She was walking up to her. Santana did not need this today. Today she needed peace. Today she needed to be left alone or else she might snap.
"I heard you were dating Finn, now." Yup, sure am. But I don't want to be.
"Yeah, and you're dating Artie, what's your point?" It comes out with more venom than she'd meant, but she doesn't take it back, and she doesn't apologise, even though she sees the hurt look on her face.
"San, don't be that way. I don't like not being in your life. It's like that time you got the chicken pox when we were six and I couldn't see you for two whole weeks and neither of us had any idea what happened with each other. I missed you then. I miss you now. Where'd my best friend go?" She whispered it, as though they would be heard, alone in the hallway. Or maybe she thought if Santana had to strain to hear her, she'd listen better. It made sense, with Brittany's logic.
Santana sighs, shutting her locker with more force than was necessary. "Look, Britt. We both have boyfriends now, we're both busy. I can't always hang out with you. Besides, why do you need me? You have the cripple."
There goes the venom again, she needs to work on that. She's signing again, but it's less annoyed, more resigned. "I'm sorry. I've been stressed out. Berry has been on my ass all week. If I had known dating Frankenteen were this hard, I wouldn't have been so stupid."
Brittany's confused by what she means, Santana can see.
"You know, San, I used to think that you were like Santa Claus."
What? "What?"
Brittany laughed, her eyes crinkling in amusement. "You know, too good to be true. How could some one as awesome as you be real? How could you want my friendship? But then I realised, as long as you believe something is real, it exists. Like Santa. I knew he didn't exist, but then I saw how sad Artie was, not being able to dance. So I believed. And now he can walk.
"I'm going to try that with you. The whole believing thing. Maybe if I believe in you enough, you'll want me like you wanted me before sex was dating. I know I'm with Artie, but he told me I took something special from him, I'm trying to give it back. I just don't know how." She looked confused again, and Santana fought the urge to find Artie and castrate him.
"Britt. I don't want you like that anymore. I have Finn and once I get Berry off my tail we'll be good together. I'm trying to be gentle here. Artie is better. Better than me, and what I could've been for you."
It was the most truthful thing Santana had said to Brittany, at least in a long time. And even then it was mostly a lie.
Tell her you want her. Tell her you need her. For once be something that's good enough for Brittany.
"It's okay. I understand. You're scared. You see what happens to Kurt, and to the kids in glee. I need to go, though. Artie wants to duet again. He's been wanting to all week. Bye, San. See you around." With her parting words Brittany walked off down the hall, not turning back, not pausing, not doing any of the things that Santana wanted her to.
"People walking away is getting really fucking annoying," she grumbled, turning in the opposite direction, directly into Finn.
"Who's walking away from you?" he asked, concern written on his face.
"No one, Finn. I was just talking to myself. C'mon. Let's go have a repeat of last year. Actually, no. You're going to last longer this time."
Finn smiles at her, and he tries to make what should be an adorable lip bite, but all Santana can think about it how Brittany used to do the same thing.
Today she wanted peace. Instead she got turmoil. But she also got time, to figure shit out. Maybe someday she wouldn't be scared. Maybe someday, Brittany would be the one biting her lip.