Work Text:
"Tryouts are over." Santana glares suspiciously at the new girl walking into the gym. She's seen her around though she doesn't ever recall hearing her speak. The armwarmers she wears might prove practical, but the rest of the girl's outfit -- combat boots, fishnet sleeves, bright and distractingly blue hair streaks -- are completely at odds with her small, shaky smile.
Good. Better to weed out the ones you can intimidate, anyway. They always end up being more trouble in the end.
"The flyer said you were open until six? It's..." The girl trails off, checking her watch. "Um, it's only 5:55."
"Is it?" Blaine asks from Santana's left side, keeping his voice low and quiet. "The turnout was lower than we'd expected, Santana. We've got a few minutes. Let's see what she can do!"
There are exclamation points in his stupid cartoon eyes.
"Fine," Santana says. "You have five minutes to show us what you can do." She smiles slowly, crossing her arms. "Impress me."
There's a glint in the girl's eyes at Santana's words. She digs through her bag and pulls out a CD. "Can you play this? I always perform better to music."
"Sure!" Blaine takes the CD before Santana has a chance to give her a hard time, and really, what's the point in being co-captains at the top of the McKinley High food chain if they can't play with their food a little?
"Hi," the girl says, after kicking off her shoes and stretching her arms above her head. "My name's Tina." Santana grunts in acknowledgement -- the fact is irrelevant for now -- and Tina nods at Blaine. "Ready!"
The music starts, and Santana taps her feet impatiently through the intro, sighing loudly until the beat drops in the first verse and -- okay, Tina manages eight near-flawless back handsprings in a row before the chorus of Play's "Us Against the World" hits. She steps out of position, barely even breathing harder than normal, and tilts her head, chin jutting out. The smile she wears is a challenge. "Well?"
Blaine, of course, is beaming, clapping like the overgrown toddler he is. "You're amazing!"
"Thanks," Tina says, and her smile softens. "I've been a flyer, but I'm a better base."
Santana can feel herself giving in -- they need a new base, badly. She looks at Blaine, raising a brow, but she already has his answer. He hasn't been this excited since the Cheerios did a routine to "Funky Town".
"Practice is at four on Friday." Santana unfolds her arms and leans forward. "And I expect you there. On time."
Tina squeals "Yes!" and gathers her things, and they watch her leave.
"She's great, right?" Blaine says, and he holds his palm out, face-up. "We chose well."
"Yeah. She's got potential." Santana slaps her palm on his in a quiet low-five. "I like it."