Childish

Chapter 1

Rachel pulled her locker open on the first day of school after summer and if she had to be honest she'd rather be back in California for Music Camp. She'd been with so many people like her and she missed it. Everyone in Ohio just weren't the same. She discarded her unwanted school supplies into her locker and closed the door.

"Hey, Rachel." Tina smiled as she stopped beside Rachel's locker and they exchanged a warm hug. "How was your summer?"

"Summer was amazing." Rachel smiled back, remembering the fun times she'd had.

"That's great. We didn't hear from you much." Tina stated.

"Oh, I went to Music Camp in California." Rachel shrugged. "I didn't have much time to message anyone."

"Ah... I was stuck with family all summer." Tina said. "Your summer already sounds better than mine."

"Hey, guys." Mercedes walked over. She hugged them both tightly. "I'm so ready for this year."

"Me too." Tina and Rachel said simultaneously. They laughed.

"Oh my god!" Finn's voice caught their attention. "She's back."

"Who's back?" Rachel asked. She followed Finn's eyes to a blonde girl who was trying her hardest to push her way through the sea of taller students. The girl clutched her notebook to her chest protectively, her head down.

"Oh! That's right, you don't know." Tina said. She exchanged a look with Mercedes before continuing. "Remember Quinn Fabray?"

"Head cheerleader Quinn Fabray?" Rachel confirmed with a nod. "I remember her."

"Former head cheerleader." Mercedes leaned against the lockers.

Rachel seemed confused. "What about her?" She narrowed her eyes at her two friends.

"Well, at the beginning of summer, just after you left, she was involved in a car accident." Tina said. "It was all anyone could talk about. She was very badly injured. She was in a coma for a long time."

"I'm surprised she's even come back to school." Finn said. "She's got no friends now."

"What about Brittany and Santana?" Rachel questioned. "Aren't they her friends?"

"They were... but they abandoned Quinn after the accident." Mercedes said. "My family go to church with her's and our parents talk sometimes, they said she's doing better, well, better than she was at the beginning of summer... but she hasn't been back at church yet."

Frowning, Rachel looks back toward where Quinn is still trying to get to her locker. "Should we help her?"

"I don't know. We are already outcasts as it is." Tina said. "Plus, She was a bitch to us."

Finn and Mercedes nod their heads in agreement.

"Come on guys, everyone deserves a second chance." Rachel says, looking back at them.

"Not her." Tina said.

Sighing, Rachel moves away from them, deciding to help Quinn.

"What is she doing?" Mercedes asked.

Tina frowns and watches as Rachel approaches Quinn. "I have no clue."

"Quinn?" Rachel asked.

The blonde flinched.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I was just wondering how you are." Rachel says softly.

Quinn kept her head turned to the side.

"I heard about your accident, I'm sorry that I wasn't here. I would've visited you everyday if you would've let me." Rachel says softly, reaching out to touch Quinn's arm.

"No... nobody... came." Quinn whispered.

"I would have, nobody should go through something traumatic alone." The dark-haired girl responds softly.

"I-I had.... my p-parents." Quinn mumbled.

Rachel reaches out and grabs Quinn's arm gently. "But you needed a friend."

Quinn froze and Rachel felt the blonde's arm tense in her hand.

"Sorry," Rachel mumbles, stepping back.

Quinn remained quiet as she found her locker and tried to open it, the problem was, she couldn't remember the code.

Biting her lip, Rachel pulls out her notebook and flips through it. Being the captain of glee club she had everyone's locker numbers and combinations.

Quinn stared at the locker, growing annoyed with herself for not remembering.

"Here." Rachel says softly, holding the notebook out to Quinn.

Quinn looked at Rachel out of the corner of her eye, not turning her head.

"I took everyone's information down for glee club, that way if we ever need something it's there." The younger girl says softly.

"G-glee?" Quinn asked.

Nodding, Rachel frowns slightly. "You were in glee club with us."

"I w-was?" Quinn frowned.

"You were." Rachel responds softly, sending Quinn a soft smile.

"Oh." Quinn looked back at her locker.

****

"Rachel, I'm going to need you to help Quinn out with school." Miss Pillsbury says softly.

"Me? Why me?" Rachel asked. "She can barely remember me."

Miss Pillsbury sighs and moves things around on her desk. "You're the only one that doesn't hold a grudge."

"She doesn't remember me. She should be with someone she remembers." Rachel said.

"Rachel, I am telling you to help Quinn." The guidance counsellor responds.

"Okay." Rachel said, putting her hands up in defence.

Miss Pillsbury nods her head and looks up, signaling for someone to enter the room.

The door slowly opened and Quinn came in. "You... w-wanted to see me."

"Yes, Rachel is going to be in all of your classes with you and will be helping you with your homework." Miss Pillsbury responds softly.

Quinn looked at Miss Pillsbury before glancing at Rachel.

The brown eyed girl sends Quinn a soft smile before standing up. "Are you ready for class?"

Quinn swallowed and looked back at Miss Pillsbury.

Miss Pillsbury smiles and nods her head. "You'll be fine."

Quinn nodded slowly. "O-Okay."

Smiling softly, Rachel stands up and moves over to Quinn. "Ready?"

Quinn nodded slowly, keeping her face turned away from Rachel and looking at her out of the corner of her eye.

Rachel smiles softly and holds out her hand. "Do you have your schedule?"

"Um..." Quinn shrugged off her backpack and opened it, rummaging around for her schedule.

It wasn't long before they were heading to their first class.

"Where do you want to sit?" Rachel asked softly as they stopped in the doorway to Basic Math.

Biting her lip, Quinn slowly moves to a seat in the back of the class, even though she couldn't see very well.

Rachel followed Quinn and sat down beside her.