Love it: You might be waiting awhile, but it'll still be worth the read! Promise!
Rissalynn24 (1): I'll share in your excitement, because I'm really excited about where I'm taking this story. I don't particularly have a problem with Luke. I mean, he is really nice to look at.
Mxlspytypo: Your name was oddly fun and challenging to type. I like it. Haha. I'm glad I have a disclaimer that I don't offer review insurance. Should I add to it and warn people of my gut-punching violence?
BrookeEffyJames: No problem! I love giving feedback! I feel like encouraging people to chat with me about whatever I'm writing brings us both closer to the story. It becomes not only my story, but yours as well - if that makes sense. God, that sounded so melodramatic! Anyway, thank you so much for the compliments! YOU'RE aca-awesome!
Madzilla1010 (1): I'll post what 'Arrhythmia' means down below!
Madzilla1010: Thank you so much! I was really nervous about trying out a new writing style, so the compliment boosts my confidence!
TheFutilitarian: Ngl, I'm glad you cracked because I thoroughly enjoy your reviews already. That should be Coldplay's tagline. Haha. "Nothing good ever starts with us." I too mourned the loss of Chloe's gorgeous long hair as I was writing. But, uh, rubber cement happens to people, I guess? About the sex part, uh...about that. About that. Things are...complicated.

A/N: For those wondering/asking:

Arrhythmia (n): a condition in which the heart beats with an irregular or abnormal rhythm.


Arrhythmia


Come up to meet you,
Tell you I'm sorry.
You don't know how lovely you are.
I had to find you,
Tell you I need you,
Tell you I set you apart.
- Coldplay


The island looks like something out of a movie. Houses are built perfectly into the rocky terrain, just high enough above sea level that they won't flood every time it rains. Some of them have walkways that extend out over the water then turn around back in the direction of the road. Most people seem to own their own boats that are tied to homemade docks just outside their doors. They make her think that she and Chloe need a summer home one day once Aubrey is officially considered an employee at her job. But somewhere more like Florida; not here in a place like this.

Aubrey places her hands on the metal rails of the boat so she won't fall off as she leans over to get a better look at her surroundings. She has to peer through a dense fog that seems to encompass the entire marina. Everything is misty, and it's almost like she's in a dream. Or more like a hair-frizzing nightmare that makes her glad she chose to wear a hat. The muggy air makes moisture cling to her skin.

It's too hot out and she hopes that the weather changes by the end of the week. She's ready for the cool, dry Autumn air. This isn't the typical island vacation where it should be ninety degrees and sunny. Save that for an island she can actually enjoy herself on. She's not tanning on any of these beaches, nor does she plan to drag herself back and forth between whatever activities Beca has planned in the blistering heat. If the weather remains like this and their room has satellite TV and Wi-Fi, she may not even leave it other than to attend rehearsal and the wedding. The boat hits a wave made by a jet ski that makes her feel kind of seasick. She sighs and turns so her back is against the rails.

All around her, people are beginning to gather their things. Chloe is across the ferry talking to Beca about something as Beca gets her laptop and headphones together. It must not be about anything too serious, because, while Beca doesn't look like she's saying much, she's not trying to brush Chloe off either. Singing together again made the atmosphere a lot lighter; and Aubrey is glad about that for Chloe's sake. Things feel a lot like they used to. Aubrey hates Beca. Chloe loves Beca. And Beca is just trying to go with the flow. Aubrey doesn't want to be caught staring, so she turns her head and continues to watch the houses pass by until the boat is being docked in the marina. People begin to gather by the ramp almost immediately. Aubrey stays back to avoid the crowd.

Chloe skirts around the group of people once Beca leaves to join Jesse. She turns her back to the railing so she's standing next to Aubrey then grips the top rail with both hands and lifts her foot to rest it on the bottom one. "I think this week is going to be nice," she says before Aubrey has a chance to say anything. She looks up at Aubrey with a closed-lipped smile and a gaze that tries to gage her thoughts.

Aubrey opens her mouth to argue but then shuts it again and looks at everyone talking and laughing. After singing, it's hard not to be at least a little optimistic. "Okay, maybe kind of nice," she admits. "But we could still be having a nice time at home too."

"I don't know how you don't get bored at home," Chloe says. Her eyes are on all the people now. She links arms with Aubrey and absently brushes her fingers across the top of Aubrey's hands. "Don't you want to go out and make friends, Aubrey?"

Aubrey doesn't really know how to respond to that. "I have friends," is all she manages to retort with. She keeps in touch with Fat Amy. She has coffee on a regular basis with Brian the intern and the café owner, Conrad. The rest of the time, she's either at work or with Chloe, and she's content with that.

"Yeah, but don't you want new-"

"Okay, we're not arguing this week," Aubrey cuts her off with a tight smile. Chloe obediently stops talking without looking fazed at all. Chloe just laces their fingers together and grips the rail tighter with her free hand as the boat hits the dock. Aubrey thinks by now that Chloe should just accept that she's content with the way things are. Only Aubrey isn't sure if she really is content, and that bothers her enough without Chloe's constant pressure for her to accept change. She draws in a deep breath and her face turns sour as she gets another lungful of fish and salt.

People begin to file off the boat and Aubrey hangs back until she and Chloe are two of the last guests on board. There's a tightness in her chest. The week may be nice now, but what are the chances it will end that way?

"Come on." Chloe steps forward away from the railing. She tugs on Aubrey's hand then turns and grabs her other hand as well. "No one is going to fight this weekend," she assures her and walks backward, pulling Aubrey toward the ramp. "I promise."

Aubrey still doesn't understand how Chloe can just guess what she's worried about all the time. She doesn't believe her reassurance though. They're on an island with Beca and Jesse. Someone is going to start a fight, and she knows exactly who it will be blamed on. She drops one of her hands back to her side and walks faster so she's beside Chloe rather than allowing Chloe to pull her off the boat like she had to be dragged onto it. She wishes she would have moved a little faster when she sees their bags being dragged away from the ferry on a cart. She's not sure she trusts cheaply paid crewmen with her things.

The docks are a little less surreal than the scenery on the way in. Fishermen clad in heavy aprons and elbow-length gloves weave their way around the wedding party. Aubrey tenses and presses in closer to Chloe to avoid being touched by them. Her shirt cost way too much to get fish guts on it.

On one side of them, a man dumps a bucket full of crabs into a plastic tub. On Chloe's side, someone slams a sharp knife down on a fish to remove the head. Aubrey just wrinkles her nose while Chloe chokes on a breath and immediately turns in toward Aubrey, lifting a hand to the side of her face to block the fish from her line of view as the man proceeds to cut it open. Aubrey rolls her eyes. She lets go of Chloe's hand and places both hands on her shoulders, guiding her around to the other side, away from the fish.

"That's probably our dinner tonight," Aubrey informs her with a teasing smirk.

Chloe gags. "Oh my god," she mutters and lifts both hands to the sides of her face to give herself tunnel vision and not look at any of the fish. "Aubrey, don't."

Drama queen. Aubrey keeps smirking but stops talking before they're hosing both fish blood and Chloe's vomit off the docks. For as long as Aubrey has known Chloe, she has never been good around violence. She can't even watch it in movies most of the time. Heck, she even makes Aubrey carry live bugs outside because killing them would be a travesty of insect justice or something. Aubrey slides an arm around her shoulders and lifts her hand to help her block out the fishermen's work until it's completely out of view. "Are you okay?" she asks when their feet reach the asphalt.

Chloe slowly lowers her hands down to her sides and nods her head. "Yeah," she answers and nods as she wipes her palms against her pants. "Yeah, I'm good." She swallows and looks up at Aubrey, looking slightly pale from disgust.

"Good." Aubrey squeezes her shoulder then lets her arm fall back down to her side. Chloe remains close, bumping up against her as they make their way toward a line of golf carts that Aubrey assumes are going to take them to the inn. Most people have already piled into the carts. Aubrey leads them to an empty one near the back so the two of them can sit together. She knows Chloe would have no problem sitting with someone she doesn't know, but Aubrey doesn't feel like going through awkward introductions at the moment. She doesn't want to know what Beca has told people about her.

Aubrey climbs onto the golf cart first then scoots over to make room for Chloe. She glances at the driver who doesn't look back and looks far less than thrilled to be hauling them around. Chloe sits down beside Aubrey. She slouches down and raises her legs so her knees are resting on the seat in front of her. "Do you really think we're going to be eating fish for dinner tonight?" she asks and scrunches her nose. It makes Aubrey regret even saying anything because now she's probably going to have to hear about how marine life is killed for the rest of her life. Things could be worse though. She could have to continue to hear about how it lives.

"This isn't my wedding, Chloe," Aubrey reminds her and tries to get comfortable against the hard seat. "You'll have to ask Beca what everyone is having for dinner."

"Maybe she'll tell them to make me something other than fish," Chloe says and turns her head to look at their surroundings.

Beca walks by the golf cart with her headphones around her neck and her laptop case in her hand. Chloe straightens up and roughly shoots across the seat. She slams into Aubrey so hard that Aubrey nearly falls out the other side. "What the hell, Chloe?!" Aubrey demands and balances herself with one hand on the roof of the car.

"Beca, there's room!" Chloe calls, not acknowledging Aubrey's outburst.

Aubrey huffs and shoves Chloe back over onto her own side of the seat.

Beca stops walking and looks at the two of them with raised eyebrows. More specifically at Aubrey. Aubrey wants to nail her for being the reason she just nearly fell out of a golf cart. Beca clenches her teeth together and glances in the direction they're about to start heading. "I think I'm just gonna walk," she says and takes a half-step away from the golf cart.

"We can walk. I have to talk to you about fish," Chloe says with a grin. She attempts to stand, but Aubrey grabs the back of her shirt and pulls her back down. Chloe falls on the seat and grips Aubrey's leg to steady herself. "Come on, Aubrey," she says and cranes her neck to look at her. "It's probably not even that far."

"Chloe, we're not walking and that's that," Aubrey says firmly. Over her dead body will she walk alone through the woods where there will be no witnesses if Beca kills her.

Beca makes a face at Aubrey's tone and Aubrey shoots her a look. "I'll see you there," Beca says to Chloe. She adjusts her headphones around her neck and keeps walking. Jesse hops off the cart he was sitting on and follows her. Beca glances at him and smiles.

Chloe's eyes follow the two of them as they disappear in front of the line of golf carts. Aubrey realizes that she's watching them walk away too. She shakes her head and looks at Chloe. She really hopes she didn't step into this thinking that Beca would change her mind. "Chloe, you're practically sitting on me," she says and pushes her away again to distract her.

Chloe blinks a few times then spins to look at her. "Hey, it's not my fault your butt is taking up half the seat," she retorts and smirks as she pushes her back.

Aubrey's jaw drops and she gapes at her. "Did you just suggest I have a fat ass?" she asks and pushes her harder.

"I like your ass," Chloe announces with a wide grin. This gets the driver's attention. She turns her head and looks at the two of them as if they're aliens.

Aubrey's cheeks flush with warmth and she covers her face with her hand. "You did not just say that out loud," she murmurs.

"Your ass is hot," Chloe confirms her previous statement and settles back against the seat as the golf cart starts to move. "You have like the hottest ass out of anyone I know." She pauses and leans out of the golf cart, staring in the direction Beca walked off in. "Though Beca's is pretty nice too," she muses.

Aubrey is sure that her face is bright red. "Stop talking," she demands though doesn't sound nearly as forceful as she would have hoped.

"I don't know why you can't take a compliment," Chloe admonishes her and shakes her head.

"Because there's a difference between complimenting me and sexually assaulting me, Chloe," Aubrey answers.

Chloe rolls her eyes. "I am not sexually assaulting you," she replies and folds her arms. She nudges Aubrey's side with elbow. "Although I can when we get to our room, if you want."

Aubrey moves her hand and gives her a look of disapproval. Chloe just grins at her. Aubrey determinedly faces forward and sits stiffly against the seat. She realizes that she should have considered allowing Beca to kill her in the woods. But she knows that walking alone in the forest with Beca and Chloe would probably lead to the only thing with the potential to be more passionate than brutal murder.