Rachel couldn't shake what Finn had said. Either Finn was lying or Puck and Quinn were, all she knew was that facing any of them that day was going to be harder than she thought. As usual, Puck was the first person she saw when arriving at school, he often came early to get in a good dumpster nerd toss before class which made getting a few moments to talk with him mercifully easy.

"Hey babe, you come to watch me toss Ben-Israel today?" Puck said.

"No, I came to talk to you. We both know that I find your dumpster ritual childish and deplorable"

"Yeah, it's pretty great" he said cluelessly. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Well, if ask you a difficult question can you promise to tell me the absolute truth no matter what?"

"Of course babe, I'm all about the honesty."

"Okay, sit down" She sat him down on the bench and looked into his eyes. "Noah, have you ever been with anyone else, you know… sexually?"

"Do you mean before we got together?" he said, starting to look a little paranoid.

"Well, yes or you know… during" she said, speaking under her breath on the last word.

"Did somebody say something to you?"

"That's not important, I just need to know"

"Why would I ever cheat on you Rachel? You're one of the hottest chicks and school" he said, starting to sound slightly defensive.

She ignored the unsatisfying nature of his response and pressed on, "Just answer the question Noah."

"No okay? I've never cheated on you. Why would you even ask me that? I thought you trusted me."

"Noah, I do trust you. It's just things have been a little off between us lately, with me being in glee and you being so jealous of Finn—

"You think I'm jealous of that assclown? I have more muscle tone in my teeth than he has in his entire body."

"Look this isn't about Finn" she lied. "I'm sorry I brought that up."

"Then what is it about Rachel?"

"I don't know, I just don't feel like things are the same between us anymore. It's like you want me to be this perfect little extension of you and I don't know if I can do that anymore."

"Wait, are you breaking up with me?"

A lump started to form in Rachel's throat, in spite of everything she still cared about him. He was still the boy who brought her grape slushies for lunch, went with her to synagogue every week and once told her and only her that he was secretly afraid of string puppets, but she couldn't pretend that those little things she liked about him were enough anymore.

"I just think that maybe we could use some time apart" She said, a stray tear rolling down her cheek.

"That's just great Rachel. So you accuse me of cheating, I say I'm innocent and you break up with me anyway?"

"This isn't about that, Noah"

"What, did you think if I told you I got some tail on the side it would be easier for you to dump me?"

"Nothing you could have told me would have made this any easier" she insisted.

"You know what, screw this, I'm out of here" He said getting up to leave.

"Noah wait!" she said, grabbing his wrist.

"Get off me!" he said.

"Noah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You know what, I think you're doing me a favor. Maybe now I'll find a chick who actually lets me touch her… oh wait I already did that last week" Puck said, no longer concerned about sparing Rachel's feelings.

Rachel's eyes widened, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Finn was telling the truth. "What are you saying?"

"What? Apparently you're such a big fan of the truth, well there it is."

"So everything you said before was just a lie?"she sobbed.

"What? I'm just trying to be on your level."

"What are you even talking about Noah" she cried.

"Don't act so innocent, I know that something's going on with you and that Finn loser, you know, at least I had the decency to cheat on you with someone who matters" Puck said.

"You're talking about Quinn aren't you?"

"So what if I am?"

Rachel nodded, finally realizing who he really was "Never speak to me again." She said before turning on her heel and starting home, she'd make up some excuse, there was no way she was going to be anywhere near Noah Puckerman that day.

"Do you know what's wrong with Finn lately?" Artie said as he and Tina enjoyed their lunch on the patio. "He's been acting weird and depressed all day, I'd almost find myself caring about his problems… almost"

"Don't be so hard on Finn Artie, he's had his heart broken."

"Well it kind of serves him right after dumping you like that."

"First of all I dumped him, and secondly why are you so mad at him when I've completely moved on?"

"Completely Tina?" he asked skeptically.

"Well maybe not completely, but believe me it's not just about Finn"

"Well, what's it about?" He said finally taking his eyes off of his lunch.

"Well, he's in love with Rachel, and that's great it's just…

"Just what?" Artie said

"I guess it would be nice to have someone feel that way about me for once."

Artie was touched, for as long as he knew Tina he had always been too afraid to tell her how he felt, but looking at her now how could he not?

"Tina?" Artie began "What makes you think that nobody does?"

"Yeah, I'm so sure" she scoffed.

"I'm serious, maybe there's some guy out there who's just dying to ask you out but he just can't find the courage to do it."

"Well, that would be great if it were true" Tina casually glanced in Artie's direction, but had to do a double take when she saw his face. she instantly recognized that look. It was the way Rachel looked at Finn, it was the way Finn looked at Rachel.

"Artie"

"Somebody does have feelings for you Tina"

"Why didn't you say anything? I mean you never even made a move"

"I don't know, I guess I felt like you only thought of me as a friend."

"You are my friend Artie, you're my best friend in the whole world" She beamed.

"Okay, I don't speak girl, was that a shoot-down or what?"

Tina simply smiled and leaned in to kiss him.

"Hey guys" Finn interrupted, sitting down next to them. "So I see you're making out with each other now."

"Uh, yeah I guess we are" Artie said, trying not to smile too much."Finn, are you okay, you look like someone just kicked your puppy to death."

"I told Rachel the truth and it blew up in my face, she won't return my calls and she wasn't even in class today."

"Finn, I'm sure she just needs time. It'll be okay."

Finn wanted to believe her, he really did. But somehow he just couldn't.

It won't be long yeah, 'till your alone when your lover, oh he hasn't come home, 'cause he's loving, touching another.

It was after midnight. Rachel still couldn't sleep and she lacked the energy to even cry anymore. She hadn't spoken to anyone since that morning, even her dad was hard-pressed to get more than two words out of her when she went home early. She listened to her Best of Journey CD and the sound of the rain pounding her rooftop and stared at the empty water glasses on the nightstand, moving her eyes back and forth to change the patterns in the glass. It was a minor amusement, but it didn't help much. She knew what would make her feel better, who would make her feel better, but how would she possibly face him after what happened?

Highway run, into the midnight sun, wheels go round and round you're on my mind…

"Of course that song would play now" she thought. That was all she needed, she jumped out of bed and pulled on her coat and shoes, not bothering to change out of her pajamas. She didn't care how long she would be grounded, she had to see him.