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Sudden Rush

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This was it, your time to shine.

McKinley Horse Show was a pinnacle event in the equestrian calendar for show-jumpers. They held some of the most prestigious rounds, with top prizes and recognition, and they offered your favourite show-jumping event; the puissance.

That was why you were there, and that was what you had been working so hard for. While the show jumping events before meant more to your prestige as a rider, and your horses' values, it was Saturday night's events that you craved more than anything.

Seeing as it was Wednesday, you had a lot to get through before then, but there was never a dull moment. And this year, this year felt different, felt more important for whatever reason. However, that didn't stop you from going through your usual routine each time you attended a show, and with your team readying the horses you'd be riding for the afternoon events, you left your trailer and took off to see the mornings going ons.

The shopping arena was packed, you could see as you wandered past the open doors, cut off from them via barriers separating the public from the riders, and later on, you'd take a look around, during one of the busier events so you could enjoy it in peace. But your main goal for now was to get to the main arena to see just how well your competitors were doing.

Your rider badge allowed you admittance to the secluded seats right next to the arena, and after saying hello to the regulars, you started eyeing up the scoreboard. The event before you was a simple timed show-jump, the fastest round the course wins, and after looking at the list of riders, you knew it was going to be very revealing.

And you were right.

Entering the arena next was Quinn Fabray, and she still looked as perfect as she always did. The crowd went wild for her, and she smiled at them like they were her closest friends and family, like this was her home, and the tinge of jealousy you felt had you sighing loudly. They never once greeted you like that, but you weren't Quinn Fabray.

Checking out the arena, Quinn rode round the jumps and showed her horse the more challenging ones, before eying the clock to see how long she had to get over the starting jump. She made it look so effortless, the way she rode, the position of her body, the reigns in her hands, and the look of concentration on her face.

Feeling a hand on your shoulder, you looked to your right, missing Quinn's initial jump, and saw Cassandra July smirking at you. You rolled your eyes, practically pulling her into the seat next to you, and tried to ignore the grin on her lips.

"Finally going to make a move on the equestrian world's princess this year?" Cassie murmured, leaning forward in her seat, coffee in hand, watching Quinn make easy work of the jumps, her horse matching her ease.

"Where's your wife? Did she finally let you off your leash?" you spat back, and Cassie's chuckle was almost sinister in its presence.

"She's up next, not that you care. You're only here to see Quinn, right?" You shuffled in your seat at her words, knowing that yes, you were really only there to see Quinn ride, but not for the reasons Cassie was convinced of.

It had been a running joke of Cassie's, who was certain you were more interested in sleeping with Quinn than beating her, and nothing you said would make her think otherwise. Yes, you tried to catch every event she was in, and yes, you took special interest in her career, but only because you planned to usurp her from her throne. In order to do that, you needed to know her style, learn her horses' flaws, and keep on track with her progression.

None of that had anything to do with trying to get in Quinn's jodhpurs, as Cassie kept saying.

Tuning Cassie out again, you focused on the final jump. Quinn had a clear run so far, but one fault could easily topple her from winning or coming in eighth. And as her horse strode closer and closer, the crowd grew silent and awaited to see if she'd make it or not.

You had to ignore the part of your brain that was encouraging her to make it clear, to succeed, but that wasn't as easy, and Cassie caught your relief and your smile at Quinn's move into first place when her horse landed clear, her time quick, sealing her place.

"I hope Rachel kicks her ass," you said, getting up while Quinn rode out of the arena, chatter now back, the commentator commending her round, and patted Cassie on the shoulder.

"She will!" Cassie called after you, pride in her voice, as you slipped away down the stand and behind the curtain towards the warm up arena.

Rachel was sitting atop her horse, waiting for her name to be called, and you shot her a smile as you passed, receiving a wave in return. Later on she'd seek you out, after she told Cassie off for her antics, and the two of them would take over your trailer, like usual. That thought shouldn't have made you smile, but it did.

"Satan!" someone called, as you tried to weave your way through the grooms and trainers.

Before you had time to react, two arms had grabbed a hold of you and Kurt Hummel was standing before you, dressed to ride, and looking so relieved to see you.

Kurt was one of the few riders who you got on well with. He didn't mind your scathing remarks, and took advantage of how others feared you. And you always found yourself at the best parties when he was around, so the friendship was mutually beneficial.

"About time you got here!" Kurt moaned, forgoing the typical greetings, and looking round him quickly. "Far too many of my exes are here for this to be comfortable, and I need a familiar face." You grinned sardonically at him, and shook your head.

"I told you not to fuck anyone at the Olympics. It's not exactly a big sport," you teased, and he glared back at you. He should have known better, you had, but clearly you overestimated what head he tended to think with.

"I didn't…enough! I've already run into Blaine and Adam so far, and I hear Sebastian is here somewhere-"

"He is, his trailers next to mine," you explained, having already seen the gaudy Smythe on the side of it as you left earlier. "Good luck with that, by the way." Kurt glared at you and shook his head.

"Not helping," he seethed. "But now you're here so at least I don't have to suffer alone. You'll save me from them, right? They won't come near me if you're here. Everyone is terrified of you."

"Everyone is not terrified of me," you argued, and he laughed at you, making you want to punch his face into the surface, ruining his immaculate gear and pretty face. Somehow you resisted.

"Okay, not everyone," he conceded. "But Cassie doesn't count, she's not all there anymore." He made a face and waved his hand by his head, earning a stern glare from you, causing him to back up slightly. "I didn't mean it like that," he backtracked quickly. "I just…never mind. Are you jumping this afternoon? I haven't had time to check the programme."

Kurt was also in your afternoon events, and after going over who was the biggest competition so far, who had sold their horses and brought in new talent, the two of you left with plans to meet up later at the hotel bar.

The pro, or con in some cases, of the McKinley Horse Show was that there were only two hotels on sight with the arena, and nearly all the riders and their teams stayed there. And with your first ride tomorrow taking place at eleven, you had plenty of time to have a drink tonight and recover from it.

Wanting to get back to your trailer to see how Finn was doing, you turned back to make your exit, only to stop short upon seeing Rachel still in the warm up arena. The event was over, you could tell from the sound of the crowd, and with a quick jog, you were by her side to hear the results.

"Did you win?" you asked, looking up at Rachel hopefully. It may be the first day of competition, but the early winners usually kept that streak up.

"Sadly not. Quinn beat me, again," Rachel replied, shrugging her shoulder, resigned to losing against Quinn by now. You gave her a sad smile and shook your head, knowing it was just bad luck. Rachel was an exceptional rider, it just didn't show when Quinn was around as she was just that bit better.

"Don't let it get to you. Your wife wiped the floor with her in her day." Rachel laughed and nodded, a real smile taking over her lips.

"That she did. Though, I'm not too sure how Cassie would feel about you referring to it as 'her day' like she's some old timer."

"Pft. Please, you practically married a pensioner, not my fault if you two want to pretend that's not the case," you argued, and she mock glared at you.

The age jokes would never grow old, and you'd keep it up until you ran out of material. If Cassie could imply you wanted to ride Quinn like it is a timed event, then you could take the piss out of her being the oldest one in their little group.

It was a friendship that worked, even if Rachel didn't understand it, but then again, she'd never asked how they came to form the camaraderie that made Cassie one of your biggest supporters.

When you were young, rising up in the show-jumping world, with Quinn's father buying all the best horses, and Rachel earning her place at Quinn's side, the audience loving them, loving their friendship, with you looking on from the outside, and you wondered if you were good enough to keep going.

There were so many other riders waiting in line to beat you, their horses at the ready, and you needed to scrap it out. They could be loved by the crowds. They could be the next best riders, with sponsorship and help, unlike you. If your parents weren't so wealthy, you would have never made it that far, but seeing the difference in you and them made it that much harder to continue.

And then you met Cassie, a twenty something rider who looked like she owned the arena every time she rode in. She was merciless in her winning streak, but rather than that earn her love and adoration, the crowd turned to the other riders to cheer them on. She was the outsider, despite how brilliant she was.

"Don't let the crowd dictate how good you are," Cassie had said, seeing the fire in your eyes but the reluctance in your step as you went to mount your horse. It was at a qualifying event, where Cassie was vying for every win she could get to boost her standing onto the Olympic team, and you were there battling it out to see if you'd return next season.

"They may love the blonde, and Mini-Streisand is a good rider, but if you want it, go for it. Whether they love or hate you, you can still be the best." You looked at her like she was crazy, frowning and feeling put off, but also a little overwhelmed she had even noticed you. But before you could respond, she was gone, striding back towards her horse, and you were being called out into the arena.

You won that event, and after finding your trainer and father in the box, you were coming back next year to do it all again. Her words were going to stick with you, and you intended to do exactly what she said: be the best.

It was still your mission to be that, reach number one in the world, but you were somewhat off from that, as you knew well from having frequently checked the rankings religiously each month. However, you could easily earn a lot of points at McKinley Horse Show, and that was your intention of being there.

And riding towards you, perfect smile in place, was the reason you needed to keep trying harder, keep competing, pushing the bar out, training better horses, and riding until your body ached well into the night.

"Santana," Quinn greeted, pulling up next to you, reaching to take her helmet off as she did. "I thought that was you." She was fresh off her win, elation in her face, and you found yourself smiling back.

"Congrats on your first win," you said, gently running your hand over the nosepiece of her horse.

"It's not my first; I won first thing this morning," she replied, chuckling under her breath, as if insulted. "Thought I'd see you in that class, but I guess you weren't up for the challenge." You cocked your eyebrow at her, and she smirked back at you.

"I was being courteous, you'll need the win if you hope to keep up with me," you responded, looking dead at her. Now this was a challenge if there ever was one, and Quinn replied in kind.

"Is that so?" she narrowed her eyes and you nodded back at her. "Well then, let's make it interesting, shall we?"

"I didn't take you to be a gambler." She was far too pristine for that.

"This isn't a gamble." And apparently cockier than you remembered. That shouldn't have been as attractive as it was, and seeing her so damn sure of herself, that irked you to no end. Before you could slap some reality back into her delusions, you were interrupted.

"Quinnie, we need you!" Russell Fabray called, waving her over. He was standing with the film crew reporting on the events and given his own history as a rider, was all too proud to show Quinn off, yet again.

And just like the dutiful daughter she always was, Quinn wasted no time in shutting down her conversation with you. While she may have grown into her own, turning heads wherever she went, and leading the charge, she was still that little girl who ran back to daddy when he called.

"I need to go, but we'll finish this later?" she said, predictably, and you took a step back.

"Yeah, I can't wait to hear what I'm going to win." It was said with less enthusiasm, a little more disappointment than what was appropriate, but she seemed oblivious to it entirely. Thank God.

"Please, you've got a better chance of seeing Rachel naked than winning." And with that, Quinn rose in her saddle and encouraged her horse to walk on.

You didn't loiter, heading back to your trailer as soon as possible. Even if Quinn did want to add another level of competition to your rivalry, you still had others to compete against. It wasn't all about Quinn Fabray, and that was probably something you needed to keep reminding yourself.

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