Hey guys, so I know it's been awhile since I last posted for this story but I still really wanted to continue it. I legit just reread this story yesterday and managed to crank out this chapter in a day and a half. I'm actually kind of proud of myself. 'Self-Five!' Anyway, I really hope you guys enjoy it
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee...
Sam walked into the library at 3:58 with his one of his backpack sleeves slumped over his shoulders. He walked around a bit, trying to see if Mercedes had arrived before he had and saw her sitting quietly at a table near the window. She had a pair of earphones in and was reading a textbook; Sam couldn't distinct which one but he inferred it was probably about history. I'm gonna have a little fun with this, he thought. He quietly walked behind her and was about to yell 'boo!' but before he got to, Mercedes suddenly turned around and glared at him which caused him to jump back a bit.
"Don't even think about it," she quipped. "Oh, did I scare you?" she asked, noticing that the blond had a hand clutched to his chest and that he seemed surprised. Sam quickly put on his best smirk and regained his composure.
"What? Of course not. The real question is did I scare you?"
"Well I'm not the one still holding my chest, so no, I think I asked the right question," the brunette retorted without hesitation. The Southerner blushed slightly as he put his hand down.
"Well that shows how much you know," Sam scoffed, going to the other side of the table and taking a seat. He placed his backpack on the floor beside him. "As a trained athlete, I always have to check my resting heart beat for um..." He hesitated for a second. "Exercise reasons." There was a slight pause before Mercedes started to chuckle.
"Boy, that has got to be the stupidest lie I have ever heard," she said in between giggles. "Come on, I thought you could at least do better than that."
"Hey, give me some credit," the football player said, also starting to laugh. "I had to come up with something on the spot. I thought it was pretty good considering."
"Well I didn't think so."
"Well at least it made you laugh."
"Yeah it-" The diva realized that he was right and immediately stopped laughing. She cleared her throat before she began talking again. "Yeah, I guess it did. So anyway, let's start study-"
"No."
"No? Excuse you, I'm your tutor. What else do you think we were going to do?"
"No it's not that. It's just-." The blond took a deep breath and thought about what he was going to say next so it wouldn't blow the diva off again. "But why do you do that?"
"Do what exactly?" Mercedes questioned. raising an eyebrow as she crossed her arms.
"That. We were just having a good time and as soon as I reminded you of it, you immediately got defensive. Why can't you just relax and let loose?"
"I can. I just choose not to do that with you."
"Why?"
"If you don't know then-"
"But I really don't know. It's just- I don't get it. I'm a good guy, you know?"
"Good guy? Please," the tutor scoffed. "Don't make me laugh."
"Well, it wouldn't be the first time I did that, would it?" Sam smirked.
"Wow, you must think you're so cool, don't you?"
"Maybe but I wouldn't correct you if you said I was."
"God, I don't know how I can even fit into this room with your gigantic ego taking up most of the space. You think you're so much better than the rest of us, standing up there on your freaking football pedestal!" Suddenly, the jock's smile faded.
"Whoa, when did I say that?"
"You didn't have to," Mercedes stated, uncrossing her arms and picking up a pencil of the table. "Your aura says it all for you."
"Well, you can't blame me for that. My aura must have a life of it's own then because I don't think like that."
"Of course you don't," the curvy teen muttered. "Let's get back to studying, sh-"
"Cedes," Sam started, trying to look directly into her eyes. "Cedes, this isn't fair. You can't jus-"
"Actually, I can. I have other things I need to do today and if you don't want to study then I guess I'll just g-"
"No, no please don't do that," the blond practically begged. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm genuinely sorry for whatever it is I did to you." Mercedes was a bit taken aback by the apology. It actually seemed like he was being sincere.
"Why?" Sam was confused by the question.
"Why, what?"
"Why are you trying to apologize for something that you don't even know you did?"
"Well because- it's hard to explain."
"Please try," the diva asked, searching into the blond's eyes for a shred of honesty.
"Well cause.. cause I don't know to be honest," Sam admitted. "A few days ago I honestly didn't really know you existed and now all I want is for you to like me. I just.. I guess I just need for you to believe me." Mercedes simply stared at him for a few seconds before looking back down at her textbook.
"So, where do you wanna start exactly? Like what parts do you not get the most? The Enlightenment?"
"Cedes," the Southernor sighed.
"Maybe the Reformation? Perhaps the Great Schi-"
"Mercedes!" the jock tried again.
"What?" the diva asked, glancing up.
"That's all I get? A what? I basically poured my heart out to you and you just-"
"Just what?"
"Just ignore me as if I was some random kid saying good morning to you in the hallway."
"Well, what did you expect me to say?"
"I- I don't know," Sam sighed again. "But not that."
"Look Sam, I don't know if you were truly being truthful or not and until then, I.. I just want to study, okay?" The blond could tell she wasn't going to budge so he agreed.
"Fine, fine.."
"Grea-"
"But on one condition."
"Oh my goodness, let it go," Mercedes groaned.
"I could say the same to you." The diva opened her mouth but decided to keep quiet.
"I'll take your silence as a sign that you agree," the athlete said. "We can start studying as soon as you tell me why you rushed out of Mr. Lawrence's room and Kurt was chasing you."
"What?" the curvy teen asked, slightly surprised. "How did you know about that?"
"I was walking by his room when Kurt ran out and bumped into me. He didn't say much but I got him to tell me you were upset about something."
"Oh, well it doesn't matter anyway. There's nothing you can do about it so there's really no point in telling you."
"Try me." Mercedes hesitated a bit but decided that if it would get the actual study session started, it was worth a try.
"Fine, if you really must know, I um.. I got my first 'F' ever on a math test today, okay? Happy?"
"Happy you told me, yes," Sam smiled, "Happy you got an 'F', no," he said, with a feigned pout as he shook he head.
"Wow, you must think this a joke, don't you? See, I knew you wouldn't understan-"
"Whoa, whoa, hey. No need to put me on trial, kay?" the blond said, raising his hands up in defense. "I was just trying to lighten up the mood. I'm sorry, though. I guess I don't really know you that well but I can tell your the kind of person who grades mean a lot to and is incredibly smart. I bet it's just a fluke."
"Thanks."
"If you want, I can tutor you in math. I've been known to dabble in the craft of numbers here and there," Sam chuckled.
"Yeah, okay," the diva scoffed, focusing back on her book. "Let's get back to-"
"Whoa, what was that?"
"What was what?"
"That like unbelieving scoff thing you did when I offered to tutor you," the jock asked with a raised eyebrow. "Did you think I was joking or something?"
"No, it's just that I don't exactly need your help, if you know what I mean."
"Wow, I mean, I knew you didn't think too highly of me but do you really think I'm stupid?"
"Well, I wouldn't be tutoring you if you were smart," Mercedes replied automatically. She immediately looked up at Sam when she realized what she had said. "Wait, no. That's not what I meant."
"No, I think it is," the athlete said. "Hey I mean, I get it. I'm blond and a football jock. It's nothing I haven't heard before. I'm basically the role model for the stupid stereotype."
"No, no. That was mean-"
"So that makes it untrue for some reason?" Sam quipped back, glaring at her.
"Ummm..." The diva was at a loss for words. When Sam saw she wasn't gonna say anything, he just shook his head and sighed.
"The Great Schism," the blond began, picking up his backpack off the floor. "Was a separation within in the church that happened in the 11th century. Byzantium started to believe in Greek Orthodox while the West was still Roman Catholic. It happened for a multitude of reasons, like a difference in the creed, the difference in languages, you know Greek vs. Latin, etc."
"Sam, you don't have to-"
"The Reformation was also a religious division in the church that happened late in Europe, especially the Western part," the blond explained, standing up. "One of the main people in the Reformation was Martin Luther and his 95 theses that he stapled to church doors. It was the real beginnings of Protestantism."
"Sam, sit do-"
"And last but not least, the Enlightenment," the jock continued, pushing in his chair. "It was a period of great thought in Western Europe. A lot of new philosophers came about, like Jean Bodin, who came up with the idea of sovereignty, Rousseau, who came up with the General Will, and Voltaire, a real political pessimist who thought the government should have more power in everyday lives." He paused for a second, as if he was thinking something over. "I- Nevermind. Bye Mercedes," he finished, turning around and walking out of the library.
"Whoa," the curvy teen thought aloud. "What just happened?"
So... what did you guys think? Please, please review! Ta ta for now guys!
