Title: Sometimes It Hurts Instead
Summary: "Sometimes it last in love and sometimes it hurts instead."- Adele. Mentions of previous Sam/Mercedes.
Primary Players: Mercedes & Sam
Rating: T
Word Count: 2152
Disclaimer: Characters are not mine. I was extremely inspired by Adele's song 'Someone Like You'. The song is full of emotion with powerful lyrics, and you should definitely give it a listen.
Mercedes sat at her kitchen table with a cup of warm tea, waiting for her best friend of almost ten years to call her. She allowed the warmth of her drink and the light pouring in from her kitchen window to calm the storm brewing inside her, threatening to re-break the heart she had worked so hard to piece back together.
Her cell phone vibrated against the mahogany table.
Kurt.
"Hello."
Kurt paused. "Hey Cedes," he started cautiously.
Mercedes could hear the concern dripping from her friend's voice. As much as it made her hurt even more she welcomed it compared to the pity that had been in Quinn's voice.
"I already received the invitation, and no I am not going, and no, I'm not even remotely alright."
"I'm so sorry Mercedes. I don't think anyone expected a wedding this soon. I mean, they've only been dating for like seven months, that's just tacky."
Mercedes chuckled at Kurt's attempt to cheer her up. "Yeah well, I guess if you're in love…" she trailed.
"Hey, you two were in love too. Don't let this wedding make you forget that."
"Trust me, I couldn't if I wanted to."
There was a silence between the friends. Mercedes was trying not to let all the thoughts of the years she had spent with Sam flood her mind while Kurt was trying to think of what to say in this situation.
As much pain as he had gone through during his life, he had never had the pleasure of experiencing heartbreak. The closest he had come was when Blaine had been in love with that older guy, but in the end he had still gotten his man.
"They're having a dinner party this weekend to celebrate the engagement." Mercedes' voice sounded soft and far off as if she was still deep in her memories.
"How do you know? I didn't see any mention of a party in the invitation I got."
"Quinn told me about it. His family's church is throwing the happy couple a dinner party." Mercedes cleared her throat and when she spoke again Kurt caught a glimpse of the diva he knew in high school. "I'm going to that dinner party Kurt."
Though his heart soared at the thought of his friend finally fighting to get her man back he still had to ask, "Are you sure you should do that?"
"Yes," said Mercedes, her voice the strongest it had been since she received the invitation.
"Then I'm going with you."
Mercedes knew better than to argue with her best friend. "Ok."
"And I'm bringing Blaine because I know I'm going to need something to get me through this and I doubt Sam's church friends are going to want me to bring liquor to their party."
When she wasn't working Mercedes spent the three days until Sam's engagement dinner torturing herself with memories of when the two were happy and in love.
She remembered that night after prom when she had washed off the pretty makeup and taken off the sparkly dress she'd still felt like a princess because of the words the blonde had said. She knew when she had laid her head on her pillow and was finally able to breathe that she might be in love with Sam Evans.
Her love of Sam had went against the diva inside her. Mercedes' had found herself bending and changing to fit to his needs and wants, and at first she had resisted because she would never let a man change her, but then she'd realized when you love someone you compromise and allow them to better you. And Sam had bettered her.
Sam had been the sweetest and most caring boyfriend. He had fought the jocks who had challenged their relationship, and sung all night to her over Skype her first night in her college dorm, and drove a hour every weekend so they could be together. Sam always started a conversation with how beautiful she was and ended with an I love you. He had been perfect.
In high school, most thought Sam being poor would eventually cause them to break up. Their relationship had never been about money, because even once they graduated high school and Sam had had a steady job for a year and a half, Mercedes' bank account was still bigger than his. No, Sam couldn't monetarily provide the world for her but he loved her like no one else and that had been enough- for awhile.
That last fight had been epic. Mercedes had brought up the idea of them moving to New York after she graduated college and Sam had acknowledged it, but basically brushed it off. The simple disagreement had soon turned into a nasty fight full of hurtful words and accusations. Finally the argument had ended with Sam asking what were they doing.
"What do you mean?" Mercedes had choked out.
"What's happened to us? These past two months have been miserable, all we do is fight."
'We do?' Mercedes remembered thinking. Everything had been good, even great. Sure, they had fought, but what couples didn't?
"I just don't know where the love has gone between us." Sam had trudge on, his face had been a mask of pain, the tears that'd threaten to fall were causing his face to redden and his already pouty mouth to stick out even more.
'The love is right here!' Mercedes had wanted to shout, but seeing Sam so defeated and tired made her swallow her words.
Sam had let out a shaky breath before he delivered the final blow. "I love you Mercedes but I don't know if that's enough anymore."
The doorbell brought Mercedes out of her thoughts of the past. She opened the door to reveal Kurt and Blaine, both dressed simple and elegant in fitted trousers and button downs.
"Look at you foxy lady!" Kurt whistled as he stepped into his friend's apartment.
"Oh this old thing," Mercedes joked.
In all honesty she had spent four hours at the mall trying to find the best dress that would get the attention of the future groom, but not upstage the future bride. She had settled for a coral summer dress that was fitted at the waist, but flowed down to hit right above the knee. The top was a halter and nicely accentuated her chest without being provocative, and she had made sure to do her hair in loose curls because the hairstyle had always been Sam's favorite.
"You look stunning Mercedes," Blaine agreed with his fiancé.
"Thanks guys," Mercedes said genuinely. "Thanks for the compliments, and the support. I really did both right now."
"Well lucky for you, you're amazing so both come easy," Kurt smiled. "Now let's go crash a dinner party!"
The couple had spent the hour and a half car ride successfully distracting Mercedes with show tunes and work gossip. But now that they were in the church parking lot Mercedes couldn't get rid of the butterflies in her stomach. This would be the first time in a year since she had seen her ex.
"You ready Cedes?" Kurt questioned softly.
"Yeah, let's do this." The trio climbed out of Blaine's car and were quickly greeted by Quinn. The old Glee member was dressed similar to Mercedes, in a strapless yellow summer dress with a sweetheart neckline.
"Mercedes." Quinn said has she wrapped her friend in a tight hug. The blond remembered what it had been like to be hurt and lost, and Mercedes had been there to be her rock. Today was her turn to return the favor.
The group started walking toward the church, Blaine's arm linked with Kurt's and Quinn's with Mercedes'. "They're still setting up a few things, so people are just walking around and mingling." Mercedes was grateful that Quinn was informing her on what was going on inside, she didn't want to walk in blind.
Mercedes stopped walking and turned to face Quinn. The boys took the moment as their cue to continue on to the dinner to give the women their privacy.
"How does he look?"
"Truthfully, gorgeous," responded Quinn.
"And his fiancé?"
"Plain," Quinn answered almost automatically. Mercedes smiled at her friend. Whether it was truthful or not, it was the answer she'd needed to hear.
Quinn gave Mercedes a few seconds to collect herself before they continued to the party. The inside of the church was gorgeous with high ceilings and grand chandeliers leading to the pulpit. Mercedes took a moment to take in the decorations before she forced herself to find the man she had came to see.
Mercedes eyes roamed the room and she knew by her breath catching in her throat that she had spotted her ex. If it was possible he had become even more gorgeous. His hair was still the same lemon blond but was cut in a shorter style that made him look more rugged. He had gained about fifteen pounds of muscle and the added weight helped him to fill out his suit perfectly.
"God." Mercedes whispered. "You were right, he is gorgeous." Quinn gave her arm a supportive squeeze.
Mercedes forced her gaze to shift to the woman beside him. She could tell my the look in Sam's eyes that the woman was his fiancé. Quinn had been right again, there was nothing special about the woman. She was pale with brown hair and brown eyes, though Sam looked at her as if she were his world. He use to look at her like that.
And it was because he use to look at her like that, that she knew she was witnessing true love, and who was she to come between that?
"I can't do this Quinn."
"What?" Quinn turned to her friend. She expected to see the diva wrought with nerves, but she was surprisingly calm.
"He loves her Quinn. As much as I love him, he'll never be mine again."
Quinn wanted to tell her that no, he loved her and he just needed to be reminded of that, but she knew Mercedes was right. Mercedes was being truly selfless and while it was heartbreaking to watch, she couldn't have been prouder of her friend.
"Let me just go find Blaine and Kurt and we can go." Quinn moved toward the crowd to look for the guys.
Mercedes watched Quinn leave. Her heart ached but she was okay. She had loved Sam fiercely but it's not promised that love has to last, at least it hadn't for Sam.
"Mercedes?" Mercedes snapped out of her daze to see Sam standing in front of her. "I just ran into Kurt and Blaine. I'm surprised you guys came but I am glad that you all did." He flashed one of his smiles that use to make her weak at the knees, but now just serve to add to the aching of her heart.
"Congratulations," it came out strong and sure, and she thanked god for that.
"You look really beautiful Cedes." Mercedes closed her eyes at the nickname. He was making this really difficult.
"Thank you. You look nice yourself. Your fiancé is lucky to have you. I just hope I'm lucky enough to find someone like you." It had been meant to come out light and jokingly, but Mercedes couldn't help how her voice cracked at the end.
Sam's smile softened at the statement. "Well I don't," he paused at the frown on Mercedes face. "You deserve someone better."
With that he pulled his ex girlfriend of four years into a tight embrace. He would be lying if he said his feelings for her were completely gone. Mercedes had been his first love, they had been through so much together.
Mercedes pushed against Sam's chest, ignoring the voice in her head demanding that she stay close to him. She cleared her throat and wiped at a few stray tears that had fallen without her permission.
"Just promise me you won't forget me." Mercedes winced at the desperation in her voice, but she was desperate. She loved Sam too much to torture herself with being in his presence. This was a real goodbye, maybe forever, but that didn't mean the memories had to go too.
Sam's smile was watery from the tears that threatened to fall. He knew Mercedes well enough to know this was her goodbye. He couldn't blame her, if the situation was reserved he didn't think he'd be half as gracious as she was.
"Never."