A nudge wakes me up.

"San?" Quinn mumbles against my neck.

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry."

"Me, too."

"I don't want to fight with you again, S." Quinn tightens her grip around my waist.

"Me, too."

"Aren't you gonna say anything else besides 'me, too', Tana?"

"…Missed you."

"…I'll go with you and Puck tomorrow."

"With Finn?"

"I don't need him to save me from being a third wheel. I'm hot. And we're going to the fucking beach, S. There'll be a lot of boys there, for sure."

"Yeah. Gross, sweaty, horny beach boys. Inviting."

"Shut up."

"Good night to you too, Q."

"Had a great time?" Mike asks at dinner after Quinn, Puck and I went to the beach together.

"Mmm-hmm."

"So… How are you and Puck going?" Mike questions me next with expectant eyes.

"Umm… Great. He's a really great friend."

"A great friend, huh? That's nice."

"No, I mean we really are just friends!" I protest when I see Mike's knowing smirk.

"Whatever you say, Santana. I mean, I really think I should believe you, 'cause you're blushing and all… Didn't know you even blush."

I feel my face burn hotter. "I don't blush!" I pout when I see that even Sam is smirking. "We're just friends! Really!"

"Don't worry, Tana. We won't tell your mother." By now, Sam's chuckling, and I can't help but smile, too.

Our laughter halts when Quinn bangs her fist against the table.

We all look in her direction as she sends Mike a death glare. "Will you stop teasing Santana? Didn't you hear her? She said there's nothing going on between her and Puck. Don't you understand that?"

With that, Quinn walks out of the room and slams the door on her way out.

Mike and Sam looks at me questioningly and all I can do is shrug.

"Well, I guess walking out's becoming her habit," Sam mumbles as he chews a piece of broccoli.

"Should I go follow her?"

"Well, you're the only one who can tame the lion in that girl." Sam nods to agree with Mike.

I sip the last of my orange juice before making my way to our bedroom.

I see Quinn sitting on one edge of the bed, one hand busy with a stress ball and the other punching the bed with tears forming in her eyes.

God, she must really be upset.

I sit down next to her and reach to rub her back.

"Are you okay?"

"Do I look like I'm okay?"

Woah, did she just snap at me?

Must be way upset. And mad.

"Well… What's the problem then? I thought you and Mike are okay now."

"I—it's not Mike." Her voice is cracked. She wipes a tear running down her cheek and looks me in the eye. "Santana… Do you like him?"

"Who?"

"Puck. Are you… together?"

"I… No. I mean… Not exactly. He's really nice, and he told me he likes me. I… I told him I'd give him a chance, but I reminded him that we're still young and-"

"Why does it have to be him, S?"

"Huh? I-I don't—"

"Santana, are—aren't you in love with me?"

Huh?

I feel my jaw drop and my heart race because of what I heard. "I… Pardon, Q?"

Quinn swallows and releases the stress ball. "Aren't you… I thought you…" She bites her lip and takes a deep breath.

Fuck everything if I'm just dreaming.

"Quinn… I don't understand."

Don't tell me you're jealous.

Nah, scratch that. Please tell me you're jealous.

She wipes her eyes, stands up, and starts walking to the door. "I—Forget it. It's stupid. I-I… I'll just stay in the next room for a while." I'm about to protest but she turns to me as she reaches for the doorknob. "It's okay. I just need space, okay? I… Don't bother me."

What. The. Fuck.

I'm never going to get used to her mood swings.

Quinn and I never talked until I went to her room the night before my birthday. I see her staring at the ceiling, and I sit down on her bed, facing her.

"Hey, Q? Dinner's ready."

Quinn looks at me for a second, nods, and sets her eyes back to the ceiling. "I'll be down in a minute."

"Can-Can you just tell me what's wrong?"

All I had for an answer is a shrug.

"Quinn, I just—"

"What else do you want from me? Haven't I told you enough?"

No, everything you've said just made me confused, just like you always do.

"I—I just don't understand, Q."

She sits up and looks at me with a face filled with emotions I can't place.

"What do you think, S?"

All I can do is blink. I guess now I have to get used to Quinn snapping at me.

Suddenly, Quinn's face softens and she takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I just… I'll be down in a minute, okay?"

I just nod and start walking out of the room.

I can't believe how a person could get so complicated.

My phone rings and wakes me up at midnight.

Great. Happy birthday, Santana.

I don't even look at the caller ID. My eyes haven't adjusted to the brightness yet, and it will surely blind me.

"Hello?"

The sound of a familiar voice makes my eyes snap wide open. "Santana, look out of your window."

"Huh?"

"Just do it."

"You sound like an advertisement, Puck. Which window?" I stand up from my bed.

"The middle one. Be careful with the package, though, San."

"Huh? What package?"

"Just look out the window, please, birthday girl."

"Yeah, yeah." I look out my window, and sure enough, I find a small brown package.

"Do I have to ask you to open it?"

"Nope." I open my window and grab Puck's gift.

I unwrap the package to see a silver bracelet with a large mermaid-shaped pendant and can't help but laugh.

"What? You said you love mermaids because you admire how they can swim and you can't!"

No, it's just because Quinn is a fucking mermaid.

"Happy birthday, S."

"Thank you, Puck."

"Now, go to sleep. Sorry for bothering you. Good night, S."

"Good night, Puck."

As much as I would have loved it more if Quinn was the one who first greeted me today, I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

Sorry for the late update. Our internet's been down for a while. It sucks. :( Wait for me, dears. I'll have my connection soon.