Brittany's POV

God I'm nervous. I want this so bad. So so bad.

I've been a cheerleader all through my high school career and I'm over it. Ever since I started university and took a major in dancing I lost a bit of my passion to do a lot of dancing after schoolhours. It's a problem. I know. I'll look into it if I survive this first year.

I thought I went through the worst in life once high school passed. I didn't really wanted to study after that, but my parents wanted me to really try it out. At least for a year. I didn't really had the energy to fight them on that, so yeah, here I am. Second week just started. Pff, I'm already counting the days towards the first vacation.

I'm not the best person to make good friends. I mean, I'm very friendly and I never pick up a fight. Lots of people don't tend to understand me that well. Just because I love to talk about unicorns and my cat, Lord Tubbington, doesn't mean I'm a lunatic. I won't change just because they don't want to have an openminded look at the world!

So yeah, high school was a bit lonely. I had a high status, because of my cheerleading, but that was it. I didn't really liked the cheerleaders from my school. They were all so mean! Like really really mean. I didn't want to socialise like that. For that reason I was a bit on my own.

It was okay, people left me alone, I left them alone. It gave me the time to focus on my homework. School has never been my strongest suite. So again, I'm really glad I survived that.

However, nowadays I want to try something new. I want to fit into a group. There's a cheerleading group in this college, but I figured they will just be as mean as in high school. In that way, after lots of screening the options in this college, I ended up at the touch rugby team. They seem like a fun group. There was this boy, Mike, who's a year before me, also majoring in dance who personally walked over to me to invite me for try-outs. I still don't really understand why he picked me to talk to though.

I have like zero idea what rugby touch is. First I thought it was like a European way of saying football or soccer or whatever, but apparently not. It's a sports of it's own. It comes from Australia, if Ecosia (the eco-friendly counterpart of google) is correct on that. The rules have most things in common with rugby. It actually derived from rugby football. Not that that is of any help, I have no idea what the rules of rugby are... Also: did you know rugby and American football are two different things?

Whatever. Mike told me it's totally fine I'm not familiar with the game, they'll learn you the basics at the try-outs eitherway.

So yeah, back to where I started: I'm really nervous. I want to fit in somewhere so badly it physically hurts. A few minutes ago my ears started ringing from the stress and my lungs hurt from breathing too fast. Plus I have like a fragile back, and every time I start to stress or panic about something too much it starts hurting more and more. Nevertheless, my worries aside, Mike made it seem like such a fun group. Apparently their captain has a no bully policy, and it's working.

So yeah, here I am. On the football field of my college. It's Friday evening. The football team gets Friday's off, probably for going out or whatever. It's the touch rugby team who's crazy enough to play sports on a Friday evening instead of going out with friends or something.

I see some faces who are looking as insecure as I feel at the moment. probably some people who went to this try-out like me. Mike told me they're only a team with eight people, in such ways it would come in really handy if they get some new people to participate with.

I see Mike waving at me from a distance before a woman takes away my attention from me. It's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life! She's standing next to Mike, with beautiful dark hair, tied in neatly placed ponytail. Brown, almost black eyes who can look right through your soul. Amazingly fit and ... just an overall aura of hotness.

I always say you can't fall in love with a person at first sight, it's the most superficial thing to do. But … I think I fell right into that trap right now. Even her movements are hypnotising to look at.

Suddenly she's standing right before me, moving her lips in a slow way. Wait. She's talking to me! Focus on your ears Britt, come on.

"… Hello? Hey, are you okay?"

I snap out of my daydreaming before answering. "Uh, yyyeah, sorry, fell asleep for a moment there."

Fell asleep? What is that for kind of lame ass excuse? Nobody falls asleep standing straight. Hah, well I wasn't thinking straight anyway. Oookay, don't laugh at your own joke. That's just pathetic. Shoot, she's still looking weird at me. Did I laugh out loud at my own joke?!

"Sorry, haha I was just kinda making a joke in my head, which sounded funny. Lord Tubbington would've loved the joke. Although he's still mad at me at stealing his cigarettes, but uh … yeah nevermind."

She's giving me dumbfounded look. Probably wondering if I'm real or not. I've been wondering that same question for every day in my entire life.

"Uhm. Okay …? So, what's your name, I wana check if you're on the list of try-outs or not."

"Oh right. Brittany S. Pierce."

She looks up from her paper, looking at me like I'm a lunatic. "Britney Spierce? I think I can laugh at a joke or two, but they need to be funny."

"Hah, no yeah, not a joke. My parents must've hated me from the beginning. I mean, they don't. I love them. They love me… Not in a wrong way, in a lovely parent-child relationship. Not in like a … weird way."

Dear mother of god, if my time has come to die soon, please let it be now. I've never been so humiliated in my life before. And it's my own doing! I wipe the sweat from my handpalm (from the nerves) onto my sweat pants.

"Uh so no, not a joke. It's Brittany. S. Pierce." I fumble with my fingers after that, looking downwards towards our feet. Wow, our feet fit great together. We've even put on matching shoes! The colours look fabulous next to each other.

... I think I'm having a small crush on this girl. A small one though.

She's looking over her paper looking with her pencil to the names written on it. "Wait a second. Oh yeah, there you are. You talked with Mike right. The dancer?"

"Yep, that's probably me… and the dancer?"

"Hah, yeah sorry, he was already very positive of how you'd be a great help to this team. Great posture, good cardio et cetera…"

I start blushing at that, which she sees. Thankfully she seems to ignore it for my benefit. "Oh sorry. Wait. I haven't introduced myself. I'm Santana. Santana Lopez, captain of this team."

Wow, even her introduction was way too cool. She's shaking my hand whilst introducing her.

"Brittany. Brittany S. Pierce. Female dancer of the team... I mean. I hope female dancer of the team."

I'm still shaking her hand. Should I stop, or would that put even more attention towards it? Her eyebrows shoot up in the air at my response; in pleasant surprise (I hope/think).

"Hah, see that's funny. I think you'll fit right into this team. Feeling up to a warm-up? … Hey Mike, come over here."

When hearing Mike's name, our hands finally get realised from each other, which directly makes me feel likes something is missing. I don't know if I'm just seeing things, but I feel like Santana must have sensed something too when we touched each other. I don't know, I think it's wishful thinking.

Once Mike is close enough, Santana starts talking again.

"Yo Mike, care to run a lap with Brittany over here? I would like to put everyone who's here for the first time in like a buddy system. Since you're the one whose invited her, I thought it would be okay for the both of you to work together today?"

I nod in response and Mike is giving me an excited grin in return. "Sure thing, captain. Come on Britt. I can call you Britt right? Let's put these dancer bodies into motion."

He wiggles his eyebrows a bit at that. He's funny. I think he'll be a great friend.

Once we started running a bit, trying to find a pace that works for the both of us, Mike starts talking again.

"So, whatdya think? First impression of the captain?"

I try to keep any trembling out of my voice, hoping I don't sound to high pitched. "Ow uh, seemed great. Tough but cute I guess?"

He almost falls down in laughter at that response. Like full blown belly laughter. I try to pick him up again, because people are starting to watch. Most importantly, Santana's attention is back towards us. Shit, I should keep my thoughts to myself more. Tough but cute? What does that even mean?!

"Mike, come on, get up. People are watching."

"Ha, I'm haha, sorry. That's the most funniest thing I've ever heard in my life! Yet so accurate! Just ... don't let her hear that. Ever. She'll go full on Snixx on you if she heard you say that. Hahaha."

After he wiped away some invisible tears and started to get a bit more control of his laughter we start running again. When I'm not really looking in his direction he still starts talking again. "You know what. That's actually an impressive thing you did. Nobody is ever so spot on about a first impression of San. Most thinks she's just a bitch who tries to find a path in kindness to damper it. But behind that tough bear vibe she shows to everyone, she is kinda cute. But again … Never say that to her face. At least not before you're part of the team."

After running half a tour of the football field, he's still laughing every five seconds. "Mike, dude. Stop laughing, serious, Santana is watching."

"Let her. We'll keep this to ourselves. Let her drown in curiosity."

I give him a small push. "Well aren't you the nicest guy. I think my first impression of YOU must be completely off grid this time. I thought you'd be one of the nicest people I've ever met in my life."

"Oh. Look at that. you're cute too. You'd fit well with her."

Despite knowing he's 100% joking, I start to blush. Okay think. How do I cover this furious blushing up?

"Race ya to the end of the field?"

"You are so on. 1 … 2… 3… GO!"

…

I won! Just by a small second though. But that's cool. Santana looks impressed. That's good. Scoring points and all. I really want to get a place on this team. The others are still doing their warm-ups. So it's only Mike, Santana and me for the moment.

"Wow Brittany! You won from Mike. He's like the fastest of our team! Way to go."

Great, now I'm starting to blush even more. Good thing I can blame it on this little sprint I just did. Hopefully.

"Hey, what was so funny?" she gives both me and Mike a curious look our way. I just shrug my shoulders, not really knowing how to answer her.

"Just an inside joke only dancers would understand. A singer like you would never get the punch line."

She just rolls her eyes in response, grumbling something between her teeth that doesn't even sound like any English. Please don't let her speak a different language. She's already too sexy for her own good.

"Alright everybody, gather around!" Santana demands. Everybody on the field comes running towards here. It's not like there's a lot of them. I roughly count 14 or 15 people?

"So, let me introduce myself. My name is Santana Lopez. I'm the captain of the touch rugby team. Team members, come stand next to me please... Okay, this is our team: Mike, Sugar, Tina, Sam, Kurt, Matt and last but not least ... my second hand in command, with the emphasis on second, right Q. Hah, nope not now. Uh Quinn."

I see a blonde girl, probably Quinn, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over each other. But in a nice way, she doesn't seem angry at all, just annoyed. Must be their way of communicating or something. I don't know, seems like a nice duo. This Quinn person seems gay. Would she and Santana …?

"Okay, so that's that. Each one of you will get a team member to get through this training today. You can ask them all the questions you want. I'm here too. We're a close group and you're 100% welcome to come join that group. So, if you hear your name, raise your hand and then one of the old gang will come join you. Raya … Adina … Nathan … Rory … Alex … Julia … and Brittany. Okay everybody got a buddy? Great. Who here had heard of touch rugby before they arrived here? And who knows the rules?"

I'm really relieved I'm not the only one who doesn't have any clue what kind of sport this is. Santana's really good at explaining these things. Wow, and the confidence. If she would order me to participate in a game this evening against another team … I think I'd do it without any doubt. I'd follow that woman anywhere.

Okay, nope, scratch that. That sounds way too stalkerish. I didn't mean it like that. the game itself seems actually rather nice. I'm glad it's not actual rugby where you can get more easily hurt. There's no tackling involved in this one. The touch is like instead of the thackling. If one team gets 'touched' 6 times, than the ball is for the other team. And you can't pass the ball forward. Plus, you can't catch him after you've been touched. It's important to pass on the right time. Don't pass to quickly or you won't win any ground, pass too late and you'll lose. In addition to all that, she ends with telling us that the official guidelines for the sports differ around the world. So depending on who we're playing against, the rules can change a bit. Still, she assures us the basics will always stay the same. Wow, okay, wait what?

Once we paired of, doing some skill training with the football, Mike tells me not to worry too much about all those rules yet. It'll come through training.

After trying a small game 7 against 7, which didn't went that smooth, the practice came to it's end.

"Okay, guys. I know that game wasn't that steady yet. But I was actually quite impressed with some of the skills I saw on the field today. I sincerely hope you'll consider giving it a few more tries and eventually even join this team. You're all very welcome to come here. So yeah, thanks for coming and we'll probably see you around the campus eitherway. You can definitely talk to one of us if you decide to join us. We'll give you a full schedule. Most important is that the practises on Friday are almost always a go."

That was Quinn who gave that final statement. They all seem very nice, I like that. When Mike gave me a short friendly hug before parting to his own clothing room I hear a distant conversation between Santana and Alex.

"So .. yeah, I don't want this to be an awkward conversation, but it always is."

"No, don't worry, I'm glad you said this. As long as you feel comfortable using the ladies dressing room than I'm good with that. I'm sorry we don't have any non-binary dressing rooms… But I don't want you to feel left out either and give you like the janitor closet or something. So yeah, no problem. You can choose whichever dressing room you want. If you want I'll talk with my team members…"

Okay, that seemed like a private conversation, I shouldn't eavesdrop at that. Once I've picked up my sport bag I realise my water bottle is still at the other end of the field. Great! My legs feel very tired after and hour and a half sport. Not to mention I've already had 3 dance classes today. I need my bed. Like asap. And now my freaking water bottle is at the other end of the field. UGH, sometimes life is hard.

Yeah, yeah, I know, that's not that hard. But you know … everything got its perspective. At this second, running an entire field is really hard.

Once I've started walking a few metres, I hear fast footsteps coming nearer.

"Brittany, hey Brittany, wait up!" I turn around, already recognizing that voice out of a million. I just wonder why she's calling my name though. I come to a stop and wait until she's catched up to me before walking again.

"Hey, did I made the training too easy on you? Why are you still on the field right now?"

I give an awkward laugh at that. At least it sounded awkward for me. "No, no, the training was great. Really, thank you for the opportunity of trying out. I just forgot my water bottle, it's right … there." I point at like the furthest point from where the bleachers are for putting your other stuff on.

"Oh okay, I'll walk with you."

Aaaah, now what? Do I talk? Do I not talk? Do I run? I'm seriously considering to run away right now. What do I do?

"So …" I start, but don't really know how to form a regular sentence. Luckily she helps me out.

"So, what did you think?"

"Oh I loved it. I mean, it's better then football. And I think I'd definitely try to come again."

"Really? That's great! Between you and me, I was hoping out of all the new members you'd stay the most. You have a natural talent. And you're already so fit. It's going to be awesome."

Wow, oh god, that's so many compliments in such short amount of time and sentences. What do I say at that? Okay don't stumble over your words. "Uh, thanks?"

Shoot, now I'm blushing again. And she noticed! She gives me a small nudge at my elbow before answering.

"You're welcome. So … oh! What was it that you said to Mike that he thought was really funny during the warm up?"

"Uh, it was nothing really, I didn't really got what was funny."

"Come on, tell me."

"I kinda promised I wouldn't tell. Especially you."

She lifted an eyebrow at that. "Especially me? What does that mean. Come on Britt, give me at least a hint."

Did she just call me Britt? Wow, I normally hate that nickname, but from her … I don't mind it one bit.

"But he told me you'd go all Snixx on me!"

She stops walking when I said that. a flash of ... something crosses her face.

"He said WHAT? I mean, uh, sorry. Don't worry about that. Come on, I'm dying from curiosity, help me out here."

Aaand now she's giving me like this very cute look, full of begging and pouting and questioning …

"Okay, okay. He sort of asked me my first impression of you."

Her eyes lit up at that. "And … what did you answer?"

I look around everywhere but towards Santana. Suddenly the sky is the most fascinating thing ever. It's too embarrassing to look into her eyes right now. I take a deep breath before answering. "I said that you looked tough but cute."

I almost close my eyes, to afraid to see her reaction. I don't know what the hell Snixx means, but I don't think I want to find out either. But of course… curiosity gets the best of me, and take a small peek trying to calculate her reaction. It seems like she's going through a void of emotions.

Fright. Anger. Furiousness. Curiosity. Unreadable look. Small small peek of happiness. Fright again. Anger again. Unreadable look. Curiosity again.

"… that was your first impression of me?"

Okay, I can't read what that means. I stumble a bit through my words. "I mean yeah, I'm sorry if that is offensive in any way. I mean, first impressions suck right?

She gives me a gentle look. "Hey no don't worry. No Snixx here. I'm … I'm impressed really. But DON'T let anybody hear you say that... Then I'll go all Snixx on you."

I don't really know how to answer, so it's a bit silent after that... A nice silence. It's comfortable. Plus, it seems like she's compensating whether to say something or not. After a few moments, she starts talking.

"You know what's funny? Want to hear my first impression of you?"

"Yes, please. And it's very okay if it's insulting, it would take away the humiliation I feel right now."

She gives a small laugh at that. "No humilitiation needed... I thought that you were cute but though. Isn't it funny we thought the same things, but in a different order. Because the meaning is different depending on what's first said. So we're like opposites and similar at the same time. So if I'm honest, I'm not really impressed by things often, but you shocked me with your first impression description."

YES, I made Santana Lopez impressed! This is cool. "Hey, what did Mike mean by Snixx? What is that?"

At this point we've made it to my water bottle so I pick it up, turning around to walk back to the beginning of the field.

"Oh, way too early for that Pierce. Just wish you'll never know... Now I'll subtly change the subject. One more race to the other end of the field? Person who wins owns the other one a drink!"

She already started running when she finished that sentence. I quickly start running too, getting quickly caught up with her. Good thing I've got good reflexes. "Hey, not fair!"

…

"YES! I won!"

I put my hands on my knees, trying to get my breath back under control.

Santana does the same. "One small millisecond before me, that's nothing."

I give a victirous look back at her childish pouting look. "Still means a free drink."

She stands straight again looking at me for some time. "I like you Pierce, this is going to be fun."

I still feel my heart beating like crazy every time she looks me in the eyes, but at least my mind is a bit more at ease, now that I'm actually interacting with her. I don't know where I got the confidence from, but it was the first thing that came into my mind I said after that: "I think I like you too Lopez. Call me whenever you've got the time to give me that drink."

"Oh I will. Don't worry." She grinnicks at me. When I start walking away she calls me again. Hah, I'm really getting over my embarrasement over calling her cute. She is really cute. The way she makes a small run towards me, thoug it only takes two seconds. It's almost like a small jump she makes… cute.

"Hey, what do you say about giving you that drink now?"

I give her a puzzled look. "Now? It's Friday evening, don't you have better things to do?"

"I'm going to ignore that. Yes now, why not? Get to know each other a little bit. I get the feeling you're going to stick around our team for a while."

I must look like I'm not really convinced to do something, because she's backtracking. "I mean, you don't have to. I can always buy you a water or soda drink for after practise."

I snap out of my thoughts at that. "NO, I mean, I was just hesitatant because I'm feeling very tired already… but you know what, I'll come with you. I'll probably won't fall asleep anyway after having just done those sprints. My heart is still beating too fast to be able to get into a peaceful sleep."

She gets that cute smile on her face again. I notice she has like this really adorable dimple at the corner of her right cheek if she smiles.

"Awesome. I know this really nice coffee shop. It's called Maria's corner, it's very ecological driven. It's great. I always go there to study. It's truly a hidden gem near this campus… follow me."

After a short walk we enter a shop I hadn't noticed before. I've walked past it, but the front isn't really that noticeable. There's a small bell ringing loudly when Santana walks in. You can see a placate at the forefront asking for a half time helper. Huh, maybe I should look into that. Could definitely use the money.

I start to gather my surroundings and decide she's right, it is really nice. There are like these couches at one corner in the shop with some small tables. At the other corner there's like these tables shaped in a pentagon. There are even sockets installed for charging your computer. And the colour combination is really well thought through. Wow, I'm already in love with this place. This is definitely going to be my study place too. Except. .. will I be able to focus if Santana studies here too?

"Where are you wondering around in your head right now?" Santana asks curiously

"Huh. Oh, nothing, just … I agree with you, this is a really nice place."

"Right?! And only a small amount of people have found this place. It's very special."

I'm having that bold feeling again, so before I have processed it, I say: "That must make you very special too right?"

She doesn't verbally answer at that, just motioning me to take a seat in one of the couches. Do I see a small blush turning up? It's different to see with her caramel skin color, but I don't think I'm imagining things.

After looking through the small menu I decide to order a hot chocolate. She goes for a herbal tea. She wasn't kidding it was her threat. She went to the cashier before I could even look around for where I've left my wallet last in my backpack. There's definitely a thing as too many side pockets in a backpack, I always get so lost in them!

After she gave our order she sits in another couch, directly before me. "So Brittany S. Pierce. You're majoring in dance?"

"Yep."

"And do you like it?"

I take a deep breath. "I don't … I don't really know. I know it's only the beginning of the schoolyear, but my first impression is a bit off, if I'm being honest. It's just … it takes the fun out of it. Dancing usually gets me out of my head, I just let my body decide what to do, and except in improv, people really expect you to follow all these rules. They'll even give us tests on all that latin shizzle about the technical stuff of dance."

She raises her eyebrows a bit, an amused look expressing through her eyes. "Shizzle? Hah, sorry, that's a funny word. Anyway, yeah, I think I get what you mean. I started majoring in music, but I've changed it into my minor, majoring in social work now."

Now I'm the one raising my eyebrows, out of being impressed though. "Wow, really? That's awesome. I think you're a really great fit to help people. You have like this great energy around you. I'm 100% sure you'll be a natural. I'm sure you'll change a lot of people's life for the better."

"Thanks" A flush crept up her face at my compliment. I see she's hesitating to ask me a question, so I just wait until she's ready to ask whatever it is she wants to know. I don't have a lot of secrets. I'm sure she won't ask the wrong question.

"So, you and Mike ...?"

I think my mouth fell open at her question before my mouth curved into a smile. Is she ... looking for something? Like knowledge about that specific thing in my life?

"Nope, not at all. I know I've just met him, but I already know for sure he's excellent brother material." Hmm how can I mention that I'm bicurious without making it too obvious? Ow, got it!

"It's funny you ask that question. I've had like this great friend, and my mother asked the exact same question as you then, but I never saw me begin with her in that way. Just a through and through sister band you know?"

Her eyes lit up a bit at that. "You're ... bi? Or pan?"

"I like to call myself Bicurious. Pan is possible. I don't know. I'm not that much into labels. I fall in love with whoever I fall in love with, doesn't matter what that person looks like."

She gives me a once-over, looking very impressed. "That's awesome. I like to say that I fall in love with the person too. Which is 100% accurate, but I'm also 100% gay."

I beam at her answer. This is nice. I like where this dynamic of the two of us is going to. "Cool. And yeah, you're right, it's not because you only fall for one gender that you don't fall for the person. It's a difficult thing to talk about right? I never know how to say things properly if it's about subjects like that."

"No, I know, and I wasn't trying to say you were wrong. Let's agree that we're both openminded people and we just want to find love... Or have you've got already find yours?"

"Nope, I'm far away from home and I haven't really left someone I've cared enough about to visit during the vacations. Except my family."

After hearing I'm single she started to move a bit closer to me. We're still on different couches, but in some way she managed to move her couch closer to mine. Her eyes sparkled in the most wickedly amazing way I've ever seen.

"So ... what do you think of making this evening into a try-out for a date with me?"

I choke a bit on the sip I was just taking from my chocolate milk. She smirked at that. "Is that a yes?"

I give a lopsided grin in return. "That's a definitely yes. With one condition: I pay for your next drink."