CHAPTER 6
It turns out that my luck is still as shitty as ever. About the only time I'm guaranteed to see Brittany is when she's watering her plants which doesn't do me any good because that's the busiest time of my day. Then when I do find the time to try and see her, she's never there. It's always, you just missed her, she's on a delivery, she's out to lunch, she's off today, etc and I'm running out of excuses to use to visit; I can only have so many family members with birthdays so close together. I walk across the street feeling so hopeful, but end up walking back feeling like something's missing. It's like playing a game with fate or some higher power or whatever and I'm not really doing too hot at the moment.
Then again…
"Hey."
It's barely seven in the morning and I'm standing in line at the coffee shop as usual when I hear the voice come from behind me. It's early, I'm tired, and I'm cranky; I don't really feel like chatting with anyone just yet, but the cheerfulness of their tone, the familiarity, has me changing my mind.
I spin around, already feeling less grouchy, to find Brittany there with her blue eyes bright and her pretty blonde hair piled atop her head in a messy bun. She's standing there all smiles and sunshine and it still has me wondering how she's even like that this early in the morning. It's cute though so I'm not complaining; it's actually a little refreshing to know someone who starts their day off so positive.
It's been days since the coffee incident and I've been weirdly anxious about talking to her again, but lately I feel like I'd have better luck seeing a unicorn than running into Brittany. Since the last time we talked, I've wanted to ask her why she couldn't accept my apology but buy Quinn and I coffee, be a complete jerk at dinner with Sugar and Sam but act so sweet now, and I'm sure there's more but I just can't really concentrate when she's staring at me like she's waiting for me to talk.
My cheeks flush when I remember that normal people say something when they're greeted and I swear her grin widens at the fact that she caught me off guard.
"Oh, hi." I manage to say around a smile, attempting to play it off. It doesn't work and I begin to turn back around, embarrassed because that wasn't smooth at all but she's already trying to continue the conversation.
"So is this place like your hangout?" She asks casually, her eyes darting from the menu hung up behind the counter down to me. She's got this quizzical look on her face mixed with something else I can't really describe and it's sort of hypnotizing in a way.
"No? Why do you ask that?" I chuckle awkwardly but she just shrugs as she crosses her arms.
"It just seems like this is the only place where I can actually see you." Suddenly, I feel like I'm floating. It might've been the way she said it, how there's was what sounded to be a little sadness in her tone voice or how her lips twitched at a frown, but it made my whole chest fill with warmth.
"Oh, so you're stalking me now?" I tease hoping to calm my nerves but it's her little giggle that has me relaxing the most.
"Don't flatter yourself," She grins with the shake of her head though her cheeks pink then glances back up at the menu. My eyes can't help but to revel in the expanse of her neck while my brain ponders how soft her skin could be beneath my fingertips until she's looking at me again.
"What?" I ask because for a second, I swear everything blurs, but she just smiles again and shakes her head.
"I didn't say anything."
I nod and move to turn back around when curiosity strikes and has me turning around again, "Are you usually up this early? I don't see you come here often."
"Ah, who's the stalker now?" She winks and I would've swooned if it weren't for my cheeks flushing. She lifts a shoulder indifferently though like she didn't even notice before speaking again, "Inventory," She sighs as she wrinkles her nose cutely, "I have to get up super early if I want to finish in time."
"You have inventory every week?" I ask and she glances to me with her brow raised.
"No?"
"Oh, it's just that you were up around this time a few days ago too." I reply, "I thought it was a thing."
Her smile morphs into a mischievous half-smirk, enough that dimples form at the corners of her mouth and her cheeks turn a little rosy, before she's bouncing her shoulders again, "Nope, that time it was just luck."
I smile at her in that where have you been all my life kind of way before toning it down a notch because I don't want to come off like a creep. It's not like it would matter either way though, Brittany didn't notice any of it because she's more concerned with scanning the giant menu with that confused look on her face again.
When her brow wrinkles a little, I decide to step in.
"You look like you're having trouble.."
Brittany pinches her lips to the side like she's about to go into some deep though, "All the options overwhelm me..there's just so many to pick from!" The way she speaks is like choosing what to order is the hardest thing she's done all day and sure it's still early so there's not much in competition but I find myself trying to stifle a laugh anyway. That seems to catch her attention and she starts to narrow her eyes on me, trying to keep her face all serious but her lips a struggling to fight off a grin, "You laughing at me, huh?"
"No, no of course not!" I chuckle though I totally am, "Here, I'll help you. Do you like caramel?"
Her smile finally breaks through again and her eyes linger on mine a little too long before she looks away and bounces excitedly on the tips of her toes, "Duh."
XXXX
"So.." I breathe out as Brittany and I begin our walk towards our shops, "You like being a florist?"
I watch her slowly take a sip of her coffee as she tucks her free hand into the crook of her arm, "Yeah, it's nice." She looks to me and smiles a little, "It's calming. How about you? Do you like being a baker?"
"It wasn't really my first choice, but yeah." I answer truthfully, surprised by how easy it is to speak so around the blonde.
"What was?" She ponders and then ducks her head like she's genuinely interested which is something I'm definitely not used to.
"I come from a family of doctors, so take a guess."
"Hmm, professional stunt woman?" She actually guesses and I would've believed her serious tone if I hadn't glanced over to see her lip twitch at a smirk, "They'll never be out of a job with you around."
I laugh heartedly at that, also something I never do first thing in the morning, and almost spill my coffee on myself this time, "Oh, so you're saying I'd be a sucky stunt woman?"
"I didn't say that," She teases and bumps me a little with her shoulder, "You've got to make mistakes too, there's no way you're that perfect."
"I don't know," I joke feigning cockiness, "I'm pretty perfect."
"Yeah," She breathes out around a smile and I think that's my favorite one I've seen all morning.
Not that I'm counting smiles or anything, it's just an observation.
"Well, time for work." She nods, breaking me from my wandering thoughts, then waves as she heads toward her door, "Have a good day!"
"Yeah, you too." I reply happily because what other kind of day could I possibly have with a start like this, "Have fun with inventory!"
"I'll try." She winks and turns to start unlocking the shop door while I go and do the same. If every morning could start off like this one has, I wouldn't mind waking up so early. I might even ditch the coffee because Brittany's presence alone has my body buzzing.
XXXX
"Woah, what's got you in such a good mood?" Quinn teases as she walks in with her brow quirked at me in that analytical way.
"What?" I ask because I really don't see a difference.
"Is that-" She looks towards the speakers in the ceiling then back to me with a smirk, "Are you playing The Supremes?
"Huh?"
"Don't huh me," She laughs as You Can't Hurry Love blares in the background, "You are!"
"What's wrong with The Supremes?" I grumble as I focus my eyes on the cake I'm frosting, "That's your go-to jam for drunken karaoke!"
"Yeah.." Quinn replies, "And it's your go-to jam for when you're lady lovin'."
"What?!" I gasp and look up from the cake to see Quinn triumphantly smiling, "No it's not-I-I'm not even.."
"Not yet anyway," She teased as she disappears into the office to put away her things.
"Oh fuck you, it's just Pandora! It's not like I'm playing it on purpose.." I call after her, but the way she cracks up laughing just says that my comeback was completely weak. I feel my entire face heat up but can't help but to glance up and look right through the bay window and see straight across the street to where the source of my good mood busies herself with inventory and smile.
XXXX
And just how it was before, my luck changes just as fast. It's like when I really want something to happen, it never does, and when I don't want something to happen, it does. I don't know what I did to piss off the universe or whatever, but I probably didn't do it on purpose. Well, I guess it depends on what day it is, I do a lot of things on purpose. But this? This is just plain rude.
It's going on a week since I'd last seen Brittany and I would be lying if I said my days weren't as bright as they should be. There's just something about the blonde that I can't help but crave and it scares me because we've had a decent conversation like maybe once..ever. How could someone get so drawn to a person working off just looks.
I guess that's kind of how crushes develop.
I, Santana Lopez, don't do crushes. I am the crushee not the crusher, or something like that. People are supposed to have crushes on me, not the other way around. What kind of control do I have if it's the other way around? None. I'm already watching the girl water her plants just because that's the only time I can see her, what's next? Getting all giggly when she says my name, or even looks at me?
Hell no. I'd be like putty in her hands and what good would that do me aside from being cradled in her warm hands, probably amazingly soft hands? Fuck! See, it's that kind of shit that gets you in trouble and I don't need trouble.
I need milk.
But seriously, how is it that milk is never near the front of the store? Aside from eggs and bread, milk is the most common thing people want to just run in and get but you have to walk all the way through just to find it! I just got off work; I don't feel like running a marathon just to find some milk. But..I need it for cookies.
I'm still dressed in my chef coat, which happens to be covered in frosting, and it's drawing attention like I'm wearing damn footie pajamas at walmart and it's creeping me out. I try to stick to my mission of just finding the milk, glancing down each aisle to see if there are fridges or something on the other end, in attempt to not accidentally make eye contact with anyone.
It's not until I pass the baking section, I assume it's the baking section because of all the cake mix boxes, that I find myself stopping in my tracks and doing a double take. There, standing just in front of the different types of flour, about half way down the aisle, is the last person I expected to see: Brittany. She's dressed in these faded grey sweat pants and what looked to be a black MIT t-shirt, her hair is tied up in a ponytail and she's tapping at her chin with her forefinger as she stares hard at the shelves.
Honestly, I thought about just leaving her be to go find my milk because I look a complete mess and that's no way to look when talking to the blonde but my legs are taking me in her direction anyway.
"Hey." I greet once I walked close enough. She turns to give me what looked to be the beginning of a too polite smile but then it quickly changed into something even bigger.
"Hi!" She chirps happily then glances down at my attire, "You just get off?"
"Yeah.." I blush, trying to dust off dried frosting like it'll help make me look any less of a wreck, "Is it that noticeable? I'm sure I look a mess."
"Nope, I just see a hardworking woman," She shrugs causally and swings her hand basket from side to side and suddenly I don't feel so embarrassed.
I find myself stumbling on what to say to that so instead I just glance down at her basket, "Looks like ingredients for a cake." I comment as begin to smirk, "You telling me on top of being an amazing florist, you're a baker too?"
"Oh no, definitely no!" She laughs and looks to her basket before replying, "Recipes confuse me and my momma still gets a little nervous when I'm around the oven. They sent me out for last minute things, as you can tell.." She jokes and sweeps her hand down her body, motioning at her outfit.
"Oh, I don't want to hold you up!" I ramble out, nervous that stopping her was keeping her from making this just a quick trip to the store.
"No wait!" I interrupts quickly then takes a step back that she didn't realize she took in the first place as her voice turns shy, "Maybe you could help me, you know, since you know about baking?"
"Yeah, sure! Though I'm telling you right now, I'm not giving away any of my secret recipes."
"Of course not," Brittany giggles then motions to the flour, "So apparently, I always bring home the wrong kind of flour. I didn't even know there was a difference, but momma says her cobbler turns out different when I get the wrong kind. She usually writes it down on the list," She says as she pulls out the creased piece of paper, "But I think she forgot this time and I left my phone at home. So-uhm-do you know which would be best?"
I find myself grinning at Brittany's serious demeanor as she analyzes each and every flour pack; she's just adorable when she's focusing on something so hard like that. I pull myself together and join her in looking at the selection, "So, cobbler you said?"
"Yup!" Brittany answers, "Momma makes the best peach cobbler..no offense."
"None taken," I chuckle as I move to crouch down to the lower level of shelving for a better look at what they have, "I never did master cobbler. The filling throws me off, but I'm pretty good with a pie crust!" Once I've found what I think works best, I go ahead and grab it, "This should work fine."
"Yeah? Okay, cool!" Brittany grins and holds up her basket for me to drop in the flour, "Thanks."
"You're welcome," I smile too just because Brittany's grins are infectious, "Good luck, I still gotta find milk.."
"Santana, wait!"
"Yeah?"
"Back wall," She gestures, pointing behind her, "It's right next to the coffee creamers and stuff."
"Oh, right okay!" I chuckle and begin my walk in the direction she pointed me to while she goes the opposite way. I chance a glance back at her, the rarity of our run-in's now becoming something I've grown to cherish, before looking away.
XXXX
The next day I'm actually prepared to not see Brittany. It usually never happens two days in a row and it's already another one of those mornings so there's no way it could happen. Quinn and I particularly slammed today, for some reason the phones are off the hook and we're scrambling to do orders. It's times like this when I really consider hiring more people, but Quinn always reminds me that I actually hate people and I'd probably fire everyone but her by the end of the day.
"So, how are things going with flower girl?" Quinn teases as she dabs edible pearls onto the designs I just made in white frosting.
"You gave her a nickname?" I grumble, "Why.."
"Just answer the question, Lopez."
"Same ole', same ole'.." I shrug and reposition my hands on the pastry bag, "Shitty luck, bad timing, busy schedules..you know."
"I'm telling you, Santana, just ask her out." She replies in a huff, "You guys are obviously into each other."
"You don't know that."
Quinn's reply is a quirked brow and an unamused expression.
"Okay, fine.." I sigh, "It's just-when am I supposed to do that? I never see her.."
"Yeah, that's a tough one." She frowns, "Well, just next time you see her. You've got to do it."
"I don't know, Q.."
"Santana, don't be a pussy." Quinn chastises before her glare turns all mischievous, "Be a pussy, get no pussy."
"Lucy Quinn Fabray!" I scold as she busts out laughing, her face all flushed because those kinds of words never leave her mouth, "See, shit like that..that's what gets you kicked out of Narnia."
"Oh, shut up!"
"This is exactly why you can't be that gay, you get all flustered just from saying pussy." I tease and watch as her face re-reddens. She just rolls her eyes and goes back to dabbing the pearls into place.
It isn't until a few minutes later, when shit hits the fan.
"Who's in charge here?!" Some old guy shouts as he barges into my shop. For a second, Quinn and I just stare at each other then back at him because what the fuck, who does he think he is? "I said who is in charge here? You?" He snaps and points to Quinn.
"No, I'm the owner." I step forward, surprised by how calm my voice is, "What seems to be the problem?"
"Problem? Oh, I'll show you the problem!" He growls and barges out of the shop.
Quinn and I exchange another confused look but within seconds, he's pushing his way in with a cake box in his hands and goes straight for the counter practically throwing it down. I'm really trying to keep my temper in check for the good of the shop and Quinn, but with the way this dick is acting it's getting really hard.
He flips open the flimsy lid, almost knocking down our computer monitor then gestures to it angrily, "Look at this!"
I raise my brow and step forward slowly before taking a peek in just I case he was hiding a rattlesnake or something in there because the dude is pissed. I see the cake and honestly, it looks perfectly fine. I remember the order exactly, the woman came in and we talked for nearly thirty minutes just trying to come up with the best design for her daughter's birthday. She was very polite and friend and easy to work with unlike this asshole.
So after seeing the cake again and not finding anything wrong, I look back up to the guy and repeat myself, "What seems to be the problem?"
"How do you not see it?!" He shouts and if Quinn wasn't looking before, she is now, "It's horrible!"
"Excuse me?"
"Where do you learn to do this? The barrio or in your abeula's kitchen?" He growls and I can already feel my body temperature rising at the racial jabs. You'd think we would be past that by now, it's the twenty-first century after all.
"Santana, do you want me to-"
I shake my head at her attempt to intervene and turn back to the man attempting to remember my customer service skills, "I'm sorry about that, is there something in particular you want me to do to change this?"
"Change? It's needs to be completely remade! There's nothing you can change to fix this piece of shit!"
I find myself gritting my teeth, "This was the last of the red velvet, I can't just make one up. It'll take time."
"What the hell kind of place are you running here? You're not prepared at all for your customers and you push out shitty cakes and charge a fucking arm and a-
"Hey!" Someone snaps from behind us, and I turn to see blonde hair, narrowed blue eyes, and frowning pink lips. My jaw drops a little as Brittany saunters up as cool as ever, her eyes hard on the man next to me, "I don't like the way you're speaking to her."
"Well, do you see this sorry excuse for a-"
"I don't care." She cuts off and kind of wedges her way between us, "You don't talk to her, to anyone, like that. It's rude, it's disrespectful, and I don't like it." In any other situation, I probably would've found the whole thing really hot because Brittany just doesn't seem like the kind of person to put herself between a fight, yet here she is.
"Who the hell are you?" He questions with this disgusted look as he eyes the blonde like she's beneath him; it makes my skin crawl. She doesn't seem to mind because she's squaring her shoulders with his and it's a little funny how she's got a couple inches on him.
"It doesn't matter," She answers smoothly and motions to the cake, "Santana's done a beautiful job which is no surprise because she's the best of the best." It shocks me how much she put herself into the argument, but I'm kind of grateful because it was either punch the guy in the face or..actually no, that's the only option. Brittany, she's got a way with words and a vibe about her that has people changing their tunes quick.
Well, most people. This asshole has to be a special case.
As soon as the insults start being directed to Brittany, that's when I reach my highest limit.
"Alright, you've got to go." I begin to pack up the cake to give back to him, but he flips the fuck out and tries to keep me from moving the cake. Honestly, I felt scared because the guy is obviously angry so who knows what he's capable of.
I didn't really have to worry too much, because Brittany's fisting the collar of his shirt with both hands tightly and shoving him out of the shop in one quick move. She pushes him out so easily, it's like he didn't even put up a fight at all. Quinn and I just stare after her as the glass door closes and we see a few words exchange between the two before the guy is flicking Brittany off and walking always while Brittany just smiles and waves.
My body is still buzzing with all the adrenaline the scene caused and it's not until Brittany's hesitantly walking in again that I begin to settle down.
"Anyway," She breathes out heavily and tucks her hair behind her ear before smiling like nothing happened, "That flour you recommended, it worked great! I think it even made momma's cobbler taste even better, so I was just coming by to say thanks for helping me."
I kind of just stare at her blankly because how can you go from the fuckhead customer to cobblers? It just doesn't make sense, it's like everything's totally normal.
"Santana? Are you okay?" She whispers and ducks her head a little, kind of like how she did when she walked with me after getting coffees, "You shaken up? Maybe you should take a seat.."
She turns to pull up a chair, but I just shake my head and hold up my hand to stop her, "I'm fine. It's just..that guy. You like came out of nowhere.."
"Oh, yeah.." She sighs and begins to kick at the ground nervously, "I was a part of a lot of anti-bullying clubs growing up."
"You practically carried him out, how do you even- it was like you weren't even afraid."
"I've got Sam and Puck, growing up with them you kind of learn how to keep up with the boys." She shrugs casually, "It really isn't-like- a big deal or anything.."
"What, are you kidding me?" I gasp as I begin to smile in disbelief.
"Well..I was just stopping by-" She replies and for some reason she's grown extremely shy about the whole thing, "I'll see you around."
"Wait, you-you can't just leave like that." I say as I take a few long strides to catch up to her quickly heading for the exit, "Brittany, wait."
She actually stops and turns back around.
I remember what Quinn said earlier and before I think anything through, it all comes out like word vomit.
"Santana?" She asks skeptically, her eyes searching mine for an explanation, "You sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." I nod a little too fast, "I was just- do you maybe want to go to lunch or dinner or something together?"
"You're asking me on a date?" She asks and I can't tell from her facial expression if that's a good thing or a bad thing and it makes me even more anxious.
"Uhh, yeah. Well, if you want it to be then yeah..It doesn't have to be though!" I ramble and I try so hard to tell myself to shut up but it doesn't work, "Sorry..I'm not usually like this. I-I think I'm still a little shaken up still."
Brittany just smiles greatly, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks all rosy as she pinches her lips to the side like she's going into deep thought again, "Is that something you really want?"
I feel like it's some sort of déjà vu and find myself nodding, speaking truthfully because it's so easy to do around her, "Yeah."
"Hmmm.." She hums as her eyes turn mischievous and the smile on her lips go from a cheek bunching grin to a sexy smirk, "I'll think about."
It's not really the answer I was hoping for or even a real answer at all, but before I could even comment on it, she's sending me one last smile and a fleeting wink before she's heading out the door.
"Oh Santana.." Quinn sighs teasingly from somewhere behind me. I totally forgot she was even in the room still and my cheeks flush at the thought of her witnessing the first time I ever got turned down for a date, "I think you've finally met your match."
A/N So sorry for the hold up with updates, work/life has been crazy busy lately. If I could, I'd write the whole story in one sitting! Thanks for being patient though, that's really cool and you're sweet, sweet words remind me that you're actually interested in the story continuing.