So you guys get to quickly meet Santana's brother and mother in this chapter. Don't worry there will be a lot of elaborating about the tension.
"Mija, where have you been? What happened to your face?" My mom grabbed my face and pulled me closer to her so that she could examine my features. "Por Dios mija!" She exclaimed running a towel under some cool water and pressing it to my lip. I winced a little but endured the pain hoping that she wouldn't ask any questions.
"Mami, it's fine." I assured her pulling away.
"Where did you get those bruises? Have you been messing around with those gangs Tana?" My mom's creaked with anger and I sat down at the table slowly. I know what gangs can do to a family and nothing good ever comes from it, but if my mom found out I was tagging with Puck and Quinn she'd kill me.
"No, you know I wouldn't." She thought so low of me, even though she knew that night wasn't my fault. I turned when I heard a loud knock at the door. It was past ten o'clock at night and my mom was getting ready to go to her night shift job at the free clinic. No one should have been knocking and the only person that I could think of that would come over is Quinn. My mom looked at me waiting for me to move and get the door but I couldn't. If it was Quinn, I wouldn't be able to face her right now.
"What am I slave? I do absolutely everything around here and you can't get up and get the door?" My mom rambled off as she walked towards the door. When I heard my mother gasp I knew it couldn't be good. I jumped up out of my chair and rushed over to see who it was.
I could honestly say that I wasn't expecting to see my older brother wheeling in through my apartment door anytime soon. My mother and I parted so that he could go past us, both of us speechless. The last time he was here he got into it with my mom over money. Sure he's in a wheel chair but she said that he needed to get a job. He thinks he's too good for that, he's always thought he's too good for everything. That was over a month ago, and now my mom's lips were sealed and she held a demeanor of anger and fear. "Glad to see that you're back Emilio, I have to go to work…you're welcome back as always." She barley looked at him before she exited the apartment.
I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at my brother from where I was standing. He looked rugged and he wasn't cleanly shaven like he always used to be. He wasn't even wearing his signature army jacket. Honestly, he looked pitiful, but I held little pity for me. "Can't say I expected a party or anything." He joked trying to brighten the mood.
"You should've called first." I said shaking my head at him.
"And say what? That I ran out of money up there in Cleveland? No way! I had to come back here, you know why." He said wheeling past me and searching the refrigerator for food but only finding old takeout and milk.
"No I really don't."
"I'm a hero down here-." I scuffed and walked past him to sit down on the couch. Who did he think he was? He's acting like some sort of martyr for the cause. He was all just talk to me.
"To who? You got it in with the Royals, you sold out Heights for shit money…and then you got out. You know what kind of shit I get for that? It's hard when you know that gangs out to get you, but you don't know when they'll strike." I explained to him.
"Yeah well I think I know." He said pointing to his paralyzed legs. "Did the Royals do that to your face?" He asked.
"And if they did? It's not like you could do anything about it." I told him.
"It's always the short straw with you! I can't even breathe without you scrutinizing me! I fucking said I'm sorry about what happened to her, when will that ever be enough?" He snapped. I wanted to punch his face in but instead I clenched my fist as tightly as I could.
"Apologizing won't help you fucking asshole-." The soft knock at the door was barley audible. But I heard it well enough. I didn't care who it was, I just needed an excuse to get away from my brother before I killed him. I flung open the door and there was Rachel standing in front of me. She was holding alcohol wipes and cotton balls in one hand and a dry cloth in the other. "Rachel…what the hell are you doing?" I whispered. This could not be happening, not with my brother inside right now.
"I know you don't know me very well but one thing you should know is that when I get something on my mind I can't get it out. I've been thinking about those bruises of yours since I dropped you off, and I just had this compulsive need to come and fix them. I could lie and say that I'm doing this for medical purposes but it's mostly because I like to control everything and repair anything." I couldn't believe that she said that all in one breath but mostly I was surprised that I didn't slam the door in her face.
"Come in." I offered but I refused to let her look around like she had before. I grabbed her hand and pulled her past my brother and into my room. She didn't ask who the man in the wheelchair was and I didn't feel like I had to tell her. "So what am I like your pet project or something?" I asked flopping down on my bed and watching as she ran her fingers over just about everything in my room.
"Pet has the meaning of being small, I consider you a very big project actually." I didn't know if she was joking or not and I was afraid to ask so I just leaned back further on my bed. "Sit up." Rachel ordered.
"I'd rather endure the pain in this position." I told her closing my eyes and relaxing. "Ow!" I screeched jumping up to a seat position. Rachel giggled as she dabbed my lip again with the painfully healing alcohol rub. She focused intensely on my lips, and I couldn't help my eyes from falling to hers. She was standing right in front of me her knees gracing mine every time she got a new cotton ball or moved to a new bruise. I didn't really mind this, it felt nice for someone to take care of me like this even if it was Rachel. "You're really good at this." I told her grabbing her hand before she could reach for another cotton ball.
"What?" She said giggling and biting her lower lip trying to control her laughs.
"I can't believe you came all the way out her just to clean these stupid bruises." I said suddenly feeling self-conscious. I let go of her hand but looked down at the ground so she wouldn't be able to clean any more of my bruises. "Thank you." I told her earnestly. She threw away the soiled cotton balls and sat down awkwardly on the corner of my bed while I lay down on my back again.
" So have you talked to Quinn?" Rachel asked.
"Nope, she'll come around hopefully…" I said staring up at my ceiling.
"I think you should've hit her back." What the tiny girl said shocked me. I thought she'd be the non-violence type. I propped myself up on my elbows and chanced a quick look at her. She wasn't looking at me before but she turned and looked over at me now.
"Brittany was right there." I said shrugging. I looked over at my clock and it read 11:49. It was way too late for Rachel to drive back home. Shit. I didn't want her to stay here, especially not with Emilio here. "Did you lock your car?" I asked her and she nodded with a confused expression. "You can stay the night if you want. I mean I know you said you weren't afraid-."
"I'm shocked you offered." She said grinning from ear to ear.
"Trust me…I'm pretty surprised myself."