Long way round

chapter 1

Beca was smiling, uncharacteristically given everything that was going on in her life, but she couldn't help it. Something about sitting in these dusty, old, hideously green auditorium chairs with Lilly on her left and Fat Amy to her right just brought out a smile. And not the nervous smile she'd worn the first time she'd walked into this room, unsure if her decision to even show-up for tryouts was a wise one seeing as she hadn't known they needed to memorize that specific song. No, this was an out-and-out "I'm happy to be here with my 'aca-bitches'" smile. Fat Amy must have noticed the grin because she started to lean over to say something, but at the same time, Tommy stepped around his assistant, Justin, to open the auditions.

"Listen up, aca-ballers. I have been rejected by the Army, stuffed into a 'Dora the Explorer' backpack, and shoved into the girl's locker room wearing nothing but suspenders." Beca had a hard time covering her snort of laughter at Tommy's list, he always did seem to know how to make an entrance. She got an elbow in the ribs from Fat Amy, who noticed the smirk, and turned her attention back to him as he continued on. "But, no matter, I am in the world I love. And with the assistance of my boy, Justin..."

"My liege." Justin said, giving a half bow.

"I launch this year's auditions... Belly roll." Beca kept her smirk internal this time, as Justin gave exactly that, a drumroll using his belly. Tommy spoke up during said belly roll, "The most recent ICCA National Champion winners get to pick the audition song." Justin rounded out his belly roll with a vocal symbol crash, and Beca couldn't help feeling pride in her girls as all eyes in the room focused on them. Amy leaned in from her right to whisper, "I got nothing, but make 'em work for it."

From her left side, she felt Lilly lean towards her as her fellow sophomore spoke up, still quiet but better than the last year, "Maybe something from Pink?"

Beca knew that Stacie and CR were talking behind her, but Lilly had given her just the idea she wanted. She leaned confidently back into her chair, smiling as she spoke, "Alright, nerds. Let's go with something fun. 'Na na na na na na na na na...' If you don't know the rest, get out."

Tommy, the "MC" for the day, knew enough about Beca to know she was half serious with the threat, so he spoke up. "Very well, the Bellas have spoken, your trial by fire today shall be 'So What', by Pink. If a group likes you, they will contact you directly. My faithful vassal, Justin, has already taken and disturbed your information. Without further ado, 'aca-people', here are this year's potentials."

Beca stretched in her chair as the first of the newbies stepped onto the stage and struck a pose. As he started singing she tuned him out and started thinking about what was going to happen, what had already happened, and tried to keep the smile on her face. She knew that Stacie was actually taking her job this year a little more seriously and would be taking notes on any potential new Bellas, though they were able to be very picky this year, only missing two from last year's crop. Aubrey, of course, no one would miss. Chloe, on the other ... Well, she didn't really want to think about that. Involuntarily, she half-turned in her seat, looking down the aisle towards the Treblemakers, towards Jesse. He was watching her, not the freshman on the stage, which was neglectful of him as he was the one Treble actually holding a clipboard. The look on his face made her turn away, turn towards the freshman as he finished his brief song. She couldn't take the look in his eyes, the hurt, the forgiveness... The love.

Sighing quietly she leaned back further into her chair as the next person stepped up, a slightly dazed looking girl, and started to sing. She knew why he looked at her like that, she just didn't want to acknowledge it. It was her fault, she was the reason he had those looks, all of them. They had had a fight earlier today, just before they had both left to meet up with the groups, him meeting the Trebles and her the Bellas. What it was about, what had started it... Well, she didn't really remember. She just knew that she had hurt him, again. She also knew that after auditions he'd want to meet up with her and talk about it. He'd forgive whatever she did, hug her, kiss her, and probably ask her to come back to his room to watch some movie. He always did, and it always made her feel just a little bit worse each time.