Chapter 3-Orientation

"Hurry up Chloe" Aubrey yelled across the bridge to her red-headed best friend.

"I'm comm...mm..ming" Chloe sang out showing off her vocal range.

She loved Camp A' Cappella! Magic happened here, and Chloe believed in magic.

She had grown up in this camp, every year since her sixth birthday, she spent a portion of her summer in this amazing place. She was a legend of some sorts, known for being the youngest child ever admitted to the camp, having won over the camp's Entrance Committee from her older sister's audition.

The story goes..that Chloe's older sister refused to sing at her audition meeting, throwing a tantrum of some sorts, and so Chloe at 6 years old jumped on the stage and suddenly started singing...

The minute you walked in the joint,

I could see you were a man of distinction,

A real big spender,

Good looking, so refined.

Say, wouldn't you like to know

What's going on in my mind?

So, let me get right to the point,

I don't pop my cork for ev'ry guy I see.

Hey, big spender,

spend...

A little time with...me!

The Committee was so taken with the little red-headed girl with big light blue eyes singing "Big Spender" from the Broadway Musical Sweet Charity and making up her own choreography as she went along with such confidence and power in her voice, they made an immediate exception for her age and even waived her tuition for the 2 week session of camp.

Chloe's mother was initially hesitant to send her youngest child away at such a young age, but Chloe pleaded with her to go to camp. Chloe had spent her young 6 year old life watching all her siblings go off to summer camps, her older brothers opted for Science camp, and Space camp, and her older sister had attended Camp A'Capella, but had mostly preferred Soccer Camp. Singing was Chloe's passion, and ever since seeing Camp A'Capella and hearing the Final Concert, she knew it was a magical place. Finally after a very short hunger strike by the precocious little red-headed singer, her mother relented and signed her up for camp. She attended the camp every summer for 8 years, and was a featured soloist each year in the Final Concert for the parents. When she turned 15, she was invited to join the summer camp staff as a Leader in Training (LIT) and once she turned 18, she took over the duties of Program Director.

Chloe met Aubrey Posen at Camp A'Capella when they both attended camp for a master class on vocal projection and performance. They were 12 years old and had been inseparable ever since. She was happy to be working with Aubrey, and as the Program Director, would be the defacto Assistant Camp Director. Chloe was comfortable being Aubrey's right hand, as she was used to Aubrey taking charge in every situation. It was Chloe's job to clean up the carnage, which her bright and bubbly personality did effortlessly.

"CHLOE C'mon, they'll be here in 30 minutes!" Aubrey again yelled across the bridge, snapping the red-head out of her day-dream.

"Yeah, ok, coming Bree!" Chloe sang back!

1:00p.m. on the dot and all the counselors started filing into the staff house. Beca looked around at the motley crew of characters, she wondered again what she had gotten herself into.

"Thank you all for being here, we have a busy week ahead of us" Aubrey introduced, as she stood in front of the chalk board. I have strategically planned out our week to ensure all training and success for your camp preparations. In the morning we all will begin a regime of cardio"

"Why cardio?" Beca immediately questioned.

"Yeah, don't put me down for cardio" a rather rotund blonde with an Australian accent immediately followed.

Aubrey brushed their comments off and charged ahead. She explained that the women's side of the camp was known as the Bellas and the men's was known as the Treble-makers, both named after some glee groups in the fifties. The camp had been running since 1945, and at the time was seen as a Modern Arts facility, however since that time had steadily declined as more kids were choosing to attend elite and urban focused conservatories, not rustic summer camps..but it was Aubrey's mission to restore the Bellas and Camp A' Cappella to its former glory.

"As a reminder, we have a very strict code of conduct at our camp. It is strictly forbidden to venture to the men's side of the camp, we will not tolerate any fraternization, or fooling around" She finally finished.

"Yeah, that's not going to be easy, he's a hunter" a very tall brunette exclaimed.

"You call it a dude?" Beca said with a laugh.

"Stacie, if we let the TrebleMaker's penetrate us, they take our power." Aubrey explained, rather bluntly.

"Yeah, not a good enough reason to use the word penetrate" The Aussie said sarcastically.

"Ok, enough. Hands in Bellas" Aubrey said..everyone looked around the room not knowing what to do.

"Hands in Aca'bitches" Aubrey bellowed, and everyone jumped up following her lead. Sing Ah..."

"Ahhhhhhhhh" Sang the Aussie.

"No on three... sing Ahhh" Aubrey explained, trying to hold onto her patience

"one, two, Ahhh" staggered each voice separately.

"Ok, we'll start with that first thing tomorrow morning" finished Aubrey, feigning her smile. "Dinner is in the mess hall at 5:00p.m. Ladies, you have the next two hours to unpack, I've marked your tents on the maps here, please locate them, your luggage will be waiting at your tent." And out the back door Aubrey went.

The rest of the crew started heading up the hill.

Beca looked over at the red-head, she had been noticing her through-out the meeting. She seemed so light and excited about being at the camp. It was obvious that she loved being in the space. This intrigued Beca.

"Um..hello." Beca introduced herself.

"Hi there, your Beca Mitchell right?" Chloe smiled hugely.

Wow..Beca had never seen someone completely light up, and Chloe was just beaming. She couldn't help but think to herself how incredibly cute this girl was. Her eyes were a light blue that she had never seen, it contrasted with her auburn hair, it was truly striking.

"Uh, yes, I'm Beca, hell..hello." Beca was stuttering and suddenly shy, she never was shy, what had come over her?

"We are so glad you are here! Your father wasn't sure you were up for a summer in the mountains, so when Aubrey said you had accepted the position, I was thrilled. I look forward to working with you quite a bit in the coming days. Our positions tie close together you know." Chloe warmly smiled again.

"Ok, sounds great. Just let me know what you need, this is all a bit new for me." Beca gushed, but finally calming herself, and now her words were coming a bit easier.

"Well Beca, I can't wait to talk to you more" She grabbed the smaller girls hands, and pulled her close..their faces only inches apart, startling the Beca. "I can tell we are going to be fast friends" And with that Chloe slid out the back door, leaving a stunned Beca, shaking her head, wondering why she felt such a stir in her stomach.

"It must be the altitude" she muttered to herself, before heading up the hill to her new home, a white canvas tent on a raised wood platform.