-Authors Notes-
Hello my lovelies. Ok first things first. I don't believe I tell you guys often enough how much you rock. I received so many favourite story and story alerts. From one chapter? Awesome. Also my lovely reviewers as ever you are amazing for taking the time to hit me up with a review. Oh and I normally reply to reviews separately but to Ellie who review anonymously thank you for your kind words. I just wanted you to know (should you read this chapter) that it was much appreciated (as all my reviews are) and I hope you'll find this story fills a void!
Ok onto the story. This chapter is a few weeks after the last one. At this point I'm just going to kind of tell you as we go because sometimes we'll skip a few weeks, sometimes the next chapter will be the next immediate week. At this point I have no idea how long this is going to be, I just have a rough sketch of a plot in my head and I'll write until the plot is fulfilled.
BTW, a update already? I spoil you guys! These chapters are huge! Well they feel like it. But I seem to be getting them done quite quickly. My brain does hurt though! ^_^ I kid I kid.
Anyway I wanted to get this up to fill the gap till tomorrow. I feel like a kid on Christmas eve because tomorrow is new glee. So excited. But also not. I'm very wary of the promos I have seen :( but I know it's not happy middles but it seems to me like they have just injected everyone (especially Finchel) with extreme levels of douche-ness. I mean I know they're hurting and all but dear lord, the promo for the valentines episode with the kissing booth? I wanted to punch at least 6 different characters in that promo. Tell me I'm not alone?
Onward! I'm a bit iffy with this chapter. I've written some Sue in and I only hope I've done her justice and there is a nice bit with Kurt/Finn and I only hope that it doesn't feel too forced. I wanted a wake up call sort of vibe. Holla at me if you can.
Oh yeah one last thing. Two songs have snippets in this chapter first is 'My Man' from Funny Girl, second is 'If you Leave Me Now' by Chicago. And last chapter was 'I Want To Break Free' by Queen (I forgot to mention).
Peace, love and Finchel.
-X-
-2 Weeks Later-
-Puck's Saturday-
The banging on his door was so not helping his damn hangover.
Not that he regretted drinking. Drinking was fun, he wasn't going to punk out and say he'd never drink again because of one headache.
He just wishes he could wake up to two aspirin rather than his mom banging his damn door down.
"NOAH PUCKERMAN GET OUT OF THAT BED RIGHT NOW"
He groaned at her shouts and shuffled along the floor towards the door, each step becoming more confident as standing up forced his brain into action.
He threw the door open to find his mother dressed for work with a scowl on her face.
"Noah, I have to go to work, Kelly called in sick so I'm going in for overtime. I need you to watch Sarah".
Puck looked at his mom and felt the same mix of anger and guilt he did whenever his mom had to rush off to work overtime to keep them afloat. Anger at his deadbeat dad and guilty himself that he didn't do more to help.
"Sure mom", he said following her downstairs. He was going to need those aspirin before he dealt with his sister.
Popping the pills in his mouth and leaning against the counter he watched his mom gather a last few things for her bag before she kissed him on the cheek and left, "I'll be back around 10".
"Bye mom", he didn't bother with have a good day or anything because, hell, she was going to pull a 12 hour shift. How would it ever turn out good?
The minute the door was closed he heard it. His sister chanting his name to the jaws theme tune from somewhere else in the house.
"Noah. Noah. Noah Noah Noah Noah Noah Noah NOAH!", she shouted as she leapt out for him.
"Lay off punk!", he said with one arm out to hold her back.
"What'sa matter Noah?", she asked still trying to get past his hand.
Puck looked down at his sister and sighed. He let her run at him and wrap her arms around his middle knowing it should shut her up for a while, "nothing, I'm just tired".
She shook her head after releasing him, as she walked away, "tired? Yeah right. I may be a kid but I'm not an idiot, you drunk".
Puck watched her go with a smirk. That girl was too smart for her own good and having a badass brother like him didn't help.
He wandered back to his bedroom and slumped down, switching on his TV as he did. Highlights from the game the previous night flashed on the screen as highlights from last nights party flashed across Pucks mind.
He smirked as he thought of the shots, the ladies, the fight.
He'd had a strangely comforting satisfaction at seeing Quinn argue with Sam in the backyard.
Not that he cared. Badass' don't care.
But the look on big mouths face as Quinn walked back inside and proceeded to down 3 shots in a row had been priceless. And Quinn doing 3 shots? Totally hot.
In fact maybe he should tell her.
Q. How's it hanging after your awesome little display last night? If you want you can come over and I'll make you feel better?
He hit send and returned his eyes to the screen.
"Fuck no! Tressel does not know what he's doing sometimes!".
He shouted at the Ohio state highlights angrily as he became more engrossed. What the hell were they playing at?
Puck was so angry at the state of game he didn't notice his phone vibrate for another 20 minutes. When he did he saw a message in reply.
My sides are almost splitting with laughter Puck. Please do not text me again, my boyfriend Sam is here and I would hate for him to beat your ass for hitting on me at all but especially while I'm recovering. I'll see you in next week, if by some miracle you show up to class for a second time this year.
Well damn if that didn't ruin his Saturday morning. And she thought Sam could beat him down? Oh she needed a ticket to the gun show.
Puck didn't care to think why but he had an overwhelming urge to show Fabray that he is not a Lima Loser.
Again.
She needed to pay attention more when he proved these things.
And he needed to use his badass-ness for good rather than evil. Starting with Quinn Fabray.
-Finn's Sunday-
Finn locked his truck as he wandered aimlessly into the store.
His mom had sent him for milk. She was having panic attacks about running out of milk.
They didn't even use that much milk.
He didn't notice the pink car in parking lot.
Instead he wandered through the store deciding it was the perfect time to get some chips (something the kitchen was seriously lacking) and maybe some dip.
It was only when he was deciding sour cream or ranch chips that he heard a voice. A voice he recognized.
He followed it over to the next aisle where he saw Rachel picking out various vegetables. She had her iPod earphones in but was singing to herself softly but slowly getting louder and more powerful.
...What's the difference if I say I'll go away
When I know I'll come back on my knees someday
For whatever my man is, I am his forever more.
Oh, my man, I love him so, he'll never know.
All my life is just despair, but I don't care
When he takes me in his arms...
Everyone else in the store walked past her with a raised eyebrow or giving her a wide berth as if her crazy singing was contagious but Finn just watched her for a moment. He couldn't remember the song but he knew it was from Funny Girl, on the odd occasion he'd drifted off while watching it with her, he normally woke up around this song.
Finn walked away quickly for a number of reasons. Firstly he didn't want to watch when someone came and told her to be quiet because he could only imagine her being offended and that would be hilarious. Secondly he didn't want to risk being caught watching her, there was only so long she could stand there picking out carrots and peppers before turning around. Finally he wasn't entirely sure he could handle listening to her sing a song about loving 'her man'.
And he was making such good progress. He actually manages a few minutes each day now when he can look at her and not straight away see her smashing his heart with a mallet. It's progress.
He returned to the chips, grabbing a bag of both flavour chips and hurrying to grab his moms precious milk.
"Stop that orange!" he heard as he turned at the end of the aisle and bumped into Rachel sending her flying to the floor.
Finn looked down at the sight before him, she was sitting on the floor, hair falling over her face from the fall and a orange was rolling somewhere past his foot.
"Finn! I'm... erm... Sorry. I was... Runaway orange. I didn't want anyone to slip."
He laughed as he reached out a hand the help her up. The runaway orange thing was kinda funny.
"I'm glad you find my falling so funny. I'll look out for you next time", she said with a shy smile.
"Sorry Rach I just...", his laughter stopped.
Did he just call her Rach?
Now Finn felt awkward, between calling her Rach and laughing at her things were starting to feel normal.
And they weren't supposed to feel that normal again yet. Were they?
"I should go. My dads will start to worry. It was nice bumping into you, I guess. I'll see you at glee", she rushed the words before returning to her shopping cart and wheeling it away.
He watched her walk away with a slight blush in her cheeks. It may not have felt right to let her leave but it was easiest. He still needed space. Didn't he?
Finn felt like he had far too many issues swimming in his brain for a quick visit to the grocery store. His encounter with her had messed with his head. All he wanted some chips and milk.
And he still hadn't worked out her secret. A secret that was annoying most of glee club.
He paid for his items and threw them in the front seat of his truck. Finn wasn't sure how but on a day where he'd managed to not think about Rachel, he'd bumped into Rachel.
Now he couldn't stop thinking about Rachel.
Maybe he should finally talk to someone about this.
-Quinn's Monday-
"That routine was so lifeless watching it has made my body decay faster", Sue shouted into her megaphone.
Quinn was doing the splits across the arms of two random Cheerios who had lifted her into the pose after she perfectly executed a double back flip.
But such was life on the Cheerios, there was no such thing as perfection. She was sure she would be told exactly how many degrees her back flip was off by, thereby voiding it's perfection. She could sense the girls wobble ever so slightly below her and she knew that they would be punished for that.
Quinn couldn't blame them. They had been outside, in the last week of January, practicing. Coach Sylvester had only succumbed to practicing inside when one girl declared she had frost bite and therefore couldn't jump. They had only been inside 10 minutes and Quinn had barely adjusted to the inside temperature herself, so she couldn't blame them for their still chilly, slightly wobbly states.
It didn't mean she was going to help them. Sylvester was going to take them down.
"Sasha! Carly! Hit the showers! Via regular screening I know that the Queen Bee is not pregnant and is carrying no extra weight. Which means you two are throwing the entire routine into DISARRAY for nothing. Get out of my sight before I launch rabid beavers after you".
Quinn jumped off of the two girls as one burst into tears and the other chased after her.
"Fabray! Don't think I didn't see that lean to the right in that last flip. All of you, start again and this time try to succeed for once in your lives. You two!", she pointed at two trembling Cheerios on the sidelines, "replace those two disappointments and don't make the same mistake of SUCKING".
The routine started again. And again. And again.
An hour later Coach Sylvester sighed, "my eyes have seen more carnage today than a hillbilly episode of Cops. We're done for today. Hopefully you'll all trip over some talent on the way home. And you! Laura! You're cut".
She turned away without batting an eyelid and Becky followed after her, crossing something out on a clip boarded list, as she did.
Quinn watched as Laura hung her head and trailed out before everyone else. Everybody knew that sometimes a random Cheerio was cut but it didn't stop everyone avoiding Laura like the plague, in fear of inheriting the bad luck by talking to her.
"So Blondie you survived the Tequila trifecta?", Santana asked with a grin while they walked from the locker room after practice.
Quinn groaned, "please don't remind me San. I was a wreck on Saturday".
"Who can blame you? After you ripped out Kens insides for the entire party to see you had to drink something to take the edge off".
"I did not rip out his insides..."
Santana interrupted her quickly, "no you just spent the evening drinking, then complaining you couldn't drink wine coolers anymore and then nearly dumping your boyfriend publicly because he has no game and isn't funny".
Quinn's floundered, "how did you know what we argued about?"
"Like you said, the boy has no game, I gave him a beer and he crumbled like Sasha and Carly out there. Told me all about your argument. Way harsh of you by the way. I'm proud".
Brittany chimed in, "so can we put them together again or are they like eggs?"
"No sweetie", Santana responded before turning back to Quinn, "no judgement, it's cool to have random head bitch back".
Quinn was slightly stunned by the conversation. Yes she'd somehow retained a friendship with Santana after the boob job saga and yes she'd got her rightful place as head cheerio back but did Quinn want to be head bitch again?
She enjoyed the safety of her popularity but after seeing life from the outside she didn't want to be like Santana again, she knows she used to be 'that girl' but Quinn didn't want to forget the growing up she did last year.
It would be like forgetting any of it ever happened. Like she ever happened.
She took a deep breath as if to inhale some normality and it was then that she saw Sam waiting by her locker faithfully. Santana and Brittany skipped ahead and made for the doors.
The sight of him stopped Quinn dead in her tracks.
Wasn't stringing Sam along a bitchy thing to do? If she was honest there was a lot of stuff she wasn't over... people she wasn't over.
She didn't love Sam. That was one of the many charms he possessed. She wore his ring, because that's what she was supposed to do, right? And yes he was confident and he stands up for what's right but she didn't love him.
That's why it was so easy to be with him.
But was it fair? The boy obviously had feelings for her circa the promise ring.
Quinn picked up towards him again as he smiled and held his hand out for her. She tried to ignore that she didn't feel butterflies at the touch of his hand. She tried to ignore that she only let him kiss her cheek in public.
She tried to ignore that she'd been ignoring all of this for weeks.
But something in the tinniest of sighs she let out as he wrapped a arm around her told her that she couldn't ignore it anymore. She wouldn't be that girl again, stuck in a relationship that she was supposed to be in.
It was time for Quinn to do what she intended at the start of this year and fly solo. But how to tell him?
-Rachel's Tuesday-
Rachel had become interesting.
She wasn't an idiot. It didn't take a rocket scientist to work out why. She'd had a brief 'discussion' with Mr. Schuester and ever since the glee club had been dying to find out what had changed. Because suddenly Rachel Berry was singing Queen and not arguing for solos so much anymore.
That wasn't a huge change, she'd passed on a solo after sectionals. She'd sung different genre songs before including rock.
It's not like she had stopped giving her opinions or singing all together.
That would have been a sign of the apocalypse.
But they were obsessed. Mercedes had asked her out shopping. Tina asked Rachel for help with a song preparation. Even Quinn had told her that she was "more bearable than usual".
Rachel knew what had changed for her. She was one step closer to the dream, she was on the path. She was going to Juilliard. Somehow it had calmed her.
Of course she still sang, performed and took solos when offered in glee, but she didn't feel the burden of being talented was that heavy anymore.
She needed to keep her talent fresh but she had already been accepted, Juilliard had accepted her because they'd seen how talented she really was.
Perhaps it was the confirmation of that which she had believed in all these years (herself), but after coming to terms with being accepted to Juilliard she suddenly didn't need to tell everyone how talented she was anymore.
Because she knew it. And Juilliard knew it. And if the glee club didn't know it now they would once she completed her seminal work in the Broadway revival of Funny Girl.
And she knew they'd appreciate her when she left a year early.
So she walked into the choir room with a smile on her face, of course she was the first one here. It was a rarity she wasn't. She sat down at the piano and began to play to herself because apparently Brad wasn't even here yet.
Rachel played the opening chords to Don't Stop before singing the first line herself.
Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere.
A smile played on her lips at the resonance of the words. She would be driving to New York of course but she thought it appropriate how that first line summed her up.
And Rachel's world was lonely. The one friend she did make in glee was forced out of the school, the rest of glee club only wanted to know her when there was gossip to dish and Finn? He seemed to be moving on.
She hadn't seen him with anyone else but he was getting on with his life it seemed, still avoiding her as best he can but getting on regardless.
And Rachel would get on with her life too. She had decided.
She began to idly play the keys again as Mr. Schuester walked in, placing his bag on the piano.
"Good afternoon Rachel"
"Good Afternoon, Mr Schue", she responded not looking up at him.
"Rachel?"
She forced her eyes away from the keys to see him looking at her with a warm smile on his face, "yes Mr. Schue?"
His forehead creased as he spoke, "have you thought about when you're going to tell everyone yet? I mean, surely you'd like your friends to know? You only have four months left at McKinley"
She smiled to herself, "Kurt already knows so I can't think of anyone else I'd like to know. None of them care Mr. Schue, I am simply a voice to them. A voice they now think they can replace", she threw him a pointed look briefly, "I only informed you because I believe you should utilize my talent while I am still here".
"Rachel, glee club is about more than your voice. We're a family, they would want to know"
She looked back down at the piano and continued to play, "they only want to know what my gossip is. They rejected me once Finn and I broke up. They will only care once I'm not here to sing for them and save them".
She resisted the urge to say that families don't keep secrets about sleeping with people.
He sighed, she could tell he was frustrated so she continued.
"Mr. Schue I know glee club isn't just about my voice but neither is it my family. I offer my support time and time again for them, without being asked, and whenever I hope for the same in return, they let me down. I know you're trying to achieve some sort of group unity but I think you may have better luck once I'm gone. I'm sorry. I am truly grateful for what you have done for this club though. Glee club would not be here without you".
Rachel stood up and walked over to her seat in the front without another word. She sat down with a smile at him but she couldn't quite read the emotion on his face.
Brittany, Santana and Artie walked in at that point and Santana smirked as she spotted Rachel, "man hands! I've already worked out my solo audition. So you may as well rest that voice of yours, I doubt we'll be needing it".
Rachel didn't respond as they sat down but simply raised an eyebrow to her teacher in a told-you-so type of way.
He looked between the two for a moment and he looked on the verge of saying something. Apparently his resolve was interrupted as Puck, Mike and Tina arrived and the room got louder while he turned back to his bag rather hopelessly.
Rachel laughed to herself for thinking, for a moment, that someone might stand up for her. And Mr. Schue of all people. If Rachel wanted to be defended then she had to stand up for herself and she had found it was easier not to even bother with that.
Besides Rachel knew exactly what she was going to sing to 'audition' for the solo and she knew it would beat whatever screechy song Santana decided to do.
-Finn's Wednesday-
Finn looked at his ringing phone as he took it out of his pocket and stepped away from his homework. He was glad to (finally) see Kurt's name on the caller ID after Kurt had been engaged all of Monday evening and his phone off on Tuesday.
"Hello?", he asked.
"Ahh Finnegan. You called?", Kurt replied in a crisp tone.
Finn ran a hand through his hair wondering where to begin, "erm yeah. I actually called because I wondered if, you know, if we could just talk about stuff?"
"Talk? With me? Erm, ok Finn. What is it you want to talk about?"
"Rachel"
Somehow Finn didn't expect that answer to be met with silence. A sigh or a comment about her clothes or something maybe, but not silence.
"Are you sure I'm the best person to talk to about this?", Kurt finally asked.
"Well yeah dude. You're my brother and you're like an outsider and stuff and I can't really talk to my mom about this..."
"Ok, ok. Go ahead"
Finn sighed in relief before starting, "well it's like obviously you know what went down with Puck and everything. And I still look at them sometimes and get really mad but more and more now I just want everything to go back to how it was. I saw Rach on Sunday and she made me laugh. I didn't think I'd ever laugh again around her again. But she cheated on me! I still can't believe she did it".
"Why did you call me Finn?", Kurt did sigh this time.
"Because dude! My best friend was the dude she cheated on me with so I can't talk to him and you're my brother!"
Kurt sounded like he was beginning to get agitated, "no I mean do you want me to tell you what you want to hear or do you want me to tell you the truth?"
Finn gulped slowly. "The truth".
Kurt wasted no time like he'd had the speech prepared or something. "You're an idiot. And I mean that in the nicest of ways but it's true. Firstly you still don't get why she did what she did. Secondly you obviously still love her, you just called her Rach for crying out loud. A month ago you couldn't even say 'Rachel' without blubbering or punching something. And the biggest reason you're an idiot? You obviously want her back but you haven't thought to tell her that, you're still avoiding her and you've barely said anything to her since you told her, firmly, that it was over. Did you ever think she might be moving on?"
Finn sat in a stunned silence barely grasping the phone to his ear and it was a few minutes before he found his words.
"She's moving on? What do you know? How do you know I'm avoiding her? How do you know why she cheated on me?", there was almost accusation in his voice as he shot questions at Kurt.
Kurt coughed, "well... it's... obvious bone head. Think about how you feel about Sam. He's constantly threatening your place as the Quarterback and as the glee stud. That's how Rachel feels about Santana if you times that by a thousand. Santana has made that girls life a living hell for years. Nicknames, bullying, hateful comments. Imagine if Rachel slept with Sam. You suddenly start wondering, is it because he's more popular? Is it because he's a better football player? Is he hotter than me? That's how she felt, well except the football thing. But on top of all that you lied about sleeping with Santana. And you never defended her when Santana would start on her. So the whole time a little bit of you has been protecting Santana and supporting her. For Rachel to then find out that you slept with her after the torture she put Rachel through? In a word you SCREWED up. Literally. She went to Puck because he constantly told her she was hot, he made her feel as hot as Santana but he also stood up for her in the green room at sectionals when you didn't. When you should have".
Finn felt like his brain was going to explode. He was struggling to keep up with what Kurt was saying because he was talking about the same speed Rachel did. On top of that he had subconsciously growled in anger when Kurt said Rachel slept with Sam despite knowing it was a lie.
But he got it. Finn felt like someone had punched him straight in the face but he got it.
He had to wonder if he'd avoided his step brother post break up because he didn't want to hear the truth then. He was ready to hear it now though.
But that still didn't explain how Kurt knew all this. "Dude how do you know all this? How do you know about the green room at sectionals and stuff?" realization hit him like a train, "DUDE! Have you been talking to Rachel?"
"If I have Finn then that is my business. She is my friend. Yes she did a very stupid thing to you, believe me I've told her it was stupid but she is my friend".
"Since when? You were just as mean to her as... wait you said she'd moving on. Is she moving on?", panic laced Finn's voice now.
"Finn. It's not really me you should be talking to. You need to talk to her about all of this".
"You're right. You're right. Seriously though, you guys are friends now? No. No. Erm... I need to talk to Rachel".
"Don't worry I won't tell her about our little conversation".
"I guess I need to say thanks or something", Finn shrugged despite Kurt not being able to see him.
"Don't think anything of it. You both hurt each other pretty badly. Neither of you is blameless but I swear to the almighty church of Ga Ga, if you hurt her any more? I will find a way to break you Finn because I can not listen to any more sappy brokenhearted myspace videos. NO MORE!", he was getting hysterical by the end of the last sentence.
"Ok Kurt. Sorry. And thanks. I'm gonna go. Thanks for calling me back. Thanks for telling me the truth", Finn put the phone down the sound of Kurt screeching about having "All By Myself" stuck in his head for days.
He didn't quite know what to do next. He knew what he had to do but not how to do it. And then the revelation of Rachel and Kurt's friendship had been a surprise to Finn. They'd barely tolerated each other in glee.
Mainly though Finn felt like a ton of bricks had been unloaded onto his head. The whole time him and Rachel had been fighting she'd kept screaming "and with Santana. With Santana!". He never quite understood why it was a big deal who he slept with but now he got it.
He was beginning to understand what he'd done.
It didn't take away his hurt, the feeling of betrayal but he understood now that this is what she was feeling too.
That and Kurt's hint that Rachel might be moving on frankly scared Finn in ways he couldn't begin to describe.
He'd let her go once and had to endure watching her get her heart broken by Jesse St. Jackass. He'd sworn he'd never do it again.
Finn held his head in his hands before pulling his laptop out and balancing it dangerously on top of his open homework. The other thing that had bothered Finn had been the mention of myspace videos and Finn figured there would be no better way to build up his tolerance to Rachel before he talked to her.
Clicking onto her page he clicked play on the video posted two days after they officially broke up and her voice filled his room.
If you leave me now
You'll take away the biggest part of me
Ooh, no, baby please don't go
And if you leave me now
You'll take away the very heart of me
Ooh, no, baby please don't go
Ooh, boy, I just want you to stay
A love like ours is love that's hard to find
How could we let it slip away
We've come too far to leave it all behind
How could we end it all this way
When tomorrow comes and we both regret
The things we said today...
-Pucks Thursday-
Puck had been trying for days now.
He'd (begrudgingly) shown up to all of his classes. He didn't take notes or anything. Hell half the time he wasn't sure what class he was in but he was there. At one point some dumpy teacher asked him a question about degrees in a triangle or some crap and he answered, "Shakespeare".
What?
Of course he knows who Shakespeare is. Chicks love it when you pretend to know about that romantic, dead British dude. He even knows a few lines from when he was trying to bed this chick from the Literature club. She was totally smokin' and he turned on the charm and learnt a poem or something. He can't remember which one though. It was stupid anyway, Shakespeare seriously needed to learn the English language properly.
Point is when the Puckster sets his mind to something he follows through. And there's only only thing on his mind at the minute.
A certain head cheerleader with a certain hot bod under that uniform.
Oh she pretends she's not interested but he can see through that. If there's one thing he learnt last year it's that Fabray secretly hates being popular. She wants to break the rules and cut loose.
Puckzilla is a expert at that.
Badass is his middle name. Breaking rules is his day job. Cutting loose is his way of life.
The fact that Bieber was still following her around like a lost puppy yesterday only made the game that much sweeter. Not that he was going for the whole cheating angle again but this dude was making it too easy. He couldn't stick up for himself with her, he just told her what she wanted to hear. That wasn't what she wanted.
She wanted someone like Puck, who was skilled with his tongue.
Talking... of course he meant talking...
Puck wouldn't take her stuck up head cheerleader crap and she didn't let him get away with anything either. It was perfect. She kept him in line while at the same time not being able to resist his charms.
Have you seen him? No one can resist his charms? His arms should be on a stamp or something.
But that's how Puck ended up going to science on Thursday afternoon, one of the classes he had with Miss. Fabray.
He spotted her as he got into the room (he made sure he got to his classes with her on time) and took the chair in front of her as Brittany was sitting next to her.
He didn't fail to notice the sad look on her face, like somebody had just stolen her bacon or something.
As their teacher got his ass in to gear at the front of the room Puck did something that was totally not lame, but he had to do it to check she was ok.
He ripped a page from his notebook and scrawled a note on it.
Hey babe, you ok?
He folded it and slipped it back to her. He heard her open it and write something back as their teacher started talking about the human digestive system.
What. The. Fuck.
That right there? The human body? Messed up.
The paper came flying back over his head and he caught it and unfurled what was now a screwed up ball to read her dainty chick hand writing.
None of your business Puckerman. I don't need you to make me feel better thanks. Also, you actually have a notebook?
He frowned at the paper but shrugged his shoulders and wrote back anyway.
Course babe, gotta take notes and shit right? I'm being serious though. You ok?
This time he turned to her fully to put the scrunched up ball on her desk and gave her his famous Puckerman puppy dog eyes as he did. Always a winner with the ladies.
He turned back to the front with a smirk and uncaring whether or not his teacher was watching him (he wasn't).
Once again she repeated the process of throwing the balled up note to him.
Actually Puck I'm not ok. Thanks for asking. But I don't really want to talk about it with you of all people. Oh and you should probably pay attention if you want pass this class then.
Well damn, he'd made progress enough to get a real answer out of her but 'him of all people'? What's up with that? And the last sentence, well he can take a hint.
The Puckster doesn't need to beg for a girlie conversation. He didn't want one anyway.
Although it would sure beat having to listen to his messed up stuff.
He knew there must have been a reason why he'd always skipped science class. It was disgusting. He looked down at his stomach and actually cringed a little at the thought of what it was doing right now with that cafeteria lunch he ate.
Gross.
Puck did leave the class with high hopes though. He'd cracked the first layer on the Quinn shell. Score.
Before he left the class he slipped the note to her one more time with a grin at his own genius.
Anytime you need to talk babe, you know where I am. Even if you actually want to just talk.
Oh Puck you are the man. It would not be long before Quinn Fabray was your woman.
Even if you said you'd never have a woman and you'd swim the seas of McKinley like the fine ass sex shark that you are.
Regardless of that she would be his, no doubt.
He'd already been Santana free for four days now and he'd turned up to classes for two weeks.
It was only a matter of time.
-Rachel's Friday-
Rachel sat in her room happily reading the student residence pack sent to her by Juilliard.
She'd spent the last few weeks using her free time to research every possible aspect of student life, the college and the area of New York.
Not that she didn't know these things already but a refresh of the information could never do any harm.
She'd already fully researched, planned and budgeted financially for her first year based on her partial scholarship (for her academic merit) and her college fund. Her fathers had assured her that she need not worry so much and that they would ensure her a college experience free of financial headaches but she insisted that they allow her to plan.
Everyone knew Rachel loved to plan.
She'd also already signed up to various groups on facebook for Juilliard students and she had already talked to other people who would be attending with her in the fall.
All in all Rachel was prepared. Months in advance, she was prepared. If she could do it without the possibility of Kurt brandishing sharp implements around her she'd probably of already packed.
Instead she text Kurt all evening when she found out little details like the student discount on theatre tickets or vegan meal plan offered in halls. He was only upset that she hadn't found out about the closet space yet but she'd said that whoever made it to Nationals (because it would be New Directions or the Warblers) could visit the halls while in New York and measure up.
So when Rachel received another text message she didn't even bother to look away from the college papers on her desk as her thumb automatically hit the open button.
Her eyes darted to the screen once it was open to read the message.
Rachel I'm not promising anything but I think I'm ready to talk to you if that's ok?
For a second her brain couldn't work out why Kurt had sent her such a cryptic message but then she caught sight of the senders name.
Finn Hudson* (Because he was her star)
Too much air was getting to her lungs. The phone slipped from her hand with a small bang as it hit the desk. She then scrambled to grab it as if it was running away from her.
She hit the reply button and then stared blankly at the compose message screen.
What in the world could she write?
Rachel Berry was at a loss for words.
It was hardly her fault. Text messaging is so much harder to gauge. Is this a good talk? A bad talk?
Rachel caught sight of the papers still splayed on her desk below her.
Does he know?
No, he couldn't know.
But if he wanted to talk how much longer could she keep it from him?
No more secrets, ever.
Of course Finn. Would you like to talk in person? Over the phone? Please let me know what will be more comfortable for you.
Hitting send she forced the air out of her, deflating her chest all at once as she opened up a new compose message.
Kurt! Finn wants to talk. He wants to talk. That is a good thing, right?
Kurt replied before Finn did.
Yes! That's only what you've been waiting for. Do I have to spell everything out for you my precious little diva? And yes when I said little I meant short.
Rachel smiled despite herself and stopped herself from replying to inform him he's not that much taller than her.
Instead she got up and took her bottled water as she moved to sit on her bed. She wanted to be comfortable should Finn call her, and she needed water to prevent dry mouth should she talk too much.
Or when she talks to much, she should really accept that the talking too much was going to happen.
Rachel stared at the phone in her hand willing it to buzz, ring, explode. Anything. She felt like she'd been thrown a lifeline but the rope had been found out to be too short. Or something equally life threatening.
Before she knew it the bed plan backfired.
Half an hour later her eyes were lazily drooping as her grasp on the phone eased. It had almost slipped from her hand completely when it eventually sprang back to life, rousing Rachel with it.
I think we should like talk face to face and stuff. Are you free tomorrow? Maybe we can meet up somewhere?
Her fingers acted as if they had a mind of their own as she replied.
Maybe we could go bowling?
She'd hit send before she remembered the last times they had been bowling. All of them (including the first time) had been romantic despite the possibility of bacteria laced bowling balls.
Rachel briefly wondered if he would suggest somewhere less romantic for them.
I guess that's cool. Meet me there at 4? See you tomorrow Rachel.
She fell back into her pillows after responding confirming their meeting(?). Date? Talk? Friendly outing?
Whatever it was it gave Rachel a mingled sense of hope and worry. She'd have to tell him about Juilliard and she wondered if that would hinder any progress they had (apparently) made.
At the same time he had initialed the talk. She didn't know what had changed from the boy who barely looked her in the eye but whatever influenced this she was incredibly thankful for.
Maybe Saturday would be a good day.
