Two weeks pass by, Quinn is still in Lima for her summer vacation. Conor is back in Connecticut where he lives. Quinn is spending a lot of time at the Lima Bean, preparing for her next semester of hell.
Quinn is at the Lima Bean, book open and highlighter uncapped in her mouth, mindlessly chewing the back of it. That's when she hears it. His name.
"Puck"
She turns around quickly, not even giving it a second thought, and sees the barista handing Puck his coffee. She immediately feels a bit sick and hot and then he notices her, staring at him and she turns back to her book.
Puck walks over to Quinn, but he stops behind her chair. Quinn can hear him breathing behind her but by the time she turns around, he's walking out the door.
The next day is Eli's birthday. Rachel invites everyone over to celebrate, even though he's only two and won't remember it. Quinn gets there early to help set the place up.
"So how's Conor?"
Quinn is carrying a stack of paper plates to the table and a bowl of chips.
"Fine."
Rachel looks at her suspiciously. She brings the soda bottles to the table as Quinn starts fidgeting with everything.
"Quinn, what's up?"
She stops what she's doing and looks at Rachel confusingly.
"What do you mean?"
Rachel sits and she gestures for Quinn to sit as well, which she does.
"Fine? I mean we're best friends and I still can't get you to open up with me. Even though you like to doubt it, I know that something is wrong and I'd like for you to tell me."
Quinn plays with the hem of her dress.
"You're gonna think I'm stupid, you won't get it."
"Try me"
Quinn looks at her and sighs.
"It's just that we never fight. We never disagree, we never argue. Even when there is reason to have some sort of disagreement, he immediately apologizes or tells me I'm right." She shakes her head. "I know it sounds ridiculous, and maybe it's just something I'm not used to. I mean, being with Puck, it was a constant argument. We'd fight over washing the dishes, over what to watch on TV, whether we order Chinese food or pizza. Then we'd be able to talk it all out and laugh about how stupid we were acting. Or we'd fight about bigger things like because he was jealous that someone would hit on me and then I'd get annoyed and then we'd have the best make up sex and I don't know, Rachel, I miss that you know. I don't think it's healthy to just constantly get along and be all smiley and kiss all the time, I don't know." Rachel doesn't say anything. "I told you it was stupid-"
"It's not stupid, Quinn. I completely understand everything you're saying. It's healthy to fight and have stupid arguments, Jesse and I argue at least twice a day. Have you tried talking to him about it?"
"Yeah, but he just says he's happy and is never mad at me…which makes me even madder." She plays with a napkin on the table. "Conor is so sweet, and kind and really, really cares about me. I'm just so bored. When I was in high school, I always wanted everything to be perfect and I had to be on top. Now everything is perfect, I'm succeeding and doing really well in Grad School, yet I'm so unhappy." She looks out the window into the backyard and sees Jesse and Eli playing on the swing set. She looks back to Rachel, "What do I do?"
Rachel smiles at her sympathetically, "What do you wanna do?"
Quinn shrugs and sighs, "It's not that simple"
"And why not?"
"Because, yeah I'm bored, but it doesn't mean I don't care about him. He doesn't deserve to be dumped he has done nothing but be great to me."
"Why don't you take a break for the summer? Tell him you want to just work on you and focus on school and be single for a while. Or at least until you're both back at Yale."
"That may be one of your best ideas yet, Rachel."
Quinn stands up and kisses her forehead before she goes into the backyard and starts chasing Eli around.
All of Rachel's family is at her house, along with Mr. Schuester and the entire Glee Club. Puck is with Santana, drinking lemonade out of his Iron Man paper cup.
"So how was work? What'd you end up doing?"
Puck fills his cup with more lemonade. "I was just filing some paper work. I really went to just get away from Quinn. Worked out all my anger. For six months I have been wishing to be in the same room as her so I could apologize and everything could be okay. Now I hope to never bump into her, or be in the same room as her." He shakes his head and throws away his cup. "Things change, man."
"How'd you leave things with her?"
"I pretty much told her we couldn't be around each other because it hurts too much. She said nothing"
"Typical Fabray." Puck nods. "I think you should just talk to her, and be friends. I think part of you is so hurt because you miss having her in your life." Quinn is walking towards the slide, passing Santana. Santana grabs Quinn's arm and pulls her to her and Puck. "And now is a great time."
Quinn looks at her confused and walks away, leaving her and Puck alone. Puck looks at his shoes and Quinn is looking anywhere but at him. He takes a deep breath.
"So how've you been?"
"Fine."
She pours herself a drink.
"Fine?"
"You told me you didn't want to be around me, Puck, and now you wanna make awkward small talk?"
He rubs the back of his neck.
"It's not that I don't want to be around you, it's just hard to be." Quinn still isn't looking at him and Puck takes notice. He gently lifts her chin with his finger so she is looking at him. He then shoves his hands in his pockets. "But even though it's hard, I'd rather have you in my life, as a friend, than not in it at all." He shrugs and she softly smiles.