The Way We Were

The Way We Date

Laura screamed. "No way!"

Quinn frowned. "No way!"

Marcy laughed. "No way!"

Maddie giggled. "No way!"

Jeanette squealed. "Yay!"

Judy clapped. "I know! It's so exciting! MercyCat's first date!"

Mercedes flushed from the attention. "It's not a real date. We're just hanging out at the park, studying."

"I wish you would have invited him over. Always play on your turf."

"The park is fine." Jeanette said. "Okay, let's get you dressed!"

W.W.W.

Mercedes, dressed in black slacks, a red striped cashmere sweater with three buttons on the neckline and heeled boots and her hair curly, tapped her fingers on her lap. She was completely nervous.

Quinn leaned over and whispered, "I can't believe you have your first date before me!"

"Me either. I can't believe I have a date at all."

Quinn crossed her arms and sat back. "So not fair."

"I promise, we'll work on getting you with Finn."

"You don't even have Puck yet!"

"Shh!" Mercedes pointed to Laura, who was driving her to the park.

Quinn sulked. "It's still not fair. We were supposed to go on our first dates together."

"My first real date can be like that. Please don't be mad at me, Quinn. We're only studying."

"Sure." Quinn blew out a breath.

"I'm not going to keep this up, Quinn!" Mercedes put her hands on her hips.

Quinn looked away.

Mercedes huffed and turned to the window.

Laura parked her car. "We're here. Just call me when you want to come home. And don't forget to tell me every little detail!"

Mercedes took a long look at the stubborn Quinn's profile before opening her door. "I will."

Mercedes walked around the park before finding a picnic table. She sat down and pulled out her work. It took less than two seconds for her to get caught up.

Suddenly, hands covered her eyes. She instinctively slammed her elbow back. "Ow!" The hands were gone.

She turned around. "Puck?!"

He was bent over, gripping his stomach and wheezing. "Ah! Yeah! It's me!"

"I'm so sorry!" She touched his shoulder. "I thought I was being mugged!"

"No, no! You did the right thing." He huffed as he straightened.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good." He squeaked.

"Sit down. Maybe you'll feel better?" She suggested.

He sat across from her and took deep breaths. "Yeah, it's getting better."

"Good."

"Where'd you learn to do that?" He peered at her.

She shrugged. "I know karate and Tae Kwon Do."

His brows lifted. "You kick butt?"

She smiled. "I guess."

"You can kick butt!" He grinned. "I like that in a girl."

She blushed. "I can kick butt."

"What else can you do?"

She shrugged. "A lot of stuff."

"I remember you play the harp. Are you an angel?"

She ducked her head. "No."

He lifted her chin. "Don't hide your smile. It's beautiful."

She blushed deeply but held her head high. "Thank you."

He just stared at her with a warm smile.

They stayed like that for a while before a child's laugh broke the spell. She gestured to her books. "You said you didn't get the assignment from last week? Do you understand this week's?"

"I don't know who a Robert Browning is." He lifted his shoulders.

"He was a great poet." She pulled her worksheet out and read from it. "Do you understand what he's saying?"

He blinked. "Not really."

"He's talking about new love. How nothing compares to it." She had stars and hearts in her eyes as she spoke and it captivated him. "There is nothing greater than love and new love is a breath of fresh air."

"Was this dude married? Since he's goin on about love and all?"

"You know? I don't know. I've never read that he was."

"Well go on."

She smiled. She could go on forever.

W.W.W.

And she did. They ended up finishing their homework and even went ahead as she got swept up talking about her favorite poets.

He smirked at her. "We got to do this again."

"Maybe you can come over after my lessons one day?" Mercedes remembered Judy's advice.

"To your place?" His eyes lit up. "Sure."

"Well I have to go. My sister's picking me up."

"Okay. See you Monday."

"Bye." She waved as she walked away.

"Bye, hot mama."

She walked to the other side of the park and spotted Laura's car. She got in the front and buckled up.

"So...?" Laura led.

Mercedes blushed. "It was nice."

"And?"

"And we're going to do it again."

Laura squealed. "I'm so happy for you! I'm sorry about Quinn."

"You know?"

Laura drove home. "I made her tell me why she had an attitude. It's ridiculous. Just because you got a date first? She needs to quit."

Mercedes smiled. "We're going to get her Finn. I don't know why she's acting like this."

"Finn? Who's Finn?"

Mercedes gasped. "She didn't tell you?!"

"No and you better. Who's Finn?"

W.W.W.

"You told her?!" Quinn yelled.

"It was an accident! I thought you told her!" Mercedes pouted.

"My life is over!" Quinn fell onto her bed face first.

"How? Laura's in college. She doesn't care about some high school drama."

"She'll find a way to ruin it!" She wailed.

Mercedes laid next to her. "You're being dramatic. Let's think up ways for Finn to notice you."