A special three-shot for three special birthday girls.
Gossipsweetlips, the best Jeca reviewer ever. Bae, it was your initial reviews on my monster fics that kept me going. Thank you so much For that and tim tam slams.
The great Jae, the curling iron, who was my 100th reviewer of my first fic and all around funniest girl ever. again, your reviews kept me going.
and to cajunqueen my darling boo, who is my best cheerleader. What would I do without you? Thank you for everything. Cowboy Jesse first and foremost, who was the inspiration for hotter than Hades Dallas Evans.
Thank you for the friendship. Thank you for the support. Thank you for the Jeca and thank you for the anti-Castin.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY y'all!
Beca Mitchell doesn't do birthdays. She doesn't.
Ok, maybe when she was little, she did get excited about her birthday parties, looking forward to cake and balloons and presents. Yes, definitely the presents. But all that changed on her eight birthday. She heard them quarrelling in hushed tones and she saw her parents' fake smiles and forced joviality during her party. She could not help feeling something was severely wrong between her mom and dad. And she was right. It was not even a month after her birthday party before her dad left and ever since Beca did not want to celebrate her birthdays.
So it had been for the last nine years. No. Nothing for her birthday, thanks. But that did not stopped everyone else from having their birthdays.
She looked at the invite in her hand, shaking her head in disbelief. "What the shit is this?" She muttered under her breath, looking in disgust at the very pink, very glittery invite. "What rainbow pink unicorn drop this shit?"
"Oh hey! You got the invite?"
Beca felt a pair of hands on her waist and she whirled around so fast she nearly decked her assailant on the chin.
"Whoa there."
She heard that familiar chuckle first before her eyes rest on him. Dark brown eyes laughing down at her, half smile across his face.
Jesse Swanson.
Jesse Samuel Swanson.
Only the most popular boy in school.
It was hard not to see why. Jesse Swanson must have been born under a full moon, in a night full of stars and the heavens sang when he came into the world. Not only was he an incredibly blessed athlete (team captain for soccer and basketball) and a straight A student, he also had the voice of an angel and the moves of Jagger. Beca lost count of the number of school productions he had starred in. And to top it all, he was so sweet, down-to-earth and friendly that no one could not NOT love him.
but Beca did not care about all that. Jesse was her best friend. Had been since she gave him half her tuna sandwich one day when they were five. True, he can be terribly annoying and too perfect that Beca sometimes just wanted to hit him or vomit on him or do both. They were the bestest friends for the longest time; sometimes she could not remember a time when they were not friends.
It did not seem to bother him that she was not exactly the most popular girl in school either. They were like chalk and cheese. Beca must have been borned one dark night, with thunder and lightning. With her dark eye make-up, piercings and uniform of plaid and dark jeans, she was not exactly the type of girl who made the cheerleading squad. Not exactly the type of girl to top the popularity stake. Beca had always been a little different; more into her music than anything else; staying in the periphery of the high school social dynamics and not totally bothered by it. She did not suffer fools gladly and she rather be alone rather than be fake and popular.
And that was what Jesse liked about her.
That and the sweet way she shared her sandwich with him years ago when he dropped his in the sandbox.
"What do you want, nerd?" Beca groused, arching her eyebrow up at him. She quickly stuff that sickly pink invite into her backpack, not really caring she was crumpling it up beyond repair. She would gladly toss that thing in the bin if it wasn't…
"The invite. You got it." Jesse said gleefully, now laying his arm around her shoulders. He was much taller than her and she knew what was coming. He was going to get her in headlock and mess up her hair. No one messed up Beca Mitchell's hair and stays alive. Well, no one except Jesse Swanson because she's actually…
"Yeah, I got it." She muttered, quickly getting out from under his arm.
"You are coming, right?" Jesse asked and when she did not answer him but scowled instead, "Awww.. Bec, you have to come! It won't be fun without you! Aubrey really wanted you to come."
Beca just glowered at him. "Don't lie, Jesse. She only invited me because you asked her to. And you know I don't do birthdays."
"Bec, it's Aubrey's 18th and we had all these stuff planned. There's going to be a good DJ. It's going to be an awesome party! Some say party of the year! The decade! You have to come."
Yeah, the other incredibly annoying thing was how he sometimes tried to make her do social stuff like going to parties. Because apparently it was important and part of making memories and would be good for her.
Like that stupid movication thing he was fixated on for some years. Beca had to endure their twice weekly movie marathon. One pointless movie after another, with him snuggling up next to her under a blanket, big popcorn bowl in between them. Him muttering movie fun facts to her deaf ears and he was not above pinching her when she dared to fall asleep. Actually she did not really mind that bit…that bit about snuggling next to him because he was familiar and comfortable and..…
"God, Jesse! Why the hell do you make me do this?" Beca whined, pouting at him and eyeballing him dangerously now.
"Because I want my best friend to be there. We can go together, Bec."
"Yeah? And then what? You are going to leave me alone in the corner while you party with that pink blonde brigade and your jock friends?"
It came out a little bitter and harsh. Beca did not mean to be so harsh. She was still a little sore about the last party Jesse dragged her to. She should not blame him really. He was popular. Everyone wanted to be his friend. Everyone wanted to be with him. It was not his fault that he got caught up with all the merriment. She should not monopolise him and kept him with her when he could be partying hard with his other friends. So she just finished her drink, left the party without telling him and walked home alone. She was sure he would not missed her.
But that barb hurt him. She could see the hurt on his face and Beca felt suddenly felt awful.
"Sorry." She mumbled. "That was uncalled for."
"I didn't mean to leave you alone, Bec," Jesse mournfully said, his eyes looking like a kicked puppy's. Beca felt a thousand fold worse. "You know I'm sorry about that."
It was true. He went spare looking for her afterwards. They stayed quiet for a bit, feeling a little awkward.
"I'm sure your girlfriend would want you there with her at her party, Jesse."
"Oh, Aubrey will cool with whatever," Jesse replied, running his hand through his hair. Even to his ears, he did not sound convinced. Let alone Beca's.
"Tell you what. Why don't I come over tonight? You have to watch Star Trek, Beca. It's important! You have to watch the first one before we go and watch the second one coming out next week." Jesse started to run his mouth. "I can't go about talking during the movie, bringing you up to speed. They will kick me out of the theatre and I might get banned and that would be a tragedy because …."
"Star Trek!? Star Trek?!" Beca's voice went a little high pitched, momentarily forgetting that horrible birthday invite. "The first one? And we are watching the second one at the cinemas?"
"Keep up, Beca! I've got tickets booked already for next week and…"
"There you are, Jesse!"
Beca froze at that high pitched trill. She fixed a fake smile on her face before turning round.
"Oh hi, Beca!" Aubrey trilled yet again, fixing her megawatt smile at the brunette. "I didn't see you there."
Beca just nodded, noting Aubrey's smile did not quite reached her eyes. Aubrey Posen; head cheerleader and all round popular girl. Thin, blonde, pink everything.
"Hey baby..." Aubrey said huskily, winding her arm around Jesse's waist and burrowing herself under his arm. "I was looking all over for you. I thought you would be waiting outside my class."
"Oh yeah...Umm.." Jesse was now running his hand through his hair.
"It's OK. I need to get some stuff for the party. Can you give me a ride to the mall?"
Jesse was looking at Beca.
"Oh I'm sorry!" Aubrey suddenly piped up, noticing the look. "How rude! I'm sure you've got plans with Beca. I don't want to intrude!"
Yeah sure - Beca thought, her eyes narrowing very slightly.
"No, we don't have any plans," Jesse said, squeezing Aubrey back and smiling at her.
"Great. Give me a ride?"
"OK. Becs, see you tonight?" Jesse said.
Beca was about to nod when Aubrey gasped audibly. "OH! Tonight? Aren't you coming over my place tonight?"
Jesse looked a little confused.
"We are going to look through our wardrobe, remember? We need to be co-ordinated for the party!"
Beca snorted at that and had to straighten her face when Aubrey threw her a killer look.
"Oh that,"' Jesse stuttered. "Sorry, I've made plans to watch a movie with Beca. It's pretty important..."
"Oh, it's not THAT important." Beca suddenly chimed in. So...Jesse only wanted to come over just because he wanted to escape some stupid couple clothes night with hellish pink Barbie, huh? True, he was her best friend and she should help a brother out. But no one make use of Beca Mitchell. No one. Not even Jesse superstar Swanson.
"Really, it's not! It's just a movie. I don't even like them." Beca was trying not to look at that flash of hurt that ran across his face. She was out-smiling Aubrey, her cheeks almost painful with the effort. "Really Jesse, you don't have to come over at all."
Jesse was staring at her.
"Well, that's great," Aubrey said. She started moving away and then noticed that Jesse was still rooted on the spot. "Coming, Jesse?"
For a minute, he was looking at Beca like he wanted to say something.
"Oh. Yeah. Coming," Jesse hiked his backpack further up his shoulder and glanced at Beca, "See you, Bec."
He walked over to Aubrey who was waiting, a little impatiently tapping her foot and when he reached her, she automatically held his hand and pulled him closer. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and they walked away towards the exit. Beca just looked at their retreating backs, Aubrey's arm now around his waist. They stopped for a minute and he leaned into her, kissing her full on her lips.
Beca looked down and fiddled with her stuff. She did not want to see any of that. PDA nauseates her. Sure Jesse had gone out with other girls before but it always petered out after a few dates. He always declared he found them boring and uninteresting and Beca was the only girl for him. To which she would laughed and said "Yeah, right." before handing a pint of ice-cream over and they would settle down and watch another boring movie.
Come to think of it, their twice weekly moviecation was more like once a week now, if at all. He was just getting so much busier now in things in his life now she was not a part of. Matches, rehearsals, Aubrey. She didn't mind it at first because hooray, finally she was getting some respite but now she sort of missed having him come over all excited about a movie. Maybe she should not have given in so easily just now.
Be honest, Beca, you just don't want it hear Jesse picking couples clothes night with Aubrey over a movie with you. That's why you said it'a not important.
Damn! That was true. Hell, he was too good for that fake, pink, blonde, plastic...thing. She was sure Aubrey was only with Jesse because that was the thing to do. She hated Aubrey with a passion. She hated her because she was fake. She hated her because Aubrey was always mean to her when they were not in front of Jesse. And she definitely hated her because she, Beca Mitchell, was actually a tiny bit in love with her best friend, Jesse Swanson.
"Hey boo!"
Beca nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Jesus, Chloe! How did you get in?" Beca sat down back down as the redhead leant over and gave her the biggest hug. "I didn't hear the door."
"Yeah. Because you got your headphones on?" Chloe swung Beca's headphones on her fingers and she grabbed them back. "So where were you? We waited hours, Beca!"
"Is she there?" Another voice floated down the hallway. Beca shut her eyes.
"Yeah, she's here, Stacie!" Chloe shouted back and in the next moment, the tall leggy, brunette Stacie appeared and plopped next to Beca.
"What the fuck, Beca? You said you meet us at the mall and here you are hiding in this shed?" Stacie complained. She drew a nail file out of her cleavage and started to file her nails.
"It's a recording studio. This is a recording studio," Beca answered, more than a little annoyed.
"Eh." Stacie shrugged. "What gives? You promised on your mixer's life you'll come."
Beca mumbled something incoherent as her eyes moved back to her laptop. Besides Jesse, Chloe and Stacie were the only other people she tolerated. Hell, she loved them actually but Beca was never one to wear her heart on her sleeve. The girls had been fast friends ever since they were twelve; they didn't need to tell each other their love every few seconds.
"Does this have to do with a certain blonde parading round the mall with her claws on a certain brown-eyed boy?" Chloe hazard a guess, looking at Beca staring at her laptop. A faint flush appeared on Beca's cheeks. She mumbled something that sound like "don't care" and "that fucking blonde!"
Stacie scoffed loudly and rolled her eyes. "I just don't get it, Bec. Just go and get him. You want him, go get him. You can take that bottle blonde anytime."
"Don't know what you talking about." Beca answered crossly, still keeping her eyes on her laptop.
"Oh Becs... This is getting boring. You been wanting him like forever!" Chloe giggled, earning an eye roll from Beca. "You should totally tell him how you feel."
"Yeah..and he will totally laugh at my face, along with all those other blonde fakes," Beca muttered.
"I don't know, Becs. I don't think Jesse will laugh at you," Chloe said, a little thoughtful now. "He cares a lot about you."
"Mmm... And all that sexual tension! Like the time we caught you both in bed. You can't pretend nothing happened!" Stacie said gleefully.
"Oh my god! That was over a year ago! He made me watched Lord of the Rings back to back! I can hardly keep my eyes opened," Beca protested, balking at the memory. "Nothing happened!"
"Sure. You had your face squashed up in his neck. His face in your hair. His arms all around you... Hang on! I think I still have the pic."
Stacie was busy scrolling through her phone while Chloe laughed. Beca was blushing redder than Chloe's hair now. Nothing happened. She was so bored with those movies and with the second one in, she was already leaning against him, yawning uncontrollably. He was warm and comfortable and smelled so nice and she was only going to close her eyes for ten minutes.
The next thing she knew she was awoken by shocked gasps. Stacie and Chloe standing over them, early for their weekly breakfast date, morning sunlight streaming into her room. She was very aware of Jesse's arms around her and as she tried to get up, how his hold tightened and how he nuzzled into her hair, moaning her name softly, still fast asleep. And suddenly she was super aware of..umm...Jesse's "morning glory" pressed against the side of her hip.
She literally slapped him awake. He was lucky she didn't push him off the bed. He was confused at the beginning before taking in the scene. The two girls standing in fascination over them, eyes huge like saucers, mouth hanging open and Beca looking thunderous getting out of bed. He had quickly made his excuses and left. They avoided each other for a week after that incident.
A whole week.
Probably the longest time they were not in each other's company. And all the while Chloe and Stacie were teasing her and pushing her and telling her to man up and tell Jesse Swanson she actually got the hots for him.
He appeared outside her class one day, smiling widely tossing a juice pouch at her. It was like nothing had happened. They walked home in comfortable silence but Beca could see he wanted to say something, that he was trying not to smile too hard.
"Out with it, nerd," she finally said when they reached her front porch. Jesse had looked at her with shining eyes, his cupid's now mouth curved into an irresistible smile. How did she not noticed how sexy was his smile before? And that she could practically drown in those brown eyes?
"Becs, you know how I always tried to date before? And it'd never really work out?"
Beca nodded dumbly, feeling her temperature rising.
"And I always say that you are the only girl for me?"
"Umm...yeah?"
Her voice sounded strange and damn, why is her throat so dry? Jesse was smiling wider now, looking at her and she thought she lost some feeling in her arms. Is he going to say what she thought he was going to say? Because she was sure she would fling herself into him and kiss him breathless. Beca leant in a bit.
"So guess what? Aubrey asked me out!"
Beca blinked. Aubrey?
"She said she liked me and wanted to go out for a date. Can you believe? Aubrey Posen said she's been interested in me for the longest time. Wow, Beca! It's Aubrey!"
Beca's heart was hammering erratically and she swallowed that huge lump in her throat. Trust sweet, humble Jesse not to see what a catch he was and get all starry-eyed because Aubrey Plastic Posen asked him out. She could not remember anything much of that conversation which was monopolised mainly by Jesse talking about Aubrey. A few dates turned to something more and there they were, still together a year on. They made a gorgeous couple.
They were still best friends, of course. He was still the same Jesse, messing around with her but hey, he had a girlfriend now and of course he could not spend all his time with her. Which was fine, really. Because she could not stand how he would go on and on about Aubrey anyway. Beca seeked solace from Chloe and Stacie who just nodded in understanding and hugged her tight.
"So are you going?"
Beca was brought out of her reverie by Stacie's voice.
"Oi, you still here?" Stacie was snapping her fingers at Beca and she blinked.
"Umm.. yeah."
"Are you going?"
"Where?" Beca stared blankly at both of them.
"The party of the year, of course!" Chloe said, rolling her eyes.
"I dunno.." Beca said in a small voice, trying to get back to her laptop. Chloe just closed the cover down and stared at her.
"Did you get an invite?"
"Yeah. Just now."
"Fucking finally!" Stacie said. "I can't believe that bitch deliberately missed you out. After inviting the whole school! And you are Jesse's best friend."
"Umm, that was precisely why!" Chloe said. "She's jealous of you, Becs. Trust me."
"I don't want to talk about Aubrey fucking Posen," Beca muttered darkly. "Besides, Jesse and I are just friends."
"See, that's why. You are friendzoned, Beca," Stacie declared. "Now if you show off that booty of yours and that phenomenal rack.." She leaned over and jiggled one of Beca's boob and Beca batted her hands off, screaming slightly. "...then perhaps Jesse would see what's in front of him ALL this time."
"And what is that?" Beca said crossing her arms over her breasts.
"What a hot piece you are, baby!" Chloe trilled. "That you are no longer that five year old best friend but this totally hot, totally available, barely legal girl that he can have dirty thoughts about doing the most dir..."
"OH MY GOD! Stop! Just stop!" Beca cried.
"Like you never have those thoughts about him," Stacie scoffed. "Ya know, when he's running across the field, all sweaty and in those short shorts. Dat ass, girl! And that shoulders and those thighs..."
"Stop! Oh my god, stop this very minute or I swear to God, I'll cut the both of you!"
Later on that night
Beca rubbed her eyes, a little tired from staring at the screen. Chloe and Stacie had left shortly after harassing her yet again about Jesse and she had returned home to a quiet house. Her mom was gone to work and left a note that dinner was in the fridge. She bolted down dinner quickly before dashing up to her bedroom and opening her mixing software, eager to finish what she started that afternoon. A few more tweaks and she would have a good demo and hopefully, it would be good enough for her to get a foothold in her dream career.
So far she was on the school radio and had done some part time work at the hospital radio. But she couldn't exactly play her mixes in both places. Not when the hospital wanted something easy listening. She needed some gigs, that was all but she was not 18 yet and that was a big dampener.
Beca yawned a little, taking her headphones off and reaching for her phone. What the...fifteen messages? All from Jesse.
B, save me!
Becs.
Please. I'm dying.
If I see another couple outfit...
I'm your best friend. Don't you want to see your BFF again?
Save me! You can have any of my DVDs!
Beca had to laugh. All fifteen messages were in the same vein. She could not deny she felt a little satisfaction at how he was suffering. Did she really want to save him?
"Jesse! You are not even paying attention!"
"What?"
Jesse looked up guiltily from his phone. Aubrey was staring down at him, holding two outfits up against her.
"What about these?"
"Yeah. They are fine."
"That's what you said about outfit no. 8"
Jesse tried to remember what outfit number 8 was. He couldn't.
"Umm..."
"Jesse, if you can't be serious about this, I don't know how we can make it!" Aubrey's lower lip was wobbling dramatically, her eyes welling up. Jesse's phone rang loudly and both of the jumped. He quickly picked up the call.
"Bec, what's wrong?...What? You are locked out? Where's...oh, ok. I'll swing round."
Jesse put down the phone. Aubrey had stopped her dramatics and was looking at him suspiciously.
"Was that Beca?"
"Yeah, she's locked out and no one's home. I got a spare key."
"What about her neighbour?"
"Umm.. They are out too, I guess."
Jesse was standing up, gathering his things. Aubrey came up quickly and wrapped her arms around him from behind.
"Oh, she's a big girl, Jess. I'm sure she can wait on the porch until someone let her in. You don't have to rush over straightaway." She began to kiss his neck, distracting him. "I'm a bore tonight. Sorry. I should pay you a little more attention. Stay a while, sweetie?"
Jesse closed his eyes. That call had been from Beca but she had simply said, "Ok, I'll save you." He had made up all that dialogue about her being locked up. He couldn't stand looking at another outfit and thought how much he would rather watch a movie with Beca instead.
He was also a horny teenager.
"Yeah, I supposed Beca could wait a little longer."
An hour later
"Bree, I need to go. Beca is locked out and I have to.." Jesse was untangling her arms from around his neck. Aubrey sat up, straightened her clothes and pouted a little.
"Jess! I'm sure someone let her in already. You don't have to rescue her!" she said churlishly. When she saw him zipping up his backpack, she quickly said, "Why don't you stay a while longer? Umm...why don't we watch a movie?"
"Really? You want to watch a movie?"
"Yes. Whatever you want to watch. Star Wars, Trek wars or that thing with robots. Anything you want, sweetie."
"Ok." Jesse said slowly. "I suppose Beca will be fine. Let's watch Star Trek."
He happily busied himself with his laptop and popped the dvd in. Aubrey Posen just smiled smugly in the half darkness and settled herself next to him.
The next day
"Hey nerd!"
Jesse shut his locker to find Beca leaning next door, smiling up at him. Somehow seeing her smiling like that, her blue eyes twinkling, made him feel happy and he easily smiled back in return.
"Hey weirdo."
"So..." Beca grinned at him, her eyes mischievous. "Did I save you from a fate worse than death?"
Jesse's smile faltered. "Becs, about last night..."
She was chuckling now. "Do you have matching handbags?"
"Umm, Becs..."
"Me being locked out? Great story, by the way," Beca ploughed on. "I was half expecting you to swing by but you didn't; so I thought you must have headed home. Matching outfits can be SO tiring."
"Becs..."
"Jesse!" He jumped visibly on hearing Aubrey's voice and in the next moment, she was next to him, linking her arm through his possessively. Beca noted Aubrey had two of her dingbat followers with her; equally thin, blonde and pink everything. She looked at Beca like she was a piece of discarded tissue. "Oh hey, Beca. I didn't see you there."
You never do, bitch - Beca wanted to say but she fixed a smile on her face instead.
"Hey Aubrey!" She said, in her sweetest, most saccharine voice. "Listen, I am so SO sorry for last night."
Aubrey just looked at her in surprise and Jesse closed his eyes.
"I didn't mean to interrupt your date. I got locked out and my mom was at work. Thank goodness Jesse had the spare key," Beca continued, oblivious to the look of rising panic on Jesse's face.
"Whatever do you mean, Beca?" Aubrey said, exchanging knowing looks with the other blonde plastics.
"Last night...I had to ask Jesse to come over..." Beca faltered to a stop, finally noticing the way Jesse was now looking down at his shoes.
"Oh Beca! You tell the funniest stories!" Aubrey exclaimed while the other two carbon copies snickered. "Jesse was at my place until very late, weren't you, sweetheart? I really enjoyed last night, baby. We watched Star Trek, didn't we?"
"Ahmm... I..." What the fuck, Beca? Why the fuck can't you talk?
"Sweetie, did you go over to Beca after leaving my place after midnight?" Jesse cleared his throat uncomfortably and Aubrey just looked triumphantly at Beca. "I thought not."
Beca could feel her cheeks burning now. Her eyes swivelled to Jesse, who had the grace now to look a little guilty. So he practically begged her to save him and when she did, he just decided to stay? And now she looked like some sort of liar?
"Sorry. My mistake." Beca's voice was hard like flint.
"Oh it's ok, sweetie!" Audrey trilled. "We know what this is all about."
"Excuse me?" Beca whirled around to look at Aubrey's smug face.
"Aubrey..." Jesse said warningly.
"It's fine, Jess. We should really have it out." Aubrey steamrolled ahead whilst the other two Aubrey lookalikes were staring in amusement at Beca. Aubrey towered over the brunette, patting her arm condenscendinggly.
"Beca, sweetie, don't you think this little girl crush you have on Jesse is getting a little out of hand?"
Beca stepped back in horror.
"I don't..." she could only stutter. She was painfully aware that every other person in the hallway, sensing a catfight were now eavesdropping in their conversation.
"I mean putting on tricks like telling Jesse you got locked out? Just so he comes over?" Aubrey continued, smiling nastily. "That's more than a little pathetic."
The others were now tittering, casting pitying looks at Beca.
"Aubrey!" Jesse said sharply.
Beca could not speak. How did it go so wrong? She was helping her best friend out and now it looked like she was some sort of basket case? Beca lost her voice. And her dignity. And at this point she was sure she was going to lose her temper very, very soon.
"Don't interrupt, Jess. The sooner she knows you will never reciprocate her feelings, the better. We talked about this, remember?"
Now that felt like a blow to her gut. Beca felt numb but she could feel the blood rushing in her ears. Everything seemed too bright, too sharp. Aubrey's gloating face, the pitying looks from her minions, Jesse's shocked face, still refusing to look at her. Beca was blindly aware of Stacie and Chloe coming up and standing behind her.
"What's going on here?" she could hear Stacie asking. No one answered; all of them were staring at Beca.
"You both talk about me?" Beca choked out in a near whisper.
Aubrey just laughed. "All the time, sweetie!"
"Jesse?" Beca was staring hard at him. He was rubbing his face now, unsure how to answer her. He didn't have to.
"Falling for your best friend? That's just sad. Come on, Beca! Like honestly? No one can see you and Jesse together. Dark goth with the future Prom King. That is just ridiculous!"
"Aubrey, stop!" Jesse was saying now.
"Everyone knows of your toner for Jesse, Beca," Aubrey declared, tossing her blonde hair impatiently. "Jesse and I laugh about it like ALL the time."
As if her humiliation wasn't enough. Jesse knew her feelings about him? All this time? And it did not matter at all? And they laugh about it?
"You fake fucking bitch! I am going to tear you apart!"
Stacie was yelling now and she was trying to rush past Beca. Beca was shaken out of her frozen state with that war cry. Both her and Chloe stopped her before she could tear that smug look from Aubrey's face.
"Stacie." Beca said sharply.
Stacie stopped trying to break free at the hard look on Beca's face. All these years she knew Beca, she never seen that unnaturally calm, hard look on her face. It was a little frightening.
Beca turned to face the laughing blonde, her eyes blazing in fury. She had a dangerous smile on that Jesse had seen only once in the thirteen years he knew her. Aubrey's laughter tapered off.
"Thank you for that..insight..Aubrey," Beca said calmly, her eyes icy. "I am SO glad I can make you and Jesse laugh so much. To think that little old insignificant me takes up so much of your thoughts, Aubrey. How can you even remember to function? We know you can't hold two thoughts at the same time."
Aubrey's smile faltered at the insult.
"As for me falling for my best friend, I'm sorry... I don't seem to see my best friend here at all. Just some poor excuse of a pussy whipped boy."
She spat out the word "boy" with so much derision. Beca casted her cold eyes at Jesse who was looking white as sheet.
"Now if you excuse me, I just have to do some of my dark goth witch curses on SOME people," she glared at Aubrey who squeaked a little. Aubrey looked a little frightened now. "And I think you wouldn't mind me saying this...fuck you all. Fuck you all to hell."
With that, Beca spun on her heels and walked away head held high. Angry tears threatened to leak out of her eyes but no, she can still keep it together. Everyone had stood still at Beca's calm, hate-filled speech and watched her walked away.
Then a few things happened at once.
Chloe and Stacie quickly followed her.
"Beca! Wait!" Jesse was shouting after her.
"Oh my god! Did you hear that?" Aubrey screeched to her minions. She fell dramatically into Jesse, wrapping her arms around him. "She cursed me! That witch cursed me! Jesse! She cursed me!"
"What the fuck, Aubrey? What kind of shit are you saying?" Jesse was shouting to Aubrey Trying to untangle himself out of her grip. "Beca, wait!"
She did not stop.
Like hell, she would.
Jesse was running after her now and he was stopped short. Both Chloe and Stacie had spun around and stopped him.
"Stay away, Swanson. If you know what's good for you," Chloe hissed, bristling at him.
"Don't make me claw your eyes out and ruin that pretty face." Stacie threatened, staring hard at him.
Jesse gulped and stayed still as the three of them walked out of the building, heading towards the carpark. He ran after them again and they were by Chloe's car now. Beca was leaning against Stacie and she was helping her into the backseat. Stacie jumped into the passenger seat and Chloe drove the car away.
For a moment, Jesse saw her face. She was so string and calm just now. But no longer. He saw her face, pale and hurt. She had ran the back of her hand across her eyes angrily like she was trying to dash her tears away and he saw how hard she pressed her lips together like she was trying hard not to cry. And he knew how hurt she was. And he could not help feeling like the world dropped out underneath him.
