Getting off the bus at the Lodge of Fallen Leaves, Beca was actually excited to see Aubrey. Life for Beca had been busy and chaotic lately, but Aubrey had become a decent friend to Beca, despite their conflict her Freshman year. She had been excited, until Aubrey started barking orders like a drill sergeant, it sent chills down Beca's spine. This was definitely not the kind of retreat the girls had in mind.
Task 1: Build a tent . How hard can this be? Ten smart, mostly, college students against some poles, rope, and canvas. Hard…is the answer. Aubrey made them work through dinner, not dismissing them until their tent could pass her inspection. Beca was hungry, tired, and stressed. Not a good combination. To make it all worse, the girls would burst into song like this was their favorite activity. Beca was having none of it. They were supposed to be split 5 and 5 in two separate tents. By the time they got one done, it was already dark, and they couldn't see to put up the second. Aubrey dismissed them to dinner at last. After a dinner of sloppy joes and tater tots , the girls washed up in the nearby bathroom, and called it a night. They had to sleep in alternating directions so they could fit. Beca was between CR and Amy but with Lilly and Chloe's heads between them. To make it all worse, someone had gas from the sloppy joes. Just as she was expressing that observation, Amy excused herself, rolling over Jessica, to get to the door of the tent in time.
"What are we doing here," a very grumpy Beca turned to face Chloe.
"We're bonding. You seem so tense, do you need a back rub," pushing away a strand of hair on Beca's forehead causing Beca to flinch away from the sudden touch. Chloe oblivious to Beca's frustration.
"Several body parts are rubbing my back right now, thank you," seriously, she's asking me that right now? Here? And what was with that hair move?
"You know Beca, we're very close, but I feel like this retreat is going to let us discover everything about each other."
Beca's eyes flicked up to Chloe's lips then back to her eyes. "Is that right?" What is she implying? OMG who is listening to this conversation. EVERYONE, literally, everyone. The tent is silent. These girls did not fall asleep that quickly in this shithole.
"You know, one of my biggest regrets is that I didn't do enough experimenting in college."
Shit! Roll over, roll over, roll over. Abort! Abort! " You're so weird"
"Thanks."
"I wanna go home." OMG OMG OMG! Chloe wants to experiment, obviously she meant like with me? Like sexually? Seriously? Now? While we're all squished in here like sardines, that's what she's going to say to me?