"When do you usually work out?"

Santana tore her gaze away from Brittany in her bikini long enough to answer Quinn. "Every other day."

Quinn sighed. "What time during the day? Not how often."

With some difficulty, Santana kept her gaze fixed on Quinn. "Evenings. And you already know this information. We used to work out together. Or have all of your non-Rachel related memories disappeared?"

"Funny. Very funny. I think we should start working out together again."

"Why? Are you planning on re-joining the Cheerios?"

"I haven't made up my mind yet."

Santana was suddenly suspicious. "Does this have something to do with Rachel?"

"I'm not working out to impress Rachel, if that's what you mean. I just think it would be nice if we started jogging together again."

"Jogging? You said working out."

"Jogging is a form of working out. Running is a great way to exercise."

Santana leaned closer to Quinn. Her forehead was almost touching Quinn's. "What's with the motivational speech? I swear to you, Fabray, if this is about Rachel…"

Quinn interrupted her. "Rachel jogs in the mornings. We'd be going in the evenings."

Santana sat back but refused to look away from Quinn. She barely blinked. "Okay, first, don't ever tell me how you know Rachel's jogging schedule. You're starting to creep me out. Do you follow her around? Wait! Don't answer that."

Quinn's face lit up with that annoying "I love all things Rachel Berry" grin. "I saw her one morning when I was on my way to church. I wasn't stalking her. She looks cute when she runs."

There were not enough eye rolls in the world. "Is there a thing in all of the land that Rachel could do that you wouldn't find cute?"

Quinn pouted. "I don't like it when she ignores me. That's not cute."

Santana sighed and repositioned herself in the lounge chair. "That, sweetheart, was something to consider before you ambushed her with a kiss."

"She kissed me back!"

"Let's not start that again. I'll go running with you…as long as you don't mention Rachel."

Quinn folded her arms across her chest. "Fine. Deal."

Santana came close to laughing at Quinn. She looked so incredibly ridiculous. Quinn was scowling like a small child who can't have her way. Santana returned her attention to Brittany. And, thankfully, no one mentioned Rachel for the rest of the afternoon.

(Break)

Santana was ready to admit that she was more out of shape than she could've imagined. She paused to catch her breath after only running two and a half miles. When was the last time she went jogging? She could usually run four miles with no problem. Maybe Quinn was on to something with her whole "running is a great way to exercise" shtick.

Quinn turned back and trotted over to Santana. "Need a break, Lopez? I can always go on by myself."

Santana opened her mouth to reply when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rachel Berry walking briskly in their direction. Fuck it all! She should've known Quinn was lying!

Santana nodded in Rachel's direction. "Don't look now, Quinn, but here comes your chosen one."

Quinn whipped around and Santana lunged at the opportunity. She was going to teach Quinn a lesson if it damn near killed her. Right as Quinn went to wave at Rachel, Santana pulled the blonde to her. And then she kissed her. Hard.

Santana kept her eyes glued on Rachel in order to gauge the girl's reaction. Rachel stopped short right in front of the two girls. As soon as Rachel's jaw snapped open and her eyes widened, Santana broke the kiss. But she kept her body flush against Quinn's.

Santana plastered her best fake smile on her face. "Why, Rachel, it's so nice to see you."

Quinn kept darting her eyes between Santana and Rachel. Her mouth was opening and closing like she couldn't take in enough air. For her part, Rachel stared at Quinn as if Santana wasn't even there.

Santana took advantage of Quinn's confusion and Rachel's silence to kiss Quinn on the cheek. She tried her best to make the gesture seem as loving and affectionate as possible.

She prided herself on her quick response. Given time, she most likely could not have thought of anything to even remotely top this gem. There was no better way to punish Quinn than to make Rachel think that Santana and Quinn were somehow an item. It might not bother Rachel, but it would go a long way in upsetting Quinn. The whole thing was brilliant!

Santana leaned further into Quinn and sneered at Rachel. She wrapped her arm securely around Quinn's waist, despite the sudden squirming fit that overtook Quinn.

Rachel finally looked at Santana. "Does Brittany know?"

"Brittany was the one that got us together." Santana pulled a fidgeting and clearly uncomfortable Quinn even closer. She smiled sweetly at Rachel.

Quinn lurched away from her and moved as if to grab Rachel. The brunette put up a hand to stop Quinn. The blonde pointed at Santana and said, "She's lying! I like you! You kissed me back!"

Santana wanted to slap Quinn. The girl desperately needed new ways to communicate. She glanced at Rachel and was surprised to find the girl staring at her with a mixture of anger and hurt on her face. Santana's bravado faltered.

Rachel's gaze was almost too intense. "Are you lying?"

Santana thought about lying to cover her lie. "Er…yes. I guess." She felt her face grow red.

"So…why did you kiss Quinn?"

Santana shrugged and took another plunge. Lies begetting lies and all that. "Quinn asked me to kiss her. She's really into kissing girls."

Quinn gasped. "Santana! I do not like to kiss girls! Well, I mean, other than Rachel. I enjoy kissing Rachel."

Rachel stomped her foot on the ground. Santana flinched. Rachel grabbed her by the shirt collar and jerked her forward. Santana wasn't sure where this was going, but she was certain she wasn't going to like the destination.

And she was correct.

Rachel smashed her lips against Santana's. One word echoed inside Santana's mind: Brittany! How would she explain this to Brittany?

But she should've been more worried about Quinn. The blonde roughly pushed Santana away from Rachel and very nearly growled. "How dare you kiss Rachel!"

Santana was dumbstruck. All she could manage was to point her finger at Rachel in silent accusation.

Rachel scowled at Santana before walking away. When she was still within earshot, Rachel said, "Next time either of you attempt to con me, try harder. I'm ready for you both. You'll not take down glee club so long as I'm in the group."

Santana glanced at Rachel's retreating form. "I don't know why she is so hung up on glee club. It's not like I'd actually waste my time trying to destroy it now that coach isn't harassing us."

Quinn listlessly kicked at a pile of leaves. "She's hung up on it because it's important to her, Santana. She sees glee as her escape: From bullies, from her friends treating her badly, from life in Podunk, Ohio, from, well, everything that upsets her."

Santana watched as Quinn paced back and forth. "Quinn, you're driving yourself crazy over Rachel. You know she thinks of you as one of those bad things in life that she wants to escape, right?"

Quinn lowered her head. "I'm aware of that, yes."

"And it's obvious that no amount of begging is going to make her change her mind. You've tried! Nothing worked!"

Quinn picked up a tree branch and hurled it toward the lake. "You still shouldn't have lied to her!"

"Oh, and you're suddenly the paragon of honesty and virtue? I call bullshit. You told me Rachel ran in the mornings."

Quinn blushed. "That's right. And she speed-walks in the evenings, which is, technically, not running."

Santana was almost impressed by Quinn's duplicity. "While I admire your technique, Quinn, you lied to me by way of omission. It seemed only fair that I lie to Rachel about us being together. What better way to get at you?"

And with that, Quinn stalked away from Santana without so much as a goodbye.

Santana shouted out to her, "I don't care if you're mad at me. I'm still going to use your pool."

Since Quinn made no response, Santana considered that as Quinn's way of silently agreeing with her. She wasn't about to give up the pool for the rest of the summer. No way.

(Break)

"San, I'm hungry. Will you order me a pizza?"

Santana marked her place in the novel she was reading and reached for her phone. She was eager to fulfill any request – however small – that Brittany asked of her. She'd told Brittany that Rachel kissed her, but Brittany hadn't seemed surprised or upset. She'd simply shrugged her shoulders and asked if Rachel was a good kisser. Still, Santana couldn't be too careful. Maybe Brittany was testing her. Regardless, if she could make something happen for Brittany, she'd do it.

Trouble was, she couldn't find her phone. But Quinn's was within grabbing distance. Santana glanced toward Quinn's house. The blonde was still inside helping her mother pack for a weekend trip. Quinn, too, was acting as if everything were hunky-dory. When Santana and Brittany arrived at her house the day after the encounter with Rachel in the park, she'd led them to the pool and sat down in the chair beside the one Santana always claimed as her own. Quinn didn't act out even once. The morning had passed peacefully enough.

Santana picked up Quinn's phone and hesitated before dialing. A sudden feeling of unease crept through her. Quickly, she checked Quinn's recent calls list. And there it was: Exactly what she thought she'd find. The last four calls dialed-out were to the same number. Rachel Berry's number.

Santana ordered the pizza. And waited. Quinn finally came back outside. Santana held up Quinn's phone. "I ordered us a pizza. I hope you don't mind that I used your phone."

Santana was aware that Quinn had a tell: She blinked rapidly and averted her gaze to just past the person talking to her. Quinn was doing it right now.

"I don't care. Feel free to use my phone. But thanks for letting me know."

"I wouldn't keep something like that from you."

"It's not a big deal, Santana."

She removed her sunglasses and smirked at Quinn. "True. I mean, if I'd used your phone to call, say, Rachel…and if I did so four times in a row…now that would be important."

Quinn plopped down in her chair and ran her fingers through her hair. "I wanted to apologize to her. For our behavior in the park. I kept getting her voicemail."

Santana closed her eyes. "How many messages did you leave?"

"Four." That was precisely what Santana didn't want to hear: Four calls. Four separate voicemails.

Opening her eyes, Santana saw Quinn swat at a bee flying too close to the blonde's face. Quinn grazed her own nose and winced. And Santana's face lit up. Of course! Quinn's nose! If Quinn thought Rachel had hurt her nose, she was in for a rude awakening.

Santana reached over and bopped Quinn lightly on the nose.

"Ouch, careful, my nose still hurts."

Santana laughed. "I bet. But, my dearest, dearest friend, you should've thought of that before calling Rachel. Four…fucking…times."

Quinn eyed her carefully. Santana tapped Quinn's nose a second time.

"Honestly, Santana, quit it!"

Santana faux frowned in concentration. "I can't decide if you'd look better with a stud or a hoop. I think I'll let Brittany decide…"

AN: Let me know if you like the direction this story is taking. Or if you'd rather me change it up. I only have two (maybe three) chapters to go. Thanks for reading, etc.