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As she wraps the final strand of hair around the curling iron, I glance in the mirror to see Tina's concentrated face. When she found out I had a date with Brittany tonight, she insisted on helping me curl my hair.

I guess it's a good thing she offered since I burned my neck the last time I tried to do it on my own.

"Thanks for doing this, Tina," I say to her reflection with a soft smile.

She smirks but doesn't look up from where she's fiddling with my hair. "You think I was gonna let you look like a hot mess on your first date with Brittany?"

I chuckle as I gaze down at my lap. "Well, I know I haven't been the easiest to deal with lately…I wouldn't blame you if you did."

"That's true…you are a pain in my ass most of the time. But for some reason, I still love you anyways." She sets the iron down on the sink before grabbing my shoulders to sit me up straight so she can move my hair in front to see if it's even.

After our talk last night, Tina's sort of back to normal. I think she still thinks that all this is because of the situation with my parents, but I don't feel the need to correct her.

She's still a little distant, but I apologized last night and promised it'd never happen again. (And even though I can't really promise that, I'm gonna work harder at preventing it from happening again.)

Ever since Mike gave me the offer last night, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been thinking much about it.

On the one hand, I'd have to go back to The Shadow League - which is one of the last things I ever want to do. But on the other hand, I'd make good money, and I could potentially make a difference in the safety of my friends. The answer should be obvious, but for some reason, I can't commit to anything just yet.

"What's on your mind?" Tina breaks my train of thought. I look up to see her glancing at me through the mirror with her brows furrowed.

"What?"

"I asked what was on your mind. You looked pretty deep in thought there."

"Oh…I'm just nervous about the date…you know how long it's been since I've gone out like this."

This causes a sweet smile to wash over her face, and she turns the barstool I'm sitting on around to face her.

"Look," She crouches to my level and pats my shoulders. "It'll be fine. I've seen the way she looks at you, Santana, and I've seen the way you look at her. This could be the worst date in the history of dates, and you'd both still have a good time because you're with each other. I think you're overthinking…again." She says the last part as she taps my forehead.

Even though I wasn't really all that nervous in the first place, but actually more excited than anything, the words she just said put any doubt in my mind at ease. Deep down, I know she's right. Ever since I met her, I've felt this pull towards Brittany that I never knew how to place. I knew from the beginning that she would be a great addition to my life in whatever capacity she wanted.

I nod my head in agreement. "Thanks, Tina. You always know what to say."

She shrugs her shoulders as she stands back up straight. "That's where my English degree comes in handy."

I chuckle as she winks and walks out the bathroom door. I stand from the barstool and brush off my clothes. It's a good thing I'd already changed into my outfit before doing my hair because pulling a top over my head would definitely ruin some of the curls.

I move the barstool out in the hall since I don't want to walk it back to the kitchen and go into my bedroom to finish my makeup.

I figure a light layer of eyeshadow and mascara is enough for my eyes, and I pick out a pink-tinted lipgloss to put on my lips. After I'm done, I make sure to put it in my bag in case I need to reapply later.

With one final look in the mirror and second-guessing my outfit choice, I decide I'm ready to go. I chose a simple but classy look for tonight: tight black pants, a white tank top, and a red cardigan still hanging on the coat rack by the door.

As I pick out my pair of black heels, I hear a knock at the door, followed by a small squeal from Tina.

I grab my small handbag off my bed and slip on my shoes before heading out into the living room.

"Oh, Santana!" Tina sing-songs. "You have company!"

"Yes, I'm aware, Tina…thank you," I say with a roll of my eyes, even though a smile is evident on my face.

As I walk into the foyer, I can instantly feel my face heat up at the sight of Brittany. All those nerves that weren't there before suddenly made their appearance at the base of my stomach.

"Hey, Britt. You look beautiful." I say, stepping closer to her. She's wearing a floral patterned olive green dress with her hair styled down with a light wave to it.

"So do you," She says softly as she takes in my appearance.

We're both dressed so simply, yet we're looking at each other as if we're in designer outfits.

I clear my throat and pick up a singular rose from our flower vase. Tina and I went for coffee this morning, and I decided to get it on the way home.

"For you," I say quietly as I gently hand the rose to her. I revel in the way her face lights up at the gesture.

"Thank you," She replies, just as quietly, as she plucks the rose from my fingers. We make eye contact, and the way she's looking at me makes me want to jump and scream in celebration.

"Ahem," Tina clears her throat, snapping us out of our trance.

"Oh, right," I say as I grab my cardigan. "We should probably get going…it's at 8."

"What's at 8?" Brittany asks.

"You'll see," I wink as I pull the cardigan on. I open the door for us and allow Brittany to walk through first.

"Have fun!" I hear Tina calling as I shut the door.

I roll my eyes at her before turning around and leading us down to the parking lot.

/

"So," She drawls out. "You're not gonna tell me where we're going?"

Brittany's leaning with her elbows on the center console, her head resting in her hands. I glance over at her before chuckling and forcing my attention back onto the road.

"We'll be there in a few minutes, and you can see then."

"But what if I want to know now?" She pouts her bottom lip and gives me her best puppy dog stare.

Is it bad that I almost give in immediately?

"Impatient much?" I tease as I grab one of her hands out from where she's resting against it. "I promise you'll like it, okay?"

I intertwine our fingers and rest them between us, giving her a sweet smile.

"Fineee," She groans, trying to sound annoyed, but she doesn't sound the least bit upset with the grin currently plastered on her face.

/

"We're here!" I say as I park the car along the street in downtown Lima.

Brittany just looks at me with an eyebrow raised. "And where is here?"

"Come on!" Is all I say as I open my car door and run around to open Brittany's for her.

Before I can get to it, I notice she already has the door partially open. After ensuring her body was still in the car, I ran up to the door and slammed it shut, startling her.

I hold it closed for a minute, making sure she doesn't try to open it herself again. Then I reopen the door and step aside to let her get out. She just looks at me quizzically before cautiously stepping out of the car.

"I wanted to get the door for you," I clarify as I shut it behind her.

This causes her to let out a small laugh. "Santana, I can get my own door."

I shrug my shoulders. "Yea, but I'm the gentlewoman on this date, and chivalry isn't dead in my books."

"You're cute," She says as she quickly kisses my cheek before grabbing my hand again. "Lead the way?"

I know I probably look like a dork since my only response is a nod of my head with a cheeky grin as I turn to lead us down the street.

A few minutes later, we stop in front of the local theater. I reach into my bag and pull out two tickets for the Aladdin show. As I turn towards Brittany, I see her marveling up at the lights above us and notice the iridescent glow they reflect in her blue eyes.

If I could, I'd stop time at this moment and just admire her for a little longer. Damn, why couldn't I get that power?

After a few moments, she must sense that I've been staring at her because she suddenly looks at me with a sly smile. I blush and look down, suddenly becoming nervous again.

"This is it," I manage to get out as I hold the tickets between us.

"You got us tickets to Aladdin?"

"Y-yeah, I figured it'd be fun!" I try to sound positive since I can't really place the tone in her voice, especially when I'm looking down at the tickets instead of her face.

"How'd you know I wanted to see this?" Her voice is quiet but soft.

"Well, you mentioned it was your favorite movie that night you stayed with me in the hospital, so I kinda just guessed." I shrug my shoulders and look up at her.

She has a soft smile on her face and is giving me that look again…the same one she gave me when I gave her the rose earlier.

We stay that way for a moment until I don't think I can't handle it anymore. "What?" I ask with a small chuckle.

She shakes her head but gives me a sweet smile. "Nothing…let's go inside." She grabs my hand and leads me toward the theater entrance.

Once we hand over our tickets, I buy Brittany a bag of popcorn before we take our seats.

"Are you sure you don't want any?" She asks as she holds the bag out to me. "I kinda feel bad eating it in front of you."

I shake my head and smile. "I'm good, Britt. Thank you, though."

She nods before turning to the stage and popping a handful in her mouth.

About 10 minutes into the show, she finishes the popcorn and brushes her hands together to clean off the residue. When she's finished, she slides her hand into mine and leans into me, resting them against the armrest between us.

It reminds me a little of the night we first spent together, watching this movie, and how that's where it pretty much all started.

I release a sigh of contentment and relax further into Brittany, knowing this is the perfect place to be.

/

"Did you like the show?" I ask as we exit the theater.

"Yeah! I always wondered what Aladdin would look like if the characters were real people and not cartoons."

I can't help but laugh at how energetic she is. It's kind of infectious, in a way.

We walk the rest of the way to the car, Brittany swinging our hands between us. I move to open her door for her again, but as I reach out, Brittany grabs my hand and turns me to look at her.

She doesn't say anything immediately, which causes a small smile to come across my face as I raise my eyebrow at her.

"I…I had a really good time tonight," She starts, holding both my hands between hers.

"Me too, Britt."

"No, really, though…tonight was perfect." She looks down at our hands. "And not just because you managed to score tickets to the show…but because I got to spend time with you." She looks back up and makes eye contact. "Santana, you're like the most awesomest girl I've ever met, and the fact that you like me enough to want to do this really means a lot…so thank you."

I can feel the heat rush to my cheeks as she speaks, but I can't find it in myself to try and hide it. That's possibly the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me…and coming from Brittany, it sounds even better.

"I-I should be the one thanking you, Britt." I begin with a slight shake of my head. "The fact that you still stuck around and gave me a chance after everything is really…you didn't have to do that, you know? But you did," I squeeze her hands in mine a little tighter. "And that really means a lot…so thank you."

She has a bashful smile on her face and nods her head. "It wasn't hard, you know," She says. "It'd be pretty dumb to give you up."

I don't know how to respond with words, so instead, I lean in to give her a kiss. It's slow and relaxed, but all the butterflies and excitement still exist throughout my body.

"I really don't want this night to end," She says as we pull apart.

"Who says it has to?"

"What, did you have something else planned?" She asks with a chuckle.

"Well, not necessarily…but sometimes the unplanned things turn out to be the best." I shrug my shoulders. "Come on, I have an idea."

/

"Are you sure we aren't gonna bother Tina?" Brittany whispers as I unlock the door.

"No, she's at Mike's. She usually spends Saturday nights there."

"Noted…" Brittany murmurs, and when I turn to look at her, she has a smirk on her face.

I roll my eyes with a smile and turn the doorknob, allowing us entry into the apartment.

"You can put the pizza boxes on the coffee table and take a seat…I'm gonna get some plates and water from the kitchen." I tell her as we slip our shoes off in the foyer.

As I'm getting plates out of the cabinet, I feel a sense of calm rush through me. I always felt anxious when I thought of ever dating again, but with Brittany, it feels like we were always meant to meet. Everything with her feels so natural; we don't have to force anything or be anything besides our true selves - especially now that she knows about The Shadow League. I don't have anything else to hide; she knows who I truly am. Usually, that thought would be nerve-wracking, but it has the opposite effect when it comes to her.

When I walk into the living room, I find Brittany sitting on the couch with a slice of pizza already in her hand.

"Gee, you couldn't wait thirty seconds for me to get some plates?" I ask with a laugh as I sit down next to her and open the second pizza box.

"Sorry, this is my favorite pizza place. I swear they have the best pizza in the country…no one else could make a Hawaiian pizza like this."

"Yea, I still think pineapple on pizza is some sort of crime." I take a slice of my plain cheese pizza and sit back.

"You're one to talk…you didn't even get any toppings!"

"Uh - I got cheese…that's a topping."

"Then why don't they charge extra for it?"

"Because what's the point of charging for a topping that goes on every pizza they make. That's like charging for the crust and sauce individually."

"Oh, don't tell me you think the sauce is a topping too."

"Technically," I draw out as I look at the ceiling. "It is, but it isn't."

"Same goes with cheese!" She exclaims.

"No, cheese is a topping." I point my slice at her to emphasize my point.

"You're just saying that to defend your lame-ass pizza," She says with a laugh.

"Uh-" My mouth gapes open, and I stare at her wide-eyed.

She breaks out into a contagious laugh, breaking my offended demeanor.

"Okay, okay. I'm curious…have you always eaten your pizza like that?"

I nod my head. "Ever since I was little."

"Have you ever tried other toppings on it?"

"Yeah, but it was never as good as plain ole' cheese."

"Interesting…" She pauses for a moment as we continue eating. "Growing up, we always used to have pizza night on Fridays and watch a movie. Sometimes my dad would rent new ones, but most of the time, we all took turns picking out what movie to watch that week."

"That's cool…what kind of movies did you usually pick out?"

"I picked either a cartoon or lighthearted movie most of the time," She says with a chuckle. "My brother always picked some type of superhero or action movie, and Rachel always picked a musical of some kind."

"Rachel was your sister, too?" I ask with my brows furrowed.

"No, no, she was just my best friend. I met her in the neighborhood when we were really little, though, so she was constantly over at my house…she pretty much never went home." She laughs. "She's an only child, so I guess there wasn't much to do at her house."

"Other than watching musicals?" I chuckle.

"Well, her dads are huge Broadway and theater fans, so that was all that was played at her house. That's partially why she always came over to my house instead of me going to hers…there's only so much of that stuff I can take."

"She's on Broadway now, though?"

"Yea, she's the lead in Funny Girl. It's kinda cool, since she's practically worshipped Barbra Streisand for as long as I can remember."

"Has it opened yet?"

"Not yet…opening night is in a month or so now. She got me tickets, but I don't know if I'll be able to make it," She says, almost defeated.

"Why not?"

"The newspaper always has a new piece they want me on, so I don't get breaks too often. Plus, I don't know if I'll be able to drop that much money at once to travel there…she's got my ticket, but I'd have to pay for airfare, hotel, food, etc. And with the 'newly anticipated show' coming," She adds air quotes. "The prices on all that are gonna be raised…Funny Girl is all the Broadway blogs are talking about."

I set my pizza down and brush the crumbs off my hands. "Is going to see the opening important to you?"

"Yes and no." She shrugs her shoulders. "I'm sure she'll have plenty of other openings, and I can always go to another performance when stuff dies down, but…." She looks down at her lap. "I just feel like a bad friend if I don't go."

"Brittany," I start softly. "You're not a bad friend if you can't make it to the opening…that's not something you can control. There'll be plenty more performances that you can go to…the only thing that truly matters is that you want to be there to support her."

She nods her head. "Yeah, you're right. I guess I can try to go, but if I can't, I shouldn't beat myself up about it. And I can tell Kurt to tell her hi for me if I stay here."

"Kurt?"

"Yea, he's going to the opening. He mentioned it yesterday before you got home…apparently, someone named Blaine was able to score them tickets."

I roll my eyes at hearing gel-boy's name.

"B-but I don't have to ask him to do that…" She stutters nervously. I guess she thought the eye roll was at her.

"No, no…it's just Blaine," I say his name with a tone of disgust. "He's just been the world's biggest dick for as long as I can remember…I don't understand why Kurt keeps going back to him."

She shrugs her shoulders. "I guess some people have some sort of pull to another person like that."

I know she's talking about us, and it makes my insides flutter. I know exactly what she's talking about because I feel the same way…I just didn't know if the feeling was only one-sided.

"Makes sense," I add with a soft smile.

She smiles back and holds eye contact for a long time.

"What's your favorite movie?" She blurts out randomly.

"What?" I ask, kind of taken off guard.

"What's your favorite movie?" She repeats. "We were talking about pizza and movie nights earlier, and what types of movies I'd always pick, so I'm curious…what's your favorite movie?"

"Mmmm," I squint my eyes and think for a moment. "I'd have to say Fast Five."

"Fast Five?" She asks with her brows furrowed.

"Fast and the Furious, but the fifth one. It's called Fast Five."

Her eyes light up in recognition. "Ohhh, aren't those the movies about the cars?"

I laugh. "Yea, there's more that happens, but that's the gist of it."

"Ooo, those sound fun…I can see how you'd like those." She smirks and narrows her eyes for a moment like she's trying to read me. "But what's really your favorite movie?"

"What's really my favorite movie? I just told you, it's Fast Five."

"Yea…that's what you said. But I can tell it isn't. That's just what you tell people to hide your real favorite, right?"

I gulp thickly, which I'm sure she notices by the way her smirk grows for just a second. Nobody's ever questioned me when I said it was my favorite movie before…

"Come on, I promise I won't tell anyone." She pokes my shoulder playfully.

I let out a sigh of defeat and look down at my lap. "The Proposal."

"Sorry, what was that?" She asks, the smile evident in her voice.

"The Proposal," I repeat louder as I avoid eye contact with her.

"Isn't that like a rom-com?" She asks with a chuckle.

I roll my eyes and look at the ceiling. "I'm a sucker for a good rom-com, okay? Sue me!" I throw my hands up as I look at her, seeing how she's trying to hold in a laugh.

"Rom-coms are totally badass…." She snickers.

"See, this is why I haven't told anybody. This is why I enjoy my Sandra Bullock films in the privacy of my own bedroom!"

"No, no…it's adorable." She reassures me as she grabs one of my hands and squeezes it. "I actually haven't seen it, so I can't really judge anything."

My eyes go wide. "You've never seen The Proposal?" She shakes her head. "H-how? It's like one of the best rom-coms out there…other than Pretty Woman, of course."

"I haven't seen too many rom-coms." She shrugs her shoulders. "I think the last one I saw was years ago, and it was the one about some chick that goes in a closet and then comes out as her grown self but still acts like a little girl."

"13 Going on 30?!" I exclaim. "That's another one of my favorites!"

She laughs and smiles so big that the corner of her eyes starts to bunch. "I never pegged you as such a sap," She says sarcastically.

I clear my throat and settle down from where I was bouncing on the couch. "I'm not…they're just enjoyable movies, that's all." I try to keep a straight, serious face.

She purses her lips and looks at me for a moment.

"You wanna watch them?" She asks.

"I was hoping you'd say that!" I hug her excitedly before jumping up from the couch and going to my hidden stack by the TV. "Let's watch The Proposal first since you haven't seen it."

"Whichever one you want," Brittany replies, a content smile on her face as she stacks the pizza boxes and stands to take them into the kitchen.

When she returns, she sits in her previous spot and grabs the blanket off the back of the couch. I grab the remote and sit next to her just as she unfolds it and drapes it over both of our laps.

I lean my head on her shoulder as the movie begins, and reach under the blanket for her hand to hold in my own.

This is shaping up to be one of the best nights of my life.