AN: So thanks to all who reviewed, favorited, and followed. They make my day. I can only hope this chapter lives up to everyone's expectations. You might kill me for Chloe's high school history, but I couldn't help myself. You'll see why. Enjoy.
Chapter 2: That's What You Do.
"I can't believe you are letting a male audition!"
"His voice is beautiful. You'll see," Chloe soothes, trying to avoid conflict. She rubs her best friends arm, but she's not having it.
"He has a penis!" Aubrey shrieks.
"So?" the redhead asks, going red.
"Chloe, your toner is showing. Put it out. Now." The redhead looks offended, "You have crushes on all the wrong guys. I don't like his attitude, and he sounds like that John Tucker guy from your high school."
"Brand is nothing like John Tucker!" Chloe shouts. At least I pray he's not. I can't handle another one.
"He sure sounds like it. He probably just wants to join the Bellas to hook up with girls," Aubrey says snidely, flopping on her sofa.
"He's gay!" The defensive lie comes out of Chloe's mouth before she can say anything else. She wishes Brand Mitchell was gay, but from what she saw yesterday, she knows he's bi or straight. She doesn't want to admit it, but she has a crush on the freshman. What's wrong with her? Chloe Beale does not date younger guys. She knows why, though. He's not like Tom. Brand's a gentleman, and though snarky at times, he's ultimately kind. Tom blatantly checks her out. Though it was hard for him, the freshman politely attempted to avert his eyes to the ceiling. He is a mystery hidden behind smoldering dark blue eyes and gauges that Chloe can't seem to crack.
Aubrey Posen sighs, "If he really is gay, then I'll make an exception-" Her words are met with Chloe's squeal. "-if he's as good as you say he is."
The red head engulfs her best friend in a bone crushing hug. "Oh he totes is. We sang Titanium together, and-"
Aubrey eyes her with suspicion, "You sang your lady jam with him?"
Choe blushes hard. "He's a fan of David Guetta?" she offers. It comes out more like a question. At least she doesn't know we were naked together in a shower.
Jesse Swanson is sprawled out his bed watching some Harry Potter movie. He lets out a content sigh as one of the characters gets a pig's tail. If he could get anymore relaxed, Brand would swear his roommate was at a spa. It is getting on his nerves.
The DJ runs his hand through his short floppy brown hair nervously as he paces back and forth across his dorm room. He almost kissed that Chloe girl. He could feel her minty hot breath on his face. And he liked it.
That's what scares him. He's going to be in L.A. In a year. He can't afford to get attached. That is like naming your turkey before you have to slaughter it for Thanksgiving. It's cruel. It's not good to let anyone in anyway. When you do, it ends badly. They end up leaving you for some hooker or 'sales manager' as his dad likes to call her. He can't afford to let someone else in and get hurt all over again.
But the alt guy needs to get into the Bella's. It's his answer to getting to L.A. The almost kiss didn't mean anything anyway. She's a senior. He's a freshman. Nothing will happen. Plus, being around chicks all the time is a little taste of the big city before he gets there. Being around Chloe is just a bonus, just as long as he doesn't get attached. No nicknames. No touching. No sex, not that he has ever done that before. But he isn't going to admit that to anyone. It would ruin his brooding reputation. He takes a deep breath, trying to lower his racing heart. Just thinking about that girl gets him worked up.
"Brand, don't get your panties in a wad. What's wrong with you?" his roommate asks. "You need to calm down." Brand's wide jaw clenches.
"You have no authority over me," he snaps, falling onto his bed.
The movie addict sits up in concern, "Is this about a Capella auditions?"
Sort of. He rolls over to face Jesse, resting his head on his hand. Brand nods.
"Don't worry. You'll do fine. I'm auditioning for the Trebles as well with my friend Benji. We can be aca-dudes together!" Brand can't help rolling his eyes at his roommate's excitement.
"Oh no, I'm not auditioning for the Trebles. I'm auditioning for the Bellas," the DJ mutters, his voice barely above a whisper.
Jesse's eyebrow arches as stands up. "I didn't know you played for that team." Brand's roommate gets creepily close to his face. That's only okay when Chloe does it. The DJ flips out and backs toward the wall. He tries to protest, but Kansas guy cuts his protests off, "I play for both. " he whispers, his statement is tainted with seduction. Brown eyes meet dark blue ones, and Jesse's face pulls away. He walks out the door, wishing Brand good luck with auditions.
Oh boy. What have I gotten myself into? The stocky blue eyed freshman gapes at the door his self-proclaimed bisexual roommate just walked through. My roommate is a freak. Brand doesn't care that Jesse is bi, but that he is making unwanted sexual advances on him. Jesse didn't even listen when Brand tried to protest.
The alternative guy looks down at his watch. 1:03p.m.
Oh crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Brand throws on a blue plaid over-shirt and runs out the door.
The DJ ,true to himself, walks in late more awkward than he thought humanly possible as Fat Amy finishes singing, "Since You've Been Gone," which Brand doesn't know the words to.
"Oh wait there's one more," Chloe lights up as she catches Brand's eye. He responds with one of his signature smirks.
" Hey, so uh, I didn't know we were supposed to prepare that song."
"That's okay," Chloe says a little too quickly, but it goes right over the freshman's head. "Sing anything you want."
Brand's heart starts to beat fast as he bends down on his knees to grab the cup on the desk by Chloe. "May I?" he asks, gesturing to the plastic cup.
"Sure," she replies with a grin. He empties the cup and sits down cross-legged in front of Chloe and Aubrey on the stage.
Brand knows what he's going to sing at once as he returns her smile. He tries not to stare at her when he starts to sing , but it happens anyway. He starts singing right to her.
"I got my ticket for the long way 'round..."
He is basically serenading the Barden co captain, and Jesse is fuming. Everyone can see it, but as Brand's auditioning for the Bellas, everyone thinks he's gay. They don't see it as serenading. They see it as a friendly gesture.
"Oh, I know you're gonna miss me when I'm gone." Brand finishes relieved. He never thought his face could get this hot. He stares at his crush with a wide smile and winks. She's so beautiful.
Aubrey turns to her redhead friend in defeat, "He's as good as you say he is." Chloe can't help it. She flies at her best friend, wrapping her in a tight hug. "Okay," the captain says, composing herself, "Keep your gay freshman toner on the down low, Chlo." Chloe nods and Brand gives her a thumbs up.
_
Jesse and Brand are in the radio station shelving records and stacking cds; an awkward silence is between them. Which is way better then conversation, especially in the vicinity of a sex covered desk. The DJ isn't complaining, but he can't stop smiling. Chloe loved his audition. He starts humming Titanium, the song he can't seem to keep out of his head now.
"So-" Brand tenses at his roommates words. He really thought he was going to be able to get through this shift without conversation. "Titanium?"
Brand nods, putting a Sir Mix A Lot cd on the shelf. "It's my favorite song." Has been since a redhead with no boundaries invaded my shower.
"Never pegged you for a David Guetta person," Jesse says.
"He's one of the best music producers in the world. Of course I like him."
"So why the Bellas? You know you'll have to hate me right? Unicycle has a huge crush on the captain Aubrey, but can't act on it because of the feud," Jesse tells his roommate.
"That's not right," Brand says. "Rivalries have no point." They fight over bragging rights. It's ridiculous. Aubrey will be a joy.
"That's what I said. I told him to at least try this year."
The DJ nods. "I won't hate you Jesse." He doesn't get a response, so he goes back to humming his favorite song. Everything goes black as someone sticks what feels like a bag over his head. An all too familiar laugh rings out.
"Hi Chloe," he says with a laugh.
"How did you know?" The DJ can just imagine the pout on her face.
Brand laughs even harder. "Your giggle is adorable." Her warm hands grab his and she guides him in the way he's supposed to walk. He winces as he made it a rule not to touch, but her touch feels so good. He lets it slide.
"Don't tell Aubrey. It's supposed to be a secret," she says happily.
"Alright."
"So, Titanium?" she asks in his ear. Her breath gives him goosebumps.
"I can sing it for you sometime if you like," he flirts back, following her lead. She just scoffs at him. He grins under the bag. "You know you liked it."
"So about the Bellas," She starts guiltily, " I may have told Aubrey a lie to get her to let you join... Your oath will be a little different. "
The Bella initiates gather round Chloe and Aubrey at their initiation site. He's gonna kill Chloe. He. Is. Not. Gay.
"We shall begin by drinking the blood of the sisters that came before you," says Aubrey, taking a large goblet.
Chloe hands the goblet to Brand who's face is contorted in disgust, "Dude, no."
The irresistible redhead winks, "Don't worry. It's Boone's Farm." The more he looks at her, the harder it becomes to be angry.
The DJ says his 'special' oath with the rest of his fellow sisters, "I, Branddddddd promise to fulfill the duties responsibilities of a Bella dude, and I solemnly promise to never have sexual relations with a Treblemaker, and in my case women, or may my vocal chords be ripped out by wolves."
"Ladies and Brandon," Aubrey says, leading the initiates down stone steps outdoors, "Welcome to aca-initiation night."
"Brandonnnn, Brandon Mitchell," Jesse climbs the steps toward his roommate, "Do my eyes deceive me? Are you a Barden Bella?We're both acapella dudes. We're gonna get aca-married and have aca-children. It's inevitable. " I'm going to kill you Chloe. Aubrey will kill me 'cause I'm actually straight. Then, Jesse will kill her, and Unicycle will kill him. But I can't kill Chloe. She's too...perfect. Dude, just kill me now.
"Wow, you're drunk," Brand says with a fake laugh, looking for a way out.
"No I'm not drunk. You're just blurry," he retorts.
"Are you alright?" The smaller freshman asks his roommate because he stumbled a bit.
"I'm fine. Can I get you a drink?" he asks hopefully.
"Surrrre you do that," the DJ says knowing he'd go away for at least a few minutes. It will give him time to plan his escape.
Brand is pleasantly surprised as Chloe jogs up the steps toward him, "Hi," she says, pulling him by both arms to her nose. Heart pounding, he can't do anything but grin. She leans in until their noses are touching. Her hot minty breath reaches his face, "I'm so glad I met you. I think that we're gonna be really fast friends." If Aubrey wouldn't kick him out, he would've kissed her right then and there. You're killing me Chlo . He doesn't pull away in hopes that she will kiss him. No nicknames. You can't like her.
But she doesn't. "Yeah," he says with his smirk. He winks, "Well, you saw me naked so..."
She rubs up and down his arms, "Alright, well I'm going to go get a drink. This ginger needs her giggle juice." She does a very entertaining butt dance that leaves Brand blushing, "See ya later!"
"Make good choices!" he calls after her.
Seeing Jesse, Brand dashes over to Fat Amy and Aubrey, "Which one do you think it is?"
"My money's on black beauty," Fat Amy says, directing her eyes to Cynthia Rose blatantly staring at Stacie's boobs.
"What are we talking about?" he asks, butting into their conversation .
"Cynthia Rose's sexual orientation, gay boyyy," Fat Amy says. He winces at the nickname, but figures he better get used to it.
"Ahhhh," The freshman says before walking away, dodging Jesse again.
_
A few hours later
"Oh heyyyyyy," Chloe slurs,wrapping her warm arms around his neck. He allows this touch too. He won't admit it, but he can't get enough of her touch, "Brannd, I haven't seen you all night."
"Are you alright?"
She grabs the collar of his shirt, "You arrrre so much m-more caring than Tom." She's so drunk her blue eyes have lost their twinkle.
"That's the alcohol talking," he says, his face getting hot. He rubs the back of his neck.
"Can you take me home?" she stumbles, getting close to his nose again. Oh no, not again.
"Where do you live?" he asks. I'll just drop her off. I don't want her to get raped around here. Then, I'll leave, he tries to convince himself.
"It's only a couple blocks." Brand carefully wraps her arm around his shoulder, and helps her home.
"This doesn't look like you made good choices," he tells her.
"You would doooo the same thing if you were me." He fingers creep down his shirt.
He grabs her hand, "You're drunk. You have to stop."
"Why," she whispers as they reach her door, her lips brushing his ear. "We both know you like it." Please stop. I'm begging you . He shrugs her off. Think about something else like the doormat. Well huh, that doormat looks spiky.
"Gooodnight Chloe," he says, turning around. A hand grabs the back of his shirt and pulls him inside. "Chlo," he groans. No nicknames idiot.
"Come cuddle with mee," she says, dragging him toward her bedroom clumsily .
"Um, I don't think that's a good idea," the shorter guy says. His breath hitches. So not good, Brand. Do something. Mayday. He really wants to, but he can't. He can't get attached. That, and Aubrey would kill him.
"But it will help me sleep if you're here," he hates that pout, everything about it.
Screw it. There's no place he'd rather be, and there's no way he is going back to his room just for Jesse to hit on him again.
The room screams Chloe. Zebra sheets, music posters, and photos of cities. That's all he gets to see though, because she pulls him onto the bed with her. She snuggles up to him, laying her beautiful head onto his chest. We really did become fast friends. "I can hear your heart. It's beating suuuper fast."
"Yeah," he murmurs, knowing there's no way she'll remember this in the morning, "That's what you do," he whispers as he wraps his left arm around her torso, pulling her in closer, and he throws the blanket over them both.
Brand has fallen. He let her through his walls. He nicknamed her. He let her touch him. He's attached, and he can't act on it because, 'his vocal chords will be ripped out by wolves.' He lets out a sigh, I'm so screwed.
AN: Do you guys want to kill me? This one made my Bechloe feels go crazy. Hopefully, it wasn't too cheesy. :DDD I hope you all liked/loved/ got a toner from it :p
