Chapter 3
For a Wednesday night Breadstix was still crowded. Then again it was the Olive Garden of Lima, so go figure. Mercedes looked around at her families smiling faces. Her brother Marley had decided to join them for dinner instead of hanging out with his roommates. Everything in the restaurant had smelt fantastic, it was certainly an upgrade from In and Out burgers and Mac and Cheese.
"So Mercy, how's LA?" Marley asked turning his attention towards his sister.
"It's LA," she said nonchalantly.
"Oh come on, we're never been to the west coast before. Surely there's excitement twenty four seven there," her father said
"I bet you run into a lot of movie stars," her mother beamed
Mercedes shook her head, "Not really, I mean I may catch a glimpse of someone but no actual up close and personal encounters. It's really fast pace moving compared to here. One minute I'm in the studio the next I'm taking an exam for class."
"Oh the fast track life, huh sis?" Marley teased
"Hush Lee… I'm just excited that we're all here as a family and to see your father add this new achievement to his career."
"I'm so proud of you daddy!"
Their waitress had came over and handed out their menus. Mercedes eyes scanned through the listings trying to decide on her meal. Each item she came across sounded amazing to her. Suddenly a sound had caught her attention. Shifting her eyes up she scanned the room until she found where the sound was coming from.
Sam's laughter
All of a sudden her heart began to race. She felt like she might have been having a panic attack. She couldn't peel her eyes away from his cheerful face as he laughed at one of Mr. Motta's jokes. Bringing her out of her panic she felt a hand rub her back.
"Mercy are you ok?" Marley asked concerned.
Finding words to form in her mouth was an understatement, "I…I…"
"Here pumpkin, have a glass of water," her father gestured to the glass in front of her.
She grabbed it and gulped it down, "Sorry" she said.
"Are you ok? What was that all about?" her mother asked.
"It's nothing, I had something caught in my throat. Thanks everyone"
"It's probably from all that singing straining your voice"
"Yeah, probably"
She went back to reading through her menu. Instead of enjoying her time with her family now all she wanted to do was get up and run clear across the states and back to California. It took all the strength she had not to keep shifting her glaze over the Motta's table. When she finally did she realized the family had left and Sam was gone.
After her father had paid the bill the Jones family started to leave the restaurant. Mercedes was thankful that she didn't have to witness Sugar and Sam's interactions for a long time otherwise she wouldn't have been able to eat. Her parents had waved off to Marley as he headed into another direction towards his car. She didn't want to go home just yet.
"Momma, daddy!" she called
"Yes baby?" her mother asked
"I think I'm going to walk around town for a bit and do some star gazing. You don't get to see too many stars at night in LA that aren't famous," she said
Her father waved, "Ok, just be safe. Call us if it gets too late and you need us to pick you."
Mercedes watched as her family got in their car and drove away. There was nowhere in particular that she wanted to go; she just didn't want to go home. She started heading west of Breadstix's until someone grabbed her from behind. Startled she tried to run but the stranger had a tight hold on her.
"Mercedes," the voice said deeply
Fear had started to fade away and was replaced with panic. She knew that voice from anywhere. The stranger had spun her around to face them. Immediately her large brown eyes met a pair of steely green ones. Thinking she could run she found herself backed up against a wall.
"Sam…" she choked out
"Why are you here? Why are you back in Lima?" he asked angrily
She shook her head, "My dads getting an award. My family wanted me to be there. I'm here for my father."
Sam squeezed his eyes shut at her words, "Why… why couldn't you just stay away like you said?"
Sam opened his eyes again and they were now filled with tears. Mercedes placed her hand on her chest rubbing it over her heart. Her heart was aching for him. He stood their in front of her dressed in a nice shirt and tie, with his blonde hair hanging in front of his eyes.
He looked good… too damn good.
They stood less than three feet from each other, each just observing the other for their next move. Sam decided to be the one to make the first play. He stepped closer to her and brought his hand to the side of her face. She turned her head away from him and closed her eyes. Suddenly she was jolted forward as she found herself being held tightly in Sam's arms.
"I've missed you…so much…" he cried
"Sam…"
"Don't say anything… please"
He held onto her to what seemed like forever. He couldn't believe she was back here again; that they would just so happen to be in the same place at the same exact time again. It was almost like fate had brought them together again.
2 Hours Earlier
Sam had been sitting stiffly in his seat next to his girlfriend Sugar. Everything seemed to be moving so fast between the two of them. It went from her asking him out one day to now he was meeting her parents. At first Sam wasn't thrilled that Sugar wanted to paint the town red with their romance. He rather they keep it quiet and private. Sugar on the other hand wanted everyone to know she landed "The Cutest Glee Member". When everyone had heard the news Tina and Artie were the first to confront him about it. Artie had been disappointed because he had really liked Sugar and seeing that Rory had went back to Ireland he was sure he had a shot with her. Tina on the other hand was pissed beyond belief. Sugar was Mercedes friend! Sam had pointed out that she went after him and not the other way around. Still it didn't stop Tina from scolding him for agreeing to the commitment. As it currently stood neither Tina nor Artie were talking to him anymore.
He brought his attention back to Mr. Motta who was cracking another joke. Sugar smiled wildly at him as if to signal him to laugh at her fathers actions. He coughed up an obnoxious sounding laugh that seemed to echo throughout Breadstix. Sam's laughter was killed when he heard in the distance someone was in trouble. He looked around as horror and shock plastered all over his face.
Mercedes
There she was as he lived in breathed a few tables away from him with her family. Something was wrong with her as he watched her family console her over something. Part of him wanted to rush over to the table and tend to her, the other part that kept him there was Sugar. Fighting his conflictions he turned his attention back to the Motta family.
Now his nightmare had become a reality. Mercedes had come back to town. He wanted nothing more than to drop down on one knee and propose an everlasting love to her. Instead he just held her, scarred that if he loosened his grip she would slip away forever and he'd never see her again.
"Cedes… oh baby… I've missed you," he whispered against her hair.
"Sammy… I've missed you."
Suddenly he felt bold, "Marry me!" he said
Mercedes was taken back by his forwardness, "What?"
"I said will you marry me? We can catch the justice of the peace before it closes and be back in LA as soon as possible."
She hung her head pushing him away gently, "Sam I can't marry you."
He looked at her wildly, "I know it's extremely sudden, believe me when I say that I totally had better ideas of doing this than in an alley randomly."
"Sam I know you're with Sugar"
"Who cares! I don't love her… I love you… I always loved you and I still love you."
"Sam!"
"I will stand up for you no matter what you are going through, going through, going through…" he started to sing.
You found a place where you belong
New friends that can do no wrong
That's what you believe
But who is going to be there when you fall
To build up when you are feeling small
Give you love that you need
Who will, I will
When the whole world turns against you,
Ain't no lie
Don't you know that I will stand up for you
No matter what you are going through
I'm still on your side
Any time day or night
Don't care if it's wrong or right
I'm still on your side
Mercedes stood there watching him as he sung his heart out to her. She had missed the sound of his voice when he would sing. He grabbed her hands and pulled her towards him, slowly waltzing to an imaginary beat.
You want to run you want to break free
What you want ain't what you need
Can't you see that I care
I know I'm hard on you sometimes
But when you are looking for the things you can't find
Don't you know who'll be there
Who will, I will
When it's more than you can handle
Ain't no lie
Don't you know that I will stand up for you
No matter what you are going through
I'm still on your side
Any time day or night
Don't care if it's wrong or right
I'm still on your side
I'll be there, I'll be there, I'll be there
I'll be there when you need me
I won't let you go
There's nothing I won't do I'll be there
Her heart was racing as their waltz turned into a private slow dance. She inhaled the scent of his cologne as he rested his head on top of hers. Just as she was getting comfortable in his arms realty had struck. There was no way they could ever be together again. He would never look at her the same way if he knew the truth.
Don't you know that I will stand up for you
No matter what you are going through
I'm still on your side
Any time day or night
Don't care if it's wrong or right
I'm still on your side
I will be around when the others let you down
I'm still on your side
Anytime you need help and you can't find nobody else
I'm still on your side
Once he had finished he brought his face closer pressing his lips against hers. She sighed at the touch of his soft lips. He pulled his head back slightly to smile at her. It felt like when he had came back to school a year ago all over again. The same smiling satisfaction he got after singing a duet with her and then kissing under her name in lights.
"This is wrong Sam," Mercedes said
"Why? I know you still love me. I can see it in your eyes that you didn't mean what you said. We can start over again from scratch. I'm willing to pretend it was just a bad dream."
"I can't Sam, I told you before that I can't be with you. Things have changed…"
"What things? I see nothing different than before except you're keeping yourself at arms length away from me."
"I have my reasons"
"And what exactly are they? Because I'd loved to hear them," he laughed
"They're personal and none of your business," she said shaking her head, "I need to go, I need to get back home."
"Wait… just stay with me for a little longer," he pleaded
"Sam you're not making anything better by doing this"
"Why can't I? Stop pushing me away Cedes! I love you, accept that," he paused for a moment, "Is it someone else? Did you find someone new?"
"You're one to talk! You're with Sugar! How could you Sam, she was my friend," she yelled.
Sam looked at her surprised, "It's not like I purposely went chasing after her after you left. She made all the advances, I just accepted out of loneliness…"
"Do you love her?"
"What? No! I only love you"
"Then why did you agree to a relationship with her?"
"I told you I was lonely and I needed to fill an empty void. Besides I don't need another lecture about this, I already had to suffer at the hands of Tina's wrath once already."
Mercedes smiled at the thought of her friend, "Well she's a good friend."
"If its Sugar you're worried about I'll break up with her."
"Sam! Stop being so hasty. I saw you with her family. That means something."
"Not to me! She only wanted me to meet her parents because she was excited. I wasn't too thrilled about it."
This couldn't be happening! He was supposed to be furious with her, even hate her. Instead they were falling back into old patterns with each other. His reaction was making the situation even worse her. Did he really think she would marry him on a whim like that? Of course he did… well maybe the old Mercedes. The new Mercedes had to place a better head on her shoulders; one that was a little less naïve.
"I have to go," she said turning around to leave.
"Cedes! You said you would stay"
"Jesus Sam, STOP IT! Stop trying to pick up the pieces. Stop trying to save us. Stop trying! I will not marry you and no we no longer have a future together. Now quick begging and go home to Sugar. She's your girlfriend now, not me, not anymore. Make things work with her."
On that note she stormed off away from him. He hadn't expected to react to her the way he did. In his head he was going to curse her out and then walk away from her head. Instead he showed his weakness and vulnerability and she in return walked away from him.
Again
Feeling the rage boil over he swiftly punched his fist against the wall. The pain shot up his arm and he was certain that his knuckles were bleeding. He didn't care; he didn't care about much right now. 'Damn it! Why did I have to say yes to Sugar? Now she had a reason to not talk to me,' he cursed to himself. One way or another they were going to talk and he was going to get her back again; even if he had to throw his pride out the window to do it.
Song "Still By Your Side" by BBMak
