Hey everyone. This chapter took me a while. I wanted to write something about the Lopez-Family and Santana's feelings but turned out, it was hard for me to do so.

So, I'm sorry if it's a bit bumpy. Hope you'll enjoy it anyway! :)

Chapter 6: Between Elementary School and Junior High

"Wanna see a movie tonight? I'm bored...", Santana typed into her handy and send the text to Brittany.

After a few minutes, an answer came back. "sry I can't Sanny :( Jesse wants to see me. Tomorrow okay? :)"

"Well I want to see you too", she mumbled to herself and threw the handy on her bed. Jesse again!

She knew she wasn't fair. In fact Brittany did her best to make time for Santana whenever it was possible. But especially today Santana felt like she needed to see her best friend badly.

She grabbed her PSP and turned it on, but after a few minutes she got bored and turned it off again. This had been going on almost all day. She just couldn't occupy herself today. Plus she had this weird feeling of loneliness.

This feeling was new. She knew the feeling of being alone. In kindergarten she was alone all the time, because the other kids couldn't stand her. Looking back, she was sure the other kids were afraid of her. She had been a loud, stormy little girl.

But the feeling she had lately was different. She wanted to be held, she longed for human nearness. Probably it was because Brittany had told her, that, sometimes she just laid in Jesse's arms and how beautiful this was.

Santana didn't like this feeling. She didn't like to be longing for somethings she didn't have. She had to distract herself.

"Jorge?", she knocked at his door. Lately he got very pissed, if somebody just went into his room without knocking. Santana had learned this lesson painfully.

"Come in", her brother answered and Santana opened the door.

"Hey, wanna hang out?", Santana asked, "I'm bored"

"Nah", her brother just answered without looking at her.

She went closer to him. "Why not? We haven't done anything together since forever"

"Yeah, that's because I don't want to hang out with my annoying little sister. Get your own friends", Santana knew that her brother didn't mean it like that. He just wanted to tease her a little. But it hurt anyway.

"I have friends", Santana said offended.

"One friend", Jorge corrected in a vicious voice.

"Shut up", she grumbled, "So, what are you doing tonight what's so much more fun than hanging out with me?"

"I don't know. Maybe I'll just sit here and stare at the wall", he shrugged his shoulders.

"You're an ass!", she flamed and stormed out of the room.

"Dad?", Santana gazed into the home office of her father. He was here often after he came home from his practice. Santana wasn't sure, what he did here. All she knew was, that he kept his patient records here and all her father has told her about this room was 'Don't make a mess. Or optimally just don't touch anything at all.'

"Not now, hija. Your papá is working", he tried to get rid of her.

She stood there a moment without saying anything, watching him. He sat at his desk and typed something into his computer.

"My PSP broke", she lied, "Can we go to the city together and buy a new one?"

"You can take the money and get you one", he offered without turning away from his monitor.

Santana sighed. "Okay, thanks papá"

"Hey mamá, need some help?", Santana entered the kitchen, went to the dishwasher, which Ms. Lopes was cleaning out and grabbed one of the cup.

"No no hija. I'm fine", she took the cup out of Santana's hand and put it in the board, "If you want to help, you can mowing the garden"

"Oh okay", Santana replied in a low voice, but didn't go to the garden. Instead she sat down on the kitchen table and watched her mother.

"Jorge doesn't want to hang out with me", she complained after a while.

"Well", her mother said while she put the dishes in the cupboard, "He'll probably do something with his girlfriend"

"His girlfriend?", Santana asked with wide eyes, "He has a girlfriend? Since when?"

"A few weeks", Ms. Lopez answered unconcerned.

"Why nobody told me?" she inquired blankly, "How is she? Did you meet her?

"She's lovely. Her name is Mireya Pérez and Jorge met her at church and if you would come with us more often, you would know"

"We could got to church now", she suggested.

"There is no church now, hija", her mother explained slightly annoyed.

"But I wanna do somethings", she started to whine.

Her mother sighed. "I'm sorry I have to cook. Junior High starts next week. You could prepare yourself"

Santana grimaced in disapproval. "I spent the last 5 years in primary school. I thinks it's enough preparation"

"Well Santana, your marks weren't that great.", she interjected. "Mostly B's, a few C's. And Junior High is a lot harder than Primary School. Jorge dropped from A to C back then."

Santana looked at her hands. "B isn't good enough?"

"Sure honey", her mother said quickly, "B is fine"

Fine.

Santana walked through the streets. It was dusky. She didn't know where she was going. She just wanted to be not at home. She simply stood up after the conversation with her mother and has left without saying anything.

Suddenly she heard footsteps by several people behind her. She didn't turn around, but accelerated her steps.

"Do you run away from us?", she heard a voice directly behind her.

She didn't answer, but keep walking.

"Hey, he asked you something," another voice said and suddenly she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.

"Miss Lopez", a third man suddenly appeared before her. She winced slightly, but then looked directly into the man's face. He seemed familiar, but she couldn't identify him properly.

"What do you want Hobo?", she asked, trying to give her voice a brave sound.

The man smirked. "Where are your buddies? Normally you slum children travel in groups"

Santana swallowed hard. She remembered how she knew the guy. He was one of those with whom they have always clashed, as she has walked with her brother and his people through the streets.

"I dumped them. They were weak", Santana answered and crossed her arms. She was surprised how she managed to sound so calm while her heart was beating like crazy.

"Bold girl", he took a step toward her. She wanted to retreat, but she ran backwards into another guy. She turned and looked around. She was surrounded.

"Okay...funny guys", now finally she wasn't able to control her shaky voice anymore, "What you wanna do? Beat me?"

"Pretty much, ya", another said.

Santana looked at him shocked. "W..wait! What?"

"Normally I wouldn't hit a girl. Especially if she's in minority. But the last time your brother and his little cheerleaders beat me up, it was like 8 against 1", he shrugged his shoulders, "So you know. I don't care about fairness either", he made a fist and pressed it into his palm so that his bones cracked.

Santana gasped and her hands began to tremble. She checked again, if she could escape, but she saw no way out. She had to try to defend herself as best as possible. But to be honest, she was screwed.

She raised her arms protectively. The guy behind her laughed. She turned around quickly, but his fist already shoot up to her and buried itself in her stomach. Almost simultaneously, someone else grabbed her shoulders and pushed her hard. She felt and landed face down on the floor, crooking herself. Tears came into her eyes.

The third one lifted his leg, but the other two held him back. "Let it be. She's crying already."

She heard the three disappear, but remained lying curled up on the sidewalk. The pain in her stomach eased slowly, but the pain of humiliation remained.

She didn't know why she was here. She didn't remember she made the decision to go here. But suddenly she stood in front of the Pierce-House.

She clenched her hands and looked at the door bell. She had no idea how late it was, but it was dark outside, so it had to be after 10pm.

Her finger lay undecided on the bell for a while until she finally rang. To her delight, it was Brittany who opened the door.

She looked at her slightly confused but happy. "What are you doing here?"

"Is Jesse still here?", Santana asked instead, "I don't want to bother..."

Brittany shook her head. "He left a few minutes ago"

"Okay"

"Are you okay?", Brittany asked concerned.

Santana nodded, looking at her feet. She wasn't but she didn't want to talk about.

Brittany's mother joined. "Oh hallo Santana", like her daughter, she was surprised but didn't sound upset.

"Can I sleep here?", Santana asked, almost shyly.

Brittany smiled. "Of course you can", she took Santana's hand, but Santana hesitated.
"My parents don't know, that I'm here. I kinda ran out without saying a word", she mumbled, "And without my phone"

"I let your parents know that you're here. And then I'll bring you some cookies and hot chocolate.", Brittany's mother offered.

"Thanks Mrs. Pierce", Santana said in a low voice.

"Please Santana. I told you", she smiled, "call me Julia"

"Britt?", Santana asked into the darkness, after they went into bed soon after they have finished the cookies.

"Yeah?", she heard her voice.

Santana wanted to asked, if Brittany could hold her, if they could cuddle. But somehow she wasn't able to. Her mouth just didn't form the words. After all, they never did that before and she wasn't even sure, if Brittany wanted to do that.

"um..never mind", she mumbled instead and a strange sadness filled her body.

Suddenly a arm was wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to Brittany.

Brittany snuggled from behind and let her arm around Santana.

The sadness in Santana disappeared and instead a warmth flowed through her. She laid her hand on Brittany's and crossed fingers with her.