Santana watched as Brittany carried the neatly wrapped practice across the kitchen. She could tell that Brittany had spent a long time wrapping it. It was dark blue paper covered in multi-colored balloons, there was ribbon tied around it and it matched the color of each of the balloons perfectly. The red, orange, blue, purple, yellow and green ribbons tied together in a neat little bow at the top and the excess ribbon curled over the edge. Maybe a week without Santana had given Brittany free time to do other things. This gorgeous present was just one of many things Brittany would be able to do without Santana. Brittany dropped the present on the kitchen table in front of a bouncing Ashley.
Ashley tore open the gift in seconds. Santana almost felt guilty that something that obviously took so long to create could have been destroyed so quickly. Brittany didn't seem to mind though. She just sat down in her seat across from Santana and watched her sister with a huge smile on her face.
The volume of Ashley's shriek made Santana jump. She glanced at Brittany who now had the smuggest look on her face. Santana hadn't even bothered to ask Brittany what she bought for her sister. She obviously trusted Brittany would get the perfect thing since Ashley was pretty much a mini-version of her.
Ashley started picking DVDs out of the boxes and dropping them on the table in front of her. Santana snuck a peak at the cover of one of them. Her eyes shot open. She'd recognize that stupid blonde wig anywhere. Santana didn't realize they made so many Hannah Montana movies. She tried to count them but lost count at six when Ashley dropped another handful on DVDs on top of the growing pile.
Oh My God.
Santana glanced up at Brittany who was silently chuckling at the horrified look on her face. Brittany had to know when she bought these movies that Ashley would force the pair to watch them with her. Every. Single. One. Brittany also knew how much Santana hated Hannah Montana.
"Sorry. I bought them last week." Brittany whispered over Ashley's begs to watch the first movie. Santana found it hard to believe the sincerity of the apology over Brittany's chuckling.
"After cake." Brittany's mom said and Ashley stopped begged and shoveled forkfuls of cake into her mouth.
Santana was pretty sure Ashley was going to choke to death. She'd never seen anyone eat that fast. Santana tried to nurse her piece of cake for as long as she possibly could. After a half hour she was pretty confident that Ashley was going to explode so she finished up and they filed into the living room.
Ashley put her pile of DVDs on the living room floor and opened the first movie. Brittany's mom and dad made some excuse about work and ducked out of the Hannah Montana Marathon but Ashley barely noticed. Santana and Brittany were going to be her victims tonight.
Brittany and Santana sat on opposite ends of the couch. Ashley sat between them and started the movie. The screen lit up and Santana hoped it wasn't as bad as she remembered.
It was worse.
It was like Rachel Berry filmed her imaginary childhood. Santana powered through two movies and the first four episodes of the first season. Oh God, there are seasons?
She felt her eyes getting heavy and decided this was probably a good time to call it a night before she fell asleep at the wheel of her car on the ride home.
"Okay kiddo." Santana padded Ashley's leg as the credits signaled the end of another episode. "I think it's about time we call it a night."
Santana stood up and grabbed her coat from the armchair and threw it over her shoulders.
"You're leaving?" Ashley said. Santana looked back to see Ashley had the most confused expression on her face. Ashley looked back to Brittany for an answer but Brittany's eyes were still fixed on the television screen.
"Its late." Santana said. She suddenly found it impossible to look at a miniature version of Brittany. She turned to find her bag on the armchair and rummaged for her keys.
"We can watch something else!" Ashley was suddenly at Santana's side and tugging the fabric of her shirt to get her attention.
"I have to get home, kiddo." Santana tried to smile but it was so hard.
"But you never go home, you always stay here." Ashley said.
"I can't." Santana had already found her keys but she still stared at her purse, afraid to look up. She couldn't explain this to herself, how could she explain it to a kid.
Ashley let go of Santana's arm and headed back towards the couch. "Brittany, ask Santana to-" Ashley froze at Brittany's feet. "Why are you crying?"
Santana felt a lump form in her throat. She looked over at Brittany, she was sitting with her knees tucked into her chest, still staring at the blank television screen. A single tear had just fallen down her face and dropped to the floor.
"Brittany?" Ashley shook Brittany's knees to get her attention.
Brittany looked up at her and smiled sadly. "I'm fine."
Ashley turned back to Santana. Her face had completely fallen and her eyes were welled up with confused tears. Santana hated seeing the bubbly sisters so sad. It should have been illegal for anyone to make either of them this sad, a mortal sin to do it to both of them at once. She felt guilt well in the pit of her stomach. She needed to leave now. She couldn't drag this on anymore.
Santana pushed past the pair and brushed her hand against Ashley's back as she headed for the door. Hoping to offer some soft of comfort.
"We don't have to watch Hannah Montana!" Ashley was begging now. Santana froze at the door but didn't turn around.
Ashley's sob echoed through the back of Santana's head and dropped into Santana's stomach. The horrible feeling there intensified. She turned to look at Ashley.
Ashley was kneeling in front of her Hannah Montana DVDs. Sobs shivered her tiny body. Santana glanced at Brittany, she just sat there, arms wrapped around the knees still tucked into her chest and watched.
Ashley opened the boxes and threw the DVDs across the room. A DVD cracked against the wall and landed on the floor.
"Girls?" Brittany's mom stepped down to the middle of the stairs and looked down at Santana. Her voice was still sleepy. "What's going on?"
Santana looked back over at Ashley who was still throwing her DVDs.
"Ashley!" Mrs. Pierce said. She hurried down the stairs and raced over to Ashley. She locked a firm grasp on Ashley's wrist before she could throw the next DVD she had in her hand. "What are you doing?"
"I hate-" Ashley spoke in between gasps. "Hannah Montana."
Mrs. Pierce looked back at Brittany and Santana for some explanation, when they gave her nothing she turned back towards Ashley.
"What are you talking about?" Mrs. Pierce said. "You love Hannah Montana."
"No." Ashley said. "I don't want them anymore. I want something else."
"What do you want instead?" Mrs. Pierce said. She lifted Ashley up away from the pile of plastic wrapping and DVD cases. Ashley looked past Mrs. Pierce and studied Brittany for a moment before she looked up at her mother and spoke again.
"I want Brittany to not be sad anymore."
Brittany's face turned towards her sister. Her lips lifted in a small smile. Maybe it was to feign happiness for her sister's benefit or to thank her for being thoughtful.
"And I want Santana to stay." Ashley said. Ashley and Mrs. Pierce looked back at Santana.
Santana felt her mouth fall open. Santana wanted to stay too. So badly. But that was exactly the reason why she had to leave. How could she explain to a ten year old that friends don't sleep in friends' beds anymore? And those friends don't stare at friends' lips thinking about what it would be like to kiss them just one last time.
"Ashley lets get you ready for bed. Its really late." Mrs. Pierce practically dragged Ashley upstairs. Leaving Brittany and Santana alone in the living room. They stood in silence for a moment. Santana racked her brain for something to say. Something to make this better but she had nothing.
Santana just watched as Brittany stood up from her chair and started to collect the DVDs from their spots on the floor. She dropped them in a pile next to the open cases and sat on her knees. She slowly returned each DVD to its case.
Friends took care of friends when they were upset but Santana turned and walked out the door. Maybe she couldn't do friends. Maybe Rachel was right.
