Summer Nights

"Rachel! Are you ready yet?" Hirum Berry called up the stairs as he checked his watch. They needed to leave in a few minutes if they were going to keep to their schedule. "We need to get going!"

Rachel stood in the middle of her room checking her mental list to make sure she wasn't missing anything. She would hate to start this summer out forgetting to pack something important. Double checking her dresser drawers to make sure she wasn't forgetting any clothes, a photo on the top caught her eye.

She smiled as she stared at the beautiful lake house. Her family has been staying there every summer for as long as she could rememeber. All her favorite memories came from spending her summers there with her dads and their close family friends the Hudson's.

Finn Hudson

The thought of her male best friend brought a huge smile to her face. Finn had always been the lanky one in their small group of summer kids as they were called and as the outcasts, the two of them always stuck together.

"RACHEL!"

"Coming!" Rachel rolled her eyes as she blew her bangs up on her forehead. Her dads were so pushy sometimes. After she was sure everything was packed she turned off her light and ran down the stairs. "Ok...ready."

Leroy Berry walked into the house with a sheen of sweat covering his forehead after loading up the car. "I swear Hirum, your daughter's luggage doubles every year." He glanced at his daughter and saw her beach tote on her arm. "See? It keeps coming."

"Dad! This has all my supplies for the trip." Rachel scoffed as she opened up her bag. "I've got the new book I've been dying to read, plus my ipod and a couple road trip games we can play together." Rachel walked past her dads and headed to ther car.

"Wanna bet she falls asleep after texting with Finn?" Hiram teased his husband as they locked up the house for the summer.

"I'm not stupid enough to take that bet." Leroy laughs as he gets into the front seat and waits for his family to get their seat belts on. "Berry's ready?"

"Ready!" Rachel and Hiram chim together. Let the summer begin.

Finn honked the horn of their old car and checked the time on the dashboard. He had been waiting for his mom for five minutes. "COME ON!"

Carole rushed out to the car and slide in the front side. "Calm down Finn, we're got a few minutes to spare."

"But what about traffic?" Finn asked as he put on his seat belt and rubbed his palms on his jeans. "We could get stuck in traffic and then who knows how long it would take to get to the house?"

"Finn, honestly." Carole laughed at her son as she pulled onto the street. He was so peculure some times, if he hasn't such a bad liar she would think it was drugs but she's starting to realize he is just a teenage boy. "We will get there in plenty of time. What do you summer kids have planned tonight?"

"Puck said he was setting up a bonfire down at the beach for us all to hang out, so it should be fun." Finn explained as he thought about his summer friends. Noah Puckerman was his best friend besides Rachel Berry and Quinn Fabray arounded out their small group of four summer kids.

They all came from different areas of Ohio and their families all had lake houses on the banks of Lake Erie. Puck and Quinn had always been popular among the regular kids in the area, and growing up Finn was always taller and lanky compaired to the other guys around while Rachel was short and most people found her annoying. But not Finn. He found her rambling about musicals and broadway indering.

"Well as long as you kids are careful." Carole said. She peaked out of the corner of her eye at her son. "I spoke to Hiram Berry this morning. He said Rachel was really looking forward to this summer. I bet she's really grown up this year."

"I guess." Finn shrugged. He liked hanging out with Rachel. She was his best friend and they have always suck together. No one understood him like she did.

"She's just so cute! So devoted to her music and her career." Carole added. She sighed as Finn just stared out the window and watched the fields go by.

"Yeah its cool." Finn said turning back to his mom. "Why are you so facinated with Rachel?"

"I'm not facinated. She's a family friend." She smiled. "A friend of the family."

"Uh...yeah...ok." Finn turned back to the window. Smiling as he thought about the crazy antics they were going to get into. This summer was going to be awesome.

"Zylaphone." Leroy said as he switched lanes. He always felt like it took weeks to prepare for the long trip, the whole summer to recover, and then he would have to make the trip back home again.

"Dad! That's spelled with a 'X'." Rachel rolled her eyes and laughed at her fathers mistake. She knew he was preoccupied with driving to the lake house but really? Zylaphone?

"Well it has a Z sound." Leroy said as he smirked at his husband. "Surprised she is still playing these games with us."

"They may have just decided to wait until they see eachother to talk." Hirum added as he looked back at their daughter who was checking her cellphone with a frown. "Or maybe not."

"So pumpkin..."Leroy glaced back at Rachel in the rear view mirror. "Do you kids have any plans tonight?"

"Um, I think Noah is planning something down at the beach for us." Rachel said not feel the need to ellaborate on the illegal bon fire or under-age drinking that would be going on tonight. "I think a few of the regualar kids might be stoppping by."

"Oh that sounds like fun." Hirum smiled. They both knew what was happening tonight at the beach...they were kids once too. "Just make sure you kids are safe and that Finn makes sure you get home in one piece."

Before Rachel could spond that it would probably be her getting him home in once piece her phone buzzed signaling she had a new text and she smiled when she saw Finn's name appear on the screen.

To Rach: God, mom took forever getting the trip started. How far did you guys get?

Rachel looked around and noticed a few freeway signs to determine their location.

To Finn: We are about 3 hrs from home. We'll probably make it to the house around 11 tonight. What about you guys? Tell Carole I said Hi.

To Rach: She said hi and she can't wait to see you. Mom had a last minute shift this morning which pushed us behind. We might have to stop and grab a room for the evening. This blows.

To Finn: That sucks...you're gonna miss the bon fire! Who is going to drink all that beer with Noah now? : P

To Rach: I know! I'm so bummed. Puck said he invited Sam and Mike so I'm sure they can handle it. I'll miss seeing you though.

To Finn: I'll miss seeing you too

Rachel smiled and felt her cheeks start to heat up. Moments like this made her almost think that she liked Finn but she couldn't like her best friend right?...Right?