Chapter 2
I don't own glee or Fast girls.
R&R PLEASE! :)
Santana didn't sleep well that night, her sister had gotten drunk earlier so she spent ta while making sure she wasn't gonna be sick, then her Aunt came home to the empty bottles and Tara passed out on the sofa which was a sight she certainly wasn't happy to see. So waking up this morning Santana just grabbed a banana after getting ready trying to get out before she was caught by her aunt and given a lecture about Tara so she hurried to get out but she stopped short and turned back to the photo on the mantle piece of her mom and her aunt.
"I did it mom. I love you."
With one last look at the photo Santana walked out the door to the Ohio Academy of Sport. It took a bus ride and a short walk to get there but she stopped short seeing it for the first time. The magnificence of this building was unreal for her. It's significance in her life now was utterly beyond belief and she couldn't help the smile that broke out on her face. She walked towards the door quickly, stopping to take one last deep breath pushing her nerves as far down as possible before pulling a door open.
Stepping into the well air conditioned state of the are gym was more scary than Santana thought, intimidating. The first thing she saw was her, looking small in the security camera screen facing the door, her self confidence dropping and her walls building as she looked further into the foyer. Coaches and USA sport officials everywhere, on the walkway above the reception, sat talking over strategies in the comfy yet expensive seats off to the side of the foyer, the windows showing the different athletes in their element as they train and the staff for the Ohio Academy it's self dressed in smart navy suits ready with a smile for everyone. She stood for another minute just in awe of the whole thing before she ducked her head and walked over to the reception.
"Santana Lopez, I'm here to start training." She told the friendly receptionist as she clenched the lace of her spikes tighter.
"Yes, someone will be coming down for you in just a second but here are your credentials, a key card for the locker rooms and a key to your locker." She told me as she handed her a lanyard with her picture that had been with the registration forms that had been needed at the meet. An official USA printed locker room card and a blue key with the number 22 on the key chain.
"Thanks." She smiled as Santana quickly tried to put the land yard around her neck and held tightly to the other two items. She had just gotten it over her head when someone called her name from behind.
"Santana?" She spun quickly to find another Academy official, a bubbly blonde woman.
"Oh hi, you alright?" Santana fumbled.
"Yeah good to see you. How you doing?"
"Not to bad you?"
"Come this way, very well thank you." she led her away from the reception and towards the training windows. "Okay so our coaching squad will be making sure you hit your target and we need to get you kitted out who's your sponsor?
"Err I don't have one."
"Okay so you've got your own kit then?" Santana just lifted her sorry excuse for a pair of spikes looking sheepishly, feeling like she didn't belong and the fact that everything in this room cost more than she had ever earned working at the shop with Brian didn't help that feeling.
"I think we can get you some better spikes than that." She smiled widely as she placed her hand on Santana's back leading her to a supply room. She shuffled through boxes smiling as she picked two pairs asking Santana her size before grabbing them putting them down and moving on to more shoe boxes picking another two and placing them down on top of the first two. She then went further into the room behind the shelves of shoe boxes, Santana waited timidly by the door staring, wondering what spikes would be in her the boxes. The Official came back clutching packets of unopened clothes, she must have checked her sizes when she filled that in so they could have a uniform for her if she had made it to the squad.
Santana then noticed that every single thing in the pile had the Nike logo on.
"Here you go, you're part of team USA now." She then proceeded to pick up half the pile including two of the four boxes so Santana proceeded to follow her without picking up anything. "Santana, the other things too."
"Oh Susan by the way." She told her as they walked down another corridor and stopped at a door clearly labeled women's locker room, Susan whipped out her pass and opened the door with her back for Santana.
"Thanks." The locker room was empty so they put the things they had been carrying on a bench.
"Okay so you're all kitted out just change into some comfortable training gear and if you go out that door and through the first left you'll find the sprint team."
"wait what do you mean kitted out."
"Santana you are part of the elite sprint team for USA you shouldn't just run like it you should look like it too, it's all free and it should be about everything you need other than you actual team things which have been ordered. But I'll leave you to it. If you need anything just ask for me."
"Thank's Susan."
She left Santana too look at everything, she went straight to the shoe boxes opening the first to find a neon green pair of Nike spikes, she picked up one of the pair examining it and looking over her shoulder checking she wasn't being pranked or worse someone thinking she had stolen them. She went on to open the other three pairs of shoes finding another pair of spikes that were white with a black tick and the other two contained pairs of trainers that were matching to the spikes. she also had three hoodies two zip and one over head, a black light weight jacket, 3 tanks and three t shirts which were black, white and red. she decided to move the black tank, white zip hoodie and the green Spikes to the side to wear as she went through the last items of bra's, three quarter and full length running pants, shorts, socks and tracksuit bottoms. She paired her outfit with the matching full length pants before quickly put the rest into the duffel bag she had also been given along with the Nike rucksack, she thought about throwing her old spikes away but thought different after everything she had done with them.
She quickly stripped off her tank top replacing it with the one she had laid out admiring how it sat on her showing the slight contours of her abs. She then grabbed the white hoodie slipping that on and pulling her hair out of the way of the hood, she had it tied back and a tied head band to keep her hair away from her face. She quickly slipped on her pants and admired the professionalism radiating from her newly clothed self. With one last cheeky smile as she checked her self out she quickly sat down taking the new spikes from their box, they were out there with the color but Santana loved how they stuck out from the rest of her. She slid them on tying them tightly and comfortably, Santana couldn't stop the way her hands caressed them, the new confidence she had just from having a new pair of spikes seemed impossible, she wasn't sure why but she thought no matter how different she is it doesn't matter anymore now that she was here she wasn't about to let it go.
She zipped her hoodie and took one last breath, she gripped the underside of the bench she was sat on, her legs bouncing but she pushed herself up grabbing a powerade and following the instructions that Susan had given her until she was standing in front of the door and once again she took a deep breath and pushed herself forward.
She looked to her left where there were five lanes, one filled with hurdles as another athlete flew over them. To her right was a sand pit and another athlete pulling a weight load. She turned her attention back to Quinn who was talking to Trix Warren USA's best 100m sprinter. She was lying on her front getting a massage to her thighs by a blonde girl wearing a light blue polo.
"Who's that." Asked Trix.
"Nobody." Quinn answered trying to show she didn't care casually taking a sip of her own powerade.
Just then Connie Price-Smith noticed her as she was talking to the hurdler.
"I'm just gonna go speak to this new girl. Just go check in with the girls."
"Hello, so how you feeling?"
"Bit like i'm gonna be arrested for trespassing but I'm alright thank you, you."
"Oh you know, stressed, underpaid and I think I found a lump in the shower this morning." Santana's mouth dropped a little taken back. "This isn't about me this about you, you're here cause you're ranked third fasted woman in America. So how about doubling your chances at a medal?"
"What d'ya mean?"
"Relay. I've got a space on the team and it's yours if you want it."
"Yeah I've never really run the relay before."
"Same principles as the solos. Run, fast. Win race."
"Yeah I'm just, I'm not very good with teams though.
"Come and meet the girls." She led her over to the group of four girls and Trix Warren. "Hey, what are you guys doing standing about?"
"We're not standing we're stretching coach." A bubbly black girl told Connie.
"Yeah stretching my arse. I want you to meet Santana Lopez. Santana Lopez this is my relay squad. The fastest girls in America. Rachel long jump, Bella and Sarah hurdles, Quinn Fabray you already know and the legend that is Trix Warren 100m." Santana smiled at all the girls as they were introduced, noticing the blonde girl who had been massaging Trix was incredibly beautiful.
"I'm Brittany team physio, welcome to the team." Santana couldn't help but stare at her eyes, the blue gleaming.
"Brittany will be yours throughout the season, her brutal touch your reward for being part of the relay team." Connie joked.
"I'll be gentle." Brittany smirked at Santana causing her to blush but her ethnic skin hid it.
"So what shes joining us then Connie?" Trix asked.
"Well she broke 23 yesterday, so I think she deserves an invite don't you?"
"Yeah we'll see." Quinn sneered
"Great, so we work around everyone's solo events and there's a relay practice at the end of the week, you up for it?" Connie asked ignoring Quinn's comment.
"Alright."
"Good girl in the mean time have fun." He told Sarah the hurdler to get back to what they were doing before she had walked through the door. The rest of the girls welcomed her before going of to resume their training.
Santana decided she would try and start a conversation with Quinn they would be around each other too much to avoid the tension.
"I've dreamed of being here my whole life I can't believe I'm here."
"Me either."
"How about we just start again."
"I didn't come here to make friends."
"Fine." They were interrupted by a woman holding a clipboard.
"You must be Santana, I hear you don't have a coach why don't you just tag along with us just for today."
"Yeah alright." If Quinn was going to be spiteful about her being here then she would be just as bitchy back.
Santana shrugged off her hoodie throwing it to the side as she got to the starting blocks at the top of the lanes.
"Okay girls I wanna practice your block starts, so we'll run for 10 meters and then we come back and do it ?" The got into their starting position. "So it's the first five paces that really count. Heads down, weight forward. On the one. Three, two, one."
They did as the coach asked running those five paces getting into the correct position.
"Good, Nice Quinn. Okay go back and do it again, really drive those arms." Santana turned back to go to the start again. She looked over to Quinn's smug look enraging Santana, they shared another look and they made the same agreement as teh got back into their starting positions. With one last glance at each other they set their glances forward ready for what was to happen.
"On the one. Three, two, one."
Santana pushed hard off the starting block gaining pace, those five steps behind her and she just kept going Quinn about a cm behind her as they got to the end of the track. Everyone had stopped to watch them as they left there coach annoyed in their battle to prove a point that Santana didn't belong and that Santana did.
"Hey what the hell was that. Come back do it again." Everyone looked at them as they lost concentration in their training to watch their exchange.
Brittany hadn't taken her eyes off of Santana from the moment she heard Quinn's first comment, annoyed how bitchy her best friend could be. She watched as Santana pushed Quinn and she saw the looks they gave each other and all Brittany could do was hope they would work past this to work as a team. One thing Brittany knew was that the Latina was fast.
"Water?" Brittany asked Santana as she walked past to go start the actual drill again, throwing it to her. Santana smiled with a quick thanks and continued to do what she was supposed to do. The look and smirk that the physio shared with Trix was missed by Santana. Brittany kept on eye on Santana the rest of the morning even though she was supposed to be Quinn's best friend she wanted to get to know her. the rest of the training went as smooth as possible.
When they finished the girls bar Quinn led Santana to the cafeteria.
"Beijing, I've never been on a plane, so." Santana told Trix as she was nervous about worlds and what was expected.
"Listen the indoors are just a warm up girl, I mean Beijing is big but it's nothing like the real thing." Trix was actually really nice.
"Where do we pay for all this stuff." Santana asked as she plated up chicken and rice.
"Don't worry about it babe, its all part of the deal take as much as you want.
"Trix is like the mother goose round here." Bella joked, she had a great personality confidence and cheekiness bounced off her.
"One kid at home is enough thanks bell."
"Girls are we looking at chicken or are we eating chicken." Sarah was funny and seemed really cool, it seemed Santana's only issue was Quinn.
Bella ended up leading them to the table where Quinn was already sat. When everyone was sat you could feel the tension between the two of them, you would need a sledge hammer to make a dent in it.
"Jeez. What is it with you two?" Bella decided to make fun of the elephant in the room.
"Nothing. I just hope we're all as lucky as she was when it comes to the worlds." Quinn said her voice laced with pity and disgust.
"I'm looking forward to beating you a second time." Santana bit back, Everyone at the table biting their lip or hiding their smiles while Quinn laughed and got up from their table.
"Ohh yes. This one can stay."
The rest of the week went by just the same as the first day with the tension still building and the cold looks the girls shared they got on with their training still sharing the coaches, the rest of the girls got on with Santana and made her feel welcome.
When Friday came the relay team were outside on the track training, Santana learning her speed and how to mark it correctly, they practiced the walk in drills and it was Trix who explained it the best.
"It's simple all you go to do is pass this baton around the track the fastest. Simple right?"
"Yeah simple."
Except it wasn't that simple, she couldn't stay within her marks and Connie was shouting at her for not looking forward as She turned back to look for the runner effectively slowing her down. She kept taking off before they hit their marks.
"Santana, you've got Bella coming at you like a freight train, but you hold until she hits her mark then you fly." Connie Coached her
"Trust and timing that's all it's about." Trix told her before they started the drills again.
"Trust and timing got it."
"Give me silk girls, silk." Connie told them whilst making the hand gesture of the palms passing against each other, which sent the girls into copying it and laughing at her weird technique. by the end of the session it was getting better and she could do it but it was only good it wasn't silk.
They were all sat in the foyer relaxing and talking before everyone left when Russel Fabray made his way over.
"Here she is the golden girl, how's it going Trix we wanna see you on the podium." Russel addressed Trix
"It's going good thanks. Bye girls."
"How's it going Connie."
"yeah we're getting there, I think if the other coaches gave me a little more time with the girls I think we've got a really good chance this season."
"Well you are the other coach Connie, no offence the relay isn't anyone's focus right now. I've asked, I have but they say if you want a team sport go play football."
Quinn ended their conversation by jumping in.
"Dad, did you talk to them."
"Yeah I've done it,"
"Good."
Russel Fabray then walked over to Santana holding his hand out to shake.
"Miss Lopez, hi I'm Russel Fabray. Um I'm afraid you're not gonna be able to share Quinn's coach. It's just they've built up a routine over the years and with worlds only a couple of months away it's just too close to disrupt them. I hope you understand."
"Yeah, yeah of course."
"But there are some really great coaches here and I'm going to personally make sure you get the best they have to offer."
"Thanks."
"Okay, have a great night." Russel Fabray had shocked her with the charming bluntness he had.
Of course Bella would pick up on that. "Wow charming isn't he."
"He's alright."
"Well I would."
"The man's old enough to be-"
"My sugar daddy. Now there's an Idea." They just sat laughing at Bella and her crazy Idea's.
"Hey Santana can I see you for a bit I need to do your Physical." Britt poked her head round the medical door.
"Yeah Santana, she needs to do something physical with you."
"Shut up Bella I'm not like that."
"Wouldn't matter if you were."
"Well good but I'm not and I best not keep her waiting." Santana's nerves spiking at being called into a room with the gorgeous blonde and the fact her team mate insinuated something Santana had thought about a few times this week but would never let anyone know.
They completed the physical in silence until Santana couldn't deal with it. Brittany had touched her in a completely professional manner but it was still driving her wild.
"So what's your story?"
"I started out as a runner 400m and relay reserve in London."
"So why did you stop running?" She asked as she checked her quads, Brittany's hands on her thighs.
"Strong glutes." The blonde didn't say much as she completed the paper work, she closed her file and smiled before nodding to the door. With that she left the examination room, Connie pulled her in to her office just to check that Brittany had caught her.
Santana noticed the video on the screen was of a previous USA sprint team.
"They pass the baton different to us."
"Yeah it's faster but more chance of dropping it."
"But if it's faster-"
"They were together for years and they have silk we don't even have polyester.
"Okay then I'm gonna head home and I'll see you tomorrow afternoon."
"Yeah sure."
Santana got home to Tara still glued to her phone she still hadn't spoke to Daze and she still hadn't apologized to anyone she was walking in the smallest and thinnest line with her aunt and right now Santana just wanted to eat and go to bed. Brittany would most likely be in her dreams and she needed to keep that secret, her most painful secret but she couldn't deal with the talk and the rejection. Not now not when she is going somewhere.
