"Kurt," Santana half-whispers as she shakes the boy's shoulder. "Kurt, wake up!"
"Hmm?" he mutters groggily, stifling a yawn.
"Kurt, I need you to help me choose my outfit for today."
"Your outfit? Santana-" Kurt rolls over on his bed to face his alarm. "Ohmigosh, Santana! It's only 2 AM!"
"So? Don't you and Berry usually wake up at this time and like, do plastic surgery on your face or something?"
"Santana," Kurt whines. He's so tired that he doesn't even try to bitch back to the fiery brunette. "Can't this wait til later?"
"No, this is important," Santana insists.
"And why's that?"
"It just is."
"You're not going to tell me why it's so important that you have to wake up at 2?" Kurt smirks because he already knows the answer, via Rachel.
"Cuz I'm important, Porcelain, now get your ass out of bed and make me look sexy!" Santana grabs his arm and tried to pull him from his sheets. But Kurt won't give in until he gets what he wants.
"Is it because Quinn's coming today?" Kurt's smirk grows wider, if that's even possible.
"What? No," Santana scoffs, but then she drops Kurt's arm and looks down as she starts to fiddle with her hot pink cast. "Ok. Yes. Maybe. I don't know."
"Well?" Kurt pushes.
"Ok, so maybe I was up all night thinking about her, ok?! Jeezes, are you happy now? Now hurry up, because I barely slept and it feels like shit," Santana huffs.
"Ok, ok! Your cheeks are burning, by the way."
Kurt slaps Santana's ass playfully as they head to her room in the dark.
All in all, it takes five hours for the two divas to finally settle on an outfit: a tight, red dress that hugs Santana in all the right ways. Santana almost squeals happily when she tries it on (oh God, what is Quinn doing to her?), and she doesn't even care that the bright red clashes terribly against the hot pink of her cast. Screw her injury; the dress is perfect. Kurt just smirks and winks, but when he notices that its already 7, he's out the door in seconds with a, "It ain't plastic surgery! It's just lotion!"
"Lotion doesn't take 12 hours to put on, Porcelain!" Santana yells back, but Kurt is already bickering with Rachel about how she's always hogging the bathroom mirror. Santana turns back to look at herself in the mirror, smiling giddily. Quinn was going to drool; she just knew it.
After taking the dress off to save it for later, and changing into more comfortable sweats, Santana waltzes into the kitchen. The exhaustion she had felt only hours ago is gone and all that floats through her mind right now is Quinn, Quinn, Quinn.
Rachel and Kurt both look up in surprise when the Latina starts humming as she tries to pour herself a bowl of cereal with her good hand.
"Well, someone's in an awfully good mood today. It's almost scary," Rachel comments. And then as an afterthought she leans over and whispers to Kurt, "I think we're finally starting to rub off on her."
"Say that again and I'll slip chicken liver into your pancake batter on Sunday," Santana threatens.
The rest of breakfast is quiet, but only because Rachel's pancake batter is to-die-for (although Santana would never admit it).
When Rachel and Kurt have left for their classes at NYADA, Santana finds herself sprawled against the couch, anxiously playing with her phone. The TV is on, but she isn't paying any attention to it. She didn't want to mention it to the other two, but she can't stop thinking about Quinn's promise to come back. She's missed Quinn a lot, almost too much.
And now that Friday is finally here, she's ready. She can't wait to see those mesmerizing hazel eyes again.
But it's only 9 in the morning, and she knows that Quinn has classes. Like the idiot she is, she checks her phone to see if Quinn has tried to text or call or contact her in any way.
Nothing. Just like it has been for the last two weeks, her phone is silent.
Santana chastises herself when she feels her heart sink with a heavy sigh. She hates how disappointed she feels – like if maybe Quinn really wanted her, she would've fought for her in any way. Including phone.
But Quinn's been eerily silent, except for when she'd shown up last week, and Santana can't help but think that maybe this was too good to be true. Maybe Quinn didn't want her enough to even freakin' call her.
Santana lets out a long groan. She hates how Quinn always fucks up with her feelings. She turns Santana into an ooey-gooey ball of mess, and Santana hates it. She hates it.
Santana checks her phone again, because she really is an idiot, but also because she can't help the sliver of faith that sits in her heart, hoping that Quinn Fabray will appear on her phone screen one of these days.
By noon, Santana's checked her phone 37 times.
By one, 52 times.
She two-thirty, 77 times.
But nothing appears except for her home screen: a photo that Rachel had took (that sneaky bitch) of her and Quinn sleeping peacefully in bed. Santana hasn't had the heart to change it. She looks like a blob of dark hair, but Quinn looks like an angel with her blonde hair framing her face, not a single strand out of place. How she does it, Santana doesn't know, but it makes her fall for the perfect blonde even more.
Santana checks her phone for the 78th time, and the photo comes up again. Santana moans in frustration. She hates that she's turned into this desperate couch potato, and it's all because of Quinn. Stupid Quinn.
By 4 in the afternoon, Santana's given up all hope. Quinn's classes had ended at 1, and that was plenty of time for her to get her ass down to New York like she promised.
Usually on Fridays, Quinn's already in Santana's bed by 3.
It's 5 o'clock on Friday afternoon when Santana finally drags herself off the couch with her third broken heart in two weeks.
Rachel calls Santana a little later to let her know that she and Kurt are going to some NYADA-nerd party and won't be back til midnight. Santana's voice is too fake and too happy when she tells her roommates to have fun and "be good little mutherfuckers."
Just as Santana hangs up the phone, there is a knock at the door. Santana almost drops her phone in surprise as her heart starts hammering from the inside of her chest. She can't help the smile that spreads across her face as she moves to the front door.
Finally. Quinn's here.
Santana opens the door, expecting to see a gorgeous head of blonde hair and green hazel eyes.
Instead, she's met with ocean blue.
It takes a minute for her to realize who it is, and even though her heart shatters for the fourth time, she smiles again.
"Brittany!" she says, opening the door even wider. "Ohmigod, I can't believe you're here!"
"I missed you too, Santana," Brittany smiles as the two girls hug. "How's New York?"
"It's great. Berry and Porcelain too. But don't tell them I said that," Santana says quickly. Brittany giggles as she walks into the apartment and takes off her coat.
"Don't worry. I won't." Brittany's eyes widen. "Ohmigosh, San, what happened to your arm?!"
"Eh, I broke my wrist," Santana waves it off.
"Doing what?"
"Stupid shit. It's nothing really. So what are you doing in New York, Brittany?"
"It's a three-day weekend. I have an interview with MIT."
"MIT?! Ohmygosh, Brittany, I'm so proud of you! That's amazing!" Santana gushes as she hugs the blonde again. "Wait…but isn't MIT in Boston?"
"Yeah," Brittany giggles, "but I thought I'd come and visit my best friend first."
"How sweet," the Latina chuckles. "Where's Sam?" The last time Santana had seen Brittany was at Mr. Schue's not-so-much-of-a-wedding. At the time, it had hurt to see Brittany in the arms of another man, but ever since her thing with Quinn had started, she'd forgiven her first love. She knew that Brittany was a carefree spirit, and she didn't want to stand in the way of that. They were back to best friends, and best friends only, and Santana had Quinn now, or at least, she kinda did. Okay, not really.
"Sam's staying in Lima to take care of sick family," Brittany says.
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"It's ok, I get to see you!" Brittany nudges Santana, who smiles back in return.
"But really, Brittany, MIT…Wow, that is so amazing. I'm so excited for you."
"Thanks, San. I'm excited, too. So, how 'bout you? Anything exciting going on here?"
"I started working at a bar," Santana offers.
"That's great, San!"
"But I haven't exactly found anything I want to do yet."
Brittany nods in understanding. "It's ok. You have time. If you need any help, Lord Tubbington is always open. He just got his license to become a therapist."
Santana just laughs.
"I've missed you so much, Britt," she says, wrapping her arm around her best friend again.
"Me too," Brittany smiles. They're still hugging (for Santana, it's one-handed hugging) when there's another knock on the door. Santana wrinkles her eyebrow in confusion.
"Who the hell is-" Santana opens the door, her good arm still wrapped around Brittany.
"Hi."
Santana's body freezes at the familiar voice, the voice that's been haunting her dreams.
Quinn is standing outside the apartment, a gold box under one arm and a large bouquet of red flowers in the other hand. She's wearing a simple blue dress, with her hair in light curls and a touch of makeup. Her hazel eyes dart from Santana's stunned face to the hot pink cast on Santana's arm to the way Santana's other arm is draped around Brittany's shoulder. The small smile that was on her face immediately vanishes, and her shoulders seem to droop when she notices Brittany.
"Quinn," Santana says simply. She's in a mixed state between shock and happiness and even a little bit of anger, and she just can't seem to figure out her emotions.
"Hi. I um…I thought we were going to…but um…I didn't mean to interrupt you. I'm sorry, I didn't know you were busy. I'll just, um, go then…" Quinn turns around quickly so that Santana won't see the tears in her eyes. She's too late.
"Wait, Quinn," Santana calls out softly. She lets go of Brittany, who is watching their interaction with curiosity. Quinn turns around again, biting her lip and looking at the ground.
"Look, Santana, it's ok. I have homework to do anyways. I'll just-"
"No. Stay here for a minute," Santana almost begs. "Please."
Quinn just nods, staring at the flowers in her hand.
Santana turns to Brittany.
"Britt, I-"
The blue-eyed girl smiles knowingly. "Go for it," she whispers.
"Thanks, Britt, I'm sorry we couldn't hang out today." Santana gives Brittany a one-armed hug.
"It's okay. But Lord Tubbington expects a phone call about this!" Brittany smirks and then walks out the door, leaving Santana and Quinn alone.
"So…" Santana begins, turning her attention back to the blonde beauty in front of her. "What are you doing here?"
"I um…" Quinn blushes. She looks nervous and her eyes dart everywhere except for Santana's face. Santana watches as the confident HBIC she once knew becomes a blubbering mess. "These are for you." Quinn says quickly as she shoves the box and the flowers into Santana's open hands.
"Thanks," Santana smiles.
"I'm sorry I'm late," Quinn says sadly. "I um…"
"You're here now," Santana offers, wanting to put the blonde out of her misery. Although, she must admit, a shy Quinn is absolutely adorable.
"I was, um, wondering if you wanted to um…go out to dinner with me?" Quinn's voice cracks in the middle as she tries to rack up enough courage to maintain her composure.
Santana's mouth opens slightly in shock. Her heart is jumping up and down and she can feel the butterflies in her stomach.
But Quinn can only see a frozen Santana staring back at her, and the little confidence she had continues to diminish.
"If you don't want to, it's ok, I-"
"No!" Santana almost yells, which makes Quinn jump back in surprise and confusion. "Um, I mean, I would love to have dinner with you, Quinn."
Quinn's face breaks out into a grin, and Santana's heart swells.
Dinner is a heavenly affair. Their normal banter is back, and they continue to laugh at their waiter, who is on his first day of the job, and keeps dropping his pen clumsily.
Santana never wants this night to end. Quinn is sitting across from her, her head thrown back in laughter – and Santana loves it. Under the table, Santana's foot is playfully nudging the side of Quinn's foot, and Santana sighs warmly at the contact. It feels like heaven, and she never wants to go back.
During the walk back home, (Santana had complained that she felt like a bloated whale and needed to walk off the calories) Quinn stays close to Santana's side. Every time their hands brushed against each other, Santana has to swallow down the hitch that catches in her breath. She wants nothing more than to reach out just a little bit further and take Quinn's hand in hers, but she's too nervous to try anything.
Santana almost laughs at how much of a pussy she is now.
But Quinn, on the other hand, has turned silent, almost morose. She walks with a heavier step, and continues to look at the ground. Santana studies her, but does not say anything. She doesn't want to interrupt the silence that surrounds them, that cuts them off from the rest of the world.
She loves being in this little bubble with Quinn.
A few more minutes pass until the two girls find themselves back at the apartment. Before taking her keys out, Santana takes a deep breath and turns toward Quinn. In a sudden burst of confidence, she grabs the blonde's hands. She has to suppress the smile that creeps up on her face when Quinn doesn't protest.
"Spit it out, Fabray," she says finally.
"What?"
"I said, spit it out. You're all quiet and weird and it's creeping the fuck out of me," Santana answers honestly. Quinn is staring at her with an unreadable expression on her face and it makes Santana's heart beat even faster.
Quinn stays quiet for so long that Santana is about to open her mouth to ask the question again when –
"Are you and Brittany back together?" Quinn asks suddenly, loosening her grip on Santana's hands.
"What?" Santana doesn't get why Quinn is suddenly asking this now.
"I saw you two together today and – I don't know, I just wanted to know if you just agreed to dinner with me out of pity, or –"
"Of course I didn't. I wanted to spend time with you. I missed you," Santana steps closer to Quinn.
Quinn lets out the breath she'd been holding, relief washing over her face.
"You're not…um, you're not still…in love with her, are you?" the blonde asks almost shyly. Santana chuckles at how cute Quinn looks.
"Quinn," Santana says, "Brittany is and will always be my first love. She's gorgeous and funny and sweet…"
With every compliment that Santana says about Brittany, the tiny smile on Quinn's lips grows smaller and sadder. The sparkle in her eyes vanishes and is replaced with tears. Santana notices it and pulls Quinn closer to her.
"But," Santana emphasizes. "She's not the girl I'm in love with."
The smile that spreads on Quinn's face is the cutest, sexiest thing Santana's ever seen in her life, and she can't help but lean forward and kiss Quinn with a passion that she's never felt before in her life.
Quinn's hand moves up to rest against Santana's cheek as they stand kissing under the moonlight.
They only break apart long enough for Quinn to whisper against Santana's lips, "I love you, too."
A/N: So, how was that? Should I write another chapter? :)
Oh, and thanks for reading, reviewing, etc, etc, etc. You guys always make my day 10x better!