Okay...here it is...well, actually here is half of the chapter that I had mapped out. I am participating in Smut Sunday, and there was just no way I would be finished in time if I had stuck to the original length. But rest assured, that simply means that there will be another update coming very soon. So, this chapter...sigh, oh, this chapter...This may be one of my favorite chapters to write, so far. A lot happens in this chapter. And there is a lot of inner monologue in this chapter. Let me know how this is, guys, and I don't just mean "Tell me you love it". If you see something wrong, confusing, unnecessary, then let me know. I will gladly accept critiques. Really, it's how writers get better. And now, with no further ado:
"Well, if it isn't our ex lead singer," Bumper drawled loudly as Luke walked in with his friend Markus. Great, she sighed. Jared is in one of his moods now. Of course he was. It was hot and he and Beca had been shitty to each other since band practice had started. "Did you come here to beg us to take you back?" Luke threw his head back in a loud laugh.
"No, man. I just had some time to kill before work so I thought I would drop by and see how you guys were faring. I heard you guys have a pretty big gig coming up."
"As you can see, we are getting along just fine," Bumper said evenly. Luke nodded, walking over to the cooler. He bent, reaching in and grabbing two beers. He tossed one to Markus before opening his own and taking a sip. He turned his attention to Jesse.
"So, you're the new lead singer, Movie Star?"
"Uh-" Luke turned from Jesse, not bothering to let Jesse finish his response, to stare straight at Beca. She stared back warily. Luke had never been the 'Just-Stopped-by-to-Chat' kind of guy for as long as she had known him. In fact, the biggest problem with Luke was that you never really knew what was going to happen when he was around. Sometimes he would behave himself, act respectably towards people, and even do nice things, like the time he had driven across town in the middle of the night to help Beca and Chloe change the tire on Chloe's car. And sometimes he would walk into the church on a Sunday morning, drunk as a skunk, and would proceed to heckle the preacher, who was his third cousin. Or the time he had taken Beca out on a nice date to a very expensive restaurant, right on the Riverwalk in Oklahoma city, and had even taken her dancing, before bringing her back to his apartment where his ex-girlfriend was waiting to pounce on him for sleeping with her the night before and he hadn't called her back. And then there were times like four months ago when he suddenly couldn't be reached by his phone and it took asking his mother to find out that he was gone to Austin, Texas to stay with his aunt and uncle for an undetermined amount of time. The latter being the reason that he was no longer a member of the band.
"I figured you would have stepped up, Becky," he continued her, fixing her in his stare. Beca shifted her weight uncomfortably.
"Don't call me that," she shot back automatically. "And why would you think that?" Luke shrugged, smiling at her.
"Because everyone in this town knows that you're the real talent in the band," he said casually. Beca rolled her eyes, walking back a few steps to pick her beer up.
"That's horse shit. I'm not any better than anyone else. Accept maybe you."
"Easy there, Spitfire, it was a compliment. But why aren't you singing lead?"
"Because Jesse is the lead singer," she answered, her tone suggesting that that was all she intended to say on the subject. This conversation was quickly turning into something more than slightly awkward. Beca was certain that Luke was up to something. Judging by the way he and Markus kept glancing at each other, Beca worried that the two of them were there mainly to start shit. Markus had always been a creep, the kid who shot at cats with his pellet gun for fun and who got into fights for fun. There was just something about him, besides the greasy black hair and his yellow brown eyes, that made Beca feel like he was never to be trusted. She glanced over at Benji, who suddenly didn't seem as excited for Luke to be there. From the corner of her vision she watched at Luke walked up to Jesse.
Luke was a good three inches taller than Jesse, with broader shoulders. In fact, Luke was taller than most people in town, besides Jake, and he liked to use his stature as a tool for intimidation. Beca noted that, even though Jesse had to look up to meet Luke's eyes, he held himself as though he was looking down upon him. And it made her respect him for it. But only a little bit.
"Hey, I don't know if you remember me," Luke said slowly, taking another sip of beer. "I used to give you a lot of shit in school."
"Uh, yeah...I recall," Jesse's voice remained neutral. Beca tried to busy herself with her guitar, running her fingers nervously up and down the fret board and tapping the pick-ups just enough to be heard through her amp, as she eavesdropped.
"Hey, no hard feelings, right?" Luke chuckled. Jesse stared at him for a second before smiling humorlessly. He held up his hands.
"Naw, man. I obviously turned out okay." Beca heard Jake snort across the room. She shook her head.
"Hey, wasn't he the kid whose clothes we stole at a party one night?" Markus asked suddenly. Beca glanced up at Jesse, watching his reaction. He had a tight lipped smile on his face.
"Hey, yeah! You spent the rest of the party wearing only a sock," Luke chimed in. "Didn't I fight you at a party once in high school?"
"Uh, yeah. Once, when I was sixteen." Their exchange now had Beca's full attention. Wait a minute...
"Yeah, I remember that night," Markus laughed, sitting down on Bumper's amp. Beca recalled the night as well. Jesse and Bumper had never been in an actual fist fight before then, and it hadn't gone very well for either of them. "You got mad because Luke said something about some girl you liked and you sucker punched him. We almost had your ass laid out until Bumper jumped in to help you." The sound of Beca's beer can hitting the concrete floor got every one's attention. Jesse started that fight? I thought Jared...
"Shit," she hissed. "Someone grab me a rag or something." She bent down to pick up her can, which was now empty. For Christ sake, Beca, could you be any more of a spaz? she berated herself. Still, Jesse had led her to believe that her brother was the one who started the fight and he had only jumped in to help him. Why would Jesse get in a fight over what someone was saying about me?
"There's some in my car," Benji offered, taking his guitar off and laying it to the side. "I'll be right back." He dashed out of the unit. Beca stood up and tossed the can into the trash. She then used the toe of her shoe to move her chord out of the puddle of beer. Beca looked up when she heard footsteps approaching, seeing Luke closing the distance between them.
"So, Ava told me she saw you walking down the road today after the rain, soaked to the bone. Wanna tell me why?" His voice was low enough to not call attention and Beca noticed that Bumper, Jake and Markus were all conversing amicably-for now. She turned her attention back to Luke.
"Not that it's any of your business, Luke, but I had car troubles today."
"On that side of town?"
"I have a house that I clean on that side of town."
"Which house?"
"Jesse's."
"And he didn't offer to give you a ride home?" Oh, he gave me a ride...Beca thought ruefully.
"I managed just fine, thanks. So, you've been hanging around Ava, huh? Is she slumming now?"
"Thanks, Becky." Beca sighed in exasperation, rolling her eyes.
"Why do you insist on calling me Becky?" Luke smiled widely at her, his dimples showing in his tanned cheeks.
"Because it ruffles your feathers," he chuckled. "And you're gorgeous when you're annoyed."
"I must be the best looking girl in town, lately," she grumbled.
"You do seem on edge lately. Is it Swanson?"
"Do you really care or are you trying to fast track into my panties?"
"Maybe a little of both," Luke smiled, winking. Beca found herself smiling back at him. Luke could be so charming when he wanted to be. And the best part was, out of the corner of her eye, she could see Jesse watching her. And he didn't look pleased. Not one bit. I guess this means I've got the upper hand, she thought smugly.
"Here," Benji called, walking through the door. He held several rags in his hands. Beca held her hand out and he tossed one to her.
"Thanks, Benji," she told him as she bent down again and began to sop up the beer.
"Love the shirt, Becky," she heard Luke say over her.
"You would," she chuckled.
"What happens when your ties get pulled?" Beca knew, she fucking knew Luke came to cause trouble. And in that moment, she knew exactly what he was going to do. She just didn't have enough time to stop him. She felt first one tie pull and loosen and then another in quick succession.
"Stop!" She gasped, dropping the rag to grab at her shirt as she felt the third and fourth tie go.
"Hey, fucker!" Beca looked up to see her brother launch himself at Luke. Everything moved in slow motion then. She felt some one's hands on her arms, raising her to her feet and pushing her away from Luke as she watched Markus stepp between Bumper and Luke. Bumper drew his fist back and let it fly, catching Markus across his face. Luke stepped around Markus and threw a vicious hook to her brother's jaw just as Jake moved to block a retaliation from Markus. Suddenly, she was staring at the back of Jesse's wife beater as he moved around her to join the fray.
Moving on instinct, Beca whirled around, grabbing the closest mic stand down by the base and hefting it like a baseball bat. She turned back to the fight, just in time to see Jesse land three heavy blows to Luke's stomach. Luke was doubled over, down for the moment, but Markus was squaring off with her brother and seemed to have to upper hand. Jake was moving to step in between them.
"Get out of my way," Beca yelled at him. When he glanced at her he sidestepped quickly out of her way. "You keep your hands off of my brother!" She roared, swinging the mic stand. She caught Markus across his back and he howled in agony. She swung again, the metal bar striking his shoulder. Markus scrambled away, his eyes wide.
"You crazy bitch!" He yelled.
"Oh, you haven't seen crazy yet, mother fucker." She turned to Luke, who was bleeding from his mouth and nose, thanks to Jesse. "You come in here and fuck with me, with my band and then you hit my brother? I will fucking kill you both. Get the fuck out. Now." Luke and Markus scrambled out the door. Seconds later the sound of the doors to Luke's truck opening and slamming shut could be heard. The engine roared to life.
Well, Beca thought, breathing hard and still brandishing the mic stand like a baseball bat as she listened to Luke's truck haul ass down the gravel lane. That definitely did not go the way it was supposed to.
"Rebeca, you can put the mic stand down now," Bumper said behind her. Beca turned back to face her brother. He looked ashen, watching as she finally lowered her impromptu weapon. She looked down at herself and saw that her shirt was just barely clinging to her shoulders. She grabbed the loose sides, holding them against herself.
"Jared, I'm-"
"It's fine," he cut her off. "Let's just call it a night, okay?"
"That sounds like a good idea," Jake agreed.
"Ugh, Chloe, it was awful," Beca grumbled into her phone as she lay sprawled out on her couch.
"Jesus. I'm sorry I missed it. I would have loved to have seen you swinging that mic stand at Markus Kale. That fucker has been begging for an ass-kicking since we were kids." Beca laughed slightly. It was so good to finally hear her voice. She had called her as soon as she had finished changing into her favorite old T shirt, a threadbare and nearly see-through shirt with a cartoon wallaby on it and the word's Rocko's Modern Life written across the top, and a pair of old soccer shorts.
"So, Benji mentioned that you met a guy on your first day there?" Beca asked, changing the subject. She didn't want to think about Markus, or Luke, or Jesse, or awkward car rides with her brother not speaking and her inability to stop apologizing. She was content to listen to her best friend gush about how tall all the buildings were and how big her cousin Stacie's apartment was and how cute Stacie's kids were and
"Oh my God, Dean Teller, I met Dean Fucking Teller, from the show Mysterious, I spilled his coffee all over him and then he walked me to Stacie's apartment building, and guess what, he lives in the apartment just below, and he is so hot in real life, oh my God, Beca, and I'm pretty sure he kinda hit on me, it was AMAZING!" Beca giggled.
"Did you even take a breath during that?" she teased. Chloe laughed through the phone and Beca's heart hurt at the sound of it. She wondered if she would get to hear it in person again. "So, I take it you like it there so far?"
"I love it. There is so much to see. But I miss you and Benji and Jake, something fierce," Chloe sighed. "And I miss seeing the stars at night. You can't see any in Brooklyn, Beca. Not a one."
"I guess that means you will just have to come back and visit, just to see them," Beca laughed.
"So, how are things going with Jesse?"
"Ugh," Beca groaned.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"It just means…Ugh," Beca told her. She sighed heavily, stretching out on the couch. She lifted her leg to scratch at the back of her knee.
"Beca, don't think that just because I'm in a different time zone that I can't find out what is going on between you two," Chloe warned her.
"Don't think I don't know that Benji has already told you everything he knows."
"Well…"
"Uh huh, that's what I thought. Look…there is nothing to talk about. He said it didn't mean anything. So…that's that. I'm done fawning over Jesse. I refuse to be the girl who wallows in self-pity and pines away after a man that doesn't love her."
"Oh, Beca-" A knock sounded at Beca's door. She sat up, looking at her door in confusion.
"Hey, Red, someone's at the door. Lemme call you back tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure, Becs. Love you!"
"Love you too, Chloe. Bye."
"Bye!" Beca pushed the button to end the phone call just as another knock sounded. "I heard you, hold on!" Beca called out, heaving herself up and off the couch. She dropped her phone onto the coffee table and walked over to the door, opening it.
Jesse took a deep breath, shoving his hands into his pockets as he waited for Beca to open her door. He didn't really have a plan. He just knew that he couldn't take sitting in his empty house all night, thinking about Beca and what happened between them earlier. His original idea was to offer her a ride home from band practice. But after the fight, Bumper had insisted that he give her a ride home, thus nixing that idea. He briefly entertained the idea of calling her to talk to her but decided against it because this was definitely something that needed to be said in person. You can't just tell someone you're in love with them over the phone, he told himself.
At the sound of the lock turning, Jesse felt his heart begin to pound. He watched the knob turn and the door swing open. Beca's face, when she saw that it was Jesse standing outside of her apartment, was anything but pleased. "Hey," Jesse said quietly. "You got a couple minutes?" Beca stared at him for a second before stepping out of her apartment and closing the door. Awesome, Jesse sighed. Guess I'm not welcome inside.
"What do you want?" she asked icily. Jesse lifted an eyebrow at her tone.
"I just wanted to talk," he told her. Just tell her. Just say it.
"I'm not really in the mood to talk Jesse. Especially not to you."
"Oh, because I'm the asshole in this situation?" What are you doing, you idiot? Jesse wasn't sure why he was arguing with her. This isn't why you came here!
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Do you usually sleep with one guy and then go flirting with other guys three hours later?"
"You got something you wanna say to me, Jesse?" Yes, I do! He yelled in his mind.
"I was just wondering why you and Luke seemed so cozy together at practice." This is not what you came over here to talk about! he shouted at himself.Change the subject! Get back on track!
"That's just how he acts when he thinks he has a chance to get with someone," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. Jesse's eyes followed the movements of her arms. She's…not wearing a bra…he realized. He wrenched his eyes back up to Beca's glare, recalling her last words.
"Why would he think that?" You're an idiot, Swanson. Just forget about Luke and tell her that you love her. Just-
"Luke just thinks that because it's happened before, he can get me any time he wants," Beca growled defensively. Jesse could feel his rationality draining away at the thought of Beca with Luke.
"Jesus, really, Beca? Luke? The guy's a jackass. Not to mention fucking crazy."
"I never said I was proud of the fact that I slept with him," Beca grumbled, uncrossing her arms.
"Do you make a habit of jumping into bed with guys without thinking things through?"
"No, sometimes I fuck them in their front hall," Beca snapped. Jesse glared at her.
"Clearly, you're not one of those girls who needs a committed relationship before she lets a guy between her legs," Jesse replied coldly.
"Clearly, I have poor taste in men, as well. I obviously only fuck losers, douche bags, and assholes. Guess which category you fit under?"
"Those are the only people who you could possibly attract, with your attitude. I'm surprised you can lure any one into bed at all."
"Funny, I got you easily enough! Hope you enjoyed it this afternoon, 'cause that's the last time you will ever have it from-" Jesse's mouth crashed down upon Beca's. He didn't recall making the decision to do so. But her mouth opened to him immediately, her tongue dueling with his, and she moaned against his lips. He kissed her hungrily, grasping the back of her head and pushing her up against her door.
"Open the fucking door," he growled between kisses. She fumbled with the door knob as Jesse began to kiss and nip at her throat. Her skin is tangy from sweat and smooth against his lips. When he scraped his teeth over her skin she let out a helpless sound. Finally, she was able to twist the knob and the door swung open and Jesse had to pull her against his body to keep her from stumbling backwards into her apartment. He walked her backwards over the threshold of the doorway, kicking the door closed behind him, before turning her around and steering her to the bedroom.
As soon as he pushed Beca into the room, Jesse's hands rip her shirt up over her head, pausing to nip at her shoulders and her back. He turned her back around then, to grasp her breasts firmly, squeezing roughly, before taking a peak into his mouth. Beca groaned and began wriggling out of her shorts. As her shorts hit the floor, Jesse released her so that he could kick off his shoes and unzip his pants. Beca busied herself by pulling his wife beater up, taking care to lick and bite at the skin of Jesse's chest as it was revealed to her. When she finally pulled his tank top off, his hands are back in her hair, pulling at roughly at her curls to tip her head back before his mouth is on hers again. At her moan, Jesse turned her around once again and pushed her down onto the bed, guiding her onto her hands and knees. Jesse took a moment to stare at Beca, pulling his dick out of his pants and tugging a couple times before lining up at her entrance and thrusting into her. Beca gasped in discomfort and Jesse stilled his movements.
"Are you okay?"
"Just fucking move already." He obeyed her command, withdrawing and thrusting into her slowly. Beca tossed her hair over her shoulders and looked back at him in annoyance.
"What?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, I was under the impression that we were having angry sex right now. I'm not a fucking china doll, Jesse." Jesse shook his head, growling in frustration.
"You are the most infuriating person I know."
"Then fuck me like you hate me," she told him, grinding back against him. Jesse groaned. He pulled out almost all the way before slamming into her. Beca cried out, her hands fisting in the covers of her bed. He set a hard pace that left Beca gasping in pleasure. "Fuck," she cried out over and over. She let her head drop down. Suddenly, she was pulling away from Jesse, turning and pulling him down for a bruising kiss. "Take your pants off," she gasped and Jesse raced to comply, wriggling out of his jeans while still kissing Beca. When he was finally naked, Beca pulled him down onto the bed, rolling him onto his back and climbed on top of him. He held himself in position as she settled on top of him slowly, moaning as he filled her.
"Oh my God, Beca," Jesse said between clenched teeth when he is fully sheathed inside of her. Beca began to rock her hips, bracing her hands on Jesse's chest for support. He gripped her thighs tightly and stared up at her, watching her as she moved on top of him. Jesse took one hand off of her thighs to reach up and pinch her nipples. Beca gasped and kept rocking against him, her movements becoming less rhythmic as she neared her peak. When she paused her movements, gasping and shuddering, Jesse sat up, biting down on her shoulder as he used his hands on her hips to lift her up before guiding her back down. When she had come down from her orgasm, Beca began to move herself, sighing each time she dropped back down against him.
After a few more moments, he tipped her backwards, still seated deep inside her, until she was on her back. He then grabbed her hips, kneeling between her legs, and lifted her pelvis up to the angle that suited him best. He thrust into her wildly and Beca came again with a yell, her hands grasping at the sheets, his arms, anything her fingers could find purchase on. Jesse drove into her mercilessly seeking his own release. Finally he came forcefully, with a low groan. He pulled out of her, collapsing back onto the pillows, gasping to catch his breath. When his heart rate finally decreased he glanced down at the end of the bed to see Beca lying on her side, still recovering. Without a word, he sat up and pulled her up to lay beside him, maneuvering the comforter out from beneath them and pulling it over their bodies.
Neither of them said a word as they lay, side by side, in bed. The air was heavy with their thoughts, Jesse felt if just one of them would make a noise the tension would burst and all of their thoughts would come tumbling down, into the open. But Jesse kept his mouth closed as he tried to slow his breathing. He turned his head to look over at Beca and found her eyes clamped shut. He reached out to move her hair out of her face and his fingers felt the wetness on her cheeks. She opened her eyes then, looking straight at Jesse. Jesse exhaled slowly, pulling her closer and wrapping her in his arms. Still, neither spoke a single word. And Jesse fell asleep wondering why he couldn't tell her how he felt and why Beca was crying.