Take Me Back To That Day: Chapter 7
Title: Take Me Back To That Day
Fandom: Glee
Pairing: Samcedes
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: On-going/Multi-chaptered
Spoilers: Season 2/3 (?)
Summary: Mercedes Jones, a strong-willed college student, decided to take control of her future by transferring to another school. She didn't know that the move would also take her back to the past. Chapter 4
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
A/N: Okay! I'm back! So WHO is partying over the fact the Sam/Chord is officially back and we hopefully get our beloved pairing soon? I was flailing (literally rolling on my bed) over this all day. I suppose in celebration, I give you a new chapter of this story! Actually the timing is because that although I had this whole thing mapped out, it was really difficult writing this chapter... you'll probably see what I mean soon.
Oh, and another note. THANK YOU SO MUCH to those people who recommended my story on tumblr (my blog: Carosangtae). I got a lot more reviews and subscribers than I anticipated. And thank you so much to all of my readers and reviewers! This means a lot to me and it makes the experience of writing so enjoyable. Thank you again and enjoy!
Mercedes' eyes ran across the words. Flying through the paragraphs. Flip page. Her eyes flew open. She gasped. She raised an eyebrow. Her eyes widened again. Her mouth was slowly gaping open. She continued to fly through the words until they ended with the final period of the page. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She finally raised her eyes to meet a pair of green eyes looking expectantly back at her.
"So..." Sam began as he spun a pen in his fingers. "What do you think?" He was sitting across from her in the campus cafe. The hood of his red Richter sweater was pulled over his head, a tuft of blonde hair peeking out. He had a notebook open in front of him on the table but he was too focused on Mercedes' reaction to think about studying.
Mercedes put down the manuscript, an inch thick spiral bound stack of paper. "Wow. Just. Wow. That was... amazing. And that was just the second chapter!" She flicked her thumb through the remaining pages that was currently unread.
Sam broke out into a grin. "Really? You think so? I wasn't sure about the opener. For my first draft I thought it was a little shaky and confusing but I changed it around... changed the pace, added more detail. I dunno, you didn't think I was going too fast in the first chapter, was I?" He used his pen to scratch his head underneath the hood as he rambled. "I think I might have been a little too anxious with-"
"Sammy." Mercedes hit his forearm with his own manuscript. "Quit it. This is amazing. I'm not just trying to be nice. Seriously, this is some first class stuff. By the first paragraph, I was hooked. Action right from the beginning. I definitely want to read more. I'm stealing this thing away from you." She joked, pretending to put it in her bag.
Sam laughed. "Go ahead. Take it. I want you to read more of it and let me know how it is. I need another opinion other than Dr. Goldey." He twirled the pen intricately between his fingers.
Mercedes' eyes skimmed over the next chapter. "This is amazing, Sam. Like... it's something out of a published novel. I could totally see something like this on the New York Times Bestsellers list."
Sam scratched his nose, trying to hide a faint blush. "You really think that someone still in college could pull that off?"
"Christopher Paolini was a teenager when he released one of the best fantasy novels out there." Mercedes offered with a smirk.
"Yeah but he was a genius who graduated high school at the age of 15... I'm a dyslexic jock." He lowered his head.
"You were dyslexic. But look at you now! Writing stuff like this!" She held up the manuscript. "It doesn't matter if you are a football player or not. You show your worth where it counts."
Sam let out a sigh. "Is it enough, though?"
Mercedes leaned back in her seat, "Well, you'll never know unless you put this out there." She put a finger down on the pages.
"Yeah..." Sam started absently rubbing his chin. "Dr. Goldey was talking about a few publishers that would consider taking a sci-fi novel."
Mercedes gave him a sharp nod. "There you go. You're on your way."
"I... I don't know. Just because I get this thing to a publisher doesn't mean it'll work. I'm still not sure if I'm cut out for this." Sam rubbed the back of his neck.
"Nothing is set in stone. You have time to figure this out. Now you know you have options, not just one that everyone is forcing to you choose. And that's the first step. Know your potential." Mercedes nodded.
Sam stared straight into Mercedes' eyes in silence. Mercedes wasn't sure what he was thinking at the moment. It was almost as if those green eyes leered right into her. She felt herself get almost uncomfortable under his gaze before she saw a grin spread across his face. "Thank you, Cedes... really. Thanks a lot."
Mercedes smiled back. "It's nothing. I'm just helping out a good... friend."
Friend. There was something about that word that just sounded weird. But it shouldn't. They were friends. Nothing more. Yeah, they were in a relationship before, but that didn't mean that it had to be strange between them. And it wasn't strange. They weren't awkward around each other. It was a comfort to have a good guy friend that you could be completely honest with. Someone you could trust without all of the strings attached. But if she could admit it to herself, there may have been some residual feelings there. Mercedes couldn't help but think that something cracked open that one day he told her that his nickname was reserved for her.
"It just sounds right..."
There was something about it just got to her. She would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't attracted to him sometimes. He had the looks and a great personality. Everything that she loved about him didn't change over the years. Kurt did say something about finding feelings that were once put aside... But there was a part of herself that told her not to find it again. It felt like a distraction, a weakness, a part of her past that she didn't want to revisit at the moment. She was determined to become a strong independent woman and involving herself in a relationship meant that she was straying away from that path.
She felt she was constantly in a tug-of-war with herself. When he looked straight into her eyes, when he hugged her, when he smiled at her...there was a strong pull towards Sam. But then she would remember the almost literal pain of heartache, the tears, and the vulnerability. Then there was strong tug in the other direction. She continued the struggle, but she wasn't sure what side she was on. All she could do was try to put it all away in the back of her mind.
Mercedes nearly jumped when she heard her phone beep. She looked at the phone on the table and saw the words "restricted number". She let out a sigh. There was the tug in the other direction. She quickly deleted the text message. She looked up to see that Sam's eyes curiously followed her hands. He quickly looked away.
"So..." Sam tried to break the momentary silence. "What are your plans for the weekend?"
Was he trying to ask her out? No, can't be. "I'm not really sure. I think my friends are planning on going out since we finally don't have major tests next week. How about you?" She wasn't sure if she was implying anything to him. That could have been interpreted either way. She was mentally kicking herself for over thinking it.
Sam shrugged. "I don't really have plans. Coach is finally letting up on our schedule since we won the Simpson game. Usually us football players are pretty boring people. We go to bed early on a Friday night." He chuckled to himself. Sounded like he was just making conversation.
"Yeah, you guys have a pretty crazy schedule. With academics, I seriously don't know how you do it." Mercedes was honestly amazed at his abilities. Even in high school he always seemed to be juggling a bunch of things at once. He had to work, go to school, do his homework, go to football practice, take care his siblings, and he managed have a social life... with Mercedes as his girlfriend. Even with many of those things off the list, he still seemed like a busy guy. It was a wonder how he didn't explode from the stress.
"I don't know either. Every semester I'm surprised I ever make it out alive..." He checked his watch. "Time for practice, hopefully this won't be too long." He stood up and started packing his things.
"I say it every time and I say it now. Be safe. I really don't want you to bust your head open!" Mercedes smiled.
"Alright, alright. I won't. No sacks today." Sam laughed. "Have a great weekend, Cedes..." He bent over to give her a hug.
Sam never failed to do that after they would talk. She wasn't sure if she was receiving special treatment for that. He didn't hug any of his other friends. Well, they were guys. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't recall if Sam had any close girl friends here. Maybe if he did have any, he would do the same. There she was over thinking it again.
"You too, Sammy." Yeah...calling him by his nickname did sound right.
As Sam walked away, her phone beeped. Restricted number. There was the tug in the other direction again.
Thirteen voices blended perfectly together. The sopranos and the altos closely followed one another. The baritones and tenors richly filled out the sound. The bass was the foundation. It was all seamless. The thirteen people behind those voices sat in a circle closely watching one another, making sure they were in unison. Their connection was very strong. Once they reached the final note, they cut off with the wave of a hand.
Tiffany clapped her hands excitedly. "That was great guys! We're so ready for regionals!"
Caroline drew in a breath. "Man, that felt so good to sing like that!"
"Yeah, that was perfect!" Noelle hopped in her seat.
Joey ruffled his own hair. "Really? You sure? That was tough for me. A beatboxer singing tenor?"
"And another beatboxer singing alto?" Stephanie nervously pulled at her long blonde braid.
"It was a great plan. You guys sing so well! We really needed the extra voices for this song. You really filled in the places we needed." Rashad commented and several others nodded in agreement.
"Okay! So we're done, we're ready, and this hell week is over!" Valerie stood up quickly. "It's time to PARTY!" A few of them cheered with her.
"So what are we doing?" Andrew stood behind Nicky and rested his head on her shoulder.
Valerie half shrugged. "We can club hop downtown."
Noelle bit her lip before answering. "Hey, how about we just stay at one place? We have a pretty big group, it's so easy to split up when we all go club hopping."
"Yeah, we know how Elle can get lost." Rashad smirked.
"Shut up, Shad!" She whacked at the guy.
"Doesn't matter to me as long as I get my drink and dance on." Valerie smiled. "How about Club Red? I heard a bunch of people were heading over there tonight."
"Oh, the one with the stripper poles?" A goofy grin started to grow on Joey's face.
Tiffany laughed. "Oh, British boy is getting some ideas!"
"Maybe I do!" He waggled his eyebrows and gave Cliff a high-five.
Mercedes shared a look with Caroline and they both shook their heads at their group mates' banter. The Goldtones were a bunch of crazy kids. It seemed like the talk of tonight's plans was getting everyone energized. Mercedes couldn't help but be excited too. Since she got here, she did go out a few times. But after midterms, tons of assignments and tests, a night out was long overdue. It was time to trade the study night sweats for a cute party dress.
"Alright, girls, we're getting ready at my place!" Tiffany loudly announced. Heather and Madison were already bounding out of the room to go and get their stuff from their dorm room. Mercedes and Noelle also hurried out of the music building and went to their room to pick up their clothes, makeup, and hair supplies. Then they made the trek to the west campus where most of the senior apartments were located.
By the time they arrived at Tiffany and Valerie's apartment, most of the girls were already there getting dressed. Eventually all of them were crowding the mirrors in the bathrooms and bedrooms.
After her hair and makeup, Mercedes slipped on her dress, a black off-the-shoulder lace dress that was fitted to compliment her curves. After a lot of tugging and twirling in front of the mirror, she was ready to come out of the bathroom to show it off.
Noelle was the first to see. "Oh my god," She gasped. "Drop dead gorgeous!" She ran over to her to give her a crushing hug.
Tiffany gave their newest member a once over, "Heads will be turnin' tonight! Courtesy of Miss Jones!" The other girls smiled in agreement.
After a close call with a curling iron, a lipstick stain dilemma, some music from Valerie's stereo, a lot of dancing in the living room, and a little pre-game drinking, they were ready to go. They took three taxis to the club where there were meeting the guys.
As a large pack of good looking girls, it didn't take long for them to get in the club. Once Mercedes crossed the threshold of Club Red, the mood of the night completely changed. Her ears were immediately bombarded by the constant beat of the bass that felt like it was humming her chest. The whole place was much darker than the lighted streets outside, but it was lit by a shroud of red and some random spotlights beaming down throughout the club.
It wasn't long before the girls found the Goldtones guys who sat at a booth in the corner. Once they were all settled and chatting away, Valerie screamed out above the music. "IT'S TIME FOR SHOTS!"
Mercedes wasn't sure how Valerie and the other guys managed it but the shots kept coming. Lemon drops, B-151s, jolly ranchers, tequila, jagerbombs. She wasn't a huge drinker and she wasn't planning on getting completely wasted that night, but she definitely threw back more than any lightweight. Once she definitely started to feel it, she turned down more shots and resorted to drinking a midori sour, her personal favorite cocktail. It was definitely a drink that kept her hyped.
Stephanie gasped. "Oh god, guys. STOP." She wildly threw her arms out. "That's my song!"
Tiffany pointed to the front of the club. "Goldtones! Report your asses to the dance floor!" Everyone hollered and filed out of the booth to the main dancing area.
The bass of the song was addictive. Seeing all of her close friends surrounding her made her so happy. All of it along with the influence of alcohol made her just throw herself into the music. Most of the time, Mercedes was dancing up against Noelle, Valerie, or Tiffany. Other times the other girls or the guys stepped in to dance with her. Whenever she was in the club, she made it a point of sticking with her friends because the idea of getting advances from some random guy was not her idea of fun. She admitted it to herself, in a club full of drunk guys, her backside was kind of a magnet.
As an night wore on, her friends had come and gone. She even took a break herself, but soon, after some water and another shot, she and some of the others were back on the dance floor. They were all enjoying themselves dancing in a circle. One of them would jump in the middle for a drunken dance solo as the others hollered for them. In all of the chaos, Mercedes almost didn't realize that there was a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and the first thing she saw a big smile.
And that smile undoubtedly belonged to Sam Evans. It wasn't long before she was able to take him all in. He was wearing dark wash jeans with a fitted black collared shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was tousled in a messy yet styled way.
HOLY. SHIT. He was hot.
Mercedes couldn't help but laugh loudly at her own surprise. The many drinks she had that night did not leave any kind of filter. "SAMMY!" She screamed and threw herself at him for a hug.
"Hey Cedes." Sam replied close to her ear so that she could hear him over the music.
"Boring football player decided to go out and have some fun, huh?" Mercedes called back in his ear.
Sam chuckled. "Right, well I can't let you have all the fun." It was in this proximity that she could smell the alcohol in his breath.
The atmosphere of this club didn't allow for a lot of conversation so she turned back to her friends and let Sam in the circle. Her friends yelled out their greetings. She also noticed the surprised looks on their faces and how their gaze darted from Sam to herself. Noelle was wearing a very smug grin that she was obnoxiously showing it to her best friend. Mercedes did her best to ignore it.
It wasn't long before Sam got himself comfortable with her friends. They soon pushed him into the circle so that he could show off his white boy moves. It was very reminiscent of his prom night moves which brought back so many good memories for Mercedes. That night during junior prom, they dancing like fools, not caring what anyone else thought. It was that night when both Sam and Mercedes could really be themselves.
"Seriously? You're busting out the robot? You're amazing, Cedes!" Sam laughed harder than she had ever heard him laugh before.
That goofy, fun loving smile was plastered on Sam's face once again. In the middle of the dance floor, some of Sam's football friends showed up to show off their own moves. As the group of people got bigger, the formation began to break apart. Mercedes started dancing with Noelle again but soon she remembered that a certain blonde boy wasn't too far away. With a quick look over her shoulder she noticed that he was behind her. He was facing her but some girl tried to strike up a 'yell in each other's ear' conversation with him.
Mercedes was jealous. Once again, no filter here. At this moment, there were no feelings to hide. Maybe Noelle was right, maybe he was interested. Right now with him looking they way he did, she wasdefinitely interested. There was only one way to know for sure about his opinion. Mercedes continued to dance but she subtlety started backing up closer to Sam. She was still a good foot away from him but she waved and moved her hips to the music.
Mercedes was going to make Sam come to her.
It wasn't long before she felt a warmth coming from behind her. With a toss of her hair behind her shoulder, Mercedes could see a glimpse of black cloth and a light skinned, well-toned upper arm. Sam was inches away from her now.
She no longer cared about her worries about how she didn't want to bother with the past. She was living in the present. And right now there she was with a boy that she cared so much for. They were close as friends and she knew they were capable of being more than friends. And with the haze of alcohol, the heat of the club, and the moving force of the music... it all just made her attraction to this good-looking man that much stronger.
Mercedes no longer really felt in control of her actions anymore. It was as if there was a magnetic pull that drew her closer to him, that pushed her back flush against his chest. She felt her stomach flip as she felt him against her moving to the same beat. His chest, his crotch, his legs... there was no space between them now.
After the initial shock, she felt the need to explore this new level of closeness that they had entered. In high school when they were dating, they kissed, they made out, hands did roam somewhat, but they never went much farther. What was happening now was completely different. What they had done in the past was never this... sensual.
As Mercedes moved, she could feel Sam's obviously well-formed abs with her back. The feeling made her stomach flip. But what really made her heart start racing was when she noticed a pair of large hands placing themselves on her hips. At first they just rested softly against her but with the moves that she was making, those hands started to grip her more firmly. If it was possible, she was pulled even closer to his body. Every move he made, she could feel it.
The connection they felt before this night was amplified by this moment. Mercedes let a different side of her take over and hold on to this connection. Her inhibitions were absolutely gone. She couldn't help but think about his eyes, this smile, his warm embrace, and the scent of him that she could still smell under a hint of cologne.
As she got lost in the moment, Mercedes didn't realize that her own hand reached up above her shoulder and made contact with Sam's neck. Almost working on its own, her hand slid down his sweaty neck to his collarbone almost to the top of his bare chest under his shirt before falling down and resting on top of his hand. She could almost feel him shudder against her touch, his hands gripped her hips tighter. Mercedes smiled. He was completely effected by her.
But she soon felt a shift in dominance once she felt something along her neck. She turned slightly to see his blonde hair right over her shoulder. She tilted away as she felt his hot breath brush her neck and bare shoulder. They continued to move with the music as she felt the touch of his full lips make contact with the crook of her neck. A rush of electricity coursed straight down her body. She couldn't help but take in a gasp as those lips moved up her neck, behind her ear, then back down close to her collarbone. His hands started roaming up and down her sides. The feeling that was pulsing and crashing within her was intense.
It was way too intense. They were in the middle of this club with people surrounding them. And this was really happening.
Her initial instinct was to get out of there. For the both of them to get off this dance floor. This was not the right place. She immediately followed though. She grabbed the hand that was on her right hip and pulled him along with her. As she was moving for the hallway in the back of the club, she finally let herself look back at him. Sam looked back at her. The fierce gaze that he was giving her blew her away. Years ago she once saw a glimpse of it but this was different. His usually bright green eyes smouldered into a dark deep green.
Her heart was racing as she felt herself follow one instinct: She wanted Sam Evans. All of him.
Once they reached the end of the hallway in the back of the club, Mercedes turned to him and Sam did the rest. He pushed her against the the wall with his body and practically assaulted her neck. The sensations that we was getting from his lips, his teeth, and his tongue on her skin completely overwhelmed her. She gasped for air and here was nothing stopping her from releasing a moan which seemed to energize his efforts. Mercedes grasped at the back of his neck to stabilize herself and to keep him close.
All of sudden she felt something else... it wasn't from Sam. Her phone was vibrating in her skirt pocket. She knew who it was. Like a douse of cold water, it suddenly brought her back to her senses. She remembered the reason why she strayed away from relationships from her past. With a marked force, she pushed him away.
"Sam..."
Sam pressed his forehead against hers. His breathing completely haggard and laced with alcohol. He eyes filled with lust and want. His lips red and moist. Mercedes wanted nothing more than to continue with what they were doing... but that tug in the other direction was way too strong.
"Sammy... I'm so sorry. I can't do this."
Before Mercedes could see or hear him respond, she walked out of his hold and ran for it.
The next morning, Mercedes really could feel it.
It wasn't just a hangover. The aftermath of alcohol only left her with a slight headache. What she was really feeling was guilt. Guilt over leading Sam on and completely messing up their friendship. There were so many mistakes and thoughts that she should have kept in check that night but she was swept away by the chaos of the the whole experience.
Everything following her exit from the club was a blur. She remembered telling Noelle that she wanted to go home. She remembered that she cried at one point. She remembered dreaming of being back in Sam's embrace again.
The next day, she felt suffocated by her thoughts. He was all she could think of. She decided to go outside and collect herself. She grabbed the book she was currently reading and bounded out of the dorm. Once she left the building, the bite of early winter's chill brought her back into focus. She needed to remember what was important in her life. Before all of this chaos, she was bent on concentrating on the future. She was taking leaps and bounds toward finding and achieving her career goals. She didn't want to be hindered by relationship issues.
That was it. She just needed to remember that.
While she was walking to the east campus fountain, she realized two things. First, it was too cold to be reading outside. Second, Sam could find her and try to talk to her. She didn't know if she was ready for that right now. There was so much to say but she didn't want to say it because she didn't want to hurt him.
Or maybe he wasn't hurt because it was just something he did when he was drunk. When she thought about that, she couldn't help but think that her own feelings would get hurt. Her connection to him felt genuine. Hearing that it wasn't so on his side would probably wound her a little.
As if on cue, she felt tap on her shoulder.
Oh god... what do I say?
Instead of the blonde boy that she was expecting, Mercedes turned around and faced the last person she thought she would see.
"Jeffery... what are you doing here?"
A/N: REVIEW PLEASE! They keep me going and help me a lot! Thank you so much for reading all the way up to this point!
Fandom: Glee
Pairing: Samcedes
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: On-going/Multi-chaptered
Spoilers: Season 2/3 (?)
Summary: Mercedes Jones, a strong-willed college student, decided to take control of her future by transferring to another school. She didn't know that the move would also take her back to the past. Chapter 4
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
A/N: Okay! I'm back! So WHO is partying over the fact the Sam/Chord is officially back and we hopefully get our beloved pairing soon? I was flailing (literally rolling on my bed) over this all day. I suppose in celebration, I give you a new chapter of this story! Actually the timing is because that although I had this whole thing mapped out, it was really difficult writing this chapter... you'll probably see what I mean soon.
Oh, and another note. THANK YOU SO MUCH to those people who recommended my story on tumblr (my blog: Carosangtae). I got a lot more reviews and subscribers than I anticipated. And thank you so much to all of my readers and reviewers! This means a lot to me and it makes the experience of writing so enjoyable. Thank you again and enjoy!
Mercedes' eyes ran across the words. Flying through the paragraphs. Flip page. Her eyes flew open. She gasped. She raised an eyebrow. Her eyes widened again. Her mouth was slowly gaping open. She continued to fly through the words until they ended with the final period of the page. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She finally raised her eyes to meet a pair of green eyes looking expectantly back at her.
"So..." Sam began as he spun a pen in his fingers. "What do you think?" He was sitting across from her in the campus cafe. The hood of his red Richter sweater was pulled over his head, a tuft of blonde hair peeking out. He had a notebook open in front of him on the table but he was too focused on Mercedes' reaction to think about studying.
Mercedes put down the manuscript, an inch thick spiral bound stack of paper. "Wow. Just. Wow. That was... amazing. And that was just the second chapter!" She flicked her thumb through the remaining pages that was currently unread.
Sam broke out into a grin. "Really? You think so? I wasn't sure about the opener. For my first draft I thought it was a little shaky and confusing but I changed it around... changed the pace, added more detail. I dunno, you didn't think I was going too fast in the first chapter, was I?" He used his pen to scratch his head underneath the hood as he rambled. "I think I might have been a little too anxious with-"
"Sammy." Mercedes hit his forearm with his own manuscript. "Quit it. This is amazing. I'm not just trying to be nice. Seriously, this is some first class stuff. By the first paragraph, I was hooked. Action right from the beginning. I definitely want to read more. I'm stealing this thing away from you." She joked, pretending to put it in her bag.
Sam laughed. "Go ahead. Take it. I want you to read more of it and let me know how it is. I need another opinion other than Dr. Goldey." He twirled the pen intricately between his fingers.
Mercedes' eyes skimmed over the next chapter. "This is amazing, Sam. Like... it's something out of a published novel. I could totally see something like this on the New York Times Bestsellers list."
Sam scratched his nose, trying to hide a faint blush. "You really think that someone still in college could pull that off?"
"Christopher Paolini was a teenager when he released one of the best fantasy novels out there." Mercedes offered with a smirk.
"Yeah but he was a genius who graduated high school at the age of 15... I'm a dyslexic jock." He lowered his head.
"You were dyslexic. But look at you now! Writing stuff like this!" She held up the manuscript. "It doesn't matter if you are a football player or not. You show your worth where it counts."
Sam let out a sigh. "Is it enough, though?"
Mercedes leaned back in her seat, "Well, you'll never know unless you put this out there." She put a finger down on the pages.
"Yeah..." Sam started absently rubbing his chin. "Dr. Goldey was talking about a few publishers that would consider taking a sci-fi novel."
Mercedes gave him a sharp nod. "There you go. You're on your way."
"I... I don't know. Just because I get this thing to a publisher doesn't mean it'll work. I'm still not sure if I'm cut out for this." Sam rubbed the back of his neck.
"Nothing is set in stone. You have time to figure this out. Now you know you have options, not just one that everyone is forcing to you choose. And that's the first step. Know your potential." Mercedes nodded.
Sam stared straight into Mercedes' eyes in silence. Mercedes wasn't sure what he was thinking at the moment. It was almost as if those green eyes leered right into her. She felt herself get almost uncomfortable under his gaze before she saw a grin spread across his face. "Thank you, Cedes... really. Thanks a lot."
Mercedes smiled back. "It's nothing. I'm just helping out a good... friend."
Friend. There was something about that word that just sounded weird. But it shouldn't. They were friends. Nothing more. Yeah, they were in a relationship before, but that didn't mean that it had to be strange between them. And it wasn't strange. They weren't awkward around each other. It was a comfort to have a good guy friend that you could be completely honest with. Someone you could trust without all of the strings attached. But if she could admit it to herself, there may have been some residual feelings there. Mercedes couldn't help but think that something cracked open that one day he told her that his nickname was reserved for her.
"It just sounds right..."
There was something about it just got to her. She would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't attracted to him sometimes. He had the looks and a great personality. Everything that she loved about him didn't change over the years. Kurt did say something about finding feelings that were once put aside... But there was a part of herself that told her not to find it again. It felt like a distraction, a weakness, a part of her past that she didn't want to revisit at the moment. She was determined to become a strong independent woman and involving herself in a relationship meant that she was straying away from that path.
She felt she was constantly in a tug-of-war with herself. When he looked straight into her eyes, when he hugged her, when he smiled at her...there was a strong pull towards Sam. But then she would remember the almost literal pain of heartache, the tears, and the vulnerability. Then there was strong tug in the other direction. She continued the struggle, but she wasn't sure what side she was on. All she could do was try to put it all away in the back of her mind.
Mercedes nearly jumped when she heard her phone beep. She looked at the phone on the table and saw the words "restricted number". She let out a sigh. There was the tug in the other direction. She quickly deleted the text message. She looked up to see that Sam's eyes curiously followed her hands. He quickly looked away.
"So..." Sam tried to break the momentary silence. "What are your plans for the weekend?"
Was he trying to ask her out? No, can't be. "I'm not really sure. I think my friends are planning on going out since we finally don't have major tests next week. How about you?" She wasn't sure if she was implying anything to him. That could have been interpreted either way. She was mentally kicking herself for over thinking it.
Sam shrugged. "I don't really have plans. Coach is finally letting up on our schedule since we won the Simpson game. Usually us football players are pretty boring people. We go to bed early on a Friday night." He chuckled to himself. Sounded like he was just making conversation.
"Yeah, you guys have a pretty crazy schedule. With academics, I seriously don't know how you do it." Mercedes was honestly amazed at his abilities. Even in high school he always seemed to be juggling a bunch of things at once. He had to work, go to school, do his homework, go to football practice, take care his siblings, and he managed have a social life... with Mercedes as his girlfriend. Even with many of those things off the list, he still seemed like a busy guy. It was a wonder how he didn't explode from the stress.
"I don't know either. Every semester I'm surprised I ever make it out alive..." He checked his watch. "Time for practice, hopefully this won't be too long." He stood up and started packing his things.
"I say it every time and I say it now. Be safe. I really don't want you to bust your head open!" Mercedes smiled.
"Alright, alright. I won't. No sacks today." Sam laughed. "Have a great weekend, Cedes..." He bent over to give her a hug.
Sam never failed to do that after they would talk. She wasn't sure if she was receiving special treatment for that. He didn't hug any of his other friends. Well, they were guys. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't recall if Sam had any close girl friends here. Maybe if he did have any, he would do the same. There she was over thinking it again.
"You too, Sammy." Yeah...calling him by his nickname did sound right.
As Sam walked away, her phone beeped. Restricted number. There was the tug in the other direction again.
Thirteen voices blended perfectly together. The sopranos and the altos closely followed one another. The baritones and tenors richly filled out the sound. The bass was the foundation. It was all seamless. The thirteen people behind those voices sat in a circle closely watching one another, making sure they were in unison. Their connection was very strong. Once they reached the final note, they cut off with the wave of a hand.
Tiffany clapped her hands excitedly. "That was great guys! We're so ready for regionals!"
Caroline drew in a breath. "Man, that felt so good to sing like that!"
"Yeah, that was perfect!" Noelle hopped in her seat.
Joey ruffled his own hair. "Really? You sure? That was tough for me. A beatboxer singing tenor?"
"And another beatboxer singing alto?" Stephanie nervously pulled at her long blonde braid.
"It was a great plan. You guys sing so well! We really needed the extra voices for this song. You really filled in the places we needed." Rashad commented and several others nodded in agreement.
"Okay! So we're done, we're ready, and this hell week is over!" Valerie stood up quickly. "It's time to PARTY!" A few of them cheered with her.
"So what are we doing?" Andrew stood behind Nicky and rested his head on her shoulder.
Valerie half shrugged. "We can club hop downtown."
Noelle bit her lip before answering. "Hey, how about we just stay at one place? We have a pretty big group, it's so easy to split up when we all go club hopping."
"Yeah, we know how Elle can get lost." Rashad smirked.
"Shut up, Shad!" She whacked at the guy.
"Doesn't matter to me as long as I get my drink and dance on." Valerie smiled. "How about Club Red? I heard a bunch of people were heading over there tonight."
"Oh, the one with the stripper poles?" A goofy grin started to grow on Joey's face.
Tiffany laughed. "Oh, British boy is getting some ideas!"
"Maybe I do!" He waggled his eyebrows and gave Cliff a high-five.
Mercedes shared a look with Caroline and they both shook their heads at their group mates' banter. The Goldtones were a bunch of crazy kids. It seemed like the talk of tonight's plans was getting everyone energized. Mercedes couldn't help but be excited too. Since she got here, she did go out a few times. But after midterms, tons of assignments and tests, a night out was long overdue. It was time to trade the study night sweats for a cute party dress.
"Alright, girls, we're getting ready at my place!" Tiffany loudly announced. Heather and Madison were already bounding out of the room to go and get their stuff from their dorm room. Mercedes and Noelle also hurried out of the music building and went to their room to pick up their clothes, makeup, and hair supplies. Then they made the trek to the west campus where most of the senior apartments were located.
By the time they arrived at Tiffany and Valerie's apartment, most of the girls were already there getting dressed. Eventually all of them were crowding the mirrors in the bathrooms and bedrooms.
After her hair and makeup, Mercedes slipped on her dress, a black off-the-shoulder lace dress that was fitted to compliment her curves. After a lot of tugging and twirling in front of the mirror, she was ready to come out of the bathroom to show it off.
Noelle was the first to see. "Oh my god," She gasped. "Drop dead gorgeous!" She ran over to her to give her a crushing hug.
Tiffany gave their newest member a once over, "Heads will be turnin' tonight! Courtesy of Miss Jones!" The other girls smiled in agreement.
After a close call with a curling iron, a lipstick stain dilemma, some music from Valerie's stereo, a lot of dancing in the living room, and a little pre-game drinking, they were ready to go. They took three taxis to the club where there were meeting the guys.
As a large pack of good looking girls, it didn't take long for them to get in the club. Once Mercedes crossed the threshold of Club Red, the mood of the night completely changed. Her ears were immediately bombarded by the constant beat of the bass that felt like it was humming her chest. The whole place was much darker than the lighted streets outside, but it was lit by a shroud of red and some random spotlights beaming down throughout the club.
It wasn't long before the girls found the Goldtones guys who sat at a booth in the corner. Once they were all settled and chatting away, Valerie screamed out above the music. "IT'S TIME FOR SHOTS!"
Mercedes wasn't sure how Valerie and the other guys managed it but the shots kept coming. Lemon drops, B-151s, jolly ranchers, tequila, jagerbombs. She wasn't a huge drinker and she wasn't planning on getting completely wasted that night, but she definitely threw back more than any lightweight. Once she definitely started to feel it, she turned down more shots and resorted to drinking a midori sour, her personal favorite cocktail. It was definitely a drink that kept her hyped.
Stephanie gasped. "Oh god, guys. STOP." She wildly threw her arms out. "That's my song!"
Tiffany pointed to the front of the club. "Goldtones! Report your asses to the dance floor!" Everyone hollered and filed out of the booth to the main dancing area.
The bass of the song was addictive. Seeing all of her close friends surrounding her made her so happy. All of it along with the influence of alcohol made her just throw herself into the music. Most of the time, Mercedes was dancing up against Noelle, Valerie, or Tiffany. Other times the other girls or the guys stepped in to dance with her. Whenever she was in the club, she made it a point of sticking with her friends because the idea of getting advances from some random guy was not her idea of fun. She admitted it to herself, in a club full of drunk guys, her backside was kind of a magnet.
As an night wore on, her friends had come and gone. She even took a break herself, but soon, after some water and another shot, she and some of the others were back on the dance floor. They were all enjoying themselves dancing in a circle. One of them would jump in the middle for a drunken dance solo as the others hollered for them. In all of the chaos, Mercedes almost didn't realize that there was a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and the first thing she saw a big smile.
And that smile undoubtedly belonged to Sam Evans. It wasn't long before she was able to take him all in. He was wearing dark wash jeans with a fitted black collared shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was tousled in a messy yet styled way.
HOLY. SHIT. He was hot.
Mercedes couldn't help but laugh loudly at her own surprise. The many drinks she had that night did not leave any kind of filter. "SAMMY!" She screamed and threw herself at him for a hug.
"Hey Cedes." Sam replied close to her ear so that she could hear him over the music.
"Boring football player decided to go out and have some fun, huh?" Mercedes called back in his ear.
Sam chuckled. "Right, well I can't let you have all the fun." It was in this proximity that she could smell the alcohol in his breath.
The atmosphere of this club didn't allow for a lot of conversation so she turned back to her friends and let Sam in the circle. Her friends yelled out their greetings. She also noticed the surprised looks on their faces and how their gaze darted from Sam to herself. Noelle was wearing a very smug grin that she was obnoxiously showing it to her best friend. Mercedes did her best to ignore it.
It wasn't long before Sam got himself comfortable with her friends. They soon pushed him into the circle so that he could show off his white boy moves. It was very reminiscent of his prom night moves which brought back so many good memories for Mercedes. That night during junior prom, they dancing like fools, not caring what anyone else thought. It was that night when both Sam and Mercedes could really be themselves.
"Seriously? You're busting out the robot? You're amazing, Cedes!" Sam laughed harder than she had ever heard him laugh before.
That goofy, fun loving smile was plastered on Sam's face once again. In the middle of the dance floor, some of Sam's football friends showed up to show off their own moves. As the group of people got bigger, the formation began to break apart. Mercedes started dancing with Noelle again but soon she remembered that a certain blonde boy wasn't too far away. With a quick look over her shoulder she noticed that he was behind her. He was facing her but some girl tried to strike up a 'yell in each other's ear' conversation with him.
Mercedes was jealous. Once again, no filter here. At this moment, there were no feelings to hide. Maybe Noelle was right, maybe he was interested. Right now with him looking they way he did, she wasdefinitely interested. There was only one way to know for sure about his opinion. Mercedes continued to dance but she subtlety started backing up closer to Sam. She was still a good foot away from him but she waved and moved her hips to the music.
Mercedes was going to make Sam come to her.
It wasn't long before she felt a warmth coming from behind her. With a toss of her hair behind her shoulder, Mercedes could see a glimpse of black cloth and a light skinned, well-toned upper arm. Sam was inches away from her now.
She no longer cared about her worries about how she didn't want to bother with the past. She was living in the present. And right now there she was with a boy that she cared so much for. They were close as friends and she knew they were capable of being more than friends. And with the haze of alcohol, the heat of the club, and the moving force of the music... it all just made her attraction to this good-looking man that much stronger.
Mercedes no longer really felt in control of her actions anymore. It was as if there was a magnetic pull that drew her closer to him, that pushed her back flush against his chest. She felt her stomach flip as she felt him against her moving to the same beat. His chest, his crotch, his legs... there was no space between them now.
After the initial shock, she felt the need to explore this new level of closeness that they had entered. In high school when they were dating, they kissed, they made out, hands did roam somewhat, but they never went much farther. What was happening now was completely different. What they had done in the past was never this... sensual.
As Mercedes moved, she could feel Sam's obviously well-formed abs with her back. The feeling made her stomach flip. But what really made her heart start racing was when she noticed a pair of large hands placing themselves on her hips. At first they just rested softly against her but with the moves that she was making, those hands started to grip her more firmly. If it was possible, she was pulled even closer to his body. Every move he made, she could feel it.
The connection they felt before this night was amplified by this moment. Mercedes let a different side of her take over and hold on to this connection. Her inhibitions were absolutely gone. She couldn't help but think about his eyes, this smile, his warm embrace, and the scent of him that she could still smell under a hint of cologne.
As she got lost in the moment, Mercedes didn't realize that her own hand reached up above her shoulder and made contact with Sam's neck. Almost working on its own, her hand slid down his sweaty neck to his collarbone almost to the top of his bare chest under his shirt before falling down and resting on top of his hand. She could almost feel him shudder against her touch, his hands gripped her hips tighter. Mercedes smiled. He was completely effected by her.
But she soon felt a shift in dominance once she felt something along her neck. She turned slightly to see his blonde hair right over her shoulder. She tilted away as she felt his hot breath brush her neck and bare shoulder. They continued to move with the music as she felt the touch of his full lips make contact with the crook of her neck. A rush of electricity coursed straight down her body. She couldn't help but take in a gasp as those lips moved up her neck, behind her ear, then back down close to her collarbone. His hands started roaming up and down her sides. The feeling that was pulsing and crashing within her was intense.
It was way too intense. They were in the middle of this club with people surrounding them. And this was really happening.
Her initial instinct was to get out of there. For the both of them to get off this dance floor. This was not the right place. She immediately followed though. She grabbed the hand that was on her right hip and pulled him along with her. As she was moving for the hallway in the back of the club, she finally let herself look back at him. Sam looked back at her. The fierce gaze that he was giving her blew her away. Years ago she once saw a glimpse of it but this was different. His usually bright green eyes smouldered into a dark deep green.
Her heart was racing as she felt herself follow one instinct: She wanted Sam Evans. All of him.
Once they reached the end of the hallway in the back of the club, Mercedes turned to him and Sam did the rest. He pushed her against the the wall with his body and practically assaulted her neck. The sensations that we was getting from his lips, his teeth, and his tongue on her skin completely overwhelmed her. She gasped for air and here was nothing stopping her from releasing a moan which seemed to energize his efforts. Mercedes grasped at the back of his neck to stabilize herself and to keep him close.
All of sudden she felt something else... it wasn't from Sam. Her phone was vibrating in her skirt pocket. She knew who it was. Like a douse of cold water, it suddenly brought her back to her senses. She remembered the reason why she strayed away from relationships from her past. With a marked force, she pushed him away.
"Sam..."
Sam pressed his forehead against hers. His breathing completely haggard and laced with alcohol. He eyes filled with lust and want. His lips red and moist. Mercedes wanted nothing more than to continue with what they were doing... but that tug in the other direction was way too strong.
"Sammy... I'm so sorry. I can't do this."
Before Mercedes could see or hear him respond, she walked out of his hold and ran for it.
The next morning, Mercedes really could feel it.
It wasn't just a hangover. The aftermath of alcohol only left her with a slight headache. What she was really feeling was guilt. Guilt over leading Sam on and completely messing up their friendship. There were so many mistakes and thoughts that she should have kept in check that night but she was swept away by the chaos of the the whole experience.
Everything following her exit from the club was a blur. She remembered telling Noelle that she wanted to go home. She remembered that she cried at one point. She remembered dreaming of being back in Sam's embrace again.
The next day, she felt suffocated by her thoughts. He was all she could think of. She decided to go outside and collect herself. She grabbed the book she was currently reading and bounded out of the dorm. Once she left the building, the bite of early winter's chill brought her back into focus. She needed to remember what was important in her life. Before all of this chaos, she was bent on concentrating on the future. She was taking leaps and bounds toward finding and achieving her career goals. She didn't want to be hindered by relationship issues.
That was it. She just needed to remember that.
While she was walking to the east campus fountain, she realized two things. First, it was too cold to be reading outside. Second, Sam could find her and try to talk to her. She didn't know if she was ready for that right now. There was so much to say but she didn't want to say it because she didn't want to hurt him.
Or maybe he wasn't hurt because it was just something he did when he was drunk. When she thought about that, she couldn't help but think that her own feelings would get hurt. Her connection to him felt genuine. Hearing that it wasn't so on his side would probably wound her a little.
As if on cue, she felt tap on her shoulder.
Oh god... what do I say?
Instead of the blonde boy that she was expecting, Mercedes turned around and faced the last person she thought she would see.
"Jeffery... what are you doing here?"
A/N: REVIEW PLEASE! They keep me going and help me a lot! Thank you so much for reading all the way up to this point!