A/N: I had to delete the first attempt at this, unfortunately. And with it the reviews, I'm so sorry (technological problems - or maybe I'm just too stupid to function, the jury's still out on that one). As always, I own nothing and am not making money with any of this.

The reason why Beca was late for auditions was that some of the High Notes had been standing outside the auditorium sharing a joint - and they had offered to share with her. Beca had promised her mom to quit smoking and she had - for two whole months - but then there had been nobody around to offer. The temptation was too great and the DJ took a lungful, it was good stuff.

Given, it was a little strange that the High Notes stood outside while everybody else was inside listening to the freshmen audition but Beca figured, maybe they had taken a break or something. She should have known better by the earnestness with which Aubrey Posen had evaluated her when they first met, the way she talked about 'synchronized lady dancing' like it was her calling in life.

So, when Beca finally entered the auditorium, she felt good, she felt refreshed, everybody was just ready to leave, or confer about their choices or however they did this thing. But there was the cute redhead and she waved Beca forward.

"There's one more," Beca waved, no doubt grinning stupidly. But that was okay, it was always good to seem friendly.

So, she started that thing that she had learned on lazy afternoons with some other guys on the school lawn, that song Barry had been so fond of, the one with the cup. Luckily, those Bella-girls had something akin to a cup, it wouldn't have been quite as impressive if she had just slapped her hands on the stage repeatedly. But then there was something magnificent about the sounds her hands made on that cup and Beca started hitting the thing just for the sake of it and she might have forgotten the words to the song but that cup... man, that cup sounded good.

She did see that tall blonde lean over to the cute redhead and she even heard her whisper:

"She's stoned, Chlo," and the redhead tried to smile and then looked up at Beca sadly. Beca stopped her clomping on the cup and just looked into those sad blue eyes.

"I screwed up, did I?" she heard herself ask.

"No, I mean, the first few seconds were really good. And you do have a lovely voice," Chloe told her while her friend already got up off her seat.

"Your friend doesn't seem to think so," Beca said and followed Aubrey with her eyes as she made her way through the row of seats, turning when she noticed that Choe hadn't followed her.

"Chloe, you coming? We need to talk to the girls we've already decided on," she said with a sideglance at Beca.

"That's not me then," the DJ said.

"Maybe next time," Chloe tried to be encouraging but her smile was still a little sad - and disappointed. But that was not fair, she didn't have a spliff in two months and that stuff those High Notes handed around had actually been pretty good stuff. And damn, did that cup sound good. Beca hit the yellow thing a couple more times, yeah, still excellent. Could she take it with her? she wondered. And since no one was looking at her she just took the yellow cup and left the auditorium.

The High Notes still stood outside, they were still smoking and lounging.

"Hey, did you make it?" One of the girls, she had introduced herself earlier as Nadine, asked her and Beca shook her head. "Then you can join us, we have auditions on the lawn, whenever... try to be on time, though," she giggled and offered Beca another pull of another joint. Beca honestly wanted to decline but she didn't want to be rude, either. So, she took another lungful of the good stuff, forgetting that there were sad - disappointed - blue eyes somewhere that would have liked to see her succeed.

Aca-initiation night.

If Beca had thought the acas took their ritualistic auditioning for organized derp-performances a little too seriously, she was relieved to find that initiation night was just a party - with nerds. And that was her favorite kind of party because no one made her participate and push her body against some other awkward almost-twen. She stood a little to the side when the Bellas entered - fashionably late. She recognized the blond Tasmanian from their encounter at the DJ-booth and smiled at her.

"So, you one of the chosen few, too?" the obese young woman asked her.

"Chosen few? I thought, that were those who got to join the Quidditch teams," Beca gave back.

"Nah, they just like to think that. So, who you're singing with?"

"The High Notes, though, I'm not sure there's going to be much singing... maybe some ritualistic chanting around the bong," Beca quipped. She felt sober enough to make fun of her participation in the group, after all, her dad had pretty much pressured her to join any group, really. He didn't need to know that they were all potheads - Beca included.

"Well, I'm looking forward to partying with you guys - the Bellas seem a little... more conservative, if you get my drift," Amy said.

"Stuck up bitches?" Beca gave her impression of the tall blonde who was in charge.

"Nah, not exactly, just... traditionally sobered and sobering." She grinned at Beca while the other Bellas made their way to the bottom of the amphitheater they had all gathered in on this occasion. "I'm Fat Amy, by the way," she told the brunette.

"Fat Amy? Well, I'm DJ Beca... it's nice to meet you."

"Same here and see you later DJ Beca. You gonna play some music for us some time?" Amy asked while she was joining her friends where there was alcohol and music and guys.

"Sure, if I think you're up to my sick mixes," Beca answered.

"You're on," the Tasmanian called back and pointed both fingers at the brunette. Beca laughed. She noticed someone who lurked at the side of her vision, it was that kid Jesse who worked with her at the radio station. He was waving when she turned to him. He had a drink in hand and his walk was a little uncoordinated.

"Are you drunk, friend?" she asked him.

"No, not really, just a little overjoyed," he grinned goofily.

"Overjoyed, huh?"

"Yip, this is so cool. We're all gonna sing and hang out together all year," he enthused.

"Yeah, that's great, so, did you join those Treblemakers, then?"

"No, they took Benji, though, he was so happy. I'm with the BU Harmonics," he pointed at the group of young men in their polo shirts and pullovers who stood with a group of girls who hung on their every words and arms.

"That's... great. I hear you sing a lot of Madonna," she said amusedly.

"Madonna's cool," Jesse nodded.

"Yeah, she is. She's badass," Beca confirmed.

"I'm not gay, though," Jesse said earnestly.

"Who said you were?" The dark-haired young man nodded.

"Just, I think some of the guys are and, well, I'm not. I got in because I'm a good singer, is all," he clarefied. "Have you had a drink yet? You look like you don't have had a drink yet, I think I'ma gonna get you a drink now, okay? Is that okay?" He babbled.

"Sure, that would be nice. You go get me a drink," Beca agreed.

"Good, I'ma gonna get you a drink. Something good," and he scrambled off, or rather he jumped jauntily down the stairs. He was such a weirdo, but kinda cute and nice - in a gay kinda way.

"Hey," Beca felt her hands be taken by someone she hadn't seen yet, though her eyes had scanned the crowd for the redhead. "You're here." She said and pulled Beca very close, maybe a little too close for someone who hardly knew you. But like Jesse she seemed rather inebriated and Beca really didn't mind the closeness.

"Yeah, I'm being officially initiated into the a cappella-world of Barden University," Beca offered mock enthusiastic.

"You're with the High Notes, then? Or the Harmonics?"

"High Notes, the Harmonics already had their fill of... high notes," she quipped.

"Yeah, I'm sometimes acutally a little jealous of boy sopranos. I don't know how they do it," Chloe smiled brightly.

"Yeah... I mean, whatever," Beca smiled back stupidly. The other woman's blue eyes just knocked the wind out of her, they were magnificent, brightened by the alcohol but also by her obvious joy on this occasion.

Chloe giggled.

"I think we're gonna be friends, right? I mean, you'll be around, right? Right?"

"Yeah, I think I'll definitely be around," Beca agreed.

"Good. I think I would like to sing with you one of these days... again," Chloe said with a wink.

They were still so close to each other, Beca could feel Chloe's breath on her face, there was a whisper of alcohol on it but it wasn't unpleasant. A gust of wind sent Beca's hair into Chloe's face and they giggled as Beca tried to tame it.

"We're going to be really good friends," Chloe whispered again and then she gave the brunette a peck on the lips before she let go of her.

"So, now, this ginger needs her jiggle juice. You want some, too?" She asked as an afterthought.

"No, I'll be good. Jesse's getting me some," Beca answered. Chloe wiggled her behind at her and then slapped it. "Nice moves," the DJ congratulated, smirking at the sight.

"Join me on the dance floor and you can get some up, close, and personal," Chloe flirted. Beca blushed just a little but then laughed.

"I'll keep that in mind," she said and watched Chloe leave. "Dayam, girl, you fine," she muttered under her breath as Jesse joined her with her drink. He gave it to her.

"Is good stuff," he said and took another deep swallow of his own.

"Good, I think I need it," the DJ said. She took a sip and had to caugh. "Damn, what's in here?" She asked.

"A little bit of everything, that big guy said," he pointed at Justin, one of the organizers of a cappella at Barden.

"That's helpful information," Beca said and took another sip. The drink began to grow on her as did the party.