"Beca wait!" I heard my name being called by the sweetest voice I can remember. I'm half walking half running in the quad, after a stressful first day of practice with the Bellas, all I wanna do was hurry up and lay in my dear bed. I tried to look nonchalant and slowed my pace so she can catch up.
"Why such in a rush?" She said panting her words out, catching beside me.
"Sorry I didn't saw you." I said with a shrug. "Is there a problem?" I asked her.
"No.. well. Uhm. Its just me bothering the alt girl." She said uncertainly. Does she even realize how cute she sounds when she's nervous? I rolled my eyes and looked at her for the first time. Oh no how can one still manage to look gorgeous for panting?
"What can I do for you miss?" I asked her again this time with a tight smile on my face.
"I uh.. canyouteachmethatthingyoudowiththecup?" She blurted out. Ok that's fast. I didn't quite catch it.
"I'm sorry what? Can you slow down a little bit?" Ha. That look on her face. A mixture of embarrassment and nervousness. Its priceless.
"I said can you teach me how to do the thing with the cup? Uhm when you auditioned?" She said not looking in my eyes. Can she stop being adorable even for just one sec?
"No, that's confidential." I tried to sound proud. She stopped walking beside me. I stopped on my tracks too and looked at her. She looked at me with those pretty puppy eyes. "Please?"
Ohmygod this girl knows what's she's doing. You can't say no to that look but instead of saying yes immediately this is what I said. "Why do you wanna learn that? People think its silly anyway."
Her eyes grew bigger I thought its gonna popped out. "Silly?! That the most adorable thing I've ever seen!"
"Adorable? Still not a good reason for me to share my knowledge." I said. Ohh I'm so loving this.
"I'm majoring in child psychology. Children's attention was so hard to catch let alone held. So if I'll show them that trick maybe it can help me get their attention and that thing is more interesting than drawing and coloring stuffs right?" She said with so much passion in her eyes. I'm done.
I exhaled heavily and replied still not leaving her eyes. "Fine. For the kids. Though I think we can't to the cup class in my dorm. My roommate is allergic to sounds."
"Oh. That's ok. My apartment was not that far from campus. We can do that there. Aubrey's out for the day so I think it'll be ok."
Jeez. She live with Aubrey? That's more unfortunate than living with Kimmy Jin. As if sensing my thoughts, she swat my arms. "Hey! That scrunching nose tells me what you're thinking. Aubrey's not bad! She's just pressured this year after that puke incident. Cut her some slack." She said defending her friend.
"Sorry. I just thought living under the deadly glares of my roommate was worst. I guess I know nothing at all." I sound relieved. For the first time I'm thankful for being roommies with Kimmy Jin.
She frowned and sighed deeply. "Ok. I'm gonna let that pass. Just for now. Aubrey is my best friend and its hurting me to know what people thought about her when they knew nothing at all to her."
Now I'm guilty. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
"Its ok." She said with small smile.
"I guess I'll see you later? 6pm?" I finally said shifting the conversation.
Her small smile erupted into a grin. "Sounds good. I'll text you the address. I'll see you then."
I gave her a smirk. Just when I thought she's gonna walk passed me, I thought the wrong. She enveloped me into a tight bear hug. "Thanks Beca." She whispered into my ear. I swear all the hair in my body stood in its ends.
She squeezed me tighter and released me. She walked off as if hugging in the middle of the quad was the most normal thing to do.
"Don't thank me yet!" I shouted from her back still out of breath for the contact.
She looked back whipping those fiery red locks, even few paces away I can still see the glow in her eyes. She's shinning even its threatening to rain any minute. She just gave me nod and continued to walk.
Did I just melt? No! Beca Mitchell does not melt. I'm a badass dj. ' . My mantra as I made my way to my dorm. Its 4pm. One and a half hour of sleep will be good and thinking about sleep I realized how tired I am. I'm gonna deal with this Chloe situation later.
—
"Thanks Beca." She whispered to my ears. I swear all the hair in my body stood on its ends. She squeezed me tighter then released me slightly. Her hands finding mine. She intertwined my little fingers with her. Oh her hands were so soft and warm. I gazed down at our hands. But she released my left hand, I looked at her. Surprised was what I am now, now that I realized how close our proximity. With her free hand she gently touched my cheeks, I leaned to the touch. She let go of my other hand but her left arm swung to my waist, pulling me impossibly closer to her. Butterflies flying in my stomach. I gazed at her beautiful eyes slowly closing making me admire how long her eyelashes and her face starting to get closer to mine. I can feel myself leaning in, my eyelids dropping.. titanium is playing.. I remember what they said, if you're experiencing that moment of your life, music will start to play along with the booming of fireworks. Now I know that they are right but the butterflies I feel on my stomach are starting to get frantic and violent.
I flung my eyes opened I was met with a darkened room. Why was I in the dark? My phone ringing and vibrating on my stomach. I didn't have the time to check the caller id.
"Hello?" My voice sound so groggy.
"Beca! Are you all right?! I texted and called you a bunch of times." The last time I heard this voice it was so gentle tickling every part of my body but this voice now sound so concerned.
"Yeah. I'm ok. I just woke up." I said to her, blinking the sleep off my eyes.
"Are you still coming over? I understand if you have works to do. We'll do it when your available." I can hear the sound of sadness in her voice.
"Wait, what time is it?" I started looking for time, but there's no clock in our dorm. Kimmy Jin hates the ticking of the clock, my laptop and computer was off.
"Its quarter after 7 Beca." I heard her.
"Shit! Chloe. I'm sorry I over slept! I didn't heard my alarm. Can I still come over? Have you have your dinner? I can buy take outs on my way." I said frantically throwing the covers out of my body.
My outburst was met by soft giggles. "Its ok Beca. You can still come and chinese take out sounds good to me."
I'm relieved. "I'll see you in a bit." We both hung up. I rumaged my closet for a decent clothes. Wait why am I rumaging? Its not even a date. I settled with my gray tank top, buttoned down violet polo and black skinny jeans and my signature combat boots.
I found the nearest chinese resto in the campus and ordered. While waiting I scanned my unread messages. Chloe left 11 messages. 3 of these are her address. She must have thought I'm lost. Her apartment was close. I can be there in five minutes if the order-
"Beca!" The voice sounds familiar. I looked up and surprise surprise. Kimmy Jin. "Hi KJ! I didn't knew you work here." I said to her.
"Whatever. Here." I took the paper bags and thank her. I'm on my way to Chloe's and thinking about her and my dream! Did we just almost kissed in my dream?! I just met her why would I dream about that? Because you like her you idiot! Oh thanks brain. I appreciate your help. Did you forget? You saw her naked in the shower! She's beautiful right? Yeah. Wait! Stop it!
Before I knew it I'm standing in her door way. I relaxed myself for a few moments before ringing. Why am I getting nerves for-
The door opened revealing the cause of my nerves. She looked fresh from shower or whatever she always looked fresh. Damn it!
"Hi!" She's leaning in! Oh god my brain was starting to deteriorate. I closed my eyes but my expectation was met by none. Instead she grabbed the paper bags dangling in my hands. I can feel my cheeks aching from a blush. Beca Mitchell don't blush for goodness sake.
"Come in!" She ushered me inside. Thank god she didn't saw my cheeks.
I followed her to the small dinning area. She started to open the food. My stomach made the unthinkable.
"Look whose hungry." She said in between giggles. I blushed again. "Hey Bec-" she looked up at me "Oh are you blushing?" Giggles. "No I don't." My defensiveness gave it away. More giggles.
I should be yelling at her now. But instead I smiled, grabbed a dumpling and made the biggest bite I can. It earned me more giggles. Can she stop giggling? Man, its so cute. Beca Mitchell don't say cute.
We sat down at the counter and started digging in, we fall into a comfortable silence. After the food settled in our stomachs she stood up and started to clean up. I tried to help but she insisted. I sat down watching her.
"Do we need special cups or something?" She decided to kill the silence.
"Not really, plastic cups will do." She opened a cupboard and produced two cups, setting one in front of me. She sat down beside me and looked at me expectantly. Butterflies in my stomach stirred.
"Right. Its not that really tricky you know, you just follow the beat of the song.. like the one I sang in my audition.. its like." I started to make some beats out of the cups. I repeated the beat twice.
I turned my head to see her. "Chloe? Your jaw?" She looked so fascinated. She's fascinated at me!
"Sorry. Its just so cool to see it up close and just for me, you know?" She said with a grin
"Whatever. Your turn." I gestured the cup in front of her, ignoring the big churned in my stomach.
She took a deep breath and started fiddling with the cup. I have bite my bottom lip to stop myself from laughing. This girl lost her beats to eternal flame. I can't help it anymore. A snort escape my mouth. Now I realized that holding back a laughter was hard. I can't stop it. Loud laughter was heard.
She looked at me shyly. God she's blushing.
"You matched the color of your hair, red."
"Classic pun Beca." She said now hiding her face with her hands.
"Ok. I'll do it again but this time slower, join me."
After hours of tapping, flipping and making beats out of the cups, I managed to bring some beats back to this girl.
"No Chloe before you put the cup down, you have to tap the-" my voice was interrupted by a flash of lightning and a ground shaking thunder. Chloe jumped and covered her ears.
"Ha! My aca-co captain was afraid of-" I'm interrupted again by a sudden blackness. Before I knew it I found myself embracing Chloe from behind, knocking off the stool for my reflex. The silence was killed by the ranging raindrops on the roof.
"Beca Mitchell the badass dj was afraid of the dark." She murmured. I quickly realized what I'm doing and released her from my death grip but I didn't moved far. I need someone real near me. Darkness was one of my weakness.
"I swear if you tell anyone I'm taking you down together with all the people you met." My threat sounds lame.
"Nah. Your secret's safe with me." She grabbed her phone to use as a lighting. She stood up and opened another cupboard but this time producing candles and a match.
"We live in 21st century, candles are only used for romantic dates. I didn't know you and Aubrey are so old school."
"Didn't I told you Aubrey's out? She's out on a camping slash survival program. She took all our emergency lights. Good thing she bought excess candles and leave it here." She said striking a match. The flame danced on her breath.
"Remind me to thank Aubrey for her candles." I said to her.
Ten small candles on a glass were now lit up. I can saw Chloe's features now and the kitchen we're in. "Can we just continue the cup lesson next time?" I asked her.
"Of course." She replied.
"I should get going." But I remember I didn't even brought a jacket let alone an umbrella. "Chloe, can I borrow a raincoat? Or umbrella?"
She looked at me like I'm a three headed human. "I told you Bree's out with survival right? Well she brought our raincoats too and its raining cats and dogs. I'm not letting you go, unless you want to go home soaked to a very dark room and a roommate ready to murder you in the dark."
I shuddered at the thought. "Fine. As if you won't murder me on my sleep."
"Of course I won't. Not until I learned the cup trick. And who told you we're sleeping?" She smiled at me.
For the first time I'm thankful for the darkness for hiding my blush. Chloe made me blushed three times today. History was made. I checked my phone for the time. I can't believe its past 10 already and now the rain was giving me sleepy mood. I yawned. Chloe followed.
"Beca help me put the glass candles on my room so we can rest."
I can't argue with that, flipping cup for hours was tiring and my nap didn't took the muscle pain brought by cardio.
After two rounds of back and forth to the kitchen to Chloe's room all the candles were set on safe places. Chloe was now on her closet looking for clothes she can lend to me. I stood near the bed still not on my good self. Darkness, candles and a girl you like it's too much too take it. Did I say like?
Finally she turned around and tossed me a short shorts and her oversize shirt. Before I can look away she pulled her blouse up revealing her black laced bra. Oh god even if its dark I can make out the outlines of her perfect toned abs.
"Uhm Beca? You're drooling." Chloe still on her bra walked to me and put her hand on my jaw closing it. My mind full of sarcasm was blacked out too.
"I-I was not." I stammered. Beca Mitchell don't stammer. I looked away and turned around to change. Chloe was back to her place and changed completely too.
I turned around. Chloe was now standing by her desk rummaging She's wearing a short shorts and and oversized shirt too. I guess this was her bedtime fashion. She faced me holding a new tooth brush. We took our quick trips to the bathroom with two candles. I have to say, that was definitely not the best time of the day.
I went back to her room. One And Only by Adele was playing.
"Well? I know you don't like this kind of music but it relaxes me. Forgive me for being an Adele fan." Chloe said sitting on the edge of her bed.
"You're underestimating me red. I love Adele." The last sentence slipped out my mouth.
"I knew it! Somewhere beneath your rough edges, there's this Beca who love cliched love songs. No come here. I'm really tired. By the time I reached the bed, the rain started to relax too giving me my second yawn.
Chloe was laying on the left side of the bed. I first sat down gently and slowly lay, afraid to touch her. I turned my back to her. I can smell strawberries from her pillow. I love strawberries despite of its pinkness.
"Chloe?"
"Yeah?" I can feel the sleepiness on her voice.
"How come you can play music without electricity?" I asked her.
"Beca we live in the 21st century but not everything was made with an electric plug."
I faced palm myself in my head. Of course there's battery operated music players. I didn't want to sound foolish around her but I don't know I just wanna talk to her.
"Still old school." I countered.
"Old school?" She asked. "This is old school." I feel the bed squeaked and the only thing I know now was her body on my back, spooning me, her arms on my waist, her head nuzzling on my neck. She's nuzzling my neck! Her breath tickles me. I froze.
I released the breath I didn't know I'm holding. Make You Feel My Love was now playing every note relaxes me. I started to melt to her.
"Goodnight Beca. Thank you for coming over." Her words electrifying every inch of my body.
"Goodnight Chloe." This was indeed a good night. Rain, good music and the girl I like holding me. Maybe I like darkness now.