Beca can't move. She sees a familiar figure, one she has known for 7 years now, and her red hair flowing as she walks closer and closer to where she's rooted. It's as if there's only them left in this world and everything is in slow motion – exactly like the way they do in movies. (And to think, she's still not a big fan of movies!) Suddenly, having done a solo performance in front of a big crowd is nothing in comparison with what she's feeling right now. It's a mix between nervousness and excitement, like what one may feel riding a rollercoaster but leaning more towards I'm gonna die of a heart attack kind of feeling.
It's just Chloe, she reminds herself. Tell her. Tell her now.
"BECAAAA!" Chloe's voice makes everything else move again. She has the short girl wrapped in a tight hug in just one swift motion. "You were so amazing back there! I am so proud of you! I can't believe it!" She plants a big kiss on her right cheek and another one on her left. "AAAHH! Our Beca Mitchell is a legit artist now! You'll do great things, little one!"
The brunette tries to hide her blush when she pulls slightly away from their hug. "Okay, Chlo! I haven't started anything yet. It was just one performance."
"Yes, I know! And thanks for sharing the stage with us. It was nice for the Bellas to have that one last show with you. But Beca, really, I'm proud of you. And no matter what happens after this, I will always support you. Always! You know that, right?". The older girl assures her. "I love you."
There it is. A lump in her throat. A sob in progress. Words waiting to come out. Feelings to be revealed.
But nothing.
Chloe can't move. She's stuck here, having an intense eye contact with the girl of her dreams. She's finally confessed what she's been bottling up for 7 years. Saying 'I love you' for real isn't as hard. Although, now that she's thinking about it, she can see that Beca looks lost somehow. Has she been saying that in the past too much? Is Beca not getting this? After all the hints and moves she's been dropping for years? Why isn't she saying anything? Anything at all will save her face right now. Any word. Oh no! She's ruined it. She has ruined their friendship!
Regret.
She sees Chicago in a distance, smiling at her. This is not a good excuse but what else can she do? She can still brush this off (like she always does) and play it cool. Breaking the staring contest, she says, "Beca!" The younger gal blinks. "Beca, you okay? Hey, we're good. You and me. I just have to go somewhere quickly. Okay? Just, uhm, we're good."
She brushes past the brunette's shoulder. And then, she's off.
Beca turns her head and follows where Chloe is going. She can see Chicago smiling at the love of her life and she's never wanted to punch someone in the face before until that moment. Her feet starts to move on their own like they're bringing her to where she's supposed to belong but they lead her nowhere. They betray her. She's a second too late.
The redhead pulls the army guy in for a kiss. It's not what she wants to do really but having his mouth on hers is the best excuse she can offer later. Just in case she has some explaining to do about what she meant by 'I love you'. Besides, Chicago seems to be enjoying this, too, because he dips her the way a prince would in the old times. Chloe thinks this may be her second best choice if ever.
Theo walks in and catches Beca watching a couple kiss in front of her. He hears her say "Awww!" but it's not convincing him. Thinking that maybe she wants someone to do the same to her, too, he starts to lean in. The new artist turns to him briefly and scrunches her face. In disgust, it appears to be. "So, you're working for me, now?" Her words hit him back to reality and they walk off together, professionally, in conversation.
Later that night, Beca is back on her bed, in her hotel room all alone. She's just lying down, staring at a giant fan spinning around and around above her. Apparently, Fat Amy has decided to do one final smash of an extravagant wild party for all her Bellas in a nearby famous club (she can totally do that now that she's super rich) and when she told them she needs to rest up after her opening act for DJ Khaled, they let her go. They're very understanding, she doesn't even know how she deserves them – her family.
She's still in disbelief over everything. Everything is happening so fast yet it should feel right. But, it feels wrong and lacking. Incomplete. Like, something is missing.
Her phone plays a sick beat indicating that someone is calling but she's too lazy to move. The sound begins to interfere with her thoughts so she changes her mind last minute. She snatches her phone right on time, not bothering to see the Caller ID.
"Hey." She's not even in the mood to talk but a distraction sounds nice.
"Girl, Aubrey told me you weren't with them in the club. I thought maybe I can check with you. What are you up to, Cap?"
"Hi, Stacie. Nothing. I'm just tired." Because she doesn't want to sound like a complete insensitive heartless human, she adds, "How's little Bella? What's up with you? You better keep a tight rein on your hunter now there, you make sure."
She hears a scoff, "Listen, Cap! I'm only a changed woman right now because I'm busy with my bundle of joy. It's not yet season but soon, it will be again. So hold your pits. I've been working on a project for almost a year now, actually, since I'm on maternity leave. So there's that distraction! I'll be safe."
Beca can't help but laugh a little. Well, talking to someone else really keeps her mind off things that make her see red. (That's either a feeling of anger/hatred or a certain person but she dismisses the thought.)
"What project is this, if I may ask?"
"Being an engineer is really time-consuming. This was once a side-project of mine ever since I can remember. I just got back to it during my pregnancy months. I've been pretty confident about this invention but it's just that, I haven't really tested it yet."
"Stacie, I always knew you have an inner genius in you but you actually invented something? Woah, woah, woah, like for real? Like, seriously?"
The woman on the other line speaks, "I'm not sure if I should be offended or flattered. I can't tell if that was an insult or a compliment. But whatever! Anyway, this one's a little tricky to explain but I'll try my best. It's actually just an app-"
"An app?"
"Yes, the thing you can download on your phone. An app! Shush! Now, simply put it this way. When you open the app, it will prompt you to enter a specific date and time but only in the past. As soon as you've input the data, you'll find yourself back in that date and time."
Beca cusses in shock and awe. "Dude, that sounds like time travel! How? Like, holy what, why, how? Stacie! Dude! Is that even possible?"
"It's not time travel per se. I mean, how does an iPhone recognize your voice and thumbprint? I can explain the mechanics involved but let's say it in English. The closest word to it I can use is a memory."
"WHAT THE F-"
"Hold it! I'm not done yet. There will be no concept of parallel universes here because technically, you'll still be here. But your memory plays on and you'll also get to refresh that scene in your head. And let's be honest here, whatever you do in that memory will not really affect your current self."
"Bummer. Then what is it good for?"
"Shut it, shorty! I didn't mean it like that. You can't use it to solve the planet's problems, unfortunately. You can't use it to become president. You can't use it to change the world. But you can use it to say things and do things differently to an individual or a small group. My skills aren't up for a billion population yet."
Beca suddenly thinks this is interesting but she doesn't say anything as Stacie continues talking.
"It will not affect your current self BUT it may have a slight effect on your situation in general. It depends on how much damage or repair you make while in the memory scene. The problem lies here. You see, I haven't completely tested this yet."
"Okay, wait up! I'm not sure I follow you at all but this is what I got. I get to be in the past and whatever I do there may or may not change my right now?"
Stacie sighs. It just causes a strange annoying sound to Beca's ears. "Beca, I told you. I haven't tested this yet."
"Why?"
"Because I have not gotten any subject to try it out."
"I'll do it."
There was a long pause. The DJ assumes there's something wrong with the connection. Nope.
"Beca."
"What? It sounds harmless."
"It is. In a way. I mean, it's not like something you put in your eye or swallow like a drug or something. It's just a date and time combination and it plays out in your head, basically. Except, your senses will work in the memory. You'll feel physically there in that moment. That means you can taste, smell, hear, see, and touch everything. If there's anything you wanted to play out differently in the past, this may be your chance. But it's at your own risk."
"Okay. But what happens after the memory is played? How do you get back to the present?"
Stacie stalls for a moment. "You have to be honest with me right now. Do you have anything specific in mind that's why you're volunteering?"
There's a couple of things that come to her mind. She can go back to when she was 6 and find out which of her classmates stole her favourite music pendant. Or she can try when she was 8 and kick Paul Hewbert in the crotch for calling her mom a slut instead of crying in the bus all the way home. Or she can go back to when she was 14 and beat her Dad up for leaving her and her mom.
Ultimately though, those events lead her to Barden University so she can't really waste her time on those ones. Definitely something in Barden though, for sure.
"Yes."
"Does it have anything to do with Chloe?"
"What?" Beca sits up, unsure she heard it right. She blinks a few times and tries again. "What? What?"
"Oh, you heard me."
Chloe. Is it getting hot all of a sudden? She hasn't really thought about it. (Oh, she absolutely did!) After what happened tonight, she has spent a few hours going over the what-ifs. She has played every memory of Chloe she can remember, maybe to help her realize how much this one person has changed her. Chloe has done a lot for her and she's just too caught up with herself to notice.
"Listen here, Stacie. I can use your app as a beta-tester and in return, I can give you feedbacks or whatever you call it. It's a win-win, lady."
"If you're sure you can do this." There's something in her tone that Beca doubts but she gets her answer without even asking. "I just have to tell you that you can use this app 3 times before it blocks you out."
"What? So it's limited? Why only 3?"
"It is yet to be tested! I can't make it more than that without knowing the actual results! It's not that easy, you know. I've been working on this practically my whole life and I can only do 3. Tiny problem, I don't know what will trigger you to come back to the present but rest assured, it has a high probability of success."
Beca considers it for a moment. Everything is currently changing in her life rapidly. Who knew going on this USO tour will lead her to a contract signing? Who knew she'd eventually regret all those years with a certain redhead not doing anything? Who knew Chicago would exist in their story?
"Send it to me, Conrad."