Okay, sorry for the confusion, this is the correct chapter one! I hope everything makes much more sense now, lol.
My main ship is St. Berry but since I can't really see a way for them to be together in the near future, what with Jesse going off to UCLA, I decided to write one for my second favorite ship. My preference tends towards canon but I really don't like the character of Finn. It seems that I will just have to be unhappy with Rachel's relationship choices on the show. Thank goodness for fanfics.
Rachel didn't usually attend parties. As a general rule, she preferred to spend her free time practicing for her eventual stardom rather than subject herself to a bunch of people that she knew didn't really like her anyway. But this time, she hoped it would be different. This party was at Kurt and Finn's and Finn had badgered her until she'd agreed to come.
When she'd asked Kurt if she should bring anything he'd rolled his eyes and sighed before walking away from her. Which kind of hurt her feelings. She wasn't sure what she'd ever done to make Kurt hate her so much. So, she'd told Finn that she wouldn't attend his party and then Finn had 'talked' to Kurt.
"Well, Miss Thing, it seems that my soon-to-be brother would like you to attend our little soiree so be at my house at seven sharp," and then he'd swanned off to speak with Mercedes.
Rachel had tried to ignore how awful she felt when they started whispering and pointing at her and laughing behind their hands. She tugged self-consciously on her sweater and smoothed her skirt. She looked down to see if she had a stain but didn't see anything. She was surprised to see Noah watching her when she looked up. He gave her a quick smile and turned away. Rachel couldn't help but smile back even though he didn't see it. It was the nicest thing anyone but Finn had done for her in a long time.
She turned to look up at Finn and saw him giving Noah a dirty look. Did he think something was going on between her and Noah? She tugged on his sleeve and pulled him down to kiss him on the cheek. "So, what should I wear? I-I've never been to a real party before. Well, I've been to some at the synagogue but I don't think those would be a good point of reference."
"Rachel, you look great in everything you wear," he gave her a sheepish grin.
Eyes batting slowly, Rachel turned to see Mr. Schue walking into class.
"All right guys, I know I said we'd be taking it easy until next year...so, I want you to break into teams of two or three and create a mashup with a song of your choice and a nursery rhyme."
There was a chorus of groans from the assembled kids. Rachel looked up eagerly, thinking this would be perfect for her and Finn to work on something together. She frowned, confused to see that Santana and Brittany had already claimed Finn for their group. Predictably, Kurt and Mercedes were a team, Tina and Artie were a team, Matt and Mike were a team, and Quinn and Puck were a team.
Rachel bit her lip, hard, so that she wouldn't start crying. She hadn't cried in public without a theatrical reason since she was a freshman and Noah had thrown his first slushie on her her first day at McKinley. She refused to be weak and cry again. So, she straightened her spine and quietly sat down.
Finn was looking a little guilty about being with Santana and Brittany but Santana had his arm in a death grip. So, while Rachel was not entirely happy with him she sort of understood why he didn't just ditch them. Mr. Schue was writing some notes on the white board and didn't realize that Rachel had been left out of the team process. She was focused on her hands, she kept clasping and unclasping them.
She was so focused that she didn't notice at first when Noah came over to sit by her. So when he said, "Hey, Berry, hows about you and me show these Gleeks how to do a mashup?" Rachel just about jumped a foot out of her chair.
She gave him a huge smile. "I-I thought you were working with Quinn?"
"Nah, Quinn decided to work with Kurt and Mercedes," he explained quietly.
Rachel was so relieved that she had someone to work with that she didn't care if Noah and Quinn had taken pity on her. "Thank you, Noah," she said quietly. "I know you said we weren't friends. But I have always thought of you as one."
Puck gave her one of his genuine grins. Since Quinn had had the baby and life had settled down some Puck had mellowed a little. "Sure, Berry," he looked around the class, "just don't tell anybody, okay?"
The smile died on Rachel's face. "Oh..." but she was Rachel Berry and so she just put up a fake one. "Of course, Noah."
Puck gave her a funny look. "Geez, lady, you have got to learn to take a joke if you and I are going to be hanging around."
Her real smile back, "Okay, sorry," she blushed shyly, "I'll have to accustom myself to teasing. It is not a skill that I have had much use for. I'm not meant to find most of the teasing that comes my way funny."
"This is why you have no friends, Rachel. You gotta loosen up a bit. Let the past go," he looked very serious, "you can do that, right?"
She nodded. From across the room Quinn was staring daggers at her. Finn looked like he'd been sucker punched, whether from what Santana and Brit were saying or because Rachel was with Noah, she didn't know.
"So, are you going to the party tonight?" Rachel asked. She wasn't used to having things to talk to her fellow Glee clubbers about except music. It was sort of nice.
"Hell yeah. If there's beer, then I'm there. And I'm pretty sure Kurt's dad and Finn's mom are going to be out most of the night." Puck realized that Rachel had been informed of the party. "Are you going to the party tonight?" he asked skeptically.
Rachel smiled a little smugly, "Why yes, I am. Promptly at seven."
Puck laughed. "Okay, Berry, I'll see you there."
"Oh one other thing. Finn, didn't seem to know. What should I wear?"
Puck grinned, "I don't think you need to wear anything," he laughed when she slapped at his hand. "Nah, your usual skirt and a sweater set or whatever is fine."
She bit her lip. "I'm not old enough to drink, Noah. Should I bring a soda for myself? My understanding is that there will be underage drinking going on," she stated primly.
"Do you drink iced tea?" he asked slyly.
She shrugged. "I like iced tea. Particularly if it's green tea and has been steeped in 180 degree water for 5 and a half minutes before being iced."
Puck laughed. "Well I can't promise that it will be steeped or anything, but just ask for a Long Island iced tea."
"Thank you, Noah," she batted her eyes at him and walked over to Finn since it was the end of practice. "I'll see you tonight," she called over her shoulder
Puck just laughed. He would pay money to see Rachel Berry drunk. And tonight he might get to see it for free.