It's Called Being Sassy

Mother May I

"So how was your day?" Mrs. Jones puts her fork to her mouth.

"So confusing! Sam decided to team up with Santana and Puck with Quinn. Everyone is split down the middle, fighting and the only person who's trying to stay out of it is making it worse!" Mercedes waves her spoon for emphasis before tucking back into her broccoli cheese soup.

"Who is that? Is it one of the boys? Why are Santana and Quinn "teaming" up with them? What is going on at your school?!"

Mercedes shrugs. "They've all lost their minds! Santana and Quinn say it's about being my best friend. Who is Mr. Shue. He says it's inappropriate but the rest of the adults have cast a vote and he's the only one out. Let's just say they're not taking it well and have decided to put on a fashion show to see who I look better with." She rolls her eyes.

"Mr. Shue decides now that getting involved in his students' lives is inappropriate? What a smuck!" Mrs. Jones shakes her head. "What about Tina and Kurt? Don't they object to the best friend label?"

"I don't think they know it's for the best friend title. I think they think it's just to call me a friend but I think that's stupid because we're all friends!" Mercedes finishes her soup and places the dirty dishes to the side of the table and starts in on her salad.

"How are you handling it?" Rose looks at her daughter in concern.

"When we're away from people, it's great." Mercedes squints and then sighs.

Mrs. Jones waits for her to continue but when she doesn't, speaks up. "Who is we? How is it great? Honey, don't shut me out. I know this isn't an ideal situation but you're never alone." She reaches for her hand.

"I know, Momma." Mercedes squeezes her mother's hand. "When I have study lunch dates with Quinn and Puck, it's nice. We talk about everything. We eat. We study. It's actual quality time that I'm spending with both. I feel as close to Quinn as I used to. There's no popularity race she needs to win. No boy she needs to manipulate. No one to impress and ultimately hide behind. We're as close as before.

I feel like every moment I'm with him, I fall for Puck. I mean I already knew about his past. I know how it was when he let go of Beth. He's so deep sometimes I don't know how to handle it. People act like he only has one side. The perverted bully. But he's not. Not even close. He's sweet and sensitive. He cares about other people's feelings even if he doesn't show it. He's not about doing flashy things to show he cares. He does the little things. Like remembering my coffee order or picking me up so I won't have to walk through a puddle or grabbing books for me because I'm too short to reach them but without saying anything cuz he knows I'm sensitive about my height."

Mrs. Jones smiles slightly. She didn't know how far her daughter had fallen for the bad boy until now. Sam has real competition this time.

"Yes, he's cocky more than he should be but self-confidence is hot. He doesn't care what anyone thinks. He's just as much a diva as me or Kurt or Rachel. And he's so smart! Friday when we were doing our homework, once he let go of thinking he was stupid, he was blazing through the questions! If he'd stop letting people tell him he's stupid or a Lima loser, he could be in AP classes like me."

"I thought you said he was overly confident?" Mrs. Jones interrupts.

"He is. About a lot of stuff but he hides so much of who he is, too. Like Quinn, he hides what he values most so other people can't hurt him. I can't even pretend he's not smart to do so. You know how Lima is, Momma. People are so small-minded here. As a jock, at least people can't say too much without fear of retaliation but Puck isn't just some meathead jock. He's... he's... really special."