He looked himself in the mirror. Wasn't he so handsome today? He smiled lightly and made a little tour around himself so that he can see if the costume fit him well. He was so nervous that he could feel his hands shaking. "Come on, man, calm down.", he told himself taking a deep breath. This was his special day. He should be so happy right now and all he could do was panick. He passed his hand in his light blond hair and fixed it one more time. He knew he had already put so much gel on it but he just needed everything to be perfect. For her. For the woman he loved, he needed to be perfect.
He wasn't sure when he picked up his phone. Before even realizing it, he was scrolling through his gallery file, watching some old photos of them. He wanted to remind himself why he loved her. How much he loved her. And what they had together. Because it that moment, he felt like his mind was so empty that he didn't even know where he was. The huge mirror in front of him showed this handsome young man, with his gorgeous tux but he wasn't sure if it was him anymore. "It's import to stay calm", he reminded himself once more and closed his eyes for a moment, sitting down in the sofa near by. It was cosy. And warm. He felt like he was about to pass out when his phone started buzzing in his hand and that woke him up fast enough. He asked himself who would be calling him in that moment. No one was that insensitive to interrupt him right before his big moment. The biggest moment in his life.
He looked down to see the ID but the number was blocked. He didn't know if he should answer but he figured that there might be some problem with the preparation of the event and his phone just didn't recognize the number. He pushed the green button and put the phone to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Sammy…" , the voice made his heart skipped a beat. He froze not wanting to move. He felt like his body was out of control while his heart was coming back to his normal speed. "It's been a while…"
Honey why you calling me so late?
It's kinda hard to talk right now.
"Sammy, are you there?", he could't answer. He just couldn't'. It was like his tongue forgot how to move, his brain forgot how to think. He could hear his own heartbeat in his ears. "I'm sorry I'm calling you …". Her voice broke and he could hear her sob on the other end of the line.
"What is it?" , he said finally. His answer was short but he could barely speak. He wasn't sure how he found the strength to say even that simple phrase. He could feel a thousand thoughts running through his head, he wanted to shout and plead and had so many questions, but he could barely get a word out of his mouth. He clenched his fists.
"I just thought that we should talk. You know, considering that in a few hours you're gonna be married and I might never see you again."
He knew she was crying. She had this tiny voice, she didn't sound like her confident self at all.
"Why are you crying?", he asked after a few moments of silence. "Are you crying for me, gorgeous?", he thought to himself. He wanted to just shut the phone and don't look at it again. He wanted to just get up and get out of the room, but he knew he could never do this. One word from her and all of his world was turning upside down. Yes, he was getting married. And yes, his wife-to-be was one of the most amazing people in this world. But he still couldn't move. Not even an inch.
"It's nothing, don't worry about me." , she said softly. He could feel her breathing. He could imagine her holding the phone close to her beautiful red lips and smiling lightly. He knew exactly what she was doing without even seeing her.
and honey why you crying?
Is everything ok?
"Is everything okay?", he asked again. He wanted her to get here right now. He wanted to know why the hell she was calling him at this moment. She knew he had found someone. She knew he had moved on from their stupid broken fairytale. She didn't have any right to call him but still, here she was and he loved it so much that it hurt. His mixture of emotions passing through his veins made him feel dizzy.
"Why are you whispering?", she asked simply. The boy looked around the empty hotel room. He didn't even knew he was whispering, but he got so scared that someone might actually hear them and know it was her.
I gotta whisper cause I can't be too loud.
"I can't be too loud. This place is full of people.", he answered. He didn't know why she called but he was starting to feel kind of uncomfortable. "Why are you calling me, Quinn?"
She cried once more. He could feel all of her pain. For a moment he wanted to hold her in his arms so badly it actually physically hurt him. He could feel her presence even if she wasn't there. Her little body clenched against his, her hands on his chest and her silent breathing that always made him feel so calm. He tought he could use some calm right now.
"I needed you to know that I'm happy for you. And that I hope you found some mercy in your heart and you forgave me. Because I…I…Sam, I can't move on with my life if I'm not sure you forgave me. You were and you will always be the most important person in my life and I need to know that you don't hate me.."
Well, my girl's in the next room sometimes I wish she was you
I guess we never really moved on. It's really good to hear your voice
Saying my name it sounds so sweet
He gulped. He wanted to laugh and cry in the same time. Hate her? He couldn't hate her but oh the Lord knows he wanted to. He felt his heart aching, bleeding once again. She was just in the end of the line. And she was apologizing after all this time. He waited for her to call and tell him she was sorry so many times, so many years but she never did. What was he supposed to do know? Why would she need his forgivennes hours before he become the husband of another woman? Why would she come back so abruptly, why would she bother him with her sadness when he should be the happiest man alive in this moment? He felt tears in his eyes and clenched his jaw. He was not crying for Quinn Fabray one more time.
"I think it's too late for all of that, Q.", his voice sounded harsh. He could hear her sob. He didn't want to make her cry but he felt so hopeless. "My future wife is in the room right next to me. And she loves me, Q., she really does. Tell me please…",his voice broke but he shut his eyes to stay as calm as possible, "…why would you call me and tell me I'm so important for you when you had 5 years to do that?"
He knew that she didn't expect his confession coming her way. She didn't say anything for a few moments, but then he heard her sweet voice on the other end.
"Because I was scared you never wanted to see me again. Because I broke your heart and you still loved me and God knows I didn't deserve that. And because I've never really moved on … Sam, I'm sorry, I'm a horrible person and I might burn in hell for that, but I needed some closure before you…you…getting married."
Sam breathed carefully. Closure? What kind of closure? Cheating wasn't a closure enough for her? He felt so bad that he wanted to throw up. His stomach was turning upside down, her voice making his whole body tense. And the way she said his name made him feel 17 and in love again. So many memories in his head were connected to her. All of his youth and his first love – it was all her. If he could actually go back in time and choose another path, he knew he'd always chose her. Because he loved her with all his heart and soul and even the little touch made him feel so loved in return.
"I thought we had our closure, Q.", he said softly.
Coming from the lips of an Angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak and I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you made it hard to be faithful with the lips of an angel
"I guess for me it was never really over.", she said and he knew she was smiling through her tears once again. She was remembering the exact same thing – two kids learning how to love and how to live. Together. " I guess… I always thought we would end up together and have a big white house and two blond little kids.", she laughed. "But since today, you start building another life. And Sam, we both know I'm not gonna be in it."
He wanted to shout. He wanted to beg her to come here and take him and he could promise her right away to buy her this perfect house and give her the perfect children. But he couldn't. He couldn't do any of it because he had a future wife in the next room who was most certainly so gorgeous and who loved him with all her heart.
"I always thought it was gonna be you in that room too.", he said finally not knowing if he should say the truth or just make her hang up. He didn't know if he was gonna hold on a lot longer. He was feeling so good hearing her voice, so alive but at the same time so guilty that he feared his feelings might actually kill him.
It's funny that you're calling me tonight
And yes I've dreamt of you too
Does he know you're talking to me will it start a fight?
No I don't think she has a clue
"Are you happy, Sammy? Is she the one?", Quinn asked and he knew that it took all of her courage and strength to say those words. He didn't even think about it before answering.
"You were always the one for me, Q. And some things never change."
He could hear her move nervously. He didn't know if he said something wrong. But God, to him it felt so right. He could tell her that he loved her over and over again because it was true. Because no one else had her hazel eyes, her beautiful blond hair, her gorgeous body and that generous smile. He loved every tiny bit of her even her arrogance at times, even her anger and mood swings. He would give the world to have her back but it was so late. "Honey, why did you call me so late?", he thought angrily. A couple of tears streamed down his face but he didn't even move to get them away. He wanted this pain because at least it was for her.
He heard some noise and he opened slowly his eyes, still holding the phone tightly to his ear.
"Open the door, Sammy", Quinn's voice ordered through the phone. He jumped from his place.
"What did you say?", he asked slowly not really understanding.
He heard her laughing.
"Open the damn door of that hotel room", she ordered once again.
Well, my girl's in the next room sometimes I wish she was you
I guess we never really moved on. It's really good to hear your voice
Saying my name it sounds so sweet coming from the lips of an Angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak and I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful with the
lips of an Angel
He took a few steps to the door not sure if he would actually open it. He could hear her breathing nervously in front of his door. His heart started pounding in his chest and he breathed in and out a couple of times. His hand touched the doorknob and he pushed it, closing slowly his eyes.
And when he opened them, there was she. The one and only Quinn Fabray, the same that he had in his thoughts so many years. She was still small, with her flat ballerina shoes and a light summer dress that made her look more like an angel. Her face was puffy and her beautiful eyes were bloodshot red. She looked at him and made an attempt to smile but she failed and the tears started streaming down her face.
"O, Sammy…", she tried to say something but Sam did the only thing that felt natural to him. He captured her wrist and pulled her inside, taking her small body in her embrace. She was shaking and maybe trying to talk but he didn't listen and actually didn't care because she was right there and in a moment, everything in that world made sense. For him, it was always about love. About love and about a girl that he met oh so long ago. That girl who changed his life and who was now in his embrace.
He looked at her and a smile found its way on his lips.
"You look so handsome", she said with a voice full of pity. She was doing her best not to cry but she was still clenching to him like a little girl who will never let her favorite thing in the world get away.
Sam didn't say anything. He couldn't stop looking at her eyes and touching her bare skin. His whole body was so tensed. He needed her so badly and he needed her now. He have waited so long for her to come back to him that he just cupped her face with his hands and kissed her.
The kiss was so abrupt that Quinn actually made a step back of surprise. She looked like a little frightened animal.
"You're not from the one who cheat, Sammy. I…I can't break your marriage. I just wanted to come and see you for one last time and…."
He kissed her again, taking the distance between them for a few seconds. Her lips felt so soft, so natural and so good that his mind lost control over his body. All he wanted to do was hold her. And kiss her. Nothing else didn't exist in that brief moment.
When he pulled away to look at her after what seemed to be forever, everything hit him in a flash. His wife-to-be in the next room, his wedding, his family all waiting, the costume, the flowers. And then it was this girl, the love of his life, red from the crying and the passion of kissing with her hazel eyes and guilty look.
"Quinn", he said slowly. She tried to stop him, begged him not to talk but he continued firmly. "I'm so weak, love…" ,he sounded so terrified in that moment but he was confident that it's the right thing to say. "You make it so hard for me,Q… you always do."She looked ashamed. She didn't dare look him in the eyes while he was talking so he put a finger under her chin making her to raise her head. She was crying once again. " But… you're my angel, Quinn. And I love you. The moment you called I knew I was never giving up on you again. And maybe if you hadn't come here, I would have found some strength in me to move on without you but now it's over. I'm all yours, Quinn Fabray. And I'm sorry, but you'll have to take me."
She looked at him surprised. It was so clear she couldn't believe him saying that.
"Sam…", his heart skipped a beat by the sound of his name coming from her lips. " Are you sure you want this? It will break her heart…"
"It will break both mine and yours if I don't do this. And I'm not ready to let you go away.", he smiled and pulled her closer.
He felt her body loosen up. And for the first time this day, he felt calm. And good. And everything was right. Because it's never too late for true love.