Fate (Chapter 5)
"Hey Quinn." Finn greets me with a soft smile.
I give Rachel a help-me-out-of-this-awkward-situation look and she responds by standing up.
"I'm just going to go get a coffee. I'll be right back." I watch her walk away. Bitch. I'm so going to remember this.
I put on a fake smile and try to talk to Finn like I hadn't just broken his heart. "So what's up Finn?"
His face becomes stoic, almost like he's trying to hide his emotions. "You've made it clear to me that you don't want to be together anymore…but I don't want you out of my life Quinn. I was hoping we could still be friends."
I give him a smirk. "We've never been friends, Finn."
He attempts to smirk back but it just turns out goofy. "Well we can be like before, just minus the kissing."
"Are you okay with that?" I don't want to lead him on again.
"If it means having you in my life then I'm more than okay with it."
I offer him a genuine smile just as Rachel comes back and sits down, empty-handed.
"Where's the coffee, Rachel?"
"They were…out."
"Anyway, Finn here is invited to my 'surprise' party, right?"
Rachel gives us a knowing look and whips out an envelope from her bag. She hands it to Finn.
He gets up to leave and I shout to him "Gifts required!"
That went way better than I thought it would.
QF
So it's been about a week since the Finn incident at the diner and now I'm sitting with him in the library finishing some homework. We've actually been getting along pretty well. I admit it's nice to be able to talk to him. I mean I'm not in love with the guy, but I do love him in a friendly way.
He actually kind of reminds me of Rachel. Maybe I should set them up…
Nah. They'd never work. I seriously have to start looking for someone for her.
I'm brought out of my thoughts by the sound of my cell phone vibrating on the wooden table. I check the message.
I want to take you out after cheerleading for your birthday. Maybe go to the beach? S.
How cute. Santana wants to take me out because tomorrow is my suprise party and we won't get any alone time.
It'll be freezing. Q.
Lucky you. S.
How does that make me lucky? Q.
You'll have me there to keep you warm. S.
I literally laugh out loud, almost snort actually, which is slightly embarrassing. Finn gives me an amused look before going back to his essay.
You are so cheesy. But I guess it sounds fun. Q.
QF
I watch Santana as she hurriedly takes her Cheerio top off and replaces it with a tank top that she grabbed from her sports locker.
"Baby why are we rushing?"
"I don't want to see Puck; he might make me hang out with him if I do."
I could press her, ask her why she still hasn't broke up with him, but I decide not to. I don't want to spoil the night.
Moments later we get into her car and enjoy a silent ride with only the soft hums of the engine and the occasional whisper.
We walk along the beach, right where the sand meets the water. For a while we just loosely hold hands and enjoy the atmosphere.
I was right. It was cold. But it was beautiful all the same. The scene around me was just so…I can't even describe it right. It was just breath-taking. I knew Santana felt the same way but we hadn't talked the entire time. There was this sort of peace between us, a feeling of knowing what the other was thinking.
We just wanted to take in the moment.
Eventually, as the sky darkened, Santana pulled out a blanket for us to lie on. We stared up at the sky. For the most part it was starless…empty even. But the moon was full and bright and oddly fascinating.
"Where do you see yourself in the future, Quinn?"
Santana almost startles me with the seriousness of her question. I turn towards her and then look towards the sky, hoping it will give me the answer.
"I don't know. I guess I see myself as a famous fashion designer. You know the fame and fortune. Like Vera Wang or something." I pause. "Or at least own my own store. That'd be nice."
Santana laughs, but not mockingly. It's like she's laughing because she knows one day I will achieve my dreams and that doubting that is just silly. "No wonder you're always on the phone with Kurt."
"What about you Santana?"
"I applied to college for nursing." Santana also pauses and I can tell she's looking for the right words. "I want to be able to help people, you know? Be apart of something bigger…"
She trails off. "I want to try modeling too though. Maybe it could pay my way though college."
"Can't your parents pay for it?"
"They refuse. They want me to follow what they do. And I'm just not interested."
A silence falls over us and I push over so that I'm now cuddling into Santana's side.
"But there's something much more important that I see in the future."
I lift my head slightly so I can look at her. "What's that?"
"You." I briefly bring my lips to hers.
I rest my head back on her side and wrap my arms around her. Her arms just get tighter around me. Everyone would be shocked at how romantic my girl can be.
We fall asleep on that beach. Freezing, but warm all at the same time.
Really happy for the first time in a while.
I wake to feel a slight breeze causing me to wrap my arms around Santana even tighter. I keep my eyes shut, hoping to fall back asleep or at least prolong actually getting up. I can hear Santana giggle.
Finally, I open my eyes to see that it is still dark out. "What time is it?" I murmur.
"11:59."
"We've been here for like…" I was still too disoriented to even try to attempt that math in my head. "…hours."
"I know." Santana leans down and kisses me slowly. When she pulls away she gazes into my eyes. "I am so in love with you."
For a second, I'm startled. I knew that she loved me and vice versa, but we hadn't actually said it out loud. I think we were afraid of how real it would make our relationship.
But if she's not afraid than neither am I. "I'm in love with you too, Santana." I whisper.
Saying such a statement to Santana feels so right. It isn't forced or half-meant like when I said it to Finn. This girl in front of me is all I want and ever will want. I am in love with everything that is Santana Lopez.
I lean in to kiss her again but she pulls away. "Guess what time it is?"
Giggling I reply, "What time is it, Santana?" I'm assuming she's about to make some sort of sex joke.
"12:01. Happy birthday, Quinnie!"
I swat at Santana's arm and quickly climb on top of her. "I told you not to call me that. But thank you."
Again, I lean down to capture her lips in mine but she puts out a hand to stop me. "Wait. I have a gift for you."
"Yay! Presents!" I reply immaturely. She responds with a smirk and pulls out a necklace box. Slowly I unwrap it and inside is a gorgeous silver necklace with a heart pendent. It reminds me of the braclets her and Brittany have, only better. On the back of the heart is an engraved L&F symbol.
"Well just in case someone looked at it and thought it was weird for me to buy that for you. Lopez and Fabray works." She laughs and I laugh along with her, but I get this sudden pain in me.
I am so thankful for Santana and for the necklace, but I wish it wasn't this hard. I wish that I could tell all of my friends who had given the necklace to me and how much that person means to me.
"Thanks baby. It's beautiful."
QF
After fooling around for a little while, we decide to head back.
Now it's about 10 in the morning and I'm dressed and ready to go out for breakfast. I jump on Tina's bed and continue to jump up and down as she tries to hide her head under her pillow.
"Come on, T! It's my birthday and it's time for breakfast!"
"Are you always like this on your birthday?"
"No. I'm usually like this…everyday."
"Oh yes. How could I forget? You've woke me up this way every time you wake up first."
"Mhm. Now get up!" With that I take her blankets in my hand and whip them off of her. I run away with them and I can hear Tina cursing about being cold. "Oh be quiet Tina! You're starting to act like Rachel!"
QF
"Okay Quinn. Order whatever you want. I'm paying." Rachel says to me as she sits down.
"Yay. Hmm…pancakes? Bacon? Eggs? What to do, what to do?" I mumble to myself.
I don't have to look up. I can basically feel Rachel's eye roll from here but it doesn't faze me. She already knows I'm going to order all of it and probably eat half of it. This is our tradition; we take each other out for breakfast on our birthdays and pay for each other.
After our waitress takes our orders, I look back and forth in between Tina and Rachel.
"So, who's taking me to the party?"
"Not telling." They reply in unison. "Everything has been planned out for you, Quinn. Just relax and be ready by 7ish."
I crossed my arms. "Fine."
QF
The rest of breakfast went without a hitch. Well, I accidently dropped the syrup all over Rachel's jeans and flicked an egg at Tina. Other than that…it was fine.
Now it's nearing 7:20 pm and I'm still at Tina's house sitting on my bed. I've been ready for an hour and alone for more than three. Rachel and Tina had left to finish some "buisness."
Finally, I hear a horn honking from outside. I look out my window to see a black stretch limo waiting for me. Who could have afforded that?
Of course. Santana. She's so sweet.
I bounce down the steps and walk out through the front door. The driver comes out of the limo and approaches me.
"Are you…" He looks down at his paper. "…Marissa Bryant?"
I look at him a little confused and disappointed. "No."
"Oh, well then. My mistake…if you will excuse me." I watch as he gets back into the limo.
I'm about to turn around and leave, feeling like an idiot, when the side door opens.
I see my beautiful girlfriend step out of the limo in her tight jeans that I remember telling her were my favorite.
"Come on, Quinnie. He was kidding." Santana smirks and pulls me into the limo.
I mumble to myself before closing the door. "Jerk."