Chapter 4

The following weekend, Rachel invites me to karaoke. I probably won't sing, but it'll be nice to hear her sing in a more relaxed environment. Only problem was that she'd told me this Jesse guy will be there. I was dreading meeting him but at the same time it will be a good chance to scope him out.

I tell Rachel that I'll try to make it, planning to show up around fifteen minutes after she says she'll be there, hoping to make her sweat a little.

As soon as I arrive I see her giggling with a guy. I shake the doubt from my head and walk over.

"Hey."

"Quinn! You came." Rachel grins, jumping up and pulling me in for a hug. "I thought you'd stood me up."

I smirk slightly as I catch sight of the look on Jesse's face.

After a long hug, Rachel and I pull apart, she turns back to Jesse.

"Quinn, this is Jesse. Jesse, this is Quinn."

We exchange a quick hello.

"How do you know each other?" Jesse asks, aiming the question at Rachel and I can practically see the jealousy in his eyes.

"Quinn attended my workshop, and we had dinner afterwards."

"Yeah, Rachel was kind enough to invite me round and cook for me." I grin.

"Lucky you, Rachel is a great cook, I've had the pleasure several times before." Jesse fires back. "Her breakfast spread is to die for."

Two can play at this game.

"Hmm is that so?" I ask, turning to Rachel. "I'd say Britt's was better though."

"I don't know." The brunette pipes up, taking the bait perfectly. "I know I didn't actually eat any of it but I didn't see any fried mushrooms and I make the best fried mushrooms; I'll make them for you some time."

"Can't wait." I grin.

"Who's Britt?"

I turn back to Jesse. "I live with her girlfriend, though she practically lives there too now."

Jesse frowns, turning to Rachel. "You've been to theirs at breakfast?"

"Oh yeah, the next morning."

"How come?"

Just as I'm about to call him out for being so nosey, Rachel answers him.

"I just popped in to see Quinn."

"Couldn't stay away." I add, winking at her.

Just then, Rachel gets called up to sing, leaving Jesse and me at the bar.

"I assume she's told you about me."

"Yes." I say. "I'm glad you could move past everything you did to her and be there for her as a friend."

Jesse grumbles slightly before moving to a table closer to the small stage.

I smirk before ordering a drink and then concentrating solely on Rachel as she starts to sing.

It amuses me that Rachel keeps her eyes on me throughout her whole performance and as soon as she's finished singing she walks straight past Jesse and over to me.

"That was so good. You should do this for a living." I joke.

"Hmm I might consider it." She grins.

"Seriously though, that was amazing."

"Thank you." Rachel blushes.

"Any time." I smile, taking her hand in mine and giving it a small squeeze.

Suddenly the brunette is lifted off her feet from behind and she lets out a squeal, her hand being pulled from mine.

"Rach! That was great!" Jesse exclaims, rocking her from side to side. "I bet whoever is up next is quaking in their boots! Nobody is going to beat that."

As if on cue the DJ calls out the next performer.

"Jesse Saint James is up next. Jesse Saint James."

I smirk as his face drops. He puts Rachel down and walks up to the stage.

"Want to get some fresh air?"

I'm surprised at the question coming from the star but nod and follow her outside. Before I step out I glance over my shoulder at Jesse who is scowling whilst singing the intro to his song.

"You didn't want to stay for that?" I ask Rachel, who has moved along the street slightly to get out of the way of the smokers lingering by the door.

"Not really." She giggles. "It's always some over the top ballad, usually aimed at me and I decided I'd rather spend some time with you."

I smile, not sure what to say next.

"How's Beth?" Rachel asks.

"She's a little diva in training at the moment." I laugh. "She's spending the weekend with her dad so he gets to enjoy that now too."

"Is he good with her?"

"Sometimes. Though he often cancels plans last minute which annoys me as it visibly upsets Beth. It breaks my heart when I go in to tell her and all it takes is one look at my face and she asks, 'Daddy's not coming is he?'. When he does have her though it's great, she comes back grinning and telling me all these stories of all the fun they had together. He'd be an amazing father if he just put in a bit more effort to see her regularly."

"It's good she still has those moments though, even if they are rare. I used to wish my mom would come visit and whisk me away for a few days." She sighs, before hastily adding. "I love my dads though and looking back, I wouldn't change a thing but everything's just so different when you're young."

I'm sat at the bar roughly an hour later listening to Jesse and Rachel talk excitedly about Broadway. I know he started this conversation on purpose to ice me out but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction so I pretend it doesn't bother me.

"Hey!" Says a voice to my left.

I turn to find a girl from the Introduction to Broadway workshop.

"Hi." I smile. "Lacey right?"

"You remembered! I'm flattered." She grins and it soon becomes clear that she came over to flirt with me so an idea forms in my mind.

"I could never forget a pretty face like yours."

I hear Rachel stutter over her sentence but try to tune her out.

"How have you been?" I ask the red head.

"Good, but better now I'm talking to you."

I grin and turn to face her more, 'accidentally' brushing against Rachel as I do so.

"We never really got a chance to chat at the workshop, tell me some more about yourself."

We chat back and forth for a little while and something I say makes Lacey laugh and put her hand on my arm.

Apparently that was the breaking point.

"Quinnnn…" Came a voice from behind me.

"Oh my God it's Rachel Berry!" Lacey exclaims but I ignore her, turning towards the brunette.

"Yes?"

"Can you take me home? I think I've had a little too much to drink." Rachel pouts, swaying lightly from side to side.

"I can take you home." Jesse interrupts.

I glance down at the drink in his hand. "Are you sure? Doesn't seem to me like you're good to drive either."

I smirk as his face drops, realising I'm right.

"Quinnnn." Rachel whines again.

"Alright come on then."

I say a quick goodbye to Lacey promising to find her on Facebook but knowing it's a promise I will soon break. I put my arm around Rachel and lead her to the door, steading her as she trips over her feet.

As soon as we're a short way along the road Rachel stops tripping and manages to walk in a straight line.

"Thank you for taking me home. I really appreciate it."

I glance at her, a smile pulling at my lips. "You seem to have sobered up quickly."

"Oh… err…"

"You know, come to think of it, I seem to remember hearing you only order lemonade all night." I tease, stroking my chin for good measure.

Rachel doesn't answer, a small blush appearing on her cheeks.

"Come on, admit it."

"Fine." She huffs. "I was faking being drunk."

"Care to tell me why?" I ask, already knowing the answer but wanting her to admit it.

"Um, I was working on my acting skills?"

"Nice try."

"Fine. I was jealous. Happy?"

"Very." I grin, slipping my hand into hers as we walk back to my car.

I pull up to her building and switch the engine off.

"Thank you for the lift. Even if I didn't really need it."

"Any time." I smile, hopping out of the car to walk her to the door. "I just want to say that you have no reason to be jealous."

"Neither do you." She smirks as we reach the entrance.

I frown, playing the fool.

"Come on, I saw the way you were watching Jesse all night. You have nothing to worry about. Now are you going to kiss me goodnight or are we just going to stand out in the cold for no reason whatsoever."

I let out a laugh at her bluntness before leaning down and planting a soft peck on her lips.

"Is that it?" She pouts.

"For now." I wink. "I know we've kissed before but I was thinking we should maybe try to do this right and go on an official date first. If you'd like that?"

"Quinn Fabray I would love to go on a date with you."