2

Just for the record, Quinn was currently standing at Brittany's locker completely because she wanted to talk to her friend. The fact that it was across from Rachel's was a complete and total convenience and Quinn was so not trying to catch Rachel's mood to see if her note improved anything because Quinn Fabray so did not care how Berry felt. At all.

Brittany had been in the middle of dishing about her late night sleepover with Artie when Mercedes Jones approached Berry's locker and Berry instantly started asking Mercedes questions about the note that Quinn had wrote for her secretly. Instantly, two things clicked in the former head Cheerios captain's brain: Berry was under the impression that Mercedes had written the note and now that Berry spilled about the note to Mercedes, it was bound to be all over the school fairly quickly. The revelation sent Quinn's stomach in knots, and she knew exactly the reason, too. Quinn was angry - livid - that gossip about the note would be out because Quinn had wanted to keep it secret between her and Berry.

But maybe Mercedes will decide to keep her mouth shut about this one, Quinn's mind suggested meekly. Yeah, right, Quinn shot back at herself. Good gossip was good gossip to Mercedes, she didn't care who it hurt, really. It hurt her to admit that considering the black girl had been such a good friend to her the year before, but there was no denying it. Mercedes Jones was a huge gossip and pretty soon people would know all about the note, maybe even bully Berry more because of it.

But this time, when people start bullying Berry, Quinn won't do anything. She will most certainly not be stupid enough to write her another note. The blonde's reputation was still suffering pretty severely from her huge mistake last year, she couldn't risk people figuring out Quinn Fabray had been writing notes to Berry and starting crazy, untrue rumors that Quinn had a lesbian crush on her or something, which would permanently send her rep to hell. The last thing Quinn needed was ridiculous, false rumors like that flying around about her that weren't true. At all.

Because Quinn Fabray was straighter than a stick, thank you very much.

When Rachel entered the choir room for glee club rehearsal, the room was buzzing with gossip. Rachel knew exactly what they were talking about, too. They were talking about the note Rachel had received yesterday afternoon, encouraging her to stay strong, from an unsigned classmate.

Rachel knew very well that the whole thing could be a huge trick, but her sixth sense was telling her something entirely opposite than what her brain was. This note, the person who wrote it, they were genuine. They cared about Rachel. Thinking that just made Rachel all the more curious to find her note writer. She hoped her sixth sense would stay on her side and direct her to the note writer - maybe they could even become friends! Or something more...

Taking her normal seat in the chairs, Rachel surveyed the room she was seated in. Everyone was pretty much huddled in one huge circle, Mercedes Jones hot in the center of it, gossiping about her note - all except two people, Finn Hudson and Quinn Fabray. The newly reunited happy couple looked miserable. Finn was glaring daggers at the back of Rachel's chair, obviously jealous that clearly someone else cared about Rachel - though it was ridiculous for the tall boy to be jealous since they had been broken up for a long time. And then there was Ms. Fabray, former head Cheerio, and also one of her number one tormentors in the past. Finn being upset as he was was a given, but Quinn? Quinn being upset confused Rachel. If anything, Rachel had expected that by now Quinn would already be shooting hot insults at her, but the blonde had been pretty much pouting all day long.

Odd.

Her sixth sense blared sirens in her brain as the last few thoughts about Quinn danced through her mind, but she shook her head wildly, dismissing them. There was absolutely no way that there was any relation between Quinn and the note she received yesterday. Just none. Even though the blonde has been through a lot the last year, now she was back to her old self - or pretty close to it, anyway. She had to admit, Quinn hadn't really bullied Rachel that much lately. Well, except for the disaster that happened when they were supposed to write a song together.

And she had been fooled, yet again, that Quinn was actually real and sought out friendship with the singer. When all she wanted was to tear her down again. Rachel had a lot of pretty raw scars: her mother, her love life, her mother... but Quinn was the one Rachel kept falling for time and time again, and it stung more each and every time.

But not anymore. As of right now, Rachel Berry was positive she would never fall for Quinn Fabray's facades ever again. She just couldn't take the ache it left her with every time, the dull, constant reminder that no one ever really wanted Rachel. They just tolerated her for her talent.

But that was the past, Rachel reminded her self with a light smile. Now, now someone wanted her and cared about her and wanted her to stay strong. Her secret admirer. Could you call it that after only one note and since it really wasn't secret anymore that she had been getting them? Rachel shrugged, deciding that she didn't care if it was correct or not, because she was too happy to care about being right.

And so Rachel made it through another glee rehearsal, with the thought in mind of a note waiting for her.

Quinn's feet lead her to Berry's locker after glee rehearsal unwillingly. She knew it was probably not a good idea to keep this going, not really. But after seeing how purely happy her note had made the brunette this morning, Quinn would be lying if she said she wasn't feeling a little proud of herself. But did that mean she should write another note?

No, she probably shouldn't. If she did, she would practically be sealing her fate at McKinley as a loser. But the lines between should and want were starting to blur, and before she knew it the blonde was in front of the diva's locker, almost ready to write another note for the diva, when something caught her eye.

A small note, sticking out of Berry's locker. It was begging her to take it, to read it. She snatched it up and was surprised to see it was addressed to her - well, not directly to her, but to "Secret Admirer" which was still her.

Dear Secret Admirer,
I must thank you for your note. It made me very happy, and I thank you for caring.
I will continue to stay strong, Admirer! :)
I hope to hear from you again soon.
-Rachel.

By the time Quinn finished reading the note three times over, she knew she had to write another note. She couldn't just write one and just stop. It just wasn't right. So writing another one, especially after the note she had gotten in return, was the logical thing to do, right? Or maybe it wasn't. But Quinn honestly didn't care too much right now.

This time, she wanted to make the note more detailed, personal. So she lugged her backpack to the library and sealed her fate.

xx

Quinn huddled over the table, which she had claimed as her own for the duration of her time, pondering over the right things to say. God, Quinn loathed this. Normally, she wasn't afraid. She was strong, confident, and words came relatively easy to her when it came to love. But in the past, it was never real, it was all for control.

And now, apparently, it's real, Fabray? She groaned and slammed her head down on the desk. A soft, tentative voice broke through her inner frustration.

"Quinn?" Rachel approached the distressed blonde with obvious caution, like she was a wild animal or something. And, Quinn guessed, Quinn probably was some sort of a wild animal to Berry after all that she'd done to the girl in the past, "Are...Are you okay?"

Quinn's head shot up and her eyes were wider than she imagined was possible as she scrambled to hide the note from Rachel's sight. "Um, y-yeah, Berry. Totally fine. Now get lost, thanks."

A dry, humorless chuckle escaped the singer's mouth. "I guess I shouldn't have expected any different," she mumbled as she started to turn around, "See you later, Quinn."

Quinn scrunched her forehead together and sighed, knowing what she had to do. If she didn't, it would haunt her as she tried to get to sleep and she was not planning on losing any more sleep because of Berry if avoidable. And this was extremely avoidable. "Wait," Quinn sighed and was thankful when the brunette turned around quickly, "I'm sorry, okay? I'm just...tired. But you probably don't give a crap about that. So, um, anyway, I hear you have a secret admirer?"

Quinn decided to ignore how idiotic she sounded.

"I'm sure you've heard, along with everyone else. Mercedes probably told you, didn't she? Gosh, she really is a terrible gossip." Rachel had a light smile playing on her lips.

Quinn giggled in agreement, "Yeah, she is. It was...entertaining to live with her, to say in the least. But she's loyal, and that's what counts, right?"

"I suppose so," Rachel nodded, "I think she fits the definition of loyal pretty thoroughly, not that I would personally know what it means to be loyal, as I have never had someone be loyal on my account."

The blonde frowned at the reminder, fresh guilt starting up in her stomach. "I..." her mouth not being able to form the right words to say, she just shook her head, "Forget it."

Rachel bit her lip, obviously uncomfortable now. "So, what brings you to the library? I can't say I normally see you and your people flocking around here most of the time."

"My people?" Quinn raised her eyebrow at the diva, suddenly annoyed. "You know, Berry, I get I was a bitch to you and all when I was on the Cheerios, but you wanna know something? I'm not that girl anymore. But if it makes you and your big head sleep better at night, I will make sure me and 'my people' steer clear of the library."

"Quinn, I didn't mean it like that! Wait!" Quinn heard the girl calling to her retreating back.

But she was already close to the door. She made sure to stop at the trash can, tearing up Rachel's response and all that she had written in her second note and throwing them in carelessly. She didn't care if Rachel were to find them, or if she figured out it was her, because she would never write another note to Rachel Berry again.

That night, Quinn laid in her bed, unable to channel sleep to her drained body. All she could do was stare up at the ceiling and be swarmed with thoughts of Berry and their encounter in the library. It had been going pretty smoothly, until Quinn had overreacted and thrown a hissy fit.

But, in Quinn's mind, she thought she had pretty good reasoning for ending their conversation the way she did. All through out their banter, Quinn could feel the pressure of Berry's note and what she had of her own burning in her skin. Part of her almost wanted to blurt out 'It's me who wrote the note!' but a huger part willed her to stay quiet.

And, over all, Quinn felt pretty good about herself and the note, and she realized she didn't care if someone found out, because Berry really wasn't all that bad. She needed someone to be nice to her every one and a while. But then she opened her mouth, and used the term 'your people' and Quinn was instantly reminded of who she was talking to. Berry. Annoying, loud, annoying Berry - who she could care less if she felt good about herself sometimes.

Except some part of her did care. Maybe the part of her that was evident last year was the one who cared. But all she knew was that part lead her down stairs to the kitchen table to write Berry another note.

Because Quinn was the reason the girl didn't have any real friends, and Quinn was now realizing how inaccurate her rumors were, and Berry deserved a friend.

Even a secret friend.

A/N: So, um, OH MY GOD? You guys are so awesome, thank you so much for all the responses! I hope I didn't disappoint with this chapter! (:
Oh, a ton of you were curious about the debate and if I won it and stuff. It really wasn't so much as a debate as me screaming my opinion at them. My sister tried to argue about Quinn's straightness with Sam, and I went Jersey Shore on her, ha-ha. (; But seriously. I can not stand Sam/Quinn. Gross! But anyway, I think I made my point. (:

* I APOLOGIZE IF THERE ARE ANY GRAMMAR / SPELLING ERRORS! *