Long way round

Chapter 2

6 Months Earlier.

"Let's do it tonight!"

The words echoed out from ten voices at once, nearly drowned by the screaming of the crowd. The Lincoln Center for Performing Arts was packed to bursting for ICCA National Championships, and every single person in the room, competitors and audience alike, seemed to be jumping to their feet and screaming their heads off as the Barden Bellas finished what some would later call the "most amazing piece of a capella music in history".

The energy of the crowd was intense, and Beca loved every second of it. She could tell, judging by the gigantic grins on the faces of her nine fellow Bellas that they were loving it too. As the screaming, cheering, clapping, and inundating wave of noise continued to roll over the stage, the Bellas broke apart, jumping and cheering, knowing they'd just knocked one out of the park. Beca couldn't help her little half-turn, having felt Chloe pressing against her side as the group had held its pose. She saw the redhead looking at her, straight at her despite everything else, and her face was alight with passion, joy and something that Beca just couldn't define. It was only for a heartbeat or two, but it felt like so much longer, and then it was over. The rest of the team was cheering, dancing raucously and hugging each other. And one of the most shocking parts, Aubrey Posen smiled the largest grin Beca had ever seen before pulling her into a hug. A hug that said "You were right, I was wrong. You earned this." After Aubrey's hug, she felt Chloe's arm slip around her waist, and felt the redhead pull her and Aubrey into a group hug, one that ended far sooner than the brunette wanted, if she was to be honest with herself.

As the announcer started saying "Weren't they incredible, wow!" the Bellas all began filing off the stage. Beca, in the lead, felt so charged with energy, with an amazing desire to do ... something that she couldn't hold back the huge grin on her face, so uncharacteristic on the badass brunette DJ. She could feel from behind her the emotions of the other Bellas as everyone laughed and talked all at once, excited and knowing that they had just done something completely awesome. Walking swiftly off stage she quickly approached the aisle where the Bellas would sit while the judging took place, and saw Jesse smiling at her. Knowing she had to do something to channel this feeling inside her, she walked towards him, putting her hands around his neck in a casual manner as he said, "See, I told you. Endings are the best part."

His speaking nearly caused her to drop her arms. Something about his tone, or the words he said, felt wrong to her. This whole insane idea in her head, if she stopped to think about it, felt wrong, but she was too caught up in the moment to do anything other than go with it. So, instead of dropping her arms and looking for someone else, she instead said, "You're such a weirdo." Then leaned in and kissed him.

It was that kiss, more than anything else so far that night, that shocked her to her core. As soon as she felt his lips pressing against hers, she knew it hadn't been the right thing to do. Her mind flashed briefly to another pair of lips, but she shoved that thought away, too stubborn to give up now that she'd started this. Despite whatever consequences would come, this was definitely easier than... Than that.

Best. Night. Ever!

That was the first thought in Chloe's head as the Bellas finished their performance. The crowd had loved it, like seriously, seriously loved it. Her face had been one gigantic grin from the second they had stepped on stage and Beca took Aubrey's pitch-pipe and blew that note. The way the brunette had looked on stage was mesmerizing to Chloe, so much so that she wasn't even sure how she had gotten through her performance. The pure, unadulterated life that Beca had exuded on that stage had been intoxicating, and Chloe knew that tonight, tonight she'd finally be able to tell her what she had wanted to for the last 8 months.

Since she had seen the DJ in the quad at the activities fare, there had been a spark. Watching the way her eyes darted downwards during their shower meeting, later. Everything that had happened had been building to this, in Chloe's mind. And now, with a performance like that, there was no way that the ICCA Championship trophy wasn't going to be theirs. And then, at the after-party that was already planned, a precaution for winning or losing, she'd talk to Beca.