Disclaimer: Glee is not mine


And unless you marry your high school sweetheart (and even sometimes then), there is usually a not-so-glorious back story. There are people and places and events that lead you to your final relationship, people and places and events you'd prefer to forget or at least gloss over. In the end, you can slap a pretty label on it- like serendipity or fate. Or you can believe that it's just the random way life unfolds.

-Love the One You're With, Emily Giffin


Wednesday Night

"I'm sorry, why are we here again?" Tina looked around the crowded Karaoke bar with distaste. This was so not her scene.

"Because Mercedes asked us to meet her and Tom here and we're being supportive. You know how excited she is about Tom," Rachel replied, sipping her drink. Secretly, she agreed with Tina. Listening to tone deaf people belt out "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" was not high on her list of great ways to spend an evening. Mercedes, however, loved Karaoke, and since she was the one who orchestrated the meeting, Rachel was willing to go along with it.

"But did it have to be here? Why couldn't we meet them at a restaurant?" Tina whined, looking like she was ready to hit someone over the head with a microphone. She sighed. "How head over heels is Mercedes this time? You know how she gets about a new guy."

"Shhhh. Here they come." Rachel watched as her long time best friend made her way towards the table, towing a tall African American man behind her. As usual, Mercedes was dressed in loud colors and accessories, although she had discarded the "Mercedes" necklace that usually graced her neck in favor of a simple gold chain.

"Hi guys!" Mercedes bubbly announced, as she pulled the man standing behind her closer to the table. "This is Tom, my boyfriend," she proudly announced. "Tom, this is Rachel Berry and Tina Cohen-Chang, my best friends. We all work together at Maquillage."

Rachel and Tina exchanged a look as they each shook Tom's hand. Did Mercedes just call Tom her boyfriend? Hadn't they just met 3 days ago? Clearly they weren't the only ones surprised by Mercedes' use of the word "boyfriend" as Tom did a double take when he heard it. Oblivious to the discomfort, Mercedes sat down next to Tina, motioning to Tom to do the same.

"So what do you ladies…." Tom began, but was immediately interrupted by Mercedes wrapping her arms around him and nuzzling his face. "Tommykins, can you get us a round of drinks?" she asked in a baby voice.

"Uh sure, what can I get you?" he replied, attempting to disentangle himself from Mercedes, who now had a death grip around his neck as she nibbled on his ear.

"Heineken Lite for me, Malibu Bay Breeze for Rachel, and Tina wants a Vodka Pineapple," Mercedes rattled off automatically, as the girls very seldom differed their drink orders. Tom, having successfully extracted himself from Mercedes, stood up and walked quickly to the bar.

"What was that?" Tina asked immediately, exchanging yet another glance with Rachel.

"What do you guys think? I really think he could be The One. Last night, in bed, I actually started crying, my feelings for him were so strong," Mercedes looked excitedly around the table, waiting to hear Rachel and Tina's opinions of her new man.

"Wait, you were crying? You mean like a random tear right?" Tina said, knowing how emotional Mercedes could get.

"No, I was really crying, I actually called Tom to tell him how about strong my feelings were for him. I even told him that I thought I loved him."

"What did he say?" Rachel asked. This was worse than they thought. Mercedes always went overboard in relationships, and more often than not, scared the guy off with her enthusiasm. She knew that Tina was thinking the same thing. Both could see a night of guy bashing and Haagen Daas in Mercedes' near future.

"Well, he was really quiet. I think it was because I called at 2AM and he was sleeping. I know, because when I called him an hour earlier to ask him about his last relationship, he said that he was going to sleep and got off the phone quickly."

"You called him at 2AM? Why didn't you just wait till today?" Tina asked in disbelief.

"I wanted him to know how I was feeling. Oh! Look what I got today!" Mercedes fingered the gold chain around her neck, twisting it around to reveal a diamond studded "T" hanging off of it. "I'm going to show this to him tonight. I got him one with an "M" on it. He's going to love it!"

Before either Rachel or Tina could answer, Tom returned with the drinks. Mercedes quickly twisted the necklace around again, hiding the "T" from sight, watching Tom adoringly.

"They didn't have Heineken Lite, so I just got you Heineken," Tom told her as he handed Tina and Rachel their drinks.

"Baby, I need Lite. Remember when I called you at lunch and told you about what I can and can't eat on Weight Watchers? Beer is a lot of points. Weren't you listening? Can you go see if they have another lite beer? Please? I'd go, but I have to sign up for Karaoke." Tom sighed, but did as she asked and made his way back to the bar.

"Uh, Mercedes…" Tina began as Mercedes, seeing the Karaoke KJ coming her way, frantically waved her over.

"Hmm?" Mercedes, focused on scribbling her name and song choice on the list, failed to see the umpteenth glance of concern pass between Rachel and Tina.

"You'll be up next," the KJ announced as Mercedes handed the list back to her.

"Mercedes…" Tina tried again, but was interrupted by the KJ announcing Mercedes' name.

"Hell yea, it's my turn!" Mercedes bounded up to the stage, eagerly grabbing the microphone. "I'd like to dedicate this to my amazing boyfriend Tom. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'm so glad you're in my life."

Mercedes was too far away from the stage to see the deer in the headlights look Tom was currently sporting, but Rachel and Tina both saw it. The deer in the headlights look turned to a look of complete horror as Mercedes began singing Chicago's "You're the Inspiration" after directing the stagehand to put the spotlight on Tom.

Dropping the beer he was holding on the floor, Tom turned and ran out of the bar.


A/N: Some elements of the movie will be present in this story, but it will deviate!