Mercedes slammed her door walking to her dresser and grabbing her overnight bag. There was no way she could say in this house. She started placing a few items in her bag when she heard the door open. Assuming it was Quinn or Santana she continued working on leaving as soon as possible.

"Did you have to punch me in the face? A slap would have gotten your message across too."

She turned to see Chord standing in her doorway. He and Sam really looked the same but it was subtle differences that proved their difference. Like hair color and height. Chord was taller than Sam at 6'2 while Sam stood at 6 ft even. Their style was difference as well. Sam wore nothing but skin tight henley shirts while Chord loved the flannel. She folded her arms under his gaze.

"What the hell do you want?"

"To talk to you."

"Why?"

"Because I have the opportunity to talk to you and I don't want to waste it."

"Chord, you already wasted your chance to talk to me. YOu left. One day I come over and you are nowhere to be found. You said you loved me and you just left,"

"I had to leave Mercedes and I don't like goodbyes so I left, but I regretted it the moment I did. I loved you more than anything but I knew you were destined for more than to be some losers wife."

"And it was your choice right? I had no say in the matter?"

"MJ I had to go and run my memaws farm, you wouldn't have been happy a farmer's wife. You are a city girl."

"That should have been my decision Chord., I should have been given the chance to choose. But I wasn't. You chose for me. SO now I choose for you to leave my room. For you to forget you know me and just leave me alone."

"I can't MJ I still lo-"

Before another word came out his mouth she punched him in face. He grabbed his face. "You know I would appreciate it if you stopped punching me."

"YOU BROKE MY HEART! I loved you Chord...what do you expect me to do after not hearing a word from you in almost two years? I thought we were heading towards marriage but you left me."

"I can't say anything but I am sorry MJ. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Mercedes sat on her bed laughing. "This situation is just screwed up."

"Are you talking about the me and you situation or the you and Sam situation."

She glance up at him. "He told you?"

."We tell each other everything. And he really likes you, which now that I know who you are kind of bothers me."

"He used me just like you used me. I should have known that you guys were related I mean he has the same mannerisms and is just as selfish."

"Mercedes."

"No! Chord I loved you so much. But now...I just want to forget. Forget what we had. Forget you. So please just leave."

"MJ.."

"Chord please get out."

He looked at her sadly and stood. He wanted to say more, but he knew she was done with the conversation.

Confessional

Producer: So what happened with Mercedes?

Sam: She isn't talking to us.

Chord: Which is understandable.

Sam: You never did tell me what happened with you and her?

Chord: I did tell you I just used MJ instead of Mercedes

Producer: Well we don't know the story

Chord: Its nothing really. I mean I met Mercedes a few years back and we started dated. We were together for two years and I was close to proposing. But i needed to head back home and she was so determined to sing. And i knew she would have given that up to be with me. I couldn't do that to her. I couldn't have her follow me and not be who I knew she could be. Who you guys see her as.

Sam: I know she meant a lot to you but that should have been her choice and I told you that.

Chord: Yeah well it doesn't matter now. And anyways we both moved on I mean I wish she hadn't moved on to my cousin but still.

Sam: None of that matters anymore. She doesn't want anything to do with me or you.

Santana glanced around the venue and smiled. "I would say we did a great job, Looks like everyone is having a great time."

Mercedes nodded. "I agree and I think its time we as hosts go out and mingle and have some fun."

Mercedes spun around and her bathing suit skirt flared, as she pulled Santana and Quinn to the dance floor. The girls danced around smiling and someone came up and tapped Mercedes shoulder. Mercedes turned and smiled sweetly as a guy held his hands out to her.

"I didn't mean to interrupt you gorgeous ladies but I had to dance with one of the sexiest women here."

Mercedes stood still for a moment as she placed the guy in front of her. "Oh my gosh you are Matt Rutherford, point guard for the Lakers."

"You follow basketball?"

"My brothers got me into it. What are you doing here?"

"Well we heard there was gonna be a huge pool party and well we wanted to check it out. You girls throw one hell of a party...and if I can say you are wearing the hell out of that bathing suit."

Mercedes blushed as Santana pushed her closer to Matt. Mercedes shook her head laughing and took Matt's hand. "I would love to dance with you."

Mercedes turned and began dancing with Matt. Sam glanced over at Mercedes and frowned seeing her dancing with Matt. She refused to talk to him and it was starting to bother him more and more. Chord had tried to run interference with Marley but it wasn't working. She wanted to talk to him and make sure they were on the right track. She wanted to get back with him. Chord figured Marley took one look at the other girls and decided she wanted to keep Sam to herself. Hearing Mercedes laugh brought him back to reality. God she was beautiful, everything about her was and here she was dancing with some guy who probably didn't deserve her.

Marley came up to Sam wrapping her arms around him. "This party is amazing I have never been to a big time LA party before. Dance with me?"

Sam sighed. "Marley I am supposed to be working the crowd."

"Come on all of your roommates are dancing, can't you get away?"

She was right and Sam knew he should dance with her, she did deserve to have a good time. Placing his tray down and taking her to the dance floor he smiled slightly at her and pulled her to him before stealing a glance at Mercedes.

Marley knew Sam was distracted she just wish she could figure out why. Everytime she tried to talk to him, something or someone. When Sam told her that he was going to LA she was skeptical but didn't want him to go but she knew if she tried to hold him back, he would resent her. But the moment she stepped into the house she realized how stupid she was telling him they could see other people. The girls in the house were gorgeous. Everyone of them looked exotic like a man's fantasy and Marley knew if she didn't reel Sam back in she would lose him to the lure of LA, to the girls who would do any and everything to him and for him. She sighed pulling Sam even closer making sure all the girls around knew he was hers.

"I am so glad I came here to see you Sam, I missed you."

"Yeah, Marley um can you excuse me for moment?"

Sam pulled away from her but she pulled him back. "Sam I am only here for a few days and this is my first LA party, don't leave me."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Marley I just have to talk to my roommate for a minute I promise I will be right back."

Sam smiled softly at her and walked away. He walked over towards where Mercedes was standing near the stage.

"Hey i just wanted to wish you luck before you performed."

Mercedes turned towards Sam and shook her head. "Sam what do you want?"

"I just told you, I wanted to wish you luck."

"Why?"

"I just want to talk to you Mercedes. I never wanted you to be hurt I never wanted to make you feel like you were nothing but sex to me. I like you Mercedes and all I wanted was to get to know you."

"You should have thought about that before you lied to me."

Sam lifted his hand to her cheek moving her hair out of her eyes. "Mercedes I was selfish, I know that. And I wish I could say if I could do it all over again I would do it differently. But I wouldn't. I would do anything I could to get to know you. Even now, I know all about your past with Chord, he told me about you I just didn't know it was you he was talking about and yet, I still want to get to know you, I still want to learn what makes you smile, what makes you tick. And just because you are mad at me doesn't mean that I am going to stop trying to get to know you. So like I said, good luck up there, not that you will need it."

Sam smiled down to her and pulled his hand away from her face turning back towards the crowd. Mercedes glanced after him and sighed heading to the stage. Rachel was almost finished with her rendition of Katy Perry's "Firework". It wasn't bad at all. All of the roommates were surprised with her choice of song and even more so and her delivery. She bowed slightly and waved at the crowd who applauded her performance. She walked towards Mercedes and smiled.

"You are up. I warmed them up for you."

Mercedes closed her eyes for a moment before she grabbed a microphone and walked to the center of the stage. She smiled bringing the Microphone up to her lips.

"Hey guys! So I hope you all are having a great time. Can we give it up one more time for Rachel? She did such an amazing job!"

The crowd applauded and she couldn't help but steal a glance at Sam and Chord. They were both in the front looking at her. Marley was hanging off of Sam and Mercedes felt a pang of unwanted jealousy hit her. She cleared her throat.

"So I want to slow things down a bit. This song I am about to sing, has to be one of my favorites and I hope you all like it too."

Mercedes closed her eyes as the music started. As "Ain't No Way" continued to play. She just let the music move her and take her through her emotions. She was confused about what she was feeling at the moment. She really did like Sam and the way he made her feel was like she was the most important person in his life. But he lied to her and she wasn't sure how she could get over that. Then there was Chord, he was her first love and now he was back in her life. How could she talk to him knowing he just left her. Didn't even say bye. And he was Sam's cousin. She would just leave them both alone. Stop talking to both of them, stop dealing with both of them.

Chord was just as lost in Mercedes as Sam was. Hearing her sing brought back so many emotions from their time together. She was so soulful so perfect on that stage and it was in that moment that he knew he did the right thing. Seeing the response she got. Yes Rachel was good, damn good but Mercedes captivated the crowd. Everyone hung on her words. Artie stood waving his hands in the air. Santana and Quinn huddled together feeling every word, every note. Finn was mesmerized, Mike and Puck in awe and Sam, well Chord would know the look of falling in Love with Mercedes Jones anywhere. And from the look on Marley's face. She knew it too.