A/N hope your all still liking this :D xxx

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my laptop and Eli and Jess

Chapter 10 Party

Rachel waited for Puck outside the boy's locker room, excitedly bouncing on the balls of her feet she paced the corridor outside the door, saying hello to the team members as they left the locker room one by one, many of them hugging the petite brunette that had so easily become a member of the popular crowd. Eli wandered out of the locker room before Puck,

"He's on his way" he told her laughing

"Who?" Rachel asked innocently

Eli laughed pulling Rachel into his arms giving her a brisk hug before he sat down on the floor his back to the wall "not stupid Sweets" he told her as she joined him on the floor "you are in serious like with Noah "Puck" Puckerman" he continued pragmatically "I see it, just like I saw it with him, you watch him and since he started touching you again you've been giddier than usual" he laughed as she buried her head into his shoulder embarrassed, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders still laughing "it's not a bad thing Sweet's it's great to see you so happy, from what I've heard from both you and the guys you didn't have an easy time here in McKinley but this last month and a bit you've come so far and you've been so happy"

"I am happy" Rachel told him "I haven't felt this happy since I first found out that the Berry's were going to adopt us, last year was stressful, I didn't realise that everyone in Neptune accepted who I was because they saw the fallout out from what happened with my family. I know I'm abrasive and arrogant and "crazy" but I have some good qualities, I didn't realise that everyone at Kennedy understood that and just accepted me, while here at McKinley I became a freak and an outcast because of those negative characteristics"

"I know it was hard Rachel, but it's changed now" Eli assured her "and I'm here now, here to protect you no matter what" Rachel hugged her best friend tightly, loving that he was now here in Lima with her, she was close to Jess as well but not to the same extent as Eli, who had been there for everything she had suffered through at the hands of her parents.

"Hands off Weston" Puck joked as he exited the locker room, feeling a lot more comfortable with the close friendship between Eli and Rachel after seeing them together for a month, he offered his hand to Rachel to pull her off the floor which she accepted, and with Rachel on her feet he did the same to Eli "need a lift to the party?" he asked his team mate

"Nah got some hot Cheerio's waiting for me in the parking lot" Eli smirked "I'll see you there though" he replied strutting out of the gym

"I think that guy is more of a man whore than I was" Puck commented hoping she noticed the use of the past tense

"No he's not he just plays the part so that girl's don't expect to get into a relationship with him, he likes having a relationship but it's got to be the right girl, until then he has fun flirting and making out but doesn't take it any farther" Rachel told him as he led them towards his truck "besides you were not a man whore, you were simply sexually adventurous and open, there is nothing wrong with that" she assured him.

Shocked Puck stopped and looked at Rachel looking at her in disbelief, "You serious?" he asked her, used to the judgmental opinions of other girls, while the boys in school looked at him in respect but still thought he was a bit of a douche.

"Of course I'm serious beside's you said 'was' right?" she clarified anxious to know that Puck was changing, pulling her around to face him, he brushed some of her loose hair behind her ear,

"Yeah Rach, was" he assured her, seeing her beautiful face looking up at him he couldn't help himself but kiss her lightly on the lips, not wanting to push her he pulled back from those delicious lips that still tasted as spicy as before to hug her tightly to his body, loving the way she seemed to fit perfectly against his body. Her mind still reeling from the delicate almost loving kiss he had pressed against her lips Rachel cuddled into Noah, loving his tight arms around her small frame and the way he rested his head on top of hers, reluctantly she pulled back to look up at his face again,

"We should get going, Brit told me that she would get Santana to kill me if I didn't turn up, something to do with my formal introduction to the elite of high school, it seems silly to me but she's my friend and I promised"

"Ok babe" he replied just as reluctantly "come on" he told her continuing to lead her to his truck, he opened the passenger door for her and laughed as she struggled to get up into the cab, putting his hands around her narrow waist he picked her and placed her in the seat, before hurrying around to get into the driver's seat.

They arrived at Brit's large house ten minutes later after a silent car ride that was slightly uncomfortable car ride due to the aftermath of the kiss, slipping out of the cab Rachel turned to Puck "Thanks for the lift Noah" and hurried into the house.

Stunned Puck sat back against his seat, lift? He thought but I asked her to come with me, I thought she understood that I was asking her out? Fuck I guess she didn't he swore I got to fix this I don't want to be stuck in the friend zone any longer. Determined he got out of his truck and stalked into the party, his eyes naturally gravitating to Rachel who was sitting with Matt and Mike playing on Need for Speed and winning he noted with a smirk.

"Fuck Rach" Matt swore as she won the race, laughing Rachel handed her controller over to Mike and headed over to the kitchen to get a drink, Puck followed her and entered the kitchen to find her talking with a few of the hockey players drinking shots.

"Never thought I would see you drinking Berry" one of them flirted inexpertly

"You don't actually know me all that well" she told him grabbing a beer to leave the room, remembering how much she didn't like the hockey players, exiting by the other door she didn't see Puck, who followed her again. This time he found her talking to Finn,

"Rach please I want my friend back" Puck heard Finn saying to Rachel "I know I've been this awful person this last month but it's cos I'm so confused by everything and I just need someone to talk to" Puck could see the glint in his best friends eye as he told his sob story to Rachel, Puck knowing this was just another ploy to get Rachel.

"I'm sorry Finn, your right I have not been a very good friend to you this last month, and if you do need someone to talk to I am here for you, but I don't think now is the best time, perhaps tomorrow? We could have lunch at the diner" Rachel said feeling bad that she had alienated Finn, but also not wanting to be alone with him,

"That would be cool Rach" Finn told her, smiling Rachel hurried away so as not to be trapped by his flirting again, causing Puck to follow her again, this time she was distracted by the fellow basketball players. Getting annoyed Puck followed her until she ran into Kurt and Mercedes at that point he hang back ready to come to her defence if need be but let her deal with it, then he noticed Mercedes was upset,

"Mercedes what's wrong?" asked Rachel appalled that the usually strong women was so upset

"Nothing to do with you Rachel" snipped Kurt, trying to comfort his best friend, Mercedes looked up at Rachel and saw the genuine concern written across her face

"Just the usual Rach" she sniffed "I just can't handle it today, I had this huge bust up at home and decided to escape and the Cheerio's started on me and I got upset"

"Cheerio's?" questioned Rachel harshly "Which ones?"

"Why do you care?" Kurt growled, exasperated at Kurt's continual bitching Rachel ignored him and concentrated on Mercedes,

"Amber" Mercedes told her, then watching in disbelief as Rachel marched over to her fellow Cheerio and pulled her aside, not hearing the conversation between the two cheerleaders, Mercedes could only watch as Rachel laid into Amber, whose face fell at whatever Rachel said before she muttered under her breath and walked away, her shoulders drooping.

"She's sorry" Rachel declared walking back up to original gleeks "she won't do it again; if she does tell me and I'll deal with it"

"Why did you do that?" asked Kurt curiously

"Because you may hate me, but I don't hate you" Rachel told him before walking away again, this time towards Puck, who she smiled at as she went to pass him, not letting her go after she had walked away so many times, he caught her elbow and pulled her out onto the patio, where Quinn sat in tears.

A/N Read and Review please please please, I will love you for it hehehe :D xxx