A/N:
(1) Thanks to PteraWaters! :D
(2) To the readers and followers, thank you for keeping up with me and my laziness to
type/post updates, lol! Love you, guys! :D
(3) Woo! Chapter 13! \:D/ Hope you guys will like it. ;) Hihi!

Chapter 13

"Teenage Dream, Misery, Raise Your Glass, Bills Bills Bills— I see the Top 40 singles are your taste of music." Kurt shuffled through the music sheets.

"I have Candles here, but—"

Kurt made an "ooh" sound and almost snatched it away from his hands.

"This is perfect!"

"But I'm actually saving it for something—"

"For?" Kurt asked him. His blue-green eyes trailed from the music sheet up to Blaine.

The other boy sighed with a smile on his lips, "Kurt, will you sing that song with me?"

Kurt smiled at him as a giggle escaped his lips. "Of course! I mean, the range is in my voice and—"

"No, Kurt," Blaine tried explaining as the other boy was still rambling about the song. "What I mean is—"

"What are you two doing here?" Both boys spun around and found Dave Karofsky, in his football uniform, already intimidating them with his height and the scowl on his face.

Blaine remained in his spot. He was speechless, and yet his face showed some anger towards the Karofsky. "It's not your hallway." It was Kurt who spoke up, however his voice was shaking. Blaine looked at Kurt's hands and realized it was starting to tremble.

Karofsky pressed his lips together to stop himself from asking another question. His nostrils flared as he paced towards them. His eyes focused more on Kurt than on Blaine, and despite Dave's terrorizing look in his eyes the other boy didn't move an inch. As the space between them grew smaller, Karofsky looked around the hallway and returned his attention to the two, or rather to Kurt. He placed a finger at his chest and said in a low tone, "Don't. Tell." He forcefully dug his finger at Kurt's chest after every word.

Kurt winced at the mild pain; but he didn't show any signs of giving into Karofsky's bullying. His eyes fell to Blaine's, and shifted back straight away to Karofsky's. "I did—"

"Stop." Blaine's voice was also shaking. He was shaking his head, some of his curls falling down on his forehead. "Just, stop Karofsky."

"What?" The football player now faced Blaine.

"I— I know," he stammered. He looked at Kurt, who was the only one he told about his fear of standing up. Kurt looked at him perplexed, but a wave of concern was straining his face. Blaine took a breath as he looked back at Karofsky and said, "I know what happened." He braced himself of what was going to happen next, but the football player looked more confused than ever.

"Know what?" He didn't know how respond to someone other than Kurt knowing his secret. So he played dumb, to make sure they were all in the same page.

Blaine looked warily at Kurt; he thought that this was the time to face it. He spent years hiding in everyone's shadows just to avoid this kind of situation. After all, this was the reason why he wanted to transfer in the first place, to stand up and be more of himself in public. He looked back at the kid in front of him, and said, "You and Kurt kiss—"

It was at this point, Karofsky started to get physical. He grabbed Blaine's collar, slammed him against the locker behind him, and growled, "YOU DON'T KNOW ANY SHIT—!"

"DAVE!" Kurt shrieked. He tried to squeeze himself between them, but it was no use. His arms were now between Karofsky's body and Blaine's, he was struggling to push the other kid away.

Blaine grabbed Karofsky's wrists, and started wriggling away from his hold. "Denying who you are doesn't solve anything!"

"SHUT UP!" Karofsky shouted and again, slammed him against the lockers. Blaine felt a strong urge to take a breath of air as the bully gripped his collar tighter. Kurt was saying something at Karofsky to calm his nerves, but there was no effect on the violent kid.

"Don't be scared!" Blaine choked. He thought for a second there if he was telling that to himself, or to Karofsky. He started smacking Karofsky's hand out of his shirt, but it was useless. "We're here for you—!"

Puck stopped at what he was doing the moment he heard Karofsky's voice. He inched closer at the turn of the hallway, where the three boys were. He bent his knees a little and pressed his back more on the wall. He eavesdropped for a few moments, and heard it. "You and Kurt kiss—", then it hit him, a pang of jealousy. WHAT? He asked himself incredibly. He shook his head to focus to what was happening as he heard a slam against the lockers. "SHUT UP!" Karofsky's rage can be heard across the hallway.

He peered at the hallway and saw what was happening. Karofsky pinning Blaine against the lockers, and Kurt was trying his best to break them, well, to break the bigger kid off. He saw how Karofsky repeatedly slammed Blaine against the lockers to shut him up. This kid doesn't know how to shut up! He continued to peer, as he heard the words "shut up", "don't say it", and such from Karofsky.

"Don't push him," Puck whispered to himself repeatedly, as if Blaine can hear him. Then he saw it, Karofsky clenched his fist tight. "This is not good," he said, alarmed. He thought of going there, but he can't fight, I'm in probation. He looked back and thought of the other members of the glee club who was in the choir room.

Karofsky slammed him again against the locker, but this time harder. He heard the boy grunt in pain, but he didn't care. The disoriented Blaine muttered words about courage as Kurt was still trying to calm him down. It was making his head hurt, so he repeatedly slammed Blaine against the lockers and muttering "shut up" at Kurt. But the two boys were not giving up; they were not giving him time to think. Karofsky started shaking out of anger. This is too much to handle, his fist was starting to fold as it shook. He was ready to burst out of rage, so he clenched his fist as tight as he could and raised it, ready to punch.

"JUST LET GO!" Kurt pleaded. He was frantic now as he saw Blaine was beginning to be blue. He was choking and was gasping for air, and now this, about to get punch. He desperately held Karofsky's clenched fist and yelled, "DON'T PLEASE!"

It was too much for Karofsky to handle. Using his fist, which Kurt was holding, he pushed the pale boy away. "DO NOT TOUCH ME, HOMO!"

Puck figured it was too late for someone to call as he heard Kurt's pleas. His eyes shifted from the choir room door to the feuding trio, and that's when he saw it. Karofsky pushed Kurt, causing him to topple backwards, landing hard on the floor. "DO NOT TOUCH ME, HOMO!"

Puck didn't think through what he did next. His feet marched towards them, and just as the time he saw Karofsky getting ready to punch Blaine, he sprinted forward like he always did in football. Puck tackled Karofsky, just barely missing Kurt on the floor. "WHAT THE FUCK!" He heard Karofsky scowled and gasp in pain. Puck wasn't paying attention to anyone but Karofsky now. He stood up and pulled the bewildered Karofsky with him, and slammed him into the lockers across from Blaine's.

Both boys struggled as they fought to pin each other against the lockers. After a few moments of pushing, grabbing, and pulling each other's shirts, Puck finally got a hold of the Karofsky and pinned him against the lockers with one elbow shoved in Karofsky's face and his other hand gripping his uniform.

"WHAT THE FUCK'S WRONG WITH YOU?" Karofsky huffed as Puck continued to dig his elbow into the guy's face.

"ME? WHAT ABOUT YOU?" Puck growled back. Karofsky's large hands climbed toward Puck's face, trying to push him off, but Puck kept shoving them away.

"I DIDN'T…," Karofsky whacked Puck's elbow off of his face, which worked, but then Puck's other elbow took its place. "…DO ANYTHING!" Karofsky lied.

"YOU STRANGLED BLAINE!" Puck shouted. "YOU PUSHED KURT!" His blood boiled at this point. He struggled to keep his thoughts in, but failed. "AND YOU KISSED HIM!"

Karofsky's eyes bulged out of his sockets as Puck shouted the last line. He let out a raged yell as he pushed Puck and gave him a punch directly to the face. Numb from the pain, Puck tried his best to brush it off, but Karofsky threw punches everywhere. Puck ducked almost all punches, and tackled Karofsky back against the lockers, keeping his head low to avoid the punches. While thinking of some way to defend himself, he slowly gained his senses.

Puck heard the shuffling of feet at the far end of the hallway and saw a part of Blaine's body slumped on the lockers. Somebody— no, it was Kurt— shouted for help. As he struggled to focus on his surroundings, a sharp pain spread through his side as Karofsky connected. Puck gasped in pain as he tried even harder to keep his body low. Getting frustrated, Puck shoved Karofsky hard against the lockers to stun him. He clenched his fist tightly and gave Karofsky the hardest punch he could give. Unfortunately, it landed on the lockers behind them, right beside the bigger boy's face. Just as they were starting to struggle again, a big pair of arms came between them.

"HEY! HEY! STOP IT!" Finn reprimanded his teammates, his team captain tone in full force. He separated them, and held Karofsky, as the other boys held Puck. "STOP IT YOU TWO! STOP IT!"

"What is going on here?" Ms. Holiday came running down the hall, followed by Rachel and the other girls.

"HE STARTED IT!" Karofsky once again lied.

"ME?" Puck tried to peel Mike's and Sam's hands off of him to get back at Karofsky, as the other boy also started prying Finn's hands off of him, ready to resume the fight.

The girls erupted into noise about the fight as Artie yelled "get him!"

"Okay!" Ms. Holiday screeched again, but no one was listening. Her words were drowned out by Puck's and Karofsky's shouts.

"LIAR!"

"LOSER!" Karofsky yelled as he tried to get his hands on Puck.

"YOU ASSHOLE!" Puck growled back. He charged towards the bully, until their hands grabbed at each other's faces. They threw small punches as their yelling match continued.

"WHO YOU CALLING ASSHOLE, FAG?"

"HYPO—HYPOCRITE!" Puck grunted when Karofsky's hand landed squarely on his face.

"OKAY!" Ms. Holiday screeched louder, but it was still no use. Thinking of another idea, she screeched once again, "CALM YOUR FUCKING SHIT DOWN, PEOPLE!" The substitute teacher smiled at the kids' reactions. Every time she, or rather a teacher, cussed, it was like an automatic off button for students, all stunned at the substitute's choice of words. She pointed at Finn, "You, accompany Dave to the Principal's office—"

"WHAT? PUCK STARTED IT ALL! I WAS— IT WAS NOT MY FAULT!"

Ignoring the Karofsky's resisting yell, she turned to Mike and Sam. "Both of you, kindly help Puck go to the nurse's office. That black eye and swollen fist look awful." She then looked over at Kurt who knelt beside Blaine and asked, "Is he a little dazed?"

"I think more than dazed," Kurt replied.

"Get him to the clinic also," Ms. Holiday ordered. She looked over crowd that had formed – most of whom still appeared stunned at her choice of words. "Well? What are you guys looking at? Go back to your shit and next time; mind your own fucking business, okay?" Some of the students snickered and some grumbled, but all retreated to their classrooms.

"Remember to apply Vitamin K cream around the affected area every night. Now, if you experience any pain—"

Puck chuckled slightly in his seat, "Puckasaurus can handle any pain, lady."

"It's Ms. Macy," the school nurse corrected. Instead of continuing what she was saying, she scribbled something down on a piece of paper and gave it to him. "Acetaminophen is better than an aspirin. Now, if you excuse me, I'll go see the other boy." She made her way to the other room, and Puck was now left all alone.

Puck sighed as he massaged his forehead. His thoughts stayed on the event that happened— no, not the brawl part. He kissed Kurt. That asshole kissed Kurt. How dare he?— Puck's train of thoughts broke as the school nurse's watch alarm rang beside him. He tapped it silent and obediently placed a new ice bag on his swollen fist and one on his black eye. His head tilted way back and he stared on the ceiling as he thought to himself again. I'm going back to juvie. I'm going back to that hell-hole place. He started freaking out in his mind when a knock resounded through the room. He looked up and saw Finn by the doorway.

"Hey!" He closed the door behind him and sat down where Ms. Macy sat before. "How's the eye?"

"Black."

Finn smiled. "And your hand?"

"Big and numb," Puck answered honestly. He smiled together with his best friend, and they both looked down at his swollen hand.

"Does it hurt?"

"As I said, it's numb— Ow! Don't poke it!"

"Sorry!"

Puck shook his head as he watched his awkward friend apologize and then chuckled after. It was not long before Finn turned serious and cleared his throat. "Dude, what happened in there?"

"Karofsky happened."

"You know what I mean," Finn looked sternly at him. "I know you can restrain yourself from all that when you know you're on probation."

"So?"

"So what happened? What did Karofsky do that made you so pissed off?"

Puck sighed and looked at his best friend. He debated in his head if he should tell Finn about Karofsky being gay, but then again, wasn't that obvious when I yelled hypocrite at the guy during our brawl? Finally, Puck spoke up, "Look Finn, I just did what kids don't have the guts to do to Karofsky. That guy was an asshole, and he was asking for it."

"You didn't answer my question—"

"It's because it's not important, okay?" Puck shrugged. "You know that guy was always stepping out of line with his antics, and all I did was stand up to him."

"Fine," Finn bluntly replied. He stood up from the seat and made his way towards the door. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Puck was taken aback at how sincerely his best friend was looking at him. He nodded and said, "With all that's happened last year and this year, I know I can trust you with everything."

Finn smiled and replied, "Next next week is our fourth game of the football season, so be sure your hand is better by then." He waved a small goodbye at him then turned the door knob and made his way out into the hallway. Meanwhile Puck laughed in his head. Next week, ha! I'll be in juvie by then. On the upside, there'll be no homework, no training, and no rehearsals. Guess that wouldn't be so bad. But then again, limited visitors... No mom, no Nat, no Finn, no Santa— speaking of the devil.

"Knock, knock!"

"Where am I, in the hospital?" Puck asked as he watched Santana walk up beside him.

The girl smirked down on him as she took the ice pack from his eyes and fixed it. "Oh, you don't know how much I wanted that to happen."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She placed the ice pack on his eyes again held it as she took the seat beside him. "Well, one, you should be there for being so stupid. What the hell are you thinking going after Karofsky like that while you're on probation?"

"What do you want me to do? Watch Blaine choke to death?"

"You could've called Ms. Holiday or Finn back in our choir room," Santana answered. "Besides, I don't think its Karofsky choking Blaine made you lose it," she shrugged.

Puck shook his head, "Why do you always have to put Kurt in our conversation?"

"So it is about Kurt?"

"No!" Yes..?

Santana squinted. "Well, if I'm wrong, then what did Karofsky do?"

"He was choking Blaine!" Puck exclaimed.

"Please! Kurt could've stopped him when he was choking him!" Santana continued to add pressure on the ice pack above his eye. "Unless, Kurt couldn't stop him?" Puck let out a sigh and closed his eyes. A small smirked formed on Santana's lips as he did. It was a sign of defeat, a sign of giving up of telling lies and let's-just-get-on-with-it! She spoke softly, "So Kurt couldn't stop him choking Blaine. Then what?"

Puck sighed once more, and said, "Both of them were talking to Karofsky at the same time and I think he was fed up, so he tried to punch Blaine."

"Tried?"

"Kurt somehow stopped him." Puck opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling instead of looking at Santana. "But his touch was like poison to Karofsky, so he shoved him on the ground."

Santana waited for more details. But after a few moments of waiting, she asked, "Then what happened?"

"I charged towards Karofsky."

Santana snorted but instantly stopped as Puck glared at her. "What? That's it?"

Puck shook his head and stared back at the ceiling. "He tumbled down on the ground, okay? And Blaine was turning blue."

Santana sighed with a smirk on her lips. "Admit it, now."

"Admit what?"

"Your actions were not because of Blaine but because of Kurt."

"What do you want from me?" Puck smiled and shrugged as his exasperated tone echoed inside the room.

"Don't be a hypocrite. You gave a hefty speech at Breadstix last time about being yourself and you don't give a crap of what others think of you—"

"Oh you're one to talk!" He looked at the door and lowered his voice at Santana. "All this time, you and Britt have been dating, but not once did I hear a real emotional talk between you two! And did I ever force you to?"

"That's different."

"How is that different—"

"Because I love her!" She exclaimed loudly. Santana quickly recovered as she checked the doorway to see if someone was there. She sighed, looked back at Puck, and said it again, "I love her, okay? Is that what you want to hear?"

Puck blinked, "You love her?" It was the first time. The first time that Santana said the word love, the first time he saw her vulnerable for someone, and most importantly, it was the first time Puck saw her step out of the closet. An annoying sound came from Ms. Macy's watch, disrupting their conversation. He pressed stop, and took the ice packs off, setting them down to the table. "So," he trailed off as he flexed his cold and numb hand. "Are you going to ask her out soon?"

Santana, who a moment ago had suddenly taken a great interest in the tiled floor, looked up with worry. "No," she said.

"Why not? I mean for sure Britt's gonna be happy, she wanted to be out like ages ago."

"Yeah well, I'm too late," she shrugged again.

"Too late?"

"Artie asked her out this morning, and she said yes." Puck stared at her dumbfounded. A date, they were going out for a second date. If it wasn't for me, there wouldn't even be a first date.

He watched her shrug it away and play with the ice pack on the table. Puck sighed as he took her hand and pulled her into a tight hug. He felt her body freeze, surprised by the hug. But after a few seconds, she wrapped her hands around him, and silently sobbed. "Everything will work out," Puck whispered as he comforted her. "She'll come back to you,"

"But what if she doesn't?" she sobbed into his shirt.

"She will," he said with finality. He broke the hug and repeated it again, looking down on his best friend, "She will come back to you."

"Thanks," Santana smiled as she wiped her tears.

No one spoke as both of them returned to their seats. Puck continued to watch her as she stared at the floor, obviously thinking of Brittany... And probably imagining her with Artie. Suddenly, an idea popped into his mind. It made his palms sweaty, despite his other hand still being cold from the compress. You can do this. If she can, you can. He shrugged the nervousness away and nudged her to look at him, "Hey, if it makes you feel better," he paused and let out a breath. "I like Kurt."

A/N:
Did you see that coming? : Lol! Tell me what you think! 'Cause you know, I'm not a mind reader. :|