A Thousand Miles
There are people who make things happen, people who watch things happen, and people who wonder what happened.
"Stop it" Mercedes shouted grabbing hold of Quinn's hand knowing it was about to do some damage to Rachel's face "What the hell is wrong with you two?" she snapped looking at the so-called friends "I thought we'd agreed to go one tree hill on this shit?" she looked from one to the other.
"This isn't about Finn" Rachel snapped
"It's not about bro's so?" Mercedes asked looking from one to the other
"I said I was wearing pink, so what freaking colour does this bitch go and pick?" Quinn asked looking at Rachel
"A prom dress?" Mercedes asked confused "You're fighting over the colour of a freaking prom dress?"
"My dress is already brought so she's going to have to pick another colour" Rachel snapped
"I thought you were wearing sky blue, that was the colour you picked out the box, wasn't it?" Mercedes asked Quinn
"Yeah, but..."
"There are no but's, we chose colours, stick to them" Mercedes told her "I can't believe you two" she hissed walking away from them.
"What's happening?" Puck grabbed hold of Mercy's hand, nodding over at the terrible two, as he walked her to class.
"I think they just found out the guys they like aren't into their colours, Quinn wants to swop" she laughed
"And I'm guessing she isn't wearing..."
"Stop fishing, you'll have to wait and see"
"I'm going to like whatever you rock up in" he leaned in and kissed her forehead
"Don't shit me Puckerman, we both know this is just a prom date" she pulled her hand away from him smiling "Thanks" she grinned at him when he delivered her to her class
"Props" he laughed "I'm going to show you I can be a gentleman before the weeks up" he called after me
"Can't wait for you to prove me wrong" she turned to tell him "I'm rooting for you" she sat in her usual spot waiting for the others to arrive "Given up?" she asked as Rachel sat to her left
"No, she's not having my colour"
"Good for you" Mercedes smiled taking her books out, she was one of those odd ball, you'd never met a girl that loved numbers as much as Mercedes Jones, she learned the teacher a thing or two sometimes.
"Hey" Quinn sat on Mercedes' right, and cut her eye at Rachel while throwing her bad looks behind Mercedes' back
"Play nice" Mercedes warned her
"Nothing nice about her" Rachel hissed
This was always their thing, if they weren't fighting about clothes, they were fighting about the music, who got the lead, which song sounded best if who sung it, they were in competition for everything, even Mercedes' attention. But leading up to prom it had got worse, they were bickering over the stupidest of things, which shop, what dress, the cost, which guy was taking them, to be honest some were glad this was the last term of the year, at least they'd get a rest from the Fabray, Berry arguments for the summer.
It had all gotten intense once the theme for prom was announced, there were banners going up all over the place, flowers popping out of lockers, guys on one knee, the guys were really working for it. It was kind of a given that Finn and Quinn would go together, they were the only real couple in our group, but that didn't mean some wanted it different.
Puck was the first in the group to attempt a promposal, he'd enlisted some of his jock friends, they'd gyrated around the auditorium to that song from the full monty, slapping their groins like they had something to offer. There were a few people standing around, male and female so it wasn't clear to anyone who he was talking to until the end when he reached out and grabbed Mercedes' hand. It was all very crass, but he'd made the effort, and instead of taking clothes off like Puck had probably suggested, they'd held posters up asking the question, she was happy with it, he was a friend, and she knew his pain, so she said yes.
A day or so later Rachel had come up with her own promposal ideas, she'd written it with socks on the football field, and stood waiting for Sam to come out, he'd heard the whispers, and everyone knew having to go with her was his greatest fear. She waited for the entire team to come out before she did it, the poor guy had been so embarrassed, everyone but her could see no written on his face, but against everything he'd told people, he'd said yes to stop any further shame, plus no one else had asked. To add salt to injury Rachel had taken his acceptance as them being a couple, and as much as she wanted that to be true, Sam was making sure everyone knew it was a prom date.
Quinn was living the fairytale, she'd always talked about Finn and her being the couple, the quarterback and the head cheerleader was everyone's favourite, and at every opportunity she tried to make the couple goals thing seem like it was happening. Prom was just another opportunity to publicise them and grab a crown while she was at it. Quinn had to go one better with her promposal, it was also on the pitch, but just after he'd played the winning goal for the seventh time that season, she walked out in her cheerleader uniform with her request written across her chest, he had to be up close and personal to see it, public, but personal and the kiss of acceptance was sexy as hell.
Now with just a week to go everyone was on tender hooks, the theme was the 60s, and songs had been chosen and rehearsed, dresses and suits were supposed to be hung waiting, and here were these two still fighting it out. The party they'd all attended last night had left everyone in turmoil, everyone was second guessing their decision on who they were attending prom with.
Flashback
Mercedes POV
Everything has started calm, couples arrived at my house with hijacked alcohol in hand, ready for a night of fun, something we knew wasn't going to happen on prom night, Mr S, had us singing for our tickets to Nationals in a couple of weeks all evening, so this was the ex-rated pre-prom for an elite group of friends. "Over here" Puck called Finn over excited for the bottle Finn had in his hand "Bring some glasses"
"Not sharing" Finn held it up laughing "This is for a mission" he looked at Quinn smiling, everyone understood what that mission was, I thought it was sad they were already needing alcohol to keep things moving in that department but who was I, I'd barely been kissed.
"Come on" I called Puck over to the drink's cabinet, opening it up, this wasn't a Berry party, I was doing things in style
"Sweet" he got up moving like he was about to open a treasure chest
"Should we be doing that?" Rachel asked as Puck opened a bottle of rum
"Scared?" Quinn asked her, clinging to Finn as if her life depended on it
"No" Rachel snapped grabbing a cup
The night got rowdy, fast, as you'd expect it to with uncontrolled alcohol, music, dancing and games in the mix, truth or dare had done it's time people were getting fidgety "What about seven minutes in heaven?" Sam asked, I'd been dying for someone to suggest something like that, my parents had cameras set up all over the house, unbeknown to everyone in the room, so I'd know who hooked up with who at least.
"Great idea" I jumped up grabbed a tin for the numbers to be picked out of, scribbled information on bits of paper and we were good to go "You'll get a number and where to meet, the house is empty"
"Do we have to share?" Quinn asked
"No" I quickly told everyone "What happens in there is nobody's business but the two, or three of you, and we meet back here in seven minutes"
"Three?" Puck smiled looking around the room
"You should be so lucky" Rachel cut her eye at him
"You mean you should be" he snapped back cutting his eye at her
I was the last to leave the den, I opened my paper and was relieved to find I was meeting whoever this was in my bedroom, after I'd written it, I wasn't too sure if I'd really want Finn and Quinn making out on my bed. I mounted the stairs wondering who was going to meet me on the other side of my door, when I got there, I pushed the door open a bit and peeped in "Okay" I rolled my eyes smiling, I hadn't really got to know this guy, but if I wanted it to be any of the pack, I'd have chosen him.
"Did you plan this?" he laughed asking as I stepped into my bedroom.
"No" I smiled "But I wished I had; we'd have more than seven minutes" I laughed, looking at his physic sat on my lay low as if he were a part of the furniture, smiling cheekily. In my head he was one of those unreachable guys, those one's that everyone drooled over, but no one could ever really tame, and he was sitting in my room, Rachel must be seething right now, I thought.
"Love the colour" he smiled looking around my lilac and cream room, bed perfectly made, one of my mom's pet hates was a messy bed, I'd managed to put everything straight on my dresser before the party, so I wasn't fearful of any mess.
"My favourite" I looked around happy with my relaxing haven
"So, we have seven minutes to get to know each other?" he asked
"Whatever" I shrugged, there was nothing exciting about my life to share, I sat on my bed opposite him
"So, why did you choose Puck, he really doesn't seem like your type?"
"And you don't seem like Rachel's type" I fired back, crossing my legs and purposely swinging my hanging leg
"She's not my type" he frowned "I think the whole school knows that" he laughed "And she chose me" he reminded me.
"So, why did you say yes?" I looked into those green eyes of his
"Honestly?" he sat up asking me
"Sure" I smiled sitting forward to accommodate
"Because the person I wanted to ask was already taken" he admitted
"You knew you never had a chance with Quinn?"
"It wasn't Quinn" he smiled looking down at his hands "It..." he trailed off awkwardly
"So, pink?" I asked reverting back to Rachel "Is that tie and shoes or are you going all out on it?"
"It's a clip-on tie" he laughed getting up to sit on my lay low "I'd have been much more comfortable with black or even lilac" he huffed looking around my room "Pink" he scoffed "Ridiculous, who chose the colours?"
"Random" I smiled "I got purple" I smiled "You should have asked me to the prom" I laughed wondering where the hell that came from "Six minutes left" I pointed to the laptop on my dresser, trying to hide my blush
"Okay" he sat up straight, ready to ask questions "Given the choice of anyone in the world right now, who would you want to sing with?"
"Oh" I looked up at the wall "Queen B" I smiled "You?"
"It's going to be John Mayer"
"Good call" I smiled "Name three things Rachel and you have in common?"
"Three" he flopped back on the lay low smiling "We like music, we sing, we're in the glee club" he blushed
"Nothing personal?"
"No, I said already, she's not my type" it felt like he looked deeper into my eyes somehow "Back at you?"
"We like music, we sing, and we're in the glee club"
"I meant you and Puck" he laughed; I knew he did I was just trying to be funny "Maybe it was me, why did you choose to go to prom with Puck?"
"He asked, he knows it's not like that with us, so he'll behave himself, and he's a good friend"
"Okay" he smiled sitting up again "So, he's a friend" he signalled for me to join him on the lay low, so I did
"What if I told you, I wanted to be more than your friend?" I felt brave enough to ask
"I'd say, tell me three things you really want to say?" he looked into my eyes, and suddenly I was brave
"You should be taking me to prom" he moved closer "I should be your girl" he moved even closer "Because a big part of me likes the hell out of you" my hands were resting on chest trying to create distance, he was so close
"Can I...?" his hot breath hit my face, I didn't want to wait to be asked, I moved in, grabbed his lips with mine, and took my first real kiss "Damn" he gasped pulling away for a second, the smile on his face told me he was coming back for more, I closed my eyes and let it happen.
"That's seven minutes up" I finally pulled away as the alarm on my phone signalled time
"This..." he pulled me back to him
"This isn't a game; I really like you Sam" I moaned with the pain of the pending parting of ways
"I like you too, but we're going to prom with other people"
"A prom's one night, can we talk after that?" I asked
"What do you mean talk?"
"I mean, this is happening, but I can't let Puck down"
"Sure" he smiled getting up.
"So, officially, unofficially we're a couple?"
"Unofficially" I smiled happy, contented, and punching well above my weight on this one, he grabbed my hand, and we started making our way back to the den
Five minutes and everyone was back in the same room, for me something had shifted my eyes were on a different prize, but I'd already committed to prom with Puck. Sam and I were passing looks throughout the evening, it should have been obvious to everyone, but I guess everyone had their own secrets to keep.
End of Flashback
This morning, she had more information, she'd watched the CCTV and knew who everyone had hooked up with, on top of that Finn had let slip, to Puck of all people, that he'd kissed Rachel last night, and they'd spent nearly five minutes of their seven minutes together trying to convince themselves it meant nothing, until Rachel offered him her lips again and then he knew otherwise. Finn was confused because although he liked Quinn a lot, he thought he had a bigger thing for Rachel.
Puck was hyped at that revelation because for him that translated to him having a chance with Quinn, he'd insinuated that Quinn and he had managed to get seven minutes in heaven, and he was leaving the exact words he used to personal interpretation, even Mercedes was calling BS on that dreamt up nugget.
"So" Puck came up behind Mercy whispering in her ear "Have you decided to tell me who you hooked up with last night?"
"I'll never tell" she smiled "So, stop asking" she rolled her eyes at him
"I told you mine"
"Because you wanted to" she reminded him
"I thought we were friends?" he asked still expecting an answer
"We are" she smiled at Finn and Quinn coming towards them "Hey" Finn half smiled
"Hey" they both smiled back, Quinn snatching a look at Puck, while Finn stood feeling awkward
"Hey" Sam, appeared behind Finn fidgeting and smiling
"Hey" Mercy smiled
"Great party last night" Sam added everyone echoing their agreement
"Glad you guys enjoyed it" her eyes quickly glazing over Sam before they landed on Rachel hurrying towards them "Class?" her eyebrows raised before she looked at the door, everyone went where they needed to, it felt awkward
The girls sat in their usual seats, Quinn to the right of Mercedes, Rachel to the left "Did you see Sam walking me to class?" Rachel leaned in to ask Mercedes excited suggesting she thought he was coming around to the idea of them "I'm conflicted but..."
"He didn't" Quinn hissed "He got there well before you"
"Why else would he have been there if not for me?" Rachel snapped back at her
"Maybe me" Quinn laughed leaning forward to look at Rachel "I mean we did have seven minutes in heaven last night"
"Well, that's fine because I was with Finn" Rachel snapped "And we kissed"
"Ladies" Mercedes held her arms out at them "Stop"
"She started it"
"You started it, living in that fairyland of yours again" Quinn snapped
"Shhh" Mercedes hissed at them, at the end of the day they were sat in the choir room listening to Mr S sound off again about the pending Nationals, and how important it was that they made a good impression at prom to get the large amount of funds promised.
"We got this Mr S" Puck told him
"I guess you have" Finn responded
"What do you mean by that?" Puck asked him
"You know what I mean" Finn snapped back standing up to deliver his reply
"Oh shit" Mercedes stood up "Puck" she called "You do this, and all bets are off"
"Bets?" Sam got up interested
"That's not what I meant" Mercedes quickly backtracked on herself "I mean I won't go to prom with him"
"Oh, not that you won't get locked in a cupboard with him for seven seconds again?" Rachel snapped at Mercedes
"Stop" Mr S hissed at them "This isn't the time or the place for this, we've got nationals to think about, focus"
"Focus" Sam hissed cutting his eyes at Mercedes
All through the session, Sam's face was like thunder and Mercedes was concerned for how long he was going to keep up with her request to keep things quiet. How stupid of her to think that was going to be the end of that, the lesson was over, and as they left the school yard of course Puck wasn't going to let things go.
"So" he looked at Finn "What exactly did you mean by that comment you made earlier?"
"I heard you had your seven minutes in heaven with my girl" Finn told him
"I did" Puck confirmed
"So that means you had yours with..." Rachel looked at Sam, realising to finish that comment would put her at risk of being found out
"Finn" Quinn called pulling him with her "Leave it, it was a game"
"Was it though?" Finn asked
"Not for me" Puck told him "We had some fun"
"You..." Finn lunged at him, before anyone knew it, they were rolling on the floor
"Sam" Rachel screamed "Do something"
"You two do something, put them out of their fucking misery" Sam snapped at her "And you..." he grabbed Mercedes hand and pulled her with him
"Sam" Rachel called after him, the two girls stood watching the two pathetic guys rolling around the floor causing no damage at all
"Finn" Rachel finally shouted at him reaching for some part of his clothing to pull him away from Puck
"Noah" Quinn hissed "Stop it"
"For the record" Rachel smirked at Quinn "While you were getting all hot and bothered with Puck, I was doing the same with Finn" she looked at Finn not bothered about how this was going to work out.
"You do realise he's just finished beating seven bells out of Noah for me?" Quinn asked questioningly
"Superficial" Rachel snapped "And you think he beat Noah?" she laughed
"Whose side are you on?" Finn asked Rachel
"Yours" she smiled "But come on your bad ass on the field for sure, but Puck's got the rest"
"I guess you're right" he laughed "I'm done" he looked at Puck "If she wants you, I'm done, I'm going this way" he looked at Rachel "And I'm not..."
"What about prom, we're supposed to be king and queen" Quinn asked worried
"I can take you" Puck told her grabbing her arm "If you'll let me"
"What about Mercedes?" Quinn asked concerned
"I guess she's dropped me, I promised I wouldn't start something, and I did, so..."
"Damn" Rachel looked outside the gate "Where did Sam and Mercedes go?" she finally got back to the reality that her side crush had gone off with another woman
"Note to Rachel" Puck looked at her "That boy has had the hots for Mercedes Jones since the beginning of term, I'm guessing he has a new prom date too"
"He promised me" she hissed "Everyone's expecting..."
"He's a reasonable guy" Finn told her "Let's go find them"
"Sam" Mercedes tried to pull away from him "You're walking too fast"
"Bet?" he turned to ask
"Poor choice of words" she yanked her arm out of his grip "We're not actually together yet" she reminded him
"Why because prom hasn't happened yet?" he hissed "Officially, unofficially, that's what we agreed wasn't it?"
"Yeah" she looked around for something or someone to change the focus on this conversation "He likes Quinn, she's with Finn, I liked you, you were with Rachel we just agreed to drown our sorrows together that's all, nothing devious"
"Damn" he hissed "Come on" he grabbed her hand again
"Sam" she winced at the grip "You're walking too fast"
"Sam" Finn called after them
"Shit" he stopped and looked at them walking towards them "I'm done with the unofficial thing" he told her
"But..."
"Mercedes" Quinn's face looking drained "I'm sorry" she lunged at her hugging her as if her life depended on it "I didn't mean for any of this to happen"
"I did" Sam surprised them all "I told Finn about Quinn and Puck's seven minutes in heaven" he admitted
"And I confess, I knew this was going to happen" Mercedes frowned "I just sat back and let it all happen, I saw who went off with who last night" Rachel and Finn looked at each other
"Are there cameras in the rooms?" Quinn asked looking at Puck
"No" Mercedes laughed "Just in the corridors"
"And just so you know" Sam looked at Mercedes smiling "Mercedes and I are officially a couple"
"What?" Rachel asked shocked "But we were going to prom together"
"Yeah, we were going to wait till after prom to announce it, but all this betting thing with Puck, got to me"
"I don't even understand what's happening" Rachel threw her hands in the air
"I think it all pans out to you getting your wish" Mercedes smiled "You'll be going to prom with Finn"
"He hasn't asked yet" Rachel looked up at him
"I will" Finn smiled
"Sorry guys we've got to be somewhere" Sam announced dragging Mercedes off with him again
"Too fast" she tried to tell him
"This journey we've started" he turned to look at her "I intend on us traveling at least a thousand miles an hour, so you better get ready for it?"
"Depends" she smiled resisting so hard it made him stop
"On?"
"How this pans out, I mean I don't even have a date for prom, let alone a meaningful kiss" she laughed
"I guess I can rectify that" he pulled her in and kissed her, deep
"That will do for starters" she stood tingling with her eyes closed a while after his lips had left hers
"It gets better" he laughed
The Next Day
"Arboretum now?" Mercy looked at her phone and announced
"Me too" Quinn and Rachel looked at her puzzled
"What are they up to?" Rachel asked laughing as they made their way
"Seeing as our theme for Prom is the 60s we thought we'd start the ball rolling with a little Cliff Richard gem" Sam grinned looking at Finn and Puck to start playing
Finn: Well, do you wanna dance and hold my hand, squeeze me baby, I'm your man, oh, baby, do you wanna dance?
Sam: Well, do you wanna dance under the moonlight, squeeze and hug me all through the night, oh, baby, do you wanna dance?
All: Do you, do you, do you, do you wanna dance? Do you, do you, do you, do you wanna dance?
Do you, do you, do you, do you wanna dance?
Puck: Well, do you wanna dance to a rock 'n' roll band, come on baby, give me your hand Oh, baby, do you wanna dance?
Sam: Well, do you wanna dance under the moonlight? Squeeze and hug me all through the night Oh, baby,
All: Do you wanna dance. 'Do You Wanna Dance' by Cliff Richard & The Shadows
So?" Sam held a notepad up with 'prom' written on it "Will you be my girl, and go here with me on our first date?" he looked at the notebook
"Yes" Mercy smiled "I'd love to" everyone laughed as Sam passed the notebook to Finn who said the same thing to Rachel before passing the notebook to Puck for him to say the same thing to Quinn.
"We figured if we all did the same thing, you two would stop arguing and get on" Puck told them
"We are so ready for prom" Rachel squealed looking at Finn
"I'm just ready" Puck looked at Quinn cheekily
"I'm..." Mercedes felt Sam grab her hand "Jogging" she laughed as they moved off, they were near the gates before he turned to look at her
"You not complaining today?"
"I figure running shoes would fix our problem" she looked down at her feel "A thousand miles an hour, was it?"
"To start with" he laughed
