Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any of the recognizable characters. They belong to Fox and I do not have enough money to buy them so I can only borrow. Angel, however, is mine and no one is allowed to borrow her.
~.~.~.~.~
Puck looked around the stands, there were ten minutes until the game began and he still couldn't see Angel and Rachel. His eyes roved the stands and they met Quinn's. She caught his questioning gaze and she looked around the group of Glee kids and shrugged, "I don't know," she mouthed to him, shaking her head.
But the second he looked away from the blonde his eyes found what he was looking for; a short brunette and a girl with auburn hair were walking down the stairs toward the rest of the Glee kids. He smiled and Angel's answering grin was enough to let him know that she was truly happy to be there.
"Good luck!" Angel screamed, cupping her hands around her mouth to make sure that the sound of her scream traveled across the field.
Puck laughed, and shook his head, opening his mouth to scream his thanks back to her, but coach Tanaka beat him to the yelling, "Puckerman!" he yelled, "Get back on the field and start practicing!"
Angel started giggling as she watched Tanaka yell at Puck, "So they take football here very seriously, huh?" she asked as she sat down between Quinn and Rachel.
"You have no idea," Quinn laughed, "And no one understands it because their team completely sucks," she said with a shrug.
"Not like the Cheerios," Rachel said, "They're the real reason people come to the football games, to watch the cheer leaders."
"Well that's what it's like at most schools," Angel laughed before she turned around to look at Quinn, "Do you miss being a Cheerio?" she asked, "You had already quit by the time I got here, but I've looked in old year books and you looked like you had so much fun."
Quinn shrugged, "It was a lot of fun," she admitted, "Thanks for reminding me of what I'm now missing out on."
"Oh God!" Angel gasped, "I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to do that, I was just wondering. Forget I asked. I really am sorry."
"Oh chill out," Quinn laughed, waving her hand and gently placing it on Angel's shoulder for a brief second, "I was joking. I do miss it," she said with a slow nod, "But I'm having more fun with Glee than I ever had with the Cheerios. Just don't tell any of them," she added with a conspiratorial wink.
"So why do you miss them?" Angel asked, honestly not understanding what there was to miss.
"They were my family," Quinn said with a shrug, "They were a fake and superficial family, but they were my family for two years."
"And Glee's not your family?" Angel asked, trying to figure out what was going on in this girl's head, "I mean you've been with them for almost a year and a half."
"Glee is my family," Quinn said with a sigh and a small smile, "But I don't know, there's something different about the Cheerios from Glee. Cheerios kept me on my toes, I was never honestly comfortable with my position in Cheerios. And that whole, being on my toes thing, all the time, it was kind of fun. Does that make sense?"
Angel nodded, "No, that makes some sense. I used to love that about New York."
"What's New York like?" Quinn asked, "I've only been once and it was for a Cheerios competition we didn't really get to see much of New York."
"It's okay," Angel said with a shrug, "I mean it's not everything that the TV shows make it up to be, Gossip Girl lies. But it's a lot of fun, there's always something to do, somewhere to go, and someone new to hang out with."
"Did you ever go to movie premieres?" Quinn asked, leaning forward, trying to show just how interested she was in what she was asking.
"I mean I never got into them," Angel said, "But I'd stalk them," she admitted with a laugh, "I'd show up early and get as close as possible to the red carpet. I got Chris Pine's autograph once."
"Chris Pine?" Quinn asked, "Who's he?"
"Who's he? Who's he?" Angel asked, "He was Captain Kirk in the newest Star Trek movie. He's amazingly hot for an old guy."
"An old guy?" Rachel asked, "Isn't he like only thirty?"
"That's old," Angel said with a shrug, "Too old for me! But I like looking at him. I could honestly stare at that man all day and still not get enough."
"Anyone you like a bit closer to home?" Quinn asked, all of the Glee kids were taking bets on how long it would take Puck and Angel to start dating. She figured that she could do some recon for Puck.
"Not really," Angel said, not sure if she was lying or not as she followed Quinn's gaze onto the football field, "But it seems that someone has some interest closer to home," Angel teased, bumping her shoulder into Quinn's.
"Finn?" Quinn asked with a shrug, "Our time has passed."
"You're not happy about that," Angel pointed out, hearing the sadness in Quinn's voice, "What's up?"
"I'm pretty sure that Finn was the one for me," Quinn whispered as the football game started, "But I messed it up, like really messed it up."
"Forgiveness is a funny thing," Angel said in a voice that she thought resembled what fortune cookie writers sounded like.
"Whatever you say," Quinn said, rolling her eyes, "Now, I'm pretty sure that Puck wants you to start watching the game again."
"I hadn't been watching it to begin with," Angel laughed as she turned toward the field and waved at Puck to let him know that she was watching him.
"I've never seen Puck get so into someone," Kurt whispered to Mercedes as he ran his fingers through Rachel's hair, fixing it, "Did you see the way his face lit up when she came strolling down those stairs?"
"More like strutting," Mercedes laughed, "Girl knew she had style."
"Are you talking about me?" Angel asked, leaning her head back to look at her two friends.
"Yes we are, darling," Kurt laughed, "You look amazing."
"Can we talk about Rachel for a second?" Angel asked, putting her hands on Rachel's shoulders and giving her a small shake, "After making a pilgrimage through my closet she looks totally amazing."
"Pilgrimage?" Tina asked, "How big is this closet?"
"The size of a normal college dorm," Rachel laughed, "And it comes color coded with its own map."
"A map?" Kurt asked, raising his eyebrows, "I need to see this masterpiece."
"Finally!" Angel squealed, clapping her hands together excitedly, "Finally someone who understands what a work of art my closet is!"
Quinn laughed before she turned to look at the field, "Does anyone know what's going on down there?" she asked, pointing to the field.
"You mean you cheered at these games for like two years and you don't know how the game's played?" Angel laughed, "Don't worry," she said when she saw Quinn shake her head, "I don't know how to play either. All I know is that Finn is the quarterback, he throws the ball and hopes he doesn't get tackled."
"But he always gets tackled," Rachel pointed out as Finn hit the ground again, "Is that his fault or the teams fault?"
"The team's fault," Kurt interrupted from behind them, "They're supposed to protect their quarterback not let him get sacked or whatever they call it."
"And what happens when Puck gets the ball?" Angel asked, pointing to the field, but no one was paying attention.
"Puck's the running back," Kurt explained, "If he gets the ball he tries to run to the end zone and tries to score."
"Like now?" Angel asked, "Like right now?"
"What?" Kurt asked as everyone turned to the field, "They never score touchdowns!"
"Looks like they're going to tonight!" Angel screamed, standing up and clapping her hands together, "Go Puck!"
Everyone in the stands stood up and began cheering; if Puck scored the touchdown it would be the first one of the season, and to be honest probably the only one of the season. Just before Puck got to the touchdown line someone from the other team tackled him, "Oh no," Angel moaned, but everyone else in the stands started cheering. "What's going on?" Angel asked, "He got tackled!"
"But look at the ball!" Quinn yelled, wrapping her arms Angel's shoulders, "He passed the line and kept control of the ball! It counts as a touchdown!"
"Oh my God!" Angel laughed, hugging Quinn and jumping up and down, "Yay!"
Puck pushed himself off the ground and smiled, pumping his fist into the air before turning toward the stands and pointing at Angel with a laugh. Angel started clapping, "Whoo Puck!" she screamed.
"So what did you think of the game?" Puck asked after the game as the Glee Club kids went to the local pizza place for dinner.
"Best game I've ever seen," Quinn admitted with a friendly smile, "Good job, Puck."
"It was all about my good luck kiss," Puck chuckled as he reached out, wrapped his arm around Angel's waist and pulled her into his lap as she walked by.
"Whoa!" Angel giggled as she stumbled into Puck's lap, "It wasn't really the kiss, was it?" she added as she wrapped her arms around his neck and wiggled around until she had found a comfortable spot on his lap. Puck took a deep intake of breath and tried to think about things that didn't turn him on as Angel wiggled around; Finn couldn't help but laugh when he caught the look on Puck's face. Puck turned toward Finn's laughter and smiled, he even threw in a conspiratorial wink.
"No," he laughed, "It wasn't just your kiss, although I'm pretty sure that played a big part. But I'm pretty sure that Finn's amazing pass played a big part in the touch down."
"Congrats, Finn!" Angel cheered, clapping her hands and bouncing in Puck's lap.
"So that hurts," Puck whispered, placing his hands on Angel's hips to keep her from bouncing and trying to imagine his mother shaving her legs.
"Thanks Angel," Finn laughed as he took a bite out of his slice of pizza, "And you kissed Puck?" he added, wondering if Angel had finally realized that she wasn't unkissable and gotten the first kiss that she had been stressing so much about.
"On the forehead," Rachel said with a laugh, glancing over at Puck and Angel, her smile softening a bit as she watched them fighting over the last piece of a bread stick, they would've made a cute couple, and from the looks on everyone else's faces at the table they thought so too.
Rachel smiled at them, "Well guys I'm going to go home. I need to get a good amount of sleep before our show tomorrow. Angel can you get a ride home? Or should you leave with me?"
"I've got her covered," Puck said, wrapping his arms around Angel's waist, "Don't worry Berry."
"Who said I wanted to go home with you?" Angel asked with a laugh as she gently shoved Puck's shoulder, "That's not cool."
"Well do you want to ride home with me?" Puck asked, leaning his head back so that he could get a good view of Angel's face.
She scrunched up her face and wiggled her nose, "I don't know," she said with a smile, "Are you going to share your pizza crust with me?"
"Pizza crust?" Puck asked with a laugh, "That's all it takes to get you into a car? Pizza crust? I thought you were smarter than that!"
"Well it's not like you're some strange guy that's trying to lure me into your crazy rape van," Angel said with a giggle, grabbing Puck's crust and taking a bite out of it with a cheeky smile, "You're just some random guy from high school that wants to bring me home."
"Be careful," Quinn said with a soft, friendly smile, "Trusting Puck too much can lead to dangerous things."
Angel laughed at Quinn's joking warning, but Puck didn't, "Thanks Quinn," he muttered as he gently lifted Angel off his lap and walked away.
"What's up with him?" Angel asked, jerking her finger over her shoulder to point at Puck, "Why's he so angry?"
"I shouldn't have said that," Quinn sighed, placing her napkin on the table, "He thinks I was talking about Beth."
"Oh no!" Angel said with a sigh, "I mean you didn't mean it that way did you?"
Quinn laughed, "I may be mean sometimes, but even I'm not that much of a bitch. I should go talk to him, I'll be back."
Angel nodded and started talking to some of the other Glee kids as Quinn went off to follow Puck out of the pizza restaurant.
An hour later she was still waiting, Finn had gotten up to go check on Quinn and Puck and when he came back he sat down next to Angel with a pitying smile on his face, "How about I drive you home, Ang?" he asked, gently placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Did he leave?" Angel asked as she flopped onto the table and put her arms around her head, trying to avoid making eye contact with Finn.
"Yes, I think so," Finn said with a nod and a sad smile.
"Does he always send you to clean up his messes?" Angel asked with a harsh laugh, lifting her head enough to fix Finn with a sad look.
"We're not really friends anymore," Finn said with a shrug, "And I wouldn't call you a mess."
"Thanks," Angel said with a small nod, "That's really nice of you, Finn."
"It's the truth," Finn said with a shrug, "And he's going to realize that and regret leaving you here tomorrow morning. Now I should get you home, Mr. Shue said we should get a lot of sleep tonight."
"Thank you," Angel said with a nod as she stood up and followed Finn out of the pizza place.
"You'd do the same for me," Finn said with another shrug, gently grabbing Angel's hand and giving it a small squeeze, "It's only fair."
Angel smiled up at the tall man standing next to her, he was a simple kind of guy, but that's what made him such a great guy. He honestly cared about people and it was though it hadn't entered his head that because of his looks and his talent it was socially acceptable for him to be an asshole.
"What are you smiling about?" Finn asked, opening the passenger door for Angel, "You were frowning like twenty seconds ago."
Angel shrugged as she climbed into the seat, and buckled herself in, "I guess you just make me happy, Hudson."
Finn smiled as he started the car, "Well that's good."
"Angel!" Puck called when she walked into the backstage area behind the elementary school stage, "Can I talk to you about yesterday?"
"It's okay," Angel said with a shrug, "You were upset, it's understandable, I get it."
"You're not upset?" Puck asked, honestly surprised, "Like, you're really not angry?"
"Seriously," Angel said with a laugh as she tried to zip up the back of her dress, "Can you help me?" she asked, turning her back toward Puck.
"Yeah, sure," Puck said with a nod, "No problem," he couldn't help but smile when he noticed the goosebumps that rose on Angel's skin where he had touched her, "There you go."
"Thanks," Angel said with a giggle as she ran off toward the other girls so that someone could help her with her hair.
"Puck?" Finn called from behind him.
"Yeah?" Puck asked, turning around with a questioning look on his face as he turned to look at Finn, the guy he hadn't honestly talked to in about a year.
"I need to tell you something," Finn said, sticking his hands in his pockets.
"What?" Puck asked, "What do you need to talk about, Hudson?"
"Don't ever do that again," Finn threatened in an almost menacing tone, "Don't ever leave her hanging around waiting for you. She says she's not angry now, but she was hurt last night. I'm not going to clean up your messes again."
"This isn't any of your business," Puck growled.
"She's my friend, so yes it is," Finn reminded him before walking away.
"Okay guys!" Will cried, clapping his hands together, "The concert starts in a few minutes, so no more talking, I want you guys to focus."
"Hey Angel?" Puck asked in a whisper as he walked up behind her when she was fixing the red bow on top of her head.
"We're not supposed to be talking," Angel whispered back, throwing him a smile to let him know that she was joking.
"I was just wondering if you needed a ride home after the concert?" Puck asked, knowing it was a long shot that she would say yes to that.
"I don't know," Angel giggled, "Are you going to leave me waiting for you again?"
"No," Puck said shaking his head, "That was a mistake that I don't plan on repeating ever again."
"That's good to hear," Angel said with a soft smile, "Then, in that case, I would love a ride home."
"Good," Puck laughed, "I was hoping I wouldn't have to lure you into my truck with pizza crust or something."
"Ha ha ha," Angel laughed before standing up on her tip toes to kiss him on the cheek, "Good luck, Puckerman."
"What was that for?" Puck asked as Angel started to walk away toward her side of the stage to line up for the show.
"It worked for your game," Angel said with a shrug and a smile, "Figured it might work for the concert too. Stupid, huh?"
"It's not really that stupid," Puck said, shaking his head, "I like it."
"You only like it because you got a kiss," Angel said with a laugh before turning away from him and getting into her spot in line.
Puck laughed and shook his head, getting into line himself, she had no idea how much he liked it.
The kids were getting close to the end of their set list. They were about to sing the last song before Angel's mash-up. This one was Angel's favorite, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?"
[Rachel:] "I can see what's happening
[Finn:] What?
[Rachel:] And they don't have a clue
[Finn:] Who?
[Rachel:] They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line
Our trio's down to two.
[Finn:] Oh.
[Rachel:] Ze sweet caress of twilight
There's magic everywhere
And with all this romantic atmosphere
Disaster's in the air
[All:] Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living things
[Puck:] So many things to tell her
But how to make her see
The truth about my past? Impossible!
She'd turn away from me
[Angel:] He's holding back, he's hiding
But what, I can't decide
Why won't he be the king I know he is
The king I see inside?
[All:] Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living things
Can you feel the love tonight?
You needn't look too far
Stealing through the night's uncertainties
Love is where they are
[Rachel:] And if he falls in love tonight
It can be assumed
[Finn:] His carefree days with us are history
[Rachel & Finn:] In short, our pal is doomed"
Angel and Puck, who had sung the parts of Simba and Nala for all of the other songs, had been separated from the rest of the group for the song grabbed each other's hands and walked slowly toward the rest of the club.
"You were great," Puck whispered, leaning in so that she could hear him.
"I know," Angel giggled with a cheeky smile, "I always am."
"Self confidence is definitely not your problem, huh?" Puck laughed as they got back into their places for the mash-up.
"Would you have a self confidence problem if you were me?" Angel joked in a whisper.
"No," Puck laughed, shaking his head, "No I wouldn't," he added as the instrumental for the mash up started.
~.~.~.~.~
Author's Note: Hey guys! If it isn't obvious already, I'm back from Australia! And it was amazing!
So, now I'm back to updating again. Are you guys happy?
If you are, show some love by reviewing!
I really hope you liked this chapter, I know that many of you were hoping that the game would bring Puck and Angel together.
And when I was first writing this chapter it almost did, but then I made the executive decision that it was too early for that.
I mean they've only known each other for like, a month. (Puts that in perspective, huh?)
Well, like I said before, I really hope that you guys liked this chapter.
Please review to let me know what you guys think! I love feedback.
And until next time, Happy Reading!
xoxo,
Brook