A/N: 2024 update of the original 2011 story

Chapter 2: I'll See You Around

It took a moment longer for her mind to catch up and truly grasp the shock of seeing Sam Evans again—for the first time since…

Since…

That summer in high school.

For a fleeting second, a memory surfaced: her front porch, the darkness of a summer night, the soft gleam of his green eyes illuminated by the dim moonlight. His hand tightly grasping hers, a single tear streaming down her cheek.

But just as quickly as the memory appeared, it vanished, and she was back in the present, standing in the middle of a sunlit field, her friend at her side, and Sam looking at her with clear confusion etched on his features.

"Mercedes... You... Long time no see," he breathed out.

She forced a warm smile, though her heart was still reeling. "Yeah, it's been a while, Sam."

He was the same and yet different. His hair was shorter now, more of a dirty blonde than she remembered. His face had matured, and though his eyes still held that same familiar warmth, there was a depth to them that spoke of experiences she didn't know. He no longer carried the awkwardness of a teenage boy. There was a confidence in his stance that hadn't been there before.

Sam tilted his head slightly, studying her. "Are you a student here? I've never seen you around."

Mercedes shifted her weight uncomfortably, crossing her arms as if to shield herself from his gaze. "Yeah, you haven't. I just transferred from Byrnes."

Sam nodded slowly, processing the information with an unvoiced "oh." "Well, that's great! Welcome to Richter!" A big, genuine smile spread across his face. And for reasons she couldn't quite pinpoint, something in her chest tightened. That smile... It had always had an effect on her, leaving her weak in the knees back in high school.

But this was now, she wasn't some lovesick teenager, she definitely did not want to appear that way years later.

She forced a bigger smile, trying to convince herself as much as him. "Thanks! I'm happy to be here!" Though, at that moment, she wasn't entirely sure if she was.

Noelle gently touched Mercedes' arm. "Mercy? We should get going." She pointed a thumb over her shoulder, indicating the direction of the music building. "The others are probably waiting for us."

Mercedes suppressed what might have been a sigh of relief. "Oh, okay." She turned back to Sam, her smile softer now. "It was great seeing you again, Sam."

He nodded, his smile never wavering. "Alright. I guess I'll see you around." And with one last grin, he turned and started to walk away.

Her chest tightened once more as she watched him go.

"Yeah, I'll see you around…" Mercedes murmured, more to herself than to him.

Noelle tugged her along, and as they walked away, Mercedes could feel her friend's curiosity bubbling up. "So... how do you know the star quarterback of our school?"

So he was still a football player. No surprise there.

"He was… We were in Glee Club together in high school," she said, leaving out the details that were best kept in the past.

Noelle raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "He was in Glee Club? The same guy who's now the poster boy for our football team?"

Mercedes chuckled, more at the memory than anything. "Yeah, he was pretty good. Sometimes played the guitar for us."

"Well, that kills a stereotype," Noelle mused. "I wonder if he could join us in the off-season… We're short on male vocals."

Mercedes considered it for a moment, but before she could form an opinion, they reached the door to the music building. As they ascended the stairs, she couldn't help but notice that the building had a certain old-world charm, even if it was a bit outdated. Something about it felt welcoming, and she found herself looking forward to the many hours she would inevitably spend here.

Noelle chuckled softly as they approached a set of double doors on the third floor. "Ah, I bet some of them are already here." The faint strains of a piano echoed through the hallway. "Sounds like Andrew. And I'm sure Nicky's with him."

A flutter of nerves stirred in Mercedes' stomach. She wasn't usually shy, but there was something about meeting new people especially when they were already a close-knit group that made her uneasy. Noelle had reassured her a dozen times that they would love her, but still... you never really knew until it happened.

Noelle pushed open the doors with a flourish. "Heeeeeeello, my beautiful people! Guess who finally made it!"

Mercedes followed her inside and was met with a lively scene. Not two but eleven people filled the room. A redheaded boy was playing the piano in the corner, a girl with long dark hair seated beside him, tapping along to the music. A few others were dancing, some were setting up a karaoke machine, and another girl was arranging bottles and cartons of ice cream on a table by the window.

Noelle grabbed Mercedes by the arm and pulled her forward. "Everyone, stop what you're doing! World, STOP." The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to her. "May I introduce the legendary, gorgeous, amazing, lovely Miss Mercedes Jones!" Noelle's hands gesturing grandly. "The coolness of this group just went up by at least a hundredfold."

Laughter rippled through the room, and Mercedes felt herself relax a little.

"Mercedes, meet the Goldtones!" Noelle began pointing people out. "That's Andrew at the piano, and his girlfriend, Nicky." The girl with the long dark hair waved. "Over there is Rashad, our bass vocal." The tall guy winked playfully. "That's Caroline. Little Miss Alto." A petite Asian girl smiled shyly. "Cliff, our baritone." A boy with messy dark hair nodded in greeting. "Heather, Madison, and Tiffany—sopranos, and alto, respectively." The girls by the TV waved. "Joey and Stephanie, our kickass beatboxers." They glanced up from the karaoke machine to flash a grin. "And last but definitely not least, our resident alkie, Valerie." She pointed to the girl with the booze.

Valerie rolled her eyes, "Shut up, or you're not getting any!"

Tiffany, a dark-skinned girl with a big smile, backed away from the TV. "Okay, come on girl, let's see what you've got." She handed the mic to Mercedes with a challenging grin.

Mercedes laughed nervously, glancing at Noelle for backup. "Oh, no... It seems too soon. Maybe after you all take a turn?"

Noelle shook her head. "Nope, you've got to do it! Consider it your audition for officially joining the Goldtones."

Mercedes rolled her eyes, but there was a smile tugging at her lips. "Great, well, if you put it THAT way…"

"Come on, Miss Mercedes Jones!" Joey chimed in with a British accent. "We've been waiting our entire lives to hear someone like you."

"Okay, fine... but only for you guys, not for this loser." Mercedes playfully nudged Noelle before stepping up to the mic.

And just like that, the nervousness melted away. Mercedes brought the house down with her performance, and the party kicked into high gear. Ice cream, booze, and a whole lot of singing filled the night. It didn't take long for Mercedes to feel at ease with her new group, and she could tell that this was going to be more than just a club—it was going to be a family. She just hoped she would be able to form the kind of bond they seemed to already have with each other.

The night wound down early, at least by college standards. By one o'clock, people were wrapping things up, some still needing to unpack, others meeting up with parents who were still in town. Mercedes and Noelle left the music building in a fit of giggles, both of them slightly tipsy and holding onto each other for support. The campus field was large and bathed in soft light from the lamps lining its perimeter.

"Oh man, Rashad and that falsetto bit! I don't know if I should be amazed or terrified!" Noelle gasped between laughs. "It was like he was possessed by a little boy!"

Mercedes couldn't stop laughing, leaning on Noelle's shoulder for support. "Yeah, that was crazy! That boy is something else—I like him!"

Noelle suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Wait, does that mean you LIKE him?" She squinted suspiciously.

Mercedes gave her a mock-incredulous look. "No… I think he's cool, that's all." She stifled another giggle. "Wait... do YOU like him?" She smirked back.

Noelle opened her mouth to protest, but before she could, she tripped on a loose cobblestone, stumbling forward. "No, no! He's just a friend!" She was rambling now, and Mercedes couldn't help but laugh even harder.

As they continued across the field, Mercedes found herself gazing around the campus again, taking in its beauty under the full moon. In the distance, she spotted a group of people by the fountain, their laughter carrying across the quiet night. As they drew closer, she realized she recognized one of the silhouettes.

Sam.

Her breath caught in her throat as she saw him laughing with his friends, that bright smile lighting up his face even in the dim night. As if he sensed her gaze, his eyes met hers, locking onto her from across the field.

For a moment, she was rooted to the spot, unable to look away. Something about seeing him here, now, brought a rush of emotions she wasn't prepared for. But before she could dwell on it, Noelle broke the spell.

"Oh shoot, I might have left my key back in the music room." Noelle groaned as she fumbled through her bag.

Mercedes turned to her friend, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "Typical, Noelle."

"Oh, never mind!" Noelle giggled, pulling her keys from her back pocket and dangling them in Mercedes' face.

"You lil goofy butt, let's get back before you embarrass yourself even more!" Mercedes gave Noelle a playful slap on the butt and swaggered ahead of her.

"Hey! Do you even know where you're going?" Noelle called after her, rubbing her bottom and grinning.

And just like that, the moment with Sam was gone, tucked away with the other memories of him that she hadn't quite figured out how to deal with yet.