Chapter 11

A/N 1: I'm back and I am so sorry about the delay. Real life got in the way and my muse decided to go on an extended vacation. I hope people are still interested in this story.

A/N 2: Don't own Glee, just borrowing them.

A/N 3: There is no way in a billion years I could capture the brilliance of Heather Morris' Brittney. I hope I didn't butcher her too much.

Rachel opened her locker, happily humming to herself as she shoved her Chemisty textbook in and pulled her lunch bag out. She smiled brightly as she remembered Noah's words to her this morning: "See ya at lunch". She had been counting down the minutes until she could see him again. She could hardly believe how much she was yearning for him, especially considering that just last week she was pining away for Finn.

She frowned suddenly. She had seen Finn walking the halls between classes and every time he saw her he would glare in her direction, as though she had done something wrong. She shook her head, trying to rid it of Finn's image.

Rachel slammed her locker shut and spun around. She let out a surprised gasp when she saw Brittney standing there, a befuddled expression across her face.

"Oh, my goodness," Rachel said, placing her hand over her heart dramatically. "You surprised me Brittney."

"Is it true?" Brittney asked, her eyes slightly glazed over.

"Um, is what true?" Rachel asked with slight trepidation. There was no knowing what would come out of Brittney's mouth sometimes.

"Did you and Puck fuck?" Brittney asked seriously. She let out a quiet laugh and then said, "Oh my God…Puck and fuck rhyme."

Rachel's heart began to pound in her chest as her mouth dropped open in shock. "Where did you hear that?" she managed to choke out.

"I went into the girl's bathroom after first period and fell asleep. I woke up like 15 minutes ago and heard two girls talking about how you and Puck did it Friday night after the dance." Brittney paused and leaned in closer. "Was he big, 'cause I did it with a guy who was really big and couldn't walk for a week…or sit down."

Rachel's eyes were wide open with alarm. She took a furtive glance around and noticed her fellow students whispering to one another and pointing in her direction.

Rachel took a step closer to Brittney, taking a deep calming breath. "I assure you Brittney that Puck and I did not engage in any sexual activities Friday night and I cannot begin to fathom where such a rum…" Rachel paused and frowned at the blonde Cheerio. "Brittney, why are you smelling my hair?"

Brittney held a strand of Rachel's hair under her nose, inhaling deeply. "I don't eat so I like to sniff things that smell like food. Your hair smells like apples."

Rachel smiled hesitantly as she removed her strand of hair from Brittney's fingers. "Thanks, but as I was saying I cannot begin to fathom where such a rumor could have come from." She glanced around again trying to figure out who could have started the rumor. As hurt as Finn was she couldn't believe that he would have said anything and both Kurt and Mercedes had sworn this morning that they would be quiet after she told them what had happened Friday night and this weekend. Aside from those three, and Artie and Tina, no one else knew what had transpired between her and Noah. Except…

"Oh dear God," Rachel said in anguished hush as the events of the morning came back to her.

"So, you're telling us that Puck, the town bicycle…" Mercedes began as she set her bag down by her desk.

"Town bicycle?" Rachel repeated with puzzlement.

"Everyone has had a ride," Kurt answered with a small smirk.

"That's vile," Rachel replied, her nose wrinkling in distaste.

"Vile, but nonetheless true," Kurt said, pulling out his compact from his back pack.

"As I was saying, you're telling us that Puck was the one who stopped you from going ahead with your crazy ass plan on Friday night, then spent the night with you just sleeping, and then snuck into your bedroom to tell you he likes you and wants to start a relationship," Mercedes finished saying, giving Rachel a slightly incredulous look.

"Why is that so hard to believe?" Rachel asked, somewhat irritably.

"It's not," Kurt said, wiping a smidge of lip balm from the corner of his mouth. He shut his compact and looked over at Rachel and Mercedes. "Mercedes is just trying to look out for you."

"Oh," Rachel said with a small smile. "I appreciate that Mercedes, but I don't think Noah is going to hurt me. I can't really explain it but…I feel safe when I am with him."

Mercedes returned Rachel's smile and patted her on the arm gently. "You may irritate the hell out me sometimes Rachel, but I still want you to be happy. If Puck can do that…well then I won't rag on him too much."

Rachel beamed at Mercedes and Kurt. "Well, I thank you both. Now can you please promise me that neither one of you will divulge what transpired between Noah and me. People are already mocking me for what happened with Finn. I hate to image what cruelty they would inflict upon me if they knew Noah and I went into a hotel room together right after I got dumped in public."

Both Rachel and Mercedes turned in Kurt's direction, looking at him pointedly.

"I am offended that the two of you would think so little of me," Kurt huffed out dramatically.

"We're not the ones who ratted to Finn, Chatty Cathy," Mercedes replied as she sat down in her desk.

Kurt pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. "I swear to Gucci that I won't say a word to anyone. Even if Finn gets down on his knees and begs my lips will be sealed."

Mercedes grinned at Rachel and said, "I promise not to say anything either Rachel."

Rachel smiled at them both before sitting down at her desk. She was pulling her notebook out of her bag when a voice whispered behind her.

"Sounds like you had an exciting weekend Rachel."

Rachel whirled her head around and had to fight the bile that rose in her throat. Jacob Ben Israel sat behind her, looking as creepy as ever.

"Don't be offended or anything Jacob but I'm going to pretend you don't exist right now," Rachel replied turning her head back to the front of the room.

"You're so beautiful that I want to be reincarnated as your child so that I can breastfeed from you." Jacob replied, reaching out to touch Rachel's hair.

Rachel spun around again, a look of pure disgust etched across her face. "You are pig, and don't touch me!"

Jacob leaned back in his chair and looked at her smugly. "I guess now that you're with Puck your milk jugs belong to him."

Rachel wanted to reply but at that moment the teacher walked in and began class, and she forgot all about Jacob Ben Israel.

Rachel scanned the hallways until she spotted his red fro. She stomped over, leaving a confused looking Brittney, grabbed Jacob's shoulder, and spun him around.

Rachel's slap across his face could be heard throughout the hallway.