Prom Queen
This was it. This was Quinn’s moment to shine. The one thing she dreamed of since she was a little girl, Prom Queen. She knew she had this in the bag, after the ‘Lucy’ scandal she knew she’d at least get sympathy vote. Not like she cared, a vote was a vote, and whatever would let her claim the title ‘Prom Queen’ she would gladly accept it.
nbsp; Her arm tightened around Finn’s and he backed away. Something he had been doing the whole night. She looked up at him with a quizzical look. “What’s up with you tonight?”
nbsp; “I - I, I’m sorry Quinn.” No, no, Finn Hudson was not about to ruin the most important moment of her life so far. “I can’t be your Prom King, or your boyfriend. I love Rachel.” Quinn looked shocked for a moment then poked him in the chest hard, and pushed him back through the crowd, so that they were away from all of her fellow classmates.
nbsp; “You do not get to do this to me now, Finn. You hear that? So, stop.” She said trying to be as calm as possible. It was scarier than if she blew up on him. Finn looked at her with wide eyes then back to the crowd where Rachel was, standing with Jesse St. James, his rival.
nbsp; “Quinn, I’m really sorry. But, seeing Jesse with Rachel, how he hurt her -”
nbsp; “How you’re going to hurt me.” Quinn cut him off fighting back tears. Finn looked confused, then angry.
nbsp; “You hurt me Quinn. You cheated on me!” Finn exclaimed, fighting back. Quinn shook her head and let out a sarcastic laugh.
nbsp; “How many times, how many ways do I have to prove to you that I’m sorry and you’ll forgive me?” She asked softly. Finn took a step back and shook his head sadly.
nbsp; “I’m sorry, but, Rachel.” He said and turned around, making a swift exit to go find Rachel.
nbsp; Rachel, Rachel-fucking-Berry, Quinn growled deeply. God she hated her. For a moment Quinn thought she could have a friendship with the shorter girl. Boy was she so wrong. She ruined everything for her.
nbsp; “And - This year’s Prom King and Quinn are-” Quinn broke out of her thoughts to rush to the front of the crowd. She had a crown to win, and she’d be damned if Rachel ruined this too.
nbsp; “You don’t love her like I do!” A loud roar erupted. Quinn couldn’t believe her eyes, Jesse was running away from Finn who had just screamed and before Quinn knew it, Finn lunged at Jesse, hitting the stage where they were announcing Prom King and Quinn.
nbsp; “No… no, no, no,” Quinn whispered like mantra.
nbsp; Jesse pushed Finn off of him and threw a punch, hitting Finn square in the jaw. It all happened in slow motion. Finn fell backwards, toppling onto the crowns, breaking them. Jesse’s eyes widened. Rachel ran onto the stage and screamed at Finn and Jesse for fighting.
nbsp; Quinn blinked. Rachel, Rachel-fucking-Berry. Rachel turned to the crowd and locked eyes with Quinn. Quinn stared at the riled up diva and spun on her heel. She had to get out before her night was ruined even more.
nbsp; Quinn slammed her purse on the sink counter and let out a frustrated scream. The one night where everything was supposed to be magical went completely wrong and the only person that was to blame, no, the only person Quinn wanted to blame was Rachel Berry.
nbsp; “Quinn?”
nbsp; “Speak of the devil.” Quinn said with an angry smile and laugh. Rachel frowned and stepped into the bathroom.
nbsp; “I just want to see how you’re do-”
nbsp; “Stop.”
nbsp; “I didn’t want Finn and Jesse to start figh-”
nbsp; “Rachel, I’m warning you.”
nbsp; “I don’t want Finn!”
nbsp; “This isn’t about what you want for once Rachel!” Quinn yelled. She grabbed her head and let out a grunt.
nbsp; “I don’t want him,” Rachel said slowly. “I told him that and he just exploded, Jesse was just accompanying me so I wouldn’t be lonely. I told him that and he lunged for Jesse. It was Finn.” Quinn shook her head.
nbsp; “No. It was you!” Quinn yelled in rebuttal. “It was always you.” Quinn took a step forward, in her heels she stood over Rachel like a giant. Rachel gulped and took a step back but Quinn only matched her. “It’s always been you.” Quinn repeated as she choked up a sob and almost collapsed in Rachel’s arms.
nbsp; “Quinn, are - are you alright?” Rachel asked timidly as she tried her best to comfort the girl. Quinn only sobbed louder. “Stupid question of me to ask - I don’t think it’s always been me. What are you even talking about?” nbsp;
nbsp; “Everything has been because of you.” Quinn said in realization of herself.
Rachel had a crush on Finn, Quinn started dating him. Rachel showed small interest in Puck, Quinn cheated on Finn with him. After that, her life had spiraled. There was nothing she could do about Jesse except orchestrate the slashing of the tires. It was to keep them away, keep them away from Rachel. Oh god, everything Quinn did was to keep Rachel pure, to keep her safe. Quinn sobbed more, all of these sick and twisted things were her form of protecting Rachel, making sure that Rachel would stay adamant on leaving for New York after High School, the social exclusion from most of the student body so Rachel wouldn’t have to be sad when she left this hellhole.
“Protect.” Quinn choked out.
nbsp; Rachel raised an eyebrow in confusion and brought herself face to face with Quinn. “Protect? Quinn what are you rambling on about. Please don’t tell me you are choosing now to have your mental breakdown.” Quinn shook her head and tried to calm herself down.
nbsp; “Protect you. Everything is because of you to protect you.” Quinn said in a whisper. Rachel pulled away with hurt eyes.
nbsp; “Talk.”
nbsp; ---
nbsp; Quinn spent an hour just spilling everything that she had realized in that short minute to Rachel. Most of it was her stuttering and almost breaking down twice but Rachel just placed a soothing hand on her back and rubbed circles until Quinn calmed down and started over.
nbsp; “I - I don’t know anymore, Rachel.” Quinn said with a sigh. She dried her eyes with her hands and sniffled. Rachel opened her mouth to talk but Quinn stopped her, putting her hand up. “No, I do.” She said with a laugh. Quinn laughed again and shook her head. “I know, I can’t say it. I just can’t.”
nbsp; Rachel took a deep breath and nodded while holding Quinn. “I know. I know Quinn” Rachel whispered into the blonde’s ear. “Me… me too.”
nbsp; Quinn looked up to Rachel with her mouth agape. “You - you too?” Rachel nodded weakly. Quinn let out a breath of relief, relief of what? Quinn knew what she confessed, but did Rachel know that? There was one way to find out for sure. “May I?” Quinn asked, her eyes flickering to Rachel’s lips.
nbsp; Rachel took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes.” She said in the softest voice Quinn had ever heard. Quinn leaned in slightly and paused. She could feel Rachel’s breath on her lips, her eyes closed right before she closed the gap between them.
nbsp; Fireworks, what Finn saw with Quinn, Quinn saw with Rachel. It was, almost perfect. The only way it would’ve been perfect to Quinn if it were done two years ago and in front of the whole student body. Quinn felt Rachel sigh contently and pull away only a fraction.
nbsp; “Wow,” Rachel breathed out with a smile. “Fireworks,” Quinn grinned at this and closed the gap once more for a chaste kiss.
nbsp; “Completely,” Quinn whispered as she licked her lips. Rachel smiled and pulled away for a moment.
nbsp; “I forgot.” Rachel said mostly to herself. She pulled out a small card with gold foil embroidery on it. “I grabbed this from the announcer.” She said with a sheepish smile. Quinn was confused for a moment then, it dawned on her, the results.
nbsp; “You don-”
nbsp; “I want to.” Rachel said, cutting Quinn off. She opened the card and let her eyes skim before she looked up at Quinn with a worried look. Quinn sighed and closed her eyes but smiled nonetheless. At least she got something out of it.
nbsp; “Congratulations Quinn Fabray, 2011 McKinley Prom Queen.”