Free Hugs

"What kind of fucking assignment is this?" Beca huffed, exasperated, as she tugged at the tag around her neck. Jesse bumped her shoulder with his fist before straightening his sign.

"Cheer up, we get grades if we do this." Jesse grinned as he showed off his sign. "Plus, they're easy."

"A target of a fifty hugs is easy?" Beca belched and rolled her eyes. "I haven't touched fifty people in my life."

Jesse merely laughed before stepping out into the quad. "We should start now if we plan on hitting target."

"Oh, I'm not planning on that." Beca grumbled as she stomped out into the open with Jesse. The boy and some other of Beca's classmates started waving their boards around, attracting the attention of several high schoolers. Beca stood awkwardly under a tree, her hands tried desperately to cover up the embarrassing tag with bright green words painted on it.

"Hey! You giving out free hugs?" A boy stepped forward and pointed at Beca's sign. Beca's eyes widened as he stepped closer.

"No." The brunette frowned as she flipped her board around. The boy mumbled something before stepping away and Beca flipped the board around again, growling softly as more people filed into the quad.

Beca has nothing against hugs really. She has something against physical contact, and hugs are very much physical. So she does actually have something against hugs, never mind. She shrunk into the shadows as she watched Jesse hug one person after another. She rolled her eyes as she leant back into the tree.

Break was almost over and Beca would be failing her assignment again, if she doesn't hug fifty people soon.

Great.

Beca propped her left leg on the tree trunk as she watched people scatter around. Jesse apparently achieved his goal of fifty ten minutes ago and he's now dashing around, trying to double his goal. Beca observed as all her classmates hugged numerous people while she stood by, an annoyed look plastered permenantly on her face.

"Hey." A soft voice came from beside her. Beca knit her eyebrows together as she spun around. A redhead stood by the tree, her palm flat on the tree trunk. Beca stared at her questioningly, as if asking what do you want. The girl looked angry and pissed, maybe. Beca stepped forward and the girl opened her mouth to talk.

"You don't look like you're enjoying yourself." She pointed to Beca's tag and motioned to the people around them. Beca nodded and folded her arms. "I left my homework at home today and the goddamn professor thinks that I didn't do it, but I swear I did! And then I realized I forgot to bring my lunch money out, which is why I got this crappy sandwich my friend got me, and the weather's so warm, what the hell, I think the world's against me toda—"

"Whoa hey." Beca raised her hands. "Are you okay?"

The redhead puffed her cheeks and exhaled as she stared at Beca.

"I can't really help you but, want a hug?"

Shut up, Beca don't offer.

Beca scrunched her nose up and stuck out her arms for the redhead. The girl stepped forward and clutched onto Beca's shirt. Beca swore she's never felt this good in someone's embrace. It's not like she's been in many hugs but feeling the ginger's arms tighten around her made Beca feel fireworks in the pit of her stomach. Beca rubbed her back gently and she felt a small exhale from the girl. As she pulled away, Beca could see that the anger in the girl's eyes subsided. Beca grinned and clicked one on her counter. The bell was about to ring in three minutes and Beca has forty nine more to go.

Good going, Mitchell.

"Hey uh do you think you could hug me forty nine more times?" Okay, so Beca really wanted to pass that class, or she really wanted to feel the girl's arms around her again, sue her. The girl looked at her weirdly before opening her arms again.

"Weird request, but sure." Chloe brightened up and leant forward to hug the smaller girl Beca chuckled as she gripped onto the redhead's shoulders. As the bell rang, Beca pulled away.

"Dammit, I'm failing this one again." Beca grunted softly and the redhead's face softened.

"Just tell your teacher you hugged me fifty times." The redhead smiled cheekily.

"You think he'll believe?" Beca asked as she pulled the tag off her neck.

"He might." Chloe grinned as she pulled her bag higher up on her shoulders.

As Beca started walking away the redhead called her back. Beca turned around and cocked her head to the side, awaiting the redhead's question.

"You owe me forty eight hugs." The redhead laughed as she caught up with Beca. "I'm Chloe."

"Beca." Beca stuck her hand out and shook Chloe's warm one.

"Well, Beca." Chloe smiled as she stepped away. "I'll be awaiting my forty seven hugs."

"Wasn't it forty eight?"

"Yeah." Chloe stuck her tongue out as she surged forward and wrapped her arms around Beca. "Minus one."

A/N: Feel free to send me prompts if you guys have any :-)