Author's Note: This is my second attempt at writing a Karley fan fiction. The first one I have, The Nine Lives Kind of Girl, seems to have failed miserably. I'm not sure how I am going to revive that fan fiction, but I'm going to have to figure something out. I decided to write this particular story because, well, I ship Karley (and Kyder, Jyder, etc. as well, but this story idea came first). One random day, I was in school, and I had my Glee notebook in handy (no, not an actual manufactured one; just a composition book that I decorated and stuff). I just started writing this story that I thought could be a sure-fire winner, and well…here ya go. It's being written, edited, and published as we speak. Here's some awesome Karley goodness coming your way, people.

Summary: Two simple girls wanting to fit in realize where their true loves had been lying all along.

Extended Summary: Kitty Wilde was only a simple girl destined for popularity. She thought she had it all in the bag: becoming a high school cheerleader, going after the most handsome guy on the football team, and having everyone bow down before her majesty. However, the cruel cheerleader encounters a humble, young, carefree girl named Marley Rose, the last person on earth Kitty thought she would be speaking to. Everyone loves Marley, and Kitty didn't understand why; that is, until they join forces and eventually befriend each other. Is their companionship more than just school journeys and bubblegum-flavored smiles? Truth be told, they almost knew…

Main Characters: Kitty W., Marley R., Ryder L., Jake P., Tina C., Unique A.

Featured Pairings: Karley (Kitty/Marley), Jyder (Jake/Ryder), Kyder (Kitty/Ryder), Jarley (Jake/Marley), Kittinique (Kitty/Tina/Unique)

Story Notes: This story takes place around the fifth episode of Glee's fourth season, "The Role You Were Born to Play", but possibly a little bit earlier than so. Jitty (Jake/Kitty) never happened prior to the events in this story. Tina and Unique are Kitty's best friends way earlier than on the show (on the show, they started warming up to each other around the back-half of S4 and going onwards to S5). Tina is a member of the Cheerios earlier on than in the series; same goes for Jake and Ryder on the basketball team. Finn (RIP) wasn't the one to bring Kitty into the glee club (you'll find out later in the story). Tina and Artie rekindle their relationship with each other. There is also a scene that is based off of the Kittany (Kitty/Brittany) scene from "Guilty Pleasures" (4x17). That's all I have so far; there will be more spoilers as I continue.

Warning: Verbal language, crude humor, suicide triggers, etc.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Glee. All of the rights to the show go to Ryan Murphy and Co., and Twentieth Century Fox.

Chapter One
Monday, September 17th

Property of Kitty Wilde

Look, diary. I have a bone to pick with you. Yes, I did just refuse to start off my damn journal entry with "Dear diary," or anything cheesy like I'm a part of The Princess Diaries or something. The only reason my mother got me this damn thing was so I could write down my feelings, or any fucking sob stories I have. But seriously, diary, what the hell do I need to do that for? I'm pretty sure I can pinpoint my emotional and mental states. I'm in high school, for Christ's sakes. And speaking of which, I should probably tell you about what happened today.

It's kind of cliché, but I think I found my true love. Yeah, it's one of those things. Lame, right? But anyways, his name is Ryder Lynn. He is on the football team at my school. Surprisingly, he's not like those other dick heads on the team. He's really kind-hearted, and he actually cares about random shit like homework and whether a girl is having problems at home or not.

I was on the football field with other members of the Cheerios. No, diary, it's not a breakfast club; it's a cheerleading team. Coach Sue Sylvester has us practicing our routine for the homecoming pep rally next month. Coincidentally, Ryder and the other football jocks were out there getting ready for an upcoming game. He had been running across the field for a while now, and he looked super sweaty. I swear, it was like water running down a banana's length as it got washed, its peel getting wet –

Maybe I shouldn't write so descriptively like that anymore. In that way, if you know what I mean. Come on, diary, I'm not a slut. I go to church literally every week, and I've taken the abstinence pledge and everything.

The things Ryder has me feeling lately, though…

Ugh, anyways, he's new at this school. Just like me, you know? This year is my year to develop my popularity, and I will literally do almost anything to let the school know that I'm that HBIC who shall get what she wants. And I want him. Yes, him. Ryder Lynn.

So as I write my thoughts into this notebook (even though I find it pretty unnecessary to do so), I shall prepare myself for –

THUD!

Kitty didn't have an absolute idea on who had pushed into her, but she could feel her face, hands, and chest slam into the lockers, her whole body just tumbling to the ground. Another unknown body had crashed into her. All Kitty could hear was a girl's pained voice, and a couple of masculine snickers. The next thing she heard were a couple of gasps and whispers, along with loud gym-shoe thuds across the hallway's hard floors.

Those God-fucking football jocks, Kitty thought in the back of her mind. All of a sudden, her mind focused back on the unidentified girl on top of her. Kitty grunted in pain as she felt the girl's arms and chest all on Kitty's fragile back. And will this bitch get off of me?

Kitty elbowed the girl that had fallen on top of her, and shoved her into the ground. It's rare for something like that to happen to Kitty. Actually, it really shouldn't. Kitty Wilde never gets pushed to the ground, as she stated herself on certain occasions. It was sometimes her job to push others to the ground, because, Lord knows, she's a cold-hearted bitch to almost everyone.

Well, it's what she wanted people to believe, at least.

The flawless blonde smoothed her crisp, red Cheerios uniform, and glanced down at a brunette girl, giving her a snobby scoff and a careless eye roll. She knew who she was, and loathed her to this day.

"Do you have any idea on who the hell you think you are?" Kitty scolded the brunette on the floor, who attempted to get off the floor.

The brunette brought her eyes up to Kitty's, innocently watching Kitty as she took in her heartless, bitchy demeanor. The shorter blonde, in her mind, smirked at the familiar facial expression.

Marley Rose.

Marley stuttered at Kitty's question, trying to figure out the best way to confess to her that those damn football jocks shoved her, which eventually led to her falling on Kitty. The words weren't coming out the right way, though.

"K – Kitty, you…you don't understand. I – "

Kitty just chuckled, slightly tugging at her perfectly-curled, blonde ponytail. "Cat caught your tongue, Rose?" she teased. "Speak up!"

Marley caught herself letting her own nerves getting the better of her. Why does this have to happen now? Marley thought as she shyly eyed the evil Cheerio above her. "They…I mean – those guys, they –"

Kitty cocked her eyebrow in confusion, holding her hand up to her ear. "You saying something, Mousey Sue?" she asked, giggling at her own mean joke. "Get it? Because you sound like a mouse every time you speak to people, and you act like this overly-perfect young teenage girl, dubbed Mary Sue." While Kitty gave the shy girl her best bitch smirk, Marley kept picking at her gray sweater.

Marley wanted to tell Kitty that it was the football jocks' fault. They made her do it, even though it wasn't her intention to do so. Everyone seemed to push her around on a daily basis. And when it happens, Marley is always the one to be blamed for it. For what reason, though? She didn't want to hurt anyone.

"I think I know what this is." Kitty replied, as-a-matter-of-factly, ignoring Marley's attempts to explain herself. "Some considerate young gentleman from the football team – geez, why are they so kind to you anyways? – tried to take away a full bag of Cheetos you had been saving for yourself for when you stuff your face after an epic meltdown. But then, your already muffin-top-lookin', rock-bottom ass decides to put up a fight, because…well, I mean, look at you. Your mom's a friggin' chef. It's obvious how it came to be." At that moment, Kitty's beat changed as she switched sides to lean on, changing the tone in your voice into a sarcastic one. "What was her favorite food when she was a young girl? Was it…the whole cabinet?"

Marley knew what this was.

The first couple of days, she sat with Kitty and members of the McKinley High glee club, New Directions, and had gotten to know them better. She overheard Kitty and a couple of her football jock friends, Phil and Bobby, along with New Directions member, Sugar Motta, make fun of the "fat lunch lady" that served a couple of burgers behind the counter.

That "fat lunch lady" was Marley's mother.

Ever since that day, when Marley defended the "fat lunch lady" she called her "mother", she's always been made fun of for it. And the torture wouldn't stop.

"Kitty, please…" Marley begged the blonde before her.

"Look here, Beer Belly," Kitty interrupted, "while I understand your self-proclaimed love for anything that is over 95 calories, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't rub it in on me, okay?" The blonde Cheerio gestured to herself, and Marley watched as her hands ran down her figure. Kitty's body looked really healthy and fit. Marley wished she could look like her. "I could've been sent to the emergency room for my broken bones – or even worse: I could have died before making it there!"

"But I –"

"I'm not finished." Kitty warned as she pointed a finger in Marley's direction. "Now take my advice, and find yourself either a fat camp or a plastic surgeon. I cannot stand by and watch you make life worse for everyone while your elephant thighs are causing such earthquakes in McKinley High. Better yet, why not make a mental note and remind your mother later on? And once you've returned to McKinley High, the Cheerios and I can do you two a big favor, and ban any transfatty, sugary, high-calorie foods from you two, keeping them at a seventy-five-foot distance so we can enjoy what's left in the kitchen that your mother bothered to save for us."

With a shameless shrug, Kitty grabbed her belongings, turned on her heel, and made her way down the hallway, leaving Marley on the floor, feeling offended.

You would expect someone like Marley Rose to get angry at another someone like Kitty Wilde. It's completely understandable. No one ever likes to be teased or put down like the ruthless, blonde Cheerio did to the innocent teen girl moments ago.

However, for Marley, it was the other way around.

It was true, she hated some of the things Kitty and the other jocks and cheerleaders did to her. In another sense, though, she idolized Kitty. It was so ironic, but she saw some good behind the evil mask she covered her face with. She couldn't exactly put her finger on it, but she knew it was there.

Marley believed in mainly one principle: everyone had a soft peel to their orange (it wasn't her best daily quote, but it came to her mind as she was studying for an algebra test, resting an orange slice on her tongue as she read through a plethora of notes). She always reminded herself to keep a journal filled with quotes she made up, some songs that got her through the day, and a list of positive words or improvements she could make each day. Before her mother dropped her off early this morning, she wrote in a dark green neon pen: "One won't know what the sun feels like if they haven't crossed Earth's atmosphere." It always urged her to follow all of her dreams – the meteors and shooting stars that were flying across the sky at night, as she worded it in her journal – and to achieve all of her life goals. If she was ever going to be a radio singer when she graduated from high school and college, she had to start somewhere.

Her first life obstacle came in the form of McKinley High's biggest bitch and the Cheerios' most prized possession: Kitty Wilde. She had to be the most rotten apple in the orchard, with just a more appealing body figure and a pretty face and high pony. All of the times Marley would cool down and prevent herself from breaking down due to Kitty's antics, she would take a moment and wonder what Kitty's life was like. She probably got everything she wanted – nice clothes and accessories, a wonderful family, a bunch of money, vacations to New York and L.A. whenever she and her parents had the free time. Why can't I be like her? Marley thought as she got up from her position on the floor.

Aside from Kitty's personal life, though, why would she be so angry and bitchy all of the time? Was it some type of cheerleader code in high schools nowadays? It seemed like every high school-related story had something to do with popular students and cliques. Marley didn't want that for herself. She just can't fit into that lifestyle. Ever since she started watching High School Musical when she was younger, she wanted to be a part of something that made her want to be free with her life, hence the reason why Marley took the liberty in joining New Directions.

New Directions, although not full of a well-received group of students, is a National championship-winning glee club that had taken home the first place Nationals trophy last year before some of its alumni have graduated. Marley has heard some things about all of the alumni members, preferably their proclaimed rising star, Rachel Berry. One of this year's seniors, Artie Abrams, had directed Marley to the library towards a shelf full of Thunderclaps – McKinley's annual yearbooks. After viewing a plethora of different club pages in the activities section of the Thunderclap, Marley was astounded of the idea that Rachel was heavily involved – the Speech Club, the Mock United Nations Club, the Renaissance Club, the Muslim Students Club – hell, even the Black Student Union accepted her. While Marley saw the ambitious, Broadway-bound diva as an inspiration, Artie and the rest of New Directions saw her as "a pain in their ass."

Anyways, Marley thought joining New Directions would give her the edge she needed if she wanted to become a radio singer when she grew up. That's right, of all occupations in the world, ranging from Nobel Peace Prize-winning scientist to Tony Award-winning actress, Marley chose the somewhat laid-back lifestyle of the radio song artist. She didn't mind, though, considering that it would be less competition with the rest of the world. Marley figured that more people should show their interest.

Marley gave it her best shot to survive throughout the day as she strolled on to her classes. She was too excited about the next glee club meeting, completely forgetting the evil antics of one Kitty Wilde. Lucky for her, they only had two or three periods together, so what else could possibly go wrong?

The ultimate answer: anything.

She turned a corner and noticed a very muscular senior member of the McKinley High School Titans. Marley stood in the middle of nowhere like a deer in headlights. Whenever she saw a Titans varsity jacket on any guy – personality could be the last thing on her mind – she felt the need to steer clear.

The Titans were a part of the popular crowd at McKinley, like any other social hierarchy at any other high school around the nation. They were filthy creeps that have a hunger for those with a weakness, and they appreciated the thrill in seeing an innocent freshman getting slushied in the teachers' parking lot. Meanwhile, their prey always looks back at them with a fearful eye, almost catching a glimpse of the light before they become socially, mentally, and emotionally murdered.

Marley felt that she was this guy's first customer.

"Sweet cheeks," he spoke with a sly look on his face. Marley tried to ignore the sweat from the roots of his hair, along with the black metal ring on his right thumb; they made her a little nervous. "The babes call me Bradiator since I'm too irresistible to pass up." He winked back at her, but Marley didn't move. She knew exactly what he wanted. "What's your sign?"

Marley wasn't really sure how to answer, honestly. She never carried on conversations with popular students. She wasn't sure if they would take her seriously or not. They would either treat the brunette like a five-year-old and giggle behind her back once they're through with her, or they wouldn't bother to show their least bit of attention or sympathy, thereby shedding scales to their mean or bitchy personalities.

After a couple of moments of silence from the shy sophomore, the teen before her chortled. "I get it," he began, and Marley gulped a bit inside. "You're one of those types of girls." Marley's eyes trained down a bit, noticing one of his hands reaching inside his varsity jacket pocket. Who knows what football jocks carried around with them nowadays. In those old eighties movies where guys had Elvis-esque hairstyles, they often had switchblades or cigarettes in handy. Fast forward, and they end up possessing weed, condoms, and even hand guns.

Marley tingled inside once she heard the teenage boy speak up again. "Don't worry, though, Plum. I've got something to straighten you out." He balled up whatever object he held in his left hand and smirked at the self-conscious girl. The only thing other than weed Marley could believe it could have been was –

"Back off, butt head." Thank the heavens.

Marley's head darted in the direction of a dark skin-toned teenage boy with a leather jacket on. He looked awfully familiar to her. Isn't he in the glee club?

The black teen still had his eyes on the football player before him, standing defensively in front of Marley. "It's pretty clear that she doesn't want anything that you have." Marley pursed her lips together. Literally. The two seemed to agree. Marley didn't even know this guy, and he was already asking for some trouble. Her mother told her incidents about people like that, and Marley made sure that she was aware of anyone like that. And she wasn't sure of how Christian she was, but all good things came to those who prayed.

The Titans football jock – Marley assumed that he was named Brad, judging by the terrible excuse of a nickname – shrugged and had his hands out beside him as he looked around for the nearest Punk'd cinematographer, yet there wasn't one in sight.

"And what?" he replied sarcastically. "You think you're President Obama or Derek Rose or something?" Marley stood still behind the boy, who didn't move an inch except the tighter hold of his fists. "You think you're just gonna barge around and tell people what to do?" The jock continued asking questions, but he didn't receive any answers. Some questions probably didn't even have an answer; they were either some rhetorical thoughts passed on about life, or they were too irrelevant to process. This happened to be one of those incidents.

The teenager before Marley took a couple of steps towards him, both of their faces literally two centimeters away from each other. "Maybe I wasn't clear the last time I said it." He clenched his teeth together; however, Marley was unaware of his facial expressions. "Leave Marley alone. Now," he growled once more, "before I end up doing something I won't regret."

The jock before him just snickered. "What, like, come to my house and place a flaming bag of shit on my door?" he teased with his arms folded in front of his chest. He didn't seem at all nervous about the predicament he was in, nor the capabilities the black teen had under his sleeve. A tinkle could be seen in the innocent girl's eyes as she observed the scene before her; a deer in headlights cautiously stood clear of the engine ahead. Marley didn't want a fight; she wanted to be in a safe place, and high school was definitely not one of them.

After moments of silence, the jock scoffed and turned on his heel as if he had better things to do. "Like you're supposed to scare me or something," he mumbled as he strolled away. The black teen was still standing in front of the shy sophomore, being the gentlemen that Marley wished other guys would be.

Marley was caught in a daze for about a few moments until she heard the teen before her speak her name. "Marley?" His voice was a bit deep and husky. In another world, he would be a giant, lovable Labrador retriever with a perfect, dark caramel coat. Marley always wanted a dog of her own, but her mother told her on occasions that it would ruin the only furniture they could afford at a certain time.

"Marley," the teen before her spoke again, "you okay?"

Marley was so into it with her thoughts that she just realized that they shared the glee club together. What was his name again? Jasper…Jayden…Lucifer? "I…um, I –" She was so embarrassed, and that wasn't just including the guy giggling before her with the most contagious smile in the world. Marley had to admit, he was kinda cute.

She took a moment to relax, and responded to him with a breathy laugh. "I'm sorry." Her eyes shot towards his, taking notice of how his eyes shined in the fluorescent lighting above their heads. Not many people talked to her before, and she barely had that many opportunities to talk to them back. This was like a once-in-a-lifetime chance to redeem herself (even after the confrontation she had with Kitty Wilde). "T-thank you again…" She paused for a moment, nervous. "You know, for helping me."

The teenager before her sincerely nodded. "A pleasure," he responded, extending his hand towards Marley. "I'm Jake. Jake Puckerman."

Marley couldn't contain the eager smile that grew upon her face. "M-M-Marley. Marley Rose." They both smiled in each other's direction, both nervous about how awkward yet satisfying this interaction was. It was almost as if the rest of the world didn't exist, and they were just standing there with plenty of time in the world to spare. Unfortunately, speaking of time –

"Oh gosh," Marley panicked as she searched the hallway for the nearest clock. 9:55. She was practically late for her third-period class. "I-I-I am so, so sorry." Marley told Jake in a rush, adjusting her bag strap so it would be comfortable to carry her belongings. "I – I have to go –"

Jake's hands clenched Marley's shoulders and kept her from nearly bouncing off the walls. "Hold on, hold on." He tried calming her down. How could she calm down, though? Marley was almost never late for class for a day in her life. In fact, at her old school, she would always get an award at the end of the school year for perfect attendance. She was completely ignoring the fact that she had just spent a quality moment with someone she had the potential to be friends with – all because she was worried about being tardy.

"J-Jake," Marley stuttered for the umpteenth time today, "it was so generous of you to help me out and everything, but –"

"Wait, Marley. Hold on, let me help." Marley shut her eyes for a moment while the inside of her body was literally beating like a bongo drum. In an another attempt to calm her down, he interrupted her in an easy tone. "Whose class do you have this period?" It's like he was reading her mind or something.

"Uh…g-geometry." She cursed herself for stuttering every time this Jake person had spoke to her. She felt as if it made her have some of the behaviors of a four-year-old.

Again, with a calm tone that Marley was surprised Jake had possessed, the male before her extended his hand again, waiting for Marley to take it. "We have the same class. I could walk you there." He smiled at her softly, hoping this would satisfy Marley.

And sure enough, it did. Marley felt a bit better when she was around him, even when that random football player was making an entire scene just to mess with her emotions. When Marley first came to this school, she couldn't imagine having a friend like Jake was to her. He was such a gentlemen, in general, despite his confrontation with the football jock, although it was wise of him to think of Marley's feelings.

Maybe, just maybe, nothing can go wrong after all.