Peeling Back The Layers

Chapter 3

Author's Note: I want to thank Giuliette Rose for being my co-author. She wrote this chapter and I think is really good.

Jesse's POV:

Rachel Barbra Berry.

When he saw her, she was nothing like her normal self. She wasn't wearing her usual animal-printed sweaters, nor was she wearing her typical plaid skirts.

No. She was wearing a gray sweatshirt, one that she had bought on—to his knowledge—her most recent trip to the City, a pair of black leggings, and her Uggs. At one glance, one might deem her as comfy.

Jesse knew better.

He knew every singe body motion was restrained and terrified. He saw as she picked up her physics textbook—shaking with fear and exhaustion.

Quinn was near her. Her body had for the most part snapped back to its previous shape and her silky blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail. She was being remarkably civil toward Rachel, something Jesse had never seen. Had they become friends in the past few months? Had they suddenly forgotten that Rachel had spilled Quinn's secret to Finn?

In all fairness—Jesse didn't care. As long as she wasn't trying to hurt Rachel or to get back at her, he was okay.

It was Quinn that saw him first. Her eyeliner clad eyes widened as she watched him approach. Rachel looked her confused before she turned around and saw the young man draw near.

She didn't say anything; she just stood there drinking in the masculine form in front of her.

The warning bell went off, and Rachel hurried off to her physics class. Quinn, however, stayed right were she was.

Jesse looked as if he was about to run after her before Quinn placed a hand on his chest. The gesture set him off slightly, but he bounced back quickly.

"Hold it right there, St. James. What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Don't you have to get to class?" He retorted.

"Free period, and you didn't answer my question." Her soft, soulful voice was quite forceful.

"What happened to Rachel?"

"She's been traumatized."

"By whom? I'll kill the bastard."

"I don't know." Said Quinn; clearly skeptical about the way that Jesse was talking. "But you're one to talk, after what you did last year."

"C'mon, I'll buy you lunch. I can explain everything there."

"Junior's lunch period isn't until next period."

"But you have a free. C'mon, I'll take you to breadsticks. Nobody has to see you."

"Fine, Jesse. But I need to be back for Rachel's lunch. We always sit together."

"You can explain some things too."

The pair left the school grounds and in minutes they pulled up in front of Breadsticks. Jesse hadn't been there in about a year. He couldn't bare being back without Rachel. This had always been their choice of dining; being here alone would have brought back too many good memories. But since he was here to talk about Rachel, it didn't make much of a difference. They were seated at a table in the corner of the room. Quinn shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"So," she began. "Why are you back?"

"I failed out." His blunt response wasn't expected. He'd always seemed so much smarter than Finn. He always used big words and understood what older people were saying. She shook her head with a quick motion as if to shake what he said from her mind.

"What?"

"I failed out." There it was again.

"How?"

"My mind was somewhere else. Or, should I say, my mind was on someone else."

Quinn nodded.

"I still don't understand how you could flunk out."

"I was depressed. I didn't show up to a lot of classes and I stopped doing homework. I spoke with the dean a lot. He said that if I didn't start to pick up the pieces, I would have to repeat the semester. So, I made everything easier. I left."

"So you didn't flunk out. You just quit."

"I could have flunked out. I knew that I needed to straighten things out with Rachel, and I knew that if I didn't, then I wouldn't be able to actually get any work done. I'm just going to go to community college here. I can live with my uncle and my cousin while I'm here."

"But Jesse," Quinn started. "Did you really think that coming back here was a good idea? Did you honestly think that you could waltz back into Ohio and Rachel would fall back into your arms?"

"No, I didn't." It was the right answer, but even though it came from his mouth, he hoped that it wasn't true. Of course he wanted Rachel to love him again! That was no doubt his motive for his homecoming. But he also knew that there would be some sense of actually winning her back.

"No, I didn't." It was the right answer, but even though it came from his mouth, he wished that it wasn't true. Of course he wanted Rachel to love him again! That was no doubt his motive for his homecoming. But he also knew that there would be some sense of actually winning her back. But now, in her clear state of anguish, he needed her trust more than anything. He wanted more than anything to make the pain and the hurt go away.

"She's hurt, scared, and I doubt that she'll trust anyone really for a while, let alone you."

"I just can't believe I would do that, you know?"

Quinn just sat there, waiting to hear what he had to say about his huge mistake last year.

"Frankly, I don't know why I did it. I know that I was hurt about what she did to me, but she'd apologized and we'd made up. I wanted to win…I thought she would understand. I thought she would understand that the competition was too important for me to give up. I needed that last national title or else I wouldn't get my scholarship. I wouldn't have gotten back on the team if I hadn't done that to her. I guess that I assumed that I would end up getting her back after we won. I never considered—never wanted to consider the alternative. The one where she wouldn't trust me again."

"Well," Quinn said once he had finished his monologue. "I trust you. I just don't know if she will. That was horrible what you did to her. Really, terrible. But she loved you, maybe she still does. I don't know. But if you really care about her, make her feel comfortable. Make the pain go away—try to at least." Her cold hand rested on his warm ones.

"I don't want to fuck it up again." He whispered.

"I know. But if you really care this much about her, take the risk. Take the risk and make sure you never do anything to hurt her. Make sure that she always feels safe and happy. Make sure that she's loved."

Jesse nodded and looked down at his watch.

"We should go if you want to be back for Rachel's lunch period."

As they drove, Quinn started to tell Jesse how she had befriended Rachel.

"I just saw her get slushied. I saw how unusually upset she was. I took her to the bathroom and I saw something I hoped never to see on anyone. I made sure that she wasn't harassed for the rest of the day. That was yesterday. She's so afraid. Afraid of every little sound…every little movement. She's hurt and terrified and I just don't know what to do. I'm scared too, Jesse."

Tears welled up in the pretty girl's eyes before they leaked down her pale cheeks.

He held grasped Quinn's shaking hand and looked into her eyes.

"It'll be fine. We'll all be fine. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." She retorted as she wiped the moisture from her green eyes and sniffled.

"No. I shouldn't. But I can make the promise that I will try my very best to make her happy and safe and comfortable and above all else, make her feel loved. She's been traumatized, but plenty of people have PTSD. We can do our best. That's our promise. Now, get out of the car and give me a hug."

They opened the doors to his Range Rover and stepped out into the school's parking lot.

He walked over to the blonde girl and gave her a tight squeeze. She was taller than Rachel, and fit more awkwardly into his hug than she did, but nonetheless, it was worth the effort.

"I'm going to go and sit with Rachel now. I think it's better if I go alone. I don't know if she'll say anything to me if you're there. I'm sorry. I'll try to talk to her about you. We'll build up her trust and make sure she's comfortable. I'll talk to you later. Lets trade numbers, and I'll text you later."

"Bye, Quinn."

"Bye, Jesse. Thanks for lunch. It was nice talking to you."

"You too. You too."

Jesse re-entered his car, but he couldn't make his hands turn the key and drive away. All he could do was sit in his car in silence until his breathing became normal again.