Chapter 15
Jesse woke up the next morning and she was already gone. He got up, rubbing sleep out his eyes. Bumper and the other two boys were still snoring but none of the girls were there. He made his way to his room, washed up and went down to the large kitchen. Beca, Stacie and Amy were already there, tucking into breakfast.
"Hey fishlover!" Amy called out. "Have some breakfast." Jesse just groaned a little. They were not going to let him live that one down. He filled a plate up and sat next to Beca who was chatting away to Stacie.
"What are you guys doing this morning?" Jesse asked in between mouthfuls of toast and warm scrambled eggs.
"Some of the guys are going out riding," Stacie said. "I might go."
"I'm not going near any horse," Beca said.
"Yeah, horses scare you," Jesse said, grinning.
"They don't scare me. I'm just a little nervous 'round them," Beca scoffed. "Besides I've got other plans."
Donald suddenly popped his head round into the kitchen, "Ready, Becs?"
"Yeah. Ready," Beca said brightly, getting up to wash her coffee mug in the sink. Jesse stared at both Beca's back and Donald's smiling face, a little puzzled, before asking, "Where are you both going?"
"Oh. Donald's gonna bring me out on a motorbike," Beca said. "He said he might teach me how to ride."
"Hold up. I'll come along." Jesse said, quickly shoveling his breakfast down.
"Slow down!" Beca laughed. "There's only one bike, Jesse. You can't come."
"Yeah, Jesse," Donald piped up, smirking. "There's only room for two."
Both of them left the kitchen and Jesse could only scowled at their exit. Trust Donald to come up with something like this. He knew what was going on. Donald was making his moves, that bastard. Jesse could not remember why he liked Donald in the first place. That guy can be so fucking smooth sometimes.
Jesse was now mumbling some choice swear words under his breath while he continued to eat his breakfast. Amy and Stacie gossiped on and he did not see the way Stacie and Amy were exchanging barely concealed smiles.
Lunch time
Why are they not back yet? For goodness sake, it's nearly lunch. Everyone's back for the barbecue and still no sign of Beca or Donald. Jesse was pacing a little now, scowl still in place. They had been gone for hours. What was Donald up to now? Fucking smooth bastard tempting Beca away with a bike ride. She always had a soft spot for guys on motorbikes. Jesse suddenly remembered the sight of Luke and Beca on his red Ducati. Ugh! Why he didn't think of it earlier? He could have learnt how to ride a bike.
His thoughts were interrupted by the loud roar of a motorbike and he watched as the motorbike came down the gravel pathway, stopping mere feet away from him. Donald was riding it and Beca was riding pillion, hanging onto him around the waist, laughing. Donald killed the engine and they got off.
"That was fun, Don!" Beca squealed.
What? She never squealed.
"You're a natural, Becs. A few more tries and you'll be able to ride on your own."
"Really?" Beca said excitedly. She finally caught sight of Jesse fuming at the side. "Hey Jess! What's happening? Where's everyone?"
"You are late. They've started lunch," Jesse said snarkily, not liking the smirk on Donald's face and the red, flushed look on Beca's face, looking like she had a really good time.
"What are you doing here then?" Beca said. "You never passed up food."
Donald didn't say anything. He just threw another smirk at Jesse's direction.
"Just making sure you guys are ok and not lying in a ditch somewhere," Jesse snarked back.
"We are fine," Beca answered. "Come on, Don, I'm hungry."
"Ok baby girl. I'm coming."
Donald was starting to come round to Beca's side when Jesse cleared his throat loudly.
"I think you should, at least, keep the bike properly, Donald. It's only polite."
It was Donald's turn to look pissed off.
"Oh. Ok."
Jesse was now tugging on Beca's arm towards the back garden where the barbecue was on full blast. "Come on, Becs. Donald can come after he keeps the bike." He hurried Beca along as Donald muttered something unsavoury behind them.
"Dude, what's the hurry?" Beca said, trying to keep up with Jesse.
"I thought you are hungry."
"Yeah. But we could wait for..."
"No."
"Dude, stop."
Jesse stopped immediately. Beca was staring at him.
"What is this about?" she said, crossing her arms across her chest. "You are acting a little strange."
"Nothing."
"Don't nothing me, Swanson. Come on. Spill."
He was rubbing his neck now. "Donald's trying his moves on you, Bec."
Beca stared at him for a long moment and then she barked out laughing. Jesse just looked on at her trying to stop laughing, holding on to her sides. He was standing there, fuming quietly. Really, it was not a laughing matter.
"Ok. Ok," Beca said in between wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes. "Is this what it's all about? You think Donald is making a move on me?"
"I don't think so. I know so," Jesse answered crossly. "He told me he wanted to get in before we start at Barden. Something about fresh meat."
Beca let out another peal of laughter.
"Dude, why are you so worried? Donald? Not a chance of that happening."
He ignored her question, grasping on the second bit. "Really? Donald doesn't stand a chance?"
"Nope," Beca said. She then flicked her hair back before walking on. "Not a chance. No one's getting on with me at BU. Not a flipping chance."
"Oh."
That late afternoon
"Why are we doing this again?" Stacie said, adjusting the knot in her shirt. The temperature and humidity was stifling and she tried fanning herself to keep cool. She adjusted the basket on her hip, nearly poking Beca who was slouching next to her in the eye.
"Careful. You nearly took my eye out." Beca warned. It was really hot. She felt a little sticky even in her tshirt. She shouldn't have worn a vest underneath. It was just too hot. Even the frayed ends of her denim short were sticking to her thighs.
"We need fruit for pies!" Chloe said brightly. "Come on, guys! Pie for dinner. You all love pie. Mum makes the best pies. But she can't make them without fruit." Sometime after lunch, Chloe had the bright idea they all should troop out to the orchard and pick some fruit.
"Mmmm. Love me a slice of pie," Bumper said, appearing next to Beca. "Come on, Becs. I'm really good at picking fruit."
"Hmm. I thought you are good at fishing."
"That and fruit picking," Bumper said smoothly. "I do have other talents too, Beca. You should try and find out."
"Dude, you could hardly reach the first branch. I'll go with you, Beca," Donald said, standing on Beca's other side. Beca was barely stifling her smile but she nodded and the they all moved deeper into the orchard, leaving Chloe behind.
"I'm here! Whaddidimiss?" Jesse came running up and stopped by Chloe.
"Oh here you are, Jesse," Chloe grinned at him. "Where were you?"
"Amy needed my help. She's just behind me. Where's everyone?"
Jesse's eyes were roving round.
"Oh, they've gone ahead. Beca's with Bumper and Donald."
"Oh." Jesse said, not realising he was actually grimacing a little. "I'll catch up with them."
"No. Wait for me and Amy?" Chloe said, putting a hand on Jesse's arm. Jesse stopped short and being the gent he was, he nodded in agreement. Hesuddenly wished Amy would hurry up.
"So you think he's a dick?" Chloe said, tossing another peach at Amy who caught it deftly.
"Bumper? No, he's alright," Amy said. "Right, Jesse?"
"Huh? What?" Jesse snapped back.
He had not heard a word Amy and Chloe were saying. He was too busy looking at Beca laughing in between Bumper and Donald. Donald was throwing fruit at Bumper and he was trying to catch them with his mouth. Donald was purposely throwing them badly at him but Bumper didn't seem to mind all the mess.
Jesse was seething and he did not quite know why. They were just messing about as usual. Bumper and Donald had monopolised her during lunch, sitting on her either side, making no room for him and now, they were monopolising her as well. It irritated him no end. They were still trying it on. He knew it.
Ok, she did say they didn't stand a chance with her.
Well, she said no one stand a chance with her.
No one.
And that made him feel a little ill.
"Bumper. Do you think he's a dick?" Chloe repeated back to Jesse.
"Huh? Bumper?" He was distracted again when he heard another laugh from Beca. Bumper was juggling peaches now. Yeah, he's a dick. A 100% dick. - Jesse thought.
"Hmm. You would think he is," Amy drawled, "But when he gets his freak on, there is no stopping him. He knows how to get a girl."
"Huh? What?" Jesse said. Amy's words filtered through. "Umm.. I'm going to help Beca. See you girls."
He strode off over to the group, leaving Chloe and Amy behind.
"Hey guys. Umm.. Chloe asked you both to help her and Amy out," Jesse lied effortlessly.
"Did they now?" Bumper said lazily. He glanced at the two girls, noting the pointed look on their faces. "OK then. Come on, Donald. The girls needs us."
Beca was about to move off with them when Jesse said, "Where are you going, shorty? We've still got fruit to pick."
"Really? I thought we've got plenty." Beca answered, looking at the basket full of peaches in her hands.
"Cherries. Let's get some cherries," Jesse quickly said, knowing they were her absolute favourite. "Chloe said there's still plenty left."
Beca shrugged and fell in step next to Jesse. They moved deeper through the trees, knowing exactly where the cherry trees were. That had been their firm favourite whenever they came to Chloe's. Beca stared up delightedly at the few cherry trees. The branches were absolutely groaning with fruit.
"Come on, Jesse. Give me a leg up," Beca said excitedly, already drooling at the thought of the sweet cherries in her mouth.
"Whoa. Let me get a ladder first!" Jesse said, laughing at her impatience.
"No time. Boost me up."
"Nu uh. You are heavy."
"Eh. You said I weigh nothing."
"Nope. You've been eating like no tomorrow these few days. I don't want to break my back."
Jesse walked off, found one of the ladders strewn round for fruitpicking and came back. Beca had removed her tshirt and was now standing in her vest and shorts underneath the tree. She was tapping her foot impatiently, staring up at the cherries hungrily. He propped the ladder carefully and was unceremoniously pushed out of the way as Beca clambered up. He laughed when he saw she was already cramming the ripe cherries into her mouth as soon as she reached the lowest branch.
"Slow down, Becs! Don't choke on a stone!"
Beca wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Just do CPR on me, if I choke." she said nonchalantly, cramming more cherries in her mouth. They were so ripe, her fingers were already tipped red with the juice.
"The Heimlich. You do the Heimlich when someone's choking," Jesse laughed. "You do the CPR when someone's not breathing. What were you doing during First Aid class?"
"Ugh," Beca made a face. She balanced herself and sat on a rung. "I totally blanked out that CPR bit. Dude, you've got to put your mouth that dummy! Like how many people's done that?"
"It was ok."
"Yeah sure," Beca teased, throwing ripe cherries at Jesse. "That was the only kissing action you've got when you were 14."
"Hey, cut it out," Jesse said, swatting away the cherries she was throwing at him. "I'm a phenomenal kisser. Just ask Bumper."
Beca snorted, "Yeah. OK. I don't have to ask Bumper. You're a good kisser."
Her cheeks coloured a little once the words were out of her mouth. Beca quickly glanced away, stood up and climbed the ladder to the first branch. Jesse did not know quite where to look or what to say. He looked down at the ground, suddenly thinking of the time he had kissed her on the roof. He had held her face in his hands and her lips had been warm and soft. He had kissed her desperately; frightened out of his wits that he could have lose her. And she had kissed back just as hard, her arms tight around him.
But that was a one off, wasn't it?
She was still with Luke. She wanted to be with Luke. No one stood a chance with her. She was Luke's.
He felt the sticky pelt of a few cherries on his neck first. And then a rain of cherries over him. And Beca laughing at him gaping up at her. She was shaking a branch, heavy with fruit, and the ripe cherries were raining down in a sticky mess on him.
"Cut it out, Becs!"
She just laughed.
"You are in trouble now! Come down!"
"Ahahaha. You can't reach me!" Beca crowed out victoriously. She pelted more cherries at him. She was so intent on firing cherry after cherry after him that she didn't see where she was going and missed a footing. "Oh! Fuck!" She only had time to yell before she lost her balance and slipped on the branch. Her arm automatically flung out, wildly grasping anything to keep steady. Her hand grasped onto a small upper branch but she was still falling.
"I've got you! Let go, Becs!"
She didn't have a choice. Her hand had been slippery with the juice from all that cherries and her hold slipped. She came crashing down but he caught her easily. A few confused minutes later and she realised he hadn't set her down yet. He was looking down at her, trying not to laugh.
"Not so brave now, huh?"
He let her down, then swiftly bent down to pick a handful of soft cherries and before she could even make a sound, he smushed the cherries straight into her hair. She yelled out his name in outrage but he was not done yet. Yet more handfuls rubbed straight into her and when she ducked and ran, he was firing on all cylinders. Beca was yelling now, trying to duck the flying cherries.
Oh he wanted a fruit fight? Oh game on!
Beca fired more cherries at him but she needed something else. She had a basket of peaches just now. Where was it? Right. At the base of the ladder.
Beca feinted to the left and when Jesse followed, she changed direction quickly, racing to the basket of ripe peaches. She straightened up triumphantly, hefting a particularly soft one in her hand before letting it fly. And another one. The first hit his shoulder and the second at the side of his head but both didn't stop him charging towards her. He caught her round her waist, pinning her arms down to her sides.
Both of them were laughing hard now. Sticky and messy and wet.
He looked like he had been in a war zone with bits of that ripe peach in his hair, streaks of red cherries on his face and his shirt. He was laughing, his dark eyes twinkling. She was laughing up at the sight of him, cherries still in her hair. Her lips red and sweet from all those cherries she had been eating.
He could not fight it.
His lips were on hers before he could stop himself.
Everything seemed to blank out. Nothing seemed to matter except her. Except the feel of her in his arms, the taste of her on his lips. Sweet. Cherry sweet. Then her lips parted and she was kissing him back. Jesse nearly staggered and lost his balance. But her arms were around him, holding him closer, grabbing handfuls of his fruit-covered shirt.
He lifted her up easily, lips still on her and took that few steps towards the ladder. He settled her down on a rung and pressed himself close to her, loathing to break any contact from her. Her fingers were laced in his hair as she kissed him fiercely.
He was breathless. Everything about her left him breathless.
"Beca." he whispered hoarsely into her neck. Her neck tasted of cherries too and he ran his tongue along her neck slowly, savouring the taste. Beca could not stop that moan. Her hands were restless. She wanted more of him. His mouth, his lips, his tongue, his hands. She just wanted more. Her hands slipped under tshirt, wet with juice, pushing it up, running her hands on his back. She felt him shuddered a little.
He did not want to think.
No.
If he stop to think, he would lose it. He would lose this.
He just wanted to be here with her like this. Her lips under his, her skin, the feel of her in his hands. His fingers were running along the hem of her vest, before slipping underneath. She was sighing. A sweet, small sigh and he almost could not stay upright. His mouth were now placing small kisses along her shoulder. She impatiently pushed the strap of her vest aside. Jesse groaned like he was in pain, moving his mouth further south. He buried his face in the softness of her chest, sighing against the thin material of her vest.
"I love you." He whispered. Jesse drew back and looked at her, his dark eyes soft. "I love you, Beca."
She was staring at him, face flushed, lips stained dark red from the cherries and swollen from his kisses.
"I know," she whispered. "I love you too."
With a low cry, he captured her lips again. His kisses were more urgent, more wanting. Her lips were not enough. He wanted to kiss every inch of her. His hands were tangled in her hair, holding her head still and he ruthlessly kissed her all over her face, her neck, her hair, that sweet spot just at back of her ears.
"Break it off with Luke," he murmured. "Break it off with him. Be mine, Beca."
He was still lost in her embrace, in the endless sweetness of her skin. She didn't answer and then he felt her sighing and slipping away from him little by little. He straightened up, looking down at her. A little knot was forming in his belly now. Something was wrong. She was staring up at him, her blue eyes unfathomable.
"I've always loved you, Jesse. I can't remember a time when I didn't love you."
"Me too, Beca. All this time, it had always been you. I was just too stupid and too scared to see it."
She shook her head and then hopped off the ladder, pushing her hair away from her face. Jesse stood apart, uncomprehending.
"Beca, you know how I felt about you all this time."
"No, I don't. I don't, Jesse! You were with Aubrey."
"But I didn't love her." Jesse said, that knot in his belly getting tighter.
She shook her head again, her face now a mask.
"You were with her for a year, for fuck's sake. And then I'm with Luke."
"Beca, it doesn't matter now, right? That's all done. We are here now." He was reaching out for her but she was turning away with yet another maddening sigh.
"Beca, what's the matter?"
She was still resolutely turned away from him, her face turned up towards the sky. Jesse stood silently, still not comprehending what was happening. It should be alright now, right? They love each other. They should be together now. Right?
Beca turned around to face him.
"I wish this had happened earlier."
"I know, Becs. I should have said something earlier. I.. I don't know. I'm just so stupid sometimes."
She was silent and he took a step forward, reaching for her, wrapping his arms around her.
"But it's all good now, Becs. We've got the whole summer and then we'll be at BU together. And everything's going to be perfect. I just want to be with you."
"I want to be with you too," she murmured. "All this time, that was all I ever wanted."
"Then be with me. Break up with Luke and be with me."
"I can't."
He thought he had misheard her.
"Becs..."
She was staring up at him.
"I am not going to BU in September," she said.
He thought that was the worst thing he could have heard.
He was wrong.
"Luke asked me to move with him to LA."
...
"And I've said yes."
A/N I know. I know. I am evil incarnate and have no soul. OK, poll time :
A. Should Beca go to LA with Luke and fulfill her music dream? Become a kick ass music producer/DJ with hot Luke by her side? And I will continue with an LA sequel? With Jesse going over. Because it's JECA endgame right?
B. Just stab Luke already, hide him in my dungeon and let these two get it on already. End of story next chapter. Beca did not fulfill her dream of making it in LA
