A/N: Hey guys! Here's the next chapter of MBFB. I know I said that this story would be at least 8 chapters. Now I'm just not seeing it. I'm thinking it'll be 5, 6 at the most. Just a short like multi-chapter ficlet to satisfy your Finncedes tastebuds.
Happy Reading!
And as always, REVIEWS = LOVE!
TIP: The BOLD words are lyrics, (They are sang.)
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own: Glee, it's characters, Grilled Cheesus, places, songs you recognize, anything else that can be found in the real world or Our Time is Now by Demi Lovato and friends.(Mitchie Torres and friends).
THIS FANFICTION IS UNBETA'D. ALL MISTAKES ARE UNINTENTIONAL. APOLOGIES FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.
Mercedes had been a part of Grilled Cheesus for a few weeks now and they were almost ready for their first gig. They had been practicing hard and Mercedes was grateful for that. It meant it gave her a chance to talk to Kurt. One afternoon during a break she ambushed him in the kitchen.
"Kurt." she said stepping in front of him as he tried to leave the kitchen without saying a word to her.
"Mercedes." he said looking past her.
"Why are you mad?" she asked confused.
"You yelled at me." he said looking into her eyes.
"You were being unsupportive." she snapped.
"I...You...God, I hate when Blaine's right." he said rolling his eyes.
"What?"
"He told me that I was being a dick about the whole GC thing and that I wasn't being a very good friend to you."
"He was right."
"I know. I hate that." he laughed.
"Are we cool?"
"Yes. I'm sorry. I missed you." he said wrapping her up in a tight hug.
"I missed you too." she said returning his embrace. "We'll catch up later. I've gotta get back to practice." she hugged him again and went back to the garage.
Mercedes sat in her bedroom, her cellphone in her hand. She touched the screen, illuminating it so that she could see the clock. 'Kurt should be home in about five minutes.' she thought to herself as she dialed the Hudson-Hummel house.
"Hello?" Finn answered. Mercedes melted at the sound of his voice.
"Um hi." she said breathlessly.
"Hey Mercedes, what's up?" he asked. 'Go out with me this weekend.' ran across her mind but that's not what she said.
"Nothing, is uh, Kurt home?" she rolled her eyes in annoyance at herself.
"Nah, not yet. Do you wanna wait or..."
"I can wait." she said quickly.
"Ok. Cool." he chuckled smoothly. "You ready for the performance this Friday?"
"Not even a little."
"Why not? Kurt said you were a great performer."
"Kurt exaggerates." Mercedes said flatly.
"Look, don't worry. You have an amazing voice and I'm gonna be right there. Right behind you." Finn said nobly. She swooned at the words. "I won't let you suck." he laughed. She laughed too. It was all she could do to keep from crying. She really liked Finn but dating him would be a conflict of interest. Wouldn't it?
"Thanks Finn." she smiled. She could hear Kurt in the background and she knew that her brief conversation with the object of her affection was over.
"No problem. Here's Kurt." There was a shuffle before she heard Kurt's voice.
"Hello, Diva."
"Hey Kurt." she said. "How was Blaine?"
"Good, did you call me to find out how Blaine was doing?" he asked. "Because you could have called him yourself."
"No, I was just calling to check in." she said partially lying. She had called to check in...but mostly with Finn. "And, I'm really nervous."
"About what? That showcase on Friday? Don't be." Kurt said. "You're the best and Grilled Cheesus has never sounded so good." he reassured her.
"Really?"
"Yes. You're going to be amazing. So stop worrying."
"Alright. Thanks Kurtie." Mercedes said before saying goodbye and ending the call.
The week sped by and it was Friday before Mercedes knew it. While the boys set up, she did a few vocal exercises. She wore dark wash jeans, a purple zebra print top, a crop denim jacket with leather sleeves and motorcycle boots. The boys dressed accordingly. Dark wash and leather. They looked like a real band. Kurt had given her super tight ringlets and a curled side bang so that by the afternoon she would have voluptuous waves. She stood in front of the mic and waited for Principal Figgins to introduce them.
Her phone vibrated during the wait. She pulled it out and it was a text message from Blaine. She opened it and it contained one word. Courage. She smiled at the message but she still felt nervous. She suddenly felt a hand on her back. She looked to the side and spotted Finn right next to her.
"What are you doing?" she whispered.
"I wanted to tell you break a leg. You're amazing. Let's rock it." he whispered back, kissing her temple before returning to the drums. The butterflies in Mercedes' stomach were the size of bats but they weren't a result of nerves about the show. It was all about that kiss. She took a deep breath and focused.
"...and that is why we ask that you do not put your chewed gum under the bleachers." they heard Figgins say. Mercedes looked at her band mates. They smiled back at her and gave her the confidence she needed. "Now children. Please put your hands together for our favorite band, Grilled Cheesus." he said finally. The curtain opened and Mercedes was faced with all of her peers looking back at her. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath before addressing the crowd.
"I'm Mercedes Jones and this is Grilled Cheesus." she said as the band began to play a pop rocky song. "We're done, but it's not over. We'll start it again, after the end of the day." she sang, Kurt was already clapping along. "It keeps getting better.
Don't be afraid, we'll do it together."
"Come on, come on, you know." the boys sang with her.
"It's your time to move. It's my time to move." Mercedes sang.
"Come on, come on, let go." they vocalized all together.
"Leave it all behind. Your past and mine." she sang.
"Gone are the days of summer. We couldn't change it if we tried. Why would be want to? Let's go where we got to. Our paths will cross again in time." the band sang in unison. "It's never the same tomorrow. And tomorrow's never clear. So come on, come on, you know." they sang.
"Our time..." the boys sang.
"Our time is here." she sang alone. Mercedes stomped her foot in the rests before the next verse began. "We know, but we're not certain. How can we be? How can we see what's ahead?" she sang shrugging her shoulders at the crowd, who were bobbing thier heads along. "The world keeps on turning and all we can do, is travel each day to the next." she sang as she pulled the mic from the stand and walked toward Puck.
"Come on, come on, you know." they all sang together as she leaned against Puck.
"It's your time to move. It's my time to move." she sang as she walked across the stage to Mike.
"Come on, come on, let go." they sang together again as she leaned against Mike this time.
"Leave it all behind, your past and mine-." she sang holding the note pointing at the crowd.
"Gone are the days of summer. We couldn't change it if we tried. Why would be want to? Let's go where we got to. Our paths will cross again in time. It's never the same tomorrow. And tomorrow's never clear. So come on, come on, you know.' they sang together.
"Our time..." the boys sang.
"Our time is here." she sang finishing the second chorus. There was a break and the band played as Mercedes lead the crowd in clapping to the rhythm.
"Yeah-!" she belted after the break.
"Who-oo-oo-oo-oo." the boys sang.
"Come on, come on, come on." she sang.
"Who-oo-oo-oo-oo." the boys repeated.
"Our time is here." they sang together. The tempo slowed down and Mercedes crooned, "Gone are the days of summer. We couldn't change it if we tried."
"If we tried." the boys repeated.
"So, come on, come on, come on." Mercedes sang as the song picked up tempo.
"Yeah, come on, come on, come on." the boys sang.
"So, come on, come on, you know." Mercedes sang as she put her hands on the mic.
"Our time..." the boys sang.
"Our time is here." she sang brightly. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah." she sang as her voice quieted with the ending of the song. The crowd erupted. Mercedes couldn't believe it. Finn came up beside her and put his arm around her. Her breath hitched but she was thankful that he didn't notice. Grilled Cheesus bowed to a standing ovation before the curtain closed.
"That was fucking awesome!" Puck said lifting her off her feet. "You're fucking awesome!"
"Thanks!" she beamed.
"No lie, Mercedes." Mike said. "You kicked ass!" She smiled at him and wrapped him in a hug.
"Thank you so much for joining our band." Finn said hugging her tightly. His scent making her dizzy. "You're amazing!"
"Thank you." she said her body buzzing from his touch.
"Diva!" Kurt's voice squealed as he ran toward her as he wrapped her up in a hug. "You were flawless. I'm sorry I doubted Finn."
"What?" she asked as he released her.
"I didn't want you to be in the band because I didn't think they could properly showcase your vocals." Kurt said.
"Oh Kurt. I love you." she said hugging him again. "Uh, Kurt I have something to tell you." she said her eyes on Finn.
"Can you believe how dumb he is?" Kurt asked.
"What?"
"Finn, look at him." Mercedes looked across the stage at Finn dumb dancing. She laughed to herself.
"Kurt, he's just being funny." she said. "It's cute."
"He'll never get a girlfriend that way." Kurt said shaking his head.
'He could have me.' she thought.
"What'd you want to tell me?" Kurt asked looking into her brown eyes. Her eyes flashed from Kurt to Finn and back to Kurt.
"It's nothing." she lied with a sad smile that Kurt didn't detect. Mercedes went back to the dressing room and jotted down some lyrics that came to her head. The song she had been working so hard on was complete. Now it was time to be brave and share it with the world.
