Nostalgia
Not a Date
Santana opened the door to the Lopez household slowly, carefully, silently, trying not to wake any—
She heard footsteps. They were getting louder, getting closer. Santana froze. This feels like high school. She turned around, a little shakily, but then sighed in relief when she realized it wasn't her mother. "Hey, Papi."
"Hija, where have you been?" Manuel Lopez greeted her daughter with a big hug, to which the brunette reciprocated.
"I just went jogging outside. Mama didn't worry, did she?" Santana asked, a little concerned. Gabriela Lopez was not known for being "cool" with everything, after all, especially when it comes to her little "Santanita".
"I've gotten used to you hija." Her mother entered the room, laughing slightly. "I've known you all my life, Santanita. I know how much of a troublemaker you are." Santana frowned a little, but gave in to laughter seconds later.
"Are you hungry, mija? I made some paella just for you." Manuel said, quite proud of himself.
"Actually, Papi, I have to go after I change clothes. I'll be having lunch with one of my friends back in high school." Santana smiled nervously, taking note of the small frown her father tried to hide. "You know, catching up." She added, using Brittany's words.
Instead of getting upset like he always did, Manuel smiled. "I see. My Santanita has a date." He looked at his wife, who mirrored the huge smile he had on his face.
"It's not a date!" Santana denied, feeling her cheeks flush a little. This definitely feels like high school all over again, she sighed.
"So, who's the lucky girl, hija?" Her mother said, ignoring her daughter's previous denial. His father just stayed silent, clearly supressing a laugh. Santana sighed again; her parents were definitely having fun with this conversation.
"I told you, mama, it's just a friend. We're just high school friends catching up on each other's lives. No big deal." The lawyer replied, shaking her head because of where the conversation was going.
"Fine. But when she becomes your girlfriend, we want to be the first to know!" Her mother replied, still with the huge smile on her face.
In fact, Gabriela was truly happy. It had been years since she last heard her daughter meeting up with someone. The way Santana talked and denied everything like it was nothing, she knew there was something else. She saw it in Santana's face: the way her eyes sparkled at the mention of "date", the way her lips almost always curve into a smile, not to mention the red cheeks her daughter probably thought wasn't that noticeable. Obviously, it was.
Santana scoffed, "I think that's highly unlikely, considering everything that has happened." Her parents look confused and amused at the same time, and the lawyer realized what she had just said. "I mean.. I.." She couldn't think of anything else to say to cover up the words that had just come out of her lips. "I have to go upstairs and change into some decent clothes. Can't keep my friend waiting, can I?" Santana nervously chuckled, walking her way towards the stairs.
"Ah, so it is a date." Gabriela whispered to her husband, who nodded happily in reply.
"Santana, hija." Manuel called out.
"Yes, Papi?"
"When the date goes well, don't forget to ask her if she likes paella valenciana, bueno?"
--
After thirteen years of being gone, Santana realized that nothing really has changed in Lima. Breadstix was still the best restaurant in town. Once she entered the place, she immediately saw what was once her obsession: breadsticks. She looked around, seeing only slight differences from what she remembered before, and then started to look for Brittany. The blonde was alone in a booth situated at the far corner of the resto. She noticed that the girl had also changed clothes – she was wearing a simple blue dress right now – that flaunted her body perfectly.
Brittany finally saw the arriving brunette, and she unconsciously straightened her dress and fixed her hair a little. She stood up, as usual with a big smile on her face, and greeted Santana with a warm "friendly" embrace.
"Hi, Brittany." Santana spoke when she broke off the hug. She sat down, followed by the blonde across her. A waitress quickly appeared and took their orders. "Spaghetti with meatballs," they both said in unison. They looked at each other, a little surprised and happy at the same time. "Okay, 2 plates coming up!" The waitress said, walking away from the table.
"So.." Santana started.
"How are you, San?" Brittany asked, her mind full of questions.
"Great. But tired, actually. All these years, I've been using my time for studying and working my ass off in New York, and I am definitely in need of a break." Santana replied. "That's also one of the reasons why I came back. I'm thinking of staying here for a while with my parents. Just a little vacation, you know? New York's too busy for me." She added.
"Oh—"
"But you know me, I keep on fighting. So I'm actually having doubts about resting. My career has just started, and settling down for a while might mean a step back so—"
"No, San. Stay here in Lima. Rest. Enjoy life." Brittany interrupted. "You deserve it."
"Still thinking." Santana smiled. "And anyway, I came here too for the reunion. You know I don't like to say this out loud, but my happiest moments were in Glee." Santana almost whispered. Brittany laughed at her best friend's low voice.
"So anyway," Santana continued, "enough about me. How about you?"
"Well, I never really got out of Lima. I did have some projects far away from here, though, but they were somewhat rare. They did help me with the dance studio I have up right now."
"Wow, Britt!" Santana beamed. "A dance studio. You've always wanted that." Santana remembered how, at an early age, it was already the blonde's dream to be a dancer, and since then, Santana wished every night that someday, Brittany reaches those dreams. The wish had been heard, after all.
"Yeah." The blonde smiled. "Anyway, I teach dance classes every other day. Kids in the morning, then adults in the afternoon. Then sometimes my friends from other dance groups invite me to join their shows. That pays the bills most of the time."
"That's great, Brittany. I'm glad you never gave up on dancing." Santana replied.
"It's always been my dream. You know that." Brittany said, smiling at the brunette across from her.
"Yeah." Santana said, but clearly not knowing what to say next.
They sat there in silence for the next few minutes, both thinking about whether or not to talk about that thing. Before anyone else had the chance to talk, though, the waitress appeared once again and placed their plates on the table. This, at least, got them distracted for a little longer. While eating, they both decided to talk about safer topics – Quinn and Rachel, the other Glee kids, Lima – not making mention of any word related to their past, and present, if ever there was. They didn't want to ruin their first... lunch together. As friends.
Both of them were having a great time just enjoying each other's company. Brittany was laughing loudly at Santana's New York stories. Santana kept on smiling whenever they talked about how a bitch she was during high school. They both chuckled when the wheelbarrow of breadstix was mentioned in the conversation. Santana missed this. She missed the talks and laughs she shared with the blue-eyed blonde. She missed stealing glances every now and then. She missed the comfort and ease she feels when they were together. She was definitely enjoying this.
It was then and there that she decided to stay in Lima for a little longer, saying yes to the vacation.
"So, Brittany.."
"Yeah?"
"Do you like paella valenciana?"
She heard footsteps. They were getting louder, getting closer. Santana froze. This feels like high school. She turned around, a little shakily, but then sighed in relief when she realized it wasn't her mother. "Hey, Papi."
"Hija, where have you been?" Manuel Lopez greeted her daughter with a big hug, to which the brunette reciprocated.
"I just went jogging outside. Mama didn't worry, did she?" Santana asked, a little concerned. Gabriela Lopez was not known for being "cool" with everything, after all, especially when it comes to her little "Santanita".
"I've gotten used to you hija." Her mother entered the room, laughing slightly. "I've known you all my life, Santanita. I know how much of a troublemaker you are." Santana frowned a little, but gave in to laughter seconds later.
"Are you hungry, mija? I made some paella just for you." Manuel said, quite proud of himself.
"Actually, Papi, I have to go after I change clothes. I'll be having lunch with one of my friends back in high school." Santana smiled nervously, taking note of the small frown her father tried to hide. "You know, catching up." She added, using Brittany's words.
Instead of getting upset like he always did, Manuel smiled. "I see. My Santanita has a date." He looked at his wife, who mirrored the huge smile he had on his face.
"It's not a date!" Santana denied, feeling her cheeks flush a little. This definitely feels like high school all over again, she sighed.
"So, who's the lucky girl, hija?" Her mother said, ignoring her daughter's previous denial. His father just stayed silent, clearly supressing a laugh. Santana sighed again; her parents were definitely having fun with this conversation.
"I told you, mama, it's just a friend. We're just high school friends catching up on each other's lives. No big deal." The lawyer replied, shaking her head because of where the conversation was going.
"Fine. But when she becomes your girlfriend, we want to be the first to know!" Her mother replied, still with the huge smile on her face.
In fact, Gabriela was truly happy. It had been years since she last heard her daughter meeting up with someone. The way Santana talked and denied everything like it was nothing, she knew there was something else. She saw it in Santana's face: the way her eyes sparkled at the mention of "date", the way her lips almost always curve into a smile, not to mention the red cheeks her daughter probably thought wasn't that noticeable. Obviously, it was.
Santana scoffed, "I think that's highly unlikely, considering everything that has happened." Her parents look confused and amused at the same time, and the lawyer realized what she had just said. "I mean.. I.." She couldn't think of anything else to say to cover up the words that had just come out of her lips. "I have to go upstairs and change into some decent clothes. Can't keep my friend waiting, can I?" Santana nervously chuckled, walking her way towards the stairs.
"Ah, so it is a date." Gabriela whispered to her husband, who nodded happily in reply.
"Santana, hija." Manuel called out.
"Yes, Papi?"
"When the date goes well, don't forget to ask her if she likes paella valenciana, bueno?"
--
After thirteen years of being gone, Santana realized that nothing really has changed in Lima. Breadstix was still the best restaurant in town. Once she entered the place, she immediately saw what was once her obsession: breadsticks. She looked around, seeing only slight differences from what she remembered before, and then started to look for Brittany. The blonde was alone in a booth situated at the far corner of the resto. She noticed that the girl had also changed clothes – she was wearing a simple blue dress right now – that flaunted her body perfectly.
Brittany finally saw the arriving brunette, and she unconsciously straightened her dress and fixed her hair a little. She stood up, as usual with a big smile on her face, and greeted Santana with a warm "friendly" embrace.
"Hi, Brittany." Santana spoke when she broke off the hug. She sat down, followed by the blonde across her. A waitress quickly appeared and took their orders. "Spaghetti with meatballs," they both said in unison. They looked at each other, a little surprised and happy at the same time. "Okay, 2 plates coming up!" The waitress said, walking away from the table.
"So.." Santana started.
"How are you, San?" Brittany asked, her mind full of questions.
"Great. But tired, actually. All these years, I've been using my time for studying and working my ass off in New York, and I am definitely in need of a break." Santana replied. "That's also one of the reasons why I came back. I'm thinking of staying here for a while with my parents. Just a little vacation, you know? New York's too busy for me." She added.
"Oh—"
"But you know me, I keep on fighting. So I'm actually having doubts about resting. My career has just started, and settling down for a while might mean a step back so—"
"No, San. Stay here in Lima. Rest. Enjoy life." Brittany interrupted. "You deserve it."
"Still thinking." Santana smiled. "And anyway, I came here too for the reunion. You know I don't like to say this out loud, but my happiest moments were in Glee." Santana almost whispered. Brittany laughed at her best friend's low voice.
"So anyway," Santana continued, "enough about me. How about you?"
"Well, I never really got out of Lima. I did have some projects far away from here, though, but they were somewhat rare. They did help me with the dance studio I have up right now."
"Wow, Britt!" Santana beamed. "A dance studio. You've always wanted that." Santana remembered how, at an early age, it was already the blonde's dream to be a dancer, and since then, Santana wished every night that someday, Brittany reaches those dreams. The wish had been heard, after all.
"Yeah." The blonde smiled. "Anyway, I teach dance classes every other day. Kids in the morning, then adults in the afternoon. Then sometimes my friends from other dance groups invite me to join their shows. That pays the bills most of the time."
"That's great, Brittany. I'm glad you never gave up on dancing." Santana replied.
"It's always been my dream. You know that." Brittany said, smiling at the brunette across from her.
"Yeah." Santana said, but clearly not knowing what to say next.
They sat there in silence for the next few minutes, both thinking about whether or not to talk about that thing. Before anyone else had the chance to talk, though, the waitress appeared once again and placed their plates on the table. This, at least, got them distracted for a little longer. While eating, they both decided to talk about safer topics – Quinn and Rachel, the other Glee kids, Lima – not making mention of any word related to their past, and present, if ever there was. They didn't want to ruin their first... lunch together. As friends.
Both of them were having a great time just enjoying each other's company. Brittany was laughing loudly at Santana's New York stories. Santana kept on smiling whenever they talked about how a bitch she was during high school. They both chuckled when the wheelbarrow of breadstix was mentioned in the conversation. Santana missed this. She missed the talks and laughs she shared with the blue-eyed blonde. She missed stealing glances every now and then. She missed the comfort and ease she feels when they were together. She was definitely enjoying this.
It was then and there that she decided to stay in Lima for a little longer, saying yes to the vacation.
"So, Brittany.."
"Yeah?"
"Do you like paella valenciana?"