Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or anything else used in this fic
A/N 1: I can't believe how many people have read the first chapter already! Thank you for the follows/favourites/reviews
I'm from England so apologies if I forget to use the correct dialect. Also never been to cheer camp so this could be super random lol :)
ENJOY!
Santana awoke to the thud of Quinn's feet landing from the top bunk. She felt like utter shit, drained; physically and emotionally from the past week of despair. Brittany had left for her retreat a week ago today and Santana had barely received a handful of texts. The one's she had didn't include more than a sentence or two about the dances she was learning or the recent freestyle Mike had performed.
To be honest, Santana didn't really know what to make of it. She knew it was probably just as hard for Brittany but she didn't realise that ending their relationship meant practically ending their friendship. Okay, so maybe she was over reacting. It's not like they were arguing or ignoring each other but even before they were a couple they had barely spent more than a day apart. Now they were faced with 7 weeks separation and it didn't look like Britt was bothered about keeping in contact.
Santana could hear Quinn in the shower so decided to roll out of bed and start getting ready herself. She walked into the steamy bathroom and looked at her reflection in the large mirror above the sink. If anything, she looked worse than she felt and that was saying a lot!
Her face was dry from the salty tears that had dried in her sleep; it felt like every drop of water in her body had been cried out and she had nothing left to give. She splashed water on her face and began washing her face with the bar of soap Quinn had left on the sink.
After drying her face and brushing her teeth, Santana's eyes returned to her reflection. She was beyond pale; a ghost compared to her usually caramel, Latina complexion. If she was going to face these bitchy teenagers today she was going to need a full face of armour.
After both girls had finished showering and making themselves presentable for the judgmental eyes that awaited them, they made their way out of their dorm room towards the Cafeteria; both clad in the Camp's red and black cheer uniform.
Before walking in, Quinn stopped short pulling Santana back by her hand. She was met with a confused face but more importantly, empty eyes. This was the first time she had taken in the Latina's face since they left Lima and Quinn suddenly felt sick from the deadness that lay behind the brown orbs.
"Look Santana," Quinn began, keeping her eyes on their now entwined hands. "I know it feels like your life is over and that you're never gonna feel like yourself again."
She chanced a glance at Santana and saw the many emotions flash over her face before returning her gaze to their hands. "Trust me; I know what it feels like. Regret, guilt, fear and even hope probably being the main things floating round in your head."
She took a deep breath, knowing this was the first time she had touched on the topic and she would probably be met with the enormous walls that made the Latina's defence mechanism; much similar to her own. "But just know, pushing everyone away doesn't stop us from caring and it doesn't stop you from hurting."
Quinn gently squeezed her friend's hands before continuing. "Me and you aren't so different. When we fuck up we dwell on it, forcing ourselves to relive the pain every moment until we pull ourselves together. You saved me, when I was too far gone to save myself. Now I'm going to save you; whether you want to be saved or not."
Quinn finished her heart felt declaration with tears threatening to escape. It was partially from the thought of how she'd felt not so long ago but mostly at the thought of how her friend was feeling now. She met the Latina's eyes, expecting to be yelled at or stormed away from. Instead, she saw her dark, brown eyes filled with understanding.
Before she knew what was happening she was pulled into a tight hug, being squeezed tighter than she felt possible. "Thank you" Quinn barely heard the whisper from the brunette whose face was pushed into her neck.
She knew it was heartfelt and more importantly she knew that she had gotten through to her friend. Quinn brought her hand to Santana's back; returning the embrace. "I'm just not ready to let her go." Santana breathed into the blonde's neck before sighing into her arms.
After holding each other for a few minutes, Santana managed to get her breathing back to normal. She had felt like throwing up at the thought of moving on but she knew she was being irrational. People get their hearts broken all the time. She would have to move on eventually.
At first Santana had been outraged that Quinn would dare say that she knew how the Latina felt, it only took seconds for her to realise she wasn't talking about Puck or even Finn for that matter; she was talking about Beth. What she was feeling almost seemed almost insignificant next to what Quinn had gone through but she knew that she had every right to feel this way.
When Quinn had told her she wasn't giving up on her; Santana became overwhelmed with emotion. She had dug herself ever deeper into her emotional depths of despair she no longer knew how to get out it. Quinn was showing her a way out and even if she didn't feel ready to follow her just yet; it meant a hell of a lot to know Quinn would be there when she was ready.
Both girls composed themselves before walking into the cafeteria, sharing a small smile before approaching the breakfast counter. Both opting for fruit and yoghurt, they sat down at one of the tables designated for counsellors. Already at the table were a handful of girls Santana recognised from last year. She got on with them all but had avoided conversation most of the summer using her façade as Queen of Bitchdom.
She still hadn't decided whether to keep up that persona this year; seen as she was now a counsellor. It wasn't exactly appropriate to freeze out colleagues or scare the shit out of kids you were supposed to be a role model for. WAIT! That's exactly what her own Cheer Coach had done! Sue Sylvester didn't have civil OR appropriate in her vocabulary!
Whilst Santana revelled in the idea of being as bitchy and eccentric as her own cheer role model, she decided it was only fair to do so with certain people. Which translated, meant; everyone except Quinn and the odd few counsellors who weren't complete tools. Besides, how can you be HBIC if you're acting like Miss Pillsbury, caring about some random kid's feelings? In fact, she was doing them a favour. If these kids wanted to make it as cheer leaders they would need to get used to being verbally assaulted day in; day out. Sure, cheer leaders were bitchy to everyone else but that was nothing compared to the Coaches. Yes, really they should thank her for her honesty; especially if they intended to become Cheerios. Santana's brutally, viscous yet honest insults were still nothing compared to Sue Sylvester's tyranny of evil.
It wasn't long after the girls sat down that they were recognised by one of their fellow counsellors. "Quinn! I didn't know if you'd be here this summer! Though really I should have known, what with the Cheerios taking Nationals and-"
"Again." Santana, bluntly interrupted the brunette who had conveniently not bothered to acknowledge her presence. She shared a small smirk with Quinn before continuing her breakfast.
"Yes, again." The brunette continued in a much less enthusiastic tone. "I'm surprised you were allowed back Santana, what with all the trouble you got in last summer."
Pasting a smile on her face, Santana addressed the stuck-up bitch, feigning sincerity "Oh did you not hear? I was personally invited back, along with Quinn here, to be chief counsellor." Santana waited for the girls smirk to drop straight off her face before continuing. "When I told them I couldn't return they insisted. Apparently, they'd only settle for the best Ohio has to offer. I didn't have the heart to say no."
Santana glanced at Quinn, who was trying to supress the laughter growing in the back of her throat before standing up from the table, staring down the girl who dared to insinuate she wasn't worthy of being here.
She was definitely feeling more like herself. When she had been confronted, it was like the adrenaline coursed through her veins and brought her back to life. Sure, emotionally she was still a wreck but for now that was tucked away in the back of her mind. In that instant, she felt like the old Santana and Santana was ready for her come back.
Quinn watched as Santana rose from the table and put her hands on her hips. Dawn; the girl who had enticed the Latina, had apparently become shy as she sat, speechless; not daring to meet the dark eyes that were burning holes into her face.
She knew this would happen at some point but not one part of her expected it this morning. Santana had fire back in her eyes and was ready to tear apart anyone that had the audacity to get in her way.
Quinn's smirk returned to her face as she mentally thanked God that some things never change. It was rare for someone to take on Santana and for a brief moment she had been worried the girl was going to get away with it. But in true Santana style, Dawn had been rendered speechless and fearful of the Latina's wrath.
She picked up the rubbish Santana and she had made, chucking it into the bin behind her. She walked round the table touching Santana's shoulder as an indication they were leaving. She didn't bother turning to see if Santana was following as she knew she would be, it was just how they worked. Santana spat her venom and Quinn disengaged her before things got physical.
All eyes were on the pair as they strutted out of the Cafeteria, exuding confidence. Quinn revelled in the attention and it only fed her appetite for power.
When they reached the corridor Quinn was surprised to see a calm Santana walking beside her, with a small smile on her face. "What's going on?" Quinn asked, expecting to see a smirk or a fuming rage from her friend.
Santana sent a reassuring smile to Quinn before chuckling "It just feels good to be back." Quinn watched her friends smile grow, her own face mirroring it; as they made their way to a meeting with the Camp Co-ordinators.
After 20 minutes of introductions and catch-ups, the hour long meeting had finally begun. There were a number of people at the meeting, including the co-ordinaters, the coaches, some volunteer parents and lastly, the chief counsellors; Quinn and Santana.
An incredibly long hour later and after what felt like a never ending list of thanks to all the staff, Quinn and Santana were finally allowed to leave.
As it turned out, their roles wouldn't be anywhere near as full-on as they had expected. Apparently, they were more like 'celebrity' guests. Sure they had to monitor the counsellor's techniques and correct them where necessary but it seemed their main role was to simply show examples of how to correctly execute certain moves and prepare a routine for themselves and the counsellors to perform on the last day.
It was a pretty sweet deal. As Chief Counsellors they were getting paid for their role, unlike the others who were simply volunteering. They could effectively do as they wished, as long as they were on campus 9 till 5.
Walking into their dorm room, Santana went straight for her iPod. She was ready to lose herself in creating this routine but first they needed to choose the song. Shoving it onto the dock, after pressing shuffle; she nearly gave Quinn a heart attack when the music started blaring throughout the room. "SHIT!" Of all the songs she had and the shuffle chose to play this one!
Ice Ice Baby!
Ice Ice Baby!
Alright STOP!
Collabora-
Santana frantically unlocked the screen before flicking next on the iPod but it was too late. Quinn was already in hysterics, clutching at her stomach as she threw herself backwards on the bottom bunk.
"Oh my God! HAHA, Santana I can't, HAHA" Quinn was screaming with laughter, finding it hard to believe that Miss Lima Heights Adjacent seriously listened to Vanilla Ice.
"Okay, Okay! It's hilarious, now enough of the dramatics and help me pick a song for the routine." Santana tried to deadpan but her burning cheeks told how she was mortified. Her guilty secret was out. So she liked to rap Ice Ice Baby in the shower every so often, it didn't stop her from being a complete bad ass! Right..
"I think I'm gonna pee myself!" Quinn managed to get out through the constant laughter.
Santana strode over to the bunk beds and leaned over the convulsing blonde. "Not on my bed you're not!" Santana grabbed Quinn's ankles, smirk firmly on her face as she pulled her onto the floor, ass first.
"OWW! Not the way to bribe me into keeping quiet Lopez!" Quinn teased, poking her finger in Santana's face. She was half annoyed but mostly still in disbelief at what just happened. She picked herself up and smirked at the Latina before making her way to the bathroom.
Santana rolled her eyes and collapsed onto the bottom bunk, angrily locking the iPod and throwing it on the bed. She pulled the pillow out from under her head and shoved it into her face. That was definitely the last time she was using shuffle.
A/N 2: Thanks for reading : ) let me know whether you love it or hate it and if you want me to include something xx