Monday 8th of February
"I'm sorry Brittany, you'll have to resit the exam tomorrow." Mrs Walters told Brittany. She had failed her English literature exam and had to retake the test again the following day.
"It's alright. I'll study hard tonight." Brittany said. She felt a little sad. She packed up her books and walked out the classroom. She walked over to Santana who was waiting for her.
"How did it go?" Santana asked. She knew Brittany was getting her results back.
"I failed. I have to retake tomorrow." Brittany explained. Her mouth formed a pout and she averted her gaze down to the ground.
Santana wrapped her up in a hug and tried to comfort her. "It'll be alright. I'll help you study tonight. I'm pretty good at literature."
"Wait? You'll really help me study?" Brittany asked, she was surprised at how willing Santana was.
"Yeah, of course I will." Santana said with a chuckle. "You really thought I'd leave you to do it all by yourself? That's just silly."
Brittany rolled her eyes but couldn't prevent the smile that crept up on her lips. Santana booped her nose and held her hand.
"Come on, lets go study!" Santana said enthusiastically.
"Okay. What's your test on?" Santana asked. They were sat in Brittany's room, home alone. They were at her desk with paper and pens laid out in front of them.
"The Great Gatsby." Brittany replied. She had attended all her lessons and knew some stuff about the novel but needed a little help getting it to sink in.
"Oh I love that book!" Santana said. She had read it when she was younger and she studied it recently in her class.
"You're such a secret nerd! Imagine if people at school found out you liked reading." Brittany teased.
"Shut up!" Santana smacked Brittany on the arm. "I'm not a nerd."
"Babe, I hate to break it to you but you're a nerd. It's alright though because you're my nerd and I still love you." Brittany said with a smile that she knew Santana couldn't resist.
"I guess I'm a little bit of a nerd." Santana admitted as she kissed her girlfriend softy on the lips.
"Right. Study time." Santana said as she pulled away. "Start by reading your notes from class."
Brittany tried to read through her notes but nothing was staying in her mind. She couldn't remember the facts.
"It's useless! I'm never going to learn it and I'll fail the test again tomorrow. Then I won't make it through school and I won't get a job. Then you'll leave me and marry someone else and have cute little baby's while I'll live on the street until eventually I cripple over and die!" Brittany said in one breath. She took a moment to catch her breath and process what she just said.
"Woah! Calm down. You are going to learn this and you'll past this test. You won't drop out of school because you're smart. You're going to get a great job that you love and we are going to have cute babies together." Santana reassured her. She knows that Brittany rambles when she's worried or stressed.
"Okay, all we need to do is try a different learning approach." Santana explained.
"Like what?"
"Hmm... I've got an idea." Santana said with a smirk. "I'll ask you questions and if you get the answer right, I'll take off an article of clothing."
"Oooo! This sounds good." Brittany said with a huge smile.
"I'm thinking that the reason this isn't working is because there is no reward. With this new technique, there is a reward." Santana explained her logic.
"Seeing you naked is definitely a reward!" Brittany said with a smile. They both laughed.
Santana left Brittany at her desk and sat on the bed. Brittany turned her chair around to face her girlfriend.
"Okay. Question 1 - who wrote 'The Great Gatsby'?" Santana asked.
"Umm... F Scott Fitzgerald." Brittany answered anxiously.
"Correct!" Santana kicked off her shoes.
"Question 2 - what year was it published?" She asked
"1925"
"Correct again! See, you know more than you think." She said as she removed her left sock. She then paused.
"What about the other sock?" Brittany asked with furrowed brows.
"That's for the next question." Santana said teasingly. She was trying to make as many questions as possible. Brittany groaned and rolled her eyes.
"Question 3 - who's the narrator?"
"Nick Carraway."
"Correct!" She slid off her other sock and wiggled her toes.
"Question 4 - this one's for my hoodie - who is Gatsby's love interest?"
"Daisy"
"Correct again!" She slid her hands down to the hem of her hoodie and pulled it over her head. Brittany rubbed her hands together in anticipation.
"Question 5 - name a key theme from the book."
"Umm... the American dream?" Brittany said. She was unsure of her answer for that question.
"Yes." Santana took of her bracelet that Brittany gave her and placed it on the nightstand.
"What? The bracelet? That's not even a piece of clothing. Take something else off too, that unfair!" Brittany groaned.
"Uh uh, my game, my rules. If you complain again, I'll put on all my clothes and leave." Santana replied. Brittany's face relaxed and she prepared herself for the next question.
"Question 6 - who is myrtle?"
"She's George's wife. She's working class and she's having an affair with Tom."
"Correct. You knew lots on that one!" Santana said as she pulled her tank top over her head leaving in her in bra and sweatpants. Brittany looked her over and licked her lips.
"Question 7 - where does myrtle live?"
"The Valley of ashes"
"Yep." Santana brought her hand up to her pony tail and pulled out her hair tie. She then shook her hair free. Brittany was about to complain again but she stopped herself when she remembered what Santana said.
"Question 8 - how many chapters are in the book?"
"10" Santana shook her head. She had gotten it wrong. She grabbed her top and was about to put it back in when Brittany shouted "9! It's 9". Santana nodded and dropped her tank top back on the floor. She then stood up and pulled off her jeans. She was just left in her underwear.
"Question 9 - What does the green light represent?"
"Daisy and the American dream"
Santana nodded as her hand looped to her back and unclasped her bra. She let it fall off her arms and onto the pile of clothes. Brittany's eyes widened. Santana laughed at her.
"Question 10 - the final question! Give me a quote from the book and tell me who said it."
Brittany took a second to think. She was so close to having a naked a Santana on her bed. "I'm inclined to reserve all judgments. Nick says it in chapter 1."
"Yes, I didn't even ask for the chapter! You can have a bonus point for that." She took off her panties and stood there stark naked.
"What's my bonus point? You haven't got anything left to take off." Brittany asked.
"Your bonus point is a kiss from me!" Santana said enthusiastically. Brittany hurried over and kissed her.
"Well done! I knew you could do it, you just needed an insensitive." Santana said.
"Uh uh." Brittany nodded. Then she pushed Santana onto the bed and jumped on top of her.
Brittany was then rewarded in her favourite way. It didn't take long before her clothes joined Santana's on the floor.
After their little celebration, they got changed into some comfy clothing and continued studying.
They were making chapter summary posters and Brittany leaned over to Santana's side of the desk to grab the pink pen. Their faces were so close together that she couldn't resist leaning in for a kiss. She leaned in but Santana pulled away.
"Nope, not until you finish studying." Santana said as she stood up and walked over to her bracelet that she left on the nightstand.
Brittany stood up and followed her. She wrapped her arms around the shorter girl and leaned in again. This time she was met with Santana's cheek.
"I told you, not until you've done more work." Santana said.
Brittany leaned in once more, this time much faster to trick Santana out. It didn't work though, she was met with Santana's palm.
"B. I'm serious." Santana said sternly.
"Ugh fine. I'll finish this poster and then I'm kissing you." Brittany said as she walked back over to the desk.
"Yep, that's the deal." Santana assured her.
A few minutes passed and they were silent. Brittany was so determined to finish that poster.
"Finished!" Brittany said, kind of singing it. "Now pucker up Lopez, I've earned myself some kisses!"
Santana giggled then she walked over and kissed Brittany.
"Right, now do the next chapter summary." Santana said as she pointed to the next blank piece of paper.
"Ugh! This is torture. I have a right to be able to kiss my girlfriend!" Brittany complained. Santana just chuckled at how dramatic the blonde was being.
Their studying continued that way for a couple hours. Although Brittany didn't enjoy it, it worked well for her and she learned lots.
Santana then went home and got ready for bed. She really hoped Brittany would pass her retake exam.
Santana stood waiting outside Brittany's literature classroom the next day. She could see the teacher pass her exam back to her and talk to her through the window but she couldn't hear what they were saying.
"Hi" Brittany said as she left the classroom and walked over to Santana.
"Hey, how did it go?" Santana asked, eager to know whether their studying worked.
"I failed again." Brittany said as she looked to the floor.
"Oh, I'm sorry B. It's my fault, I should have helped you for longer and done more for you." Santana said. She felt really guilty and she was kicking herself for letting Brittany fail. "I'm really sorry, let's go home now, I'll teach you the whole book and help you. It doesn't matter if it takes all night-" she was cut off by Brittany laughing.
"Brittany what the hell? This isn't funny, you failed your exam!" She said sternly.
"San I was joking, I passed the resit. I was teasing you." Brittany laughed.
"What? What do you mean?" Santana asked, confused by the whole situation. She snatched the exam paper from Brittany's hands and read the grade - a C+.
Brittany continued to laugh and Santana smacked her on the arm. "What the hell Britt, you had me so worried. I felt so bad!" Santana said.
"Oh, I'm sorry babe. I just wanted to trick you. I'm so grateful for your help. Without you, I would have failed again. This grade is all down to you so thank you so much. Mrs Walters even said she was proud of me!" Brittany said as she rubbed her hands up and down Santana's crossed arms.
"It's fine. I'm just glad you passed. Now let's go celebrate!" She said with a smile.
The girls decided to celebrate by going out for ice cream. Brittany took a seat while Santana went up to the counter and ordered. She got Brittany a waffle cone with rainbow ice cream and she got herself mint chocolate chip. She paid for it and walked back over to Brittany who was beaming at her.
"Hey you." Santana said as she passed over the cone and took a seat opposite.
"Hey. How much do I owe you for the ice cream?" Brittany asked.
"Don't be silly, it's my treat. You passed your exam so we're celebrating." Santana explained.
"Well thank you. Do you want to try it?" Brittany asked as she extended her ice cream across the table.
Santana leant over the table, past the ice cream and kissed Brittany.
"Mmm, delicious!" Santana said with a chuckle.
"Actually, I meant a taste of my ice cream but I'll take that any day." Brittany said and she joined her in laughing.
"So, you think my study techniques worked then?" Santana asked, alluding to their strip game and waiting for kisses.
"Oh, definitely. I think that's my new favourite way to study. The rewards are well worth the work." Brittany said with a giggle. "I'd do any amount of reading or memorizing facts to see you naked and kiss you!"
Once they finished with their ice cream, they walked back to Santana's car, hand in hand.
"Hey San?"
"Yeah?"
"If I ever fail an exam again, can we study that way again?" Brittany asked.
"Of course!" Santana answered.
They were joined in laughter.
Next time: Valentine's Day and their 6 month anniversary.
