Title: One Summer Can Change So Much
Rating: T for Puck and some more mature themes
Pairing: I haven't decided the final pairing but will probably be Puckleberry
Summary: Rachel has changed over summer. She starts her senior year with a new look, new friends, a new attitude and a new man. Has she finally outgrown the animal sweaters and diva attitude or is she just trying to hide something? AU as of New York.
Note: This is my first Glee fanfic and I don't know if I should continue so please read and review. Just so you know, nothing has happened between Kurt and Karofsky. Karofsky is gay but nobody knows because he didn't kiss Kurt and he never bullied Kurt, so Kurt never transferred and Karofsky didn't leave McKinley. Kurt met Blaine at Between the Sheets and are together.
...
It was the first day of senior year. Rachel Berry's senior year. She knew that this would be the last year of her life stuck in Lima, Ohio. She was getting out as soon as she had that diploma in her hand. No way in hell was she going to be just another Lima Loser. Rachel Berry had spent almost all of the summer between junior and senior year staying with old friends in California, the only week she hadn't been there was the week back before school started. Most people didn't know this, most thought that she would have went to New York or some singing camp somewhere, but Rachel Berry was very different to what people believed, and this year she had decided to show it.
...
When Rachel first walked through the doors of William McKinley High School on the first day of senior year, she could tell that all eyes were on her. First off, she had arrived halfway through the school day, just in time for the final period before lunch. Not that anyone had noticed that she was missing, they did noticed however when she arrived so late. Second, attention was drawn to her clothes; gone were the Grandma/Toddler clothes and in their place were a pair of mini denim shorts, a plain white tank top, a cropped leather jacket left unzipped and a pair of bright red converse. And finally, and perhaps most surprising, attention was drawn to the football player whose arm was wrapped around her waist. Azimio Adams and Rachel Berry walking in sync perfectly together. Also surprising, maybe even more so, was the fact that behind the pair stood another four football players, Dave Karofsky, Dylan Scott, Craig Johnson and Noah Puckerman. Everyone knew that Rachel Berry and Noah Puckerman (more commonly known as Puck) were friends, and had been since their brief week of dating back in sophomore year; though little knew that they had known each other ever since Rachel had moved to Lima the summer before freshman year because they both went to the only temple in the small town of Lima. However everyone also knew that Puck was not exactly friendly with many of the footballers, preferring to find relations with the McKinley High cheerleaders, the Cheerios; and Rachel Berry was hated by most of the McKinley Titans. The sight of the resident diva surrounded by the most popular and the biggest members of the football team was surprising at the very least.
Rachel continued down the hall towards her locker, ignoring the stares she had grown accustomed to during her vacation in California, and not seeming to notice when the footballers broke away from her to find Coach Beiste. Turning the corner onto the corridor of her locker, she noticed Finn Hudson, quarter back on the McKinley Titans, leaning against the locker next to her own. She did not need this to happen now, but it was better for it to happen sooner rather than later during the first glee meeting of the New Year.
"Hello Finn," she spoke as soon as she was within hearing range, wanting to be in control of this conversation.
"Hey Rach."
"How was your summer?"
"Oh it was okay, I broke up with Quinn."
Finn had decided that after Rachel told him that she couldn't cope with a relationship after their kiss cost New Directions National, that he would date Quinn to make her jealous. Apparently that hadn't lasted very long.
"Oh, what a shame. How are you coping?"
"I'm fine. I broke up with her because I liked someone else actually. It wasn't fair that I was leading her on," Finn muttered.
"You do, do you? Who?" Rachel knew what he would say. Noah had kept her posted during her time away with everything New Directions but especially the whole Finn/Quinn drama.
"Eh, well I like you Rach. Well more than just like you. I think I am in love with you. Rach I love you."
Rachel looked up at Finn. This she wasn't expecting. She knew that he liked her, but she never expected that he LOVED her.
"Eh, Finn, eh I, I don't know what to say."
"Say that you love me too! I know you do! You always have!"
"Well Finn, I think what you meant there was that I always did. I'm sorry Finn, but I just don't feel that way about you. Not anymore. I moved on. You should too."
At that precise moment Azimio and the other football player had rounded the corner, after splitting with Rachel to talk to Coach Beiste, and were headed for Rachel and Finn. Puck noticed Finn and immediately his face grew to anger, worried that Finn had said something to Rachel.
"Frankenteen's not causing you any trouble is he Berry?" Puck asked, while wrapping a protective arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him.
"Noah, his name is Finn! And no, we were just talking but we're finished now and Finn is leaving," Rachel said pointedly making sure Finn took her hint and left.
"Yeah, I'm just leaving," Finn said sadly, looking down at his feet, crest fallen.
"Good!" Puck shouted after him before turning back towards Rachel, "So what was he really doing Berry?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.
"I have already told you Noah, we were just talking. Now I have to go to class, I will see you all on the bleachers at lunch?"
"Sure thing babe," Azimio muttered, while the other footballer players all nodded and voiced their agreement. Rachel nodded once at them all, then turned and walked towards U.S. History. She didn't need to look back over her shoulder to know that all the boys were staring after her. God, how things can change over one summer.
A/N: So what do you think? Review please! Should I continue? If you have any ideas for pairings that would be great. Also if you have any songs you want to feature just leave a review. This fic will probably have most pairings that featuring Rachel but I won't make her seem like a slut, don't worry! Anyway please review, I'd really like to see what you think!
xMonicaPotter1998x