A Tale of Four Friends
Prologue
A/N: Has anyone noticed how Puck is always wearing that braided bracelet? Well, could there be a reason? A reason that means something? Someone?
December 2009
It was a month and 6 days, to be precise, since the baby drama unfolded.
Finn has left New Directions and Jacob-Ben Israel replaced him for Sectionals, in the hope of getting within 10 inches of Rachel, and more importantly, to him, - getting her underwear.
Thankfully, Finn arrived back to the team at the last minute. New Directions outstanded the judges – no surprise there, then- and they won Sectionals.
Everything had been prefect in the euphoria of their win, but now, back to reality, Puck was alone, feeling isolated from the group.
Lost without his usual backup- his friend, best friend that made him laugh uncontrollably with his goofy smile, but at the same time, he wanted to shout at him for being a nerd. His closest friend, who had seen the other side of Puck. The Noah.
Now, the Noah in him was being revealed. He was incredibly sad and had never felt like this.
When he looked at Finn, then at Quinn and her ever growing bump, he wanted to burst into man-tears.
He looked down, trying to hide the tears that were welling up in his hazel eyes; he noticed he was subconsciously fiddling with his bracelet. A manly bracelet, it was indeed. Nothing girly about it. The black, braided thread, entwined with fierce orange and aqua blue.
It had been getting tighter across Puck's wrist over the years, he had to loosen it often. Just as he loosened it, pulling it to the loosest it could go, Mike clapped Puck around the back in a friendly way. 'You alright? You looked out of it then!' He laughed.
Puck managed to mumble a idle threat, not bothering to answer his friends question and turning around, picking up his bag and standing up as Mr Schue dismissed them
But, what Puck hadn't noticed was that he had pulled the bracelet too loose and not tightened it to fit his wrist perfectly. When he stood, the bracelet slid right down his wrist and hand and fell to the floor. Without a backward glance, Puck walked out of the choir room.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the choir room, Finn and Rachel were making arrangements.
'… so how about Tuesday?' Finn heard Rachel finish.
'Tuesday what?'
'Finn! Have you not been listening to a word I've been saying?'
'I was listening! I meant 'Tuesday what?' as in what date. This Tuesday or next?' Finn lied.
Rachel sighed with frustration but also laughed at her innocently confused friend. 'One, there isn't a this Tuesday since it's Thursday today! And two, yes next Tuesday.' She said with a smile.
'…So, this – I mean, next Tuesday to practice our assignment?' Finn said, trying to make sense of Rachel's speech.
'Correct, Finn', Rachel laughed, collecting her belongings, 'I better go now, see you tomorrow.'
Flouncing out in her typical 'I'm-Rachel-Berry-and-I'm-much-better-than-you' fashion, partially tripping on something, turning back to look at what had tripped her; this mysterious object caught her eye. Finn watching her bend down to pick it up and his body froze as he saw what it was.
In a swift movement he snatched it from a startled Rachel and ran out of the choir room, navigating around the WMHS hallways; turning the corner, he bumped into none other that Noah Puckerman.