Hey guys, hope you enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, otherwise I wouldn't write fanfiction. Duh.
"So let me get this straight," Ryder said, on the phone to Marley. "You've moved in with a senior chick you met like a week ago."
"Ok…when you put it like that I know it sounds absurd, but…she needs help with rent, she's looking for a roommate anyway, and I don't want to go back to my dorm. Plus she's super nice, she's like a guardian angel and a really awesome friend all in one-"
"Yeah but, what about money Marls?" He asked worriedly.
"Well my dorm-room was free as part of my full scholarship anyway, so it's not like I'm paying for nothing there…and, as far as paying rent for here goes, I'm working it out. I have enough saved up to pay for this month and a little bit next month. It's not exactly upper Manhattan you know, it's actually kinda cheap for its size, and I'm only paying half of it, of course…" she reasoned.
"That's great, but it still costs money…and, you know, Marley, you're…" he stalled, not wanting to say something like 'Marley, you're poor,' even though that's the message he was trying to convey. Luckily, Marley got the gist anyway.
"I know what you're trying to say, Ry. I don't exactly have money, especially since I had to replace my wardrobe and Santana wouldn't exactly let me buy stuff unless she vetoed it first, and she doesn't exactly have cheap taste, but, anyway…I can get a part-time job or something."
"You make it sounds so easy," Ryder chuckled, but not managing to conceal his worry. Marley remained silent on the other end for a few seconds.
"Am I being super naïve here?" She asked.
"Kinda, yeah," Ryder sighed. "Look, I can't tell you what to do, but if you really start struggling for cash, I think you should go back to your dorm," he warned her.
"I promise. But I'm going to do everything to make sure that doesn't have to happen." She told him firmly.
"Ok. Thank you. What about your other things? Your laptop and stuff, won't you have to pay for those to be replaced?"
"I'm waiting to hear back from my insurance company," she told him. "For now it's cell phone only and borrowing Santana's laptop when she's out, or using the campus library computers, that's why I had to call you instead of skype. It sucks, but I'll deal with it, hopefully it won't be for too long. Anyway, enough about my troubles, what about you?"
"More of the same," Ryder sighed. "Work sucks and I miss you…and before you give me another lecture, I've looked at other options and I'm stuck…which makes me think I should just continue with this pharmacy crap and meet you in New York next year, get a lame but well paying job from it or something," he huffed, happy to wallow in self-pity since Marley was doing the same…or had been, now she was apparently living some bizarre bachelorette-like existence with a 21 year old New Yorker.
"If you think that's for the best…" she mumbled sadly.
"Well in an ideal world I want two things," he explained. "One, to be closer to you. Two, to earn a living doing something I enjoy. In a year I can have one of those things, which is better than nothing." Marley simply sighed by way of reply. "Anyway," he continued. "I'd better go, I have this dinner thing with my extended family I have to get ready for…"
"Ok," she said. "I'd better let you go then. Have a good evening, I love you."
"I love you too," he told her earnestly. "Bye."
Ryder hung up, and pulled himself off of his bed to get changed into something his parents would deem acceptable for tonight, but stalled immediately in shock at the sight of his Father stood in his doorway.
"Holy crap Dad, you scared me," he breathed. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Do you really feel that way, son?" He asked, rather than answering Ryder's own question.
"About what?" Ryder asked, confused.
"The internship. You really hate it that much?"
Ryder swallowed, wondering whether to please his father or tell the truth. Eventually he decided on the latter, and nodded slowly.
"I thought so," Mr Lynn sighed, walking in, and sitting next to his son on his bed. "Me and your mother have been talking," he explained. "We decided that…maybe it was wrong of me to make you do something you don't want to do. And we both agreed on how proud we are that you buckled down and did it anyway because you thought it'd make us happy, even if it made you miserable. I've been really hard on you, but you've been a credit to us these past few months…even in what you did for Marley. Sure, we'd still rather you hadn't done that, and that you were currently doing your football scholarship, but…basically what I'm trying to say it that these past few months have shown me that, despite his faults, my son is a really selfless human being. I'm proud of you, Ryder."
"Um…thanks?" Ryder said with an almost questioning tone, utterly confused at his father's sudden and unexpected praise.
"Ryder…we decided on one last thing, your Mother and I," said Mr Lynn. "If you want to quit your internship, you can." Ryder's face lit up, and his chin dropped.
"I can?" He asked in disbelief.
"Sure you can. You're pushing 19 years old, you're an adult now. Like I said, it was wrong for me to push you into it in the first place, so if you wanna quit, quit. Find a career that makes you happy, not someone else. Find a place that makes you happy. Now I'm gonna hazard a guess that you're gonna be jumping straight on a plane to New York and your girlfriend, but the decision is yours. Hell, even if you wanna go…I don't know, save elephants in Kenya, I'm not gonna stand in your way, as long as it's what you want."
"You honestly wouldn't mind if I moved in with Marley without any kind of job plan?"
"A job plan, you need. You're getting a job as soon as you can when you go there, even if it's pulling pints in some seedy bar, you need money and I'm not financing your life…but…you don't need a career plan before you go; that's something you can work out there. So basically yes. I wouldn't mind if you drop everything and go to New York without knowing what you want to do for the rest of your life."
Ryder simply grinned, speechlessly coming to the realisation that soon he would be in New York with Marley. His father looked at him questioningly.
"Dad…I don't know what to say…thank you."
"Thank you Ryder. Thank you for showing me I was wrong about you. And thank your Mom as well, I confess I still needed a bit of convincing from her. Speaking of your mother…we'd better get ready for this dinner. You know she'll whip us both if we're late," he chuckled.
When his father left him to get changed, he couldn't help but break out into one of his signature end-zone dances. He briefly considered giving Marley a quick ring to tell her the good news, before deciding to keep it a surprise until he arrived in New York City.
Woohoo! Ryder will be joining Marley in NYC shortly! What do you think about that people? Please tell me below :)
PS. Apologies to Dynamic Duo readers, I know I'm overdue an update and I'm working on it but have severe writer's block with that story…hopefully in the next couple of days!
Dear reviewers:
Ember411: Ahaha, I would too lol. Here's the update :p
TeaAndGlee: Aw, that's so sweet, I'm glad you love the story :')
RocioMelinatic-Ryley15: Woohoo! I'm glad you like Martana too!
Savannaramirez35: Hooray, this makes me happy :) Here is your update!
Guest: Yay! Oh I won't, don't worry- there will be more Bree in future chapters :)
Lauren xxx