Something - Quinn Fabray

Chapter 17

"Hey Mom, how's Colorado?" Ryan asked his mom through the phone. It was the day of the National show choir competition, and Shelby and Vocal Adrenaline were in Colorado for the competition.

"It's cold, the air's too thin, and I'm worried everyone's going to pass out from lack of oxygen in the first verse," Shelby answered dryly as Ryan laughed at her. "Seriously though, we're fine. Just the normal pre-show jitters."

"I'd wish VA luck, if only I wasn't still a bit sore over the egging incident," Ryan joked.

He could almost hear Shelby pout at him over the phone. "You could at least wish me luck."

Ryan smiled. "I guess I could."

"That's it? Nothing? I'm hurt," Shelby said in a fake wounded voice.

"Hmmm..." Ryan pretended to think about it. "Fine. Break a leg. Even though you're not really performing."

"Wow, thanks," his mom replied sarcastically. "So much love."

"Yes, that's me. All about the love," Ryan smirked. "But seriously, I hope you win. It is your last competition after all, might as well go out with a bang."

"Thanks, Ryan." Shelby checked the clock. "We're on in ten minutes, I better make sure everyone's done throwing up." She gave a dramatic sigh.

Ryan laughed, "Okay. Bye."

He hung up the phone, checking the clock as he did so. 15 minutes until his next class. It was the last day of class for the year, and summer vacation officially started in one hour and fifteen minutes. Finally. Ryan was looking forward to two months free of slushies, lockers, and dumpsters. And as a bonus, glee club was starting up next year.

"Hey, nice outfit, Ryan," a voice said from behind him. Turning, Ryan spotted Mercedes, Tina, and Artie coming toward him.

"Thanks, guys," he smiled, spinning flamboyantly. "My mom got it for me."

Mercedes nodded approvingly. "If she got you to finally stop looking like an eight year old, she'd got my respect."

"Thanks...I think..."

"Hey now, I thought he looked pretty fine!" Artie interjected.

Tina laughed at him. "Sorry Artie, but you wear sweaters and vests, you're not really much of fashion authority."

"Yeah, you dress like Mr. Shue," Mercedes agreed.

The two boys laughed. They soon split up, heading in different directions. Ryan ended up in front of his locker, checking it to see if he'd left anything important in there before school closed up for the summer.

"Ryan!"

He looked up to see Quinn walking toward him. He gave her a wide smile. "Hi Quinn," he said happily. They'd talked here and there after their date last week. Nothing important, just little chats, but he was profoundly relieved that he hadn't messed up on their date. "Ready for summer?"

"Completely, I can't wait for the last bell, I've got history last and you just know Mrs. Curtis is going to give a pop quiz on the last day of class," she said disgustedly. "How about you?"

"I've got biology."

"Lucky." The biology teacher was one of McKinley's younger teachers, and one of the most lenient.

Ryan chuckled. "Yeah, I suspect he'll be waiting for the final bell even more eagerly than the students."

Quinn watched him as he searched his locker. She'd had a really good time on their date last week, and she was waiting for Ryan to ask her out again. Not to blow her own horn, but she knew she was really attractive, and Ryan wasn't immune to her. But this time, unlike with Finn, she actually wanted him to ask her out. With Finn she'd only gone out with him because of his status as the school's star quarterback. With Ryan though she actually liked him, not his reputation.