The Ten Things I Hate About Chloe Beale


Chapter Two- Aubrey Posen: A-Ca-Bitch!


When Beca arrived at practice fashionably late the next afternoon, she immediately knew that something was up when she didn't hear singing or dancing or Aubrey barking out orders. As she slipped into the auditorium through the side entrance and walked over to their rehearsal space, all of the girls looked up at her and Fat Amy frantically waved at her, pointing at the door and mouthing for Beca to leave. It was too late though and Beca froze as Aubrey spun around from the grease board that she was writing on and tersely announced "It's so nice of you to grace us with your presence, Beca! Apparently we can set our own rehearsal times without consulting with me. Thankfully, you haven't missed much since I'm making practice notes for us, so sit down before I decide to be decidedly less democratic with you."

As Aubrey turned back around and stiffly worked on a new flow chart for the group, Beca slipped into an empty chair next to Cynthia Rose and whispered "What the hell is going on? She looks like she's about to flip and you guys haven't even started yet. Where's Chloe?"

"We don't know what's up Aubrey's ass, but she's not happy about something and she hasn't said much of anything", Cynthia answered with an arch of an eyebrow. "I got here a little early and Red came in with Aubrey and they were talking about something and then she left. She looked pretty upset and they weren't exactly fighting, but you could tell that something's up. Aubrey's been like this ever since and we've just been sitting here and watching her make this chart. Amy asked her when we were starting and Aubrey snapped at her and looked like she wanted to kill her." Cynthia smiled at Beca as she took everything in and warned "That look she gave you when you walked in though…I'd leave now if I were you, B."

"I'm not afraid of her and what's the worst that she can do? Puke on me?" Beca asked as she shook her head in exasperation. "I think I'll take my chances and stick it out with you guys."

Cynthia managed a weak smile in Beca's direction and turned to whisper with Stacie, who was on her other side. As Beca looked back up at Aubrey, she could see how tense her body was as she scribbled on the board and knew that she was dead. If she had been fighting with Chloe and let her skip practice, then she knew about what had happened and from the death glare that she shot her when she came in, Aubrey was angry about it. Either way, she was a goner and could only grip the sides of her chair as she imagined just what Aubrey would have in store for her as a punishment.


When Aubrey eventually turned around five minutes later and faced the rest of the Bellas, a noticeable chill passed through the air as they all saw how upset she looked. Her face was set in a stony glare and as her eyes passed over each of their faces, she eventually stopped on Beca and raised an eyebrow in warning as a slight smirk played on her lips. It only increased as she saw Beca gulp and she cleared her throat and proclaimed "Sorry for the delay, but I had to make some changes to our diagram for winning the ICCAs. After last week's near disaster at regionals, our plans have changed and we're going to need to be more aggressive with our practices and preparation. I won't be embarrassed at sectionals and they're only a few weeks away, so we need to get our shit together starting now. I wish Chloe was here so we could work on our choreography, but she's not feeling well today and instead we'll run through our set a few times and then focus on cardio. I'm going to whip you guys into shape and it starts today."

As the girls erupted in protests and groans at the thought of running the stairs, Aubrey clapped her hands together and shouted "Enough! No protesting, this is the way it is. If you have a problem with it, you're more than welcome to quit right now."

When no one stood to leave, Aubrey pursed her lips and nodded. As she caught Beca's eye again, she motioned for them to stand up and said "Good, I expect a good effort today since you're all on board. Let's start at the top then, shall we?"


They managed to get through one performance of their set for sectionals before Aubrey started to freak out. The dancing was off, no one could seem to stay in tune, and the whole performance was halfhearted. After seeing what the Trebles could do and experimenting with new stuff at the riff off, going back to this set list felt like torture and Aubrey's attitude wasn't making it any better. Without Chloe there to be the saner and much kinder half of their duo, Aubrey was free to do and say whatever she wanted and she was now on the verge of a breakdown. She wouldn't let it get to her though and ordered them to compose themselves as they started again from the top.

As she pranced across the makeshift stage during her solo in I Saw The Sign, Aubrey tried to smile and power through it but was distracted as she heard giggling coming from the girls. It got louder as she continued to sing and by the time she finished it, she cut off Jessica who was filling in on Chloe's solos, and walked over to Amy and Stacie who were in near hysterics. Once she was in front of Amy, she raised an eyebrow and asked "Is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the group, Amy? Or you Stacie? You both seemed to be amused and there's nothing funny about Ace of Base, so it must be something else and I think we're all dying to hear it."

"We look so stupid doing these dance moves", Stacie replied with a sarcastic laugh. "We're dressed like flight attendants and what's with the pointing? We're supposed to be performing, not directing people to their seats. Are we seriously keeping this set list?"

"Yes, this is a solid set list that's going to get us through to nationals", Aubrey answered with a terse nod. "Now, since you two are distracting the rest of the group, you're going to run a lap around the auditorium and then join us back here when you're ready to be serious about this."

As Amy started to protest, Aubrey gave her a warning look and Amy managed a pitiful "Yes sir" before jogging off with Stacie.

While they ran and the other girls watched, Aubrey stood in front of them and cryptically warned "The same goes for the rest of you. Since none of you can seem to focus, any screw-ups from now until the rest of practice will result in one lap around the auditorium."

Once the words left her lips and the girls stiffened up to compose themselves, none daring to question her decision in fear of being punished, Aubrey focused her attention on Beca and shot her a glare as Beca stared dumbly back at her.

She was screwed.


Beca was the next victim of Aubrey's punishment as they ran through the set list for a second time and Aubrey observed them from the front. They had made it through their first song relatively fine, but as Eternal Flame started they fell apart at the change in tempo and Aubrey pounced. She motioned for them to cut it off and approached Beca, who was worrying her lip and staring at her feet as she knew that she was the one that had messed up.

"Seriously, Beca, how difficult is it to make a heart with your hands?" Aubrey asked with a frown. "That was practically a square and you look ridiculous. Go run a lap while we keep going."

Beca just rolled her eyes as she jogged away from them group and they started to perform again but didn't get too far before Aubrey cut them off again. They had launched into Turn The Beat Around and as Amy destroyed the solo, Aubrey caught Stacie feeling herself up as she danced and stopped them. Once the busty brunette was sent away to run the stairs, they started again but it didn't last long before Cynthia Rose stumbled over her feet as she watched Stacie's breasts bouncing as she ran the steps. This resulted in her joining her crush and Aubrey seething in disgust as she tried once again to rally her troops.

By the time their fourth run through of the performance started, all of the girls were exhausted and had each been sent to run laps over various mistakes that they had made. It was painfully obvious that they weren't going to get any better and as Beca was called out for her sixth mistake, a benchmark for the day, she flipped. With Aubrey's steely eyes glaring at her and the other girls murmuring under their breath, Beca felt something snap and asked "Seriously Aubrey, what the hell is this? You're acting like a drill sergeant and this isn't that serious. I'm sorry that I missed the intro, again, but I can't concentrate when Chloe isn't singing the solo to bring us in. No offense Jessica, you sound great, but it isn't the same without her here and maybe you could loosen up a little. Are you trying to give one of us a heart attack?"

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you did what you did." Aubrey shook her head as Beca started to run towards the steps. "It's not my fault that she's not here. Since you're giving me lip, add two more laps to your punishment."

As Beca stopped running and glared back at her, the other girls fell silent and Amy said "Awkward…"

Aubrey eyes were immediately on Amy's and the Australian tried not to laugh as she replied "I'll just start running now."


Everything fell apart a few minutes later when Amy couldn't hit her high notes in Turn The Beat Around and called Aubrey an a-ca-bitch when she was told to run another lap. The other girls had dissolved into laughter at the insult and as Aubrey's lip quivered in anger, she ordered them all to run a lap for their disruption. After they finished running it and stood in front of Aubrey gulping down water and breathing heavily, Aubrey took pity on them and called off the rest of practice.

The girls were ecstatic as they hurriedly grabbed their stuff and ran out of the auditorium, leaving only Aubrey and Beca alone to hash things out. Aubrey was silent as she watched Beca continue to run the extra laps that she had been given as punishment and after she ran the steps two more times, she went to get her things and kept her eyes downcast to avoid catching Aubrey's attention and being forced to have an awkward conversation.

Beca had picked up her bag and was about to leave when Aubrey stood in front of her and said "I don't think so, Beca. I'm not letting you leave without thanking you. I'd like to thank you for hurting Chloe yesterday. I really enjoyed listening to her cry for an hour last night while I was trying to cram for a test."

"I don't know what you're talking about Aubrey, but I am sorry that she was upset about something. Can I go now?" Beca asked while rolling her eyes.

As Beca took a step forward, Aubrey stopped her and replied "I know you can't help it, but don't play dumb with me. I know about the list and frankly, I'm a little creeped out by it. That's serial killer shit and I need to know if you're secretly a psycho or a murderer or something like that. Have you made a list like that for all of us?"

"You wish, Aubrey" Beca countered with a scoff. "Again, I have no idea what you're talking about and I just want to go back to my dorm and get a shower since someone decided to act like a psycho at rehearsals today. If we have to run laps like that again, I'm definitely quitting and then you'll be screwed."

"Don't threaten me, Mitchell." Aubrey thrust her arm out to stop the girl from leaving the room. "I know that you're only here for Chloe and you won't see her if you quit the Bellas, which is why I don't understand why you would insult her like you did with that list. Hurting her is like kicking a puppy and she has been nothing but nice to you, so I don't get it. What is there to possibly hate about Chloe?"

"You wouldn't get it, Aubrey."

"Oh, I get it. In fact, I've come up with a little list of my own. I did a little better than you though, since I came up with fifteen things that I hate about you. Would you like to hear them?" Aubrey questioned with a smirk.

"Seriously? Who's the psycho now?" Beca laughed incredulously but stopped immediately when the glare from Aubrey let her know that she was serious. "Let me sit down so I can hear this list. I'm sure it'll be very…enlightening."


As Aubrey sunk onto a folding chair across from Beca, she cleared her throat and said "The first thing I hate about you is the stupid earrings that you have in your ears. How are those ear monstrosities comfortable? And I hate the way that you do your makeup. You use way too much eye shadow and I've been meaning to ask you if Kiss taught you how to apply it."

Beca smirked at Aubrey's insult, but couldn't get a word out as Aubrey immediately continued with "The third thing I hate about you is that you think plaid is a color and wear it constantly. A nice solid wouldn't kill you every once in a while. The fourth thing that I hate about you is that you wear those stupid combat boots every day. Are you a soldier in your spare time or do you just think that they make you look badass? Newsflash: they don't!"

"Really Aubrey, that's the best that you could come up with?" Beca replied with a laugh. "Those are all just physical things and I change them whenever we perform, so it's not like they're hurting you. What else have you got? This list has been pretty lame so far, but I guess I was expecting that considering the source."

Aubrey raised an eyebrow at the subtle dig but kept going with the list, undeterred. "I hate that you dismiss any music that you haven't tampered with and act like some kind of music snob. I hate that you half-ass it at rehearsals and put zero effort into anything. You can actually dance and you have a little bit of rhythm and it's embarrassing to see you slouch around here like some kind of burnout. What number am I on now?"

"Um…seven, I think." Beca looked down at her lap, her face starting to burn as Aubrey's words started to hit home. She was serious.

"That sounds about right", Aubrey countered with a curt nod. "Number seven: I hate that you act like you're some kind of bad ass, when you're really not. You're so normal that it's kind of laughable to see you try to act cool and rebellious and no one is buying it."

The last barb stung a little and the smirk slipped off of Beca's lips as she slowly nodded her head. As she looked up at Aubrey and caught her eye, she frowned and mumbled "You can stop now, I get it. It's really not that funny anymore."

"I'm not done. I have eight more and I want you to feel like Chloe did last night. Until then, you don't get it." Aubrey shook her head and glared at Beca. How does she expect to get off so easily?

"The eighth thing that I hate about you is that you get to come here for free, but act like it's this huge burden on you or something. Maybe if you lightened up and actually tried to enjoy yourself, you'd see that you have a huge opportunity here and that you're wasting it. Number nine: I hate that you refuse to do a solo. You're a good singer and it would help the group to have you solo, but you won't to prove some point. It would make Chloe so happy and you're so selfish that you can't see beyond yourself and your little agenda-"

"Jesus Christ, I get it!" Beca snapped while standing up. "You don't like me and that's fine, but I'm not selfish. I could've left this group multiple times, but I'm still here dealing with your crap. Don't bring Chloe in on this either. I don't want to talk about her with you and she was never supposed to find that list. I'm sorry that she found it, but this is a conversation that I should be having with her and definitely not with you. I'm leaving now."


Beca started to leave the auditorium again, but Aubrey wouldn't let her and grabbed the belt loops of her pants to keep her from storming away. Beca glared at the blonde standing in front of her and exclaimed "What?! What is so important that you won't let me leave? Touch me again and you're going to have a black eye."

"Just tell me why, Beca. She's been nothing but nice to you and you guys are friends. Why would you make a list like that?" Aubrey asked while releasing her grip on Beca's belt. "I know you didn't mean for her to find it, but she doesn't understand why and neither do I. Did she do something to you to piss you off? She can be kind of a flake sometimes and maybe if you just told her she could fix it. What's going on? You have to tell me now because it's affecting the Bellas and I'm the captain. What's wrong?"

"Please just let me go, Aubrey. There's nothing wrong and I'm an idiot and she's never going to talk to me again." Beca looked down at her feet and avoided Aubrey's probing glare as she blushed. "I'm quitting the Bellas too since this is a distraction that you guys don't need."

Aubrey put her hand on Beca's arm and tried to comfort her, even though she didn't deserve it. "You're not quitting, I won't let you. I just…she's the one person that has stuck up for you this whole time and you push her away! You don't understand that you hurt her when you do that and she acts like nothing bothers her, but it really does. Seriously, what is your deal?"

Beca closed her eyes as her annoyance with Aubrey reached peak levels and she couldn't stop herself when she blurted out "I like her, Aubrey!"

"Well, everyone likes Chloe. She's so nice to everyone and it's actually kind of sickening, but that's just how she is. She acts like she's desperate to be everyone's friend, but that's so stupid because practically everyone on campus knows and loves her."

Beca sighed at how dense Aubrey could be sometimes and as a blush made its way onto her neck and face, she softly murmured "No, not like that. I um…I like like her."

Aubrey froze once the words left Beca's lips and glared up at Beca as she studied her face, trying to make sure that she wasn't playing with her. When Beca averted her eyes and blushed, Aubrey knew that she was serious and let her jaw drop open as she said "Aca-scuse me?"

"I'm pretty much in love with her and believe me, you're the last person that I wanted to be saying this to." Beca looked down at her hands, squeezing them together and begging herself to keep her nerve. "Don't tell her, Aubrey. I don't think that she likes me and I just…I don't want to lose her as a friend. I'll chill out and act normal around her, but please don't say anything."

Aubrey was pale now and looked disgusted as everything started to sink in. The lingering glances, the way that Beca would get squirmy whenever Chloe would touch her, the nights when she stayed over at their dorm room for way longer than necessary, the way that…that Chloe would smile when she talked about her. Oh dear God, her best friend was in love with the hobbit and Beca actually liked her back!

"This is all too much!" Aubrey announced, suddenly sweating and overwhelmed. "There are thousands of people at this school, but it had to be you! Of all the people on this campus to fall in love with my roommate, it had to be the one person whose main goal in life is to piss me off." Aubrey lurched from the chair and groaned before announcing "I'm going to be sick!"

Beca watched as Aubrey ran to the nearest garbage can and as her dry heaves filled the air, Beca groaned and covered her face with her hands. Once the gasping breaths turned into actual vomiting moments later, Beca shook her head and said "I'm aca-fucked."


A/N: Sorry for the delay, I'm terrible! Anyway, I have about 10k words to write to finish off Keep Breathing, so it's going to be a few days before this gets updated again. I think the length of this makes up for that a little though.

Anyway, thanks for all of the reviews and yes, I changed it from humor to angst. Now, I need some help. When I made an outline for this story a few months ago, I had a tentative list of the actual 10 things in mind, but I'm not really a fan of them now. I'm going to write about what they are in probably a one shot format (I'll say what the thing is and then write a little short about why), but need some suggestions. If you have something in mind that you would like to see written, leave it in a review or a pm and I'll write it. Here's an example: Beca hates that Chloe cries at everything or Beca hates that Chloe turns everything into innuendo. Oops...just gave away the next two chapters...

Thanks for reading!