It was another hot afternoon in Lima Ohio. The sun was blaring and Santana could practically feel the sweat dripping down her body. She supposed she could have stayed inside but that damn history teacher, Bates, was seriously getting on her nerves. So fuck, she bolted out of that class before she snaps at how boring it all was. She'd rather be out here smoking in the heat than having to sit around pretending to be listening to his droning voice.

She knows she shouldn't have ditched class. She's already in her last warning before they kick her out or worse make her join the glee club. Ugh. She doesn't even need that singing show choir shit. Just thinking about it makes her wanna drop out of school all together. Who the fuck even sings about feelings?

So yeah, getting in trouble was the last thing she would even want, despite the fact that she seems to always find herself in one. It's not her fault though, people were just assholes. She almost snorted thinking of how Figgins would react if she'd be sent in his office again. That's going be three times today if she would have gotten caught that is. Good thing Bates pays more attention to his voice than the actual class to notice her disappearance.

She continued puffing some smokes watching it slowly disappear in the air. Days like this were always a drag.

"Fuck. Its hot," she mumbled getting cranky by the extreme heat.

"Hell yeah," a voice beside her commented.

She nodded her head knowing full well that her friend's response was directed to the cheerleaders, the Cheerios, practicing out in the field. She took another drag of smoke before replying, "Don't you have some other victims to annoy Puckerman?"

Her companion ran his hands on his mo-hawk hair. It reminded Santana of a dead squirrel she once found on the road just outside her house. She almost want to touch it just to see if its a decaying carcass or not.

"Can't a guy just chill with his friend, Lopez?"

Santana snorted as she motions towards the cheerios, " More like to perv on them."

"Well that too. Call it a benefit to getting to hang out with you," Puck winked at her giving her a sleazy smile.

"You're such an ass," she joked, softly slapping his shoulder.

"Hey don't hate. You use to be one one of them."

"That was a long time ago," she muttered.

There was a moment of peaceful silence as they both continued to watch the Cheerios, the red and white uniforms standing out from the dry open football field. A small part of Santana misses being part of that group.

Perhaps it was due to her childhood dream. A once upon a time promise she had made to someone a long long time ago. Somehow she felt that if she keeps putting on her uniform, she could at least fulfill her promise. But she knew she couldn't kid herself into believing that. She knew right from the start, as soon as she had tried out, that "she" wouldn't come back to her. So quitting became an easier option as the days passed by.

But it wasn't only that. She almost snorted at how silly she was. Her childhood dream and promise soon became mixed with everything else. She thought that being a cheerleader and being high up in that social ladder could fix everything up. That it could fix her up. She hid herself with the status and power. As long as she's in the Cheerio she's invincible. No one could question her. But as days went by it was getting harder and harder for her to fake a smile. Still she stayed pushing her feelings away and keeping it locked inside.

She held on with the thought that Cheerio was her safety net. It was a place where she could hide herself from the world and feel protected. That is until everything got too much and she finally cracked. All the feelings she kept stomping down kept pushing back. And it just all felt too suffocating for her. The harsh whispers, the disgusted stares, it had all felt like she was becoming the very whisper she hears. It was harder and harder to get up and look at herself in the mirror.

Her once safety net became the very net that had caged her. So she quit even if she felt like she was stripping her armour that she had spent a few good years of her life building. It felt good to be free of those confinements, for the first time in a long time she felt like she could breathe again, that she could finally be her again. But the stares and whispers didn't stop there, it got a whole lot worse.

With no status and power to protect her, she surrounded herself with alcohol and cigarettes to calm the storm within her chest that always seem to rage on. She welcomed it like a new skin. The once model student fell and became the rebellious teen that had many people frown upon.

But sometimes, a fleeting thought comes to her like a snowflake that instantly melts from a simple touch. A thought where she wishes she could wear that red and white armour once more. Who could blame her? She was the Cheerio captain for god sakes. Youngest one in fact. She was invincible, at least for a while she felt like it. That is until shit just turned into something shittier. She shook her head dismantling her thoughts from going back to memory lane, that's something she rarely ventures on to.

She wiped her forehead feeling the moisture that had slowly accumulated. With this current weather, she's fucking happy she had quit. She doesn't even know how they could even handle that much practicing in this intense weather. Not that she cares, those Cheerios were all fucking bitches anyway. Well except for Quinn she suppose.

Quinn Fabray was only half a bitch. She's a great friend and all but god damn that girl could really pack some powerful slap. She knows this cause she's been a victim of it a lot more times than she is proud to admit. She doesn't even know where Quinn even got that strength from. Definitely not from the Cheerio practices that they've been doing because Santana hasn't developed that kind of power. She guesses her blonde friend must have went to some intense slapping training school or something cause she's pretty sure that one time when Quinn had slapped her, her whole jaw got dislocated. She couldn't talk for days.

Her thoughts got interrupted when Puck gently nudged her, "Heard about today. Tough luck huh?"

"That fucking bitch had it coming."

Puck chuckled at Santana's response. Everyone has it coming when it comes to Santana, "and the dude?"

"Well he was being a dick. So I kicked his nuts," she said blowing another smoke. "He's lucky that that's the only damage he got. His fucking dick was so small I almost missed it. I guess I see why he tries to compensate for it by being such a fucking huge dick."

"Can't blame you for that one," Puck nodded knowing full well the sleazy comments Santana gets from people. Her friend had "come out" or more like, was forcibly pushed out two years ago when someone from school had caught her making out with another girl at some college party. And let's just say in a small town Ohio, where small news gets to the daily news broadcast, it spread like wildfire pretty fast. People latch on the news like a leech and Santana had become the centre of everyone's judgmental attention. "How bad is the verdict?"

Santana shrugged, "Figgins only gave me a warning. I'm on my last one before they start kicking me out and shit." She twisted the stub of the cigarette on the bleacher putting it out before chucking it. "There's glee too."

"No fucking way," Puck chuckled at the disgusted look Santana was sporting. "I can't imagine you in there. But fuck you'll be a great there. It's not as bad as you think, you know."

"You sound just like Berry, Puckerman. I'm sure she'll be beaming with happiness if that ever happens. She's been asking me to join." Santana had to roll her eyes. Rachel Berry had been annoyingly persistent with her recruitment despite her making it loud and clear that it would never happen. "Never say never Santana," Rachel would always respond. She had to roll her eyes again. Fuck Berry and her karma shit.

"Oh comeon' you know you enjoy being her friend," Puck teased her knowing full well how Santana cares for Rachel, despite her blasé attitude.

"Ugh, as if her ego isn't big enough. She doesn't need that information to make it bigger."

"That's true. I wouldn't even wanna be there when that happens." Puck shivered from the thought. "Oh yeah I almost forgot, have you met your new neighbour yet? The talk is...she's one little hottie."

"New neighbour?" She asked surprised. She hasn't been to her house for a few days so the new neighbour news was definitely a surprise for her. Fuck. She didn't even know the house next door was even for sale. "What the hell happened to old Mrs. Johnson?"

"Mrs. Johnson had to sell it. She's too old to maintain her house and shit. I liked her. She always tips well when I go clean her pool."

"Ugh. Gross. I don't need to know that cougar MILF fantasy you had going on with her Puck."

"Not that kind of pool. Geez and I thought I was the perv. But anyways I guess no more midnight skinny dipping in that pool with the new people in town." Puck stated sadly.

"Trust me. You did the world a favour," she commented. She had seen Puck, more times than she had liked, out in that pool having some midnight rendezvous with a Cheerio or some poor girl who was looking for some night adventure. She internally cringe at that thought. At least now instead of a naked Puck out her window maybe she'd see her naked hot new neighbour. Definitely an improvement.

"You love seeing this. Don't think I didn't see you checking me out," Puck flexed his arms causing her to roll her eyes.

"Hence why I'am a lesbian."

Puck chuckled, "Maybe we know them. Mercedes told me their family use to live here."

"That woman. I swear she'll die without any gossips in her system," she said thoughtfully. She really thinks it's true. If you've met Mercedes you'll know what she means. "But why the fuck would anyone want to go back in this cow town?"

Puck shrugged his gazed straight towards the field, " Who knows what those people are smoking. But I'm not complaining. New fresh hottie in the market and she starts tomorrow. Totally calling dibs on her."

"Whatever." She couldn't care less if another pretentious wanna be comes to school. "She'll probably be another cheer hoe."

"Don't let Quinn hear you say that."

There was another silence until Puck glanced at his brunette friend remembering why he really came up to her.

"Are you gonna be okay San?" Puck suddenly asked worried. "Tomorro-"

"Don't get all mushy on me now," she said cutting him off as she looked away wanting to end the conversation.

"Fine," he huffed. "You still hooking up with Riley was it? Dude she's hot." He smirked looking like he's having a little too much fun imagining Santana and Riley getting it on.

She scrunches her face at Puck's behaviour. Maybe if she ignores him he would go away. Her silence however did not stop Puck from asking, "When are you going to get in on that?"

"Get in on what?" she asked. "Coz if its getting it on you're asking I already had got it on."

"Do tell me mor-," before Puck could finish his sentence he was slapped again in his shoulder. "I'm kidding. That's not what I even meant. Man you and Quinn can really hit it." Puck mumbled rubbing the spot the brunette had hit him. "Remind me never to piss you off."

"You always piss me off. Ugh. Stop being such a wuss," she rolled her eyes, "Aren't you suppose to be the "running back"?" She air quoted standing up, having enough of the heat and now Puck. "And besides you know me Puckerman," she said walking away, "I don't do relationships."