Fic: I'm Not Brave (1/1)
Title: I'm Not Brave
Author: cranberry_pi
Rating: G
Spoilers: Nope.
Summary: A really short drabble - if you squint, it's a prequel of sorts to Last Call and Taking Chances. It just really wanted to be written, so I wrote it...
The envelope was tiny, folded over and over until it was only a tiny square with her name written on the front: Rachel. It had fallen out of her locker when she opened it between second and third period, hitting the floor at her feet. She briefly pondered not picking it up, sure that it was only another mean-spirited insult from a classmate who’d be begging for her autograph or making things up for a tell-all National Enquirer story when she was famous, but against her better judgement she grabbed it and unfolded it. There was a letter inside, she discovered, obviously printed on one of the printers in McKinley’s computer lab. She leaned against her locker to read it, her confusion growing with each line.
Rachel:
I’m sorry that I’m not brave. I’m sorry that I can’t be strong, can’t be what you deserve. I’m sorry that you’ll never know how I feel about you. But please know this - you are beautiful. Every insult, every slushie that people hurl at you is because they sense that you’re more than they will ever be. I wish that you could see yourself the way I see you. I wish that I could show you, with soft words and strong kisses, how you amaze me. But I can’t. I can’t even tell you that I wish, if nothing else, we could be friends. Because, well, see my first sentence. I’m not brave.
But I love you. You are loved. Be strong, and carry on.
Signed, the last person you’d ever expect.
From across the hall, Quinn watched her read. She watched her eyes search the hall for any sign of the anonymous author. Their eyes met, and Quinn sneered.
“One of your fellow trolls writing you love letters, manhands?”
Rachel didn’t answer, just sadly closed her locker and walked away. It was all Quinn could do to keep the tears from her eyes as she rushed to Cheerios practice.
Author: cranberry_pi
Rating: G
Spoilers: Nope.
Summary: A really short drabble - if you squint, it's a prequel of sorts to Last Call and Taking Chances. It just really wanted to be written, so I wrote it...
The envelope was tiny, folded over and over until it was only a tiny square with her name written on the front: Rachel. It had fallen out of her locker when she opened it between second and third period, hitting the floor at her feet. She briefly pondered not picking it up, sure that it was only another mean-spirited insult from a classmate who’d be begging for her autograph or making things up for a tell-all National Enquirer story when she was famous, but against her better judgement she grabbed it and unfolded it. There was a letter inside, she discovered, obviously printed on one of the printers in McKinley’s computer lab. She leaned against her locker to read it, her confusion growing with each line.
Rachel:
I’m sorry that I’m not brave. I’m sorry that I can’t be strong, can’t be what you deserve. I’m sorry that you’ll never know how I feel about you. But please know this - you are beautiful. Every insult, every slushie that people hurl at you is because they sense that you’re more than they will ever be. I wish that you could see yourself the way I see you. I wish that I could show you, with soft words and strong kisses, how you amaze me. But I can’t. I can’t even tell you that I wish, if nothing else, we could be friends. Because, well, see my first sentence. I’m not brave.
But I love you. You are loved. Be strong, and carry on.
Signed, the last person you’d ever expect.
From across the hall, Quinn watched her read. She watched her eyes search the hall for any sign of the anonymous author. Their eyes met, and Quinn sneered.
“One of your fellow trolls writing you love letters, manhands?”
Rachel didn’t answer, just sadly closed her locker and walked away. It was all Quinn could do to keep the tears from her eyes as she rushed to Cheerios practice.