Pixie1913: Woohoo!

A/N: My intent is for this to be a short, quickly updated story - except for over the next week and a half when I'll be at summer camp. So, short-ish chapters, not much wait. That is my intent anyway.


Roadside Attractions


And it's beginning to get to me,
That I know more of the stars and sea,
Than I do of what's in your head,
Barely touching in our cold bed.
Are you beginning to get my point,
That all this fighting with aching joints,
Is doing nothing but tire us out?
No one knows what this fight's about.

-Snow Patrol


Beca shows up at The Bellas' house around eight the next morning, just like she and Chloe had originally planned. It's more like closer to nine, but it's a long walk from Baker Hall, and she admittedly pressed snooze on her alarm a few times before waking up. And since most of The Bellas are never on time anyway, she figures she has time to spare. If she's going to spend hours trapped in a hot car, she might as well take her sweet time and enjoy the walk over.

She expects to see one of the other Bellas waiting for her when she arrives, but they must be running even later than she is – because the only people she sees are Chloe and Aubrey sitting on the step outside the front door. They're talking about something and laughing. Beca actually has to do a double take just to make sure it's Aubrey, because her hand is on Chloe's arm, and she's practically doubled over giggling. The moment she spots Beca at the end of the driveway though, Beca knows it's her. The switch is flipped, and Aubrey goes from laughing to scowling two seconds flat. She sits up straight and gives Beca a once over – looking both confused and disgusted by her arrival. Yup. Definitely Aubrey.

"Hey." Beca directs her greeting at Chloe only. She knows it pisses Aubrey off for some reason when people ignore her. Point 1 for Beca as Aubrey's scowl turns into a frown, and she looks at Chloe for acknowledgement.

"Hey." Chloe grins up at Beca, and Aubrey seems to take it as a personal affront. Point 2. "Are you ready?" she asks.

Beca is as ready as she'll ever be. "Yeah, but, uh…" She looks around. "Who exactly is taking me?"

"You're looking at her," Chloe says.

Technically, Beca is looking at the lake behind them as she tries to spot another person, but she doesn't point that out. "Wait, they rescheduled your final again?" she asks and turns back around to look at Chloe. "Your professor must be having a lot of trouble making up his mind."

"What?" Chloe asks. "No, not me. My final is in a few hours." She stands up. "Aubrey is going to take you."

Apparently, Aubrey didn't know this either, because the look on her face is something Beca wishes she had her phone out to take a picture of. "No, no, no." She scoffs and gets to her feet in a mild panic. "You never said it was Beca."

Chloe offers Aubrey a soft smile and places her hand on Aubrey's arm. "I told you it was another Bella," she says calmly, "Beca is another Bella."

"I don't need to go that bad," Beca says. That's a lie. But she's okay with lying to herself, and to them, right now. "Why can't we just wake until next week?"

"Why wait when you can just go right now?" Chloe asks.

"Because I can't go right now." Beca glances at Aubrey, who looks like she is still trying to process what Chloe set her up for, then looks at Chloe again.

"Sure, you can." Chloe lets her hand slide from Aubrey's arm. "You both came to your agreement after winning the finals; why can't you go with her?"

"Because she's Aubrey," Beca answers, temporarily forgetting that Aubrey is standing right there. Really though, what other explanation does she need? It's Aubrey.

"Well, you're Beca," Aubrey comes back at her.

"Really?" Beca looks at her and smirks. "I didn't notice."

Aubrey's nostrils flare.

Point 3. Beca is coming out on top today, for once. She looks at Chloe again.

"I'm not taking her," Aubrey states and folds her arms, looking like a petulant toddler, "And I want to know what I did to you that you would put me in this position."

"Yeah, I'm kind of wondering the same thing…" Beca admits, because this does feel a lot like punishment – which she doesn't deserve. She just won them their title and their trophy. If anything, they should be rewarding her with putting up with Aubrey long enough to help them.

"You didn't do anything." Chloe tries to place her hand on Aubrey's shoulder, but Aubrey flinches away. She sighs and addresses them both. "Okay, you know what? Beca, you won't stop complaining about your music, and Aubrey, you're starting to go stir crazy, because you're done with your finals. And, I'm going crazy, because I have to listen to the both of you. I still have things to do, so I need you to both go and talk to somebody who isn't me for a day. Consider it Bella bonding."

Aubrey looks as offended as Beca feels.

"I love both of you," Chloe says, "But you need to get out."

"Seriously?" Beca asks, unsure of how the girl who started off their friendship by accosting her in the shower has the balls to tell her that she is annoying and needs to leave.

Chloe gives her a sympathetic smile and nods.

"I live here." Aubrey points at the house and then refolds her arms. "If you need privacy, you get out." She raises her eyebrows as a challenge and smirks. "Beca wouldn't even go with me if I did take her. I'll take her, but she won't go."

Chloe looks at Beca. "Do you want to go get your stuff or not, Bec?" She shakes her head. "If you order it off of Amazon, you're only going to be able to afford eating Ramen Noodles for the rest of your life, and it's going to take weeks. If you go now, you're going to be back here in ten hours, eleven max, and never have to talk to Aubrey again."

Ramen Noodles are the only thing Beca can afford to eat now. She heaves a sigh. She does want this stuff. But enough to put up with Aubrey for eleven hours? She did just put up with her for the past nine months. "She won't take me." She sees right through Aubrey's words.

"She said she'll take you." Chloe turns and meets Aubrey's gaze, folding her arms and raising her eyebrows to match her. "Right, Aubrey?" It sounds almost like a warning, and Beca is surprised she's being forceful. The two of them must actually be that irritating.

"She doesn't want to go." Aubrey lifts her chin and doesn't budge. If anything, she looks entertained by the battle of wills. Probably, because she knows she can win. But Chloe looks fairly intent. And Beca realizes they might be standing in the driveway for longer than eleven hours, at this rate.

"Fine." Beca throws her hands in the air. "Look, if Aubrey takes me, I'll go." She marches around to the side of Aubrey's car and tries to open the passenger door. It's locked.

"Great!" Chloe grins. "See, you're both willing to go with each other, right?"

Aubrey is taking slow, controlled breaths. She pulls her car key out of her pocket and holds it in the air, eyes still locked on Chloe, then unlocks the door. Point 100 for Chloe.

"Remember that Beca helped us and I won't be there to help you hide any bodies," Chloe tells Aubrey. She stands up straight and kisses Aubrey's cheek, then turns and walks to the front door. "Have fun, Girls!" she calls back to them as she opens the front door.

Beca watches the door close behind Chloe. What the fuck did she just get herself into?