Chapter 7: Harsh Reality

"Stay in your car."

Santana raised an eyebrow at the voice of the man on the other line. Normally, she would have cursed him or spilled expletives endlessly. But not today. Today was different.

For the second morning in a row, Santana woke up with a smile on her face. Yesterday was something she missed. They both ended up being late even though they were right beside their classrooms. Hours after they clung to each other for dear life, Santana could still feel the way only Brittany knew how to hold her. She sat up and gazed out the window. She was pleased to find that the rain had let up even though the clouds were still dark and threatening. It doesn't matter.

She was finally able to wear her heart in her sleeve.

"I'm in love with Brittany Susan Pierce." She chuckled, knowing how weird it was to talk to herself. She reached out to her bedside table and grabbed her phone. As she hit send, she smiled both at the feel of starting the morning like this and how she actually felt a million times better.

She's in love with her bestfriend and she wouldn't change it for the world. It was the best feeling Santana's ever felt. The feeling that she knew what her heart wanted despite the fear, the feeling that she has accepted who she is, and the feeling that she was completely and utterly in love proved that Santana Lopez was indeed human.

Santana turned her attention back to Puck who thought it was absolutely necessary to call and order her around. Besides, she was already out the car and halfway down the parking lot when she got his call.

"What? Why?"

"Just stay in the car." His voice was uncharacteristically nervous and Santana knew him long enough to detect the tone of worry Puck tried to hide.

"Too late, Puck. I'm almost by the entrance. What the hell is wrong with you?" Santana continued walking, wondering what was going on. "Ew, don't tell me you're having sex with Zizes near the entrance." She was answered by silence for a couple of minutes. Okay, something's definitely wrong.

"Shit. Shit. Shit."

"Yeah, you said that already. Seriously, what's going on?"

"Sant-…" He was cut off by a harsh word and Puck knew that he was too late.

"Fuck." It was first word that came to her mind before she felt all lovey-dovey, hopeful fucking feelings evaporate into thin air. Suddenly, she wished that Puck and Lauren had been having sex. She could handle that image way better than the scenario in front of her.

There, a few feet in front of her and in the middle of the slightly packed hallway, was Brittany and Artie. More specifically, there was Artie with his tongue halfway down Brittany's throat. The blonde was oblivious to her presence since her back was facing Santana. Artie's eyes were staring right into her and it felt like he was mocking her. It felt like he was showing her that she couldn't win without being able to do what he was doing now. Santana's body shook and all the fighting spirit she had was flushed out of her. She was fighting a battle she had already lost. Yesterday was just a dream. Yesterday wasn't real because if it was, this wasn't supposed to happen.

Santana's heart was breaking into a million fragments and she wasn't sure if she wanted to pick them up once again. She wasn't sure if she could fix herself.

She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and her face twisted in pain. She closed her eyes willing the tears away, willing the pain to be enough to kill her.

"I'm sorry." Puck's voice penetrated her bubble and she broke. Before the guy knew what was going on, Santana was already on her way to the Cheerios locker room – the one place that she didn't belong in and the one place that taught her to lock up stupid feelings because of shit like this.

She missed the small, sad smile Artie and Brittany shared after the kiss.

Puck ran after her while at the same time dialing Quinn's number on his phone. She answered on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Santana saw Artie and Brittany kissing."

"…excuse me?"

"She's on her way to the Cheerios locker room and for fuck's sake, since when can she run this fast?" Puck was breathing hard and his face reflected frustration. He lost sight of the Latina as they rounded a corner.

"Shit. Oh my God. I'm on my way." Quinn hung up and Puck let out a sigh of relief. Lauren was the one who spotted the scene first when they were on their way to get their stuff in their lockers. Puck never told her anything but the minute she saw the scene, she told Puck to call Santana and to meet her before she was forced to witness this hell. Obviously, he didn't make it in time and right now, he wasn't sure if Santana can live through this. Hell, he wasn't even sure if he can handle the sight of a person so broken. Especially if that person was Santana.

Quinn and Puck simultaneously reached the locker room and even through the door, they could hear sobbing. Quinn went in first followed closely by Puck. On the cold, hard floor, Santana Lopez was curled into a tight ball, tears streaming down her delicate face. But it wasn't this rare image that scared Quinn and had Puck clench his fists, digging his nails into his skin.

Santana's face was lifeless. It did not twist in the slightest the way it was supposed to when someone's crying. It was as if the tears flowed on its own – that the dam was simply spilling and nothing tried to restrain or push it. It was the face of a broken person. People could live and die and still not be able to feel a pain so agonizing that it renders them lifeless.

Quinn choked back her own tears and silently cradled Santana as if she was porcelain. Maybe she was. Puck dropped heavily on a bench near the two girls, gently reaching for Santana's hand and held it. He was really no good with words but he hoped she understood.

It started out as a small movement of her head.

"It'll be okay, San. Shhh, it'll be okay." Santana's eyes closed.

"Do you want me to decapitate him?" Her hand grasped Puck's tightly.

"You don't have to fight anymore." A sob escaped her dry throat. And then suddenly, she broke. Her body heaved and she would gasp for air. She was the small child afraid of the emptiness and loneliness her house gave her again. She was the small child who cried herself to sleep, wishing someone was there to kiss her forehead goodnight.

"There was never a fight to begin with."

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update. This is another short chapter, I know. But there are 2 more chapters left for this story, so yeah. Anyway, mistakes are all mine, and I would really appreciate reviews. I've enabled anonymous reviews (I didn't even know that it was disabled). Thanks for reading.

Brittana is simply amazing,

theangel1710