Hey all! Hope you enjoy this chapter! Might just finally be getting a reunion ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or the characters, yadda yadda yadda
Despite the unconventional living circumstances Marley now found herself in, she finally felt like she was getting a more conventional college experience, social life wise, at least. That is to say that, whereas she had spent most of her nights in her dorm with Bree shut away feeling lonely, bored and sorry for herself, now she spent them being smuggled into night clubs by Santana, who was 21, attending house parties hosted by her popular, and often rich, senior friends, and often socialising with other people too, whilst Marley's roommate was off seducing attractive girls they would meet on their way.
There was also the fact that Santana was staying true to her word of attempting to 'make a real New Yorker out of Marley.' This, Marley learnt, involved a new wardrobe and a new confident attitude. Sometimes Santana would set her challenges whilst they were out partying, such as, leaving her alone with a douchebag guy and expecting her to talk her way out of his advances with as much sass as possible, or, perhaps even worse, leaving her alone with her ex-roommate Rachel Berry, whom she affectionately (or perhaps not,) referred to as 'hobbit', and challenging Marley to hold her own and make a mark in a conversation that Rachel, who was perhaps the only person Marley had ever met who was louder than Santana, would usually try and turn into a presentation of her life and many achievements. According to Santana's latest review of Marley's progress, she was 'doing well but there was still room for improvement.' Marley considered that to be pretty good going after just a couple of weeks.
It was her quiet hope that, by the time Ryder came to visit, she would be confident enough in her own skin to take their relationship that stepfurther. That, she reminded herself, would all depend on how icy their relationship was by the time he arrived; Ryder was avoiding much contact with her at the moment for fear of revealing a 'surprise' to her, a surprise that she apparently wasn't allowed to know until her arrived in New York, essentially meaning that he was proposing a lack of contact between the two of them for another three weeks, which didn't please her one bit. Somewhat put out by her boyfriend's insistency on the matter, she became more and more determined to push on with her 'New Yorker' plans.
Perhaps Marley's favourite thing about the new found excitement that was her partying lifestyle, whatever the plans were, was the getting ready. Already, within the couple of weeks that she had been living with Santana, it had quickly become a habit that, on the nights that they went out, they would spend a good two hours getting dressed and made up, all the while with music blasting and their doors wide open so that they could wonder in and out of each other's rooms to borrow each other's stuff, (it was mainly Marley that did the borrowing and Santana that did the lending, but neither girl minded.) This would also be the time that they would start drinking- Santana would whip up a jug or two of some exotic cocktail or other for them to sip their way through as they got ready, and by the time they were glammed up, they were usually pretty buzzed too. They were now yet again carrying out this fun getting ready routine, in anticipation of yet another party at Rachel's, when they were interrupted from their preparations by a knock on the door.
"I'll get it," Marley called out from her bedroom, correctly assuming that Santana would have her hands full with some elaborate hair or make up tool. She trotted out through the living room whilst blowing on her drying nails, and over to the door, pulling it open and almost squealing in surprise at who stood there.
"Ryder?!"
"That's my name, don't wear it out," came the joking reply from the grinning boy before her, and before she could even register what she was doing, Marley was disregarding the quality of her nail polish and half-flying into his arms, jumping up and immediately wrapping her legs round his waist. Ryder took a second to adjust himself so that he could hold her comfortably, before chuckling at her enthusiasm.
"Surprise," he grinned.
"This was the surprise?" she asked, and he nodded, before Marley leant down to kiss him hungrily, until they were interrupted by a-
"Wanky!"
Santana stood in her bedroom doorway, sporting a wide-eyed confused, sarcastic grin caused by the passionate sight before her.
"Marley, as impressed as I am, aren't you forgetting your Ohio boy candy?" She asked, assuming that the young man her roommate was making out with in the doorway was some random hook-up, however un-Marley-like that would be.
Marley hopped out of Ryder's arms, her cheeks turning slightly pink.
"This is him!" She corrected her happily. "Santana meet Ryder, Ryder meet Santana."
"Ah. Heard a lot about you, boy candy," Santana told him by way of greeting. "Like seriously, she never shuts up about you-"
"Okay, thank you Santana," Marley interjected with a roll of the eyes, before turning to her boyfriend and placing her hands on his chest. "So…you're here like three weeks early," she chuckled.
"Yeah…there's kinda been a change of plan," he started. Marley raised an eyebrow, urging him to explain further. "My Dad and I had a talk last week and…well long story short, I'm outta Lima. He knew I didn't want to be there, doing that stupid internship, so…basically I'm here for the long run."
"You mean…you're moving in?" Marley asked with a slight squeal, the smile on her face stretching into a full grin.
"I'm moving to the city," he corrected, and she tried to hide her disappointment. "Obviously I wouldn't want to just intrude on your roommate's place, but…if it's okay I would love to stay here a couple days 'til I can find my own apartment or bedsit or something," he suggested, turning to Santana.
"Oh don't be so stupid," she said bluntly. "Why pay half-rent when I can pay third-rent? Besides, Marley has a double bed for you two to get nice and cosy in, so why not?"
"Santana!" Marley chastised her through gritted teeth, before realising what the latina was saying. "Wait, really? Ryder can move in?"
"Are you sure you don't mind? I don't wanna-"
"It's fine, seriously. Trust me, I bring girls home all the time and traumatise Marley with the sounds of our coital bliss, and she's a gem, she doesn't complain at all. I guess now's her chance for revenge," she chuckled, ignoring another embarrassed telling off from Marley before skipping back to her bedroom, pausing at the door and spinning briefly round again.
"You still coming tonight? I'm sure hobbit and co would love to meet your bf," she told them.
"We were going to go to Santana's ex-roomie's party tonight…would you wanna come, or are you too tired?" Marley asked Ryder.
"It's my first night with you in New York City," he told her with a smile. "I'll power through the tiredness." Marley broke out into a grin again as he lent down to connect their lips. "It feels so good to kiss you again," he whispered.
"Tell me about it," she replied, deepening their embrace until they realised that Ryder's suitcase was still in the hallway outside.
"Let's get your stuff in and then we can get ready to party?" She suggested.
"Sounds great," he replied, pecking her on the lips one last time before going to retrieve his belongings.
WOOP, Ryley in NYC, just as it should be in canon! Please tell me what your thoughts are on this chapter, I'll love you forever :p
Dear chapter 3 reviewers:
RocioMelinatic-Ryley15: Hope you enjoyed the ryley reunion! Aww, you're too kind :p
TeaAndGlee: You'll have to wait and see, I have lots planned :p I liked writing Ryder's dad in chapter 3, too :p Here is your update my dear, I hope you liked it :)
Ember411: He sure is! And Marley too :)
Chubby4567: You're very welcome sweetheart, thank you for such a kind review :D
Savannaramirez35: Woot I know you love the ryley, so I'm hoping you will have enjoyed this chapter as well!
Guest: I'm also looking forward to writing Ryder coming into his own in New York, if that makes sense :)
Jennoist4eva: Thank you so much! Don't worry, I will definitely keep updating :)
Until next time, Lauren xxx