How it All Began

Chapter 2

It was still hot outside when the new school year had begun at Barden University. Aubrey stepped out of her car and thought to herself, "Well, senior year...here we go."

As she entered the dorm room, she found her friend inside, busy unpacking.

"Hey, there. You feeling any better?" Chloe asked.

"I'm getting there. For once, I'm actually glad all the other Bellas graduated. That means we get to recruit some new Bellas!" Aubrey said.

"There you go," Chloe said brightly, pleased to see her friend was feeling better. "So what time shall we head out to the quad?"

"How about we finish unpacking first, then we can head out," Aubrey wondered.

"Sounds good to me. Just promise me you won't let what happened last year get to you?" Chloe suggested ambitiously.

"I'll try, but it won't be easy," Aubrey said.

About an hour later, they had finished unpacking and started getting ready to head out to the Activities Fair.

Meanwhile, a freshman named Beca Mitchell arrived at Barden via taxi. As she got out to gather her things, she was greeted by a roving campus official who handed Beca a campus map and a BU rape whistle. After that strange but brief encounter, Beca made her way to her dorm. Once there, she met her roommate, a quiet, Asian girl named Kimmy-Jin.

Just then, Beca's dad arrived in the doorway of her room. "Campus Police, hide your wine coolers!" he joked, walking through the door.

"Chris Rock, everybody," Beca said sarcastically.

"So, when did you get here? How did you get here?" Beca's dad asked.

"Took a cab. Didn't want to inconvenience you and Sheila," Beca said.

"I see...so have you guys been out on the quad? In the springtime, most of the students study on the grass," Beca's dad said.

"I don't want to study on the grass; I need to move to L.A., get a job at a record label, and start paying my dues," Beca grumbled.

"DJ'ing is not a profession; it's a hobby. Listen, I know that's what you have your heart set on doing, but you're getting a free education as long as you're here. I suggest you take full advantage of it; maybe someone or something might spark your interest. Just give it a chance," Beca's dad said.

"I'm going to the Activities Fair," Kimmy-Jin said somberly.

"Yeah, me too. I'm going to the Activities Fair with my super friend Kimmy-Jin," Beca said, following Kimmy-Jin out.

At the Activities Fair, Aubrey and Chloe were on a scouting mission, hoping to add a few recruits to the Bellas.

Across the campus, after watching the Treblemakers perform, Aubrey muttered to herself as a student approached their table, "I will stop at nothing to take those Trebles down."

"Hi, Barb. You going to audition this year?" Chloe asked her.

Barb scoffed at the suggestion, "Is this a joke?" she asked. "I auditioned for you three times and never got in. So, it's pretty obvious you Bellas don't want me. Good luck recruiting this year," she tossed her hair over her shoulder as she stalked off.

"This is a travesty. If we can't recruit her, who knows what'll happen," Chloe wondered aloud.

"Just take the dramatics down a notch. It'll be fine. I am more than confident that we'll find eight talented women who can harmonize and match pitch. Think about it; this campus is filled with talented students. We're bound to find some good singers," Aubrey said, trying to calm Chloe.

Just then, a blonde with an Australian accent walked up to them.

"Did someone say they need good singers?" Amy asked.

"Hi, can you sing?" Chloe asked Amy.

"Yeah," Amy nodded.

"Can you read music?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah, sure," Amy responded.

"Can you match pitch?" Chloe asked.

"Try me," Amy said as the two matched differently pitched notes.

"That was a really good start," Aubrey said, impressed.

"What's your name?" Chloe asked.

"Fat Amy," she said.

"Um...you call yourself 'Fat Amy'?" Aubrey asked, confused by the nickname.

"Yeah, so people like you don't do it behind my back," Amy shrugged.

"I will... see you at auditions, Fat Amy," Aubrey hesitantly said as she handed the Australian a flyer.

"Yeah, you will. See you then," Amy said as she left with the flyer.

"Okay, I will admit... she's not exactly who I was going for, but she definitely sounds like she's got potential," Aubrey said.

"Let's hope we get some more recruits as the day goes on," Chloe agreed.

"See anybody good in mind?" Aubrey asked.

"Hey, what about her?" Chloe asked as she noticed Beca in the distance.

Aubrey looked in the direction of the coed her friend was pointing out before remarking, "I don't know... she looks a bit alternative for us."

"And just what gives you that idea?" Chloe pointedly asked, challenging Aubrey's statement.

"I mean, look at the tattoos and the ear monstrosities," Aubrey noted.

"Aubrey, sometimes it's not about what's on the outside. It's what's on the inside," Chloe said.

"Okay, you win; if she can at least sing, we'll give her a chance," Aubrey said as Beca approached them.

"Hi! Would you have any interest in joining our acapella group?" Chloe asked, offering Beca a flyer.

"Right, this is a thing now," Beca said.

"Oh, totes. We sing covers of songs with no instruments. It's all from our mouths," Chloe explained. "So, are you interested?"

"Sorry, it's just... Pretty lame," Beca said.

"Aca-scuse me?" Aubrey asked, shocked. "Synchronized lady dancing to a Mariah Carey chart-topper is not lame," she grumbled.

"We sing all over the world and compete in national championships. In fact, we're a talented group of ladies with a dream of making it back to the national finals at Lincoln Center this Spring," Chloe said. "Help us turn our dreams into a reality?"

"Sorry, I don't even sing. But it was really nice to meet you guys," Beca said before leaving.

Not long after she did so, Beca found another table mentioning an opening for an internship at the campus radio station, which sparked her interest.