Bread Crumbs
A/N: Many, many thanks to thecurlingiron, Waffles rock, .376, anonymous, .792, and bma925 for you wonderful reviews!
3. She bruised her knuckles, for him
He sees her again two days after regionals; she is half-jogging the opposite way headphones in her ears (probably late for class or rehearsal, he isn't sure) and he notices that her left hand is in what looks like a brace. He is tempted to run and catch up with her, ask her what happened, even though he is almost sure it's from her (really well delivered) left-hook to that Tonehanger, but he remembers that she is still probably really pissed at him so he just keeps watching her until she turns a corner.
Two more days after that they have a shift at the radio station together, when he arrives (late again) she is already immersed into their crateful of work. They kind of tiptoe around each other so that the room is full of awkward energy and Jesse keeps catching himself staring at the brace in her left hand.
"They're… um…. They're bruised" Beca suddenly says (she is sort of uncomfortable with all the staring he is doing today and at the fact that they haven't spoken in so long).
"What?" Jesse answers, looking up from her brace enclosed hand.
"My knuckles. They're bruised, gotta wear this for a few days till they are healed" She walks away from him then, walking upstairs with a nearly empty crate to put the remaining CD's away.
Jesse lays down in his bed when their shift is done (two more hours of almost complete silence), arms behind his head staring at the celling of his dorm. He is trying to figure her out, figure them out, because everything is all blurred lines and confused feelings. This constant tug-of-war she is playing with his feelings is kind of exhausting, one minute they are sitting in her room almost kissing and she is punching a guy in the face to protect him (which is kind of bad ass and he likes her so much for) but then she is yelling at him and they aren't talking.
Jesse sighs, moving so he is more comfortable in his twin bed trying to fall asleep. He can't help the smile that forms when he pictures that brace in her hand though, because that has to mean something right?
I don't know if I mentioned this before, but there is no specific time line that I'm following, so I am sorry if it ever does get confusing.
I want to thank everyone for reading this story, and I will again shamelessly ask for reviews!
GabbyAbby