A/N: Hello? Anybody still here? Sorry…
Anyway, if you follow me on Tumblr you already know I'm still alive. I was kinda in a S5 mood lately and haven't updated this, so much as written Samcedes Redux oneshots. Then they broke them up again and pissed me off. Now the lack of spoilers on my OTP have convinced me to get back into AU crack. I can only write this stuff when ain't nothing popping in canon.
Whatever.
Thanks to Annikay for proofing this and, you know…not calling me a trifling ho for never updating my fics. Also, I hope everybody likes what has been chilling in my draft folder for months and months lol.
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee at all. Like…for reals. I wouldn't claim that hot shitty mess if I came forth screaming from its well-stretched vagina.
In Anticipation…
{Evans home, 6:00 am}
Sam Evans woke up the day after his marathon conversation with Mercedes Jones more excited and gleeful that he'd ever had any occasion to be in his life. The sun shone brighter that morning, the air seemed crisper. The smile that took over his features, Sam could tell, was going absolutely nowhere.
Today was the day he'd be taking Mercedes out on an official date…and even if that hadn't been the case, the sheer knowledge that he had permission to call, text and flirt with her whenever he wanted to, was enough to fill him with joy, He knew without a shadow of a doubt that the girl in question liked him. She giggled when he made jokes, complimented him on his looks and personality, and returned every playfully flirtation text message he'd sent her in kind. And they had a date that night. Therefore, Sam figured, as he rolled out of bed for the day, he was probably in for a pretty fantastic twenty-four hours.
With that thought in mind, the young man concentrated on wracking his brains and assembling all of his limited fashion knowledge, in order to put together a look that was both professional and show-off-for-the-girl-you-like sexy.
{Across town…}
Mercedes might have woken up the morning after her first phone conversation with Sam Evans feeling somewhat apprehensive and unsure about how to act around him that day at school. She might have felt uneasy and berated herself for embarking on such hotbed of uncertainty. She might have convinced herself that there was no way Sam liked her the way she liked him; and it was fine, because really? She had no business thirsting after a student teacher in the first damn place, and…
{BEEP, BEEP}
…however, Sam's adorable good morning text arrived on the heels of Mercedes' wake up alarm, so all was happy in the land of new love.
Mercedes awoke, returned his text, and proceeded to spend the next ninety minutes thinking about Sam. His cute smile invaded her thoughts as she showered, the memory of his many goofy jokes caused her to chuckle while curling her hair, and the young woman unconsciously chose a shirt in the exact same color as his eyes. Mercedes then made her way to school with every intention of flirting her way through the day…and she planned to do so shamelessly.
{Later that morning…}
Sam had figured out early on in his tenure at McKinley that his Spanish students responded well to recitation exercises…
Well, as well as they responded to anything, that is…
Repetition, Sam felt, was a key tool in his daily fight to impart the intricacies of the Spanish language on Lima school kids. Therefore, Sam begun each day of class with simple mimicry lessons.
Abran ustedes los libros a pagina doce, clase…
As always, he directed the students to the front of the book, but was pleased to see that Mercedes and Santana were not the only ones who actually understood him on this day. Roughly half the class had opened their textbooks to page 2.
"Repetan ustedes por favor, Ana..."
"Ana," the class responded, causing Sam to grin even harder, because they'd never before caught on.
"Hasta…" he tried,wondering if the first word had been a fluke.
"Hasta," the class chimed in…Who knew?
"Anita..."
Sam couldn't say why for sure, but he was fairly certain that today was going to go down in history as one of the great days of his young life.
"Anita," repeated the class.
Yeah, Sam could feel it…today was gonna totally rock!
{That afternoon…}
By the time Glee class began, both Mercedes and Sam were more than ready for the school day to end and the date to begin. They'd gazed at one another shyly while Schuster lectured the on the incorrect usage of the verb to be. They'd waved from across crowded hallways, and caught one another's' cheeky glances in the cafeteria. Mercedes had brushed against Sam lightly outside the teachers' lounge while questioning Mr. Shue about the Rumours album, to which he grinned in response. Sam had visited the library in hopes of catching the girl during her study hall. Mercedes' flushed each and every time he texted throughout the day.
During Glee, Sam visited each duet pairing in turn to hear their ideas about the Rumours assignment, giving thoughtful suggestions and prodding each group in the direction of songs he knew they'd like. Mind you, he did so while surreptitiously winking and sending easy-to-miss smirks in Mercedes' direction. Mercedes valiantly tried to educate Santana on the songs she wanted to perform, and forced her partner to listen to snippets of them on her iPod. She even asked for Santana's input and was treated to a diatribe on the stupidity of the assignment for her trouble. But Mercedes wasn't upset by her partner's attitude…she was too busy sneaking peeks at the guy who'd be taking her out in just a few short hours. By the time Sam had signed off on each group's shortlist of selections and Mercedes had rolled her eyes and demanded that Santana simply pick their song out on her own, both girl and guy eyed the door longingly. When the bell rang the couple traded meaningful looks –to the delight of Tike- and raced each other out of McKinley…
Dr. Jones Don't Play...
As Sam Evans pulled to a stop in the driveway of the address given to him by Mercedes, at 6:20 that evening, several worrisome thoughts fought for space among his overactive brainwaves. He was looking his best; dressed in a green fitted Henley tee under a tan leather jacket, a pair of dark wash jeans, and his favorite pair of loafers, but still…Sam was scared the date would go badly. He'd always been prone to over thinking, and this tendency –paired with what could only be described as an overactive imagination- was giving Sam's misgivings entirely too much space and opportunity to grow.
The young man had begun to imagine all the ways this first date could go wrong from the minute he'd started to dress for the evening, and they still flitted through his mind as he cut the ignition of his truck. As he pocketed the keys, each of those possibilities made another pass, causing him to worry further…He worried that perhaps Mercedes might consider him super-dorky for showing up almost an hour too early for their date, even though he knew Mercedes was pretty easy-going, and not exactly prone to judging him for his quirks…and even though he had a really good reason for showing up so early. He worried about meeting Mercedes' parents for the first time, despite the fact that Sam knew he generally made a good impression on parental type -boy geniuses with Southern accents and good home training usually did. He had more than a little bit of fear that her parents might have a problem with their daughter dating outside her race, or seeing a college boy; even though Sam and Mercedes had already discussed these issues at length -a discussion that ended with Mercedes reassuring Sam that this wouldn't be the case- where she'd vehemently stressed the point, several times in fact.
Finally, Sam even allowed himself to confront the possibility that somehow the date would be completely ruined by awkwardness. By the time he'd checked himself out in the overhead mirror, Sam was certain the evening would result in back-to-back gaps in conversation…gaps that he'd nervously attempt to fill with Na'vi speak or bad impressions. Despite the fact that intellectually, Sam knew he and Mercedes rarely stopped talking long enough to experience any silences -and despite the fact that when they did, those silences were never awkward- Sam was still worried.
Even though Sam knew that he had no logical reason doubt that he and Mercedes would have a great time, he did…and as he gripped the truck's steering wheel and felt moisture collect on his palms and upper lips, the fear became more and more severe. After about two minutes of unnecessary panic, Sam forced himself to exit the pickup, grab a few items from the backseat, slam the door and march purposefully to the front door so he could ring the bell. He was scared…no way to get around that particular fact…but Sam Evans was still all in.
Relying on bluster combined with a "fake it till you make it" determination, Sam rang the bell and looked around to finally take in his surroundings.
Mercedes' house, Sam noted, was huge. He'd known that her dad was the best dentist in Lima since the night before… it was one of the many topics they'd discussed during the talk neither had wanted to end. Sam also knew that Dr. Jones was responsible for the teeth cleanings, fillings, and wisdom tooth extractions for half the kids at McKinley…and those of most of their parents as well! He knew that the girl he liked drove a late-model SUV…a huge, third row seat having, fit-for-a-family-of-six, monstrosity that her daddy bought simply because it was what Mercedes asked for. And he also knew that Dr. Jones's wife hadn't worked outside the home since the day Mercedes' father came home bearing a diamond tennis bracelet and a brand new pink Cadillac as a gift for his wife…with instructions for her to plan the biggest mortgage-burning party Lima had ever seen, poste-haste.
But the idea of someone else's wealth wasn't something tangible; on it's face the concept was abstract, and easy to forget. However, when you stared another person's money directly in the face, it was difficult to process. And Sam had just gotten hit square in the handsome jaw with the reality of how rich the Joneses actually were…
The home…or rather, the estate… was a three-car-garaged, sprawling affair bearing eaves, columns, wings, and every other mansion-esque accoutrement typical to fairy-tale abodes. The house itself was every bit of 3500 square feet, from what Sam could guess, and he could plainly see tennis courts, a guest house, and an Olympic sized pool off to the side of the main structure. The backyard, he already knew, was the site of a full-sized basketball court and track, and he could just make out the sizeable greenhouse which stood between the main house and Mercedes' mom's huge garden in the twig light. As the front door started to open, Sam quietly asked himself if perhaps he'd somehow overestimated his lane….after all, people who lived like this couldn't possibly have very much in common with a boy who'd once been homeless…
The gap in the doorway widened, just as Sam was about to allow himself a small freak out, and the young man was saved by the vision of Mercedes standing there. She wore a beautiful, slightly flared short green dress with tank sleeves and a low-cut bodice. The color of the dress illuminated her skin, almost as much as the huge chandelier hanging in the foyer behind her. The girl had let down her hair and styled it with hundreds of curly waves that framed her face on the left while the pale gold barrette pinned just behind her right ear showcased the slim column of delicate gold earrings that perfectly matched the filigree chain around her neck and sparkly tennis bracelet on her wrist. In anticipation of their date, Miss Jones had applied makeup to enhance her big brown eyes, round cheeks, and full lips, and her face took on an expression of unbridled joy when she realized the person ringing the bell was her date arriving early. Mercedes grinned widely -the shiny gloss and perfect smile taking over her entire face- and instead of speaking, stepped across the threshold on sky-high nude peep-toe heels in order to give Sam a warm hug.
Instantly, as he used his free arm to wrap around her waist, Sam fears melted and he resolved to enjoy his night with this amazing girl… to do his level best to show her a great time. Anyone capable of making him feel so good, so fast deserved it…
When the hug ended, Sam quipped, "Well hello to you too!"
To which Mercedes responded with a nervous giggle and the words, "Sorry…" She stepped aside to let him inside the doorway, "…I guess I shoulda let you in before I jumped you; I honestly don't even know why I did that…"
"Don't be sorry," Sam chuckled and welcomed the opportunity to flirt with his adorable date, saying, "Jump me again if you want!"
"Silly…" Mercedes slapped his arm playfully, replying, "…I guess I was just so excited about our date and I was looking forward to seeing you…" She shrugged unapologetically. "…I wasn't expecting you so early and when I saw you there, I just…pounced."
"No worries…" Sam was touched by her honesty and consequently, became even more excited to show Mercedes a great time. "…besides, I missed you." He bashfully averted his eyes before adding, "But I owe you an apology for comin' before I said I would…I know better than to surprise a girl on a first date. I probably should have called you."
"Not a problem," Mercedes waved his apology off, much like he had done hers. "I've been ready for half an hour." Too late, Mercedes wondered if perhaps that admission made her seem lame in Sam's eyes, but the notion wafted away as soon as it entered her mind.
"You look beautiful, Mercedes…" Sam handed her a bouquet of long-stemmed white roses tucked inside green florists' paper. "…Amazingly, completely, perfectly, totally beautiful. These are for you…"
The girl squealed, barely able to stop herself from kissing Sam full on the lips in appreciation. She settled for another tight hug, crushing the flowers unconcernedly and gushing, "Thank you so much, Sam. They're almost as nice as you look tonight!"
As the two stood there embracing, heavy footsteps could be heard down the hallway and the couple forced themselves to disentangle. Mercedes happily sniffed her gift, and Sam fidgeted nervously. Eventually, a regal-looking older Black couple came around the corner and Mercedes made introductions.
Mrs. Geraldine Jones was tiny in stature, about Rachel Berry's height, and built along the same lines as her beautiful daughter. She had long, straight dark hair, and a reserved, yet kind, face. Sam took special note of the fact that, even at home, Mrs. Jones wore a soft pink sweater twinset, a starched pair of navy slacks cinched with a thin leather belt, and brown pumps. She was very classy and rich-looking, and every bit as put-together as Sam had come to expect Mercedes to be at all times. Somehow, Sam could tell that Mrs. Jones hadn't dolled up to meet him especially…rather; he knew instinctively that Mercedes' mom was at her most comfortable when all dressed up and looking her best. Therefore, he had a feeling he now knew where Mercedes learned her love of fashion; the realization made him smile. As he shook Mrs. Jones' hand and muttered niceties, Sam was overcome with a feeling that he and she would get along well.
Dr. Anton Jones was above average height, maybe six-three or six-four, large and burly in the manner of an older man with a history of sports-playing in his youth. He was stern-looking and serious, but his eyes twinkled slightly behind the slight scowl he wore. Sam couldn't tell if his almost-hidden mirth was due to the fact that Dr. Jones' daughter was obviously tickled pink to have this young blond man pick her up and sweep her away on an outing, or if maybe the prominent dentist was happy in anticipation of putting said blond through the ringer…but still, it was nice to see honest joy in the man's eyes.
Unlike his wife, Mercedes' dad wore comfortable clothes in the sanctity of his own home, thank you very much…and they somehow made Sam feel more comfortable around him, despite the wary expression in his eyes. He donned a well-worn polo shirt, and faded looking jeans with sockless deck shoes. Dr. Jones' handshake was firm, and his grasp no-nonsense; as Sam murmured "Nice to meet you…" the man responded with a silent nod, eyes never leaving Sam's for a second.
Once introductions had been properly made, Sam grinned and handed Mrs. Jones the gift bag he'd begged of his own mother mere seconds before leaving his home. She opened the present to find a small box of White Chocolate-Covered Strawberries from the Godiva Store in Lima Mall…he'd learned from Mike –who had passed on the knowledge from Tina, via Mercedes- that all Jones women dearly loved chocolate. The older woman beamed, thanked the young man and asked him to have a seat in the den while she put them away and found a vase for Mercedes' lovely roses.
Sam, Mercedes, and her father walked further into the house and took two steps down into a huge, sunken room that was tastefully appointed and elegant. Gorgeous grey leather couches and chairs complimented ornate metal tables, cabinets, and bookshelves. Fresh red lilies in real silver vases picked up the subtle crimson lines in the huge white and black paisley area rug. Peppermint candies (that somehow seemed to be as much a part of the decoration as the window treatments, because they matched the décor) arrayed in tiny pewter dishes were scattered about. A small fire crackled perfectly in the fireplace which was built into a grey brick hearth in the far corner of the room, completing the picture. Several family portraits graced the walls. The den was as formal and perfectly appointed as the Jones family itself.
Dr. Jones took the place of honor in the fanciest, widest, most comfortable looking lounger Sam had ever seen. In the manner of a cartoon super villain, the dentist sat facing the wall opposite the teens, then swiveled around to greet them with a scowl on his face. It caused Sam to marvel briefly in wonder at the sheer novelty of a lounge chair that could spin 180 degrees so effortlessly, while simultaneously wonder if perhaps Mercedes' dad already had a problem with him. The doctor peered at the couple as he invited them to take places on the love seat behind them. Once everyone was comfortable, Dr. Jones crossed one leg over the other and proceeded to speak his mind.
"So…" the man began, "…Samuel Evans. Sam." He nodded importantly. "According to my daughter, you're an eighteen year old boy genius, student teaching at McKinley High…and a soon-to-be college graduate. Did I leave anything out?" Anton folded his fingers across his torso and concentrated on intimidating his young prey.
"No Sir, not really…" Sam babbled, having already steeled himself for a parental inquisition. "…Well, I take that back…I guess I should probably also tell you that I'm originally from Tennessee, my family and I belong to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, and for fun I play intramural football, baseball, and basketball at my school. But that's pretty much me in a nutshell…"
Sam shut his mouth and prayed the man would be more likely to like him, based on what he'd heard. Mercedes simply shot her daddy a proud look to illustrate just how impressive she found her date to be.
"Okay…So tell me this," Dr. Jones had no intention of being won over so easily…this was his baby girl, after all. "…is that the kind of thing you generally brag about, in hopes of impressing the parents of the girls you date?"
The man chuckled, in a manner that was somewhat unnecessarily sinister, in Sam's opinion.
"Let me know…cuz my Baby over there doesn't really date all that much." After shooting a smirk at his daughter, who rolled her eyes, he went on. "So fill me in, am I supposed to like you any better, based on your little laundry list of 'wholesome credentials'?" Dr. Jones employed the use of air quotes here.
As Sam shut his mouth and considered what he could possibly say to answer that question in a way that wouldn't cause Dr. Jones to immediately kick him out of the house and forbid his daughter from seeing him, Mercedes intervened.
"Daddy! Would you rather I be about to go out with a sixteen year old high school boy who only makes so-so grades and has zero clue what in the world what he wants to be when he grows up? Would it please you more for me to be dating somebody other than a sweet, Christian boy with Southern home-training and great manners?"
Mercedes paused to smile at Sam here, and he returned it gratefully just as the girl continued.
"Do you want me dating a boy who never ever goes to church, or somebody whose only hobbies include playing video games and trying to corrupt me?"
Mercedes hadn't appreciated her father's whole "my Baby doesn't date much" spiel, and even though she knew better, her reply was more than a little snippy.
"Cause I don't see the problem here, Daddy…"
"Touché, Baby Girl…" Doctor Jones chuckled, and Sam was happy to see the brief smile take over the man's features. "…you got me there. But keep quiet; I wanna talk to the boy while your mama's gone."
He addressed Sam directly.
"Are you capable of speaking for yourself, young man, or is 'Cedes gonna talk for you some more?"
Sam immediately answered, "I'd never interrupt your daughter when it's obvious that she has somethin' to get off her chest…" he tried valiantly and almost succeeded in forcing himself not to think about Mercedes' cleavage in that dress. "…but yes, I can speak for myself. Ask me anything you want to, Dr. Jones…I'll give you an honest answer and hope whatever I say makes you feel better about me takin' Mercedes out. It's the least I can do to earn some of your trust…"
"Good," Dr. Jones seemed impressed by the young man's speech in spite of himself, but clapped his hands in anticipation of grilling Sam anyway. "First of all, don't you think that the age gap between you and 'Cedes might cause a little friction between you two somewhere down the line?" He met Sam's gaze head on and the boy flinched involuntarily. "I don't want you two fighting, or my little girls feelings hurt over some bull…"
"I don't think it will," Sam shrugged after he'd composed himself. "…a two year age difference isn't' really that big a deal to me. Of course, if it was for Mercedes, though, I'd understand…"
"It's not!" Mercedes answered through gritted teeth. "I already told you both…"
"I guess I misspoke," Dr. Jones amended, "I suppose 'age difference' is the wrong way to put it. What I meant was, the difference in experiences and maturity level associated with you being in college…"
Doc Jones raised a finger to point.
"…and she in high school. I'm sure you've seen and done things I wouldn't approve of you introducing my daughter to."
Visions of wild keg parties, random college hookups, experiments with drugs and underage drinking crowded Dr. Jones' brain for a second, and his expression turned downright cloudy.
"I'm sure you're no better and no worse than the average 18 year old is, Sam, whenever he gets his freedom for the first time; but a father worries…"
"Not me Dr. Jones…" Sam shook his head vehemently, grateful in that moment that he'd never experimented in the interest of "trying everything once" in college. He could defend himself honestly now -hopefully reassuring Dr. Jones- and he did so enthusiastically. "…from what I understand, all that girls-gone-wild stuff usually goes down freshman and sophomore year; when kids are on their own for the first time, and tryin' stuff just so they can say they did it. But I still live at home, and my folks woulda pulled me outta school before they agreed to extend my curfew for a kegger."
Dr. Jones cocked one eyebrow interestedly and Sam went on.
"Plus, I was only thirteen when I enrolled in college. I would have stood out like a sore thumb in that environment anyway. So I was never invited to participate in any wild college nights, regardless of whether or not I had wanted to try it." Sam continued. "Add that to the fact that I honestly like to study and had a crazy course load my whole college career…and well, there's a good chance that Mercedes knows the popular college hangouts around here better than I do!"
Mercedes nodded knowingly, and Dr. Jones seemed to drink this information in before going on.
"Okay, That's all fine and good…" Dr. Jones began again. "…But what about the whole 'student/teacher' thing? You ain't gonna flunk my little girl in Spanish or take away her solos if she don't let you paw her all over in that dress tonight…are you?"
"I gotta get some solos first, in order for somebody to take them away from me…" muttered Mercedes.
"Cause, I swear to you, boy…on my mama," Dr. Jones glared at Sam, who blushed, "any power trip you take with Mercedes Jones will be the last damn trip you ever take on unbroken-ass legs…"
"That's actually a really great question," Sam replied after gulping in horror. "But I have to tell you that first of all, I really don't have that much power. In Spanish class, I grade tests and give assignments and do all the grunt work, but Mr. Schuester is still completely in charge of the grade book." He pursed his lips and thought for a few seconds. "As far as Glee is concerned, I think I may have more pull there, but only insomuch as the kids seem to like my assignments more than they do Mr. Schuster's. And I ain't gonna lie; if I have my way…and I totally intend to have my way…then your daughter will be our lead soloist when we go to Nationals in a few weeks."
Mercedes beamed and Dr. Jones nodded briefly.
"But I plan on makin' that happen by convincing Schuester to hold auditions instead of just handing leads out. And I want to be one of several judges brought in to make the final decision. So even if Mercedes throws a slushy at me tonight and cusses me out for being a true dork…my hurt feelins' won't factor into the outcome much. And I like to think I'd be fair to her, even if that wasn't the case. You don't have to worry about me…I can be impartial, promise."
When Dr. Jones caught the huge smile that broke out over his daughter's features, he began to approve of this earnest young man that seemed to be truly smitten with his little girl. However he had one last daddy card to play.
"So tell me what the deal is between you two," Dr. Jones requested, attempting to sound somewhat more congenial than he had up until that point. "Are you and Mercedes an official couple or something? Y'all boyfriend and girlfriend before you even had your first date? You ain't the type of cat to start right off the bat marking territory and peeing on my little girl, are you?"
"No Sir!" Sam all but yelled, feeling a little persecuted by this point. "That's not…What I mean to say is that it's only our first…Like, Mercedes and I haven't made anything official or anything…"
"Oh!" Dr. Jones pulled a face and growled. "So you a playa, huh?" He shook his head, pointing his finger at Sam, "So my little girl ain't good enough for you to take off the market? Is she not what you're looking for in an official Boo?"
Sam couldn't tell if Dr. Jones was honestly mad or messing with him at this point, and didn't know how to respond. Mercedes' father continued to accuse the young man, undaunted by the lack of response.
"I see you…tryna be all up in my Baby's milk without buying the cow first." When Sam shook his head violently, Dr. Jones rebutted with, "Well, it's gotta be one or the other, boy!"
At this point Mercedes had had just about enough of her father's insanity, and let it be known. "Daddy!" she rolled her eyes and allowed exasperation melt her features together in the side-eye to end all side-eyes. "How you gonna get mad at the boy for wanting to be my man, and not wanting to be my man, all in the same breath?"
Her father shrugged and calmed down a little.
"And anyway, who says I want a boyfriend right away?" Mercedes went on. "I mean, you want me to pick a boyfriend who likes me enough to spend his lunch money on me before we make it official don't you?"
"Only the best for my little girl…" rejoined Dr. Jones quickly. "I don't trust any little dickhead who ain't spoiling you rotten from the get-go!"
"Well," Mercedes smiled pointing at a trapped-looking Sam. "…There you go; a candy-buying, flower delivering, movie-sponsoring young man…all ready to show me a good time. Whether or not he and I take this thing to the next level should depend on how good a time we have tonight! So calm down…"
"I don't like the look of this guy," Dr. Jones lied petulantly, crossing his arms over his chest. "He ought to be genuflecting his ass off right about now, and he's over here looking cocky as hell!"
Mercedes peered under her long lashes at Sam, who was sweating profusely, shaking slightly, and more skittish than a wild-eyed deer club.
"Yeah, Daddy…" She rolled her eyes yet again ad her father. "…Sam's pimplicious."
Dr. Jones never got the chance to rebut, because it was at that exact moment that Mrs. Jones could be heard marching down the hallway. The older gentleman shut his mouth to avoid having the kids see his wife take him to the carpet for being rude to a guest.
"Everyone all ready to go?" Mrs. Jones finally entered the den, effectively saving the young couple from having to further navigate the trappings of an overprotective father's mind. Gratefully, the two stood and Sam helped Mercedes put on her coat. They reached the front door, and opened it, only to be halted by Mrs. Jones' final instructions.
"Curfew is at midnight." Geraldine explained. "…normally it would be eleven o'clock, but since 'Cedes is going out with a responsible college student tonight, I decided it would be okay to extend it."
"Responsible," Dr. Jones scoffed sotto voce, "in here forgetting all the shit we used to get up to after midnight in college…"
Mrs. Jones ignored her husband, accepted the thankful hug her daughter spontaneously delivered, and smiled warmly at Sam to bid him good night. "You two have a good time! And if you get her back before curfew Sam, feel free to come in and hang out in the den…"
"You wanna loan 'em our bed, too?' Dr. Jones asked sarcastically. His wife needed to stop…
"Hush, you…" Mrs. Jones laughed. "…Sam, be careful out on those dark streets with my Baby, and have fun!"
And with that the couple took off into the night.
Once Sam and Mercedes were in his truck, and they'd shared a laugh over what had happened in her home, he mentally shook off the trapped mouse feeling and started the engine. As they made their way in the opposite direction from the movie theater, Sam looked away from the road and clocked the questioning expression in Mercedes' eyes. Not wanting her to become wary, he informed her "I hope you don't mind…" he was slightly sheepish and didn't know how Mercedes would take what he was about to tell her. "…but the reason I picked you up so early was because you and I are obligated to do somethin' before meeting up with Mike and Tina."
Mercedes eyed him suspiciously, asking, "Obligated to do what?" she raised an eyebrow, "And by whom?"
Sam, in an attempt to make sure she didn't think he was planning on seducing her or something else dastardly, babbled, "Not that I wasn't looking real forward to seein' you again…" he said quickly. "…Mercedes you gotta know that I'd have shown up at your house last night if I wasn't sure your daddy would have pulled a shotgun on me if I did. Obligation or no, I never need an excuse to spend more time with you…"
"Obligation to do what?" she asked again, this time less suspiciously. "And who made you promise to pick me up early?"
"My mama," Sam admitted. "She told me to come by and pick you up early so I could bring you over to meet her." Sam said this with an expectant look on his face, and Mercedes could tell Mrs. Evans wasn't the only one who wanted Mercedes to meet the family.
Knowing that Sam saw her as 'Mama-meeting" material eased Mercedes' mind of any trepidation she might have felt over being thrust into such an uncomfortable situation with no warning. And given what Sam had just been put through by her father, Mercedes figured it was only fair. So when she said, "Meeting the Mom…" she did so teasingly and smilingly. Mercedes nodded and Sam grinned happily. Mercedes pretended to roll the idea over in her mind, even though she knew she was okay with being introduced around and shown off. "…Do you think I'm ready for all that?"
Sam immediately could tell that Mercedes was pretending to be apprehensive, so he told her the rest of what was expected of her, while she was feeling confident. "It's not actually just her…" Admittedly Sam was excited to introduce his family to the first girl he'd ever liked enough to bring home. Grinning, he added, "…my dad will be there; and by now the twins have heard about the date too. Everybody's curious…"
Mercedes took a moment to consider how she felt about being a spectacle for Sam's entire family to judge in less than fifteen minutes, decided that any group of people responsible for a guy as cool as Sam couldn't be all bad, and came to the conclusion that she wasn't scared at all.
"Well, that makes five of us…" she declared. "…I'm curious about them too!" She put on her diva face briefly, and vowed, "I ain't skurred Blondie… Bring on all the Evanses!"
Sam, who knew she meant every word, reached out to thread Mercedes' fingers between his own, and stopped at a red light. Taking full advantage of what he saw as a great opportunity, he leaned over to deliver a lightning-fast peck to her slightly flushed cheek. He used his thumb to trace the line of her forefinger lightly, and couldn't help but blush and stammer, "Thanks, darlin'."
At this point, Mercedes lost some of her adopted attitude, smiled prettily, and bashfully mumbled, "No big…" while the looked deep into each others' eyes. Only a loud honk from the car behind them told Sam and Mercedes that the light had turned green and traffic was ready to move again.
Sam took his foot off the brake pedal, and they drove on in companionable silence the rest of the way. They'd spoken volumes with their eyes for those few brief seconds, and at that point words were anything but necessary.
Mercedes' Turn on The Hotseat...
When Sam and Mercedes pulled into his driveway of his house the girl immediately dropped his hand and lowered the passenger side window to peer out. Sam's home was a nice, slightly above average-sized house in a quiet, family-friendly part of Lima. The house was split level, with a two car garage right in front. Around the corner of the house Mercedes could make out a large backyard, a storage shed, and a nice flower garden lining the outer perimeter of a huge enclosed patio.
This was obviously a great home for raising children in, Mercedes mused, as she took in what appeared to be a deflated bouncy house or water slide bundled just inside the open doorway of nearby shed. It was sitting on the floor next to a go cart with a work bench and several huge bags of potting soil. There was a basketball net hung in the driveway just above the garage doors, and she would have bet money on the Evanses having a pretty decent swing set or playhouse set up in the backyard. Sam used a remote clipped to the drivers-side sun shade to open one of the garage doors, then exited the vehicle, raced around to open Mercedes' car door, and escorted her into the house through the garage. They passed two cars, several bicycles, and an entire wall dedicated to power tools. Together, the couple took a short flight of steps up to the first floor of the house and opened the door that separated the garage from the main hallway. As they stepped over the threshold, having re-clutched hands, Mercedes squeezed nervously and peeped around.
To both their right and left were long hallways, the right one seeming to disappear around a corner, which Sam explained as he nodded in that direction, "Guest room and bathroom are down that hall…" The hallway to their left led to double doors, with several single doors interrupting the expanse of shiny hardwood floor and pristine white walls. "Kitchen…" Sam gestured, as they passed the door which opened slightly to reveal a large room with a white refrigerator and stove, large white linoleum tiles covering the floor, a huge wooden circular table for six bearing a blue checked gingham tablecloth, and matching window treatments accentuating a lovely bay window which offered a great view of the large backyard. "Dining Room," he muttered as they passed the door behind which hid a cozy space holding a tall china cabinet, formal dining table, and squat server…again, with the huge lace-covered bay window facing the yard. Mercedes let go of Sam's hand in order to step inside and get a better look at what she assumed was Stacie's play house and Stevie's dirt bike run. "Pretty," she murmured, meaning every word.
Sam gazed out the window momentarily and let his gaze fall back on Mercedes before answering, "Not the only pretty thing in here…"
The couple grinned and reached out to grip hands again, and continued down the long hallway. Before they reached the double doors, Sam opened another door to reveal what appeared to be a formal den; a room complete with new-looking striped sofas, sturdy wooden coffee-and-side tables, and a pair of curtains so large and elaborately drawn any number of dresses could have been sewn from the material in them. There was an ataman on the floor, roughly the size of a child-sized bed –perfect for a child to sit quietly upon while his or her parents talked and visited with hosts- and a chaise lounge facing the huge picture window in front that overlooked the front yard. This was obviously a show-room, as opposed to a "get comfortable and hang out" one…the type of place where the family entertained formal company. Mercedes could tell because there was no television or radio to distract from polite conversation. Also, a huge portrait of each family member hung suspended around the perimeter of the room, in addition to a huge family photograph of the entire clan wearing green holiday sweaters in front of a Christmas tree. There was a huge standing multi-picture frame situated in the corner, full of candid photos of the family doing fun things. These, Mercedes knew, were conversation pieces…this space was obviously kept 'nice" at all times in case company came over unexpectedly. Therefore, she decided, unless Sam's family wanted to impress his date, they wouldn't be doing any meeting-and-greeting in here.
As the couple sidled down the hallway and approached the double doors, Mercedes took note of the front and back doors in addition to what appeared to be a home office and a linen closet situated along the corridor. They opened the double doors to reveal a long stairwell leading up…
"Bedrooms, bathrooms…and computer room," Sam nodded upwards, to which she nodded in understanding.
…as well as another, equally long stairwell to their left leading downstairs.
"Basement…that's where everyone will come to be nosy…" Mercedes laughed and the two made their way down.
Upon reaching the bottom, Mercedes once again looked around and definitely liked what she saw there. The basement was carpeted in a homey soft tan, and the space was large enough to be divided into halves. In the front portion lived bookshelves, a wooden entertainment center that housed a huge flatscreen, a Blu-Ray player, a Bose audio mixer, an old-school record player and several overflow game systems. There was an overstuffed sofa and love seat, manufactured from a beautiful combination of wooden frame, leather accents, and paisley gold-brown-and tan cloth. A huge octagon-shaped coffee table and half-octagon side tables completed the picture.
The back half of the basement was obviously where the children played indoors. Two brick fireplaces were built into the wall with several overflowing toy chests and a great Cinderella's Castle dollhouse littering the hearth.
Mercedes raised an eyebrow and pointed to the darling structure, to which Sam answered "Yeah, that's the one we made…"
The space directly behind the couches was mostly bare, save a comfy-looking armchair and footrest and a severe straight-backed chair upholstered in the same material as the rest of the seats. Along the wall opposite the TV stood a well-worn and obviously loved-to-death piano.
Mercedes breathed deeply and finally spoke "Your house is the truth, Blondie," she declared.
Sam smirked, "you like it?" He was obviously very proud of what his family –especially, given some of the places a young Sam had been forced to lay his head- had accomplished. "I was hopin' you would…" He untangled their fingers turned to face her fully, just beside the support beam which was erected just behind the couch.
"Like it?" Mercedes scoffed, placing her hand on her hips and rolling her neck incredulously. "I might just move in!"
As they laughed together, Sam unconsciously invaded Mercedes' personal space and by the time they'd released all of their giggles, the two were closer than they'd ever been in person. He bent slightly, breathed in her perfume, and fingered a lock of hair that had escaped her shiny hair clip. She reached out to place a hand on the well-defined muscle covering his wildly beating heart and smiled. And just before Sam could finally move in enough to kiss the lips that had haunted his dreams for days now –and do it while they were still alone-an unexpected and as yet unfamiliar childish voice bellowed unceremoniously from underneath the stairs, "Mama! Daddy!"
From a tiny space built into the wall underneath the steps came a cute floppy-haired blond boy with Sam's peridot-green eyes and chubby cheeks. He wore a pair of blue Superman pajama pants with a clean white tee shirt, obviously fresh from his nighttime bath. His facial expression was both naughty and happy, and instantly Mercedes wanted to pick him up and swing him around to see him laugh. Before she could introduce herself to Stevie, he raised his hands to his mouth in the fashion of a makeshift amplifier and shouted once again up the stairs, "Hey, y'all better hurry up! They're HERE…and just about to get all KISSY!"
"Stevie!" Sam shouted, as Mercedes giggled a little and her date took off in the small boy's direction. "You creepy little freak…" Stevie laughed uproariously before darting just out of Sam's grasp and around the sofa. Now the huge piece of furniture separated the brothers and Sam charged right to catch his errant sibling. Stevie made quickly for the opposite end… and once safe again, stuck out his tongue at Sam, in the most infuriating manner possible.
"Oh, I'm about to get kissy alright," Sam threatened as he changed directions and tried to nab the boy once more. Mercedes could tell that Stevie was no stranger to the dire consequences of baiting his big brother, and she –being a little sister- could also tell that the 8-year-old was no novice at escaping said consequences. Back and forth Sam chased Stevie, never once coming close enough to apprehend the slippery youth.
Finally, Sam gave up and stood in one place to glare, giving Stevie a chance to place his thumbs in his ears and shake his hips from side to side in pure "na-nanny-boo-boo" fashion. "Stevie!" Sam bellowed, determined to chastise the little runt one way or another. "What kind of a dick move is that?" he asked rhetorically. "Spyin' and tellin' all my business…"
Stevie shrugged. "I promised I'd tell Mama and Daddy when y'all got here." He turned to speak to Mercedes, intent on further embarrassing Sam. "See, you're the only girl Sammy ever met that liked him enough to come by the house. So everybody's real excited to meet 'ya!" Stevie walked over to a bare spot on the hearth and sat down, anxious to get the dirt on the pretty girl Sammy brought over, and knowing that he was no longer in any immediate danger of being pummeled by an angry Sam. "…So, how come you came over here with Sammy, huh? You like him?" Stevie took a second to mull over his next words before asking, "Don't he get on your last nerve actin' like a dork all the time?"
"Never mind the miniature dumbass, Mercedes," Sam spat out, unwilling to forgive Stevie or put up with any "embarrass the big bro" moments in front of this particular girl. "We'll ignore him until everybody else comes down. Stevie flipped Sam off, which coincidentally, his parents caught him at, red-fingered…they'd just started to come down the flight of steps when Stevie sat down.
Melissa Evans was tall and slim with honey blonde hair and light-teal eyes. She wore a pair of comfortable flare-legged yoga pants and a loose-fitting long tee shirt that showed off her slight build. On her feet were brown Birkenstock slide-in sandals, shoes Melissa obviously lived in when running her daily routine. She walked into the room almost jauntily, and practically skipped over to where Sam and his guest stood. Before greeting the teenagers and welcoming Mercedes into her home, Melissa made it a point to chastise her sons for behaving so atrociously in front of company. While she chided them, Mercedes chuckled to herself.
"Samuel Elliot Evans," Melissa wagged her finger at her eldest son. "You better watch your language in my house…and Steven Eric Evans…" she cornered her youngest boy, who had attempted to slink away. "I better not catch you shooting any more birds at your brother or anybody else."
Without skipping a beat, Melissa fussed at her sons while turning herself bodily in a circle to inspect the room they stood in. "Y'all know better than to be showin' out like this in front of company…you're gonna have this girl thinkin' I raised heathens. And Stevie!"
The young boy leaned against the piano and waited to be mommied some more. "I thought I told you to straighten up down here before Sammy made it back home?" Melissa finally having stopped to take a breath, Stevie was able to get a word in edgewise.
"But you and Daddy told me to let y'all know when they got here…"
"Quit talkin' back to me, boy!" Mama Evans raised her hand like she meant to give her baby boy a swat, but the little jackrabbit scooted out of the way too fast for it to land. "Din't nobody tell you to take all 'em toys out from under there to spy on your brother! So you two clean up while me and your daddy introduce ourselves to Sammy's friend. Git!"
"Yes, Ma'am," responded Stevie.
"Sure Mom," Sam agreed, and the two began gathering toys and pushing them into Stevie's hiding place…thus allowing Mr. and Mrs. Evans to usher Mercedes around the sofa so they could finally have a talk with the girl their son was so crazy about.
Before they could sit, Melissa reached out to grab Mercedes in a firm hug. Melissa's grip was so tight, in fact, that Mercedes could smell the White Diamonds Sam's mom had dabbed behind her ears. The two were close enough for Mercedes to get a whiff of the Garnier Cream Leave-In conditioner she herself used…but instead of allowing the sudden embrace to startle her, Mercedes returned it. After they'd rocked back and forth a few times, Melissa took a step back –without letting go of the girl' shoulders, mind you- and took a closer look at Sam's date. The look of happy approval was all over the blonde woman's face and Mercedes was overcome with a feeling of total acceptance.
"It's so nice to finally meet you!" Melissa gushed, as if Sam had known Mercedes for longer than three short days. "I'm Melissa, Sammy's mama, and you're Mercedes Jones!" the girl nodded, speechlessly. "Sammy's been talkin' bout you for days!" the older woman babbled, making Mercedes' face warm a little. Ignoring the girl's embarrassment, Melissa turned to fuss some more at her eldest child, who was red in the face with the effort of packing Stacie's dollhouse into the storage space without breaking it. "Lil Boy, you never told me the child was this pretty…"
If Sam's face became even redder at that moment, one could easily chalk it up to an increased effort at stowing away the cumbersome toy.
"…this little girl looks, for all the world, like my best friend growing up, a girl named Anna Marie Howze. Honey?" Mama Evans addressed her husband, who up to then had yet to speak. "You remember her?"
Daniel Evans used his sparkling emerald green eyes to briefly peer into Mercedes' face, and nodded enthusiastically at his wife, still quiet. The man was tall and slim, wearing a green flannel shirt opened over a John Deere tee shirt and matching trucker cap. His jeans were faded acid wash Wranglers, and on his feet were lovingly worn-in dark brown Timberlands. Immediately, Mercedes noticed that Sam had inherited his wide smile and chiseled jawline from his dad, and the older man's kind smile twinkled with unspent laughter. When their eyes met, Mr. Evans and Mercedes each recognized an immediate fondness for the other and without speaking one word, agreed to be friends from that point on.
"Anyway," Melissa continued, "Anna Marie was the most popular girl in our whole neighborhood all the way thru till we graduated from high school! She had the same big ole doe-eyes as you, Mercedes…" She studied the rest of Mercedes' face critically. "…Same round cheeks and big pretty smile, too." She boldly eyed the rest of her son's first real crush before declaring, "Not to mention that same kinda stacked-to-heaven body type!"
"Oh, my God, Mom…" Sam complained. "…Really?" Mercedes simply laughed at his embarrassment.
"I swear," Melissa went on, undaunted, "Anna Marie had every boy in school chasin' her around the place…football and basketball players, smart-alecky types, artsy ones... They all liked her, and she had to beat 'em off with a stick." Melissa playfully bumped hips with Mercedes, who laughingly returned the gesture. "I bet my Sammy had to strut around like a peacock with its tail on fire to make you pay attention to him…"
"Oh, leave the boy alone, Mell…" Mr. Evans finally spoke in a deep and rumbly voice, not unlike the way Sam sounded when he'd talked on the telephone long enough to become sleepy. The memory of Sam's sexy voice made Mercedes lose focus briefly, and she quickly rallied to hear what his dad had to say. "I'm sure Mercedes couldn't help but to fall for Sammy, once he hit her with the ole' Evans charm!" He reached out to shake Mercedes' hand. "I'm Daniel Evans, Sam's father. It's nice to finally put such a pretty face to the name I keep hearin' around here." Yep, Mercedes thought, Sam got his charming ways from his equally dangerous dad.
Sam never got a chance to protest the attempted parental embarrassment torture going on, because all of a sudden a small voice piped up from behind Daniel, saying, "and I'm Stacie!"
Out popped an adorable little girl with dark green eyes wearing her long blonde hair in pigtails. She marched over and stood just to the side of where Melissa still held Mercedes at arm's length, and spent a few seconds looking Sam's date over. While Stacie drank in Mercedes with her eyes, the teen girl did the same…after Mercedes evaluated the little girl's pink and purple pajamas and fuzzy slippers, she deemed the eight year old an official cutie-pie.
Stacie must have been likewise pleased with what she saw in Mercedes, because her next words were, "I like her, Mama…"
To which Mercedes replied, "Same to you, Sweetie!"
Stacie, never missing a beat, looked Mercedes straight on and declared, "I don't wanna shake hands with you like Daddy did…can I have a hug, Mercedes? Like Mama?"
"Sure," Mercedes opened her arms wide and Stacie stepped between her mom and Sam's date, grabbing and giggling happily. "It's nice to meet you!"
"Good," Stacie untangled herself from the teenage and grown-up arms and clapped her hands together gleefully. "We girls can talk while the boys clean up and Daddy goes upstairs to fix us somethin' to drink. Will you have a seat, Mercedes?" she asked, gesturing to the love seat and using her best tea-party manners. Daniel, tickled pink by how charming his little girl was, made his way to the kitchen to obey her request, while the boys finished putting the basement in order and the female Evanses sat on the sofa to entertain their guest.
The ladies talked about church, school, clothes, and any other topic of interest they seemed to all have in common. By the time Daniel returned with a tray holding a pitcher of sweet tea, glasses, and several slices of homemade pound cake, the boys were done and they'd joined the party. Sam sat next to Mercedes, throwing an arm over the backrest. Stevie took his favorite Xbox spot on the floor beside the coffee table. Stacie nestled comfortably between her parents on the sofa, and they all laughed and joked until it was time for the couple to be off.
None of the Evanses were ready to see Mercedes leave…they all grew to like her quickly and let it show. Stacie, just before Sam and Mercedes stood up, had climbed bodily into Mercedes' lap in order to inspect the hair clip worn in the teenager's dark tresses, and pronounced the accessory "the most beautiful thing" she'd ever seen. Which prompted Mercedes to take it off immediately and hand it right over to the excited child. Sam finally forgave Stevie when he made a special effort to refill Mercedes' glass and offer her the last slice of pound cake. And Melissa wasn't able to cajole Mercedes into giving an impromptu private concert…but it wasn't for lack of trying.
By the time Sam and Mercedes left the house, Daniel had extracted a promise that Mercedes would attend church services with the family some Sunday, and the entire family had engulfed the girl in a huge group hug. Melissa didn't want her son's date to start late, and Daniel wanted to make a good impression on the girl who'd made such an impression on his awkward-around-girls son, so the elder Evanses pushed the couple out of the door with many well wishes and reminders to be careful.
As Sam and Mercedes stood in the front doorway, each teen searched the face of the other, wanting to figure out what they thought. Mercedes saw gratitude, a fair amount of pride, and unmistakable joy in Sam's eyes. Sam saw excitement, mirth, and if he wasn't mistaken…a little jealousy in Mercedes'.
Was it possible that Mercedes, inhabitant of the immaculately perfect Jones home, could possibly have witnessed the chaos and destruction that reigned in the Evans home, and responded by wishing her own were just as lively? If that was the case, Sam decided, then he'd do his level best to make sure she spent as much time as she liked in Casa Evans.
Sam's intent study of the girl's pretty face was interrupted when Mercedes let out a riotous giggle, asking "Can I borrow your fam sometime?" She laughed again, "Like, on the holidays? Seriously? Your folks keep it live…"
Sam laughed too, saying "If you want 'em, take em…startin' with Stevie!"
They chuckled together for a minute while Sam worked up the nerve to say something really bold.
"Little fucker interrupted me right when I was gonna make my move…" he murmured, moving closer and brushing back the same lock of hair he'd been fingering right before Stevie had interrupted them.
"Oh, yeah?' Instead of becoming shy, Mercedes stepped fully into his embrace, using her arms to wrap around Sam's waist and pull herself closer to him.
As they studied one another's faces once more, Sam and Mercedes each used the tip of their fingers to lightly graze which ever body part they gravitated to first.
"No big…" Sam whispered. "…I got all night…"
Sam stroked Mercedes' cheeks, her chin, the juncture where her shoulder met her neck. Mercedes walked her fingertips over where his shirt covered the muscular flesh of his back, the sinewy length of his arms, his hard shoulders.
"Starting now?" she asked expectantly.
Sam nodded, "Startin' now…" he promised before dipping his head lower.
Finally, without speaking another word, Sam and Mercedes shared a delicious kiss, one that had definitely been a very long time coming…
Tike's Waiting…
After the first kiss ended -followed closely by their second, third, and fourth kisses respectfully- Mercedes and Sam reentered the truck and he started the engine. They sat there holding hands, speaking softly while Foreigner serenaded them.
"Sorry about my mom…" Sam started. "…it's embarrassing to admit this, but this is kinda only my second date, so she's really excited."
Mercedes turned to him, not at all offended…considering the way her own dad had treated Sam, she felt she had no right to be. She was, however, interested in learning more about this news and reacted to the news accordingly. "Oh yeah? Me too…that's funny." Mercedes still found it amazingly great, the sheer amount of things they had in common…
"You've only gone out on one date in your whole life?" Sam asked incredulously. He didn't understand; Mercedes was beautiful, and should have had guys following her around since middle school. "Somehow I don't believe that for a minute."
Mercedes giggled. "I don't care if you don't believe it, it happens to be true…" She started to explain. "And that one date was all Kurt's doing, actually. He set me up with Anthony Rashad at the beginning of the school year."
"Oh, yeah?" Sam asked, recognizing the name as belonging to a junior on the football team he'd caught cheating on a Spanish II quiz earlier in the week. "And how did that work out?"
"Well," Mercedes started. "To be honest, I don't think Kurt put himself through too much trouble when he was sifting through hopefuls. I'm pretty sure all he did was run a Google search for 'McKinley Titans of color' before weeding out the ones he knew I'd cut him for suggesting…" She rolled her eyes, "…Azimio's an asshole, Puck and Mike have girlfriends, and that Samoan guy with all the hair is kinda shy. Kurt was busy at the time trying to woo Blaine, his boyfriend, so he needed to keep me occupied…even accused me of substituting our friendship for a real relatiohsp to brow-beat me into going." She shrugged. "I guess Anthony was the only option left."
The couple laughed, Mercedes rather sadly. Sam gestured for her to continue her story.
"Anthony took me to a football party," Mercedes continued. "And at first I was having a good time; cause Tony's friends were all, 'what's up with you bringing the Glee freak?' But instead of letting the peer pressure fuck him up, he acted proud to have me on his arm."
Sam nodded, "Smart man..."
"Eventually, though, Tony's true colors started to show, and I realized that the asshole pretty much likes any girl he thinks'll give it up. I didn't, so we fizzled out about forty minutes before curfew. I'm honestly surprised I made it back home without cutting his ass," she giggled again. "Football players…"
"Well, I never got the chance to play sports for school…" Sam contributed. "Only intramurals. But that sucks. Aren't there any other boys at school you like?"
"One or two," Mercedes flirted. "More now than at the beginning of the year, actually. But I try not to focus on my love life in general. I figure if a guy likes me and I like him then things are more than likely gonna take care of themselves. So I don't rush it…"
"Good," Sam beamed. "Me too…"'
"So tell me about your first date?" Mercedes asked, curiously. "Was it any better than mine?"
"NO…" Sam replied. "…actually, hell no." They laughed together. "It was this one time my Mom begged me to take one of her friend's daughters to a middle-school dance. I was thirteen, about to graduate from high school. She was in junior high and talked about Justin Timberlake all night long long. I listened to her going on and on about that Sweet 16 show on MTV, but when the subject changed to how many Facebook friends she had I started mentally reviewing material for my mid-term Calculus semester exam. It was pretty awful…"
"So what do you say we count those two as practice and call this both of our first dates?" Mercedes suggested. "That way if we keep having fun…"
"Then we both have good memories…" Sam concluded. "That sounds great."
"So…" Sam beamed at Mercedes in the passenger seat, pulled out of the driveway got finally got en route to the Lima Triple Plex. "Do you think there's any chance Mike and Tina will cancel on us tonight? I don't know why but now that we're finally on the road I'm not so scared I'll run you off. I kinda want you all to myself for our date…"
"Tina, cancel?" Mercedes scoffed. "That ain't happening sweetie," she continued. "Not after all the planning she and Mike did. Anyway, they invited us. So if a one-on-one date is what you're after, you'll just have to suck it up and ask me yourself…"
"Done," Sam remembered what Mike had confided about Tina's excitement about seeing her new OTP in action. "So may have the pleasure of your company tomorrow afternoon? I'd love to hang out again with you…"
"Am I allowed to know beforehand what we'll be doing tomorrow?" Mercedes giggled. "Or is it another phantom, super-secret location like your post-dinner plans for tonight?"
"Can I let you know?" he answered. "These things just
work out better if I don't talk too much about them beforehand. I need some time to think."
"That's cool…" Mercedes shrugged. "…but I'm in, either way. I'd love to see you tomorrow."
"Cool…"
They continued the rest of the journey in comfortable silence.
A/N: So, as I said before, I hope this was worth the wait. I have literally been sitting on this thing unfinished forever. I already wrote the Tike part of the date, and the surprise at the end. Honestly? I think I've almost finished writing most of the story. I just need to put it together so it makes sense. I can assure everyone who is following this that there will not be another gap like the last one. Also, I will update WIW for you Puckcedians this week as well.
Side note…how amazing is it that Quick is canon? I'm into it.
Anyway, Happy Reading!
