A/N: Breathe (2 AM) by Anna Nalick
Vahuene- I feel bad for Beca too!
B- I know, I know, I changed it after the first chapter.
2 AM and she calls me 'cause I'm still awake,
"Can you help me unravel my latest mistake?,
I don't love him. Winter just wasn't my season"
Yeah we walk through the doors, so accusing their eyes
Like they have any right at all to criticize,
Hypocrites. You're all here for the very same reason
'Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button, girl.
So cradle your head in your hands
And breathe... just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe
Beca waited in the hall for the class to let out, she hadn't slept last night because she had been playing around with some acoustic mixes of 'Breathe' by Anna Nalick and she just had to get it right; and the four cups of coffee she had had turned her into a nervous ball of energy. Auditions were this afternoon, and Beca felt both excited and sick at the thought of seeing Chloe again.
The door to the classroom opened and a flood of students surged into the hallway. Beca waited until the majority had left before she stepped inside, the professor was straightening up the papers on his desk and he placed a stack of them in his briefcase before looking up at her.
"Hey Becs!" His eyes lit up.
"Hey Dad."
"So what brings you here, you don't seem like the 'Rhetoric of Shakespeare' type! Unless you're secretly and alien? Take me to your leader." He monotoned before chuckling at his own joke.
"Chris Rock everybody!" She perched on the edge of the desk before continuing. "I just came to say, you know, thanks for arranging all of this. I mean, free education, it's pretty cool."
Her dad stopped and studied her. "You're welcome,Beca, I'm glad that you're putting some effort into your classes." Beca picked up one of the paper weights on the desk. "Do you want to come over for dinner tonight? Sheila is making Lasagna."
"I can't." She saw the disappointment flash across his face. "I mean I have a thing, an audition actually. The Barden Bellas? I dunno, you've probably never heard of them, they're this a capella group thing, it's weird." She put the paper weight down and stood up.
"No, the Bellas, they performed at a faculty dinner one time, they are definitely different than your usual group of friends."
"Well, you know, college, experimenting; thought I'd try something new."
"I'm proud of you for branching out, Beca."
"I've got intro to philosophy in a few minutes so I better go." She shifted her backpack and moved to the door.
"Good luck at your audition!"
"Thanks." She stopped in the doorway. "Do you wanna grab lunch sometime?"
His face lit up. "I'm free tomorrow afternoon?"
"I get out of class at 11."
"I can pick you up from your dorm at 1130? Does that work?"
"Sounds great, dad, I'll see you then." She gave a wave before stepping out into the hall. Mia probably wouldn't like the fact that she was choosing to defy history and have lunch with her dad; but honestly she was tired of having to pretend like she still hated him. What harm could a few lunch dates do?
Beca was late to auditions again, this time on purpose - she couldn't change too many things about the past now could she? She waited in the wings of the stage, and she thought her heart would explode when Chloe waved her out of the shadows and onto the stage.
"There's one more!" Chloe's eyes twinkled in that 'I know what you look like naked' kind of way, and Beca's heart thudded.
"I uh, I didn't know I had to prepare that song."
"It's ok, sing whatever you like!"
She had fully intended on picking up that yellow cup in front of Aubrey and banging out her funky rhythm and all that, but here; with Chloe's eyes on her and her mix from earlier still in her ears, there was only one song she could sing.
Two a.m. and she calls me cause I'm still awake
Can you help me unravel my latest mistake
I don't love him, winter just wasn't my season.
Here in town you can tell she's been down for while
But my God it's so beautiful when the girl smiles
Wanna hold her but maybe I'll just sing about it
'Cause you can't jump the track
We're like cars on a cable and life's like an hourglass glued to the table,
No one can find the rewind button girl
So just cradle your head in your hands.
And breathe, just breathe, whoa breathe just breathe
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
'Cause these words are my diary screamin' out loud
And I know that you'll use them however you want to.
No one can find the rewind button girl
So just cradle your head in your hands.
And breathe, just breathe, whoa breathe just breathe.
Beca looked at Chloe and gave her a sad smile before leaving the stage. Most of the others had left, but Beca dodged past the few hopefuls that were remaining and mad her way outside. She gasped as the sunlight hit her and she stopped; fighting tears she tried some of the yoga breathing that Chloe had taught sophomore year when she was freaking out about leading the Bellas into the finals.
"Beca! Wait! She turned to see Chloe jogging up to her. "You did really well in there." Sky blue eyes searched hers. "It really felt like you were singing to someone, you know?"
Beca shrugged, "Just this girl I used to know."
"Used to know?"
"That's what the song's about right? How you can't change the past." She tried to keep the sadness out of her voice.
"No," Chloe shook her head. "I guess not, but the future's always changing." Their eyes held for a moment before Chloe cleared her throat. "I better head back, or Aubrey will have a fit."
"I'll see you later, red." The nickname slipped, out of habit, but Chloe just grinned.
"Definitely."
The ginger waved and jogged back to the auditorium, leaving Beca staring after her. At her ass in particular. Dammit Beca! Stop it! She's not your girlfriend anymore . . .yet, whatever! She groaned and stomped her foot. The next six years were going to suck. Why hadn't past Beca had the balls to ask Chloe out sooner?
