PART ONE – CHAPTER ONE

THE ONE WHERE SHE LANDED

Beca heaved and pulled her heavy trunk across the gravel as she headed to her beat-up Toyota Corolla. She had just finished another gig at a high school prom and she was totally exhausted from the drama that had happened earlier.

"I need a drink, pronto," she muttered, fishing out her keys and opening the trunk.

Just as she finally settled in the driver's seat, her phone went off and she begrudgingly picked it up.

"Beca? It's Mr Houston."

"Mr Houston? Is this about the rent? I've just done a gig and I have enough-"

"Yes, it's about the apartment. I need you to move out by the end of the next week."

"What?"

"I have new tenants coming in."

"But Mr Houston, I have enough money to cover-"

"Beca, you've dragged your last two months' rent for too long and-"

"Please, Mr Houston. I have nowhere else to stay!"

"I'm sorry, Beca but I've already given them my word. Tell you what, two weeks – tops. You'd have to move out at the end of two weeks. That's all, Beca. Good night."

Beca flung her phone to the backseat and cursed under her breath when it bounced against the leather seats and came straight back at her head.

"Even you are against me?!" She glared at the phone, rubbing the back of her head. She then realized it was already past midnight. While sighing, she pulled out of the parking lot and slowly drove towards the apartment. Along the way, she passed by a grubby-looking bar and decided to stop for a drink.

Meanwhile...

"I'm telling you – I'm going to score that next Baz Luhrmann movie. Take my word for it, you beautiful people!" Jesse gushed, taking another swig of his beer and gestured at his friends. Bumper quickly reached over and grabbed the bottle away, spilling some of its contents on Jesse's pants. The brunette yelped and made his way to the men's room clumsily.

Aubrey laughed at her friends' antics, reaching for her own beer when she froze at the sight of a short brunette woman who was making her way to the bar. Her arm hung in mid-air as her jaw dropped in recognition of her childhood friend.

"Beca?"

The brunette woman spun around at her name and froze; her expression mirrored that of Aubrey's.

"Aubrey?"

The two women started approaching each other in slow motion; their eyes steeled into a staring contest. When they finally reached each other, Aubrey stuck out a hand and Beca shook it solemnly. They stood like that for a few more moments before erupting into mad laughter. Beca pulled Aubrey towards her and engulfed her in a crushing bear hug, feeling the tension in her shoulders lessen at the sight of a familiar face after a long day. Tears began to sting her eyes as she wondered when the last time was when she'd felt so relieved.

Beca was exhausted.

Having fulfilled her end of the bargain with her dad by finishing college with flying colors, she arrived at Los Angeles in hope of making a name for herself in the DJ industry. After a whole lot of rejections and mockery, she finally got herself into some small-time gigs just to earn enough for the rent and groceries.

She'd spent the money her dad gave her to finance her DJ equipment. Too proud and stubborn to ask her dad for more, she chose to survive on apples, bread and peanut butter. Her urge to find a big-time gig had left her no time to find a day job as she needed the time to make mixes. But it became a vicious cycle as she'd mostly be too hungry to even think of matching up bass lines to create a good enough track. This had culminated to the phone call from her landlord earlier.

She was going to be homeless soon.

As the two women pulled apart, Aubrey immediately noticed the bloodshot eyes and quickly tugged the brunette towards her table and sat her down. Her other friends kept silent and waited for Beca to calm down.

"Beca, what's wrong?" Aubrey gently probed, taking a napkin and dabbing at the shorter woman's cheeks. Beca smiled at the gesture and sighed, closing her eyes as she related her tale to her childhood friend.

When she was done, Beca opened her eyes and found herself wrapped in Aubrey's arms. It was then that she noticed the blonde's friends who were seated at the table whilst she was talking. There was another woman who looked their age with crimson hair; her own eyes glossy after listening to Beca's life story. The brunette found herself having to ply her eyes away from the redhead to focus on the remaining company.

Three other men occupied the seats opposite the women: a goofy-looking brunette with a flushed face and wet pants; a blonde man with handsome boyish features that seemed to resemble Aubrey's, and a stocky-looking brunette whose hair was lighter than the first man's. All three of them were staring at the two of them with bemused expressions. Aubrey cleared her throat.

"Oh, right. I forgot to introduce you guys. Beca, meet my gang: this is Chloe, my best friend" she motioned to the other woman who immediately scooted over; her hips very near to Beca's, causing the brunette to inhale sharply. "This is Jesse – he's drunk. And I believe you don't remember my older brother, Luke," she ruffled the blonde man's hair making him yelp in protest.

"And this is is Bennett-"

"-But they all call me Bumper so," the third man lifted his fist to Beca and she bumped it with her own fist, a small smile playing on her lips.

"I'm Beca," she smirked, looking around the group once again.

"Hi Beca." The group chorused, causing Beca's smirk to grow into a full-blown smile.

Aubrey chuckled softly at her friends' antics and turned to face Beca with a serious expression. Beca noticed and turned to face her as well.

"So you won't have a place to crash after two weeks?" Beca nodded sadly.

Aubrey turned to the redhead who was wearing a thoughtful look on her face; she arched her eyebrow and nodded. The blonde nodded back in kind and turned back to face Beca again.

"Mitchell, I'd hate to say this but, unfortunately we have an extra room in Chloe and mine's apartment."

Beca's eyes went wide at her words. Extra room?

"Really, Posen. That's unfortunate indeed."

Aubrey bit her lower lip and stifled her laughter as she continued, "Yes, and you know what's more unfortunate?" Beca nodded for her to continue. "We couldn't find a third flatmate after all these years."

"Ah, I see, Pos-"

Chloe, not getting the game the two friends were playing at, jumped in excitedly, "Yeah, so why don't you come room with us, Becs?"

"Becs?"

"Ignore Chloe – she's overly friendly at times."

"Well Posen, if you can handle all of this," Beca motioned at herself, "I'd take up your offer."

Aubrey smirked and rolled her eyes playfully, "Yeah, I'd say the same to you, Mitchell. So it's a deal?" She stuck out her hand and waited. Beca looked from her outstretched hand to her face, a smile breaking into her own tired features as she grabbed on tightly to her friend, believing for the first time since LA that everything was going to be alright.

"It's a deal, Aub."