A/N: I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update this story, I've been super busy! Thank you for all the support, hopefully I should be able to make a few updates soon.
Chapter 9
'Puckerman!' Officer Davies approached the cell, keys jangling in his hand. I stood and approached the bars, waiting for him to speak again.
'Your bail has been posted.' He informed while twisting a long silver key in the lock. He gripped one of the bars in the door and pulled it open. 'You know the deal Puckerman. I don't want to have to see you in here again. You understand me?'
I nodded walking out of the cell. 'Yeah.'
'Yes what?'
'Yes Officer.' I grumbled.
He nodded in satisfaction. 'Go on, get outta here.'
I walked out of the hall lined with jail cells. My sister is a pain in the ass but I knew she'd pay me out. Guess that's just another secret she had on me. Our mom hated it when I got in trouble, so I'd kinda promised to behave myself. Guess that didn't last long.
When I made it outta the county jail, I found something I definitely wasn't expecting. Or more like, someone.
'You posted my bail…?'
She nodded. 'I'm the only one who knew you were here remember.'
'How did you know I was here?'
'I saw the cops bust you. I do have eyes Noah.'
I felt a hand clamp onto my shoulder. I turned to see Officer Durham smiling at me. He chuckled to himself. 'Getting into trouble again Puck?'
I shrugged off his smirk. 'What can I say? I like to keep you guys busy.'
He nodded with a knowing smile. 'That you do.'
He walked off to his patrol car, leaving Rachel and I alone.
'Are you sure you should be around all these cops?'
She raised her eyebrows and scoffed in disbelief. 'Really Noah? You're going to give me attitude right now?'
'I bet you're used to the cop costume by now though huh?'
She turned her head away for a moment, looking at something in the distance. She turned back, and then I saw it.
She shook her head at me. 'You know what? Fuck you Noah Puckerman. I should have just left you in there.'
She turned to walk away but I grabbed her elbow stopping her. She turned and her eyes were glassy with tears. 'I would never have done it if I didn't have to.'
I nodded, the guilt really settling in. 'I know.'
She turned her attention away, collecting herself. Those deep brown irresistible eyes turned back to mine. 'You don't get to judge me.'
She shrugged herself out of my grasp and walked away, leaving me at the bottom of the steps outside the police station. Not really sure of where to go, I just started walking, with not even my iPod to keep me company. Voices swirled around my head, and most of them sounded like Rachel. I shook my head at myself when it truly began to sink in how much of an asshole I'd been.
I walked through Lima town centre, the sun glaring down at me. It was a Saturday, so there were plenty of people chatting and milling around through the streets. My whole back hurt from sleeping on that damn concrete bench, the little amount of sleep I could manage anyway. Danny the drunk that I got stuck with certainly knew how to snore. We'd met a couple of times, so we were kinda on first name basis. I stretched, cracking my spine and my neck. I hadn't shaved in a while either so I was getting kinda stubbly. Ladies love it though, right?
I passed the little flower store on the corner run by the cute little Jewish lady, and I was halted in my tracks. Suddenly an idea hit me. I stepped inside the store, and with Mrs Schwartzman's help, I picked out some yellow roses. Yellow is kinda close to gold aint it? I thanked her for her help and ran the two miles to Finn's house.
He opened the door and looked me up and down. 'Bro, I know we're friends but you don't need to get me no flowers. I'm not into dudes.'
I shook my head and hid the flowers behind my back. 'No, look I need you and Sam to help me with something. Is he with you?'
'Yeah, we're just xboxing it up upstairs.'
Finn ushered me upstairs. 'Awesome.'
I stepped in the doorway of Finn's room and Sam turned to look at me. 'Dude where you been? I tried to call.'
'Just another trip to visit Officer Durham and the guys.'
'Again?! I thought you promised you were done with that shit.'
'I was until Jimmy started getting up in my shit.'
Finn's face fell. 'That new girl…'
'I had to do something.'
'So you beat on Jimmy?'
'Hell yeah I did.'
A smile grew across his face and he high-fived me. 'Nice one bud.'
He sat down again next to Sam and before they could start up another game of Halo I stood in front of the TV.
'Look guys I need your help.'
They both looked at each other then gave me a weird look. Sam was the first to speak. 'You've already beat on Jimmy, I'm sure he's gonna lay off.'
I shook my head. 'No no, it's got nothing to do with Jimmy or any of the guys. I need to do something for Rachel; she's really pissed with me.'
Sam rolled his eyes. 'You went off on her when you found out didn't you?'
I shrugged. 'Maybe. Look guys you're my boys, are you gonna help me or not?'
'What you got in mind?'
I grabbed Finn's laptop off his desk and Googled a song I knew they wouldn't have heard before. I only heard it in Rachel's room in the background when I'd visited once or twice so I knew she'd love it.
Sam nodded along. 'So you wanna sing her this in the choir room and us to help you?'
I shook my head. 'Not in the choir room. On her grandmother's front lawn. Today.'
Finn laughed. 'Are you out of your damn mind? Did you hit your head in jail?'
Sam nodded again. 'Yeah, I think it'd be pretty cool. You'll probably get laid.'
'That's not why I'm doing this.'
They both gawped at me. 'Bro, seriously did Danny bash you about?'
Sam smiled. 'Has she tamed the Puckzilla…?'
'Hell no!' I scoffed. 'I just…I was a real asshole to her. And she bailed me out. I gotta let her know I'm sorry.'
Sam gestured to the laptop. 'Play it again. Let's do this.'
I ruffled Sam's unruly blonde hair. 'I knew I could count on you guys.'
Sam had this amazing ability to be able to hear a song a couple times and he'd be able to play it straight off. Finn wasn't so lucky. We grabbed a couple Tupperware boxes and pans outta his mom's kitchen and he armed himself with his drumsticks. She'd kill us if we dented her pans but it'd be worth it. Luckily for me, Sam went almost everywhere with his trusty acoustic guitar.
Rachel's house was only a couple blocks away from Finn's so we just decided to walk it. I couldn't see her grandmother's car in the driveway, so I knew it was a perfect opportunity. We set up on her front lawn and I dialled her number even though I knew her answering would be a long shot.
Unsurprisingly I got her answer machine. There wasn't much point in leaving a message. So I signalled to the guys, and Sam strummed the intro. I opened my mouth, and hoped it would come out right.
Never wanna stand up for myself
Never wanna get in the way, I said it
I don't know what the plan is,
But you can share with me,
cause I'll be listening here,
To everything you say,
I won't turn away
And I will listen, open up my heart and
I must say that I love you, so
I saw the edge of a curtain twitch in the room upstairs that faced out over the lawn. The guys looked at me, wondering if it was such a good idea to keep playing. I just nodded to them. They joined in with me for the chorus.
Ooh la love
I've fallen in love
and it's better this time than ever before
Ooh la love
I've fallen in love
and it's better this time than I've ever known
The white front door opened and Rachel stood there. Her long dark hair hung down over her shoulders and she brushed her bangs to the side. That little tick always made me smile. Her face was still, I just hoped I was done with making myself an asshole to her.
Every day is a battle I face
Strange life I live but its what you've decided
I'll give it all into your hands,
Do what you will with me, and oh
I'll smile when you speak
Remember all those times I was hoping for something
And shaking my head from all I have done
But you never left me
She started out down the path, her white tank top clinging to her curves. I couldn't keep my eyes off her. Her long black jeaned legs, stretching onto the lawn; walking over to me and the guys.
Ooh la love
I've fallen in love
and it's better this time than ever before
Ooh la love
I've fallen in love
and it's better this time than I've ever known
She clamped a hand over my mouth and the guys stopped playing. I pulled the roses out from behind my back, placing them between us. She looked down at them then back up to me.
She lifted her hand away from my mouth and slapped my cheek. I guess I deserved that one too. When she finally spoke, she kept her voice low so the guys couldn't hear.
'I told you more than I've ever told anyone. I trusted you more than anyone. And you just threw it back in my face.'
I nodded. 'And I'm so sorry about that Rachel. It just…caught me off guard. But I promise I'll never do that again. I wanna listen to everything you say. I want you to tell me everything. I wanna know you.'
She searched my eyes. 'And what if I don't want to tell you everything?'
I shrugged. 'I'll wait. However long it takes for you to trust me again.'
Signs of a small smile began to show. 'You're an asshole Noah Puckerman.'
I smiled. 'I know.'
I pointed the flowers to her and she took them with a small smile she tried to hide. 'Come on…' she mumbled and began to walk back towards the front door.
I turned back to the guys and they winked at me. I just laughed. Boys will be boys I guess.
A/N 2: The song is Foster The People - I'd Do Anything For You if you didn't know already.
