"The reenactment will be held on the day of the battle, December the 21st. Even though that is the middle of Christmas Break..." The collective groans of the students reverberated, echoing the sentiment of Brittany, who couldn't help but roll her eyes. "We do this every damn year," she thought to herself.
"...you will be expected to participate wholeheartedly..." The words from the principal seemed to fall on deaf ears, Brittany scoffing as if anyone had a choice in the matter. Little did she know that this year's reenactment of the Battle in McKinley would be different.
As Brittany drove home, her mind was already weighed down by the reenactment. She grumbled inwardly. She had been participating in this reenactment ever since she was a child.
She switched on the car radio, hoping for some distraction. Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" began to play, the upbeat tempo immediately catching her attention. The rhythmic beat setting the mood for her thoughts.
"Get sick, get well, hang around an ink well… Ring bell, hard to tell… If anything is going to sell. Try hard…" she sang along softly, the lyrics resonating with her in ways she couldn't quite explain.
Lost in the music, Brittany closed her eyes and swayed to the beat, her voice trailing off into a mumble as she danced in her seat. But as she opened her eyes, something caught her off guard, causing her to slam on the brakes with a gasp.
[GASPS]
Brittany's tires screeched against the wet road as rain poured down relentlessly. She hurriedly stepped out of her car, trying to comprehend what she was seeing in front of her.
"Are you nuts?! You almost killed me!" Santana screamed at Brittany, her clothes clinging to her body, soaked from the downpour.
"What are you doing standing in the damn road?" Brittany exclaimed, confused.
"I need help, genius!" Santana yelled again before storming away. "Forget it!"
But Brittany couldn't let her go that easily. She rushed in front of Santana, halting her in her tracks. "Wait, wait, wait!" They both stood there, drenched in the rain.
"I'm sorry! Look, get in!" Brittany urged. "This is a shortcut nobody comes down this road. You'll drown—" Her thoughts trailed off as she noticed the Corvette.
"Wow! Is this old man Schuester's car?" Brittany asked, intrigued.
Santana rolled her eyes. "You're one of them, aren't you?"
"What do you mean?" Brittany inquired.
"The All-American jock star, prom Queen..." Santana listed.
Brittany couldn't help but giggle. "Really? A jock?"
"Look, can you insult me in the car?" Brittany pleaded. "It's getting a little Titanic out here…"
"You know, I never understood why Leo had to die in the end…" Brittany wondered.
"Why couldn't they take turns?"
"You float on the wooden thing 10 minutes, I'll float on the thing 10 minutes," Brittany continued, mimicking Rose's voice. "She kept saying, 'I'll never let you go, never,' and then she lets him go!"
Santana's eye roll didn't hide the fact that Brittany's antics had amused her a bit. "If I get in the car, will there be more of this fascinating conversation? Because I'd rather drown," she remarked dryly.
"Uhmm, no, I got groceries back there," Brittany hastily replied, trying to clean and rearrange her things in the car, making more of a mess.
"I can't believe you told me the ending to Titanic," Santana commented as she settled into the backseat.
Horrified, Brittany glanced at Santana through the rear-view mirror. "Wait, what? You've never seen it?"
"No."
"You really are from out of town," Brittany remarked with a smile, noticing Santana shivering. She handed her letterman jacket at Santana.
"Thanks," Santana said, slipping on the jacket. "You know where you're going?" Santana asked. But she knew everybody knew where she lives.
"Rarely," Brittany joked, trying to lighten the mood, but Santana didn't seem to budge.
"Hey, I'm sorry about those clichés in class, but I'm not one of them," Brittany assured her.
"Clichés?"
"Girls who once were human, but for whom absolute popularity has corrupted absolutely," Brittany replied
"Hmm, bet you're real proud of yourself thinking that one up. You probably dated one of them," Santana quipped.
Brittany's expression softened, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"You cut Bree like a surgeon."
"Years working with the bitch virus." Santana retorted
"No cure yet, huh?" Brittany jokes
"We continue to research and hope."
"You been to a lot of schools?"
"Yeah."
"That must be nice. I've only ever lived here."
"Must be nice." Santana said softly
"So, where y'all lived?"
"Pretty much every state that seceded from the Union. Moved around since I was 4, after my parents died."
"I only have my dad, my mom died. Last spring. How did it happen?" Brittany asked
"Fire," Santana said.
"Car accident." Brittany replied
[STAMMERS]
"Ha, ha, that was a dead-end conversation," Brittany said, trying to lighten the mood. "On a road going nowhere. I must have missed the exit to 'fascinating'." She glanced at Santana, who was immersed in a book.
"You, uh... Bukowski? He-? He any good?" Brittany asked, attempting to restart the conversation.
"Define 'good'," Santana smiled challenging Brittany this time, her tone daring. She knew Brittany kept looking at her by the Mirror.
She chuckled softly, thinking she might need to read some of Bukowski's work to get on Santana's good side.
Brittany pulled up in front of the well-known Schuester mansion. "I can drive you to the house," she offered, hoping for more time to spend with Santana.
"This is fine," Santana quipped.
"No, I don't mind. It's still raining," Brittany insisted.
"Look, I appreciate the ride," Santana paused, contemplating for a moment. "But I don't feel like being a haunted house attraction today." Santana heard other kids making fun of her uncle's house. Calling if a Haunted House earlier.
"No, I- Now, that's fairly rude and not true at all," Brittany furrowed her brow. "Perhaps it's because we haven't been properly introduced... I'm Brittany S. Pierce, by the way," she said, offering her hand to Santana.
"You're Brittany S. Pierce?" Santana's surprise was evident.
"Yeah," Brittany replied, confused by Santana's reaction.
"Oh, my God, you mean Brittany S. Pierce drove me home?" Santana's excitement was palpable.
"You've heard of me?" Brittany asked, equally surprised. She didn't realize she was famous outside of town. All she ever did was read banned books. Maybe that was the reason.
"No," Santana rolled her eyes at Brittany's excitement.
Brittany chuckled, realizing that Santana had been playing with her. She knew Santana was just trying to act tough, though she wouldn't back down. She was curious about Santana.
"I like your charm necklace," Brittany complimented Santana. "And- And your tat, too. I mean, uh, also..."
"Thanks," Santana blushed, hastily ending the conversation as she made her way to her house. She didn't even say goodbye to Brittany.