Rachel has been more reserved lately which is something that Santana never thought would happen. It always seems like Rachel's got something to say but for some reason she keeps holding herself back and it irks Santana. Rachel doesn't call Santana out as often as she used to and instead of being relieved, Santana is annoyed. Something's obviously bothering the smaller girl and Santana was going to force it out of her.
"What is your deal?" Santana's arms are crossed in front of her and her head is tilted slightly as she confronts Rachel. They are on the bus following a long shift at work and all Rachel wants to do is soak in the bath before she turns in for the night.
Rachel sighs and closes her eyes. She knew that Santana has picked up on her weird behaviour. She shakes her head. "You wouldn't get it." She opens her eyes again and looks beside her at her roommate. "Or maybe you would and you just wouldn't care."
Santana's eyes narrow in displeasure at the accusation. "What're you talking about? Maybe you should enlighten me and give me a chance before blowing me off." Whatever was causing Rachel to have such a low opinion of her was insulting and a little hurtful to Santana. They've come a long way since high school and she thought that Rachel knew that she wasn't the same bitch as the uniform-wearing cheerleader she was back then.
But Rachel snaps and there's a fire in her eyes. "Fine. If you must know, I found your blatantly biphobic comment to Dani to be incredibly offensive." Her tone is icy and she was sure that Santana was just going to roll her eyes and laugh at her.
Instead, Santana's eyebrows furrow as she shakes her head in confusion. "What? What are you talking about?" She has to go through her conversations with Dani before she realizes what Rachel is talking about.
"That? You're angry about that? I thought I said something to offend you or something. Why on earth are you so caught up about it? It's not like I was talking about you," Santana says defensively.
Rachel huffs. "Honestly Santana, I thought you were above stereotypes like that. I know that Brittany has been a big influence on your life…" Santana squirms a bit uncomfortable at the mention of her ex. "…But it's hardly fair for you to generalize. Besides," Rachel immediately clams up. She had just almost let it slip that bisexuality was increasingly becoming something she felt more inclined to identify with. She has only brought it up with Kurt and she never even considered telling Santana precisely because of the attitude she was currently exhibiting.
Santana pushes for more as she tries to justify herself. "Besides what, Rachel? I mean I wasn't exactly lying about Brittany. She rejected me for Wheels and now she's gone clinging to Guppy Lips. That's a lot of dick if you ask me," she says bitterly.
Frustration is quickly bubbling up within the smaller girl. "You do realize that not every bisexual is like Brittany, right? I'm sorry that your relationship with her didn't turn out the way you wanted it to but that's no reason to be so hostile! Some people don't even come out as bisexual before of ignorant attitudes such as yours. I'm not saying that what she did was right, but you're not any better!" Rachel is breathing heavily now and they've got the attention of the whole bus.
Santana clenches her jaw. Rachel needs to stop bringing Brittany up or else she was going to lose it on her. She lowers her voice to a harsh whisper, mindful of their audience. "What are you even talking about, Berry? Why are you getting so fired up about this?" She exhales sharply through her nose. "Yeah, not every bisexual is like Brittany, but that doesn't mean they won't stray for the closest sausage roll."
"Nor does it meant they will! People think that bisexuals will sleep with anyone that offers and that's not true!" Tears have started forming in Rachel's eyes from all the emotions running through her and she tries to blink them away. It's only the sight of them that causes Santana's anger to dissipate.
"Even Kurt had his preconceived notions when I told him that I—" Rachel pauses mid sentence and recomposes herself. "I am not going to discuss this with you anymore," she finishes curtly.
Santana looks hesitantly puts her arms around Rachel and pulls her closer. She has no idea why her roommate has gotten so emotional over this but she's grown to care about Rachel's feelings over the past few months, as much as she didn't want to. Her voice is soft when she speaks this time. "Hey, why're you crying? What is this about and what does it have to do with Kurt?"
Rachel tries to curl away from Santana, in towards herself. Her heart is racing as she debates whether or not to come clean to her roommate. She's not sure that she can trust Santana to take this seriously. But hopefully Santana cares enough to refrain from ridiculing her, at least for the time being.
Straightening up a bit in Santana's hold, Rachel takes a deep breath. "I'm bisexual," she says, looking into Santana's eyes.
Santana stills, not sure how to process this information. And then she frowns as she pulls away. "You're bisexual," she repeats as she lets it sink in. "What on earth makes you think that?" Her voice is skeptical as she looks at Rachel for an answer.
Rachel answers in a detached voice. "Because I'm attracted to men and I've found myself attracted to women as well," she answers simply, daring Santana to challenge her.
"No way. Nuh uh. Rachel Berry, the daughter of two gay men, the girl who spent all of high school bouncing around all the guys in Glee Club is only now just realizing that she's bisexual? You almost married the dumbest guy in the world for crying out loud. I am not buying it," Santana replies as she shakes her head.
Rachel can't believe the ignorance that Santana is spewing out of her mouth. "I loved Finn and I always will. But that doesn't mean that I haven't thought about being with a woman. It was never something that I needed to address. I happened to only fall for men in high school but that doesn't invalidate my sexuality," she says adamantly.
Thankfully the bus was approaching the end of the line and most of the riders had already gotten off at their stop leaving Santana and Rachel relatively secluded at the back of the bus.
"I've always found sexuality to be fluid. I just want to be with someone who will love and respect me. Gender has never been a deciding factor," Rachel adds strongly.
Santana watches Rachel for a long time as she lets her words seep in. She had no idea that Rachel felt this way before. It was an abrupt challenge to her view of sexuality. Both Kurt and her were alike in that they were both set in their ways of only preferring one gender. In her mind, it was one or the other. And Brittany, well, Brittany liked whatever she wanted to like and Santana never tried to make any sense of it. Santana had tried so long to like men that the idea of liking more than one gender seemed impossible to her. Rachel sits beside her wiping her tears as they slowly come to a stop.
The bus reaches their stop before Santana can come up with a response and they silently get off and head towards their apartment building. Santana knows that she was in the wrong but apologizing hasn't come any more natural to her than it was in high school.
Santana tugs Rachel's arm gently before she can open the door to the building and Santana pulls her off to the side. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things," she says with her eyes on Rachel's.
Rachel looks at Santana with red-rimmed eyes as she tries to determine the sincerity of her apology. But with the way that the slightly taller girl is shifting, she knows that Santana means it.
"I was hoping that you would've been more understanding about bisexuality," Rachel responds as she waits to see what Santana will say. Santana's a little annoyed that Rachel can't just accept an apology like a normal person but she supposes that she had that coming.
"Yeah well, I never claimed to be a saint," Santana replies with a small but hopeful smile.
Rachel observes Santana a little while longer before relenting and pulling Santana in for a hug.
"You were ignorant but at least you were willing to listen to reason," Rachel utters with her head on Santana's shoulder.
Santana laughs and rolls her eyes with an amused smile. "Jeez Rachel, if you wanted to feel my twins pressed up against yours, all you had to do was ask," she jokes as she brings her arms around to hug the other girl back. Rachel shakes her head but she keeps her hold on Santana.
"You're incorrigible, Santana," Rachel responds and they both laugh. Maybe there was a glimmer of hope after all.