A/N: And here is the bonus chapter for being late updating 24.
-B
May, 2021:
"Okay, everyone," you say, looking up from your hands as you fold them in your lap, "There are only a few more weeks left until exams start, so we're going to have your last test next Wednesday, and we'll start exam review the Monday afterwards." You look around the class, waiting for your students to nod and let you know they are listening, and tense when your eyes meet Mercedes.
It's only been a week and a bit since she and Kurt walked in on you and Santana, and despite Santana's reassurance that Mercedes has agreed to keep the two of you a secret, and not mention it to anyone, you're still skeptical. You can barely look at the girl without tensing and glancing around, waiting to be ambushed by Figgins and a pair of officers.
You shift uncomfortably as she narrows her eyes at you, and look to Kurt sitting next to the girl, hiding his knowing grin behind a small book he's been reading for the past few days.
As much as Mercedes detests the idea of Santana and you being a couple, Kurt never fails to voice his approval. It makes you just as uncomfortable as Mercedes disapproving glare.
You clear your throat as you turn your attention away from the two best friends of your girlfriend, and glance at the clock on the wall as the bell rings overhead.
"Alright, I'll see you all on Monday." You say, smiling faintly at the students as they get up and leave the classroom, chatting with their friends, "Have a good weekend, and try not to get in any trouble." You joke, grinning at one of the jocks whispering with a friend. He does a double take and blushes faintly, nodding as he hurries out of the room.
"She's one to talk."
You clench your jaw and flick your gaze over to Mercedes and Kurt gathering their things from their desk, and avert your gaze as you let out a sigh.
"Mercedes, just get over it." Kurt huffs and you push yourself up straight, picking up a few papers that were left behind from other students.
"It's wrong." Mercedes states, not even bothering to keep her voice down, "And weird." She adds. You pause and look back at her, shaking your head as you turn around.
"Ms. Jones, can I have a word with you?" you ask, dropping the papers in the recycling bin near the desk before you cross your arms over your chest.
"I have lunch."
"Ms. Jones!" You call firmly, watching Kurt and Mercedes stop at the door, Kurt looking between the two of you as Mercedes looks at you with a flash of fear in her eyes. Your shoulders drop and you tuck a strand of hair behind your ear, glancing at Kurt, "Can you give us a minute?"
He gives a hesitant nod before letting Mercedes know he'll be in line at the cafeteria, and leaving the room.
The two of you stand facing each other, on either sides of the room, until you decide it's been quite enough.
"Look, Mercedes, this can't go on forever. We have another month together and I'd rather it not be filled with you throwing me dirty looks whenever I'm not looking. Or when I am." You say pointedly, giving her a knowing look. "Now Kurt's not here to throw in his comments, and Santana's not here to force the relationship upon the both of you, so can we please just talk about this?" you ask with a heavy sigh, tilting your head.
"Why do you care so much?" she asks with a frown and you shrug.
"Because you're Santana's best friend, and one of my better students." You say easily and Mercedes straighten slightly. "So come on, tell me outright what's bugging you so much about this." You say, sitting on the edge of one of the students desks.
You watch as Mercedes opens her mouth, pausing before furrowing her eyebrows, and tilt your head again.
"You're her teacher. And she's a minor. Both of which makes your relationship wrong."
"Okay, we understand that, and both of us know that there are consequences, but we didn't act on our feelings until second semester, so she wasn't a student in my class."
"She's still a minor."
"She'll be eighteen in two weeks." You remind her with a shrug, "Is it going to make that much of a difference whether we wait those two weeks or not? The age difference is still going to be the same. When she graduates I'll still be her teacher in a sense. So age, and professional relationship aside, why are you against it?"
Mercedes opens her mouth before closing it, and blinking repeatedly as she glances around, "I…I don't know."
You nod slowly, looking at the floor before wetting your lips and lifting your head, focusing on your student, "All you need to know is that I care about her very much, and I don't intend to hurt her in any way. She's quite special to me." You admit with a faint blush as Mercedes crosses her arms, listening closely while studying you. "I have had serious relationships in the past, but my feelings for Santana surpass those in previous relationships tenfold. I want this to work with her." You tell her honestly before taking a breath, "And for things to work, I'd like to have her friends on board so the list of things we have to worry about doesn't grow and take away our focus from each other and our relationship."
"Are you telling me that you love her?"
You snap your head up with wide eyes as Mercedes stares at you expectantly, her eyes narrowed once again, and swallow as you try to calm your heart. You never really thought about love. Being in love with Santana. Jesus, you say inwardly, realizing just how strong your feelings for her are, and how quickly.
"I'm…not sure." You say slowly with a confused frown.
"Well since we found out about you, that girl has not stopped gushing about you, whether Kurt and I wanted to know or not. Which most of the time I did not. Kurt…he's his own person." She waves her hand in dismissal and as you lift your gaze to meet hers, "All I know is that girl is crazy in love with you. She hasn't said it, god bless, but it's pretty damn obvious. I mean, hell, she wouldn't let Kieran kiss her cheek when we were with them, but she had no problem displaying full-blown PDA with you."
You blush furiously at the comment and Mercedes sighs, uncrossing her arms.
"Damn, you two are disgusting." You frown, "And I mean that in the good way."
"Thanks?" you chuckle and she cracks a faint smile.
"You don't hurt her, and you have my blessing." She states with a sassy grin. You roll your eyes and hop off the table, nodding.
"I give you my word."
"Good." She nods, "It was tiring having to hate you." She huffs, offering a smile before turning and leaving the room, leaving you standing with a frown.
"Hate me?" you mumble.
You look up from your laptop and over your shoulder when the front door closes, hearing the familiar sound of Santana dropping her shoes on the rug in the foyer before she walks further into the house.
"What did you do?" she asks with a smile and you narrow your eyes with a confused smile.
"What do you mean?"
She shakes her head and sits on her knees in the spot next to you on the couch before pulling you into a long and deep kiss.
You lick your lips as you open your eyes, Santana looking at you affectionately with a smile as she props her elbow on the back of the couch, resting her cheek in her hand.
"What?" you chuckle, smiling at her.
"I'm waiting in line with Kurt at lunch, and Mercedes stops beside me and says, and I quote, 'You now have my blessing'." She tells you, and your smile grows, "So I want to know what you did to change her mind?"
"I just talked to her." You tell her, "I asked her why she was against the relationship, and then pointed out you're eighteen in two weeks, and I will always be your teacher in a way."
Santana hums, playing with your fingers as you watch, and you shrug, "I guess she was just worried I'd hurt you…and wanted to know whether I loved you or not."
She pauses from flipping your hand over, and you glance up at her, "What'd you say to that?" she asks carefully. You look between her eyes before putting your laptop on the coffee table and gently guiding her until she is straddling your lap.
"I told her I wasn't sure." You tell her and wrap your arms around her waist when she shifts, "But, that was because she caught me off guard, and I hadn't really thought about it before." You add quickly. Santana nervously bites on her lower lip as she picks at the strap of your tank top, and you smile sweetly at her, ducking your head to catch her off guard with a kiss.
Santana flutters her eyes open and runs her hand around the end of your ponytail as you hold her stare, giving her a gentle squeeze around the waist.
"I'm still not sure if I'm at the 'I love you' point, but I'll be there soon enough." You tell her and smile when her lips twitch upwards, "I'm falling in love with you, that's for damn sure." You chuckle.
"Yeah?"
"Mhm." Your smile widens as Santana tucks her head into the crook of your neck to hide her beaming smile and rosy cheeks. "You're so cute!" you laugh and Santana groans, playing with the hairs at the back of your neck. "What's with the groan? Cute is good." You say, pulling your head back to look at the brunette.
Santana lifts her head and brushes her hair back, narrowing her eyes at you, "Cute is for children."
"Well considering you're still only seventeen…"
"Don't you dare." She warns playfully and you shrug, lifting your hand to brush your thumb over her cheek.
"You're just a young'n." you tease, bopping her nose gently as Santana scowls before smirking and grabbing your throat lightly. You lift your brows in surprise and run your eyes over her face as she tilts your head back, pressing her body against yours, causing a shaky breath to pass your lips.
"Well this young'n knows just how to turn you on, don't I?" she whispers, moving her face closer until your lips are only inches apart; her index finger lightly running across your bottom lip as you hold her heated stare.
"Santana-"
"Yes?" she rasps with a smirk, tilting her head when you let out a whimper.
"I need-"
Santana shifts her gaze to your phone resting on the coffee table as it vibrates against the wood surface, and you whine in protest when she shifts her weight, reaching for the phone.
"Figgins?" she questions and tightens her grip on your shoulder as you sit up, snatching the phone from her hand. Santana arches a brow at you and you offer a reassuring smile before getting to your feet and answering the phone.
"Principal Figgins!" you greet, walking into your kitchen.
"Ms. Pierce, I would appreciate that next time you wish for me to call you, you do not pose as one of our board members. My heart is too old to handle that." you wince as he continues to lecture you, and spare a glance at Santana, watching in mild amusement from the couch.
You look away and clear your throat, waiting for the man to take a breath before cutting in, "Principal Figgins, sir, I totally get it, but I was hoping to talk to you about…" you pause and glance at Santana scrolling through her phone, and lower your voice, "About next Friday. I'm going to need you to find a substitute for my classes."
"You do remember that I'm here, right?"
You jump and look at Santana standing at the island with her arms crossed, and nod, looking back at your phone. You send the message and put the phone down, smiling at the girl. "I was just talking to Puck about something."
"Uh huh, and Figgins? You're not going to be at school Friday?"
You purse your lips and shrug, "Next Friday, and I may." Santana frowns in confusion and you check your phone when it beeps, beaming when you get the message you were hoping for.
"Britt, come on, you don't like it when I'm on my phone all the time." Santana huffs, leaning against the counter. You let out a laugh and give her a pointed look.
"That's because you're always on your phone." You remind her and she rolls her eyes. You place your phone on the counter and slyly move over to the brunette, wrapping your arms around her waist as you watch a smile tug at her lips. "So your birthday is in two weeks." You smile and Santana chuckles, nodding.
"That it is."
You squeeze her waist a little tighter before drumming your fingers against her sides, nodding to the counter. She rolls her eyes fondly and you lift her up, stepping between her legs as she settles on the edge of the island top, "Do you usually celebrate your birthday on the day or the weekend after it?"
You watch her shrug and step closer, resting your hands on her thighs, "We usually just go out for an overly expensive dinner and then they give me presents when we get home. I haven't had a huge family party since I turned thirteen."
"Excellent!" you beam and Santana laughs, smiling down at you, "Now my next question, is there any way that you'd be able to say you're staying at a friends and have them buy it, so we can go away for the weekend?" you smile cheekily at the girl, watching as her eyes widen and her smile grow, before she's throwing her arms around your neck, and squealing with excitement.
"Are you serious?" she breathes, pulling back and you nod, grabbing your phone.
"I was texting Puck because his friend from college is some hot shot businessman in New York and whenever he travels to Ohio, he stays at the Hilton in Columbus, and he's stayed there so many times that they offer him this kickass discount. And Puck told me he did some huge favor back in college, and the guy offered to help him out whenever he needs it, and Puck convinced him to get us his deal for our little getaway." You smile proudly as Santana gawks at you.
"Britt…the Hilton a lot different than Motel 6." She says quietly with a shake of her head and you shrug.
"Yeah, I know, but I'll be paying the same price."
"You'll be paying? No."
You scoff and nod, "Yes, I'm paying. It's for your birthday, why would I make you pay."
Santana stares at you and you match her, not wavering until she shakes her head, running a hand through her hair, signalling you won. You grin victoriously, and lift your hand to her cheek, turning her attention back to you as you lean in, pressing your lips to hers.
"All you need to do is get out of the house for two days." You tells her and she sighs dramatically, looking at you fondly when you bounce excitedly.
A/N: Next update will be Sunday. Don't know the time, but it WILL be Sunday.
-B