A/N: We're on Day 19! This takes place during prom in season three, and it's just an excuse for me to write about the events of that night because I never stop thinking about them.
Day 19: Formal Wear
Sitting in the empty classroom, Quinn wonders how this ever happened.
She just won Prom Queen. By one vote. And, as she told Santana, she doesn't feel the slightest bit different.
It's everything she's ever wanted. For herself, for her mom, for her status. Regardless of her motive, she's craved this title since her sister won Prom Queen six years earlier. Quinn (then Lucy) had noticed how her parents had fawned over her sister for weeks after, and she became determined to win Prom Queen once she got to high school, no matter what it would take, to get that same kind of love and affection from her parents.
So she did what it took. She dated the quarterback. She joined the Cheerios. She became Head Captain by her sophomore year. She grew her popularity and her status and watched as her parents began to devote more time to her (and probably love her more, too).
Now, six years later, Quinn's circumstances are drastically different. She no longer lives with her father, she hasn't spoken to her sister in two and a half years, and, well, she's just won Prom Queen.
She did it.
But she has no father to love her more or a sister to be proud of her. She has her mom, who is trying her best, Quinn knows, but is still just a silent presence most days at home. Beyond that, nothing.
Winning Prom Queen is everything she's ever wanted but will make no difference in her life. So when Quinn decides to give Rachel the crown, well, she likes to think that she's making a difference.
Quinn won by one vote. One single vote pushed her over the edge to victory.
I voted for you for Prom Queen, Rachel's voice rings in her ears.
Without Rachel's vote, Quinn never would have won. And, if she thinks back to a few years ago, she's sure that she never would have gotten Rachel's vote if she hadn't changed her ways. If it hadn't been for Rachel, constantly seeing the best in her and encouraging her not to make poor decisions and looking out for her, Quinn never would have become the person she is today. And, without Quinn changing, for and because of Rachel, she never would have become her friend and received her vote for Prom Queen.
Rachel voted for her, despite their tumultuous past, despite their differences, despite every bad thing Quinn had ever said about or done to her. And, because of that singular vote, she won. It could just as easily have gone to Santana or someone else. Rachel hadn't even planned on coming to the dance tonight. But she did, for whatever reason, and she cast her vote for Quinn.
It was a string of chances, a string of fate, that lead to this. How could Quinn ever repay her?
The answer slaps her in the face.
Santana's confused when Quinn says that they should give the crown to Rachel. And understandably so. But when Quinn simply looks at her, really looks at her, it all seems to dawn on her, and Santana just nods and writes Rachel Berry below Finn's name on the winners' card before tucking it in the envelope and sealing it shut.
She knows she made the right decision when she sees Rachel in the hall as the night draws to an end. She's heading down the hallway, toward the exit, when she hears Rachel behind her. Really, she hears Rachel and Finn, and she spins herself around to see Rachel whisper something in Finn's ear, press a kiss to his cheek, and walk up to her as Finn passes by them both, giving Quinn a little wave.
(All Quinn can think about is just hours earlier when he had tried to force her out of her wheelchair in the middle of the dance floor.)
Thankfully, Rachel's voice distracts her before she can dwell too much on that.
"Quinn, hi, again," She says softly, adjusting the crown on her head.
"Hey, Rachel," Quinn replies with a smile. "Congratulations."
Rachel shakes her head shyly. "Thank you, Quinn. Really, thank you." At Quinn's confused expression, Rachel explains, "I know you and Santana were in charge of counting the votes, and you and I both know that there's no way the student body would ever have voted to give me this crown."
Quinn panics, trying to scramble together some kind of excuse. What does she say? Say it was Santana's idea? Own up to it? Outright deny it?
She takes a deep breath, bracing herself for impact. "Rachel, I—"
"You don't have to say anything," Rachel interrupts. "I know you only had good intentions. And it really did make my night, so I just wanted to say thank you and let you know how much I appreciate it. Whatever led you and Santana to that decision, it made me happy, the happiest I've been in a while, and that's thanks to you, so I wanted to make sure I got the chance to tell you."
Quinn smiles shyly, her eyes falling to her lap. "I'm glad to hear that," She mumbles before meeting Rachel's eyes. "You deserve it, Rachel. You really do, especially after everything that we put you through."
"Thank you, Quinn," Rachel says. "It really means a lot, coming from you. When I said earlier that becoming your friend would be the one thing I will look back on proudly, I really did mean it."
Quinn is taken aback, yet again. When Rachel had said it earlier, she had been speechless, and, hearing it a second time, she is just as speechless. Rachel has no idea the power her words hold over Quinn, and it astonishes her every time.
"I never could've become who I am today without you," Quinn admits, "So I suppose we're even."
Rachel grins at her. "I suppose we are."
Quinn looks up at Rachel, watching her hesitate for a moment before moving to hug her. Instead, Quinn holds up a hand to stop her and, with all of the will she can manage, plants her feet on the ground and hoists herself up from her wheelchair. She grips the armrests tightly as she brings herself to her feet, and Rachel instantly steps forward, holding onto her arms to keep her steady.
Her legs are a bit shaky, quivering, especially after she performed half of her duet with Santana standing up, but she can't help herself. Rachel meets her eyes, their faces inches apart, a concerned look on her face.
Quinn just shrugs in response. "I'm so tired of hugging people from that damn chair."
Rachel giggles and wraps her arms around Quinn's back, pulling her tightly against herself. Quinn responds in kind, draping her arms around Rachel's shoulders. Their bodies fit together in a way that they never did with any of her former boyfriends, and the thought simultaneously breaks her heart and pieces it back together again. With Rachel's arms around her back and her head resting on her shoulder, Quinn has never felt more at home.
Rachel pulls away, just slightly, as she helps Quinn sit back down in her wheelchair. Once she's seated, her feet resting comfortably on the footrests, Quinn lets out a sigh of relief. Looking up at Rachel, her breath is taken away.
"Rachel, can I just say…" Quinn starts before she can think twice about it, "You look so beautiful in that dress. Really, you do."
Rachel smiles a shy little grin, her head dropping and cheeks turning red. "Thank you, Quinn. And you look radiant, as always. Any boy would be lucky to be on your arm tonight."
Quinn's heart twists at her words, a sinking feeling settling in her stomach. But now is definitely not the time for her to correct that statement, not with the bright smile on Rachel's face, so Quinn just says, "Thanks."
Then, it's silent as they just look at each other, Rachel with admiration gleaming in her eyes, Quinn with something a bit stronger than admiration buried in hers.
Rachel breaks the silence. "I should probably get going. Finn's waiting outside for me."
"Yeah, of course." Quinn replies, watching Rachel walk off. She's about to walk out the doors when Quinn says, "Rachel?"
She stops in her tracks. "Yeah?"
"I just wanted to say…" Quinn pauses to take a breath. "You asked earlier if I understood what I mean to you. I just want to let you know that you mean just as much to me. And you said that I deserve Prom Queen, but I really believe that you do. You deserve it, and you deserve the best life in New York, so much better than what you have right now. I hope you know that."
She leaves out the implied, You deserve better than Finn, but Quinn hopes that Rachel gets the message.
Eyes shining, Rachel nods solemnly. "I do."
She turns and heads out of the building, leaving Quinn alone in the hallway. Suddenly, tears come to her eyes, and she lets them fall down her cheeks and onto her dress.
Her senior prom is nothing like what Quinn had imagined it to be. She's by herself, sitting in a wheelchair, and she gave her crown away. But she gave it to the girl she loves, and maybe, just maybe, that can be enough for her.