Glee: To the Next Level (the second book in the Glee series)

Chapter 67: Depression

"I don't understand," said Ryder the next morning when Jake told him what had happened. "She promised me she'd take her pills. Could missing one day really have thrown her off that much?"

Jake shrugged. "I don't know..." he said. "But Sam thinks we should take her to the doctor and I agree. We called her dad and apparently he's out of town for the week so we couldn't reach him and--"

"Wait, stop," Ryder said suddenly, his brow creased. "What do you mean he's out of town? She told me he was picking up her prescription. She talked about him like he was there."

"Maybe she just didn't want you to worry," Jake suggested.

Ryder shook his head. "You should've called me, not Sam," he said, grabbing his backpack off the ground and shutting his locker.

"She didn't want me to even mention your name, dude," he pointed out. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to see her," Ryder responded, walking towards the end of the hallway only to be stopped by Jake.

"Sam is staying with her," Jake said. "She isn't alone. You go around skipping school and you'll get in trouble."

"Fine," said Ryder, "then I'm going to see her after school."

"It's a Wednesday," Jake responded. "We have glee club."

"I don't care," Ryder said. "Sam is right, we need to take her to the doctor. And she'll freak out if we try."

"That's what I thought, too," Jake nodded. "So how do we do it?"

"Umm, we need to make sure everything is okay with her here," he said. "I'll talk to Mr. Schue and have him talk to Coach Sylvester and Principal Hallman to make sure her schoolwork isn't affected. You call Sam and tell him to keep trying to reach Mr. Vasquez. Then we'll come up with how we're going to get her out of her house."

Jake nodded and the two parted ways. They didn't speak again until school was over, when Will gave them permission to leave without attending a formal glee club meeting. They left in separate vehicles but arrived at Julie's house together. When they were at the front door, Jake stopped Ryder from going into the room.

"Before you go in there, just remember she's not feeling entirely warm towards you," he told him. "Just don't give her any reason to think you're judging her or looking at her in a negative way. Her opinion of herself is, well, low right now... Oh and, just in case, don't mention Marley." 

Ryder was going to respond when they heard music coming from inside. He opened the door slowly and the two stood at the living room doorway as Sam played a guitar beside Julie, whose eyes were closed. Sam looked up and saw them, giving them a warning look so that they wouldn't interrupt.

Julie: My hands are searching for you. My arms are outstretched towards you. I feel you on my fingertips. My tongue dances behind my lips for you... This fire rising through my being... Burning I'm not used to seeing you...

She looked up at Sam, who was neither smiling nor frowning as he watched her sing.

Julie: I'm alive, I'm alive... I can feel you all around me. Thickening the air I'm breathing. Holding on to what I'm feeling. Savoring this heart that's healing.

She didn't continue singing, but Sam thought this might be the breakthrough they needed, so he instead continued the song.

Sam: My hands float up above me. And you whisper you love me. And I begin to fade... Into our secret place... The music makes me sway. The angels singing say we are alone with you. I am alone and they are too with you...