Authors Note: A day turned into several, sorry for the wait...but here it is finally. A New Chapter!
Once you do surface for air, having to first remove yourself from Stacie's cleavage and then pry Cynthia Rose's death grip off around your neck and amidst the numerous limbs blocking your exit -you do finally manage to pull back and take everyone in- it's then you realize that there's someone missing... you didn't even have to count or really look, one glance and you just know, the one person who had to be missing was Chloe. Of course.
You can't help feeling that there's this unseen force milking these moments that you are apart, for all it's worth.
And you don't want to seem unhappy or unsatisfied or suddenly disappointed at the moment-but it's just that you do. You feel, the whole group doesn't quite feel complete, a vital part, a special someone is missing.
You thought no- you felt ready, prepared, that it was the moment, the one you'd been waiting for-for exactly 5 years.
The Bellas united. Bechloe united, the name, once Jesse had used it had stuck...but you are never going to use it aloud or atleast in front of him. You don't want to see that smug self-satisfied i-told-you-so face.
But right now you need to focus on making everything seem normal, and not filled with utter despair. You should totally cool it with the dramatics.
You turn with what you hope is still a believably happy face to speak with the beautiful and blooming Fat Amy the one who started the whole "group hugging" affair, "Okay awesome nerds enough with the hugging, and time for some Down under fun in the sun. Fat Amy i thought you said that you were gonna show us some Australian hospitality"
"The correct term i used was partyin. You have no idea what you guys are in for, it's gonna be siiiick. Be warned, we are gonna rock your Yankee asses faster than mating dingos in heat"
You've missed Fat Amy and her innate ability to make everything she said sound funny or maybe she just had a direct line to your funny bone, and sometimes what she said didn't even make sense or wasn't even that funny but she never failed to make you smile. "Oh yeah!" the rest of you girls echo and cheer on amidst looking at each other with perplexed looks on each others faces
And it works, for the most part. Being surrounded by the rest of the Bella's-your Bella's.
You really do love these girls, each and everyone of them. No matter how little you say it or even show it. It's always been true, even when you used to act all indifferent and pretended you didn't care about anything at all except perhaps music, and getting to L.A.
They make you feel safe, comforted-that you don't have to try so much that you can just be.. And you feel relief that with them, you don't need to meet all the unrealistic high expectations the kind that are now set on you that comes with being this supposed big shot in the music industry. They don't treat you any differently. You're just Beca.
They let you be you. As a matter of fact they accepted you a long time ago. You're so lucky to have been part of the Bella's. This ragtag acapella group who at first had nothing in common, except perhaps musical ability and you were all rusty, and not completely polished at that, but you came together in the end and became champions. You wouldn't be who you are today... you'd never reach your true potential, never know what you could become without them-without this team.
And you've been the worst friend to them, You hate that you've been neglectful, that you haven't been the best at keeping in touch and because of it you've been missing out on more of these "bonding" moments.
And it had all started when one ginger-haired girl waved you over during an Activities fair that first day at Barden, trying to recruit you.
It was all because of her, she was the one who gave you all of this-these friendships, the memories. She practically hunted you down and you had tried so hard running away, playing hard to get...but she caught you, and you'd never been happier because of it.
And yet you don't want to ask, you can't be the one to ask, so you are grateful when Aubrey brings it up herself-"Oh Chloe's the last one coming in, she stopped by Sydney first and she says she's coming over with a friend"
"boy or girl?" That is the real question isn't it?
"It's a male friend" Aubrey says checking her phone again,
"Ooh wait that's tricky. Do you mean a friend friend or just a guy friend, or the friend with benefits, but if they're traveling to a wedding together hmm ..." Stacie the obvious expert on such things says opening up a whole new topic of interest
You can pretend to be over everything and roll your eyes at them and how much they gossip like you used to whenever they did it back in the old days, but in truth you're not entirely opposed to the topic of said gossip, and you are trying to catch up since you've been out of the loop on everything non-work related.
So what if these were just speculations you needed to know what you're up against.
If there really is someone or something that you are up against.
"It's funny because last i heard, and this from Chloe herself, she's still pretty much single" says Aubrey all final-like, like her word is law, well you should totally believe her, Chloe is after-all her best friend... right?
"Maybe it was something new and not that serious and she didn't want to jinx it by telling you..." Fat Amy says, Oh goodness she could be right
"And- maybe she wanted to introduce him to all of us all in one go "Ashley, Denise and Jessica say all in one go.
"A wedding, she'll bring a new guy to a close-friend's wedding, i actually feel sorry for the guy..." Cynthia Rose says "The Bella sisterhood is a protective one, we'll be on him..."
"like wild male dingos during mating season, and he's the only bitch-" You all turn to look at Fat Amy, "What dingos really fascinate me"
"I guess what Amy was trying to say is that, we'll see if he can measure up" Aubrey says all businesslike.
Oh yeah with all of them here, no guy could really think to pass the girl friends test, could he?
It's like you were quoting the great song by the ultimate girl group the Spice Girls when they once sang,
If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends (Gotta get with my friends) how'd you like that, complete with back up
Make it last forever, friendship never ends
Changing the my to Chloe of course,
Okay that was so Queerballs only several minutes in and the whole acapella thing is rubbing off on you.
"How much longer do you think she'll be? This the only time you allow your curiosity to get the better of you and just ask
Aubrey glances at her iphone "Argh wait her most recent text, just came in- her flight was delayed, she won't be here for another hour at least, she said we can start without them"
"Well we shouldn't let it be a downer and stop us...we'll go ahead, but i really can't let Beca set one more foot into this beautiful country and into the car without getting drunk first."
"I've only been here exactly twenty minutes."
"Then you're already late and need some catching up to do" says Cynthia Rose
"Actually all of us are way behind schedule."
"We'll take you to the closest bar"
"Why wait, we have some shots for you to do-" so that's what they were doing while waiting for you, no wonder. Fat Amy and Cynthia Rose doll out single shot glasses containing a cinnamon coffee gin mixture to everyone else but give you two shot glasses "Here. Cheers everyone!"
You know you should be taking it easy, but now...knowing that Chloe is coming with someone else, some potential maybe-competition or not, but c'mon you just had a panic attack not too long ago, you need something to calm you, you so need the alcohol.
" Fine...Let's do it" You sure you might regret it later on, but whatever you're with your girls, and you're free to do what you want here in the Aussie Outback
"Now, that's what i'm talking about..." Cynthia Rose says, bringing you into one of those one armed semi-headlock hugs. They all forget and you know you hate being reminded of it but you are little and they should treat you gently.
"Oh yeah Acabitches!" Fat Amy hollers-if you didn't think the rest of the innocent airport civilians attentions weren't on your whole group already, it sure is now
"This calls for a sound-off... Bella's hands in" Aubrey says,
"Seriously right here, right now-in front of all these people?" you ask, okay just because you do miss them it doesn't mean you will sacrifice your dignity for them i mean c'mon. You can only take so much in a day.
"Why not-C'mon we haven't seen you in over three years..." Way to make a guilt trip, Stacie
"Fine...on my count" you sigh,
"One...two.."
"Wait on three or after three?"
"Stacie!"
"I'm joking...no really,"
"I dreamed of this moment...The Bella's taking on Australia Oh i'm so happy" Fat Amy says sounding nearly in tears and then everyone's laughing, in titters, they are so on their way to getting drunk already.
"one, two three ahhhhh" you sing , then shout "Let's get drunk"
You should've know they'd take your word...and really make it happen.
A few hours, many drinks and several stops later .. You've officially gone bar hopping- This wouldn't be the most traditional way to tour or really get to know Tasmania,but it's the most fun.
Fat Amy says you've got plenty of time to do all the boring stuff the rest of the week,...well it's practically the same thing you meet the natives albeit more dressed down and more loose and friendly this time of the day, you mean night.
Feels like College all over again,
You tend to drink a lot more whenever you're anxious. It calms you, you suppose that's why it's called liquid courage and maybe it'll be just what you need for when you-know-who, finally shows up
There was this one dream you had, this one came up clearer than most you'd been having- it was a similar setting; a reunion of the Bellas you remember that you were waiting for Chloe to show up-hmm deja vu or what...and when she finally appears, when you see each other- your eyes meeting from across the room-you don't even wait, you pull her aside-You remember the feel of her hand in yours...her following you without hesitation you remember everything being resolved in that one moment all doubts gone. You don't even need to say anything...it's like you both know what this moment would lead to. You remember her taking you in an embrace her whispering she loved you and that she had missed you.
That's what you loved the most about your dreams, everything felt so right you never once second-guessed or doubted yourself. Your actions came easily, almost as if everything had been written somewhere, that it was meant to be... like destiny.
Man you should really get out more, never once in your life have you gotten this drunk this quickly... the room is literally spinning-
Cynthia Rose and everyone else are all blurry... the lights flashing green, red, blue. The noise a mere pounding..you're afraid you've gone deaf.
You realize you really are that drunk, you've become that drunk party girl you never got to be as a teenager; You're everywhere- jumping up and down, banging your head and even singing loudly when they play one of your more famous mixes.
Gone is level-headed, respectable sober Music Producer Beca Mitchell.
right now...
"We got DJ B drunk ya'll"
And they are cheering, and laughing and everything's just bright, fuzzy, disorienting and nauseating mixed all into one.
"Aw Becs come here-Cynthia hey help me, so we can get her to rest for a while" Stacie is pulling you over to lean on her shoulder,
What clued her in that you needed help standing up. Maybe cos you were practically bumping into everything and everyone, tipsy wasn't even enough to describe you right now.
Where's Jesse when you need him you could really use the support right now, you are practically all over Stacie and not in a good way, you'd be crushing her if Denise and the others hadn't stepped in to half-carry you to one of the sofas by your table. They did struggle a bit when you resisted-you are pretty strong if you say so yourself.
"Hey Bec's wait, take it easy...let's just sit down, okay lie down," Lily says pretty loudly as you slump into the sofa face down "-there for a bit i'll get someone to get you water or something"
"Jesse!" your sure your voice is loud enough for anyone to hear "Where is that guy?"
...and you spot him on the dance floor with Aubrey and they're laughing and having a good time with all their giggling and their silly dance moves...okay you admit they'd be cute together...another couple you didn't see happening but hey looking all around you never saw any of it...and yet nothing shocks you now.
The Treble boys had followed in a separate vehicle and caught up with all of the partying a few clubs ago, And everyone all the acaboys, the acagirls and theacainbetweens had paired off one by one.
Donald with Lily
Fat Amy with Benji
Cynthia Rose and Denise
Unicycle and Ashley
Guess opposites do attract
"Hey party animal-what did i say sick right...Tasmanian Devil inside of you just waiting come out there...I always knew you had it in you. But we still have plenty more of this for the days to come so this is us taking it easy on you"
Boo them you are so not ready to stop partying but yeah okay lying down is helping with the stopping of all the spinning...
and hey wait...You think okay you are starting to hear things, like the one name that has constantly been on your mind is being said aloud by everyone around you...and your head is so heavy you can't even turn it to glance around to find red hair and those baby blues.
Argh, Enough Chloe already, you just need a moment, one moment to forget.
Before she comes and tips everything over again.
Hello there full beer bottle, come to Mama and thank you who ever owns this beer, the label was picked clean off, definitely not Stacie's.
"Beca, Chloe's here don't you want to talk and -" Cynthia Rose says when she comes back bringing two glasses of water
"Oh...hide me, please"
"What?"
You quickly duck behind Cynthia Rose just in the nick of time as Chloe finally reaches your table
"Chloe...there you are you late ass ginger and who is this fine gentleman?" You can visibly feel everyone's attention drawn to the new boy. Ooh this is going to be good, you take a peek behind Cynthia Rose's arm.
"Hi, Lucas Paxton, you can call me Luke. You must be Amy. You look as scrumptious as Chloe described you"
Luke, British Luke from freaking College-you gotta be kidding me.
"Ooh okay i Like him-nice one Chloe"
seriously scrumptious he just used an adjective for food on her, she should be offended.
"You seriously don't remember Luke, he went to Barden with us. Funny story actually, we met in a coffee shop the first day i moved to New York. I was feeling really homesick and there was his familiar face we got to talking and...well we've been inseparable ever since.",
Okay this was like some scene out of bad dream oh yes it was-yours...you had to stop this before they ended up married with three red headed little devils disguised as children
Oh god, you hate this guy. Well you've never really found a reason to hate him before even when he called you Becky, or when he took forever to play your mixes, or even when for the first few months working under him he had all his stupid no touching the equipment in the recording booth rule and worse when he had both you and Jesse mindlessly arranging his Cd's.
But now you have found a reason-it's the perfect reason to hate him
"Hi-uh I'm sorry it's short notice and all, i hope you don't mind but Chloe insisted i come..." It's the accent, everyone- every girl no matter how hard they claim to be are suckers for accents-and his was oh so British, so sincere-sounding so freaking polite and well-mannered.
"No, It's alright more eye candy the better that's what i always say, or i would- if i weren't happily engaged to the sweetest, most perfect guy evah" Fat Amy says after she composes herself and remembers her said fiancee is right there
"He is really smoking, and the accent...Chloe better look after him properly unless she wants him to be hunted" You hear Stacie whispering to Fat Amy and the girls and they all giggle, even Cynthia Rose-confirming everything you just said about accents.
Okay, you thought you could count on them to give him a rough time instead they give in so easily and fall all over him and his British charm.
You bolt up quickly feeling something like word vomit threatening to leave your mouth, no it's the sour taste the telltale sign of real actual vomit about to come out.
"Hey do you need help?" Luke says when you nearly topple over and fall to the ground.
"Don't touch me!" you say as you feel strong arms catching, supporting you
"Beca, woah hey what's wrong?" It's Jesse finally back from having fun. He was having fun while you've been lying down feeling like crap. It wasn't his fault-but you needed someone to unleash your anger at...and right now Jesse seemed like the perfect candidate, serves him right for leaving you.
"Bathroom, where's the bathroom... i need the Bathroom-i might puke so you better..."okay everyone parts like the red sea because right now not only are you fuming- banging thing about and a bit hysterical, your overly-emotional and your not sure if anyone even Jesse knows exactly how to deal with you.
It's Chloe who without a word- quickly leads you to the bathroom. figures you were so drunk you didn't even realize you were just a few feet away from it
This is so not the way you'd prefer her to see you again after all these years...you thought that coming from being stuck several hours sleeping in an airplane would be the worst look, but no here you are leaning over one of the bowls feeling the onslaught of alcohol violently leaving your body.
But she's pulling your hair back, dabbing at your face cleaning you up and she's looking at you with that expression again, and your taking in shallow breaths and it's all you can do to keep from crying, from letting her see you this vulnerable, this pathetic just from missing her and seeing her again after all these years.
She even helps carry you over to one of the chairs by the bathroom.
"Chlo i was wondering where you'd gotten...hey it's Becky from Barden right, are you feeling better? Oh please he follows her to the bathroom, stalker much?
"It's Beca-it's Be-ca, Luke...and i'm feeling better...thanks" you can't help the animosity, you can't help but hate his annoyingly handsome face.
"Luke remember Beca Mitchell my-my...friend, one of the Bella's?"
that pause, the hesitation before the word friend... it sobered you up really quickly. It's like Chloe herself confirmed in that pause that she herself wasn't quite so sure of what exactly your role is in her life anymore.
"Oh of course, how could I forget Beca , How come you never corrected me before though?" Luke is regarding you as he would someone he was close and well-acquainted with his smile was wider now, what was that all about? "She's the one who produced and sang the back-up vocals for All I see is Blue-i follow your work quite closely. I always knew you'd make it big... your mixes back in College were unlike anything i've ever heard before. Cynthia Rose worked with you that one track-Jiggle Juice... man her voice was just well it gave me an eargasm, the beats were so sick, Chloe and I listened to all the songs in your album on the way over"
Stop being so nice. You really are determined to hate him, since everyone already seems so fond of him.
You see both Jesse and Aubrey coming your way, Jesse you think is looking to get back in your good graces cos if he couldn't tell by the way you shouted you are more than irked with him, and maybe Aubrey to give you some lecture -but whatever.
You aren't jealous, but why did everyone get to be so freaking happy together? You freaking hate happy couples more so, at the moment.
Chloe was supposed to be with you, you were supposed to have the chance to get close again... then eventually get to woo her-but no, this guy had to come up and just ruin it all-
and the safest thing the most radical out of nowhere thing that you can come up with is to say you're attached too because you don't want to look pathetic all alone while Chloe is all loved up with that English-buffoon.
And without a second's pause-as Jesse and Aubrey step into both Chloe and Luke's sight you spit out
"Well um I'm here with Jes-Jesse you remember him?"
You're sure a flash of something, flashes across all four faces confusion on Chloe, and Luke's, more like annoyance on Aubrey's part and utter shock on Jesse's
Everything feels weird now with everyone just standing there in surprised, more like flabbergasted suddenly tense silence. Jesse, Chloe, Aubrey, and you- and Luke...
You're waiting for someone to crack...
but all that comes is Jesse' voice, your waiting any second, for him to deny it
but what he does say instead, while glancing at you first you can see his left eye twitching, and at the same time extending his hand to Luke is "Jesse Swanson, Beca's boyfriend"
Ooh what now?
Up Next: Dinner Conversations with all the new "couples"
Cue the suspenseful music, speaking of music
One Republic's Counting Stars
Jason Mraz's If it Kills me -helped me write this
Wannabe by the Spice Girls was used in the story as i expect you all to know
