A/N: Hey! So this chapter is the first real interaction that Ryder and Unique have had since that day in the quad. I hope it make sense and doesn't disappoint. the callback is next chapter and I'm excited for it. I have no idea if film courses are actually set up the way I portray in this fic but it worked for me, so I went with it.
Enjoy this update!
REVIEWS = LOVE!
Unique was going to wait to talk to Ryder but she changed her mind. After she left Eli she went directly to his dorm room. She hoped he was there. She didn't want to look all over campus for him. He answered the door quickly.
"Jake, did you forget..." he started but stopped abruptly. He was happy to see her but he knew this wasn't a social call. He stepped to the side to let her enter. "How are you?" he asked her.
"Did you ask how I am?" Unique asked shock in her voice. Ryder nodded not sure what that upset her. "Ok, Ryder. I'll tell you how I am," she said, divatude rising. "I m in shock and I am disappointed and hurt," she told him.
"Why?" he asked genuinely confused.
"Now he asks Unique why. Unique does not have time to play with him," she said to herself.
"If you're speaking in third person, I know it's bad. Can I help you?" Ryder asked.
"Yes, yes you can help," Unique said.
"How?" Ryder asked.
"Stop doing what you're doing!" Unique said forcefully.
"What am I doing? I'm not doing anything," Ryder said confused.
"Ryder Lynn, I know you auditioned for Hades!" Unique said, accusation heavy in her voice.
"So?" Ryder asked.
"So?! So not cool, Ryder!" Unique said exasperated.
"Why?" he asked, interested in her answer.
"You know why!" she said vehemently.
"I don't. I'm doing what you asked," he told her.
"What now?" she asked rolling her neck.
"You ask for help on the movie. This is me helping," he said.
"I meant with music and maybe background vocals," she told him.
"I didn't know we were only allowed BTS stuff. This is the best way for me to help. What the big deal? All I did was audition. I haven't been cast for anything," Ryder said matter-of-fact.
"I know what you're up to, though," Unique said not believing Ryder.
"What am I up to?" he asked her lowly.
"You're using this movie to try to get close to me. It's not cool. I'm with Eli," she said.
"We need to reconnect as friends. This movie is the way to do that. You have been perfectly clear about everything else. I didn't realize friendship was off the table as well," Ryder said sadly.
Yes, he did want Unique as a girlfriend but he wanted her friendship as well. It never occurred to him that she was finished with him altogether.
"Of course I still want to be friends. I just need you to be clear about the other stuff," she told him calmly.
"I get it and I would never try to come between you and Eli," he said even though Eli's name tasted like sawdust in his mouth.
"Oh, well ok. I'm sorry I accused you. I didn't want you to try to sabotage Eli's movie because of anything between you and me," she explained.
"I understand but there isn't anything between you and me," Ryder said.
"Right. This is going to be a great project and I would hate for your jealousy to ruin it," Unique said bluntly.
"Right but according to you, we weren't anything so there is no reason for me to be jealous," Ryder said.
"Right. We're friends. I only thought that...it doesn't matter what I thought. Why Hades though?" Unique asked.
"Um, it's the lead. Blaine told me always audition for the lead. If you're not right for it there are plenty of other roles they can slot you into but if you audition for supporting, they won't see you as lead," Ryder told her some advice Blaine had told him when he auditioned for Newsies.
Oh, I guess that makes sense," she said. "Well I have to go. I'll see you at dinner," she said moving toward the door.
"Ok, bye Unique," Ryder said as he opened the door for her to pass through.
The conversation didn't go at all as she planned. She had figured she'd accuse him, they would fight and then he'd admit that he harbored feelings and was trying to ruin things with Eli. None of that had happened. Ryder had seemed genuinely confused they her train of thought. As if it never occurred to him to be jealous. That that thought should've made her feel relieved. She should have felt elated that Ryder only auditioned to help but she wasn't relieved or elated. She had been secure in the knowledge that Ryder liked her, that he wanted to be with her, that no other scenarios had entered her mind. The realization that he was over her hurt more than she cared to admit; but since she was over him she was confused by her reaction.
She shook off her conflicting feels and headed for Marley's room. She wanted an honest opinion on the Ryder situation and she know Marley would give it to her.
After Unique left, Ryder sat down at his desk and placed a Skype call. He was relieved when it was answered after only a few rings.
"Hey Ryder," the voice said.
"Hey Sam. Where are you?" Ryder asked confused by the surroundings and no Sam.
"Right here," he said popping into the screen. "I'm at Kurt and Blaine's," he explained.
"Oh so you can't talk?" Ryder asked.
"I can talk. Kurt and Blaine are at my place. Mercedes and I had a disagreement and she called Kurt. He and Blaine came over, Kurt kicked me out and Blaine stayed to make sure my side was represented. I'm expecting him any moment," Sam told him shrugging.
"Ok. My audition was today," Ryder told Sam.
"Oh, how'd it go?" Sam asked.
"Great. I'm pretty sure I got a callback," Ryder said smiling.
"How did Unique take it?" Sam asked curious.
"She accused me of trying to sabotage his movie," Ryder told him.
"Are you?" Sam asked bluntly.
"No. I want to be around Unique. If I mess up the movie, she wouldn't forgive me for messing things up with her boyfriend. So I'm not going to do that," Ryder said.
"What are you going to do?" Sam asked intrigued.
"Not much. After I land the role of Hades, she and I will have to spend a lot of time together. She'll realize with some gentle, subtle prodding from me, that I'm the right choice for her not Eli," Ryder said.
"Sounds easy," Sam said skeptical.
"It will be," Ryder said confident.
"Word of advice, I guess."
"Sure."
"You're not planing for the inevitable. That's a mistake. It could cost you," Sam told him knowingly.
"what's the inevitable?" Ryder asked.
"Unique," Sam stated.
"I don't understand," Ryder said, his brow furrowed.
"Unique is not going to come to you easily. She is going to fight you every step of the way. Especially when she figures out that you're right. And don't underestimate the boyfriend. I heard Kurt and Mercedes talking about him. He seems, uh well, awesome. He seems awesome," Sam said.
"You think she'll fight me?" Ryder asked.
"I'm sure of it. She's a lot like Mercedes that way, but Ryder, your situation is not mine. You created this, because you ran away. If had told her how you feel months ago she wouldn't even be dating this director kid. Now you have to fight to get her back because you make the mistake of letting her go," Sam told him sagely.
"You're right. And the boyfriend is awesome, I guess. She told him about Wade and it didn't even phase him. He was totally cool with it," Ryder said.
"You're cool it too, right?" Sam asked.
"Yeah totally but it was instantaneous," Ryder reminded Sam.
"Maybe but I think when you know the person pre-op it's harder to get used to a new person in the place of someone else you knew," Sam reasoned.
"Maybe," Ryder said.
"Don't worry about that. You like her and you want to be with her. Go for it! I got your back," Sam told him.
"Thanks Sam. I gotta go. I'm meeting everyone for dinner," Ryder said.
"Ok, bye!" Sam said before signing off.
Marley sat on her bed watching her best friend pace the length of her room. After fifteen minutes she stopped her.
"Unique, tell me what's wrong," Marley said.
"Eli told me Ryder auditioned," Unique started.
"Jake is going to talk to him and tell him to back off," Marley said interrupting.
"No, don't do that," Unique said, "I talked to Ryder and I don't know," she finished lamely.
"Huh?" Marley said.
"Ryder said he only auditioned because I asked you guys to help." Unique told Marley.
"Yeah, you did ask for help but he could have helped in ways that don't involve starring opposite you," Marley pointed out.
"True but I wasn't specific and we both know that the best way for Ryder to help is my acting," Unique said.
"Yeah but..." Marley said.
"Marley, we all jumped to the same conclusion but we're wrong. Ryder doesn't have those feelings anymore and if we try to make him back out of the movie, we're robbing Eli of maybe the best person to play Hades," Unique said.
"I don't know. Are you sure about his feelings?" Marley asked.
"Yeah, he was crystal clear. He only wants to be friend and he is only trying to help Eli," Unique told Marley.
"Ok, then I guess we owe him an apology, but that doesn't mean I won't be watching him," Marley said reluctantly agreeing.
"that's what I plan to do," Unique said nodding.
"How do you feel now?" Marley asked.
"Feel? About what?" Unique asked pretending to be confused.
"About Ryder not having romantic feelings about you anymore," Marley said plainly.
"I don't feel anything about it. I don't know that he ever really had those feelings. He never made any kind of declarations. I thought he was waiting until after my surgery but as you know that didn't happen so it's all conjecture on our part. And it doesn't matter, I have Eli," Unique said.
"Ok," Marley said nodding but not really believing her friend.
"Marls, are you ready for dinner?" Unique asked her friend, ready to move past their current conversation.
"Yeah, let's go," Marley said.
"So Eli said his prof has the script," Unique said.
"Yeah, the whole pass/fail situation. If he fails, I'm going to feel completely responsible," Marley said.
"Why?" Unique asked.
"Because the only reason the professor could have to fail him is the song choices. The actual script is phenomenal. Eli is a brilliant writer," Marley told Unique.
"Girl stop! Eli considers it a joint process. He's happy with your work," Unique reassured her.
"I know but I'm still nervous," Marley said as she and Unique sat down.
"Nervous about what?" Jake said.
"The movie," Marley answered.
"Why?" Jake asked.
"Because it's with Eli's professor right now. If he doesn't greenlight it, no movie," Shelley explained, looking up briefly from her tablet.
"Oh," Jake said.
"That seems unfair," Ryder added.
"Not really," Shelley responded.
"If Eli was really making a movie in the real world, he'd have to get it approved. The professor is like the studio. You have to get studio backing to make your movie," Unique said expanding on Shelley's answer.
"I guess," Ryder said, "but what happens if the professor doesn't greenlight?" Ryder asked.
"He fails," Shelley said.
"The semester," Unique added.
"The entire semester?" Jake asked.
"Yeah, it's a pass/fail course," Unique explained.
"That's a lot of pressure," Ryder commented.
"What's his professor looking for?" Jake asked.
"I don't know," Unique answered shrugging.
"Probably originality, quality, continuity, all of which it has. I think Marley and Eli are worrying unnecessarily," Shelley said.
"I agree. How many other film students are using Greek mythology in a musical?" Unique asked.
"Probably none. They're all going to play it save and retell classic musicals," Shelley said.
"Yep and that's points off for originality," Unique pointed out.
"Where is Eli anyway? I thought he was joining us," Jake said.
"He was supposed to," Unique said worriedly. She text him to check if he was still coming to dinner. He replied he was on the way. "He's on his way," Unique said smiling.
"Where is he?" Marley asked.
"I don't know. He didn't say," she told the group.
A few minutes later, Eli slid into the open seat beside Unique. He kissed her briefly before he addressed the group.
"Hey, sorry I'm late. I was with my professor," he told them.
"And?" Marley asked impatiently.
"He had some questions about the movie," Eli told her.
"What kind of questions?" Unique asked.
"Mostly about my choice of contemporary songs and language," he answered.
"So what'd he decide?" Marley asked.
"He didn't say. The list gets posted tomorrow," Eli said.
"Did he have any other questions?" Shelley asked.
"Yeah, he had casting questions and crew and location centered questions but that's standard. He asked everyone. When we turned in our scripts we made appointments with his TA for this meeting," Eli explained.
"So he's not just picking movies he likes?" Jake asked.
"No. he tries to pick movies he thinks will "sell"," Eli explained further. "Oh and Shel thanks for that transformative works knowledge. He was going to tank the movie because I didn't get licensing for the songs," Eli told her.
"Oh, you're welcome," she said smiling.
"He seemed impressed. So I think I'm getting the greenlight," he told the group.
"Awesome!" Jake said.
"Everything is going so great right now," Eli smiled.
"What do you mean?" Unique asked curious.
"I have you, I'm about to make my first student film and my best friend is coming," Eli said smiling.
"To visit?" Shelley asked.
"No, to go to school," Eli said.
"Oh where is he transferring from?" Marley asked.
"Nowhere. He goes here. He's been in the hospital and taking his classes online. Now that he's been released, he's moving in this weekend," Eli told the pretty girl.
"Adam, right?" Unique asked.
"Yeah and Shelley he is all ready to help you with anything you need. He's been my producer before so he can help and you two can share "Eli the Tyrant" stories," Eli told Shelley.
"Cool, an extra set of hands would be ideal. Especially with production starting soon," she said.
"Yeah," Eli agreed. He turned to Unique. "You want to take a walk?" he asked.
"Sure," she said rising from the table. The two of them left the dining hall with her arm tucked into his.
"I can't wait for you to meet Adam," Eli told her.
"I hope he likes me," Unique said nervously.
"He already does. I've told him about you," Eli said.
"Everything about me?" she asked sharply.
"No, sweetie, of course not but you can tell Adam. He'll understand and he won't judge. I promise," Eli told her.
"I'm sorry. I'll think about it," Unique told Eli.
"Thanks," Eli said leaning in to kiss her.