Brittany. Brittany. Brittany. I worked the rest of my shift in silence. Dani asked if I was okay and I couldn't answer her. I am okay but shit. I was not expecting to see Brittany so soon. Damn Quinn.


Standing before me in shorts and a tanktop was the girl of my dreams.

"I had invited Brittany to the park with me today," Quinn said with a smirk. Brittany's smile lit up the room. I knew I was staring and I also knew I didn't care. She's so beautiful.

"In return, I'm taking her Disney hopping on her next day off," She said, sitting across from me, "Do you like Disney, San?" San?

"I haven't been."

"Ever?" She exclaimed. I nodded, poking and prodding at my food.

"I gotta use the bathroom," Quinn said, standing on the booth and hopping over me.

"Okay, that settles it!" She said, "You have to come with us."

"Uhm, yeah okay," I said. Brittany looked at me inquisitively.

"San, I know you are not shy," she said. I gave her a small smile.

"Well, I was hoping that next time we saw each other, I would be wearing something better."

"You look cute. I like the ponytail," She said. I grabbed my ponytail self consciously.

"Thanks. I like your shirt," I said, lamely. She giggled.

"Quinn didn't tell me you worked here," She said.

"You guys talk about me?" I asked, perking up. She grabbed her drink. Man, I wish I was that straw right now.

"I ask questions, Quinn answers."

"You could ask me," I said, my confidence slowly finding its way back to me. She smiled.

"I will." She slid her phone across the table.

"You want my number?" I asked. This has to be a dream.

"Yeah, for all I know Quinn could've been lying to me. I have been asking her about you since the beginning of the summer semester." WHAT!

"What?"

"Yeah, I saw you in the coffee shop at the end of the spring semester with Quinn," She started, "And then when we started summer, I saw that I had Quinn in my class and I introduced myself." WHAT!

"This is crazy," I said, putting my number in. Quinn came back and I gave her a look.

"What did I miss?" She asked.

"I was telling San how I've been asking questions about her since the beginning of the semester."

Quinn looked at me guiltily. I rolled my eyes.

"You have my number now so don't be afraid to ask me those questions," I said, getting up, "My break is over."


My brain was going crazy. I sat in the break room after clocking out, not in the mood to go back to the park to hang with Quinn and Brittany. Why would Quinn not tell me this? We tell each other everything. Don't we? I know I do.

From Quinn: are you still gonna hang with us?

I left her on read. I scrolled my call log and called my dad. He answered on the first ring.

"Hola, mija," He said, happily. Even though I hold some resentment towards my dad for leaving us in Lima and starting a whole new family, he made sure that I knew that he will forever love me. He always answers when I call, no matter what the time is.

"Hey, papi, can I come over? I just finished work."

"Santana, are you OK? You sound down?"

"I'm just tired and I don't want to go home."

"Okay, Mae is almost done cooking. I'll set and extra space for you at the table,"

"Gracias papi."

My dad's house isn't far at all from the park. He lives in an area of Florida called Bay Hill. Fifteen minutes, give or take, from the park. His house was the typical Florida house. Tan paint exterior and the red Spanish tile roof. The simple triple door garage and the calm five bedroom and seven bath house. He lives a comfortable life with his new wife and his stepdaughter. Oh gosh, I hope the troll isn't home. My house back in Ohio was nice for Lima standards. We lived in Lima Heights, a suburb in Lima where the more affluent lived. We had a simple four bed three bath home with a 2 car garage. Nothing like how my father is living now.

My dad was waiting for me outside as I pulled up. He was a tall man. Standing at 6'4 and muscular, he was a powerhouse. Inside and outside the courtroom. I got out of my car and he immediately engulfed me in a hug.

"Are you okay? You and Quinn are fighting?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Not necessarily. I've had a crush on this girl for weeks now and I'm only finding out now that Quinn has known and this girl has been asking Quinn about me and Quinn didn't tell me anything," I said.

"You're upset with Quinn?"

"Yes, because we're supposed to tell each other everything. That's what best friends do. ESPECIALLY if it's going to make the other person really happy." He gave me a kiss on the top of my head.

"Mae finished cooking," He said, "It smells good too."

"Is it that vegan shit her daughter be eating?" I asked. When it comes to food, I'm a bottomless pit. I can eat and eat and eat and never gain a pound. But Mae's daughter, Rachel, is a weirdo. She's a vegan so every time it's time to eat there's usually a meat substitute or an egg substitute. I don't want to eat seitan or cauliflower hot wings. I'm a carnivore and I need my meat protein.

"Rachel ordered some food for her and her boyfriend. Some vegan Thai food," He said, "It smelled weird when it came. I had to air the house out." I laughed.

From Quinn: Hello?


Mae was technically Rachel's Aunt. She was Rachel's legal guardian since birth and adopted her at three years old. Her mom is an unnamed woman but Mae's brother Hiram, is her dad. He left her in the hospital and ran off to be with a man. Mae has no contact with him other than the occasional birthday cards for Rachel. Mae is the only parent Rachel knows. That is her mother. I might not like Rachel or the fact that she got another chance of having a father raise her through her formative teen years, but Mae is an amazing mother and I could never discredit her.

Mae stood in the dining room, cutting out a piece of her baked Mac and cheese.

"Baked Mac and cheese?" I exclaimed, "And barbecue chicken? I definitely came on the right day." I took my seat and Mae served my plate.

"How are you, Santana?" She asked.

"Better now," I said, stuffing my mouth.

"I was hoping you would come today. I knew you worked so I made a little extra for you to take back to your apartment," Mae said. I smiled. My dad and Mae sat down with their plates.

"How's the semester?" My dad asked.

"Going great. At the top of all my classes aiming to make the Dean's list."

"That's my girl! One thing about being a Lopez is we're not just good at what we do. We are the best," My dad said laughing.

"Where is Quinn?" I shrugged.

"Home or out with a friend."


Mae handed me a tote bag with the leftovers in it.

"Make sure you share with Quinn," she said, pulling me into a hug and giving me a kiss on my temple.

"Alright, I will," I said, "Adios papi."

"Bye Santanita," he said, wrapping his arms around Mae and me. I wiggled my way out.

"See you guys."


I tiptoed my way to the kitchen, setting the bag down slowly so I don't make any noise. It didn't work, Quinn's eagle ears perked up and I heard her bedroom door open. I rolled my eyes. I heard her shuffling behind me.

"Where were you?"

"My dads," I snipped, "I brought some food."

"What happened to hanging with me after work?"

I sighed and turned to look at Quinn. She was looking down, picking the skin around her nails.

"I honestly didn't want to be around you after finding out Brittany, the girl I've been drooling over for weeks now, has been doing the same," I said, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"San..."

"Be honest with me. No bullshit."

"Brittany is great. She's so kind and sweet and caring. And you're..." Quinn said, avoiding my gaze.

"The opposite?" I felt the anger rising, "I know I can be an asshole but not for no reason."

"Santana, when it comes to girls, you fuck them and leave," She said, "Brittany isn't just some girl you can do that to."

"I never said I wanted to do that to her!" I shouted, "So you decided not to tell me to protect who? Brittany? Quinn, what the fuck! You're my best friend!"

"Brittany is a kind soul that doesn't deserve to be tossed in the Santana Pile!"

"Those girls I fucked knew I wasn't looking for anything serious! I never led them on. I never lied to them," I said, "Quinn, you've known me for years and this is what you think of me? Wow!"

I put the rest of the food in the fridge and walked to my room.


I hid out at the cafe on campus all day. I went virtual for my classes today because I did not want to be in class but I also did not want to be at home. Do people really see me as that bad of a person?

"Santana, hey!" A voice said. I looked up and saw Bree. I shared a few classes with Bree last semester. She had invited me to her sorority house a few times for parties. Did we hook up? Yes. Was she made aware beforehand that I wasn't looking for anything serious? Also yes. Does she see me the same way Quinn sees me?

"You look deep in thought," she said, taking some fries I bought from Chick Fil-A.

"When we hooked up a few times last year, did you feel used afterwards?"

"Woah, I was not expecting that," she said, chuckling.

"Well..."

"If anything I was using you. We only had sex whenever me and my boyfriend were on a break. You told me this was just sex and that's what I wanted as well. A warm body under me when my boyfriend wasn't my boyfriend," Bree said, shrugging. I nodded, fine with the answer she gave me.

"Quinn made a comment about it and it's been irking me," I said.

"I know you sleep around Santana and I know a few of the girls you slept with. You've slept with a lot of my sorority sisters. They don't talk shit about you at all," She said, "They compare notes." She let out a huge laugh.

"Fuck what Quinn had to say about you sleeping with people. Don't no woman that you slept with got any bad energy towards you."

I nodded. She got up and gave me a hug.

"I gotta go but for real Santana, you're a sweetheart. Whatever Quinn said to get you so deep in your feelings, she obviously doesn't know you that well."


The temperature seemed to be at its hottest when I decided to take a nap in one of the hammocks that were up around campus. I used my sweatshirt and book bag for a pillow. The sun peeked through the trees. I heard someone walking and their footsteps got closer. I hope it's someone that is just going to use the other hammock. A tall figure blocked the little light that's shining on me. I opened my eyes a bit and saw the most beautiful blue eyes looking at me.

"We have to stop meeting like this," Brittany giggled out.

"Hi Brittany," I said smiling.