This is a shift day. There are two updates today.
"Rock the Night Away"
9. A Rite of Passage
Artie had quickly seen the issue with his being at this concert. He couldn't see the stage, as much as he tried. It didn't matter that everyone had seats, because they weren't in them half the time. They'd be on their feet, and then he had no hope of seeing a thing, because he couldn't do the same as them. It was hard to get the others to notice when they were busy enjoying the concert. Either way he didn't want to bother them with this.
"Oh no!" Sugar exclaimed all of a sudden.
"What's wrong?" he asked when he saw her dive down to try and look under the seats.
"One of my bracelets rolled off!" she told him, trying to find it. He looked down, too, in case he could find it. He did: in his lap.
"Sugar?" he called to her, holding it up. She gasped, taking it.
"Thank you, Artie, you saved my life!"
"Well I wouldn't go that far," he smirked, though he felt proud all of a sudden.
"I have an idea!" she stood back up all at once, which startled him. "Finn, help me for a second?" she grabbed him from the row in front of them.
x
Mercedes had left the lineup the new owner of a handful of t-shirts. She had one for everyone, her personal gift to them. When she returned to her section, everyone was on their feet, moving to the music, which complicated getting back to her seat, but once she managed it there was Tony with that smile, and she could forget everything else.
"Glad you're back," he breathed.
"What'd she say to you?" Mercedes frowned, glaring at Santana, who saw nothing.
"It's fine, she just had… questions."
"I cannot leave her alone for five seconds," she shook her head.
"No, really, I don't mind," he chuckled. "She just cares about you. And I think I passed the test."
"No surprise there," she beamed and he kissed her.
The day she'd met him, she'd heard his voice before she'd ever seen him. He was funny, and she'd found it so easy to talk to him, so much so that she'd almost missed her appointment. By the time she had seen him in person, she already knew about where he was from – Georgia – how old he was – twenty – and that he had done musicals in high school. She'd told him about being from Lima, and how she'd come here to be a singer. She'd even told him about the video, the one that Sam had posted. When he told her he'd seen it, that he remembered it, she didn't believe him. But then he'd described it, telling her that he had been stunned by her, and she knew he was telling the truth.
And when she had seen him, the feeling she'd gotten already from speaking alone had been paired with finding him to be mystifyingly halfway between hot and cute. It was impossible to decide which he was, she would tell her friends, but it didn't matter. When she saw the way his eyes lit up at the sight of her, she was a goner.
They had chosen to take things slow, as much as they could. They had started off as friends, had been for some time, and then she'd gone home to help with McKinley's production of Grease. If it was true that distance made the heart grow fonder, then Tony was plenty fond when she returned. The first words out of his mouth had been 'will you go out with me?' And the rest had been like heaven.
When Santana had made the offer for the concert, she'd decided this would be the perfect time for her to introduce him to at least a few of her friends from Lima. But now apparently it wasn't just Santana, Quinn, and Mike that she had to worry about.
"You didn't happen to see if there was a line for the men's room?" he asked her.
"It was like a third of the length for the ladies' room, I think you're fine," she smirked.
"Alright, well in that case…" he headed off and she watched him go. As soon as he was gone, there was Santana at her side.
"Way to trade up there," she commented.
"What did you say to him?" Mercedes had to ask. She could claim to trust her all she wanted, she'd known Santana for too long.
"Nothing!" the girl insisted. "I didn't have to. You've got yourself an actual southern gentleman, if you let him out of your sight, I'll… Okay, you don't have to worry about me personally," she realized her 'threat' was running on empty. "But there are plenty of other girls in this world who will pounce on that guy the second he looks unattached."
"Is that supposed to worry me?"
"Probably not, he doesn't look like the wandering type, but he is a guy. Little Tony might have other plans." Mercedes shouldn't have chuckled, but she couldn't help herself. "Okay, if that still makes you giggle, maybe he will get away from you."
"It's nothing like that," Mercedes promised.
"Then what is it?" Santana asked.
"Little Tony?" she repeated, giving Santana a look, and if the cheerleader had been drinking she might have choked.
"Well done, Mercedes Jones," she threw her arm around her shoulders, and Mercedes laughed.
"What'd I miss?" They looked up to find Quinn had returned.
"I'll tell you later," Santana told her, which got her a glare from Mercedes. "Trust me, you've got the bragging rights, use them." At their side, Mike wasn't sure how to respond to the conversation he was overhearing, so he decided to be very quiet and focus on the concert.
TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)
