Okay, so I know that there were several errors in the previous chapter. I don't have a beta and sometimes I don't take the time to reread my work, so my apologies. I will try to make sure and reread my chapters, but no promises. When they are getting up to 15 or 20 pages a chapter, I can't seem to will myself to reread them before I post them. So I apologize again for any mistakes I don't catch.
Thank you for all the reviews! I got twice as many from this chapter as the first, so yay! I would still love more, but I'll take what I can get . I hope you guys continue to enjoy the story and keep those reviews coming! To Mikachu, Shay, and Meg: Thanks for reviewing and sorry I couldn't send you a private message. I hope you guys will keep enjoying the story and leaving comments! They make me happy!
Disclaimer: Once more, I do not own anything related to Glee, the Glee cast, or any songs used in this piece of work.
Chapter 3: Whirlwind Weeks
(Thursday of Vitamin D week)
"What the hell do you think you're wearing Manhands?" Quinn screeched, pulling roughly on Rachel's new Cheerio book bag so the shorter girl almost fell backwards. She straightened up and turned to regard the captain of the Cherries, trying to stay as calm as possible. She wasn't sure exactly what had changed with her in the last two weeks, but Rachel couldn't seem to hold in her temper any longer. She didn't know if it was the never ending teasing and abuse or her simply maturing, but Rachel could already feel her anger rising in the pit of her stomach.
"Well obviously I am wearing a Cheerios uniform Quinn. It's the exact same as yours, so I would hope you would know what it was." She tried to spin back around, but Quinn had a death grip on her shoulder and Santana looked like she would step in to prevent her from moving anyhow.
"Don't be smart with me RuPaul! Why are you wearing this? Did you steal it from someone? Did you think you could go under the radar if you had one of our outfits on, since yours are so hideous?" Rachel rolled her eyes at the pregnant girl, wishing she had made it to her first period before running into any of the Cheerios.
"I certainly did not steal anything Quinn Fabray! Coach Sylvester gave me it yesterday upon my acceptance of her request that I join the squad."
"You're a Cheerio? I thought you were a hobbit." Brittany's airy voice sounded from behind Quinn, causing Rachel to peer around the blond girl to see the other glee Cheerio. Brittany had a confused look on her face and was staring at Rachel as if she had never seen her before.
"Yes Brittany, I am officially a Cheerio now. If you would please release me, I must get to first period." Rachel attempted to pull away from Quinn's grip, but the head cheerleader held on tighter before pushing Rachel roughly against the wall.
"Don't think for one minute that this makes you one of us. You'll never be popular or liked or accepted. You'll always be a loser, no matter what you try to do to change that. What, you thought hitting a hockey player, avoiding slushies, and joining the Cheerios would make you anything other than a geek? I hate to disappoint you…wait, no I don't. You'll always be at the bottom of the hierarchy here, so you mine as well take off that uniform, because no one wants you on the team." Quinn bit out, continuously pushing Rachel roughly against the wall with each of her points. She finally released the small girl and stepped back, confident she had put the dweeb back where she belonged.
"Well, I regret to inform you, but I am not quitting the Cheerios. Coach Sylvester has made it clear that she wants me on the team, and I will not disappoint her by quitting before the first practice." Rachel responded as she tried to getting the wrinkles out of her shirt from Quinn's rough handling.
"Don't say we didn't warn you RuPaul. We'll make your life so miserable that you won't be able to wait to take that uniform off. You'll soon learn that imposters never last long in these outfits." Quinn's voice had gone a little menacing, her usually pretty face distorted into one of anger. She snapped at the two Cheerios behind her before walking past Rachel, jamming her with her shoulder just for good measure. Rachel rubbed the spot that Quinn had hit while she watched the three walk away, surprised when she saw Brittany look back at her for a moment before disappearing into the crowd.
Becoming aware once more of her surroundings, Rachel saw most of the hallway's occupants staring at her and gossiping about the encounter they had witnessed. She held her head up high before straightening her clothes and bag and moving off to first period, not letting anyone see that Quinn's words had hurt her feelings. She would rise above such behavior, as she was going to be a star. And Quinn, well, she was going to be a teenage mother who would never get out of Ohio.
Rachel felt a surge of guilt at the thought, especially considering the speech she had given yesterday. She just couldn't understand why Quinn hated her so much. Sure, she had tried to become romantic with Quinn's boyfriend, but when he chose Quinn, Rachel figured the other girl would have let it go; apparently she had been dead wrong. She was startled out of her thoughts when someone plopped down beside her at the table. Rachel looked up to see Kurt sitting there, staring at her in astonishment.
"Hello Kurt. I have not seen you in a while. I don't think all the chairs are full, if you would wish for me to move." She said, figuring the boy would demand she find a different seat. She was stopped from closing her notebook by the girlish hands of her classmate.
"No Rachel, you're fine. I actually wanted to talk to you, but I just got sidetracked with your new uniform. So, you're actually on the Cheerios?" Kurt's voice, while appearing to be friendly, had an undercurrent of disbelief and slight anger.
"Yes Kurt, I am officially part of the Cheerios. Why is that such a surprise? You're on the football team. So was that what you wanted to speak with me about?"
"Ah, no. I…well a lot of us wanted to thank you for what you said yesterday in the quad. Not many people, if any, are willing to defend us in public; we appreciate you doing so. Even our own members, like Finn, probably won't ever publically come to Glee's, or its members', aid."
"Well, you're welcome Kurt. Although I was only being honest, so it was not as if it was that great of a task to take on. Plus, up until recently, I was a member of the Glee club, so I don't like it when people tear the club down." Any further conversation was cut off as the teacher began the lesson for the day. When the bell rang, Kurt was prevented from asking about how she got on the Cheerios because Rachel was already walking out the door by the time he got his things together.
/*/
When the lunch bell rang, Rachel sighed in relief. She had just endured a tortuous period, with Quinn sitting behind her and glaring holes in her head. This wasn't helped by the fact that the girl had started blowing spit balls at her head, which Rachel thought was not only disgusting, but extremely childish. She had always envied the beautiful girl, both for her looks and her popularity, but Rachel was surprised that the teen would stoop to such juvenile actions. The respect and envy Rachel had possessed for Quinn was drastically diminished by the end of the period.
Once the bell sounded, Quinn pushed past her roughly, which Rachel thought was another stupid move, because of the life growing inside of her. She knew that a little rough treatment to Quinn's body, as from being rough with someone else, wouldn't harm it, but Rachel figured the teen should be as careful as possible. Taking the time to remove all the balls from her hair, Rachel pulled out the travel brush she took with her everywhere and brushed her hair out before putting it back in the pony tail. Once assured she looked fine, Rachel headed out towards her locker, planning to grab her packed lunch to eat outside.
She was just exchanging her books when she felt a large warm hand sneak around her waist. Startled, she spun around quickly, catching the locker door with her injured hand. She winced when the metal hit her, before looking up into the deep hazel eyes of Puck. She let out an exacerbated breath, not understanding why he had suddenly become so interested in her. Sure, she had used his name in her speech, and let him wrap her hand, but she hadn't done anything to gain his attention. Or at least, Rachel didn't think she did; but by the way he was smirking down at her, she had to guess that she had done something, even when she didn't know what.
"Good afternoon Noah. Is there something I can help you with, or would you just like to stand in my personal space for a few more minutes?" Puck's smirk seemed to get even more pronounced, which Rachel was shocked she couldn't stop staring at, especially when his tongue poked out to wet his bottom lip.
"I like the second option Berry. I think I will stay in your "personal space" for a little while longer." His voice was gruff, and Rachel could swear it literally skimmed over her skin, causing her body to start tingling. Trying to get her mind away from inappropriate thoughts, Rachel rolled her eyes at the boy before turning again to grab her lunch and zip up her bag. But turning when there was very little space between her, the locker, and Puck meant that her entire body brushed against his with her movements.
"Ah baby, do that again." Rachel fought off a shiver as his lips grazed her ear, his hot breath tickling the sensitive skin. She had to take a deep breath before turning again, not letting him know who much she was enjoying his body brushing against hers. This was Noah Puckerman, the cougar sex god, and Rachel did not want to let him pull her into one of his games. Adopting an expression of indifference, Rachel tried to push against his chest, but it was like trying to move a stone wall. With that thought, Rachel couldn't help but appreciate the hard muscles under her hand, and she had to stop herself from caressing his chest, know that would just make him smirk more.
"Noah, I would really like to eat lunch before third period starts, so if you could go try and work your charms on someone else, I would appreciate it."
"Now, Berry, that's just not nice. You show up to school in this…outfit and expect the guys not to be all over you?" Puck questioned as he ran a hand down her side, making her shiver. He grinned back at her and she narrowed her eyes.
"Of course I expected that Noah. This outfit is not that much more revealing than any of my others. My arms are the only things that are shown that I usually have sleeves to cover up. The skirt is an appropriate length to cover and allow for movement." She huffed out.
"Oh, I love the skirt, I promise. But it just looks so much shorter than the other girls' that people are going to wonder if you'll flash them if you bend over."
"You are a pig Puckerman! The only reason this skirt is smaller is because I'm smaller! You can't have a 5'3 person wear the same skirt length as a 5'6 girl, it would be down to her knees. Honestly!" Rachel redoubled her efforts to push him away, but with her hurt hand and his solid build, she couldn't even budge him. He was about to make another suggestive remark when he saw her wince as she attempted to push him away.
"Is your hand alright? Let me see." Rachel tried to pull her hand away, but Puck was already unwrapping it gently. She cringed as the bones shifted with the movement and glared at Noah's Mohawk, blaming him for the pain since she had already rewrapped it for the day. He gave a low whistle when he saw the black and blue bruising, knowing it must hurt like a bitch.
"You should really get this looked at B. I told you that I wasn't sure if anything was cracked or fractured. Now that you're a Cheerio, you're going to need to be able to use your hands, and I don't know how quickly this will heal if you don't get it looked at properly." Rachel was touched by the sincerity in his voice as he started to rewrap her hand.
"I don't want the nurse asking any questions. I really don't want to get expelled."
"If you were going to get kicked out, trust me, you'd already have been. No one is willing to fess up to what happened, so you should be fine." Puck murmured quietly as he clipped the bandage before stepping back, the mood obviously no longer that of flirting. Rachel bit her lip before she thanked him and the two parted ways, Rachel looking back every so often at the distancing figure, completely confused at his actions.
First, she didn't understand why he seemed hell-bent on flirting with her, as he had made it his mission to throw slushies in her face before he joined Glee; and then she didn't understand the clear concern he had for her when he wrapped her injury. Shaking her head in confusion and trying to clear her mind, especially as a headache was clearly on the horizon, Rachel made her way out a side door, taking her place on a lonely bench that was her lunch table.
/*/
The rest of the day was uneventful for Rachel, except the death glares she encountered anytime she ran into a Cheerio in class or in the hallways. Obviously Quinn Fabray had been to work, making sure that not one member of the team was welcoming to Rachel Berry. She was sure that the girl, who always wanted to be liked and admired, would not be able to put up with the disdain and insults for very long. This thinking was obviously flawed, however, as Rachel had been getting teased and bullied since her first day in high school, so she was well prepared to simply ignore the team's remarks and actions.
The first Cheerios practice was very boring for most, as they had to wait for the freak to learn the routines. Many of the girls didn't understand why their coach would chance their championship with a girl who was obviously not fit to be a cheerleader. Sure, she seemed to be able to dance and pick up the routines quickly, but her injured hand prevented her from learning the tricks the more advanced girls performed. They just knew that having the geek on the squad would hurt their chances of winning, as the judges would definitely see her subpar skills.
For her part, Rachel ignored the hostile looks and tried to pick up the routines as quickly as possible. She was confident she had most of the dance elements down, but she was worried her hand wouldn't be healed in time to learn the tricks before their next meet. But she was determined to show everyone that she was not going to be an embarrassment, so she decided to see go to the doctor before her hand got any worse. To her surprise, however, Coach Sylvester pulled her aside at the end of practice and told her to go see the doctor the Cheerios use, who was on call night and day. Rachel was so surprised to be given the gift of a free doctor's appointment that she just stared at her coach before nodding dumbly.
The doctor, thankfully, had confirmed Noah's estimation that nothing was broken or fractured. He gave her a sling, however, because he said that she should avoid using it to the best of her ability, and he said that the ace bandage wasn't giving her the proper amount of protection. One pink sling later and Rachel was headed home, with a prescription for some mild main relievers that she probably would not take, as she didn't like to take prescriptions.
/*/
The next week was more of the same, with Rachel trying to avoid being alone with any Cheerio, as they had started pushing roughly against her, trying to injure her hand further. She had started hunching her shoulders when in crowded hallways, trying to protect the healing appendage as best she could from the constant stream of traffic and bullying. Rachel hadn't expected to become instantly popular, but she was surprise at the hostility that her fellow cheerleaders were showing her, which she thought was extremely childish. How they expected to win a championship when they couldn't work together, Rachel didn't know. She just hoped that they somehow got past their anger before it was too late.
(Friday of Throwdown week)
One surprising thing that did happen during the week occurred on Friday, when she had spotted Puck marching down the hallway, a Big Quench cup in his hands. She couldn't believe he would renegade on his new behavior so quickly. Deciding she would face the humiliation head on, Rachel marched up to him, until she caused him to come to a halt, not wanting to hit her arm.
"Really Noah? I thought you were better than this. I thought you were finally changing, becoming a better person. I thought you had learned you don't have to be a bully to run this school. Well go ahead then, hit me with it. But I promise you, this is going to be more painful for you than me." Rachel snapped, completely infuriated with him. She threw her arms out in the universal signal to go ahead, but Puck just looked at her like she was crazy.
"I'm not going to slushie you Berry. Now stop causing a scene and get out of my way." Rachel looked confused until she followed his gaze, which was glued to a small freshman boy who was struggling with his books. Rachel slapped her hand on his chest, not willing to let him go any further, even if she knew she couldn't physically prevent his movements.
"I am not going to allow you to bully that poor boy. He hasn't done anything to you, and you're just trying to be mean. But you just look like…a douche bag for attacking someone so much smaller than you. You might not be physically hurting him, but what you're trying to do will emotionally scare him for life." Puck gave a loud sigh, his irritation with the small girl evident.
"Berry, I'm not trying to be a good person. I'm not a good person. After our encounters, I thought you would have learned that." Rachel shook her head and leaned forward, sure he didn't want the audience they had to hear her next words.
"You are changing, Noah. While you will probably never be…a saint (Rachel let a small laugh at the mere thought), you're not that mean guy anymore. So what if you're not picking on people anymore? It's not like that one aspect of high school is going to define who you are. Wouldn't you rather be someone others want to be, one others want to be friends with? I know you want everyone to fear you, but…I think respect is a much better option over fear. Respect can get you to get away with a lot of things, while fear only last so long until people learn to get over it."
"Berry-"
"I know you will deny being nice until you're blue in the face. But the guy who took care of me last week, the one who has kept the hockey players away from me, that's who you really are." Puck shifted his gaze, not wanting to meet hers. He had thought she hadn't seen him as he had intercept all the hockey players from approaching her, which tended to end in fights. Rachel gave a small smile at his embarrassed face.
"Just know, that between Puck and Noah, I like Noah a lot more. But, Puck isn't so bad when he's not bullying people. So, can I have this or do you just want to throw it away, because I know you wouldn't use it now." Rachel said, wrapping her hand around the cold drink. Puck glanced at her before releasing the cup into her hands, rolling his eyes at her pleased grin.
"I can't believe I just let you do that." He ground out, completely confused as to why he allowed the midget to get into his brain. Sure, he had recently felt a strange pull towards her, and she was fucking hot in her uniform, but that didn't mean he should have given into her so easily. I'm supposed to be a badass and do what I want. Instead, I let a little dwarf tell me what to do. Fuck!
Rachel just smiled at him wider, obviously able to tell in what directions his thoughts were turning. He just rolled his eyes at her again before offering his arm, figuring that he mine as well walk her to class since she had effectively neutered him for the day. He tried to ignore the gossip that flew around him as they walked, Rachel sipping on the cherry icy as they went. He knew that the news of his failed badass moment would be all over school by the end of first period. And even while he internally cringed at the blast to his rep, he couldn't seem to get mad at the crazy girl on his arm, especially as she kept smiling up at him, as if she was proud of him for not pushing past her and slushing his target anyway.
/*/
(Mash-up week)
On Monday, Rachel was bombarded by Jacob for more information about her relationship with Noah Puckerman. Now that she no longer had her sling on, he had no qualms about getting too close for comfort. She just rolled her eyes at the annoying boy before walking away, refusing to give him anything that he could twist around. But her attempts at avoidance were not rewarded, as the boy was at her locker every single time she needed to get into it.
"Come on Rachel, give me something. The school is just bustling with speculation about your interactions with Puckerman. The two of you have been seen in rather close proximity to each other on several occasions. And the fact that you were able to keep him from slushing a freshman has caused many to think you're in an affair with the dumb jock." Rachel whipped around, glaring at him.
"Don't insult Noah just because you want some gossip and think you're better than him. While he is obviously a jock, he is nowhere near dumb. Don't you think it takes some brains to be able to actually move up in grade levels, even though he rarely attends classes? I think, Jacob Ben-Israel, that you are green with envy, not only of his athleticism but also with his reputation. Now if you'll excuse me."
"Ah, see, that there is why we think you're sleeping with him. Why else would you be so quick to defend someone who has made your life miserable on more than one occasion? Added to the knowledge of what the two of you got up to during camp, all the evidence points to: guilty." Rachel clenched her fists, wishing desperately to hit him. But she hated violence, her previous behavior aside, so she gave him her iciest glare, hoping his bits would freeze off from it.
"It is none of yours or anyone else's business as to who anyone, especially me, sees outside of school. On that note, I can guarantee you, that I am not sleeping with Noah Puckerman and you can put that in your blog, as you won't get another word from me about it. But I already told you I would make it publically known about your nocturnal activities if you did not leave the subject alone, and I stand by that promise."
"The truth is going to come out sooner or later Rachel." Jacob said in a creepy, solemn voice before walking away. Rachel couldn't believe that people actually thought she was sleeping with Noah. Sure, he had been paying her more attention than ever, but she figured that had to do with her new uniform and he would grow tired of it soon. She tried not to allow memories of the summer Jacob alluded to, knowing that nothing good could come from reflection on that topic. Squaring her shoulders in preparation of being the target of more gossip and hostile looks, Rachel pushed the cafeteria door open.
/*/
Rachel had been about to bit into her burger when Brittany sat down in front of her, making her eyes widen in shock, not sure if the girl was going to attack her right there in the cafeteria. But Brittany only sat there, smiling at her, so Rachel put down the burger and wiped her hands, guessing that Brittany wanted something from her. She was even more surprised when Santana sat down next to her friend, her face clearly showing how much she wished she wasn't there.
"Hey Rachel! Can I eat with you? Thanks." Brittany pulled out a water bottle, which was filled with something too gross looking for Rachel to even contemplate drinking.
"Um…sure Brittany. But, wouldn't you, you know, rather eat with your friends?"
"I am sitting with friends, silly. Lord Tubbington told me last night that me and you and San were supposed to be friends, so we're friends." Brittany said, clearly thinking that reasoning made sense. Rachel was completely flabbergasted and turned to Santana, who just shrugged her shoulders before taking a sip of her own water bottle, trying not to gag at the taste.
"Oh, okay I guess. If…Lord Tubbington said so." Rachel had no idea of how to respond to the bizarre girl, so she just picked up her burger again and took a bite.
"I thought you were like, a vegetarian or something. Don't you feel bad about eating a poor defenseless animal?" Santana's voice was mocking, obviously wanting to get Rachel to feel bad.
"I am a vegan actually, which means I don't eat any by products from animals or animal meat. However, these burgers are not made of meat. They are made of tofu, which is perfectly fine for me to eat." Rachel said after wiping her mouth.
"What? That is not tofu." Santana said, shaking her head. Rachel just smiled at her, knowing that she was right and the Latina would believe whatever she wanted. At Rachel's smile, Santana bit back her more snide comment, realizing that Berry was either right or the vegan was eating meat. As much as she would like it to be the latter, she was smart enough to recognize the truth. She wasn't, however, willing to agree with the hobbit so she turned back to the magazine she had pulled out, slowly drinking her lunch.
"So do you want to come over after school? San and I usually watch movies and stuff, so now that you're our friend, you can come over too. I would love to give you a makeover!" Brittany got so excited at the thought that she was almost bouncing in her seat.
"Brittany, you know I'm still the…annoying girl from before right? The one none of you guys wanted anything to do with? I mean, just because I wear a Cheerio uniform doesn't mean I've changed on the inside. I doubt you actually want to spend any time alone with me, as I've been told that I get on people's nerves." Now, Rachel wasn't one to tear herself down, but she figured she would nip this in the bud before things could go too far. She wasn't sure if this was another form of bullying or if Brittany was sincere, but she figured she would stay clear of anything that could have really negative consequences for her.
"I don't understand." Brittany said, her eyes clouded with confusion as she tried to comprehend what Rachel had just said. Rachel glanced around the table, trying to find something that could help her when she spotted the girls' bottles.
"Okay, so say I poured out whatever was in this bottle and filled it up with juice. Well, on the outside, it looks exactly the same, as if I hadn't dumped the first drink. But when you take a sip, you taste juice, not…whatever that is. So see Brittany, even though the juice is concealed in the Cheerio bottle, it's still just juice." Santana looked mildly impressed with Rachel's analogy, secretly appreciating the brunette's attempt from hurting Brittany's feelings by making her feel stupid.
"So, you're juice in a Cheerio bottle?"
"Yes…well basically. So I'm still that juice that you didn't like before, no matter what bottle I go into." Rachel scrunched up her face, not liking her analogy anymore. She did not want Brittany to start thinking she was actually juice that went into a bottle, and knowing the ditzy blonde, she was afraid that was what would happen.
"Well that's okay Rachel! We'll just start liking juice! So are you going to come over after practice?" Brittany said, smiling widely, proud she had figured out what Rachel was saying. The other girls just gave helpless shrugs at each other and Rachel agreed to go over to Brittany's house.
"Ah…so what's been going on? In Glee?" Rachel asked quietly, not sure if they wanted her to ask about the group. Santana and Brittany shared a glance before Santana spoke up, knowing that Brittany could jumble up the events.
"After the Vitamin D thing, Figgins made Coach Sylvester come in to co-direct the club. Obviously, she tried to get us to hate Mr. Schue, but it backfired on her. She separated all the minorities into her own group and let us do our own thing, which was awesome. We actually got to do an R&B number." Santana said, flipping through her magazine with the air of indifference.
"Well I guess that would explain Coach's foul mood in practice lately. I don't think she'll ever be truly happy until she completely destroys Mr. Schuester." Rachel said, pulling out an antibacterial wipe for her hands, since she was done with her lunch.
"Oo, what's that?" Brittany said, eyeing the wipe in Rachel's hands. The smaller girl just smiled and pulled out an unopened wipe and handed it to Brittany.
"So…about the vitamin incident…did everyone take it?"
"What do you know of it Berry?" Santana asked, her eyes boring into Rachel's.
"Um…not much. I just ran into Finn on Tuesday and he was…pumped up."
"Yeah, well, we all took it. But Finn tattled on us, so both teams were forfeit. And thus Coach Sylvester's instatement as co-director."
"Is she still the co-director?" Rachel did not like the sound of that, not even a little bit.
"Yeah, although she's stepped back out of the picture. Now our song lists just have to be approved by her and she'll leave the club alone. I doubt she'll leave Mr. Schue alone, however." Rachel still didn't like the idea, knowing that Sue Sylvester was hell bent on the glee club's destruction. But she wasn't a part of that anymore, so she just had to let her feelings go.
"Now that we've covered glee, what the hell do you think you're doing with my man?" Santana spat out, having waited as long as she could to get to her own interrogation. Rachel's eyes widened at the anger in the other girl's voice, as she didn't know what she was talking about.
"I'm sorry Santana, but I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know who your man is nor am I involved with anyone." Santana rolled her eyes at Rachel, knowing the dweeb was just trying to cover.
"I mean Puck Stubbles. What are you doing with Puck?" Rachel felt herself flush, her previous conversation with Jacob popping up in her head.
"I don't know what you mean Santana. I didn't know the two of you are an item. And he and I are merely friends."
"We might not be "dating", but he's my booty call so you need to back off. How long do you think he's going to be interested in you when you don't give it up to him? He'll drop you quick, so if you want to avoid that, stay away from him." Santana's voice was harsh. She might not want to date Puckerman anymore, but that didn't mean she wanted the bat-shit crazy Rachel Berry to have him. She liked having him in her back pocket whenever she needed a quick pick-me-up.
"Well, from the sounds of it, the two of you are not a couple, so Noah can see anyone he wants to. However, as I have told others before, the two of us are not seeing each other."
"Oh phleaze! That boy is so into you, it makes me want to vomit." Rachel's eyes widened at the mean girl's words, not knowing if she should believe her or not. It was Santana after all.
"Oh I know what she's talking about. Puck is always defending you in Glee and stuff! He almost got in a fight with Finn last week when Finn didn't defend you to Quinn, saying he was a bad friend. It was weird." Rachel felt her heart begin to speed up, the thought of Noah actually liking her being both thrilling and terrifying. She was just about to question the two further when the boy in question sat down next to her, giving her a smirk at her jump before placing a slushie down in front of her. Rachel stared at the beverage, her mind seeming to implode and leave her without the ability to think or speak.
"I got you this. It's grape. I know that's your favorite because the last time I tossed a grape one in your face, you licked your lips before you cleaned yourself off." Rachel turned to look at him open mouthed, not really sure what she should do. Santana was glaring at her hatefully and Brittany had a "I told you so" expression on her face.
"Th…Thank you Noah, that was very sweet of you." Rachel finally snapped out of her trance and smiled at him, taking the straw he offered before placing it in the cup. She could feel his eyes watching her as she took a sip before she turned back to him, wondering if Santana might just be correct and Noah Puckerman did in fact like her. Don't get your hopes up Berry! He's a self-acclaimed sex shark, so keep a cool head.
"So we're supposed to find songs that would mesh well with Young MC's "Bust a Move" and I was wondering if maybe you'd want to help me?" Rachel's stomach clenched at the same time as a flock of butterflies came alive at the question.
"Well, I don't know if there is a song that could be mashed-up with that one, but sure, I'll be happy to help you. But I'm supposed to go to Brittany's tonight, so maybe tomorrow?"
"Oh no, you can come over tomorrow! No need to put off an assignment and all." Brittany jumped in, her eyes sparkling with glee. Rachel's own eyes widened in disbelief at the girl, who had actually spoken normally, before she took a quick glance at Santana. The Latina was alternating a look of disbelief for Puck, anger at Rachel, and hurt at Brittany. Puck smirked at Rachel, daring her to say no to him in front of the others.
"Oh, well thank you Brittany, but only if you're sure." When the blonde nodded, Rachel turned back to Puck, trying to keep a cool head. She had promised herself that she would not fall for his charms, especially after the almost-slushie the week before. Obviously he hadn't changed that much, or else he wouldn't even have considered do such a thing.
"We can meet at my house then, around seven. I'll get brainstorming in the library before Cheerios practice, so hopefully I'll have some idea before you arrive. Please bring your guitar with you. And thank you for the drink Noah." Rachel said as she stood to dump her tray before grabbing her things and leaving, once more sipping on a slushie as she made her way through the school.
Just before exiting the cafeteria, she glanced back to see Puck watching her, which most likely meant he had been watching her behind. Shaking her head at him, Rachel continued on her way to her next class, wanting to get there ahead of time so she could speak with the teacher about the upcoming paper.
/*/
Rachel starred at herself in her full length mirror, not sure if her outfit was the best choice. She had wanted to get out her uniform, as she didn't like wearing it 24/7 like some of the others (cough Quinn). Instead, she had slipped on a pair of black yoga pants and a tank top, wanting to be comfortable. But when she saw the way the top was showing off her breasts, Rachel knew Puck would get the wrong idea. She was about to change into something else when the doorbell rang.
Once the two were in her bedroom (why they didn't just practice downstairs if she didn't want anything to happen? Answer me that!) Rachel pulled up her laptop to show Puck the possible mash-up ideas. They played through several before Noah complained about his ears hurting. Rachel rolled her eyes at him, knowing full well that he was lying. You couldn't be in glee and a performer if your ears started hurting after only a few songs. When he asked if they wanted to make out, Rachel shook her head at him.
"Noah! This is supposed to be a meeting about finding you appropriate material, not making out. Is that all you think about?"
"Well, what else am I supposed to think about when I can almost see your boobs in that shirt? It's just mean the way you tease me Berry." The last sentence came out in a husky drawl, which Rachel could not keep herself from reacting to. But this was Puck, not the Noah she had been seeing glimpses of, and Rachel wasn't ready to fall prey to his skills.
"I'm sorry my choice of attire is distracting to you Noah. (Rachel pulled on a sweater) If you only came over to try and get me to make out with you, than you mine as well leave." Rachel said, crossing her arms over her now fully covered chest. Puck seemed to pout for a moment before standing, walking towards her until they were only a few inches apart.
"What would it take for you to kiss me? Want me to rescue a kitten out of a tree or something equally as lame?" He asked, rising a hand to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. Rachel shivered a little when his finger skimmed her ear, but she quickly got control of herself.
"Noah, I'm not that type of girl. I'm not Santana; so if you want a quick roll on the bed, you should go see her. She is apparently ready and willing to be your booty call." Rachel was shocked how bitter the words came out. It wasn't like she liked Noah. No way. Only a few weeks ago she thought she was in love with Finn Hudson, so she was definitely not in like with Puck. Nope.
"I don't want Santana, I want you." Puck's voice was still at the low, husky level, which caused goosebumps to spread over her skin. She could feel herself leaning towards him as he leaned down to her, but before their lips could meet, Rachel pushed against his chest.
"No Noah, I don't care if you don't want her. I'm not the type for a quick…how do you boys say it? A hit it and leave it girl? I'm not that, so if that's what you want, you need to look elsewhere. I'm…I'm a commitment type. I want a boyfriend, one that isn't ashamed to be seen with me in the hallways and who actually cares about me and my feelings. I know I am a high-maintenance girl who talks too much, and has too many opinions, and can be really annoying (according to some people). So I would need a guy that was able to handle all of that." As Rachel spoke, she found she wasn't very surprised that she hadn't had a boyfriend in high school. What teenage boy would want to deal with all that was Rachel Berry?
"I'm up for the challenge Berry." Puck's statement was so simple, yet Rachel felt its impact all the way to her bones. I so want to believe you Noah.
"How could I ever be sure of that Noah? You were ready to slushie a student just last week. And you're never stepping up to the plate in Glee, as I hear Finn is still getting all male leads. I know this is horrible to say, but you would have to prove that you've changed before I went out with you. I know you are capable of being such a wonderful person, but so far, you keep backtracking towards the guy who loved to slushie me on a regular basis." Puck's head dropped a little, knowing her words had truth in them. He had been the leader in the slushie war against Rachel Berry, for reasons he still really didn't understand. It just seemed like an awesome thing to do at the time.
"I'll prove it you B. I'm a total badass, so I can make anything work, even being…nicer." Rachel smiled a little at the note of distaste on the last word. She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and hugged him, loving the way his body pressed against hers.
"Thank you Noah, but I don't want you to have to change for me. You should be able to be whoever you want to be, not who I want you to be. If you changed against your will, you would just end up resenting me in the long run, which would ruin the friendship we've started to build."
"You were right Berry, you do talk too much." The two shared a smile before Puck released her and headed home, trying to plan out exactly how he was going to win her over. He had no clue as to why he was determined to do so, but the recent dream he had of her just reinforced his belief that the two of them were supposed to be together. I will get you to fall for me Rachel Berry. And then I am so in those panties.
/*/
Rachel had just sat down at the piano in the choir room when the door opened, allowing a few of the Glee clubbers into the room. She stood up in surprise, not sure what they were doing here.
"Rachel! What are you doing here? Are you here to ask to rejoin Glee?" Mercedes asked, showing her irritation at having the "diva" back in the choir room. Rachel twisted her hands together before she straightened up.
"No Mercedes, I am not planning to ask to be allowed back into this club. I was under the impression that the Glee club would be in the auditorium today, as Mr. Schuester was signed up for the entire hour. If you are practicing in here instead, I will use the auditorium." Rachel turned away from the girl, who was now sitting next to Kurt. As Rachel was gathering her sheet music, which she hadn't even been able to play yet, the rest of the clubbers trickled in.
"Couldn't stay away Berry?" Rachel cursed herself as she jumped at the sexy drawl next to her ear. She turned to look at Noah's smirking face, rolling her eyes at him before continuing to pack away her things.
"No Noah, I simply must have gotten my times mixed up. I thought the choir room was supposed to be free right now, since Mr. Schuester blocked out this hour for use of the auditorium."
"Well I'm glad you're here, actually, because I have something for you. But you're going to have to wait a minute, is that okay?" She was surprised at how endearing he sounded, so she simply nodded before moving over to sit next to Tina, who smiled at her and struck up a conversation.
"What is Treasure Trail doing here?" Santana asked loudly, causing everyone who wasn't already wondering that to look at the petite brunette. Finn, who would have normally been grinning, was still upset about yesterday, when Quinn and him had been slushied. The others were in different states of hope or despair, thinking all the promised solo moments were about to be torn away.
"Rachel, what are you doing here?" Mr. Schue asked as he laid his bag on the piano. Yes, finally she has come to her senses. Now I can get her away from Sue and get my star back.
"I was about to leave, but Noah as requested that I wait a few minutes. I will leave as soon as I can Mr. Schue, I assure you." Everyone was shocked at the cold bit to her words, as she had always been respectful of the teacher. Mr. Schue was about to retort when he saw Puck waiting for them to finish, a guitar strapped to his chest. Not wanting to ruin a moment of spotlight for one of his normally noncontributory members, Schue shut his mouth and sat in the back next to Finn, who had pulled himself out of his funk in time to hear Puck start strumming. As he listened, his face got darker and darker when he realized that the other boy was serenading, seriously serenading!, the girl that Finn liked (even though he chose Quinn over her).
Rachel was enraptured as Noah's silky voice washed over her, his choice of "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond both surprising and pleasing. She couldn't stop herself from singing along, especially when most of the club also joined in. She was surprised at how much she wanted to kiss him; Rachel swore should almost taste him she wanted it so bad. No one had ever shown her such a display of affection before, and Rachel would be lying if she said she wasn't getting hot, both physically and emotionally, from it. And Noah kept giving her this sexy little smile, which just enhanced her desire for him even more, until she was sitting on the edge of her seat by the end of the song.
Once the song was over, Rachel got to her feet and slowly walked towards Puck. He handed his guitar to one of the band members, not sure of what her reaction was going to be. He wasn't completely comfortable singing all by himself, but he could do it if it meant Rachel was willing to give him a shot.
When Rachel reached him, she splayed her hands on his chest, feeling his heart beat pounding beneath muscle. Slowly (too slowly for Puck's liking) she moved her hadns up until the wound around his neck.
"That was beautiful Noah, thank you." Rachel clutched onto her courage and pulled his head down to hers, sealing their lips in a heated kiss. There might not have been any tongue, but Puck swore it was one of the best he had ever had. She pulled away from him gradually, becoming aware of her surroundings. She smiled up at him before backing away, not wanting Schuester to punish him because she was having a hard time keeping her hands to herself.
"I'll see you after practice. Good luck Noah." Her voice was very low and throaty, which caused Puck to have to fight down his urge to grab her back to him and kiss her until they passed out from oxygen lose. Rachel didn't give him the chance however, as she quickly grabbed her things and sauntered out of the room, flashing him a smirk over her shoulder as she exited the room.
That girl is going to be the death of me. I just know it. But that kiss was badass! If she can kiss like that without tongue, I wonder what it will be like with? Okay, stop thinking about her Puck! Fuck, how the hell am I supposed to do that? All I can think about is having those awesomely sexy legs wrapped around me while I pound into her.
Puck made his way back to his seat, ignoring the glare he was getting from both Santana and Finn. He also ignored Quinn, who was giving him this sexy look that would have had him up her skirt a few months ago. I really am whipped if that look doesn't get me going. Fuck. He tuned out the rest of practice, not really interested in what Mr. Schue had to say about mash-ups.
/*/
After a night filled with hot make-out sessions in her still parentless house and again in Noah's truck that morning, Rachel was in a pretty good mood. She couldn't believe that Noah Puckerman, resident badass, was her boyfriend. That was just so outlandish that she still had a hard time comprehending it. But when he took her hand in the halls and walked her to class, Rachel couldn't deny the warmth that spread through her, proving that it was in fact happening.
But even in her euphoria, Rachel couldn't ignore the broody look that would pop up on his face every so often. She had heard about Coach Tanaka giving the glee club guys on the football team the ultimatium between the club or the team, but she wasn't sure how to talk to him about it. She wasn't in glee anymore, so she wasn't really sure if she had any reason to try and sway him one way or another.
Spotting Puck leaning against exit doors that was between the choir room and the path to the boy's locker room, Rachel slowly made her way over to him. They had only been together for one day, so Rachel was a little hesitant in her approach, not sure if she would be welcomed or not. But she relaxed when Noah pulled her into his side, his arm sliding around her waist, so that his fingers were drumming a beat into her side.
"Are you alright Noah?" Her voice was quiet, not wanting to disturb him if he was deep in thought. He squeezed her side before looking down at her.
"I almost got slushied today. Karofsky tried to do it today before lunch, but I was able to grab the cup and douse him in it instead. But…if people think they can start slushing me now, like they did to Finn, than I have to reassert my rep. I mean, football is respected, glee isn't." Rachel stayed silent, not wanting to be the reason he chose one or the other. This decision should be his and his alone, since she was going to be with him no matter what he chose to do.
"But then I feel bad because…well I actually kinda like Glee." The end of the sentence was so quiet that if Rachel hadn't been so close to him, she would have missed it. She smiled against his chest, wrapping her own arms around him so she could rest her body against his. Puck shifted his hold so that she slid completely into his arms (he ignored how good that felt, because, hello, that would have been a pussy thing to think).
"What do you think I should do?" Rachel sighed before looking up at him, unsure exactly what he wanted her to tell him. If he wanted her to say which one he should join or not, or something comepletely different. Boys were so confusing sometimes, even when they weren't trying to be.
"I think you should do what you want. I know you're really good at football, but do you love it? Are you willing to put up with criticism for being in the glee club? This has to be your choice Noah, because you're going to have to live with the repercussions. There are pros and cons to both choices, as there is in everything. If you join football, you go back to being the top guy, but you will probably also go back to the guy you were before glee. If you join glee, you might lose your reputation, but you'll be doing something you've admitted to loving. I can't tell you which one to choice, but I'll support you in whatever you decided to do." Puck pulled her into a deep kiss, one that made her toes curl in her white sneakers before they simply held each other.
/*/
"I can't believe they would abandon use. I thought they were our friends." Mercedes said as the rest of the Glee club stared at the door, hoping for the missing boys to magically appear. It seemed like they had given up all hope when first Mike, then Matt walked sheepishly into the room. While the two were being greeted by Brittany and Santana, the others were distracted by the image of Puck walking up to the door, Rachel's hand in his. They watched as he bent and gave her a kiss before pulling her into the room with him.
No one said anything about the fact that Rachel wasn't in Glee anymore as they waited with baited breath for their leader to arrive. As the minutes continued to tick by, the hope any hope that they had held for him picking them over football were dashed.
"I guess we weren't cool enough for Finn." Kurt said, the hurt clear in his voice. Everyone nodded their agreement, their hearts filling with hurt and anger at the quarterback. Glee was supposed to be a family, a place for everyone to come and be themselves. But apparently, Finn wasn't willing to stand by them with pride.
While everyone made their way dejectedly over to the platforms, where they all plopped down without pulling out chairs, Puck pulled Rachel closer to him.
"Thank you B. I know you didn't want to influence me, but you did. I want to be a part of something that actually means something to me. I do like football, but it has really always been something to use as a stress reliever. Now that I'm off the team, we're going to have to find something else to do to relieve my…stress." Rachel gasped a little when he pulled her flush against him, her heart speeding up at his words, his voice, and his body. Think you could get a little me affect by the guy Berry? Get control of yourself?
Rachel ignored her inner voice and wrapped her arms around him, laughing softly. She pulled his head down so she could nip at his full lips, which caused him to groan.
"I'm sure you'll be able to manage your stress just fine for a while Noah." Noah groaned for a different reason, but he lightly tickled her sides, which once more caused her to start laughing. The two were completely oblivious to the stares they were getting from the other occupants of the room, many of who were sickened at the gooeyness of the two. Quinn especially was filled with jealous, for not only had Puck picked Glee for a girl who wasn't even in the club anymore, but he was also being a decent human being. He never treated her with such…well respect would probably be too strong of a word, as he was obviously still Puck, which meant sexual innuendo tended to be attached to each word he spoke. But the way he was hold Berry made the head cheerleader smolder with jealous, which she couldn't wait to take out on the geek during cheerleader practice.
/*/
Finn once more came in at the last minute, "saving" the day by announcing he had talked Tanaka into letting the boys back on the team. Puck rolled his eyes as the other clubbers gave him adoring looks. They completely forgot that he had not chosen Glee over football to begin with. That's what a badass would have done. They would have said fuck you to the douches on the team and manned up. Finn's such a pussy, but he still always gets everything. At least I have my hot little Jewish princess.
Once his thoughts shifted to Berry, Puck could not find the will power to tune into those around him. He was too busy have very vivid fantasies about what his new cheerleader girl would be able to do given a few more months of conditioning. It was good to be the Puckerone and Finn could have his damn spotlight as the hero.
Okay, please leave some feedback! I know I've been shooting out chapters, but that will probably stop soon. So the more reviews I get, the more motivated I will be to post quicker (hint hint).