hey tharrr...so i know the timeline gets shifted around here and there and that there is a lot of things brought up in the story that dont't have closure yet, but i promise they will

and i know some of you are out there wanting to know he shippings but my lips are sealed. it will all be revealed in good time.

The Riff off was the first time that the Bellas had really begun to come together. Beca's spontaneous rendition of no diggity caused the girls to let go and have fun. For the first time, they all listened to one another, and Beca found herself smiling and encouraging the audience to join. A technicality prevented them from winning the riff off, and it had Aubrey fuming. Beca couldn't understand why Aubrey stuck so hard to the "traditional" songs. it was clear that the Bella's needed change.

Beca found herself spending more time with Jesse. It'd always be the same routine, movies and popcorn, but she didn't mind the company. She truly enjoyed his friendship, until one night when it almost became something more. They had been watching the Breakfast club, well, he had been watching it. They were sitting closely on her bed, and as they turned to eachother their eyes met. He leaned in slowly. It took Beca a second to realize exactly what was happening. jesse was going to kiss her. He was almost there, when she pulled away.

That was what she lay thinking about now. Why had she pulled away? Was it because she was scared? Was it because she truly didn't feel anything for him? She didn't know, but she knew something hadn't felt right.

She pulled out a pen and paper.

Pros - Cons

She thought for a moment before crumpling the paper up angrily. "What the fuck am i doing?"

She sighed. She didn't like him. She didnt want to kiss him. She just liked him as a friend.

Right?

The next two weeks were filled with Bella's practice. The first competition in their battle for the top was coming up and they had to be on their a-game. Chloe's nodes were really taking a toll on her, so much so that she had to give up her solo.

Beca's heart fluttered a little when Chloe had suggested that the solo go to her. Beca tried to convince Aubrey that it would be a good idea to change the set up and modernize it, but once again she was shot down. Chloe tried to chime in and support Beca, but Aubrey didn't hesitate to shut her down as well before she could get a sentence out.

Something about this really upset Beca. Aubrey was supposed to be Chloe's best friend. They were co captains together and it was their duty to listen and respect eachother. She knew how much Chloe cared for Aubrey. Any time someone made a comment about Aubrey's attitude, Chloe would stand up for her. The least Aubrey could do would be the same, but she seemed to make sure that Chloe didn't really get to have any control over the group.

Chloe knew this too, but she kept her mouth shut.

The solo went to Fat Amy, who performed it quite well during rehearsals.

It was now the day of regionals, and she realized that she hadn't really spoken to Jesse. Beca shot him a good luck text, and he responded by asking

"Are we ok? Im sorry about the other day."

"We're good." She had missed seeing him around.

The performance had gone better than any of them had imagined. Amy took total control of her solo. She was so inspired and excited by the audience that she just let loose. Her energy was infectious and as they left the stage the girls couldn't help but squeal with joy. Their squeals only got louder when they found out that they'd be moving on in the competition.

The night took a bit of a turn for the worse when the trebles, mainly Bumper, began antagonizing the Tonehangers, a group of alumni that still tried to get out and perform. A fight had broken out, and soon Beca found herself decking one of the tonehangers that had been going after Jesse. Amy jumped in crying her war cry "Feel the FAT POWER!" she raised the trebles trophy above her head and attempted to attack a fallen tonehanger. Beca was trying to stop her while the rest of the Bellas stood on the stairs watching. Most of them were cringing away at the violence, but Aubrey actually found it to be kind of a turn on.

The night only got worse when the trophy broke and went crashing through the glass doors, just as a cop was passing by. Amy took to vertical running to flee the scene, as most of the other people in the room fled as well. Beca and an unlucky tonehanger ended up at the police station to be questioned about the incident.

She was pleased when she discovered that Jesse had bailed her out, but then she found out that he had called her dad. She wanted to scream at him about not being able to do anything right, but instead she just told him to back off and that he wasn't her boyfriend.

The car ride home with her father was a disaster.

'Dad please let me explain."

"NO Beca. I'm not paying for LA after this."

"Dad, i was doing what you wanted. Im enjoying college i was protecting my friends."

He slammed his hand on the wheel. "I didn't tell you to get arrested."

"Look, it was an accident and "

He cut her off, "i don't want to hear it Beca. Just stop."

Beca unbuckled her seat-belt.

"What are you doing?" Her father asked.

"You never listen." At the next stop sign she opened the door and exited the car. She didn't know where she was and frankly she didn't care. She had hoped that her dad would just drive away, but he wasn't that kind of person.

"BECA! BECA WAIT!"

She stopped walking and turned around angrily at him. "What do you want now?"

He sighed and began apologizing. "Look i know i haven't been a good dad, and i know i haven't listened. Please, just give me another chance."

She didn't know why she did, but she decided to give him the chance he had asked for. She explained what had happened at the competition as he brought her home. When the car stopped outside her dorm, he turned to her.

"Beca i'm sorry that i haven't been there for you. And i'm sorry about what i said earlier tonight. I want us to be close again, and i appreciate that you've been trying."

Beca simply nodded and thanked him before going back to her dorm. She expected it to be empty, but instead it was chock full of bellas, eagerly waiting for her.

"You guys waited up for me?"

"of course we waited up for you!" Chloe chimed in. They might not know it, but this meant the world to Beca. She felt like she could really trust these girls. She was quickly assaulted by questions about her jail time, which she shook of. Aubrey called an emergency bella meeting, which earned some protest. she insisted that they had to do everything as practiced, not take risks. Beca was having none of it. They needed to take risks. She began to bring that up when she realized she sounded like she actually cared about the girls. She did of course, but she couldn't let them know that. She had to maintain her distance and her bad ass image.

She went over to her laptop and began to open up a file of a mix she had made. Chloe followed her over to the computer and looked on in great interest.

"I didn't know you were into this stuff." Beca looked up at Chloe, the appreciation of her interest showing.

Aubrey glanced between her friend and the alt girl. She hated the chemistry the two had.

"Look, i have the pitch pipe and i say we stick to the setlist as planed."

Chloe tried to support Beca's ideas but again Aubrey was having none of it. Beca shifted slightly, moving closer to chloe.

god they just can't have any distance between them can they?

By the end of the night it was decided that the set list was staying as was, and everything went back to normal. Well, almost everything. things were a little awkward at the station now that she and jesse weren't speaking,

Chloe came over more frequently now, much to Aubrey's displeasure. Aubrey felt as though Beca was stealing Chloe away from her, and she hated that. Chloe was her best friend, not Beca's, and she knew nothing good was going to come out of them spending so much time together. She knew Beca wasn't going to return the feelings Chloe had for her, and she truly hoped she was wrong, but Posen's are never wrong.

"So you really like DJing huh?" Chloe asked, sitting down in the chair next to beca's.

Beca altered the bass on her mix again before nodding. "Yah. I've loved music since i was a kid."

"So thats what you want to do after college?"

"well, im going to LA next year to start, but,"

"But this is your first year here..."

Beca took her headphones off and put them on the desk. "Can we not talk about this?"

"Yah, i'm sorry," Chloe looked away awkwardly and bit her lip. " i didn't mean to press."

"no its ok. you didn't do anything wrong, i just, i dont really want to talk about the future right now. my future anyway.'

The two sat silently for a moment. "So what do you want to do?" Beca asked. She was honestly surprised she didn't know already since Chloe told her just about everything.

"I want to be a biochemist."

"really?" Beca had always taken her as more of a teacher type.

"Yah. I thought about being a teacher, or maybe a pediatrician, but i don't know. there's just something about biochem that i love. Plus i'll have more luxury in determining my hours."

beca nodded. " Well you should do what you love. To be honest though i really kind of pictured you as the teacher type. I mean you don't really hesitate to help me during choreography"

Chloe chuckled. "Yah but i have a bit of a hands on approach I don't think the parents would really appreciate that too much."

"that's true. You do have a way with invading people's personal bubbles."

"And showers." Chloe winked.

"And showers. Yah i think the parents might have a bit of a problem with that."

Chloe fiddled with her thumb ring.

"You ok?"

Chloe looked up at Beca, "im fine, it's just since we're sharing, there's something i want to tell you but..."

"But?' beca raised her left eyebrow.

"Well, it's personal and i don't tell a lot of people. they don't always take it well."

"What did you kill someone? Are you and Lilly secretly some kind of assassin team or something?"

Chloe laughed, '' No no, nothing like that. But do you really think she's killed someone?"

"It's always the quiet type."

Chloe playfully scooted her chair away from Beca's. "What are you trying to tell me?"

"Im not quiet." beca insisted. "Im reserved. it's different. It's bad ass."

"Sureee it is." Chloe said scooting back over to her. "But seriously, i want to tell you something."

"ok whats up?"

She took a deep breathe. "Look, you know your my best friend right?"

"I thought aubrey was your best friend?"

"I have multiple best friends."

"Oh so i'm like number four on the list then?"

Choe whacked her on the arm lightly. " Seriously beca, you are my best friend, and i really trust you. so promise me that you won't freak out about this,"

"Your my best friend too Chloe, " It felt strangely good to admit that. " and i promise."

Chloe took another deep breathe.

"I'm bisexual."

beca sat there for a moment. Chloe looked at her, terrified of what her reaction might be. "beca...?" She asked after a minute of no response.

"Oh,..that's it?'

"yah.."

"that's what you were so nervous to tell me?"

"well, yah..."

beca laughed, " Chloe, why would i have freaked out at you for that?"

Chloe shrugged. " i don't know. Some people are just really bothered by it that's all."

"well, that's stupid." Beca said. Chloe shot out of her chair and hugged beca tightly.

"thank you beca."

"it's no big deal," beca said, patting her back gently.

"No," Chloe pulled back. 'Your support means a lot to me."

Beca smiled, " well we are best friends, remember?" She winked at her.

"Best friends." Chloe agreed. "so i never got to tell you, but i really like your tattoos. especially your bug tattoo."

"When did you..." her mind flashed to the showers, "oh. yah thanks.."

Chloe held her arm out to Beca and pointed to a ladybug tattoo on her wrist. "I have a bug tattoo too."

beca couldn't help but laugh. that was Chloe for you. She could bond with anything.

"I like it. its very you Chlo."

"thanks." She smiled brightly.

Meanwhile... ...

"I don't know Stacie, its just like, why does she have to be so difficult? Why can't we just do things as is and do them well? And why does she have to freakin wear those ear monstrosities? Like is it really necessary to look like that?"

Aubrey was pacing back and forth, arms flailing wildly, across Stacies dorm room. Stacie sat on the bed, patiently listening to her friend.

"I think that there's something else going on, like another reason that you don't like her."

Aubrey stopped pacing to look at the dark haired beauty. She opened her mouth to say something, but then promptly closed it again. She crossed her arms and fidgeted. Stacie shifted over on the bed and patted the spot next to her.

"Come here Aubrey. Lay it on me."

Aubrey wiped a tear away from her eye and moved over next to Stacie.

"It's just, i;m so stressed. I messed everything up last year, and this is my last chance to fix it all. It's my last chance to show my dad that i'm not a total failure. He hates me ya know. He thinks i'm a waste and it would be better if i hadn't been born. Now he's sick and he might not make it and i might not ever get to show him that im not a failure. IM NOT." She began sobbing violently.

Stacie pulled her into a tight hug and rubbed her back gently. When Aubrey was ready to keep talking she did.

"and Chloe, shes so sweet and she tries so hard and she my best friend. Sometimes my only friend, and we never ever fought until this year. We've always been so close and supported eachother for so long but now we just are drifting. and i feel like it's my fault because i always snap at her, but i feel like she doesn't care about me anymore. It's always about Beca. She doesn't hang with me anymore. Shes always with Beca. Its not fair! She always takes Beca's side and she should be taking mine. We've been there for eachother since forever and i don't plan on letting some stupid crush on some stupid alt girl who thinks shes better than everyone ruin that."

"Have you talked to Chloe about this?"

"No. I can't. I've tried but like i said she just jumps on Beca's side."

Stacie took Brees hands in hers. "Look bree, She loves you, she does. but sometimes when people fall in love they act crazy. Sometimes they forget what matters most to them. but they come around. Chloe's smart. She might seem like shes drifting away from you, but i promise you, she will drift back."

Aubrey wiped her eyes and looked into Stacies. "please don't take this wrong, but you're so smart, and you give such good advice, so why do you act like such a ..." she struggled for the right word.

"Dipshit," Stacie filled in.

"well, yah..." Aubrey nodded.

Stacie laughed and layed back in the bed. "Life's to short to be serious all the time. Sometimes you gotta let loose. Granted occasionally im loose with the wrong part of my life," She gestured between her legs, "But hey." She put her hands behind her head.

Aubrey couldn't help but smile. "thanks again Stacie." She got up to leave, and Stacie shot up stopped her.

"Where are you going?"

"Well, you looked like you were getting comfy so i figured you'd want to sleep."

Stacie smirked. "well yah, but i never sleep alone." She winked.

Aubrey gaped at the girl. is she flirting? shit i can't tell...what do i do what do i say? omg omg omg...

"Look im sorry, i wasn't trying to freak you out or anything. I shouldn't have said that."

"No stace, its fine i just... i wasn't exactly sure of your intentions to be truthful."

Stacie nodded. "that happens to me a lot. I need to learn to be clearer with my intentions." She frowned slightly.

"Move over.' Aubrey walked over to stacies bed and motioned for her to move.

"What?"

"Move over."

Stacie did as she was told, but kept asking why.

"You said you don't sleep alone right?"

Stacie put her hand on Aubreys arm. "Bree, you don't have to do this."

Aubrey moved Stacies hand off her arm and snuggled under the covers. "i want to."

Stacie smiled and snuggled down next to her.

"these sheets are clean right?"

"yes bree...they're clean."

"good, good,"

It was silent for a moment until Stacie spoke up. "Bree can i ask you a personal question?"

"Sure." she kept her eyes closed.

"Would you ever date a girl?"

Aubrey's eyes snapped open. "Whydoyouask?"

"What was that?"

"uhh...why do you ask?"

"oh...no reason. i was just wondering i guess. I'm in the mood for a DPM."

Aubrey rolled over to face the ceiling. "Ok. Deep meaningful Conversation time. umm... i don't know. I guess i'm open to love, so if i fell for a girl yah. I've never been in a relationship with a girl before, but ya never know ya know?"

"Mmmm."

"What about you?"

There was a beat. "I've never been in a real relationship."

Aubrey sat up. "really?"

"Yup."

"but, your so wonderful."

If it hadn't been dark Aubrey would have seen Stacie's slight blush.

"i just don't know if i can do relationships. I don't think i believe in them. But, no ones ever stuck around to help me find out anyway."

Aubrey put her hand on Stacies shoulder.

"Don't give up stace. You'll find someone great who really loves you."

"thanks bree."

"You have soft shoulders."

"Thats cuz thats my right boob."

Aubrey whipped her hand away quickly, nearly whacking herself in the face. "Im sorry!"

Stacie chuckled to herself. "It's fine. I kinda liked it."

Silence.

"too far?" The dark haired girl asked.

Aubrey layed down again.

"It's just you."

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