I know it's been done before, but this is another samcedes friendship into relationship story. This time Sam & Mercedes are next door neighbors and go through the trials of being teens together. I don't own anything, but it would be nice….enjoy!

From the beginning….

Chapter 1

Mercedes POV

From the looks of the moving truck next door it seems that the family moving into the Gordon's old home had kids. 'This could be cool.' Mercedes thought to herself, 'I could land 1 of 2 things, a good babysitting gig if the kids are young, or a new girlfriend, if they have a daughter.' Mercedes loved Kurt to death, but with his increasingly busy schedule she realized that she needed some new friends. Summers in Lima, Ohio were pretty boring. Mercedes best friend Tina was at Asian Camp in Cleveland and Rachel, well let's just say, Mercedes loved her too, but 1 can only take so much of the drama. Mercedes decided to make a good first impression and make some chocolate chunk cookies and use them as an opportunity to introduce herself to her new neighbors. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to have a nice "how I welcomed the new neighbors to the neighborhood story" to share with the rents when they came home, maybe it may give them that extra nudge to allow her to get a car this year…a girl can dream right.

As Mercedes finished the cookies, she decided to put them in an old "Wonder Woman" tin. She collected them and loved to share her love for all things quirky with those she met. She grabbed her cellphone, placed it in her back pocket and quickly looked in the mirror as she began to walk out the front door. Suddenly she stopped and looked closely at her reflection. What if they have a super cute son…yeah right as if that would ever happen? Mercedes grabbed her 'Ole Miss' baseball cap and walked over to meet her new neighbors.

…..

Sam's POV

"Stevie & Stacey, have you seen the box with all my posters!" Sam yelled from his room on the 3rd floor. He was so excited for his family's new start in Ohio. Life had been tough in Tennessee, but as always the Evans family were troopers. After years of struggling financially, Mr. & Mrs. Evans finished their degrees and both received jobs in Lima as architects at a large firm originally based in TN, but was now expanding into the Ohio area. The Evans thought about staying in the TN, but Sam needed to find a school that provided more support for his dyslexia and after much research and email conversation with Ms. Jordan it seemed as if McKinley High would be a perfect fit.

"Stevie, Stacey did you hear me!"

"Yes, would you stop yelling Sam" Stacey yelled back. "We haven't seen your crazy posters, besides aren't you a bit old to have comic book posters on your walls? You're like 16 now?"

Sam rolled his eyes and ignored his little sister's last statement. 'Too old for comics, is she crazy? Little did she know that one day Stacey would see her big brother's name gracing the front a new & exciting comic?' At least that's what he hoped.

Sam ran back into his room and started going through all his boxes again, as he was about the give up he looked out the window hoping for some divine sign to help him remember where he placed his posters. But instead he noticed a shorty walking to his front door singing Payphone by Maroon 5 and dancing at the same time.

Sam strained to get a closer look at the brown skinned girl, but couldn't see her that well because of the blue and red baseball cap on her head. Just then he heard the doorbell ring and ran into his bathroom to check himself out, just in case this girl turned out to be a hottie.

…

Mercedes POV

Mercedes took her earphones out and rang the doorbell to 1311 N. State Street. She always loved this home and love the Gordon's who lived next door to her family for years. Dr. & Mrs. Gordon had grown old and had to move to Virginia to live with family. Having had a big family of their own, Mercedes hoped to share some of the home's secrets with the kids that lived there. After the 2nd ring, Mercedes was greeted by a little blonde girl about the age of 8 with curls everywhere.

"Hi" the little girl said.

"Hi, I'm Mercedes, I live next door, I wanted to come by and introduce myself to your family. Are your mommy & daddy home?"

The little girl stared at Mercedes and began gave her a smile so big Mercedes could see the girls molars.

"Mommy, Mercedes is here, she wants to meet you!"

Mercedes had to laugh as the girl spoke of Mercedes like she had known her forever.

"What did you say Stacey, Mommy couldn't hear, oh, hello" Mary Evans said as she noticed who Stacey was talking to.

"Mommy, this is my new friend Mercedes, she asked if you and daddy were home."

Mercedes smiled at Mary Evans and said "Hi, I'm Mercedes, I live next door at 1313, I noticed that your family was moving in and I wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood."

"That is so sweet Mercedes, well my name is Mary Evans, but please call me Mary and this is my daughter Stacey. Stacey is one of three children that I have, but I have to tell you she is the only girl and the youngest, so you probably will have to get used to her as a new friend." Mary winked at Mercedes.

Mercedes bent down to Stacey's level and told her that she too had 2 brothers and was also the baby in the family, so maybe instead of being friends they could be sisters. At hearing this, Stacey jumped up and screamed, so excited at making a new friend so quickly.

"Mercedes come in so that you can meet the rest of the family."

"Thank you" Mercedes replied "and before I forget, I made these for you, they are chocolate chunk cookies, and I hope y'all like them."

"Are you kidding, these will be gone in about 5 min and I have to warn you my oldest son Sam is a big DC Comic fan so you may have to hide that "Wonder Woman" tin from him." Mercedes laughed and thought to herself, 'Oh great! I knew I should have done a little bit more to my appearance, and he loves DC Comics, I may be in trouble.'

"Everybody come into the kitchen, I want you to meet our new neighbor"

Like lightening, Mercedes heard doors slam; feet run down the stairs as the rest of the Evans clan came into the kitchen to meet Mercedes.

"Mercedes this is Stacey's twin brother Stevie & my oldest son Sam. Guys this is Mercedes, oh dear I forgot to ask what is your last name?"

"Jones, my name is Mercedes Jones."

End of Chapter 1…can't wait to see Sam's reaction to Mercedes!