Chapter 2
Thursday morning Beca had packed her Guitar case, and a suitcase into Aubrey's SUV in front of the Bella House. Chloe was talking animatedly with her best friend. The Bella's were watching confused from the stairs. Aubrey hugged Chloe tightly then slipped into the driver's seat shutting herself into the car. Beca could see her mumbling to herself, and chuckled.
"I sincerely hate you. You are sending me on vacation with a crazy person." Beca told Chloe shutting the trunk of the SUV.
"Bree isn't crazy. She's just stressed. Her family is sometimes not very nice to her. You know you love me. You'll learn to love Bree too." Chloe hugged Beca who let out a groan, but hugged her back.
"Yeah. That's what I'm scared of. Then I'll have two of you." Beca chuckled.
"Take care of her okay?" Chloe implored.
"I'll do my best. Emily make sure they don't burn the house down." Beca ordered.
"Man. Come on captain." CR groaned. Emily had a scared look on her face.
"I'll see you guys when I get back. If Aubrey, and her family don't murder me." Beca joked with an awkward laugh. She made her way to the passenger side trying to psyche herself up.
They drove in silence to the airport then unpacked all of their stuff making their way to the boarding area. They found their seats on the airplane. Beca loaded her stuff in the overhead. Then took Aubrey's back from her. The blonde looked at her surprised when Beca shooed her into her seat in the middle of the row. They were sitting next to a middle-aged lady who had the window seat. Beca took the isle seat.
"How long is the flight?" Beca asked curiously.
"It should only take a couple of hours. It should only take a couple of hours. The drive to my parent's place will take the longest. We should get there around seven-ish if everything goes according to plan." Aubrey.
"When does anything involving us ever go according to plan?" Beca laughed lightly.
"That's why I told my mother not to expect us until tomorrow, or really late tonight. That way it will be a surprise if we actually make it there on time. Jim and his family are already at the homestead." Aubrey smiled.
"Playing it safe." Beca smiled.
"Visiting family for the holidays? I didn't mean to interrupt. The two of you just sounded like my husband, and I." The woman beside Aubrey explained.
"Visiting her family. My dad is with my step mom, and her family this holiday. I wasn't ready for that yet." Beca admitted.
"I always enjoyed going to Howard's family for the holidays more than my own too. I'm Roberta." Roberta introduced herself. Beca leaned across Aubrey to shake the woman's hand. Aubrey was looking at her like she'd grown another head. She wasn't used to the shorter girl being this open around new people right away.
"I'm Beca. This is Aubrey. Don't mind her. She just hasn't finished her coffee yet." Beca patted Aubrey on the knee making her jump slightly. Aubrey's confusion turned into amusement.
"How long have the two of you been together?" Roberta asked innocently. Aubrey choked on her sip of coffee. Beca laughed.
"We are only friends. We've known each other for a few years though. Very timidly friends too. Our mutual best friend is making us take this trip together." Beca.
"I wouldn't have invited you if I didn't want you to come." Aubrey rolled her eyes.
"We had our first real conversation last week." Beca explained to Roberta who was watching them talk with amusement.
"You've known each other for three years, and you just had a real conversation for the first-time last week?" Roberta looked confused.
"When we talked before it usually ended in yelling. Eventually I guess we just decided silence was a better option. Chloe got tired of us fighting, or not talking all the time though. She's our mutual friend who suggested this idea." Aubrey gestured between her, and Beca.
"And have you fought yet?" Roberta smiled at the pair of girls.
"Not since Monday." Beca admitted.
"You've been keeping track?" Aubrey looked at her surprised.
"We've never gone this long without the yelling before. It's been nice." Beca shrugged.
"It has been." Aubrey stuttered. Roberta smiled at them again for a different reason.
"What do the two of you do?" Roberta changed the topic thoughtfully.
"I run a corporate leadership training camp in Georgia at the moment." Aubrey told her with a smile.
"I go to Barden University. I'm studying Music Theory, and Business Management. I'm a DJ at the local radio station too." Beca explained.
"Explains the headphones. How did the two of you meet?" Roberta gestured to the beats that constantly hung around Beca's neck.
"Aubrey was running the Acapella group I am currently the captain of when we met. Her friend Chloe convinced me to join. We had different taste in music. Near the end of Aubrey's last year, we finally learned to compromise, and mix them up." Beca explained.
"Which is where all the yelling came in?" Roberta guessed.
"Music was important to both of us at the time. We just had different tastes. She found a way to combine both of them." Aubrey nudged the brunette with a small smile.
"That's actually kind of sweet." Roberta looked at the small brunette in surprise.
"It took forever to get her to listen to it though. Which is primarily what started the yelling." Beca smirked at Aubrey.
"She went behind my back during a competition where we had already planned the setlist." Aubrey tried to defend herself.
"Oh my god. We still won." Beca stated frustratedly.
"Barely, and you went to jail. That doesn't count as a win. Oh my god. You went to jail. My dad's going to run a back ground check on you, and find out. I'm so dead." Aubrey pointed at her accusingly, and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Oh no. You guys were doing so good. Please don't fight!" Roberta looked at Beca pleadingly. Aubrey was almost hyperventilating.
"Aubrey. Breathe. I'm sorry, and I can handle your dad." Beca squeezed Aubrey's hand gently.
"My dad is an Army General Becca. He killed Ben Ladin." Aubrey's breathing was still ragged.
"Okay. That is new information, but I got this. It's going to be fine. I promise. Please breathe before you pass out. That's it." Becca. Aubrey leaned forward, and put her head in her hands resting her elbows on her knees. Beca put her hand on Aubrey's back.
"This whole holiday is going to be a complicated mess." Aubrey groaned.
"You don't know that. Even if it is. I'm going to be there. Any time you get overwhelmed or stressed out you can just yell at me. That's what I'm going for anyway right? Emotional Support." Beca argued back.
"That's not fair to you. Fuck. I'm sorry. I just haven't been home with my brothers in a few years." Aubrey leaned back up.
"You don't have to explain anything to me." Beca squeezed her hand again.
"I'm sorry. I'm bringing you into this." Aubrey admitted.
"It's fine. It will be an interesting change to spend the holidays with a real family for a change. We're going to be fine. I'll keep your dad off your back, and take all the heat from your brothers." Beca promised.
"I'll owe you so big after these next two weeks. Won't I?" Aubrey finally leaned back. Breathing evenly.
"I'm going to cash it all in, and make you listen to my music while your parents are fighting about us being there together." Beca laughed.
"Hate you." Aubrey closed her eyes, and breathed in deeply. But a smile slipped through. Roberta was watching them with a knowing smile of her own.
They landed in North Carolina about an hour, and a half after Aubrey's freak out. Beca listened to music while Aubrey chatted with Roberta. She occasionally checked on the blonde's emotional status. Aubrey had chosen to hold onto Beca's hand. She even went as far as entwining their fingers. Beca spent a solid five minutes staring at the joined hands. While Roberta smirked at her from beside Aubrey.
When they landed they made sure Roberta got where she needed to be. She pulled Beca aside when they were walking her to her son's vehicle.
"You need to pull your head out of your ass. Before you lose that girl. She cares a lot about you which you might have heard if you pulled your headphones off your head for any length of time. I know you care about her too, or you wouldn't have wanted to come on this trip. I added you on facebook. If you need to talk to a stranger about things that are going on at her house with her family. You better add me back. Now. Get your shit together. Talk about your feelings, and kiss the girl at midnight. Or I will track you down in Barden, and beat you with my cane." Roberta lectured.
"She… She likes me too?" Beca looked over at Aubrey. Roberta slapped her on the head with her cane lightly.
"Ugh. You are oblivious. I'm leaving. Message me if you need to. Henry. I'm ready dear." Roberta let her son help her into the passenger's side of the SUV. Beca walked back to Aubrey who was smirking at her.
"Are you okay? It looked like she hit you kind of hard with that cane." Aubrey held two fingers up in front of Beca's face. Beca swatted her hand away turning her towards the bus. They held onto the same rail as they rode in silence to the rental car shop. Beca a moved her hand so it was touching Aubrey's. Aubrey didn't move her hand, but looked at Beca with a raised eyebrow. They locked eyes, and didn't look away. Aubrey was scared to bring up what was happening between them. Beca was scared to say anything in fear of scaring away the older girl. They packed their stuff into their rental truck. Aubrey had specifically chosen a truck, so they wouldn't be hit with any external damage fees when they returned the rental. She smiled running her hand over the bed rails.
"Happy to be back on familiar ground?" Beca watched her move around the truck more gracefully than she was able to.
"More nervous than happy. I'm happy about the truck though." Aubrey admitted once they were on their way to her parent's place.
"Did you tell them who I was?" Beca asked curiously.
"No. I just told them I wasn't bringing Chloe this time, but I was bringing someone else home. I thought I would let them draw their own conclusions, and see what happens. Jim has already been asking me a lot of questions which I haven't been answering." Aubrey laughed.
"Good for you. If shit hits the fan. I'm only there for the free food." Beca joked.
"Hopefully it won't come down to that. If they make you uncomfortable. I'll set things straight too." Aubrey offered.
"Straight. Ha." Beca chuckled. Aubrey rolled her eyes punching her on the thigh. Right on cue their tire popped. Beca and Aubrey froze, and looked at each other.
"Know how to change a tire?" Aubrey sent her a fake smile.
"NO!" Beca rolled her eyes. Aubrey held up her hands.
"I'm calling a tow truck." Aubrey laughed.
"I knew something was going to happen. Now we won't get there till like midnight." Beca groaned.
"My bedroom has a king-sized bed with a tempur-pedic mattress. The extra time will be worth it, and we are still getting there a day early. We can sleep in tomorrow." Aubrey patted her arm reassuringly.
"I'm so tired." Beca mumbled leaning her forehead against the window.
"I know. You've been a trooper all day tiny tot." Aubrey teased.
"Fuck you." Beca growled. Aubrey laughed at her as she dialed the tow company.