Hello! This is going to be a puckleberry multi-chapter story. It's going to be .drama...with touches of humor just to lighten the story up a bit. This chapter is more of a background story, like setting everything up for the main idea of the story. So enjoy! (: Review pleaseeee!

Rachel Berry was not necessarily the type of girl who got the guy. She was the girl with an immense amount of pure talent that had enough drive and determination for the entire school combined. She had the looks that most guys would consider drool worthy...shining dark brown hair, eyes you could get lost in, and most importantly the miniscule fabric the made up her tiny skirts. The only problem is when you're in high school, the amount of determination and knowledge she held were not ideal. It branded you a dork or loser the minute you opened you're mouth to explain you're favorite broadway show from point A to point B. She decided on the first day of school when she ended up with frozen, sugary ice all over her favorite skirt and tank top that she would not change to please anyone. She was who she was and she told herself as long as she could help it, she would not let anyone change that.

And that worked for her until Junior year, when someone finally destroyed that idea...but were a little ahead of ourselves.

To really understand, you have to go back to the beginning.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Walking into William McKinley High School on the first day of her Junior year, Rachel smiled brightly. She was overjoyed to be back. Not that she absolutely loved school or anything, it's just that she gets board over the long summer months. It's nice to get back into routine, and the fact that glee awaited her at the end of the day made her bubble with excitement. If glee had been cancelled, she really would not know what to do with herself. After living through Sophomore year, actually feeling apart of something and having friendly faces to look forward too (well mostly friendly faces; Santana, Brittney, and Quinn were not necessarily what you would call friendly) she never wanted to go back to her normal loneliness. She spotted Finn through the crowded hallway, his obsessive tallness coming in handy. She waved him over, and for a moment he looked hesitant before he swiftly turned around to walk in her direction.

"Hello, Finn. How have you been since I've last seen you?" She asked him once he reached where she was standing.

He rubbed the back of his neck and mumbled, "Good I guess."

"Look Finn, I really don't want things to be awkward between us. I know you probably expect me to despise you at this moment in time, but I really don't. It's okay, things didn't work out and I understand, don't worry." She told him, flashing him a bright grin. She attempted to lighten the mood, "I always knew you and Quinn were destined for each other, no matter how much I didn't want to admit it. I mean your names rhyme! I should've seen it sooner."

"Thanks Rach," He put his hand on her shoulder, giving her a big grin. "It means a lot."

When he walked away a few minutes later she sighed to herself, she had finally gotten over the whole situation, but seeing him tugged at her heart. Damn, Finn and his obsession with that blonde stereotypical cheerleader. He would always love Quinn and she grew to accept it.

Someone who didn't accept it however was Puck and it became apparent to her as he stormed through the main entrance of the school , the look on his face murderous. They looked at each other for a moment and she knew what his eyes were trying to say, 'Guess we both got screwed over, huh Berry?' She could almost hear his low voice in her head as she zoned out. His mohawk had returned, she noticed with a smile. She had to admit there was something about that mohawk that she couldn't help but like. She shrugged it off for now and made her way to her homeroom, ready to receive her class schedule and get off on the right foot for her junior year.

0o0o0

Things started normal, the first week consisted of the normal 'back to school' rituals. Obtaining binders and notebooks, getting papers signed, and making your locker perfectly organized by class periods. She felt the first week of glee was nothing exciting, considering it was just talking about our summer and warming up with some easy to sing songs. The second week, was not quite as mundane. Not quite what you would call exciting, but a little more eventful. Monday of week two, she walked into the choir room to eat lunch. She was simply in no mood to watch Quinn and Finn make 'love eyes' at each other. When she entered, Puck was seated in a chair strumming his guitar softly. When she entered his head snapped up quickly.

"Oh I apologize, I didn't realize you came here during lunch. I'll just be going now-" She turned around ready to leave until she heard him mumble 'you can stay.'

She turned to face him again and gave him a small smile, "Thanks Noah. I really didn't feel like eating in the cafeteria today."

"Finn and Quinn?" He grumbled in a low voice. She nodded her head and he grunted, "I knew it bugged you."

"It bugs you too, doesn't it?" She asked tentatively.

He sighed and patted the seat next to him, urging her to sit in it. "Yeah, it actually does. I don't do this whole talking about feelings bullshit, but I'm not going to lie, I can't stand seeing them together. Doesn't make me any less of a fucking badass though."

She let out a sad, soft chuckle and surprised him with a joke, "Nothing could make you less badass Puckerman. Have you seen your guns?"

He let out a snort and plastered a smirk on his face, "My arms are pretty lovely aren't they?"

They could not contain their laughter as they remembered their last encounter when those words had been uttered in reverse. And that? That was when Noah Puckerman and Rachel Berry had finally reached an understanding.

0o0o0

"Don't you think we should have saw it coming?" Noah asked Rachel during the fourth day in a row they ate lunch together. It was already becoming sort of a habit, they just sort-of felt comfortable around one another and eating lunch together seemed well, right. Even if they were eating in silence it wasn't tense or uncomfortable, Rachel often spaced out wandering why being around him felt normal.

She looked up at Noah after a short pause of thought and asked, "Saw what coming?"

"The whole Quinn and Finn two-point-oh thing." He sighed taking a bite of his sandwich. "I mean come on, they're names fucking rhyme!"

"That is exactly what I said Noah, oh my god! I said the exact same thing." She said astonished.

He looked at her and smirked, "Must be some kind of Jewish telepathy."

She giggled at his joke and then sighed as she thought back on his question, "Well, I believe that we were so happy we finally got what we were yearning for, that we failed to see the obviousness that is Quinn and Finn right in front of our eyes. It's really not our faults, there was nothing we really could have done to mend the situation we are now in. Furthermore, we had wanted them for so long and it was like accomplishing a go-"

"Jesus Berry, take a breath."

She gave him a small smile, "Sorry, sometimes I can't help it."

"Whatever," He gave what she said some contemplation. "But I guess you're right. I mean I was just so happy I got what I thought I wanted and now that I think about it I wander why I wanted it so much."

"That's exactly how I feel, it's like I had Finn up on some high pedestal and when we finally got together it just wasn't as magical as I imagined." Rachel took in the smirk on his face and cringed, waiting for his obscene remark.

"He didn't turn you on did he?" He asked letting out a snort.

She was unable to control the blush that rushed to her cheeks as she muttered, "Not that my personal information is any of your business but I have nothing to hide. No, he didn't necessarily...turn me on."

He snorted loudly and smirked, "That shits priceless, I can't believe Finn didn't get you all wet and willing."

"Noah!" She gasped, "You are absolutely disgusting and appalling!"

"Yeah, well at least I can get you wet." And with that said, he got up to exit the choir room leaving behind Rachel with her mouth hanging open. Turning around he added, "See you in glee."

0o0o0

It wasn't until a month into school that rachel found herself dripping with corn syrup all over her shirt and skirt for the first time all year. Someone had gotten her from behind (That is most certainly not what she said... she was quite obviously spending to much time with Puck) Suddenly she felt her eyes stinging. No not with tears, (Rachel Berry did not cry in public places) rather with the slushie that went straight into her line of vision. She tried to blink, and then she felt more stickiness being poured over her head. For the love of god, she just wanted to crawl in a hole and never return. She blinked her eyes, her contacts burning profusely. She just got slushied three times. Three. That pretty much never happened. Stupid hockey team.

"There's more where that came from, Berry"

She huffed and looking in the direction of the voice, her vision slightly blurred, "You insufferable, ignorant neanderthals! Screw you all! I think you guys need to go to hell..."

The minute she said it she winced. Not the best thing to say, like at all. Seriously, those words weren't even in her vocabulary before all her lunches with Puck. Damn it, she was becoming Puck. The more she thought it through, becoming a little more like Puck wasn't necessarily a bad thing. I mean, she wouldn't go to the extreme and like sleep around but she's always been uptight, she has to admit that. Letting loose a tiny bit wouldn't hurt a fly, would it? Not really. The minute she heard the Hockey player speak again she snapped back to reality.

"What did you just say to us loser?" They came closer to her and she felt herself tense with fear. She could feel them so close to her that she stopped breathing, one of the puck-heads leaned down to talk into her ear. She felt their heated breath puffing on her ear as they whispered, "Bitches like you, don't get to talk like that. Don't think this is over."

She blinked her eyes repeatedly, attempting to get her vision corrected from the sugared water in her eyes. The hockey player pushed her harshly into the locker, a lock dug right into the center of her back. She whimpered slightly as her stomach flipped in fear. She brought a shaky hand up to her face to wipe some slush off of her face as she watched them walk away confidentially. She slid down the locker, leaving a trail of wet slushie on the lockers behind her. She sat on the floor, a puddle of fear. She was officially dead.

"What the fuck?" A furious Puck stood before her, his hands clenched into fists. "Are you okay?"

She kept blinking her eyes in order to see him, bringing a shaking hand up to her face to stop the slushie that was starting to drip from her hair. "I just got slushied."

"I fucking see that." His voice coming out harshly.

"Three times. In a row," She informed him, shutting her eyes.

"Jesus christ," He took in her pale face with narrow eyes. "What else happened, you look like someone just told you broadway is being closed down or some shit."

"Well lets just say the that I had a 'puck moment' and resorted to verbal abuse as retaliation."

Puck's face contorted in confusion for a second before he gritted out, "Berry, what the fuck did you say?"

"I might have, allegedly, said screw you all and possibly that they should go to hell...or something." She opened her eyes, ignoring the burning sensation, to look at Puck's emotionless expression, his mouth set in a straight line. She debated if it was wise to continue her story, Puck might have a coronary or something. She thought maybe if she used enough big words he wouldn't understand, "...And then they attempted to intimidate me by using ruthless threats, derogatory comments, and physical duress."

"What?" Noah clenched his fist, growling in fury. "I pretty much have no idea what you just fucking said; but I did hear intimidate, threats, and physical. Did they lay a fucking hand on you?"

"No, Noah I promise I'm completely, one-hundred-percent-"

He growled out, "Tell me the truth. Word for fucking word."

"You're infuriating," She huffed in defeat and rolled her eyes. Her fear disapearing completely, Puck would not give up until he had a play-by-play of bully attack number five hundred and eight Being friends with Puck however, made her feel slightly at ease. He would no doubt scare anyone away who would attempt to wipe her existence off earth. "They just said 'bitches don't get to talk like that' and 'don't think this is over.' They then just slightly pushed me into the locker above me now. It really wouldn't have hurt me at all if there wasn't a jutting lock that hit my back. Woah, don't get so angry Noah. I really don't think he meant to hurt me at all, just frighten me a little. Seriously though, I promise you that everything is completely under-"

"Shut up Berry." He gritted out through his teeth, his face nearly red with rage. "You don't lay a hand on Puckerman's girl. You just fucking don't... why the fuck do you keep blinking like a maniac?"

Before answering his question, she blinked up at the muscular teenager hovering over her. Puckerman's girl? What exactly did he mean by that? Well upon thinking about it, she realized he was in a complete fit of rage. He probably didn't even realize he said it at all. He kept staring at her, clearly questioning her sanity until she muttered, "One aimed right for my face and I'm afraid the Slushie got on my contacts. My eyes are pretty much burning right now."

He took her hand and started leading her somewhere, "They're fucking dead."

"Where are we going, Noah?"

He pushed her through the boys' bathroom door, one that was old and not used as much anymore so that it wouldn't be full of people. "I'm helping you get clean."

He guided her towards the sinks and sat her down in front of one. She took her contacts out and soaked them in her emergency solution for a minute, before putting them back in. She smiled as she realized while her eyes were still irritated, she could see much better. As soon as she was done her handed her a wad of paper towels and turned on the water. He wetted her hair, causing cherry slush to run down the drain. As she wiped at her face she looked into his eyes, "Thanks."

"It's the least I could do," He sighed softly and continued gently running his hands through her brunette locks, removing as much slushie as he could. "I know I'm a badass and everything, but I just feel really guilty. I used to do this to you every single day and I just...don't know. I feel awful."

"Don't worry about it, Noah. You expressed your sorrow before, actually we were in this same position but reversed. Ironic, huh?" Their soft laughter blended together and she added, "I've forgiven you."

He let out a 'puckerone' smirk and finished what he was doing, admiring how beautiful Rachel Berry really is. That realization made him panic though. Rachel Berry? Beautiful? Ha! It was almost ridiculous! Looking at her now though, the soft light from the window ghosting across her facial features, he couldn't deny the beauty she held. Jesus christ, he thought to himself. If he wasn't so badass and pretty much the sexiest sex shark ever, he would've checked to see if his balls were still in place. He was still pondering if he was lacking his balls when Rachel stood up, now generally slushie free, giving him a nice view of the yellow panties underneath her short skirt.

Balls? Check plus.

0o0o0

By the time October rolled around, Rachel had realized that she had a crush on Noah and it scared her to no end. She considered the turn of events since last year. She had been obsessively pining after Finn last year and she had a short relationship with Noah. Now it seemed so opposite. Finn finally seemed like a 'been there done that' type of thing, and now she seemed to be gazing longingly at Puck. However, she knew it was no use. She wasn't a complete fool, Puck was not a relationship guy and Rachel does not do mindless hookups. It would just open herself up for more hurt than she had already felt from constant abandonment. First her mother Shelby Corcoran (Shelby Cock-sucker in Puck's words), then Jesse St. James (Jesse St. fuckface in Puck's words), and then Finn Hudson (Finessa. finnydouche, or 'premature ejaculator' in Puck's words). She didn't exactly know how much more she could handle. She keeps that composed front, but she wasn't sure how much she could take before her composure cracked. She was just a fragile teenager after all.

She also seemed to realize that the Hockey players seemed to not come back for the revenge of her moment of stupidness. She was quite happy about that turn of events, she really thought that they would be hunting her down the next morning. She smiled to herself when she realized that Puck probably threatened them for her. Or beat them up.

As she left her last class on Thursday afternoon to make her way to glee practice, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around abruptly, and came face-to-face with one of the hockey players. His name was Jack if she could remember correctly; Jack Scardina. She coiled back in fear and squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation for the inevitable slushie that was coming her way. It never came however, and she became confused as he sent her a small smile.

He threw his hands up over his head, "No slushies here, I promise."

"Oh, um thats nice I suppose." She nervously fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, "What did you wish to speak to me about?"

"This might sound totally random, but I really hate the way the rest of my hockey team treats you." He flashed her a tentative smile, "You just seem like such a nice girl."

She blushed slightly and returned his smile, "Thank you Jack. You actually seem nice yourself, you really can't comprehend how wonderful it is to talk to someone who isn't about to throw ice cold slush on me."

From across that very same hallway, Puck looked on as Berry and what's-his-name laughed about something the faggot said. He figured this asshole was up to no good, and he clenched his fist ready to storm over to them, but someone tapped on his shoulder.

"Who got your panties in a twist, dude?"

Puck unclenched his fist, but the tension didn't leave his body. "Fuck off Mike."

"Hm," Mike contemplated, attempting to look in the direction Puck was scowling at. "Ohhh, now I get it man. Scardina is mackin' on Berry and you're jealous. Ha!"

"Shut the fuck up, man. I'm not fucking jealous, over Rachel-Fucking-Berry." Puck clenched his teeth together with an audible snap, "You really think he's 'mackin' on her?"

"If he was would it matter?" Mike challenged.

"Nope, no way. Not at fucking all." He sighed loudly and rubbed a hand over his face, "But really...do you think he is?"

"Hate to break it to you, but I'm pretty one-hundred-percent positive that he is. I mean look at the body language. He's tilted towards Rachel in an openly seductive way, and the way she's laughing at like everything he's saying? She's totally going for it." Mike analyzed pointing toward the pair of laughing teens.

"Well, shit." Puck growled, earning a look from Mike, "She's my friend okay? I just don't want her to get hurt or whatever. You never know what this douche is up to, this dude's on the hockey team and they fucking slushie her like all the time. Well admittedly not as much since I put the smack-down on Karofsky, but-"

"Did you just use the word admittedly?"

"Seriously, Shut. The. Fuck. up."

0o0o0

A week later Jack Scardina and Rachel Berry were honest to god friends, much to Puck's utter disappointment...and anger.

"Why does it seem like you're always with Scardina now?" Puck questioned during one of their lunches, it became a ritual now. They never ate in the cafeteria together; they were more comfortable eating by themselves and sometimes jamming in the choir room. It was more peaceful and less hectic.

"I don't know, he's a nice gentlemen." She popped a chip in her mouth and asked, "Why?"

"I just, I don't know..." Puck snapped his head up to meet her eyes, "He's on the hockey team, Rachel. Why would he randomly become friends with you?"

Rachel met his eyes, fury planting itself in her stomach. She furiously got to her feet, looking menacingly down at Puck, "Well that's just wonderful. You think that it's hard to believe any one would wanna be my friend and flaunt it. That makes me feel like complete and utter, well shit. I'm glad you see me as some crazy freak who will never have one true friend or even one guy show at least a spec of interest in me that isn't clouded by visions of Quinn or god forbid a ploy to ruin glee club."

She went to leave but Puck stood up to stop her, "Rachel, that's not-"

"It is though. That is exactly what you were thinking, don't even deny it." She left the room, not letting another see her insecurities break her. Puck huffed in frustration, annoyed at how she twisted his words around.

"Mother fucker."

0o0o0o

It wasn't until two weeks later that Jack Scardina asked Rachel on a date. After she accepted, the whole school was buzzing with the news of the weird couple. It only took him another week after the date to ask her to be his girlfriend. Puck on the other hand, was confused. He apologized profusely to Rachel the day after she flipped out and she accepted his apology whole heartedly. They still ate lunch together and stuff, but he couldn't understand why she would go out with Scardina. He was pretty much one of the biggest douches ever. Not that he really knew Scardina, but come on! He looked like a douche and Puck had pretty good douce radar. He totally knew Jesse was a douche from the moment he laid eyes on him. Finessa? Douce. Douce. Douce.

"What do you see in him Rachel?"

Rachel rolled her eyes, huffing. "You ask me this like everyday, Noah."

"But he's a douche-"

"Stop it Noah! You are insufferable!" She exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at him harshly.

Puck ran a hand through his hair and sighed to himself. What has gotten into him? Why does he actually give a fuck that Rachel is going out with Scar-fuckface? She can go out with whoever she pleases, but Puck just wanders why it bugs him so goddamn much. He can't possibly, like her, can he? No fucking way. Well...

.way.

Rachel put her hand over his a sighed, "I really like him, Noah. I really think he's finally going to be the boyfriend I never had."

Ouch. He felt his lips pout, "What about me?"

"Oh, Noah. You know I love you, but that just wasn't a good time for us to be together. We pretty much loved other people. That's not a real, healthy relationship."

"Okay, okay Oprah. Lets stop talking about our feelings and bullshit." He narrowed his eyes at her slightly and said, "Just be careful okay? Guys can be real assholes."

She walked over to him slowly and wrapped her arms around him tightly. He rubbed circles on her back as she whispered, "I truly appreciate your concern, Noah. You mean a lot to me. But I will be fine, I promise."

Little did she know, her promise would be broken.