Hi everyone! I just wanted to say thank you for all of your support and love of this story! I am going to be taking next week off from writing so I can focus on finals, but I will hopefully be back the week after.
As for the response from the A/N from last chapter, thank you everybody for understanding. It is perfectly fine to say that you can't wait for an update, but I detest being told what to do. It's just about your wording. Things like "I can't wait for more!" or "I hope you update soon!" are okay to say, whereas "update soon please" and "update!" are telling me what to do and are very much unappreciated.
Enjoy the chapter!
"Bree you don't have to clean the whole house, the girls are probably going to mess it up anyway," Chloe says as she walks into the kitchen to find Aubrey furiously scrubbing the marble countertops.
"Then they're going to clean it back up," the blonde answers, her teeth clenched and brow furrowed in concentration.
She's not entirely happy about the sleepover, and even less so about it being held at her and Chloe's apartment. The timing of it too could be better, but Aubrey can see Chloe's point for having it the night before Semi-Finals. Like having everybody in the same place. At the very least, it seems to have made Chloe happy, and while she hates her space being impeded upon, she's glad that it's gotten Chloe out of her funk.
To be honest, even Aubrey can admit to herself that she thinks Chloe's idea for the Bellas' sleepover is a good idea. She knows the discourse within the group over the set list would be soothed, if only temporarily, by the bonding. And she couldn't disagree that it was needed.
After her speech after Regionals, the tension in the group has grown exponentially. Rehearsals have been tense and everybody seems to be walking on eggshells around Aubrey. Nobody argues with her, but she can tell from the silences and the few very quiet huffs after each run-through that most of the girls want to say something. She feels that the only reason they haven't ganged up on her and called for a coup is the threat of more cardio, which even Chloe encourages.
On one hand, Aubrey is actually kind of pleased with the other girls' behavior. Only she, Beca, Stacie, and Chloe know of the agreement to listen to different sets, so the other girls hold their tongues and listen to what Aubrey says. It's a sign of respect, if she's ever seen one, the lack of arguing against her. She can tell the girls actually like a cappella enough to not just want to quit, which only gives her the more control over the group. It's a tiny bit manipulative, she knows. And sure, she feels a little bit guilty over the necessity of ruling with an iron fist over the girls, but it's the only way she knows how to lead.
And that brings her to her displeasure. She doesn't want to lead the girls by becoming an aca-dictator. She can see the similarity between her behavior and her father's and that terrifies her. She wants to be nothing like him. It's his influence and the pressure he applied to her all throughout her life that led her to making the biggest mistake she will probably ever make.
She resents him for that. It's part of the reason she does not speak to him unless absolutely necessary; why her conversations with him are usually short and precise. There's very little love between Aubrey and her father, and if, or when, she finds her soulmate, she would choose her over her father in less than a heartbeat.
She doesn't want to become him, and she doesn't want to make the same mistake that she made before. She sees now that she can't let him have that much pressure over her life. Especially not enough to influence her decisions with a group he doesn't approve of in the first place.
Which is why she gave in to the pressure from her friends and allowed Beca to come up with a different set list. They're good, she can admit. Two of the arrangements are easy enough to master, and with Chloe helping with choreography there's no way the songs won't be a hit. She knew they wouldn't have time to perfect an arrangement for Semis, but they'll at least have the option for finals. If they make it that far.
And Aubrey is determined to make it that far. She knows that their sound and set list are solid enough to get them there. As long as everyone does everything exactly as planned, she knows they have a chance to knock everyone out of the water for Finals.
She huffs and rinses the rag of the marble cleaning agent before throwing it in the laundry room to be washed later. The girls aren't supposed to arrive for another couple of hours, so when the doorbell rings, she's confused. She looks around for Chloe, who is coming out of her room wearing a small smile, when the door opens before the redhead can get to it.
"I told you I had a key, you didn't need to ring the doorbell," Aubrey can hear Beca say.
She makes her way to the front of the apartment to see Beca and Stacie walking in, arms loaded down with grocery bags. Chloe helps them by taking a few, placing a soft kiss on Beca's cheek before she makes her way to the kitchen.
"It's still considered polite to be invited in," Stacie counters, closing the door behind her.
"What are you guys doing here?" Aubrey asks, then cringes as she realizes her tone was a bit sharp. She doesn't want to alienate herself from everyone else so early in the day, but her stress over the coming evening showing through just a bit in her tone.
"It's nice to see you too," Beca responds with a smirk. She isn't phased by Aubrey at all, and Aubrey is glad. She continues, dropping a grocery bag on the floor and reaching into her back pocket. "I have the other sets here for you, in case you wanted more. You don't have to listen to them tonight, but the sooner the better," the brunette advises as she holds out a flash drive.
Aubrey steps forward and takes the piece of plastic from Beca's outstretched hand and grabs the bag the brunette set at her feet.
"Thanks," Aubrey says, making her way to the kitchen to put away the groceries.
The two freshmen, Stacie still loaded down with bags, follow her into the kitchen. Chloe's already there cutting up a melon for the fruit salad they'd agreed would be made for the sleepover. It was probably the healthiest thing that would be on tonight's menu, but Aubrey made a convincing argument that most of the girls were living on dorm cafeteria food and would probably need the vitamins.
"You can put your bags on the counter," Aubrey says, placing her bag on it.
The girls follow her lead, Beca immediately pulling out more fruit and giving it to Chloe to add to the salad.
"Hey," Stacie says, putting her bag next to where Aubrey's is.
Stacie's clothes show off her curves and Aubrey really can't help the way her eyes trail over her form for a moment before answering. She's dressed comfortably in a soft v-neck tee, an open hoodie, and yoga pants. She makes Aubrey feel simultaneously over- and underdressed in her jeans and old high school volleyball t-shirt that she cleans in.
"Hi," she eventually responds, a light blush dusting over her cheeks at Stacie's small smirk. "Is that what you're wearing tonight?" Aubrey asks, trying to disguise the fact that she definitely just checked Stacie out.
She knows Stacie doesn't buy it by the widening of the tall brunette's smirk. She leans a hip against the counter and crosses her arms, gazing at Aubrey. "You have a problem with the way I'm dressed?"
There's a teasing lilt to her voice and Aubrey tries not to rise to the bait. "Nope. You look great." She can immediately feel the blood rush to her face and immediately wants to facepalm herself.
At her admission, Stacie grins fully and pulls Aubrey into a hug. Aubrey can feel the quiet chuckles bubbling up through Stacie's chest. "Thanks Bree," Stacie says.
The proximity of Stacie's mouth to her ear, and the feeling of her breath as she gives her thanks makes Aubrey shudder in pleasure. Her attraction to Stacie has only been growing, as is her comfort opening up to the brunette.
They pull back, and Aubrey immediately looks away, trying to hide her blush. When she feels as though she's composed enough, she turns back to Stacie and smiles lightly. "So what'd you guys pick up?"
They go through the remaining bags and place the six frozen pizzas in the freezer and start preparing the other finger foods for the girls. It had been previously decided that they would all start off with a movie, then start heating the food. So Aubrey, in perfect partnership with Stacie, moves around the kitchen and prepares the appetizers while Beca and Chloe work on chopping fruit.
It's wonderful that with Stacie, Aubrey feels comfortable. She and Stacie dance around each other, weaving and bobbing and working together with wordless communication. When Stacie needs a triangle of dough for the stuffed poppers, Aubrey breaks one off and hands it to her before Stacie can even look up to grab it for her.
They're so compatible in the kitchen it's like they've been living and cooking together for years. They act much like Beca and Chloe do, working and joking together easily, often breaking out into random song that everyone joins in on.
At one point, Aubrey looks up to see Chloe studying her and Stacie, a contemplative look on her face. When Chloe notices she's caught Aubrey's attention, she grins at the blonde and shrugs before going back to the task in front of her.
They all work in perfect companionship until there is nothing left for them to do.
It doesn't take long for the girls to start arriving and everything to get started. They watch the first movie, Titanic, much to Beca's complaints, and before Aubrey knows it, they're flowing into dinner and conversations.
She doesn't know how it started, but eventually everyone starts asking everyone else questions. It's a given truth that everyone answers honestly, which makes Aubrey a little nervous.
She doesn't have much to hide, but she's not proud of how she treated her soulmate, and she doesn't want the other girls judging her for her past mistakes. She deserves it, she knows, but she feels as though her soulmate's punishment and the punishment she inflicted upon herself for her actions is enough and she doesn't want to be punished by everyone else as well.
When Cynthia Rose chooses Aubrey to answer a question, she feels herself tense up waiting for the inevitable.
"So Cap," Cynthia Rose pauses to gauge everybody's reactions over her being the first to ask Aubrey anything. "Who is your favorite band or singing artist?"
Her gaze falls on Aubrey, clear and intense despite the bottle of tequila that is being passed around. Aubrey, though relieved that the question is one she can answer, remains tense. She feels like this question is about more than her taste in music and will reveal to the other girls more about herself than she would normally be comfortable with sharing. But that's the point, she supposes. This is supposed to be a bonding experience. If she refuses to answer a question as seemingly simple as this one, why would they continue to share who they are with the group when the leader isn't willing to share herself?
So after a short moment of consideration, Aubrey shrugs. "It changes fairly often," she says, meeting Cynthia Rose's gaze evenly, "but right now I'd probably have to say Andrew Belle."
There are a few murmurs and head nods and everyone accepts the answer, easily moving on to Ashley, who is seated right next to Cynthia Rose. When she asks Denise her question, Aubrey allows her gaze to survey everyone, making sure they're all content, and meets Stacie's curious gaze.
She offers a small smile to the brunette. Stacie studies Aubrey for another moment before answering the smile with one of her own.
"Stacie," Jessica's voice breaks their connection. She's sitting next to Ashley as usual, and Aubrey feels another pang of jealousy towards the other pair of soulmates in the group. Both Aubrey and Stacie turn to regard the blonde. "Who was your first kiss?"
Stacie laughs at the question as Beca chokes on the sip she just took of her soda. When she composes herself, she smiles brightly at Jessica and gestures to Beca, who is still trying to catch her breath. "Beca was my first kiss."
Beca's face flushes red as Chloe looks at her with an amused grin gracing her features. The other girls laugh at Beca's reaction to Stacie's nonchalant admission.
Aubrey knows Stacie's pretty blasé about her sexual history, and doesn't view anything wrong with experimenting. And while she doesn't blame her for having her fun, Aubrey can admit she's more than a little bit jealous that Beca has gotten to kiss the brunette.
"Even though you knew that Chloe was Beca's soulmate?" Jessica asks. She sounds confused and slightly incredulous, but very much interested in the answer.
Stacie laughs and leans back into the couch where she's seated next to Beca. She pats her friend's back, trying to make sure she breathes as she answers nonchalantly. "Sure, Chloe knew. She didn't seem to mind at the time." She throws a grin to Chloe who responds with a bright grin of her own. "Besides," Stacie continues, much to poor Beca's horror. "I taught Beca everything she knows and I don't think Chloe's complaining."
Chloe shakes her head and mouths "nooo" as she gathers Beca up into her arms and squeezes her.
The girls laugh, enjoying Beca's embarrassment and the questions continue on. It doesn't take long before the girls are all talked out and they sit around to enjoy another movie.
It only takes a few minutes of deliberation, but before long the next movie is starting and the girls are settling back in.
It's not long into the movie, maybe ten or fifteen minutes, when Beca apparently decides she has done enough watching and starts making moves on Chloe. Stacie doesn't seem to mind at first, probably used to the random displays of affection, but she scoffs every time there's a quiet moan or a particularly wet sounding separation of lips.
Aubrey can't help a small smirk, as they make everyone in the room, not just Stacie, exceedingly uncomfortable. It's probably petty, but at least everyone knows what she and Stacie have to deal with now on a daily, sometimes hourly basis.
"Seriously you guys?" Stacie huffs, as she's shoved into the corner of the couch by Beca's feet.
Aubrey can't help a small chuckle and draws Stacie's glare to her. She immediately tries to sober up, but isn't sure she succeeds when Stacie narrows her eyes and shoves Beca's feet off the couch. She stands up, ignoring Beca's glare, and makes her way to Aubrey with a suspicious smile.
"What?" Aubrey asks, her voice low to avoid the attention of the other girls. Nobody seems to be looking their way anyway, pointedly trying to ignore the make out session happening behind them.
Stacie doesn't say anything. She just throws a wink at Aubrey, turns around, and plops herself right on Aubrey's lap.
A few of the girls look over their shoulders at them when they hear Aubrey's surprised "oof!" but otherwise keep their comments to themselves. It's probably not surprising in the least for them anyway, since Stacie and Aubrey are usually in some form of contact anyway.
Stacie adjusts herself to get comfortable and leans back into Aubrey, sighing happily. Aubrey doesn't mind the invasion of space and being squished into a one-person chair. So she adjusts herself for the long run, shifting her hips so that there are no serious pressure points under Stacie's weight, and pulls Stacie closer.
They sit like that for a while, neither of them being uncomfortable enough to move. The movie drones on in front of them, but Aubrey isn't paying attention. Instead, all of her attention is centered on the brunette sitting on her.
She takes in Stacie's features, lit by only the TV in the dark room, and admires her. The curve of her jaw, her soft eyes, the content tilt to her lips. Everything about Stacie appeals to Aubrey, and she is sure she will never feel bored just staring at her.
Seeming to sense Aubrey's attention, Stacie turns her head and looks at her, a single eyebrow raising in query.
Instead of answering the unspoken question, Aubrey just shakes her head, a small smile gracing her mouth as she continues to study Stacie.
There's something about the way the soft blue light washes over Stacie. It softens her features and adds a depth to her eyes that Aubrey hasn't seen before. She knows without a doubt that if things were different, if things weren't so complicated, that she would have already made her move. Probably during their first meeting, where Aubrey truly felt their connection for the first time.
She can't explain it even if she tried. She doesn't understand the soulmate bond to begin with, but she's sure that if she can feel this way about someone she's not bonded to, that the bond itself is irrelevant.
Maybe her parents were right about soulmates, as much as she hates the thought. Her parents, who never seemed anything other than cold, drilled into Aubrey the notion that soulmate were magic, and therefore unrealistic. That soulmates were a chemical reaction that aided nothing but making stronger, more desirable offspring and keeping the parents around to raise them.
Of course, coming from people who base their lives and livelihood around the basis of fact, anything with any sort of supernatural element would seem unrealistic – despite the resounding data contradicting it.
Aubrey sighs quietly, considering her own soulmate. The probability that they would ever talk again, or even meet, is so small that she almost feels guilty for not feeling guiltier. Sure, the lost opportunity stings, but even if she had her soulmate, she still would have met Stacie. And just judging by the connection between the two of them, she can't imagine a soulmate bond being stronger.
She sees the way Beca and Chloe are close, and knows that even though she and Stacie aren't there yet, it probably wouldn't be long before they were. She can very easily see herself fall head over heels for Stacie, and would even argue that she's more than halfway there already. All she needs is to step up and make a move to continue down that path.
Glancing around the room to make sure there was no extra attention on them, Stacie shifts, a more playful smile on her lips as she moves closer into Aubrey.
"What?" She asks, her voice a whisper laced with amusement. It's not the first time they've caught the other staring at them, and Aubrey is positive it won't be the last. And while being in a darkened room full of Bellas isn't the most ideal place for Aubrey's next move, she feels as though she can't wait any longer and let another moment pass without being acted upon.
Aubrey leans forward, bringing their foreheads together affectionately and tightening her arms where they're wrapped around Stacie.
"Nothing," Aubrey replies just as quietly. "I just…" she pauses, looking deeply into the flickering green of Stacie's eyes. There's something in them that makes Aubrey feel as though she can say anything and Stacie will still be there. Still care. "I really like you."
Though delivered in a whisper, Aubrey can feel the reverence in her voice. The emotion that she wasn't quite able to keep locked up anymore shining thorough.
She closes her eyes briefly, reveling in the force of her feelings finally breaking through and forcing their way to the surface. It's sweet, and strong, and all together there. The heady rush almost makes Aubrey dizzy, but a soft stroke of a thumb on her cheek makes her open her eyes again, and instantly she's grounded.
Stacie's staring at her intently, cheeks slightly darkened and eyes deep and glistening in some emotion that Aubrey can't quite read. The brunette's hand stays steady and warm on Aubrey's cheek, though the thumb paused its ministrations as soon as Aubrey's eyes met hers. Stacie's eyes, more blue than green in the soft light of the television, flick back and forth between Aubrey's own, looking for something.
Aubrey can feel her lungs start to protest the lack of an inhale, briefly wondering when she stopped breathing, before shakily inhaling.
Hearing her stuttering breaths, Stacie smiles and brings her other hand up to Aubrey's face, holding her softly, but steadily, in place before leaning in.
Time seems to slow down the closer Stacie gets to her. Aubrey can hear her heart thundering against her chest as she exhales the breath she had again not noticed she held. It would be embarrassing for her to let anybody else but Stacie see her so discomposed – barely able to keep her breath, unable to calm her nerves – but with Stacie it's like none of it matters. She knows that Stacie will be there to catch her when she falls, and she can only hope that Stacie falls with her.
And judging by the smallest gasp that escapes Stacie's lips when they meet for the first time, Aubrey's sure they're in it together.
Every recount of soulmates meeting and kissing and being together for the first time that Aubrey has heard in her life all seem to focus around the physical. How time seems to stop and nothing but the touch of a soulmate is what can be focused on. The sparks flying, the fireworks behind eyelids, the electric feeling when they meet all without missing a single thing and not noticing the world around them.
Aubrey isn't sure why that would be preferable to what she's experiencing now, but she supposed to each their own. She wouldn't trade this for the world.
Stacie's lips are soft and sweet against hers, the slightest taste of root beer lingering behind from earlier gives it a sweet taste. It's warm, and sure, and it's the best first kiss that anybody could ever ask for – even if it does take place in a room full of their friends. There are no fireworks for Aubrey. Instead what she feels is an almost overwhelming sense of calm and comfort, and warmth. As if Stacie is like coming home on a rainy day and curling up with her favorite book and snuggling under a blanket. She's snug in the soft chair, feet tucked to her side and leaning into the plush armrest. She's warm where Stacie's against her, expertly seated as to not put any weight uncomfortably against Aubrey. And where their lips touch is just the soft comfort of familiarity, as if they've been doing this for years instead of a few moments.
It's perfect, and it is everything Aubrey could have ever dreamed of and more.
But of course, as all perfect moment must, it ends as quietly as it began. Stacie pulls back biting her lip to hide her shy smile.
Aubrey however, doesn't hold hers back.
"I really liked that," she whispers. Her voice is slightly louder than it was before, the huskiness in it making it hard to keep quiet.
"Yeah?" Stacie releases her lip and her smile brightens more as her cheeks darken.
Aubrey nods. "Yeah."
"I did too."
Stacie leans down to connect their lips again, but before they can touch, a pillow is pelted at them and they spring apart.
Aubrey almost growls as she turns an icy glare towards the girls, all of whom are looking at Beca next to an overly innocent-looking Chloe.
"You guys are disgusting," Beca says with a shrug, amusement breaking through her tone. "You should like, get a room or something."
"Like that time I –"
"Enough," Aubrey says with a warning look at the brunette, who just sighs and crosses her arms. "Beca is right," she continues, ignoring Stacie's scoff. "We should all go to sleep now anyway. We have a big day tomorrow."
The girls nod with only a few grumbles about the lack of a "girl fight," as Cynthia Rose puts it.
When the air mattresses are set up and the bed in the couch is pulled out, Aubrey makes her way back to her room closing Chloe's door loudly as she passes by. She smiles to herself when she hears a yelp and a thud followed by Chloe's laughing.
She closes her door softly behind her when she enters the room, and turns to her dresser to put on her own pajamas.
"So are we going to finish what we started earlier?"
Aubrey gasps and jumps, a hand making its way to her heart as she spins towards the voice.
Stacie's sitting in her bed nonchalantly, flipping through a novel Aubrey had been making her way through slowly. She looks up with an amused smirk at Aubrey's reaction but doesn't comment on it, instead going back to the book.
"Stacie!" It's an admonishing hiss, but Aubrey can't really find it in her to be mad at the brunette. She figured Stacie had been in the bathroom when she left the living room, but she is definitely not upset by her presence in her bedroom.
She finishes choosing her sleep clothes and shuts the drawer behind her, turning and studying the brunette with interest. "We can, if you want. But I'd like to remind you that there are eight other girls in the house and every single one of them will be merciless if we make noise."
Stacie pauses her perusing and quirks her lips considering. With a weary sigh and sets the book down on the nightstand and leans back against the pillows. "I suppose you're right. We'll just have to wait."
Aubrey smiles at her and makes her way to her bathroom to change and get ready for bed. When she comes back out, Stacie looks much more relaxed and comfortable, playing games on her phone.
"Scootch," Aubrey says, walking up to the right side of the bed and gently nudging Stacie over. "You're on my side."
"I don't want to move," Stacie pouts and looks up at Aubrey, pushing her bottom lip out and widening her eyes.
Aubrey rolls her eyes in response. "That's not going to work. Now scootch." She pushes a little more firmly and Stacie reluctantly moves over, grumbling the whole time.
She makes herself comfortable before ensuring that her alarm is on and shuts off her bedside lamp. She turns over moves closer to Stacie, pushing her front against her back and sighing happily.
They're quiet for only a few moments before Aubrey speaks. "Do you want to talk about it?"
She feels Stacie shrug and start to turn over, so she loosens her grip to allow her to and brings her closer when she's settled.
"What's there to talk about?" Stacie asks, seemingly unperturbed.
Aubrey thinks for a minute, trying to gather her thoughts. There's a lot to talk about she knows, but she also knows most of it can wait until morning.
"What is this?" She asks. She knows what she wants it to be, knows what she feels and what she thinks Stacie feels. But she needs to know for sure what Stacie wants. The last thing she wants is to force a situation unwanted by Stacie, even if it is unintentionally.
She feels Stacie take a deep breath, seeming to consider the answer seriously before speaking. It takes a few moments but she thinks she can feel Stacie nod to herself before speaking. "I like you. I want this," there's a movement of Stacie's hand over them, motioning between the two of them, "all of this. Whatever that is."
Aubrey can feel a smile take over her features, and wishes she hadn't turned the light off so soon so she could see Stacie more clearly.
"And the soulmate thing?" She asks a little more hesitantly, knowing it's a sore subject for the both of them.
"It's not an issue," Stacie assures. "I don't know them at all, and I doubt I could feel any more strongly for them than I do for you."
"Even if they wanted to make amends?"
Stacie's quiet for a minute and Aubrey begins to tense, fretting the answer. She knows Stacie's considering the question thoroughly, and Aubrey wants her to. She doesn't want to jump into this knowing there's a possibility that it could all fall apart the moment Stacie meets her soulmate. She doesn't even know what she would do if she met hers, let alone what she would feel. She considers the question for herself as well, thoughts only interrupted when Stacie answers.
Her words are calm and tentatively placed, and Aubrey knows she's considering them very carefully.
"What happened between my soulmate and I happened years ago," she explains. "And while I forgive them for the words they said, I'm not sure I could forgive them for the way they were said. I'm assuming my soulmate was young, and I know full well that being young is about making mistakes. So while I'm ready to forgive them, I'm not sure I could ever be with them, knowing that they made me feel the way they did." Aubrey furrows her brow in thought, thinking that there's something familiar about the way Stacie spoke about her soulmate. "But," Stacie continues, drawing Aubrey back out of her head. "I meant what I said earlier. I can't imagine feeling as strongly as I do for you for them, so I don't think it will be a problem."
Aubrey smiles at the reassurance and pulls Stacie closer to her. She rests her head next to Stacie's on the brunette's pillow, feeling the soft exhales on her skin.
"I feel the same way," she says, her voice no more than a whisper. "I've messed up a lot in my life, but I intend to make this work. No matter what it takes."
"Then we're doing this?"
Aubrey smiles as she nods. "We're doing this."
Stacie leans forward, gently brushing their noses together before placing an off-centered kiss to Aubrey's mouth. "Wonderful."
Aubrey can't help but return the sentiment and Stacie rolls back over and pulls Aubrey's arm with her so she's being held.
When Aubrey wakes up, she opens her eyes and immediately groans at the light. When her eyes adjust, she looks at the time, noting the alarm is set to go off in only a few minutes.
She sighs and settles back in, determined to wait out the minutes in comfortable warmth, and lets a smile take over her expression, remembering the night before. She can't help but move back into Stacie's embrace, noting that they switched positions in the night and it is now Stacie holding her. She revels in the warmth and happiness, and she opens her eyes to take in Stacie's still sleeping form behind her.
When she turns around, Stacie's left arm stays static, resting just over Aubrey's hip, and Aubrey's gaze traces it before stopping a focusing on a small tattoo on the inside of her upper arm.
She squints slightly, trying to work through the haze of sleep to make it out. It looks like a blotched infinity sign, the lines still delicate and sure but with clouds or something equally as rounded sprouting off of it.
She studies it for a few minutes, before widening her eyes in recognition. Forget-me-nots. Just like the infinity sign she drew out of boredom a little over a year ago. Exactly like it.
All of a sudden everything makes sense. The connection, the feelings, the absolute comfort and certainty she feels with Stacie despite only knowing her for a short period of time. The way that upon their first meeting, everything in the world seemed to quiet and slow down, the way Chloe told her it did when she met Beca for the first time. Or the way the world seemed to right itself for her.
She thinks back over the last semester and a half that she's really known Stacie, other than the girl that was Chloe's soulmate's best friend.
Chloe.
Aubrey's eyes widen. She knows! Aubrey understands now why Chloe has been so weird the last couple of weeks. Why she keeps staring at Aubrey and Stacie as if she's seen the light and understands and is just waiting for them to catch up.
When the alarm goes off, Aubrey all but jumps out of her skin, barely holding back a shriek. She quickly turns over and away from Stacie and shuts off the alarm, sitting up and rubbing her face.
What is she going to do? Does she just tell Stacie? What is this going to do to them? Is there even going to be a them to do anything to if she tells her? If she doesn't tell her she's sure she will lose Stacie anyway, so she knows she can't keep this from her.
She looks over at the brunette who is grumbling and trying to adjust her eyes to the light.
"Morning," the brunette greets her with a sleepy smile and a gravelly morning voice. The cuteness of the gesture is almost lost on Aubrey though, as it does little to reassure her or calm her down, despite the fact that it's Stacie in her bed and saying this.
"Hey," Aubrey answers and immediately winces. Her voice is high and shaky and she's sure it didn't pass Stacie's notice.
And she's right, as Stacie lifts her head and stares at Aubrey with a furrowed brow. "What's up? You okay?"
Aubrey nods frantically, and begins to feel her stomach rolling. She takes a deep breath and swallows heavily, ignoring the way her mouth salivates in preparation for vomit. "Stace, I have to tell you something," she says. Her voice is still shaky, but the more she talks the steadier it becomes.
"What's up?" She sits up now, moving closer to Aubrey and looking much more awake. She puts a comforting hand over Aubrey's and Aubrey immediately turns hers over and latches on, reluctant to let go. Especially since this might be the last time she's able to hold it.
"Stacie, we're s –"
"Everybody up! Up up up!" Chloe pounds on the door, interrupting Aubrey.
"You were saying?" Stacie asks after throwing a glare at the door. Her expression is much softer than it was a moment before, but before Aubrey can say anything, Chloe is back at the door pounding away.
"If you guys aren't decent get that way because I'm coming in!"
They don't get much time to react before the redhead barges in like a tornado, opening blinds and pulling the sheets off of Aubrey and Stacie before leaving just as quickly as she came in.
"Let's get going, we have an hour and a half before we have to be on the bus and moving. Stacie you go get ready first."
Stacie nods quickly, likely frightened by Chloe's mania and gathers her uniform. She pauses before she enters the bathroom.
"You were saying?"
But Aubrey doesn't have a chance to tell her before Chloe is calling for Aubrey from the kitchen.
"Can it wait?" Stacie asks, taking a step back towards Aubrey.
"It really shouldn't," the blonde admits. She stands up and passes Stacie, daring to press a quick kiss to her lips before backing away slightly. "But it'll have to."
Stacie nods with a bright smile and heads into the bathroom, closing the door tightly behind her.
Aubrey takes a deep breath and makes her way into the kitchen, ignoring the chaos of seven girls scrambling to get ready.
"Finally!" Chloe exclaims upon seeing her. "Took you forever to get out here. Too much nookie tire you guys out?" She throws in a wink for effect, but it's completely lost on Aubrey who just stands like a statue in the kitchen.
"Aubrey?" Chloe asks, furrowing her eyebrows and stepping forward. She puts her hand on Aubrey's shoulder and squeezes gently, trying to get her attention.
Finally, Aubrey comes to her senses and meets Chloe's worried gaze. Almost as if she's underwater, she can hear herself speak the truth she had only just found out.
"Stacie's my soulmate."
There's a beat of silence where gentle understanding washes over Chloe's features and she nods. Before she can say anything, however, a new voice breaks in.
"What?"
