***Hey Samcedeians! So this story idea came to me and I just had to get it down and out of me! Hope you like it.
***Disclaimer- I do not own Glee or its characters. I love these characters though and trying to give them the justice they aren't getting from the show.
Sam looked at the mountain of bills on top of the table and ran his hand through his sandy blond hair. He felt his blood pressure rising and a headache coming on. Although the bills varied in shape and color, they all basically said the same thing. Each bill either said "final notice", "last attempt" or "payment due now". Sam sighed as he leaned back on the leather couch and took a gulp from his bottle of his ice cold beer. He knew things were bad since he lost his job at the music label, but now understood that it was way past that. He was drowning in a massive heap of debt and saw no end in sight.
Two months ago, if anyone had told Sam that he would find himself at this place, he would have called him a liar. He was Samuel Elijah Evans after all. Tennessee's newest musical writing genius. After grueling through four years of torture, Sam graduated from the University of Tennessee- Memphis with a degree in Music Composition. No small feat for a young man who struggled with dyslexia since he was eleven years old. But thanks to the determination of his tutors, his momma and a load of prayers, Sam successfully completed the program and even got the attention of A&R rep Tommy Hiccock, who offered Sam a six figure salary in a three year contract with Arista Nashville Label, the premier country label in the country. At 22 yrs old, Sam became the youngest writer to ever get signed on Arista Nashville Label since the history of the label! The president of the label himself Tim DuBois handed Sam his employment offer, lending Sam his own personal pen to sign his contract. Mr. DuBois told Sam the day he signed up with the label he was beginning the life of glitter and gold.
And for a while it definitely was glitter and gold. Sam wrote hit after hit for the labels artists, like Carrie Underwood, Pam Tills, Brooks and Dunn, and Brad Paisley. Six of Sam's songs went triple platinum, making him a constant presence on the Billboard Country Single Charts. He was nominated for four CMA awards his first year and won two Academy of Country Music awards.
Sam was over the moon with his success. The first thing he did was buy his parents their dream house in Little Rock, Arkansas. The home sprawled over 7,000 square footage with five bedrooms and five baths. Sam's parents made huge sacrifices for Sam and his younger twin siblings, Stacey and Stevie, growing up. When Sam was sixteen years old, his dad lost his job and the family had to survive off of part-time jobs. His Dad went from being the top engineer in his firm to being a part-time mechanic at the Lube Shop. Sam had to quit his highschool football team and glee club to take on a part-time job at the pizzeria. Many nights Sam went to bed hungry in order to provide food and money for his siblings. Sam's parents cashed in the last of their life insurances and sold their wedding rings to pay for Sam's first year in college. Sam refused to take the money until his momma told him that none of those things mattered to them if they kept Sam from going to college. Sam never forgot his parents' act of love and vowed to make their dreams come true when he finally "made it". Next he paid for his twin siblings' college careers. Although they were still in highschool, Sam established scholarship funds for both of them. Even though Sam had his share of relationships, nothing was ever serious or even semi-serious. Sam was dedicated to his job and put relationships on the back burner. Way in the back.
Everything was wonderful at the label. That should have been when Sam should have looked for the other shoe to drop. Things were just a little bit too sunny at the label. And it happened during the last year of Sam's contract. By the time the last year came around, the hits began to slow down. Sam's music was still charting but definitely not the way it did the first two years of his contract. The label wanted to see instant result and placing number 25 on the charts was definitely not good enough. Two days before his contract was suppose to be renewed, they let him go. Too ashamed to tell his family what happened, Sam picked up his things and moved in with his best friend Puck Puckerman in Los Angeles. Puck owned his own temporary employment agency and offered to set up Sam on some jobs to help him get on his feet again. Even though he has only been in California for two weeks, Sam felt like he has been living on his friend's couch for two months.
Sam closed his eyes as he sank deeper and deeper into the cushions of the leather bound couch, wishing and praying it would suck him in whole. Feeling the weight of the world on his shoulder, he turned his head when he heard the front door open. Puck walked in with a case of beer under his arm, and a broad smile.
"Hey Brother! How's it shakin?" Puck was way too happy a mood for Sam's taste. Sam moaned and slammed him head to the cushion at the end of the couch. Puck tossed his keys on the table, knocking some of the bills on the ground.
"Come on Dude. It ain't that bad." Puck chuckled as he sat next to Sam on the couch and slapped his back. Sam moaned at the hard hit and looked up at Puck.
"I'm broke, in debt, have no house, have no car and living on your couch." He whined. Puck sat still for a moment and then shrugged.
"Yeah, that does pretty much suck. Hey remember that sweet red Porche you use to drive in Memphis, with the white leather interior. Yeah….that car was hot." Sam looked at his friend with a pout, in the verge of tears.
"This is not helping Puck. Like at all." Again Puck shrugged, while shoving a hotdog into his mouth.
"My bad, dude. Listen I do got some good news for you though." Puck let his hotdog hang in his mouth as he went through his back pack. Puck's backpack was his portable office in a bag. Puck rummaged through his bag and finally pulled out a sheet of paper.
"Now this job is sweet, brother. And it's right up your alley. It is working in the music industry." Sam quickly lifted his head from in between the cushions of the couch.
"Really, Puck? Is it writing music?" Puck tilted his head to the side and avoided Sam's eyes.
"Uh, not exactly."
"It's not singing, is it?" Sam didn't like to sing, because he was highly self-conscious of his voice. But many artists that he has worked with in the past praised his voice and range.
"Don't worry. You don't have to torture yourself or anyone else with your singing." Puck snickered. Sam threw a cushion at Puck, but missed when Puck ducked.
"Ok, Puck. I give up. What is this gig?" Puck got up from the couch and paced the living room. He turned and looked at Sam.
"Just listen to me first, before you decide anything, ok?" Puck warned. Sam felt that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach again.
"Puck…" Sam grimaced as he stared at his friend.
"Bodyguard." Puck had a broach smile across his face. Sam's jaw dropped.
"I thought you said this was working in the music industry?" Sam questioned. Puck ran up to the couch and jumped on the seat next to Sam.
"Yeah, you would be the personal bodyguard to the biggest music chick out right now."
"A bodyguard!" Sam yelled as he ran his hands through his sandy hair. Sam couldn't believe that it had come to this. A freaking bodyguard!
"Well actually bodyguard/personal assistant. Her current personal assistant has to leave. She's going on maternity leave. But the artist is on tour right now and need someone to step in immediately. That's why it is only temporary. Once the tour is over, she would be hiring a full time personal assistant and bodyguard. Cool, right?"
Sam looked at his friend with complete confusion and utter despair. Then he fell back in the cushions of the sofa, head first, moaning.
Puck slapped his friend's back.
"Don't thank me, Dude. You know I'm always here for you." Sam turned his head from the cushions.
"I wish I was dead." Puck pulled Sam up to a sitting position and shook his shoulders.
"Come on, Bro. It will be sweet. This chick is super hot, it's an easy gig, and you will make $6,000.00 plus room and board." Sam lifted his head quickly.
"Six grand? Really?" Sam was shocked by the high amount. Puck smiled.
"See. Not bad right?" Sam looked suspiciously at Puck.
"What's the catch, Puck?" he asked in a low voice. Puck shifted his eyes mischievously and grabbed a can of beer.
"What do you mean?" he asked avoiding Sam's eyes. Sam looked closely at Puck.
"Who is it?"
"Huh?" Puck started chugging his beer down.
"Puck!" Sam yelled.
"Remember the six grand…it's the queen of soul." Sam's eyes lit up.
"Aretha Franklin?"
"Not quite so old…it's um…well…keep an open mind now…Mercedes Jones." Sam squeezed his eyes shut and covered his head with his hands.
Mercedes Jones was the newest "IT" girl in the R&B/Hip Hop scene. She was on everything! CDS, commercials, concerts. She seemed like she could do no wrong. Every single was charting in the top ten. She has only been out for two years, but has already been nominated for three Grammys, five MTV awards, and four BET awards. She is collaborating with everyone from Mary J. Blige to Drake. But along with her diva voice, she has been known for an oversized Diva attitude. She has been romantically linked with everyone from Little Wayne to Justin Biever, all unceremoniously dumped by her. Ms. Jones has been known to demand star treatment from the very top hotels to the local Dairy Queen.
On one occasion that Ms. Jones visited a neighborhood Dairy Queen to satisfy a chocolate shake craving, Ms. Jones threw a hissy fit when the shake was not up to her standards. She dumped the entire shake on the poor cashier's head and demanded her money back. Then she made the Dairy Queen give free ice cream to the other three people in line behind her! Her outlandish behavior has been highly documented in the local gossip magazines and papers. She is commonly known as Ms. Hell on Heels.
Sam knew he needed the money badly, but would it be worth it to deal with Ms. Hell?