If you have read the first story, Sam and Mercedes go to prom and they seem very happy. But like I say, that's why we have the happily ever afters, so we don't know what happens to the couple afterwards. We will always keep them perfectly happy for ever. I'm sorry to tell you this but nothing is perfect for ever, so here is the life after prom night, four months after…

The carnival only came to Lima, Ohio only once every one to two years and no way were Sam and Mercedes going to miss it. Mercedes remembers going to the carnival all the time when she was a little girl every time her dad said it was in town, she would go and crash open her piggy bank and steal her mom's clothes and makeup to be fully prepared for the fun day. And still now Mercedes still has that butterfly stomach every time she thinks about it. And best of all, Sam was coming with her.

Sam was coming with her…

Mercedes looked over to Sam and he was driving with one had on the wheel and one intertwined with Mercedes hand. Sam looked over toward Mercedes and smiled at her and she returned the smile. They both looked away and Mercedes had a little thinking time…

Sam and Mercedes have been together for four months since prom night. After the dance Sam had officially asked her out, their first date was at a gorgeous Italian restaurant where they had the most amazing meals but Mercedes kept wondering how expensive this whole night was and it turns out that Sam had actually stolen Sue Sylvester's credit card and had figured out the code and used it to pay for the meal, but Mercedes only found out about this after the date an, well, she didn't really complain… After the date, Sam took her to places that hosted her favourite entertainment: Karaoke. God did they have fun, one time Sam had stolen a few of his dads beer bottles and had possibly one too many and started to sing "The Best" by Tina Turner three times in a row and he even tried to hit the high notes! Mercedes never had laughed so much in her entire life, shame the manager noticed his intoxicated state and kicked them both out. Sam had trouble walking so Mercedes had to support him up and drive him home while he still sang to the radio. But he didn't leave karaoke with shouting out "Baby I would rather be dead!" Their dates often turned out this way (without the whole getting drunk, thing) but Sam would always surprise her by taking her to the park at twilight. He would always plan a picnic with candles and flowers and they would spend the whole time either talking or planning their future in the stars. Nothing could touch them or destroy their love.

But when it comes to young love, things always feel stronger and you think you're with your soul mate. You never meet "the one" the first time you fall in love, they're just the first of the frogs that you have to kiss to meet your match. Mercedes didn't know that but tonight is going to be one where she will come to a heart-breaking realisation.

Mercedes and Sam had reached to the carnival just before eight o'clock. They had to borrow Sam's dad's car because Sam's had to stay at Kurt's dads repair shop. Something happened to the engine, Mercedes didn't really understand. The carnival looked amazing and chaotic at the same time with there clowns and rides and food stands and people filling in the in-betweens of the rides. There were queues everywhere! Damn Mercedes knew the carnival was popular but she didn't think it was THIS popular.

Sam and Mercedes had reached the entrance and Mercedes had the sense that Sam was very uncomfortable around the clowns because, well, he scared of them. Ever since he was a kid he always got jitty every time a clown was near him. Even at kids parties he would wait patiently inside for the clown to finish his act and leave. So Mercedes told him to close his eyes and run past them.

The first ride they went on was a rollercoaster that was as fast as a racing car and then they went on the spinning teacups three times in a row. It was a good thing they didn't eat anything before the ride or the food would have been brought back up! So after that dizzy spell, they decided to play a game of darts. While playing, Mercedes was missing every ring and even nearly hit the guy behind the stand but Sam somehow was able to get every ring and won a big, ugly, green dragon with orange eyes. They were having so much fun and they continued to venture round the carnival with their new dragon called Sue Sylvester, and Sam's eye was caught by a jewellery stand. The stand had everything from rings to anklets and after a while, Sam purchased a little necklace.

"Why did you buy that?" Mercedes asked holding Sue.

"I bought it for you," Sam replied.

Sam gave Mercedes the little package and she opened it to reveal a chain with a silver circle with a heart engraved onto it with the words "forever yours". Mercedes stared at the necklace to shocked to speak so Sam decided to break the ice.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes," Mercedes said quickly. "I love it, thank you."

"I just thought that it would be perfect for you," he said.

"It is Sam, I love it."

"Good, because it's true. I am forever yours"

"So am I Sam, so am I."

And they awkwardly hug each other. But what they didn't know was that even though they were both smiling, they were feeling a jolt of confusion. Were they forever together? And if so, was this what they really wanted?

Mercedes was wearing the necklace that Sam had given her but all she had to do was find him. After Sam had given her the necklace he said that he to go to the bathroom but that was over half an hour ago and Mercedes was getting worried. She spoke to a man who had left the bathroom and he told her that Sam wasn't in there and Mercedes decided to search for him. She searched all the places that they had been to before but she had no luck. But Mercedes wasn't sure if she wanted to find him at all. When a girl gets a necklace from her boyfriend saying "forever yours" on it you should be jumping for joy. Mercedes didn't feel like that, she feels… well, she doesn't know what she's feeling but it wasn't a new feeling. It was last month since Mercedes started to have a questioning feeling about Sam and their relationship. Every time they went out there was a change in the way they were around each other, like they were… awkward to be in the same room. When they made plans to go out, there was a feeling of dread that she felt every time. Mercedes thought that these feelings were probably just a phase but they were confirmed when they had another picnic together. But she couldn't think about that now.

It was almost nine o'clock and Mercedes still had no idea where Sam was so in the end she gave up and decided to just wonder around the carnival. The carnival had all the lights up and it was still packed with people and kids meaning queues on every ride again, but there was the Ferris wheel that had no people on it at all yet it was open. Mercedes made her way to it and decided to go on it. She paid the man and went into one of the carriages and shut the door and rested her head against the door and put Sue on the floor of the carriage.

"Hey,"

Mercedes snapped her head around to see Sam sitting next to her, his arm propped up on the window of the carriage, his head resting against his hand. He looked like he was thinking for a long time but his smile tried to hide it but his eyes gave it away.

"Sorry about ditching you back there," Sam said.

"It's okay," she replied.

There was a silence between them but it wasn't the first silence they had. The Ferris wheel had started to move causing the carriage to rattle a bit but it couldn't knock Mercedes from the truth that was staring in her face since last month. All the awkward moments, all the dreaded dates, all the fake smiles and happy couple act was all there because… she doesn't want to be with Sam anymore. She didn't love him anymore. This wasn't something that she wanted, she and Sam had planned everything together like marriage and kids but … its not that she didn't want it, she does, she doesn't want it with Sam.

And she knew that Sam didn't want that either. Its time to face the truth that they both wanted to avoid.

"We don't love each other anymore do we?" Mercedes spoke.

"What do you mean? I still love you." Sam couldn't even look at her when he said that.

"Don't lie Sam."

"I'm not."

"Then why did you give me this necklace," She said.

Now Sam couldn't speak. He just looked lost in his own thought, trying to find an answer but this time he had to be truthful.

"Because I thought that it would bring us together again," he replied sadly.

"I don't think a necklace can bring us back together Sam. This is something that had to happen." Mercedes said apologetically.

Sam knew what was coming next and he kind of had to agree with Mercedes on what she just said. This was something that had to happen. They were still teenagers and no way were they going to be with the first person they ever fell in love with because life didn't work that way. Mercy was right; they didn't love each other anymore and now was the time to face that. And Sam had to agree that it was the right time to end what they had.

"We're breaking up aren't we?" he asked and all Mercedes could do was nod. She undid the chain around her neck and give it back to Sam who opened up his palm and let it lay there.

"Give it to the girl who will be yours forever, Sam. Because she's out there somewhere, you just got to find her."

"And you will find Mr Right out there too."

No more words were said after that. They shared one last hug and kiss before the Ferris wheel stopped and Mercedes left the ride while Sam stayed on and kept looking at the chain. But before Mercedes could go home there was one place she had to go to. The jewellery stand was still open and there was one ring that interested her the most. It was silver with a Flower bud on it. To everyone else, this was an ordinary ring that had a pretty pattern but to Mercedes it had a meaning. The bud and Mercedes had only one thing in common and that was that they were still growing. Mercedes still had a lot to learn about life and about love and now she has had her first lesson. She learned to let go of what she thought she wanted.

Mercedes and Sam were blissfully happy when they first started dating but the flames of their love burned out long ago and she didn't want to admit it. But now she can look forward to what is out there in the world and the many lessons she is going to have to learn about it. So even after losing love, she knows now that nothing good can last forever but she cherishes her time with Sam because without him, she could look for what she really wants.