Wearing The Color Red

Chapter 2: Ogle

After exiting my house, I walk down the porch to the edge of the street, waiting for Santana to arrive. Santana is my best friend and has always been by my side, no matter what unexpected scenario entered my troubled life. She has become my anchor, the person that holds me tightly through every brewing storm.

My first day of elementary consisted of a my fellow pupils gawking, and making snarky comments about my appearance, I began to isolate myself from others, and mentally hide myself away. While sitting at the canteen table by myself during recess, I stared down at my meal that consisted of a Twinkie and a Caprisun, the only items that I could find in my kitchen that morning. As I was about to begin my depressing lunch, Santana approached me and offered an exchange, my Twinkie for her ham and cheese sandwich, when I questioned her deal, her response was "I like Twinkies, and I hate ham and cheese." Ever since then Samantha has been the yin to my yang.

Pixie Lott "all about tonight" floods my ears while I look to left and see Santana's fiat 500 slowing down next to me. I shake my head while a goofy grin appears on my face, she parks her car next to me.

"Get in loser! We're going shopping." Santana screams from her car. "Okay, Regina George." I open the passage door and jump inside, I buckle myself in and look towards Santana.

Her black hair is straight which compliments her pink crop top and dark ripped denim jeans. Santana lets out a large gasp and looks me up and down. "On Wednesdays we wear pink!" Her large sarcastic grin makes me burst into a fit of giggles as she chuckles with me. "Lucky for me it's a Monday and we're going to school, not shopping so put that damn foot on the gas."

Santana turns her gaze towards the window and begins to shift the car into gear. "For you Glenn coco! You go Glenn coco!" My laughter echos throughout the car while Santana drives down the road laughing with me. As you can tell, mean girls is our favourite film.

***

"Coffee in the cup holder." I glance at Santana as she points towards the two cups sitting together, steam brewing from their lids. "You are a life saver!" I pick up one of the cups and take a large sip. The strong scent and rich taste awakens my lethargic brain. I place the cup back into it's holder. "Thank you, I needed that."

Santana's eyes connect with mine before returning back to the road "Another rough night?" I nod while looking out of my passenger window. "Yep, same old." A long sigh escapes her lips "Rachel, you know you always have a place to stay at mine if things are getting to much at home, my mum and dad love you, so it's really not a problem."

I shake my head as I glance downwards at my hands that sit in my lap, I begin to pick away at my chipped nail polish, a pessimistic habbit of mine.

The thought of leaving home and living with the Lopez's sounds like a dream, an unrealistic dream that I could never live. Not to to stay the Lopez's could not accommodate me, their large 8 bedroom property and ten acre of land, begs to differ but leaving my father to currently care for himself and maintain our homes outgoings and utilities, felt selfish to me.

My father will never receive 'father of the year' award, but he has been the only adult in my life that showed some concern about my wellbeing. Besides, my father's absent times and drunken, black-out states help me to come and go from work without any questions being asked.

"Thank you, You know I do really appreciate the offer, but I don't see the point in temporary moving to your home when I'm leaving for New York at the end of our senior year. I just have to endure another 5 months and I'll be free." Her eyes connect to mine as she nods her head in understanding. "Okay, but the offer is always there." I nod as I cover her hand that sits on the steering wheel with mine, softly squeezing to show that I am grateful.

The sound of my phone alerts me to a text message, I retrieve the device and enter my passcode, bringing up my recent messages.

"Palace de crown hotel, 6:30pm. Gentlemen will be wearing signature red tie, wear the red dress. - DR"

Switching the screen off I slide my phone into the front of my hoodie and retrieve my coffee from the holder, I glance in Santana's direction to see that her sight is still on the road. "Who was that?" She picks up her own coffee cup and takes a sip while looking my way to grab my attention, crap. "Just AT&T, nothing important." She nods as her focus returns to the road.

Santana indicates while turning into the pupil car park at our school and pulls up into a space. We both begin to collect our belongings for the day and exit the car. I look towards Santana,"Thank you for picking me up today I appreciate it." I watch as she shakes her head side to side and looks back up at me "Rachel Berry! every single day I pick you up and drop you home. And each day you say thank you. I appreciate the politeness, but for the love of god stop saying it every time like it's a chore! Girl you're my BFF not a heist. If you suddenly turned into Karen smith and started touching you're boobs guessing the forecast, I would still pick you up."

A chuckle escapes my lips as I walk to the other side of the car, grabbing Santana's hand in mine, "Like, why are you so obsessed with me?" She nudges against me, laughing, as we head towards the entrance, As we walk together I observe my surroundings, Looking at my peers, huddled in their own cliques.

Over on my left standing near the dumpsters that hide behind a large oak tree, I see your typical stoners, sharing spliffs together while not so far away a group of art enthusiasts sit in a circle trying to picture the large tree onto their canvas's while physically trying to swat away the smoke and smell. I laughed at the sight, why don't you just move away and sketch somewhere else? What is so fascinating about that tree?

I look to my right and see the typical goths and emo's, head banging to the sound of screeching metal music being blasted from a near by car. Your geeks sit at the bottom of stairs leading up to the entrance of the school, exchanging notes and tips on previous and up-coming papers to one another.

While everybody around me has there own circles, I have always found it difficult to find a place on the social ladder. Perhaps my devoted attention on achieving my grades has distracted me from forming more friendships with others, or due to being mocked and ridiculed throughout my schooling life people tend to keep their distance, accept for Santana who "couldn't give two shits about being a certain reputation, and be-friends whoever the hell she wants." Either way, I've learnt to adapt. In 5 months time non of this will matter.

As we approach the building Santana begins to talk about a new restaurant in town that she wants to try out, I nod my head while trying to concentrate on each word that she says, but my sight gradually goes up each step and suddenly locks straight towards him.

Finn Hudson.