Chapter 10
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the music in this story. I also do not own Pitch Perfect, or any of its Characters.
Music:
-It's Only Life – Kate Voegele (Acoustic Version)
- Say You're Mine – Kate Voegele
- Flashlight – Jessie J
Chloe dug the spoon back into the ice cream carton, sighing at the movie on the screen. She'd been binge watching heartbreaking movies all night, and was currently three-quarters of the way through Titanic as the sun was beginning to shine brightly through the window. She frowned at the realization that it almost mimicked her current situation. The giant ship was about to hit the iceberg, but for the moment, the upper-class woman had decided to throw all expectations and responsibilities to the wind and follow her heart. Except, Chloe hadn't done that. Instead, she had run away, leaving a trail of hurt in her wake. Her heart ached, actually physically ached in her chest at the memory of the look on Beca's face right before she fled the kitchen. The brunette may have been telling her to go, but the look on her face was begging Chloe to stay.
She watched sadly as the ship hit the iceberg and began to sink, all of the stupid passengers refusing to get into the lifeboats. After the boat sunk, she rolled her eyes as the pair found a large piece of wood floating in the water. "Rose, you bitch," she said sarcastically. "There's plenty of room for him!" She'd seen the movie dozens of times, and never failed to comment on this particular situation. It was ridiculous really; the door was big enough for three people, yet Rose couldn't even find a way to fit the love of her life on it beside her. As the woman promised she would never let go, Chloe repeated the line out loud. "I'll never let go."
But she had. She had let go, and now all she was left with was regret. Maybe she had overreacted to the message on the answering machine. Beca wasn't asking her hand in marriage, she just wanted to talk. Although, whenever the two were alone, what starts out as talking quickly morphs into...well, a different type of communication. Not that Chloe minded, knowing full well she was extremely attracted to the brunette. Maybe she was overthinking the situation. Yes, she could get in a lot of trouble. Yes, the relationship was inappropriate on multiple levels. However, would she really feel this bad if there wasn't something more behind the attraction? Would Beca have opened up to her the way she had in the kitchen, or reacted so strongly if there weren't feelings involved? Maybe there was a way to find out if there were deeper feelings lingering under the surface. The real question was, did Chloe want to put herself out there and try?
As the answer popped into her head, she instantly felt lighter. . There had always been something about Beca she couldn't quite put her finger on; something that drew Chloe in. A light bulb switched on, and she hopped up off the couch. After shutting off the movie and putting the ice cream back in the freezer, Chloe grabbed her keys and resolutely headed out the door.
Twenty-five minutes later, she stood on Beca's front porch holding two steaming cups of coffee. Chloe wasn't sure Beca would want to speak to her after the way she'd left, but she was determined to at least apologize for her actions. She rang the doorbell with her elbow, and anxiously took a step back, as she heard footsteps approaching from inside the house.
Beca yawned and pushed her chair back from her mixing board. She ran her fingers through her hair, a quick glance at the clock telling her it was a little after seven in the morning. She was running on empty after last night's events, the range of emotions leaving a hollow feeling in her chest. She was angry with herself for letting Chloe in, angry with her teacher for running away, and even angrier at the reason why she ran. She understood that whatever was happening...had happened between them was inappropriate and that Chloe could get in a lot of trouble, but she had still been an active and willing participant. She could have chosen not to follow Beca into the choir room, and she definitely could have chosen to stay at least five feet away and not kiss her again. She had ventured over to Beca's house that evening when she could have stuck with her initial decision to bail on dinner.
Beca was furious with herself for becoming vulnerable with her teacher. She had a great life. Her relationship with her dad and Sheila was great, and she had strong friendships she could rely on. She had a sense of humor about life, while still knowing her dreams for her future, and was willing to work hard to achieve them. However, at the center of it all, she was incredibly guarded. Beca didn't share her true emotions or feelings with anyone, instead hiding behind a sarcastic quip or an attitude of indifference. She never spoke of her mother, not even to her dad anymore. The few romantic relationships she'd been in never made it past a certain point, usually preferring to keep things casual.
Then she met Chloe, and everything changed. The walls she had meticulously built up came crumbling down with one look from the redhead. Beca had never felt this way about anyone, Chloe able to draw emotions out that she was sure were buried deep enough to stay hidden forever. She had known the teacher for a week, and a single glance from those crystal eyes had her spilling the truth about her mom, something she hadn't told anyone besides Stacie.
There was something different about the redhead; something that Beca felt on a deeper level that she still hadn't figured out, and definitely couldn't explain. In what was clearly a moment of severe weakness, she had opened up and let Chloe see inside her, see her at her most vulnerable. And how had that worked out for her? Chloe had let her in, only to shut her out in the cold again, worse than before. She couldn't just let her down easily, no, instead she was toying with her. The attraction between them last night had been palpable, the lingering looks and touches overpowering until neither could ignore it. Beca recalled the feeling of Chloe's hands on her body, closing her eyes as heat rushed through her before clenching her teeth and shooting an impressive glare at her computer. Her dad's interruption had been ill timed, for sure, but Chloe's reaction had surprised her to say the least. She had just stood there silently, unable to say even two words after being well on her way to fucking the brunette on the kitchen floor.
To top it all off, she hadn't stuck around to talk, or even fight it out. No, Chloe had fled, just like earlier in the choir room, and it finally hit Beca. Chloe was just messing with her. While Beca felt slightly hypocritical, she rationalized that while she wasn't interested in a relationship, her feelings for the redhead were genuine. She wasn't ignoring the chemistry between them, and the dare aside, she had been honest in her dealings with her teacher. She had made it plain that she was attracted to Chloe, and interested in pursuing that attraction further. For her efforts, she had received some serious whiplash. "But that stops now," she muttered out loud.
"What stops now?"
Beca spun around in her chair at her best friend's voice. "DUDE! That key is for emergencies!" she yelled.
Stacie grinned from the doorway, walking inside and flopping down on Beca's bed. "You never texted us last night about when to come over. So, I decided to come over this morning and make sure you were still alive," she explained, looking around at the still-made bed. "Did you sleep at all last night?"
Beca shook her head, yawning at the thought of not sleeping. "You could say I had a bit of a rough night," she replied.
Stacie sat up, a look of concern crossing her face. "What's up, Becs?" she asked.
Not knowing where to begin, Beca started rambling about what transpired the previous evening. She left out some of the more intimate details, feeling a familiar tightening in her chest and her eyes starting to grow hot with unshed tears. Beca frowned, refusing to cry again. She focused on Stacie's eyes growing wider with each detail, before her friend's face changed into a slightly terrifying expression as the story came to a close.
"What the hell is wrong with her?!" Stacie exploded, putting a voice to Beca's inner frustration. "That's seriously fucked up, Becs."
Before Beca could respond, the doorbell rang. Stacie looked at her friend curiously, but Beca shrugged, her expression bewildered at whom it could be. She didn't object as Stacie bounced off the bed and headed out of her room. Yawning again, Beca rose from her chair and followed slowly behind Stacie, her thoughts switching over to a desperate desire for coffee. She froze in place when she heard Stacie's voice, sounding sharp and unforgiving.
"Can I help you?" Beca shuddered, picturing the icy glare that Stacie usually paired with that tone. Her eyes widened when she heard the person respond.
"Oh, um, hello Stacie. I was hoping to speak with Beca?" Chloe's voice sounded nervous.
"Why? So you can mess with her head some more?"
Beca peeked around the corner to take in the scene at her front door. Stacie was standing formidably in the doorway, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Beca was unable to see her face, but from the tentative expression Chloe was wearing, she knew it wasn't pretty. She took in Chloe's appearance, a little disheveled, with dark circles around her eyes as if she hadn't slept either, holding two coffee cups.
"I'm here to apologize," Chloe replied, raising the cups a little. To her credit, her expression hadn't flinched when Stacie made it clear she knew what had happened between them.
Stacie shook her head. "Not gonna happen." Her voice lowered, and Beca had to strain to hear her friend's next words. "I don't know what your problem is, but you're through messing with Beca. Stay the hell away from her!" With that, Stacie shut the door in Chloe's face without hesitation.
Beca was immediately hit with conflicting emotions. She was elated that Chloe had made an effort to show up and apologize. She knew how big a step that was for the redhead, who was clearly at war with herself over her feelings for Beca. She felt an immense amount of gratitude at Stacie's protectiveness. In a way, she could relate because she wasn't sure how she'd react if someone hurt her best friend, but she was positive it would get ugly. It was one thing to know this, but it was another altogether to watch it happen in front of her eyes. As appreciative as she was that her friend stuck up for her, Stacie had been downright cold to Chloe. Beca was shocked at her initial urge to defend Chloe's actions, suddenly truly viewing the situation from the redhead's point of view for the first time. It was a feeling similar to the time Stacie had dared her to do the ALS ice bucket challenge, and dumped freezing cold water over her head for the cause. Beca realized just how much was at stake for Chloe, and tried to picture how she would feel if something she wanted could ruin her career as a music producer.
Beca was so lost in thought, she didn't notice Stacie watching her from the bottom of the stairs. She did notice when the brunette called up to her, "You okay, Becs?"
She nodded and made her way down the stairs, leading the way into the kitchen mumbling something about coffee. Stacie followed her, sitting down at the table as Beca popped a cup in the Keurig. She joined Stacie at the table after handing her a steaming mug, sipping slowly from her own. Thinking carefully about her phrasing, she began the conversation.
"Thanks for answering the door, Stace. I'm not sure what I would have said to her."
Stacie nodded, giving Beca a tight smile. "Anytime. It says a lot that she showed up to apologize. What are you feeling now?" she asked.
Beca shouldn't have been so surprised at Stacie's ability to read her. She gave her friend a rueful smile as she replied, "It made me happy that she showed up. I started feeling a little guilty when you sent her away. I hadn't really thought about the whole situation from her point of view."
Stacie sipped her coffee and nodded, knowing Beca wasn't finished.
"I've got nothing to lose here. If we got caught, I might get suspended, or probably just in trouble with my parents. Chloe..." Beca trailed off, thinking over the possibilities in her head.
"She would definitely get fired," Stacie filled in, finally catching up to Beca's thought process and realizing why she didn't seem angry anymore.
"Exactly. I mean, she moved out here from Tennessee, isn't that what Swanson said?" Beca asked. At Stacie's nod, she continued, "So she probably doesn't know anyone out here. She moved here for the job, and she'd lose it in a second if anyone caught us. I guess I can't really be mad at her for freaking out all the time."
Stacie agreed with her. "Yeah, I see what you mean. That's a big risk to take. I can't honestly say I'd act differently if something was threatening my career."
Beca raised her eyebrows a bit, her lips curling into a smirk. "Dude, she flipped out hard last night after just hearing my dad on the answering machine. Can you imagine how she'd react if she found out I'm only seventeen?"
Stacie frowned for a moment, before connecting the dots. "Oh shit, Becs! She wouldn't just get fired if you guys got caught. Your parents could press charges! She could get arrested!" Stacie's voice got louder with each statement. Her face immediately turned serious, shoving a finger in Beca's face. "This stops now, Beca Mitchell. Forget the stupid dare, we are not messing around with putting someone in jail. You of all people should..."
Beca cut her off, outraged. "HEY! Don't you dare throw that in my face right now. Besides, kicking that guy's ass was totally worth spending a few hours in jail." She took a deep breath and leaned back into her chair, unable to stop the grin that appeared at the memory.
Stacie rolled her eyes, but lowered her hand and dropped the subject. "Fine, I'll drop it. The point is, Ms. Beale wouldn't go to jail for a few hours. And she'd probably have to register as a sex offender pedophile for the rest of her life, regardless of anything you say."
Beca stayed silent, thinking over Stacie's words before nodding slowly. "You're right, Stace. I couldn't do that to her."
Stacie dropped a fist down onto the table as if it were a gavel. "It's decided. You're going to stay away from one Ms. Beale, and as your best friend, I'll help you in moments of weakness." At Beca's raised eyebrows, Stacie continued, "I mean, she's probably not gonna get any uglier anytime soon." She punctuated the statement with a wink.
Beca sighed, shaking her head as a smile crossed her face. "No, I'm sure that since I've decided she's off limits she'll only get hotter."
Stacie knew just how to stop Beca from going farther down that rabbit hole. "Got any songs you'd like to play for me? I don't know how I've known you were writing songs for months and never forced you to play one for me," she commented, standing up from the chair.
Beca smiled and got to her feet. "Sure. Text everyone and tell them they can come over at noon. I'll order pizza on the parents and we can mess around with some music. I'll meet you at the piano, just need to grab my guitar from my room."
Stacie managed to keep the shock off her face and pulled her phone out, shooting off a text to the group as she made her way over to the gorgeous piano that occupied the corner of the main room. Stacie knew two things about the piano. One, Beca's mother had been an incredible pianist and had spent countless hours teaching her daughter how to play. Two, Beca was ridiculously talented, but adamantly refused to play for anyone. Stacie had caught her one time, her fingers flying over the keys effortlessly. Beca had stopped immediately upon realizing Stacie was in the room, refusing to acknowledge the moment ever happened. She collapsed onto one of the couches to wait for Beca, thinking back over their conversation. Stacie decided to keep a closer eye on her friend, wondering if Ms. Beale had made a deeper impression on Beca than she was willing to admit.
Beca refused to play any of her original songs until everyone else had arrived, instead playing random songs for the two of them to sing along to. She sometimes wondered why Stacie had never joined her in choir, as her friend had a great voice. The two girls chatted about random things in between songs, until Stacie asked Beca to play the song Chloe had overheard in the choir room on Friday.
Beca shook her head, replying, "I'm sorry Stace, I can't." When Stacie looked at her curiously, she continued, "It's about my mom, and I can't play it without crying."
Stacie's eyes widened in understanding, but she pressed on. "Becs, maybe if you didn't keep it all so...bottled up all the time. You never talk about her. Maybe playing the song will help," she reasoned gently.
Beca stared at her friend, battling the emotions that always rose too quickly to the surface when it came to her mom. She bit back a sharp retort, usually choosing to lash out than reveal her true feelings. Thinking it over carefully, she made a decision.
"Okay, Stace, I'll play it."
Beca noticed Stacie's encouraging smile as she began strumming the guitar, looking down at the strings even though she didn't need to. Memories flooded through her as she sang the first verse, keeping her eyes fixed on the guitar. She felt her eyes grow hot for what seemed like the tenth time that morning already, silently telling herself to get a grip. Beca chanced a look up at her friend, surprised to see the emotions battling across Stacie's face. She immediately stopped playing, rubbing her eyes as she tried to clear her head of the sad thoughts.
"Why'd you stop?" Stacie's voice asked through the temporary darkness.
Beca looked at her friend, shaking her head slowly. "I don't know. It's hard to play that song all the way through by myself, let alone for someone else," she replied.
Stacie looked at her carefully before responding, "It's a beautiful song, Becs. I hope you can play it for people someday."
The doorbell rang loudly through the house, ending the moment. Stacie jumped up to answer it, returning with Fat Amy and Cynthia Rose.
"Did you twig bitches start without us?" Fat Amy accused, immediately spotting Beca holding her guitar.
Beca rolled her eyes. "Nope, we were just messing around until you guys got here. Are Benji and Emily still coming?" she asked.
Stacie nodded, a sly grin appearing on her face. "I offered to pick Emily up, but Benji insisted on doing it."
Fat Amy returned her grin, offering her insight. "They've been very friendly in choir lately. And by that, I mean Benji stares longingly in her direction the entire class, and she doesn't notice."
The other three chuckled before Beca spoke up. "Aw, leave Benji alone. The dude hasn't had a date in his whole life. Maybe he'll have a shot now that he's found someone as awkward as he is. Did you guys see her trip over nothing the other day on the way to lunch?"
Fat Amy snorted in laughter as CR nodded, rolling onto her side laughing. After a minute or so, Cynthia Rose caught her breath and said, "I like her though. And Benji said the choir is gonna perform her song at the concert, so she's gotta have some talent." She looked at Fat Amy for confirmation, who nodded.
"Enough about the scrawny freshman, I want an update on how Shawshank's doing with the hot Bio teacher." Fat Amy looked pointedly at Beca, who immediately frowned. "Aw, did you strike out, shorty?"
Cynthia Rose interrupted, "Hold up. What are you talking about?"
Stacie quickly recapped. "After school on Monday, Fat Amy and I dared Beca to get Ms. Beale's number and take her on a date." She glanced at Beca, noticing her frown was still in place.
CR looked over at Beca expectantly. "And…" she prompted.
Beca looked at her friends, her frown curling into a smirk. "I got her number on Tuesday in detention…" She was cut off as CR whooped and reached over for a high five.
"Not bad, Shawshank," Fat Amy admitted, looking at Stacie for confirmation. The taller brunette nodded, shaking her head with a defeated look on her face.
Beca continued, "And I asked her to dinner last night, but she stood me up. She eventually came over for a little while, so I'm not sure if that counts." Beca looked at Stacie and Fat Amy for approval.
Fat Amy shook her head. "No dice, shorty. It's gotta be a real date."
Beca smirked again, a dangerous look on her face as she said innocently, "Does it count if we started rounding the bases?"
Fat Amy whipped her head around to look at Beca. "You're lying," she said, studying the brunette carefully.
Stacie interjected, "I've rounded the bases plenty of times without being on a date, and even made it home sometimes. Sorry, Becs, doesn't count."
Beca glared at her best friend, as CR spoke up. "Becs, you were getting it on with Ms. Beale?! That's good enough for me," she said, shooting Beca a wink.
It was Fat Amy's turn to glare at CR. "Well unfortunately, it's my dare and I get to decide if it was completed. Sorry, Shawshank, you gotta take the hot teacher on a proper date."
Beca rolled her eyes, sighing as she answered, "Well I can't do that. Long story short, she freaked out last night, she could get fired if we ever got caught, and I'm not down for being a part of that."
Stacie jumped in, "And I agree with Beca. It's cool when it's just a fun dare, but we could really fuck up her life. And by we, I mean Beca," she finished, tipping an imaginary cap to her best friend. "I say we give Becs props for almost banging the hot new teacher, and help her get under someone else instead."
Fat Amy didn't look convinced, but CR replied without hesitating, "Why does Beca need to get under someone? Doesn't she get under you a few times a week?"
Fat Amy snickered at that comment, adding in, "Yeah Stace, seems like a problem you're more than qualified to help with."
Beca took one look at the thoughtful expression on Stacie's face and said, "Okay guys, that's enough of that. I don't need to get under anyone." She narrowed her eyes at Stacie's well-timed cough.
Thankfully the doorbell rang again, and this time Beca jumped up. "My house, I'll get it," she said, and dashed out of the room. Beca opened the door, stepping back to greet Benji and Emily as they entered the house. She led them back into the large living room, gesturing for them to crash anywhere.
"So, music or pizza first?" Beca asked. She was met with a resounding chorus of pizza, and pulled her cell phone out. After ordering an assortment of pizzas, she tossed the phone on a nearby end table, and grabbed her guitar. "Seeing as it's my house, and Emily looks like she's about to throw up at the thought of singing, I'll go first."
Emily began to protest, but Beca waved her hand at the girl and slipped the guitar strap over her neck. She began playing the opening chords, grinning at the amazed looks on her friend's faces.
Fat Amy leaned over to Cynthia Rose and whispered, "Did you know Beca could play the guitar?" The other girl shook her head, already impressed with the skill the brunette was displaying. Jaws dropped around the room when Beca began to sing.
Tears are forming in your eyes
A storm is warning in the sky
The end of the world it seems
You bend down and you fall on your knees
Well get back on your feet
Don't look away
Don't run away
Hey baby it's only life
Don't lose your faith
Don't run away
Hey baby it's only life
Yeah it's only life
Beca felt herself relaxing with each note, each word coming easier. She cruised right into the second verse, and then the bridge.
Take your hesitance
And your self-defense
Leave them behind, it's only life
Don't be so afraid
Of facing every day
Just take your time, it's only life
I'll be your stepping stone
No, don't be so alone
Just hold on tight, it's only life
Don't look away
Don't run away
Hey baby it's only life
Don't lose your faith
Don't run away
Hey baby it's only life
Yeah it's only life
By the time she finished the song, her fingers softly strumming the final notes, Beca felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Her friends were completely speechless, which was definitely a first for Fat Amy.
Stacie finally broke the silence, her tone a combination of awe and admiration. "Wow. Becs, that was amazing."
The rest of the group nodded, Fat Amy finally finding her voice. "Damn, Shawshank! Who knew you had that in you?!"
Beca blushed, looking down at her feet, uncomfortable with all the attention. Secretly, she was pleased her friends liked it so much. It was the first time anyone was hearing her music. A song she had written and produced all on her own. This was different than letting people hear her mashups. Those weren't really her songs; she was just borrowing them, molding them into something different. This was putting herself out there, letting the world see a little piece of Beca, and it was absolutely terrifying.
Emily looked even more intimidated than when Beca had insisted on going first. Beca looked over at the young girl, sensing her fear. An idea popped into her head. "Guys, can you guys give me and Emily about ten minutes alone?" After a few confused looks, the rest of the group stood up, Stacie leading the way out of the room.
Twenty minutes later, they returned to find Beca seated at the piano and Emily grinning happily beside her.
"Want to tell us what that was all about," Fat Amy asked.
Beca shook her head, and looked expectantly at Emily. The girl nodded, and said shyly, "This is the song I sang for Mr. Swanson. He said the choir will definitely be singing it in the fall concert. It's called Flashlight."
Beca's fingers began moving over the keys, a pleasant melody filling the room. A smile crossed her face as Emily began to sing, knowing now that the girl was an extremely talented songwriter. She could sense the moment Emily relaxed into the song, even if they had just worked through the melody.
I got all I when I got you and I
I look around me, and see a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
You're getting me, getting me, through the night
Kick-start my heart when you shine it in my eyes
Can't lie, it's a sweet life
Stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
You're getting me, getting me, through the night
Beca stopped playing after Emily finished the chorus, not having had the time to work through more than that. She was already itching to get her hands on this track, ideas flowing through her head for ways to create a full sound to go with Emily's lyrics. When the younger girl finished the song, she wasn't met with the stunned silence Beca received. The whole group cheered loudly, calling out their approval with a smattering of applause.
Emily blushed a deep red, and quickly returned to her seat on the couch beside Benji.
CR called out, "Beca, we want an encore! You've gotta have more than one song, right?"
Beca frowned, running through songs in her mind. She didn't feel like most of them were ready, there was always something missing. Beca wasn't sure she wanted to play the one song she did feel was finished, the one she had been working on since the second Chloe ran out the door last night. It was all the feelings she couldn't admit out loud, and she was shocked at how easily the lyrics flowed out of her. Her friends didn't have to know when the song was written, or whom it was meant for, though she had a feeling Stacie would be suspicious.
She stood up from the piano, reaching for her guitar and perching on the edge of her chair. Clearing her throat, she said, "Okay, I've got one more that I think is done, or almost done. Most of them are still works in progress."
Beca began strumming her fingers over the strings, immediately feeling a calm settle over her. She started to sing, her clear alto flowing effortlessly along with the melody.
I bit my tongue for too long
My patience gets a bit thin
I gotta tell you the way that it is
I think you know this is something different we've started
We're more than ordinary
There's something about the way that the world looks
Brighter when I'm next to you
She grinned, losing herself in the song as she hit the chorus, oblivious to the way her friends were staring at her. Stacie especially, was completely floored by Beca's expression as she sang the first verse, realizing exactly who the song was about.
No one's gonna love you like I will
Darlin' you can just take take take your time
And I've been burning up like a wildfire
Wishing you would just say say say you're mine
Beca truly loved playing music, and she had surprised herself with how much she loved writing her own songs. It wasn't until she began writing songs that she knew her goal of being a music producer was exactly what she wanted. As much as she loved to create original works, she was constantly thinking up different beats to layer in, or how to add different sounds to add a depth to the piece. She was rarely ever satisfied with a track, always thinking up new things to try to give it a different feel. Beca forced herself to concentrate on the second verse, instead of the beat she was creating in her mind.
Let's get ourselves outta town
We'll take the last train out
I got a million things I wanna know
It's easy baby with us there's nowhere we can't go
And this love it doesn't scare me
'Cause I'm running out of reasons not to feel this
I can tell you're dying to try
No one's gonna love you like I will
Darlin' you can just take take take your time
And I've been burning up like a wildfire
Wishing you would just say say say you're mine
Beca cruised through the bridge, finishing the song with the chorus. She finished out the melody on the guitar, finally allowing the drums to accompany her in her head, fingers itching to get back to her mixing board and lay the track down. Beca was so distracted that she completely missed the doorbell ringing through the house, Stacie finally jumping up to answer it, returning with pizzas.
Beca snapped back to the present moment as the smell of pizza filled the room. She jumped up to grab plates and napkins, telling the group to help themselves to the soda, lemonade, and water that were in the fridge.
Stacie cornered her in the hallway. "Interesting song, Becs," she said, curiously. "Who'd you write it for?"
Beca blushed before turning her back on Stacie. "No one, Stace. It's just a song," she finished, walking back into the room to set the plates beside the pizzas. She knew that answer wasn't going to satisfy Stacie for long, but Beca also knew she had agreed to stay away from Chloe less than 6 hours ago.
Once everyone returned from the kitchen with drinks, pizza boxes were passed around as the group began excitedly praising Beca and Emily for their songs. Beca was grateful for their enthusiasm, but she couldn't help but wonder if her songs were really that good, or if her friends were just being supportive. She knew she was going to have to put herself and her music out there at some point, but for now, this was good enough. Beca was jarred back into the moment as Amy began a story about one of her many crocodile wrestling escapades, leaning back against the chair with a grin and another slice of pizza. Yeah, for now, this was perfect.
A/N: As always, the highest of fives to my beta for putting up with my busy schedule, floods of messages, and utter randomness. Bonus kudos to anyone who gets that reference ;-).
Thanks to everyone for being SO understanding about the sporadic updates over the next few months. Seriously though, you guys are awesome with the reviews and reading them makes my day.