"...and can you believe it? He wants us to find a song to propose to Miss Pillsbury with. Like, how romantic is that?"
Perched on the kitchen counter, Quinn watched her boyfriend with rapt attention, her gaze tracing the lines of his profile with a sense of wonder. The air around them was thick with the tantalizing aroma of spices mingling with the rich scent of simmering sauces, creating a sensory symphony that enveloped them in warmth and comfort.
Isaac nodded absently, his attention divided between his girlfriend's animated chatter and the culinary masterpiece taking shape before him. He offered occasional murmurs of agreement, his mind clearly occupied with the task at hand as he expertly chopped vegetables and stirred pots with practiced ease. But then, as he glanced up at her, something shifted within him. A wave of affection washed over him, filling his heart to the brim with an overwhelming sense of adoration. His lips curled into a silly grin, his eyes sparkling with unspoken sentiment as he drank in the sight of her.
Caught off guard by the intensity of his gaze, Quinn felt a blush creep into her cheeks, a fluttering sensation taking root in the pit of her stomach. She shifted slightly, her fingers playing nervously with the hem of her shirt as she met his gaze with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, her voice a soft murmur, tinged with a hint of shyness.
Isaac's grin only widened, his hazel eyes never wavering as he set down his knife and turned to face her fully. In that moment, the rest of the world seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the two of them suspended in a bubble of shared intimacy.
"I love you," he said simply, his voice filled with sincerity and warmth.
Her breath caught in her throat, her heart skipping a beat at the raw vulnerability in his words. She felt a surge of warmth envelop her, spreading from the tips of her toes to the crown of her head. Then, with a bashful smile that lit up her features, she ducked her head slightly, her cheeks flushed with a mixture of joy and disbelief.
"I love you too," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath, but overflowing with love and affection for the man who held her heart.
"Do you ever think about our wedding?"
Isaac's gaze drifted down to meet Quinn's, who lay sprawled across his chest. With a casual flick of his hand, he paused the movie they had been watching, the glow of the paused screen casting a soft illumination across the room.
"Why the sudden interest?"
Quinn shrugged casually, though a hint of curiosity danced in her eyes. "Just curious," she replied nonchalantly,
With a gentle kiss to her nose, he leaned in closer, his voice laced with playful teasing. "As a matter of fact, Miss Fabray, I spend more time pondering how to ask you than the wedding itself. After all, there can be no wedding without first securing your acceptance of my proposal," he confessed with a playful wink.
She swatted him playfully on the chest, a playful glint in her eyes as she rolled her eyes at his antics. "You're an idiot," she retorted, though there was fondness in her tone.
"But I'm your idiot, right?"
A soft smile graced her lips as she nestled closer to him, their bodies fitting together seamlessly. "You know you are," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, before leaning in to capture his lips in a tender kis.
"How many children do you want to have?"
"How many children do you want to have?"
His response was immediate, his voice filled with unwavering sincerity. "I'll have as many as you want, my love. After all, you're the one who has to carry them for nine months," he admitted with a small chuckle, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on her back. "We'll have as many as you desire. But if you ask me, I'd love a girl. A mini you."
"What would you name her?"
After a moment's contemplation, Isaac's lips curled into a tender smile. "Lucy," he declared softly, surprising Quinn with his choice. "I'd like to call her Lucy."
"Why?"
"It's your name," he explained gently, his eyes filled with adoration. "I know you don't particularly care for it, but I've always loved it."
Tears welled in Quinn's eyes at his heartfelt admission, her heart swelling with a mixture of love and gratitude. "Lucy Hargrave," she whispered, testing the sound of the name on her lips. "I like it."
A solemn expression crossed his features as he leaned in closer, his eyes locking onto hers with unwavering intensity. "Promise me…Promise me that if I ask you to marry me, you'll consider saying yes," he whispered, his voice tinged with vulnerability.
Quinn's heart swelled with love at his words, her hazel eyes meeting his with unwavering determination. "Of course," she replied, her voice filled with warmth and sincerity.
Quinn stood before the bathroom mirror, her fingers deftly working through her hair as she adjusted the stray strands. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching from behind, and she turned to find Rachel standing in the doorway, her expression fraught with apprehension.
Turning to face the girl, she arched a curious eyebrow. "Hey. Look, I need your advice, all right, about... about an adult problem," Rachel began tentatively, her words laden with uncertainty.
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise at the unexpected request, her curiosity piqued. "Holy crap, are you pregnant?" she blurted out, her concern evident in her voice.
"No, no, nothing like that," she replied quickly, shaking her head. "I just...I need someone to talk to, and I trust you to give me a straightforward and thoughtful answer about...about Finn."
"You're right, I'm sorry. What did you want to talk about?"
Taking a deep breath, Rachel plunged into her confession, her words tumbling out in a rush of nervous energy. "Okay...well, um...Finn asked me to marry him," she admitted, her eyes darting towards the bathroom door as if fearing prying ears.
"What did you say?"
"I said I-I needed to think about it."
"Well, you can't."
"Why? I mean, plenty of people get married at our age, and, I mean, I know that he and I haven't lived together or anything, but, you know, I love him and he's the one, I know it."
With a determined expression, Quinn reached into her pocket and retrieved a letter, extending it towards Rachel. "Here," she said, her voice tinged with pride.
"What's this?"
"This is my ticket out of here. I got into Yale, early admissions."
"Quinn, that's amazing. That's so great!"
"My point being is that I've dated Finn, I've slept with Puck, and even went on one date with Sam. Even though I liked them at some point, by the time the snow falls in New Haven next winter, I won't know why," she admitted with a rueful smile. "As hard as it may be, if you want everything that you've ever dreamed of, you're going to have to break up with him."
Rachel's arms crossed defensively as she processed the words, her eyes narrowing in accusation. "That's an awful thing to say," she protested, her voice tinged with hurt. "You're dating Isaac, and surely, if he asked you to marry him, you'd say yes."
"Maybe someday, but not now, and he knows it. Isaac and I have gone through a lot to be where we are now, and we will get married, but not now. Have we talked about it? Of course, but are we ready for it right now? Definitely not."
"Easy for you to say, you both have futures planned. My letter from NYADA hasn't arrived yet, and Finn...Finn isn't in a good place right now."
"So, if your letter doesn't arrive, what will you do? Will you let go of your childhood dream of going to New York to be a star and just settle for living here with Finn? At first it will be nice, but over time, you will blame him for anchoring you to Lima when all you have wanted is to get out of here."
Rachel's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she absorbed Quinn's words. "Look, you wanted straight and thoughtful advice from me," she continued, her voice tinged with empathy and understanding,"but ultimately, it's your decision."
"We're going to do this, right?" Jayden's voice cut through the crisp air of the ice rink, causing Isaac to pause mid-motion, his focus momentarily shifting from the puck to his best friend.
"What are you talking about?" he inquired, leaning casually on his hockey stick as he regarded him with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.
"You and me. Newark and the Devils, everything we've dreamed of since we were 12, are we going to do it?"
A chuckle escaped Isaac's lips at his friend's earnestness, his expression softening with affection for his lifelong friend. "Of course," he replied, his voice brimming with confidence. "Are you having doubts now, Hayes?" he teased, the corner of his lips quirking up in a playful grin.
"No, just since you said you weren't sure anymore, I wanted to know what you had in mind, what your future plans were. I can't believe we're already here."
Closing the distance between them, Isaac draped an arm around Jayden's shoulders and met his gaze with unwavering determination. "I promise you that no matter what it takes, you and I will be in the New Jersey Devils by the time Christmas comes around. It's you and me, man," he vowed, a fierce determination burning in his hazel eyes. "We are going to be legends."
"Ash and Ellie have been admitted to New York University. We'll only be half an hour away from them."
"Quinn's been accepted to Yale. We're only two hours away. We'll make it work."
"If you've managed to maintain a relationship from Columbus to Lima, that's nothing," Jayden remarked, his gaze sweeping over the expanse of the ice rink before them. "I'm proud of us, Ace."
"Me too. We're going to make it, you'll see, Jay."
Sugar bounced with excitement in the center of the Glee Club classroom, her enthusiasm practically radiating off her. "V-Day is my favorite day ever, and to help me celebrate, my daddy's throwing me a huge, ridiculous party at Breadstix, and I'm naming it the Sugar Shack!"
The room erupted in applause and smiles as the Glee Club members exchanged excited glances with their partners.
"And... drumroll... you're all invited!" she declared with a flourish, her excitement palpable. "But you have to bring a date. No single people allowed. They're sad and boring and they don't exist in my world."
Just then, a crackle came over the public address system. "Can the Glee Club go to the auditorium, please. Glee Club to the auditorium."
Confusion etched across their faces, the Glee Club members reluctantly rose from their chairs and made their way to the auditorium. As they entered, the space was enveloped in darkness, casting an air of mystery over the room. Nervously, they took their seats, unsure of what awaited them. Moments later, the lights flickered to life, revealing Isaac, Jayden, and Asher standing onstage, each with their respective instruments in hand.
"Baby, happy Valentine's Day," he greeted with a playful wink directed at his girlfriend, who looked utterly stunned by the surprise unfolding before her. Taking up the microphone, he began to sing.
"Stand there like a ghost, shaking from the rain, rain. You'll open up the door and say: Are you insane?" His voice filled the auditorium, his smile radiant as he locked eyes with his beloved. "Say it's been a long six months and I was too afraid to tell you what you want, want."
Santana and Brittany, inspired by the music, joined in, their voices blending seamlessly as they took to the stage with microphones in hand. "And that's how it works. That's how you get the girl and then you say..."
Isaac leapt from the stage, microphone in hand, and approached Quinn with a grin. "I want you for worse or for better. I would wait forever and ever. Broke your heart, I'll put it back together. I would wait forever and ever," he sang, pouring his heart out to her.
With a smile, she snatched the microphone from him, her eyes shining with love as she sang in return. "And that's how it works, that's how you get the girl, girl."
Soon, the entire Glee Club joined in, their voices rising in unison as they danced and laughed with their partners, enveloped in the magic of the moment.
"Remind me how it used to be. Pictures in frames of kisses on cheeks and say you want me," the girls sang, their eyes locked on their boyfriends.
"I want you for worse or for better. I would wait forever and ever. Broke your heart, I'll put it back together. I want you forever and ever," the boys sang in response, their voices brimming with sincerity and devotion.
"And that's how it works, that's how I got the girl," Isaac concluded, his gaze never leaving his girlfriend's as the song drew to a close. As the final notes faded away, Quinn surged forward, enveloping him in a passionate kiss, eliciting cheers and applause from their friends.
"I love you,"she whispered as they pulled away, her arms wrapping around him in a tight embrace.
He grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he presented her with a bouquet of gardenias and a plush bear dressed as a hockey player. "Quinn Fabray, would you do me the honor of being my date to the Sugar Shack?" he asked, his voice filled with boyish charm.
"Saying no was never an option, Sunshine," she laughed, accepting the gifts with a smile before pressing a kiss to his cheek, her heart overflowing with love and happiness.
"You're trying to kill me, right?" Isaac's pout deepened for the umpteenth time that night, his complaint earning a chuckle from her as she leaned back in her chair. She couldn't help but laugh at his dramatic display, her eyes dancing with mischief as she took a sip of her drink. "Baby, you know how much I like to touch you."
"Of course I know," Quinn teased, her smile taking on a wicked edge, "That's precisely why I did it. Santana's recommendation, in fact."
Isaac's gaze darted over to where Santana sat, and he couldn't help but shoot her a mock-threatening look, tracing a finger across his neck as if to jest about being slain. Santana, catching his gesture, responded with a playful blow of a kiss and a mouthing of 'Love you' in return.
Returning his attention to his plate, Isaac couldn't shake the nagging thought that had been repeating in his mind all evening. "She looks pretty, let her wear whatever she wants and you can fight," he muttered to himself, the frustration evident in his voice as he shook his head. With a final nod, he raised his gaze to meet Quinn's, only to find her studying him with a raised eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk.
"Having a problem, Sunshine?" she taunted, fully aware of the effect she had on him.
"You are in so much trouble when we get back home," he shot back, his jaw tense with suppressed irritation, his hazel eyes darkening with a mixture of frustration and desire. "You're playing with fire and you're going to get burnt, baby."
Her smirk only widened at his warning, her confidence unshaken. "Maybe I do want to get burnt," she retorted with an air of arrogance, her gaze locking with his in a silent challenge as she leaned closer to him.
Isaac's eyes narrowed at her boldness, but a dangerous smile curved his lips as he leaned forward, his voice low and husky. "Keep that attitude, and I assure you, you will," he warned, his voice tinged with a promise of consequences to come.