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"So…they talked about me?" smiled Puck. "I knew it, I'm irresistible."

"The way 'Cedes explained it, to Quinn, you're pretty resistible," laughed Sam.

"'Cedes?" asked Puck, raising an eyebrow. His friend blushed slightly.

"I meant Mercedes, my mistake."

"Uh huh." Sam averted his friend's gaze as they walked through Manhattan.

"Do you want a hot dog?" Puck shrugged.

"If you're buying." They headed over to a vender and got two hotdogs. They decided to walk through the core of the city and watch the frantic tourists run around trying to take it all in. Sam had been living in New York for a couple years now and he still hadn't seen everything the city had to offer. It was kind of fun to watch the out of towners try to conquer the place in a day. While they passed by a subway station, he noticed flyers for Wicked and smiled as he got an idea.

"We should invite them to a Broadway show!"

"Invite who?" asked Puck with a mouth full of hot dog bun.

"Ugh, dude. Chew your food. I was talking about Mercedes and Quinn. 'Cedes was telling me the other day how much she and Quinn loved Broadway – especially Wicked."

"So let me get this straight," began Puck, wiping his mouth. "You want to invite two girls that are not our girlfriends – one that actually has a boyfriend and another that passes up a good thing that was basically handed to her – to a Broadway show?" Sam winced slightly at the mention of Mercedes' boyfriend.

"Well, when you say it like that it kind of sounds-"

"Stupid? That's because it is. Dude you have to throw in the towel. Find some other girl."

"I don't want to," mumbled Sam under his breath. Puck didn't seem to notice, apparently contemplating something else.

"Wait, she told you she liked Wicked. When have you been talking to her? I thought you worked late this entire week, that's why you didn't go to the game with me on Thursday."

"I have been working late this week," he admitted.

"Oh, did you finally get her digits?"

"No…well, I gave her mine."

"You what?!"

"She was supposed to call me about some business question she had like twenty four hours ago, but she never did."

"Then how…wait, you aren't sleeping with her already, are you? You bastard, that's what it is! That's how she has you wrapped around her little finger."

"No! She wouldn't cheat on Shane," he claimed proudly, despite his own urges. "We've been riding to work together every morning."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense. Carpool, save the environment and what not. Where does she work, maybe I could get in on this."

"She doesn't work near you."

"Well how far can it be if it's near you?"

"Soho," Sam admitted barely above a whisper.

"What?"

"Soho," he said again but turning his head away from Puck.

"Dude, look at me. What did you say?" Sam tried to breathe steadily.

"I said...she worked in Soho."

"SOHO!?" his friend exclaimed. Puck studied Sam's face as he tried to look innocent. "Oh no, dude, no. That's like half an hour in the wrong direction, plus traffic. How do you get to work on time?"

"That's kind of why I have been working late, so I can be late to work in the morning the next day. At first it was okay, but then her schedule shifted by like a half hour hence I was showing up two hours late to work. So I asked my boss if I could start showing up later and staying later and he was surprisingly cool with it, said that he was proud of me for getting a social life. I still have no idea how he knew it had something to do with a girl." Puck looked at his friend like he was a little lost puppy.

"I'm pretty sure when your boss was picturing you with a social life; this wasn't what he had in mind. Now you know I'm normally all for sealing the deal with a girl, no matter the circumstances," he smiled to himself. "Do you remember that girl on the boat?" Sam scrunched his face in disgust.

"That was horrible."

"Hey, the shrimp was delicious." Sam begrudgingly nodded. "Anyway, if she was all over you, I would totally tell you to go for it. But that Shane guy is huge and I feel like most of this relationship you have with her is in your head." He stared at his friend, trying to elicit a response but the blond was avoiding his gaze. "Plus you just got out of a relationship with-"

"Don't say it," Sam interrupted. "Look, I know where you're coming from, but you don't have to worry about me. So I've been hurt in the past that simply means that I know when something actually good comes a long, I shouldn't be so quick to let it go. 'Cedes isn't happy with Shane."

"Did she tell you that?"

"She didn't have to. I can feel it." Puck rolled his eyes.

"I'm pretty sure that's just your phone, Romeo," he asserted sarcastically as he pointed to the cellular device buzzing in Sam's pocket. Sam looked at the unknown number and wondered if he should pick it up; he quickly glanced at Puck who was still frowning at him. Anything to get out of this conversation.

"Hello?"

"Hi, I'm sorry. Is this Sam Evans' phone?" asked a melodious voice that Sam already felt like he could recognize anywhere.

"Mercedes?"

"What happened to 'Cedes?" taunted Puck jokingly. Sam shushed him.

"Sam? Oh good, it is you. Hi!" she replied cheerily.

"Hey," he smiled. "How are you?"

"I'm good. Sorry for not calling you yesterday."

"What?"

"I was supposed to call you, I think."

"Oh don't worry about it, I kind of forgot too."

"Okay, cool. Well, there is an actual other reason that I called." Sam's heart began to beat a little faster. Why is it doing that? She hasn't even said anything yet! "Quinn and I have four tickets to Wicked tonight and our dates cancelled," she explained.

"So, Shane can't go?" he asked, unable to suppress a smile that was forming on his lips.

"No," she sighed sadly. "We were just about to sell the extra tickets when I remembered that you said you liked Broadway shows, so do you want to go?"

"Definitely! I love Wicked."

"I thought you said you haven't seen it?"

"I mean I will love Wicked, you know when I see it."

"Oh, and do you have anyone one you can bring?" Sam glanced at Puck, who was devouring the remainder of his hotdog.

"Actually, I have the perfect person in mind."

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Quinn glared at her friend on the taxi cab ride to the theater.

"I know I look fabulous, but you are really starting to freak me out," admitted Mercedes.

"Noah! Really? Does he have no other friends?"

"First of all, Sam says he prefers to be called 'Puck' or 'Puckerman', wait, which one was it….?"

"Does it matter!? How could you invite him?"

"Are you really still on that?"

"You literally just told me a minute ago!"

"I don't know; it feels like you've been angry for a longer time than that."

"'Cedes!"

"Okay! Look, I'm sorry. I just thought if I told you that Sam was bringing Puck you may not have come."

"That's because I wouldn't have!"

"Exactly! So let's put that in the past and try to have a fun night. I know you've always wanted to see Wicked in New York." Quinn smiled shyly. She couldn't stay mad at her friend very long, and she did love Wicked.

"Okay," she sighed. "I guess, I can give it a try."

"That's the spirit," her friend clapped. "And just in time, we're here." They stepped out of the cab and searched around for Sam and Puck until they finally spotted them near the theater entrance.

"Hey," Mercedes smiled as she walked up to them. Quinn stood rigidly behind her.

"Hey," answered Sam, grinning at Mercedes. Quinn eyed him suspiciously. There is something about he looks at Mercedes, she thought. She was concentrating so hard on Sam that she failed to notice Puckerman walk towards her and try to start a conversation.

"Damn, you look amazing in that dress." As his voice pulled her out of her thoughts, she turned to look at him.

"Did you say something?"

"Yes. I said you look good," he repeated rather loudly, enunciating every syllable. She rolled her eyes.

"Okay."

"What now?"

"Nothing, let's just go in." She interlocked her arms with Mercedes'. "Come on, it's about to start." They handed over their tickets and headed inside.

"This is going to be a wonderful night," Puck mumbled, as he and Sam trailed behind the girls. As they sat down, a man onstage announced that the show would be starting a little late. Quinn smiled at Mercedes.

"That gives us just enough time to visit the concession stand, I haven't eaten all day."

"Sure, I'll go with you."

"No," Puck interrupted. "I'll go with her. The man says we have about fifteen minutes, not a year." He got up and stood in the aisle, waiting for Quinn to follow him. She looked to Mercedes, who simply shrugged. Quinn sighed, defeated and went with Puck. When they got to the lobby, she began to look over her options. After five minutes, Puck glanced at his watch.

"Come on! How long does it take for you to decide that you want popcorn? We're at a fucking play, it's not like you're going to go in there with nachos." She turned to glare at him.

"I didn't ask you to come with me!"

"I know, but if I had allowed Mercedes to come with you, there would have been two of you staring at the menu for twice as long."

"Ugh, whatever," she said as she rolled her eyes.

"Besides, maybe I wanted to come with you," he admitted quietly, irritated.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing!"

"Come on, tell me!"

"It doesn't matter what I say, you'd rather be talking to Sam." Quinn looked at him confused.

"I'd rather be talking to anyone actually, but why did you pick Sam?"

"I saw the way you were staring at him when we got here. Really, anyone? Like even a murder?"

"I was staring at him because I thought it was strange the way he was looking at Mercedes. It's like he likes her or something." Puck remained silent. "Oh my god, he does like her! I knew it!"

"He's got a crush, nothing serious."

"Oh please, I've had crushes before, none of which I would have table jumped for."

"Sam's different."

"Ok sure. How?"

"Well, when he falls in love-"

"LOVE? Oh my gosh!"

"SSsssssshhhhh! That's not what I meant."

"That's what you said."

"You know what? Nevermind."

"No, if you got something to say, say it!"

"Maybe I don't want to anymore, you don't listen anyway."

"Maybe if you stopped mumbling?"

"I don't mumble!" he yelled. People turned to stare at him after his outburst. The security guard was watching them closely.

"Why do you have to be so loud?"

"I don't mumble," he whispered angrily.

"Ok, sure. Let's just get our food before you get us kicked out."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX

Sam sat quietly staring at Mercedes. She was talking about this new program going on at work that was apparently really exciting. He wasn't really paying attention to her words, but at the way she said them. She is seriously excited about this thing, he noticed. She was smiling a lot and moving her arms really fast, like she could show him what she was talking about. He smiled.

"What's so entertaining?" she asked.

"You. You're just so animated about your job. It's refreshing."

"Well, aren't you? What's the point in working if you aren't doing something you love?"

"Rent? Bills? I like nice things?"

"That may be true," she chuckled. "But is it worth it if you hate what you do?" Sam thought it over.

"I guess, I don't hate it. It's actually pretty interesting sometimes. I just don't have the same kind of passion that you do."

"I guess I'm just a passionate person," she answered smiling.

"Yes, you are," he smiled back. She looks so pretty, he thought, fighting back the urge to remove some strands of hair from in front of her eyes. Those doe brown eyes, that get me up everyday –stop. Stop it. Boyfriend. She has one. And it's not you, so chill. He bit his lip as she brushed away her hair and looked at the play bill.

"I really think you are going to like this play."

"Really?"

"Yea, the male lead. Fiero, reminds me a lot of you."

"How so?"

"He's kind and cares for animals."

"Is he smart?"

"He's more of a 'dances through life' kind of guy."

"Is he devilishly handsome?" She laughed.

"Every woman's dream."

"Even yours?" He asked shyly. Her smile faltered a little.

"Uh, well I-" She was interrupted by the theater's flickering lights, signaling the play was about to begin. "I better go find Quinn and Puck," she asserted as quickly got up to search for them. Sam sighed and started to relax in his seat when he heard a ringing sound escaping from Mercedes' purse. She must have forgotten it, he thought as he found her phone sitting at the top of her open purse. Sam glanced at the caller. It was Shane. Well, they did ask us to silence our devices; he rationed as he put her phone on silence and hid it back in her purse. Wouldn't want to spoil the play.