I own nothing but the mistakes... Sad face.
The Pierce-Morgan family sat around the kitchen table quietly. Brittany's mother watched the blonde girl out of the corner of her eye as she slowly bit into a piece of her omelet. She caught Paul's cautious glance across the table and nodded twice. The man cleared his throat and placed his silverware on the table.
"So..." Paul dragged out the word awkwardly when Brittany didn't look up from her plate. "This is nice. Our first weekend in Lima. Don't you think so, Jen?"
The sun streaming in from the kitchen window reflected off of Paul's blindingly white teeth as he grinned at Jen.
The only sign of acknowledgement he got in return was the corner of the older woman's mouth quirking up.
"Odd weather we're having lately. It was freezing yesterday, and now it seems as if it's perfect tanning weather." Paul chuckled.
"Well, I was thinking that me and you could go do something today, Brittany." Paul said happily. "Since your mother's going into the city to buy some more furniture, I was thinking that you and I could go catch a movie. Or we could go out for dinner possibly?"
Brittany cringed inwardly at the thought of spending the entire day with Paul. His idea of bonding was non-stop awkward conversations. Well, to her they were awkward. Paul on the other hand, had this oblivious air about him that allowed him to talk for hours without realizing he was annoying everyone. Brittany had now fondly named this behaviour as 'Rachel Berry Syndrome'. And really, the only difference between the two was that Brittany genuinely liked Rachel.
"As fun as that sounds, I already have plans." Brittany forced a smile at her parents as she got up from the table. "I was thinking of going for a jog around the block, then I was going to check out to see if there was any studio space that was free. I need to start practising dancing again."
Brittany knew that playing the dancing card would buy her mother any day. She flashed her mother a charming smile as Jen patted her hand encouragingly.
"It's about time that you started getting your act together. Maybe next week you can call Carlos down here so that you'd have someone to dance with." Jen offered, causing Brittany's smile to get wider at the thought of seeing her friend again so soon. "You can always spend time with Paul some other day."
Brittany walked around the table and hugged her mother from behind, kissing the top of Jen's head. "Thanks, mom." She says as she bounded to her room to get changed.
The tall blonde quickly slipped into a pair of jogging sweatpants and a yellow tank top before jogging out the door, avoiding anymore social contact with her mother and step-dad.
Brittany jogged around town, subconsciously mapping out the area for when she went out jogging next time. After twenty minutes she stopped to take a breather at the bus stop near the towns only 7-11. She adjusted the buds from her headphones so that they were secure. She absolutely hated stopping a workout because of them slipping out. She once considered exercising without them, but she was a dancer. It was like a second nature moving to the sound of music in the back round.
A few minutes later Brittany felt the familiar ache in her calves that she yearned for. It may sound ridiculous to anyone else, but there was nothing that Brittany liked more than the signs that her body was getting pushed to it's limits. Her mother told her that she felt the same when she was younger, and that's why they were such skilled dancers and athletes. But the younger blonde didn't much care for being talented, all she cared about was having fun and learning new things.
"If you liked it then you should of put a ring on it. Uh-uh oh, Uh-Uh, uh oh." Brittany sang under her breath as she kept the beat with each step she jogged.
"Brittany, watch out!"
Brittany's head whipped around in search of the source that made the noise. She was so distracted that she didn't notice the bike that was sprawled across the sidewalk. She brought her arms up to her face to protect it from smashing into the pavement. When she hit the ground, the length of her arm dug into the rocky surfaces. A ripple of pain shot up Brittany's arm, causing her to let out a tiny yelp.
Brittany groaned under her breath as she braced her hands on the ground to get herself up. She heard the faint sounds of footsteps jogging up behind her.
"Shit, I'm sorry. I shouldn't of put my bike there." A young boy rushed out as he pulled the bike onto the grass before running up to the blonde and grabbing her shoulder. "I am so, so sorry!"
"Move it, kid!" A familiar voice growled out, lightly shoving the terrified boy out of the way. Santana flashed the boy a look, making the boy pale and jump on his bike, peddling away as if a herd of angry unicorns were on his tail. "Are you okay, B?" Santana asked, her voice instantly turning more gently.
Brittany grunted quietly and got to her feet, flinching when she saw the long red cuts running up her arms.
"Shit." Santana swore under her breath. "Come on, I have some a first aid kit in my car."
As much as Brittany wanted to protest, her arm really stung and she would give anything to make it stop. So the blonde let herself be dragged over to an expensive looking car parked in the 7-11 parking lot.
Santana wordlessly motioned for the blonde to sit on the hood of the car before heading around to the back of the car. Brittany looked after her curiously as she hopped onto the hood of the car.
The Latina popped the trunk and soon returned with a white case. She pulled out a gauze and started to gently wipe the blood off of Brittany's arms, being sure to avoid the cuts.
"It seems that we're always getting hurt around each other, huh?" Santana joked with a tiny smile, hoping to get a reaction out of the emotionless blonde in front of her as she continued cleaning the blood. When Brittany scoffed under her breath, Santana chuckled. "Um... This might sting a little."
Santana unscrewed the cap off a tiny bottle filled with a brown liquid. She slowly poured the substance onto a white cotton ball.
"Are you ready?" Santana asked nervously as she looked into the blonde's scared blue eyes.
Brittany nodded shortly and extended her arms in front of her. Santana examined the taller girl with her eyes tightly shut together and her tense shoulders. The Latina let out a slow calming breath and moved the damp cotton ball along the length of the cut. Brittany's reaction was immediate. Her eyes flew open and her legs slammed against the car. Santana had to forcibly hold the arms still to keep them from being yanked out of the grasp. The blonde whimpered in protest, causing Santana's heart to bleed a little.
"Sorry, sorry." Santana muttered, her brow scrunching in concentration. "It's almost over. I just need to clean the other arm."
Brittany nodded once again and held out the other arm without another sound. Santana slowly brushed her fingers along the top of Brittany's cut. The blonde felt as if a jolt of electricity was running up and down the length of the arm Santana had just touched.
The tingly feeling that Santana's touch had generated was soon replaced with the burning feeling of the liquid against her cuts. Brittany bit her tongue sharply at the sensation until she felt blood trickling in her mouth. Soon both of her arms had the same dull pain throbbing in it. She looked at the Latina who was now scrambling inside her kit again.
"Why do you even have that thing with you?" Brittany asked so quietly that Santana had to look at her to be sure she wasn't hearing things.
"Oh, my dad is a doctor. He's really paranoid about accidents. He taught me all the ins and outs of first aid when I was a kid." Santana explained as she pulled out a roll of bandages. "After my mom left he's been working at the hospital more often."
She grabbed Brittany's hand so that she could extend Brittany's left arm. Brittany didn't even notice when she wrapped her fingers around tan ones, until Santana coughed awkwardly and pulled her hands away. The Latina smiled quickly at the blonde, and started to wrap the bandages around both arms tightly.
"Uh... what do your parents do?" Santana asked as she checked to make sure the bandages were secure.
"My mom is a business executive and my dad is-Was" The blonde said, quickly correcting herself. "In the military."
"Oh." Santana said quietly, not ready to probe into the blonde's business. "Well, you're all good."
Brittany looked down at her bandaged arms and was pleasantly surprised that the stinging in her arms was barely noticeable.
"Uh, yeah. Thanks." Brittany said.
She hopped off the hood of the car and flexed her arms gently as she tested the bandages security.
"Thanks for helping me out, I guess." Brittany said to Santana. "I should be heading home now."
"Wait!" Santana called out before Brittany could get to far. "Do you want to go get something to eat maybe? I know this nice Italian place near here."
"Umm..." Brittany picked her brain for any excuse to not go but she came up with nothing. "I can't see why not."
Santana's face lit up.
"Great! Hop in." Santana said as she opened the car door and slipped into the driver's seat.
Brittany looked to the heavens and groaned as she made her way to the other side of the car.
Great, now I'm stuck on a pity dinner with one of the biggest bitches of McKinley. I should of taken up Paul's offer.
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"Wow, this place looks pretty expensive for Lima standards." Brittany mused as she exited the car.
Santana laughed loudly at that.
"Yeah, Bread Stix is the hottest restaurant in Lima. Also the only one that's not a chain." Santana chuckled. "I haven't been here in ages."
"Why not?"
"Oh! Uh," Santana giggled awkwardly as the two entered the building. "I guess I never had anyone to go with. I don't really like eating alone. And Quinn is allergic to most Italian food so..."
Brittany nodded silently in understanding. But she couldn't deny that she was a bit confused. Santana seemed like one of those girls that could get anyone to go to dinner with her.
"Table for two, please." Santana said politely to the elderly hostess, causing Brittany's eyebrows to raise in astonishment at the Latina's manners.
"Right this way, ladies." The woman said as she grabbed to menus out from the stand. "And it's nice to see you again. You haven't been here in a while, Santana."
"It's nice to see you too, Gladice." Santana responded brightly as the two girls followed the woman through the dining area.
"Who's your new friend, Santana?" Gladice asked with a wide smile at Brittany that made the girl blush.
"This is Brittany. Her family moved here last week." Santana introduced.
"Well let's hope Santana brings you here more often. We need as much business as we can get." Gladice laughed as she patted Santana's shoulder fondly. "Your server will be here shortly."
Santana waved as the elderly woman made her way back to the front podium. When the Latina turned back she noticed Brittany watching her curiously.
"What?"
"You come here a lot I take it?" Brittany asked jokingly as she examined the menu.
"Yeah." Santana said wistfully as she played with a bread stick nonchalantly. "This place is like my second home."
"Lopez?"
The two girls looked over to see Charlotte standing dumbfounded by their table in the regulation Bread Stix uniform.
"Dean?" Santana said as realization dawned in her eyes. "When did you start working here?"
"Since my brother decided his hockey stick wasn't good enough, and ended up breaking it during his last temper tantrum." Charlotte deadpanned as she grabbed her notepad and pen. "Just tell me your order and we won't have to see each other longer than we'd have to."
"Look, Dean." Santana started, casting a look at Brittany out of the corner of her eye. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for my behaviour since you moved. I haven't been very welcoming, and I may have said some things that are hurtful. So I sincerely apologize for being a bitch to you."
Charlotte blinked randomly before laughing under her breath and examining the room.
"Are you joking? Am I being Punk'd?" She asked, pointing her pen non-threateningly at the Latina. When Santana didn't say anything the brunette tipped her head back. "I must say I'm impressed, Lopez. Is this your creepy way of suggesting a truce?"
Brittany looked back and forth between the two girls, feeling as if she was intruding in on a special moment.
"This doesn't mean we're friends or anything." Santana cleared up, making Charlotte laugh and nod.
"Understood." She grinned. "Now what do you guys want to eat?"
The two girls took their orders, the tension in the room instantly cleared.
"How hard did you hit your head yesterday?" Brittany asked seriously once Charlotte was out of earshot. "Do you need to check in to the hospital or something?"
Santana chuckled lowly and nudged Brittany's leg fondly.
"I'm fine, Britt." Santana said with a large smile. "It's just that I never properly thanked you for what you did in gym yesterday."
"What are you talking about? I didn't do anything." Brittany frowned thoughtfully.
"Ever since you got here I have been my regular bitchy self to you. And though I didn't appreciate you stealing my clothes-"
"Yeah, sorry about that. I wasn't very mature."
"Well neither was I." Santana laughed. "I was so wrapped up with being the HBIC-"
"Yeah, I know that popular people want to stay on the top of the pyramid. I've been lectured by enough Cheerio's since got here-"
"And now you're Sue's second in command, and you didn't have to lift a finger-"
"Believe me, I did not want that. I would of settled for a detention instead of dealing with all of that crazy." Brittany snickered.
"And with all the stuff with Quinn and I." Santana said quietly and smiled at Brittany. "You know if the roles were reversed I would have spread that shit like Nutella."
"But that's not fair to you." Brittany replied shyly. "I actually had a friend that was going through the same thing-"
"I'm not gay." Santana said quickly as she looked around nervously to make sure no one was listening. "It just... happened."
Instead of answering, Brittany reached into her sweatpants pocket and took out her cellphone. Santana watched curiously as Brittany typed away on it.
"This is my friend Carlos." Brittany said with a fond smile as she offered her phone to Santana. "He is one of the best dancers I've ever met, and one of the funniest guys too."
Santana took the phone from Brittany and looked at the picture that was glowing on the screen. In the picture was Brittany with her arms around a tall Latino boy with a mischievous smile that she often saw Brittany wear. In the back round two twin girls seemed to be wrestling with each other on a futon.
"Is that your boyfriend?" Santana asked quietly as she continued to stare at the picture.
Brittany giggled and pried her phone away from Santana.
"Carlos is like my big brother. And like I said, he's going what you're going through." Brittany said with so much finality that even Santana didn't bother defending herself.
"You must miss them a lot." Santana said looking Brittany in the eye.
"I do..."
"As much as I'd hate to interrupt this touching saphic moment, here are your meals." Charlotte said with a smirk as she set their food in front of them. "Bon appétit."
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"You know, I actually had a lot of fun today." Brittany smiled as the two were walking towards the car. "I actually like this side of you. It's like you're a unicorn in wolf's clothing."
"Should I even ask?" Santana laughed as she felt Brittany link their pinkies together.
"Unless you want a headache, I suggest not."
"Do you want me to drive you home?" Santana asked as the two got in the car.
Brittany checked her watch only to realize that her mother wasn't expecting her home for another two hours.
"Um... Actually, would you mind dropping me off at Holiday's Arts Studios? My mom wants me to practise my dancing sometime this week." Brittany said as Santana pulled out of the parking lot.
"Oh sure, no problem." Santana said.
Five minutes later Santana pulled into the parking lot of the dancing studio.
"So... I guess I'll see you Monday?" Santana said. "We also got Cheerios after school."
Brittany sat in the car awkwardly before turning to Santana.
"Do you want to hang out some more? I know that watching me dance isn't exactly the most exciting thing in the world-"
"Yes." Santana replied embarrassingly quickly. "I mean, I have nothing better to do."
Brittany smiled and got out of the car with Santana hot on her heel.
When they got inside Brittany was impressed with the vast space the place held. She could picture herself coming here after school to practice.
At the front desk, an older blonde woman was napping in the recliner with her feet up on the glass. Santana and Brittany shared a confused look as they approached the desk confidently. Brittany tapped the bell on the desk lightly, but the woman continued to sleep. It got to the point that Brittany was tapping out random beats on the bell, only when Santana's hand covered her's did she stop.
The woman at the desk smirked in and cracked one of her eyes open slowly.
"Looky who we have here. Living, breathing customers. It's a miracle." The blonde woman drawls as she moves to sit straight in her chair. "The names Holly, chicas. How can I be of service?"
"I was just wondering if I could practice in one of the empty studios for an hour or so." Brittany paused and bit her lip nervously. "If that would be okay with you."
"Well..." Holly spun in her chair and started to type away on her computer. "The main floor studio is being used for the evening yoga class. But... The second floor studio is available up until seven, so you should be good."
"Have fun." Holly said as she moved back into her comfortable position and resumed her nap.
"Well she was certainly interesting." Santana enquired as her and Brittany jogged up the stairs. "It's a wonder this place is still open."
Brittany was in awe when she entered the studio. It was one of the smallest she ever seen, so it was most likely meant for single dancers.
The blonde handed her Ipod to Santana.
"Play something." She ordered as she started to stretch.
"Anything?" Santana asked challengingly.
Brittany smirked.
"Bring it on."
Brittany strutted to the middle of the dance floor and waited for the music to fill the air. Brittany's ears perked up at the familiar keys of the piano started to float through the room and her body started to move on it's own accord.
"Oh, her eyes, her eyes make the stars look like they're not shinin'
Her hair, her hair falls perfectly without her tryin'
She's so beautiful
And I tell her everyday."
Santana watched as Brittany floated around the room with more grace than she had ever seen in any of the cheerios. Brittany moved as if she had been dancing for years, and she was amazed of how absorbed Brittany was in her dancing.
"Yeah, I know, I know when I compliment her, she won't believe me
And it's so, it's so sad to think that she don't see what I see
But every time she asks me do I look okay?
I say,"
"When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are,"
"And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
'Cause girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are."
Santana couldn't bring her eyes away from the dancing blonde. It was as if she couldn't bring herself to move any part of her body. She felt as if she was on air. Brittany's bandaged arms flew around her like angel's wings and her golden hair flew around her like a halo-
God, Lopez. You make me want to barf.
"The way you are
The way you are
Girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are."
"When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are,"
Brittany started to slow her movements as the song came to a close.
"And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
'Cause girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are."
Brittany straightened on the spot and smiled widely when the song came to a close.
"What did you think?" Brittany beamed excitedly as she walked back over to the dumbstruck Latina sitting on the piano bench. "Did you like it?"
Brittany's breath faltered as Santana stood up, so that their lips were inches apart. Brittany felt tingles flow down her spine as Santana's warm breath mixed with her own. The Latina wrapped her arm around the back of Brittany's neck and the blonde saw white when she felt the unfamiliar pair of lips lock with her own. It felt as if they were kissing for hours. Brittany felt as if it took her hours to reciprocate the kiss, and her hand moved to rest on Santana's waist.
When Santana pulled away, the two were breathing heavily.
"I'm going to take that as a yes." Brittany said breathlessly.
A/N: Thoughts?