Something - Quinn Fabray

Chapter 12

Two days later

"Mr. Schue!" Ryan called, seeing his teacher walking into the building.

"Hey Ryan, what's up?" Will asked, noting that the boy seemed a lot happier than he had last week. After thinking about it, he'd decided that Shelby had been right that hers and Ryan's relationship had been none of business, and it looked like Ryan was happier for it.

"Well, as you know, Regionals are this weekend and we still don't have a set list, while Vocal Adrenaline has been working on theirs for weeks now. I propose we meet this afternoon, and try to come up with something so we can start rehearsing as soon as possible." Ryan had actually been pestering the teacher for a few weeks now. Didn't he know that they needed to practice if they wanted to win?

"You know what? You're right. I'll do you one better. Tell everyone that after class, we're going to meet at my apartment. I'll order some pizza, and we can start nominating songs for Regionals."

Ryan smiled. "Great. I've got a few songs in mind –" He was cut off by the bell for first period.

"You should get to class," Will said. "I'll see you later."

Later that day the glee club was all gathered in Will's small apartment. The pizza had just arrived, and Quinn went into the kitchen to get the paper plates. She paused at the window, gazing out into the falling rain, thinking about everything that had happened this year. It had been a big year for her. She'd started out at the top of the school, with the perfect boyfriend, perfect family, her life had been great. At least from the outside. Then Puck had gotten her pregnant, she'd lost her spot on the Cheerios, she'd lied to her boyfriend and screwed everything up, and she'd been kicked out by her parents.

"Are you okay?"

Pulled out of her thoughts, she turned and saw Ryan, who had followed her into the kitchen. "It's been a long year," she answered. There were some good things that had happened this year too. She'd joined the glee club and made some real friends, like Mercedes. And he'd become friends with Ryan somehow. If you'd told her at the beginning of the year that she'd ever be civil with Ryan Berry she'd probably have laughed and thrown a slushy in the news-bearer's face.

"Yes it has, hasn't it?" he said thoughtfully. He was still unused to Quinn Fabray talking to him. He'd had a crush on the blonde ex-cheerleader for a long time now, but he'd always known it was hopeless. He was the school's biggest loser after all. But now she actually talked to him, she even considered him a friend, and his crush had grown even more after getting to know the actual person underneath the bitchy façade she used to have.

They stood next to each other, looking out the kitchen window.

"Do you guys need some help with those plates?" Will came into the kitchen, breaking the silence.

Quinn and Ryan looked at each other. Quinn said, "I'm not due for another month, I think I can handle a stack of plates." She walked out of the kitchen, Ryan following her.

"Right," Will said embarrassedly. "I'm...uh...yeah."

Back in the living room, everyone was quiet, all staring at the pizza.

"Doesn't anyone want any pizza?" Will questioned. He knew what was wrong of course. The club had just found out that Sue Sylvester was on the panel of judges for their Regionals competition, pretty much guaranteeing that they were going to lose. Still, he needed to cheer these kids up somehow, they needed to at least try to win. So he clapped his hands. "All right then. Thank you for coming to the first annual New Directions Regional set list nominations party."

Artie looked up. "What's the point, Mr. Schue?" he asked tiredly. "Coach Sylvester's one of the judges. She's going to crush us."

"Hey now, you don't know that," Will argued.