@beautifulwilde - Tumblr Blog

are you gonna stay the night ;

coachtrouty:

It was easy to pick up the line she was putting down; insinuating she too would be able to hustle him in a game of Call of Duty. It was a challenge he was willing to accept, though. If she actually beat him, he’d never tell a soul, and he figured she wouldn’t either. After all, there wasn’t status points for being a McKinley alumni at a video game. If anything, it’d be a blow to her reputation. “I would, but I don’t think my gamer ego could take another beating.” Truth be told, he wasn’t all that attached to playing games. It’d be a method of passing time while in the city, and now that he had a steady job, he didn’t have the time to play anymore. When he wasn’t working, helping the team practice, working out, or watching old football games, he was sleeping. His life wasn’t nearly as exciting as he’d once thought it would be, but there wasn’t anything wrong with that. Not everything could go as planned, but that didn’t mean it was over. “Nerds like me? So what kinda nerd are you?” She could turn down the offer all she wanted, but it was a silent mission that he’d eventually get her to play. Whether or not she was able to beat him, well, that didn’t even matter. He’d let her win if that meant she’d give it a go.

He didn’t judge anyone by the way they looked, at least he didn’t do it on purpose. “It’s just – the only Cheerios I ever really knew weren’t into that. Quinn didn’t care much for sports, Santana didn’t, and Brittney didn’t either,” he recalled, nose curling up in confusion for a few short seconds. It was odd how something that’d been so important during his high school career hadn’t meant much to any of the girls he’d been with. Sure, Quinn supported his popularity and status on the team, but she hadn’t ever bothered to talk about it. Brows furrowed as focus turned to the small framed female by his side. Sure, his focus had been on her the entire night, but this was different. They weren’t throwing jokes at each other, but instead, Kitty was shedding another wall, and speaking of something she wanted for herself. He too had wanted to make a difference, and modeling had seemed like an easy way to do so. If he could get gigs, he knew he’d make enough to help support his family, but it hadn’t worked out that way. Kitty, though, she could do whatever she wanted. She was smart, determined, and she could climb to the top of any school she attended. “You should do whatever you want, y’know? Don’t let anyone else try and tell you what you should do with your life. Your definition of ‘important’ is really the only thing that matters.” He watched people give up their dreams all too often because of outside influence; whether it was friends, parents, or even teachers. Importance – everyone had a different opinion on the matter, but she could do whatever she wanted as long as it seemed important to her.

It was strange how things played out – how they’d gone to school together, yet here they were years later curled into one another’s hold. It wasn’t professional, and Sam knew it, but he couldn’t just pull away. He didn’t want to, and that was down right selfish. While he knew there was a line that couldn’t be crossed, he knew that if Sue ever found out, she’d already assumed they’d crossed it. Whether or not she’d punish Kitty, he wasn’t sure, but he knew he’d lose his job. The blonde she-devil had only gained respect toward him after he’d focused on spots, and allowed the Glee club to dry out. It sucked looking back at the old choir room, but he wouldn’t step between the determined principal and her goal of making the athletics the best Lima’s ever seen. He would test the waters with her finest Cheerio, though. Their friendship, or whatever it was, meant more to him than the risk of getting caught. Kitty needed someone to see past her walls, and Sam needed someone to lean on too. She was a good influence, and a positive model in his life – it was almost odd to think about. Out of everyone that he could have ended up beside of, he’d never once thought it’d be Kitty Wilde, the freshman that’d been hellbent on being his ex’s spawn. Now she couldn’t have been anymore different. She was her own person, and she was a beautiful person at that.

He could lie to himself and say that holding her meant absolutely nothing; that their friendship was just that and nothing more, but he couldn’t. He’d label it that over and over again, but it wouldn’t change the way his heart pounded against his ribcage every time their bodies collided. It wasn’t a sexual desire, no, but instead, an emotional connection that he craved. She didn’t make him feel like a failure, or a loser. She made him smile, and that alone was something he needed after the move back. Failure or not, she made him feel like a winner.

Despite her protests of his impressions, he knew she’d never actually get pissed over him doing them. If anything, she’d eventually start joining along. “I’m not trying to say you can’t do it, but I’d have to see it to believe it. Impress me,” he challenged, wondering if she’d actually take the bait. “I mean, if you’re pretty good, I might give you bragging rights.” He was a sucker for impressions, and well, if she could actually pull it off, he’d consider getting down on one knee – had she actually been of age, and not a student. Eyes narrowed as he stared back at the fiery Cheerio, his lips curved upward into a returned smirk. “I think I could handle you. It’s you I’m worried about,” he hummed, though she was definitely a handful in the best way possible he assumed.

How their night had brought them to discussing who might win at a round of Call of Duty and chatting about professional cheerleaders, Kitty wasn’t entirely sure. It seemed like miles away from the small talk they’d started off with over pasta and an endless supply of breadsticks but she was actually enjoying it. It wasn’t some completely meaningless evening spent with someone who couldn’t care less about any of it. Regardless of how ridiculous it might become at least with Sam it felt like it wasn’t just a waste of time. “Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure you can kick my ass at Xbox. But if you need the win to make you feel better, I’m sure we can work something out,” she teased, nudging his side with a shake of her head. There were worse things she could wind up doing than playing a few rounds of whatever game Sam wanted and on the off chance she did manage to beat him, seeing his reaction would probably be worth it. “I dunno, maybe you’ll just have to stick around and find out.”

It wasn’t a stretch to assume the kind of girls she hung out with wouldn’t know the first thing about sports. None of them ever went out of their way to show any interest in the games outside of what you had to do in regards to cheering. And she had never gone out of her way to find out if any of them knew the difference between a quarterback or a running back. In fact, she couldn’t say she really knew anything deeper than the surface when it came to the girls she spent most of her afternoons practicing with. “Yeah, I don’t think I’ve had a conversation with any girls on the squad about sports. It’s just one of those things that don’t really come up.” Her future had never been something that she’d brought up with anyone before. Sure, there’d been conversations at the rare family dinner about her going to college and finding a good career (or a good husband in her mom’s opinion) but talking about what she actually wanted to do? It just didn’t usually happen. She smiled at his advice, saving that for future reference. “Have you been reading inspiring pamphlets from the guidance office again?” she joked. It was good advice but the reality was she wasn’t entirely sure how to follow it at this point. Maybe she’d have it figured out by the time graduation came around. God, she hoped she’d have it figured out.

There was no doubt that this whole evening had crossed into friendlier than what was ever supposed to be considered appropriate between a coach and student. It was the kind of thing that you’d see turned into some poorly made television movie that was equal parts scandalous and warning but that didn’t change the fact that she was perfectly content to stay right there. It wouldn’t have happened if it had been anyone other than Sam. It wasn’t like she had some freaky fetish for older men in positions of authority. She wasn’t about to start up an illicit affair with her calculus teacher or play naughty schoolgirl for the former principal. This was a guy she’d been friends who just happened to be a few years older. If they’d spent more time together in high school or had reconnected next summer, it wouldn’t have mattered at all. But the reality was she was seventeen and he was working for the school. And it should’ve been enough to have her saying good night and keeping a proper distance. Instead, she was less than a foot away from being on his lap and happy to have her arms wrapped around him. And until he decided it was time to put an end to whatever this was they had going she didn’t feel like ruining it.

As soon as she mentioned the one little impression she could do, she regretted it. It was a little embarrassing fact from her days in middle school where her and her friends would quote their favorite movies. She hadn’t done it in years and now he was wanting her to show it off. She wanted to say no and just pretend she’d never offered the information but that would be backing down from a challenge and she’d never been known for that either. “Fine,” she grumbled to herself as she reluctantly pulled away from him. She sat up on her knees, legs still pressed against his as she cleared her throat and hoped she could still manage the voice. Lips puckered in the face she remembered so clearly from the movie she’d watched a million times, she said in a voice a little raspier than her usual one, “I’m taking the dog, dumbass!” There was a hair flip for dramatic effect before she felt a wave of giggles bubble up, shoulders shaking as she dropped her head down on his shoulder. “I can’t believe I just did that,” she said between laughs, shaking her head a bit. “If you tell anyone about this, I’ll have to kill you.” The threat was empty though and far from threatening considering the girl couldn’t keep a straight face to save her life. It was a different feeling, laughing like that for the first time in a long time. It felt good and she knew it was mainly because she was doing all this nonsense with Sam. “Yeah, you might be able to handle me,” she mumbled, glancing up to give him one of those rare genuine smiles.

are you gonna stay the night ;

coachtrouty:

There was always more to people than what the eye could see. Kitty, for example, was far more than the pretty mean girl she pretended to be. She was smart, funny, and knowledgable on sports – the last part still leaving the blonde assistant coach in awe. Blaine had been the same way, and so had everyone else that he’d gotten to know past their common interactions. Santana’s walls had came down too, and he’d been able to see past Rachel’s golden star dream. They were all just kids trying to figure out their busy lives, and while everyone else had been okay with sticking in the Big Apple to see what else it had to offer, he’d been okay with getting out, even though he’d had good times in the busier part of the world. “He straight up hustled me, Wilde. He watched me play, then asked to join in. I even explained the controls,” he admitted, defeat evident in his voice. “I was hustled, ‘cause I’m the best at Call of Duty. I was able to prestige so many times. You’ll have to give a go sometime,” he offered, wondering if she too would hustle him. After all, she’d grown up with an older brother, and for all he knew, she was the Queen at COD too – that wouldn’t surprise him at all.

Part of him felt like a jackass for showing such shock, but part of him knew she understood why. She’d been hellbent on being Quinn 2.0, but in reality, she was so much more than that. Would he tell her? Not a chance. There was too much room for it being offensive, and besides, there was nothing wrong with Quinn. She’d meant the world to him at one point, but their time had passed, and he’d accepted that happily. “I’m sorry, just – I didn’t expect you to even care about football. It’s not often you get a girl who’s actually into it,” he shrugged, not wanting to mention the fact that most pretty girls with a head on their shoulders didn’t give a shit about sports. He’d seen it all too often in New York – the successful females being more concerned with their own world than caring about senseless sports, but Kitty wasn’t like them. “What about the cheerleaders? You could continue your career, and I bet you’d make bank.” The Dallas Cheerleaders were some of the most known cheerleaders in the league; they’d always been a big deal, and the only accepted the best of the best. “I mean, at least they’ll always have that going for them.” Sure, maybe they weren’t the best team, but they’d always have the best looking cheerleaders, that was for damn sure.

The smell of her perfume still lingered in the air between them. He’d always been the type of guy to notice the small things; from the smell of someone’s perfume, to the way their lip curled whenever they were upset. He was different than most jocks, and even with all the chances he’d had to be the party guy, that life just wasn’t for him. Arm tightened around her small frame ever so lightly as he bit down on his lip, his thoughts rewinding to their times spent together in the halls of McKinley. He’d been too caught up with Brittany to even notice anyone else, and after the blonde had left, he’d focused on Glee club. He’d always noticed Kitty though, but she’d been too locked on Jake Puckerman to even care about the trouty mouthed football player. This was their second chance though; to build a friendship that’d last. He’d be there for her, and he could only hope she’d do the same.

Everything about their time together felt all too natural. It was as if it’d been a routine they’d fallen into years ago, but it wasn’t. It was the first time he’d ever been inside her home, and it was the first time she’d ever been in his arms. “If you want, I could teach you some,” he offered playfully, knowing she wouldn’t be interested whatsoever. Everyone had always put up with his impressions, even if it annoyed the hell out of them. It’d been his way of coping during bad times, and well, it’d worked. Whether anyone else understood that, he didn’t really care. Brows raised knowingly as he pulled back slightly to stare down at her, a grin on his lips. “What would Kitty Wilde do if she didn’t get her way?” It was a meaningless question, but he truly was curious. He had no intentions of walking away, and he hoped she knew that.

Kitty had no issue admitting that her knowledge when it came to video games was practically nonexistent. Sports she understood, she could hold a conversation about sports no sweat. But video games were something she’d always kind of just left to the boys. She knew what the different systems were and she knew a least a dozen different titles thanks to the cases that used to sit in Danny’s room but aside from that she was lost. And she was perfectly fine with that. She’d never found any appeal in a plastic controller and some lame first person shooter plot line. But she couldn’t resist the urge to mess with Sam a little bit. “Oh I don’t know, maybe if you could show me how to play? Explain the controls and everything?” She batted her lashes at him innocently, knowing full well that the sweet little grin she was giving would become larger and less innocent before long. She lasted maybe a minute before she couldn’t help the snort of laughter that slipped out and she shook her head. “Kidding. I will leave the gaming to nerds like you, Sammy.”

It wasn’t surprising, the shock he displayed over her interest in sports. She’d never really gone out of her way to broadcast it as common knowledge. When the boys at school would start talking about whatever game had been broadcast on ESPN the night before, she would just sit back and listen, keeping her comments to herself. It had always been something that she kept to herself. Sure, she’d talk sports with her brother or her dad on the occasion that he was at home but other than that it had always just been her own little private thing. But for some reason it felt perfectly normal to be talking sports with Sam in the middle of the night. She wasn’t worried about how it would affect her image or if it fit with that perfect prom queen/head cheerleader angle she played at McKinley. “Yeah, I get it. It’s not exactly what you hear most of the Cheerios talking about. Guess it kind of falls under the whole guilty pleasure category.” Her eyebrows raised at the suggestion. It wasn’t the first time someone had suggested following a career in cheerleading and she was sure it wouldn’t be the last. “Oh I’m sure I could make serious bank cheering for a pro team. But I dunno... I don’t think I really want to spend the rest of my life waving pompoms and doing back flips for crowds of people. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great and all and I’m pretty much betting on getting a scholarship because of it. But I think I’d rather do something more...important, I guess, with my life.” Her eyes focused down on her lap, fingers fiddling with the hem of her tank top. This was the kind of stuff she didn’t usually talk about with anyone and it was a little strange to be bringing it up. But with Sam it wasn’t quite as intimidating to talk about.

Sitting there with Sam, she found herself wishing she would’ve paid more attention to him when she’d first met him back in his senior year. She’d focused all her attention that year on boy after boy who just proved to be wrong for her. First there was Jake who’d been everything she’d thought she wanted - hot, edgy, talented. And he’d seemed into her at first but there was always the lingering reality that she was just a placeholder until he was ready to be with Marley. It had hurt - hell, it had hurt A LOT - but she’d done her best to keep those emotions bottled up and tucked away. Then there was the original Puckerman who (let’s be honest) was just her what she felt for Jake onto the older brother. Not to mention the bizarre excitement of dating someone who’d once dated Quinn Fabray. That had meant something to her back then but now it just felt so ridiculous. It had fizzled out as quickly as she started which led to the one she’d thought was the real deal. Artie had surprised her and she hadn’t expected to like him as much as she did but nevertheless he gave her the butterflies and had her smiling like a fool. And it had been good, really good, until he’d graduated. Long distance relationships had never been ideal but they’d initially said they would try. It last a whole two weeks into his time in New York before she got the text that they should go their separate ways. Since then it had just been random dates when she felt like it and the occasional night of fooling around in the middle of some party being held. Until Sam, that is.

Well, no. She couldn’t really say that could she. Because regardless of whatever she was feeling at the moment, whatever attraction she felt in regards to the blond graduate, nothing could happen. Not if he wanted to keep his job and not if she wanted to avoid an epic scandal during her senior year. No, there couldn’t be any “until Sam” thoughts because the reality was she didn’t have Sam. They might be friends, they might be spending time together, but that didn’t mean she had any sway over him. She was probably just another kid in his mind for all she knew. But she still curled closer to him and let herself relax in his arms, almost pretending for a moment it was something more.

She found herself giggling into his chest at the offer, the idea of her attempting to do any of the impressions he did completely ridiculous in her mind. “I don’t think being able to quote Matthew McConaughey will get me far. But I’ll have you know I do a pretty good Paulette from Legally Blonde.” It was another silly little detail of her life she was sharing with him that she hadn’t expected to, the whole evening being one surprise after another. Her eyebrow arched at his question, meeting his curious gaze as she tilted her head back a bit. “Oh I don’t know, Sam, I don’t think you could handle me. Might scare you off, pretty boy.” She gave him a little smirk, reaching up and tapping at his nose playfully as she bit back another laugh threatening to come up.

are you gonna stay the night ;

coachtrouty:

While they’d all been intertwined within the Glee club, it was strange to think that you couldn’t really know someone until you were under the same room as them. It was the home life where secrets were spilled, true personalities were revealed, and blood boiled. If you could actually live with someone without wanting losing your mind, then that’s when you got to know someone. Kurt had been the same Kurt – clean, organized, and always wanting to be on top of things. Blaine on the other hand, had been something else entirely. The blonde had watched in silence as the younger male had tried to place Kurt, each attempt being worst than the one before. It’d sucked to see the tension between the pair – how love had turned into something else entirely. They were young, dumb, but Sam could have sworn they were in love, but things didn’t always go as planned. If so, he would have been able to get his own place, and his bank account wouldn’t be so fragile. “Believe it or not, he’s pretty good. He hustled me the first round – I’m still a little pissed,” he grinned, head shaking. It’d been his own damn fault for doubting someone. Despite the down falls, surprises, and curvy paths, he’d found himself perfectly content with the way his life had turned out. He’d gotten the opportunity to model, and what few times he’d given it a shot, he’d realized quickly it wasn’t for him. Life was about more than looking good for a photo, and at least with his assistant coaching position, he was making a difference in young lives, right? Helping kids outta Lima through athletic scholarships had to count for something.

He was sure his chin must’ve dropped a thousand feet upon hearing her small comment over football. He shouldn’t have been surprised – she was always pulling something outta her short Cheerios skirt. “I’m not even sure what to think right now. The Kitty Wilde is a sports fan – who would have guessed?” It was nice to know she felt comfortable enough to peel back the layers of her thick skin. What else would she give away about herself? Not even Quinn had known anything about sports. WWQD? Not talk football. “I’m a pretty big Cowboys fan, not gonna lie to you. My dad was a big Cowboys fan too, but to be fair, they used to be pretty good,” he pointed out, knowing that his favorite team was no longer a strong contender. They’d lost good players over the years, but he knew they’d eventually bounce back. Caught up in an extreme moment of awe, Sam’s suggestion slipped without thought. “I’ll take you sometime, y’know, show you around. There’s this killer local pizza place. It’s Philiy style – it’ll blow your mind.” Was it an appropriate offer? Definitely not, but he was far too captivated to care. They were friends; friends could hang out.

Not once had the blonde labeled Kitty an actual mean girl. Unlike Quinn, she’d always given her honesty to those around her, and while sometimes it was a bit too much, it was still her true feelings. Instead, he’d always wondered what put such a tough attitude on the young Cheerio, but it was never his place to ask. He’d been caught up in his own world to truly dabble in anyone else’s, and looking back, he’d hated that. There were times where he knew he could have spent more time with Finn, or made more of an effort to keep the tall, goofy guy from ever crumbling. Friends were suppose to help one another even through the hardest of times, but Sam hadn’t even known they were there. He hadn’t know his best friend was fighting away the demons, but he wouldn’t blame himself. If anything, the assistant coaching position would be his seconds chance at saving someone else – reassuring that no one had to be alone through anything. If he could watch out for those around him, maybe no one else would have to lose a best friend.

What few short minutes he’d been holding the Wilde Cheerio, Sam had felt more at home than he’d ever felt since moving away. New York had never felt like home, but instead a passing through area, like the hotels he’d stayed at while his family was struggling. In Kitty’s embrace, warmth, comfort, and happiness overwhelmed him, but why? They’d never been close, yet he’d never felt closer anyone in Lima. “It’s just because you want me to do my impressions. It’s okay, just admit it, and I might pull one off,” he teased, eyes on hers as he stayed close. She was beautiful, naturally so. It was nice seeing her so easy going, happy, and relaxed. “Even after I leave,” he paused, taking a deep breath, “I’ll be back,” he mocked, a quiet chuckle escaping his lips. “You sure you want me to stick around?”

When it came to living with people, Kitty’s experience was pretty limited to say the least. Aside from her family, the only time she’d shared a living space with anyone else was when she’d go off to cheer camp for six weeks every summer. And while sharing a cabin with seven other girls was always interesting, she was pretty sure it wasn’t quite the same as actually sharing a home with another person. She wasn’t sure it was something that she’d really want to do in the future. She’d gotten used to her privacy, to being left on her own for the most part. She ha been living in a practically empty house since her brother had moved out and as lonely as it could be at times she wasn’t sure moving in with a roommate one day was that great of a change. She couldn’t help the snort of laughter that escaped at the thought of Blaine managing to hustle Sam in some video game. It just seemed absurd. “You sure he hustled you? Maybe you’re just not as good as you think, Evans.” There was that dry teasing in her voice, shaking her head a bit with the half smile on her lips.

She felt a small sense of satisfaction when she saw his reaction to her sports talk. It wasn’t surprising - most guys didn’t expect her to know any real details about the game, let alone actually have an opinion on it. She always enjoyed getting to catch them off guard with things like this and with Sam it was no different. “You might want to close your mouth before you start catching flies,” she teased with a quiet laugh. She wasn’t too surprised when he talked about his preferred team, the idea of him being a cowboys fan just fitting with that All American vibe he gave off. “I think Tony Romo’s cute. That’s about the extent of my interest in the Cowboys. But I won’t hold your choices in teams against you.” Her eyebrows raised up towards her hairline at his nonchalant suggestion. It caught her off guard, the idea of Sam wanting to go there with her. There was a big difference between hanging out on her couch for the night and offering to make a road trip out of state for some good coffee and pizza. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the idea; if there was one person she could see herself enjoying a road trip with, it was Sam. But she wasn’t sure it was something that could really happen, not without him potentially getting in trouble with the school. Nevertheless, she found herself saying genuinely, “Sounds like fun.”

As the blonde girl sat there, curled up against him, she couldn’t help but feel the pang of guilt that she could cause trouble for him in a very bad way. Even if they’d known each other before his career choice and even if there wasn’t that much of an age difference between the two of them, she knew this simple act of being alone together in her house in the middle of the night could be a disaster waiting to happen. She knew that if any other adults were to find out that Sam was holding an underage student like this, they wouldn’t care how much history was there. All that would matter was she was seventeen and he’d violated some big rules of conduct. With that thought, she knew she should distance them, keep things slightly more appropriate than they were. But she didn’t want to. Maybe it was selfish but the last thing she wanted was to lose the feeling of having him next to her. It just felt too damn good.

Her arms stayed locked around him, holding on as he was anchoring her to the good feelings the night had brought. She could feel herself relaxing against him, heading resting comfortably on his shoulder. There was something about him that just felt right as she sat there against him. It was the warm feeling in her stomach and the peace of mind that she didn’t have to worry about anything with him. It was that little sense of freedom that maybe - just maybe - she could not concern herself with all facades she had to keep in check whenever she was around anyone else. She groaned as she tried to stifle her laughter, shaking her head a bit. “You and those damn impressions,” she mumbled, more to herself than to him. “I’ll put up with them but I’m not encouraging your absurd behavior.” The laughter that escaped slowed at his question, glancing up as green eyes met his blue. “Yeah, I am. In fact, I might just insist on it. And you know how much I like to get my way.”

lisbon

#likes ;

are you gonna stay the night ;

He didn’t expect her to jump at the meaningless suggestions. She hadn’t gotten the opportunity to stand by each alumni of the Glee club as long as he had, but he could understand her protests. “Try having Kurt, Rachel, and Santana under the same roof. I’m not sure how that lasted,” he admitted, though he knew that despite their dramatic pasts, any member would help the other out. They were family, and family never left anyone behind – even if said family had once thrown a cold slushie in their face in high school. “Rachel isn’t so bad, though. Not after you get to know her. She’s determined, and you gotta respect her for that,” he shrugged, silently noting her success. It’d be awhile since he’d last heard from the golden star wonder, but he figured she was doing just fine for herself back in the Big Apple. “It was difficult sometimes, mostly awkward. I got used to being the middleman between them. Blaine would play video games with me sometimes – he’s a cool dude.” Cool or not, it didn’t make living with them any easier. He hated being the in between when arguments brewed, and one of them needed him to agree with their side. It was easier just to ignore it altogether, but ignoring two pissed off guys hadn’t worked so well sometimes. It all made him thankful to have his own place that he could easily afford. The small one bedroom apartment he’d grabbed upon arrival was good enough to him, and that’s all that mattered. It wasn’t fancy, but it wasn’t a total dump either. That was better than any hotel room he’d stayed in growing up – that had to count for something, right?

“Their football team is pretty good too,” he added, his mind always circulating around sports and music. They were two things he’d always have a fiery passion for, and he knew Kitty could at least understand the latter of the options. “Starbucks is pretty good, but you haven’t had coffee until you’ve been to this little place in Louisville. It’s a local shop, and they have chocolate covered coffee beans for a quarter,” he spewed, memories translating into a smile on his lips. He’d liked Louisville, and all that the beautiful city had to offer, and truth be told, he would have gone back there had he not found a job in Lima.

Perhaps he was way out of line for even thinking of such things, but he’d never been one to hold back on feelings. While Mercedes was the most recent of his romantic encounters, the bond he’d shared with her was nothing similar to the bond he held with the blonde by his side. He had no desire to dive between her legs; not that she wasn’t attractive, but because there was more of an emotional pull than a physical. He wanted to know the small things about her that she’d never once thought of sharing in Glee club – he wanted to break down the walls she’d built so high. It was crazy, and he knew it, but he was far too curious to stay at the surface of what she had to offer. “I can honestly say I never thought I’d be chilling on your couch at one A.M.,” he shrugged. It was a future that no one could have predicted, but one he was thankful for. Whatever had brought them together, it’d done one hell of a job. It’d taken a potentially boring night alone, and turned it into something Sam wanted more of. Student/faculty code? It almost didn’t matter. They were allowed to be friends; it wasn’t like he was trying to screw her.

He didn’t want the small comment to turn into something bigger, but he couldn’t pretend as if it didn’t bother him. He was graduated, yet still stuck in Lima, Ohio. It made sense as to why she wouldn’t want to be spending time with him – he was a Class A reject. She wasn’t like that, though. Even with the negative thoughts coursing through his mind, he knew he wouldn’t be there if she didn’t want him to be. She was strong, and open minded, and if she’d meant to hit him where it hurt, she would have without hesitation.

He watched in silence as she transitioned on the couch, her small frame moving closer. Each word echoed within his head, her soft voice being something he wasn’t entirely used to. “I’m not going anywhere,” he assured, eyes tracing her features as he spoke. Maybe he was an idiot sometimes, but he knew when a good thing wasn’t worth walking away from, and whatever was brewing between them was better than good. Their friendship was just starting to burn bright, and what kind of asshole would he be if he let it burn out over a dumb comment she obviously didn’t mean? Cheeks burned red upon her lips gracing his pale skin. Was his heart supposed to beat so hard after a small gesture of reassurance? A single arm curled around her small waist before he pulled her closer into a gentle hug. If she didn’t want it, she could pull away and he wouldn’t fight it. “You’re gonna be stuck with me, Wilde. Hope you’re into impressions, football, and guitars,” he mumbled, eyes falling closed as he settled into the embrace.

Part of her wondered if he was missing the friends he’d left behind in New York, if he regretted leaving them to come back home. She didn’t ask; it wasn’t her place to push those kinds of subjects. But she couldn’t help but think he probably did. After all, she’d barely been friends with Marley and the others for a whole school year and she found herself missing them all from time to time. Considering he’d known the others for all of high school, she expected he missed them more than she understood. And it made her a little sad for him, wishing she could make up for the fact that he’d come back here basically all alone. To her, that wasn’t something that Sam deserved. He was too good a person to not get to be surrounded by the people he loved. She was pulled from her thoughts, eyebrow quirking in curiosity as he spoke about what it had been like living back in New York. “Seriously? I so can’t picture Blaine even holding an Xbox controller, let alone actually playing video games. That’s just weird to think about.” The mental image brought a brief laugh from her, shaking her head as she thought of him and the other boy playing video games. It seemed a little odd to think of the buttoned up Broadway loving boy playing Call of Duty or whatever else.

She nodded as he slipped into sports talk for a moment, trying to remember the Seahawks roster. “Yeah, Wilson did pretty good during their last two Super Bowls. But I was raised to be Bengals girl. Always have been.” Throwing out her sports knowledge in front of boys had always been a source of amusement for Kitty. She knew most of them never expected her to know anything about sports but after years of having to watch them with her father and cheering at various games she’d picked up a fair share of information. She wouldn’t say it was her favorite subject and she didn’t necessarily know everything but she was one of the few Cheerios who didn’t wind up completely lost when it came to the details of the athletics. She listened curiously as he started talking about Louisville, seeing that he’d enjoyed the place for however long he’d been there. She’d never personally been there but if Sam recommended it, it was probably worth a shot. “Guess I’ll have to check it out some day if it’s as good as you claim.”

There was no denying that there was something between the two of them. She just wasn’t sure what it was exactly. Somehow they’d just clicked. Whether it was from the fact they’d been classmates or some kind of chemistry they shared or who knows what else, they managed to make a pretty good pair of friends despite the wall she’d kept up. He managed to hold her attention in a way that no one else could these days, keeping her interested and wanting more time with him. It wasn’t like with other boys where she wanted some extra attention for the moment and something physical. With Sam, it felt like she was with someone who could bring out sides of her she wasn’t used to and she liked that. Even if they were probably breaking a few rules by spending time together like this, she didn’t want to give it up. She wanted to be selfish and hold on to him regardless of the consequence of the student/teacher detail.

Seeing him react negatively to her initial words was hard, feeling horrible for upsetting him. Which was strange for her, quite frankly. She’d been the girl who didn’t give a damn about what anyone else thought or felt for quite a while now. It was how she’d earned her less than stellar reputation at McKinley and it was how she helped keep everyone at arm’s length away. But here with Sam, she didn’t want to hurt him, didn’t want to make him feel like she didn’t care about him or didn’t want him in her life. She most certainly did. And because of that she’d broken from her habits, offering apologies and honesty in place of cold sarcasm and a lack of empathy. It was strange but she didn’t mind considering who it was for.

Despite herself, she could feel her face flushing as his arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him. She leaned into the embrace, her own arms wrapping around him as her face pressed against the front of his shirt. She breathed deeply, smelling whatever soap he used and the little bit of Axe she remembered teasing him about a week ago, and couldn’t help the smile that pulled at her lips as he spoke. Those four words were easily the most pleasant things she’d heard from anyone in quite a while. “Good,” she mumbled against his shirt as she stayed comfortably curled up next to him, arms still wrapped around one another. “I actually like having you around for some crazy reason so I think I can handle that.” She pulled back just enough to glance up at him hoping to see a smile on his face once more, the playfulness back in her voice as she stayed close to him.

are you gonna stay the night ;

Everyone had their own opinion of Lima, Ohio. Some didn’t want to return to a reminder that Finn was no longer around, and some just didn’t want to be trapped anymore. Maybe it was a small minded idea to stick around for a low paying position, but he didn’t care. He was making money for himself, and sending what little he could to his parents to ensure financial safety for his siblings. After all, that’s what he’d wanted from modeling – more money in order to make sure his siblings didn’t have to go through such rough patches anymore. The constant in and out really changed a kid, and it’d made Sam grow up a lot faster than he’d ever wanted. While in school, he’d felt more like a father figure to a younger brother and sister. They looked up to him when their parents were away, and he’d busted his ass to make ends meet in ways he’d been ashamed of. Kitty, though, she never had to go through things like that. She was sitting pretty in a beautiful home, but he didn’t have anything against her for that. It was just the luck of the draw, and she’d ended up with parents with money. That was life, and while they came from two separate worlds, they couldn’t have been anymore alike than they were in the moment. No outside world, no pressure to please; just them.

Full lips curved upwards into a gentle smile. When the newbies had came around, things had changed. The original family was no longer so, but things were always better between the elder members. They’d been the one to go through hell and back with one another, the newbies were merely along for the end of the ride. What little time he’d spent around Marley, he truly had enjoyed her presence. Jake, and Ryder? They were cool dudes, and appreciated their loyalty toward every idea Sam ever threw out, but they weren’t Noah or Finn. Kitty? She’d been different from them all. He’d sat back silently through Glee periods, listening as she rattled off snarky comment after comment, wondering what was beneath the false skin she wore. And then there were the bus rides to away games that he enjoyed all too much. They’d crack a few jokes, but after a few impressions he knew she didn’t want to hear, they’d pop in headphones or talk music – one of them usually sharing a new song or more.

“You wouldn’t want to go to school with Rachel? Or move in with Kurt and Blaine? Or Kurt, or Blaine. The whole thing confuses me, but I think we all know they’ll end up back together. Point is, maybe it’s good to have a few connections. That way you’ll know there’s a backup around.” Then again, her parents could probably afford to give her whatever apartment she wanted if things didn’t work out – he’d never had that luxury. Of course, he couldn’t mention it in such a fashion. It was rude to assume, and for all he knew, she was going to be taking college into her own hands. “I’ve always wanted to move to Seattle. It’s different from anything I ever knew, and it’s big, but small.” As for what he’d do when he got there, he didn’t know. Without the few modeling gigs to keep him afloat, he couldn’t do the things he wanted to do. It would be hard to find a good paying job without a degree – he’d screwed himself.

Was it wrong to want to catch up with an old classmate that was still a student beneath him? Maybe morally, but he didn’t care. It wasn’t like he was trying to screw her or anything. As far as he was concerned, they were merely having a good time just like they could have during their times in high school together. They were friends, and he wouldn’t let his job get between that. Besides, Finn wasn’t there, and everyone else had bailed, including Noah. He was there, lonely, and willing to stretch his neck to rekindle and old connection – that was just the type of guy he was. “I’d do it again too. Just surprising you didn’t try and power walk to your car to get away from me,” he shot back playfully, his thumb brushing against her shin once more. “You don’t have to thank me. Right now, you’re the most familiar person to me, and this is easy. It’s been a long time since something was this easy.” Truth be told, he couldn’t exactly pinpoint a time where life hadn’t stressed him out, but on the couch with Kitty Wilde, nothing could have bothered him.

He wasn’t sure why the comment had bothered him so much. Did it hurt to know he wasn’t worth her time? A little, but he didn’t even understand why. She was a student, he was part of the faculty; it shouldn’t have. Head turned back toward the blonde at the other end of the couch, his eyes settling on hers once more. “You don’t have to explain yourself,” he mumbled, head shaking.

There was hesitation as Kitty made her protests at Sam’s playful suggestion in regards to New York. Each sounded more ridiculous than the last. “Just from what little I know of Berry, I’d end up strangling her if we were stuck as actual classmates. As for Blaine and Kurt, the idea of living with either of them let alone both of them is a little terrifying. I don’t know how you ever managed it. I’d rather move in with my great-aunt Gertrude and her eight cats.” Okay, so maybe she was exaggerating but it wasn’t too much of a stretch. She couldn’t see herself wanting to spend quality time with any of the people they knew in New York City. Maybe Brittany, considering their history together on the Cheerios, and Santana wasn’t too bad when she wasn’t directing her rage at you. But the rest of them? She’d managed just fine without them. When it came to thinking about people she’d want with her for her college years, the few faces that popped were the ones who’d been gone since Sue disbanded the glee club. There’d been a time when having Marley for a roommate had become a pleasant thought and hanging out at parties and football games with Jake and Ryder would’ve been fun. But they were all gone now and she wasn’t about to get her hopes up that their unlikely little clique would ever reunite.

She perked up a bit when he mentioned Seattle, thinking of the application she’d sent to the University of Washington last week. There wasn’t necessarily anything special about the school that had caught her eye other than it’s distance from Ohio but she was a little pleased to hear her friend mentioning the city. Who knew? Maybe if she wound up there it’d be some place he’d go too. She mentally shook that thought away, placing the idea of Sam following her off to some college completely ridiculous. “It seems like a cool place,” she replied with a smile. “Plus it’s like the home to Starbucks so you just know they’re gonna have all the best coffee.”

Chewing at her bottom lip, she felt a slight flutter in her stomach as he spoke about their dynamic in whatever this was. He was right - it was easy. Almost shockingly so considering they hadn’t been the closest two back when he was still a student. But there was something that made talking with him feel like the simplest thing. She couldn’t remember the last time she relaxed enough around someone to not be thinking about every little thing she said. In fact, she wasn’t sure she’d ever been this at ease with someone else. Maybe it was the fact that he was the only one left who’d been in the glee club, the only one who’d seen her in the crazy outfits and danced along with her. Maybe it was the fact that it never seemed like he wanted anything more than her company when they were together. Maybe it was just the fact that she liked being around him. Whatever the case, she was grateful to have him helping to fill that lonely void she’d been dealing with. “Yeah, I think I know what you mean,” she said softly, giving a small smile.

When he mumbled out a dismissal at her half assed apology, she couldn’t help the scowl that fell on her lips. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. It had been good all night and now it was going south, all because she couldn’t keep her mouth shut. Normally, she’d just deal with it, pull up her walls and fall back into that cold bitch routine she was known for around school. She didn’t want that with him though. She didn’t want the tense silence and the uncomfortable ending to an otherwise good night.

“Look, I didn’t mean the way it came out,” she said, sitting up a little straighter and scooting to the middle cushion between them. “I don’t want you to think I don’t give a crap, okay? You’re the one person here that I actually like being around and I’d like to not have it all blow up on me because I made a dumb comment at one in the morning. So I’m sorry, okay? I’m not that great at this kin of thing sometimes.” She sat there for a moment, looking up at him in hopes that she’d get a small or a stupid impression or something to show he was okay with her. Deciding to throw in a little extra display on her part, she leaned up and pressed a brief kiss to his cheek.

are you gonna stay the night ;

They were different, that much he’d always known. From what he’d seen of her fairly large castle of a home, she was living comfortably. It was in his high school years that his own family life had started to crumble. His parents couldn’t afford their home, and there’d been nights Sam and his siblings had crashed in a cheap hotel room. The move to Louisville was short lived, and it wasn’t anything like he’d had in Lima. There was no Glee Club, or anyone trying to lend him a helping hand. There was no Rachel Berry trying to be at the top, or charming Quinn Fabray, or asshole Noah Puckerman. Between Louisville and Lima, he’d always choose the latter, but there was more than just the few cities he’d lived in. There was Los Angeles, Daytona Beach, and other areas around the world in which Kitty could make her home. What kind of motivational figure would he be to limit her to such a small place? “Well, if it’s New York you’re thinking about running off to, I’d think about it for a little bit. A New York minute is definitely faster than a Lima minute,” he joked, and fought back the urge to grin. He’d heard the expression at least a thousand times during his stay, and it’d taken him a few times to understand it fully. New York was always moving so quickly, and that meant time did too.

Maybe it’d be hard to wake up when his phone started buzzing and ringing a few hours later, but he’d make it. There wasn’t a thing in the world that could have been more perfect than the night they’d spent together, and maybe it was just him being selfish, but he wasn’t ready to call it quits. It’d felt like a lifetime since she’d had a normal conversation with someone, at least a conversation that flowed so smoothly, and so easily. While in New York, he’d mostly had short conversations with Kurt and Blaine, and then there’d been Mercedes. It’d always been so drama filled, and while he’d thought it was worth it at one point, he’d opted out and realized it wasn’t. With Kitty, there hadn’t been any drama past her snarky defensive remarks, but even those had been limited during their time together. He strayed from touchy topics, and she seemed to be more than okay with that.

Whatever was brewing between them was something neither would speak of, or even act on when it came to being in the same school together once more. He had a job to keep, and she had a flawless reputation to sport. What kind of student/teacher rumors would people start? And what would the consequences be? If it came down to it, and Sam lost his job at McKinley, he wasn’t quite sure what his backup plan was. After all, he hadn’t really planned after modeling, but things had worked out so far. He’d been able to save up a comfortable amount from a few shots, and while it wouldn’t last him a lifetime, it was paying the bills.

He was well aware of how the teenage mind worked. He’d once been a football player in high school, but he’d never been the same as the average jock Noah Puckerman. He hadn’t been out for sex, nor did he want to sexualize any female, but he knew most high school guys did. Their lack of respect could be blamed on their desire to have it all, but it was no excuse. Ladies were supposed to be wooed off their feet – every chick flick said it. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I just so happened to be free, right? I haven’t touched your dad’s liquor, and all I asked for were a pair of more comfortable pants,” he countered, trying to lighten the mood once more. If she wanted to spend every night her parents were away with him, then he’d make sure his schedule was clean. Wasn’t like he had much to do other than laundry anyway.

He was sure it was supposed to be a compliment, and that was the only reason he dug so hard to find it. She didn’t mean half the things she said, and by now he was used to her snarky replies, and hidden insults. Swallowing hard, his fingers curled gently around her ankle, his eyes focused on his own movements. He didn’t want a simple conversation about Lima to turn into something that meant the night was over, but he couldn’t let her view the place as a hell hole either. “Yeah, well, maybe once you’re outta here, you’ll find someone more worth your time.” Fingers uncurled as he leaned back into the couch, his thoughts running wild. Not everyone would view Lima like he did, but he’d at least expected her to see where he was coming from. Everyone had their own opinion though, and he respected that.

Sometimes it was easy to forget how different Sam was from her and the people she knew. It wasn’t a bad thing. Actually it was surprisingly refreshing most of the time. It just threw her off a bit. It was easy to look at him and just label him the pretty boy jock, to stick him in that box with other boys she’d known that fit that description. But that was just the surface stuff, the quick glimpse of him that any stranger passing by would come up with. Then there were moments like these where it hit her that there was so much more to him, more layers of emotion and experiences that made up the boy next to her. Well, no, not boy. Man. That was the better term to describe him, though she was quick to push those thoughts away. No, there was more to Sam and she had to take that into consideration when it came to moments like these. From what she’d heard (from Marley, from Puck, from Quinn) his family didn’t have the best situation financially and he’d gone through some tough times with it all during high school. But he had people who genuinely loved him and a place where he actually felt at home. She’d trade everything in the large empty house to feel like that. And maybe that was why she was so eager to run as far from the place as she could. She offered a small smile and quick laugh at the joke he’d thrown out. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Sure, New York was on the list of potential places to go after graduation. But so were a dozen others. Everywhere from New York to Miami to Seattle to Dallas to Los Angeles. She’d sent out applications to colleges in every corner of the country. And she had no idea which one she wanted to be at. “I’m not sure where I’ll wind up,” she told him, setting aside the snack bowl that had been neglected in her lap. “Anywhere’s better than staying here. But I don’t know about New York. There’s already plenty of Lima escapees there. Might try for something with fewer familiar faces.” She wasn’t exactly close with any of the McKinley alumni in the Big Apple but she knew she had a bad reputation with some of them. She’d be better off somewhere new where no one knew her or what she’d been like before graduation. Maybe she’d find that family feeling that he had here. Maybe she’d be happier with a blank slate and a new group who hadn’t seen her at her worst. There were a lot of maybes but for now she was happy to have Sam giving her his time.

What had Quinn been thinking, giving up a guy like Sam? Sitting there with him, it was perfectly easy to see that he was one of those rare good guys, the kind you’d see in a teen romance as the girl’s first love. None of the boys at McKinley could compare to the blond sitting by her, that much she was sure of. And yet here he was - single and spending his evening entertaining her. As fond as she was of the older girl, she couldn’t help but think that Quinn had been stupid to not hold onto him. She certainly would have. No, don’t think about that. The ship holding any possibility that they’d have a relationship deeper than friendship had sailed once he’d joined the faculty of McKinley. Now, he was strictly off limits to any girl walking those halls, herself included. No point in lingering on something that would never happen. Besides a guy like him deserved a better girl than her. “Guess I’m lucky you chased me down tonight,” she teased, though her tone was softer than usual. “Thanks for that. Wanting to hang out, I mean.”

As soon as she saw his reaction to her remark, she regretted it. Here was the one person she had who seemed to care about her and she was being a first rate bitch. No wonder nobody else wants to come over and spend time with you. Her stomach churned with regret as she saw his jaw clench ever so slightly, saw his gaze focusing away from her. His hands moved away from her legs and she had to fight the pout wanting to appear on her lips. She should apologize, say something to make up for upsetting her friend but nothing came out. Maybe it would be better if she just kept her mouth shut. It wasn’t like offering up apologies was something that had been helpful to her in the past. She knew that was stupid logic on her part, some ridiculous thought of a teenage girl, but she couldn’t help the old defensive habits she was used to trying to take over. Pulling her legs off his lap, she tucked them under herself, making herself small on her end of the couch. The room was silent for a few minutes, less comfortable this time that before.

“Sam,” she started, voice timid much to her frustration. “I didn’t - I wasn’t trying to say you weren’t worth my time. You are.” It wasn’t quite an apology, not by most people’s standards, but it was better than nothing.

are you gonna stay the night ;

He didn’t expect the younger blonde to view the small town in the way he’d come to see it. It’d taken him years to realize it had more to offer than the average drama it’d given to him in high school, but he wouldn’t ever ask anyone to stay. There was an entire world to see, and just because it hadn’t been for him didn’t mean it couldn’t be everything to someone else. “C’mon, it’s honestly not that bad. Don’t get me wrong, it’s small, and I’ve yet to eat a hotdog that compares to the ones I got in New York, but it’s home,” he rambled, a single hand moving with every word he spoke so passionately. He’d known many places during his time of growing up – Nashville, Lima, Louisville, New York, but only one place had stuck with him, and it wasn’t the Big Apple. The busy streets, overpriced apartments, and high crime rates just wasn’t something he’d been able to get used to. That, and he couldn’t stand modeling when it seemed more like a porno than a photoshoot. Money or not, it just wasn’t worth it.

The chill bumps on her smooth legs didn’t go unnoticed, but didn’t comment on the reaction either. Calling attention to the inappropriateness made it all the more real, but that was the least of his worries. For once, he wasn’t worrying about what he was going to be doing when the sun came up, even though an early practice meant getting up whether he wanted to or not. Unlike his nights spent in New York, things felt normal. It was as if they’d spent multiple nights talking until they couldn’t hold their eyes open any longer, though sleep wasn’t something that had even crossed his mind. If she’d stay away, he’d do the same, despite the consequences of showing up to a 7 AM practice in full zombie mode. After all, it was Coach Beiste that did all the yelling – he just fixed the water, ran plays, and made sure everyone was working together. Being around it all made him miss what he’d once had, especially when it came to the Glee club. It was within those four walls that he’d been shaped into the man he currently was, and it was a shame to know no one else would get the chance to experience the things he had.

Bottom lip snaked between his teeth, and eyes shifted to meet with KItty’s emerald hues. They’d shared a bond as classmates, but it’d always been so simple. They were friends, but it’d never went any further than a few casual conversations, her jokes about his mouth, and his lack of a witty reply that was usually replaced by an impression. She’d put up with him, and he’d tolerated her, but now things were different. She didn’t comment on his mouth all too often, and he’d noticed a change within her that he enjoyed. People grew, and it was exciting to know he could be apart of development. Was that lame? He figured it was, but it wouldn’t be the first time she’d labeled him as so. “What? You don’t have a group of Cheerios that would come to your rescue? Or someone on the football team? You’re like Quinn Fabray of McKinley, except without a kid. Seems like you’d always have something to do.” It was supposed to be a compliment, and he could only hope she could it as so.

He’d been the exact same way after graduation – ready to get the hell out of dodge, but he followed his dreams and got burned. Did he regret it? No. It was the adventure and experience that he’d gained that made it all worth it, and he’d never ask anyone to pass that up; even he enjoyed spending time with them. “Look, I know that no matter what I say, it won’t change your mind about things, and I don’t want it to, but maybe you shouldn’t be so quick to leave. I’m not saying you should live here forever and think about taking over the Cheerios when Sue drops, but this is your home. It’s our home, and we can’t just forget it.” Forgetting it meant forgetting the memories that lied there, and he just couldn’t do it. Finn, the Glee Club, and his friends – it all tied into Lima.

Kitty didn’t know what she’d expected from him but the passion he spoke with when it came to his feelings for the town they were in surprised her. It didn’t make sense to her. This place seemed like nothing but pointless drama and unpleasant futures. But she supposed that everyone had their own opinions. That maybe where she felt trapped - stuck trying to live up to her parents expectations and behave how everyone expected her to - he might feel completely different. She’d heard little bits of his background, about the deal with him and his family and that sort of thing, though she didn’t know the full story. Maybe he’d enjoyed life here more, maybe he saw something here that she couldn’t. “Hate to break it to you, Evans, but I think you and I are just going to have to agree to disagree on this. Lima just isn’t ever going to be the place I want to spend my life.”

The clock on the wall said that it was getting late, that they both should’ve called it a night hours ago and just left these conversations for another time. But for all she cared, the clock didn’t exist. She knew she had to be up early, knew that he did too and that they’d both probably be useless tomorrow morning. But she didn’t have any regrets of staying up in Sam’s company. She felt a comfort from being around him that she couldn’t remember feeling over the last few years. Hell, she wasn’t sure she’d ever felt as relaxed and content with someone else’s company as she did with Sam right now. Normally, things like this - long conversations with no end in sight - were awkward and painful to get through. But this? This felt as natural as breathing to her. It was a little unsettling, the fact that she was letting her guard down with him, even if it was just a little bit.

The comment he made - the ones about her popularity, her following in Quinn’s footsteps as that queen bee type - hit a little close to home and she found herself looking away as her lips pulled down into the small frown. She could feel herself resisting the urge to snap off some sarcastic remark, to slip back into old habits of distance and coldness. She knew he meant well; Sam always meant well it seemed. But thinking about all the others at school - the girls on the squad who would claim to be her friend but talked shit when they thought she wasn’t listening or the guys on the team who would be sweet for the five minutes they thought they’d have a chance of getting under her spankies - wasn’t as pleasant as it should’ve been. “Yeah having a flock of Cheerios and football players isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” she commented quietly, eyes down as she shifted awkwardly in her seat. “I’m pretty sure most of them wouldn’t bother showing up unless I offered up my dad’s liquor cabinet or something in return.”

She ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back as she fought back the urge to roll her eyes. She knew he was trying to help but it just wasn’t the same. “Sam, I get that you had like three good years here with the glee club and everything but that’s not my case. I had that brief stint singing and dancing in that choir room and then it was over. Other than that, this place has just been a means to an end. A necessary annoyance until I can move on to a new life. Nothing about this place has me wanting to stick around and be the next Sue Sylvester or whatever. I mean, the only person I can stand to be around these days is you so that’s really not saying much.” It came out a little harsher than she intended but the idea of never getting away from all of this was enough to have her scared.

are you gonna stay the night ;

Plans. Each graduating member of William McKinley high school had made them, but only a few had been successful. For awhile, Sam’s plan had gone smoothly. He’d modeled, made money, and had fun, but it wasn’t the life he ultimately wanted to live. Instead, returning back to Lima had been his final decision, and it’d be a decent one at that. Being the assistant coach of the football team hadn’t been so bad, and while it wasn’t a high paying job like a few of his photoshoots had been, he didn’t care. He was content with the easy way of life, coaching a football team that would inevitably make it to state, if not win. And then there were lost connections, such as the blonde he’d just so happened to find himself chasing, quite literally. Cheerios always practiced late, but it seemed like the Titans were always practicing beyond that. With Sue’s determination to be the best of the best, she made sure to keep the players always moving, and the coaches always planning. It was rare he caught a break, but it was important to grab every opportunity as it came – life lesson when you’ve lived by the New York minute.

The night had gone surprisingly well, not that he’d expected it to be any other way. Kitty wasn’t the same mean girl she’d been when he was there, and it was the personal growth he silently noted. After all, they’d all changed for the better. He was no longer reaching for the impossible, and while it’d hurt like hell to realize he would never stay up in the modeling industry, he’d gotten over it. Truth be told, he was standing as the assistant coach for more than just his need of a job, but as a duty for the late Finn Hudson. They’d been teammates, and there was no better way to continue the legacy to coach a winning team to the championship game.

A quiet chuckle escaped his full lips, a single hand resting against the legs that dared to occupy his lap. Things were easy with Kitty, but he knew there was a line. She was a student, and he was an assistant coach – he had to keep it professional, right? There was nothing professional about the way they were though, but there was no use in making it into something that it wasn’t. They’d went to school together – they were merely catching up. “Y’know, everyone is always so excited to get outta this place, but it’s not that bad,” he hummed, but he doubted she’d believe him. Hell, he too had wanted to run the moment he’d graduated, but it wasn’t the kind of world every high schooler thought it’d be. Of course, he hadn’t went to college, or tried to get a regular job, and maybe that’d been part of the problem. New York wasn’t cheap, and after a few moves here and there, he’d realized it just wasn’t worth the constant stress. “I guess the only regret I have is not coming back sooner.”

Fingers traced gentle circles into her legs, his heart beating steady against the clean Titans t-shirt he’d conveniently had. “What are your plans? Sue got you talked into staying back another year to lead the Cheerios to another championship?” It was partially a joke, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to know the snake of a principal had asked of such a thing.

There was a protest on the tip of her tongue as he talked about the small town with fondness, the warmth he felt for the place a foreign concept to her. She couldn’t imagine ever feeling the need to come back after getting out. To her, Lima had always been like a cage, a confining space meant for people with small minds and small goals. She’d known for years that when graduation came and she finally had the chance she’d be running as far from here as she possibly could. She had no desire to wind up stuck there, becoming one of those girls with unfulfilled dreams and an unhappy life. Or worse becoming a bored housewife, drinking wine at noon and gossiping at the country club all day like her mother. That was probably her biggest fear associated with staying in the small town, not that she’d admit it to anyone. “You say not too bad, I say one of the nine circles of hell.”

A trail of goosebumps began to pop up along her legs, following the tips of his fingers as he traced them along her skin. In the back of her mind that little voice of reason - the one that sounded annoyingly like her nana - was telling her that this was highly inappropriate considering he was working at the school now and she was still a student. But she honestly couldn’t bring herself to see him as a teacher or authority figure. It wasn’t out of disrespect or anything like that. It was just the fact that he’d been her classmate first. She’d known him as Sam, the boy who could quote every Star Wars movie and who sat next to her on the bus to away games and who had stolen fries off her tray in the cafeteria a hundred different times. He was someone she’d grown to care about as a friend and it just didn’t seem like she could remove that place for him and put up the distance required between student and faculty like it was expected. She didn’t want to do that. She was done with losing her friends because of some school related bullshit.

Her eyebrow quirked at his words, his regrets that he was voicing to her here at one in the morning. Despite all her needs to get out of Lima and find something bigger and better for herself, there was something about him that made sense here in the small town. Maybe it was that genuine boy next door attitude he seemed to exude. That All American quality that seemed to fit in perfectly in places like this. He seemed like he belonged here not because he couldn’t do better but because he cared enough to be there. She couldn’t help the little smile that appeared at that thought, glancing down at her lap for the moment. “Well, I guess I should be a little grateful that you did come back,” she commented, voice remaining cool despite the warmth she felt for the one person she still considered a real friend. “Otherwise I’d be bored out of my skull tonight.”

The joke wasn’t lost on her, laughing quickly despite the cringe over the fact that it did indeed sound like something that Sue would think up. “Not a chance. My bags are gonna be packed and in the car as soon as they hand me my diploma. I just started sending out most of my applications but I’m not planning on staying here any longer than I have to. I’m nowhere near as sentimental as you are.”