Sorry for such a late update, but I've been busy busy busy (seriously I'm almost falling asleep behind my laptop and it's only six pm)

Anyway enough about me, here's chap 5 hope you like it! :)

Chapter 5: Has he really changed?

Puck pov

"Okay guys, next week we're going to sing duets! And you may pick a partner and a song yourself." Mr. Schue said, enthusiastically as always. "Choose wisely and rehearse well, because you're going to perform to each other. And who knows, maybe we'll add one of the songs to our sectionals setlist!"

"Brittany and I are a pair." Santana said to Mr. Schue immediately.

"Jeej!" Brittany said happily. I rolled my eyes. What a surprise…

"Mr Schue, Finn and I are pair as well, right Finn?" Quinn said, more to Rachel than to Mr. Schue. Finn nodded with that typical empty- headed look on his face. Another big surprise… not.

Of course Rachel just smiled, as always, though I was quite sure she was secretly very disappointed she wasn't the girl who was going to sing with Finn. Lucky bastard… so many girls chasing his ass. I would hate him if he wasn't my best friend.
Rachel walked towards Kurt. "I would really appreciate it if you would want to sing with me Kurt."

Okay thát was a surprise indeed, and I was not the only one thinking that. Kurt stared at her with a slightly alarmed frown. "You want to sing a duet with mé?"

"Yes, I think you're really talented, just like me, we'll make a perfect team." She said with a big hopeful smile. "Besides, we both adore musicals don't we? So we have two things in commend; talent and musicals."

"True…" Kurt said slowly. He was probably trying to think up a reason to reject her, wrapped in a sarcastic joke and/ or insult, but failed. "Well okay then, but if you get bossy I'll be gone before you know it. And I insist I pick your outfit for our act."

Rachel nodded contently. Behind her I saw Artie and Mercedes discussing about what song they were going to perform. So Tina isn't going to sing with Artie or Mercedes?

"D- do you want to sing with me P- puck?" A familiar stuttering voice behind me asked.

I turned around and saw it was Tina. "What?" I asked confused. I really hadn't expected this, especially not after that embarrassing Friday night.
She bit on her lower lip and looked away, making me realize she had interpreted my 'What' as a 'No'.

"I- if you don't want I understand… you know, n- never mind, forget that I've suggested it at all." She said hasty, and she wanted to walk towards the other Asian.

No way I'm going let this chance pass! I thought, and I grabbed her arm. I felt her startle of that but I didn't care. "I would love to sing with you." I said softly.

She turned her head and looked me in the eyes. "R- really?"

"Of course, I was just… surprised that you asked me."

Did her head turn red a little or was it just the light?
She started talking really rapidly. "Oh… well… I- I thought, you've been so nice lately… and Mercedes and Artie's voice match really well, so… a- and the whole thing with Karofski Friday… it's just… what I want so say is: I believe you're actually r- really nice, very different than I'd thought… n- not that I hated you before, b-b-but…. Oh god I'm talking nonsense aren't I?" She said with an apologizing smile.

I couldn't help but smile as well. "A bit, but it's okay, I understand what you're trying to say."

"Really?" She almost whispered now. I noticed her lips were beautiful, very full and red and all that stuff. Suddenly I realized I was still holding her arm, and let it go quickly. I felt eyes burning in my back and glanced backwards, to see a Rachel staring at me with a suspicious glance in her eyes. Oh god I know that look… I quickly turned myself to Tina again. "So umm, shall we choose a song and practice a bit tomorrow after school?"

"Sounds good, then I'll see you at the auditorium around four o'clock." She said, and walked towards Mercedes.

A weird and unexpected feeling of happiness and victory (mostly victory) came over me. Tina wants to sing with me! In your face Artie! She didn't think I was a stalking creep or a mean selfish bully, she thought I was actually really nice. It's weird but I couldn't remember anybody has ever called me nice before.

"Noah do you like Tina?"

I almost had a heart attack when I closed my locker and stared right into Rachel's exited face. Her big brown eyes were screaming: I know what you're trying to hide!

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said toughly. It sounded convincing, I was a good liar, though I wasn't sure whether I was good enough to put Rachel on the wrong track.

"Oh Noah, don't lie to me, I know you." She said with a self- satisfied tone of voice. I hated that tone of voice.

"You don't know me at all!" I said, and walked away from her. But of course she followed me. So I started walking faster but she didn't give up.

"You can't walk away from me Noah, during our relationship I've got to know you better than anyone!"

Relationship? That chick's fucking insane! "We did not have a relationship, we were just making out!"

Rachel smiled comprehensive (unjust if you'd ask me, because she didn't understand at all!). "Noah you're clearly stuck in a big negative spiral of denial, confusion, and fear. Stop denying we had a relationship, and stop denying you don't like Tina. I know what you feel for her, and I know it confuses you because she isn't like all those shallow girls you've dated before, except me of course." She said, and smiled even broader. "But the point is: you're just afraid of rejection. And I want to help you because-"

What the hell? She's just like my mom! That horrible realization made me shudder.
I really couldn't take any more of this, and made a beeline for the men's room. (Yes, I fled to the men's room for Rachel, so what? She's fucking terrifying!)
And I stayed there, with a pounding heart, until I finally heard her walk away. Thank god…

Tina pov

"What are you so happy about?" Mercedes asked me. It was Tuesday afternoon, and I was just about to go towards the auditorium.

"Oh nothing, I'm going to rehearse with Puck at the auditorium." I said cheerfully.

"Oeoeoe." Mercedes said teasingly. "Puck, the though, mysterious, and handsome Latino …"

I tried hard not to blush, but failed miserably. Of course Mercedes noticed immediately. "Tina, are you kidding me? You really like him?"

At first I wanted to deny it, but I just couldn't, I had to tell somebody.
"Well, a- a bit I guess…." I actually liked him more than just a bit, but there was no need to tell her that. Seriously, I was starting to get obsessed with him. I dreamed about him every night, and thought about him almost every second of the day. Past Friday night I even had a hallucination of him. (I thought I saw him in his cool car in front of my house but that was impossible of course)

Mercedes bit on her lip, and looked at me with a weird glance in her eyes.
"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Oh Tina, please be careful… Puck is still Puck, no matter how much he has changed."

"Y- you mean you think he'll never like me?" I asked with a trembling voice, though it was more a statement. She didn't answer and that was enough for me to confirm it. And she's right... he'll never fall in love with a girl like me, I'm too boring….I felt tears well up in my eyes and blinked them away. I didn't want Mercedes to see how much it hurt me.

Mercedes put her arm around my shoulder. "I'm sorry Ti, but you two are just too different… and even if he liked you to, I don't think it would be a good thing…"

"W- what do you mean?"

"Ti we're talking about Puck, the guy who slept with the girl of his best friend! The guy that probably has done every willing girl in the town! He's no boyfriend material, Artie is."

Something in her tone of voice made my blood turn to ice, and filled my heart with anger. "I'm not a stupid child Mercedes! I know what Puck has done, b- but he's changed, he's different now! A- and Artie and I are just friends!" I yelled, and I shook of her arm. My hands were shaking, I was really really angry. How dared she talk about Puck that way, why didn't she mind her own business?

"Tina I just want to protect you, I don't want you to get hurt!" Mercedes said.

"I don't need your protection, I can take care of myself! J- just mind your own business Mercedes!" I yelled, and I walked away with fierce steps. I tried to ignore the staring of the other kids in the hallway who had followed our argument with great interest. All I wanted was to go to Puck, and forget about Mercedes and her stupid opinion. She's so wrong! Puck really has changed, I just know he has…

For those who are wondering: when is the romance finally going to start? It's going to be next chap, I promise! :)

Review, and stay tuned sweet readers!