Our Empire
Chapter Two: Maturity Pays

There's something intriguing in the way 'Mitchell' moves across the room, drink in hand, chatting up every woman she comes to. Though there's something even more intriguing in the way Beca looks into Chloe's eyes across the room, how they catch glances. And forbidden love is always the best kind.

A/N: Welcome Back! In the midst of A Level mocks I had to get some of my stress out, so here we are! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, you can always reach me at my Tumblr - BreePosens -where I have tags for each of the main characters, team maturity pays, and team new world. There's a dropdown on my page and it's under 'our empire'. It can help you to visualize it all the way I do!

Natural Disaster
(Tuesday, September 3rd, 2016)
FashionVanguard

Did anyone else see DJ and Music Producer Beca Mitchell wandering around New York City last night? Or was I imagining the snarky celebrity beneath my window in yet another fantasy? Preferably one where she makes out with me against the bar of her club - Horizon.

IDK, I just find it weird how she always seems to leave the same apartment building (UPDATE: where she actually lives opposite her step-sister, awks) and then travel across the city every Monday night… But maybe that's just us (or you can check her Instagram and twitter).

In other news – who's ready for NYFW? All my fav fashion people in one city for a week = drama! (Call out the stapler which went through the Marie Claire offices' window last year, I need all the deets!)

If the editor in chief Aubrey Posen didn't have a restraining order against me (serves me right for paying a guy to follow her) I'd totes find out!

Kisses,
Fashion Vanguard.

"Emily," the girl in question hums in response as she continues to push food aside in her search for Stacie's leftover chow mein, "if you don't want to walk to school in this weather you need to hurry up." Emily finds the plastic container and grabs it, closing the fridge behind her. As she goes to pick up a fork from the cutlery draw beneath the window, the true extent of the October downpour hits home. It's raining hard, and unfortunately for her, Aubrey is the only way she's getting to school whilst staying 100% dry.

"Coming!" Emily replies as she slings the food and cutlery into her school bag, "I just need my coat…" She picks up the rucksack by its strap before she makes her way out of the kitchen. Her coat is lying still on the ground exactly where she left it the previous night – a testament to the fact that they're all unable to function after a family argument. Dragging the green material up her arms and over her shoulders, Emily walks into the entryway.

Aubrey looks up from her phone momentarily to inspect her little sister, "ready?"

Emily nods as she readjusts the straps on her bag, attempting to avoid her sister's gaze. Pocketing her phone, Emily's mind begins comparing the juxtaposing manners of her sisters when it comes to getting her out of the apartment and to school on time. Sometimes she feels like a pawn in their constant chess game of 'who's the best sister?' It's exhausting. Perhaps if they both took the time to get to know one another beyond their respective exteriors, they'd be much more civil.

Moving beyond the boundary as Aubrey goes to lock the door gives Emily one moment of solace away from the constant demands from both her sister and her parents. Her step-mom and Beca are probably the only people who don't constantly push her for success; they're happy with her just as she is. As Emily.

The silence in the elevator hangs most awkwardly in the air, though. Emily stands leaning against the side railing, eyes fixated upon the small patch of mud which covers her Vans with a blanket. Occasionally, in the forty-five-second long trip (she's counted), her eyes will rise from her beaten shoes, focussing on her sister as Aubrey taps away on her phone. She's probably texting Stacie, Emily supposes, though she doesn't really care either way. Perhaps this is the reason so many people see herself and Beca as the biological sisters, Emily ponders as she takes in the fact she and Aubrey are so different from one another. She's basically the outcast of the family, a fact she's come to accept. From her dark hair to hatred of academics – and most crucially law – she's the outlier in the perfect family Tobias and Caitlin Posen had planned in their twenties.

Maybe she's the reason they divorced in the first place.

The elevator doors open, signaling their arrival at the lobby. Emily pulls the sides of her jacket up higher, a pathetic attempt to keep her head down and get outside onto the sidewalk.

With a sigh, Emily continues trailing Aubrey by a metre or so. In this weather she can't even say that she'll get in the car halfway down the block to avoid association, rendering her helpless. She walks in with Beca in the evening, and she walks out with Beca in the morning. For all anyone knows she could be Beca's baby sister; an association she'd prefer tenfold to the one she has been biologically ascribed.

Emily ignores the fact an umbrella is being held above her head as she gingerly climbs into the back of the car. Her mind attempts to run away from the fact there isn't an X Ambassadors CD in the CD player. She wants to, just for once, ignore the fact she's Aubrey Posen's little sister. Being constantly asked if she wants to go into the fashion industry or into law or anything other than music is beginning to run her down mentally.

She's the girl who changed her name due to her sister's success; that pisses her off.

Normally, Emily would be legging it down the street with her bag covering her head. She would laugh with Beca when they finally go into the car – soaking wet but without a care. Today she's sitting beside the embodiment of the life she doesn't want, and it's suffocating.

Em [8:03]: remind me why you can't take me today?

Replacing her phone in her lap, Emily's head turns to look out of the window. The city is full of people running towards their destination; bags, coats, and umbrellas covering their head as they continue running towards work. Her phone vibrates on her lap.

Beca [8:04]: going over moana with lin

Emily replies with a crying emoji.

Chloe breezes into the design department, "I have food!" She places the carrier bag down on one of the many tables, closely followed by a takeout carton full of Starbucks cups, "And coffee, I figured you'd need it."

Fat Amy, who is unsurprisingly never where she actually needs to be (social media), grabs a donut from the bag, "thanks, Chloe." She grabs a couple more, passing one to Cynthia Rose (also not where she needs to be) and sits down. "How's Jesse?"

"Twenty bucks he's freaking out because it's four days until the show and Jessica still hasn't finished the finale dress." Cynthia Rose proclaims as she continues sketching hair ideas besides each of the dress designs. "Fifty if he's called Beca."

Chloe's cheeks puff outwards as she runs a hand over Jessica's finale dress, "he called Aubrey."

Cynthia Rose groans, "Is he freaking out, though?" Chloe nods, and the black woman cheers, "twenty bucks Amy." When the Australian goes back to doing her 'job' (pointing out where she thinks rhinestones should go), Cynthia Rose looks back to the redhead. "Has he given you your schedule?"

Chloe shakes her head, "No…" Was she running behind on something? All Jesse had mentioned that morning was making sure the design department was getting work done, and they have been, once they turned the karaoke tunes off. "Schedule for what, anyway?"

"Fashion week," Benji supplies as he begins work on make-up samples. He pauses, looking at Chloe, "Sorry, I'm Benji- resident make-up artist and magician." Chloe smiles in return as the man offers his hand, "pleasure to meet you."

Chloe shakes his hand, "nice to meet you too." She looks back towards Cynthia Rose, "I actually get to go?"

Ashley, who's checking the measurements of her own garments on a mannequin, takes a pin from her lip, "to New York, definitely." The designer slings her tape measure over her shoulder. "London, Milan, and Paris? Perhaps, we didn't know the old assistant that well, so we don't know if she came or not."

"Yeah," Amy echoes, "she was weird. Like- weirder than Benji weird."

Benji shakes his head, "Thanks."

"No problem!" Amy flashes a toothy grin at the make-up artist. "Anyway, you coming out later ginger?"

"Depends on what the plan is…" Chloe responds.

Ashley takes a pin out from between her teeth, pressing it between layers of rose lace, "you'll love it."

"Hey guys," Chloe smiles as she sits down between Jessica and Flo, "sorry I'm late."

The housemates are congregated around a table in Per Se, and Chloe can only imagine how long they've had it booked in advance. As Chloe's getting comfortable, Cynthia Rose pours her a glass of wine.

Jessica stands up for a moment before re-seating herself, and Chloe takes the moment to notice the empty chair beside Fat Amy. As if on cue, a tall teenager arrives beside the table, sliding herself in the spare seat.

"Emily, this is Chloe," Jessica begins, "Chloe, this is Emily Junk- we've basically adopted her." The name rings a bell in the back of Chloe's mind, and her memory flits back to the afternoon, where she had spent her time researching a list of people Jesse had placed on her desk. She's certain an Emily was on that list.

Emily smiles sweetly, "nice to meet you," she elbows Amy when the Australian begins to giggle, "I heard your first task was Marie Claire."

Chloe groans, "I'm still getting over that- she's scary."

"I agree," Emily swallows as Cynthia Rose turns around to laugh, "She's my sister," she throws into the conversation casually.

Chloe pauses. "I'm sorry, what?" The table bursts into laughter, and Emily takes a sip of her Diet Coke, more depressed than ecstatic at the joke.

Jessica's the first to sober, "that never gets old."

Across the restaurant floor, the atmosphere is less than jolly. The conversation has fallen toFashion Week, and two bottles of wine have already been devoured- the entrée hasn't even been ordered yet. Beca hums to herself as the rest of her friends discuss their upcoming fashion week schedules.

"I'm genuinely excited," Jesse begins, "the finale dress is spectacular, right Stacie?" When his partner nods, Jesse looks towards his best friend, "Becs?"

Beca looks up from the phone she's smuggled beneath the table. Her eyes move around the circle, eventually landing on Jesse. She catches the look in his eye. "Oh no, I do not do Fashion Week," she declares. Her life revolves around music- crafting the instrumental and adding poetry; that's what she does. Her life's focus is not – by any means – on expensive gowns.

Luke looks directly at the small DJ, "Becky you need to go- it's Millennia's fifth year at fashion week."

"Ugh," Beca groans in response, "I'm old as fuck, don't remind me."

Jesse chuckles, "that's not even that old."

Beca rolls her eyes towards the ceiling, "I know, Ice Queen is thirty-five." She receives a glare from Aubrey, which she ignores with glee. "Are you two actually getting married at some point?"

"I'm only four years older than you, Beca." Aubrey interjects, hand replacing her wine glass on the table, "And yes, at New Years, so stop being an asshole."

"But that's my job!" Beca shakes her head, "you can't fire me from my own job, Bree." A smirk plays on the edges of her mouth as she picks up her own drink. "Plus, I wasn't even that bad – like – ten years ago."

Stacie settles down on the couch in the middle of the coffee shop, placing her canvas bag at her feet. She's due to meet a Vogue intern who'll enlighten her about the upcoming shoot she has scheduled. She's expecting a nerd- a try hard journalism major who needs the magazine's name to get a job and then disappears. Anyone who can bear working beneath Anna Wintour as her assistant deserves a fucking medal, though.

Luke, her agent at Alpha, had persuaded her to take a chance. Speak to the little people Stacie, he said, they're the most interesting. She wanted to roll her eyes, say that even the little people can be frigid as fuck, thank you, and leave. Evidently, that wasn't what happened.

The door opens minutes later, reminding Stacie that she's actually twenty-five minutes early. Better to be safe than sorry is her motto, in regards to employment and sex. Though mainly sex. Suddenly, a duo is seated in proximity to her: a blonde with a notepad, and a brunette male with a sketchbook (and spiky hair to match).

"Sorry we're late," the blonde begins, "I'm Aubrey Posen, it's a pleasure to meet you." She extends her hand for Stacie to shake – which the model does happily.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, Stacie shrugs, "You aren't late you're – like – twenty minutes early."

"I know, we're late."

Stacie snorts quietly, eyes trailing up to Aubrey's face. "Who's the NSYNC wannabe?" Both women's eyes move to the man beside Stacie whose pencil continues drawing the embellishment on the dress on the paper.

"That's Jesse," Aubrey supplies, "he's interning with DKNY after graduating Parsons." Her gaze lingers on the man for a moment before her attention goes back to Stacie, "Can I get you something to drink?"

"A glass of water would be great, thanks," Stacie responds. When Aubrey leaves to order their drinks, she turns to Jesse, "I think that green is too bold for that dress- maybe a muted lilac?"

Jesse looks up from the design, "I'm like three years older than you and I graduated from Parsons-"

"I'm not trying to undermine you," Stacie insists, eyes moving to the blonde standing beside the counter. "Just trying to get brownie points…"

Beside her, Jesse shrugs, "lilac could work, I suppose…"

"What could work?" Aubrey asks as she sits back down, placing the tray of drinks down on the small table.

Stacie, not being one who is quiet about her feelings, grabs the pen from atop Aubrey's notepad. "You calling me, at some point." She scribbles her number down on a scrap piece of paper. "We can do this interview over dinner, it would be more… romantic."

Jesse grabs his cup of coffee and lifts it to his lips, smirking to himself. "Someone's forward." He mumbles as Stacie promptly stands up and leaves, a gaping Aubrey left in her wake. When Aubrey looks towards him, he shrugs, "she's known for being outgoing, Bree."

"I can't concentrate if you're talking to me!"

Chloe's beginning to think that espionage is a typical attribute of anyone working in this industry. Jessica is currently hiding behind her menu in a bid to read the lips of their boss' friends across the restaurant. It's a strange tactic, but Chloe can see how it's enjoyable. Kind of.

Until Amy began asking stupid questions, that is.

Leaning towards Flo, Chloe whispers, "Is this something normal you guys do?"

Shrugging, Flo whispers back, "We can claim dinner on Millennia's bank account as a work dinner and spy on the most powerful people in their industries- what's not to like?"

Benji perks up from beside Ashley, "did you guys see Vanguard this morning?"

Jessica shakes her head, "it's trash Benji, you know that right?"

Holding his hands up, Benji shrugs, "I'm just mentioning it- they were talking about how full of drama fashion week will be."

Chloe raises an eyebrow as the table descends into chatter about the prolific gossip website which never fails to make Fashion Week interesting. Apparently, anyway. Before too long, the waiter arrives to take orders for main meals, and the topic is dropped, replaced with Amy's choice of club for later in the evening. Chloe chooses to remain relatively quiet- she needs to save her energy for 'Horizon'.