Prologue

Brittany has an older sister- she's her step-sister to be more exact. Her name is Quinn Fabray. Quinn is very calculated, cold, and reserved. She is also exquisitely beautiful. Sometimes, Brittany catches the last remains of her older sister's perfume as she walks down the small corridor that leads to her room and she's pretty sure Quinn smells like perfection- not that she ever smelt perfection before, but the older girl's elegantly discreet albeit lingering odour doesn't seem to deserve any other name.

Quinn is a walking mystery. Nobody ever knows what she's doing. She keeps everything to herself. Brittany spends a lot of time wondering what can be hiding behind her step-sister's gorgeous hazel eyes. She thinks, she hopes, she wishes, that when she gets older she'll be able to understand all those mysteries her sister is concealing under her long lashes.

Quinn doesn't walk, she glides. Her step is light, almost fairy-like. She seems to appear at the most unexpected moments and she disappears as furtively as she comes. Brittany is pretty sure she is some sort of mystical creature. She's almost certain that the older girl has magic powers and- even though she admires her - she has to admit that she's a bit afraid of her.

The thing with Quinn is that no one never really knows where they stand with her because she is completely unpredictable. One moment she is sweet and gentle, the other she is vicious and cruel, but no matter what she does Brittany worships the ground where she stands.

Quinn has a boyfriend. Her boyfriend's name is Finn. He doesn't dress too well and always wear a goofy smile on his face, but he plays football and Brittany and Quinn's parents like him. Brittany doesn't like him, but she doesn't dislike him either. She is indifferent to him. He waves at her awkwardly whenever he enters a room and she's already there.

Finn never really knows what to do with his hands. Most of the time, he chooses to put them in his pockets. He is clumsy. He bumps into everything. He is so tall that Brittany is sure that he's a giant, maybe an ogre. Sometimes, he holds his hand up in the air and he makes fun of her while she tries to jump high enough to reach it. She likes it when he does that.

Finn eats with his mouth open. When he bends over the table to grasp the salt or the ketchup, he always knocks something down. Brittany thinks is funny the way Finn smells like cheeseburger. Sometimes, she wonders if Quinn can taste that weird cheeseburger essence of his off his lips.

Quinn's best friend's name is Santana, Santana Lopez. They are always together, walking side by side, the skirt of their cheerleading uniforms swaying in a synchronized motion. Brittany likes to watch them walk because even though they have the same cadence, their demeanour is different.

Quinn always stands with her head held up high. She is always gazing straight ahead and her hands moving around as she speaks. She is so naturally elegant that she seems to come from another world. Santana, on the other hand, walks with her arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes are often narrowed, dark, and they always seem to be scanning their surroundings.

Brittany likes Santana even though the older girl seemed mean at first. She likes her a lot. She's always happy when she sees her parking her car in the driveway. She gets so excited that she runs down the stairs and flings the front door open before the older girl even has the time to step onto the porch. Most of the time, Santana looks surprised to be greeted in such way, but Brittany knows the dark brunette loves it because she always smiles at her and ruffles her hair before walking into the house. Sometimes, she even picks her up and kisses her all over her cheeks. Brittany likes it when Santana holds her close like that because she can smell the moisturizer she uses to keep her skin smooth and it smells like sunshine.