Parachute [Book 4]

Chapter 14 - All This Time

Angie McGraw

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“Welcome everyone, to your first New Directions meeting for the year.” Finn said to us all as he entered the choir room, throwing his bag on the piano recklessly, letting it slip off the other side and onto the floor. “Welcome to you newbies, to the Glee club.” Finn pointed his finger at all of the new members, starting on the left at Sarah and then going all the way around and ending at Baker.

I heard Sarah mumble from the row in front of where Melissa and I were standing, “Why are you such an idiot?” to Finn, and luckily Finn didn’t seem to hear. It didn’t stop Melissa and I from laughing though.

“Now, for your first assignment, I’m going to set something kind of… different, since I’m running low on ideas.” Finn clapped his hands together before taking his whiteboard marker from his pocket and spinning it in his fingers like it was a drumstick.

“You’re running low on ideas?” Abbi said from the back corner of the room. Everyone turned to face her, and I realized then that she had changed her hair since yesterday – it was black, and the shaved part was completely gone. It looked just as pretty on her, and I kind of wished I looked like Abbi. “That’s really good, yeah; it totally gives everyone in this club hope.”

Finn sighed heavily. “Abbi, just… don’t talk. I’m talking.”

From two seats away, I heard Ryley murmur under her breath, “Go get ‘em Finn. Be like John Casey and punch that bitch with your words.”

Melissa seemed to have heard it too, because she tapped me on the shoulder and leaned over to whisper in my ear. “Do you have any idea what she’s talking about?”

“No idea.” I giggled, and Melissa joined in quietly.

“Anyway so, your assignment for this week is to get another person to decide what song you’ll be singing this week in front of this club. Easy as that.” Finn shrugged. I looked over at Melissa’s smiling face and I knew just like that that she was going to ask Riley.

I didn’t know exactly who I was going to ask. Jake was bound not to respond, and also I doubted Marley would even want to help me because she was too wrapped up in her life with Ryder in the big city.

I slumped in my seat and sighed heavily. This assignment was stupid, and I hadn’t even begun thinking about it completely yet.

“Okay, I’ll see you all tomorrow morning!” Finn shouted, letting us all leave to go home. Everyone stood up instantly and began to migrate towards the door, but I stayed behind. I couldn’t have been bothered to move and neither could Mel.

I had this giant sadness settling itself inside of me again. Jake still wasn’t responding, and Idony hadn’t even glanced in my direction at all today. She had no interest in me at all, and it made me feel like absolute shit. I was such an idiot.

Melissa was sitting next to me, on her phone, probably texting Riley. Their strong relationship made me shudder. Riley was doing everything in his power to contact Melissa all of the time, and Jake was doing nothing for me. At all.

I was about to get up and leave Melissa sitting there by herself when I noticed a slight movement beside me. I turned my head to see Ryley still sitting there. I thought she had left with the others, but obviously not.

“Um, hi.” She whispered, waving her hand sheepishly.

“Hey, Ryley.” I laughed quietly, brushing some of my hair behind my ear as I watched the brunette in front of me awkwardly staring. “Are you… are you okay?” I asked Ryley, frowning at her wide-eyes.