A/N: 2024 update of the original 2011 story

Chapter 7: Club Red

Mercedes' eyes ran across the words, flying through the paragraphs. Flip page. Her eyes flew open. She gasped, raising an eyebrow as her mouth slowly gaped open. She continued to devour the words until she found the final period of the page. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and finally raised her eyes to meet a pair of green ones looking expectantly back at her.

"So…" Sam began, spinning a pen between his fingers. "What do you think?" He was sitting across from her in the campus café, the hood of his red Richter sweater up over his head, with a tuft of blonde hair peeking out. A notebook lay open in front of him on the table, but his focus was entirely on Mercedes' reaction.

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 flipped through the remaining pages left unread.

Sam broke into a grin. "Really? You think so? I wasn't sure about the beginning. For my first draft, I thought it was a little shaky and confusing, but I changed it up, changed the pace, added more detail. I dunno, you didn't think I was going too fast in the first chapter, did you?" He used his pen to scratch his head underneath his 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 page, 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 stuff it in her bag.

Sam laughed. "Go ahead. Take it. I want you to read more and let me know how it is. I need another opinion besides Dr. Goldey's." He twirled the pen intricately between his fingers.

Mercedes' eyes skimmed over the next chapter. "This is amazing, Sam. It's something out of a published novel. I could totally see this on the New York Times Bestsellers list."

Sam scratched his nose, trying to hide a faint blush. "You really think 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're a football player or not. Your work speaks for itself, and that's what 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 mentioned a few publishers that might consider taking on 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 the one everyone is forcing on you. That's the first step to realizing your potential." Mercedes nodded.

Sam stared into Mercedes' eyes in silence. She wasn't sure what he was thinking, but his green eyes seemed to leer right into her soul. She was almost getting uncomfortable under his gaze when 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 felt strange. But it shouldn't have. They were friends. Nothing more. Yes, they were in a relationship in high school, but that didn't mean it had to be strange between them. And it wasn't strange. They weren't awkward around each other. It was comforting to have a good guy friend she could be completely honest with, someone she could trust without all the strings attached. But if she were honest with herself, there might have been some residual feelings. Mercedes couldn't help but think about that one day when he told her his nickname was reserved for her.

"It just sounds right…"

Something about that moment struck her. She would be lying if she said she wasn't attracted to him sometimes. He had the looks and a great personality. The things she loved about him hadn't changed over the years. Kurt had mentioned something about finding feelings that were once put aside… But a part of her didn't want to find them again. It felt like a distraction, a weakness, a part of her past she didn't want to revisit. She was determined to become a strong, independent woman, and involving herself in a relationship felt like straying from that path.

She felt like 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 a strong tug in the other direction. She continued this struggle, but she wasn't sure which 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 her phone beeped. She looked at the phone on the table and saw the words "restricted number." She let out a sigh, feeling that tug in the other direction again. She quickly deleted the text message. When she looked up, she noticed that Sam's eyes had 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, that couldn't be it. "I'm not really sure. I think my friends are planning to go out since we finally don't have major tests next week. How about you?" She wasn't sure if she was implying anything. That could have been interpreted either way. She was mentally kicking herself for overthinking 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… go to bed early on a Friday night." He chuckled to himself. It sounded like he was just making conversation.

"Yeah, you guys have a pretty crazy schedule. With all your classes, I seriously don't know how you do it." Mercedes was genuinely amazed by 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 of his siblings, and still maintained a social life with Mercedes as his girlfriend. Even with many of those responsibilities off the list, he was still a busy guy. It was a wonder he hadn't exploded from the stress.

"I don't know either. Every semester I'm surprised I make it out alive…" He checked his watch. "Time for practice. Hopefully, this won't be too long." He stood up, 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 before parting ways with her. 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 girlfriends here. Maybe if he did, he would do the same. There she was, overthinking again.

"You too, Sammy." Yeah… calling him by his nickname did sound right.

As Sam walked away, her phone beeped again. Restricted number. There was the tug in the other direction once more.

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 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, it felt so good to sing like that!"

"Yeah, that was perfect!" Noelle hopped in her seat.

Joey ruffled his 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 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 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 him on the arm.

"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 groupmates' banter. The Goldtones were a bunch of crazy kids. It seemed like the talk of plans was getting everyone energized. Mercedes couldn't help but be excited too. Since she got here, she had gone 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 rooms. 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 across campus to 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 twisting 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 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 they were meeting the guys.

As a large pack of good-looking girls, it didn't take long for them to get into 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 in her chest. The whole place was much darker than the lighted entryway, 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 noise, "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 counting, 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 refused more shots and resorted to drinking a midori sour, her favorite cocktail. It was 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, and 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 alone, she made it a point to stick 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 room full of drunk guys, her backside was kind of a magnet.

As the night wore on, her friends had come and gone. She even took a break herself, but soon, after some water and another shot, they were back on the dance floor and ended up 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 the chaos, Mercedes almost didn't notice the tap on her shoulder. She turned around and the first thing she saw was 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, the 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 her arms around 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 on his breath.

The atmosphere of the club didn't allow for much conversation, so she turned back to her friends and let Sam into the circle. Her friends yelled out their greetings. She noticed the surprised looks on their faces and how their gaze darted from Sam to herself. Noelle was wearing an obnoxiously smug grin. Mercedes did her best to ignore it.

It wasn't long before Sam got 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 danced 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. There was no sober thought to stop her from feeling that way. At this moment, there were no feelings to hide. Maybe Noelle was right, maybe he was interested. Right now, with him looking the way he did, she was definitely interested. There was only one way to know for sure about his opinion. Mercedes continued to dance, but she subtly 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 warmth behind her. With a toss of her hair over her shoulder, Mercedes could see a glimpse of black fabric and a lightly toned arm. Sam was inches away from her now.

She no longer cared 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 she cared so much about. 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 just made her attraction to this man that much stronger.

Mercedes no longer really felt in control of her actions. It was as if there was a magnetic pull that drew her closer to him, that pushed her back flush against him. 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. In high school when they were dating, they kissed, they made out, let their hands 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 against her back. The feeling made her stomach flip. But what really made her heart race was when she felt a pair of large hands place themselves on her hips. At first, they just rested softly against her, but with the moves she was making, those hands started gripping 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 in this moment. Mercedes let a different side of herself take over, holding on to this connection. Her inhibitions were gone. She couldn't help but think about his eyes, his smile, his warm embrace, and the scent of him that lingered under a hint of

As she got lost in the moment, Mercedes didn't realize that her own hand had reached up above her shoulder and grabbed onto Sam's neck. Almost as if working on its own, it slid down his sweaty neck to his collarbone, almost to the top of his bare chest under his shirt before falling back down to rest on top of his hand. She could almost feel him shudder against her touch, his hands gripping her hips tighter. Mercedes smiled. He was completely affected by her.

But she soon felt a shift in dominance when she felt something along her neck. She turned slightly to see his blonde hair right over her shoulder. She tilted her head away as she felt his 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 heat 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 were now roaming up and down her sides. The feeling that pulsed and crashed 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 through. She grabbed his hand that was on her right hip and pulled him along with her. As she was moving towards the hallway in the back of the club, she finally let herself look back at him. Sam looked just as intense as she felt. The fierce gaze that he was giving took her breath away. Years ago, she had seen a glimpse of it, but this was different. His usually bright green eyes smoldered into a dark 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 gently but firmly against the wall, his body pressing into hers as their lips met in a heated kiss. The moment their mouths connected, everything else faded away—the music, the crowd, the world outside—nothing existed except the two of them.

Sam's kiss was hungry, desperate, as if he had been holding back for too long. Mercedes responded in kind, her hands sliding up to tangle in his hair as she pulled him closer. Their lips moved together in a rhythm that felt both familiar and new, as if they were rediscovering something that had been buried deep inside them.

Sam's hands roamed down her sides, resting at her hips before pulling her even closer against him. The intensity of their kiss deepened as Mercedes parted her lips, allowing his tongue to slip inside. She met him eagerly, the taste of him mixing with the lingering sweetness of the drinks they had both consumed.

Mercedes felt a shiver run down her spine as Sam's hands traveled up her back, one hand moving to cup the side of her face, tilting her head slightly to give him better access. She let out a soft moan against his mouth, the sound swallowed by the heat of their kiss.

Their bodies were flush against each other now, and every movement sent sparks of electricity through Mercedes. She could feel Sam's heartbeat against her chest, matching the rapid pace of her own. His touch was both tender and demanding, his lips exploring hers with a fervor that made her feel like she was the only person in the world.

Mercedes couldn't get enough. She pressed herself closer to him, her hands sliding down his chest, feeling the firm muscles beneath his shirt. She wanted more, needed more, and it seemed like Sam did too. His hands roamed down to her hips again, pulling her against him as the kiss became even more intense.

The world around them blurred, and nothing else mattered except the sensation of Sam's lips on hers, his body against hers, and the way he made her feel—desired, needed, and completely lost in the moment.

But suddenly, 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 had strayed away from relationships from her past.

"Sam..."

Sam pulled away slightly pressed his forehead against hers, his breathing heavy, his eyes filled with desire. Mercedes wanted nothing more than to continue with what they were doing... but that tug in the other direction was too strong.

"Sammy... I'm so sorry. I can't do this."

Before Mercedes could see or hear him respond, she slipped out of his hold and walked briskly away, her heart pounding for an entirely different reason now.

The next morning, she was feeling it.

It wasn't just the lingering effects of alcohol—the mild headache and the dryness in her mouth. No, what truly consumed her was the guilt. Guilt for leading Sam into something that felt so right in the moment but so complicated in the harsh light of day. She felt as though she had jeopardized their friendship, letting emotions and the intensity of the night sweep her away.

The events after she fled the club were a hazy blur. She vaguely recalled mumbling to Noelle that she wanted to go home, tears spilling down her cheeks at some point during the ride back. And in the quiet hours of the night, sleep was restless, filled with dreams of being back in Sam's arms, reliving those heated moments over and over again.

But now, in the unforgiving clarity of the next day, all she could think about was him. Sam was all-consuming, his presence in her mind relentless. Needing an escape, she decided to go outside, hoping that fresh air might clear her thoughts. Grabbing the book she was currently reading, she hurried out of her dorm, the brisk early winter chill hitting her as she stepped outside. It was sharp, bringing her back to reality, reminding her of what truly mattered.

She had been so focused on her future, on carving out a path toward her career goals. She was making strides, building something for herself, and she didn't want to lose sight of that. Relationships had always been complicated, messy, and she had promised herself she wouldn't be held back by them again. That was her mantra, her focus.

She needed to hold onto that.

As she walked toward the east campus fountain, Mercedes quickly realized two things. First, it was far too cold to be reading outside; the winter air was biting, and her fingers were already starting to numb. Second, and more pressing, was the fact that Sam could easily find her here. He might want to talk about what happened, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to face that conversation. There was so much left unsaid, but she feared that speaking the truth might hurt them both.

What if last night meant nothing to him? What if it was just a drunken mistake? The thought gnawed at her, even as she tried to reassure herself that her own feelings were genuine. The connection she felt with Sam had been real, deep. But the possibility that it might not be mutual, that it could have been just a moment of alcohol-fueled passion for him, stung more than she wanted to admit.

As if summoned by her thoughts, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

Oh god… what do I say?

But when she turned around, it wasn't the familiar blonde boy she expected. Instead, Mercedes found herself face-to-face with someone she never thought she'd see again.

"Jeffery… what are you doing here?"