Daphne was packing her bag, they would leave for national's tomorrow. "Los Angeles, here I come." She went into her closet and threw some things into her bag before grabbing her bikini. She smiled at it, remembering New York. "You've done me a lot of good. I'm so looking forward to putting you on again." She put it into her bag. That bikini would be doing one of two things, it could help Will un-tense or it could actually make things worse.. "I love seeing Will in those boardshorts. Will coming out of the sea is quite possibly the sexiest thing I've ever seen." She laughed at herself, she was talking to herself like some kind of idiot. She texted Marley that her bag was packed, Marley would be staying over tonight. She was nice, besides Daphne needed a friend. She cleaned the house up and heard the bell ring. "Hey come on in."
"Thanks." Marley's mother was dropping her off. "Thanks for dropping me off mom."
"I'll take good care of her Mrs Rose, I promise."
"Thank you Daphne, watch out in Los Angeles Marley."
"I will mom."
Daphne closed and locked the door behind them. "So, bag all packed?"
"Yes, I brought a bikini. I don't know if there will be beach time?"
"Me neither, but I packed mine as well."
"You did this last year, how was it?"
Daphne smiled, the best part was making out with Will but it was better she didn't mention that. "It was great, performing on that stage and then winning.. that feeling when we got the trophy was amazing."
"I hope we win again."
"Me too, we've trained hard enough for it, that's for sure."
Marley laughed. "I'm looking forward to the summer, I can actually sleep in."
"I know right, Mr Schue has been working us really hard the last couple of weeks. Did you hear anything about a barbecue?"
"Just that you did it last year and Mr Schue said it would become a yearly thing."
Daphne nodded. "I hope he will, but first.. what movie do you want to watch?"
"Anything, as long as you've got popcorn."
"Can't have a movie night without it."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Me and Jake, we're together again."
"Oh that's great!" She saw the look on Marley's face. "Isn't it great?
"It is, but it makes me nervous. I mean, last time didn't work because he wanted sex and I wasn't ready."
"I'm sure that won't be a problem this time, he knows who you are."
"You've had sex, right?" Marley blushed while she asked the question but looked up to see Daphne nodding. "How did you know it was right, that you were ready?"
Daphne smiled. "How did I know.. hmm.. I wanted it, badly. The first time we didn't go through with it, and when I was lying in my bed that night I wasn't happy about not going through with it. I was disappointed."
"Then why didn't you go through with it?"
Daphne smiled, remembering almost sleeping with Will but Mercedes knocking on the door. "We uuh got interrupted. It was just bad timing."
"When.. how old.."
"it was about a year ago."
"So.. it's not weird I haven't done it yet?"
Daphne shook her head. "No, everyone is ready at a different time. You shouldn't do it before then and you shouldn't let anyone pressure you into it. Not a guy, not friends. I waited until I had the right guy with me."
"But.. you're not together anymore.."
"No, but who knows what'll happen in the future. It wasn't because we didn't fit together."
"Thank you Daphne.. I don't like talking about this stuff with my mom."
Daphne laughed. "I totally get it. Any more questions?"
"Did it hurt?"
"Yes, but it's different per person."
Marley nodded and turned towards the tv to watch the movie.
…
Daphne pulled up into the school parking lot and parked her car. She and Marley grabbed her bags before going towards the bus. "First time on a plane?" She asked Marley.
"Yes, I'm a little nervous."
"More people die driving a car every day."
Will walked passed them. "That didn't help when you told me and I doubt it'll help Marley."
"It's just true, it's one of the safest means of transportation. Besides, you're stepping on a plane again so I couldn't have been that bad."
…
They were sitting on the plane, Marley sat next to Mr Schue and Daphne sat next to Marley.
Marley turned towards Daphne. "So this guy, you said you don't know what's going to happen in the future?" Daphne nodded. "You're still into him?"
"Oh, I'm very into him." She smiled when she saw Will turn his head a little bit to listen.
"Is he into you too?"
"As far as I can tell."
"How can you tell?"
Daphne smiled. "Well, in this particular case he told me he still loves me."
"So you still talk to him?"
"Yeah, almost daily." Daphne looked down, or at least.. she did.. before he was mad at her.
"And you're really not together?" Daphne shook her head. "Why not?"
"Because.. it's not the right time."
Marley shook her head. "What does that even mean. People say that, this is not the right time in my life right now."
"I know right, but in this case it's really not the right time. Maybe in a couple of months.."
"If you speak to him almost every day, isn't it hard to, I don't know, ignore how you feel?"
Daphne laughed. "Very, it takes everything in me not to.. jump him." Marley snickered. "I want to scream it from the rooftops. Some days it physically hurts how much I love him, I can't stand to be around him at those times. I can see it in his eyes, that he feels it too. It's.. wonderful and excruciating at the same time." She saw the puzzled look on Marley's face. "Imagine, you're with jake right?" Marley nodded. "You're into him?" She nodded again. "Okay, imagine you see him almost every day but you don't kiss him, hug him, be with him in any way because you aren't together. Now keep that on for like a month. Meanwhile, you see him live his life, other girls flirt with him. He is always there but just out of reach, then you start thinking, he's such a great kisser, I love what he looks like when he.. uuh.."
"Dances and sings." Marley finished.
"Let's go with that. Every one of those thoughts ends with, but I can't be with him right now."
"Because the timing isn't right?"
"Yes, not because you don't love each other, not because you fight too much but simple timing."
"That would suck."
Daphne chuckled. "Yes, and then one day you find him alone somewhere. No one is there you have him all to yourself, you're being pulled towards him. You can't help yourself you've got to go to him, but then just in time you remember you can't."
"You always remember just in time?"
"What do you mean?"
"Since you've broken up, you never.."
Daphne smiled. "Never what Marley?"
"Hooked up?"
"We have, more then once. We can't seem to stay away from each other, but it's never more then that."
"So what, you have sex and then you leave?"
She nodded. "Yes, it's like a hit for an addict. Just enough cocaine to get me through."
"Did he get you that?" Marley pointed towards the heart necklace Daphne was wearing. "You've been touching it through almost this entire conversation, I've never seen you do that before eventhough you always wear it."
"Yeah, he did. For my birthday, it means everything to me. I really don't know what I'd do if I lost it."
"Can I see it?" Daphne smiled and nodded, handing her the necklace and joining Artie and Sam in a discussion. "It's beautiful, he has good taste." She looked at it carefully before turning it around. "Yours forever, Will." She read out loud. This caused Will to snap up, did this just happen? Did Marley just read his name there? He truly hoped she wouldn't make that connection. He glanced over at Daphne but she didn't hear it. "Daphne, your guy's name is Will?"
Daphne turned around and saw Marley looking at the back of the necklace. Fuck, she'd forgotten all about the inscription, how could she have forgotten?! She ran her thumb over it every day. "Uuh yeah." Marley handed her the necklace and she put it back around her neck. "Thanks."
…
They arrived just around lunch-time. Will left the plane last, making sure his kids didn't forget anything, Daphne hung back a little taking extra time to pack her bag. "I'm gonna get out, talk to Jake, is that okay?" Marley asked.
"Sure, I'll talk to you later."
Will watched Marley leave while he checked the backs of the seats where his kids sat. "Fuck Daph, the back of your necklace."
"I know. She doesn't seem to make the connection, it'll be fine. I'll help you check the seats. I'll take this row."
"No, just go."
Daphne looked up and turned around, they hadn't had another argument since he yelled at her but they were still a little on edge. "Fine, I just wanted to help."
Will turned around to see her walk away. "What are you doing Schuester.." He checked all the pockets and walked out as soon as he finished. He saw his group waiting for him at the gate. "Everyone here?"
"Daphne just went to the bathroom, she'll be right back." Marley said.
"Ok, so when she comes back we'll go to the hotel. If you all want, and we reach the hotel within an hour, we can go to the beach." They all started talking rapidly, some of them had never even seen the beach in real life before. Will saw Daphne walking back. "Okay, let's go."
"We're going to the beach." Marley told Daphne excited.
Daphne forced a smile. "Great."
