AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my second multi-chapter fic. I'm Australian so forgive the language differences. Enjoy :)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Glee.

The First Hour

Oh crap. So the lift was broken and Rachel's irrational fear of small spaces was starting to kick in. The only other person in the lift was a very tall and very handsome man and she didn't want to make a scene. Or could she? Maybe talk was a better way to go.

"Hi," she said nervously.

The man smiled back. "Hi,"

Rachel studied him more closely. She took in his facial features; the half smile, the hazel eyes. Everything added to the amount of attractive that was this mystery man. Rachel took a closer look without being too obvious and realized that this man was, in fact, not a man but a teenager. He was about her age, probably went to her school and he looked at her like she was a piece of meat. It scared her slightly.

"I'm Finn Hudson," he coughed, bringing her back to reality.

"I'm Rachel Berry," she held out her hand and he took it in a firm shake. Rachel believed that you could tell how nice of person they were if they had a good firm handshake, not to hard or over the top and not to soft and sloppy. Rachel decided he was a good person, even if his jock-like appearance scared her.

"Oh. You're that Rachel Berry," he laughed.

"Yeah. I'm that Rachel Berry," she spat. Rachel was well aware of the rumours floating around William McKinley High School about her sexual exploits during the last summer. She'd even topped Santana Lopez on the slut list and that was saying something. The only problem was that none of it was true. Too bad her school didn't see it that way.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I offended you. I just thought that seeing as there are rumours..." he trailed off, unsure if he should continue.

"They're just rumours! That is all they are!" she retorted harshly. "I'm sorry. I've very sensitive about those particular rumours,"

"It's okay. I'm sure you aren't like that. You seem too innocent,"

"I don't know how they started. Probably some idiot football players' idea of a joke, no offense." She quickly added to the end of her sentence, finally realizing who was standing in front of her.

"It's fine, that's probably true. So, you got a boyfriend?"

"No. No one likes me. Who'd want to date me?"

"I like you," Finn surprised Rachel.

"You've been talking to me for five minutes. You can't like me. Football players are incapable of liking me. It's common logic. Wouldn't want me, in all my dorkiness, to hurt their reputation,"

"I like you," he repeated nonchalantly.

"You're dating Quinn Fabray, for goodness sake! You obliged to not like me,"

"No I'm not. I'm not dating Quinn anymore and I'm not obliged to do anything. I have my own opinions and I don't let those good-for-nothing football players make up my own mind for me. That's why I don't mind Kurt Hummel being my step-brother. I like Kurt,"

"Kurt Hummel? He's my best, and only, friend. Though he hates me coming over and now I know why," Rachel told the boy in front of her. "Why are you even listening to me?" She asked suddenly.

"Well, it might have something to do with the fact that we're stuck in a bloody lift. But no, I actually like listening to you. I like your voice,"

"That's cute,"

"You're cute." Rachel stopped dead when Finn told her she was cute. She was speechless. She'd never been told she was cute or pretty or beautiful and it just blew her mind that someone could think that she was cute, what with her elephant nose and all.

Finn walked forward the few steps he needed to take in the small space of the lift and pushed her against the wall. He then slid her back down the wall until she was sitting and then he sat opposite her, crossed-leg. "I like you,"

And for a moment, just a moment, Rachel forgot her fear of enclosed places.

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