(02)
01. Rachel
It started with an idea. It wasn't even Rachel's. Her fathers turned to her during breakfast and casually suggested a party for her 15th birthday. Rachel stared in disbelief for a few seconds until the idea sunk in. It was absurd. It should be absurd. Outcasts didn't throw parties.
But she had friends now. Popular friends. Cheerios.
If Santana, Brittany and Quinn attended a party, it instantly became cool. They were the Unholy Trinity, after all. It made Rachel a bit jealous sometimes, because the three Cheerios knew each other first and had an amazing and widely recognized chemistry. The entire school knew about them. The entire school respected them.
Rachel was… an addendum, at best.
The four of them were getting somewhere, she hoped, trying to ignore the lack of validation from the public eye. People didn't know they did things together besides watching movies and having ice cream. People did not know they would race and talk and make plans. They didn't know about bets and scores.
They didn't know anything about the thrill of looking into each other's eyes before getting in a car.
Rachel gets Santana and Brittany. Santana attacks to protect herself. Santana needs to be on top of her game. Brittany believes in the best of people. Brittany will make you a cute drawing on a sad day and take you out for ice cream. Santana will grow ten times bigger to protect a loved one.
But Rachel never knows what to expect from Quinn.
One moment Quinn is Christian and president of the celibacy club. A moment later, she's losing her virginity to the school's biggest bad boy. One moment she's rolling her eyes when Rachel talks about Broadway. A moment later, she's making a comment that implies how very much she actually knows about Cats and Wicked. She never cheats on tests but she steals her father's car and his Cuban cigars.
When Rachel tells the girls about her birthday party, Brittany gets excited and wants to help buy the candy. Santana says she will be in charge of the guest list, because Rachel can't be trusted. Quinn just gives Rachel that cold, hard look, and Rachel reciprocates it, head high. Sometimes it's like Quinn still hates Rachel with the heat of a thousand suns.
Except that Rachel knows she doesn't. Like when Rachel was crossing a street without paying attention and Quinn, out of pure instinct, put an arm out in front of her to stop her; or the time Quinn threw Rachel against the car after their first race and they kissed.
Quinn was Rachel's first kiss, but she doesn't know that yet.
The party develops on its own accord. Brittany goes out with Hiram to buy a cake and every single piece of candy they can find. When they arrive home, they can barely carry it all. Santana just smiles at Brittany and takes a few bags to the kitchen. It's funny how they all blended in from the beginning, like they had always been around.
Santana makes the guest list. It's a casual yet calculated mix of jocks, Cheerios, the naughtiest exchange students, wannabe rock stars, wannabe drug dealers, older brothers who are in college and Rachel's friends. Rachel approves it, letting Santana deal with the social pyramid on her own.
Santana has an amazing social intelligence.
Quinn takes care of the liquor issue. She has a fake ID and she looks older, not to mention her manipulative traits. It takes no time for the young cashier to hand her four bottles of tequila and 15 cases of beer as Puck and Mike carry the weight to Puck's truck and then to Quinn's storage.
Quinn is risking a lot by hiding Rachel's liquor in her own father's storage until the party.
When Rachel looks at it and the boys leave, sweaty and tired, she feels grateful for Quinn. There's an awkward silence as they stare at each other, unsure of what to say. Quinn looks beautiful in a dark red dress, rich as wine. Rachel says thank you and pulls her in for a hug, wrapping her arms around her neck.
Surprisingly, Quinn holds her close by the waist and breathes in. She feels warm and soft, thumb caressing Rachel's back very slowly. Rachel rests her head on Quinn's shoulder and they remain like that for a long time. She swears she can feel Quinn's heartbeat, her breath on her neck.
For a moment, she raises her head and they lock eyes. Quinn looks at Rachel's mouth and licks her own lips, and Rachel can't help but think she'd like to kiss them again. Her hands go to Quinn's hair, and Quinn closes her eyes to the feeling, mouth parted. Quinn adds more pressure to the small of Rachel's back, bringing her even closer. Their foreheads touch.
They hear the front door open and the moment breaks.
Apparently, the party was kind of a big deal. Rachel finds that out when Finn Hudson comes to talk to her at school. She's closing her locker when he shows up, tall and handsome. He's the captain of the football team and his mother married Kurt's father. He's popular. Rachel is not.
She's had an infatuation for him ever since freshman year.
He introduces himself and begins to talk about her party. Rachel just nods. People were talking about her party, of all parties? It felt surreal. He says he'll definitely go, and that everyone is excited. He says he could sing at the party, if she wanted to. He's a pretty good singer. Rachel manages to answer it's going to be a blast. Finn gives her his sweet boy smile, and she melts as they say goodbye.
From the distance, Quinn watches.
02. Santana
Santana looks at herself in the mirror and likes what she sees. Her black and blue striped dress hugs her curves perfectly. Her make-up is flawless. Her body is flawless. Brittany stands behind her, placing open-mouthed kisses on her neck. Santana bites her own lip, trying not to moan.
Brittany is wearing black shorts and a pink bra with black polka dots on it. No shirt yet. Santana likes it.
They lace their fingers on Santana's stomach as Santana tilts her neck to provide better exposure. They have time. Brittany bites, earning a moan from Santana. Her body is pressing against Santana, sandwiching her to the dresser. Brittany stops to breathe against Santana's neck, making her shiver.
No one ever sweeps Santana off her feet like Brittany. No one ever makes her heart race. No one makes her shiver. Brittany does.
Santana is bent against the dresser and she opens her legs without noticing. Brittany runs her hands down Santana's back, massaging it. Santana turns. Brittany looks at her and Santana's mouth suddenly becomes dry. Brittany presses a thigh between Santana's.
Brittany loves to tease.
It's harder than it seems. She's in control all the time, analyzing variables, influences, players and implications. The social game is a hard one to win. It's never-ending and exhausting. Santana excels at it in a calculated and precise manner, unlike Brittany's niceness or Quinn's easy command.
Some things are better left unsaid. Brittany is one of them, sometimes.
Sam is all over her when she arrives at the party. He's part of the football team and he's really good looking. She should like him. She swallows dryly and takes the drink he offers her. He's a good boy, even if a bit nerdy. She should like him. The hand on her back feels heavy, but she lets him lead her somewhere.
She wonders if Brittany is looking her way.
In a corner, Quinn smokes a cigar and drinks beer, not giving a fuck to anyone. Santana wonders what is wrong, but Puck cuts in to offer shots to everyone and she takes two at once. Puck praises her. Sam just smiles with his huge mouth. He has soft eyes.
One more. Sober is overrated.
She kisses Sam. With tongue. He's respectful, for a boy. Pressures a little for second base after a few minutes. Hands brush her breasts and she pushes them away. His hands are rough and big. She kisses his neck and he closes his eyes. He lets her take control. She pushes his hair and bites.
The alcohol is kicking in.
She has to do it. It's been a long time since she last dated anyone. People start to notice. The general eye is sharp and unforgiving. She's known to be a whore. She's known to be a bitch. You must lie in the bed you make. She made this bed. She created this situation.
It's early enough so people are drunk but still fine. Everyone will remember that. There will be gossip.
She needs gossip to work her way. She keeps on making out with Sam. When they say that kissing is the same for boys and girls, they are wrong. Brittany is soft and gentle. Sam is eager and uses too much tongue. Brittany turns her on. Sam is… a continued effort.
When she looks at her surroundings, Brittany is giving Artie a lap dance. Fair enough.
She keeps on drinking because she can. She's a free spirit, not attached to anything or anyone. Brittany pulls her from Sam and takes her to the middle of the room, where everyone is dancing to the latest plastic pop song. They're immediately against each other, bodies fully pressed, and Brittany's hand goes to the dangerous area between Santana's back and Santana's ass.
She loves when Brittany dances.
Their hips move together and Santana wraps an arm around Brittany's neck for support. The electronic beat dictates the rhythm, and Santana throws her body back a bit so Brittany can hold her. Brittany pulls her back, and all of a sudden it's too close. She can feel Brittany's breasts against her own, her breath on her neck, and they have been dancing for too long.
Brittany whispers in her ear that she shouldn't be kissing Sam. Santana remains silent. Brittany says she's a better kisser, a better everything. Santana can't disagree. Brittany's tone is commanding and pleading at the same time.
Santana can't. She looks at Brittany and hopes she understands. They stop dancing, still staring at each other. Please, Santana begs.
Puck takes his shirt off and yells body shots. Brittany takes her shirt off, too, and follows him.
03. Quinn
She tried not to care as much as she could, back then. She tried to be indifferent, unattainable, unreachable. She tried to be an impenetrable fortress of stoicism and solitude. Her family is repressed and proud, and taught her all about manners and restraint and Christianism and little about anything else.
She never had the proper space to express her feelings until Rachel.
She tries not to care at Rachel's 15th birthday party when she sees Rachel and Finn singing a duet together. They are looking at each other and smiling, and people are dancing around them. She lights up another cigar and looks away. It bothers her. Rachel gets under her skin, and she hates it. She drinks more of her beer.
She may or may not be drunk.
Someone yells body shots and suddenly Puck and Brittany are shirtless on the table. Quinn chooses to take her salt from Brittany because it is well known Puck has some kind of crush on her and she does not want anything from the boy. Rachel whispers in her ear that she should have one more. Quinn complies.
Everyone is drinking tequila like it's water.
Rachel touches Finn's stomach like it's no big deal. Quinn hears him say they should go somewhere and talk. Quinn used to date Finn. He's as subtle as a hammer. He's too tall and he's too dumb for Rachel. Finn touches her shoulder.
Quinn can see everything, hear everything. It feels like they're rubbing it in her face.
Rachel drinks her shots from Brittany's toned stomach, and Quinn smirks. Their eyes meet as Rachel licks her lips, and nothing has ever felt as commanding and entrancing as the look on Rachel's face. Quinn has a sudden urge to throw her against a wall and give her the make out session of her life.
It must be the alcohol.
Quinn can't believe it when she says it. She tells Rachel she can't believe she is falling for Finn. She tells Rachel she can do much better. She looks intently at her red cup and takes a sip and says it. Finn is gone to get Rachel a drink.
She had never imagined how feisty Rachel could be.
Rachel calls her Quinn Fabray and points a finger at her face as she starts to ramble. It's her life and she will not have anyone telling her how to live it. Quinn reacts, taking Rachel's finger off her face and saying she's sorry for wanting the best for Rachel. Rachel laughs, because who is she to say who is the best for anyone.
Quinn gives her a cold stare.
Rachel takes a step closer. She asks Quinn why is Finn not good enough. Why. Why. Why. Who is better than Finn. Who. Who. Would Quinn be better? Is. That. It?
Quinn's heart seems to skip a beat. Her mouth opens and closes, but she can't even begin to answer the atrocity Rachel is insinuating. Rachel takes another step towards Quinn and tells her to do something about it if she doesn't approve of Finn.
Quinn kisses her. It's sloppy and aggressive, at first. Rachel closes her fist around a handful of Quinn's blouse and pulls her closer. Quinn takes her to the nearest wall and the both of them moan when they collide against each other.
They break apart. The entire room is staring in disbelief.
It can't be happening. Finn is looking at them, red cup in hand, looking as dumb as ever. Puck looks hypnotized and mumbles he has never been so turned on. Brittany winks.
Quinn leaves the room.
It's cold when Quinn goes to the balcony. She needs air, she needs to breathe. She doesn't understand what is going on. She needs space. Her heart beats fast and out of control. She can still taste Rachel in her mouth, she can still feel what it feels to have Rachel flush against her skin.
She needs to sober down.
Rachel approaches her and says she is not running away from this. She won't have them kissing and then Quinn running away and never mentioning it again. Quinn takes a few steps back. She didn't know what she was thinking. It was a stupid mistake.
The hell it was. Rachel kisses her.
Rachel feels wonderful. Quinn parts her lips and Rachel takes the cue, deepening the kiss. It's soft and sweet when Rachel caresses her cheek and Quinn nips her lower lip. They exchange light kisses, then wet kisses, until they're breathless.
It feels warm.
Puck shows up by the door and asks if he can join.
04. Brittany
Sometimes Brittany feels like she's stretching in every direction in her infinite effort to please every single person around her. She's not a woman of conflict or confrontation, most of the time. She's a lover, a pleaser, the comic relief in tense moments. She's everything everyone needs her to be.
It has always been this way.
Brittany is the balance between Quinn, Rachel and Santana. She's the harmonizer that keeps them together. She senses conflict before it begins to take place, and she skillfully avoids it. Before there was Rachel, Brittany balanced the power struggle that meant befriending Quinn and Santana. There are times, however, in which conflict works for the better.
When Quinn kisses Rachel and throws her against a wall, Brittany smiles softly in a silent understanding. She's sitting on Artie's lap, wearing his glasses. People look dumbstruck by the force and the unexpectedness of it. Quinn is the bitch in charge who managed to fight back to the top after a disgraceful descent. Rachel is the protégée who would otherwise mean nothing.
People aren't very good at looking beyond appearances, she thinks.
Artie is kissing her neck, and for a moment she allows herself to wish Santana was as brave as Quinn. Quinn is a pressed lemon, sure, but she can't be called a coward. She stands up to her beliefs, she's not afraid of conflict, and she always goes after what she wants.
She's also crazy about Rachel.
If the sounds Rachel is making mean anything, she has no complaints. Oddly turned on, Brittany stands and goes get herself a beer.
Brittany is staring at her cup when Santana enters and closes the door behind her. Brittany takes a sip and stares at the ground because she doesn't know what to say and she's drunk enough to regret anything that comes out of her mouth. Santana's hand lingers on the doorknob, unsure.
Everyone witnessed Quinn and Rachel kissing and no riot is happening.
Santana closes the distance between them and kisses Brittany, holding her face between her hands. Brittany reciprocates, because Santana is everything, and their lips move against each other slow and careful. Santana says she doesn't know why people need to label things, why they can't continue to be who they are.
It's no one's business, she says.
Brittany sets her cup aside and looks at Santana. She knows Santana is stronger than that. She wishes Santana was stronger than that. She wishes Santana didn't have to sleep with Puck to prove something she has yet to understand. She doesn't know if Santana is trying to prove something to the world or to herself.
Once more and always, Brittany abides.
Someone says drinking game and everyone agrees. Brittany is still shirtless and bubbly, because drinking makes her giggly and no one is complaining about her bra. They sit in a circle, and apparently the whole purpose of the game is having people make out.
Quinn refuses, unsurprisingly. Santana refuses, and Brittany can sense the fear underlying her refusal.
The German exchange student kisses Mike and it's impressive how long they manage to keep going without breathing. Tina doesn't look satisfied, but then she's kissing the German girl too, and the gay must be taking over that party. Rachel kisses Puck and it's sloppy.
When Brittany kisses Sam, Santana interrupts with a no me gusta. Everyone thinks it's about Sam, who smiles smugly, but Brittany can feel those eyes on her, the uncontrollable and unspeakable jealousy.
If only people had a clue.
Quinn doesn't look too satisfied at the sight of Rachel kissing someone else. When the game is over, she pulls Rachel to her lap and they start kissing like there's no tomorrow. The male population can't stop staring, especially when Quinn's hands disappear and apparently someone is fighting for second base.
Brittany laughs.
The party is almost over. Besides the four of them, there must be ten other people, including the German girl sleeping on the couch. Brittany is sitting on the floor, back to the couch, trying to ignore how much the room seems to be spinning. No one is doing anything but enjoying the effects of all the beer and all the making out.
Rachel is sleeping on Quinn's lap and no riot is happening.
Santana is next to Brittany, shoulders brushing. It takes focus not to hold her hand or casually put her hand on her thigh. She can feel Santana's tension too, how she's making sure there are at least a few millimeters between their bodies, how she's turned to Puck to make conversation and ignore Brittany altogether.
Brittany says things without thinking. She can't help herself.
When she lets it slip that she can't go to Puck's party next week because the girls will go racing and Santana's face snaps in her direction and Quinn's mouth drops open as she looks at her in shock, Brittany knows she shouldn't have said that.