Chapter 8
A few days after Blaine’s audition, Sebastian found him in the hallway at school. The usual teasing smile was absent from his face as he approached Blaine, looking somewhat serious.
“Hey, Blaine,” he began, his voice more subdued than usual.
Blaine paused, a little surprised to see him acting this way. “Hey, Sebastian. What’s up?”
Sebastian took a deep breath, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket. “I… I just wanted to apologize for how I acted when you were with Sam. I was being forward, and I shouldn’t have made things complicated.”
Blaine was quiet for a moment, processing his words. He hadn’t expected this kind of conversation today, but the sincerity in Sebastian’s voice made him realize he’d been holding onto some unresolved feelings of his own.
“You don’t have to apologize,” Blaine replied, trying to sound neutral, but his words felt heavier than he intended. “It’s… it’s complicated. But I get where you were coming from.”
Sebastian nodded, looking down for a moment. “I guess I was just… frustrated. I didn’t really think it through. And I know it wasn’t the right time to say anything, especially with Sam. I shouldn’t have put you in that position.”
Blaine glanced at him, surprised by how self-aware Sebastian was being. The old Sebastian, the one who often wore his confidence like armor, didn’t show vulnerability easily. But this version of him seemed different, more genuine.
“It’s okay,” Blaine said after a moment. “I just… I wish we could’ve handled things differently.”
Sebastian met his gaze then, his eyes softer than usual. “Yeah. Me too. I don’t want things to be awkward between us, Blaine. I just… wanted to clear the air.”
Blaine nodded slowly. “I appreciate that. And I get it. Really. It wasn’t easy for either of us.”
The tension between them seemed to ease a bit, but there was still something unspoken lingering in the air, something they weren’t ready to address. But in that moment, Blaine realized that the apology wasn’t about erasing the past. It was about acknowledging it, and moving forward.
“I just hope we can… be cool with each other,” Sebastian added quietly, almost hesitantly.
“Yeah, of course,” Blaine agreed. “We’re good.”
There was a brief silence before Sebastian gave him a small, appreciative smile. “Thanks, Blaine. I really mean it.”
Blaine nodded and watched as Sebastian walked away, his mind racing with everything they’d just said. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start. And for the first time in a while, Blaine felt like he was moving in the right direction.
-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-
Rachel leaned back in her chair, feeling the weight of the silence wrap around her like a thick blanket. Her fingers still hovered over the paper, but she couldn’t focus on the words anymore. Her mind kept drifting to Quinn.
She hadn’t meant for this to happen. She hadn’t meant to let these feelings grow, to let them sneak up on her so quietly that they now held her in place. Rachel had always valued her friendship with Quinn above all else. It had always been so simple. They laughed together, supported each other through everything—like when Quinn helped Rachel through her own confusing moments, always patient, always understanding.
But now, with each passing day, something had shifted. Something inside Rachel was changing, and she couldn’t stop it. She found herself noticing the way Quinn’s eyes sparkled when she talked about something she was passionate about, how her laugh filled the room with warmth, how she made Rachel feel seen in ways she never had before. It was subtle at first, but now it was impossible to ignore.
Rachel let out a shaky breath, guilt creeping in. She hadn’t meant to develop these feelings. She hadn’t set out to want more from Quinn than just friendship. But somewhere along the way, it had happened. And now, she was stuck in this strange, tangled mess of emotions, unsure of how to navigate it.
“I never meant for this to happen,” she murmured to herself, shaking her head. “I didn’t want to feel this way about you, Quinn.”
Her feelings were growing, uninvited, but real. The weight of it all pressed on her chest, and Rachel wasn’t sure how to fix it. The fear of ruining the beautiful friendship they had made her feel stuck, uncertain of what to do next.
She couldn’t even imagine telling Quinn. What if Quinn didn’t feel the same way? What if she was just oblivious to how Rachel felt? What if it made things awkward, or worse, what if Quinn pulled away? Rachel didn’t want to risk that. She couldn’t.
But the truth was, not telling Quinn didn’t feel like an option anymore. These feelings, as complicated and scary as they were, were a part of her. And though Rachel was terrified of what the consequences could be, she also knew that living with this unspoken truth was starting to feel unbearable.
The more she thought about it, the more she realized that the last thing she wanted to do was hurt Quinn. She didn’t want to make things uncomfortable or take advantage of the deep connection they shared. But she also couldn’t ignore the possibility of something more, even if it terrified her.
-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-
The next afternoon, Rachel found herself standing outside Quinn’s house, her hands trembling slightly as she adjusted her bag on her shoulder. She had been thinking about this moment all night. She hadn’t been able to sleep, hadn’t been able to focus. It had been too long, the feelings weighing her down too much.
She knocked on the door, heart racing in her chest. A few moments later, Quinn appeared, looking a little surprised to see her.
“Rachel? What’s up?” Quinn asked, her expression softening as she stepped aside to let her in.
Rachel swallowed, her nerves getting the best of her. She wasn’t sure where to begin, but she knew she couldn’t turn back now. She had to do this, had to say the words.
“Can we talk?” Rachel asked, trying to sound steady, though her voice was shaking.
Quinn closed the door behind them, sensing the seriousness in Rachel’s tone. “Of course. What’s going on?”
Rachel took a deep breath, her eyes avoiding Quinn’s for a moment. She couldn’t quite bring herself to meet her gaze yet. “I’ve been thinking about something for a while… something I should’ve said sooner, but I didn’t know how.”
Quinn furrowed her brow, a small frown playing at the corners of her lips. “What are you talking about?”
Rachel finally looked up at her, the words spilling out in a rush. “I’ve been lying to myself. I told you I didn’t feel the same way you did. But I do. I’ve had these feelings for you for a while now, and I don’t know how to deal with it. I should’ve told you sooner, but I was scared. I didn’t want to risk ruining our friendship. But I can’t keep pretending anymore. I can’t keep pretending like it doesn’t matter.”
Quinn stood frozen for a moment, her eyes wide with shock. She had been waiting for Rachel to say this, to make it clear, but hearing it out loud was still unexpected.
“You… you like me?” Quinn finally managed to say, her voice soft, almost disbelieving.
Rachel nodded, her heart pounding. “Yeah. I do. More than just as a friend. I understand if you don’t feel the same way, but I couldn’t hide it anymore. I had to tell you.”
There was a silence between them, thick with tension. Quinn’s gaze softened, and she took a step closer to Rachel. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but then she stopped herself, clearly trying to process everything Rachel had just said.
And then, without another word, Quinn reached out, cupping Rachel’s face gently. Their eyes locked for a moment, and Rachel’s breath caught in her throat. The world around them seemed to fade away as Quinn leaned in slowly, closing the space between them.
The kiss was soft at first, tentative, as if neither of them wanted to make the first move too boldly. But when Rachel’s hands found their way to Quinn’s waist, pulling her closer, everything else disappeared. It was as if all the years of friendship, of waiting, of uncertainty, collapsed into that single, perfect moment.
When they finally pulled away, breathless and wide-eyed, Quinn smiled softly, her thumb brushing Rachel’s cheek. “I didn’t know if I was the only one,” Quinn whispered, her voice full of relief.
Rachel let out a shaky laugh, her heart still racing. “I’m glad you weren’t.”
In that moment, it felt like everything had finally clicked into place. The fears, the doubts, they all melted away, leaving only a quiet, shared understanding between them.
“I think we both have a lot to figure out,” Quinn said with a small smile, her hand still resting on Rachel’s cheek.
Rachel nodded, her own smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah, but I’m willing to figure it out, if you are.”
Quinn’s smile deepened as she leaned in again, kissing Rachel one more time, this time with more certainty, more warmth. And as they pulled away, both of them knew that things had changed forever—but for the better.
-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-
Quinn walked into the school hallway with a noticeable bounce in her step, her usual calm demeanour replaced by an energy that Blaine couldn’t help but notice. He was at his locker when she approached, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
“Hey, Quinn, you’re practically glowing today,” Blaine said with a teasing smile as he turned to face her.
Quinn’s lips curled into a grin, her fingers tapping nervously on the straps of her bag. She glanced around briefly before looking at Blaine, making sure no one else was in earshot. “You won’t believe what happened yesterday,” she said, her voice just above a whisper, though the excitement was unmistakable.
Blaine raised an eyebrow. “What happened?”
Quinn hesitated for a moment before blurting out, “Rachel came over yesterday.”
Blaine’s interest piqued. “Okay, and…?”
“She… she told me she liked me,” Quinn said, her eyes wide as she processed her own words again. “Like, really liked me.”
Blaine blinked in surprise, his eyebrows shooting up. “Wait, Rachel? As in, Rachel Rachel?”
Quinn nodded, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting it at all. I thought I was the only one feeling this way, but she confessed that she had feelings for me too… and then…” She paused for a moment, her expression turning a bit more serious.
Blaine leaned in, his curiosity growing. “And then… what?”
Quinn took a deep breath, a little sheepish but clearly happy. “We kissed, Blaine. Right there in my room. It just felt… right, you know?”
Blaine’s face broke into a wide grin, the excitement in his eyes matching Quinn’s. “Wait, so you two kissed? That’s amazing, Quinn!” His tone was filled with enthusiasm, and he couldn’t help but laugh a little. “I’m so happy for you! I mean, I could tell something was going on, but hearing you actually
Quinn laughed along with him, though she still seemed a little in awe of the whole thing. “Yeah, it’s all so new, but it just… it felt like it was supposed to happen. Like all this time, I’ve been wanting to tell her how I felt, and then she just came right out with it.
“That’s incredible,” Blaine said, clearly thrilled for his friend. “And I bet the kiss was…”
“Perfect,” Quinn finished with a soft smile, almost shy now. “I never expected it to happen like that, but… I don’t know. It felt like everything clicked. But now I’m kind of freaking out because, well, it’s Rachel. She’s so—”
“Perfect for you?” Blaine finished for her, his smile warm and understanding.
Quinn nodded, a small laugh escaping her. “Exactly. But also, I’m just… nervous. What if it doesn’t work out? What if this is just some weird, one-time thing?”
Blaine placed a hand on her shoulder, offering a reassuring smile. “Quinn, if it felt right, then it is. You don’t need to rush anything. Just take it one step at a time. I know you’ll figure it out.”
Quinn looked at him, her smile widening. “Thanks, Blaine. I really needed to hear that.”
“Anytime,” Blaine said with a wink. “Just promise me one thing.”
“What’s that?” Quinn asked.
“When you two end up being the cutest couple in school, you’ll remember who was the first to support you,” Blaine teased, giving her a playful nudge.
Quinn laughed, her nerves easing a little more. “I promise, Blaine. You’ll be the first to know.”
As Quinn turned to head to class, she felt lighter than she had in days. She wasn’t sure where things would go with Rachel, but one thing was for sure—she was ready to take the next step. And with Blaine’s encouragement, she knew she had a friend who would always have her back.