Authors note - I wanted to thank everyone who reviewed the story! I wasn't sure if I was going to continue this story or not, I usually just do scenarios, but because of all of you I feel extremely motivated to do so. Thank you again and I really hope you enjoy.
Chapter Three - I don't know what to tell you.
"You took him home?"
Mercedes had been on her way from her last class to rehearsal when Shane stepped from around a corner and stopped her. She'd told him last night when he called, she wasn't a liar and she wouldn't allow her relationship to be based on them like so many others she knew. He had seemed fine on the phone but now it looked like the time he had to think about it didn't help.
"I did." Mercedes replied, clutching her books closer to her chest. "I told you this last night."
"Yea, well, I don't like it." He said, a little flustered. Shane wasn't very good with words and that was okay because it was one of the things she liked about him, the way he always got a little nervous when he couldn't form words right.
"I understand you don't like it but I wasn't just going to leave him here with no ride." Mercedes said
"and he couldn't get someone else to take him home?"
"He left Glee early, there was no one else."
"Why did he do that?"
"because he dislikes the favoritism just as much as I did." Mercedes chuckled incredulously. "What exactly do you think happened Shane?"
"Nothing, I just really don't want you hanging out with him." Shane replied "Please stay away from him?"
"I don't really like being told who I can and cannot be friends with." Mercedes snapped "What do you think is going to happen here, you're going to be able to bully me into not being friends with Sam?"
"I would think that, as your boyfriend, If I asked you to stay away from a guy I don't trust, you would do it." Shane retorted
"You're not asking me, you're telling me, and you don't even know him."
"I don't need to know him to know he wants you back and he doesn't seem to care that youre dating someone else."
"I don't want to fight with you Shane." Mercedes said, reaching up and caressing his cheek. "Don't forget that dinner is at 7:00, okay?" she added, stepping around him.
"Oh, I can't make it tonight, practice is going to run late."
"Shane, this is the 5th time this week you've bailed on me, my parents are starting to think you don't exist." Mercedes hissed angrily, glaring up at him.
"I have practice Mercedes, Ohio state is not recruiting me for no reason, I need to get as much work in as possible." Shane retorted "I would never be upset with you for having to stay for TroubleTones rehearsal."
"You would never have to, my rehearsal ends when Shelby leaves, it's never runs past 9 o'clock. You're there till 10 and Coach Bieste leaves at 8, you have a choice."
"What part of 'I need to be the best' don't you get?"
"All of it." Mercedes growled.
"Hey, here's an idea, why don't you invite Sam to dinner?" Shane snapped
"You know what Shane, i'll tell you something. Sam is not a threat, or at least, he won't be the reason we break up." and with that, Mercedes turned and walked away.
"Sam you can't keep showing up like this." Mercedes said, though she couldn't look him in the face.
"I just wanted to see your face." Sam replied
"You mean this visit has nothing to do with taking you home." Mercedes smirked, looking up him at they walked the length of the hall.
"I can find someone else if you don't want to." Sam replied, tucking his hands in his pockets. "I mean, I know you have dinner with Shane tonight."
"Yea, well, he has other plans." Mercedes said, pushing through the double doors into the parking lot.
"Again?"
"Yes, again." Mercedes snapped, stopping and spinning on him "Why are you doing this Sam?"
"Doing what?"
"Making this so hard for me!" Mercedes replied, exasperatedly. "I'm with Shane, I'm not going to cheat on him."
"I don't want you to." Sam said, stepping closer to her, his hands itching to just reach out and explore each part of her body inch by inch.
"Then what do you want me to do."
"I want you to do what you know is right, What makes you happy."
"and what if he's what makes me happy?" She asked defiantly.
"then I will back off, I'll love you from a distance." Sam said, finally letting his hand reach up and find her hand. "but we both know he's not, and even if it's not me I would rather you be without him and be happy than be with him and feel obligated to be happy."
"What changed you Sam?" Mercedes asked, enjoying the heat from his hand. "You're different."
"You did." Sam said, stepping even closer and his chest stand only inches from her. "You do what you want, you'll do anything for the people you care about even if they don't acknowledge it, but you're also not afraid to tell someone the truth. You go for what you want Mercedes, and you taught me how to be strong."
"Sam..."
"the moment I lost you is the moment I realized I couldn't live without you, not when you were the one person in my life who made since out of my messed up world."
"All of this is confusing." Mercedes said, continuing to walk to her car. " and I don't know what to tell you."
"You don't have to tell me anything Mercedes." Sam said, rounding the passenger side of her car. "I already know."
