Author's Note: As a reminder, I am writing Rachel's and Puck's parts, DryadSpeaks is writing Santana's, Brittany's, Mike's and Artie's. Leave a review, please. We love them! :D

Chapter Five: Up to No Good

As usual, the cafeteria was filled with obnoxious teenagers talking too loud and, occasionally, throwing food at one another. Wrinkling her nose, Rachel surveyed the scene from the entrance into it, looking for Santana. Her eyes were immediately drawn to Puck, who was laughing with his football buddies. Their eyes met and he looked about ready to wave before remembering himself and turning his eyes away. Sighing, Rachel continued to scan the cafeteria when she heard a voice behind her, saying her name. Jumping, she spun around, spotting Santana and Brittany.

"Come on," Santana said, starting to walk into the cafeteria. "Let's find a table where we can talk. But let's make this as fast as possible, I don't want everyone to see us talking to you for long."

Reaching out, Rachel grasped Santana's upper arm, preventing the other girl from entering the lunch room. "No, we can't! If Noah sees us eating together -" Eyes widening, she muttered, "I didn't say that…about Noah. We're not…it's not what you-"

"Wait a minute," Santana said, cutting Rachel off. She turned and glared at the smaller girl. "First off, get your hands off me, now. And second, do you think I haven't noticed how you look at him, and how he looks at you when he thinks no one sees it?"

Releasing her grip, Rachel sputtered out several incoherent responses before finally saying, "I have no idea to what you are referring. Now, can we please get this business meeting over with? I have matters to attend to this lunch period besides plotting with you and Brittany." Santana seemed inclined to agree, while Brittany most just appeared confused, when Puck and Mike sauntered over.

"Berry, Lopez, Brittany," drawled Puck.

Mike nodded toward the girls. "Ladies."

"Why did you call them their last names and me my other name?" Brittany said, looking towards Puck.

Santana held up her hand, indicating that she'd explain to Brittany later. "We don't have time to talk to you right now. I got stuck with Berry as a partner in biology class, and we have to talk about our project. I don't want to spend the whole lunch dealing with it."

"Yes!" cried Rachel, beaming. "That's exactly what we are…partners in biology." Nodding in Santana's direction, she further explained, unnecessarily, "Because we have third period Biology together." Pointing to an empty classroom not far down the hall, Rachel told the boys, "We're going to be working in that classroom."

Frowning suspiciously, Puck pulled Rachel away from the other three, standing close to her. Intimidated, Rachel pressed her back against the wall, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Berry, what's going on? Like really going on?"

Biting the inside of her cheek, Rachel pondered the correct response. "Noah...it's just as Santana said. Mostly. We do have a project to work on."

Arching an eyebrow, Puck silently regarded her for several seconds, in which she squirmed under his gaze. "Okay, Berry. Hope you're being straight with me."

It was all she could not to break down and tell him everything but she didn't. She hoped he'd understand when she later told him the truth.

After Puck and Rachel withdrew to have their private discussion, Mike turned to Santana. "I'm pretty good at biology, if you guys need help," he said, smiling slightly. "We could do some private tutoring, or something..." he trailed off.

"Maybe," Santana said. Her face was completely unreadable. "If we need help. I think we've got it under control, but if we don't, you'll be the first one I call."

Mike's face flushed, ever so slightly. "Sounds like a plan. Remember...I am REALLY good at biology, and it wouldn't be a problem."

Hearing Mike's declaration, Puck chuckled, as he and Rachel rejoined the other three.

"You are?" Rachel perked up. "I've actually been looking for someone to assist me in-"

"No," Puck cut her off. "You want help in Biology, you come to me."

Tilting her head, Rachel squinted her eyes at Puck. "But you're not good at Biology, Noah. You're failing it…"

Puck was about to say something, but Santana cut him off. "Hate to break this up, but we really have to go. Lunch is going to be over soon, and we need to plan out our project."

"Yes," Rachel agreed, leaning in towards Puck, almost as if she was going to kiss him goodbye, before jerking back. "I will see you later, Noah. In glee club. What else would I be meaning?" A high, false laugh exited her lips as she skipped away.

The boys waved as Brittany and Santana followed her.

After they were out of earshot of Puck and Mike, Santana turned to Rachel. "Ok, Berry, we have five minutes. Game plan?"

Glancing around, as if someone might be spying on them, which indeed someone was, unbeknownst to either girl, Rachel told her in, hushed tones, "Subterfuge by undermining her authority. Planting small seeds of doubts in the minds of the other members of yearbook about whether Quinn is really up to task. On top of that, we must, of course, make it appear as if Quinn can't do the job. This shouldn't take us very long then our dreams can come true, which is actually fitting, considering the theme of the yearbook, don't you think?" As she spoke, Rachel pretended she didn't feel the slightest bit of guilt over the plan she had hatched.

"Yeah, I like it. Our dreams will come true. And Quinn will be crushed. Nice plan, Berry!" Santana said, motioning to Brittany, who nodded in agreement. "We have to go, but give me your cell number, and I'll text you later...that way no one will know I'm talking to you. If anyone asks, I'll just say I'm sexting that new kid on the football team."

Reaching into her bag, Rachel pulled out a business card that was white with gold stars in one corner. "This has my cell phone number, home number and email. Feel free to contact me at any time. Oh, except not at night. I need my beauty sleep!"

Santana took the card, rolling her eyes. She spun around, grabbing Brittany by the wrist, and began marching towards her locker.

Rachel, in turn, also left, going in the opposite direction of Santana and Brittany.

Artie sat in the hallway for a second, slightly stunned by what he had overheard. He couldn't make out the entire conversation, but he knew that he heard "undermining," and "Quinn can't do the job." He chewed on his lip for a moment, debating what the best course of action would be. Should he confront Rachel, and ask what it was he had just witnessed? Should he wait and see what happened? Should he mention it to Quinn? He didn't know quite what to do.

After thinking about it for a second, he decided that talking to Rachel would be a good place to start. She might be difficult sometimes, but she wasn't usually mean, and he hoped that he could get some information out of her. He headed down the hall to where he knew her locker was, hoping that she'd be there. As he came around the corner, he realized that he was in luck. She was standing in front of her locker, examining the contents.

"Rachel, can I talk to you for a second?" he said, as he got closer.

Shutting the locker, she faced him, a not quite bright smile on her face. "Of course you can. I've heard you've been collecting quotes for your sections in yearbook. I suppose you have finally and rightly come to get mine for glee?"

"Um, no, not exactly," he said, shifting uncomfortably. "I just heard part of your conversation with Santana and Brittany. What are you guys doing?"

Eyes very round, Rachel stammered, "We were just talking about our Biology exam. We are in B-biology together, third period and..." Digging her nails into her palm, Rachel blinked several times. "Okay, fine, Artie...Santana and I are up to no good. Please don't tell Noah?"

"What do you mean up to no good? What are you doing?" he asked, looking concerned.

Eyes darting from side to side, Rachel didn't answer him for several minutes. When she at last opened her mouth, the bell rang. "We're not doing anything, Artie. I have to go to class now…" With that, she bolted.

He sat there for a second, thinking about what had just happened. Rachel's reaction, in combination with what he had overheard earlier spelled trouble, and he needed to find out what they were up to.