HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT

Pairing: St. Berry, in all its sexually explosive glory.

Rating: K+ (definitely changes as the story progresses)

Preview (normal script is just an explanation and italics are excerpts from the story):

Jesse St. James and Rachel Berry could not have been more different. While he was the king of Carmel High; she was at the bottom of the social ladder on the other side of town. He was the "star of Vocal Adrenaline". She was the "loser who thought 'New Directions' was even remotely cool". Their paths weren't even supposed to cross, considering how contrasting their leagues were. Until one day...

In the auditorium of Carmel High:

"We're what?" the team captain straightened up in his seat; a look of pure shock and disgust twisted into a snarl upon his handsome face.

Shelby Corcoran didn't flinch.

"Due to our recent misfortune, we'll be holding our rehearsals at the Lima Youth Centre. It's going to be perfect and you're going to love it so much, you won't want to go home. The facilities are excellent and the management responsible for their stage are accommodating," the director paced in front of her students, hands poised upon her hips as she addressed each and every one of them sternly.

"Miss Corcoran, with all due respect... Hold the phone and rewind, girl," Nick Mitchell's voice rose a few pitches towards the end of his sentence, still trying to absorb the information Shelby had sprung upon them just a mere day after they found their high school auditorium thoroughly trashed by rogue miscreants.

"We have to what?" Tristan's whiny, overweening voice broke into the discussion as he too needed clarification to precisely what their superior had just said before her little spiel.

In the choir room of William McKinley High School:

"We're sharing an auditorium with Vocal Adrenaline?" Rachel Berry squealed, barely allowing her (obviously) weary teacher to finish his previous sentence.

Will Schuester smiled in her direction, seeing as she seemed to be the only enthusiastic one out of the twelve kids. "Yes. At the Youth Centre. We'll have to work out the scheduling, but we'll be ending up there together more often than not. Carmel High lets out at the same time as McKinley and..." he was interrupted unceremoniously by the uproar from the rest of the glee club.

"This is bull, Mr. Schue! Those guys are only gonna sabotage our chances at Sectionals!" Finn roared, rising to his feet as to be properly heard by the curly-haired mentor.

"I hear they hold rituals every night before they go home. Smoke, mirrors, blood, the whole sha-bang," Kurt whispered conspirationally, his hand subconsciously resting against his throat in revoltion.

Catching the look of desperation/frustration on Mr. Schue's face, the brunette ingénue sprang to her feet and flitted to the front of the room. Clapping her hands quickly, she managed to catch their (begrudging) attention.

"You guys! Ms. Sylvester is never going to let us practice in peace while we're within her domain, (which is the school). And we have absolutely no time to battle her every attack because if we want to be the best, we have to focus on what's important. So what if it's Vocal Adrenaline? Maybe we'll end up making friends with them! Right?"

Negative.

Jesse and Rachel did everything wrong when it came to building even a semi-friendship.

"I think singing takes heart and a certain innate originality very few people possess," Rachel spoke eloquently amongst the two rival show choir teams, knowing full well that public speaking was her niche.

"Oh, please," came a sardonic voice from the middle of the seated Vocal Adrenaline crowd.

The brunette narrowed her eyes and turned to look at whoever dared interrupt the intro of her speech. She saw him. Jesse St. James. Tall, wavy brown hair, piercing hazel eyes and wearing a smirk that was both sexy and annoying as hell (in that very moment).

"Singing comes from pure talent, discipline, and the guts to do whatever it takes to be the best," he drawled easily as he leaned into his seat with what seemed to be a sense of entitlement in being there.

His gaze flickered to her before it went back to Shelby, whom had asked the question of "what is singing to you?", directing the said query to the entire room. She hadn't expected the respective team captains to suddenly ram horns in the midst of their first meeting together.

"She..." Jesse smiled coolly to the now-furious Berry offspring (the very same he referred to as 'she'). "... probably thinks that singing Taylor Swift's 'Fifteen' is a rite of passage into the world of competitive music," he maintained that infuriatingly calm exterior of his as the rest of Vocal Adrenaline sniggered in amusement.

Her jaw dropped.

Seriously.

Her mouth literally went agape in shock.

How could such a boy affect her this way? No one ever managed to render her speechless before. NEVER.

It was at that moment she decided she hated him.

Where could they possibly go from there?

We'll get to see the 'Vocal Adrenaline-New Directions' relationship evolve over time.

More importantly, see how their captains battle for dominance over territory. Witness the ferocity of 'Beastly Berry' and the ruthlessness of 'Savage St. James'.

Will you be Team Berry?

Or Team St. James?

There's a fine line between love and hate. Watch as our favourite duo tread that line of passion throughout the entire story as they move towards their respective 'Sectionals' competitions.

Conflict.

Friendship.

Sex.

It's all in 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot'.

"I don't appreciate being manhandled, St. James," Rachel rasped as Jesse's figure towered over hers. He had her boxed in against the wall backstage with his strong arms (rather intimately) as everyone else was busy in the main hall of the auditorium.

Shrinking against the wall, she lifted her chin defiantly and stared right back into his eyes. They were both breathing heavily at the lack of oxygen between their close proximity.

Rachel caught the flicker of excitement within his hazel eyes, prompting a funny, little feeling in the pit of her stomach. She found herself secretly thrilled at their current predicament... even more so at not knowing what was going to happen next.

Jesse's pillow-soft lips parted as he inched his face even closer to hers (if that was even possible). She tried hard not to breathe too shakily at the reaction her body gave, totally betraying her head (which was trying so hard to remind the girl, "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HATE HIM, RACHEL!").

"I take it you haven't been handled by the right man."

Oh. Sweet. God.

Catch the whole story as it starts in December.

Add 'broadwaybuff' to your Author Alerts list and be the first to read it.

Leave a review and tell me what you think! ;)