A/N: This cute idea popped into my head based on Beca's aversion to wearing fake eyelashes. It's a bit of a nod to my first dance competition when I threw a fit about eyeliner.

Beca's First Dance Competition

Five years before Dance Rivals begins

Beca Mitchell had just finished the fourth grade. Her dance group had received so many compliments from audience members at the dance recital that her teacher Alyson created a new dance competition team just for them. There were only four of them. The other three dancers were Cynthia Rose - a beautiful African American girl who excelled in jazz, Denise, a tall brunette with brown eyes who excelled in ballet, and Barb, another brunette with brown eyes who excelled in tap. Beca was the smallest of the group with brown hair and dark blue eyes. She was best at tap and jazz. She showed a lot of personality and passion when she danced, sometimes at the expense of her technique.

Alyson had entered the group's ballet, tap, and jazz numbers they had performed in the recital. Ballet was to the Chinese dance from the Nutcracker. Tap was to Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. Jazz was to Emotions by Mariah Carey.

The competition was a three-hour drive from her home, and Beca was super excited to spend a weekend with her mom. The group would be doing all of their numbers in one day, but they were encouraged to stay an extra day to watch the other groups perform. The older competition teams from Alyson's studio would be competing the following day.

Beca and her mom checked into the hotel where the rest of the group was staying. Beca excitedly unpacked her dance costumes and hung them in the closet to shake out any wrinkles. She double checked her makeup to make sure she had everything necessary for the competition. She was used to wearing makeup for recitals, but Alyson was much more strict about what the dancers wore for competition. She looked at the fake eyelashes her mother had purchased at Alyson's insistence and made a face.

"Mom, do I have to wear these stupid things?"

"Alyson says you do."

"Ick. They look like spider legs."

"No, they don't."

"I am not wearing them!"

"Should I tell Alyson you're not dancing?"

Beca's eyes grew wide. "No way. I want to dance!"

"Then this is the last I want to hear about them."

Beca sighed in defeat. "Ugh. Fine. But I don't have to like them!"

"You'll get used to them, and you may even learn to like them."

Beca didn't respond. I will never get used to these stupid things, and I definitely will never like them, she thought.

The next morning she met her team at the competition. Several members of the older groups had come to watch, support, and assist the new team. The new team was competing in the ages 9-10 category.

Ballet was first. Beca's mom got Beca's hair into a neat bun. It came time to put on the eyelashes and Beca threw a fit. The minute her mom put the eyelash anywhere near her face, Beca screamed.

"I'm not wearing those!"

"Beca, you have to."

"No, I don't!"

"Beca, honestly. Cut it out. If you stay still, I'll pop the eyelashes on and it will be over in a minute."

Beca scrunched her eyes shut as hard as she could, making it impossible for her mother to attach the eyelashes.

An older dancer stepped in to try and help.

"Beca, I wear these every time I compete and it makes my eyes look so pretty. Want me to put them on for you?" asked Jennifer, a sixteen-year-old dancer from the senior team.

"No! I'm not wearing them!"

Beca was making a scene in the dressing room at this point. Her mom was really embarrassed. Nine-year-old girls could be so unreasonable.

Alyson stepped in at this point because Beca was really stressing out the other dancers.

"Beca, wear the eyelashes or you don't dance. I won't ask you again. If you don't wear them, you aren't getting another opportunity to compete."

Beca sighed. "Fine."

"So, who's putting them on? Me, your mother, or Jennifer?" asked Alyson.

"Mom," said Beca. She had her arms folded and was scowling.

"Okay, Beca, look down with your eyes," said Jennifer. "Relax and you can blink when you need to. That's how my mom did them for me until I got used to them."

Her mom attached the eyelashes. Beca flinched a little, but her mom was able to attach the eyelashes successfully. She finished the rest of Beca's makeup without any protest from Beca.

Beca's team earned two first-place awards for ballet and jazz. They earned second place for tap. Their jazz won overall high score for small groups in the ages 9-10 category.

Beca and her team were super proud of themselves. They all screamed like crazy when their awards were announced!

Eight years later

Beca had completed her final dance competition. She had never learned to like fake eyelashes. She ceremoniously tossed all pairs of eyelashes and the tube of eyelash glue into the trash. She was thrilled to never have to wear them again.