N/A Just want to say a MAHOOSIVE thank you for the reviews I got for the first chapter; it really makes me so happy and gives me that little bit of love that I care for when writing. I try and personally write to you all that review, but if your anonymous, then thank you as well! I will try my best to update at least once a week and if I feel really inspired I'll update more often. Enjoy, my little story buddies. xxx

As she could start to smell the interesting aroma coming from the dining room, her nerves began to rise. She had done the welcoming meal many times before and she would do the same act of being nice and saying her name, but letting the others speak throughout the meal; it seemed to work that way. As Rachel was the person coming into their home, it only made sense that she didn't want to come across as too confident.

As Eddie and Ella walked through the doorway into the dining room, Rachel took a couple of seconds to compose herself. She didn't know the layout of the dining room, but if she was judging it on the rest of the house, then it wouldn't be much different from her previous homes; a large dining table down the middle of the room, with benches to fit at least 10 people down each side and then a hole in the end wall, which would connect to the kitchen.

Rachel was right. It was exactly the same.

As her petite feet shuffled her along behind her two friends, she was trying to take in the faces that were already seated at the dining table. Everyone who attended Stoneson must have already been here, because there were only about two spaces left on each side down the end, near the kitchen window.

Rachel didn't make any fuss about seating arrangements; she would take what she could get. So as she swung her leg over the bench, she realised that she was now sat next to someone she didn't know. This made her a little on edge, but she would have to get used to it; she has done many times before.

Ella and Eddie took the two spaces opposite her and gave her a reassuring smile and Eddie gave her leg a little jokey kick, before mouthing that she needed to relax. She realised her shoulders were so stiff that people must have thought she was a hunchback, so as she took a deep breath, she let her slender shoulders relax back to normal height.

Rachel didn't want to be too obvious about checking everyone out, but as she was now at the end of the table, the only way to really see people was to lean slightly forward and turn left to look down the centre of the long table. People were all just tucking into the bread and butter that were placed in the middle of the table and chatting quietly to the people next to them.

Ella lent forward and placed her warm hand on top of Rachel's tanned one.

"Hey, you want some bread?" Ella smiled.

Rachel didn't really feel like eating if she was being honest; her stomach was like knots she was so nervous. Her head automatically nodded though. She had learned that you took food when you got the chance, as sometimes saying no cost you the feeling of being hungry all night long afterwards.

Ella grinned back and reached across the boy next to her to grab three pieces of bread, which were already buttered. She placed one lightly onto the plate in front of Rachel and the brunette picked it up and took a big bite out of it.

She glanced down the table and was slightly surprised to find that no one had really paid any attention to her arrival, except for the boy and girl she had seen earlier in the common room, who were eyeing her out of interest rather than judgement.

She counted round the table and only saw 11 people, but she was sure Eddie had told her there were 12 now that she was here. Taking another big bite out of the bread, she now realised who was missing.

Rachel's chewing stopped as her eyes targeted the girl who had previously walked past them earlier. The bread in her mouth was soon forgotten, as Quinn made her way around the table and took the only seat left; next to Rachel.

Eddie said a little 'hi, how are you?' to Quinn, who just replied with a small 'I'm fine, had to go and get the mail', as Ella just took another piece of bread. Rachel couldn't move. She didn't know why she was so nervous around Quinn, she had only met the girl once and even then, they hadn't talked. It was just Quinn seemed to be so ghostly as she walks, like her feet weren't touching the ground and her hazel eyes seemed to speak more than words ever could. Rachel was pulled to her and she was desperate to find out more about the mysterious blonde, but first… she thought she should actually chew and swallow her mouthful of bread.

Turning her head slowly round to the side, she was met with Quinn smiling in her direction. Not menacingly or judgementally, just sweetly. Then the blonde moved a little closer, before standing up and leaning forward.

"Excuse me," the blonde said quietly.

She proceeded to lean over Rachel and grab a small piece of bread before seating herself again. Her voice had a very nasally aspect to it and Rachel noted how polite the girl seemed.

Rachel could only smile at Quinn as the blonde started to eat her piece of brown bread.

Ella could tell that Rachel wasn't going to be the one to start talking, which Ella could understand about; it was never easy being the new girl. So, she took it upon her responsibility to get this ball rolling.

Standing up and banging her hand lightly on the table, she got the attention of their other occupants. Rachel put down her last bite of bread on her plate and looked up at Ella suspiciously. Quinn also stopped eating and knew what was about to happen; she had been here many times to witness the 'welcome the newbie speech'.

Rachel soon caught on to what was about to happen when Ella cleared her throat and gestured her hand in the brunette's direction. Rachel only slouched in her seat further and tried to not make direct eye contact with anyone for too long.

"Guys, this is our new housemate, Rachel," Ella smiled her way.

There were mixed reactions, which Rachel wasn't surprised about. Eddie said a loud hello and waved, which resulted in Rachel giggling a little before turning her attention back to the others. The small boy with the bandana next to Ella gave a little wave and a shy greeting, as the taller brunette with glasses next to him just smiled brightly. An older girl down the end, who was dark skinned and had a long plait over one shoulder just mumbled and looked away; Rachel wouldn't be making friends with that one then. Some people, Rachel couldn't really see and others just weren't really bothered to have to say hi right now.

As Ella sat back down and spoke to the boy next to her. Rachel only knew him by the nickname she had given him in her head; bandana boy. He looked cute, with his red bandana and Pokémon top. Rachel smiled at him, before he lent closer to the end of the table and looked at Rachel.

"Hi Rachel, I'm Toby," he grinned, before taking a sip of his water.

"Hi Toby, I really like your top by the way," Rachel smiled back.

Toby could only look down at said top, before his head popped back up with a big grin on his face. Rachel noted that he didn't look like he could be 18, but then remembered that Ella did say younger people were allowed here if they had a reason.

"You like Pokémon too?" he asked, getting a little too excited.

"Well, I have had my fair share of playing it on an old friend's DS. I wasn't very good though," she laughed, eating her last piece of bread.

"That's okay, I can teach you some time. I have an old second-hand Gameboy with the game," he grinned, leaning even closer to their side, which resulted in squishing Ella, but the girl just rolled her eyes playfully.

"I would love that," Rachel said back.

"Okay Toby, personal space dude," Ella laughed back, lightly pushing the smaller boy away a little.

"Oh sorry Ella, I was just happy that I've found someone who will play Pokémon with me, as Anna is getting bored of the game," Toby sulked, looking at the girl next to him.

Rachel recognised her as the one that had smiled at her from the common room. The taller brunette had her glasses slipping down her nose a little, but quickly pushed them up again, before answering her small friend.

"It's the same thing over and over again; walk around some forest, fight some creatures, capture them and walk around a forest again," Anna shrugged, giving Toby a little playful wink as she knew this would set him off.

Rachel also let her mouth drop open and was about to give the girl a big speech on how Pokémon was so much more than that, but Toby got there first.

"Anna, how can you say that? Pokémon is so much more! You have to use skill, tactics and knowledge to capture other Pokémon's. Also, it's about creating connections between you and the Pokémon and then you have to…" Toby was getting into his speech when Justin walked into the dining room cutting off everyone's conversations.

"Right guys! Tonight's dinner is chicken, potatoes and vegetables for the meat-eaters in here and vegetable lasagne for the veggie-eaters in here. Right, go to the food hatch and get your meal in an orderly manner," Justin said, before he turned and walked back to his office.

Rachel was about to ask Ella how they would arrange it so that everyone went in an orderly manner but soon found out that it didn't work that way; she should have known. Nearly everyone from the opposite end of the table all jumped up and fought to get to the food hatch. Ella, Eddie, Rachel and Quinn all stayed seated so that they wouldn't get trampled over in the mess that was lined up at the kitchen hatch.

"They must be hungry then," Rachel laughed, looking slightly cautious at everyone who was pushing to get their food.

"Some of them are like animals," Quinn laughed lightly, before drinking her water.

Rachel was a little surprised to actually here Quinn talk for longer than 2 seconds. The girl just seemed so quiet, yet her demeanour wanted to say differently. The blonde was sat up straight, with her short hair neatly brushed and her hands placed delicately on top of the table.

Rachel wanted to say something back, but she really didn't know what to say. Ella and Eddie were both staring at the food hatch, wanting to get their food; Ella was practically drooling.

"Ella, why don't you just go up now, the queuehas died down," Rachel laughed a little, as Ella started to fidget in her seat.

Ella lent forward and whispered to Rachel.

"If you go up near the end then your portion is slightly bigger as they have to get rid of it. I know my tactics, don't you worry," Ella winked, before sitting back down.

Rachel laughed at the girl's eagerness for food, before speaking up.

"Does that rule also apply for the vegetarian meals?" Rachel questioned.

Quinn immediately turned to face the brunette and spoke up quietly before Ella had the chance to answer Rachel, but didn't mind because the queue was now gone, so she was off!

"You're a vegetarian?" the blonde smiled slightly.

Rachel finally brought her eyes up to meet hazel ones and found that they were less deep now, but more intrigued.

"Yeah, I have been since I was little. I used to be vegan, but that doesn't go down too well in homes, you become a nuisance, so I just became vegetarian instead," Rachel smiled, sipping her water. Her throat had become incredibly dry.

"I've never tried veganism, but I could understand how that wouldn't be appreciated in a home," Quinn laughed slightly, before getting up off the bench.

"You want to come get your food as well?" the blonde smiled, gesturing towards the hatch.

Rachel nodded slightly, also getting up off the bench. As she went to swing her other leg over, her shoe caught the bench and she went flying onto the floor, her hands out in front of her. A loud thump rang out through the dining room and it got people's attention; even Ella's which was concentrated completely on her food.

"Ouch," Rachel mumbled, getting to her knees and rubbing her backside slightly.

Quinn had to hold back her giggles, because really that couldn't have been more of a comedy fall if the brunette had tried. The dark skinned girl at the end of the table shouted out 'loser!', which Rachel gladly ignored, as Ella stood up to look over the table.

"Are you okay?" Quinn asked, after she had stopped smiling.

Rachel looked up into the blonde's face and embarrassment engulfed her like the sea to the shore. She ducked her head and nodded lightly.

Quinn outstretched her hand and Rachel took it gingerly as the blonde pulled her to her feet. Rachel couldn't believe how soft Quinn's hands had been, but let that thought slide when the pounding in her ass took over her mind.

"Well, at least I didn't fall and break my talent," Rachel stood up straight, before limping to the kitchen hatch and ignoring the laughter coming from Ella.

"I like that girl, she's random," Ella grinned to her brother, who just nodded in agreement.

Quinn let the feeling of Rachel's hand in hers settle down and moved after the brunette to the hatch. She would admit that brunette was pretty funny, even as she had fallen down on her first time meeting everyone; all she could say was that she didn't break her talent. What that talent was, Quinn didn't know, but she sure wanted to find out.

The lady in the kitchen was slightly overweight, with her hair in a bun under some netting and a friendly face. Rachel subtly looked into the kitchen and was glad to see that the hygiene looked at a high standard, so that settled Rachel's fear of getting food poisoning.

"Oh hello, you must be the new girl," the cook smiled genuinely.

Rachel nodded politely and lent her hands on the counter.

"I am indeed. My name is Rachel," she smiled back.

"Well, Rachel, what can I get you?" the woman asked, grabbing a plate ready.

"The vegetable lasagne please," Rachel pointed to said dish.

"Ah, so you're one of those," the cook laughed, as she dished out a portion of the steaming food onto a plate.

Rachel just nodded shyly again and took the plate sheepishly.

The brunette stood to the side slightly so that Quinn could get her food as well. Rachel didn't know whether she should wait for the girl, or just go and sit back down, so she chose the awkward option and hovered around, not really going in either direction.

"Quinnie, how are you today?" the older woman perked up, as she automatically dished out a lasagne onto a plate, as she added an extra bit of pasta on the side.

"I'm good thank you Sally, and yourself?" Quinn asked, as she accepted the plate eagerly.

'Sally?' Rachel thought.

"You know, I'm getting on. Anyway enjoy the meal," Sally then lent a little closer to the blonde over the counter, "and if you want some to have cold for lunch tomorrow, let me know and I'll save you some."

Sally then winked at the blonde, before shuffling about in the kitchen. Quinn just grinned at the cook, before gesturing that Rachel could come and sit down.

The brunette mindlessly followed Quinn back to their seats and swung her legs even higher to get over the dangerous bench. Rachel would admit that she was completely confused at the interaction she had just witnessed at the kitchen. Obviously, Quinn was good friends with the cook; that would explain it. She wanted to ask Quinn how she knew Sally so well, but didn't feel like she was close enough to the girl to do that just yet.

~O~X~O~X~O~X~O~

Rachel couldn't breathe. That lasagne was so filling! How Ella had managed to shovel down one portion of her chicken and then finish off the rest of Rachel's leftovers blew her mind. That girl could eat a hell of a lot.

Sally, Rachel had come to know her name as, had come out and cleared away all the plates and cups, before placing them into the kitchen. Rachel had heard Quinn whisper to Sally, who only told the blonde to just enjoy the time with her friends and not worry about helping her. This made the brunette smile, as she couldn't believe how polite Quinn was. It only surprised her, as in her previous homes, the cook was basically a nonexistent person who just dished up food, so Rachel had always made it her mission to at least say a little hello, but here, the cook seemed to get a lot of respect; especially from Quinn.

People were slowly starting to file out of the dining room and head off in their respective directions. Ella and Eddie were chatting to each other, when Toby walked around to Rachel's side and tapped her lightly on the shoulder. She spun around on the bench, which resulted in her knee gently knocking into Quinn's thigh, but Quinn just smiled at the brunette and let it slide; Rachel said a small sorry and made the gap between them slightly bigger; not that it was bothering her but out of respect for the blonde.

"Hey Toby," Rachel said nicely.

He smiled at her shyly, before speaking up.

"I was just going to say that I'm in room 1B and Anna's in 1A, so if you ever want to come and say hi, we won't mind," Toby smiled.

"Yeah, we don't bite," Anna winked from across the table.

"Sometimes," Toby joked along, before walking back round the table.

"Thanks guys, I'll bare that in mind," Rachel smiled their way, "thank you for making me feel so welcome."

Toby just nodded and smiled back.

"Well, we've all been in your position, so we know how you feel," Toby smiled, before following Anna and heading towards the stairs.

As Rachel turned back to the table, she saw Ella, Eddie and Quinn all just staring at her. She went to wipe her mouth, thinking that she might have missed some lasagne, but she couldn't feel anything there.

"What?" she asked self-consciously.

"Nothing, I just think that Toby must like you," Ella smiled sweetly.

Rachel's eyebrows furrowed.

"What do you mean?" she asked, turning and looking at the other two.

"Toby doesn't usually talk to new people very quickly," Quinn explains with a little smile, as her eyes moved over Rachel's facial features.

This didn't go unnoticed by the brunette, who had to move her head back to looking at Ella, as she was becoming a little embarrassed under Quinn's stare.

"Well then, I feel honoured," Rachel grins triumphantly.

Ella laughs at this and continues to speak.

"That, or he has a schoolboy crush on you," she winks jokingly.

Rachel laughs, as a small unconscious blush creeps up on her cheeks.

"That's cute, but he's not my type," Rachel laughs it off, asking a question to Ella, "how old is he anyway? He doesn't look 18."

Quinn had stopped listening after Rachel had said that Toby wasn't her type; it intrigued the blonde. She secretly kept that piece of information to herself, as she zoned back into the conversation.

"He's only 14, but he wanted to come here with Anna, so they let him, much like me being with Eddie," she smiled at her brother, as they high-fived cheerfully.

Rachel nodded as she thought that Toby still looked younger, but some people just have that about them, where their face doesn't give their age away.

As Ella started chatting about how she was hungry again, Sally moved in and spoke above the whining blonde.

"Right kids, move your butts, got to get this place cleaned properly for the morning," Sally grinned, whipping Eddie softly round the head with her cleaning cloth.

He swatted the cloth away, grinning at the lady, before he and Ella got up and started moving towards the door, waiting for the two other girls to join them.

Rachel got up just after Quinn, making sure to grip the table carefully as she swung both legs completely over the death bench and moved round the table towards the door, before turning round quickly and quietly speaking up.

"Thank you for the dinner, it was truly wonderful," Rachel smiled politely.

Sally turned around from cleaning the benches and smiled at the small brunette.

"It's my job hunny, but thank you nonetheless, that's very thoughtful of you," Sally smiled, as Rachel bashfully nodded and walked out with Ella and Eddie, climbing the stairs slowly.

As Quinn went to leave as well, Sally called her over, as the woman momentarily stopped her cleaning.

"She's a good one that girl, I can see it now," Sally said, pointing to the lobby that Rachel had just walked through.

"She does seem friendly," Quinn nodded, smiling slightly.

"Let's hope she stays for some time, she's the only newbie that's ever really acknowledged me," Sally said sadly before adding another sentence, "well, except for you obviously."

Quinn rolled her eyes playfully.

"Yeah, but I've been here a very long time, I kind of just had to put up with you," Quinn said as she shrugged.

Sally feigned shock as she chucked a clean cloth over to the blonde, hitting the girl flat in the face. Quinn squealed a little, chucking the cloth away from her like it was made out of fire.

"Calm yourself girl, it's clean," Sally winked, "maybe."

"Right whatever," Quinn laughed, before turning back to the door.

"See you in the morning my lovely," Sally shouted over her shoulder, as she went back to scrubbing at the table.

"Night Sally," Quinn shouted back, "sweet dreams."

Quinn then quickly took the stairs two at a time, she needed to speak to Rachel before the girl goes back to her bedroom, which Quinn now realises she doesn't actually know which one the brunette is in.

~O~X~O~X~O~X~O~

Rachel had said goodnight to Ella and Eddie, after they had reminded her again which room the girl's showers and wash basins were in, before the brunette took off to go and get into her sleepwear and make her way to the wash basins so she could do her nightly ritual. One thing she could honestly say was that she felt safer in this home after one Sunday afternoon, than she did in any of her previous homes after months of being there.

As she unlocked her door and made her way into the room she would soon call her bedroom, Rachel sighed when she realised that her pyjamas were ripped at the knee on both legs from when she fell down the stairs, well was pushed down the stairs, but she let that little bit of information fade from her memory, she didn't want to remember that. She didn't want her housemates to think she couldn't look after her clothes, so she just hoped that she wouldn't meet anyone on her journey to the bathroom.

Quickly changing into her tank top and sleep slacks, she grabbed her toilet bag and went out of the room, locking the door behind her. Turning around, she bumped into a figure that seemed to have just been standing there. This caused Rachel to scream a little, as her toilet bag went flying down the hallway, landing just outside 3A. Grabbing onto her erratic heart, she let her breathing turn back to normal, as she looked at Quinn with wide eyes. The blonde hadn't moved from her spot, but she did have a little smile gracing her lips.

Realising their close proximity, Rachel took a little step back, before crossing her arms neatly in front of her, conscious that she was in a skimpy tank top.

"Sorry about, you know, screaming in your face," Rachel said, looking down at her toes, as she wiggled them nervously.

"It's okay; I didn't mean to scare you, I should know to more careful than that. But I will say that your scream was incredibly in tune," the blonde laughed, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear.

Rachel inwardly patted herself on the back; of course it would be in tune. She then looked up and realised that Quinn was still just standing there, so she assumed that the blonde wanted her to say something back.

"Thank you," she ducked her head, "anyway, I was just on my way to the bathroom."

Quinn seemed to then get the hint and moved out of the way slightly, but before Rachel could make her way past, the blonde lightly touched her on the upper arm, halting the brunette in her movements.

"I was actually coming to ask you something," Quinn said, releasing her touch on Rachel, having seen Rachel shiver under the pressure.

"You were?" Rachel asked, turning back around, but covering her stomach with her hands again, feeling a little exposed in her sleepwear; she needed to get new clothes and soon.

"Yeah," Quinn said, moving so that she was leaning against the wall, "I was just wondering what school you were now assigned to?"

Quinn looked down Rachel's body quickly and subtly noting that the girl had incredibly spotless and tanned skin. She really wanted to touch it, but realised how completely creepy that would be, so restrained herself.

Rachel would be honest and say that she had completely forgot about school and that it would be happening tomorrow. She hated having to move homes on a Sunday as it didn't give you any time to settle into the home, before you're suddenly pushed into a new school as well.

"Shit, I forgot that was tomorrow," Rachel pouted.

"Yeah, it does suck, it kind of happens from Monday to Friday each week," Quinn jokes, smiling teasingly at Rachel.

The brunette didn't want to say how pretty Quinn looked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk on those plump lips, but damn, she did. Rachel hadn't met a girl so pretty before, she actually felt slightly intimidated by her beauty, but also slightly comforted by the fact that the girl was nice and polite to go with it.

Rachel just rolled her eyes playfully back at the blonde for going back to the conversation.

"Sorry but what was your question again?" Rachel smiled bashfully, having completely forgotten what the blonde had asked her.

"What school are you going to tomorrow?" Quinn asked again, smiling at the brunette's guilty smile.

"Oh! Um, McKinley? Or was it McKanley," Rachel said, pursing her lips and furrowing her eyebrows.

Quinn immediately pushed off the wall as a grin took over her lips.

"No, McKinley was right. I go there too," Quinn smiled.

Rachel sighed out loudly, a small smile gracing her lips as well; she swore she had smiled more in this one afternoon than she had in a long time.

"Oh thank god, I was so scared that I would have to go in alone. Do Eddie and Ella go there?" Rachel asked, feeling a lot better since she would know someone in her new school.

"Ella does, Eddie works at the local shop," Quinn answered.

"Oh yeah, I forgot that he is too old for school," Rachel laughed at her mistake.

"Yeah, bless him. He would go back to school if he had the chance, he says working full time sucks," Quinn laughs along, before just smiling.

As slightly awkward silence envelopes the two girls, Rachel takes this as her cue to go to the bathroom. Clearing her throat, she rubbed at her shoulder, before speaking up.

"Well, I better get ready for bed, it's been a long day and everything," Rachel mumbles awkwardly.

"Yeah sure, totally, I understand," Quinn says, seemingly come out of some sort of daydream and taking a couple of steps back to her room.

Rachel smiles with a little nod, as she scurries away slowly and bends down to grab her toilet bag on her way.

The blonde was glad that Rachel didn't see her staring as she had, not so elegantly, bent down to grab her bag, before jogging down to the bathroom. Quinn liked this girl, she genuinely seemed to want to fit in and the blonde could see she was trying her hardest to get along with everyone.

Quinn turned around and went into her own room, locking it behind her. She needed to get ready for bed as well, but felt that it could be awkward if they had just said bye and then, BAM, she was in the bathroom as well; she thought she should give Rachel some space; it was her first day here after all.

As she walked over her red rug, she went straight to her TV on top of her chest of drawers and turned it on to a sales channel, just so there was some noise in the background. She slumped down onto her red fluffy duvet and laid back with her head against the wall.

As her eyes scanned around her room, she realised that she now had no wall space left, what with it being completely covered in posters and pictures. The desk was covered with paper and her diary, while her chest of drawers had her TV and DVD player on it; she really needed to give this room a tidy.

She turned over onto her stomach and looked at the wall above her bed. She felt her heart sink a little when her eyes trailed up and stopped at the picture of all the Stoneson kids outside the house, taken 6 years ago. A smaller, 12 year old Quinn was smiling at the camera, with her arm draped over two other girls. One of the girl's had braided brunette hair with dark skin, while the other one had black hair and a big grin on her face. She still knew the brunette one; they go to school together, but she completely lost contact with the other girl when she left the home as she had got fostered by a family in Illinois.

Whenever she thought back over her memories here, it always made her sad. She would make friends with people and then they would leave; the cycle just went round and round. She could feel herself wanting to be friends with Rachel, but once again, she was just scared that Rachel would move on, find a family or move out to go to University and she would just be the Lima loser who lives at Stoneson. She had ambitions, but this home is all she's ever known.

She flipped onto her back and sighed up at the ceiling.

Taking out her phone from her pocket, she peered behind her head at the picture once more, before quickly writing out a text and sending it off.

Hey you. I was just looking at the picture of everyone taken outside Stoneson all those years ago. It makes me miss when you were here. Anyway, just thought I'd share my thoughts. See you tomorrow San. Q x

Dropping her phone onto her flat stomach, she watched the mind-numbing sales channel waiting for a reply. Almost immediately her phone vibrated and flashed, making her giggle at the feeling of the vibrations trickling through her top onto her skin.

Going for a trip down memory lane are we? It's not like you to share your thoughts ;) Well, I miss them too, as much as I hate to admit it, we had some laughs. Sometimes I wish I was there as well, Brittany's mum is cool and everything but sometimes her optimism gets too much. S x

Quinn laughed at her friend's antics. Even though she went to school with Santana every day, she still missed walking back to Stoneson with her, having midnight chats in each other's room, defending each other if an argument ever arose, which living with Santana; they most definitely did. But, she was happy for the girl. Brittany, Santana's girlfriend, had said she could come and live with her when she realised that Santana lived in a home. To give Santana credit, she had asked Quinn if it was okay for her to leave and that if the blonde didn't want her to go, she wouldn't, but who was Quinn to stop her friend from living a normal life with a family?

She still remembers the day when Santana had waved from Brittany's car as it pulled out of the driveway; Quinn's tears running freely down her cheeks. She was only 13 and her best friend had just left, she would have to make more friends now, but she soon realised it was harder than it looked. As soon as she would make friends with someone, they left. To this day, she guarded her friendship, guarded her heart and didn't let herself become too attached.

Looking down at her phone, she remembered that she needed to reply.

I share my thoughts sometimes, just to the people I trust; you should feel privileged ;) Brittany's mum is cool, don't diss! Random thing, we've got a new girl here now, she moved in today. She seems nice. Q x

Not even having time to put her phone down, Santana had replied.

Another newbie? Is she nice or niiiiiiice? ;) S x

Quinn rolled her eyes. She should've known Santana would most likely reply with a crude comment.

Just nice San. Yeah, she's really pretty and everything, but for now, she's just nice. She'll be coming to school tomorrow with me, be friendly when you meet her please? Q x

Yeah, yeah, yeah, be friendly, always smile and don't make innuendo jokes; got it. Anyway, I've gots to go, Brittany wants me to play with Lord Tubbington. I swear that cat hates me, like every time me and Britts get our lady kisses on, he comes up and hisses at me. I hate cats. S x

Quinn could only laugh. She thought Lord Tubbington was cute, but she would admit that he did seem to hold something against Santana; he would make it his mission to scratch her or get in on her and Brittany's lady times.

Okay, well have fun with Tubbington ;) See you tomorrow. Q xx

She chucked her phone onto the bed beside her, before getting up and getting changed into her nightdress, loving the feeling of having the soft cotton drape down to just above her knees. She pulled the hair she could get up into a pony tail, letting the rest that wouldn't reach just fall down against her neck, before grabbing her room key and walking out.

She would have thought that Rachel would be done by now, it had been twenty minutes since she last saw her. The blonde locked her door and started heading down the hallway, light on her footsteps. The texting with Santana had loosened her up a little and made her feel less tense about everything; the girl could always cheer Quinn up.

Pushing the girl's bathroom door open, she faltered when she spotted the brunette still standing in front of the mirror, her bag on the shelf above the wash basin, as she applied generous amounts of moisturiser, softly humming to herself.

Quinn didn't want to make the girl jump, so she quietly coughed to get the brunette's attention. Rachel's humming immediately stopped and she slowly turned her head to the side, smiling shyly to Quinn as she rubbed in the moisturiser that was on her nose.

"Sorry, I'll be done soon," Rachel said, as she rubbed frantically at her nose.

Why did she have to be caught in the most stupid position, with a massive blob of moisturiser on her nose?

"Don't worry, there is more than one sink," Quinn laughed lightly, wanting the brunette to relax, before moving over and grabbing her bathroom bag that was already on the shelf above one of the wash basins.

As Quinn started to apply toothpaste to her toothbrush, Rachel spoke up, putting her stuff back into her bag.

"You leave your stuff in here?" Rachel asked, almost surprised that Quinn would do such a thing.

Quinn turned to her, her ready-to-use toothbrush hovering mid-air.

"Yeah, that's one thing about Stoneson that's been pretty good for a couple of years, people seem to trust each other about leaving there stuff around, no one really takes anything unless they need emergency toothpaste because they forgot to buy more, in which case they might steal a little bit," Quinn shrugged with a smile and little laugh, before placing her brush in her mouth and scrubbing away at her white teeth; carefully making sure to not let the paste get all around her mouth, as she could still feel the brunette's eyes on her.

Rachel took a note that Quinn had mentioned, 'pretty good for a couple of years', and she wondered how long Quinn had been here exactly.

"Oh, that sounds quite comforting. So, I can leave my bag here?" Rachel asked, placing her bag on top of the shelf.

Quinn only nodded, not wanting to risk speaking in case her toothpaste went flying everywhere; that wouldn't exactly be very attractive.

Rachel just smiled back, before quickly putting up her hair and starting to walk out of the bathroom.

Quinn realised she still hadn't asked the brunette what she had wanted to ask her back in the hallway, so she quickly spat out her toothpaste, swirled around with some water before dabbing at her mouth with her towel, before spinning on her heel to quickly catch Rachel as the girl opened the door.

"Oh, Rachel?" Quinn said slightly loudly, as her hands fiddled with each other in front of her.

The brunette spun round, making her long pony tail flick her in the face as it wrapped round. Quinn couldn't help but giggle, as Rachel flipped the hair back over her shoulder and rubbed at her eye, squinting to see the blonde.

"Umm, you were saying?" Rachel said nonchalantly, acting like that didn't just happen.

Quinn kept smiling, but remembered that she was going to ask a question.

"Um, yeah, well, first of all, are you okay?" Quinn said slowly, with a raised eyebrow.

"Never been better, it was just a little misjudgement of how long my hair was on my part. Thank you for your concern, what were you going to ask me?" Rachel replied, bringing her hand away from her eye and really just wanting to get out of this embarrassing situation.

She had already tripped over a bench, screamed in Quinn's face and now whipped herself in the eye with her own hair. She wanted to make a good impression on everyone here, but all she's managed to do is show Quinn how clumsy she is, but if Quinn's smile was anything to go by, the brunette didn't mind so much.

Quinn smiled a little more as Rachel had rambled on with her reply. The brunette seemed to use such long and detailed sentences to answer something that could easily be answered with a couple of words, but Quinn didn't mind, she found it rather interesting.

"Well, seeing as you'll be new to McKinley tomorrow, I can give you a ride there? Ella usually comes with me, but I know she won't mind you being a school-ride buddy as well," Quinn smiles, tucking away a piece of hair that just fell down from her pony tail.

Rachel smiled back, feeling happy that they would let her ride with them to school. In her past homes, some people had room in their cars, but thought it was funny to let the brunette walk, especially when it was raining; let's just say, Rachel didn't see the funny side, as she was pretty sure there wasn't one.

"I would really appreciate that," Rachel smiles back.

"Meet us down at breakfast at 8? We leave at 8:15, because we have to been in homeroom by 8:45," Quinn says, before going back to getting out some face wash.

"I will see you then," Rachel nods, "hope you sleep well Quinn."

Rachel turns and leaves, just as Quinn calls out 'you too Rachel'.

As the brunette walks freely down the hallway, she thinks about what her new school is going to be like. She wouldn't lie and say she wasn't nervous, because hell, she was absolutely crapping it, but she knew that she would just lie low and get to know people that seemed to be nice to her; it was a tactic that seemed to work well.

Locking her bedroom door behind her, she turns out her light and slips under her crisp new covers, before laying her head down onto her pillow. She knows she wouldn't be able to sleep very well, she never did on the first night, as she had to get used to the new sights, the new shadows and new sounds, but the comfort of knowing that Quinn was just up the hall and Ella and Eddie down the hall, let her fall to sleep much quicker than she ever had before.