Glee: A Brand New Direction (first book of Glee series)

Chapter 18: Cheer Me Up

Chapter 18: Cheer Me Up

When we got back to school the following Monday, I urged Ryder to be honest with Marley without betraying Jake. We waited by Marley's locker in the morning until she got to school. He approached her and I watched as they talk, though I couldn't hear what they were saying. She didn't look surprised by what he had to say, though, and she just nodded and smiled.

My phone vibrated so I looked down for a moment. It was a text from Sam, asking me to meet him in the choir room before homeroom. I looked back up just as Marley and Ryder were walking away from each other. They hurried down the hall in opposite directions, so I caught up to Ryder.

"What happened?" I asked. "I wasn't looking. Was she mad?"

"I kissed her," he told me. "I panicked and I kissed her. And then she just ran away." He shook his head, more at himself than anything, and then walked away. I remembered about the text and hurried over to the choir room.

Sam was standing in front of the chairs, facing away from the room and pacing slightly, tapping his feet impatiently as he swayed back-and-forth.

"Is that a new dance?" I asked, spooking him and prompting him to turn around. "If so, it's not a very good one. But hey, Gangnam Style became famous. So there's always hope."

He didn't laugh or even smile. His forehead creased as he said, "Is it true about you and Ryder? At the hotel?"

"What?" I asked, surprised.

"I heard a lot of the glee kids say they saw you together," he said.

"I was just helping him with his love life," I said. "That's it."

"Oh."

"Yeah..." I responded. "So was that all? I really need to get going."

"Wait, no," he said. "I also need help with my love life."

"Yeah?" I said, my heart sinking at the thought of having to give him advice about his relationship.

"Julie, I like you," he said suddenly. "I didn't realize it for some time. At first I figured I just liked singing with you. But no, I actually like you. And it took seeing you with everyone else but me at the wedding to see it."

"Sam..." I started.

"No, please don't stop me," he continued. "You have to hear me out. Look, I care about Brittany. I want to protect her. But I don't love her. I can't look at her the way Santana does. I've tried but... I don't know how to tell her about my feelings for you without hurting her."

"I..." I murmured, putting my palm on my forehead in frustration.

"Oh..." he said. "You don't feel the same way..."

"It's not that, it's just..." I started.

"No, I..." he responded. "I get it. Sorry for putting you through this awkward situation." He walked away and I didn't see him until lunch, when Blaine called everyone into the auditorium to plan a special number to cheer up Mr. Schuester after school. Only some of us (Blaine, Brittany, Tina, Artie, Sam, Marley, Jake, Ryder, and me) could make it because everyone else was busy.

"What song?" Jake asked.

"How about 'Anything Could Happen'?" I said, giving Sam a quick glance. I redirected my attention to everyone else and said, "You know, to remind him that there are a billion possibilites out there and that he shouldn't lose hope. Just because something isn't meant to happen yet doesn't mean it won't happen, right?"

Through my peripheral vision, I saw Sam smile. "I second her idea," he said.

"Sounds perfect," Blaine agreed. "How about Julie and Sam take the solos? That could be a fun combination."