Chapter 1

A story about genetically programmed soul mates.

Quinn stepped out of the shower and into the locker room, pulling out her Cheerios uniform just to look at it for a moment. She loved this uniform. It was her red and white coat of armor, making her untouchable. The students parted for her while she was wearing it, mouths open, eyes wide, and she loved it. 

As Quinn walked down the hallway, she kept her chin up and her chest out " she kept her walls up and everyone else out. She held her books to her chest hiding her assets from the boys who fawned over her. She liked to give them enough to look at but also leave room for the imagination. She would smile as she walked giving them hope that maybe she would talk to them. But she usually talked to Finn, the dopey jock she lugged around with her. He was the quarterback and she was the head Cheerio.

The only reason she stayed with Finn was because of pressure from her parents to maintain her image and live the 'perfect life' image they had created. It was a daily struggle. Every day when she came home her mother would walk into the living room and ask if she had imprinted yet. When the answer was no, which it always was, her mother would frown at her and say, "Well perhaps tomorrow." Quinn could feel the disappointment and shame festering in that sentence day after day, so of course she couldn't leave Finn. If she did she might never have a civil moment with her mother again.

Her parents told her that she and Finn were meant to be. They encouraged her to stay with him and every day after school they would ask how that boy was. She always told them what they wanted to hear even if it wasn't true. It didn't matter though because in her parents eyes they were destined to be together. They were the star crossed lovers and they would be wed as soon as Quinn finished college. Her life was all planned out for her. She had only one problem: the initials on her wrist were not "FH".

Quinn's sister, Frannie, was the golden child. She had everything her parents had ever wanted for their family. Frannie had met her mate, Duncan, when they were in high school. Frannie was the Cheerio's captain, the Celibacy club president, student body president, and the valedictorian. She and Duncan had imprinted right away, strengthening their bond quickly - faster than most. Quinn suspected it was because of the pressure from her parents, but it might have also just been because her sister was an overachiever in everything she did.

Frannie didn't go to college though, she was a stay at home wife now while Duncan was a CEO of Lima's only Super Weenie Hut Junior Incorporated, which of course had made them filthy rich and brought only more pride and power to the Fabray name.

This was the exact life Quinn's parents wanted for her, but she didn't want to live that way. She didn't want to be a trophy for her husband to flaunt or to take care of his children while he was away on business. Quinn wanted to be the one going away on business, doing great things and not being weighed down by another being. She wanted to be in control of her own life. If she had to have any sort of trophy it would be a trophy husband. She would never submit to any man. It made Finn a convenient choice because he was too stupid to question anything she ordered him to do. But she was by no means satisfied with her relationship with Finn. She knew there was more out there, someone who could be her equal, maybe even challenge her. But her parents would never let her have that.

Quinn was shaken from her thoughts when she felt and intense burning on the inside of her wrist. The blonde dropped her books and grabbed her wrist trying to relieve herself from the pain. But when she looked down at her wrist, she could see the initials 'RB' turning bright red. The imprint was beginning but she didn't see anyone else in pain. She spun around trying to find the person who was doing this to her but she couldn't find them and it angered her because she couldn't be the only person going through this. Everyone was staring at her, she looked like an idiot and someone in this hallway was to blame.

The burning was becoming worse. She knew they were getting closer. She could literally feel it. She looked harder profiling every person in the hallway, checking to see if anyone was pretending to ignore the burning. She looked for the red hot letters on the wrists of everyone who passed by but she could not see any. As she was turning again, a body crashed into her. She bounced off of them, stunned for a moment before she saw it. The girl's wrist was red, and the initials LF were burning into it, however she didn't seem to be experiencing any pain.

Time seemed to stop for a moment when she realized she was looking at her mate. She was almost afraid to raise her eyes, to see the face of the girl who was going to change her life forever, but she couldn't resist. Quinn's hazel eyes met with chocolate brown eyes that smiled back at her. They were so welcoming and warm that Quinn got lost in them for a second until she realized the girl was bending down to pick up Quinn's books for her. "Here let me help you with those," the girl said, handing her the stack she had dropped. As Quinn took the books from her she was forced to see her initials again. Bright red and burning. How could she not feel that? Why was she not affected by any of this?

The girl's face fell a moment later, "Are you okay? You look a little pale.." Quinn just stared at her for a second longer, trying to process what was happening. Everything was happening at once. The intense pain was creeping up her arm and she was having trouble concentrating on anything else but trying to make it stop. She couldn't think, let alone speak. The girl stared at her clearly concerned until Quinn ran off in the other direction without saying a word.

Author's Note

I'm not sure if this chapter is a very strong start to this story. I'm sure there are many problems with this chapter, well with this book in general. Cheerios are cheerleaders.