And the marquee reads:

The Hometown Hero Tour

Sam Evans

LIVE in concert

24th – 26th

"So everything is set." Noah Puckerman said as he scrolled through his Blackberry. "Party for the "Hometown Hero" on his arrival back to Ohio and three shows and three after parties."

"Cool cool." Sam Evans said, writing lyrics in his song book.

"Are you ok? You seem tense." Puck said watching his friend fiddle with his guitar.

"Why would I be tense?" Sam said looking at him. "It's just Ohio. No different than any other place."

"Right." Puck said sarcastically. "Well Mike is going to meet us at the airport."

"Why'd you say it like that?" Sam asked.

"No reason." Puck got up and headed for the cock pit. "Oh and by the way I invited Mercedes." he said before disappearing inside the tiny room.

Mercedes Jones. She was one of Sam's best friends and he was really excited to see her. It had been awhile since they were face to face. They hadn't talked in over three months because since their last conversation, Sam didn't know what to say to her.

He had opened his email and attached to it was a photo of Mercedes and her boyfriend Shane. He had simply emailed her back and said one single, solitary word. Congratulations. But now he could fix whatever he had broken.

He put his guitar away and sat back in his chair and tried to fall asleep, but thoughts of Mercedes and everything he wanted to say to her keep churning in his mind.

"Sam wake up." Puck said shaking his friend back to consciousness.

"What?" Sam said opening one eye.

"Put your seat belt on man. We're about to land." Sam nodded his head and put his seat belt on.

XXXXX

"Sam!" he heard his name yelled though the crowded airport.

"Mike!" Sam yelled back. He hadn't seen his best friend for a long time but he was happy now. "Hey man!"

"Hey! It's so good to see you! How have you been?" Mike asked enthusiastically.

"Good. Just busy. How's married life?" Sam said smiling as the three of them walked toward the parking lot.

"When you have an amazing wife like Tina, it's always going to be wonderful." Mike said beaming. "We can't wait to for the party tonight."

"I'm glad you guys are coming." Sam said throwing his bags in the trunk.

"Tina and the girls have been shopping all week." Mike said laughing. Sam smiled. She's really coming. They climbed in to Mike's car and Sam claimed the backseat for himself.

"Hey Mercy." he text.

"Hi Sam."

"How's it going?"

"Good. You?" she text back, but before he could reply she text him again. "NVM! You're Sam Evans! Rock star!" He laughed and Mike and Puck turned and looked at him.

"What's wrong with you?" Puck asked.

"What? Nothing." he said and returned to his phone. "I LOL'd. Now Pike thinks I'm crazy. Thanx."

"Sorry!"

"So I'm going to see you tonight right?"

"No. I've already got plans. I'm sorry." she text back. Sam felt the disappointment begin to take hold.

"Ok. That's ok. In town for 3 days. We gotta catch up." he text her. He waited for a response but nothing. "Only if you want Mercedes. No pressure." he text her.

"It's complicated, but we'll see." she text back.

XXXXXX

"You were awesome!" Puck said as Sam ran off the stage from doing his last encore of the night.

"Thanks man." Sam said taking a towel from a P.A.

"Yeah no problem. You didn't sound like you were distracted at all." Puck said opening the door to the dressing room.

"What?"

"I know she said she wasn't coming tonight."

"So you're going through my phone now?" Sam asked rolling his eyes.

"No." Puck said. "Santana told me."

"Of course she did." Sam muttered.

"Look man, it's not the end of the world and you have work to do." Puck said standing behind him.

"I know. I'm cool." Sam said. "Let me get showered up and I'll be out in like 15 and we can head over to the club."

"Cool." Puck said leaving him alone.

'Hey.' he text.

'Hi.' Mercedes text back.

'Are you sure you can't come tonight?'

'I'm sure Sam.'

'What about tomorrow?'

'Probably not.'

'The next?'

'No.'

'That's my last day in town.'

'Maybe. I'll let you know.'

"I want to see you Mercy.'

'I know. I'll let you know.'

'Bye.'

'Bye.' He read in her last text. Sam threw his phone on the tabletop and headed toward the bathroom.

XXXXXXX

Sam spent the entire night in the VIP section. He saw Mike, Tina, Kurt and Blaine on the dance floor but he just waved to them. Puck told him that no one else could make it tonight but they were all definitely coming the big bash on their last day in town. Sam faked enthusiasm as best he could but if Mercedes wasn't coming, he didn't really feel like partying.

"Sam!" Puck yelled over the music.

"What?"

"Snap the fuck out of it!"

"What are you talking about man?" Sam yelled.

"No one wants to come party with a rock star who is just going to sulk in the VIP all night." Puck said.

"I'm not sulking."

"Yes you are." Puck said. "Get over it man. She's not coming tonight, but there like 200 other bitches out there that would kill to get even a second of your attention."

"You know it's not the same thing."

"It'll feel the same to your dick." Puck said. "You just need a distraction and there are hundreds of them down there on the dance floor."

"You're right man. Let's do this." Sam said clearing his head off all things Mercedes as he followed Puck downstairs to the throbbing dance floor.

XXXXXXX

Sam awoke the next morning surrounded by girls. Two in his bed with him, one in the chair by the window and since the shower was running, he figured there was one in there. He eased out bed, making sure he didn't wake the two girls. He went to his suitcase pulled out four head shots signed them and left them on the desk. He grabbed some clothes, locked his suitcase in the closet, grabbed his carry-on and sneaked out of the room.

"What are you doing?" Puck asked when he opened his room door.

"I need to come in." Sam said.

"You're lucky I already sent that girl away. Get in here." Puck said holding the door open.

"Thanks bro." Sam said ducking into the room.

"What happened last night?"

"Uh, I'm pretty sure you can figure it out." Sam chuckled flipping on the bathroom light.

"All I know is that I saw you leave with four girls." Puck laughed.

"You did. I brought them back here and well, I think the rest is pretty self-explanatory." Sam said.

"Why'd you sneak off then?" Puck asked.

"Uh, there wasn't to much to say this morning you know." Sam said peaking out of the bathroom to look at Puck who was laid out on the messy bed.

"So you just left them asleep and naked?"

"Pretty much. I mean I left them some signed head shots." Sam said.

"Love 'em and leave 'em huh?" Puck laughed.

"It wasn't like that." Sam said rolling his eyes.

"It was exactly like that and you know it."

"Well it shouldn't have been." he muttered.

"Don't tell me you're feeling guilty?" Puck asked standing in the doorway of the bathroom.

"No." Sam said.

"Sam, come on man. You're practically sulking." Puck said.

"No I'm not." Sam said defensively cutting his eyes at him. "I'm hungover, tired and I still smell like sex so if you don't mind." he said said closing the door on Puck. He turned the water on in the shower and stripped down. As he was examining all the scratches, marks and hickeys on his body his phone began to vibrate. He let out a sigh and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Sam?"

"Yeah."

"What the hell are you doing?"

"What?"

"Four girls? Really?"

"Mercedes, is there something you want?"

"Just tell me what you were thinking last night." That was difficult to answer. Sam couldn't tell her that he was trying to not think about how disappointed he was that she hadn't come. He couldn't tell her that he revisited a Sam that he had left in his past because he just didn't want to be the Sam that was heartbroken inside. The Sam that had sex with multiple girls in one night was the one that didn't feel hurt. He didn't feel sad. He just kept all of those emotions hidden from those girls and it was purely sex. Ok so yes it wasn't the best way to be but it got his mind off of Mercedes.

"I was thinking that I wanted to have fun."

"Fun? I didn't realize you were back to that kind of fun."

"Look Mercedes you lost the right to tell me what kind of fun I can have when you decided that being friends with me offended you. So if we're done I have to get a shower. I have a lot of things to do."

"Sam are you serious?"

"Yes I am. I've gotta go. Bye." Before she could say bye he hung up. He threw his phone on the counter and got into the shower.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As Sam exited the stage after doing another sold out show, he was greeted by his long time friend Santana Lopez. She was as beautiful as she had always been.

"Sammy Evans." she said with a large smile.

"What's up Santana?" he said lifting her into his strong arms and hugging her tightly.

"Not much. I finally got your boy Puckerman to me get backstage." she laughed. "That bodyguard was way to thorough."

"Well, he had to make sure he got all those razor blades." Sam joked.

"You know I keep up all up in there." she said moving her hands around her head.

"So what's going on?" Sam asked leading her to his dressing room.

"Mercedes." Santana said closing the door behind her.

"What about her?" Sam asked. His spine stiffened at her name. He had hoped that when he saw his old friends that she wouldn't be topic of conversation because as far as he was concerned, Mercedes Jones was a non-issue.

"I know she called you this morning." she said folding her arms across her chest.

"So?"

"So, how are you?" Santana questioned.

"Fine." he said. And that was the partially the truth. His conversation with her this morning had upset him but she hadn't called or text anymore so he was trying to forget about it.

"How are you, for real?"

"Why do you even care Santana?" he asked flopping down in a leather armchair. "I mean yeah, we're friends but we were never close, so I don't get what you're doing here?"

"I'm here because Mercedes asked me to check on you. I'm here because contrary to popular believe, I do actually care about my friends." she said incredulously. "But you know what, forget it. I should just stop caring." she said as she threw her hands in the air. "Especially about a trouty mouth white boy whose musical sound is akin to Dwight Yokem meets Daniel Beddingfield."

"Wow." Sam said in a hushed voice.

"The only straight I am is straight up bitch." she said crossing her arms again.

"Look, I know that you and Mercy are best friends and I know that she is happy but when I invited her, it wasn't so I could hook up with her. We haven't really spoken in like eight months and I just wanted to reconnect." Sam explained.

"She could do better." Santana said.

"What?"

"You heard me. I tell her that all the time, that she could better."

"Why is she with that guy, then?" Sam questioned, leaning forward in his chair.

"You know her. She's not going to let what I have to say sway her from what she wants to do. I mean, yeah so he's a good guy. I mean, he cares about her and he doesn't crowd her or hit her or anything, he's just not..." she paused. They made eyes contact for a long moment. Sam wanted Santana to say 'he's just not you' but he knew she wouldn't. Not because she didn't think that but because even if it were the case, Mercedes would kill her for saying it. He watched her as she eyes bore into his. She took a deep breath and continued. "He's just not the right guy."

"Right. Well, as long as she's happy." Sam said looking away. He heard her take a long exaggerated sigh and he heard the door open.

"Sam, you have to ask yourself. Is it really happiness if you're just settling?" she asked. Sam turned to look at her but all he saw was the door closing behind her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sam sat in VIP, his head was fuzzy but he couldn't stop thinking about Mercedes.

'Cups of the Rozay.' he thought as he looked at the cup in his left hand. 'Bitches in my old phone, I should call one and go home.' he thought as he fumbled for his old flip phone in his pocket. He stood and down his drink as he looked over the balcony. "Ibeen in this club too long." Sam muttered aloud. He put the cup down and pulled out his iPhone. He scrolled through the contact list until her name glowed back at him.

'The woman that I would try is happy with a good guy.' he thought, his thumb over her name. 'But I been drinking so much and I'mma call her anyway.' he pressed her name and listened as the phone began to ring.

"Hello?" Mercedes said picking up the phone.

"Fuck that dude that you love so bad. I know you still think about the times we had. I say fuck that dude that you think you found, and since you picked up I know he's not around." Sam said as he made his way down the stairs of the VIP and across the dance floor.

"Are you drunk right now?" she asked.

"I'm just sayin' you can do better." Sam said, parroting what Santana had told him the night before.

"Sam..." Mercedes said exasperatedly.

"Tell me have you heard that lately?" he asked as he brushed past the bouncer and into the cool night air. "I'm just sayin' you can do better and I'll start hating only if you make me."

"Bye Sam." she said and then he heard the click.

'Cups of the XO. All my people been here. I saw all of her friends there.' Sam thought as he continued to walk and he mind drifted back to the club. "Guess she don't have the time to kick it no more." he said to himself. "Flight's in the morning.

What you doing that so important?" he asked as he pulled his phone out again. "I've been drinking so much and I'mma call you anyway." he said dialing Mercedes again.

"What Sam?" she answered annoyed.

"Fuck that dude that you love so bad."

"Sam..."

"I know you still think about the times we had." he said repeating himself. "I say fuck that dude that you think you found and since you picked up I know he's not around."

"Are you drunk right now?" she questioned.

"I'm just sayin' you can do better." he said in a low calm voice. "Tell me, Mercedes, have you heard that lately?" he questioned. There was no response. "I'm just sayin' you can do better and I'll start hating only if you make me."

"I don't know what you want me say, Sam." her voice said over the phone as he continued to walk.

'I think I'm addicted to naked pictures and sitting talking bout bitches that we almost had. I don't think I'm conscience of making monsters out of the women I sponsor til it all goes bad but shit it's all good.' he thought to himself before speaking. "We threw a party" he said ignoring her previous statement. She was silent so he continued. "Yeah we threw a party. Bitches came over."

"Oh."

"Yeah we threw a party." he mumbled. "I was just calling cuz they were just leaving."

"Sam, I think I should go. We don't really have...anything..." she started but he interrupted.

"Talk to me please, don't have much to believe in. I need you right now. Are you down to listen to me?" he said but she she remained silent again. "Too many drinks have been given to me. I got some women that's living off me. I paid for their flights and hotels, I'm ashamed. It's bad that you know them. I won't say no names. After a while girl, they all seem the same. I've had sex four times this week I'll explain. I'm having a hard time adjusting to fame." he rambled on.

"Sam...I..."

"Friday night, mixed up. I'm been talking crazy girl. I'm lucky that you picked up. Lucky that you stayed on. I need someone to put this weight on."

"And that someone is me?" she asked trying to hide the pleasure that that thought brought her.

"Well I'm sorry." he whispered as he reached out and pulled the door to the apartment building he had walked to open.

"Are you drunk right now?" Mercedes asked again, this time she was concerned.

"I'm just sayin' you can do better. Tell me have you heard that lately?" he asked again and he climbed two small flights of stairs. "I'm just sayin' you can do better and I'll start hatin' only if you make me." Sam answered as he slid down the third door he came to.

"Sam, I should go. There's somewhere I have to be." she said as she hurried around her apartment collecting her things and sliding her feet into her pumps.

"So you not gon come?" he questioned defeated. "I guess I'm bout to just kick here then."

"Ok. We'll talk soon." she said ending the call. She checked herself once more in the mirror by the door before opening it. "Sam!" she shouted. He had been outside of her apartment.

"Hey." he said laying on his back looking up at her.

"What are you doing here?"

"I don't know." he answered as she helped him up. "I guess I really wanted to see you before I left tomorrow."

"I was on my way to see you actually."

"You were?"

"Yeah well, since I was all dressed up with no where to go I figured I might as well go see one of my oldest friends." she said smiling.

"Is that really all I am to you?" he asked taking a step toward her. "One of your oldest friends?"

"Well...um...yeah I guess." Mercedes stammered.

"I love you, Mercedes and I'm done pretending and I'm done fucking around with any girl that offers just because it's a distraction from my feelings." he said wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Sam, I'm..."

"With Shane. Yeah, I heard. Fuck him. This is about me and you." he said staring in to her brown eyes.

"I can't just break-up with him." she said trying to pull away from him. "He's been so great."

"Where is he right now?"

"Why?"

"You're the one that said you were dressed up with no place to go, so apparently he ditched you. That doesn't sound great to me, Mercy.' he said pulling her flush against his body. "Listen, I'm just sayin' you can do better." he whispered as he leaned down and kissed her passionately. Sam was shocked when she didn't fight him and her arms weaved their way around his neck.

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this little one shot! I don't own Marvin's Room by Drake and yes I had to make...um...appropriate for Sam. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. And as always, REVIEWS = LOVE!