"Now I've heard there was a secret chord, that David played, and it pleased the Lord, but you don't really care for music, do ya? It goes like this: The fourth, the fifth; the minor fall, the major lif-" I stopped strumming by slamming my hand down on the strings and groaned. I'm never going to be able to finish practicing when I'm too busy worrying about the trouble Noah is going to get Lyla into and then probably get Finn blamed for both of their actions.

This is horrible. I've already started this song four times and I can't even get through the first verse!

I took my phone out of my bag next to me and started to dial Finn's number, then pressed end and started looking through my contacts. I clicked send without letting me second guess my choice.

"Hello?" a hyper voice answered, "Is this Rachel? Because that's what I have programmed into my phone, but Rachel never calls me. But that's okay, because she's probably always too busy to just call and say hello and I-"

"Mike?" I asked, cutting into his endless jabber.

"Oh! It really is you Rachel! Hi," I could hear his smile, "What's up?"

"I didn't think you would be awake this early…" I mumbled.

"Yeah, I am," I heard a crack and then the sizzling of a skillet, "Ninja's need to have a healthy breakfast if their going to be any use at all against to evil powers of…well,

I dunno exactly what evil powers; but they're out there."

"I was wondering if you wanted to help me with something?" I asked still giggling slightly to myself.

"Sure no problem. What'd ya need help with?" He asked the last few words were slightly skewed from the food he was shoveling in.

* * * * *

Mike's POV

I drove to school to get there fast and help Rachel.

Everyone thinks I'm dumb because I'm a ninja and know that evil lurks around every corner, but see how dumb they think I am when I save Rachel's little sister!

Rachel told me that it was up to me to keep her safe and out of trouble while she practiced.

"Mike, it's up to you to save her from the evil and corrupt ways of that Puckerman kid!" were her words…well not her exact words, but they were close enough.

I got to the parking lot and Lyla on running away from Puck. Oh no! I'm too late. Lyla ran past me and I ran forward and tackled Puck.

"What the FUCK, Chang?!" He screamed trying to get up, "Get off of me!"

I stood up, "Sorry, but I was sent to protect Lyla."

"The Hell?! Protect her…from me?" He asked, "But who's gonna protect me from her?!"

I felt a pair of arms go around my waist, "Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! He was chasing me and Finn wasn't even trying to help!"

"Hey! I am not even part of this conversation, okay?! Rachel told me not to get involved in any of schemes, no matter how in-con-spic-u-ous they seemed," Finn told me, trying to justify his behavior.

"Are you saying you'd rather listen to Rachel and not get in trouble than to save me, a possible damsel in distress, from your delinquent monster of a friend?! What if he actually tackled me?! He's FUCKING huge! That could KILL ME." Lyla rambled and poked her head out from behind me.

"It's okay now. I'm not gonna let Puck get to you, unless you-" I started to tell Rachel as she walked out from behind me slowly and then turned toward me.

"I'm hungry. Where's somewhere we can get a good breakfast?" Lyla asked, "If you take me, I'll pay for you. I've got $30."

"Well, there's a diner down the street," I told her.

"But school starts in-"Finn checked his phone "-23 minutes."

"Oh Darn. I guess we better get going then," She smiled and grabbed my hand as she starting dragging me toward my car.

"Hold it; hold it, hold it!" Puck said.

Other Berry whirled around with her hand on her hips, "What. Now. Noah?"

"Can I come?" He asked sheepishly. "What? You guys woke me up too early to eat!"

"Ohhh. Well, I guess," Lyla said. "You hungry, too, Finn?"

"Well, kinda. But Rac-"

"Oh please. It's Finn; of course he's hungry."

"Then it's settled! To breakfast we go," Lyla smiled as she skipped to me car.

* * * * *

We were sitting in my car on our way to Sally's when "Paint it Black" came on the radio. It wasn't the stones version, though. It was that one from American Idol. Not that I watch American Idol, I mean I only saw that Siobhan girls sing this song because Natalie's friend "couldn't miss her favorite show" and I really didn't wanna get up. It wasn't because the girl could actually sing or anything like that…

"Jesus, Yes! I love 'Paint it Black,'" Lyla squealed from her spot next to me. She tricked Puck and Finn out of shotgun by telling them to play rock-paper-scissors to decide who would get to be in the front, then running to the front seat and locking the door. I'll tell you man, that chick, Bad Ass Evil Fucking Genius.

"I see a red door and I want it painted black. No colors anymore I want them to turn black. I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes. I have to turn my head until my darkness goes." Lyla sang the first verse word for word, smiling when Puck took over the next one. "I see a line of cars and they're all painted black. With flowers and my love both never to come back. I see people turn their heads and quickly look away. Like a new born baby it just happens every day," Puck of course knew the words, but of course he did. Classic rock was his thing. He smirked back at Lyla through the mirror, like he was a challenging her to continue. "I look inside myself and see my heart is black. I see my red door and must have it painted black. Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts. It's not easy facin' up when your whole world is black." She turned around to look at Puck as she hit one of those ear shattering "Rachel" notes toward the very end of the song, " Ohh. Woah-ohh. OhhhOhhOhhhhhh!" She did one of those, "I am SO bomb" smirks at Puck, the ones that he uses (all the time) before finishing the very end of the song in one of those high angel voices (The ones that I never get to hear because in Glee its always Rachel screaming, 'This is the note! Sing it loud, and hard and if you can't just fake it') "Pah-aint it Bla-a-ack."

As she sang the final words I pulled into a parking spot and turned off my car. The car was not freakishly quiet…

"What's up with the weird silence?" Lyla asked, looking at all of us around that car.

Finn took a deep breath, "Let's just say you and Rachel have voices that make us Lima boys not know what to say."

"Uhmm, thank you…I think; but I want food, and I want it now. So lezz eatt! C'mon Mikey, Babyy," she giggled jumping out of the car and walking casually into Sally's with Finn trailing behind her slightly.

"You okay, Puck?" I asked him because he still hadn't moved since she sang to/at him.

"Fuck. No. Chang." He growled at me, "I am anything but fine. I'm confused as shit."

"Wanna talk about it?" I instantly regretted the words when I thought about the ridicule I would get about "growing a vagina" or some shit like that.

"Maybe later," was the surprising answer, "I gotta figure some shit out first." He got out of the car and shoved his hands into his pocket walking toward the dinner.

I was left alone in the car, "How the fuck is it that I'm ALWAYS the last one to get out of the car?!"