Hi everyone! Thank you for the reviews and to anyone who enjoyed the first chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Pitch Perfect or any of it's characters besides my OC. If I did Bechloe would be cannon and the Bella's would have a lot more cute moments.
Without further adieu, here's Chapter 2!
Five minutes later, no one has said anything and the loud, blonde girl who'd spoken is really close to my face, staring at me with narrowed eyes.
I take a moment to assess the situation.
There are eight girls in total, each one vastly different from the last. They all look to be the same age and they're all staring at me with various expressions on their faces.
My eyes move back to the hazel ones inches from my own.
Awkward.
I cough.
A couple more seconds go by
Maybe she's crazy.
I break first.
"So, um, I was just leaving…" I gesture to the door and try to make a swift exit.
"Whoa there, squirt! I have a couple of questions for you," the girl with an Australian accent grips my arm and spins me back to face the group. "Are you a spy? Who do you work for? Did the Tasmanian police finally connect me to those Tim Tam robberies in 2011?" She gets closer to me after each question, voice getting quieter.
"Um, what?" I'm really lost. Did I wander into the loony bin?
"Playing dumb, huh?" she points a finger at me. "I can-"
"Amy, chill. She's not a spy. She looks like she's twelve," a tall brunette cuts in, pulling the girl, Amy, back a couple feet. I want to argue and say that I'm sixteen, but I'm just thankful to this girl for saving me from this Amy chick.
"Alright, but I'm watching you," gesturing to her eyes with her two fingers and then to my face.
Like I said, crazy
"Hey, calm down kid. No one's going to do anything to you. Amy here just comes on a little strong," the same girl explains, giving me a reassuring smile.
I finally realize that my whole body is shaking and blush, embarrassed. Showing weakness is the first no-no of being a foster kid. Taking a deep breath, I force myself to calm down so that I can get out of this situation as soon as possible. Once I find an opening in the group in front of me, I vow to make a run for it.
"So, what's your name?" the brunette asks me.
It would be rude not to introduce myself. "Grace," I say.
"I'm Stacie," she gives me a wink and turns to the girl next to her. " You've already met Amy."
"That's Fat Amy to you, squirt," the blonde says to me seriously. Who calls themselves Fat Amy? I look to Stacie, and she gives me a nod to confirm what the girl said is true.
"This is Cynthia Rose," the dark skinned girl with the short hair gives me a wave. Stacie then gestures to two other girls, one brunette and one blonde. "Jessica and Ashley."
"Flo is our resident immigrant," the shortest girl of the bunch gives me a smile.
"Emily, the legacy," a tall, clumsy looking girl greets me, excitedly shaking my hand for longer than necessary.
"And last but not least, is Lilly," Stacie takes a deep breath when she finishes, while Lilly mumbles something about a cloning machine that she had finished.
No one else seems to hear her, or at least, they don't seem affected by it. Maybe I was just hearing things.
There still isn't any room for me to make an exit, and I'm starting to get a little more relaxed in the presence of this ragtag group. So, instead of making an excuse to leave, I find myself talking to them, but they do most of the talking. My second rule, is not to give up too much information to anyone you just met. They tell me about the a cappella group that they're in, the Barden Bellas, and how Fat Amy, who is still giving me suspicious looks, showed her yoo-hoo to the President and got them banned from performing at the ICCAs, whatever that is.
I would pay money to see the video of that performance. The President's face, not Amy's lady parts.
That's nasty.
The sound of the door opening draws everybody's attention. "Okay, girls! Let's get started with practice," a familiar cheery voice calls out.
In walks two girls who I've definitely seen before.
Well, just yesterday, actually.
Beca and Chloe.
They both scan the group and seem to notice the extra number at the same time. "Hey, you're-" Beca is cut off by Cynthia Rose.
"This is Grace."
"Yeah we know," Beca gives me a smile. "Chloe kind of ran her over yesterday."
"Technically, she went over the car," Chloe informs everyone, and gives me a sheepish look. "Hi again, Grace."
"YOU WHAT?" the group choruses.
"Anyway," Beca says slowly, trying to avoid what seems like would have been a long explanation. "That doesn't explain what you're doing here,"
They all turn to me with questioning looks and I curse myself for not leaving earlier, and getting backed myself into a corner.
"Well…" I trail off trying to think of a lie but for some reason I don't want to lie to these people who have been nice to me. Well, everyone but Amy. "I was sleeping."
Everyone exchanges glances. Some, like Emily, look confused, while others, like Beca and Stacie seem to read the underlying meaning to my words. Whether or not they truly understand what I mean, I lower my gaze to my feet anyway, so that I don't have to see the judgement I know I'll find on their faces.
"Okay then, let's get on with rehearsal," Beca says and I glance up to see that everyone's focus had turned to her. "You can stay and watch if you want, Grace. If you don't have anywhere else to be, that is."
I give her a small smile and a nod as the group sits down in the chairs in front of the white board. It couldn't hurt to stay inside a little while longer before I have to go.
I sit back down in the chair I fell asleep in, and get ready to watch what I hope is an interesting rehearsal.
Interesting is an understatement.
I'm not really sure what I'm looking at.
Some of the girls are fooling around with hoola hoops, while others are marching up and down a stepping block, or twirling ribbons. Beca, is by the piano on her computer.
I thought she said this was an a cappella group, not a bunch of girls preparing for Miss America.
Fat Amy had retreated under the seats next to me and said, and I quote, "I don't do cardio, so if anyone asks, I had to go to the bathroom because that cheeseburger I had for breakfast was headed south."
She's something else.
I have admit, they look like they're having a lot of fun, even if they aren't doing anything productive.
I wish I had that.
My thoughts are interrupted by Beca and Chloe dismissing everyone and walking up to me. They are talking quietly to each other and glancing up at me all the while. They stop when they reach me.
"Hey, wait, Amy what are you doing down there?" Chloe asks, tilting her head to the side.
"Ummm, uhhhh, oh, there's the gum I put there last week," Amy grabs something from the bottom of the chair and puts it in her mouth.
Gross.
"Well, bye bitches," with that, she gets up and walks out the doors as if she hadn't just put chewed gum, that probably wasn't even hers, in her mouth.
"Okay then," Beca rolls her eyes and looks at me.
"Oh, um, I guess I'll be going too, then," I grab my jacket that I placed on the chair and shrug it on.
"Hey, no, wait!" the brunette girl steps into my path and puts her hand out. "We wanted to know if you wanted to come back to our place to get some ice for your ankle, and maybe some lunch or something."
Shocked, I glance between the both of them and my mouth opens and closes like a fish. "No, I've bothered you enough."
Chloe frowns and attaches herself to one of my hands. "Oh, please come. It's the least we can do for yesterday."
"We? I'm pretty sure you were the one driving," Beca narrows her eyes at the ginger.
"Whatever. Please, Grace?" wide, blue eyes feel like they're searching my soul and her lips pull into a pout that rivals that of a three year old. I feel if I say no it'd be like kicking a puppy.
Also, I think, a part of me wants to go.
"If I say yes, will you stop that?" I ask and she takes it as a confirmation and excitedly nods her head.
"You got it!"
"Alright then, fine."
"Yay!"
"Okay, tiger calm down or you'll scare the poor kid away," Beca laughs and pulls the other girl back. "Let's go then, it's only a couple blocks away."
They walk together to the door and Beca locks it behind her as we leave.
The grilled cheese sizzles in the pan as Chloe flips it to the other side. My ankle is propped up on one of the chairs by the island and has a smiley face ice pack resting on top of it. Beca is sitting in the chair on the other side of me with a computer in front of her, the other girls in the living room watching TV.
"So…" Beca starts awkwardly. "Where do you live?"
I freeze and my eyes must be as wide as saucers because she grimaces at her words when my eyes meet hers.
"Uh, around," wow, seriously Grace? If that's not a dumb answer, I don't know what is. "What I mean is, I'm kind of passing through." That ones even worse than the first thing.
"Are you and your parents staying in town?" she continues after a minute, her tone searching and I think she already knows what my answer will be, but just wants me to confirm it.
"No," I bring my hand up to my face and drag it across my forehead. "I'm a foster kid."
"What?" Chloe, who had apparently been listening the entire time, turns around with a shocked look on her face.
"Yeah, I never knew my parents. Been in the system my whole life," keep it short and simple.
"Well, where do your foster parents live?" this time, Beca asks the question.
Before I open my big mouth again, I take a moment to think about my answer. I've basically broke every single rule I've made by being here and by what I've already said.
Whatever, might as well just come out with it. Chloe looks like she's about to have an aneurysm her brain is working so hard.
"I'm not with them anymore," before either of them can interrupt. "I left them about two weeks ago."
"Why?"
"Where have you been staying?"
They both talk at the same time and I look at my feet. "I left because it wasn't working out and I've been staying in Rigley Park," the second half comes out a little above a whisper.
"Come again?"
"Rigley Park."
"You're sleeping in the park?!" Chloe screeches and she gets this crazy look in her eyes that probably happens a lot.
Beca places her hand on Chloe's arm, but her focus remain on me. "What Chlo means to say, is why are you sleeping in the park?"
My hands get sweaty and my shoulders shake a little. "I have no where else to go. I can't go back," I whisper, holding back tears.
"Hey, hey," Beca takes off the hand that was on Chloe's arm. It wavers in the air for a couple moments, like she's not sure what to do with it, before she places it on my hand that's on the island. "You don't have to explain. We aren't going to make you go back, just take a breath. Chloe and I are gonna go talk for a moment and we'll be right back, okay?"
Chloe nods like they're both on the same wavelength and they both head out into the backyard.
'Great, I'm so screwed. They're probably gonna call the police right now and I'll be on my way back to hell,' I think to myself.
I'm not really sure how long they're out there for, but it has to be no more than five minutes before the door opens and they come walking back in. I nervously fidget with my hands and prepare myself for the inevitable.
Chloe and I end up speaking at the same time.
"Would you want to stay here tonight?"
"It's okay, I'm leaving now."
"Hey kid, we want you to stay here tonight and we can figure out what you're gonna do tomorrow," Beca's tone leaves no arguments but then she surprises me by asking. "So how about it?"
Not sure if this is some kind of joke, I glance between the both of them. Chloe still has that look in her eyes that's starting to scare me and Beca is smiling softly, which is something I don't think she does a lot.
"I guess so," I reply before I can even process my thoughts and red headed girl to my left wraps her arms around me, jumping around. It must look awkward with me being seated and Chloe suffocating me. I'm not used to physical contact so I don't relax until she lets go with a pout.
"You're just like Becs, she doesn't like hugs either."
"Hey," Beca protests. "I can deal with hugs, just not being strangled."
"Anyway, let's go get you a change of clothes, you'll probably fit in something of Flo's, or maybe Beca's," Chloe is pulling me up off the chair and after her as she walks out of the kitchen, Beca laughing behind me.
We make it about half way up the stairs before a voice rings out around the house.
"CHLOE! THE GRILLED CHEESE! WHERE THE HELL IS THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER?!"
Why am I not surprised.
After I had changed into something of Flo's, she's the same size as me, the rest of the girls had gathered in the living room to watch a movie. Beca had disappeared somewhere and no one seemed to know where. Stacie had said that she probably wouldn't be back till late. I'm sat in between Stacie and Emily, the two most normal—and I use the term normal lightly—people in the room.
"Yo, squirt pass me the popcorn," Fat Amy reaches out for the bowl that's sat next to me.
I pick up the bowl and glare at her. "I'm not a squirt, I'm sixteen."
Emily speaks up next to me. "Um, no offense, but you kind of are."
"Well, you're a giraffe," I stick out my tongue out at her and she giggles, not effected at all by my insult.
"Aw, how cute, Legacy has a playmate," Stacie coos and wiggles her fingers at us. "Its like a little Beca and Chloe friendship."
"Except for the making out part," Amy jokes, grabbing the bowl and shoving popcorn into her face.
A blush creeps up my face at the teasing and I try to hide it, but everyone sees it and they all start laughing.
My chest swells with something I've never felt before, and I'm not sure what to call it as we all focus on the opening credits of whatever chick flick Chloe had put in.
Hope you enjoyed it! We're supposed to get a snowstorm on the east coast, I'll have a lot of time to write and I hope to have Chapter 3 up in a couple of days.