DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GLEE BUT THIS ONE SHOT I DO!
ENJOY :)
The following week had been super busy for everyone. With the show only one day away, Sam was busy executing more than a great set, while Mercedes was just trying to make it through another long day of rehearsal. She needed a pick-me-up this morning, something stronger than her norm. After rehearsal today, she had to finish wrapping her Christmas presents for her family. She wasn't going to be able to see them this year, so she wanted to make sure to get them sent off in time.
"Morning Mercedes."
"Good morning, Raleigh." Mercedes greeted as she reached into her purse to grab her money, "I'm going to take something a little stronger this morning."
"Here you go." She responded as she handed her the cup, catching the woman off guard a bit before she spoke with a smile, "Vanilla Latte with an extra expresso shot and it's already paid for."
Mercedes stared at her confusedly as she grabbed the cup, black writing catching her eyes as she read what it said, pursing her lips in amusement.
Courtesy of Sam Evans.
"Raleigh."
"Sorry Mercedes, you're holding up my line."
Mercedes squinted her eyes at the girl, who was obviously trying to avoid any questions that she had for her, "Fine, have a good day."
"You too." Raleigh responded as she watched her turn around and head out the door with a smile present on her face.
@SamETweets Enthusiasm. Friendship. Admiration.
Yep, she had to admit, she was curious about the man so she started paying attention to his social medias. She was already following due to him and Larissa going at each other a few months ago.
@SamETweets Soon @TheBV_MJ :)
Mercedes was confused to what he had meant and whatever it was, he was making a play for it in front of the whole world. She had to turn off the notifications due incoming traffic that Sam brought in.
"So…." Krystal, the pianist, came up to her with a curious expression on her face, "What does Sam Evans mean by 'soon', MJ?"
"Your guess is as good as mine." She replied honestly with a chuckle as she placed her phone in her bag and sat it in the chair.
"Mhm."
"I'm serious."
"If you say so." She sung lowly as she giggled, stumbling back when Larissa came through, "Excuse you."
"Excuse you. Focus, the show is tomorrow and I need zero distractions." The woman commented, prompting everyone to get in their positions just as the doors open, "You've got to be kidding me."
"I have a delivery."
Mercedes turned to the side and watched as the boy carried a bouquet of orange, yellow and pink roses, holding a card in his hand.
"No red?" Larissa questioned before waving him off, "You can just set them in my dressing room, you know where it's at."
"Actually, these are not for you." The delivery boy said as he moved passed her and went to where the others were, stopping in front of Mercedes, "For MJ."
"Me?" Mercedes watched as he nodded with a smile before he handed her the card then sat the flowers on the table next to her. She looked down at the card, a smile twitching on the corners on her lips as she read it.
Please….
P.s. I'm outside waiting for an answer.
"I'll be back." She mumbled without another word, grabbing her cardigan and putting it on before going down the stairs. She opened the door and walked outside with her hands in her pockets, spotting the man leaned against his truck with his arms crossed, "You just knew I was coming out, huh?"
Sam lifted his head and gave her a lopsided grin, raising a brow, "I didn't, just was hoping."
"The tweets make sense now." Mercedes smiled a bit as she walked towards him, "Thank you for the flowers, they're beautiful."
"You're welcome." He said with a smile as he pushed off his truck and went to stand closer to her, "So….what do you say?"
"Sam Evans, you don't know me from a hole in a wall and you're going through all this trouble." Mercedes pondered for a moment. What could one song hurt? She loved singing with him in that brief moment that they did share, so the fact that he was persistent in asking for her meant something, "Yes."
A wide smile appeared on her lips but before he could give her a response, the door swung opened, revealing an angry looking diva, who eyes flared directly at Mercedes.
"Mercedes, you need to…" She started but stopped when she noticed him, "Is there a reason you're here?"
"None of your business."
"Actually it is when you're holding up my rehearsal talking to my background singer. She doesn't have time for distractions, especially from the likes of you."
Mercedes rolled her eyes before she looked at Sam, attempting to speak but being interrupted by Larissa once again.
"Let's go Mercedes or you're fired."
"Larissa, you act as if I'm the one who needs you." Mercedes told the woman as she shook her head, holding up her hand when she started to open her mouth again, "I've put up with too much of your bullshit. I don't know why it took me so long to do this but I'm done."
"What are you trying to say?" She asked as the woman walked passed her and into the building, yelling, "MERCEDES!"
"In simplistic terms, she quits." Sam added with a smirk as he watched the woman fume in front of him, "Losing the real voice is hard isn't it?"
"I make the headlines around here. People come to hear and see me, no one else. I won't be missing anything while she's gone, I can do without her."
"We both know that a lie." He chuckled as he shook his head, "Mercedes runs circles around you on your best day."
Larissa glared at him, eyes going over to the door, seeing the woman coming out with her things, "You're making a big mistake, Mercedes. You shouldn't cross me like this."
"If you're insinuating what I think you are, don't. Truth is, nobody likes you in the industry and it's because how nasty your personality is and how you treat people. They just put up with you because your mom is cheating on your father with a music executive."
Sam tucked his lips in his mouth as he looked at the woman, watching as she hurried back in the building, throwing the door open. That rumor about her mom has been floating around for years and was just confirmed now. He turned his attention back to Mercedes. Raleigh did say don't get on her bad side.
Mercedes put her belongings in the passenger side, looking over at Sam, "I'll follow you."
When he realized that she was talking to him, he nodded his head and got back into his truck. He didn't expect this to work out in his favor so well.
It took them about thirty minutes, with holiday traffic, to get to the studio. He was happy that she agreed to come despite everything that just went on. When he closed the door behind them, he turned on the lights and took off his jacket, "Can I get you something? Water, Juice, Chamomile Tea? I stocked up on that especially."
"No thank you." Mercedes giggled as she took off her coat, sitting it on the chair. She looked around and noticed how comfortable he had it in there. It looked like they were inside someone's living room, "Not how I imagined my day turning out but I'm okay with it."
Sam watched her closely as she looked at the photos on the wall, "If you don't mind me asking, why did you stay knowing how she was?"
"To be honest, I really don't know and that's sad to say."
"Well, bygones are bygones, and something that doesn't need to be dwelled over. My offer still stands."
Mercedes didn't respond right away, looking over her shoulder and seeing him go to sit at the piano, "You play?"
"Since I was seven."
"I learn something new about you every minute." She commented as she took a sit next to him, moving her hair back behind her ears, "I always wanted to learn but never had the time."
"It's never too late. Plus, I'm an excellent teacher, who is willing to cut you deal."
Mercedes snorted at his words, her ears listening carefully as he started playing a familiar tune, "Ahh, you want to do what I call a chase duet?"
Sam smirked as he glanced over at her, quirking his brow, "Indulge me."
"I think I will."
I really can't stay
Baby it's cold outside
I gotta go away
Baby it's cold outside
This evening has been
Been hoping that you'd dropped in
So very nice
I'll hold your hands they're just like ice
Sam sung lowly as he bumped his shoulder against hers. Mercedes smiled as she looked over to him before continuing to sing. They both were in their own little world and didn't realize somebody had entered the studio from the other side.
My mother will start to worry
Beautiful what's your hurry?
My father will be pacing the floor
Listen to the fireplace roar
So really I'd better scurry
Beautiful please don't hurry
Well maybe just a half a drink more
I'll put some records on while I pour
The neighbors might think
Sam couldn't sing the next part due to their close proximity. He swallowed the lump in his throat as she looked at him, his hand pausing on the keys as he stared back at her.
"What's wrong? Was I too high?"
"No, you were perfect." He praised quietly as he watched her look at him confusedly before a smile appeared on her face.
"Then come on. You begged me for this and here you are stopping for no reason but to drool." She teased, catching him off guard because she knew why he was looking at her like that.
"At least you know."
Mercedes chuckled as he she looked away, "What's the real reason you ask me to do this?"
"Other than to sing with me, I really would love if you would permanently do so. I've decided that I want to do something different in my career and the next step is to be a duo. I want you as my singing partner." He revealed to her as he watched her eyes go slightly wide, "You're beautiful, headstrong, talented and our voices go so well together. You'd be perfect and I really hope that you'll take it into the consideration."
Before Mercedes could even process everything that he said, the two turned to the front when they heard a knock on the glass, seeing that it was Sam's manager gesturing for him to come.
"Just think about it. I'll be right back." He said as he got up and headed to the door, opening and closing it behind him and walking into the room, where he came face to face with Alexa.
"So, I just got off a very interesting phone call." Alexa started as she leaned against the soundboard, "Larissa is threatening to sue you for 'stealing' her singer, deformation of character and threatening her."
Sam let out a laugh before, "You've got to be kidding me."
"I'm not."
"For one, I didn't threaten her. Two, I didn't have anything to do with Mercedes leaving.."
"You said you wanted to sing with her one more time but now you're offering her a job for you two to become a duo? A job that we didn't even know existed until I heard…"
"Not heard, you were eavesdropping."
"You can't make decisions like this on your own. She needs to be sought out by one of us…."
"Technically, she don't."
"…approved by the board, along with a contract provided for her to sign. None of this has been done, so what on earth are you thinking?"
"For starters, it's not anyone's decision on what direction I want to take my career other than mine. That includes who I bring along with me. Secondly, a contract has already been drafted up by my lawyer. If she does say yes, I will pay out of my salary until she starts to gross her own money. I don't care, she stays unless she doesn't want to."
"You have this all figure out, huh?"
"Yes I do."
Alexa shook her head as she pinched the bridge nose, coming out of her frustration once she heard the door close.
"Next time, watch where you lean." Mercedes told Alexa, watching as the woman turned and realized she had accidentally clicked the sound on, meaning that Mercedes heard everything that was said. She looked at Sam and gave him a small smile, "I appreciate the offer but I don't go nowhere where there's conflict, along with not being wanted. Merry Christmas."
"Mercedes wait…" Sam called after her but she had left too quickly, prompting him to groan loudly, "Dammit Alexa. Because you don't know how to keep your mouth closed sometimes and trust me, I may have lost my person."
"Wow."
Sam glared over at her with a frown, "What?"
"Every since you have met her, it's like you have become this completely different person." She noted as she watched as his frown disappeared and eyes focus elsewhere before he made his way to the door, "This woman has changed you for the better and you haven't even known her for a month. Who are you and what have you done with Sam?"
"I'm the same person I have always been, she just brought out the better parts in me."
