CHAPTER THREE:

HATE IS A STRONG WORD

"Stand…stand over there," Puck pointed, "back up just a little…good…no…a little further…further…further. Okay! Good. Now then, I'm going to throw the ball to you and you catch in your hands. Grip it like this when you catch." Puck demonstrated.

Rachel came closer to get a better look.

"What are you doing? Stay back there!" Puck held up a hand.

"I can't see how you're holding it from all the way back there," Rachel whined.

"Well…you stay back there," Puck was getting flustered. Ever since Rachel was that close to him, he could feel his pulse quicken. It wasn't a good feeling. It was, but then again, it was Rachel…he can't be having those kinds of feelings for Rachel.

Besides, they were bullshit anyways – pointless. She liked Pattycakes, and there was nothing Puck could do to change that. He would teach her the ins and outs of football, and she'd scurry off to Finn – probably wearing that goddamn kitten sweater…and of course Finn would think it was just fucking adorable on her…and she would kiss him and tell him congratulations…because they would have won the championship…and he would kiss her back…with his nasty fish lips…and they would be the talk of the school.

It made Puck sick to his stomach. Or maybe that was just the chili-cheese burrito he had had for lunch…either way, he felt a wave of nauseousness pour over him.

"Ready?" Puck asked.

"No!"

He didn't care. He threw the football hard, Rachel tried to grab it, only to stumble backwards under the force of the ball. She glared at Puck. He glared back.

"I said I wasn't ready!"

"I didn't care."

"And don't throw it so hard."

"Don't be a baby," Puck rolled his eyes, frustrated, "I didn't even throw it near as hard as we do in practices and games. We throw it like fifty times harder. You're just a drama queen."

"Don't call me that!" Rachel pouted, hating the obnoxious nickname he had coined for her a few months back. It drove her crazy. Was she a drama queen? Certainly, but it was still rude for Noah Puckerman to point it out in such a condescending way.

"Well don't be such an obnoxious baby!"

"You're so arrogant. You think you're better than everyone else. You thrive off of the fear underclassmen portray around you. You find nourishment in others' pain and failure. You thirst off of their embarrassment. You're a cruel, devious…bastard!"

Puck just stood there. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He wasn't even sure he knew what some of those words meant. But he knew the definition of one for sure – bastard. Did little Miss Purity really just use a bad word?

"Did you really just call me a bastard?" Puck asked, still in disbelief.

"Yes, yes I did," Rachel stood up from the ground and wiped off the grass from her jeans, "You're always rude to me, but today it seems as if you are acting extraordinarily mean to me. I haven't done anything to you…"

Puck wanted to grab her and shake her and kiss her and show her just exactly how much she does do to him.

"You're annoying as fuck," Puck threw his hands up in the air out of sheer exasperation, "You march into my life and make me fall for you then you're back with Boy Wonder, then you guys break up, and then you get back together, and then you 'take a break' and then you ask me to teach you about football just so you can impress him."

"W-what?" Rachel couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I am your ex, Berry. I'm kind of the last person that wants to help you and Finn get back together. You know what, I don't even know why I agreed to this. I should just leave…"

"Noah," Rachel shook her head, not quite knowing what to say.

"Forget it, Berry. You know what, if you don't want to be a part of my life, quit walking into it and tearing it all apart and fucking it all up. You're confusing as shit. You're annoying as fuck and I don't want to like you, Berry. I'd rather like…Brittany before I liked you. Fuck, I'd rather like goddamn Kurt before I liked you!"

"Noah…"

"And quit fucking calling me Noah. No one is allowed to call me that – especially you."

"But…" Rachel paled, "I-I don't understand."

"You really don't get it, do you?" Puck shouted, his face was growing red.

Rachel's head swam with confusion. She didn't get it. Puck was her friend. That's all he was. Sure, she had some feelings for him, but who wouldn't. They had a history together and he was gorgeous – of course she still felt something. But it meant nothing.

Puck didn't like her back and Finn did. Besides, she and Finn were good together. They belonged together!

She and Puck could hardly stand the sight of each other.

But things were seemingly alright. He had agreed to help her, they had laughed and had a good time. He had been as sweet as Noah Puckerman could possibly be. But then something had changed. He had snapped. She just didn't understand.

What had she done? What mistake had she made?

"No, Noah, so why don't you explain it to me?" Rachel shouted back, her hands balled up at her sides.

Puck turned a deeper shade of red at the sound of his name, "I'm out!"

"Puck!" Rachel screamed as he walked towards the parking lot, "What did I do? Talk to me! Please! Just talk to me!"

But he was already to the truck.

"Puck! Noah!" Rachel ran up to him, shouting his name.

Puck didn't care anymore. He didn't care if he hurt her. He just needed to get away from Rachel Berry.

"I hate you!" He shouted the lie before slamming the truck door shut and speeding away.