I decide that maybe the reason I'm failing is because I'm going forward. Perhaps jumping backwards would work better. I decide to jump back a week before regionals.
I arrive in the shadows and glance around. I don't think anyone saw me arrive, so I start walking, knowing that I'll soon recognize something. It only takes me a few minutes to realize I'm just around the corner from the quad. A few moments later I'm nearby ma's favorite spot and watching her interact with the Treble.
I find a spot nearby and sit. I need to come up with another plan, but all I can focus on is the Treble flirting with ma. The longer I watch, the angrier I get. Every moment she spends with him, is one less moment she could be falling in love with mom.
About fifteen minutes later, ma closes her laptop and gathers up her things. I assume she has a class to get to because she stands and leaves the Treble there. I growl under my breath as he stares at her ass as she walks away. He stays for another five minutes, fiddling with his phone and then stands.
Without realizing it, I'm standing as well. I decide to follow him. I take large steps to catch up with him, still not sure why I'm following him. I just know that I want him to stop flirting with ma because she isn't supposed to end up with him and he's just making things more complicated.
He stops abruptly and because I'm still seething, I don't realize it until I literally bump into him. I apologize, telling I wasn't watching where I was going. He offers a charming grin and I fight the urge to slap him as he obviously checks me out. It seems like he wants to talk, but I state that I'm running late. And then, before he can say anything else, I quickly step away, heading in the opposite direction.
He shouts an awkward "see you around" after me, which just makes me even more pleased with the fact that I just took his wallet.
It actually hadn't been my intent. It had just sort of happened when I'd bumped into him. It's something that Aunt Lily taught me that I never really used. I was too afraid of getting caught, despite Aunt Lily proclaiming me excellent. But now, in the past, it had just been instinctual.
I stop when the Treble's out of sight and open it up. There's a few bucks inside, which I pocket, even if I have no need for money from this time period. Well, maybe I can start paying Aunt Lily back the next time I see her. Though tempted to go through it, I really don't want to know more about him, so I slip it into my pocket and think about what to do with it.
An idea hits me suddenly and I glance around. No one's looking at me, so I quickly, but carefully, punch in the day's information into the watch. I push the button and jump.
…
I arrive in the exact same place, though it's earlier in the day. I head back towards the quad, hoping that ma's not under her usual tree. Because I'm not really sure what day of the week it is, I can only guess about her class schedule.
Thankfully, there's no one around when I approach the tree. Before I can give it too much thought, I jog the last five steps towards the tree and leap onto it, climbing it and only feeling mildly awkward. I do it as quickly as I can, not wanting to be seen. It takes less time than expected for me to find a place to rest that keeps me hidden.
Now it's just a matter of waiting for ma to show up.
…
I sit in the tree for at least an hour before ma shows up. Time passes slowly. People watching helps a bit, but the minutes still drag on.
When ma does finally appear, she settles down against the tree with a book and no headphones. She doesn't open the book immediately and so I see it as my chance. I'm hidden enough by the leaves and branches, so I let the wallet drop into her lap.
She lets out a squeak of surprise and looks around and then up at the tree. She stares up at me, though I can tell by her gaze that she doesn't actually see me. She finally opens it open and recognizes the driver's license picture. She looks around again and then back up at me. Still seeing nothing, she slips the wallet in her bag and opens her book.
I know it's a long shot, but I'm hoping that maybe ma will get caught with the Treble's wallet and get in trouble. It's obvious that she's in no hurry to return it. Maybe if she gets in trouble, it'll be like when she was arrested at regionals and it'll lead to her and mom kissing. It's a long shot, I know, but her and mom are so damn stubborn, that I'm honestly running out of ideas.
Now it's just a matter of waiting, except with the watch, I don't have to. So I punch in my next destination and hit the button.
Chapter Ten: Part Two
Jesse's starting to worry. He hasn't been able to find his wallet for two days. He's gone through his whole room twice, even Benji's magic stuff. He checked the radio station and even put up with Luke giving him shit for losing it. He still has to ask Beca if he might have left it in her room, but Aubrey's been making them rehearse constantly for regionals.
He could probably try to wait for her outside where they rehearse, but he doesn't want to be accused of spying.
He heads towards the quad, hoping to maybe catch her working on a mix or pretending to study. The Bellas can't rehearse all the time, right?
Beca's usual spot is empty, but he settles there anyway, figuring she'll be around eventually.
About thirty minutes later, he sees her sAuntering through the quad towards him.
"Hey," she says, sitting next to him. "I've been looking for you."
"Oh yeah?" he replies, trying to remain chill. Maybe she's finally realized how perfect they are for each other.
She's digging in her bag and he waits eagerly, expecting a mix of love songs. Instead, she hands him his wallet, which is also good.
"Found this the other day."
Though disappointed, he's also relieved. "Did I leave it in your room?"
"No."
"The radio station?"
She shakes her head.
"Then where?" The expression on her face is odd.
"Um, it just kind of, appeared?"
What? "Like out of thin air? Like magic?" Was she implying that Benji had it?
"Sort of."
"Beca, c'mon, where did you find it?"
"It really kind of did," Beca replies. "I was sitting here under the tree and it sort of just fell into my lap."
It's so absurd that Jesse actually laughs. She is so obviously making it up. The question is why. "You really don't expect me to believe that, do you?"
"I really don't care what you believe," she retorts.
"If you want to hang out with me, you just have to say so," he tells her. "You don't need to make up a crazy story."
"It's not a story," she insists.
"Uh huh," he smirks.
She rolls her eyes at him and stands. "Whatever dude. Believe whatever you want. I don't care."
"Where are you going?"
"Bellas' rehearsal." She slips her bag onto her shoulder and stomps away.
It's an abrupt shift of emotions, but Jesse knows it totally means that she's into him. She's just not ready to admit it yet. That's okay. He can wait.