This is my first foray into Glee fanfiction. I'm a Puck/Rachel person all the way. This little thing popped into my head the other day, so I thought I'd get it going and post it. I may decide to continue it eventually, but this is the bit that I already thought out. Hopefully, you'll enjoy it.
Puck slammed his locker door and started toward the choral room for Glee. He knew that they'd probably be stuck singing "Do You Believe In Magic?" for the eightieth time again today, but he couldn't quite push down his excitement. He really did like singing. He was good at it. Plus, Glee club introduced him to Artie, who was cool once you got to know him. He was amazing on guitar, and nice enough to agree to teach Puck.
When Puck entered the choral room, he realized that he was early. The only two people there were Rachel Berry and Artie. He hated Rachel Berry. The only time he could stand her was when she was singing because she really was that good. Grateful for his presence, Puck made a beeline for Artie and started talking about the classic rock they'd worked on earlier in the week, effectively ignoring Rachel's presence.
Soon enough, Mr. Schuester and the others began to trickle in. Mr. Schue started rehearsal, and Puck had called it. They worked on "Do You Believe In Magic?" for an hour before running "Don't Stop Believing" to end rehearsal.
Puck was out the door seconds after Mr. Schue dismissed them. He got his backpack from his locker and reached for his jacket only to find it wasn't there. "Dammit," he muttered remembering that he had worn it to Glee and taken it off during rehearsal. He headed back for the choral room and paused when he heard voices arguing, inching close enough to see Finn facing away from him and toward Berry.
"What do you want from me, Rachel?"
"I want you to make a choice."
Puck heard Finn groan. "Between what?"
"Me and Quinn. Either you break up with her to date me, or you stop leading me on. I refuse to be played with or used," Berry demanded.
"God, Rachel. She's carrying my baby. I can't just abandon her," Finn replied.
Puck could actually hear her sigh in frustration. "You don't have to abandon her, Finn. I'm simply asking you to break up with her, as in no more romantic entanglement with her."
"I...can't."
Even from this distance, Puck could see her chin raise the slightest bit, an act of pure defiance against her feelings. "Then you've made your choice. No more kissing, Finn," Rachel said softly but firmly. "I won't be your...dirty little secret."
Puck scrambled back as she blew past Finn and him and out the doors, her breathing ragged and a lone tear on her cheek. A part of him wanted to go after her, and he felt his hatred of her deepen because he was suddenly nine years old all over again.
"Noah, you'll never guess what happened! I got a solo at the next recital!" Rachel yelled, running up the stairs to his room. Noah looked up from where he was sitting on his bed, visibly upset.
"What's wrong, Noah?" Rachel asked, dance class forgotten and replaced with concern for her only friend. "Did your parents fight again?"
Noah shook his head. "No...my dad left."
Rachel looked down. "I'm sorry, Noah."
"It's not your fault, Rachel," he said softly.
She shook her head. "That doesn't mean I don't feel bad anyway."
He smiled slightly. "You're a good friend."
"You are too," she said. "I promise that I'll always be here for you."
"You better be," Noah said, springing off the bed to chase her.
The next day at school, Puck told her he didn't want to be her friend, and he hoped they never spoke again. Rachel ran away in tears. It was the first time he'd ever seen her crying, and the last.
He shook his head and retrieved his jacket, rolling his eyes at Finn's back and exiting before he noticed him. Puck reveled in Berry's distress, but Noah wanted to punch Finn for hurting Rachel.
He thinks he might be going insane.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rachel drove home slowly to get her emotions under control. She didn't need her dad and daddy trying to help her out with boy problems, especially when the problems are basically her own fault. She should have known better than to fall for anyone associated with Noah Puckerman anyway.
Once she was safely parked in her driveway, she headed directly for her room. Rachel needed to think. She sat at her keyboard and let her fingers play of their own accord. Her mind wandered back to her confrontation with Finn. When she left, was it her imagination or did she brush past Puck?
Oh, that would be fantastic. The entire school would know that Finn had made her cry by tomorrow morning if not tonight. Her humiliation would be complete. She looked through her musical collection for a song, but she couldn't find one that fit what she was feeling. Frustrated, Rachel searched for a song online to let off steam. She was craving musical release right now.
Spotting Noah, Rachel bounced over to see her best friend. "Hey, Noah."
He looked at her blankly. "What do you want?"
She frowned. "I want to say hi."
"Why?" Noah asked.
Rachel shook her head. "Because we're friends. Why are you acting like this?"
He stared at her. "I don't want to be your friend."
Her lower lip trembled. "B-but-"
"I hope we never speak again," he interrupted, watching in practiced disinterest as she ran away crying.
Rachel spent an hour crying in the girl's bathroom. It was the last time she cried in a public restroom.
Finally, she found a song. Smiling slightly, she saved the sheet music file and sent a copy to Artie with a note asking if he could accompany her on this for tomorrow at Glee. Rachel thought it might be time for a change. She had spent the last six and a half years being everyone's punching bag, but this was it: the proverbial final straw.
"Look out world, Rachel Berry is back," she whispered with what she considered her approximation of a smirk.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The day after Puck witnessed Finn fighting with Berry, Glee was having a fun day. Anyone who wanted to could work up a song to sing in front of the rest of the group. Most people did duets, but Berry was doing a solo. Big surprise there.
Puck watched Artie wheel himself up next to her and Tarryn (Tanya? Something with a T) hand him his guitar. "This is a song I fell in love with, so I hope you like it," Berry said before nodding at Wheels. He started in with the guitar.
I drift away to a place
another kind of life
take away the pain
I create my paradise
everything I've held has hit the wall
what used to be yours isn't yours at all
Rachel's big, powerful voice strained over the lyrics. It didn't detract from the quality or beauty of her voice. It just seemed to add an edge of suffering.
Falling apart and all that I'm asking
is it a crime? Am I overreacting?
Oh, he's under my skin
just give me something to get rid of him
I've got a reason now to bury this alive
another little white lie
During the chorus, her voice seemed to get meek, sad.
So what you had didn't fit
among the pretty things
never fear, never fear
I now know where you've been
braids have been untied
as ribbons fall away
leave the consequence
my tears you'll taste
This section was where Rachel adopted an angry edge. The strain that was so palpable in the beginning was nearly imperceptible now. Her hands were clenched in fists by her side.
Falling apart and all that I question
is this a dream or is this my lesson
Oh, he's under my skin
just give me something to get rid of him
I've got a reason now to bury this alive
another little white lie
The meekness and strain were back, but she rapidly shifted into a bitter sadness.
I don't believe I'll be all right
I don't believe I'll be okay
I don't believe how you've thrown me away
I do believe you didn't try
I do blame you for every lie
when I look in your eyes
I don't see mine
The music's tempo increased, and Rachel seemed to get angrier and angrier with each line until the last. It was much quieter, almost a sung whisper.
Oh, he's under my skin
just give me something to get rid of him
I've got a reason now to bury him alive
another little white lie
The chorus was sung in a hushed plea before a crescendo accented the last line.
Oh, my permission to sin
you might have started my reckoning
I've got a reason now to bury him alive
The voice was now a loud, angry cry bespeaking pain thatwas only amplified by the way her voice broke on alive.
Another little white lie
The song finished with a soft line that Rachel sang sounding lost. There was a heavy silence left after the last notes died.
The room broke into applause, and Puck watched Berry blink like she was surprised before that damn smile was across her face again. She gave a half bow and bent to hug Wheels before heading back to her seat. Puck glared daggers at her back.
When it became clear no one else was going to sing, Mr. Schue left to go get some music he wanted them to try. Puck could hear Berry, Mercedes, and Kurt talking about what song it could be, and when Berry started on about show tunes and how they fit into her life plan, he snapped. "Jesus, Berry! Why are you always on about that?" he yelled, making everyone jump.
She stood up and faced him. "You ought to know. You made me this way!"
Puck felt his mouth fall open and quickly stood up to stand her down. "And how is that?"
"Like you don't know, Noah," Berry sneered.
He glared. "It's Puck."
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever you call yourself doesn't matter. It doesn't change what you did."
"What did I do?" he demanded, forgetting they were fighting in front of the glee club, a group of notorious gossips.
Rachel looked him dead in the eye. "We were best friends for five years, and one day you just decided you weren't going to be my friend anymore. What does someone do when they lose their only friend? They turn to whatever they have left. For me, it was my dream. I wondered why you hated me so much all of the sudden, but it doesn't really matter now. Just know that I refuse to be the pariah for any longer."
Puck took a step closer. "Oh yeah?"
"Indubitably."
He snagged the water bottle someone left on a chair and dumped it over head, getting satisfaction from the flinch she made when the water made contact. It wasn't a slushie, but it would do. "You don't scare me, Berry."
Predictably, Rachel raised her chin that fraction of an inch. Then she took a step forward, and her fist connected with his jaw. "I should. After all, you're the one who taught me how to throw a punch."
With a final glare, Rachel stormed out of the choral room. Puck lifted a hand up to where she hit him and felt impressed despite himself. He turned and saw the entire room staring at him and the door in shock. He quickly turned on his heel and fled. He was not going to be the one to explain that.
The song is "Skin" by Alexz Johnson from the show Instant Star.
Please review, and thanks for reading. (: