I'm sorry! Don't hate me for taking forever! I've been super busy! =(
Again, I would like to point out that none of the chapters are continuations of the previous chapter. Just so you know.
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Glee. But if I did, I would so get us out of this slump we've been in. Anyone else been disappointed with the new episodes so far?
Song guide:
Rachel
The Girls
Together
Rachel Berry had had enough. She was brimming with irritation, ready to lash out at the next person who tried to talk to her. If she was lucky, it would be the one person at whom her wrath was directed—Noah Puckerman.
She strode angrily down the hall, hair bouncing wildly, pushing people out of her way to get to the rehearsal room. Jacob had approached her, attempting to schmooze her like usual, but today she shoved him into the lockers on the side of her. Today was not the day to mess with Rachel Berry.
As she turned a corner, a smarmy voice called out to her, "Where's the fire, sugartits?" She whipped around to see the object of her ire. Narrowing her eyes she turned to storm off once more, but he easily matched her pace. "I'm getting some major hostile vibes from you, sweet cheeks."
"You used that one already, you ape," Rachel snapped, never slowing her stride.
"I did?" Noah asked, feigning surprise. "I'll have to work on that, hotcakes."
Rachel let out a small screech before stopping and looking him right in the eyes. "Are you really going to keep following me, Noah? Doesn't that seem a little pathetic to you, following someone like me around? And these stupid names have got to stop, especially in front of my teachers. Stop following me, stop with these ridiculous names, and leave me alone."
He stepped right into her personal area, but Rachel refused to back down. He never broke eye contact as he said, "You know I can't do that, Berry. Not until you stop avoiding me. So suck it up, sweetheart, cause I'm not going anywhere." Noah accompanied that statement with a quick slap on her derriere.
Rachel stormed off once more. She heard him call after her, "So I'll see you in Glee then, baby doll!"
He had been doing this for three days now, replacing her name with a sickeningly sweet term of endearment. The sardonic tone in which he delivered the nicknames was enough to make Rachel lose her cool by the end of the first day. The snickers of her peers were driving her absolutely insane.
Rachel couldn't understand why Noah refused to just let it go. So they had sex, big deal. So she refused to answer his phone calls for a week afterward, no problem. Neither of them had been thinking clearly that night anyway. It was a month until graduation and they had been feeling nostalgic. They agreed to go to a party together, just for kicks. Both had had too much to drink, and Rachel was ashamed that they had driven to her house in that state. It took less than five minutes for them to end up in her bedroom. The rest was kind of a blur.
Well, not really. Rachel continued to have dreams of steamy lips against her skin, warm hands running up her thighs, and heated whispers in her ear. She could still feel his eyes boring into hers, her hands entwined in his. Most of all, she could recall with startling accuracy the look on his face when she told him to leave the next morning with an aloofness she never knew she had.
When Noah tried to talk to her about it for the next week afterwards, she thought she had made it perfectly clear that it had meant nothing. "Bullshit," he hissed at her before she whipped her head around and marched off.
On Monday was when the names started. If he thought he could annoy her into admitting everything she didn't want him to know, he had another thing coming. Rachel refused to crack. Only now, three days later, Rachel could feel her resolve crumbling. She was tired of having to watch her back. She was tired of the notes in her locker. More importantly, she was tired of feeling him watching her all the time. That night shouldn't have meant anything to her, which is why she had been avoiding him like the plague, but Rachel was starting to realize that maybe she wasn't the only one who had felt something more.
So why was she still determined to avoid Noah? It was less than a month until graduation. After that, she was off to New York, and he was off to God only knew where. Rachel knew her heart wouldn't have been able to deal with the assuredly permanent separation. Better not to get involved. So with all the strength she could muster, she put up a wall between her and Noah's attentions. Until today, that wall had done a decent job. Then she walked into the cafeteria and saw the banner draped across the entrance. It read: YOU CAN'T AVOID ME FOREVER, PUMPKIN. Suddenly she couldn't take it anymore. His behavior was degrading not only for her, but for him as well.
Their run-in in the hall had sealed it. She would have to act. Making a pit stop in the computer lab, she found the sheet music and hunted down her fellow Glee ladies. All of them were aware that something was going on between Rachel and Noah, and all of them were more than happy to get in the middle of it.
Rachel was still seething by the time Noah entered the Glee room. She thrust her hand into the air. "Mr. Schue, the girls and I have prepared a little something for Glee today." Something in her tone made him eye her tentatively before allowing them all to come forward. Somewhere in the back Mike muttered, "Oh, here we go."
The music started, and all of the guys turned their eyes to Noah. Everyone recognized the familiar beat. Rachel kept her eyes trained on his as she opened her mouth:
Four letter word just to get me along
It's a difficulty and I'm biting on my tongue, and uh
I keep stalling and keeping it together
People around gotta find something to say now
Rachel began to move her hips like Britney told her to, her eyes never leaving Noah's.
Holding back, everyday the same
Don't wanna be a loner
Listen to me, oh no
I never say anything at all
But with nothing to consider they forget my name…ame…ame…ame
Time in the room seemed to come to a grinding halt as Rachel stopped singing and the other girls froze. Suddenly, Rachel spun around, hair flying, as she led them into the chorus.
They call me 'hell'
They call me 'Stacey'
They call me 'her'
They call me 'Jane'
That's not my name
That's not my name
That's not my name
That's not my name
Somewhere in the middle of that, Noah started smiling. Rachel wasn't sure if she wanted to flip him off or kiss him. Instead, she ignored him and went back to singing.
They call me 'quiet'
But I'm a riot
Mary-Jo-Lisa
Always the same
That's not my name
That's not my name
That's not my name
That's not my name
Are you calling me darling?
Are you calling me bird?
Are you calling me darling?
Are you calling me bird?
The other Glee ladies broke off into the chorus while Rachel continued the bridge over them. The intricate steps and turns had her working up a sweat, but she felt fierce and in control. No way Noah was going to mess with her anymore.
They call me 'hell'
They call me 'Stacey'
They call me 'her'
They call me 'Jane'
That's not my name
That's not my name
That's not my name
That's not my name
Rachel joined the girls in one final chorus.
They call me 'quiet'
But I'm a riot
Mary-Jo-Lisa
Always the same
That's not my name
That's not my name
That's not my name
That's not my name
They finished the song breathing heavily and on a high only performing could give. Rachel's gaze immediately found Noah. He wasn't smiling anymore, but his eyes had everything she needed to see. It was his eyes that were laughing. She quirked an eyebrow at him and put her hands on her hips. Still, he did nothing but look at her.
Finally she threw her hands up in a huff. If that didn't work, she was out of ideas. She would just have to deal with his childish antics until graduation. If she put her mind to it, she was sure she could survive. She turned away from him and smiled at her fellow Glee ladies. They all smiled back and went back to chattering amongst themselves.
After rehearsal, as Rachel was gathering her things, she felt hands on her waist. They were familiar hands, strong and warm, and Rachel felt herself begin to flush.
"That was hot, Berry," Noah whispered in her ear.
Rachel barely had time to blush before Noah spun her around and planted his lips aggressively on hers.
"Oh, what the hell…" Rachel thought as she wrapped her arms around his neck. At least he hadn't called her sugarplum.