Hope you all enjoy this chapter :)
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Beca had no idea how she finally came to a decision over this. She had stared at the computer screen for what felt like hours before she hit the confirm button. She had actually forgot all about it until she got her mail and then her stomach dropped. She took them and headed over to the Treble house to talk to Jesse.
"Hey Beca, haven't seen you in a while," Benji said when he answered the door.
"Getting the new Bellas in shape has been crazy, plus school since I suddenly care about my grades, so I've been busy," she said. "Is Jesse around?"
"He's upstairs."
"Thanks," she smiled at him before heading upstairs. She opened his bedroom door and found him sitting at his desk, banging his head against his textbook. "Not sure if that's the most effective way to study, but, hey, whatever floats your boat."
"Hey Becs," he sighed, turning his head to look at her. "Two tests in the same day, and I know nothing."
"I won't stay long then," she said quietly, sitting on his bed and twisting her finger.
"You can stay as long as you like," he said, eyeing her carefully when he noticed she was acting strange. He moved from his desk and sat down next to her on his bed. "Everything okay?"
"Um, I'm not sure," she said, pulling out the plane tickets for next weekend. "My mom's getting married next week, and I decided to go and I got you a plane ticket too. You don't have to come though, or if you're too busy or whatever."
"What time does the flight leave?"
"Nine in the morning. I booked a room at the hotel the wedding is in too, but it's not one of the blocked off rooms. I didn't want them knowing what room we'd be in."
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"She's my mom, Jesse," she whispered. "As much as I don't want to go, she's my mom."
"Okay, so we're going to Maine."
"You really want to come?"
"You're not going by yourself, sorry. Plus, you can show me around your hometown. You've seen enough of New York," he said with a smile. "I was supposed to work at the station next weekend, though. I have to see if the station manager will give me time off."
"I'm sure that can be arranged," Beca smirked. "We'll just make Evan work a double and I'll call Luke to do the radio."
"My two favorite people in one room," Jesse said, rolling his eyes. "Wouldn't it be unfortunate if something happened to the station on that day."
"You kind of get along with Luke now."
"Yeah, until he starts checking out your ass then I want to knock him out."
"He does not."
"You wouldn't know. You're turned around and bent over when that happens," Jesse told her. "He's not as bad as Evan though."
"Never thought I'd see him again," she mumbled.
"Hate that guy," Jesse muttered, lying down on his bed. Beca followed and rested her head on his chest.
"I know, I don't like him much either," she said, looking like she was lost in thought for a few minutes. "Don't you have to study?"
"I could use a break. I've been studying for a full hour."
"Oh, yeah definitely. That's a long time," she rolled her eyes. "Let's take a nap."
"You don't have class?"
"Not until tonight. We have music composition later."
"Naptime it is then."
"This was a bad idea, Jesse. I shouldn't be here," Beca said, pulling on Jesse's arm to keep him from going into the reception hall. They missed the ceremony between their flight being delayed and Beca's stalling and panicking.
"We can go back to the room and watch movies," he said gently, pulling her into his arms. "We don't have to do this."
"Oh, Beca! Sweetheart, you came!" her mother yelled and Beca tensed in Jesse's arms, knowing that any chance they had of escaping was now ruined.
"Hi Mom," she said, not moving away from Jesse. "Uh, congratulations, I guess."
"You missed the ceremony. Oh, it was so beautiful. Hello, Jesse. It's lovely to see you."
"Hello Mrs .. uh," he said, not knowing her last name now.
"Pellit. I'm Janet Pellit now," she said happily. "You two have to sit with us during the reception!"
"We're, um, just going to squeeze in with someone," Beca said.
"No, you have to."
"Uh," Beca stuttered, not knowing what to say and looking at Jesse for help, who looked just as lost as she did.
"I have to go in now, I'll tell the waiters to put two extra settings at our table."
"Well, shit," Beca said, hiding her face in Jesse's chest. "This is a disaster. Why did I think this was a good idea?"
"Because you're a good daughter, Beca. We'll stay for a little bit."
"She's never going to let us leave," Beca sighed as she moved away and bumped into someone. "Sorry."
"Beca, you're here?"
"Tara?" Beca said and smiled when she hugged her old friend. "I didn't think you'd be here."
"Jen called and invited me," she said.
"Jen is here?"
"Yup, we're all at a table together. She wasn't sure if you were coming because she said your mom said you never RSVP-ed, although I don't blame you."
"It was a last minute thing," Beca said and looked over at Jesse. "Tara, this is my boyfriend, Jesse."
"It's nice to meet you," Jesse said, shaking Tara's hand.
"Jen's going to have a field day over you," Tara said.
"I thought your mom didn't have any sisters?"
"She doesn't," Beca explained. "Jen was my mom's best friend, and she's my godmother. We haven't talked in years though since she's been in Chicago."
"I grew up with Beca, so Jen is like family for me too," Tara said. "Come on, you two are sitting with us."
"My mom has other plans," Beca mumbled as they walked into the room.
"I got this, don't worry," Tara said as she led them over to Janet and Jonathan's table. "Hi Janet, congratulations. The ceremony was beautiful."
"Tara! It's good to see you," she said. "I see you and Beca found each other."
"Yes, she said she was sitting with you guys. I was wondering if you could ask the waiters to put two extra seats at my table though, since I haven't seen Beca in years and we have so much to catch up on."
"Well, I don't see why not," Janet said.
"We should sit together as a family," Jonathan said, eyeing Beca. That didn't go unnoticed by Jesse, who wrapped his arm around Beca's shoulders tighter.
"You two don't want two teenagers ruining your little romantic atmosphere thing you got going on. It's your wedding! You have all the time in the world to see Beca and Jesse."
"She's right," Janet said, calling over the waiter to move the seats to Tara's table. "Have fun you three."
"Thanks," Tara said sweetly, grabbing Beca's hand as the three of them headed to the table in the back corner. "That man is disgusting."
"Tell me about it," Beca muttered.
"Jen can't stand him either. She met him once."
"He has an effect on people."
"Beca! You've grown up, I feel so old."
"Hey Jen," Beca said, giving her a hug. "It's been a while."
"I know. I should have been around more, especially with everything," she whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry, Beca."
"Not your fault," she said, moving away. "This is my boyfriend, Jesse."
"Beca got herself a real boyfriend? Never thought I'd see the day," she said, hugging Jesse.
"Tara, I thought you said she wasn't coming."
"I heard she wasn't. Um, Jesse, this is my sister, Camryn," Tara said, glancing uncomfortably between Beca and Camryn.
"Pleasure to meet you," Camryn said, smiling at Jesse. "Good to see you, Beca."
"Wish I could say the same," Beca muttered, sitting down between Jen and Jesse.
"How long have you two been together?" Jen asked, wanting to break the tension.
"Over a year."
"Wow," Tara whistled. "What happened to your two-week rule?"
"I have a soft spot for nerds, apparently," Beca said, smiling at Jesse.
"You look really happy, Beca," Jen said. "How's your dad?"
"He's good. His wife just had a baby."
"Congratulations. How's that going?"
"It's not as bad as I expected," Beca shrugged, glancing over at Jesse with a smile on her face.
"I think I know why it's not so bad," Jen said slyly.
"So, I want to know," Tara said, placing her hands under her chin. "How did you end up nabbing 'Break-Up Beca'?"
"I'm sorry, 'Break-Up Beca'?" Jesse asked with a smirk, which widen when he heard Beca's groan. "Oh, how the tables have finally turned."
"Beca wouldn't date a guy for more than two weeks, no matter what. She made a couple guys cry."
"There's was one boy she dated for more than two weeks, wasn't there?" Jen said, but stopped when she saw Tara's wide eyes, Camryn's smirk, and Beca's pale face. This also didn't go unnoticed by Jesse, and it bothered him a bit that Beca hadn't told him about whoever it was, since she knew everything about him.
"We don't speak of him," Tara explained. "Anyway, story time."
"He won me over with Rocky and juice pouches," Beca smirked.
"Come again?"
"Beca likes to make fun of my love for movies, since she doesn't enjoy anything fun. I have slowly broken her down though, to the point she'll sometimes watch movies alone," Jesse said.
"That's impressive," Jen said.
"It's an accomplishment I pride myself on. That and I got her to sing to me at the ICCA finals last year."
"You're not supposed to mention that, nerd," she said, punching him.
"Now I have to know," Tara said.
"He slammed the door in my face and wouldn't let me apologize for being a bitch. So I might have snuck the song from the Breakfast Club into the arrangement for finals, and that's how we eventually got together. He asked me out two weeks later after begging me to be his girlfriend."
"This one's a tough cookie to crack."
"That's so cute!" Tara squealed. "Oh, this is my jam. Come on, Beca. Let's go dance."
"I don't dance."
"I don't care," she said, leaving Jen and Jesse alone.
"Beca seems really happy. Last time I saw her, she wasn't doing too well," Jen said.
"Do you have any idea why Beca wouldn't mention you if you're her godmother? She's mentioned Tara before but just in passing and made it seem like they weren't close. Never even mentioned Tara's sister. Nothing," Jesse asked, honestly curious and he knew he wouldn't get a straight answer out of Beca.
"Beca has always kept a lot of things to herself. Sometimes she forgets that you don't have to be blood to be family. I left when she was just entering high school and that's when her dad left. I might have been good friends with Janet, but I knew Dave had a hard time leaving Beca behind. She only focuses on how her mom and her dad have treated her over the years and how her "real family" has impacted her in such a negative way. She doesn't remember people like me and Tara, who truly do care for her."
"That's awful," Jesse said.
"She's had a rough time," Jen said with a sad smile. "I have to say though, I don't think I've ever seen her so happy. She lights up when she looks at you."
"Yeah," Jesse said, looking over at Beca who was dancing with Tara. "Meeting her was the best thing to ever happen to me. I can't imagine life without her."
"She's a good person. I just wish I could get through to her that there are still people who care about her, even if they're not blood. She pushes away people who hurt her, but she realizes she can't push away family so she tries to deal. The sad thing is that it's mainly her family who's hurt her."
"I think she's slowly realizing that," he said, glancing over again and seeing a carefree Beca, having fun. "So, any idea what happened with the ex-boyfriend and Tara's sister?"
"Pumping me for information while Beca's away. I like you," Jen said and winked. "Honestly, I have no idea. She had a falling out with Camryn and I don't even remember the ex-boyfriend's name. Something with an E maybe."
"Evan?"
"Yes! That was it."
"Interesting," Jesse said.
"At this time, we have a special request from the groom, who wants to share a dance with his new step-daughter," the DJ announced, and Beca froze in her seat.
"No," Beca said, shaking her head and looking at Jesse with panicked eyes. "I can't."
"Come on, Beca," Janet said, calling her over.
"It's not polite to decline this, Beca," Jonathan said, standing over Beca. "You should dance with me."
"Jesse," Beca whispered as Jonathan pulled her out of her seat and out onto the dance floor.
His hand felt hot and heavy on her lower back, and she felt his fingers graze right above her butt, making her extremely uncomfortable.
"You're making this very difficult, Beca," Jonathan said quietly as they danced. "You should move back home to your mother and me. We can be very happy."
"Not happening. My mother may not see how much of a dirtbag you are, but I see it."
"You're very beautiful," he said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Beca recoiled from his touch. "You should stay with your mother and I tonight."
"Over my dead body," she said through gritted teeth.
Jesse couldn't watch this anymore. He saw how uncomfortable and tense Beca was, and how Jonathan's hands on her were just about to cross the inappropriate line. Jesse got out of his seat and walked over to them.
"May I cut in?" Jesse asked. Beca immediately nodded and went to move away, but Jonathan wouldn't let her.
"Father-daughter dance."
"You're not my father," Beca told him, pulling herself from his grasp and into Jesse's arms.
"Jonathan, dance with me," Janet said, walking over to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "You two are just the cutest couple."
"Too young for a boyfriend this serious. I don't like it," Jonathan grumbled.
"Too bad I don't care what you like," Beca said, walking off the dance floor and back to the table to grab her stuff and say goodbye. "I can't stay here anymore."
"I don't blame you," Jen said, standing up to hug Beca. "Please, don't be a stranger anymore. I worry about you."
"I know, I'm sorry," Beca said. "I just, it was easier to ignore you since you left. I won't do that anymore though."
"Good," she said.
"You have to call me too!" Tara said, throwing her arms around Beca. "I've needed you so many times, but I wasn't sure if you'd talk to me after what happened."
"I promise I'll call you more often," Beca said. "It wasn't your fault."
"Have a fun night, you two," Jen said and winked before Jesse and Beca left and headed up to their room.
Jesse was quiet as they sat in the hotel room, getting ready for bed. He was trying to figure out the best way to approach this subject without getting mad, but he was annoyed over the fact that she was still keeping stuff from him.
"So what happened with Evan that made you look like you saw a ghost when Jen mentioned him," Jesse asked casually, causing Beca to freeze as she brushed her teeth. She took a few minutes to answer him, using her time in the bathroom to collect herself.
"Nothing, just surprised she knew about that since she hasn't been around," she lied.
"Bullshit, Beca," Jesse said, frustrated that he couldn't get the truth from her. "I thought we were past secrets after everything. You know every embarrassing detail about my family and me but you're just not going to tell me anything about you? How is that fair?"
"There's nothing to tell. Jen and Tara aren't family."
"Just because they're not technically related to you, that doesn't mean they're not family. Why do you have such a problem with that concept?"
"Because family hurts each other. My family does anyway. I don't consider them family because I don't want them to continuously hurt me. I keep everyone at an arm's distance."
"Even me, apparently."
"No," she said defensively. "Not you."
"Yeah, you do. You're not telling me anything so you can keep yourself guarded still. There's still that last wall up, isn't there?"
"Can't imagine why I wouldn't want to tell you what happened, Jesse," she huffed. "Not the greatest of stories."
"I told you what happened with Bree. How she strung me along and just kept me around for prom. You know how I felt about that."
"You also wanted to end it with her so it wasn't as big as a blow!" Beca yelled. "Evan cheated on me with Camryn. I really liked him, we were together for a few months and I fell really hard, and he cheated on me. Just like my dad cheated on my mom."
"Wait, what?"
"Oh right," Beca said hysterically. "Did I not mention that either? Want to yell at me for not telling you about how my dad cheated on my mom before he left us? About how I found out because the woman answered his cell phone and I heard my dad freaking out over it? Then he just pretended like nothing happened and didn't mention it until last year? Sorry, must have slipped my mind to tell you."
"I just don't see why you can't tell me these things. I want to be there for you, and I can't if I don't understand the whole story. I get bits and pieces that I try to fill in."
"I'd rather not dwell on how much it sucked growing up and having people turn on you and leave. Jen left when I needed her, so I just forgot about her because that was easier. It hurt to think about Tara because it was always me, her and Camryn, and Cam stabbed me in the back by sleeping with the one guy I actually really liked and really cared for, and I never thought I would feel like that with someone. After that I shut myself off, then you came in and I got so scared that you'd treat me that same way. I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop."
"You think I'm going to cheat on you, screw you over, and all that?"
"I never know, I just naturally expect the worst," she said quietly, sitting on the bed.
"I can't believe you think that of me, after everything," he said angrily. "I would never do that to you."
"I'm sure my dad said that to my mom. Evan said that to me."
"I'm not them!" Jesse yelled, really angry over this. He would never treat any woman like that, especially Beca. He thought she knew that, he couldn't believe what she saying.
"I know that!" she yelled back, tears filling her eyes. "I know you're not them. That doesn't mean I don't get scared."
"Well maybe if you talked to me about it."
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "It's not easy for me."
"It's not easy for me either, Beca. Not knowing what's going on in your head, not knowing anything about your past," he said, laying down in bed and pulling the covers over him, his back facing Beca. "You can't keep shutting me out."
"I haven't been."
"Clearly you have," he said, and the conversation ended with him shutting the lamp out. "Night."
"Shit," she muttered, rolling over on her side so her back faced his as well. She never felt so alone before.
Jesse woke up before Beca, turning over and finding that she had moved closer to him while they were sleeping. He hated that he went to bed angry with her, and he was kind of was upset with himself for getting angry with her. He knew that getting Beca to open up would be harder than anything he was ever going to do in life, so in theory it really shouldn't have bothered him to find out she as still hiding stuff. In reality, though, it hurt.
He watched her as she slept and carefully brushed a stray hair out of her face, looking down at her blotchy, tear-stained face. She cried herself to sleep last night, probably when she knew he would be in a dead sleep so he wouldn't hear her. She stirred a little and took a deep breath before inching a little closer to him. He sighed as he pressed a kiss against her temple before getting out of bed to take a shower, hoping to clear his mind a bit.
Beca woke up a few minutes later to an empty bed and the sound of the shower running. She sat up and rubbed her face, trying to erase any signs of crying. They've gotten into fights before, like every normal couple. They were far from the perfect couple everyone thought they were. Sometimes they would get so stubborn over something they fought over, they wouldn't speak for days because neither of them wanted to back down. This fight was different, though. She knew he was right and she was wrong. She should have been more open with him; it was just hard for her. Beca didn't want to dwell on her past because it wasn't a happy one. She'd rather listen to Jesse talk about his and imagine what it would be like. She heard the water turn off and she braced herself for him to come out.
"Hey," he said, stepping out of the bathroom in only a towel.
"Hey," she said quietly, looking down at her hands. "I'm, um. I'm sorry about last night, Jess. I was wrong."
"Did you just say you were wrong? Am I hearing this correctly?"
"Can you cut the smartass bullshit for like five minutes," she snapped. "I was wrong. I should have told you, but it's just hard for me."
"I know, and because I know that I shouldn't have gotten so mad. I just wish I knew what was going through your head sometimes. Do you think I'm going to just walk out on you like your dad did to your mom and like Evan did to you? Which reminds, by the way, I might kick his ass when we get back to school. Or maybe attempt to, since we both know you're the tough one in the relationship."
"I get so scared that one day you're going to realize I'm not worth the trouble and you're going to find that girl who everyone has imagined you'd end up with," Beca said, not looking at him as she spoke. "I know we've had conversations like this before, and you told me it won't happen and that I'm the only girl for you and everything, but it's a real fear for me. I can't imagine life without you, Jesse. I don't know what I would do with myself if you ever left me. And I hate how I sound so pathetic and dependent on you, because I'm so not that girl, but you've become such a huge part of my life."
"I won't do that, I won't walk out on you. I just hate that you think I'm like them. You shut out people who care about you, and it hurts."
"Because that's better than getting hurt. Because everyone I thought cared about me hurt me. I couldn't look at Tara for weeks after what Cam did to me. I thought she knew all about it, I wouldn't talk to her. Cam texted me and said she had something to show me. She had something to show me, all right," Beca chuckled humorlessly. "I walked into the house and upstairs to her room and found her in bed with Evan, and he didn't even have the decency to pretend like he was sorry. He just lay there, smirking at me. I ran out of the house and called Jen, who didn't pick up. The one time I really needed her, she didn't pick up. I know how irrational it sounds, but at that time I just felt so hurt and betrayed by everyone that I just decided to cut all of them off. Of course, prom was all paid for, so I had to go. I went by myself, watched Cam spend the whole night with Evan and wouldn't talk to Tara at all. Found my own room in the house and sat in it the whole time, by myself, listening to all the fights going on. That's the full story. That's why I've never mentioned any of them."
"I'm sorry that happened to you," he said, moving so he was sitting next to her on the bed. He was probably getting the sheets wet with his towel, but he didn't care much.
"My dad cheated on my mom, my mom was stealing money from him and doing God knows what with it. I didn't come from a happy family and happy childhood like you did, Jesse. It's so hard wanting to talk about mine with you because it's such a downer. It hurts to talk about."
"I want to know everything and anything there is to know about you, no matter how long it takes for you to finally tell me. I feel like I pushed you to tell me this, and I'm sorry. I don't want you to feel like you have to tell me, I want you to want to tell me."
"I should have told you the day Evan showed up," she said, resting her head against his shoulder. "I know you're not like him. I don't compare you to him. You're so much better. You deserve so much better."
"The only person I want to be with is you. I love you, Beca. I'll keep telling you this until it finally sinks in and you realize you're stuck with me, because I'm not going anywhere."
"I think this is the easiest ending to a fight we've ever had," she mumbled. "We calling it a truce?"
"We were both wrong on this one," he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "I don't like going to sleep without you in my arms."
"I'd rather you walk out all angry and flustered and ignoring me for days than go to sleep how we did last night."
"Me too," he said and went to lean in to kiss Beca when her phone started to ring.
"Hello?" she said when she answered it. "Luke?"
"I hope you don't mind, I might have punched the new guy in the face last night."
"What happened?" she asked.
"I'll admit, I might have checked you out a lot while you were working, and flirted with you in front of Jesse just to get on his nerves, but I have never talked about you in ways this twat was talking about you."
"What did he say?"
"You don't want to know. Just know that he'll be sporting a black eye for a while, and he might have a permanent, slight limp when he walks."
"Thank you, Luke," she said appreciatively. "Jesse might be mad you beat him to the punch, though."
"Don't worry, he can have his chance. I'll help."
"Only thing you two will probably ever work together on," she chuckled before hanging up.
"What did he want?"
"Evan pissed him off, so he punched him," Beca said, smiling as she cuddled closer to Jesse.
"Damn it, why'd he do that?"
"He said he'll help you, if you want," Beca said. "Knew there was a reason I liked Luke."
"Wasn't just because of his abs?" Jesse mumbled.
"Those might have helped a bit," she smirked. "Obviously I liked you more though."
"I'm glad," he smiled and Beca felt butterflies in her stomach. "We have a few more hours before we have to check out and catch our flight."
"Let's just lay here a little while longer," she said, scooting down on the bed and pulling him along with her.
"Sounds good to me," he said, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close.
So, I might have been watching the Boy Meets World episode when Cory wants to enter in a journalism contest and wants to use footage he shot of Shawn's brother and other trailer park family stealing computers & how in that episode Shawn learns that family isn't always blood, something he didn't realize at first. That might have been my inspiration for Beca's issues.
Just have to bring this up - the opening for the MTV Movie Awards was awesome. Skylar Astin rapping was literally the greatest thing ever & when Thrift Shop started and he was dancing in the background? Ugh. Fantastic. That boy sure can perform.
Anyway, now that I'm done with that little rant. Let me know what you thought of this chapter, still let me know when things start going downhill. I'm still in shock over the amount of reviews for this story. Seriously, I never would have expected it. You guys are the best :D
