Here's where I see that whole Mercedes/Shane/Sam triangle going down if Mercedes doesn't just tell Shane what's going on. I want Shane gone but Sam did just breeze into town and try to steal his woman.


A man we passed just tried to stare me down
And when I looked at you
You looked at the ground
I don't know who he is
But I think that you do
Dadgummit
Who is he, and what is he to you?

He knew it would end like this. Actually not really. The first time he saw her he didn't know it would even get started. It was a new town, a new church, and he was sitting there with his mother and younger sister Avery. She was bored and so was he. Then the choir started singing and she stepped forward for a solo. She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen and her voice was that of an angel. He looked at his mother and sister. They were both staring at the girl and smiling. He was going to like it here. Afterwards, he made a point of thanking her for singing. She smiled and acted like she'd never heard that before and thanked him for saying it.

The next time he saw her was Tuesday. The church had a food drive and the pastor asked him to help, he's such a big guy. She was there, organizing things. He didn't get a chance to talk to her but he did find out her name. Sadie.

He went to choir practice on Thursday. He's no singer, and it was pretty obvious quickly enough. The good thing was he got a chance to talk to her.

"You're new to Lima, aren't you? Mercedes. Mercedes Jones." she said holding out her hand.

"Shane. Shane Tinsley." he said. "I thought your name was Sadie."

"Sadie?" She had a musical laugh. "Sometimes people call me 'Cedes but my name is Mercedes."

"Oh. Mercedes. That's a pretty name. You're at church all the time, doesn't your boyfriend mind?"

"I don't have a boyfriend. I mean I had a boyfriend, kind of, but I don't have one right now."

Shane wondered what a 'kind of' boyfriend was but let that go, he was just glad that she didn't have a current boyfriend.

"Well, in that case, would you like to go where ever kids go here and do whatever they do here?"

"The Lima Bean." she laughed again. "They go there and drink coffee."

Something in my heart and in your eye
Tells me he's not someone just passing by
And when you cleared your throat
Was that your cue?
Dadgummit
Who is he, and what is he to you?

Her friends were a problem, they didn't like him and he didn't like them. Well, they would have been a problem if they were good friends. They weren't. Shane tried to be sensitive to her friends, tried not to monopolize her time but fortunately for him she had lots of free time. From his job at Footlocker in the mall, he saw her friends more than she did. He'd see them there, shopping, hanging out, forgetting to invite her along. Of course he didn't say anything but he could tell she was sad when they went shopping with Avery for school clothes and saw her friends hanging out. And when she didn't like the way her friends treated her they said it was all his fault. He could live with that.

Of course he knew about Sam, she told him everything. She even explained what a 'kind of' boyfriend was. He felt bad for her, thinking she only deserved a 'kind of' boyfriend. He made sure she felt like a real girlfriend, that she knew he was proud be be with her and didn't care who saw them together. He wanted her to feel special.

And Sam was gone, history, never to be seen again. Until that day in the cafeteria. They were standing there, discussing their upcoming date on Friday night, when she saw him. She could have been looking at ghost, the way the color drained from her cheeks, the way she dropped the tray she was holding. Shane turned and saw Sam standing in the doorway. Then he looked at Mercedes and saw his world crumbling.

Maybe he was overreacting. Maybe she still meant what she said. Maybe he was hallucinating when he saw them kissing in the auditorium. No, Shane wasn't prone to hallucinations.

When I add the sum of you and me
I get confused when I keep coming up with three
You're too much for one man
But not enough for two
Dadgummit
Who is he and what is he to you?

"So, anything interesting happen today?" he asked her later between classes.

"Nope." she looked down at the ground. "Nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Nothing special."

"Okay. Are we still on for tonight?"

"Tonight? I'm sorry, we have a special practice tonight."

He knew she was lying, the way she wouldn't make eye contact. How far is she willing to take this? "You do? That's okay, I'll wait for you. The gym's open tonight, I can work out while I wait."

"Oh." she thought for a few minutes. "Except, the practice isn't here. It's at Rachel's house. You remember that party we went to there?"

"Then you'll need a ride." He offered helpfully.

"No, Santana's giving me a ride."

"Oh, well then I'll see you tomorrow." He kissed her, knowing it was for the last time. She barely kissed him back.

Shane set out immediately to find Rachel Berry.

"Hey Rachel."

"Shane." The short brunette was surprised to find him talking to her. "How are you?"

"Fine, just fine. Listen, Mercedes asked me to drop her off at your house for practice tonight but she couldn't remember what time."

"My house? Tonight at my house?" She was confused, exactly what Shane expected.

"That's what she said."

"Oh yes!" she thought quickly. "My house for practice. I don't know, tonight at eight?"

"Hey Shane." Kurt said walking up. "It can't be tonight at eight, we're going to visit Blaine, remember?"

"Yes but..." Rachel tried to stop him.

"So there is no practice at Rachel's tonight?" Shane intercepted.

"No." Kurt said firmly.

"Thanks."

You tell me men don't have much intuition
Is that what you really think girl
Or are you merely wishing?
Before you wreck your old home
And search another new

They were standing at her locker, looking at each other and laughing, when he saw them. Lost in their own little world, neither one of them saw Shane until it was too late.

"Is this what you'll be practicing tonight?"

"Shane, I can explain!" she said frantically.

"I don't care." and before he could respond, Sam found himself sitting on the floor, feeling a trickle of blood on his lip.

"You can't do that to my friend!" she said, kneeling on the floor and using her scarf to wipe the blood from his lip.

"Your friend?" he sneered. He knelt down next to them, so that only Sam and Mercedes could hear. "Would that be the friend that didn't want to be seen in public with you, who left town like a thief in the night, who couldn't be bothered to pick up a phone or drop a postcard in the mail, who came to town when Hudson called him specifically to make you lose at sectionals? Or are you talking about the friend who called an all-girl but Mercedes meeting? Or are you talking about the friend you took into your home and who stopped speaking to you the minute she didn't need you anymore? Or the friend who didn't think you're pretty enough to be Maria. You see, unlike your 'friends' I don't yell people's business down the hallway. And unlike you, I don't intend to surround myself with people I can't trust." He took a deep breath. "I could have broken his jaw if I wanted to, consider it a final gift from me to you." He stood up. "I was nothing but good to you, Mercedes, remember that."

"What are you guys fighting about?" Coach Bieste was suddenly standing there.

"Nothing." Shane said. "I'm not fighting over anything." He looked at Mercedes, sitting on the floor crying. "I'll tell Avery you're terribly sorry to miss her recital tonight." He slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked away.

Dadgummit
Who is he, and what is he to you?


Who is he, and what is he to you? - Bill Withers