A/N: Okay. Finally hit 80 visitors on the Prologue. Here's the next chapter. I'll figure out a different benchmark before putting each chapter up. (Like you needed to know that. O.O) Anyway…

Auction

Graduation day.

It was a day to remember for everyone who were present at the event – even more so for the 12 original members of New Directions.

They've gone a long way since they started as a rather awkward bunch of sophomores singing show tunes and generally being bullied by the entire student population of McKinley High.

Now, they were the lead singers of the now 25 members of the glee club. They were also the current champion of show choir competition nationals.

During the graduation ceremony, the original 12 delivered some of their most memorable performances in a manner that everyone in the audience found quite riveting. Everyone could tell that each song held a specific memory to each of the 12 teenagers singing before them.

By the time they began singing "Keep Holding On", most of them already had tears on their eyes.

They've been through a lot together and the bonds they created over the past years had stood strong, so the thought of this possibly being the last time they were going to sing together brought tears even to Mr. Schue's eyes.

There were, however, two dry pairs of eyes among the glee clubbers – that of Noah Puckerman and Santana Lopez. It wasn't that they weren't moved, saddened or affected by it all. Crying in public just wasn't their thing.

After the ceremony, while every one began hugging, reminiscing and trying to hold back even more bittersweet tears, Puck stepped out of the auditorium into the fresh summer air.

"Puck." A voice from behind him said, stepping beside him and glancing at him. "Hey."

He turned his head toward the voice. It was Santana. "Sup, babe?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Just taking a breath. It's getting too emotional in there for me."

Puck grinned. "Tell me about it." He took a closer look at Santana. It's been a long time since he got to talk to her alone. They were still friends – with glee and all – but in some ways, they've gone their separate paths over the years and though they were, in essence, the same people, much have changed. 'Still,' he thought, 'we are so much alike – Santana and I.'

"So New York, huh?" Santana asked, breaking the short comfortable silence.

Puck nodded. "Rachel got into Juilliard. Since I don't want to get stuck here, I might as well move to New York with her and try my luck out there."

"Who would've thought? You and Rachel Berry…" Santana sighed to which Puck only smiled in response. "No plans to go to college?" she proceeded to ask.

"Nah. School never was for me. I'll be fine winging it. How 'bout you, Lopez? California heh?"

She nodded her head excitedly. "It will be a blast. With Brit, Mike, Matt and I rooming together and all that."

"What exactly are you guys planning to do there? Missed most of what Mike said when he announced it to us guys."

"Well, Matt's taking up business administration at UCLA. He could've gotten to other universities, but wanted to be with us, so…" Santana shrugged. "Brit, Mike and I will try to get some work to, you know, save up for a year or so. Then we'll try to get into a dance program of some sort."

"Sounds like a plan," Puck retorted, shifting his eyes forward.

"Yep," she nodded, seeming satisfied.

"This is, huh? We all move on?"

A bitter smile formed on her lips and Puck missed the fond look she shot his way. "Puck?"

"Yeah?" He said, turning his head toward her.

She leaned over and kissed him. Her lips lingered for a while and he stood surprised, admittedly liking the taste of her lips against his.

When she pulled away from him, he looked at her questioningly. "What the - You shouldn't have done that. Rachel could've…"

Santana nodded. "I know. Sorry. I just…" she paused. "This may be the last time I see you and I just… I don't know. I wanted to kiss you goodbye."

It was then that Puck realized that he really did miss her – she was, after all, his first girlfriend, perhaps even his first love.

She smiled at him, the blush on her cheeks revealing her embarrassment. "Goodbye, Puck." That was when she began walking back to the auditorium.

'Goodbye' he thought, biting his lip to find the taste of her lips still lingering there. His past had just walked away from him.

Five years later…

Friday night. Just before sunset Lima, Ohio.

"Come on, Santana. Just this once. Tonight's the last night."

Santana raised her eyes to get a better look at the pretty redhead standing on top of the bar, green eyes pleading at her. "For the nth time, Haley," she huffed, "No. Freaking. Way."

Haley made a face before crossing her arms over her chest. "No fair."

Santana only chuckled in response as she continued to wipe the wine glasses dry. She had no idea who came up with having a Coyote Ugly night at the bar, but it apparently became a hit the first time they did it, so they repeated it for a five-night run – just in time to welcome Santana who decided to help out with the bartending that particular week.

The whole Coyote Ugly thing explains why Synch's three waitresses were standing on top of the bar a few hours before it opens, goading Santana into joining them to perform at least one number.

"Why not, Santana? Just once. All of us waitresses have to do it and the bartenders have been really game about being auctioned off," Candy, the feisty brunette, was referring to Jason, Brad and Ryan, who Santana was helping tend the bar.

"Yeah," Jaci, the blonde completing the trifecta of Synch waitresses, piped in. "And you're an awesome dancer. Plus Matt says you have a great singing voice."

The mention of her best friend caused Santana to roll her eyes and breathe out a sigh. It was Matt who got her into this whole thing in the first place.

He had opened Synch in Lima just less than a year ago right after he graduated from college. It had been and still is a raving success, so it was expected that other opportunities for expansion would come around. So when he received a call from some friend of his to look into the possibility of putting up a Synch bar in LA, he didn't want to pass it up.

Of course, being a bit overprotective of his 'baby' (which was what he called the bar), he didn't want to leave it at any of his employees' hands. So he went to Santana for help.

She had been hesitant to say yes at first because being found nightly at one of Lima's most hyped up night spots wasn't exactly a good match with her line of work, but when he promised not only to pay her, but also to bring her a brand new outfit from LA complete with an all-day-at-the-spa treat, it was an offer she simply couldn't resist.

Even though she's changed over the past few years, one thing that didn't change was her love for pampering herself – and Matt knew it.

So there she was, being convinced by three gorgeous girls in skimpy outfits to join them as they dance on top of a bar in front of a bunch of drunken men. While she would've found this a fun thing to do when she was in high school, there was no way they could make her do it now. God forbid anyone who knew her would see her behind the bar – much less dancing on top of it.

The things you put me through, Rutherford, Santana thought as she looked up at the three girls, putting on her serious game face. "Let me clear things out here. One, I'm not an employee here. Two, I'm here to take over Matt's responsibilities – which is being boss. Three, I am not going to dance Coyote Ugly style. You simply can't make me."

"But you already danced Coyote Ugly style when you taught us the steps," Haley reasoned out, staring blankly into space.

Candy nudged Haley who turned her eyes toward Santana.

The look on Santana's face was enough to tell them that she meant business. After all these years, Santana – once McKinley High's head Cheerio – could still intimidate her peers with a single glare.

"Santana Lopez, everyone!" Candy announced.

The packed crowd at Synch went crazy – especially the men who have been coming in frequently and asking if the pretty Latina behind the bar was ever going to perform.

Coyote Ugly nights at Synch have always proven to be a huge frenzy, filling the bar up to its maximum capacity with men who got a kick out of watching the three waitresses perform and from women – mostly cougars – interested to find company (and willing to pay for it) from one of the three male studs behind the bar, who got auctioned off.

Santana had been pulling her own weight behind the bar all night. Haley, Candy and Jaci were little to no help because during these nights, their work consisted mostly of dancing on top of the bar and with the place full, Santana and the other three bartenders had their plates full.

So it wasn't at all surprising when Santana looked like she was about to strangle someone upon hearing Candy announce her name over the microphone.

She cast Candy a cold glare. "We've talked about this," she hissed.

Candy smiled sweetly before shrugging. "Boss's orders."

Santana furrowed her brows in confusion. Candy made a sideway glance and Santana followed her gaze. Amongst the crowd stood Matt with a wicked smile on his face.

Santana stared daggers at him. You're so dead, she mouthed at him, before yelling "No!" at Candy.

The crowd caught wind of what was happening and upon seeing that she was refusing to get on top of the bar, began chanting her name. "Santana! Santana! Santana!"

"Come on, girl," Brad nudged her. "The crowd is calling for you. The three of us can manage. Just one performance. What could happen?"

Santana scowled at him and rolled her eyes, getting pressured by the frantic crowd screaming her name and the expectant looks on her Synch co-worker's faces. "Fine. Ugh. That outfit Matt bribed me with had better be gorgeous."

Candy and Brad grinned as they helped her up the bar.

Hoots and cheers came from all over the bar when they saw Santana finally concede. Santana waited for the music to play, just wanting to get the whole thing over with. However, what Candy said next made her jaw drop.

"Bidding for Santana Lopez starts at 100 dollars!"

"Wait," Santana began to protest. Auctions weren't up until later into the night, and she definitely did not agree to get auctioned off to a bunch of drunken men. "What?! Candy, what are you doing?"

Candy ignored her. "Come on, guys! Who has 100 dollars?!"

"One hundred dollars!" a voice called from the crowd.

"What?!" Santana protested. "Wait. No…"

"Great!" Candy exclaimed. "Do I hear a 150?!"

Santana began searching for Matt in the room. He wasn't where he last saw her. She was getting more and more anxious by the minute as the bidding continued.

"Three hundred dollars!" someone called out.

Santana turned her eyes toward the voice. Relief washed over her. At the right side of the room stood Matt, Mike and Brittany standing beside him, waving at her. Mike had his thumbs up at her, mouthing "Relax. It's okay."

Despite her anxiety, Santana squealed with delight upon seeing two of her other best friends. She found herself relaxing a little bit more.

"Santana seems happy," Candy remarked with a grin, also relaxing a little bit because she felt somewhat more secure that there was a chance Santana wouldn't kill her. "So we have 300 dollars people! Can anyone top that?!"

Four hundred dollars have been the most they got during an auction – some woman outbid everyone for a night out with Brad.

"I got five hundred dollars!" a voice from the back of the room bellowed.

Santana's mouth dropped open. She squinted her eyes to see who it was to no avail. What the… who was that?"

"Six hundred dollars!" Mike called out.

Santana looked at him thankfully.

"One thousand!" came the voice again.

The anxiety was coming back and Santana was beginning to tune out all the noise as she tried to breathe in and out to control her nervousness.

It was Candy's voice that broke her bubble. "One thousand five hundred! Can you believe that?! Sold! To the man at the back!"

"No… wait…" Santana whimpered, but it was too late. She shot a desperate look at Matt who looked just about as shocked as she was.

The man with the winning bid was called forward. Santana didn't think that she could be more in shock than she already was. She was wrong. Moving toward her, squeezing against the people overcrowding the bar was a familiar face.

Puck?!

Santana looked like she'd just seen a ghost when he handed Candy the money, climbed up the bar, pulled her against him and kissed her.

When Puck woke up the next morning, he had no idea where he was.

What happened?! was the first thing on his mind. The throbbing inside his head told him that he was about to have the mother of all hangovers.

He then realized that he wasn't alone when someone stirred on the bed beside him.

Vague recollections of the night before came back. Santana Lopez. Auction. Coyote ugly.

He found it strange that he still remembered Santana's explanation of what coyote ugly meant –

Did you ever wake up sober after a one night stand, and the person you're next to is layin' on your arm, and they're so ugly, you'd rather chew off your arm then risk waking 'em? That's coyote ugly.

He smiled smugly. This is Santana I'm with. No way is this a coyote ugly moment. He turned to the woman beside him. His stomach turned as he scowled in disbelief.

This isn't Santana! Ugh… coyote ugly indeed.

A/N: Disclaimers!

First, I don't own Glee or any of its characters - bummer.

Second, this chapter has some references to the movie Coyote Ugly (which I also don't own - bummer again). *Thanks to IMDB for reminding me of the exact quote that I needed from the movie.

Third, each chapter will begin with a flashback from the past followed by the present events (which is actually the future, because it's five years after they all graduate from high school). Was that explanation confusing? Don't worry… You're not alone. I got confused too.

Oh, and finally, tell me what you think. Leave a review. It's the right thing to do.