of showers and activity fairs
hi hi hi! hope ya like it so far! and i do not own the exquisite literature mentioned in this chapter! or any movies or tv shows. this ones longer, so sorry if its too long!
Aubrey
The lunchroom at the Waltham Middle school was a crowded place. Dozens of middle schoolers hustled and bustled about, eating their peanut butter sandwiches and talking about the latest episode of spongebob. Everyone knew everyone there so no one sat alone. Except for one little girl. She was the new student there, just in from New york. It was the third time that year alone that the family had moved. She thought she would be used to the constant moving by now, but no one ever gets used to constantly starting over fresh. Little Aubrey Posen decided early on that she didn't have time for friends, and it would be best if she didn' t have any to loose to begin with.
The bell for recess signaled the release of all the little monsters to the playground. Aubrey grabbed her book-bag and new favorite book and went to her special spot near the playground. It was underneath the fire stairs on the building across from the playground. It was quiet and no one else sat there, so she could read in peace. She opened her story, eager to see where the heroic feline Fireheart was adventuring off to now. He was just entering riverclan territory when
"Hi!"
Aubrey was startled by the extremely overbearing voice. She glanced up from her reading to see a little red-head smiling cheek to cheek at her. The strange girl waved excitedly and repeated herself "Hi!"
Aubrey smiled faintly.."Um, hi there."
"Can i sit with you?"
Aubrey thought the girl was nice, but her "no friend policy" stopped her from saying yes.
"Well," aubrey began, "i was reading and - "
"Reading what?!" The redhead cut her off and plopped down by Aubrey's side. "Oooh Warriors! i love those books! Which one is this?"
Aubrey was shocked at the girls forwardness. It was unlike any other person she had met.
"This is the one where Fireheart and graystripe save riverclan from flooding. not sure what else happens yet. I haven't gotten that far."
"oh yah! Tigerclaw is definitely a bad guy. "
Aubrey smiled. I guess she wasn't kidding..she thought to herself. "yah. i think Longtail might be in on it too."
"Ohh maybe maybe! I never thought of that."
There was a bit of an awkward silence as the redhead sat smiling at Aubrey. "OH!" she began, suddenly having realized she never introduced herself. "I'm Chloe. Chloe Beale."
"Aubrey. Aubrey Posen."
"That's a nice name. Ya know Aubrey, i think we are going to be life long friends."
Aubreys smile faded. "i hope so Chloe." The young girl knew she would probably just move away in a year and she'd never see the girl again, but she didnt want to be depressing, so she just smiled politely and went back to reading.
As it would turn out, Aubrey's plan for distancing herself from this girl failed miserably. They had all their classes together, and Chloe made sure to move her seat next to Aubreys in every single class. Chloe made it a point to introduce her new best friend to her whole family and give her a full tour of the house during the first week of the friendship. Before she knew it, Aubrey was spending every weekend having sleepovers at Chloe's. They had so much in common. Sometimes they would listen to music and dance in the rain, other times they'd just eat ice cream and watch gossip girl or aquamarine. Chloe introduced her to Avatar and Teen Titans. She'd never tell her father, but she really liked those shows. Their all time favorite however, was Kim Possible.
"I want to be like Kim when i get older. She can do anything! I mean she gets good grades and fights off bad guys like Drakken and Shego at the same time!'
Chloe laughed "I think i want to be rufus."
"Rufus?" Aubrey asked?
"Yah. he gets free rides in a cute guys pocket and all he does is eat and look cute."
Aubrey shook her head. " Wow, you have such high aspirations for yourself don't you?"
Chloe shrugged. "Well, yah i guess. I'm not like you. I'm not super smart or super pretty."
Aubrey was shocked. "Chloe, you get just as good grades as i do, and your absolutely beautiful!"
Chloe pursed her lips. "I guess. People make fun of me cuz' im a ginger. they always tell me i have no soul or that i'm a freak." She started to cry.
Oh no oh no! aubrey panicked. She wasn't good at comforting people. Her father never let her cry, and if she did he would just yell at her to toughen up. She put her arm around Chloe.
"You shouldn't listen to them. i mean, Kim possible is ginger and look at her go! And besides, if you don't have a soul you have room to take theirs. That'll freak em out!"
Chloe looked up at Aubrey, sniffling slightly. Aubrey offered a weak smile.
"Ya know Aubrey," sniff sniff, "you aren't very good at this." Aubreys heart fell. "But i love you anyway." The two girls smiled and laughed long into the night. As they began falling asleep, Aubrey decided she had something to share.
"Hey chlo?"
"yah" a sleepy voice replied.
"We're gunna be best friends forever." Aubrey slept peacefully that night.
But her solitude fell apart as soon as she went home. Her father was seated at the kitchen table, reading the paper and drinking coffee. Her mother was still at work at the firm.
"Hi daddy." She said.
"Hello dearest. "he spoke flatly, eyes never leaving the news. "ya know the company is expanding."
"Oh..that's nice." Aubrey may have been young, but she knew what was coming next.
"Yup. Setting up a new branch in Ontario."
"Canada?"
"Yes. I think its best if we head out there so i can manage the firm. I don't trust any of these other airheads to do it."
Aubrey felt tears falling down her face. " So we're moving again? We haven't even been here a year yet!"
Her father slammed his fist on the table. "Dammit Aubrey we have talked about this!" He yelled." Stop your pathetic sniffling this instant. The company needs us in Ontario and its what i think is best."
Aubrey knew she shouldn't yell back but she couldn't contain herself. "exactly. its always about what YOU think, never what mom or I think. Im tired of moving! Everytime i'm finally happy and settled you decide we need to leave. IM DONE." Aubrey tore past him up the stairs to her room.
"Young lady get down here right now! Aubrey Marie Posen!"
"NO. IM NOT LISTENING TO YOU. LEAVE ME ALONE!" With that Aubrey collapsed onto her bed and cried.
Meanwhile, Deborah Posen was just coming home from her work at the real estate agency. She entered the kitchen and saw her husband sitting with his face in his hands.
"Oh Mark. " she frowned, wrapping her arms around him. "Did something happen at the company?"
He took a sip of his coffee, knowing that she would react much the same way his daughter had. "Deb, the company needs us to move to Ontario."
"Mark no."
"Deb, we don't have a choice."
"Of course we do! You own the company! You can live anywhere you want. You don't have to leave but you always do. I understand it i do. You care about the company and i respect that, but you need to care about the family more. We aren't moving."
Mark sighed. He truly did care about his family, but the business was his legacy. His father had passed Posen enterprises on to him and trained him to always put it first. There was no exceptions. ever.
"Im sorry Deb, but i have to go, whether you guys come with me or not."
"Mark you can't do that. You can't leave us behind."
"You and Aubrey need to stay. I will go to Canada. I'll stay in touch, i promise."
Deborah sighed. there was no way to change his mind and she knew it. "Just, please don't stay away too long."
He was gone the next day, and despite how much she missed him, Aubrey had never been happier. She was staying, and she wouldn't have to start over again.
Years passed, and she and Chloe stayed close. They both attended Waltham High and had almost all their classes together. They were inseperable. Aubrey didn't talk to anyone else. Her father would check in every month to ensure her grades were still up. He disapproved of all the time she spent with Chloe, but he never addressed it.
Everything was okay, until college. Aubrey applied to multiple colleges, and got accepted to all of them. Her father wanted her to go to Yale and continue the Posen Legacy, but Aubrey had other plans. She wanted to go to Barden with Chloe.
It was like a flashback to her childhood when she entered her kitchen. There he sat again, coffee and newspaper in hand.
"Dad?"
"Yes Aubrey." He said, not looking up.
"I got accepted to all the colleges i applied to." There was no congratulations, only silence.
She continued, "I've decided where i want to go."
He looked up at her. " Excellent. Not that there really were any other options. As a Posen the only clear choice is - "
"I'm going to Barden."
Mark's eyebrow rose. "Excuse me?"
Aubrey took a deep breath. " I said that i want to go to Barden."
"Oh really?" He spoke disapprovingly. "And why is that?"
"I really like it there. It's a very nice campus with lots of extracurricular activities, and they have an excellent business program. I think that it is an excellent venue for the ideal college experience."
"And this has nothing to do with your obsession with the Beale's girl?"
"Dad what are you talking about?"
He sighed and stared her down. "You spend all your time with her. When you aren't with her physically your talking to her or about her. It's unhealthy. And your grades have slipped."
"My grades haven't slipped dad i have all A's."
Mark got up and walked over to the counter. He picked up a sheet of paper from it and brought it to Aubrey. It was her most recent report card. He pointed to her ap calculus grade. "What number is that?"
She looked. "a 92."
"Exactly. That's an A - , not an A. You had a 95 at the beginning of the year."
"Ok well a 92 isn't bad."
"That's just the kind of talk i expect from you! I dont know how you even got into Yale with grades like this. "
"Sorry to dissapoint you dad!" She yelled back sarcastically.
"Ya know what? Your just a load of disappointment. You have been since you were born."
That was the first time Aubrey stress vomited.
That was the end of that discussion. Aubrey was 18 and done with letting him dictate her life. She opened a separate bank account and put her own money into paying for college. Mrs. Beale helped as well, despite Aubreys protests. She was off to Barden. Her and Chloe bought an apartment just off campus together. Chloe quickly discovered that Barden was big into a capella and had an all girl group, the bellas, that was looking for new members. Aubrey was rearranging the living room when she burst in.
"Oh bree lets join!"
"Hey Chlo, great thanks, i've just been rearranging the house for us. Sure i'd love lunch!"
Chloe put her bag down and ran over to her. "Oh shut it bree. I'm serious here."
Aubrey smiled. "Okay, what exactly then should we join."
"The Barden Bellas!"
The name was vaguely familiar to Aubrey. "They sing right?"
"yah! it seems like fun! Please join with me! It'll be so great."
Aubrey tilted her head judgingly. Chloe pouted in response.
"FIne. Fine Chloe you win. I'll try it with you. But you owe me lunch."
Chloe squealed in joy. She grabbed Brees hand and pulled her out the door.
"Wait Chloe! i'm not ready!"
"Too Bad!
The pair took off laughing down the hallway.
...
three years later
Chloe opened the door to her apartment. She ripped her tanktop off and went to the fridge to grab a water. She'd just come back from the gym and was in need of a shower.
"Bree? You home?"
"Yah. i'm in here."
Chloe walked into the den to see Aubrey on the couch looking at a book.
"Is that our scrapbook?'
"Yup." Aubrey patted to the cushion next to her on the couch. "i was just reminiscing of all our good times together. " She pointed to a picture of the duo in Times Square, comedically pointing at a poster of Ryan Reynolds. "And some not so great ones..." She pointed to a picture of them the first year they joined the Bellas.
Chloe laughed. " yah that was something else. i've never done so much cardio in my life!"
"but we did get in shape!"
Chloe smiled. "Can't argue with that." She looked at her friend. Aubrey sat staring at all the old Bellas photos.
"Look bree, i know your worried, -"
"I messed it all up for us Chloe. I puked on stage in the middle of my solo. "
Chloe wrapped her arm around her. "Bree, its all in the past now. We all have demons we have to face, but we can't let them beat us. You just have to smile and keep trying."
Aubrey knew Chloe was speaking from experience. "You're right Chlo. We can do this. The activities fair starts in an hour and there we will get to work on the new bellas."
Chloe got up from the couch. "See! that's a good attitude! Let's keep that!"
"Go shower. You smell."
"aauuubbreeeeeyyyyyy. what did i just say about attitudes."
"Your right Chlo. Im sorry. you smell, so PLEASE go take a shower."
"That's not what i meant!" Chloe exclaimed as she closed the door and turned on the shower.
...
"And that's all for now. Stay tuned for the next episode of E News. Up next - fashion Police."
"Awww man!" Stacie Conrad loved E! network. In fact, she lived for it. She would have given anything to stay in bed and watch it, but unfortunately that was a no-go. She had to get to the activities fair. She threw on her black yoga pants and a loose white American Eagle top. She looked round her room. Her clothes were strewn all across the floor, along with an empty pizza box.
"Maybe i shouldn't have opted for a single dorm." She sighed. "Ah whatever. It's not like i'll ever be alone anyway."
Stacie made her way quickly to the activities fair. "Alrriight dance club. Where u at?"
She scanned the fair from a distance. There was a group of people running in a circle, a quidditch club, some boys singing, some boys working out, cheerleaders...
"Hey wait..boys singing. Theater program maybe?" She thought out loud to herself.
"That's the trebles. They are an a cappella group the greatest in the world." A voice said from behind her. Stacie turned to see two boys behind her. One was shorter and looked a bit like a wanna be wolverine. Except he was much less buff. The other was slightly taller and had dark black hair.
"That's cool i guess. Stacie Conrad." She held her hand out to the two. Wolverine shook it first.
"Benjiman Applebaum. You can call me Benji."
"And you are?" Stacie asked.
"Jesse Swanson. Nice to meet you Stacie."
"So i'm looking for a dancing group around here. Do you guys know about any?"
Benji shook his head. "No sorry, but there is a really cool magic group here. Thy do things like this!" He exclaimed pulling a red scarf "Magically" from his hand.
"WOW! How'd you do that?" Stacie was amazed. Her eyes went wide and her jaw hit the ground.
Benji smiled proudly, " A true magician never tells."
Jesse glanced between the two in disbelief. Were they really flirting? There's no way the guy with the closeup magic and a total geekfest startrek room can possibly get a girl before me...
"Okay, then" he clapped his hands together. "Well it was really nice meeting you Stacie but benji was just about to show me the treblemakers, so we have to go now."
"Well okay then! I'll see you around houdini." Stacie winked at benji before she turned to keep prowling the activities fair.
After about an hour she had gathered two things. 1 - there was not a GOOD dancing club here at Barden. and 2 - a lot of guys numbers :)
She was heading back to her dorm to catch some more E!, when she was knocked to the ground.
"Oh no! Sorry i di'nt see ya there!" Stacie looked up to see a blonde woman leaning over her, offering her a hand up.
"Uh man its ok. i've dealt with things harder than that before." She stood up to face the woman. She whacked Stacie on the arm. " Aww your a dirtie one aren't you! That's alright. I am too!" She then eyed Stacie up and down. " and damn your tall. your like a stripper pole!"
Stacie laughed. "So are you Australian or?"
"Yes i am! Straight off the kangaroo!"
"Names Stacie."
"Fat amy."
"Cool. is that like your rapper name or something?"
"Naw, i'm not a rapper. but i was in a band once called Fat Amy and the Little Chub Chubs."
"that's Real."
"Yah. It was pretty cool. What hall are ya in giraffe?"
"Giraffe?"
"it was either that or bigfoot..."
"I'll take whatever ya throw at me i guess. and Samson."
"Oh man me too! My uh roommate decided not to show so i got a whole pad to myself. Pretty cool."
"Oh yah. I opted for a single room, but i almost kinda regret it."
"Well, if ya ever want to crash at my place i got a whole extra bed for ya!"
"thanks Amy. Well, we are at my dorm now, so i'm gunna leave ya."
"Oh aiight. Oh heey before you go, did you find any cool activities?"
"nahh there wasn't really much that interested me."
"What do you do?"
"Dance. i can sing too."
Amy's eyes grew wide. "Oh my god! You should totes check out the Barden Bellas! they do a capella and they like dancers. I know. I showed em a lil preview of my goods."
Stacie raised her eyebrow suspiciously.
"Oh no not those goods. They aren't good enough to behold this masterpiece." She pointed to her body. "But seriously, you should check em out."
Stacie nodded slowly. "maybe i will. Well, goodnight!"
"Yah, g'night elastigirl."