Disclaimer: I do not own glee or any of it's characters
I hope you enjoy this chapter:)
Chapter 2: First Day Again Part 1
" Alright, you've got this girl."
Mercedes tiptoed out of her room and peeked around to make sure Roger wasn't out yet and then went to the kitchen to grab a granola bar before going outside to get in her car. She drove off without even making a sound to alert either of them that she was gone. Thank God Roger had decided to send her car ahead, she didn't know what she would have done if he had forced her to leave it behind.
When she pulled up in front of Mckinley she took a deep cleansing breath before stepping out of her car. She noticed all the standard cliques as she walked up to the school. There were a few oddities here and there, but for the most part, everyone flocked to their own kind. She took notice of how friendly they all were , she got so many greetings this morning along with compliments on her 'new style', it was both refreshing and freaky. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard.
She walked into the office and was met by the kind smile of an older hispanic woman sitting at the front desk.
"Buenos dias, Tessa. How are you today?" Mercedes looked around for a minute and then realized that she was talking to her.
"Hi, no, my name is Mercedes Till, my step father called in my new registration last week."
"Not funny Tessa, how did you know we were getting a new student today anyways?" The hispanic woman's gray eyes sparkled with amusement and Mercedes gave her a funny look.
"I am the new student, my name is Mercedes Till, my step father Roger Till called in the new registration last week. You must have me confused with someone else."
"Mornin' Ms. Hernandez." The woman's eyes went from confused to astonished right before Mercedes eyes. When she turned around to see who had given the greeting all she could see was curly black hair running down the hallway. It was like the lady was watching a tennis match the way her head was moving back and forth, from the empty entrance to her. Mercedes was starting to get annoyed, she'd heard the warning bell on her way to the office, and she knew the second bell would ri-, nope there it was. Great, now she was going to walk in late and be introduced to the class without a chance to look around and observe any of her new classmates.
"Are you who I speak to about my schedule, am I in the right place?" Mercedes looked around confused and agitated, this school was already different from anywhere that she had been, maybe the differences went beyond the too friendly kids.
"N-no, I am who you speak to, it's just that, you look just like one of the students we have at the school. You could literally be her twin." Maria Hernandez was astonished by the similarities that Mercedes had to Tessa. If it weren't for the eyes she would have sworn that she had found her long lost twin. "I-I'm sorry. Yes, I have your schedule." She handed Mercedes the pre-made welcome packet she had for her. "Your first class is with Mr. Hamilton, AP English, room 115. Do you need me to get you a guide?"
Mercedes was giving her a funny look, but she just couldn't stop staring. The similarities were uncanny. "I'm sorry, you might run into Tessa, oh no, you will run into Tessa, she's in Mr. Hamilton's class this morning too. It's unbelievable how alike you two are physically. Wow." Maria tried to stop staring, she really did, she just couldn't make her eyes look anywhere else.
"Ok, I'm going now, thanks." completely and thoroughly weirded out Mercedes started backing out of the office, and still this lady would not take her eyes off of her. She could still feel the eyes on her as she walked down the hall.
"Ok, you've still got this."she whispered to herself, realizing full well that this school was nothing like all the others, it seemed that she was oi new territory. "New territory that you are about to conquer." she said a little louder with more conviction.
"You still talking to yourself Jones. I thought that we decided that it was crazy lookin not alluring." Mercedes turned at the sound of the smooth, deep voice, and froze. She had stopped moving, stopped breathing. OMG, she thought, she needed to breath. Had she stopped breathing.
"Jones, you ok?" Gorgeous clear emerald eyes looked at her imploringly. Eyes that were framed by a face that proved there was a God in Heaven. She should say something is all that she could think, but nothing would come out. She couldn't say anything because she couldn't seem to breath. Breath Mercedes, breath! Her mind shouted at her lungs and her vocal chords to stop being stupid but the traitorous bunch wouldn't listen.
"Jones, do you need me to go get the nurse?" The boy came closer as she simultaneously took a step back. Although her normal body functions refused to cooperate, her 'fight or flight' reaction seemed to be working just fine. He stopped with a hurt expression on his face and then it seemed like a moment of clarification came over him as his features hardened. "So you've heard huh? This is how it's going to be from now on then." Mercedes stayed silent, her body still not wanting to cooperate. "Fine, I get it. I just thought you were better than this Jones. See you when I see you then." Then the boy was gone and Mercedes still couldn't move or breath for about 15 seconds, trying to process what had just happened. When all of the tension finally released from her body, she thought how she was definitely in uncharted waters and would need a helping hand from a friend to get through this day. She was already late a quick 5 minute phone call wouldn't hurt anything.
She went into the first bathroom she could find, checked all of the stalls and then entered the number that she had memorized by heart. It rang once before she heard the all too familiar voice of her best friend.
"What's up chika? Tell me everything, from the moment you left the house to now." Kelly Tolva shouted into the phone. Mercedes couldn't help but giggle at her friends ignorance to how loud she talked. Being that Kelly was deaf in one ear, she just never saw the need to change the tone or level of her voice. Ever.
"I don't have much time. I'm actually suppose to be in class." Mercedes left it there.
"Tell me what's wrong." Kelly demanded.
"I don't really know, this place, this school. It's just different is all. The kids, the staff, everything is different here. People keep staring at me. You know me, I like 1 or 2 friends max, but all of these people act like they've known me their entire lives. It's unsettling. You know I don't need nor do I want anyone in my business." Mercedes said, playing with the necklace her real father had given her when he was still here.
Kelly knew that everything Mercedes had just said was true about her, she was a private person and chose her friends accordingly. Kelly knew that she didn't even know everything there was about Mercedes and her family, and she was her one and only friend, she knew that for a fact. "Maybe this is a good thing Mercedes, maybe this is a prelude to what's to come. Maybe your parents are finally putting down roots." Kelly knew enough about Sandra and Roger Till to know that Mercedes was not their first priority. The way that they moved around and left Mercedes on her own proved that, but Mercedes always fought through it. She always came out stronger through whatever nonsense her parents were going through at the time. She always prayed that they would get their act together for their daughters sake, but it just never seemed to workout. If this place was as different as Mercedes said it was maybe it meant that her prayers were finally being answered. "You should reach out to all of those people, make some new friends. Friends that you don't have to talk to through a phone or computer every time." Kelly was met with silence. "Come on Cedes, you know that I love you, but...this just isn't normal. The way that you've been living. Keeping everyone at arm's length. Maybe it's time for a change."
"I don't need to make any new friends. You know that we'll probably be gone within the next year. What's the point." Mercedes replied in a desperate whisper, trying to get Kelly to understand without telling her what she didn't need to know. She thought she knew where this conversation was going, she had suspected for the last two or three moves.
"Well, maybe it's time for a change Mercy. I mean come on, what girl that is as awesome as you only has 1 friend and no boyfriend. Ever. I just don't understand why you won't make any connections." Kelly paused, "I just...I worry about you is all."
Mercedes held the tears that she could fill building starting up from the rock that was at the bottom of her stomach. No one has ever loved her like Kelly loves her. She knew that she had a special friend in her, but she just couldn't share all of her secrets. There were just too many.
"Well stop. I promise you I'm fine. I promise to make friends ok. I promise to...try."
"Well that's better than the flat out no that you usually give me, so I'll take it. What is it that you needed to call me about anyways?" Kelly replied, knowing full well that she was most likely lying.
"Well, this should make you happy, I met a boy today. A gorgeous sapphire eyed boy. It was crazy, one minute I was making my way to my first class, then this ohmygosh make you wanna break out in song voice said something. Like all of these other weirdos he called me by a different name. I'll have to tell you all about that later, but as soon as I turned around it was like my body completely shut down. If he hadn't of walked away, I'm telling you I would be dead right now, from lack of oxygen."
Kelly laughed, "A boy that can stop Mercedes Till right in her tracks, I like him already. Try to take a picture next time you see him, I have got to see this guy." Kelly joked. Mercedes did not think it was funny, Kelly had never had any problems with boys before, the girl was freakin' gorgeous. The only similarity between her and Mercedes was their complexion, after that, Kelly had all the right curves in all the right places, there was not a misplaced lump or bump anywhere on her body. Her hair was cut short in a bangin' pixie cut that let all the straight and aligned features of her face do their thing. Her eyes were this ridiculous shade of hazel honey, that Mercedes swore she saw bees side eye on more than one occasion. Not to mention her style, Kelly was one of those girls that you took as she came, because she was not changing for anyone. Kelly didn't waste her money on the trashy outfits, the ones that left nothing to the imagination. She had a style so her own, that no one would ever be ever to duplicate it, Mercedes was sure of it.
"It's not funny. I can't be that girl." Mercedes said with such conviction, Kelly had to really work hard not to release the laugh that was
tickling the back of her throat. "Look, I've gotta go, I promise to call you later to finish this conversation. Please don't say find a friend that
you can talk it out through here, because no one but you is going to be able to help me not pass out and die the next time I see that green
eyed magician, or whatever he is. Love you, bye" Before Kelly could respond Mercedes was gone and it was probably a good thing too,
because all Kelly could do was laugh, and that definitely would not have been the appropriate response.
What did you lovely people think. I have had this story trapped in my head for weeks and I just can't seem to think about anything else. I can't wait to see what you guys think about it. Please review, the good and the bad are both appreciated. Thanks for reading:)
