A/N: Because I updated such a short chapter yesterday, I thought I'd upload another short one to make up for it. Enjoy!
VI
Lima, Ohio was pretty far from New York, around a good 548 hours away. But not far enough, I thought to myself as I sped along the main road, one hand on the steering wheel and one grasping Brittany's nervously.
She was watching me curiously, and I hit the accelerator unconsciously.
"San."
I kept driving.
"San, stop it." Her voice was soft, but pleading. "San, seriously, slow down."
I sped up.
"Goddammit Santana!" She looked at me tearily. "Stop the fucking car!"
Guiltily, I pulled over, turning the engine off and glancing at her timidly. She wiped a stray tear away, and I pretended not to notice.
"Are you trying to get us killed?!" she seethed, her eyes glaring, her mouth trembling. I ducked my head.
"Sorry." The sound was audible, but still there;whether she heard it or not, I didn't know, and I never would.
"Look, I know you're scared, and nervous, and I don't blame you for one second," she began. I noticed she was still gripping the side of her seat tightly, her knuckles white. "But driving like a...like a maniac is not going to help us at all. We're switching." As she spoke, she opened the car door and stepped out, swiftly moving towards the driver's seat. I sighed, and grudgingly shifted to the passenger seat. She gave me a quick kiss before driving at a speed way below the limit. I decided not to make a comment.
About an hour later, I told her to pull up outside my Abuela's house. She rechecked the address twice, and shook her head. "San, this can't be it. This place looks like a museum."
I shrugged and climbed out, jogging round to her side and opening her door for her. She shook her head a second time.
"San, you cannot be serious. San?"
I was already halfway up the drive before she caught up with me, catching my sleeve.
"I can't do this," she whimpered. "She's gonna hate me!"
I gave her what I hoped was a soothing peck on the lips, and rang the doorbell.
The door was opened by the old witch herself, her beady eyes looking Brittany up and down once, her brows knitted together in cold, blatant disapproval. She stepped aside, and caught my eye. I nodded in greeting.
"Come in," she barked. It wasn't a request, but an order, and Brittany stepped inside obediently, extending her hand for Abuela to shake it.
My Abuela looked at her hand and wrinkled her nose, as if it was something particularly disgusting, and Brittany withdrew it quickly, flushing pink.
"I-I'm Brittany," she stammered. I'd never seen her so flustered before, and I was quick to step to her side, discreetly tangling my fingers with hers.
"We're friends," I added, not without noticing how Brittany's shoulders slumped slightly with that statement. The old witch nodded, and with a stiff smile, walked into the dining room. I made an obscene hand gesture when her back was turned, and proceeded to follow her.
Inside, the table was decorated with what I assumed was Abuela's second best silverware—the best was reserved only for weddings or when the local priest came round. Still, Brittany looked positively dazzled by the cutlery, and I repressed the urge to giggle.
"Sit down."
I pulled a chair out for Brittany, and sat beside her, my left hand taking hold of hers under the table, brushing my thumb along her knuckles in a barely-there movement.
After a few awkward moments of silence, the older woman turned towards Brittany and regarded her the way that a person would regard a flea; dirty, and disgusting.
"So, Brittany, what do you do for a living?"
Brittany swallowed. "I'm currently in University, Mrs."
Abuela clicked her tongue.
"What are you studying?"
Brittany shot me a worried glance, and I nodded encouragingly.
"Dance Repertory."
Abuela's lip curled.
"Is that so?"
Brittany nodded nervously, and I gave her hand a comforting squeeze. My movement must have been more noticeable than I thought, catching Abuela's attention. Her eyes dropped to our conjoined hands, and her eyes flashed with disgust. Fuck.
"What is this sin you dare bring into my house, Santana?" Her voice rose, shrill, and instinctively I stood up, shielding Brittany.
"Abuela, please…" My voice shook and she looked away, disgust evident on her face.
"How dare you bring this…this…harlot into my house?!"
I trembled.
"Please…" my voice cracked, and she gave me a look of loathing.
Her voice was calm, rehearsed.
"I want you to leave this house. I don't ever want to see you again."
Bile rose in my throat, and I nodded, grabbing Brittany's hand and pulling her outside quickly. I turned around one last time, and her back was facing me, her head turned away, pointedly looking at anywhere but me.
I shook with rage. "There's no love lost here." I spat.
I turned, and left.
Back at the car, I waited for the tears. None came. I sat in the passenger seat, staring blankly at a spot on the glove compartment. Brittany's hand moved to squeeze my shoulder gently. I shrugged it off.
"Jesus, San." She didn't look at me. I sighed.
"What's done, is done."
Something inside her snapped.
"It can't end like this Santana. It's not over, don't you see? It'll be okay." She rubbed my back, and I stayed silent. "San? Come on. Don't be like this." She sighed, and started the car.
We drove back in silence.
Curled up in bed, I broke the silence.
"What happens now?"
She looked at me sadly.
"Maybe this was a mistake. Bringing me there, I mean. Nothing's more important than family, and we both know how this will end…" she faltered, and I narrowed my eyes.
"What?"
"I'm a Julliard dance student, a social zero, and you're a preppy law student. Soon we'll go our separate ways, and you know that we just won't end up together." She sounded defeated. "It's inevitable."
I was angry now.
"Brittany, nothing is more important to me than you. Screw law school, I'd work as a toilet attendant if it meant I would be able to stay with you."
Her lips twitched.
"What about your Abuela?"
"What about our marriage?" I shot back.
She frowned. "Marriage?"
I nodded.
"Who said anything about marriage, San?"
"Me. I'm saying it now."
She surveyed me.
"You want to marry me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
I looked her right in the eyes, and planted a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth.
"Because."
She nodded. "That's a great reason, San."
She took my hand, and placed it against her chest, over her heartbeat. I sighed contentedly. There's nothing more to say, really.
Thoughts? Xx