"The Generational Purge"

6. Ace in the Hole

February 2012 – Lima, Ohio

Just as they had called it, when Puck presented himself to Miss O'Brien's English class, the woman was not there, but in her stead…

"Miss Harrison, what are you doing here?" he played.

"Well, as any substitute teacher might… I'm substitute teaching," she gave him a look that added 'now get to your seat.' He bowed his head, acting the dutiful student and moving to sit.

She would see him coming a mile away if he was Artie, now that he'd tried to call her on her secret. But she didn't know about him, at least he didn't think she did. He could sit there, spying on her, and she would have no idea, not if he played it right, which he intended to.

For someone who'd had as little time to prepare as she did, Ginny Harrison had come into this class with zero intention of letting them skate by on account of their teacher's absence. A good portion of the class had already checked out and now had to manage to check back in. Puck did the same, knowing he had to stay in the woman's good graces. He didn't know how he would do, but she wouldn't be able to penalize him on effort.

He had not been able to pay too much attention to her once the exercise had begun. It was going to take him his complete concentration to make sure he had something to hand in at the end. Somehow, the period had disappeared by the time he had finished, and when he looked up everyone else was queuing up to hand in the sheets and leave. At least this would leave him as the last one and then he could have an excuse to talk to her.

"How was that? Not too hard?" she asked, taking his sheets and adding them to the pile.

"I don't know, you tell me," he played with a smirk and she laughed. "It was better than with old O'Brien," he told her.

"Can't be that bad," she tried and failed not to chuckle, putting the papers in her bag.

"Have you even seen Miss O'Brien?" he bowed his head. "She's got these two big old moles on either side of her head like…"

"Like Frankenstein's monster?" Gemma couldn't help but say.

"Yeah, that," Puck pointed, then, "I thought Frankenstein was the monster…"

"Another day, another lesson," Gemma stood.

"The point is, you're more appealing to look at, if you don't mind me saying."

"Careful now, Puckerman," she warned with a smirk.

"Hey, I call them how I see them, and you're about one of the best ones I've seen up here, and believe me, I'm a crap student, I've seen my share."

"I'll say thanks, and you'll be on your way," she nodded to the door.

"Spoken for?" he asked, playing on. He couldn't see her face for a moment, but then she gave him a nod.

"Yes," she answered him.

"Serious?"

"Very," she told him. 'I see no ring,' he thought. "If I were you, I'd forget this."

"Right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push," he pulled it back.

"Don't worry about it, you wouldn't be the first," she promised. "So I'll see you in Glee Club, okay?"

"You'll what?" he blinked. "You're visiting again?"

"Substitute teaching," she repeated her smirk. "Mr. Schuester is out, too, your principal asked me to look after you as well as Miss O'Brien's class," she explained.

"Oh… cool," he put on a smile. "See you then," he tried not to rush out so fast. But he had to get a hold of Artie. He found him waiting by his locker; he wanted to know how it had gone, too.

"Well?" Artie asked.

"She had us working the whole time, I didn't get much of a chance to watch her."

"That's okay, there's next class," Artie told him.

"Did I say I was done? I did find out one thing."

"What's that?"

"Schuester's out for the week or something. Ginny-Gemma is taking over Glee Club while he's gone."

"That's perfect," Artie almost gasped. "It's even better than English."

"Well, yeah," Puck scoffed, then, "Wait, you meant for her, right?"

"It's her weak spot, we can use it, catch her off guard."

"How?"

"It's Gemma, the music, that's her, that's not Ginny," Artie explained.

"How do you know?"

"I just do. I don't know why she let that out, because when she was in Glee Club last month, I saw it. You didn't know her as Gemma but I did, and the woman who was in the choir room last month, that was Gemma Lucas, not Ginny Harrison." Puck didn't look too sure he understood, but in the end he gave a nod.

"So we might get her to give herself away."

"Yes."

"And that's what we want?" Puck wondered.

"If not for everyone, then… at least to me, to us." Puck considered this, finally nodded.

"Alright, let's give it a shot then."

TO BE CONTINUED (FRIDAY)