Author's Note So this is not my first story but it is the first I'm publishing here. I have chapter 2 written already but I wanted to get some feedback before I post it. ALL criticism is welcome.
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Mercedes yawned and checked her watch. 10:38.
"Okay maybe I shouldn't have stayed up to watch that Scandal marathon last night, but Olivia was stressing me out." She thought to herself rubbing her eyes. Not even the heavily sugared coffee she clutched in her dark brown hand would keep her awake.
To be fair Scandal wasn't the only thing that occupied her usual sleeping hours. In fact the thing that kept her awake the most was currently burning a hole in her purse or more specifically her cell phone. Yes. A dreaded dating app. If she was being honest with herself she'd admit that she had stayed awake fielding all sorts of romantic, creepy, or sometimes downright scary messages.
But you know what they say, hindsight and numbers and all that.
Her train of thought was interrupted by a large thick manila envelope plopping on her desk near where her feet lay. Mercedes's eyes lingered there a moment then meandered their way up a bright red blazer to the severe blue eyes of Sue Sylvester.
Her temples throbbed at the sight of her. Nevertheless Mercedes smiled, no, beamed at her boss.
"Sue! What can I d-" she was quickly cut off.
"Save the small talk, Aretha Franklin." the boss commonly known as the dragon lady waved her hand imperiously as if to ensure Mercedes that she required no pleasantries. "There are clients waiting in conference room B, this folder holds their details. See what they want, get the job done." Sue dictated, tone clipped as always. Mercedes dropped her red pumps to the floor, pushed away from her desk and stood. Before she could even leave her office space Sue placed her hand on Mercedes's shoulder, adding; "oh and one more thing? Do it the Sylvester way."
It took all she had for her to not roll her eyes. Mercedes muttered something that sounded affirmative and moved onto the conference room. Flipping through the folders she scanned the various stats. Nothing too special, just a mid-size tech firm in need of some public presence.
"We can't all be Google now, can we?" She snickered to herself before she pushed the heavy wood doors of the conference room open. Or tried to anyway.
"Oh my god." She swore, banging her shoulder against the wood. At 5'3 Mercedes wasn't insubstantial in height or weight. With thick thighs, arms that had a little jiggle and a not so flat stomach she'd worked the title "plus-sized pinup". She shoved at the door twice more before it swung open and slammed against the wall with a loud bang.
Immediately three pairs of eyes locked on to her standing in the doorway.
"Gentlemen! I apologize for my...loud entrance." Mercedes laughed nervously. She sat on the other side of the small conference table and took in her brand new clients. In front of her was brunet with horn rimmed glasses in a wheel chair. On his right was a bright eyed man with his dark hair gelled down, smiling broadly. And to the left...
'Shit.' Mercedes thought, because to the left sat her high school boyfriend. Samuel Evans. In fact now that she was paying attention, all three men were her former classmates and from the look in their eyes, they'd realized it too.
The man in the middle, Artie, spoke first. "Mercedes? Mercedes Jones! Holy shit is that you?" All she could do was nod in stunned silence as Blaine joined in animatedly and asked her what she'd been doing all this time. While Mercedes had just done her best to answer her two classmates' questions, out of the corner of her eye she could see Sam sitting there with this sort of amused look on his face.
'Just who does he think he is,' she fumed internally 'sitting there on his fine ass looking even better than he did when we were kids.' In the seven years since they'd seen each other Sam had filled out generously, his jaw taking on a strong shape, arms muscled under the rolled sleeve of his dress shirt. But his eyes were just as intense as the day she last saw him. Of course that day they had been glaring at her, but today, those light green irises were filled with...longing?
Oh sweet baby Jesus in a Manger.
Blaine finally slowed his line of questioning and turned to look at Sam, who at this point was full on staring at Mercedes now.
"Sam, buddy, got anything to ask?"
'Oh no no. No God please. Don't let this man open his mouth.'
Sam quirked an eyebrow at his friends and turned to lock eyes with Mercedes, toting a smile that could only be described as dangerous.
"No. I think you guys hit all the bases, besides there isn't much I don't know about Mercy. After all I was her bo-"
"Booooyology partner! Lab partners. Mmhmm. We were partners for two years right Sam?" She laughed too loudly and slapped her hands on the table. Artie shook his head and laughed along. Sam just shot her a small frown, his eyes promising they would talk later.
'Good God in heaven please help me.' Mercedes sent a quick prayer to the almighty and spoke again.
"Well, as fun as catching up is, we should probably get down to business huh?" Mercedes withdrew the papers from her manila folder and began to pitch ideas for a national ad campaign. Within an hour and a half the former classmates had worked out a serious blueprint to get their tech into the public's eye and hopefully their hands soon after. But each and every time she had glanced at Sam (despite her brain firmly telling her not to) she'd met the same heated gaze, the one that made her knees jelly.
When all the hands had been shook Mercedes almost ran into the staff lounge, hands shaking.
"Oh no. Oh my god." Mercedes looked up at the office ceiling.
"Jesus, why are you doing this? Hmm? What did I do for you to put this man back in my life? Was it because I cut that lady off? I was late!" Just then a shadow loomed over her.
"Good to see you still do that."
His voice made her shiver, its deep tone hitting her right at her core. She turned quickly to face Sam, serious frown faltering at his proximity. His pink lipped smile shifted into a loaded smirk. Mercedes steepled her hands together to stop them from pulling out her curly dark hair.
"Y-you can't be in here Sammy." She cursed both her stutter and her use of the friendly nickname she'd given him sophomore year.
He lifted his blond eyebrows at her in mock surprise. "Oh! Are you going to stop pretending you don't know me now?" He chirped.
Irritated, Mercedes snapped back. "I wasn't pretending anything. I greeted you just like I did Artie and Blaine, just like I would anybody." Then it was Sam's turn to look irritated.
"And since when am I anybody to you?" He stepped closer to her, nearly pushing her into the wall. His heat and scent put Mercedes at danger of going crazy. Still she held strong.
"Don't do that Sam. We aren't kids anymore." She placed her hand on his chest to push him backwards but as soon as she made contact her hand stayed, almost clutching at his dress shirt. He covered her hand with his, lightly tanned skin over deep chocolate brown.
"My thoughts exactly. We aren't kids anymore so why are you hiding the fact that we were together?"
Mercedes rolled her eyes, he'd always had a flair for dramatics.
"Professionalism. I'd prefer to keep our history where it belongs. In the past." Sam had the gall to laugh at that and in response Mercedes snatched her hand from his hold, immediately mourning the loss of his heat.
"If you are done," she sniped "go home. Or back to work. Just...anywhere but here." Their conversation had her reminiscent of high school, the way they would tease each other with jabs and playful wrestling that'd eventually turn into-
Nope. Not going there.
Sam looked unperturbed by her command and instead reached down to grab Mercedes's hand again.
"What do you say we get coffee? Really catch up." His eyes gleamed with mischief and Mercedes could barely remember what she'd been saying thirty seconds prior.
"I don't like coffee." It wasn't a complete lie. She didn't like black coffee. Sam blew a noisy breath out at the ceiling before looking back down at her. "That's right," his tone had taken on a taunting lilt "you like coffee flavoured sugar. You can get that too." Without leaving her time to decline, Sam spun around and took his leave. Mercedes sighed and let herself slump against the lounge counter. Sam popped his head back in the door, smile wide.
"Call me when you're off for lunch, your secretary has my number." Mercedes didn't reply, opting instead to stare at the ugly green carpet below and pray that it would swallow her whole. That is until Sam called her name. She looked up and met his eyes.
"I missed you."
And just like he made her heart seize up and her throat go dry. There was the guy she'd been in love with in high school, staring at her like she was the only thing worth seeing.
And God help her if she didn't believe it.
Man I really wish I hadn't rewatched glee. That show and I are in an abusive relationship. Anyhoo tell me what you think, and don't hold back, I can take it. I plan to update tomorrow tbh.
P.S. this is crossposted on literotica and soon to be crossposted on ao3.
P.P.S come rant about shows (and samcedes) to me at .com