Chapter 6

The car was filled with Santana and Brittany's laughter when it pulled up. It sent shivers up my spine. They didn't subside even after we had traded greetings. If Santana's grunt of acknowledgement could be considered a greeting. Judging by Santana and Brittany's conversation during the ride to the school I'd have to say that Santana and Brittany are getting along much better. Brittany hadn't really been hanging around Artie as much at school. I wasn't sure if they had broken up, but I wasn't going to ask so I'd probably only know if it was shoved in my face.

I glanced longingly at my Benz before we pulled away. Just another nail in my coffin, and we turned the corner, blocking my car from my view. I sat straight and rigid the rest of the car ride. Neither girl said anything to me. My ears stayed trained on their conversation hoping for a hint of what Santana had planned. She gave nothing away.

We pulled into the almost deserted parking lot. I could see Finn's old pickup truck next to Noah's, and a few spots over sat Rachels yellow VW Beetle. I hadn't exactly been paying all that much attention to what the other's had been doing, but I'd guess that just about everyone was carpooling. I probably should have been participating more that way I could have offered my car as a means to get here.

My door was flung open before I could even unbuckle myself from the seat. Santana snatched my bag and marched a few spaces away.

A startled, "What," left my lips before I realized she was rummaging through it and pulling all the books I had packed into it out. All six books that I had meticulously picked for their re-readability were placed in the waiting hands of Brittany.

I stared as Santana checked my bag again for any books she might have missed. A noise of indignation left my throat. My bag was thrust into my hands minus all the books.

"You can glare at me all you want, but you are gonna par-tici-pate," Santana breaks the last word into three and my glare turns up three fold. "during this little geek fest. Which means you won't be reading off in your own little tiny world.

Brittany placed her hand on my elbow and began the journey to the school. The glare that had formed for Santana hadn't gone away even after we had entered the Glee room.

Everyone was already here just like I had already suspected. All the chairs had been pushed to the walls, and everyone was sitting on the floor. Sleeping bags were being used as cushions, and unopened games boxes were stacked around waiting to be played.

"I just think that this is a great opportunity to further our singing abilities along with our relations as teammates," Rachel said heatedly to Puck and Finn who seemed to be fighting her on this point while everyone else watched.

"Rach," Finn said exasperatedly, obviously they had been arguing for a bit now. " This is supposed to be a fun and relaxing lock in."

There were a few little murmurs of agreement at that. A small sigh of defeat left Rachel, and she slumped a little. Something in me pushed for swift action against Finn. Luckily my self control was… well it was there, and sometimes I chose to use it. Such as now. Right after I shoulder checked him on my way to sit in the kind of semi circle everyone had been formed.

Mr. Schue arrived soon after that. He must've guessed the semi tension that had surrounded us until then was boredom because he suggested we start with our first game.

Monopoly was pulled out and so began the dissection and dissolvement of any and all camaraderie that existed between us.

_-(*)-(*)-(*)-_

"What the hell!" Santana screamed as she landed on 'Go To Jail' for the seventh time in a row without passing 'Go'. Snickers followed while Santana seethed.

A smirk was pulling at the corners of my mouth. At this point I was winning. I had Park Place and Broadway under my belt, and the hotels that sat on top of them shone with an unholy light of evil doom.

Puck rolled. Missed joining Santana in 'Jail' by one space. Instead he ended up paying Rachel an ungodly amount for rent. Rachel was close behind in terms of property and money. She had haggled and bargained for all the green, and now she was seeing the fruits of her labor. Everyone else was witnessing the birth of a new Satan. What I had labeled as our side of the board was no man's land in terms of bankruptcy. You could almost see the sweat beading on everyone's forehead as they approached.

Rachel rolled, and everyone stopped breathing. According to the die she would be landing directly on… Broadway.

"No way," Rachel whispered. Her money made a sudden disappearing act under her shirt as she tried to keep my hands off of it. Slowly I could feel one of my eyebrows making its way up my forehead.

A blush crossed her cheeks as she pulled it all back out, and passed it to me. My hands shook slightly at the knowledge of what this money had touched. I watched as many faces morphed into glee as she had to mortgage two of her green as well.

Rachel really got into the game after that. This concentrated look came over her, and her bottom lip disappeared between teeth, and I forgot to breath.

_-(*)-(*)-(*)-_

Nobody won the game. Finn rolled and landed on Park Place, then promptly upended the board before he went bankrupt. Such a good sport.

We ended up just playing trivia for the next couple hours. Which really just came down to someone reading a question, and everyone just screaming random answers. It was nearly eleven when we got bared with that.

"Did you guys finish for that assignment for Algebra 2?" Artie asked.

My eyes were slowly closing. I don't anyone would notice if I fell asleep. It wasn't like I normally stayed up this late anymore. My body was just not accustomed to it. It demanded sleep. Now.

Voices garbled into the background, and a pleased sigh left me. Until of course a finger began poking me in the side. I groggily opened my eyes to meet the grinning face of Santana. My mind was too tired to be suspicious.

"Hey Quinnie," Santana was being condescending, but I didn't pick up on it.

"Yeah Sanny."

"I got a question for ya."

"I'm kinda tired can you ask me later," I was falling back asleep now.

"Nope it's gotta be now."

Apparently my sleep groan was acquiesce enough for her.

"What do you think about Finn?" There was laughter in her voice, and it seemed to echo around.

"Finn?" I grumbled.

"Yep."

"He's like the Titanic."

"You're gonna have to explain that one," She confused and amused at the same time. Kind of like when Brittany started talking about unicorns and duckies being friends.

"Not really the Titanic itself. But, but thee iceberg. And, and, and Rose. At the same time, you know? Like he's like making you crash, then sinking the ship, and then… and then he expects you to drown to save him when he realizes he's screwed."

I chuckled at the mental image. I think I heard someone make a disgruntled sound, but it was followed by a distant crash so I knew something had happened. My eyes were closed again though. I was really comfortable.

"She's not really all that mean when she's tired," somebody murmured. I wondered who they were talking about.

"Nah," Santana dismissed. "If it was anyone other than me or Britts she would enter a bitch mode no one's ever seen before. I've been witness to it and even I was scared."

Hmmm. Sleep.

Another poke.

"NOOOOooooo," I whined as the fringes of sleep I had been on started to recede again.

"I just want some more of your opinions of people then you can sleep. I'll even promise not to draw on your face."

"I'm actually curious as to what she really thinks of me," A girl spoke quietly up who hadn't said anything before. "She's always been rather mean to me, and it makes me wonder if she really hates me or not."

"Yeah, yeah, this could be good," Santana mumbled under her breath. Then she leaned closer to me and said, "Whatcha think about Manhands?"

"Rachel," It was supposed to be a question, but it came out as more of a statement. What did I think of Rachel. Rachel was just Rachel. She had talent and she was pretty, and if I wasn't such an ass I probably would've been friends with her. Maybe even something more. I wish. Rachel's good to cuddle with too. In my head at least. Finally I remember saying. "Rachel's… good."

There was silence. I fell asleep soon after. No poking or prodding followed.