Chapter 1: The Choice That Changed McKinley

Rachel Berry walked into McKinley High with a smile on her face. She felt like today would be a special day, but wasn't sure why.

She shrugged the feeling off and made her way to her locker. As she opened it Rachel looked to her right and saw Santana walking with Brittany. Her eyes traveled up and down the Latina wishing she could work up the courage to ask her out.

Santana had been a bitch to her (and most of the students at McKinley) for two years but during their junior year Santana had a change of heart, to Rachel that is. Since then she had treated the tiny brunette like a real friend. Throughout their junior year Rachel got to know the real Santana, not the wall she put up in school, and started to fall for her. Now in senior year she was all Santana's, even if the Latina didn't know it.

Rachel waved at them and the duo walked to her. Brittany reached her first, pulling her into a hug and giving her a cheery hello. Brittany had a glow in her eyes today.

"Hey, Rae" Santana gave her a tiny smile.

"Hi. Why does Brittany seem happier than normal today?"

Santana grinned at the blonde, "Our little Britt here is no longer neutral. She's finally followed her parents and gone good on us."

"I just realized I couldn't be bad." Brittany said.

"You can definitely be bad Britts." Santana smirked.

"I don't need to hear that," Rachel turned to get a book from her locker, but was really trying to get over the pain from Santana's innuendo.

"Sannie, we're going to be late!" Brittany gasped.

"Late for what?" Rachel asked.

"Mr. Schue's class. He's strict on us showing up late for some reason." Santana rolled her eyes.

Rachel turned back to her friends and chuckled softly, "You have been late to his class for a week now."

Santana sighed, "Yeah, so? We better go before he gets his vest all twisted up, I don't want to put up with his crap today. We'll see you in Glee, Rachel."

Brittany locked her pinkie with Santana's, "Bye Rachie."

"Bye." Rachel watched them leave with a sad look hidden in her eyes. Santana had said that she and Brittany were through, but sometimes it didn't seem that way.

Rachel shut her locker and started walking to her class. She wasn't surprised that Brittany choose good, she was always very friendly. Now only Quinn, Puck, Santana, that new junior Marley, and herself were the only neutrals left in school. For the last three years she was sure Quinn and Santana would choose evil, but now she wasn't so sure. They were both considerably nicer, but Santana was only nice to her.

Rachel's thoughts were interrupted when she saw Azimo and Karofsky walking towards her, each with two slushies. She froze in her spot and hoped they would simply go around her. Her hope was crushed, however, when the jocks stopped in front of her.

"Look here Azimo, isn't this a rare sight. Man-hand's not following Lopez around like a love sick puppy."

"What happened? Did you finally realize she could never want you?" Azimo taunted her.

The singer shook her head, "It's none of your concern. Now if you'd kindly step aside, I must get to class." Not a second after she spoke the jocks had poured the slushies' on her. Her face and hair were red and her eyes were stinging.

"Let's get one thing straight here, dyke, I'm sick of you staring at my girl." Karofsky stepped closer to her.

"Your girl?"

"Yeah, after I show Santana the best night she's ever had she'll forget all about this phase of hers and realize who she prefers. You don't deserve her anyway midget. You're ugly and you have the body from hell. Trust me when I say that me and the rest of the football team will treat her like she slut she is." Karofsky grinned as Azimo stuck his foot behind Rachel's. He took a step towards her and Rachel instinctively stepped back, tripping over Azimo's foot and roughly hitting the ground. By now a crowd had grown and Quinn had forced her way to the front.

Azimo and Karofsky laughed as Quinn moved to Rachel and wiped the slushy from her eyes, "Are you okay?"

Rachel didn't hear Quinn though, as the anger was building inside her. She could take all the insults the football players threw at her, but when they talked about Santana they crossed a line. Rachel Berry had finally taken enough.

"Rachel?" Quinn shook her gently.

"Move, Quinn," Rachel said, standing back up and fixing her skirt.

"Rachel, what are you going to do?" Quinn asked.

Karofsky walked towards her again and the diva pushed Quinn out of the way, "Got something to say to me?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do."

"Did you finally grow a pair?" Azimo grinned.

"Karofsky, we both know that Santana would never touch you. Not even with a twenty foot pole. The only way you would even look at a naked girl would be if they were more hung than you and, well, let's face it, Dave. Everyone's packing more than you."

The crowd gasped, some laughing, and Karofsky jumped at her. Before Quinn could intervene, Rachel used her powers to lift the bully into the air. Azimo moved to help him, but quickly found himself in the same situation.

"Rachel, what are you doing? You know the teachers will suspend you if they catch you using your powers against another student!" Quinn chided her. When Rachel didn't respond she moved in front of her. Quinn saw Rachel's eyes were fully black and she covered her mouth with her hand.

The diva gently pushed Quinn aside and stared at the floating jocks. "I'm sick of you two. I'm so damn tired of the name and insults and the slushies'. But I could've handled it, but you crossed a line. Never speak about Santana that way."

"I just told the truth and you know it."

"I warned you." With a quick flick of her wrist Rachel sent Karofsky and Azimo straight into the nearest wall.

As the unconscious bodies hit the floor Rachel spun back to the crowd, giving them a look at her black eyes before they returned to their original shade of brown. "Listen up because I'm only saying this once. If anyone messes with my friends there will be hell in store for you for weeks. However if you say anything about me or Santana then I will personally see to it that no one will be able to identify your corpse at the morgue." She saw the fear in many people's eyes and smirked evilly as she added, "If there's a corpse that is. Now get out of here and spread the word! Rachel Berry has chosen the dark side and I won't stop until I'm the baddest bitch at this poor excuse of a school!"