For all the ways she includes music into her life its really no surprise that Rachel Berry has a mental soundtrack to her life. Sometimes its just a melody in the back of her mind as she does mundane things like dishes or homework. Other times, like when she's fighting against an opponent whether its Mr. Schue or the limited views of her peers, it's a specific song that builds into a crescendo as things get more dramatic (usually during her long winded monologues).
She also gives everybody in her life a theme song. Her fathers was "You Raised Me Up" by Josh Groban until the tone deaf scum wrecked them at Regionals, these days its usually "Because You Loved Me" by one of her personal idols Celine Dion. She feels that although most interpret it as a love song it can also be seen as a beautiful thank you for unconditional support and love as she hones her talent on her quest for BroadwayStardom*.
Finns themes once bounced between a varying plethora of love songs about unrequited/true/broken love. Things have changed though and these days him smiling in her direction has the chorus of Gwen Stefani's "Cool" running through her mind. Seeing Quinn and he together and in love now only makes her happy for her two friends. Sometimes they go bowling together, all three of them, smiling and laughing their way through any discomfort that slushies and babies have caused.
Santana and Britney walking down the hallway, hands clasped instead of just pinkies, brings to mind the academy award winning song "Secret Love" by Doris Day. A road trip to California last summer had opened their eyes to the openness of other parts of America. Now the two Cheerios were together exclusively with the exception of Brittany maintaining her perfect kiss record. Being able to feel open with who she really is had softened Santana considerably and given her the push to quit the Cheerios and join the debate team like she always wanted to. As she had explained it to the shocked Glee club after seeing her in her regular clothes for the first time "Power lesbians are hot, and chick attorneys make mad bank."
As of late, Andrew Gold's "Thank You For Being A Friend" plays as she shops, gossips sings, and texts with Tina, Mercedes, Kurt, and Artie. (She enjoys the show Golden Girls to the point of obsession and is thrilled with the amazing Betty Whites current popularity.) A series of bonding events, including a mammoth slushie facial, agreeing to a (real) makeover, saving Kurt from a dumpster dive with her pepper spray, and untaping Arties wheels before anybody saw him stuck just inside of a girls bathroom, has really brought them closer.
When she and Mike dance together or are just hanging out she often hums "Gives You Hell" because it will always be linked to their first real verbal interaction when he asked her how she was feeling after her and Finns first break up. That was followed up with him inviting her to his dance class which led to a pretty epic (Mikes words) zombie movie marathon. That of course led to their zombie survival plan, and an entire afternoon "zombie proofing" Rachel's basement in case of an attack. They are currently trying to convince her dads to invest in at least a years supply of MREs and bottled water.
Perhaps the strangest one she hears is Matt's. When they get together with their family, (She and Matt are actually cousins through her daddy's side of the family but its never really been something they talk about in school because up until the last year their parents were locked in a four year long feud over a comment about dry stuffing at Thanksgiving, (Daddy is very passionate about stuffing.) she hears Rubber Ducky from Sesame Street. Matt watched the show until they were nine and would often beg Rachel to sing it because she did the best Ernie voice, ( Rachel took this as a compliment to her commitment to the role and not an insult to her voice) until she pointed out to him that he was four years past the targeted viewing audience for the show and therefore should probably find a new, more age appropriate, show to watch. He didn't talk to her for three weeks, but eventually forgave her when she gave him a recording of her singing Rubber Ducky as well as a Power Rangers VHS tape.
Noah's song is the most lovely she thinks. He would of course loath that description due to its lack of badassery. His song is a creation of her own mind, a sweet and simple piano melody, words that change with the moods of their romance. Some days its one of confusion, why does he act this way or wondering if they will work it out. Other days it's the pure bliss of their love. That plays when he lets her call him Noah in public or he brings her a grape slushie before class. There is also a slower, deeper, more sultry version of their melody that she hears, one with a cello and bass playing, in the bed of his truck and are together in a way that never felt right with any other boy.
She remembers when she heard the first strains of their melody, about four months after Regioinals. Finn and Quinn were doing their heart breaking little dance, all "Can we be in love again" and "I don't know if I can forgive you", very publicly this time. Puck notices Rachel looking a little green around the gills after a particularly angsty Glee rehearsal where the newly re-minted Fuinn had spent the better part of an hour singing Taylor Swift songs to each other. Instead of trying to talk to her about it Puck walked up and grabbed her pink trolley bag and threw it into the bed of his truck, ignoring her protests, and then after he manhandled her into the cab he headed for the QuickieMart.
"Noah I have dance in two hours so somebody will notice if I've gone missing! I am a vital piece to our current routine and I have NEVER missed a class. Even when I had swine flu this winter I had them create a temporary "clean room" for me within the studio! Noah are you even listening to me? I will have you arrested for kidnapping! Why are we here? Did you bring me here so you don't have take the slushie all the way to school? I will not be slushied in a parking lot Noah! Would you please stop laughing at mnph-" Puck cut Rachel off by placing his hand firmly over her mouth.
"Chill Berry I'm just getting us some provisions, you want a grape slushie and some Sun Chips?" Noah calmly asked as Rachel glared. Puck raised his eyebrow in challenge until she rolled her eyes and nodded.
They spent the next hour and a half sipping slushies in the bed of his truck down by the river. Puck let her rant about Finn and never asked her to make out once. She rewarded his restraint by kissing him fiercely outside of her dance studio when he said she was clearly much hotter than Quinn. She didn't do it because she is so insecure or anything, she know that she is attractive, she does it because he says it so easily. Like its just something he's always known about her. He says it like he means it, unlike Finn who seemed to say it because they were dating and he thought he was supposed to.
She knows that maybe its not the most romantic beginning to a story, but she also thinks that that's perfectly okay with her. For her whole life she always though every story had to be interview anecdote worthy, and now for the first time in her romantic history its not. Its not longing for the quarter back, or forbidden love for her teacher or the enemy. It is simply her and Noah in his crappy truck humming love songs and kisses that taste like grape.