Glee: Race to the Finish (the fifth book in the Glee series)

Chapter 63: On the Outside

"Ready to go work out again?" asked Stefan. He was in his kitchen on Thursday morning, preparing a fruit smoothie, while his phone sat on the counter on speaker.

From the other line, Marley responded, "Baby steps, Stefan. I just started exercising and I'm not sure I can even walk. But maybe next week we can go to your gym or something."

"How do I know you won't bail on me?" he asked.

"You don't," she said. "But I really want to hear the rest of your Taylor Swift story since you didn't finish telling it yesterday."

"Oh, you'd love the ending," Stefan assured her. "And when that one's over I can keep going with other great fling stories."

"Out of curiosity," Marley said, "how many girls have you dated since I met you?"

"Good question," Stefan responded. "Maybe like... sixteen..?"

"Sixteen?!" Marley exclaimed. "In just the last six years?"

"That's dated," Stefan said. "I haven't really added in all the flings, hook-ups, or flirtationships—"

"Stefan, that's a ridiculously high number," she told him. 

Stefan shrugged and took a big gulp of his smoothie. Then he said, "What can I say? I love the ladies. Marley, we're in our twenties. It's natural to date a lot of people at this age and just figure it out that way."

"Not for everyone," Marley said. 

Stefan noted a bit of a defensive tone so he picked up the phone, took it off speaker and took a seat, forgetting all about his smoothie. "Now I'm curious," he said. "When was the last time you really dated?"

"I don't know," Marley responded. "I guess there was this doctor from the hospital I went out with a few times September the year Crystal Army came back to Lima."

"That was so long ago!" Stefan exclaimed, shocked. "And it's not even dating. Marley, are you telling me that you—one of the hottest girls I know—has been single the longest out of everyone in this town?"

"Oh I can't be the one that's been single the longest," Marley responded.

Stefan took a pause and then said, "Well, let's see. You're saying you went on your last date in what, September 2020? I can't remember when Carrie and I stopped dating but I did meet Shea and dated her for a bit. Alex and Amity were together still. Obviously there's John and Leila and Sam and Mandy. Ryder and Harmony. Julie and Sebastian. Peyton and Dan. Shana and hot teacher ginger. Kitty and Jake. And Bree and douche bag Andy. See, everyone has dated someone even though all those couples fell apart by now... Everyone except for you..."

"Well," Marley responded, clearly a bit overwhelmed by the conversation. "I don't know what to tell you, Stefan. I've been busy. I wanted a baby and I hadn't found love so the baby consumed all of my time for the last year and before that it was my career. I just haven't given any time to love."

"When was the last time you were in love?" Stefan asked. 

"Oh, um..." Marley hesitated. "I guess it was years ago... It didn't work out though and there hasn't been anyone since then." 

"What happened with the guy?" Stefan asked.

"He wanted to soar in the sky and I was fine walking on the sidewalks," she answered simply. "He had this big dream of fame and glory and I just didn't fit into that. I wanted a home and a family."

"And did you both at least get what you wanted in the end?" he asked.

As he reached for his smoothie once again, Marley answered, "In many ways we did... I got a job that I love and a son like I wanted. And I got Ryder and Bree who became my family. And the rest of you guys here in Lima."