You Remember Me, Right?

Chapter 12

“You know,” Jesse began, “I’m getting you to dance.” Beca just waved him off, moving a few more slides with her fingers. She was just tall enough to reach the DJ booth, concentrating intensely on the song. It was like the rhythms were pulsing through her fingers, like she was solely the one with the power to make the music. It didn’t come from the laptop or the buttons her fingers were pressing; it was her. She was the music.

 

He couldn’t bear to pull her away from the mix, but he really wanted to do something other than swirling around on the chair next to the booth. “It’s inevitable, Beca. You should just appease me now so you don’t have to deal with my pleading later.” Beca turned towards him, shaking her head back and forth. Not taking no for an answer, Jesse got off the stool, gingerly taking one of her hands off the soundboard, doing his best to give her his famous puppy-dog eyes. Her hand in his, he gently tugged it towards the dance floor. Sighing, Beca looked to Luke who was already taking over her spot.

 

“Go,” he responded, motioning for her to follow Jesse. “I got it from here.”

 

With a look of defeat, Beca followed Jesse as he guided her down the platform and towards the lighted floor. Seeing a flash of red hair as it bounced up and down, covering the girl’s face, they immediately recognized it as Chloe. Squeezing past bodies, trying not to get blinded by the flashing lights, Beca and Jesse made their way to Chloe. In an instant, Chloe turned towards them, taking Beca by the hands. It wasn’t a secret; Beca wasn’t one for dancing. She was usually the one to stand in the back of the room, listening to music or ignoring the desperate boy trying to talk to her, offering her a red cup full of liquid sloshing around.

 

Back in 2nd grade, Jesse and Beca had attended a dance,though, they didn’t go together. Jesse was just her friend, her best friend, but still just her friend. Plus, he was a boy and boys were gross. Still, he wouldn’t go without getting her a corsage. He had his mother help pick it out and everything. When they went down to the florist, pulling his mom behind him, Jesse ran from flower to flower. It was no easy choice. He was going to...he had to...find Beca the perfect corsage. Running down the rows, sneezing a couple of times as a result of his allergies, Jesse peered into the display case.

 

Right in the middle was a perfect, purple flower. Jesse forgot the name; many of the flowers looked pretty similar to him, but the purple flower was just so beautiful. It smelled so good and he could easily picture Beca wearing it. His mom pointed to the one, showing the attendant. With his hands on the counter and he went on his tippy toes to see just over the counter. Taking the money from his mother (he wanted to be the one to pay for it), Jesse left with a smile, awaiting the end of the week when the dance would take place.

 

Beca hadn’t been entirely sure if she wanted to wear a dress. They were just too frilly with too many flowers. She hated the white shoes her mom had picked out, opting for the gladiator sandals that were towards the back of the shoe store. Dress shopping with Beca, even when she was younger, had been a nightmare. She didn’t like this dress because it was too poofy or she didn’t like that dress because there were too many jewels. Why, mom, can’t I just wear jeans? After the numerous times Beca stormed off, stomping her little feet and heading towards the music store in the mall, Beca finally found something she didn’t hate. It was a dark, navy blue, but at least it was a dress. It was simple, nothing too fancy. With tiny little jewels doting the top, Beca didn’t think it was too over the top.