NEW PLACE

(Rachel)

Once I heard aunt Maria saying it took 25 years to list all uncle Pedro's defects and bad manias. Or, at least, that's what she said at the party that celebrated 25 years of their marriage. This happened three years ago, while I was still living in Lima and thinking about Regionals, Vocal Adrenaline and Finn Hudson. I didn't have talked to my mother yet, Quinn was pregnant, Santana was living her terrible open and part secret relationship with Brittany. My daddy was alive and papi… well… he was kind of the same busy but caring doctor. At the party in question, Aunt Maria in one of the rare moments of relaxation, said after the defects listed that she would take another 25 years to find out what were the advantages and disadvantages of each. Because, in her point of view, there was a bright side even in certain deviations of character.

I didn't know about the deviations of character, but surely I started making a list of Quinn's defects, especially after the story of the apartment. She was right about the impossibility to find in Manhattan an apartment bigger and better than our new place in Astoria, with a equal or cheaper rental price. The cost of living on the island is higher and prices gets lower when you move away from the downtown, but it almost always involves counterparts. For those who have a life in Manhattan, like school and job, as the three of us, it's needed to consider the counterparts, moreover, this is the reality of the majority.

The apartment in Astoria, Queens, didn't make things harder for us about transport. The access is very good, not to mention that the real state itself is great and the building offers good services to its residents. On the other hand, I could have the same in Manhattan, that was my dream. However, we had a maximum amount payable and even $2,700 was kind of heavy in our pocket. It was $700 more than the old place, minus one person to divide the amount. Of course the three of us could pay for it, and the major point was that Quinn fell in love with the place. That's why we signed the lease contract. Santana was so concentrated in the college and dreaming about Brittany that she even bothered to give her opinion. She just went there once to see her room and check if it was big enough to put in a double bed. Yes. It was big enough to a double bed, a desk, and space to walk without trip on the furniture.

I used to say Santana was whipped because of Brittany… again. I was too, because of Quinn.

I started my list. Quinn was: proud, jealous, possessive, manipulative, republican, sometimes petty, sometimes aggressive (especially to my sister), counted calories when she thought she was off the weight, hardly smile at strangers, hate cats, eat pork, spend too much time in bookstores and hate e-books, hates The Goonies (come on, even I know it's a masterpiece), rarely wear pants out of the house because she has complex of her thick legs (which, for me, was perfect), wasn't a good cook, obsessed with her camera (actually it was also a working instrument), criticized some of my musical favorites, had delusions of beating on my clothes, and had the annoying habit of space off when began to read.

Still, I loved her with all my being, my soul. How could it be possible?

I would have spent another month to find a new apartment but Quinn rushed to sign the contract of three year's rent with price adjustments at the end of each year. We bought a queen size bed for us and Santana paid hers. We also bought fine second hand refurbished furniture, but the sofa, which was new and comfy to watch TV and allow somebody to sleep on it. We also bought benches for the kitchen counter and a bookcase that matched the rest of the furniture; you could put the television and still house my girlfriend's future library.

We spent the beginning of the week packing up everything and doing the cleaning. Quinn spent her money to enlarge some photos she took in NYC to put on the wall. I must admit that was cute, but only because Quinn was a terrific photographer. So it was nice to have finally a tidy house that I wouldn't feel embarrassed to bring people to a dinner or for a small reception. Furthermore, the terrace of the building could be used very well to promote larger parties. All I needed to do was warning the receiver and pay a fee.

Quinn and I also "debut" every room in the house before we moved in permanently. We banged in the new Santana's room: something that I was reluctant, but apparently Quinn it was part of the deal. We banged in the new sofa, in our room, in Santana/social bathroom, in the kitchen counter and floor. Even in the balcony with our clothes on when Quinn, behind me, put her hand inside my skirt and penetrated me good with her fingers while she talked how sexy I was looking at the city with my hair on the wind. That was incredible and really sensual, I must admit.

All the promises to have a different life in the new place made me pack our stuffs faster.

In my soon ex-bedroom, Santana and I packed her last objects. The place was almost empty: Santana and I slept in the same mattress because our old single beds were already gone: my sister sold them to buy her new desk that was already in the new place in Astoria. My stuffs were all in boxes, but I had to help my sister with her books, records, pictures, clothes and small objects. Mike had already moved into his new studio in Williamsburg, which was not that far to our new place, still he was there helping us to pack and clean everything.

"It's amazing how much garbage and paper fits into a simple little drawer." Santana complained. There were two garbage bags full of paper beside her and other things to throw away.

"It's amazing how much garbage you accumulate in a mere little drawer." I fixed the phrase. "You should have done the pack days ago, Santana. All mine and Quinn's boxes are already in the living room waiting for the truck." The boys was there to help to pot in the truck all remain furniture that Santiago, Quinn's college friend, wanted for his dorm.

"I didn't have time."

"No! You did have time. But you wait till the last moment to see if I would do all the work for you."

"Well, I sold the furniture, right?"

"Only to buy your new one. Oh, and Quinn and I didn't straighten your room. You should have gone in the new place at least one more time to put everything in order."

"Well, I saw the place to see what fits in there and made my choices. Everything I bought fits, right?" Indeed they fit. "So, when I move in for good, I will organize everything in my bedroom. No rush. I'm not like you and Quinn. And what's the point to organize everything first knowing it will turn on a mess with all these boxes!"

"It's sixteen boxes counting with this very one we are working on now. It's not that much, Santy. And while Quinn and I will reorganize our stuffs in no time, I bet you will spend a month to open all your five boxes."

"I'm not that disorganized."

"Yes, you are to everything but the papers… well, I have to recognize that: you are good with files and contracts and all this stuff."

"Thank you, little sis."

"Remember the hierarchy. I'm in charge now."

"Yet, it doesn't change that you are 29 minutes younger… and shorter."

We continue our work. I closed the last box with some college stuff mixed with her things, but wasn't sure I would remain with them once thought seriously interrupt the classes at the end of the semester. Santana was right when she criticized me about the point of studying musical theater when I've already was a professional actress that spend all my life doing classes and preparing myself for that. I love some exercises of body language, but I could also get that with director's tips, and coaches who prepare an actor for a particular character. And I didn't have time to do the proper promotion of the play and study. I've already missed some interviews and it detracted to the general public recognize my name, when the play already had a fine actor and a teen celebrity.

Suddenly I heard my sister singing. It was being a while and it was a shame that I've never seen her in her new Glee Club performances. I loved her voice.

"Tonight/ we are Young. So let's set the world on the fire/ We can burn brighter/ Than the Sun."

I decided make a duet.

"Now i know that i'm not all that you got." Santana stopped to sing and paid attention on me. "I guess that i Just thought maybe we could find a ways to fall apart/ but are friends in back/ so let's raise a cup/ cause i found someone to carry me home."

Santana smiled and sang the chorus.

"Tonight/ we are Young/ So let's set the world on the fire/ We can burn brighter/ Than the Sun"

I stood up and reached for my sister. We started dancing in the room.

"Carry me home tonight/ Just carry me home tonight." I took a bit of shredded paper in the trash bag and threw her in the head as if it were confetti. It wasn't adult or appropriate, but what was the problem? Santana started to sing with her powerful voice.

"The moon is my side/ i have no reason to run/ so Will someone come and carry me home tonight/ the angels never arrived/ but i can hear the choir/ so Will someone come and carry me home."

"Mike!" We heard Johnny at the door. "Where's the camera? We need to record it here!"

I blushed. Even being an actress ready to face the stage, these small sightings used to still be embarrassing. Mike arrived with a huge smile and photographed us with his phone.

"It's not that great, Johnny." He laughed. "But it's a small souvenir of our last day living together in New York."

"You've already moved out." I said.

"You know what I meant. Now I should make this public…"

Did I? Santana and I were with our hairs full of shredded paper with two black garbage bags beside. Imagine the subtitles Mike would put in his Instagram?

Santana went towards Mike pointing her finger. "Erase that shit now!"

Just to provoke, Mike took more photos. He laughed. Santana jumped at him. In fright, Mike threw the phone to Johnny and the pandemonium began.

…

(Quinn)

Mrs. and Mrs. Berry-Lopez-Fabray. It's too many surname together. If I marry Rachel, we should think about how to work it out. Or maybe she just pick my Fabray. I think I lost track of time in front of the window looking at that gorgeous engagement ring. It would be wonderful if I could buy it for my Rachel. Too bad I didn't have much money left after the moving to the new place. I spent my saves in furniture and other things, even thought that Rachel paid half of them. I was almost broken and I would only see money again on my next paycheck in ten days. That's why I hadn't had propose Rachel yet for a long engagement: I still had things to improve my life as graduate in college and get a better job. But I think I will start to live something close enough. It would be a wonderful rehearsal that deserved a symbol.

"Looking for something, young lady?" The seller, a middle aged woman, spoke to me on the sidewalk.

"Actually..." An idea passed through my head. "I'm looking for two simple silver rings."

"We have various kinds of them. Do you want to get in to see?" She said inviting me.

I chose a pair of simple silver weeding rings that I could pay for. I would propose to Rachel wear the ring, as a symbolism of a new stage in our lives together, despite Santana Berry-Lopez in the same roof.

From the old apartment, I was carrying only my personal belongings and some books. Rachel and I bought a new bed and we made provision to buy the second hand furniture, but a good one. For the walls do not get naked, I made posters of some of my photos and paid to framing them. Rachel and I spent part of the week packing everything and tidying up the new home - and making our private openings in the process, which included Santana's bedroom. I loved to mess with that arrogant bitch. Rachel and I worked a lot.

But when I upstairs to the old apartment, I found Rachel in the back of Johnny trying to strangle him while Santana was lying on the floor laughing like crazy and Mike... he smashed on one of our boxes, and was with pained expression in his face.

"What is happening here?" I ran to help Mike up and, oh that's great, he just smashed one of my boxes.

"This demon!" Rachel shouted back still trying to strangle Johnny.

In one swift motion, he bent and Rachel, as light as she was, literally flew doing a somersault in the air to falling right on top of Santana. Her sister even made an effort to get out of the way, but she didn't have time to. I was dealing with a bunch of crazies. Johnny started laughing until loses his breath: he o that a lot. As I left Mike and I went to help the two sisters who already knocked to the ground and cursed in Spanish. I gave up halfway and sighed. It was better to check the damage of my box of photographs, college's handouts and embellishments. I imagined my collection of glasses shattered, so I neither wanted to open it to avoid the heartbreak.

Moreover, fighting and discussions couldn't take my good mood that day. Nothing. I took a deep breath and began again to pack our things. There was nothing in my room and it was a little sad because of the good memories: all the times I had Rachel in that narrow place, my nights alone thinking about answers and solutions to my problems, all the vows I did to myself right in that small, dark and kind of stuffy room. Then I took a look at the twins bedroom: what a mess with chopped papers scattered on the floor and two boxes, one still opened, and a bag of dry garbage: one even without sealing. I sighed to think that I would have to go back to clean it up before handing the key to the landlady.

"Hey!" I returned to de living room. "That box with folders is to throw away?"

"No, you crazy!" Santana's eyes widened and the kid fighting among the four ended there. Thanks Jesus.

Although we only get out of the apartment late in the afternoon, the moving out was relatively quick. In addition to Mike and Johnny, my college friend Santiago got a truck and the boys took care of loading the boxes in record time. Santiago is kind of my best bud in NYU and he accepted the old desk we couldn't sell and other little stuffs in change to help us with his cousin's truck. And Santiago wasn't Hispanic as his name may suggest: his mother loved the sound of the name. Yeah, moms do things like that.

We got all at the same time in the new place. I was so excited. I looked at Rachel and smiled before unlocking definitively the door, but we didn't had time to do a celebration because the boys and Santana raided at my new room as tractors. We unloaded the truck and just leave the boxes stacked in the corner. We were too tired for that. Rachel offered beer to the boys. I myself didn't drink beer, hated the taste, but I was sacred have bottles in the fridge because of the boys and Santana, who likes to drink it at home sometimes. Rachel also drank with her sister. When I consumed alcoholic beverage, I preferred wine or brandy. Just one glass and everything was good. We toasted the new home and Johnny, Mike and Santiago said goodbye. Santana sat on the couch and watched the new environment. She seemed out of place. I could only imagine what was going through her head that she was living now in a different place that she contribute with virtually nothing, but her bedroom's furniture. Rachel sat down beside her.

"Afraid of sleeping alone?" Rachel teased.

"It will be weird after almost two years sharing the room with you."

"We need to work! We have a lot of things to unpack." I cut the sentimentality. Maybe I was a little jealous. I've dreamed about a place just to me and Rachel, but I had to share her attention with Santana.

"Come on. Not now, Quinn." Rachel complained. "We are super tired and we didn't even installed the TV yet."

"Your girl is king of neurotic, Ray. I'm not surprised. By the way: Pizza?"

At the end of the night, three of us devoured a pizza half veggie and half tuna and this was our first meal in the new house: Nothing romantic. What's worse is that I was crazy for a slice of pepperoni, but sometimes sucked live with two Jewish girls and the whole history of not eating pork.

"I'll have to wake up earlier!" Santana mused.

"Why?" I asked with my mouth full with olives.

"To go from here to Columbia, I have to take two lines."

"The ironic thing is that you are closer to your university now than before" Rachel noticed. "Can't you go by bus?"

"I confess I haven't checked the lines from here yet."

"Soon you'll get used to it!"

"Quinn! This is supposed to be our celebration. Don't start a discussion." Oh no, my loved Rachel, this wasn't our celebration.

"I'm tired." Santana stretched her arms. "I'll take a shower and debut my bed." I almost choked laughing and I saw Rachel looking away to the window. Poor Santana: her new bed was already debuted.

Santana went to her bathroom to a shower and it reminded me that I needed to make some preparations in my own bathroom. I couldn't believe I was saying this: my own and Rachel's bathroom. While my girl took care of the few dirty dishes, I filled the tub and put some flavor salt in the water. Then I went to the room, took off my clothes and put on my bathrobe, waiting my beautiful girl.

"Three dirty glasses locked you that much?" I made some charm when she entered our new room.

"I was saying goodnight to Santana. She was still putting on the sheets and the pillowcases..."

"And you, like a good sister, was helping." I approached seductive. "Do you know that we haven't debut the tub?" I said whispering in her ear. I loved the way the hairs on her neck stood on.

"Yeah? That was a terrible fault."

"Indeed. And we need to fix it right now." We kissed good.

I led her to the bathroom and undress my girl between kisses and caresses. When we finally entered the warm, scented water, I got the little box and showed it to her. Rachel's eyes widened. She was speechless and kind of afraid.

"Quinn…"

"Calm down, I'm not proposing you… yet." I opened the box, showing her the two silver wedding rings. "But I hope you accept it as a symbol of our commitment and new life together. I love you so much, Rach, then I want to show it to everybody, everywhere, every time. And I think this ring is perfect for this purpose."

"It's amazing, Quinn. When did you get those?"

"This morning."

"Really?" she opened a sweet smile.

"So… would you wear it?"

"Of course!" she kissed me with passion. I was so lucky.

Rachel extended her right hand so I could put on the silver ring. I kissed her hand.

"If this were a marriage, would be the most erotic of the story." she let that belly laugh, high, able to do any bad mood go away. "Quinn Fabray, you have no idea what you do to me. You are both my love, my best friend and also the one who inspire me the most because you are a true fighter. And the way you touch me, make me want to float around with happiness that I feel here." She put my hand on her heart. "You're the one I truly love with all my heart."

I couldn't help the tears of happiness when Rachel put the ring on the finger of my right hand and then kissed and there began to celebrate the beginning of a new story of our relationship. I caressed her breast and kissed her with my soul. Then, I touched her and made her cum like never before.