BY VERY DEFINITION
5. Strange
Parker stretched out on the metal bleachers by the football field during 2nd period that day, the sun still rising in the sky, reflecting off the metal and getting in her eyes. In some areas the bleachers were still wet, and if she looked out over the field she could still see the dew clinging to the grass. She was laying there when she heard the sounds of someone walking on the bleachers. She sat up in alarm, looking around for a teacher or coach. Instead, she saw someone she knew, sort of. Someone from Glee club.
"What are you doing?" Puck asked defensively.
"I'll tell you if you can tell me what my name is." Parker challenged. Puck stood on the stairs near her threateningly, but she could see he was trying to remember who she was.
"You should know your own name." He said finally.
"My name's Parker." She informed him with a smile, "Are you going to sit down?" Puck walked over and sat on the bench behind her, they both stared out over the glistening field.
"You're skipping?" Puck asked doubtfully.
"It's just math, and I'm trying to drop that class anyway, I haven't taken the prerequisite."
"So you're skipping?" Puck repeated, making Parker smile.
"Yep. I figure I'd rather be out here without a clue than in there without a clue. I'm still taking in the same information."
"Preach." Puck agreed, "Where are you from again?"
"Copper City." Parker sighed, "Michigan, the upper peninsula."
"What's it like there?" Puck asked without much interest.
"Let's just say that I have no sympathy for people in Ohio who complain about cold and weather. You don't even know the meaning of cold."
"I feel bad for you, moving here. Lima is a hometown for losers, it's small and unwanted."
"Same old, same old." Parker said with a wave of her hand, "Copper City, population 209. Small little place that can't get on a map, can't get it's own anything. No one knows about it, no one cares about it, it's boring, it's horrible."
"So are you happy to be here?"
"In Ohio? No. I'm not really happy anywhere." Puck stopped looking ahead and glanced at Parker's gloves.
"Why do you always wear those sleeves?" He asked.
"Why not?" Parker said with a shrug, "One of the only things I have from my old wardrobe, and they're comfy."
"Wait a minute," Puck suddenly remembered something, "You're the girl that's been driving Rachel crazy."
"Yep." Parker grinned.
"Good. Put her in her place."
"I've only got part of a plan." Parker admitted, "I can only pretend to be better than her as long as she hasn't heard me sing. Oh well, it'll have been fun while it lasted. You're the jock who suddenly sings showtunes. And aren't you Quinn's...?" She trailed off.
"Sure." Puck said flatly.
"You've got to be a good guy to be a good dad."
"Who asked you?" He snapped.
"Look, I know you're wondering why it never works out for you. Sure you're a guy, you're a teenager, you're a pig. But that's just destined for failure, you can't just decide to be a good dad without changing everything else." Parker insisted.
"You don't know what you're talking about. My dad left us, way back. He's a deadbeat. I wouldn't be like that, I'd be a good dad."
"I believe you." Parker said quietly, "But think about it this way: part of what made you're dad a bad father, was what made him a bad husband. He left his wife, and his kids, that's important."
"You're judging me." Puck accused.
"Damn straight."
"I'm not listening." Puck said, staring at the opposite bleacher pointedly.
"Yes you are." Parker said, "Even if you don't think I'm right, you know I might be, but then you'd have to change." Puck didn't answer, he didn't look at her. Parker crossed her arms, "I see, you're like everyone else in this town, you've created this perfect scenario about what you want even though it could never come true. You can't be a father if you're like this forever. Every single one of you! Nothing will work out like you want it, no one here accepts that, everyone overreacts and understates and misses the big pictures."
"Our own perfect worlds." Puck repeated, "I kind of like the way you put it."
"Quinn's in yours." Parker observed.
"But I'm not in hers." Puck sighed.
"But if you were, do you think you'd like it very much?"
"Probably not."
"We'd all hate being in each other's worlds, that's why no one's life is perfect." Parker said.
"And if we can't change..." Puck glared at the sun. Suddenly he stood, "Come on."
"Where?" Parker asked, getting up to follow him.
"The band guys are rehearsing in the auditorium this hour."
"What, we're going to go sing about our feelings?" Parker asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Damn straight."
Puck ((Parker)) Both
"A freak of nature
Stuck in reality
I don't fit the picture
I'm not what you want me to be
Sorry
Under the radar
Out of the system
Caught in the spotlight
That's my existence
You want me to change
But all I feel is…
Strange, strange
In your perfect world
So strange, strange
I feel so absurd in this life
Don't come closer
In my arms,
Forever you'll be strange, strange
((You want to fix me, push me
Into your fantasy
You try to give me, sell me
A new personality
You try to lift me
I don't get better
What's making you happy
Is making me sadder))
In your golden cage
All I feel is strange, strange
In your perfect world
So strange strange
I feel so absurd in this life
Don't come closer
In my arms
Forever you'll be strange, strange
Like me
Strange ((When you touch me))
Strange ((When you kill me))
Strange ((All I feel is strange))
In my dreams together,
We'll be…
((Strange, strange
In your perfect world)) strange
Strange! ((I am so strange)),
Strange! ((I am so strange))
Strange, strange
In your perfect world
So strange, strange
I feel so absurd in this life
Don't come closer
You'll die slowly
In my arms,
Forever you'll be strange, strange
Like me…"
Parker and Puck faced the empty seats, their microphones still in their hands. Behind them, the band was putting down their instruments, getting ready for third period.
"Third period is Spanish." Parker panted, "I should go, Mr. Schuester will notice." She went to the back of the stage, picked up her bag and left with Puck still staring after her.
"You look depressed." Parker said lightly, sliding onto a bench where Quinn was sitting by herself after school. Quinn glanced at her.
"I am." She said, "My life is falling apart."
"Please." Parker muttered, "You don't even know what that's like."
"And I suppose you do?" Quinn snapped. Parker just stared her down.
"How are you going to change?" Parker asked.
"Pardon?"
"For the kid." She gestured to Quinn's stomach,"You can't be a sulky teenage mother for all of it's life."
"I don't even know what I'm going to do about the baby yet." Quinn's eyes lowered to her baby bulge, "I can't raise it by myself, I can't let Puck be the father."
"Could be worse." Parker said, when Quinn raised her eyebrows Parker clarified, "The two of you could do a lot worse than Puck."
"Barely."
"Trust me on this." Parker insisted, "If you're waiting for the perfect guy to raise your baby with you'll be waiting a long time."
"Decent would do." Quinn muttered.
"I'll say." Parker studied Quinn's face, "I didn't mean to offend you, if I did. I actually like you, you're going about this bravely. I'm just blunt."
"Everyone needs a friend who's straightforward." Quinn said, "I haven't had anyone for a while. Say what you like, reality actually makes me feel better."
"I was just talking to Puck earlier, and I said basically the same thing. We can't all fit into each other's perfect worlds, and everyone around here can't accept that those perfect lives aren't real. And they never will be. You've been hurting people's feelings."
"I'm pregnant! I got knocked up by this jerk when I was dating a great guy." Quinn lamented.
"Is that supposed to make me feel sorry for you?" Parker asked.
"Apparently not."
"The way I see it, you screwed up. You screwed up big and now you're dealing with it. I'm a huge believer in living out mistakes and taking the lessons. As such, this was your own fault. I'd hate to say it but you kind of deserve it."
"And you don't think my life's falling apart?"
"Not even a little."
"Finn broke up with me, everyone hates me, Puck's a jerk. I can't take care of this kid and I'm living with Puck and it's horrible."
"Living with Puck?" Parker asked at the new information.
"My dad kicked me out. When he found out he set the timer and sent me packing." Quinn sighed, waiting for another reprimand from Parker. But Parker's eyes softened.
"Your dad, huh?"
"Yep." Quinn said. Parker observed Quinn kindly.
"Now." She said, "Now that makes me feel bad for you."
Shorter than usual, oh well. I love Puck so much!
The song from this chapter was "Strange" by Tokio Hotel featuring Kerli, I had this song in mind for those two since I first started thinking about writing this story. LISTEN TO IT! I really like it.
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