This Chapter was sooo fun to write! It's the longest one yet and I think you are going to like it;) Tell me what you think of the story so far and what you want to happen (or not to happen). Enjoyyy!
The morning light shines through the crack in my curtains and directly on to my face. For a moment I think I'm back in my old bed and then I hear a laugh coming from below me where the living room is. I don't know if what I'm feeling is relief from being away from home or longing to go back to it. I turn on my side, maybe it's a bit of both. I wonder what's going through my family's heads. If they're worried about me, if they lay awake at night imagining where I am right now. If they think I'm dead. I'm sure the police are probably looking for Quinn and I. I like it here, love it actually. It makes me feel normal and I fit in, well not 'fit in' because everyone in our house is considered a loser, but it's still better that before.
Sitting up on my bed, I reach for my phone and scroll through my Twitter. Miss Pillsbury explained to me that I can still go on social media as long as I don't post anything so I won't be tracked by the police.
Another laugh comes from down stairs and I recognise it as Mercedes, the girl I met yesterday. Her gift is intangibility – being able to walk through walls – which is really cool because she can easily break into someone's house if she pleases. I also met Tina yesterday and I found out that her and Mike are together. She can heal people. She told me a story about how she healed her brother when he got cancer. At first she didn't realise she had done it until her broken arm magical fixed itself when she fell from a tree. I've met everyone in the house now and they are all really down to earth.
Swinging my legs over the side, I get up and dress myself in shorts and a loose top. I don't have training today which makes me sad as I can't learn more about my ability. I grab my lighter from the bedside cabinet and stuff it in my pocket. It's become a habit to always have it with me.
After brushing my hair and washing my face, I bounce down the steps and make my way into the kitchen. Artie, Puck and Mercedes are all munching at food and sipping coffee when I enter.
"Hey Britt," Says Artie with his mouth half full of cereal, "What's making you so smiley?" I didn't even realise the smile on my face until he pointed it out. Now that I think about it, I am happy. Really happy. Sure, I'm still kind of annoyed at myself about the Santana thing, but other than that, I feel great.
"I'm just really happy." I reply, fishing out a bowl and poring some lucky charms in it. Quinn and Kurt walk in giggling. I take my bowl and sit on one of the chairs pushed into the island and begin eating. Quinn looks at me and raises her eyebrows asking if the plan was still on for later. I nod my head slightly and she smiles.
Artie rolls up to me and lowers his voice saying, "Can I talk to you for a minute." I say a quite 'yes' and follow him out to the hall. "So what time are we doing this at?" He asks while pushing the bridge of his glasses up his nose. I look down at my watch. It's 10am right now.
"How about one?" I respond.
Nodding his head, he looks over his shoulder in search for Mr Schue (He has echolocation and could easily hear us from a mile away if he wanted.) "Perfect, Mr Schue has a class at that time." He smiles at me then reaches behind him into a pocket in his wheelchair and pulls something out. "I... ugh got you this," In his hand was a pair of cycling gloves with holes for your fingers and went down to below your wrist. "They have a place here," he says point to the wrist part, "to put your lighter in. This way you don't have to keep putting it in your pocket." He hands the gloves over and I slip them on, putting my lighter into the right hand. I flip the top open and the force causes a flame to ignite and bounce onto the palm of my hand. The material must be fireproof because the fire doesn't burn it.
"Artie, this is so cool! Thank you!" I give him a tight hug. He grins at me when I step back and then wheels back into the kitchen.
I wipe my sweaty palm on my shorts and nervously knock the front door. I want to laugh at myself for being so nervous, but I can't, not when I'm standing at the door of the Cheerios house. Maybe I should just leave… but then how will I see Santana? I don't have her number so I can't call her. No one in my house has her number, well Puck does, but he was out training with the Dalton house. The door suddenly opens and reveals a girl with a high pony and pointed eyes.
"What?" She almost growls. I swallow hard, afraid that if I say something wrong that she'll slam the door in my face – or on it – and I won't be able to ask for Santana.
"Is S-Santana here?" I ask in a quiet voice, avoiding eye contact. The girl rolls her eyes and yells over her shoulder for Santana to come over. I can hear the soft patter of feet coming closer until the girl I wanted to see was standing at the door.
"Bye Kitty," She says and steps out of the house, closing the door behind her. Santana offers me a shy smile which I return. I can feel the tension between us. "You wanted to talk to me?"
I blush remembering I was the one asking her to come out. "Yeah, we're going at one, if that's okay with you?" She bobs her head up and down and pokes her tongue out to wet her lips. I can't help but stare at it and feel the need to kiss her. She notices me watching her and smirks a little.
"Yeah I'm ready when you are." She replies, the smirk still there. Santana is wearing jeans and a black top with a red checkered shirt covering it. I feel almost jealous at the way she can look so beautiful in such simple clothes.
"Do you want to come over and wait with me until Quinn's ready?" I ask suddenly nervous again for her answer. I squeeze my thumb inside my palm and feel the glove on that hand. Santana says yes to coming over and it's a short walk to my house. When we get in Quinn is in the living room talking to Finn.
"You almost ready, Q?" She looks up and sees me and then eyes up Santana, raising an eyebrow at me. I shrug my shoulder secretly and she gets the message.
Finn also notices Santana and looks kind of shocked to see her even though he knew that she was helping us. "Yeah we'll go in ten minutes?"
"Okay, we'll be in my room." I say not wanting to leave Santana in an awkward position with the others. I grab her arm and tug it indicating for her to follow me. We jog up the stairs and pass a few doors until I reach mine. I don't know why, but I feel giddy about having Santana in my room.
When I open the door, I walk over to the desk where a letter is sitting and fold it in half, slipping it into my pocket. "What's that?" Santana asks curiously.
"It's a letter," I say, "for my sister. It just says that I'm okay and not to worry about me." I wrote the letter last night after we decided to go home.
"Why don't you just talk to her? Wouldn't that be easier?" I shrug. I thought about talking to her face to face, but I'm afraid it will be too difficult. She is my family after all. Santana sits on my bed and watches me.
"I guess I just don't have the guts." I reply simply. "Have you seen your family since you got here?" I want to know more about Santana and her old life like where she use to live and what school she went to. Silly little unimportant things like that. I see something pass through her eyes.
Santana lets out a shaky breath. "No, my parents were never at home anyway. They're probably happy I'm gone."
"Don't say that," I move beside her on the bed, "how long have you been here?" I remember Mike told me that some students have been here most of their lives. I wonder if Santana is one of them.
Her forehead crinkles slightly and she sucks her bottom lip in, trying to concentrate. "It's been like two or three years now, I think." I giggle at how adorable she looks and I wish I could take a picture. "I basically know the place inside out, so if you every need a secret place to think, just ask me." The brown eyed girl's lips part to reveal a toothy grin and I smile back.
"Hey Britt! We're ready to go." A voice booms from the other side of the door. I yell okay back and Santana and I make our way down to the basement where Artie told us to meet him.
"So this is what's going to happen," Sam starts off while I look at the others. In the room was Finn and Mike, they will be the ones looking out for Mr Schue and the others so no one will know what we're doing. Sam is the one giving the orders and making sure everything goes as planned. Artie will be opening the portal and Quinn, Santana and I will be going through it. "Artie, you will open the portal and you three girls," he points at us, "will go into it. We don't know exactly where you'll land, but Santana will be able to teleport you to your houses. You only have half an hour because Mr Schue's class only lasts 45 minutes, so be quick."
Artie leans over, moves his arm out and makes a circular shape with it. As he goes faster I see a dark hole form on the ground in front of me and it gets bigger. When he stops, the hole is the size of the window in my bedroom. It's dark and I can see nothing when I look in it. "Ready?" He asks.
"Ready as I'll ever be jumping into a black hole that could lead literally anywhere." He laughs at my response.
"Don't worry, when you go through make sure you go back to the same place as you came out and I'll re-open it." Finn hands us two walkie-talkies and gives us a half smile. I attach one to my belt and Quinn takes the other one. "So, who's first?"
I raise my hand and to try and make the mood lighter I say, "I volunteer as tribute." A laugh comes from Santana as Sam raise three fingers in the air and whistles. "Okay, so do I just, like, step in?" I ask, unsure of how this worked. Artie nods and Quinn gives my arm a light squeeze of reassurance as I hover one foot above the darkness. With a deep breath, I close my eyes and jump in. It felt as if I have jumped off a cliff, but not in a falling way, just like when you're stomach gets that weird feeling of falling. When I open my eyes I am no longer in the basement, but down by the lake not far from my house. I can hear the grasshoppers and see small blue dragonflies dart around.
I sense someone behind me and when I look, Santana is standing there, as beautiful as ever. "Whoa," She breaths out. "This place is amazing. Do you know where we are?"
"Yeah, I use to come here all the time. Over there," I say pointing towards the rusted gate with the sign on it "Is where I first discovered my powers." A small gust of wind passes by and Quinn appears out of nowhere – well not nowhere, but from thin air – and stumbles slightly.
"No way." She laughs.
"How far is it to your house Quinn?" Santana asks. We decided to go to Quinn's house first and while she is talking to her parents, we go to my house, leave the letter off and go back for Quinn. Simple. I hope.
"Not far, like half a mile?" She says but it comes out more of a question.
"Do you have a picture on your phone or anything?" She asks and Quinn pulls her phone out from her pocket and finds a picture of her house. Nodding, Santana holds out each hand for us to take and I notice how our fingers lace together whereas her and Quinn's and just together. That makes me smile.
A light squeeze is applied to my hand which I return and Santana says, "Close your eyes." I do. Like going through the portal, when I open them I'm in a completely different place, but this time it didn't feel weird. In front of us is Quinn's familiar house. I hear a small crackle come from my walkie-talkie and then a voice comes out of it.
"Brittany?" It was Sam.
I press the side button in as I speak into it. "Yeah, we're here." Santana lets go of my hand and I immediately miss the contact.
Another crackle comes from the talkie, "Good, call us when ready to go, over." I laugh to myself at Sam's child-likeness. Quinn turns to face us, her hands slightly shaky.
"I'll call you in twenty minutes?" We both nod and she makes her way up the drive before walking into the house. I can see a light turn on in the upstairs window. Santana hold her hand out again and intertwine our fingers like before.
"Your turn." I feel a shiver run through my spine when she says that and a smirk passes her lips.
I point the house in the distance which I use to live in, "There," I say, "That's my old house." Once again, I close my eyes and before I know it, we're standing behind the wall at the bottom of the drive. My shoulders drop. Am I really about to do this? I finally got away from this Hell and now I'm going back.
"You okay?" Santana's soft voice floats to me ears. I reply and small 'yeah' and look into her eyes. They really are beautiful. "Where to now?" I look up at the house and see Jamie's room. She would probably be at work and think it would be best to go there.
Pointing to the window of her room I say, "We can go up there," and with the blink of an eye we're surrounded in purple wallpaper. Jamie's bed is pushed against the wall and her desk has moved since the last time I saw it which was less than a week ago. I take the letter from my pocket and set it under her pillow in hope that only she will find it. A picture catches my eye. It's of us a few years back when we had a huge water fight. We look so happy. "Follow me." I say to Santana, trying to fight the tears that threaten to escape my eyes.
I slowly walk to the door that is ajar and poke my head out; making sure no one else is there. Once I think it's clear, I lead Santana to a different door and beg it not to make too much noise when I push the handle down.
"Did you hear that?" Danny's voice bounces of the walls from downstairs. Quickly, I pull Santana into my room and hold my breath, hoping that he won't come up here. The realization hits me of how close Santana and I are. Our noses are inches away from each other and her eyes are staring into mine. "Probably just the wind." A muffled voice calls back. A minute passes and I let out a breath, backing away from Santana. We were close enough to kiss, but the time didn't feel right.
"Is this your room?" She whispers and takes in the numerous posters and the stack of books stacked on shelves. I open up my wardrobe and remove the fake bottom, collecting a wad of money I had been saving up for the past year and a bit. I also pick up a wooden box the size of a book. I've always loved this box because it has a cool engravement on the lid of it.
I chuckle a little. "Yeah, surprised?" Her brown eyes scan the room as if searching for something
"No it's just I didn't expect you to be-"
"Such a book worm?" I finish Santana's sentence and she rolls her eyes at me. "I just have to grab a few things." I say standing up and walking over to my bed. I grab my pillow and bring it to my nose. I don't know why, but the smell of it comforts me. It smells like a mixture of lots of perfumes and vanilla. I love it. Santana raises her eyebrows at me as if saying 'Really? A pillow?' "It helps me sleep okay?" As a response she just laughs.
"You ready yet?" She asks looking out of my window which is facing Quinn's house. I nod my head and she reaches out to hold my hand. With my money in the box, I put the item under my arm and close my e I nod my head and she reaches out to hold my hand. With my money in the box, I put the item under my arm and close my eyes.
"How much longer do you think she'll be?" Santana groans. We are sitting on a small hill that is hidden from Quinn's house, but we can easily see it.
"Just give it a few more minutes." I reply looking at my watch. It's been a bit over twenty minutes since we got here and if Quinn doesn't appear in the next five then I'm going in there. I hear Santana let out a sigh of frustration and her leg grazes mine for half a second, but I can feel the electricity. She starts tapping her leg with her fingers and glances at me in the corner of her eye every few seconds.
Thirty seconds of dead silence pass before I give up. "Okay, what?" I question, knowing Santana is keeping something from me.
"Its jus… Never mind."
"You can tell me."
She sits up straighter and clears her throat. "Can I ask you something?" She finally says, but her voice is small.
I turn my body and face her, "of course."
Taking a deep breath Santana looks down at her hands and plays with the grass below us. "The other day… we were about to kiss and you pulled away… why?" She sounds shy, embarrassed even. I want to laugh and pinch her cheeks at how cute it is.
"To be honest, I don't really know." I say. Her tan hands keep fidgeting with the grass and I bring my own down to stop her. As I lace my fingers through hers for the nth time today her eyes meet mine. "I regret not kissing you." I say softly, almost hard to hear if she wasn't so close to me. One of my hands moves from her to her neck and slide up to cress her soft cheek. Santana's lips part and her tongue darts out to wet them and I can't help but do the same thing. I inch closer to her, our breath mixing and out noses touching. It's as if we're breathing life into one another. Santana is the one to close the distance between us, capturing my lips in hers and sucking them lightly. Her lips are so soft and I almost moan at the feeling. We break apart for a second to look in each other eyes, ensuring the other that this is okay before meeting in the middle again for a soft yet heated kiss. It lasts until the need of air is getting too much.
The sound of a door being shut breaks us from out daze and our heads shoot up to see Quinn tugging at her walkie-talkie. "Where are you guys?" Her voice crackles through the talkie attached to my belt.
I take it off and hold in the button while saying, "We're coming now." I hop onto my feet and offer my hand to Santana as she smiles up at me, grabbing onto me as I pull her up. We make our way over to Quinn without talking about what just happened, not wanting to ruin this feeling.
"Ready to go?" Quinn asks. I remind myself to talk to her about her parents when we get back.
"Yeah, let's go." Santana grabs our hands and the scenery suddenly changes to the lake. The grasshoppers can still be heard and little bubbles come from the water were the fish are. Quinn talks into the walkie-talkie telling the boys that they can re-open the portal.
"Are you really bringing your pillow?" Quinn chuckles as a dark hole begins to form in the ground.
"Yes I am. Problem?" I challenge. She laughs and calls me a weirdo before jumping into the darkness. Santana gives me a sly smile which says more than words and steps into the ground. I look up and take one last look at the lake and then step into swirling dark pit.
What I didn't see was the men watching through the trees.
How did you like it? It's like 2am and I'm really tired but I wanted to upload this before I go to sleep. Please review, fav or follow. It means so much to me! Thanks for reading:)