Chasing pavements

Marley Elizabeth Rose Vintage clothing lover, hopeless romantic, avid baker, best friend to Unique, daughter to Millie. Song-writer. Invisible.

[marleyercse]

essmusings‌:

Jake listened carefully as Marley provided her explanation. It was weird to hear her reject the notion of them together, only because everyone wanted to be with Jake Puckerman at least once during their high school career. Still, as Marley continued telling her story, a satisfied smile crept upon his features. So Marley wasn’t exactly the goody two-shoes that all of William McKinley High School made her out to be. She had a little bit of fire to her, it seemed, when she was caught under the gun.

“I see,” Jake chuckled, taking a seat across from Marley, “so you were just using me to deter someone away from you. Got it.” He leaned back in his chair, resting the back of his head against his palms, elbows veering out towards the side. 

“So what are you going to say to Lynn next time you see him?” Jake questioned, “I mean, he’s going to ask about you and I, and…if you wrote Lynn a letter, does that mean you’re into him, too?”

It seemed like no matter what Marley said, Jake only got more smug. This was already something she had mentioned in her letter. Jake’s unwavering confidence-- his smile only making him seem even more mysterious. Curiously Marley wondered just what he was thinking even as he seemed to take up more space. 

“Usin-” Her voice cut off offended that he would say that she was capable of using someone. Then again, a very honest part of herself couldn’t let her deny that she had used him. “Okay, maybe it was using you, but it wasn’t the worst I could have done. I mean, I’m not a terrible kisser.” Her eyes searched for his through her long lashes almost asking for him to agree with her.  

Looking away from him she let her shoulders relax. “I don’t know what I am going to tell him. It’s not like this has been all planned,” she admitted. “Maybe I’ll just tell him that I like someone else. I can make someone up if you’re so against being used.” Marley took another sip of her frap before realizing how snide that must have been. “And you have Bree so it’s not like he would really believe that you like me back.” The girl held her head high, not even hurt by the fact that Jake would never like her the way she had liked him once upon a time. “Why does it matter to you anyway?” Genuinely curious she softened her voice. “Before today we had said maybe two words to each other in the hallways.” 

Moving her hair she shook her head. “It means I had a crush on him. And I’m not into you so there is no too in this scenario.” Again she gauged his reaction, probably blowing his mind that she was the one girl at school that didn’t want to fall at his feet. “I don’t have a crush on anyone right now. Well unless you count Patrick Swayze which I don’t because celebrity crushes are only a fantasy. Plus he’s dead.” She was merely trying to distract Jake from what she had said about previously having a crush on Ryder. “So, yeah.” She nodded her head slowly. “I promise to stop using you. You have nothing to worry about and you can tell Bree this was all just some huge misunderstanding.”

[marleyercse]

essmusings‌:

Jake barely had a moment to get a word in. Marley had explained herself – so she wrote more than one letter? He’d have to investigate that further, later – and no, he had recently broken it off with Bree – well, she broke it off with him; apparently freshmen at the community college were more her speed – and the next thing he knew, Marley had cornered him against his locker, pressing her lips firmly upon his. He was too shocked to kiss back. A rush of blood deepened the color of his cheeks as he felt his heart quicken in pace. This was honest to god, the most confusing fifteen minutes of his life. He confronted Marley about a letter, was given one explanation, but then her lips provided a totally different message. Marley Rose acted quiet and shy, but this was a completely different side to her.

“Thought I might find you here,” Jake approached the table at the Lima Bean and sat himself across from her. 3:45; school had been out for nearly an hour. The Lima Bean was the community coffee spot visited mostly by high school and college students, literary aficionados, and gaggles of middle school girls. The coffee and dessert, coupled with trendy decor and indie music, made it an easy sell to many different crowds.

“Can we talk, about earlier. I just want to make it super clear that this,” he pointed his fingers between the two of them a few times, “isn’t going to happen.”

Head raising from the mocha frappucino with extra whipped cream her eyes bulged a bit at what Jake said. “What was that?” Drink still going down her throat she tried not to laugh in Jake’s face. “No, I think you got the wrong idea of what...” She could hardly find words to explain herself. “That was not me trying to start anything with you.” Marley paused just to make that point of discussion clear. “You’re in a weird... almost relationship with Bree, and you and I would never work.” Marley almost scoffed at the thought of her being with Jake. “We have nothing in common.” At least what she knew of Jake. 

“I guess I should explain.” She began after pushing her drink away from herself. “I write letters. One which you had.” The shredder would have to be used to destroy it later. “I wrote more. One of them was even more embarrassing because... it was to Ryder.” Her voice was hushed now. “My best friend. Or one of them.” She sighed. “So, he couldn’t know that I liked him. Past tense. So instead of having him talk to me about it, I kissed you. He won’t think I like him if he sees me kissing someone else.” Marley now sat back in her chair knowing that it wasn’t the least flawed logic but she at least knew Ryder. “You have nothing to worry about. You aren’t hurting my feelings by telling me that this isn’t going to happen. I’m not effected by your charm like other girls.” 

[marleyercse]

essmusings‌:

Jake’s brows furrowed in confusion. It didn’t make any sense. Marley wrote a love letter, signed it, stamped it, delivered it, only to leave it tucked away in the back of her history binder, or in her closet, or something – point was, it was a letter for him, but it wasn’t for him. 

She referenced a kiss in the letter. The only kiss he and Marley shared was in the hallway closet at Kitty Wilde’s house after homecoming in the ninth grade. They’d been voted in during the first round of Seven Minutes in Heaven, Jake assumed, because it was comical. Jake was a popular jock; Marley, a quiet bookworm. They were cordial in the McKinley hallways because they shared some mutual friends, but that was about the extent of their relationship.

He wasn’t single at the time, sort of. Bree Thompson dug her finely-manicured claws in Jake the day she transferred from private school. She was confident, a cheerleader (which complimented Jake’s place on the football team quite well) but was insanely jealous and indecisive. Jake and Bree spent the majority of freshman year “just talking,” and girls knew that Jake was Bree’s, but they weren’t dating, not seriously, anyway. 

In the present moment, Jake couldn’t remember the kiss that well, only that it had happened after about five minute of stalling and trying to figure out if Marley wanted to kiss him. All the girls in school – and some of the guys – would have jumped at the opportunity, but Jake could tell Marley’s guard was up, both then and now.

“Sure.” he handed the letter over, “but you have to explain it to me, because I really don’t understand. And next time you want to describe the color of my skin, you can just use the word ‘dark’ if you want. No exoticism there.”

Nearly lunging for the letter she quickly tucked it away behind her notes. “Ex...plain?” Was he really asking for clarification. “You know most guys would just forget about what they read.” Marley was defensive at first her face still attempting and failing miserably at staying neutral. Shifting her books she looked down the hallway hoping no one would catch on to what they were talking about. 

It wasn’t like Marley had much of a social life. Marley’s life revolved around the multiple secret things she wrote on various sheets of paper. Her song lyrics, her private thoughts in the journal she wrote and of course her letters. “I can always not talk about your skin color at all.” She gave Jake a tight lipped smile. Looking down the hallway she tried skirting past Jake before giving up. If there was one thing she knew it was that she wasn’t going to get off the hook so easy. “It’s just something I do. Whenever I really like someone I write a letter.” She shrugged. “You were never supposed to see it. Well no on a letter is for is supposed to see their letter.” She knew exactly how many letters she had written. One to Sam just  because he was in glee with her. A letter to Blaine but based off the many rumors that might have been a letter to end in just a simple thank you. The last letter was one no one could ever find out about. It was cliche and based off of friendship. Ryder was possibly the closest thing she had ever had to a boyfriend. A best friend who was ‘t Unique but who Unique did have a thing for. Things were complicated and weird, and there was no way that Marley ever could act on those feelings. Girl code or even just because they were so close.

“I’ve written a few of them. Just... can we keep this between us?” Hopefully he hadn’t told Bree. The torment she would get if she ever found out would be too much to bear. “I know that you probably tell Bree everything,” wasn’t that what people who hooked up or were almost dating did? “Or maybe you already have, but that was written a long time ago and it really isn’t how I feel now.” Still scanning the hallways she saw Ryder coming through another letter in his hand. Her heart stopped. Not sure what to do she panicked. “I have to go.” Nearly bumping into Jake as she tried running away from her problem she stopped. Ryder already began calling her name. Each step brought him closer, and her closer to her nightmare becoming a reality. “Are you and Bree really dating?” Her voice showing her panic. She heard her name again. “Nevermind.” She shook her head before taking the small step forward. Holding on to his shoulders she kissed him. Pushing Jake towards the lockers. She had to play up the passion, kill any thought Ryder had of her being in love with him. Out of breath she pulled away, cringing at how she kissed Jake as if she was one of the girls who actually did find him irresistible. “I have to go.” Hand reaching towards her lips she took a few steps away from Jake, brushing past Ryder on her way to the girl’s bathroom.

[essmusings]

open starter ; plot based on to all the boys i’ve loved before

“Hey, listen, I’m flattered you’d think of me, you know…like that, but if I’m being totally honest, comparing my skin tone to coffee? Kinda racist. I know you probably didn’t mean it like that, but just for future reference.”

[marleyercse]

Why was Jake even talking to her? Wasn’t he supposed to be chasing after his girlfriend, or doing whatever sport thing he did? She had been friends with Jake before, but now they were more like strangers than the former friends they had been. Still confused she thought back to where he could have possibly gotten the words she never would have said out loud. Squinting she still searched for the proper words to say. None exactly coming to mind she shook her head. “What are you talking about? I’m not racist. Or even a little racist.” Holding her books close to her chest she scanned Jake’s body seeing something familiar in his hand. Heartbeat racing, her face possibly already started showing her tells with how red it was turning. “Where did you get that?” She was sure that she had hidden away that piece of paper describing how much she liked Jake. 

Dear Jake P, 

I just wanted to say that I’m glad you’re not just going by Puckerman. It’s not as if I would call you that anyway. I bet you didn’t know that with kissing me that I would eventually fall in love with you. Then again, maybe you did. It’s pretty much what all girls do around you. They fall in love with you whether it’s because of your coffee kissed skin, your crooked smile, your dimples or any other long list of reasons you usually have girls always throwing themselves at you. 

But, I should say that there are plenty of things that make you easy not to like. I’ll mention them because you should know and possibly improve on. 

1. You’re too confident. There is such a thing

2. You act like you don’t care sometimes when I know you do. It’s almost like you don’t want people to know that you have actual feelings. 

3. It feels like you kissed me just to prove a point even if you had feelings for someone else. 

There are a lot of other reasons, but there are a lot more to why I do like you Jake. 

1. You don’t care that my mom works for the high school. You’ve never made me feel bad about it. 

2. You prioritize your friends no matter what is going on. 

3. I know how it hurts being raised by just your mom, but the way you’re always there for her makes everyone fall in love with you even more, but it makes me fall for you every time. 

I know you’re with someone else and that I shouldn’t like you. I know that I am not even supposed to be writing this. I just wanted to ask if you know what it’s like to like someone so much but know that no matter what you can’t be with them. 

Then again you probably wouldn’t ever have to deal with the feelings I am dealing with because you’re Jake Puckerman. You never have to worry about liking someone so much only to see them want someone else. 

- Marley Rose. 

Snapping back to reality she started scrambling for words to say. “You were never supposed to see that.” Taking in a deep breath she took a step forward. “Can I have my letter back please? It’s embarrassing enough that you even saw that. I wrote it a long time ago and it’s definitely not how I feel now.”