Apex Predator

Live

Quinn was sat at the edge of the lake in her underwear, dangling her legs in the water. Her back was to me and she hadn't moved since I arrived. I went over to her and sat cross-legged beside her. Her face remained blank.

'What are you thinking about?'

'You wouldn't understand.'

Her voice was void of any emotion.

'Well then help me understand.'

She didn't respond. I took a deep breath in and let the thoughts that I'd been pushing away come to the surface.

'Do you want to jump in? Jump in and never come back up?'

'Yes.'

'But you haven't.'

'I was about to.'

I stood up and started taking off my shirt and jeans.

'What are you doing?'

'If you jump, I jump, Juliet.'

'No!'

'Yes. I'm serious. If you loved yourself as much as you loved me, you wouldn't jump. You'd do anything to stop me from jumping. I know cos I'd do the same to you.'

'You don't understand what it's like for me. I have nothing. I have no one.'

'Not true.'

'Fine. But you don't understand what it's like when you're an absolute mess. Your mom doesn't want you; your dad doesn't love you, everyone at school is looking at you like you're a nobody. You have crazy behaviour and think you're going to die every other day.'

'You're right, I don't understand. But I know what it's like to be bullied and it sucks. Listen, I'm so sorry about what happened at school. It must have been humiliating. There will be people in life who will hate you for being yourself, but there's nothing you can do about that. You have to focus on the people who love you because you're you.'

'Easy for you to say. You're amazing at making friends.'

'Finn, Kurt and Rachel all love you. They care about you and want the best for you.'

'They only act like they love me because they're your friends.'

'Not true. I've noticed that Kurt has taken to waiting for you after class and walking to lunch with you. And Finn hasn't stopped talking about that time I dared you to eat that pickle and you actually did. And Rachel is...Rachel. She loves you really, she just doesn't love anyone as much as she loves herself. They were all worried about you, you know?'

'Well I guess...'

'Look, I can't make up for your parents or your childhood or your past, but I can give you a future. It won't be easy, but you'll make it cos we'll do it together.'

I laced my fingers in hers.

'I will beat up anyone who comes near you. You can come over to my house anytime, you can move in if you like. I will do everything I can to protect you. But first you gotta make another difficult decision.'

'I've made a few of those now, huh?'

'You have, and they all come down to this one. Do you want us to both jump into that lake or do you want to choose to live? To spend our lives together, to make new friends, to live your truth, to achieve your dreams. One day, you are going to be an amazing mom with an amazing wife doing an amazing job and you'll look back on this moment and think, huh, I'm so glad I chose to live. In fact, I promise.'

'You promise? Well then I guess I'm gonna have to choose to live. As long as that amazing wife is gonna be you.'

'I can't promise that! Now come on, let's get you to my house. My mom's home so she can make us dinner and we'll watch Rent and you'll talk over all the best lines and she'll make you rewind it so she can hear them.'

'Sounds good.'

'Sounds good.'