Apex Predator

Cheerio

Quinn let her hand brush against mine as we walked up the school steps. The feel of her skin gave me a rush and I smiled at her. She was beaming back.

'You know, I think you should come out. Obviously only when you're ready, but...'

'No. I can't. I love that you're so proud but you said yourself that you've been bullied. There's a lot of people in this school who would jump at the chance to turn the tables and give me a taste of my own medicine.'

'But maybe if you started being true to yourself, people would see that you're not such a bad person after all. You're an epic lesbian with an epic girlfriend.

'Shh. Someone might hear us.'

'Right. So no kissing in school yet. Got it. It'll be hard to resist but I'll try my best.'

'So can I ask you now why you told me not to wear my cheerios uniform to school. I've noticed you're not wearing yours either. Are we ditching?'

'Nope. It's for stage three.'

'Uh-oh. Do I want to know what stage three is?'

'We are quitting the cheerios.'

Quinn stopped suddenly and turned to face me.

'What! Santana are you insane?!'

'Ooh, you called me Santana. You must be angry.'

'This isn't a joke Santana. If I quit the cheerios I lose all of my respect. I officially become a no one. I've been a cheerio since the start of high school and not once has anyone questioned my authority. Take that away and I have nothing left.'

'Do you enjoy being a cheerio?'

'Well...'

'Look, I know it's scary and quitting the cheerios does come with a cost, but if you don't do it then you can never be truly happy. The cheerios aren't exactly an inclusive group and staying with them will only mean you hiding your true feelings for the rest of high school. Aren't you ready for things to change, Q?'

'You can't just make me quit.'

'No, you're right I can't. But I can tell you that I'm quitting. It's not who I am and it never has been. I'd rather be myself, an out and proud lesbian with a brilliant sense of humour, than just another cheerio. If they won't accept me for who I am then screw them. I can also tell you that I'm hurt. If you think you'd have nothing if you quit, you obviously don't place much value on Glee club or your new friends, who want to get to know the real you.'

'Yeah, but...'

'Also, you don't place much value on our relationship if you don't trust that I won't let anything happen to you and that this is the right decision.'

'That's not what I meant.'

'But you know what? I can live with that. I can live without you being Finn's bestie or my girlfriend. It might just nearly kill me, but I'll live. Do you know what's worse than all of that? Well?'

'No.'

'You clearly don't place much value on yourself if you'd rather change who you are for other people than be happy. And I don't think that's a very wise decision because I've seen the real you and she's freakin' amazing and...and beautiful and everything I fell in love with. You should spend some time with her and then maybe you'd see that you can't just suffocate her until she doesn't exist. She'll always be there. I'm giving you until the end of the day to make your decision. If you still want to be a cheerio, we're over.'

'You can't do that.'

'It's decision time. Do you want to be yourself or keep chasing the perfect life?'

I turned around and stormed away.

'Tana!'

I felt like a total badass but I was also scared about how Quinn was going to act. Would she really choose me over ruling the school? That morning I'd been confident she would but, in that moment, I wasn't so sure.