We Have A Freaking Moment

It was aca-initiation night, and after being sworn in as a Bella and drinking Boone's Farm from a shared goblet, the party was officially in full swing. Stacie wouldn't let me stick to the fringes where I was comfortable, so I found myself being drug around the party crowd by my elbow and mingling with fellow aca-people (so freaking embarrassing). Which has put me so far out of my comfort zone I'm sure the forced smile on my face looked more like a grimace.

"Beca, loosen up. We're here to have fun girlie. Here, drink this," and she shoved the red plastic cup she'd been drinking from into my hands, where a bit sloshed over the sides and onto my combat boots. Shrugging my shoulder, I took a sip thinking it was beer and coughed at the taste of vodka as it burned my throat more than I was expecting.

"Ugh, dammit Stace, I thought this was a beer. Worn a girl next time," I complained, dropping the forced smile and keeping the grimace.

Stacie just laughed at my predicament, "I thought you could hold your liquor. Sorry about that." The mischievous grin on her face showed just how sorry she really wasn't. At that moment music started playing and the party got loud with everybody singing along. I couldn't help the uncomfortable laugh that bubbled up because this was by far the nerdiest thing I'd ever seen. That was followed shortly by the incredibly awkward realization that I was now a part of this freakshow. That sobered me up pretty quickly.

"Stace, remind me why I'm doing this stupid acapella thing again?"

"Because you needed a way to get close to your soulmate in order to steal her from the boyfriend she appears to be in love with so you can live happily ever after?"

I glanced at her contemplatively, "In that case…" and busted out singing and dancing with the rest of these aca-nerds. Stacie was quickly swept up into my newfound exuberance, and started singing and dancing with me. I'd never admit it to anyone, but I hadn't had this much fun in a very long time.

"Beca!" I heard a very familiar voice shout from behind me. I turned with a huge smile on my face just as a flying ball of ginger launched herself into my very willing arms. I immediately melted into the embrace, feeling like I was home for the first time since this whole mess began. "I told you I'd make sure you were a Bella," she whispered in my ear. I bit down on my lip to suppress the whimper that threatened to escape and just nodded my head. I didn't want the hug to end, and it appeared Chloe was in no hurry to end it either, but we were yanked out of the moment by a throat clearing behind me. I turned and glared at Stacie as Chloe pulled out of my arms, and Stacie gave me a sheepish and apologetic look gesturing over Chloe's shoulder with a nod of her head. I turned and understood her interference. Tom was coming this way. I looked at Chloe and noticed she had a puzzled look on her face as she stared back at me with a confused smile.

"Hey, I've been looking everywhere for you," Tom said as he walked up and wrapped his arms around Chloe from behind. She appeared startled and a little upset at having been broken out of her thoughts, but turned and looked over her shoulder at him with a smile.

"I was just talking to our newest Bella. You remember Beca right?" Chloe asked after she pecked him on the lips in greeting.

"Of course. Hey Beca. Congratulations," and dammit if he didn't look genuine.

"Thanks Tom. I'll see you later Chloe," I said as I gave her a sad smile. She looked disappointed for a moment before it was covered up by a smile.

"Later Beca," and with that, Tom pulled her away in the opposite direction. But not before she looked over her shoulder at me and gave me a wink.

"Holy shit. This is going to be so easy," Stacie breathed, scaring the shit out of me as I was lost in the moment with Chloe. I hadn't noticed her coming to stand next to me. She was watching Chloe walk away with Tom with a look of awe on her face before turning to look at me. "That was like, some serious chemistry. I've never seen anything like it before! We are going to have you in that girls pants before the week is up!"

"Dude, no! I don't want to just get in her pants. She is so much more to me than that, I thought you understood!"

"Sorry Becs, sex is my default setting. Of course she's more, and we're going to make sure she stays that way, I promise," she looked sorry, so I let it go. I looked at her with gratitude, and squeezed her hand.

"Thank you Stace. Seriously. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Oh, I'm sure you'd manage. Horribly, I'm guessing. But you'd manage."

"Dick," I mumbled as I swatted her shoulder, causing her to laugh hysterically.

Stacie had ditched me. I expected it, so it was no big deal. I warned her to stay away from Trebles because I didn't want to do this Bellas thing without her and I wasn't sure how serious the blonde general was with her no-Trebles rule. She agreed with obvious regret at having her options limited, and left me with a happy wave.

That was when the dude I'd begun to think of as a stalker plopped down next to me.

"So, I think we should start over because I am clearly awesome and think you should give me a chance."

"Oh you do, do you?" I asked him, my voice dripping with obvious sarcasm. The sarcasm was obviously lost on him however because he just nodded his head eagerly.

"Yes! Like, we could go to a movie and get some popcorn and just hang out!"

"I don't even like movies."

"What? How can you not like movies!? That's like hating fun."

"They are just too predictable. The guy gets the girl, the good guy wins, Darth Vader is Luke's father." Of course I couldn't tell him that I hated movies because that was my mom and I's "thing". Every day after school we'd sit on the couch, me snuggled tightly to her side, while we ate popcorn and watched a movie together. Yes, movies were too predictable. But I didn't watch them anymore because I would inevitably be reminded of my mom, and that would lead to tears. Better if they are just avoided.

"Beca, are you listening to me?" I must have zoned out because I'd stopped paying attention.

"Not really. I kinda zoned out for a minute," I confessed with zero guilt.

"Oh. Well, what do you say to that date? Movie, popcorn, hanging out?" He was nothing if not persistent, but apparently a terrible listener.

"I just got done telling you I hate movies, and you want to take me out on a date to a movie? Isn't that a recipe for disaster?"

"Nope. I think I can change your mind!" He grinned proudly, and, even worse, cockily. Is that a word? Cockily? Whatever, if it isn't it should be because it fits here.

I turned and gave him my fiercest glare, which, if I'm being honest is pretty fierce. "Are you serious right now!? You ask me on a date, and the first thing you want to do is change me? How fucked up are you dude?"

"Wait, what? Umm…" he sputtered, obviously trying to figure out where he went wrong and how to take back control of the situation. His inebriation wasn't helping matters.

"Let me make this super clear for you, and I hope that you remember this in the morning: I am not interested in you. There is absolutely no chance I will ever date you. I'm in love with someone else, and my heart will always be hers even if she rejects me. So back. The fuck. Off. Got it?"

"Wait, hers?" All those words, and he latches on to one of them. I groan in frustration and storm away, leaving a confused yet contemplative stalker behind.

I get back to the dorm around one in the morning and bang my head against the wall when I see that Stacie has finally taken the sock on the doorknob rule to heart.

"You've got to be kidding me." I say out loud, but under my breath, aware that everyone in the rooms around me is probably sleeping. I slide down the wall and plop myself on the floor, pulling out my cell phone to surf the internet while I wait. I start nodding off, and am awoke a short time later by the door being opened and a nervous brunette with hair down to her shoulders wearing glasses walks out. She glances at me and starts in surprise before hurrying off and disappearing.

I get up off the floor and enter my room and see Stacie under her covers, obviously naked, looking like the cat that ate the canary. I just smirk at her and get ready for bed.

"I didn't know you swung that way Stace."

"I told you before Becs, he's a hunter," she grinned sexily at me and winked. I sputtered and crawled into bed ignoring that dangerous comment completely.

The next day at rehearsals started rather strangely. We were informed by the blonde Nazi that Kori had been kicked out of the group for being Treble-boned.

"Mary Elise, is there something you'd like to confess?" asked Aubrey as she stopped beside Mary Elise's chair.

Mary Elise glanced at Stacie, but Stacie was avoiding her eyes. I could tell the brunette was starting to panic and my roommate wasn't helping. With no one speaking up, she stood up at Aubrey's gesture and started to leave the room. "Take your chair," Aubrey said. Mary Elise grabbed her chair and began to drag it from the room.

"Wait!" Shit. Shit, shit, shit. What was I doing? Aubrey was looking at me with obvious suspicion. When I chanced a glance at Chloe, she just looked curious. "Umm… you see, uh, Mary Elise wasn't Treble-boned last night." Stacie glanced sharply at me with wide eyes, while Aubrey's suspicion deepened. "She was with me."