Chapter Two
Beca can feel the cold sweat trapped in the lines of her palms. She can't figure out if it's better to clench them or leave them open.
Oh my god. You're being filmed right now and you probably look like that Arthur meme. Chill, Mitchell!
Before the brunette has time to think any longer about her hand placement she hears a car door open. Her heart begins to beat a mile a second. She hears the door close and then the sound of heels on the cobblestoned pavement.
Breathe, Mitchell, Breathe
A tall, brunette woman who looks like she belongs on the catwalk comes walking around the corner past the rosebushes. She's wearing a tight (Beca would say too tight but is that even a thing when you look like that?), black, mini-dress that doesn't leave much to the imagination. She looks gorgeous though. The stranger makes eye contact with Beca and smirks when she notices the singer looking her over.
"Not too bad yourself, Mitchell. I'm Stacie Conrad" the tall woman engulfs the tiny brunette in a tight hug. Given the height difference, Beca's face is directly in her cleavage but Stacie doesn't seem like she minds at all. In fact, she almost rubs the tiny singer's face in it.
"I believe you've been looking for me for a while now, the girl of your dreams" the flirty girl winks when she pulls back from Beca.
"That was certainly an entrance Stacie, it's nice to meet you. Although, are you sure we haven't met before? At a Victoria Secret Show perhaps?"
"Flattery will get you everywhere, Beca" the tall brunette leans in and whispers, her lips brushing against the singer's ear. "And by everywhere I mean all over this" Stacie runs her hands over her body; during which she accidentally pulls her dress to expose even more cleavage. Not that Beca was looking.
The smaller of the two clears her throat. "So, what exactly do you do then Stacie?"
"I'm a yoga instructor. So, I'm extremely… flexible"
Jesus Christ. This is just the first girl and I'm already in over my head.
"I'm also the Director of Molecular and Cellular Biology at a lab here in Cali" Stacie explains nonchalantly with a shrug of her shoulders. Beca's mouth drops open in shock.
*Cough* "Close your mouth" *cough* "Before you drool" *cough*
The singer closes her mouth with a smack of her jaw and whips her head around to Amy, who looks like she's about to burst of laughter, and sends her a glare.
"Wow. I was not expecting you to say that"
"Yeah, most people just accept the yoga instructor and move on before I can add more," Stacie says with a laugh but the smaller of the two finds herself doubting the front the beautiful woman puts on.
"Well, I look forward to learning more about you, Stacie. Why don't you head inside and we'll talk more soon"
"As long as there's more than just talking" She winks at Beca before strutting off.
"Geez Shawshank, you're in for a rough trot if you got that flustered by one woman. There's still 24 more to go"
"Thank you for the reminder Amy" Beca huffs as she rolls her eyes.
The brunette was thankful that Stacie was first because the next 10 girls after her breeze by effortlessly, her sweaty palms are finally beginning to dry.
"Ames, I think I'm getting the hang of this" she looks over to her best friend with a proud smile.
"Just you wait Shortstack, just you wait"
"What does that mean?" Beca's sweaty palms are back instantly.
"You haven't met Posen yet"
"Who? And why do you say that like it's a bad thing?"
The blond just shrugs with false innocence.
"Amy?"
Another car door opens.
"Saved by the bell…" Amy exhales.
Before Beca can question any further an African American woman with short hair comes walking around the corner.
"Yo Beca, What's up? I'm Cynthia Rose but you can call me CR" the stranger raises her fist and brings it in front of the singer. Beca's eyebrows scrunch together in confusion and she stares at it.
"Oh!" She catches on and brings her fist up to bump CRs.
"We'll work on it," the short haired woman says in disbelief.
"Sorry, I can't say fist bumps are a common greeting for me," the singer says sheepishly.
"It's all good" CR says as she nods her head and looks the singer up and down. This makes Beca's not uncomfortable but she's certainly not comfortable either.
"Right. Always CR, what made you decide to come on this journey?"
"Well, I love your music Beca! I think your sound is dope. Plus, you seem like a really chill chick… aside from the whole fist bump thing. And I figured the worst that could come from this experience is that we become friends and that's totally fine with me"
"Yeah, I think I'd be fine with that being the worst-case scenario" the two smile at each other before CR leaves towards the house.
"She was an interesting choice, Ames" the brunette looks to the side where her best friend has been watching from all night.
"She seemed cool, maybe a little pervy but cool. Plus, she included the whole worst outcome on her application and I thought she raised a good point" the blond shrugs.
"Fair enough"
A few more women are introduced and all is smooth sailing until she finally meets the woman Amy was talking about earlier.
The blond, curly, very proper looking woman walks around the corner with perfect posture. She wears a simple, almost boring, navy dress that does not show a lot of skin but just enough to not be a prude.
"Hello Rebecca, my name is Aubrey Posen and I came here with the best intentions I promise you this. If not, may my vocal cords be ripped out by wolves" the blond extends her hand forward.
The small brunette hesitantly accepts the hand offered. "Ah, Beca's fine and dude, no wolves please"
"I apologize. I just wanted you to know that I take this opportunity very seriously. Dixie Chicks serious"
"With all these music metaphors I'm assuming have a passion for music? That's definitely something I can relate to"
"Yes, I have loved music my whole life"
"Me too" the brunette smiles and the blond nods.
"I think we just bonded a little…"
"Let's maybe walk before we run hey?" Beca laughs and is soon joined by a nervous laugh from the uptight blond. The two just stand there staring at each other and it soon becomes very awkward for the brunette. She doesn't think the blond has noticed though.
"Ah... I guess I'll meet you inside?" Beca asks with a very unsure look on her face.
"I will be there. I will not let you down" the blond nods and almost storms off towards the house.
"Jesus" the brunette exhales.
"Amy, this is getting crazy! How am I going to remember all their names? What if I accidentally call them the wrong name? Oh my god! Amy, why did you talk me into this?" The brunette runs her hands over her face as her best friend walks over to her.
"C'mon Shawshank," she says pulling Beca's hands from her face. The brunette pouts. "You're gonna ruin your makeup if you do that and that'll be sadder than that time the dingo ate that baby. Now look, you're doing great! I mean you've had a few moments that were a bit… " the Australian makes a toilet flushing noise along with hand gestures. "Seriously, it was like watching my best friend get mulled by a croc and not being able to do anything about it. Even though we all know I'm the best croc fighter in Tasmania"
"Ames, is this supposed to be helping?"
"Yeah na, probably not aye? But what will help is that there's only one hottie left and I bet you're gonna like this one!" Amy walks back to her position and sends Beca an encouraging double thumbs up when they hear the car door open for the last time.
Beca's breathing stops when she sees her. Her heart begins to pump harder than it was the night she performed at the Grammys for the first time and that was the most nervous she's ever been… until now. There's so much to look at that Beca doesn't know where to keep her gaze. The endless, toned, tanned legs? The emerald green dress that is both sexy but classy somehow? The red hair tired in a bun? The smile that the brunette is mirroring? Wait, when did that happen? Or the cerulean blue eyes that already seem so gentle and kind. How does someone like this exist? How are they single? And why would they want to come here to meet me?
"Hi, Bec" the gorgeous redhead steps forward and pulls the brunette into a quick hug. Much too quick for Beca's liking. I don't even like hugs?
"I'm Chloe, Chloe Beale"
"H…" Beca clears her throat.
*cough* "Told ya" *cough* comes from the side but is ignored. The blush on Beca's cheek tells Amy that her little friend heard it.
"Hi Chloe, it's nice to meet you"
"You too" the older woman's voice shakes and she giggles. "I'm sorry but I'm really nervous"
"Oh thank god, me too" the brunette exhales as she leans over and places her hands on her knees dramatically. This causes the redhead to giggle again and the brunette can't help but smile bigger and look up at her.
"Haven't you already met 24 girls? Shouldn't you be used to this?" cerulean blue eyes look down to meet stormy blue ones.
"Haven't you looked in the mirror lately?" The brunette smirks as she stands back up.
"Smooth Mitchell, very smooth"
"I had to redeem myself for not being able to say a word as simple as 'hi'. I have a rep to maintain you know?"
"I don't know if I buy into the whole badass act there, Bec"
"Why the hell not? I am a badass. It's not an act"
"Please, I follow you on Instagram and have totes seen your videos of you and your puppy! You talk to her like she's a baby and it's adorable!"
"I'm not a monster, of course, I like puppies. That doesn't prove anything against my badass-ness"
"Ok, I'll give you that one. But you named her Princess Nina. Try and talk your way out of that one?" Chloe giggles again and the brunette's smile doubles again. If it gets any wider it just might break her face.
"I love Nina Simone?"
"Ooo good choice there, Bec, she was brilliant. But Princess?" The redhead smirks confidently knowing she's won this battle.
"Fine, you got me. I'm a big softy when it comes to my dog. Please don't tell anyone though"
"It's ok, you're secrets safe with me" Chloe winks. "I guess I better be heading inside, but I'll see you soon, Princess?"
The brunette scrunches her face in fake annoyance before smiling.
"Absolutely!"
Beca can still hear the sound of Chloe's heels clicking against the pavement so she looks back to get a final look at her.
"I like her, Ames!" She exhales happily.
The redhead turns her head back towards her immediately and smirks.
"Whoops. I think she heard ya Shortstack" Amy laughs as Beca's face turns the shade of Chloe's hair.
AN: Sorry I didn't include more introductions with other Bellas but it would've gone on and got a bit boring if I included them all. They will be a part of the story in some way though, plus some other characters as well. Thank you to everyone who faved, followed, and reviewed. I appreciate it. To the guest who asked how long it will be, I don't really know haha. Probably less than 10 chapters though. I don't know how long I'll be able to drag the story along for so I kind of don't have a set plan and so I'm just seeing how the story evolves naturally.