SOPHOMORE YEAR

(Rachel's POV)

My stomach flopped as I spotted the Latino cheerleader strutting perfectly down the hallway. She flipped her hair with all the confidence of the world. I closed my locker, clutched my books tightly to my chest, and tried to walk to class keeping my head down.

It didn't work.

"Hey dwarf!" I tried to keep walking, but she stopped me. "I was talking to you, loser." She looked at me with a fake sad look. "You should apologize for ignoring me." I just looked at her. "Hey!" She pushed me hard up against a locker. "I think I told you to apologize!"

I tried to stutter out the words. "I'm so-sor-sorry, San-Santan-tana..."

"Whatever, Berry. Go back to the Shire, and get the hell out of my life!" She started to go away, but as I started walking I felt myself fall face first on the hallway ground. I looked back and saw her snickering with Quinn Fabray over the fact Santana can trip me, and make me look like a total idiot.

I gathered up my books, and attempted to regain my dignity. I was a star! Why was I here dealing with bitches like Santana Lopez? Broadway and New York were my destiny, and I'm stuck here in Limo freaking Ohio. I cannot wait to live my dream and my path. But until then I still have to survive high school.

(Santana's POV)

Tripping Berry and watching her fall face first while everyone laughed wasn't as nearly satisfying as it used to be. I remember the day I met Rachel Berry. It was PE freshman year, and she was bitching to the coach about how she was "saving her voice" so she couldn't run. The coach seemed to show no sympathy, as Rachel strutted into the locker room and started changing right next to me. She's not my type or anything, but I was looking at her. And to be frank, my first impression was weird. Not just weird, but weird-weird. She dressed like an American girl doll, and she said the most out of place things. I don't know why but from that day forward I just starting laying into her. Teasing her or what not. It was fun, and shoving Rachel's into a locker or watching her books fly out of her hand after I smacked them was quite satisfying. Yes, I was a bitch to everyone. But with Rachel it was worse. Sometimes I feel bad... But whatever. Rachel deserves it for being a creepy hobbit.

Quinn proceeded to talk about how annoyed she was that Finn broke up with her, and then we both started trashing Rachel.

I spotted Brittany across the hallway. She waved to me and Quinn, and shouted "See you at Cheerios practice! But first i have to take Lord Tubbington to pick up some Nicotine gum... He started smoking... Again!" She skipped away innocently. She was so pretty. And her laugh... She was perfect. She was everything good in the world. She was everything I wasn't.

(Rachel's POV)

I sat in class staring hopelessly at Finn. He was so nice. And such a talented singer! I'm so glad that bitch Quinn and him broke up. But I have to wait for the exact moment to make my move...

I saw him look at me and smile. Am I blushing? He leaned over the aisle and whispered to me. "Rachel. What's the answer the number six?"

I smiled back at him. "It's the cube root of 64." Finn looked at me blankly. I rolled my eyes. "The answer is 4, Finn."

"Aw, thanks Rachel!"

I decided my time was now. "Hey Finn after school, you wanna go to Between the Sheets and find some songs? You know, for Glee club?"

"Ah, I'm sorry I got football." I must have looked disappointed or something because he looked guilty. "Uh, how about... This Sunday?"

The biggest smile lit up my face, and I don't think I've ever been this happy. "Sounds great!"

The school bell rang and I marched triumphantly to my locker. I opened it, and I realized I was still smiling. This was a great day! I have never been this confidant. I felt like Barbara Streisand, but even more happy. Was that possible? Nothing could bring me down! Not today. I am so happy, and so above all these people. Not one thing could make me feel bad about myself right now!

Well, except...

Right on cue Santana marched up to my locker.

"Hey Berry, anyone ever tell you that you dress like a retarded toddler on steroids?"

I looked away. I was so sick of this.

"Hobbit? Hobbit? Didn't you hear me?"

"Leave me alone," I muttered quietly.

"What was that?" Santana looked daggers at me. I swear I feel like she could kill me right now.

But I had to do this.

"Leave me alone!" I said strongly. I started to walk away but she grabbed me, and pinned me up against the locker.

"Ok, you little cockroach, lemme tell you how this work, k?" I just nodded my head. "You don't tell me what to do, and I don't mess up your face! If I feel like it... You understand me?" I nodded again. I felt her pressing me hard into the cold lockers.

I was scared.

(Santana's POV)

I started to walk away. I did. I was just going to leave it at that. I should have just left it at that. I pulled away because I saw in Berry's eyes she was just a scared little girl.

As I started to walk away, proud of the fear I inflicted, but also knowing not to cross the line even more, I heard her voice from behind me speak

"Hey Santana. What happened to you? Huh? That made you this cold. What's wrong with YOU?"

SMACK

I did it. I really did. I went Lima-Heights-Adjacent on her ass, and I bitched slapped her across the face. Hard too. Hard enough for there to be a mark. I actually smiled.

"Hey! Dwarf-Loser, I owns you. I owns you now, and I owns you forever! Your under my thumb! And you better learn to deal with it, Berry!"

I walked away. Feeling very guilty. But trying not too. But I did! I couldn't hell but feel twinges of guilt stabbing at my stomach, as I heard the whimpering and crying from behind me. It sounded like a damn kicked puppy.

(Rachel's POV)

Hiding the mark in my cheek from my dads was easy. The right amount of cover up can fix anything. The hard part was going to school the next day. Because everyone knew it was there, and they also knew I was covering it up. Finn hadn't talked to me since it happened. I'm worried he's going to cancel our Glee date this Sunday. I tried to shake the negative thoughts out of my head.

During lunch I went into the girls bathroom to fix my make-up. My luck is probably the worst in the entire universe because in there were Santana and Quinn. Quinn was drawing a picture on the bathroom. She snickered when I walked I'm.

"Come see, Rachel," she teased. She walked passed me purposely busting into my shoulder, and exited the bathroom. "She's all yours, Santana."

I examined the picture and realized it was of me. Tears welled up in my eyes.

(Santana's POV)

Okay. The picture wasn't cool, and I definitely owe Rachel. That's why I was going to take it down after Quinn left, but Berry has the worst timing ever! I don't think drawing a picture of Rachel with a penis and facial hair was cool. That's Quinn's style. Behind their back and strait up cruel. I'd rather just make her miserable to her face. Or slap her even.

But I knew Rachel was going to pin this on me. I mean yeah, I've made hr life hell. But this isn't my kind of stunt.

"Hobbit..." I started.

"Don't!" she screamed. I was oddly turned on by her sudden forcefulness. "Don't even start with me, Santana! You have gone out of your way to make my life hell! And then you physically assault me, and now... THIS!" she gestured to the rude drawing. It WAS awful, but Rachel didn't have to be cruel at me! "You know what? I'm done with you. Done with you, and your bad attitude from your own insecurities. Why are you insecure? Hmm... Maybe because you can never keep a guy for more then a week? Or maybe because everyone just hates you, and thinks your a slutty bitch! Oo, oo! Or maybe it's because of your flat as a board chest!"

What happened next, I am not proud of.

(Rachel's POV)

I never realized how bad Santana actually was. That was until she grabbed me by the shoulders and slammed me into the bathroom stall. She then started kicking me.

Maybe I took it to far, I mean her boobs were bigger then mine. But I couldn't stop now.

"What are you going to do? Beat me up? You think beating me up will change who you are and who you love?" she stopped kicking me and stared at me. "I see the way you look at Brittany."

I think she lost it.

(Santana's POV)

I lost it.

Oh, my, god... How did loser-Berry see right through me? Was it that obvious?

And my boobs? Were they really that small? Should I get a boob job?

What I did next, was really a new low. I dragged her to the toilet, and dunked her head. And I held it there.

"I hope you drown, Berry! Your just crap, dwarf! Just crap! You'll be a loser forever!"

I flushed the toilet, I felt her wiggle, and could see she was trying to scream. I let her up for air.

"Please!" she spit out water, and I could see her crying. She was crying very hard. "Please tell me, what did I ever do too?!"

I dunked her head in and flushed again.

"I don't know."

(Rachel's POV)

I never felt worse about myself. I watched as Santana walked out of the bathroom. I just lay there. Crying. Feeling like crap. Like nothing. I was nothing.

But I had to prove her wrong. I would! One day I would stand on a stage, accepting a Tony, and say, "look at me now, Santana Lopez! Look at me now."

SENIOR YEAR

(Rachel's POV)

I started tearing up as I was cleaning out my locker. I have actually had a pretty great senior year, great boyfriend, actually made some friends, and my future is bright! But this has been such an emotional week! Not only is graduation around the corner, but the Glee assignment has been intense, but also amazing! It's Whitney week! I need to think of the perfect song, to bring an upbeat yet deep vibe to this week's shining Glee assignment.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see my long term bully approach me. Santana. She has made my life hell. I get many flash backs seeing her approach me. All the nick names, "Dwarf", "Loser", "Cockroach", "Nothing", and of course, there's the classic "Hobbit". All the times she tripped me, or pinned or shoved me into lockers, or slapped my books on to the ground. The time she slapped me, tried to toilet drown me... Well after those happened she actually seemed to calm down. Junior year she still did tease and harass me a lot, but not as bad as Sophomore and Freshman. This year we are more at peace, she even supported mine and Finn's engagement. Maybe it's because she came out, which I was genuinely happy and supportive of. Whatever it is, I guess we are almost friends. Not to sure... She can still be her old self sometimes.

I smiled as she approached me. "Hello, Santana."

She nodded. "Berry, I have a proposal for you."

Well this is new... I raised my eyebrow. "I'm listening."

"Your an ambitious, talented, somewhat-hot bitch, and I'm and ambitious, talented, and super-hot bitch." I rolled my eyes at the cleverly placed insult.

"That's not a proposal, that's a statem-"

"Hold your horses, dwarf, I'm getting there." Oh look, there's a nickname! "How about me and you do a Whitney song together?" I looked at her shocked. "What? Do you not want to?"

I shook my head, and smiled. "No! I would love too!" Santana smiled at me. "And I have the perfect song!"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course... Don't make me regret this, Berry!"

I pulled her down the hallway, ready to show her the sheet music for "So Emotional".

Can Santana Lopez and I actually be friends?

(Santana's POV)

We. Kicked. Ass.

Berry and I rocked that number in Glee club!

And then she stalked me at my locker, gave me a picture of herself, and asked me to put it in my locker... but hey I put the picture up! Why not? I think I do want to be friends... Maybe.

I'm starting to feel terrible for how I treated her. I was awful, mean, and down-right cruel to Rachel Berry in high school. Could she forgive me?

I decided to ask her to go get coffee with me, that way I could apologize. I got there, and she was already there. She went on some long rant about how it was great we were friends, I was about to apologize when Rachel just started talking about life. We talked about Brittany and Finn, college plans, dreams, funny memories, and just had a fun conversation. It wasn't deep or anything, but we were definitely having a conversation friends had.

I wish I had the chance to apologize. Why didn't she ask for one?

NEW YORK CITY ABOUT A YEAR LATER

(Rachel's POV)

Before Kurt had left to go to work at Vogue, he left me and Santana bagels on the table. Yum! Thank you, Kurt! New York had the BEST bagels! I sat on the couch eating a bagel, watching TV, and drinking coffee. Santana emerged from the bathroom.

"Did Lady Hummel get us bagels?"

I laughed. "Yes he did, and they are delicious!" I paused and laughed again. "You sure LOVE nicknames, Santana!" I was honestly just joking around but a serious look grew on her face. I thought back to high school briefly, but pushed those horrible times out of my head.

Santana still looked serious. "Rachel that reminds me..." she walked over to me. "Can we talk about something?" I nodded, and she shut the TV off.

I tried to break the tension by joking, "wow, this is shut the TV off serious,I should-"

"Rachel."

"Yes?"

Tears welled in Santana's eyes. "I am so, so, so, sorry. For high school. I was awful to you, like really bad. It was cruel and I shouldn't have acted like that."

I smiled at her and rubber her arm, "Santana, I have forgiven you for that long ago."

Santana was crying harder now. "Why? I was mean,and or just mean, but mean-mean! How can you forgive me, when I can't forgive myself?" She was full on sobbing now.

"Oh Sweetie..." I let her cry into me. "Forgive yourself, because I know your a great person. And I love you like a sister."

She looked up at me. "Your a better person than me."

I laughed, "duh!" I said jokingly.

Santana laughed. "Rachel, you know... You're kinda my best friend..." she looked up at me, kinda nervous for my reply.

I smiled. "Dido."

I sat there, hugging the girl that tried to ruin me. The one that teased me and hurt me and dunked my head in a toilet. The one dedicated her life to makijg mine hell for four years. But that's okay, because I have forgiven her. Long ago, ever since we got coffee. I love her. She is my best friend. I liked that she got it off her chest and that we were here together. And we just sat there for awhile more. Hugging.