Okay guys, this is a little longer than the others chapters and I hope you like it.
-Brittany's point of view-
Walking into the restaurant, I had an excited and nervous feeling in my tummy. Of course I was excited to meet Santana, but this was also the first time I was meeting Quinn's other friends. I had already met Mercedes and Puck, and obviously Mike and Tina, but tonight Tina's friends from her high school glee club would be here too. Meeting friends was so much more important to me since I graduated high school, I no longer felt like I wanted to hide away in my thoughts as much, instead I found that having people to talk about your problems made everything seem not so bad.
Tina and Mike were the first of the group that I met. On the second day I moved out here I had a job interview with Mike, and since Quinn couldn't get out of working that afternoon she organized for Tina to pick me up and take me to the studio. It was really sweet of her to pick me up, and since I was really nervous about the interview she stopped on the way and bought me some ice cream. That was when I knew Tina would be a good friend. Only really good friends think to buy you ice cream when you're nervous. We talked the whole way to the studio, and I had completely forgotten to be nervous by the time I was shaking Mike's hand and introducing myself.
6 months ago…
"Hi, I'm Quinn's friend Brittany"
"It's so great to finally meet you Brittany, Quinn's told me so many great things about you!" he said with a smile. "So I was thinking we could just do a half hour run through of some of the routines you'd be teaching, and then head over to meet Quinn on her break?"
"That sounds awesome!" I say, feeling much more relaxed; I'm good with remembering routines. I was worried that I'd have to sit down and tell him why he should give me the job. I can dance much better than I can talk.
After going through about three different routines, Mike seemed pleased with my progress, so we started to make our way back to the staff area. "You can take a shower before we go if you want?" Mike said as he ran his towel over his sweat-covered face. Even though we had only danced for half an hour, we were both pretty tired. It felt good to be dancing with someone who could keep the same pace as me and still have fun. When I was on the cheerios, some of the girls could keep up okay but they complained a lot, and it's never much fun when people complain.
After showing me around the staff room, Mike left to head to the men's bathroom, and I grabbed my towel and headed to the door with a ballerina wearing a tutu on it. It was nice in there, everything seemed to be a different shade of white, with the only color being a light lavender that matched the smell of the air freshener. There was even a little shell shaped soap on the sink and in the shower that smelled the same as the room. I think if I had to make a list of rooms I wanted to spend time in for no particular reason, this would make the top of the list, which is strange because normally I hate bathrooms.
I remember when I was younger and I was really picky about the bathrooms I would, or rather, wouldn't use. My Mom would get really embarrassed if we went over to her friends' house and I needed to use the bathroom, because if it wasn't really clean I would walk straight back out and announce to my Mom I couldn't use it because it was stinky, or their toilet was too icky. One time, Mrs. Toulder from down the street was so offended, that she just walked straight to her bedroom and locked the door. My Mom gave me a frown and just picked up her bag and we left. I don't think Mom and Mrs. Toulder had lunch again after that, which I think is silly. You can't get upset when someone says your bathroom isn't very nice when it's the truth. I definitely wasn't lying about it either, I would've rather held on for eternity. I would have gotten a sore tummy, but the alternative would have been much worse.
After my shower I got dressed as fast as possible. I had been enjoying the warm shower streaming over my face and lost track of time. I really didn't want to be the reason we couldn't meet up with Quinn on her break. Walking down the corridor to the reception I could hear Mike and Tina speaking in hushed tones, so I slowed down and tried to catch what they were saying. After hearing my name I froze, and had a mental argument with myself trying to decide whether or not to walk into the room. I think if someone had seen me in that moment, I would have looked very strange, my feet were heading one way but my body was heading another.
"What about Sam?" Tina hushed. "Him and Brittany would make the most adorable couple".
"I'm not sure, I think he's too hung up on Mercedes right now to even consider being with someone else".
I stood awkwardly with my mind and body torn on which direction I should move in.
"If only she leaned Satan's way" Tina sighed.
"Yea, Brittany is exactly the she-devil's type too, and I reckon they'd be really good for each other" Mike replied. "San really does deserve someone sweet and caring".
Satan? She-devil? Who are these people? I decide to ask Quinn about it later, cough and walk the rest of the way down the hallway, shuffling my feet loudly. Rounding the corner into the light-filled room finds Tina and Mike leaning against the counter with matching large smiles. "Ready to go?" Tina asked chirpily.
I smile and nod, and we all made our way towards Tina's car.
One of Quinn's friends from work joined us for coffee, Mercedes scared me a bit at first, but it turned out we both really liked hip-hop music and she was really easy to talk to.
That night we all headed out to a bar down the street from Quinn and my apartment, it was called Bar Puckerman, and was owned by Mike's friend Noah. It wasn't long after meeting Puck that Quinn had to remove his lips from my neck; apparently Puck was a player and tended to drink on the job. Quinn was mad, but I didn't mind because Puck told me he was sorry and poured me a drink that tasted like apples and cream. Since that night, I often head down to the bar and sit with Puck. He makes me apple drinks and we talk about sports, and girls. I mainly listen about the sports, but we both talk about girls.
Present day…
With the waitress leading the way, Quinn and I approached the table. There were only two people I didn't recognize sitting there and both were men, so I relaxed when I realized Santana obviously wasn't there yet, that meant could get a drink and calm my nerves before I met her. I pointed this out to Quinn, but she didn't seem to share my excitement.
After saying hello to Tina and Mike, Puck and Mercedes, Quinn introduced me to Kurt and Blaine. My Mom always taught me to never judge people on first appearances, but I didn't need Kurt kissing Blaine on the lips to tell me he was about as straight as a circle. Both of them were really nice, Kurt and Blaine were like Tina and Mike; they'd been together since high school. As the waitress took our drink orders, I nervously started to play with napkin in my lap.
"So Brittany, how are you finding Columbus so far?" Kurt asked with a kind smile.
"Really good actually" I respond "It feels a lot bigger than back home in Bedford, but I love teaching with Mike, and it's so awesome living with Quinn".
"That's great!" Blaine says as he puts his arm around Kurt "Hopefully we'll get to see you more from now on, it's all been so crazy lately what with Kurt working for this promotion and all".
"Oh yeah!" I say excitedly "congratulations! Mike said we were out celebrating someone's promotion".
"Thanks, I've been working for the magazine for about 3 years now, and I've been vying for the fashion column since I started" Kurt says, matching my enthusiasm.
"Actually" Blaine interrupts with a smile "he's been 'vying' for a fashion column since before he was born I think". The two men share loving smiles as the rest of the table laugh. As I take a sip from my drink and turn to ask Quinn a question, a small brunette approaches the table and starts saying hi to everyone. I watch her nervously; it's obvious that she's pretty but for some reason wasn't what I was expecting.
"Hi, I'm Rachel" she says as I exhale with relief.
"Hi I'm Brittany, it's nice to meet you. Quinn never stops talking about you". It's true, Quinn does talk about her all the time, and the funny thing is that it's obvious she's trying not too, because every so often it's like she realizes she's been talking about Rachel for too long and changes the subject abruptly. It's normally to something weird, like what sort of cheese goes with different crackers. I think I must have missed something while I was thinking about cheese, because when I turn to Quinn I can see she's all red in the cheeks, and both her and Rachel are looking like their eyes are trying to run away from each other. That would be funny.
As Quinn drinks the last half of her drink in one go, Rachel regains her composure. "So Brittany, I've heard you're a really great dancer," she says with a wide smile. "Despite going into the corporate world, my talents lay soundly within the performing arts world."
"Oh cool, I didn't realize you liked performing" I lie. I wasn't joking when I said Quinn talked about her a lot.
"Oh absolutely, it's my calling" she says enthusiastically as I slowly lose focus on what she was talking about. Quinn told me if I got nervous about meeting everyone I should just stick with Rachel and mention Broadway or singing. Apparently dancing is an appropriate Segway into both those topics because I occasionally hear words like "Les Mis" or "Barbara".
Rachel's rambling is interrupted by a good-looking blonde man arriving and saying hello to everyone. He's tall and has a kind face, super big lips, but still kind looking. As he gets round to Mercedes, I notice him pause as he leans in really close to kiss her cheek. I think if we weren't in a busy restaurant I'd want to leave, because I feel like I'm interrupting something really private. I think Rachel feels the same way because she coughs a bit obnoxiously and asks Sam if he drove here.
Sam was really nice; he ended up sitting directly across from Quinn and I so we talked for a while until the waitress came to take our orders.
"Shouldn't we wait for Santana?" I ask. I regret it straight away, because there are so many different reactions from everyone that I feel a bit like I'm on a carousel. Mike and Tina look like they have clothes hangers stuck in their mouths, Quinn looks a bit angry and starts playing absently with her phone, while the rest all adopt similar cheeky smirks.
"Oh, Santana's always late to everything" Rachel says reaching over to put a hand on my arm. "But don't worry, she'll be here". She says with a wink.
"So, this is the girl you're setting Santana up with?" Sam says to Mike and Tina, his tone laced with a sense of amused realization.
"Yep" Mike and Tina say in unison looking over at me. "She's perfect, right?" Tina says excitedly.
Sam laughs and agrees, while the others all mutter words of agreement. I think I hear "blonde" and "tall" a couple of times. I feel a bit like I'm on display, so I start shaking the salt and pepper onto the table absentmindedly and drawing shapes in the mess.
"Oh don't look like that Quinn" Mike says, breaking my daydreaming "Santana's not that bad, besides Rachel said she agreed to come out tonight".
"Whatever" Quinn huffs, "all I know is that I've been hanging out with you guys for well over a year, and I think I've seen Santana show up to a place that isn't a bar, when she said she would about 5 times. Britt's my best friend and I don't want you guys getting her hopes up, especially if Santana is just going to be "Santana"", she emphasizes with air quotes.
I don't get why Quinn wouldn't want Santana to be Santana, she was always telling me to be myself so it seems strange that she'd want the opposite for someone else. I decide to focus back on my pile of salt and pepper and let them argue away. I remember back in high school and Quinn would always stick up for me, one time, Lisa from my biology class asked me if I cared that Quinn was 'constantly fighting my battles for me'. I think she was trying to tell me to stick up for myself, because she had on the same voice my mom uses when she wants me to realize I've done the wrong thing. When I asked Quinn at lunch that day why she sticks up for me, she said it was because I never care about what people said about me, but that the things they say upset her, so technically she was just sticking up for her own feelings. I told her that I did care what people said about me sometimes and she gave me a look I didn't really understand and said she'd keep defending me then. I'm not sure how long I was daydreaming, but Rachel tapping me on the hand interrupts my daydreaming. "Brittany?"
When I look up at her I notice that Quinn, Tina and Mercedes aren't at the table. "They went to the bathrooms," Rachel says, noticing where I'm looking.
"So I was thinking," she says with a smile and an excited clap of her hands "I should probably give you a lesson in all that is Santana Lopez. She's one of my best friends and even though Quinn is overreacting a little about her previous behavior, I do concede that she may have a point".
I smile at Rachel "Okay, I guess that'd cool. But can't I just wait and meet her and if I have any question about her I'll just ask you?"
"No" she says bluntly. "Santana is a wonderful girl but I think I should definitely verse you in the sort of behavior you might see. For example, if you hear anyone say that 'Snix' is about to emerge then I highly suggest you leave the room, and fast. The only people who can calm down Santana when she goes into Snix-mode are Puck or Quinn.
"Why not you" I ask, "I thought you were her best friend."
From the look on Rachel's face, I guess that I've struck a nerve. "Santana and I haven't always been the best of friends, it was only towards the end of our high school careers that we became close," she says in hushed tones. "It would seem that Snix is more reminiscent of a Santana from before our friendship blossomed".
Hearing Rachel talk about Santana this way is starting to make me a little nervous so I start chewing anxiously on my nails. It's a bad habit; my Mom even tried painting my nails with that sour nail polish a couple of years ago but it didn't work.
"Look, I'm sure all this talk isn't making Santana sounds too great, but I promise Brittany, Santana is one of the best people I know" she says with a comforting smile. "She's been through a lot, and she tends to be very defensive. But you seem so sweet, and I think that you are the perfect person to get through those walls".
I smile and look down at my hands, blushing at the compliment. I really hope I'm the right person because Santana has a lot of really great friends who all seem to want to see her happy, which means she must be pretty great.
As Quinn, Tina and Mercedes get back to the table our food arrives. "I was just telling Brittany more about Santana" Rachel says to Tina.
"I'm so excited for you guys to meet" Tina squeals while the rest of the table laughs.
I look over at Quinn, who's frowning and grab her hand reassuringly. "I'm actually really excited to meet her. I've been single for a really long time and it'd be so nice to meet a girl in the same position as me" I say with a smile.
"By 'position'" Puck pauses, "does she mean 'lady-loving'?" he says to a collective eye roll from those seated at the table.
"Yes, Puck" Quinn laughs "this is the one time you'll be correct in thinking a girl is talking about 'lady-loving'".
Puck fist bumps the air. "Oh and Britt, Santana might be the she-devil sometimes, but what she lacks in personality, she makes up for in…'assets'" he says emphasizing the first syllable. "Seriously, Santana is banging hot!"
I laugh as the rest of the group groan collectively. "Cool, Puck" I say still laughing.
Half an hour later and having heard about a thousand and one stories about Santana, we've all finished our meals. Rachel has made about ten trips to the ladies room, and I was going to ask her if she was feeling okay as she sat back down at the table, but Tina beats me to it. Rachel gives Tina a look that apparently everyone at the table besides me understands because I feel the general mood shift from the previously cheery one.
I stare at my hands as Quinn and Rachel start a silent fight; it's like the battle of the raised eyebrows. I would laugh, but I think this might be one of those times that you're not supposed to.
"Britt, I'm so sorry but Santana's not coming out tonight".
"Oh". My stomach sinks. I don't hear any more of what they're saying, I can just feel the heat emanating from my cheeks. I can't tell if it's from shame or embarrassment, whichever it is, it doesn't feel very nice.
"This has nothing to do with you Britt" Quinn says soothingly as she brushes a stray piece of hair behind my ears. "This is just how Santana can be some times".
I can't remember when I've felt more embarrassed. All the stupid things I've ever done in my life, and this is now the worst of all. I can't help thinking I should have listened to Quinn when she told me not to get my hopes up. Maybe she knows that I'm just not the relationship type, maybe I was stupid for getting so excited about a girl I haven't even met.
"I think I'm just going to head home," I say flatly.
"No Britt, we're all going to head to the bar down the street, you should come with" Rachel says while everyone else nods.
Quinn's hand rubbing soothing circles on my back makes me feel a bit better but I'm so embarrassed about getting all excited for no reason, so I stand up abruptly and mutter to Quinn that I'll see her at home. She gives me an apologetic look but I'm thankful she doesn't follow me. That's one of the good things about Quinn; she knows when you want to be left alone.
When the fresh air hits my face, I feel a brief sense of relief, and then everything hits me. I know I'm overreacting, but I can't help the tears that start falling. Maybe it's the drinks I've had tonight, but I feel like an idiot. Who get's excited about meeting a complete stranger? I should have just told Tina I don't do relationships and then I wouldn't have made a complete fool out of myself in front of everyone by acting so excited. I think I'm just one of those people who will never find a relationship, people always tell me I'm hot but not 'marriage material'. I used to think they were just saying it to be rude, but maybe they had a point.
I'm not sure how long I've been walking but the tears on my face have dried and my ears start picking up a thumping bass. I look up and see I'm outside a club just a few blocks from my apartment and decide I'm not ready to go to bed yet and head inside.
The music is super loud, and I can feel it in my chest. Normally I like really heavy bass like that, but tonight it's making my stomach feel kind of sick. I head to the bar and grab a seat at the end, it isn't long before I get the bartenders attention and he's making me a drink. I can't remember what Puck calls the drink I like, so I just ask for something strong.
The shot he gives me burns all the way down my throat, but it feels good, so I pay for two more. After deciding dancing will make me feel better I head for the dance floor. It's not long before I'm getting lost in the music. This is what I love about dancing; I don't have to think about anything, it just happens. People always ask me where I learned to dance, but I only started lessons when I was finished school and earning enough money at the bar to pay for them. You don't teach someone 'how' to dance, you can only teach them the routine and hope for the best.
I'm not sure how many songs have passed, but I'm starting to feel a bit like I need to lean on something, so I find an empty stool back by the end of the bar and put my head down on the cool surface of the counter. All I can hear is the heavy bass and my own heartbeat, until I feel hot breath in my ear.
"Wow, you're a natural, you can't just teach someone to dance like that". Her breath is warm, and her voice husky, and it makes my tummy flip.
That's chapter three done! I haven't had a whole lot of response or feedback so far so I'm not sure if I'll keep going on this story. But we'll see. Anyway, hope you all liked it!