Yes or no - Book 2 - S.E.

Choke

A/N: So, as expected, this chapter talks about some heavy stuff. It's nothing too explicit, though, I just thought I'd give you all a heads up. Anyway... I hope you enjoy this one!

"Do you think Puck will actually leave school?" Emily asked, as she looked through the racks of prom dresses in front of her.

"Don't know... I haven't been talking to him lately." Quinn shrugged, before her eyes caught something she liked. "That one."

She pointed at a yellow gown with some sparkles and a long skirt. Emily frowned, but picked it up anyway and folded it in half before passing it to Quinn so she could put it in her lap as she wheeled herself after her best friend while the two of them scanned the store in search of their prom dresses.

"I thought you didn't like yellow." Emily said, as she started walking again.

"Oh, that's not for me. This one's for you." She said, before her eyes caught sight of a blush pink dress and she smiled. "That one is for me."

"This is pretty." Emily nodded, picking it up and passing it to Quinn, who held it up in front of her to take a better look at it.

"Really is." She agreed, placing the dress on her lap before looking up at Emily and frowning a bit when she noticed the distant look on her face. "But do you know what you want? A color? A style? That would help us, you know?"

"I know, I... I'm sorry, I..." Emily sighed then. "I wanted to, I just...

"You didn't even look through the magazines that I lent you, did you?" Quinn rolled her eyes. "Look, I know you don't like shopping and you don't even care that much about prom but I do and this is the last one we're gonna have together, so I wanted us to..."

"My dad sent me an email." She interrupted her best friend's rant, her voice low as she kept her eyes on the dresses in front of her. Quinn quickly shut up then, fully aware of the delicacy of the subject and waiting for Emily to continue, at her own pace. The girl sighed after a few moments of silence, but kept on talking away. "About a week ago. I mean, I don't even remember the last time he sent me an email. He sends them to my mom every few weeks, but never to me."

"What did he say?" Quinn asked, gently, her hand reaching out to grab at Emily's as the girl shrugged, lacing her fingers through hers for comfort.

"More of the same." She shrugged. "That I didn't deserve anything I earned and that, if my life was good now, it will eventually crumble down because, you know... That's what I do. I ruin stuff."

"Emmy..."

"And I know it's not true, it's just... It's been years since I've heard his voice. But all it takes is one email and everything just comes rushing back, you know?"

"Em, I'm so sorry..." Quinn frowned. "Look at me, please?"

Emily sighed, then, taking a moment to recompose herself before turning to her best friend as per request. Quinn gave her a small smile then, her eyes soft as she smiled gently up at her.

"None of this is true, Em, and you know it." Quinn said, squeezing Emily's hand in hers when she noticed how she was about to start crying. "You deserve everything. Nationals, being captain of the Cheerios, the trophy you won with the Brainiacs, Sam... You deserve all of that because you work for them and you're incredible, you know that?"

"Thank you." Emily said, softly as Quinn sighed.

"And I'm not just saying it, okay? I mean it." She continued. "Because of all of the things I've accomplished in high school, having you as my best friend was the most important one of them."