Santana took the steps two at a time up from her basement bedroom and nearly smacked into her younger brother on her way to the kitchen.
"Watch where you're going you little freak!" she shouted as she pushed past him.
"Honey be nice." Mrs. Lopez insisted.
"Yeah, whatever. I'm off to go get Britt and I'll be late because we have to watch the Cheerio tryouts." The younger girl grabbed the keys from the basket and made her way to the front door, only to have her path blocked once again by her younger brother. "Carlos move it! I have places to be and a girlfriend to see."
"Mami she forgot." Carlos yelled.
"Forgot what? Oh damn that's right you're in ninth grade now aren't you?" Santana huffed and rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll take you to school, but you can take the bus home. And you have to sit in the back seat."
"But I have football tryouts after school." Carlos reminded her.
"Football, since when do you play that?"
"Since I decided I want to be popular at school."
"Carlos, they suck. You're better off just playing baseball. Plus I'm your older sister, give them a day and they'll figure out what's up."
"Your father will be home late from the hospital and I have to meet with a client in Columbus, so Isabella will be by to make you guys dinner." Mrs. Lopez told them before they left.
Carlos argued about his seating arrangement all the way to Brittany's house. Santana honked the horn and waited for her favorite blond to come out side. She was instantly reminded of how much she loved the Cheerios when she saw Brittany emerge from the house in that signature red pleated skirt.
Brittany climbed in the passenger seat and shared a quick kiss with Santana before fastening her seat belt.
"Ew." Carlos said under his breath.
"You're just mad because you had a crush on Brittany and she's my girlfriend. That and all the girls in your grade don't compare." Santana replied.
"There is this oneā¦"
"Yeah, I don't actually care about any of those freshmen."
"Aren't you excited to be senior San? One more year until we graduate." Brittany said clapping her hands together.
"One more year until we can leave this hell hole called Lima. Where are we going Britts, New York or Los Angeles?" Santana asked as she grabbed the other girls hand over the center console. "It's up to you."
"Wherever the wind takes us." Brittany replied simply.
They pulled up in the student parking lot to see everyone outside talking about their summer, and their plans for the upcoming school year, and the arrival of new students.
"Are you ready?" Brittany asked squeezing Santana's hand in her own.
"What is it you told me last year? 'Proudly So' All that and more." Santana replied with a wide smile.
"I love you, you know." Brittany closed the gap between them and pressed her lips to Santana's.
"Really how much?" Santana said kissing her again.
She cupped the sides of Brittany's face with her hands and pulled her closer. Carlos coughed loudly from the backseat.
"Do you need something?" Santana snapped. "Get out already."
"It's a coupe San, one of you has to get out first." He replied smartly.
"Ugh, tomorrow you're taking the bus." Santana threatened.
Classes didn't start for another fifteen minutes so Santana sat on the hood of her car and people watched with Brittany. A few spots away Quinn parked her car and started walking towards them.
"San, open the trunk I have to get my bag." Carlos wined.
The school bus pulled up right in front of the student parking lot. When the doors opened three young girls walked out of it, with attitudes painted across their face. They looked over where Brittany, Quinn, and Santana were standing then began to walk over.
"Do we know them?" Quinn asked no one in particular.
"Hey Carlos!" the redhead in the middle waved.
Carlos opened his mouth to speak but was silenced when Santana put her hand in his face and turned back to the girls.
"Who are you?" Santana demanded.
"This is Charlotte." She pointed to a black haired girl on her right. "This is Ashley." She said pointing to the girl on her left. "And I'm Sugar."
"Sugar? Like candy sugar?" Brittany asked.
"Yeah, who are you?" Sugar asked with an attitude.
"No she did not come over here to my car trying to say hi to my brother and have the nerve to ask who I am." Santana shouted.
"Oh you must be that dyke on the Cheerios." Sugar said with a smirk.
"Hell no!" Santana jumped off the hood of her car and leaped at the smaller girl.
Quinn and Brittany struggled to pull her away.
"You should know who I am, you little skank. I'm Santana fucking Lopez, I will end you before you even get to begin." Santana yelled as she struggled.
Quinn pushed Santana behind her and let Brittany calm her down.
"I do hope you hadn't planned on trying out for the Cheerios, because she's head captain. And without our old cheerleading coach that leaves her in charge of the whole thing. So, your best bet is to go on about your business and pray that she can't find you after we make our daily 7-11 run. Which you might not get now, but you will when you're covered in a nice Cherry slushie." Quinn threatened.
The three younger girls turned on their heels and made their way into the main building.
"Yeah you better leave, I was about to go all Lima Heights on your ass!" Santana barked.
"Santana we have like the nicest house in Lima Heights, why do you keep saying that?" Carlos wondered.
"Listen here you little booger, don't talk to them, ever again. If I hear about it, see it, if you even think it, your life is going to suck." Santana warned. "Got it?"
"Yeah, I got it." Carlos replied.
"Now get to class." Santana pointed towards the school.
"This is going to be a long year isn't it?" Brittany asked.
"Yep." Quinn and Santana replied in unison.
