Hi,
So, first things first, thank you for the reviews on the previous chapters, I really appreciate it! As a response to FreshKicks: thank you for defending me and this story, that was super nice. And you don't have to apologise by the way, I totally get it. I really appreciated what you said and it made me feel less bad about the comment.
As for the person who decided to leave a very negative comment : Hello, why did you do that? I'm all of being critical and all, but tearing people's work down is never a help. Please try to express your negative feelings otherwise, or don't express them at all because it just makes me sad, thank you.
Okay, now about the story. This isn't really a fun chapter, sorry about that. It gets kind of fucked up, I guess, but I'll make stuff up to you guys. Um, so .. Please don't hate me for this chapter, it will get better, promise.
Still dressed in Brittany's clothes, Santana looks up at the blonde. This situation is strange, and she probably really shouldn't be doing this, but Brittany is just so .. Mesmerising. Interesting. Mysterious.
Well, maybe not mysterious, but Santana just finds herself wanting to get to know all about her. She wants to talk to her and ask her questions, about her life, her job, her family .. She knows she should probably leave this as a one night stand which they will never speak of again, but something feels different. Somehow this doesn't feel like a meaningless one night stand. Not to her.
Brittany stares back, a small frown on her face. This all felt right at first, but hearing Santana saying that, saying the word rebound again, made her realise what this really is. And how wrong this is. This isn't how it's supposed to be.
She can't do this. She has to let Santana go now. Even though they still haven't eaten anything yet, and the girl is wearing her clothes -for no reason, actually, since Santana's clothes hadn't even disappeared -.
Even though she doesn't want to go back to the bar, act like nothing ever happened, and repeat her actions with another heartbroken body.
Things usually never get complicated for her, she won't let that happen this time.
Brittany clears her throat, breaking the tension between them."You - uh .. Maybe you should leave."
Santana feels a frown forming on her face. Only now she realises Brittany looks different. She looks .. Uncomfortable. "Now?" she asks.
Brittany nods, slowly. "I think that's for the best.."
"Uh, okay" the brunette replies quietly. "Yeah, okay, I'll go." She turns around and takes a few steps towards the door, before stopping and facing Brittany again. "But, can I - No. No, never mind."
Brittany frowns, then raises her eyebrows at the girl, signing her to continue.
"No, I just" Santana lets out a soft sigh. "Wanted to know if I could call"
Brittany gulps. She should've seen this coming. It's not unlikely that they want to call her back. It's not unlikely for people to ask for her number. It's not unlikely at all for someone to ask to keep seeing her.
What's unlikely is that Brittany doesn't want to say no this time.
When the blonde doesn't give her an answer, Santana slowly nods. "Got it, sorry. I know these things don't exactly work that way."
She turns around again and walks through the bedroom door, and down the hall. She sees her clothes laying - neatly folded - on a chair in the living room, and she picks them up on her way out.
"Hey" a voice behind her calls. Santana turns, searching for the source. She sees the guy - Mike - sitting on the couch. He awkwardly points at the pile of clothes in her arms. "I uh, I found your .. Underthingies"
Santana can't help but to chuckle. "Yeah, thanks" she hints a smile at him. "And sorry for, .. everything"
He shrugs, his face revealing that he doesn't enjoy these things, but he doesn't make a big deal out of it. "I'm used to it" he says.
The next moment long legs stride into the room. Brittany walks up to Santana, now in decent clothes, and nudges her head to come with her. She leads her to the front door, but pauses before opening it. She looks down at the brunette in front of her.
"So, maybe I'll, see you around .."
Santana gulps, but nods. The blonde does exactly the same. She opens the door, and Santana walks out of her apartment. Brittany breathes in sharply, the woman is looking at her, almost like she's waiting for the blonde to say something.
"You don't - have to call." Brittany eventually says. By the look on Santana's face, the blonde understands that the girl doesn't know what she is trying to say.
Brittany looks down. She doesn't want to say it. Or no, she does want to, she wants to say this, and so many other things too. But she can't, and she won't.
Don't make it complicated, she thinks to herself. Keep it simple.
The woman bites her lip and looks up, before nonchalantly shrugging a shoulder. She locks eyes with Santana and smiles.
"You know where to find me."
"- And then she just said you know where to find me, in this super flirty voice, and then she just closed the door and disappeared."
"You know where to find me?"
"You know where to find me."
"So she wants to see you again?"
"I have no idea!"
Santana groans in frustration and let's herself fall into the couch. Tina is nonchalantly blowing on her fingers, attempting to dry the nail polish she just delicately applied to her nails.
"Well I think you should go visit her"
Santana frowns and looks up at her friend. "But I don't get her. First she's all like I'm here for you, talk to me, then she takes me home and fucks me - " Santana rambles, her last words receiving a look from Tina. "And then in the morning she's super nice and then I suddenly have to leave! I mean, I get the concept of a one night stand, but I mean .. And also, Chang" The brunette warns, throwing a meaningful look at Tina. "If you ever tell anyone I asked you for help on this, I will make sure you'll regret it."
The other girl suddenly looks up and gasps dramatically. Her eyes widen and she quickly crosses her heart. "I promise. Please let me keep my hair this time"
The brunette grins at her. "If you keep your promise, sure. Anyway, we were talking about me."
"Yes." Tina says, "go over to that bar, and simply ask her what her deal is. Who knows, maybe she has a legit explanation? She suddenly remembered she had something to do, or she didn't want you to see something, or, I don't know. I suck at giving this kind of advice, why don't you go to Rachel for these things?"
Santana gulps. Rachel is the last person she would talk to about this. "You know she would just bring Quinn up, Tina"
"Right, and you still have to tell me what's going on. Because a simple text with 'Quinn and I broke up, come over' is not enough for me. "
The other girl sighs "I don't want to talk about it."
Tina shrugs "What you want"
Tina goes back to blowing her nails, while Santana buries her face in a pillow. They sit in silence for a while, until Santana's phone starts ringing. She snaps up.
"Who is it?"
Tina looks over at the girl's phone. Her expression changes as she faces Santana again. "Quinn" she says quietly.
Santana frowns and thinks for a second. She looks down, gulps, and then tells her friend to pass her her cell phone. Tina raises an eyebrow at her. "Are you sure you want to do that?"
The brunette takes a deep breath and nods. "Yeah, just give it to me"
Tina sighs, but then shrugs and hands Santana her phone. The girl answers the call and holds the phone to her ear.
"Quinn."
There's a moment of silence, she can hear Quinn taking a deep breath.
"Santana"
Santana feels shivers running down her spine just by hearing the blonde's voice.
"Look" Quinn continues "can we .. Talk?"
Tina looks at Santana, discreetly asking what Quinn is saying. "Wants to talk" Santana mouths.
"What about?" She replies to her ex lover, trying to sound as uninterested as possible.
"Just .. us"
Santana gulps. She didn't know there still even was an us. Is there? She clears her throat. "What about us?"
She can't help the warm feeling in her stomach when she hears Quinn's following words.
"I miss you."
But on the other hand, she knows she shouldn't feel like this. Quinn hurt her, Quinn wasn't good to her. She can't go back to her, even if she wanted to.
But she wants to, so bad.
"I .." is all she can get out right now.
I miss you too, she wants to say.
Don't give in that easily, she thinks to herself. Santana tells herself to be angry. Because Quinn hurt her. Quinn cheated on her. Well, she probably cheated on her. Santana takes a deep breath and puts on her best angry voice.
"Well," she breathes. "Maybe you should've thought of that before you broke up with me."
After those words, Santana ends the call, not even waiting for a response from Quinn. Tina stares at her. "Well that was harsh"
Santana shakes her head. "Not harsh enough. But seriously though, should I go over to the bar?"
Tina looks at her. "Just start by telling me what the hell is going on with you and Quinn."
After a lot of sighing and eye rolling, Santana eventually told Tina the truth. She told her what she had told Brittany, but then, you know .. Less detailed, and without the crying.
Tina left later that night, leaving Santana alone in her apartment again. She eats dinner, alone, and around 8 o'clock, she sits down on the couch, cell phone in her hand. She takes a deep breath and dials a number. It doesn't take long before the voice on the other end answers.
Santana sighs "Quinn? It's me."
"Oh" the blonde replies. "So what changed your mind?"
"What makes you think I changed my mind?" Santana says.
She doesn't receive a response right away. It's quiet for a few seconds.
"Why were you so mad at me? When we called a few days ago you just sounded sad, but now .."
Santana softly shakes her head. "Are you serious? You broke up with me, in a really, really rude way, and I can't be hurt by that?"
"Well, I don't know, but you don't sound hurt. You sound bitter and angry and stuff"
"Of course I'm angry! What did you expect?!"
"What did I do then? Why are you so fucking pissed at me, what did I do this time?!"
"You fucking cheated on me!"
".. What?!"
Santana's eyes widen and she gulps when she realises what she said. She wasn't sure at all that the girl had cheated on her, it was just something she suspected ..
"What did you just say, Santana"
"I .. I don't - I mean, Brittany said that you were definitely cheating on me but I didn't know for -"
" - Wait, Brittany? Blonde Brittany?"
Santana frowns "Yes .."
Did Brittany know Quinn? She never said that she did. What the hell?
"How the fuck do you know her?!" Quinn practically screams into the phone.
"I met her in a bar, how do you?!" Santana shouts back.
She hears the blonde sigh.
"Also in a bar." Quinn replies. She groans "That bitch .. How dare she .. -"
"Why is it so bad that I know her, Quinn? What does it matter?"
"It matters because .. Just because, bitch is telling you things she ain't supposed to."
"What do you mean? Wait, you didn't even deny that you were cheating on me, did you?"
" ... No .." The blonde mumbles back.
Santana sinks back into the couch and looks up at the ceiling. "Oh my god ..." She breathes, closing her eyes. "You .. Why .. Wait, what does Brittany have to do with this?"
By Quinn's silence, Santana understands what the girl doesn't want to say. Suddenly, all pieces fit together, and it makes sense.
She was cheating on you.
I'm used to it.
You should go.
Santana had to leave because Brittany suddenly felt guilty, that was it. And of course she knew Quinn was cheating on her, because Brittany was the girl Quinn had an affair with!
"Oh God" Santana whispers. She feels her stomach drop. "It was her, wasn't it .."
"San, I'm sorry, I just - "
"- Don't you call me that" Santana snaps. "You don't have that right anymore"
"What do you mean I don't have that right?"
"I have to go" the brunette replies, before ending the call.
Quinn knows Brittany. Brittany, the hot girl she met in the bar, the angel who was so sweet to her, the woman who seduced her. She knows her.
Quinn cheated on her. She admitted it.
But Brittany knows Quinn. How could Santana ever have been that stupid. That foolish. The blonde just tricked her. She didn't mention at all that she knew Santana's ex girlfriend, and she sure as hell failed to mention that she fucked her!
That bitch made her believe she cared about her.
Both bitches.
Santana slams on her breaks and quickly parks right in front of the building. She grabs her purse, gets out of her car and slams the door shut. In fury, she stares at the building in front of her.
Bright, red letters look down at her from above the entrance. She takes a deep breath and storms forward. She opens the door and instantly finds who she's been looking for. Brittany is standing behind the bar as always, taking an order from some guy in a neat jacket and a hat, when she suddenly looks up. Santana feels nailed to the ground when those baby blue eyes lock with hers, and she sees the smile forming on the blonde's face. But then she remembers, and the feeling in her stomach returns.
The feeling of betrayal, and anger, and before she knows it Snixx has taken over, and she barges over to the bar.
"Hey! Santana, I didn't -"
" - You." Santana interrupts her. "How could you do this to me? I didn't know you at all and you made me trust you! But you're just like her, aren't you? You're not any better!"
"Whoa, Santana, calm down! What the hell did I do?!"
"She cheated on me!" Santana shouts back. "She did and you knew!"
"Oh god .." The blonde softly shakes her head and runs a hand through her hair. "So it was true .. I'm so sorry, Santana. But, why are you angry at me? I mean, I did tell you, right?"
The brunette stares at her for a second, wide eyed, while Brittany makes her way to the other side of the bar.
"Stop fucking lying to me!" She shouts, drawing attention from the customers. "You know damn well what you did, and I thought you were different! God, you probably laughed afterwards at how stupid I was, right? Like you got me there, right?! But guess what, I am done! And I know everything! So don't you even think I'll be talking to any of you ever again!"
Suddenly Santana's rant is interrupted by another man appearing from
behind the bar. He's wearing the same bright red apron Brittany has, and the look on his face seems worried. "Hey, hey take it easy" he calls, approaching the two women.
"Britt, what's going on?" He asks, resting a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Is she bothering you or something? Should I - "
" - No, I just need a minute. " Brittany replies quietly, before turning back to Santana. "Come with me, we can't do this here."
"Oh yeah, more secrets and being sneaky? I'm done with secrets, I don't care if everyone in the city here gets to know what kind of person you really are!"
"Santana!" The blonde calls. "Not here! Please!"
Santana glares at her, breathing heavily. "Fine" she replies, following Brittany through a door into another room.
"Now" Brittany says, while closing the door. "Please calm down and tell me what is going on. Because I honestly have no idea."
"Don't act all innocent now. She told me."
The blonde gulps and looks down, softly shaking her head. "What did she tell you?" Brittany asks, pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger. "What could be possibly have told you about me? She doesn't even know who I am."
"Why are you still fucking lying to me?! Just tell me the truth!"
"I don't know the truth!" Brittany shouts back. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Santana! So instead of shouting and screaming just tell me what I'm being accused of here because I don't know! I don't know, okay?"
Santana stares at her. This wasn't right. Of course Brittany would know. She should know. Why is she saying that she doesn't know?
"She cheated on me." Santana states.
The blonde's expression softens as she softly nods her head. "Yeah .. And?"
"With you."
A second or two passes before the words sink in with the blonde. A big frown appears on Brittany's face as she stares at Santana wide eyed. "What?!"
Santana blinks as a silence fills the room. "You - she cheated on me with you. She, she did. She did right? She told me. You knew her. You know her." The brunette replies, suddenly confused.
The blonde is still staring down at her. She takes a deep breath and sighs, running a hand over her hair. She looks at Santana non believing, and slowly shakes her head. "Do you really think I would do something like that?"
The smaller girl swallows hard and softly lifts her shoulders. "Why won't I?" She asks. "I mean, I don't know you at all."
Brittany nods. "Okay, well. Yeah, okay. Okay. But I was there for you, wasn't I? I listened to you talk about her. I tried comforting you .. And yeah, things took a completely different turn, but I wasn't taking advantage of you, I thought you knew that. And then I .. I just - I don't know. I can't believe you would think after all that, I would do something like that. I .. I don't get it."
"But she .. She told me it was you" Santana answers after a few seconds, her voice suddenly sounds small.
"Did she literally say it was Brittany S. Pierce, the bartender at The Shue?"
The brunette slowly bows her head down. "No."
How could she have been so foolish. She believed Quinn from the first time. Quinn, the girl who had been lying to her for god knows how long.
"What did she say then, Santana"
The girl let out a deep breath. "When I mentioned your name, she freaked out. Asked if you were blonde and where I met you. When it turned out we both met a blonde named Brittany at a bar, and she kind of confessed that she cheated on me, it just ... I don't know, made sense .." Santana mumbles.
"So, blonde Brittany, huh.." Brittany replies. She sighs and shakes her head again. "Do you have any idea how many blonde Brittany's there are in this city? My damn neighbor has the same name and hair colour as me!"
Santana looks up at her, frowning. "Well could it be her then?"
"She's six."
"Oh"
"Yeah, anyway." The blonde leans against the door and closes her eyes for a few seconds. "You know, I get that you're hurt, Santana. I really do. But coming here and accusing me of things you're not even that sure off, in front of my customers and colleagues, that's just .. Not cool. I could get in a lot of trouble if my boss would find out."
"I know" Santana replies quietly. "I - uh .. I'm sorry."
"Well, your apology is accepted, I guess." Brittany looks up at her and nibbles on her bottom lip.
"So, it really, really wasn't you?"
"No, Santana." The blonde shakes her head. "It wasn't me."
The brunette stares at her for a few seconds, and gulps. "I'm so sorry" she whispers. "I am so, so sorry! I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that and just like - and in your workplace! Oh god what have I done!" Santana rambles, pacing back and forth through the room. "Oh my god, Brittany, you must hate me right now .. You must hate me, I would hate me, I won't blame you if you do, I -"
" - Santana." The blonde says calmly, causing the other girl to look up. "I don't .. I don't hate you.."
"You don't?" Santana squeaks.
The blonde softly shakes her head. "No"
"I know I would" Santana replies quietly. "Oh god, I've gotten you in so much trouble! With your boss, with your roommate, with just .. I don't know, everything?!"
"Santana" the blonde calls again, taking a step forward. "Breathe. I don't hate you.I didn't have an affair with your ex girlfriend, and I don't hate you."
Santana takes a few breaths and then looks up. "I'm really, really sorry, Brittany."
"I know" the blonde nods slowly. "I know, me too."
So I'm going to end it here. Please don't hate me for this chapter! I know Santana got a little ccrazy, and Quinn's kind of an asshole, and Brittany just acts like she doesn't care about anything, but things are going to change! I know the characters aren't quite like on the show, but they do have some characteristics. That will become more obvious in following chapters.
This fic is so hard to write though, because I only continued it because a lot of people asked, but that means I don't exactly have a plan yet. So I'm sorry, the first few chapters are a bit messy, but I hope it will get better.
Thank you all for reading and have a great weekend!