First off, thank you all so much for the story/author alerts, the reviews and all the favourites. It really means a lot to me. Also, thank you to the one reviewer for pointing out my blonde moment when I forgot to add the characters (There is a reason I was born with blonde hair lol). This chapter is short, but the rest should be much longer. When I write, I usually try to aim for 5,000 words or so. Anyways, enough rambling, I hope you enjoy :)
Santana sat in the back of her Spanish class and feigned interest as Mr. Shue droned on. Sure she cared about education, but this class was an embarrassment. Mr. Shue was a horrible teacher. The raven haired girl sat in the back of the room and often wondered how the man actually managed to get a teaching license. She was just thankful she was fluent in Spanish, but she felt sorry for her classmates. However, she assumed Mr. Shue wouldn't actually know if you knew the course content or not because clearly he didn't know it himself.
It was in this class that she usually let her mind wonder of, and more often than not, her thoughts would wonder off to Rachel. The petit starlet sat at the front of the room, for optimal learning of course. For a majority of the class, she often found herself staring at the brunette. She was thankful she sat in the very back and she was thankful that people tended to avoid making eye contact with her. She wasn't exactly secretive with her feelings for the future Broadway star.
Her mind seemed to wonder off to thoughts of Rachel a lot more now than they did before. She only had 42 days to convince Rachel to leave Finnocence. She had 42 day to woo the girl.
She was brought out of her daydreams when she felt a sharp jab in her ribs on her right side. She turned and was met with Puck's annoyed expression.
"Are you even listening to me Lopez?"
"Of course I was listening."
"Don't fucking lie, you were looking at her again, weren't you?"
"I was not," Santana felt her cheeks grow warm.
"What is up with you lately, Lopez? I know you have the hots for my Jewish princess, but this is just starting to get creepy. You really need to be careful with your leering."
Santana knew Puck was right. Yeah she was out to the school, but that didn't mean you started going after the quarterback's girlfriend; the quarterback's very straight girlfriend. But there was a sense of hope instilled in Santana. She heard it in Rachel's voice. Somewhere in their last conversation, she could sense Rachel wanted her to. She just had to make Rachel realize it.
"Hey Puck, I need you to do me a favour."
"Hell no, the last time you asked for a favour I ended up in the back of a cop car."
"I told you I'm sorry, okay? It's not my fault you can't run. I mean, you're on the damn football team for god's sake."
"Shut up. Ask me for this favour before I decide to change my mind."
"I need you to have a party this weekend."
"What the hell, Lopez? You don't even come to my party on Friday, which I begged you to do, and now you want me to throw a party just so you can mack on Berry? Not a chance."
"I don't want to mack on her, though that would be a bonus. I just want her, okay?"
"Why now?"
The Latina had turned that thought around in her head for awhile. Why did she decide to go after her now? Why didn't she try before? Maybe it was the short deadline, or maybe because she could feel the starlet slipping away. She just knew she had to try because she would be damned if she lived the rest of her life wondering 'what if.'
"I don't know 'why now,' okay? I just know I want her. I've wanted her for awhile."
"And why do you need me to throw a party?"
"Because this whole 'friends' thing is still new to me. Besides, alcohol will definitely be needed to calm my nerves. Maybe it will help loosen her up a little," Santana smirked.
"I feel like you are forgetting one large flaw in your plan. She's engaged to Finn. That ring hasn't left her finger yet."
Santana focused her eyes to the front of the room once more. She saw the tall, oafish boy put his arm around the tiny brunette. Something seemed so wrong with that picture. They just didn't fit together. Not like she and Rachel fit together.
"That ring is only on her finger because she doesn't realize she has other options. Better options. I want her Puck, and I only have 42 days to get her."
"It's settled then, party at my house. Be there Saturday at 10. We lesbros have to stick together," Puck smiled as Santana leaned into him and gave his bicep a squeeze.
"Thank you for this."
"Anytime, Lopez. However, you still need to do one thing."
"And what would that be?"
"You need to ask her to the party."
Santana swallowed the lump in her throat as her gaze found its way back to the front of the room. Getting Puck to have the party was the easy part. The hard part was getting Rachel to come, preferably without frankenteen.
Santana looked down the hall and saw Rachel at her locker. She also noticed that Finn was standing next to her as she put her books away. It was the end of the day and if Santana didn't ask Rachel now, she would miss out on her chance. She took a deep breath and made her way over to Rachel's locker.
"Hi, Rachel."
"Hey, Santana. What are you doing here?"
"Wait, since when are you guys on a first name basis?" Finn piped in.
"I told you, Santana and I have decided to make to most of our last 42 days," Santana couldn't help but smile at Rachel's response. She also couldn't help but feel annoyed with the boy as he obviously didn't listen to Rachel often.
"Actually, if you don't mind frankenteen, I need to steal your girl away for a moment. You know best friend stuff."
"Whatever, I'll see you later Rachel."
Finn kissed Rachel on the cheek and Santana had to swallow the bile that rose in her throat. She could only pray for the day she herself could to the exact same thing. She was hoping this party would be a good start.
Rachel shut her locker and looped her arm through Santana's. The Latina tensed slightly at the foreign contact, but the uneasy feeling soon went away.
"So, what is this best friend stuff you pulled me away for?"
Santana couldn't help but smile at that fact Rachel seemed so excited at the new title of 'best friends.' Sure it was a jump, but it wasn't a big enough jump in Santana's eyes. The Latina needed more.
"Are you busy this weekend?"
"Oh my god, are we going to have a sleepover? I always wondered what it was like to have a sleepover with the one and only, Santana Lopez."
Santana had to shake away the mental images of Rachel Berry being in her bed. Those images were not going to help her out right now.
"We will have a sleepover soon, I promise," Rachel beamed and Santana continued. "I was wondering if you want to go to a party this weekend? It would be at Puck's."
"I don't know. Remember the last time we had a party? I was a mess. I convinced myself that Blaine and I were meant to be."
Santana chuckled at the memory, "What if I promise to take care of you for the night? If things get bad enough, you can crash at my house."
"You would really do that for me?"
"Of course, that's what best friends are for."
Santana noticed how Rachel's face dropped slightly at the term. It was almost as if Rachel was disappointed with Santana. Almost as if she was expecting something more.
"When is it?"
"Saturday, be there for 10."
"Will do, I'll see if Finn is busy that night."
Rachel squeezed Santana's arm and began making her way down the hall and towards the parking lot. The Latina was really hoping that Finn wouldn't be there, but she couldn't ignore the way that Rachel face dropped a few moments ago. Rachel was hiding something from her and she was going to figure out what it was.
She made a quick stop at her locker, grabbing her books for the weekend, before heading out to the parking lot. She hopped into her black Range Rover and made her way to her house. When she pulled up in her driveway, she was surprised to see her father's car there. It was not often her parents were home, but the Latina was happy when they were.
She got out of her car and grabbed her bags before making her way to her front door. Once she was inside, she dropped her bags in the front hall closet and placed her keys in the bowl.
"Papi?"
"I'm in the living room, mija."
Santana entered the large living room to see her father sitting in his recliner. He was watching golf on the large television in the room as he drank his scotch. Santana made her way to the couch and sat down.
"How was school?"
"Fine I guess, more of Mr. Shue butchering our native language," Santana's father chuckled. "How was work?"
"I cut out early. I have money on this match. Fingers crossed Tiger is going to take it."
The ravened haired girl never cared for the sport, nor did she understand her father's love for it, but she just brushed it off. She didn't know how anyone could possibly take enjoyment in watching the grass grow as monotone announcers droned on about the "exciting action."
She was pulled away from her daydream when her father caught her attention.
"Your friend, what's her name?"
"Rachel?"
"Yes, her, she left some of her sheet music here."
"Thanks, Papi. I'll be sure to get that back to her. I am sure she will freak when she realizes she forgot it."
"I haven't seen her around before, is she s new friend?"
"Sort of," Santana smirked. "We decided to make the best of senior year and put our pasts behind us."
"You said Rachel, as in Rachel Berry?"
"Yeah, why?" Santana became slightly confused. She noticed her father's expression change into a sly smile.
"You like her, don't you?"
"W-what?"
"I remember after Regionals in your sophomore year. You kept going on and on about her, but then you would try and disguise it with insults. I know you weren't out then, but I just had this feeling. I knew it then and I just couldn't see it. Father's intuition I guess."
Santana blushed at the notion she was so obvious with her attraction to the petit brunette. She had only come out to her parents at the beginning of senior year. It was hard for awhile, it took her parents a few months to adjust, but they eventually accepted her. The Latina's father was the most supportive of her two parents. She was thankful that she had her papi to talk to. Her mother was supportive, but they weren't ready to have this kind of discussion yet. They weren't ready to talk about potential crushes and girlfriends.
"Yeah, I really do like her."
"She's dating that tall boy, Finn something?"
"Hudson and yes she is."
"Well you will just have to put on your Lopez charm and steal her away."
"Papi, it's not that easy," Santana chuckled.
"Sure it is. When we Lopez's want something, we go after it. No questions. I know you like her mija, and this Finn guy, he doesn't stand a chance."
Santana got up from her spot on the couch and walked over to her father. She bent down and wrapped her arms around his neck and she felt him hug back.
"Thanks, papi. I needed that."
"Anytime, mija," Santana pulled back and smiled at her father.
"I am going to do my homework. Puck is having a small party tomorrow and I want to have all my work done."
"Alright, but be careful at that party. I've seen CSI."
Santana let out a small chuckle before she gave her father a kiss on the cheek. She made her way back to the front hall to grab her bag and then proceeded to go to her bedroom. She set her bag on the bed and pulled out her laptop to start her English essay. Tomorrow she was going to see Rachel Berry. Tomorrow would be day 1 in trying to get Rachel Berry to be her girlfriend.
"Why are you just sitting there? Help me pick out what I am going to wear!"
Santana started getting ready at three and it was already seven. The party started in three hours and she was nowhere near being ready. Everything she tried on looked horrible. Tonight was a nigh to make an impression. If she had any chance of getting Rachel, she would have to look amazingly good.
She threw out another dress which landed on her bed, hitting Puck who was lying there.
"Listen, I know we are lesbros and all, but this is not my area. How the hell should I know what you should wear?"
"You're a guy, Puck. I just need you to tell me what dress would make you want to sleep with me. It's not that hard."
"Look, I am a sex shark. I don't care what you're wearing I care about how much alcohol you have consumed. Why didn't you just call Kurt for this kind of thing?"
"That would be suspicious. I barely talk to the kid. Besides, he would probably pick up that I like Rachel and it would screw up my plans."
"Babe, everyone can tell you like Rachel. It's not a big secret."
Santana walked over to the chair that was in her room and launched a pillow in Puck's direction. She wanted to be mad but she couldn't help the smile that broke on her face. The two fell into a fit of laughter before getting back to picking out an outfit.
"I just want her to notice me, you know?"
"You're Santana freaking Lopez, everyone notices you."
"But I don't want to be Santana freaking Lopez. I just want to be Santana. I want to be the girl that is worthy enough to have Rachel Berry hanging off her arm."
"You really like her, huh?"
"More than you know."
Puck stood up from the bed and made his way over to Santana. He opened his large arms and surrounded the Latina in a tight embrace. She pressed her cheek to his chest and he put his chin on the top of her head.
"I'd never thought I'd see the day where 'badass Santana Lopez' turns into a complete softy."
She lightly smacked his chest and chuckled, "Shut up. Rachel's different, okay? She makes me want to be a better person."
"Then you are going to put on that sexy black dress over there and you are going to come to my party. You are going to get your girl Lopez, and I am going to be here whenever you need me."
"Thanks Puckerman, who knew Puck the badass could turn into such a softy," Santana mocked.
"You're not the only one who can change. Sometimes you need to grow up, "Puck smiled against her hair. "But between you and me, we are still pretty badass."
"Totally," Santana beamed.
Santana and Puck pulled out of the embrace and the mohawked boy placed a kiss to her forehead. She made her way back into her closet and found the black dress that Puck was talking about. It was a strapless cocktail dress that was cut off mid thigh. It hugged her curves perfectly. She had to admit, the boy had good taste.
She made her way to the bathroom and straightened her hair. The straight, dark locks hung at shoulder length. She put on her makeup, deciding to go with a classic smoky eye, before exiting the bathroom. When she stepped out, Puck went wide eyed for a moment before his lips curled into a smile. He held out his arm, asking for the Latina to take it. Santana walked the few feet and looped her arm with Puck's.
"Let's go get your girl Lopez."
So what did you think? The next chapter will be the party and I do have an idea for the chapter after that, but I don't want to spoil it for you. I normally don't update this fast, but all your alerts and review inspired me to write, so please keep them coming. What should happen at the party? I'm thinking of a friendly game of spin the bottle? Maybe truth or dare? Let me know what you think should happen at the party.
Until next time :)
