The Beginning (Brittana)

19

Santana's POV

I couldn't believe that I had gotten injured at cheer camp and it wasn't even during practice. Due to my now sprained ankle, I wasn't allowed to participate in most activities for the rest of cheer camp, and I would still be stuck wearing the tensor band for some time after camp was over. I was not happy about it.

My parents barely even questioned my sprained ankle when I arrived home. Well, my mom seemed to care, at least a little, but my dad was gone, working as per usual.

During the summer months, I was home alone a lot. My dad worked almost constantly year-round, and my mom worked about as many hours as school usually is but during the summer as well.

When I was home alone, I spent a lot of time listening to music. I wouldn't admit it to anyone at school (other than maybe Brittany), but I loved singing. So, I'd sing along to my favorite songs. My taste in music was very different than Brittany's. I preferred Amy Winehouse and Alanis Morissette to Disney and bubblegum pop music.

Whenever my parents were home, though, I put in my headphones to listen to music and rarely dared to even hum the melody.

---

That year, my birthday would be after school started. I knew my parents would never allow me to have a big party like Brittany had, so I planned to invite Quinn and Brittany over on August 17th, which was four days before school started.

Both girls came after I finished eating supper, and my mom was still doing the dishes in the kitchen.

"Happy birthday, Santana!" Brittany was more excited than I was for my birthday.

"Happy birthday," Quinn said.

"It's not my birthday yet," I replied.

"I know, but it is your party, so I'm saying it anyway," Brittany reasoned, still too enthusiastic for the situation.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" I asked once the girls' shoes were off.

"You should open presents first," Brittany said.

We went to my bedroom. Brittany wanted to give me her present last, so Quinn went first. Quinn gave me some make-up and a gift card.

Brittany was very excited as she handed me a rainbow gift bag with glittery tissue paper covering up my present. I took out the tissue paper. Then, I took a leather jacket out of the bag. It must have been pretty expensive.

"Thank you, Britt," I said.

"You're welcome," she replied, "but there's more."

I looked inside the bag again and found a piece of paper stuck to the bottom of the bag.

"It's for tomorrow," she said. "If you want to come to the fair with me. I would have invited Quinn," Brittany continued, "but it's her parents' anniversary."

I accepted. Even though I hadn't been to the carnival since I was quite young, I was sure that going with Brittany would be very amusing.

We watched Clueless while eating popcorn after we'd cleaned up all the tissue paper.

Once the movie was over, Quinn and Brittany left to go home.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Brittany said. "My mom can pick you up at 10."

"Okay."

---

I was dressed and ready just before 10 o'clock the next morning. My clothes were casual: jeans shorts, a t-short, and sandals. Knowing Brittany, we'd be running around, playing games, and going on rides all day, so I packed a backpack to make sure I'm prepared.