A/N: This is a prequel to "Opening Night."

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Glee. They belong to RIB. I'm just borrowing them.

Early October
Santana walked around a party, bored out of her mind. Her and Brittany broke up a few months ago and lately the Latina had been spending her time focusing on her studies. Her roommate, Alison, decided she was sick of seeing her with her nose in a book and dragged her to a friend's place, then said roommate left her to fend for herself with nothing but a red Solo cup in her hand. She didn't know anyone here as they were all in Allie's program.

When she came upon a set of stairs, she decided to climb up and plopped down halfway up. There weren't any lights on in the stairwell, so it was as good a place as any to hide. Santana thought back on her ex-girlfriend and all the parties they'd attended, going all the way back to elementary school birthday parties. She rarely attended these things alone, but of course, it seems like there's a first time for everything.

"Upstairs is off limits," the former cheerleader heard from above.

"Oh yea? Then what are you doing up there?"

"I live here."

"Shit," Santana mumbled, just her luck. "Look, I'm just sitting on the stairs. I swear I wasn't planning on going any farther up than I already am," she said, hanging her head between her knees. She heard the person take a few steps down past her before stopping once again. "Please just let me sit here. I don't plan on staying much longer."

"Santana?" The girl looked up and gasped as she was brought face to face with none other then a girl she use to hate, Rachel Berry. "Well as I live and breathe. I never thought I would run into you, least of all places in my apartment," the diva said, taking a seat next to the other girl.

"Um, yea, me neither. This really your place?"

Rachel nodded as she tucked some hair behind her ear. "My mother knows the owner of the building and got me a great deal on rent."

"It's a nice place," Santana said, looking over at the smaller girl. "I thought you were going to NYADA though?"

Rachel chuckled. "I was, but I found that being at such a competitive school wasn't a very good idea. It always seemed like when New Directions was fighting, times 100." The singer turned so she was facing her old friend (kind of) and her back was against the wall. "Kurt is still there, he loves it, but I came here to get away from high school, not relive it for another four years."

"So, where are you now?"

"Tisch." Santana nodded. "You?"

"I'm pre-Law at NYU."

Rachel laughed at that. "Yea, I can see you arguing for a living," she joked, earning a smirk from the Latina. "Not that I'm complaining, but why are you here?"

"My roommate brought me, she's at Tisch too, Alison." Rachel nodded as Santana took a sip from her cup. "Britt and I, we broke up a while back. I guess I've been kind of ... mopey."

"Let me guess, you'll cut me if I say anything?" Rachel joked, just earning a shrug. "I'm sorry you guys broke up. I always thought you'd be forever."

"Me too."

"Well, I'm glad you're here. I actually didn't intend for this to be this big," Rachel admitted. "It was only suppose to be a few people from one of my classes."

"Its college Berry, what did you expect?"

"I don't know," she answered.

Santana nodded and stood up. "Yea, well, I really should get going. I only came to get Allie off my back."

"Why are you leaving?"

"Well, for one, I wasn't invited by the hostess," Santana said with a wink. "But also, I now know two people here, you and my roommate."

"Santana, I've been hiding out upstairs for an hour now," Rachel said. "I've got a few friends I trust keeping an eye on things. Since I now know you're not some random drunk person looking for a bathroom to puke in, or a place to have sex, you are more that welcome to come upstairs. I was just about to put on a movie when I heard you."

"A musical?"

"Actually, no. I just got the first Hunger Games movie. Would you like to join me?" Rachel asked, looking up at Santana, her brown eyes pleading with the other girl. "I baked some of my famous cookies earlier today."

"Alright, alright, I'll stay," Santana gave in, smiling softly.

"Great! I just need to check with my friends, see how things are going, and make sure they kick everyone out at 10."

"I'll wait here."

"No need, the den is right at the top of the stairs, impossible to miss."

Santana nodded and watched as the tiny singer basically bounced down the stairs. She shook her head and laughed before heading the rest of the way up. As she rounded the corner at the top of the stairs, her mouth dropped open at the large television sitting on a black entertainment center. There was a small box on a shelf next to a Playstation 3, X Box and Wii. Across from the TV was a large couch that looked like the most comfortable thing in the world. The wall on the right of the couch had shelves lined with movies and games.

"Wow," she whispered, then whipped around when she heard a low chuckle. "Damn Berry."

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," she said, placing a couple bottles on the glass coffee table between the TV and couch.

"You didn't," Santana answered, looking around. "I'm just in awe of this room."

"Yea, I spend a lot of time up here."

"How do you afford all this Berry?"

"Santana, my fathers are both very successful. My dad was a doctor, he worked with your dad, and my daddy was a lawyer," Rachel answered. "I've always been pretty spoiled and my dads weren't going to change just because I was no longer living with them."

"Oh, I guess I never realized that." Rachel shrugged as she slipped the movie into her Playstation. "Well, I hope you want another friend, because I'm gonna be here all the time."

Rachel laughed as she sat on the couch and patted the other end for the Latina to sit down. "I'm happy to here that. I would love for you to come over, whenever you want."

"You know, you're not too bad Rachel."

"Yea, I know," Rachel said, smirking before starting the movie.