Return to Sender, Damaged in Transit
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Quinn slowly pushes open the door, trying to keep the creaking to a minimum. She tiptoes inside and motions for to Jesse to follow her, gently dropping her heels in the hallway. She turns on the kitchen lights before making her way to the freezer to look for the icepack. Jesse leans against the counter next to her and shuts his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. The icepacks are stuck together and she lays them in the sink next to him, trying to pry them apart.
"Quinnie?"
Shit.
She turns around and looks her mother in the eyes. "Yes?"
"What're you doing here sweetie? Aren't you staying with Santana?" Judy asks, standing in the doorway.
"Change of plans," she says flatly, putting on the poker face she almost always uses when talking to her mother.
"Well come on then, where is it Miss Prom Queen? Show me your crown," Judy says with a beaming smile on her face.
Quinn swallows but the lump in throat won't go away. "I didn't get it." She maintains eye contact with her and notices how her mother's smile falters slightly.
"But I thought you said you and Finn were –"
"Somebody must've stuffed the ballot boxes," she interrupts turning back around to face the sink. She casts a sideways glance at Jesse, who raises his eyebrow at her. Technically she isn't lying. Thankfully he stays quiet.
"And who is this?" Judy asks. Quinn recognises this tone, the sweet voice she uses when she's trying to hide what she's really thinking.
"This is Jesse; he gave me a ride back from school. Jesse – meet my mother Judy," Quinn explains without turning around, her gaze fixed firmly on the icepacks that are slowly thawing in front of her.
Jesse nods to the older woman with a polite but brief smile.
"Where's Finn?"
"Oh he had to go home, he wasn't feeling very well. Must've been the punch," she says nonchalantly. She's gotten very good at deflecting her mother's persistent questioning over the years and it's almost too easy to lie without fumbling even once. She's also aware that she's used an appropriate pun – it's not like Judy is creative enough to understand. She wonders if Jesse picks up on it.
"You know they really should get someone to watch the punchbowl, god knows what those kids in that school of yours are up to."
Go away. Please.
"What happened to your face dear?"
Quinn realises her mother is now speaking to Jesse. "It's nothing, a couple of imbeciles decided to have a go at each other on the dance floor. Collateral damage," he explains smoothly. Seems like someone is just as good as she is, Quinn muses to herself.
"I don't even know what we're paying that school for anymore; I have half a mind to go talk to that Principal myself. You know they're planning to raise the fees this year?"
"You don't say..." Jesse is clearly also very good at sounding like he's engaged in conversation. Quinn barely contains her impressed grin.
"Sure we're in a recession and all, but it's not as though the quality of staff or facilities is getting any better. I seriously considered making Quinn transfer to Crawford as a junior, but I suppose now she only has one year left."
And thank god for that.
Jesse remains silent and she notices that he's now staring at her with a probing look on his face, almost like he's try to read her mind.
"Well don't just stand there Quinnie, get Jesse some ice."
Quinn jaw clenches and she grips the edge of the counter, still with her back to her mother. "That's what I was doing mom," she says, the frustration coming through in her voice.
"I'll leave you to it then." She hears Judy opening a cupboard, probably to take out a wine glass. "That's such a shame about prom queen though, who won?"
"The person with the most votes, obviously," she whispers through gritted teeth as her eyes fall shut. If her mother doesn't leave soon she's going to crack, she can feel it bubbling up in her chest.
"Alright, I can see you don't want to talk about it. Jesse it is well past Quinn's bedtime, so I hope you understand you'll have to head back home soon. " Her mother's voice fades out as she walks towards the stairs. "But I do want to see how precious you and Finn look in your photos okay? Don't worry Quinnie, we can always frame next year's ones..."
Quinn violently pulls the icepacks apart and only opens her eyes once she hears her mother's bedroom door slam shut. She lets out a long breath and turns to hand Jesse the icepack – he's still intently gazing with the same expression. "Don't," she warns, although the malice isn't directed at him.
"I wasn't going to," he replies not missing a beat. He winces softly as he presses the cold pack to his swollen skin. "You know, this is the first time I've ever been punched."
She's thankful he chooses to change the subject and she starts removing the many pins that hold up her hair in place. "Seriously? With the things you say and do I'm surprised half your face isn't falling off."
"Doesn't mean people haven't tried." He looks at her through his one good eye and gives her a crooked grin. "But my years of dance have ensured my reflexes are very sharp. It was a cheap shot; he got me when I was trying to tell Sylvester that the fight, if you could even call it that, was quite obviously not my fault."
"That's Finn, one minute he's being all Mr. Nice Guy and the next he's knocking you on your ass."
He slowly furrows his brow and turns to face her. "I was not 'knocked on my ass.' You'd think Finn would realise that people can't just hit me. Then again, he is the stupidest person I've had the misfortune of knowing."
Her damp hair falls around her shoulders and she grimaces as Jesse belittles her boyfriend. "That's too bad that you got kicked out though," she says offhandedly.
"I doubt I missed much," he scoffs, "except...the opportunity to show Grace Kelly what it's like to truly enjoy dancing. I don't think I'll ever get another chance to ask her."
She smiles half-heartedly but doesn't look at him, even though he's complimenting her, because it just reminds her of how both Finn and Jesse will always choose Rachel instead. "You can keep the ice but you should go," she says glancing towards the staircase.
"And we were just hitting it off." He runs a hand through his hair and Quinn walks him to the door, very aware of his presence behind her.
"Jesse –" She looks up at him, just as he steps out into the veranda and realises how much taller he is now that she's barefoot. "Thank you for...the ride, my mom...all that stuff." It comes out a lot meeker than she intends.
He gives her a small smile that she thinks is slightly different to his signature smug smirk. Then again, maybe she just imagines it because it's gone the next second. "I'll see you around Quinn," he says before walking to his car quickly, in an effort not to get wet.
"Yeah see ya," she mutters, more to herself than to him. As soon as he revs the engine, she shuts the door and heads for her room. She can see a stream of light coming from underneath her mother's door – so much for it being late.
It's only when she locks her door, strips off her dress and collapses on the bed, muddy feet and all, that she allows herself to cry.
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Author's Note: Thanks for all the feedback I never expected to have such a positive response. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and are kind enough to leave more reviews :)