Chapter 2: In with the new

This felt like Brittany's movie moment. Everything was in slow motion. She thought that girl was beautiful. Tan skin, pitch black hair, and she was walking with determination on her face and was radiating confidence. Brittany was starstruck. As she walked by Brittany's table, Brittany quickly hid the smoke bomb behind her back.

This was Brittany's chance.

"Hi."

Santana didn't even acknowledge her. She walked right on by. She was headed straight to Coach Sylvester, she didn't have time for any small talk.

Santana found her target. Coach Sylvester was sitting at a table all the way in the back reading a book. Two Cheerios in their cheerleading uniforms stood on each side of the table like bodyguards. Santana approached.

"Good morning, Coach Sylvester," Santana wanted to appear confident but her voice was wavering, "My name is Santana Lopez. I'm thankful for the opportunity to learn-"

Coach Sylvester got up from the table, never taking her eyes off her book. Snapped her fingers and pointed to the right. The two cheerleaders turned towards the table, lifted it up and moved it a few steps to the right.

Coach Sylvester cleared her throat annoyed and one of the Cheerios quickly went to retrieve Coach Sylvester's chair and place it back by the table. Coach Sylvester took a seat and continued reading her book.

Santana just stood there perplexed by the situation. She moved back in front of the Coach's table.

"I wanted to tell you that I'm grateful for all-," Coach Sylvester raised her hand and for the first time looked at Santana. She squinted her eyes at her as if studying her.

"I wasn't trying to be subtle, Janice."

"It's San-"

"I literally moved my table away from you, what more of a hint could you possibly need?"

This was definitely not going the way Santana expected. She once again tried to explain herself but Coach interrupted. Again.

"I don't need you cutting into the few precious minutes I have before I need to address all the sorry excuses of athletes I have lounging out there. Especially when all you're doing is giving me a half-assed attempt to suck up to me. I can already tell you come bearing no gifts for me." Coach Sylvester sits there looking at her.

Santana didn't know how to respond to that. She didn't even think of bringing a gift, she spent her time planning on what to say to her.

"Well?" Coach asked.

Santana was trying to remember if anything she packed in the bags next to her could possibly pass as a gift and she had nothing. She mentally kicked herself for trying to get in Coach's good graces and having it backfire on her. She can also feel the heat rising in her face as she is suddenly made aware of how quiet it has gotten behind her and knows everyone is probably watching all this go down.

"We brought you this but we didn't have time to wrap it."

Santana looks to her right and sees a blonde girl handing something over to Coach Sylvester.

Coach inspects the gift in her hands, "These look military grade. How did you know I was running low on my supply?"

"Santana always says you can never have enough smoke bombs around," Brittany puts her arm around Santana's shoulders and gives her a smile.

Santana just looks at her and then at Coach, who is already stuffing the bombs in her track suit. She has never been more confused and at a loss for words than she is at this moment.

"Well Samantha. . . touche." And with that Coach gets up and walks away, the two cheerios not far behind.

Santana's gaze follows her as she leaves outside. Then turns her attention to the blonde.

"That was. . ." Santana doesn't even know where to begin.

"Don't worry about it. That's what friends do."

"We are not friends," Santana said harsher than she intended and on instinct. Immediately she tried to backtrack, not sure why since on any given day she would tell people off for getting in her business. " I mean, I don't even know your name."

"Oh right," Brittany chuckled, instantly feeling her mood elevating,"I'm Brittany. Nice to meet you, Santana."

"How do you know my name?"

Brittany turned a shade pink. "I followed you when you came in and overheard you introduce yourself to the Coach."

Santana figured this was probably the girl who had said "hi" to her when she came in. Now she was wondering why she had followed her? Was it to make friends? Santana was not looking for friends. As far as she's concerned everyone here is competition. This included Brittany.

"Cool. So um. . . Thanks?" Santana didn't intend to make it sound like a question but the mere act of thanking a peer seemed foreign to her. "With the whole Coach thing. You didn't have to do that, I had everything under control."

Brittany just looked at her curiously.

"Anyways I have to go now so. . ." Santana picked up her luggage and was ready to high tail it out of there. Something about Brittany's stare made her feel uneasy.

"You need to fill out a packet."

Santana paused with her bags in hand, "What?"

"At the entrance there's a sign that says to 'take one and fill it out' and a stack of packets under it. You didn't take one. I'm not sure if you are trying to stick it to the man but the man in this case is Sue Sylvester and she doesn't peel bananas before she eats them."

"Oh, I hadn't noticed the sign." Santana looks towards the entrance and sure enough spots the stack Brittany was talking about.

"I have a table right over there," Brittany points to her table that has all her stuff on it, "Need some help carrying your bags?"

Santana can say no. She didn't need help with her bags. She wasn't going to sit at her table. A part of her wanted to stick to her guns and keep everyone here at arms length. But surprisingly a bigger part of her wanted to say yes. She liked Brittany, known her for all of five minutes but she likes her. That's rare. Maybe making one new friend wouldn't hurt. And Brittany was looking at her so expectantly. She can't say no.

"Sure," Santana hands one of her bags to Brittany.

Brittany takes it and can't stop herself from smiling. She made a new friend. Score.