"I'll Drink To That"
Mercedes needed a drink. No…she needed several drinks. The diva sent the last text to her friend and quickly grabbed her keys and her bag of bottles of wine and headed towards her door. She decided to take her car with the tented windows. She didn't need the paparazzi taking any pictures and sparking some rumors of her making some late night rendezvous to the house of some random male celeb. Getting into the car she sent a final text to her assistant telling her where she'd be and then…the diva sat there. She didn't move to turn on the ignition or put the car in gear. She just sat there looking out the window rehashing everything that had happened today.
Sam Evans told her she meant nothing to him. He basically flaunted the little girl he called his woman in front of her. He insulted her voice. In a split second Mercedes was pounding her hands against the steering wheel and screaming bloody murder as she let out her aggression. Fresh tears fell down her face as she let it all out. She hated him. She hated him so much. That had to be the strong emotion that pulsated through her body when thinking of him. What was stronger than hate?
Calming herself down the young diva turned on the car and drove fast to her friend's house. Now was the time to let loose. To forget about your problems and thank God you were young, rich, and free. Yup, that was what Mercedes was going to do with her best friend, and famed Hollywood actress, Quinn Fabray. Fuck a Sam Evans. Let him believe what he wanted of her. It didn't matter. What mattered was her career and the people who really loved her. Like Quinn and Artie. Quinn needed her too. She was having guy troubles of her own. They could hate men together tonight. Pulling into Quinn's driveway the young woman hoped out of the car with her bag of liquor in hand. Going up to the door she rung the bell and waited for her friend.
Quinn had been a ball of nerves as she awaited Mercedes' arrival. Quinn had yet to know the details of what happened between Sam and Mercedes today. It was odd; the two were her very best friends, but they couldn't stand one another— at least, they liked the other to believe so. Quinn never was one to be very gullible though; after all, she was a natural actress, even in high school. The blonde was ninety-nine percent sure that both her female friend and male bestie still were harboring feelings for one another. They were high school sweethearts, and each others' first true love; something that would never be entirely forgotten.
Nervousness also spurred from the fact that Quinn had yet to see anyone aside from her manager since the break-up with Joe. She still could believe Not-So-Teen Jesus had cheated on her. Granted, Quinn had been dating him for all the wrong reasons; it was out of selfishness, to protect her own heart. However, she believed Joe truly cared about her too. Apparently though, even the most innocent of saviors could easily be corrupted by scantily clad women. That was what she had found out after returning home from an event one night to her "sick" boyfriend, only to find him in bed with some trashy woman wearing only a thong. Immediately he was kicked out. Once he was out the door, both her mattress and sheets were burned; new ones quickly ordered. Everything else of his was waiting to have the same thing done to them, except the ring. He had given it to her after five years together— it wasn't necessarily a promise or engagement ring, but it was supposed to be special. And although Quinn was never in love with the man, it at least made her think she was worthy of being loved.
Quickly throwing the ring down atop the bathroom counter as she heard the doorbell ring, Quinn rushed to the front door, smoothing down her purple tracksuit and long golden locks before answering. "Hey Mercy… it's been too long," she greeted softly, wrapping her arm around the other girl and helping her inside as Mercedes returned the hug. Noting the wine bottles, Quinn headed to the bar area with Mercedes following, retrieving them each a proper glass and setting them along the marble counter-top. "So what happened? Or do you need some alcohol in you first?" she asked gently.
"Well I should probably say what happened before the alcohol dissolves my speech into a string of 'fuck him fuck him fuck' so sure, I'll tell you what happened but you can start on those glasses," Mercedes said standing on the other side of her friend. She pulled out two of the wine bottles and placed them on the counter top. Quinn poured the wine and slid her over a glass.
"So guess what asshole's band is doing collaboration with yours truly," she started. "Yup, Sam Evans. The record execs called us in earlier today and dropped that bomb on me. They said it would look good for both of our images and create a great sound and sure fire top charter," she went on as she watched her friend's eyes go wide. "So of course Sam is vicious as fuck to me the whole entire time. Even had his chicken bone girlfriend Emma Roberts there fawning over him. I mean, you would think after seven years he could be civil towards me. But nope, he was as vicious as ever. He insulted my voice, my personal life, and then," she trailed off, "He told me I meant nothing to him," she finished feeling the pang in her heart as she said the last words.
Quinn's hazel eyes widened further. Sam and Mercedes doing a duet together could be simply disastrous. Not in the melodical sense— they made beautiful music together, but given their past history, she was sure trouble would come every which way. She couldn't believe Sam had dragged that floozy Emma to the meeting. He was her other best friend, and Quinn knew he and Mercedes had it out for one another, but he couldn't have known she'd be there… it was just very unprofessional in her opinion, and she would be sure to point it out. "She's just so gross," the blonde muttered under her breath about Sam's girlfriend.
Mercedes nodded at Quinn's mumbling before grabbing the bottle of wine and pushing aside the glass. "Screw the glasses tonight," she declared as she walked over to Quinn's sitting area. "I don't get it. I know he thinks I cheated on him but, he forgave you back in high school. Hell, you two seem to even be friends but me I guess I'm not afforded that luxury. What's so ironic is that out of the two of us, you know I didn't really cheat on him," she exclaimed taking a swig of the wine, "I just let him believe what that stupid tabloid wrote because I walked in on him in a compromising position with…Sugar," she spat. "I don't know how I'm going to get through working with him…he hates me and with the way he treats me I think I hate him too. I just have to," she finished softly.
Quinn took the glass she had poured and went over to the couch, "Be careful with that bottle, you can get alcohol poisoning that way," she nodded firmly, sliding an empty glass across the coffee table to Mercedes. After taking a long sip of her wine and letting it all sink in, she finally spoke. "Mercy, I have a reasoning behind everything… I don't know if it's right, but did you ever think Sam still has unresolved feelings for you? I mean, maybe he said those things because he's sad that he doesn't have you anymore… and because he thinks you cheated, which — if you ever wanted me to clear the air about that, I would. But… it makes sense. I mean, he never loved me, which might be why I was so easily forgiven. I'm not taking sides here, I'm just… trying to give you something to think about. I don't think Sam ever stopped caring about you, he just wants you to think he did."
Mercedes begrudgingly took the glass that Quinn had offered and poured some wine into it. "I guess I don't want to get rushed to the hospital. The paparazzi will probably claim it's a drug overdose," she said with a bitter laugh. Taking a sip from the glass and reclining back on the couch she listened to Quinn's reasoning for Sam's viciousness towards her. "No, he probably forgave you because he genuinely cared about you at one time. Clearly he's able to be as mean to me as he is because he doesn't give a shit about me. I mean, how else do you explain the fact that he refers to me as a slut every chance he gets," she took another drink from her glass. "And no, I don't want you to tell him the truth. It doesn't matter any way. When I walked in on him and Sugar so close it was clear that he had already decided to believe what those gossip rags were writing. If he could throw us away so easily then it was for the best that he just believes I cheated so he can stay the hell away from me. The things he said today," she trailed off. "He couldn't have ever loved me," she whispered as her voice faltered with emotion for a moment. Trying to regain her composure she downed the last of her drink and poured herself some more.
Finally looking up at her friend she put on a brave smile that didn't really reach her eyes, "Your new place is great by the way. Did you burn Joe's stuff like I told you to," she quipped with a smirk. "How are you holding up," she added. Mercedes listened as Quinn talked about the bitter break up with Joe and shook her head.
"There are nice guys out there Quinn. Ones that aren't jerks and aren't going to use you. God has ways of testing us I guess. Maybe he's making it so when the right guy comes along for you, you'll be able to truly recognize him because you'd already know what the jerks are like," she reasoned. "I on the other hand, am over the whole love thing. I've already concluded when I'm ready to have a kid I'll just do it on my own. To think that at one time I actually thought about what it would be like to have kids with," she stopped herself, taking another drink and pausing. Her resolve finally broke and tears ran down her face. "I hate him. I hate him so much. I hate that I…I hate the way he makes me feel. I just want to forget him. Is that too much to ask," she sobbed out.
Quinn watched as Mercedes faltered. She hated seeing her best friend so heartbroken, especially over her other friend. Quinn had been sure that the two were soul mates and would end up together, and now here they were talking bad about one another and even saying there was hate between them. Quinn knew better though. Once she saw the tears well in her girl's eyes she knew for sure - those weren't tears of hate, but of heartbreak. Immediately Quinn wrapped her arms around her friend. Now her soul sister was aching more than ever, and she wanted to do anything to heal that.
"I won't tell him, but if you ever change your mind, let me know… okay? I know he said awful things, but you know Sam… he's not the type to do that for anything but spite. If he really didn't care about you, he wouldn't go to so much trouble to make you think he doesn't. We all work in mysterious ways but… he loved you, Mercy. He never loved me, I promise. That's why it was so easy to just slip into a friendship. You though, you were everything to him, and I think deep down inside, you still are - and it kills him that he doesn't have you. Guys try and make us jealous; they think it will work, and sometimes it does bring us back, or if anything, it allows us to show we still care. I haven't given up on you two… regardless of what either of you tells me," she murmured this all into the other girl's shoulder, while soothingly rubbing her back.
Mercedes tried to calm herself down as she felt Quinn wrap her arms around her. She hated feeling like this. Having her emotions get the best of her. She was so sure she had moved on from feeling this way but the confrontation with Sam just seemed to reopen all the wounds that she thought had healed. He was so hateful towards her. It hurt. It hurt like hell.
"I don't think I will change my mind. Let him think what he wants," she whispered. Listening to Quinn explain further how she thought Sam still loved Mercedes, the diva let out a bitter laugh. "I don't think so Quinn. If him calling me a slut is any indication of things I think what he feels is the opposite of love," she concluded.
Quinn took a deep breath, "You can try, but until you and Sam have some closure… I don't think it will happen, sweetie," she said gently, and reached for a tissue, tenderly dabbing away Mercy's tears.
Mercedes let out a loud sigh as she poured herself another drink. "Closure? Closure of what," she went on as she took another swig starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. "At the end of the day what it comes down to is that I'm still in love with a guy who hates my guts and I hate it," she slipped out.
Mercedes froze. Had she just said that?
Quinn bit her lip, the wheels in her head instantly turning, trying to plan out a way to get them back together — to get Mercy to admit this to Sam. She had an idea, but it would take his help too, and Quinn would have to keep it under false pretenses on her own behalf or he wouldn't oblige. If it worked, and helped herself, as well as Sam's publicity, then she might just consider herself an evil genius. She was going to have to fake date Sam… until Mercedes would finally come clean with her feelings. She just hoped it worked.
"Damn it," Mercedes cursed bringing Quinn out of her thoughts. "Obviously I'm tipsy, so I'm talking nonsense. Forget I said that," she concluded."We are definitely still not drunk enough Quinn. Drink up girly."
"Don't blame the alcohol, Mercy. I already knew that," Quinn said softly, reaching for her glass and taking it refilled. "I still think you can work this out, and that's coming from a bitter old maid," she teased, attempting to lighten the mood a little as she concluded mentally that she needed to talk to Sam as soon as possible. She'd help her friends reunite.