A/N: I so want to thank everyone for their kind words and their support over the last few months. It's been a rather hard time personally but I'm working through it day by day. To that end I've been steadily working on this story, but my mind has also wandered to other stories as well... I have writing ADD I think, and over my recovery and further treatments I've been wandering in and out of other story ideas. Don't worry though I will never give up on this one.
This chapter is also longer than most of my other chapters, but not quiet as long as my last chapter. I've gotten a lot of positive reviews about having longer chapters so I will endeavor to make them a decent length each time I post, just remember it takes time to not only write but edit longer chapters, so please continue to be patient with me as I get this out to you all.
I so hope you all enjoy this chapter, it will answer some of your questions but also sprout a few more LOL! You can look forward to a lot of FaBerry fluffiness as always, as well as Protective Santana and more of Quinn's mom! I know some of you really like her, well you are in luck if you do as she and Quinn bond even more.
Well without further ado Enjoy!~
Done Pretending
by: Jaely
Chapter 6
I take out my book bag from my locker and start to load it up with the various text books, note books and my binder that I need to complete my homework for the evening. "Why do you have this in your locker?" I look up from my bag to see what Rachel is asking me about. She looks absolutely adorable just leaning her back against the locker next to mine, having obviously picked up the water spritzer, I keep in my locker, when I wasn't looking. I'm actually surprised she is still here hanging out in the hallway with me, as I'm running pretty late because of my meeting with Coach Sylvester, that I was called out of the last fifteen minutes of our shared English Lit class for. Rachel is the first one to show up to glee normally, but I had found her waiting outside Coach's office for me to get done instead of heading to Glee on her own.
I smile at her as I answer seeing no point in not doing so. "It's for my hair, when I get fly aways or need to take some of the bumps and things that happen when I try and run my fingers through it." I wave my hand at my perfectly pulled back high pony and how I don't have any strands or bumps marring the look. When she says oh and goes back to looking at the tiny bottle, I turn my head back to my locker. I think I have everything, as I slide the now full bag back into my locker and pull out just my Glee notebook, tapping it against my hand because I have this feeling that I'm forgett-
I gasp as a spray of cold misty water hits the side of my head and even goes into my ear, of all places. I can hear Rachel trying very hard to stifle her giggles as she reaches past my frozen form to put my little spray bottle back into my locker slowly. I've not moved, not even to turn to look at her, yet. "Now Quinn, I didn't mean to. It was an accident, I swear." Once the bottle is back in the locker and I see Rachel's hand snake back out of it. I slowly close the metal door, my head finally turning to look at her, little rivulets of water making their way down the side of my face to drip down off of my jaw and ear.
My eyes narrow as they land on Rachel, who is now taking a step away from me, clutching her binder with her sheet music to her chest tightly. Oh she's worried alright, but I can also see the amusement clear in her beautiful chocolate eyes. I'm so proud of the fact that, that amusement doesn't go away as I glare at her. I don't want her afraid of me, but I do plan on getting her back for spraying me with my own damn water bottle.
"Quiiinn..." Rachel whines out pleadingly as I take a measured step towards her retreating form. Then she sees my intent in my eyes, I think, because she freezes a small smirk flitting over her lips and like there was sound of a starting gun for a race cracking loudly somewhere, she's off and running. Clutching her binder securely to her chest as she sprints down the mostly cleared out hallway, with me hot on her heels. A huge smile on my lips when she squeals out my name as she skids around the corner towards the choir room as fast as her surprisingly long legs can take her. Damn her wearing sneakers today, who knew she was actually pretty damn fast when she wanted to be.
Rachel dashes into the choir room going full tilt, but I don't follow her. I have a feeling that Rachel isn't going to stay in the room. The choir room has another door on the other side of the room which is a straight shot from the one that Rachel is sprinting through. I skip going through the door all together picking up my speed to nearly over take Rachel, but I'm still out in the hall so I don't. I've decided to cut her off at the pass, which means that I plan to head her off at the other door I'm sure she is going to try and dash out of in just a second.
I make it to the door just as she is making her way through the doorway, cutting her off. I laugh a mad smile on my lips as I see the playful amusement, but determination in her eyes, to not be caught. She shifts direction back the way she had come, which is really impressive, I think most of my Cheerios have problems doing a complete one eighty at a near full sprint. But no matter how fast she is at it, she still has to slow down to make the about face and then start off again, and that is where I got her.
She gets about as far as the piano heading back towards the door, she had come in at, before I catch her. I wrap my arms around her waist, my Glee notebook still clutched firmly in my hand, and fully lift her off the floor, once I get ahold of her. The most beautifully free flowing belly laugh comes from her mouth then, making me laugh just as freely in response to it. To siphon off some of my momentum from the run and sudden stop, I spin her around in a circle making her curl her legs up and squeal my name while laughing hard, once again. I've never had so much fun in my life, as I am having with Rachel right now, and I so love her for it. I feel free and wonderful and light and it's all because I had the courage to reach for the happiness that Rachel gives me so freely and without restriction.
Although the side effect to that happy free feeling is that I tend to forget we are suppose to be hiding our relationship. Once I stop spinning us around we both notice that not only is everyone, but Mr. Shue, already in the room; they are all looking at us with various degrees of shock and or confusion on their faces. I glare at everyone, even Santana's scowl when my eyes land on her, still with Rachel tightly in my arms; as I start to walk us back over to a clear set of chairs on the bottom row. "What? She spritzed me with a water bottle, she has to pay. You all got a problem with that?" I demand earning me a light huff and a smack on my arm from Rachel, as I plunk us both down on a chair. Rachel ending up in my lap in the process. Just before I turned to sit I could clearly see the scowl morph into a smirk on Santana's face. Kurt just grinned the whole time and Brittany just seemed to have this, all knowing smile, thing going on.
"Umm what's going on in here?" Mr. Shue comes in before Rachel has a chance to take her own seat, so I'm still holding her tightly on my lap. Which is what is garnering his and nearly everyone else's attention right now. We are so not good at this hiding thing. After we sing the song that Mr. Shue insisted on us singing in front of everyone else, I think our secret will be even less hidden than the fact that Santana is in love Brittany.
Rachel slips off my lap once I loosen my hold from around her waist, "Nothing of importance Mr. Shue." Rachel says as she shifts her shirt back into it's proper place and settles her binder down on her jean clad lap. Once Rachel is in her own chair I cross my arms over my chest and my right leg over my left, trying to create the illusion of indifference, to get the attention off of us.
"Right, I know a few people have some songs to sing as a possible options for Nationals, who whats to go first?" by the look on Finn's face I can tell that he has a song he wants to sing and I feel that it's best that he goes first. I lightly grab Rachel's hand quickly before she can raise it and lean in to whisper in her ear.
"Finn has something planned. I want to see what it is before we do our song." I say softly so only she can hear. Rachel pulls back from me then looks over to where Finn is raising his hand high in the air before she looks back to me and nods. Settling back in her chair she sets her binder down on the chair right next to her and takes her normal listening position. Yes Rachel sits a certain way when she is just listening to someone sing. The only time she will be in just a purely relaxed position is when she feels comfortable and not asked to evaluate someone's singing, or in this case song choice.
"Alright Finn lets hear what you got." Mr. Shue says with a little side glance back at us. I don't know if Finn had also come to him to ask to sing something, but I'm glad Mr. Shue didn't call on us by name at the start. It will allow us to go after Finn has put his cards on the table. It is generally better to go last if you think you have the better hand so that the other person can't back out. He will have to commit to whatever it is he is going to preform and when it falls very short from it's mark, like I'm sure it will, we will blow him out of the water with our piece. It's cruel I know but in my mind Finn is my competition, even though Rachel has already told me I've won, I won't feel secure until my competition gives up or is utterly destroyed.
"I found this song and thought that Rachel and I could do it as a duet, even though it's not already a duet." Finn says as he lumbers up to the front of the room, his eyes on Rachel the whole time. I feel Rachel's jean clad knee press against the side of my thigh as she shifts in her chair. It's the only thing keeping me calm right now. This little bit of physical connection is letting me know that no matter what comes out of Finn's mouth, she is thinking about me. Which allows me to calm down a bit more so that I can at least get through his performance.
Finn waits looking at Rachel for some reason after he had finished speaking, most likely hoping for a dreamy eyed look or something from Rachel. When she doesn't give him the reaction he is obviously expecting he stumbles around a bit, letting the band members and Brad – our piano guy – know what song he is going to do, before he starts his song awkwardly in the odd silence that has been lingering since he stopped speaking. To be honest I tune him, even what song he is singing, out once he shuts up. I don't even look at him, knowing he will be singing to Rachel and the only way I can keep my cool is to not watch or even listen. Rachel is too much of a professional to not pay attention, but she keeps her knee tightly pressed to my thigh, even moving it up and down, like she is caressing my leg, periodically to let me know that her mind is still on me and not on what ever the dough-boy is singing.
I was happy to see Rachel move to give her polite applause signaling that Finn was finally done. "Very nicely done Finn. We will see what we can do with that." Mr. Shue says encouragingly. I watch out of the corner of my eye as Finn beams at Mr. Shue then turns his attention back over to Rachel. Who is now turned half way around in her chair to talk to Kurt in whispered tones. She was not paying Finn the slightest bit of attention at that point now that he was done with his song. Her hand is on my arm as she is half turned in her seat her shoulder and side of her breast is pressing tightly against mine, her arm kind of draped over my chest because of the placement of her hand on my arm, Both arms have been crossed just under my breasts since I had to let go of Rachel before Finn even had started his song. I've no idea what Kurt and Rachel are saying but they are both speaking together rapidly and they both seem very passionate about whatever it is.
When I see Finn coming to walk over to us, I decide it's time do our duet. I grab Rachel's hand on my arm – as I let my arms drop from their previously crossed position – thinking that will be enough to get her attention, but it's not. All she does is lace our fingers together and caress her thumb over my thumb and continue to argue? Chat? With Kurt. One of the problems with getting so comfortable together so quickly is that we forget very easily that we are suppose to be hiding. I sigh and give Rachel's hand a little tug, and that finally gets her to turn back around though the look on her face is clearly annoyed. I just roll my eyes at her and nod my head to the giant tub of custard now standing before us.
She looks up at Finn with a bit of surprise and confusion as she turns more fully to the front in her chair, before saying "Yes Finn?" unfortunately, our fingers separate again once she is fully facing the front. The way she speaks I can tell she didn't expect him to come over after he preformed. I think Rachel doesn't fully realize the effect she has on people, sometimes. He wants her praise, and I have to admit it is an addicting feeling to have Rachel's attention and praise be solely on you. One that I am not willing to share now that I have it directed at me, at least in the romantic way. I don't mind the attention she gives everyone else in glee, or Kurt, or even the strange kind of bromance type attention I've recently learned she gives to Puck. What I can't stand is Finn jockeying for her attention and or praise. He is my competition and I have it firmly ingrained in me to destroy any and all competition.
"What did you think of my song?" He asks trying to use his charming little boy smile to woo her. I just want to smack it right off his face.
"It was fine Finn, though you might want to watch your runs a bit more; you are a little flat and your high notes were often going a bit sharp. You really should keep up with the voice exercises I taught you last year, they will help make sure that doesn't happen as often and will help you gain better breath control on those higher notes." I think everyone in the room was shocked by the critique. Though Rachel has never been shy about pointing out our trouble spots, she has never done so with Finn within hearing range of everyone else before. I have to fight with myself to keep the smirk off my face, because now I have that courtesy.
Over the weekend she would wait until her dad was out of ear shot before she would criticize anything about my singing. It confused me at first and I ended up asking her why she was waiting until much later to tell me that I was going flat or sharp. She just said she didn't want to embarrass me and because we are dating she would rather point out these kinds of things in private. After which I had end up just blurting out the question as to if that was why I had never heard her give Finn a bad critique before. She nodded and shrugged. She then told me that Finn has a lot of things he needs to work on and most of them he never listened to her about even though she would tell him about it in private he never did anything to correct them.
After that Rachel asked me if I wanted to learn some exercises to help my breath control, which is where she thinks I am having the problem of going sharp on occasion. I had accepted and even did them this morning before coming to school just like she told me to do. I know it will take time and dedication to make it so I don't go sharp as often, but I do plan to keep up with the exercises because Rachel has said it will make me better, and all I want is to be better.
I finally have enough of Finn gapping at us like a fish out of water and it doesn't look like Mr. Shue is doing any better right now, so I reach for and tug on Rachel's hand again, once I have ahold of it. When her eyes come to mine I nod my head to the front of the room and she nods standing up once again ignoring Finn. "Do you need the sheet music, Quinn?" She asks me as we walk past a now stuttering Finn Hudson on the way to the piano. Rachel holds up the music we worked on all weekend so that I can see that she has it in hand if I needed it. I hold out my hand for it and she hands it over after taking a sheet with the various cords and lyrics off the top.
We had planned on this being done with the piano, guitar, and the drums. I look down at the set for the piano and I'm impressed to find that they have been transcribed from our pencil scribblings to professionally printed music. The only thing we haven't been able to work out is the drums. Even though Hiram had been kind enough to lend his expertise with the guitar to help us work out that part, none of us knew much about the drums so we had just left it at the tempos and beat. We had planned to have one of the drummers just jam it out with us after we had played the piano version for Mr. Shue. Unfortunately, that is not what is going to happen, because Mr. Shue decided we should preform the rough version for the whole club to decide as to whether or not to use the song.
I can see Finn finally slink back to his seat as I smile at Brad and let him know that I will be the one playing the piano for this. Once he gets up taking his music with him I take my place at the piano. This will be the first time I will have ever played the piano in front of anyone other than Santana and Rachel in glee, so I take a deep breath to steady my nerves. I end up needing to take several deep breaths as I watch Rachel move around getting Puck down from the risers so that he can accompany us on the guitar.
This settles me and I start to organize my music as Rachel moves on from Puck to speak with the drummer, handing him what we were able to get down on paper about what we wanted for the song. I guess Rachel wants to just do a full on jam session for the song. I'm surprised, but it's not a bad idea. It will give everyone a better idea as to how it will sound. I look up from the music to see Puck nodding his head in time with the music in his head, as he reads over the music he had been given, to where the drummer was listening carefully to what Rachel is explaining.
Even though I had wrote the the song, I feel it had become a true collaboration between Rachel and I after the weekend. Some of the lyrics were changed and a verse was put in a different spot in the song to flow better and the music was a complete mashup of both of our ideas. Over all the collaboration went really well and we got everything, we could do by ourselves, done by the time we checked out of our hotel on Sunday morning.
Don't get me wrong we still clashed while working on it – we are, after all, still very stubborn people – but our frustrations were limited to the music and not aimed at each other, as it has been in the past. Once we put the music away we were back to being just fine. It was nice to be able to do that. To still be able to have that fire and passion and feel comfortable enough to disagree with one another, but be able to just set it aside and not let it get in the way of our budding relationship at the same time.
I can hear the quiet chatter of everyone in the room waiting for us to get set up. It normally doesn't take this long but with this being the first real time it's being preformed with full instruments and such, it's bound to take a bit to get set up. "This is really good Q." I turn my head to the side to see Puck standing right next to me pointing to the papers he has laid out before him. I smile up at him and nod my head in thanks. "You do know this is not really within Finn's range though right?" He asks me a hint of confusion coloring his voice as he strums a few notes getting the cords right.
I smirk at him and nod, when he looks back over at me. He raises his eyebrows at that and then shifts his eyes to Rachel then back to me. "Are you planing to sing it with Rachel, then?" he asks in a hushed voice. His comment confuses me for a moment but then I figure why hide what he seems to have already guessed. And if he hasn't figured it out I can respond in such a way that it doesn't give us away fully.
I shrug and lightly press down on a few cords myself. "I will be right now, but we know Mr. Shue will want to have a male lead with her. We wrote it so that it would work with your voice." I explain. He looks at me dumbfounded for a moment. Then his eyes shoot over to where Finn is sitting on his chair like it's made of pins, scowling down at the floor. Then he looks back over at Rachel who is now walking back towards us smiling happily.
"So what I saw in the gym this morning is for real. She's not going to go back to him this time is she?" Puck finally asks quickly to get it out before Rachel is within ear shot. I'm completely shocked at his comment because I had no clue if he was talking about seeing Rachel and I kiss in the gym this morning or something less romantic. Finally I just smirk at him. Why the hell should I deny the question of whether or not Rachel is going back to Finn. I just ignore his statement about what he saw in the gym, and shake my head in the negative. This causes him to laugh and smirk over at Rachel as she steps up to the piano bench I'm sitting on and places her hand lightly on my shoulder.
"What did I miss?" Rachel asks as she looks between Puck and I. Puck shakes his head and moves back down the Piano to get ready to play. Which brings Rachel's eyes back to me.
"I will tell you after glee. I promise it's nothing bad." I say quietly as I look up at her my eyes telling her as much as my voice that he didn't say anything bad and she wasn't being made fun of. Not that I think that is something she fears now from me and obviously not something she fears from Puck.
"Alright, are you ready to do this?" She asks me her happy smile reserved just for me slips over her lips as she asks. I nod and let her know that I'm ready. "Mark is going to follow your lead on tempo and play off of what you are doing on the piano for now, just so you are aware." I nod my thanks and shift on the bench getting ready. Rachel squeezes my shoulder and then moves back towards the front to get everyone's attention.
Once everyone is looking over at Rachel she takes a breath and speaks. "Alright, this is a duet written by Quinn and arranged by both of us. Some of the music is still in the works and the drums are going to be completely a cold run as we don't have anything set for them yet, but we have the time to work that all out if everyone wants to go with this song for Nationals." I can tell by her posture that she is giving her show smile to everyone as she steps back to get ready to sing.
I take a deep breath to clear my head as I set my fingers on the piano looking to Rachel for my cue to begin. She looks back at me and nods with her soft just for me smile and I start playing. We had decided to shorten the intro so we are both coming in pretty quickly, but softly. My eyes are no longer even seeing the music on the pages before me. The song that I wrote is taking everything over. I feel the music and the pain of the lyrics I wrote.
Face to face and heart to heart, we're so close yet so far apart
I close my eyes, I look away, that's just because I'm not okay
But I hold on, I stay strong
Wondering if we still belong
I let my body rock a bit as I start the fast part of the piano that is moving rapidly under our voices. The desperation and uncertainty of what I was feeling when I wrote the lyrics is beautifully illustrated in the music that, Rachel wrote, underlining the otherwise slow tempo of the words. I let all of those things feed the agility in my fingers as I play. When we come to the first chorus my eyes snap up to see Rachel has half turned so that she can look at me as we sing. I can see it in her eyes then too. The emotions that this song brings up for both of us. We both felt this way before this weekend and it's easy to go back to those feelings of loneliness and confusion.
Will we ever say the words we're feeling
Reach down underneath and tear down all the walls?
Will we ever have our happy ending
Or will we forever only be pretending?
It takes me a moment to understand why this is so much more dynamic than when we were singing this with just me on the piano and Hiram playing his guitar. Mark's drumming is fantastic and is adding just the right depth to this song to make it truly powerful.
Will we ah-ah, ah-always, ah-ah, ah-always
Ah-ah, ah-always be pretending?
This was the part we were arguing about most. Rachel had wanted to have the always slit up like she is doing now insisting that it would work better with the final composition in the end. I had wanted them to stay just as the one word not stretch out the first syllable in a staccato manner, but now that I hear them with the drums, guitar and full piano, I have to agree that Rachel was right to not give in on this point.
As we bring it back down for the next verse I look back at Rachel my eyes pleading even though I have her now. The real emotions I had buried for so long when I wrote this part comes roaring to the surface when my eyes meet hers. I'm also taking the lead here with Rachel harmonizing underneath me. It's kind of strange to be the lead when I'm singing with Rachel. I don't have as powerful of a voice as she does so she has to pull really far back to let my voice come through. But she insisted that it would work better this way for dramatic purposes so I agreed. Besides Puck has a more powerful voice and it will stand out more when he sings it with her.
How long do I fantasize, make believe that it's still alive?
Imagine that I am good enough, and we can choose the ones we love
But I hold on, I stay strong
Wondering if we still belong
She smiles at me when I we sing the part about choosing the ones we love. Rachel places her hand on the top of the piano when it's time for her to take the lead again and when she looks at me her eyes gleaming with all those feelings, she leans in a bit and lets go, roaring to the front on the chorus. Hearing her voice come back in like that really is a dynamic moment and it fills me with chills to hear and to watch her do it.
Will we ever say the words we're feeling
Reach down underneath and tear down all the walls?
Will we ever have our happy ending
Or will we forever only be pretending?
Will we ah-ah, ah-always, ah-ah, ah-always
Ah-ah, always be
She moves around the piano as we get ready to transition into the next verse to step behind me and rests her hands on my shoulders, before moving around to my left side as we start the line about it being a shame and I look up into her eyes again her right hand resting half on my shoulder and half on my neck as she leans down and towards me a little getting into the lyrics. Everyone else is completely gone from our minds now. It's just me, Rachel, and the music.
Keeping secrets safe, every move we make
Seems like no one's letting go
And it's such a shame 'cause if you feel the same
How am I supposed to know?
When we move to belt out the note on Know, Rachel's hand moves to my cheek and lightly draws her thumb along the bone as she closes her eyes and lets her emotions fly with the word. Damn she is so beautiful and talented and just so... Rachel. My heart swells with so much feeling that my heart actually aches with it all. She drops her hand down from my cheek, her eyes flickering with barely contained emotions show me how the words I wrote affected her so profoundly.
Will we ever say the words we're feeling
Reach down underneath and tear down all the walls?
Will we ever have our happy ending
Or will we forever only be pretending?
I'm glad to note that Puck got the hang of the song when I started in on the chorus as Rachel holds her note. This was where we planed to have a few others come in to help fill in the need for voices when Rachel diverges from the the standard rhythm. Puck fills in really well and I hear Santana and Brittany also come in right behind Puck to add their voices under Rachel's as she blows us all away with her talent.
Will we ah-ah, ah-always, ah-ah, ah-always
Ah-ah, ah-always be
Will we ah-ah, ah-always, ah-ah, ah-always
Ah-ah, ah-always be
Will we ah-ah, ah-always, ah-ah, ah-always
Ah-ah, ah-always be pretending?
As the last note echos through the room there is a pregnant pause, that is only filled with heavy breathing and silent tension. My eyes are locked with Rachel's as we feed off each other's emotions, fighting the need to take each other in our arms and hold on as tightly as we can. Just to reaffirm that the pain and longing we had just sang about is really over and that we have truly found one another, that it's real and lasting. The sudden thunder of applauds breaks us out of our staring match to look at the rest of the group. They were all on their feet whistling and shouting their approval at the song. Even Finn though I can tell he is more thinking about being able to sing it with Rachel and how he can woo her back with it.
Once everyone calms down Mr. Shue pipes up saying "That was amazing girls! This is what I'm talking about when I talk about team work, guys!" He address the whole group again trying to once again make the point about how we need to work together more. I roll my eyes at Rachel as I stand from the bench and gather the music up. Rachel steps in and hugs me around my waist from the side which again shocks me. For someone that has said she wants to hide our relationship she is sure giving all but the most dense of people huge ass hints. I know I should try and keep us on track with our plan to hide, but I really couldn't care who knew or guessed or even point blank asked if we were together as a couple or not. I loop my arm around Rachel and turn my nose into her hair again as she rests her head on my shoulder for a moment.
Mr. Shue is standing mostly in front of us but I know there are a few of the kids that have a clear view of Rachel and I, namely Mercedes and Kurt. Though Kurt already knows, Mercedes does not. At this rate it's not going to be long before she figures it out. "I think Rachel and I would be prefect for that song!" Finn calls out excitedly. Rachel steps away from me then and moves around Mr. Shue to stand in front of everyone. Puck and I move back around the piano as well. I come to a stop beside Rachel and Puck surprisingly stops next to me. I guess he's planing to fight for his chance to shine at Nationals.
"Actually Finn, the part was written with Noah in mind to sing with me. Both Quinn and I doubted that Mr. Shue would let her and I do the duet together so we decided to write it so it would fit both Quinn's and Noah's vocal ranges. Not to mention it has a richer more full sound in this key than the one it would be required to be changed to in order to fit yours." Rachel explains calmly like it's the most logical thing in the world. This once again makes everyone but Santana, Brittany, Kurt and now Puck look shocked. I so wanted to laugh at everyone's reaction, but I don't have to as Santana does it for me.
"You are not the only guy with a strong enough voice to keep up with Berry, Frankinteen. Though I think we should let Quinn do the duet with Berry. It sounded perfect just the way they did it, just now." Santana adds and I'm surprised to see nearly everyone nodding in agreement. The only exception being Finn and Mr. Shue. Finn looks pissed and hurt, meaning he looks like he's about to shit his pants, and Mr. Shue looks conflicted.
"To be honest Santana, I agree with you. Quinn and Rachel did a fantastic job with this song and I think it would sound amazing with them singing it at Nationals... I just... and I really hate to say this, guys, but I don't think the judges would go for it." He surprises me. I thought he would stick up for having Finn do the duet or even agree that if not Finn then Puck was an acceptable alternative. To have his conflict be wanting Rachel and I to preform the song together was not even remotely in the realm of possibilities when I thought of how this was going to go down.
"How about this. Quinn, Rachel, Mark, and I will sit down and work out the drumming part and then once the song is fully finished anyone else along with Puck and Finn can try out for the part opposite Rachel. We all know what Quinn and Rachel sound like with the song, it's only fair to give the others a shot too. After that we will all vote to see which one sounds best and that is who will be singing the duet for Nationals. Just remember that if you all select Quinn and Rachel or any other female to sing with Rachel you will have to be prepared for the possible backlash from the judges.. As wrong as I think it would be for them to do that, it's still in the realm of possibilities." Mr. Shue finishes speaking and Rachel and I walk back over to our seats again.
I'm not happy about Finn getting to sing with Rachel, but at least it's here and not yet decided for Nationals. By the look on Finn's face he's no more happy about having to try out for the chance to sing with Rachel as he was normally just picked in the past. Kurt leans down and lightly squeezes mine and Rachel's shoulders. "You two were amazing. I really think you should do the duet together. And Quinn, girl? I had no idea you were so hot on the piano. That was truly amazing and beautiful." I reach up and pat his hand lightly that is still on my shoulder. He really is a great friend when he gets over his diva-ness. Both Rachel and I say our thanks to Kurt's praise and turn our focus back to the front where Mr. Shue has finished writing 'Set Lists' on the white board.
The rest of glee goes on without a hitch. Rachel and I spend the rest of the period just listening to Mr. Shue and leaning slightly against one another. Unfortunately, we couldn't hold hands but our shoulder were touching the whole time so at least we were able to touch. Once Glee's over Rachel and I get up from our chairs and I wait for Rachel to put all of the music from our song away in her binder. Kurt passes by us and gently squeezes my arm as he passes me to speak to Rachel. When I turn my head back from smiling at Kurt, I find my eyes held in Mercedes' calculating gaze.
Uh oh... This can't be good. I should have asked Rachel to up the number of people that I could tell to three. I really don't think Cedes is going to be happy that I've been keeping this tidbit of information from her. She is after all my closest friend. Yes San and Brit are my best friends but they weren't the ones to help me through my pregnancy, that was Mercedes. Now that I'm thinking bout the fact that the only reason I chose San and Brit is because they would help keep Finn away from Rachel, I realize that choice was very selfish of me. I need to fix this and I need to do it now.
I can see that Mercedes has already figured it out and is really starting to feel hurt about the fact that I didn't trust her enough to tell her before she found out on her own, because she is just that smart, not to mention Rachel and I seriously suck at hiding our feelings for each other. I finally tare my eyes from Mercedes and lean into Rachel to whisper quickly in her ear. I notice out of the corner of my eye that Mercedes was quickly gathering her things and I know I will have to hurry in order to get the chance to talk with her before she rushes out of the school. "Rach... I have to tell Mercedes... She's figured it out and I can tell she is really hurt by me not telling her. Please." I rush to get out into Rachel ear.
Rachel is quick to turn to look at Mercedes as she moves by us both without a word, I nearly whimper with desperation to go after her and explain everything. "Go Quinn. She's your friend, do what you need to do." Rachel quickly says to me and I dash out the door as soon as I know that Rachel is ok with it. I would have dealt with it if Rachel wanted to keep to the agreed upon number from the weekend, but I'm very happy that I didn't have to. I'm so grateful that Rachel understood my need to fix this oversight with Mercedes and ensure our friendship survives this mistake. I don't want to lose Mercedes as my friend, because she means a great deal to me and I never want to make her feel like I don't love her, because I'm a selfish idiot at times.
"Mercedes!" I call as I sprint out the room, after my friend. She slows down for a moment then picks up her pace again heading right for the doors to the side parking lot. "Shit..." I mumble softly to myself and run full tilt to get to her before she can leave the building. Luckily since most people don't stay for the optional seventh period class the hall is clear so I can barrel my way down the hall unimpeded. "Please, Cedes, don't leave... Let me explain!" I pant softly, once I'm able to finally catch up to her and get her to stop.
"Explain what, Quinn? That you don't trust me to tell me things yourself? That I'm no better than everyone else and that I have to find out about you-you... because you two are so damn obvious only the most dense of people couldn't figure it out?" I have to give her credit, she managed to keep her voice down and didn't mention Rachel's name. Like Kurt, Mercedes would never purposefully out someone and I'm very thankful for her discretion even though she is angry with me.
"No, Cedes. It wasn't meant to be that way I swear. I... I am an idiot, Okay?" I say as I guide her away so that we are further away from the doors so that people that pass us won't be able to pick up what we are whispering about. Though I wanted to make sure I was still within sight of the choir room incase Rachel would need me for something, namely to help her get away from Finn, considering I left her in the choir room while he was still there too.
I can see that my comment surprised her. I am not in the habit of calling myself an idiot to other people. I may call myself many things in my head but I normally don't let them come out of my mouth around anyone else. "Listen, yes Rachel and I are together okay? I'm so sorry I didn't tell you right away. It's just, Rachel and I wanted to keep Finn from finding out and ruining our chances at going to Nationals by quitting." I tell her softly, though my voice sounds a bit strained to my own ears. I am stressed over the fact that I've hurt one of my most dear friends because I wasn't thinking.
"That doesn't explain why you didn't tell me, Quinn. Did you think I was going to run and tell Finn about you two?" I am so upset at the tears I see in Mercedes' eyes as she says this, that I have to fight to keep from breaking down and crying too.
"No, Mercedes no... I swear that wasn't the reason at all. I know you wouldn't say anything. I-I'm an Idiot, okay? I wasn't thinking clearly when Rachel and I were talking about how many people we could tell... I'm so sorry Cedes... please..." I plead with my friend. I need Mercedes to at least give me a chance to explain everything to her, but first I got to get her to calm down so that she will give me a chance. I keep my eyes on her pleadingly, waiting for her to just give me a chance to explain things.
It takes a moment of her looking like she was going to storm away at any moment before she sighs deeply and looks back up into my eyes. I can tell the hurt is still there but there is also curiosity and love there too. She loves me as I love her. We are sisters in a way, and I know that my carelessness has hurt her deeply. "Alright Quinn, lets go back to the choir room and talk. I would also like to talk with Rachel too... Why would she make you not tell me? I mean I thought we were friends, now?!" It upset me a bit to think that Mercedes believed that Rachel was the reason I didn't tell her right off the bat. True Rachel is the one that set the limit of people we could tell but I was the one that decided not to make Mercedes one of those people.
Had I thought about it at some point and explained the situation to Rachel she would have agreed that I should tell all three of the people I needed to tell, just like my girl told me to take care of everything with Mercedes when she put together the problem. Rachel did understand the need to tell ones friends what is going on in our lives. Unfortunately I didn't think beyond the need to keep Finn away from Rachel, otherwise I would have realized what a dumb-ass I was being by not telling Cedes in the first place. I sigh with relief at hearing Mercedes' agreement to let me explain and I nod giving her a little smile of thanks, before I let her know about Rachel's involvement.
"Cedes, Rachel didn't make me not tell you anything okay? I promise you. I was only thinking about the fact that Santana would be the best person to keep Finn away from Rachel and if I tell Santana anything, Brittany will know, it's just the way it goes with those two. Had I been thinking clearly this weekend when we talked about it, I would have spoken to Rachel about needing to let you know too... She would have been fine with it, as Kurt was her friend that she told and that would have made things easier for Kurt as well for you to know because you two are really good friends too. I'm sorry I was an idiot and not thinking clearly." I say this all as we start to head back to the choir room slowly. I didn't want anyone else to over hear what we were talking about so I made sure to keep my voice way down and my eyes scanning everywhere.
She stops me then when we were just a few feet from the slightly open door to the choir room with a light grasp onto my arm. "Why is Finn such a big deal Quinn? I mean I know he's a bit slow but with the rumors I've been hearing all day, he was the shit that broke up with you, at Jean Sylvester's funeral, of all places? So why should he even matter? It's not like you broke up with him to be with Rachel." I can see the confusion in Mercedes' eyes and her whole body really. I can understand her confusion over everything, I mean everything happened so fast and then there is the fact that Finn broke up with me not the other way around, so I can see why she can't see why Finn would care.
"I mean why would he even care if he is the one that broke up with you? He broke up with both you and Rachel so he should have the least amount to say on the matter." Mercedes continues her thought after a short pause, but I am stopped from answering when I hear Rachel's raised voice in the choir room.
"No Finn, I am not interested in going out with you this friday. I've told you that already." I nearly sprint into the choir room at the annoyed sound of Rachel's voice. I didn't think Kurt or Santana would have left her alone when I went after Mercedes.
"My God Finnept! She has said no to you three times, just because you change the day of the week doesn't mean that she will say yes. Just leave her alone, already!" I pull the door open just as I hear Santana's voice pipe up and I sigh a little with relief that Santana hadn't left Rachel alone at all.
"Why are you even HERE Santana? You aren't Rachel's friend so why do you even care!?" Finn shouts back at San and I can see the flicker of hurt that passes over not only Santana's but Rachel's face as well, when Finn spits that comment at my latina friend. It's very short lived though, and before I can even open my mouth to say anything Rachel's hand is on Santana's shoulder – as the latina is standing slightly in front of my little diva at that moment – and Santana reacts by straightening her shoulder and an expression I've only ever see on her face when she was dealing with someone that is picking on Brittany appears on her face.
"Pendejo! Usted no sabe nada acerca de mi amistad con mi Pequeña Estrella! Rachel and I have been friends longer than we even knew you existed! So don't you dare say we aren't friends! And as Rachel's friend, I'm going to stick up for her when she has clearly told you that she isn't interested in dating your custard filled nipple-y ass, so Fuck off!" I don't understand what San has started off with but I think I got the gist of it, though. I'm so grateful that Santana is putting aside whatever happened in their past to be able to stick up for my girlfriend now.
"Santi, Language! Finn, I've already said that I'm not interested in rekindling a relationship with you. I'm sorry that it wasn't what you were hoping for, but that is the way it is. Please, I don't want all this to come between us being friends." Rachel pipes up right after Santana finishes. I'm fully in the room by this time and Rachel is the first to notice me just to the side and behind Finn. I smile at the beautiful smile that blooms over my girlfriend's face.
I love the way Rachel's whole face just lights up when she is happy, not to mention that it mostly happens when her eyes land on me when I come into a room. I can't say much though, as my face does the same thing whenever I look at Rachel. "Of course we can still be friends, Rach. Talk to you later, Rachel!" I can tell that Rachel is just as confused as I am by the sudden turn around in Finn's demeanor. I really thought I was going to have to yell at him to get him to go away, but he just quickly hugs a very surprised Rachel then walks out of the choir room through the other door. Not even once looking around the room so I couldn't really see his face but by the glare that Santana is currently giving the boy; I can't imagine that Finn's expression bodes well, at least in Santana's opinion.
"Alright, I think I understand why you are concerned with Finn now." I look back at Mercedes who is standing just inside the door shaking her head like she can't believe what just happened. I roll my eyes a little and nod at her before I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose hard to try and focus and get the possible things Finn has planned, out of my head so I can still talk to Mercedes and explain things better. I mean she has a better understanding why I needed to keep Finn at bay but that doesn't really explain how this all happened and how Finn came to be involved when he broke up with both Rachel and I already.
The light touch on my arm and the small tug to get me to lower my hand from my nose makes me smile a little and open my eyes to find Rachel looking up into my eyes with concern. "Did you get everything worked out Quinn? You should have told me, you know... I wouldn't have minded if you needed to talk to Mercedes too." Rachel says softly just for me to hear. I nod and shrug, hindsight is always twenty/twenty.
"I didn't think about it at the time... I was an idiot and just thought of keeping that from happening..." I explain, waving my hand at the door Finn had just vacated the room from, my poor judgement call as to why I had not brought up my need to talk to Mercedes too.
"Alright, so talk Quinn. I mean I get the Finn thing more but I'm not understanding how this all came about." I turn to look at Mercedes and smile excitedly. I am more than happy to tell her about how I finally figured myself out and found the courage to be happy for once in my life.
"Yeah well I would suggest you make it quick or wait until after practice, Q" I look down at my watch and growl right after Santana gives me the warning about Cheerios practice coming up fast.
"Why don't Mercedes and I talk at the bleachers while you practice Quinn and then if she has any specific questions only you can answer she can ask after you finish." Rachel says logically as she looks to both Mercedes and I to gauge our reaction to the offer. It's not quite the same as me coming clean with Mercedes but it will give her the basics and then we can talk more later. I look to Mercedes chewing on my bottom lip a bit nervously, waiting for her opinion on the idea, before I answer. I really don't want her to think I'm trying to get out of telling her what happened.
"Alright, there is no way I will torture you by making you late to practice with that devil woman so I'm holding you to a sleep over this weekend and you can give me all the details that Rachel can't give me. Got it?" I nod and smile widely at Cedes as I wrap her in a tight hug whispering thank you over and over. I would never want Mercedes to feel like I was dissing her or that I didn't love her, because she was one of the few people that saved me during the darkest part of my depression during my pregnancy last year. I owe her so much and I will never be able to repay her but by being the best friend I can be to her.
"Come on enough with the sappiness, we gotta go!" Santana's annoyed voice makes me pull back from hugging Mercedes and the darker girl pats me lightly on the waist. Before we disentangle ourselves.
"I promise Cedes, this weekend, we will have a girls night and I will answer your questions. Though I'm sure Rachel can answer a great deal of the ones about how we got together and the like." I say as I lightly take hold of Rachel's hand when I feel it brush against mine.
"Yeah Yeah, I'm sure, now go and get to practice before I have to watch your pale ass having to run until you drop this afternoon for being late. Rachel and I will watch from the bleachers." I grin at Mercedes and nod before turning to Rachel and giving her a tight hug which she returns just as tightly. I lightly place a lingering kiss right at the base of her neck where her shoulder starts before I pull back and brush some loose strands of hair from Rachel's face. She is just so beautiful to me, I can't believe that I wasted so much time in fighting my attraction to her.
"¡Dios mío! Come on already! It's not like you are going of to war or some shit!" I can't help but laugh at Santana's impatience as she literally yanks me from Rachel and drags me out of the choir room, the whole time muttering under her breath in Spanish. I wave at Rachel and Mercedes before I am dragged from the room and I start to walk with Santana and Brittany instead of being dragged along behind them.
It doesn't take us long before we are changed into our practice clothes and out on the field. I just make it out to the field before the others so I won't be in trouble for being late. I never know how Sue finds out these things but she has eyes everywhere and so I don't like to chance not being out here on time often. Though for Rachel I wouldn't care if I was late and forced to do laps after practice every day, so it's a damn good thing I have Santana to keep me on track at times.
Practice is going pretty well, really. My only real issue is Hanson's attitude. She does what she is told, but to the minimum ability she can and that is dangerous and is making things harder on the rest of us to keep Sue from yelling at us to do a stunt multiple times just because she isn't keeping up her end. In this case she isn't helping to support the girl at her part of the pyramid so it always wobbles when Jessica Tanner our smallest flyer tries to make her way up to the top. "Absolutely pathetic! Q, you better figure out what's wrong with that pyramid before I make you all do suicides until you pass out!" I wince at Sue's shouted demand not ten feet from my ear, enhanced with her ever present bull horn no less. Ugh!
Trying very hard not to give away the fact that my ears are now ringing I think about what I need to do to keep my squad from being decimated for the rest of the week all because of one person. Well if Hanson wants to act up and not do her part she doesn't deserve to be on the squad... I was giving her the chance to learn her lesson, but if she wants to disregard the leniency I gave her then she's out. I know the Cheerios is the only way for her to get the hell out of this town, like it is for most of the squad, and that is the only reason I didn't kick her off the squad this morning. I might be a bitch but it's not like I don't at the very least give them one chance to get things right. I care about my squad and that is why I'm so hard on them. If they want to be the best then they have to give their best and Hanson is most certainly not giving her best.
It's bad enough that I had to give up my spot on top of the pyramid as well as Santana too there is no way I'm going to condemn the rest of my squad just because of some whiny ass wannabe diva freshmen. I turn to Santana who had been waiting beside me fuming as she watched the pyramid nearly topple while they were working through it again. "Get her out of there, S, and bench her. I will deal with her after practice." I say to the latina at my side. I look over my squad thinking about how to make this work with out someone in Hanson's spot. We all have a role to play in this squad there are no extras and Sue expects me to make the stunts work even if we are down a person or two.
Most people would think that kind of attitude is insane, and truthfully I would agree, but I will admit that it makes me a better strategist allowing me to adapt quickly in dealing with the unexpected now. I watch once everyone is on the ground and Santana rips through the girls until she grab Hanson and pulls her out of from the group and over to the bench by Sue. I don't even look at the girl as she screams for Santana to let her go and that she wasn't doing anything for her to be taken out. I even keep my eyes on the problem at hand as Hanson gets her ear shouted off by a furious Sue Sylvester for the girl questioning her decisions. That's the thing some people here didn't fully understand, especially those that where freshmen and new to being with the big dogs now. The Head-Cheerio, Captain of the Cheerios, is the voice of one Sue Sylvester. Sue has very rarely ever countermanded my calls on the field. If she doesn't agree with something she will speak with me privately then I will take care of it afterwards so that the illusion of being the Coach's voice on the field is maintained.
I finally see a way to get it done and I start to move my people around. It's not often that the boys are the base of the Cheerios' pyramids but this time I needed their strength. I can have the pyramid work with less boy by using two boys each lifting our first row with one girl at the back as support, than having to use four of our girls to lift the first row and a boy behind supporting. It will look different, but it would also free up more of the girls to do some other stunts. I place my guys around and pull the girls I want to help with the supporting into position once they are set, I back up and have everyone that was on the first level get ready. I make one final change by pulling Brittany from the back where she usually helps to lift the next two levels up to the top of the first row. I have an idea to make this work even better and for that I need our best tumbler. I rework the back row where most of the newly freed up girls go so that they can rocket up the second row and then Jessica.
Unlike a lot of High School Cheer Squads we do multi level pyramids in our routines, they are considered highly dangerous, but still legal in competition which gives us an edge over most other squads we go up against. Once everyone is in place I get everyone set up for the stunt again. I walk back towards the bleachers, so I can get a better view of everything as it happens, my eyes finding where Rachel and Mercedes are sitting nearly at the top, both looking down at me. Though most of my attention goes directly to Rachel, from which I can see worry and curiosity shining back at me in her eyes. This morning I was the one at the top of this stunt, but I'm sure she has noticed that I'm not this time. I will have to tell her about my conversation with Sue after practice too. I smile up at her before I turn to watch my squad run through this stunt again with my very radical changes.
I look over at Coach when I don't hear her call for them to begin, to find her looking at me a little strangely. I raise my eyebrow in question, silently asking if she was going to rip apart my changes. It was different and out of the box to make the changes I did but I really think it will work and there is no way I was going to let Hanson back on the squad so her pouting could put my flyers at risk again. I can see Hanson sulking on the bench she was put on, her arms crossed looking like she was going to breath fire at any moment. After a moment of looking at me Sue called for the stunt to be ran again and I watched on trying very hard to control my nervousness.
I couldn't help the wide smile that crosses my face when the pyramid not only works it goes faster and is much more stable then it has ever been in the past. I was so excited for my squad's success when I hear Coach shout out through her bull horn again. "I'm not impressed, mouth-breathers! I doubt you can do again tomorrow, now get out of here!" before stalking off the field completely. The pyramid disassembles easily and I walk up to them letting each of them know how well they did. They are all smiles and grins, knowing better to act excited because Coach doesn't allow such things until there is a first place trophy in her hands. Our excitement is quiet but fulfilling as I squeeze shoulders and say quiet words of well done we will work it like this in the future and other such things to keep my team's spirits up. I remind each of them to cool down before they hit the showers and that I would see them in the morning.
Over all a good practice, I walk up to Santana who is standing next to a contrite looking James O'Connell. I smirk when the boy's eyes lock onto mine and he swallows thickly. "Maybe next time, O'Connell you will remember the rules, hm?" I say as I stop in front of him. He nods and looks around the field that is slowly emptying of the other Cheerios. It's kind of nice not to have the football team out here grunting and shouting like they are in the fall not to mention I don't have to worry about Finn thinking Rachel came to watch him practice or anything. He has basket ball practice at this time but that is in the gym not out here so there is no way he can get the idea she has come to watch him. "Alright, we can't use the track because of the track team but Santana will time you for twenty-five suicides. You manage to keep your time with in two seconds from your first one as you do your last one then you can go home... If not, you get to run twenty-five more. Understood?" I say evenly.
I have to hold in the laugh that wants to bubble out at how pale James becomes. Most people don't realize how long a second is, and giving him two seconds to finish within is actually quite easy for someone as fit as he is. I nod at him when he nods solemnly at me and begins to stretch out putting his game face on. I move Santana away from him and hand her my stopwatch. "Hopefully he will realize that I only said his first and last matter and he won't kill himself, but seeing how determined he looks he most likely won't. Call me when he starts puking, though I doubt I will miss it from up there, but just incase." I say as I look around the field again my eyes landing on Hanson that was waiting impatiently for me to come speak to her, which is what she had been told to do by Santana when she was pulled from the group. "Did Britt go to monitor the locker room? I ask softly once I realize the taller blond was no where in sight.
"Yeah she figured I would need to either keep you from killing the dumb-ass over there or that I would be working over James and decided to make sure nothing happens in the locker room." I nod at Santana's explanation and start to walk away from my latina friend towards Hanson. Behind me I could hear Santana making good on her promise to make sure James remembered there was a reason we had the rules we had in place. I tune her out as I get closer to Hanson, focusing on what I'm going to say to her. I've never had to kick someone off the squad before, at least not for endangering the members of said squad. I've had to do it for other stupid reasons like not being able to keep up or for not being able to be on time for practice or not showing up for them, that kind of thing, but no one on this squad had ever put others in danger because of their own malcontent, not even Santana when she was at the bottom of the pyramid at the beginning of the year. San was pissed off and threatened me any chance she got but she never once did anything that would endanger me or the others when we were doing our stunts or while we were doing anything within the Cheerios at all.
"I'm not going to mince words Hanson... I will not allow you to endanger my squad because you are pissed off. I made sure you stayed on the squad this morning, when I could have easily just kicked you off. I left you on so you could learn that what I say goes. You would have been able to regain your previous place after a few weeks and a show of better behavior. I don't even know why you are so pissed off anyway as you were a spotter and lifter beforehand, anyway, you were just moved into a different position doing the same thing. Had you just done what you were suppose to do then everything would have been fine, but that is not what you did is it?" I watched the girl tighten her crossed arms and turn her nose up at me not even looking at me as I spoke to her.
"I know what you did before, Fabray, you are a disgrace to the Cheerios and shouldn't have been let back on in the first place! I don't have to listen to you." I smirk as the girl finally speaks. I was waiting for her attitude to finish this.
"Well in a sense you are right you won't have to worry about listening to me as to what happens on the Cheerios anymore, so you get your wish in a way." I pause when I see her look at me with confusion, and I continue with the final blow. "You are done, hand in your uniform to Coach Sylvester after your shower, and clear out your shit from our locker room. Oh and just because you are off the Cheerios, don't think you don't have to follow my same rule about picking on Rachel, because if you do, I will make sure you are the new Rachel Berry. And believe me when I say, I will make damn sure you never leave this school in clean clothes for your next three years of high school even though I will be graduated you will still have a giant target painted on your forehead, do I make myself abundantly clear?" I lean in close to her shocked face to deliver that last bit of information then stand back up straight, getting ready to move over to where I see Rachel and Mercedes moving down the bleachers.
"YOU-YOU CAN'T DO THAT TO ME!" Hanson suddenly screaming makes me look back at the girl with distain and disgust. Thankfully I had already moved a few feet away so she didn't scream right into my face.
"Oh, you will find that I can, and I just did. You better hurry Hanson, because Coach will not be happy if she has to wait for you to turn in your uniform before she can leave school. I say in a sing-song but also very cruel voice before I laugh and shake my head at her stuttering words of disbelief. I turn and walk up to the high rail where Rachel is now standing looking between me and Hanson a question clear on her face, a strangled yelp snags my attention back to Hanson before I could give voice to answer my girlfriend's unasked question to find Santana standing an inch away from Hanson, glaring into the taller girl's face. I don't get why San is so close to the girl until I see Santana has a hold of the other girl's wrist giving it a vicious twist causing the girl to drop a small rock back to the ground. I'm a little shocked that the girl was going to throw a rock at me, and it takes a little bit of effort to keep that shock from my face so that I can remain impassive and confident. I can't let on that the threat of that kind of sneaky violence has me a bit worried.
I can't really think about it long before Rachel's form nearly sprinting by me catches my attention and I quickly reach out for Rachel's arm and get her to stop before she can get away from me. Just as I get her to stop my girlfriend spins on me a hard look in her normally gentle eyes makes me frown and pull her willingly towards me. "Rach-" is all I'm able to get out of my mouth before Rachel cuts me off with a hiss.
"She was going to throw that rock at you, Quinn!" I flick my eyes from Rachel over to where Santana was now literally dragging a terrified Tiffany Hanson off the field. That girl was going to learn the hard way that you just do not threaten to do bodily harm to the latina's friends. I feel Mercedes come up to stand to my right, as I'm holding onto Rachel with my left hand, I sigh softly bringing my eyes back to Rachel's.
"I figured that Rachel, but Santana will take care of it." I say softly trying to calm her anger down. I didn't want Rachel making herself anymore of a target by throwing down with Hanson even if it was only verbally. It was better to have Santana take care of the physical threat and I will insure that the lesson is reinforced socially afterwards. "Baby, please, let it go... I promise you she isn't going to get away with trying. I don't want you to make yourself even more of a target just as I'm trying to get the target taken off of you, okay?" I ask pleadingly looking directly into her angered filled eyes. Damn she is beautiful when she is angry, fuck who am I kidding, Rachel Berry is always beautiful it just took me too long to allow myself the luxury to indulge in observing it.
"I won't let her or anyone hurt you Quinn... I don't care if it makes me more of target, I won't allow it!" Rachel tells me defiantly but she steps closer to me keeping her voice down to something more like a hiss than a shout but I can tell she means every word of it. I reach up and cup her cheek smiling softly at her, letting my thumb lightly caress the flames of pink tinting my girlfriend's cheek from her anger.
"Um not that I don't get this is an important conversation and all that, but we are kind of out in the open here, and if you two really want to keep what you gots going on a secret you are going to have to stop lookin' like you are going to kiss each other stupid right now." Mercedes' statement breaks the tension and causes both Rachel and I to laugh and turn our attention to her. It seems she is ok with the information that Rachel gave her but as we start to walk over to the gate that would lead Mercedes to the parking lot and her car, she tells me that she's just miffed that she wasn't told first and that I didn't think she would be able to help keep Finn from making Rachel be alone with him. I hang my head a little and gave her my best I'm sorry look as I apologized which gets both Rachel and Cedes to laugh again. "You know I can't stay mad at you, girl. I got your guys back and you are still coming for a sleep over on saturday so don't make plans, mom's been missing you anyway."
I smile and hug Mercedes tightly before I place a light kiss on her cheek, "You got it Cedes. Tell your mom I miss her too, okay?" I say softly as I pull away to look her in the eyes again. With that both Rachel and Mercedes hug and the darker girl is heading off to the parking lot. "Did she really take everything as well as she seems to?" I ask Rachel as I turn back to look at the smaller girl standing to my left. Rachel nods with her special just for me smile as she quickly clasps my fingers with hers then lets them go before she answers verbally.
"Yes, she seemed to. She didn't really ask that much really, more just listened to what I had to tell her. I'm sure she is saving her real questions for you during your saturday get together." I nod and lightly bump my shoulder against Rachel's before starting to lead us over towards the locker room. I needed to shower but I wasn't ready to end my time with Rachel either.
"Hey, you want to come to dinner tonight? We can do our homework together while we wait for my mom to get home, and we can start on our Glee assignment too. I'm sure I can get Britt and San to come over for a little bit. I still can't believe Mr. Shue put us four in a group together. I mean I know things are different now, but it's a little strange how he seemed to just... I don't know... know that we could now work together. I thought Finn was going to have kittens when you two weren't going to be working together." I roll my eyes at my sudden rambling session and Rachel's soft giggle as she once more catches my hand giving it a squeeze of reassurance before she lets it go again. Of course I have to save my pride by grumbling a little, "I swear that shit's contagious..." Which I'm surprised to get a laugh and not being scolded for cussing again.
"It's cute, and yes I would love to come over I just need to text my dads to let them know where I'll be. Are you sure that your mom won't mind me just showing up?" I playfully roll my eyes at her calling me cute for my rambling streak, but it doesn't bother me really. I don't mind the rambling being contagious if it means I get to have Rachel with me. Her question about whether my mom would mind her coming over makes me laugh and look at Rachel like's she's crazy.
"I know you only met my mother over Skype, Rachel but you had to have figured out that she adores you!" I say as I pull her to a stop before we head into the locker room. I planned on keeping her with me, well at least in the locker room, until I finished changing so we could leave together. I grin at Rachel's shocked look and nod saying, "In fact I wouldn't be surprised if she liked you more than she likes me at this point. You like to bake." I laugh softly as Rachel snorts lightly in amusement and gives me a little shove at bring up how much they seemed to bond over their joint baking venture on saturday morning. "No really, she asked for me to invite you for dinner this week, she won't mind it's tonight. I mean she been researching a number of vegan recipe she online for the occasion all weekend. She can't wait to try a few of them out on you." I inform her so that she knew that it was just a matter of when she would agree to come to dinner because my mom was already waiting for it to happen. When Rachel nods saying that she would love to come over for dinner then brings out phone so that she can text her dads, I smile and open the locker room door so that she can enter before me, completely excited about spending the rest of the day with Rachel.
"Alright, I have an idea."
"No"
"What do you mean, no, Santana? You didn't even let me tell you what my idea is." I enter back into my living room to see Santana and Rachel standing toe to toe arguing. We had all been put in a group to come up with ideas as to the Set Lists for Nationals. Unlike Regionals we will have to preform a new set list within each new level we are able to get in. That means we have to come up with three set lists. There is the first General round. That all the top winners from Regionals from around the country preform in. It consists of a solo, a duet, and a group number. If we pass the General round we are in the Top Picks, which is the top ten show choirs and the requirements are the same as the General round. The final round is the Showcase, which consists of the top five and we only have to preform two songs for that one. From there the winner is chosen. This makes things three times as hard as picking a set list normally is. It takes us forever to get one set list nailed down let alone three.
"Alright, that's enough." I say as I walk back into the room fully. Santana throws up her hands and walks away from Rachel.
"You doing the nasty with the munchkin, takes all my fun away!" Santana snips as she moves back over to Britt. These two are like oil and water, I don't know if they will ever get along. Though I think Santana's desire to pick on Rachel more stems from the fact that Rachel has no problem standing up to her and the simple fact that she just likes to argue no matter who it's with, if given the chance. I mean just a few hours ago Santana was not only sticking up for Rachel but calling my girl her friend, to Finn no less.
I can see Rachel's clear indignation on her face at the insinuation that we are already having sex and I just run over what ever she was going to say as I step up and wrap my arms around her shoulders. "Deal with it Santana. I'm done pretending to not like Rachel and I'm not going to sit around and let you pick fights with her." Santana and I stare at one another until she looks away first grumbling 'fine' which earns her a kiss from Brittany.
"I think you two are totes cute together. I'm glad you both finally came out of Narnia." Rachel looks up at me in confusion, mouthing 'Narnia?' after Britt's comment. I just mouth back 'later' and move on to getting our group back on task.
"Thank you Brit, I think so too. Now, Rachel what were you going to say?" I hear Santana sigh but otherwise remain quiet when I give Rachel the go ahead to speak her mind.
"Alright I have an idea for another original song that will not fit into the set lists for the first two but would do well with Pretending if we use them as the final set list for the Showcase. I think with all four of us really pitching in the sound will come together quickly." Rachel pauses to see if she had all of our attention. I had moved to sit on the couch leaning up against the arm of it with my now bare feet tucked under me as I watch her. I nod for her to continue and Santana over on the loveseat with Britt just rolls her eyes and waves her hand in a 'get on with it' motion.
"Okay. I was thinking we really don't have the time to come up with a lot of new songs. We already have one brand new song for a duet, and if we can really get on to this idea I have, we will have a group number that makes two new songs. I think it would be best to utilize performances from our past Glee assignments to make up one or more of the set lists. Leaving our final set list for our brand new original songs to be shown in the Showcase when we get there." I have to say it's a good idea. The showcase only has two songs that needs to be sung. A solo or duet and a group number. If we can write this other song that Rachel is talking about then we will have come up with all three set lists relatively easily.
"Let me guess you have all the songs picked out and they all feature your voice." Santana says grumpily. I glare at the Latina to which she shrugs and turns her head away so she isn't looking at me.
"Watch it Santana..." I warn verbally just incase she didn't get the hint that I'm not going to deal with her snarkiness much longer.
"I do have some thoughts for the them, yes Santana, but they do not all feature me as lead vocalist." Rachel says with a huff then moves over and sits down on the arm of couch right next to where I'm leaning. I wrap my arm around her hips and give her a little squeeze to try and calm her down a bit. She takes a deep breath then continues. "I was thinking of themes for each level. The first one being Theatricality. We need to stand out in the General round. There are just over two days of the General round alone, we have to be able to make sure we make an impression with over a hundred different Show Choirs preforming over a two and a half day period of time." I think about what Rachel is saying fully and I can see the logic in this idea. I'm not sure what songs she has in mind but if we can pull it off in a big way we can more than likely make sure we stand out enough to get into the Top Picks.
"Alright Rach, what did you have in mind for the 'Theatricality' set list." I say encouraging my girlfriend to continue with her thoughts. I learned over the weekend that Rachel really does have a brilliant mind when it comes to music, you just have to be patient for her to be able to get all out of her head to fully understand where she is going with it.
"I Feel Pretty/Unpretty, Firework, and Umbrella/Singing In The Rain. And yes I know that the last one was done with Ms. Holiday and Mr. Shue but I think it can be reworked to feature Santana, and Sam easily enough." Rachel rushes to finish when she see's Santana gearing up to snap about how all of the songs would indeed feature Rachel, or something along those lines if I know Santana.
"Alright I'll bite, how can the first two fit into the theatricality theme?" I look over to see that Santana is interested now. She can see how the last one would be pretty theatrical. There will be rain and umbrellas and water splashing everywhere. It would get a lot of people's attention.
"It would be a build up, really. My thought is that Quinn and I start us off with us being in just the shorts and tank top – that we will be wearing under the white shirts – we will be wearing at the end, for the Umbrella number. We will have no make up or anything at the start then we have the make up done right there on the stage while everyone watches us sing. I'm sure we can add something else to make it more dramatic hitting on the issue we are addressing with the songs. Bring out the concept of feeling both pretty and unpretty at the same time. I haven't thought it all out yet, but everyone else can be doing some kind dance or something in the background looking prefect. That is what we are striving for at the end of that song." Rachel explains the general concept for her first song choice. Both of us notice Brittany bobbing her head up and down to music only she can hear, her eyes glazed over as though she is in deep thought. Rachel looks down at me a bit of worry in her eyes. She's not use to Brittany's seemingly short attention span.
"I can see it. Perfectly. They can each flow into the next and I already have great dance moves to work into each number. That was a really great idea Rachie! Whats the next one?" Santana looks at Britt completely baffled. I'm still working it all out in my head to fully see where Rachel is going with the Firework solo and into the ending song, but I think I'm getting it.
"That's great Brittany! Do you really think it could work for us?" Brittany's head just nods vigorously. Brittany has always had an intuitive grasps of dance and music. Santana and I can each come up with some great choreography on our own if given the time to work it out, but Brittany... She can just do it on the fly and make something really fantastic with just the bare minimum of effort and information.
"I need to talk with Mike, but yeah. I can see it working really well. It will be really big and amazing!" Britt says again. Santana seems to just give up following and lets Brittany have her excitement. I think I will have Rachel outline it a bit more to me later. I think I'm following her and Britt's line of thinking but I don't normally make such creative leaps like Brittany does.
"Well then as I was saying the last set list would be our two original songs. Yes I know we don't have the group one yet, but as I said I think we will at least have a rough draft by the end of the week if we all pitch in." Rachel continues having been bolstered by Brittany's acceptance and understanding, allowing her to just carry on and finish her thoughts. I lay my head down on Rachel's thigh since it is right there more or less right next to my head. I close my eyes as Rachel's fingers start to comb through my hair slowly as she moves away from the original song into the Top Picks set list.
"As for the Top Picks I think we should go for simplicity and emotions. Sing songs that mean something to us and will allow us to make the judges feel right along with us. Keep the choreography simple but defining and we will have them right on the edge of their seats feeling all the emotions we want them to feel. It will also show a level of depth to our abilities. Not to mention we won't have the time to do anything that requires a lot of make up or costume changes that day as we will have to sing twice." I open my eyes again as Rachel speaks to see Santana and Brittany both nodding thinking what Rachel is saying over.
"What songs do you have in mind for that one Rachie?" Britt asks once Rachel is done saying her piece. She definitely has an ally in Britt that's for sure. That makes me happy. As much as I like to be Rachel's support she needs more than just me and if Brittany and even San could become her friends too then I don't have to worry about what others will be doing to her when I can't be around. That had worried me all day long today. But luckily other than the incident this morning no one bothered her. Though that could have been more than likely because after lunch Rachel was with me the rest of the day. Though she did spend a few minutes in the hall alone while I was in the meeting with Coach but she was right outside her office door, no one would be dumb enough to do something there.
"I have no idea as to the solo but I was thinking that the duet could be Lean On Me, with Mercedes and Artie, and..." she pauses to look down at me as I sit up at the mention of that song. Rachel's fingers are still lightly in my hair but they have stopped moving as she looks down on me a bit unsure of herself now, I think. "Umm and Keep Holding On." she whispers the group number and I close my eyes as it slips past her lips. That song holds a lot of meaning for me and whenever I hear it or even just the name of the song it all comes flooding back to me.
"Whoa Berry, don't you think that is a bit over board on the use of the high emotions surrounding babygate?" Santana says frowning. I can tell by the sound of her voice she's not sure if she should be protecting me or not. I'm not sure how I feel about Rachel choosing those two songs, but I do trust her and I'm willing to hear what she has to say about why she chose them.
"No Santana I don't... I look back at that time of our lives and I see how what Quinn went through brought us, as a group... a-a family, together. We united for the first time as a complete group when we sung Keep Holding On to Quinn back then. Then, we did it again when we sang Lean On Me to her a few months later. We needed it, SHE needed it and they were beautiful, powerful songs that has a lot of real emotions tied up in them. I knew suggesting them would bring about this initial shock of emotions. Even when I thought of them myself they brought back all the emotions that is still tied up in them back to the surface, but us as artists should use that power and raw emotion tied into them to give us an edge for Nationals. No one can compete with it when we bring all that history, that emotion, with us to the stage with just a random set of songs." Rachel manages to say all of that without a single breath and I have to smile to myself at her abilities. I lay my head back down on Rachel's thigh and I can feel the tension slowly ease out of her body when my actions show that I'm not mad at her.
"I agree, with Rachel. Yes they are very special songs to me, but I think they will fit the bill nicely. Though I don't know what solo would fit with those two songs, either." I see Santana ease up and lean back against Brittany as the taller blond lightly runs her own fingers through Santana's rich black hair. Santana also shrugs at the mention of a possible solo. Guess she is as stumped as the rest of us.
"I know one." Brittany says softly as though she is not sure if she should speak now. All eyes turn to her in question and she takes a breath and continues hesitantly. "I know you're going to say no at first, but I think it will fit perfectly and it means a great deal to me.. and you Santana." I see Santana stiffen up more and more as Brittany speaks. I think she knows what song Brittany is dancing around now. Santana is already shaking her head 'no' as Brittany finally says the name of the song. "I think Santana should sing Songbird as the solo."
"No Britt that was just for you, not for anyone else to hear-" Brittany leans down and kisses Santana's lips lightly cutting off her babble.
I look up at Rachel who is looking down at me as they begin to whisper hotly back and forth with one another. I wrap my arm around Rachel's thigh and she leans down and gently places a kiss on on my forehead. I can't help but be thankful that I got over my fears and let Rachel in. Yes we are hiding but we are hiding for a reason. Not because of our fear of what others will think or say. We just don't want to risk not being eligible for Nationals.
"Fine! I'll do it! It's not like Shue's going to ever agree to Berry's stupid plan anyway!" Santana's sudden outburst bringing our attention back to her and Brittany. Santana is up and out of the seat now. She looks scared and pissed and shockingly relieved all at the same time as she grabs up her book bag and storms out of the living room and out the front door.
I go to stand up to go find San when Brittany pops up out of her seat at the sound of the front door slamming shut. "No Quinn, I'll go... She's just upset because she's alone in her fear of coming out now." Brittany says softly, then moves quickly the same direction Santana had just gone.
When the door shuts again I move over as Rachel starts to slip down the arm of the couch to sit on the couch itself next to me. "I wish Santana didn't always have to be scared of what people thought of her." Rachel mumbles as she comes to a rest half in my lap half on the couch. I just turn her around and bring her legs up and over my lap so that her butt is on the couch but her legs are bent over my lap and I could lean to the side and rest my head against Rachel's chest. It would seem uncomfortable, but it's not.
"Her reputation is what she thinks allows her to protect Brittany." I explain softly my fingers lightly tracing little circles over Rachel's stomach, her fingers are once again combing through my hair. "Her fear has more to do with losing that ability than it does with what people actually think of her. It's something I can relate to." I continue softly a I let a bit of my own fear of that happening come out.
"Quinn. I'm not with you for your protection. I'm with you because you make me happy and I enjoy being with you. I don't care if I go back to getting slushies three times a day as long as you will still be with me at the end of the day, as long as you want me Quinn, everything and everyone else can go to hell for all I care." I laugh at Rachel cussing, but it really does get her point across and I lightly nuzzle her collar bone and neck in thanks. I can't really help Santana at this point and it really makes me really feel bad and a bit helpless. Unfortunately at this point the only person who can help Santana is Santana herself. She is the one that has to find a way to let go and be who she is on her own now, because once Nationals are over I will be out. And who knows, it might even be before Nationals if Rachel and I can't figure out how to do better at hiding our feelings for each other.
The Cheerios Nationals competition is two weeks before the end of school this year so two weeks after glee gets back from Nationals. That means I'm going to be REALLY busy after we get back from New York. I'm going to need to find a way to keep Rachel close during the fallout period of us coming out. I really don't suspect too much difficulty to be honest. I might have a bit of dissension in the squad but between Santana, myself, and Coach that should be dealt with very quickly. Coach Sylvester could care less as to who we date as long as we are a cohesive unit on that floor during a performance.
I sigh softly and get myself out of my head to look up at Rachel again. When she looks back at me I lean up and kiss her lips softly. "Thank you Rachel. I know you don't care, but I am still going to work hard to keep my power even after I come out with you." I tell her as I lay my head back down on her shoulder.
"I understand Quinn, I wouldn't expect anything else. Not to mention I have complete faith in your ability to stay on top if you really want to." I laugh at her vote of confidence and hug her close to me, well as close as I can get in the position we are in. "By the way Quinn. How did your meeting with Coach Sylvester go?"
I should have known she was going to ask about that. I had failed my weigh in again and Coach had called me to her office near the end of our shared English Lit class. "She asked me if I was going to continue to fail the weigh in for a flyer or not." I pause not sure if Rachel was going to be able to contain the anger I can feel coming up within her at that question. When she manages to hold her tongue I continue. "I told her that if I was to get down to the weight of a top tier flyer I would end up sick and endanger not only myself but the squad. Then I told her that I am just too tall now to be in that position." I lick my lips before I continue, I can feel Rachel's eyes boring into me to get to what Sue had said in response to that.
"She told me it was about time I learned that lesson and she was glad she didn't have to step in and pull me from the spot. I'm off the pyramid all together now. At my normal healthy weight I can still be lifted safely by the guys so I will be working with them now within the routine. Though I will still be functioning in my role as Captain of the squad." I finish explaining happily. I'm glad I listened to Rachel and Jack. I know I will have to keep an eye on my eating habits as it seems to be a habit to just not eat if I don't have to, but I think with time I can get better at that.
"Yay! I knew she wouldn't just take away your Captaincy. You are too good at it for one, and it's no reason to take it from you for two. You cannot help that your genetics is making you taller. Though I can't say I'm all that thrilled with the fact that those guys are going to get to, touch you and 'handle' you the way I saw them with the other girls." I stop Rachel's ramble with a kiss and a little bit of tickling along her side. I found out that Rachel is very ticklish, and I love to hear her laugh. Much to her dismay she is going to have to deal with that for a long time to come.
We eventually arrange ourselves so that Rachel is reclining against the arm of the coach using her legs and a clip board as a table, and I down on the floor within easy reach so she can run her hand through my hair as she wants to while we work on our homework. It's really kind of interesting that we can actually spend time and do homework while still feeling like we are having quality time together. We are touching each other often but it's not like it is when a boy is touching me. It had always seemed like the boys demanded all of my attention when we were together, it had quickly became a chore to have them around most times. With Rachel, though, it's easy and comfortable. She's not making demands on my time just by being here. Don't get me wrong there is this underlining simmering attraction between us. We do take time outs to just kiss and touch one another but it's not demanding in a way that is smothering.
Right now we were working on the last of our homework for the night and it also happens to be one of the two classes we do not share, math. I share four classes, three of which are AP classes, with Rachel. Rachel is in a regular Geometry class where I am in AP Trig. It seems math is really not Rachel's forte, if her growling and erasing is anything to go by. I go to offer my help when I hear the front door open. "Quinn! Come give me a hand!"
I set my homework aside and hop up off the floor. "Coming!" I shout back as I move over to see what my mom needs help with. When I come around the corner I see that there are a few bags of groceries setting down on the floor in front of the open front door. I go to pick them up when I feel Rachel's hand on my back giving me a little nudge to continue out the door.
"Go on I have these." I smile back at her as she reaches down to get the bags and I give a little wave to as I head out the door. I would have argued that she is a guest but I know for a fact that Rachel would have ended up winning the argument anyway so I just decided to not bother wasting my breath. With Rachel it's better to just learn to pick your battles wisely. Between the three of us we were able to get the groceries all in the kitchen quickly and Rachel decided to stay and help my mom put everything away. It's really freaky how much alike Rachel and my mom think when it comes to organization. Most times my mom ends up kicking me out of the kitchen when I try to help her, but Rachel was able to actually 'help' mom with no problems.
"Quinn?" I pop my head up from my trig homework that I brought over to work on while sitting on the stool at the kitchen's breakfast bar to be close by if needed. I raise my eyebrow in question at my mother when all I see is her smiling at me as she leans against the island while Rachel is putting a head of lettuce into the frig behind her. Once she has my attention mom hooks her thumb behind her to indicate Rachel and continues. "Don't screw this relationship up, I like her. She actually knows how to organize things in a kitchen." I stare at my mom indignantly when she says this. To which my mom only laughs wickedly. I can even see Rachel trying to hold back a laugh behind her even though she has a lovely blush tinting her cheeks.
"I do perfectly well in the kitchen thank you very much. I can't help it that you are neurotic about how EVERYTHING has to be." I state as I cross my arms over my chest. I'm just as good as she is in the kitchen I just don't have to have everything in the same spot every single time.
"Hey! Are you saying I'm neurotic?" My eyes widen an look back at Rachel who is standing by the frig with her hands on her hips looking highly offended. My mom cackles maniacally as she walks over to the pantry and I just flounder with my mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. How do I get myself into these situations, anyway?
Luckily it turns out Rachel wasn't actually mad at me as she started to laugh at my expression just as hard as my mom was. When faced with Rachel's complete happiness I can't help but laugh softly at my own expense. I will never get tired of being the reason for Rachel's happiness, even if it means I'm the butt of the joke from time to time. Mom gets started on dinner as Rachel and I finish our homework sitting at the breakfast bar so we can also talk to mom. I'm really glad that they seems to get along really well.
Rachel had tried to offer to help with dinner but mom had only asked if she had finished her homework. When Rachel had told her that she could finish it at home later, mom had gotten on to her about needing to finish her homework first before she could do anything else. That's exactly what mom had drilled into me my whole life so it was nice to see my mom treating Rachel as though she was just another daughter. I think Rachel liked it too. I think in a way Rachel likes having a mother figure caring about her. After I finish my trig homework I help Rachel with her Geometry so she can get it done faster, not to mention I can see she is really having a hard time.
By the time Rachel is finished and we put our books away dinner is just about ready. Rachel is quick to help my mom out as I go and set the table. It's amazing how we all click so well together. We are all laughing and joking around as though we've known each other all our lives. Just as mom brings out the individual lasagnas the phone rings. "Quinn can you get that please?" I move around Rachel and mom who have their hands full with bringing our dinner to the table so I can get the phone.
"Hello?" I say as I bring the phone to my ear. I know I sound completely happy as I speak because I'm watching Rachel and my mom laugh in the other room as they talk to one another. I don't know what was said but the sight of them getting along make me really happy. It takes me a second to realize that no one has said anything on the other end of the line. I frown and press the phone closer to my ear. "Hello?" I say again thinking maybe there was a bad connection or something. This time I do hear something, but it's the sound of clinks and soft breaths. I take the phone away from my ear and look at it, as though that would help me figure out who was on the other end. I look back over to my mom since she has now come back into the kitchen to get our drinks.
"What's wrong? Who is it?" I shrug at my mom's questions and hand the phone over to her when she holds out her hand to have the phone. I move to the three glasses of iced tea that my mom points to, so I can take them out to the table, while she deals with the person on the phone. "Hello? Who's calling please?" I hear her say as I walk out into the dinning room.
"Is everything alright, Quinn?" Rachel asks me as she comes up to me and takes two of the tall glasses from my hands and sets them in front of our respective place settings. I shrug setting the last glass down in front of my mom's plate as I move to pull out Rachel's seat so that I can help her sit. She gives me a shy smile and takes her seat letting me help her slide the chair closer to the table.
"I don't know. I'm not sure if they just couldn't hear me or if it was some kind of creep on the other end that just wanted to breathe into the phone." I say as I take my own seat next to her. Mom comes back into the room before either of us can say anything else and I look over at her. She doesn't looks like she is particularly bothered but mom can be really good at hiding her true emotions if she was so inclined so that wasn't a true indication of if anything was wrong or not. "Who was it mom?" I ask as she takes her seat in front of us.
"I don't know. They wouldn't answer." Mom says with a shrug as she holds out her hands across the table for me and Rachel to take. Rachel follows my lead though it's obvious she is kind of confused at the action. "Are you comfortable with us saying grace Rachel? If not you don't have to participate if you would prefer not to." Mom says gently. That seems to clear things up for Rachel and she smiles and shakes her head at the offer.
"No Judy I'm fine participating, I've just never done it before so I was slightly confused, is all." Rachel explains as she reaches over and takes my other hand with a beaming smile at my mom. "Thank you for giving me the choice to opt out though." Rachel finishes sincerely. Mom just smiles back and her and I give Rachel's hand a small squeeze of encouragement and affection.
Dinner ends up being very good and Rachel raves about the vegan lasagna that mom made for her. It was why she did it as individual dishes. Mom and I are meat eaters and we have meat in ours but mom tried a recipe she found for a vegan version tonight for Rachel. It seems that it was a hit because Rachel even asks her for the recipe. All to soon Rachel had to leave for the night and I was getting ready for bed. A soft knock on my door stops me from getting into bed and I call for me mom to come in.
"Hey sweetheart, you all ready for bed?" mom asks as she leans her shoulder on the doorframe once she opens the door. I smile and nod as I sit down on my bed a happily content smile on my lips. It had been an amazing day. "I'm so happy for you Quinn." I beam at my mom when she says this, because it's wonderful to have my mom be happy for me. She comes to sit down next to me and hugs me to her side. "I'm proud of you for finally finding your way baby. I really adore Rachel. She is everything you said she was and more. I think if you two can make it through the rest of high school and figure out your college situations you two have a real shot at this." I can't help the sniffle and the tears that comes to my eyes at hearing what my mom is telling me now. I've always wanted to make my mom proud of me.
"Thanks mom, that means so much to me. I've decided I'm going to try for Columbia and NYU." I say softly. I'd not told her of my plans that had come to me on Friday. I figure now as as good a time as any to let her know. My mom presses her lips to the top of my head and hugs me even more tightly than before. "I plan to try and double major in Theater and English Lit." I continue in a near whisper, hoping she will continue to be proud with my choice of majors. They are not conventional career tracks, so I wasn't sure how she would react with them.
"You will do amazingly at anything you set your mind to, baby. I've always believed that about you, Quinn. So if Theater and English Literature is where your passions lie then go for it with everything you have and I've no doubt that you will succeed in being the biggest star in the industry or the best damn writer or professor or whatever you plan to do with your degree when it's all said and done." I hug her back as hard as I can and she returns it with just as much vigor as I give. It's all I ever wanted to hear. I know I will never hear it from my father, but now, it doesn't even matter, because my mom just gave my exactly what I needed to hear. I know Rachel has always been in my corner believing in me but I had always wondered if I could make my mom proud of me. I wondered if she actually believed that I could make something of my life. Now I know. She does believe in me and I know now that I can do this. I can make it into Columbia or NYU and become a movie star if I really want to be. It's the most freeing feeling I've ever had, next to hearing that Rachel wanted to be with me as her girlfriend. Life was finally going my way and I couldn't stop smiling even as I drifted off to sleep for once excited about what tomorrow would bring.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It was a lot of fun to write and I'm really looking forward to hearing all of your thoughts on it! What do you all think is going to happen to Hanson? What about Rachel's protective streak? Did any of you guess what song Quinn had wrote? Who do you think show sing Pretending with Rachel at Nationals? Why do you think about Finn's quick attitude switch after Glee? What do you think about the three set lists that Rachel has come up with? What song do you think is the group number that Rachel was talking about? Who was on the phone? Did you all like the bonding time with Rachel, Quinn, and Judy?
Keep your thoughts coming I love to hear them and they help me to know what you all want to see more of! Yes I do have an outline and I know where the story is going but that doesn't mean that I won't add to it with expanding on some of the things you all want to see more of or have something better flushed out! So don't be shy and I'm more than welcoming to continued questions and comments in my PMs.
(Spanish phrase translation: Pendejo! Usted no sabe nada acerca de mi amistad con mi Pequeña Estrella! = Asshole! You know nothing about my friendship with my Little Star!)
Thank you all for all your support with this story! Until next time! Jae~