So I'm just assuming Sadie Hawkins takes place in January.

13. Sadie Hawkins.

Christmas came and went. Coach Sue had given Mom and me a lot of things including money for my therapy and new clothes. Brittany also gave me a fancy, expensive watch for when she and Sam thought the world was ending. I wasn't allowed to buy gifts or anything, because of therapy, but I made cards for everyone. I even managed to get one to Lark in his apartment by slipping it under his door. He Facebook messaged me.

Thanks Marley. Now, go to your mailbox.

I got out of bed and down the stairs and went outside and reached into the mail box. There I grabbed two letters and a box. I went back inside the house and back to my room. One was a card from Lark, wishing my Mom and I a merry Christmas, then inside of the box was the gift. I opened the box and found wrapped inside a pair of silver feather earrings and bottle cap earrings made from my favorite soda bottle; grape soda.

Thank you! I love them, but aren't they expensive?

Nah, fathers were like twenty and I got a friend who handmade the bottle caps. All I needed was the two bottles from you. That would explain last week when we were at the movies and he asked me for my empty soda bottles.

Hey Marley, can I just let you in on a secret?

Sure Lark.

You know we're just friends, right? I mean I see you as a kid sister and all...

It's fine. TBH, It's another Lynn-member I like more.

Oh, yeah...haha...that kid. Not surprised. I went to a family dinner last week and he was there and before me and him went to the basement, where he gave me a bloody eye, all he spoke about was Marley Rose.

Why'd he give you a blackeye?

'coz of drugs, what else? HAHAHA

We talked for a bit more before we signed off. I saw the second letter and saw the address. It was from a rehab center and was addressed by James Rose.

I ripped that letter up and threw it in the trash.

Monday I came in and in some Glee meeting we had later in the day Tina had told everyone that we would be having a Sadie Hawkins dance this upcoming Friday. Girls had to sing a song and ask their man of choice out.

No doubt in my mind who I was going to ask to the dance.

The following day Brittany and I sang 'Tell Him' in the science room too all the guys in the room. Jake tried to make eye contact with me, but my eyes always landed on Ryder. Of course I was nervous as hell during the whole performance and at the end when Brittany was giving me the look as we sang "Tell him right now," I just got the spark to do so. By the last note of the song I yelled out randomly, "Ryder!"

Everyone's eyes landed on me, even Ryder, and out of the nerves I said, "I mean...Uh..." I fell forward on my knees and asked, "Ryder, would you like to go to the dance with me?"

He didn't even wait a second. He smiled and said, "Of course."

I smiled. Then there was a scream outside and everyone turned around to see that neck brace cheerleader, Celeste, looking pissed off and stormed away.

Brittany asked Sam, which he said yes. I spotted Sugar going to Artie and asking him, which he agreed. Kitty yelled.

"Puckerman, you're going with me. End of story."

Jake shrugged.

After class Ryder and I walked out of the class together and talked about the dance. He said he would come get me at the house. "But my parents are going to come. They'll want the pictures. It's not even prom."

"My Mom might take some too." I laughed. "I'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay."

After school I went to Lark's apartment by taking a bus. I told Mom, she said it was fine. When I got off the bus I pulled out a cigarette and began smoking as I walked down the street to the apartment. I got inside with the spare key he had given me and called his name out. "Lark?"

"Fairy!" I heard laughter from the bedroom. "Pizza bar."

I shut the door behind me as I followed into the bedroom. I never been inside of his bedroom before so when I walked in I was surprised. His apartment was kept clean, but his room would put Ms. Pillsbury into a coma. Clothes thrown askew all over the floor and one hanging up on a fan. His queen size bed with white bedding and a beige cover was twisted and tangled all over the place. One white pillow was on the ground, one beige color pillow was at the foot of the bed.

"Lark?"

"Marley?" A laugh broke out my name. "Hey lady, didn't know you was coming...pizza?"

I looked inside some more and saw Lark at the bay window. He looked totally high. I thought he had stopped getting so high. "Lark? I thought you didn't smoke weed."

"I got back into...'bout week ago. Wanted a cig, but had nothing...so took some weed...haha." He laughed again. "I got no pizza, but I got brownies..."

"Pot brownies?"

"Maybe." He suggested.

I sat next to him on the bay window and started to tell him about the upcoming dance. He asked what I was going to wear and I told him about this pretty green dress that I own and the shoes that I thought would go along with it. I mentioned I asked Ryder and he smirked at me. "Cool, that kid is gonna have the prettiest girl at that dance." We talked some more before I went to the bathroom and before I left I saw a scale. I stepped on it, not fearing due to my therapist saying I've improved a lot. I saw the number. 115. Something inside of me changed though, I felt a bit strange about that number.

I joined Lark back in his room and we looked out the window. He handed me a cigarette and we both smoked, his weed and my cigarette. He asked how I've managed to keep the cigarette smell off of me. "Lots of perfume." I told me. "And breathe mints. And I wash my clothes in the washer twice."

"Nice." He said. "Wanna smoke some pot?"

"No. I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I nearly killed my friends cat with the weed I had in my locker and...well my Dad..."

"Papa Rose died from pot?"

"What? No, he went to jail for having crack on him and driving under the influence and some other stuff. He's been in jail for a couple of years and I guess he's in a rehab place now." I explained. "Some mean kids at my schools before this one found out and called me crack baby." I felt miserable inside.

"That's crack." Lark stated. "I ain't giving you crack, hell I don't use crack. I use pot only. It's just pot."

He had a point, but I still said no. He shrugged it off and held it back to himself.

We ended up watching The Kids Are Alright while eating pizza that I ordered for him. We got five boxes so he would be satisfied. He came down from being high about three hours into me being there and said, "So any chance I can sneak in?"

"Under 18?"

"Uhh, Marley, I'm about twenty next month." Shit, he was right. His birthday was next month...on Valentine's Day too. "I guess you could sneak in. I heard this year Sue Sylvester is out of town to judge a cheering contest."

"Sweet, I'll hang with Brett." He said.

We hung out for a little longer before he offered me a ride home. Mom was at work. I agreed and we took his friends car to the house. Before we got out I asked for a cigarette. "I ran out."

"Here you go."

"Thanks." I smiled.