leijan, gleekathoner, Guest (Mar23): Surprising how receptive you are of the Team Pura joke. LOL.
PurpleWedding: Fat Amy and Jesse did a great job in Stolen, Lilly needed to prove her worth.
Guest (Mar22): Inspired by a real person. :)
purplefurball: And then Tegan and Sara are singing in my head. LOL. You practically summarized it. Thanks!
Guest (Mar22), Guest (Mar21): Trying to update as soon as I can.
oilzz and stuff: I have a very weird sense of humor, so I was afraid I'd fail on that aspect. Thank god, it's kind of working. It's unfortunate that I haven't watched Alexis Knapp's appearance on Super Fun Night, so I really have no idea.
NightmareWalker: Drunk Aubrey, I couldn't let that pass! Yeah, I can't really kill Chloe. Or can I?
itsmefiebs, anon: Thanks! :)
lucakutya: Rated M for a reason.
yoimbored: Thanks. One of the most flattering reviews I've ever had. :)
Guest (Mar21): I'm actually in love with cliffhangers.
asdfg: We'll all blame her.
BeChloeFan01: That's a relief! We'll see more of her. :)
charliepollock1357, madness2013: She had the chance to get off the hook.
Yan: Feel free to make guesses. It would be interesting to know if you get it right, although it's a completely different setting now in this chapter.
MysticFalls94: I'm guessing some of you might have asked the same question. LOL. About Stacie/Skyler, you know the drill, I'll give you the answer in the story. :)
It really freaks me out that most of you think that Skyler's character seems interesting. Again, she'll be playing a very minor role. I don't want you expecting too much of her then end up getting disappointed. Nevertheless, I'm overwhelmed by the fact that you think she's interesting because I seriously thought you'd get fed up.
CHAPTER TEN: Key
Chloe surrendered and acknowledged that this was the end of all her days. Death was a vulture patiently waiting right beside her. That split second was created to last as fast as a blink of an eye, yet the moment passed in a generous slow motion, delaying the agony, allowing a wanted opportunity to review the life she had. Her father's face flashed before her, the regret of failure of reconciliation; Aubrey stood with her hands upon her hips, how the redhead would miss the condescending sister she never had; then her mother's smile, how she spent all those years longing for the day they'd finally be together again. This could be it. Her mother's arms were already spread wide open, gladly welcoming her into Eden's gates, and the daughter was ready to take her hand. But Beca… that horrible monster. That even though she'd inflicted so much pain, Chloe had to tell her the truth – that still, she was truly, madly, deeply, superlatively in love with her.
But it was too late for that. The intent would no longer be of any use as the words would forever be left unspoken. In her blurry vision, Chloe had seen the grim reaper arrive at the scene – a fire axe clenched by hand rather than the usual scythe and a pair of dark blue orbs glowing through the darkness surrounding the Angel of Death. One swing. All it took was one quick swing, and within that split second, the man who protected by a gas mask and prepared to kill her with his gun had his head chopped off.
That was when Chloe woke up, breathing heavily and bathing in her own sweat. The chlorine gas was gone and so was the vulture awaiting her transformation into an edible corpse. The blinding fluorescent lights in the local convenience store were then replaced by the dimmed radiance courtesy of the nearby table lamp; her elbows propped against a soft mattress instead of the cold floor. Rescued was what she had grasped from the situation.
"Hey."
She discerned she had heard a soft voice, and it didn't take too long for her to find out the source of this sign of life. The Head Phoenix swiftly transferred from the wooden chair to the bedside; the wound dressing on her temple obviously needed to be replaced immediately, the stain of blood on it indicated that she had been sitting there for hours, waiting in torment. She was totally out of character – the trembling hands and the fear painted all over her face which skyrocketed when the patient had not yet spoken a single word.
"Chloe, are you okay?"
The redhead swore to god that she wasn't playing around. She just really couldn't find the right words to say this instant, and let alone the ability to do anything else other than stare at the spectacle of a worried portrait. In effect, the other waited no more - she didn't give a shit about whatever but this – and embraced her most precious treasure as if tomorrow would never come. This was not as fractional as rescue, Chloe recognized. This was, in its entirety, safety, a sanctuary right here in the arms of the love of her life.
"I got you," Beca muttered although it seemed more like she was the one needed to be told. "You're fine now."
The young heiress raised her arms to embrace her back in spite of the fact that her brain still could process only so much. "A Syndic was trying to kill me. He almost succeeded. You said that you wouldn't be there to save me."
"I lied," was the truthful response.
Chloe let out a small chuckle. Of course, the best liar in town did what she was skilled of. But that's quickly forgotten. Here came the opportunity which Chloe thought she had missed. She yearned for a second chance during that split second, and here it was, open for a good grab. Therefore, she lightly pushed the body pressed against her and looked straight into those concerned eyes.
"I still love you."
The very quiet cricket surprisingly curved her lips into a rare smile, and as a response, she lovingly touched the strands of red hair. Using her thumbs, she then delicately wiped the tears about to depart the pair of bright blue eyes despite knowing that she wouldn't be able to stop them any time soon. Time was yet again set into a generous slow motion as she kept her palms upon the angelic face. Well, there were moments in life that you just couldn't fake it. This was one of those; this very moment where they shared a tender kiss – stingy yet bountiful, spectral and tangible at the same time.
"I can't," she whispered, unfortunately, when their lips had parted.
"But you do… don't you?"
Beca shut her eyes as she rested her forehead against the other's, drinking in this borrowed time she was aware could end in a flash. "I thought I've told you that whatever happens, you'll always mean nothing to me. Only this time, it has to be real. Do you understand?"
"No," the redhead firmly shook her head more likely as a sign of refusal.
Time's up! The Head Phoenix had to let it go again. She moved back, withdrew all sorts of physical contact, and stood up. Next thing, the anxiety had been washed away, conquered by the cloud of vacancy.
"You're off the team," she announced then proceeded to the exit. "And that's final."
"Wait!" Chloe quickly forced her feeble body out of the bed to go after the dictator. "I want to help!"
The horrible monster turned to face the determined little soldier with that infamous blank stare. "You want to help? Okay. Stay safe, stay alive, and stay out of my life."
"But I want to fight next to you!"
"I can't be with you, Chloe."
"Why?"
"Because your heart is no place for a fucking monster like me!"
Chloe paused for a short while until she found the itch to laugh at the given excuse, nodding her head in total agreement. "You're right. You're a fucking monster. You're the cold-blooded beast, heartless killer machine, everybody's most horrifying nightmare. You are most certainly the worst person to love, Beca… but you're my monster. Now and then, I just want to put a leash around your neck and keep you with me all the time, 24/7 in fact… because I love you and you're supposed to be mine."
"Fidelity to The Society," was the icy proclamation. That could easily sum up everything that the outsider needed to know about this mission. After all, it was the one and only thing that any Phoenix should have stood for.
Knock, knock. The small knock on the door was loud enough for the awake to hear it and quiet enough not to wake up what was presumed to be a sleeping patient. The door creaked open, and Skyler with a tray of meal on hand immediately halted at the sight of the pair silently standing in the middle of the room, engaged in an intense staring contest. Oops, must be a really bad timing.
"I-I brought food," she stated the obvious in a frenzy. "The Head Phoenix hasn't eaten all day, and it's time for dinner so…"
The Head Phoenix didn't need a babysitter especially at this very second. Skyler got the message. She was set to turn around and leave, but their special guest asked her to stay. Strange. But fine, her job here was to take orders anyway. Chloe needed someone else to witness whatever was about to happen next. Whether or not the mighty Phoenix decided to leave again, Chloe would need someone to tell her it's real.
"Are you going to be okay?" Beca found the decency to ask her. After all.
The young heiress put on a beam that made her appear not as weak as the Head Phoenix had always thought she was. "I know what it's like to live without you. Apparently, I can."
"Good," was all the reply she got before watching the grim reaper walk away again.
"She's like that to everybody so don't take it personally," said Skyler in a poor attempt of reassurance and as a minor act of being friendly. "But well, from what I just saw, I seem to get it now… You're not like everybody, are you, Chloe?"
Chloe shrugged, frankly unsure. Just where do you categorize someone who's been labeled as 'nothing'? She then looked back at her the way she would have at Stacie. "Take care of her. Please."
"That's my job here," smiled the brunette positively. At least.
Bumper never let the news anchor finished his remaining lines to end the broadcast. He retrieved the remote control and switched off the television. His signature devilish smirk was plastered on his lips as soon as the screen became pitch black where there appeared the reflection of Clarence Beale together with his loyal pet, Paul.
"You're all over the news," he started. "Frozen bank accounts by the virtue of a sacred court order? Wow, dude. The odds are clearly not in your favor."
Clarence lowered his head a little in capitulation. "You haven't won yet, boy."
"Oh but I will," guaranteed the young man. "What's a better way to unlock the secret than with its very own key?"
"I don't know where the treasure is."
"I think we've already established that, dude. Besides, the destination is not my problem right now. I need you to help me figure out how to get there."
"And you think I know how?" the redhead scoffed. If he did, he wouldn't be here in the first place!
"Benji Applebaum knew," explained the Head Syndic. "More than anyone, you knew Benji."
"What do you want to know about him?"
"Let me make things easier for you, Mr. Beale. When I ask a question, no matter what the condition is, all you have to do is answer them as truthful as possible. Is that simple enough for you?"
The other nodded his head.
"Just recently, I've been told that Stan Mitchell has been… unnecessarily active." Clarence was taken aback at the mention of the name. What was Stan's been up to this time? He couldn't be involved again. "Curious. All of a sudden, he's interested. That's a problem for us, you see, so I sent a team to keep an eye on him. I sent another to get him and bring him over to me. Sadly, none of the deployed men came back to report. Tell me, dude… what is in Savannah?"
Subsequently, the businessman had realized that Paul was right. Indeed, coming over here to strike a deal with the devil was a very bad idea. More so, he realized that at this point, there's no more turning back from The Syndicate.
"Benji grew up in Savannah," he answered as truthful as possible compliant to the prior agreement. "Not even The Society knew about this. Phil thought the young Phoenix was from Charlotte."
Bumper erupted into a fit of laughter. He never expected it would be this stress-free.
"Is there any more questions you want to ask? I have to go. We don't want to keep the investigators waiting."
"In that case, I have one more important question… What. Is. In. Savannah?"
It was exactly the same question as the previous one, yet the key informant knew it was meant differently. This time, it was more dangerous, more risky for the contending party.
"I don't know." And it was the truth, luckily.
With that, Clarence turned around to leave while Paul trailed behind him in full alert. The businessman didn't wait for Bumper to give him the orders; the Head Syndic didn't own him the way he wanted to just yet. He gained possession when a simple threat was intentionally laid out into the blueprint: would the newly-sworn ally choose to save Phil's son or his own daughter?
"Behind you!"
Jesse's voice resonated in everybody's earpiece as a call of warning. Thud turned around only to find Stan looking back at him in complete vigilance. It was meant for neither of them, however – if Swanson could be more specific with his warning, it would be much appreciated. Nevertheless, it could only mean that the precaution was intended for Beca. Soon enough, a mechanical head chopped off right at the neck rolled on the floor exposing bundles of electrical wiring constantly discharging fiery sparks from their ruptured ends.
"Brace yourselves for another batch!"
True enough, before Fat Amy reached the finish line of that sentence, six more mechanically built (and enhanced) ancient-looking warriors rose from the holes on the floor. Who knew this simple cabin was housing another set of Chinese Terracotta Army down below. Stan dodged a strong jab with his bare arm and then hurriedly ducked to skip the death train that came with the launched arrow towards him. Meanwhile, Beca swiftly stole the sword from one warrior and easily sliced it with its sharp blade – cool, it's like using a longer version of knife.
"Oh my god, there's more!"
Aubrey's loud gasps caught their attention. The trap didn't wait for the room to be cleared; the cabin was sending more troops into the battlefield. The older Mitchell found himself cornered by a number of enemies more than he knew he could probably handle. Thankfully, his teammates were keeping an eye on him too. His sister pitched a battle axe which landed on one's back permitting it to collapse while Thud crushed his own opponent with his buff arms and then threw it towards the ensemble of warriors about to slay Stan. Bit by bit, they came tumbling down – amateur bowling, Thud style. First, it was the tear gas attack then this – the big guy was selflessly saving him. Fine, maybe they could still be friends even though Fat Amy already seemed to like the newbie more than her old crush.
"Uh, guys?" Jesse sounded hesitant and startled. "W-We have a visitor."
Another batch of warriors entered the battlefield. Yes, it was absolutely the worst time to have a visitor whoever he or she might be. There was a sudden scuffle heard from the other end of the line followed by loud shrieks. Trouble, it certainly was. Great, there's danger inside and outside the cabin. It was manifested through the heavy tread coming from the front porch.
Before long, the door swung open to reveal Aubrey, Fat Amy and Jesse who tried to stop the uninvited guest tied together with a rope as well as the presence of the mystery blonde woman. This time, her picture-perfect body was displayed for a better view. She thriftly wore a black lace bra underneath an overall shorts and a pair of sneakers. It was enough to shut Stan's whole system down when it shouldn't be. Perhaps, it was the half-shaved head adorned with rainbow dip dyed hair that captured him beyond release that even when Thud yelled at him, the tall young man snubbed the mechanical warrior about to attack. Stan was kicked on the chest and his body flew back, the impact breaking down a wooden wall.
"Silly," was her verdict on the disgrace she had just witnessed.
The big guy was prepared to attack her as a potential threat, but five more obstacles appeared before him. The trio strove to come close from behind, and so knowingly, the stranger drew out her gun and fired on their way just to scare them off. And in that few seconds, the most dangerous among them all had rammed her against the door jamb with a deadly knife poised upon her neck.
"Well, hello to you, too, Peter Pan."
Annoyingly, blondie greeted with a mocking smirk plastered on her natural pink lips. It kept the older Mitchell under an unidentified sorcery until Beca pushed her strong arm against her clavicle even more. That was when Stan realized that it was his sister whom he had the duty to protect and so tackled the approaching mechanical warrior, obtained its hatchet, and moved to help Thud defeat them all.
"I'm a friend," the woman hissed in frustration making it really difficult to be convincing. "The fact that I haven't killed you yet-"
Beca drew a cut on the blonde's shoulder; she didn't need to be ridiculed.
"Look." She cautiously raised her left hand showing her forearm meticulously covered with a red bandana. The brunette tore it off, discovering a Phoenix tattoo exactly like hers except that it was a smaller version. "I am your humble servant… or whatever."
The mighty Phoenix shifted her noxious gaze back to those hazel eyes. The tattoo didn't prove anything; maybe if she didn't roll her eyes towards the end of the sentence, it would somehow be believable.
"I saved your fucking ass back there," the blonde added. "I killed all those men. For you. Now if it wasn't for me, the Syndicate, by now, would have been knowledgeable about the truth that their greatest nemesis is in fact alive. They would have been hunting you down already and all the ones you care about. So you're welcome, Tinker bell!"
Aubrey gasped. Why the hell did nobody consider about this? Same size, same gibberish language, same ill-tempered and jealous personality – Beca was definitely Tinker bell!
After some time, the last mechanical warrior collapsed on the floor. Hence, the mighty Phoenix had to come up with a judgment or else Thud would never hesitate to rip this woman apart. At the big guy's first step forward, Beca released her. It wasn't because of the tattoo or the effort of keeping the secret; it's only because she bought her more time during that tear gas attack. If it wasn't for this stranger, the mighty Phoenix would have never made it on time to save the redheaded monster.
"What's your name?" Stan inquired much to everybody's surprise.
"Rem," was the answer. Really, she should have elaborated on it more because the three hostages at the front porch started showering her questions.
"Like the equivalent of one roentgen X-rays?"
"Or rapid eye movement?"
"Must be the band. U2 would have been a cool name. Or Sex Pistols."
The blonde shot back angrily, "Just Rem! Problem with that?"
"God!" exclaimed Fat Amy in realization as she glanced from the blonde to the brunette then vice versa, astounded. "There's two of them."
"The fuck are you?" the brunette finally decided to use her vocal chords before the three could start discussing about their theories on the subject.
"I'm your cheat code."
"Cheat code," everybody else repeated because it sounded kind of crazy, yet the claimant nodded her head in affirmation. What the hell did it even mean?
"You really are the mighty Phoenix," was the first ever genuine praise she had utter in their presence. "Any ordinary human being or even a machine that dares to come into this cabin would die on the very first day. I've seen them all curious people walk in, if they even manage to in the first place, but never walk out. Now here you are, safe and sound, about to uncover the very last item."
She eyed the remaining black cloth located at the end of the room, silently waiting for the courageous being to face the unknown.
"So back to the cheat code," Thud reminded because he knew his boss hated beating around the bush.
Rem turned to the brunette and let out one long sardonic laugh. "But you're very funny."
What?
"You think this is Back to Basics."
Wasn't it?
"You think here is where you find the treasure."
If not, then where?
"What did the note say, genius?"
That last part had earned Beca's full attention. How in the world did this stranger know about the note when the only people who knew about its mere existence were Beca herself and her mother?
"Find home," muttered the mighty Phoenix in contemplation.
"Now does this look like a fucking home to you?" Rem asked and was answered with nothing. "You have the key. You were given it to use, not hide."
She then nodded towards the last item for encouragement. Beca walked over to it, and Thud volunteered to uncover it for her. One… two… three… Unexpectedly, there only stood a harmless art pedestal and on the center of its top surface was a keyhole designed for the old renaissance key. Motivated by the troubles it had caused and eager to move forward with this mission, the Head Phoenix impatiently retrieved the key from her pocket and put it in, turned it to the right as if unlocking a door. Everybody waited, the anticipation building up until from out of the blue, Beca fell into the darkness down below.
"I can't believe she's that gullible!" the cheat code had burst into a fit of laughter.
Thud dashed towards her, grabbing her by the straps of her overalls, her black lace bra exposed more than necessary. "If she dies, you die."
"Relax," she assured but with a mischievous sneer. "She's indestructible, remember?"
"Who are you, really?" Stan had to ask. If she turned out to be a Syndic, it would be a big disappointment not only on his part. But something about her told him otherwise in spite of the rascal personality.
Rem shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "I built this cabin… so she's going to be fine."
"Miss Grant?"
Maverick stood by the desk, nervously playing with his fingers as he waited for the Chief Directress to announce his punishment for the day. Oh boy, what did he do this time? If this was about the peas he vaulted into the ceiling, in his defense, he was extremely bored during that particular lunch time. If this was about the time he painted the hair of the girl sitting in front of him in class, Ms. Carson already put him to detention!
"What are those two doing out there?" she questioned instead as she looked out the window with a pair of binoculars in hand. "I told you to guard Chloe."
Confused, cute little Maverick walked towards Ronie, his short legs taking the required number of footsteps while his hand messed up his curly jet-black hair. He tiptoed to see the same view through the window and saw the young heiress perched on the grass under the shades of a maple tree accompanied by none other than Benjamin McDouglas himself. Worse part of it was that they were all alone as everybody else was in the building having classes.
"Uh oh," he began shaking his head and made tsk noises. "Becky is not going to like this."
"You have to level up your charm, kiddo. We can't lose Chloe now, are we clear?"
"Do you want me to set his pants on fire, Miss Grant?" he innocently asked.
Miss Grant had seriously taken the time to consider about how brilliant it would be, yet quickly dismissed the idea when she remembered how old she was. Stupid maturity. "We need something better."
"I will draw on his face using a permanent marker."
"As much as how exciting it sounds, no. I can't let you do that."
"I will keep an eye on her?" he questioned as if that wasn't the very thing he was initially tasked to do.
They both paused for a considerable amount of time then sighed. Fine, that's all they could really do at the moment. They had no other choice but to stay mum on the bench side while Benjamin McDouglas took control of the game. The ball was rolling around the hoop and it appeared like he was the guy underneath well-positioned to catch it.
"You're…" his voice trailed off as he searched for the most appropriate possible term to describe the redhead seated next to him. "You seem alright now."
"Isn't it a good thing?" Chloe asked.
He couldn't help but purse his lips and squint his eyes because he wasn't sure. "I don't really know which one's worse; you feeling lonely or you feeling alright... because either way, there's still a big hole in your heart."
"What makes you say that?" was her ineffective way of escaping from the accusation.
Ben turned to look at her. He didn't have to say a word. One could simply make a guess out of the obvious. The answer was drawn right on her face for everyone's convenience. As a result, Chloe sighed heavily and forced a smile.
"It's really over this time," she shared the news.
"It's Beca, isn't it? That girl… it's her."
And the redhead nodded her head for confirmation.
"Wow," Ben let out a chuckle while he shook his head – all those things he blurted out to Beca's face. One could just imagine how it must have felt to hear an ignorant stranger say all those things. "She must totally hate me right now."
"She hates all people," Chloe guaranteed along with some adorable giggles at the sight of remorse on the typically sunny gentleman.
"Me especially."
"Nah, I wouldn't say so."
"Have you seen the way she looked at me? If looks could kill, I've been dead for a very long time since the first time she laid her eyes on me. They're like a pair of sharp daggers stabbing my very soul every two minutes."
The other couldn't contain the uproar of laughter any longer. "Don't be silly, Ben. That's ridiculous!"
"Ridiculous? No. Beca really really hates me more than anyone in this planet."
"But certainly not more than she hates me."
"Chloe," he spoke to her with apprehension.
"What?"
He tried to read her face but there was indeed no clue of kidding around in her statement. So, he took a deep breath and took her hand in his. He then put on his best smile and fixed his eyes on hers.
"I've told you this before, but I think I have to say it out loud again. Chloe, you are the most beautiful girl I've ever met. When I decided to dance with you at the party, I should have known you would take my breath away. That's exactly what you did. Now I don't know what it is, but Beca must have a perfectly reasonable excuse to not want to be with you, but I can promise you it's not because she hates you. Nobody can hate you."
"Says Mr. Perfect," she wore a sinister grin.
Ben sniggered. Seriously, what was it with that nickname? He asked, "Do you want to know a secret?"
"Do I want to know a secret?"
He let out another chuckle at the child-like behavior and rolled his eyes. "Here's the thing: I'm not perfect."
"I don't believe you."
"What?" he scoffed. "Okay, I'm going to prove it to you… but you have to promise me that whatever happens next, it's going to stay between us, hmm Chloe?"
Chloe adjusted her seating position so her entire body was facing him then drew an invisible cross upon her heart to seal the deal. Ben stared at her for some time, going through a mental debate against himself if he should actually push through with this – maybe it was a bad idea after all especially with that eager image patiently waiting for the show. Oh what the hell! He took a deep breath and adjusted the way he was seated as well. He then lowered his head, just in case, and deliberately cleared his throat several times to prepare himself.
[Do you want to build a snowman?
Come on, let's go and play!
I never see you anymore
Come out the door
It's like you've gone away
We used to be best buddies
And now we're not
I wish you would tell me why!
Do you want to build a snowman?
It doesn't have to be a snowman]
Oh my god, he was singing! And he even made a pause while his index finger danced to the instrumental playing in his head. Chloe had replaced her amusement with an extremely shocked expression; her mouth was hanging open for all she cared. She couldn't decide which one was more disgraceful – the fact that he actually knew the song or his singing ability, everything about it, was just plain terrible.
"Don't judge," he warned before continuing with the second verse.
[Do you want to build a snowman?
Or ride our bikes around the halls?
I think some company is overdue
I've started talking to
The pictures on the walls!
(Hang in there, Joan)
It gets a little lonely
All these empty rooms
Just watching the hours tick by...
(tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock)]
"Stop!" she yelled out. She couldn't let him do the emotional part of the song. The point was already taken – he's no Mr. Perfect after all. "That was… awful."
"I know," he agreed in pure shame.
"And Frozen?" she inquired as serious as possible, biting her lip to repress an upcoming fit of laughter.
"I have a nine-year-old cousin, so I've probably seen it more than you do. Twenty times… and counting."
Ben exhaled as deep as he could as he looked away. What the fuck did he just do? That was so embarrassing in all levels! Additionally, he could still see and hear the hilarity on the part of his company. Yeah yeah, he was the most horrible singer on earth.
"Your secret's safe with me," the redhead promised, stiffing the remains of her laughter.
Eventually, he turned to her with a chastened smile. "Thanks."
"Just do humanity a favor, Ben. Don't ever sing again."
He rolled his eyes as they moved back to their original position. Chloe giggled at the reaction, resting her head on his shoulder while tapping on his arm lightly to offer some comfort for his disability. They stayed like that for who knew how long? It felt… nice, honestly. It was peaceful, not lonely, and incredibly satisfying. This was what it's like without Beca Mitchell.
"I know you're trying to get through a break-up," he muttered. "But I really like you and I want to see you be… more than alright, you know. So maybe, just maybe, you want to go to this music festival with me. Uh… Bombay Bicycle Club, The Neighbourhood, Of Monsters and Men…"
"So you're into music?" Ben could definitely hear the playful tone through the murmur.
"Just because I'm in out of tune doesn't mean I can't have a good taste in music."
"Out of tune? That's kind of an understatement."
"Do you want to go, Chloe?" he emphasized the main purpose of this conversation.
Chloe giggled in delight. He's so easy to annoy, yet he never got offended which made it more enjoyable. She could feel the pair of deep blues gawking at her hair, waiting, and the calming movement of his body as he breathed. Here was the person who didn't try to push her away. Here was the person who willingly offered anything to make her feel not lonely. Maybe he was the miracle she had been waiting to happen. She gave the horrible monster a chance, of all people, so why not Benjamin McDouglas?
"I'll be there," she finally answered. "It's a date."
Thud stood next to the blonde stranger near the edge of the hole where his boss had unexpectedly fallen while the rest of the team found their own places around the room. He would remain true to his words; if the mighty Phoenix would fail to come out of the pit alive, then he would have to kill her too. However, Rem was confident enough that the notorious brunette would survive.
"What's up with you and all the blondes?" Jesse quietly asked the tall young man standing next to him at a corner. Stan was still rubbernecking at the best kiss he ever had.
"Shut up!" he shot back.
"Just don't make it too obvious though," advised the guy who never had at least a single experience on such. "Don't stare, you'll creep her out. Spare her some privacy, will 'ya?"
"Just shut the fuck up, Padawan!"
"Trust me, she-" Jesse immediately stopped when the girl they had been secretly watching all this time suddenly caught them. She was looking right at them! Glaring. The IT expert could almost choke out his words in panic. "S-She's looking at us. Stan, do something. Stan? She's… she fucking scares me!"
As fate would have it, she decided to spice up the recreation and began strolling towards the duo with Thud's eyes carefully following her every move. She had the same intense gaze glued on Stan. It would be helpful if she would stop doing that. But this time, she seemed also curious, her hazel orbs partly hidden as she narrowed her eyes. The young Mitchell realized he wasn't releasing carbon dioxide or inhaling oxygen as he was supposed to; his entire system shut down once more when she stopped right in front of him.
"Pretty boy," her lips were moving so he knew she was talking. "You're staring at me."
Jesse buried his face in his palms in total embarrassment for his buddy.
"I-I wasn't," Stan heard himself croaked as he struggled not to glance at the exposed material of her lace bra.
Remarkably, Rem started to snicker, absolutely entertained. "Oh my god. You liked it… the kiss! You can't forget about it, can you?"
"I-I don't know what you're talking about."
However, she only laughed furthermore. Besides, she loved having fun so why not take advantage of the situation? Naughtily, she raised a finger and set it upon the bridge of his nose, that tender hint of her skin, then, in a very slow manner, traced down his manly features - his lips, jawline, neck, shoulders, chest, down to his sweaty abs sending that tingling feeling until it touched his pants and Stan was instantly reminded about reality. Damn it! He had to pretend he wasn't enjoying it at all, and it wasn't easy when she was just a few inches away from his body.
"You're not bad yourself," she commented, pursing her lips at his six-pack.
"T-Thank you."
"Don't think about me too much, okay?" she gave him a pat on the shoulder. "You don't want to be falling for me, pretty boy."
Why not?
"You should be paying attention to her instead," she nodded towards the Posen heiress who was caught off guard at the unexpected inclusion in this particular conversation. "She'd been staring at you the way you've been staring at me, so let's not make things complicated here. Don't go searching for some fuck someplace else when it's been right beside you all along."
She left him a smile and a wink to die for before going back to Thud's detention, then Stan found himself looking back at Aubrey. Man, this was awkward.
"I'd actually trade a box of cronuts for her," Fat Amy mumbled, following the glimpse of rainbow strands, startling even her own self. She first neglected Stan then delicious food; there must be something wrong with her!
"Boss is here!"
Everybody gathered around the hole. There's Beca covered with some scratches and mud aided only by a pair of knife to climb back up to the surface. With Thud's assistance, Stan grabbed his sister by the arm and hauled her up to the ground. It took her almost an hour to survive from the darkness of death yet waited for nothing before charging towards the so-called cheat code.
"It's just a joke!" the blonde exclaimed in her defense. "Come on, Tink!"
But not even Thud could stop the mighty Phoenix anymore.
"I knew you would make it out alive!"
The brunette threw in a hard punch which the other only had to deflect. She couldn't fight back, that was the instruction. She had to convince Beca that she was a real friend.
"I just wanted to test you! I had to make sure you're the one! Benji put me on this job!"
The horrible monster stopped at the mention of the name; her anger still burned in her veins likewise. This mystery woman behaved transparently yet managed to be unreadable all the same. How could she do that?
"It might be hard to believe but he made me build this cabin. And I was instructed to help you in every way possible. I am your cheat code!"
"Get. Out."
"What?" Rem shouted in disbelief. "I'm here to help! I'm part of the team!"
"Get the fuck out of here!"
Defeated, the blonde broke out a frustrated sigh. "Fine. Suit yourself. But I'm telling you, Beca, this is not Back to Basics. Someone almost fooled me once pretending to be the mighty Phoenix. Now I can only give you a hint. You have the key. Use it."
The Head Phoenix gave her one last glare then marched passed her. This clown wouldn't leave? Fine, then the team would leave. Whether or not this woman's claims were true, Beca just made the biggest sacrifice by rejecting her own most precious treasure. Clearly, she didn't have time for jokes or cheats. She only had to find the treasure to get this over with and hopefully salvage what's left of her relationship.
[In the morning when I wake
And the sun is coming through,
Oh, you fill my lungs with sweetness,
And you fill my head with you]
The late afternoon sky would soon be smeared with the colors of sunset; Ben and Chloe stood side by side while The Paper Kites performed on stage. She couldn't even remember the last time she had this much fun. Perhaps, her walking stereo, in out of tune, had this magical side effect.
[Shall I write it in a letter?
Shall I try to get it down?
Oh, you fill my head with pieces
Of a song I can't get out]
"You okay?" he dropped his gaze towards her.
"Ssh, I love this song!" She was obviously having the time of her life. "Don't sing."
Good thing, he chuckled in response despite of the implicit insult.
[Can I be close to you?
Ooh-oo-oo-ooh, ooh
Can I be close to you?
Ooh, ooh]
As she wished, he didn't sing. He was smart and kind enough to settle with mouthing the lyrics; Chloe giggled at how silly he looked. It went on for some time – he made an effort and she would sincerely chuckle in enchantment. Maybe it was the sense of solace, or maybe it was the influence of the song because then they're hands were already touching, cheerful faces gradually falling in a growing consciousness, their eyes engaged in a different way, and the reach of their breaths nearly overlapping in a closing distance.
He was leaning in, she was waiting. He wanted to kiss her so bad, she wanted to be complete again. All he had to do was to erase the gap, touch her lips with his, and it could be game over. Fuck. Chloe backed away the last minute… because she was still thinking about Beca. She stared at her feet, didn't apologize, but he did with a bittersweet smile.
"I'll go grab some drinks," he offered.
She produced a smile as she nodded her head then off he went. Chloe breathed sharply trying to ignore what could have happened. If she didn't want it, Beca shouldn't be the reason first and foremost. She shouldn't matter anymore. It shouldn't feel like cheating on her anymore. Give Ben a chance, right? Chloe sighed and put on a smile. Yeah, give him a chance. Maybe she could let him kiss her, check if there would be… something. Nevertheless, she came face-to-face with a blonde stranger. She was wearing a cute floral sundress and fuss-free sandals for the occasion, but her half-shaved head and dip dyed hair stole away the redhead's sense of reason. No formal introductions, the blonde just finished what Ben had started. Too stunned, Chloe found herself paralyzed even after that sweet kiss.
"I need to open a door," the stranger whispered into Chloe's ear. "Something tells me you're the key. You don't know who I am, but you're going to come with me."
And that was it. The girl in a floral sundress left and the redheaded monster trailed behind her, no questions asked.
Song titles: (1) Do You Wanna Build a Snowman? - Kristen Bell [Frozen OST] (2) Bloom - The Paper Kites
Your thoughts on Rem's allegiance... fire away, people!
Disclaimer: I don't own Pitch Perfect.