Thank you for more lovely reviews. There is a teeny amount of Finn bashing in this, so don't get mad if you like Finn. I'm writing a story, not expressing my own feelings.
It's not hard to fall
Santana stared at Sam Evans. So Trouty Mouth was back in town, and he had been the main reason for the Troubletones demise at sectionals. All that stripping had clearly been good practise for him to come back and sex it up for what would now be known as 'sextionals'. If she'd known all it would take to win was some gyrating she would have been all over that. Still since TM had returned she'd noticed his lack of interest in Mercedes - his summer fling and one of her best friends. She found it odd how little attention he was paying her considering the way that Mercedes had described their summer together. Still Santana had an amazing sense of intuition that told her that someone else was the reason Trouty Mouth wasn't running back to Mercedes.
Not noticing Santana staring at him Sam had been casually eaves dropping on Rachel and Quinn's conversation; they appeared to be discussing the benefits of one mascara over another. It wasn't particularly interesting to him; he just liked hearing Rachel talk about things that didn't relate to Finn.
"Hey Trouty" he heard Santana's slick tone address him.
"Hi Santana" he replied giving her an easy smile "What's up?" he asked, knowing that whenever Santana spoke to him there was bound to be an ulterior motive to it.
Santana smirked at him as she stood up "So, Mercedes said that you guys had a pretty busy summer" she told him standing in front of him hands placed firmly on her hips.
Sam squinted at her "Um, I guess. It was just a summer fling" he mumbled casually.
Sam had really liked Mercedes during the summer; they'd been together for the six weeks before he'd had to move away. He'd found it hard to get over her when he left, it was all so sudden and it was like they never really had their shot together. Before he came back he had thought that if he did return to New Directions that maybe he'd have another shot with her, but she'd already moved on. It seemed almost immediately after he'd moved she'd got a new boyfriend. That was when he realised that if she was going to move on he probably should too.
Santana raised her perfectly shaped eyebrow at him "Well Mercedes still talks about you all the time" she told him, widening her eyes as to get some form of reaction from him.
Sam shrugged "She has a new boyfriend, besides I've gotten over her. She clearly isn't interested anymore" he replied. It was hard enough liking one person's girlfriend he really didn't need to add more girls onto that list.
"Fine. Whatever, I just thought you might want to get her back, but if you like someone else then I guess it doesn't matter" Santana said.
Sam narrowed his eyes, "I don't know what your talking about Santana, and even if I did like someone else, it's not really any of your business now is it?" he replied.
Santana turned and grinned, she knew that she had been right, now it was just a case of figuring out who it was that Sam liked. He was so obvious about that kind of thing she was sure it wouldn't take too long to figure it out.
"Okay everybody quieten down. It's time to choose songs for regionals, there not far off now, just a few weeks away. We need to decide whose singing what and with whom" Mr Schuester told them all as he held song lists in his hands.
"Obviously the former Troubletones will be taking the lead on one song, but I was thinking we need to change up the duet partners for the other songs" he told them "I think that since Tina did such a incredible job at sectionals she and Rory could take on something, and for a little bit of a change of pace I thought Rachel could sing with Sam" he continued.
Sam felt his face light up, he loved singing and performing and doing it at regional's would be a big honour, but a duet with Rachel was more than he could have hoped for. He noticed Tina giving him an interested look as she grinned about her own success. He looked over at Rachel, the expression on her face as somewhere between happiness and confusion, he knew that she liked singing duets with Finn, he was her boyfriend and the male lead in New Directions. Sam never really understood why Finn got all of the leads, he could sing quite well, but a lot of the other guys were better, especially now Blaine had transferred.
Finn frowned "But me and Rachel always sing the duets" he blurted out, giving Sam an apologetic look.
Mr Schuester shrugged "Well as much as I enjoy your duets, I think that something different might work better this year, and it'll give some other members more of a chance to be involved" he told Finn "If it doesn't work out in rehearsals we can always try something else" he added cautiously.
Sam was defiant that he would make this work, Rachel wasn't just an amazing person, she was an incredible singer and he wanted nothing more than to sing with her.
Rachel hung back after the end of glee club and waited for Sam to walk past her "Sam! We are going to need to discuss song choices soon, we need to create a very strict rehearsal schedule so that it goes off without a hitch" she told him breathlessly as Sam stared back at her a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Um sure, whenever you want" he told her.
Rachel made a squeal of excitement and gave him a quick hug. Sam felt his breath catch in his throat and his stomach tighten at her sudden wanting to touch him.
Rachel grinned at him "I'm so excited to sing with you Sam, you have a great voice, and I have sang with a Finn a lot of times so it'd be nice for a change" she told him before spinning around and leaving the rehearsal room.
Sam grinned; a change from Finn was just what Rachel needed.
Santana narrowed her eyes at Sam. He was standing by his locker rifling through his books. She sauntered over to him, her hips tossing from side to side naturally.
"I did always wonder what Macaulay Culkin looked like after the bees stung him in My Girl, and now here you are providing a picture perfect image for me" she said grinning at him, her arms crossed over her chest.
Sam raised his eyebrows "I get it. My lips are huge because I'm allergic to bee stings" he replied dryly. "Anything else Santana?" he asked her, closing his locker door.
Santana rolled her eyes "Look Sam, you and me, we were close. I just want to be your friend" she told him smiling coyly.
Sam couldn't contain his laughter "You never want to be anyone's friend Santana, in fact you go out of your way to make it so people don't like you. Luckily I'm very forgiving and I'm just indifferent to you" he told her smiling.
"Come on Lisa Rena you know that you want to be my buddy. Besides, I have a feeling that you might need some advice" she said.
"Advice about what?" he asked her slowly.
"You're having girl trouble" Santana commented patting his arm gently. "And as we all know, I am well versed in girls" she added.
Sam grinned "Yes I know that" he replied "But I'm not having girl problems, but thank you for the offer anyway" he said.
"I know you're lying too me guppy" she shouted as he walked away from her down the corridor.
The main issue that Sam was facing at the moment was that he had to stay at Finns house, which was just awkward, not for Finn obviously because he wasn't aware of Sam's feelings but for him it was definitely strange. Also Kurt was always offering him clothes to wear, while he appreciated Kurt's fashion tips, Sam wasn't quite sure he could pull off half jumpers and kilts.
He was sleeping in their basement which Kurt had kitted out with a number of interior design ideas. He was playing his guitar softly as he sat on the roll out bed that he slept on. His homework was scattered across the duvet without any hope of being completed in time. Sam sighed as he looked at it.
Sam had always thought that getting into college would be easy for him, even if he didn't get a football scholarship he had a college fund that would pay his way through. But after what happened to his parents earlier in the year they'd used most of that. It wasn't as though he minded he just worried that he'd have to go back to Kentucky and work in that club again if he didn't get good enough grades and a scholarship.
"Hey man" Finn said as he came into the basement distracting Sam from his melancholy.
Sam nodded at him "What's up?" he asked looking at his friend.
"Well me and Kurt thought that since our parents are out of town, we'd have a little party" Finn told him grinning.
Sam smiled "Cool, will there be wine coolers?" he asked referencing Rachel's party from last year.
Finn laughed "I'm sure Rachel will bring some with her" he told him smiling.
Rachel knew that this party was a bad idea, her own party last year had led to all of the glee club drinking at school and her kissing Blaine. It was a bad idea to get drunk on a school night or any other night for that matter. Of course Rachel wanted to hang out with all of her friends she just wish that it wasn't going to involve alcohol.
Rachel had a lot of worrying to do anyway, she had sent of NYADA application and wanted to spend all her time obsessing about it. Instead she'd be drinking wine coolers while Finn wandered round the room like a drunken albatross.
She knocked on the front door of her best friend and boyfriend's house. She was dressed in a black cape style coat, a dark red dress with white tights and penny loafers; it was a Rachel Berry classic. She'd curled her hair so that it fell in loose waves down her shoulders, the breeze tugged at strands of it as she waited outside the door.
Sam opened the door and felt himself light up when he saw Rachel standing there, she grinned at him;
"Hi Sam" she remarked cheerily "I brought wine coolers" she said holding up a box.
Sam laughed "It wouldn't be a party without them" he said grinning at her as he ushered her inside/
Rachel wiped her feet on the mat and walked into the hallway "Let me take your coat" he said gesturing at her.
"Thank you" she said smiling. "Is anybody else here yet?" she asked him as walked towards the living room.
Sam nodded "Nearly everyone, we're just waiting on Quinn and Puck actually" he told her.
Rachel's eyes widened as she entered the living room, it was so messy and the party had barely started. Cushions were scattered everywhere and cups were all over the floor and she could see that most of the guests were already well on their way to being drunk. She perched herself on the edge of one of the sofas and brushed the skirt of her dress down.
Sam noticed her expression "Things have gotten pretty wild already" he told her.
Rachel nodded "Are you not drinking?" she asked.
He shook his head "No, I'm designated driver for tonight, I'm sure someone will need a ride home at some point" he replied smiling.
"RACHEL" Finn shouted as he plonked himself down next to her. "I'm so glad you're here" he bellowed leaning close to her.
Rachel wrinkled her nose, he reeked of beer and he was slurring his words. Being the sober component of a relationship was not fun. She looked at him "Finn please slide over, you're squashing my arm" she told him pushing him gently.
Finn gave her a look "So moody all the time" he muttered under his breath.
Sam made a face and Rachel blushed "He doesn't know what he's saying when he's drunk" she said quietly.
Finn stood up "I know exactly what I'm talking about Rachel, you think that my life in Lima is lame! You want get away from me and this place as soon as possible. All you do is think about yourself and what you want. You're the most selfish person I've ever met" he yelled at her, his words coming out fuzzy from the alcohol.
Rachel stared at him feeling a lump form in her throat "I'm sorry" she whispered as she got up and ran out of the room.
Sam felt his heart break as he watched she ran away.
Please review if you have the time :)
Things are going to get more exciting in the next chapter. I'm just trying to make the transition from show storylines to this story at the moment.