Chapter 8: The Unknown
I wake up and it's quiet. It's quiet outside. It's quiet inside in my room. And from what I can tell it's quiet in the rest of my apartment, as well. I roll over and look at the clock. 9:38. I didn't mean to sleep that late. I really must have been tired.
I throw the cover off and grab a sweatshirt and pull it on over my t-shirt. I don't hear the tv or anything from the living room and it makes me nervous. I slept late so maybe Santana is still asleep too.
I go over and open the door to my bedroom. It is quiet. Almost eerily so. I look around but don't see anything. All I can see is the back of the couch from here. I go over to peek over the back side of the couch, so that I don't scare Santana, or wake her if she is sleeping.
I rest my hands on the back of the couch and peek over the side and my heart sinks. Santana's not there. Just the blanket and the pillow lay on the couch. I look up and Lord Tubbington jumps up on the coffee table. He looks at me with his head tilted to the side. He meows and I feel like he is trying to tell me something. If only cats could talk.
Maybe she had to use the bathroom. It's a stupid thought but I hurry over to the bathroom and realize that the door is wide open. My heart sinks again. I look around the room. Nothing. It sinks again. She's not here. She left.
I'm sad because I had it all planned out in my head. I would wake up and Santana would either already be awake or I would wake her up. Then I would ask her if she wanted breakfast and then I was going to cook breakfast for the both of us. And after breakfast we would spend the whole day together doing whatever. It was so perfect even though it wasn't much of a plan.
I go over and plop down on the couch. It's cold. How long ago did she leave? Was it this morning or in the middle of the night? I never heard a thing. Was I wrong to just let her stay her overnight? Should I have woken her up and asked her if she wanted to go home?
Maybe I'm being too forward. We hardly know each other. Was it wrong to have her come over last night to begin with. I'm so confused right now.
Do I have it all wrong? I mean I was just being nice and letting Santana stay here but maybe I shouldn't have. Maybe that's not what she wanted.
We hardly know each other but, somehow, I feel like we do. I can't explain it quite yet. I was hoping that today would change that and we could get to know each other without the bar or the alcohol. Maybe it was stupid to think that she would still be here this morning or that we could spend the day together. I'm sure she is a busy person and has things to do today. Wait…
I jump up from the couch and run over to the window and look out. The little bit of hope that I had is gone completely and my heart sinks again. Her car is gone from the parking lot of the bar.
There is absolutely no sign of her. There is no sign that she was even here. Was it all a very elaborate dream. Did I dream that last night happened and in actuality it didn't really happen. I go back over to the couch. The pillow and blanket are evidence that she was actually here but I'm having a hard time believing it.
I groan and lay down on the couch. In rub my face into the pillow in frustration. I stop when I take a breath in. It smells like her. She was actually here. I didn't dream it.
Lord Tubbington meows at me. I lift my head from the pillow. "You want breakfast buddy?"
He meows again.
"Okay." I lift myself off of the couch and get his food from under the sink and fill his dish. "There ya go. Enjoy." He attacks his food dish like he hasn't eaten in days and it makes me smile.
Over my very boring breakfast of Wheaties and orange juice I plan out my day. Breakfast, go for a run, shower, then I don't know. Maybe I can go to a movie or something. My day suddenly seems a lot less exciting than I thought it would be.
It's hump day. I love hump day just because I can say hump day and get away with it. It's weird, I know.
There's a group of five young guys in the bar right now. I didn't believe that they were 21 when they asked for a pitcher of beer so I made them all pull out their ids. Guess I was wrong. They are all 21 and some even older.
I said my apologizes and told them it was because they are good looking and looked really young. Which may not have been the smartest thing to say because for the whole hour that they have been in her they keep looking over in my direction and giving me weird little smiles.
Oh well, nothing I can do about it now. It is what it is and they can do whatever they want but what they don't know is that none of them stands a chance.
"Britt, those guys keep looking over here." Jesse leans in and whispers in my ear.
"I'm aware."
"Did something happen that I don't know about?" He asks. He takes a step back because really there is no reason for him to be that close to me anymore.
"I may or may not have said something about them being young and good looking." I shrug it off. "Just a slip of the tongue. It's not like they aren't but- I don't know. I guess they feel the need to get my attention now."
"Do you want me to say something?" He asks. The thing about Jesse is that he might not be the greatest guy in terms of what he does but he is loyal to his friends and family and will stand up for them, no matter what.
"No. It's fine, Jesse. Just let them play. It's not like I'm interested in any of them."
He nods. "Someone else?" He asks with a quirk of the eyebrow.
"Someone else what?" The guy confuses me sometimes with the way that he talks.
"Are you interested in someone else? I mean, if you're not even entertaining the idea of those very good looking guys. Your like-" He trails off and look up to the ceiling like the words he wants are hanging from the ceiling panels. "You won't even look in their direction. And you and I both know that flirting with them will get you better tips. At the very least. And-" He waves his hand in front of my body, looking me up and down. "-nothing."
"No." It might be a lie. I don't know what I mean even saying no to.
"Then what is it?"
The bell above the door rings as it swings open and both Jesse and I look over to see who it is.
I smile when I see her. Everything stop for a moment. I stop wiping the glass in my hand. Jesse stops next to me. All the noise in the room seems to cease. All I can focus on is her.
Jesse's voice is low and whispered when he speaks next to me. It brings me out of my reverie. "Shit, Britt. You gotta be fucking kidding me."
Santana looks around the bar before she spots me. She smiles when she sees me. It's not fake or forced maybe a little shy though. She goes over to her usually spot and sits down. I take a step to go over there but Jesse's hand wrapped around my wrist stops me.
"Are you serious, Brittany?" He looks between her and I.
I lock eyes with him. "About what?"
"Santana Lopez." It's like he is in shock or something.
"Oh, you know her?" I'm excited that Jesse might know Santana. Maybe he can tell me a few things about her. I am desperate to learn anything about her at this point.
"Yeah, I know her. Or I know of her. We were in the same class in high school."
"Ah, sweet." I cheer inwardly. Maybe a little outwardly too.
"No, not sweet. She's a big bitch. Please, tell me that you just have like a crush on her and that it will pass."
"I don't know." I shrug and he drops his hand from my arm. I won't lie. I'm pretty sure that it isn't just a crush but I don't know what it is yet.
"I can't believe this." He runs his hands through his hair and turns away from me. I guess that strange conversation is over.
I turn and smile because she is sitting there hands folded on the bar watching me. I go over to her. "Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in." I tilt my head to the side and put my pointer finger on my chin. "What day is it?"
"Uh- Wednesday." Santana answers.
"Hmm. That's strange. I would have thought that it was a Friday or Saturday."
"Why?"
"Because those are the only days you've ever come in here." I say it and she ducks her chin to her chest immediately.
"Yeah- uh-
I cut whatever she was going to say off. "I'm kidding."
She looks up, I think to make sure that I actually am kidding. "Oh." She breathes.
I smile. She smiles. It's a beautiful smile. "You should smile more." It slips out of my mouth before I can stop it.
Santana's eyes widen and she looks away from me. "Sorry." I mumble. "Sooo- can I get you something to drink?"
I shouldn't have said that. I shouldn't have said that and know I've embarrassed her. I can't help it though. It's like my brain doesn't work properly when she is around. I think back to Saturday night. I was just so excited that she was at my apartment and that I got to introduce her to Lord Tubbington. I wasn't even thinking and then I woke up on Sunday and she was gone.
My shoulders sag a little cuz I remember how disappointed I was then but she is here now, in front of me, so I can't really be too sad about it.
"You guys have Mountain Dew?" She asks and it pulls me from my thoughts.
"Yep."
She is still looking over in Jesse's direction though. "I'll have a glass then."
"Okay, be right back." I'm slightly surprised. The only thing she has ever wanted when she has come in is alcohol. I don't know what to think that she isn't having any right now.
I get the drink and had back over towards Santana. She is watching the tv now. I look up the news is on. "So, what brings you in on a Wednesday evening?" I ask as I set her Mountain Dew in front of her. She takes the glass right away and takes a big drink. She sets the glass down on the bar and it is half empty already. "Whoa, thirsty?"
She shakes her head. "Look Brittany." I watch as she fidgets on her barstool. Playing with her fingers nervously. "I came here today-" She looks around nervously and lowers her voice to a whisper. "I want to apologize-" I can barely hear her over the noise in the bar. "-for the other day."
"For what?" I don't know what she feels that she needs to apologize for.
"For you having to put up with my crap. It's wasn't fair to you. I should have gone home on Saturday night. And then I fell asleep on your couch. You should have woken me up and sent me home. You didn't have to let me stay at your place. Although, I was thankful that you let me. But, I should have taken responsibility for myself. Christ, that's what my mother keeps telling me and maybe I should actually listen to her for once. I'm sorry that you had to take care of me. I didn't mean to be a burden. That's why I left as soon as I woke up." She stops and takes another big gulp of her soda.
I'm about to say something but she continues. "At first I didn't know where I was but then as I was leaving and saw your cat and remembered just like that. I remembered almost everything but that didn't matter. I just had to leave. I guess I'm sorry for that too. I should have told you I was leaving or waited until you woke up and then left. I just freaked out and had to go. So thank you and I'm sorry."
"Wow. Did you plan that speech in your head?" I laugh.
"Yes." She admits with a shrug.
"Even better." I chuckle a little more. She's just so adorable.
"Stop making fun of me. I'm serious." Santana looks away from me. I watch as her eyes scan the bar. They stop on the group of guys. "Wait. Are those guys staring at us? Do you think they heard what I said? God, I'm such an idiot. I shouldn't have even come here today. Look, I'm sorry, I gotta go." She says in a rush and stands up from her barstool.
"Wait. Stop." I throw my hands out in front of me. She stops and raising an eyebrow at me waiting for me to continue. "I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I made fun of you just now. I get what you are saying but you don't need to apologize for anything." She gives me that cute confused look, her face all scrunched up like that. "Sit down." She doesn't. "Please." I fold my hands together and pout out my bottom lip.
That does it.
Santana sits down on the stool again. As she settles she looks over to her right at the five guys. I see one of them wink at her. She turns back to me. "Disgusting." She comments and I laugh.
"FYI, they are looking at me. I may have told them, when they came in, that they were good looking young men. I realize now that was an error on my part. But, yeah, that was pretty gross that that guy just winked at you."
Her eyes widen comically. "They've been eyeing me all evening." I lean in a little closer to her and whisper. "What they don't know is that none of them stands a chance." I smirk and see the smile that etches it's way across her face.
"And about the other day- I don't want you to feel bad or anything. I invited you over and you fell asleep. Simple as that." Although, I don't really think it's as simple as that anymore. I think things are starting to get a little more complicated with me and her.
"Oh." Santana pauses and looks around the bar again. "Alright. But I shouldn't have left like that."
"No, you shouldn't have because-" I stop and debate whether I should say what I'm about to say or not. I already stuck my foot in my mouth with the whole you should smile more thing. Fuck it. "-I was going to offer to make you breakfast and then ask if you wanted to hang out."
She scrunches her face up. "Really?"
I nod. "Yep."
"Oh." She seems a little shocked at my revelation.
"So, that's settled now?" I ask.
"Yeah, I guess." She shrugs.
"Good. Now on to more important matters." I announce loud and proud, changing subjects.
"Like what?"
"Like, if you are going to keep coming here and like, if sometimes I want to hang out and like, other stuff, that maybe we should exchange phone numbers." I ramble.
She narrows her eyes at me. I think she is thinking about what I am saying or what I am trying to say. Maybe she doesn't understand what I am saying. I'm about to explain myself further when she speaks up. "Brittany, are you asking for my phone number?"
I shrug cuz duh. "Yes."
"I don't know. We don't really know too much about each other and I don't give my phone number out to strangers. I don't think it's good idea." Santana tells me.
"Come on." I can tell she is teasing me. "Please." I can't believe I am actually begging for her phone number.
"Well-" She stands up and reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone. "Okay." I watch as her thumb swipes over the screen a few times. "Put your number in and I will send you a text or something and then you will have my number too."
"Okay." I can't help the smile on my face, or the little bouncing I do up and down, as she hands me her phone.
"So, I guess we are sorta friends now, aren't we?" She asks.
I look up from the phone when I am done and hand it back to her. Santana is smiling and waiting for my answer. "Yep. Friends." I agree and nods enthusiastically.
"Okay." She pockets her phone. "Great."
Santana looks around the bar again. I follow her as she meets eyes with one of those 'good looking' guys. He smiles at her and she winks and waves at him. "What are you doing?" I whisper.
"Messing with that bastards head." She turns back to me. "He deserves it." She reaches out and takes the glass of Mountain Dew and finishes it off. "I'm gonna go now. I told my mom I would be home. Family dinner tonight. But I will see you soon. Okay?"
I nod. "Yeah. Great." I'm just excited at the prospect of 'seeing her soon'.
She leans across the bar towards me, her hand coming to rest on my forearm. My heart starts beating a little faster. She squeezes my arm with her hand and whispers. "Watch this."
She gets up off the barstools and walks towards the door. On the way she stops at the table with the five guys at it. She taps one of them on the shoulder, the one she just winked and waved at a few seconds ago, and he turns to face her. She puts a hand on his upper back between his shoulder blades. I can see him smile as she pulls him towards her body. She leans in and whispers something in his ear. Next, I watch as his face falls and she pulls back and nods slightly. Then she turns and points over her shoulder at me. I watch as his eyes follow where she is pointing. I know what she is doing even though I don't know what she said to the man and decide to play along. I smile my biggest, brightest smile and wave at her.
His face is blank at first but then his lips turn into a scowl as she waves back at me. I see her say something else to him and then step away and is out the front door in the next second. I watch until the door swings shut and then turn back to him. He is giving me quite an intense stare. I just shrug and look away. I grab my towel and start wiping down the bar where Santana was sitting. I just hope that guy isn't the one from his group who comes to get more beer for him and his buddies.
I can't really care too much, though. A stupid smile graces my face as I think of the whole thing over and over again. I wonder what she said to him but it really doesn't matter because whatever it was it worked. The guy finishes his drink and leaves before the rest of this buddies.
It's after midnight when I go into the kitchen. It's dark except for the one light to guide the way. It's quiet but for the hum of the coolers. It's kind of peaceful actually. Anyway, I go through the kitchen til I get to the break room.
I reach into my bag to grab my phone and check if there are any messages. I pull it out and click the screen. There are three text messages. One is from my mom asking me to come into work a few minutes early tomorrow. The next is from Mike saying that it was great to see me the other day and that we should hang out soon. And the third is a number that I don't recognize. So I open it to see what it says.
This funny thing happened to me today. Some bartender chick asked me for my phone number- and I gave it to her. -Santana
The smile on my face probably makes me look like a crazy person. The first thing I think is that her text is super cute. The next thing I do is save the number under her name. I'd send a text back but it's late and I don't want to wake her if she is sleeping. I put my phone back in my bag and head back out to the bar.
There are two older guys sitting at the bar still. I told Jesse he cold go home at midnight so it's just me for the rest of the night. Hopefully, these guys will leave before two and I can close early.
I start the dishwasher that washes the glasses and wait for it to get done to dry them. My two buddies don't seem to be bothered that I am cleaning instead of playing them an attention. Which is great for me because as soon as they leave I can get out of here.