"Santana, are you okay?" his features looked concerned. That was the problem - he was too attached to Santana. He was always caring towards her, and more now since she's probably drunk, and in trouble. He considered that a impulse action since they we're best friends and all (Yeah right! Impulse Action?). In a few occasions Santana would also do the same, even if it was only the smallest of favors, and when she does he'll always feel like he's one cloud nine.
"Hey Santana?" He gulps... Tapping his fingers at his desk.
"Yeah?" Sigh.
"Can you... come over? I really don't get Spanish, and we have a - "
"I'll be there in ten, Sammy." She cuts the call, and he doesn't care the slightest. Santana just called her Sammy, a perfect indication to tell whether Santana's in a good mood. He swiftly heads over to the bathroom and makes sure he looks - presentable.
Yup, cloud nine it is.
It was 1:30 in the morning and Santana's call woke him up. She was slurring words and kept mumbling 'party, drunk and help' from time to time. Of course she's drunk! A while ago was the football team's first win in a few months, all of them we're psyched because they hardly won any games, and since being the teenagers they are... there was a victory party. Truth be told, he didn't want to go, considering his current physical state: aching back and tired muscles. Yes, you can say that the football worked their asses off this game.
"Get off of me!" Santana shrieked. Click. The call was cut off.
Shit. Sam grabbed a shirt, got his phone and car keys in hand and quietly made an escape towards the front doors.
Fortunately, the drive was short. The party was in some kid's house called Tyler, who played as a punter. Sam didn't notice him much at school, so he guessed that this Tyler kid threw the party to get a popularity boost - typical cliché high school. Sam was nearing the house, probably only four blocks from his. He parked his car at the nearest available spot, because let's face it; he's probably gonna have to carry Santana to his car.
The party was in full swing. Neon colors blasted from inside the house making weird reflections outside, drunk teenagers where scatted around the front lawn, toilet paper was decorated on the front door. Yup, it's in full swing alright. Sam slowly turned the gold doorknob and slipping through it swiftly. He scanned the room to his right - nope, no Santana here. Then started for the left which looked like a kitchen that costs thousands. In the middle of the room was the kitchen island, which had spilled red plastic cups filled with beer. But Sam wasn't concerned about the dirty kitchen island at all, it was the two people leaning on it.
A slim drunk Latina was trying to push away a guy with olive skin and jet-black hair. "Get off, Tyler!" she screeched, still struggling to get the guy off her. Tyler, who was dead drunk was grinding on Santana, keeping one hand on her left side trying to keep her still, while the other was slowly running his fingers at the Latina's hair...
"No! Stay here! You're obviously really sick," he points out as Santana excuses herself.
"I don't want to interrupt you anything..." she frowns at the statement, but recovers and pursed her lips into a thin line instead. Sam noticed the sadness wash over her eyes, and how she quickly tries to hide it.
He is so NOT gonna let her leave. "I swear I'm not doing anything, San. Who's gonna take care of you?" he pouts and notices Santana smile. He definitely got her, that thing is her total weakness. If she were to ask him one more time why he wanted for her to so badly stay, he'll just bluff it and tell her that her parent's are away and there's no one who'll take care of her.
She coughs (She's sick alright) then sighs in defeat and retrieves her hand from the doorknob. "You now I can't deny 'em froggy lips!" Bingo! She glares at him wickedly, but that was all lost when she heard him chuckle. Such music to her ears, but of course, she'll never tell him that.
He smiles genuinely knowing he won, and then taps the empty space beside him on his bed. "Come on, I'll put you to sleep." He definitely made it sound like a command. She snorts, then laughs as she makes her way to his bed, mumbling a tiny: "You are so dorky," while she makes her comfortable. She snuggles up to him, then buries her head on his chest then slowly closes his eyes.
"Want me to read you a read you a fairytale?" he jokes. She laughs and thinks about how her eyes twinkle when she laughs, and that little line that looks a crease beside the left part of her mouth. She then playfully hits his chest with her hand. "Hey! That's my abs you're dealing with!"
"Just put me to sleep, Evans. I feel horrible!" Wish granted. She tangles her legs with his and hugs his chest. Mentally debating what to do, he just runs his fingers through Santana's hair. It feels like silk to his touch and he doesn't stop doing it until he too feel asleep.
He wakes up smiling and concludes that Santana's hair is addictive. He takes a glance at her noticing she's also got a smile peeled on her face too.
That Tyler kid made him furious. He walked angrily to the two and held the boy up by his collar. Tyler suddenly jerked up at the action and found himself face to face with a pair of dark green eyes and Sam Evans's gritted teeth. He desperately tried to push himself down through force but sadly didn't move an inch. Desperate, he flailed his arms up said he was sorry.
"Not to me, to her." Sam said, frustrated. He pushed the punter more against the wall as he emphasized on the 'her.' Sam dropped his gaze unto him and looked back at Santana. She remained at the same position, but now she was crouched down and hugged her knees, quietly sobbing. That made Sam want to drop Tyler right then and there and rush to Santana's aid. He'd hug her, rocking her back and forth, strumming his fingers against her hair that felt like silk. He wanted to tell her that it will all be okay...
"I'm really sorry Santana," Tyler perked up half-sincerely. Sam snapped back to reality and out of his trance at the action. He dropped Tyler forcefully then told him to get out and to stay the hell away from Santana. He rushed to Santana and did what he wanted to do a few moments ago...
"It'll be okay, San, trust me."
( * * * )
They ended up at his house, knowing her parents we're once again out of town. The sunlight that came through his windows made his eyes burn. He took a moment to let his retinas adjust and slowly made his way out of the bed, readjust Santana from time to time since he doesn't want to wake her up.
"Morning, Sammy." Crap. He turned back to his and Santana. She was already awake and was sitting up, stretching her arms gracefully. She yawned a bit while Sam just stared.
"Want to get breakfast? I'll make the waffles you go banana's for," he offered. She smiled at the suggestion and headed towards him.
She ruffled his bleached blonde hair when she reached him and saw him smile all goofily. It felt like her whole stomach just made a 360 on her, she tried to ignore the feeling (months ago) but she just couldn't. She let go because he put an arm on her shoulder casually and led her downstairs to then Evans kitchen.
They were sitting on the tall chairs while leaning on the bar. Sam just finished making waffles and gladly agreed to let Santana help. She insisted on making the batter with him and put the strawberries on top when they finish. And let me tell you, making the batter was so much messier.
"So where's your little sister?" she asks casually as she pops a bit of strawberry on her mouth.
"She's at daycare while Mom and Dad take care of something at the PA firm," he states simply as he takes another bite of his and Santana's waffles. It tastes much better than his plain Sam-without-Santana pancakes.
"Uhm..." It felt awkward trying to hell him. But she knew she just had to. "Thanks for saving me last night. I really appreciate it. I mean no one would ever do that for me considering it was one in the morning." she states, trying to hide the emotions but fails. "Thanks..."
"You know I got your back, San." he was saying the truth, the real honest to goodness truth. "And I'm sure other people would do the same. Don't sell yourself to short." he had his fingers intertwined with her's now. Obviously, Santana needs comforting. He always wondered why she thinks people hate her so much (except him and Brittany, of course), I bet not everyone hated her, right? She has him and Brittany to depend on, right?
She stared to wander his green eyes, she always thought it was the most beautiful pair of eyes she laid her eyes on. It had nothing compared to anyone's, even her's. It always had emotion, it was an open book to what Sam was feeling. And right now, at this moment, she feels that spark she always gets. Being Santana, she brushes of the feeling, and notices that he is saying the truth. Let's face it, she feels loved at the moment, and this wasn't the first one. She always felt comfortable around Sam, safe even. She decided to put her guard down and to turn off Santana-bitch-mode once they start to hang out. In other words, Santana was a whole different person around Sam. And she loved every bit of it.
She wasn't dumb of course, she was just scared. Scared of the feeling that when she tells him her feelings towards him, it would jeopardize they relationship as friends and be an automatically repel Sam from her, and the next thing she knows, he's already chasing Quinn Fabray, with that sick puppy-love he mastered when he and she were still an item. She hated feeling like this, she hated losing all the wonderful things in her life considering there was only a few, and to add that most of those things went to Quinn fucking Fabray. Santana doesn't like being the second choice, more importantly the second choice to Quinn. God, sometimes thinking about Quinn made her frustrated because she was the perfect little Barbie doll that gets everything with a few bat of eyelashes and a smile that's bright enough to be put into toothpaste commercials. Quinn Fabray made her feel useless, like the world would function perfectly even if she didn't exist, and she was sick of it. Truly. She puts up with this bitchy persona around others to make them feel bad, because she doesn't want to feel that. Santana hated feeling pained, it always made her feel vulnerable and alone, she hated feeling vulnerable and alone. Santana Lopez is an emotional wreck.
Santana likes to cherish the times when she does feel happy, contented and most importantly... loved. If she was to make a list, it would only be few. She tries everything to make her happy, she really does. She sleeps with random people trying to lie to herself that it made her happy. She knows she lacks true friends, but she likes to keep it to a minimum since she knows in the end, it was she that will get hurt when she gets too attached. Then enters Sam Evans. Then Ken to Quinn's Barbie. Santana noticed him the first time he walked through those wooden doors into McKinley, she heard a girl with curly red hair said 'That? That's Sam Evans, new student.' She thought her heart skipped a beat (and it did) but didn't let it faze her. For the first time, she notices she doesn't want him for lust, she wanted him for something more. He catches her eye, and notices the deep green eyes she went gaga for for the first time. He smiles a little at her and she can't help but smile back, this time, it was genuine, no trace of fake-ness at all. She hears Quinn muffle a little and turns her back to face her. She had the "lovestruck" face on her, and was waving her hand a little like robot, she wanted to tell her: 'Keep it together, Fabray,' then she remembers Sam and retreats to her original position.
"Hi," he says casually. She was about to say hi back and probably flirt a little when she hears Quinn.
"Hi... Sam?" she squeaks back. And concludes that they we're gonna end up together one day and have beautiful blondde babies.
Leave it to Quinn Fabray to make Santana's life a living hell.
They finish up their food and clean up. Once again, she insists on helping him. When they were finished, they went off to dry their hands and Santana thought that it was the time. She cornered him and bit her lip.
Oh no... Santana just bit her lip. Something serious is definitely going to happen.
"Sam..." her lips are trembling, "I wanted to tell you something..." she tried to look away but it was so hard since his green eyes were so beautiful. "I think I..." she was fighting back tears now, something she wasn't used to doing. Her lips kept trembling more and she was so sure she could pass out that very moment... but she knew she had to spill it out. She closed her eyes - "I think I love you," she said it. The tears that were breaking to freed vanished and lips magically stopped. She slowly fluttered her eyes to face Sam again.
Sam was shocked. Really. He didn't expect for Santana to love him back. Most people would think it was impossible. Sam and Santana? A few would even probably laugh. But that was the least of his problems, Santana Lopez loves him back! He tried to open his mouth and form words that are not Na'vi, but none escaped from his lips. He saw hurt flash through Santana's face, he knows she doesn't like to lose things from her... or even people, and he never wanted to disappoint her. So he did the only movie-like thing he could think of, he closed the space between them by cupping her cheek and softly kissed her.
Santana knows Sam wasn't that good with words, but she never thought that he'd like her back. For Pete's sake, she was Santana Lopez, no one love's her, and sometimes she doesn't even know if she loves herself as well. But kissing Sam was the most magical thing she had ever done. She forgot all the pain she endured, all the people that had caused it - Brittany, Quinn, the Glee club, etc, etc. It wasn't like those heated one's she was used to with her previous hook-ups. It was like what she imagined ever since she was 5. The Prince Charming would sweep the Damsel off her feet and kiss her passionately at the end. And somehow, right now, kissing Sam Evans, she felt like a princess on her own fairytale.
Sam let his instincts take over since he couldn't speak, and the next thing he knew he had a hand cupping Santana's face and he was kissing her... and she was kissing back. He couldn't believe his luck! He felt like those cheesy Disney movies about Princes and Princesses and all that fictional stuff. But as of this moment, Sam didn't believe it was fictional, because he was part of one. The Prince Charming to the Princess.
They both pulled away. They tried to process everything that has happened a few minutes ago, and they were having troubles trying to believe it was real. But a the end they both smiled at each other and that simple moment felt magical.
This is it Sam, you finally got what you wanted. You are the Prince Charming of Santana Lopez. All those months of saving the damsel in distress is now made up for.
You're her Prince Charming. No one else.
"I love you too, Santana Lopez."