"Do you want to play?"
"No." Santana didn't even bother to look up at the blonde girl that stood before her. She hated this new town. She hated her new school. She hated this new park her mother dumped her at. She hated this girl who was bothering her. There is only so much a nine year old can take, she pouted.
"Please? I've seen you at school a lot, and I noticed that you don't talk to anybody…You must be very lonely!" Britney insisted.
Santana sighed. She stood up from the sandbox and walked over to the swings. She sat in one and just let herself drift. This girl was really getting on her nerves. Britney wasn't ready to give up and decided to skip over to Santana, sitting on the swings next to hers. Santana was about to go all Los Angeles on persistent girl. Britney, blind to Santana's anger, just smiles at her and inquires, "Are you sure you don't want to play?"
Santana doesn't reply. She just sits there, staring at the ground. Why won't this girl leave me alone? Suddenly, Santana moves forward. Someone was pushing her on the swing. It was Britney. During Santana's thought and silence, Britney got up and began to imitate her mother when she was younger. Two hands, comfortingly placed on the shoulders, push lightly but effectively – that was how it was done.
"How about just for ten minutes? Can you play with me for the next ten minutes?" Britney asked as sweetly as possible.
"Ten minutes?"
"I think you can handle that." The warmth of Britney's smile seemed to radiate all the way to Santana's back and into her heart.
Santana thought for a moment and sighed. There was nothing else she could do. The girl wouldn't leave her alone if she didn't agree. After all ten minutes wasn't that long anyways.
"Okay…Ten minutes but after that you leave me alone forever. Okay? You got that?"
Britney nodded at Santana as she pulled the girl off the swings to go play on the play set.
Five years later…
"San…what's it like to make out with someone?"
Santana's face turned bright read at the question.
"Why on Earth would you ask such a question?" What is Britney up to?
"Well…" Britney started as she walked around her room with her finger dragging along the edges of the bed that Santana was sitting on.
"Well…?"
"Well... I just heard a bunch of girls talking about it that's all." Once she got to the other side of the bed she stopped and traced circled on the pillow next to Santana. She stood there staring at the walls, thinking.
Britney….just what is it exactly are you up to? Santana thought. Sometimes it was really hard to for Santana to figure her best friend out.
"How should I know, Britney? I've never made out with someone…"
"Really?" Britney suddenly turned to Santana, getting her face really close to Santana's. "But you're so pretty…I know! Let's try it!"
Santana's heart seemed to have exploded and all she could manage to say was, "but we're girls."
Britney grabbed Santana's hands and beamed, "Exactly! So it wouldn't count! It would be just practice! It's not like we haven't kissed before…"
"Yeah…but…" Santana's gaze lowered to the floor. What's it with Britney all of the sudden? Santana closes her eyes and remembers the first time she and Britney kissed.
It was the first time Santana went to Britney's house. It was only a few months after they met. According to Britney, she would only be there for ten minutes. She can handle that. The house was so big and so bright and filled with kids that looked similar to Britney. Santana sighed, how did she get herself into this? And after a while of playing with Britney…
"My mom said you can sleep over if you want to," Britney tells Santana as night fell.
Santana excitedly agreed. She loved playing with Britney and her siblings and her pets. She was having so much fun that she didn't want to leave. They continued to play until they both passed out on Britney's bed. The next morning Santana wakes up and turns to Britney.
She shakes Britney lightly, "Hey…Wake up."
"No." Britney replies slyly.
"No…?" that felt like a cold shot to Santana's soul. Didn't Britney want to play?
Britney smiles, "You have to wake up a princess by kissing her."
Santana's body froze and all she could choke up was, "But…we're girls…"She could feel her face get hot.
"That doesn't matter. It's the only way." Britney's smile got bigger.
Santana bit her bottom lip and thought for a moment. She sighed. There was nothing else she could do, so she leaned over the beautiful blonde princess and went for a kiss. Suddenly, Britney shot up and kissed Santana. She got impatient, of course. She giggled madly at Santana's shocked face. It looked really funny.
"Santana! Britney! Breakfast is ready!"
Britney smiles at Santana one last time before she disappears behind her door. Santana couldn't move for probably the next ten minutes.
"Santana?"
"Santana?"
Santana snapped her head back to a very eager Britney and she sighed. Apart of her didn't want to do this but another really, really, really wanted to. Britney slid down next to Santana and put her arms around her best friend.
"Look, there's nothing to worry about. Everyone else is gone, so no one is going find out. It's just like practicing. You know, to find out what it's like. We'll just do it for ten minutes. Just for the next ten minutes, we can handle that."
"…Okay." Santana closed her eyes and embraced what was about to happen.
Sophomore year of high school
"Do we really have to join this stupid club?" Santana grumbled.
"Sue said she'll make sure we'll never see the light of day if we don't…I like light…" Britney said, softly pushing Santana towards the choir room.
Santana growls but doesn't resists. She knows Britney's secret love for music and dancing. She knows Britney really wants to join this club and Sue was just an excuse. She also knows that she really doesn't want to do this and Britney knows that too. Britney wraps her pinky around Santana's and whispers in her ear, "We'll just go in for ten minutes. That'll count right? Being there for the next ten minutes?"
"Yeah…We can handle that."
Junior year of high school
"I'm glad I'm not pregnant." Britney happily patted her belly.
"Me too. I'd hate to see what horrendous offspring came from that half-boy-half-machine" Santana smirked as she snaked on to her bed.
It was the first time Britney had been to Santana's house in a long while. They had recently been in the worst fight in Santana's life. Aside from the drawback of Artie, Santana was ecstatic about the triumphant return of the Brittana friendship. They were the "besties of all besties", as Britney would put it. Having Britney sit right next to her once again make Santana feel a certain form of peace she rarely felt. She linked her pinky with Britney's and they both embraced the peaceful silence.
"Oh! I just remembered! I have to go on a date with Artie tonight!"
Rage surged through Santana, but she managed to keep calm as she spoke, "Are you serious? You promised me you'd sleep over today…"
"I'll only be gone for a little while. I'll come right back"
Santana sat there for the next ten minutes feeling incredible sadness and loneliness. For next ten after that and the ten after that, she wondered if Britney would ever come back. She did, a part of Santana wished she hadn't when the following morning Britney suggested that they go talk to Holly Holiday about their "feelings". There is only so much a seventeen year old girl can take, Santana flustered.
…
We'll only talk to Miss Holiday for the next ten minutes. We can handle that.
Telling Britney that I love her will only take ten minutes. I can handle that.
It's just some dirt. Cleaning Britney will only take ten minutes. I think I can handle that.
I'll just wear that shirt for the next ten minutes. I don't know if I can handle that.
Britney has gone off to be with Artie for the next ten minutes. I can't handle that.
...
"Do you want to stop hiding behind the school?"
"No." Santana didn't bother to even look at the blonde who was desperately trying to cheer her up. Santana had disappeared from glee club that day. She had enough barite interactions for the whole year and couldn't take it anymore. She went to a spot behind the school where she could cry and no one would bother her. She forgot that Britney new about this area too. Shoot.
Britney giggled, "You know that was the first thing you ever said to me."
"Britney…I can't do this. I can't handle you being with…him…I can't handle being a lesbian…I just can't." were the words that echoed through Santana's head, trying to find a way to her mouth.
"Brit…" was all that could come out.
Britney saw the hurt in Santana's eyes, She understood that for once maybe she should go. She knew that she was the cause of Santana's pain. Britney sighed and turned away. There was no motivation to trick Santana to get her way this time. Then she felt Santana's hands grab her own. She turned to see Santana fight back her tears. A few escape but after a few moments of silence, Santana manages to gain strength to speak.
"Could you stay? For next ten minutes?"
Will you share your life with me
For the next ten minutes?
For the next ten minutes
We can handle that
…
And if we make it till then
Can I ask you again
For another ten?
…
Will you share your life with me
For the next ten lifetimes?
For a million summers
Till the world explodes