"Diva, you look a little out of it." Kurt hurries over towards her with a worried look in his eye. "You didn't get harassed by those uncouth buffoons on your way back did you?"

She doesn't even realize Noah isn't with her until she enters the choir room, only focused on furthering the distance between them after her misinterpretation of Noah's actions.

"I'm fine, thanks for worrying, Kurt." She shakes her head and sets down her bag in her usual seat in the front. "Sorry Mr. Schue. I was a little preoccupied, I hope I haven't caused too much of an interruption to glee rehearsal."

Their teacher merely shakes his head. "It's fine Rachel, we were just talking about the new glee assignment."

She smiles gratefully at Mr. Schuester and takes a seat beside Santana.

"Nice hoodie." Santana whispers softly into her ear as Mr. Schue turns back to the whiteboard, most likely to write down their new theme. "It looks familiar, I do recall seeing it on a certain boy we do happen to know."

She elbows Santana in the sides in an attempt to get the cheerleader to stop. It does work but the smirk the cheerleader throws her, has her flustered and feeling like she somehow lost in an argument that hadn't even happened.

Focusing back to the front she sees the word 'Heartbreak' written in Mr. Schue's scrawl.

She frowns. That wasn't something she was entirely sure she wanted to touch upon.

The bell rings before Mr. Schue can give them any more instructions. Everyone scatters, chatting in groups as they leave the choir room, all of them eager for their Friday plans.

"Berry, ready to go?" Santana's voice pulls her away from the list of songs she'd been considering for the assignment.

Heartbreak should be easy enough, since she'd experienced it more than enough times with Finn.

Right?

"I heard what happened in the hall." Finn approaches him and pats him on the back. "Thanks for helping Rachel out."

Who was Finn to thank him in Rachel's stead. He keeps that unspoken and just slings his bag higher up his shoulder. "It's not a big deal, Berry needed help and I was there."

Finn follows him out the door as he heads towards the truck. "I would totally have helped her if I was there, but I was on the other side of the school when I heard about Rachel getting slushied."

He drowns out his best friend as he keeps talking. His thoughts wander towards her in his hoodie, the way the hoodie easily reached the middle of her thighs and the way it looked like from the back, making it seem like all she was wearing was his hoodie.

"Thanks for helping out Rach again." Finn says as he heads off towards his car.

That familiar streak of irritation runs through him again when Finn thanks him. He pushes it down and head towards his truck.

Before he can even start his truck, her hears a knock on the door. He groans, knowing who was probably on the other side of the door.

"What is it, Berry?" he asks as soon as she whips open his passenger door.

She climbs in with a smile.

He doesn't find it adorable that she has trouble getting on.

"I was just here to inform you of the return of your hoodie. Thank you for lending me your clothing and I'll be sure to wash and return it by tomorrow."

"Yeah, that's fine." He lifts an eyebrow at her. "I know that's not the main reason you hijacked my truck."

"I know you've said it wasn't for my sake but would like to thank you once again for dealing with those neanderthals." She turns to him, attention fully on him. "Although I hope you wouldn't resort to violence, if not for your sake, for your poor mother's sake. As a friend, I worry about your safety and I wish that you wouldn't get hurt."

He cuts her off before she can go any further, because he knows she'll just keep going on and on and also because he's heard it a million times before. "No one dares challenge my guns."

She lets out a tiny giggle before she groans. "Noah, be serious."

"I'll try to behave." He drops a hand on the steering wheel. "Anyways, need a ride home?"

"Yes, thank you." She grins at him. "My car had a flat tire this morning, neither dad or daddy had time to assist me in that. I was hoping to catch a ride with Santana and Brittany, however they seemed a little occupied and I didn't have the heart to interrupt."

"They were making out behind the bleachers weren't they?" he asks her dryly, already knowing the answer.

She goes a little red in the face. "I left when I heard them talking about lady kisses when they got home."

He chuckles and starts the truck, paying half mind to her babble about her dads business trips as he drives her back.

She looks surprised when he gets out of his truck and follows her towards her home.

"What?" He pulls her stupid trolley bag from the bed of his truck. "I'll help you change your tire."

"Really?" She gives him that smile she always uses when she's really happy

"Yeah," he grumbles. "Move your hot, little ass before the sun sets."

She hurries towards the garage with her trolley bag behind her. He can see her car before she even tells him where it is.

"I'll be right back with something to drink." She looks towards him as if asking if he was good with being left behind. "What would you like?"

"Water is fine."

She disappears in a flurry of activity and the garage goes silent without her constant chatter.

Without her as a distraction, he finishes quickly.

Maybe because she's so fricking tiny, he doesn't notice when she comes back.

He almost drops the lug wrench when she suddenly speaks into his ear like it's nothing.

"Here's your water."

She's still squatting beside him when he takes the bottle from her hands. She's no longer wearing his hoodie but changed into a long sleeve shirt. The only reason he notices is because if he looked down, he'd be able to see down her shirt.

Standing quickly, he tries to forget why he's being such a girl over Rachel Berry of all people.

"Thanks for changing my flat tire." She follows suit, brushing against his arm. It's like she doesn't even notice the contact as she blinks up at him innocently, all doe-eyed. "You've always been dependable."

He takes a step towards her. "And what do I get out of being dependable?"

Without breaking eye contact, she takes a step back. "My gratitude and some 'thank you' cookies?"

He follows, taking an even bigger step. He feels the corner of his mouth begin to lift into a smirk when he hears the question in her voice. "What if I want more?"

"In exchange for changing a tire, something either one of my fathers could have done, I feel that baked goods are more than enough as a thank you." Even with her back pressed against the hood of her car, she can still come up with such formal words. Or maybe it's because she's in that situation, she's being even wordier than usual.

He cages her between his arms. "A kiss would help sweeten the deal."

Her face is just slightly tinged with pink but he can see she's not against the idea.

When he leans forward, he can smell her, it's a little mix between flowers and brownies. It reminds him of the times when she used to bring him all the cookies and cakes she baked.

He doesn't remember when it stopped but he has a feeling why it stopped.

"Don't want to?" he asks, purposefully into her ear. He doesn't miss the little shudder from her.

After a little moment of hesitation on her part, he feels her small hands go up to his chest.

"I refuse to be Quinn's replacement." She hesitates, her hands gripping his shirt flattens and she pushes him away. He lets her. "I have pressing matters I must get to. I'm sure you know the way home. Please close the door when you leave."

With that dismissal, she strides back into her house without a single look behind her.

All he can do is scrub a hand over his face when he settles himself in his truck.

There was no way he just wanted to kiss Rachel Berry.

Not at all.