Sorry this took so long to get out! My Microsoft word won't work and it's very frustrating. Plus I've just been busy getting everything ready for school and stuff. But whatever, you don't care about that. You care about Pezberry goodness :p Hopefully this is still worth reading.
And of course, thank you so much to everyone who alerts/favorites/ and best of all reviews. It's crazy, in the good way, that people are reading stuff I write and actually liking it.
Let me know what you think :)
When Rachel approached her usual lunch table on Monday afternoon, she was pleasantly surprised to see Santana was there, sitting next to Tina. She was even more surprised, not as pleasantly this time, when she noticed a sour looking Quinn had also joined their group. Sure they were all in glee club together, but Quinn hadn't given the impression that she was interested in spending any extra time with them, especially after she had gotten her head Cheerio position back.
"Rachel, hey." Finn gestured to the spot right to him, figuring she would join him. Last year she would have jumped at the opportunity to sit with the tall football player. But for some reason, the boy just didn't seem as impressive or endearing anymore. Some reason being the beautiful browned eyed girl almost glaring a hole through the faux wood tabletop at Finn's assumption that the diva would want to sit with him.
"Uh." Rachel nervously glanced around the table.
There was a vacant seat next to the Latina that Rachel desperately wanted to fill. That was the reason Santana had decided to sit there in the first place right? She wanted to spend time with Rachel. Santana may not want others to know that they were often more than just friendly towards each other, but she had at least admitted that they were friends. And friends sat together at lunch! She smiled, satisfied by her conclusion.
"Maybe another time Finn." She sent the boy a kind smile, but took the space next to the Latina.
"Another time?" Santana practically growled into the shorter girl's ear.
"Jealous?" The diva whispered back.
Santana scoffed and pulled away from the girl. "You wish Berry."
"Why wish on something that's completely obvious?" Rachel had a satisfied smirk on her face when the Latina could only open and close her mouth a few times. For once, Santana didn't have an immediate comeback.
Finn watched the rather flirty exchange, annoyed. "You blew me off for Santana? What the hell Rachel?"
Santana's attention immediately snapped to the boy. "Excuse me Finnept? No one's blowing you off. You take care of that yourself." She gave him a sickly sweet smile that could only mean trouble.
"Santana…" Rachel said warningly.
"You blow all over your own pants if a girl gets within two feet of you."
Finn scoffed, trying to pretend he thought what she was saying was beneath him. Then he saw that Tina was slowly inching away from him, looking slightly nauseous. "It's not true," he yelled in obvious embarrassment. "Santana is just being a bitch. But that's nothing new," he added bitterly.
"Finn!" Rachel saw how tight the Latina's grip on the edge of the table was and wanted to calm her down before the situation could escalate. She knew that Santana had a notoriously low tolerance for people who annoyed her. She placed her hand on the angry girl's thigh. "Don't. It's not worth it." The diva made her fingers slowly walk up Santana's thigh, just past the hem of the girl's Cheerio skirt. "Besides," Now she was whispering in the girl's ear so no one else could hear, "if you stop this pointless argument now, you'll get farther than Finn ever did."
Santana gulped for reasons that only Rachel knew, though Tina, Quinn, and Brittany had their suspicions. Her anger dissipated as dirty images, brought on by the diva's words, flashed through her mind. "Whatever Finn. I am a bitch. Nothing new or insightful there."
"I- Uh… That's what I thought."
Santana and Quinn continued to sit with the gleeks. The Latina always managed to get to the lunchroom before Rachel, and always had an open seat next to her, as far away from Finn as possible. The diva wasn't aware that the reason there was always a vacancy near Santana was because she gave her trademark glare to anyone who even looked like they might try to sit with her. She always greeted Rachel with a small smile though.
The glee clubbers didn't quite understand the relationship between the two girls, but they were smart enough to not question it. If someone could keep Rachel from lecturing them every day on the importance of working on their vocals outside of glee club, then that was a blessing in there eyes. Even if Santana did sometimes whip a few insults at them. They really weren't so hard to take anymore. She delivered them with more of a teasing tone, instead of her old viciousness.
"Is it cold in here?" The Latina asked to no one in particular, on Thursday afternoon.
"Not really," Artie answered. He had been much friendlier to Santana lately, most likely because she had been spending more time with Rachel than with Brittany.
"Do you need my jacket?" The diva quickly asked, earning a few curious looks from around the table.
"You mean my jacket." Santana chuckled, nudging the diva's shoulder with her own. Rachel blushed and squeezed the hand that held hers under the table, away from the prying eyes. It was indeed the Latina's jacket. Santana had given her the black hoodie on Tuesday when she had complained that the air conditioning was set to high in the building: 'It's eighty-five degrees outside! So why does it have to feel like we're getting our education in an igloo?'
"Ok," Mercedes interrupted their moment. "What is going on betwe-"
"I was asking if it was cold," Santana interrupted loudly, "because Finn's nipples are getting out of control." The Latina smirked as the attention that had previously been on her, was now focused on the taller boy's chest. "Seriously, you're gonna poke someone's eye out."
Santana was feeling pretty good by the time Friday rolled around. She'd managed to not upset any of Rachel's friends too much during their lunches. Well Finn was always pissed at her, but that wasn't a bad thing in her opinion. Every time Rachel sat down next to her, Finn looked like the diva had kicked his puppy or something. That shit was getting old. He had gotten his many chances with the diva, and he had messed up time and time again. Though she could relate to that. She had screwed up countless times with Brittany. But that was because she was scared, unlike Finn who always just seemed to want what he couldn't have.
Despite Finn and his all around annoyingness, she couldn't deny the spring in her step. It was her hand, not Finn's, that Rachel was always holding under the lunch table. If it looked like Santana was getting mad or annoyed by something, Rachel would stroke the back of her hand with her very unmanly thumb, calming the Latina immediately. Usually they just had their fingers linked though, pulling on each others hand, every now and then, when they were feeling playful.
"Good morning Santana."
The Latina wasn't at all surprised to see the diva waiting by her locker. It had become a habit of theirs to meet up before school and between classes. It was nice to have someone to walk to class again. Ever since Brit and Wheels had gotten together, no one wanted to link pinkies with her. Not that she would do that with Rachel. She knew there would be consequences if her and the diva got too touchy in front of others. Their friendship alone was getting enough raised eyebrows to worry her. Her cheer leading uniform and bitchy attitude wouldn't always be enough to protect them.
Santana fought a yawn. "Can we just skip the school part of today?"
Rachel was outraged by the thought. "Absolutely not! To even suggest it…" The girl shuddered.
"Whoa, sorry, didn't realize we had our very own truancy officer at McKinley."
"This is not a joke," Rachel said sternly. "Excellent grades are pertinent to my future. I have a detailed plan outlining how I'm going to achieve my goals, and that's one of the first steps."
"You know, not single minute of every day has to be planned. Some of the best things in life are started on a whim."
"Whims and wishes won't get me to Broadway. They'll land me to a minimum wage job in Lima."
"Well if it weren't for whims, I'd only be talking to you right now to insult you," Santana snapped at the girl, annoyed all of the sudden. "I didn't plan on redecorating Azimio's house with toilet paper to make you feel better, and I certainly hadn't planned on helping you in the bathroom that one day."
"You know I didn't mean it like that," Rachel went to grab Santana's hand, but let it fall back to her side when she realized she was in a packed school hallway. The Latina bit her lip as she watched the diva's hand change it's route. "I make plans and lists and goals, it's just what I do. But I can still appreciate the great things that happen by chance."
Santana looked up from Rachel's hand, smiling. "Then you'll skip with me?" she asked hopefully.
"Of course not." Santana looked dejected again. "Oh, don't be such a baby. One short day of classes, then a whole weekend of fun."
"One, I'm not a baby. Two, what kind of fun?" The Latina wiggled her eyebrows at the last question.
"Boardgames, movies, the usual friendly sleepover," the diva said airily, but then added in a whisper, "and maybe some hot make out sessions, if you're lucky." Santana was grinning, until Rachel added, "Now get to class."
The Latina shamelessly appreciated the view of the diva walking away, before sighing and shuffling off to her own class. She just wanted get to Rachel's house, away from judging eyes. Between her Cheerio practice and the other girl's busy schedule, there hadn't been time to hang out much that week. Rachel spent more time practicing her singing and working on her studies than anyone Santana had ever known. There was no doubt that the diva had big plans for her future.
Rachel had been obsessively cleaning the already immaculate house for the last hour. She couldn't sit still without fidgeting or biting her nails, a nasty habit she thought she'd broke a long time ago. Santana kept bringing out a strange side of her. Extremely forward and confident one minute, then nervous and second guessing everything the next. Right now was a second guessing moment. The Latina would arrive any minute now and Rachel wasn't sure what to expect. They had only ever shared a few quick kisses and secrets smiles in very public places. What if the adrenaline rush from being caught was the only thing fueling the blossoming feelings? Tonight it would be just them and that made the diva more nervous than she'd like to admit.
Ding Dong
Rachel's stood up slowly, running her hands down her shirt to smooth away imaginary wrinkles.
"Hey," the diva said softly, as she opened the door to let the other girl in.
"Um, hi." Santana gave an awkward wave, then blushed and put her hand back down.
"I like seeing you outside of your Cheerio's uniform. It's different."
"Really?" Santana looked down at her outfit, unsurely. She was wearing black skinny jeans, a plain white v-neck, and a pair of gray Chucks. "I always feel kind of awkward. I'm so used to the same thing every day."
"Well I like it. It fits you. Your personality I mean. Not that it doesn't fit your body too." Rachel coughed awkwardly. She knew she was reaching ramble territory "I guess what I'm trying to say is you look good."
"You don't look too bad yourself, Superstar," Santana said, smirking as she brushed by the diva to get into the house. But then she looked around nervously. "You're dads aren't here right?"
"Uh, no, they left for the weekend. Why?"
"Party time!" Rachel opened her mouth angrily. Is this all the Latina had come for? "Just kidding," Santana quickly added at the girl's expression. "I just.. I'm not ready to meet them and have them hate me."
The diva sighed. "Haven't we already had this conversation. No one hates you. And neither will my dads." The two girls were now walking up the stairs, so Santana could put her bag in Rachel's room.
"Um Rach, you may have forgiven me for all the shit I put you through, which I know I don't deserve," Santana looked down, avoiding eye contact with the diva, "but your fathers definitely won't. It's like parent code for them to hate me." They were now entering Rachel's bedroom.
The diva grabbed Santana's shoulders and made the other girl face her. "First off, you do deserve my forgiveness. You deserve way more than you think you do." Rachel lightly grabbed the other girl's cheek. "I don't understand how someone as amazing as you can be so insecure sometimes."
Santana unconsciously leaned into the hand on her cheek. "Even if that is true-"
"It is true."
Santana gave a tight lipped smile. "Ok, but either way, your dads are only gonna see me as the monster who made their little girl's life miserable."
Rachel huffed and removed her hand. "My life has never been miserable."
"That's not what I meant-"
"What do you think I do? Come home every day and cry about all my problems. I deal with school issues at school. As far as they're concerned, Santana Lopez is that pretty girl who led us to a victory at Regionals."
Santana was frowning. "You never told them about the slushies or all the nicknames?"
"Why bring all that unpleasantness home with me? I can handle myself, you know." The diva still sounded irritated. She grabbed Santana's bag and carried it over to the bed, facing away from the Latina.
"I know that." Santana took a few steps, until she was right behind the diva. "I'm sorry if it seemed like I was implying otherwise. You're really strong. Stronger than me, or any of the other jocks or cheerleaders."
"Yeah?" Rachel turned around, with a small grin.
"Mentally. Don't get too cocky. I can still kick your ass."
"Pssh, you wish Lopez."
"Why wish on something that's already completely obvious?"
The diva grinned, remembering that those were the same words she had said to the Latina earlier in the week. That was until Santana had grabbed her around the waist, pinning her arms to her sides. Then she was being lifted up into the air, as Santana threw her over her shoulder in the fireman position. She squealed at the height and hit Santana's back. "Put me down!"
"What? I'm sorry, all I can hear is whiny screams." The Latina began to spin around.
"If you drop me Santana Lopez-"
"What? You're gonna kick my ass?" Santana asked mockingly, but she stopped spinning.
"I just might!" The Latina started to spin again. "Fine," Rachel yelled. "I won't beat you up."
"Won't?"
"Urgh, I hate you. Can't."
"That's what I thought." Then Santana walked over to the bed and lightly tossed the diva onto the mattress.
"Your a jerk," Rachel said, pouting.
"Aww, I know I am." Santana stood over the diva's spot on the bed, chuckling.
"And now you're just going to leave me alone in this huge bed?" The diva asked, her tone noticeably lower.
Santana gulped. "Should I not?"
"No, you shouldn't." The diva scooted over and patted the spot beside her.
Santana sat down rather stiffly and began playing with her hands. "So..." Rachel let out a loud laugh from her spot beside her. "What?"
"Nothing." But the diva was still giggling. "It's just... Santana Lopez has no game!" And then she was laughing hysterically and rolling around on the bed.
"Hey!" Santana was a cross between annoyed and mortified. "I have game. I can get whoever I want, whenever I want."
"Apparently you don't want me very badly," Rachel teased.
"Well maybe that's the problem."
Rachel rolled back to Santana. She was laying with her body curled into the Latina, who had gone still again. "I don't think that's an issue." Rachel pulled Santana until she was lying on her back next to her.
"No," the Latina admitted. "I don't think so either."
The diva bit her lip as she watched Santana's profile, then she leaned forward and placed her head on the other girl's shoulder. Without saying anything, she grabbed the the Latina's hand and linked their fingers. They laid there in silence and Rachel could feel Santana's body slowly loosening up. The diva definitely never thought that she would be the more forward of the two.
Santana wasn't really sure why she had a sudden attack of nerves in the diva's bedroom. Rachel had invited her into her bed. They were in the Latina's domain now. She should be the confident one. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she hadn't noticed she was playing with the diva's hand. That had recently become her go to calming technique.
"Have you had dinner?" The diva asked softly, like she was scared she might frighten the Latina.
Santana snorted and turned towards Rachel for the first time since they had gotten into the bed. "I'm in a smokin' hot girl's bed, do you think I care about dinner right now?" Rachel's face split into a huge smile and she burrowed her head into the Latina's shoulder and wrapped one arm around her in a half hug. Santana pulled her all the way into her and wrapped both of her arms around the smaller girl. Rachel was now completely on top of her, but all they were doing was holding each other. "Your so tiny.. And soft. I've never just held someone like this."
Rachel looked up at her through long, dark eyelashes. "Brittany?" She questioned with a slight hint of insecurity coloring her tone.
"Not really." Santana shrugged and brushed the diva's bangs out of her face.
"What happened between you two?"
Santana sighed. "Let's not talk about that. There are so many better things that we could be doing in this position."
Rachel grinned and crawled so her face was right in front of the Latina's. "Like what?" She breathed out into Santana's lips.
"Like..." Santana leaned forward until she was about an inch away from the other girl. Right when the diva closed her eyes in anticipation, Santana flipped them over, so she was in the top position.
"Wha..?" Rachel was hazy from her rush of hormones. One second, she was on top of Santana about to kiss her. The next, the Latina was straddling her with a huge smirk on her face.
Santana bent down so her hair formed a curtain around the diva's head. "You don't get to top me," she whispered into Rachel's ear.
"Somebody has to be the one to initiate physical contact. If you're not going to, I'm perfectly fine wi-" The diva's long winded speech transformed into a loud moan. Santana's lips were now on her own.
Rachel's hand had minds of their own as the make out continued. They were now inching up the Latina's thighs. She loved Santana's style outside of school, but couldn't help wishing the Latina was in a skirt right now. She gasped at where her mind had taken her so quickly. Or maybe it was what Santana's talented tongue was doing inside her mouth that made her gasp. Either way, she couldn't say that she minded.
After a few minutes, the Latina pulled back to let the diva catch her breath. She ran her fingers up and down Rachel's arms as she waited, observing the goosebumps as they appeared. Then she bent down and peppered kisses over the same spots her fingers had previously been.
"So, what did Rachel Berry, planner extraordinaire, have in mind for this weekend?" Santana had rolled off of the diva and was now sitting cross legged beside her. She was seriously worried that if they continued she wouldn't be able to stop herself. She didn't want to pressure Rachel into anything.
Rachel was still dazed from their previous make out. "Well... more of that definitely."
Santana chuckled. "Agreed."
"And then, well I don't know. I was thinking a movie night or something tonight. I know that's lame..."
Maybe it was the rush of hormones going through her body, or the way Rachel looked, lying in bed with flushed cheeks, but Santana couldn't help but blurt out, "Let me take you out tomorrow. Like on a date."
"Ok." The Latina knew she would freak out in the morning, but the diva's huge grin was enough to keep her in check for now.