The Gleeful Return [Q. F.]

- 18 -

"When can I start walking?"

"Let's take it one step at a time. Right now you need to keep ice on that knee," the doctor said. "You need to give the reconstruction time to take. Walking too soon will cause it to snap and you'll be right back at square one." I groaned. "Take this week very easy."

"Alright."

"Do you have anything planned for when you're home?"

"Yeah. One of my friends is going to come over."

"Good. Focus on your recovery. I'll see you next week to check out those stitches."

---

Quinn scooped a handful of popcorn from the bowl. "You know, it's a good thing you had your surgery just in time for Spring Break."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I mean, we're sitting here for a movie marathon and eating a ridiculous amount of popcorn."

I gave a soft laugh. "This is true." I paused. "I think I was just really nervous for the surgery." Quinn nodded. "So much could have gone wrong."

"Did you think something was going to go wrong?"

"Not exactly. I would lose a lot if something went wrong. I don't think I could have predicted any of this when I first moved here."

"Lima is kinda wild."

"McKinley is kinda wild," I countered. "I couldn't have conjured any of this drama up in a dream. Slushie facials are something straight out of a movie or tv show. Like, who the hell came up with that?"

"Regina George, probably." I laughed. "No, but for real, I'm glad you're Juliet and not Cady. It would have been so easy for you to be a mean girl."

"There's still plenty of time. I'm only a sophomore."

Quinn choked on her water. "Oh God, no please don't." I laughed but quickly straightened my face and lowered my eyebrows. "You are kidding, right?"

I took a sip of my water hoping that it would help me, but I quickly spit it out. "Yeah. Did you think I was serious?"

Quinn threw her hands up. "Hey! In my defense, I've only known you for what, two years? No," she corrected herself. "A year and a half! I don't know you well enough to know when you're joking!" She finished the short burst with a slap on my arm.

"Hey! Careful, I just had surgery!"

"Yeah, on your knee!"

"But I'm a cripple nonetheless."

"Oh please," Quinn scoffed. "I'm really glad that the normal Juliet is back. I think you were genuinely off your rocker when your mom invited me over for dinner."

"Yeah," I trailed off. "I'm sorry about that."

"I know." We sat sharing wordless looks. Neither one of us knew what to say without a dramatic shift out of left field. I started flicking popcorn back and forth between my fingers when Quinn interrupted me. " Are you excited for Nationals?"

I halted the popcorn kernel's movements. "Yeah. I mean, I'm excited to watch you guys."

"Why just watch?" I blinked and shook my head. "No, really. You can sing. You don't have to run around and tumble on stage. It's a show choir competition, not a dance competition."

"But there is dance. It's the show in show choir."

"But there's also choir! Jules, you have an amazing voice. We could win just with that."