Not Making the Same Mistake Again

Summary: Less than four months remain of the school year, for some students it's the last four months at William McKinley High. Therefore it's natural for the kids to want to make the best of the remaining time. However, a lot of things can go wrong in sixteen weeks . . .

Rated Teen for language primarily. There may be some spoilers for the two first seasons of the show as well as the third up until somewhere short after the episode Hold on to Sixteen.

I hope you will enjoy reading this multi-character fanfiction as much as I have enjoyed writing it!

I apologize in advance for any incorrect grammar or typo that may occur.

Reviews are very welcome.

Disclaimer: I donot own Glee nor do I own any of its characters. The same goes for anything involving the music mentioned.

End of author's note. Now on to the story!


Chapter 2 – Back to the Eighties

[TUESDAY]

He yanks the shoulder pad off and dumps it in the laundry trolley. From eight or so weeks with heavy pre-season practice it has gotten quite smelly and discolored. Not that he is very vain when it comes to his clothes—in this case his equipment—but smelling and looking decent helps when hitting on women. Especially on young good looking Christian girls.

He peels his tight white football pants off and dumps them as well in the trolley. Poor dude that's gotta wash these for us . . .

In only his boxers he trudges back to his locker and pulls out a towel and soap. He removes his boxers and lets them drop to the floor, and then he wraps the red William McKinley High School towel around his waist. He doesn't bother to pick his dirty underwear up since he know that he is almost alone in the locker room and basically no one has the guts anyways to complain to him. That's the profit you get from being the school's number one badass. A label he worked very hard to get during his first two years at this school.

He strolls into the now empty shower room. Most of the guys have already showered and headed for lunch, but he had stayed behind and done some extra laps and push-ups along with some other guys from the team who had yet not turned to the showers. So for now he is alone.

After turning the water on he stretches out and hangs his towel on the rack. Taking long showers after the rest of the team has gone is one of the most relaxing things he knows, though he will never admit it to anyone. That'd just get them to jump to conclusions . . .

He turns the thermostat, making the water hotter. Closing his eyes he steps in under the water beams, letting them wash away all bad feelings along with the dirt and the grass stuck to his tanned skin. He thinks about the assignment Mr. Schue's given them. He likes the eighties; it was an era of really good classic rock bands, like Van Halen, Kiss and Bon Jovi. But despite his positive feelings towards the decennia he can't seem to find a song that speaks to him.

He blows out air, causing water that has trickled down his forehead and nose to sprinkle from his upper lip.

'You look low, dude. Somethin' happened?' he hears a familiar deep voice say. It comes from his left.

'Naw, man. Just gathering strength for this afternoon,' Puck lies.

The other boy nods, knowing very well that they have one more practice later in the day. A practice they've been promised will be tough. Very tough. And when coach Beiste say it's going to get tough, you can count on it.

'Yeah . . . that's probably a good thing to do. I'm sensing an hour of running . . . topped with a couple of hundred push-ups and sit-ups,' the boy smirks and turns on the water to his shower. 'By the way, you looked good out there today, Puckerman.'

Puck chuckles confidently. 'I know.'

The other boy smiles wryly and reaches for his soap.

After a moment of silence Puck reaches for his own soap and starts to rub himself down. 'Hey, Evans . . .' he says and thoughtfully chews the inside of his chin.

'Yeah?'

'What going on with you and Quinn?'

The other boy frowns. His blonde hair plastered to his forehead by the water that is running down his face. He remembers that this is the very same place where Finn discovered him about a year ago. The very same stall. I sang Every Rose Has its Thorn, if I remember correctly, the blonde boy thinks.

'C'mon Evans, I know there's still something there . . .' Puck pushes and glances at his teammate.

Sam shakes his head slowly, but refuses to meet Puck's stare. 'There's nothing going on between us.' He puts the soap down on the floor beside his feet. 'I've barely spoken to her since I got back . . .' He lowers his gaze and the boy with the Mohawk arcs an eyebrow. He had talked to her the same day he came back to school after his family moved back to Ohio. She had asked him to raise Beth with him, told him that he would make a great father. But he had turned her down and stated that she had what he called "rich white girl problems". In retrospect he has realized that it wasn't very nice of him to say that. She never wanted to get pregnant, it was a mistake. And everybody makes mistakes, right? He sighs loudly and rubs his eyes with his right hand. 'We're through.'

Puck smiles wryly and snorts. 'Never though that'd happen. At least not to you . . . I mean she could definitely find something better . . . but you, you can't expect to find someone prettier than her. Never thought you'd dump her like that . . .' He shrugs.

Sam looks down, a hurt expression on his face. 'I had my reasons,' he mumbles quietly.

'She cheated.'

Sam nods slowly and chews on his bottom lip.

'So?'

'What, so?' the blonde asks confused.

'Who is she?' Puck says, trying not to sound too curious. 'Someone you met in Kentucky, White Chocolate?'

'What are you talking about, Puck?' Sam says and steppes out of the shower. He pulls his towel down from the rack and wraps it around his slim waist. 'You make no sense, dude. And don't call me that. I am not proud of what I did, but I did it to help my family.'

'You just don't get over a girl like Quinn, just like that . . . who's the stand in?' Puck asks.

Sam sends the shorter boy a murderous glance. And if looks could kill, Puck would be stone dead. 'She's not a stand in,' he mutters.

Puck smirks. And the little stupid fish swam right into the net . . . 'Then who is she?'

The blonde boy shakes his head in irritation. 'Mercedes,' he says finally.

'What?' Puck exclaims shocked by the name his friend said. He could have accepted pretty much any other girl in school . . . but Mercedes, come on? Puck shakes his head as if he can't believe what he just heard. It's not that he doesn't like Mercedes, because he actually does. He even dated her for a short time, though it was mostly to regain the popularity he lost after joining Glee Club. But she is a nice girl and she's got a pretty face but she isn't the kind of girl one would expect Sam Evans to fall for. 'Seriously, dude?' Puck queers.

Sam sighs and leaves the showers.

Puck stays behind. For three reasons mainly; number one: he really needs to process this; two: does this mean Quinn is free and totally available? And number three: the showers are very warm and relaxing today.

Suddenly he realizes what he needs to do for this week's assignment, but he'll need some help.


'I'm totally psyched about this week's assignment,' Tina says excitedly, popping another Oreo into her mouth. Santana, Brittany and she are seated at a table out in the yard, savoring their lunches. It's a little cold, but they are rather sitting here, in the cold, than inside with the prejudicial morons of the hockey team.

'I'm not surprised,' Santana comments and bites into her cheeseburger. A drop of dressing is squeezed out from between the meat and the top bread, and it runs down her fingers before it drips down onto the tray.

Tina glances offended at the Latina, but chooses to not say anything. Picking a fight with the most hot-tempered and bitchy girl at school is not a very good idea, especially not since she is one of your only friends. That would be like throwing yourself to the wolves.

'Are you eating that?' Santana asks pointing at Brittany's French fries, whilst she is trying to wipe away the dressing from her fingers with a paper towel.

'No, you can have them,' the blonde says and turns the box of fries towards the raven haired girl with a fingerless-gloved hand.

'So what are you singing?' Tina asks, shifting her gaze between the two girls sitting opposite of her.

Santana shrugs and Brittany wrinkles her forehead. Apparently the two girls haven't thought of that yet. The Asian girl is a bit surprised. 'You haven't thought of anything yet?'

The two Cheerios shake their heads simultaneously. 'Nope,' Santana utters, seeming bored by the conversation. She licks at the edge of the straw before she takes a sip of her Diet Coke.

'Okay . . .' Tina mumbles and pokes her mashed potato. Damn, I wish I understood them . . . How can they be so jaunty and happy-go-lucky? She studies the blonde cheerleader, watching her dipping her fries in strawberry jam. Perhaps they're high on something.

'What are you looking at Girl-Chang?' Santana mutters as she notices Tina staring at Brittany. She is a bit territorial, Santana.

'That's kind of an odd combination,' the Asian girl points out and motions to the French fry in Brittany's hand. Mere minutes ago the daffy blonde had stated she didn't want to eat the rest of her French fries; apparently she had changed her mind.

'No, no, it's really good. Try it!' Brittany extends a hand holding a French fry dripping with strawberry jam. She smiles broadly. 'It is soooo delicious! Mm . . .'

Tina winces. 'I'm fine . . . I trust you.'

Santana rolls her eyes. Then she exclaims, 'Hey, you boy!' as she sees Puck exiting the school building. He strides over to them, walking slowly and very confidently. That man's got swagger.

'How's it going, ladies?' he says with a smirk and sits down, straddling the park chair.

Brittany smiles. 'Good.' Then her face becomes more serious, 'I think my cat's reading my diary again though . . .' Both Puck and Tina arcs an eyebrow each as they stare at the blonde Cheerio. Santana sighs loudly. She had tried to make the blonde understand that cats can't read, but obviously it hadn't worked since she still believed Lord Tubbington was secretly reading her diary.

'What brings us this pleasure, Puckerman?' Santana then says, tilting her head to the side and letting her chin rest her hand.

He smiles wryly. He knows she doesn't enjoy his presence quite as much as she is stating. 'I know you love me.' He mocks and looks deep into her eyes.

'As much as I love chicken-pox, hon.' she says in her best HBIC-attitude.

Puck chuckles. She'll never be able to pull that off as, Q, but she's a close second. 'I have a proposition for you,' he says and looks all of the girls in the eye, one at a time.

'Are you proposing? Now?' Brittany queers wide-eyed and skips her gaze between the Latina and Puck.

Santana rolls her eyes theatrically and smiles. 'No, Britt, he's not proposing.' Then she turns back to the boy with the mohawk 'Shoot it,' she orders.

'Hold your horses, cowboy. I want to know if you're in or not first.'


The clock has been ticking real slowly this day, William Schuester notes as he finally gets to walk into his beloved choir room. He has been excited about Glee Club all day, ever since Mercedes came up to him at lunch and told him that she and the other girls were going to perform a song to the rest of the club, the boys that is, and Sugar who didn't want to do an 80's song because of the funky outfits.

Schue had even walked over to Emma's office and asked her to drop by if she got a moment over. Her love for the 80's was far from a secret to anyone at the school, teachers as students, everybody knows about it.

The clock tells him that he has got a few more minutes left to prepare before the kids will be dropping in. While whistling the soundtrack to The Rocky Horror Picture Show he starts to clean the piano of old sheet music.

Then two minutes before three he feel his phone vibrate in his pocket and he fishes it up.

- Auditorium /Rachel, is written in black letters.

He gathers his jacket and portfolio and locks the door to the choir room. On the way to the auditorium he drop by Emma's office to tell her the performance has been moved in case she wants to drop by.

She is busy in a telephone conversation with the mother of a student who ended up being suspended due to inappropriate behavior during the Winter Prom, so she just nods Will an "okay" and then waves at him as he disappears around the corner.

3.04 P.M. does he enter the big auditorium. All of the boys in Glee Club are already seated in the first three rows. And Finn nods a "hello" as Mr. Schue takes a seat at the third row, right next to Mike.

Soon the lights go out and they hear light footsteps against hard wood. When the spotlight is turned on, lighting up the stage, Mercedes is standing in the middle of it, dressed in a black and maroon dress, much like the one worn by June Pointer in the original music video of I'm So Excited. She is looking marvelous. Her hair is curled and backcombed to make it look bigger and the make-up is a shade heavier than the one she usually wears.

When she starts to sing, it sends shivers of pleasure down Schue's spine. The African American girl's voice is one of the most beautiful and powerful he has ever heard. Her voice reminds him a lot of Whitney Huston's.

Mercedes and Santana are singing half the first verse each, with Mercedes taking the first two lines and Santana taking the two last. The two girls, Schue notes, do both have an amazing touch of soul in their voices and they do sound very good together.

Tonight's the night we're gonna make it happen
Tonight we'll put all other things aside
Get in this time and show me some affection
We're goin' for those pleasures in the night

Rachel, Tina, Brittany and Quinn who earlier had only been swaying gracefully in the background now steps forward and form a beautiful quartet for the pre-chorus and the chorus. It is a bit unusual to see Rachel do back-up singing—she is always the one singing the solos, she has a very beautiful voice so there is nothing wrong about that—but still it is quite a nice change to see someone else in the middle of the stage and not Ms. Berry.

The girls are all dressed in similar dresses as the ones that Mercedes and Santana are wearing. In the pre-chorus the girls only supported Mercedes and Santana on a few words, just for effect, but as the chorus begins the entire group of girls tune up.

I want to love you, feel you, wrap myself around you
I want to squeeze you, please you, I just can't get enough
And if you move real slow I let it go

The dancing is rather improvised but fits the number perfectly, somehow. The song is after all about not being able to control oneself. And the boys seem to love it, judging by the silly smirks on their faces and the occasional whistles.

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it
I'm about to lose control and I think I like it
I'm so excited and I just can't hide it
And I know I know I know I know I know I want you

The expressions on the boy's faces only turns more pleased when the girls all point to them while singing I know I want you.

The second verse belongs to Quinn and Tina, with Quinn singing first and Tina taking over after her.

The blonde girl too, just like her girlfriends, looks stunning in her black dress, though she is the only one whose hair is pinned up. Her eye make-up is smokier than what she usually wears and her lips have got the devil's color. There are whistles heard from some of the boys though it is impossible to make out from whom they came and it makes Quinn smile and blush slightly. As Quinn sings her last note she cannot help but to throw a quick glance at a certain blonde boy. He is leaning lazily against the arm rest on his seat beside Finn and a small smile is plastered on his face.

Everybody's eye turns to Tina when Quinn grows quiet. The pretty Asian girl looks gorgeous in her black and maroon gown as she sings the last two lines of the verse. And she does so without crying.

We shouldn't even think about tomorrow
Sweet memories will last for long long time
We'll have a good time, Baby, don't do worry
And if we're still playin' around boy that's just fine

Then they all join in again for the chorus except Mercedes who takes the high vocal freestyles.

Let's get excited,

(Oh)

we just can't hide it

(No, no, no)
I'm about to lose control and I think I like it
I'm so excited and I just can't hide it

(No, no)
I know I know I know I know I know I want you, I want you

(Uh-hu )

During the instrumental break all the girls pair up and dance around. Santana with Brittany, Rachel with Mercedes and Quinn with Tina.

(Oh boy)
I want to love you, feel you, wrap myself around you
I want to squeeze you, please you, I just can't get enough
And if you move real slow I let it go

I'm so excited,

(Uh, uh-he)

I just can't hide it

(Oh)
I'm about to lose control and I think I like it

(Oh yeah)
I'm so excited and I just can't hide it

(No, no, no, no, no)
I know I know I know I know I know I want you

I'm so excited,

(Look what you do to me)

I just can't hide it

(You've got me burning up)
I'm about to lose control and I think I like it, yeah

(Oh, yeah)
I'm so excited

(I think you get to me)

and I just can't deny, no, no

(I've got to give it up, ooooooh)
I know I know I want you


He is walking with quick strides across the parking lot behind William McKinley High, hands buried deep in the pockets of his stonewashed Levi's. A worn brown duffle bag is hanging off is left shoulder and bounces on his thigh every time he moves the leg for another step forward. He is chewing on his bottom lip absentmindedly while contemplating the events of the day.

It started off like any other day with football practice and the occasional gibe from someone on the team about Glee Club. He has grown too accustomed to it by now to even bother telling the guys to stop. And deep down he is not so sure they actually mean all the things they say. Everyone likes music, the boys on the football team are no exception and they have heard some of the numbers the Glee Club has performed. In fact Sam has even heard some of his teammates humming the melody or quietly singing the lyrics to a few of the songs when they think no one is listening. Every time he catches one of the guys doing that he has to fight the urge to walk up to them and comment on it or smilingly ask them if they are interested in joining Glee Club. He would probably get his ass kicked if he ever did that . . .

It was after football practice however that the day took a different turn. More exactly in the showers directly after the practice.

As Sam had trudged into the shower room he had caught sight of residential bad boy Noah Puckerman standing under the water in one of the stalls. The two had chatted about football practice and such for a few minutes before Puck had brought up Quinn's name. The boy with the Mohawk had asked him what was going on between them which was absurd because they barely even spoke to each other.

So that was what Sam had told the guy. Puck did not seem to understand though and had kept pressing for an answer he thought was more reasonable. That was when Sam's tongue had slipped and he had quietly muttered "Mercedes".

Now, almost six hours later he was mentally scolding himself. Not really because he had accidently told Puck about his true feelings. But because he wasn't sure they were true anymore.

He really liked Mercedes that was no lie. But all the work he put into getting her to understand that was starting to wear on him and he was considering whether it was all worth it. A guy can only take that much, right?

He had told her he loved her, he had serenaded her and he had fought for her. But all of his efforts were greeted with insecurity and double-sided messages from her side. One moment she would act like the feeling was mutual and smile at him and bat her long eyelashes. The next she would walk hand in hand with Shane right in front of him like she didn't care about his feelings at all.

It was tiring and, to say the least, a bit frustrating to not know whether she had the same feelings for him that he had for her or if she would just end up choosing Shane. Somewhere deep down he kind of knew already, but it was too scary to think about because that would mean he would have to let her go. Letting her go automatically means he would have to face the rest of the feelings he has left unprocessed and he isn't sure he is ready for that just yet.

He sighs loudly and pulls his right hand out of his jeans pocket. Around his index finger he is twirling a keychain with three keys and a small leather fob attached to it. One of the keys fits into the locks and ignition of his father's beat-up truck, the other two open the front door to his family's new one story house and unlocks his old bike.

As he reaches the rusty old truck he pushes the car key into the lock and turns it. With a quiet click the door unlock and he pulls the driver's door open. Just as he is about to climb into the vehicle a voice from across the parking lot catches his attention.

Mike Chang is waving vividly and when he notices he has gotten Sam's attention he starts to jog towards the blonde boy and his truck. 'Hey, Sam!' he calls when he has yet a few feet left to run. 'Would you mind giving me a ride home?'

Sam shrugs and answers, 'Uh, no, not at all,' and climbs into the driver seat. 'Hop in.'

The Asian boy pulls the passenger door open and slides onto the soft blue fabric that covers the seat. 'Thanks man,' he says as he closes the door and fastens his seat belt.

'Don't mention it,' Sam says and places the key in the ignition and turns it. 'But where is your car?' Mike scarcely asks for a ride, either he is driving his mother's car to school or he is riding with Tina. So to hear the Asian boy ask for a ride is a first timer for Sam.

Mike chuckles quietly and leans back into the seat. 'Let's just say mum got into a little accident the other day.'

'She's not hurt is she?' Sam exclaims worriedly. He doesn't really know Mike's mother, but to hear that she has been involved in a car accident does scare him a little. People die in automobile accident every day.

The Asian boy shakes his head rapidly. 'No, no, of course not. If she had been hurt do you honestly think I would choose to be in school rather than to be by her side? Who do you take me for Samuel Evans?' Mike teases and leans forwards to look for a CD with decent music to put into the stereo.

Sam frowns and chews on his lip for a short moment. No, Mike would probably not choose school over his mother even if Tina was there. 'No, I guess not. So what happened?'

Mike shakes his head slowly and smiles. 'Actually, it's kind of funny. You know the intersection down by the pond?' Sam nods as he pictures the location before his eyes. 'Mum was on her way home from some meeting with a friend and right after she had made a left turn in that intersection she notices this old man on a bicycle heading towards her. So she is thinking to herself "oh, here comes and old man, I should give him some extra space in case he is wobbling",' Mike says and finishes in a high-pitched voice in an attempt to sound like his mother and Sam has to put in a lot of effort to stifle the laugh that is bubbling in his throat. 'So she steers out onto the roadside and reduces the speed of the car. She's maybe driving twenty mile per hour or something, but she is so busy watching the old man that she doesn't notice the front right tire pulling out onto the grass. The next thing she knows the car if lying in the ditch, back tires still spinning in the air.'

'For real?' Sam asks and slows down as he passes a kindergarten.

Mike nods. 'Yeah. And the front of the car looks like shit. The paint is totally messed up so my dad had to send the car to an auto shop to have it repainted.' He smiles and adds, 'It's all so typical my mother.'

'At least she didn't hit the old man, so I guess she succeeded in her mission,' Sam says and smirks.

'Yeah, at least that's positive. It would have been quite bad if she first hit the old man and then went off the road. In twenty miles per hour . . .' the Asian boy laughs. Then he sighs loudly and asks, 'Don't you have any decent CD's in this car?'

Sam shrugs. 'It's my dad's. I don't know. Have you checked the glove compartment?' When Mike shoots him a glance practically screaming "I already did and all I found was crap" he shakes his head. 'Then I guess I don't have any great CD's in here.'

'We always have the radio,' Mike mumbles and leans forward to turn on the radio. He settles for a channel playing Kanye West's Stronger. 'Speaking of music, what did you think about the girls' number in the auditorium? I thought it was really good.'

The blonde boy nods slowly and rakes a hand through his hair. 'Yeah, it was good. A bit different to not see Rachel in the center of the stage doing the lead vocals though. But over all I think it was great.'

Mike nods slowly and glances out the window at an old woman passing by with an equally old dog in a black leash. They are only a block and a half from his house. 'So what did you think about Quinn?' he asks suddenly. Sam throws him a quick glance in confusion before he turns his focus back onto the road. 'I noticed your eyes kept drifting towards her during the performance.'

The blonde boy shakes his head in denial. 'They did not.' Or did they? He wasn't sure.

Mike nods with a smirk plastered on his face. 'But they did. It might have been unintentional, but nevertheless you kept sneaking glances in her direction.'

Sam didn't know how he was supposed to respond to that. He hadn't realized he had been looking at her the way Mike said he had. It sure as hell hadn't been intentional. What if Mercedes saw it? He licks his lips nervously. 'I, uh . . .' he stutters and swallows loudly, before he notices he has reached the street on which Mike lives.

'I believe you need to take some time to think, dude,' Mike says, unbuckles his seat belt and pushes the door open. 'But don't take too long or next thing you know that second chance I sense you're about to get might pass you by.' Before he closes the door he quickly adds, 'Take care, Sam. And thanks for the ride.'

Sam watches the Asian boy walk up the short gravel path to the front door and pull out a keychain from his pocket. When the door is unlocked and Mike turns around and gives Sam a short nod, the blonde boy slowly releases his foot from the clutch and puts the car into motion.

'Maybe Mike is right,' Sam ponders aloud as he steers towards his own home. He isn't completely sure he understands exactly what his friend just told him, but he has a good guess and it raises a lot of questions in his head.


Author's note

So second chapter is already up, fast isn't it? ;) But I felt kind of bad for stating that this fanfic would lean towards Quinn/Sam centric and then I barely even mentioned Sam in the first chapter. Therefore I decided to post the second chapter a little earlier than I had first planned. Only to introduce Trouty Mouth.

Speaking of Sam . . . I made his family move back to Lima and into a small house. The reason? Some of them will play a rather significant role in future chapters.

The song sung by the Glee girls halfway through the chapter is I'm So Excited by Pointed Sisters, but I guess that wasn't too hard to figure out.

A great thank you to those who have read and don't hesitate to review! :)