So no excuses for the lack of updates... Just Writer's Block and being busy. But never fear I haven't given up! I'm sure some reviews would cure my ills... wink wink.

CHAPTER EIGHT:

We're Dating, Aren't We?

Rachel cocked her head to the side as she stared at herself in the mirror. She'd woken up extra early this morning so she could get in her work out, shower, eat, and agonize over what to wear for the day. 3 out of 4 wasn't bad, right?

Her narcissistic trance was interrupted when her cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"Rachel?"

"Kurt?"

"Of course it's me, darling. So what are you wearing?"

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Really Kurt?"

"Can't have you falling back on bad habits, can we?" Rachel shook her head in amusement. "So?"

She sighed "Black tank top, purple vest, jeans, and purple flats."

"Hmm… Belt?"

"No."

"Hair?"

"Down."

"Straight or wavy?"

"Wavy."

"Alright Berry. You pass. I'll see you at school."

Rachel just stared at her phone as Kurt hung up. "Nice talking to you too." Her stomach growled and she swore as she heard the doorbell ring.

Puck shifted nervously from foot to foot as he waited outside Rachel's house. He was exactly 3 minutes early, he knew because he'd checked his watch every 10 seconds since he'd rung the doorbell.

His breath caught in his throat as she swung the door open. "Hey Rach."

"Good morning Noah."

"Ready to head to school?"

"Actually no," She grimaced "I'm running a little behind today. Would you like to come in?"

"Uh, sure, but…"

Rachel stepped to the side and waited for Puck to enter the house, she looked at him curiously as he didn't move. "I was just about to make some breakfast, would you like some?"

Puck looked up, he was always hungry. "Sure, but- Rach my little sister's in the truck. My mom got called into work early and I have to take Dani to the babysitter's before school."

Rachel strained to look around Noah, as he was standing in her field of vision. "Your sister's here? Can I meet her?"

"Yeah, but-"

"We should get going if she has to be at the babysitters."

"What about your breakfast?"

"Hmm," Rachel pondered as she grabbed her new purple messenger bag, "well I suppose we could always pick something up on the way to school. What about your sister? Has she eaten?"

"I don't know."

"Noah!" Rachel scolded as she brushed past him "Your sister's a growing girl; she needs to eat a balanced-"

"Rachel!" Puck cut her off, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards him, "Dani usually eats breakfast at Mrs. G's. She'll be fine."

"But-" He cut her off again, this time by twining his left hand in her hair and leaning down to kiss her.

Rachel melted into the kiss; it wasn't like one they'd shared before. This one wasn't about desperation or hunger; it was kind of… sweet. They both drew back at the sound of giggling. "Noah, that's gross! Come on, let's go!"

Rachel gasped dramatically and slapped him lightly in the stomach. "Noah," She whispered furiously "you can't just kiss me in front of your sister like that!"

Puck stood dumbfounded- alone- as Rachel climbed into his truck and his sister giggled from the back seat. He shook his fist at Dani, who started laughing and talking at Rachel. The jock shook his head as he made his way to the driver's side door. His sister was such a cockblocker.

"And then Noah threw me into the pool, with my clothes on and everything." Dani finished her story. "Mom was so mad…"

Rachel did her best to hold in her smile, but when she looked over at Puck she couldn't contain it. The mohawked footballer shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I only threw you into the pool because you were being a brat, Danica."

Rachel let out an outraged gasp on Dani's behalf, but shared a look of amusement with Puck. "Noah! That's awful. I'm sure Dani was nothing but sweet and innocent."

"No," Dani sighed from the backseat, "I was being a brat. My mom said so. She was only mad at Noah 'cause I was wearing my new school clothes."

"See?" Puck said, one eyebrow raised, as he pulled off the road into a driveway.

Rachel chuckled as he turned off the ignition and Dani practically flew out of the truck. "Come on Rachel! You gotta come meet Mrs. G!"

Rachel watched as the precocious 7 year old ran up the driveway, her bright pink My Little Pony backpack and dark brown pigtails streaming behind her. She turned to Puck, who was staring at her with curiosity written all over his features. "She's adorable, Noah."

"Sometimes." Puck agreed. He leaned over and kissed her softly "Thanks for being so nice to her."

"Of course, she's your sister…"

Puck kissed her again before looking up and seeing Dani and Mrs. G standing in the doorway. He groaned. "Come on, you'd better meet Mrs. G, or she'll skin me alive."

The two teenagers were walking toward the house when they heard Dani explain to the old lady about 'how they kissed like that all the time' as if she hadn't just met Rachel 10 minutes ago. The diva stopped in her tracks and groaned quietly as Puck's younger sister made that fact known. Puck laughed quietly and slung his arm about her shoulders. "Come on Rach."

Rachel shook her head "She's going to think I'm some kind of harlot! That I molest you in front of 7 year old girls!" She whispered furiously.

"She's not going to think that." Puck soothed her as he led her toward the house. "She's only 71; even she doesn't use the word harlot…"

Rachel glared at him and elbowed him hard in the side. "Noah!"

He laughed again and stopped her before the old woman. "Morning Mrs. G."

"Good morning Noah." The white haired woman greeted as he kissed her cheek. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Rachel," he introduced her, prompting her to shake Mrs. G's hand, "my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" Rachel squeaked.

Puck nodded, not giving her the option of disagreeing or questioning him. "Well, I hate to cut this short, but we gotta run if we want to eat before school."

"Nonsense." Mrs. G protested "You'll eat here, with your sister."

"But-"

The old woman didn't even wait to hear Puck's protests; she just turned her back and began ushering Dani and Rachel into the house. "Now Rachel, dear, Noah tells me you're Jewish."

"Yeah, my dad-"

"Good, good." Mrs. G cut her off, "Are you kosher? Because I'm afraid this old lady has fallen on bad habits. I just love bacon."

Rachel giggled as she shook her head "No, my pop loves bacon too, too much to let my dad cut it out of our lives."

Mrs. G grinned at her. "It's a good thing I made plenty. Noah, quit standing in the doorway, you're letting all the heat out!"

Dani laughed as her brother was scolded and grabbed Rachel's hand. "Come on Rachel, I'll show you around."

Rachel turned to look at Puck and gave him a half shrug as his sister dragged her away. "She's a good girl." Mrs. G commented as she watched her surrogate grandson take off his lettermen jacket.

Puck snorted "You just met her 2 minutes ago." She just smiled at him, a knowing look in her wise brown eyes. He held up his hands in surrender "Alright, alright! She's a good girl. Now where's that bacon you were talking about?"

Puck glanced over at Rachel who was shifting nervously in the passenger seat. "What's wrong Berry?"

"What? Nothing." The diva glanced in his direction, but wouldn't look him in the eye. Puck shrugged and turned his attention back to the road. "You told Mrs. G that I was your girlfriend!" She blurted out after a few awkward minutes of silence.

Puck quirked an eyebrow as he pulled into the school parking lot. "And?"

"What do you mean 'And'?" Rachel demanded "You told her I was your girlfriend!" Puck turned off the truck and just continued to stare at her. "Am I?"

She asked the question so quietly he barely heard her. "Do you want to be?"

"I-" she stared at him intently for a minute, as if she was searching for something. "Yes."

"Good." He declared, throwing open his door. Rachel grabbed her bag and followed after him, and when she caught up Puck let his arm settle heavily on her shoulders. "I have football practice after school today, so I won't be able to drive you home. Can you hitch a ride with Hummel or something?"

Rachel shook her head "My car's still here from yesterday."

"Good."

Rachel nodded, not quite sure what to do. "I-"

Puck chuckled and leaned down to kiss her briefly. "I don't have to pick Dani up today, 'cause of practice, so why don't we do something tonight? I could cash in that rain check…"

Rachel eyed him, surprised "Like a date?"

He nodded "Well, we are dating aren't we?"

"Yeah-"

"Good." He kissed her again before starting down the hallway, "I'll see you at lunch."

Rachel just stood there, watching him go. She couldn't quite get her mind around what happened; she had a boyfriend and she was going on her first date… She was snapped out of her daze when Kurt, Mercedes and Tina descended on her. "W-was that Puck?" Tina asked.

Kurt and Mercedes exchanged knowing glances over Rachel's head as the brunette continued to stare down the hallway absently. "Yeah. We're going on a date."

Mercedes shared a high five with Kurt. "Girl, he asked you out?"

Rachel shook her head and looked at her three friends. "Well he kind of told me…"

Kurt rolled his eyes as he linked his arm through Rachel's "Men. They think they own the world. Now, let's talk about what you're going to wear tonight."

Tina looked over at Mercedes as the two walked ahead of them. "I th-thought Pu-Puck and Rachel b-broke up." Mercedes shook her head and brought her and Kurt's YouTube video up on her phone. She handed it over to Tina without a word. "Oh."