Jesse stared at Benji for what seemed like an eternity, his thudding heartbeat echoing through his head. There was no way that Aubrey could have pulled something like that off. She was a crazy bitch but there was no way she could have moved an entire wedding without him finding out.
"There's no way", he said finally. "There's no way- I mean- how- no, she couldn't have". He pushed past Benji and the girls, towards the doors of the church. The pews were full of people, dressed in work clothes, chatting away and looking around for answers.
"How- the hell?"
"She called us, telling us about important wedding business or some shit", Donald said. "And then when we got here she told us about the surprise wedding!"
"Obviously! The groom didn't even know!" Jesse snapped.
People began to stare, and Jesse smiled sheepishly at them.
"What did she say when she called? Specifically".
"My message was about the final fittings", Benji told his friend, "But the girls, being guests, got told about meeting here for a surprise wedding announcement".
"Surprise", Stacie and Fat Amy said sarcastically.
"So everyone's coming straight from work?"
"This just keeps getting classier and classier", Stacie groaned.
"Yeah, and if that isn't bad enough, no one can find Aubrey", Donald filled in. "she's apparently holed up in the church somewhere so you won't see her. Bad luck or something".
"Bitch ain't nothin' but".
"Well we're gonna find her", Jesse snarled. "I'm sick of this bullshit. I'm sick of getting pushed around and ignored". He pointed to his friends, giving orders and sounding too much like Aubrey for his liking.
"Yes sir!" Donald saluted him.
"Anything for you flat butt".
"Let's do this shit!"
"Stacie you can't say shit in a church! Apologise to God".
"Applebaum are you in or not?" she said, sounding slightly exasperated.
"Let's do this!"
And they split up, scouring the church as the clock ticked.
"Mum, another flower fell off!" Memphis whined from the confines of her car seat, scratching at the material of her dress and kicking her white leather shoed feet in annoyance.
"I know baby, but we're almost there".
They were on their way to the church for the rehearsal, Beca gripping the steering wheel nervously as she drove. Aubrey had called, just as Jesse had said she would, to inform Beca of the chance. She could hear the smugness in the blonde's voice as she bragged happily about things being bumped up, trying to get a rise out of Beca the whole conversation. Instead the brunette had played it cool, still smirking a little about how it had ended.
"So you need to be there-"
"At six? I know Aubrey".
"Oh well good, my mother or Chloe must have informed you-"
"No, no, Jesse did".
"Ah well, that was sweet of him to make sure you came-"
"Oh he made sure alright".
The other end had fallen silent for a moment as Beca's smirk was evident, and Beca swore she had heard a gasp before Aubrey babbled something about the wedding and hung up. It was low and catty, but Beca didn't care. She wasn't going to take any more shit from Aubrey or her three ring fucking circus of a wedding.
Her stomach fluttered as she saw the turn off ahead. She had been fantasizing all day about how things would play out, one crazy scenario after another. Some had Aubrey crying as she and Jesse embraced, while others included fights with baseball bats. Her favourite so far included drowning Aubrey in the baptism pool as the choir sang 'Hallelujah' but she had to stop daydreaming so she didn't get her hopes up.
Beca pulled into the car park, confused as to why it was jammed full of cars. Glancing at the front to make sure she had the right church, she pulled up slowly and found a spot, spying Benji frantically running around the car park, clad in suit and tie. She was torn between laughing and cursing. He was scanning the rows of trucks and cars, frantically calling out. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she got to work removing Memphis and the dress made by the devil himself from her seat as she hollered out to him.
"Beca", he panted as he made his way to her.
"Watcha doin' Uncle Benji?" Memphis giggled. "You look nice, I like your suit".
"Thanks MJ", he wheezed.
"Benj, what the hell?" Beca wanted to know.
"Find- Aubrey- wedding- moved-"
"Oh I know, she called me". Beca groaned, taking Memphis's hand.
"No, Bec". Benji struggled as he pulled her back. "Aubrey moved the wedding".
"I know".
"To today".
Beca stared at him, the packed car park and the suit suddenly making sense.
"No, there's no way".
"Way, she did", Benji rushed out. "And now she's hiding and we're looking for her..."
Beca blocked out Benji's words, the all too familiar feeling of her world crashing down taking over, as it did too often when Aubrey was around. Just when she thought she had the upper hand, Aubrey had found a way to swoop down and smack it out of the water. Beca knew that Jesse had promised to end everything and make it right, but she also knew that he had a guilty conscience and a church full of their family and friends wasn't going to help the situation at hand. Beca suddenly had another one of her dream sequences, only she was the one crying as Jesse and Aubrey embraced. She had a sickening feeling that he would crack under the pressure and say yes, the most unholy of unions becoming permanent. She then realised she had stopped breathing, and exhaled quickly.
"We have to find her", she declared, grabbing Memphis and Benji's hands and hauling them to towards the church to join the search.
"Aubrey? Aubrey? Man hands!" Fat Amy sung, pushing open the door to the kitchen. She had searched the entirety of the church (including the pews of people, who looked at her funny- Jesse's mother pulling her aside and demanding to know what was going on).
There was a crash, and Fat Amy slapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from gasping out loud.
the hair on the back of her neck stood up as she froze, feeling as if she were in a low budget horror movie (which, she had to admit, she was. the gruesome twosome were getting married and there was nothing more terrifying than that)
There, on the floor in front of the refrigerator, was Aubrey. She was dressed in her gown and veil, looking as happy as Larry, leaning back as she finished the last of the wine in her glass.
"Holy shit, she is not pregnant", Fat Amy whispered to herself, knowing good and well you didn't drink while pregnant. She continued to watch, Aubrey smiling cheerfully as she poured the last of the Boone's Farm into her glass as Fat Amy debated her next move. She wanted to bust her know, but she imagined the taller blonde breaking the bottle and chasing her with it. Knowing that the woman sitting there was the same woman who faked a pregnancy and planned a secret wedding. Her kind of crazy scared her.
She decided to leave quickly and quietly to find Jesse, to allow him to be the one to deal with the crazy blonde. She made her way out of the kitchen, slowing down when she saw Aubrey's father coming down the hall, calling for the blonde.
"Good day sir!" Fat Amy said, sounding way too enthusiastic as she actually curtsied for Aubrey's father. He looked at her with an odd expression on his face, Fat Amy grinning to keep it cool. Fat Amy started to jog when he was out of sight, frantic to make it to Jesse in time.
"Vertical running!" she almost shrieked, caught up in the heat of the moment.
"Bro, I can't find that crazy bitch anywhere".
"Dude, neither can I".
Benji, Donald and Jesse sat down on the front steps of the church, none of them having any luck at finding the bride to be. They had all tried to call off the rest of the search party but none of them had answered, Jesse resorting to resting his head in his hands.
"This is messed up. How the hell did I get myself into this?"
"Because you got into her", Donald said, and Benji snickered.
"Maybe I could tell the priest what's going on and I can make a run for it while she's walking up the aisle".
"Maybe you could stand at the alter and wait for her", Benji suggested.
Donald stared. "Are you serious? The point is for him NOT to marry Aubrey".
"She tricked you into the wedding, right? So trick her back! When the priest asks 'do you take this woman' you just say 'no'!" he sounded awfully proud of himself.
"What happens if she pulled the vows?" Donald wanted to know.
"Jesus, can you do that?" Jesse said in alarm.
"He questions the woman who planned an entire wedding underneath his nose", Benji snorted. "I wouldn't put anything past her, buddy".
"Touché. Still I don't know. This whole thing has gotten way out of control. I mean I thought about not showing but I'd rather man up and face this head on than run". "I just didn't want it to come to that. I mean, if I get up there and Beca sees me she'll think-"
"Then just prove her wrong by saying no! I love you like the brother I never wanted but Aubrey has brought this on herself".
Jesse nodded, growling in anger as he thought over the things she had done.
"I mean first she ignores you when you wanna talk, rearranges your wedding, and now she's hiding from you so she can trap you! My friend, just when you think you've gotten to the bottom of her crazy you discover an underground garage". Benji nodded solemnly and Donald almost laughed.
"I wouldn't be surprised if she poured acid on your car and boils your bunny!"
Jesse laughed.
"Point is, she's pushed you to this. I know you've got a conscience and everything and you feel bad and shit because you knocked her up, but you need to shove that to the side and remember who you are", Donald said, clapping him on the shoulder.
Beca was searching the bathrooms with Stacie, Aubrey's mother having confiscated Memphis so they could prepare her to walk down the aisle.
"This is hopeless", Beca sighed heavily as she slammed the last stall door, neither her nor Stacie having found Aubrey or Jesse.
"I don't even know what's going on any more", Stacie sighed. "I mean what if no one found her?"
The sound of the organ within the church gave them their answer, both girls exchanging wide eyes looks of horror.
"We gotta go!" Stacie said urgently, as they ran out of the bathroom towards the big oak doors.
Beca took a step forward and peered in, the back of Aubrey's dress the first thing she saw. She looked to the left and her heart sank when she saw Jesse standing at the altar.
"I thought- he said-"
"He did", Beca mumbled. He had promised her, he had sworn on his life and yet there he was, standing at the altar.
"Beca, Beca honey he still has to say I do!" Stacie said frantically, seeing the tears in Beca's eyes and pulling her into her chest to hug her. "We have to see what he says!"
"I can't watch this!"
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today on this happy and joyous occasion to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony".
"Ain't nothin' holy about this", Stacie growled, stroking Beca's hair soothingly (she wasn't leaving her friend, she didn't care that there was an empty seat on Jesse's side of the church).
Beca closed her eyes tight, the sight of the two of them together unbearable. She felt so hurt and betrayed, knowing that Jesse would cave and marry her, and hoping with all her heart that he wouldn't.
"Marriage is a solemn institution to be held in honour by all..."
Beca's heart thudded painfully loud in her chest as she finally opened her eyes to watch. She knew the part that was coming up, and she felt her body jerk towards the big oak doors, Stacie grabbing her hand.
"If there is anyone who objects to the union of this man and this woman, speak now or forever hold your peace".
Beca's mouth opened, but the voice that rang out wasn't hers.