Just Let Me Try

Chapter 6

Going back at school after two and a half weeks off was not an easy routine to get back into. Quinn had gotten used to sleeping in late and wasting her days away watching daytime talk shows and reading books and magazines. After New Year's Eve, her relationship with Puck had changed. She no longer kept her guard up, but opened herself up to him completely. They were a real couple now in every sense of the word. She loved it when he kissed her before he left for the garage in the morning and loved waiting for him to return in the afternoons. Because he was working longer shifts almost every day, Quinn would make him a lunch and drive it over to him and they would eat together. If people didn't know better, they would probably assume that they were a married couple who had been together forever.

Quinn didn't mind going back to classes. Almost all of the baby drama had died down. She no longer heard people whispering about her in the hallways, or calling her things like "slut" or "whore" like she did before. She didn't know if it was because they stopped caring, or that they knew she was dating Puck, or if she was just so happy that she didn't really pay attention to what people she no longer cared about were doing. Regardless, she was glad not to be the topic of discussion anymore. It was almost as if she was invisible. Quinn also welcomed some of the work as well, because it gave her something to do when Puck was at practice or at work. She was happy to be back at rehearsals for glee, too. During the first week back, Mr. Schue wanted them to find a new "hello", whatever that meant. When Rachel sang "Gives You Hell", Quinn didn't know who she felt worse for, Finn or Rachel, until the club found out that Rachel was dating the star of Vocal Adrenaline, Jesse St. James. She felt sorry for Rachel for the way the rest of the kids had reacted.

"Why do you care what they think?" Quinn asked her one day before their English class began.

"Are you talking to me?" Rachel responded.

"Yes, I'm talking to you."

"Oh, because usually you ignore me and I never thought you would ever speak to me after I told Finn about the baby."

"I told you before, I'm not mad at you. In some crazy way, I guess I should be thanking you."

"For what?"

"If you hadn't told Finn, I don't know if I ever would have. Lying about it was just so convenient, so I lied to everyone, including myself. I decided that I shouldn't care anymore what people think. Which leads me back to my question."

"I don't really know. They already don't really like me, although I suspect it is just because they feel inferior to me because they lack my vocal ability. I just don't want to hurt the team."

"So you're going to give up a chance at love for the team?" Quinn asked. Maybe she was still a little selfish and self-centered, but she thought Rachel was being more ridiculous than usual.

"Yes? Don't you think that's what's best, too?"

"Honestly? I think it sounds completely stupid. And I'm not saying that just so you can forget about Finn, even though I'm totally over him. You actually put a lot of effort into glee. Don't you think you should deserve to do something for yourself?"

"You're right," Rachel said. "But what if it doesn't work out and I take this big risk, this gamble of epic proportions for nothing?"

"Someone once told me that life if just a bunch of experiences," Quinn remembered with a smile. "If it works out with you and Jesse, awesome. If it doesn't, then you learn from it and move on."

"Thanks Quinn, this really helped a lot."

"You're welcome," Quinn replied. "But, you know, this doesn't mean we're friends or anything."