Stuyvesant

(Rachel)

Finn and I were kissing again between the second and third class. Since the Regionals, Finn was more and more enthusiastic with our new old relationship. As for me, for the first time, I wasn't so sure about what I wanted in the loving field. I was asking myself every day why I couldn't talk to him about certain things in my life?

Finn could touch my breasts and we made out like a normal couple. We just needed to stop sometimes because of that small problem he had when he get very excited. Not that bothered me so much. His erection was an irrefutable sign that Finn wanted me. Daddy once told that my plans to keep my virginity may change if I meet the right person. Finn was that someone. So why haven't I had this desire yet? Why, when I felt his erection, I didn't feel like touching it even above the clothes? One day I heard a girl (not my sister, or Brittany) talking about how her boyfriend loved the way she massaged his testicles while she give him a blow job. I didn't have the same desire to do these things with Finn because de idea of having a penis in my mouth wasn't that appealing, even without my gag reflex.

"We should come back." I whispered when I felt him getting hard.

"We can skip a class." He continued to kiss me but I pushed him away gently.

"Bad idea." I smiled slightly. "We're risking too much with these escapades."

"Why? We're not doing anything wrong."

"I have my reasons and you know what they are."

"I am not proposing or forcing you to give me your virginity before you're 25." Finn rolled his eyes. "I just wanna be with you a little more."

"And I say I need to be in Math class in order to pass the tests. I'm not Santana, Finn. I need to push myself a little more."

"You and your craze with Santana, it sucks, don't you know?" He snapped.

"What?"

"You are always thinking you aren't so beautiful, so sexy and so smart. You should stop it because you are much better than her. Your talent is unique."

"Just like every other person on the planet." I muttered.

"What?"

"I know who I am, Finn, and I wasn't comparing myself to my sister. This is called reference no comparison." I pulled away.

"I'm sorry, Rach. I didn't want..."

"Let it go." I ran my hand through my hair to make them presentable.

Finn held my hand and we walked down the hallway towards my class. We crossed with the last person you'd like to see the world in those days. Sam stopped to talk to Finn as he held the hand of his girlfriend. I couldn't look anywhere but at that linked fingers. That bothered me and so as be faced with Quinn.

Since that stolen kiss in Cleveland, I avoid talking to her, but it seems impossible in that school. Quinn and I had classes together and also Glee. She was still kind, made no comments about my dating, and kept herself away despite the little touches. It was a torment. Every time I felt her skin on my arm or on my back, it was as if the sensation was more prolonged than normal. Worst of all: she smelled incredibly well.

Finn and Sam greeted before each couple went their way. I looked back and caught her looking to me. I turned my head quickly.

"What?" Finn frowned.

"What was what?"

"You look out of breath."

"Am I?" I hadn't noticed, but I was. "I think you did this to me."

Finn smiled at the corner of the face and left me in my class.

…

(Santana)

The phone was burning in my hands. I checked three times on the internet the result of students who were accepted into Stuyvesant. I neither knew there were so many people trying until the test day, when I came across a crowded room of candidates. The list of people who want to get into Stuyvesant was huge for a limited number of seats. Then the final result was posted: Berry-Lopez, Santana. There was my name on that quite small list. My heart froze.

Stuyvesant High School and New York would become a reality for me in May because I need to do summer classes if I have plans to graduate next year. I didn't want to demonstrate insecurity to Brittany, but I was scared to death.

"You need to talk to her!" Brittany encouraged me. "It's wonderful news."

"Maybe I should wait to get home..."

"Today we'll stay up late because of the Glee."

"So what?"

"The rehearsals will distract you, and you will forget, and you will only tell her in time to packing."

"Rachel won't react well. I promised to take care better to her and know she will be alone again."

"Just do it San. The sooner, the better."

"You'll be by my side, right?"

"All the time!"

I had to tell Rachel I was leaving. I checked again the screen of my phone. The result was there. My name was still there. I took a breath and held Brittany's hand. Rachel was in the courtyard's table with some of our friends.

"Santana!" My sister smiled. "We were discussing the setlist for Nationals and Puck made some important observations, including in respect to your..." She frowned upon seeing my strained expression. "What?" And she started to get breathless. "Oh my god, someone died?"

"No!" I tried to calm the beginning of the outbreak. "But something happened and I need to talk to you..." I looked at the others who watched curious. "…alone"

"No! Tell me now, I will take it."

"Rachel..."

"It's something the guys can't hear? A secret? It's something bad?"

"It is not a secret, nor bad. Actually it's good news!" I began to get even more nervous. Rachel had this ability.

"So give the good news to us all."

"Ray..." I had hoped that she would capture the urgency. No wonder I call her by nickname in front of everyone. But the effect was the opposite. Rachel crossed her arms and scowled. I had nothing to do, but showed the screen of my phone. "I got the Stuyvesant's admission and I'm moving to New York right after the Nationals."

"Que vaya al infierno!" She screamed and scared me and so as our friends.

"What?"

"Eres una mentirosa. Usted ha dicho que sus posibilidades eran remotas."

"Disculpe."

"Si te vas?"

"Probablemente!"

"Era lo que querias? Deshágase de La ciudad de perdedores? Yo?"

"No Rachel. Yo nunca queria deshacerse de cualquier cosa..."

"Liar!" Rachel started to shake her hands. "Papá nos há dejado y no puedes soportar a permanecer com nosotros más."

"Rachel, por favor, escúchame!" I tried to hold her arm, but she hit my chin. This made me nuts, then I grabbed her arms. "Quieres dejar de actuar como um niño estúpido?"

"Eres un estúpido y cobarde. Déjame ir!"

"No! Usted va a escuchar ahora..."

"Me haces daño, idiota!"

"Cállate tonta!"

"Get your hands off her!" I heard Finn screaming from the cafeteria.

"San!" Brittany grabbed me by the waist and, in the meantime, Mike has tried to prevent Finn did something stupid while Tina stood between me and Rachel.

"Que vaya al infierno, Santana. Al infierno." Rachel screamed and ran.

"What did you do?" Finn pushed me. "What did you do this time?"

"It's none of your business!" I pushed back as hard as I could.

Finn ran into Mike and overbalanced. He fell on his ass and I would take advantage to give him a kick to his face. But Brittany grabbed me again with the help of Tina and Mercedes. People started screaming around and it caught the attention of coach Beiste.

"This fight ends now." She cried. "Both of you in my room right now."

"But I didn't do anything!" I shouted. "This idiot was the one who came attacking me. Everybody saw it!"

"Santana." The coach shut the expression so that I was afraid. "In my room now or you will be suspended again."

Finn, the idiotic hero, walked first. I searched my phone. It was with Mercedes. I didn't know how it got in her hands.

"Satan?" Wheezy smiled weakly. "Congratulations... New York, right?"

I nodded.

…

(Quinn)

Sam was telling me the details of "Avatar's" production and how James Cameron would develop three following stories. I liked the movie, love its photography and I love cinema, but the way my boyfriend talked made me bored. My lonely lunches were more interesting, even if the school food was tasteless. The confusion in Rachel's table caught my attention and gave me a good excuse to completely ignore Sam. She started yelling at Santana in Spanish and it seemed somehow related to the Stuyvesant.

When Rachel ran out, I didn't think twice: I left Sam alone and went after her. I deliberately followed her until she enters an empty room. I stopped outside the door and could listened Rachel's crying. What should I do? I wasn't used to comfort people or saying words of encouragement. Even if I used to be the cheerios captain, I wasn't a good leader and I had to admit that Finn Hudson was way better on this then me. It was easier to destroy somebody with small well-aimed comments. But right there I had to help Rachel.

"Vete, Santana!" Rachel said firmly.

"Rachel? It's me, Quinn" I walked in cautiously.

"What do you want? Let me down one more time?" She turned her face aside. She was crying a lot and it broke my heart.

"Of course not! I'm here because I thought you could need a shoulder to cry on."

I knelt in front of her. Rachel didn't mention in rushing or avoiding me. That gave me a little more courage. Slowly, I ran my fingers through her hair and she wasn't rejected me. So I sat beside and hugged her so that she could fit against my body.

"Why?" She asked.

"Huh?"

"Why are you here being so nice to me?"

"Because I'm your friend, and care about you."

Rachel stared at me with bleary eyes before burying her head in my chest. With one arm, I held her while my other hand I caressed her back to comfort. I wasn't doing this as part of my seduction plan that I've been articulated since the day I left the cheerios. Finn was an idiot that I was disgusted with, but had to recognize he was a strong figure in Rachel's life. My plan was to divert her focus to someone else, in case me, with concise subliminal required actions. I knew she liked citrus fragrances, so I bought a new perfume. I lied saying I didn't know the Lake Eire to urge her to take me there alone. And that's what happened. I waited for the girls to sleep, so I lie beside Rachel to do cuddle on her and be the big spoon. That was one of the best sleeps of my life. I calculated the right time to kiss her and then purposely avoided the subject, but continued to touch her whenever I had a chance. Her reactions indicated that my seduction plan was working.

But there, on the floor of that empty classroom, I action wasn't premeditated.

While Rachel was crying, I continued to hold her. The song "True Love Ways", by Buddy Holly, came to my mind and I began to mutter it. I felt Rachel calming down until she stopped crying. I kept packing lightly and whispering the song, when I realized she was singing softly along me. "Throughout the days/ our true love ways/ will bring us joys to share/ with Those Who really care/ Sometimes we'll sigh/ sometimes we'll cry/ and we'll know why/ just you and I/ know true love ways."

I stared Rachel. She was so beautiful and so fragile that scared me. I lift her face and carefully pulled her to a kiss. My heart raced and, at the same time, I felt peace and comfort in that intimate contact. At first, my touch was slight, almost shy. Rachel didn't flinch as I pressed a little more my lips against hers, now in a position to feel the taste of her lipstick with salty tears. Her lips were so soft that I wanted stay there forever.

Rachel continued to respond, so I pressed a tip of my tongue between her lips and asked quietly to get in. Rachel allowed me. Calmly, I began to explore first the texture of the tongue, the softness. It was all so good. The pleasure it gave me was amazing. I don't know how long the kiss lasted, but it was long. We were so lost on each other that I thought that was the way things should be. So Rachel pulled away, but not from me. She continued in silence, comfortably in my arms.

"She's leaving!" She spoke softly. "Why everybody is leaving me? First daddy, now her…"

"I assumed when I saw you fighting, but Rachel, she's not leaving you and I think you should be happy for her. I heard that Stuyvesant is an excellent school."

"It's one of the best."

"And Santana was accepted. How many make it? You should be proud of her."

"I am proud... every day."

"But how many times do you say that?"

"Not so much." Rachel smiled shyly. Then she raised her head to look directly at my face. "I overreacted, didn't I?"

"Yes you did… a lot!"

"I just... I though Santana would be setting off fireworks by leaving our Losertown."

"And if it was otherwise?"

"How so?"

"What if you were the one leaving? Would you be happy to leave your family here?"

"No!" Rachel was shocked with the hypothesis. "Even if I was out of here straight to Broadway, I still would suffer a lot."

"I bet Santana is also suffering and..." Someone opened the door, interrupting us.

One of the teachers came into the room and looked at us with a question mark on his face. Without saying a word, I stood up and offered my hand to help Rachel also stand. I apologized to the teacher and we went out the classroom. We walked side by side down the hallway to the locker room that I knew it would be empty at that time. Rachel needed a cold water to wash her swollen face. I stood there, beside her, helping her.

"Thanks for everything." Rachel smiled weakly at me.

"You can count on me whenever you need and want, Rachel. I like you."

"As the way you like Sam?"

"No... It's different." I closed the door to make sure no one else would go there. "Sam is my boyfriend, but I actually..." I took a deep breath. "I like girls, Rachel. And I like you for real."

"Since when?"

"It's been a while."

Rachel lowered her head.

"I don't know what to say, Quinn. I am glad you told me, but I don't know if I could return your feelings as you expect. I have too much in my mind right now."

"I know… I got it. But it's a relief to finally be able to say that to someone else than the mirror." She smiled and it made me relieved.

"I know people say that I can't keep a secret, but I can. This conversation won't leave this locker, I swear."

"Thank you."

"I... I need to go."

"Okay… Rachel" She stopped at the door. "You need to talk with your sister. I speak from my own experience: don't let her go without make amends."

"Could I also give you some advice?"

"Of course!"

"Sam is a good guy, Quinn. He doesn't deserve to be cheated and you deserve to seek your happiness with the right… girl."

Rachel said nothing more and I had to agree with her. So the first thing I did was look for Sam. We broke up in the auditorium and I gave him back his promising ring.

…

(Rachel)

It was a confusing day in many ways. Santana, Quinn, Finn… These three confounded my mind. In the case of my sister, my feelings were simple: I didn't want to lose her. The idea of Santana in New York and leave me here scared me. Santana was my best friend, despite all our fights and confusion. She was one of the people I loved most in this world. For the good or the bad, there was an invisible umbilical cord between us that didn't allow us to stay separated for long.

Finn and Quinn were antagonists of a confusing story. I loved Finn, but Quinn's kiss and her confession made me feel things I've never imagined. My lower stomach reacted to her touch and there was something I had never felt with my own boyfriend. I didn't know if it was because Quinn was a dear friend, or because she was a girl, or because she confessed that she liked me. What did that mean? The person who tortured me and feuded with me for so long now kissed me and comforted me like no one. What I felt for her? My head was spinning and throbbing.

I heard someone knocks the door and then opened it: that was Santana. She walked slowly and lay beside me. We still hadn't forgotten the terrible fight in the school, but our relationship didn't follow certain patterns. Santana didn't apologize, and I always forgave her in silence.

"Hi." she ducked under my covers.

"How are you?"

"Scared to death." Such a direct confession was rare. That made my heart grow even tighter. "Papa is torn downstairs."

"Then don't go."

"Ray... if I were just an ordinary friend in the same situation, what would you say?"

I frowned and thought carefully. So I faced my sister's eyes.

"I would tell you to go to New York and study in Suyvesant."

So I understood everything: Santana needed to go for her own good.

"I'm so proud of you!" I said as firmly as my quivering voice enabled. "When we were little, I always enjoyed watching you doing such amazing things... You was the best player of our soccer team, you climbed all the trees and walls in our neighborhood, you were the fearless leader of our little gang of kids, you save me from bigger girls and boys countless times... I thought you could fly if you wanted". Then I said with a firm voice. "Today, I'm sure you can fly." Santana was already melting into tears "I won't lie: I want you stay here because I'm a selfish jerk. But the truth is: Lima is not your place."

"You don't belong here either."

"I wish I could go with you."

"Then come!"

"How? Papa won't let me go. You know his promise: He won't give us a penny if we decide to leave home before college. Of course he's going to help you in New York because of Stuyvesant, but what about me?"

"I don't know… Ray. I don't know…"

…

Author Notes:

ichigo111981: I understand your point of view and I agree with your arguments. But these characters have moral and ethical flaws. They want to do the right thing, but the way isn't always the correct one. Quinn is the most complex of the three. She is capable to manipulate to get her goals. She can be a cheater, a bitch, a predator, but she is also has a good heart and the desire to me a better person. It's a learning process and it could be slow. Not long time (chapters) ago, Quinn was dealing with her sexuality, the adoption, the little money. It's a lot of things, don't you agree? It's not an easy way and she's not perfect.

Rachel is torn. She's been fighting for Finn so long that is difficult to her to accept that he maybe isn't her endgame. And she has other things to deal with. It's hard!

So, be patient.