Author's note: Whoa, Cate's arrival sure did stir up shit in the Brittana fandom! You guys are awesome to be so invested in this story. I am sincerely humbled, and I thank each one of you for your comments. I am enjoying all the angst Cate has caused, because I know everything that's going to happen. ;)
Her Smile Heals Me (part 10)
"AGAIN!" a short woman with her hair pulled tightly into a bun shouted at the group of dancing teens.
Immediately, music came from the brown, upright piano in the front corner of the brightly-lit room. Musical notes flitted through the room as sweating girls and boys moved across the floor at a frantic pace.
Once the music ended, the merciless woman pounded the wooden floor with an ornate walking stick she held in her hands as she paced the perimeter of the room. "AGAIN!" she shouted even louder, "You should know this routine by this point, ladies and gentlemen!"
Teens moved quickly back to their starting positions as the music from the piano started up again. They moved in unison across the floor, stretching and bending and leaping, as the woman monitored their every gesture.
"Mr. Royle…if you are not strong enough to lift your partner you will not make it in this business!" she yelled to a tall, thin brunette.
The group moved together until the music stopped and held their final pose.
The woman took a deep, aggravated breath, "Hopefully, 15 minutes will allow some of you time to locate the talent which supposedly got you into this camp!"
She turned and left the room, walking stick in hand, followed closely by the young man who had been playing the piano. Once the adults departed, the teens moved toward their bags and water bottles at the edge of the room, collapsing to the floor in varied, small groups.
Brittany walked over to her red and white duffle bag, unzipping it and removing a white towel which she used to wipe her freckled face. As she popped the top on her water thermos and sat down in an empty spot along the wall, the gangly brunette approached her.
"How do you do it?" Austin Royle asked her, plopping down facing her.
"Do what…?" the blonde asked, stretching out her long legs, crossing them at the ankles, and taking another long swig of water.
"No matter how much Elphaba screams and bangs that damn stick, you never miss a beat," he told her in awe.
Brittany laughed and wiped at her face again, "She's tame compared to my cheer coach at home."
"God help you then!"
She laughed again. "Ms. Mack isn't that bad, Austin…she just wants to pull the best out of us."
"More like beat the worst out of us," the underweight teen grimaced.
"You just need to practice your lifts…the more you do it, the stronger you'll get."
"Easy for you to say when you're one of the ones being lifted…besides karma must hate me…I'm the smallest guy in here, and I get paired with Miss Baby Got Back."
Brittany smiled at Austin's reference to his partner's sturdy stature. "Ask Sarah to practice the routine outside of class."
"I did…she told me no…she's working on her ballet routine in the evenings."
"Well…I'll help you then…after dinner, come by my room, k?" Brittany told him as Ms. Mack and the piano player returned.
"Oh no…time for another Mack Attack…," Austin grimaced.
As the group quickly put their belongings back to the side of the room and moved to the center, the stone-faced instructor yelled out, "Ok, ladies and gentlemen…I want perfection this time!"
Santana settled on her bed and pulled a pair of thick, pink socks onto her cold feet. Pushing up under the sheet and comforter, she unlocked her phone to type out an email.
B -
Hi, beautiful! I hope your first week was as awesome as you are.
I wanted to tell you again how proud I am of you. When I
watch you dance, it's like watching your soul fly free. It's in
those moments when I fall in love with you all over again.
Goodnight and sleep well!
S
Santana smiled, thinking of Brittany, as she pushed the send button. She relaxed into the pillows underneath her, scrolling through entertainment news on her phone. As she lay in bed, Santana's phone unexpectedly played Adele's voice, singing "I could make you happy, make your dreams come true, there is nothing that I would not do…"
"Hey, love…," Santana answered, knowing it was Brittany.
"Thank you," a soft voice whispered on the other end.
"For…?"
"Your sweet email," Brittany said in a hushed tone, "It meant everything to me."
"I thought you'd already be asleep so I didn't want to call and wake you."
"Yeah, the other girls are asleep," Brittany quietly told her.
"I wondered why you were whispering," Santana laughed.
"I just wanted to tell you I love you," Brittany said, "And to give you a goodnight kiss."
"Aww…I wish you could…I'm missing your kisses so much."
"I would kiss you all over if I were there," the blonde whispered even lower, with a naughty smile that Santana didn't know was there.
"You would, huh?" Santana teased, knowing she had her girlfriend caught in a cumbersome moment on her end, "…well…I would lick you all over…starting with your hard nipples…."
"Ohhh…?" the other girl sounded aroused instantly.
"Yes…and I would nibble them a little…before I sucked on them…hard."
"Mmmm…that would be nice," Brittany's breath caught in her throat at the mere thought, and she whispered low into the phone, "so…um…where else would you lick me?"
Santana's lips curled upwards, "I would wrap your long legs over my shoulders…and grab you by the hips and lick up all your wetness."
As Santana continued to describe how she would lick Brittany in her wettest depths, she could hear the blonde's breathing become quite heavy. Very familiar with that sound, the Latina asked, "Britt…are you touching yourself?"
There was a pause before Santana heard Brittany say deeply, "…uhuh."
"It feels good, doesn't it, babe…?" Santana asked in her most sexy voice.
"Uhuh…," Brittany answered, barely audible, then whispered, "…you should try it too."
Santana switch her phone to her right hand then pushed her left one under the waistband of her track shorts, slipping her fingers beneath her panties and into her very wet folds. She closed her eyes and listened to the labored breathing on the other end of the phone as she began to move her finger tips firmly over her pulsing clit.
Brittany heard Santana's breathing quickly switch, matching her own breathiness. Her mind had a clear image of all the times her tongue had been the one to illicit those moans she was hearing from Santana. "Tell me what you're doing to yourself," Brittany very quietly prodded.
"Ohhh babe…I'm thinking of your tongue licking me…you sucking on my clit…."
Brittany tried to choke back her own low moans while her fingers pleasured her, thinking of Santana, but trying hard not to make too much noise that her sleeping roommates would hear.
Santana continued to rub her clit with a steady rhythm. She unconsciously licked at her plump lips with her tongue, her eyes closed and her back arched, imagining the tall blonde down below the sheets, working her usual magic.
"Oh god, Britt…this feels so good…," Santana told her, right on the edge of an intense orgasm, "…are you getting close?"
"Hey, Santana…," a loud voice suddenly sounded as though it was inside the bedroom, "…oh god…I'm so sorry!"
Santana's eyes opened wide with surprise to find Rachel Berry standing inside her room, her eyes equally large with shock.
"Rachel! What the fuck…get out of here!" Santana screamed louder than intended.
The petite brunette turned quickly and left, shutting the bedroom door hard behind her.
"What happened?" Brittany asked, confused.
"Holy fucking christ…," Santana pulled her hand out of her pants, wiping it on the cloth of her shorts as she pulled it out from under the sheets while internally chastising herself for not automatically locking the door or turning off the lamp, "Rachel just walked in on me."
Santana heard soft giggling on the other end of the line.
"It's not funny, Britt."
"Yeah…it is pretty funny, Tan…," Brittany quietly teased, knowing she'd already enjoyed her own private release.
"I'm horrified," Santana said dramatically.
Brittany couldn't help but laugh more at the image she suddenly had of Rachel Berry's expression at catching Santana masturbating.
"I'm sorry, sweetie…," the blonde tried to sound understanding despite the humor in the situation, whispering, "…but that'll teach you to lock the door next time, hot stuff."
"Rachel…?" Santana knocked on the door then opened it when she heard a voice tell her to come in.
Rachel was seated on the floor, propped on several throw pillows against the footboard of her bed, typing on her laptop. She cast a side-glance toward the taller brunette and said, "Hey."
Santana could see that Rachel was flushed with as much embarrassment as she still internally felt. She was trying to follow Brittany's advice to talk to the tiny brunette tonight to dissolve any tension between them.
"Can I join you?" Santana asked cautiously.
"Sure…," Rachel stated, typing on her keyboard.
Santana lowered herself to the floor to sit crisscrossed, facing Rachel.
"Well…um…that was awkward," the Latina tried to joke through the discomfort hanging in the air.
Silence.
Santana tried focusing on what Brittany would want her to do so she forced a smile and said, "I'm sorry I yelled at you, ok?"
Rachel looked at the phone in Santana's hand then looked back at her computer screen, commenting sarcastically, "…I hope you washed your hands."
Santana rolled her eyes. "What's the big deal…don't you and Finn?"
"Me and Finn…what?" Rachel asked with a coy grimace.
"You know…talk dirty over the phone?"
"Never!" The petite teen vehemently denied, instantly turning redder.
"But…haven't you ever wanted to?" Santana surprised herself by actually feeling curious.
Rachel modestly looked down at her laptop.
"You have! Haven't you?" Santana smirked. The taller brunette watched Rachel as she suddenly had lots to type into the computer. "This just in, folks: Rachel Berry is…horny," Santana teased.
Rachel stopped typing but didn't look up.
"Hold up…are you still a virgin?"
The smaller girl looked at her, "Yes…but it's my choice."
"Hey, that's cool…I'm not judging you," she assured her, though she was truly surprised.
Rachel smiled.
"But…you do…um…you know…?"
Rachel's brow furrowed.
Santana shrugged…Why am I even thinking about this, she thought…but asked anyway, "…touch…yourself…right?"
Rachel instantly looked back down at her keyboard, typing again.
"Ok, stop…," Santana reached across and closed the laptop's screen, "Why does this subject make you so uncomfortable?"
Rachel shrugged, setting her laptop on the floor and pulling a pillow into her lap.
Santana suddenly felt odd in Rachel's presence. Is it the rape…is it my sexuality…she thought self-consciously, but asking aloud, "It's not because of me, is it?"
"Oh, no…not at all…," Rachel assured her, pausing before adding, "…it just feels uncomfortable talking to you about sex…knowing you've had sex with Finn."
"Oh, right…that…," Santana grimaced, "…it seems like a lifetime ago."
"Not to me," Rachel said sadly, looking down at her small hands which were folded in her lap.
"I was a different person then, Rachel…but I'm still really sorry."
"I know…and it's okay…," she gave her a tension-breaking smile, "…so…what was it like?"
"Sex with Finn?"
Rachel nodded.
"It was just sex…that's all…just a physical act," Santana told her bluntly, "…honestly…I just checked out."
"Because of him being a virgin?"
"No…because of me being a lesbian."
The girls smiled at each other and shared a small laugh.
"But…it's not that way with girls?" Rachel inquired.
"Well, I've only been with one girl," Santana revealed.
"The best girl though…huh?" Rachel winked at the Latina.
"The most awesome girl ever," Santana's face lit up with a huge smile.
The phone in Santana's hand unexpectedly started buzzing. She looked at the incoming caller, her face instantly draining of expression. "It's my mom."
"Well, answer it," Rachel encouraged.
"Why would she call me this late?"
"I don't know…answer it and find out."
Santana stared at the phone until it silenced. She looked up at Rachel who bit her lip out of nervousness. The phone gave a short buzz, the screen showing 1 VOICE MESSAGE.
The taller brunette stared in silence at the phone.
"Aren't you at least curious?"
"I can't…," she handed the phone to Rachel, "You listen."
Rachel unlocked the screen and pushed play, holding the phone to her ear. As the message played, her bright brown eyes grew wide.
"What…?" Santana was almost too afraid for the answer.
"The police called her tonight…," Rachel said, her voice shaking, "They have Karofsky in custody."
"Santana…stop!" Rachel hollered down the stairs.
Santana didn't know what to do or where to go, her mind was racing so fast. She opened the front door and stepped down the pebbled path into the grass of the Berrys' front yard before Rachel was able to catch up to her.
"Santana…calm down and talk to me," the shorter brunette insisted.
Santana dropped to her knees in the plush grass, her shoulders sinking as her emotions overtook her.
Rachel kneeled down next to the young Latina, putting her arms around Santana from behind. She held her tightly until the larger girl's tears slowed.
"This sucks…I just got to where he wasn't in my head all the time," Santana cried.
"I'm so sorry…," Rachel comforted her, caressing her long black hair.
"Now I'm going to be put back through all that."
Rachel didn't know what to say. "Here's your phone back if you want to call Brittany."
"She's already asleep," Santana sat the rest of the way to the ground, pulling her knees up and laying her head against them.
"Do you want to call your mom back?"
"No…that would just make me feel worse."
"What can I do to help?"
"Just go back inside, I guess…and let me sit here for awhile."
"Are you sure?" Rachel wished she could do more for her.
Santana squeezed the smaller girl's hand, and said, "Thanks, Rach…I'll be in a little bit."
Rachel patted her tenderly on the shoulder as she stood to leave. Santana heard the front door close behind her, and she started crying again. She wiped at her eyes with the tips of her fingers then looked down at the phone in her hand. She unlocked the screen and dialed Brittany, hoping she would hear it and pick up. The phone rang several times before it went to voice mail.
"Damn it…," Santana said aloud. Her thoughts spinning in her head.
She scrolled through her phone's missed calls and saw her mom's cell number. She stared at it, contemplating the pros and cons of calling her back. Santana wasn't sure if she wanted more information about Karofsky at this point. Fuck…why didn't he just fall of the face of the earth, she screamed internally.
Santana needed something to ground the thoughts that were threatening to completely take over her sanity. With one last try to reach out for a safety-net, she scrolled through her contacts until she found a phone number. She paused a second then pushed the call button.
After three rings, the voice answered. "Hello?"
"I need you."
Santana pulled up on the handle to open the door and stepped up into the truck, closing the door behind her.
"Where to?" Puck asked.
"Just drive…please," she pleaded as she buckled her seatbelt.
Puck turned the radio up and drove away from the curb in front of the Berry house.
Santana buzzed the passenger window down to breathe in the windy air as Puck drove the streets of Lima. She didn't know what to verbalize at this point, but she didn't trust herself to be alone with her thoughts…not tonight.
Puck glanced over at his former girlfriend several times as he drove. He didn't know what made the Latina call on him, but he knew it had to be serious if she came to him. He left the party he was at as soon as she called, driving over to Rachel's house and finding Santana sitting on the porch when he pulled up.
He reached over and opened the glove compartment, easily putting his hand on a small, glass bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey.
"Drink?"
Santana took it from him, holding it up to see what kind of liquor it was, incredibly thankful it wasn't Johnnie Walker scotch, then unscrewed the top and took a long swig. "Thank you," she told him, screwing the plastic top on it and handing it back to him.
"That all you want?" he smiled at her, looking back at the road ahead.
She nodded, "For now."
She leaned further toward the opened window, feeling the cool breeze on her face, calming her back down as the heat of the strong liquid moved through her body.
"Rough night?"
"Yeah."
"I don't have any happy sticks to smoke tonight…sorry," he said with a wink in her direction.
"It's ok…that's not why I called."
"Why did you call?"
She paused, internally assessing why she did. "I just needed someone who understands me."
Puck laughed loudly. "Then you called the wrong person, Lopez."
Santana looked at him, his words stinging harsher than he intended, and she started crying again.
"Whoa…I'm sorry, hon…you know I love you," he put his large palm on her thigh and squeezed it.
"It's not you, Puck…just ignore me," she tried to laugh it off.
Puck turned into the parking lot of a park, pulling into a parking space that was near a tall, green lamppost. He rolled down his driver's window then turned off the ignition and unbuckled his seatbelt.
Turning toward Santana, he said, "…Talk to me."
She unbuckled her shoulder belt and fell into his chest, crying harder.
He held her for several moments, with his hand firmly on the back of her head for support.
"Karofsky's back," she finally told him.
"God fucking damn it…I should have taken him out long ago…that fucking asshole," Puck's anger flew out of him.
"Puck…please," Santana tried to calm him, "I don't need you going all vigilante on me…that's not helping!"
"You're right…I'm sorry…," he calmed slightly.
Santana looked up at him, forcing a smile.
"I just…I mean…it took everything in me not to beat his brains out of his head when I found out he raped you," he emphasized out of frustration.
Santana fell back against his chest, wrapping her thin arms around his waist, sobbing.
"What…? What did I say?"
"Just hearing someone else say it out loud…," she choked out.
"I have been cursing myself ever since it happened…that somehow I should have protected you," he said sadly, squeezing her tightly.
Santana couldn't get control of her emotions. She wished it had been possible for anyone to change the course of events on that night.
"I can just remember seeing him in the parking lot that night as we were leaving…fucking bastard with his fucking, dumb-ass crown."
"Stop, Puck…you had no way to know what had happened," she told him, sitting back up and wiping at her face.
"I'm so sorry that happened to you, San…I really am."
"Thank you," she said, her voice quivering, "I'm just so scared of facing him again…that I…I just don't know what to do."
He put his arm around her shoulders and leaned her back into him, kissing her on top of her head, "You won't be alone this time."
"Stop fidgeting," Quinn said.
"Sorry…," Santana responded as she walked next to the former-head Cheerio.
"You're making me nervous," the blonde told her.
"Sorry…," Santana tugged at the hem of her black, button-up shirt as the pair passed between two parked cars, stepping up on the sidewalk outside The Lima Bean, "Thank you for coming with me, Q."
"No problem…I'm really glad you decided to get out of the house tonight."
Santana paused at the glass door of the coffee house entrance, so Quinn reached around her and opened the door, shaking her head and pushing her skittish friend inside.
The interior of The Lima Bean had been transformed for the evening's open mic night. Some of the wood tables and chairs were still set up as usual, but the majority of the tables were missing and the chairs had been pushed toward a small, raised stage in the back corner of the coffee house. Quinn was surprised at the number of mostly-young people who were there, some talking and laughing at tables with their friends, a few standing around the perimeter of the room, and others seated in the rows of chairs near the stage.
Santana shifted her stance from one black boot to the other, looking around the room for a familiar face. The dark-haired beauty smile broadly and grabbed Quinn by the hand when she spotted Cate talking to a group of girls at a table nearest the stage. "There she is…come on," Santana said.
As the two Glee Club members walked up to the older girls, Cate recognized Santana and waved, "Hey there!
Santana pulled Quinn by the arm as she circled around to the side of the table where Cate stood.
"I'm so glad you made it…," Cate turned toward her friends, "…everyone, this is Santana...who I was telling you about."
Santana gave them a smile and small wave.
"Santana..this is everyone…," Cate leaned to smile directly at Quinn, "Hi…are you the girlfriend?"
Quinn giggled, "No…I'm just a friend."
Cate stuck out her hand, "I'm Cate."
"Quinn," the blonde shook it. Quinn noticed that the tall brunette had a firm handshake, and even in the lowered lights of the coffee house, that she had crystal blue eyes.
"Cate…we're about to get started…," a small red-haired girl tapped her on the back.
"Oh, Santana…Quinn…this is Marisa…she's who I play for…," the tall girl told them.
"Nice to meet," Santana and Quinn replied.
"I'm thrilled you came…Cate was really hoping you would, Santana," the small singer smiled broadly at Cate.
Cate smiled back and pushed both her hands into the back pockets of her tight black jeans, squirming slightly.
"Looks like there are only four of us singing tonight," Marisa gestured toward the stage being set up, "…but we're up first…and I know the guy who is going last…he covers a lot of Elliot Smith and is amazing."
"Oh?" Quinn spoke up excitedly, "I love Elliot Smith's music."
"Well…I really hope you enjoy it," Marisa smiled then turned and moved back toward the stage.
"Ok, I've gotta go," Cate turned to the side to pull a couple of empty chairs from another table, "here…these ladies will move over and let you two squeeze in."
Another tall girl stood to take the chairs from Cate, pushing the chairs up to the round table, "I'm Jordan...that's Dani…Becca…and Robyn there."
Each of the girls said hi and shifted their chairs to make room for Santana and Quinn to join them as the sound of Cate warming up with some guitar chords could be heard through the coffee house.
A young guy stepped up to the microphone and tapped it a couple of times, "Can you guys hear me?"
The lively crowd answered yes.
"Ok, we're glad to have the summer open mic night back again. And starting us off tonight is Marisa Davis," the young guy looked down at a small white sheet in his hand, "…Marisa is currently a junior at Lima Community College. I know I enjoyed seeing Marisa in LCC's performance of Chicago this past semester so we're happy to have her here to sing for us tonight."
Marisa stepped up on the stage as the audience clapped for her, settling herself up on a black stool and lowering the microphone stand slightly. "Thank you," she smiled, "And a big thank you to Cate Boyd for accompanying me on guitar tonight."
The table of Cate's friends broke into loud applause, causing Santana and Quinn to laugh and clap too.
Cate shifted on the stool she was sitting, lowering her head to hide her amusement, fingering the strings of her guitar lightly until the crowd quieted.
"This first song is a cover of Brandi Carlile's song, Dying Day…," Marisa said, followed by Cate's beginning the notes of the song.
I left home a long long time ago
In a tin can for the road
With a suitcase and some songs
Chasing miles through the night time
Making tracks with no time for looking back
To the place where I belong
How these days grow long
But I'm on my way back home
It's been hard to be away
How I miss you and I just want to kiss you
And I'm gonna love you till my dying day
How these days grow long
When you're sad you know I wish I could be there
To make your sorrows disappear
And set your troubles free
It's not fair for me to be this far from you
But I promise to stay true, wherever I might be
Time keeps burning
The wheels keep on turning
Sometimes I feel I'm wasting my days
How I miss you and I just want to kiss you
And I'm gonna love you till my dying day
How these days grow long
Time keeps burning on
How these days grow long
Now I'm lost in a sea of sunken dreams
While the sound of drunken screams echos in the night
But I know all of this will come to pass
And I'll be with you at last forever by your side
How these days grow long
But I'm on my way back home
It's been hard to be away
How I miss you and I just want to kiss you
And I'm gonna love you till my dying day
As the song ended, the energetic audience applauded.
Santana reached up to discreetly wipe at a tear that formed, the sentiment behind the lyrics causing her to think of Brittany, missing her even more.
"She's good," Santana whispered to Quinn, impressed with Marisa's vocals.
"Cate is really good too," Quinn said in return, clapping enthusiastically as she watched Cate Boyd strum her guitar.
Santana pushed open the back door of The Lima Bean, wanting to get some fresh air and enjoy some quiet for a moment to collect her emotions. She pulled her phone out of the front pocket on her jeans, hoping to see a text from Brittany. Instead there was a text from her mother: You need to meet us at the district attorney's office in the morning. 2208 Montfort Ave., 10 am. no excuses!
Her breathing instantly became shallow as she fumbled with the buttons on her phone, selecting the first contact on her favorite's list.
"Calm down, Santana…," she told herself aloud as the number rang several times on the other end of the phone.
"Hi, this is Brittany…I can't take your call so leave a message…thanks!" Santana listened to the familiar voice on the recording, waiting for the auto-beep then said, "Hey, love…I just really needed to hear your voice. If you have a chance when you get this, please call me back tonight. I miss you. I love you."
She locked her phone and slid it back into the pocket of her light-washed, skinny jeans. She stood in place a moment, her thoughts wandering.
"Are you taking any summer classes?" a voice asked.
Santana moved from the doorway to see Jordan sitting on the curb near a green dumpster, smoking a cigarette, looking up at her. Santana noticed under the light of the parking lot lamp that the girl was very thin, almost boney. She had jet black hair with underlying streaks of hot pink, several colorful tattoos on both arms that were visible under the short-sleeves of her black, v-neck t-shirt, and a silver piercing in the center of her bottom lip.
"What?" Santana was confused.
"At LCC…?"
"Oh no…I don't go there…I'm still in high school," Santana clarified.
"Ohhhh…interesting," the girl said, patting the cement of the curb next to her, "Join me."
"Why is that interesting?" Santana asked as she folded her legs and sat down on the ground.
"No reason…," Jordan said, holding out a cigarette, "…smoke?"
"Thanks," Santana gratefully accepted the offer, taking a long drag then blowing out the smoke before handing it back to the girl.
"Keep it…," Jordan told her, leaning back on her outstretched arms and crossing her ankles in front of her.
Santana took another puff, feeling some of her anxiety lifting with the familiarity of the nicotine flowing in her body.
"You ever shoot pool?"
"Not really," Santana wasn't sure where that question came from.
"So…like…never?" Jordan teased.
Santana shook her head.
"You should learn?"
"Why?"
"Cause it's a skill every lesbian should have."
"Ok…you're like the second person in two days who has assumed at first glance that I'm a lesbian."
"Aren't you?"
"Well…yeah."
"What's the problem then?"
Santana shrugged, taking the final drag off the cigarette then crushed it out on the curb under her.
"Embrace the gay, Santana."
"You're really abrasive…you know that?"
"Yeah, everyone tells me that," Jordan laughed.
"Well, I used to be like that too…it caused me a lot of shit in the end."
"Hmm…you think so, eh?"
"I know so…," she said reflectively.
"Well, I guess my charm does take some time to rub off on people," she self-chided.
"I'm not sure I've got that much time," Santana retorted.
Jordan laughed again, "Cate hated me at first too…but then we ended up dating."
"You two dated?"
"Yeah…for over a year," she told her, "…we lived together the last two months we were together."
"Guess you're even worse to live with," Santana quipped.
"Oh, you're a riot, kiddo…," Jordan pushed her shoulder playfully, "I think I've decided that I like you."
Author's note: I didn't get as much territory covered in this chapter as I anticipated, so you guys will have to stick around for Chapter 11. Please keep the reviews and comments and private messages coming, because I truly appreciate everything you all have to say. Thanks! KB