Never Change
Rachel felt her face crumple as she left Finn standing at her locker. She'd promised herself that she wouldn't cry over him anymore and was determined to pull herself together before she got to class. As she entered the nearest bathroom, she heard someone follow her inside and close the door.
"Those tears for Jesse?"
Rachel gasped and spun around when she recognized Puck's voice. She was about to yell at him about being in the girls' bathroom again when she noticed how angry he looked.
"No, actually, they're for Finn," she said, wiping her eyes gently with her fingers.
"Dunno which is worse," he mumbled.
"Excuse me?"
"Whatever," he scoffed. "What the hell, Rachel? Jesse St. James? Are you seriously going to Prom with that douche?"
Rachel shook her head and turned towards the mirror over the sink to fix her eye makeup. "It's not a date. We're going in a group with – "
"Yeah, with Sam and Mercedes," he interrupted. "That sounds like two couples to me, one of which is you and Jesse."
Rachel turned to face him again, pointing her finger in his direction. "I don't know why you and Finn seem to think you have any say in who I date – "
"So it is a date?"
She huffed in frustration. "Jesse has agreed to accompany our group to the Prom. That's all. And, quite frankly, it's none of your business."
He stared at her. "Are you forgetting what he did to us? To you?"
She turned away from him again to turn on the sink and wash her hands. "I didn't forget. Jesse has come to make amends – "
"Bullshit –"
"And as someone who understands the kind of ambition he feels," she continued, her voice rising, "I have chosen to give him a chance."
"That's fucked up."
Rachel had had enough. Who was he to come in here and judge her? She turned off the tap angrily and opened her mouth to tell him exactly what she thought of his opinion, but he continued before she had the chance.
"Are you like, addicted to being heartbroken? Do you get off on the –" he held up his hands next to his head and waved them around – "drama" of it all? Does it turn you on or something?"
Now Rachel was starting to get furious. "How dare you – "
"He smashed an egg on your face!"
"And you used to toss slushies into it!"
As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Rachel froze, shocked that she'd spoken them. She looked up at Puck and saw that he was just staring at her, his face completely blank. Finally, he pursed his lips and shook his head.
"Noah –"
"No, you know what? Do whatever you want. See if I give a shit." He turned around and opened the bathroom door.
"Wait, please – "
"Have a nice time at the Prom," he shot back as he walked out and closed the door behind him.
Rachel had searched for Puck all day, but there had been no sign of him in any of his usual spots. She decided to check the choir room at the end of the day, and as she approached, she saw Sam leaving it and walking down the hallway towards her.
"Hello, Sam. Have you seen Puck?"
Sam nodded. "Yep, just left him in the choir room with Artie. We were discussing our number for Prom. Wait till you see it – it's gonna be epic." He practically glowed with excitement.
Rachel smiled. "I'm sure it will be. I'm very much looking forward to our evening together."
"Yeah, me too. See you, Rachel."
"Bye." Rachel waved at Sam and headed straight for the choir room. She walked inside to see Puck and Artie speaking quietly. When they looked up, she saw that Puck had a glint in his eye that usually spelled trouble.
"Hi, Rachel, bye Rachel" Artie said as he wheeled himself past her.
Rachel waved and then looked up at Puck, who had turned around and was putting his guitar in its case.
"Can we talk?" she asked.
"Nothin' to talk about," he breathed, still not looking at her.
"I wanted to apologize."
Now he looked up at her. "For what?" he asked, as he snapped his guitar case shut. "You were just telling it like it is. Me and Jesse…we're just alike, right?"
She shook her head. "No, you're not. You're not like him at all."
"Rachel –"
"No, let me finish. You're not like him because you didn't…you didn't set out to earn my trust and then humiliate me and hurt me. You were a different person then. But you've changed, and I shouldn't have thrown that in your face."
"Whatever," he said, looking away. "Maybe it was better back then."
"What?" she asked, stunned. "How could you say that?"
"At least people respected me and shit."
She shook her head. "No, they just feared you. It's not really the same. You used to just be another bully, and now you're…"
"What?" he asked.
"You're my friend," she said simply. She moved closer to him and looked up at his face. "Right?"
He stared at her and then looked away, trying, and failing, to hide a smile. He took a deep breath, "Yeah, I'm your friend." He rolled his eyes.
"I trust you. You know that, right? I know you wouldn't deliberately hurt me like that."
Puck cleared his throat like he was uncomfortable. He probably was, but Rachel decided to continue.
"Noah, what you do for us…defending us, looking out for us, it's…well, it's badass."
Now he laughed, a real laugh that made her smile. "Yeah, ok. Cool. Would you say I'm a 'lovable but dangerous miscreant?'"
She frowned. "I think I have said that. Haven't I?"
Now he frowned. "Maybe that's where I heard it from."
She raised her eyebrows and shook her head at him, smiling. "You're definitely one of a kind. Lauren is a very lucky girl."
Something flickered in his eyes briefly, but it went away as fast as it came. "Yeah, she's cool. We have fun together."
Rachel nodded. "I'm glad. I'm voting for you guys."
He looked surprised, and oddly uncomfortable again. "Really?"
"Well, since my other choices are Quinn or Santana…"
Puck laughed. "Yeah, ok, I get it."
Rachel smiled and turned to leave, but she felt Puck gently grab her arm and turn her around.
"Don't let him hurt you," he said seriously. She swallowed. "I'll kick his ass. I mean it."
She nodded. "I know." She paused. "I'll see you tomorrow."
He released her arm and she turned to leave again. Just as she got to the door she heard him call her again.
"Uh, Rachel?" She turned around and looked at him expectantly. "Don't, uh, don't drink the punch."
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"It's just…I know how you get when you drink…punch, so just stay away from it. Especially if you're there with St. Douche."
She shook her head. "Some things never change."
He smirked at her and that mischievous glint was back in his eyes.
"Would you want them to?"
She gave a long-suffering sigh. "No. No, I suppose not."