5

Santana's POV

I was a bitch. I'd known and even accepted that about myself since I learned what the word meant. I used my bitchiness to control and scare people, and to show them I wasn't the typical emotional girl. I hadn't necessarily been raised to be a bitch, but my family wasn't exactly a "let's talk about our deepest feelings" type of family either.

Most people have annoying habits, or are just plain annoying, so usually when I met new people, my thoughts would go: "Say something awful," and would give me the perfect mean thing to say. When I first saw Brittany, though, my head told me, "Don't be a bitch to her," and "Don't mess this up." Something stopped me from being mean to her, and although she did things that would usually annoy me, they didn't. Brittany was super sweet and a good friend. She may have been a bit naïve and didn't get the top grades in school, but she was very tuned-in to what other people were thinking.

It was rare that someone saw the side of me that wasn't mean. I didn't use my usual snark when I was talking to Brittany. Sure, my snarky remarks had often proved useful when people I hated would avoid me at all costs, but now that Quinn and Sue were using it to get themselves ahead, I didn't like it so much.

The start of the third week of high school, I found myself in the backseat of a car beside Brittany while her mom brought the two of us to our first real Cheerios practice. Their car radio was playing '90s hits as I tried to stay awake. Brittany seemed used to this type of commitment; I was not.

We arrived at the school with just enough time to change, finding Quinn and the rest of the real Cheerios in the locker room, changing into their red and white uniforms.

"I went out with Finn on Friday," Quinn said as she gathered Brittany and I into a circle. "Are you going to talk to Noah?"

Quinn's question was directed to me. I had promised I would talk to a football player named Noah Puckerman, since both Quinn and Sue wanted us to find someone popular to date. It wasn't that Noah wasn't hot... at least I knew he was supposed to be, but he wasn't really to me. I knew it would be good to get those types of firsts out of the way before I got so old it would be embarrassing, but I wished Quinn wouldn't push so hard for it to happen right away.

"Today. I'll talk to him today," I said in reply to Quinn's question.

"And you Brittany?" she asked.

"I'll find someone," Brittany replied.

I was relieved when it was time to leave the locker room and start warming up.

Sue announced, "We have four new freshmen joining us today! Don't go easy on them! Start with ten laps!"

Brittany and I ran beside each other while Quinn ran a bit ahead. I think she wanted to prove something to the older girls, but they just ignored us anyway.

After practice, all the girls took turns in the showers. I noted that some girls walked around naked not caring, but the younger girls wrapped themselves in towels before putting their uniforms back on for the school day. All the Cheerios wore their uniforms to all their classes; it showed that you meant something and were popular and talented.

After we were ready, all the girls went to their first period classes. Brittany and I didn't have any of the same classes that semester. The next semester we would, but that felt like ages away. Finally, I had made a friend, but I couldn't even have a class with her.

It was kind of weird to not have practice after school. That meant that I could take the bus home. I found Brittany by her locker, which was just down the hall from mine, after last period.

"I know we could take the bus today, but do you still want to walk together?" I asked.

"I don't get bus service." Brittany laughed. "But of course you can walk with me." We started walking through the halls together, still in our uniforms, heads held high. "When will you let me come into your house?"

"Today, if you want," I said. I'd been to Brittany's a few times already, but her house was closer to the school than mine.

"We'll just have to stop by my house so I can tell my mom," Brittany said, taking me up on my offer.

"Okay."

Out on the sidewalks, the sun beat down on us, making me feel grateful for the skimpiness of our Cheerios uniforms.

"Will your parents be home?" she asked.

She still hadn't met my parents, although they did know I'd made a new friend named Brittany. I'd already met Brittany's mom and sister; her dad wasn't home as often as the rest of her family, so I hadn't met him yet.

"No. My mom gets home around supper. My dad's a doctor; he works a lot," I replied.

We got to Brittany's house soon after and her mom was excited that she'd be going to a friend's house, so we continued to my house. Brittany had already seen my house from the outside when she and her mom had come to pick me up that morning, so she knew when we had arrived.

"I thought Lima Heights Adjacent was a bad community," Brittany said.

"Some parts are," I replied, "but our part of the community is actually quite well off. Don't tell anyone, though."

"Why?"

"If people think I'm from a bad community, they won't try to mess with me."

Brittany nodded and watched as I unlocked the front door. She followed me inside.

My house, unlike Brittany's, always felt stiff and controlled. I was used to just how proper and in-place the house was, but Brittany seemed uncomfortable in the almost unwelcoming environment.

"My room's upstairs," I said, and Brittany followed me through the perfectly organized living room and up the stairs.

My bedroom was the opposite of the rest of the house. The bed wasn't made, there were clothes on the floor, and CDs were scattered everywhere. After being in Brittany's bedroom and seeing how colorful and girly it was, I wondered what she thought of my bedroom. It was a lot darker and less feminine than hers.

"You love music?" Brittany asked. Obviously the first things she noticed were the CDs.

"Yeah, and sorry for the mess; I didn't know you'd be coming over," I said.

"I don't mind."

"Britt?" I asked, then immediately paused. I wasn't sure if she was okay with the nickname.

"It's fine; you can call me that," Brittany said. "What did you want to ask me?"

"Why-" I was interrupted by my phone buzzing from my backpack that I had put down on the floor.

"Answer it." Brittany sat down on my bed.

I took my phone out of my backpack. The text was from Quinn. It read, "I gave Noah Puckerman your number."

I didn't text her back before sitting down beside Brittany on my bed. Quinn must have stayed back to watch football practice after school.

"Who was it?" Brittany asked.

"Quinn setting me up with Noah Puckerman," I replied.

"Oh."

My phone buzzed again, and I turned it on. I had received a text from an unknown number, but I knew who it was.

From Noah Puckerman: It's Puck. Out tonite?
To Noah Puckerman: OK

I didn't want to go out with Puck that night, but I knew I would have to eventually.

"Do you want me to walk you home?" I asked Brittany.

"You don't have to. I can walk home on my own," she replied. She didn't ask me to try asking my question again, so I assumed she'd forgotten.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. See you tomorrow, Santana."

Once she was gone, I changed Noah's contact name to Puck right as I received another text from him.

From Puck: Breadstix 6?
To Puck: Sure

I started to get ready for my date with Puck. I had never been on a real date before; I'd never even been kissed, but I pushed down my worries as I styled my hair. I decided to keep on my Cheerios uniform. The novelty was still there, and, besides, most guys liked cheerleaders.

I left a note for my mom since she wasn't home from work yet, then left to walk to Breadstix. The walk wasn't too long, and I couldn't drive yet anyway, so there was no other option. I arrived outside the restaurant just in time. I stood up straight, pushed my shoulders back, and walked inside.