[ @fabrayq asked for a starter ]
jesse hadn’t seen her coming. hadn’t thought that agreeing to go on a stupid road trip with a bunch of people he barely tolerated in high school would lead to whatever it was that had ended up happening between him and quinn. she was one of the very, very, very few people at william mckinley high school that jesse st. james actually respected. he didn’t know what it was about her. the way she held herself, the way she’d trailblazed a comeback after having the worst year of her life. but there was always something special about quinn fabray. and why he’d pursued her during their time cooped up together in a van for a month. it had all been just for fun at first, but it very quickly turned into something else. something more real, and while it terrified jesse, deep down it excited him too. they both knew it wasn’t going to last long. it couldn’t, not when they were both going to college. you weren’t supposed to walk into college with a relationship, everyone knew that. they’d tried at first to keep it casual, but they’d only managed it for so long before jealousy started creeping in and emotions intensified..
they’d been together for a while after starting college, it had worked for a while, maybe it was the rush of a new relationship. but soon enough, the distance started complicating things. they were busy enough with classes and coursework, attempting to keep up a social life in their new schools. it was hard to keep up a relationship as well, made something into a hassle that neither wanted it to be. arguments over how it wasn’t supposed to be that had, neither of them having the time or patience to deal with drama and fights. exchanging of words that neither had completely meant. and jesse’s own inability to ever truly communicate how he was feeling at any time. their relationship had ended just as quickly and passionately as it had started.
even still, quinn fabray remained the only girl that jesse ever saw himself with. which was why, he’d driven to connecticut on the day of her graduation, only a week after his own. they were both done with school now, there were millions of options ahead of them. where they could go, what they could do. if their main problem had been the distance and communication. well, distance wouldn’t be a problem anymore, and jesse was here to communicate that.
he watched the ceremony and holding onto the bouquet of dahlias the whole time, waiting for her afterwards. jesse watched with a small, fond smile as the woman celebrated with her friend for a moment afterwards. he walked towards her slowly, waiting for her to notice him. he knew exactly when she had, seeing the way she froze and did a double take as if he weren’t actually there. “looking good, fabray,” he said casually in lieu of a greeting. as if there hadn’t been months to a year of silence between the two. as if he’d always just been there, and no time had passed at all. “but what else is new, huh?” jesse added playfully. “so, where’re we headed now?” he asked her with brows raised and an ever confident smile set on his lips.
