Disclaimer: I in no way own Pitch Perfect, nor do I own its characters. But I will own Brittany Snow.

-.-.-

Been there, done that, messed around

I'm having fun, don't put me down

I'll never let you sweep me off my feet

-.-.-

I can never have fun.

It's, like, some unsaid rule of the universe: Beca Mitchell may never have fun without a coincidence.

If I laugh, I end up falling down the stairs. If I get an A, I get an F on something else.

It's always been this way… And it sucks balls.

If this is due to karma, then karma can kiss my ass. Seriously, go home. You're drunk. It's not supposed to be like this. You're not supposed to be like this.

My teeth lock as everything slows; the yelling of the girl in front of me, along with the blinking lights of her now beat-up car.

Why can't I live?

I looked down at my radio for two damn seconds while singing and actually enjoying myself for once, and the next moment the front end of my car is flush with the back end of blondie's.

"Sorry," I finally gather enough courage to step out of my shitty little pontiac, "I… I'll help pay for any damages I caused."

"Damn right you will!" The blonde turned to the front of her car and shot an exasperated look towards the passenger seat, "Chlo, give me a minute."

I only heard silence, but apparently the blonde had heard something different. In no time at all, she was in my face, pointing fingers and calling me names. A shiver ran down my spine as sirens sounded in the distance; drowning out the obnoxious voice of the blonde. Time ticked by as dread welled up inside me, but not due to the girl. It was from the impending doom of whatever was coming.

"I'm sorry," I repeated over and over again, each time more earnestly than the last. Maybe if I faked sincerity she would ease up? "I know, it was all on me…" Over and over again I said these things, trying to shut the damned blonde up.

And then suddenly everything stopped.

An unfamiliar redhead popped out from the side of the white Buick, holding her right arm with her left hand.

"Bree?" A pause. Our eyes met. She looked away. "Hey, Aubrey." Her voice was fluid, calm, but demanding all at the same time. In a word, perfect.

Aubrey turned her seething glare away from me and onto her friend.

"What?"

As soon as her eyes landed upon her friend, Aubrey visibly softened and mumbled a quick, "oh, no..."

Whatever sympathy she was eyeing the ginger up with wasn't shared with me, however. Soon her daggers returned, and I found myself being backed against my car door.

"You are screwed," she hissed.

Instantly after, a suspecting police car rolled up next to us.

Shit.

The sirens went silent, and my father stepped out.

"Officer Mitchell," he introduced to Aubrey, pulling out his notepad as he did so. "What happened?"

Aubrey jabbed an accusing scrawny index finger towards me with one hand propped on her hip. "I was coming to a stop at this stop sign, and Alt Girl over here ran into me."

"Alt Girl?" My brows furrowed in both annoyance and confusion.

"I think she may have broken my friend's arm too."

I winced. I broke her friend's arm? Shit. Again.

The ginger opened her mouth to say something in response, but then decided to close it and keep quiet. While the girls were beginning to calm, I could see my dad practically fuming. It was obvious that he was ignoring me, but he could only do so for so long…

With a fire in his eyes, he turned to me.

"Beca? Would you like to make a statement?" The blonde seemed surprised that the "man" knew my name, but remained silent. She probably assumed i was some well-known felon, or something.

"I glanced at my radio for a few seconds, and before I knew it my car was smashed into hers. I don't really have an excuse…" Before I could say any more, my father shut his notepad and continued with helping us exchange insurance information. I would have to pay for damages of both car and body, unfortunately… But, thank god, the ginger (who I found out was named Chloe) didn't feel the need to sue me for the accident.

"Stuff happens," she reassured; clearly more calm than her friend.

As she gave me a weak smile, Chloe strolled over to my dad. He had offered to give her a lift to the hospital- opposed to having her pay for a trip in the ambulance. I'm sure he did it as a silent "thanks" for not going after me, but I couldn't be too sure.

In the end, Aubrey (the bitch) drove away with promises from me to fix her bumper. I, however, had the privilege of getting towed by a disgusting and possibly dangerous towtruck.

See what happens when I try to have a little fun?

My fingers absently began to play with a sheet of paper Aubrey and Chloe had given to me; on it were scribbles of their phone numbers and names. It was probably given to me so that we could set up an appointment or something, but I really just wanted to throw it out.

As my eyes fell upon the slip, I could feel my gaze accidentally stick on Chloe's name and number. I felt tempted to do something with it… Whether it be put it in my phone, or call right now to see if I had really broken her. I came so close to doing this, too, but I eventually realized just how creepy that would be.

Wait.

No.

Walking into the hospital would be creepy. Calling her… Not so much. Right?

My fingers timidly grabbed at my phone and punched in her number. Was this a good idea? I gulped and hit the green "call" button. Two rings later, a slightly familiar "hello?" sounded on her end of the line.

"Um, hi." I gulped, "this is Beca."

"Beca? Beca…" Her voice grew quiet as she attempted to remember who I was. Suddenly, she got it.

"Oh, Beca! How did you-" She paused, "oh, right! We gave our numbers. Right. Got it. Yeah, hi, what's up?" Her tone was oddly chipper despite the fact that I was the one to break her arm.

"I was just wondering if everything is okay? Your arm, I mean." I drew my eyebrows together in self-confusion and self-scolding.

I could practically hear the smile in her voice, "It's actually not a big deal. Just a tiny crack; something that will heal in a few weeks."

"Really?" I breathed a sigh of relief, "I was worried they'd have to amputate it, or something." Even I could tell how uncharacteristically friendly I was being. Maybe it was just out of fear?

She giggled on her side, clearly amused by my thoughts. "Nope, I get to keep it another day. Until you crash into us again, that is."

My face fell at her words, even though I could tell that they weren't serious. "I'm really sorry," I found myself saying again.

"Don't worry about it, seriously. Like I said, accidents happen."

I fell quiet for a moment, trying to find the right words to say. "Is there anything I can do? To make myself feel better, at least?"

A small breath of air rasped the speakers on my phone, indicating Chloe's actions on her side. "There's this doughnut shop down the street from my campus. Buy me a coffee and doughnut, and we'll call it even?"

My heart was pumping so loud in my chest that I almost didn't hear the end of her proposition. Was she asking me to hang out? Me, the girl that had just stupidly crashed into her friend's car? Me, a girl she didn't even know through a positive experience?

"Oh, uh, yeah." I nodded vigorously, even though she wouldn't be able to see. "When would you like to meet up?"

A soft hum came from her end. "How about tomorrow morning, eight o'clock?"

"Sounds good to me. What is the place called?"

"Uh… Bellas, I think? It's located by the Barden Campus. You can't miss it."

"Alright. Tomorrow at eight…"

"Tomorrow at eight," she repeated. The words rolled off her tongue like it was a prayer.

"... Talk to you later?" My hands began to fidget at my sides.

"Yep, see you soon. Bye."

As we hung up, I released a breath of air I had been keeping at bay for the entirety of our conversation. The words "thanks for giving me a chance" lingered on my tongue, unsaid.

-.-.-

"Woah," my feet caught on the leg of a table, nearly sending me to the ground. As I began to regain my balance a bell of a laugh sounded in front of me. Chloe. "Yikes, that would have been bad," I breathed, taking a seat in front of her.

"But admittedly funny to watch!" She beamed- clearly amused.

A light smile flicked across my features. I wasn't really the humorous type, nor was I ever around humorous people… But this was a welcome change. "Hey," I finally greeted.

"Hey," she returned. The way her light pink lips moved entranced me; they flexed with a sort of deft fluidity that I had rarely witnessed and was admittedly jealous of. My mouth always felt too big, not simple and perfect like hers. Just from the way she spoke it was obvious that she knew everything going on in her head- Like she already had everything planned out. My eyes slightly scanned her person, looking for any other things I hadn't caught during our previous 'meeting' the day before. (AKA, the moment where I broke her arm.)

Speaking of, there it was. Her cast. Light blue and covering the length of her arm, untouched. There was not a single symbol drawn on it... Unlike what you'd see in elementary school, back when everyone felt the odd urge to graffiti a piece of plaster that was latched onto your body. Above it was the sleeve of her geometric blue and green blouse, trendy, and her wavy red hair- per the norm, from what i've seen so far. "Thanks for coming."

I offered a small shrug and smile, "thanks for having me."

She returned my thanks with a grin, pure in nature.

"So, drink and doughnut, right?" My eyes flicked to the side of our wooden table, over to the counter where a whiteboard holding all names of drinks and food were held.

Her glossed lips pursed, "well, now that you're actually here, it feels a little strange forcing you to buy me food."

"Then think of it as a gift. A voluntary purchase."

Chloe's smile reappeared at this. "In that case, a medium craving please. And a vanilla long john with sprinkles."

My eyebrows lifted slightly as I stood and prepared to get our things. A craving and vanilla long john… They seemed oddly fitting for the perky ginger.

As I neared the counter, the cashier/barista shot me a goofy grin. His eyes twinkled and everything about him radiated "charming". Jesse, his name tag spelled out.

"Hello, what can I help you with?"

I meekly returned the smile, now uncomfortable with the sudden attention from both areas in front and behind me. "A Medium Craving, A small Hot Chocolate, and two doughnuts."

Jesse punched these items into the cash register and moved over to the doughnut case, "which ones would you like?"

"Um… This one," I pointed at a glazed Devil's Food Cake ring, "and that one." My finger lifted to the top of the case, focusing on the sprinkled long john Chloe had asked for.

Jesse retrieved them both in a pinch and gently placed them into a bag. "Is that all?"

I nodded slowly as he handed me the bag.

"Six dollars, exactly."

With a quick smile I reached into my bag, pulled out my wallet, and handed him exact change.

Jesse placed the cash into the cash register with a quick "thanks," and began making our drinks. "So," he started while his back was turned, "do you go to Barden?"

"Unfortunately," I breathed.

"Unfortunately?!" There was lightly humored exasperation in his voice. "Barden may be a as close as you can get to literal garbage, but it's not that bad."

"So you think?"

"So I know. You remember high school, right? THAT was an unfortunate experience." He turned to me and placed my hot chocolate on the counter. "... I'm guessing you're a freshman?" He pulled out a sharpie and began writing on my cup. "I'm a sophomore, so I at least have a little knowledge on the happenings in Barden." Jesse turned the cup over so that his number was facing me. "If you have any questions, feel free to call." With one more smile, he began finishing Chloe's drink. Whom, at some point, hovered over next to my side.

"I'm a Senior, so I definitely have some knowledge, too." Her pointed gaze moved from Jesse (who's back was still turned) to me, where it morphed and became kind. "But you're a freshman? Why haven't I met you yet?"

I offered a shrug, "I mean, we're only a week in, so…"

Chloe nodded thoughtfully at this. "Are you staying in the dorms?"

"No, I'm staying at home until I can figure something out. Are you?"

"Yep."

Jesse turned around and handed Chloe her drink. "There you go, girls."

Chloe and I both murmured a quick "thank you" before making our way back to our seats.

"And your dad…"

My eyes widened as I nearly bobbed over in my seat, "what about my dad?"

"He's the chief, right?"

I guess it was only natural that she found out. Trying to calm myself, I opened our bag of doughnuts and handed them out accordingly. "Yeah, much to my annoyance."

Chloe's lips twitched. Had I humored her?

"Sorry if he caused you an awkward car ride," I started while taking a quick bite of my doughnut. Damn, it was good.

"No, don't be. It wasn't awkward at all. He was sweet."

"Sweet?" My scoff nearly blew bits of the treat out of my mouth. Yikes. "That's funny. Usually he's kind of an ass…" Disgust laced my words like venom on a spear.

Chloe took a bite of her doughnut, and a sip of her drink. "Oh, Beca…" That was the first time I had ever heard her say my name. And, god, I loved the sound. "... All parents come off as assholes to their kids." And now that was the first time I had heard her swear. It was kind of scary, actually.

I nodded and shrugged. She was right.

The rest of our little meeting went on like that; slight chatting and occasional bantering… It was all so strange. We talked like we had known each other for weeks. "I have a feeling we'll be fast friends," she breathed at one point. I couldn't do much but agree with her.

"So there's this party tonight," she began, "a group of friends are throwing a party. Would you be interested?"

My eyes opened in surprise at the invitation. It literally came out of nowhere.

"Tonight?"

She nodded, hopeful.

"Oh, yeah, um…" My brows drew together in thought. "I think I'm free. What time?"

"Any time after sundown."

I nodded, "where is it?"

The redhead pointed to the left, away from the Barden Campus. "Two blocks down, turn left, all the way to the end of the road, and you're there."

"Yeah, I think I'll be there."

"You're not grounded?"

I laughed for the first time in long time. "No, luckily not. Thanks to you."

Apparently, at some in time during their car ride yesterday Chloe had managed to convince my dad that what happened was not a big deal. Just like she had told me, "accidents happen". (...And she may have said something about how crappy a driver Aubrey is.)

"It was just part of our conversation," she promised. "I totes didn't go out of my way to keep you out of trouble." She winked and I grinned.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Jesse reappeared with a wet rag and squirt bottle. "Did I hear something about a party?"

Chloe pursed her lips.

"It's Posen's, right?" He winked, "I'll see you there."

Posen… Posen… Why was that name familiar?

With that said and done, Jesse walked away and completed his job elsewhere.

Chloe sat, watching both Jesse and I as he sauntered away. "So, Jesse, huh?" She leaned back into her booth. "He's a nice guy. Cute. Do you like him?"

I nearly choked on my Hot Chocolate… Again. "Jesse? I just met him. Besides, I'm not into the whole romance thing."

The ginger shot me a teasing grin and leaned forward, "no-romance Beca, huh?"

I cocked a brow and shook my head, "nope. Or yep, depending on how I'm supposed to answer that."

"We'll break you," Chloe promised. "College is your chance to experiment. Have fun, try things." She sighed, "I'm a senior and I haven't even kissed a girl yet."

Was that a pass?

Seriously, was that a pass?

"Oh, that's…" I could feel myself heating up with embarrassment, "that sucks?"

She poked at her fingernails and nodded slowly in agreement.

A few seconds of awkward silence passed between the two of us… And then I realized, "wait. Posen?" My drink nearly toppled off of the table top, "she's the witch that I ran into yesterday!"

"Yep, that's her." Chloe seemed unfazed by my insult.

"Would I even be welcome there?"

"I'm inviting you. Of course you're welcome."

"She'll probably poison my drink."

"What? Aubrey? No… Doing that one time was enough for her."

My hands fell into my lap as my jaw fell slack. "You can't be serious."

Her melodic laugh echoed through the Donut Shop, "I'm just kidding. Don't worry. If I tell her you're a good egg, she'll believe me."

-.-.-

Unfortunately, Chloe was wrong.

Close to being right, but so wrong.

Music vibrated through hidden speakers around the house, reverberating off of the walls in crazy ways I didn't know were possible. Oh, music. It's a beautiful thing. Chloe was at my side, watching me as I maneuvered my way through the crowd. For some godforsaken reason we were hunting for the preppy blonde that I had (quite literally) run into the day before.

"I know she's around here somewhere…" I could hear the ginger murmur. Chloe's piercing blue gaze skimmed every corner of every room in hopes of finding her friend. Finally, a head of blonde hair was noticed through an open window. Aubrey, most likely. ...So Chloe and I made our way outside and into the area of the Hostess.

"Bree?" Chloe's tone was surprisingly calm despite the ruckus of the party around her. "I brought a friend…"

Aubrey's attention left the girl in front of her and flew to her best friend… And then me.

"You brought her?" The blonde motioned her hand (along with red solo cup) forward. By the look on her face and tone of her words it was pretty obvious that she didn't approve in Chloe's 'friend choice'. "A girl we don't even know. Have reasons not to trust…" She lowered her cup and glared at her friend. "You just brought her over to my house?"

Her words stung, I won't lie. It kinda felt like a slap to the face, in all honesty… But I sucked it up. I took her words. Well, for the time being.

"I've been hanging out with her all day. Trust me, she doesn't mean any harm." Chloe gripped my shoulder with her only movable hand and ushered me forward. "Her name is Beca Mitchell, and it turns out she's actually a freshman at Barden!"

Aubrey's lips pursed as she gave me a look-over. Was she honestly listening to what her friend was saying? Was she going to give me a chance? "A freshman, huh?" Her whole demeanor visibly relaxed. "Alright. I'll consider that accident your Freshman Fuck-Up."

Wait- did this mean…?

"I'm going to go get another drink. Chloe?" Her attention flicked up to the redhead, "wanna come along?"

Just as the question exited Aubrey's lips, a familiar boy came bounding up to my side. "Eyyy," He greeted, "It's Hot Chocolate girl!"

I turned my attention back to Aubrey and Chloe, "I don't know him."

"Yeah you do," He gave a curt nod before looking at Aubrey, "she knows me."

"No I don't."

Aubrey gently grasped Chloe's free arm and gave a slight tug, "well, you two can figure it out as Chlo and I get a drink. Kay?"

Chloe shot me an exasperated look before following her friend across the patio and into the house.

"You know me," Jesse repeated. "Donut Shop. Love at first sight, remember?"

Though I found his words oddly quirky, I gave the raven haired boy the blankest expression I could muster.

"You're right. That donut was pretty damn attractive. If anything, love at first sight is an understatement."

He beamed at this. "Can I get you a drink? You've gotta try this out. Get on this level."

A drink? Drinking was not my thing, never had been, never will be. But… I was at a college party, and it would keep the flirtatious boy away from me for a little while. "Sure," I ended up accepting. "Just don't get lost on the way there. I don't feel like coming to rescue you from the attic later on."

"Why the attic?"

"Not as suspicious as the toilet."

Jesse shrugged and grinned before walking away to get me a drink. It was at this time that I finally took a chance to examine my surroundings. Aubrey's house was pretty big for the location, new, white… They had perfectly trimmed grass… The Tiki Torches were a nice touch, for sure. Oh, and a rather sketchy looking in-ground pool. Fall in Atlanta had caused for a few leaves and grasses to fall into its waters, tainting the water with a slight green color. Like I said; sketchy.

"Beca!" Wavy red hair came fluttering over to my side, attached to Chloe of course. "This ginger had to get her jiggle-juice." Her rear end shook a little as she said so, "have you had any drinks yet?"

I shook my head slowly and held up my open hands. "Jesse's on it."

The ginger mouthed a small "oh", like he had forgotten he was here and hastily handed me her yellow cup. "Have a sip. It's Bumper's Punch."

"Bumper?"

"Drink now, ask later." She waved me forward, "go on! Go on!"

Shooting her one last look of confusion, I tilted both my head and the drink back. The cool contents burned sweetly down my throat, warming me up from the inside out. After another sip I handed the cup back. "I want to say it tastes like shit, but it's actually not bad."

"Oh, it's bad. Just not in the way you're thinking. Two cups of this could knock out an MMA Champ, i'm sure." She took a sip from where I had previously placed my lips.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?"

"Maybe."

"Chloe Beale," I teased, "I've only known you for a day."

A wicked grin sprouted from her features at once. "A day is all I need."

Before I could either retort or give in, Jesse came waltzing up to my side with two red cups in hand. "Here you go, Hot Chocolate."

I opened my mouth to correct him, but Chloe beat me to it. "It's Beca."

"Oh, right, sorry… Beca." He gave me a wink and Chloe took a sip of her drink.

With a small nod, I took one of the offered cups and poured some of its contents into me.

This was going to be an interesting night.

-.-.-

"... And so Dove Poop ended up everywhere. It was crazy."

The way Jesse told his story was absolutely enticing. He spoke with such passion that I couldn't help but feel like I was being pulled into the tale. "Dude!" I gave him a small nudge, "Benji sounds like a chill guy."

"Yeah?" Jesse laughed along, "well, I guess he is."

My smile matched his, and in that moment I realized I had made another new friend.

"Alright, Beca," Chloe grabbed my sleeve and gave a slight pull, "let's go somewhere else. Meet new people." Aubrey's eyes barely even skimmed Jesse, and the only look she spared was one of annoyance. I noticed this and immediately felt bad for him… He wasn't doing anything wrong.

"What is your problem?" I demanded, more to Aubrey than Chloe. "Both of you?"

Aubrey's eyes narrowed at me, annoyed by sudden outburst and 'disrespect', and her lips curled into a slight and sarcastic smile. "Excuse you, Beca. We're just trying to look out for you." I let Chloe drag me away from Jesse. "He's a treblemaker."

My gaze flew over to Jesse, and then back to them. "Jesse? I hate to shit on your obvious mistake, but he's anything but."

Chloe knit her brows and pursed her lips in confusion. Aubrey understood what I had misinterpreted, "not trouble maker. Treblemaker."

"Treble Maker?" Now I was confused.

"The Treblemakers are a band," Aubrey offered. "... And by the looks of it, you have a crush on him."

"Me?" I scoffed, "I do not."

Aubrey was practically fuming at my rejection. She totally didn't believe me, and while I admittedly thought he was cute I didn't- wouldn't want to date him.

Chloe fell silent at my side and I could feel her fingers start to slowly uncurl from my sleeve. Had I somehow managed to hurt her feelings? I directed my attention towards the ginger, "Chloe, you were there when I said I didn't like him. Can't you vouch for me?" The hurt that had started to accumulate in her eyes dissipated at once.

"I don't know how you feel Beca, but I'll take your word for it." Chloe looked at Aubrey, "It's none of our business anyways."

"Uh, yes it is. No Treblemakers are allowed near us, Chlo. And I'm sorry, but if she's at my party she's going to follow my rules."

Something within me snapped. Who the hell does she think she is? "Well," I started, "then I guess I'm going to leave your party." The words came out without my control. I'm sure it was the drink talking, but I couldn't care less at that point. "I'll text you, Jesse." My steel grey eyes latched onto Chloe's piercing blue gaze. The ginger shot me a look of exasperation. "Thanks for inviting me."

"Beca," she began- but I was already half way across the lawn. Why is everything so much more dramatic when you're drunk?

In no time at all, I was home and on my bed. Chloe had never come after me, though I'm sure that I had heard her and Aubrey arguing over the music of "Rollercoaster".

My fingers weakly swiped across the screen of my iPhone, checking for any new messages. None, yet. With a sigh, I grabbed my MacBook and put on my headphones. Might as well make something to pass the time. With timid fingers, I opened up GarageBand.

-.-.-

"Really, Bree?" Saying that I was 'pissed' was an understatement. I had personally told my friend not to screw things up… And five minutes later, that's what she did. "I had everything planned out-"

"- and Jesse was going to mess it up." She cut me off before I could even start my rant.

Smart girl.

I narrowed my eyes.

"She said she didn't like Jesse. The least we could do was respect that."

Aubrey sighed and rolled her eyes, not willing to admit her mistakes. This had always been a fault of hers… She assumed that she was perfect. And when she proved to be anything less, she would mentally beat herself up for it. I personally found myself blaming her dad, but Aubrey has always said that 'it's just who she is'.

I crossed my arms and stared her down. She didn't budge. Snapping a little, I outstretched my hands and wove them, as if I was trying to fan the shitty experience away from me. "This. Is." I paused and methodically broke into a singing tone, "A TRAVESTY."

"Well, can't you go after her? Say sorry on my behalf, if you have to. Though I'm really not sorry." The end of her sentence dropped into a hushed tone. Even though Aubrey wouldn't admit it aloud, I could tell she was beginning to feel a little ashamed of her actions.

"I would if I could," I exclaimed, "but I have no idea where she is!"

Aubrey cocked a brow. "You don't know where she lives? Her dorm area, at least?"

My hands aggressively slid down my cheeks. She really didn't get it, did she? "No! She doesn't even live in a dorm!"

My (admittedly idiotic) friend mouthed a small "oh" and nodded, slowly. "Well, that is a problem."

"Yeah?" My voice cracked, "no shit it's a problem! I don't even know when I'll see her again! If I'll see her again! And if I do, she'll probably run away!"

"Woah, Chlo." Aubrey's perfect hands laid themselves upon my shoulders in a comforting manner. "Turn down the dramatics a notch, okay?" As much as it hurt to admit, she was right. I was freaking out a little too much over this. When I finally calmed myself down (with some help from Aubrey's chilling gaze), I began to think. We had spent the whole day together. Surely there were some hints dropped in places I-

I paused. I had her phone number. How the hell had I forgotten?

My hands timidly searched the pockets of my black skinny jeans for my iPhone. Maybe a text would be okay?

"Shitballs," I murmured. "I can't… Oh, there it is." I tugged my phone out of my back pocket and unlocked the screen. "A text wouldn't be too weird, would it be?"

"No."

I sighed and quickly typed something out on my virtual keypad; rewriting and re-reading it several times over in the process.

[Chlo] [Hey Beca. Are you alright?}

A minute of awkward pacing and throwing scowls at Aubrey passed before I received a response.

{ Hey. Yeah, I'm Fine.] [Becs]

{ Your friend is kind of a douche, though.] [Becs]

Well, she wasn't wrong.

[Chlo] [I know, I'm sorry. She just gets a little weird when it comes to the Treblemakers.}

{ A little? ] [Becs]

I had to grin at this.

[Chlo] [ Okay, a lot. }

[Chlo] [ Are you doing anything now? }

{ No. Just computer stuff. I'm not coming back there to apologize, I hope you know. ] [Becs]

[Chlo] [ I don't blame you. But actually, I was going to ask if you wanted to do something else? }

[Chlo] [ Just you and me. }

Part of me said, "I hope she isn't getting the wrong idea." But the other part said, "I hope she is… Because it's the right idea." Everything was so confusing and conflicting, it was bothersome to say the least. Why were crushes so difficult?

Did I really just admit that to myself?

I had a crush on a freshman?

… Oh, god. I was screwed.

{ Sure. As long as it's just you and me. ] [Becs]

[Chlo] [ Pinky promise. }

{ Okay. Where to? ] [Becs]

[Chlo] [ Meet me at the front entrance of Barden. }

-.-.-

Yeah, slow down I don't want to stop now

What's the point of falling if we don't hit ground

But every single breath is another chance I get to be close to you

To be close to you

-.-.-

Words melodically drifted from my headphones to my ears, easily adding to my building excitement. Each pulse sent a rush of adrenaline through me. Though it was a claim often made by many, I'll say it: Music is my life. I wouldn't be able to breathe without the stuff. So, yes, even when I had a quick five-minute walk to Barden I found it necessary to plug in my headphones and turn on my playlist.

Seriously, why not?

"I guess it's just you and me for now," the words exited my lips with ease, low and practically inaudible to even myself. "Against the world, against the world…" My lips sealed shut as Barden's front doors came into view. I suddenly felt extremely self conscious and out of place… Sure, people hum in public, but sing? I'm not fucking Ariel.

With a small sigh I paused my music and moved my headphones from my ears to their spot around my neck. Chloe Beale was dead ahead, or so I hoped. I could make out the faint outline of her figure- which I'm surprised I could already pinpoint- and approached.

"Beca!" Her tone was light and airy, much like it had been at the party hours before. "I'm happy you're here!"

And you're drunk. "Of course," I managed with a small (and slightly wistful) smile. "I told you I would come, didn't I?" I took the chance to get a good look at her. She looked the same as when I left; comfortable and wavy, if that was even a term. The only difference with her looks was what she was holding: two cups and a small pitcher.

Oh, no.

Chloe beamed, "you sure did." Her dazzling blue eyes captured and held my gaze for a moment before they fell to her objects in-hand. "I brought something for us to enjoy. But there's a place I want to enjoy it."

"I hope you realize I'm underage, and if we go anywhere we're not supposed to-"

"Don't worry, your dad won't catch us." A wink, "I promise."

I shakily took in a breath of air before letting it out. It wasn't my dad I was afraid of, I now realized. It was her. And to be honest, I didn't know why. She didn't scare me… If anything, the opposite. Maybe that was it? Maybe that was the source of the fear? I felt oddly open with her, she seemed trustworthy… And that was different. I don't do different. "Alright," I murmured; giving in, no matter what the voice inside my head advised. "Let's go."

The ginger did a little hop and walked out to the bushes at the side of Barden U's sidewalk. "Follow me," she whispered- bending her knees so that she may appear less 'there'.

With a roll of my eyes, I followed suit.

"So, where are you taking me?"

I could hear whatever liquid she had in her pitcher slosh around. "Somewhere secret."

Wherever it was, she wasn't letting me know any time soon. I had a hint, though.

You see- Barden University is one of those "we try to look rich and proper, but are actually dirt-cheap and literal shit" schools. They make a show of aesthetics so that they might attract a wider variety of students. A smarter, more professional variety. (Like Aubrey, to be honest.) But to the point, Barden has these little areas where the campus, admittedly, looks really nice. ...And one of these spots is a little labyrinth-maze-thing. Which, by the looks of it, was where we were heading.

A left here, right there, too and fro, over the river and through the woods, and bam. We were there- just as I had expected. The entrance of large bushes sat before us, dark and unyielding to those who wish to cheat within the maze.

A little disturbed, I found myself asking "are we really going to do this?"

Chloe grinned and handed me a yellow cup. With a small and quick movement my glass was filled in a way that mirrored her own: to the brim. "We sure are."

Although I hated to admit it, I was actually amused by all of this. We were honestly about to get drunk in a maze… and it was nothing but a bad idea. How could it possibly be a good idea, right? "Okay," I hummed while taking a sip (Bumper's Punch, should've known…), "let's do this."

With that, we were off. Chloe walked partially to my side and partially in front of me due to the cramped walls, but I didn't mind. There were times our hands would touch and I would retract away all awkward-like, but it was nice regardless. She didn't mind how strange and awkward I was, so the least I could do was play along with her little display of companionship and acceptance.

"Mmm, was the quickest way a left here? Or straight?" I could hear her murmuring soft thoughts to herself about directions, so I took my chance and walked ahead of her.

"Here. Let the girl with the internal radar show you how it's done." Either her friendliness was affecting me, or the drink was beginning to kick in. Chloe laughed and I looked back at her in confusion. What had I said that was so funny?

"Radar?" She cheekily shoulder-bumped me, "what are you trying to do? Search for my battleship?"

Oh. "I meant compass," I huffed.

"Of course you did."

"I did!"

"I know. That's why I said 'of course you did'."

Whether or not I was actually embarrassed is still unknown to me, but at the time the whole conversation quickly became (for lack of a better word) painful. It grew painfully silent. Painfully awkward… And It all did so really fast.

Chloe, however, quickly noticed this and tried her best to fix it. She was good at that.

"So, Beca," She began. "What do you do for fun?"

I took another swig of my rather-shitty alcohol and flipped around to face her. Walking backwards made me look cool, right? "For fun? Well, I tend to snort cocaine and drown kittens, for starters."

Chloe's reaction quickly went from being unbelievably disturbed and concerned to amused. "Oh, really? Like, lines of cocaine? Or just a little?"

"Lines. Go big or go home."

Chloe nodded once and tried to bite back her grin. "Atta girl. I can roll with that."

"I also have my own prostitution ring."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. But you gotta get 'em young…" I stumbled over a small rock as we turned left, "it makes them more compliant."

"But of course."

I nodded once and watched her take a drink. I quickly mirrored her movements.

"But, really though. What does the mysterious Beca Mitchell like to do in her spare time?" I could tell that Chloe was now 110% curious and serious.

"I make mashups."

"With music?"

I had to bite back a sarcastic response. She was being nice, the least I could do was give her a decent answer for once. "Yep. Popular songs, not popular…" I shuddered, "just not country."

"You don't like country?"

"It depends. As long as it has the right beat…"

Chloe extended her cup for mine to tap. Without so much as a split-second of hesitation, I touched her cup with my own. "True that," she hummed while taking a sip. "I'll admit that I love me my country, though sometimes it's not the best."

"Dude. They're all, like, about the same thing."

"Girls and whiskey," we both exclaimed in unison.

Country, you shitty genre, you.

As Chloe and I shared a smile, we failed to realize that we had reached our destination: the center of Barden. Well, the center of our maze.

Chloe sat upon the stone bench in the middle of the small clearing. There were some flowers sprinkled here and there, but other than that there was nothing special. Typical Barden work.

"Come on," she beckoned. With a shifty grin and drunken saunter, I sat next to the beautiful girl. "Ready for more?" Chloe poured some of her pitcher's contents into my cup before I could even respond. Immediately after she did the same to her own. "Isn't this nice?" Her blue eyes vanished as she closed them and leaned back into the night air. "Not too hot, not too cold… Quiet, calm... " I had to agree. There was nothing wrong with the weather, and the maze was helping me feel protected from the (real) outside world.

It was all so calming.

I took a drink and tossed my own head back. "Thanks for dragging me here, Chloe."

Her grin was practically audible. "It was my pleasure, Beca."

As I finished the contents of my cup and Chloe hers, we found ourselves becoming more and more loopy as the seconds ticked by. It was then, a little too late, that I remembered something she had previously said. A few cups of this punch could "knock out an MMA Champ".

We had drank/drunk a few cups.

"Are we even going to be sober enough to leave this damn maze?"

Chloe hummed and shook her head with a laugh, "probably not." Her voice fell as she added, "this was a bad idea."

Even though I felt I should be upset, I was entertained. "Drunk, broken, and lost in a maze. You're a hot mess, aren't you?"

"I blame everything on you."

"The only thing I did was break your arm. Everything else is on your head."

She grinned and leaned forward, matching her gaze with my own. "Everything?"

"Everything."

She leaned towards me a little, invading the 'personal bubble' I was usually strict about. Usually. Tonight I honestly couldn't care less. "And I'm guessing that means everything else that is going to happen is my fault, too. Am I right?"

My eyebrows knit together in both confusion and amusement, "I guess. Sure, yeah. It's all on you, so don't fuck anything up?"

Chloe nodded solemnly. "You don't seem too sure of that accusation."

"Because you're confusing me."

"How?"

"I don't know… I'm drunk."

She laughed that laugh of hers again. The laugh that sent shivers down my spine the first time, and now continues to do so the third. "Me too."

No shit, Sherlock. I grinned.

Before I could say my thoughts aloud, I was silenced.

Not by words, not by the environment or anything like that… But by actions. Chloe's actions, to be more precise.

Her lips were on mine, careful and gentle. Quiet. Smooth.

...And then gone.

"Sorry," she whispered while pulling away. "It's-"

Without giving the ginger a chance to create an excuse, I leaned forward and captured her lips with my own once more. The warmth she had given me from the first kiss was unlike anything I had ever felt before… And I wanted to feel it some more.

Blame it on the liquid courage, or whatever, but I wasn't giving her up that quickly.

The kisses quickly became sloppy and heated, and all of this pent-up emotion I didn't know I had came pouring out. She was cute, sweet… And while I had the chance to kiss her, I was going to take it.

Unfortunately, everything died down the moment we broke apart for air. We decided that our actions were probably due to Bumper's Killer Punch, and if not they would be examined at a later date and time.

"Sorry," I offered, just as she had previously.

"Don't be," she replied; voice hoarse. "But to be fair, I told you I would only need a day."

In that moment I thanked the night sky for being dark; the last thing I wanted was for her to see how flustered she had gotten me. "Weirdo."

-.-.-

AN: Finally compiled my chapters in a smoother way. I hope there are no complaints? The only glitch I encountered was deletion of all spacing. Oh, well! Please review if you wouldn't mind! Love you guys!