"I'm gonna stop you right there." Santana interrupted Puck.
It was the last day of summer break and they were having dinner at Breadsticks. Santana and Puck had been talking during the summer; they had always been friends, but now they just seemed to have just grown closer. The thing with Puck and Santana were very similar. Puck saw Santana as the female version of him, so it was kind of easy talking with her but still…School was starting the next day and Puck, for once, couldn't be more upset about it. He had always wanted school to be over even before it had started but now it was more than that and Santana realized he wasn't telling her everything. She knew him.
"What? Why?" Puck simply asked, trying not to be too obvious.
"Listen Puckerman, you can fool whoever you want with that shit you just said but not me. I know what's really pissing you off."
"I don't know what you're talking about. I mean, all of what I said is true. Me and Zizes broke up, and yeah we both agreed it was for the best and that we work better as friends but I'm still sad about it" Puck lied with no shame, wondering why she was being so dubious about it.
"Oh please! Your relationship, if we can even call it that, with Lauren was nothing and you know it. You were just friends who made out once in a while."
"I liked her" Puck added, having no idea what much more he could say. He was realizing that Santana really knew what the real problem was.
"Only as a friend! And don't even try to deny it!" Santana shouted when Puck was opening his mouth, trying to say something "All I'm saying is that you were never in love with her…"
"Love, Santana?"
"Let me finish! And yes, love. You know what it is because you have been in love once and I'm pretty sure you still are. With her."
"Fuck" Puck thought. She really knew. Puck never admitted it to anyone but last year was the worst year of his life. He had to pretend that nothing everhappened between him…and Quinn. He had to ignore her, their past and all the unsolved feelings.
"Ok, I'm going home" Puck stood up, prepared to leave.
"Stop avoiding this!" Santana stood up too, yelling at him "Talk to me, you can tell me. You know you can trust me. It's just…I know you need to talk with someone about it"
Puck knew she was right. But on the other hand he didn't feel like talking about it.
"Santana…please, not tonight, I can't…"
"Look, ok I get it if you don't wanna talk. Especially about her, about your feelings and stuff but at least talk to her…it's not too late you know…"
"Fine, you're right but I don't know what's on her mind… But I'll think about it…Now I just wanna go home ok?" Puck didn't know if he was lying or not but he needed to get out of Breadsticks, go home and just ignore Santana's conversation about Quinn.
Puck fell on his bed, looking at the ceiling. "Great job, Lopez. Now I can't stop thinking about her…fuck! What am I supposed to do?". Puck wondered if Santana was right about not being too late. He knew there was a lot unsolved shit between him and Quinn but he didn't knew what she wanted.
He decided to try to get some sleep but he just couldn't. He couldn't help the tears running down his face remembering every single moment he felt truly happy. With her. "What the fuck is happening to me? I'm Noah Puckerman. I don't cry, especially not because of a girl" he felt desperate "Fuck it, I'll figure out what to do tomorrow".
The sun was shinning on the first day of school at McKingley High. Mr. Shue asked every member of the Glee club to be there a little earlier because he wanted to talk with them before classes started and it couldn't wait until rehearsal.
Puck woke up with his mother yelling at him because, of course, he was late. He felt so tired since he only slept like 2 hours or less. He hurried up remembering of the Glee club meeting.
"Has anyone seen Puckerman?" Mr. Shue asked since he was the only one missing. Well, Lauren was missing too but they already knew that she'd decided to leave the Glee club.
"I was with him last night and…He wasn't feeling very well…" Santana said.
"Is he okay?"
Everyone turned to Quinn, surprised.
"Actually no, not really" Santana smirked. She'd just had the confirmation she needed: Quinn was still in love with Puck obviously. She could tell by the worried expression on her face.
Quinn wasn't expecting that answer and didn't knew what to say.
Santana was about to add something when Puck entered the choir room. "I'm…sorry… I'm...late"
"It's okay Puck, take a seat" Mr. Schue smiled "Santana was saying something about you not feeling very well last night…?"
Puck looked at Santana, furious "I'll deal with her later" and then took his seat "I'm fine."
"Okay, great!" Mr Schue finally started the meeting "Well guys, this year is your last: senior year. And I really want you to win Nationals this year, I think it would be an amazing way for you to leave. And for that we need to work hard. But for today, I have something different prepared."
Everyone nodded, they knew he was right and they were kind of sad for losing last year.
"I couldn't agree more ! We need to start as soon as possible!" Rachel said excited.
Quinn had hardly listened to anything that had just been said. She couldn't stop staring at Puck and he could feel her eyes on him. She was making an effort not to have a breakdown in the middle of the meeting, so many unsolved things between them. And why had Santana said he wasn't okay - she needed to know. But how? She couldn't just ask Puck what was going on after all this time…And she had a feeling Santana wouldn't tell her. Besides, if she asked her, it would be too suspicious.
They heard the bell ring so it was time to go to first period.
At lunch time, right before Glee club practice, Quinn approached Santana "Hey, can I sit with you and Britt?"
"Yeah, sure!"
Puck was sitting at the table right in front of theirs. He was sitting with Finn and Sam. She thought how ironic that was, her three ex's sitting at the same table. Finn said something about meeting Rachel and left the table. Quinn observed Puck and Sam, she heard they had developed a friendship during thesummer break, which was kinda weird for her.
"She's looking" Sam said suddenly.
"What? Who?" asked Puck, knowing exactly who he was talking about.
"You know who, don't act stupid. You still love her, don't you?"
"Do you?"
"No. We're just friends. She helped me a lot last year when I needed, you know… But you didn't answer my question, dude"
"I think you already know the answer…"
"Yeah… Well I guess you should know that she's still looking and she asked Santana if you were okay when she said you weren't feeling well"
"She did?" Puck had to admit, he didn't expect that.
"Yeah, so just talk to her, man"
"I don't know…"
"Quinn? Quinn?"
"Huh? What?" Quinn was trying to hear what they were saying but she didn't succeed.
"Have you even heard anything?" Santana asked but she already knew the answer. Quinn was looking at Puck, who had yelled at her after the Glee club meeting because of what she said.
"Sorry, I was just… distracted."
"Go talk to him" Brittany said.
"Who?" Quinn tried to act innocent.
"Please, you two need to understand that we aren't stupid okay? God, fix your shit already." Santana said.
Later on the choir room, at Glee club practice, Mr. Schue announced they were doing something different that afternoon, just a little experience "So, I'm going toturn the radio on and whatever song comes on, you have to sing along and improvise some choreography, okay?"
Everyone nodded, not mentioning how odd they thought that was.
"Okay, ready?" Mr. Schue turned on the radio.
Puck felt his legs weak and he wished Mr. Schue hadn't turned the radio on. Quinn paralyzed, eyes watering. Everyone froze and they couldn't help turning to them.
Just a few more hours
And I'll be right home to you
I think hear them calling
Oh Beth, what can I do?
Beth, what can I do?
Quinn felt the tears running through her face and she left the choir room, running as fast as she could.
"Go! What are you waiting for?" Santana shouted at Puck.
"It's too late…"
"Do you really believe that? Trust me, you won't regret it. Just go after her"
"Yeah man, go!" Sam encouraged.
Puck ran faster than ever before , not even at football games had he ran so fast.
Quinn was at the parking lot when suddenly, out of nowhere it started raining. "Great, just great! Thanks a lot!" she was trying to approach her car when she felt a warm hand on her arm. She turned seeing a wet Puck looking directly to her eyes.
"I can't do this right now Puck. And it's raining"
"I don't care if it's fucking raining. We need to talk. Now."
She looked into his eyes. How much she missed that… But she couldn't. Even if they felt the same way about each other they were such a mess and she was scared. She tried to run away. Again. Puck held her arm stronger and pulled her closer and they were separated for merely inches.
"No, you're not running away this time, I won't let you. It's not over between us and you know it!"
She forgot everything, like there wasn't anything in the world but them and kissed him. Puck kissed back passionately. How much both of them missed each other could be felt on that kiss.
They were at the boys locker room to get dry because of the rain.
"You're right, I'm sorry for running away… More than once." Quinn started.
He sat beside her "It's okay. I mean, I get that you needed some time… I just wished you hadn't ignored me"
"Me too. I'm so sorry."
"Just promise you won't do it again"
"I won't. I promise"
They smiled at each other.
"I missed you so much, you have no idea" he admitted.
"Me too. Every single day." she said, with tears on her eyes again.
He kissed her forehead "Now it's fine, it's me and you baby"
She smiled "I love you. I guess I always have since we locked eyes for the first time and you gave me that cocky smile. And yes, I liked Finn and Sam but they're not you. And that will always be the problem, any other guys… It will never work with them because they're not you."
He had a huge smile on his face, he had never felt so happy "I love you too. Always have, always will. While any other girl was just another number, another hook-up, you weren't. You were different since the beginning"
She smiled. That smile that only Puck had seen because she never felt happier with anyone else "Let's do it right this time" and she kissed him again.
On the next day, they arrived at the choir room together holding hands. Everyone smiled at them, happy that they had finally solved everything.
"Well, it was about time!" Rachel said.
"Yeah, finally!" Finn agreed.
"I knew you would take my advice" Sam joked.
"I told you it wasn't too late" Santana smirked "Once again, who was right? Yeah, me. You two belong to each other, we always knew that"
"Yeah, we really do." Quinn smiled at Puck.
"Okay guys, let's start practice then!" Mr. Schue encouraged, hating ruining the moment.
They took their seats. Puck and Quinn were still holding hands, happier than ever. They felt that that year would be their year. Finally.