This is my first ever Faberry fic, it's a one-off so I'm still a Quinntana writer, don't worry! I just had this idea for so long and thought it would work better with Quinn and Rachel as the characters.


Rachel looked at the clock: six-thirty in the evening. Her party was supposed to start at six, and she had everything she had planned scheduled out. She had spent hours setting up her house for this occasion, bought so much vegan food she wanted to share with everybody so they'd realise being vegan maybe wasn't so bad. The food was still on the table, going colder with every second.

Rachel looked at the clock again – 6:31 in the evening. Then she looked at the front door, open with invitation. She had a banner outside advertising her birthday, but what good was it? Nobody was coming in.

She shouldn't have been surprised nobody is turning up to her birthday party. She was unpopular, she was annoying and she knew the glee club only tolerated her. She didn't know why she was still destroying friendships for one solo. Because doing so? Nobody was here.

She knew she was good at putting a strong face at school. Being slushied daily, being called mean names, and being laughed at? She faced with a smile. On the outside.

Everything hurt. And now, nobody turning up, that just put everything into focus again and it broke her.

Nobody liked her.

Rachel sighed and grabbed the banner, taking it indoors before closing the front door. No need to humiliate her epic failure of an expensive party anymore. Rachel closed her eyes, trying so hard not to cry, but a tear escaped the corner of her eye.

She couldn't help it anymore. She slumped on the sofa which had a 'Happy 16' slung over it, sobbing as she buried her face in her hands.

She didn't know how long she had been crying until she heard a doorbell. She stopped crying and sat up straight: surely she was hallucinating.

The doorbell rang again.

Wondering who the hell it could be, Rachel walked to the front door. She didn't care how puffy her eyes looked as she opened the door.

Out of everybody that could've been standing on the other side, she didn't expect to see Quinn here.

A girl who she has had a crush on forever. Sadly she knew Quinn hated her with passion.

"Coming to rub it in?" Rachel sniffled as she leaned against the doorframe.

"No," Quinn whispered, shaking her head. "Here." She handed Rachel a large, neatly wrapped box. "Happy birthday."

Rachel took it cautiously. "Some kind of a birthday this is," she scoffed scornfully, wiping a tear from her eye.

Quinn bit her lip, sighing. Without invitation, she stepped into Rachel's house and gave Rachel a huge hug. "I'm so sorry," she whispered into Rachel's ear as she hugged her tightly.

Rachel didn't expect to be hugging Quinn, of all things she could've been doing. But it was welcome. Quinn smelled really nice, and the hug was friendly.

"I expected as much," Rachel mumbled. "Are you um, just coming by to drop off a present, then? I appreciate it a lot, really."

"No," Quinn shook her head as she held Rachel at arm's length. "I'm here to stay. If it's okay?"

Rachel's mouth opened and closed before she could speak. "Y-Yeah," she stuttered. "Of course. Um, so would you like some food first? I think it's cold by now, I could microwave or cook more for you if you wish…"

"It's okay," Quinn said with a small smile. "I'm so sorry for being late, Rachel."

"No, it's fine. I appreciate you coming anyway."

"I tried to get everybody to come, I really did," Quinn admitted as Rachel led her to the table stacked with so many servings of food. "They're all at a Cheerio's party. Santana made me stay and when I realised nobody was going to leave I escaped. I'm so sorry I'm late, Rachel. I know how much you put into this."

Rachel shrugged. "Understandable. If I were you I would've stayed at the Cheerio's party instead of a dead Jewish vegan party."

"Nobody deserves to be alone on their birthday," Quinn whispered as she sat right next to Rachel at the dinner table. Rachel expected Quinn to sit opposite her. "I hope me being here makes it up somewhat?"

Rachel smiled at the beautiful girl next to her. To be honest, she only set up this party because she wanted Quinn to come along. And now Quinn was here? And they were alone? This wasn't bad at all.

"It does, Quinn," Rachel nodded gratefully. "More than you think."


There had been some changes in plans, because of lack of numbers, unfortunately. But that was okay. Quinn had picked out a cheesy chick flick and they were watching on the couch.

Rachel was a bit uncomfortable with her nemesis sitting next to her; she didn't know what to do. So she just kept her back straight and a respectable distance away from Quinn.

Quinn seemed to have other ideas as she scooted closer and leaned her head against Rachel's shoulder.

"Hope you don't mind?" Quinn whispered when Rachel looked at her questioningly.

"Not at all," Rachel said after she got over the initial shock. Quinn beamed and it was so pretty.

Rachel tried to watch the film, she did. But with Quinn's head on her shoulder and her small puffs of air into Rachel's neck, she found it hard to concentrate.

It had probably been about ten minutes before Quinn piped up again.

"I'm so sorry, Rachel."

Her voice broke and trembled and that was not what Rachel expected.

"It's okay, seriously," Rachel smiled and was surprised Quinn's eyes were glazed. "You being here is enough."

"Not that," Quinn sat back as she averted her gaze. "How, um, I treated you all this time."

"Oh," Rachel breathed.

"I'm so sorry for calling you mean names, laughing when you get slushied and making your life a living hell," Quinn admitted as she ducked her head in shame. "I-I did it, well, because I just wanted your attention, and I had no idea how to get it. A-And I settled for bullying b-because I didn't want to face my feelings and I-I'm so, so sorry, Rach, you don't know how sorry –"

Rachel stopped Quinn's blubbering by putting a finger to Quinn's lips. "It's okay," Rachel shrugged. "I've learnt to live with it."

"But it's not," Quinn whispered. "I can see the hurt in your eyes whenever I say these things to you, Rach. Y-You're beautiful." Quinn said sincerely, putting a warm hand on Rachel's cheek. "A-And I really like your hands," Quinn said bashfully as she held Rachel's hand with her free one. "I don't mean any of the things I said to you, I don't. I…" Quinn looked away and gulped. "I've liked you for a long time, Rachel. Ever since I met you. I-I admire how strong you are, how you don't let people get you down, and um…" Quinn's cheeks pinked. "I really like hearing you sing. I wasn't jealous of you when you were with Finn." Quinn wrinkled her nose. "I was jealous of him, because you looked at him like he was the best thing ever, he got to kiss you… and I just wish that you could look at me that way. But I know you would never because I ruined everything between us when I decided to make your life a living hell."

Quinn took a deep, shaky breath and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry," she mumbled after a few moments of silence, blinking away tears. "I didn't mean to ruin our evening."

Rachel, however, was stunned into silence. She had no idea Quinn felt all of these things – she just thought Quinn hated her because she was egotistical and annoying.

"D-Do you mean what you just said?" Rachel whispered. "O-Or is this just a prank?"

"What?" Quinn's jaw dropped. "No! I meant every word, Rach. Every. Single. Word. I like you." Her voice dropped into a whisper, and there was so much vulnerability in her beautiful hazel eyes.

Even after everything Quinn did and before this confession, Rachel still liked her. But after this and finding out what was behind everything, behind Quinn's Cheerio mask? Rachel liked her even more.

"Don't cry," Rachel whispered as she wiped a tear from Quinn's cheek with her thumb. "I-I like you too."

"What?" Quinn stuttered but Rachel didn't answer with words. She leaned forward and kissed Quinn and suddenly everything felt right.

Quinn kissed back and Rachel could feel Quinn's wet lashes, which made all sorts of emotions explode in her body.

But the most prominent of these? She felt lucky. Maybe everything would change, her school life would improve so much.

Finding out Quinn liked her back? The best birthday gift she could've asked for.