Haunted

Chapter 8

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." ~ Albert Einstein

“Ryley, we’re like, really close to being late,” Uncle Will said from outside the bathroom door.

I hurriedly placed my ring on my finger and quickly glanced at myself in the mirror that Monday morning, “Two seconds,” I called just before opening the door. Uncle Will was almost pacing, I looked at the clock in the living room and saw that we were suppose to leave in two minutes.

“Ry,” Uncle Will said as I went past him to get to my room.

“Shoes and bag, Uncle Will. I can’t walk around Lima without my shoes,” I said sliding my feet into my wedges and throwing my messenger bag over my shoulder. I looked around my room double checking when I saw my car keys on my nightstand. I went over and picked them up, and thought about driving myself to school. Did I feel comfortable doing that? Not really. Should I drive again? I wanted to, I did. After my parents and Blake I just felt...uncomfortable with it. Not with my driving, but with the other people on the road. Even getting in Uncle Will’s car, or Finn’s truck I was terrified.

“And now we’re behind schedule Ryley, come on now,” Uncle Will said walking into my room.

I looked back and nodded quickly setting my key back on the nightstand and hurrying out the front door with him.

We pulled onto the street before Uncle Will spoke, “Why haven’t you decorated your room yet?”

I shrugged, “Because it’s Aunt Terri’s craft room...or hobby room...something with arts and crafts.”

He laughed as he accelerated at the green light, “True, but, Terri and I aren’t together anymore, it’s your room now Ry. You can do whatever you want to it. Wanna get some paint after school?” he asked turning left, “We can make it look like your room back in Cleveland.”

I looked over at him, “I don’t want this room to look like my room back home. I think it would be weird.”

“I wanna make you as comfortable as possible. You’ve been living in the apartment for a few weeks now, you’ve pretty much only unpacked your clothes and a few pictures, and your laptop. I just...want you to be happy,” he said finally turning onto the street with the school.

I was silently for only a moment, “You’ve been telling me since they’ve been gone that I need to start going back to being me, I’ve only seen the shrink like, once and he’s told me to be the person that my family would want me to be. Not the ‘shell’ of me, as he’s said. I’m just...trying to do that. But I’m ready to move on yet.”

He pulled into the parking lot and found a spot, “I’m sorry Ryley. I know that I keep trying to make you move on, and telling you to do that. I just want you to be the old Ryley is all. Let me know when you’re ready to change the room around, okay?”

I smiled at him before opening the door, “I will.”

We walked up to the school together in silence. Uncle Will was an amazing uncle, and I knew that he only wanted the best for me. I was starting to feel like the old me again, like she was slowly starting to dig herself out of the ashes...kind of a weird metaphor but that’s how it felt to me. I kept telling myself that that’s what I have to do, move on from the accident, start over. I really wanted to, but I could never ignore the dull thud inside me.

“Okay, I have to get to my office, I’ll see you in Glee,” he said before walking away from me and towards his office.

I walked down the hall to my locker and opened it up; I put some books away and took the ones I would need out before closing the locker door and locking it. I turned and looked both ways down the hallways only to see a few people mingling around, some sitting on the floor with books, others eating. I slumped down to the ground and opened my math textbook and notebook to go over the homework again. I pressed the ear buds to my iPod into my ears and hit shuffle, but of course, instead of looking at my math I drifted into a daydream while listening to ‘Hey There Delilah,’ by The Plain White Ts. I rested my head against the locker and closed my eyes.

I know it was stupid but, talking about changing Uncle Will’s guestroom kinda...got me down. I had the hardest time going back into my room back home to pack things up, and an even harder time going through Blake’s and my parents room. Uncle Will was with me the whole time, but that didn’t make it any easier, I had to try and decide what to keep and what not to. I’m not going to lie, I hardly threw anything away. Like, birthday cards and Fathers and Mothers day cards that we made them...I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of them, and they weren’t even mine. I put so much stuff in storage. And then putting the house up for sale, and planning a funeral. A sixteen year old shouldn’t have to do that for Gods sakes.

And Uncle Will wanting to make the room like it was back home, I was worried that every morning when I woke up I would feel like I was back home and then remember that everyone was gone. Taken from me. I knew that mom, dad and Blake would kill me if they knew I was acting like this. Some people might have thought that I should be moving on, be my old self. And I wanted to, but, how can you move on when the people you loved more than anything, and that loved you more than anything not be here anymore to love you. If I knew what I know now back then, I would have hugged them, and said I loved them...hell...I would have gotten in the car with them.

Someone shook my shoulder breaking my train of thought, my eyes popped open and I looked for the person who touched me literally about ready to punch them, seriously my hand made a fist and I pulled my arm back, ready for it. Instead, in front of me was Sam Evans.

“Holy crap, Sam. You freaked me out, I was going to punch you in the face,” I said pulling the ear buds from my ears.

He looked mildly shocked but laughed nonetheless, “As long as it wasn’t in my mouth, I don’t need my lips any bigger than they already are.”

I laughed as he sat down beside me, “That’s actually true.”

He flipped his blonde hair from his face, “I called your name a few times, but I got nothing.”

I slipped my iPod into my messenger bag, “Sorry about that, you know how it is, just zone out.”

He nodded, “How do you like McKinley?”

I shrugged, “It’s school,” I said, nonchalantly.

Again he nodded, “I was the new kid, back in September. That was hard enough. Ry, I can’t even kind of imagine how it feels to be the new kid and going what you went through. What I’m trying to say is that, from what I know about you, I think you’re awesome, and a really strong person. And that I’m really sorry for everything you’ve gone through.”

I barely knew Sam. I knew that he was dating Quinn Fabray, and that he liked doing impersonations. But what he said was really nice, and I appreciated it, “Thanks, Sam. Really, that actually meant a lot to me. You’re pretty awesome too,” I said nudging his shoulder with mine.

He smiled, “So, will you actually sit down with the rest of us Glee kids and have lunch?”

I laughed along with him, “That would be nice.”

“Okay, cool,” he said smiling.

“Hey, guys,” someone said from above us.

We both looked up and saw the infamous Quinn Fabray. “Hey, Quinn,” Sam said as he stood up and kissed her cheek.

“Hi, Quinn,” I said standing back up.

“Hey, Ryley. What were you guys talking about?” she asked leaning into Sam as he put his arm around her.

Sam shrugged, “Nothing, Ryley finally agreed to have lunch with the rest of us.”

Quinn smiled at me, “Awesome. I’m glad you’ve agreed to it, finally. Us Glee kids have to stick together.”

Just then the bell rang, “See you guys later, then,” I said before heading to Math.

I had taken to sitting with the Glee kids in the classes we had together, first period I sat with Mercedes and Tina, second period I sat with Artie, and my next class was with Brittany (who was hilarious to sit with, by the way. Example – ‘I fell off my bike riding to school today,’ – Brittany. ‘Are you okay?’ – Me. ‘Yeah, but, I was pushed. The gnomes are mad because I forgot to leave a gift for them.’ – Brittany).

After I parted ways with Brittany, I went to my locker and put my books away and grabbed my paper bag with my lunch in it and went to cafeteria. I stood in the doorway looking for the Glee kids, after I didn’t see them at first glance; I went to sit at an empty table, until a voice yelled louder than everyone else talking in the room.

“Don’t even think about it Ryley!”

I turned around quickly and saw Puck looking at me and waving me over, I walked over to him and saw the rest of the Glee kids there too.

“You trying to flake out or something?” Puck asked smirking as he took his seat beside Lauren.

Everyone at the table laughed as I took the empty seat between Puck and Sam, “I actually didn’t see you guys.”

“So, has Mr. Schue told you anything about this week’s assignment?” Rachel asked me as a lot of people rolled their eyes.

Mercedes was the one who spoke up, “Listen, Rachel, we’re here to eat and talk about things that aren’t all about Glee club. Don't be trying to get a leg up on the rest of us, we're suppose to be a team. And not just Team Rachel Berry.”

Everyone murmured in agreement, but Rachel shrugged, and I decided to answer, “Can’t say he has. I doubt he would because he wouldn’t want to give one person the advantage over everyone else, like Mercedes said.”

“Sooo, what did everyone do this weekend?” Mike Chang hastily changing the subject.

And that’s pretty much what was talked about for the next forty five minutes, with everyone taking turns talking. Once the bell rang everyone went their separate ways with Finn and me walking together.

“Did you still wanna come over tonight for dinner, and work on that assignment?” Finn asked as we got to my locker.

I nodded, “Yeah that sounds good to me.”

I closed the door and looked at him, he was smiling, “Okay, cool. Ready for class?” he asked as we started walking.

I shrugged, “Eh, we’re only doing more review for the test, no big thing, I guess.”

“That’s true,” Finn said as we walked inside the classroom and went to our seats, “You get to meet my brother Kurt tonight, he’s pretty awesome.”

I took my pencil case out of my messenger bag and smiled to myself, “That’s what I’ve heard.”

“Okay everyone, the test is on Thursday, so let’s finish up this review, and then the rest is up to you guys,” Mr. York said as he walked into the room.

I opened my notebook to the page I left off writing on, pulled out the review sheet and opened to textbook to the page we finished off on.

The rest of the class was spent going over the review and making notes, Finn and I didn’t even have the chance to talk to each other again until after class.

“Well,” Finn said as we packed up our bags, “that doesn’t seem too bad.”

I shook my head as we walked out the room, “I think that I might go to that coffee place tomorrow after school and study, that’s what I always did before a test back home.”

“You do that?” Finn asked as we got to the Glee room, “Does it work?”

I laughed as we took our seats, “Like, sitting in a coffee shop doesn’t make it work; I drink hot chocolate, listen to music and read the notes over. I don’t like, sit there look at the notes and hope I absorb the information.”

He laughed and looked down, “True, but I thought the caffeine or something mighta helped.”

“Nope, I just like studying there,” I said casually as people started walking in.

“Maybe I could come too? I mean, any help I guess,” Finn said happily with a big smile.

Before I could answer him Uncle Will walked in the room, “Hey guys, so, huh...Sue’s going to be sitting in with us this week,” he said as a woman with short blonde hair and a tracksuit on walked in with a semi-disgusted look on her face.

Then there was an uproar in the room from the rest of club, and I didn’t really understand why. I mean, I hadn’t really talked to Coach Sylvester, but I had seen her push students in the hallway.

“Mr. Schue you can’t do this! She’s just going to leak the information to the other Regional’s competitors, you know that Mr. Schue!” Rachel exclaimed from her seat in the front row.
Everyone was still freaking out about it, and I sat further back in my seat.

“Oh come on, kids. I thought you would enjoy having an actual winner in your little Glee Club,” Sue said sitting down further from the rest of us.

“Guys, this is how it’s going to be for this week, Sue is sitting in and joining in the performance,” Uncle Will said putting an end to the conversation, but I could see by the looks of everyone’s faces, that no one was happy about this arrangement. “Anyways, this week I want you guys to come up with Anthems that you think would be good for regional’s.”

“Mr. Schue, I actually have something prepared,” Sam said standing up and walking to the performance area.

Uncle Will nodded with a smile, “Take it away, Sam.”

“So, I’ve started a one man band, called the Justin Beiber Experience. And I think this song is an anthem because, well, everything that the Beibs does is epic,” Sam said smiling.

“This is not happening,” Finn said from beside me.

I smiled and turned my attention back to Sam as the music started up.

Not that I was a ‘fan,’ of the Beibs or anything, but...I dunno, Sam made the music bearable. Pretty soon everyone...well, the girls were singing along. But I was pretty sure I heard Pucks voice in the background.

We all cheered and clapped once Sam finished up, “I still can’t believe that happened,” Finn said as Sam sat down.

Uncle Will went back up to the front with a small smile, “Well, thanks Sam, I’m not totally sure how that’s an anthem, but thanks for sharing that. Um, I think that’s it for today, so I’ll see everyone tomorrow, have something prepared.”

Everyone stood up and started grabbing their stuff, while also congratulating Sam. I took my messenger bag and walked over to Uncle Will.

“Ready to go?” he asked when I was beside him, and while he was putting the last of his papers in his bag.

I hesitated, “Can I go to Finn’s after he’s done football practice? We wanna finish the law assignment, and he said I could stay for dinner. Is that alright?” I asked.

He laughed, “Yeah, of course. Hey, you get to meet Kurt! You’re going to love him. Why did you sound nervous asking me that?”

“Hey, sorry, Mr. Schue,” Finn said, coming into the conversation, “Ry, I have to get to practice, but come out and wait on the stands, wear a jacket it’s cold out there,” Finn said, he smiled, and then hurried out the door.

“I wasn’t nervous...dad just liked to well...sit down and basically interrogate the guy I would be hanging out with, and I used to almost have to beg him to let me go over to a guys house to work on homework, or anything,” I said looking down.

I heard him sigh before placing a hand on my shoulder, “Ryley, I miss them too. But...you’re with me now and...things are different, obviously. I don’t want you to worry about that kind of stuff, you’ve had so much on your plate the past month, and I don’t want you to worry about things like, hanging out with friends, or going to Finn’s house. My job now is to make sure you’re as happy as possible. I love you, Ry, and it’s killed me to see you like this, and seeing you happy in the Glee club, and hanging around with the kids, especially Finn...it makes me so happy, and that’s what you deserve.”

I wiped away the few tears that fell and looked at him, “I just miss them...so much. It’s so hard to adapt to this whole new environment, and you not wanting to know every last detail about everything. I was raised that way, and it’s something that I can’t help. I love you too, and I can’t thank-you enough for everything you’ve done for me, and I have to start...adapting more to the new lifestyle with you.”

He pulled me into a hug, a tight hug. I know it sounds weird but the hug said a lot, I was sure that on his end it felt that the hug was a turning point for me, that I would start building everything in my life back up. And on my end I could feel Uncle Will happy, and relieved that I was getting back to the old me.

He finally let go of me and smiled, “You should get out there and watch the practice, I’ll see you when you get back home.”

I smiled back, “Sounds good.”

“Alright, see you later, Ry,” Uncle Will said putting his bag over his shoulder, then turning and leaving the room.

I was left alone in the room, and finally felt excited and...just plain happy.

**

“Question,” I said once Finn came out of the locker room after the practice was done.

“Shoot,” Finn said walking with me out to the parking lot.

“Didn’t the football team here just win the Championship game?” I asked curiously.

He laughed, like, really loud, which made me laugh, “Yeah, but Coach Beiste told us she didn’t want us getting sloppy so every so often she’s going to randomly have a practice with the team to make sure we’re not slacking.”

I nodded in understanding while still smiling, “I see,” I said once we reached the truck.

“Yeah, I don’t really like it, because well, playing makes me tired, and it makes me nervous not knowing when it’s going to be,” Finn tried explaining once he started the truck.

I smiled and nodded, “Whatever you say, Finn.”

“Great song,” Finn said once the music started up, and I instantly recognized it as Boys like Girls ‘Two is Better Than One,’ featuring Taylor Swift.

I remember what you wore on the first day
You came into my life
And I thought hey
You know this could be something
Coz everything you do and words you say
You know that it all takes my breath away
And now Im left with nothing

Maybe its true, that I cant live without you
Well maybe two is better than one
Theres so much time, to figure out the rest of my life
And youve already got me coming undone
And Im thinking two, is better than one

I remember every look upon your face,
The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste
You make it hard for breathing
Coz when I close my eyes and drift away
I think of you and everythings okay
And finally now, were leaving

And maybe its true, that I cant live without you
Well maybe two is better than one
Theres so much time, to figure out the rest of my life
And youve already got me coming undone
And Im thinking two, is better than one

Yeah yeah.

I remember what you wore on the first day
You came into my life
And I thought hey

And maybe its true, that I cant live without you
Well maybe two is better than one
Theres so much time, to figure out the rest of my life
And youve already got me coming undone
And Im thinking

Oooh I cant live without you
Coz baby two is better than one
Theres so much time, to figure out the rest of my life
But Ive figured out with all thats said and done
That two, is better than one

Two. Is better than one

As the song finished Finn and I were smiling to each other, while sitting in the driveway of a nice little house.

I laughed and broke the eye contact, “That wasn’t bad.”

He laughed too, “That was really good, we totally sound awesome together.”

I smiled and looked at him out of the corner of my eye, he still hadn’t turned away from me, “So this is your house?” I asked looking fully out of the windshield.

“That’s it,” he said.

“It’s cute. Another question, do I call your mom Mrs. Hudson or Mrs. Hummel?” I asked getting out of the truck.

I heard him chuckle under his breath as he closed his door, “Well, she changed her last name to Hummel, so I guess it’d be that.”

I nodded as Finn unlocked the door and I followed him in, “Don’t be shy,” he said leaning down to reach my height.

I looked at him, “I’ll try.”

He smiled reassuringly, “Don’t worry. Hey, mom,” Finn said entering the kitchen where a woman with short brown hair was sitting.

“Hey, Finn. How was school?” she asked not looking up from a book she was reading at the dinner table.

He shrugged and grabbed an apple, “It was school. My friend Ryley is here, we’re partners for a law assignment that we wanna finish today, and she’s gonna stay for dinner.”

Her head shot up and looked at me, I smiled nervously at her, “Excuse my son for being rude,” she said shooting a look at Finn who was chewing on the apple looking confused, she stood up and came over to me.

“Hi, Mrs. Hummel,” I said once she got closer.

She smiled at me, “It’s Carole. And sorry, it's Ryley...?” she asked waiting for my last name.

“I’m Ryley Schuester,” I said, figuring she’d know the last name.

She turned to look at Finn then back at me, “As in Will Schuester?” she asked.

I nodded, “He’s my uncle.”

She smiled sadly at me, “I’m so sorry for your loss, Ryley.”

I smiled slightly back, “Thank-you.”

She nodded, still smiling, but more brightly, “I’ll start dinner. Any food allergies?” she asked me.

I smiled, a real smile, back to her, “None.”

She went to fridge and started pulling stuff out, “I’ll call you guys when it’s done. Kurt and Burt will be home soon.”

Finn walked back over to me, after trowing the remains of the apple away, and smiled, “Let’s go up to my room and finish up the assignment.”

“See you later Mrs. Hummel,” I said, walking backwards out of the room.

I heard her chuckle as I followed Finn down the hall, “It’s Carole,” she called out.

“I don’t know if I like calling adults by their first name, it’s like, breaking an unwritten law,” I said as we got into his, well, typical boy room.

Finn laughed as he threw his bag onto the floor next to his bed, “Yeah, totally. Sit down, anywhere, sorry for the mess,” he said taking a glance around the floor, which did have clothes and stuff on it.

I put my messenger bag on his bed and sat down beside it, “It’s a boy’s room, I’m not surprised.”

He looked at me and smiled as he sat at his computer desk, “And does that mean that your room is perfect?”

My smile faded as I shook my head, “Can’t say that’s true. I haven’t decorated yet.”

He nodded with a solemn look on his face, “I’m sorry. But, hey, if you need help with any of that stuff you can always-“

“Come to me,” a voice said from the open doorway.

I turned toward the door and saw a guy standing there in a uniform complete with a blazer, perfect hair, and complexion, and messenger bag over his shoulder.

“Kurt Hummel,” he said walking into the room, towards me with an outstretched hand.

I reached and took his hand to shake, “Hi, I’m-“

“Ryley Schuester, I know. Finn’s told me about you. And I’m really sorry about everything you’ve gone through, but I know that being at McKinley and in the Glee Club will raise your spirits, hopefully,” Kurt said, than let go of my hand and sat beside me on the bed.
I knew already that I really liked him.

He smiled at me, ‘Seriously, if you need help decorating, call me. I love room makeovers. Or people makeovers. Not that you need one, but maybe some more colour in your wardrobe.”

I laughed and looked at Finn who was smiling, “Maybe one day.”

“Kurt, come on, dude. Do you really think she needs one?” Finn asked.

I looked down and smiled, embarrassed. Had he really just said that?

Kurt smiled, “Of course not. But colours are always in, and I can tell that she’d look good with some colourful clothing. If you give me half an hour to change we can go to the mall and get some new clothes. You would look nice in a navy blue, I think.”

I was about to answer when Finn did, “We have an assignment to work on.”

His smile never faded, “Not to worry. This weekend?”

I laughed, “That would be awesome.”

“Perfect. Have fun,” Kurt said before sauntering, yes sauntering, out of the room.

I smiled and looked over at Finn, “He’s awesome.”

Finn smiled, “Yeah. And I don’t know if you knew but he’s... –“

“Gay?” I guessed.

Finn nodded.

“Yeah, I kinda figured, nothing wrong with that,” I answered casually. And it was true, there was absolutely nothing wrong with people being gay.

Finn smiled, “Exactly. So we should probably get to work.”

I nodded and walked over to the computer desk, where he was sitting, and stood beside him, “I type like, really fast so if you want, you can print out some pages, highlight the information, and I can type it tomorrow?”

He looked up at me, “Do you wanna do it that way?”

I shrugged, “It really doesn’t make a difference to me, I like typing.”

Finn sighed in relief, “Awesome, because I hate typing. I’ll give you the printouts in law tomorrow. That good?”

“It’s good for me,” I said walking back to his bed, and taking a seat.

“Dinner!” Carole shouted from the bottom of the stairs. I checked the alarm clock that Finn had on his night stand, and saw that we had only been upstairs and away from Carole for no more than ten minutes. I looked over at Finn, who gave me the same confused look.
We both stood up and left the room. I noticed going down the stairs pictures on the wall, from before they became one family to the wedding. I smiled and remembered those pictures that we had going down the stairs too at home.

“Are you sure everything is cooked, it’s been like, five minutes,” Finn said once we got to the dining room where Carole, Kurt and a man I assumed was Burt Hummel, Kurt’s dad, were sitting.

Carole smiled, and squeezed Burt’s hand, “Burt brought dinner home.”

“Yeah, Kurt reminded me we had company so I thought I’d spare her from Carole’s cooking,” Burt said before laughing then looking at his wife who in turn shoved him playfully.

A dull pain went through my chest as I watched them interact with each other. But I did my best to ignore it.

Finn took a seat and, to save myself from looking silly standing by myself, I hurriedly sat beside him.

“So, you’re Ryley Schuester?” Mr. Hummel asked as he put some of the Chinese food on his plate.

I nodded politely, “That’s me.”

He smiled sadly, just as Carole had, “I’m really sorry to hear about your parents and brother. I lost my wife about nine years ago, so I can kind of relate.”

“I’m sorry. Finn told me,” I said, returning a small sad smile.

Mr. Hummel put a smile back on his face and looked at Carole, “Hey, everything’s looking up. It gets better Ryley, it does.”

I smiled and looked down at my hands.

I believed him.