A/N: Life's hard when you're famous…
Anyways, we check in with Beca on this one (the start of her POV occurs before the performance in the previous chapter).
And a short bit with Chloe.
I don't own pitch perfect.
I always said that I was gonna make it
Now it's plain for everyone to see
But this game I'm in don't take no prisoners
Just casualties
Beca huffed as she turned around and walked away from the last set of people she had to talk to. Thankfully Theo was there helping her work the hall for the gala. Her manager and friend wanted to keep in theme with Beca's chosen costume, dressing up as a popular character from Final Fantasy. He had to wear a wig to get the hair right for Vincent Valentine, and he's been complaining how itchy it was, but he soldiered on.
As for Beca? She was dressed as a Tonberry. Green body paint, spooky lantern, carboard knife, and everything – except the hair, she refused to wear some weird green cap and look bald. She's really gotten into playing video games to de-stress during her down times the last couple of years. Final Fantasy, a favorite among the titles she owned. Sure, she was annoyed dealing with them, but she figured it was the best character from the game to represent her.
I know that everything is gonna change
Even the friends I knew before me go
But this dream is the life I've been searching for
Beca looked up at the stage and smiled. She was up there earlier that evening, performing a short set for the gala. Craig David, who she had collaborated with recently, and Sting were on stage, performing an old song they had together.
Coincidentally, Beca also had a good talk with the two earlier. It may be a party, but Beca was there for business. The plan was to meet old contacts and make new ones. Theo helped introduce her to some of the new ones and navigated tricky conversations. Rhian was somewhere in the crowd, talking to other agents, networking on her behalf as well as planning details on how to drum up interest for her recently finished collaborations that were just waiting to be released. She also decided to join Theo and Beca's theme for their costume, dressed up as Rikku in an outfit that made Beca wonder if she was at all cold.
But Beca really didn't have much time to think about it, she already had a lot weighing on her mind, certain decisions to make. All of this on top of her share of duties with the Bellas and their progress through the special competition they were participating in.
The one thing that took most of her cranial space, however, were thoughts revolving one Chloe Beale, the way she made Beca feel, and what to do next.
She's had many discussions with Rhian the past few months after their Atlanta trip. There were so many things she had, admittedly, failed to consider or even think about it. Beca threw herself at work to quiet down some of the thoughts that troubled her the most, but she had to admit that Rhian had a point.
"I really hope you'd end up being the exception, Beca. Your talent deserves that," she remembered Rhian saying, followed by all the other things that told Beca what it was that Rhian was indirectly asking her.
A simple question, one that, in the end, might force her to choose between two options.
To the realization of her dreams, the one she's chased her whole life, or the love of her life.
It was a stupid question that, if Beca lived in a perfect world, she wouldn't have to answer. To be honest, Beca didn't really care much about the fame. She just wanted to make music, do the thing she loves the most, and make a big enough name for herself to secure herself financially so she can keep doing said thing she loves.
After the USO tour, Beca had to make a few adjustments. Her previous job had allowed for her to know a bit of the game behind the industry a little better than if she would have made an abrupt change to her life, but working as an artist along with being a music producer opened her eyes to the insane intricacies of the industry. All the controlled details, manipulated scenes and stories that affected the lives of artists. Stuff she absolutely hated, and thankfully managed to avoid for the most part thanks to having a good team of people who respected her talents. Theo would also remind her to thank her talent from time to time, whenever she would reflect on it.
She could handle it. Beca knew she could. Whatever fallout happens, she could take it. The real question was, if for some reason she does get her wish to be with her, would Chloe?
The paparazzi were handled for the most part. Times have changed a bit, and artists were chased after less than before. For the most part, they're the ones calling the paparazzi - staging pap walks when needed for publicity's sake - creating a more symbiotic relationship with the usually pesky photographers. Sure, there were still some who would hide and chase a celebrity down, try and sell their photos to the celebs before the magazines first, but thankfully Beca has never had to deal with one of those types in the last five years.
The fans? That would be tricky. It wasn't impossible to keep private life, well, private. Beca's done well with that so far. But that's mostly because her love life was mystery to most. She doesn't want to come to a point though were she can't hold Chloe's hands while walking down the streets should people spot them. Social media was battlefield – comments, hot takes, opinions, forums, and all. There's the good and the bad, with people not really realizing how much their words could be used as weapons. There was a reason why Beca had let Rhian take charge. Beca had to adapt quickly, grow a thick skin, and thankfully she found good people by her side to help her. But could Chloe truly handle it? The endless intrusion, the trolls, and the highly opinionated hypocrites?
The execs in the industry? A number of them truly belonged to the dark side of this world. Beca already knew what Rhian said was true; a good chunk of them were controlling conservative jackasses who only cared about profits and had really good publicists. She's been able to handle herself well, but her label right now might drop her, or let her rot on a shelf of unreleased albums and singles if they start worrying about her "image." They might even refuse to work with her, blacklist her from others until she fades into obscurity, not wanting to lose out on potential profits they could make if they weren't too concerned about the trivial matters of her private life and how it could affect their business. They were her main concern. She still had one album in contract with them that she's been finalizing, and talks of signing a new contract have been opened, but Beca's been delaying the decision, wanting to explore her options. She loved her job, that she got to make music the way she always dreamed of, but she hated the rules and stipulations behind them all. She wanted a bit more freedom. Then of course there was the politics behind it all, something Beca absolutely detested but learned to handle.
Rhian had a point. There was a reason why some of the really popular, award-winning artists had long lists of ex-lovers and rumors about their relationship status. Most of which were untrue. Scripted. Pre-planned beards and covers for the truth they lived behind closed doors.
Beca doesn't want that. Chloe doesn't deserve that.
But she was getting ahead of herself.
Beca's been keeping a checklist in her head for now, working twice as hard to lay the ground work for her plans and find the balance in her life that she craves. She had to be prepared. She knew what it was she wanted the most.
Hopefully her anxiety from the uncertainty of all that she's scheming about doesn't get her before she pulls it off.
Sometimes in life you feel the fight is over (over)
And it seems as though the writing's on the wall (yeah)
Superstar, you finally made it
But once your picture becomes tainted
It's what they call
The rise and fall
"We ought to go now," Beca heard Rhian said as she found Beca and Theo. The flight to Atlanta from DC was about an hour and half. Beca planned to leave early and account for the usual flow of traffic to and from the private runways. That way, she could reach the event hall in Atlanta before DSM even starts their performance.
But life just loved making thing complicated, time running down to the wire.
It was Gus who alerted them that an accident had happened on the road they were on. The car had barely been moving, and Beca was getting more and more impatient. By the time they reached her plane, Beca already knew she was going to be late.
Yet another one of the things that caused her to worry about the things she was planning for the future.
The unforeseen incidents, things beyond her own control that could keep them apart. That on top of commitments, tours, things that could require Beca to constantly be away from Chloe, especially when she needed her the most.
And there's nothing in this world that Beca hated the most other than disappointing Chloe Beale.
Chloe was getting antsy. Beca wasn't answering her phone, and she wasn't anywhere to be seen. The clock was ticking down, with Pentatonix finishing their performance inspired by "The Nightmare before Christmas."
This thing will never make a present
It's been dead for much too long
Try something fresher, something pleasant
All together, that and this
With all our tricks we're making Christmas time
The Filharmonic jumped in and took over with their medley of songs, the transition perfectly seamless. Each passing minute, each transition and belted note reminding Chloe of the passing time. Unlike Pentatonix, the Filharmonic's selection of songs had nothing much to do with anything related to Halloween, starting with One Direction's "Drag Me Down" and Shawn Mendes' "Stitches." Instead, they let their rendition of the songs add the spook-factor, with Jules' solo of "Bad Blood" being a cherry on top with his richly deep tones.
Oh, it's so sad to think about the good times
You and I
But Chloe couldn't really get into the performance. No matter how good the transition was from "Bad Blood" to "I Can't Feel My Face" by The Weekend.
Once the two acapella groups finish, they have fifteen minutes. That's all. Fifteen minutes until show time, with or without Beca.
Chloe didn't know how to feel about it either. Since her visit to Atlanta, Beca got even busier. Sure, she made time for the group video calls, but she's had less of a time to respond to Chloe's own personal calls – something she promised to herself to do more often and re-establish after her talk with Beca at the pool – with Beca sticking with messaging instead. But even that was rare. She'd typically have to wait more than twenty four hours between messages to hear back from Beca about how her morning was, or if she was at least sleeping as she should and taking a break.
Now, she wasn't even here.
The Filharmonic were wrapping up their performance, shifting away from "Omen" by Sam Smith and Disclosure to do a final medley mash-up of all the songs they used, in time for Pentatonix to blend harmonies with them and take over with one another song.
The Bellas appreciated the extra few minutes that bought them as they were started to draw up battle plans in case Beca failed to make it in time, Aubrey assigning Emily to take over Beca's solo just in case.
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa-oh, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa-oh, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Chloe took a deep breath and once again scanned the hall. Still no sign of Beca or any of her people. The only person she found looking at the Bellas, and Chloe herself, was a smug looking Kommissar. The DSM leader raised an eyebrow, as if silently asking Chloe where Beca was, if they were up for the challenge, only frustrating Chloe even more.
Time was ticking.
Where are you, Beca?
A/N Pt 2: So do we think Beca makes it?
To be clear, Beca's on her plane during Chloe's POV, that's why she's not answering calls.
The title of the chapter is based on a song by Craig David. It's also the lyrics of the song featured in Beca's POV.
The Bellas performance is coming up next. The Pentatonix (Making Christmas from The Nightmare Before Christmas and Radioactive by Imagine Dragons rendition ft. Lindsey Sterling) and the Filharmonic (Monster Mash-Up) performances are in the playlist. I only threw in snippets of the songs included in that they performed because I wanted to focus on Chloe's thoughts. All the numbers from this chapter and the previous one have been added to the playlist. Check them out at the link below
www dot youtube dot com slash playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5
For people curious about what a Tonberry is, they're (cute and) SMOL but deadly characters from Final Fantasy games. I like to call 'em Stabby Boi because they typically instant kill your party members with one stab (they move slow though… so they first need to reach them first). They also have other troublesome (counter)-attacks… they are the bane of FF players for sure. Here is a link to their wiki page, if y'all are interested. You can google the rest of the characters if interested, I only wanted to focus on Beca's :P
Finalfantasy dot fandom dot com slash wiki slash Tonberry
