A/N: Sorry for this delayed update, guys. I've been procrastinating these past few days and laziness visited me again AND my PC decided to fuck up so I wasn't able to write. But now that all is fixed, here's a treat for all you guys: I've combined two chapters into one to make it up to you by giving you a longer update. Anyway, while writing this chapter, I had learned a very important lesson: Never, as in, never ever stop writing in mid-conversations. I tried once when I was too sleepy to continue writing and vowed to finish it the next day and guess what? I had to scratch the whole thing because I can't remember what the hell the characters were talking about. So yeah, lesson learned.
By the way, I just realized that I made Quinn and the others to be in their senior year, when it is actually Junior year. So, I apologize for the typo. They're incoming Junior students and not Seniors.
Ok, enough talks. Here is chapter 3 of Quinn's the Man. Tell me what you think about this. :)
She just successfully swiveled the ball from their opponents. The moment she heard and felt the familiar 'thud thud' sound made by the impact of ball and her cleats, adrenaline rush washed over her. She managed to get away from the burly frames of the Carmel boys team and headed hastily to their goal. Unfortunately, three giant oafs clad in blue jerseys blocked her previously clear path so she looked around for an available red jersey-wearing guy to pass the ball to. Finally, she spotted one and flawlessly passed the ball. She then ran nearer to the goal, anticipating a pass from any of her teammates. She heard a "Heads up, Fabray!" and she did just that, but the ball is already flying towards her, looking like it has a brain on its own and is aiming for her face. All her reflexes died and she could barely move a single muscle so she stood rooted on her tracks. Knowing that the collision of the ball and her face is now inevitable, she just shut her eyes tightly and waited for the ball. "Any second now, that bloody ball will bust my face," she thought and waited for a hard and painful force hitting her face. And then...
"Wake up, you lazy piece of white ass! We've got a freaking long day ahead of us!" Santana shouted, throwing a pillow to Quinn's face.
Quinn groaned as she was forced to go back to reality and away from her dreams which are turning more and more violent as time goes.
She took the pillow from her face and opened an eye to see Santana who has her hands on her hips and giving her a murderous look at the side of her bed. She stretched her limbs and hid under her blanket, trying to get back to sleep.
"Oh for the love of all things holy, get the fuck up!" hollered Santana and hit her again with a pillow, harder this time.
Quinn angrily pushed her blanket down and glared at the Latina. "Do you really have to be so darn vicious? Give the girl her needed sleep!"
"'Give the girl her need sleep!'" Santana mocked. "You know what you really need? Beating the crap out of you is what you truly need! God, do you plan on spending the whole day sleeping like a log?"
"If I do, will you have any problem with that?" she asked, pulling back the blanket over her head.
"The hell I will!" Santana was about to continue hitting Quinn when Brittany punched her arm lightly. Santana gave her a "WTF" look but Brittany just glared meaningfully to her, then motioned to the half-asleep blonde. Santana sighed in defeat and nudged at what she thought was Quinn's shoulder. "Seriously Q, get up!"
Quinn pushed down the blanket in a very, very, very slow manner. When Quinn's head was already in view, she raised her right arm and pointed a threatening finger to Santana. She sat up, still pointing to the Latina, until her upper body was revealed with her left hand placed over her left breast. Santana was about to burst out laughing at Quinn's absurd appearance but she was cut off by a menacing growl.
"You try to grope or poke my chest again and I swear, you'll curse the day you were born," Quinn said in a dangerously low voice. Santana let out a snort and dodged Quinn's swinging arm. The Latina laughed out loud to the point where tears formed in her eyes and her stomach hurt from too much laughing. She was now kneeling while clutching her aching stomach and is starting to calm down. There were still occasional bouts of laughter from Santana but when she looked at Quinn, she burst out laughing again. "Seriously Q, that was your boob? It felt like your freaking head! And we all know how 'hard' your head is, metaphorically and literally," she managed to choke out, emphasizing the word hard.
"That's it! You're going down, Satan!" Quinn shouted as she lunged to Santana. However, Brittany was fast enough to hold back Quinn by her waist. Quinn struggled but the taller blonde only held her tighter. "You two act like a bunch of children! I know you can't stand each other but can you at least be civil? Just please," Brittany pleaded, still holding back Quinn.
The fuming blonde managed to break free from Brittany and glared at Santana. "You're lucky B's here. If it wasn't for her, you're already on your way to hell!"
"And I'll gladly save a seat there and patiently wait for you," Santana said, giving her a sickeningly sarcastic smile.
Quinn was about to attack again when the door opened, revealing a formally-dressed Judy. "Are you girls ok? I heard some banging noises and some shouting coming from here."
"We're fine Mrs. Fabray. We're just having a pillow fight and Santana fell from the bed," Brittany lied, but her innocent smile assured Judy that everything is perfectly fine.
"Oh, that's a relief then. You three come down after getting dressed, ok? Breakfast is almost ready. And Quinnie, fix your hair. That's not how a Debutante should look like."
"For the millionth time, Mom, I have no interest in being a Debutante!"
"Then at least look presentable. You look like you were in a wrestling match or other grotesque activity."
"Don't worry, JFab. It was just a pillow fight. Nothing too serious, right Q?" Santana butted in and looked at Quinn. The blonde sighed but nodded nonetheless.
"Well, ok then. You three come down immediately, ok?"
The three girls hummed in affirmation and waited for Judy to close the door and walk down the stairs. When the older Fabray was out of earshot, Santana faced Quinn with a challenging look with her arms crossed but Quinn just dismissed her with a wave of her hand.
"Just stop, San. I don't want to hear anything from you and don't start making fun of my breasts."
Santana help up her hands in a surrendering fashion and mouthed "white flag". They started to make the bed and got fresh clothes to change into. A few minutes and several boob jokes later because really, who can stop Santana? They scurried down the stairs and made their way to the dining room. Quinn admittedly saw the funny part of the incident earlier and even laughed at some of Santana's terrible boob jokes. That's how weird their friendship is. A minute earlier, they're down at each other's throats, threatening on killing one another but later, they'll be laughing about it and forget about the whole thing. Except today, Santana is sure to make a huge deal about it but Quinn ignored her tauntings, trusting Brittany to calm Santana the fuck down.
They sat down the chairs and waited for Judy to bring out the food. Of course, there were stacks of pancakes, strips of bacons, eggs and hash browns with a pitcher of fresh orange juice, as per usual when the three have a sleepover. They immediately dug in their marvelous breakfast and had small talks about their families, summer activities and their team getting cut, unfortunately for the teenage girls. Judy noticed the tension building up at the mention of the topic so she immediately changed it.
"So girls, I see that you're dressed. Where are you guys going?" she asked while sipping from her glass of juice.
"We'll just go window shopping, catch a movie then just hang out," Quinn answered, stuffing a strip of bacon to her mouth.
"Oh, that's great then. I hope you'll have a great time."
"We'll surely have, Mrs. Fabray! By the way, the food is fantastic. Thank you!" Brittany said.
"And that's why I like you so much, Brittany. And please, just call me Judy."
"Ok, Judy!"
They continued eating with a lighter mood and soon enough, they finished eating. After putting the plates in the dishwasher and brushing their teeth, the three grabbed their bags and made their way out the house.
"Thanks for everything JFab. You're so freaking great about all these stuff and I'm afraid I might get used to it too much."
"Oh hush up, Santana. I've known you and Brittany even before you started wearing underwear, which was a really funny memory to remember. Oh, that reminds me of a younger you who really hates panties and go around the neighborhood with basically nothing on. Those were really good times, doesn't it?
Quinn laughed quietly at what her Mom said and Santana elbowed her in the ribs. Now, she has something to blackmail the Latina.
"Yeah, Judes, really hysterical memory indeed, but I prefer not to remember anything about it," Santana said.
"That wasn't a great deal, you know. You were still a kid back then."
Before Santana could reply, Quinn interjected and said, "As much as we want to talk about Santana's lack of appreciation for undergarments, we have matters at hand. We gotta get going. I'll be home right before curfew."
They bid their farewell and made their way to Quinn's Nissan Altima. The hopped in their usual seats; Quinn on the driver's seat, Santana on the passenger's seat and Brittany on the backseat. When Santana already found a comfortable position, she gave the blonde a warning glare.
"Don't mention anything about my underwear and I'll keep my mouth shut about that lumps you call your boobs."
Quinn chuckled lightly as she revved up the engine and drove out the garage. "Aw Sanny, what made your knickers in such a knot this early?"
"Watch it, milk jugs."
Brittany couldn't help but laugh at Quinn's innuendo. "Yeah San. It's not a big deal though. I mean, I have a photo of us when we were kids in our swimsuits and toddler Santana is tugging her panties down. Surely, your hatred for panties was inborn."
Quinn burst out laughing at that, earning herself a hard punch from the fuming Latina. "Ow! Come on, I'm trying to keep us road-safe here!"
"Say one more word about my panties and I'll make you forget what safety means!"
"Oh please, you didn't have any trouble in making fun of my breasts earlier and now you're reacting like that when I go about your underwear."
"That was different. It was me making fun of you and not you making fun of me."
"So it's only ok if I'm the victim. Talk about sadistic teenagers nowadays."
"Yeah and keep your opinions to yourself or you'll see how much of a sadist I am!"
"Will you two just shut the hell up? I'm getting sick and tired of all your bickerings!" Brittany chided, unable to contain herself anymore over the back and forth banters of the two girls.
The two immediately shut up. Brittany is normally this little girl who just goes with the flow without a lot of retorts. Hearing her swear and scold them is so rare and they're totally not looking forward to it."
"Sorry B," said Santana in a small voice while looking down at her lap.
"Whipped," coughed Quinn. Santana didn't dare retort because, yeah, she's totally whipped when it comes to the taller blonde. Instead, she settled with a death glare and Quinn gave her a sickeningly adorable grin.
"That's better. I thought you'll never stop," Brittany commented while leaning in and patted the two girls' backs.
They continued to ride in silence until they arrived to Kurt's salon. Quinn turned the engine off and planned on how they'll convince Kurt to transform her into her brother.
"I say we get to the point. There's no use in going in circles. We'll just propose our request and let him decide," Brittany suggested.
"That's how I plan in convincing him. But what if he'll freak out?" Quinn asked.
"Of course he'll freak out. I mean, with a request like that, who wouldn't? But I'm pretty sure this is not the weirdest demand he'll ever hear," Santana said, unbuckling her seatbelt.
Quinn nervously drummed her fingers on the wheel, suddenly very unsure of her plan. The other two patiently waited for her decision, but Santana just can't handle a couple minutes of silence. "Q, I know we've planned this and you're really, really sure about this whole thing but if you're not ready, we can always back out and come back some other day," Santana said.
Quinn shook her head no and said, "No, we're already here. It's just my nerves acting up. Can we just go inside and let fate decide my destiny?
Santana knocked Quinn's head thrice. "You've taken too much soccer balls in your head, Fabray. But yeah, let's go. Your car freshener makes me wanna throw up." She fake-gagged and Quinn didn't suppress a smile. At least the Latina knows how to lighten her up, though in a completely weird way.
"Fine, let's go," she said and went out the car. The two followed her immediately.
"You'll be fine, Quinn. No matter what happens, you'll always have us," Brittany said while putting an arm around Quinn's shoulder. Quinn smiled at the taller blonde and nodded. They stepped into the threshold of Kurt's salon and Quinn inhaled deeply. When she didn't make a move to open the glass door, Santana pushed it and a bell rang from the inside. Brittany led her by the small of her back and stepped in the salon.
'Come on, Quinn. Do this for soccer. Right, I'll do this. For soccer,' she pepped herself and walked further inside. A huge wave of confidence washed over her as she asked the receptionist for Kurt. They were led to the right side of the building and they saw Kurt, curling a middle-aged Latina's hair. They approached him and smiled as he looked up.
"Oh, my favorite trinity! What's up?" he greeted while putting a plastic curler on his costumer.
"Hey Kurt. I have a proposal for you and I'm hoping for your positive reaction," Quinn said, going straight to the point.
"Whoa Quinn, that's kinda hardcore, huh. So tell me all about this proposal you have."
Quinn looked at the two girls and they signaled her to continue, and she did just that. She spent the next few minutes explaining all about her situation, from her team getting cut, dumping her good-for-nothing boyfriend, about Sam going abroad for a music fest and her idea of impersonating him to attend McKinley and play soccer there. By the time she finished, Kurt, and to their surprise, also his costumer, was gaping at her. After a beat, Kurt laughed out loud and Quinn just rolled her eyes, already expecting the reaction. Kurt finally calmed down and faced the three.
"Are you saying that you want me to turn you into your bother? Because I was really hoping that I just imagined your whole explanation."
Before Quinn could reply, Santana butted in. "Yes, that's what Quinn wants you to do and no, you didn't imagine her rant. Apparently, Mrs. Cruz here didn't think so, too."
Quinn whipped to Santana at her last remark. "Wait, y-you know each other?" she asked, pointing to Mrs. Cruz then to Santana.
"Yeah, we're neighbors."
"Looks like Santy here finally decided to acknowledge me. Took you long enough Missy," Mrs. Cruz said in a heavy Hispanic accent and smiled at Santana. She smiled in return and faced Kurt again, waiting for his response.
"You three have taken too much soccer balls in the head. That's totally insane! Kinda heroic, but just plain insane."
Santana laughed at the use of her quote from earlier. "Trust me, I've already told Q that, and yeah, it's insane. But you know she can do it."
Kurt shook his head in disbelief. "Isn't that illegal? The three of you know I have a rep to maintain and my allegiance to this will totally not boost it."
"It's only illegal if somebody will know he's a girl under a disguise. Besides, no one will know about this, right Mrs. Cruz?" Santana asked, raising an eyebrow to the old lady. She just nodded and looked up at Kurt.
After a moment of silence, Quinn pleaded, "Come on, Kurt. I know you can help me with this and I know you know that I can do this."
"Well, I'm not Lima's best without my beauty prowess but I actually worry about you. Sure, they may buy your boyish appearance, but your voice, mannerisms, the breasts, your mentality; those will break your resolve."
"Kurt, you've known me for God knows how long. Heck, you're like my Mom's personal make-up artist through all these years. You would know that I can totally learn all those things in a short period of time. I really need this Kurt, so much," Quinn pleaded, looking at Kurt sincerely.
Kurt sighed exasperatedly. "I know that Quinn. But I'm overly sure they'll find out your secret somehow."
Santana decided to interject when Quinn was about to answer back. "It doesn't matter. Nobody at McKinley has even met the real Sam, so they'll take Quinn as Sam as a dorkish boy who happens to have baby coconut lumps on his chest, like a tumor or something." She started to laugh but received a glare from Brittany so she immediately stopped. "What I mean is, they won't know the difference."
"Well, they'll know he's a girl."
"Come on, Kurt," Brittany finally said, giving him her best puppy dog eyes. Kurt was about to say no when Mrs. Cruz stood and faced him. "These kids have the craziest idea I've ever heard in ages, but also the most determined one," she chanced a look to the three and smiled at them. Facing Kurt again, she continued, "I know you can help them, and you should."
The three girls were beyond shocked at Mrs. Cruz standing up for them. Kurt lost all his reasons to refuse the girls, leaving him with no choices but to accept. "Fine, ok. I'll see what I can do."
The trinity beamed and thanked Kurt. Santana put her arm on the older Latina's shoulder and said, "Thank you so much, Mrs. C. I owe you big time."
"That was nothing. Us residents of Lima Heights Adjacent should always look out for each other. Now, I'll just go find Tony to continue my hair-curling."
Quinn thanked Mrs. Cruz or Sonia as she insists, and Kurt led her to his assistant, Tony. After that, he beckoned the three to a room on the left side. What the girls saw inside made their jaws hang open. Closets full of costumes raging from superheroes to zombies to ballerinas and even replicas of monumental suits of famous people were on the right side of the huge room. On the other side, showcases of wigs, mustaches in different styles and colors were displayed. Finally, right in front of them, is the biggest collection of make-up in various brands where laid down.
"Oh my God. This is like the most awe-mazing dressing room I've ever seen in my life. I don't think I can afford this Kurt," Quinn blurted as she spun around to look at everything.
"Nonsense. You're a close friend of mine and Judy's my most frequent costumer so don't worry about that. You'll be the first client of this new and improved service of ours, so you should totally be worth it."
"I promise, Kurt. I'll never you down. Thank you so much," she said, still in awe of her surroundings.
Santana and Brittany messed around the wigs and the Latina pulled out a dreadlocks wig then put it on. "So, what's the first step of Quinn's transformation?"
Quinn looked at her and laughed out loud. "You look like a freaking Latina Medusa, and that doesn't suit you!"
"At least I make a hot damn Medusa."
"Yeah, totally," Brittany agreed, wearing an afro wig herself.
"Alright, that's enough messing around. So tell me, how does your brother look like so we can make a carbon copy of him out of you?"
Quinn rummaged her bag and retrieved a full body photo of Sam. She handed it to Kurt and took a seat beside Santana.
Kurt had a good look at Sam and commented, "Hmm, he has one hot bod, but Blaine looks hotter."
"Really Kurt? Really?" Santana asked disbelievingly.
"What? You can't blame me for Blaine's sexiness."
"Uhm, can we move on?" Brittany chirped in. "I believe this isn't the best time to think about our special someones."
Kurt seemed to wake up from his Blaine-filled dreams and shook his head. "Anyway, you do resemble Sam, well, save for his lips. God, how can anyone have such a trouty mouth?"
"That's my brother you're talking about, Kurt," Quinn reminded.
"Right, right, of course. So, you ready for the makeover of your life?"
Quinn looked at Santana and Brittany who were both smiling at her and faced Kurt, more confidently than before. "You bet I am."
The rest of the morning was spent by looking for the perfect sandy blonde wig with matching sideburns and eyebrows, teaching Quinn how to use the special kind of bondage to conceal her breasts which was enjoyed thoroughly by Santana and then, shopping for some male's apparel since Sam basically brought his entire closet, save for his McKinley uniforms, much to Quinn's relief.
They were having a fun lunch in the mall's food court when Kurt remembered something. "Now that your physical transformation is done, it's time to go to the complex things: mannerisms, your voice and your mentality."
"Ok, how will we do that?" Quinn asked while taking a sip from her watermelon slushie.
"We'll practice, of course. Or rather, you'll practice. Now, you girls hurry up. We have a lesson to teach Quinn," he said, addressing Santana and Brittany who were sharing a box of pizza.
"What kind of lesson? Can you please elaborate?"
"You know, the usual guy stuff. Seeing that you're already a bit boyish, we'll just have to improve it by adding more fluidity. Of course, you want to put up a good impression. You don't wanna be the stereotypical dorkish transfer student who happens to play soccer. So, we will have a hands-on experiment slash practice," Kurt explained. Quinn made a face then groaned, knowing she doesn't have a choice.
Santana has her usual smug smile and winked at Quinn. "Looks like we'll be seeing a stud Quinn in action. Wanna bait some girls, hot stuff?"
Quinn darted a cold look to the Latina. "Shut up, you're making it sound more nauseating." She faced Kurt and asked, "Do I really have to do this?"
"Of course you don't. But if you want me to turn you into a half-decent guy at the very least, you'll do what I'm saying," Kurt replied, raising an eyebrow in challenge.
Quinn slumped down her seat and sighed, "Fine, let's do this."
"Here, wear these so you'll get used to your Sam-look," Kurt said while handing her new khaki shorts, green plaid shirt, black Vans Chukka Low and to her dismay, her wig set and breast concealer. She beckoned the two girls to help her dress up. They entered a moderately busy restroom and assisted Quinn in dressing up in a stall. They laughed at the horrified looks from the people who saw Quinn enter and exited as Sam from the bathroom. They just smiled at them and joined Kurt by the fountain.
Quinn as Sam is, well, totally hot. Though a bit scrawny, she's fit enough to pass as an averagely lean guy. With her hair tucked properly under her wig with the sideburns and eyebrows on, breasts concealed nicely by the bondage which only leaves her a barely noticeable lump on her chest and with her developed arm and leg muscles due to excruciating exercises at school, no one would suspect that she's a girl in disguise. She nervously put her hands on her pockets as the three looked at her from head to foot, examining her boy-clad body extensively. "Well, h-how do I look?" she inquired.
"Acceptable," Kurt said simply. "But your posture needs some work."
"You're so good-looking, Quinn, I mean Sam," Brittany said, a big smile on her face.
"Damn Quinn, you're totally hot! If I didn't know you're hiding your barely-there boobs, I'd totally jump you," Santana said, followed by a seductive wink.
"Ew, San, that's absolutely gross. And please, leave my boobs out of this conversation."
Santana gasped and put her hand on her chest in a mock offense. "I just can't do that, Q. You can't blame me if I can squeeze your baby coconuts in any conversation."
"One more word and I'll totally knot your knickers up."
"Again, with my underwear? You need more witty comebacks that that."
Quinn stepped closer to Santana and pointed to her. "You're the one to talk! You're making fun of my breasts every chance you get!"
"Whoa, whoa ladies. I don't think anyone would want to hear about your lady…things. We still have a mission to complete, people!" Kurt's comment was ignored by the two arguing girls who when seen from a distance, looks like they're having a lovers' quarrel, what's with Quinn's get-up.
"Jesus, do they ever stop?" Kurt asked Brittany who just sighed at her bestfriends' behavior.
"Try basically living with them," she simply said.
"Oh my, I guess I'll settle with this. I can't imagine the horror of watching and hearing them quarrel almost everyday."
"I swear you'll get used to it. Besides, they're easy to break."
"Oh really?"
"Uh huh. Watch me. Just show a little something something and they'll shut up in no time. "
Brittany walked in between the quarrelling girls who were starting to shove each other. "Will you two calm the fuck down? I'm so fucking tired of you two! And don't you two give me that look. Yes, I used the f word because you two are so damn insufferable. And please, save your apologies because I damn well know you'll be going at each other's throat later. We still have a task to do, for God's sake!"
Kurt was impressed to see the two fierce girls visibly falter at every word Brittany says. The said blonde winked at Kurt and mouthed "Told you" when Santana and Quinn looked at the ground.
Finally, Quinn looked up to Kurt and cleared her throat, deepening her voice for her Sam character ehich came out huskier and breathier than her own voice. "So, what am I going to do, Kurt?"
"The voice is already perfect, Quinn. I guess we'll just develop some of your mannerisms. Come on, follow me."
Kurt led them to Forever 21 on the mall's third floor. The shop was pretty packed, so Kurt thought that this is the perfect place to practice. He pointed to a teenage boy in a graphic tee and shorts with an Obey cap on his head who just entered the premises and told Quinn to imitate his swagger walk. Quinn reluctantly did as directed and she was rewarded by a boisterous laughter from Santana.
"Q, you're not on a runway and you're supposed to be a guy, so don't sway your hips too much. Try again," Kurt suggested.
She begrudgingly "walked swaggishly" less tensely. After several tries and numerous smacks on Santana's head, she already mastered her signature walk, much to her relief. Mannerisms like touching her nose with her thumb, running her fingers through her hair and rubbing her neck were developed next. She found all those things ridiculous and somewhat unnecessary, but as she continues to "be a boy", she actually enjoyed it and exaggerated some of her actions just to make her three companions laugh. She's having fun and it made her think that being a guy for a couple of weeks wouldn't be that bad.
The rest of the afternoon was spent by working on Quinn's boyish movements. She went as far as helping a relatively pretty redhead around her age to pick up her chosen tees that she dropped when some asshole bumped unto her. After doing so, Quinn held out her hand to help the girl stand then smiled lopsidedly, as taught by Kurt. She swore she elicited a blush from the girl who shyly tucked her hair behind her ear. The girl thanked and bashfully smiled at her. She quirked her eyebrow in farewell and walked towards her three buddies. She got this fluttery feeling in her stomach and got too lost in it that she didn't see Santana swing her arm and hugged her with one arm.
"Damn, Q, what a way to be a stud! That girl was totally smitten by you."
"Of course. She's too hot to be ignored, you know. You'll surely get some pretty girls at McKinley, Q," Brittany agreed.
Quinn pursed her lips and smiled at the two girls. "As flattering as that may be, I'm not interested in the girls. I'll be there for soccer and soccer alone."
"You know, it wouldn't hurt to have some shenanigans. It will make this whole 'being a boy' phase more unforgettable," Kurt said.
"I don't want anyone to be heartbroken and expect for nothing because of me. I know how much that hurts," she said and with that, she broke away from the three and headed to the vest section of the shop.
The three, fully knowing what she meant, shared a look with each other. Kurt, who was filled up by Brittany all about the break up, signaled the two girls to approach the blonde. He gave Quinn a light squeeze on her arm and said, "Come on Q, early dinner's on me."
During dinner, Quinn's mood drastically changed, thanks to Santana and Kurt who debated about basically anything. Quinn shared some of her punny thoughts which often elicited huge roars of laughter from her friends, garnering some attention from the other diners. She completely forgot about Finn and his douchebaggery.
After another hour of shopping and just walking around the mall, they finally decided to call it a night. They dropped off Kurt by his salon and Quinn thanked him profusely. They drove to Lima Heights Adjacent and dropped off Santana then a couple of blocks later, Brittany bid her goodbye. They left her with great heaps of wishes of luck and promised that they'll drive her to McKinley. With the support of her friends, she didn't see her future "plan into action" scary at all.
XxXxXxXxX
The next day went by a blur to Quinn's part. She spent it by packing her things needed for her two-week stay in McKinley and coming up with an excuse for her mother. Now, Thursday evening, is her supposed to be departure to Santana's house where she would spend the night and then head to McKinley the next morning. She checked her bags one last time and made sure she got everything she'll need, including a box of tampons since she's expecting her monthly visitor any day now.
She shouldered her duffel bags, held her ball and went out her room. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and started to descend the grand staircase. She stopped halfway through the staircase to steal a peek at the dining table and as expected, Judy was there writing something for this year's Debutante Ball itinerary. She went down again, praying that her Vans won't make too much noise on the carpeted steps. If she's being honest, she wanted to imitate Sam's way of sneaking out but her fear of heights immediately dismissed jumping out of her window.
Finally, she stepped on their tiled floor and headed to their front door as hastily as she could but her sneakers made a squeaking noise when it made contact with the tiles. She heard the dining room chair her mother was sitting on being dragged back as her Mom stood. So much for sneaking around successfully.
"Quinnie? Why are you all dressed and packed up? Where are you going this late, young lady?" Judy inquired. Quinn muttered a curse under her breath. She willed her on the spot excuse-making skills to work right at this moment. After a beat, she faced her Mom with a nonchalant look on her face. Her mother is wearing one of her matching business suit that she insists on wearing all the time. Typical.
"Mom, I told you already. I'm going to Dad's house for two weeks," she excused, shifting her OSU cap atop her head.
"Oh no, young lady, you didn't and you're not going. We've hardly spent any time together this summer. Now go upstairs and unpack," Judy contradicted, motioning to Quinn's bags then pointed upstairs.
Quinn sighed deeply and shouldered her bags more securely as she inched closer to Judy. Disgusting as her next retort will be, she's still thankful to her quick responding brain. Desperate time calls for desperate measures.
"Ok, Mom, I thought about what you said." At that, Judy perked up. "You know that Sugar's gonna be there 24/7 with Sam, so, I don't know, I was just thinking that maybe she'd show me the ropes on the whole debutante thing," Quinn explained with a half smile, biting her bottom lip in faux shyness. Oh yeah, that'll totally make Judy buy her excuse.
As expected, Judy's face lit up and looked at her daughter in awe. "This is so exciting!" Judy exclaimed, putting hr hands on Quinn's shoulders.
"Isn't it?" Quinn said with well-practiced fake interest.
Judy led Quinn with her arm around her daughter towards the doorway and the younger blonde knew she had won. "Sugar Motta will be the best guide for you! She's one of the best girls I've ever taught and her knowledge can be passed on you. You'll gonna have so much fun! Don't forget to ask pointers for the formal ball and the luncheon, ok?" Judy said as she faced her daughter.
Quinn looked stoic enough for her Mom to be reassured but unknown to her, Quinn has been doing her ridiculous victory dance inside her head. She managed to settle her excitement down and nodded to Judy. "Sure Mom, I'll keep that in mind."
After being pampered some more for "finally being a lady" and reminding her of a carnival by next week to raise some funds for the charity, Quinn found herself driving towards Lima Heights Adjacent to spend the night at Santana's. The Latina, Kurt and Brittany promised that they'll go with Quinn to McKinley the next day.
Quinn felt surreal. Now that she's free from her Mom's grasp, she's a step nearer to achieving her goal. All she has to worry about right now is to act like Sam in McKinley and pass the tryouts for the soccer team. After that, she'll let her skills decided her fate. For her, everything is going according to her plan so far, and she's more than ecstatic for it.
XxXxXxX
Quinn undid her red McKinley tie for the umpteenth time during her ride to McKinley and for the millionth time that day. She turned the rear view mirror of Kurt's Cruze towards her to readjust her tie but apparently, tie-knotting isn't her thing. She huffed angrily and ruffled her hair in annoyance, forgetting the fact that her sandy blonde wig was already in place.
"Hey, don't tug the hair too much! I spent ages to get it right," Kurt said beside her who is busy maneuvering his car through the traffic.
Feeling the heat of the late summer sun getting on her despite the full blast AC of the car, Quinn took her dark blue blazer off, unbuttoned the cuffs of her long-sleeved navy blue uniform shirt and rolled the sleeves up then motioned to her tie. "This goddamn piece of crap won't cooperate with me! The bottom one always gets longer than the front everytime I readjust it and I'm so freaking exhausted already!" she said as she slumped heavily on the passenger's seat.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Calm yo tits, Quinn. Geez, don't vent your freak-outs on other people," Santana exclaimed from the backseat.
Quinn faced the Latina and said, "You aren't the one who has to wear these khaki slacks, a blazer over this long-sleeved shirt and a damn tie! That means, you aren't the one who feels like she's burning her ass in hell with a tie that wants to suffocate her! Why does this school require their students to wear the uniform immediately anyway? Classes are still three freaking days away!"
"Standard operating procedure of McKinley, Missy. I've told you that already. And it was in your student manual," Kurt interjected.
"Are all private schools like this? God, this is mental! This uniform will make me combust any second now! It's hot as hell!" she chastised while flailing her hands around in frantic motions then scratched her face in infuriation. "And don't get me start on these fuc−"
"Oh my God, shut the hell up! One more word and I'll strangle you with that fucking tie!" Santana shouted, already fed up by Quinn's exclamations.
"Language, ladies. No need to argue crudely. We're already in McKinley's premises."
"I don't fucking care!"
Brittany sighed and put her hand on Santana's thigh, calming her down. "Quinn's just tense, San. Let her freak out as much as she wants. Q, you'll be alright, I promise. Now give me your tie and I'll make it for you."
"Good thing Brittany's here. I swear, you two will be the death of me with your pointless bickering and arguments," Kurt commented as he acquired a pass from the school guard by McKinley's main entrance.
Quinn handed her tie to the taller blonde and sighed heavily, feeling her nerves resurface as they passed a tarpaulin welcoming the new students. "I'm sorry. I'm just so nervous and I didn't get enough sleep last night. It's just… I'm finally here and I can't stop my nerves from rattling inside me."
Santana leaned in and put her hand on Quinn's shoulder and Quinn looked at her. "I know, I'm sorry for blowing up on you. Your freak outs were riling me up and make me more nervous about this whole thing."
At that, Quinn raised her eyebrow in question. "You're nervous? Why?
"For you, dumbass. This is all so new to you and we don't know what kind of people the students here are. What if they beat kids for fun? What if they'll hang you upside down then dump you in the dumpsters? Or worse, what if they make you as a target goal during soccer practice?"
Quinn let herself give Santana a small smile at her admittance of worrying about her well-being. "Thanks San, I didn't know you care about me that much."
Santana made a face and said, "That's because Judy won't be too happy to see her darling debutante come back home all beaten up."
"Makes sense."
"Don't worry Quinn," Kurt butted in. "The students here are respectful and they mind their own business. Well at least during my time four years ago. I don't know right now," Kurt said as he found a vacant space on the parking lot.
"I'm still anxious though. God, where have I gotten myself into?" Quinn asked rhetorically as she banged her forehead on the dashboard desperately.
Unknown to the front seaters, Brittany went out the car and opened Quinn's door. She took Quinn's hand and led her out. She rolled down Quinn's sleeves and put the premade tie under her collar, now looking perfect. She then got Quinn's blazer and asked her to wear it. Quinn complied and just looked at Brittany straight to her blue eyes.
"You're going to do this for soccer, Quinn. You planned this and you're going to go through this. I know you're going to make us proud," she said and gave Quinn a sweet smile. "You're Lucy Quinn Fabray, captain of Carmel's Warriorettes and basically the school's queen, you wouldn't let this little scheme beat you, right? Just stay focused and I know you'll do well."
Quinn got teary-eyed on Brittany's reassurance so she lunged to the girl and hugged her tightly. "That's just what I needed to hear B. Thanks a lot. I'll do my best to make you guys proud."
"No worries. I believe in you, Q. You can do this," Brittany reassured and hugged the shorter blonde back.
"I hate to break your moment guys, but you two look like Ken and Barbie. People are gawking," Kurt said as he went out the car then motioned around them. True enough, there were people who were smiling at them. She saw some guys wearing identical uniforms with her giving her thumbs ups. That's when she realized that she's dressed and looks like a guy and hugging Brittany looks like they're getting their macks on. She pulled away awkwardly and felt a blush creeping on her cheeks. Brittany just smiled and pinched her left cheek, earning some catcalls from the people around them. So much for McKinley students minding their own business.
"Ok, show's over people. They're done groping each other," Santana hollered and the watchers just snickered. "My, don't you two look cozy?"
"Shut up, S. I was just caught in the moment," Quinn explained, looking down at her black shoes.
"Yeah, fine, whatever. Now before you become mushy or sappy or sentimental and all that crap, let's test out some things, shall we?" she asked and Kurt nodded to her.
"Let me hear the voice," she ordered.
Quinn cleared her throat and deepened her voice, making it huskier than usual. "Hey, what's up? Name's Sam."
"So hot," Santana commented and Quinn winked at her sexily which was taught by the Latina. She smiled flirtatiously in return.
Kurt scrunched his nose and said, "Ew, stop that. You're making me gag."
"I'm just doing how my character's supposed to act, right San?" she asked and quirked her eyebrow which is thicker than her usual immaculate eyebrows, thanks to Kurt.
"Right, stud," Santana replied, still flirty-acting with Quinn.
Kurt just rolled his eyes and handed Quinn her book bag. "Whatever. Now, show us the strut."
Quinn executed her "swagger stride which left the hot redhead hot and bothered". That was, of course, baptized by Santana.
"Satisfactory," he commented. "Now, hock a loogie."
She generated a loud and sickening sucking sound in her throat then spat out. She looked at them expectantly.
"Gross," the three of them chorused but Kurt added, "But successful. God, you improved so well!"
Quinn smiled smugly and took her duffel bags from the trunk. She shouldered them and looked at the school building not far from them.
"This is it. I have to go guys. I still have to register to get my room number, locker number and stuff. Thanks a lot."
"Nonsense Quinn. I had fun going with your insane plan. Good luck, kiddo. You made me so proud," Kurt said while hugging her. "Just don't forget about me when you finally become MVP or something, ok?"
Quinn giggled and hugged him back. "I'm never gonna forget you, Kurt. This is such a huge favor. Thank you so much."
"You'll be ok, Q. San and I are just a call away if you have some troubles."
"You cost me a ton of burritos to bribe Mrs. Cruz, QFab. Unknown to you guys, she's the gossip queen of the whole Lima Heights, so I came to make sure she keep her blabbermouth shut. This should be worth it. If I won't see you on the game, I'll−"
"You'll go all Lima Heights on me and you'll ends my white piece of ass. I know that already. And thanks for shutting Mrs. Cruz. I owe you one."
"Just making sure that we understand each other. And don't worry about her, she's all good."
"Now shut up and give me a hug," Quinn said and opened her arms to the Latina."
"Gross, but ok," she said and pulled Quinn in a hug which made Brittany squeal and Kurt snicker. Quinn pulled back and motioned to the school.
"I should go now guys, see you." The three waved at her and she turned around to walk towards the school.
"Hey Q, wait up," Santana called out to Quinn's retreating back and the blonde looked back at her. She passed Quinn's soccer ball to her which was left in the backseat. The blonde caught it and gave Santana a grateful smile.
"Be a good boy, Sam," Santana said and waved. Quinn nodded and started to walk away. She heard the Cruze roll away and the reality of finally arriving in McKinley as Sam hit her hard. Instead of doubting herself again, she paused then breathed determinedly. She straightened her back and eyed the building in front of her. She has a point to prove, friends to bring pride to and a mission to fulfill, and she'll do her best to accomplish all of them. With that, she walked again towards the school where an intermingled chain of experiences awaits her.
A/N: Honestly, I'm not 100% happy on how this chapter turned out. I had written an Unholy Trinity bonding that is longer than how I originally planned. I'm so sorry and I hope I didn't bore any of you. Also, I apologize if the story is too slow-paced. I'm still a newbie in fanfic-writing and I tend to be so detailed in things I write. I'll improve my style so as to satisfy you guys!
I want to thank all of you for reading, reviewing and for the favorites and alerts for this fic. It's amazing how a result of my boredom can be this successful. You guys rock! \m/
PS: I know some of you were already expecting any Faberry interaction in this chapter but I'm afraid Rachel will not enter this early. Give it a chapter or two and I'll make sure that the wait will be worth it. So, see you next update!
PPS: You can follow me on Tumblr! Faberittanaisalwayson's my URL
Jadey X