Chapter One:

Sam + Mercedes

Battlefield- Jordin Sparks

Sam walked into his shared apartment with his longtime girlfriend, he was running late but figured it would be okay since she said it was a causal dinner with a few of her colleagues. Being that those events usually were boring and they would sneak out about halfway through, he chucked it up to shortening their time from the beginning.

"Babe?" He said taking his shoes and jacket off then placing his keys down as well.

"Cedes?" He waited for a response but didn't get one so he walked into their bedroom smiling when he saw her looking at herself in the mirror. She had on a floor length sleeveless sequin red gown that, her hair was pulled into a low curly bun and she had a pair of silver drop earrings with matching necklace. He admired her and started to move towards her before she began taking off the gown angrily then throwing it away from herself.

"Mercedes?" Sam said walking fully into the room and she gave him a look that made him take a step back.

"I've been waiting for you for hours." She said through gritted teeth.

"I know babe but I figured since it was one of those frumpy dinners that we leave half way through it would be okay… so I went to the bar with the boys and-" He stopped when saw her facial expression change from anger to hurt then back to anger again.

"You went the bar with your friends because you thought we would leave early?"

"Well yeah we always do so what's the harm in showing up late right?" Sam said not really understanding why this dinner was different.

"Hmm… I guess you're right. Ha! I don't know why I thought you'd remember that this was a celebration dinner for my promotion that I got… but then again it's just a dinner that I've been talking about for over two months now." She said shaking her head and letting out a sigh.

"We can still go, it won't take long for me to get dressed." Sam reasoned feeling bad that he forgot that this dinner was about her promotion.

"No you see the dinner started two hours ago, that's where I was waiting for you but when I started to get worried that something was wrong I came here and you weren't here… so I called and of course when you're at the bar you don't answer your phone. So I waited and waited then I hear you come in here… which means you didn't go the dinner because you would've called and ask where I was because I wasn't there." Mercedes said with a heartless laugh.

"I didn't know I was out that long, usually the dinners start later in the evening and I just figured-"

"Yeah that part is true but I asked to start a little earlier so that we could celebrate later at the hotel… I got us a suite even packed your bag so that we could go straight there but again we're here because my boyfriend decided to go have drinks with his boys. You know I know you don't like the dinners so I always make sure we sneak out after a good amount of time has passed but you never once said we should stay." She said cutting him off again before walking into their closet and putting on a pair of jeans and a shirt.

"Cedes, let me make it up to you."

"HOW? The dinner's ended and I looked like a damn fool standing up there thanking my oh so supportive boyfriend who couldn't even remember a fucking dinner to celebrate my achievement that I have been working so hard to get but I GUESS THE BAR HAD MORE OF WHAT YOU WANTED!" She said growing angry and she put on a pair of tennis shoes before pulling her hair down.

"It was a mistake! I'm sorry I forgot about the importance of the dinner! I'm here now and I'm asking you to let me make up for it." Sam said getting defensive.

"No you chose to go to that damn bar instead coming here, you chose to stay as long as you did and you chose to be out with your boys than be there with me because 'you figured we'd leave early anyway'. What you did was what you WANTED to do and you will not make me feel some type of way for being angry! I never missed a single one of your events, I never tried to leave early and I never complained when we would stay over. After the third dinner you complained so I adjusted but I'm not going to do it this time." Mercedes said moving passed him and walking towards the door.

"So you're just going to leave? Without giving me a chance to make it better?"

"NO! You had the night you wanted so now you can spend it alone! Good night Samuel!" Mercedes responded before leaving Sam standing there angry and confused at the same time.

...

"I'm sorry but maybe leaving was a little over board… I mean you should have at least stayed and talked it out."

"Kurt you're supposed to me on my side not his and he forgot about my dinner… I seriously had so much planned celebration wise and now I'm in this big ass suite alone with flowers, sexy lingerie and other fun things. Also I'm horny as hell because he made the cutest sad face when I yelled at him, why must he be so damn fine!" Mercedes replied to her best friend Kurt rolling her eyes when she heard him laughing.

"Girl just go and talk to him then take him back to that suite and have a good time with you man." Kurt said shaking his head.

"Ugh.. fine but I'm going to make him beg for it." She said laughing.

"I'll make a grown man cry" They both sang remembering their old days in Glee.

"Okay let me know how it goes diva! I love you and good luck!" Kurt said before hanging up.

…

"I just don't know what to do at this point… she never told me she didn't want to leave the dinners and now she's beyond pissed but she wouldn't even let me make it up to her." Sam said sipping his beer and shaking his head.

"Sam, he has valid points you shouldn't have assumed that she was going to be okay with you being late and you should have went after her."

"T, she was so pissed I wasn't sure if I should go after her… she's just been so angry with me lately and I honestly did forget about the importance of the dinner." Sam replied to Tina.

"Has she ever forgotten any of your important events? I remember seeing her at all of our stuff and she literally talks to us all… well not me but still." Tina asked and admitted.

"What do you mean she doesn't talk to you?"

"I don't think she likes me too much… I over heard her say that she thinks I have a thing for you." Tina answered with a chuckle shaking her head.

"That's crazy she knows I'd never cheat on her."

"I think it's because of how closely we work together honestly."

"That's still no reason to be rude to you." Sam said squeezing her hand with a sympathetic smile.

"Sam I'm sor-" Mercedes said as she walked in before stopping when she saw her boyfriend and his co-worker Tina sitting on their couch looking mighty comfortable. She let out humorless laugh shaking her head before looking at their hands then back at Sam who then quickly removed his.

"I don't have shit to worry about huh? She's just my co-worker, huh? She's the first person you call after we have an argument." Mercedes said shaking her head.

"Mercedes, I'm sorry I'm not trying to-" Tina started but stopped when Mercedes shot her a look to made her stop talking.

"Babe, its not like that all. T, is just a friend just like Kurt is your friend." Sam explained getting up and walking closer to his girlfriend.

"It's not the same and you know it."

"There's nothing going on between us, I would never cheat on you." Sam said defensively.

"Funny how you think that's why I feel this way. Tell me Tina, if Sam was single would you want to date him?" Mercedes asked Tina putting her on the spot.

"I… umm." Tina stammered.

"Mhm, how long have you had feelings for him?" She asked looking directly at Sam.

"I don't… we're just frie- maybe I should go." Tina said standing up but Mercedes could see it in her eyes and she stepped to raven haired woman.

"How many times have you told him that he should consider taking a break from our relationship in hopes of winning him?" Mercedes asked looking at the both of them and Sam looked guilty because he knew the answer to that question.

"Merce, none of that matters because I never listened to her." Sam said trying to ease the tension.

"But you kept going back to her instead of coming to me or validating my concerns." Mercedes replied already knowing where this was heading.

"If you don't believe me then maybe we should break up… take a break or whatever." Sam said and Mercedes just nodded before looking back at Tina with a small smile.

"I'll be back at to get my things tomorrow." She said looking at Sam one final time before walking back out, she held onto her tears until she made it to her car and she called the one person she knew Sam wouldn't contact to reach her.

"Anthony?"

"Mercedes? Are you okay?"

"Mind if I crash at your place for a few days?"