Disclaimer; I still don't own Glee or there would never be any Fuinn, ever.
A/N: Here it is folks, the end of the pool party so I hope you enjoy. The pool party has been a blast to write then we're in the homestretch -I am figuring 4or 5 more chapters till the summer is over. Then I will be starting on the sequel to Summer Heat .
The smell of burgers cooking on the grill wafted across the patio as half of the teenagers have moved into their own little group, a handful still lounging and playing in the pool, while some had dried off and changed back into their clothes and were hanging out on the patio. The drama was forgotten and it was comfortable camaraderie of friends.
In the pool, Brittany removed her shades and floated next to her best friend.
" I think I finally figured out why Quinn wanted both Finn and puck ," declared the blonde," it was like a old family tradition since her Mom did their dads "
Santana made a face at the image." Even I wouldn't have gone there "
" You have slept with puck and Finn though,San " brought up Brittany, innocently.
" Ssh, Britt,' said Santana," don't say that too loud. I kind of promised Matt I would be on my best behavior and I don't want to have to deal with Hudson and Berry "
She paused," You know , Quinn's mom did like hit on my Dad once "
" It's like Quinn and her mom are both sluts …." mused Brittany, out loud.
Artie coasted over to them." Uh, Brittany," pointed out artie ," I know that Quinn can be a ..bitch at times but pretty sure she's not a slut "
" It is true that I have slept with more guys than she has " conceded Brittany
" You know, maybe I can use this to get on my mom's good side," pondered Santana as Matt popped up from under water and splashed her , getting her tan legs wet," Hi'
" Matt, dammit ! Don't do that !"
He flashed his pearly whites at her and ran a hand down her smooth leg.
" Have I mentioned how proud of you I am ? You came back here …"
" despite my utter embarrassment ," replied Santana ," I am glad too, Matt "
" Good ," challenged Matt,' now get your sexy self into the water with me before I decide to take you deep sea diving with me …"
" Oh , I don't think sooo.." Santana sat up , swinging her legs around his neck , and launched herself at him with a laugh before taking them both underwater.
" I sooo want to do that " bemoaned Brittany , more to herself.
Meanwhile on the patio, puck was on daddy duty fixing Beth's bottle in the house while his baby mama was content to happily hold their child and relax ,watching the others.
" Your daughter has beautiful eyes ," Sam spoke up, blocking her sun and smiling at her," as beautiful as yours, Quinn "
Quinn looked up and pursed her lips, thoughtful. " Thank you "
He shifted and tried to catch her eye." You ..still don't remember me ?"
" Should I ? " answered Quinn,' as far as I know , your just a friend of Kurt's "
He pulled a chair closer to her." We met at the park and the 7-11 ," Sam tried to shake her memory a bit," I got to work on those first impressions more …"
Her smile curved ever so slightly," you were trying to flirt with me , I remember you now ' she paused and looked down at her daughter," your charming but I still am with Puck "
" I try ," Sam extended his arms out to Beth and she made gurgling noises," see, your daughter likes me. That means that I am a good guy and you should give me a shot"
" Beth has gas " informed Quinn, matter of fact ," and as flattering as this and you are, my boyfriend will be out here in a minute and he's liable to go caveman and beat your face in"
" You like the bad boys " went on Sam, undeterred ," you know, I admire a girl who likes to walk on the wild side. " their eyes locked, hazel and blue connected," I also think its really cool how brave you are to raise your baby by yourself "
" I'm not doing it alone," countered Quinn,' Puck and I are raising her together "
" I just would really like a chance to get to know you better, Quinn "
" OH " Quinn didn't quite know why she didn't say anything but it was so unexpected.
" Hey babe,' Puck rejoined them ," Ruby thinks this other formula would be cheaper but I told her Beth couldn't take that one stuff ." He turned and held his hands out ," hey Beth, look what daddy has ? Lunch time , baby sarus "
Beth moved her little legs excitedly and Quinn handed him his daughter .
He noticed Sam after a minute and addressed him," Lady lips, you eye-sexing my woman ? Cause I don't go for that shit with my woman-just let me feed my daughter and we'll have it out "
" PUCK!" Quinn smacked his arm," Sam and I were just talking "
" Yea, and he was still looking at your boobs " countered Puck," aint gonna happen "
" I swear I wasn't ," backtracked ," and I get that your one happy family here on my own " He shot Quinn a winning smile and felt her color under his scrutiny," I'll be starting up at McKinley and Mercedes mentioned that Quinn was the one who could set me up about getting popular. I just wanted to ask her what she thought I should do…"
" I can help you with that" said Quinn, giving him a coy glance. She was intrigued.
********************************SH************************************
" The cad " Kurt dug his carrot furiously into the hummus , glaring at Sam who was across the pool talking to Quinn and puck," he's totally turning the charm on Quinn"
" I think your nuts ," pointed out Mercedes," Puck would kill him "
" the guy does seem smarter than to hit on Quinn while her boyfriend is feeding their baby," interjected Bo," and he was totally checking you out earlier. Even I am not blind, Kurt. You have got to make the first move , you big ,yellow coward "
" How very Footloose of you, Bo," remarked Kurt," but I think I need to stop latching onto cute guys that are aloof and apparently straight for a change "
" Fine then plant one on him " suggested bo," be more aggressive , Hummel"
" Call off your boyfriend, cedes," asked Kurt," I retract my earlier statement "
" Sorry, Kurt," shrugged Mercedes, good naturally," I don't own my man. I happen to think his ideas are pretty good and Sam has been really flirty with you. He hasn't been flirting with any of the other guys here except for you…."
" I still think he's a heartbreaker " decided Kurt,' and I refuse to go there ..again"
" coward " stated Bo, cutting out a hunk of Rachel's carob brownies .
" Your a nag, Bo " dismissed Kurt, not unkindly.
" Man, I am starved," Finn moved in between them and carved out a huge chunk of his girlfriends brownies," man, I could eat about four burgers. " he chewed on the brownie," I thought I was going to hate these the first time Rach made them but they are awesome . I mean totally right up there with her banana bread and those cookies …actually I don't think she bakes anything bad "
" Rachel is an impressive baker , Finn " agreed Bo," I may have to get the recipe from her '
" That would make her day," said Finn through a mouthful of brownie," its her own recipe . She makes this awesome vegan lasagna which I thought would be really gross but its like the best …"
Kurt rolled his eyes." Your mom handled Judy fabray like a pro"
" I didn't know any of that about my mom and dad ," told Finn," and I don't think I have ever seen her so pissed. It kind of makes sense why she never wanted to have dinner at the fabrays now ,what with her and Quinn's mom hating each others guts "
" Better than any of the soaps …" trailed off Mercedes, reaching for some chips.
" Santana and Brittany haven't left yet," commented Finn," great party , Mercedes"
" At least it will be the most memorable " quipped Mercedes with a grin.
The parents wandered outside carrying out more food and soft drinks while Burt and Justus manned the grill , discussing their bowling tournament in the process. Catherine and mina chatted nearby and April gave a hearty wave at the teenagers still fooling around in the pool. Her eyes flicked to the picnic table where Bo and Mercedes were cuddling and found herself content that life felt pretty darn good right now.
She didn't need the booze.
Everything was just really good .
SH
With residual tension still hanging in the air from Finn, Quinn, and Puck's parents twisted little high school trauma had gotten Tina thinking about her actions earlier this summer and a niggling pain burned in her chest like acid.
She wasn't a diva or a drama queen like Rachel and Mercedes.
Tina hated drama and Lord knows their Glee club had more than their share.
She felt a prick of unease followed by her own guilt and knew she and Mike needed to have a talk. This was too important to bury it and pray.
That never did anyone any good .
She blew Artie a kiss , he grinned at her, and resumed his conversation with Brittany.
Tina wrung her ponytail out , grabbed a water, and approached Matt who was observing the food table and the healthy foods versus the junk food, it appeared.
" Mike "
" Oh hey, Tina ," smiled Mike," you water-logged too?"
" No," answered Tina, lowering her voice." I ..I was thinking about what ..happened '
She sighed," with us…and I don't think we should ever mention it happened . "
Mike looked at her." nothing happened , Tina "
Artie was dying of thirst and he nodded his thanks to Matt as he slid easily into his chair, wiping his face with a towel, and putting on his glasses . Better.
He rolled towards the cooler, stopping curiously when he noticed his girlfriend seemed to be in deep conversation with Mike. Which was cool cause they were like brother and sister. He stopped within hearing distance and was about to speak when what he heard next stopped him cold and in his tracks.
" Nothing happened with us, Tina "
" We kissed …" stuttered Tina," and I care too much about Artie to tell him about it. He would only be hurt by it and it didn't mean anything so it didn't happen "
Artie heard 'kiss' and felt cold seep through his body and if he could feel his legs, he was pretty sure that they would be numb by now.
" I had already forgotten about it ," dismissed Mike ," and Brittany would be hurt. "
Missing the rest of the conversation and afraid of what he might hear beyond that kiss, Artie zipped his chair back over to where Brittany was sitting on the edge of the pool, reapplying sun lotion. Santana was swimming lazily beside Matt .
" Brittany "
" Oh hi Artie," Brittany held out a bottle of Bronzer ," do you want some of my accelerator ? You are really pale..like a baby vampire pale and Kurt. "
" Uh no," answered Artie, hurt mingling with anger ," I think we need to talk. I just found out something that …well, I didn't want to believe it "
Brittany removed her shades to stare at him." Finn has brain damage "
Artie struggled not to laugh ." No, I think Finn's brain is fine , Britt "
" There has to be some other reason why he's with Rachel" told the blonde.
" Finn loves her,' artie tried to get the ditzy girl back on track," this doesn't have anything to do with Finn or Rachel. No, actually, its about my girlfriend and your boyfriend "
" Tina and Mike are really brother and sister " deduced Brittany, simply.
" Then they would be kissing cousins," Artie's tone had a bite in it ," no. They kissed each other ..I don't know how long the affair has been going on but its true "
Brittany grew quiet. " Like hot kisses ? Cause they do work together a lot at Hot Topic …you know, I bet all those nights he had to close he and Tina were having sex"
Artie tensed, uncomfortable." I don't think..Tina wouldn't do that " he glanced back at her ," not when she and I are…we're ..she wouldn't with him"
" But you said they were cheating on us …" countered Brittany," I have a lot of experience in that. That's why I have the records , Artie "
Insecurity crept into him with her words." Unless Mike seduced her with his Asian charm and killer abs and smooth dancers moves plus her Mom hates me "
" Mike's mother hates me too " contributed Brittany," and I guess it would kind of be like revenge cheating or something cause of how stupid and mean I was when I broke up with him"
" Revenge cheating," resigned artie," that must be what happened"
" Mike and I just got back together ," sighed Brittany, a frown pulling at her face," now I am sad. Are you really sure about this, Artie ? "
" I heard them….' muttered Artie, under his breath," I heard Tina "
" Artie , there you are !' Tina spotted her boyfriend and reached across to toss a colorful red towel across his shoulders ," your going to burn out here , you know "
His eyes burned hers, hurt ." rather than by the sun rays than from you, Tina "
Tina flinched, taken back." Art, what are you talking about ?"
He sucked in a breath, forced himself to look at her angelic face , and plucked up his courage to confront her. Party be damned, he didn't really care ..he had to know.
" I know,' spat out Artie, accusingly ," I heard you. Were you ever going to tell me the truth ? Just tell me how long this thing has been going on with you and Mike ?'
" m..mike and I," stuttered Tina ," there ..there isn't anything . "
She tried to make her voice light and teasing." artie, did puck hold your head under the water too long ? "
" Don't , Tina ," artie was strong," I heard you, Tee "
Tina laughed, nervously and played with the bracelet on her arm. She bent and met artie's gaze directly with her own," I ..I'm sorry but I swear, nothing has been or is going on with me and Mike. We are just friends and that's all "
" friends that kiss " repeated Artie, wounded . He knew he could never compare to Mike .
" Hey ," Mike plopped down beside his girlfriend and put his hand on her knee,' you guys look pretty deep over here . Are we betting on Kurt and the new guy or Finn and Rachel?"
" On how long you've been sexing up Tina," answered Brittany,' Artie overheard you guys talking about kissing. I think it must have since the beginning of summer cause I know flirty looks, Mike, and I saw you give her them with my own eyes"
Mike gaped at Tina who looked miserable. " There isn't any sex or anything . I don't know what you heard, man, but it was one kiss ages ago " He sent an apologetic look at Tina but they needed to nip this in the bud before it caused more problems.
Brittany considered this,." All of those late night closing the store wasn't like code for you and Tina hooking up in Hot topics "
" It wasn't a hook up!" chorused Mike and Tina in one voice.
Artie glanced up, catching sight of Finn holding Rachel in his arms and he didn't want to be in the kind of mess like his friend had been. Maybe he needed to calm down .
Tina looked as if she was struggling not to cry which meant she was really upset.
" You did kiss Mike and you weren't going to tell me " said artie, calmly.
" it was at the beginning of summer," Tina clutched his arms ," you were acting all weird and Brittany had just broken Mike's heart . It was an accident but it was a mistake…it didn't mean anything or I would have told you "
He pushed at a strand of wet hair and didn't say a word, listening to her.
" It wasn't even a good kiss, artie " insisted Tina ," you know that I love you"
" Hey, it wasn't that bad," retorted Mike ," no need to be mean, Tina "
He turned because his own girlfriend looked as if she was deciding whether to be mad or not. " You had just broken up with me to sleep with college guys, Britt," told mike ," we weren't together . I was still really hurt and Tina and I had been getting the hard sell from our mothers about the Asian tradition and fusion and other things so we kissed "
" Who isn't a good kisser ?" jumped in Bo, coming in late to the quiet fight. He had stopped midway because it sounded interesting and frankly, Tina and Artie had to be like the most quiet of all of Mercedes friends .
" No one " said Tina, pleading at him with her eyes.
Just then Brittany decided to speak up," Mike kissed Tina …artie and I just found out about their secret cheating ways . The Asian cheater girl doesn't think Mike is a good kisser but she's just saying that so that Artie doesn't break up with her "
" There was no cheating ," swore Tina," it was a kiss, a short kiss "
She gritted her teeth," We didn't hook up and there wasn't cars or motels or anything "
" It was a one time only kiss " elaborated Mike, thinking maybe they should shut up.
" You were just never gonna to tell me about it, Tee …" trailed off Artie, quietly.
" Because I didn't want you to be hurt and I didn't want another mess like Finn and Rachel had ," went on Tina, her voice shaking," or baby gate cause it wasn't anything like that. It was me doing a stupid thing that I regret because I really love only you "
" I know you love me…." admitted artie, going with his heart instead of his anger.
Tina bit the inside of her cheek." I didn't want this to happen with us, Artie "
She sniffled," Kissing mike was like kissing my brother …"
" Wait ," Santana climbed out of the pool and reached for a towel to dry her hair," I don't really care about either of you but cheating is something I know all about. So before you jump down Tina's grill , Abrams, one freaking kiss isn't technically cheating "
" it is when Tina and I are dating each other " defended artie with a growl.
" Kissing it totally cheating so is flirting " informed Quinn, narrowing her eyes at Finn," when you are a part of a couple there are no reasons justified for flirting or kissing another girl " She aimed this glare pointedly towards the tiny songstress Finn held.
" Okay so it was wrong but things just happen sometimes," argued Finn," especially if your miserable and not happy with the person your with ..but its totally different if the flirting and the kissing is because your in love with this other girl "
" Finn, this isn't a good argument " Rachel put her hand on his arm to stop him.
" Dear Lord ," groaned Kurt ," I thought we were never mentioning any of this ever again" he shook his head at Tina," How did this even get started ?"
Mercedes fixed her best friend with a stern look." Why do I get the feeling your not talking about baby gate or the whole Finn/Rachel/puck/Quinn thing here ?"
Kurt adjusted his sunglasses and she knew instantly." Oh my god, you knew ! You knew about Tina and Mike ? Why am I just hearing this now with everyone else ?"
" I promised Tina," stated Kurt," and frankly, I thought the girl was going to have a breakdown over it. She and artie have been disgustingly cute this summer and there just wasn't any need to create more drama here for them"
" Poor Tina ," sympathized Mercedes," ugh poor artie ..damn, they don't exactly fight except over his attitude sometimes. I hope he doesn't break up with her "
" Those two are smarter than that, Mer" assured Kurt, confidently.
" it wasn't exactly cheating ," said a stubborn Finn," we were falling in love, Rach. Okay so maybe I was a dumbass and didn't realize it right off but Quinn and I didn't love each other. Its old news and she knows it , too"
" Granted our situation was highly unusual, Finn, and I was upfront with Quinn regarding my feelings for you," says Rachel, truthfully," but despite our love, I was the other woman at first. I wish it hadn't happened ..you know, I cant say that, because no matter how it happened , we fell in love. However I think we have no right to be giving anyone advice in this and we don't want to pick a fight with Quinn"
" I guess your right …" Finn kissed her cheek," thanks, babe "
" I cant believe Finn has the audacity to defend his cheating with Rachel "
" Q," Puck tightened his grip on her ," babe, you were having Beth who is my kid and lying to him . None of us are perfect..we don't need to go into this again"
Quinn deflated ," Your right . I really hate that, Puck "
He laughed and kissed her, lightly. " Wheels and Tina can handle their own thing "
Artie ignored the din of their friends and concentrated on Tina who was silently crying, tears streaking down her cheeks. " I..I tell you cause I was so aashamed "
He focused on what was important and realized it was their relationship. She didn't blink an eye and forgave him for his hang-ups and he was jealous of Mike Chang.
This was something he could deal with and considering how much her mother wanted her with mike, it was something he needed to find a way to handle like a man.
Artie pushed past the shock , the sting of anger and hurt that bruised his heart , and reached to tilt her face up so he could brush away her tears.
" Don't cry, Tee," Artie found his strength ," you don't love mike '
Tina shook her head, almost violently." No, of course not, just you, Artie "
" I overreacted like a big jerk " replied Artie ," and we've been pretty cool on the trust till now so I don't want me to blow that. I'm sorry…I love you, Tina Cohen-chang "
" I am so sorry, artie ' Tina met him for a deep kiss,' really I am "
" Shut up," interrupted Puck," all of you. You guys seriously do not want to hear my Mom lecture you about cheating. The woman can totally write a book on it "
Mike questioned Brittany, unsure of where his own girlfriend stood. " I was pissed and hurt after you dumped me and Tina was just there …"
" I'm not anymore, Mike," admitted Brittany," I sort of was expecting it. I just wasn't expecting it like this so it was kind of sad when artie told me but I understand. I still think you and Tina are really brother and sister but don't know it yet "
" Would you be okay if we were cousins ?" asked Mike, kissing her , softly.
Santana opened her mouth but Matt caught her arm." Don't, San "
" Ruin my fun.." pouted Santana but kissed him with intensity .
Justus came through .ignoring the couples being affectionate with each other , and held out the platter ." Chow time, kids ! I've got burgers and brats here and Burt is grilling the chicken now so come on and dig in!"
" You don't have to tell me twice, Mr. Jones " replied Finn, pulling Rachel to the line beside him, much to her amusement .
Rachel giggled into his arm." I think there's more than enough, Finn"
" I know but this is the first ," said Finn," crap, your veggie burger isn't done. "
" it's fine ,' says Rachel," there is plenty for me to eat . Fill your plate "
He flashed her a dorky adorable grin and fixed a couple burgers and handed her some carrots. Rachel kissed him and whispered her thanks.
Carole sighed ," He is such a gentleman with Rachel. I am so proud of Finn"
Mina patted her friends arm." You did good with him, Carole "
Carole sent her a grateful smile , glancing as Puck took Beth and he urged Quinn to go fix them a couple of plates while he watched their daughter.
" I think Noah has matured so much, Mina . They are both good young men "
" Don't touch all those brats, Hudson ," called out Puck," I have a record to uphold "
" Boys ," sighed Kurt ," I suppose considering your macho physique, Sam, will be joining Finn and puck on the macho contest on who can eat more hot dogs ?"
" No," answered Sam," I just cant keep these abs if I inhale 3 hot dogs "
" I actually thought you were joking about that," said Kurt ," its nice that your not "
" Nah, I have my weak moments but if I want to even think about trying out for football then I cant eat like a pig or I'll never make it " remarked Sam, seriously.
" Football," Kurt nodded ," of course , I should have seen it "
Bo nudged Kurt in the back, pointedly." Now would be your opening, Kurt "
Kurt sent him a furious glare." I said I changed my mind "
" If your too nervous then I can ask for you," said a nonchalant Bo," I don't mind. "
" I will kill you with my bare hands if you so much as suggest anything , Bo Rhodes," threatened Kurt in low undertones,' rest assured I mean what I say"
" Just looking out for my friend " replied Bo, clamping a hand on his shoulder.
" thanks but no," stated Kurt," did I mention that you are perfect for my best friend ?
Both you and Mercedes are royal nags …"
Mercedes was taking it all in, her friends , having a good time at her first party.
Ruby slipped an arm around her daughters shoulder, giving her a squeeze and a warm smile ." You are having one hell of an exciting party, baby girl"
Mercedes chuckled ," I know .Your not mad ?"
" Hell no," declared Ruby with affection," we were a bit worried that your brother would help supply the secret stash of alcohol or that Puck or Santana might try to sneak it in"
" Quinn would have killed Puck " stated Mercedes," and frankly I was surprised that Santana even showed, Mom. '
" Regardless you stuck to your guns about the no alcohol so Your dad and I are really proud of you for that," went on Ruby," the cops haven't been called which I am grateful for. Not to mention all the fun that Carole, Mina, and Judy brought to the party with the bonus that I had a chance to watch your father making a fool of himself karaoke with . "
Mercedes giggled ," Its good that has gotten the Beach boys out of his system now"
" Are you having fun, Honey ?'
" It's much better than I even imagined it could be " Mercedes hugged her Mom.
" See, Beth, this is something you should know ,' said Puck, popping the last bite of hot dog into his mouth," your dad can eat six brats in under 8 and a half minutes "
Beth gurgled and shook her little hand at him, excitedly.
Quinn nibbled on pasta salad ." seriously ?"
" True ," answered Puck," I can eat Amizio under the table "
" Amizio," questioned a intrigued Quinn," why would you even compete ?"
" He was dissing Glee , the cafeteria was serving brats, and I bet his sorry ass that I could beat him," explained puck," got to keep my cred intact, you know "
"Oh, I know …." Quinn laughed and closed the distance between them to kiss him.
" Egghead '
" baby Momma ' smirked Puck, kissing the side of her face. Beth gurgled at her parents, loudly.
"Hey kids," called out Burt, walking across the patio with another platter," more burgers and chicken . I have got to tell you Bo's wings are smelling pretty good here "
" Mr. Hummel," spoke up Santana ," these burgers rock! Seriously I am a girl who likes her burgers and these are like the best I have ever had "
" Thanks, Santana ," smiled Burt ,' secret Hummel ingredient is the key plus heat. "
He flashed a grin at Carole" I cant cook a chicken to save my life but I am pretty good with the grill. Kurt isn't bad himself except he wants to cook it to be perfect "
" I cook a mean chicken," Carole touched her boyfriends arm," Finn and I would love it if you and Kurt came over soon for supper. "
Kurt caught Finn's worried look and simply smiled at him. Yep, he might as well get used to it because their parents were moving into serious territory like really fast.
" We'd like that," said Burt, affection in his tone," give the boys a better chance to hang out together besides school and glee club"
April was feeling super nostalgic , taking her back to her day except there was a lot of drunk diving and sex still as a grown up, she was having a real good time.
" This has been the best party I have been to since I came back to Lima," told April," and I haven't had a lick of alcohol and that was tough. The girls needed a bracer real bad and I have always said the booze goes down better with new friends "
" Mom" scolded Bo, listening to her laugh," you promised "
" I never broke it," informed April, proudly," swear on the Bible. I've had nothing but virgin margaritas and about six Diet Cokes so I'm a buzzing on caffeine '
She stole a handful of chips off of his plate" This is a real good group of folks here "
" Your not too shabby either, Mom' Bo reached over and impulsively kissed her cheek.
" thanks, sweetie " April couldn't resist pulling him into a hug.
" Mom!" groaned bo, only half-heartedly. It felt nice to being close to his mom.
" You'll get over the humiliation if Catherine figures out how to ask Artie and little miss Tina over there if their having sex ….." muttered April, good naturally.
Catherine watched her son and Tina , her expression a mixture of love and bafflement , and decided that now wasn't the time to talk to her son. He and Tina had survived this misunderstanding with hardly any screaming matches and it wasn't right to embarrass them both. Well she could but that wasn't her thing.
She would talk to Artie and Tina separately . Lord knows her mother wouldn't .
Emma took a sip of lemonade and relaxed against Will, enjoying the slight breeze that ruffled her ginger hair and felt content. This hadn't been a part of her own high school experience and it was just so nice and easy.
" Do you swim, Emma ? " asked Will, shaking her from her reverie.
" Not since I was little," confessed Emma," I cant seem to get past all of those germs from everyone's bodies. The germs, the pee, …I just don't believe all the chemicals truly make it that clean. Not that any of the kids are dirty but I mean, pools , in general"
He sent her a grin that had her heart melting a bit." So a pool date is out "
" Afraid so,' Emma was sheepish," but I think other dates we could manage "
Will reached for her hand and her eyes widened," Really ?"
" I think we should give it a shot ," Emma was confident ," I mean, its been a little while and I feel as if you have finally gotten yourself together. I certainly don't think we should rush…but dating ..we might be able to actually try a relationship now "
" I've figured out what I want now ," murmured Will," and its still you "
Emma blushed ," Good '
" Ten to one on and Ms.P finally getting together for real?" asked Matt, who passed them as he went for seconds and another burger for his girlfriend.
" save your money, Matt," joked Will," and use it on culling us some new members for New Directions "
" He'd have better odds on you and Ms. Pillsbury " Santana couldn't resist .
Will quickly changed the subject." You know, guys, not that this top 40 mix isn't great," said Will," but I happen to know who is better ..what's missing "
" Booze" quipped Puck, earning him a disapproving glare from Quinn and Mina.
Santana opened her mouth," I second that, Puckerman "
She caught the disappointed look in her mothers eyes " I was kidding, Mom"
Maria shook her head ," I can never tell any more, young lady "
" No, Puck, Santana ," answered Will with a wry smile ," music more in the styling's of the one and only New Directions "
" Oh Will , that is a great idea," exclaimed Maria," I missed your last performance "
She paused," Santana never sings around the house anymore "
"MOM!" muttered Santana, under her breath. At least she was talking to her.
" We are kind of busy eating and everything, ' pointed out Finn, stealing a apple slice from Rachel's plate," I don't know..maybe later "
" I could always sing something " offers Rachel," something fun and breezy "
" Sit down , Barbra," tossed back Kurt, not unkindly," eat your fruit '
" Or a nice duet would be lovely …." prodded Rachel, gently.
" Sit down, Rach," Finn gently urged her back beside him," we're not singing right now"
Rachel frowned ," I don't see why I cant sing …I am sure all of the parents would love to hear my talent . It isn't necessary for us to perform as a group right now.."
" Shut up, Rachel" chorused the New Directions in one voice.
" Now that was uncalled for " said Catherine ," and rather rude , kids "
" We weren't rude, Mom," said Artie, matter of fact," Rachel rambles forever "
" I don't think your going to win this one during chowtime, Shue ," remarked Burt , walking over to where Finn and Rachel were sitting together," there you go, Rachel. I didn't forget you…one well done veggie burger just for you"
" Thank you, Mr. Hummel " says Rachel, politely .
" Welcome ' said Burt,' and now I am gonna fix myself a plate while your all mowing down or before Finn eats all of the burgers "
Carole couldn't resist chuckling at her sons bemused expression.
Everyone ate in relative silence enjoying the slight breeze in the air,the good food, and even better company among friends. Artie and Finn found themselves sharing chips and discussing Call of duty versus Halo which Matt and Mike joined in as well.
Across the patio and under the shade tree, Rachel stretched out on the lounge chair, reapplying another coat of sunscreen and wondering idly if she needed to remind her boyfriend to apply more. He burnt so easily in the sun.
" Rachel "
Rachel looked up and smiled , kindly." hello Sam "
He sat at the edge of her chair , aware of the smooth legs and the sweet smell of her perfume invading his senses. " I haven't had much of a chance to talk to you this afternoon"
" What with all the quality time you have been spending with Kurt," teased Rachel," believe me, I understand and I think its so wonderful"
He didn't really know what she was talking about because she talked a lot but she was still hot. Sam made a bolder move , inching closer to her ," You look incredible "
Rachel shifted, uncomfortable." You're hitting on me ?"
He slid his hand up her half , his grin sexy ." I have been trying to hit on you since we first met," Sam leaned in closer," I was beginning to think I was doing something wrong "
" Remove your hand or I will remove it for you" demanded Rachel
Across the patio, Finn nodded to the guys, looked up to smile at his girlfriend and noticed that the new dude had his ..fucking hand on Rachel's leg !
What the hell?
This was so not happening !
Rachel smacked Sam's hand away deftly and rose , hands on hips, angrily .
" Keep your hands off of me," informed Rachel," I am not interested in you or your advances. My heart belongs to Finn and I am not the type of girl to cheat .."
" I just thought …I mean, we have sparks, Rachel," replied Sam," I thought you felt them to or I wouldn't have even made a move. "
" Clearly you are mistaken " says Rachel, crossing her arms in front of her.
" Keep your fucking hands off of my girl !" Finn grabbed Sam and glowered at him.
" My foul, sorry ," pleaded Sam," dude, don't kill me "
" did you think I wouldn't see you putting the moves on Rachel? " Finn was furious.
" Finn, please," Rachel grabbed his arm, pulling him away," don't . Let him go- Mercedes doesn't need us making a scene too. Please , Finn, I handled it …"
" Rach…" Finn's voice was tinged with anger," he freakin put his hands on you "
He released Sam who tried to back away from the pissed off tall jock , slowly.
Rachel was calming." I took care of it ," assured Rachel, softly," I told him his overtures weren't welcome . That I love you and that is simply how it is…"
" She did ," added Sam," and I got it. I will stay away from her , Finn "
He backed away but not before he heard Rachel," You should be ashamed of yourself for leading Kurt on like you have …."
Sam made a face." Kurt," repeated Sam," I'm not…oh crap..you think I'm gay ..im not "
Blowing out a breath, Sam went to find another empty corner to rethink his plans.
" I should punch his face in"
" No, you shouldn't " Rachel stood on her tiptoes and pressed tiny kisses on his mouth," your sweet for being jealous but I took care of it. You know that I love you "
He kissed the side of her arm and grappled with the right words that would make her understand and not piss her off ." No, Rachel, it isn't ," stated Finn," Surfer Dude hit on you . That's gonna happen more once guys notice how sneaky sexy you are and you're my girl. Damn, I knew he couldn't be gay .."
" Finn, I can take care of myself ," assured Rachel," I have ..long before we found each other " she sent a worried frown towards Kurt ," I am more concerned with how Kurt will take this news..he's having a major crush on Sam all summer long .he'll be devastated "
" Kurt can handle the dude " decided Finn, hugging her close ," and I know your stronger than you look, baby, but your also my girlfriend. It's part of my job to take care of you"
Rachel kissed him, sweetly." My very own knight "
" You got it " Finn returned her kiss with equal fervor .
" I swear, how is it that you two manage to find the secluded spots to make out in?" asks Kurt , causing the couple to blush , wildly.
" Come on, you two," chuckled Mercedes," you can be all adorable over here "
Hand in hand, Finn and Rachel rejoined their friends, sitting close together .
" This has been the best first annual Jones/Hummel pool party in the history of all pool parties in Lima ," declared a brisk Kurt , resting his head on her shoulders," until next years , of course'
" I don't know if we will top this , Kurt " joked Mercedes, laughing.
" Yea, Wheezy," tossed out Santana , keeping it real," you done good here "
April ruffled her sons hair, affectionately." We need to talk real serious soon here, BO"
" Now isn't the time, mom," said Bo then hopped on top of one of the picnic tables," Give it up for my girl, Mercedes!"
Everyone cheered and clapped, Artie whistled, and Puck let out a "Whoop"
Mercedes bowed, a grin curving wildly across her face with happiness.
" Get down from there, Rhodes " Mercedes tugged on her boyfriends arm , pulling him down beside her and into a fun, smacking kiss .
" We eat on that table " pointed out Tina , making a face,' gross "
" It has been fun," murmured Quinn, leaning against Puck, comfortably," and I think what we really needed . Time for us with our friends …"
" You got it, Q " Puck kissed her, quickly.
" It's not over yet " reminded Tina," its still really early "
" the night is still young " added artie ," and we could do some dancing "
" My dancing fool …" Tina wrapped an arm around his neck, kissing him at their inside joke.
" Ugh, I think my stomach is gonna explode ," Brittany rested her head on Mike's shoulder ," I shouldn't have mixed salsa with that weird dip Kurt made . I don't think it is safe for me to move …"
" I'll carry you to the car if that will help .." said a good natured mike, smiling at her.
" you're a good boyfriend " declared Brittany, holding her stomach .
" My folks are gonna hate that they missed out on all of this fun " commented Matt , wrapping his arms around Santana ," though I'm pretty sure they didn't go to high school with any of you. Mom and dad are pretty boring …"
Carole buried her face behind Burt's shirt." I am never going to live this down "
Burt wrapped an arm around Carole's shoulder and hugged her." probably not ," chuckled Burt," but it was pretty cool. "
" I am sure my son doesn't think so…." murmured Carole, under her breath.
" Oh and Matt, your dad and I could probably tell you some stories ," added Burt, for the hell of it ," we were on the football team together in school"
" So I don't need to hear them ," said Kurt ," Matt and I would prefer to be clueless to that sordid details of your escapades when you were our age .."
" They weren't sordid ," Burt pulled a face," Daryl and I mainly pulled a lot of pranks "
" Tossing kids in the dumpster ?" questioned Puck, who had promised Quinn that he would slack off on doing that once school started back up but it was his favorite .
Burt shook his head," Naw " he didn't elaborate .
April took a sip of her sweet, sweet tea and couldn't resist the knowing smile at Will who had his arm around that sweet Emma. She couldn't resist winking at him.
" this here reminds me of the lazy ole days of summertime "
" porgy and Bess," commented ruby," that is one of my all time favorites "
" Porky the pig," chimed in Brittany," I love him"
" No, Britt …." said Santana , softly and touched her arm.
" I don't think I have ever heard it ," said sam," I don't like old movies "
Kurt pressed a hand against his heart in distress," You people have no musical culture "
Mercedes let go of Bo's hand and perched on the edge of the picnic table , resting her hands on her knees, and feeling the vibe of the summer song.
All of her friends were happy . No one was leaving .
She and Santana were even getting along .
Summertime
And the livin is easy
And the cotton is high
Puck and Quinn held Beth between them, all warm smiles and looking every inch like a real life family which it seemed they were.
Oh your daddys rich
And your mamma's good lookin
So hush little baby
don't you cry
Beth pressed her hands together as if to clap for her aunt Mercedes and Mina blew her a kiss.
One of these mornins
Your going to rise up singing
Then you'll spread your wings
And you'll take to the sky
Rachel rested her head against Finn's chest and he kissed her hair, lovingly.
But until that morning
There's nothing can harm you
With your daddy and mammy standing by
Justus and ruby shared a happy kiss at their lovely daughters thoughtfulness.
Kurt sent a small, hopeful smile in the direction of a pensieve Sam .
Artie squeezed Tina's hand and she put herself in his lap, happily.
Summertime
And the livin is easy
Fish are jumping and the cotton is high
Santana and Brittany hooked pnikies, exchanging secret smiles.
Matt and mike high-fived one another as best bros often do.
Your daddys rich
And your mamma's good lookin
So hush little baby
Don't you cry
The applause was thunderous and heartfelt . Her pool party totally rocked .