I apologize this took forever, life got the best of me. Here is chapter 3 though! I'm trying to set a steady progression and hope it doesn't seem too slow or too fast.

Chapter 3 Longing

She was walking through the halls when she saw him leaning against her locker. Giving him a quizzical look she stopped next to him.

"What can I do for you, Noah?" Rachel asked. Their friendship hadn't changed much since he began to appear in her room at night just to 'hang out' as he had began to put it. No one ever wanted to hang out with her and it was weird, but she liked it. At school though it was like their new friendship hadn't blossomed at all.

"Does Hudson know about us?" He asked bluntly and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Us? I wasn't aware there was an us." Sure she had been dreaming of him lately and not Finn and that was extremely worrisome but she hadn't thought about them being anything other than friends nor did she think about telling Finn. "I think we both know that Finn would not react to our clandestine nights in my room, Noah. So no I did not tell him. Why did you want me to?"

He shook his head and looked in the direction where Finn was at his own locker. "Just wondering." He mumbled before standing up straight and moving so that she could get into her locker. "Tonight we're going somewhere though so don't be in your pjs when I get there." Puck added and Rachel looked at him but before she could say anything he was gone.

Later that night she was sitting on her bed dressed and ready for him to show up. She wasn't sure what was going on or where he was taking her but a part of her knew that she needed trust him and that no matter what it was at least going to be a fun outing. She had never snuck out of her house before and while she had no idea how she was going to get down from her window she was ready for him to show up.

When he did she still jumped at his knocking and opened the window and looked down. "No, I can't." She said as she shook her head and backed away but he was faster and caught her wrist and pulled her back towards the window.

"Yes you can. Let's go it's not that hard just follow me and like don't die." He said with a shrug before ducking back out of the window and waiting for her to follow him before grabbing ahold of the tree branch and swinging down until he was on the ground.

Rachel gulped and closed her eyes before following his lead eventually landing on the ground with her heart racing so fast that she felt as if she was going to pass out. "I can never do that again." She mumbled and he chuckled and took her hand leading her down the street to where his truck was parked.

"You have to get back up, Berry." He mumbled with a grin as they hurried down until they were in his truck and she wrapped her coat around her tighter and adjusted the heater before turning to him.

"I would like to know where we are going now." Rachel said sincerely refusing to sit in silence during a drive to who knows where especially when it was late at night and she was usually half asleep by now.

He looked at her and shook his head again before stepping on the gas a little and making her jump and scream. "This is going to be fun." Puck mumbled under his breath making her glare at him.

"I swear Noah Puckerman, if you get me into trouble.." She scolded only making him laugh some more as he drove through Lima and finally pulled up to a house full of people and blaring music.

"You brought me to a party? It's Wednesday night." Rachel asked confused and he shrugged and helped her out.

"I was invited to a frat party and was told to bring a date. You keep saying how you don't get out enough and have never gotten experience so now is your chance. You just you know can't tell Hudson. He'd kill me if I brought his girl to a party that he wanted to be at."

"Wait, what? Finn goes to parties?" Rachel asked genuinely shocked. Finn never told her anything like that and the look in Pucks face told her that there must be a lot that her boyfriend held from her.

"It's not a big deal, so chill and now you are here so if you ever want to bring it up and throw it in his face you can. Just not like tomorrow unless you are really pissed at him or something." He then stopped talking as they entered the house and he threw his coat in a closet along with hers though she was skeptical of the state they'd be in when they went to retrieve them.

"Noah, it's a school night." She said as she took his hand innocently a little insecure to be around college student.

"Yes it is, good job." He mumbled with an eye roll as he got them both two red cups and she smelled it and shook her head before giving it back. "Drink it, you'll be fine. I'm not going to get you drunk. Just taste it, that's the whole point of tonight.:

Rachel sighed and took a drink of the beer, gagging first at the taste but taking a couple more until it wasn't bothering her anymore.

The party was not what she really expected, it was mainly drinking games and people making out as well as some dancing. She managed to get Noah out on the dance floor for a couple fast songs and then a slow song which she felt like he had enjoyed the most. She certainly did and as the night went on she felt more and more guilty that she was out with another boy and not her boyfriend. Even though Noah hadn't made one move on her.

"Noah." Rachel said her mind a little fuzzy from the alcohol and the smoke that was filling the room. She took his hand and he looked down at her with the sweetest smile before pulling her into his side making her heart flutter. He was only sweet to her when they were together and around people they didn't mutually know, she didn't know why.

"Having fun?" He asked and she nodded because she honestly was. She had met a couple girls who didn't immediately start making fun of her and she felt like she had genuine interest in being friends with. Their numbers were in her phone as well as a guys that she felt like she shouldn't have but if the party was about getting experience she was at least succeeding at it.

"Shouldn't we go soon? It's getting late." Rachel suggested gently reminding him that they had school the next day.

"The part of tonight is that you are skipping school tomorrow." He said and she gasped and shook her head.

"Absolutely not! Take me home right now!" Rachel declared with a stomp of her for and Puck rolled his eyes and took her away from the group.

"Listen to yourself right now, you talk about how you want to be a grown up and for people to notice you. I left you alone for five minutes and you had what four people talking to you? You are not this person you claim to be, Rach. Now you're having a good time, let lose a little and except that we're going to have more fun and tomorrow you can work ahead of classes or whatever, from home. Chill, it'll be fine." His hands were on her shoulders and she looked up at him breathing heavily but finally nodded and then stepped back from him before he got much closer to him.

"Okay, we'll stay. I was having fun talking to those girls." Rachel said honestly and he nodded and let his hands linger for a moment and her heart fluttered before he sighed and dropped them and pulled back. "Go back to what you were doing, I'll go walk around and see if I can meet anyone else." She promised and he smiled and leaned down and kissed her cheek before leaving her.

Rachel sighed and went to sit down for a minute slightly confused as to what was transpiring between herself and Noah. Yes she had Finn in her life and he had probably half of the girls in the next room ready to be the next one he bedded but she couldn't help but still long for him and it was infuriating that he wasn't making a move and she didn't know how to.

Pulling out her phone she saw that Finn had sent her a text, feeling guilty that she hadn't noticed she sent something back quickly before putting it back in her jacket pocket and then standing up and joining a group of girls who were chatting next to the wall. It was always easy to introduce herself but it was what she got in return that scared. She knew it was probably because they were all drunk or on their way to be, but she was accepted into their little clique for the night and it was the one of the best feelings she had ever had.

It was almost a hour of laughing and dancing with the girls before Noah came over and nodded at the others before pulling her away from them. "Hey! You can't do that, I was enjoying myself." She had cut herself off from drinking not wanting to experience being drunk and had realized that it was possible for people to like her for her and that she could be a normal girl and not some freak who loved Broadway. So she glared up at him and he ran his fingers through her hair for a moment before dropping them and making her sigh.

"I just wanted to check up on you and see if you were wanting to go or not." He said with a shrug and she shook her head. "I'm a little tired but we can stay longer if you want, it's up to you. You were the one invited after all." She answered and she got a nod in return before he walked way.

"You are one infuriating man Noah Puckerman." She mumbled to herself as she walked back over to the girls she was now referring to as sort of friends.

"Boyfriend? He's hot." The one who was named Morgan said. Rachel looked back in the direction Noah had went and shook her head sadly.

"No, I have a boyfriend but it's not him." She couldn't help but notice the disappointment in her voice and shook her head before smiling at him. "He's just a friend. He brought me here." Rachel said before a new song started to play and she dragged them back to the dance area not wanting to talk about it anymore.

It was bad enough that she was falling in love with someone who wasn't Finn Hudson, but falling in love with Noah while still with Finn was another and she didn't know how to deal with it.

She didn't know how to break up with Finn especially when she was getting nothing but mixed signals from Noah.

When Noah finally led her out of the house it was hours later than she had ever stayed up and she was yawning all the way back to where Noah usually parked his truck. He walked with her to her house and followed her up to make sure she got in okay before hanging out at her window.

"You're not staying?" She asked and he shook his head. "Nah, go get some sleep and do not wake up with your alarm tomorrow. I'll know if you don't stay home."

"Are you skipping as well?" Rachel asked and was confused when he shook his head again. "Nope, I'm going and that's how I'll know. Don't ask questions and just go to sleep. Night."

"Night." She said softly as she moved from her window and into the warmth of her room. She had been hoping that he was going to stay with her, that maybe she'd have the chance to ask the questions she needed to if they were together the next day. Now she felt like she'd never have the courage to ask. That she would never know if he was messing with her head or if she was just messing with her own.

Rachel changed out of her clothes and into her pajamas and climbed into bed with another yawn. Laying there for a while she went over the entire night in her head over and over again until she fell asleep. Something was missing, she just didn't know what it was.