Just something I threw together. Enjoy!
We break apart and he stares at me, stunned. My heart is beating fast and my face is hot. He notices the blush highlighting my cheeks and grins that smile I have reluctantly grown to adore. I become aware that the Trebles have noticed my most recent… epiphany and they begin to shout in amusement over the voices of the current group on stage.
Jesse is about to say something when someone calls my name and we both look to find the voice. Chloe and Stacie are standing in the aisle, gaping as they take in the scene of mine and Jesse's arms around each other. Eventually, Chloe begins to laugh and Stacie throws two thumbs up before they both start up the aisle again.
I smile and turn my head to look at Jesse again, only to catch him staring at me. "What?" I ask self-consciously.
"I've been waiting all year for this to happen," he admits.
I blush an even deeper shade of crimson before finally loosening my arms around him and letting them drop to my side. He sighs and reluctantly follows my lead.
"I should go be with the girls," I say shyly. "I'll see you after?" It comes out as a question and I mentally reprimand myself for sounding like an idiot before turning and starting down the row of seats toward the aisle that Chloe and Stacie went up.
But he catches my wrist before I can get too far. "Hey," he says softly.
I turn and get lost in his eyes, yet again. Damn it.
"I will see you after, right?" he asks hopefully.
His eyes are sparkling and his lips are twitching, so I literally cannot resist when I involuntarily lean in and brush my lips lightly against his, shocking both of us again. "Yes," I whisper with a hint of a smile before turning and fleeing. The length of my strides begin to increase as I feel his eyes on me and I round the corner of the last chair in the row, eyeing the audience from my current position until I spot the Bellas. I smile and continue making my way toward them, turning down their row and taking a seat next to Lilly. I stare straight ahead at the group singing a cover of some lame pop song but the girls' intent stares cannot be avoided any longer.
I turn my head and meet the eyes of Amy, who is biting back a smirk. "Something you'd like to say, Amy?" I ask smugly.
She shakes her head. "Naw, I was just examining the growing hickey on your neck."
I gasp and my hand flies to my throat. I roll my eyes as the girls laugh and drop my hand into my lap. "Very funny," I mutter. I turn my head back to the stage but do a double take to look back at Aubrey. She, too, is watching me, but not the way I expect her to. I expect her to be glaring, fully prepared to spout off some exhausting speech about the Treblemakers not respecting us but her eyes have nothing but compassion, and even amusement. The corner of her lips quirk into a smile and she shrugs, as if to say, Who cares? I can't help but smile back.
I am still smiling by the end of the night, even before the Barden Bellas are announced the winners of the 2012 ICCA's. I haven't smiled like this in years, since before my parents' nasty divorce, and I have to admit to myself that it might have something to do with the wonderful time I'm having at this a capella competition but also everything to do with Jesse.
And as I catch his eye while the Bellas and I make our way toward the stage to claim our trophy, I see the genuine pride in his eyes and the way he grins and mouths Congratulations. At this point, I know that he is the precise reason behind my ever-growing smile.
X
The Trebles beat us back to campus, and he is waiting for me outside my dorm when I finally return.
I shouldn't be surprised, yet he continues to surprise me with everything he does.
He spots me walking slowly toward him and he rises quickly from the bench he is sitting on, beaming at me. "It's about time," he teases. "I thought I was the prince being stood up at the ball."
"I'm going to stop you right there, before you make the horrible mistake of giving me the title princess, because you and I both know that will not be good for your health," I say in a threatening tone. "And secondly, how could I stand you up when we had no plans to meet? This could really be considered stalking."
"You promised I would see you after."
I am caught off guard by the swelling of my heart at the sight of his adorable – yes, I did say adorable – pouty puppy dog eyes and I glance at the ground bashfully. "Yeah, I know. Sorry, it was kind of hectic afterward-"
"No, don't worry about it. I was able to mend my broken heart on my own; I only came here to tell you that."
"Well in that case, you should probably just go back to where you came from."
He seems to ponder the option and for a moment I find myself falling for it, slight panic and disappointment rising in my chest but I quickly collect myself upon remembering that it's Jesse. He's not going anywhere. "I could," he says thoughtfully, taking a step toward me, "or I could do this." Before I know what's happening, he is looping one arm around my waist and tugging me toward him, his lips descending on mine.
And it is just like before. Electricity and passion takes over every cell in my body as I kiss him back. I encircle my arms around his neck, tangling my fingers in his hair and pulling him impossibly closer. Like before, I feel him smile against my mouth and I laugh softly, pulling back to look at him. "Why do you do that?" I ask.
"Do what?"
"You smiled last time, too."
He waggles his eyebrows. "I like kissing you."
I roll my eyes.
"No, seriously," he says. "All sarcastic creepiness aside, I like kissing you, a lot. And I like you. A lot."
My lips curve into a smile. "You mean you… like me like me?"
"Oh yes," he muses. "I plan on splitting ice cream sundaes with you, and taking you ice skating, and taking you to the drive-in movie theater to watch some awful, melodramatic horror movie." He pauses. "Of course, since you don't like movies, we will have to think of something else to do." He winks and I laugh.
"Great. I do miss high school so much," I sneer sarcastically.
Jesse chuckles and kisses me once more. "But seriously, can I take you out tomorrow night?"
"I refuse to make out at the drive-in, Jesse."
His eyes widen in pure amusement. "Your words, not mine. I never said anything about making out."
"It was implied."
"Nope, it definitely was not. Your dirty mind put words in my mouth."
"Are you going to be serious about asking me out or what?" I blurt out.
"You are the one that turned this into an immature conversation."
I begin to untangle myself from his arms. "I can go upstairs and have no conversation with my super friendly roommate, which is beginning to sound better than what we are doing now."
But he only tightens his grip around me. "Beca I-don't-know-your-middle-name Mitchell," he deadpans, "will you, or will you not, join me for dinner tomorrow night?"
I chew on my lip and pretend to ponder the decision. I sigh. "I suppose."
He grins. "Excellent." He kisses me sweetly on the lips before placing a lingering kiss on my forehead and I am mortified to realize that my eyes almost begin to water. It is the sweetest gesture a guy has ever made toward me and I find myself genuinely touched by Jesse's tenderness. He leans in to whisper in my ear, "I will be down here at seven o'clock sharp, on the back of a white stallion."
I smirk. "That's fine, but I don't do horseback. You'll have to rent a carriage or something."
"I'll see to it," he says before releasing me and allowing me to go up to my dorm room. Kimmy Jin is already asleep, and I tiptoe around our room as quietly as I possibly can while I get ready for bed. I am just pulling on my sweats when I hear my cell phone vibrate on my bed in the silence of the room. I glance at it and my eyes light up. One new text message from Jesse.
I almost forgot to mention that you were extraordinary tonight. Sweet dreams, Beca.
-Jesse
THE END
A/N: I'd love your feedback!