***FIRST OFF I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR SUBSCRIBING AND FOLLWING MY STORIES AND I APOLOGIZE FOR TAKING SO LONG TO UPDATE MY STORIES. SCHOOL HAS BEEN KEEPING MY LIFE BEYOND HECTIC AND MY LIFE HAS BEEN CONSUMMED WITH NOTHING BUT STUDYING. PLUS I JUST HAVE HAD THE WORST WRITERS' BLOCK. I WILL BE GRADUATING NEXT MONTH! SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL GIVE ME MORE TIME TO FOCUS ON MY WRITING. SO I RECEIVED A REQUEST TO WRITE A NEW STORY AND THIS IDEA POPPED INTO MY HEAD. I DON'T OWN ANYTHING OF GLEE. ALL THE GRAMMATICAL ERRORS ARE ALL MINE THOUGH LOL =D A LOT OF THE DETAILS IN THIS STORY ARE HELD CLOSELY TO ME IN MY HEART, SO I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU ALL ENJOY READING IT AS MUCH I DID WRITING IT***
The air was crisp and surprisingly cold for an August afternoon. The ground cracks underneath the soles of Santana's gray Chuck Taylor's as a shiver runs up her spine. She quickly shoves both of her hand into the pockets of her Cheerio's hoodie in order to provide them solace from the cold air. She brings her head to look up at the sky, focusing on the beautiful hints of purple and pink that mix in with the light blues. She passes that specific tree that tells her that she is close, and soon she can hear the very familiar sound of water cascading down into a beautiful swimming hole. She makes her way through the clearing and she retreats to sit on the rock that she has become to know so well. The rock faces the side of the gorgeous waterfall, allowing her to get the perfect profile view.
Although Santana would never admit to an actual liking for nature, this place held a special place in her heart. When things in her life became overwhelming she came here to feel close to that one and only person again. She came here to escape, to feel at home, she came here simply to be. The event that she desperately needed to escape today was the relentless rantings of her step-mom, and her dad never did anything to help alleviate the annoyance of her step-mom so it was always easiest to leave the house.
Santana crosses her legs on the rock and lets out a small breath of relief. She feels at home again. She closes her eyes, allowing the sound of the water permeate her ears, her soul. She sees that face. That gorgeous face that mirrors her own. It is an image of her mother, smiling simply back at her. Santana can feel the sound of her laughter hit her cheeks and she can feel the warmth of her embrace. She sits there for a moment smiling to herself until reality hits her once again. Her eyes open abruptly and she remembers that those images are memories. 'Just memories' she thinks to herself as her heart breaks a little. She brings her legs up to her chest and wraps her arms around them as she lets out another sigh.
Her mother had fought a long and valiant battle with cancer for 6 years, but much to Santana's devastation, her battle ended at the beginning of 8th grade. Her and her mother used to come her all the time, even before she was diagnosed. Her mother used to tell her that this was 'their place' made for them and only them. Her mother made sure that when she had a child that she would always remain close to them and every detail that was going on in their life, so this was her way of bonding with Santana. They would spend hours upon hours here sitting on the rock that Santana was currently sitting on talking about anything and everything that came to their minds. Their laughter would always echo throughout the whole area. Time was not a factor when they were here together. It was an escape for both of them, an escape into their own world. Throughout all the years that her and her mother had come here, they never encountered another living soul, so it really became their place and their place only.
When her mother passed away, Santana lost all insight into what she believed in. Instantly, she built walls around herself, especially her heart. Trust, vulnerable, love, all words that she definitely did not allow herself to identify with. She became a closed book, and no one would ever even attempt to open her, let alone try to take her off the high shelf that she had placed herself on.
Of all stories told, there is always an exception. Always. Santana lets her legs fall over the edge of the rock and she moves on to grasp the hood of her sweater to pull it up and over her head. She smiles and giggles to herself as she thinks about her best friend. The exception: Brittany. Until this day Santana, as does everyone else in her life, still doesn't quite understand what it is about Brittany that pulls her in, that keeps her grounded. The infamous pair had been best friends ever since 'the beginning of time' as Brittany would put it, but Santana didn't realize how true of a friend Brittany really was until her mom passed away.
No matter how much Santana tried to push away everyone in her life, Brittany wouldn't let her forget about her. Brittany became the ear that would listen to Santana cry softly on the other side of the phone, while whispering 'let me in' as if to coo Santana to talk about her feelings. Brittany became the arms that would hold her tight until she fell asleep after becoming too exhausted from crying so much. Brittany was her strength when Santana was weak. Brittany knew that Santana's mom was her best friend aside from herself, and she couldn't imagine what she was going through with her lost. All she knew was that she had to be there for Santana. She promised that she would always be there for Santana, and until this day she never broke her promise. Although Brittany was her best friend and they did in fact tell each other everything, Santana never her told her about this place. She felt like it was a sacred secret solely between her and her mom.
Santana is still smiling as she is thinking about her best friend. She looks up to the sky once again and she notices that the colors have become slightly darker signifying that night is soon to ensue. She takes one last deep breath in and lets it out as she stands up to make her way back to the path and back home. She is about to make her way onto the path, her back facing the waterfall, when she hears a ruffling of leaves. At first her internal instincts assume that it is a serial killer that has come to cut her into tiny little pieces and throw her body parts into the swimming pool at the bottom of the waterfall, but then she conjures the courage to turn around. 'No one ever comes here' Santana says to herself. She cautiously looks around the area scouting for any life form, until she sees a faint outline of a figure through the water that forms the waterfall.
The figure is ever so faint being that she was trying to see through water. She decides to walk to the left side of the waterfall to attempt at getting a better view. Her eyes are met with the back of someone dressed in purple sweats and a pink oversized hooded sweater. She gazes at the cords of the headphones that this person is wearing as they sway with the movement of this mystery person's body. They are dancing. Ever so passionately at that, as if no one was there, or so they thought. Santana catches a glimpse of wisps of blonde hair that happen to escape the confines of the hood of the sweater. The mystery person seems to be lost in their own world. 'They must be listening to a killer playlist to be dancing like that' Santana internalizes as she continues to watch how much passion this person is putting into their dancing while keeping their back towards Santana. 'Man, that is so hot' she internalizes once again. She doesn't even realize how much she is leering until she slips on a wet rock almost knocking herself into the water. Santana quickly catches her fall on one of the larger rocks, while quickly ducking behind it to hide herself. The hot mystery dancer hears the commotion and turns while taking out her headphones.
"Hello?" She inquires.
'Shit' says silently to herself, trying to keep her breathing even.
"Is there anyone there?" the hot dancer questions more loudly.
Santana remains ever so silent and hunched over behind the rock. 'Damn, she has a cute ass voice too' Santana notes as she replays the voice in her head again. When Santana doesn't hear the voice question again she slowly bring her eyes to look over the top of the rock and sees that they mystery person has turned around and began dancing again.
She lifts herself up and jets to the clearing making her way back home. She is beyond ecstatic at the fact that she did not get caught. How awkward would that be if she had been caught hiding beyond a rock watching a stranger dance? Creeper much? She laughs at herself as she makes her way to the front door of her house.
She makes her way up to her room after making small talk with her dad and her step-mom. She takes off her clothes and makes her way into the shower. She makes sure that the water is hot before she steps under the stream. She wanted to wash the cold air off her skin. At first she isn't thinking of particularly anything until she is reminded of the beautiful stranger and her intoxicating dance moves. She mocks herself after realizing how much of an effect she was letting this stranger have on her, let alone the fact that she wasn't able to see her face, not that she was complaining about her back side.
She finishes her shower and heads over to her dresser to pull out boxer shorts and an oversized t-shirt that said 'Mommy's little girl'. She smiles down at the shirt after she puts it on when she remembers that it was the Christmas gift she received from her mom in 7th grade.
She throws her decorative pillows onto her couch and adjusts her comforter before slipping into bed. She turns off her light and as she is about to plug her phone into its charger it beeps. It is a text from Brittany.
Hey Sany! We are still on for tomorrow right?
Santana sends a text back automatically.
Ofcourse Britt Britt! It's our tradition, we never break our traditions! ;)
Santana recives an instant reply.
Can't wait! =D
The weekend before the new school year, the best friends would have a sleepover. Consisting of consuming all the junk food in the world, watching all their favorite movies, and talking about the past year and what they wanted out of the year to come. It was simple and sweet but it meant the most to the both of them. This was one of the traditions that was never broken.
Santana sets her phone back onto her nightstand, charger in tact and lies on her back facing the ceiling. As she is about to drift away into sleep, she remembers the beautiful stranger and she wonders if she will ever come across her again. She wonders if she knew her, if she went to the same high school. Then it comes, that ever so distant and unfamiliar feeling. There is no way that she could feel this way for someone that she watched for all but a whole 2 minutes from afar. She tries to shake off the feelings. Was her heart fluttering? Did she feel butterflies in her stomach? "This is ridiculous." Santana says into the stale air that fills her dark room. Her thoughts become too loud, and soon sleep leaves the equation. She sits up, now wide awake, and decides that she can't keep this to herself any longer, as stupid as it seemed, she knew that there was one person that would never judge her.
She leans over to her nightstand picking up her phone and dials her number.
"Britt, can you come over?"
THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR READING! I KNOW THAT THERE WASN'T A LOT OF BRITTANY AND SANTANA INTERACTION BUT I HAD TO PAINT THAT PICTURE OF THE 'SECRET PLACE' FIRST AND EXPLAIN WHY IT IS SO SPECIAL TO SANTANA BEFORE ALL THE FUN CAN HAPPEN. =D REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK AND WHERE YOU THINK THIS STORY WILL LEAD TO. I ASSURE YOU THAT I WILL TRY TO UPDATE ON A REGULAR BASIS IF I GET FEEDBACK =D I REALLY MEAN IT THIS TIME. I AM REALLY STUCK ON THIS STORY. THERE IS SO MUCH FUN IN STORE! ;)