Disclaimer: I do not own Glee.

A/N: Sorry this took longer to post. It was Quinntana week. I felt the need to sit back, relax and read. Life is good.


Round Two. Fight.


I didn't even know how I reached the Lopez' front gate which is surprisingly not intimidating at all. When we were on our way to the Changs, I was too busy pretending to be calm and composed that I neglected to enjoy the scenery outside of the car. I didn't have time to scour the premises.

It's just like your average picket fence gate, a continuation of the length of the fence on the Chang's side of the land. On the inner side of the front white fence rests a hefty width hedge completely blocking the view of the front lawn, which is actually amazing considering that I can see the lawn fairly well on the side. Lavender thunbergia vines creep all over the hedge, accentuating and giving it a romanticized caption of the whole front face of the property.

I'm also well aware that I'm paying extra attention to the freaking fence and hedge here because if I don't, I'll faint.

And it helped. Sure, round one goes to Miss Lopez. I was unprepared and I was almost knocked over. Almost.

God, I'm oozing with positivity.


I wanted to wonder where my 'good friends' are. I really wanted to. But then she came in view. And… what was I thinking about?


"I'm sorry that took long."

What took long?

The confusion must've been stamped on my face because I heard her say "Me, getting to you. Come in."

"Uh, thanks."

I wasn't surprised that she just let me in. And that we didn't even do the usual 'By the way, I'm blah blah and you are?' I was surprised when she grasped my hand and led me further inside their property.

I cleared my throat to get her attention, not because I'm planning on reprimanding her for the sudden invasion of my personal bubble for the second time (not that I mind), but because I cannot make the same mistake twice by not remembering that she has a non-chihuahua dog named Pixie.

She didn't seem to hear me so she continued onwards, tugging me along. I decided to stop in place to get her attention… which I regretted since she's facing me now, and my wrist is now dateless.

"I – uh. " Goodness, you can do this! "I think your dog has it." I think? I THINK? God, I saw her throw the ball over her shoulder and ordered her dog to sic it! We both know her dog has it!

"How can you be so sure?" She asked with an innocent Girl Scout smile. And now it's a multiple choice for me. I either: A, bluntly recount what happened earlier (well, the part where I'm not dazed) or B, ride with it.

Her smiled grew into a sassy smirk and well… B it is.

"Well, I heard it bark so I'm thinking maybe your dog has my ball." Wow. Maybe closing my eyes won't make me too flushed. "I mean, my ball, soccer ball, your dog and my ball." She's giggling and I swear I'll stop hanging out with Puck. "I - ," Deep breathe. "Your dog may have seen the soccer ball." I opened my eyes and finished slowly and man, I have to wash my brain sometime.

She looked at me and took my hand again.

"Since you think my dog may have found your… soccer ball, " I cannot believe she winked. "… then let's go look for my dog."

No, no dog. Abort. Abort.

"What? No. I mean, I can't go wondering around your la – "

"That's why we're doing it together." She raised her brow and gestured towards her hand grasping mine.

This can't be good, I've seen Pixie and trembled way too much for one day.

"No, really. I, you know what? Never mind, it's just a soccer ball." I'm beginning to get back that confidence I lost back at the 'fence debacle', and I actually smiled at her.

She looked at me intently, and then mirrored the smile I was sporting, which is now turning into confusion. I saw her place her middle finger and thumb gently above her lower lip, then whistled.

Oh hell no.

"If you don't want to come look for my dog, I figured I'd let my dog come to us." She's smiling and she's so oblivious that although yes I'm nervous because of her, I'm also nervous because of Pixie.

I braced myself and instinctively closed the little space we had separating us, shame be damned. I latched onto her arm and at this point I don't care that I look so uncool. She looked at me searchingly and I just had to save the littlest pride I have in me by not voicing out what's so obvious.

She was about to say something, but her dog beat her to it as it came running from the back, torn soccer ball in its mouth.

Before the dog could reach her side, in effect reaching me as well, she turned her body towards the dog placing me slightly behind her. My left hand is still holding onto her right arm so her angle is a bit off, with her body half facing away from me.

"Stop. Stay."

My eyes are focused on Pixie and I know it's slightly paying attention to me but Santana demanded the dog's attention and it complied fully. It's then that I released the breath I didn't know I was holding.

I feel her turn again towards me and gently rubbed my arm.

"You okay? She won't hurt you, so you'll be fine. Trust me."

I'm so confused. Her eyes one minute are flirtatious and distracting and then another, their full of concern and –

I remember she's still waiting for me to answer, or acknowledge. And I know the dog is waiting for Santana to give another set of command or whatever.

My inability to form words just made me nod slowly and gulp. She's still looking at me with that inexplicable sincerity and I had to smile at that.

Her smile returns and her eyes sparkle back to flirtatious and the shift almost threw me.

"Looks like you're right." She was saying. "My dog did see your ball." I grimaced as I fully take in what happened to the soccer ball that was once a ball. Now it's a pancake.

She touched my hand and I realized I was still holding onto her for dear life. "I'm sorry, I'll pay you for it."

What?

She chuckled and tapped my nose. It felt so… natural.

"You are so distracted. Your soccer ball, I'll pay for it, since my dog raped it."

Oh.

"Oh, uhm. It's no biggie." I clear my throat and once I'm sure the dog isn't going anywhere unless Santana says so, I stepped away from her a bit.

The close proximity and touching and lack of normal flow of introduction is getting to me.

She was about to say something again but I think I've had enough for the day. I can't salvage what's left of this meeting.

"Thanks. I better go." I thanked Sue Sylvester for training me to do pivots like a whiplash. I have to hurry or else –

"Wait!"

Am I remote-controlled or what?

I felt her hand grasped mine again. We've held hands today for the third time. But who's counting?

"Why don't you come in for a sec? I mean, my dog tore your ball and I'm sure it's not 'no biggie'."

"No, really it's okay." I don't really play soccer, it's just a ploy to meet you actually. A meeting that took half my dignity and a lot of my composure perfected over the years. Argh.

She tugged at me with a smile.

"You sure?

"Positive." I smiled again at her, discreetly trying to pull my hand from her grasp. "I mean, it's not your dog's fault."

I was so sure that really did it and I'm free to go so I turned and tried to walk away. But her hand still held mine and it tightened.

"Well, your ball did trespass."

Huh? I turned again to look at her.

"Sorry, come again?"

She smirked and it was just like earlier where she seemed to know what I was up to and she's playing me like a fiddler.

"If you guys didn't play so hard, the ball wouldn't have crossed fence." I paled at that. It didn't cross the fence in all actuality and she knows it.

"Come to think of it, your ball could've hit me. I could have gotten hurt!" Her faux frown is too cute but I'm so baffled that I didn't have time to admire it fully.

"Or worse…" she tugged at me harder this time and I almost bumped into her. I felt her other hand grab the loose end of my sweatshirt. "…you could've hurt Pixie." Her voice was too low and raspy to be actually worried.

We both know the ball didn't get kicked to reach her lawn. But I know she busted us that we wanted the ball to reach their lawn no thanks to my incredible sense of concentration.

Is she blackmailing me?

"Are you blackmailing me?" Okay, my brain to mouth filter isn't working right now. Sue me.

Thankfully she laughed. And winked.

And began walking towards her house.

With me in tow.

She turned to her dog and motioned for it to follow which it did and now it's trailing behind me. With the pancake ball.

"We have a whole day to talk about the incident, right?"

I'm trapped.


A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read this story. I appreciate the faves and the story alert.