Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This chapter title comes from the song "I'm Alright" by Stereophonics.
Finn tapped his pencil against his notebook. He looked up at Rachel, who immediately looked back down at the book she was reading. She was beyond embarrassed to have been caught staring, but Finn definitely liked the cute way she bit her lip.
"Why don't you tell me something about yourself?" Finn asked.
Surprised by the question, Rachel almost dropped her book. "Excuse me?" she asked.
Finn shrugged his shoulders. "We always talk about me, but I don't know a whole lot about you. I know you're really good with music and you like tutoring people, but what do you want to do with your life?"
Rachel set her book aside and took a deep breath, running her fingers through her hair. "Okay, so everyone knows that I love performing and that's what I want to do with my life. But ever since I was a little girl, I've always dreamed on being on Broadway and winning a Tony."
With earnest eyes, Finn reached over and covered one of Rachel's tiny hands with his. "You can do it."
Blushing wildly, Rachel kept her gaze on their connected hands. "You've never even heard me sing, Finn."
"Yeah, but I just know you can. I believe in you, Rachel." His lips quirked up in a smile and he squeezed Rachel's hand before pulling away and returning to his studies.
Rachel's lips parted as she stared at him. Whatever crush she had on Finn Hudson had just become full-blown and had developed into something else entirely. She didn't do that great of a job hiding her smile as she looked back down at her book once again.
For once, the normally busy café was actually pretty quiet. It gave Anne the chance to sort through some of the dirty dishes and condense the pastries she had on display. She absolutely adored owning this café and cooking. This was where Puck practically grew up, so she had some of her best memories here.
The bell above the door dinged as it opened and closed. Anne looked up and was completely surprised to find a kind looking woman with short hair approaching the counter slowly. It was Carole Hudson, the last person that Anne had ever expected to see in her café.
"Hi. Um… what can I get for you?" Anne asked. Despite the past seventeen years of living in the same town and having sons with the same man, Anne had never really interacted with Carole. She had wanted to keep her life separate from the Hudsons, and that ensured not having any interactions with the woman now in front of her.
Carole smiled warmly at Anne. "Can I have a cup of coffee?"
"Of course." Anne grabbed the freshly brewed pot of coffee and a mug. She poured the beverage and passed it towards Carole, who took it with a nod of her head in thanks. The two women sat across the counter from each in silence for a few moments. Carole was the first to speak.
"So I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here."
Anne let out a dry laugh. "Honestly, yes."
Carole ran her fingers around the rim of her coffee cup, fidgeting with it nervously. "Our sons are on the football team together, and I figured that it would be good for us to at least get to know one another. It couldn't hurt, right?"
Anne stared at the woman who had married her high school boyfriend. She seemed completely and utterly sincere, which Anne hadn't been expecting at all. This day was turning out to be pretty odd, but Anne was getting used to having weird things happen. She doubted that it was going to stop happening, honestly.
Finally, she smiled at Carole. "You're right," she said. "I don't think it could hurt at all."
Finn shoved the textbook away from him and groaned. "Why are we studying music history? I thought this class was just about playing instruments."
Rachel pushed the textbook back towards Finn. "You have to learn about music history because some of the greatest music has been created during that time. These are important things to know, Finn!"
"I do need to get back to practice," Finn pointed out. They had been studying for the past forty minutes and Finn had finally hit a wall. "We have to keep the undefeated streak going."
Rachel rolled her eyes playfully. "Fine, we'll stop for now. But it's a good thing you have a long weekend to study for your test next week!"
Finn snorted. "Yeah, after my dad's annual kiss-ass party. You should consider yourself lucky that you don't have to go."
Rachel laughed outright that. She really was glad that she didn't have to go, because she didn't want to have to spend any more time around Chris Hudson than she had to. "You're definitely right about that. But I wish you and all of the other football players luck."
"Right." Finn's face became unreadable, and he looked down at the table. "All of the football players will be there."
Rachel watched him for a long moment. He looked kind of resigned, and that really worried Rachel. If you asked her, she really believed that Puck got the better end of the deal. Chris Hudson just wasn't a very good guy. Puck was never exposed to Chris's maliciousness or anger the way Finn was. Unfortunately, that was all that Finn knew growing up.
Deciding to change the subject completely, Rachel reached into her bag and pulled out a metal container. She passed it over to Finn with a bright smile on her face in an effort to distract him.
"This is my fool-proof study kit," Rachel told him. "It has Advil and pencils and erasers and anything else you could ever need to take this test. I even stashed some chocolate in there for you."
"Hmmm." Finn accepted the little study kit, his long fingers brushing against hers. "What if you just give me the answers instead?"
Rachel stood and slung her bag over her shoulder. As always, she decided that it was best to leave the tutoring session before she completely melted into a pile of crushed-out girl. "Haha," she said. "How about no?"
Finn laughed and Rachel shared another smile with him and then left the choir room. Puck was going to be so pissed when he found out that she had a thing for Finn Hudson. This whole thing just probably wasn't going to end well, but Rachel was determined to keep the peace.
"So our signal if we want to leave will be to caw."
Anne shook her head at her son. "We never agreed on that being the signal, Puck."
"I think it's a good one," Burt agreed. He held his arms out, flapping them like wings. "Caw, caw!"
Anne laughed, which had been the goal of what Burt and Puck were trying to do. She had been so tense since she had agreed to go to the party at the Hudson's. Anne hadn't really wanted to go, because it wasn't like she had received any closure. But she also wanted to support Puck, and that was what was most important.
"The two of you are ridiculous," she declared. Her smile was affectionate, and she smoothed out the front of Puck's jacket. Puck rolled his eyes at his mother's fussing, but he let her. She needed to do it.
Once Anne was finished, Puck rubbed his hand through his Mohawk to suitably mess it up to make up for the stuffy jacket he had to wear. "You have to decide on some kind of signal for when you want to leave."
Anne shook her head and straightened her shoulders before she reached forward and knocked on the door. "We're just going to go in there and make nice with everyone on the football team. And I'll just do my best to avoid Chris Hudson."
As soon as Anne was finished speaking, the front door to the extravagant Hudson house swung open. Chris Hudson stood in front of them. He looked dapper and suave in his signature suit and with his hair slicked back, but Anne Puckerman had never been more put off by a man in her entire life.
Without a word, Chris stepped aside and allowed Puck, Anne, and Burt to step into the house. Those who happened to be near the front door watched the four of them, waiting to see some sort of spectacle. But it didn't come. Instead, Carole came bustling in from the kitchen with a bright, warm smile on her kind face.
"Anne! Welcome!" Carole hugged the other woman tightly in greeting. "And Burt! I feel like it's been so long since we've seen you. I'm so glad that you could both come." She hugged Burt as well before turning to Puck, offering him a smile. "Puck, the kids are all out in the backyard. Feel free to join them."
Puck nodded his head in thanks and gave his mother a small smile, letting her know that he was going to be okay. He figured that it would just be better for him to go out there with the other kids. He had to be on this team, after all. While the dirty hazing had stopped, it wasn't as if he had been really accepted into the team either.
Puck left his mother and Burt in the foyer, but he knew that he was leaving her in good hands. Carole didn't disappoint. She took Anne's hand and squeezed it, well aware that her husband was watching them.
"Come with me, Anne," Carole said. "Let me introduce you to a few people."
The two unlikely friends disappeared, leaving Burt and Chris standing across from one another. Burt didn't really have a whole lot to say to his younger cousin, which was saddening. They used to be very close growing up, but that changed when Chris screwed over Anne and then abandoned her.
"That's a nice little family you've got there," Chris finally said. Strangely enough, there wasn't the usual amount of malice in Chris's voice. Burt just smiled at his cousin and shrugged his shoulders.
"Your family is pretty great, too," Burt pointed out. "But it doesn't seem like you really know it."
And with that, Burt left Chris standing by himself. It might turn out that this party was going to be pretty fun, after all.
"Puck!" As soon as Santana saw Puck, she immediately made a beeline for him. She had already bribed the bartender into keep her supplied with drinks, so it was safe to say that Santana was well on her way to being pretty tanked. "Hello, Noah Puckerman!"
Santana threw her arms around Puck's neck and pressed a loud, smacking kiss against his cheek. Puck caught her against him, his fingers snagging in the material of her tight red dress. He tried his best to keep her steady, and she giggled.
"Hey, Santana," Puck said in a mildly amused voice. Babysitting the drunken cheerleader hadn't exactly been on his agenda for the night, but he couldn't deny the attraction he felt towards her. Looking over Santana's shoulder, Puck caught Quinn's eye. Even with Santana throwing herself at him, Quinn was still who held his attention, however.
"I've been waiting for you allllllll night," Santana slurred. She pressed her lips next to Puck's ear, her fingers sliding into the waistband of his dress pants. "You're finally here and now this party can be fun!"
Puck finally managed to right Santana, and he hoped that she could remain steady on her ridiculously high heels. He patted her shoulder and headed over towards Quinn, who was making small talk with a few of the other cheerleaders. He walked by her, waiting until she noticed him and followed him off to the side.
"You clean up nice, Puckerman," Quinn said.
Puck's eyes moved up and down Quinn's body. She was wearing a slinky but appropriate black dress; it was much different from the tight ensemble Santana had put together. "You don't look so bad yourself, Fabray."
Unfortunately, that was about as far as they got in their conversation. Santana caught sight of them and made her way over, wearing a sneer to go with her freshly filled cup. Quinn let out a long, tired sigh. She should have known that Santana wouldn't have been happy with her talking to Puck.
"So I see how it is," Santana snapped. "You just wanted to pay attention to Quinn."
Quinn held her hand up, hoping to put a stop the show Santana was putting on before it even really started. Enough of their peers were already watching them as it was. "Santana, don't."
Santana flipped her dark hair over her shoulder and gave Quinn a disdainful look. "Whatever, Quinn. I know that you've wanted on Puck's dick since you first saw him." By now, they had a full and alert audience. Puck could see Finn watching them, but he didn't look too bothered by what Santana was saying. Instead, he just seemed annoyed that Santana was causing a scene at all.
"Santana," Quinn repeated in a quiet but firm voice. Puck took a step closer to Quinn, offering her silent support. Of course Santana noticed the small movement and decided to exploit it.
She gestured between Quinn and Puck. "Show us how you really feel, Quinn. Kiss Puck."
Puck covered his face with his hand. He couldn't believe that Santana was causing such an issue, and all because he liked Quinn more. He couldn't help his feelings—he had had them for Quinn for years. Santana was a nice girl, but it was when she got like this that Puck had doubts about how much he liked her.
He didn't expect Quinn to kiss him. He didn't expect her to react at all. Really, Puck just thought that Quinn was going to walk away and act as if this whole thing hadn't happened. But then Quinn grabbed Puck's hand, pulled it away from his face, and tugged him down towards her. Her hand slipped behind his neck and she kissed him fiercely.
Puck was so surprised that it took him a second to respond. But when he did, his hands found Quinn's hips and he returned the kiss with just as much intensity.
Just as fast as the kiss began, however, it was over. Quinn ripped herself from Puck's arms and disappeared somewhere else in the expansive backyard, leaving Puck standing there and wondering what the hell had just happened.
Rachel had just finished cleaning up the café when the phone rang. After a brief conversation with Anne, Rachel began to pack up several cakes and pastries to bring to the Hudson's party.
It sounded like Anne was having a good time, so Rachel could only hope that nothing too dramatic was happening. She finished packing up the baked goods but stopped to check her reflection in the mirror and touch up her makeup.
In the middle of reapplying some mascara, Rachel forced herself to stop and take a deep breath. She was only going to drop the cakes off and then she was going to leave. There was probably a good chance that she wouldn't even see Finn, so she didn't know why she was freaking out so much.
It took her twenty minutes to get to the party. She was greeted at the door by Carole Hudson, who ushered her into the house and profusely thanked her. Rachel smiled at her and followed Carole into the kitchen.
"Thank you so much for bringing the cakes, Rachel," Anne said. She grabbed a box and started to unwrap it, taking the time to arrange the cake on the tray that Carole had provided. She had spent most of the evening in the kitchen with Carole (in between checking up on Puck and Burt), so it was nice to do something.
Rachel smiled and took a brief glance around the kitchen. She didn't see Finn anywhere; in fact, she didn't see any students in the house at all. They must have been far away from the adults, hanging out in the backyard. Rachel didn't blame them, because she had heard entirely too many fake laughs for her liking.
"I'll help you set these up and then I'll head back to the café," Rachel said. There was no point in torturing herself by trying to hang around until she saw Finn. He was with all of his basketball friends anyway, so it wasn't like he would pay much attention to her.
"Why don't you stay, Rachel?" Carole asked. "The kids are all hanging out, and there's no reason you can't join them."
Carole knew exactly who Rachel was. She had recently returned from a business trip and found Rachel tutoring Finn at the piano they owned. Carole had immediately taken a liking to Rachel, and she really believed that she was a good influence on her son.
Rachel smiled at the older woman and unpacked the last cake. "I have to head back to the café. I'm still on the clock," she said. Rachel looked towards Anne to confirm this, but she shook her head.
"Did you lock up when you left?" When Rachel nodded her head, Anne smiled. "Then you're finished for the night. Go have some fun."
Rachel took a deep breath before she left the kitchen. She felt entirely under dressed for this party—everyone was in cocktail dresses and she was just wearing a casual skirt with a tank top and cardigan. Still, she figured that she could at least find Puck and hang out with him.
But she almost walked right into Finn. He grinned at her as he reached out to steady her. Rachel laughed and caught herself by placing her hands against his chest. A moment passed where they just stood like that before they seemed to realize that they were standing in the middle of a party, surrounded by other people.
"Hey, Rach," Finn said. "What's up?"
Rachel pointed back towards the kitchen. "There was a dessert crisis and your mom needed some cakes, so I brought a few. Your mom invited me to stay."
Finn's smile brightened, and he placed his hand on the small of her back. "I'll grab you something to drink and then we can head out back with everyone else."
"Hey Tutor Berry!"
Finn groaned, his good mood disappearing when he heard Santana's voice. He had seen her display with Puck and Quinn, and he really didn't like that she was trying to start drama. Finn felt as if he was finally regaining some kind of balance in his life, and he didn't need some jealous cheerleader ruining that.
Rachel sent a tight smile Santana's way. She had never had any personal problems with Santana Lopez, but it wasn't like they were close friends either. "Hello, Santana," Rachel greeted.
Santana smirked at Rachel and took a long sip from her cup. Smacking her lips together, she said, "Believing you'll do well is half the battle."
Finn's brow furrowed in confusion at Santana's odd words, but Rachel's heart dropped and her hands grew clammy. She knew exactly what Santana was quoting, and she couldn't believe that was making fun of something so personal.
Finn looked between Rachel and Santana, quickly catching on to the fact that Santana was trying to start something with Rachel. "What is she talking about?" Finn asked Rachel.
Rachel was beyond embarrassed, so Santana took it upon herself to answer. "It was so cute, that little care package you set up for Finn. And you promised that he could call you if he needed absolutely anything. Come on, Finn! It was in the note you passed around earlier!"
Rachel's cheeks heated up and her heart started thudding in her ears. She took a step away from Finn and turned to look up at him. He reached out towards Rachel and started to say something, but Rachel held her hands up.
"Don't talk to me," Rachel snapped. "And stay away from me."
Puck felt like the biggest idiot in the world. He had a chance to be with Quinn in at least some capacity, but he had to go and blow it by wanting more. At least he could go and sit on the rooftop of the café and just be alone for a while.
He was surprised to find when the door to the café was unlocked, however. He walked in and it didn't take him very long to realize that it was Rachel hiding behind the counter at the front. Moving closer, he saw that she had her face buried in her hands and was crying.
Puck didn't say anything. Instead, he just crouched down next to Rachel and waited until she looked up. She sniffled and wiped at her tears.
"This would probably be one of those times where you could say 'I told you so' and I wouldn't get mad," Rachel admitted.
Puck sighed and tried to get a handle on the anger that he could feel quickly building. Rachel was like his little sister. No one—not even the great Finn Hudson—would get away with messing with her. "What happened, Rachel?"
Rachel sucked in a shaky breath and pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes in an attempt to stop the tears. "You were right about Finn, alright? He wasn't… he wasn't the guy I thought he was."
"I'm going to fucking kill him."
Despite her tears, Rachel laughed. "Language, Noah," she scolded as she always did.
Puck hugged Rachel and then ruffled her hair just to annoy her. She laughed again and pushed his hand away. "Seriously, Rachel. I'll kick his ass for hurting you. I told him not to screw with you—"
"You told him that! Noah!"
Puck went on as if he hadn't heard Rachel. "—But he did anyway. And for that, he's going to get his ass kicked."
Rachel shook her head and nudged Puck's shoulder with hers. "Noah, please. Let's keep the hitting to a minimum, shall we?"
"Just a minimum?" Puck repeated. "Does that mean I get to hit him at least once?"
"Noah!" Rachel repeated. But she couldn't deny that if Puck wanted to tackle Finn on the field, Rachel wouldn't mind it that much.
Thankful that it was Sunday night and therefore the beginning of the school week, Rachel headed towards the door of café to lock it. At least she would be kept busy with schoolwork and wouldn't focus on the complete and utter embarrassment of the weekend. Thankfully, she was closing by herself tonight so she had some time to think for herself. Everything would just go back to normal now.
A knock on the front window caught her attention, and she looked up to find Finn standing there with his hands tucked into the pockets of his letterman jacket. His amber eyes were wide and earnest, and Rachel tried not to let it affect her.
"Rachel, please," Finn pleaded. "I didn't know about the note!"
Rachel stared at Finn for a long moment before she flicked the light switch, sending the café into darkness. Finn sighed and knocked on the window again, hoping that Rachel would at least cut him some slack. He felt awful that Santana had screwed up whatever had been happening between him and Rachel. He wanted to right it as much as he could, because he wanted to spend time with Rachel. He missed her.
"Come on, Rach! Hear me out!"
Rachel reached forward and slowly pulled the blinds down, blocking her view of Finn. No matter what Finn said, Rachel wouldn't forget the humiliation she felt at something that was supposed to mean a lot.
"I'm an ass."
"You're right about that."
Santana rolled her eyes at Quinn's immediate agreement with her statement. "I mean, I know I'm a bitch, but I was really bad at the party on Saturday night. Like, really bad."
"You were," Quinn agreed once again. She shook her head, brushing her blonde curls back from her face. "But I was just as bad. I really messed things up with Puck."
Santana tossed a pillow at her friend. "Why didn't you tell me that you liked Puck, anyway? I would have backed off if I had known." Santana may have been a self-proclaimed bitch, but she didn't cross the line with her closest friends like that. She was about to let some guy get in between her and her best friend. It wasn't worth the trouble.
Quinn finally smiled. "I know you would have. Honestly, I didn't even know what I wanted to begin with. And it's not like it matters now anyway. I think Puck is pretty much done with me."
Santana watched Quinn carefully, knowing that she was much more upset than she let on. Quinn had been actually happy when she had spending time with Puck, even if she didn't want people to know about it. Santana had to do something to fix this, and she had just the perfect thing in mind.
"This is ridiculous," Santana declared. "Two girls as hot as us shouldn't be single. We're going out."
"Santana—"
"Don't even try to argue with me, Quinn. We're going shopping and we're going to get some hot outfits and then we're going to a party at the university. First, I have to fix some things. I mean, I think if I make up for the people I screwed over, some good karma might came back my way."
Quinn laughed. Santana was constantly meddling in other people's business. Whether it was good or bad was completely up to her. "Oh yeah?"
Santana got up and went over to Quinn's mirror, fluffing her hair up slightly. "Starting with Rachel and Finn. I kind of screwed them over last night."
"Once again, I'm going to agree with you."
Changing gears completely, Santana asked, "You're okay with that? I think it's pretty obvious that Tutor Berry has a thing for Finn. Like, more than just a thing."
Quinn didn't look at all bothered by the fact that her ex-boyfriend might very well end up going out with his tutor. In fact, she smiled. "I think Rachel will be good for Finn. They seem to balance each other out."
"Finn has been less of an asshole lately," Santana agreed. She clapped her hands together and snatched her purse up. "Now let's get out and go shopping. If I'm going to plan something for Finn and Rachel, I want to make sure that I look fabulous doing it."
Rachel gathered up some dirty plates and deposited them on to a tray she had sitting on another table. Just as she turned to clear another table, Rachel saw Santana Lopez enter the café. Rachel could only roll her eyes as she walked away.
Santana wasn't that put off by Rachel's reaction to her presence. "Alright, I deserved that," she admitted. Rachel didn't do much else to acknowledge her. Instead, she just began to refill the napkin dispensers that sat on each table. "Well, I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry for what happened at the party. You and Finn didn't deserve that. You know he didn't have anything to do with me finding that letter, right?"
Rachel sighed and paused. Even though she didn't look at her, Santana could see the regret that Rachel held for immediately getting angry with Finn. "I guess," she quietly admitted. Still, it didn't really make it hurt any less.
Glad that she got at least some sort of response from Rachel, Santana took it as a cue to continue. "I'm going to try and make it up to the two of you. Maybe I'll be able to appease the Gods of love, or something. The point is, Finn will be by at about seven o'clock to pick you up."
Rachel set down a stack of napkins and finally looked up at Santana. "Santana, I appreciate it, but I don't think that it's a really good idea."
"Why not?" Santana demanded. "I mean, I think it's pretty obvious that you like Finn. It's not as if the rest of us don't know."
Rachel could feel her cheeks beginning to turn bright red. She dragged her fingers through her hair sat down heavily in one of the chairs at the table behind her. She just wanted to avoid more humiliation. Truthfully, the idea of letting Finn into her heart scared her a little bit.
"Maybe it would be better if things went back to normal," Rachel murmured more to herself than to Santana.
Santana did a lot of things without thinking, but she felt terrible for the part she had played in what happened between Finn and Rachel. It was obvious that Rachel liked Finn, and it was even clearer that Finn returned Rachel's feelings. Quinn was right, too; Rachel was good for Finn.
"It wouldn't be better," Santana stated bluntly. "You help to make Finn a better person, and he knows it."
Rachel looked completely taken aback by this piece of information. She sat there for a long moment, staring at her hands in her lap. She wanted to believe that Finn had changed, but she didn't want to get hurt, either.
Santana smiled in victory. She had a feeling that she had gotten through to Rachel. "He'll be here at seven," she repeated.
Rachel sighed and rested her head in her hands. She had a choice to make: did she want to play it safe and keep Finn out, or did she want to take a chance and let Finn into her heart?
Just as Santana said he would, Finn met Rachel outside of the café at seven o'clock sharp. Despite Rachel's intense thought process and analysis of her and Finn's little set up, she still hadn't made a decision yet.
Rachel shook her head slowly. "Finn…" she began, but he was quick to try and persuade her.
Reaching out to take her hand, Finn looked into her eyes. "Rachel, just give me a chance. Please."
Ugh, it was so unfair. Rachel honestly couldn't resist Finn's amber eyes, and he was at least semi-aware of that fact. Rachel didn't say yes or no right away, and Finn took it as encouragement to continue trying to convince her.
"Look, Santana gave me all of these cards to lead us around on a date. At least you know it won't be boring." Finn squeezed Rachel's hand, his calloused thumb stroking over her fingers. "Please, Rachel."
Rachel looked down at their linked hands. She was almost embarrassed at how easily her resolve disappeared, but she didn't care at the same time. She wanted to say yes to Finn. She wanted to go on a date with him, and she wanted him to keep holding her hand.
Still. "I can leave at any time?" Rachel asked. She wasn't just going to forget what had happened at that party. She didn't want to be hurt like that again.
"Any time," Finn confirmed. A smile began to form on his lips; he knew that she was going to say yes. As usual, Rachel was unable to resist his grin and returned it with one of her own.
"Alright, what does the first card say?" she asked.
Finn pulled the small card out of the envelope. "Go to your next destination. On the way, tell three things that you like about each other." At the bottom of the card was an address that neither Finn nor Rachel recognized.
Rachel gave Finn a hesitant look, but he just laced their fingers together and slowly began to pull them along. "I'll go first," he said, sensing her slight reluctance. They walked down the sidewalk hand in hand, with Finn turning just enough to look down at Rachel.
"I like how patient you are," Finn began. "Even when I don't get something when you're tutoring me, you still work through it and you don't treat me like some kind of idiot. You're kind, too. I've never seen you be downright mean to someone and I don't think you have it in you to do that, which is not something that a lot of people can say. And you light up a whole room. With your smile, with your personality… with everything."
Rachel could only stare at Finn as her cheeks began to turn pink. She hadn't realized that Finn paid that much attention to her, let alone thought all of that. He really was amazing, and Rachel wanted nothing more than for him to realize that.
Rachel tugged Finn to a stop and he looked down at her with a questioning expression. Rachel smiled sweetly at him before she stood on her tiptoes and pressed a tender kiss to his cheek.
Now it was Finn's turn to look surprised. Rachel beamed at him and began to walk, waiting for Finn to follow her. Their fingers were still linked together, causing that tingling warmth to spread from their joined hands and all over Rachel's body.
"You're smarter than you think you are," Rachel said. She was about to lay all her emotions bare for Finn Hudson. "And you need to know that, Finn. And you're so sweet. I know that you are, so don't try and deny it. You also have the biggest heart of anyone I've ever known. You think that no one can see when you're doing nice things for people or defending someone who's getting picked on. I've seen you do it, Finn."
Finn stared down at Rachel with his lips parted in surprise. Their steps had slowed almost to the point that they were no longer walking, but neither of them noticed. "Really?" he finally asked.
Rachel hated that Finn had so little faith in himself. She blamed most of this on Chris Hudson. He had tried to raise a ruthless son, but that just wasn't the kind of person that Finn was. He had a huge heart and he was innately kind. It was no wonder that he had some kind of latent anger after being harassed by Chris ever since he was a little boy.
"Really," Rachel whispered in return.
If there was one thing that came from all of this, it was that Rachel wanted Finn to believe in himself. He was more than his father's past and choices. He had to know that.
They arrived at their next destination, and it turned out that it was just a stop along the way to their main date. Finn reached for the next envelope and pulled the card out.
"Hold hands the entire way to your date," Finn read. He looked down at their entwined fingers and both Finn and Rachel laughed.
"I'd say that we're ahead of the game there," Rachel teased. "What's the next stop?"
"A restaurant," Finn said after he studied the address. "It's along the river."
They weren't that far from the restaurant, so Finn and Rachel just walked in a comfortable silence the entire way. When they reached their assigned table, they saw that there was yet another envelope waiting for them. This time, Rachel snatched it up to read it.
"Order your favorite thing from the menu and give it to the other person," Rachel read. Looking up at Finn, Rachel grinned. "Hmmm, this should be interesting."
"Be nice to me," Finn pleaded. He knew that Rachel kept to a mostly meatless diet. She indulged in fish and cheese, but Finn didn't know the extent of just how far her eating habits went. "No tofu, please."
Rachel picked up her menu and began to inspect it. "Don't worry, I wouldn't do that to you." Her eyes twinkled and Finn chuckled.
Fifteen minutes later, their food was delivered to them. Finn got a seafood medley that featured shrimp, which was something that Rachel thought Finn would enjoy. It still kept to the rules of the card, because it was something that Rachel liked to eat as well. However, Rachel was surprised to find a plate of steaming macaroni and cheese in front of her. She looked down at it and then looked back up at Finn.
He chuckled at the look on her face. "Macaroni and cheese is your favorite," Finn said by way of explanation.
There was one tutoring session where they had talked about their favorite foods. Rachel had revealed that she loved to indulge in real macaroni and cheese, because it was just too good for her to give up. Finn had remembered such a small detail from a conversation they had shared weeks ago, and that made Rachel like him even more.
"You're sweet," Rachel declared, causing Finn's cheeks to turn red. She giggled, and it only endeared Finn to her further.
After their shared dinner, Finn and Rachel left the restaurant. Santana hadn't left another card for them, so they were free to do what they wanted. They headed towards the docks by the river. This time, Finn slipped his arm around Rachel's waist. She didn't hesitate to lean into him and she closed her eyes, just savoring in the moment.
"This was nice," Rachel said once she opened her eyes again. She tilted her head up to look at him and smiled. "I'm glad you convinced me to go."
Finn returned her smile and then brought his hand up to cup her cheek. Rachel's breath caught in her throat as she stared into Finn's amber eyes. Slowly, Finn bent towards her. When Rachel didn't move away, Finn gently touched his lips to hers.
Rachel's hand grasped Finn's shirt as their lips slowly moved together. When Finn pulled back, Rachel beamed and pulled Finn back down towards her for another kiss.
"So you're dating Finn Hudson."
Rachel tossed a pillow at Puck, smiling triumphantly when it hit the side of his head. "Oh no you don't, Noah! I believe it was Santana Lopez who answered your door wearing nothing but your shirt. So why don't you tell me who you're dating?" Puck could give her all the crap he wanted to do for dating Finn, but the last time she checked, he had wanted to date Quinn and not Santana.
Puck dragged his hand through his Mohawk, knowing that he had gotten caught. "Well, Santana and I aren't exactly dating right now…
"Oh really?" Rachel laughed at how uncomfortable Puck was. "Then what are you doing?"
Puck sighed. "I don't know! Something happened last night with Quinn and Santana and they both got into some trouble. I saw Santana taking care of Quinn and it was a side of her that I've never seen before. We ended up talking all night and then… well…"
Rachel held her hands up and wrinkled her nose. "Spare me the details, Noah. I don't need to know about your sex life."
Puck tossed the pillow back at Rachel, but she dodged it. He pointed an accusing finger at her instead. "I better not hear anything about you and Finn, either. There are things that I don't ever want to know about."
"Noah!" Rachel shrieked. Her cheeks turned bright pink and she buried her face in her hands.
"Rachel, I'm serious," Puck implored. "If he pressures you at all—"
"We're not talking about this," Rachel interjected from behind her hands. She couldn't believe that Puck was pulling the big brother card and trying to give her "The Talk." This was beyond embarrassing. "We're not."
"We are talking about this," Puck said. "If he does anything to make you feel uncomfortable, I will kick his ass. You've heard his reputation."
Rachel stood and crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't do that," she snapped. "Finn isn't anything like his reputation, and if you even gave him a chance, you would realize that. I could say the same about Santana, you know. She has a reputation too."
Puck held his hands up in surrender. "Point taken," he mumbled. "No judgment here."
"I'm serious, Noah," Rachel said. "Maybe you should get to know him. Not only are you two n the football team together, but you're brothers whether you like it or not."
"Eh," was all Puck said in response.
Rachel sat back down again. "Come on, Noah. What's going on?"
Puck shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just kind of stressed with the big football game this weekend. And my mom left for Italy and everything, so… I mean, staying with Burt is great and all, but Kurt keeps trying to tell me how to exfoliate my skin. I think he's missing the fact that I don't really care."
Rachel laughed outright at that. Anne had gotten accepted into a prestigious cooking program in Italy. It was six weeks long, so Puck was staying with Burt. Interestingly enough, Carole had ended up volunteering to take care of the café. It had been a bit of an adjustment for everyone the past couple of days, but they were all getting used to it.
"Kurt is just trying to help out," Rachel said as she patted Puck's shoulder. Kurt was Burt's son. He was there age and he attended Dalton Academy instead of Lima High School. Given that Burt was always around, both Puck and Rachel were pretty good friends with him.
"Just make him stop trying to teach me how to moisturize," Puck grumbled as Rachel dissolved into laughter once again.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Rachel shouldered her backpack and left her English class. She had a short shift at the café (which was still weird because Carole was running it), and then she had a night of homework and rehearsals ahead of her.
Rachel was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice Finn sneaking up behind her. He grabbed onto her waist, causing her to jump in surprise. With a squeak, she turned around in Finn's arm and didn't even have time to think before he pulled her into an empty classroom.
Finn pushed Rachel up against the wall and bent to kiss her. Rachel completely melted against him, locking her fingers into his hair. Finn's grip tightened on her waist as he kissed her into breathlessness.
"Oh my God," Rachel murmured when they broke apart. "I can't believe we're doing this right now!"
Finn kissed her again, smiling against her lips. "Believe it, because we're doing it." He rested his forehead against Rachel's. "I missed you today."
The effect that Finn Hudson had on her blew Rachel's mind sometimes. She could have melted into a puddle right then and there. Based on the smirk forming on Finn's face, he totally knew it too.
"I think I'll come by the café today. You're working, right?" Finn asked.
Rachel nodded her head and played with the hair at the nape of Finn's neck. "I'll be there. You can keep me company while I do my homework after that, too."
"Oh goody," Finn joked. "Homework. Just what I wanted to do."
Rachel laughed and patted his cheek. "Someone has to make sure you do it, Finn. I am your tutor, after all."
"That's kind of hot, by the way." Finn's eyes grew dark, and his grip tightened on her hips. Rachel felt her whole body heat up under his gaze, and she giggled. Finn grinned and kissed her again.
"Are you ready for the game this weekend?" Chris asked. He took another bite of his cold sandwich and waited for his son's response.
Finn popped a chip into his mouth and gave the sandwich in front of him a disappointed look. His father was trying to make a point by buying takeout while Carole was helping out at Anne's Café. Finn was about to start begging for a home-cooked meal any time now.
Finn grinned and nodded his head. He was pretty confident that he and the rest of the team would win over Cove City. They were finally working together as a real team, and he had a feeling that the game would go well.
"We're going to kick Cove City's ass," Finn said.
Chris smirked and turned a page in the newspaper was flipping through. "You do know who had the furthest passing record against Cove City, right?"
"You did," Finn responded. He had heard this story many times. Chris was constantly telling him about his glory days in high school. "But I think I might top that this weekend."
"No you won't."
Finn's brow furrowed, and he was unsure if he had heard his father correctly. "What?"
"You're not going to break my record," Chris repeated. "Because you're not good enough."
Finn stared at his father, but Chris just returned to his newspaper and took another bite of his sandwich. Finn's jaw tightened and he said nothing as he continued to eat his meal. When he was done, he left the table without a word.
Finn walked into his room and quietly shut the door behind him. As soon as it was closed, Finn turned and kicked over the chair sitting in front of his desk. Breathing hard, he collapsed on his bed and reached for his phone.
He found the number for one of his teammates, Joe Hart. "Hey, Joe," Finn greeted when the other boy picked up. "Listen, I was wondering if your brother was still dealing. And I'm not talking about weed. I'm talking about performance enhancers."
Santana tapped Puck on the shoulder and grinned. "So I had this idea, do you want to hear it? I know you do."
Puck chuckled and looked down at her. "I'm sure you'll tell me anyway."
Santana sat next to Puck and took trailed her fingers up his thigh. "I had such a fabulous time with you that I figured we should hang out again. I promise you we'll have fun."
And that's how Puck found himself at a bar later that night. Sure, he had drunk a few beers here and there, but he had never snuck into a bar underage. Apparently that didn't matter to Santana, though, because she was fully prepared with fake IDs.
"Come on, Puckerman," Santana encouraged. "You need to have some fun."
"I know how to have fun," Puck retorted. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. "I thought I proved that to you a few nights ago."
Santana ran her hands up and down Puck's chest. "You definitely did. And we'll be having that kind of fun later, but that's not what I'm talking about. We're going to have a different kind of fun." She pushed the mug of beer towards Puck. "Drink your beer, and then have another one."
An hour later, both Santana and Puck were well on their way to drunk. Santana had kicked Puck's ass in pool several times, and Puck had given up and pleaded with Santana to go somewhere else. With a devilish glint in her eye, Santana pulled Puck into the alley behind the bar. She pulled him down for a hot kiss, practically climbing up his body to reach his lips.
"Do you like tattoos?" Santana asked when they broke apart. When Puck smirked at her, Santana began to tow him down the alleyway and to their next destination.
Rachel flipped the page in her textbook and looked over at Finn. He was currently spread out on her bed, studying from the music textbook. He was doing well in his intro class now, and Rachel was so proud of him. He looked up and caught her eye, grinning at her.
"Are you checking me out?" he asked teasingly.
Rachel scoffed to try and cover it up, but there really was no hiding it. "No," she mumbled. She pointed to his notebook. "Get back to studying."
"I'm trying," Finn said emphatically. "But someone keeps distracting me." He waggled his eyebrows at her, causing Rachel to giggle.
"Please, Finn Hudson. I'm not doing anything to distract you. If anything, you're the one distracting me."
Finn pushed his textbooks and notebooks aside and held his hand out. "Come here," he said quietly.
Without hesitation, Rachel stood and slipped her hand into Finn's. His long fingers closed around hers and he tugged her onto the bed next to him, his other hand immediately slipping into her hair as his lips descended upon hers.
The next thing Rachel knew, Finn's tongue was tracing her lips and she was splayed out underneath him on her bed. Finn's hand slid under her shirt, his fingers playing over her stomach before he tried to slip it up.
Rachel allowed him to do that for a few moments before she grew a little uncomfortable. She squirmed underneath Finn and tried to push his hand away. When he kept trying to pull her shirt up, Rachel pulled back from Finn's lips just enough to speak.
"Finn, stop," she said, trying to catch her breath.
Finn just moved his lips to her neck and tried to push her shirt up again. Rachel pushed Finn away completely and pulled her shirt back down, jumping up from the bed at the same time. She couldn't stop herself from freaking out about getting intimate with Finn. While she loved the feeling of his hands on her body, it was too much too soon. She didn't know how to say that to Finn without him getting upset.
Finn knew that he had stepped over the line. He reached out to her again, his amber eyes apologetic. "Rachel, please—"
"Leave," Rachel ordered quietly.
Finn stared at her for a long moment before he gathered his books up, shoved them into his bag, and stood up. He sent another apologetic look her way before he left her room entirely.
Rachel collapsed on her bed and combed her fingers through her hair. How was she going to explain to Finn that she didn't plan on having sex until she was married?
Rachel handed Puck a water bottle and took a seat next to him. Puck was still trying to avoid his mother's café as much as possible. Even though Carole Hudson was wonderful, he wasn't very comfortable with how Chris was spending time there, as well. So they had gotten their lunch from some food stand along the river.
"What have you been up to lately?" Rachel asked. They were finally getting a chance to get together and catch up. Sometimes, it was nice to hang out like they used to before everything got so crazy.
Puck smirked. "Santana Lopez," he responded.
Rachel made a face. "Ew! Noah! I thought we talked about this!"
Laughing, Puck drank from his water bottle. "I know, I know. It's just… did you ever imagine that I would be sitting here talking about sleeping with Santana Lopez and you would be dating Finn Hudson?"
"Um…" Rachel picked at the label on her bottle. She had to talk to someone about this. "I'm worried about Finn."
"What? Why?" Puck demanded immediately. "I swear, Rachel, if he—"
Rachel rolled her eyes at the big brother act. "He didn't, Puck. I'm scared about myself. Finn makes me want to lose control. I've never felt this way about anyone before."
Puck stared at Rachel for a long moment until he suddenly realized what she was talking about. Rachel was practically his little sister, so he never ever wanted to think about her having sex. Deciding to change the subject completely, Puck said, "I got a tattoo."
That certainly threw Rachel for a loop. For the moment, at least, she let go of her worries with Finn. "Excuse me?" she asked.
Puck rolled his sleeve up, revealing the symbol that Santana had talked him into getting tattooed on his bicep. She had a matching one in a much more private place. Rachel gasped when she saw the tattoo and pressed her hands to her mouth, looking at her best friend with wide eyes.
"Oh my God!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled by her hands. "Burt is going to kill you! Your mother is going to kill you!"
"Don't remind me," Puck grumbled. "I can't believe I let Santana talk me into getting a tattoo."
Rachel broke into laughter and shook her head. "You're so dumb, Puckerman."
Finn looked around to make sure that no one was watching him before he popped a few more of the pills Joe had given him into his mouth. He hated that his father didn't think he could do well during this game. It wasn't so much that Finn had cared about beating Chris, it was that he didn't support Finn at all. Now Finn had to beat him. He had to prove that he was just as good, if not better.
Finn took a swig of water and then joined the rest of the team out on the field. Of course, he saw his father. His mother was sitting next to Chris, and Finn was sure to wave at her. But it didn't take him that long to find Rachel.
He was so relieved when she smiled at him and waved. He thought he had royally screwed everything up after their little dispute in her bedroom, but it seemed that she had forgiven him. Finn smiled brightly at her and waved back before he pulled his helmet on and checked in with Beiste.
The game was intense. Finn didn't care who banged into him or who tackled him to the ground. He felt as if he was unstoppable, and he was making some pretty impressive throws. The crowd was cheering wildly, but it wasn't as loud as the sound of Finn's heart thumping in his ears.
They were starting another play, and Finn got the ball and tried to search for the player he was supposed to throw it to. Suddenly, the field grew blurry and the ground titled dangerously under his feet. The football slipped from his grip, and then the ground came rushing up towards his face.
The last thing Finn saw was Rachel's face before everything blacked out.
Rachel paced back and forth, constantly changing her mind between going to see Finn in the hospital and waiting for his phone call. The fear and utter panic she had experienced when Finn had passed out on the field had been unlike anything she had ever felt before. She didn't know what was going on, and she didn't know if he was okay. All Rachel knew was that Finn had been taken to the hospital.
Rachel reached for her phone and checked it for messages once again. She had several from all of her friends that insisted on checking in with her, but none from Finn. She tossed her phone on her bed once again and continued to walk form end of her room to the other.
The creaking of her bedroom door opening startled Rachel, but all other thoughts left her mind when she saw Finn standing there. She immediately ran into his open arms, pressing her face into his chest and wrapping her arms around his waist. The relief she felt when his long, strong arms wrapped around her body and held her to him was indescribable.
"Oh my God, Finn," Rachel breathed as she tried to choke back tears. The last thing he needed right now was to see her crying, but she had never been so worried before. The fact that he was there, standing in front of her, meant everything.
Finn pressed his face to her hair, his eyes closed. "I'm sorry. God, Rach, I'm so sorry."
Rachel pulled back just enough to look into his face. She was surprised to see the tear tracks on his cheeks. Reaching up, she touched one with her fingertips. Finn leaned into her touch, sliding his large hand over hers against his cheek.
Rachel twisted her hand so that her fingers could wrap around Finn's palm. She tugged him towards her bed, settling him onto it before she climbed on next to him. She couldn't stop herself from touching him and wiping the tears off of his face. His beautiful amber eyes were so full of anguish, and Rachel just wanted to make it go away for him.
"I'm sorry," Finn repeated, shaking his head slowly. "God, I was so stupid and I just…" He took Rachel's hands and pressed them to his chest, holding them over his heart. Rachel was reassured by the steady thump underneath her fingers. "All I could think about was how much I needed to see you."
Rachel shifted forward until she was almost sitting in Finn's lap. She touched her nose to his cheek before she moved to his lips, kissing him tenderly at first and then more fiercely. Finn released her hands to slide them up her back, and Rachel twisted her fingers in his hair as their lips moved passionately together.
Rachel kept her forehead pressed to Finn's when they broke apart. There wasn't more than a breath between their lips. "I'm not going anywhere, Finn. I promise."
"How is Finn doing?" Puck asked.
Rachel's eyebrow arched. "Do you actually want to know?"
"Yeah." Puck sighed and ran his fingers through his Mohawk, making sure that it was spiked properly. "Actually, I do." Finn was quickly becoming a big part of Rachel's life, and Puck had to accept that. It was his job as her best friend to support her.
Rachel smiled brightly. She and Finn had talked about everything—and she did mean everything. He told her about the performance enhancers, and they talked about their relationship and then the pressure Finn was receiving from his father. Everything had been laid bare, finally.
"He's so much better," Rachel said. "He's actually spending some time with his mom right now. I think he really needed that."
Puck smiled. "Carole is nice," he commented. Really, Puck didn't have a problem with her. It was Chris that he had his issues with, and Puck couldn't hold that against Carole.
Rachel nodded her head in agreement. It was then that she saw Quinn and Santana walking across the courtyard. Santana caught sight of Puck and waggled her fingers, but it was Quinn's reaction that interested Rachel more. When Quinn saw Puck, a look of complete sadness crossed her features before she forced herself to laugh at something Santana said.
Rachel waved her hand at the two girls. "So what's going on with that?" she asked.
Puck tried to play dumb. "What's going on with what?"
"Don't try and act like you don't know what I'm talking about, Puckerman." Rachel slapped at Puck's shoulder. "Quinn Fabray and Santana Lopez. What happened that you're not telling me about?"
Puck sighed and looked at the two girls again. Santana was busy telling some story, but Quinn was watching him. He tried not to hold eye contact with her for too long, because it was just too much. Naturally, Rachel noticed the exchange and wouldn't stop poking him in the shoulder until he explained it. Puck slapped her hand away and she gave him a pointed look.
"Quinn found Santana in my room last night," Puck revealed. Rachel gasped at that little piece of gossip, but she kept her mouth shut to allow Puck to continue telling the story. "And, well… I chose Santana."
"What? Why?" Rachel demanded. "I've only been hearing about how in love you are with Quinn Fabray since we were six years old. What suddenly changed for you?" Puck had been harboring feelings for Quinn for as long as Rachel could remember. There was no way that they would just go away like that.
Puck shrugged his shoulders. "Quinn is complicated. She won't tell me how she feels and she keeps changing her mind and I'm done trying to figure her out. Santana is easy."
Rachel snorted. "You got that right."
"Hey." Puck shoved lightly at Rachel's shoulder. "Remember what we said last week? We promised not to judge."
"I know, I know. I just…" Rachel shook her head. Maybe Quinn was just scared. The longing looks that Quinn was sending Puck's way wasn't the type of thing that a person who didn't care would do. "I think after all this time, you should give Quinn a chance. You owe it to each other."
Puck shook his head and stood, ready to head across the courtyard and to his girlfriend. "I'm having fun with Santana. That's all I want right now."
Rachel refilled Finn's cup of water and then gifted him with a kiss on the cheek. She was finishing up a shift at the café and Finn was spending some time with her there. A lot of the kids from the football team were there, actually—as was Puck with Santana. Quinn was sitting at the counter as well. It was kind of odd to have them all in the same space, but hell hadn't broken loose and Rachel had a feeling that it wasn't going to.
"How was spending the day with your mom?" Rachel asked.
"It was nice." The corner of Finn's mouth turned up. "Did you know she kicked my dad out?"
Rachel paused at that. "Really? Wow. Did she say why?"
Finn shrugged his shoulders and twisted the straw in his cup. "I think it was a long time coming."
Knowing that Finn didn't exactly want to talk about, Rachel bent and kissed Finn's cheek once again. His face finally relaxed and he turned to kiss her fully on the lips. When they broke apart, they found Puck standing in front of their table.
His nose was wrinkled, and Rachel rolled her eyes. Puck really needed to grow up, honestly. And Rachel and Finn kissing was nothing compared to what she had caught Santana and Puck doing in the backroom earlier that day.
Getting over his disgust at seeing what was basically his little sister kissing someone that Puck was on the football team with, he said, "Listen, the guys and I were heading to the River Park to play a game. We wanted to know if you and the rest of the team wanted to come, too."
Finn looked up at Rachel. Honestly, he wasn't sure if this was a trick or not. When Rachel smiled and nodded her head, Finn asked, "What for?"
Puck shrugged his shoulders, but he smiled slightly. "Just to play a game. You know. To have fun."
Finn grinned and stood up, reaching for Rachel's hand. And the entire group moved from Anne's Café to the River Park, where they played the best game of football that any of them had experienced in a long time. And it was all for fun.
Season one is going to take up like four chapters, I swear. I hadn't imagined it taking this long!