Rumour Has It / Somebody Like Me
Truth can hit you at the most unexpected time, but it always matters what you do with it
Mercy Jones had spent seven good years giving her all to everyone and everything, there was nothing she was asked that was too much, she wanted to be the face of R&B and that was what she needed to do to get there. From the minute her voice touched the airways people just fell in love with her, she had a talent and every performance validated that for her, and for a while that was it, that was all she needed.
That life brought other things and she was warned that she'd need to learn to roll with the blows, she'd gotten very good at rolling, from one contract to another depending on how handsome the perks were, from one stage to another without a break, not thinking about herself. Along with the highs there were some lows too, she learned some harsh lessons about professional relationships, usually men that didn't mean her any good and to be honest after the third one went south she learned to expect it and became numb.
That numbness took a hold of her fast and before she knew it she was on her way down a hole she never recognised, she felt like a machine with no purpose. She was sat in her dressing room ready to perform to a crowd of nearly six hundred thousand, when everything left her, she couldn't explain it, all she knew was when a head popped round the door to ask her if she was ready she finally said no, and she meant it.
She took her costume off, wiped the ridiculous makeup off her face, grabbed her purse and left the venue, the press had a field day, her new manager went on live television talking about her rebellion being the result of a long reign of abuse Jones had inflicted on herself over the eight years he claimed to have known her. As numb as Mercy was, she knew for sure she'd known the ignorant bastard for no more than eighteen months, so how dare he sit there professing to know or care about anything to do with her.
Three months later and she was still being pestered to take on jobs, fulfil contracts, pay people back, in the end she went to see a solicitor, it was all too much for her, they helped her get all her business together, pay all her debtors off and she still have something left to set herself up the way she wanted. She definitely didn't like the Jones she'd become, she sold her penthouse, liquidising all her funds, put a pin the map and found herself hiding away from the world in a sleepy little town on the outskirts of Lima in Ohio.
Everything there moved at a speed her brain could cope with, lazy days by the river, shopping if she wanted, quiet cafés, friendly neighbours and of course she'd reconnected with Matt, her first agent again, he understood the rules, so she wasn't asked to do anything she didn't want to.
She sat in the small café in Lima, eating the pie she always washed down with a latte every afternoon before her walk in the park down the road, asking herself how she'd allowed it to take so much from her, her thoughts interrupted by her phone ringing "Matt" he smiled as she answered her phone
"Mercy" his voice excited "Something I thought you'd be interested in"
"Let me hear it" she laughed
"You won't even have to leave home for the night"
"Interested"
"Thought you would be" he laughed "Wedding anniversary party, apparently they were at that concert you never did and thought it would be a great idea to ask you to sing at their 10th Anniversary. I thought you might say yes because you were unhappy about letting people down on that one"
"Of course, I'm saying yes, where is it?"
"The town hall"
"Which one?"
"The one you're looking at now if you're in the café"
"Seriously?"
"Apparently they got married there and want all their family around them"
"Oh" she cooed "That's sweet" looking at the idyllic building "When is this happening?"
"Two weeks Saturday, the couple are Brittany and Santana Pierce-Lopez"
"What a mouthful" she laughed "Send me a text with the details, when will the couple be in town?"
"I don't know, but as soon as I know, you'll know"
"Okay"
"Speak soon"
"Bye" she closed the call excited to be on stage again
One Week Later
Mercy was sat nursing her usual pie and latte, this couple were past fashionably late for their meeting, suddenly the door swung open, and someone walked towards her with their arms open shouting "OMG, I can't believe it's you"
"It's me" Mercy smiled assuming this was them "Nice to meet you…"
"Brittany" she told her giving the hug "And this is my wife Santana"
"Hello" Santana hugged her too "Did you get the song we sent?"
"Yes" she smiled "So, you two got married around here?"
"Not far" Santana definitely had attitude
"We were both born in Lima, got married straight out of college" Brittany offered
"Meant to be" Mercy smiled "The town hall's a beautiful venue"
"It is, the best" Brittany sat at the table "Tan will you get us coffee please?" she looked at her wife smiling "Don't mind her, coming home's always been bittersweet for her"
"Sorry to hear that" Mercy looked across at Santana having a conversation with the cashier
"Her parents aren't around anymore, we lived a completely different life to the one we have now when they were, they didn't agree with us"
"Oh" Mercy sat back in the chair seeing Santana coming towards them
"What are you two whispering about?" Santana stood with two cups in her hand
"I was just telling Mercy; may I call you that?"
"Sure" Mercy smiled
"I was just telling Mercy about the bad vibes you get from this place"
"Britt" Santana's voice upset
"It's okay, she's basically our best friend now"
"I think I'm employed by you two to do a job" Mercy corrected her
"You are" Santana smiled "But if Britt thinks you're good people, I'll go with that"
"She's singing a song for us babe; I think she needs to know a bit about us"
"You're right" Santana smiled and sat down
"So" Brittany grabbed her coffee moving along the bench for Santana to sit "Coming out wasn't easy for either of us, there was a lot of boyfriend drama for a while" she grinned "I went out with really sweet guys while Tana took the hoodlums, and we played like that for a while"
"And I went out with a gay guy" Santana laughed
"Oh yeah, him" Brittany laughed "Then there was this one guy we went head to head over him, remember?" Brittany asked Santana
"Gosh" Santana laughed "That was in high school, it was an age ago, I can't even remember his name"
"Me neither, but he was cute" Brittany chuckled "To be honest I don't remember much of what happened at school"
"Did you two go through school drunk or something?" Mercy laughed
"No" Brittany laughed "There were just a lot of people there we needed to forget"
"That bad?" Mercy asked
"That bad" Santana confessed
"To cut a long story short we stayed in denial for a while" Brittany laughed, she was the bubblier character of the two
"But we finally decided to own our love, tell it to the world, get married and ten years later, here we are still as happy as day one, still falling in love, still everything" Santana leaned in to kiss her wife
"I'm happy for you, congratulations" Mercy smiled happy to sit getting to know these people she was going to sing for
Thursday Before The Party
The hustle and bustle of the little town over the past week had reminded Mercy why she'd opted for the country life as opposed to the city living, there didn't seem to be enough venues to fit people, which meant the locals were sitting on top of people everywhere they went. The café that usually begged for customers had queues stood outside, people talking, hugging, laughing the weekend was all about the anniversary party and it seemed like there were going to be more than the few named people Brittany had envisaged a week ago.
"I'm not that big a deal" Mercy looked out her apartment window at the ever extending queue across the road well aware they were there for the party "I'll wait for the queue to die down before I go over" she walked back over to the couch to see what was happening on the TV, because whatever was happening out there, she was the outsider.
A couple of hours later the noise died down, she looked out the window and saw the café she was used to, smiling at getting her weekly slice of apple pie from Sue's café as she made her way across the road "Hi Sweet, usual?" Sue asked as she walked in
"Please" Mercy's eyes widened
"Coming up" Sue smiled at her "You're the talk of the town"
"I guessed" Mercy laughed
There was no queue outside, the window seats looked pretty empty, but inside was still loud with people talking, she smiled and made her way to an empty table, her pie came, she closed her eyes and sat eating, taking in the taste only Sue's café could create when a voice interrupted her thought
"Mercy Jones?"
"Sorry" she opened her eyes stunned "Yes" she smiled
"Do you mind if I join you?" this random guy stood smiling at her
"Sure" she said against her better judgement, she wanted to dive back into the relationship she'd created with her pie but with him sitting watching, no chance
"Forgive me, I never forget a face" he smiled at her "Lynwood Middle School?"
"What about it?" she looked at him trying to work out which paper he was reporting from, of course the tabloids would be snooping around, she rolled her eyes
"Sorry, that came out wrong" he smiled "We went to middle school together, Sam Evans, we sat next to each other for most our classes"
"Dork?" she looked at him trying to find the face she remembered from back then
"Closeted Diva" he laughed "Haven't been called that in a while"
"Not very closeted now a days either" she laughed "How have you been?"
"Doing alright for myself" he smiled "Do you want another coffee?"
"Please" she smiled "Sam Evans" she looked at him, he'd definitely grown into himself, he was fit as hell, "Love the pony" she smile
"Thanks" he grabbed it smiling at the complement
"So, what are you doing for yourself" she watched him wave at Sue for another coffee
"I sing" he smiled "I know" he laughed "I could barely talk at school, but I grew into myself, got myself some confidence, and after I won a couple of competitions at school, there was no stopping me, I've recently got myself a band and I'm starting to take it serous"
"Don't tell me Country?"
"Sometimes, I go all over the place with it" he laughed
"I told you, destined for bigger things" she pointed at him
"Your names been called all over town" he laughed "I heard them talking and thought no way could that be my Mercy Jones" his eyes widened "But here you are"
"My Sam Evans" she laughed "It's been a while since I've heard that"
"Me too" he laughed
"So what are you doing here?"
"This old lazy town is where we moved to I was a senior here before I went to Texas for University"
"Seriously?"
"Yeah" he laughed "And funny enough on my way over from the airport I was thinking about you, our last day together" he smiled at the memory
"So, you must know Santana and Brittany?" she asked
"Yeah, that's why I'm here, I sang at their wedding, I guess they want to relive the night" he smiled "And you?"
"Apparently they had unused tickets from my last gig, I didn't do it, so when I got the call I thought it was the least I could do"
"So, you flew all the way here to sing a song?"
"No, actually I live across the street" she pointed at her apartment "I came here to get some solace"
"Something you need to know about this place" he looked around the café "People are nosy as hell"
"I know" she whispered, "I've become one of those people" she giggled "So where is she?"
"Who?"
"If I remember rightly, you were going to marry the first girl that was interested, and hang onto her for dear life"
"I didn't get to marry her, and the idea of settling for second best didn't feel so appealing"
"Had a few let downs myself"
"Sorry"
"Don't be, it wasn't your fault"
"I kind of feel it was"
"It wasn't"
"Let me take you for a meal or something, you were my best friend, back then you were that first girl for me, I can't believe we lost touch the way we did"
"Honestly" she looked at him "It took me a while to get over you not even telling me you were going" she smiled at seeing the friend that had left her behind nearly 18 years ago "One day you were there, the next nothing"
"I didn't know we were going, we left in the middle of the night, dad had some trouble, you know how that place was, he wasn't taking any chances we piled everything in the car and left"
"Nobody said, it just felt like all those years hadn't even happened"
"They happened" he grabbed her hand "Let me make it up to you, starting with dinner, tonight?"
"Dinner" she smiled nodding "I'll meet you over there" she pointed to her apartment "At eight" she got up to leave, it was already six and she had hair and make up to do
"Mercy Jones" Sue smiled as she walked past
"What?" she giggled "He's an old friend we haven't seen each other in years"
"He's Sam Evans" Sue smiled
"I know his name" she flicked her hair off her shoulder and walked towards the door turning to smile at Sam sat watching them
His mind was back in their junior years, he was such a dork he totally depended on her to protect him, and she did at every turn, without questions. They'd become friends because they were made to sit at the same desk because he didn't talk and she talked too much, turned out to be the perfect combination.
She'd sit writing lyrics, while he listened, knowing the teacher was going to pick on her for an answer, he'd write it in his notebook, and she'd read it out, then he'd give her the bones of the lesson during recess, after listening to her trying to make a song out of her scribbles.
Back then she was just plain Mercy, with the three plaits signature hair do, calf length skirt, buttoned up cardigan, and no brand trainers, her dad was too strict for all the pomp. But today he was looking at Mercy the woman, and she was lit, she'd worked in her curves, got the whole weave thing going on, subtle make up, threads anyone in Compton would be boasting about, successful, and yet he could still see the Mercy he'd left behind sitting there in front of him, a rush of excitement went through him for the meet up later.
The Dinner
"Hello, you" he smiled impressed with the green dress she had on with shoes and bag to match "You look beautiful" he held his hand out "If you didn't want to be noticed tonight you're wearing the wrong thing" he laughed
"As long as you can protect me, I'll be fine" she grabbed his waiting hand
"I seem to remember you used to do a better job of that than me, what's changed?"
"Nothing" she laughed "It's just that my boys ripped now, with a pony and shit"
"God" he looked into her eyes "You make me feel like that 12 year old boy again, sweaty hands, and shit" he laughed "You're pretty you know?" he hugged her
"I guess we both grew into ourselves" she looked up at him
"I became a bit of a babe magnet after we moved down here" he laughed, grabbing hold of her hand again "All part of the fake it till you make it game, you know me"
"I do" she let his hand go and grabbed his arm
"You said you'd met Santana and Brittany?" he asked as they walked the short way to the restaurant
"Last week"
"So, I guess they told you all about the guy they fought over?"
"They mentioned someone" she stopped walking to look at him "That was you?"
"That was me" he frowned
"It's fine" she giggling carrying on the journey
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing"
"What is it?" he laughed at her giggle
"Rumour has it they didn't even remember your name, couldn't have been that good" she giggled
"In my defence" he laughed "Firstly; I never slept with either of them" he grabbed her around the shoulder, as they stopped walking again "And secondly; neither of them were actually my type"
"You have a type?" she stood looking into his eyes
"Would you believe I'm still trying to figure that out"
"I would" she laughed "I'm still trying to work that out myself"
Throughout the evening the conversation slipped from friendly to personal, through to memories and back to personal, as they used the night to weave through 18 years of a missed friendship. Eventually both left the night in a better place, and with the certainty that there was something more than friendship between them.
The following day they met up again, Sam took her to see his parents for a reunion of their own, then to his old school, they had lunch in the park smiling at prying eyes, and eventually went to dinner in the evening which went later into the night than any of them had expected
"It's not me is it?" Mercy asked
"It's not you what?" he asked
"Something is happening here, isn't it?"
"Let's let it name itself naturally, shall we?"
"Okay" she smiled turning to enter her apartment
"Mercy" he called after her "It's not just you" he smiled letting her go
She smiled before turning to open her door "Goodnight, go practice"
"I'll try" he stood watching her until she was in, wanting to kick himself for not kissing her just then
Anniversary Party
Mercy literally knew no one in the place, Sam had taken her round to meet a few people, but she'd never been good with names, Brittany finally accosted them to prepare for the show, they went backstage to prepare and stood in the wings waiting "Did you get the chance to prepare?" Mercy linked hands with him, it was as if those years hadn't been lost
"The band will help" they stood holding hands watching the act on stage
"There are quite a few of us" Mercy looked around "Here you go, break a leg" she smiled hearing his name
"This one's for you" he whispered in her ear before he stepped out, the crowd roaring as the music started, she stood rocking and listening to the song, smiling at him looking across at her as he sang 'Be The One' by James Arthur to the happy couple and the crowd danced
Hold me, help me, love me, save me, I just want to be the one, I just want to be the one
Fix me, break me, take me, change me, I just want to be the one, I just want to be the one
Kill me, kiss me, your lips could save me right now, I want to be the one
Hold me, help me, love me, change me, I just want to be the one, I just want to be the one
Oh, I
Oh my darling, you look like Hollywood, mm I think you'll hurt me even though you said you never would
I'm afraid you'll love and leave me here tonight, I, you might be the paranoia in my mind, I wish you would….
"Were you…?" Mercy asked smiling at him when he came off stage
"I was, do you think you could love somebody like me?"
"I… shit that's me" she let his hand go and walked on stage leaving him wondering what she was going to say, the crowd erupted again, he couldn't help but smile as he finally witnessed a dream he'd listened to her speak on so long ago, coming true for her
…Why did I fall in love with you, I feel in love, I did it all for you, I did it all for you, I did it all for you, you, you
Fall in love with you, you, yeah, why do fools fall in love
I can't help it I'm a fool in love, yeah, in love, I can't help it I'm a fool in love, in love, in love with you, I fell in love
I did it all for you, I did it all, I did it all for you, you… fall in love with you, you, yeah, yeah why to fools fall in love 'Fool In Love' by Tenelle
"Don't think me crazy" his closed the dressing room door nervously before finding her eyes "But if I don't say this now I never will" he took a breath and walked towards her "That girl I was going to marry…"
"I was hoping back then it was me" she stood up feeling vulnerable
"It was, it is" he laughed feeling ridiculous "Sweating again" he wiped his hands down his top before grabbing her hands "I really want to love someone like you"
"And I really need someone like you to love me" she looked up at him "But…"
"You're scared of being hurt again?"
"There is that" she smiled "I mean rumour has it, you're a…"
"Don't hate the player, hate the game" he laughed
"What?" she slapped his chest playfully
"Do you really think I'd be saying any of this to you, if I didn't mean it?" he held her chin "I dated a lot of girls, none of them ever really fit, but you…"
"I thought you didn't know your type?"
"Maybe you were always my type"
"Maybe you were mine" she smiled "I was so in love with you back then" she rolled her eyes at him
"So, why didn't you say anything?" he pulled her to him
"Because you were my only friend, I didn't want to lose that"
"I guess I understand that" he smiled "I think I did the same"
"What are we like?" she grinned
"Diva?"
"Dork" she giggled
"So, what do you say, do you want to be with someone like me?"
"You keep saying that what do you mean someone like you?"
"I need…" he pointed at himself "I need you to be in this eyes wide open, it's not going to be easy, but if we both really want this…"
"I…" she smiled
"Hey" a voice broke their stare, they looked at the door to see Santana and Brittany coming towards them
"Hey" Sam smiled
"You guys were great up there" Santana hugged them "Thanks"
"I see you're still that guy" Brittany looked at Sam smirking
"No" he laughed "We're old friends, we grew up together" he looked at Mercy grabbing his hand
"We're actually about to turn that into something else" Mercy told them grabbing his arm with her spare hand
"Yeah?" he asked shocked
"Yeah" she nodded "So I guess you can confirm to all those prying eyes that we're official" she smiled at Brittany
"Congratulations" Brittany laughed excitedly
"You do know rumours aren't as interesting to share when you've been given permission to share them?" Santana laughed
"I guess that's kind of the point" Sam laughed
"We're heading out if you've finished with us?" Mercy asked the women
"We are?" Sam asked her, he hadn't seen some of his friends to speak to yet
"If the rumours are true, you've at least kissed every woman in that room, why should I be left out?"
"I can rectify that" he pulled her to him, looked into her eyes, and slowly moved in "We're not fools are we?"
"Kiss me"
"Save me" he gasped
"I think this is our exit" Santana grabbed Brittany and left
"You're the one" he smiled nervously aware of the silence surrounding them, moving in unsure if he was overstepping yet wanting to remember every second that led to their lips finally touching, he felt her breath on his lips and butterflies came from nowhere into his stomach "You're the one" was the only word he had to describe the feelings he was experiencing, then he closed his eyes and kissed her, a sigh of relief when he eventually let her lips go
"That will give you at least an hour" Mercy laughed
"Half an hour" he negotiated "I finally got my girl I'm rushing ahead on this one" he grabbed her hand "Come meet some friends"
"Okay" she pulled him back to take another kiss
"Fifteen minutes" he giggled coming out of it
"Okay" she stepped off bumping into him as he stopped for another kiss
"Just one friend"
"Okay" she laughed following him out the door
"Meet Kurt and Blaine" Sam hugged his friends "They're responsible for planned the whole thing, it's what they do" he watched Kurt fanboying over Mercy "This is…"
"Jones" Blaine smiled hugging her
"An old friend, long story" Sam laughed "But she's going to be my wife"
"Just like that?" Mercy asked
"I'm going to do it all romantic and everything" he laughed "But yeah"
"Just pick the venue, I'll do everything else" Kurt told them
"You don't even know what you've just unleashed" Blaine laughed