A/N: The song I used is Heart Like Yours by Williamette Stone, from the soundtrack of If I Stay

Quinn dumped the last of her bags on the floor, taking in her surroundings. Her room was sparsely decorated – the walls were painted white, a wooden cabinet placed on the far end of the room, a desk and chair at the right corner, a single bed in the middle of the room, and a small bedside table holding a lamp placed on the bed's right side.

Tiredly, she shuffled to her bed and plopped down, staring at the ceiling. If anything, she was glad that her parents decided to have her study at a boarding school for her senior year. She honestly just couldn't stand the Neanderthals from her former school, and she was more than happy to get away from all the drama.

Suddenly feeling thirsty, she pushed herself out of her bed and decided to look for a water dispenser. She could unpack later, once she had freshened up. Thankfully, the boarding school was decent enough to provide all rooms with an air conditioner, so she wouldn't have to sweat like a pig when she slept at night.

She grabbed her thermos from her backpack and made sure her keys were in her pocket before heading outside. As she shut the door behind her, a short brunette from her neighboring dorm room caught her attention. The brunette wore a leather jacket, ripped jeans, and a pair of black converse sneakers, with a guitar case slung over her shoulder.

As intrigued as she was by the brunette, the acquaintances could come later, after she unpacked all her things and settled in her new room.

Stifling a yawn, she shuffled across the hall, and searched for a water dispenser or anything close to is. Luckily, there was a water fountain just three doors down from her own room. She refilled her thermos with the cool water and headed back to her room, finding that her neighbor was already gone. Shrugging to herself, she assumed that the brunette might already be inside her room and resting.

She went back inside her room and took a long swig from her thermos, sighing as the cool water sloshed down her throat. Her thirst quenched, she rolled her neck and started to unpack her bags.

Time flew by quickly, and it was already seven in the evening when Quinn was done fixing her room and placing her things in their proper places. She sighed in relief as she hid the last of her clothes in the cabinet and fell down on her bed. Exhausted, she set her alarm and fell asleep.

The sound of her alarm ringing jostled Quinn awake. Startled, she jumped up, looking at her surroundings in confusion. Realizing that she was in her room in the boarding school and not at home, she sighed and stood up, wondering what was in store for her on her first day. She yawned and stretched, then shuffled to the bathroom.

After taking a refreshing shower, she wrapped a towel around her body and stepped outside of the bathroom, shivering at the cool blast of air that hit her. Cursing silently, she reached for the remote and turned off the airconditioner. She put on a black-and-white striped t-shirt, a jean jacket, and a pair of blue skinny jeans.

Once sure that she was fully ready, Quinn grabbed her backpack off the floor and swung the straps over her shoulders. Just as she was about to leave, she saw the brunette from yesterday leaning forward against the railing, looking deep in thought.

"Hey there," she called out, and the brunette turned around to face her.

The brunette had deep brown eyes, soft, plump lips, and a bit of a big nose. Her jawline was clearly defined by the thick chestnut tresses that framed her face and curtained her shoulders. Again, she was wearing the black leather jacket, a gray v-neck shirt underneath and a pair of black skinny jeans tucked inside black leather boots.

"Hey to you, too," the brunette flashed a grin, hands shoved into her pockets.

"I'm Quinn, by the way," Quinn smiled, right hand outstretched towards the brunette.

"Rachel," the brunette said as she shook Quinn's hand. "Nice meeting you, Quinn."

"You too," Quinn returned.

"Are you heading to class right now?" Rachel asked casually.

"Yeah, I am. What about you?"

Rachel looked at her watch and pursed her lips, looking deep in thought. Finally, she sighed and met Quinn's gaze.

"I guess I really should," Rachel said reluctantly.

Quinn nodded, feeling that the whole badass look wasn't just a fashion sense for the brunette. People who acted like they were big shots in her previous school really turned Quinn off, and she tended to avoid them like the plague, not wanting to get into trouble by associating with them. Still, she could use a friend and Rachel didn't really give off the whole 'I'm-a-badass-and-you-should-back-off' vibe.

"What's your first period?" Quinn asked as they started walking towards the campus.

"Lemme see here…" Rachel mumbled as she pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket. Her eyes scanned the sheet for a few seconds, then answered, "History. Ugh, seriously?" she muttered, seeming put off.

"I've got History too," Quinn spoke up.

"I guess it'll be more bearable then," Rachel chuckled as she folded the paper and shoved it back into her pocket. "Are you a new student here?"

"Yeah, what about you?"

"Yup. I've actually hopped from school-to-school, so it's really nothing new to me anymore," Rachel sighed as she kicked a piece of dirt from the ground.

Before Quinn could ask why, Rachel suddenly stopped. Confused, she looked beside her and saw that they were already in front of their classroom. Rachel smirked and opened the door, gesturing for Quinn to come in first. Quinn flashed a grateful smile at Rachel and went in, the brunette following after her.

There were already around twenty people in the classroom when they entered, the students formed into small groups and chatting animatedly. Quinn chewed her lip and decided to sit on a vacant seat in the middle row. Rachel, meanwhile, sat on the empty seat beside her.

"Is it alright if I sit beside you?" Rachel asked, her arm swung casually over the back of her chair.

"Sure," Quinn smiled, relieved that she wasn't the only new person around.

"Don't worry. I won't disturb you since I'll most likely be asleep throughout the whole period," Rachel smirked and rested her chin against her folded arms across her desk.

Quinn laughed and shook her head, wondering just what on earth she had gotten herself into. Rachel grinned and Quinn just smiled, finding herself drawn in to the brunette for some unknown reason.

A few more minutes passed, and the remaining students flocked into the room, sitting on whatever seat was available. Soon after, the teacher came in, an old man that looked like he was nearing seventy, wearing a tanned suit and carrying a small briefcase. Rachel groaned and rolled her eyes, as though this was to be expected.

"Of course it has to be an old man," Rachel snorted and folded her arms across her chest. Quinn suppressed the grin that was starting to form across her face, knowing that what Rachel said was true. Typical history with old men teaching the subject. "So really, it's a valid excuse when I fall asleep."

"When?" Quinn echoed, eyebrow arched.

"Yeah," Rachel shrugged. "When, because I'm sure that I will. I say 'if' when I'm not so sure."

"Fair enough," Quinn smiled and turned her attention to the teacher that was beginning to drone on.

Rachel smirked and rested her head against the desk, and within just a minute, her breathing started to even out. Quinn chuckled and shook her head, forcing herself to listen as she took down notes.

And so the day went, and Quinn found that she had all her classes with Rachel, which was quite a pleasant surprise. Though the brunette slept through all their classes, the exception being music, Quinn didn't find her half-bad at all. She didn't act like a jerk and swear at people when they bumped into her, or acted all high and mighty like all self-proclaimed badasses from her previous school did.

Quinn noticed something about Rachel during their music class. The brunette didn't look bored and disinterested at all. Her eyes shone and she furiously took down notes, listening to every word that their teacher spoke. Maybe it was the fact that their teacher was part of a band before and was actually really cool and knew what he was talking about, but, there was something else. Somehow, Quinn could feel Rachel's underlying passion for music, much like the way she felt about literature. And it really shouldn't have surprised her, especially when she remembered that Rachel was carrying a guitar the first time she saw her.

She didn't know why, but all she knew was that she would really love to get to know more about Rachel.

Weeks passed, and Quinn and Rachel spent nearly all their time together. They had their own friends apart from each other, but they felt more comfortable around each other. Quinn shared a lot about herself with Rachel, and the other way around. She learned for a fact that Rachel was into music ever since she was little, and that love was influenced by her two dads. And when Rachel talked about her dads, Quinn could sense the sadness in the brunette's voice and see it in her eyes, and she didn't know why. But when she asked about it, Rachel would close off the topic and fold her arms across her chest, signaling that the conversation was over.

It wasn't just because she was curious, but she found herself caring deeply about the brunette. In the weeks that they spent with each other, Quinn would sometimes catch Rachel looking at her longingly, before she turned away and acted normally again. Deep brown eyes kept pulling her in, a mixture of emotions that Quinn couldn't quite place.

Still, she knew for a fact that she liked Rachel, and it was a feeling that ran deeper than platonic.

They were sitting on the porch of a cabin nearby the campus, working on their music homework. Rachel was gently strumming away on her guitar, a distant look in her eyes. Quinn closed her eyes and listened to the emotions that Rachel poured out as she played, an overwhelming feeling of sadness looming over her. When she opened her eyes, she saw Rachel's fingers trembling and tears streaming down the brunette's face.

Before she could ask what was wrong, Rachel put down the guitar and angrily punched the wall.

"Rachel?" Quinn asked, terrified. She'd never seen Rachel act so angry before, and it worried her.

"Dammit!" Rachel yelled, fists pounding against the wall. "Goddammit!"

Scared and worried, Quinn wrapped her arms around Rachel from behind and rested her head against the brunette's back. Finally, Rachel stopped and melted into Quinn's arms, body trembling and sobs tearing through her lips. The brunette's pained sobs caused Quinn's heart to break, and she held on tighter, afraid to let go.

"Why?" Rachel choked out. "Dammit, why?"

"You can talk to me, Rachel," Quinn said softly, face buried into the brunette's back. "Please, talk to me…"

Rachel bit her lip and extracted herself from Quinn's embrace. Quinn stood silently, expecting Rachel to pack up, shut herself off and walk away, like she always did whenever she sensed any trace of vulnerability. Instead, Rachel stood closer to her, leaving only a small distance between their bodies. Quinn chewed on her lip as pain-filled espresso orbs pulled her in, silently asking for comfort.

"It's- it's my dad, Hiram. He died when I was thirteen. The song I was playing- it was the last song he played to me, just a week before- before he was gone," Rachel's voice cracked, fresh tears springing from her eyes. Quinn could see that it was a struggle for Rachel to get the words out, to allow herself to be completely vulnerable in front of her. "That's the reason I acted out. I got into trouble and kept on getting kicked out of different schools. I- I just feel so damn angry all the time that I can't feel anything else anymore," Rachel gritted out as she sank to the floor, face buried in her hands and knees bent to her chin.

Quinn felt her heart shatter at Rachel's admission, unable to find the right words to say. She couldn't understand what Rachel was going through, not having lost a loved one herself. Instead of saying anything, she sat beside Rachel and pulled the broken brunette into her arms, offering whatever silent comfort she could give. Rachel responded by crying freely into her chest, violent sobs wracking her frame.

Quinn didn't know then, but in that moment, they were already starting to fall in love with each other. In that moment, where Rachel finally found the courage to open up to Quinn.

Three days went by after Rachel's breakdown, and they found themselves even closer than before. Quinn had yet to tell Rachel the real reason why she decided to go to a boarding school and her past experience in middle school, wanting to give the brunette more time and space to mourn for her dad.

Later that evening, they were sitting on the floor in Rachel's room, silently working on their homework. Quinn yawned and shifted into a more comfortable position, her knee touching Rachel's.

"Are you tired?" Rachel asked.

"Nope. I'm still good," Quinn smiled as she squeezed Rachel's knee. "What about you?"

"Still good to go," Rachel echoed, smiling genuinely.

After Rachel opened up about her past, Quinn noticed that she seemed more relaxed and was smiling more often instead of her usual smirk. It felt like Rachel wasn't putting up a brave front anymore, or hiding behind the badass image. Of course, the brunette broke a few rules now and then, but nothing big to warrant her getting kicked out again.

"So, you never told me why you decided to transfer here," Rachel said casually as she stretched her arms.

Quinn sighed and shifted her position so that she was facing Rachel. She honestly didn't know where to begin, but decided to just say the first thing that came to mind.

"To start off… I was a complete bitch before I transferred here. I had everything: popularity, a soccer captain for a girlfriend, and head cheerleader. I wasn't exactly the best person, and I hurt a lot of people. Then junior year came, and well, someone dug up my past…" Quinn trailed off and chewed on her lip, unsure whether to continue or not. Lucy Caboosey wasn't exactly something she wanted to bring up, especially not to Rachel.

"Hey, if you don't feel ready to tell me, it's fine," Rachel said reassuringly as she squeezed Quinn's leg. "But just so you know, whatever it is, I'm not going to judge. The past is in the past, right?"

Quinn looked up and saw the sincerity in Rachel's eyes. Releasing a shaky sigh, she nodded, deciding to continue. Her past wasn't as bad as Rachel's, so she felt that she didn't have the right to call that problem of hers as a huge one.

"When I was in middle school, I had this nickname. 'Lucy Caboosey'. I was fat back then, I wore braces, and thick-rimmed glasses. Pimples covered nearly my whole face, and everyone made fun of me. In junior year, someone posted that photo and it spread like fire throughout the whole school. Then everything went down in flames. My girlfriend broke up with me, and people started to make fun of me again. I couldn't find the strength to tell them to back off, so I decided to transfer and get a fresh start. I chose a boarding school because I thought that living away from my parents would help me prepare for college… so, that's why I'm here," Quinn finished, her voice taking on a soft tone.

"Well, your ex is an idiot. And so are the people from your school," Rachel snorted, hands thrown behind the back of her head. "You should bring me there and let me beat the person behind that poster. Let me knock some sense into your ex while you're at it, too."

Quinn chuckled and sighed, meeting Rachel's gaze. They smiled at each other, and Quinn felt like she was falling even more for Rachel.

"Thanks for listening," Quinn said softly, hand placed on top of Rachel's knee.

"And for the record? I think you're beautiful, Quinn," Rachel whispered, brown eyes filled with warmth. Quinn caught a flicker of something else in Rachel's eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. She knew that Rachel meant it, that she wasn't just saying it to make her feel better.

And it had been a long time since someone had told her that she was beautiful and really saw her for it, not just on the outside, but also on the inside.

Rachel smiled and placed her hand on top of Quinn's, giving it a light squeeze before turning her attention back to her homework.

For the first time since junior year, Quinn felt understood and cared for.

The following night, they were back in the cabin and sitting on the porch. The teachers hadn't given them any homework or scheduled any quizzes the following day, so Rachel invited Quinn to the cabin. It had become a sort of refuge for them, whenever they wanted to be alone and not have anyone bother them by knocking on their doors and asking for whatever kind of help they needed.

Rachel was sitting down and strumming at her guitar, and Quinn listened intently. The sound drifted through the air, filling Quinn's ears and heart.

"Have you written any songs?" Quinn asked as Rachel finished playing the song.

"Yes, I have," Rachel answered in a soft voice. "I've just finished writing my latest one this morning."

"Can I hear it?" Quinn asked.

Rachel nodded and started to strum softly.

Breathe deep, breathe clear

Know that I'm here, know that I'm here

Waiting

Stay strong, stay gold

You don't have to fear, you don't have to fear

Waiting

I'll see you soon, I'll see you soon

The transition between chords was quick and effortless, and Quinn listened, mesmerized by the way Rachel sang with emotion, her feelings picked up by the guitar, as though they were one.

How could a heart like yours ever love a heart like mine?

How could I live before?

How could I have been so blind?

You opened up my eyes, you opened up my eyes

Their gazes met, and Rachel's eyes were trained on Quinn as she sang, voice filled with emotion.

Sleep sound, sleep tight

Here in my mind, here in my mind

Waiting

Come close, my dear

You don't have to fear, you don't have to fear

Waiting

I'll see you soon, I'll see you soon

Quinn swallowed thickly and moved closer to Rachel, their knees touching and eyes still locked onto each other.

How could a heart like yours ever love a heart like mine?

How could I live before?

How could I have been so blind?

You opened up my eyes, you opened up my eyes

The strumming faded softly into downstrokes, Rachel's gaze unwavering.

Hold fast hope

All your love is all I've ever known

Hold fast hope

All your love is all I've ever known

How could a heart like yours ever love a heart like mine?

How could I live before?

How could I have been so blind?

You opened up my eyes, you opened up my eyes

You opened up my eyes, you opened up my eyes…

Rachel stopped on the last downstroke, the sound of the guitar fading into silence. Slowly, Quinn leaned in, unable to form any words. Their faces inched neared, and Rachel closed the distance between them. Quinn felt her heart race as her lips touched Rachel's, and somehow she had the feeling that Rachel wrote that song with her in mind. They kissed until they were short of breath, and Quinn pulled away to meet Rachel's gaze.

"I wrote that song for you," Rachel admitted, nudging Quinn's forehead with hers.

"It was beautiful," Quinn murmured, watching as Rachel laced their fingers together.

"I'm falling for you, you know that?" Rachel chuckled breathlessly. "I never thought that you would feel the same way about me."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because you're beautiful, smart, witty, and you've got this good girl vibe around you. Me? Well, I keep on breaking rules and I've got kicked out of schools more times than I can count. I just don't think that I'm good enough for you," Rachel sighed, eyes laced with sadness.

"I don't think that's true. You were hurting, and we all have different ways of dealing with it," Quinn said softly as she took Rachel's hands. The brunette's fingers were calloused, probably from playing the guitar, but the rest of her hands were soft and smooth, and felt perfect against her own.

"Thanks, really," Rachel whispered gratefully.

"Anytime," Quinn said. Rachel flashed a half-smile and leaned in to kiss her for the second time that night, and Quinn knew that whatever she was feeling for the brunette was right.

"Now I'm real glad that my other dad forced me to go to school here," Rachel chuckled.

"Did I tame the bad girl?" Quinn teased, causing Rachel to burst out laughing.

"Hell, yeah you did," Rachel laughed, brown eyes twinkling.

Quinn laughed back and locked their fingers together, then rested their foreheads together. It looked like her senior year was going to be perfect, especially since she had Rachel. Truth be told, Rachel opened up her eyes and made her believe that she was fully capable of being loved and accepted fully for who she was.

And she was sure that she didn't want anything or anyone else apart from Rachel.