Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! This is my first story :)
Puck is thirteen. He's had a growth spurt recently and the sleeves of his jacket don't quite reach his wrists--his mother laughs now when she has to look up at him. There are no bruises. He is on the school playground after school waiting for Finn so they can go play baseball. He leans up against the fence and surveys his domain, watching the younger kids without interest. A few of the 8th grade girls pass by and smile at him and he nods back at them with a little grin. Life is easy for him and he tells himself that it always has been.
At the bottom end of the playground a few of the 6th graders seem to be getting into it. He sees a shrieking circle of girls tossing around a pink backpack. Whatever.
Another group of 8th grade girls approach him. There is a whispered consultation and one of them is thrust by the others in his direction. Santana. Damn, she's hot. At the other end of the playground, Puck watches idly as a dark little head bobs in the center of the group trying to catch the backpack.
"Hey." says Santana.
"Hey" says Puck. She angles her body a little closer to him, but he can still see the group at the bottom of the playground.
"A group of us are going to the movies on Saturday afternoon. You and Finn should come too." Behind her, the entire group of girls was convulsed in giggles.
He shrugs and says "Maybe. We're supposed to be doing some stuff." He straightens up a little and says, "What's going on down there?" gesturing to the 6th graders.
Santana turns, looks and says with a little laugh, "That's just that little freak Rachel Berry." She takes another half step towards him and the girls erupt into giggles again. He glances over. Quinn Fabray is almost doubled over. "So, Saturday, the Majestic, 1:00" she says and with a flirtatious smile she heads back to the group.
But Puck is watching the sixth graders. The circle has parted and Puck sees someone new. Josh Holland now has the backpack high above his head. Standing in front of him with her hands on her hips is the little dark haired girl. What was it? Rachel?
What the hell is Holland doing here? Puck wonders. He's in high school now. Puck tries to decide if he should tell Holland to get the hell off his playground. If anyone was going to terrorize the 6th graders in this school it would be him. Just then Holland drops the backpack and shoves the kid to the ground hard. Without thinking, Puck pushes himself off the fence and takes three steps, but just then the Assistant Principal arrives. The rest of the kids scatter and she gets up and gathers up her stuff and leaves. Puck can't tell from here if she is crying.
Finn shows up. They play baseball. Three days later, Puck picks a fight with Josh Holland at the park and beats the crap out of him. When his mom asks why all Puck can do is say "He's an asshole."