Like a boss.
So, I know a few of you are like, "Noooo! Rachel's changing ): " Her look is, but her personality is not, and you can see that in her fashion choices within the next few chapters. She'll never lose her connection to gold stars, I promise.
Rachel Barbara Berry swerved into the parking lot of William McKinley High School, the tires on her new, shiny red sports car squealed and succeeded in turning a few heads. It's the dawn of a new era here at McKinley, and we're gonna rule this school, Rachel remembered her words to Mercedes and Kurt, after they won sectionals, with regrettably had no effect on their reputations at this school. She turned into a parking spot, right next to Noah Puckerman's beat-up pickup truck. Rachel climbed out of her car, and pulled out the large purse, which had replaced her rolling pink suitcase. She was wearing a teal pullover sweater that reached about mid-thigh and a pair of sliced-up black ankle length tights, and a finished the look off with a pair of peep-toe heels and a messy, fishtail braid. After Kurt came over, Rachel took it upon herself—her obsessive need to be the best all the time taking control, once again—to learn how to do all of her own makeup, from YouTube, and she was rocking a nude/black smoky-eyed look.
"Berry?" Quinn said, her eyebrows raised in shock, "Is that you?" She stood there, almost gaping at Rachel, who's expensive, black Rayban wayfarers were perched on top of her head.
"Yes, Quinn." Rachel said, shooting her a terribly forced smile, "I am capable of dressing myself in clothes that don't have animals on them," Rachel thought, remembering the small Abercrombie moose that was stitched onto the bottom corner of the teal pullover. Puck walked out of the school building, and wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's considerably smaller waist, smirking at Rachel.
"Well, don't expect anything to be different just because you went shopping this summer, RuPaul, you're still at the bottom of the social heap." Quinn sneered.
"I see you're back to your insufferable ways, Quinn." Rachel said, rolling her eyes, "and, it's not much different for you. Just because you lost the baby, doesn't mean you get your popularity back. You have to claw your way up to the top, just like the rest of us," Rachel said, the words pouring out of her mouth like word vomit.
"If I can do it once, I can do it again." Quinn said, pushing Puck's arms away from her waist, and walking angrily back into the school.
"Hey, Berry, I understand that you're trying to be a badass, but I'd appreciate you layoff Quinn," Puck started.
"She started it," Rachel mumbled, walking back into the building. Over the last two weeks of summer, Puck had basically lived at Rachel's house, only coming back to his home to sleep, and his mother was okay with it, hoping that he would eventually get her pregnant too, so she could have beautiful little Jewish babies.
"Give it a few days," Puck said, matter-of-factly, "Quinn will realize that being friends with you will benefit her, and she'll warm up to you."
"I don't exactly need Quinn, Noah," Rachel said, walking into the High School, her hair bouncing with every step.
"Trust me, after a while, you're gonna want her there. It doesn't take much to melt the ice princess." Puck laughed as he thought about Quinn's personality softening after the baby.
"So, whatever happened to you guys, after Beth?" Rachel said, walking over to her locker, trying not to look like she was loving all the surprised stares and jealous glares.
"She decided that having me as a boyfriend would be a good move for her rep, so I dumped her fatass." Puck smiled, as Rachel shot him a confused glare.
"I thought you guys had that moment at the hospital, with the 'I love yous'." Rachel said, casually.
"It was more like one 'I love you.'" Puck said, shrugging his head, "it doesn't really matter to me, I was cheating on her with Santana anyways." Rachel opened up her locker door, and piled her books into it; Noah was leaning onto the lockers next to her.
"How come it always comes back to Santana?" Rachel started, realizing that no matter who he was going out with at the time, he was always having sex with Santana.
"She's smokin'" Puck said, like it was common sense, "and, she's like, the Head Bitch around here."
"Aah," Rachel said, looking down the hall to see Santana and Brittany—pinkies linked—walking around the corner.
"Hey, 'Tana, who is that talking to Puck?" Brittany said, pointing at Puck and Rachel standing at Rachel's locker.
"I'm not sure, Brit, but, I'm sure as hell gonna find out," Santana said, letting Brittany's pinky go and walking over to Puck.
"Excuse me, Bitch, but, I don't appreciate you flirting with my man," Santana said, leaning towards Rachel, threateningly. Rachel turned around to meet an angry-looking Santana, and a confused-looking Brittany standing right behind her.
"Uh, I assure you that I wasn't trying to flirt with your 'man'," Rachel said, turning around to meet Santana's fierce glare.
"Holy shit," Santana said, "is that you, Manhands?" She took a step back, and Brittany just stood, completely un-phased.
"Yes, it's me, Santana," Rachel said, smirking triumphantly.
"Hey, Santana," Brittany said, harmlessly, "Aren't you gonna slushie her for talking to Puck?" Rachel cringed a little, but put on her brave face anyways.
"She may look different, but Berry is still no threat to me," Santana said, tilting her head at the blonde, her voice strangely endearing, "And, I wouldn't want to ruin the only decent outfit she has." She tacked on with attitude. Perfect, Rachel mentally smirked, Santana thinks I'm too hot to slushie; that means my plans are working.
"I appreciate the charity, Santana." Rachel said, turning back to her locker, looking at Puck proudly,"I've officially begun to climb McKinley High's Social Ladder. "
"I've gotta give you props, Berry. This plan is pretty badass." He said, "You know how you could really drive Finnocence crazy? Find a smoking hot, sexy football player and go out with him."
"I assure you, Noah, that I don't plan on dating a 'smoking hot, sexy football player' just to make Finn jealous, and while I would usually stop at nothing to achieve my dreams. I would hardly call making Finn realize that he's a giant jerk, a dream of mine." Rachel retorted, still sticking to her same old morals and values.
"That was like, the most un-Rachel Berry sentence ever, but somehow it was still you." Puck shook his head.
"No matter how much I may change my appearance, Noah, I'm not going to change my attitude towards life. Santana is a cold bitch, but people still love her, or rather love her parties, and her 'never say no' motto." Rachel preached, closing her locker and walking away sassily.
"What the hell just happened?" Puck muttered to himself, trudging away from Rachel's locker. The bell rang, and Rachel was already in the choir room, awaiting Mr. Schuester's arrival. The group settled down, and Mr. Schuester walked into the room.
"Uh, Rachel?" He looked at her, confusedly, "Is that you?"
"I realize that my change is a lot to process," Rachel began, getting off her seat and walking to the front of class, "But, that shouldn't affect the fact that we still have to focus on Sectionals,"
"Rachel's right," Mr. Schuester said, gesturing to Rachel to sit back down. Finn just gaped at Rachel, and put his head in his hands. Rachel's white purse began to buzz against the chair under her, and she quickly fished her phone out of her bag. Normally, she didn't bother turning off her phone because no one ever texted her, and only her father's ever actually called her. She snuck a peek at her phone, and there was a text from 'The Changster' which was the name that Mike had used to put his number into her phone, the night he found her in the park.
So, I dont mean to be creepy or anything but you look insanely hot today
When Rachel read it, she smiled and giggled a little bit, and turned over to Mike and smiled at him. Finn immediately looked over at Mike, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. Rachel's fingers flew over the keyboard of her phone, and sent a quick reply to Mike.
After class, Rachel walked out, and didn't even stop to talk to Mr. Schuester about some ideas she had about that week's assignment, she just jotted them down in a notebook and carried on. Within a few minutes, Mike and Puck were right beside her, smug smiles on their faces.
"I don't suppose you want to sit with me at lunch," She said, shooting them a sweet smile, "Unless you and Santana have some business to finish in the hall closet, Noah." Puck just shrugged, and Mike laughed a little and followed her to a table in the corner of the cafeteria.
"RuPaul, what are you doing here? " Santana said, looking down at the table, Brittany just looked on confusedly.
"I'll have you know that I can sit wherever I want, Santana," Rachel said, copying Santana's icy tone.
"Berry's got an attitude," Santana shrugged and sat down next to Puck, she tugged a little on Brittany's hand, until the ditzy blonde sat down next to her.
"I'm not going through junior year having to hide in the girl's bathroom to avoid slushies." Rachel said, like it was a fact, like she knew it was going to happen.
"Not to burst your bubble, Pippy Longstocking, but in order to go anywhere at this school," Santana said, rolling her eyes at Rachel's naivety, "you need a piece of smoking arm candy." She looked at Puck, smirking happily.
"Well, like I told Noah, using someone to gain popularity is not how I work." Rachel said, "I plan to rise to the top all on my own."
"Well, then you just need to throw a killer party," Brittany smiled, trying to help, but really only feeding the monster that had become Rachel Berry.
"Actually, Rachel, Brittany has a point. A party at your house with the cheerio, and the football team, and the glee kids might do a lot for your rep," Mike said, eating noodles out of a plastic container with chopsticks.
"What football player is going to want to go to Berry's house for a party?" Puck grimaced at the thought of Rachel trying to throw a party.
"The sex crazed ones that one to see all the Cheerios in their bikinis," Mike smirked. Matt walked up to the table, only the last part of the sentence.
"Pool party? Who's house?" He asked, pushing Mike over, so he could sit down.
"Berry's place." Santana smirked.
"Oh man, you're not going to try and make us play Duck, Duck, Goose again, are you?" Matt groaned, recalling the last "party" that Rachel tried to throw, with the Glee Kids.
"Don't worry, Brit and I will make sure that this party's gonna be one to remember," Santana smiled.
"Why are you helping me?" Rachel asked, hesitantly.
"'Cause, the more the popular and the gleeky mix together, the less crap I get for getting into the club." Santana shrugged, knowing that it wasn't the truth. The truth was, Santana was still grateful that Rachel had believed her at Sectionals, even though no one else had, and getting passed all the annoying drama queen stuff, Rachel was actually pretty cool.
"Huh, wow, Santana, maybe being in Glee Club has softened you." Matt smirked, Santana just glared at him, "guess not…" He said, rolling his eyes. Santana and Matt grew up on the same street, and were best friends, he could tell exactly what she meant by that look.
"Uhm, Santana?" Rachel asked, "When exactly is this party going to be?" She asked, tentatively.
"Right after the Homecoming game this friday, of course," Santana said, smiling, "The Homecoming After Parties are always the best parties of the year."
"Uhm, Alright." Rachel faltered.
"Don't worry Manhands, we'll make sure this party is the best one yet," Santana said, Matt and Mike fist bumped, and Brittany just went on smiling ditzily.
After School,
"Come on, Berry, We're going to the Mall," Santana said, throwing her bag into the back of Rachel's Car.
"W-what?" Rachel said, with a confused look on her face.
"We're going to buy you a new bathing suit for the party on Friday." Santana said, "And, probably some new underwear, you can't go around wearing those granny panties,"
"Uhm, okay." Rachel said, knowing that rejecting Santana's help would be extremely stupid.
The car ride was just a blur of the songs 'California Girls', 'Cooler than Me', 'Billionaire', and that other Justin Bieber song, and Santana and Brittany naming the 10 hottest boys in the school. It bugged Rachel that Mike was 3rd, after Finn and Puck, when it was clear that Mike's head was nowhere near as potato-ish as Finn's.
"Alright Berry," Santana said, climbing out of the car and pulling Rachel out with her. They walked into the mall, and right into the Charlotte Russe, ignoring Rachel's incessant pulling to go into The Gap.
"This is where you go to buy bathing suits," Santana said, pointing around the huge store, which was having a huge End-of-Summer sale on Bathing Suits, Flip flops, and shorts.
"But, they look so, skimpy." Rachel said, with disgust in her voice.
"Perfect," Santana said, with a wink. The two cheerleaders, still dressed in their Cheerios uniforms, dragged Rachel into the dressing room, and made her try on 3 bathing suits. At last, Rachel chose one with a pair of black boyshort bottoms, and a black and white Norma Kamali Striped Swim Top, which was the least revealing of all the things Santana threw at her to try on.
"Sex-ay!" Brittany called, from the benches on the side of the dressing room, Santana just smiled and nodded approvingly.
The group got up, and made Rachel buy the bathing suit, even though she was disgusted by the thought of having to wear such a revealing outfit in front of 'hormone crazed boys.'
"Where are we going now?" Rachel said, as Santana walked haughtily through the mall, the three girls turning the heads of many of Lima's male population.
"We're going to go buy you some thongs and bras," Santana said, pulling Rachel into Macy's, Rachel's eyes widened, and her mouth dropped into a grimace.
Back at Rachel's house…
The three girls were seated on Rachel's bed; Brittany's head was on Santana's lap.
"Alright, Berry, spill," Santana demanded, referring to her split with Finn.
"W-what?" Rachel sputtered, confused.
"What's the deal with you and Hudson?" Santana pushed, "It's so obvious that you're doing all of this for him, what went down this summer?"
"Finn broke up with me 'cause of his stupid reputation, again." Rachel shrugged, the usual pain of the truth wasn't breaking through to her. Instead, she was thinking about how Mike walked her home from the park, and gave her his jacket, even though he was shivering on the way home, "But, I'm over it, I think that when he decides that that he loves me again, he's going to have to deal with the fact that I'm completely over him."
"Holy shit, You're in love with someone else, aren't you?" Santana said, "I know from personal experience, that you can't get over someone if you don't find someone new."
"Uh, well, I don't know if I believe in that." Rachel said, uncertainly, looking down at the bed.
"Who is it, Manhands?" Santana urged, putting her hand on Rachel's shoulder. Rachel's smile flickered a little, as she thought about it.
"Mike Chang, maybe, I think so…" She mused, avoiding Santana and Brittany's faces.
"Oh em gee, Rach, he's so into you!" Brittany said, sitting up and clapping her hands.
"You couldn't possibly know that!" Rachel said.
"Yes, we can." Santana said, "He's always texting you, and when he's not texting you, he's talking about you, and when he's not talking about you, he's singing some song about you."
"Is he good?" Rachel said, hopefully, secretly she feared that Mike was denied solos every week because of his lack of talent, "I mean, I've never heard him sing." Santana rolled her eyes at Rachel.
"I don't know about singing, but Changster's pretty easy on the eyes," Santana smirked, her and Mike had always just been friends, the one guy that she knew wasn't there to get into her pants, "I know that almost half of the cheerios are head over heels for him, and the other half are too busy having sex with Puck to care. If you get Mike to go out with you, you'll rise to the top of the social heap like no other," Santana calculated the possibility of Rachel beating her out for the spot as HBIC, and then realized that no matter how smokin' hot Rachel maybe, she was still Rachel Berry, the daughter of two gay dads, the captain of the Glee Club, and the person who dramatically storms out of the club when she doesn't get a solo.
"Mike is an eligible bachelor, there's no way he'd fall for a gleek like me," Rachel shook her head, knowing that it would never work between her and the popular jock.
"Mike isn't a normal jock, I've known him since we were in preschool," Santana reassured, "Mike's not like Finn, he'd doesn't care what people think of him, and unlike Puck, he doesn't think with his dick."
"Really?" She said, her voice squeaked happily.
"Yeah," Santana said, "He's insane, he hates that I sleep around, he thinks that you have to really love a person before you sleep with them," She rolled her eyes, remembering what Mike had said when she told him that she'd had sex with Puck for the first time. ("Wtf, 'Tana, we're 16, you barely know the guy! You didn't even go on a date, and you just hopped in bed with him?")
"Wow, a football player with morals, amazing," Rachel muttered.
"Yeah, he's like, the only guy that I haven't made out with. I even made out with Kurt," She said, "it was like, a baby." Rachel just gave Brittany a confused look, and turned back to Santana.
"How would I even approach him, I mean, he's gonna think I'm crazy." Rachel said, her confidence faltering.
"Well then, we'll just have to get him to approach you, won't we, Rachel?" Santana said, with a sketchy smirk.
A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates. I just moved, and didnt have internet for a week, and then a weekend at my cousin's house. So, I promise updates will be a little more regular, but school is starting, so, it's gonna be a little shifty. Especially with both my fanfictions going on at the same time.