Chapter 1

It was the day before the first day of first grade. If I learned one thing about being in preschool and kindergarten, it's that kids are mean and everything revolves around social status. Now that I was starting a new grade and had only a few of the same kids I went to preschool and kindergarten with, I could have a fresh start.

I learned the hard way last year and new what to expect and how to act. I didn't use to be this cruel and bitter as a toddler but I now know that nice people finish last.

I didn't have friends in preschool or kindergarten because of my thick Spanish accent. I was born and raised in Lima, Ohio but my first language at home was Spanish. The kids couldn't understand me and called me 'Satan' instead of Santana because I spoke "the devil's language."

Being bullied was not my idea of fun so it was my number one priority to build a wall up this past summer and work on my accent. My whole personality changed and my view of the world. I was even a bitch to my parents who at first were concerned but eventually got used to my sarcastic or short remarks. Let's just say, I was so ready for first grade.

My mom dropped me off and I was proudly wearing my bitch smirk. I know you are probably thinking how I think so advanced and how I even know the word bitch. Let's just say I spent my summer watching a lot of MTV and 80's movies so that I knew exactly how to throw a clever comeback at the idiots who tried to tear me down.

As I walked in the classroom, I saw a few familiar faces and a few not so familiar faces. Someone I noticed right off the bat was Noah Puckerman. Ugh, I hate that kid! He was behind most of my bullying last year. I also noticed the dumber than a sack of potatoes Finn Hudson, the wanna be Jackie Chan, Mike Chang, and young Aretha, Mercedes. Every one else I had never seen in my life. There was this weird kid with a jew fro who stared at me the whole time I'd been standing here, a very loud and obnoxious barbra streisand looking hobbit, Lucy Liu jr., and a blondie who was coloring in a coloring book like it was the last fucking book on the planet.

I was trying to get a feel for where I wanted to sit. I could've easily sat with Mercedes. She wasn't half bad or even Chang but I didn't know if they could handle the new me. I definitely didn't know these other losers well enough, so my safest option was to just sit by myself in the back.

As I took my seat, someone came up to my desk. I looked down in my backpack, pretending to find something so that I could avoid any type of conversation but that failed when I heard them speak.

"Hey Satan! You know, it's not nice that you just walked in here and didn't even come over to say hi." I rolled my eyes and looked at him with a smirk.

"Hey Noah, you know, it's not nice that you decide to walk around without some sort of protective shield to cover your hideous face from the poor innocent eyes of the kids in this class who have never seen a vagina up close and personal before." Bam! All my hard work this summer paid off when I saw the look on his face.

He stood there completely shocked with his mouth so far open I could see his tonsils. "Pfft, whatever. I was over making you cry anyway." And with that he went back to his seat avoiding all eye contact with me as possible. Yeah, this was gonna be a good year.

The first week of school flew by. No one even dared to harass me after how I completely took down the meanest kid in school. Puck left me alone and started picking on other kids like jew-fro and barbra, whose names I could care less about learning.

The next week, our teacher wanted us to pair up with some one in the class and do an art project. We were supposed to get to know the person and make a collage of their favorite things to learn, I suppose, relationship skills or something. I really didn't want to pair up with any one so I just sat there while every one paired off. Everyone paired off except for me and that blonde chick. She looked sad that no one went over to pick her as her partner and Puck took note of this.

"Look at Brittany! No one wants to be her partner because she's stupid." Finn laughed along with a few other people I could care less about. It wasn't one of his best insults but it was enough to make the little blonde girl pout.

"I'm not stupid! My mommy tells me I'm special because I can talk to unicorns and my cat! Not every one can do that, you know?"

"You're really weird. That's why you don't have friends. Except for your pretend unicorn and talking cat! Maybe they'll be your partner, oh wait they don't exist!" I hated that smirk he got. I usually didn't feel bad when he picked on the jew-creep or man hands but the look in her eye really got to me.

She reminded me of myself just this past year and the two before that. So confused as to why people were so cruel to her when she did nothing wrong. That's how I felt. There she was cute as button and as innocent as possible and yet the number one target for bullies like Noah.

I saw tears forming in her eyes and that was the last straw. I got up and stormed over to Noah's desk.

"Hey Noah, why don't you shut up before I do it for you? You have the lovely option of never being able to bear children or leaving Brittany alone? The choice is yours." My hands here clenched into fists ready to crack a nut if I had to.

"Whoa Satan, I've left you alone. This has nothing to do with you. Now leave before I make two girls cry." My teeth were clenched so hard I thought my jaw was gonna be wired shut.

"It has everything to do with me. I'm sick of your crap and the only girls who will be crying are your left and right nuts!"

He just let out a 'hmph' and crossed his arms over his chest. That was my cue to leave and walk back over to my seat.

Wow! I can't believe somebody stood up for me? At my old school, the kids would pick on me because I'm not too smart. I came here and everyone would talk about how Santana was the class meanie. But she wasn't a meanie at all! She was so nice, well to me! I like her! She's gonna be my friend! Brittany thought to herself and after one last sniffle, she smiled.

About 5 mintues after I sat down, I felt a presence to my left. I looked up to see a very giddy and smiley blonde looking at me, I think. To make sure, I glanced behind me to see if maybe she was looking at someone else.

"What are you looking for?" she asked while seeing that no one was behind me.

"Uh, no one. I didn't know if you were looking at me or behind me."

"Of course I'm looking at you, silly!" She had this cute little grin that made my lips twitch but I had to keep my composure.

"What do you want?" I asked a little more annoyed than intended but it didn't phase her.

"I wanted to say thank you for sticking up for me! It was really brave and no one has ever done that for me." Her words were filled with sincerity and sadness and I couldn't help but half smile.

"Don't worry about it." I turned back to my folder to grab a sheet of paper when I noticed she was still there. I slowly looked back up and she had the same expression on her face. How the hell is she so freakin perky?

"I'm Brittany," she stuck her hand out and I just stared at it.

I hesitantly reached for it and replied," I'm Santana." She shook my hand excitedly.

"I like that name." Then she started saying my name in different sentences and I was trying to figure out what she was doing,"My bestfriend Santana...Santana and Brittany...Santana and me..San-"

"What are you doing?" My eyebrows furrowed in confusion and because I was a little freaked out.

"I'm trying to see how your name sounds next to mine. It has to sound good if we are gonna be bestfriends." She said as if it were obvious.

Bestfriends? My original plan was to go through elementary school, hell, maybe even life by myself. But maybe having her as a friend wouldn't be so bad. I felt bad for the poor girl too. Brittany definitely needed protecting. And anyways, a good leader always needs a second in command, I suppose.

"You wanna be bestfriends?...with me?" I asked slowly as if I didn't hear her correctly the first time. She nodded furiously,"Uh huh!"

"I mean, I guess. But if this is gonna work, you have to trust everything I do and say okay? I'm kind of a big deal and I don't need someone dragging me down, promise?"

Despite what I said she kept grinning like being friends with me was the greatest thing to ever happen to her.

She stuck out her pinky and I just looked at it curiously. She wiggled it a little in front of my face which I found cute.

I took out my pinky and she said," I promise, to infinity."

I wrapped my pinky around hers and said,"cool." Then I dropped my pinky away from her grip.

She looked at me in confusion and said," No, no no no. You're supposed to say and beyond, like Buzz Lightyear!" She said with a smile and wiggled her pinky again for me to grab it.

Oh, I get it now. This is totally lame but I guess I don't want to make this girl cry or whatever so I grabbed her pinky again and she repeated," To Infinity." Her face lit up with anticipation.

I saw this and let out a small chuckle before I said,"And Beyond."

She clapped her hands together and attacked me into a hug. Usually I'd be annoyed by perkiness and child like behavior but there was something about her.

Maybe being her friend wouldn't be so bad.