A/N: Enjoy!
Age 12
Changes
Sam was walking down the hallway talking to one of his friends when suddenly he was bumped into by a running and crying Mercedes. She only stopped for a second before rushing into the girls bathroom still crying and Sam looked after her wondering what was wrong.
"Geez, what's her problem?" His friend Noah Puckerman asked and Sam shrugged.
"I'm going to check on her, I'll catch up with you later." He said walking away towards the bathroom. He stood outside trying to build up the courage to go inside before he took a deep breath closing his eyes as he entered.
"Merce?" He said waiting to be kicked out by any of the other girls that may have been in there but to his surprise all he heard was her softly crying. He opened one eye noticing he was the only other person in the and let out the breath he was holding.
"Mercedes."
"Go away."
"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked walking closer to stall he heard her speaking from tapping on the door.
"Please just leave me alone Sammy." She replied still crying.
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell what's wrong." He said leaning against the door crossing his arms over his chest prepared to wait all day if needed.
"Sam, it's a girl thing okay?"
"Like what?" He asked hearing her groan.
"Please don't make me say it..." She said feeling herself wanting to cry more.
"Want me to call your mom?"
"Please… can I borrow your jacket too?"
"Always." He said talking his jacket off and tossing it over the door. "I'll be back after I call your mom."
"Thank you Sammy."
…
Sam went to the office and called her mother like he said he would hoping she could fill him in on what was wrong with his bestfriend.
"Hello?"
"Ms. Melissa?"
"Sam? Baby what's wrong?"
"Umm… well Mercedes is having a girl thing whatever that means and asked me to call you."
"A girl thing?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Oh… OHH! Is she okay? Does she need a change of clothes?"
"Why would she need new clothes?"
"Oh sweetheart, she's becoming a woman. Will you tell her I'll be there shortly and that everything is going to be okay?"
"Umm… yes? Yes! Ms. Melissa?"
"Yes baby?"
"What do you mean she's becoming a woman?"
"I think you should ask your father about that sweetie. I'll be there soon."
"Okay bye."
…
Mercedes gave Sam a hug when her mom arrived promising to give his jacket back on Monday before saying goodbye and leaving. Sam spent the rest of the day trying to figure out what was going on with his friend but for the life of him figure out what her mother meant about Mercedes becoming a woman. When he finally got home he decided to take Melissa's advice and ask his father what she meant, he walked into his dad's office smiling at him before sitting down letting out breath.
"What's up kiddo?"
"I need to ask you something." Sam said and Dwight get a little nervous because lately Sam had been asking him a wide range of different question and we was barely keeping up.
"Okay shoot."
"Well something happened to Mercedes today and her mom said she was becoming a woman, when I asked her what she meant she told me I needed to ask you." Sam replied and Dwight let out a slight chuckle.
"Well son it means she got her period."
"Okay…?"
"Her body is growing up from preteen body to her young woman body." Dwight answered hoping that made a lick of sense but when Sam shot him a confused look he knew needed to elaborate.
"Just like you she's going through her version of puberty, your body is changing just like hers however because she's a young lady she now has a period."
"Why was she crying about it if it's normal?"
"Well she might have been scared. She doesn't get a heads up when it's going to happen it just happens when her body is ready and today it was so it happened. You're going to start noticing a difference in her and that's normal because she'll notice one in you as well."
"Like what?" Sam asked and Dwight knew this day was coming but he still wasn't remotely prepared and made a mental note to let Melissa know he was going to get her back for this.
"I see it's time we have a chat..." He said taking a deep breath.
"Have you noticed anything different about Mercedes that you didn't before?" Dwight asked holding back a smile when he noticed him blush.
"She smells good, like really good." Sam answered.
"Anything else?"
"Umm… she gives really good hugs. She's soft." He replied smiling bashfully.
"Those subtle things are normal and how you feel about those things are normal as well. Your hormones are… waking up and again it's normal. Your body will begin to react if it hasn't already to certain things and it's solely based on your preferences meaning the opposite or same sex may attract you and these things are normal so don't ever think anything other than that. You may find yourself wanting to be around the opposite sex more because of certain urges or you might find yourself wanting to around someone of the same sex for the same reasons. You must remember that no matter your preference you have to treat everyone the same way you want to be treated, sometimes it may be hard but you have to show respect to everyone no matter their preference." Dwight said allowing Sam time to digest what he said.
"So me and Mercedes will change but it's normal? And we'll still be friends right?" Sam asked halfway understanding what his father was saying.
"Yes however the two of you remaining friends is entirely up to the both of you. I'm not saying you won't… I'm just saying things will change. The way you view girl or guys will change, how you feel about them will change. You noticing how she smells is only the start but I want you to promise to come to me when you're ready to dive a little deeper into this conversation because there is more and I think for today you've got enough to think about."
"One more thing, will she be okay?" He asked and Dwight chuckled nodding his head.
"Yes, she'll be fine… why don't we get her a little care package to make her feel better?"
"Okay!" Sam said satisfied with his father said but still thinking about a lot of it.
…
Sam picked out all of Mercedes favorite snacks and candy before his dad suggested getting her some flowers as well. He got her a gift bag to put everything inside before they left and headed to give it to her.
"Will she go through this all the time?" Sam asked when they pulled up to her house.
"Monthly yes until… yes monthly." Dwight said stopping his self from saying more than he needed.
"Oh, that sucks. I'll be back in a minute." He said grabbing the gift bag and flowers getting out of the truck and walking to her door knocking. He smiled as he waited for someone to answer and it grew when he saw her mom as she opened the door.
"Well I'll be… what do we owe this visit?" Melissa asked eyeing the gift bag and flowers.
"Hey Ms. Melissa, I bought these for Mercedes to help her feel better." He said smiling and holding the bag up. Melissa looked passed him at Dwight catching his eye before he mouthed I hate you making her laugh and shake her head.
"Why don't you take them to her? I'm going to speak to your dad, go ahead you know the way." She said letting him in before walking over to their truck.
"It was awfully sweet of Sam to get her a gift." Melissa said once she approached the window letting out another laugh when Dwight shot her a look.
"You could've given me a heads up, that was the toughest talk outside of telling him about his mom leaving and I didn't even finish the damn talk." Dwight replied laughing.
"Hey you don't have to deal with a now hormonal preteen who bleeds." She retorted and he nodded in agreement.
"She take it okay?" He asked his voice laced with concern.
"You know Mercedes, she understood she just wasn't ready. How about Sam?"
"He's definitely noticing things..." Dwight said letting out a deep breath.
"I don't know about you but I'm not prepared for them to grow up… well anymore than they already have." Melissa said and he just nodded understanding perfectly well what she meant.
…
"Merce?" Sam said knocking on her room door before opening it and shooting her a warm smile.
"Hey Sammy, what are you doing here?"
"I bought you this to help you feel better." He replied handing the gift bag and flowers.
"Sam! Thank you, you didn't have to do this..." She said smelling the flowers before placing them down then hugging him.
"No problem! My dad explained everything… I think, anyway I hope it helps you feel better."
"Oh goodness… I- don't say anything to anyone please." She said getting back on her bed with her bag pulling everything he'd bought smiling at the fact that he got all her favorites.
"I picked out everything you liked." He said sitting on her bed watching her look over the various snacks and treats, blushing when she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"Thank you." She said opening some of the chocolate offering him a piece.
"Does it hurt?"
"A little but not too much… it scared me." She replied honestly.
"I'm sorry, anything I can do to make it hurt less?"
"I don't know but you bringing this made me happy and that made me feel better about it."
"Well I promise to do it every time." He said firmly.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Sam, sweetheart it's tome to go!" They heard Melissa shout.
"Well I gotta go, see you Monday." Sam said getting up and heading towards her door before turning around and walking back over to Mercedes leaning close placing a tender kiss on her forehead.
"Like old times." He said before leaving and Mercedes couldn't help the smile that formed also feeling herself blushing.
Soooooo...? They're so cute! They're about to get older and that means more feelings are about to show!
