𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 | s. lopez

Shooting Star

"This is my fault, isn't it?" Santana mumbled, running a hand through her raven hair. "I did this to her. I was the one who kept putting all this stress on her by going back to Lima. I was the one who decided to be immature and pay some girl to pretend to be my girlfriend to make her jealous. I was the one who continued to make her jealous by being all over Quinn at Mr. Schue's joke of a wedding. And now... now... ugh, I'm the worst person in the world!"

"San, it's not your fault," said Kurt, hugging the Latina and allowing her to cry into her shoulder. "We all make mistakes, okay. You couldn't have known that this was going to happen."

"She hates me now and I just wish I could take it all back."

"She doesn't hate you."

"Yes she does!" cried Santana, pulling away from Kurt. "After I performed that number for Diva Week, I saw Brittany holding her at her locker and her exact words were, 'I fucking hate her!'"

"Juniper doesn't hate you. She loves you, and that's why she's so hurt by all of this," Kurt said, gently wiping a tear off of the Latina's cheek. "Have you heard from her at all?"

"No, I haven't fucking heard from her. She doesn't want anything to do with me," said Santana. She sighed and leaned back against the couch cushions. "I... um, I did hear from Quinn that Burt and Carole are making Juniper go to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings since she doesn't want to go to rehab again."

"Yeah that's what Finn told me when I talked to him the other day," said Kurt.

The two sat in silence for a while. All Santana could think about was how much she'd hurt the one person she loves more than anything in the world. There was one way she knew how to cope...

No, the Latina scolded herself. You're in a better place now. You don't do that anymore. You have to stay strong. For Juni. If not for you, then for her.

****

"Britt, you can't be serious," said Juniper as they walked down the hall. "I mean there's no way that a comet is headed towards Earth."

"Fine, don't believe me. But when it hits and we die, don't say I didn't warn you," Brittany said as they reached the door of the choir room. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom real quick. I'll be right back."

Brittany gave Juniper a quick kiss on the cheek before heading down the hall. The brunette went into the choir room and sat down next to Artie. A couple minutes later, Mr. Schue and Coach Beiste entered the room.

"Let's get started," Mr. Schue clapped his hands together, but there was a louder sound behind it.

Artie and Juniper exchanged a look and then another shot fired. There was screaming heard from the hallway.

This isn't happening, Juniper thought as her heartbeat quickened.

"Everybody spread out and hide," said Mr. Schue. "Spread out and hide."

Juniper grabbed the handles of Artie's wheelchair and the two went over to the wall. Some of the others pushed the piano against the door and Mr. Schue turned the lights off. Sam helped Juniper pick Artie up out of his chair and set him down gently on the floor.

"Are we even sure those were gunshots?" asked Blaine and Coach Beiste and Mr. Schue shushed him.

Juniper felt Artie reach for her hand and Sam put an arm around her. The three friends sat quietly, the only sound being heard was the shaky breathing and muffled sobs coming from the people in the room.

"Guys, start texting, tweeting. Let everyone know what's going on. But don't let them know we're here," said Mr. Schue in a hushed voice.

Juniper let go of Artie's hand as she reached for her phone. She texted the group chat with Kurt, Finn, Burt, and Carole first before texting Rachel and then Quinn. The brunette bit her lip before texting Santana. She deserved to know what was going on.

Juniper looked around the room and placed a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound of her terrified cries.

"Shh, Juni, it's okay," said Sam, wrapping his arms around the smaller girl.

"Brittany isn't here," the brunette choked out through the tears.

"Tina isn't here either," said Blaine.

There was rustling at the door. Someone was trying to get in. Juniper's breathing became rapid and Sam held her tighter.

"It's okay," the blonde boy whispered.

Blaine came over to where Juniper, Sam, and Artie were sitting. Mr. Schue got up and sneaked out of the classroom. A few minutes later, he came back with Brittany.

Juniper quickly got up and ran over to her. She tightly wrapped her arms around the younger girl, holding her closely.

"I love you so much," Brittany said between sobs.

"I love you too."

Police sirens sounded in the distance. A couple minutes later, someone yelled, "All clear!"

It was over. Coach Beiste turned the lights back on. Juniper hugged Blaine and then Sam. Then she walked over to Artie and hugged him tightly.

"I love you," said Juniper.

"Love you too," said Artie.

Brittany and Juniper helped him back into his wheelchair and went over to the others.

"I love you all," said Mr. Schue.

****

Santana was nervously pacing back and forth in the loft, anxiously waiting for any update on what was happening at McKinley.

A phone buzzed. The Latina looked down, only to be disappointed when it wasn't hers.

"They're okay," said Rachel. "Juniper just texted me."

"Oh, thank god," Santana sighed in relief. Her phone buzzed and she looked down at the text from Juniper. She chuckled a little and read the text out loud. "'I'm alive, idiot. Quit acting like a freaked out Minion on steroids.'"

"That's our Juni," Kurt smiled.

"She's grown so much," said Rachel. "I mean, she's still little, but she's grown as a person. I'm really proud of her and- Santana, are you crying?"

"I'm okay," the Latina sniffled as Kurt wrapped her in a hug. "It's just... oh god, she really has grown so much. I mean... she's graduating soon. What's gonna happen then?"

"She's tough," said Kurt, giving Santana a small smile as they pulled out of the hug. "She's gonna be okay."

****