Hello random reader. This is the first fanfic that either of us have actually written. I'm a big fic fan so I've wanted to do this for so long. Thank you Grace for co-writing and helping me throughout this as well I love you. After this chapter the author's notes will be at the end so it will be less annoying I promise. I would really appreciate your feedback as well. Enjoy - Pippa xx
Japanese Maple trees are my favourite kind of tree. Partly because the leaves are red which is my favourite colour. Oh and also black. The main reason I like Japanese Maples is because I think that the leaves look like hands. It's not weird I promise they just make me feel safe and I like to think that they're always protecting me. Usually when I would get sad Abuela would hold my hand and tell me that her happy feelings would scare away my bad feelings, so then I would feel less sad. Whenever I'm near one I feel like she's still protecting me somehow, from far away.
When we lived in New York she gave me one for my 5th birthday, but it grew too much so it wouldn't fit in the van to bring to Ohio. It lives with Rachel now, which I guess is ok but I think her voice will definitely kill it so maybe that was a bad idea. Even though Rachel is basically the human version of a stinging nettle she's still my best friend. Everyone hates her but I'm like a dock leaf and I seem to be the only person who can fix the problems she makes wherever she goes. So I guess, I'll kind of, maybe miss her a smidge.
When I think about Ohio and about moving, I know I should be excited, but even though I was very popular back at home, I've never been very good at making friends. I've always been terrified of people judging me because I don't like the same things that other girls like. I'm more mature than they are and don't care as much about getting a boyfriend or makeup. I'd much rather spend my time at the park or reading something about plants.
Abuela says she's a 'social butterfly'. I'm not really sure what she means by that because she's not like a butterfly at all. I know if I had to be an insect, I would definitely want to be a honey bee. Bees work and travel alone before going back to their hive, which I would much rather do than be around lots of new people I don't know. I would just like it more if people left me alone and didn't annoy me as much. It may sound stupid, but sometimes i wish i could just live in my own little world away from people and their annoying voices.
The only good reason for moving that i can think of at the moment is that Mama told me the neighbourhood is a lot safer so that will mean that there won't be any shouting and fighting at night, like there was back in New York- that always scared me.
Eventually I could see the state sign for Ohio. Thank God, being stuck in a car with Addy and Mama singing Journey songs for 4 hours was starting to hurt my brain. Lima looked like the typical American town - full of old people with smelly dogs and houses that were too big. I hope I never live in a fat house like that, they all look the exact same- what happens if I get lost? I was glad when we pulled into the driveway of our new house. It was an odd shape and it looked stranger than it had the first time we'd visited but I liked that it was different from all the other boring, grey houses on our street.
My sister seemed to find the house very funny though, "Look Tana, the house looks just like you- small and weird!" She smacked my arm playfully, it still hurt though.
"Adriana, leave Santana alone," I have always been Mama's favourite, ever since we were little.
My new room was way bigger than the one I shared with Addy in New York and she was definitely glad to be getting away from me. I liked that my room was at the front of the house because I had the best view out of everyone. My room overlooked the most beautiful garden across the street, although the house itself was blocked by a huge Alder tree- I could tell that a child lived there because I could see a small pink bike and a swing set.
The room definitely needed a lot of work though. It was a gross purple colour and had stains all up the door. Since this room had a proper window maybe I could put some saguaro cacti on the window ledge- that would look really pretty. I could see that the sun shined perfectly on one of the walls so I could probably put some cute plants on a little shelf over there as well.
Although I like all plants, trees have always been my favourite. There isn't really a reason for it, maybe because trees last a lot longer so i know they won't just die on me like a lot of plants do. Trees have seen so much, they can watch the world change around them,without having to worry about anything, they're just so cool.
There was a lot of stuff to unpack from the van and I was pretty sure I'd climbed the spiral staircase 50 million times. Who knew moving house could be so boring. I think Mama could hear me muttering about my legs being tired because she took the rest of the boxes from me and asked me to sort out the TV downstairs. Yes, I know lots about plants, but I'm also pretty good with electronics and stuff like that, so wiring up the TV was easy.
I had just put the batteries in the controller when someone knocked on the door. I thought maybe Papa had locked himself out so I didn't ask Mama before I opened it.
"Hiya sweetie, I'm Susan and this is my daughter Brittany. We live across the street, in the house with the big fancy tree - do you see?" The fat lady pointed across the street where I could obviously see the huge Alder.
Why was she speaking to me like that? I'm not a baby. I hated people like that, I have eyes, and I could clearly see what was in front of me. Behind Mrs Pierce I also saw a girl who looked around my age, I hadn't noticed her until now. She had blonde hair and her eyes were blue, about the same colour as the petals from a myosotis flower. They were the first things I saw when I looked at her. She was pouting and she looked scared. I decided I did not like that and I didn't want her to be scared anymore so I smiled at her. I think it worked because she smiled back and that made me more happy.
Mama came down after a while and I was glad because Mrs Pierce was very boring. She asked what we were talking about but I didn't answer because I hadn't been listening at all.
"We were just wondering if Santana wanted to come over to play whilst mommy finishes unpacking," she bent down and spoke very loudly at my face.
"Her name is Mama," I corrected, loudly. I hated when people got it wrong. The girl laughed and that made me laugh as well. I liked the sound and I wanted to hear her laugh again.
"Ignore Santana, she's not used to new people," Mama said it like a joke but it still made me angry. What was that supposed to even mean? "I'm sure she would love to play, unpacking isgetting a bit boring isn't it mija.."
I didn't want to go. I already hated Mrs Pierce and I would rather stay here with nothing to do all day than speak to her for another minute. I didn't say anything.
"I have lots of Barbies," Brittany whispered.
I hate Barbies.
"I love Barbies!" I tried to sound as excited as I could but I don't think it worked because everyone was looking at me funny.
"Ok, well then she can eat with us if she wants and we'll bring her back at 7ish, if that's ok with you?" Mrs Pierce's voice was so irritating that I was actually missing Rachel's voice now. What was Ohio doing to me?
"Bye Tana, be good," Mama winked at me.
"Does everyone call you Tana? I like it!" Brittany's voice was quiet but I could still hear her even as we were crossing the road.
"It's just a nickname that my family calls me, maybe because they're too lazy to say my full name," I didn't really know what to say, this conversation was very random but I wanted to keep talking to her so I asked, "Do you have a nickname?"
"Mommy calls me Britt sometimes and I like that. The people at school aren't very nice though so they call me mean names because I'm not very smart," She was pouting again and I didn't like it so I tried to think of something to make her feel better.
"You're not stupid Brittany, you probably just learn different. At my old school there was a boy called Artie and he was in a wheelchair because his legs didn't work. He really wanted to play football just like me, but on the boys team obviously," she was listening very closely so I carried on even when we were taking our shoes off in her bedroom. "Everyone would call him stupid because no one believed he could do it. But after a while he learnt to play in a different way. He still threw the ball and got to the end of the field, he just got there a different way to others. He proved everyone wrong and I know you can too."
Her smile was so big, I could see all of her teeth. She leaned forward and threw her arms around my waist. I didn't know what she was doing at first but I eventually caught on and wrapped my hands over her shoulders and returned the hug. It lasted a long time, kind of too long so I coughed and pulled away.
"So you like football then? I tried football but I kept scoring in my own goal so now I do dance instead!" She perked up and I was relieved because it was getting a bit awkward.
"I played for my school's team in New York. I also like singing and I love botanicals!" Oh no… why did I say that? I looked away quickly and started biting my nails - its an old habit which I had tried to stop, but I've never been able to. Good job Santana you just ruined your new 'maybe' friendship.
"I like bottles too I guess, but I prefer cans." Brittany replied, she seemed confused.
Umm, I didn't know what to say so I just sat and stared at her which I think made her nervous.
"Oh, um, I mean botanicals, like plants and trees and flowers." I couldn't believe I was admitting this to a stranger.
"Oh, sorry, I told you I was stupid, I can ask mommy to take you home if you don't want to play with me anymore, I'm probably not as cool as you're friends from New York." She was talking very fast and it was scaring me a bit.
I wanted to comfort her but didn't really know how so i decided to just put my hand on her arm.
"No, it's fine I promise, people get it confused all the time. I know, why don't we…" I looked around the room trying to find something we could play with and my eyes stopped on the 'big fancy tree' as Mrs Pierce had called it earlier. I thought maybe I should leave the tree facts for later so I just asked..
"why don't we go outside?"
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