A/N: Okay so this chapter is a little long. I hope that's okay. I really hope you like it. Thank you all for the reviews they really keep me going :) Enjoy!
disclaimer: I do not own glee.
Mondays were usually the worst. There were only a few people who actually enjoyed getting up on Monday mornings and heading off to work or school. Quinn usually wasn't one of those people but today she was making an exception.
Quinn had woken up before her alarm could even go off from how excited she was that it was Monday. Of course, that excitement had all to do with the fact that she would be seeing Rachel at school. Ever since she had shared that wonderful afternoon with Rachel at her house, Quinn couldn't stop thinking about her. Mostly she couldn't stop thinking about kissing her.
Rachel was a permanent fixture in Quinn's mind ever since that night. She couldn't stop thinking about her. Alhough a large part of Quinn focused more on wanting to kiss Rachel again, all she really wanted was to be near her. She wanted to hug her, talk to her, and just… feel her presence. Quinn had texted Rachel for most of the day Sunday but exchanging messages with her wasn't enough. After Saturday, nothing was ever going to be enough unless she was with Rachel.
The level of clinginess that Quinn felt was alarming. Quinn never thought she would ever feel so needy. When she was with Sam she never felt anxious being apart from him. It was comforting to be around him, but she never really felt that she had to be near him. With Rachel it was different. If she had to go another day without seeing the brunette she knew she'd probably explode.
One of the first things Quinn did when she woke up was grab her cell phone to send Rachel a good morning text, but when she did she was both surprised and thrilled to see that she had already received a text from the brunette.
Good Morning Quinn :) I hope you slept well. – R*
Quinn typed back a reply as her heart beat rapidly in her chest.
Morning! I slept great, thanks. I'm actually looking forward to school :) – Q
It was obvious why she was so excited to get to school but she didn't want to be so forward about it. Regardless of how needy she felt, Quinn didn't want Rachel to think she was a stage five clinger―even though she really was.
It took a while for Rachel to reply and by the time she did Quinn had already gotten dressed in her Cheerios uniform and was heading downstairs for some breakfast.
I'm not too enthused about school, but I am looking forward to seeing you :) – R*
Quinn's face split in half from how big her smile was. It certainly grabbed her mother's attention when she walked into the kitchen.
"Somebody woke up on the right side of the bed this morning," Judy smiled teasingly as Quinn grabbed a piece of toast from the kitchen island.
"I certainly did," the younger blonde grinned, taking a bite from her piece of toast.
"Does it have to do anything with that boyfriend of yours?" her mother smirked, raising an eyebrow at her.
Quinn sighed. She hadn't told her mother about her break up with Sam yet. Her mother wasn't particularly close to Sam—nor did they ever speak to each other much―but she knew that once she told her that they were no longer together her mother was going to want to know all the details and then inquire as to the real reason why she was so happy this morning.
"Me and Sam aren't really together anymore, mom," she told her.
As expected, her mother was surprised by the news.
"What? Since when?" Judy asked incredulously. It was almost like she couldn't believe it. Quinn found it slightly amusing.
"Friday. It wasn't working out between us anymore," she said with a shrug, almost in a nonchalant way.
"Oh, well, I guess it was for the best... so why are you―"
"Gotta go mom, I can't be late for school. Love you!" Quinn interjected before her mother could begin to interrogate her. They would have to talk about it some other time. She wasn't quite ready to tell her about Rachel just quite yet.
Maybe never, but I'll have to do it soon.
Because Quinn was having a great morning she decided to drive to school on her own instead of carpooling with Santana and Brittany. It was Brittany's turn to drive this week and even though she didn't mind the girl's driving she really just wanted some time to herself. It wasn't unusual when one of them wanted to do their own thing in the morning. In fact, there were many times when Santana and Brittany would ditch Quinn and skip a few periods to do god-knows-what.
When Quinn arrived at the school she scanned the parking lot for Rachel's car and was disappointed to see that she hadn't arrived yet. She was so accustomed to seeing the girl's mini cooper in its usual spot.
Before getting out of the car, Quinn took out her cell phone and shot Rachel a message.
Why isn't your cute butt as school yet? – Q
Quinn bit her lip as she pressed send. She was curious as to how Rachel would respond.
There were only a few students in the hallways when she entered the school. They didn't pay her any attention as she made her way to her locker. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket as soon as she arrived.
You think my butt is cute? ;) – R*
Quinn laughed out loud when she read it. She replied immediately.
Amongst other things… - Q
The blonde was smiling like an idiot as she closed her locker and took off down the hall to the Cheerios locker room. Even though there wasn't any practice that morning, she still had to check in with Sue.
"Q, come on in, take a seat," Sue called out when Quinn knocked on her coach's office door.
Sue was known as a terror to most of McKinley's students and staff, but to her she was a real role model. She wasn't as horrible as most people thought she was. She did have her crazy moments, but mostly students exaggerated about her behavior.
"Hey coach, did you have a good weekend?" Quinn asked as she walked into the office and did as she was told.
"It was alright, Q. Thanks for asking," Sue said, not taking her eyes off of some paperwork she had on her desk. Quinn watched Sue for a few seconds as she looked over the documents. Once she was finished, her coach removed her eye glasses and looked at Quinn who was sitting there patiently.
"So how's the homecoming routine coming along? Are those idiots getting it?" Sue inquired.
Quinn sighed. She informed Sue that most of the squad had gotten the routine down perfectly; there were only a few on the JV squad that were having trouble.
"That routine needs to be perfected by the end of the week. No exceptions. Next week is homecoming and there is a lot that has to be done. ASB will be announcing the theme by the end of the day. We'll discuss it today at practice."
"Yes, coach," Quinn nodded. She was going to have to be harder on the girls today at practice. The next two weeks were going to be very busy, especially for Quinn.
"And another thing, I know you're going to be nominated for homecoming queen. This school of idiots would be dumber than they already are if they didn't. So know this, your responsibilities as captain will not change just because you're nominated. If you can't handle both responsibilities as captain and nominee then let me know so I can get Lopez to take over. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."
Quinn's narrowed her eyes but nodded without saying a word. She knew what Sue was asking of her. She was going to have a lot more responsibilities on her plate if she was nominated. The only problem was that now she had Rachel to think about.
It was somewhat of a dream for Quinn to be able win homecoming queen. Ever since she was a freshman she had been determined to win it her senior year. But right now she just wanted to spend as much time with Rachel as possible and getting nominated was only going to make that difficult for her.
As a homecoming nominee, Quinn was going to have to be involved in every activity that takes place during homecoming week. The Cheerios already participated in most of the events, but she was going to have to do even more work. She was going to have to help build the senior float, campaign, attend ASB meetings, help decorate for the dance, and assist the ASB homecoming committee with any other homecoming duties. It was going to take up a lot of her time; time that she would prefer to spend with Rachel.
Once she was dismissed Quinn really got to thinking. How was she going to manage Cheerios, homecoming, and Rachel? She felt a pang in her chest at the thought of spending time away from her. Quinn was just going to have to find a way to do it all because there was no way she was going to push Rachel aside now.
There were only a few minutes left before the first period bell was set to ring so the blonde rushed to Rachel's locker in hopes of finding her. She wanted to walk Rachel to their first period since they shared the same class. Much to her disappointment, though, when she arrived at her locker she was nowhere to be found. Quickly, Quinn took out her phone to send Rachel a message.
Where are you? – Q
Quinn was about to send it when she felt two small soft hands cover her eyes. A huge grin split her face when a warm familiar scent hit her senses.
"So… what other things about me do you find to be cute?" Rachel husked in her ear, her tone teasing.
Quinn almost groaned. Never had the brunette sounded so sexy before. It had Quinn's heart beating wildly in her chest.
Without responding Quinn removed Rachel's hands and turned around to face the brunette. Rachel was smiling brightly at her with a sparkle in her eye. Her gaze was different from other times—warmer, more… loving. She didn't want to jump to any conclusions but the thought made her heart swell.
Quinn's lustful gaze softened as she smiled at Rachel and took a step forward. She wanted to kiss her, but she knew she couldn't―not yet. So she leaned in to whisper into her ear instead.
"Everything," she breathed, then kissed her cheek quickly before putting space between them.
As she took a step back she heard Rachel inhale deeply and shut her eyes tight before opening them again. Quinn smiled like an idiot.
"Can I walk you to class?" she asked the brunette.
Rachel opened her mouth to respond but ended up nodding her head instead. She was slightly flushed which only had Quinn smiling at the cuteness of it.
When they reached their classroom the two girls sat next to each other like they had last week. As she was taking her notebook from her backpack Quinn felt her phone vibrate. Since class still hadn't started she took it out of her jacket pocket and saw she had a message from Rachel. She looked up and raised a brow at the brunette who was facing forward but smiling. Rachel turned to her and mouthed "read it."
Quinn did as she was told.
I want to kiss you – R*
This time Quinn actually did groan quietly, but only loud enough for Rachel to hear. The brunette was heard giggling.
"Ditto," Quinn said aloud as she looked at Rachel. The brunette bit her lip and Quinn only stared at the small action.
First period went by fast—a little too fast. When the bell rang Quinn was disappointed that they'd be going their separate ways. Of course, Quinn offered to walk Rachel to her next period and the brunette readily accepted. As they walked their hands continuously brushed against each other and the girls smiled knowingly.
They had yet to talk about their budding relationship. Quinn was eager to do so but she wanted to wait until they were alone to do it. There were too many people around to discuss it.
"Hey, do you want to eat lunch with me today? I thought maybe we could talk," Quinn asked as they reached Rachel's second period class.
"Sure," Rachel smiled. "I'd love to."
Quinn grinned. "Great. Maybe we can go to the auditorium again?"
The blonde noticed Rachel's flushed cheeks. Quinn figured the brunette was remembering their almost kiss in the auditorium. Quinn blushed too.
"Sounds perfect," Rachel grinned, grabbing Quinn's hand to give it a squeeze and then walking into her classroom.
Quinn's heart drummed in her chest. She was so giddy she felt like she could skip to her next class.
The rest of her classes were filled with boring lectures and lackluster discussions. She figured her AP classes would be more exciting but they weren't. Quinn didn't mind, though, because all she could think about was Rachel. She felt like such a cliché daydreaming about her crush. Only Rachel was more than just a crush. She was really falling in love with her more every day.
Everything got better once the lunch bell rang. As soon as Quinn was out of class she rushed to Rachel's locker where she knew the brunette would be putting her things away. When she got there Kurt stood next to Rachel as she put her books in her locker. The blonde walked right up to the two and greeted them.
"Hey Rachel, Kurt," the blonde nodded to the boy, though she couldn't take her eyes off the smaller brunette standing in front of her. Rachel smiled back brightly.
"Hello, Quinn. What a surprise to see you here," Kurt smirked. Quinn rolled her eyes.
Kurt was clearly acting clueless. She was sure he knew of her and Rachel's plans to have lunch together. The way he was smirking at her was a dead giveaway.
"Sure it is," Quinn snickered. "I came to get Rachel so we could get lunch together."
"Mmhm… lunch, sure," he smirked. "I guess I'll see you later, Rach." He said before turning away and walking off towards the cafeteria. When he was finally gone Quinn turned to Rachel who she caught staring. Quinn's grinned widened.
"Like something you see?" Quinn raised a teasing brow.
Rachel giggled. "Yes, very much."
Quinn's heart swelled, not only at the response but at the sound of Rachel's laugh. It was music to her ears.
The blonde looked around the hallway and noticed there weren't many students around, so she reached out and grabbed Rachel's hand.
"Come on, let's get some lunch," she smiled before pulling Rachel along down the hall.
The brunette eagerly followed and fell in step with Quinn, happily intertwining their fingers together. Quinn's heart raced as they walked like that down the hall. The blonde wanted to be able to do this at any time of the day, even when the halls were full of students.
When they passed by the cafeteria she felt Rachel stagger and when she looked at the brunette she looked confused.
"Wait, where are we going? I thought we were getting lunch?" Rachel asked.
Quinn nodded. "We are, just not cafeteria food."
Rachel's confused expression made Quinn chuckle. She was just too cute.
They finally stopped in front of a door that read 'Teacher's Lounge' before Quinn led them in.
"Quinn, can we be in here?" Rachel whispered as they entered the empty room.
"Don't worry. Nobody is ever in here except for Coach Sylvester. The teachers go to the other teacher's lounge on the other side of the school," Quinn explained as she opened up the refrigerator in the kitchen-like room.
She took out two salads from the fridge and handed one to Rachel. Their hands still intertwined.
"Coach orders salads for the Cheerios. She prefers us eating salads than the food in the cafeteria because she doesn't want us gaining weight," Quinn explained to Rachel as she also grabbed two water bottles. At this point she had her right arm full but still didn't let go of Rachel's hand.
When they finally made it to the auditorium Quinn made sure the large room was empty and that the door was closed before walking to the stage with Rachel. When they got there Quinn set their food down up on the stage before turning to the brunette.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Rachel asked, her eyes sparking.
Quinn swallowed hard and whispered, "Before we talk, let me do this…" she trailed off before leaning in and kissing Rachel.
Quinn felt a rush of air escape Rachel's lungs as their lips met. She smiled into the kiss and deepened it when she heard Rachel whimper. Quinn's hold on Rachel's waist tightened when she felt Rachel's arms go around her neck. Their bodies were flushed against one another and Quinn could feel the heat radiating off of the brunette's body. She felt a drumming in her chest but she didn't know if it was hers or Rachel's heart that was thundering away. She figured it was both.
The blonde almost lost it when she felt Rachel's tongue slide against her lip seeking entrance. This time it wasn't Rachel that whimpered, but Quinn. The kiss was broken when Quinn felt her lungs burning for air.
"Wow," Quinn inhaled deeply, her forehead resting on the brunette's. She didn't have to open her eyes to know Rachel was smiling. She could practically feel it.
"Hey, that's my line," Rachel kissed her, smiling into the kiss.
Quinn giggled against the brunette's lips. She was still breathing hard trying to catch her breath.
"I've wanted to do that since this morning," Quinn confessed, finally opening her eyes to see Rachel smiling radiantly at her―her brown eyes big and bright but definitely slightly darker than usual.
"I've wanted to do that since you left my house Saturday night," Rachel told her, pecking Quinn's lips again. Oh how she loved Rachel's small kisses. It definitely made her heart soar.
"You know, I actually did want to talk," Quinn smirked playfully. "Not that I mind doing this, because believe me, I can kiss you all day."
Rachel leaned up to give Quinn one last quick kiss before pulling back. "I also have something I want to talk to you about."
Quinn raised a brow. "Oh yeah? What about?"
Rachel smiled. "You first."
The blonde let out a nervous chuckle. "Okay then, I'll go first."
Before she started, though, she grabbed Rachel and lifted her up to sit on the stage before hopping up to sit on the stage so they could eat.
"So…" Quinn started. She didn't know how to start this conversation off. How was she supposed to tell Rachel that she wanted her to be her girlfriend already? That wasn't taking things slow. She just didn't want to waste time. If Rachel was going to leave back to New York she wanted to take advantage of the time they had. She was racking her brain for a way to tell the brunette nothing was coming to her.
"Fuck it," Quinn sighed and turned to Rachel who had an amused smile on her face. "Rachel, I want you to be my girlfriend," she blurted out.
Rachel's eyes widened, but her smile never faded. "Y-you do?"
Quinn sighed in relief and smiled. "Yeah, I do," she said softly. She raised her hand to caress Rachel's cheek, brunette leaning into her touch. "I want to be with you. I want to be able to hold your hand all the time, not just when we're alone. I want to be able to kiss you whenever I want to."
The blonde watched as Rachel inhaled deeply, her eyes still bright and her smile wide. "I-I want that, too," she exhaled. "I… I told my dad. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I told him we were going out on a date."
Quinn's eyes widened. She knew Hiram was aware since she had been the one to tell him first, but what surprised her was that Rachel had gone to him so soon.
"You did?" she asked.
Rachel smiled and nodded. "Yes, and he's okay with it. He was actually very encouraging. He really likes you."
Quinn chuckled at that and leaned in to whisper softly, "Well that's great, because I really like you," she said before kissing her slowly.
She couldn't help herself. She never wanted to stop kissing Rachel.
"So does this mean you want everyone to know?" the brunette asked, breaking the kiss.
Quinn exhaled shakily. "Yes, I-I don't want to have to hide," she swallowed. "I've never dated a girl before… and I don't know what my sexuality is, but I like you, Rachel―a lot. I want to be with you."
Rachel nodded. "Me too. I really like you, Quinn. I just want to make sure that it's something you want. I don't want to force you to label yourself to others or your parents."
The blonde chuckled. "I really don't care what other people think. As far as my parents go, my father has no business knowing who I prefer to date and I'm planning on telling my mom soon."
Quinn could tell Rachel was a little confused when she mentioned her father. As far as Rachel knew, her father was still in the picture.
"Why wouldn't you want to yell your dad, Quinn?" Rachel asked.
The blonde sighed. She knew she was going to have to explain things to Rachel eventually. She didn't mind it, she just didn't like thinking about it. But she wanted Rachel to know. It was an important detail in her life and the brunette deserved to know.
Quinn told Rachel what had happened with her father. She told her how her mother had discovered that he was cheating on her with a tattoo artist named Connie and that once the cat was out of the bag her father decided to leave and take all their money with him. Rachel was completely appalled by the story which made Quinn smile with the cute disgruntled faces she had made. Then the brunette began to rant which Quinn found to be even more adorable. She really felt herself falling in love with her even more in that moment and without thinking leaned in to quiet her with a kiss.
"What was that for?" Rachel giggled when they broke the kiss.
"Because you're beautiful, and I'm falling head over heels in love with you," Quinn answered seriously.
Rachel held Quinn's face in between her hands and began to caress her cheek with her thumb. The look of adoration in the brunette's eyes had her heart racing in her chest. It was even hard for her to breathe correctly. She felt warm all over, like it was spreading from her heart to the rest of her body. Even in her fingertips she felt the warmth that Rachel provoked.
"I'm falling in love with you, too. Every moment I spend with you I fall more and more. I've never felt this way for anybody before, Quinn. Only you," Rachel confessed.
Quinn's eyes fluttered as her heart swelled in her chest. She had to take a deep breath because Rachel's words had knocked all the air out of her.
"Then be my girlfriend, Rachel," Quinn told her, removing Rachel's hands from her face and kissing them.
"Okay," the brunette whispered with the biggest grin on her face.
Quinn beamed back at her and pecked her lips. She wrapped her arms around the smaller girl and held her close to her body in a hug. She never wanted to let her go.
Eventually she did have to let her go when the bell for fifth period rang. Neither girl was too happy about it. They felt like they had only spent a few minutes together and not 45 minutes which was how long their lunch period usually was. With pouts on their faces the two girls walked out of the auditorium hand in hand. When Rachel let go, Quinn felt a pang in her chest.
"You should talk to your mom, Quinn," Rachel said with a sad smile. "I don't want her to find out we're dating from anyone else. She doesn't deserve it."
Quinn sighed. She knew Rachel was right, but she was still scared. She had no idea how her mother was going to react. When she relayed the story about her father to Rachel, she had made it known that her parents were very religious, so the brunette knew it wasn't going to be easy.
"Unless you don't want to," Rachel added. "I don't want—"
"Rachel stop," Quinn interjected, her eyes narrowed. "You're not making me do anything I don't want to. I want to. I'm just nervous," she told her.
Rachel gave her a small smile and enveloped her in a hug. "Whatever happens I'm here for you. I really, really care about you, Quinn."
Quinn squeezed the smaller girl as they embraced. She knew that regardless of what her mother's reaction was going to be she was still going to have support from her friends. She had Santana and Brittany―not to mention Sam. Most importantly, she had Rachel.
"Walk you to Ms. Pillsbury's office?" Quinn asked as they separated.
Rachel nodded. "I would love that," she smiled brightly.
Together the girls walked to Ms. Pillsbury's office where Quinn had to resist kissing Rachel as she dropped her off. They hugged and promised to see each other in glee.
As she walked to her first period Quinn thought of ways to tell her mom she was dating Rachel. It was nerve racking. Her mother had been so cheerful lately and she just didn't want her to be disappointed. Her mother was doing a lot better now. She hardly drank and she was working nonstop to do better at work. She just really hoped her mother didn't shut down.
Fifth period had been just as boring as her other classes. She didn't particularly like math but she always got a good grade. She spent most of the period thinking about Rachel and what she was going to say to her mother until she received a text message from Santana.
Where were u during lunch? Did u forget noms were today? – S
Quinn groaned. She had completely forgotten that nominations for king and queen had taken place during lunch. It wasn't mandatory for her to be there but since it was known that the Cheerios were all going to nominate Quinn it was only right for her to be there and show she cared. But she didn't regret skipping out on the nominations to be with Rachel.
I talked to Rachel. She agreed to be my gf. I'm gonna talk to my mom tonight – Q
Her teacher wasn't paying much attention to what they were doing in class so she didn't have to be too sneaky as she texted Santana.
Way to man up, Fabray. But u planning on coming out or what? – S
Quinn rolled her eyes as she read the Latina's text.
Yes. I don't want to hide. You and Brittany don't hide so why should I? – Q
Her phone vibrated almost a minute later.
Are u nuts!? I mean, im all 4 u throwing a gay parade and all but you can't come out rt now Q. Have you forgotten bout homecoming? You'll lose. – S
Quinn's heart sunk when she read the message. Santana had a point. If she let the whole school know that she was dating Rachel she would definitely lose. Tolerating them would be one thing, but showing support was another. Not to mention, everybody still thought she and Sam were dating. She was fucked.
Then what do I do S? I can't just go back on Rachel. I can't do that to her. I don't want to. – Q
Quinn let out a frustrated sigh. This couldn't be happening. Why was her life being so complicated? First with her dad, then the money issues her mother was having, then her newly found sexual preference, and now this? What was life going to throw at her next?
Just don't be all fucking lovey dovey and shit til after homecoming. No biggie. Im sure Berry will understand. The whole skool still thinks u and trouty r together anyway – S
The blonde didn't know what she was going to do but she had to think of something and quick. Homecoming week was next week so that meant she'd have to wait two weeks for her and Rachel to be able to hold hands in public. She really didn't want to have to wait that long, but she realized it wasn't just up to her. She and Sam had both agreed to run together. She didn't care what people thought about her, but she didn't want to drag Sam down either.
Quickly, Quinn made the decision to speak to Sam. She raised her hand and asked the teacher's permission to excuse her. He let her go without asking any questions because he knew better than to mess with Sue's head Cheerio. He was deathly afraid of the older woman.
Quinn made her way to the art hall where she knew Sam was in pottery class. When she got there she walked into the class without hesitation and looked for Sam. She found him immediately painting what looked to be a bowl he must have made.
"Sam, can we talk?" Quinn said as she walked up to him.
When the blond caught sight of Quinn he smiled. He noticed she seemed a little anxious and furrowed his brows.
"Sure, let me just put this away in my locker," he told her.
The blonde made her way out of the classroom to wait for Sam. A minute later the boy joined her out in the hall with a look of concern on his face.
"What's up, Q? Is something wrong?" he asked.
Quinn was nervous to talk to Sam about Rachel. He was well aware of her feelings for the brunette but she didn't know how he was going to react to her telling him that she had asked Rachel to be her girlfriend. She didn't want to rub salt in the wound.
"I asked Rachel to be my girlfriend," she blurted out. It wasn't at all tactful.
Sam's eyes widened. Quinn tried to gauge what his reaction was but he just looked surprised. Then she saw his lips form a smile.
"And what did she say?" he asked, not at all seeming hurt by the news. It was really confusing.
"She said yes, but I have a problem," she told him.
Sam looked confused. "What do you mean you have a problem? She said yes, what's the problem? I told you, Q. I want you to be happy. Don't feel like you have to protect me. I'm a big boy. I can handle seeing my ex with someone else."
Quinn raised a brow. She was slightly amused by his small rant. At least now she knew he wasn't going to be crying over her and Rachel being together.
"Thanks, Sam. I really appreciate how supportive you've been regardless of the circumstances. But my problem is that we won't win homecoming if everyone knows I dumped you for Rachel," Quinn told him.
"Okay, ouch," Sam winced.
The blonde rolled her eyes. "What happened to being a big boy?" she smirked.
"Well when you say it so bluntly it doesn't sound so nice," he pouted like a child.
"Okay, sorry. But now do you see what my problem is?"
Sam nodded. "Yeah, I get you now. So what are we going to do? Do you not want to run? Because we don't have to run just because we get nominated."
Quinn felt so conflicted. She knew that she didn't have to run if she got nominated, but after so long of wanting the title and also being the captain of the Cheerios, she felt obligated.
It had become somewhat of a tradition for the Cheerios captain to win homecoming queen. The last time a Cheerio captain won was when she was a freshman and she hadn't become captain yet. She had become captain the next year but could never be nominated because she wasn't a senior. Now her time had come so she felt obligated to be in the running.
The last few years the title had always gone to the ASB president. Quinn completely despised Missy Gunderson. She was the current ASB president and she did not want her to win, especially if she was planning on running with Rick "The Stick" Nelson. He was just as annoying as Missy.
"I really want to run, but I don't want Rachel to think I want to hide our relationship. I don't want to hurt her," Quinn admitted.
Sam put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I understand, Q. But I don't think Rachel will mind. She's very understanding and she really likes you. Just because you're not out in public doesn't mean you like each other any less. I think she'll be cool with it."
Quinn knew Rachel would understand, but it didn't mean she would agree to everything. Quinn and Sam had yet to tell everyone they had broken up. If they wanted to win, everyone at school had to think they were still together. Nobody ever voted for a homecoming king and queen that weren't a couple. It was almost like an unwritten rule.
"Ok but what about us, Sam? People can't know that we're broken up. You know how it is here. Jackie and Zach lost last year because they weren't a couple, even though they were a lot more popular than the other nominees," Quinn told him.
The year before, Jackie, one of Quinn's Cheerios, had been nominated for homecoming queen. She had decided to run with Zach, one of the most popular guys in the school. He had been Sam's right hand man on the football field and a close friend off. Everyone thought that they were going to win but they ended up losing to Alejandra and Tony who were the school's most beloved couple. Jackie and Zach didn't stand a chance.
Sam lowered his head and sighed. "I totally forgot about that."
Quinn nodded. "Yeah, so if we do run we have to have everyone convinced that we're still together. I'm just not sure how Rachel will react to that."
"Then we have to talk to Rachel―the both of us. We have to explain to her that nothing is going to happen between us and that's it all just for show," Sam suggested.
The Cheerio didn't know what to think. She couldn't ask Rachel to just be okay with what they were planning to do.
"I don't know," she sighed, frustrated with situation.
"Hey," Sam said softly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders in a comforting way. "We're going to make this work. Rachel is totally going to be on board with us. Just trust me, okay?"
Quinn looked into the boy's green eyes and nodded. "Okay, we'll talk to her after glee. The nominees will be announced by then and we'll see who we're going up against. Missy and Rick for sure but I'm really not sure who else will be nominated."
"It won't be anybody that we can't handle," Sam said proudly making Quinn laugh.
"Okay, see you next period then," the blonde told him before giving him a quick squeeze and leaving down the hall. As soon as Quinn was out of sight Sam grabbed his phone out of his pocket and typed out a message.
Rach! I need 2 tlk 2 u asap. Its about Q – Sam
"Ms. Pillsbury, may I be excused? I have to use the ladies room," Rachel asked Ms. Pillsbury politely.
The redhead smiled. "Of course Rachel, you don't even have to ask. Just make sure you wash your hand thoroughly after."
The brunette smiled and was quickly out of her seat and out the door. The text she had received from Sam had her very concerned. She was wondering what Sam had to talk to her about in regards to Quinn. It sounded urgent so she hoped it wasn't anything bad.
At this point if anything bad ever happened to Quinn she would be devastated. She really loved her. Maybe it was a little too early to say it, but she was in love. Nothing could hurt her more than knowing that something was wrong with Quinn. That's why she was in such a hurry to meet up with Sam outside in the quad.
When she made it to the quad area she spotted Sam sitting on one of the tables drumming his fingers on the table top. He seemed very nonchalant which confused Rachel a little. She thought he'd seem more anxious if he had something urgent to tell her.
"Sam," Rachel announced as soon as she was in hearing distance. "Is everything okay? Is something wrong with Quinn?" she rushed out.
Sam stood immediately. "No, nothing's wrong. Don't worry, Rach. Quinn's good. There's just something I wanted to talk to you about."
Rachel felt some relief wash over her. She was still confused as to why Sam wanted to speak with her but she nodded and took a seat across from him at the table.
"Okay, what did you want to talk to me about?" she asked
"Quinn told me she asked you to be her girlfriend, so… congrats," he chuckled.
Rachel felt her face flush. She didn't think Quinn would tell Sam so soon. It surprised her but she was glad he was taking the news well.
"Thanks," she grinned shyly. Her cheeks tinted red from how flushed she was.
"Quinn and I were planning on running for homecoming queen and king. Once we get nominated of course, but we kind of ran into a problem," he told her.
Rachel's brows furrowed. It wasn't a surprise to her that Quinn and Sam would be nominated for such a thing, but she just didn't understand what the problem was. Kurt had explained to her how homecoming worked and how once students were nominated they could choose to run and they'd have to partake in all kinds of activities that had to do with homecoming week. Rachel was very much looking forward to it—especially if Quinn was going to be running for queen.
"What's the problem? Is there any way I can help?" Rachel asked.
Sam nodded. "Actually yeah, there is. You see, Quinn's always wanted to be homecoming queen. Like always. Before we were even together she was always talking about how she was going to be homecoming queen senior year. The problem is that nobody is going to vote for her if they know you guys are going out," he grimaced, not liking that way that sounded, but there wasn't any other way he could say it.
Rachel's eyes widened in shock at first, but then they dangerously narrowed. "What? Why? Because she's dating a girl? That's unacceptable and completely homophobic! They can't do that! Quinn deserves to be homecoming queen! She's the Cheerios captain and she's wanted it for years. They can't do that to her, Sam! "
Sam looked at the brunette with wide eyes. He definitely wasn't expected her to rant.
"Rach, I agree, but people at this school are stupid. They only vote for people who are coupled. I know Quinn wants to run, but she's worried that she'll hurt you if she decides to do so," he told her.
Again, the brunette looks very bemused. "Why is she worried that I'll get hurt?"
Sam's eyes shifted down at his hands that were nervously drumming on the table. It was obvious he was nervous about what he was about to say and it only made Rachel nervous to hear it.
"She's worried because if she decides to run she and I will have to pretend like we're still together for two more weeks until homecoming week is over."
Rachel inhaled deeply. "Oh."
"Yeah, oh," Sam nodded.
Rachel now fully understood Sam's reluctance. If Quinn wanted to run for homecoming queen they couldn't be out as a couple like they both wanted to. They would have to wait until homecoming week was over for them to officially be a couple in public.
Now, she wasn't feeling particularly hurt. No, she couldn't be because it was something very important to Quinn and she wanted it for her. Rachel wanted to support the blonde in everything that she did, including this. Was it disappointing that she couldn't be particularly affectionate with her girlfriend in public? Yes, yes it was. But she could do it. She could wait. It didn't mean they're relationship wouldn't progress. It was just going to be progressing away from the eyes of others.
"What do I have to do? In what way can I help? Just tell me," Rachel said very determined.
Sam was surprised by Rachel's unwavering attitude towards the situation. She was ready to support Quinn in any way that she could and Sam loved that.
"Just be supportive, Rach. I know how you two feel for each other and I would never take advantage of this situation to try and get Quinn back or anything. I'm just trying to help her too."
A small smile appeared on Rachel's lips. She thought it was sweet of Sam to sacrifice his feelings in such a way that could really hurt him. She truly admired him for that. But even then, she knew that it wasn't going to be easy for her to see him and Quinn together in that way. She was going to try really hard not to show it.
"Okay, I can do that," she sighed. "I'll try not to kill you in a jealous rage," she glared dangerously.
The face Sam made her burst into a fit of giggles.
"I'm joking, Sam!" Rachel laughed. She swore she saw a few droplets of sweat forming on his forehead.
"Oh," he breathed. "I thought you were totally being serious, Rach. I was going to shit my pants."
Rachel scrunched her nose up in disgust but laughed. Then Sam joined in on the laughter.
"You're scary as hell, you know that? Man, you're just as bad as Quinn. You two totally go well together," he chuckled. "You guys look like you can kill someone."
Rachel shook her head and laughed. It wasn't the first time she had been told she had a cold glare. Blaine had told her before and so had her mother.
Sam and Rachel headed back into the school before the bell rang. Rachel had made it just in time to grab her things and meet up with Kurt to walk to glee together. She was excited about seeing Quinn again and even more excited to hear her get nominated for homecoming queen.
She had agreed with Sam not to mention their previous conversation to Quinn. Sam had told her that he and Quinn were going to talk to her after school and that she should just go along it. He had wanted to talk to her first so that she knew what Quinn was really thinking because Sam had no doubt that the blonde would give up her nomination for Rachel if she thought the brunette would be upset with the idea of keeping their relationship private for two more weeks. It really touched Rachel to hear that but she would never dare let Quinn do such a thing.
When Rachel and Kurt met up the brunette quickly told him everything she and Sam had talked about before going to glee. Kurt didn't look surprised when she told him what Sam had said about them only winning if the school believed they were still together.
"It's true. This school always votes for a couple. It's weird. You'd think the school was full of romantics," he joked.
He sympathized with her about having to keep her newly developed with Quinn under wraps. Rachel could tell Kurt wasn't too pleased with the idea, but he also assured her that Quinn really liked her so she wasn't doing it because she wanted to hide their relationship. It was something that Sam had already assured her of as well.
When they arrived to the choir room they weren't the first ones there. Puck, Mike, and Matt were already seated along with Tina and Mercedes. Rachel and Kurt took their usual seats in the front row with Rachel in between Kurt and Puck. When Puck put his arm around her shoulder like he always did, Kurt gave her a look.
"What?" she asked, bemused by his pointed expression.
The boy only smirked mischievously and mouthed, "Just watch."
Rachel shook her head and watched the entrance to the choir room in hopes of seeing Quinn. She along with Santana and Brittany were usually always the last to enter. Today was no exception.
When Rachel saw the hazel-eyed blonde her face lit up. Quinn walked into the room with such grace like she always did. Her back was straight and her head was high. Rachel found the girl's confidence to be very sexy.
The moment their eyes met Rachel's heart swelled at the grin that spread across Quinn's face. It only lasted for a second, though, because quickly her grin faded into a think line and her eyes narrowed dangerously. It was safe to say Rachel was confused.
"Puckerman, do you always have to have your giant paw on Rachel? Do you ever think that maybe it makes her uncomfortable to have your STD ridden arm all over her? Look at her, she looks like you've taken her hostage," Quinn barked out as she walked towards them.
Rachel swallowed hard as the blonde approached. She felt like Quinn was going to tackle Puck to the ground. She found it both terrifying and arousing.
"I don't know, do you always have to be such a fucking bitch," Puck huffed.
Immediately Rachel turned to Puck and smacked his arm. "Noah! Don't speak to Quinn that way. I never want to hear you call her that name again." She also removed his arm from around her shoulder while she was at it.
Puck huffed and glared at Quinn who was trying not to smile. "What the hell is your deal, Fabray?
Rachel turned back to Kurt who was watching the scene play out with a smirk.
So this is why he gave me that look. He knew this was going to happen, Rachel thought.
"My deal is that your presence annoys me," she scoffed.
Puck rolled his eyes. "Whatever Fabray. If you don't like it then leave. I was here first. Even ask my jewbabe," he smirked looking at Rachel.
Rachel narrowed her eyes at Puck and when she glanced at Quinn the blonde just huffed and made her way to the back row where she sat with Brittany and Santana. She couldn't help but smile at the cute pout on the blonde's face as she sat with her arms crossed.
She's so cute when she's mad, thought Rachel.
When she heard Puck chuckling next to her she punched him lightly in his ribs.
"Ouch," Puck said, still laughed. "What was that for?"
"Stop antagonizing Quinn," she warned him.
Puck rolled his eyes. "Why? She's the one that started it," he told her.
"Because, she's my―," Rachel had to stop herself. She was about to say girlfriend. "—friend. Quinn's my friend and I don't want you arguing with her, okay?"
Puck sighed. "Okay yeah, whatever."
As soon as Mr. Schue walked in he started right away with the assignment. The assignment for the week was going to be The Beatles. Apparently Mr. Schue had watched Across the Universe on TV and was inspired. Not too many people were disappointed since everyone loved The Beatles. Rachel was thrilled. She loved Across the Universe and The Beatles. She started to think of a song to perform right away.
Mr. Schue was lecturing on The Beatles and their music when the PA system suddenly turned on.
"Afternoon, McKinley! How ya'll doin? This is Coach Roz Washington you're swim coach and ASB advisor. The nominations are in for this year's homecoming royalty. Ya'll ready?"
Rachel bounced in her seat giddily and looked back at Quinn who smiled. The brunette was so excited to hear Quinn's name be announced as nominee for homecoming queen.
"First off, I wanna announce the theme for this year's homecoming spirit week. The theme is…"
There was a sound of a drumroll that had the entire class anxiously waiting to hear what the theme for homecoming was going to be.
"… Villains and Superheroes!"
There were cheers heard throughout the room and even from the hall. It seemed everyone was pleased with this year's theme.
"Starting Monday, ya'll will have to dress up as a villain or superhero from a different universe. Monday the theme is Marvel Comics, Tuesday it's DC Comics, Wednesday is Disney, and Thursday is everyday villains and superheroes. Friday is class colors day so seniors will be in black, juniors in red, sophomores in yellow, and freshmen in white."
"Finally, a color I look good in," Rachel heard Kurt huff. She laughed. It seemed she was going to have to find something black to wear for that day.
"Now, onto the nominees…"
Rachel squealed excitedly.
Coach Roz first announced the nominees for homecoming princes and princesses from the freshman, sophomore, and junior classes. Rachel wasn't surprised to hear Monica had been nominated for junior homecoming princess.
"Now the nominees for homecoming queen and king…" she began. "First, for homecoming king…"
Everyone was on their edge of their seat waiting for the names to be announced.
"… Rick "The Stick" Nelson, Sam Evans, and Noah Puckerman!"
"Oh hell yeah!" Puck stood. He turned around to face Sam and pointed at him. "It's on, bro!"
Everyone in the class laughed, including Sam. Rachel noticed Quinn didn't look too happy.
"Okay Puck, sit down. Let's listen to the rest," Mr. Schue said amused.
"Now the nominees for homecoming queen…"
Rachel bit her lip as she waited with anticipation. She quickly turned back to glace at Quinn and the blonde was also waiting anxiously for the announcement to be made.
"…Missy Gunderson, Quinn Fabray, and…"
At this point everyone was standing waiting for the last nominee. Quinn didn't care since she had heard her name but everyone else was wondering who had gotten lucky to be nominated.
"…Rachel Berry!"
Rachel's eyes widened as she heard everyone exclaim in surprise.
"Fuck yeah, jewbabe!" Puck jumped.
"Oh shit!" Santana snickered.
"Get it, Berry!" Artie could be heard cheering.
"Looks like we got three queens in this room, Quinn, Kurt, and Rachel," Mercedes laughed.
"Q, maybe you and Rach can be homecoming queen together!" Brittany clapped excitedly.
While the commotion could be heard, Rachel just sat there in shock. Her, Rachel Berry, homecoming queen?
She chanced a glance at her girlfriend and was met with wide eyes full of surprise. When their eyes met it was like they were trying to convey the same message to each other.
What are we going to do?
A/N: Thank you guys again for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope you continue to review. Let me know what you thought :)