Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters.
"So Berry hasn't told you guys anything?" Santana inquired as the two waited in line to order their coffee. "I thought you two were gay buds."
Kurt rolled his eyes at the comment. "Not exactly. We're friends, but she hasn't said anything the past month. Not even Finn knows what's going on since she brushes him off every time he tries to talk to her. It's off because we both know how obsessed she is with him."
"Well I probably can tell you in her place, but you have to answer me this: how did you find out about Quinn? Before she actually admitted to you two."
Kurt looked at the Latina and noticed the look in her eyes. The same look she usually tries to hide whenever she's worried about Brittany or when she has to do work for Sue against the glee club. He knew it was serious for the Latina to show genuine concern about the well-being of others.
"Rachel was explaining to us about when it all started. Protecting her from slushie facials, giving said facials to the jocks in her defense, making sure us glee kids closest to her don't get hurt, either. Sure, harsh words between the two were thrown here and there this year, but we also noticed how Quinn looked at her. Just hearing Rachel's stories made it seem quite obvious."
"So why help?"
Kurt smiled, knowing she would ask the same question. "I was in the closet even though my behavior was more obvious. Glee club made me feel accepted and I want to give back. Once I heard your story with Brittany, I knew there was something going on here that might be able to give a little push to those who are scared. Luckily, they were able to help you. Quinn is in a different situation so she'll have a much harder time accepting herself and the one she loves. Besides, it would be interesting to see how this will all play out between those two. McKinley's biggest diva and Head Cheerio."
Santana couldn't help but to smile. Kurt couldn't return until after Regionals until she was able to straighten out Karofsky. He was being quite stubborn when she was being outed because their initial vow as beards has been broken once the whole school knew. Luckily her acceptance of herself was able to convince him to stop his ways and allow Kurt to return without fear under their protection. Of course, the flamboyant young man also caught wind of her coming out and hugged her once he laid eyes on her, happy she was able to overcome such obstacle. The two were able to be on good terms even if they didn't always see eye to eye.
"Well I'm glad you feel that way, Kurt. It's nice to have the only two openly gay people to back her up when she needs help."
"Agreed. Now It's time for your explanation."
"Just promise you won't scream and I'll tell you. But I can't tell you everything. Just enough for you to understand the tension between those two lovebirds."
"Understood."
"Wait, wait, wait... So she's liked Rachel since freshman year?" Mercedes asked as she sat outside one of the doors with Brittany while they played a game of checkers.
"She never told us until recently," the blonde said, moving a piece. "But being Head Cheerio and needing to date a quarterback makes her unable to tell Rachel how she feels."
"That's kinda sad... But it kind of makes sense. Her parents have been pretty rough on her after everything that's happened last year. Always wanting her to be perfect, but then kicking her out when they found out she was pregnant... Must be hard..."
"That's why she doesn't want us to tell anybody... She'll probably be mad at me for telling you, Mercedes. I'm sorry."
"Well don't apologize. I'm sure she'll understand that you want what's best for her. You guys are best friends so nothing should change that."
Brittany couldn't help but to smile. "Thanks, Mercedes. But I know there's more than what I told you. Something that made things messy between the two of them."
Mercedes leaned closer, sensing the concern and fear in the blonde's voice and blue eyes.
"She did what?!" Kurt exclaimed as Santana drove him back to school.
"Hey. You promised to not scream," the Latina snapped in annoyance before pulling up to a red light.
"I'm sorry, but that was a total bombshell of information that you just gave me. She kissed Rachel."
"On the cheek. Nothing to scream about. She made out with Brittany during freshman year. I'm pretty sure she enjoyed it a little bit even though she said otherwise." She started to drive again when the light turned green.
"It might not be a big deal to Quinn, but it probably is for Rachel. It probably threw her off so bad that she-" He stopped before remembering his friend's current state. He slumped back in his seat. "Oh my God… That explains everything."
"And now you know, Porcelain."
"They broke each other…"
"Yep."
"What will Finn say if he finds out…?"
Santana stopped the car rather abruptly at another red light. "Okay, you are not telling Finnosence about this. At least not until those two figure out whatever the hell is going on. His first girlfriend pretty much used him as a beard to hide her feelings for his ex-girlfriend. We don't even know if the midget was doing the same thing."
"Wha- Rachel? Okay, I know she has two gay dads but that does not mean she's also gay."
"I know, I know. But hear me out. We're just speculating to make Q feel better. Sure, she's easy to read most of the time, but have you've seen her when she's talking to Quinn?"
"You mean taking jabs to get Finn for herself?"
"And the look in her eyes?"
"Pure jealousy and want-" He stopped again before looking at the Latina. "Okay, you are really planting seeds in my head now."
"Maybe. We just have to see what happens if they even talk to each other." She turned into the school parking lot and parked in her usual spot next to Brittany and Quinn's cars.
"You know… I'm really surprised at how supportive you are of her feelings, Santana. Pretty admirable after all the drama these past two years," Kurt said while closing the car door and assisting the Cheerio to the school.
"Well don't get used to it, Lady Hummel. After all the shit that happened, it's best if we can at least give her some closure. She's pretty much been a bitch like how I was even if it was more forced. She's just soft now because she finally feels close enough to you guys to let some of it out. She's just shy about it."
Kurt's face softened, touched that the Cheerios can feel close to the club. "Well at least she's comfortable enough to show this kind of vulnerability. Same for you."
"Just don't tell anyone about this, Kurt. We have reputations to uphold."
"Got it, Satan." This received a glare from the Latina before the two laughed.
Silence filled the choir room as the two sat in their seats. It was so quiet that it was almost suffocating for the both of them.
"So… I'm guessing they won't let us out until we talk…" Rachel said softly, hoping to break the tension.
"Knowing Santana and Kurt, most likely," Quinn replied albeit harshly. It was clear that she was angry about the lie and how her friends decided to interfere after promising. The biggest problem is that Rachel doesn't know that the anger wasn't directed to her.
The brunette looked at her hands as she twiddled her thumbs. She was right. The fierce Cheerio would always act on her threats when needed and her best friend would also consider going through actions if it will benefit himself and those around him. But perhaps it was a chance for her to ask about what happened. After a whole month of avoiding each other, this might as well be the only chance for them to talk and fix the problem at hand.
"Quinn… Um… About what happened in my room last month…"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Rachel bit her lower lip in worry, seeing how fast it took for the blonde to answer. She stood up. "I-I'm serious, Quinn… You… you kissed me that day. Without any signs or warnings-"
Quinn let out a short laugh. "Yeah. Sure."
The diva tried to glare at the head Cheerio in anger but knew what she's attempting is nothing from the blonde's usual glare. "Quinn, please stop ignoring this. I just want to know why. Why did you tell me about this guy you've fallen in love with and not Santana or Brittany, your friends who have been with you ever since you arrived at McKinley? Why did you kiss me on the cheek with tongue after I promised I wouldn't tell anyone? It just doesn't make any sense!" She was getting impatient. If this was her only chance to get answers out of Quinn, she definitely would not accept the blonde deflecting her questions.
She tensed when the head Cheerio stood up from her seat, slowly walking closer to the brunette. Her lips twisted into her signature smirk as she leaned close to the girl, making the shorter girl panic a little bit. "Do you really want to know the reason, Berry? I'm sure you're very curious about my behavior towards you during this year."
"W-well, I-" Rachel stopped when Quinn took hold of her chin to make her look at the blonde in the eyes. "Q-Quinn...? I... um..."
"You...?" Her smirk widened when the diva remained frozen. She pulled away before walking over to the piano. "Zizes released the story of my past. Chubby, full of acne, just the epitome of a loser. Always compared to my sister who was always beautiful and accomplished everything my parents asked for. I changed myself to be that perfect girl like her..." She traced her fingers over the keys, playing a few chords. "Fighting my way to the top when I first came to this school. Fighting that shy little girl I once was. It all fell apart when I was dumb enough to sleep with Puck and be pregnant with a perfect little girl... I was kicked out of my own home, kicked out of the Cheerios, my own parents divorced once everything reached a tipping point." She played a chord out of key. "But everything post-pregnancy didn't fall back perfectly. I still felt lost... I was still fighting that girl I once was... I tried to date Sam to show I still own my title as the Head Bitch of McKinley, but the guilt was eating me up inside. Just knowing that my heart belonged to someone else made it hard for me to cope and take things out on the wrong people..." She played a few more chords that Rachel quickly recognized.
"Ever since you performed this song at Regionals, it wouldn't stop playing in my head. You're always someone who had a set goal in mind and fought for it. Me? I just find myself lost no matter how hard I try. But it pains me to see that after everything that's happened, you only dedicate it to Finn. He's always on your mind, isn't he? The only guy at this school to ever show you kindness and you fall head over heels for him. It's that impression that makes people fall hopelessly in love."
Rachel tightly hugged her arms as she looked at the blonde. "Well... I couldn't have written it without your help. Nothing seemed to have gone right when it came to being with everyone. I just don't know what's missing."
"Then we both have our own problems to take care of." She carefully covered the keys. "There will always be secrets and insecurities we can't share to each other. Sure, some people may catch on, but there are certain people who must not know of those secrets." She looked at the brunette, her hazel eyes focusing on the diva.
Rachel tensed, unsure what the blonde will say. She took in a deep breath. "Is that why you won't tell me why you kissed me...?"
"Perhaps."
"Then why can't you tell me? I'm sure the others can't hear it if you say it quietly."
"It would be too soon. Only time will tell."
"So how long will it take for you to finally fess up and tell me?"
Quinn looked over at the trophy case where their Sectional and Regional trophies rested. "Perhaps... after Nationals. If we win, of course."
"Do you swear by that?"
"Of course. When would I ever lie to you? Don't answer that." She was quick to stop the diva from answering the question, knowing she will ramble about it. She carefully inspected the petite girl. How she was fiddling with the ends of her shirt and now avoiding eye contact in uncertainty. It looked adorable to the head Cheerio. A look she always saw from afar but forces herself to act out against it. It was something as small as lowering one's guard to make her weak to the knees and want to hold her in comfort. But she chose to keep these feelings away, knowing her feelings wouldn't be reciprocated so easily. She just wants the right time to confess but wasn't sure when.
"Qu-Quinn?"
She blinked and looked at the brunette, seeing how she was in a daze while looking at the girl. She cursed to herself for staring before composing herself. "Yes?"
"Well, I uh... I was wondering..." She fiddled with her hands again. "Well... I was wondering if we can still be friends until then... I promised to accompany you to Prom so um... I hope that offer still stands after everything that has happened."
The head Cheerio was quite shocked, unsure how to reply. She was aware that Rachel tries her best to keep promises but was sure that distancing herself may have deterred her away from keeping the promise. It was quite a shock to have her still remember and continue asking if the offer still stands. She couldn't help but to smile. "Sure. That would be great, she said, trying to hide the optimism in her voice. She noticed Rachel's eyes lit up from the answer.
"Th-thank you! I know we still have a month and we had this whole thing happening, but I didn't want to break a promise to you after everything that's happened. Thank you so much. I'm going to hug you now, okay?"
Quinn couldn't help but to laugh a little as the brunette pulled her into a hug. She gave the shorter girl a gentle squeeze in return, relishing the warm feeling.
"Oh! They're hugging!" Kurt squealed quietly as the four watched through the door window. "That's a good sign!"
"Did Quinn really tell Rachel about her feelings?" Brittany asked, her eyes glistening in hope.
Santana watched the two carefully but noticed their interactions. "Probably not. Berry's too giddy for someone to find out about McKinley's head bitch crush on her."
"At least they made up. Now we can relax a little bit before we go back to rehearsals," Mercedes said with a relieved sigh. "And now they're friends."
"Until Q spills the beans to her. We'll just have to wait and see." Santana quickly turned the door handle and opened the door, making the three jump back in caution. The Latina entered the room and held back a smirk when the two jumped apart when they heard the door open, their faces red in embarrassment. She folded her arms. "Well? Did you two make up?"
Quinn cleared her throat before folding her arms. "You can say that. We're going to Prom together. Jealous?"
"As if, Fabray." She couldn't help but to smile and quickly mouthed to the blonde. "At least you're okay."
Quinn smiled before giving a nod. She looked over at Rachel who was shyly playing with her hair, her back towards them to hide her face. "I'm gonna head home. Do you need a ride, Rach?"
The two looked at her, surprised of the nickname. Santana looked at the others at the doorway who were also shocked. "U-um... Sure. Thank you." Rachel quickly went to her usual seat to grab her bag before joining the head Cheerio. Quinn guided her out, giving a smile at the group as she left. She acted as if they weren't shocked of her behavior and continued on, hoping the diva next to her didn't catch on.
Once the two were out of earshot, the four looked at each other. "You guys heard that, right?" Mercedes asked, receiving nods.
"She's doing it!" Brittany suddenly squealed before pulling Santana in a hug. The two jumped around in joy. "Quinn's opening up!"
"That was definitely not a result I was expecting..." Kurt murmured, still in shock. Mercedes gave a quick nod. There was really no way for Quinn to open up enough to call Rachel by a nickname.
Rachel fell back onto her bed, letting out a deep sigh she's been holding onto the whole car ride home. It was mostly quiet between the two and it was a little hard to make small talk. She was glad that she was able to make up with Quinn after everything that's happened. Of course, she's still worried about the secret Quinn is hiding that prevents her from explaining the kiss. It just didn't seem to sit right with her but she didn't want to disappoint the blonde. She wanted to become friends so the least she could do is let it go until her new friend is ready to tell the truth.
She looked at the Polaroid photo in her hands. Quinn apparently had a camera in her car and asked to take a photo before Rachel left. It was only one copy but the blonde insisted that Rachel would keep it. Perhaps she noticed there wasn't a photo of the two on the diva's wall and wanted to add this moment to it.
Rachel couldn't help but to smile at the thoughtfulness and held it close to her chest before letting out a content sigh. She rolled off of her bed and took hold of some double-sided tape, securing the photo onto the wall. She smiled again when she saw the beaming faces on the photo.
Let's enjoy Prom together, Quinn... Just the two of us...
And that's Chapter 6. I know I might be straying from their original personalities a little bit, but I will try to keep it more consistent. If you have any advice, feel free to tell me. Constructive criticism is welcomed.
Next chapter may actually have Sue finally step in and allow the two to plan for their "date". Any other characters are up in the air so we'll just have to see.