Aubrey Posen was the prime example of what a twenty-two year old young lady should be. She used manners, she knew when to keep her mouth shut and she knew that her place was amongst the prim and proper suburban housing. Neighbors were close, but not too close, and everyone knew everyone. Fresh from college with a degree in Business, she felt comfortable enough in her lifestyle to know she wouldn't ever really have to utilize what she spent four years of her life studying.

Before college, she had never thought of herself as the type to rebel. She had come out to her parents while still in high school, and her fathers only reaction had been to tell her that her grades came before any relationship. That had been easy enough until her junior year of high school when Beca Mitchell walked into her AP History class. She had been easy to distinguish as a South Side Kid.

Her hair always looked unwashed and the clothes were obviously from the thrift shop, and Aubrey thought she was the most beautiful person on the planet. They never socialized, and looking back, parts of AUbrey really regretted that. Maybe the hope of seeing her high school crush for the first time in five years was what drew her to the South Side. There were two deciding factors that she used to figure out that Beca Mitchell had never advanced. The first was that only small miracles ever got South Side Kids out into the world. The second was the teasing text from Chloe, saying that she had seen the brunette earlier in the day as she had driven through.

So, there she was, at ten at night with her back to a brick wall as two men advanced on her. They halted their movement at the sound of footsteps. "I thought you to fucks were better than assaulting a woman," a female voice said.

"Come on, Becas, we were just having a little fun."

"Back off, Luke." She stepped into the dim light and Aubrey felt her breath catch in her throat. She still had the same unkempt appearance, but was definitely more beautiful that Aubrey remembered. "You too, Benji." The one she referred to as Luke backed away, waiting for his friend before disappearing. Beca stepped closer, offering a small smile. "They wouldn't have been stupid enough to do anything. Not too often we see a Richer down here."

"We had AP History together," Aubrey blurted out. "You were the only South Side Kid we had ever seen make it into an AP class." She stuck her hand out. "Aubrey."

Beca took it, shaking lightly. "Beca." She was quiet for a moment. "You're the lawyers kid, right?"

"I prefer to be just Aubrey," she repsonded.

"Well," she smirked," Just Aubrey, what on earth are you doing in the South Side? I didn't think that you were allowed down here. I know I've caught hell for heading too far North." Aubrey shrugged, shivering against the cold. "Come on," she said, waving as she started walking backwards. Ignoring the small voice in her head, Aubrey quietly followed, focusing only on Beca's back. Five minutes later, the small brunette was letting them into an apartment. Beca ducked down, scooping up a small kitten. Aubrey noted how the apartment was warmer than outside, but still rather cold.

"Do you live alone?" she asked, watching Beca clear the corner of the bed.

"It was my mom and I for a while," she replied, a hint of sadness in her voice. "She died just after I turned twenty, and my dads wife lets him give me just enough money to pay the bills and keep the bare minimum in the kitchen." She threw Aubrey one of those smirks that caused her heart to jump. "They are Richers."

"I'm sorry about your mom," she mumbled, sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down as the kitten curled up next to her. "Why do you call us Richers?"

"The same reason you call us the South Side Kids." She shrugged, moving over to the kitchen area. "We hear it all the time growing up and it sticks." She looked at the blonde. "Do you drink tea?" Aubrey nodded, watching Beca set up a pot to boil the water. "You're quiet."

"I like to observe." Her eyes fell on the - expensive - laptop in the corner. Beca followed her gaze.

"Dad felt bad for me after mom died," she explained. "I've always had this thing for music and trying to make music, so he bought me a laptop and some DJ software. I still don't think his wife knows about it." She poured the water between two mugs, moving over to the bed and handing one to the blonde before moving more clothes from the bed and sitting down. Aubrey sipped at the tea, smirking when she recognized the faint taste of pomegranate.

"Nice flavor," she mentioned.

Beca smirked. "I am sort of obsessed with anything pomegranate. Have been since my junior year."

The corners of Aubrey's mouth twitched upwards, remembering the pomegranate scented body spray she had spent that year obsessed with. "What have you been up to since high school?"

"I've had a few odd jobs, and right now I help out with getting the paper out in the morning. It's the only reason I am allowed up into your area of the city. I heard you went to college," she said, changing her position so she was facing the blonde fully.

Aubrey nodded, sipping at the tea again. "Business."

"Pardon me if this sounds a little bitter, but why did you go to college if you know you are going to grow up and marry a rich man before spitting out a few kids and living comfortably for the rest of your life?"

The blonde remained silent for a moment, slightly thrown off by the question. She wasn't exactly offended by the question so much as she was offended that it made her question her choices. Part of her was regretting coming to the South Side. "Firstly, I would never marry anyone for their money," she started, internally cringing at the idea of a husband. "I woudn't spit out a few kids. I would take the time to think about the choice of bringing a child into this world." She stood up, looking down at the brunette. "I don't know why I feel like I have to explain myself to you."

Beca looked taken aback for a moment before that smirk appeared on her face again. Aubrey sat back down, sighing. "You okay there, blondie?"

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "I just didn't expect to be in this part of town tonight and I didn't ever think I would see you after high school. Then you throw that question out there and..."

"And you realize that what I asked is what your upbringing and community expect of you?"

She let her shoulders fall, another sigh fall from her lips. "You don't understand it, though. The pressure to constantly be perfect so you don't become a stain on the perfect portrait that is the community. Life works like clockwork. You wake up, you go to school... you have to pick at least one extracurricular activity... then you come home and you do your homework and it starts all over until you graduate. College is expected, and required." She set the mug down on the nightstand, running a hand through her hair.

"I think you underestimate how much I can relate, even if not in the same exact ways," she replied, leaning her back against the wall. "You have to live to avoid being a mark on your community, when I grew up being the mark that the city couldn't erase. You have everything handed to you on a silver fucking platter," she said, bitterness and hatred overtaking her voice. "Do you know why I ended up in that AP History class? Because I worked my ass off. I spent every single spare second studying. I wanted to get out of this hell, and for one brief moment, I thought I had a chance but life doesn't work that way down here, Aubrey."

The blonde remained silent, watching Beca, listening carefully. Beca had a point, and she wasn't about to interrupt her.

"My mom had worked her ass off to make sure I could go to college, and then she got sick and my father did nothing to help us!" she half yelled, setting her mug down roughly, her hands wiping at her eyes. "She was supposed to get better."

It was so unlike Aubrey, but before she knew what she was doing, her arms were around the smaller woman, holding her tightly as she cried. For a moment, Beca tensed, and Aubrey felt like she was about to be pushed away, but then Beca's lips were on hers and she could taste the tears and she was kissing back before she could stop herself. She felt Beca tugging at her jacket, pushing it off of her shoulders before working at the buttons on her shirt. She pulled back, breaking the kiss, her eyes locking with the brunettes. "Are you sure?"

"Don't," she mumbled, her hands tangling in Aubrey's hair, pulling her back into a kiss. Aubrey twisted them so Beca was on top, rationalizing the decision in her brain as the brunette could take the lead since she had initiated it. Aubrey had slept with girls before, of course, and that is how she knew she preferred them, but Beca felt different. She would be lying if she said she had never dreamt about this moment, always ending up tangled in her sheets with sweat covering her body and a dull ache in the pit of her stomach at the realizing of reality.

Aubrey let her hands rest on Beca's hips, fingers digging into the skin just above the waistband of her jeans. Beca broke the kiss, pressing her lips to Aubrey's pulse point, smirking against the skin as Aubrey rolled her hips upwards, a groan escaping her throat. Beca removed Aubrey's shirt, placing a trail of kisses down her front. She felt a hand sliding up her thigh, expertly hooking in the waistband of her underwear, pushing her skirt up as she removed the fabric. She pushed her head back into the pillows, eyes closed, almost pinching herself to make sure this wasn't another of her dreams.

The sun coming through the window was the first thing to wake Aubrey. The second was a purring kitten next to her head. The third was the most shocking, and that was the - very naked - sleeping form of Beca Mitchell next to her. The previous night came flooding back into her brain. She slid off of the bed, dressing herself as she went. Her eyes scanned the nightstand, finding a pen and paper.

Beca,

I don't know what happened last night, but I am unsure on if it was a good thing or a bad thing. My head is all over the place and I can't be here when you wake up. I'm sorry.

Aubrey

She let herself out, making sure the door locked behind her. She found her car right where she had left it - and she let out a breath when she noted that it was untouched. She unlocked it, climbing in and heading towards the highway as she instructed the Sync system to dial Chloe. It rang three times before her friend greeted her sleepily. "Bree? It's seven in the morning... on a Saturday."

"I am on my way over," she said, her voice tense. "I need to talk to you."

Chloe groaned, and Aubrey couldn't stop the smile on her face when she heard the redhead mumble something about the things she does for her best friend. "I'll be out front," she replied. "Mom got in late last night, so I don't want to run the risk waking the beast. See you soon." The call ended and Aubrey easily wound her way through the familiar streets, pulling into Chloe's driveway. Her friend was sitting on the front porch, as she said she would be, and Aubrey silently walked over, sitting on the porch swing next to her. "Well?"

Aubrey let the words run through her brain before they left her mouth. "I slept with Beca Mitchell."