Long way round

chapter 23

"The winner of the 2013 ICCA International Championships... The Barden Bellas!"

The words were still echoing through Beca's head as she stood, a beer held casually in one hand, and watched the revelry going on around her. After Mr. Jackson, the Master of Ceremonies for the event, had announced them as the winners Beca had stood in shock for at least five full seconds before reacting to the news. Sure, she had expected them to win, but that didn't guarantee that they would. Still, Beca had to admit that there wasn't a feeling she enjoyed more than running out onto that stage with the girls around her to accept the trophy as the crowd roared its approval. It was quite addicting.

Of course, the feeling she had right now was definitely trying to oust it. It was nearly midnight in New York and the Barden Bellas and the Treblemakers were currently in the midst of a massive celebration. The trophy for the 2013 ICCA International Championship was currently sitting in pride of place on the middle of a table in one of the rooms occupied by the Bellas, though Beca wasn't sure whose room it was. There was loud music playing and people were singing and dancing and generally having a good time. Of course, even in this room designed to hold multiple people, if Beca had to guess she'd assume this was the room that Fat Amy, Ashley, and Jessica were sharing based on the third bed, there wasn't enough space for all the revelry going on. So naturally it had spilled over into at least two other rooms that Beca was aware of. One belonging to Kori and Megan, the other two Bellas who hadn't gotten their own rooms, and the third celebration spot was the room sleeping most of the Treblemakers.

When the party first started and Beca had insisted on inviting the Trebles the short brunette had almost laughed at the look of outrage on Aubrey's face. A few quick words though and she had understood. Whatever feud that had existed between the two groups for all four years of Aubrey's time in the Bellas, and the beginning part of this year as well, was gone. While there was still going to be a great deal of competition between what were probably the top two a capella groups at Barden, the bitter hatred that flowed both ways was over and done with. At least as long as Beca, Stacie, Jesse and Benji were in charge of things. And now, watching as Aubrey was fending off advances from a shirtless Unicycle, funny that in two years she still didn't know his real name, Beca wasn't sure that the blond minded too much.

The arm around her waist gave her a tight squeeze, returning her mind from its wanderings to that feeling she was enjoying so much, Chloe's arms around her waist as the pair stood pressed against each other and watched the partying going on in front of them. Turning from Aubrey and Uni, Beca looked at her girlfriend, who had a curious, yet quite sleepy, look on her face. When the redhead nodded her head towards the balcony, which looked empty at the moment, Beca stood and pulled the Chloe up alongside her. As the pair stepped through the glass door and closed it, the level of the music from inside cut off nearly completely and Beca turned to see the older girl standing at the edge and leaning against the railing. Walking over to her, Beca ran her hand from Chloe's hip across the small of her back and up her spine before settling it on the redhead's shoulder as she felt the taller girl shiver at the touch.

"What's up, Chlo?" Beca asked, leaning in and kissing the redhead on the shoulder to punctuate the question.

"Nothing, not really. I just... It was kind of loud in there and, well, I wanted a break." Chloe said, but Beca could tell by the way the redhead was biting her lower lip, looking utterly adorable as she did it, that there was something else.

"Oh? Well, you should have said something. You know that your wish is my command." Beca said, giving a little half bow along with her patented smirk. Feeling Chloe smack her shoulder just made the smirk more pronounced however, but at least the redhead was smiling again. Beca knew that she never needed to really press Chloe for information, if something was bothering the redhead then she'd just come out and say it. When she was ready. In a way it was something that was starting to rub off on her as well. Normally, before she'd met Chloe at least, Beca had kept everything inside, kept it all bottled up. Almost like she was saving up everything that was bothering her until she could use it, unleash it on someone as a reason for why she was pushing them away. Why it was their fault that she was pushing them away too.