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

Chapter 40: Valentine Grams

Hey guys! I apologize for the wait. I was going to post this long ago but there was a thunderstorm where I live and all of the power in the neighborhood was out for the last 20-ish hours, which was a terrible experience because I couldn't update! So as part of my apology please enjoy this photoshopped picture of the glee club according to me, that I have just posted along with this chapter and finally a make-up so that you guys can be happy!

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"I can't just spring all of that on him," Julie hissed at Jake as the two approached Ryder's locker. An entire week had passed since the dance and Ryder had given them each the cold shoulder. 

"Julie, he needs to know the truth," Jake insisted. "He's suspicious and he--"

"What's going on?" Ryder said as they reached him and he looked up suspiciously.

Jake looked at Julie, who didn't speak and sighed, "Nothing..." Instead of staying with them, he walked off. Ryder hesitantly closed his locker and started making his way away from Julie, but she decided Jake was right.

"So last week was weird," she began. He turned around hesitantly and looked at her.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean we hardly spoke and there weren't many glee club meetings," she said. "So I felt kind of disconnected to everyone. Especially you."

"Oh, well," he said, shrugging nonchalantly. "I'm sure Jake kept you plenty of company." He started walking forward but Julie was not satisfied with that encounter.

"Enough!" she exclaimed, following after him and, grabbing his arm, forced him to turn back. She looked around at the crowded hallway around them and sighed. "Follow me," she said, walking out through the front doors and leading him out into the cold. At least they were alone.

"What?" Ryder said once they were outside.

Julie shuddered. "There's something I haven't told you about," she said.

"Is it Jake?" he asked automatically.

She shook her head. "No..." she murmured. "I don't have feelings for Jake and there's nothing going on between us."

Ryder turned in frustration and then rotated his body back to face her. "Then what, Julie?" he said. "What is it that keeps forcing itself between us now? It's not Sam. It's not Jake. Then what?"

"It's not another boy, okay?" she said, taking a deep breath. "It's... It's... It's my mom, okay?"

"Your mom?" said Ryder, his voice and expression softening as he realized regardless of what she said next he'd been a jerk. "What about her?"

"It's a long story," she said. She shivered so Ryder started taking his jacket off. She shook her head and said, "It's okay, I just left my jacket in my locker. We have to go back inside for class soon anyway. Listen, we can finish this conversation later and I'll tell you everything.  Right now, though, what I really need is for you to be here. I can't take this awkward distance between us anymore. Okay?"

His angry eyes were now sad as he looked down at her and nodded. "I'm sorry," he said without needing to hear her story.

"For?" she said.

"Being jealous and insecure," he said, shrugging. "I was just stupid last week."

"It's my fault for not telling you what was really going on," she said. "But we'll leave this talk for later. Right now, we need to go to Study Hall or Mrs. Blanchet is really going to kill us."