Mercedes' POV (Present)

Words floated toward me the closer I got to the scene of the crime. Santana was in Finn's face, yelling and shrieking things in Spanish I didn't understand. He looked completely unalarmed and, if anything, he seemed like he was about to laugh.

"…You just admit you're dating her?" His friends were gathered around him, and to my disgust I saw my summer fling, Puck, nodding in agreement. I stopped running in the direction of them, my hand flying up to my mouth. Oh no. Then he was speaking again.

"Or," He said. "Does she not know you're in love with her?"

Santana stepped away from him in shock. My thoughts immediately went to Brittany, and where in the world she was. People were rushing past me, trying to get up close to any additional drama that was sure to unfold. I tightened my hold on my bag and started to move forward again.

"…Leave her alone." I heard Santana say.

"Then tell the truth."

She shook her head. "I'm not gay." I noticed the way her voice cracked and swallowed hard. Santana doesn't sound like that unless she's about to cry. Don't make a spectacle, I told myself, just get through that crowd and get to Santana. Fast. My head was commanding my feet to move, but I was frozen in place.

"Don't lie!" Someone said from behind Finn.

I saw Finn reached out and grab her shoulder. Santana looked up at him before stretching her arms up to push him away. Her hands must have pushed him hard, because she practically knocked Finn off his feet.

"You faggot bitch." He spitted out once he righted himself. I could hear the crowd murmuring among themselves when he said that, followed by a security guard's voice warning them to cut it out. "Stay away from Rachel, got it?"

I was still standing there, waiting like everyone else for what would happen next. Why couldn't I move? I looked around for Kurt, or anyone else that was mortified by what was transpiring. The only thing I could see for several feet were the faces of fellow classmates snickering and egging on both parties. Some wanted Santana to go at Finn already while others were whispering to their friends that he should hit Santana since she was like a guy anyway.

She stepped forward and punched Finn in the face. From where I was I heard the smack of her fist connecting with his head. He stumbled backwards, colliding into someone behind him before crashing to the ground. All around the blur of faces people were laughing, talking, and mocking Finn for getting beaten by a girl half his size. I saw Santana turn around and walk away at a normal pace. She seemed totally unfazed, but I knew better.

My feet started to work at that point and I pushed past the bodies that formed a circle around Finn. I was halfway gone when I finally heard the noise of the security guard approaching. Everyone instantly scattered. I made sure to have a good view of which way Santana was going once I was away from the commotion. She was walking around the building and God only knew where she was going. I took out into an outright sprint trying to catch up with her. She didn't make it that far.

Santana sat against the brick wall of the athletic department, her arms wrapped around her knees. She was crying intensely and very loudly. Her shoulders were shaking and she was sobbing. I felt a hard pressure on my chest, wearing me down. It was painful seeing her like that. What hurt most, though, was that looking at Santana was like staring into a mirror. I couldn't help the burning that welled up in my eyes. I inhaled and squashed the feeling down, scolding myself to get it together. It doesn't help if we're both crying.

I walked over to her. "Santana."

"Wheezy," She said. "Go away."

"No."

"Just leave. I don't wanna talk." Santana's arms sat on her knees, fencing in her face.

I nodded, slipping to the ground beside her. "We don't have to talk. But I'm not leaving."

She sniffed. I took that as an invitation to stay. After a while of sitting in silence I went through my bag and tried to find some Kleenex. It was wrinkled, but I found half a pack of tissues.

"Here." I said laying the Kleenex on top on her knees.

"Thanks." She grabbed a wad of the tissue and blew her nose before balling it up and throwing it somewhere.

I probably shouldn't have said anything about that, but it didn't stop the words from coming out. "That's littering, Santana."

"Shut up." She grumbled.

"Okay." I said.

We sat there for God knows long looking into the afternoon sun. I bit my lip thinking about the gossip that was sure to be surfacing in McKinley's halls. I couldn't walk back in there without whispers and Santana probably didn't want to go back, period. I heard the bell ring in the school building behind us. It was dismissing class for the last period to begin or dismissing school for the day. I didn't know.

Above the ringing, I heard Santana speak up. "I'm getting suspended for this."

"I know."

"And you're gonna get a truancy ticket for skipping." She added.

"I know." I said again.

"Do you want to go back in there?" She asked.

"No." I said. "Do you?"

"Hell no."

"I drove to school in the Rover." I told her after another brief silence.

She laughed. "Nice wheezy."

"Thanks."

She wiped at her eyes before fixing herself and looking at me. "I know you're pissed. Sorry."

The thing though was that I wasn't. I was just tired. "I'm not."

"I provoked Finn first, by the way. It's my fault this even happened." Santana fidgeted and sighed looking back out into the scenery.

"Santana, I don't care." I said.

She didn't seem to be listening. "And what really sucks is that I don't remember why I even started arguing with him. I try to think back to what happened before I punched him and I can't. It's all a blur."

"It always is." I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"Hey." She said shooting me a look.

"Sorry."

"I didn't mean to hit him." She went on, "But when he called me a gay I just lost it."

"What did you mean to do then?"

Santana ignored my question. "Finn's such a fucking asshole. He wasn't worth hitting, but man did he deserve it."

"Santana." I said.

"What? You know it's true."

"Still, you're gonna have to do community service for this. It's not like this is your first suspension."

"I know that," She said, offended. "God."

I sat there for a moment before linking my fingers with hers, which were slightly clammy, and gazed up into the sky. "This too shall pass."

Santana looked at me. "What's that from?"

"I dunno." I shrugged. "I think I read that in the Bible somewhere."

"The Bible," She said. "I think I'll have to read that sometime."

"You should."

She nodded."I think I will."

I wasn't intending to go back in the school until next week but I left my homework in my locker. Santana shook her head disappointedly at me when I told her I was going to get my stuff, but I honestly didn't care. She took off in her car once we walked back to the parking lot and I waved goodbye to the retreating vehicle. Initially, I was nervous about going inside the building and somehow managing to get away without being dragged to the principal's office. But once I was at my locker and almost had all my supplies ready to go the nerves dissipated.

"Mercedes."

I jumped, startled, and accidently slammed my locker door shut. "Shit." Heart pounding, I looked around to see who said that.

"Calm down, Mercy. It's me."

I breathed out a sigh of relief when I saw Quinn leaning up against a locker beside mine. "God, you scared me."

"Sorry." She said. "Where were you earlier? You weren't in sixth period."

I shook my head, zipping up my backpack. "It's a long story."

"Were you with Santana?" She asked.

I just looked at her. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Please, Mercedes." Quinn said. "You and her are always together."

"I guess."

"So," She started as I opened my locker again. "I heard about the fight."

"What did you hear?"

"That Santana punched Finn out."

I had to laugh. "Yup that's pretty much what happened."

"Well, how long is Santana suspended for?" She asked.

"I don't know. She left." I told her. I didn't know why I was giving Quinn this information when the last time we talked; she told me she was going back to the way things to use to be. She was through with me; our friendship was over just like her pregnancy was. But I guess after today's events, I was having a lapse of judgment.

"Oh. Is she okay?"

"Santana's as okay as she's gonna be. Considering the circumstances."

"Alright then." Quinn stared at me for a moment. "So my mom and I are coming over this weekend."

"Wait, what?" I asked, confused. "Why?"

"Mom wants to catch up with Mrs. Jones and there's supposed to be a surprise. Or so she says."

"But," I began, still confused. "Why would your mother want that? I mean, no offense, but after the election I thought…." I stopped myself shaking my head.

"I know." Quinn agreed. "The only thing I can say is that after our moms competed against each other, their friendship ended. One minute it's all fun and laughs, the next: nothing. It sounds kind of familiar, if you know what I mean."

I looked at her and flushed. Obviously she was talking about our friendship and how it ended.

"Look," She went on, "I think this weekend would be a great opportunity for us to converse like we used to. We should follow our parent's example."

Why do you even care? I wanted to ask. Maybe it was the lapse of reasoning, but I couldn't help the words from tumbling out. "I thought you didn't want anything to do with me."

Quinn winced. "I thought you might say that."

"You said it first."

"I was going through post-partum depression, Mercedes. Everything that I did or didn't do after the first year of having Beth I regret. Everything. I wish I didn't quit New Directions. I wish I didn't give my baby up for adoption. I wish I didn't give up my friends, but more than anything I wish I didn't give up us."

"You were the best friend I ever had." She said. "We were soul sisters and I still consider us to be."

I crossed my arms, skeptical. "Why now though? You had the whole summer to contact me, but you never did. Not once." I could tell that Quinn was uncomfortable talking about this but I didn't care. I couldn't care, not when she didn't just a few days ago.

"It's complicated."

"Well un-complicate it, because I want answers."

She blinked in disbelief. I surprised her, as well as myself. I've never demanded anything from Quinn and now here I was, pressing explanations out of her. And I wasn't budging. I deserved this. "It'll take too long to say everything here. I'll tell you everything this weekend when I get the chance but hear me out, okay? I'm sorry."

Quinn took my hand in hers and squeezed. "I want things back to the way they used to be. I miss you."

"I miss you too."

"Are you willing to be friends with me again?"

"I don't know." I said, truthfully.

"That's okay, there's no rush." She dropped my hand. "Just know that I'll be here for you if you need me."

I nodded and she smiled before patting my shoulder and walking away. I watched her leave until she was completely out of view and before long the only presence occupying the hallway was mine. Like any other time I was by myself. Alone, always.

Sam's POV (Friday afternoon)

"So you were there when all hell broke loose?" Kurt asked me.

Originally when Mercedes high tailed it away from me after our lunch I thought it was something I did. Call me crazy, but even though Mercedes said it was her friend getting in the fight and that was why she left so abruptly, I didn't believe her. It was when I saw her stop running and stare on with a mortified look on her face that I knew she wasn't joking.

Her friend Santana, who Kurt just informed me about got into a fight with Finn. No one except the witnesses who were up close knew what was said, but everyone knows that Finn got his ass kicked. By a girl half his size, no less. It was safe to say that he was considered to be a punk now.

"Yeah," I was saying now. "But all I saw was that Finn guy getting punched and falling on his butt."

Kurt shook his head disappointedly. "All of this has me truly torn. Santana is one of my best friends, and I know she didn't hit him for no reason. What he said must've been really bad. But at the same time, Finn's my step brother and while he's a jerk, he's also my family." I nodded supportively.

"I want to get to the bottom of this, but I'm supposed to be tutoring you." He looked at me.

"Go ahead and call Mercy. I don't really need help right now anyway." I relented.

Kurt perked up. "Okay, but only because you said so." I rolled my eyes as Kurt pulled out his phone.

"And don't think I didn't catch you using Mercedes' nickname." He said, to my chagrin. "But we'll talk about that later."

He put the phone on speaker. Mercedes picked up after only a few rings.

"Hello?" Again I flushed. Why does that always happen when she starts talking?

"Mercy, you know you have to fill me in on what happened." Kurt said.

I heard her sigh and mutter something. "Are you alone?" Kurt glanced at me.

"Yes." He said.

"Okay," She started. "Well you probably are aware of what mostly happened, but Finn said some really shady stuff about Tana."

"How bad?" He asked.

"Terrible bad." She replied.

"Well?"

"Finn called Santana a bitch-" Kurt gasped.

"Yeah, I know," Mercedes said, going on. "And told her to stay away from Rachel-like what could she have possibly done to the hobbit, anyway?- but yeah, basically that's all I was there to hear. The rest everyone knows about." I shook my head sympathizing and wondering how I was expected to play on a football team with those types of people.

"Oh my God," Kurt said. "I can't believe he would say that."

"Kurt this is Finn we're talking about here." She said flatly.

"But he's my stepbrother! How could he do that when he knows that's my best friend?"

"I dunno. All I know is that Santana is sure to get suspended, I have lost what little respect I had for Finn, and if this doesn't get resolved New Directions is screwed for Regionals."

"Regionals!" Kurt exclaimed, "I forgot all about that."

"Yup, and Regionals might forget us as well if we don't get our shit together." Kurt and her discussed their friend some more and I zoned out until I was brought up.

"Santana told me about you eloping with a certain someone during lunch earlier." Kurt said, as if I wasn't in the room. I gave him a warning glare.

"Kurt." Mercedes whined. "Don't do this to me."

"Nu uh uh." He teased, "You better tell me something."

I bit my lip, wondering if it was morally correct to be sitting there as she spoke to Kurt thinking that she had some privacy.

"It was great. He took me to this cute little diner and we had tots. Freakin' tater tots, Kurt! He must know all my weaknesses."

Kurt shot me a meaningful look. "Oh really?"

"Yes."

"How cute do you think he looked?"

"Please," She said. "Cute is not the word. Rude is more like it."

Kurt tilted back his head and laughed. My face felt like it was on fire.

"I'm serious. It's not right to look that good." If Mercedes thought it was wrong for me to look good, then she needed to look in a mirror. She was downright criminal.

"Sounds like someone wants a piece of Sam." I almost fell out of my chair. How could Kurt be saying this when I was right there? This kid really had no shame.

Mercedes hummed a bit before singing in a similar pitch to the original, "I don't see nothin' wrong…"

Kurt burst into laughter again. "You are not singing ."

Mercedes kept humming. "With a little bump and grind..." She stopped, laughing uncontrollably.

Oh wow. This girl might seem shy and innocent, but when she was with her friends she was someone else entirely. Although hearing Mercedes talk about us like this (to Kurt, for God's sake) was unnerving, I wanted to know this girl more. She was carefree, funny and down to earth.

"You oughta be ashamed of yourself, Mercy."

"Probably."

"So do you want to see him again?"

"Yeah I do. He's really sweet, Kurt. But-" She paused, sighing. I felt my heart rate pick up. But what?

"But what?" Kurt asked, voicing my thoughts.

"With everything going on, Santana and her drama, Glee club and its drama, plus my life and all that drama, where does Sam fit in? Even if he felt the same way, where do I find time to be with him?"

I didn't know Mercedes had all that stuff happening in her life. I liked her, but I wasn't going to stress her out when it was already bad enough. Maybe I should back off for a while…

"I understand. Don't rule him out yet, okay? We'll figure something out."

"That's not all though," She said. "Quinn talked to me today."

I remembered my mom's wishes with a feeling of uneasiness. From the tone of Mercy's voice I could tell this girl was trouble.

Kurt shook his head distressfully. "Oh gosh, what's this ham up to?"

"She came up to me today after the madness had happened, talking like she really cared about me and New Directions. She was saying she missed her friends, and that she missed me most of all."

"Well of course she'd say that!" Kurt said scoffing. "You're the one that took care of her sorry ass!" I blinked, taken aback. Kurt's never cussed in front of me before, even when he was frustrated enough to do so. Just how bad was Quinn?

"I don't know what to think about her, Kurt. I almost agreed with her."

"You miss her too." Kurt said, clarifying.

"Yeah. I can't help it."

"You know how I feel about this girl, Mercy. So just be careful. Even though we fight, I love you and I don't want you to get hurt. I can say that most of our friends feel the same way, but I can't say the same thing about Quinn." Soon Kurt was saying his goodbyes to Mercedes and I was left in shock over the newfound information about a person I didn't know but was supposed to pursue. I wanted to ask questions, but I was too much of an outsider to be in their business. For now.

"I'm going on a road trip with my mom this weekend." I said randomly. Kurt looked at me like I was crazy, so I went on. "It's something she wants me to do, but I have a really bad feeling about it."

"Why?" He asked confused.

"It's her way of climbing some sort of food chain. She's trying to up her social status among her friends, and I don't want to take part of it." There. The thing I've wanted to say for hours was finally out in the open. Now that it was here, I couldn't stop myself from saying more.

"But, if I refuse to help her, she'll be upset."

"You don't want to do it though." Kurt said. "Correct?"

"Correct."

"Then tell her that."

"I can't." I said.

"You can't?"

"No."

"Can I be honest with you?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah."

He put down his phone and stared right into my eyes. "Quit breast feeding from your mother."

"Excuse me?"

"Get your lips off your mom's tits." He said. "Stop letting your mom pimp you out, man up, and put a stop to it."

I looked at him, too in shock to speak.

"Mercedes needs a real love in her life. Not a pretender that's gonna leave her wondering if she did something wrong because you can't stop sucking your mother's nipples."

"Okay, this analogy is starting to freak me out." I said.

"I'm just saying." Kurt shrugged. "It's gonna be hard, but you can do it. "

"How do you know?"

"Well you just told me, right? Just say to her what you told me."

"It's not that simple," I started. "She's gonna-"

"Doesn't matter." He interjected. "Nothing is ever simple. So go for it. Say what you mean. Spit it out."

I could feel myself about to smile. "Alright, I'll try. Thanks."

"Think of Mercy when you do it. She's the perfect motivation."

Quinn's POV

My eyes shifted around the parking lot as I looked for my mother. She was far away from me as possible, almost not even in the parking lot. I made my way over to the car, slipping in without a glance from mom. "I talked to Mercedes today."

We sat in silence after I relayed today's events.

"Good." She said. "Make sure you buddy-buddy up with her tomorrow. You said her friend got in a fight?"

I nodded. "Yes. Her friend is sure to get suspended, which I'll bring up in front of Mrs. Jones tomorrow."

She smiled at me. "You do that darling, and I'll make sure to express my 'concerns' for her daughter's wellbeing. Can't have her hanging around that Hispanic trash, can we?"

I bit my lip. Mom never said anything about ruining Mercedes' friendships. "Of course not." I said.

"By the time we're done with Clarice, she won't know what hit her." Mom lit up a cigarette, sucking in and blowing smoke out through her nose in a circle of gray. She drove away from the parking lot, accelerating onto a busy street and turning on her blinker.

"She should've never been elected. But that's fine, because Clarice has a secret that's gonna blow people's minds. They're gonna regret giving a job to someone who doesn't deserve it."

I felt apprehensive hearing my mother talk about it. I didn't want to talk about it.

"It's high time we stopped trying to keep up with the Jones'." Mom declared.

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