Spirit

Okay so when Aubrey had said 'crush' she was wasted and hadn't a clue what she was talking about, or what she was feeling, right? She raised and eyebrow at herself in the mirror. There were ideas that Tom had planted in her mind (for his own reasons but never the less) and the alcohol expanded on them and made Aubrey think she had a crush on Chloe. When in fact she didn't.

Aubrey nodded at herself in the mirror, happy with her conclusion. She checked her bun once more, now assuring herself she'd nail her solo. It was the morning of finals and the blonde was desperately trying to convince herself everything would be just fine. Her hair was perfectly in place, her make up was pristine and her throat had been treated to various remedies of honey throughout the week. She knew her solo inside out as well as the choreography and her harmonies. Realistically there was very little that could go wrong, but Aubrey had other things on her mind. No, that was a lie, she had one thing on her mind. Chloe Beale.

She sighed to herself looking in the mirror. If she didn't have a crush on her why couldn't she stop thinking about her? She shook her head, she didn't have a crush on Chloe. One she didn't like girls, well not that she knew of... Now that Aubrey thought about it she was pretty sure that gender didn't matter, it was the person that you fell in love with not their gender. That was beside the point, it didn't matter if she was open to falling in love with girls she was talking about a crush. She definitely didn't have a crush. She'd had crushes before and she can't talk properly and stutters and always tries to lean in and agree with most things they say. With Chloe she could talk about anything and she didn't get nervous and stutter. Oh no, no she just threw up a lot. Aubrey rolled her eyes getting annoyed at herself for over thinking.

"Bree!" Chloe chirped sticking her head into the bathroom.

"Wow you look gorgeous!" She smiled genuinely and the blonde felt her heart melt, she was so sweet, but so innocent to the fact that she could make Aubrey's stomach do backflips. Not that Aubrey would really admit it either.

"Thanks, you look amazing... as usual." She blushed looking at the redhead.

"As usual?" Chloe asked smugly, smirking up at the blonde.

Aubrey rolled her eyes, there was a time when compliments had been hard for Aubrey to give. Not because she didn't mean them but because she didn't know how people would react. Her dad didn't believe in compliments so it wasn't something she was used to receiving either, but ever since the karaoke night she found that at least with Chloe, it was something she could do. Aubrey often found herself trying to refrain from giving her more compliments.

Chloe shot her a cheeky smile before huffing once more at the blonde.

"Are we gonna leave or what?" She said tapping her fingers along the door frame.

Aubrey took another glance in the mirror before sighing, there was nothing more she could do. She smiled as Chloe wrapped her arms around the blonde and hugged her tightly, the redhead resting her head on Aubrey's shoulder.

"You, are going to be amazing. You're going to blow that crowd away and we're going to win the title. You're going to shock Prue with how unbelievably perfect you are and she's going to pass the pitch pipe onto you." The ginger paused and caught Aubrey's eye in the mirror. " You're going to make your dad proud." The redhead finished softly into her ear.

It was all the things Aubrey needed to hear, all she needed to know was that someone loved her and believed in her, maybe sometimes even more that she loved herself. Definitely more than she believed in herself.

"What about you?" Aubrey asked softly letting her head fall onto Chloe's. The redhead smiled into the mirror still watching Aubrey's reflection.

"I already think you're perfect, I already love you and I'm already so so proud of you. That's how I know you're going to do so well." She said it as if it was the easiest thing in the world and Aubrey believed it. She turned to face Chloe and smiled at her, there stares holding for slightly too long and 4

"Come on! Lets go!" Chloe said excitedly taking Aubrey's hand and pulling her from the bathroom.

Truth

The way Prue spoke to the girls before the show was typical, no words of encouragement what-so-ever and of course Chloe took no heed as usual, she may have lost her alt girl look a bit but she was still a rebel at heart. She did what she wanted and listened to who she wanted and that was not Prue. Aubrey however took everything into consideration and it was as if Chloe's pep talk had never happened. She was going to be singing out with the spotlight on her, everyone watching and listening and judging her.

Maybe someone else should be doing it? The blonde blinked in shock, why hadn't she thought of this before.

"You alright?" Aubrey felt an arm wrap around her and it sure as hell wasn't any senior Bella. Chloe smiled at her sympathetically knowing how much Prue could effect her best friends confidence.

"Don't listen to her you're going to be great, okay?"

Before either girl could say anything else, the Bellas were announced onto the stage. The two juniors took there place, Chloe glancing worriedly over at Aubrey, hoping she had calmed her down. Which of course she hadn't, Aubrey's mind had flickered back to earlier and Chloe's speech, trust she'd remember it now.

She put on her best smile and danced with head bitch desk girl taking the mic and gearing up.

Okay breathe Bree, it's a competition of course they're looking at you. It's only what... Everyone in this room. The blonde's mind flickered to Chloe as she bounced over to the left side of the stage. Chloe was watching her, she thought Bree was perfect and that she could do this and... oh god no.

Aubrey could feel it coming up and it was the worst possible time and moment and oh god oh god oh god oh god. She wasn't sure if she could hold it down...

...

She didn't hold it down and that must have been the single most embarrassing thing in anyone's life ever. How was she ever going to be able to look anyone in the eye again? How was she going to explain this to her parents? Would Chloe still be friends with her after this? Would she be able to sing in front of anyone ever again? She felt the vile in her stomach again and she couldn't hold that down either, or the tears that were threatening her eyes...
She was a royal mess. A failure. A laughing stock, an embarrassment, filthy and disgusting and and... Was that arms around her? Hugging her?

"Bree are you okay? Come here come on!" Chloe's voice was the only one she could hear. There was hecklers and the commentators and the other Bellas, but Aubrey didn't care she just followed the redhead's instructions. Chloe brought Aubrey into the backstage bathroom and locked the door. She helped to clean her up and took her into her arms. They sat on the floor together. Chloe sat there stroking the blondes head letting Aubrey cry.

Aubrey's mind was racing and not so much because of what had just happened but about what was happening right now. Sure she was worried about it but right now she couldn't get over the fact that the only one who had come to her rescue, the only one who looked after her. Maybe even more than she would have looked after herself, was Chloe and when Aubrey thought about, like really thought, it there was nobody in her life who would do that for her. Not even her parents would be so selfless and loving. Chloe Beale, who had known Aubrey a measly 3 years of her life had taken her in, loved and cared for her and picked up the pieces when everything went wrong. Now, Aubrey wasn't exactly the most open person, so the fact that Chloe had gotten so close astounded her more than anyone, she was not expecting Chloe Beale to enter her life. Let alone break down all her stupid walls and find a cosy place in her heart to stay.

"Come on. We should go home." Chloe whispered finally in her ear. It was the first thing the redhead had said since she locked them in the bathroom. It must have been at least half an hour later, the winner had been announced and the Bellas were smiling perfectly aca-fake smiles to the crowd. Chloe pulled Aubrey away from the stage altogether and headed to the bus they kidnapped their things and headed for a local coach stop.

"Chlo, you don't have to do this we can go back on the Bella's bus." Aubrey tried to sound genuine, but as soon as the words left her lips she knew she hadn't convinced anyone. She sure as hell did not want to face the wrath of Prue after todays events.

"We don't need them, really. I don't want to go with them Bree I just want to be with you." Aubrey blinked at the redhead, tears forming in her eyes, she knew what she meant. She meant Aubrey was her best friend and she knew Aubrey didn't want to be with them and he knew Chloe was just being the sweet best friend she always was and Chloe knew that she didn't need any of the Bellas down her throat and if Chloe was being honest with herself she wasn't sure if she could handle them taking down Bree like that.

They got into the bus station and Chloe bought them tickets back to Atlanta. Aubrey curled into her and slept on the way home. They had removed their scarves so they wouldn't be recognised as Barden Bellas when they got home, they didn't need all the questions.

When they finally got back to their apartment Chloe tugged Aubrey into her bed it was sort of ironic how the roles had changed in such a short space of time. At the beginning of the year Aubrey had been looking after Chloe and now not even the entire year had passed and the girl who was once broken was now wrapping her arms around Aubrey and looking after her. How was that even possible.

Aubrey looked up at Chloe, her bright blue eyes were threatened with tears of their own. How was she even holding herself together at all?

"Don't cry for me." Aubrey blubbered her hand raising to Chloe's cheek. The redhead shot her a smile.

"Argentina?" She sang with a soft giggle. Aubrey was so strong for her and she had looked after her so well and had been so understanding. Even when Chloe had flipped out, ran away, slept with half the college population, not showered for a week and profusely refused to leave the blonde's bed, Aubrey hadn't batted an eye-lid. She just looked after her, she didn't even pressure Chloe into talking, she was just there. Caring and loving and the perfect best friend and Chloe would be damned if she wasn't exactly the same for Aubrey now.

"I love you Bree. I just hate seeing you like this, I can't control my tears you know that." She smiled again letting a teardrop roll down her cheek. Aubrey smiled at her wiping the tear from her cheek, she rested their foreheads together. How could she be so perfect? How was Aubrey so lucky to have someone as perfect as Chloe in her life? She definitely didn't have a crush on her.

"I love you too, Chlo. You're the best." Aubrey said closing her eyes trying not to admit to herself what, she should have known all along. Ever since her dream, ever since wanting more of that dreamy kiss. She didn't have a crush, no. She was completely and utterly, unconditionally and irrevocably in love with Chloe and there wasn't a thing she could do to change that.