Chapter 2

It was now Monday the start of a new week, and changes where already apparent to Rachel she was used to her routine. She normally did not like change but this one was welcomed. She didn't notice it at six am when she woke up to start her morning exercises. She didn't notice it as she drove to school at seven forty five. She only noticed it when she arrived at the parking lot.

"Great" she sighed to herself "what's going on now?"

Thinking back to the year before it had been the exact same thing when she had transferred into McKinley High School. People stopped and stared at her car as she pulled up whispers followed her as she stepped out and headed toward the entrance to the building, just as they were again, with her head held high just as she had been taught she entered and headed to her locker. Quickly entering her combination and taking her books out she looked down at her watch. It had been eight minutes since she had arrived. Normally she would be covered in shushy by now. It should have happened three minutes ago. Her eyes left her wrist and scanned the hallway trying to see if the usual suspects were approaching. Rachel spotted Karofsky walking towards her iced drink in hand.

Closing her eyes she braced for impact, her whole body tense counting down in her head she waited a minute passed and still nothing opening her eyes a shade she peaked out what she saw though shocked her. Standing in front of her was the person she least expected in to be. As well the girl hated her. She knew that her personality annoyed some people, well the one that she showed around the school anyway but she never understood why this particular girl despised her. It baffled her to no end. Before transferring to this school she had enrolled herself into the top boarding school in the country. She had not been miss popularity but she had never been an outright target for the more popular teens either.

It had been perfect at St Alexandria's she was hiding in plain sight. She knew they wouldn't be looking for her there. They would however look at top hotels, less conspicuous places of learning, somewhere that she could blend into the background and nobody would know who she really was. That had all changed now however now she was in a place that was perfect for hiding but hell for her. All because of the girl that stood in front of her. She was the girl that started the masses off and now she stood before her arms crossed in her famous stance glaring at the jock with the coloured drink in his hand.

"Back off Karofsky now. I thought I told you before that she was off limits, or are you really that stupid?"

That explained the stares and whispers that seemed to follow Rachel that morning and now looking around she noticed that she was in the middle of a situation that was gathering a lot of attention. One more sweep of the eyes and she saw that she might be able to slip away. Chancing a last glance at the two students in front of her she saw that they were having a stare down, well if you could call it that more like a glare down Rachel thought fleetingly. Stepping to the side and trying to be as quiet as possible she started down the hall intent on reaching her first class as inconspicuously as possible. Not wanting to draw any more attention to herself she noticed people starting to disburse and thought that it was the best time to get the hell out of dodge.

Though sometimes, Rachel had discovered, it is not the best idea to try to get away from your saviour. This came in the form of her being caught lifted and carried back to the one place that she really did not want to be. In front of the one person she least expected to come to her rescue and by one of said rescuers best friends at that. It was ironic she supposed that the one person that most of the time told her to leave her alone, well in so many word any way would be the first person to come to her aid. Yet what shocked her most as she looked to into the other girl's eyes was the softer expression that looked so natural there, opposed to the hard glare that was a near permanent fixture on her beautiful. Yes defiantly beautiful it had crossed Rachel's mind more than once, she was in no way against the idea of same sex attraction, she was after all living with two gay men at the moment, and well she had admitted to herself that she was attracted to the alluring teenager. Now is not the time to be thinking about how good she looks Rachel, but she does look good well actually great but I have to stop I don't know what she wants and this could be her setting me up for a fall. No got to stop thinking like that she did save me from having to change again, but why would she do that, she has got to want something from me. No got to discontinue that line of thought but still... shaking herself from her thoughts at the sound of the girl in question.

"Rachel, Rachel. B I think she broken what happened?"

"I dunno I just did what you said, 'if she tries to get away bring her back' so here she is. Can we be friends with her now?"

"Yeah Britt you can be friends with Ber-Rachel now."

"Yay" the truth was that Brittney had never had a problem with the smaller brunette she just went along with what her two best friends. Now that she didn't have to be mean to her any more meant that she was finally getting what she wanted which in turn caused her to scoop the diva into a hug, subsequently it was the hug that snapped Rachel back into reality

"Brittney could you please let me go now?"

"Oh yeah sure. Isn't this cool Rachel we're friends now." Not waiting for the shorter girl to answer she continued "you're really huggable, like a big teddy bear. I can hug you like all the time now. Yay"

"Sure Brittney that is wonderful and you are right you do give proficiently masterful hugs" turning to face the now smirking girl next to her fully prepared to question the other brunette she faltered "S-Santana"

"Rachel" Santana started leaning closer to the person of her affections, it wasn't part of her plan to help the girl before her when she had come into school that morning, just stop the attacks on Rachel, but all that had changed when she had seen Karofsky walking towards her with a plastic cup telling Brittney what to do before she rushed to her aid. "You do know that when someone helps you out its only polite to thank them don't you?"

"Y-yes t-thank you so much Santana it was very chivalrous of you too come to my assistance this morning. What can I help you with this morning?"

"You're welcome, and you can help be by letting me walk you too class. Come on B lets go" Not giving the girl a chance to back out she grabbed Rachel's hand and started to tug her along, trying to ignore the tingles that she felt as their skin connected.

"San, did I do good?"

"Yeah B you did good."

Rachel meanwhile was still trying to work out what the Latina was doing, as she walked down the corridor hand still encased in Santana's. Her heart was racing, since she had first met the feisty girl beside her, she had never been so close to her and never imagined that she would be either. Yet there she was being escorted down the hallway by the one person that had made it her job to hate and ignore her since she had transferred to McKinley.

"Here we are, I believe that this is your stop my lady" Santana gushed with a deep bow, keeping Rachel's hand in hers she pressed a kiss to her knuckles, intending to keep up the knightly job that she had promised herself to.

"Um thank you Santana. That was very kind of you." Rachel blushed scarlet, though she was embarrassed somewhat by the very public gesture, it had touched a part of Rachel that she had kept hidden for the last few years. There were very few people that knew the real Rachel, the one where she did not have to hide. Those who knew the real her were far away and Rachel needed to keep it that way. "I err have to get going. To umm I mean into the classroom as I am now late and I am never late. If you'll excuse me I have to..." she gestured to the door "see you Santana" With a small wave of her hand Santana was on her way, Brittney alongside her.

Slipping into her seat Rachel sighed thinking about what had just happened, about Santana and about her past. She thought about the changes in the way Santana and Brittney where acting towards her, and she thought about the change that took her away from her family.