DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GLEE NOR ANYTHING ELSE.
Shantel Lee- Logan Browning
Brianna James- Tania Raymonde
Izzy Ortiz- Francia Raisa
Kelby Newsome- Caitlin Carver
"What are you doing up at five o'clock in the morning anyways?"
"When you get a text from your best friend saying she's coming home soon, I can't help but be up. I'm so damn ecstatic."
Mercedes chuckled as she placed more items into her suitcase that was lying on her bed, looking up at the person's face through the laptop, "Me too, I've missed y'all so much."
"I can't tell. I see you got you a new set a girls." The girl playfully gave her the side-eye, watching as she rolled her own before giggling.
"Yes I do but that doesn't I have forgotten y'all Shantel."
"I know Moonie, I'm just messing with you." Shantel has been Mercedes friend since they were in diapers. The two girls literally did everything together besides play sports because Shantel was as girly as they came, "Are they coming down too?"
"Only Quinn." Mercedes paused for a moment and smiled, "You're going to love her."
"I can already tell by that smile on your face." Her best friend smiled back at her before sitting up in her bed, watching as she resumed back to packing, "How are you doing though?"
"I'm good. I just can't wait until I'm completely healed."
"Me too, baby. I swear, the real blackness came out of me when I heard what happened. Damien literally had hide all the keys in the house so I wouldn't drive down there plus all the phones so I wouldn't call a cab."
Mercedes snorted as she moved to her closet and grabbed a jacket, speaking out so she could hear, "I'm glad he did. I don't have money like that to be getting you, my brothers and teammates out of jail."
Shantel scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest, "I still can't believe they treated you like that at the beginning."
"It was expected." Mercedes shrugged as she came back in view, "But I'm glad that they came around, even if they still see me as a liability."
"Maybe not liability but a sister they need to protect." Shantel offered a smile as she scanned her face, "And how's the quarterback, what's his face?"
"Sam?"
"Yes." She watched as her face unknowingly light up at the mention of him, her eyebrows raising to the roof.
"Things with Sam are actually great. We've been hanging out a lot lately. He's a really sweet guy."
Shantel watched her for a moment before nodding her head, seeing her eyes come back to her own. She masked what she was thinking quickly because Mercedes was good at reading her, "Well, that's good. Is he nervous for this weekend?"
"I really can't tell with him sometimes. You know how I'm good at reading people but.." Mercedes paused for a moment as she thought about it, "I wouldn't know for sure unless he came right out and said it."
"Hm." She hummed out as she watched her closely, seeing her pause her actions to look at her.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Mercedes stared at her intensely, closing up her suitcase, "It's absolutely not nothing."
"It is, honest." She gave her a smile so bright to hide what she really wanted to point out. Hearing her mom call for her, she gave her a pout, "I have to go. I'll talk to you later and I can't wait to see you tonight, Moonie. Safe travels. Love you."
"Love you too, bye." She blew a kiss before ending their call, closing down her laptop, she turned around when she heard a knock on her door, smiling when she saw who it was, "Hey there."
"Hey. Your Dad told me I could come up but the door must stay fully open and that he has eyes everywhere."
Mercedes laughed at the reddening of his cheeks, watching as her friend come fully into her room with some bags, "He's such a Dad, that's all."
"It's understandable though. It makes me dread having a daughter one day." Sam stated as he took a seat on the ottoman at the foot of her bed.
"You want kids?"
"Why you say it like that?" Sam chuckled as he watched her grabbed two folded blankets, one light purple with ducks on it and one bright blue one, placing it in her tote bag.
"I didn't say it like anything." Mercedes raised her eyes to look at him, seeing his raised brow, her face scrunched up, "Did I?"
"Yeah."
"Sorry, it's just..I don't know..I meant nothing by it." Mercedes rambled out as she turned around and looked down at him, feeling her face began to heat up, "Sorry."
"It's nothing to apologize for, Mercedes." Sam laughed as he stared at her, nodding his head, "But yes, I do want to have kids and of course get married. Just hoping and praying that I can meet a girl who wants the same thing."
"The right girl is going to come along when it's time." She gave him a reassuring a smile, before gesturing to her bag, "I'm all packed."
"Great." He stood up and finally handed her the little bag that he came in with before moving to get her suitcase off the bed.
"Thank you for stopping to get this. I know if we did on the way, we were going to be late."
"No problem." He said as he turned to her, watching as she picked up her purse before placing it on her shoulder, "Are you sure you don't want to ride with your parents? You'll be more comfortable."
"I'm sure." She answered with a shrug, "Even though I can't play, I want to be able to experience this Championship experience. So as corny as it may sound, that includes riding on a bus for almost four hours with my boys."
Sam laughed as he shook his head, "I'm surprised you're not sick of them yet from the regular season road trips. They can be quite annoying at time."
"That's true but I've gotten use to y'all." Mercedes let a small giggle, making her way out the door and shutting off the light.
Duncan watched as the two teenagers came down the stairs, eyes going over to his wife as she came from the living room.
"You have everything baby girl?" Vivian asked as she walked over and straightened the hat on her daughter's head, watching her nod.
"Yes mama."
"Okay." Vivian pressed a kissed to her forehead before stepping back, "We'll see you tomorrow then. You guys have a safe trip."
"We will, Mrs. Jones. I'll take good care of her, don't worry."
Vivian smiled as she stuck her nails into Duncan's arm, preventing him from saying something as he bit the inside of his cheek.
Mercedes stared between her parents for a minute before turning to Sam, "Guess we should get going, don't want to be late."
Duncan counted to five before going over and giving her a hug and kiss on her forehead as well, biding them safe travels. Him and Vivian stood at the door while the two headed to Sam's truck, "I regret ever trusting that boy."
Vivian laughed at him as she lifted her hand to wave at them before they left, "She's a smart and strong girl, honey."
"I know, doesn't change how I feel." He watched as they pulled out the driveway, horn blowing before disappearing down into the dark morning.
"Do you think it will be awkward when they wake up?"
"Depends on who wakes up first."
The team was gathered around, looking at their two teammates with a mixtures of smiles and smirks taking over their features, obviously enjoying this way too much.
Sam and Mercedes were sitting next to each other on the bus. They had ended up falling asleep with Mercedes laying her head on his shoulder and Sam laying his on top of hers.
Leo snickered lowly before his eyes went wide, mouth closing tight when Mercedes shifted. He watched as she let out sigh before following her hand, mouth dropping as she snuggle closer to Sam and grabbed ahold of his hand.
"Damn, damn, damn."
"I don't know if it's a unconscious thing or what."
Mike pulled out his phone and switched on the camera, turning to the flash off before taking a picture of the two, "Good throwback pictures for the wedding."
"I know y'all better get out their faces and mind your business." Coach watched as they jumped at his voice before scattering back to their seats, shaking his head before walking back to the front.
About ten minutes later, Sam grunted lowly at his dream, slowly waking himself up from his sleep. He tried to move but his face twitched up when it was impossible. His sleepy eyes looked down and found the source of his struggle. Smiling, he leaned over and moved her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear, looking down when he felt her squeeze his hand. It was then he realized that their hands were interlocked with each other's, "We have a good twenty minutes left until we arrive." He lifted his head off of hers once he heard the the bus driver call out. He turned his attention back to Mercedes before he moved his other hand and straighten out her arm so it wouldn't stiffen up on her.
"Thank you." She mumbled out with no intentions of moving from her comfortable position, opening her eyes for a second and giving him a smile.
"No problem." He whispered as he matched her smile before watching her eyes close and hearing her drift back to sleep. He didn't mind helping her with anything she needed because that's what good friends are for.
"How come she gets a whole room to herself?" One of the freshman spoke up when he noticed everyone getting assigned a roomie except Mercedes.
The upperclassmen turned their freshman teammate with pursed lips and giving him a knowing look before speaking in unison, "She's a girl."
"Yeah, what would it look like if I stayed in a room with a boy?" Mercedes snorted as she shook her head, leaning against the bus while they pulled the luggage out.
"Alright y'all, get settled in once you get your key to your room. We'll meet back here in an hour so we can head to the stadium for a walk through, and then get ready for the official welcome event tonight."
"By the way, sorry but thank you for lending your shoulder. I'm still on these pain pills for my own and they have me exhausted."
"Anytime."
Mercedes smiled at him as they walked into the hotel, where the waited in the lobby until they received their keys to their room. She had ended up being on the fifth floor and she was thankful that Quinn was coming to stay with her.
"Alright, little lady. I'm sure you won't need any assistance since Quinn is going to be here but just Incase you do, I'm right down the hall." Sam started as they stood in front of her room, opening the door and stepping aside so she could go in. When he finally got in, he was taken aback at how big and spacious it was, "Okay, wow. This is huge and nice."
Mercedes laughed as she sat her purse down on the table, making her way in nodding approvingly, "Perks of being a girl on football team." She said as he laid out in the bed, sighing in content, "One big bed and no annoying roommate."
Sam smacked his mouth, pursing his lips as he stared at her, "You suck, I hope you know that."
Mercedes giggled as she watched him turn and head for the bed, "Don't be mad, Samuel." She snickered at his grunt as he left out of her room, laughing, she sat up and picked up her phone, texting her parents to let them know that they had made it.
The team had a few minutes to relax before they had to meet back downstairs. Thankfully all they had to do was a walkthrough of the stadium they were playing at since interviews and practices started tomorrow. When they were done, they headed back to the hotel and had a few hours to themselves before they had to get ready for the night. Quinn has finally arrived and Mercedes was beyond happy about that. They lounged around the room and talked until it was time for them to get ready.
"I'm actually nervous about meeting your friends." Quinn spoke honestly as she finished doing Mercedes' smokey eyes, picking up the clear lip gloss and placing it on her awaiting lips.
"There's no need to be nervous, they're going to love you."
Quinn gave her a small smile, rolling her eyes when she heard her phone ringing once again. She leaned over and pressed the answer button and placed it on speaker, "What is it now, Sam?"
"Y'all are taking entirely too long. It doesn't take an hour and a half to get ready. You do know the event starting in ten minutes."
"No one told you to wait on us."
"Well, Mercedes is apart of our team, we're not complete without her."
Leo leaned in and spoke, "Yeah, so hurry it up."
Mercedes rolled her eyes at them before hanging up in their face, standing up from the chair, "I swear I don't like them at times."
Quinn snorted as she finished her up, stepping back and nodding in approval, "All finish. You look phenomenal."
Mercedes had on a strapless, wide-legged black and white striped jumpsuit paired with a pair of block heel black sandals. With the help of Quinn, she took her thick curly hair and placed them into two space buns, "Thanks love and you do too. Your body is banging in that dress and you look beautiful."
Quinn stared down at the short peach spaghetti strap dress. It's been awhile since she had makeup on and actually took the time to straighten her hair. For the first time in a very long time, she truly felt beautiful.
Mercedes rolled her eyes when she heard the phone ringing again, looking at Quinn as she grabbed her own from the bed, "Let's go before they send a search party."
Quinn giggled as they headed out the room and door, walking in the hallway towards the elevators. This was going to be an interesting night.
Garret, Leo and Sam decided to stayed back in the lobby to wait for the girls while the rest of the team went ahead in to grab their seats.
"Women man, I tell you.." Garret started as he fixed his hair in the mirror, "They take forever."
"I know you're not talking." Leo said as he side-eyed his roommate, "You spent twenty minutes in the shower, thirty picking out an outfit and another thirty trying to gel down your hair."
Sam chuckled at the two as he straightened out his tie, pushing off the wall just as the elevator opened.
"We're here, with exactly three minutes to spare."
Sam turned around to make a comment when he heard Mercedes' voice but his words got caught in his throat when he saw her.
"Cat got your tongue?" Quinn teased her cousin as she watched him basically drool unknowingly at Mercedes.
"Y'all look stunning, seriously. Hear I thought I cleaned up well." Garret complimented, earning chuckles from them as they thanked him, "Now we can finally go in."
The words fell deaf on Sam's ears for a moment as he stared at Mercedes, cracking a smile when she did so before tearing his eyes away, "We should head in, yep, we should do that."
Leo smirked as he watched him hurry into the room, turning to Mercedes, who was obviously blushing, "Seems like Sam forgot his manners, after you ladies."
Mercedes smiled at him before heading in, trying her best to keep that smile for reasons. She maneuvered through the people to head over to where her teammates where. Before she could speak to them, she heard some familiar, loud voices that made her heart swell.
"MOONIE!"
"What is a Moonie?"
"Not a what, it's a who." Mike chuckled at Leo as he watched some girls run over to where Mercedes was.
"Oh my god, my baby mama is back." Izzy said as she cursed herself for crying as she hugged her. Izzy was Mercedes' second best friend next to Shantel. They have been friends every since kindergarten.
Mercedes giggled as she hugged her back before letting go, moving on down the line to hug the rest of the girls, "I've missed you guys."
"We've missed you too." Brianna and Kelby said at the same time, smiling at her. Mercedes had met those two in elementary school and they've been friends since then.
Mercedes smiled at them before stepping to the side, "You guys this is my girl Quinn, Quinn these are my girls, Shantel, Izzy, Brianna and Kelby."
"Oh my god, you're so pretty. It's nice to meet you." Izzy hugged the blonde, taking her by surprise.
"Thank you, it's nice to meet you as well." Quinn replied in shock, looking over at Mercedes, who was just smiling as each girl welcomed her. She was truly taken aback by the warm reception but it felt absolutely nice.
"Excuses me ladies, hate to pull Mercedes away.."
Kelby turned to the boy with a scrunched up face, "Hold up MacGyver, who the hell you suppose to be?"
Mercedes turned at Sam's voice and gave him a smile, looking back at her friends, "Guys, I'll be back, I promise."
"Easy there green eyes." Shantel started once Mercedes walked way, staring at Sam for a moment.
Sam stared back at her, not knowing the girl at all but an understanding being made between the both of then. He gave her a slight nod before turning around and heading to the table.
For the next hour, both teams listened to the introduction of the Championship game and the history behind it. They introduced the two teams as well, and congratulated them both. They mingled a bit, ate and took pictures. Mercedes kind of distanced herself from doing so for her own reasons.
"Hello, Mercedes."
Did she forget to mention that the team they were playing against just so happens to be Mercedes' old school? And to make things worse, her ex just so happens to play football for them.
Mercedes reluctantly looked up from her seat and stared at the boy in front of her. She didn't say a word as she stood up to move pass and get away from him. She was not in the mood nor did she want to have any interaction with them.
"Hey now, I can't speak?" He said as he grabbed her arm, stumbling a bit when he felt himself being pushed. Turning to the source, a frown took over his face as he stared at him, "What the hell?"
Sam had left Mercedes for a minute at the table, only to go speak to the restroom. He made it back just in time to see some dude grabbing her arm and that was just enough to set him off, "Don't put your hands on her."
Nathaniel stood up in his face, frowning deeply, "You better back the hell up and mind your business."
"And if I don't, what the hell are you going to do about it?"
"Sam, lets go." Mercedes spoke softly as she wrapped her arm around Sam, seeing the anger starting to take over him, she knew she had to get him out. She pulled him away gently as the headed out the crowded room, catching some eyes.
Once they got to the lobby, Sam stopped and looked down at her, seeing her tugging her black blazer jacket over her shoulders, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Mercedes looked at him for the first time since they left, sighing and not realizing she was crying until she felt Sam wipe underneath her eyes, "T-Thank you."
"Why are you crying?"
"Moonie, are you okay?"
Sam watched as she shook her head, her face scrunching up before she pulled away from him, her friends following behind her as she walked away. He didn't know what was said between the two, but whatever it was, he was going to find out.
"Let's take a walk."
Sam turned when he heard a familiar voice, seeing that it was the girl from earlier, he raised his eyebrow at her, "Excuse me?"
"I know you have feelings for my best friend." Shantel said straightforwardly as she pushed off the door, "You need to know what happen and why she just broke down."
"I don't think it's your place to tell me."
"Trust me, if you really know Mercedes, she's not going to. Come on." Shantel eyed him before turning on her heels and heading outside of the hotel, waiting for him to follow.
Sam looked in the direction that Mercedes went in before following Shantel. He wasn't comfortable knowing anything that wasn't coming straight from Mercedes' mouth but she was right about one thing, Mercedes wasn't going to say anything.
A/N. Happy New Year everyone! Updating this story before I head back to school next week. I have a heavy schedule this semester as well so I don't know when I'll update again, so as always, don't think I'm going to leave it unfinished, I will be back! Hope you enjoyed this update & fingers cross that I'll be back sooner for more! :)