Hello lovelies!

So I've been trying to find a way to make the story more interesting. So I'm taking out Jake and Kitty and putting in a couple original characters. Anyway, sorry for not updating in a really long time. I don't have any good excuse other than to beg for your forgiveness.

Here's my new schedule: I will be posting on Fridays and Sundays every week (Hopefully)

Disclaimer: I own the plot and most characters except for Ryder and Marley

Marley POV

"Okay everyone, get into places we need to practice for the school expo night." Mr. Schue's voice rang out across the choir room. I was conversing with Kitty and Unique while sneaking glances over at Ryder who was currently talking to Artie and Sam. No one was even listening to Mr. Schue except for me, and even then I wasn't even listening. I was more like being aware of his attempt to get everyone's attention but that was more than everyone else can say.

Suddenly, a whistle caught everyone's attention. It was Mr. Schue and he was still trying to get everyone's attention, well he succeeded. Everyone shut up in an instant except for Kitty who scoffed without any meaning.

Mr. Schue went up to the board and wrote out our assignment for the next two weeks. Expo Night. Which basically meant that all the afterschool clubs would show off their skills in order to keep in place for funding by the board. We were going to be singing a couple songs and he was finally assigning songs. After, we perform.

"So, you will be working in pairs to sing songs, two of the pairs will be picked and then we will sing two songs as a group," he explained.

I wanted to do a duet with Ryder, but I couldn't ask him. We would go to Rosie's everyday afterschool but there was still this weird awkward tension in the air. Neither of us would address it, but we both knew it was there. Luckily, we were back to the way we were and Bennie and Meredith were being nicer to Ryder.

"For the rest of meeting, please plan and we will start performances on Wednesday," he stopped talking and let us talk. "Oh, but before I forget," he mentioned interrupting us. "Once you have partners you will have to pick songs from a hat."

Everyone groaned and kept talking and negotiating wanting to be in a pair. Meanwhile, Ryder had made his way over to me and sat down in front of me with the chair between his legs.

"Hey," he greeted a large smile on his face. "Do you wanna be my duet partner?" I nodded happily, hoping he would ask me. Since we couldn't choose our own song, we talked for a little bit before Mr. Schue told us it was time to pick our songs.

"Ryder, Marley. You're up first," he motioned for us to come up and Ryder gestured for me to pick out of the hat. What a gentleman.

I picked the paper up and read the song title: Gravity by Sara Bareilles. I gasped slightly and turned to Ryder and gave him the slip of paper. His reaction was the same as mine, baffled and a little afraid. I was just a little scared that because it was a love song it was gonna be awkward but after a little we went back to our seats and listened to the other song choices.

There was: Can't Forget About You by R5, Really Don't Care by Demi Lovato, Flat on the Floor by Carrie Underwood, ABC Café from Les Miserable and a Wild Card where you could choose whatever song you wanted. Lucky them. All the other songs weren't really that great.

Since Ryder had to help his mom after school today I walked to Rosie's alone. It baffled me how different it felt walking to Rosie's today. It was the same route, the same buildings, even the same birds chirping in their normal cadence. But without Ryder, it felt off. Just like most things that happened in my life.

Bennie and Meredith gave me a look when I walked through the doors, the bell rang throughout the diner but I was hunched over with no desire to be here whatsoever. I didn't fuss though when I started my shift.

A few moments later, a little girl bounced in with bright red cheeks and messy hair. Not too long after, a boy who I assumed was her brother, came running in after her. The little girl squealed and hid behind me, grabbing onto my legs with a fierce grip. I laughed but didn't make any motion to push her off, there weren't a lot of customers and Bennie and Meredith were just talking over a plate of fries.

"Lex, you need to stop running away from me when I'm babysitting you," the boy scolded in-between deep breaths. He had curly brown hair and freckles that dotted his face. He noticed that she as hidden behind my legs and scanned me as if I was a math test that he didn't understand. Finally, he broke the silence that had been hanging over us for a while. "Sorry, um she's seven and can't control herself-"

"It's fine," I said interrupting him. I gave him a reassuring smile and pried myself out of her grasp. My hands gravitated towards the freshly baked cookies as I picked one up and handed it to the small girl who had not moved since I walked away.

"I'm Miles, by the way. And that is my sister Lexie. We go to a private school in the town over," he introduced himself. I smiled and nodded trying to focus on the table I was currently cleaning up instead of him. He was oddly captivating, like a car crash and you couldn't look away.

"Marley," I stated as I looked at him, my stare just as intense.

Suddenly, the doors swung open and Ryder walked in. I smiled and waved, I probably looked like an idiot but I couldn't care less. It was Ryder, my best friend and he didn't care. He noticed Miles and his smile faltered a little bit but it returned with the same magnitude, like he was hoping I wouldn't notice.

"I'll see you later Marley," Miles said excusing him and then he left with Lexie in his arms.

"Who was that," Ryder questioned. There was a hint of annoyance in his voice but for what reason, I don't know.

"That," I said pausing for dramatic effect, "was Miles"

"Ah," Ryder breathed as he sat down on the stool closest to me.

It was Friday and since Glee club ran slightly late, I got to Rosie's late too. It was still light out but we were closing up and Ryder and I were going to head to his house to work on our song for Glee. I turned around to hang up my apron and when I turned I saw two French fries positioned to look like fangs in Ryder's teeth. I burst out laughing for a good five minutes before I was able to calm down again.

"Okay Dracula," I said. "Let's go before you suck the blood out of an innocent bystander"

Ryder laughed but left without an argument.

PAGE BREAK

"Marley, honey," Ryder's mom said in an enthusiastic voice as I came into the house. "Look at you. You're so beautiful and grown up." I smiled back at her and was about to respond when Ryder grabbed my wrist and pulled me upstairs without any 'Hellos' to his mom.

"What was that?" I questioned him.

"My mom was the one that made me stop talking to you," he stated. I stood there shocked, I couldn't look at Ryder. All this time, I had blamed him for not communicating, for not trying. When he wasn't the one to blame. I looked down at my shoes, looking at Ryder was like confronting my past, correction, our past. Our mistakes and our vows and our promises.

He pulled me to him, my hands in his large ones. "Marley," he whispered. His finger hooked around my chin and forced me to look up. "I promise, I didn't forget about you in Florida. I couldn't." Then the moment was gone. Stolen.

"Ryder, honey," his mom shouted from downstairs. "Dinners, ready"

I pulled myself from his grasp and started to walk away. Before I got to the door I turned around and grabbed his hand "Come on. It's good to practice being civil."

I'm so sorry for not updating.

I'll try to be better about it but as you can tell, it's not exactly my strong suit. So yeah, I'll try to update every Sunday and Friday (or vice versa)

Thanks for reading!

Love, Chevron Stars