Hiya! Sorry for the delay (again). I wasn't feeling too well and my inspiration suffered from that. However, this chapter should make up for it. I'm not entirely fond of the Jesse part, it made more sense in my head I think, or I just suck at putting down my words. But this chapter at least makes up with its ships ;) Staubrey, Bechloe and even a hint of Mitchsen. Do not be afraid, nothing too serious, just some fun here.

Also, thanks to all of you who review and special thanks to those who do it frequently. You guys make my day. I somehow fear that the interest in this story isn't as strong as it used to be. However, we nearly made it to 100 reviews and I sear I will be dancing on my table if I manage to accomplish that with these last remaining chapters!

Little shoutouts:

IrynSue: Thank you for the congratulations. And I like to be different with this story. A good thing you think so. Hope you'll like this chapter.

Chile101: I know what you mean, I'm exactly the same when I'm sick, or drunk, for that matter. Have fun with this update ;)

GabyGaft: Thanks. See, your review made my day, I mean...just awesome. It seems like I accomplished my goals considering the movie, at least with you. Sorry you had to wait for an update, hope you'll like this.

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Chapter 24: Back on the Horse

Beca's PoV:

What a hell of a start into a new year! First all this mess with Chloe and then Jesse and now? Now I try to get as much sleep as I can between Bellas practises, working at the station and actually studying. We nearly constantly practise, seeing as we had to learn a new routine and new songs. We picked the mix I made after watching Breakfastclub with Chloe and Jesse. I didn't have a copy of it after I gave it to Chloe to work further on it, meaning that Jesse wasn't able to taint it by playing it in his name.

We decided on that as a group after we made a quick mix at the pool. Imagine us, standing there, laughing at each other, being happy and deciding to give this one-two-aaaahhh- thingy another try and for once we finally match pitch, except for Chloe, whose voice is like "yeah bitch, lets be bass tonight". I must admit I was a bit shocked, I love Chloe's voice so much (the voice, only the voice) and I never got tired of listening to it and then boom! I never imagined this outcome.

The thing that brought me back was Lily's voice, which was clear as day and so loud that everyone was surprised, Fat Amy summing it up perfectly with her comment about her shouting at us. Lily said she had the perfect idea for our performance and we all agreed to meet at the Chaubrey apartment how Amy named it. I just had to grab my laptop from my dorm and Lily wanted to get something as well.

By the time I arrived at their flat Aubrey had the Bellas assembled in the living room and Lily was working on connecting a microphone to boxes. We had looked through all my mixes, discussing pro and cons that came and went wich each song and after over an hour we still weren't close to making a decision and that's when, for the first time all evening, Chloe spoke up. She had at some point left the living-room to get her laptop and when the mix playing on my laptop ended we all heard another mix starting. Chloe was playing my Breakfast Club mix. To be honest I had nearly forgotten about it even existing, not to mention that this wasn't the original mix I made. Chloe had obviously worked on its details, like I had told her to all those weeks ago. She is really good with details, as I already found out, and the finishing touches she gave this mix? Just wow. She had added some other songs into the mix I hadn't considered before, like Just the way you are, fitting, seeing as we sung it some hours ago. The girls all loved it and I was happy we didn't have to choose something Jesse had claimed his own.

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Jesse, well...that's a thing I don't like to talk about. I went over to his room a couple of days before but the coward either didn't want to open the damn door or was out. Dick, either way.

There are exams coming up and between the Bellas and studying I don't even try to find time to go over to his. I just don't have the nerves for it. Chloe and I haven't talked about what happened either. I think we are both too afraid of the outcome. At least we talk to each other, I admit only when necessary but we don't ignore each other completely. Maybe there is a chance of us being friends at least but right now we are too stressed to focus on our problems.

The person I'm most surprised about is Aubrey. Since giving up her leader position she's not the same anymore. She's always either fooling around with Stacie (everywhere, really) or she's making jokes with Fat Amy. I think her day has at least 48 hours as she still finds time to help me schedule practises, studies for herself and helps me study.

Don't ask me how that started. It just happened one day while planning for the Bellas and one thing let to another. She's always been good at drilling people and she's hammering philosophy into my brain like it's nothing. Since that day, we meet every two days and she helps me study, mostly at her flat. You should have seen Chloe's face when she saw us for the first time! Priceless.

But I don't see much of Chloe, if she's at home she's mostly asleep. Aubrey said she's actually studying calculus with Kimmy Jin, seeing as their exam will be deathly, most definitely.

"So, you think that you two can have another chance sometime?" We're currently having yet another study session, called up last minute because Stacie had to ditch Aubrey in favour of her aunt visiting. I don't mind, I need the boost and it has become something regular. Yet another thing that I had never seen coming, me being friends with the one Aubrey Posen.

"I don't know Aubrey. We're pretty messed up already and I have literally no time to think about that right now." We're both silent for a good moment until I decide to add something I haven't admitted to myself yet. "I miss her though, very much."

"She misses you too." Aubrey gives me a smile, seeing my sadness. "I don't think I should be telling you this, seeing as she's my best friend and all...but you need it. She hasn't been the same." At that she ends her speech and it takes me a while before I know how to answer to that.

"That's it? You start the sentence like I don't think I should be telling you this, seeing as she's my best friend and all and give me literally nothing!" I start to laugh at that and she joins in pretty soon.

"Okay, then ask me something and I answer it if I can." She seems serious and it takes me back for a moment.

"Will she get over me?" It's the question that's occupying my mind the most, the question I fear the most.

I seem to have catched her off guard there. She just stares at me, mouth agape, for quite some time. Then she takes a sip of her wine, buying some time to think. "That's an awfully evil question to ask her best friend." She takes another sip. Out of nowhere she starts to giggle and I don't know what's so funny right now. "You know, I haven't heard Titanium in a while..." She eyes me, trying to judge if I know the meaning behind that statement and I can't help but answer with laughter myself.

"Of all the things you could have said, you chose that?" I try to get out between giggles and clutching my, by now hurting stomach.

"Unfair question, best answer I could have given! Look at us!" She counters and we start to laugh all over again.

After we've cooled down again and have both fully functioning lungs again I have to add something that's been on my mind for some time. "How come we haven't been like this with each other from the start? We make great friends."

"Well, Miss Mitchell. That is an easy question. We're too much alike, both stubborn as fuck and I had a sense that you would mean trouble for Chloe. And I know your dad, whose been better to me than my own father has been. Wasn't so easy to overlook that. But...you're right. We actually, on some weird level, fit."

Stacie chooses that exact moment to enter the flat (she has a key already? Moving fast Posen) and doesn't hesitate to jump on Aubrey's lap and kiss her. Seems like my cue to leave.

"So, what have you two been talking about?" Stacie asks after freeing her lips from Aubrey. (I've had enough time to pack my things during their short kiss.)

I make my way to the door, turning around, smirk present on my lips I simply say "Oh, just about how well we fit together, you know. I bet somewhere out there is a universe where we are a couple and where Amy has given us a ship name." With that I leave the two lovebirds to themselves.

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Imagine my surprise as I walk to my dorm and find Jesse waiting in front of it. Great, just as I had forgot about my problems for once. "Beca, uh, uhm...can we, like, talk?"

"Shoot, you have five minutes."

"I'm sorry. I really am." He's silent for some time, clearly waiting for me to accept.

"Four minutes." He should know it's not that easy.

"I- I told you about my internship a while ago. They cancelled last minute and...You see, I really needed this. I. I can't explain this very well. I got a letter some while ago from a studio that I had applied to. They said they wanted me to introduce myself to them but after the internship got cancelled I had nothing to impress them with anymore and I really, really needed to leave an impression. Beca, I had to do this, for my future."

"That's it? You had to do it for your future? YOUR damn future? Well Jesse, how about mine? You could have ruined mine in the process, maybe you even have to some degree. If Chloe hadn't stopped you, then what? I wanna produce music, my own. I make mixes on my own. I'm not responsible to what happens to your future. In fact, I never wanna see you in my future ever again. You broke my trust and funnily you did that after telling me how bad it was of Chloe to do so. You know, thinking back on it it's hilarious. You're a joke, a bad joke. Don't talk to me, like, ever again."

Who does he think he is?

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I actually start to feel indifferent about this whole situation. I can't change the past nor can I see the future. You learn from mistakes and I only have to see Jesse at competitions. If I move to LA I only have to endure him one more time. If, a big if seeing how I haven't talked to my dad since, well, you know.

After fumbling for the keys in my pocket I open the door to my room, feeling tired, exhausted. Upon entering I realise that my day is far from over. Chloe is sitting at Kimmy Jins desk, her head resting on her crossed arms. I put my bag down next to my desk and remove my shoes. Kimmy Jin is nowhere to be seen and Chloe hasn't moved so I tiptoe over to her, realising that she's asleep.

I don't know how long I stand next to her, mesmerised by her beauty, my thoughts going miles a minute. How can you love someone so deeply and still feel like you can't be near her without hurting. I don't know how long I stood there but that's how Kimmy Jin finds me.

"Alt girl is back. We didn't know when you would be back so we decided to study here. You two are something...Shall I wake her?"

"No. Uh, can you help me move her to my bed?"

"I don't want to have something to do with this stuff."

"Not for that reason." I sigh. "We just move her over there and I'll bunk with Amy tonight."

Kimmy Jin finally agrees and the two of us manage to move her just fine. She has lost weight, of that I'm sure. While I pack an overnight bag Kimmy Jin heads to the bathrooms to get ready for the night. I can't help myself staring at Chloe once again. She seems comfortable now that she's lying in my bed. I can't say I imagined her lying there again, at least not so soon. After a quick glance over to the door, making sure Kimmy Jin is not about to enter and find me in this position again, I lean down and leave a light kiss on Chloe's cheek. I was never so thankful that she's such a heavy sleeper.

With one last look back I close the door behind me, making my way over to Amy's in hope that I can stay the night. I could have easily woken Chloe up or even have Kimmy Jin do that, but she looked peaceful, so peaceful. I don't think anyone of us has looked this relaxed lately.

I'm definitely loosing badass points if I even still have any left to lose.

I still don't know what the future holds for us but I know that the Bellas will somehow make it, I can feel it.

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End chapter 24. Review? * puppy eyes *