Picking Up The Pieces

I am so sorry I haven't been writing! If any of you watch "Glee" you might know that Cory Monteith has entered rehab for substance abuse, it has been really hard on me, because I looked up to him as a dad. He's like my second dad really, but I'm writing now! All aboard, next stop. RYDELLINGTON!

Chapter 9

Laura's P.O.V

"What's wrong?" I asked Ross, from the passenger seat, he was staring straight ahead at the road, totally focused, something was definitely not right.

"Huh? What? Nothing!" He exclaimed quickly, jumping up.

I rolled my eyes, ever since Ross had picked me up for our lunch date, he had been totally jumpy, he didn't even touch his lunch. "Ross…"

"Fine! I'll tell you!" He said. "This morning, I asked Rydel why she would be freaking out about moving in with Ellington like you told me to, and she told me that she was in love with him, and when I looked up Ellington was standing in the doorway…"

Shoot. "Okay, this is bad! This is bad! This is really, really bad!" I said panicking. "What if this ruins their friendship?!"

"Relax Laura, it didn't ruin ours, remember?" He told me, trying to focus on the road and me at the same time.

"Oh yeah, I remember… but our relationship is different from theirs somehow, but I can't remember how….Oh yeah, YOUR FIANCE DIDN'T LEAVE YOU AT THE ALTAR LESS THAN A WEEK AGO!" I told him sarcastically.

"Oh yeah…" Ross said. "So what do now?"

"Whatever we do, we can't tell Rydel that Ratliff knows," I told him.

"Wait, we can give Ratliff a Rat-Vention!" Ross exclaimed, I looked at him. "What's that?" I asked.

"Rydel gave me a Ross-Vention when she helped me realize my feelings for you, We could do the same thing to Ell," He told me.

"Wait, you don't mind that Ellington would be dating your only sister?" I asked him surprised.

"Well, I didn't before!" He told me. I laughed.

We pulled up at the Lynch house, and walked inside.

"Okay, where's Ratliff?" I asked, setting my purse down.

"I'm in the living room!" He called.

"Well, that was easy," I murmured, and Ross and I walked into the living room to talk to him.

"Hey guys, what's up-"

"We know you know." I interrupted him.

"…What are you talking about?" He asked slowly.

"You know exactly what we're talking about." I countered.

"I honestly don't, Ross?" He asked Ross.

"I know you heard what Rydel said about you," Ross told him.

"What? Oh, this morning. When Rydel said she loved me?" He asked and we nodded. "What's the big deal? I love her too,"

I'm pretty sure that if Ross and I were cartoons, our jaws would have hit the floor. "You do?" Ross asked.

"Yeah, she's my best friend." He said, almost sadly.

Me and Ross looked at each other in realization. "No, Ratliff, Rydel loves you…as more than a best friend," I said.

Ratliff's head jerked up. "She does?" He asked.

"Yeah, she has for a long time, like we're talking years-"

"What she's saying is that Rydel loves you." Ross said interrupting me, giving me a harsh look.

"Wow, I didn't think she thought of me that way." Ellington admitted. "You know, when I first met her I thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world."

Ross and I sat next to him, Ross stretching his arm behind me, pulling me closer to him.

"But weren't you with Kelly then?" I pointed out.

"Yes, which is exactly why I didn't ask her out, I mean, from the start we got along so well," He said. "I had to push those feelings away and focus on Kelly. But hearing that she's liked me all this time…brings those feelings back. And I'm not with Kelly anymore…"

"Maybe you should tell her how you feel," Ross suggested.

"I totally would do that, but I just got out of a serious relationship, if we started going out, I would have to take things one step at a time…and if she's been waiting all this time, maybe she won't want to take things slow." He said nervously.

"Trust me, Rydel would just be happy to be with you," I said. "Rydel isn't a girl you just met, you've known her for forever,"

"Your right Laura, I'm going to go talk to her right now!" He said, and stood up.

"You don't have to." A voice said. We all looked and saw Rydel standing behind us, smiling directly at Ellington.

"R-Rydel?" He stuttered.

"Did you really mean all that?" She asked him hopefully, walking over to him.

"Of course. Rydel, I-I love you." He admitted to her, and himself.

"Ratliff, you have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say that," She told him, smiling even wider.

"Actually, Laura was telling me-"

"No I wasn't!" I cut him off. "Go back to the cute Rydellington-ness! I've been shipping this forever!"

"Oh! So now you know what shipping means!?" Rydel asked me. I shrugged. Ratliff and Ross chuckled.

"Rydel," Ratliff started, drawing Rydel's attention. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes, of course I will." She told him. "And don't worry Ell, we can take things as slow as you want, alright?"

"Thanks Del," He said. He slowly slipped his hand into hers, making her blush.

"Awww!" I crooned. Ross, Rydel, and Ellington all looked at me. "What? It's adorable!"