I forgot to mention:
I think a lot of us have a head canon that Aubrey is tall and long, more in the Alexis/Haiz category but in reality Anna Camp is only 5'5. Which is ironic. I'm 5'5 and I've been made fun of for being short always. But. For the sake of the visual in this story, let's pretend Aubrey is like 5'7 or so plus heels.
Beca
Beca had to really fight with herself as she stood in the sun, watching the crowd gather outside of the bar. She had, for the most part, wanted to get out of there before, bored and annoyed. Now she really wanted to get the hell out of there. She wasn't sure the rest of the tour was worth being the third leg in this awkward party. People who had been in the bar kept craning their neck around to look at her as if her face might give more insight into what the hell had happened. Which was annoying. Because it wouldn't. All it did was make her dig her sunglasses out of her pocket and try not to be noticed at the very back of the crowd. She heard the clicking of heels and watched as Aubrey crossed in front of her, her eyes pointedly looking away as she settled to the far side of the group. Seeing the way that people stared at her at least made Beca feel a little better since they were looking at Aubrey like they wanted to shun her from the tour. Someone bumped into her from behind, nearly sending her reeling and with a glare Beca saw it was Bumper. God, what kind of freaking name was Bumper? He hadn't seemed to notice her though, too busy on his way to Aubrey, looking gleeful.
"Goooood job, Pee-Bree." He held his hand up for a high-five and when she looked resolutely the other way, he clapped her on the shoulder. "Have I ever told you that you're super good at making friends?"
The blonde gave a loud huff and marched to the other end of the group. Bumper just laughed, sipping his very blue drink and sending Beca a wink.
God, Beca didn't know which to pity more, Aubrey's obvious mistake in the bar or her terrible taste in men.
"Sooo, yooou,"
Beca blinked. In the few seconds that her mind had drifted Bumper had approached.
"Uh, sorry," Beca muttered, "but I gotta go literally anywhere but here," and turned away walked as far as she could get from both Aubrey and Bumper.
"Alright, is everybody here?"
Beca grinned a little as she listened to Chloe at the front of the group, that twang still surprisingly heavy for someone who had not sounded that way at all the first half of the tour. The guide seemed to notice the difference too because she paused, took a deep breath and said in a clear, twang-less voice, "Is everybody ready? Alright, let's go!"
Beca couldn't help but to watch Chloe and Aubrey ignore one another throughout the rest of the tour. She supposed she couldn't blame them - or at least she couldn't blame Chloe for openly ignoring Aubrey – who had apparently decided to finish the tour. The problem was that it seemed he rest of the tour goers were struck by the same thing and though Chloe spoke, half of the group was busy either watching Aubrey or Beca or looking between the three of them in a way that let Beca know that it wasn't Thomas III they were concerned about.
And it was awkward. Though if that was awkward then it had nothing on the times when one would accidentally catch the other's eye. Beca would look over, her eyes moving without her permission, and would find herself looking at Chloe. That wasn't so bad, Chloe smiled and Aubrey ignored her but any time that the two of them would catch one another's eye, things did not go quite as well. Even as she spoke, Chloe's lip would purse into an angry pout and Aubrey's eyes would go wide, her nostrils flaring. At that point all ambient chatting with cease and they would all look between them like hungry lions waiting for a fight.
Still the tour continued on, out of the Quarter and into the cemetery.
The cemetery was not what Beca had expected nor like any she had ever seen before. There were no rolling green hills with delicately placed headstones but instead a large cemented space filled with above ground tombs and cemented in coffins. Slightly disconcerted by the creepy factor of graves above the ground, she followed a few people behind Chloe, fully aware that the unreasonably angry Aubrey was right behind her.
That fact was a little uncomfortable, kind of like swimming and knowing that Jaws was just chilling behind you in the water.
"This is the oldest cemetery in the entire city and it holds some of the most influential burial spots in the world." Chloe smiled at them, ignoring a whispering duo to her right. "This cemetery is the resting place of Etienne de Boré, Homer Plessy, Marie Laveau and there are even rumors, thanks to a plaque that was found in 1841, that Mad Madame LaLaurie was snuck back and buried here after her death." At this Beca wasn't the only one to crane her neck around to see how Aubrey would respond. As a matter of fact, it seemed as though the entire tour stopped to look between them.
"Also debunked," Aubrey mumbled, completely and totally unapologetically.
Chloe just smiled, polite as can be, whereas Aubrey glared back at her with open fire. Beca chuckled, strangely amused – but purposely stepped to the other side of the group and out of firing range – just in case.
"As you can see," Chloe flashed the group a smile while her eyes avoided the left side where Aubrey was just as pointedly avoiding her, "New Orleans cemeteries are not quite like everywhere else. Why? The land was and is still swampy. Between the constant threat of flooding and the tombs sinking, they decided to start burying their dead above ground. Come with me!"
Beca followed as Chloe continued, telling them all about the levee construction. "The cemetery is divided into three parts," Chloe announced, her words growing slightly huffy as people were clearly still more interested in the drama. "Catholic, non-Catholic, 'negro' or 'gens de couleur libres' - free people of color."
"So, she just thought she told the story bad?" A woman between Aubrey and Beca whispered to her friend, her eyes on Beca. All three women, Beca, Chloe and Aubrey turned to glare at them and the two snapped their gazes away.
Maybe she should say something? Would that make this worse or better? She wasn't sure but this was getting to be kind of stupid.
"And this," Chloe announced a bit too loudly as they stopped at a worn tomb covered in scribbles and surrounded by Mardi Gras beads, full shot glasses, and other small tokens, "is the tomb of the infamous Marie Laveau." This finally seemed to draw people's attention back to Chloe a bit. "How many of you have heard of Marie Laveau?"
A few hands rose and while Beca had indeed heard of the woman, her hand rose a bit, people turned to look at her and her hand planted itself firmly back in her pocket.
Right.
This wasn't awkward at all.
"This is easily the most visited spot in the entire city." Chloe said. "For those of you who don't know, Marie was and still is considered the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. It was said that if you had a problem, or an illness you could go to Marie for a little gris-gris or Santeria and you would be cured. She was known as the deliverer of wishes and dreams. To this day people come and bring gifts to her tomb for that reason. The rumors all vary but it is said that if you draw three X's on her tomb she will grant you a wish. Now, some say you need to knock, some say you need to turn around three times, but whatever the tradition people still place their hopes on the Voodoo Queen."
Beca followed as Chloe was already beginning to move again. She couldn't help but to notice that Chloe's answers were a little less thorough now than they had been before the break. She didn't know a lot about New Orleans history but even Beca knew there was more to the Laveau story. Were they running low on time or was it that people seemed far more concerned now with the drama and Chloe wanted the tour to hurry up and finish? Either way Beca was surprised as to how quickly she found herself standing in the mercifully air conditioned lobby of the welcome center again.
"Thank you so much everyone for taking my tour, I hope you enjoyed yourself!" Beca scoffed and was treated to a very high arched eyebrow from the guide in return. "Be safe driving home, and if you are going to head into the Quarter for a few drinks then please drink responsibly. The police here don't have a lot of patience for much debauchery. No vomiting, no disturbing the peace, and absolutely no flashing! Okay, have a great time! Thank you again!"
Beca hung back at the edge of the crowd, her nerves high. She had literally wanted to go home since she had purchased her ticket for the tour hours ago and now, when she was supposed to she found herself hanging around the front entrance, her stomach in knots. After all of - that she had to say something to the tour guide. She could see her, standing next to the desk of the predatory brunette and trying to pretend that she wasn't affected. She kept smiling at the other woman, and even laughing a little but Beca could see tension around her eyes and her hands kept tirelessly fluttering to her throat and rubbing it, a clear nervous tick.
Beca glanced around, pleased that it seemed like her notoriety was wearing off. She didn't see Aubrey anywhere, which was great. She must have taken off as soon as she could. Slightly encouraged by that, she waited for the crowd to thin a little more and then started up to the redhead. "Hey, just wanted to say thanks. That was kinda crazy, but -"
The sound of high heels on wood made her turn.
"Shit." The word had just popped from her as she turned.
Aubrey paused mid step, thrown by Beca's blurt. "Err. Hello."
Beca froze, fully aware that she really hadn't helped anything, with a slightly apologetic frown, "Shit. Sorry. My bad. My-" but then she shook her head, deciding it was better to just shut up.
Aubrey's face was sharp, but when she spoke she sounded a little less harsh than she had before. "I," she paused, her throat working for a moment, her eyes closing as though she was trying to center herself. It made Beca want to reach out and make sure she was okay. This chic was clearly crazy but at least she seemed to feel bad about her craziness? She didn't know. "I want to apologize for that little FUBAR," Aubrey finally went on.
FUBAR? Beca frowned, and a FUBAR was…? She glanced at Chloe, but apparently the other woman knew because she didn't look confused, she just looked tired and very much like she didn't want to start another fight.
The outer shell of the blonde cracked for a moment and through a fissure Beca saw her shift, her power stance breaking as her eyes grew mournful. "That is - that is something I do every now and then and -" she cleared her throat again, "I apologize. It's unnecessary and something I never mean to do. I can be - controlling and abrasive and," she paused again, nodding a little to herself as she studied her fingers. It was like all confidence had faded from her and suddenly Beca felt terrible. Which was weird. It was weird to feel bad for literally both of them in this situation and yet somehow she did. "Anyway," Aubrey looked back up and the gentleness that had been there was gone. "I was wondering," she smoothed her shirt a little, taking a second, "I was hoping that you might allow me to buy you lunch as an apology. Are you free?"
Eyebrows high, Beca glanced back at Chloe, curious if she was going to give in or if she was going to bite her head off at the stem. It seemed, however, that the obvious discomfort the blonde was feeling was disabling to the redhead. Chloe shifted in place, her face hard but slowly beginning to soften as time clicked on and the silence between them grew thick and uncomfortable.
"I would," and Aubrey's voice cracked just a bit, "I would like very much if you would allow me to buy you lunch to apologize. I was out of line."
Chloe's face softened a little more and it seemed like that bothered her a bit. She shifted in place, all but writhing as no one spoke. Finally the weight of the silence seemed to be too much for her because she deflated. "Okay. Yes, that would be nice."
Beca wasn't sure if she wanted to applaud her or if she pitied her.
Aubrey just gave a small matter of fact nod, "And you?"
Beca jumped as though someone had poked her in the ass with a pin, "Oh! Me too? This is for me too?" Her gut reaction was a strong one. Fuck. No. There was no way in hell that she was going to willingly put herself in that situation. Hells no.
…Only, she began to twitch and writhe as well, suddenly understanding why Chloe had given in. Aubrey's sharp gray eyes, once they were turned on you were hard to resist, especially when you could see that little drop of embarrassed desperation in them. She wanted to do something nice, that much was obvious.
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
She had no interest in going. She didn't want to say yes literally at all.
She knew she was going to say yes far before she finally said it and then once she did, she too deflated. She glanced once again at the guide and exchanged a nervous look with her.
Well…
What else was she doing today anyway? Also, she couldn't help but to notice that she liked the small relieved smile that Chloe gave her.
"Good." The blonde gave a firm business like nod and Beca rolled her eyes, amused and exasperated. This was so the type of woman who didn't have any friends in grade school but instead spent every recess scheduling her third-grade homework in her Trapper Keeper.
Something about the awkward stiffness of the blonde was almost amusing. Like, if they were legitimately friends then Beca knew she would love to teasingly poke the bear and see what happened.
She also thought there was a good chance that this bear might bite her finger off.
"What up, biznatches? What are we waiting for?"
Beca was already shaking her head, "Nope." She had tensed and beside her she felt Chloe do the same, also vehemently shaking her head too. "No way, if he's coming to lunch then I'm out." She felt Chloe look at her and immediately cried, "I'm sorry, but he's an asshole!"
Chloe's hands went up in surrender, her kind face twisting, "I'm not arguing."
Aubrey spoke so quickly that it was almost as though the thought abhorred her too, "No, he's not!"
"Ooooh noooo," he whined, his face stricken, "miss lunch with yoooou guuuuys? Oh nooo!" He scoffed. "Yeah, hard pass."
Beca watched him, scowling. She had met a lot of assholes in her life, who hadn't? But this guy -
"Whatever! I'm gonna go make some lucky lady's dreams come true. Peace!" He paused, his head jerking a little Beca's way.
"In your dreams, dude."
He scoffed, obviously offended, "Like you have anything better to do, lesbo," and he started off back toward the Quarter.
Beca's frown grew, had that just happened? She covertly glanced at Aubrey, rethinking lunch. She was so not about to go out with someone who was all pissed because of what her boyfriend had done. Damn, she had a terrible taste in men.
"Um," finger out and pointing after Bumper, Chloe asked in a carefully impassive voice, "Did your boyfriend just ask Beca to have sex with him right in front of you?"
"Dude!" Beca cried, rounding on Chloe. That was not a helpful question at all.
"What? No!" Aubrey jumped, her voice a little too loud, her hands going out like she was about to grab them. Beca, always a little jumpy and a little afraid of being hit, shrank back but Aubrey's hands had frozen in place in panic. "That's my idiot brother! No! Oh god, no!"
Chloe was still frowning after Bumper. "Well that's something then."
It turned out that Aubrey was new in town as well and so didn't feel as though she could recommend a place to go. "I've been here for three months but I have spent that time focusing on my business and my house. I rarely leave." Aubrey had said, looking far more vexed than the situation warranted. "I'm sorry, I-"
"Hey, it's okay!" Chloe insisted, patting Aubrey's arm and then, seeming to think better of it, pulled away quickly and checked the time on her phone. "How about a po' boy?"
Beca and Aubrey exchanged blank looks.
"Oh!" She beamed at them, "Come on then, newbies!"
They went in a straight line down the street, Chloe in the lead, Aubrey following and Beca, very nervously, bringing up the rear as they walked the one block it took to get to the restaurant. Beca had to wonder if Chloe had simply chosen the closest place in hopes of having this done and over with quickly. Beca couldn't blame her, and if anything kind of was glad.
"Eeeeey, Chlo!" Someone called as soon as they walked in.
Chloe waved, "Hey, Jim! How's Claire?"
"Oh, she's up and about, kickin'!"
"That's great! Hey, Josh!"
"Hey, Chloe!"
It was clear that everyone in the restaurant knew their guide, all giving her warm open smiles and one or two people catching her in familiar bear hugs.
"You a regular here?" Beca asked with a chuckle.
Chloe just gave a noncommittal shrug, "We can take a seat anywhere." She gestured ahead of them and they both paused, as Aubrey stepped forward and chose the table. Beca and Chloe exchanged a cagy look and then sat down as well.
"This is interestingly decorated," Aubrey noted stiffly, looking at the paper napkin like she wasn't sure what it was used for and then placed it carefully in her lap. The paper made a rough sandy noise as she flattened the cheap material and Beca had to duck and pretend to be scratching a leg to stop from laughing out loud.
This woman had no freaking chill.
"Oh yeah, the owner is kind of an oddball. He's super sweet but - he walks to the beat of his own drum." Chloe said it as though she couldn't give him any higher praise.
"I see." Aubrey gave one tight nod, settling into a stiffly upright pose that Beca didn't think could really be comfortable or frankly maintained the whole meal. Then again, she rolled her eyes a little to herself, something told her that this woman would find a way to maintain it forever if she decided that she wanted to and propriety dictated it.
Silence fell thick between them for a moment as they all searched for something to say. Chloe's mouth popped open but then it just hung there, Beca blinked a bit too rapidly while Aubrey began smoothing the napkin again. This was so strange. At least when you went out with new friends or coworkers it was awkward but you all had something in common. These two were literal strangers to her.
"So um," Beca tried, scooping up the menu, "what's good here? You wanna tell us what that po' boy thing was?"
She was rewarded with the menu being quickly snatched from her hands. "Do you trust me?"
Beca's eyebrows shot up both totally entranced and totally mistrustful of the intense way that Chloe's pale blue eyes were trained on her. "Um," she stumbled, "it's not that I don't trust you, it's just that I've never had anything trustworthy happen after someone asked me if I trusted them."
Chloe let out a peal of laughter and even Aubrey cracked a smile. "Okay fair enough. Sooo, how about this?" She asked with the innocence of a playful kitten, "Let me order for you?" Beca could swear she just even went as far as to flutter her eyelashes like a little teenage flirt. "As a local I know what is awesome and what you have to try."
Nervous, Beca glanced at Aubrey who looked like she would rather leave than eat something that someone else ordered for her. Still, Chloe was smiling at them so excited that Beca thought it might have been cruel to deny her, as much as she wanted to. "Um, okay, yeah sure."
"Great! Be right back."
Beca watched Chloe walk up to the little window, wondering if she realized that Aubrey had not agreed. As a matter of fact, Aubrey looked like she was trying very hard not to let it show that her brain was about to melt out of her ear. Her eyes, so striking, were a little too wide, her mouth open in dumb shock as she stared after Chloe. Loss of control was clearly not something this woman valued.
"You're going to love it!" Chloe beamed at them as she sat back down.
"Right." Aubrey said slowly, staring at Chloe as though Chloe had just taken her pants off in public.
"Aubrey?" Beca asked. It was funny but she was starting to worry that maybe she wasn't actually okay.
Aubrey jumped a little and her face wiped suddenly and yet purposefully clean at the sound of her name. "I'm sorry, perhaps you can remind me of your names again."
They took a second to briefly exchange names and then they all ordered a drink. If there was literally ever a moment for alcohol in the middle of the day then it was this.
"So, Chloe." Aubrey started, "How long have you been a tour guide?" Both Chloe and Beca looked at her, distrustful. Aubrey's lithe hands came up in a carefully polite surrender, "That was not a dig, I'm just trying to start a conversation."
Chloe sipped her drink, "About five years now."
"And were you born here?"
"Nope. I was born and raised just outside of Houston, Texas."
"Explains the accent." Beca chuckled.
"Oh!" Chloe blushed. "Yes, I guess it does. It happens when-" she glanced a little guiltily at Aubrey and then away again, "anyway, I moved here for my undergrad when I was seventeen and I stayed. I love it here. This is my home. I've lived here now almost as long as I lived in Texas."
"Where did you go to school?" Beca asked.
"Loyola first, then LSU and now I'm working on my Ph.D. through Tulane."
"Wow," Beca laughed, "Yeah, that's – that's school alright." She had always been proud of her alma mater, the San Francisco conservatory, but Tulane was no freaking joke.
"And why did you start touring?" Aubrey asked, continuing the job interview feel of the moment.
Chloe shrugged, idly playing with her straw. "No specific reason, really. I just have a lot of information I wanted to share and Basin is amazing but I am not actually required very often. It's fun."
"What do you do at Basin?" She wasn't entirely sure if that was where the tour had begun or not.
"I'm the historian on staff. I'm there just in case someone comes in needing to know something about the city whether a tourist, a politician, or an author."
Aubrey was spluttering into her drink, "You're one of the city historians?"
Chloe grinned, a little smug, "Yup."
Beca scowled, glancing between them. Okay, so this chic was smart. Awesome.
"One of the city historians?"
Chloe grinned at Aubrey, far too sweet and far too brightly to be anything other than victorious and Beca realized that she was thinking of that dig that Aubrey had made as though there was no way Chloe could be a real historian. She was beaming with smug pride and Aubrey looked a little like she wanted to disappear.
"So, I guess this is kind of a big deal job?"
Aubrey, the picture of mortification, was the first to answer and when she did her voice was soft, "Yes. Yes, it is."
"I didn't really mean to become a city historian," Chloe laughed. She was still eyeing Aubrey and something about her look there, Beca couldn't really explain, it made her feel as though she needed to look away. She picked up her napkin and coughed into it. "I actually started with a degree in literature but one thing led to another and now I'm working on my third degree about the city."
Aubrey gave a dry laugh of surprise and took a drink of her water, finally breaking whatever had been happening between the two of them.
"Are you only at Basin street?"
"Officially I'm contracted through the parish. There are three of us that are stationed around the city and two that are stationed out on plantations. Sometimes we trade locations but it's easier if we just stay where we're assigned. That way people can always find us."
Aubrey set down her glass, her face poised. "Chloe, if you are one of the city's historians then why do you -"
Chloe let out a laugh and in it there was no malice. "Aubrey, I know all the proper history just like I know all of the folktales but people pay almost thirty dollars per ticket. They don't want to hear that Delphine ran away for a few years and then came back to live happily until she died, right alongside the neighbors that supposedly wanted to kill her. This is New Orleans, people like the spooky Cajun flare. Still, I took and take issue with your points! Just because there is little in the way of a paper trail does not invalidate the story! That is exactly how history used to work!" She shook her head as she said it, gesticulating wildly and passionately. "At one time everything was a tale passed on by word of mouth and while this means that sometimes the stories are bogged down by religious affectations and ideology or perhaps a few things have been stretched, it also means that we are lucky enough to have a link to the first hand story! Haven't you ever wondered why this story above all other has gained such a reputation? Haven't you wondered why these rumors started and where they came from? If history teaches us anything it's that there is a sliver of truth in every rumor."
It seemed that Aubrey had little to say to that. "I'm sorry, I-"
Chloe shook her head, "It's okay. I understood your point. Next time maybe just be a little nicer about it? It never hurts to be a little nicer." She gave Aubrey a wink.
Aubrey's eyes narrowed, "You're not angry with -"
"No, I am. I'm mad, for sure. But I reckon it's pointless to sit here and be mad. Anyway, enough about me. You both said that you just moved here?"
"Uh yeah," Beca started, "like a few days ago even."
"For work?" Aubrey asked.
"Mmm, yeah, Mardi Gras World. I-"
"Wait!" Chloe suddenly flung her hands out like she was about to take on a speeding car, making both Aubrey and Beca jump. "Let's not."
"Um," Beca glanced at Aubrey beside her, a little baffled, "What – exactly – are you talking about?"
"Let's not do that whole stranger thing." Chloe said as though this explained everything.
"Um," eyebrows pulled down tight, Beca watched Aubrey shake her head, still just as confused as she was.
"Yeah, what she said," she gave a nod and crooked her thumb at Aubrey.
Chloe beamed at her, seeming to enjoy Beca's dryness and making Beca's stomach go all warm. "I just mean, let's not do the thing where we sit and go over jobs and things like that. It's not important, right? Let's not have the whole formal interview thing and instead, I don't know, let's just - talk about movies or sports or our favorite types of tea. Let's not do the whole thing. It will be so much more romantic this way."
Beca had been sipping her drink, now she let out a snort of surprise, gasping when it threatened to shoot from her nose, "Romantic?" Romantic as in – like – romantic? What? Had she freaking missed something?
"Yeah!" Chloe grinned at them and then, finally seeming to understand the looks on their faces gave a little laugh. "I don't mean romantic as in romance, flowers and sex. I mean," she took a daydreamy big breath, "I mean like 'Anne of Green Gables' romantic. It just makes for a better story. Meet as strangers and leave as strangers. It's like a movie."
Beca glanced vaguely at Aubrey, looking to share in a 'what the fuck' stare but Aubrey's eyebrows had released and she was smiling in a way that almost surprised Beca in its honesty.
"I loved those books as a girl." Aubrey must have noticed Beca's surprise because she glanced down at the table to hide her face a bit while the silly smile faded away. "I grew up on those and Pride and Prejudice."
"You did?" Chloe was grinning again, leaning forward as though this was all she wanted to hear about in the world. "Which book was your favorite?"
Aubrey thought for a second, that smile back, the one that looked like perhaps Aubrey couldn't help it. "I don't know. I think," she gave a little nod, "the first."
"Really?" Chloe gasped, sizing her up.
"Yes, I think so."
Chloe sat back, that look that she had given Aubrey earlier was on her face again, like she was reading her soul, "You are full of surprises, Aubrey."
"Um," Beca cleared her throat, "what are we talking about?" She was getting the feeling that Chloe was gathering some deep psychological information about their lunch mate and she wished she knew what it was.
It was a long moment before Chloe pulled her eyes away from Aubrey; a moment where Beca was sure that she had decided something about the blonde. When she was finally looking at Beca though, she was smiling. "It's this book series about a little orphan girl who moves in with this crotchety older woman and her brother." Chloe toyed with her straw again, swirling it through her drink, "It's so funny because Anne is this adorable little daydreamer who can't keep out of trouble and can't keep her big mouth shut. She's always just a little bit out of control. I think it's interesting that Aubrey likes them so much. What did you grow up on, Beca? Were you a reader?"
Beca's mouth opened but she paused; the thing about once being a moody teenage loner was that she had a lot of time for reading. "I don't know if I was a reader, but I definitely read. I dunno, I grew up on Harry Potter and The Hobbit just like everyone else."
Aubrey made a face, "I never liked 'The Hobbit', or any of Tolkien for that matter. It was all too - artsy and imaginative."
Beca and Chloe laughed, "Well, it was fantasy!"
"I loved 'The Hobbit'." Beca blinked, feeling like she had just been released from a hypnotist's grasp. Okay, so what had Chloe just learned about her in that long stare down? Apparently something fascinating because she was smiling again as she added, "It was always so dark and creepy and kind of crazy."
Beca gave a nod because she didn't know what else to do. She still wasn't sure what the difference was between 'romantic' and whatever version Chloe meant but she was going to go with the flow. This was kind of nicer than the whole what do you do and why thing.
"Alright, here you go, ladies!" The man Chloe had called Jim carried over three plates filled with large sandwiches and french fries. "Enjoy!"
Beca wasn't sure what she had expected when Chloe said she was going to order for them, perhaps a slight payback for their afternoon. This, however, looked good. "Oh, it's a sub!"
"Basically," Chloe admitted, "Out here we call them po' boys. There is supposed to be a difference of what goes on a sub versus a po' boy but I don't think anyone actually cares or follows that rule."
She felt Aubrey looking at her as if gauging her reaction to this unexpected meal that Chloe had ordered for them.
Chloe thanked the chef and then happily took a large bite. "What's wrong?" She asked, her words a little muffled. "Oh come on, guys! No one is trying to poison you."
"Sorry, uh, just been a while since I let someone order food for me and last time I think it was my mom so umm…" Beca, feeling like she needed to lead by example here, tentatively picked up the food and took a bite.
Aubrey however just stared at her plate, "I haven't had bread in -" she thought for a minute, "two years. And even before that it was a few croutons."
Chloe let out a snort of surprised laughter and even Beca had to smile at Aubrey's confusion.
"How do you not eat bread for that long? How is that even possible?" Aubrey didn't answer so Beca just shook her head. "Live a little, dude." Beca gave her a wink and took another bite, then, to not highlight Aubrey's obvious struggle with the evil Carb monster she asked Chloe, "You said you were still working on you Ph.D., right? Are you doing course work or-"
"No," Chloe frowned, her eyes sparkling as Aubrey took a bite with clear relish, "I've been out of school for a few years now. I'm," everything about the bright Chloe darkened; her shoulders slumped, her smile faded, "I'm mid dissertation right now."
Beca's eyebrow popped in question, her mouth full.
"No," she chuckled but without heart, "No, it's fine. Totally fine. I just, um," Chloe shook her hair out a little as she tried to find a way to explain, "I've hit a little bit of a snag, I think."
"What's the topic?" Aubrey asked, taking a polite sip of water and touching her clean lips with the napkin.
"It's 'A Modern-day Profile of Folklore and Idiomatic Expressions Within the Vieux Carré'. Or at least that's its title."
Beca laughed, glancing sideways at the woman who was still sitting stiff as a board beside them, "So, in other words, Aubrey really had no chance when it came to arguing with you." She had said it just to see if she could make Aubrey smile and sure enough one side of her lip twitched. Beca's eyes turned to her plate, her stomach all stupid warm again; liking that she had been able to get that reaction from her. Nothing was better than making an uptight woman smile.
"Not really, no. Or at least, I would have been surprised to learn something new. It does happen though. But wait, we're not supposed to be talking about this!"
"Right." Beca laughed, "Um, romantic and all of that."
Chloe smirked at Beca in a way that made her still happily bubbling stomach do somersaults. Jesus, she was getting as little dizzy.
"Exactly." Chloe nodded.
Beca had expected this meal to be a small torture but as they worked their way through their greasy and delicious food she found that she wasn't miserable. Chloe was funny and kind of freakishly sweet and Aubrey, well, it was clear she was a handful of awkward, stressful tension, but she wasn't quite as bad as Beca had expected and she even thought that maybe there was something likeable under there if someone had the time to dig it out.
"So Beca," Chloe asked as their plates were being cleared away, "This tattoo." Her fingers brushed her forearm sleeve, a smooth rendering of a man sitting at a jazz piano, his fingers splayed over the keys and a cigarette dangling from his lips. Beside him a man was bent, blowing on a trumpet, blowing in the face of a bass player who was slumped over his instrument as if apoplectic with the music. Throughout all of them, molding them together was the cigarette smoke, spiraling and spinning around them like an old-time jazz house. Chloe's fingers traced one of the faces, "Do you like jazz?"
"Mmm," Beca gave a nod, "I do. It's what I do; which," she ducked her head chuckling, "I'm not allowed to talk about but yeah, I guess I do."
"You work in music?" Chloe grinned.
"I do." She was slowly smiling, feeling Chloe's struggle to keep to the no personal details thing.
"What do you do?" Aubrey finally asked. "Is that why you moved here?"
Beca shot an amused glance at Chloe, who was so weird but also so funny, and when it seemed like she wasn't going to complain she went on. "Yeah, actually it is. In San Francisco I was a freelancer who wrote, composed, and produced music for events. So, I was hired by Mardi Gras World -"
"By where?" Aubrey asked from behind her napkin.
Chloe quickly explained about the museum in the Lower Garden district that housed old and memorable floats from past Mardi Gras parades, "You can go on tours and you can even see people working all year long on their floats for next year." She turned back to Beca, her eyes sparkling, "Really? That's so cool! So you-"
"Mmm. I compose music for krewe's as well as main lines and second lines." She knew this was kind of a cool job, or at least she liked to think it was a cool job but the level of excitement Chloe was displaying was making her cheeks a little warm.
"You're kidding!" And before Aubrey could ask Chloe spoke again, "Each float in the parade is made and run by a team called a krewe. Some of them can get pretty famous like Zulu or Nyx! Often big ones start holding their own parades."
"That's who I'm writing for."
"Shut up!" Chloe cried, "You're writing for Nyx?"
"And Delusion."
"Beca! Shut up! That's amazing!"
Beca wasn't sure what to say so she just took a huge gulp of her drink.
"And a main line is?" Aubrey asked.
Beca took this one, "That's the main part of the parade. Usually the floats have their own set of music and in between them there is another thing happening. That's usually brass bands and things like that, which make up the main line. The second line are the people who follow behind them to dance and listen."
"My goodness, there is a lot to these parades, isn't there?"
"Well yeah!" Chloe laughed.
"Yeah so um, I'm one of the people who puts that music together which is kind of crazy complicated because each krewe's music needs to match with the main line behind and in front of them so it seamlessly flows. And it has to be good enough to keep the second line entertained. Not that second lines are really allowed during Mardi Gras."
"And what do you do the rest of the year?"
"The same thing. I freelance for the city doing their other celebrations. I have the fourth and Bastille day coming up soon."
"That's so cool, Beca." Chloe clicked her tongue to emphasize her point, "I'd love to hear your music sometime."
A little embarrassed Beca gave a small nod.
They both seemed slightly fascinated by Beca's job, and the questions didn't stop coming until finally Chloe leaned over, giving in, "So Aubrey, why did you move here then? Was it also for work?"
"Oh, I um,"
But then with a start Chloe looked at her watch and frowned, "Shit, I'm late! I'm so late! Oh snap dragon! I have to get back to work. Like, now." She sounded like she was almost sad about this.
Aubrey gave a nod, not seeming hurt that she hadn't been able to share, "I'll get the check."
"This was actually kind of fun," Chloe admitted.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Not what I expected."
Aubrey gave a little uncomfortable laugh and raised her hand, "Hi, can I please get the check?"
The owner who had brought their plates gave a barking laugh, "Are you kidding?" His hand fell onto Chloe's shoulder, "Lunch is on the house for my favorite tour guide and her friends."
"Wait, really?" Beca gawked.
"Awe, thank you, Jim! It was delicious as always!"
"What?" Aubrey asked, her voice a little breathy.
"Yeah, yeah, on the house! You just keep sending people here when they want some eats, Chloe!"
"On the house?" Aubrey repeated, her cheeks going white and then strangely a little green.
"Um, Aubrey? Are you alright?"
Chloe hadn't noticed but the blonde was sitting there beside them having what seemed to be a frozen yet complete meltdown.
Aubrey just looked at her, the gray in her eyes sharp as she watched Chloe rise, "But -"
However, Chloe was gathering her things quickly, "I'm sorry to run, but I really I have to go! I have a meeting at 2:30!"
A little concerned Beca watched Aubrey rise as well, her face growing a darker shade of purple.
Jesus, she looked like she was going to fucking pop.
"Thank you so much for lunch."
"But I didn't-"
"It was really nice to meet you both!" She gave them a wink and then rushed out of the door.
Beca watched her go, a little disappointed that things had been cut short so suddenly. She had liked Chloe…and…thumb ring…damn.
Aubrey was still stammering, her hands clenched tightly.
"So um, are you sure you're okay?" Beca tried, not wanting to stand too close in case the woman was about to detonate.
"What?" She barked, sharply. "Yes! Of course! It's just that - never mind. Yes!"
"'Kay, well, um," she pointed her thumb back toward the door, suddenly a little more wary of Aubrey again. A layer of cold had come off of her while they ate; a thin layer yes, but it had still been a layer. Now her back was straight, her jaw tight and Beca was all about not being there anymore.
"Yes." Aubrey followed her outside.
"Um, so," she wasn't sure what to say here. What did you say to a person you didn't really know when you were about to go your separate ways even though the woman was clearly having some type of heart attack? "You going that way?"
Aubrey smoothed her shirt compulsively and gave a nod.
"Cool, I'm uh," she pointed the opposite direction and then gave a little cough, "So yeah, thanks."
She actually needed to go the same way that Aubrey was going and while ten minutes ago she might have walked with her and endured the awkwardness of not being sure what to say, now she was going to do what she could to avoid that. "It was nice to meet you." She frowned, uncomfortable.
"Yes! You too, Beca, thank you. Enjoy the rest of your day."
"Right, you, uh, you too." And she started deeper into the Quarter, away from Aubrey.
For those of you who are still wondering what the frick Chloe meant by romantic here is the definition as it pertains to our Anne Shirley.
Romantic: of, characterized by, or suggestive of an idealized view of /
Synonyms: idyllic, picturesque, fairy-tale; Idealistic, idealized, romanticized, unrealistic, fanciful, impractical, head-in-the-clouds, starry-eyed, optimistic, utopian.
So we're just beginning. This is somehow both a slow burn and not so I'm hoping y'all like it!br /
Check out my Tumblr. I'm going to post about this story pretty steadily. For example, head over there now and listen to Crawdaddy's 'Momma's Cookin' Gumbo'. It's really the most annoying thing ever.
