Sam knocked on the door of Mr Schue's apartment, gripping his bags tightly. He was pretty sure that just walking into his teachers' apartment would be weird, even though he's staying the night. Mr Schue opens the door, his toothbrush dangling from his lips.
"'Ey, 'ome on een," he said, stepping aside and letting Sam enter. He gestured for him to wait for a moment and heads back to the bathroom. Sam waited patiently as the teacher spit and rinsed him mouth before reemerging. "Sorry about that. Come this way." Sam followed him through the living room and down a short hallway before he gestured to an open doorway. "Dormitorio."
Sam managed a small smile. "Gracias."
"Do you need anything, Sam?" Mr Schue stood in the doorway awkwardly.
"No, sir, and thank you for letting me stay here tonight."
"It's all right. Well, the bathroom is the next door over and I'm on the other side of the apartment if you need anything. You remember where the kitchen is?"
"Yes, sir."
"All right, well, uh, see you tomorrow." He gave a small wave and started to leave.
"Uh, Mr Schue, do you mind if I shower tomorrow morning?"
The teacher glanced behind him. "Oh, yeah, that's cool, there's a towel hanging up in there you can use. Do you need any shampoo or anything?"
The blond shook his head. "No, sir, I brought mine from home." He scratched his head nervously. "Thanks again for letting me stay."
Mr Schue flashed him a quick smile. "'Night."
"'Night."
Sam pulled out his phone as soon as he was alone. There were no messages on his phone, which surprised him. Rachel didn't live that far from the apartments; she should have sent him a message by now. Shrugging his shoulders, he dug through his bag to find some basketball shorts and then grabbed the bag with his toiletries and pulled his favorite pillow out. Slipping on the shorts and in the bed, he dialed Rachel's number.
Connecting…
Connecting…
Connecting…
Sam glared at his phone; it never took this long to connect. And then, it stopped trying to dial, cutting itself off.
"Seriously, what the fuck?"
There was a knock on the door. "Sam, Rachel just text me and said she couldn't get a hold of you, but she wanted you to know that she and Puck got home okay and that when they tried to call, it said your phone was disconnected."
Throwing his head back, he groaned in frustration. He really wanted to talk to his boyfriend and girlfriend. "All right, thanks, Mr Schue," Sam sighed.
"Not a problem." He listened to him shuffling away before throwing his phone on the floor, pissed.
Great, so his asshole father cut off his phone. Perfect, just fucking perfect. Yanking the covers over his head, Sam decided that he was just going to have to go to cell store and reactivate it in his name. With the money his mum had given him, he could do that.
Flipping over, Sam wondered about that money. Where had it come from? Why did she have so much money saved up? How did she have so much money saved up? His mom had been a housewife since before Sam was born; he didn't think she had ever had a job.
Questions heavy on his mind, Sam fell into a fitful sleep, wishing that he could talk to Rachel and Puck
888
"Do you mind taking me to get my cell reactivated?" Sam asked as soon as Puck and Rachel picked him up. He threw his bags in the back and crawled in, pecking Rachel on the cheek.
"Yeah, no problem." Puck pulled out of the parking lot and headed in the opposite direction of the school.
Rachel smacked his arm. "Not before school, Noah," she said, scowling. He just laughed and made an (illegal) U-turn, heading to school. "How was your night, Sam?" she asked.
He sighed. "Rough." He pulled her to him. "I missed falling asleep to your voices."
Rachel kissed him. "I'm sorry."
"Not your fault."
They didn't speak for the rest of the short trip. Sam got out of the truck and pulled their bags out. "I have a bad feeling about today," he murmured, handing Noah his bag and grabbing the handle of Rachel's.
"Why?" Puck asked.
"I dunno, I just do." He squinted at the school, as though it held the answer to the question plaguing him.
Rachel laced their fingers together. "Remember my promise."
He couldn't help but smile down at her. "Of course."
"Then you have nothing to worry about," she chirped, squeezing his fingers. "I love you."
"I love you, too." He glanced at Puck on Rachel's other side. "You, too, I guess," he added with a wink. The other boy just flipped him off behind Rachel's back and they laughed before entering the dreaded school building.
The school day was much the same, aside from a confrontation in the locker room about Sam and Puck's relationship, which they quickly put an end to (and managed to not get detention, by some miracle) and a trip to Ms Pillsbury's office. She didn't actually know of any places Sam could stay, other than the homeless shelter in Lima, which Sam refused to go to.
"Don't worry about it, I'll figure something out," he told her, standing and heading to his next class. The bad feeling hovered over him, like a dark cloud ready to break at any moment and cover him with sludge.
Finally, lunch came and the three of them headed to Noah's truck after putting their bags in their respective lockers. The phone store was about a five minute trip and the guys stopped for some junky fast food while Rachel ate the lunch she had packed that morning. The actual event of setting up a phone line for Sam took a short amount of time, considering he wasn't eighteen yet, so he couldn't sign up for a plan of his own. The lady behind the counter offered to set him up a prepaid account and Sam stormed out. Puck went after him while Rachel apologized to her.
"This is such bullshit," Sam gritted out, his fist clenching and unclenching. If he didn't need his hands for football, he would punch the stupid brick wall of the stupid phone building.
Rachel walked up beside him and laid her hand gently on his shoulder. "I know it sucks, but perhaps we can talk to my fathers and convince them to add an extra line for you on our plan, at least until you turn eighteen. You cloud just pay them for your part of the bill. What do you think of that idea?"
He managed a small smile for her. "Do you think they would do that?"
The look in Rachel's eye scared him a little. "I'm willing to bet that they would." He loves their girls, but chick is scary sometimes.
Puck was just glaring at the building, as though it offended him, a small tick in his jaw. He wrapped his arm around Sam's waist. "We'll figure this out, bro."
Despite her optimism, they both knew Rachel's promise would be a difficult one to keep. She ushered them back into the truck, talking the whole way about different strategies to help Sam both out of his funk and into a place to stay.
However, once they pulled into the parking lot, Sam's feeling of trepidation grew as he noticed Mr Schue and his mum waiting for them outside the school. He slowly got out, his eyes never leaving them as Noah and Rachel followed.
"Mum, what are you doing here?" Sam asked as they drew closer to the waiting pair.
"Oh, Sammy, I'm so sorry about last night," Adele said, her voice choked. "I know you must have some questions but I can't stay long. Here, your father doesn't know anything about this." She shoved some papers in his hands. "He said you have two days to get the rest of your stuff from the house. I can't stay, he's waiting for me. I'm so, so sorry, Sammy." The ending came out a whisper and his heart clenched as his mum turned and walked back towards the front of the school.
He watched as she got into her car, looking away once it rounded the corner. Ignoring the fact that Schue was still standing there, Sam opened the papers and flipped through them.
"Huh."
"What, what is it?" Rachel asked.
He glanced at her through his bangs. "Apparently my mum's parents had set a trust in my name a long time ago." He glanced at the balance again. "A long time ago." (It was an obscene amount of money.) A slip of paper fluttered to the ground. It was notebook paper, different from the plain white of the copy paper.
My dearest Sammy,
It hurts me to write this, but I know you will have questions and your father will not allow me to speak with you. I brought these papers to your attention because I am hopeful that you will be able to use them. I know things are tough right now, but you are a smart boy and I know you'll be able to figure something out.
I'm hate what's happened but you know I cannot leave your father.
I know you're wondering about the envelope I gave you last night. Though I cannot leave him, I feared one day that you would grow tired of his treatment and leave and I simply could not have my boy out in the world with no means of income. There's the trust, sure, but you'll have to wait to access that until you are no longer legally bound to your father and I.
Please be safe and know that I love you more than anything. My best to Rachel and Puck.
All of my love,
Mum
"What does it say?" Puck murmured.
"She was just explaining the envelope and apologizing for everything." He carefully folded the paper.
"There's still some time before lunch is over; why don't you three come with me to my office," Mr. Schue offered.
"Thank you," Sam whispered. Puck grabbed his bag before he could and Rachel looped her arm through his, squeezing his hand as their teacher led them inside. They got a few looks from student loitering in the halls but no one said anything, glancing at Mr. Schue as they walked past.
He let them into his office and closed the door after Puck entered. Settling across the desk from them, he leaned back. "Well, this feels a bit like last night," he said, trying to lighten the mood. Puck scowled and Rachel attempted a smile. "Okay, so what's going on? Talk to me."
"Same situation," Sam huffed. "Except now I have money that I can't use until I'm eighteen in addiction to the money my mum gave me."
"The trust?"
"Yeah. She told me that I couldn't access it until I was 'no longer legally bound' to her and my father," he told them, using air quotes.
"So why don't you emancipate yourself?" Puck asked. Rachel's jaw dropped as she looked at him. He shrugged. "'S what I would do. It's obvious your pops don't care about you."
"I don't kn-"
Rachel cut him off. "No, it's actually a really good idea." She beamed at Noah proudly. "I'm surprised I didn't think of it before."
Sam's brow furrowed. "What would I have to do?"
"Well, you would need to file a petition in the probate court for this county and provide some information. You'll also need to provide proof that you can support yourself, which means you may need to get a job, though I'm sure if you showed the paperwork for the trust, it would help. Plus you would need to provide proof of housing, which will prove difficult until we can find you a place to stay." She paused and cleared her throat. "There's one other thing."
"What is it?" Sam asked when it didn't look like she was going to continue.
Rachel shot a furtive glance at their teacher. "You'll need an affidavit from a person in a position of authority that has personal knowledge of your circumstances, stating that they believe emancipation is in your best interest."
"A person like who?" Puck asked.
She let out a puff of breath. "A-a social worker or school councilor or…" Rachel looked at Mr. Schue again. "Or a teacher," she finished quietly.
Mr. Schue sat up straight and Rachel pushed on. "I know we've asked a lot of you, Mr. Schuester, and if you don't feel comfortable doing so, I'm sure we cou-"
"Tell me where to sign," he interrupted her.
"Mr. Schue, are you sure?" Sam asked. "I mean, not that I don't appreciate everything you've done, but this is kind of a big thing."
"No bigger than allowing you to stay with me last night. And I'm going to talk to Figgins about you staying with me until this is all settled." He held up his hand to stop the inevitable Rachel Berry onslaught. "I know there are probably laws against it, but Sam doesn't have anywhere to stay and not even Figgins would allow one of his students to be thrown to the streets. In the meantime, Sam can get a job and file for emancipation. I would be more than happy to write out the affidavit and do whatever else is necessary to help."
Tears threatened as he talked. "Thank you so much, Mr. Schue," Sam whispered, blinking back against the stinging in his eyes. Will stood and walked around his desk, gathering the younger man in a hug.
"Things have a way of working themselves out in the end, Sam." He released him and grabbed a box of tissues, offering them to both Sam and Rachel (Puck is too much of a 'badass' to cry).
"That's what Rachel said last night." Sam chuckled wetly.
"See, even Mr. Schuester agrees with me," Rachel said, poking his side gently.
"Yeah, yeah." He poked her back, smiling when she giggled.
"Puck, you've been quiet; are you okay?"
The Mohawked boy glanced at his teacher. "I'm fine." Rachel reached over, rubbing his arm. He grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently and brushing a kiss over her knuckles.
"Really?"
"Really."
The bell chose that moment to ring, causing Rachel to jump and the guys to laugh.
"Well, get on to class. Sam, I will talk to Figgins and get back to you before the end of the day. Are you still planning on talking to Puck's mom tonight?" Schue looked between them.
"Yes, sir, we will be," Rachel piped up. "I think it would be best if we didn't deviate from our original plan of coming out with our relationship." She put on a brave face, though she was squeezing the shit out of Puck's hand.
"Okay, good. Would you mind letting me know how that goes? I don't want to pry, but I would like to be kept in the loop, if that's all right with you guys."
Puck shrugged noncommittally and Sam said, "Sure, it's the least we could after everything you've done for me." Rachel nodded in agreement.
"Great; now go, before you're late." Schue watched them as they picked up their bags and headed out of his office, Rachel secure in between her boyfriends.
With a heavy sigh, he headed to his classroom, ready to get through the next two class so he could get to his free period.
888
Puck was in his second afternoon class, just before his free period.
"Puck, do you mind hanging back for a minute?"
He scowled, glancing at the doorway. "No, what's up, Mr. Schue?"
Will leaned back against his desk. "I know you're not okay. Wanna talk about?"
"No, I'm fin-" Puck cut himself off with a growl and started pacing. "I'm fu-freaking pissed. This is such bullspit! I mean, I really, really appreciate what you're doing for Sam, 'cause him and Rach are pretty much my life right now, but it's just so fucked up what his parents are doing to him! He shouldn't have to worry about trying to become emancipated or figure out what he's going to do about a phone since his jackass of a father disconnected his. And TWO DAYS! That's all he gets to get all of his shit from his house? I mean, it's just fucked, ya know?" He threw himself down in a desk, rubbing his hand over his face.
He ignored the cuss words. "I understand, I really do. I know this is hard, watching someone you care about suffer so needlessly, but all you can really do at this point is just be there for him. He needs you right now and so does Rachel. And I'm here for you, if you ever wanna talk or just want someone to complain to when it gets to be too much." Will smiled.
"Whatever, feelings are for pussies," Puck growled, levering himself out of the chair and grabbing his bag. "But, uh, thanks, Schue." He rushed out the door, not looking back and Will just grinned.
There was hope for the boy yet.
888
Sitting in their last class, Sam fidgeted nervously. He still hadn't heard from Schue and he didn't know what he was going to do for a place to stay if the teacher didn't get back to him soon. Maybe Rachel's dads would allow him to stay, just until he found a place?
Yeah, right.
But hopefully Rachel was right and they would add him their phone plan, 'cause going without a cell phone for a day? Sucks big time. And it would only be until he gathered enough credit to be able to open a bill by himself.
Rachel's hand landed on his knee, halting the nervous bouncing. She kneaded his leg, trying to get him to relax. Flashing a quick smile, he tried to focus on whatever the teacher was saying but his mind kept wandering. What was going to happen tonight with Puck's mum? Would she kick him out too? Where would he stay? Mr. Schue could only do so much and Sam knew it would be hard for him to even keep Sam there.
So many things could go wrong; so many things already had. And things were only just beginning, because they hadn't even talked to Finn and Sam was sure that the jealous boy would have spread the news around the school that he and Puck were dating.
"Sam!" Rachel dug her fingers in his thigh as the teacher tried to get his attention.
"Yes, sir?" Mr. Echeter gestured towards the door, where Schue was standing. He motioned for Sam to follow him to the hall.
This is it, Sam thought, standing and exiting the classroom.
"What's up, Mr. Schue?" he asked, trying to be casual.
"Well, I talked to Figgins and he said you could stay with me until the whole emancipation thing is cleared up. However, you'll need to start looking for a job and tomorrow, see if Puck will take you to, er, wherever you need to go to fill out the paperwork you'll need for the emancipation. I'm sure Rachel will know. I'll give you a pass to miss your first classes. Feel free to drop your things off whenever." Schue handed Sam a key and a business card. "Here's a storage place, if you want to put your things in there until you get your own place. It would probably be easier to do that than to crowd up the guest room." Will took a deep breath and peered at the shell-shocked Sam. "You okay?"
Sam blinked. "Uh, yeah, it's just a lot to take in. I didn't think Figgins would let me stay with you and I figured I would be out on the street."
Will didn't mention all the issues that the principal had thrown at him when he broached the subject. "It will be a difficult journey for you, but in the end, it's for the best. You'll be a better man for it."
"Thanks again, Mr. Schue," Sam said, looking him in the eye. "For putting me up, for being there for us. Just, for everything."
Schue clapped him on the shoulder. "There's no need to thank me, Sam."
"Yeah, there is."
Sam reentered the classroom and Will returned to his teachings.
Things were starting to look up.
A/N: I was going to write more for this chapter, but I'm freaking exhausted. I wrote the last three pages in less than two hours :/ I'm kinda bending laws and things, but the stuff about the emancipation of a minor, I got from this site (http: / www. gogebic. org/ juvemanc. htm), so it's mostly accurate, considering I was paraphasing.
Sad news I feel compelled to share 'cause I'm whingy: I sprained my ankle last Friday and you would think that being stuck with my leg propped up for a week would prove productive to writing, but instead I kept trying to do things and I fear I just made things worse :( So please make me feel better and drop a review? I need some loves after the day (and week) (and year) I've had.
And happy Friday the 13th! ;)