Falling From Cloud Nine (Third Book in The TNB Series)

Chapter 17 ~ Stuff Changes For People

I am honestly getting too lazy to think of good chapter titles.
Enjoy!
-----------------------------------------------

Ryder opened up the front door to McKinley High School. For first time in a long time, this wasn't a dream; this was a reality.
Him and Jason got here sooner than expected. They spent Friday and the weekend going from Georgia to Lima, making stops along the way in a cheap car Jason bought in Georgia. But the car was fast and they took turns driving so the other could take a nap in the passenger seat.
Now, here he was. Angie had texted him saying Ryley was going to be away with her dads' for most of the week. They apparently wanted some fathers-adopted daughter bonding so they were heading on holiday for most of week. 
Jason followed him into the hallway of McKinley. 
"Cool school." Jason says, looking around.
"School is never cool so how can you say that?" Ryder asks.
"I was just commenting on it," Jason says, "So what's first on the agenda?"
"I am going to catch up with friends." Ryder says and walks towards Finn's office - that was once Will Schuester's office until he gave up on the Glee Club - and Jason follows.
"Give me a run down on these friends." Jason says.
"The first is Finn Hudson. He's a good friend of mine. He is currently the coach and leader of the New Directions which is the Glee Club I was in while at McKinley and he is Ryley's brother in law." Ryder says.
"Okay then. Let's do this." Jason says, clapping his hands together. The two guys walk to Finn's office and Ryder knocks.
Finn looks up from some song sheets on the desk, "Ryder!" Finn gets out of his seat and gives the dirty blonde haired boy a hug.
"Hey Finn," Ryder says and hears Jason clear his throat from beside him, "This is my army training buddy, Jason Cooper. Jason, this is Finn Hudson."
"Nice to meet you." Finn says, shaking Jason's hand.
"Nice to meet you too." Jason says.
Finn gestures to the two seats in front of his desk after shaking Jason's hand, "Take a seat, guys."  Jason and Ryder sit down and Finn sits at his desk.
"So what're you guys doing here?" Finn asks.
"Well, we've both quit army." Ryder says.
"Why?" Finn asks.
"I was accepted in NYU to play football and I'm going to take some acting classes and I'm still contemplating singing and performing classes too," Ryder says, "While Jason, who has a law degree, is going to be a lawyer at a New York law firm." 
"But why're you in Lima?" Finn asks.
"He wants to get his girl back." Jason says.
"Ryley?" Finn asks.
"Yeah." Ryder says. "She's on holiday with her dads' right now and won't be back till Wednesday." Finn says.
"I know but it's Monday now so I just want to catch up with friends for now." Ryder says.
"Why don't you two come to Glee Club? You could maybe sing a song, Ryder. What about you, Jason? Do you sing?" Finn asks.
"No way in hell." Jason says.
"Okay but still come." Finn says.
"We will. I'll prepare something to sing for it." Ryder says.
"Good. It's always nice to have Glee Club alumni return and perform." Finn says.

---------------------------------------------- 

In the Glee Club meeting in the afternoon, Ryder and Jason are coming a few minutes after the club starts. Finn's gonna text Ryder when to come in.
"Afternoon everyone." Finn says, walking into the choir room as the New Directions quiet down. Finn quickly texts Ryder a message saying Wait for my cue.
Everyone replies with their greetings to Finn at different times and some even begin replying in different languages but they all mean the same thing.
"I have a special guest here today. He's Glee Club alumni and he has a friend who you probably not know with him but everyone, give a warm welcome to Mr Ryder Lynn!" Finn says, gesturing an arm towards the entrance closest to the choir room office.
Ryder walks in, smiling and sending a small wave to the Glee clubbers. Jason walks behind him, feeling a bit awkward. Angie, Gabe, Abbi, Hailey and Troye are the only members who rush up to Ryder and give him a hug.
"Welcome back to Lima, Ryder." Gabe says.
"Thanks." Ryder says. 
Angie is the last person to give Ryder a hug and she possibly squeezes the air out of him. For a small girl, she's pretty strong. 
"Angie...can't...breathe." Ryder tries to say. Angie gets it and let's go of him.
Angie looks at Jason them back at Ryder, "Who's the Damon Salvatore look a like?"
"My name is Jason Cooper, not Damon Salvatore." Jason says.
"You just look so much like Ian Somerhalder who plays Damon Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries." Angie says.
"I am so much hotter and more awesome than that guy." Jason says.
"Jason is part of the three membered branch of Team Rydley in Georgia." Ryder says.
"Who are the other two?" Angie asks.
"Our friends Hayley and Alex. They're continuing their training." Ryder says. 
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr Pooper." Angie says, shaking Jason's hand.
"Seriously? Pooper is not funny." Jason says. Ryder snorts at the reaction.
"Ryder," Finn says, "Do you have a song to perform for the Glee Club?"
"Yes, I do," Ryder says, "This is a song that a friend of mine wrote. Some of you may know him but I was texting his other weekend and he emailed me the lyrics to this song along with a audio of the tune and the music sheets. I was able to print them off too."
Ryder passes the band the music sheets and they look at them get ready for the song.
"This song is called Make You Mine written by a friend, Benny Summers." Ryder says.
Natalie grins brightly at the name while the other members from last years Glee Club smile too.
The band begin to play the song.