No Scrubs
Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there
"Mercy" Mike walked up behind her whispering in her ear, concern in his voice
"I'm good Mike" she turned telling him walking off into the crowded room
"Damn" he stood watching her walk through the crowd back to a man he'd never seen before, hoping he wasn't yet another loser, user, or abuser, he couldn't for the life of him think why Mercy would have been attracted to idiots like that. He could help but smile watching as her face lit up the way it used to when they were younger before she grabbed hold of her new guy and started dancing like there was not a tomorrow. "Why am I bothered?" he asked himself walking off in the other direction to go find his date.
"Did you get to talk to her?" Tina asked as he walked past her
"No" he looking back across the dancefloor at Mercy still dancing, feeling better because Blaine had joined them "I think she's in love with this one"
"We both know that's not the case" Tina looked at him smirking
"I can see it in her eyes, the way she looks at him"
"The way she looks at him" she rolled her eye "She has a type, and their ruthless"
"We're friends, best friends, not lovers, she used to trust my judgement, but since this boy's jumped into her life she's changed, I think she needs to learn this one herself"
"So, we should just sit back and let her get hurt again?"
"We should be there for her when she does" he looked at her again "She's grown"
"So, what about what I told you?"
"It's in my head, and as soon as I get the chance I'll talk to her about it"
"If anyone can get through to her it's you" she touched his arm, sending a shiver down his spine
"I got to get back to my date" he looked around the room for her
"Is that all you could find?" Quinn chuckled
"Leave her alone, she's funny"
"Do you think, Mercy really has a fetish for scrubs?"
"No, I don't, let her have her moment" he looked at her dancing again "Maybe this one's different" he was thinking about the drama she'd been through over the last seven years, wondering what could have possibly put that smiled on her face, this new guy didn't look like anything special, but already she seemed awfully familiar with him
Flashback from Mike's POV
Seven years Ago
"Mike" Tina hissed down the phone when I answered "You need to come sort your girl"
"What's wrong with her?" I rolled my eyes at more drama coming at me
Mercy and I had been friends forever, we'd seen each other through a lot, my parents splitting up, her mother passing, her brother ending up in prison, her dad turning to alcohol, my dad abandoning me for his new family, and through it all we'd bonded enough for my mother to become her substitute parent. We did everything together from ten years old until now, so here we were twenty seven, and out in the world trying to make a life for ourselves.
Mercy was into music, any which way she could get it, stage, screen, live, and in the first few years of freedom we moved around a lot depending on the work. I was into dancing, and in all honesty I must have danced in every spot in New York before I was twenty three, because I'd contacted every well-known artist I knew, left my demo, and hoped for the best, and most of them had worked.
Neither of us had ever been urgent about getting into relationships, if our parents were anything to go by, things weren't bound to end well, so we kept people at bay. I was into more casual relationships, I felt I wanted to be friends with women first, while Mercy on the other hand didn't want anything from anyone, dates were just an opportunity to get a man to spend as much money as he could before she was walking away, a game she'd played too often. To be honest most men she went after tended to play her game for longer than I would have, but they all turned out to be thugs, bums, or scrubs, treated her like dirt when they turned and even left her scared
Our housemates were Tina and Blaine, he was a single, very theatrical gay guy running away from his family because his older brother, who was literally the apple of his parent's eye, was an addict who was abusing the family on so many levels for his habit, he couldn't stand it anymore. Tina the comedian; was his best friend, she was straight out of children's services, unsure if anyone had even realised she'd gone. Blaine was the closest she'd ever gotten to a sibling; they were both trying to make good of their lives too. They'd left their hometown together in search of bright lights when they were twenty one and never looked back
Tina and Blaine were just as tight of friends as we were, we'd met in college and clicked, maybe it was the fact that we were all healing from childhoods that weren't too kind to us, that flung us together, all we knew for sure was whatever it was our bond was tight.
"She's just brought some random home, they were in the bedroom for a while and she comes out screaming, hysterical, now she won't talk to me" Tina yelled down the phone at me
"Where's the random?" I asked concerned for Mercy's safety
"He's gone, I asked him to leave"
"What did he say?"
"She's F'ed up" Tina told me "He just kept saying the same thing over and over again"
"Okay I'm on my way" I told the girl I was seeing at the time I need go, and left her sitting in the bar
Twenty minutes later I was walking into the house, and towards Mercy's room to deal with whatever was waiting "Mercy" I tapped lightly on the door whispering "I'm coming in" I pushed it open and frowned at her sat wet faced on her bed "What happened?"
"Nothing" she held her hands up in despair at me
"Did he force himself on you?"
"No" she cried "I'm still not ready, what's wrong with me?" she looked into my eyes expecting an answer "He said I was a frigid tease"
"Clearly he wasn't the right one" I hugged her
"So, you don't think I'm the problem?"
"No" I chuckled how could a woman wanting to save herself for the right man ever be the problem "When you're ready it will happen naturally, we're just gone twenty, don't rush into anything you don't feel comfortable with"
"Okay" she ruffled my hair "Thanks, you always know how to make me feel better"
"I've got a girl waiting for me to make her feel better" I laughed
"Sorry" she grabbed something off the bed and wiped her eyes "She's going to hate me soon"
"She understands our relationship, she's cool"
"Go, and apologise for me" she nudged me to get up
"This guy…" I looked at her seriously "He's not worth your tears" I told her getting up to leave the room "She'll be fine" I told Tina as I walked towards the front door "I'll see you later"
End of Flashback
"Do you think she's on something?" Brittany stopped Mike to ask as she pointed at Mercy on the dancefloor "She just looks so happy"
"She's good" he smiled at the woman sitting on his friends Artie's lap "It's called having fun"
Artie was a dancer like Mike, their paths had crossed on various auditions around the city over the years and although they started out as rivals, they soon found they were more passionate about the art than the work. They started up their dance school teaching modern dance, ballroom and when they finally found Brittany they added ballet. It was inevitable that Artie and Brittany were going to hit it off from the beginning, within a week they were learning each other's dance routines, forcing them to spend time together, eating late dinner's in the studio and eventually they let the cat out the bag.
On the anniversary of their first year together, they got engaged, had a massive party with all their family and friends there, it was a beautiful fairy tale weekend on a yacht, scuba diving, barbequing on the beach, with lots of alcohol and dancing in the mix
Mike looked at Mercy, Blaine and this random, still dancing, remembering the relationship for her that was borne out of that weekend, it was a relationship from hell, and a really hard one to tackle with her, she'd hardened her heart even to herself
Flashback from Mike's POV
Five Years Ago
"Come on" Mercy called to me as Brittany and her gyrated on the dancefloor, Brittany flashing her engagement ring to anyone that she thought was even remotely interested in seeing it for the one hundredth time "Mike" she called impatiently beckoning me to come, I pulled my date, whispered in her ear I'd be back and went to see what was happening "Why didn't you bring your date?"
"What do you want Mercy?" I asked ignoring her question
"See that guy over there?" she pointed at this bulldozer guy standing at the bar
"What about him?"
"Brittany said he's someone's plus one who doesn't want him anymore, so I was thinking…"
"He's a big guy" I warned
"Between us we can handle him, don't you think?"
"We'll do our best" I smiled, danced for a few seconds, before I went back to my date, watching Mercy reel this guy in, she was ruthless.
I must admit I was kind of shocked when he turned up at our apartment a few days later, bearing rucksack and laptop like he was up for some sort of sleepover at the crack of dawn "Is Mercy in?" he asked walking past me before I could answer him, I should have known then, but my head was in a different place, I dropped the ball for one of Mercy's hot minutes.
Day three and this guy had camped out on our couch littering the place and spreading out with every minute that passed. We'd all had a rough day and staggered in after twelve to sixteen hours of none stop work to this slob, on the couch playing video games and munching on snacks he had no business touching "Mercy" I looked at her vexed, my actions telling her she needed to deal with this guy and fast.
"Babe" her attention turned to the man "You said you were going to clean up" she picked empty bottles and packets up as she spoke to him "Didn't you go for that interview today?" his attention zoned in on the game he was playing "Babe" she called him again when she realised he wasn't even listening
"Oh" he looked up, like he'd been in some sort of daze "Did you bring food, I'm starving"
"You've been sat there all day haven't you?"
"No" he stopped to look at her "I didn't get the job"
"I'm sorry babe" she sat next to him, I could do no more than roll my eyes at this idiot playing her at her own game and winning, I'd have bet my life he hadn't moved from that damn spot all day, let alone been to an interview.
There were times we'd go out and I'd sit back and watch her feed him money to get a round in, buy snacks, or worse give him money to have in his pocket because he might see his friends and need to get them a drink. This man was past taking liberties and she was going all out in accommodating him, so of course eventually my hand was forced, I had to have the talk with my girl
"Mercy" we sat in the local café, it was a space I knew the guy wouldn't come to, be rarely left the apartment "This is a difficult conversation for both of us"
"I know what you're going to say" she looked at me already upset "I don't know how I fell into this trap"
"Trap?" I asked concerned there was something sinister going on
"He played me at my own game, caught me totally off guard, I know what I need to do, but he's so… unpredictable"
"You're scared of him?"
"He never says it, but I know the potential is there for things to go south fast"
"What do you need me to do?"
"I was thinking I'd break up with him somewhere public, he doesn't like attention, just be around"
"I'm there" I grabbed her hand, I didn't for a second think she was scared of the situation she was in, manipulation can look so subtle, having watched her father and brother fight daily of course she was scared of confrontation and where that might lead "We've got this" I assured her
A few days later Tina, Blaine, the waste man, and I were all sat in our local bar waiting for food when Mercy walked in with waste man's adidas rucksack and laptop in hand "Babe" she stood over him "This isn't working, I need you to leave our apartment"
"But"
"No but's you don't contribute to anything, you don't have a contract, there's no notice period" she snapped "And before you say it, I don't care"
"I don't have anywhere else to go"
"As I said" she dropped the sack next to his chair "I don't care" I couldn't help but smile at my best friend finding her feet again "In the famous words of TLC, I don't want no scrub" she walked around the table and sat in the empty chair next to me, it had taken her four months to get to this, but she'd finally got there, and I was proud of my friend
"Bitch" he hissed cutting his eye at her "Can…"
"No, you may not" she held her finger up at him with her newfound bravery "No free bed, no ever flowing money tree and definitely no free food here" she warned flaring her eyes at him "I got your bitch right here, believe, I slapped the bullshit out of her myself"
"I was leaving anyway" he hissed "I've never known anyone as frigid as you"
"I'm not frigid" she snapped back "I just refuse to sleep with someone like you" she smirked at his face screwing up "Yeah, bitch, I know" we watched him get up, throw the chair down and leave
"That wasn't so bad" I smiled at her listening to Blaine and Tina breathe
"I thought he was going to be worse than that" she held her chest relieved
End of Flashback
"Are we finally getting our evening?" Mike's date asked as he walked towards her
"Sorry about that" he pointed at Mercy "She doesn't make the best choices; I have to look out for her"
"I get that, but I still need attention"
"You have my full attention" he smiled grabbing her waist to pull her to him, looking around the room knowing who he was looking for, she'd been on his mind for a while now, but housemates were out of bounds, and as far as he could make out she was living her best life. Feelings had grown on him over the years, she was like the ideal girl, friendly, funny, ambitious, kind, caring and committed to everything she did, he turned to jelly every time he'd catch her concentrating on something because she looked too cute. Then one day she was in his head and moving fast towards his heart, he hadn't told anyone about those feelings, he didn't want to be judged.
"Who's in there now?" his date tapped his head
"Work" he lied "And you" he hugged her still searching the room
Just lately he felt like he was on duty twenty four hours a day with those two, if he wasn't supporting Mercy with work, relationships, or shopping, he was giving lip service to another one of Tina's whimsical ideas. He was more concerned for Tina of late because Blaine was going off to Los Angeles for eight months to do a project, leaving her alone for the first time in nearly twelve years and he didn't think she was coping well with the pending separation.
"Your body's here, but your mind…" his date pulled away and looked up at him
"I'm.." he looked at her knowing now wasn't the time "A bit stressed with work and everything, but I'll snap out of it soon" he pulled her back in
"God" she pulled away again "If she's not got your attention, she's demanding the attention of the crowd" she looked at Mercy getting on the stage "It's not even freaking karaoke night"
"They're just cheering themselves up" he smiled at Tina jumping up there too, laughing when the deejay started playing a song obviously at their request, of course there was a story behind the song as both women stood with arms in the air giggling and rocking waiting for the chorus so they could scream it at the top of their lungs, Blaine and he were part of the story too, he wanted to go up there and join them
Flashback from Mike's POV
Two Years Ago
It had been three years since the whole scrub throw out debacle and Mercy had become hard in the heart, no one was getting to her, I remember there were lots of debates around relationships at that time. Tina had just come out of a rather messy one with an older married man. Blaine was in some sort of triangle that he was pretending to be happy about to their faces, but behind their backs he hated it.
Mercy wasn't letting anyone in, she was dangerously bordering on lonely, all that stuff had obviously hurt more than she cared to let on, and I could tell she flet left out when everyone had their significant others around. I was in between relationships for what of a better word, I'd been in that mode for a long while, scared to make my move on the girl I really wanted, so I was playing the field, so they all thought I was fine.
Then one day out the blue Mercy walked into our local bar on a housemates night with this guy dark haired guy, everyone could tell he was more of the same, but it had been such a long time since Mercy had smiled they went with it. "Everyone" she announced "This is my date for tonight"
"I'm on trial" he laughed holding his hand out for shaking, I wanted to grab it and walk him out, he looked so wrong, but I wasn't about to dictate on my friends choices, I was just there to support her when it all nosedived, or she found her happy ever after.
"Nice to meet you" Blaine jumped up and grabbed the man's hand
"Yeah" I got up "Likewise" I shook his hand and showed him a spare chair at another table signalling for him to grab it
"Can I get everyone a drink?" the random asked impressing us all as he pulled the chair across
"Yeah" Tina held her glass up, she was already on her third cocktail
"Another beer thanks" I held my almost empty bottle up
"Beer for me too please" Blaine smiled at him
"Back in a bit" he smiled grabbing Mercy's hand to get to the bar
The night didn't turn out too bad and the fact that he wasn't looking to stay the night got him points with all of us as well, at least this one had a home to go to. Mercy and he would go out regularly, she'd come home feeling all loved up and to be honest no one had anything bad to say about the guy he was a gentleman when he was around us.
Then one day I happened to be at the mall, I was meeting someone incognito about a project, so I wasn't looking to see anyone that knew me "Hey" I smiled seeing him sat opposite this dark haired girl with a gothic look and pouting lips, their hands entwined across the table
"Hey" he jumped and jerked away from her looking up at me "Mike" he smiled, guilt written all over his face
"Who's your friend?" I asked
"This is a dear friend of mine" he looked at the woman and smiled "Babe this is Mike a friend"
"I'm glad I've seen you, could I have a word?" I asked the man; I was ready to go in on his ass
"Sure" he got up and followed me to the counter
"I'm not blind, you're with that woman aren't you?" I hissed at him
"She's still upset about the breakup, I'm letting her down easy, we're not together, haven't been for nearly six months now" he assured me
"Don't let me find out different" I warned him "If you hurt Mercy…" I didn't dare finish that sentence
The next few weeks were awkward, I felt like a traitor for not telling Mercy what I'd seen but she was happy, so I gave that guy the benefit of the doubt. It didn't last long as just three weeks in, I was driving past a little café in the back streets of our busy town when I saw him again with the same girl, they stood up hugged and kissed, for me that was it, I drove straight home to tell Mercy what I knew
"It's fine, she's his cousin or something" Mercy waved the situation into trivial
"That wasn't a cousin kind of kiss I witnessed" I told her in the nicest possible way, she grabbed my hands looked into my eyes and smiled
"I'm not putting anything into this, and he's not getting anything out of it, don't worry about me"
There just seemed to be a moment in everyone's life later that night, it was like everyone finally thought no more, and meant it; Blaine admitted his dissatisfaction with his relationships, called and broke it off. Tina finished with some random first date guy she caught kissing some other random in the club, walked onto the dancefloor to gyrate on some other random.
Mercy played a blinder; she'd invited the so called cousin to our evening, crawled all over the guy until she got there then introduced herself to the woman as his girlfriend; as the man's wife of cause cousin girl had something to say, but Mercy didn't wait to hear it she found the dancefloor leaving Blaine and I with that fall out. I jumped on the bandwagon with my feelings of liberation in that moment, I wanted to shout from the rooftops that I was in love with my flatmate, but I chickened out and Blaine and I opted to join the girls on the dancefloor.
For the first time in nearly five years, we were all in the same place and it felt great, we were all dancing around without a care in the world when this song came over the duke box, we all jumped around as we sang along to the situation appropriate chorus
End of Flashback
He couldn't help it, he needed to go down to the dancefloor and join his friends, this was another one of those moments "Mike" his date stopped him; he looked back shocked, he'd actually forgotten she was there
"Sorry, this isn't working, I've felt it for a while" he pulled away from her and carried on to the dancefloor leaving her open mouthed
"Mike" she screamed stamping her feet like a spoilt child, he didn't stop until he got to the stage, watching as she grabbed her belongings and left the venue, as Blaine, Tina, Mercy, her random, and he jumped around enjoying the song
You questioned, if I care, you could ask anyone, I even said, you were my great one,
Now it's, over, but I do admit I'm sad, it hurt real bad, I can't sweat that, cause I loved a hoe
Fuck what I said it don't mean shit now, fuck the presents might as well throw them out
Fuck all those kisses, they didn't mean jack, fuck you, you hoe, I don't want you back 'I Don't Want You Back' by Eamon
"Hi" Mike smiled finally deciding to introduce himself to this random
"Hi, Mike right?" he took the handshake
"Yeah" he smiled looking at Mercy
"I'm Sam" he smiled
"Get used to him" Mercy smiled hugging him "He's going to be around for a while"
"You sure about that?" Mike asked Mercy
"He ain't no scrub" she pulled at his shirt and kissed his lips "I own this one"
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Mie laughed
"Yes" she laughed grabbing Mike by the shirt "And you should tell her how you feel" she nodded at Tina
"Do you think?"
"Yeah I do" Tina's head popped into their conversation