Tell me about you
The night events left Rachel confused. She couldn't stop thinking about Quinn and the secrets that they had together. She couldn't stop thinking about hazel eyes and soft hands and words that had saved her life that had made her see the light in this dark tunnel that seemed to have no end.
She couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful the girl was and the feelings that had woken within her after their encounter a few hours ago because she had never felt so drowned to another person before.
Her attention was brought back when someone opened her bedroom door and walked in without knocking first.
Finn.
Rachel put the hair brush down on her vanity before her eyes met his through the mirror. For once he looked like any other man, perhaps he was also getting ready for bed because his hair looked slightly wild and his guard was down for a change.
"I know you've been feeling a little off lately" he said as he approached closer and Rachel saw the black velvet he was holding in his large hands. "And I don't pretend to know why nor do I want you to spell all of your secrets to me at once."
He handed her the jewelry box, Rachel didn't have another choice but to take it. Her eyes were still locked with his through the mirror. She gave up and looked down while Finn observed intently as she opened the box and gasped in surprise.
"I intended to save this till the engagement party next week. But tonight felt perfect. I want you to remember what you mean to me Rachel."
His tone was sincere but it held the superiority that she hate. Inside the box was a necklace, a beautiful and huge red diamond that must have cost a fortune and it was being given to her as a reminder of a man's feeling she was being forced to marry.
"My God. Finn. Is it a…"
"Diamond. Yes it is. Fifty six carats" he proudly provided for her, her eyes went wide. It was too much even for Finn to come across.
With a goofy smile he took the necklace from her hands and put it around her throat. His fingers grazed her soft skin for longer than necessary. He looked up to the mirror to appreciate his gift.
"It belonged to Louis the Sixteenth. It's called Le Coeur de la Mer, the…"
"Heart of the Ocean." Rachel ended up saying for him. She'd heard about the lost diamond, she just never thought that it would be hers one day. "Finn. It's overwhelming" she honestly said as she touched the piece of jewelry that now rested on her skin but his eyes were trained on the reflection of the mirror. The two of them, beautiful, young and worthy. Perfect in all sense to his eyes.
"It's for royalty. And we are royalty Rachel."
The look in his eyes was something that she used to look forward to, he used to look at her with devotion, with love, with respect. Now he just looked at her like she is an object that belonged to him, just like the necklace.
He caressed her neck and her shoulders with his raspy fingers and lack of gentleness.
"There is nothing I couldn't give you Rachel. There's nothing I'd deny you if you won't deny me" she knew what he was hinting at and looking at the diamond through the mirror reflection all she saw was an object, an object that sooner rather than later will belong to him and the necklace was only a reminder that she was chained to him and she felt it closing on her throat to the point where it was almost impossible to breathe. "Open your heart to me, Rachel" he said.
The next day Rachel woke up with a mission in mind and after breakfast at the usual table she left to the last place her mother would think of to look for her.
The third class deck.
Every men, woman and children that saw her stopped whatever it was that they were doing to stare at her with curiosity and insecurity. Some with envy and disdain.
She found the social salon without much difficulty. It was much smaller than the first class one but it was definitely louder.
Rachel ignored the stares and the whispering around her while she scanned the place with her eyes until she saw Quinn with a little girl on her lap laughing while drawing something on a black book.
…
"You like that one?" Quinn asked to the beautiful seven year old Sugar and the girl nodded enthusiastically "Let's do another one" she was drawing the little girl surrounded by sunflowers and Sugar was delighted.
"Hey" Santana, who had been informed about the events of last night, tapped Quinn on her shoulder. The blonde looked back before Santana motioned ahead and her eyes met Rachel standing in the middle of the salon.
The rich girl looked a little nervous about being there but that could be understandable seeing as everybody had their eyes fixed on her.
There was not a single word being utter around as all eyes were on the most glamorous lady that had ever stepped food between them.
Rachel smiled softly at Quinn and the blonde shot up from her seat after setting little Sugar on the bench beside her. Quinn was also smiling shyly at the princess in front of her.
"Hello Quinn." Her tone was solemn with a hint of humor because she realized where she was and how this all must look to the others.
"Hello again." Quinn saluted making no motion to move. Rachel came to see her so she could take the lead in whatever situation they might engage.
"Can I speak to you?" Rachel asked her nervous making a comeback when all eyes were still fixed on her. Quinn nodded her response "In private?"
"Uh, yeah. Of course" Quinn got the hint just in time to prevent Rachel to make a fool out of herself "After you" Quinn motioned with her head and allowed Rachel to set the pace before she followed right behind.
When they left, the stunned public laughed and talked about them. They all wondered what those two could have in common to talk about.
As expected, Rachel guided Quinn up to the first class deck before she had the courage to look back and lose her words at seeing such beautiful creature staring back at her with curiosity in those hazel eyes.
"Well Ms. Berry, while I do enjoy walking by your side. I'm also wondering why you went looking for me" Quinn broke the silence they've felt into and Rachel looked beyond apologetic.
"Ms. Fabray, I…"
"Quinn" the blonde inserted with a small smile but Rachel was way too tensed to smile back.
"Quinn, I feel like such an idiot. It took me all morning to get up the nerve to face you." The brunette admitted while a group of well-dressed men passed by them. Their eyes fell on Quinn and her clothes making her feel out of place, not to mention underdress and unworthy of her current company.
"Well, I can see how that worked out for you. You're here" Quinn said. Rachel's eyes were fixed on her face, Quinn wasn't the only one filled with curiosity that day.
"I am" Rachel said remembering what Quinn told her last night. "And I want to thank you for what you did. Not just for… for pulling me back. But for your discretion" Quinn smiled and vowed her head before looking up to lock eyes with the lady.
"You're welcome and thank you back Rachel" Quinn said leaving the brunette a confused mess.
"Why would you…" everything came back to her at once. Quinn had also told her a secret when Rachel asked for one.
Rachel could only imagine what would happen if anyone knew about Quinn's true identity. It was dangerous territory and she already felt special because this was definitely a secret that matched her own.
"I believe you own me a story, Quinn" said the lady and the blonde laughed, a full laugh and it was the most beautiful sound that Rachel had ever heard. She vowed in that moment to do anything and everything that she could to gain a laugh from the blonde in front of her.
"Is that so?" Quinn pondered her options. If Rachel were to tell anyone her secret then she would have by then and then there was the inexplicable need to tell her everything. She didn't want blanks of any kind between her and this woman and she didn't know why exactly.
"You do" Rachel said before starting to walk again. It took a moment but Quinn catch up to her soon enough making her smile in delight that this woman was about to tell her the rest of that story. "From the start" she quipped and Quinn laughed again, already liking the lady more than she should allow herself to.
"I'm from New York. Had no siblings, my mom passed away when I was just a baby so it was just my father and I" Rachel looked sorrowful but didn't interrupt "We were close until he re-married this woman" she stopped talking and looked ahead like trying to forget something.
"Let's just say that the marriage didn't work out for me that well"
"How come? If you don't mind me asking"
"She didn't like me so by extend my father stop liking me and they sent me away when I was fifteen."
Rachel silently wondered how someone could not like this adorable person who was walking by her side but then Quinn's expression changed and she was smiling.
"It was the best thing that could have ever happened to me" she admitted and Rachel chuckled "I mean it. Look, I'm nineteen and I've been in more places than I care to admit. I've seen the world, I've traveled, I've worked, I've done what I love the most. I've been through thick and thin. I've suffer and I've enjoyed. I'm free and he gave me that when he choose his wife over me and I will always be thankful for that."
Freedom. It had been given to Quinn in change of her family but still, Rachel craved it. She wanted what this woman had; she wanted to travel, to see the world, to live her own life.
"How did you do it?" Rachel asked, marveled at how brave the woman in front of her suddenly was.
"My father wanted me to marry this man" Quinn rolled her eyes and shook her head at the mere thought "But I scape while at my own engagement party in Paris."
"Paris?" Rachel had always wanted to be there, she thought they'd be visiting the city while they were in Europe but Finn had other plans. He always had other plans.
"Yeah" Quinn smiled, recognizing the dreamy look on Rachel's face "And here is where my story truly begins. You wanted to know why I'm dressed like this?" she motioned to her clothes and Rachel nodded "They were looking for a girl with long blond and flowing locks" she laughed.
"Oh" it clicked, and once again Rachel was surprised by how brave that must have been. How incredibly strong Quinn was in her eyes now.
She couldn't imagine going through all of those changes or take such difficult decisions while being alone in a country that wasn't hers.
"Yeah, so thank you for keeping my secret as well" Quinn said and Rachel suddenly felt stupid to the point where she blushed and ducked her head. She wanted to hide.
"You must be thinking. Poor little rich girl. What does she know about misery, right?" Quinn shook her head.
"Not at all. What I've been through has nothing to do with my opinion of you. There are more than one ways of misery as far as I'm concerned." Rachel looked up and was met with sincere hazel eyes staring back at her with genuine concern "I was thinking about what could have happened to hurt you so much that you thought that you had no way out."
Rachel was touched. No one had noticed that something was wrong and here was this girl that she had only met twenty hours ago asking to know what was so wrong in her life and acting like she actually cared.
"I don't" suddenly the ring on her finger felt heavier "It wasn't just one thing. It was everything. It was them, it was their whole world. And I was trapped in it, I still am just like an insect in amber" she had never talked about it out loud and this woman had trusted her with what was probably her biggest secret. Rachel wanted to tell her everything.
"I had to get away, just run away from them and then I was the back rail and there was no more ship, even the biggest ship in the entire world wasn't big enough to get away from them." Quinn looked at her sympathetically but didn't interrupt "I didn't even think about, you know? I was there and the next second I was over the rail. I was so furious and I wanted to show them that they don't own me, that I can still make my own decisions. I wanted them to be sorry!"
"Oh yeah. You would have showed them to be sorry. Cause you'll be dead" Quinn said, Rachel wanted to laugh but she felt too embarrassed and self-conscious for it.
"I'm such a fool, am I?" Quinn shrugged pretending to think of her answer before she smiled and shook her head.
"The penguin last night? Is he one of them?" the blonde asked instead.
"Finn? He is them."
"Boyfriend?" Quinn didn't know why or maybe she did but she didn't want to really know the answer to that question.
"Worse, I'm afraid" then Rachel lifted her hand with the engagement right on her finger and Quinn's eyes widen at the sight.
"Wow. Look at that thing!" she couldn't help herself as she reached out to grab Rachel's hand to see the ring a bit closer and instantly felt tingles spread all over her arm at the mere touch of the soft skin of Rachel's hand.
It was a diamond and it wasn't a subtle one "You would have gone straight to the bottom wearing that" that sentence actually got a laugh out of Rachel.
"Do you love him?" the question got Rachel off guard.
"Excuse me?"
"Do you love him?"
"You can't ask me that!" Quinn laughed while Rachel raised her chin in the air.
"It's a simple question. Do you love him or not?" their eyes met. Quinn was practically begging but neither girl knew what exactly she was asking for.
"Don't marry him" Quinn said taking Rachel's lack of response as one.
"It's not that simple" Rachel said thinking about her family debts and her mother's face.
"It is" Quinn softly added.
"Please don't judge me until you've seen my world" Rachel begged.
"Well, I guess I will tonight, huh?" Rachel smiled and shook her head. This woman was anything but stubborn and for some unknown reason she loved that.
"What's this?" she asked as she took Quinn's sketch book from her hands and started looking through.
"Just some sketches" Quinn shrugged before following Rachel who was walking towards some benches pushed against the side.
Rachel eyed the first drawing. A little girl smiling brightly, it was the same girl that had been sitting on Quinn's lap earlier. She turned the page to find a woman sitting on the edge of a bed, her eyes were hypnotizing, like she could see you through the paper and she was also naked.
Rachel blushed while changing the sheet, a man sleeping was the following drawing. Another of a woman smiling, a pair of hands were the next, the same woman from before was on the next page and the next and the next. All the drawings were full of live and simply beautiful.
"These are really good." Rachel said looking behind to look at Quinn before they took a seat on the bench "They are" she repeated when all Quinn did was shrugged and smile back.
She went back to eye the book, completely fascinated by the drawings and Quinn's natural talent to capture the human essence in paper.
She saw the same woman again, naked in three more sketches and she looked up to question Quinn without making much of the bitter feeling of jealousy that appeared on the tip of her stomach.
"Well, well" she teased. The nude drawings were not crude by any means. They were soulful, real and expressive in every way imaginable. Beautiful to the eye and Rachel couldn't help but blush because she was mercilessly eying a naked woman in a sketch book.
"And these were drawn from life?" she asked, trying to suppress laughter.
"Yeah." Quinn answered with all honesty and no shame "That's one of the great things about Paris. Lots of girl are willing to take their clothes off and they used to pay me ten cents for a drawing" the sentence had so much more meaning behind and Rachel knew it.
"You mean you like…" she let it hung there but Quinn shrugged yet again.
"Women? Yeah, I do. What's there not to like about beautiful and delicate women?" Quinn's eyes traveled along Rachel's face. From her full lips to her exposed and very desirable neck to soft and gentle hands that were grasping the notebook with force.
Rachel swallowed loudly so. Quinn's eyes were burning her skin like lasers and she felt hot all over, her stomach was doing some crazy dance and her head was fuzzy. She felt overwhelmed all over.
"You're not like freaked out or anything?" Quinn asked carefully to which Rachel barely shook her head.
She had never felt this way before. No men had ever made her react that way with just a look and here was a woman nonetheless turning her into a big mess of emotions.
"Why would I be?" Rachel supplied and Quinn smiled appreciatively "You liked this woman" she added to which Quinn just deny with her head.
"She had beautiful hands" she laughed.
"I think you must have had a love affair with her or something" Quinn laughed and denied again, she reached out to turn the pages.
"No, not at all. Just with her hands" she was still turning the pages until she got to the one that she wanted to show Rachel. It was a drawing of just a pair of hands and they were beautifully detailed. Rachel could see why Quinn would like them.
"You are really talented Quinn" Rachel said as her eyes couldn't stop staring at the girl that was sitting so close to her. "You do. These drawings are amazing, you see people and that's very rare"
"I see you" Quinn said with a serious expression.
"And?"
"You wouldn't have jumped."
Rachel couldn't be sure but she did feel ashamed especially because she had just met a girl that had had it way worse than she had and probably never even thought about taking her own life to scape her misfortune.
The conversation turned a lot lighter after that as they walked along the deck side by side.
"I want to be free Quinn. See the world, travel, and work, get my hands dirty and get what I deserve. You know?" Rachel talked fast, she was exited. She was sharing dreams and no one was making fun of her for it for once.
"You want to work for what you have. I understand that. You want to accomplish and maybe take off that heavy gown" Quinn teased back while Rachel pretended to be insulted.
"Accomplish, yes. But no bad talk about this beauty" she laughed and Quinn joined her.
"But seriously, I want to get away. Maybe sing for a crowd and get a standing ovation when I'm done" Rachel had that dreamy look on her face again.
"You like to sing?"
"Yes. I love it. Music is what's got me this far, without it I don't know what could have been of my life."
Quinn smiled, already knowing how to erase Rachel's suddenly sad expression.
"There is a place in Venice where they have open mic nights and everyone gets to sing and get a standing ovation once a week" it was instant how Rachel's eye shone with delight.
"Is there?" she excitedly asked.
"Yeah there is. It's called 'Sonetto della notte'"
"Sonnet of the night" Rachel repeated in English, Quinn nodded and smiled.
"Will you take me there, Quinn?" the blonde laughed and decided to play along.
"Course I will. We'll jump in the Titanic in its way back and I'll take you there" Rachel laughed, loudly so. She silently wished that that could be the case, that she could just run away when the ship sails.
"You'll take me?" the brunette asked, only half joking now but Quinn nodded fervently, committed to do so if they had the chance. "And then what?"
"I'll take you to every single city that I've ever been to and I'll show you a trick or two"
"You'd do that?" Quinn catch onto Rachel's soft tone and nodded her head once to show her that she was serious. She wanted to take Rachel everywhere and never let her go, that was the truth.
"I'll be hard though" Quinn added if just to take the tension of the moment away "Some days you won't shower, others you won't eat, you'll sleep under a bridge on the worse ones and work at anything you can. You want to get your hands dirty? That'll be your chance"
"That's what I want" Rachel said without hesitation and Quinn smiled fondly "Why can't I be like you, Quinn? Just head out for the horizon whenever I feel like it" and then suddenly she smiled like a fool, her head filled with ideas that she wanted to make come true.
"Say we'll do it" she challenged.
"I just did but alright, we're going. We'll drink cheap beer and go on the rollercoaster until we throw up and we'll ride horses on the beach but you have to ride like a cowboy, none of that side-saddle stuff." Quinn was obviously teasing but Rachel was always up for a good challenge as well.
"You mean one leg on each side?" Quinn nodded and she owed "Scandalous! Can you show me?"
"Yeah, sure I can!" they laughed some more.
"I think I can do it. It'd be far easier, I'm guessing" Quinn nodded excitedly and like a five year old making Rachel laugh even harder than she was a second ago, very un-lady like.
Rachel's laughter died abruptly when she saw her mother accompanied by the Countess of Rothes and Terri watching them from only a few feet away.
"Mother" she reacted instantly, Quinn laughter also dying as she looked at Rachel's mortified expression. "May I introduce Quinn Fabray?"
"Charmed, I'm sure" Shelby sneered. Quinn noticed how Rachel's mother stared at her with nothing but disguise disgust and superiority, just like the penguin had looked at her the night before.
The Countess and Terri were gracious about meeting him and hear about his heroic act but Shelby was still looking at him like he wasn't worthy of their company.
"It sounds like you're a good man to have around in a sticky spot" Terri said, Quinn smiled in gratitude and humbleness while Rachel laughed obviously nervous about the whole situation.
The bugler resounded on the deck, making Terri roll her eyes and smiled disbelievingly. "Why do they insist on always announcing dinner like a damn cavalry charge?."
Rachel laughed again, Quinn's eyes glued to her and staring adoringly at the way her lips curved upwards.
"Shall we go dress, mother?" Rachel asked Shelby, trying to pull the woman away from Quinn. With one last disgusted look at Quinn, Shelby let her daughter pull her around and away from the blonde. "See you at dinner, Quinn" Rachel called over her shoulder. The countess left with them, leaving Terri behind with Quinn.
"See you" Quinn waved, her eyes fixed on Rachel's retreading form, eyes completely enamored and lost in the girl.
"Hey kid" Terri called and waved her hand in front of the blonde's face to her attention. "Do you have the slightest comprehension of what you're getting yourself into?" the woman asked.
"Not really" Quinn answered without bothering to look at the lady. Her eyes were still glued to Rachel, who was now way ahead of them.
"Well, you're about to. I hope you're ready" she eyed the boy and raised a single eyebrow at him. "What are you wearing?" she asked already knowing the answer.
Quinn looked down at her clothes. She'd spent the entire day with Rachel and the thought had slipped her mind but she was invited, she would to be let in, right?
"I figured" Terri said before sizing the boy up and down "Come with me son." Quinn followed the lady without a second thought and eyes still to her right where Rachel just turned around a corner.
Terri was an observant and she knew what was going on through Quinn's head at the moment. She didn't like Hudson, not one bit and if she had the chance to help this lovely boy to not be humiliated in front of that arrogant man then she was going to take it.
…