The L  Word.

Santana understood the significance of the word. She, herself, still couldn’t use it. Not in relation to herself, anyway.

She fast-forwarded to the next scene with Bette and Tina. She thought that she and Brittany were like Bette and Tina. She was dark, quick witted, and a hot head – like Bette. Brittany was blonde and sweet and innocent – like Tina.

Santana hated when Tibette broke up. She especially hated when Tina started dating that gross guy. The thought of Brittany dating anyone else made Santana sick to her stomach.

She tried to find some assurance when they were on their date at Breadstix. “Are we dating?” She prayed for a yes. She didn’t want just sex with Britt. She had her share of “just sex.” She wanted Brittany’s heart and attention. She sort of got a yes – Britt thought that taking baths together was dating. Santana tried to put her fears to rest. She smiled and tried to hold Brittany’s hand, but she covered it up with a napkin.

Brittany was in a world of her own, but Santana knew that deep down, there was a sweet, caring girl who was going to do her own thing. Santana hoped she really got the significance of the two of the dating – or bathing.

It was hard enough trying to negotiate that people were figuring her out. She hated it. She wanted a wall of privacy as big as the Great Wall of China around her, but she knew if she had any hope of earning Britt’s love, she had to accept herself – and be more public about it.

It was frustrating, and her frustration let loose the way it always let loose – with her razor-like tongue that could eviscerate innocent bystanders.

Finn was no innocent, though. It was Frankenteen who outed her to the entire school. Chicken or egg? Was Santana bullying Finn with all the fat talk, humiliating him in public? Did it justify his outing of her?

She couldn’t think. She felt like his massive bulk was sitting on her chest when she watched the video that literally labeled the L word. She was collateral damage in Coach Sylvester’s political campaign. All of Ohio was about to know she was a l… L word