Quinn's hands reached out to touch – anything at all – but she found herself reaching into emptiness and all she could feel is the darkness that surrounded her.
She blinked her eyes furiously, wishing that with the flutter of her eyelids, the nightmare would simply disappear. Nonetheless, it was fruitless; every single time she reopened her eyes, the darkness seemed to close in on her more.
A short chuckle was heard in the distance and she lifted her head up to see where it came from. Why did she even try? What else can she see but darkness in here?
"Who's that?" Quinn called out weakly, squinting her eyes helplessly.
The person continued chuckling, as though making fun of the poor helpless girl in front of them.
Her fear manifested, together with annoyance that grew with the person, who did nothing except laugh.
"Oh, Quinn. How can you not recognize me?" A voice from the unknown figure chuckled in amusement.
She knew the voice. Somewhere, long ago she heard this voice before. She knew it, but she could not picture the face the voice belonged to.
The figure approached her and a faint light glowed at the features of the unknown person. Quinn struggled to look, only to gasp in shock at the face she saw.
"Y-You…" She blurted out, retreating in her steps when the other girl continued approaching her.
"Yes, it's me, Quinn," the other girl laughed again, making Quinn sick in her stomach.
She closed her eyes again, knowing for sure that this was a nightmare. Just like she was six years ago. Still, the stubborn girl refused to vacant Quinn's mind, her tone suddenly dropped to the eerie voice she used back then.
"I told you before, Quinn," she started.
"Leave Sam alone. You're nothing but a burden he badly want to shake off."
"Stop," Quinn protested, her hands closing around her ears to shut the voice out.
However, the voice then proceeded speaking in her mind.
"He hates you. You know that. Because you hate yourself too."
"Please," Quinn felt tears burning their trail down her cheeks.
The voice continued. "All you wanted was one simple thing. Yet, he never gave it to you."
"Don't say it," she knew what was going to come and she did not want to hear it. Not from her. "Please, Elaine."
Elaine laughed again, a smug face plastered across her facial features.
"Oh Quinn. You know he gave it to me."
Quinn's eyes flew open at that second, her cheeks soaked with tears that were still falling. She pushed herself off the bed into a sitting position, burying her face into her hands as she continued her soft sobs.
The bed moved again and she tried controlling her tears, sniffling back the ones threatening to fall. Warm arms wrapped around her and she leaned into his chest instinctively, seeking comfort.
"Are you okay?" Biff asked quietly, giving her arms a small squeeze.
She nodded into his chest wordlessly and snuggled close. He understood she did not want to talk and allowed the room to dissolve into the silence she needed.
Her eyes fluttered close again, but the images flashed in her mind again, refusing to let her off the hook. She found the sheets and clutched them tightly in her clasp, away from Biff's sight until the images finally left her mind.
She gave in to his embrace and allowed herself to drift off to sleep.
She walked into her office the next day with a heavy heart, unable to clear her mind of the dream last night. Quietness greeted her all around when she stepped inside and she made her way into her cubicle just as quietly.
Footsteps approached her the moment she sat down and her heart raced, thinking of her nightmare last night again.
Thankfully, it was just Rachel Berry, her co-worker.
They graduated from high school together and though they barely talked to each other back then, she grew close with the brunette when she learnt they were working together in the station.
Her colleagues had shunned her when she first started work and initially she was confused. It was only when Rachel had pulled her into a corner that she learnt about the rumors pertaining to her.
Apparently, someone had known about her relationship with Biff and used it to their advantage to spread around how she was pulling strings in order to enter the station.
As a result, no one believed she was recruited based on her talents and assumed she was sleeping around with Biff or whoever to secure her job.
Only Rachel stood by her side and she was grateful for the confidant she found in the smaller girl.
She did not dare confide in Biff about the treatment she received at work since everyone would put up pretense whenever he came to their office. Rachel was the only one who knew about it and more often than not, came to her rescue whenever she was avoided by her fellow colleagues.
"Hey there," Rachel greeted her, slinging her arm over the frame of her cubicle.
"Hey," Quinn replied, sighing a deep breath of relief.
The brunette immediately caught on and slid into a chair nearby. "What's the matter? Did Mr. J give you trouble again?"
Mr. J was their department head – Mr. Jack Daniels. A small-framed man with thick glasses, he was very often the person who found fault with Quinn. A drink with Rachel afterwards was the night they came out calling him Mr. J – short for Mr. Jackass.
"No, no," Quinn allowed a short laugh emit from her lips.
"He hasn't been finding trouble with me for quite some time now. His new record."
Her feeble attempt at cracking a joke failed to register with Rachel, as the girl leaned in closer to her.
"What's wrong, Q? Your eyes look like you've been crying all night."
Quinn immediately covered her eye-bags with her hands, turning away from the brunette. "What? No way."
"Q," Rachel's voice dropped to her usual worried tone. "Talk to me. Who else can you talk to?"
Her hands dropped and she sighed inwardly.
"You left everything behind in Ohio and came all the way here, alone. I never asked you why," Rachel shrugged. "I know you'd tell me once you're ready."
She sighed again at the reminder.
The girl narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "It's something to do with whatever you left Ohio, right?"
Quinn squeezed her eyes close and gave a weak nod.
Rachel's eyes grew wide, a soft gasp from her lips as she leaned back in her seat to absorb the news.
"Remember Sam?" Quinn's heart ached at his name.
"Yeah…." Rachel's voice trailed off, as if struggling to come up with a face to match the name. "Your ex, is it not?"
She suddenly clasped her hands together excitedly, finally recalling. "Oh, I remember! You guys were denoted as Ken and Barbie back in high school."
Quinn shook her head at her. Back to the point.
"Anyway," she focused on that word. "I saw him again over the weekend."
"What?" Rachel gasped loudly.
Quinn quickly shushed her and looked up to check if anyone noticed their conversation. Luckily, no one bothered with anything relating to her.
When she looked back at Rachel, the brunette had a thoughtful look on her features. She glanced at the blonde with a worried expression.
"I remembered," she spoke softly. "Elaine?"
Quinn's heart sank further at the mention of her name.
Rachel confirmed her suspicions with Quinn's eyes dropping to the floor, a melancholy expression on her face.
"Was it why you left?"
Her hands trembled and she struggled to keep her tears from spilling again. "Yes," she murmured.
She remembered telling Rachel briefly about her; except she never went into details about what the girl said to her. The brunette must have pieced it together and now understood the reason.
"We'll talk about this over lunch later," Rachel finally said, resting her hand on Quinn's shoulders to give her a reassuring squeeze.
She nodded.
After letting someone know about the fear she held in for six years, Quinn did not find any relief or comfort in it.
She only felt her worst fear coming true.
Sam's green orbs filled up her mind, back from the loving glazes he shot her way to the eyes full of hatred that night.
Elaine was right. He hated her. Who would possibly not hate her after she left so abruptly? She never gave him the goodbye he deserved, the closure they both needed.
She knew that if they had ended off properly six years ago, the images of Sam Evans could never haunt her again.
Quinn glanced at her watch. It was eight-fifty; she had been staying absentmindedly past her working hours in her office.
8:50. 8/5. August fifth.
The numbers were once again taunting her, willing for her to take the bait and sink into the darkness once more. She refused them of their pleasure and looked at her phone.
Biff was working late that night and had told her to go home first. His last message mentioned he was probably ending by nine, which was only ten minutes away.
I could wait.
Quinn decided, not wanting to be alone in their house. A few minutes more and they could go back together.
Her phone rang just as she was deciding, scaring her as it vibrated in her hands. She expected it to be Biff, calling to ask where she was.
An unknown number flashed across her screen and she furrowed her eyebrows. Who could it be?
"Hello?" she greeted curiously.
She was met with silence from the other end of the line, only hearing soft breathing of the caller.
After waiting for a while, the person still did not speak up. Quinn tapped her feet lightly, before clearing her throat.
"Who's this? If you're not speaking, I'm hanging up."
"Quinn?" The caller asked hesitantly.
"Yes, this is Quinn Fabray. Who am I speaking to?"
There was a pause on the other end, before the hoarse voice cracked out.
"Sam."
Her voice caught at her throat. Sam? Could it be…?
As if answering her, the voice continued. "Sam Evans."
She could not find words to reply him, instead she sat shocked in her seat with her phone tightly pressed against her ear.
"We need to talk."