"So, you think I overacted?" Beca wondered, pausing to swallow the bit of taco she had been chewing.
"Definitely." Benji nodded, holding the door open and letting Beca get out of the taco bell restaurant first. They had to run to the place because they weren't sure they'd find it open, that's how late it was…or early… they haven't gone to bed yet so it was acceptable to consider it late.
"I would have done the same as him," Benji went on to say as they began walking on the sidewalk heading to campus.
He glanced at Beca and watched her kick a small rock. "I mean I get why you didn't appreciate the gesture."
Benji knew everything— well, not everything, everything.
She ended up telling him because he noticed her shit mood and also asked why Jesse came in the first place when he wondered where he went.
She gave him a simple answer that confused him. 'Sex, he came for sex,' she had said.
He suggested they left and she agreed because she didn't feel like clubbing anymore but didn't leave for Benji's sake.
"Sorry for cutting the night short and ruining your birthday with my drama," Beca apologized as they got into a comfortable silence while munching on their late night snack.
"Are you kidding?" Benji mumbled through a mouthful of food. "I've had the best time ever tonight. This is the best birthday I've had since my seventh when I went to Disney World." He paused to swallow. "I don't think I've ever made so many memories in one night. And not only that but I have pictures to look at and always remember my twentieth birthday thanks to you." He grinned at her and she found it hard not to smile.
"What kind of film do you use for your camera? We really took a lot of pictures," he thoughtfully added to which she rolled her eyes.
"Consider 'em your birthday present. I would have gotten you an actual one if I had known it was your birthday beforehand."
Benji was the closest thing to a friend she had at BU. He found her satirical remakes hilarious while attending a course together, she enjoyed entertaining him. They sat together whenever they ran into each other at the dining hall. They acknowledged each other when they run into each other on campus, generally. He sent her his notes when she wouldn't attend, which was very frequent, and she found it endearing that he did.
Instead of heading to campus, they stopped at a playground on the way.
"What is it?" Beca wondered when Benji was about to ask her something then stopped.
He was fumbling with her camera in his hands. "Why did Jesse come see you tonight?" Benji asked, tilting his head to look at Beca as they sat on swings, exhaustion catching up with them.
"I told you." She frowned. She thought she covered her relationship with Jesse well.
"Yeah, I get that." He paused. "But he went on a date tonight. Isn't a little weird that he'd come, you know, looking for you." Even in the dimness, Beca could tell he was blushing.
"I asked him to come." Yeah, why did she ask him to come? Sure, she was a little horny but she could have waited until the next day, he wasn't going anywhere. She decided not to think about it.
"I can never do it the friends with benefits thing," he humorlessly chuckled and held the camera close his face, looking for something to snap a photo of.
"'Cause it's all meaningless sex?" she guessed as she began swinging back and forth, her feet never leaving the ground, then closed her eyes, enjoying the breeze.
She didn't get an answer so she took his silence as a yes.
When they arrived at their dorm it wasn't exactly dark anymore but it wasn't daytime either.
Benji had a bus to catch at 9:00 from Atlanta, GA. to his hometown in Missouri and he had a few hours to go. He decided to have a quick shower then catch the first bus to Atlanta.
Beca had different plans, hers were basically going to bed and waking up in the evening only because she had a shift at the radio station.
While Benji got the door to his dorm room, Beca looked inside her back bag for the photos they took throughout the night and gave them to him. She wished him a safe trip and headed up to her room on the next floor, falling face first on her bed, not caring to remove her makeup or clothes.
Beca groaned when she heard her phone ringing. She ignored it then sighed and picked up when the person calling her wouldn't quit calling.
"Hello," she sleepily mumbled, eyes still closed.
"Hey, Bec, sorry for waking you up," Benji's nervous voice came through.
She frowned. "What's wrong, Benji?" she asked.
"I can't find my bus ticket, do you mind checking if I dropped it from my wallet by accident in your back bag." When they went to the nightclub he kept his belongings in her back bag because it was safer.
"Sure." She then sat up and grabbed her back bag from the floor, tossing her phone on the bed to look inside the back bag.
"Yep, it's here," she sighed, finding the ticket he booked.
"Oh, thank god." She heard him say and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
"Did you get to the bus station?" she asked him after pulling the phone away from her ear to see that it was still early and that there was enough time to get to Atlanta and give him bus ticket before his bus left.
"Yes," his answer came quick.
"Okay, well, sit tight and don't worry, I'll be there before your bus leaves."
She hung up, yawning then got out of bed, cursing. She wasn't mad that she was going to travel to Atlanta when she'd much rather be sleeping because poor Benji had already lost his plane ticket home and he's not going to spend another day of his break away from home.
She grabbed her sunglasses, it was too bright and she didn't have time to grab a wipe to remove the smudged makeup from her face, and a cap, her hair wasn't something she wanted to deal with at the moment, and headed out, pacing towards the bus stop, deciding to take the bus to Atlanta instead of going to her father and borrowing his car because last time they spoke they had a little argument and she wanted to avoid him for some time.
She almost missed it when she heard her name being called and only tilted her head when she heard it again to see Jesse run towards her clearly out for his morning run.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "You're in last night's clothes and you're walking really fast, are you in trouble?" he was asking as he continued to jog towards her. "Is everything okay?"
"Benji dropped his bus ticket in my back bag and I have to get to him before his bus leaves at nine from Atlanta. I need to hurry if I wanna catch the next bus to Atlanta," she explained as he came to stop in front of her.
He was panting and she wondered how fast he ran to get to her.
"I can lend you my car if you want," he offered, using his forearm to wipe the sweat forming on his forehead.
"That would be awesome," she gratefully accepted.
They walked to his apartment in a very uncomfortable silence and she knew it was her fault.
"Hey, sorry about last night. I didn't mean to lash out like that," she attempted to apologize as he unlocked the door to his apartment.
"Don't worry about it," he replied. His tone was different, he didn't sound as warm or genuine as he did when he was making sure she was okay.
"I'm having a weird déjà vu," Beca mumbled as he let her into his place.
Hearing her, he chuckled.
When they met, he was out for a jog and had taken her back to his place so she could use the bathroom, she was wearing the very same t-shirt she wore that day.
"Thanks," she said when he held his car keys her way in the palm of his hands, taking a few seconds longer than she should have to take them from him because she was a little distracted her. How could anyone be so attractive when they're so sweaty?
If it weren't for the fact that she had to go, she would have jumped his bones.
When she got to Barden a few hours later, she texted Jesse and he texted her back his firm's address and told her to leave his keys at the reception desk. And that was the last they had spoken.
Through the months they had known each other, they had gotten a lot more communicative and texted almost daily nowadays. Not receiving his frequent lame jokes kind of sucked even if it was for a couple of days.
Beca tried texting him a few times but it was obvious that he didn't want to talk to her because of how long it took him to answer to her texts. He was clearly ignoring her and she had enough pride to do the same.
She eventually swallowed her pride and went over to his place.
He opened the door on the second knock and seemed surprised to see her at his doorstep.
"Beca, hey," he greeted softly.
"Sorry for showing up without texting first," she apologized.
He shrugged and stepped back to let her in.
She extended the package she was holding in her hand towards him. "Here, I just came to give you this and wish you a happy birthday in advance. So, happy birthday."
He took the present and weighted the carefully paper wrapped. "Thanks. Can I open it now or do I have to wait until my birthday?"
"It's yours, do what you want, dude," she mumbled, taking a step backward.
"Well, it doesn't weigh much," he was saying as he stepped inside his apartment, leaving the door open and expecting her to follow him in.
She blew a breath and did follow him inside the apartment. "I'll open it on my birthday," he told her and pulled her into his embrace, hugging her.
It was really weird how good it felt to be hugged by him. She decided that the feeling his embrace brought was relief, he wouldn't be hugging her if he was mad.
"What?" Jesse asked when he noticed her anxiety as he loosened his hold and watched her step back.
"I didn't text before coming over because you wouldn't reply if I did and if you do it would be by tomorrow probably."
He scratched his head. "Yeah, sorry about that. I've been really busy." He frowned when she snorted. "I have," he insisted.
"Dude, you're mad I get it. I'm sorry for yelling at you the other night. I overreacted, I'm not used to people looking out for me."
"I'm not mad," he told her. "Really, I'm not," he added, seeing that she didn't seem to believe him. "I was but I'm not anymore. I don't hold grudges, it's not how I roll. Besides, you've already apologized."
What she said kind of hurt but he also had to admit that he did overact a little, too. He was jealous, he didn't realize it then but when he had some time to himself he did. Seeing how Beca behaved around Benji made him jealous of the younger man and made him question what he had with Beca.
Her friendship with Benji made him question their friendship.
"I'm sorry for taking forever to text back, I have a lot of work to finish up so I could enjoy the weekend and not worry about the work I have waiting for me. I hardly have time for anything."
'Hang on.'
Was giving him his present in advance her way of letting him know she wasn't going to his birthday over the weekend?
"Hey, does this mean you're not going to my birthday?" he asked, shaking the package.
"Didn't think I'm still welcome." She thought he was mad at her for yelling at him and that she was no longer invited.
"Of course, you're welcome." He stepped closer so she was within reach then rubbed her arm before pulling her into another hug, tighter because she was hugging him back this time around.
He loosened his hold when she pressed the palm of her hand against his chest wanting to break the hug. "You're not just a guy I fuck every other day," she mumbled, playing with the buttons of his shirt. "We're friends, dude." She looked up then leaned in when he lowered his head. "Um, wait, no, I can't," she said, pulling away just as they were about to kiss.
He frowned and was about to ask why but she spoke before he could. "I'm on my period," she told him, putting someplace between them and crossing her arms. "Got it this morning."
"I have chocolate if you want," he was saying as he stepped back as well, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his pants.
"No, I'm good," she replied, pulling her phone from her pocket when it vibrated then shoving it back in her pocket after she checked the caller ID.
"That looks like a lot of work, do you need help with it?" she asked, gesturing at the scattered papers on the coffee table.
He tilted his head to look where she gestured. "I'm sure you have better things to do." He could actually use her help, he was quite impressed with fast she seemed to pick up things so he knew it wouldn't take long before she got the hang of things, but it didn't mean he was going to take her up on her offer.
"Other than my shift at the radio station, nothing," she answered. "And that's not until ten. I'm free until then."
He glanced at the time, it was 6:50 pm. "Well, thank you for offering but I got it." He smiled at her. "I'd appreciate your company, though."
Jesse let her help him out eventually after she pointed out how much time he'd save if she at least started on the spreadsheet he had to fill then analyze.
He tried to argue at first saying that she didn't have MS Office on her laptop and that he needed his and she countered reminding him that Google Drive offered a decent spreadsheet feature online.
"All right, I'm done. Do I email it to you or do you have a flash drive?" Beca asked as she rotated her neck having finished filling out a spreadsheet.
Beca looked up when she didn't receive an answer and found Jesse asleep.
He was softly snoring, his laptop was on his lap and his head tilted and resting against the couch.
She wondered how long ago he fell asleep then placed her laptop along with the sheets she copied data from on the coffee table before she took his laptop from his lap and put it next to her laptop.
"Jesse," she called and shook him gently. He swallowed waking up then ran a hand through his hair before rubbing his face.
"I need more coffee." She heard him mumble as he sat up.
"Or you could take a quick power nap," Beca suggested.
"If I go to bed now, I won't wake up until tomorrow." He got up and started making his way to the kitchenette.
"Anything else I could do to help?" she wondered when he came back holding a mug of coffee.
"You're done?" he questioned in surprise. She nodded. "Wow, for how long was I out?" he continued. He gave ten pages worth of data, it should have taken her a couple of hours at least.
"I don't know," she replied.
"Well, thanks, Bec, you saved me a lot of time." He took a sip and placed the mug on the coffee table then sat down while unbuttoning his shirt and rotating his sore neck.
"Take it off." He heard Beca say and glanced at her to see her get on her knees while cracking her knuckles. He obliged because a neck rub would be perfect.
"You know what? Take this off, too," she told him while tugging at the white t-shirt he was wearing underneath the shirt.
"Do they pay enough to afford massages to fix what sitting at a desk all day does to your back?" Her question made him chuckle.
"Is this your way of telling me you're gonna start charging me?" he asked and closed his eyes, enjoying the bliss her hands brought.
"Maybe."
"I did show you how to massage so I think I'm entitled to a discount and or a percentage of whatever you make from giving back rubs," he joked.
"Do you give money to your college professors for teaching you the stuff that got a job?" she countered.
"Students who aren't fortunate enough to get free rides have to pay their tuition fees." He tilted his head to look at her and grinned seeing her roll her eyes. She intentionally hurt him to get the smug grin off his face and he couldn't help but laugh afterward.
The noises he'd always make when she'd give him a massage were a turn on and it was a little frustrating knowing she would get any because mother nature decided to reminder today that she dodged a bullet. What frustrated her more was the fact that Jesse knew the effects of his doing yet wasn't holding back.
"God," Jesse exhaled as he sat up. "If music doesn't work out you should consider applying to a massage therapy school. You're so good at this." He arched his back that she help relax its muscles.
"What?" He frowned when tilted his head to find Beca glaring at him.
"I really hate you sometimes, asshole," she mumbled before launching herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck before she kissed him.
He fell back on the couch and held her waist, pretty confused because, a, she told him she's just got her period which meant sex was off the table even if she was game since the first couple of days were basically the elevator scene from the shining, b, why did she say she hated him sometimes, what did he do?
"Is that The Posies' song?" he asked, pulling away to catch his breath.
"What?" It was her turn to get confused.
"I really hate you sometimes," he sang, vaguely recalling the melody of the song that crossed his mind.
"I don't even know The Posies," she told him.
He wanted to ask why she called him an asshole but her tongue was in his mouth in a matter of seconds.
He thought he got used to her enthusiasm but the rate she was going at proved him otherwise, he'd rather go at a slower pace. Usually, he'd try to keep up with her but being overworked made it difficult.
"Sorry. Do you want me to stop?" she abruptly pulled away to ask. "I won't take it personally. You're really tired and should be to bed."
"No, not at all, I'm into this—" he would have said more if she didn't interrupt him with a kiss.
"Cool," she mumbled, one hand gripping his hair while the other explored his bare torso. She knew he couldn't match her pace although he was trying to, so she slowed down a little with the kissing and dry humped the shit out of him until she came, then got on her knees and got him off.
"Dude, are you still there?" she asked, coming back from the bathroom—she went to change her tampon while he recovered.
"Barely," he answered. He was leaning against the couch, exactly how she left him but at least his junk wasn't out. He reached out a hand then opened one eye to look at her when she didn't take his hand and waited until she did before he pulled her closer while kicking off his shoes.
"Jesse, I have to go work in like thirty minutes," she told him when he wrapped her in his arms and laid on his side.
"You did this, deal with it."
He was seriously lucky, not only she made his back and neck feel good but she gave him a very unexpected blowjob, there was no way he was going to able work after that.
"Sneak out like you always do after I'm out." He just wanted to fall asleep, cuddling preferably.
He inhaled deeply, breathing in the smell of her shampoo, then smiled sleepily when she snuggled up to him. "It's 'I may hate you sometimes', look it up, great song."
"Huh?" His voice was really drowsy, it wasn't clear what he said. She frowned when he started singing instead of repeating himself.
"I don't want to have to sacrifice to have to get along. I don't even want to be the one to say I'm wrong. I may hate you sometimes, but I'll always love you."
His singing was very off key.
He mumbled worse than Kurt Cobain, she barely understood a word he sang.
But it was kinda hot.
"I had the album on cassette…" he trailed off.
She tilted her head to look at him hearing the familiar soft snoring, he fell asleep mid-sentence.
Beca waited for five minutes until he was tight asleep then got up. She went to his bedroom and grabbed a duvet since he was spending the night on the couch and a pillow because he liked to hold one in his sleep.
She found herself humming the melody of the song he tried to sing as she put her laptop in her back bag, looking up the band and the title once she was about to head out and planning to check out the album once she got to the radio station.
A road trip to Jacksonville with carsick Beca.
Jesse kind of ready himself for some grumpiness from her because she was also on her period but he was positive that it was going go smoothly for the most part.
Besides, it was barely a 3 hours' drive to his parents' farm, not counting traffic, and he was excited to hear what playlist she got together because told him she was going to pick the music.
The drive went fine, Beca's very excusable grumpiness aside.
He left Thororeo with his neighbor who was going to watch over the kitten until he's back, picked her up from campus after he got off work, and hit road, arriving around nine to the farm.
The lights were on in the house and he, of course, knew who beat them to the farm before he even laid his eyes on the car parked in the driveway.
"You think they went out?" Beca asked as she readjusted the strap of her back bag and looked around her.
"No, they're here. Adam is too lazy to go out and not take his car." He locked the door and walked further inside the house.
"Told you," he continued, hearing the shower upstairs as well muffled sex noises.
Beca arched an eyebrow, noting the way Jesse smirked to himself. "Wanna know how Adam and I would greet each other growing up?" he asked as he began walking towards the front door.
"Sure." She shrugged and followed him.
"We'd prank each other," he informed.
She followed in tow to the basement door and walked down the stairs after him.
"You're gonna cut the power?" she guessed.
"Yep," his answer came fast.
"Dude, you sure your sister-in-law wouldn't get mad?" Beca wondered, tapping on the flashlight app on her phone, as he flipped the electricity switches.
"Yeah, she'll take it with good humor." He sighed happily. "C'mon, let's find a hiding place, Adam will come down here at some point." He reached for her hand and took it in his.
"Your car is parked right outside of the house," she reminded. "He'll know you're behind this."
He shrugged, interlocking their fingers.
She took his lead.
He gave her a boost so she could through a window and into the house then jumped after her and she had to admit that it was pretty fun.
"Jesse, you mother—" Beca had to suppress a laugh when she heard who she assumed was Adam shout and cut himself off before he insulted his own mother. "I know you're behind this, asshole."
"You don't know that," a female voice, further than Adam's, said and Beca assumed it was Chloe. "Could be thieves, stop shouting."
"Stay upstairs," Adam spoke in a lower voice.
Hearing Adam cuss as he looked around the house for his phone in the dark was too funny and Jesse could barely keep his chuckles low.
It took Adam around half an hour to find his phone, which he used as a flashlight, and go down the basement to get the power working again.
"All right, come out, asshat, your car is parked outside, I know you're in here somewhere," Adam said, sounding less mad.
Jesse chuckled, letting go of Beca's hand and stepping out of the room where they were hiding.
"Hey," Jesse greeted cheerfully, laughing once he got a visual of his wet frowning brother who had a towel wrapped around his waist. "Oh, come here, you," he continued as he walked over to his brother and embraced him his arms, hugging him.
"Ow," Jesse laughed, receiving a punch in the gut from Adam before he hugged him back.
"Good to see you, schmuck," Adam said as they broke the hug.
"You, too," Jesse grinned back. "A-Town, this is my friend Beca," he introduced while gesturing at Beca who was standing near the doorway of the room in which they hid.
"Hi," Beca smiled at the man she had seen in pictures but never in person.
"Hi, sorry you have to meet me half naked." He walked over to her and extended a hand towards her. "It's a pleasure, nonetheless," he was saying as they shook hands.
Beca looked up hearing a squeal and saw Chloe rush down the stairs and get enveloped in a bear hug from Jesse.
"I've missed you so much," she was saying as she pulled her head back and cupped his face.
"I've missed you just as much," he retorted, receiving a forceful kiss on his cheek.
"You've lost weight," she observed, squeezing his face in her hands. "You okay?"
"He just pulled a shitty prank on us, he's fine, Chloe," Adam deadpanned.
Chloe dramatically sighed, letting go of his face and rubbing Jesse's arm instead then tilted her head to look at Adam only then noticing Beca.
"You must be Beca," Chloe beamed. Jesse told her he was bringing a friend and that the friend's name was Beca but didn't go into details like she would have liked.
"Chloe," Chloe introduced herself and walked the few feet distance separating her and Beca and pulled the brunette into a hug that surprised Beca in a lot of different ways. "We'll totes get to know each other better," Chloe was saying as she pulled away unfazed with Beca's stiffness.
Beca tried to keep a genuine smile on her face as she held Chloe's gaze, it was hard given the barely tied bathroom: it wasn't just her boobs she could see. She peeked down inevitably and Chloe saw it and didn't seem bothered.
"After we finish what Jesse interrupted," she continued, reaching for Adam's hand and taking it in hers.
"Figured what's for dinner?" Jesse casually asked as Adam and Chloe took the stairs.
"No, but we bought grocery, make something and I might consider making payback merciful," Adam told him over his shoulders.
AN: Your feedback is greatly appreciated so thanks for that... thank you for stopping by and reading.