Sorry for the delayed update…trying to write two stories at the same time doesn't make my muse very happy.
Light filtered in through the solitary living room window as Rachel trudged through the door, shoulders sagging in exhaustion. The apartment was quiet, which meant she was the only one home. Kurt was most likely at work and Finn was rehearsing with Derek's band. She was truly happy that the guys in the band welcomed Finn with open arms, appreciating his talents just as much as she did, however it seemed to her like they rehearsed all of the time. Finn had only been a member of the band for the last week and a half and most of that time had been spent with at least one other member, if not all of them.
Rachel dropped her purse on the recliner then headed to the kitchen for a bottle of water, unscrewing the top before plopping down on the couch. Her feet hurt and her back ached from sitting on the floor most of the day. She was starting to seriously doubt that child care and home management was really her forte. Maybe if she hadn't stretched the truth to Mrs. De Luca then she wouldn't be in this predicament, but she needed a job; any job at this point. So her overnight babysitting job for the Craig family one Friday night during her senior year in high school had turned into a summer nanny job caring for two small children, complete with household chores.
It had really just slipped out in a weak moment, a conversation from earlier in the morning still fresh in her mind. The electric bill was due, which had Rachel, Kurt, and Finn counting out change in an attempt to pay the bill in full. They were successful, but it left nothing extra for groceries. Finn suggested calling his mom, surely she would send them money for food, but Rachel had protested adamantly. She was determined they would make it in New York on their own.
This led to the little white lie she told in order to get a part-time position with the De Luca family on the Upper West Side. A wealthy physician's family, who needed a mother's helper to come in a few times a week to help with their three children. It was great pay and the hours would work well with her class schedule once her classes began.
"Well you look like you've seen better days." Kurt quipped, slipping the door shut behind him. Rachel was so exhausted she hadn't even heard the door open.
"I had no idea three small children could have so much energy." Rachel closed her eyes as she listened to Kurt move around the apartment.
"Where's Finn?" Kurt yelled from the kitchen.
"I'm guessing he's rehearsing with the band. I actually haven't heard from him this afternoon." She replied.
"We should go down there." Kurt suggested, skipping back into the living room.
"Go down where?" Rachel asked.
"To their rehearsal. You've been moping around here for the last couple of days, feeling sorry for yourself because Finn is with the band most of the time. Why don't you go surprise him?"
"Well…ok, maybe we can take a peek. I don't want to disturb him." A broad smile stretched across Rachel's face. Kurt grabbed her hand, yanking her off the couch.
Rachel could hear the music before she even made it to the door of the bar. The band was rehearsing at a bar about two blocks from the music store where Derek worked. His cousin owned the bar and had so graciously allowed them to rehearse several times a week in exchange for providing the entertainment when a gig canceled. So far, no one had canceled, but they were still allowed the use of the stage early in the afternoon before the bar got crowded. Most days when they had to leave, the guys would just head over to the lead singer's crowded basement and play into the wee hours of the night. In the last week, Rachel had gone to sleep alone every single night, with Finn coming in well past midnight, planting a quick kiss on her head before finally drifting off himself.
Kurt stopped in his tracks as they entered the bar, taking in the scenery of what he would certainly describe to Blaine later as probably the third tackiest place he's ever been to. Motorcycle parts hung from the ceiling; some were even plastered to the walls. The air smelled of grease and alcohol, a combination Kurt was sure could possibly kill him. Rachel spotted a recluse booth in the corner. She grabbed Kurt's hand, ducking into the booth quickly before Finn could spot them. She didn't want to distract him, so she and Kurt sat quietly in the corner, watching the band play what seemed like the same song over and over.
"Just how many times are we going to have to hear them sing about falling out of love?" Kurt leaned over and whispered to Rachel. Rachel playfully nudged his arm.
"That's their newest song, so it makes sense they are rehearsing it the most."
"Yeah, well it's starting to depress me." Kurt folded his arms over his chest, slouching back just slightly in the booth.
"It's a good song, despite what the lyrics actually say." Rachel giggled softly. Kurt was beginning to think his idea was poorly thought out. Sneaking around and sitting in the corner of a ratty bar, listening to the same song over and over again was not his idea of fun. Just as he was ready to snatch Rachel out of her seat and leave, he caught a glimpse of the bartender walking towards the stage cheering loudly as the guys finished the song. The rest of the band took a short break while Finn hung around, adjusting his drum set. Kurt's eyes widened as he watched the pretty bartender walk over and put her arm around Finn's shoulders, talking and laughing rather loudly. He prayed Rachel hadn't noticed, but one glance at her and he knew she had. The smile that had been on her face for the last several minutes had fallen as she watched Finn interact with the woman, playfully laughing with her. Rachel looked on as the blonde graciously took Finn's drumsticks from him and perched herself atop his stool, tapping softly on the snare drum. Kurt slid swiftly out of his seat, grabbing onto Rachel's hand and pulling her from her seat as well. Rachel couldn't take her eyes off the stage, even as Kurt pulled her through the door.
"What was that?" Rachel stopped walking as soon as they were outside of the building, pulling her hand from Kurt's.
"What was what?" Kurt pretended like he had no idea what she meant, going as far as to look blindly around him.
"Don't tell me you didn't notice that girl flirting with Finn?" Rachel was practically screeching.
"Um, well, um, not really." Kurt made sure he avoided eye contact with her.
"What? It was pretty obvious to me she was flirting and he didn't appear to be pushing her away." Kurt tried to grab her hand and pull her away from the close proximity of the bar they had just abandoned, but Rachel refused to budge.
"Well now, everyone's definition of flirting may be different." Kurt suggested, tapping his foot nervously.
"This Kurt Hummel is your fault." Rachel huffed, stomping her small foot onto the concrete sidewalk. "This was your idea to come down here and surprise him. Well, guess who really got a surprise? Me!"
Kurt watched as Rachel stomped off, leaving him standing alone outside of the bar. She walked a few feet before throwing her arm out to hail a cab. Now he knew for sure his idea had been a bad one, only he wasn't quite sure how to fix it.
Well this didn't go as planned for Rachel or Kurt, but it seems like nothing in New York has. Turns out living on their own isn't how they pictured it. It's not really Kurt's fault, but he's gonna try & make it right, especially since he has to live with those two. Until next time…