PLEASE READ!
Okay, so, this chapter is really long, and doesn't have much Puck, but I had fun having Rachel interact with some of the other characters. ALSO PLEASE NOTE. Before wards, I had no idea what Rachel's dads names were, but I have been informed they are Hiram and Leroy, so just forgot anything in earlier chapters that said otherwise. Kay, that's all I really had that was important to say.
Also, I am completely caught up with my 'wrote ahead' plan, so this one was on the fly. I'm happy I got it out on time but things have been hectic lately, so don't be surprised if the next chapter is a day late. Also, don't be surprised if there are lots of errors. This is un-beta'd people.
Also, don't be surprised when I tell you, I DON'T OWN GLEE! : Backwards Disclaimer (cuz we're cool like that)
Chapter Six: Flawed Perfection
A week later…
"Ray, Britt and I were gonna hit the mall Friday? You coming?" Rachel turned back to face Santana.
"I don't think I can. My Aunt Barbara's getting married, and she's having a bachelorette party this weekend." Santana raised her eyebrows.
"And you're actually going?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't really like my Aunt Barbara that much, but she's having her party in New York, I had to beg my fathers for hours to let me go alone sense neither of them can take any time off work but-"
Brittany cut her off dreamily. "Will there be any cute guys there?"
"Britt, it's a bachelorette party. That means all girls. Remember the TV show?" Santana corrected her as Brittany nodded her head.
"Yeah but, she's going to be alone in New York, isn't that like, the perfect opportunity?" She explained pointedly. Rachel watched in horror as Santana froze, the wheels turning slowly in her brain, when she turned back to Rachel with a wicked smile on her face.
"No."
"Hummel! We need your help." Kurt turned in surprise as Santana sought him out next glee rehearsal, dragging Rachel behind her. Santana spared no time. "As much as I hate to rely on you, this is mission impossible and I need as much help as I can get." Kurt rose his eyebrow in confusion, waiting for her to elaborate. "Rachel's going to be roughing it in New York, and Brit in I are forcing her to take the opportunity to find a new man." Rachel tried to stop herself from blushing red as Finn and Noah's heads perked up in the back of the room.
Kurt however, was still in the dark. "So…?"
Santana rolled her eyes. "You're the only one who's gotten Berry into any clothes other than argyle. So, we're enlisting your help for a makeover. Not that you have a choice-"
"I'm in!" Kurt interjected without a second thought. "Makeovers are like crack to me." Across the room, Quinn smirked knowingly.
Rachel's eyes widened. "Wait, Santana, the last time Kurt gave me a makeover-"
"That was different." Kurt insisted as he crossed his arms over his chest. "And I think you know how." His eye twitched to the side where Finn was openly staring at the foursome. Their eyes connected for a minute, until Rachel turned her head away angrily.
Santana gave Kurt a good one over before saying, "Just so we're clear, this doesn't give you permission to tell me what to do. I'm the one in charge of this project, so I don't give a damn about your Gucci or fashion week courses, you don't get to boss us around."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Santana took Kurt's hand a shook it firmly while Brittany clapped her hands together in excitement. Kurt, accepting he'd be spending lots of time with them until Rachel finally left, took a seat on the piano bench. "So do we have a plan of action?"
"Shopping after school, then, of course, training, she needs to learn how to dress herself properly without our help." Rachel scoffed in outrage, and Kurt just nodded his head.
"I dress myself just fine." Rachel muttered sullenly as she slunk back against the chair, looking like a sulking child. She fingered the edge of her skirt as she added, "And I like plaid." As an afterthought.
"You and grandmothers everywhere." Kurt said, sarcastically.
"Have you picked out a dress for the ceremony?" Santana shot at her, changing the subject. Rachel gave one last menacing look at Kurt before nodding in her direction. "Describe it to me."
"Well, it has an over the shoulder strap-" Santana cut her off immediately and whipped her head around. Rachel dodged the flying ponytail as she heard Kurt and Santana mumble their plans. "We're going strapless, and maybe a soft blue…" "Really? I was thinking more white, or oh, maybe a pink?" "Mock-two piece? That way she could have both colors." "Depends on the accessories…"
Rachel watched in disbelief as they argued over her outfit plans. "Guys? Can I be in on this too? It is me you're talking about." Kurt waved his in her direction to shush her. After a few more minutes of deliberating in a somewhat huddle like position, Santana broke her head away and turned to Rachel with a business-like look on her face.
"Okay. Here's the deal. We're going strapless, dusty rose satin,"
Kurt cut in. "Think pleated."
"Floor length."
"We're debating on pink or white designer heels."
"A simple pearl necklace?"
"Sounds good."
"Elegant bun or curls?"
"Maybe bun with a single curl hanging? It's like flawed perfection."
Santana smirked. "All we need is a simple pair of matching earrings and it's hello jealousy."
Rachel, whose mind was still reeling from the tennis match of designer clothes, only caught up with them at about the last two words. Her brain kicked in at the mention of a musical fact. "Hey Jealousy? Isn't that a song?"
"Gin Blossoms, yeah." Rachel's eyes shot to the side and rested on the Finn, who looked as if he had just realized he said that out loud. Santana and Kurt quieted for a second as their eyes connected briefly, Rachel turning away first. Of course Finn would be the one to answer her question. Over the summer she had listened to a lot of Finn's iPod, which contained more Journey and Guns N' Roses then she ever would have guessed. His musical knowledge consisted of Classic Rock, and not much else.
Still, it was the first real contact she'd made with him sense… that. She's not sure if she should be thankful it wasn't something more, or disappointed.
"Is Brittany coming to this?" Rachel asked, trying to change the subject. Kurt unwillingly tore his eyes away from Finn as Santana answered.
"She can't, she's babysitting her cousin." Kurt raised his eyebrows.
"Is that safe?" Santana shrugged and examined her nails as if it didn't really matter all that much.
"Maybe not. Who cares? She's great with little kids. They get along really well."
Kurt and Rachel shared a look as Kurt returned with, "I'm sure they can relate." Santana just rolled her eyes.
"Don't make me kick you out of these plans, Hummel. You're actually cooler than your constant need to flaunt yourself like New Marc Jacobs suggests. Though I'll deny it if you ever bring it up again."
Rachel absentminded tapped her fingernails against the piano as she listened to the two of them continue to argue. Two independent divas stuck working on the same project in a limited amount of space. Tonight was looking fun.
Rachel was rushed out of the school building by an impatient Santana as Kurt started his car. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Puck's car near the curb, no doubt waiting for her. Santana tugged on her sweater.
"Come on!" Rachel shook her head.
"Hold on a second, I have to go talk to Noah." Santana's eyes rose suspiciously as Rachel jerked her way out of Santana's grip and strutted over to the car. "Hello Noah." Noah ignored her greeted and tilted his head to the side, casting a glance at Santana who was angrily tapping her foot. Rachel sighed. "Sorry, but Santana decided to take me prisoner today, so I won't be needing a ride."
"Why are you friends all the sudden?" He asked bluntly, turning his head back to Rachel.
"Well," She struggled to find words to put it delicately. "We were in a situation which, given the circumstances, happened to force us to be in limited amount of space which made us understand the other a bit more. While I don't think she necessarily considers me a friend yet, I'd like to hope she doesn't hate me like before."
"Human words."
Rachel narrowed her eyes. "She slept with my cousin, I woke up and found her in his bed. Then she started crying so I talked to her for a bit, and she swung me around on her arm all throughout the day."
Puck looked even more confused than before. "Santana cried? Like actually tears? Were they at least, like… made of acid or something?" Rachel glared at him disapprovingly as he shook his head. "So what does she want you for today?"
Rachel sighed once again. "I have my aunt's wedding in New York to attend to, so Kurt and Santana are helping me prepare. This decision of course, was against my will."
Puck laughed. "I remember the last time Kurt gave you a makeover…" His sentence trailed off as he got an evil smirk on his face.
"Stop remembering it!" Rachel nearly shouted as Puck broke into hysterics. "I was… under the wrong impression that-" She began stammering for an excuse, but was cut off (or possibly saved) from answering when Santana shouted, "B, get your ass over here!"
Kurt's car pulled up behind Puck's and Santana opened the door expectantly. Rachel huffed and started over to the car, just catching a "See you later B." from Puck before slamming the door.
"Alright." Santana started out, throwing another magazine in Rachel's direction, who over time finally learned to catch them. "Say I picked out these DKNY jeans with some black, four inch R. Laurens, which designer shirt would match?" She and Santana had been playing this game for the last hour as Kurt tore apart her closet and added in the heap load of clothes they had bought at the mall, but he was taking so much time she was nearly positive he was color-coding it.
"I don't see why it matters San, not only do I not own this stuff, I would have to save up for about a year to actually afford it!" Truth was, her dads were very expensive lawyers, and she had a golden credit card made out in her name, but that doesn't me she goes around spending it own five hundred dollar shoes.
Santana opened her mouth to retort but was cut off by Kurt's shriek of disgust. "Really, Rachel? Do I have to throw out every single article of clothing that you own?"
"What?" Rachel shot out of bed and over to her walk in closet to find Kurt with a nearly full garbage bag by his feet and a grey sweater in his hand. "Kurt, you can't throw out my clothes!"
He scoffed. "I'm not throwing them out; I'm just strongly suggesting that you do. This however," Kurt replied, holding out the sweater to her with only two fingers, as if he was afraid it carried a disease. "I'm considering burning this and dancing on the ashes. This color looks like cat barf." He drew in his hand again to inspect it before gagging. "Good lord, please tell me those aren't gingerbread men on the collar."
Rachel snatched it out of his hand and held it up against her chest. "My dad's like to buy me decorative sweaters for Half-Christmas Half-Hanukah celebration. This was Christmas 2006!"
"Well that explains the candy-striped one I threw out first. I guess I didn't notice this one because the color is so bland it ended up blending in with the wall paint. Which by the way, is just as awful."
"I-"
"Anyway," Kurt continued, practically unfazed by Rachel's interruption. "I took all the clothes we got at the mall today and separated them into blouses, t-shirts, long-sleeved, etc, as well as skinny jeans, shorts, skirts, dresses, shoes, accessories… it's all organized."
Rachel watched in silent awe as Kurt showed her around her closet, pointing out all the different sections as if it was his clothes instead of hers. "Is this like an obsessive thing for you?" She asked uncertainly.
Kurt turned sharp on his heel. "Look Princess, you have your insane singing deal, and I have this. You asked me for help-"
"Santana did." Rachel interrupted.
"You asked me for help," Kurt repeated. "And I am determined to make this perfect." Kurt's as narrowed for a minute then widened again. "Face it, you're the Barbie doll my dad refused to get me, and Mercedes forbids me to treat her like. Tina won't wear anything that's not black, Finn's a guy, and you can forget about all the Cheerios." Rachel once again opened her mouth to reply when Kurt cut her off for the third time. "Let's move on to make-up." Before going back into her bedroom, dragging Rachel's arm with him.
Santana smiled mockingly. "Look at Hummel, finally coming out of the closet." Kurt rolled his eyes next to her.
"Forgive me if I don't find your sense of humor as hilarious as some." Rachel ignored the bickering from the two as she plopped down on the bed, dropping her head on Santana's shoulder.
"San, I'm tired, and Kurt's being fanatical." Santana patted her on the head comfortingly.
"Here B, drink some red bull." Rachel wrinkled her nose in disgust, but took a sip of the drink anyway. She was tired, sweaty, and bored. And it was still only 11:30.
"Rach! You have to shove harder!" Santana complained as Rachel tried desperately to push down her suitcase, the insanely full contents refusing to cooperate. Rachel mumbled something unintelligible. "What?" She groaned and fell backwards onto the bed.
"I'm trying San, but it's four in the morning and I can barely keep my eyes open." Santana growled in annoyance before finally sitting on the suitcase and trying to close it. She reached for the zipper and Rachel heard a small but miraculous zipping sound and nearly cried out in joy. "Did it work?"
Santana sighed heavily. "No. We need a heavier weight. Kurt!"
"Hey!" Kurt shouted offendedly from down the stairs. "I heard that whole sentence!"
"Pssh. You no it's true. You've got hips like a pear." Kurt cracked open to door to find Santana sinking deep into a bean bag chair and Rachel nearly passed out on the bed. He walked over and sat down next to her and handed her a freshly made Frappachino, no sugar.
"Drink up sweetie, only three more hours."
"I don't see why we have to do this tonight." Rachel grumbled, feeling somewhat revived after a large sip. "Packing wasn't on your list this morning."
"But that was before we knew you were leaving in two days!" Santana said, backing up to the far side of the room.
Rachel raised her eyebrows in confusion. "San, what are you doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Santana fixed her gazed determinedly on the oversized travel bag, then bound across the room in one leap, pouncing on it. She hit with a loud thud, then quickly gripp the zipper sliding it around all four corners to the other side before screeching out in shock and accomplishment. "Ha! Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha!"
Rachel grinned widely. "You sound like a crazy person."
"This requires celebrating! Rachel, where are those Swedish fish you were snacking on?"
"They're-" Rachel's face dropped within seconds and groaned. "In the bag."
Santana flashed Rachel her best 'What the fuck?' face. "Shit."
Rachel lugged her heavy bag down the stairs after spending the entire day recovering from her hellish, yet somewhat fun night with Kurt and Santana. She had everything she was taking with her propped up near the door and was just leaning back to appreciate her work when the door flew open and hit her full in the face. She stumbled backwards in pain as her dad glanced at her briefly mumbling 'sorry' before storming into the house, following by her other father.
Rachel pulled her hand away from her face and was horrified to see blood coming out. She wasn't sure if it was broken, but the door had hit her head on, and her nose was a pretty big target to miss.
"Leroy, let's just talk about this rationally. There's no need to stomp about, you hurt Rachel." (A/N: If you have not read my earlier note, please do so now.)
Rachel watched, completely stunned at as her father whipped around, closing his eyes for a second, trying not to lose his control in front of her. "What's going on?" She asked timidly.
"I'm sorry you're hurt Rachel. That was an accident." His gaze met his husband, who stared at him sorrowfully for a long minute before turning his head back to Rachel.
"Rachel, can you go up to your room please? Turn on some music or something." Rachel blinked several times.
"But Daddy, Connor's going to be here soon to take me to New York." Her Father shook his head.
"You're not going." Rachel's jaw fell open in shock.
"What do you mean I'm not going?"
"I mean you're not going. You're not allowed." Her father said sternly. "Aunt Barbara has about a million other relatives to come to her party. She won't miss you."
Rachel stammered uncontrollably, her eyes traveling back in and forth between her two fathers. "But, my I bought new clothes and everything. M-my friends even came over to help and everything! I've gone crazy planning this!"
"Rachel." Her dad said from across the room, his gaze unwillingly flickering from Leroy to her. "Now's not the time." Her mouth dropped open again. Her dad's eyes pleaded with her. "Please, go up to your room." He paused for a moment before adding, "take your bags with you."
Rachel stood shock still before a moment before moving toward to door again, picking up her bags and once more dragging them up the stairs. She slammed her door before dropping them in the center of the room and putting two fingers on her nose, testing the damage. Then she sunk as far back as her chair would allow her, plugged in her head phones and tried to drown out the yelling.
A/N: WARNING. I'm warning you right now that this angst you experienced at the end her is (ironically) only the beginning! Prepare for major angst next chapter! Yes, readers SIL is even considering changing the genre for this next chapter. I hope you enjoyed the teeth rotting fluff while it lasted, because it's not coming back for two more chapters. Also, Finn makes an unexpected return. I know what you're thinking, 'ewwh!' But I assure you, it is necessary for Rachel's growth. Once again, predictions are accepted! Also, reviews! Greatly excepted. Thanks. Wow, it think this chapter is the longest one I've ever wrote, it's even longer than most of my one shots. But now I'm procrastinating putting this online by posting this insanely long and entirely unnecessary A/N. Okay well, bye!
-xoxo SIL xoxo