𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐥𝐲 | q. fabray

Hold On To Sixteen

"I thought you weren't allowed here," Adalynn said as she and Quinn walked up to Rachel at her locker. "You know, for rigging the student election vote."

"I'm permitted on school grounds as long as I'm getting my work," Rachel said as she took some books out of her locker. "Oh, Quinn, I wanted to tell you I'm available for vocal coaching if you need any help."

"She doesn't," Adalynn mumbled.

"We need to bring our A game if we have any chance of beating the Troubletones," the older brunette continued, ignoring the comment from the younger girl.

"We're not gonna have any trouble with them," said Quinn. "Not as soon as I have Shelby Corcoran fired."

"Fired?" Adalynn questioned, exchanging a confused look with Rachel.

"She's sleeping with Puck," the blonde whispered.

"Ew," the younger girl said, scrunching her nose.

"Okay, look," Rachel sighed. "That's a really, really dangerous rumor to make up, okay? You're gonna ruin her entire reputation."

"That's the plan," said Quinn. "And it's not a lie. I heard it from Puck."

"First of all, Puck is 18, so what he and Shelby are doing, even though it's just wrong and so gross, it's not illegal."

"For once, I agree with Rachel," Adalynn said, looking up at her girlfriend. "All you're doing is just getting her fired for the sake of getting her fired."

"And that's gonna take away her income to provide food and clothes and put a roof over her child's tiny little blonde head," Rachel added.

"Sounds like an unfit mother," said Quinn. "I'll be waiting in the wings when they take Beth away from her."

"Jesus Christ, not this crap again," Adalynn sighed, banging her head against the metal lockers.

"Adalynn don't take the Lord's name in vain, and don't hit your head against the lockers."

"Watch me," the younger girl sassed. "Jesus- fucking- Christ-" she said, banging her head against the locker between each word. "Ow," she said as she pulled away and rubbed her sore forehead. "I think I gave myself a concussion."

"Serves you right, heathen," Quinn joked as she pulled Adalynn to her other side away from the lockers.

"Quinn, look," Rachel sighed. "Beth loves her mom. Shelby is her real mom. You've done a lot of really bad things, Quinn, but if you tell people about this Puck and Shelby thing, you'll be ruining a little girl's life, and then you'll have really hit rock bottom."

Rachel walked away, and Adalynn moved so that she was in front of her girlfriend.

"Look, I get it," the brunette said. "I understand that seeing Bailey with the twins has just reminded you of what you lost. You're angry, and you're using Beth as an excuse. I get it. I did the same thing when I was coping with my mom's death. Well, except for the whole 'trying to get a baby back that I had when I was 16' thing." She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Look, my point is... this is your senior year. You should enjoy it. You're graduating soon. You're growing up. You're going to have so many opportunities once you leave here, but you only get one senior year. Do you know the song Jack and Diane by John Mellencamp?"

"I thought you only listened to show tunes and Adele?" Quinn jokingly asked, smiling when Adalynn chuckled.

"I do, but I listen to other things. Sometimes," said Adalynn. "Anyways, my favorite lyric from that song is, 'Hold on to 16 as long as you can.' You won't listen to Rachel. You won't listen to Puck. But I know you'll listen to me. Just... please don't do something you know deep down you're going to regret."