The Gleeful Return [Q. F.]

- 13 - Quinn?

Recap: School is back after winter break. For Valentine's Day, the New Directions pay tribute to ABBA. Finn sets up a kissing booth, but he later gets mono. A handful of people sing ABBA songs to express their feelings. At the end of the week, Quinn also comes down with mono.

I woke up Monday morning not really feeling the best. Unfortunately, I wasn't sick enough to skip school, and I knew my mom wouldn't buy a lie even if I tried. Throwing the covers off my legs, I got up out of bed with a sigh. I got dressed, brushed my teeth, and did my hair and makeup. Even if I feel shitty, I won't look shitty. After a quick breakfast, I was on my way to school.

I walked into the main hallway like any other day. Swarms of students scurried past me, some going to their lockers and some already running to class. Desperate to avoid any football players or hockey players, I kept to myself as I made my way to my locker to switch out my books for the day. I walked to history and dropped my backpack next to me.

"Good morning, class. Let's get started with today's lesson. You should have read chapter 12 over the weekend, so I'll just quickly review. The Civil War was fought to settle the age old American debate: did state law trump federal law, or did federal law trump state law?"

"Wasn't the Civil War fought over slavery?"

I groaned. Why do people have to ask questions this early? "That was part of it, Jessica. There was considerable tension between the north and the south over slavery. But when seven southern states voted to secede from the union... that's when the real tension rose. The states that seceded formed the Confederacy, and..."

I drowned out the voice disrupting the silence in my mind. Normally I stay engaged in class, but I didn't feel all that great. I zoned out until I heard the dreaded, "pair up with the person next to you and answer the questions on page one hundred forty three." I groaned again, realizing I would really have to pay attention now.

"Did you read over the weekend?"

"What do you think?"

"Are you feeling better, Quinn?"

"Does it look like I'm feeling better?"

"Hm. Well, I'll take that as a no then. So you didn't read the chapter?"

"No."

"Alright then. This should be fun!" Juliet pulled out a pencil and set the book down in front of her. "Okay, number one. What was one of the main advantages the Union had over the Confederacy?"

"A moral conscious that didn't believe in slavery."

"I don't think that's quite what the question is looking for." I could tell Juliet was choosing her words wisely, trying her best not to further annoy me. Not that she annoyed me in the first place, but I knew she didn't want to make it worse. "The north had a larger population. And more factories. And more railroads. Transportation was considerably better in the north than it was in the south. What do you think?" I shrugged. "Okay, we'll go with that then." Juliet looked up at me when she finished writing her answer. "Are you sure you're feeling okay, Quinn?"

"Fine." Her raised eyebrows prompted elaboration. "I'm just tired. I'm fine."

Juliet opened and closed her mouth in hesitation. "Did you think about the... stuff?"

"Yes. I don't want to talk about it though, if that's what you're implying"

Juliet replied with a simple "hm" before returning to the assigned questions. I stared down at mine, counting the minutes until the bell.