Chapter 31

Tales of Puckerman

"You stole Mercedes?" Finn yelled when he met Jeff at his car.

"Hold up," Jeff began, "I had nothing to do with Mercedes leaving you guys. It was her choice and she felt that her talent wasn't appreciated within your group."

"Did you try to convince her to stay?"

"No, but that is not my job. As captain, you should be working harder to make sure that everyone in your team feels like they are doing their part. Even from when I was in there I could tell you guys favor Rachel more than anyone else."

"She is my girlfriend."

"That doesn't excuse favoritism. Yeah, she has an amazing voice, but is it worth loosing your teammates just to highlight her?"

"Well…"

"Exactly, now take two steps back and don't yell at me for no reason ever again."

"Well, just be careful because I am not the only one who thought that you had something to do with her leaving."

"Wait, does Puckerman think I did it to?"

"Yeah."

"SHIT!"

"Hey Jeff," it was Santana and she came walking over with Brittany, "What do you want Franken-teen? Go take your man-boobs and let Rachel play with them."

Finn stormed back into the school.

"Yes Santana?"

"So, we were wondering about your new group."

"And?"

"We want in, but we want solos."

"Okay, but The New Directions are already thinking that I am trying to tear them apart."

"Let them think what they want. You worry about what others say too much. The only reason I don't pick on you is because I think you may be the only virgin in this school."

"Umm, thanks?"

"So, can we join?"

"I guess. We need to be ready for Regionals in a few days. Can you perhaps get some of the Cheerios to join as backup singers?"

"Of course."

"Also, I have a problem with a certain member."

"Who?"

Back in the choir room.

"Wow, you are amazing Rory," Rachel announced shaking his hand.

"Thank you?"

"Yeah, you were great," Quinn interjected.

"Where is Finn?" Rory asked, "I need to tell him something important."

"He had to go see someone, he will be right back," Rachel said while walking over to talk with Mr. Schue about their set list for regionals.

Finn came back into the room and Rory rushed over to him.

"Finn Hudson, we have a problem."

"What is it Rory?"

"Remember what you asked me earlier? Well, Santana convinced Brittany to leave The New Directions."

"What?" Finn's voice rose.

"Is something wrong?" Naomi asked.

"Yes, Santana and Brittany are going to join the new Glee Club."

"Jeff had something to do with this, didn't he?" Puck shouted.

"No, it was her choice," Rory answered.

"I doubt that."

"Couldn't you tell how Santana has been feeling lately? She thinks we have turned into the Rachel and Blaine show," Finn tried to convince Puck.

"Great, now we have a real threat at regionals," Rachel complained.

"Not if I can help it," Puck charged out of the room.

"Wait, is he about to do what I think he is?" Brittney asked, rushing to the door in time to see Puck exit the school.

"Jeff," Naomi said, leaving the room with Alyssa, Brittney, Michelle, Ivan Chaves, Ivan Flores, Bella and Quinn.

"Hey, Jenni," Puck said, closing the car door before Jeff could get in.

"Before you say anything, I had nothing to do with Santana and Brittany leaving. It was their own choice."

"Right and Mercedes too?'

"Yes."

Puck punched Jeff's midsection lightly causing him to fall onto his car.

"You need to leave me alone Noah. I am tired of you hating me over that stupid thing about your house."

"Like I will listen to you."

"Jeff, are you okay?" Michelle asked when they caught up to them.

"Noah, leave him alone," Quinn spoke up.

"What Quinn you care about him now?" Puck asked, shocked.

"I always cared about him, but I care about you too."

"Well, you can't have us both."

"You really are an ass hole," she slapped him and stormed back into the choir room where she told everyone what happened.

"Did she just slap him?" Naomi whispered to Alyssa.

"Yep."

"She was too much baggage anyways. If I find out that you played any part in getting them to leave you're toast," Puck casually returned to the choir room.

"Finn, you have to talk to your friend," Rachel scolded him, "I am going to see what I can do about Jeff," she got up and left the room after giving Finn a final glance.

"Hi Jeff," Rachel began when she got to his car.

"Please don't tell me you want to join Shelby's choir too."

"Oh no, I would never leave my friends."

"Then what do you want? You haven't said much to me since we met."

"Exactly! We should talk more. That is why I am here. I have Finn inside talking to Puckerman and I wanted to convince you to return to The New Directions."

"So you only want to talk to me in order to make me come back."

"Well, yes. You see, you really are talented and I wanted to make sure that you made good life choices. The New Directions can't loose with me and being on a winning team will look good on college applications."

"That is really rude."

"Have you applied at any colleges?"

"College? No, I didn't think about that because I am not from this world."

"What if you can't get back home? Don't you want to go somewhere and do something with your life?"

"Well yeah, but…"

"I know! You should apply at NYADA with Kurt and me."

"Really? You think I can make it?"

"Yes, in fact, why don't I help you fill out an application? I think Emma has some in her office."

"I guess."

Rachel grabbed Jeff's wrist and pulled him back into the school and to the office of Emma Pillsbury, the guidance counselor.

"Rachel? Do you need something?" the red head asked. She was five four and wore a black sweater with horizontal grey stripes that matched her long skirt, "Oh, who is this?"

"This is Jeff, he wants to apply for NYADA."

"I don't think I met you, are you in glee, too?"

"I used to be, but now I am in Shelby's new club."

"Yes, Will mentioned you to me before. I am honestly surprised I didn't see you sooner with the feuds you have been having with Puck."

"It is okay Ms. Pillsbury, Finn is going to take care of that problem and Jeff might come back to The New Directions."

"I don't remember saying that," Jeff interrupted.

"Well, like I told Rachel NYADA is very difficult to get into."

"I didn't even plan on going to college here until Rachel convinced me. I think I can handle it."

"Not going to college here?"

"Sorry, it is a really long story."

"Okay, here is an application," she pulled a packet out of a folder in an extremely neat organizer that was on her desk, "Just fill it out and get it back to me. Remember though, you don't have much time."

"Thank you."

"Finn should be done by now," Rachel grabbed his wrist once again and pulled him to the choir room.

A few minutes earlier

"C'mon Puck, can't you leave him alone? What did he do to you?" Finn asked.

"It is none of your business 'what he did to me.'"

"Noah," Mr. Schuester interjected, "I have stayed out of this hoping you would grow up, but apparently you can't control yourself. One more act like that and I am going to have to report you to Principle Figgins and you will get suspended."

"You wouldn't do that, you need me for Regionals, and I will be held back if I get one more suspension."

"Try me, you need to leave him alone and let him come back if he wants to."

"I never told him to leave!"

"You implied it," Alyssa commented.

"First you forced him to go to Dalton, then you made him go to Shelby's group," Blaine added.

"No, Quinn made him join Shelby's group."

Quinn sat quietly in the corner.

"I am sure that if you weren't as mean to him as you were he would have stayed," Kurt tried to bring the blame back on Puck.

"Why is it that none of you care about why I act out? Or why I pick on people?" Puck stormed to the door and ran into Jeff in the hall, almost nocking him down.

"What do you want Jenni?"

"Is there anything you have to say Noah?" Rachel asked with an excited grin.

"Just get out of my way and watch where you are going," he walked out the front door.

"Sure looks like your plan worked," Jeff joked.

"I don't understand," Rachel marched into the choir room and approached Finn, "What happened? I thought you were going to talk to him."

"I did, but he just got angrier and left, but we did find out one thing."

"What?"

"He has a personal reason for doing this stuff."

"You mean to say that he has feelings?" Jeff asked entering the room, "I want to join The New Directions again. I don't think I can handle being in the group with all of those girls."

The room was filled with applause.

"I am going to go talk to Puck and see what is really wrong," Jeff returned to his car and proceeded to Puckerman's house.

Once there, he sat in his car thinking about his decision again because the house looked worse now than it did before, but he sucked it up and knocked on the door.

"What do you want?" Puck groaned when he opened the door.

"Finn told me that you have a reason for hating me and I want to know what it is."

"He can't keep his mouth shut," he went to the couch and sat down, leaving the front door open for Jeff to come in.

"So, are you going to tell me?"

"You really want to know?"

"Yes."

"It is because you have all of the things that I don't have. You are smart and you stole my girl friend that had MY baby."

"That's it?"

Puck silently turned on the TV and began flipping through the channels.

"Well, I can't make myself less smart without adversely affecting my future and I love Quinn too."

"I know."

"But I don't want you to hate me the whole time that I am here."

"I am working on it."

"You just hit me today, and you call that working on it?"

"I decided I was going to try today."

"Well I am glad. Maybe when it is done we can actually be friends."

Puck chuckled slightly, "Right, I doubt that."

"Well, it was worth a try," Jeff patted Puck's shoulder and went to the front door.

"Jeff…" Puck began, "Thanks."

"You're…welcome?" Jeff said, awkwardly, as he left the house and got into his car.