TW: Rape
Time always seemed to pass so slowly in the summer. When it was over, everyone would complain about how quickly the months had gone by, but to Brittany each day had the potential to hold a year's worth of activity from the break of dawn until nightfall. The moment she awoke, her mind tugged her in at least fifty directions at once and it was merely a matter of deciding where she wanted to start.
This particular day, however, was different from the rest. Today she was going to cheer camp. She was so full of excitement that she could hardly sleep and woke before the first birds trilled their early morning songs. Brittany climbed out of bed and padded toward her window where she opened the curtains to a pale gray sky. Her blonde hair fanned out across her arms as she knelt and leaned against the sill to watch the sunrise.
Brittany's blue eyes danced with wonder when the first crimson glow appeared along the horizon. It was followed by a brighter, warmer orange that sharpened the silhouettes of the houses and trees. Then the glowing golden orb at last ascended and with it the sky came to life in puce, amaranth, and lavender. The twelve-year-old regarded its progress with a broad grin and was delighted by how the sun's touch painted the world's myriad hues like a page from a coloring book.
Gradually, the rest of the neighborhood stirred and began to bustle with activity. People switched on their televisions to catch the morning news and check the weather. Cars pulled out of their open garages and set off for work, grocery shopping, and trips to the park. Somehow, even those mundane routines seemed fascinating as Brittany mentally counted down the minutes until her impending departure. She became so involved in her observations that it caused her to jump slightly when a knock sounded at the door.
It opened a crack and Brittany was surprised to find that it was her best friend, not her mother, who had come to tell her it was time to go. Santana slipped into the room and gave Brittany a little wave as she shut the door behind her.
"Hey," Santana greeted in a gentle voice. "Today's the big day, huh?"
Brittany's face lit up and she beamed.
"Santana!" Brittany exclaimed happily. "What are you doing here?"
"I just came to say goodbye," Santana explained.
She had barely finished her sentence when the wind got knocked out of her as Brittany rushed headlong across the room and embraced her tightly. Santana's eyes closed while she leaned her head against her friend and smiled.
"I'm gonna miss you so much," Brittany murmured into her shoulder.
"No you won't," Santana countered, trying to laugh. "You'll be too busy having fun."
"I'll write to you," Brittany insisted.
"You'd better." Santana pulled away from their hug. "Now, where's the stuff you're taking with you?"
Her gaze fell on the two bags beside the door. She picked up the backpack, slid both arms through the straps, and then hoisted the duffel in front of her.
"I can take something," Brittany protested. "You don't have to do all that."
"It's okay. I want to. Just get the door and lead the way," Santana panted under the weight of the load.
Brittany complied and the two made their way downstairs. Santana carried her friend's belongings to the car outside and put them on the backseat. Then they both turned to find Brittany's parents and her little sister stepping off the porch. Mrs. Pierce held her younger daughter's hand while they walked toward the driveway. Mr. Pierce swung a ring of keys around his index finger.
"Are you ready to hit the road, Bumblebee?" he asked, affectionately ruffling Brittany's hair as he crossed to the other side of the vehicle.
"Almost," Brittany replied.
She hugged her mother and crouched down to embrace her sister.
"I'll see you when I come home, Katy," Brittany said. "Try not to get too much bigger while I'm gone."
The three-year-old stared up at her with large, bright eyes.
"Back soon?" Katy asked hopefully.
"Just a handful of weeks and then you'll see me again," her big sister assured and got back to her feet.
Then it was time for the last and hardest goodbye. Despite the fact that she had kept her emotions remarkably under control until this point, Brittany felt her eyes rim with tears the minute that Santana's arms wrapped around her waist. Brittany returned the hug as much as she could while still allowing the other girl sufficient space to breathe, and they both remained that way for a few moments.
"Promise you won't replace me?" Santana whispered in her ear. She disengaged from Brittany's embrace and held out her pinkie.
Brittany wanted to protest, to tell her that it wasn't possible, but she saw how much Santana needed to hear her say the words. She accepted the extended finger with her own and met her friend's gaze.
"I promise."
"Okay," Santana said softly.
It was clear to Brittany from the way Santana kept repeatedly gulping mouthfuls of air that she was fighting back sobs. They released their hold on one another and Santana opened the passenger side for Brittany to climb into the car. Once she had slid onto the seat, the door closed behind her. Then Santana stood with Mrs. Pierce and Katy to wave farewell.
Mr. Pierce pulled out of the driveway and honked the horn as he started up the road. Their family continued to call out parting sentiments from their place in front of the house. While her father switched on the radio and tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, Brittany kept her eyes trained on the rearview mirror and watched what she was leaving behind until it was out of sight.
… … …
The ninety minute drive went faster than she had expected. Brittany passed time playing road trip games with her father and singing along to the songs that came through the speakers. Miles rushed by in a blur of beautiful scenery and dappled sunlight glinting through the leaves of the trees. Then, in what seemed like no time at all, the campsite came into view through the windshield.
Mr. Pierce parked the car. The two of them climbed out and stretched their stiff limbs. The man helped his daughter put on her backpack and handed the girl her duffel. They checked in with one of the counselors and made their way to her tent. Brittany observed the surrounding hustle and bustle with an infectious grin.
"Well, I guess I don't have to ask if you're still sure you want to do this," Mr. Pierce remarked. "Do you think you can take it from here?"
"I'll be fine," she guaranteed and stood on tiptoe to give him a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you in five weeks?"
"Yup," he confirmed, clearing his throat slightly.
Brittany watched him with an affectionate smile as he tried to keep his emotions in check. Her father met her gaze and shook his head with a laugh.
"Well, I'll get out of your hair," he said. "You don't need your dopey dad getting underfoot."
He kissed her forehead and marveled at how little he had to bend to reach it.
"Stop growing."
"I'll try," she giggled. "I love you, Daddy."
"I love you, too."
Then, with a final wave, Mr. Pierce turned and went back to his waiting car. His daughter watched him go and then set to work unpacking her bags. Brittany had more than a month's worth of adventures waiting for her and she couldn't wait to begin.
… … …
Dear Santana,
Three weeks down and two more to go! I'll be sad to leave this place but I can't wait to see you again. I've learned so much from everyone here! Especially from our two student instructors, Kara and Gavin.
Kara has been really sweet and super helpful. She's friendly to all of us and acts like everybody's big sister. Gavin is one of the only guy cheerleaders here and I think that makes him a little cranky. A lot of the girls aren't very nice to him. Sometimes they call him E.T. because his eyes are kinda big, but I don't mind him since he's always nice to me.
I got the letter you sent a few days ago. I'm sorry things are still so crummy at home. If you ever need to get away for a while, I know Mom and Dad won't mind if you go to my house to visit, even though I'm not there. Katy would like that. You just might have to play with blocks for a while or let her 'cook' you something from her pretend kitchen, that's all.
Well, I'd better go. I can hear them blowing the whistle outside. Write back to me when you can.
Love Always,
Brittany
… … …
"All right, everybody, break for lunch!" Kara dismissed.
Brittany heaved a sigh and wiped the sweat from her brow. The rest of her group made their way toward the cabin that housed the cafeteria. Before following them, she knelt to retie one of her shoes.
"Great job today," a voice commented above her head.
She lifted her eyes and saw that Gavin was standing over her.
"Thanks," Brittany beamed. She dusted off her knees and stood once more.
"Seriously, though. I know everyone's been working extra hard this week; still, I'm really impressed by how much you've improved individually. You were kinda lanky and scrawny when you first showed up but just look at you now."
Brittany studied herself with a puzzled expression, unable to see much of a difference. She looked back up at Gavin and scrunched her nose in unspoken disagreement. He chuckled.
"Here," Gavin instructed. "Flex your arm like this."
Brittany mimicked the stance he showed her. Gavin's hand settled on her bicep and squeezed lightly. He nodded his approval.
"See what I mean?" he remarked. "Look at this muscle. That wasn't there when you started. You're gonna be totally beast by the time this summer is over. If you keep up what you're doing, you'll even be able lift me, if you want."
Brittany took in his diminutive stature and wiry frame.
"I kinda think maybe I could do that already," she responded with a slightly apologetic smile, not wanting to hurt his feelings.
Gavin smirked.
"Yeah, you're probably right. But, hey, don't judge. I may not seem like much, but I'm stronger than I look."
He puffed his chest out and straightened his shoulders. Brittany laughed.
"Okay," she conceded with a wave. "I'll see you after lunch, Gavin."
"Yeah, all right," he replied as he watched her walk away. "I'll see you later."
… … …
Brittany was alone again that night. Ever since their first week, her tent buddy, Nadia, had taken to leaving after Lights Out to join her new friends on the other side of the campsite. This made Brittany a little sad that she and Nadia hadn't become close enough to make the other girl want to stay, but she couldn't really blame her. After all, if Santana were there, she would have stumbled through the dark every evening to be with her.
The air carried a chill and the thin sides of the tent did little to hold in any warmth. Brittany snuggled deeper into her sleeping bag and tried to stop shivering. She turned onto her side and curled her knees against her chest, hoping to utilize her own body heat. Her teeth chattered but eventually her eyelids began to flutter and finally close.
Brittany was just drifting into a dream when she heard a faint snap outside. Her eyes opened immediately. She held stock still while she strained to listen. There was nothing for a moment, but then the zipper that held the tent flaps closed popped repeatedly as it moved from one tooth along the line to the next. Brittany frowned confusedly and rolled onto her back to look toward the entrance. Had her tent mate gotten into an argument with her friends and decided to come back?
The girl had only a fraction of a second in which the starlight framed the silhouette of the new arrival, but it was long enough to tell her that it was not Nadia. It was a man. Then the zipper was pulled back to its starting point and the cramped space was doused pitch black. She heard the intruder advance the few small steps it took to reach her and felt the person crouch beside her.
Brittany's heart pounded painfully against her ribcage. She made no noise as she squinted and tried to discern any recognizable features. However, she wouldn't have been able to see her own hand in front of her face due to the absolute absence of light, so there was little use in her efforts. The figure beside her was panting heavily but Brittany found that her own breathing had ceased almost altogether. She was paralyzed with fear.
"Are you awake?" hissed the stranger's voice.
She tried to open her mouth to form something – a response, a sentence, a word – but nothing would come out. Her jaw had locked into place. Brittany felt the zipper on the side of her sleeping bag being lowered and her whole body stiffened. The upper half of the bag was thrown aside and there was suddenly an overwhelming amount of pressure on her thighs and hips. She realized with a sickening lurch that he was on top of her. Finally, Brittany was able to stop grinding her teeth long enough to fill her lungs with air. However, before she could scream, a hand clamped tightly over her mouth.
"Don't even bother," the voice told her. "By the time anyone could wake up, figure out where the sound came from, and investigate, this would all be over anyway. It will be a lot easier if you just shut up and stay still."
Brittany was inhaling sharply through her nose now. A knee pressed heavily against her abdomen, pinning her in place. She could feel panic constricting her throat but, when her pajama pants jerked harshly from her quaking legs, that soon gave way to all-consuming terror. There was a faint rustling and then her underwear was removed as well.
The girl fought as hard as she could to break free from the hand against her lips and the leg on her stomach but to no avail. She screamed against the sweaty palm but then the man's other hand came up and gripped the sides of her neck.
"Don't be fucking stupid," the voice commanded. "I don't want to hurt you but, if you try to get me caught, I will make this a thousand times worse."
Brittany's eyes rolled and her nostrils flared as his threat sank in and stilled her movement. She obeyed the stranger's command. No, not a stranger, she concluded. His momentary nervousness at her struggle had made his voice rise an octave and at last she recognized its owner: Gavin.
Wildly, Brittany's hand shot out for the small table beside them. If she could just reach the lantern there…
Gavin grabbed her wrist and forced the errant limb back to her side.
"Stop trying to fight me," he growled while he struggled to control her squirming body. "Hold still, damn it!"
The young man held one of her arms down with each hand and forced her thighs apart with his legs. A very loud voice in Brittany's head said to take advantage of her unblocked mouth to call for help, but all sound had flown. Pressure and pain erupted inside of her but all she could do was gasp for air as she choked and sputtered. Somehow, Brittany was sure she could feel Gavin's gaze blazing above her, looking down with such stolid indifference that it rendered him almost inhuman.
At last, the weight lifted and Brittany was left damp and disoriented. The hand returned to her throat and pushed down hard one last time for good measure.
"Don't you dare think about making a sound."
She nodded numbly.
Then he was gone.
Still unable to move, Brittany clamped her eyes shut tightly. She was able to bring some color to the darkness then. Faint squiggles of blue, red, and green shifted and spiraled in the space behind her lids. Brittany focused on their almost static-like patterns until she mercifully lost consciousness.
… … …
"Okay, girls, Gavin is M.I.A. today so it looks like it's just gonna be you and me," Kara told the group the following morning. "Now, let's go ahead and get started by- Wait a minute. Where's Brittany?"
The other girls looked around them. Nadia shrugged. They determined after a few minutes that their missing member wasn't at breakfast and no one had seen her since the previous evening. Kara's brow furrowed with concern.
"That's not like her," she commented. "I hope she isn't sick. You guys wait here; I'll go check and see what's going on. Start your warm-up stretches while I'm gone."
The instructor set off for the tents and counted down the line until she reached the one that Brittany was assigned at the start of camp. She called out her name but did not receive an answer. There was no sound from within but - just to be sure - Kara unzipped the flaps and peered through the entrance. What she saw froze her in her tracks.
"Oh, God," she whispered.
Brittany propped herself up on her elbows blearily. She squinted in the harsh sunlight, struggling to figure out what was happening. Then it all came back in a rush. She looked down and realized that she had not covered herself after what happened the previous night. The girl tried to at least bring her legs together or reach for the top half of the sleeping bag, but she was too sore to move. All of her joints ached and her limbs felt impossibly heavy. Her eyes swept over the blood and bruising now illuminated so garishly by the light of day.
Brittany's arms gave way as she flopped back against her pillow and started to cry. She covered her eyes with one crooked arm and whimpered. Kara stepped into the tent, closed the flaps, and was at her side in an instant. She stroked the girl's hair and tried to calm her long enough to ask questions but every response was lost in her incoherent bawling.
"Shit," Kara murmured to herself and began to weep as well. "I don't know what to do. This has never happened before."
She looked around frantically before settling on a plan of action. Gently, she pulled the edge of the sleeping bag over the younger girl's bare legs to preserve her modesty. Then she patted Brittany's shoulder and rose to her feet.
"Wait here," Kara instructed unnecessarily. "I'm going to go get one of the counselors. I'll be right back; I promise. We're going to figure this out."
The shaking girl nodded as best she could. Kara ducked out of the tent and went in search of help. Brittany tried to stay awake until her return, but her eyelids closed against her will and tugged her back into the darkness.
… … …
Everything became disjointed after that. It felt like living inside a flip book animation that was missing pages. Brittany could only catch fragments of the events that were transpiring around her and, even then, it was always an out-of-body experience.
First, there were the panicked voices of her parents upon their arrival. Brittany blinked and then she was surrounded by at least half a dozen people all pressing her for details. Her mouth was completely dry as she tried to respond and Brittany could swear that, once she did, only dust came out. Somehow, they pulled what they needed from her replies. She faded back into the void again.
When she resurfaced, a cop was telling her mother and father that her attacker had been found in an abandoned cabin beside a nearby lake. He was resistant to arrest but, fortunately, unarmed. According to the officer, due to the nearness of the boy's eighteenth birthday, he would likely be tried as an adult. Brittany had just long enough to feel a rush of relief before life slipped through her grasp once more.
Then there was the trial itself. Brittany was dimly aware that weeks had passed but nothing in that elapsed time would return to her memory, try as she might. It was nearly impossible to focus on what everyone was saying even though some distant, removed part of herself was conscious of the repeated mention of her name. The girl did, however, see the fearsome hatred and unspoken promises of violence in Gavin's eyes while she testified. She shuddered and her words came out through quivering, uncooperative lips. Brittany had to close her eyes to concentrate all of her efforts on maintaining her composure. However, she could still feel him watching behind her eyelids and soon her entire body began to tremor uncontrollably with stifled sobs.
It was only with all the determination Brittany possessed that she managed to tell her tale. When she concluded her testimony, someone helped her down from the stand. Later, Brittany heard the jury proclaim the defendant guilty but then the hourglass went into free-fall again and the courtroom was gone.
Her family did their best to help and look after her in their own way. She began seeing a psychiatrist but nothing really reached her. Everyone could tell that she had gone somewhere else, a place that nobody seemed able to access. Brittany felt a detached sort of guilt over their wasted attempts. However, she remained unable to keep her attention on the caring words they offered. Worse still, she could not respond in kind to their embraces or general displays of affection. Her mouth seemed to have forgotten how to properly smile and anyone's touch on her skin caused a brief, involuntary flinch.
Then Santana came to see her.
August had begun and the countdown to the start of the school year was well underway. Brittany marked off the squares on her calendar, ignoring the dread that settled in the pit of her stomach with each new red X. She was sitting on the edge of her bed with her chin resting on her knees when she heard footsteps on the stairs. They were lighter and more hesitant than either of her parents' and her head lifted as she turned to face the sound. There was a soft knock and Brittany called out for the person to come inside.
Santana entered the room and shut the door carefully. Brittany sat up in surprise. Her instinctive reaction was to be overjoyed at the sight of her friend after being separated from her for so long. Then she remembered what had changed since they saw each other last and her enthusiasm diminished. How much did the other girl know? Moreover, how much could she bring herself to divulge?
Fortunately, Santana spoke first.
"I'm sorry if this is a bad time," she apologized. "My dad told me about… About camp… but he couldn't or wouldn't give me a lot of details, just what your dad let him know over the phone. I think your mom and my mom may have talked a little, too, but you know what it's like trying to get any information out of her. All she would tell me was that I wasn't allowed to come see you. She said to give you time and space but I couldn't wait any longer."
She perched lightly on her best friend's bed. Her eyes looked fearful as if she thought that Brittany would order her away and demand to be left alone. Brittany wanted to meet her gaze but found herself staring at Santana's kneecap instead.
"I won't ask you to tell me anything until you're ready," Santana assured her. "I just need to hear it from you: Is it true?"
Brittany looked up at her properly for the first time. It made her chest hurt to see how every inch of her friend's features begged her to say no. More than anything, Santana wanted her to say that wires had gotten crossed and that there was some sort of misunderstanding; things were not as bad as they seemed. Brittany wished she could give her that comfort.
She gulped and wrapped her arms around her torso. Briefly, Brittany locked her gaze on Santana's and gave a single nod. Santana immediately looked away and covered her mouth with her hand as she tried not to sob. Tears seeped out of the corners of her eyes and her shoulders shook.
Brittany shuffled over until she was beside Santana. She wrapped her arms around the other girl and buried her face in Santana's hair. They stayed seated that way for a while, crying together quietly. Santana's hand gripped Brittany's wrist and she started to hiccup. Brittany pulled away to wipe her friend's face with the corner of her sleeve.
"It's my fault," Santana insisted wildly as her eyes widened. "All through the last couple of months at school, you kept trying to get me to go with you to cheer camp. I didn't think I'd like the other girls but I shouldn't have said no. I should have just gone with you and we could have shared a tent. If you weren't alone, maybe he wouldn't have gone after you. Even if he did, I'd have been there. I'd have… I'd have kicked his ass…"
Brittany shook her head adamantly and held both sides of Santana's face in her hands.
"It wasn't your fault," she insisted. "Don't cry. The important thing is that it's over now, and when we go back to school we'll just pretend it never happened."
Santana stared at her with an unreadable expression. She seemed half-torn between two different emotions, wanting to protest and yet knowing this was how her friend had chosen to cope. Brittany was watching her expectantly and waiting for a sign that she could agree with this decision. Reluctantly, Santana nodded.
"Okay," Brittany said as she got to her feet. "Good."
She crossed the room and looked out the window. Without turning to face the girl still seated on the bed, Brittany tentatively voiced a second request.
"Hey, Santana?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think maybe I could go home with you when you leave, if my mom will let me? Your parents will be at work for a few hours yet, right? Maybe we could hang out while they're gone? I've been in this room for a really long time and I just want to get out of the house."
… … …
Mrs. Pierce allowed Brittany to accompany Santana, albeit with some trepidation. The friends went to the garage, got Brittany's bike, and then set off for the Lopez residence. Fresh air did Brittany immediate good; she felt as if her worries were lifting off her shoulders and floating away on the breeze that was whipping through her hair. A slow, uncertain smile spread across her face. When Santana mirrored the expression, Brittany's grin broadened until it was almost as bright as it had been at the start of the summer.
They reached their destination and entered the spacious, air-conditioned home. Their shoes squeaked on the floor when they stepped into the foyer. Santana supported herself against the wall while she removed her shoes and Brittany did the same.
"We'll have to be careful so my little brother doesn't hear us," Santana cautioned. "He's upstairs for now but we'll never get rid of him if he figures out I have company. You know how he gets."
Brittany nodded. Faintly, she could hear the sound effects from Matyas's video game drifting down the stairs from his room overhead. This was soon punctuated by a frustrated outcry from the seven-year-old as he lost a life and had to begin the level again.
"Come on," Santana urged.
She grabbed Brittany's hand and rushed toward the back of the house.
"If we hurry, we can be outside before he comes down for a snack."
They went out the back door, crossed the deck, and descended the small set of steps. The mid-afternoon sun glinted off the surface of the Lopez family's pool. Both girls shielded their eyes against the glare.
"Can we go for a swim?" Brittany suggested as she looked across the cool, inviting water.
Santana's brow furrowed but she nodded.
"Sure, I guess. You can use one of the suits from the pool house. It's unlocked, so you can go ahead and change. I'll be right back. I'm going to sneak inside and see if I can get my bikini from upstairs without running into the little monster."
She turned back the way they came and disappeared through the door. Brittany followed her friend's instructions and went to the pool house. She found a fairly conservative pink one-piece that fit well. Once Brittany had changed out of her clothes, she reemerged and walked to the edge of the water.
Brittany lowered herself onto the cement and allowed her legs to dangle over the edge. She sighed contentedly. The glimmering liquid felt every bit as glorious as it looked. The coolness spread through her limbs and dulled the remaining ache in her now yellow bruises. Brittany knew that she ought to wait for her friend to return, but the promise of that cleansing refreshment reaching the rest of her body was too tempting to resist.
The girl inhaled as deeply as she could and dropped below the surface. Brittany sank down until her rump hit the cold bottom of the pool. She bent her knees and tucked her feet beneath her, enjoying the silent serenity of this underwater world.
Brittany looked down at her arms and marveled at how the refracted light skittered across her skin, spreading across the smooth surface like a second series of veins. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine light pumping through her instead of blood. Instantly, her shoulders relaxed and she felt an incredible sense of peace. Forgetting where she was, Brittany sighed and let out all the air she'd been storing in her lungs.
She did not even have time to panic before an arm wound around her waist and tugged Brittany toward the sun. She choked when her nose and mouth inevitably tried to inhale. The burning made her throat constrict and her stomach heave. Then she and her rescuer broke through the surface and oxygen finally returned. However, Brittany was unable to take it in, hacking and convulsing as she was. She dropped to all fours and coughed violently. An incredible amount of water expelled itself from her body and she dropped immediately onto her back, utterly spent.
Warm hands held both sides of her face. Unsteady fingers pushed her dampened hair back from her forehead.
"Brittany! What the hell?!" Santana demanded, her voice shrill and almost hysterical. "You scared the crap out of me! What were you doing down there?"
"I just wanted to be someplace calm and quiet," Brittany explained feebly. "It felt so nice."
Santana helped her sit upright before hugging her roughly.
"Don't ever do that again," she commanded. "I thought I'd lost you."
Her cheek rested against her friend's shoulder.
As they both caught their breath, Brittany pondered what Santana had said for a moment. Then her eyes widened as she realized what Santana had thought was happening. Brittany considered assuring the other girl that she would never resort to something that drastic, would never take her own life. She knew that she had plenty of reasons to stay. Instead, Brittany settled for returning her friend's embrace and wrapping her arms around Santana's back. Granted, her friend had been more worried about her than was necessary, but Brittany drew comfort from the knowledge that Santana would never let her leave without a fight.
… … …
The week before seventh grade began, Mrs. Pierce returned from shopping with a bag for her daughter. She brought it upstairs and opened it to reveal a dozen prisms on strings. The woman explained that she loved how they caught the light in the store and thought perhaps Brittany might enjoy having them to brighten up her room. Brittany happily agreed to take them but asked if it would be all right if she used them outside instead.
Later that same afternoon, she went to the backyard and climbed to the treehouse at the top of the solitary oak that grew there. Brittany pulled a small plastic box full of thumbtacks out of the back pocket of her jeans. Her tongue curled around her teeth as she deliberated where to put them and scattered their locations across the old, wooden roof overhead. Once they were in place, Brittany pulled the prisms out of their bag one by one and wound their strings around the tacks. When she finished, the small space was positively transformed. It was as if she were dwelling inside of a rainbow.
Brittany stretched out on the floor, warmed by the sun, and watched the colors dance. She was so lost in her daydreams that she almost didn't notice when a noise just over the ledge indicated that someone was beginning the ascent to visit her. It was not until a face appeared at the entrance that she was tugged out of her reverie.
"Hi," Santana mumbled when she pulled herself into the treehouse.
"Hey," Brittany returned and propped up on her elbows.
"I brought you something."
"Really?"
Brittany edged over to sit beside her. Santana slid one hand into her pocket and produced a small, wrapped box. She handed it to her friend with a self-conscious smile.
"Here."
Brittany's eyebrows quirked confusedly before she opened the unexpected gift. When she lifted the lid, her jaw dropped and she gasped. Her eyes bulged as she looked up at her friend.
"Santana!" Brittany exclaimed. "How did you get this? It must have been so expensive."
Gingerly, she lifted the silver bracelet to examine it more closely. A shaft of sunlight caught the small hearts dangling from one of the shining links. Brittany gazed at the costly present in complete awe.
"I'm glad you like it," Santana commented. "Look, I got one, too."
She held up her left arm to show off the matching jewelry. Brittany locked hers in place around the same wrist.
"So, they're like friendship bracelets?"
"Yeah," Santana confirmed. "But they're more than that, too. They're a promise."
Brittany tilted her head to the side with a perplexed expression.
"I know you're worried about going back to school after… after this summer. So I wanted to get you something to say that you're not going to have to go through any more bad times alone," Santana clarified. "You were there for me last year and now I'm going to be here for you. I got this so you'll always remember that I'm around if you need me."
She shrugged and lowered her gaze, clearly embarrassed by her own gesture of affection. Brittany beamed gratefully and threw her arms around the other girl.
"You're my best friend," Brittany whispered into her ear while she squeezed her tightly.
"Same here," Santana replied.
She freed herself from Brittany's embrace and smoothed a nonexistent wrinkle in her jeans. Eager to change the subject, Santana moved over to where Brittany had been reclining when she arrived. The companions stretched out side-by-side and looked up at the ceiling.
"I like what you've done with them." Santana gestured toward the swaying prisms.
"Thanks," Brittany murmured. "Me, too."
Santana's eyes roamed about the structure and studied its walls after they lapsed into silence. Etched into the wood, she could still see the tally marks from years past, ticking off the days until their next summer vacation. There were marker doodles of animals and crushes' names surrounded by Sharpie-drawn hearts. It was the story of their friendship, laid out in colorful and sentimental detail. Santana turned her head to one side and looked at her fellow artist, sucking on her bottom lip while she pondered.
Without a word, she reached out for Brittany's pinkie and curled her own around it. Brittany gazed down at their hands for a moment with a small smile. Colors glided across their skin, sending fragmented slivers of green, violet, and indigo over their interlocked fingers. A faint sigh escaped Brittany as she returned her attention to the space above their heads.
Time always did seem to pass more slowly in the summer. True, when it was over and the new school year began, Brittany would have more to occupy her thoughts. She might finally be able to stop counting every minute as it passed. However, for the time being, each day had the potential to hold a year's worth of pain and flashes of better-forgotten memories. Working toward hope and healing seemed like an insurmountable and unfathomable task. Even so, nestled there in that safe haven with her best friend just a touch away, Brittany felt like it was a journey she might soon be ready to start.