Hey guys! Thanks for keeping up with the constant changes in my upload schedule. Your comments and messages keep me going too! All are very much appreciated.
Here's chapter 11 with a sprinkle of Bechloe, and a heart-to-heart talk between Emily and Beca.
I don't own pitch perfect.
With everything happening around her, Beca found herself just focusing on each and every moment that was passing her by a sit happened.
Like, for example, the overnight BFFs she's made – or so Amy claimed – the night that Amy, Stacie, and Lilly found out about her secret.
Emily looked tense, but Beca had to admit, it made her burden to carry a little bit lighter. It's been a week and a half since, with the Bellas embroiled with their practice for a convention performance, and the two has made life easier for Beca. Amy has stopped stealing her money and started packing her snacks for her internship. Stacie made sure she was on top of her academic progress. And most importantly, he two combined provided excuses for her when she couldn't be at bonding activities or parties because she had to hide the glowing timer on Beca's hand. They've also gotten in touch with Jesse to deal with the reaper problem, of which Lilly seemed to have had many colorful – if not conceptually terrifying – ideas. Beca most definitely did not want to get herself involved, if only to ensure she doesn't fail her trial because of knowing of their latest plans.
So Beca channeled her focus on cooking lessons with Flo, or learning more about the Bellas from Cynthia Rose. Her favorite was hanging out with Chloe, just talking or working on the set list and their plans for their performances.
Things were a little bit too flashy for Beca's tastes, she wasn't going to lie, but Chloe insisted they had to if they wanted to beat DSM at their own game. For whatever reason, she just couldn't really say no to her whims.
"Is it always really like this? Like all out with the props and the choreography?" Beca asked after their practice session with the Bellas that afternoon. She was gathering her things by the piano, with only Chloe left as company.
Chloe stood still, looking rather deep at thought. "I guess. Maybe? I don't know." was her reply.
Beca looked at her confused and Chloe laughed. "We used to be bit boring, although when you meet Aubrey, don't tell her I said that."
"Why?" Beca couldn't help but ask.
"Well, we did older songs, stuck with the Bells traditional ones and all. We almost lost our chance at ever winning Nationals during our senior year, my first senior year, and if it wasn't for your mix on the radio inspiring us, we probably wouldn't have. After that, well, we needed to get creative. We're not all musical geniuses like you, Beca. Most of our creativity was channeled into better choreography, the use of props here or there. We started listening to more mixes online and trying to adopt them, but that was it."
"Oh, well, it seemed you guys were doing pretty okay with just that." Beca commented.
"Yeah, but nothing about it was just us, you know? The Bellas. Nothing resonated with us as our own sound. And I mean, you see what happened with Amy during our last disastrous performance."
"Yeah, quite a memory. Amy made me watch it multiple times." Beca replied, the memory of it still haunting her.
Chloe chuckled and shook her head. "Couldn't help but wonder what could have happened if we met earlier, if you joined the Bellas earlier."
Beca nodded before the realization hit her.
Wait… I… wait…
She watched Chloe gather her things as a memory of a crowded quad flashed I her mind, of a brief encounter where Beca was certain she said…
…I said I couldn't sing… I said… Chloe and I met before?!
She looked dumbfounded as Chloe tried to get her attention and say goodbye, the redhead rushing to leave so she could make it to her next class. Chloe said something about coffee that afternoon and Beca wasn't entirely sure if she said yes or not, but how could she?
She ran away.
She was always running away.
From the things that she could end up being the best thing that ever happened to her, from life happening right in front of her.
From the Bellas, from Chloe.
And now she found herself lamenting how short of a time she had left with the Bellas when she could have had more.
So how could Beca even pay attention to what was around her then, when she realized things could have been different?
When the things she ran away from the first time around were catching up with her along with her regrets.
With everything that's happened, Beca wasn't sure how to think or feel, just that she needed to move forward whether she wanted to or not. There was a literal judgement day waiting for her at the end of all this, and she wanted to stop wasting what time she had left.
She wanted to make the most of it.
When Emily went on her mission to guide her charge, she was ecstatic. This was her chance to prove her mettle, show her worth and all.
Yeah, a lot has happened since day one.
Stubborn charge in Beca, check. One human who knows of her secret as Beca's guardian angel, check, although that was Beca's doing. Worst possible enemy on the prowl of Beca, check. Three supposedly unsuspecting human beings finding out Beca's secret, threatening terrible, terrible things to sway Emily to telling the truth – and since Emily was an angel, it was her duty to make sure things don't go out of hand that she decided to cave for Amy, Stacie, and Lilly's sakes – well, also a check.
It's like all things that could possibly go wrong was already going wrong.
Hence the sulking on the porch late that night, her hands in her palms, staring into the dark sky. The Bellas were having a quiet night in, all tired from practice. This was her moment of peace.
"You look like you're having a crisis." she heard Beca say as she approached Emily, hands in the pockets of her pants that matched the black blazer she wore. Emily simply smiled back and chuckled.
It was close to midnight, and Beca looked tired as well. She knew that the DJ had to help out on an event the label she was interning in was throwing. And yet, here she was, sitting down next to Emily on the porch. Somehow it felt wrong, Beca sensing Emily needed someone to talk to, and it was mostly just because Emily feels like the situation they were in was reversed.
But in a way it also felt right. Beca was the senior college student and Emily the freshman.
Emily chuckled again as they sat in silence. She couldn't help but think if this was how things would be in a different life, a different world. Typically angels are angels no matter what, but guardian angels are a special case. Emily heard that the reapers were too. In some alternate reality, they could live human lives, and it was because of how they spend most of their time on earth interacting with humans that they were a little bit closer to them.
In some other universe, Emily could really be that college freshman seeking for advice.
But not in this reality.
Emily cleared her throat, finally addressing Beca. "You looked just as stressed."
Beca shrugged. "Yeah, well, I've got a lot to think about." she replied sounding almost a little bit reluctant.
"Not overthinking I hope." Emily replied and Beca shook her head.
"No, not that." she said, turning to look away from Emily. "It's your fault though, you brought me to the Bellas. And now… I hate this. I'm starting to care about them. Flo and her cooking. Cynthia Rose and her cool vibes. Jessica and Ashley's strange synchronicity and how they almost say things in chorus. Lilly's weirdness. Amy and Stacie's random and potentially questionable ideas. Chloe… I absolutely hate it. I hate that it's hurting to think that I'll have to say goodbye at the end of the year.
Emily looked at Beca at a loss. She was doing a good job keeping her emotions at bay, but Emily knew better. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul and one glimpse into Beca's stormy blue ones was enough to tell Emily about the sea of emotions welling up inside of her.
On one hand, Emily was happy Beca was making progress. She found something she cared about – the Bellas and all – and found something she'll miss.
Something to treasure and value.
And perhaps something to get her to live.
Emily searched for the right words to say only to be interrupted by Beca who went on. "This sucks." she said. "You know, not gonna' lie here, but at the start of this, all I wanted was to figure out what the trial was and finally be judged so I can move on. I wanted to see what heaven's like, and I'm scared to find out how hell is."
"It's based on your personal heaven or hell. The perfect life and the worst nightmare." Emily muttered under her breath in response before stopping herself, realizing her error of letting something like that slip.
She can't know that! Emily, control yourself.
"But you were saying something…" Emily added, hoping that Beca would ignore her.
Beca looked at her strangely for a second before going on. "But, well, now I just… I can't help but wish time would slow down." she then replied. Beca took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I wish I could linger here longer." she added, as if she was trying to envision the life she had now before opening her eyes again. "Don't get me wrong, everything is like high key stressful but… I've let life pass me by without knowing what it could all be about. I still don't know anything but now I find that all I wish for, impossible as it may be, was more time. I don't think I could actually say goodbye to those nerds.
Emily would be lying if she said that Beca's words wasn't getting to her. She was proud of her progress but she never realized how much it actually made her job more difficult.
Because now Emily was scared of failing Beca even more.
And now, it was becoming harder for Emily to resist simply telling Beca the whole truth. She could see it, the pain that Beca was trying to hide. The pain of having found something she thinks she could never really have or hold.
But before having to actually wrestle with her own thoughts and emotions on what to do, the timer on Beca's hand appears, marking another day down. Emily watched Beca stare at the glowing bands slowly disappear, a melancholic smile on her face, before taking a deep breath and standing up.
"Ah, no more sulking, I can't waste more time doing that." she announced before turning to Emily to say goodnight. "Get some good rest too, okay?"
Emily simply nodded, afraid she might say something she shouldn't, and watched Beca disappear into the house.
"Man, I really do need to stick around, don't I? You almost told Beca something you weren't supposed to." Luke then said, a few steps away, leaning on a tree. "You can't spill the beans about the test. And, I know it doesn't have anything to do with Beca's trial, but you explain tell how heaven or hell is like to her. Everyone's heaven is their personal perfect bliss, hell, their personal perfect torture. That is the truth. But she can't know. She needs to focus on her trial, not on why someone needs to live to be judged for their afterlife. Okay Emily? So don't go telling anyone that. Beca or not Beca."
"I won't!" Emily indignantly replied as she stood up and marched closer to where he stood. "What are you doing here anyways?"
"Checking in. Also, I've talked to good ol' Pete about your little problem. He's not happy about it but, there's always a solution to any problem, especially if things get out of hand." Luke replied.
"What do you mean?" Emily asked.
But Luke simply shrugged and smiled. "All in due time."
A/N Pt2: Nope, that's not a tear in my eye… It's just allergies… Totally not emotional because of Beca's sentiments.
Although PS, if you think that's a bit emotional, wait until Beca realizes her feelings for Chloe ;)
Also… Luke's lines, they're a hint (with misdirects of course). So let me know what you guys think!
UPNEXT: We get a peak of Aubrey (and foreshadowing?)! Bechloe! And more Bechloe! And what is it with chapter 12s that I have a special moment planned in most of them? 3
