Rachel looked around the Lima Bean, hoping no one she knew was there. It's not like she knew too many people anyway.
She heard the door's bell and looked up, hoping it was Patricia. Her hopes were fulfilled when she saw a sloppy red bun pop up behind the bookshelves.
Patricia found her and she smiled widely, hoping she didn't seem too enthusiastic. Patricia smiled back at her, holding a frappe and hooking her purse on the back of the seat.
"So, cutie, how have you been?" Patricia dipped a finger in the whipped cream and licked it off.
"Uh, fine. And you?"
"Great. I'm excited for class this Saturday." Patricia rolled up the sleeves of her white thermal. Rachel nodded.
"Speaking of which, how long have you been in dance?" Rachel was curious, wondering if Patricia had been in it as long as she had.
"Hm..." Patricia put a finger to her chin, wondering. "About..." she looked up at the ceiling while calculating "Ten years. You?" Patricia smiled again.
"I've been doing it since I was two. I won my first dance competition at three and a half. I'm sixteen now." She smoothed out her skirt.
"Twenty four." Patricia chuckled.
"Hm?" Rachel was puzzled.
"I'm twenty four now. Twenty five in a few months"
"Oh wow, you don't look it."
"Thanks." Patricia giggled and took a sip from her drink.
After about forty five minutes of talking, Rachel had to go. She stood up to say bye and Patricia noticed the antsy look on her face.
"What's wrong?" she put a hand on Rachel's shoulder.
"Well, I drove here, but I'm getting the car fixed across the street. I don't want to wait, but I don't to call one of my dads or use the bus." She crinkled her nose, picturing the people who rode the bus.
"I'll give you a ride." Patricia stood up. Rachel shook her head in protest and mumbled out "You don't have to." Patricia laughed "No, don't worry about it!" She grabbed her bag.
Rachel slipped into Patricia's old jeep, peering out at the coffee stained seats and dog hair.
"Sorry, hopefully you're not allergic to dogs." Patricia placed the key in the ignition and backed out.
Rachel tapped her fingers against her skirt and looked out the window. "So..." she sighed "How many dogs do you have?" Patricia asked her which way to turn then said "Four." Rachel nodded, rolling the ends of her hair together.
"Do you live in an apartment?" Rachel felt like she was really bad at small talk. "No, I live in a small house with a roommate."
Rachel didn't know if by 'roommate' she meant 'girlfriend'. That's what her dads had said before coming out to their parents.
"We're here." Patricia turned to smile at Rachel. Rachel looked at her freckles and deep green eyes. Her full lips and long eyelashes. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against Patricia's.
Patricia backed away and Rachel opened her eyes.
"Rachel, I'm not gay." Patricia looked her in the eye. Rachel suddenly realized what she had done and lowered her head in shame.
"Uh, of course, I'm sorry." Rachel looked back up. "What would make you think...?" Patricia shook her head.
"Well you called me cutie and winked at me and stuff." Rachel clicked her nails together "And the date."
Patricia knit her brows and gave an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. I do stuff like that a lot." She sighed "It was just friends going out for coffee to me. I'm sorry." She put a hand on Rachel's shoulder.
Rachel stared at the floorboard, trying not to cry. How could she have done something so stupid? She was Rachel Berry. Rachel Berry didn't embarrass herself.
"Yeah." she squeaked, a lump forming in her throat. She tried to swallow it down.
She got out of the car and looked at Patricia, one last time. "See you next week." Patricia smiled. Rachel nodded and headed to her front door.
When inside, she ran up stairs and fell onto her bed. Small gasps escaped her throat. She missed Quinn and only somehow just realized it.