Okay, Connor's true purpose is revealed. Sorry for the lack of Puck and other Glee interaction in this chapter but I promised myself I would give Rachel at least one girl friend (as in a friend that's not a guy) before… well you'll see.
So yeah, if you haven't figure it out be now, this multi is kind of soapy, so it varies ranges from particularly angsty to bubbly and cute. Sorry for whiplash.
Disclaimer: Despite several fun dreams that I can, Glee is not something I can call my own.
Chapter Five: Friendly Acquaintances
Two days later…
Rachel stretched her arms out after rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She glanced at the clock beside her and her jaw nearly dropped in disbelief. It was 9:51 in the morning, she hadn't sleep in this much since she started grade school!
She dropped her arms to her side and shook her head at herself. She knew it had been a bad idea to let Connor take her to her first ever night club. It had taken nearly an hour just to arrive, and only four minutes for Connor to lose her while chasing after a girl in a short skirt. She wandered around the rest of the night being hit on by strangers and drinking punch, which she's pretty sure was spiked thanks to her blotched memory.
In fact she can't quite remember how she got home come to think of it. Which is never a good sign.
"Connor?" She swung her feet over the bed and flew out her bedroom door, ran down the hall then slung his open. "Connor?" There was a large shape under the bedcovers. Maybe he hadn't woken up yet. She strut across the room and through the covers up. Sure enough, there was a figure curled up, still asleep. But the figure was much thinner, more feminine, and her skin was several shades darker…
"Santana?" The girl's head shot up quicker than a bullet and nearly hit the back wall.
She heard Connor's laughter from the far corner of the room. She stared at him incredulously. "So you know her?" He questioned, after taking a sip of water. Rachel's eyebrows rose.
"She goes to my school Connor. She's in my Glee club."
Santana spoke up. "Wait, wait, wait. How do you two know each other?" Rachel turned back to face her.
"We're cousins." Santana looked on disbelievingly.
"Cousins?" She repeated rather saucily for someone lying on a bed half-naked.
"Her parents are away, I'm watching her." Connor explained. Santana's eyebrows rose even higher. "She's used to waking up and finding people in my bed." Her eyes narrowed and she sat straight up in bed.
"Good to know." She tossed her legs carelessly over and took several long strides out the door.
Rachel tied her hair up in a ponytail as she waltzed down the stairs, nearly tripping when she saw the hunched over figure at her dining room table. "Santana? What are you still doing here?" The tan girl suddenly stopped shaking, her shoulders went rigid and she slowly turned around to face her. There were dark circles under her eyes, and trails of mascara going down her face.
Rachel froze in horror when she realized Santana Lopez had been crying. Actual tears. Not the fake ones she was so used to letting off the get what she wanted. Genuine sadness.
Then she said something that caught Rachel even more off guard. "Do you think I'm a bitch?"
Rachel open and closed her mouth several times, unsure of how to answer. She made fun of her every chance she got, insulted her constantly, and made sure everyone else did the same. So honestly? Yes, she did. "Well, I, um…"
Santana scoffed, the old Santana finally returning. "Of course you do, I'm awful to you." Rachel was suddenly nervous she wasn't the only psychic in the room. Santana turned her head back around and Rachel made her way down the remaining stairs, taking a seat next the girl. "It's just a fact of life I guess." Santana continued silently. "Santana Lopez is a bitch. She expresses no emotion other than sarcasm and if she does, the end of the world is approaching because she doesn't have feelings. Because she doesn't care. And nobody believes her if she says she does."
Rachel listened knowingly before interrupting. "You're just talking yourself in circles." She said pityingly to the poor girl. "I would know, I do it all the time." A half real, half sarcastic laugh left her lips before her face fell dejectedly again.
"I guess I bring it on myself." No that is something Rachel could relate to.
"No, not really." She told her. "I used to think that every time I got slushied. When I really thought about why all those people slushy me, and make fun of me, all I could figure out was it was because I was annoying, and unpopular, and I had no friends. And of course I like to sing, and… occasionally think and say out loud that I'm better than everyone at our school. So automatically I just deserved whatever I got, because it was my own fault that I was all those things, so obviously they were going to express their opinions. But then I realized, in a way everybody's annoying. Everyone has flaws, but that doesn't mean they deserve to suffer constantly from them. And instead of punishing them for something they as a human cannot help, you could be trying to help them be better. I mean, that's the only real reason people turn out to be awful, bad treatment and neglect."
"I don't see where you're going with this Man Hands." Rachel let the cruel nickname slide off her as easily as a slushy.
"You just need someone who can help Santana. Somebody who understands." She finished, laying a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.
She shrugged it off almost immediately. "You sound like my therapist." Rachel nodded.
"I sound like mine too. I think I channel her spiritually when giving these sort of talks. It's a little weird, but it helps get my point across." Santana stared at her for a long moment, as if trying to decide if she was joking or not. Settling on the latter, she just shrugged, and flipped her hair over her shoulder.
Decided their miniscule heart-to-heart was over, she asked, "Do you need a ride to school?"
Santana looked like she wanted to mock her with a snarky comment, or simply roll her eyes and walk out the door but instead she just shrugged again and answered, "Whatever."
Rachel smiled as she grabbed her keys because she couldn't help but like that was progress.
Rachel slammed her locker door shut after pulling out the necessary books for third period. She then set off down the hall, ignoring any type of looks from Finn.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Karofksy coming up behind her, slushy in hand. She winced mentally as her brain went into overdrive, seeking for different ways to escape. But all passageways were blocked either by traffic or Jacob, as she was not quite desperate enough for that. But the moment Karofksy was coming head on for Rachel she felt an arm grab hers and jerk her out of the line of fire.
She turned to find her savor in the form of her old nemesis. Santana looped her arm in Rachel's and carefully weaved their way through the crowded hall. Rachel was surprised to see them all part and move out of the way for them to go through. She wondered if that's what being popular felt like.
For the rest of the day Santana would pick her up after class, sometimes with Brittany, sometimes without. And after explaining to the blonde that Rachel would be walking with them from now on, Rachel was left out of most of their conversation.
The times when it was just Rachel and Santana were a little bit awkward. For her at least. Santana didn't say anything, so neither did Rachel, though they occasionally commented on the fashion choice of the students occupying the halls, and Glee was mentioned more than once.
But when lunch time came Santana saved at seat for her at the Cheerio table, and effectively blocked her from all cruel insults from anyone on her team. She just basically sent them a glare every time they opened their mouth, to which they immediately close it, which showed Rachel just how much all the girls feared Santana.
She wondered if this made then friends.
Rachel walked into Glee with Brittany and Santana on either arm. She laughed as she watched the different expressions on the various faces of the Glee club. Kurt did a double take while Mercedes mouth hung wide open. Santana sent Rachel a little smirk before finding a seat, and patting the one beside her for Rachel.
"Since when did you guys become friends?" Puck asked nonchalantly as he strummed his guitar. Just those words made Rachel tense up all over. Would Santana answer just as casually, or flat out deny they were ever friends?
Brittany answered first. "Since Santana told me to. And anyway, Rachel's really nice and she has a really pretty voice." Rachel tucked her chin in and mumbled a quiet 'thank you' to Brittany. Puck turned to Santana, who was admiring her nails.
"Since this morning." She said shrugging, as if Rachel's day didn't depend on the answer.
"But you guys hate each other." Quinn piped up from two seats over. "How are you friends?"
Santana turned her head to face Quinn. "You got a problem with it Fabray?" She asked saucily, rolling her shoulder intimidating. Quinn immediately retreated, turning back to Kurt. Santana flipped her pony-tail one last time before turning back the Rachel, who was smiling to herself somewhat smugly.
"So what do you say?" Connor asked mockingly as he picked his helmet off the motorcycle.
"Thank you Connor, for helping me make friends and such. And also for watching me while my dads were away." Connor smiled and ruffled her hair before stepping onto the bike.
"See you later, Diva." Rachel watched as he drove off into the distance, leaving her alone with an empty house and a sparkly pink helmet, which she had placed lovingly in her room. She idly messed around the house and made dinner for her and her parents when they arrived home.
The doorbell rang around three hours after Connor had left. She skipped to the door happily and hugged each of her fathers as they walked into the house.
"I made dinner." She exclaimed happily after taking their bags upstairs. "Dad nodded quietly and walked into the dining room. She turned questioningly to her daddy, who merely shrugged his shoulders.
"It's been a long day sweetie, your father and I are very tired. Thank you for making dinner though." Rachel nodded and faked a smile like the good little girl she was. She then followed him to their meal, trying to swallow the feeling that something was wrong.
A/N: Okay, I'm not that good at writing Santana, but I do LOVE that character and completely adore her HBIC shoulder rolls. (See 'The Boy is Mine' for examples) Plus, like I said, I need Rachel to have a friend, I really think Rachel, Santana, and Brittany can rock McKinley for all it's worth.
-xoxo SIL xoxo