The Walls That Lie Between Us

Mr. Schue let us go a few minutes early, he tried to ask to me stay behind, probably to have another talk, but I was already halfway out the door when he even said anything. Glee was over, I didn’t have to stay anymore.

I headed to the parking lot, half expecting my Mother to be there, half hoping she wasn’t. I didn’t know what she’d have to say to me, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

Luckily, she wasn’t there, so no more awkward conversations. Now, though, I had no ride… I sat down on the bench outside and put my head in my hands. I felt so stressed out, but over what? This was my life, and I’d learned to live with it. I just needed to suck it all up, and get over myself. My hand was dealt, and I just wasn’t lucky. Big deal.

“Reagan?” I turned around to see Rachel standing with her books in her hand and Quinn a few steps behind her. “I wanted to know if you would like to come over to my house with Quinn and we could pick songs, and then hopefully practice something?” There was something about her tone that hinted that she was scared, was she afraid of me? Maybe I was just being paranoid.

“Uh.” I looked to Rachel and then to Quinn. “I guess so.” I was going to have to get used to working with these people… and at least I wasn’t going home. We got a ride from Rachel’s Dads, they seemed like nice guys.

“Okay, so it’ll probably be easier if I just pick all the songs, I mean, you guys probably don’t care. Besides, I have a great idea for you both.” Rachel said once we got up to her room. I rolled my eyes, but Quinn seemed super annoyed still. I guess nothing was resolved in Glee.

“Actually Rachel, why don’t you just pick a song for me, I’ll pick one for Quinn, and she’ll pick one for you? We’re all sort of opposites of each other, so it works.” I was a little worried, Rachel had that deer-caught-in-headlights kind of look going on.

“I like that idea better actually.” Quinn said smiling. We both looked to Rachel for her thoughts.

“I think I can deal with that.” Rachel agreed after a minute of thinking. Did I just make a contribution to Glee? That wasn’t supposed to happen. Interesting…

We each took turns on Rachel’s computer surfing the internet for song ideas. I really had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t want to pick something completely crazy for Quinn, she’d probably punch me. It wasn’t like I could hit back if she had, I don’t beat up pregnant girls.

None of us really found anything solid after twenty minutes, and that was around the time Quinn got bored. I couldn’t blame her, I was a little bored myself.

“Quinn we can’t take a break after twenty minutes. We need to find songs and practice them, We need to be the best, you know I have to win.”

“Chill out, we still have time, I just think that if I hear one more show tune I’m going to rip someone’s head off.” I laughed out loud.

“And everyone said Rachel was the drama queen.” They both looked at me like I had two heads. “What?” I hated when they starred.

“Nothing, it’s just… I think that’s the most I’ve really ever heard you talk.” Rachel said surprised.

“It’s not like I’m a mute… I just have nothing to say sometimes.” That and I hate being the center of attention…

“So what happened to your face?” Quinn asked. Here we go…

“I got in a fight.” I said sarcastically.

“With Karofsky?” Rachel added.

“No, why would you think that?”

“Everyone saw him basically dragging you outside at Faye’s party. Not to mention the other day in the hallway at school. I thought it was safe to assume.” Figures Quinn was supper close with the cheerios, since she was head cheerleader.

“It was just something stupid, no big deal.” It was quiet after that. Rachel left us to get some snacks, but I think she needed away from the tension.

“So how far along are you?” I asked, hating awkward silences.

“About 6 months.”

“Oh so like your second trimester? You know your baby can probably start hearing soon, and it‘s facial features are getting more defined. Its kinda cool.” Quinn looked annoyed again, I shouldn’t have opened my mouth. “Sorry, I babble sometimes.”

“How do you know so much about this stuff?” She still looked annoyed, but maybe that was just her face.

“Oh you know, sometimes you just read things and they stick.” Rachel returned then with chips and water bottles for us. It was really weird to be in the same room as the two of them, and neither about to kill the other. Let alone the fact that we weren’t at school even.

We all searched for songs again after our little break, but it was a little hopeless. So we called it quits.

“Do you need one of my dads to give you a ride home?” Rachel asked as Quinn and I got up from her bed.

“No it’s okay. I’m not too far from here.” That was my lame excuse anytime anyone offered a ride.

“Puck’s picking me up soon, since I’m staying with him. He could give you a lift to Faye’s if you want?”

“Why are you guys being so nice?” I couldn’t help the word vomit spilling out… Again.

“When have I ever been mean to you?” Rachel asked, hurt in her voice.

“Sorry, that’s not what I meant, its just weird to be in this situation, that’s all.” They both looked a little annoyed or hurt, I couldn’t tell. I was never any good at reading peoples expressions.

“Well, he’s here, if you want.” Quinn said again. I still did need to get my phone from his car. I couldn’t believe I was without it for so long. I followed Quinn downstairs and out onto the driveway, after saying goodbye to Rachel, and saw Puck standing in front of his car.

“She needs a ride, okay?” Quinn said before getting into the truck, not waiting for an answer. Puck just stared at her then looked to me.

“Um, I have something for you.” He reached into his pocket pulling out my cell phone.

“Oh, thanks dude. I was going to break into your car Friday, but I didn’t see it in your driveway.” He looked shocked but didn’t say anything right away.

“Well… thanks for not breaking into my car. Some dude was trying to get a hold of you like crazy though. I turned it off just so I didn’t have to hear it.” I laughed, he had to be joking. Who’d be calling me so much? We both got into his truck and he pulled out of Rachel’s driveway.

The ride was mostly silent, safe for the music Puck had playing softly as background noise. I turned my phone on and waited for the annoying start up screen to disappear. Once it finally did I saw there were five voicemails and ten missed calls. The texts were the worst. Forty-seven new messages. WHAT.THE.HELL. They all seemed to be from Leon, and after about the first ten I just deleted them all. They were almost all the same, asking what I was doing, where was I, why wasn’t I answering him… Blah, blah, blah.

Puck pulled up to his house and Quinn hurried inside, without a word. I opened my door and got out as well. Puck left the car on but got out.

“So where are you going?” I turned around and stared at him.

“Uh, home?” I said it more like a question than an answer.

“You want a lift?” Why was he being so… un-Puck-like?

“Umm…” Why was I at a loss for words?

“Just get in the car.” For some reason I obliged and got in the front seat. I have got to stop listening to what people tell me to do, it’s weird.

“Thanks, I guess… You can just take me to that house you dropped me off at the other day.” He nodded and pulled out of his driveway again. The ride was silent for the first few minutes. I really had nothing to say. Puck on the other hand seemed to have a few things on his mind.

“So why did you all of a sudden decide to join Glee?” Well, that was blunt.

“I didn’t have a choice really… Well I did, but then I didn’t.” If that even made sense.

“Oh… Wait, what?” Damn I almost fooled him.

“Well, when everything went down with Karofsky, since I had such a bad history with the school board and whatever, and with Dave’s Dad trying to get me expelled, Mr. Figgins, Mr. Schue, and Ms. Sylvester made an arrangement so I’d either join Glee, the Cheerios, or go to a Juvenile Detention Center… I opted for juvie, but my Ma had other plans… Kind of funny really.” I also need to work on keeping my mouth shut better…

“What’s funny?” Puck looked puzzled. I guess I should have kept my mouth shut.

“Just… I think I’d rather be in Juvie…” Kind of pathetic, I cant believe I said that out loud.

“Really? I hated it. I mean… It wasn’t so bad, but I wouldn’t want to go back just for the hell of it.” I could tell he was trying to cover something up. He probably had a hard time adjusting.

“What were you in for?”

“Trying to steal an ATM.” I laughed out loud, what an ass.

“That’s… not hard to believe actually.” I laughed a little again, although I think it made him mad… Oh well.

“So what were you in for?” He asked with an attitude. I must have hit a nerve.

“Which time?” I looked to Puck to see his eyes widen. “Well the first time I had skipped school and got caught, which was no big deal but me and my friend had drugs on us. The second and third time were for assault. The third time though, totally bogus. It was self-defense, but whatever shits over and done with.” Puck stared at the road not saying a thing. He probably wasn’t even listening to me.

“Whoa, you’re like a real badass.” He turned to me with some star struck look on his face. “A bigger badass than I ever gave you credit for.”

“Well, you also don’t know me.”

“True… Maybe we should get to know each other more, if you know what I mean.” He said with a wink. I laughed so loud I think I hurt my own eardrums. Was he serious?

“What?” He asked offended.

“You’re just funny, that’s all…”

“Why is that funny?”

“ I mean, I can’t tell what you’re up to. I know you say that to everyone, just to sleep with them, but I know for a fact that’s not why you’re saying it to me. So I just find it funny.” By now he was pulling down Leon’s street, which reminded me I hadn’t told him I was coming, oh well.

“Babe, I’ve dated all kinds of girls, your curves don’t scare me.” He was completely serious, I think that was what made me laugh even more. This kid was crazy.

“Okay, well on that note, thanks for the ride, and for my phone. You have a great night.” I got out of the car and walked up to Leon’s front door. I knew Puck was up to something, I mean all of a sudden he starts talking to me and being nice. From what I know of him, he isn’t nice. I’ve witnessed it countless times. He throws people into dumpsters, well he used to. I actually haven’t seen him do that in a while. But still, he was up to something, and I was going to figure it out.