumped when she approached her, in the flash of fear in her eyes, in her beautiful features that just didn't allow Rachel to get mad.
"Hey, the bus is not going to stop with this storm, which by the way is getting us both soaked, so what about you come over and I offer you a hot chocolate and then you leave when everything is sunny and warm again? My roommate isn't home, so he won't bother us, and I live only ten minutes from here. Plus, you look like you're freezing, and honestly I'm starting to feel rather cold, which implies a very possible fever if we stay out here for much longer."
The girl looked scared, but also tempted. After all, she was standing in the middle of a storm, under the pouring rain, listening to a complete stranger rambling about hot chocolate and roommates. She squeezed her bag against her chest, as if it was a shield, a barrier in between her and Rachel, but she didn't step further.
"Alright, I realize this may sound like I'm some kind of psycho killer, but I'm a nice person, I swear," Rachel tried her best to smile. Then she saw the magazine that the blonde was holding, and on the cover, in a little rectangle on the bottom of it, there was her face. Rachel recognized it as an interview from a month earlier. "Hey, that's me!" she squealed, pointing at the picture. "I'm Rachel Berry, I played Fanny in Funny Girl last fall! Rehearsing for Wicked, we open in a month."
She flashed her a golden star smile and held her hand out. The taller girl quietly looked down at her magazine. Then she looked at Rachel again. Then her eyes widened in realization and Rachel gave her a much softer smile. "See? Broadway star wannabe, not a psycho killer. So, will you have a cup of hot chocolate with me instead of staying under the pouring rain and catching a fever? Or pneumonia. Or a cold. Or tuberculosis. Or—"
The blonde shyly nodded with the softest smile on her face. Rachel smiled as well as the girl nodded one more time. "Oh, okay then!" Rachel said. Easier than she thought. "Let's go somewhere warmer, alright?"
The blonde nodded and dutifully followed her through the park. Rachel didn't know how to fill the awkward silence, so she did what she did best when she was embarrassed; she started rambling. "You aren't going to tell me your name, aren't you?"
The blonde blushed and looked down at her feet, shaking her head no.
Rachel's voice was much more careful when she asked the next question. "Can you speak?"
The girl's cheeks went so much redder as she lowered her head even more, shaking her head no one more time. Rachel sucked a breath in. Her curiosity told her to ask her why, but she didn't really know the blonde wanted to reply, so she swallowed the question.
"Oh, well, never mind, I speak enough for two people. Actually I'm trying to think of characters who don't speak. I don't think there are any Broadway ones, because the whole point is singing. Right now I'm thinking of Woodstock, from The Peanuts, but he never really thinks either. Ohh, Snoopy thinks a lot but he never speaks! I'm not comparing you to a dog, of course…just saying. Am I embarrassing you? I probably am. Shit, I didn't realize."
The girl's skin was dark red now.
"Well, you are probably wondering why I was walking around with such horrible weather…it's easy. My roommate Kurt just left for a work thing and he will be in Paris for two weeks. But of course he forgot one of his hair products and I had to run all the way to the airport to bring it to him. When I stepped out of the airport though there were clouds and wind and there wasn't even a single taxi, so I pretty much walked all the way here from the airport in high heels! Can you imagine it? High heels! God, he is lucky I love him, because I would have never, ever…oh, that's home!"
Rachel interrupted her rant when they arrived in front of the Bushwick apartment. The blonde smiled shyly at her as Rachel opened the door – it took her five minutes to hold still the dripping keys – and they silently slid inside the apartment. Rachel breathed a sigh of relief as soon as they were inside, grateful for the recently fixed heating that cost her an arm and a leg, but she and Kurt risked dying from hypothermia during the night.
She kicked out her high boots and sighed in relief, throwing her jacket and scarf on the couch. "Well, make yourself home," she smiled kindly at the blonde, who was timidly looking around, still steady in the doorway. She was fidgeting with the hems of the sleeves of her coat, looking around shyly.
"We have two bathrooms," Rachel said, "If your clothes are wet under the coat I can borrow you something. You can use the hair dryer and then settle on the couch and I don't know, choose a DVD…whatever you want. I'll dry my hair and then make that hot chocolate, alright?"
The girl nodded. She opened her white coat and Rachel saw that her antique pink dress was still miraculously dry. "Oh, good!" she exclaimed. "Well, go dry your hair then, before you catch a cold. And then…um, I suppose I could…give you a notepad? So I will finally know your name."
The blonde's right hand raised quickly, lightly tapped against her chin and then moved it slightly towards Rachel. The brunette was awfully confused for a second, but then something snapped in her head. "Ohh, is that ASL? I learned a few words once, because my little third degree cousin who lives in Alabama is deaf…I saw him once in my life, years ago…but I learned a little. Is that…wait, don't tell me I know what that means—" as Rachel squeezed her brain trying to recall the sign and the blonde chuckled lightly, a new thought passed through her mind. "Wait, are you deaf?"
The blonde shook her head no. Rachel breathed in relief, because she would have hated herself so much if the blonde had been actually deaf and she hadn't noticed.
"Oh, good. I mean, not that it wouldn't have been good if you were, it's just, you know, I'm glad I didn't make a fool of myself. Yet. Back to the sign, I'm afraid I'm a little ignorant on the subject, but was that a thank you?"
The girl smiled and nodded.
Rachel smiled back. After an awkward moment, she allowed the blonde to go to the big bathroom, and she hid in the little one. As soon as the door was shut close behind her, Rachel slid against it until she was sitting on the floor – for a dramatic effect! – and she closed her eyes as the realization hit her.
What did she just do?
Did she really invite a complete stranger into her house just because she looked hopeless and, frankly, super pretty? And above all people on Earth, did she just really find a girl who refused to talk? Rachel sighed as she forced herself to get up. Luckily there were pants and a sweatshirt in the bathroom, so Rachel decided to take a quick shower. As she showered, she couldn't help but wonder what if the cute, shy blonde in the other bathroom was a killer waiting for her with a kitchen knife. That though considerably fastened the whole showering process.
Rachel basically launched herself out of the bathroom when she was finally warm and dry and sighed in relief when she saw the blonde quietly curled up on the couch, her white tights-covered legs curled beneath her, with her antique rose dress sprawled around her knees. Now that her blonde hair had dried off, she looked even more like an angel and less like a person.
She was busy reading the book she had been trying to put into her bag.
"Is it good?" Rachel blurted out. The blonde's head snapped up and her eyes set on Rachel. "The book, I mean. The rain didn't ruin it or anything, right?" she asked, eyes gazing on the pages. The girl shook her head. "Oh, well, good."
Rachel reached the couch, feeling ashamed that she was wearing old shorts and a sweatshirt and the blonde was all cute in her dress. "Well, since I don't think I can have a conversation by signing, I think I should get you a notepad."
She searched the room until she found a yellow paper notepad and a black pen on the table and she handed it to the blonde before plopping down on the armchair, folding her legs under her body and trying to warm herself up. "So, what's your name?"
The blonde carefully picked up the pen and scribbled something really quickly. Then she thought better of it, scratched what she wrote and wrote something else. Then she lifted the yellow notepad high enough for Rachel to read it.
The tiny diva was surprised by how neat and elegant the blonde's handwriting was. It was a delicate cursive, with small but perfectly shaped letters. She wrote it on the top left of the paper, as if she was scared of using too much of it and therefore having to use another one.
Rachel looked at the words written on the paper.
Lucy Quinn Fabray
The word 'Quinn' was written slightly bigger, circled, underlined with a couple of doodled arrows pointing at it.
Rachel was confused. "So your first name is Lucy?" the blonde tapped with the pen on the middle name. "But you go by Quinn?"
She nodded with another shy smile. "Quinn," Rachel repeated. "That's a pretty name, really. Can I ask you how old are you? Just because you look young, you know."
Quinn scribbled something down.
I'm 24. You?
"Oh, me too!" Rachel squealed. "You look younger though. So…are you from around here? Because you looked pretty lost earlier."
The alabastrine hand flew on the paper as she quickly wrote down a few words. Rachel was amazed by how she could keep her handwriting neat and elegant while writing on a couch, as quickly as she could.
Actually, I was born in Lima, Ohio. I went to college at Yale, and then I moved here with my best friend. His name is Sam.
Rachel's eyes widened. "No way," she whispered. "No way! I was born in Lima, too! I went to McKinley High, and I think I know that Sam guy! Was he in glee club? I haven't spoken to him in years, though. We were amazing, in glee I mean, we won a National championship in my senior year. Wait, were you in McKinley? Because I don't recall you at all, and I think I would have remembered such a pretty face."
Both of them blushed at that last statement. Rachel because she didn't mean to say it, and Quinn because she had just been complimented randomly.
I was homeschooled. Sam was at McKinley though. He talked about glee club all the time. He said that you guys saved him.
"Quite literally," Rachel replied. "But glee club saved all of us."
Quinn scribbled for a few seconds. Then scratched everything. Then she started scrabbling again, and then she erased everything one more time. Rachel curiously shifted closer, looking at the notepad. "What?" she mumbled.
Quinn took a deep breath.
Sam told me about Finn. I'm sorry.
Rachel felt tears tickling her eyes. "Yes," she whispered, looking down. Six years later it was still an open wound. "We weren't even together when-when…but he was my first love, you know? My first everything."
Quinn nodded.
I'm sorry. I shouldn't have.
Rachel shook her head quickly. "Nonsense," she quietly murmured. "No, it's okay. I should start that hot chocolate, though."
The look in Quinn's eyes was of pure concern and regret. Rachel instinctively put a hand over Quinn's, looking right into her eyes. "It's fine, I promise," she got up and pulled Quinn with her. "Come on, I need someone checking on me when I cook, or I risk burning everything down."
Quinn quietly followed her into the small kitchen. Rachel spun around trying to find a proper saucepan and the soy milk she had in the fridge. "Um, I have only soy milk and vegan chocolate, I hope you don't mind," she muttered, looking at Quinn, who had a rather curious look on her face. "It tastes just like chocolate, I promise." She smiled and she reached for the vegan chocolate bar on a shelf.
Quinn leaned on the counter and scribbled something on her yellow notepad.
I'm sure it tastes delicious.
"It does, in fact!" Rachel exclaimed. "That's what I was trying to explain to Kurt just the other day, but he wouldn't even try it. We've been friends since sophomore year and he never, ever tried one of my vegan recipes. I'll say, they aren't that bad. I mean, I am a horrible cook, but if you prepare them well the recipes aren't bad at all. Do you mind passing me that knife? I have to grind this. Thank you…could you start the stove as well? It takes a while to warm up."
Rachel smiled thankfully as Quinn did as she was asked, and she even settled the saucepan on the stove, carefully pouring the milk in.
"Thank you," Rachel politely said, as she tried not to chop off her fingers. "Anyways, do you want whipped cream? I don't, because of the milk, you know. But I'm sure we could arrange that if Kurt left any…"
Before she could finish, Quinn lifted her notepad.
No, thank you. I don't really like whipped cream.
"Oh, well, better," Rachel shrugged. She finished grinding the chocolate bar and stepped next to the stove, carefully sliding it in the saucepan with the milk. She added some sugar and searched the kitchen for chocolate chips. Not finding them she just added more sugar. "Oh, well, I guess it won't hurt," she mumbled. "I don't think we have any toppings, sorry. Blaine, Kurt's boyfriend came over last week and ate all the marshmallows."
Quinn shrugged.
"Now we wait," Rachel commented, sitting at the kitchen table with Quinn. "I hope you don't mind me talking this much, I just tend to fill the silence whenever I can. But please, stop me if I'm rambling too much or if you feel like I'm giving you a headache. My friends do it all the time, I don't mind being told to shut up."
Pale hands roamed quietly on the yellow notepad.
That's fine. I like hearing you talk.
"Well, that's a first," Rachel muttered, but then she flashed Quinn a small smile which the blonde reciprocated. "Quinn? Can I ask you something really personal that you can refuse to answer and just forget it ever happened?"
Quinn looked unsure. Her hazel eyes glanced at the table, her fingers started fidgeting as she looked like she was having an inner fight with herself. Eventually, she nodded. Rachel unconsciously mimicked her gesture and stammered a little, trying to find the right way to ask her.
"Is it, um, I mean…" she scowled at herself and mentally she mentally slapped herself. Get it together, Berry. "Can you speak?" she eventually asked. Way to go Berry, real smooth. "I mean, I know you won't speak right now, but can you?"
Quinn lowered her gaze, embarrassed. Rachel hated herself so much right now. "I'm sorry," she immediately blurted out. "I'm so, so sorry, I always speak without thinking. Please, don't feel forced to answer me. God, I'm just so obnoxious at times. I'm sorry, let's talk about something else. I—"
She was so caught up in her rambling that she didn't notice Quinn quickly writing something down and handing it to her. When the blonde realized that Rachel was too busy apologizing and wasn't paying attention to her movements, she nudged her arm with the notepad. Rachel looked down and widened her eyes as she read.
It's fine, please don't apologize. I could speak once, when I was younger. It's been so much time, I don't know what my voice would sound like if I started talking again.
"Oh," Rachel softly said. "So, you just…stopped?"
Quinn nodded, avoiding her gaze. "Oh," Rachel said again, "Okay, then. Well, one day I woke up and stopped eating animals, so I guess that's fair. That's cool, you know? I mean, I stopped eating animals and animal products for a purely ethical purpose, and I'm sure you have a pretty damn good reason, but I won't ask you until you're ready. Besides, your handwriting is really pretty, and I like reading it—"
Rachel couldn't go on with her speech, because the saucepan on the stove began hissing and trembling, producing a clicking sound. "Shit," she hissed, jumping up and throwing herself at the stove, grabbing a pink, sparkly potholder and carefully lifting the saucepan. "Quinn, can you grab two cups from that shelf? Thank you," she quickly said, as the hot chocolate kept fuming, and the room started smelling good.
Quinn did so and she pulled out two muds, a bright yellow one and a Funny Girl one. Rachel smiled at her as she poured the hot chocolate in the muds. "Cinnamon? Caramel? A drop of Espresso?" she asked, spinning to the fridge searching for fruit or spices. "Never mind, we don't have any. Oh, wait, maybe Kurt left some of his energy cookies. They are quite disgusting, but if you dip them in it you won't even notice."
The blonde politely shook her head as she cupped the bright yellow mud in both of her hands, enjoying the warmth coming from it. She then released it from her right hand and wrote something on the notepad.
It smells delicious. Thank you.
Rachel just grinned at her. "Come on, let's settle on the couch. Let's pick a movie, won't you? We have lots of DVDs, musicals mostly, but Kurt has some trashy comedies and when my other roommate, who moved out a few months ago, Santana left, she left a few Sci-Fi movies as well. You know, Star Wars, Avatar, Avengers stuff, Hunger Games, stuff like that."
Quinn looked surprised. Rachel thought that she looked like she was surprised by Rachel leaving her the choice, and she kept looking doubtfully at her as the brunette guided her back in the living room, resting the muds and the yellow notepad on the small table in front of the couch. "Here," Rachel said, pointing at a column of DVDs next to the TV. "All our DVDs are here, if you want to take a look. Seems like this storm isn't going to stop any time soon, so we better have a list ready."
Rachel plopped down onto the couch and she found her knitted mermaid tail. Yes, a knitted mermaid tail. A few years ago, Brittany took a knitting class, and she started knitting things for everyone. She wasn't particularly good, and Kurt's little rainbow ghost looked like a lumpy turnip. So Rachel got the mermaid tail, which was far too big for any human big, and so she tucked herself in and cuddled in the warm, purple wool mermaid tail.
So, as Quinn examined the DVDs, Rachel tucked herself in the knitted tail and cupped the mug of hot chocolate with both hands, bringing it to her lap and enjoying the warmness. She let her eyes linger over the slim figure scanning her DVDs library. Rachel had always been a rather impulsive person, but welcoming a stranger in her house just because it was raining was a whole new level of impulsiveness. If Kurt had been home she would have been in lots of trouble trying to explain to him.
But luckily, Kurt wasn't home, and Quinn had found a movie she liked. She shyly grabbed the notepad and scribbled something, showing both the yellow paper and the DVD to Rachel.
Would that be okay if we watched this? I don't mind changing it if you don't want to.
Quinn was holding Edward Scissorhands. Rachel grinned. "It's a favorite of mine," she assured, "besides, I let you pick, didn't I?"
The blonde nodded with a grateful smile and set the DVD player, then she timidly sat on the other end of the couch, careful not to use too much space. Rachel observed her. "You look uncomfortable," she pointed out. "Come on, you can sit a little more on the pillows, I promise I won't bite you."
They watched the movie in silence, taking small sips of almost burned hot chocolate. Rachel never moved the eyes of the screen, too caught up in Edward's story, and she didn't notice Quinn giving her small glances, just little checks. By the end of the movie, Rachel had dissolved in tears and she ended up quietly sobbing into her knitted mermaid tail.
[oOo]
Quinn was never a person who particularly trusted people.
She trusted just two people in her life, and they were her roommate Sam and his girlfriend Mercedes. Sam had been there for her in a very dark moment of her life. They met during the boy's freshman year. Quinn was just taking a walk in the park, and Sam accidentally bumped into her. They talked a little bit, and Quinn instantly knew that he was a person worthy of trust. They had dated for a little while during Sam's sophomore year, but they both agreed to be just friends. Sam had been there for her when bad things were happening in her house and she didn't have anyone else to go to.
Quinn had been homeschooled since she stopped talking, and when one day Sam noticed some bruises on her wrists and legs he immediately knew that something was off. He asked her, but Quinn was always a shy girl, and she didn't say anything until one day she couldn't get up from bed for how bad she was hurting from her father's slaps. That day she decided that she had enough of Russel's drunken violence. And so she had texted Sam, a long, terrified text, with many mistakes since she couldn't see the screen for how hard she was crying. Sam stormed into her house just ten minutes later, with some cops he called on his way. The police arrested Russel Fabray for hitting his daughter, and the Evans family agreed on taking Quinn in. She was forever grateful for them.
While Sam was in his junior year, Quinn was still homeschooled, and she spent her last year of high school going to therapy and trying to get better. Thanks to Sam and his loving family, she managed to get herself back together, and when she left Lima for New Heaven, she was fine.
Now she had graduated from college, and she worked in a little coffee shop with Sam, as he was trying to pursue a career in modeling. Sam was also in a long-distance relationship with his girlfriend Mercedes, who was currently trying to make it big in L. A.
And now Quinn was fine. She hadn't come back to Lima since when she left for college, and she didn't miss it at all.
She still had big trusting issues, but she was relatively fine.
So when a small, talkative brunette offered her a place to stay to avoid the storm, she said yes. She said yes because she knew from the first second that those big, soft eyes were sincere and honest. Also, she really didn't want to wait for the bus under the pouring rain.
Now the movie they had been watching was over, and Rachel was trying to wipe away her tears, embarrassed, as she talked nonstop.
A few hours and Quinn was already intoxicated with the girl's voice. She listened amazed as Rachel kept talking and talking, just never stopping for air. She wondered how she could do it. She was so grateful that Rachel didn't press her into telling the story of why, how and when she stopped talking. She just went with it, and Quinn was sure that Rachel had no idea of how much she appreciated it.
"This movie is just so good," Rachel was saying, in between sniffles. "I really, really love every single one of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp movies, but this one is just so good, you know? God, Edward's story is so sad, and it also reminds me of my high school years, which were a living hell…my God, do I look insane? I bet I do, all teary and crazy about a movie…"
Quinn handed her the notepad.
That's okay. I relate a lot to Edward too. The way everybody treated him like he had some kind of disease and how fast they turned from smiley and nice to rude and afraid. I just relate so much to him. Why were your high school years bad? If you don't mind me asking.
"Oh, I don't mind at all, I just love talking about myself," Rachel shrugged, and Quinn gave her the smallest smile. "I wasn't the most popular girl at school. I was loud, and obnoxious most of the time, and apparently I couldn't dress myself nicely. You know, teens are just unnecessarily rude, and they couldn't stand that I was going to be a big star and they were destined to be stuck in Lima forever. Also, I was Jewish, and small, and my nose aroused hilarity wherever I went, so I was just an easy target, I guess. Plus, I was in glee club, so, you know, more loser points and more slushies."
Quinn passed her the notepad again.
I'm sorry to hear that. You seem like a really nice person, you didn't deserve that. Plus, I don't think your nose arouses hilarity. It's rather cute.
Rachel blushed furiously. She definitely liked this girl. "Thank you," she shyly muttered. "You would be the first person to compliment my nose. Well, except for my dads, but they don't really count."
They fell into a comfortable silence. Rachel – since she was Rachel Berry – was trying to find something else to say to fill the silence, but she wasn't uncomfortable or anything. As a person who couldn't stop talking, she enjoyed Quinn's silence. She had never met a mute person, and even if Quinn was mute by choice or she had a physical impediment, she didn't care. She just saw so much good in the shy girl, and she wanted to know more and more about her.
"So, um," she babbled, unable to stop herself. "You grew up in Lima, uh? I think I've heard my dads nominating the Fabrays a few times. Were your parents known, or something?"
Quinn blushed furiously and for a few seconds her fingers trembled too much to write. Rachel observed her quietly and confused as the blonde tried to calm her trembling hand and eventually managed to write down on the paper.
My father was rather rich, but mostly because he inherited my grandfather's business, so we pretty much lived on that. He is quite reserved too, so he didn't really spend a lot of time in the streets, just in his study.
Rachel found it a rather odd reply, emotional too, since the handwriting was confused and definitely not as tidy as earlier. The tiny diva realized that it must have been a tough topic for Quinn to discuss, so she just dropped it. It took her a good amount of willpower to swallow back her curiosity and change the subject, but she didn't want to scare her off.
So she just smiled at Quinn and asked her if she was into musical theatre.
[oOo]
Hours later, the storm had calmed down, the wind had stopped and everything was quiet. It wasn't night yet, the sun was just beginning to set, shyly peaking from behind pink clouds. The air still smelled like rain.
Rachel walked Quinn outside and she watched in an adoring state as the blonde inhaled deeply and smiled. Quinn was quick to find her phone and type something that she then showed to Rachel.
I love the smell of rain.
"Yeah," Rachel replied. "Me too. So, I guess you are going, uh? I was wondering, if you could, um, maybe…maybe take my number? I really enjoyed talking—ergh, spending time with you this afternoon."
Quinn smiled shyly and she nodded. Then she handed her phone to Rachel, gesturing for her to take it and type her number. The brunette dutifully obliged and when she handed the phone back to Quinn, her small, tanned hand brushed against soft, alabastrine skin, sending shivers down her spine.
The blonde brought her right hand to her eye, and then to her chin, lightly moving her fingers. Rachel found herself staring at her stupidly for a second, before realizing the blonde was signing something to her.
Noticing the brunette's confusion, Quinn smiled and typed something on her phone. Rachel's own phone buzzed and she saw a new message from a number she didn't recognize.
Hey, it's Quinn. Thank you so much for saving me from the rain today, I had an awesome time with you. That was the ASL sign for 'see you soon', by the way. I hope to see you soon :)
Rachel swooned at the smiley face, and her own lips stretched into a huge smile. "I hope to see you soon as well."
As she watched Quinn walking away, Rachel mentally vowed to buy a book to learn ASL.
[oOo]
"Oh, my God, Rachel Barbra Berry, you can't possibly be serious!" Kurt's high voice squealed from the other end of the phone, directly from Paris, France. When Rachel had called him, he was all cranky and snappy because in France it was three am, but when his best friend told him about her new meeting, he had risen. "You are living a fairytale! You must go out with her again! Saving her from the rain? That is so romantic. Was she cute? Blonde? Ginger? Her eyes? What about her eyes?"
Rachel rolled her eyes. "She was gorgeous, Kurt. She had this golden blonde hair, and her eyes…Kurt she had hazel eyes, but the light kept changing and I couldn't tell if they were darker, or green, or golden…"
"Someone sounds whipped."
"Fuck off."
"Ohh, do you kiss Quinn with that mouth?"
"Shut up, we didn't kiss," Rachel scoffed, tangling her legs under her body as she sat on the couch. "But Kurt, do you remember someone called Fabray back in Lima?"
"Jesus, Rachel," he exclaimed. "Please, don't tell me you don't remember the only gossip that had ever existed in Lima in all the history of the city since it was built! You don't remember it? It happened fourteen, fifteen years ago, I guess. There was this big car incident, just a few streets from my house. Well, there were four people in the car. Two adults and their two daughters. One of them died, and the other, who was still young, had never been seen again in the schools. They were the Fabrays, and the younger girl would be your mysterious Quinn."
"Oh, my God, are you kidding me?" Rachel dropped her jaw. "Now I remember! That thing was in the newspapers for a whole month! I think my Daddy even attended the funeral…how couldn't I make the association?"
Kurt sighed deeply. "Guess you were too busy admiring the blonde beauty."
"Yeah," Rachel muttered. "Guess I was."
"Well, here it's three am and tomorrow I have a big conference, so I'm leaving you now, but keep me posted about everything, alright? Oh, love stories like this one are always so thrilling."
Rachel hung up and stared at the void for a little too long for it to be considered normal.
Tomorrow first thing in the morning she was going to go to the library and buy an ASL book.
.
you looked into my eyes
your face i memorized
didn't say a word but you felt like home
.