[Beca]
As I stepped out of the taxi and took in the sight of my new home for the next year, I had to fight hard to suppress the sigh that I knew would not fly well with anyone who heard it. I didn't want to come across as the pretentious, aloof alt-girl on my first day, but it was hard for me not to smirk at the various other students, some of whom were holding up score cards for passing girls, others dropping boxes full of stuffed animals and squealing as they frantically tried to gather them up again. Wheeling my own modest load of luggage on one of the nearby trolleys, I made my way across to Baker Hall, the building where I would find my dorm room and roommate, who I knew to be called Kimmy Jin. I had speculated for a while on what kind of person she would turn out to be, but I had to admit that I was surprised when I finally walked into my new room and was confronted with a glowering asian girl decorating her side of the room.
"Hi, I'm Beca, you must be Kimmy Jin?" I awkwardly extended my hand, but her expression remained stony and hostile, so I dropped my hand, sighed and began to unpack, setting up my DJ equipment in the process. I had finally got it all up and running when my dad barged in, preceded by a really lame joke, to which I allowed myself an exaggerated eye roll.
"What do you want dad?" he sighed and began his worn-out speech about how I needed to get a college education before going off to pursue my dream of being a DJ, a dream that he seemed to view as the whimsical fantasy of a little girl, one that contained no real substance or value. I'd given up trying to persuade him to see things my way a while ago, and this time my escape came in the unlikely form of my glaring roommate.
"I'm going to the activities fair." She stated, rising from her desk chair and walking over to the door. Glad of the opportunity to avoid any more of my dad's 'advice', I quickly followed her out.
"Yeah, I'm going to the activities fair with my super good friend Kimmy Jin." I smiled with fake sweetness as I made a dash for freedom. I hadn't really thought things through though, as Kimmy Jin made a beeline for some sort of Korean students' club, leaving me to wander around looking at stalls offering activities that I had absolutely no interest in. I knew that if I returned to my room too quickly I might still bump into my dad again, so I was forced to keep up my pretend interest, eyes scanning over each stall quickly as I walked. I was glancing over my shoulder to read a sign for the 'Barden DJs', which turned out to stand for 'Deaf Jews', when a hand from beside me thrust something straight into my face, forcing me to stop in my tracks. I took the proffered flyer, and looked across at the owner of the offending appendage. My eyes immediately locked onto an all too familiar bright blue gaze, and I gasped as recognition flooded my being. Chloe Beale. The girl seemed realise my identity as the breath left my lips, and her smile melted instantly into a look of shock and confusion.
"Beca?" She croaked, cheeks turning a little red as I continued to stare at her agape. The prim blonde standing beside her cleared her throat.
"Uh, okay would someone mind filling me in on what just happened?" She looked me up and down, raised an eyebrow and turned back to Chloe, who was now trying to stutter a reply. Over the initial shock, I adopted my normal expression of mild interest, and replied in as sarcastic a tone as I could muster.
"Chloe and I used to, uh, know each other in high school." Was it even physically possible for the blonde girl's eyebrows to go any higher without breaking free of her forehead? Chloe seemed to regain some composure, and nodded profusely.
"Yeah, it's been a while. Uh, hi Becs." I flinched at her use of the old nickname, the memories that it brought creeping back already too painful.
"Hi." I mumbled, staring down at the flyer in my hands to avoid her earnest gaze. It was for something called the Barden Bellas. As if sensing the question that was about to leave my lips, the blonde girl interjected with a brief explanation.
"The Barden Bellas is an all girl acapella group. We're one of four groups on campus. You should consider joining, we compete in national championships all over the world, it's really quite prestigious." She looked so smug, it would have been a waste not to knock her down a peg.
"On purpose?" Her look of self-importance morphed into a scowl, and I grinned back.
"Sorry, but I don't even sing." I glanced back at Chloe, who was still looking at me with pleading eyes. I sighed. "It was nice seeing you again though Chloe..." I trailed off, looking to the blonde girl for her name.
"Aubrey." She replied coldly. I nodded, and began to walk away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chloe open her mouth as if to say something else, to call me back, but then it closed again, and I kept walking away. Funny how time changes things, reverses situations and returns strength to weary bones.
That night, I made a mix of songs that tore my heart apart to hear, that caused me to relive each aching memory because each one reminded me so perfectly of her, and each one told the story of my heartbreak. When it was done, I burnt it onto a CD, and hid it under my already noticeably uncomfortable mattress. I didn't know why I made it, I just had to. I didn't know why I left it there, but there was a part of me that knew that maybe one day I'd need it.