Summer Under the Southern Sky

Over the next few days Mercedes spent time hanging out with her grandpa and Camille. She liked the older woman and it was clear to see that she made her grandfather happy. She even got a chance to see Ms. Ida and got to meet her granddaughter, Jane and they were going to go to the movies today.

"So any chance I can drive nana's car to the movies?" Mercedes asked, crossing her fingers.

Hudson sighed and Mercedes' hope began to falter. "Sure but be careful and-" He started before she squealed and hugged him. "Just make sure you get back by 12 no later than 12:30."

"Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!" She said excitedly.

Hudson chuckled. "Here, that way you can get some snacks." He said handing her some money.

"It's okay, I have money! I'm going to get ready! Thank you Pop pop!" She replied running back to her room and texting Jane letting her know that she would be able to drive them.

She ended up picking a pair of dark wash jeans and a simple red and white shirt with some sneakers. She put her hair into some loose curls and added a pair of diamond earrings.

"Okay, I'm headed to go get Jane!" Mercedes said, grabbing the keys to her grandmother's car.

"Have fun and let me know when you make it." Hudson said following her out and doing a quick once over of the car before nodding her off.

Mercedes and Jane hit it off almost instantly after meeting and were both happy they were getting a chance to hang out now. Jane was fun and liked some of the same things as Mercedes so it was a no-brainer that they would enjoy goofing off together.

"Okay so we can either see Far From Home or we can see Scream." Jane said, looking over the current showings.

"Mhm… I think I want to see something a little scary so let's do Scream." Mercedes answered and Jane nodded.

"Cool, do you want some popcorn too?" Jane asked.

"I get the tickets, you get the snacks?"

"Deal!"

Mercedes smiled. "Two for Scream." She said to the girl at the booth, they looked at her before sighing.

"This movie is rated R. Do you have a parent or someone of age with you?"

Mercedes looked at her confused. "No… I'm sixteen, it shouldn't matter." She said.

"Sorry they updated the age restrictions." The girl replied apologetically and Mercedes sighed looking at Jane.

"Far From Home?" Jane asked and Mercedes shrugged.

"Add their tickets to mine, four for Scream." They heard and she saw Sam standing behind them.

"Oh you didn't have to do that." Mercedes said and he just gave her a smile before paying for their tickets.

"Do you know him?" Jane asked, looking at her with a silly smirk.

Mercedes nodded. "Yes and no, we haven't seen each other since we were six." She whispered.

"Here you go." Sam said handing them their tickets and Mercedes started to dig out the money to pay him back but he stopped her. "Consider it an early birthday present."

She looked at him surprised. "You remember my birthday?"

Sam looked at her before nodding. "Of course I do, you cried for two hours at during your fifth birthday party because some girl… I can remember her name but she asked for one of your butterfly hair pins and your mom gave it to her."

Mercedes couldn't help laughing. "Oh God… I remember that, my dad had to leave my party and get more so I would stop crying." She recalled fondly.

"Yeah and you refused to let her eat any of your cake, that's the day you said I was your only friend because I never wanted your butterflies."

She blushed and nodded. "Yeah… I'm starting to see how crazy my obsession was now." She said and Jane shot her an amused look.

"Nah, it fits you"

"Hey you ready?" A pretty blonde asked and he nodded.

"I'll see you later, butterfly girl." He said, smiling at her before walking over to the girl.

"Butterfly girl?" Jane asked and Mercedes shook her head.

"He used to call me that when we were little because saying Mercedes was a task." She replied and Jane just smirked.

"And he's still calling you that?"

Mercedes shrugged. "I've only just seen him again for the first time in years…" She answered.

"Mhm, come on girl. Let's go get some snacks and find a good seat!" Jane said, smirking and tugging her along.

Mercedes looked over her shoulder at Sam and the girl he was with seeing her smiling as he whispered something in her ear before looking away. She wasn't entirely sure why but she felt jealous. Maybe it was a friend thing? Surely, she didn't have a thing for someone she hadn't seen in years and only recently seen again for a few minor moments.

"So I was thinking popcorn and candy?" Jane said, breaking Mercedes from her thoughts.

"Sounds great!" She replied.

…

Mercedes and Jane both enjoyed the movie and were trying to figure out where they'd like to get some food before a friend of hers approached them.

"Mercedes this is Jake, Jake this is Mercedes." Jane said, introducing them.

"Hi!"

"Hey." Jake said with a half wave. "So are we getting out of here?" He asked Jane and she shot Mercedes a knowing look.

Mercedes sighed before shrugging. "I'll catch up with you later." She said and mouthed thank you before walking off with Jake.

Mercedes wasn't ready to head back to her grandpa's so she decided to just grab something alone. She looked up the closest diner and picked the Little Duck Diner because it was close enough to where she was to walk to.

She immediately loved the cute diner and it's fun accents of gold and ducks. It was a lively atmosphere and she made a mental note to tell her parents about this place.

"Welcome to the Little Duck! For here or to go?" The friendly hostess asked.

"Ah, for here it's just-" She started before seeing Sam sitting in the booth and he looked up at her smiling then nodded her over.

"I'm going to sit with him actually." She said to the hostess who just nodded. She walked over and stopped in front of the table and he gave her confused look before looking at the empty seat across from him.

"I didn't want to assume…" She said with a nervous laugh. "You know since you were on a date and ah… I didn't want to intrude… am I intruding? Cause I can find my table…" She added rambling and he just gave her an amused smile.

"You're not intruding, my date ended the second the movie started and she started flirting with the guy sitting next to us." He explained.

"Oh… sorry to hear that." She said and he shrugged.

"It's okay, besides now I can finally ask if you're still obsessed with butterflies." He joked and she ducked her head feeling her cheeks grow warm.

"Not as much as I used to be." She answered finally. "Are you still trying to be a superhero?"

He leaned in placing his finger over his lips. "Shh or people will know my secret identity." He said before they both laughed. "I'm into drawing and baseball now. Do you still wear your mom's heels and sing?"

Mercedes groaned before laughing. "Only sometimes… I can fit them now so I don't look as foolish." She admitted.

"I bet." He said they just smiled at each other before their waiter came. Sam ordered a burger and an oreo milkshake while Mercedes opted for chocolate chip pancakes and a strawberry milkshake.

"So why didn't you guys come back?" Sam asked after the waiter left.

Mercedes sighed. "We were but then my nana died… and my Pop pop started coming up to Columbus to spend summer with us." She answered and he nodded.

"I remember when Mrs. Lena died, I wasn't old enough to say it then but I am sorry." Mercedes smiled because even though it had been years it still meant a lot that he cared enough to say it.

"Thanks."

"I told my mom that you were here, she said she wanted to see you before we sold the house."

Mercedes smiled fondly. "I want to see her and your siblings… how are they?" She asked, remembering his little brother and sister.

"They're great and how's your grandpa?"

"He's good… he has a girlfriend now. She's sweet."

"And you?" He asked, nodding at the waiter as he sat their food and milkshakes down.

"Neither." She answered shyly.

"That's too bad, for them I mean."

"And you?"

"I think I'm good." He replied and she couldn't tell if he was flirting or not but either way she blushed again. They started eating their food and talking about everything that happened over the past few years.

"This shake is really good." Mercedes said and Sam looked at her for a moment.

"Let me taste." She smiled and slid her shake over to him and he took a sip nodding. "It is good, here try mine." He said scooping some out with a spoon and holding it out for her to try.

Mercedes leaned over and allowed him to feed her the scoop of his shake, she smiled and nodded her head. "Yours is better." She said with a soft laugh. "I'll have to get it next time I'm here." She added.

"As long as you invite me." Sam said and they shared a look before she nodded.

"Okay… deal." She said before looking at her phone and seeing it was almost time for her curfew. "I gotta get back to my grandpa's."

Sam nodded and signaled for the waiter, who came quickly.

"Separate or together?" The waiter asked.

"Separate." Mercedes said digging into her purse to get her money and not seeing Sam shake his head before handing over money to cover both.

"Keep the change." He said and Mercedes shot him a look. "Come on, don't want you missing curfew." He added getting up and nodding her on.

"I parked at the movies." She said once they got outside.

"Let me walk you there." He replied and nudged her teasingly. "So butterfly girl, what are your plans for this summer?"

"Mhm… I don't really know. I haven't been here in years and it's not like I know where everything is, my world down here was the lake, my grandparents and…" She trailed off looking up at him and blushing.

"I see… well there's the arts center, a few museums, and the city market." He explained as they slowly walked back to her car. "Riverboat cruises are fun, Tybee Island's beaches and there's a music festival happening in a few weeks."

"You should be a tour guide." She teased and he chuckled.

"There you go, giving away my secret identity again." He joked, making her giggle.

"Music festival?" She asked.

"Mhm, it's a lot of fun and they even let locals join in… you should consider it, assuming you still sing."

"I'm in my school's choir, not lead but I do…"

"You're not leading? I remember hearing you sing, I can only imagine what you sound like now." He said as they came to a stop

beside the car.

She blushed. "Who knows, maybe I'll even sing at the festival." She said with a soft laugh.

"We should go…" He replied, smiling at her. "It'd be fun plus they have carnival games and rides."

"Yeah?" She asked. "I think that would be fun…"

"What are you doing tomorrow?" He asked.

"I'm not sure…"

Sam nodded. "Wanna go on an adventure?"

Mercedes let out a light laugh. "Where?"

"Say yes."

"Yes…"

"I'll see you tomorrow, butterfly girl." He said leaning in and kissing on the cheek. Mercedes blushed and got into the car smiling brightly, excited about tomorrow.