Ten years ago, I started my sophomore year at McKinley High School, I starred in the school's production of Grease, and I opened myself up to the glee club, and told them things I would never have told anyone else. I was also catfished my someone I called my friend. Now, ten years later I was attending a wedding for the girl I helplessly pined after during Sophomore year, and she marrying my best friend.
I arrived in town for the wedding a week before the ceremony even occurred. It was so weird coming back to Lima after all these years, after going off to college in Texas and starting a job in Austin. I was happy to be back of course, this place was my home, and it was refreshing seeing Marley, Jake, and others.
The Monday I arrived in town, just five days before the wedding, Jake, Sam Evans, Artie Abrams, Puck, and I went out for Jake's bachelor party. No one expected Jake of all people to be married first out of the 2012-2013 New Directions. I had my money on Blaine marrying his long-time boyfriend, Kurt Hummel, but the two haven't seen each other ever since Blaine proposed and Kurt turned him down.
Fast forward three days to the night of the rehearsal dinner. It was taking place at Breadstix, and a lot of familiar faces were in attendance: Tina Cohen-Chang, Unique Adams (who I did my best to avoid, despite the fact that we did make peace after the catfish scandal), Sugar Motta, Will and Emma Schuester, and the last person I would expect to show up: Kitty Wilde.
Kitty and I certainly have a past. Back in sophomore year, Kitty revealed that she had a crush on me after we shared a mutual past (a past no one else knows about). After I turned her down on a potential date to stay and talk to "Katie" aka Unique, she barely even glances at me. I broke her heart and I had to live with that for the rest of my life.
Any ways, she walked into the sub-par Italian restaurant, arm-in-arm with a man I would soon learn to be her boyfriend, Carter Smith. She must have met him at University of Michigan, because Marley said the two have been together for years. Seeing the two of them, I felt jealously burn in my chest. My love life down in Texas hasn't been the best thing, so I've become used to the fact of coming home alone from bars frequently.
Kitty spotted me from across the restaurant and gave me a small wave. I waved back, but Carter pulled her over to where Marley and Jake were standing, saying hello to the guests.
After dinner, everyone went out to a bar together. I was sitting at the bar while everyone else was enjoying themselves, I was enjoying a beer.
"Hey," I heard the familiar voice say. I turned around to see Kitty standing behind me. She was smiling slightly.
"Oh, hey Kitty," I gave her a small wave. She sat down next to me and ordered a glass of the white wine.
"It's weird being back here, isn't it?" she asked me, trying to break the ice. I shrugged and took a sip out of the beer I was drinking.
"So, who's the guy?" I asked, trying to keep the jealously I was harboring out of my voice.
"You mean Carter? He's my boyfriend. We've been dating since senior year at Michigan," Kitty said, trying to brush it off as if it wasn't a big deal.
"Well you two look good together. You deserve to be happy," was all I could say before Carter came over.
"Hey, baby," he said, obviously drunk.
"Ugh, your breath reeks of tequila. How many shots did you take?" Kitty said, trying to push him off of her.
"Aw c'mon, give me some loving," he said, trying to force himself on her.
I couldn't take it anymore, I had to help. "Hey, asshole, get off of her."
Carter turned to me, annoyed. "And why the fuck should I listen to you?"
"Because I know when to listen to girls, and if Kitty doesn't want you forcing yourself onto her, then you should listen to her," I said, standing up.
Carter pushed himself up to me. I was taller than he was, so he didn't come across that intimidating. The rest happened all so fast; he punched me in the stomach, causing me to double-over. Then he kneed me in the face, causing me to fall back, hitting my head on a bar stool. My sight was quickly approaching darkness, and I could hear Kitty and Marley screaming to what sounded like Jake and Carter getting in a fight.
I woke up in a bar booth. I sat up to find Kitty sitting across from me in the other seat. "Damn, that eye swelled quickly," she said. My hand touched my throbbing face and it hurt to touch it.
I then clutched my head. "Ugh, what happened?" I asked her, my voice groggy.
"Carter happened. You two got in a fight, well not really fight. You were more his punching bag," Kitty said, with that signature sarcastic tone, causing me to smirk.
"What time is it?" I asked her.
"Almost one. You were out for a good two hours," she said. I could see the look of concern she had on her face through my good eye.
"I better get back to Marley's and Jake's then. Don't want to miss their wedding, y'know?" I said, standing up. Although I was awake, my legs weren't, and I fell, but caught myself on the table.
Kitty stood, a look of concern on her face. "Are you alright?" she asked me.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll see you tomorrow," I said, slowly walking out of the bar.
I woke up to Marley shaking me awake on the couch. "Marley, leave me alone!" I said while trying to go back to sleep.
"It's nearly eleven, and the wedding is in two hours. Get your ass up, dressed, and to the church!" she said rather loudly before storming out of the house, slamming the door shut behind her. The loud bang of the door caused me to awaken fully and drag myself into the shower. I was definitely hung over.
An hour later, I found myself in Jake's room where Sam and Puck were waiting for me. "Jesus, man, we thought you were dead or something," Jake said, tying his tie.
"Nope, I'm alive and kicking," I said, walking over to the mirror to see how bad my face looked from Carter's punch in the bar.
"Dude, what happened to your face?" Puck asked me.
"Kitty's boyfriend happened," Sam answered.
"Luckily, he won't be at the wedding," Jake said, giving me a sideways glance.
The wedding went smoothly. Me being the best man and Kitty being the man of honor, meant that we had to walk down the aisle together. We were followed by Unique and Sam, then Marley's roommate from college, Beatrice, and Puck. Marley was walked down the aisle with her mother. She and Jake exchanged vows and then they were officially married.
At the reception, Marley requested that the glee club members from years ago were the entertainment, which none of us really minded. Jake started things off with "Let Me Love You" which Marley followed with "Everytime". Sam and Puck sang something, and after that no one really wanted to sing anything else.
Jake then came up to me and said, "Marley wants you to sing something."
"I dunno, man, I haven't sang in forever," I said, trying to get out of it.
"Marley isn't taking no for an answer, dude," Jake said, patting me on the shoulder before walking back to Marley on the dance floor.
I looked over to see Kitty sitting at a table, date less, and she looked so sad. I sighed, and walked on stage. "Hey guys, this for the bride and groom, and for a special someone out there in the crowd," I said into the microphone. I saw Kitty look over to the stage when I said "special someone".
RYDER
How I wish you could see the potential,
the potential of you and me.
It's like a book elegantly bound but,
in a language you can't read.
Just yet.
You gotta spend some time, Love.
You gotta spend some time with me.
And I know that you'll find, love
I will possess your heart.
You gotta spend some time, Love.
You gotta spend some time with me.
And I know that you'll find, love
I will possess your heart.
There are days when outside your window
I see my reflection as I slowly pass,
and I long for this mirrored perspective
when we'll be lovers, lovers at last.
You gotta spend some time, love.
You gotta spend some time with me
And I know that you'll find, love
I will possess your heart
You gotta spend some time, Love.
You gotta spend some time with me
And I know that you'll find, love
I will possess your heart
I will possess your heart
I will possess your heart
You reject my…advances…and desperate pleas…
I won't let you...let me down…so easily.
So easily.
You gotta spend some time, Love.
You gotta spend some time with me
And I know that you'll find, Love.
I will possess your heart.
You gotta spend some time, Love.
You gotta spend some time with me.
And I know that you'll find, love
I will possess your heart.
You gotta spend some, Love.
You gotta spend some time with me.
And I know that you'll find, love
I will possess your heart
I will possess your heart
I will possess your heart
An hour later, the reception was still going strong, and the only glee club member that has yet to perform, was Kitty. I saw Marley begging Kitty to perform, and Kitty finally giving in.
"Hey guys, I'm Kitty, " was all she said when she got on the stage.
KITTY
All I want is nothing more
To hear you knocking at my door
'Cause if I could see your face once more
I could die a happy girl for sure
When you said your last goodbye
I died a little bit inside
I lay in tears in bed all night
Alone without you by my side
But if you loved me
Why'd you leave me?
Take my body
Take my body
All I want is,
And all I need is
To find somebody
I'll find somebody like you
Oooohhhh ohhh
So you brought the best of me,
A part of me I'd never seen.
You took my soul and wiped it clean.
Our love was made for movie screens.
But if you loved me
Why'd you leave me?
Take my body,
Take my body
All I want is,
And all I need is
To find somebody
To find somebody
Ooooohhhhh
If you loved me
Why'd you leave me?
Take my body,
Take my body.
All I want is,
All I need is
To find somebody
I'll find somebody like you.
Oooohhh
I noticed that Kitty kept glancing at me throughout her performance, and I met with Kitty as soon as she climbed down the steps off the stage. I noticed the tears rolling down her cheeks. "Ryder, I don't want to talk to you right now," she said, trying to hide the fact of her crying.
"That was about me, wasn't it?" I asked, well, rather demanded.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, before hurrying out of the reception, leaving me watching the girl I let go all those years ago, leave again.
But this time, it was different.
I ran after her, pushing myself through the party goers, and into the hallway. I saw her hurry out of the building and I sprinted as fast as I could to catch up to her.
She climbed herself into a taxi and it slowly drove away, but that didn't stop me. I sprinted off after the taxi, and wouldn't stop at anything to stop her. I turned around, catching a breath, to see the whole reception running after me, cheering me on. I turned and ran after the taxi.
I managed to catch up to the taxi when it stopped at a red light, and climbed into the taxi next to Kitty. She looked stunned to see me. "Ryder, what on earth are you doing!?" she asked.
"Kitty, I shouldn't have let you go all those years ago, because if I didn't, I know that you would have been my date to the wedding, not that asshole's," I said, doing my best to win her over.
Six months later, I was still living in Austin, working at my job. That moment in the taxi cab hadn't turned out the way that I planned, because Kitty revealed that she was engaged to that asshole named Carter.
I got out of the office at six, and started making my way to the parking garage, when I saw her. Kitty Wilde was standing at my car, waiting for me. "Kitty!? What are you doing here!" I said, beyond happy to see her.
I ran to her, and she ran to me. I caught her in my arms and pulled her in for a big kiss on the lips. After we pulled apart, she said, "I broke things off with Carter."
I kissed her again. That night, she spent the night at my house. I let her sleep in the bedroom while I slept on my couch just outside the bedroom.
The following morning, I cooked eggs and toast for the both of us. We sat down for breakfast at the coffee table, sitting on the ground. "So I better start searching for an apartment, I guess, huh?" she said, nonchalantly.
I felt the eggs fall out of my open mouth. "What are you talking about?" I asked her.
She leaned in as if I was joking. "I'm moving here. I got a job here, remember? I told you about this last night," she responded. Instantly, I remembered her telling me while we were driving back to my apartment.
"Right, sorry, I forgot. Anyways, I'll come with you, if you want me to. I know where to look in the city and where not to look," I said, giving her a smile. She laughed at the smile. "What's so funny?"
"Your smile. I forgot how goofy it is," she said, smiling, an obvious compliment. I laughed the statement.
Two days later we were standing in a rather large apartment, much larger than my own apartment. "So what'd you think? I kind of like it," Kitty told me.
"I would like it more if it was in a better location. You'll be sleeping next to a gay bar, Kitty," I told her.
Kitty sighed, before leaning against me. "What would I do with out, Ryder Lynn?" she asked.
I shrugged, "Die?"
She hit me playfully on the chest before sitting down on the floor. I sat down next to her. "Can I suggest something?" I asked her.
She turned to me, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Hm?"
"Stay with me. Just for a little bit, a few weeks, just until you can find a place to live and get settled," I said, offering her an alternative option.
"Are you serious?" she asked me, her face lighting up.
"Dead," I said, giving her another goofy smile.
She jumped onto me, tackling me. I fell back onto my back, with her leaning on top of me. "We're official, aren't we?" she asked me, meaning our relationship.
"Only if you want to be," was all I said in response, not wanting to force her into another Carter-situation.
"Oh I want to, but do you?" she said.
I smiled before rolling over, causing me to lean on top of her. She let out a giggle you would expect from a seven year old girl. "And so do I," I said before kissing her.
A few weeks slowly turned into a few months, and then a year, a year and a half, and I finally said she should move in with me, to make it official, I guess. After some convincing, and getting rid of some furniture Kitty deemed "unfit", she said yes. We've been together for two years.
That gay bar next to that apartment she looked at got turned into a French café, and we decided to move into the apartment. The day that we moved in, I planned something.
I was hanging a picture, standing on the second step on the ladder, when I set down the picture, and fell onto the floor below me, I didn't injure myself though, but it sounded like I did. "Oh my God! Are you okay!?" Kitty said, dropping a box and running over to me after walking into the room.
She squatted down next to me, not quite sure what to do. "Ugh, my right ankle. I think I might have broken it, or something," I said, putting on a hurt act.
Kitty moved her hands to my "hurt" ankle and started applying pressure to it. "Ohmygod, I feel the bone!" she screamed. She pulled back my jeans to reveal a large lump in my sock. She pulled down the sock to reveal a small black engagement box. She opened it to reveal a small band with a single diamond.
"Ryder, what the hell is this?" she said, gasping for air.
"Will you marry me?" I asked her, sitting up, showing that I was in fact okay.
Her face went from astonishment to anger. She started shoving me. "I can't believe you made me think you hurt yourself, you asshole! Gosh, what's wrong with you!?" she screamed. I could see tears rolling down her face. "And you honestly expect me to turn you down!? I'm not crazy!"
"Wait, is that a yes?" I asked, excitement filled me.
"Of course it's a yes, you asshole!" she said, kissing me.
Nearly a year later, we got married in the same church Marley and Jake got married in. Those two were in attendance, along with many other New Direction members, and Will Schuester and Emma. If I told my high school self that I was marrying Kitty Wilde, my high school selft would have told me I was crazy and laugh it off.
If only he knew.