Long time, no see. I know, I went AWOL. Grad school is kicking my ass, I love it, but I had project after project. So that took priority. I did finally finish this chapter after much retweaking. I have the next chapter 95% done, so don't fear a quicker update, if you are still interested! Forgive me, I adore you all! Go see Skylar in 21 and Over as well. Even if just to look at his face.
"Yeah, no…this isn't going to happen," Beca said sternly, her hand slipping the brochure back across the table at a slack jawed Stacie and Fat Amy. Bella practice just ended with the lot of the girls wheezing their goodbyes before leaving. She worked them hard and good before they left for the debauchery known as Spring Break, which was next week.
The two Bellas glared at Beca like their eyes would change her decision. Stacie shoved the brochure right back at her. "Um, yeah it is. Everyone…well the people that love fun, wants to go. It's spring break, Beca, come on."
"Myrtle Beach huh?" She picked up the brochure and looked through it just to shut them up. It was some timeshare Bumper's parents had. Donald was coming up to drive the bus there and Lily had been a little more vocal that whole week in anticipation. Her new found audibility lent to some new sexual facts Beca wished she never knew.
Everyone seemed so excited, except Beca, Jesse, and maybe Benji. Benji was going to some illusion or magician's conference that week.
"You're going to a…magic conference?" Beca picked up one of Benji's bobble heads and watched her two favorite nerds fuss about what Benji was going to pack for his trip. When Jesse first told her Benji was going to a magician's conference, she didn't believe anything like that existed. But Benji seemed really excited about it, so Beca was excited for him.
"It's called Illusion Inclusion. Cool right? I've saved up for years to go. It's technically not a magic conference, because magic is a little more complicated, it's more of a sleight of hand than anything," Benji yapped as he folded his extra cape in a bag. Jesse took out the extra cape, causing Beca to laugh at his antics.
"So, is it magic or like that David Blaine type of stuff?" she asked.
Before Benji could reply, Bumper, who had been spying at the open doorway, spoke up. "Yo, Hogwarts, that 'sleight of hand' shit sounds a lot like masturbation."
Jesse gave an annoyed sigh. "Bumper, dude…"
"Can we help you? Do you just go around lurking in doorways and listening to private conversations?"Beca remarked, her tone flat.
"Yes, and yes," Bumper sneered, and then looked over to Benji. "But seriously bro, that shit will not get you laid. Trust me."
"You would know," Beca muttered to Jesse's amusement.
"I'm trying to help him, unlike you two."
"Yeah, I'm sure you can help with that,"Beca challenged him.
"Let's get something straight, Bumper gets the ladies. Of all sizes, shapes, cultures…widths." He stretched his arms. "Bumper gets laid."
"You know when you talk in the third person, we all think it's weird," Jesse replied.
Bumper's face dropped. "No, weird… is what this dude is doing. Going to magic camp."
Benji turned around, his face full of hurt. "First off, I'll have you know, sleight of hand is world renowned. There are shows in Vegas built around the art of illusion."
"Whatever you say, Harry Potter. Only magic I care about is, making panties disappearrrrrrr," Bumper replied in a sing song voice, doing a stupid dance in the doorway. "So…let me guess you're not coming with us to the beach?"
Benji shook his head.
"Good," Bumper looked over to Jesse. "What about you? Wanna go out in the sun and sand?"
Beca wouldn't forget the deer in headlights look Jesse gave before he abruptly turned back to packing Benji's bag and mumbled his response. "No…I'm going…on a train…somewhere."
"Dude, if you say Platform Nine and three quarters or some J.K. Rowlings weird shit like that, I'm done with you too," Bumper announced.
"And yet…you know so many little details!" Beca hissed, still a little jarred by Jesse's response.
Bumper gave one last sneer, turning to leave as he stated, "I may or may not have banged the girl's Quidditch captain last year…"
Magician's Conference. Jesse, however, was being very vague about his spring break plans. Now Beca was intrigued by her boyfriend's secretive nature. Where was he going? What was so damn secretive he couldn't just say it? Looking at the brochure Stacie gave her, she wondered why Jesse wouldn't want to go frolick at Bumper's stupid beach house with the rest of their friends.
She doesn't want to disappoint her girls, but she really didn't want to go. It felt off to her for the Trebles to invite them anyway, and when Fat Amy first told her, all Beca could focus on was the annoying sadistic smirk set on Bumper's face. She'd just have to be the little anti-social alt girl she was and give this one a hard pass.
"In the interest of being nosey, who's going?"
"Me," Stacie said, laying her hand on her clavicle. "I just got this cute little thong bikini…"
Beca was amused that Stacie did not see Fat Amy cut her eyes as she went on to describe the offensive string she wanted to call swimwear.
Fat Amy laid melodramatically across the piano. "Stacie, shut up. No one cares about your dental floss bikini. Anyway…I'm going, Lily, Reagan, Ashley-"
"Looks fun. And the answer, is still no," Beca replied with a shrug. She slipped the brochure back at her friends. "I'm sure it'll be one giant fucking orgy I'll be glad to miss."
"You're not going because Jesse is going home or somewhere else for Spring Break, admit it?" Stacie chided.
"We're not that kind of couple," Beca shrugged. "He has plans and like I said, my dad and I are gonna hang out. I'm totally fine with that. But seriously, go have fun, don't die of alcohol poisoning or get an STD or anything. I need you guys in top shape for Finals."
"Every time you say no to fun, a new Hooter's waitress starts her shift. Think of that next time," Fat Amy shook her head in resignation. "Think of the children, Beca."
"Still a giant NO."
As the pair dejectedly walked away, Beca bit her lip. She wasn't second guessing her decision not to go and witness the awkward body melding of the Trebles and Bellas. No, her mind wandered to her boyfriend and his elusive plans. It was true, Jesse's super-secret Spring Break away from the Trebles and Beca, only made her feel even lonelier, even though she did not want to spend six days (or six minutes) watching the two groups make out or screw each other while her other half was…doing something, somewhere else.
Where the fuck was he going for Spring Break? She had to get it out of him somehow.
She would formulate her plan on her way back to her room. As she packed her bag, Beca got a text from Jesse.
Hey. Meet me outside. Spy stuff. I'm hiding in the bushes.
Beca tossed her bag over her shoulder and walked out to see Jesse leaning against the stone building, trying to act coy.
"I want to take you on an adventure," He took her hand and they walked for a minute, stopping in front of a familiar building.
"To the dining hall?" Beca said, flatly. "Wow, you know how to woo a girl."
"What? No, we just walked this way," Jesse rambled before taking a deep breath. "Okay, I'm nervous, because I want to give you something, ask you something. And if you say no…I'm probably going to go drown myself in the fountain."
"You need help moving a dead body?"
Jesse looked at her with an air of seriousness she rarely sees and Beca's not sure anymore what's happening. Then he reached into his bag and produced a folded brochure.
"What's this?" she asked, taking it and seeing it was a slip cover for a train ticket. She read it slowly, her eyes roaming over the print but her mind seemed to disconnect and not realize what she was reading.
Amtrak Ticket
Rebecca Mitchell
ATL to NYC
Train: 695
One Reserved Coach Seat
"Wait….w-what's this?" she asked with a shaky voice.
"Your train ticket. To New York. With me…for spring break," Jesse said, his Adam's apple bobbed as his words seemed strangled.
Beca's eyes ripped from the ticket to his face, his eyes looking a bit fearful, searching for her response. Jesse looked so vulnerable, almost childlike as he watched her reaction.
He continued to speak to fill the stunned silence between them as Beca continued to look at the ticket. "So…I basically used all the money I made working at the radio station. The train, hotel, food, and stuff, I got covered. I saved some Christmas money and I might have promised my dad I would paint the garage this summer if he gave me an advance- but I'd like to take you to a play on Broadway. And maybe…you can show me around since…you used to live there. We can go see your old friends…we could do nothing, I mean, whatever you want…"
She was still speechless, her tongue failed to move, her cheeks red, and her eyes were a little too fucking watery. This guy, her guy, got her a train ticket to New York. New York. Sure, they had been to New York for competition, but they rarely stayed more than a day or two. She remembered her promise to see New York with him on their terms. Now she's ready.
He was staring at her for some kind of confirmation, but there was nothing. "Um, so…okay. I'm going to go do that drowning thing now."
"Stop…y-you…did this…I…" she stuttered, because it's rare she doesn't have a quick or snarky reply at hand. She's usually calm, composed and witty as hell, but right now, Jesse Swanson was able to make her forget the English language.
"I just want to take you somewhere," he said softly.
She's going to New York to spend spring break with the best got damn guy in the whole fucking world. She launched herself at him, kissing his lips. When she pulled back, Jesse was smiling. "You sure you don't want to go Myrtle Beach?"
Jesse's expression became serious. "I'd rather spend my week with you, not begging Bumper to put pants back on. One condition though."
"Conditions. Okay, what?"
"We don't mention the Finals. We don't argue. We have lots and lots of naked time, and...we go see Book of Mormon."
"One of these things is not like the other."
"Say yes?!" he squeezed her tighter.
"Fine! But...the no arguing thing...I can't promise."
"As long as you're naked, I really won't care." Her response to that was a punch to his arm.
The idea of going away with Jesse was both exhilarating and horrifying. They had spent time together before, sleep overs (where sleep is rarely involved) at Barden and the summer when they visited each other, but they never went away from their comfort zones. At first, her father wasn't too happy to hear that his daughter would be staying in a hotel room with her boyfriend in New York, but even her father knew how much she missed it.
"How do I know you're not going to be holed up in some hotel room having sex and doing drugs all week?"
"Dad, it's Jesse. I mean, we might go score meth, but nothing crazy."
"Don't be funny," her dad frowned. "Besides, I was looking forward to taking you to the zoo next week. Make a family thing out of it."
"This might sound shocking but I'm nineteen years old. So, no to the zoo. I'm going, Dad. I'm going because I'm an adult…sort of and this is the nicest thing that he's ever done for me. I want to show Jesse around New York."
Her dad was quiet for a while, and stared at her with an intense concentration for a moment before realizing she was right. "Just…don't get pregnant. Or do drugs. And check in daily. And...don't get pregnant."
"You said that already," Beca huffed.
"I don't think I can ever say it enough."
"I get it. I can handle that request. But you know…it is New York, anything is possible," Beca muttered and her father's face fell before she shook her head. "It's a joke. I was joking. No one's getting pregnant. In fact, I just wished away my uterus. Oh, can we get a ride to the station?"
The hotel was nice enough. They had no fear of being shanked or robbed, so that was a plus. Beca was impressed with Jesse's ability to use Travel Advisor. He knew very little about New York City, and she could appreciate his new found wonder and his naiveté for getting into tourist traps. But the fact he planned this trip, for months, was enough for her to not give him a hard time.
"It has a nice bed," Jesse said suggestively, plopping down on the fluffy white duvet.
Beca dropped her bag and looked at her boyfriend try to pathetically lay in a seductive pose. "Hey, fun fact. Did you know, most hotel beds don't get laundered properly, thus right now, you're sitting on all types of semen, urine, and blood?"
Jesse jumped abruptly off, a terrified look on his face. "Well…I wasn't that horny anyway."
He pulled out his phone and laughed. "So I texted your dad and my mom to let them know we're here. You dad texted back-Try to get out of the hotel room. Wow...yeah, that's not awkward."
They walked out into the New York breeze, the city she remembered bustling around them. She remembered this vaguely, her life had been taken up so much with Barden, it takes her a minute to adjust to her New York self. She pointed out a few touristy things she knew Jesse would appreciate, which he did because he's a nerd.
Bumper never let the Trebles go far from the hotel when they visited the Lincoln Center, besides, the competition was always on a Saturday and it took all most of the next Sunday to drive back to campus. Beca understood, Aubrey practically packed them back in the van right after their competition, though she was kind enough to let them stop by a few touristy spots for picture taking. So she felt honored Jesse wanted to really experience New York with her.
They ate greasy New York pizza and stopped in a few shops. Jesse looked like a kid in a candy store as they watched a few sidewalk entertainers do their thing.
"He did a backflip while playing the drums. How is that even possible?"Jesse kept turning back to look, but Beca was tired and wanted to go back to the room.
"He's a ninja," Beca looped her arm in his as they walked back to the hotel; Jesse was grinning the entire time.
His smile was contagious. She loved him. She loved him for not just doing this, but for caring enough to do it. Because guys his age don't normally think to surprise their girlfriends with trips. Because guys like Jesse don't usually fall for girls like Beca, or at least she thought. She did everything she could to brush him off and there he stayed, regardless. He took her for all she was, sarcastic, edgy, awesomely bitchy- all of that, and he just rolled with it. She's grateful, she truly is. She thought of how much in love she was with this brown haired boy who got excited that their hotel bathroom had a shower head that was actually OVER their head, and she decided she'd strip off her clothes and go test out the water spray with him.
"Water conservation," she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek in between his shoulder blades.
When she told them she had plans to show him New York as she knew it, the look on his face was that of amusement. After all, they had done so many other touristy things. They went to see The Book of Mormon, and Beca could barely concentrate for watching Jesse's reaction. He lit up like a Christmas tree at the appearance of the stage and Beca felt her heart beat a little faster at his love for score. So a few days of nonstop planned activities had passed, and Beca wanted to show Jesse the real New York, the scene that got her involved in music.
"Look at me, eating a real New York vendor hot dog," he chewed and grinned like an idiot at her.
Beca nodded, "Watch out everyone, we're working with a bad ass right here. Eating from a suspect food truck and everything."
Jesse cut his eyes at his sarcastic girlfriend and took another big bite of his hot dog. "Seriously Bec, this hot dog...is probably the best thing I've ever eaten."
"That's not sad at all," she sighed, looking at her new text from Amy.
Ashley's gag reflex (or lack of) is amazing!
Beca frowned. "I don't even want to know what that means."
"Wha-?" Jesse asked, shoving the rest of his hot dog in his mouth.
"Nothing," Beca shook her head at him, and then smiled. "Hey, dog boy, wanna go out tonight?"
"Sure, where to?"
"Just, a place I know."
He sipped his soda and eyed her suspiciously. "The night's not going to end with us running around the city, looking for some strange band, is it?"
"Wait, I know this one. What's that movie with the goofy kid you made me watch?"
Jesse glared at her. "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. And Michael Cera is not goofy. You respect the god of geeks, got it?"
Beca apologized and convinced Jesse they should go to Pacha, a club she used to illegally frequent. They went back to the hotel for some downtime and after a dinner of pizza, decided to get ready.
"Ya know, I noticed something," She heard Jesse's voice from the bathroom. He was looking in the mirror, spiking his hair. Beca bounced around the room, struggling to put on her spiked boots.
"That you require more mousse in your hair than I do?"
He stuck his head out of the door and glared at her. "No, smart ass. And it's the only way to control these curls. Anyway...I was saying, I noticed that you haven't made plans with any old friends. We can totally see them if you want. It's your week too, you know."
Beca smiled from her seat on the bed. "No. I wouldn't even know how to get in touch. I mean, you know I loathe social media, and you had to force me to use Twitter...so I think I keep up with them enough to know I've got enough friends at Barden."
Jesse seemed satisfied with that answer. It was true; Beca's life before Barden, as interesting as it was, was not one she wanted to merge with her new life. When she was forced to move to DC, she was angry and bitter, and never took the time to really say goodbye or keep in touch. Ironic, since her friends were her escape during her parent's divorce. Beca didn't worry about missing her old friends. She had reverted into herself, instead of letting her friends know where she was going, she just let the friendships end. Not that they cared much. When she came to Barden, she finally got a taste of real healthy friendship and she was fine with that.
Once dressed, Beca and Jesse hailed a cab and went to Pacha. The line to get inside wrapped around the building, so the couple patiently waited. Beca kept promising it was worth it, that Jesse hadn't danced until he danced at Pacha. He seemed skeptical but she'd turn him, she was sure. Jesse stood behind her in the line, his warmth against her back, and she reveled in the way his hands protectively encircled her small hips. He had nice hands, but the past few days she'd grown to appreciate them as they trailed all over her.
He leaned down to her ear, "This is swanky."
Beca leaned back against him. "Did you just use the word 'swanky'?"
She could feel him smiling behind her. "Nope."
Before she could toss out a sarcastic remark, her phone buzzed, and Beca looked to see it was another text from Amy.
Stupid drunk. Lily did a karaoke song about a blow job. Stacie got a tattoo in her no-no place. TTYL.
She showed it to Jesse. "Well they are certainly having fun down there."
"They have a very different definition of fun," Beca said, putting her phone in her pocket as the line moved.
"Well I'm glad we came to New York," he said, kissing the side of her face. "I could only imagine the noises coming out of Bumper's room."
"Ew. Stop. Don't put that image in my brain."
They got in fairly easy once they reached the door; the bouncer didn't care how old you were as long as you looked attractive. He didn't tag them as underage, hence why Beca liked this club, no one seemed to give a fuck. The music was offensively loud, just the way Beca remembered it. Pacha was one of those clubs that played everything. She guided Jesse around the club, tugging him by hand past the multitude of sweaty guys, and scantily dressed women.
"Let's get a drink," she yelled back, and his hand gripped hers tighter.
They got to the bar and Beca ordered two shots. Just like she remembered, no one asked for ID. She handed one to Jesse and he looked at her with a twinkle in his eye and downed it. Beca let the warmth hit her veins, and she leaned over to Jesse, practically yelling in his ear, "Wanna dance?"
Jesse looked surprised. It was some awful house music but she wanted to get sweaty and offensively dirty dance with her boyfriend. She ordered another shot for them, and this time Jesse took it like a champ before she grabbed his hand and moved him to the dance floor, her arms waving in the air as she carelessly bounced around. She could tell Jesse loved seeing her like that, free, happy, and dancing. Usually she stands back and scolds the playlist of the deejay, but she's in fucking New York City with her boyfriend, why wouldn't she dance?
The beat was hard, the dark and the flashes of light just made her feel uninhibited. She moved with the sound of the bass and sweat beaded on her brow. Jesse was up against her, and she closed her eyes and just felt the music and his skin. She was in heaven right now...if heaven smelled like cigarettes and had awesome acoustics.
A few more songs, and they both were a sweaty hot mess. Jesse went to get some beers, and Beca stood on the side, watching the deejay taking requests from the crowd. She wished she was up there, playing her own mixes, getting the crowd hype. Jesse came back, handing her a beer, and to Jesse's amusement, Beca nearly downed it in one gulp. Beca knew it was a mix of the dancing, and the heat, but also being in New York that allowed her to be so open, so unguarded. She swayed a bit, not used to drinking much, but there Jesse was, steady against her, pushing her hair aside and leaning her back against his chest.
They watched the crowd dance for awhile and Jesse suggested she drink water to cool off. Jesse walked back to the bar and the music changed. Beca stood against the wall, but she wasn't drunk. Tipsy, maybe, high from being with Jesse and smelling his cologne. Good, he smelled good. She noticed that all week, how good he smelled as they laid in the white hotel sheets, her face burrowed in the crook of his neck while they slept, his arms wrapped around her, protective, loving.
She looked for him over at the bar, he was getting their bottled water. He's always worried about her. Always trying to make sure she was okay. When she came to Barden, she had no intention on falling in love...or talking to people at all. Her only hope was that she'd get kicked out and her father would buy her that ticket to L.A. But since that first day in radio station, she's been irrevocably bound to Jesse, even when she fought against it. And it's here, on the sweaty dance floor in New York, she's resigned to wanting to just call him her soulmate, even though the whole idea is weird and way too intense for a nineteen year old to handle. But she doubted she could be in love with anyone like she loves him, even so young. Suddenly, she wasn't in the mood to dance anymore, she was suddenly horny as fuck.
Jesse approached with two bottles of water, but Beca didn't want to dance anymore. She grabbed his arm and tugged him back into the night air of New York and they were in a cab, headed back to the hotel. Beca was super quiet the whole cab ride. Jesse kept looking over at her, wanting to know if something happened, if he did anything wrong. The cabbie's music was tantalizing, making the situation even more intense for Beca, and even though Jesse wasn't sure what make of her abruptly yanking him from Pacha, she was pretty certain she was going to fuck his brains out back at the hotel. The Weeknd's Wicked Games blared from the radio, and Beca closed her eyes and let the words enter her brain. Jesse was gonna get it, for sure.
I got my heart right here
I got my scars right here
Bring the cups baby, I could bring the drink
Bring your body baby, I could bring you fame
And that's my motherfucking words too
Just let me motherfucking love you
With her eyes still closed, Beca reached across the seat of the cab and intertwined her fingers with Jesse. She could feel him staring at her, and she wondered if he only knew how wound up she was right now.
After Jesse paid the cab driver, they rode the torturously slow elevator to their room. He licked his lips as he watched the numbers change. When he did that, it just made her hornier. She wanted to jump him there, if there wasn't an old couple in there with them. They approached the room door and Jesse pulled out his card, and looked her oddly. She knew she was acting weird, not speaking, but she wanted him so bad, she felt like she was going to start saying really crazy stuff that was too dirty for the hall of the nice hotel they were in. Best to get inside. Inside the room, Jesse walked in, turning to look at her.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded silently, shutting and locking the door behind her. "Yep," she shrugged. "I'm just...going to wash up."
He just stared at her for a moment, before making a small sound. Beca whisked past him to the bathroom, she wanted to wash the smell of cigarette smoke and sweat off of her before she started to seduce her unsuspecting boyfriend. Beca locked the door for good measure and stripped down, before turning on the shower. She let the water hit her, and sober her up a little, because she wanted every cell of hers to be fully aware of what she was about to do with Jesse. Sure they have had sex plenty during the week, but she just really wanted to make love to him. She wanted to initiate it, wanted to be the one to make him weak in the knees.
Out of the shower, Beca grabbed the towel and dried herself off. She let the steam around her dissipate before she took one more look in the mirror. Time to be a siren, Beca Mitchell. She thought of all the pep talks Chloe had given her about being confident in moments like these. In a way, those talks had been preparing her for this. Sure, she'd seen Jesse naked before, but she'd never taken control and pushed his buttons this way. But, being here with him in New York, not thinking of the Finals, or anything, she's just focused on him. Unlocking the door, she saw Jesse was sitting on the edge of the bed. He looked up at her and gave a small smile, which faded when she dropped her towel. His adam's apple bobbed up and down along his masculine neckline, and she slowly walked over to him, not breaking eye contact. Beca stepped between his legs, and he looked up at her with those big brown eyes.
"Hey."
"Hi," he said, softly.
Beca didn't smile, didn't lighten the moment as her finger trailed his jawline. He just kept looking at her like some mystical creature. He did that the first time they had sex, like if he blinked or spoke, she'd turn into a puff of smoke. Her finger dropped to the the buttons of his shirt and she began to slowly unbuttoned each. She pushed the shirt down only around his bare shoulders, letting her hands trail down his clavicle and to the fine hairs on his chest. Jesse inhaled deeply, reaching for her, his hands delving into her hair and pulling her lips to his. She allowed it, momentarily, but she remembered she was supposed to be in charge.
She pulled back and Jesse whimpered.
Her hands slid his shirt completely off. "Lay back."
He did as she commanded, closing his eyes as his back hit the duvet. Beca's hand made quick work of his belt and then his zipper. She pulled his pants off, and then his boxers. They were both fully exposed now, and the sound of the traffic outside, and the buzz of air vent was all that filled the room, but Jesse's breathing was amplified by all of that. She'd never given a blow job before, never wanted to. The idea of a penis in her face was never appealing. Stacie talked about it enough; Beca just never saw why anyone would want that, like...in their mouth. Jesse seemed to enjoy giving her oral sex, and she enjoyed accepting it, but now, after this wonderful week with him, she wants to do this with him.
She leaned down, and his breathing became shaky as her mouth wrapped around him, her lips in a soft 'o'.
"Fuck," he murmured. "Oh my god."
That sounded like a good reaction. She bobbed slowly, and her hands wrapped around his base. That went on for a few minutes, Beca tried different paces and it seemed to be working, she could hear Jesse muttering curses under his breath, before he reached down and pushed himself up.
"Beca?"
She looked at him, wondering if she did something wrong. She wasn't very practiced, but she thought things were going pretty well. "Yeah?"
"I love you," he said softly, and he reached out for her, pulling her on the bed with him. She felt his soft plump lips trail across her skin as she gasped her own "I love you" into the air.
She was tired and whoever was making her phone buzz like that, at whatever fucking time it was, was going to die. Jesse's arm was draped across her and she finally sat up, rubbed her eyes, and grabbed her phone.
"What?" she hissed. The barrage of crying from the other end made her wake up. "Wait, Ashley? Calm down...is everyone okay?...What happened?"
Jesse began to stir, and he looked at her as she pushed off the bed, wearing one of his wife beaters.
"Whoa...hold...He did what?! Where is Amy?"
Jesse looked at the clock, it was three o'clock in the morning. They'd only been asleep for twenty minutes.
"They locked all of you out the house?... Did you call Donald?... Tell Lily to call Donald!...What do you mean he turned off his phone?...Donald wouldn't...Is that Stacie?...Tell her to drive safely, it's early still...What the fuck is a mass dumping?"
At that, Jesse sat up and watched Beca pace at the foot of the bed. Something about his eyes made her stop and look at him as Ashley went on to tell her Bumper broke up with Fat Amy, Donald broke up with Lily, and Brendan blew off Reagan, and then they kicked the girls out of the house. Jesse's face said it all. Jesse knew...it dawned on her. Jesse knew they had planned this, for whatever reason, they planned this fucked up mind game of dumping the girls right before the Finals and embarrassing them by having their stuff sitting outside the beach house when they got back from dinner. The girls thankfully had driven their own van, and were on their way back to school. And Jesse, her Jesse, was sitting here, looking at her with this guilty look on his face. It was just too much.
"Call me when you get there okay? Call me," she hung up but she never broke eye contact with Jesse.
"You knew." She wasn't asking. She could tell he knew.
He looked as if he wanted to deny it, but he wasn't going to lie to her. He closed his eyes, "Bumper had this stupid idea that if we all broke up with the Bellas at the same time, you'd be too shaken to compete in Finals or something stupid like that. Donald didn't want to do it at first, but...you know, distance between him and Lily made things a little easier. Brendan just does whatever Bumper wants."
Beca's blood began to boil. She knew that troll fucker would do this. Fat Amy was probably devastated, because she genuinely liked that pompous asshole. Then, there was Jesse. What was his part in this? "And what about you? What's your part in this? To break up with me too?"
He looked shocked she even had to ask. "No. I love you. You know I do, and of course, I said no. I didn't want us in all of that, so I planned to be as far away from that shit as possible."
"So that's what this trip was for?"
"No! I planned this for months. I wanted to do this for you!"
She looked at him incredulously. "You could have warned them. They're my friends. They're your friends too!"
Jesse looked down and played with the sheet. "You're right. I...I just...I just knew, unlike them, I wasn't willing to lose you over some stupid singing competition."
Beca shook her head. "You should have told me. I could have warned them what those assholes were planning. Lily...Amy...Reagan. You should have told me, Jesse!"
Jesse moved to get up. "Look, I was going to, okay? I didn't think they would really do it! I was like, who thinks of fucked up shit like that? I would never hurt you. Ever. I wasn't even sure they would do it!"
Beca stepped away from him, hurt filling her eyes. "You should have told me. And you did hurt me. You let my friends get hurt."
"Beca-"
"You should have said something," she stomped to the bathroom and slammed the door.
The Weeknd- Wicked Games
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Up next...Finals.
***Also I did some editing. I re-watched the movie and completely forgot they go to the Lincoln Center for their Finale. Maybe I was too busy looking at Skylar Astin's face to pay attention. Anyway, I went back to chapter one and had to edit a few things, doesn't change the story much but it sets up for this. Sorry for the change, I just like staying with the details.