A/N: Yes! I did it. The story is finished. There are about 7 chapters to go, not including any epilogue I decide to write or other drabbles I want to do. Or a sequel. Sequels are always possible. I'll post new chapters once or twice a week, depending on how much encouragement I get. Okay so this story got to be a lot more past-heavy than I had originally intended, but I guess there is a lot from their past I want to cover. I guess this will lead me into a great sequel, though! Anyway, sorry for the long wait. Here goes! As always, message me here or on tumblr, bechloe-takeyouraim. It makes me happy.
May, Junior Year
It had been about three months since Santana accidentally dropped the "L" bomb to the entire school, having forcibly confessed her sexuality and feelings unknowingly. The buzz of the events calmed down after a couple weeks, seeing as Nick had been expelled from school after Figgins, two cops, and a drug dog searched his locker to find enough weed to keep the entire team stoned for the next playoff game. The attention had been taken off of Santana and the world hadn't collapsed. She wasn't booted to the bottom of the pyramid, and people still coiled in fear when she and Quinn sauntered down halls. So when Santana snuck up on Dani at her locker, a small bouquet of carnations in her hand, only a few turned their head. Santana presented the flowers to her girlfriend and kissed her cheek.
"Hey gorgeous," she giggled into her ear. The elation Santana felt over her freedom still rang through the halls that she managed to control. And when Dani leaned back into Santana's arms, her heart raced.
"Hello, love," Dani hummed. She turned her head, pecking her lips quickly as she took the bouquet into her own hands. "And to what do I owe this surprise?" she asked with a small smirk.
"Well," Santana grinned as they got to Dani's locker, the shorter girl turning around in Santana's arms to face her. "You're gorgeous. What else?" she asked with a small chuckle.
Dani raised her eyebrows at that. "Well, I can think of many 'elses'" she laughed. "Like… you're horny…. Or you want me to go see a movie I'll fall asleep during. Or you need me to come to another cousins' wedding…" Dani listed off.
"Well horny is a valid option," she laughed. Santana sighed. "Or…" she started. "I want my girlfriend to say yes to going to Junior Prom with me. Or both. Yeah, let's go with both," Santana grinned, her eyes flashing to the poster that advertised her for Prom Queen.
Dani grinned a little bit at the comment and she sighed. "Well, damn. It's too bad you haven't asked her yet," she chuckled, leaning back against the lockers behind her with a challenging smirk.
Santana rolled her eyes at her girlfriend and shrugged. "Fine. Do you want to deal with Puckerman trying to dance on me all night?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at her.
Dani let out an amused laugh. "That boy is too afraid of both of us, and his totally straight girlfriend to try that again," she countered, a glimmer of mischief in her eyes as she remembered the last party he tried to get with Santana.
Santana's eyes narrowed at Dani, both attracted to and annoyed by Dani's ability to challenge her. "Dani, come on, just go to prom with me," she sighed, a little deflated.
Dani let out a small, amused chuckle as she leaned in, pulling Santana into a firm kiss that picked her up a little bit. "Yeah, I'll go to the dance with you," she murmured, chuckling softly. "But you better be prepared for the whole cliché, babe," she chuckled.
Santana let out a proud, almost cocky chuckle as she pulled away. "That's right!" she laughed, her usual demeanor returning. "God, will we be hot," she smirked before pecking her lips again. "We'll talk detail later. I'm thinking nice dinner, just us, then you staying at mine after…" Santana smirked, leaning in for a slightly deeper kiss as the bell rang. "I'll see you in Glee," she smirked before disappearing into the flow of traffic, leaving Dani blushing and holding flowers, her heart racing in her chest.
The nerves racing through Santana's body were almost comical. Almost, because Santana was positive she was about to throw up and she wasn't supposed to even look like it was a date. She was just picking Dani up, as far as the girl's parents knew. But it was so much more, in Santana's mind. They were out. At least with the school. And Santana's parents. They held hands in the hallways and made out on the weekends, everything it meant to be a couple in high school. They were crazy about each other. They were in love with each other; each other's first love. There was a beautiful corsage that rested in the back seat of Santana's car, ready to be photographically slid onto Dani's wrist, complete with nervous smiles and stolen touches. Santana took a breath before getting out of her car and heading to Dani's front door. She rang the bell a couple impatient times until the door was slowly opened.
"Hi Santana," Dani's father greeted. He was a smaller man, but something about him still scared the shit out of Santana. Probably the fact that no one really dared to guess what would happen when he found out that Santana was sleeping with his daughter.
"Hi Mr. Verano," Santana said, letting a bit of shyness ebb into her voice for good measure. "Dani ready yet? If we're late our other friends will probably get pissed." Not true. So not true. They'd make jokes about smudged lipstick and sex hair, but definitely not pissed.
"Just give her a moment. Something about fly-a-ways," he shrugged as he let Santana in. "You look nice. It's lucky that neither of you date so you can do these things as friends. No drama, and all of that," he commented.
Santana's wonderful skill of controlling emotions and reactions kicked in. "Oh, yeah. It's great. None of the guys at the school are really up to… standard, I guess. With either of us," Santana said, trying desperately not to snicker at that.
Dani, on the other hand, was standing at the top of the stairs biting her lip to stop herself from laughing at the sight. Her father might not be able to see it, but she could easily notice the way that Santana picked at her nail as they spoke or how she'd smooth out that beautiful dress. She slowly made her way down the steps, taking the time that she wasn't noticed to appreciate Santana. That beautiful dress hugged her girlfriend's body perfectly, a wonderful combination of classy and sexy that Dani still couldn't figure out how Santana managed to pull off.
Santana heard the light patter of short heels coming down the wooden stairs and her head turned immediately, a stupid smile appearing just as fast as it disappeared. "Hey," she said, her eyes dropping over Dani for a moment. "Nice dress," she said, despite what wanted to come out of her mouth.
"You too, San," Dani said quickly. She adjusted the purse on her shoulder and looked to her father. "Are you guys going to be obnoxious over pictures or can we just go?" she asked, anxious to get out of sight of her parents.
He picked up his camera and made Dani pose by herself a couple times, taking a few hasty photos. "So your mother doesn't yell at me. Now go. Have fun. Be home by… by one tonight," he said, giving her some leeway.
"Thanks, Daddy," Dani said quickly, stepping up to give him a hug. She was about to pull Santana out of the house when Santana smirked, then wiped it away and turned to the man again.
"Actually, sir, Dani was supposed to ask you. My mami is letting me have a couple girls over after the dance tonight. You know, safe environment, no boys, all that," she shrugged, innocently. "D was supposed to ask you if she could join us. It wouldn't be the same without her," she said, giving him a smile that possessed almost childlike innocence.
"Oh…" he said, thinking about it for just a moment. "Just tell your mother to call me and confirm she'll be there," he said. "Have fun girls. Behave," he instructed.
With that, Dani tugged Santana from the house, the door barely closing before Santana let out a laugh. "That was easier than it should have been," she mumbled. She glanced back to the house and didn't see him in the window, so she walked Dani to the passenger side and opened the door for her. "M'lady," she drawled out, trying to make it look like a joke.
"God, you're such a dork," Dani laughed as she slipped inside, but she gave Santana a soft smile as the door closed. With Santana driving, Dani slipped her hand over Santana's thigh quickly. "A beautiful dork. God, I can't believe he didn't see how I was looking at you," she chuckled softly.
Santana blushed softly and turned her head slightly to glance at Dani. "I can't believe I picked my jaw off the floor," she chuckled. They were about halfway to Santana's house, but she pulled over. "You look absolutely stunning," she breathed out once the car was parked.
"What are you doing?" Dani murmured, but she was already leaning towards Santana.
"I just want to kiss my girlfriend. Can you blame me?" Santana asked as she cupped Dani's cheek.
"Not really," was all Dani got out before they shared a soft kiss. The kiss continued a little longer than intended, but neither really seemed able to pull their hands off of the other. It wasn't until they were breathing heavy, the kisses becoming far less innocent, that Dani pulled away from Santana. "Your mom is expecting pictures," she mumbled, but pressed another kiss to her girlfriend's lips.
"And we have a reservation," Santana said, her hand on Dani's hips only tightening.
"Santana, we're going to this dance," Dani said rather sternly once she realized where Santana's mind was heading.
Santana let out a laugh, a small smirk appearing. "Dani The Badass wants to go drink badly spiked punch, get in the middle of a sweaty pit of people who probably won't get laid tonight, possibly get a dude's boner way too close to your body than you ever wanted, and slow dance to some song you mock every other day of the week?" she teased.
"No, Dani The Badass wants to go show off her hot girlfriend, have an excuse to have her hands all over her for like four hours, slow dance to a song that we'll remember for years and years to come, and then go back to her girlfriend's house and pretend your parents aren't a few rooms over," she said back, giving Santana a smirk that said 'I dare you to fight me on this one.'
With her lips pursed, Santana huffed out a long sigh. "Fine. But we don't have to stay the whole time."
"We're staying the whole time."
There had been whispers. A couple jokes. Apparently few people actually thought the pair wouldn't come together. Or at all. As though their appearance at the dance solidified everyone's knowledge that the two were actually a couple. A real couple that rumors, negativity, and a lot of bigotry couldn't tear apart. Because ever since they arrived at the dance, Dani and Santana never seemed to part. It was nearing the end of the dance, everyone was trying to hang onto the last bit of entertainment they could until they went back to being just another group of high schoolers wishing their city offered more than an overpriced movie theater and a bad mall.
"Last dance! Let's make it a slow one," the bored DJ said into the microphone. The majority of the gym – a bunch of single guys – groaned and started making their way to the coat check, ignoring the hopeful looks on some of the girls' faces as they passed.
Without even a question, Santana slipped her hand into Dani's and pulled her towards the center of the gym, some people's heads turning. Santana's arms just looped around Dani's hips, pulling her girlfriend into her as Dani let her arms rest on Santana's shoulders, her hand moving behind the taller girl's neck as they swayed in an embrace. Their foreheads rested against each other's, each with a soft, bashful smile on their lips. The stares from their surrounding classmates started to grow jealous, the entire gym able to see what Dani was about to whisper.
"I love you, dork."