Santana Lopez (sg_santana) wrote in supergleerpg, @ 2011-12-20 14:12:00 |
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Entry tags: | !type: narrative, !type: text, -2011: december, character: brittany pierce, wanted character: santana lopez, ~complete |
Narrative and text messages: Santana and an explanation
Date: December 20, early morning
Characters: Santana and her mom
Location: Lima Heights
Summary: It takes sneaking out on a Monday to get Santana’s mom’s attention, which leads to a much-needed admission
It was just on 5am when Santana slid her key into the lock. The click of the shifting bolt seemed impossibly loud in the empty hallway. She winced as she eased the door open to find her mother, fast asleep in the armchair and clearly waiting up for her wayward daughter.
The sound of the door closing was enough to rouse her, sitting up immediately and fixing a mega-glare on Santana despite being practically unconscious a millisecond prior. It must be something they teach women when they become moms, Santana decided, hanging her coat on the door and toeing her heels off, offering a smile in the direction of her less-than-pleased mother.
“Where have you been?”
“Uh. Out?” It wasn’t like Santana didn’t go out running or swimming this time of day every second morning anyway. She just… didn’t usually do it in a short dress and shiny tights.
“Out where? And on a school night?”
Wow. Her mom wasn’t usually this persistant… then again, she didn’t usually wait up all night for Santana to come home. Santana dropped her bag onto the side table, crossing the room to take a seat on the edge of the couch. How was she gonna get out of this one? She couldn’t get Britt involved, just in case her mom decided to act like Santana was 14 and call Mrs Pierce to check up on her story.
“I stayed over at one of the Cheerios’.”
Her mom’s eyebrow twitched. “Where were you really?”
“Mama! I was at Missy’s! We were working on some dumb English project.” Totally a better excuse. It wasn’t like she could come out and say that she’d driven out to Bowling Green again after Allie texted asking if she wanted to hook up. As if that was even a question.
“San, honey, you know I can always tell when you’re lying. You’re 18 and I have never known you to care enough about a school project to spend a whole night working on it. And definitely not dressed like that. I don’t think you can fit many textbooks in that handbag.” Her mom sighed. “Be honest with me. Was it a boy? I know you’re sneaking around doing something, otherwise you could just tell me the truth and this conversation would be over.”
“Mom, please. As if there are any boys in this town worth the trouble.”
That eyebrow twitched again. “A boy out of town, then? You seem to be going through a lot of gas lately, and that car of yours is supposed to be economical.”
Santana hesitated. This was her cue to invent some hunky guy from Carmel she was seeing. Maybe her mom knew when she was lying, but Santana could spin a good tale when she wanted to. But something was stopping her. Maybe it was the lingering memory of Allie, or that flash of Brittany’s face in her mind when she was thinking up an excuse. When was the last time she and her mom crossed paths long enough to actually talk? And when was the last time she really wanted to? Her mom was a busy lady, but she was still the same artsy, free-spirit Santana had known her whole life. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt. Maybe it would be okay to talk to her mom.
She had to tell someone - and who could she talk to at school? It was like a weight on her shoulders – or, rather, an anvil on her chest, pressing down more and more every time she imagined the shitstorm Jacob Ben Israel would create if he found out.
But her mom wouldn’t tell. She was always Santana’s best secret-keeper. And if things went bad, she could always claim she was drunk and talking shit. The lecture on drunk-driving would be worth it for the get-out-of-jail-free card.
“No, mom,” Santana said finally, eyes resting on her knees before she forced herself to look up at her mother. “I’m not driving out of town to see a boy.” A pause. She kept her eyes fixed on her mom’s. It took more effort than she thought possible, and why was her mouth suddenly so dry? “I. Uh. I’m driving out of town to see a girl.”
Her mom blinked. The longest moment of Santana’s life slowly passed. Then she tilted her head. “Did the Pierces move out of Lima? I thought she was still dating that boy with the glasses.”
“No. No, Britt didn’t move.” Santana waited. Her mom hadn’t understood? She didn’t know if she could say it again.
“Oh. You're - not Brittany?" Was that surprise in her mom's voice? She'd given nothing away at Santana's big revelation, but it was the news that she was seeing a girl that wasn't Britt that was truly surprising? Go figure. In any other situation, Santana might've laughed. "This girl. You’re dating then? What’s her name?” Her mom’s voice was even, and her face gave nothing away. Santana’s eyes dropped to the floor, and she forced herself to look up again.
“Ah. No. We’re not dating. But she’s. She’s nice. Her name’s Allison. Allie.”
“She sounds nice,” her mom said, lips parting into a smile. “But don’t think this is going to get you off my shit-list for sneaking out on a Monday night. Do you know how uncomfortable this chair is?”
Santana just stared, until her mom’s mouth broke out into a full-on smile. “Baby. Come here.” She held her arms out, and after a second, Santana squeezed herself into the chair beside her, her mom hugging her like she hadn’t since she was a kid.
“Am I supposed to be surprised, baby?” Her mom murmured into her hair. “Did you really think I’d be angry? I was sure you and Britt were dating the first time I saw the two of you together.”
That didn’t make it any less terrifying.
“If Allie makes you happy – if being with a girl is what makes you happy – then I’m happy too,” her mom said, wrapping her arms tight around Santana’s frame. “I don’t want you to ever be scared to talk to me about anything. Ever. I love you, no matter what.”
“What’s dad gonna say?” Santana finally found her voice.
“We’ll worry about that when we need to, San.” Her mom sounded so sure, and so anything-but-mad that Santana forced herself to stop picturing her Dad’s horrified face. “Since when do we care about that asshole anyway?”
“Right on.” She sat up, shifting back in her mom’s hold and breathing deeply to rid herself of the tears she could feel prickling her eyes. “I love you too, Mama.”
Her mom smiled, and no matter how hard Santana searched, she couldn’t see anything in her eyes but compassion and affection. No anger. No disappointment.
Santana stood up, glancing over to the clock. She groaned. “I think we need some coffee.”
Her mom stood up too, sliding her arm around Santana’s shoulders again. “You read my mind.”
Text message
To: Brittany [5:43am]
morning :) i have to talk to you bout something. wait for me after cheerios?