CHAPTER 2: BARBIE GIRL
"Wow!" Gail exclaimed in her overly peppy newscaster tone, turning to the camera as she broke the fourth wall. "This is interesting. This... isn't something you see every day on an... a-capella documentary!" She continued, clearly overjoyed at the fact that last night's disaster had inadvertently panned out so well for their documentary.
"A girl lost her head last night," John announced importantly, before bringing his hand to his forehead in shock. "Not in the way that all girls 'lose their heads,' but in the actual, literal sense, Gail."
"Lost her head?" Gail reacted with a sharp laugh. "We know exactly where it went! It went rolling straight into a Barden Bella who calls herself Fat Amy," she corrected.
"It rolled her over like a bowling ball into a bowling pin," John agreed with a shake of his head, feigning the professional level of sympathy that is required over these matters.
"It's a shame," Gail observed with a small frown, trying to match John's level of fake sympathy.
"A shame that must be investigated."
"That's absolutely right, John," Gail agreed. Turning to the camera, Gail continued, "Rest assured, viewers out there, we are fully committed and dedicated to reporting every minute of this horrible disaster. The truth is out there and we're going to find it."
"This documentary that we call 'Pitch Perfect,'" John emphasized with air quotes, "From here on out is an investigative documentary dedicated to going balls deep into this gruesome turn of events."
From across the quad, Beca eyed the pair of wacky commentators warily. To say that she had experienced a sleepless night was an understatement. The last thing she wanted to see right now was this bumbling pair of inept reporters further blowing matters out of proportion.
"Aren't documentaries supposed to... I don't know, not feature the filmmakers?" Beca asked to Chloe. Beca was all but certain that the authors of documentaries weren't supposed to feature themselves in their films.
Chloe, who was standing next to Beca, chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. Chloe, too, was operating on no sleep.
"I think you're right," Chloe answered.
Before either girl could ponder the matter in more depth, Amy came ambling out of the administration office and over to the other Bellas. Earlier that morning, several police officers arrived to the Bella house and brought the girls to the Barden administrative office to collect further information. The morning had consisted of an unpleasant probing and rehashing of the prior night's occurrences. The girls were asked questions until their ears practicably bled. Beca had turned her phone over to the police, hoping it might create a lead to the monster responsible for the murder. The consequential result of this action meant that Beca would be without a cell phone for the foreseeable future. After hours of the pleasantries, the police had collected enough information and had excused the girls.
"That was like an enema to the brain," Amy complained loudly.
Apart from poor Casey Jody, who was no longer a Bella for obvious reasons, Tina had fled from the Bellas without batting an eyelash. No one could blame her, of course. Beca swore she would have left too, had she not already been so ingrained with this ragtag team of lovable weirdos. In fact, Beca kind of questioned why Flo didn't leave. Did she not have any sense? Or worse, did she know something about what happened with Casey and- No. Beca shut herself down. She wasn't going to start playing 'witch hunt.' That couldn't happen.
"In my country, we are used to these things. Once, my cousin went to jail for five years because someone saw him steal my uncle's friend's sister's grandmother's chicken."
The other Bellas stared in various directions, trying to mentally work out Flo's statement.
"But this is worse," she corrected with a shrug.
"Ladies, it's been a tough morning," Chloe interrupted soothingly, "Why don't you all head back to the house and I'll gmake us breakfast."
"I can't believe I'm saying this Red, that's actually one smart idea you've had," Amy pointed out.
The girls agreed that they were rather hungry and headed back to the Bella house. Several minutes passed in silence, while each girl reeled over the events from the past several days
"Chloe?" Beca whispered over to her co-captain as the nine Bellas began walking back to the Bella house.
"Hm?" Chloe hummed.
"Where were you last night, you know, before the… murder?" Beca asked awkwardly.
"At the party, of course," Chloe answered with ease.
"Uh huh. And that's what you told the police?"
"It's the truth, so yes, that's what I told the police." Chloe's smile grew a little wider as she desperately tried to hide the internal wave of grief that was brimming below her surface.
Beca couldn't continue her line of questioning because suddenly and without warning, Beca heard a voice from right behind her and Chloe.
"Walking in front of us are Barden Bella front-women Beca Mitchell and Chloe Beale," Gail explained excitedly, struggling to keep stride with the pair in her high heels.
"What do we do?" Chloe leaned over and whispered in Beca's ear, not daring to look back and acknowledge the pesky reporters.
"Keep walking," Beca whispered back under her breath.
"These young women must be reeling after the loss of their new Bella sister," John continued.
"Dude, we can hear you," Beca confronted the pair, turning around to face them while not breaking her stride.
"Oh, well that's great!" Gail responded in cheerful disbelief over her luck. "Maybe you can tell us what happened last night from your perspective."
"I think everyone's perspective is the same," Beca answered plainly. "An innocent person was murdered."
"Murdered?" John asked with intrigue. "Do we know this for a fact?"
"Well it sure as hell wasn't a suicide, was it?" Beca asked bitingly.
"Well, technically the autopsy hasn't come back yet, so who's to know?" Gail countered, waggling her head back and forth.
Beca's eyes widened as she kept walking. Were these people really that fucking dumb?
"She was decapitated," Chloe spelled it out for Gail and John simply and plainly, with all of her normal poise and politeness, but with none of her warmth. Decapitation was simply not a method by which to commit suicide.
"Yes, she sure was," John agreed. "Write that down, Gail. We need that in writing in case we're asked about it later."
"Right, of course," Gail scrambled to get a notepad out of her pocket while simultaneously filming the exchange and keeping stride with Beca and Chloe. "How do you spell that word? D-E-K…" Gail asked with some hesitation.
"Never mind, you're a woman," John changed his mind with a wave of his hand. "Of course you can't spell."
"John, you sexist pig," Gail muttered with peppy cheer.
"One more question, ladies?" John asked Beca and Chloe, consciously ignoring Gail. When he was met with no response, he asked, "Who do you think could be responsible for such a horrible crime, that will always be remembered around the world with infamy?"
Beca scoffed. "Maybe ask the new a-capella group on campus."
"So you're blaming the new a-capella group, Evermoist?" Gail asked, hoping Beca would clarify and give her the affirmative answer she desperately craved. Pinning Evermoist to this crime would do wonders for the documentary's ratings.
"Jesus Christ, fuck off!" Beca turned around and practically screamed in Gail's face.
Gail and John each jumped back, taken aback by Beca's outburst. Gail dropped her microphone a little while John widened his eyes and mouthed 'wow,' in such a way that implied he thought Beca was a stereotypical, hysterical woman.
Chloe stepped in, physically placing herself between Beca and the reporters. "Guys, it's been a long couple of days," Chloe explained with an ungodly amount of calm and patience. "We're all hurting right now, and really, I think we just need some space. I'm sorry," she finished, grabbing Beca's arm firmly, but with care.
"Thanks," Beca whispered to Chloe as the girls left the two reporters in the distance and collectively made their way back to the Bella house. "Thanks for, you know, being calm and having it all together… Cuz I'm kind of… I don't know…"
"There's an unspoken rule among co-captains," Chloe replied warmly as she linked arms with Beca. To her delight, Beca didn't shake Chloe off, but instead, continued walking in stride with their arms linked. "Only one of us can freak out at a time."
"Is that right?" Beca asked, cutting her gaze over to Chloe. Beca felt a little uncomfortable as she met Chloe's piercing blue eyes, staring directly into her eyes. They were so… blue.
"Totes," Chloe affirmed with a nod. "We've got each other's backs."
Beca's tense body relaxed and her lips formed a momentary grin. Something about Chloe's statement was incredibly reassuring. The Bellas were all out of breath by the time they arrived back at the house, much thanks to Gail and John. By far, these were the most irritating people alive, Beca decided. And this was coming from a girl who was consistently irritated by most of the population. Once all nine girls were inside the house, Beca slammed the door behind her, effectively shutting Gail and John out of their lives... for now, at least.
"Should've taken that cardio more seriously," Amy panted, lying down on the floor to catch her breath.
Chloe clicked her tongue. "I'll remind you of this next week when we begin Bella practice, Ames."
"Seriously though, are they allowed to stalk us like this?" Beca asked.
"I doubt it. But I also doubt they're smart enough to know better," Jessica answered.
Meanwhile, Lilly mumbled something unintelligible while the gang caught their breaths from their morning jaunt across campus. After several minutes of silence, Chloe stood up and walked into the kitchen. Calling out over her shoulder, she promised the girls that breakfast would be prepared within the next few minutes.
Beca smiled. Having Chloe around was like having your mom live with you. Well, the nice aspects of your mom, that was. Not the nagging to 'clean your room because grandma is coming next week,' or to 'stop leaving your shoes in the living room because everyone is tripping over them.' No, having Chloe around was always having pancakes on Saturday mornings and cute little notes in your lunchbox (which, by the way, was something that Chloe always packed). Beca couldn't imagine what would have happened to the Bellas without Chloe. These past several days had been trying on the gang, to say the least. And Chloe... and Beca, too, she supposed, were the glue holding it all together. Perfect teammates.
Beca instinctively decided to be a good teammate and lend Chloe a hand in the kitchen. Beca was surprised with the sight before her as she entered the room. Standing in front of Beca was a frazzled Chloe, juggling five different tasks and neglecting at least one of them. The unpleasant scent of burned batter wafted thickly through the kitchen.
"Need a hand?" Beca asked with some hesitation. Chloe looked on the verge of insanity.
Smiling a little too cheerfully, Chloe answered, "Nope, it's all under control!"
"So you're serving us burning pancakes... on purpose?" Beca questioned wryly.
Chloe whipped her head around to the pancakes on the stovetop, which were, in fact, singed. "Crap!" Chloe rushed to prevent the imminently probable fire.
"Here, let me at least set the table," Beca offered, though the tone of her offer made it clear that Beca wasn't going to accept any answer apart from 'yes.'
Chloe meanwhile, had taken care of the burning pancakes and was starting freshly anew with a second batch. In addition to mixing the pancake batter, Chloe plastered a forced smile on her face and absentmindedly began humming.
As Beca placed the plates on the table, she took a moment to glance up at Chloe, watching the older girl furiously mix pancake batter while wearing the joyful markings of an insane person. "Chloe?" Beca asked.
Chloe snapped out of her humming trance, casting a glance over to Beca. "Yes?"
"You're not okay, are you?" Beca asked by way of observation. Chloe had been trying extraordinarily hard all morning to seem okay, even though Beca could tell Chloe was not.
"I'm as okay as a person could be in these circumstances," Chloe answered cavalierly.
"Want to know why I know for a fact that you're not?"
Chloe raised her eyebrows in response, not dignifying Beca's rhetorical question with any verbal answer.
"First, you're doing that whole 'smiling in the face of disaster' thing again. Second, you were humming 'Bittersweet Symphony' just now," Beca explained matter-of-factly.
"Was I? Why does that... That doesn't mean..." Chloe stammered.
Beca, who was now finished setting the table, walked casually across the kitchen until she was standing next to Chloe. Taking the mixing bowl from Chloe's hands, Beca began taking the reigns on the breakfast preparation. Chloe had nothing to do other than watch Beca in her element, expertly flipping the pancakes on the griddle.
Neither girl said anything for the longest time. Beca continued making breakfast and Chloe watched Beca with amazement, taking her bottom lip between her teeth. How did Beca do this? Read her this well? No one else was fooled by Chloe's false positivity. Only Beca had read straight through the bullshit with ease.
When Beca was finished cooking up the pancakes, eggs, and bacon, she yelled across the house for the other Bellas. Turning to face Chloe, Beca spoke barely above a whisper when she asked, "You know that rule of yours where only one of us can freak out at a time?"
Chloe nodded as she stared wide-eyed at Beca.
"You should freak out if you need to. I'll be okay enough for the both of us, I promise," Beca offered genuinely, meeting Chloe's gaze.
Chloe's heart leapt at Beca's words, her heart growing even more with adoration for the younger girl, if that was even possible. "Thanks Becs, I lo-"
Chloe's sentiment was interrupted by Amy's brash entrance into the kitchen. "Thank God, I haven't been able to eat in hours. This morning was like a fast... Hey," Amy mumbled mostly to herself. "Breakfast. Break. Fast," she continued, emphasizing the syllables. "It's called breakfast because you break the fast."
Beca's lips tugged into an amused smile as she departed her gaze from Chloe and joined Amy at the kitchen table. By this point, the other Bellas were beginning to filter into the kitchen as well.
The girls sat down to the beautifully prepared Sunday morning breakfast and conversation began flowing easily among them. It was almost as if this past weekend hadn't happened. Only, unfortunately, it had. This unfortunate reminder came all too suddenly when the girls heard a loud, pounding knock on their front door. As Beca was almost finished eating her breakfast anyhow, she offered to get the door.
"Knock, knock." A strangely familiar voice called from the other side of the thick wooden door.
Beca opened the door to the familiar face of her own father. Standing next to her father was an unfamiliar woman. She was tall, blonde, and threatening, as she loomed over Beca, an evil smirk gracing her face. Beca was momentarily disarmed by this tall, scary looking blonde woman and didn't offer the customary niceties or greetings that people offer when receiving visitors. Beca's dad and the blonde woman took Beca's silence as invitation to enter the house.
Chipper as ever, Mr. Mitchell continued, patting Beca on the head. "Beca Bear, I've been all tied up this morning with the investigation but needed to come over and see my little girl."
Beca groaned, rubbing her palm into her forehead. Beca hopes that none of the other Bellas had witnessed this embarrassing exchange were shattered when she heard indiscreet snickers coming from behind her back. Beca turned around to face the other Bellas, who were now all standing in the foyer. Great.
"Okay," Beca began, finally addressing her father for the first time, "Although, admittedly, I don't have much dignity, let's remember that I'm almost twenty."
Mr. Mitchell responded obliviously to Beca, ignoring her subtle pleas for him to stop addressing her like a five year old child. "You'll always be my little girl. I've been worried sick about you."
"Let's not… can we?" Beca asked dryly, acutely aware that her badass reputation was plummeting by the second. Her father was effectively killing any iota of coolness she had left at this point.
"Beca, this is a serious matter," Mr. Mitchell replied sternly. "Someone died last night and we need to ensure that all of you are safe from any potential harm."
"There's more potential harm?" Beca asked with shock, panicked since the first time her father had stepped foot in the house.
Beca's father sighed. "Well, we can't rule anything out right now," he answered honestly.
"Fuck," Beca barked sharply, without thinking.
Frowning, Mr. Mitchell scolded, "Language, young lady… And just, be careful okay?"
"That's what you came over here to tell me?" Beca scoffed.
"That, and in light of everything, I've been appointed Interim Dean of Barden. So I'll be taking a much more active role in responding to campus safety around here."
"I feel loads safer already," Beca rolled her eyes as she responded with sarcasm.
"You should, because I've also assigned a campus security guard who will be closely watching you girls," Mr. Mitchell answered, choosing to ignore his daughter's sarcasm.
"What's that?" Amy asked with curiosity.
"It's a police officer who works for the campus and-" Mr. Mitchell began answering.
"Dad, she knows what a security guard is. She's from Tasmania, not Mars."
Beca's dad sighed with exasperation. "I was just answering her question."
"Yeah, I meant why do we need a security guard, not what is one," Amy clarified with hesitation.
"Ahhhh. Okay, well. With one of your sisters, um, no longer alive, we need to protect each of you. Which is why I have the lovely Ms. Kommissar here with me," Mr. Mitchell motioned to the tall, scary lady standing next to him.
"Kommissar?" Beca asked. "Are we sure this is a real security guard?" Surely that couldn't be a real name.
"Of course she's a real bodyguard," Mr. Mitchell answered, straightening his necktie and chuckling nervously. "She was voted best campus security guard in 1996. That's what the Yellow Pages say, right Ms. Kommissar?"
Ms. Kommissar grinned, nodding her head in agreement. The Bellas muttered and exchanged looks of concern among themselves. Something about this situation seemed very, very wrong. Who used the Yellow Pages anymore? And who advertised the quality of their services from 1996? I mean, that was years ago. And how old was this woman, anyway? She certainly did not seem to be old enough to have been a bodyguard back in 1996.
"Dad. Please don't tell me you found this woman, who apparently is going to be guarding our lives, in the Yellow Pages?" Beca pleaded to her father, while her insides filled with utter dread.
"I did!" Beca's dad answered with ignorant enthusiasm. "Lucky for me, I struck gold on the first listed security guard in the book. I mean, who else can brag about being the best body guard from 1996?"
"Presumably no one," Stacie muttered, looking at the ground. She didn't have to be a rocket scientist to understand that there could only be one 'best.' Stacie also seriously doubted the veracity of Ms. Kommissar's claims.
"So, everyone, say hello to Ms. Kommissar, security guard and CEO of 'Das Leibwächter.' In English, it translates into 'the bodyguard,'" Beca's dad finished triumphantly.
"Hello, little mice," Kommissar addressed, curling her lips into an evil smirk as she slowly spread her gaze around the room, making eye contact with each of the nine women. Beca couldn't help but notice the distinct markings of a German accent.
"You've gotta be effing kidding me," Beca muttered to no one in particular.
"Ah, but no. I do not kid. I just watch little kids, such as yourself."
"Don't let my size fool you, I'm almost twenty," Beca answered, standing her ground.
"Is that so, tiny mouse?" Kommissar asked, crossing her arms and taking a step closer to Beca, her gaze boring holes into Beca.
"Yeah," Beca replied with false confidence. "And we don't need your services, so thank you, but you can be on your way."
"Such a feisty mouse!" Kommissar barked with laughter, taking another step closer to Beca.
"Well you… smell really good." Beca finished lamely. Dammit! This scary, albeit attractive, German woman was really throwing Beca off her game.
The corners of Kommissar's lips tugged into a smile, as she bared her teeth to Beca. Beca swallowed hard, trying to remain stoic.
Mr. Mitchell sighed with exasperation. He knew his daughter could be difficult at times, especially when it came to authority figures. "Beca, listen to her. She's going to report back to me if so much as your toe falls out of line. She's going to lock the doors each evening at nine and unlock them in the morning at seven."
"This is like a prison," Amy pointed out, the other girls murmuring and nodding in agreement.
"In my country, this is still a paradise," Flo considered hesitantly. After nervously glancing around the room and gauging the outrage her Bella sisters shared, Flo back-peddled, "But yes, this is also bad."
"What if I say no?" Beca asked simply, cutting to the chase.
"Then the Bellas will be forced to disband. It's up to you, Beca. I'm just trying to keep you safe."
Beca looked around the room at the other girls. They were all looking back at Beca expectantly. They looked so… nervous… yet hopeful. Beca sighed with defeat. These girls needed each other. Somehow, these weirdos had all become some kind of twisted family. And Beca couldn't disband the Bellas, especially over the matter of her own pride. She would just have to live with the damn bodyguard breathing down her neck.
"Fine," Beca seethed with resentment.
"Smart choice, young lady," Beca's father applauded as he backed his way out of the Bella house. "You're in safe hands with Ms. Kommissar."
The week passed rather uneventfully, much to Beca's relief. Thanks to Beca's dad, the Bellas were now attending all of the same classes, which meant that generally, they all kept the same schedules. Bella practices still occurred on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings and the personalities in the house were all cohesive. Aside from the minor annoyances associated with the constant sisterhood, things were operating smoothly. Well, that was, aside from the German prison warden who showed up at the house each night to check curfew at 9:00 PM. By the time Friday evening rolled around, the girls were restless and utterly stir crazy.
"I literally need to see anybody else's face tonight," Stacie complained at dinner. Sitting around the dinner table were the other eight Bellas.
"What's wrong with us?" Flo asked with offense.
"I can't do any of you," Stacie explained, like it was the most obvious observation in the world.
CR cleared her throat. "There are at least several of us sitting at this table who you could bang."
Stacie raised her eyebrows. "Really wanna go there again?" Stacie asked CR.
The two had hooked up at the end of their freshman year and things hadn't gone well, to say the least. Both girls mutually agreed to call a spade a spade and leave that night behind them. Their relationship was now strictly platonic.
"No, you're right," CR agreed. "But there's still Chloe and..." CR trailed off with embarrassment, suddenly realizing she couldn't finish her sentence. CR knew with veracity that Chloe swung both ways. That was no secret. Chloe would happily tell anyone. Beca, however, was an enigma. Even though CR all but knew that Beca dug ladies, CR didn't know if Beca knew the same about herself.
"And?" Amy asked with intense curiosity, leaning her elbows on the table.
"And, they're the only two others. No one else," Stacie supplied, shooting CR a warning glare across the table.
CR and Stacie had discussed the Beca and Chloe thing before. They both shared the same thoughts- Beca and Chloe were in love but maybe didn't know it just yet. The last thing that anyone needed to do was alert Amy to this suspicion. Amy would tease Beca relentlessly... more relentlessly than she already teased her about the whole 'Bloe' thing.
Amy clicked her tongue as the cogs in her brain turned. "Three out of nine. That's a third of us who eat the taco."
CR scrunched her face and exchanged glances with Stacie.
"Five out of nine," Ashley corrected.
"Huh?" Stacie asked.
"Five out of nine," Jessica agreed. "We're dating," she added, motioning between her and Ashley proudly.
"No shit?" Beca commented with a genuine grin. She was unable to contain her curiosity.
"Yep, since the ICCA's last year," Ashley affirmed as she reached next to her and grabbed Jessica's hand.
"Well, damn, I never knew," CR admitted. Normally, her gaydar was on point.
"Me either," the rest of the table mumbled, suddenly feeling a little bad that Jessica and Ashley went so unnoticed in the group.
"Congrats, ladies!" Chloe exclaimed warmly with a grin. "You guys are a totes adorable couple. I'm so happy for you!"
She did look happy, Beca mused. Chloe looked insanely happy.
"Wow," Amy mused. "So a-capella is like the gayest thing ever."
"Pretty much," Chloe agreed with a nod of her head.
"We do make music, all from our mouths," Beca offered with sarcasm. "So we can't really be surprised, can we, Ame?" Beca asked, her lips twitching upward momentarily.
Amy turned on Beca. Stacie and CR exchanged another glance as each girl widened their eyes in anticipation. Amy was going to make Beca eat those words. Whatever Amy was about to say, well, it was going to be good.
"Ah, Shortstack, so young. So naïve." Amy answered deliberately and shaking her head with mock disappointment.
"Why is that?" Beca asked, narrowing her eyes at Amy.
Stacie and CR collectively groaned. Beca was walking right into this trap without a clue.
"You and Chloe over there," Amy continued matter-of-factly. "Together you're 'Bloe.' I-"
"Ahhhhhhh kay," Beca interrupted, pressing Amy to stop. "We've heard enough. I'm not doing this with you today." Beca was more than exhausted by Amy's 'Bloe' antics.
Amy sighed heavily. "All I'm saying is..." Amy trailed off and held out two fingers on each hand like scissors and pressed them together into the crevices.
"Dude, this is insanely inappropriate!" Beca practically spat.
"It's clam-slamming," Amy offered with a clueless grin, oblivious to Beca's discomfort.
Chloe giggled, unable to hide her amusement over the situation.
"This is funny to you?" Beca turned on Chloe.
Chloe shrugged. "You're only reinforcing her, Chloe," Beca warned. "She's gonna start thinking that we're actually..." Beca paused, unable to overcome the mental roadblock created by saying that word.
"Clam-slamming?" Amy supplied.
"Yes," Beca answered through gritted teeth.
"Well, if the flannel shirt fits..." Amy shrugged.
"I swear to God, Amy, I'm gonna lose my shit if-" Beca began before Chloe interrupted.
"Stacie's right!" Chloe yelled abruptly to the table, ending Beca and Amy's moment. "We need to get out of here. See some other people."
"Thank you," Stacie groaned indignantly.
"Isn't that going to be made difficult by the scary German lady?" Flo asked with caution.
The girls considered Flo's question and nodded. Flo was right, the group decided. Whatever antics would occur this Friday needed to remain hidden from Kommissar.
"I think we can outsmart her," Chloe considered, chewing on her bottom lip while her eyes became agleam with inspiration.
"I have an idea," Lilly offered with a whisper.
"Yeah?" Beca asked excitedly, forgetting her former irritation with Amy.
"The basement," Lilly whispered. "The basement door is always open."
"Wait, what?" CR asked, sitting back in her chair as her eyes widened. "You're trying to tell us that the whole time we've been living here, the motherfucking basement door has been open to anyone?"
Lilly nodded, saying nothing.
"Well, it's a good thing that last week was a seemingly isolated incident and this isn't some kind of fictional story where that piece of information is somehow going to come back to haunt us later on," Amy observed.
Everyone blinked a few times and pursed their lips together in silence. This statement would have been odd foreshadowing if anyone at the table had the foresight to know what the future held.
"Anyhow," Stacie redirected, "We'll wait for the hot German lady to do her 'flirt with Beca' bit and lock us in. Then we sneak out and... what?"
Beca rolled her eyes, desperately trying to hide the blush that was appearing on her cheeks. Unfortunately, Stacie's statement held truth. Kommissar and Beca had a very strange flirty hate simmering. Mostly, Kommissar would insult Beca, Beca would become flustered, and then Kommissar would grin with an evil triumph.
Chloe pressed her lips together. She too, had noticed Kommissar's strange bit with Beca. Not wanting to give anyone the opportunity to further discuss Kommissar's special relationship with Beca, Chloe chimed in. "There's a Treble party tonight. We could do that."
"Chloe's right," Beca agreed quickly, also wanting to avoid discussing Kommissar. "Jesse told me about it earlier today."
"So... we're really doing this?" Flo asked.
Everyone shrugged in agreement.
"Alright, this is gonna be awesome!" Flo exclaimed excitedly.
Sneaking out of the house turned out to be much easier than any of the girls anticipated. Kommissar did her normal round at 9 PM sharp, offered a few thinly veiled insults at Beca, locked up the house, and left. The girls quickly got ready for the party and by 11 PM, were filing out of the basement door like a line of ants. With each girl wearing dark colors, they went completely unnoticed as they crept down the street and to the Treble house.
"I'm so glad we're doing this. I really think tonight is gonna be just what we need to put last week behind us," Chloe affirmed excitedly to Beca, linking their arms together.
"Yeah, I think we all need to have some fun," Beca answered.
"Totes. I can't wait for you and me to tear it up on the dance floor!" Chloe beamed.
"Just don't lose your shoes this time, okay?" Beca joked with emptiness.
Beca was referencing a time during their freshman year when Chloe had snuck Beca into a bar. The two had ended up drinking a little too much and Chloe had lost her shoes. Not wanting Chloe to get athlete's foot or MERSA, Beca had piggybacked Chloe out of the bar and into a cab. Chloe, meanwhile, had taken that opportunity to thereafter insist that Beca should piggyback her everywhere from then on. Beca, true to form, would always pretend to be annoyed, even though she thought it was kind of cute that Chloe would sometimes latch herself onto Beca, begging Beca to piggyback her around.
"The man at the bar told me he'd hold them for me." Chloe explained with innocence.
"Oh, sweetie." Beca clenched her teeth together.
Chloe shrugged. "Well, at least it's better than that time I lost my shirt."
"I don't wanna hear this story, right?"
Completely ignoring Beca, Chloe began telling the story. "I was a sophomore in college."
"Here we go," Beca muttered, mostly to herself as she rolled her eyes.
"And there was this really hot girl," Chloe continued on, choosing to ignore Beca for a second time.
"Ah. I've heard more than enough," Beca attempted to cut Chloe off. Beca really didn't need or want to hear about Chloe's conquests.
Chloe tilted her head as she considered her former statement with some pause. "Not as hot as you, of course."
"Wait. What?"
"Yeah, you're super bangable," Chloe admitted with ease, as if it were the most obvious statement in the world. "I've always thought that you'd be really great in the sack."
Beca's jaw dropped open as her mind reeled for words. Her heart was thudding loudly against her chest and she felt a strange pool of feelings wash across her body. "This is...I... I..."
"Beca!" Jesse yelled from across the field. The girls had nearly arrived at the Treble house.
"Oh, thank God," Beca exhaled with total relief, freeing herself from Chloe's grip. Beca had just been saved from the bell, so to speak.
Beca ran the remaining distance until she was standing at the front doorway of the Treble house. Jesse pulled Beca into a hug. Uncharacteristically, Beca hugged him back. Maybe it was because Beca had just spent the last week locked in a prison with eight other ladies and a weird bodyguard. Maybe it was because a college student had been recently killed and Beca was feeling vulnerable. Who was to say?
When they finally broke apart, Jesse led Beca into the house, which was already filled to the brim with partygoers. Nothing brought out a party like grieving the dead, Beca thought to herself darkly. Seriously, was every single a-capella student in the world present at this party? As the music blared loudly through every hallway, Beca took several moments to look around. Spinning in a full circle, Beca easily identified every a-capella group- the High Notes, the BU Harmonics, the Treblemakers, the Bellas. They were all here, laughing, drinking, singing, and partying. Almost as if everything was normal.
But nothing was normal. Someone had died. Right? Could anything ever go back to the way it was? Would things ever really be okay again? Beca frowned, disturbed by the apparent ease in which everyone could forget someone's death and party like nothing had ever happened.
"Do you think this is gonna help?" Beca asked thoughtfully, looking around the living room.
"Probably not," Jesse admitted. "But it's nice to take a night away from it all."
Beca nodded, accepting Jesse's conclusion as true. "Yeah, we should be moving on I guess... I mean, we kind of have to clear our heads, right?" Beca asked rhetorically.
"Heh heh," Jesse giggled immaturely. "You said head.'"
"For fuck's sake," Beca groaned, stifling a laugh.
"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I make jokes when I'm uncomfortable. Or I laugh. It's not funny... it's a compulsion."
"I know," Beca confirmed, with a nod of her head. "You laughed the entire way through my great aunt's funeral."
"You noticed that?"
"Kind of hard not to," Beca pointed out with a smirk.
This summer, Beca's ninety-seven year old Aunt Ruth had passed away. Beca dragged Jesse with her to the funeral, which consisted of mostly senile people standing around and paying homage to Great Aunt Ruth. While the minister read solemnly from his bible, weeping could be heard throughout the church. Jesse, meanwhile, experienced a fit of coughing, which forced him to leave the church and meet Beca after the service had ended. As it happened, Jesse was coughing to stifle the laughter he felt over this uncomfortable situation. He figured the laughter had gone unnoticed... until now, that was.
"Right, well I'll try to reel it in," Jesse promised.
"Try to keep your head on," Beca demanded evenly, a faint twitch of a smile pulling at her lips as she studied Jesse's face intently, waiting for it to break.
"Dude!" Jesse exploded with laughter as Beca's face broke into a grin. "I'm laughing my head off!"
"You guys are so messed up," Calamity observed dully as she joined the conversation.
"Who told you about this party?" Beca asked, sobering up from her laughter rather quickly.
"Didn't know you cared so much about my presence here," Calamity fired back evenly.
"I didn't... don't. I don't."
"Right." Calamity raised her eyebrows, smirking. "Your face says otherwise."
"That's my resting bitch face," Beca offered a tight-lipped smile, turning around to leave the conversation.
"So it has nothing to do with that chat you had earlier with those weird reporters?" Calamity challenged, causing Beca to stop dead in her tracks.
"That's also a factor," Beca admitted.
"So you think I'm a murderer?" She asked with an evil grin.
"It wouldn't exactly surprise me."
"I'm full of surprises," Calamity whispered, inching closer to a nervous Beca. Leaning into Beca's ear, Calamity whispered, "Maybe later I'll even show you one or two."
Beca swallowed nervously. What the fuck was happening? Why did she feel this way?
"You're definitely not a murderer," Jesse cut in, cluelessly killing the rising tension between the girls. "I'm sure of it."
"Oh yeah, how's that?" Beca asked a little too loudly, trying to regain her normal breathing patterns.
"There are three rules to every modern horror movie," Jesse answered while Beca rolled her eyes. Jesse. With the bit about the horror movies again.
"Big fan of 'Scream?'" Calamity asked with a grin.
"Yes, but these are different rules than from 'Scream,'" he explained. "These are the new rules."
"New rules?" Amy asked, appearing out of nowhere to join the conversation.
"That's right. Settle in folks, because we're about to begin Modern Horror Movies, 101," Jesse announced.
"There are distinct and exacting rules to every modern horror film," Jesse instructed to the captive audience. By this point, a sizable crowd was listening to Beca and Jesse's exchange and the attention was inflating Jesse's ego.
"Rule number one, the killer. The killer is never who you most suspect... It's also never who you least suspect. It's the person you medium suspect," Jesse instructed while Beca looked on with bemusement.
"The killer in a horror movie is always lurking around in the background of any murder," he continued importantly, "Always at or nearby the scene of the crime. It's never the weird and suspicious cousin who was released from prison and came unannounced to your birthday party. That would be too obvious. Wouldn't make for an exciting movie. Similarly, it's not the nameless extra in the background who has zero dialogue throughout the film. It's too... cheap. Not satisfying."
"Gotcha. So you're having me believe that we shouldn't suspect Evermoist right now?" Beca asked.
"I still suspect them," Amy admitted.
"But maybe you shouldn't," Jesse pointed out. "They fall into the 'obvious' category. It's too weird that they randomly showed up to Barden this year and somehow all enrolled in university classes, even though they seem too old to be freshman in college."
"Right. Totally too obvious," Calamity agreed slyly.
"See?" Beca asked indignantly. "We're falling into a trap. This is exactly what they'd want us to think. They're the obvious suspect, which makes them not the obvious suspect, which, logically, then means we should suspect them again."
Everyone scratched their heads and tried to follow Beca's reasoning.
"Maybe," Jesse agreed with a shrug. "Just because it hasn't been done in a movie doesn't mean it can't be done. There's something intriguing about hiding in plain sight like that, I guess."
"Whatever, you guys are losers," Calamity retaliated.
"Just looking out for lives here," Jesse fired back good-naturedly. "Anyone want to hear rule number two?" He asked to the ever-growing crowd.
"Me, me!" Amy yelled, jumping up and down. She was very invested by this point.
"Alright!" Jesse continued with a wide grin. "Rule number two, those who get killed. Sex, drugs, and rock n' roll are breeding grounds for murders, if and only if, you're reckless."
"Well isn't it really fucking problematic we're at a party right now?" Beca asked. "All three of those things are actually happening here right now."
"Well, yeah, it's a risk for sure," Jesse answered thoughtfully, " But as long as you don't wander off, you're probably safe."
"Says who?" CR asked skeptically.
"Says slasher fiction of the twenty-first century. Look, historically, the raunchy kids died in horror films. People who were super drunk or on drugs. Or... I can't stand calling people sluts, but you catch my drift. The people who, historically, were considered 'bad seeds.' Well, these days, we're all woke," Jesse explained. "We know that sex and booze don't make you any more a bad person than giving to charity makes you a good person. Interestingly, horror films have reflected this historical shift."
"You sound like a research paper," Beca muttered.
"Thank you, I hope to write my thesis on this idea some day," Jesse answered. "Anyhow, nowadays, horror films don't kill off the non-virgins merely because said status as a non-virgin. Horror movies are trickier now. Sure, being at an alcohol-induced rager increases the risk of murder, but only if you do something dumb."
"Such as?" CR asked.
"Wandering outside alone in the dark to call your girlfriend because you're drunk and fighting. Or wandering into the creepy, unlit basement because you want to blaze up in private. Or getting so drunk you pass out alone on the lawn chair outside."
"I think we catch your drift," Donald interrupted.
"Okay, well that leaves one final rule. The most important rule. We've talked about the killer, we've talked about the dead people, now we come full circle. Rule number three," Jesse led up.
"The survivors," Lilly whispered ominously. She was literally grinning from ear to ear. Conversations like this were the bread and butter to Lilly's life.
"Yes, very good, Lilly," Jesse applauded. "The survivors. Always, without fail, the cinnamon roll survives," Jesse finished.
"I... don't know what that means," Beca admitted with annoyance.
"Think about the sweetest, most adorable person that you would literally protect at all costs," Jesse instructed to the crowd.
Without thinking, Beca's gaze wandered to Chloe. Chloe grinned back at Beca. Beca widened her eyes like a deer caught in headlights. Why had she been staring at Chloe, again? Chloe's grin widened into a beam as Chloe threw a wink Beca's way. Blushing, Beca averted her eyes toward the ground.
"That person is the cinnamon roll. They can't die," Jesse explained. "It would make people hate the movie beyond redemption. The cinnamon roll has to survive. It's an absolute."
The 'New Rules' as Beca came to remember them, stuck with her for the rest of the night. Of course she didn't believe any of this nonsense, but it was comforting in a way. She wouldn't die if she acted intelligently. And Chloe wouldn't die because she was a cinnamon roll.
The night wore on and the crowd of people more or less put Jesse's advice behind them. Within the hour, people were drinking just as much as they always had, filtering in and out of the house, and sneaking off to secluded rooms to hook up with other people. Despite it all, Beca found she was rather enjoying herself. I mean, anything was better than being locked in the Bella house for another night, right?
"Wanna play a game?" Stacie asked, saddling up next to Beca.
"Jesus, you sound like Jigsaw," Beca scoffed.
"What-saw?" Amy asked.
"Jigsaw. It's a character from the movie, 'Saw,'" Beca answered. Reading Amy's surprised expression, Beca continued, "I know. I watch movies now... the one lasting aspect of my relationship with Jesse."
"Well, I want to play a game," Flo added.
"Okay, it's a fan favorite. Truth or dare."
"No. I'm not buying into this."
"Maybe not if we ask you," Stacie fired back. Stacie turned to her right, where Chloe stood, leaning against the counter, conversing with CR as she half paid attention to Stacie and Beca's banter. "Chloe?" Stacie asked.
"What?" Came Chloe's chirpy answer, as she snapped her blue eyes over to Stacie in acknowledgement.
"Make Beca listen to me."
Beca looked at Stacie smugly. There was no way Chloe was going to stand for this.
"Listen to Stacie, Becs," Chloe teased lightly, not bothering to ask what it was that Stacie wanted Beca to do.
Beca's face fell and her jaw snapped open and closed several times with shock. Stacie grinned.
After several seconds of stammering, Beca spit out to Chloe in a complaining tone, "Dude, you can't tell me what to do."
Chloe chuckled at Beca's reaction. Chloe loved getting a rise out of Beca. Nevermind the fact that she was buzzed, that only egged her along further. Grinning, Chloe decided to push Beca's buttons a bit further. "I promise I'll make it worth your while," she offered with a sultry wink.
"This is ridiculous." Beca said, her face growing a bit pink as she averted her eyes away from Chloe.
"Come on, I'll play too," Chloe countered.
Beca sighed dramatically and said nothing for a few moments. "Fine. This is getting really out of hand."
Smug looks passed among Jessica, Ashley, CR, and Stacie. Chloe had just bent Beca's will with relative ease.
"Alright, Ice Queen," Stacie addressed Beca teasingly, "Since you're such a fan of the game, you're up first. Truth... or dare?" Stacie asked slitting her eyes as she questioned Beca seductively.
Beca paused, considering the choice, resolving to elect the lesser of two evils. After a few moments, Beca decided. "Truth."
Stacie locked eyes with CR, a mischievous smile spreading across Stacie's face. "Have you ever been with a girl?"
Beca closed her eyes and sighed heavily. Exasperated, she asked, "What does that even mean?"
"Oh, you know," Stacie responded, trying her best to sound casual. "Kissed, made out with, fucked."
Beca momentarily seethed with quiet resentment until she remembered that she had an 'out' to this question. A technicality that could save her from baring the truth. "Yeah, so my cousin. I made her touch tongues and now she works at Wendy's and-"
"Nope," Stacie cut Beca off. "Family is off limits. I'm asking if you've ever been with a girl romantically."
Beca pursed her lips together with irritation. This is why Beca hated this game. She always ended up choosing the wrong option and landing herself in these horribly uncomfortable situations.
"Yes." Beca finally provided a monosyllabic answer, choosing not to elaborate further.
The group collectively gasped, none more loudly than Chloe. Had Beca really... Chloe swallowed, trying not to look any more interested for which the situation called.
"What? You have to tell us everything," Jessica gushed.
"Nope, I don't," Beca corrected. "That's not the rules. And I get to go next. So Stacie?" Beca asked, swiftly moving past her confession.
Stacie's mouth hung agape as she processed the new information she had just learned about Beca. Was Beca really not going to elaborate at all?
"Huh?" Stacie finally responded, snapping her mouth closed.
"Payback's a bitch. Truth or dare?"
"Dare," Stacie shrugged. "There's nothing you could ask that I wouldn't tell you."
Amy snorted. "There's also nothing Short Stack could dare that you wouldn't do."
"Probably," Stacie admitted.
Almost as if Beca had been waiting for this very opportunity, Beca fired off, "I dare you to go give one of those Evermoist girls your phone number."
"Already have," Stacie yawned.
"What?" Most of the girls collectively asked.
"Yeah, that Calamity girl. She's smoking hot. So since I've already done Beca's dare, I guess I get to go again? Amy, truth or dare?" Stacie asked, graciously deciding to take the heat away from Beca.
"Truth," Amy answered, resolutely nodding her head.
Stacie asked, "Have you ever fucked Bumper?"
"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," Amy trailed off, stammering to buy herself more time to mentally outmaneuver the question. "Well, I haven't exactly not been not not undressed with Bumper."
Everyone scrunched their faces, trying to deduce Amy's 'negatives' down to the truth of the matter. How many negatives had she put in that sentence?
"Four!" Flo exclaimed with pride. "Four negatives."
"Which means positive," Ashley clarified.
"Which means that she has, in fact, been with Bumper," Jessica concluded.
"Bunch of nerds," Amy whispered to herself.
Beca bit her tongue to stifle laughter. Beca's amusement was short-lived, however, because Amy relentlessly tossed Beca's name back into the ring. "Shawshank. Truth or dare?"
Fuck. "Dare," Beca answered without a second thought as she took a large gulp of her drink. There was no way on earth she was picking truth after her last go-around. And she was going to need all the liquid courage she could muster to get through whatever insane task Amy had in mind.
"I dare you to give Donald a rim job."
"What? No!" Beca barked, taken aback. "I'm not... I'm not doing that," Beca answered resolutely, pointing a finger at Amy. "You have to give me something else."
"Fine..." Amy permitted with feigned reluctance. As if she pretended she was offering Beca a favor, Amy reconsidered. "You can give Ginger a lap dance instead."
Beca frowned heavily while the rest of the gang laughed. Of course Amy had Trojan-Horsed her dare for Beca. Of course she had pretended to dare Beca to give a rim job before 'backing off' with her actual dare for Beca. Everyone knew that given the options, Beca would not complain about giving a lap dance when faced with that unfortunate alternative.
Beca looked questioningly to Chloe and cocked an eyebrow, wordlessly seeking her permission. A blush was creeping up Chloe's neck as she bit her bottom lip and offered a small nod of the head. Beca's heart thumped against her chest while she tried to pretend as though she wasn't about to cross some serious boundaries with her friend. Beca cleared her throat, which for some reason, was dry as a bone.
"I'll pick a song," Amy prodded along, wanting to get to the good part of this dare. Because so far, this dare had only consisted of Beca and Chloe making eyes at one another.
"No," Beca insisted suddenly. "I mean, no. I want to pick the song."
Chloe's insides swirled around with total excitement. Beca sure was taking charge of this whole situation and Chloe would be lying if she said she didn't feel totally and one hundred percent turned on in this moment.
After Beca picked the song, she handed her phone to Amy and strutted with confidence up to Chloe. Pulling the red solo cup out of Chloe's hands, Beca put the lip of the cup to Chloe's lips.
"Down in one, Beale. You're going to need to be a little liquored up to handle what I'm about to throw your way," Beca whispered, shooting Chloe a wink.
Chloe quickly downed the drink's contents in a sip, grimacing at the taste of the strong liquor. Not that her mind was focused on that. Because in this moment, the only thing Chloe could think about was how goddamned sexy Beca was, standing over her suggestively with that gleam in her eyes.
The melody to 'S&M' began playing in the background. Beca placed her hand on top of the back of Chloe's chair, straddling the older girl without lowering down her body and touching her. Chloe sat back in her chair with wide eyes, frozen in place as she watched Beca sway in tune with the music. Locking eyes with Chloe, Beca leaned in close, rolling her body against Chloe's, Chloe audibly gasping at the touch.
Neither girl moved for a split second, both processing Chloe's gasp. Something snapped inside Beca. Suddenly, she was moving to the beat of the music in a new way entirely. The only thing that mattered to Beca anymore was hearing more of that reaction from Chloe. By the time the song began to crescendo into its first chorus, Beca was facing Chloe and riding her lap, her hands exploring up and down Chloe's body.
Bother girls faces were flushed, as any polite or innocent pretenses had flown out the window. Beca was ostentatiously grinding herself against Chloe while Chloe bit her bottom lip to keep from screaming out. Beca meanwhile, was doing everything in her power to make Chloe scream out. As her hips continued swaying to the beat of the song, Beca ran her hands lightly up the sides of Chloe's ribcage, stopping momentarily before bringing her hands to Chloe's breasts. If a reaction was Beca's goal, she exceeded expectations by a mile. A long, guttural groan escaped from the back of Chloe's throat.
Beca's lips curled into a smirk, pleased at herself for bringing this sound from Chloe. Chloe had officially reached her tipping point and reached her hands out to steady them on Beca's ass. As soon as her hands made contact with Beca, Beca jolted back, pushing Chloe's hands back down to her sides.
"Come on, Beale, you know the rules," Beca purred, standing up out of Chloe's lap.
Chloe swallowed hard, unable to process everything coming at her. In tune to the music, Beca stepped around Chloe, to the back of her chair. Leaning into Chloe's ear, Beca whispered, "You have to sit still and watch me drive you wild."
Chloe could hear the smug arrogance dripping from Beca's tone and it was making her crazy. Her core was throbbing and she dearly missed the friction Beca had been creating when she was on her lap.
Beca grabbed Chloe's shoulders shimmying down the length of her before rolling her body into the back of the chair. As the second chorus rolled around, Beca returned to the front of Chloe's chair, sitting back in her lap, facing away from Chloe. Beca swayed her hips back and forth, creating circles in Chloe's lap. Chloe panted while she resisted the instinctual urge to reach out and grab Beca again.
As the second chorus faded out, Beca grinded herself one final time into Chloe's lap before standing up. She flipped herself around in one fluid motion so that she was now facing Chloe again. Beca leaned in close to Chloe and ran the tip of her nose along Chloe's jawline, her breath hot on Chloe's neck.
"Ready for this?" Beca asked in a breathy whisper.
Chloe nodded wordlessly. She didn't think her brain was functioning at a level that could form any words at this point. Beca straddled Chloe, looking her squarely in the eyes as she lowered her body on Chloe's lap. Beca winked at Chloe at the same time that she continued grinding herself on Chloe. One of Beca's hands found its way into Chloe's hair, pulling lightly at it while Beca rode Chloe hard. Chloe suffered, barely able to resist the urge to buck her hips and increase the friction Beca was so expertly creating.
When the song finally faded out, the girls didn't move, their faces inches apart. Oh my God. Chloe needed new words altogether to describe what, hands down, had to be the single hottest moment of her entire life. Arousal pulsated through her body, coursing strongly and pounding through her veins. Chloe swallowed, unable to stop her gaze from dropping away from Beca's eyes, down Beca's cute nose, and landing on Beca's sexy lips.
Suddenly, a distinct vibration reverberated on Chloe's legs. It felt good. Really good. The reverberation occurred a second time. Beca, who was still straddling Chloe's lap, also felt the vibration. It had to be Chloe's phone.
Beca cleared her throat, awkwardly removing herself from Chloe's lap and reentering the world. For a few minutes there, she had almost been in a trance, unable to think or do anything that didn't center on getting that gasping reaction from Chloe. What was that about? And had Chloe felt it, too, or was this all a one-sided thing?
Beca looked at Chloe, who was looking at her phone, frowning heavily. "I, um," Chloe stammered, "I... excuse me, for a moment."
Chloe quickly exited the room, leaving the other Bellas silently watching her departure. Beca tried not to show her hurt pride, shrugging as she turned around to face the other girls.
"She's probably, uh, freshening up the downtown," CR offered with some honesty. "I know I would be doing the same thing if I were her."
"Yeah, totally. I had no idea you had moves like that, Mitchell," Stacie complimented. Coming from someone like Stacie, this compliment had some importance.
After Chloe's sudden departure, the game trekked on for a little longer before eventually fizzling out. The girls disbanded, some of them wandering off to find snacks, others to find drinks, and others yet, to find hookups.
Beca found herself ambling through the hallways, her head fuzzy with alcohol as she searched for Chloe. Where had she gone so suddenly?
"That's it!" Beca was momentarily distracted by a yelling voice to her left. "We're over!"
Beck Harris. Sophomore and active member in BU Harmonics. He had been in Beca's chemistry class during her freshman year and they had been lab partners. He was the only reason Beca had passed Chem. 101. Beca looked a little more closely at the man to whom Beck as yelling. Ah, his boyfriend. Or ex-boyfriend, as the case may now be.
"Fine!" The other, unidentified male yelled back to Beck. "I don't want to date a controlling bitch, anyway!"
Beck turned on his heels, pushing gently past Beca as he excused himself from the conversation. He walked right out the front door, slamming it behind them. Beca took several steps back, trying to discreetly remove herself from the situation.
"It's okay," the ex-boyfriend sighed, addressing Beca. "We're just blowing off steam. We'll get back together tomorrow the way we always do."
"This has happened before?" Beca couldn't stop herself from asking.
"It's happened several times before. When you love someone, nothing makes any sense."
"I feel like you're looking straight into my soul, dude." It was more than possible that Beca was a little drunk.
The other guy nodded. "You've felt it before," he observed.
"No, not yet," Beca corrected.
"You have," he affirmed, turning to walk away. Casting a parting glace to Beca, he finished by adding, "You probably just don't know it yet."
Beca internally reeled over these words as she continued wandering through the hallways, looking for Chloe. Beca wandered through the house looking warily for Chloe. It was more than a little possible that Beca was drunk. Passing a bedroom, she heard the undeniable voices of Amy and Bumper.
"I see you undressing me with your eyes," Bumper accused flirtatiously.
"I'm adding more clothes, Bumper."
Beca shook her head as hurried past the bedroom. She did not want to know what was going on between those two. Beca poked her head into another bedroom.
"Oh fuck, baby, just like that," a female voice moaned.
Squinting, Beca tried to make out the voice. It sounded so familiar.
"Yes!" The voice screamed.
Stacie. Stacie was banging someone. Beca raised her eyebrows. Was literally everyone hooking up tonight? Beca hurried down the length of the hallway and made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen. As Beca was walking into the kitchen from the stairway, Chloe was slipping into the kitchen from the garage.
"Chloe!" Beca exclaimed. "Where on earth have you been?"
"I think I did something bad," Chloe whispered, moving in close to Beca.
Beca rolled her eyes as she took in the sight of the other girl. Chloe's hair was a mess. Her makeup was running. Her eyes were cutting in and out of focus. Even though her feet were planted in one spot, her body was swaying. Simply put, Chloe was wasted.
"Well, you kept your shirt on, so that's a win," Beca observed sarcastically.
Chloe took a deep breath, her eyes trained to a tile on the kitchen floor. "I think it's my fault she died."
"That's insane," Beca dismissed. "Why would you think that?"
"It's this feeling I have. I think it's my fault," Chloe rambled, slurring her words.
"Did you cut off her head?" Beca asked before crossing her arms.
"No."
"Do you know who did?" Beca continued.
"No."
"Then it's not your fault," Beca concluded with simplicity.
Chloe smiled, lightly at first, although the smile grew with time. The smile was infectious, it appeared, as Beca began smiling too. She wasn't sure where Chloe had been the past thirty minutes or why Chloe was suddenly, really, really drunk, but she was glad that Chloe was here. That she didn't seem to be too weirded out by the earlier lap dance.
"I'm really glad I have you, Becs. You're really special to me," Chloe admitted, taking Beca's hands in her own.
"Okay, you're blackout," Beca observed evenly.
"I love your nose and how it's so cute and narrow." Chloe was now grinning as her pointer finger ran down the ridge of Beca's nose.
"You're not gonna remember any of this tomorrow, are you?"
"You're the most beautiful person I've ever met," Chloe continued sweetly, ignoring Beca.
Hiccupping several times, Chloe stumbled over her own feet and fell into Beca. Beca had to take several backwards steps to control Chloe's weight and keep the two of them from tumbling down to the floor. Chloe was now more or less only supported by Beca's weight.
"I think we need to get you home." Beca grunted as she made the executive decision that Chloe was officially tapped out.
Beca began stumbling to the front doorway with a nearly passed out Chloe in tow. As she reached the front door, the hum of an electric melody filled the air. In case the opening notes weren't recognizable on their own, the accompanying lyrics effectively settled any uncertainty.
Hiya, Barbie.
Hi Ken!
Wanna go for a ride?
Sure, Ken
Jump in.
"Oh, for fuck's sake," Beca complained at the song choice.
"Kind of a weird song," Jesse joked, appearing on Beca's left side and propping up the other side of Chloe.
"I know," Beca answered. "Kind of makes perfect sense then," she reasoned.
"How's that?"
"Well, this is kind of a weird time. Last week was really weird. There's a weird new a-capella group on campus. The Bellas have a weird new bodyguard. It's all weird."
"Is it just me, or does 'weird' not even sound like a real word anymore?" Jesse asked. "Weird, weird, weird, weird..." he started repeating to himself.
"Are you stoned?" Beca joked.
Jesse opened his mouth to respond to Beca but before any words came out, a series of loud knocks pounded the front door of the Treble house.
"Fuck, campus police!" Jesse panicked.
To the crowd of party-goers, Jesse bellowed, "Police!"
Beca scanned the crowd. She had never seen a group of people scatter more quickly in her life. Everyone grew silent, the only remaining sound being the sickeningly cheerful tune of 'Barbie Girl.'
I'm a Barbie girl,
In the Barbie world,
Life in plastic,
It's fantastic,
You can brush my hair,
Undress me everywhere
Imagination
Life is your creation
Jesse turned to Beca, his eyes wide with fear. His parents were going to most definitely kill him if he got a drinking ticket. He was beyond fucked.
"Let me handle this one," Beca offered, reading Jesse's look like a book. Even though Beca and Jesse didn't make sense as a couple, that didn't mean that they wouldn't remain close friends. Beca transferred Chloe's weight to Jesse as she went to answer the front door.
"I owe you, dude," Jesse exhaled, making way for Beca to open the front door and meet her doom with the campus police.
Beca took a deep breath and reached slowly, yet deliberately for the front doorknob, straightening her posture in the process. She needed to pretend to be as sober and alert as possible. Turning the knob, Beca opened the front door. Relax, Beca, she told herself. It's probably just a noise complaint. Act sober. You're good at acting sober, right? Sure!
What Beca was expecting to open the door to find was not remotely close to the sight she found before her. Beca heard a blood curdling scream drowning out the tune of Barbie Girl. It took several seconds before she realized the horrible scream was, in fact, her own.
The door slowly swung completely open, revealing the source of Beca's screams to the other party-goers. 'Standing' on the front porch was a lifeless BU Harmonic, skewered into a metal rod that held the young man upright, while he wore nothing but a two piece bikini, a pair of white elbow-length gloves, and a pair of stiletto pink heels. His eyes were glazed over as his rigid body hung sadly on the metal rod that had literally been drilled through his torso. The rod was supported by a large wooden plank on the bottom, creating the sickest, most awful showcase for a murder that Beca had ever laid eyes upon.
He looked... just like a Barbie, Beca thought with horror. The song. It was... connected. Just like the last murder.
Beca leaned over to the potted plant next to the door and hurled loudly, her sickness totally overshadowed by the despairing screams of the other party-goers and the closing lyrics of 'Barbie Girl.'
Oh, I'm having so much fun!
Well, Barbie, we are just getting started.
Oh, I love you Ken.
Beca continued emptying the contents of her stomach into the potted fern while Flo pushed frantically past the crowd of hysteric people and made her way over to Beca.
"Beca!" Flo called, squatting down next to Beca and enveloping her in a suffocating huh, while the smaller girl began dry heaving. There was no more alcohol or food to empty from her system.
"Relax, Beca," CR calmly instructed Beca as she, too, made her way to Beca's side. CR swallowed, trying herself to ignore the extremely disturbing murder scene on the front porch.
After dry heaving one or two final times, Beca took a deep breath and lifted her head slowly to meet CR's eyes. "Relax?" She croaked. "Someone is shish kebab-ed on the front porch."
"I know that," CR answered, her eyes not breaking from Beca's gaze, as she rubbed Beca's arm. "We can't change that. Jessica or Ashley… the blonde one… has called the police and they're on their way. We need to get you away from... from... the 'house guest.'"
Against Beca's better judgment, she cut her gaze over to the 'house guest' on the front porch, taking in the way that the bright pink bikini matched the color of the guy's bright pink stilettos. Someone incredibly sick had orchestrated this murder and had dressed this poor BU Harmonic up like a pageant girl to perfect a murder. Turning her head back to CR, Beca felt very heavy all of a sudden, her head lolling from side to side. Her vision was cutting in and out and her ears were ringing. Oh no... Beca slumped into Flo's arms.
***** Thanks so much everyone for all of the support so far, I really appreciate the wonderful comments! This is an awesome story to write and you all are great :)