"I love this song!" Rachel squeals. No one is accompanying the microphones Brittany set up next to the karaoke machine.
"You know this song?" Puck asks incredulously.
"I don't only listen to show tunes, you know."
"Right," he says with a badass nod.
"I have an idea," she says.
A few older-looking guys are ogling her legs. Puck glares at them so that they back the fuck off, but a few of them don't seem to be getting the message.
"Are you even paying attention?"
"What?"
"Look, I had a really bad night to start with…and I'd owe you big time…"
The idea of Rachel Berry owing him big time pleases him very, very much.
"Would you sing this with me?"
He laughs at the appropriateness of the lyrics, given her recent choice of attire.
"Why the hell not?"
Puck redoes a few moves from his Acafellas days, and lets his voice burst through the mike.
"I make them good girls go badI make them good girls go
"Good girls go BAD"
I know your type
(Your type)
You're daddy's little girlJust take a bite
(One bite)Let me shake up your world'Cause just one night couldn't be so wrongI'm gonna make you lose control
She was so shyTill I drove her wild"
For some reason, Rachel doesn't seem to mind her lack of spotlight here. Whenever Puck sings, she just dances around and flips her hair to the catcalls of the crowd, which he tries(and fails) to ignore.
"I make them good girls go badI make them good girls go badYou were hanging in the cornerWith your five best friendsYou heard that I was troubleBut you couldn't resistI make them good girls go badI make them good girls goGood girls go bad
I know your type(Your type)Boy, you're dangerousYeah, you're that guy(That guy)I'd be stupid to trustBut just one night couldn't be so wrongYou make me wanna lose control
She was so shyTill I drove her wild
I make them good girls go badI make them good girls go bad
I was hanging in the cornerWith my five best friendsI heard that you were troubleBut I couldn't resist
I make them good girls go badI make them good girls goGood girls go badGood girls go badGood girls go bad
Oh, she got away with the boys in the placeTreat 'em like they don't stand a chance
And he got away with the girls in the backActing like they're too hot to dance
Yeah, she got away with the boys in the placeTreat 'em like they don't stand a chance
And he got away with the girls in the backActing like they're too hot to dance
I make them good girls go bad
(They don't stand a chance)
I make them good girls goThe good girls go bad, yeahGood girls go bad
I was hanging in the cornerWith my five best friendsI thought that you were troubleBut I couldn't resist
I make them good girls go badI make them good girls go badI make them good girls goGood girls go badGood girls go badGood girls go
BAD"
They stop to raucous applause. Rachel grabs for his hand and they bow together. It's overdramatic and so Rachel and cheesy as hell, but at least she seems pretty happy.
Santana comes up to him and says, "Good job."
Rachel bites her lip, ducks her head, and makes her way through the crowd.
"Hey," he says, "thanks."
"So," she says, "I got Brittany to bed, since she was pretty wasted. But um, I'm in the mood for a party…"
She grabs the collar of his shirt and whispers in his ear, "…for two."
Normally he'd be totally up for it. He actually waits to feel a tightening in his pants, but…it doesn't come. What the fuck? What's wrong? He doesn't quite know. Maybe it's that the lustful smirk on her face reminds him too much of his own, maybe it's because she's trying too hard, maybe he's just not in the mood. Maybe…he's done with just hook-ups. Maybe he's ready for something more.
Or maybe it's because she reminds him of how he used to splash icy drinks on Rachel. She was always there, in the background, laughing. But, it wasn't really all that funny. She's pretty decent to Rachel now, but…she could be nicer. And so could he. Rachel probably deserves that, and if he's being honest with himself, Santana deserves the chance to find someone who loves her. Puck actually does care about Santana, no question, but…he definitely doesn't love her.
"I don't think so, Tana. But…you know…it's not that you're not hot. I'm just…I…"
She looks shocked, and he's afraid she's going the flip the fuck out like he did when he was trying to woo Mercedes. But instead she smiles in a sort of awe, and crosses her arms.
"You're totally in love with her, aren't you?"
"What?"
"You know what I'm talking about, moron. But I have a secret," she says, and he fully lets himself enjoy her smile then, because it's simple and sweet. It's not trying so hard to ooze sexiness, it's just- happiness.
"Yeah?"
"I think I'm in love with someone, too."
"Oh yeah?"
"He's…also taken. By the girl you wish wasn't."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Puck mumbles, putting his hands in his pockets.
"Like hell you don't."
And with that she walks away.
"So…you're a good girl gone bad, huh?"
Rachel gulps down a little bit more of tequila. Just a bit. What does it matter, anyway? She's kept her phone on and Finn hasn't called once. No apology, no sudden revelation. She doesn't matter. He's acting like she doesn't matter, so she might not. And she's too annoying to even hang out with, since Puck ditched her for Santana. And why shouldn't he? Santana's beautiful and sexy and confident and flexible and just…everything Rachel is not. She doesn't talk too much, she talks like a normal person.
The guy with the major stubble tilts his head, still waiting for her response.
"Not really. I'm a pretty good student and stuff. I'm just- stressed lately."
"Of course. So, you just wear those skirts for fun?"
Rachel looks down at her legs.
"Well, yeah. I like them. But anyway, I really am a good student."
"You're a fucking tease is what you are," he says, advancing towards her.
"What?"
He's a little too close for comfort. She can smell the beer on his breath.
"Get away," she says.
"I don't think so, striptease," he says.
He lets the his hand rest on her stomach.
"Stop!"
And then, suddenly, he's pulled back and Noah has him by the scruff of his shirt, drags him farther, and Rachel's just watching with an open mouth, totally dumfounded.
"You think that's charming? You think you can freaking just touch her, because you want? You're sick, alright, dude? Get that?"
The older guy nods in mute terror. Puck knees him in the balls and crumples to the ground in a whimper.
Rachel slides to the floor, unable to hold it in any longer. Puck kneels down and says, "Hey are you ok?"
She shakes her head.
"Alright, well, I'm gonna take you home.
She nods, biting her lip, as the tears escape down her cheeks. She tries to pull herself up but she keeps slipping, so Puck scoops her up and carries her in his arms. The girl needs to eat more, it's like she weighs nothing.
She lies back in the passenger seat, eyes closed. Puck waits in the driver's seat, watching her, waiting for her to say something.
"Do you have an iPod adapter?" she asks in a smaller voice.
Not what he was expecting, but he'll take it.
"Yeah, sure. You wanna plug something in?"
…And call him up for more/and I say baby/yes I feel stupid to call you but I'm lonely…he said I'm sorry/so sorry/I said why can't you love me, I'll change for you…
"He doesn't- he doesn't care about me," she says in a quiet, broken voice.
"Finn?"
She nods.
"I want him to, and I care about him, so, so much, but…he just doesn't. If he did, he would've remembered that he promised we were going to do something special tonight, for our anniversary. If he did, he would've realized I was upset and then tried to do something about it, but he just didn't. And it's not fair, because I try so hard, and it's just not good enough. I'm not good enough. I never am. And I just don't- know- what- to do…"
She's full out sobbing now, hugging herself, and he opens his arms without even thinking about it and she falls into him and clutches his shirt and gets his shirt wet but he doesn't even care, because at least he can hold her. At least he can make her feel better.
He lifts her chin with his hand so she has to look him in the eye and says, "Rachel…I don't think you realize how amazing you are and how lucky Finn is to have you. You are good enough, you are more than good enough, and…I don't know, I'm not much for words, but I know that if I ever had the chance to be with you again…I would never let you go."
He lets her face go, because he doesn't want to ruin it. He's not going to cheat with his best friend's girl, again. He has, after all, learned something.
She collapses against him again.
"I need to break up with Finn," she mumbles into his t-shirt, "but I'm scared."
"Do what you need to do," he whispers, smoothing her hair with his hand.
The iPod switches tracks…
And I'd give up forever to touch you/'Cause I know that you feel my somehow/You're the closest to heaven that I've ever been/And I don't wanna go home right now…