CHAPTER NINE

"You're crazy," Ryder blurts out as soon as they are out of the auditorium.

"Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment," Gina says coolly.

"Oh come on, G," Ryder sighs, raising his hands in exasperation. "One of those Warbler guys suddenly shows up at your charity, goes straight to your booth, flirts with you, serenades you with a '90s out-of-style boyband song, and asks you out, all in one day? Tell me this doesn't sound fishy to you!"

"What do you have against the Warblers anyway?" Gina asks, annoyed. "Blaine used to be one of them and now you call him your brother. What the hell?"

"Uh, they've been kind of warring with the New Directions ever since Blaine moved," Jake answers. "At least… that's what I've heard from Puck."

"Not to mention they used drugs for Sectionals," Unique adds. "And stole our Nationals trophy in some dirty trick to lure Blaine back into their hideous midst."

"Yeah, but the Warblers were forced to use drugs, weren't they?" Gina points out. "That Hunter guy, and that Sebastian, they're the real menaces of the group. Nick? From all the Warblers videos I have seen, he's just the nice guy in the background."

"They're all the same," Ryder says angrily. "They were in everything together. I don't trust them. Not after what they did to sabotage the New Directions."

Ginny sighs. "Fine. I'll let you know if Nick ever asks me to do drugs. Happy?" she says coldly, and she storms out of the school before everyone else can respond.

"I'd like to stay for a while" was what Marley said. When Jake asked why, she reasoned that she wanted to calm Ryder down. This is not entirely a lie; she does want to calm him down. But a part of her also tells her that she's just making up excuses to stay a little bit longer with him.

They sit on the seats in the auditorium. Ryder stares blankly at the stage. Marley chews on her lips and twists her fingers together.

"I don't trust them," Ryder says, breaking the silence. His eyes look… angry. "I don't trust any of the Warblers anymore. Not after… you know… the whole thing with the drugs." He shrugs. "Blaine himself, he hasn't been too trusting now, with people like Sebastian and Hunter on the lead. Said it himself, didn't he? The Warblers have changed."

"I know," Marley whispers. She turns to Ryder. She's never admitted this to anyone, but she loves it most when Ryder's like this – full of raw emotions, exposed, truthful to what's in his heart. Ryder's one of those guys who doesn't really hide their true feelings. No mixed codes or secret messages to decipher. Only Ryder, his emotions, and his words. The sensitive kind of guy.

Very different from Jake, isn't he, Marley?

Marley hits her head once to stop the conspiratorial thought. She faces Ryder again, feeling heat crawling through her skin. There's still one question that's bugging her. "Why are you being so defensive?" she asks, carefully. She doesn't want to sound too obvious. "I mean, you seem to show how much you hate Nick, and how much you disapprove Gina going out with him." She raises her shoulders, trying to make it look like it's not a big deal to her. "Nick seems like a nice guy, right? It's only one date."

"I can't believe you're saying that too," Ryder breathes, running a hand through his hair. His sleek, smooth, light brown hair. "I need you on my side, Marley, come on."

"I'm on your side," Marley says hurriedly. "I really do. I'm just… curious." I'm dying to know. To hear it from his own mouth.

Marley stops herself mid-thought. What is wrong with her? What is going on with her head these days? Get a grip, Marley Rose, she scolds herself.

"I don't want Gina to get hurt, okay?" Ryder says. "I don't want her to be tricked or played with or whatever. She's my best friend. Best friends don't let each other get hurt. I have a bad feeling about this Nick, and I wish Gina would just stay away from him, but nooo, she has to be little miss stubborn again and runs off with plastic Ronan Keating over there." He pouts – an expression Marley finds amusing. "I just want to make sure she's going to be okay."

"Just because… she's your best friend?" Marley prods on cautiously.

"Of course." Ryder frowns. "What? Does that reason sound stupid to you?"

"No," Marley shakes her head, biting her cheek to stop herself from smiling like an idiot. "Not at all. Um… just give it some time, I guess? Let's just see how things go because, honestly, Ryder, there is a possibility that Nick really is a nice guy, and that he's really into Gina…"

Ryder sighs and slumps on his seat. "I hate it when you're right, Marls," he says. "I just can't shake this bad feeling away, you know?"

Marley doesn't know where her impulses come from, but at that moment, she reaches out for Ryder's hand without thinking. "I'm sure everything'll be all right," she says, giving his hand a little squeeze. His skin feels warm. Really warm, and smooth. "You just worry too much."

Ryder smiles then. That sweet, affectionate smile that makes him very lovable. Very lovable to Marley, at least. Marley blinks, trying to get her focus back. She becomes slightly self-conscious of her hand on top of his.

"Marley, you rock, you know that?" Ryder says then, and out of nowhere, Marley feels her stomach flutters. "Thanks, you know, for sticking around. I guess… I guess I'll just have to take your advice. Wait, see how things will turn out." He nods. "Hopefully, nobody gets killed or anything."

Marley giggles. "Nick would be too intimidated by your muscular arms," she says, a tiny blush appearing on her cheeks.

"Maybe you're right," Ryder jokes, showing off his bulky arms and pretending to squish someone's head with them. Marley laughs out loud at his silliness. "Come on, let's just head home," he says then, after joining in her laughter. "Or clean up the football field. I think that's what everyone's doing at the moment."

"Let's, then," Marley says, and the two of them stands up to leave the auditorium.

Before closing the auditorium door, one more stupid thought slips out of Marley's rebellious mind: I wish we didn't have to go; I don't want to go. I just want to stay here a little while longer. With… with Ryder.

Not Jake? You don't want to go and see Jake?

No… I want to be here… with Ryder.

Shut up, Marley Rose.

Ah, those Ryley moments… more will keep on coming, Ryley fans! :)