AN: Wow, I can't believe it's been so long. I would apologize and beg for forgiveness, but I just…I've become so disinterested in Glee because of season 4. Well, really, season 3 started the nose dive for me, and this new season has just shoved me off the Glee loving train. Mark Salling has really let himself become a victim of getting older, and it's just so disappointing. So I wrote this chapter for Suzanne, so I'm not sure if I'll continue. I'll have to see where my Puckleberry vibe goes. Sorry if the chapter isn't up to usual par.
Guest (1): Yes, Finn and Quinn are quite annoying. I really couldn't stand either of their characters on the show. I'm not sure yet exactly where they're headed. Hope you like this chapter.
Kawaiigrlmari: I'm not sure yet where Quinn and Rachel are headed, so I'm not sure if they will stay enemies or not. We'll just have to wait and see if a fight is on the horizons.
BERRY vs LOVE: Thanks so much. Glad you liked the last chapter. I'm really not a Finn or Quinn fan, so I'm not sure if I'll look into their relationship a lot. I dunno. I just don't like either of them so I'm not sure yet where they're headed. But I'll take your suggestion into account, I promise.
Hi: Thanks so much, I'm so happy you liked the chapter. Honesty is a huge part of my own life, so I thought it would be cool to bring it into the story.
Guest (2): Thanks for the review. You know, Sue really never gets into major trouble about her meddling, so I don't see that happening here either. I'm trying to keep most of the characters the same as the show, with them only growing more mature; and since Sue is old, I don't think she'd change at all.
Guest (3): Thanks for the review. I hope you like this chapter as well.
Suzanne: HAPPY BIRTHDAY! So this chapter isn't that great, but I felt really bad about letting the story go for so long. So I hope this made your day a little bit better!
Disclaimer: I still own nothing related to Glee or any songs used.
Chapter 14: Sexist Jerks
"You set me up." Turning at Puck's irritated voice, Rachel arched a brow at him as he stomped into the kitchen, where she was washing vegetables for the salad.
"Whatever do you mean, Noah?" She asked, even though she knew that he knew that she knew what he was talking about. But if she just come out and admitted it then that'd defeat the whole purpose, wouldn't it.
"Are you questioning my badassness, babe? Cuz I can so dance circles around the competition's idiots. No need to have Jackie Chan all up in my business." She rolled her eyes at his pouting face, turning the faucet off as he came to slouch against the counter. He really did remind her of an overgrown child sometimes.
"Really, Noah, the more practice one does, the better they become. And a leading man should meet a certain requirement level for performance ability, which includes dancing. We're going to be facing Vocal Adrenaline at Regionals and they're a well fueled machine. To beat them, we need every member to be at their best." Rachel replied before leaning towards him for a light kiss.
"Is Puck being a baby?" Matt questioned as he and Mike came into the kitchen, having cleaned up the basement while their friend went off to pout.
"Yes."
"Hey—"
"Noah, really, it's alright. Everyone deserves to have their more immature moments. Right boys?" Rachel gave him a cheeky grin before pulling out the cutting board.
"Yep." Mike stressed the 'p', dodging the elbow Puck threw towards his middle.
"Alright, if you boys are going to stay in here than you're going to help me. You have no qualms about eating the food, so you can help prepare it. Matt, cut these. Noah, monitor the sauce. Mike, set the table."
The three boys stared at her for a moment, but when her hands landed on her hips and her eyebrows arched, they all dashed to do as they were told, not wanting to be the victims of a Rachel Berry rant. Well, they wouldn't say they 'dashed'. More like they sauntered quickly. Yeah, that was totally manlier.
"So when are daddy Berries coming home?" Puck questioned as he stirred the meat sauce, thinking his girl was kick ass that she let them have real food when they came over. Rachel had her own small pot of meat free sauce, which he made sure wasn't burning.
"They'll be home any minute actually. I'm sure the ice on the roads is slowing them down some. It is important to drive more cautiously in bad weather, as you should know." Rachel replied as she pulled out a loaf of French bread and began cutting it.
The boys knew better than to bring up the fact that they in fact often disregarded such cautions. They'd been hanging around Rachel long enough by now to know that she was easily wound up and could lecture for a solid hour on anything she became passionate about, like proper driving techniques. And they'd had a fun evening at the Berry house and didn't want it to dissolve so quickly.
"Right, sure."
Rachel rolled her eyes at Puck, knowing full well how dangerous he drove on most days. But as she'd promised herself when they'd first gotten together, she wasn't going to try to change him unless his health was in immediate danger. And she knew that he loved himself way too much to risk his life being stupid behind the wheel. Boys.
"Table's set." Mike said as he came back into the kitchen.
"Great. Here." She placed the plate holding the bread to him to put on the table. It was still so strange to her that this had become a normal routine.
At first it was because she was helping the boys on their singing, and she'd always insist they stay for dinner. And since Sunday's were always family night, her fathers would be there and they'd all end up eating dinner together and watching a movie before the boys had to go home. Now it was more about them hanging out together, with practice just a side benefit. And Rachel couldn't have been happier.
If anyone had told her a short 6 months ago that she'd be dating Noah Puckerman and actually be friends with most of the Glee club, she'd have told them to head straight to the hospital for a psych evaluation. Add in Santana and Brittany becoming her best friends and she'd have checked herself into the ward. But she'd certainly never been happier in her life, and the small diva thanked the heavens above for giving her this new life.
"We're home!" Leroy's voice sounded from the front door.
"We're in the kitchen, daddy. Dinner's almost ready." Rachel called out, moving to help Matt finish up the salad.
Hiram and Leroy went into the dining room, knowing they'd only be in the way in the kitchen, as they'd learned quickly. Other fathers might be concerned with their only daughter being home alone with three teenage boys, but they were more relieved she was finally blossoming than worried. Besides, they knew Noah and her were very serious, so they knew there wasn't anything to warrant their concern. Besides, the less they knew about their daughter's private life, the happier they were.
Dinner was quickly brought out and served, the table becoming alive with chatter. Leroy and the boys were soon talking about the game while Rachel and Hiram discussed her idea for a Spring Musical, which she would have to find someone to direct. It was, overall, a normal Sunday evening in the Berry household.
/*/
Things did end up deteriorating, at least for Rachel. After dinner, the guys decided to watch the game her dad had recorded and in the heat of battle, so to speak, the men had turned into sexist jerks.
She knew they probably didn't even realize what they were doing, like when Puck held up an empty soda can and shook it at her for a new one, but it still irritated her. This was not the 1940s and she was not a dutiful housewife.
Even Matt, the usually quiet one, had made a joke about her needing to be in the kitchen to whip them up some dessert, which had riled her hackles.
The diva had thus given them the cold shoulder until they'd left, still unawares of their treatment to the girl. Puck figured something was up when she refused to give him a kiss, but he needed to get home and didn't think too much of it. Besides, she probably just overreacted to something and would be over it in the morning.
/*/
(Monday of "The Power of Madonna" Week)
"Hey, can we meet in the choir room for lunch? I just…I have this problem and I don't know if I'm over reacting or not." Rachel tugged at her jacket as the Cheerios began to filter out of the gym, having been released to begin their "Madonna" transformations.
"What's up, B?" Santana asked as she grabbed her bag.
"I need to know if I've over reacted about something, but we don't have time to talk about it now because we cannot be late for class. I just really need to talk to you about it. So can we meet at lunch?"
"Sure, Ray." Brittany smiled and looped her arms through the diva's, Santana coming up to link pinkies with her other hand.
"Thanks."
Rachel smiled and let herself be led out of the gym, once more thankful she had friends to talk to about things like this. Santana and Brittany would be honest with her and let her know if she was making a big deal out of nothing. Although, she didn't really think her hurt feelings could ever constitute as a 'nothing'.
"I'm so excited about this whole Madonna thing! I can't wait to find a young guy!" Brittany said excitedly, making her two friends share an amused smile.
"While I do agree that Madonna is an amazing performer and a woman to be looked up to for her work, I cannot believe Principal Figgins is allowing her music to be played so loudly throughout the school. Thankfully it's only the beginning of the semester, as I shudder to the think how our test scores would turn out if it was any later in the year. This is certainly not an educational enriching environment."
"Ah, c'mon B, you know you'll be bursting into song halfway through first period. Rachel Berry can never pass up an opportunity to sing." Santana commented, reaching around Brittany to pinch the small girl's side, making her laugh.
"Hey babe. Haven't seen you all morning." The girls saw Puck leaning against the door to the math class, lips stretched in a careless smirk as his eyes trailed from Rachel's legs up to her face.
"Good morning, Noah. I'll see you at lunch." The diva smiled at her two friends before walking into the classroom, a confused mohawked teen left behind.
"Boy I don't know what you did to get that cold freeze but you better fix it before I gots to get involved." Santana said seriously before flipping her hair over her shoulder and sauntering away. Brittany frowned at him before she followed the Latina, not liking that Rachel seemed upset.
Puck just rubbed at his face, wondering what in the hell he'd done to piss his girl off now. Sure, he was a douche sometimes, but he couldn't remember doing anything that had actually upset the diva. They'd had a great time the night before, so he wasn't sure what'd changed in the hours they'd been separated. Girls. They were so damn confusing.
/*/
"So what's up with the glee girls meeting?" Mercedes asked as the three Cheerios walked into the room. Rachel was surprised to see all the others seated, not having expected them.
"We thought you might need some girl talk." Santana explained, seeing the confused expression.
"Oh, um, okay." Rachel mumbled, hands twisting nervously in front of her.
"What's wrong, Rachel?" Tina asked, a little unnerved by the girl's behavior. Rachel Berry did not get nervous about anything. So to see her actually anxious was alarming.
"I…okay, so I may be overreacting, as I do tend to on occasion. But the way they treated me has just stuck in my mind and I just cannot believe that they would—"
"Hang on, diva. Who're you talking about and how'd they treat you?" Mercedes asked, holding her hands up to stop the rant.
"Sorry. Okay, so last night I was at my house with Noah, Michael, and Mathew, as Sundays are our practice days. Mathew and Michael come over so I can help them on their vocals and Noah comes by after work. And Michael is now helping Noah on his dancing, as it is very important for a leading man to be able to keep up with the competition and not rely on vocals alone.
"We always have dinner when my fathers come home from work, as Sundays are family night. But then last night, the guys were watching a game with my dad and they started treated me like…like their waitress or something. Noah even had the audacity to shake his empty soda can at me to ask for a refill.
"Now I understand that men tend to get passionate about sports, but their treatment of me was absolutely abysmal. They've never done such a thing, not even Noah. I felt like I was back in the 1940s and was waiting on them hand and foot. I am not a housewife, nor will I ever be a housewife, so for them to treat me as such is ridiculous and very insulting."
Rachel's voice rose several octaves during her explanation, her face going hot with the remembrance of the men's treatment. Indignation surged through her until fire was almost blazing from her eyes, letting the others know just how much she did not appreciate the behavior.
"Did you slap him, B? Cuz you so shoulda slapped him." Santana said seriously, arms crossing over her chest as she envisioned doing just that to the jackass.
"Of course not, San. Besides my few lapses, you know I do not condone violence to solve one's problems. This is why I brought them to you, so that I could get a different perspective on the matter." Rachel shook her head.
"We just have to accept that guys don't care about our feelings. Like the other day I was walking with Artie and he said he forgave me for lying about my stutter. But then he said that if I wanted to "get all up on this" than I needed a new look because he wants me to wear tighter clothing." Tina said.
"Wow, what a douche. I didn't know Wheels had it in him."
"What Santana is saying is that's got to sting. I'm sorry Tina, Artie had no right to say that. You should be able to dress in any clothing that makes you comfortable." Rachel gave a small smile to the Asian, which was returned.
"Hey, guys. I'm sorry to interrupt your little sorority, but I couldn't help but overhearing. Are you really having that much boy trouble?" Mr. Schuester interrupted them.
"You wouldn't understand, Mr. Schue. You're a guy." Quinn said, speaking for the first time. She might still not like Treasure Trail that much, but she was trying to win back her friends so she figured she would just have to put up with the girl.
"Well, then maybe you should talk to someone else about it. Like Ms. Pillsbury."
"No, she doesn't have anything helpful to say. All she does is get uncomfortable. The fact is, boys are taught to think themselves above girls from infancy and girls are taught to be ladies and to strive to be as good as boys. Even you, Mr. Schue, are guilty of it. You saying we were having a 'little sorority' was extremely sexist." Rachel said as she stood and the bell rang.
"What?" Mr. Schuester gazed after her, not having even realized he'd done that in the first place.
"The fact is that women still earn 70 cents to every dollar that a man does for doing the same job. Rachel's right, that attitude starts long before high school." Quinn said before leaving the Spanish teacher to ponder their words.
"Ray, you should really tell Puck he hurt your feelings. You're just gonna keep thinking about it until it drives you crazy." Brittany said as they moved out of the choir room.
"You mean crazier." Santana said, earning an elbow jab from the diva.
"I am not mentally impaired, Santana. But you're right, Brittany, I should speak with him. I've just been so riled up about it that every time I see him I want to yell, and I know that will not get me anywhere."
"I dunno bout that, chica. You got some dangerous lungs on you. You'd probably make him deaf, which would serve his ass right."
"I don't want to injure him." Rachel giggled at the Latina, who smirked, mission accomplished.
"Well you gotta decide what to do soon, cuz I really don't want this tension to go on too long."
"Puckleberry forever!" Brittany said loudly, punching her fist into the air. Rachel buried her face in her hands and ducked into her dance class, equal parts mortified and amused by her ditz friend. Brittany could certainly make light of any situation, something the brunette was eternally grateful for.
/*/
Thankfully, for Rachel at least, Coach Sue pulled her Cheerios out of fourth period to practice, so she didn't have to speak to Puck in World History. She wasn't exactly sure how Sue was allowed to do it, but she figured the teachers didn't really care since it was so hard to concentrate with Madonna playing over the intercom. Plus no one really wanted to go up against the demonic cheerleading coach.
Puck was still confused as fuck over what he'd done to piss the short spitfire off so badly. He'd had zero macking that day and it was seriously messing with his head. It was as if his brain couldn't function right without his daily dosage of Berry lips. And that didn't make him a fucking pussy. You try getting addicted to the girl and then have her deny you and see how well you do with withdrawal.
He planned to have it out with her during class, but she was pulled out before the bell had even finished ringing, so he was stuck doodling in his notebook. He would've just gotten up and gone to the nurse's, but ever since he'd actually started trying in school, the teachers had taken notice to his comings and goings. Which was so totally not badass.
When she sat down next to him in Glee, he had to admit that he was surprised. She'd been giving him the cold shoulder all day, so he'd expected her to sit as far away from him as possible. Rachel glanced his way before facing forward, teeth nibbling at her lower lip in a show of anxiety; he'd catch her looking at him from the corner of her eye every few seconds. His girl was clearly confused about something or other, as she was giving off completely mixed vibes that were making him slightly dizzy.
Mr. Schuester came into the room from his office and headed for the whiteboard, writing "Madonna" on it before underling the name. Rachel rolled her eyes at it, which Puck caught and arched a brow, making the diva blush before she refocused on the man who could never come up with his own or decent ideas. She still questioned his credentials for directing Glee Club on several occasions, such as now.
"What comes to mind when you see that name?" William questioned, spinning around to regard his students.
"Genius." Rachel spoke up with a smile. He might have stolen the idea from Sue, but there was no deny the power of Madonna.
"Icon." Kurt breathed excitedly.
"Hall of fame MILF." Puck said with a smirk.
"Noah!" Rachel gawked at him, which just made him smirk wide and wiggle his eyebrows. She couldn't stop herself from smiling, his boyish behavior too cute not to react to. Puck did a silent cheer in his head when he saw her lips twitch. Damn straight she couldn't stay mad at him. Have you seen his sexy ass?
"So, we're all aware of Madonna's musical and cultural significance, which is why this week, you're assignment is to come up with a Madonna number."
"Yay!" Rachel clapped excitedly, grinned at Brittany.
"Uh, Mr. Schue? As a dude, Madonna makes me kind of uncomfortable." Puck said, seeing the eye roll his girl sent his way. What? Shit was true.
"Yeah, she's smokin' and everything, but can't some of us do something else? Like the guy version of Madonna? Like, you know, Pantera?" Finn asked, receiving murmurs of agreement from the other guys.
"Guys! You know, it's come to my attention that many of you haven't been treating the young ladies of our group very nicely lately. You're disrespectful, bullying, sexist, and I hate to say it, misogynistic."
"I have no idea what that means." Finn muttered.
"When I pulled my hamstring, I went to a misogynist." Brittany said, earning a head shake from Rachel.
"A misogynist is a man who hates women just because they're women. In this case, it means you're attitudes tend to sway towards being negative to women simply because they're female." Rachel explained.
"What it means is, put yourself in their shoes for a change. Culturally, Madonna's legacy transcends her music, because by and large, the subtext of her songs are about being strong, independent and confident, no matter what your sex. But more than anything, Madonna's musical message is about equality. And that is something I think you guys need to work on." Mr. Schuester went on, earning a nod from the girls as he spoke.
"Mr. Schue, I don't think we can have an honest conversation about Ms. Ciccone without acknowledging that her images are as indelible as her songs. I would like to honor her contributions by tackling a multi-media project with Mercedes." Kurt and Mercedes smiled.
"Great. Go for it, Kurt."
"I'm still not down. And no chick intimidates Puckzilla. I just don't think her music translates to show choir."
"Really, Noah? I couldn't disagree more. If we can meet tomorrow during lunch in the auditorium, the girls will show you just how well Madonna can be put into the show choir repertoire." Rachel stood up and motioned for the girls (and Kurt) to follow her, which they did with only a slight hesitation.
"Uh, sure. No problem, girls." William said, getting smiles from them before they all filtered out of the room, leaving the guys just sitting there.
"I think we're in real trouble." Matt muttered, staring after them.
"Yeah. But fuck if I know what for." Puck sighed, rubbing at his temples again. Why couldn't girls just come out and say what made them mad? He was really beginning to think they just liked torturing men with the silent treatment.
/*/
"Alright, so what's this idea you've got?" Kurt asked as he popped a cucumber into his mouth. All the girls, and Kurt, had gathered at Rachel's house after leaving the school, where they'd spent the last couple of hours doing manicures and facials. But now it was time to get down to business.
"I believe Madonna's "Express Yourself" would be a fantastic number to show exactly what we're saying. They guys are mistreating us and they need to be made aware of it. They also tend to hide their own feelings away, which tends to hurt us as well."
"I love that song." Mercedes said from her spot on the floor.
"Great. Now I was thinking we might do a business look and—"
"I got the perfect thing, Rach." Santana interrupted her, pulling out her phone to show off her idea.
"Please tell me we're not looking at your lingerie." Kurt's eyes had gone wide and his face paled.
"I haven't worn it yet, jeez. But it'd add a sexy element, which the song calls for. We could wear the slacks and blazer, but have this on under the open jacket."
"I think it'd look great." Brittany piped up, earning a smile from her bestie.
"But will we be able to get enough for all of us by lunchtime?" Rachel questioned, still unsure about wearing something so…sexy. Especially not in front of the entire Glee club and Mr. Schuester.
"No probs, B. My nana owns a little boutique where I get all my lingerie." Santana grinned at the flushed girl, delighted she'd gotten her way.
And if they managed to get Puck so wound up that he'd end up apologizing for any and every wrong doing just so Rachel would forgive him, than that was just an awesome bonus. Because, really, the tension going on between them was driving the Latina loco. And Brittany was upset about the Puckleberry fight, which was just uncool.
"Um, alright then. If we're all in agreeance, then that's what we'll wear. Now we should run through the number a few times, just so we know our marks."
Rachel herded them all down to the basement, where Kurt was all too happy to give them critiques and advice on their performance. Just because he wasn't going to be in the performance didn't mean he didn't want to have a hand in how it turned out. He was a diva after all, and all divas needed to be included in all the important things.
/*/
Rachel's face was as red as a tomato when her and Santana left Cosabella Amore, all six different colored pieces in hand. Santana had ditched her first period to go with the short girl, knowing she'd be too embarrassed to make it through the fitting. And why she had to be fitted, while everyone else just gave their sizes, Rachel didn't know.
"Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, mine was really tight. I thought we were going looser, since we'll be at school." Rachel voiced as they stowed the bags into Santana's trunk.
"You look sexy, Berry, don't sweat it. Puck won't be able to keep his hands off you." Rachel flushed again at her words, chewing on her lip as she got into the car.
"I really think I just need to talk to him. I mean, I haven't answered any of his calls or texts since Sunday. I'm sure he doesn't even know what he did. It's not like he's the most observant person in the world."
"Girl, you gotta let him know he did wrong and lay it out there for him. He's too dumb to get there on his own."
"Santana! Noah is not dumb and I'm insulted you'd suggest such a thing."
"Chillax, B. Didn't mean nothin' by it. But seriously, the boy hasn't got a clue what you're mad about. You gotta spell it out for them."
"Yes, I think after our number would be a good time for a discussion. My avoiding him isn't doing anyone any favors. And I miss him." Santana rolled her eyes at the last part.
"You miss getting your mack on, you mean."
"I'll have you know that I'm with Noah for more than his kisses, San." Rachel stuck her tongue out at the Latina, making the girl chuckle as she backed out of the parking spot to head towards school. Rachel had been very armament about returning in time for second period, as she only had study hall for the first class.
Santana would've tried to talk her into just skipping till lunch, but knew that argument would only end in her giving up. Rachel Berry really was too much of a goody-goody to skip school for any reason other than an emergency. Or getting high from hash cupcakes. But Santana wasn't going to bring that up; since she wasn't sure the diva even remembered that. And the Latina did not want to get in an argument about drugs with the little devil. No thank you.
"Whateves. I just want you guys to stop moping around. It's giving me a headache." Rachel smiled at her, knowing she really just wanted them to be back together and happy. But Santana would never say anything so…mushy. Her and Puck really were just alike.
"I've got some Advil in my purse."
"Haha, Berry, you're so funny." Santana rolled her eyes, which just made Rachel burst into giggles. Mission accomplished.
/*/
"Dude, I think we really did something to piss Rachel off, because she's not talking to any of us." Matt said as he jogged next to Puck and Mike. They were in PE and doing the mile, which the guys thought was stupid since they'd done it just last week. But whatever.
"Yeah, she didn't even say hi this morning in the hallway. I never knew she could be so cold."
"Girl is driving me crazy. We were fine on Sunday, right? I dunno what happened between Sunday and Monday to get her so upset." Puck shook his head.
"Maybe it's hormones." Mike shrugged.
"Yeah, probably." The three shared a look of male camaraderie.
"Girls." They all said together. They'd never understand the opposite sex, no matter what life lessons Mr. Schue tried to shove down their throats. Girls were just too confusing to ever understand.
/*/
Rachel wasn't surprised when she came out of the dressing room and Puck was leaning against the wall, scowl firmly in place with his arms crossed over his chest. She knew she needed to be honest and just tell him how he'd treated her, as it was not fair to her or him to keep the silent treatment going. Besides, she really did miss her Noah, no matter how big of a bonehead he could be.
"Hello, Noah."
"We need to talk. You've been givin' me the cold shoulder for two days now and I still don' know what the hell I did." Puck pushed off from the wall, unwilling to let the small girl walk by him. This shit had gone on too fucking long and he was tired of it.
"You're right, Noah, we do need to talk." Rachel sighed and headed over towards one of the couches backstage that was used for plays, taking a seat with her garment bag laying over her lap as she set her book bag on the floor. Puck followed her over, slumping into the old cushions.
"So are you gonna tell me what's got you so pissed off or what?" Trying not to think about how adorable he looked, pouting like a little boy, Rachel squared her shoulders and met his gaze.
"I realize that you did not realize what you were doing, but that doesn't negate the fact that your treatment of me on Sunday evening hurt my feelings. You, Michael and Mathew all reverted into…Neanderthals while watching the game and your behavior was abhorrent."
"Babe, I have no clue what you're talkin' bout."
"During the game, you boys began treating me as if I was your own personal waitress. I do not appreciate being treated like I'm only around to wait on you hand and foot. And the fact that Mathew and Michael also did so was alarming and very upsetting. I've never once treated you with anything other than respect, Noah, and the fact that you disrespected me so much hurt."
Puck's face was still contorted in confusion, trying to recall what she was talking about. But he really didn't remember anything like that. All he remembered was watching the game with the guys and then going home.
"Babe, I don't remember that. I'm sorry. You know I respect you." He gave her a bashful look, one he knew she had an issue staying mad at. But Rachel wasn't ready to just forgive and forget, as that wouldn't solve the problem.
"Noah, it is your behavior that must be addressed, rather you remember it or not. The fact that you did it while not even realizing it does not bode well for your future attitudes and behaviors towards me and other females. I would have thought being raised by your mother and helping to raise Eli would have taught you better."
"Dude, I no fuckin' clue what you're goin' on about." He threw his hands up, not understanding why she couldn't just paint it straight for him. It wasn't like he was a rocket scientist, fuck.
"I mean that you need to start thinking about just how you're treating women, as your sexist attitude is not going to get you very far, especially not with me. I'm not really sure what triggered this, as you've been remarkable since we've gotten together. Perhaps adding the game with other males is just a bad combination. But if you want our relationship to continue, then you need to reevaluate your beliefs about females." Rachel stood, knowing she needed to get out of there before she just forgave him, knowing he'd learned nothing.
"What do I have to do, baby?" He asked, reaching out to grasp her hand so she couldn't walk away. He might look like a pansy, but he just needed his girl to forgive whatever he'd done so they could get back on track. Because he was seriously going into Berry withdrawal and that shit was messed up.
"Educate yourself, Noah. Learn how difficult it is for us women in this world. Read a book, search online. Do something so that you'll realize how hard it is for us and so you'll appreciate me more. Because I do not like being treated so poorly." She gave his hand a squeeze before moving away, wanting to grab something for lunch before third period.
"Fuck me." Puck groaned and slumped back into the couch, not understanding why his girl was so upset. So he'd made some mistakes. It's not like she hadn't forgiven him for larger infractions (jeez really? infractions?), so he didn't get why she wasn't letting this go.
Knowing the guys would kick his ass if they ever found out, Puck headed towards the library, figuring he better get this shit done before Rachel had any more time to stew. Because if Rachel Berry was allowed enough time, she could get worked up into an impossible to deal with frenzy, no matter how she felt about her target. And he really didn't want to have to do even more back peddling, especially since they'd been rocking together since winter break, if you catch his drift.
/*/
Puck wasn't in biology that day, so Rachel partnered with Santana for their lab, partially grateful and partially worried about why he wasn't there. But she figured missing one class wasn't going to hurt his grade too much, especially not with their teacher being too proud of his recent hard work to hold it against him.
The teachers were more than willing to overlook some missed classes as long as he completed his assignments, as they were all aware he could simply stop trying again. Which would mean they'd failed as educators, and none of them wanted that.
"So what're you gonna do bout Coach's new rule?" Santana questioned as they measured stem lengths.
"If you're speaking about her wanting us to date younger men, than I must say she is going to be disappointed with me. Noah and I may be having some issues at the moment, but that does not mean I am willing to break up with him simply because Coach wants us to be more like Madonna. I think we would do her more justice by taking her teachings to heart and becoming more confident in ourselves." Rachel replied, making her friend roll her eyes.
"Whatevs, diva. So I've decided I'm gonna try to get Finn."
"But I thought your last date with him didn't go well. Besides, I didn't think you even really liked him." Rachel arched a brow at her.
"That's beside the point. I don't want Coach to kick me off the Cheerios just cuz I don't have a younger guy. So I'm gonna take his virginity." Santana revealed with a smirk.
"What? Really? Wow, I uh, if you're sure." Rachel's face showed her confusion, but she just shrugged. Santana was a grown woman and could do what she wanted with who she wanted. Well, except for Puck, because then Rachel would have to kill her bestie. And she really couldn't put her dreams on hold to go to prison.
"Yeah, Britt thinks I'll own him that way. Plus I'm just tired of him being a virgin. It's exhausting." The Latina shook her head.
"Just make sure you're careful." The two girls went back to their work, not wanting to be kept late to finish. No matter how important the short girl thought school and a good education was, she still didn't want to have to be there longer than necessary. Unlike at the start of the year, Rachel Berry actually had a life now and wanted to live it.
/*/
(Wednesday)
"I'd like you all to welcome our two newest members." The Cheerios turned to see Kurt Hummel and Mercedes Jones, both garbed in uniforms, prancing towards them. Santana reached quickly for Rachel, who's face had gone pale and her eyes wide in shock.
"What?" Rachel's voice was high as she demanded an answer, having not expected this at all. Sure, they'd all helped the two and Sue with the Madonna video the afternoon before, but that didn't mean she'd ever thought they'd be Cheerios.
"I said they're your new teammates. And since you haven't taken the Madonna assignment seriously and are still tied to that mentally challenged piece of meat, they're going to be taking the number for the pep rally." Sue smirked at her before blowing into her whistle shrilly.
Santana and Brittany shared a worried look when their diva just stood there, still in complete shock. She'd already started giving away solos in Glee, and now they were taking away her singing time in the Cheerios too? How was any of this fair? Didn't she give up enough already?
"C'mon, B, let's practice. We don't want Coach to bench us." Santana whispered, glaring at the smirking divas. How they could just come in and steal Rachel's spotlight was just fucking uncool.
"Yeah, Ray, it's only one performance. I'm sure this is to get back at Mr. Schue and she'll get tired of them." Rachel's large doe eyes flicked up to meet Brittany's blue ones, the rational sentence catching her attention.
"Uh…I guess I don't have any say if I wish to remain on the team." She muttered before marching over to her starting position, silently cursing the two all the way. She'd definitely been around Puck and Santana too long, as all the words in her mind were beyond offensive, but she really didn't care. Bitches had stolen her stage, again.
Kurt and Mercedes ignored the three, too thrilled with their new status to care that they'd taken something from Rachel. Sure, they were in the friend zone with the short girl, but that didn't mean they weren't going to go for solos. It wasn't as if she wouldn't do the same. All's fair in love and show biz.
/*/
"Hey babe." Rachel glanced up to see Puck making his way into the choir room, shoulders slouched. When he saw her tear streaked face, Puck hurried to her, back pack falling to the floor as he kneeled in front of her.
"Baby what's wrong? Who do I have to kill?" Her lips trembled as his stared up at him, his hazel eyes deadly serious.
"I-It's stupid."
"If it made you cry, than it's not stupid. Tell me what's wrong." Puck wrapped his large hands around hers, not caring if he looked like a pansy kneeling there in front of her.
"They…M-Mercedes and K-Kurt are Cheerios n-now." She hiccupped, big brown eyes glassy with tears. Puck stood and gathered her in his arms, pulling her onto his lap as he sat down.
"Why're Lady Lips and Wheezy on the Cheerios?" His voice was quiet, not wanting to upset her even more. Rachel buried her face against his neck, trying to calm down. She knew she was overreacting, but it just wasn't fair!
"They w-wanted more solos. S-so they stole mine." Puck rubbed her back soothingly, hating how miserable she sounded. He might not think it was a big deal, but he knew his girl was probably devastated by this latest maneuver by those who were supposed to be her friends.
"I'm sorry baby." Rachel clutched onto him, letting his calm demeanor sooth her until she was only hiccupping, cheeks finally dry.
"I just don't understand why they keep having to take my solos. Haven't I given them enough already?" She picked her head up to look into his eyes.
"Yeah you have. They're just being douches, Rach. You can't let them beat you down, cuz then they win. And you don't let anyone else win for long, right?" When he quirked a brow at her, her lips twitched into a reluctant smile.
"Nothing's ever good enough for them."
"They're just jealous, babe. You know that already. All you can do is outshine them." Taking a deep breath, Rachel sat back so she was sitting on his knees, hands on his shoulders.
"You're right, Noah. I can't simply mope around and whine about their actions. If I want to regain lost ground, then I just have to prove that I'm the best. Which I am." She said firmly, earning a smirk.
"That's right. You're Rachel Berry and won't let anyone or anything keep you from center stage." He winked, making her giggle a little.
"Thank you, Noah. I know we haven't really talked this week, but I appreciate you pulling me out of that very unstarlike funk." She smiled at him, eyes sparkling. It'd really been too long since they'd been alone together with her not thinking about his boorish behavior.
"You're my girl and I'll always be there when you need me." His voice was gruff and Rachel couldn't resist leaning forward for a long denied kiss.
"I'm sorry I've been so distant, Noah. I just couldn't get your behavior out of my head. But it's not right to keep using it against you. I love you and I don't want to be away from you anymore." She whispered. Puck smoothed his hands up her thighs, relishing in their silkiness.
"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I, uh…I may have talked to my ma' about it and read this book. Well…skimmed this book really, cuz I don't—"
"Noah, you're rambling." She grinned at him, finding him adorable. His cheeks flushed before he rolled his eyes at her.
"Anyway, my ma' set me straight about my 'tude and shit. I'm sorry you felt like that. You're like the girl I respect the most, and I hate that I made you feel like shit." He mumbled, knowing he needed to get the words out even while his inner badass was cringing.
"What book did you skim?" She questioned, fingers working their way into the back of his 'hawk, giving the short hairs a little tug.
"Uh, some femloving book or something. It made me feel like a dick, for sure." Her lips stretched wider at his words, eyes alight with laughter.
"Good. Because if you ever treat me like that again, I won't be responsible for my actions." Puck knew she was serious and was also issuing a challenge, which he was happy to meet. He'd do whatever it took to keep the brunette from getting so worked up in the future, as it was a bitch for him to try and win her back over. Girl better appreciate him as much as she wanted to be appreciated, is all he was saying.
"Course babe, I wouldn't think otherwise. And since I like my balls where they are, I'll try and watch myself." Rachel beamed at him, not letting his crude remark bother her, too excited to be back on good terms with him. Fighting with Noah was really not something she wanted to go through all that often.
"I do think I'd like to read this book that enlightened Noah Puckerman on the mistreatment of women." Rolling his eyes at her, he reached around her for his bag, struggling with it for a moment before he was able to get the book free.
"Here. Have it. I don't want it anymore." Rachel giggled as he shoved it into her hands as if it was on fire, his face contorted as if in pain. Boy was such a drama queen.
""No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and the Future of Women by Estelle Freedman" Wow Noah, I didn't expect you to actually read something like this."
"It was the only thing in the library. Shit's gonna give me nightmares." He shuddered, which just had his girl laughing before she set the book on a chair before looping her arms around his neck.
"Poor baby, what can we do to keep the scary feminists away?" He looked at her hopefully, such the picture of a happy puppy that Rachel had to will herself not to laugh as she brought their mouths together. If she wanted to be treated like an equal, than she would also need to treat Noah as such, and wounding his manly pride would certainly not be a step forward.
"Fuck I've missed you." He mumbled against her lips, hands settling on her hips to bring her flush against him, her center rubbing against him.
"Me too. But we don't have time." She sighed, giving her bottom a wiggle just to get a groan from him.
"We could always skip." He said hopefully.
"Nope. We're already missing part of fourth period for the pep rally." She kissed him again before standing from his lap, smoothing her skirt down as he pouted.
"You're so mean to me, babe."
"I'm sure you'll survive. Now walk me to dance." She held out her hand, which he took after giving a long sigh and stood, grabbing his bag.
"So do you still have that red corset thing?" He questioned as they exited the room, making her blush.
"Maybe." She smiled as he groaned again, waving at Santana and Brittany as they passed by, happy everything was back to normal. The two girls were thrilled when they saw the couple, Brittany giving an excited squeal and having to be held back by the Latina. Things were definitely getting back on track.
/*/
After the pep rally, Mr. Schuester had told the girls they didn't need to go to Glee, as he thought the guys needed a one-on-one practice with him, as he didn't think they were getting the assignment. So the five Cheerios found themselves in the auditorium, Mercedes and Quinn chatting while the other three fooled around on stage. Tina had decided to head home, as she had a math exam the next day and could use the extra prep time.
"I'm so happy you're back with Puck. Lord Tubbington said it would happen today, but I thought he was wrong because it didn't seem possible." Brittany beamed as she spun around the stage, quickly moving into a graceful jump before landing.
"Me too Britt. Me too." Rachel smiled up at the ceiling, as she was laying on her back with her arms behind her head.
"Talkin' bout me?" Head jerking up, she saw Puck, Mike, and Matt making their way onto the stage. Puck reached down to help her up off the ground, pulling her into a deep kiss that had her head spinning.
"Get a room!" Santana called out, breaking the couple a part.
"That's the plan." Puck retorted with a smirk, which just had Rachel blushing and elbowing him in the side.
"Hey Rach, we uh, we wanted to say sorry about how we treated you on Sunday. We didn't even realize what we were doing." Mike said, him and Matt both looking timid as they stared down at the ground. Rachel broke away from Puck to throw herself at the two, thankful they had quick reflexes and kept her from going through them and hitting the floor.
"Just don't do it again." She muttered, earning nods of agreement before she pulled away with a bright smile.
"Yay! Everyone's happy!" Brittany cheered, twirling around them, pulling Mike into a two-step to everyone's amusement. Santana and Matt soon joined them, pulling the other two in as well, until they were all laughing.
It was great that they'd moved past the boy's sexist attitudes and gotten back to normal. Now all she needed to do was prove she was the best and get Coach Sue to kick Kurt and Mercedes off the Cheerios and her life would be back to perfect.
AN: Okay, it was totally way short but I this chapter was a bitch to write. I was all into it when I first outlined it, as I have a Women's Studies minor, but I just couldn't get into it. So sorry if it sucked. We'll just have to see if I can get back into the Puckleberry bubble while keeping up with my other stories. So REVIEW and let me know what you think about this.