Home is where the Heart is

I love you

Mercedes said the words. They suddenly slipped through her lips, but it always lingered in her unconscious thoughts. She felt it, and apparently didn't want to push it away anymore, so she just said it, "I love you."

Sam paused. His arms still wrapped around her as they sat in the car, under the stars. Silence overtook him, but he was still able to think about his next choice of words. Was it too soon. Mercedes thought. Uh, I'm such an idiot.

"I'm sorry," Mercedes said worriedly. She looked down with embarrassment. "I don't know what I was thinking, It's too soon I-I," She stopped her blabbering as Sam pulled a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Mercedes, Jones." He lifted her chin to meet Mercedes hopeful eyes. "I love you, too."

She smiled. Sam smiled back. It wasn't too soon, it was the perfect time. Sam put a stop to their warm eye contact and hearts by placing a gentle kiss on her lips. They kissed, but now with a new kind of love.

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"Good morning, Sam."

"Good morning, Mr.Jones- Sam corrected himself as he remembered their conversation. "Fred, I mean. Old habit."

He laughed and continued to sip on his coffee. "That's ok, I'll forgive you. But you better get used to it."

Mercedes came down the stairs, ready for school with her backpack on. "You ready?" She asked.

"Yep."

"Have a good one, oh sweetie, you forget your breakfast." Her father called.

"No, I'm not hungry, dad."

"Are you sure? You can take it on the way. Have something, Mercedes."

"I guess I'll take a banana," she replied, grabbing one.

"Ok, I love you."

"I love you too, Dad," she said as she said it a million times before.

She shut the door behind and gave Sam a kiss on the porch. "Same to you." She said, thinking about last night. Sam smiled and remembered those words said to each other. Meaning what they said.

"2 more weeks of school," Sam said. "Also, 2 more weeks to figure out what we want to do with our lives," he said as they began to walk to school

"Yeah, but we shouldn't think about that right now," she replied. Sam looked at her concerned, wondering why she brushed it off so quickly.

"I don't know what to do with my life either, but we have to think about it."

"Just please, let's not talk about it. I just want to spend the next few weeks with you, not worrying about our future or anything," she said, stopping to grab Sam's hand.

"Mercedes, I completely agree but schools over in two weeks, we don't have that much time."

"Please, I don't want to talk about it," She replied, and Mercedes didn't speak the rest of the way, she just looked lost in thought, worrisome. When they got to the school, Mercedes threw her banana in the garbage and walked into the building.

School actually did the opposite of what Mercedes said. Sam sat in class as they talked about the next chapter of their lives. The fact is, he had no clue either. It never crossed his mind about his future, usually, he was thinking about the now, especially when he was homeless and just worried about finding his next meal.

"Sam Evans." The teacher called. "Any ideas on your future?" Sam looked in wonder around the class.

"Uh. I'm not sure yet."

"Looks like you'll have to talk to the guidance counselor after school. Artie Abrams, how about you?"

The guidance counselor? Sam didn't even know they had one.

Well, turns out they did, because he was seated right in front of her as she stared at him with wide blue eyes.

"Hi," She reached out her hand. "I'm Emma Pillsbury." Sam shook it and then she put a dollop of hand sanitizer on her hands.

"So, senior unsurety huh? Pamphlet?" Sam shrugged as she handed him a pamphlet that read, "What to do when you have no plans."

"So, do you have any hobbies?"

Sam shrugged. "I like playing the guitar and singing, but it never would be what I want to do with my life."

"Right, Ok." She took the pamphlet back nervously. "What can you see in your future?"

Sam thought about it but knew one thing for certain. "My girlfriend."

"Ok," She said brightly because they were getting somewhere. "And what does she want to do?"

Sam wondered that as well. "I'm not sure. I tried to ask her this morning but she ignored it."

"Well, I suggest asking her. Usually, if people ignore the question they're scared of not achieving their dreams of some sort. Even though their perfectly capable of it, their dreams might seem too scary to chase."

"Thanks for the advice," Sam said. Maybe Mercedes was hiding something.

"Your welcome. That's what my job is."

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Sam came home from work and got ready to ask Mercedes what her plans were for the future. She was in the shower, and so he patiently waited on her bed. At the corner of his eye, he spotted a red book. Curiosity led him towards it, and as he opened a page, he realized what he was reading. Her diary.

Sam would never choose to read it, but what if she wrote something about him or the question she's been dodging. He hesitated, but then turned another page. It was too juicy not to. Her most recent page read;

Dear Diary,
We said I love you. I've never been happier since that night. It's just, now I'm thinking about after high school. Will it affect our relationship? Anyway, I want to be a singer. I'm just so scared. Most artists don't even make it and what if I'm not talented enough?

This is the reason she's been so distant with herself. Sam felt he needed to give Mercedes the confidence and drive she needed to become a singer. She was the most talented singer he's heard, and he needed to let her know...someway. Sam kept reading,

Plus, I don't like the way I look-

"Oh, hi. Your home what are you-

"Nothing." Sam quickly shut the book and put it behind his back, while Mercedes gave a look of wonder.

"Is there something your hiding?" She asked, but while doing so, she applied her hand to her head and grew faint.

"Are you ok?" Sam asked. Mercedes sat down, her head spinning, and then stood up.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

Sam, being the clumsy guy he is, dropped the book by accident. Mercedes saw it and furrowed her eyebrows. "You read my diary!" Uh oh.

"It was just in the corner there and I wondered what it was so I just picked it up and-

"How can I trust you?" She asked in anger. Sam wouldn't trust himself either.

"I only read it because you were being so defensive this morning when I asked you what you wanted to do with your life. I wondered if there was something you weren't telling me."

Mercedes sighed, picked up the book, and held it tight to her chest. "Doesn't matter, you still don't read people's diaries."

"I'm so sorry, Mercedes," Sam said gently, his eyes growing somber. "I just want you to tell me everything and not be afraid, you don't have to be afraid to be a singer-

"Sam, leave me alone!" She replied, grasping onto her head and becoming annoyed with her thoughts.

She wanted to be left alone, and so Sam walked away and slept comfily on the couch. Sam needed a plan to make it up to her...but what?

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Whats wrong with Mercedes and will Sam make it up to her? Thanks for reading!