Giving it All Away

Finally

Marley POV
I wanted more than anything to be on good terms with the boy I lost my virginity to then broke up with, but I needed him to understand that it was a big deal for me, and that the note was a really terrible thing.

I talked to him about it, I forgave him, he asked me out again, and I said no. If I had said yes, he would've thought everything was okay with us, and that I forgave him completely. The truth is that I just wanted him to shut up about everything. He kept on texting me, and it had been about a month since we broke up.

I remember everything he did for me. Everything. It was so incredibly sweet, and while it's unfair to take so long to build up a good reputation, it takes one accidental or not mistake for everything to fall apart. It wasn't cool for him to write that note, but, I missed having a boyfriend, someone to trust, to drive me to school even. It was only a few weeks until prom, and I didn't have a date. Of course, there was no sophomore prom, but if you were to perform at prom, it didn't matter how old you were. But, that's beside the point. I could go without a date. Ryder was supposed to be my date. He was my dream date, but. . . I remember back at Christmas, when he gave me those amazing presents, along with Sue Sylvester's, too, because she was my mom's secret Santa. She was super nice, just that one time.

Flashback to Christmas
"Marley, open this one next. I'm so happy we got these. You should be so so thankful. I just want to know who did it," my mom hands me a decently large box wrapped in gold and red wrapping paper. On the tag, it said, To Marley, Love Ryder.

"Oh my God! It's from Ryder!" I put my hand over my mouth and squeal.

My mom smiles at me. "He's such a sweet boy, that Ryder. Just like I thought Jake was until he cheated on you. But he was a bad boy, Ryder is just a sweet kid."

"Yeah," I say, basically ignoring her as I carefully rip the packaging open to make sure I can keep it for next Christmas. I open the box inside and it reveals a maroon leather bag, tan sandals, and a beautiful raspberry, navy, and black dress. My three favorite items when we went to Bloomingdale's together. I gasp, "Oh My God. Mom, look what Ryder got me." And then it hits me. All of this must have been like $300. How will I ever repay him?

"Marley! Do you know how much that must've cost him? I know his dad is a rich doctor, but that is expensive! We shouldn't accept this."

Disappointment rushes through me and kills all the excitement that was build up. "But, Mom. It was a gift. I think he would find it offensive if we don't accept it. See, he only got me this."

"Marley," she shakes her head at me and picks up another box wrapped in red, green, silver, and gold paper. "No he didn't." She gives me the box and the tag once again reads, "To Marley, Love Ryder" but this time, he has drawn a red heart beside both our names, and under that, it says, "don't wory about the prices. If you stay with me forever, then I'll owe you forever, no mater what. I love you. I love you till the end of time," in his messy handwriting. I know how hard it is for him to write even this much.

I take the box from her and repeat the same opening procedure. When I see what's inside the box, I smile. It's two boxes of my favorite peppermint tea, which I think I saw on sale for the Christmas season. "Look," I say to my mom.

She smiles. "Go call him. Right now, say thank you. Tell him you love him!" I nod and run upstairs, where my cell phone is.

I dial his number, and since it's Christmas morning, it takes him six rings to pick up.
"Hey!" He shouts into the phone.
"Hi. I got your presents, and I am so so so so so," I repeated saying "so" for about a minute until he stopped me, "thankful. Like, I literally can never repay you."
"It's okay. I got them for you, to make you happy. I will never stop trying to make you happy."
"Ryder, I-"
"Shh. It's okay."
"I love you so much. I love you so much. I love you so freaking much!"
I think I can hear him smiling through the phone. "I love you more, Marley Rose. I have to go now, but merry Christmas and I love you." He hangs up before I can say bye.

I run downstairs to smell the familiar aroma of my favorite peppermint tea my mom is brewing me. Peppermint tea is the smell of love and Christmas.
Flashback Ends.

At school, Ryder wouldn't stop pestering me. "Marley, are you at least considering getting back with me? I have never stopped loving you." He was following me through the hallway and I stopped to face him.

"I'm sorry if I'm being harsh, but you are really getting on my nerves. It's not that I don't love you, it's that I don't want to have all the boyfriend drama and stuff. And you are just adding to it, Ryder."

"Marley, stop," he says as I walk further without him.

"What? Are you going to say anything worth my time? Or are you just going to ignore what I just said and keep in pestering me and trying for me to get back with you?"

"Oh SNAP!" I hear Becky behind me.

"No, no, you're right. I'm being selfish. I'm only thinking about what you want and I'm bothering you to do what I want you to do. I'm not thinking about what you want. I'm sorry."

"Thank you," and with that, I walk away.

At English, a class I have with Unique and Jake, I see Jake passing a note to me. I open it. It says, "Will U B my GF again? The short time we had together was the best in my life." I frown. Of course I want a boyfriend, and Ryder realizes his mistake. So does Jake. So, why not? Because I still love Ryder, that's why. I was too stupid to realize it. I need him back. I crumple Jake's note and whisper to him, "Does that answer your question?"
After class, Jake stops me and says, "I still love you," and kisses me. Nothing stirs in me, like it used to when I dated him.
"I'm still learning to love myself. I don't want a boy like you to get in the middle of that," I push him away and walk to lunch.

Ryder sits next to me at the glee table. "Just one more time. Please, please, please. Will you be my girlfriend again?" I think of Christmas, Grease. All the amazing times we had together. The double date with Kitty and Artie.

I smile. "Yes."

He smiles in disbelief. "Oh my God, thank you so much. You won't regret this," and he kisses me. I see Jake glaring at us. I kiss him back and take his head into my hands.
"I missed you." I say to Ryder, after our PDA Kitty cheered for and Jake left for.

I know this was a short chapter, sorry, but I hope you're happy they got back together! Thanks for all your support and hope you enjoyed the chapter!