66Summary: "She slowly waved the can between the pair, daring them to follow her, before turning on her heel and sprinting towards the port-a-potties outside." Had Rachel been the one to find Puck. AU from Special Education
Friends
"Still can't get over the stupid look on his face."
Rachel scrambled away from the piano and pressed herself against the whiteboard when she heard Dave Karofsky and Azimio Adams' laughter advancing down that hall. The start to her week had been horrendous, and with her solos and her boyfriend rapidly slipping away from her, the last thing she needed was to cross paths with her tormenters. She said a silent prayer, hoping that she would be spared this time around. Rachel stopped breathing when she heard their footsteps pause at the door.
"I can't believe he tried to get us to join the gay parade."
"Well, he's getting his lesson for it, the fag." She flinched at the tone in Dave's voice, and bit back her desire to confront the homophobe. "Right about now, Puckerman's probably passing out from the smell alone."
Rachel's jaw dropped in horror.
She wasn't blind. After being publicly humiliated amongst her peers by Santana Lopez, it was blatantly obvious that no one in the glee club really liked her, but Puck was different. Despite his silence during the earlier catfight, she knew that they had some sort of friendship with each other. She stared at her bag just a few inches away from her. There was pink can of pepper spray stuffed in the front pocket. Knowing, or at least hoping, that Puck would do the same for her, she lunged for her bag, swiftly pulled the small, bedazzled weapon out and pointed it at the boys still standing in the doorway. They stepped back as she ran them back and into the lockers.
"Woah, Berry just calm-!"
"Where's Noah and what did you do to him?" she demanded, her shaking finger threatening to press down on the trigger.
"Dude, is that pepper spray?" Azimio questioned disbelievingly.
She gave him a tight nod in response. "My daddies have been pretty sick of watching me come home in a state of 'modern day tar and feathering.' I have a thicker skin than they imagine so I haven't found a reason to use it." Rachel thrust it forward and felt a sick pleasure when she saw their eyes squeeze shut in fear. A burst of confidence fueled her forward as she relished finally having power over her bullies. "Until now that is. Now where is he?"
They didn't answer her.
"So help whatever your puny little skulls, if someone doesn't talk in one-point-five seconds, I will make you eat this," she sneered.
"P-port-o-john," Karofsky managed to stammer.
She slowly waved the can between the pair, daring them to follow her, before turning on her heel and sprinting towards the port-a-potties outside. Her heart hammered against her rib cage at the thought of what Puck must have been going through. It took all her balance not to fall over when she burst through the doors and scanned the area in front of her. None of the ones lined up under the bleachers were toppled over. Rachel was about to storm back in and rip them apart for lying to her when she heard a ruckus coming from around the corner.
A loud but weak "help!" followed by slow bangs sent her racing in its direction.
"Noah!" she cried when she saw the grey box lying on its side.
"Berry?"
It was muffled compared to his previous shouts, but the sound of his voice made her huff a quick breath of relief. "Oh god, Noah! Are you okay?"
"Berry?! Oh hell, please, please don't leave me in here!"
She frowned. Did he really think her capable of being that vengeful? Rachel examined the broom shoved into the lock, effectively blocking his exit. "Don't worry, Noah! I'm getting you out of there." With one smooth move, she pulled it out, tossed it behind her and threw the door open.
Puck looked up from his crouched position, squinting at the harsh sunlight. She gasped at his appearance. The jock was drenched with sweat, the jogging pants and hoodie he was wearing making him look even more haggard.
"Oh, Noah," she cooed, a gentleness in her tone as though she were beckoning an injured puppy to her. Rachel reached in and helped him out. She gingerly avoided touching the soiled areas of his clothing but when he dropped to the ground, rubbing his face exhaustedly, she leaned in to hug him. "How long were you in there for?" she asked after taking a deep breath in through her mouth.
"God…three, four hours?"
Rachel couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her. "W-what?"
"I called the guys into the locker room at lunch to try and convince them to join glee. You can see how well that panned out for me."
She ignored the sarcastic bite in his tone. "Noah, since lunch? That was six hours ago! All this time I was hiding in the choir room when- ugh!" Rachel's tiny fist clenched against his shoulder. She had wasted her time moping while Noah was suffering in a port-o-potty? "Those vile, unbelievable… fuckers!"
Puck's eyes snapped to her in surprise. "Berry, you just dropped a hard f-bomb."
"I can't believe they had the utter gall to do this to you! You're on the same team as each other, for god's sake! You would think they would have some loyalty or, or brotherhood or something!" He gave her a guilty frown. "What? What is it?"
"Listen, Rachel, I'm sorry none of us said anything during Santana's bitch fit. It was wrong of us to let her go on like that, even if you were acting all crazy about the solos."
She gaped at him, willing herself not to laugh. "You've been stuck in this toilet hell for six hours and you're apologizing to me? Did you lose your mind while in confinement?"
He gave her a chuckle in return. "Hey, it didn't take long for me to start praying in there. Said if the big man got me out, I'd start being nicer to people. Then I realized there was no way I could do that, so I changed it. To just Jews. And what did he do? He sent me a hot, Jewish American angel to save the day. I knew God was real."
Rachel laughed this time, leaning her head on his shoulder and tightening her embrace. "I'm so happy you're okay, Noah. I came as soon as I got Karofsky and Azimio to fess up."
"Wait, you took them on?" he sputtered, pushing her away. "What did you do?"
She held up her can of mace, shaking it playfully. "He sang like a canary," she informed him with a grin. "Maybe he should consider joining glee."
Puck smirked at her. "Berry, you delightful thing, I do believe this is the start of a super, sexy friendship."
She rolled her eyes and nudged his foot with hers. "Do you think I would have came to your rescue if I didn't already consider you a friend?" The smile that stretched his cheeks was sincere and grateful. "Come on, get up. You need to go home and take a shower. You stink to the high heavens."
"Berry, this is the part where you pull me up onto your white horse and we ride off into the sunset. You're doing a horrible job as my knight in shining armor." She ignored him as he walked her back inside to grab the bag she had left in the choir room. After checking its contents, making sure that Karofsky and Azimio hadn't taken or done anything to her possessions, they headed to the parking lot together. She gave him one last smile and climbed into her car.
He caught the door before she could close it and gave her a meaningful stare.
"Seriously, Rachel. I appreciate you helping me out today. You and I both know I deserved to stay in there for days after all the times I've locked geeks in there."
"Looking past your indiscretions, your stint in juvie, and the fact that you insulted your past victims just now," she began, "you're a changed man, Noah. You deserve better than to be treated in such a humiliating way."
If he could blush, he would have. "Right well… thanks. And Berry?"
"Yes?"
"Finn's a douche for lying about it. You deserve better too."
With that, he jogged over to his truck, leaving her to consider his words.
She hung her head low as Santana flounced away from her triumphantly.
"Did I tell you he bought me dinner after?"
She hated how easy it was for Santana to tear her down. Sure, her rivalry with Quinn Fabray was one for the books, but Santana was so spiteful, so hurtful that it killed her even more to know that she was the one Finn had been with. That Santana was the one rubbing it in her face that she had her hands all over her boyfriend last spring.
"Hey, you okay?"
She turned and found Puck looking at her with concern. "Noah," she sighed.
"What is it, little mama?"
She scoffed at the new nickname he had decided to start calling her. "What could be wrong? You bribed Lauren Zizes into filling Kurt's spot. Word has spread about my 'badassery' in dealing with two of the biggest neanderthals in this school. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping. Everything's just fine."
"Seriously, Rachel, what is it?"
She didn't understand why her stomach fluttered every time he said her first name, but she didn't question it as she dropped her shoulders with defeat. "It's Finn."
He nodded understandingly. "Boyfriend troubles. I got that covered." He leaned in, and teasingly whispered, "Considering I'm usually the cause of them, I'd say I'm an expert."
If she weren't so upset, he would've gotten a giggle from her.
"Walk with me."
Puck offered her his arm, which she took with very little hesitation. Biting her tongue to stop herself from saying anything stupid, she couldn't help but notice his bicep felt larger than the last time she had held it. She nearly questioned him about it, but thought twice. Knowing him, he would take it as an attempt to flirt and she wasn't in the mood to give him an opening for his crass humor. "Where are we going?" she asked instead.
"To my place. Or yours. Either way, there's no reason to stay with the other losers today," he told her. "You and I are on backburner, remember? They don't actually need us at practice." Rachel stiffened at the comment. "I mean Finnessa had a point about star players. You don't just pull them out at the last second and replace them with the third string, and trust me. Quinn's third string. Schue could've at least gone with Mercedes."
Somewhere in there was a compliment, she was sure of it, so she relaxed herself and smiled at him. "I knew someone had to see it my way."
Puck shrugged, grinning lazily. "Mama, you're a star. You just shine too bright for any of those wannabes to see it. Now come on. The Puckerone's gonna cheer you right up."
And just like that, her chest was puffed up and she was grinning again. Bless the person who taught Noah flattery.
It took fifteen minutes to get to her house, though if Puck had been leading, they would've gotten there much faster. "Seriously, Berry, you must be the only person to drive ten less than the speed limit," he snapped irritably as he trudged into the kitchen to find something to eat. "Man, it's been a year since I've been in this neighborhood, and it's just as embarrassing as before, seeing my beat down pick-up in the middle of all these fancy Lexuses and BMWs and shit."
She couldn't help but frown from her place at the kitchen island. "I like your truck, Noah."
"Still. Weren't you a little shamefaced when we were dating? Knowing you came from the rich neck of Lima while I-"
"Are you serious? The most popular boy in school choosing the social outcast? I was ecstatic," she confessed genuinely.
"Second most popular. Finn, remember?"
"Ah yes," she drawled. "So, I'm gonna have the utter pleasure of breaking up with the two head honchos at my school. Does that make me desirable now?"
Puck turned away from the fridge in surprise. "Seriously? You're dumping Finn?"
Rachel froze, realizing the gravity of her joke. "I… I don't know," she stuttered. "I mean, no. Maybe?"
He closed the refrigerator door and leaned on the island, taking her hand. "You know I'm trying to fix my friendship with him, but I'm on your side, mama." Their eyes locked for much longer than she knew was appropriate before she whipped her hand away with a scowl.
"Why do you call me that?"
Noah took a second to recover before laughing at her indignant expression. "What? Mama? You're no 'baby,' Rachel. You're large and in charge, and papa like." Rachel grunted her disgust and walked away, knowing he'd follow her up to her room. "You listened to the new Lady Antebellum yet?" he asked. "I think you'd like it."
"Not as of yet," she told him. "But thanks for reminding me. That album's been on my playlist of 'Need to Listen To.' Got a suggestion of what to listen to first?"
He plopped down on the bed and watched her search through her closet for something more comfortable to wear. He swallowed thickly when she stood on her toes and her skirt inched just a bit higher. Her thighs stretched the fabric of her pantyhose, making it semi-transparent. "All of it I guess," he answered throatily.
Rachel dropped to her heels, her brows arching. "Are you alright?"
"Do you really want to break up with Finn?"
Her toes dug into her carpet and she looked at anything but him. "I… I guess I've thought about it. How am I supposed to trust someone that would lie about something so important? Not that he sees how much something like that means to me," she grumbled. "And the look on his face when Santana was practically throwing himself at her in the hallway. Let's face it. If I don't break up with him, he'll probably do it first. She's gorgeous. How could I possibly compete?"
Rachel had not realized that Noah was off her bed and standing in front of her until he tilted her face up gently, the fingers he placed under her chin slowly trailing up her jawline to cup her cheek. "You're wrong." Her breath caught in her throat. What did he mean? "When you opened that port-a-john and I saw you, the sun shining all around your hair, I thought you were the most beautiful thing I'd ever laid my eyes on."
"Noah," she exhaled.
She didn't stop him when he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. The hand on her face found their way to the back of her neck and he tugged her forward into him. Before she knew it, her arms were around his shoulders and he was carrying her to the bed. The moment she hit the mattress, Rachel was pulling him on top of her, unzipping his hoodie and pushing it down his arms. "Rach," he murmured against her skin, and she hummed in reply, enjoying the attention he was paying to her collarbone.
He groaned excitedly when her thighs gripped his hips and he was pushed onto his back. Rachel bent down and found his mouth once more and he shivered at the feeling of her soft hand stroking his mohawk.
"Jesus," he huffed breathlessly, his hand creeping up her side to find purchase on a small strip of skin just above her skirt.
Noah found himself on top again, kissing her with so much passion that he felt his pants tightening as if he was still an inexperienced twelve year old. "I forgot how good this felt," she told him, drawing another moan from him as she began nipping on his ear. He tilted his head to give her a better angle, and as if some higher power was trying to punish him, he saw a picture of Finn sitting on her bedside table.
Summoning all his willpower, he pulled away with a frustrated sigh.
"What is it?" she asked. "Did you not like that?"
He dropped his forehead to hers, shook his head, then lifted his lips to the space between her eyebrows. Noah gently kissed the skin there. "I can't do this."
"O-oh…"
"I mean I really want to do this. Everything I just said about you? All true, and I'm sorry it took you attacking Karofsky for me to realize it but… I don't want to be his seat warmer, Rach. I've done that before. I can't do it again."
He climbed off the bed, trying his best to ignore the look on her face.
"I'll see you at school tomorrow, mama."
Try as she may, Rachel couldn't get the kiss out of her head and to make matters worse, they couldn't even be in the same room as each other without the tension amping up to the point of suffocation. She was still on the outs with Finn, their attempts at speaking to each other always ending in her storming away after an exasperated apology from him. How could he not see why this was hurting her so much? He had to have some kind of understanding to have hidden it in the first place yet there he was, still defending his actions. In truth, she knew she was going a bit overboard. She and Finn weren't together at the time, after all, and she had almost lost her virginity to Jesse on the same night he lost his. But she had fessed up to lying. Why hadn't he done the same? Maybe she wouldn't have taken it so hard if he had just been honest.
And now, here they all were. Screaming at each other in the green room minutes before going on stage. And she was angrier than before.
Everyone knew? Even Noah?
Why hadn't he told her?! Or at least why hadn't he told her this past week?
She saw the way he flinched at the accusing glare she sent his way. Too hurt over his newly discovered betrayal, she turned back to Finn. "Everyone knew about this but me?!"
"Pretty much," Tina told her, none too kindly.
Santana side-eyed her. "Nobody tells you anything because A, you're a blabber mouth and B, we all just pretend to like you."
"That's not true. I like her," Puck cut in.
She refused to grant him whatever forgiving gesture he was looking for and instead went on a tirade after being yelled at by Finn, feeling even more humiliated than before. Her only consolation was that Tina and Artie were mad at their respective beaus as well, adding to her own dramatics so she didn't feel too ridiculous. It took Mr. Schuester less than five seconds to make them all feel just as bad as she did for even fighting the way they were when they were supposed to be a team. So, in an effort not to upset her teacher any further, she tried not to look smug when Santana and Quinn made them champions of a tie decision, and not a full first place win.
They were on the bus back to McKinley when, unfortunately, another big fight broke out. Santana was whispering nasty insults just loud enough for Rachel to hear and Finn, who was sitting right across from them, did nothing to stop it as usual. Her fury at the brim, she turned and shouted at Santana to "keep her arrogant mouth shut."
"Rachel," Mr. Schuester warned.
"No, I've had it!" She cried angrily.
Just a week ago, she had Azimio and Karofsky cowering in fear. There was no way she'd take anymore crap from the people that were supposed to be her friends, or teammates at the least.
"You know what Finn, you were right in saying I was more upset about Santana having sex with you than the fact that you lied to me about it." He sat straighter, but the confidence he gained at her admission quickly deflated when she continued. "You're damn right I'm upset that it was the girl that degrades me, humiliates me, and draws pornographic pictures of me in the bathrooms on a weekly basis. And don't get me started on what you said before. Here you are telling me I have no right to be mad because I was dating someone at the time? I walked away from Jesse that night because I was so head over heels in love with you, but you! You couldn't even muster enough courage to tell me the truth! I can barely breathe when I think about it, Finn! You got your kicks from a girl that hated me for just being me! And I get that I'm insane and self-centered about things like solos, but would it kill you to defend me when people start jumping and attacking me like they did last week?! Your ex said she wanted to punch me in the mouth and you didn't even bat your eyes at it! You're lucky Santana's the only thing I've been fighting with you about!" Finn had the decency to look ashamed. "And you!"
Puck's eyes widened when she whirled around and pointed her finger at him. "Now, Berry, just let me explain." He inched closer to Lauren, hoping his new friend would protect him.
"You knew? And you knew that everyone else knew and you didn't tell me? I thought we were friends! I thought-!" Images of their kiss assaulted her mind. She felt her cheeks heat. "You're a jerk!" she finished. "And you!"
Mr. Schuester's jaw dropped. He was going to be yelled at too?
"Did you see that, Schue? We nearly didn't make it to regionals because of your stupid plan! This isn't summer camp! We're in a competition, one that has determined funding for us in the past, so what's to stop them from doing that again? You do know that schools work that way, right? The winners get the best funding."
"Rachel," he snapped back angrily. "You can't always be the one-"
"Oh, please. I'll have enough solos on Broadway to last me a lifetime," she spat. "If you had given the solos to Mercedes or Tina we would have had a win. Not a tie, a win." She threw herself down on her seat with a huff. "Just so you know, I'll be apologizing for my inappropriate, horrible manners towards an authority figure tomorrow but right now I'm seeing red so you can wait."
The bus went silent. Even the driver was affected by the awkwardness.
In the back, Tina and Mercedes stood and walked up the aisle with the biggest shit-eating grins any of them had ever seen. Mercedes took the seat next to Rachel, Tina slipping in the one in front of them. The two girls smirked at Santana over Rachel's shoulder.
"So, Rach," Mercedes began. "Tina, Kurt and I are having a sleepover at my house tonight. Winners only. You in?"
Rachel gave them a surprised, stammered "yes, of course."
Word of the "Finchel" split spread through the school like wildfire. Exhausted and upset that Finn refused to validate her feelings, Rachel's love for him could no longer outweigh their disagreements, and she ended it. It was quick, painful, and she hated not knowing if he was hurting over losing her or losing face by being dumped by the biggest loser in school. At this point, she wasn't even sure if she would one day have him back in her life, at least as a friend. Santana wanted desperately to gloat, but she didn't have enough ammo with Rachel being the dumper. Tina and Mercedes, after they had somehow struck up a real friendship, were chattering her ear off about how she had left the star quarterback in the dust.
"I'd like to see Santana try and mess with you now. No one would dare call you a loser again, Miss Diva," Mercedes squealed excitedly as they turned the corner.
As if jinxing her, one of the football jocks threw a cherry slushie at her. The majority of it hit the new sweater she was wearing, some of it splattering over her chin and neck. Rachel's fingers clenched tightly around the spines of her notebooks and she begged herself not to cry.
Like losing Finn that week wasn't enough.
"You little punk!" Tina hissed, her hand automatically wrapping around Rachel's wrist defensively.
"That was for Hudson, man-hands," the boy laughed as he jogged down the hall.
Rachel dared to look up. Finn's locker was just down the way, and with her luck, he was there. Her ex was gaping at her, glancing around to look at the people laughing at her expense. He visibly tensed, slammed is locker shut and walked towards her, his big arms swinging and his head held high with purpose.
"We've got your back, Rach," Mercedes swore.
It wasn't needed, they realized, when Finn pulled his plaid shirt off and draped it over her shoulders. "I didn't see you come in with the tote bag you usually keep extra clothes in, so take this."
The three girls weren't the only ones stunned into silence.
"I'm gonna find that kid and kick the crap out of him, I swear," he growled, marching past them.
"Uh… he does know that you guys broke up, right?"
Rachel nodded slowly, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
Maybe they could still be friends after all.
Later on that day at glee, Rachel was sitting in her usual seat at the front, Finn's very large shirt folded on her lap. Tina had thankfully given her something to wear that she actually fit into and wouldn't look like a dress. She handed his shirt back to him when he walked in, and he nodded kindly to her, slipping it back on. He sat at the top of the risers, making it clear that he didn't expect anything for his chivalry. It was enough to prove to her that their relationship could be repaired one day, in whatever form it would become.
"Yo, Berry."
Everyone looked up when Puck strutted in, Lauren just behind him. Rachel rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. She tapped her foot and waited for him to continue.
"I'll leave you alone with that one, Puckerman," Lauren chuckled, eager to see how his apology would play out. She saw what Berry could dish out, and she definitely didn't want to be on the receiving end of that mess.
"What do you want, Puck?" she asked tersely.
Puck scooted the chair next to her closer and sat on it sideways. He rested his forearms on the back of the chair and began poking her shoulder with both index fingers. "Come on, little mama," he murmured so that she would be the only one to hear him. "You can't still be mad at me."
"I can't believe you didn't tell me that everyone knew," Rachel growled. "It's so embarrassing."
"It is so not as bad as you think it is," he laughed. Her eye twitched and she turned in her seat so she could shove his chair away with her heel. "Hey now, none of that!" He grabbed her ankle before she could kick his chair again. "Come on, Rach. No more secrets. I swear. Don't you miss me even a little bit?"
She huffed and turned her chin the other way. Side-eyeing him, she very quietly responded with, "a little."
Puck took it as a victory, righted his chair, and threw an arm around her. "I knew you'd come crawling back to me. Or did you forget I'm the only one in here that likes you?"
Rachel scowled and slapped his chest with the back of her hand. "That's not true!" she retorted testily. "Tina and Mercedes like me now too! And Kurt likes me, he's just not physically here."
"Yeah but who was your first friend out of all of us?"
"Kurt," she deadpanned.
He let out a defeated puff of air. "Yeah but who's your favorite?"
"Probably Mercedes."
"Amen," the girl rang behind her, snapping her fingers in z-formation before tapping the top of Puck's head to annoy him even more.
"Please, Berry," he grunted. "I liked you way before these losers, or have you forgotten our whirlwind romance last year? Face it. You somehow found your biggest ally in the biggest pain in your ass."
She stared up at him and thought of how his lips felt against hers. When he met her gaze, she could tell he was thinking of it too. "Yeah, seeing as Kurt is the Ginger to Mercedes' Astaire, I don't think I'd mind you and Tina being fierce competitors for my vacant position of 'Best Friend.' Think you two are up for it?"
"You're on, Puckerman," Tina answered almost immediately.
Mike grinned. "I gotta warn you, bro. She doesn't like losing."
Puck shrugged, his eyes never leaving Rachel's. "I'm up for the challenge."