Well, I'm so sorry it took me so long to update. I was hoping that since I'm done with camp I'd have more time to update, but because of personal issues and going back I haven't had as much time for writing. Luckily things have calmed down, so chapter 3 should be up soon. I hope you enjoy chapter 2 - it was written in a lecture hall at school and it's not my best, but yeah. Chapter 3 is already underway (Rachel goes to college in Chapter 3) and I'm really happy with how it's turning out, so stay tuned. Enjoy and review if you want me to keep going!
Chapter 2: Goodbye To Summer
Summer had gone by all too quickly.
Tonight was the last night all fourteen New Directions seniors would be in Lima. They were having a cookout at Finn and Kurt's house tonight so they could see each other before they all went back to school. Right now, Rachel was shopping for her dorm room with Quinn, Mercedes, Tina, Brittany and Santana. Unlike her friends, who were all in standard two-person rooms, Rachel would be in a suite with three other girls. Each girl had her own bedroom, two would share each bathroom, and all four would share a common room. Rachel had met her suitemates through the university's residence services web site, but hadn't really talked to them. She wasn't leaving for another week, but this was the last opportunity for all of them to get together and shop.
The six girls were looking through the bedding section at Target, trying to pick the perfect sheets and pillowcases for their new rooms. Rachel was looking at the colors when Santana nudged her, holding up a pillow with gold stars. "This is perfect for you!"
Rachel laughed. "Thanks, Santana, but I think I'll leave the gold stars here in Lima."
"What?" Mercedes gasped. "Rachel Berry's signature thing isn't gold stars anymore? Has hell frozen over?"
Rachel looked at her friends. "It's not that - it's - gold stars were something my dads used to do with me when I was little. It was when I was obsessed with being a star. You know, I may not become a star. Do you know what small fraction of people become stars?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa?" Tina said. "Who are you, and what have you done with our Rachel?"
"I'm still me," Rachel said. "I just want to be more realistic now." She selected the pink bedsheets and pillowcases with the blue and purple polka dots she'd liked. "I like these, these are cute."
Rachel watched as her friends exchanged surprised looks. She was also secretly considering trying a new look at college, but was afraid to tell her friends that.
Before joining Glee Rachel never would have thought she'd seen herself shopping with these girls. Before then, Quinn and Santana were the mean cheerleaders, Brittany was their sidekick, Tina was the shy, gothic stutterer who never talked to anyone and Mercedes was one of the few people who was so loud it even annoyed Rachel. Now she knew that these girls were so much more than all that. Quinn, Santana and Brittany were actually nice and fun, Mercedes's diva-like personality added a lot to their mix and Tina had a great sense of humor.
This would likely be the last time all the girls were hanging out until Thanksgiving break. They had a summer tradition of having "girls nights" at least once a week, where they had sleepovers and talked. Rachel would miss those so much once she left for college.
The girls finished selecting the supplies for their dorm rooms and paid before heading to their respective houses to drop off their things. Then they drove to the Hudson-Hummel house to meet up with the boys and the underclass Glee members from this year so everyone could see each other before the Class of 2012 headed off to college. There were twelve underclass members in New Directions during the school year, so even if no one else joined, they'd still have enough people to compete. Rachel knew the underclass members would continue to carry the name of New Directions well, and she would definitely miss them too, especially the new captains, Jake and Kylie. Finn and Rachel had bonded with Jake and Kylie because they reminded them of their younger selves and she knew they were prepared to be the captains, leads and power couple.
x
While the girls were shopping, the boys were hanging out at the Hudson-Hummel house, eating snacks and playing on the xbox. Finn just wanted to see Rachel. He kept looking out the window, hoping she'd be done shopping with the girls. She offered to help with set-up and he took full advantage of it. She wasn't leaving for another ten days and they planned to be together every moment of those ten days, but he couldn't get over how much he already missed her.
Finally, the girls pulled into the driveway, and Finn greeted Rachel with a hug and a kiss. She looked up at him and sighed. "Last night before everyone leaves for college."
Finn smiled and gave Rachel a hug. "At least we have ten more days together." Thinking out loud, he said, "That's not enough."
Rachel sighed. "Definitely not enough. I'm going to miss you like crazy."
"All I've thought about is how hard it'll be to be away from you," Finn said, giving Rachel a big hug. Tonight was supposed to be fun, but the thoughts about leaving were still looming. Then Finn's thoughts were interrupting by a baby's cry. "Sounds like Ally woke up from her nap. Want to come check on her with me?"
Rachel perked up. "Definitely!"
Finn put his arm around Rachel as they walked to Ally's room, where his sister who'd just turned one last week had just woken up from her nap. Looking at her, he realized the innocence of her, and wished in some ways he could be back in that position. He wouldn't have to worry about being separated from Rachel... then again, if he were this young again, he wouldn't be able to fall in love. The good things about growing up definitely outweighed the bad things.
He looked up at Rachel. "Want to hold her?"
Rachel nodded. Finn knew that Rachel was the closest thing to a sister Ally had, so a bond between them was important. Rachel took Finn's hand. "Your sister is adorable."
"Almost as adorable as you," Finn said.
"Please, you're the most adorable one," Rachel said. "What will I do when I can't see your cute face every day?"
Finn had a bunch of pictures of him and Rachel for his dorm, but he knew they wouldn't be the same as seeing her in person. Before he had a chance to say anything back, Carole knocked on the door. "Finn, I'm glad you and Rachel are taking care of Ally but everyone else is here. Why don't you two go downstairs?"
Finn kissed his sister before handing her to his mother. "Okay Mom." He took Rachel's hand and began walking downstairs, where the other 24 members of New Directions 2011-2012 were waiting. Finn smiled seeing everyone again. They would probably get to hang out again on breaks, but it wouldn't be the same. Finn and Kurt's parents brought in the video for Nationals and played it for them. Finn put his arm around Rachel as he began watching them singing their final duet in a competition together.
Finn: Highway run into the midnight sun
Wheels go round and round, you're on my mind
Rachel: Restless hearts sleep alone tonight
Sending all my love along the wire
Both: They say that the road ain't no place to start a family
Right down the line it's been you and me
And loving a music man ain't always what it's supposed to be
Rachel: Oh boy, you stand by me
Both: I'm forever yours...faithfully,
Rachel: Circus life under the big top world
Both: We all need the clowns to make us smile
Rachel: Through space and time (Finn: Through space and time,)
Both:always another show
Wondering where I am, lost without you
And being a part ain't easy on this love affair
Two strangers learn to fall in love again
I get the joy of rediscovering you
Finn: Oh girl, you stand by me!
Both: I'm forever yours...faithfully
New Directions: Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh...
Finn: Faithfully
New Directions: Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh...
Rachel: Faithfully
I'm still yours
New Directions: Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh...
Finn: I'm still yours
Both: Faithfully
The group applauded as they watched their second song from Nationals begin to play on the screen.
Rachel: Yeah, you may think that I'm a zero
Kylie: Ha
Rachel: But hey, everyone you wanna be Probably started off like me You may say that I'm a freak show
Kylie: I don't care
Rachel: But hey, give it just a little time I bet you gonna change your mind
All of the dirt you've been throwing my way
It ain't so hard to take
Rachel & Finn: That's right
Rachel: Cause I know one day you'll be screaming my name and I'll just look away
Rachel and Finn: That's right
New Directions: Just go ahead and hate on me run your mouth
So everyone can hear
Hit me with the worst you've got and knock me down
Baby I don't care
Keep it up and soon enough you'll figure out
You wanna be, you wanna be
A loser like me A loser like me
Finn: Push me up against the locker
And hey all I do is shake it off
I'll get you back when I'm your boss
I'm not thinking about you haters
Cause hey I could be a superstar
I'll see you when you wash my car
Kylie: All of the dirt you've been throwing my way It ain't so hard to take
Jake: That's right
Kylie: Cause I know one day you'll be screaming my name And I'll just look away
Jake: That's right
New Directions: Just go ahead and hate on me run your mouth
So everyone can hear
Hit me with the worst you've got and knock me down
Baby I don't care
Keep it up and soon enough you'll figure out
You wanna be, you wanna be
A loser like me A loser like me
Rachel: A loser like me
Girls: Hey you over there Keep the L up up in the air
Hey you over there Keep the L up cause I don't care
You can throw your sticks
And you can throw your stones I'm like a rocket just watch me go yeah
L-O-S-E-R, I can only be who I are
New Directions: Just go ahead and hate on me run your mouth
So everyone can hear
Hit me with the worst you've got and knock me down
Keep it up and soon enough you'll figure out
You wanna be, you wanna be a loser like me
Rachel: A loser like me
New Directions: A loser like me
Rachel: A loser like me
New Directions: A loser like me
Finn could barely listen to the third song. Instead, he thought about Nationals. It had been the best week of his life, exploring and having romantic moments in Washington with Rachel. The best part was when he, Rachel, Sam, Quinn, Kurt, Blaine, Jake and Kylie had met the President of the United States. There would be no more weeks like that.
Rachel never failed to surprise Finn. At the end of the video and shouted, "Let's all sing together before we go off to college!" She turned on the karaoke machine as the perfect song for tonight began.
Rachel: And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives
Where we're gonna be when we turn 25
I keep thinking times will never change
Keep on thinking things will always be the same
Mercedes: But when we leave this year we won't be coming back
No more hanging out cause we're on a different track
Quinn: And if you got something that you need to say
You better say it right now cause you don't have another day
Tina: Cause we're moving on and we can't slow down
These memories are playing like a film without sound
Santana: And I keep thinking of that night in June
I didn't know much of love
But it came too soon
Brittany: And there was me and you
And then we got real blue
Stay at home talking on the telephone
Kurt: And we would get so excited and we'd get so scared
Laughing at ourselves thinking life's not fair
And this is how it feels
New Directions: As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
From whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever
Finn: So if we get the big jobs
And we make the big money
When we look back now
Will our jokes still be funny?
Blaine: Will we still remember everything we learned in school?
Still be trying to break every single rule
Puck: I keep, keep thinking that it's not goodbye
Keep on thinking it's a time to fly
And this is how it feels
New Directions: As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
From whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever
La, la, la, la:
Yeah, yeah, yeah
La, la, la, la:
We will still be friends forever
Artie: Will we think about tomorrow like we think about now?
Can we survive it out there?
Can we make it somehow?
Sam: I guess I thought that this would never end
And suddenly it's like we're women and men
Mike: Will the past be a shadow that will follow us 'round?
Will these memories fade when I leave this town
Finn and Rachel: I keep, keep thinking that it's not goodbye
Keep on thinking it's a time to fly
New Directions: As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
From whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever
Although starting tomorrow they'd be going around the country, they all would still be friends forever, that much Finn knew.