After careful thought and much one-sided discussion with Brittany, Santana decided to talk to the only other people that knew Karofsky's secret that she was aware of. Now she was sitting in the Lima Bean with Brittany, Kurt and Blaine talking about what they could possibly do to help David.
"Well we don't exactly know that he's getting hit. Maybe it happened like he said. Maybe he got hit in the face by a door handle and stayed back after school so people wouldn't laugh at him for crying." Sure it sounded reasonable coming from Blaine but he was forgetting one thing;
"Have you seen the size of Karofsky? That would have to be one freaking massive door," Santana snapped. Blaine flinched at her snarky tone.
"Yeah, I know, but my point remains. We aren't sure of whether or not he's being abused. There are so many other ways he could've gotten that bruise. I'm just saying that we have to be sure before we take action."
They all quickly agreed to this, not wanting to accuse Karofsky's parents of hitting him when they had absolutely no proof of that occurring. Santana said that she could talk to him. Ask him what was going on. The others agreed to this and were now working on a plan of what to do if he didn't answer her, which was mostly likely going to happen. They had decided that they had to do something but that it couldn't be going to an authority figure.
Kurt had said that it would be best for her to do it because of their not so friendly past. He wasn't exactly keen to help the boy that had made his life a living hell but he couldn't stand by and let him get smacked around. He sighed at the slow movement of their planning and stood to get him and Blaine some more coffee. If they insisted on figuring this out in one sitting, it was going to be a hell of a long day.
Santana, upon seeing Kurt make a move to go and get coffee refills, stood up and offered to buy this round. She owed these guys for helping her out with the Dave issue. On her way past Brittany she let her hand gently brush the blonde's shoulder and gave her a small smile. Brittany beamed back.
Kurt watched the couple-like interaction when Santana got up to get coffee. He smiled at their cuteness and just had to comment on it as soon as the Latina was out of ear-shot.
"You guys are so adorable together, Britt-Britt. It seems as though Satan has finally found someone to melt her frozen heart," he cooed. Blaine laughed and Brittany frowned.
"You shouldn't call San names, you know, she's actually trying to be a lot nicer now," she pouted.
"Aww, Britt, I was only joking. I really do think you guys make a great couple," he said while Blaine was fervently nodding his head at Kurt's side. Brittany shot a glance up toward where Santana was waiting impatiently in the queue.
"That's just it," she murmured sadly, staring at her entwined hands on the table, "I don't know if we are a couple." Her eyes moved back up to Kurt's. "We do all the things that me and Artie used to do when we're alone, but we can't even hold hands in public."
"Well, has she ever called you her girlfriend?" Blaine asked softly.
Brittany shook her head. "Should she have?"
Blaine and Kurt were both silent which worried the blonde. Santana chose that moment to return carrying their coffees on a serving tray. She was too busy bitching about poor service to notice the tense mood in the air. She handed the out coffee, and hot chocolate for Britt, and took her seat next to the blonde. She leant her head gently on Britt's arm and groaned.
"God, it's hard enough dealing with my own gay issues, let alone Karofsky's," she moaned.
"Hey, Santana, Blaine and I are going to head off, we're really not making any progress here. I suggest you just talk to him and see what happens," Kurt said goodbye as he pulled a confused Blaine up beside him. Kurt gave Brittany an encouraging look that didn't go unnoticed by Santana before pulling Blaine outside.
"What was that all about?" The Latina asked Brittany.
"San am I your girlfriend?" The blonde girl asked abruptly. Britt was obviously not one for bluntness. Santana found herself looking around to make sure no-one heard the random question. She instantly felt guilty for doing it and not just because of the sad look she found in her love's gorgeous blue eyes. She felt like she was using Brittany when she tried to keep their relationship a secret like that. Another thought hit her then. Did Brittany even want to be her girlfriend? Was that why she was asking this out of no-where?
"Where did that come from?" She asked, shocked.
"I was talking to Kurt and Blaine and Kurt said that we made a cute couple. I told him that I didn't even know if we were a couple. A real one I mean. Is it still just the same as it was when we were together when I was with Artie? Or is it something more now?" Brittany asked the brunette quietly, staring at her lap.
"Britty," the Latina said taking Brittany's hand, not caring now who saw them. Her girl came first. "Of course it's more. I love you. And you most definitely are my girlfriend… I mean only if you want to be." She finished her statement quietly. Hopefully.
"Of course I want to be San, I love you too." Brittany gave a little smile. Santana had been sure that she had called Brittany her girlfriend before. Maybe she had only done it in her mind. God damn it she sucked at relationships. She would make it a point now to tell Britt as often as she possibly could that she loved her and that what they had together was real.
They finished their coffees in silence and neither of them let go of the other's hand the entire time. When it was time to leave, Santana refused to let Brittany leave the tip and they both headed off to San's car. She would talk to Dave tomorrow and try to find out what the hell was going on with him. Tonight, though, she was going to cuddle with the girl she loved and show her how much she meant to her.
The Latina's chance to talk to Karofsky the next day came after he finished football training. He was all gross and sweaty when he saw her standing alone beside the bleachers watching him. She beckoned him over some-what ominously with one finger. He looked around and nervously and decided he better go talk to the girl.
By the time Karofsky had crossed the field to where to Latina was standing, she was leaning against one of the poles supporting the bleachers and picking at one perfectly manicured nail.
"So, you need to tell me who did that to you and why," she demanded, not looking up from her hand. The red mark around Karofsky's eye had turned into a dark blackish-purple bruise and looked incredibly painful.
"I don't need to tell you anything, dyke." He hissed at her softly.
"Don't try that with me, Dave. I basically invented using my bitchiness to hide my real feelings, so buck up and tell me what's going on." She had used his real name? Why did she even care?
"Why do you want to know so badly? Don't pretend you care," he said, less intently this time.
"I do care, Dave. I know it's hard to believe but I'm not such a bitch these days. Seriously, I never thought it would help but after talking to people about this huge thing that's going in my life I actually feel better. You aren't alone in this. I'm not going to pretend I know exactly what you're feeling because I don't. But I am going through most of the stuff you are right now and the other stuff that's happening to you, you can talk to me about. You aren't alone in this Dave. I want to help you but first you have to tell me what's wrong."
David was shocked at this. Wow, she actually cared? Someone actually cared about what was happening with him. This was a whole new thing to him and he didn't know how to handle it. Of course he had friends, like Azimio and some of the other guys on the team, but they didn't like talk and especially not about his biggest secret and fear.
Dave sat down against the pole that Santana had been leaning against and put his head in his hands, letting his helmet fall beside him. He murmured something the brunette couldn't quite catch, so she crouched down beside him and asked him to repeat it.
"It was my dad," he said looking up at her with tears that weren't quite falling in his eyes. "I told my dad that I'm… you know… and he hit me. He said that I'm not a real man and that I'm not his son. No son of his will be a nancy, he said." Karofsky sobbed and let one of the tears in his eyes trickle down his cheek. "How could he say that to me, Santana? I'm his kid!" Dave was actually crying now and Santana placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Dave, is that the only time he's ever hit you?" She asked gently, not wanting to upset the boy even further.
Dave simply shook his head. Oh God, an insecure gay kid living in a broken home, it's like his life is screaming at him to commit suicide or something. Santana had thought that she had it bad. But in retrospect, she had a beautiful girlfriend, good friends and parents that probably wouldn't even care that she was gay, considering half the time they completely ignored her existence anyway.
"Dave, you can't let this keep happening. You don't deserve to get smacked around for something you can't change. I think you need to tell one of the teachers. Ms Pillsbury or Coach Beiste. You can even come stay with me for a while if you want. My parents won't even notice you're there." She rubbed his arm in an attempt to comfort him.
Karofsky looked up at her, confused. "You would really let me stay at your place?"
"Yeah," Santana replied, "we're friends, right?"
This question shocked Dave. Being friends with Santana 'The Ice Queen' Lopez was something he had never before thought about. If she continued to be this nice than yeah, he thought they might be able to get along. He told her this and she smiled a very un-Santana smile at him. It was friendly and sweet. Oh dear lord, hell must have frozen over.
"I'll think about it," he said softly, "and as for telling one of the teachers, I don't want to get them involved… yet. I want to see if he calms down. He hasn't hit me since, you know? He's just been, like, pretending I'm not there or something." Santana did know. She got the same thing from her parents.
"While you think," the brunette said as she sat down beside him, "I just want you to know that there are people that are here for you."
"Yeah," he scoffed, "like who?"
"Like me for one," she replied, "and Kurt and Blaine too."
He was startled at this. "What do you mean Kurt and Blaine? They hate me. After all the shit I did to Kurt it's understandable."
"They don't hate you. They were actually helping me think of ways we could help you."
"Wait. You told them?" He asked slightly bewildered.
"Yeah, it was the only thing I could think of to do at the time. Seriously, Dave, they want to help you as much as I do." Santana told him sincerely.
"D-did you tell anyone else?" He stuttered softly, staring at her with wide eyes.
Santana looked guilty, much like Kurt had when he told her that he had told Blaine about her and Brittany. "I told Brittany."
"What? What the hell, Santana? Oh God, she's going to tell everyone," he moaned as he buried his head in his massive arms.
"Relax," Santana said with a roll of her eyes, "I've been sleeping with Brittany for years, she can keep a secret."
Dave's head shot up and he stared at her in shock. Okay, considering this was the first he had heard of Santana sleeping with Brittany, he could safely assume she was pretty good at keeping secrets.
"Damn," he whispered, "are you two together?"
Santana grinned. "Yup. Have been basically since prom when you and me 'broke up'."
Dave laughed at that, scrubbing away dried tears. "Worst fake relationship ever."
Santana groaned, "I know! I seriously need to teach you how to dance, boy!"
They both laughed at that and continued to talk about how crappy their fake relationship was. It was getting dark when they said goodbye to each other. Santana was shocked when Dave gave her a quick hug and whispered 'thank you' in her ear before turning and heading to the boy's locker room.
So, yeah this was kind of a long one. Sorry if it kind of sucked guys, was a bit preoccupied :S sorry if it was a bit angsty. I really tried to get across Karofsky's more human side in this chapter, 'cos I really want to set him and Santana up to be actual friends further on. Thanks for reading.