This is mostly a short side story for fun, so please excuse the sloppy writing (: enjoy!
Chapter 1
In a small town full of small minded people with far too much time on their hands, rumors procreate and reproduce like the children of McKinely high. They're territorial beasts and tend to live in groups revolving around the person they spawned from or about, but aren't shy to let in others that make their lies stronger. One in one thousand times there's a rumor that's true. Brittany S. Peirce was about to find one of those kind of rumors.
Brittany was one of those people who radiated popularity. She didn't have to put on a pair of shades and fake it like ninety nine of the kids around her because she was blessed with two things that the average person would never have; beauty, and a fast paced metabolism.
Never mind Brittany still believed in every childhood magical icon, or that she was truly disappointed on her 10th birthday when her letter to Hogwarts didn't come, or that she once ran into a screen door after her mother had just cleaned it. Brittany was tall, with pretty eyes and glossy blonde hair that never strayed. She was well bestowed and was often betrayed by her innocence of the world.
Fourteen year old Brittany was new to high school. Two weeks in and she had already been sent for the principle's office for asking her Spanish teacher, Mr. Shuester, if his name was spanish for 'butt chin' like someone had told her. Such out of the blue statements were natural for Brittney, and not something she did consciously.
"," Brittany said in her quiet tone, sinking into the chair. "I don't understand. Why I am I trouble? I only asked a question."
Mr. Figgins shook his head with a sigh and told Brittany that she had a warning and to go back to class. By the time she got back into the hallway, the bell had already rung, and kids were beginning to pour into the halls.
"Brittany!" Turning, the blonde caught sight of her best friend running down the hallway. Admittedly, after a summer of not seeing her, Brittany had to pause for a moment to recall her name.
"Oh, hi, Santana." Brittany said at last as the girl came to a stop in front of her. Santana was younger and smaller than Brittany. She had pretty tan skin and likewise beautiful black hair, and dark, dark eyes that closed the depths of her mind to the world.
Over the summer, Santana had turned from a rowdy, bossy little girl into a young lady. Her figure had filled out and now her body resembled an hour glass in shape. Her chest seemed to tight underneath her skirt from last year, and the way her hips swayed back and forth as she walked would attract a sideways glance from the older guys who passed her. Santana was young but her body was not, and being built like a 20 year old at age 14 was both a curse and a blessing- especially since Santana had just began to figure out how to use it.
Santana never really took an interest in the boys at the school before. She had multiple boyfriends and from the stories she told, her kiss virginity was about as sacred now as a piece of toilet paper, but she'd never been seriously interested in the looks of a male. Emotions were something the young Latina never even bothered to take into consideration. The people around her were the pawns on her chess board. She was, and would always be, the queen.
"Where have you been?" Santana demanded in a frankly annoyed tone, cocking her brows at Brittany.
"I was in the classroom. I think I was supposed to be learning but I don't even really remember who was teaching."
Santana rolled her eyes, and put her arm around Brittany's shoulder, leading her down the hall way.
"That's great," she said sarcastically, "but you ain't gon be learnin' nothin' else today, cus baby, we're skipping."
Brittany smiled and nodded obligingly, and was lead out the back doors into the field outside of the school.
"I wonder why no one tried to stop us," Brittany thought aloud, looking at Santana. Her best friend had her head resting in Brittany's lap, was the twosome were sprawled out under a tree.
"Because no one cares," Santana said in a 'no-duh,' tone. For a moment, Brittany gandered that she saw a dark look cross over the girl's face. But a moment later the look was gone and Santana was smiling again, looking up at her with a contemptuous look.
"Oh," was all that Brittany could say. Had she just imagined that look- or had it been real? Either way, the blonde gazed dubiously at her friend, realizing that she had begun to talk again.
"High school will be a different experience for us, Brit-Brit. We're gonna rule this school." Santana said confidently,
"How are we going to do that?" Brittany asked, turning to look curiously at Santana. Santana pushed herself up, taking her head from Brittany's lap. She gave her blonde friend a contemptuous smile, her dark eyes glittering mischievously.
"I think, we should join the cheerios." Brittany gazed at her curiously at the suggestion, and Santa hesitated before continuing on with an explanation. "Being a cheerleader is, like, the same as being a super start at this cow town school right? And we both got invited. I say we ditch trying to crawl our way up with our amazing looks and take the easy way out and being cheerios. Together, we can rule this school."
Brittany took on a look of consideration as she thought through the offer,a slow process as usual. Santana's patience ran exceedingly thin, and she gripped her friend's leg with hard fingers, urging her to make a decision.
"That's a good idea, Santana," Brittany said slowly. "But everyone says is a real b-i-c-h. Is it worth it to tolerate a woman like that?"
"Don't be silly, Brit-Brit," Santana said, smiling. She ran a gentle hand through Brittany's short blonde hair, brushing a strand of hair from her heart-shaped face.
"It'll be well worth it, besides, I'm sure Sue Stick-in-the-mud-vester ain't got nothing on the two of us."
Brittany blinked, having to listen to Santana's sentence again in her head before she realized who the Latina was talking about. When she did she gave a small smile, her blue eyes lighting up at the prospect. Yes, perhaps being a cheerio would be good for them. It would allow her to spend more time with her friend, plus maybe it would increase their social status like Brittany said.
" Okay. Let's go to try out tomorrow then. Meet me after school, kay?"
"Great! I'll see you then, Brit-Brit."
Try outs were on Wednesday, which seemed to be a particularly long day for Brittany. The dizzy blonde had a hard time focusing on her classes as her mind was elsewhere. She had had time to mull over thoughts of joining the Cheerios the night before, and had talked it over with Lord Tubingtons. He seemed to agree with Santana. It would be fun.
All day long, Brittany had day dreams of what it'd be like to be on the cheerios. Her thoughts went from doing dances and waving pom poms erratically through the air to going out for the cheerio's complimentary spa dates and having sleep over with the other girls. She had no doubts about the fact that she would most defiantly fit in among the team, and was excited to meet new people. Socializing was by far one of Brittany's favorite past times, even if she often got weird looks when she voiced whatever came to her mind.
When the time finally came for try outs Brittany eagerly rushed to the gym, waiting outside the door for Santana. Her friend was, as usual, fashionably late, and when she came she was wearing short shorts and a shirt that showed her stomach skin when she lifted her arms. Brittany raised a brow at her and Santana pursed her lips, hugging her rib cage so that her chest popped out against her shirt.
"Hey, don't knock sexy. If it's gonna get me on the cheerios I'm down for whatever. 'Cides, ain't no one who can say no to a little skin action right?"
Santana stalked past Brittany into the gym, not waiting to see if she was following. Brittany hesitated before she did. There seemed like there was... something very different about her friend this year. The way she held herself, how she walked, her attitude... it was all so different. But why, Brittany couldn't place.
Brittany sighed and followed the dark haired girl into the gymnasium. There was a group of girls huddling near the bleachers, murmuring to each other in low voices. A singular girl was sitting by herself in the stands, gazing out into the empty hair with glazed hazel eyes.
"What are we waiting for?" Santana asked in a loud voice, butting into the group. Brittany followed at her side, silent but curious.
"Sylvester isn't here yet," one of the girls, a tall brunette, said in a somewhat disgusted tone, giving Santana the once over. Santana pursued her lips, an obvious challenge to the other girl.
"She hasn't been here for the past 30 minutes. If she doesn't get her cranky, man haired, bitchy ass in here I'm taking the goods and walking home."
There was a collective laugh from the group. Santana let out a chalky fake giggle, getting a look from Brittany. Brittany found nothing funny in the derogatory name calling and wanted little to do with the repercussions these girls would get for insulting their future coach. As if reading their mind, Brittany felt the atmosphere around the girls freeze up as mega phone buzzed behind them.
"Is that so?"
The girls spun around in unison as they head Sue Sylvester enter the gym. She had a crooked frown on her face, glaring hard, unmerciful eyes at the group of girls. The girls were silent as Sue walked up to them, stopping in front of the girl who had challenged Santana. Sue put the megaphone up to her lips and pointed it at the girl's face, speaking into the end.
"You think that waiting a half an hour is hard? Try putting up with a guy with enough margarine in his hair to make his own butter, that's hard!"
The girl looked taken back and had began to shake, saying nothing. The others huddled away from her, while Santana and Brittany stood separately, gazing at Sue in apprehension. Sue looked over the girls with a satisfactory look, pleased by their fear. She put the megaphone back up to her lips and turned away from the girl, pacing down the gym as she spoke.
"Today you girls will be showing me just exactly how pathetically untalented you are in an attempt to get onto my cheerios team. Only about one out of all of you lazy youth will even have a chance of making it. I sincerely hope you know the rules. No slacking, no sitting, no sweating, no crying, no talking! If it were up to me, I would have these rules enforced over the entire school using police dogs and bamboo sticks. Now line on the bleachers, we're going to do this as orderly as possible."
The girls gazed at Sue with horror struck expressions, turning quickly and fleeing to the bleachers. Sue smirked and came to stand in front of them, untucking a clipboard from underneath her arm.
"Let's see... First up, Abby Becklen..."
Girl after girl tried out as the next hour passed by. When it was Santana's turn to go up, Brittany clapped enthusiastically, causing the Latina to cast her a smile. Santana was amazing, her clear, pretty voice ringing out around the gym as she jumped about, doing a well executed routine that clearly demonstrated how limber she was. When her turn was done, Santana was panting but managed to bow and put on a pretty smile all the same, strutting back to the bleachers and sitting next to Brittany.
"Santana, you were amazing," she said in a low voice, beaming at her friend. Santana shrugged, as if she already knew and didn't need to be told. Still, she took her friend's hand, gently squeezing her fingers around it.
"You'll do great, too." Santana whispered.
When Brittany's turn came around, she was extraordinary nervous. She took a deep breath and squeezed Santana's hand, getting to her feet. Closing her eyes and reopening them, Brittany rushed down and took her place in front of the gym.
Brittany's routine was a blur. She did what her instincts told her, her body moving as if in slow motion, her muscles tense as she did maneuvers. When she was done, she gave a bow, and immediately rushed back to the stands.
Eventually, the try outs came to an end. Brittany waited in anticipation for what Sylvester had to say, gripping Santana's hand tightly in her own.
"Most of you were absolutely god awful," Sue bellowed into her megaphone as she addressed the team. "I've seen better acts from my aunt Janis who has cancer and is missing her left leg. Now get home, the list of who made it will be up tomorrow."
Mutters came from the girls as they got up and exited the gym. Santana and Brittany held back for a moment, wanting to walk out together. Santana sighed as she got to her feet. She had a daunting expression on her face. Brittany stroked her friend's black hair reassuringly.
"You were sexytastic, Tana. I'm sure we'll both get in."
"Yes, I'm sure."
Both girls started and turned as they heard a voice behind them.
The girl who had spoken was a short girl. Her hair was blonde in color, pinned back from her face by a flower clip. She wore normal clothing, that was easy enough on the eyes it would of blended in with the background easily. Her hazel gaze was soft as she looked a the two. Brittany could only vaguely remember her before, remembering that she had been sitting alone when they first walked in. She was pretty, and Brittany wondered why she didn't remember her performance.
"Who are you?" Santana asked coldly, looking over the girl in front of them. The dirty blonde smiled, looking at the aggressive Latina cooly.
"My name's Quinn Fabray," she said sweetly. Brittany noticed the musical note to her voice, and smiled at the melodical way she spoke.
"I'm new to the school. I transferred. I'm trying out for the cheerios too. It's nice to meet you." Quinn held out her hand to Santana, offering for her to shake it. Santana gazed down at the hand for a moment before turning away. Looking somewhat put off, Quinn retracted her hand."
"Well," she said again. "I hope that we're all able to get in."
Turning, Quinn left the gym, leaving Brittany and Santana alone.