CHAPTER TWO

"Girls Just Want To Have Fun"

McKinley High School: Wednesday, April 18

Santana ran a towel through her damp hair as she stared into her locker. Hanging alongside her gym bag, a few sports bras and a pair of pom-poms was her Cheerios uniform. Santana thought about the day she tried out for the Cheerios. Back then it had been completely unheard of for a freshman to make the legendary squad but due to the fact that Santana was the only one who could execute a proper double back handspring during tryouts, Sue Sylvester had immediately scooped her up. Only she and one other freshman had made the squad that year: one Quinn Fabray. The two became instant friends and when Brittany joined the Cheerios the following year, the Unholy Trinity was born.

Sure, there had been arguments, the occasional catfight and even a few betrayals along the way but two weeks out from graduation, Santana felt confident the friendship shared between the three of them would endure beyond the hallways of McKinley High.

Santana pulled on her dress, slicked her hair back into her trademark ponytail and quickly reapplied her makeup before the bell rang. She slammed her locker shut and left the locker room. Pushing her way through the throng of McKinley students packed tight like sardines in the main hallway, she paused when something caught her eye right outside of Miss Pillsbury's office.

Santana walked over to the bulletin board which featured a collage of brochures and pamphlets with such titles as My First Chancre and You Won't Be Alone Forever … Probably! Santana zeroed in on one of the brochures at the center of the board. It featured two kids, a boy and a girl, in a canoe on a serene looking lake. Under the photograph, in bold, rainbow-colored letters were the words Welcome to Camp Black Bear – A Camp For LGBTQ+ Youth.

Santana quickly surveyed her surroundings before she yanked the brochure away from the bulletin board. She then made her way to her next class of the day: Advanced Spanish with Will Schuester.

"Whatcha doin'?"

Santana looked up just in time to see Brittany drop into the chair across from her. Brittany was wearing an oversized pink sweater with a gray tabby cat printed on the front. Her hair was down and curled at the ends which brought a smile to Santana's face. She loved when Brittany wore her hair down.

"I'm seriously considering applying to work at this summer camp," Santana told her.

"What kind of summer camp?"

"It's a camp for LGBTQ+ kids."

"That's awesome," Brittany said.

"You think?"

"LGBTQ+ kids are five times more likely to attempt suicide that kids who identify as straight."

Santana stared wide-eyed at her girlfriend and asked, "Britt, how on earth did you know that?"

Brittany shrugged and said, "I overheard Lord Tubbington talking about it the other day on the phone. I think you should definitely apply."

"Are you sure?

"Santana, it's a camp for LGBTQ+ kids. Kids like you and me. What are the ages of these kids?"

Santana scanned the brochure in front of her and said, "It says the kids are between the ages of 12 and 16."

"Think about when we were that age," Brittany said. "Having a place where we could go, even if it were only for a few months, where we could be around people just like us. That would've been like the best thing in the world."

Santana smiled. "You're right. That would've been the best thing in the world. Especially if you were there."

"Well, these kids will be able to have the experience you and I never got to have," Brittany said. "And you would get to be a part of it."

"I think you've convinced me, Britt. The application's due by the end of the month."

"Awesome. Sounds like you and I will be having the best summer ever."

Santana lowered her head and sighed. "There is one thing, Britt."

Brittany blinked twice and asked, "What is it?"

Santana toyed with the small chain around her neck. "It's in New York. The camp is in New York. Right next to Lake Erie."

"That sounds cool."

"It would mean that I would be spending the summer in New York which is five hours from here."

Brittany rested her chin on top of her hands and tilted her head. "Would I like to spend the entire summer hanging with you? Yes. Would I want you to give up such an amazing opportunity just so you could stay here with me? No."

Santana's eyes widened. "Wow. That was so not the answer I was expecting."

"Santana, I love you and part of loving you is wanting you to be happy. You deserve to be happy."

Santana felt her eyes well with tears. She had been worried Brittany would be upset about her spending the summer so far away from Lima. Now she realized that perhaps it was her who was afraid of leaving. Could she survive an entire summer without her?

"Santana don't cry," she said. "Because then you'll make me cry."

Santana shrugged and said, "It's just that sometimes I can hardly believe you're with me. I so do not deserve you, Brittany S. Pierce."

"Well, you have me, Santana Diabla Lopez and when you come back at the end of the summer, I will be waiting for you right here." Brittany paused and observed their surroundings. "Where are we?"

"The library, Brittany," Santana said. She smiled and shook her head. "Well, I guess it's settled. I'm going to get this application completed."

Brittany clapped her hands together and said, "Yay."

Santana looked over at the circulation desk. Mrs. Chang, the librarian, was leveling a death stare at their table. Santana rolled her eyes and looked back down at the brochure.

"I've never been to camp before," Brittany said.

"Brittany we literally go to cheer camp every summer."

"I know but that's different. We basically spend two weeks at OSU staying in dorms and eating out of the cafeteria. The camp you're going to is like real camp. You'll probably be staying in a cabin and you'll probably go on nature hikes and roast marshmallows. Sounds really fun."

Santana looked up and smiled. "You're right. It does sound fun. Except the whole hiking part. Maybe I can help with arts and crafts."

"Oooh and we can totally be pen pals just like in that movie where Lindsey Lohan played twins. You could write and tell me about all of the cool activities you're doing with the kids. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"The application process seems simple enough," Santana said. "Says here I'll need two references."

"What about Mr. Schue?" Brittany asked.

"I'll ask him at the end of glee rehearsal. I just need to find someone else."

"I know who we can ask." Brittany hopped up from her chair and gestured for Santana to follow.

Santana grinned as she collected her things and followed Brittany out of the library.