CHAPTER 3

After rehearsal, I get back home and find Brittany and Hummel watching a movie.

"How was it?" Brittany asks, pulling me into a hug.

"It was pretty bad", I whisper. "Where is Rachel, she didn't even wait for me to take the bus back home".

"She's not here yet" replies Kurt. "She texted to say that she was first going to Elliott's to pick up some music sheets."

"Well, at least it gives me some time away from the Queen Diva" I sigh.

"What happened?" Britt asks in a worried tone.

"I know I promised you that I would try to be the bigger person Britt but she's determined to make it difficult. As soon as she arrived at the auditorium, she kicked me out of her room because I was using her mirror to try to cover the bruise that SHE gave me. Did you know that only the star gets her own vanity?" I say, imitating Rachel's arrogant tone. "But the worst part is that the Director caught us yelling at each other and he told us that the press wants to hear all about the two old friends from the same high school that made it big in the same Broadway show. He wants us to be joined at the hip. JOINED AT THE HIP" I repeat, screaming. "This is such a fucking nightmare, how am I going to get through this? I already barely can stand sharing a bathroom with her. I'm gonna end up in jail for killing that bitch."

"If it's that bad, quit" Kurt replies. You don't necessarily have to work with Rachel, Santana, there are other roles."

"Hell no Porcelain, I'm not going to give Berry this satisfaction. I earned the part fair and square, I'm not going to quit because of that hobbit. But don't worry, she is now giving me the silent treatment, so hopefully you won't witness any more fight here".

We have dinner the 3 of us and I watch the rest of the movie with them. I'm so tired that I'm half asleep on Britt's shoulder but I wake up when the door opens. Rachel comes in and says "Hi Kurt, hi Brittany". I don't get a greeting of course, I'm her public enemy number 1. I'm pissed and disappointed. Rachel got on and on about how I was poisoning her big break, but this is also the first good thing that happens to me in months and I don't even get to enjoy it because there is this whole unnecessary drama around it. Not only I have to be in that tense atmosphere at rehearsals, but also at home and even I guess it will be just the same at the diner when we have a shift together.

"I'm exhausted" Rachel says, "It's really hard to be a star. I'm going to bed, I need my beauty sleep".

I roll my eyes and I am about to open my mouth to tell her that all the sleep in the world would not help but Kurt seems to read my mind and quickly jumps to his feet to say "I'm also going to turn in for the night, sleep tight."

They leave Brittany and I alone, on the couch that is also my bed. She's hugging me tight and kissing my forehead. Thank God she's here, she's the only one that can calm me down. "How are you doing at MIT?" I ask her. With all the Funny Girl drama, we have not got much chance to speak about her life in Massachusetts.

"My colleagues and I are trying to prove the Reimann hypothesis".

"I have no idea what this is!" I laugh. "But how is that going?"

"Fine I guess. They said I had the most gifted mind in a generation. It feels great not to be called "stupid" anymore, I'll tell you that".

"You never were stupid, Britt. I always knew that you were a genius. And I'm very proud of you".

She smiles but I can tell that she's sad, maybe preoccupied.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Nothing… just like you said about New York, MIT is not what I expected either. Sometimes I feel lonely, I don't know many people out there, and I spend too much time doing math stuff."

"I know, it's hard to start a new life in another state. But you still hang out with Mike right? And you have your dance classes?"

"I still see Mike, occasionally Tina too when she visits, but I quit dance classes".

"What? You quit dance classes? But why, when?!" I say louder, shocked by what I just heard.

"I was too tired to dance, being a "mathematical genius" as they call me is really exhausting".

Before I can reply, she says "I'm going to take a shower and get ready for bed, ok?" and she disappears into the bathroom. I use the occasion to take my phone and type a text.

TO "OTHER ASIAN": Hey boy Chang, I hope you're OK. Britt just told me she quit dance classes, how come you didn't tell me about this? You promised to look after my girl!

FROM "OTHER ASIAN": Hi Santana, all OK here, I hope you're good too. Britt quit last week, said that she had too much work at MIT and couldn't commit to classes for a while. Sorry, I figured she'd tell you. I don't think there is anything to worry about, she's just busy. Mike

I don't buy it. If Brittany stopped dancing, something is most definitely wrong.

TO "OTHER ASIAN": Something is up, she seems sad. Can you please check on her when she returns? I want a full report when we meet at the Glee reunion. Don't let me down Chang, I would hate having to kick your asian butt.

FROM "OTHER ASIAN": Ok I will go visit her when she returns. See you in 2 weeks, looking forward to the reunion. Mike

"Bathroom is all yours!" Brittany says out of nowhere, she's wearing her PJs.

I get up but I feel the need to ask... "Britt, are you sure you're OK?"

"Yes, why?" she says, surprised.

"It's not like you to quit dancing" I look into her eyes, searching for some answers.

"Babe, it's sweet of you to worry about me, but I'm fine. I am just too busy for dancing right now, I'll get back to it when the MIT madness slows down a little".

"Fine" I reply, even though I'm not fully convinced. I kiss her lips before walking to the bathroom and get ready myself.

THE NEXT MORNING

I get up before everyone and decide to prepare breakfast for all of us. I want to cheer up Brittany, and I figure that making breakfast for Rachel might help turning down our feud. All of a sudden, I feel Brittany's arms around my waist and her chin on my shoulders.

"Morning" she whispers.

"Morning, you" I say with a kiss. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"Well... the smell actually woke me up. It looks fantastic, San!"

"Thanks! Sit, sit" I tell her, pointing one of the chairs around the table.

A moment later, Kurt comes into the living room, opening his eyes wide in amazement. "Oh my God Santana, did you make all this?"

"Sure did! Here you go" I say, handing him a plate.

"Woow, it's really good" he says after taking a bite. "Brittany, you have to come here more often, I have never seen her preparing anything for us before."

"Shut up" I tell him, half offended, half laughing.

Rachel walks in the living room and everyone falls silent. I guess this is the moment to be the bigger person. "Morning" I tell her but she doesn't reply. Great, I guess I'm going to get the silent treatment for another day.

Kurt comes to the rescue: "look Rachel, Santana made breakfast and it's absolutely de-li-cious!"

"I fixed you a plate" I add, looking at Rachel. She doesn't make eye contact with me and just says "I'm going out for breakfast, for all I know there is rat poison in those pancakes. You shouldn't eat that, Kurt".

"Rat poison", really? I scream. "You're getting ridiculous Rachel! I know that you probably think I'd try to hurt you and Kurt too apparently, but you cannot possibly think I would feed rat poison to my girlfriend?! And I ate those too by the way!"

"I don't trust you Santana. You already betrayed me by going to that audition without telling me. And let me tell you, you will NEVER play the part of Fanny Brice. I know you're planning on getting all Showgirls crazy on me and pushing me down the stairs or something similar, but you're gonna have to kill me first, and even then, I will come back from the dead and I will play this part just to spite you".

I'm getting furious by the second, smoke must be coming out of my ears and before I can say anything, Brittany squeezes my hand, which makes me look at her. Her eyes are pleading me and I know what they're trying to tell me: Rachel lost Finn, I'm supposed to get passed all her craziness and be her friend. Being a good person sucks, I'm not sure I like it.

So I swallow my anger and just reply: "You know what Rachel? In the end it was better when you were not talking to me".

A/N: Next chapter will be about the Glee reunion. As always, feel free to review, thank you.