Chapter 4
Brittany wears an intense expression as she stares out of her windshield. It's night, and the two women are back at the park. No scratches, no bruises, and no more aged falling bodies.
"My purse is here!" Santana shrieks, finding herself back sitting in the passenger seat. "And we've got our regular clothes back!"
Brittany reaches around to the backseat and pulls out one of the many bottles of water she brought. Her mouth feels unusually dry and her head is writhing in pain. She is silent.
"-And we're still young!" Santana beams with an awkward smile. "And hot! and-"
"...I think she was real," Brittany whispers, as quiet as a mouse. "I think Sugar...was real..."
The brunette drops her excited ridden posture and turns to look at Brittany, who quietly stares out of the window. "Huh?" She turns more towards the driver's side, "No Britt, we both know none of that was real...and thank Adele is wasn't, I'm never going to get high for the rest of my days - did you see that old woman who had the nerve to look like me? No ma'am! No me gusta, if I EVER-" Santana's rambling is cut short when she sees Brittany bringing her hands up to her face.
"Ugh!" the blonde moans.
Santana reaches over the center console, "What's wrong Brittany?"
"Doesn't yours hurt?" Brittany whines, "My head feels like it's about to explode."
"It does?" the brunette caresses her fingers over pale knuckles, "I feel a little sleepy maybe, but nothing hurts. You want me to drive?"
"Ugh, yeah if you don't mind," Brittany chuckles, "but only if you promise not to do any speeding...or zigzagging." Light laughter erupts between them.
When they meet half way around the Jeep their bodies fall into each other. Brittany squeezes her hands around the Latina's neck and they stand there, for what seems like a good five minutes, neither of them saying a word.
The ride home is also in comfortable silence. Santana, who drives slowly almost as if to prolong her time with Brittany, has to go back to Louisville in the morning. The closer they get to her house the tighter she holds onto Brittany's hand, they sit like that until the car slows to a stop.
"Good," Brittany chuckles, "Your front door is still intact." She looks around the neighborhood and finds herself delighted to see light shining through some windows, and even some people walking around. She lets out a long sigh that Santana understands right away and quietly mimics to herself.
"I'll be back next week," the brunette speaks, looking deeply into unchanging blue eyes. "I'll call you everyday and...shit." She tears away from Brittany before looking down at the steering wheel.
Brittany smiles weakly, completely aware of what's happening. "I love you?"
"I love you." The words come out in one long breath as Santana nods and leans in to leave a peck, as deep as a peck can get, onto the other woman's lips before grabbing her purse and hopping out of the blue car. There is a lingering wave between them. Brittany waits until she walks inside of her house with a thumbs up gesture for 'everything is normal', before climbing over the center console. She takes a minute to breathe and waits for Santana's bedroom light to turn on. Satisfied with the results she puts her car back into drive and slowly heads home.
"-Songs..with..people talking about cars..in..them.." Mr. Schue sounds out the words as he writes them on the white board. "Alright guys now tell me, what's the first thing that comes to mind when you see a red Corvette?
"Show me the carfax!" Brittany point and yells.
"...Mike's parents bought him a Corvette for his graduation," Tina mumbles before erupting into tears. Blaine reaches over to give her a quick pat on the back.
...
"Prince!" Artie shouts, wearing a toothy grin.
"Correcto mundo!" Mr. Schue throws his hands in the air, "Now I want you all to find a son-"
"Uhhh!" Blaine pulls his arm away from Tina and strains to raise it high above him, "I have a song already! It's perfect, can I sing it?"
"Wow!" Mr. Schue beams, "Sure! Go right ahead!" He practically sprints over to empty chair. "You know...I really admire your dedication Blaine, I don't feel at all oversaturated by you, in fact...I would love it if you could saturate me more!"
...
A myriad of expressions are exchanged throughout the choir room.
Brittany shoots a look in his direction, 'Wanky?' she thought. That's what Santana would say if she were here. But she's not. Brittany rumples through her blonde curls as she leans back in her chair. She starts to go through everything that happened the day before, and relishes in the fact that she was able to share something like that with her best friend.
Best friends. They were that before they were anything else. And though she hates their current situation, she finds peace in knowing that they share a much deeper connection.
Yesterday only confirmed for Brittany what she has always known and, as the word 'soulmates' comes to mind, she props her legs upon the empty chair sitting next to her.
"Sugar!" she screams, not realizing that she just interrupted Blaine's performance; she has managed to tune him out completely.
"...Umm Britt, I'm kinda in the middle of a song here," Blaine clears his throat, ready to begin again.
"Where's Sugar!?" Brittany exclaims, touching the chair as if she only just disappeared from it.
The choir room falls silent and even the kids in the band are staring when Brittany shoots up from her chair and quickly walks to hover Mr. Schue. He is put off by the sight, flashing back to the same girl with a pair of hair clippers in her hand just weeks earlier. "...Brittany?" The older man reaches as a defense to block his tight curls, "Are you okay, what's wrong?"
Only sounds of heavy breathing can be heard as Brittany attempts to calm herself down, taking in the scene that she is causing. Blaine drops his hands to his side as a sign of defeat, and slowly walks back to his chair.
"I...uh..has anybody seen Sugar?" she stands up a little straighter, trying to compose herself.
Artie wheels up next to her side, "she's in one of my classes, but she didn't show up today," he says, looking genuinely concerned.
Brittany turns on her heels and begins to walk out of the classroom.
"Hey!" Mr. Schue calls out, "where do you think you're going?"
"...To look for Sugar."
"You can't just walk out of my class Brittany," he stands up.
"But-"
"-you can see her later, I'm sure everything is fine."
Brittany reassumes her seat and spends the entirety of gLee club biting her nails and watching the clock on the wall.
Santana wipes away the drool collecting on her chin and desk. She has unintentionally fallen asleep next to a tall stack of books and papers. Falling behind in her studies was not an option if she wanted to keep her cheer uniform, so she made a visit to the university library even though she wasn't able to sleep at all the night before. She didn't know if it was because of the long drive, Brittany, or the hallucinations, but decides that it is a combination of all three.
'Unicorn Snatcher,' she giggles into a yawn, "...No, 'The Unicorn's Snatch'."
The pile of books spill onto the floor, disrupting the silence in the library. Santana realizes she might have stretched a little too far and quickly moves under the table to retrieve her study items.
"Thanks!" the Latina whispers.
She looks up to meet the gaze of a familiar smiling face. "No problem," the redhead replies, "Are you okay?" They both rise to their feet and Santana looks behind her in confusion.
"Umm, yeah," she turns back, realizing she may have been wrong about the 'energy exchange' that she told Brittany about. This girl definitely has a lazy eye, she thought as it wandered slowly to the left...and slowly to the right.
"Cool, hope you have a good study session!" the redhead whispers back, placing the last book back on the table.
"Yeahkthanks...," Santana says quickly, trying not to stare as the other woman slams into a bookcase on the way out. She's caught in between returning to her studies and a not so quiet giggle as her phone suddenly buzzes on the table.
Sugar didn't show up at school today.
I'm about to feed LT, call me when you're not busy? -Mine
Santana sits back in her chair, wrinkling her brow in confusion. She attempts to type out a reply message but continues studying.
When reading and writing start to take its toll only moments later, Santana scoops her unfinished work inside of her backpack and heads outside. She knows what Brittany might be suggesting and she is just dying to call her and comfort the paranoia.
"Hey," a small voice comes on the line.
"Hey."
The Latina decides that she can't wait any longer and finds a small table to sit on right outside of the library.
"I'm sure Sugar is ok-"
"No one has her phone number Santana," the small voice is bigger now, "No one knows where she lives-"
"But she's been to our houses. Remember? We always hung out after Troubletones practice-"
"Don't you think it's a little weird," Brittany sighs impatiently, "There are no Motta's in the Lima phone book, I checked twice."
Santana glances up to catch sight of the redhead from earlier walking out of a tall building next to the library. Before she could tell Brittany that Sugar's absence was just a coincidence, she sees the cockeyed girl lose her footing and begin to roll down the long flight of steps.
"Oh my-"
"I know right!?" Brittany squeaks.
"-Are you okay!?" The brunette runs over to girl, now face first on hard ground.
"What happened Santana?"
"Oh, just some girl from the library, she literally just like...almost died...Hey! let me help you!" Santana helps the bruised girl to a sitting position.
"...Is this the girl you had an 'energy exchange' with?" Santana can almost hear the air quotes.
"...Yeah actually," Santana giggles, "-you good? ...And hey Britt, don't worry about Sugar, I bet she'll show up tomorrow totally fine."
"...Right," Brittany mumbles into the phone, "...and what if she doesn't show up tomorrow!? I know most of it wasn't real but, I have a feeling she's not going to come back. But you can go ahead and wrap up your girlfriend 'Tumbelina'!" Santana could hear the air quotes again. "I wanted you to call me when you weren't busy!"
*click*
Santana jerks her head back in one fluid motion and stares at her phone is disbelief. The redhead has already said she was fine, though her eyes were telling a different story, and has limped off. What just happened? She doesn't waste any time calling her back, but no answer. Santana grabs her bag and calls three more times before moving towards the residence halls. When there is still no answer she begins to tap anxiously at the screen.
Brittany..come on..I'm not busy. And she's not my grlfrnd!
But what abt you huh!? Tina told Mercedes who told me that
Sam had his arm around you...At Breadstix!
After sending the text, brown thumbs quickly draw in to type out another.
...honestly tho, it's no big deal...and I'm srry. Official or not
I know how much this hurts. It feels like nothing has actually
changed but the title. ...And for the record, that girl I helped..
she was looking at everyone and everything BUT me! lol...I
think she may have a condition, but who knows and who
cares...Anyway Britt, call me back. Please?
Santana walks into her room and sinks into her bed with the frustration in knowing how much work she still has to finish. Whatever is happening back in Lima with Brittany, she figures, will be fine by the end of the week.
No calls, no texts, and no Skype sessions.
It's Friday afternoon and Santana is only a few blocks from home but she can't help herself from stopping at Brittany's house first. When she doesn't see the blue Jeep in the driveway, the brunette decides to investigate.
"Mr. Pier-," Santana's greeting in cut off by a bear hug that only the Pierce gene can offer.
"Lopez!" the taller man shouts with glee, lifting her clear off of the ground. "I'm so happy to see you!" He hugs on tighter and Santana lets out one loud squeak before being gently set back down.
"I'm happy to see you too! Is everybody out?"
"Uhh yeah, I'm about to leave too actually...your mother-in-law is still at work," he gives her a cheeky grin, "and Brittany doesn't get home for another hour or so." Santana nods. "You can hang out here if you want?"
"I don't think Britt is too happy with me at the moment."
"Well I doubt that, she's been talking about you coming home all week," Mr. Pierce says, fumbling with his keys and moving towards his car. "I know it's hard on you guys, being so far apart from each other..."
"Yeah, I mean, we always have a way bouncing back from any problem but...this distance thing, I don't know how it's ever gonna wo-"
"It has to! You guys are my OTP!" Brittany's dad shouts, 'otp' echoing throughout the empty neighborhood.
The two share a short wave before the blond man takes off down the street.
Santana smiles as she pushes her car into drive. "I love those people so fucking much," she smirks to herself.
An hour goes by, then another, and another. Still no word from Brittany. Santana wants to call her house and check again, but decides to send a text instead.
Hey Britt, you at home?
Surprisingly the phone buzzes only after a minute but the brunette's delighted expression falters when she reads the words on the screen.
No. ...I'm about to search for Sugar...I told you
she wouldn't show up, no one has seen her all week! -Mine
Santana gasps.
No! Don't eat those damn cookies when you're alone!
Where are you!? The park?
The phone buzzes twice.
I'm not at the park Santana, don't try to come and find me,
I'll be fine.
...
It's totally safe, and have you made it back home yet? I
do really want to see yasdfsdflkjtjlkjtljklktoi-odfnoill;;;;;;;;;;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; -Mine
"What the fuck!?" Santana thinks out loud. She tries to call back but gets voice mail for the umpteenth time. Suddenly, a rush of paranoia hits her in the face as she thinks about all the possible things that could happen to a gorgeous girl like her in the middle of nowhere. Grabbing her keys, Santana reaches for her purse but ends up dropping it and all of its contents out on her bedroom floor. Quickly picking up everything one by one, she notices a chunk of cookie wedged in between her coin purse. "Ugh, I thought I cleaned out everything!"
The Latina slowly picks up her purse and tosses her keys inside it. She raises the small piece of snack to eye-level and reluctantly, she bites down hard.
"Just great," she groans into another bite, "It's-"
...
Santana shakes her head lightly, feeling a bit disoriented. "Just great," she makes her way over to her bed. "...Just great...It's...fucking stale now..."
...
"I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!"
Santana props herself upright at the sound.
"She didn't believe me, but I knew it!"
'Brittany?' Santana thought, searching around her room. "Hello!?" The lights are all off as she makes her way over to her window. There seems to be some sort of power outage throughout the neighborhood. It's dark outside. Eerily dark.
"I don't understand though," Santana could hear Brittany's voice again, loud and clear."Why are you here?"
"Brittany!" Santana screams again, finally realizing what is actually going on. She races down her staircase and looks about her empty house for the blonde, but no one is there.
"Okay...that still doesn't explain how you actually got here though," Brittany's voice is heard again, and it gives Santana a surge of courage to slowly open her front door. The voice suddenly get louder as she cautiously makes her way down the open street. Attempting to follow the voice, Santana starts to run, hoping find her way back to Brittany.