Genesis…by Lia Cozack

Chapter 1

"Welcome to Hell week, ladies," a leggy, blond cheerleader announced to a group of teens in short-shorts and 'William McKinley High School' t-shirts. "My name is Lacy. I will be a senior this year and for today I will be your coach. I will now go down the line and each of you will announce your first name and what year you are entering in this fall. Starting with you," she eyed. "Yes, you, the short curly brunette. Go ahead."

"Maria, sophomore."

The blonde looked to the next person.

"Diana, sophomore."

The next.

"Brittany. Um, freshman," the blond-haired, high pony-tailed girl said with a confused and bubbly tone.

A nervous, raven-haired, also an incoming freshman had looked at her. The girl's knees were quivering. Her heart raced. She said in her head 'Santana, freshman. Santana, freshman," for what seemed like a thousand times.

A few people announced themselves, but Santana, freshman didn't hear them. Everything sounded fuzzy to her. The only name she caught was, 'Brittany'. It was because the girl comforted her. She now knew that she wasn't the only freshman in the bunch trying out.

"And you?"

The raven-haired girl jolted from the sudden 'call out'. It was her turn now. She had completely zoned out. Say something.

'Ss-Santana, f-freshman."

Stuttered.

She wanted to cry and run to her car and drive far, far away. "Embarrassing moment #1," she thought.

Everyone stared.

"Alright, ladies! At the starting line, in 5-4-3-2…"

"You know, you're really good," said Quinn Fabray.

"You're trying to make me feel better, after I nearly dropped you and made a complete fool of myself, once again. I don't think I will make it. The coach gave me really dirty looks."

"She gives everyone those looks. It doesn't mean anything," Quinn shook her head and closed her locker.

"Easy for you to say! You have nothing to worry about, you are pretty, blond, thin, and have everything they are looking for athletically. Your double-back-hand-spring is flawless. And not to mention, your sister is legend!"

"No, you nailed yours too, Santana... Well, and it doesn't matter. I just hope we both make it, I could really use another fellow freshmen to do this with me—if I do make it, that is," Quinn said trying to hide her fragrant confidence.

"Well, Brittany seems like she won herself a spot, you'll have her," Santana pointed out.

"Don't think like that. Just wait and see. We will know tomorrow. I'll be praying for us."

"Don't bother," Santana closed her locker and headed for the showers.

2009-2010 CHEERIOS LINE UP

Congradulations:

Head Cheerleader: Lacy McGiver

Co-Captains: Abby Laurence and Quinn Fabray

Squad:

Diana Wellicoff

Blake Zimmer

Elizabeth Tremmel

Gabrielle Torres

Brittany S. Pierce

Santana Lopez

Becky Johnson

Mellisa Drewitz

Julia Coffman

Maria Wellfall

"…Santana Lopez. I made it? I fucking made it! Oh my fucking God. Holy shit! I made it!...Brittany S. Pierce, she made it too. I knew she would. Quinn? Co-Captain? Oh my God, she must be freaking out!"

"Santana!" Quinn yelled running up to her. "Girl, we fucking made it!"

"Yeah, Fabray. And, you, a Co-Captain! You must be fucking ecstatic!"

"Yeah…I can't believe it! I just got off the phone with my Mom! You should have seen how I cleared out the bathroom with my screams! Others must have thought I was having a baby in the stall!" Quinn laughed.

Brittany Pierce was also near them, overhearing their conversation. Her face was swollen with happiness, seeing her name on the list too.

"Hey, Brittany? Congrats!" Quinn waved.

"Thanks. You too!" the bubbly blond smiled at Quinn, and gave Santana a happy smile. Santana softly smiled back.

"Do you guys want to go out and celebrate? It's on me, as your 'Co-Captain'."

"Umm, sure I'm in," Santana said and gave Brittany a quick glance. Santana had her arms folded.

"Yeah. Where do you want to go?" Brittany asked, moving closer. Santana looked her over, subtly.

"Breadstix. It's where the top-tier hangs out. Welcome to popularity, ladies!"

"So what did you do this summer, Santana?" Quinn sipped at her milkshake. They all bought milkshakes. They knew it would be the last one for a very, very long time.

"Nothing really. I spent the summer at my Abuela's house, playing with my little cousins. I went to the pool most days... I didn't really hang out with anyone, because I just moved here at the end of last school year. Though I know the area cause of my Abuela...Uh, I used to live in Cincinnati."

"Oh, yeah, I was wondering where you came from, since, obviously, I didn't know you in middle school," Quinn replied.

Brittany sat silently, drinking her milkshake. She knew Quinn, not well, but she was comfortable around her. She focused half of her attention on the brunet that sat across from her, and the other half on the menu.

"Do you think I should order fries or a cheese burger? Or Pasta? Oh my God, there will be so many things I can't eat starting tomorrow!" Brittany said to them.

"I'm going to choose the pasta. This place is Italian, right?" Santana looked at Quinn.

"We are in Ohio. This place is no more Italian than it is Mexican… Oh, sorry," Quinn bit her lip looking at Santana, who is obviously of Spanish decent or something, the way it looked to Quinn.

"I'm Puerto-Rican. And you didn't offend me. God, you white people are so politically correct, chill out."

Brittany giggled.

"Anyway, I'm going with the pasta," Santana decided.

"Me too! You have to have the meatballs too. They are my favorite!" Brittany chimed.

Santana smirked.

"What did you do with your summer, Quinn?" Brittany asked.

"I went to the young leaders academy in Oberlin. My sisters went when they were my age. It was…fun…"

"Cool," Santana lifted her eyebrows. "What did you do Britt-tany?" Santana said the name weirdly. She looked into Brittany's eyes for the first time. They were the glossiest blue she had ever seen.

"I went to an all-girls dance camp in Cleveland. It was a blast. I have so many friends from there… I look forward to it every year. This past summer was the best yet. I learned so much."

"Very, cool," Santana grinned and nodded, holding the straw of her milkshake.

The waitress placed, one-by-one, each girl's food in front of her.

Brittany unfolded her napkin and tucked it into the collar of her tight t-shirt. Santana mirrored her by doing the same.

"I can't believe summer is over and tomorrow is the first day of school. It's going to suck," Brittany said, twirling her pasta with her fork.

"Well, at least we are all going to a new school together. Except, you actually know people already," Santana said.

"Hey, don't worry. We got your back. We are all Cheerios. We own the school, remember?" said Quinn with a sickening positive attitude, well at least in Santana's opinion.

"Yeah, San," Brittany sided with Quinn.

"She called me San?" Santana thought. "Yeah. OK..." Santana agreed.

"It's going to be awesome. My sister, Natalie had said that her favorite year was her freshman year. She said that she made all her lasting friendships in her freshmen year, and even met the man she is going to marry," said Quinn excitedly.

Santana hardly ate her food. She skirted much of it around her plate and talked about her old town, her old friends—her old everything. She made a lot of eye contact with Brittany. Quinn on the other hand, seemed like either an insincere person, or very much closed off.

"Are you guys single?" Santana asked.

Quinn looked defensive.

"I am," Brittany said nonchalantly. "I don't really date. I prefer hook-ups. Most the guys at our school aren't worth the time—trust me."

"I am single too," Santana said to Brittany.

"I'm dating…well…sort of…this guy, Finn. My family is close with his family. I've known him for like forever. My sister dated his older brother. They're still together. So that's Natalie, I'm talking about... My family sort of expects us, Finn and I, to be a couple."

"Well do you like him?" Santana cut her short.

"Yeah. He's nice, I guess. He's the Quarterback of the football team. He isn't the brightest bulb, but he brings something to the table."

"OK. Point him out at school tomorrow. I'll give you my honest opinion," Santana shrugged.

"Well, I don't really have too much of a choice. It's not like I'm still in the 'pre-dating' phase. I'm already his girlfriend. I have been for like... six months now," she quickly calculated.

"Then why'd you say 'sort of'?" Santana shot back.

"Umm, I didn't want to make you girls jealous."

"Oh, Ha-Ha, Fabray. Don't worry, my ego is just fine, you're relationship status didn't bruise it," Santana jeered. Santana was beginning to think Quinn was a conceited bitch.

Brittany seemed to be in her own world, eating.

"So, how is it going?" Santana asked. For some reason she was getting the feeling that Quinn didn't want to talk about it.

"Fine. He's good. We are waiting, for, well, you know. And he respects me."

"You are?" Santana said incredulously.

"I am the president of the Celibacy Club. It would only make sense that that would be my plan."

"You're kidding, right? There's a club for that? Man, I am in Lima alright." Santana raised on eyebrow and glanced at Brittany, who still, was in her own little world.

"No. It's not a joke. I'm a Christian, a conservative one. I take that you are not a virgin?"

"Oh, I am. But I can't say that I will be for long. We are entering high school. You are aware of that, aren't you?"

"Well I'm not that kind of girl," Quinn brushed her off.

Santana could tell Quinn wasn't her kind of friend.

"What about you Britt?" Santana asked her.

"What about what?" the blond looked up from her nearly empty plate.

"Have you ever…"

"Are we playing that game? I love that game!" Brittany perked up.

"No…I am asking if you ever had, you know…I mean did you loose your V card?"

"I don't think so. Did I have one? Did they give them out at orientation, because I didn't get it."

"No…I mean," Santana leaned in closer. "Have you ever had sex?"

"Oh, that! Um, no."

"So, are you on Quinn's team?"

"Quinn, are you gay?" Brittany looked over, wide-eyed at the mortified blonde.

Santana tensed.

"No! Santana meant, are you celibate? Meaning, are you waiting for marriage?"

"No. But…I'm not into promiscuity. I believe when it's right, you'll know."

"I agree," Santana said. Brittany smiled, slightly showing her top teeth.

"Are you ladies all finished?" the waitress particularly looked at Santana.

Quinn looked around. Santana and Brittany nodded.

"Yes, can we please have the check?" Quinn asked.

Brittany and Santana sat in the back seat of Quinn's red Volkswagen 'Buggy'.

They arrived at Santana's home first.

"Bye, I had fun with you guys. See you tomorrow."

"Hey!" Quinn said. "I'll pick you up, 8 o'clock tomorrow."

Santana was surprised. "Yeah, that would be cool, thanks," she replied.

Before getting out of the car, Brittany gave her a light hug.

"Alright, see you guys," Santana closed the door, turned her back, waved, and opened her front door.

"Maybe Quinn isn't so bad after all. I guess I just have to accept that some Limians are Christian, conservative, pretty robots. Well, Brittany's cool. I guess she's my person, like Meredith and Christina from Grey's Anatomy."