When you get to the church, you realize that showing up half an hour early wasn't necessary. Where you currently live, showing up half an hour early is cutting it close. If you get there later than that you run the risk of not finding a parking place in time, no having anywhere to sit, or not actually being able get in. But you both forgot that this is Lima and you could have shown up ten minutes late and there still would have been room for both of you and fifty of your closest friends.
You sit close to the same place you did when Mr. Schue found you alone and staring at stained glass. This time you don't feel as hopeless. Mostly because you've found out that you have quite possibly the worst overreactions of anyone on the planet, including the diva sitting next to you. You remember everything that Rachel told you last night and make a silent promise to you and to her to work on it. You know she'd appreciate it if you told her out loud and you would have if she weren't so busy looking around.
"Hey girls," Puck is the next one to arrive. He plops down next to you and lays his arm on the back of the pew behind you.
You look around. There are a few people you don't recognize walking in, but you don't see who you assumed was going to be his wedding date. "Lost your date?"
He hangs his head, "I didn't ask her."
"Noah Puckerman," you scold him, "You're braver than that. Not only braver, but you're a ladies' man. What the hell is wrong with you?"
"I don't know," he shrugs, "I mean, she's leaving in two days to go back to Chicago. What's the point?"
"The point is that you miss her and none of the girls left in this town are anything like her," you glance at the door and spot her walking in. You wave to her to get her attention so she can sit with you. "You can be a roofer anywhere. Hitch your trailer to that…." You frown because you know that's wrong.
You turn to look at Rachel who is smiling at you, "Hitch your wagon to that star."
"Hitch your wagon to that star," you relay to Puck who for the first time in his whole life looks nervous as he watches Lauren near.
You somehow maneuver it so that Lauren is sitting next to Puck. Brittany and Santana walk in together, turning heads as usual. They look slightly overdressed, but Brittany explained that it was because Santana refused to go dress shopping with her the week before they came here because she was studying so she was wearing her Tony dress. Brittany wore her Tony dress because she refused to go shopping without Santana.
That sent Rachel and Brittany into a whole conversation about how they were going to have to go Tony Awards dress shopping again because the dress you wear to the Tony's is meant to be worn once.
Everyone who was in glee club with you in high school is sitting either in your row or the one behind you. You feel an overwhelming sense of comfort drift over you being surrounded by them again. They're all good people and a tiny part of you will always belong to each and every single one of them.
When Santana stands up to hug someone you don't recognize, her one shouldered, short black dress clinging to her, Brittany leans across Rachel and whispers, "Do you have them?"
You nod and point to Rachel's clutch. You didn't want to have to carry your purse with you because it didn't match your dress so Rachel offered to carry your phone and the keys. Rachel opens her clutch and extracts the keys. Brittany manages to get the keys into her purse just as Santana sat back down. You're absolutely dying to know what those keys are to, but you know that you'll eventually find out.
You're surprised by the number of high school aged students in attendance. You smile because you know that he continues to change the lives of kids everyday, and maybe help a few like you who could have lost everything in high school without him.
When Sue walks in, your wide eyes move to Santana who is staring right back at you. A small smile is slowly growing on your friend's face. Your former coach is wearing black tracksuit bottoms with white stripes down the sides. She was wearing a white button down shirt under a black tracksuit top. Her glasses were perches on her nose and in her hand was a small black book that looked suspiciously like her journal.
She was followed by a group of students who, all dressed in the same pink and black, were in two lines. It was obvious that they are the current McKinley High glee club. The two lines part at the front and stand in rows on either side of the altar.
Then Mr. Schue walks down the isle and happily stands in front of everyone, smiling from ear to ear. The entire glee club starts humming at the same time before one of the guys started singing.
It had to be you, it had to be you
I wandered around, and finally found
The somebody who could make me be true
It had to be you
Everyone stands and you stand with them, all eyes craning to see Emma. She's standing in her very traditional looking white dress, with a white bouquet in her hand, blushing profusely. Her wide eyes look all around the room and finally settle on Mr. Schue.
Could make me be blue or even be glad
Just to be sad just thinking of you
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss
But they wouldn't do
For nobody else gave me the thrill
With all your faults I love you still
It had to be you
By the time the singing stopped, Emma was standing next to Mr. Schue. They're holding hands and smiling at each other. When you hear a sniffle next to you, you look to your side and see Rachel with a tiny trickle of tears down her cheeks. You rub her back and she looks at you with a smile.
When Sue tells everyone that it's time to be seated, Rachel wraps her arms around your arm closest to her and lets out a content sigh as she leans into you.
You don't really remember what happened after that. You know that Sue was talking and you know that there was a kiss and clapping, but what you remember most was how, as the vows were being read, Rachel laid her head on your shoulder and threaded her fingers through yours. They way your bodies just fit together made your heart soar.
It was quick and over before you knew it. Everyone is mingling around, waiting to head to the reception. You look over at Puck and see him smiling and laughing with Lauren. Finn is talking to a girl that you don't recognize. You figure she must be his date. She's not terribly unfortunate looking, but you're definitely prettier than her. Rachel is talking with Sam, Artie and Tina.
Santana walking toward the exit catches your eye. You watch as she disappears in the crowd until a hand on your elbow turns you around.
"Okay, I need you to come with me," Brittany says with a mischievous smile on her face.
"To do what?" you ask.
Brittany starts to drag you out of the church without question. She keeps looking over her shoulder like she's expecting someone to come running after you both. She unlocks a car that you've never seen before and you easily slide into the passengers' seat.
"Britt, what's going on?" you ask, looking at her as she drives.
"We're have to set everything up," she states, like it's obvious.
You take a second to try to figure out what she's talking about before giving up, "For what?"
She pulls to a stop in the parking lot of your former high school, "I'm proposing remember?"
"That's tonight?" you ask getting excited.
She nods and shoots out of the car. When she opens the trunk of the car you find at least five dozen assorted roses. You both carry them to the side door of the school. She uses the keys that you gave her to unlock the door to the school and then the door to the Cheerio locker room.
She gives you some vague instructions and you just start placing roses all around the locker room. You wonder why the locker room. As you think about it, you start looking around. It's a lot cleaner than you remember it and it smells a lot better. You mention this to Brittany who you can't see because she's in the back of the locker room, setting up something else.
"Coach had it cleaned," her voice echoes off of the lockers.
"For you?" you ask.
"Yeah."
Coach Sylvester never ceases to surprise you. She treats you like work horses all the way through high school and now she'll ask you how you are and have locker rooms cleaned for you.
When you run out of the first two dozen roses, you make your way to the back of the locker room. Brittany's setting up candles and flowers all around a bench in the back. You lean on the lockers and watch her thoughtfully arrange everything, "Why the locker room?"
"It's the first place we kissed," she smiles wistfully. "I wanted to do it the first place we had sex, but I couldn't make that happen."
"Why not?" you have to ask.
She shrugs and looks at the whole scene she's set up, "Because Santana sold that car before she moved to California."
Well, you asked. You pull Brittany to you and give her a hug. "I'm so happy for you guys."
"Thanks," she smiles and hugs you back. "Will you be my maid of honor?"
You chuckle, "You haven't even asked her to marry you yet."
"I will and she'll say yes," Brittany grins, "I can ask you after if you want."
"No, it's fine. I'll definitely be your maid of honor," she throws her arms around you when you tell her.
You leave Brittany in the locker room and run into Santana as she walks in the side door of the building, "Have you see Britt?"
"Locker room," you smile and give her a hug before walking off, leaving her behind you confused.
When you walk into the gym, it makes you laugh how much it looks like the two proms that you went to. There were a few differences like that the huge doors on the side of the gym were open and leading to an outdoor patio where people were already dancing. There a bar on the patio and you're sure it has something to do with having alcohol inside of a public school. Inside the gym, there were tables set up with buffets along the sides of the gym.
You don't see Rachel in the crowd, but you knew she's there. You decide to head out to the patio set up because you hear music coming from outside. You're surprised to find Sam with an acoustic guitar behind a microphone. He's singing a soft sweet song that makes you smile. You spot the bar and walk up to it. You see a sign behind the bar telling how much each drink costs.
You don't know if it's the wedding or the mood of the people around you, but you're feeling generous. So once a small fortune has been charged to your credit card, the sign behind the bar is gone and it's an open bar. You get some champagne and sip it as you watch Sam. He sees you watching him sing and shoots you a wink before going back to singing.
Kurt slides up next to you, "Oh my god, have you smelled Finn's new girlfriend yet?"
"Smelled?" you ask. He's eyeing her and you look over at her and Finn. They look happy.
"Apparently she not only sells perfume, but bathes in it," Kurt raises his eyebrows to you.
You laugh although you know you shouldn't.
He glances around, "Where's your roommate?"
After scanning the crowd you finally spot her. She's laughing with Puck. When she tilts her head back as she laughs you can't help but smile because it sweeps her hair away from her face and the lights make her whole face glow.
"That look on your face is precious," Kurt slaps his hand to his chest, "But please go do something about it."
"I'm going to ask her out when we get back to New York," you explain, "There's a lot going on here."
"What else is going on?" he asks and looks around, "The wedding is over. This is just the after party."
Just as you open your mouth to reply a yell is heard throughout the reception. And you know exactly who just yelled, "I'm engaged bitches!"
Kurt ran off to ogle Santana's ring with all the other former New Direction's members.
"You didn't come pick up your car," Finn says when he leans on the bar next to you.
"Sorry," your eyes seek out Rachel who is gushing over Santana's ring, "I got sidetracked. First thing tomorrow?"
He shrugs, "Whenever you want."
You sip your champagne and turn fully to him, "You didn't happen to put those ridiculously expensive Italian tires on my car did you?"
He chuckles, "The five hundred dollar each tires? No, although Mom wanted to."
You look over at Finn's date who is talking with someone you don't recognize. You hope she keeps making him happy.
A clearing of a throat next to you steals your attention. You turn and find yourself face to face with Rachel. Her heels make her as tall as you so your eyes immediately lock with hers. There's a smile on her face that makes you weak in the knees.
"Where have you been?" she has her hands on her hips.
You down the rest of your drink, "Helping Brittany. I see you waited for me."
"Mike said he saw you and Brittany drive off. I figured that you'd make your way here." She leans around you and look at your ex-husband. "Finn, may I borrow Quinn for a moment?"
Finn lets out a goofy smile and nods, "Take your time."
You shoot him a forced look of disapproval. He just laughs at you and walks away to join his date.
When you look back at Rachel, she extends her hand to you, "Dance with me."
For a moment, you're sure the look on your face is blank. You're completely caught on your heels and you don't know what to say. So she giggles and pulls you out onto the near empty dance floor.
The song that Sam starts playing is vaguely familiar, but it's easy to sway to. You can feel Rachel's fingers lace together at the small of your back and you slip your arms around her neck.
"So when we get back to New York we're going on a date," she states just as you've gotten used to the feeling of her arms around you as you sway and the tingling look you get when there are a lot of people watching you.
Your eyes were half closed, but now they're fully open, "Wha-what?"
"We're going on a date because I have feelings for you and you have feelings for me and nothing else matters." She looks you dead in the eyes, "I know you're scared. I'm scared too but I want us not to waste this time because life is too short and all that jazz. And I know you want this too." She caresses your face with a knowing smile, "Almost as much as I do."
You look up at her and know that you're scared. You're terrified. You've never entertained the possibility of her actually reciprocating any feelings. And now it's all too real. And since you've never thought about it, you never made a plan of action. You're a planner. You like schedules and set courses of action. You've been in such a haze since she told you that you haven't made any plans. Time with Rachel lately has been unplanned, unscripted and some of the most freeing moments of your life.
You look deep into her eyes and find solidarity in her conviction. You know for sure that she wants this and for sure that she wants you. "Tell me the part again about nothing else mattering."
She grins and leans forward, meshing your lips together. The kiss is short and she doesn't linger very long very close to your lips before whispering in your ear, "We have feelings for each other and none of the rest of it matters."
You feel like she stole all of the air in the world with that kiss. You close your eyes and rest your forehead against hers. You have to ask, "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely," she smiles and kisses you again.
You let out a relieved sigh and pull back to look at her face, "I have a condition to the date."
"Yeah?" she asks, eyebrows raised, looking a little skeptical.
"I get to take you out on the date," you state. You have the perfect date in mind and it'll take a few days to get this all set up.
She nods, "I have a condition to this condition." You giggle a nod, urging her on. "No sports bars."
After a full laugh you nod, "Of course not. I can do better than that."
"Just making sure," she pulls you closer and rests her cheek against yours, quietly singing along with Sam.
Breathe in, breathe out,
Tell me all of your doubts,
And everybody bleeds this way,
Just the same.
Breathe in, breathe out,
Move on and break down,
If everyone goes away I will stay.
We push and pull,
And I fall down sometimes,
I'm not letting go,
You hold the other line.
Cause there is a light in your eyes, in your eyes.
Hold on hold tight,
From out of your sight,
If everything keeps moving on, moving on,
Hold on hold tight,
Make it through another night,
& everyday there comes a song with the dawn,
We push and pull and I fall down sometimes,
I'm not letting go,
You hold the other line.
Cause there is a light, in your eyes, in your eyes.
There is a light, in your eyes, in your eyes.
Breathe in, and breathe out.
Breathe in, and breathe out.
Breathe in, and breathe out.
Breathe in, and breathe out.
Look left look right,
To the moon in the night.
And everything under the stars is in your arms.
"I realized today-just looking at you, that I am one hundred percent sure that I want to move forward with our relationship," she adds as the song ends.
You pull back to look at her, "That's…why didn't you tell me then?"
"Where's the romance in that?" she smiles, "Here, we're dancing under the stars, all dressed up, looking utterly fabulous if I do say so myself." She pauses for you to laugh, "I'm a romantic and underneath all that non-romantic is a romantic as well."
"You wish," you tease her and run your fingers through her hair.
She looks you over and adds, "When I was doing your make-up I almost kissed you."
"I knew something was up," you point at her.
She takes your hand and kisses your knuckles, "I've been told by numerous people that I don't hide my affections well. Kurt told me all the way over here that my goo-goo eyes at you were the most obvious thing ever."
She dips her head down and drops a tender kiss on the just below your ear. You close your eyes, feeling your stomach drop. "Rach, you should…probably keep it PG for a while. At least until after our date."
Her hair tickles your shoulder when she pulls back with a smile, "I know. I couldn't help myself. We can keep it PG for a while if you want."
You tighten your arms and press your bodies together. You don't even know if there's music anymore. You're swaying with her. "We need to talk later."
She closes her arms and you feel your hips press hard against hers. You're about to drag her into the bathroom and you know that's not how either of you want to start this relationship. You just close your eyes and bury your face in her neck. You know it's okay with her when she dances you both to the edge of the dance floor and keeps tenderly stroking the small of your back with her fingers.
"Hey," Santana's voice breaks you apart.
You look up at her with a smile, knowing why she's interrupting your moment. She doesn't add anything, she just hangs her left hand out in front of her. You disengage from Rachel who lets out a small whimper. You smile at her and take her hand, threading your fingers through hers. Then you take Santana's hand with your free one and examine the ring like you've never seen it before.
"Congratulations," you look over Santana's shoulder at Brittany who is practically beaming. You let go of Rachel's hand for a moment to pull them into a three-way hug. "I love you guys."
"Yeah you too," Santana mumbles. Then she smiles at you, "You have to tell me how you got together with Berry when we get back to New York cause if you tell me now I wouldn't remember. The only thing in my brain right now is," she tilts her head up and calls out, "I'm engaged bitches!"
You laugh at her and shake your head. She spots someone she hasn't shown her ring to and drags Brittany along with her.
"Hey guys," Puck walks up to you both and puts an arm around each of you, "Mr. Schue wants to know if anyone else wants to perform because the current New Directions members are having some kind of meltdown because of something stupid. Boyfriend stealing or some shit like that."
You and Rachel share a knowing smile before she nod, "I'm sure I can throw something together." She pauses, "Go get Mike, Finn, and Sam and meet me in the choir room."
He nods with a smirk. Then walks off. He pauses a few steps away and turns back to you, "By the way," he motions between the two of you, "Totally hot."
You both laugh as he walks away. Then you look at her, "Need any help or can I grab some more champagne?"
"Oh I got this," she grins, "Just be in the gym in ten minutes and hold my clutch?" She gives you a chaste peck on the lips as you take the clutch from her and she disappears into the crowd.
You find Brittany at the bar with two glasses of champagne in her hand. "Where's your fiancée?"
"She's on the phone with her mom," Brittany smiles and points with her eyes to an area between the football field and the dance patio where Santana is pacing back and forth, gesturing emphatically with a hugest smile on her face.
You feel the clutch vibrate in your hand so set your drink down and dig out the device that's causing the interruption. Rachel's phone is lit up and buzzing, displaying the word AGENT. You silence the phone and place it back in her purse. You hope it's something that can wait because if she got the lead in a Broadway Revival of Evita and she didn't find out immediately you know she'll kill you.
You decide to go into the gym because you're not sure how long Rachel's been gone, but you don't want to miss anything. Inside, most of the people are sitting at the tables enjoying their meal. You find Tina, Mercedes and Artie sitting down and take an empty seat next to Mercedes. She immediately puts her arm around you, "Congratulations girl."
"For what?" you ask, eyeing her food. You haven't actually eaten dinner….or lunch for that matter.
"Rachel," Mercedes giggles, "I saw you get your mack on outside."
You duck your head and blush. You're not sure how to respond and thankfully you don't have to. Mr. Schue is walking up the ramp onto the small stage with a microphone in his hand. Once everyone quiets down, he brings the microphone to his lips, "I'd like to thank everyone for coming. It means so much to Emma and me." He pauses, "And there's been some complications with tonight's entertainment, but luckily, I know some extremely talented people. So, without further ado, we have a performance by one of my former students and current Broadway star, Rachel Berry."
The lights go down on him and shine on the doors in the back of the gym. The music starts to a song that brings a smile to your lips. The double doors burst open and Puck, Mike, Finn, and Sam wheel in a black piano. Sitting on the side of the black piano, facing away from the crowd with one leg crossed over the other and a microphone was Rachel Berry.
The boys swivel the piano and a spotlight shines on her as she starts singing as they continue to wheel her on the piano, rotating, toward the stage.
Don't tell me not to live just sit and putter
Life's candy and the suns a ball of butter
Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade
Don't tell me not to fly I've simply got to
If someone takes so spill it me and not you
Who told you you're allowed to rain on my parade?
They continue wheeling her to the stage and up the ramp until the piano is in the middle of the stage. She easily slides onto her feet and walks to the front of the stage.
I'll march my band out. I'll beat my drum.
And if I fanned out, you're turn at bat sir
At least I didn't take it hat sir. I guess I didn't fake it
Get ready for my love cause I'm a comer.
I've simply got to march my to drummer.
No body oh nobody. Is gonna rain on my parade.
That last note brings the house down. Everyone is on their feet, clapping and cheering. You see numerous phones and cameras out, trying to capture the magic that is Rachel Berry. You've never been more proud in your life because that beautiful, talented, extremely amazing woman agreed to go on a date with you. You've never felt luckier.
On the stage, Mike appears with a microphone stand and Finn with a piano bench. They both set them up so that Rachel can sit in front of the piano and have a microphone she can sing into. She smiles at the crowd and runs a scale on the piano as she talks, "I owe a lot to Mr. Schuster. He taught me the value of humility and modesty," you chuckle along with the rest of your fellow glee clubbers. "I also owe him for bringing me together with some amazing people. Most of us haven't seen each other in years and we come together like we never left McKinley." She plays the chords of a song that you immediately recognize. Mostly because she's made you watch the movie at least twice. "So I am honored to be able to sing at his wedding. When I say this, I think I speak for all my fellow glee clubbers past and present when I say Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury…finally, right?"
A round of laughter rose from the crowd before Rachel starts singing again.
No more talk of darkness,
Forget these wide-eyed fears.
I'm here, nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you.
The way she closes her eyes when she sings, completely melts you. You know that by the end of this performance she could get you to do pretty much whatever she wanted you to do. You have to roll your eyes at yourself for being that easy.
Let me be your freedom,
Let daylight dry your tears.
I'm here, with you, beside you,
To guard you and to guide you
Then say you love me every winter morning,
Turn my head with talk of summertime
Say you need me with you, now and always
Promise me that all you say is true
That's all I ask of you
As she's singing, you see Puck, Brittany, and Santana quickly walk toward the front of the gym and then out the doors. You wonder what they're up to. If Puck and Santana are in cahoots then it's serious.
Let me be your shelter,
Let me be your light.
You're safe: no-one will find you
Your fears are far behind you
Let me lead you from your solitude
Say you need me with you here, beside you
Anywhere you go,let me go too
That's all I ask of you
The audience erupts all over again. You stand along with everyone else. She just smiles and continues to sit at the piano. She adjusts the microphone and looks out over the audience, squinting against the lights. "Let's see who else I can drag up here…"
Your heart starts racing as she finds you and her smile widens. You shake your head, but she just rolls her eyes at you and says, "Ladies and Gentlemen, straight from her New York City debut, Quinn Fabray singing one of her favorite songs…'I've Never Been in Love Before'."
You initially resist, Kurt and Mercedes pushing you toward the stage until Rachel pleads to you with her gorgeous, brown eyes that you would look at for days. Finally you huff and walk up to the stage. She accompanies you on the piano. Once again she picks a short song for you to sing, which actually is one of your favorites.
When everyone claps you graciously bow, but practically run off of the stage.
Puck reappears in jeans and a black v-neck and helps the guys push the piano off of the stage and off to the side. He walks back onto the stage with a wireless microphone in his hand. "Okay now this is a dance song so everyone on your feet!"
Rachel walks over to you and pulls you to your feet, smiling sweetly in an apology for making you sing in public. When the music starts you drop your head on her shoulder and start laughing.
Puck calls out, "Ladies and Gentlemen. This is a Puckfizzle Producshizzle. Brittany!" Just he says her name Brittany does a back handspring onto the stage and then steps to the side, a microphone headset by her mouth, in a resurrected baggy black pant/black 'New York City' shirt complete with black hat that she must have resurrected from the glee costume closet. "The Princess is here!" Then he and Brittany yell, "Santana!"
Santana struts onto the stage with a wireless headset on as well. She's in painted on jeans and a white button down shirt that's tied in the middle so her midriff is showing.
Brittany meets her in the middle of the stage and says, "This beat is-"
Santana takes over as Mike jumps up on the stage in all black dancing backup with Brittany.
Automatic, supersonic, hypnotic, funky fresh
Work my body, so melodic this beat flows right through my chest
Everybody, ma and papi came to party, grab somebody
Work your body, work your body, let me see you 1, 2 step
Rock it, don't stop it
Everybody get on the floor
Crank the party up
We about to get it on
Let me see ya, 1, 2 step
I love it when ya, 1, 2 step
Everybody, 1, 2 step
We about to get it on
They've cleaned up the dance a little since the time they did it in the glee club. The things Brittany and Santana do with each other are still pushing it, but this time you don't feel like you're watching an X-rated movie.
You glance at your dance partner who is just holding your hand and bopping to the music. She is, as always, adorable.
We gon' drop the beat like this, ooh wee
It don't matter to me, we can dance slow
Which ever way the beat drop, our bodies will go
So swing it over here, Mr. DJ
And we will, we will rock you
Santana stops her dance and motions to the head table, "Mr. Schue get up here and One, Two Step."
You look over Rachel's shoulder, but know that he cannot resist dancing to some old school R&B. Everyone claps when he takes off his jacket and walks up to the stage. He starts dancing with Mike, Brittany and Santana like he isn't a day older than them as Brittany raps.
I shake it like jello, make the boys say hello
'Cause they know I'm rockin' the beat
I know you heard about a lot of great MC's
But they ain't got nothing on me
Because I'm 5 foot 8, I wanna dance with you
And I'm sophisticated fun
I eat fillet mignon and I'm nice and young
Best believe I'm number one
Santana takes over and walks to the front of the stage, motioning for everyone to start dancing. The whole crowd in front of her starts doing the simple step, step hop as she finishes up the song. Rachel drags you to the space between the tables where other people are dancing and does it with you, laughing the whole time.
Rock it, don't stop it
Everybody get on the floor
Crank the party up
We about to get it on
Let me see ya, 1, 2 step
I love it when ya, 1, 2 step
Everybody, 1, 2 step
We about to get it on
After that song, all the past and present members of New Directions in attendance do a rendition of 'Don't Stop Believin'" that makes Mr. Schue cry. By that time everyone was about ready to go home and the newly weds were ready to get on their way to their honeymoon.
You and Rachel decide that you've had too much to drink to drive so you're both content to just walk. After saying goodbye to Brittany and Santana who were flying back to New York in mere hours so Brittany could get to work and Santana wouldn't miss class (and saying goodbye to the ring which Santana made sure to show you again) you hugged all of the people that you went to high school with. You'll miss them and exchange e-mails and phone numbers with all of them, but you're happy to be going back to New York. With just you and Rachel and your whole overcomplicated relationship.
As you walk back to her dads' house, so you can drop her off chivalrously as she's pointed out, she takes your hand and swings your joined hands between you.
As you turn the corner, away from the school, she says, looking up at the stars twinkling against the midnight sky, "I've known that my non-platonic feelings for you are real for a while now. And there are two reasons I've waited this long to tell you."
You stop on the corner of the street to unbuckle the heels that have been killing you for a couple hours now and prod, "And they are?"
She kneels down and helps you with your balance before sitting on the grass of someone's front yard as she takes off her own, "The first reason was to placate you. I knew you'd be skeptical if I didn't take at least a week."
You smile because she does know you so well and you're amused by her frank honesty, "And the second reason?" You hold your hands out and she takes them so you can pull her to your feet.
"You're my best friend, Quinn. I was scared that if we did embark on this and something happened... I don't want to lose you completely. I know I'm a lot to deal with. I'm very high maintenance and sometimes I'm clingy and I'm needy and sometimes I'm every bad stereotype of a girl there is which doesn't make for a very good girlfriend most of the time. You're patient but patience runs out." She stands there, looking at you a good three inches shorter than you without her crazy high heels.
You take a deep breath. You know all of these things and you've thought about them at length. It'd be a lie if you said you weren't worried about her little quirks clashing with your longer-than-in-high-school-but-still-short temper. But you've been working on it. And you will continue to for as long as you're with her. "We'll take it as we go," you assure her and start walking, sliding your hand into hers again. "Besides, we have one week until our first date. That's plenty of time for you to think it over and change your mind."
She squeals and looks at you with wide eyes, "One week? How am I supposed to wait one week?"
You're delighted that she's excited. You squeeze her hand and assure her, "It'll be worth it. I promise."
She sighs, with an over exaggerated pout as you both stop in front of her dads' house. You pull her into a hug and feel her lean into you. "Kiss me?" she mumbles against your shoulder.
How can you say no to that? You pull back and lightly brush your lips against hers. She let's out a soft moan and pushes up on her toes to deepen the kiss, your lips sliding together and grappling to stay together. Finally you pull away. You know you're both semi-drunk and making out in public isn't the best publicity she could get. Plus you're in front of her dads' house and you may die if one of them actually caught you kissing their little girl. And besides, you don't want to do too much before your first date. Just because you didn't start this the most traditional way doesn't mean that you don't want to stick to a traditional post-first date timeline. That means no sex on her dads' lawn, no matter how hot she is.
"You going to pick me up in the morning?" she asks, pulling you into another hug.
"Mhmm," you hum into her hair before kissing the side of her head, "Sweet dreams." If anyone else had said that, you'd roll your eyes and fake a gag, but Rachel's vicinity makes idiotic, sappy things come out of your mouth and you just grin like a fool.
"Goodnight Quinn," she pulls away and smiles at you before turning up the walkway and disappearing into her dads' house.
As you walk back to your mom's house, a car drives up next to you and the glare of the light blinds you for a moment. Before your eyes adjust the siren of "I'm engaged bitch!" and you laugh.
Brittany's driving the car and Santana is leaning over her, so she can communicate with you. Brittany pulls the car over and you walk up to the driver's side window, "Congratulations guys."
You can tell that Santana has been drinking a lot, but Brittany looks perfectly lucid. You grin at Brittany, "Rethinking your proposal?"
The choreographer laughs and looks at Santana who is almost out the other window yelling at someone walking down the other side of the street. She shrugs, "I guess I'm stuck with her now." She glances at the shoes in your hand, "Need a ride?"
"Nah," you shake your head, "My mom's house is only a block away. I'm happy for you B. Really." You jerk your head toward Santana who is now fully back into the car, unbuttoning her shirt, "You should probably get her to bed soon before she's running down the street, naked, ringing on people's doorbells just so she can tell them she's engaged."
Brittany laughs and nods, "Wanna meet me for lunch on Tuesday?"
"Sure," you nod, "See you later."
With a final wave, Brittany pulls away. You watch their taillights disappear as they turn down a different street. When you get back to your mom's house, all the lights are off except for the one in the entryway. You quietly make your way up the stairs and into your room. You unzip your dress and let it pool at your feet, not bothering to hang it up before falling into bed.
You roll onto your side and pull a pillow to you. It's not the exact consistency of Rachel, but it'll do. You smile into the pillow as you drift off to sleep thinking that this trip back to Lima wasn't so bad after all.
Holy song lyrics Batman. The songs used in this chapter are:
It Had To Be You - Frank Sinatra/Harry Connick Jr.
Breath In, Breath Out - Mat Kearney
Don't Rain On My Parade - THE Barbra Streisand
All I Ask Of You - Barbra Streisand
I've Never Been In Love Before - Frank Sinatra
1, 2 Step - Ciara featuring Missy Elliot
Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
Thank you for reading and all the reviews.