Moments That Matter
A Glee One Shot Series
Silly Love Songs
A/N: I'll admit-this story happens to be
very Samchel-like, but it just kind of happened...

Rachel Berry stormed out of the choir room-something she was really quite good at by now. It was probably about her hundredth time doing so during a glee rehearsal that year, actually. But, this time she was not storming off because she didn't get a solo. She wasn't angry with Finn Hudson or Santana Lopez or Quinn Fabray. This time she wasn't feeling insulted and she wasn't angry with anybody in the club-well, not really angry anyways. She was more angry with herself, because she couldn't believe that she'd actually been so stupid. She'd always thought she was a smart girl. BUt apparently she'd been wrong.

She's just assumed that he would be her happily ever after. But now she knew that he was nothing more than a once upon a time. A girl like her believed in fairy tales. She thought that she was some sort of modern day princess that stared as the heroine, only to be rescued by a handsome prince who would do anything to be with her. The type of guy who only wanted her.

She'd always wanted the type of relationship where it was like volleyball. Where the guy said that the girl was his and the girl claimed that the boy was hers, and everybody backed off. But, not it was clear that it wasn't a real relationship. At least, not in her life anyways. Not for a girl as plain, ordinary, and annoying as her. She wasn't anything special, after all. Just a girl with a talent for performing that could help lead the glee club to a victory.

Stop liking him. Stop liking him. Stop liking him. Stop liking him. Stop liking him. Stop liking him. Stop liking him. Stop liking him. She repeated that over and over again in her head, like it was her mantra. But, all she was left with was the feeling that it was easier to say those words than to actually do them.

Oh, sure, her years of acting training had taught her how to pretend like she was over him. Nobody had realized that she'd loved the guy since sophomore year, anyways. But, acting couldn't teach her how to actually get over. He would always be on her mind and she would always be thinking about his beautiful hazel eyes and the lovely, midnight brown colored hair he had that felt so silky and smooth when she'd run her hands through it.

I hope she breaks your heart, She thought to herself as she lowered herself to the ground in a corner by the large windows in that lockerless, classroom-less little area where so many students went to meet up. It was a make-out place. It was a meeting place. It was meant for break-ups and gossip. And, when Rachel was upset after storming out of a rehearsal, it was a place where she could sit and cry, without anybody bothering her or questioning her reasoning behind it.

Rachel was the type of girl who could surprise people with all that she kept inside. Sometimes she was happy. Sometimes she was angry. Sometimes she lied and said she was happy, when all she was really doing was crying. That was what she'd been doing since he'd brought her into everybody's life.

"Rachel?" the teary eyed brunette looked up at the tall blonde haired boy who was standing in front of her. She knew what was going on between his girlfriend and Rachel's ex boyfriend-the one that she didn't still harbor feelings for. "Are you alright?" He asked, leaning down and sitting down besides her.

"Do you know how much it hurts when the person you love doesn't love you back?" She wondered. Of course, he probably would never know the pain she felt, because Noah Puckerman was the boy who had broken her heart for the first time. He was the first person to hurt her, and therefore, he would always be the person who had hurt her the most.

"I don't understand...Finn wasn't doing anything today, at least, not anything that could make you upset or lead you to think he liked somebody else," Sam Evans frowned, a confused little arch forming between his eyebrows as they scrunched up together. In a lot of ways, Sam was even dumber than Finn, but he was nicer, and he was much funnier, in his own unique, dorky sort of way.

"I'm not upset about Finn," Rachel shook her head. "I'm upset about that song Noah just sang," She explained.

"Noah?" Sam asked. "You mean Puck?"

"His real name is Noah," Rachel sighed.

"No, his real name is Puck," Sam frowned.

"Do you really think that his name is Puck Puckerman?" Rachel asked, a sad smile forming on her face.

"No, but it got you to smile," He shrugged, his own face brightening up as she began to giggle. "Now, why are you upset that Puck sang that song to Lauren?" He asked her, reaching out and wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him.

"Because she doesn't want him the way I do," Rachel said after a few moments of silence. "But he wants her, and it pains me to know that he chose her, but then my brain keeps saying that one day, I'll find somebody better. Only to have my heart say that I don't really care, because the only person I want, is him," She sighed.

"Well, if it's any consolation, you and Puck do belong together. It's a movie ready relationship," He said.

"Because he's the bad boy and I'm the good girl?" She asked with a sly smile, a forced giggle being released as he spoke.

"There we go-you're laughing. Hey, I like you! You think I'm funny," He said, brightening up a bit.

"I do not," She protested.

"Yes you do!" He argued, reaching out and tickling her waist. She giggled, gasping for him to stop between her bursts of laughter.

And, in that moment it didn't matter that the girl he was with was obviously cheating in him and it didn't matter that the boy she wanted to be with was into somebody else. Because, for once, they had a true friend.


It was amazing really, how somebody could break one's heart, only to have them still love that person with all of the little pieces that remained. Yet, it was often the words that were left unsaid that broke the most hearts. Which was why Noah Puckerman wished that he was better at telling people how he felt. In all honesty, that song hadn't been a good pick to sing to a girl that he was trying to win over-but he didn't really care, because he only wanted to 'woo' her in order to make another girl jealous. The girl that he really did love, who didn't love him.

Yet, that plan had failed, because there at his dream girl, sitting in the arms of that new transfer kid with the blonde hair that everybody said had to be highlighted, or at least died to be that color. Yet, there was Rachel Berry, giggling and laughing as Sam Evans tickled her and whispered things into her ear.

He'd thought that when she'd stormed out of the choir room, it had been because his plan had worked and she was jealous. But apparently she'd only stormed out for a little rendezvous with her new beau.

No, there was no such thing as fairy tales. Just as there was no such sing as happily ever afters. No matter how much he wanted to become her prince charming and sweep in, taking her from that blonde dragon's arms and telling her that the place she really belonged was with none other than him.

If my heart was sadder than a song...would you listen to me then? He wondered as he wiped his eyes-not because he was crying. Those damned hallways were just too dusty and he'd gotten something in his eyes. Anyways, he turned around as he wondered what it would take to prove to Rachel that she belonged with none other than him. He sighed as he walked away, heading towards the exit of the school. He couldn't watch the happy couple any longer. It was killing him.

He was finally dealing with that heartbreaking moment that came with realizing that the one person that was loved by him more than anybody else in the world, found somebody else to love.

He understood that he wasn't the absolute best for her, but he was the absolute best that he could be, given his circumstances.

"I know you don't like me very much," Artie Abrams said, startling him as he turned around to hear where that voice had come from.

"Don't take that one to heart, Wheels. I don't like anybody," He said coldly, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. "What do you want from me?" He asked.

"Well, I figured that something must be going on, because you sang a love song to one girl, and then hurried after a different girl after she stormed out," He shrugged. "It just didn't line up to me, but apparently I'm the only way observant enough to realize what was happening. You didn't really want to sing your love song to Lauren, did you?" He asked. Puck ignored him. "You wanted to sing it to Rachel, but you were afraid she'd reject you, right?" He wondered.

"Why am I still alive? Why doesn't anybody just kill me gently?" He muttered, turning around and punching one of the lockers by him so hard he could see the dent he'd made with his fist. Artie winced at the sound and the sight of his bent locker.

"Do you really think you've got it that bad? Just because you're too afraid to admit you like a girl?" He wondered, staring up at the strong athlete before him. "At least you know she cares-why else would she leave after you sang to somebody else?" Artie wondered. "You could be stuck like me, confined to a chair. I'm lucky I've got Brittany, but it's fairly obvious that she's got other choices who are better than me. She's just too sweet and naive to realize she cared about at least one of them more than she cares about me," Artie explained with a shrug.

"I just never thought that it would hurt this much," He said, lowering his head, his voice low. He hated the sound of weakness in his voice, but he couldn't help it.

Besides, he knew that Artie would never judge him. He wasn't like that. Artie was a real friend.

"You've got feelings for her. If you're such a strong, bad-ass guy, why can't you tell her about them?" He asked, looking up from over his glasses.

"Feelings? I hate them. I hate the fact that I have them towards her even more, and that's why i pretend I don't. I mean, she's a gleek-the biggest one out of all of you guys, but...she's just so different," Puck sighed, shaking his head.

"Rachel isn't like any of us," Artie argued. "She's got talent and she's got the drive to get her out of this hell hole. Besides that, well, it's obvious why you'd like her. She's got a body that could break necks, and she's beautiful," He shrugged.

"Hey-back off," Puck warned, a playful smile on his face. "I've already got to deal with Evans trying to move in on," He said, growing serious again.

"I'll help you win her over," Artie offered.

"Let's go," Puck said, pushing from the lockers and wheeling Artie out of the school and towards his truck.

He and Artie may have had a sort-of friendship when he'd first gotten out of juvie, but now their friendship was for real, because he had something on the line that was more important than not returning to that dreadful place. If he didn't figure something out soon, he would risk losing Rachel for good.


"Rachel, can I ask you something?" Sam Evans asked as he slid into the seat across from her during lunch the next day. Rachel had taken to eating in the library after her break-up with Finn-her only friend left was Mercedes Jones, after all, and Mercedes had a bond with Tine Cohen-Chang, who was slightly annoyed with Rachel for cheating on Finn so horridly. Rachel would never make Mercedes pick sides, though, so she opted to eat by herself instead.

Today, though, Sam had hunted her down and decided to join her. But, when she looked up to face him, she was knew that something was wrong, and the teasing joke she'd been about to make about his ability to find the library and her shock at the fact became stuck on the tip of her tongue as she nodded, gesturing for him to sit down.

"Quinn and Finn are together. Quinn just let me know," He whispered, not looking at her.

"I know," She said softly.

Sam studied the brunette, not angry that she'd hidden it from him. If she had told him before they'd started to bond, he most likely wouldn't have believed her, because he'd listened to Quinn's wicked lies about how awful and dreadful the girl was, always working and scheming to break up Quinn and her newest boyfriend. And when they'd become friends, Rachel had had more pressing matters to concern herself with than Sam's desperate, movie-worthy excuse for a romance.

After all, it wasn't her place to tell him about a cheating girlfriend. It wasn't anybody's place to tell him that, because nobody should ever have to be told that their girlfriend was cheating on him with some other guy-especially a guy who had sworn up and down that he was into Rachel Berry.

Sam had had a pretty shitty life since moving to Ohio. His parents had blown through most of their money in buying a house that was way to expensive for their income. Then, his dad had been laid off and they'd had the house taken from them, after they'd sold off most of their positions. Sam had even had to pawn his guitar, which was one of his prized possessions. His family had been forced to move into a shitty hotel, and he was pretty much raising his brother and sister. He'd found a little bit of happiness, when he was playing football, but Finn had stepped in and taken his starting possession, with the plan to have Artie play on the team instead. Then, Sam had gotten a girlfriend, making him think he wasn't a total loser, because Quinn Fabray was gorgeous and popular-the total package. And yet again, Finn had stepped in and ruined things for him.

"Finn's a jack ass," Sam muttered. "He got mad at you for cheating-which it wasn't even really cheating, because you guys were in a fight, and it's not like you slept with him...you just made out with him, because he slept with some other girl and lied about it. And then, he goes and does the same thing to me," He rolled his eyes, marveling at how his observation caused one of those rare little giggle fits to begin from Rachel Berry.

Who really was quite beautiful, if he was being honest. She had long, dark hair that fell in a glossy curtain down her back with deep, dark eyes that pulled a person right in. Her face was beautiful in an old fashion Broadway singer type of way, and her body managed to remain hot despite her height and extreme skinniness.

He couldn't help but lean across the table and kiss her.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I...it's just-has anybody ever told you before that you're sort of beautiful?" He asked, tilting his head to the side as he studied her.

"No," She whispered, lowering her head and blushing slightly.

"Well, somebody should have told you before," He said. "Anyways, I've decided to screw Finn-figmentely, of course-"

"You mean figuratively?" Rachel corrected.

"Whatever! Anyways, I'm going to help you and Puckerman get back together, because that's really going to bug Finn. He might have stolen my girlfriend, but I can tell by the way he looks at you that he's one hundred percent still-"

"Aw, already moving in on my sloppy seconds, man hands?" Quinn Fabray teased, flipping her blonde curls over her shoulder as she skipped through the library, passing by the table where Rachel and Sam sat, a confident, Queen-Bitch smirk already located on her face as she glared at the pair. "Didn't know love happened between Gleeks and Sci-fi dorks," She shrugged as she disappeared.

"Well, people are going to say we're in love," Rachel shrugged. Sam looked confused, so she went on to explain. "She's going to start the rumor mill now, and everything just going to go down hill from there," She explained carefully, doing her best to use smaller words, as she'd always had to do with Finn, so she wasn't confusing the boy who had his own dorky quirks, but no actual brains to prove that he was, in fact, a total dork.

"Well, that could always help our cause...but I was thinking we could sing a duet to really-"

"Oh, yay!" Rachel cheered, clapping her hands together excitedly. "I've got the perfect song! It's from Oklahoma!" She exclaimed excitedly as her entire expression brightened as she stared at him.

"What's the state is was-"

"Not a state," Rachel giggled. "It's a musical about-well, never mind that, but it's a musical, and there's a duet between the two leads where they sing People Will Say We're In Love, and the irony is that they act like they hate one another, when they really do love one another. When Noah and I dated last year, we watched the show together, so he'll understand the irony-even if it's not actually true between us," She shrugged.

Well, it's not true for one of us, anyways, Sam thought to himself as he agreed with the girl. He'd do anything to keep that excitement in her face. She just seemed so happy, and he loved that he was the one who had gotten her that way. And he would hate to be the one to take away that happiness.


"Payphone?" Puck asked, raising his eyebrows as he studied Artie later that day, as they sat in Puck's room, going over song ideas to sing for Rachel.

In all honesty, Artie's plan was genius. To sing a song to Rachel, when they were alone together and involve some choreography that would include her. The performance would be what would grab Rachel's attention and make her realize that she really wanted to be with Puck, as much as he wanted to be with her, and it would ensure that she knew that his feelings were honest. Puck didn't doubt anything when it came to Artie's plan.

Except for the song choice. He was actually thinking that it would have been better if he, Artie, and one of the other boys got together and sang Hey Kendra-changed to Hey Rachel-from that Broadway show Thirteen-to publicly ask her out and make her realize that he didn't care about other people's opinions.

BUt, Artie was the smart guy. Artie was the one who had managed to get Brittany Pierce to fall for him and somehow wrap her around his pinky finger. That meant he had skill with the girls, especially when it came to making them come back after a disasterous first attempt at a relationship. So, while Puck prided himself on being the sex shark, he would allow Artie Abrams to be the lady guru, expert on all things related to relationships, because, everybody knew that Puck didn't do shit like that.

Except for Rachel-but that was different, because when he was with her, he was no longer Puck the bad ass. He was Noah, the sweet, Jewish kid who loved his mother and would do anything for his family.

Puck had lots of other options that he thought would make more sense in trying to win a girl back than the newest Maroon 5 hit. He was actually debated singing that song Musical Soulmate by that Mark Salling guy. Even that old Ray J song One Wish would probably make Rachel weak in the knees more than a Maroon 5 hit.

Actually...speaking of older songs...that Neyo song, Miss Independent would make a perfect song choice.

"Do you have any better ideas?" Artie asked him removing his glasses and wiping them off on the hem of his sweater vest. If Artie's plan worked for him, he was going to have to teach that kid how to dress like a stud.

"Actually, I was thinking that I could sing that Neyo song-Miss Independent," Puck admitted, looking up at Artie with his head still lowered. He didn't know why he found discussing music with Artie so weird, but he was slightly embarrassed about what Artie would think of his choices. After all, Artie had been the original male lead in the glee club, and Puck was just the same nobody he'd always been without a single solo.

"That could work...and you could make it look like you were just apologizing to Lauren for the last song, so you could sing it in front of everybody, you know?" Artie said, nodding as his wheels started turning-oh, the irony-as a new plan began to form. "And then, it would surprise everybody when you reveal that you're singing to Rachel," Artie went on.

"You actually think it's a good idea?" Puck asked, shocked at Artie's eagerness to agree with him.

"Well, let's consider what we know about Rachel Berry..."Artie rolled his eyes, shaking his head at Puck's stupidity. "Listen, when you're singing a song about a girl, it needs to either be about her or your relationship. In all honesty, that song you sang to Lauren summed her up perfectly-it's just insulting, because, well, she's fat and that's what the song was saying," Artie shrugged off the ending insult of his assessment that had started out so politely.

"Damn, the cripples got a knack for insults," Puck shook his head as he reached up and high fived the guy. "Now, after we finish with getting Rachel and I together-I'm giving you a make-over, because the sweater vests with the biker gloves aren't working. The gloves are cool-but the sweater vest? Totally dorkifies them," Puck shrugged.

"Fair enough," Artie nodded.


"Sam and I have decided to sing our song for the Valentine's day assignment together. As most of you may have heard, there are some pretty nasty rumors going around about Sam and me, and this song is meant to-"Rachel began to explain her solo in typical Rachel fashion, starting to bore most of the glee club, except for a glaring Quinn Fabray who did not want her ex-boyfriend singing with her current boyfriend's ex-girlfriend, a scowling Finn Hudson who couldn't believe Sam was moving in on yet another one of his exes, and a jealous Noah Puckerman who thought his plan was going to be ruined with this one duet.

"Ray," Sam said, making Puck's eyes narrow at his pet name for her, "Why don't we just let the song speak for itself?" He asked, an arm wrapping itself around her tiny waist and giving her a tight squeeze.

"Well, I suppose you're right," Rachel nodded in agreement, sighing as she always did when she'd been proven wrong.

"Aren't I always?" Sam teased her, unwrapping his arm from her slowly, his hand grazing her ass as it made its way back to his side slowly, Rachel sneaking a glance up towards him as he looked away from her pointedly. Puck's fists clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white as he watched the happy couple marvel in one another's cuteness and their adoration towards one another. It sickened him, in every single way imaginable.

"Anyways, Sam and I will be singing a song from Oklahoma," Rachel began, only to be cut off by Sam once again. But her eyeroll wasn't one of anger as it normally was when she was interrupted. And she giggled, smiling slightly at the fact that he'd stopped her speech for his own stupid comment.

"Which is a musical, not the state its from-just in case any of you were wondering," Sam said brightly.

"Anyways-we'll be singing People Will Say We're In Love by Laurey and Curly, from the aforementioned musical," She went on to say, nodding at Brad to start the music, and then the song began, killing Puck with each note.

"Why do they think up stories that link my name with yours?" Rachel sang, her body tilted towards Sam with an angry glare on her face and her arms crossed across her chest.

"Why do the neighbors gossip all day behind their doors?" Sam sang, his arms crossed as well as he glared down at her.

"I know a way to prove what they say it quite untrue/Here is the gist-a practical list of don't fer you/Don't throw bouquets at me, don't please my folkds too much/Don't laugh at my jokes too much-people will say we're in love," She uncrossed her arms and turned around, walking away from him, only to turn around and face him as he cut in with his next line.

"Laugh at your jokes-"

"Don't sigh and gaze at me, your sighs are so like mine/You eyes mustn't glow like mine-people will say we're in love/Don't start collecting things, give me my rose and my glove/Sweetheart, they're suspecting things-people will say we're in love!" She cut him off, walking back towards him.

"Some people claim that you are to blame as much as I/Why do you take the trouble to bake my fav'rite pie/Grantin' your wish, I carved our initials in that tree/Just keep a slive of all the advice you give so free/Don't praise my charm too much/Don't look so vain with me/Don't stand in the rain with me/People will say we're in love!" He said, ticking things off on his finger as if counting and gesturing towards the doorway at the part about the tree. "Don't take my arm too much/Don't keep your hand in mine/Your hand feels so grand in mine-people will say we're in love," He sang, shrugging her hand off of his arm and then going to pull his hand from her own, only to replace their grasp together. "Don't dance all night with me/Till the stars fade from above/They'll see it's alright with me/People will say we're in love," He finished the song after a quick little dance number between them, giving her a twirl before the final note.

After this performance, Rachel wasn't the one to get up and storm out. Instead, it was Puck.

"Is this going to become a normal occurrance after each of them sings from now on?" Mercedes wondered as Rachel turned around and hurried after Puck, leaving a sighing Sam.

"No-it's all going to be fine now," Sam said sadly, making his way towards the chairs.


Rachel entered the auditorrium, which was where she'd been so sure Puck had entered, only to find it deserted. She sighed as she walked up onto the stage, where she'd always felt so comfortable, dropping the the ground and sitting there alone. Until she heard the music start to play from a familiar acoustic guitar. She turned around to see Puck standing in the shadows, his face tilted down as he focused on the instrument in his hands as he started to sing along with the soft, gentle notes that were coming from the Secondhand Serenade song.

"Speak with your tongue tied, I know that you're tired/But I just want to know, where you want to go/I may be sad but I'm not weak/ This situation is bleak and your puffy eyes never lie/Your tears come from inside/Until Sunday I'll be waiting for an answer/I guess that yesterday's not good enough for you/You know that I hate this song-you know that I hate this song, because it was written for you. Drown your fears with me, I'm feeling real sorry/Your glossy eyes don't need the sadness they have seen/But you're way too deep to swim back up again/But somehow I can't find, the moment you said goodbye/Until Sunday, I'll be waiting for an answer/I guess that yesterday's not good enough for you/You know that I hate this song-you know that I hate this song/Because it was written for you. This is becoming a problem, I'm hurting-it's unfair/But somehow your words, they way that I heard are haunting me/You're under my skin, you're breaking in/And the tasteless fights that filled out nights/Are starting to cave in/You're under my skin-you're breaking in/And if Sundays what it takes to prove, I have nothing else to loose," He finished the song, cutting off the last chorus, and darted from the room, not once looking at her.

Rachel sighed as she sat there, completely alone this time, trying to figure out how she could have broken the heart of the boy she loved without even realizing that it had been hers to break.

"Rach?" Mercedes asked, walking into the room from the entrance from the choir room. "I just saw Puck come racing out of here...what's going on?" She wondered.

"He liked me too," She whispered.

"So what's the problem?" Mercedes wondered.

"I'm not so sure that I felt that way about Noah anymore," She said.

"You think you have feelings for Sam, don't you?" Mercedes sighed.

It was strange how she and Mercedes had started out as enemies, only to later become best friends. The reasoning had been quite simple, really-because they were just so alike. And that was why Mercedes could understand Rachel's feelings so well at this moment. And, like a good friend, rather than a jealous solo competitor, she was going to do her best to help her out.

"Yes," Rachel admitted.

"Well, I know how you get when you like a guy, Rachel, and I hate to say this, but how you act around Sam doesn't show me that you're into him. But, I don't think you like Puck either. I think you're finally in love, and I think you know it. So, my advice is for you to go and tell the boy you really love how you feel, before it's too late," Mercedes advised, sitting down besides her as Rachel stood up, shaking her head. It wasn't that easy. She was afraid of love. And that's when her original song choice came back to her, and she started to sing-her best form of communication.

"If there's a prize for rotten judgement, I guess I've already won that/No man is worth the aggravation, that's ancient history-been there, done that!" She sang, a strange bitterness coming over her as Mercedes stood up and joined in with her.

"Who'd'ya think you're kidding/He's the earth and heaven to you/Try to keep it hidden/Honey, we can see right through you/Girl, ya can't conceal it/We know how ya feel and/Who you're thinking of," Mercedes belted out.

"No chance-no way-I won't say it, no no," Rachel protested.

"You swoon, you sigh/Why deny it?"

"It's too cliche/I won't say I'm in love/I thought my heart had learned its lesson/It feels so good when you start out/My head is screaming get a grip girl/Unless you're dying to cry your heart out," Rachel sang, her eyes focusing on the figure who had just entered the room, unsure of exactly who the boy was.

"You keep on denying/Who you are/And how you're feeling/Baby, we're not buying/Hon, we saw ya hit the ceiling/Face it like a grown up/When ya gonna own up/That ya got-got-got it bad," Mercedes went on.

"No chance! No way! I won't say it, no-no!"

"Give up, give in-check the grin, you're in love,"

"This scene won't play, I won't say I'm in love!"

"You're doing flips/Read our lips/You're in love,"

"You're way off base/I won't say it/Get off my case/I won't say it!"

"Girl don't be proud, it's okay-you're in love," Mercedes sang as she shook her head, going back to the choir room and leaving Rachel there alone with her mysterious stranger.

"At least out loud...I won't sat I'm in love," Rachel finished the song, with a sad whisper attached at the end. "With Noah."

And, with that final whisper, her mysterious stranger started to make his way towards the stage, and Rachel grinned when she could make out who it was. She jumped from the stage, running to meet him, jumping into his arms and wrapping him in a hug.

"I love you, too," Puck whispered to her, kissing her.