Opposites Attract
Chapter 12
Driving through Lima Heights Kurt is surprised that it wasn't as rundown as he thought it would be. There were still broken, faded fences surrounding the gardens and groups of youths hanging around on the streets but still it didn't seem that bad.
"I'll admit that Lima Heights isn't what I expected" Kurt says as he gets out of the car.
They walk up to Santana's house and knock on the door, a few minutes later Eva answers.
"Hi Rachel" she greets and hugs the older girl.
"Eva what have I told you about answering the door. Oh, hello Rachel" Maribel says as she appears at the front door.
"Hello Maribel, this is my friend Kurt."
"It's nice to meet you Kurt, come on in. Santana is with Tony next door tending to Mrs Hammond's garden, Doris is getting too old to do it herself. " Maribel explains as she leads them into the kitchen.
The back door opens and in walks a drenched Rico.
"Mom, San sprayed me with the hose" he whines.
"Go upstairs and get changed, we're having lunch soon."
Rico huffs but soon changes his mood when he sees Rachel.
"Hi Rachel."
"Hello Rico."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Kurt, I am a friend of Rachel's" Kurt answers.
"You dress funny."
"Rico, don't be rude!" Maribel scolds.
"Now go upstairs and get changed."
As soon as Rico runs out of the room and up the stairs the back door opens again and this time a soaked Santana enters.
"Your husband is immature" she says to her mother.
"It serves you right for doing it to your brother in the first place."
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Santana asks walking over to hug Rachel.
"Stop San, you're wet" Rachel protests.
"Wanky."
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that" Maribel announces.
"I'm going to put some dry clothes on, I'll be back in a minute" Santana says before leaving the room.
"So you're staying for lunch yes? I'm just making sandwiches but I have plenty for you to have a salad Rachel."
"That would be lovely thank you Maribel" Rachel replies.
"What about you Kurt do you like sandwiches or would you prefer a salad?" Maribel asks.
"I'm fine thank you Mrs Lopez."
"Please call me Maribel."
"You might as well say yes Kurt, she won't let you leave until you've eaten something." Rachel says.
"What about a ham salad sandwich or are you vegan like Rachel?"
"A ham salad would be great thank you Mrs Lopez."
Maribel walks over to the kitchen counter and continues to prepare lunch.
"So how do you know Rachel?" she asks.
"I go to school with her, we've known each other since we were eleven years old" Kurt replies.
"So you live in New York too?"
"Well I got to school in New York and live in the dorms there but my father lives in Long Island, normally both Rachel and I would spend most of summer there or go on vacation somewhere."
"So are you going on vacation this summer?" Maribel asks.
"I've already been, My Dad took me to Barbados for two weeks at the start of summer."
Their conversation is suddenly interrupted when Antonio walks through the back door.
"I don't know why Doris always insists on kissing me every time I say goodbye." he says.
"It's because you're so handsome" Maribel replies and kisses her husband.
"Tony this is Rachel's friend Kurt."
"It's nice to meet you young man" Antonio replies, shaking Kurt's hand.
He walks back over to where his wife is standing and steals a tomato out of the salad bowl.
"Hey, get your hands out" Maribel scolds, lightly smacking Antonio's hand causing him to chuckle.
Rachel is startled when she feels arms wrap around her waist from behind but then she feels a kiss on her cheek and hears Santana whisper in her ear. She instantly relaxes into her girlfriend's arms and threads their hands together.
The family moment is disturbed by shouting coming from the living room.
"Rico get off it, I was here first!" Eva yells.
"But it's boring" Rico replies.
"Santana go and sort out your brother and sister" Maribel says.
"They're your kids."
"So are you now go and do as I say."
Santana detangles herself from Rachel and walks into the living room.
"San, Rico is trying to turn over when I was watching it first" Eva says.
Santana walks over to Eva and takes the remote from her hand and turns the television off.
"Nobody is watching tv, go play outside until lunch is ready."
They both huff before getting off the couch and making their way into the kitchen.
"Dad will you come and play soccer with me?" Rico asks.
"Of course I will Mijo, we have the next Lionel Messi here" Antonio's replies and ruffles his son hair.
"I'm going to try out for the team when school starts."
"Rachel, Mom took me to the community centre yesterday and I signed up for ballet lessons" Eva says not to be outdone by her brother.
"That's great Eva, maybe I could teach you a couple more steps before you go and then you'll have a head start on the other girls."
"Thanks Rachel" Eva beams.
"How about we eat outside in the sun, we are having a good summer this year" Maribel suggests.
"Tony get the blankets out of the cupboard, Santana will you fill a jug with water and Rico and Eva you can grab seven glasses out of the cupboard but be careful, especially you Rico."
"Yeah, we're already lost three glasses thanks to you" Santana adds.
"I didn't drop them on purpose."
"Come on son, let's take them outside" Antonio says helping his children with the glasses.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Rachel asks.
"You can grab the salad bowl and take that outside. San you can grab the bowl of chips too."
Santana finishes filling the jug with water and grabs the bowl of chips off the kitchen counter, she walks through the open back door with Rachel and Kurt following behind her.
Eva and Rico were already sitting on one of the two large blankets that were laying on the grass. Santana sits on the edge of the other blanket and places the jug of water in the middle with the glasses.
Rachel and Kurt copy her movements while Antonio goes back into the house to help his wife carry the rest of lunch. A few moments later they both return, Maribel places the large tray of sandwiches in the middle of the blankets whilst Antonio hands everyone a plate.
Rico is the first to grab a sandwich while Santana passes the bowl of salad over to Rachel. She places a sandwich on her own plate and accepts the portion of salad Rachel puts on her plate.
"San, Dwight and I might need your help next week with the parks. We have to do Blackthorn Park next week and it's more than a two man job." Antonio says.
"We only have a couple of jobs on Tuesday, so we could probably do it then."
"Tuesday might work, I'll have to check my schedule."
"Please can we talk about anything other than work, we're supposed to be having a family afternoon" Maribel says.
"What happened at the community centre Eva?" Santana asks trying to change the topic.
"We met the ballet teacher and I showed her the moves Rachel taught me, she said I had potential and that I could join the next class."
"If you want to, we can go to the library tomorrow and use the internet to buy Eva a leotard and Rico some cleats. You'll have to use your money from the grant though." Maribel says.
"That's awesome, thanks Mom" Rico mumbles through a mouthful of sandwich.
"Yeah, thanks Mom. Rachel will you come with us, so you can look at leotards with me?" Eva asks.
"Of course I will Eva."
Kurt watches intently, he's intrigued by how the family interact not only with each other but with Rachel too.
"Dad, can we play soccer now?"
"We'll give it ten minutes to let your food settle, we'll clean away lunch and then we can play." Antonio replies.
"Are you sure you're up for it old man? You did put in a poor performance when we played in the cup." Santana teases.
"You were lucky and who knew that Rachel was such a good football player."
"You played football?" Kurt asks Rachel.
"Not really, I just ran around a bit."
"There was just one touchdown in it. San passed the ball to Rachel, she ran into the end zone and scored the winning touchdown" Rico explains.
They clear away the remnants of lunch, Maribel offers to wash the dishes whilst her family play outside. They had set up a make shift pitch with plant pots as goal posts. It was boys against girls which meant Antonio and Rico were against Santana and Eva.
Rachel and Kurt had decided to sit out of the match and instead were sitting in the corner on a blanket watching the Lopez family run around the garden.
"Are they always like this?" Kurt asks.
"Pretty much."
"I'm sorry I judged her before I got to know her, she's actually perfect for you and her family are pretty amazing."
"I feel more like a family member here than I do in my own home." Rachel says.
"I know it might have come across the wrong way when I said it last time but what happens when you go back to New York. I don't want you to get your heart broken."
"I know you have my best interest at heart and I know that Santana and I need to talk about what will happen at the end of summer."
"Don't get me wrong I'm happy that you have found Santana but we only have a year left until we go to college, so as long as you don't tell me you're going to attend Ohio State and give up on Broadway then I'll be happy." Kurt jokes.
"You know Broadway has always been and still is my dream but maybe Santana is a part of that dream now." Rachel says.
"You've only known each other for over a month."
"Sometimes that's long enough for the heart to know what it wants."
"What does your heart want, Broadway or Santana?" Kurt asks.
"Why do you insist that I can't have both?"
"I told you that I really hope it works out for you both but you belong in New York and Santana belongs here" Kurt says referring to the scene in front of them.
Antonio has Santana wrapped in his arms as he shouts at Rico to run with the ball towards Eva who is standing in the makeshift goal. Santana struggles to get out of the grip that her father has on her and watches Rico kicks the ball towards Eva. Everyone watches as Eva sticks her foot out and blocks the ball, directing it away from the goal.
Everyone is surprised that she blocked the shot including Antonio who realises his grip on his eldest daughter.
"Rico you might want to practise some more before trying out for the team" Santana teases as she high fives Eva.
"And you" she says turning towards her father.
"You shouldn't be teaching your children how to cheat."
"I wasn't cheating, I was blocking" Antonio tries to defend himself.
"You don't block in soccer, you tackle and that's only when the other person has the ball."
"Wait we're playing soccer?"
"You're so annoying" Santana says.
Maribel walks out into the garden with a plate in one hand and napkins in the other.
"Who wants cake and don't worry Rachel it's completely vegan. I made it myself this morning."
Rico is the first to run over to his mother, he takes a napkin out of her hand and grabs the largest piece of chocolate cake.
Santana takes two pieces of cake and hands them to Kurt and Rachel before sitting beside her girlfriend.
"Aren't you having any cake?" Rachel asks Santana.
"I'll have some later."
"This is really good a Maribel, you'll have to give me the recipe."
"Thank you Rachel, I got the recipe from a vegan cook book that I borrowed from one of the neighbours. There are a couple of recipes that sound interesting, I'll have to try one out next time you come for dinner."
"That sounds wonderful, I will have to bake you some of my famous vegan cookies one day."
"They're so good you can't even tell that they're vegan" Kurt adds.
Once everyone finishes eating their cake, Eva goes inside claiming she is bored and Antonio and Rico carry on playing soccer. Santana manoeuvres herself behind Rachel so the shorter girl can lean her back against her chest. Santana rests her chin on Rachel's shoulder and watches her father and brother run around.
"So is this a good way to spend you last day in Lima?" Rachel asks Kurt.
"Yes, yes it is" he replies.
The week had gone by too fast for Rachel's liking and once again she was standing outside of the airport but this time she was saying goodbye.
"I really glad you begged me to come and visit you here in Lima. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and it really opened my eyes on how the other half live." Kurt says.
"Just because they have less money than us doesn't make them any less of a person."
"I know. I'm glad that I met Santana and her family, they work so hard for the little they get and somehow they manage to be one of the happiest families I've ever met."
Rachel wraps her arms around her best friend and pulls him into a long hug.
"So I'll see you in a couple of weeks back in New York." Kurt says.
"Of course and don't forget to call me once you land."
"I will, I love you Rachel Berry."
"I love you too Kurt"
The pull out of the hug and Rachel watches as Kurt makes his way into the airport.
A/N I have had most of this written for a few days but I struggled with ending it. I've had most of the next chapter written for a while too so hopefully I can finish that one faster and get things rolling again.
I know some people didn't really like Kurt in the last chapter but he was an example of the rich people who have a certain view on people less fortunate than themselves, from the beginning he always had this conception of Lima but now after meeting a family from the heights he saw them in a different light.
Also he and Rachel have been friends for years so he really did have her best interest at heart and was trying to protect her from future heartbreak.
Thanks for the reviews and for sticking by me, I appreciate it. Things will get more interesting soon.
Live_Young.