A/N~ This may sound a bit like the Bellas are bullying Stacie, but they're really not. I based the Bella's actions on jokes that go round at my school. I don't mean for them to be mean. They're just teasing Stacie. Like how piggy in the middle isn't intentionally mean. It just comes across as mean.
"Turn it around!" They finished.
"Alright. Beca. You stay. Everyone else can take a break." The captain called.
"Aubrey, what the hell?"
"Everyone else has memorised the routine. Chloe's going to walk you through it. When you can do it all the way through with few or no problems, then you may take your break." Aubrey told her, sitting at the piano. "I'm going to watch to make sure Chloe doesn't lie for you and so I know that you actually can do it." The Alt Girl groaned in frustration.
Over in the bleachers, Stacie was drawing. She was sat on the floor, back against the railings, with her legs bent and her sketch book on her knees. She smiled slightly, continuously looking up at the subject, studying every aspect.
"Hey, Stace, what ya doin?" Amy asked, walking over to her.
"Nothing." Stacie panicked, standing and attempting to pack her things away before anyone saw, so, of course, she dropped the book and pencils, her belongings going everywhere and her book landing face up and open on the last page she used. Great.
"Whoa." Amy said. Stacie jumped up to grab it, but Amy tossed it to Beca and Chloe. They flipped through.
"These are really good, Stace." Chloe said, honestly. Stacie blushed.
"Stacie's got a crush!" Beca teased.
"Hush, hobbit." Stacie grumbled.
"My height always comes into this!" Everyone laughed.
"Wait, Stacie has a crush? Who is it? It's not a Treble, is it?" Aubrey asked eyes flashing murderously. She reached for the sketchpad, only for Chloe to throw it over to Cynthia Rose.
"Damn, girl. Them? Of all people?" CR asked. Stacie blushed and looked down.
Lilly snuck up behind her, glanced over the other girl's shoulder. "I respect that." She whispered.
"Is it Donald? Jesse? Benji? Oh my aca-gods. Anastasia Heather Conrad, look me in the eye and tell me it isn't Bumper."
"It isn't Bumper. I have higher standards."
"Good. Then let's get that sketchpad." She smiled. Stacie grinned.
They ran towards CR, who threw it to Lilly. They ran at Lilly, and she threw it to Beca. Beca passed it to Chloe. Chloe threw it to Amy. Amy threw it to Denise. Denise threw it to Ashley. Ashley threw to Jessica. They charged Jessica, who panicked, throwing it in the air. Aubrey snatched it.
She just closed it, making a point of not looking at the contents. She handed it back to Stacie. Stacie frowned, surprised she didn't look. Aubrey picked up on it.
"It's private. For your eyes only until you say otherwise." Aubrey explained.
That was the moment Stacie knew that Aubrey was a friend. In that moment she felt like she could trust Aubrey with anything and that Aubrey truly respected her.
"Thanks." Stacie smiled.
Aubrey clapped her hands, and everyone turned to her. "Well, that was enough cardio for today. Practice is over. Same time tomorrow, everyone."
While everyone else filed out, Stacie went over to her bag and began to pick up her spilt pencils. Aubrey walked over and got down on her hands and knees, helping the other girl clean up her things.
"Otherwise." Stacie smiled, handing the book to Aubrey.
"You sure?" The blonde girl asked.
"Yes. You need to know." The brunette smiled.
Aubrey cautiously opened the book, her expression changing to one of surprise at the first page. Stacie saw her shrug it off, assuming it was a tester, probably. She turned to the next page. And the next. She continued to turn each page reverently, carefully, as if the book itself would fall apart in her hands or that if she closed her eyes the images would be replaced with totally different ones. Stacie watched her, stomach churning, ready to run at the first sign of trouble. Aubrey got to the last sketch, the one Stacie had been working on. There was a girl with fair hair and green eyes sitting at a piano.
"Me?" Aubrey asked, confused.
"Hate me now?" Stacie cringed slightly.
"No, of course not. But... why me?"
"Because you're beautiful. And I love you." Stacie said.
Their lips met. It was all the clichés. The fireworks, the butterflies, the heavenly choir. And, as with all ridiculously cliché kisses, it was over all too soon. They broke away to breathe.
"I love you, too."
