𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 | s. lopez + b. pierce

Sixteen

Santana made eye contact with Artie and smacked her butt as she walked into the choir room after school for Glee Club. She sat down in the middle row next to a half-awake Jayden, brushing her finger across the girl's lips.

"Tana!" Jayden laughed, hitting her girlfriend's hand away.

"Baby gorl." Santana poked one of the dimples in Jayden's smile.

"Okay!" Mr. Schue clapped his hands together as he walked into the choir room. "A big congrats to all our prom nominees!"

"That's my girl! That's my girl! That's my girl!" Jayden sang, hugging Santana's shoulders.

"But, hey, listen up. We are all winners, because Principal Figgins has asked New Directions to sing again this year!" Mr. Schue told them as everyone cheered. "Alright. Brittany has an announcement."

"Yeah, Britt!" Jayden cheered, clapping for her girlfriend.

Brittany smiled at her and sent her a wink. "Hello, my fellow Americans. The theme for this year's prom will be..." She played a drumroll with her feet. "Dinosaurs."

"Sheer genius," Santana smiled.

"I was inspired by the new girl, Joe, who reminds me of a cave woman," Brittany said as the boy frowned. "The refreshments will be berries, meat, and rainwater. As you are no doubt aware, the US elections are riddled with corruption. Therefore, to keep the prom elections completely aboveboard, I have appointed Jayden and Iris to count the ballots."

"What?" Santana scoffed. "Britt, that makes no sense. I don't want Jayden alone with her."

"Sanny, relax," Jayden sighed. "Iris and I already talked about it, and she agreed not to be mean."

"We're actually kind of friends now, I guess," Iris shrugged.

Santana scowled and narrowed her eyes at Iris. Her gaydar was never wrong, and she could feel the queer energy radiating off of her.

"And last but not least, all hair gel has been banned from the prom," Brittany announced as Blaine laughed.

"Right," he scoffed, rolling his eyes with a chuckle as if it was the funniest joke ever.

"I'm actually not joking," Brittany frowned. "Hair gel was not invented until almost 30 million years after the Upper Paleolithic Stone Age. And frankly, I don't like the way you look. Therefore, anyone who shows up to the prom wearing hair gel will be turned away at the door. I hereby decree this to be the best...prom...ever."

"O-Okay," Mr. Schue said as the New Directions hesitantly clapped. "Let's start thinking of...dinosaur songs."

****

Jayden took a deep breath as she approached Rachel's closed bedroom door. She knew she was to blame for what happened the previous week; after all, that's why Rachel was giving her the silent treatment, right?

She was used to it by now. They'd fight. She'd ignore her. Things would go back to normal in a few days. And then the cycle would repeat itself.

Only this time, an entire week had passed and she hadn't acknowledged Jayden's existence.

She knocked softly on the door. "Rachel?"

No response.

Jayden blinked back the tears filling her eyes as she knocked again, this time a little harder. "Rachel...I-I'm sorry, okay? I never should've said those things to you." Her voice broke, and a singular drop of saltwater rolled down her cheek. "Rae-Rae, please. I'm sorry...I-I'm so sorry...I-I...I love it when you sing...You're so talented, and I...I'm sorry."