Well, after another ridiculously long break, I'm back. I apologise profusely for the gap but during school I just have so much work that I don't have enough time to dedicate to this as I'd ideally like. But know this: I am determined to finish this story.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or Glee etc.
"Stop it" Quinn tried to giggle, her voice far more tight than she'd have liked.
"What's wrong, baby?" Max cooed, his hands refusing to stop roaming all over her body, under her short Cheerios skirt. They were fooling around on the bleachers since Glee practice was today and football and Cheerios practice had been moved since so many of their members overlapped.
Quinn scowled at the empty playing field, if only they hadn't all defected to Glee and then there would be practice today and she wouldn't be making out with Max. She closed her eyes, composing herself, there were only three more months until Prom and Max was a shoe in – the dwarf had ruined Finn's chances, Puckerman was probably off in juvie somewhere and Sam wasn't even a contender, so why had his name popped into the blonde girl's mind? She sighed heavily before opening her eyes, "I just, don't want to do anything out here" she replied stiffly.
Max squeezed her butt, moaning "Come on baby, that's what you said in the boys locker room". His other hand reached up to her neck, trying to pull her lips back to his, "What's the point if you don't want to give me a little something?". The boy smiled in a way in which he probably perceived as extremely charming but the only word Quinn could use to describe it was 'slimy'.
"Well maybe if you treated me like a lady and didn't try things in the boys locker room or on the bleachers you'd have more luck!" Quinn snapped angrily, knowing that every word was false. She hadn't slept with anyone since Puck and Max was the last person she wanted after the traumatic experience that followed. She couldn't help but compare him to Sam, who'd been so gentlemanly after that first time he tried to go further with her than she was ready. Once she'd explained about Beth, the boy was nothing but sweet and caring towards her. But Max was the polar opposite, she hadn't even bothered to explain to him why her body was so fragile. Besides, if she had to sleep with him to become prom queen, wasn't that just a small price to pay to become a proud Fabray? Then perhaps her father would love her and who knows how many people Coach Sylvester's slept with to get ahead in life. She shook the thoughts out of her mind; bringing herself back to the present "I wanted to talk to you about something" the girl smiled, in an attempt to change the subject.
"A lady hm? I'll keep that in mind" Max winked, slapping her but before finally removed his hands from her; the girl sighed with relief. He placed both hands behind his neck and reclined on the metal bleachers "Yeah, what do you want to talk about?".
Quinn smiled coyly "Prom".
Max furrowed his eyebrows, "What's there to talk about? It's a stupid dance, we'll go together and everyone will be staring at you because you're with me" he laughed cockily, "Though I guess that's just another perk about being with me".
Quinn pursed her lips, trying to hide her disgust. She couldn't help having standards, even old HBIC Quinn had standards, but unfortunately for her, there were just no other viable options. "You're right" she replied, trying to sound breezy, "There's nothing to talk about, I just wanted to confirm that we're going together" she shrugged.
The girl looked down at her phone, "Oh, my mom is going to be here soon, I better go" she lied. She bent down and kissed the boy, he tried pulling her onto him with her hands and his tongue tried to force its way into her mouth but Quinn tore herself away. "Sorry" she pouted her lips in a way that she knew looked sexy and bounced down the steps in a way that revealed her butt. The phrase 'It's all about the teasing and not about the pleasing' echoed through her mind. Chastity club had been a much simpler time and she only hoped that now, teasing Max would keep him happy enough for him not to push her too far.
At the bottom of the bleachers she blew him a kiss and smiled coyly before running off. She couldn't help but notice that a great weight had just lifted off her shoulders.
There was still an hour to wait before Julie Fabray finished work and came to pick her daughter up. She had been too proud to ask for a lift and had felt so desirable when Max practically begged her to go to the bleachers with him, though she had immediately regretted that decision. So now, she was sitting in the library, trying to tackle the seemingly endless catch-up work she'd had since the accident. Between that, Cheerios practice, physical therapy sessions and fending off Max, Quinn had barely had time to herself so she was taking this chance to relax and clear her mind.
"Quinn?" Came a tentative voice from behind her, one that the girl would recognise anywhere.
She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could fall into the owner instead of being the bitch she needed to be to stay on top. Why couldn't she have everything? Why couldn't Sam be less of a dork? Though she guessed she wouldn't love him if he wasn't, not that she did love him.
"Quinn?" The voice came again, "Are you ignoring me now?".
Quinn snapped back to reality, "No" she replied, less icily than she'd perhaps intended, though she was glad for it, "What are you doing here?" she asked as the boy slid into the chair next to her.
"Picking up some sheet music for Glee" Sam replied softly, motioning to the papers in his hand. "More importantly, what are you doing here?"
The girl couldn't help but feel a little glow of warmth, Sam always put her first, she was important. "My mom can't pick me up until 5.30 and I can't drive because my car's been written off and my therapist hasn't given me the OK yet anyway". It had been two weeks since they'd last spoken and already Quinn was shedding her bitchy exterior; it felt good to finally soften since keeping up her perfect image was exhausting.
Sam smiled at her, but not in a way that suggested pity, merely friendship. "Aw, you should've said, I would've given you a lift – I mean, I know my truck is a little beat up but it does the job, yeah.." he trailed off, almost seeming shy.
"Thanks but no thanks" Quinn said crisply, reverting back to herself after a fleeting moment of weakness. "I don't need your pity. I'm head cheerleader" she added, more to reassure herself than anything else.
"Come on, don't be like this" Sam pleaded, "I know you're mad at me for what I said and I really am sorry, I wasn't thinking. But this isn't about me, even if you don't want to be with me, why are you with him? If you're so strong then why do you need anyone?"
Quinn felt her eyes prick, Sam was voicing the exact worries that lay upon the surface of her mind. She was with Max, despite the fact that she didn't like him because she wasn't strong, she'd always needed a boy – Finn, Puck, Sam, now Max - they all seemed to screw her over, so why did she still need one? "I- I don't know" she whispered, barely audibly.
"Right," Sam said definitely, "Come on" he grabbed the now tiny girl by the arm and lifted her – firm but gentle. His thumb and fingers could meet each other around her arm and she could see a flash of worry in his eye but thankfully, the boy didn't voice his concern. He knew her so well.
"What?" Quinn cried, confused. She got to her feet but refused to move until Sam had explained himself. She wished she hadn't exposed herself to him but it was too late now, and she couldn't feel regret for being honest to Sam.
"Let's go to Breadstix" he smiled kindly, "We can talk somewhere where you don't have to pretend to be, well, you know".
Quinn couldn't help but smile back, though he saw through her fakeness, the boy was far too kind to call her out on it. "Everyone goes to Breadstix, it'd hardly be private"
"Well than we can go anywhere you want to go- my house? Did you know my family moved back to Lima? I'm sure they'd love to see you. I mean, only if you want" Sam was almost pleading now, and he had that sweet look in his eye that made Quinn's heart melt.
"I have physical therapy so I can't today" Quinn said, her voice flat, she was trying to remove herself of all the emotions that Sam seemed to have re-ignited.
"Oh, okay" Sam's head hung, downtrodden "How are you?" He asked, scratching the back of his neck.
"Don't you have a Glee club to be getting back to?" Quinn sneered. She sat back down on the chair and focused once again on her books. The girl tried to close herself off from Sam once again but it was far too late, in a moment of weakness she'd let him in, and now he'd never stop.
"Not if you're going to talk to me," Sam said lowly, "Please don't go cold again, Quinn. I've missed you".
"You better go, Sam" Quinn sighed, "I have a lot of catching up to do".
"Do you want some help?" The boy asked in what seemed to be a last attempt to get through to her.
Quinn laughed cruelly, "Help from the dyslexic boy? No thank you. I need to maintain perfect grades for Yale". The words had the exact effect Quinn wanted but also the last thing in the world that she wanted; the boy walked away from her, shoulders hunched. It was paradoxical that whilst she wanted him gone, it tore her heart to see him leave her. She regretted her words but there was nothing to do now.
Lying in bed that night, Quinn mulled over her day. She seemed to ruin everything, she was ruining her chances to be prom queen by pushing away her running mate, and she was ruining her chances to be happy by pushing away Sam. She barely spoke to Santana and Brittany anymore since Max insisted that she hang around on his arm all day like some kind of trophy, giggling on command and display passionate affection in front of his friends. And, truth be told, she missed Glee. The girl really did love to sing and the club had been the only ones there for her after Beth. She was torn, no one cool ever came out of Glee – so what was more important to her?
Quinn promised herself that happiness would come when she was prom queen, just as pretty and popular as when she began, only with Max at her side instead of Finn.
The girl turned up the radio to drown out her thoughts and settled into another sleepless night.
A/N: Thanks for reading, especially if you've been with me from the beginning. I really appreciate you guys being so patient.
I do have an idea of where this is going but as always, I'd appreciate inspiration, reviews, ideas or criticisms.