This is a little short but next chapter won't be long I promise. And I lost my beta again, so it might contain some mistakes here and there. I'm thinking about going back to post without betas it's faster and I miss those days when it was just write and post.

Chapter 6:

Before summer break

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

Quinn repeats out loud holding the wheels so hard that her knuckles are turning white.

"Fuck!" She opens the doors roughly and gets out of her car.

Not even one day and she screwed everything up.

Way to get into the graces of Rachel's dads Fabray…

As soon as she enters her house she goes to her bedroom.

She lied to me… why would she lie to me?

Her phone starts ringing and it's no surprise that Rachel is the one calling her. She flirts with the idea of not answering the call, but she ends up doing it anyway.

"Hello." She tries her best to remain controlled.

"Thank God." Rachel breathes a sigh of relief. "Are you home now?"

Quinn melts a little at Rachel's concern.

"Yes." She says curtly.

"Quinn look, I'm sorry about my dad."

"Why did you lie to me Rachel?" She asks with a little bit of hurt on her tone.

"Uh?" Rachel gets confused. "What you mean? What are you talking about?"

Quinn muses for a moment as she is taken aback. Rachel doesn't know or she is just lying again?

"You told your dads about the kiss." She says bitterly.

"I told my dads about the kiss Finn and I shared on that stage. I didn't say anything about us Quinn."

"But your dad…"

Quinn starts trying to remember everything that happened in her early encounter with Leroy.

"And I'm sorry about what happened. I was very excited about everything I forgot to tell my parents you were coming to see me. I don't know what my dad said to you, but I can assure you that they don't know about us."

Damn it! She is so stupid. Why she just assumed Rachel lied to her? This is how she reacts when things get complicated? What is she going to do when they start to deal with things far more complicated?

"I'm sorry…" She sighs. "He said something about the kiss, but he probably was talking about Finn. He thought I was there because I was mad at you or something."

"Maybe…"

"Sorry I doubt you." She chuckles remorseful. "That's me I guess."

"Hey. I… you know what? What about we try something? Let's be honest with each other and always talk to each other before assuming things. Okay?"

"Okay."

She can do that right? Sure, she is a very difficult and closed person but she can't run away every time something like this happens.

"I'm a little tired now. I think I'm going to bed." Rachel says sweetly.

"Yeah me too."

Or maybe she is not ready for this yet. Maybe she does need time. She has no doubt that her feelings for Rachel are strong, but she is a Fabray. Her 'subconscious' was right, she can't pretend she hasn't treated Rachel awfully, Leroy reaction being one consistent proof.

She needs to woo Rachel first, to then and only then ask for something more. The point is: will she be contented being only Rachel's friend even if just for awhile?

"Good night Quinn."

"Good night Rachel."

Maybe not. But she needs to try, besides it's not like they're going anywhere. Rachel will wait right?

She hangs up the phone and prepares herself to sleep, mulling everything over she falls sleep a few moments after she nestles in her sheets.

In the morning she wakes up with everything clear in her mind. She calls Rachel and explains that she is going to spend the weekend with her mother and that she needs time to figure some things out.

"Answer…"

Voicemail again, she is hopeless by now. It's pretty clear that Quinn doesn't want to talk to her. The only good thing happening now is that Finn is also avoiding her. She has no head for Finn in the moment.

Why she doesn't answer?

Quinn said she needed time, nothing else.

Is she regretting everything?

Pacing in her bedroom Rachel starts to panic. She is thinking about every possible scenario.

Maybe Quinn wasn't prepared for the consequences, especially now that the moment they are going to school is near.

Suddenly her phone starts vibrating. She checks it immediately but gets very disappointed when she sees that it was her daddy Hiram texting her.

Hiram: Tea starts in 5 mins

Rachel: I'll be there in a minute

She remains silent throughout the 'Berry tea meeting', only nodding once and a while, what is really odd to the two Berry men.

"Good night dads." She says to her dads as she finished with her tea standing absentmindedly and forgetting about her dads kisses.

When she gets back to her bedroom she starts thinking about the blonde again. Her thoughts are a mess; she is quite close to have a headache.

"Patience Rachel…" She says calmly and she decides to get ready for bed as she has school next day after all.

Late in the night and after what seemed an eternity Quinn finally calls her, she wants them to meet each other before school. She seems happy, Rachel notices, but something is wrong, Rachel can tell.

"Quinn?"

"Yeah?"

"Is everything okay? I mean, are we okay?"

"Yes sure." Quinn says hesitantly.

"Okay then…" She draws her lips into her mouth apprehensively. "I see you tomorrow I guess."

It is really early in the morning when Quinn appears at Rachel's house to take her to school.

To avoid any possible questions from her dads Rachel leaves her house before Quinn can even get out of her car.

"I was going to…" Quinn says as Rachel settles on the passenger sit.

"No problem. I didn't want to start my day with my dad's lecture, so…" She shrugs with a genuine smile on her face.

"Can we go?"

Rachel nods as she nibbles her lips, excitement all over her face.

"What?" Quinn asks smiling as well.

"I'm in your car." She answers happily.

"Uh… yes…" Quinn frowns curious.

"I've never been in your car before."

"No?"

"No." Rachel shakes her head still smiling.

They keep still, looking at each other, locked inside their love bubble. Rachel starts leaning forward and at first Quinn does the same, but she regains her composure fast and moving her head she focuses ahead.

"I'm going to… school, we need to go to school."

"Yes, sure." Rachel says a little disappointed.

A few moments later and Quinn parks at McKinley. As it really is very soon they are ones of the firsts to arrive.

"I have something to say to you. That's why I wanted us to come here early." Quinn says as she helps Rachel out of the car.

"Okay." Rachel nods, her heart racing into her chest.

"Alright." Quinn takes a deep breath. "First I want to apologize for running away like that. And for doubting you."

"We already talked about that. It's okay." Rachel waves her off.

"Still…" Quinn tugs her hair behind her ear. "I saw how I reacted and I didn't like it. When I kissed you… I wasn't thinking about anything I just… "

"Oh God…" Rachel closes her eyelids tight as she is having trouble to breath.

"No. it's not like that." She smiles shyly. "It's just that all I thought at that moment was how I wanted to kiss you and my feelings for you, but life is a little harder right?"

"You said you didn't regret." Rachel says with a low voice.

"I don't. Rachel look at me." She cups Rachel's face with her hands tenderly, locking their eyes onto each other. "I don't regret." She hugs the short girl tight sighing heavily as she smells Rachel's hair.

"What this is about then?"

Quinn pulls away and runs her fingers through Rachel's hair as she ponders her next words.

"I'm really sure about my feelings for you…"

"But?"

"I can be very difficult Rachel. I always threw my frustrations on the boys I dated and sure the reason why they always annoyed me maybe was because they weren't you, I don't want to do that to you. And before you say something, that's what I do Rachel. Whenever I feel fear or threatened I push people away. We could let go and pretend that everything is going to be rainbows and unicorns and yes I'm aware how appropriate this comparison is."

Rachel giggles slightly sad.

"I want to be prepared to all the things we'll have to face, but mostly I want to figure me out. I know maybe it's naïve of me to think I'm going to manage to figure me out now as I'm just seventeen."

"You think that maybe you were just curious?"

"No." She shakes her head. "You can't relate to what I'm going through." She repeats herself though now she has a light mood and a big smile on her face. "You were raised differently."

"Oh." Rachel gets upset. "You think it's easy to me?"

"Not easy, but Rachel I was raised to think that this life style is wrong. I'm always going to fear that my family won't accept me, but first of all I need to be in peace with myself."

"So we can't be together, that's what you're saying?"

"Not exactly what I'm trying to say."

"Then what?"

Rachel is starting to feel very insecure. It's Quinn Fabray we're talking about here, the prettiest girl of the school. It does not make sense that Quinn wants to be in a relationship with Rachel Berry of all people.

"I was wrong when I said I didn't want to be your friend."

"What you're talking about?" Rachel asks voice giving away her insecurity.

"I want us to be friends."

"Just friends?"

Obviously not.

Quinn thinks, didn't she make it clear that she wants so much more?

"I want to get to know you. I want to know all of you. No more fighting for boys or denying how I feel. Just us."

All this time she has fought her feelings, she refused Rachel's every attempt of friendship and all because she was scared and in denial. But now she thinks that a good way to start over is winning Rachel's trust and friendship. Of course she has every intention of winning Rachel's heart in the process.

"I've always wanted to be your friend right?" Rachel says hurtful.

Many things are going through Rachel's mind but one thing is what makes it hurt more. She is thinking that maybe she is not worthy. She was just experimentation. What if Quinn is straight or worst what if she is not straight but now that she figured herself out she is going to go and seek other girls? Prettier girls. She is Quinn Fabray after all, straight or gay she will always have a bunch of people fighting over her attention.

"So?"

But to Quinn? She is just being chivalrous; you can't say to the girl you want more than you've ever wanted anyone else that you're planning to woo her. It loses its charm, right? Besides she thinks it's pretty obvious that after the whole kissing that she is completely into the brunette.

"Yes." Rachel sighs. "We can be friends."

"For now." Quinn adds smiling happily.

"For now." Rachel says clearly disappointed.

How she ended up in this situation? She has no idea, but here she is, kissing Finn. Again.

She was preoccupied with the boy. It's not that she can't forget about him over night, but she certainly didn't want the kiss, she tried to argue that she is focused on her future, on New York, that a relationship isn't her priority in the moment. Did he listen? "Graduation is a year away…" Of course not! Finn doesn't listen to her. He is a clueless boy!

The kiss is over and Finn stands up, lopsided smile on his face.

They both walk out of the library together side by side with his arms wrapped around her shoulders. She can't say she doesn't like it, that she doesn't like the fact that with all the girls he could be with she is the one he wants in his arms, the point is that she doesn't want to be in his arms anymore.

12° place and they couldn't be any happier. Finn and Rachel enter in glee club's room where all the others are animated gathered waiting for their co-captains to celebrate their tiny trophy.

Quinn calls them over with a big smile on her face, a smile that doesn't last much however. They sit in their usual set up with Finn and Rachel in the first line. The blonde frowns watching the tall boy wrapping his arm around the girl he is sure will be his girlfriend again.

The meeting barely ends and Quinn rushes to get out of the room and away from that scene.

How could she be so stupid, so naïve to think that this wasn't going to happen that the first thing Rachel was going to do was getting back to Finn's arms?

Surprisingly she manages to drive herself home. She bursts inside her house and runs up the stairs. She is not going to cry, she is stronger than that.

It doesn't mean anything, they're friends.

Maybe Rachel was only being supportive.

She grabs her pillows and holds it against her body as her head is bombarded with images of Finn's giant arms around her girl. Rachel is hers right?

You said you wanted to be friends. Genius! Stupid, stupid, stupid!

"Fucking Finn! You're not going to have her!"

Not this time.

She definitively needs to start the whole wooing thing quickly.

Who had this stupid idea of being friends?

I told ya! Just let it go Quinn. Let me out.

Shut up Lucy!

Shut up you two!

"Oh God I'm crazy." She exhales soundly, gasping surprised as her phone starts ringing. She takes it and answers Rachel's call. "Hello…"

"Hey. What happened? You disappeared after glee today…"

"I wasn't feeling okay."

"Oh… and you're okay now?"

"Yes…"

"I… I need to say something…" Rachel gulps nervously. "Finn and I…"

"What?" Quinn asks roughly.

"He kissed me…"

"And you… you pushed him away right? Like you slapped him or something?" She says hopefully, voice cracking. Although deep down she knows that wasn't the case as they walked in the glee together and happy. She lost to Finn once again.

"No." Rachel says in a low tone. "I was confused."

"How could you do that, after everything, Rachel…"

"You said you wanted to be friends and I got insecure."

"What? Why? I wanted to start fresh! I wanted to start over! Why did you have to run after him?"

"I didn't run after him! I was just concerned about him."

"Oh really? I'm feeling relieved right now."

"I don't get you!" Rachel shouts frustrated.

"What's to get?"

"You wanted to be my friend so that's it! Let's be friends! Which means it doesn't matter who I kiss and who I don't kiss."

"Of course it matters!" Quinn is the one screaming now.

Rachel gets silent.

"Are you going back to him?"

"I don't know."

"What you mean you don't know?!" Quinn shouts angrily.

Finn means security. Her feelings for the tall boy are something she knows pretty well, sure it's not what she thought it was, but she still likes him. Or at least she thinks she likes him. Her feelings for the blonde though are something entirely different. Deep down, she is terrified because she is sure that these feelings are something she has never experienced before. Not even with Finn.

Quinn can cut her heart into pieces, in a way that Finn could never do. Be with Quinn means navigating uncharted waters, not so much because of the whole dating a girl thing but because of the dating Quinn Fabray thing. It's a common knowledge that the girl is fickle and feisty. Not to tell about their past as enemies.

She is making the most stupid decision of her life she knows, but if Quinn is sure about everything why does she want they to remain as only friends?

"I… Finn and I… We… our relationship was abruptly interrupted." She says hesitantly and in a monotone, but Quinn is just too furious to notice Rachel's uncertainty.

"So be with him!"

"Quinn…"

Rachel just wanted Quinn to fight for her.

"No… Don't. I won't bother you. Have a good night."

But Quinn is used by now to lose. So she hangs up the phone and throws it on her bed roughly.

Now she allows herself to cry.

Everything was perfect. Too perfect. How could she have thought that she would finally get the girl?

The rest of the day goes by slowly and when she finally lays on her bed, she cries and cries until she finally falls asleep.

Next week passes by fast and in a blink of the eye it's almost over. During the whole week Rachel tries to make contact, but Quinn does her best to avoid the brunette.

"Hey…" Finn calls her over.

"Hi Finn." She says polite even though she is really annoyed right now. She was trying to once again catch the blonde, but Quinn was out of her sight much too quick, getting inside her red car and heading out of the school's park lot.

"Can I take you home?"

"Sure…" She sighs. "Let me inform my dads." She takes her phone.

No, she didn't get back to Finn, but she knows it is what he wants. Every time he brings the matter up she tries to avoid it somehow. She won't be able to do it forever she knows.

She misses Quinn already. The only problem is that Quinn is avoiding her at all coast. It's probably better this way as she has her heart intact, that's what she has been thinking or what she is trying to make herself believe.

But then why it doesn't feel right? Maybe because she is Rachel Berry and Rachel Berry is not a coward. Rachel Berry is not afraid of love. Or is she?

School ends, finally summer break comes. Day by day the distance between them increases.

Question is: are they going to keep indifferent to each other's existence the whole summer?

I know, Rachel stop being an idiot and go get your girl! Right? But I don't think she will be able to resist punk Quinn ;)