For the people that reviewed, thank you. It's really interesting to hear your views on the story and I know I bug you allllll, but it really is a high motivator. Also, goodness, I've caught up and just finished chapt 4. so hopefully I can write a couple more so that I can continue this once a week update.
Chapter 3
In Motion
Quinn woke, her head pounding from the amount of alcohol she had consumed the night before and looked around the hotel room. Sam was nowhere in sight except for a very neatly made bed and a small note on top of it. She groaned, leant over and grabbed it, rubbing her eyes as she read it.
Gone for a ride to get breakfast. Hope you like waffles.
S
Quinn raised an eyebrow. They could have just gotten room service or gone down to the buffet, which she was kind of planning to do since she was feeling just a little bit under the weather this morning. She changed into a pair of sweats and a singlet, knowing she should probably go down to the Gym but decided with a 'meh' that she couldn't be bothered. The door opened soon after to have Sam, wearing only jeans and sneakers, skateboard in tow and a paper bag.
"Brekky!" He called out, but Quinn had to swallow before speaking. He should never be allowed to be shirtless around her, ever.
"You went out, just for waffles? You know there is such a thing as room service." Sam just smirked, moving to Quinn's bed as he started to lay out the food.
"Ah but Miss Fabray, you are yet to try these waffles though." Quinn rolled her eyes and sat across him, watching him as he laid the food out in front of her.
"Seriously what-" Sam held a finger up which caused Quinn to sigh and when she gave him a piece she rolled her eyes before taking a bite. As soon as she tasted it her eyes flicked up to Sam's and he was sporting a grin. His green eyes were lit up, his blonde hair peeking out from under his cap as he nodded. Quinn quickly swallowed, taking the whole waffle and started to eat it, probably very ungraciously, but she didn't care. It was so good.
"I told-" Quinn put her finger up to him this time, causing a laugh as he rolled onto his side on the bed and still looked at her.
"How… I can't even function, this is so good." Quinn murmured, taking a second piece. It was so god damn good, she had no words to describe it. Sam just smirked at her, his hands clasped in front of him. He ate too and Quinn thought over last night. Something that stood out was the girl Sam was arguing with before their performance.
"Sam, who was the that girl? Phoebe?" Quinn murmured after a few moments of silence. She watched his reaction carefully. He sighed, rolling onto his back as he looked up at the ceiling.
"A girl that she screwed me over. Have no idea why she came." Quinn frowned, chewing her waffle slowly.
"You seem like a pretty great guy Sam." Quinn murmured and she saw him shrug, pursing his lips.
"Doesn't feel like it."
"Sam, you're a machine. Vocals, drums and guitar? Basically a dreamboat." He laughed at Quinn's comment, looking over at her so she could see him roll her eyes. She just shook her head at him.
"That was lame." Sam said with a laugh.
"I know, now shut up and eat your dam waffles." Quinn muttered, taking her third piece. Sam just smiled and for the first time that morning, Quinn realized she was falling for him. Hard.
Off they went, heading by bus to San Francisco. The option to fly by plane was there, but since the crew were going to be on the bus Quinn wanted to spend time with them. Plus, Sam wasn't flying so she really didn't want to have to wait a few days for them by herself. It was the best time of her life on that bus, there were guitars everywhere, someone had a violin and Sam was playing a ukulele. Was there anything that he couldn't play?
After a while of playing, she saw him sneak off and Quinn frowned, putting down her maracas and followed him. She found him, sitting in his small cot and throwing a small ball against the wall.
"Sam?" Quinn murmured, moving to sit on the cot opposite him.
"Quinn, can I ask you something?" Sam murmured and Quinn nodded, pulling her legs up so she could sit cross-legged.
"Why Finn?" Quinn raised an eyebrow, her eyes widening. Where on earth did this come from?
"What? Where did this even come from?"
"Just got this." Sam slid off the cot, throwing what appeared to be his phone onto the sheets beside Quinn. She frowned, not amused by his behaviour and grabbed the phone. A text message, from Finn. Well, okay.
There have been complications in the budgeting and unfortunately we're unable to keep you on after the San Francisco show. We apologize for this, you will be compensated and your talents for the next album will be greatly appreciated.
Quinn's eyes widened, once again, and she looked up to see Sam, pacing along the small corridor in the bus. He was chewing his nails, his cap off and wearing a sweatshirt and tracksuit pants.
"He can't do this." Quinn murmured, sliding off the cot.
"He's your manager." Sam muttered, running his hand over his cheek.
"And I'm French Navy." Quinn murmured before clarifying "You're French Navy." Sam looked up at her, licking his lips as he processed that thought. Quinn knew he felt underappreciated and that the label didn't care too much about him, but she cared. "I'm gonna call up Rachel, she'll deal with it. But for right now, you're staying." Quinn swallowed, feeling the urge to touch Sam. To let him know that she knew how important he was, but, she couldn't. She had to deal with Finn, she had to know what his intentions were.
"What?" Quinn asked, noticing how his look changed. He looked at her… like she had no idea. It felt like she was being scrutinized.
"You're fucking him." Sam muttered, shaking his head. Quinn's eyes widened. How on earth? "That's why."
"What are you on about?" Quinn murmured, running her hand over her forehead. He was right, of course, but still she didn't really know where he was going with this. Sam stepped forward, showing the text again to her.
"I'm a threat. After what happened last night. Holy fuck, that's…" Quinn totally didn't expect it, but Sam just started to laugh and moved to sit down on a small chair that occupied their tiny tour bus kitchen.
"Sam, that's unprofessional." Sam stopped laughing and looked up at her, his eyes full of anger. Her wording could have definitely been better.
"Really, you're gonna pull that on me?" Sam muttered darkly and Quinn let out a frustrated sigh.
"He's not gonna kick you out just because you did something not to his… liking."
"I'm pretty sure he can, because I'm sure that's the definition of fucking the manager." Quinn's jaw dropped and she felt the wind get sucked out of her. That was a blow that she did not expect. Especially from him. She could tell how much this whole ordeal meant for Sam, but that was not okay. "You don't need a guy, fucking up your career because he thinks he owns you."
"What, you mean someone like you?" Quinn spat at him, knowing by the way he looked at her that there was a possibility that he liked her. Sam stood from his chair in a flash and stormed over to her, pressing her against the wall. The bus shook beneath them and Quinn felt a tear fall from her cheek, her eyes staring up at his green. Quinn, again, had to suppress the feeling to kiss him again.
"If you think for one second that I would ever, ever try make you feel like you've just made me feel then I can't be around you. You of all people don't deserve bullshit and you're gonna push away people that care about you. Starting with me." Sam gave her one more look and it was a look Quinn had burned into her mind as she fell asleep that night. It was full of pain.
What had she done?
It was obvious what Finn was trying to do and it just worked, which frustrated Quinn to no end. There was no way to win. She couldn't. Quinn didn't have the strength to and she didn't have the courage. Well, that's what she thought.
Quinn rolled over in her small cot that reminded her of a coffin and looked down the small corridor. Sam was sitting at the table, talking on the phone in a very soft hushed whisper. It just made Quinn worry more. When they arrived in San Francisco, Quinn was ultimately worried as to how their gig would go. Sam hadn't talked to her since their fight the night before and all she could do was watch him set up gear on stage. At least he was still there.
Rachel was bugging her all day about what had happened, but Quinn couldn't be bothered to explain to her. It was all too much. She was glad that there were a few acts before her and Sam, in hoping that she could talk to him or something. At least tell him how sorry she was for last night. He was right, of course he was. Finn didn't control her. It was her band, he may have some light into how things may be run, but this was a decision that should have been discussed with her.
Quinn was determined to find him, but alas, again, Phoebe the girl from the night before was there. Except, Sam was different. Sam had told Quinn about how this girl treated him like dirt, cheated on him, did things that he made him not want to see her again. But right now, as this girl stood talking to him, squeezing his hand, kissing his cheek, all Sam did was nod and say nothing. He wasn't wearing his cap, he didn't even look like himself and when Sam caught Quinn's eye he immediately looked away.
That was the end and Quinn felt it.
When it was their time to hit the stage, Sam said nothing to her. He was wearing a plaid shirt, black jeans and no cap. There were no words of encouragement. No words of how beautiful Quinn looked in her floral dress. Nothing. Sam played magnificently of course, he played his part, but he didn't sing. He just gave the crowd a small smile and brief bow before exiting after their encore. Quinn followed him, grabbing his wrist and tugged him back.
"Sam, please." Quinn pleaded, letting him go when he tugged his wrist back. His eyes were lowered and all she wanted to do was see him smile. See his eyes bright again. She heard Phoebe's squeal and backed off, watching as she hugged him. All he did was murmur a hello and walked off.
There was no after party. Not for Quinn anyway. All she did was watch Sam dance with a hundred different girls all night. Rachel was there, talking to her, which was sort of comforting but also very annoying at the same time. All Quinn wanted to do was sulk and ponder her future career. Losing Sam would be disastrous, but being with Sam? The same thing. Finn would not like the look of it. He would not like it at all. She was technically still his girlfriend and that frustrated her. That even though he was probably banging some girl he was hypocritical and constricting as to what she was able to do.
"Quinn, your boy is in trouble." Quinn frowned and looked up, the words all too familiar of what had happened the other night. Yet, this didn't sound good. She followed the guy who showed her to the side street. She saw Sam lunge at another guy, smashing him into a bin. The guy, spun round, threw Sam to the ground and she winced by the sound it made.
"Oh, Mummy's here." She heard the guy spit at Sam and Quinn watched as he looked at her before kicking at the guys shin, causing him to fall. Sam stood, standing over the guy.
"Be careful next time who you call a slut, mate." Sam muttered before walking off, Quinn following behind him.
"Are you insane?" Quinn whisper shouted at him. Sam just groaned, trying to walk in a different direction but she grabbed his wrist and tugged him to her. "You can't go around punching guys because you feel like it."
"That guy called you a fucking whore, who'd never let a faggot shit like me in her slut band. So excuse me." Sam spat, wiping his chin as he felt blood trickle down it. Quinn just sighed, putting her hands on her cheeks as she cleaned him up.
"You're an idiot." Quinn muttered, pulling out his pocket square from his shirt and wiped his eyebrow with it. When she finished she sighed and looked up at him, putting her hands on his cheeks. He was looking down at her with this… this look she hadn't seen since they were in L.A performing together. Where he just cared so deeply.
"I'm sorry Sam, but I can't." Quinn whispered, moving her hands to his chest.
"Finn will never treat you like you're something. You'll always be property."
"You don't even know me Sam." Quinn muttered before stepping back, letting out a sigh as she ran her hand through her hair. Sam looked at her and Quinn just wanted to hug him, to thank him. Quinn was torn, terribly torn and all she could do was watch as he took it. She saw his Adams apple bobble as he swallowed hard and she totally didn't expect it when he pulled a small envelope from his pocket. It only had Sam's name on the front and was already open.
"Here." He muttered before walking off, leaving Quinn stunned. She quickly opened it to see a small picture. It was of them, standing out the front of the Wiltern when they had their water fight. Quinn was wearing his cap, Sam was looking at her with this huge grin on her face and it made Quinn's heart ache. Quinn looked up, watching Sam's figure retreat in the distance and opened her mouth to call him, but then her own name was called.
"Quinn." She turned and saw the last person she wanted to see on earth. It was Finn. Standing in the small light of the side street, he looked like a giant. He was wearing a stupid suit and it made him so professional it made Quinn want to look away.
"Finn?" Quinn murmured, frowning as she folded the picture and put it in a pocket she had in her dress. She quickly looked down, wondering if she looked presentable enough for him and when she looked up he was right in front of her.
"We have business to discuss."
That's that!
Reviews are always, always welcome!
