Chapter 7

A week after Quinn and Santana became friends again things were somewhat different at school. Rachel could see that Quinn and Santana were happier than that had been, though Santana was still sad about Brittany. Instead of walking to class with just Santana, Quinn had now joined them and when Santana went off because of separate schedules Quinn and Rachel still walked together. The first day it happened everyone in the hall almost lost their eyes and rumors quickly spread, not that any of the girls cared.

On Friday Quinn and Rachel parted ways with Santana and headed towards their class. Quinn had found that she loved the brunettes company. This fact had been on her mind recently and it was the reason she was giving the girl a grin.

Rachel noticed and said nothing for a few moments, but when it seemed obvious that Quinn was staring she spoke up, "Quinn, are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"Then why are you looking at me like that?"

"Sorry. I just...like to spend time with you is all." Quinn confessed, a little shyly.

Rachel smiled, "I like it too."

"So, you knew Santana and Brittany when they were little right?" Quinn asked.

The diva gave her an odd look, "Yes. I've known Santana since she was ten and Brittany when we were thirteen. You know that already."
"I didn't know the specific ages. It's kind of funny.."
"What is?"

"When I as thirteen I went into a toy store with my mom. I looked around for awhile and I saw this game, I can't remember the name but it had this container in the middle with a die in it and when you pushed it, it would pop and roll the die. I reached to get it but when I got my hand on it someone else picked it up too. It turns out Brittany and Santana also came to the toy store that day and Brittany liked the ducks that was on the box." Quinn smiled remembering the pout Brittany had on her face when she looked at her, the same one she still used. "I ended up letting her have it and she promised I could come play it with them."

"That sounds like Brittany." Rachel commented.

"Yeah, but my point is coming up soon. My mom followed them to Brittany's house and we played for hours until my mom finally told me I had to go home. Brittany promised me she'd see me again because she had already lost one friend and didn't want to lose another."

Rachel arched her brow and stopped in the hall, turning to face Quinn, "She what?"

"I met them not long after you stopped seeing them. I know it was Santana's fault, she told me, but if it hadn't have happened I might've met you too."

"Would that have changed anything?" Rachel asked.

"Of course it would have." Quinn frowned a bit. "I would've already known how great you are and would've kept you away from the bullies. Including myself."
"Quinn, I told you-"
"I know. I'm just making a point Rach. I guess I'm basically saying I wish things could have gone differently."

Rachel sighed softly, "So do I."
Quinn was about to ask her what was wrong, but was interrupted by shouting down the hall. Both girls turned to see Artie and Brittany, at the latter's locker, in a heated argument.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know." Quinn frowned and grabbed Rachel's hand. "Let's go find out." The two of them quickly made their way to the couple.

"You seriously expect me to think it was nothing?" Artie stared at the dancer.

"It was nothing! I didn't want you to hear it from someone else and get the wrong idea."
"You kissed Santana and-"
Brittany cut him off, "No, she kissed me."
"You let her. And besides you kissed her when you were supposedly at the movies with Rachel."
"Rachel invited Santana too and she didn't want to drive me home because she was upset so Sannie took me home. I told her that she can't kiss me anymore." Brittany's frown was getting worse. Rachel started to step towards them but Quinn held her back, knowing interference would make it worse.

"Santana's a bitch, okay? She's trying to break us up and she's manipulating Rachel to help her because she knows how Rachel feels about her."

Brittany's frown had shifted from a sad frown to an angry frown. "Santana wouldn't do anything like that to me and she wouldn't manipulate Rachel. I don't even think she really knows how Rachel feels."

"God, Brittany, why are you so stupid?"

Brittany immediately teared up, trying to fight back the tears. "You were the only person in the school who never called me that. We're over, Artie." The blonde quickly turned and walked off.

Quinn looked conflicted, wanting to go after her friend but also wanting to slap the hell out of Artie. Rachel patted her arm, "Go after Brittany. I'm going to have a word with Artie." Quinn nodded and hurried after the dancer.

Rachel was seeing red. Artie was being a complete jerk and letting his doubts overtake his relationship, letting his doubts reign over him. Not only did he insult Santana, he made Brittany cry and quite possibly broke her heart in the process. Rachel snatched a cup from a guy walking past her and stormed over to him.

He saw her and groaned, "Great, what do you want, Rachel?"

"Who do you think you are?" Rachel seethed.

"What?"
"Brittany tells you something so you wouldn't hear it from someone else and assume the worse, but when you hear it from her you hear the worst don't you? You think you know either of them? Brittany is not a cheater and if she says she stopped someone, then she stopped someone. You're trying to make Santana the villain because you know if it came down to a choice between you and her that Brittany would pick San over you."

"Now wait a minute-" Artie noticed the crowd forming behind Rachel.

"Shut up. I hope you realized how badly you just screwed up because Brittany is never going to take you back after that and I'm sure it'll be months before she even speaks to you again. Oh, and I think you remember what I told you would happen if you ever finished that sentence, but first..." Before the boy could question about the sentence Rachel did something she told herself she wouldn't do to anyone. She popped the top off of the cup and threw the slushy in Artie's face. He, and the crowd, gasped and stared at the brunette. "If I were you I would hope that Brittany convinces Santana not to come after you because I'm pretty sure you wouldn't need the wheelchair anymore. You'd need an iron lung." With that the tiny girl spun on her heel and marched down the hall to find Brittany and Quinn. She faintly heard someone say, "She's been hanging out with Santana too much."

Santana hadn't seen any of her friends since they split for classes. To say she was a little worried would be an understatement. She'd been hearing rumors about Brittany and Artie breaking up and Rachel jumping the wheelchair bound boy, but she had a hard time believing that. Especially because Brittany only broke up with him in her dreams.

The last class of the day for the Latina was supposed to be with her friends, but the two blondes and brunette were nowhere to be seen. When the class was over Santana decided to head straight for Glee. She was held up by a baby Cheerio, though it didn't take long to get the girl to leave. When Santana finally got to the room everyone was there except her girls. Artie's shirt had a huge stain on the front and she immediately thought someone slushied him. He seemed to be glaring at the Latina, not that it really affected her.

"Anyone seen my besties around here?" she asked.

"The last time I saw them was yesterday." Tina said.

Santana deadpanned, "Helpful. I meant today."
Puck chuckled, "Artie saw them. Well Brittany and Rachel anyway."
"Shut up, Puck." Artie groaned

Santana raised her eyebrow, "So, the rumor I'm hearing is true? Brittany dumped you and Rachel beat you up? But judging by your shirt I'm going to say you got slushied not beat up."

"Shut up."

"That's all you got?" Santana smirked, dropping into her usual seat.

"Brittany didn't run right to you. She's off with someone else. So, you didn't win the victory you think you won."

The Latina's eyes went wide as she realized he was right. He gave her a smug smirk but before she could try to retort Mr. Schue came in the door.

"Okay guys, today I think we should-" Schue paused and looked around. "Wait, where's Quinn, Brittany, and Rachel?"
"Brittany dumped The Four-Eyed Loser and apparently left with them." Santana said.

"Yet your still here. Funny. I guess you can't have Brittany or Rachel." Artie sneered.

Santana froze for a minute, thinking his words were true. She composed herself, stood from her chair, walked to Artie's wheelchair and bent over to look him in the eyes. "You don't know anything about me. If I wanted Britts or Rach I could have one of them. Maybe even both, but at least I would treat them right unlike you. You were so scared Britt would come to me you twisted everything around so she wouldn't hang out with me. And if I find out you did something to hurt my Britts then I will ends you." Santana sent him the best HBIC glare she could manage before she turned and walked out of the room.