Disclaimer: Please see Chapter One for all that fun stuff.
A/N: Okay, due to some requests, I put up a second chapter (now I'm really done because I don't think I can extend this further.) This is still the same narration, second person POV and this takes place around Heart. Sorry if this sucks. Personally I didn't like this turn out but maybe others will?
If you like it, please review. If you don't like it, please review. Reviews give me life, tbh! Plus they totally boost my confidence and make me smile which is nice, right?
You're only in the second year and already you feel like you're going to break. Not because of all the exams you have to take; not because of all the drama that you have to see and deal with, but from all the vapid stupidity that you're surrounded by everyday. You're not a special snowflake. You don't consider yourself above everyone else. There are just times when you can't understand the hype and excitement over the most minor things. Most recently: Valentines Day.
You don't get it. You've never gotten it actually. You didn't get it when you were in Elementary School and you were forced to bring chocolates and valentines for every kid in the class (including the class jackass at the time.), or in Junior High when the school held the annual Valentines Day Dance and encouraged students to choose their valentines. You don't get it now.
The halls of McKinley are littered with paper hearts and fliers advertising the beloved holiday. The mood throughout school is somewhat happy; girls are strolling with lovesick looks and chocolates clutched to their chests and you're resisting the urge to vomit up the bagel you ate earlier.
You know your attitude sucks. Plenty of people have told you that you're a cynic, and you never bring yourself to disagree. You don't know why you can be the way you can, just that you are. Besides, you're not a complete pessimist. You believe in love and happiness, but you know it never comes that easy and it's not always happy. Pessimist cynic your ass. You consider yourself more of a realist.
–
The week gets progressively interesting to say the least. From the buzz over the Valentines Day party Sugar Motta was throwing, to the serenading to fellow students that the self proclaimed God Squad was providing. You were in the quad when they delivered one to Rachel Berry. You're surprised that no food was thrown when they performed (although you're convinced that other students actually enjoy these types of performances; they'd just never actually say it out loud) and when you watch them, you wonder briefly at who the new kid is, but you don't dwell on it too much. So until you find out his name, you settle on calling him Dread-head.
Sam Evans, Mercedes Jones and Quinn Fabrey make up the other part of the God Squad (and wow, is that awkward for them, like, at all?) and aside from the cheesiness of it all, it's a really good performance.
Throughout the whole performance, you can't help but notice that Sam Evans and Mercedes Jones are sneaking looks at each other. Except it's really not that sneaky. It's so obvious that you actually look around you to see if anyone else is seeing what you're seeing. However, everyone else is focused on the song, or the performance, or... whatever. You hold back a laugh (but allow a smile) when Sam starts to rap (!) and then proceeds to steal a rose from Julie Stevenson (okay, Evans, that was a little rude.)
No food is thrown, no one heckles the performers and Rachel Berry is smiling by the end of it all. It's weird, you think. It's almost as though everyone at McKinley have forgotten their differences and grudges and allowed themselves to band themselves together, just this one time.
–
Not surprisingly you're not invited to Sugar's party (you didn't even want to go anyway.) because of the rule about bringing a date (stupid, stupid rule.) so you make plans with friends to go to a movie or something. You wander the hall, ignoring all the squeals and excitement over the upcoming weekend and you spot Sam Evans and Mercedes Jones by her locker. It's like the time before, only their body language is completely different. Sam's arms are crossed over his chest and he's pouting (pouting!). Mercedes glances over her shoulder for a second before moving in closer to Sam and touching his arm gently. Whatever she says to him causes his pout to disappear and be replaced by a small smile. Something's changed between them. You're not sure what it is, but you'd bet money that it's gone a lot further than sneaking looks and flirty banter. You duck to your locker and fumble with your lock. Jesus, what is your deal lately? You've been totally nosy lately
You sneak another peek and take a look around the hallway. Yep, it's just you and only you, alone in this weird, creepy fascination with these two and their non romantic relationship. You spot Shane Tinsley making his way down the hall and you actually have to stop yourself from yelling out a warning to them. You focus on opening your locker when Shane approaches. Nothing exciting happens, Shane seems unaware of whatever it is happening between those two. You watch as Sam slips away quietly and wonder if it would be out of line to talk to them about possibly coming up with a signal to warn them, something like the bat signal... or maybe even a bell on Shane. That would work, too.
–
Sam Evans is pouting again.
The halls of McKinley are buzzing with excitement over the upcoming weekend and Sam Evans is shoving his books inside his locker with an attitude. You flinch when you hear him curse when one of his books topples out of his locker and when he shoves it back in with unnecessary force. The rumors were running wild today. Mercedes Jones broke up with Shane Tinsley, reasons unknown. You'll never admit that your heart damn near stopped beating when the news broke. You'll never admit that your day had gotten considerably better. So you're surprised to see Sam Evans in such a bad mood.
You watch as people push past each other in the hallway, most eager to finish out the day and get home. You see Mike Chang walk up to Sam and put a hand on his shoulder. Sam's expression doesn't change but his demeanor does. He turns to Mike and offers him a half assed smile, and you think you hear Mike ask something like, "You okay, man?"
Sam nods halfheartedly, and turns back to his locker. "Great," He mumbles. "Fantastic."
Mike chews on his lower lip for a moment, claps Sam on the back gently and says, "It'll work out, man. Just give her some more time."
"Yep." Sam says, his voice clipped. "More time."
You stop yourself from looking over, because you know if they see you, all they'll see is someone who has a look of pity and sadness and yeah, they totally don't know you. So that might be really, really weird. So you close your locker and prepare to walk away.
Not before seeing Mercedes Jones walking to her locker. Gone is her stride and confidence. Instead she looks resigned and quiet, like she doesn't want to be noticed. You watch as she looks past you, and you know she sees him because her shoulders stiffen, she takes a deep breath and turns to her locker. She's fumbling with her combination, trying to concentrate and you can tell that her mind is on other things. Sam Evans walks by with Mike Chang and Mercedes chances a glance. Sam doesn't look her way. Not once.
She sucks in another deep breath, looking completely dejected before squaring her shoulders and going for her combination again. It's time for you to go, so you move from your locker and she sees you.
You give her a small smile and when she doesn't return it, you're not offended. You don't know her, and she doesn't know you, but somehow you know that you're both thinking the same thing.
Valentines Day sucks.
–
When you go back to school Monday, you feel lighter on your feet. Despite not having a date or anything, your weekend was fun. You got to hang out with friends and forget about life in general for awhile. All in all, it was kind of awesome.
People are running through the halls, the sugar still in their system, apparently. You hear small snippets of details about Sugar's party and other parties that happened during the weekend. Sadly, part of you is excited to hear about the breakups and makeups that happened in those whole two days.
By lunchtime the atmosphere has returned back to normal. You take a break from studying in the quad to run to your locker to grab your history book. The hallway's still littered with Valentine fliers and hearts and you say a quick thanks that it is all over. Mercedes Jones is hanging by the home ec room with a couple of kids that you know are in the glee club, including Sam Evans. Tina Cohen-Chang and Rachel Berry are chatting excitedly about something and Mercedes is nodding in agreement. Every now and then she and Sam look at each other, and while things still seem awkward, it seems better. You hear squeals about Regionals and a wedding and how things are starting to look up. The two minute bell rings and everyone breaks apart, readying themselves for the last half of the school day. Rachel and Tina walk off together and Sam hangs back. They're not really speaking to each other, just sort of... lingering. You hear Sam offer to walk Mercedes to her locker and Mercedes politely declines. If he takes offense to it, you don't notice. He murmurs something to her and she touches his arm and gives him a smile.
You don't get it. There's no Shane in the hallway to interrupt them, they're able to talk and be open; no chains holding them back from just being together, and yet they're not. They're still quiet about whatever it is that they have; still hesitant about their actions and feelings. That though both are hurt in the situation, they're still communicating. It's then that you realize that whatever happens, they love and respect each other. That it's because whatever it is that they have isn't only restricted to themselves. Their relationship and feelings for each other go beyond that. It's not some puppy love that withers and fades depending on the day of the week; these two have some full on, grown up ass, love.
Sam walks away first, backwards, still looking at Mercedes with his eyes soft with adoration as he says something in an accent you don't recognize (was that... was that supposed to be Darth Vader?) and Mercedes grins and shakes her head, turning to go to her locker.
You grab your book and head back towards the quad. You look as Mercedes opens her locker. You've never really paid attention to anyone's locker before. Inside hers she has cut out's from fashion magazines, pictures of her friends and (what you assume) family. She reaches into her backpack and pulls something out. She holds it in her hand, as if testing the weight of it. You'd be lying if you said that you weren't straining your eyes to see exactly what it is. It's a small figure, painted red and white. You can't tell much else except that it looks to be painted rather nicely with some intricate details. You realize it's a statue of some sort, maybe something Valentines related. Mercedes palms the figure again, as if she's unsure of something. The bell rings, reminding everyone to go to class and she snaps out of whatever reverie she's having, setting the statue gently down on the lower left shelf of the locker. Taking one last look at it, she grabs her book and closes her locker, tossing you a brilliant smile on her way to class.
Hoisting your book bag over your shoulder, you can't help but smile back. It's probably not as bright as hers, but then again, you don't think anyone's can be brighter than hers is at that moment. You walk to your class, your footsteps lighter and your outlook on everything suddenly brighter than ever. Maybe, someday, you can have something like that. Something that will make you smile just as wide and just as radiant as that.
Maybe.
Someday.
You hope.
Okay, you concede just this once, maybe Valentines Day isn't that bad after all.