She didn't know why she was here. Well, she did but she still hated that she was actually listening to her father. Granted, if she didn't make one last effort to actually try fitting in and enjoy Barden then he wouldn't help fund her move to LA. It was halfway through the school year and she really didn't see the point in trying now, but she really needed her father's money if she was going to get out of this godforsaken place. And that is the only reason she finally accepted her co-worker's (she refused to call Jesse a friend) offer and was in attendance at what was probably the lamest Frat party in existence.

Seriously, who would have thought that signing karaoke at a Frat party would be considered cool? Beca rolled her eyes as she sipped her second beer. She was sitting alone in a corner, the furthest away from the karaoke machine she could get, commiserating her own bad fortune. Jesse had ditched her a while ago, which normally would have made her happy; but even she's socially adept enough to know that drinking alone in a corner at a college party is definitely uncool.

She's brought out of her depressed musings by what sounded like a cat being thrown in the blender. She glanced at the karaoke stage when she realized the current singer was the source of the god-awful noise. She was absolutely horrible. And not horrible in the sense that she just sucked, but that she actually had the possibility of making Beca's ears bleed. Yet, somehow Beca couldn't take her eyes off the girl.

The girl at the microphone (there's no way Beca will acknowledge that what she was doing could in any way be called singing) was tall, with red hair and bright blue eyes. She was also smiling as she danced around the stage. Sure she couldn't sing, but even Beca would admit that the girl could dance. The redhead's confidence on stage intrigued Beca.

When the song ended and the girl took her bow amidst the boos and cackles of the crowd, Beca found herself shaking her head in sympathy. It had to be sympathy, because why else would she be snaking her way through the crowd with an unopened bottle of beer intended for the lanky redhead?

Beca awkwardly cleared her throat once she reached her destination.

The redhead glanced toward her when she heard the noise and smiled happily. "Hello?"

Without answering, Beca thrust the beer toward the other girl. "I thought you um…could use a drink after that…performance." She winced at her own words. This was exactly why she preferred solitude.

"Thanks?" The girl giggled as she took the offered bottle and opened it. "You can admit that I sucked you know, it seems painful for you to pretend otherwise."

Beca breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank god!" She heard herself chuckle as well. "I thought you were one of those poor deluded souls who thought they could sing until someone like Simon Cowell comes around and crushes their dreams of stardom."

Beca rolled her eyes at the thought before cursing herself for the rapid word vomit. She was pleasantly surprised when the redhead laughed out loud.

"I actually can sing, though. Just so you know. I'll show you." She opened her mouth but wasn't able to get a note out before she was interrupted.

"Please don't!" Beca's eyes grew wide. Just when she thought that this girl was the most interesting one she'd meant during her time at Barden, she had to go and disappoint her.

"It was a dare." The redhead admitted when she realized she wasn't getting anywhere else in the conversation. "My best friend, Aubrey, didn't think I'd go up there and…sing like that."

Beca simply stared.

"We're both on the Bellas." Dead silence, so the redhead continued. "It's an a cappella group here at Barden." More silence. "We compete on a National Stage."

"On purpose?" Beca croaked out.

Shaking her head with a smile. "Yes, on purpose. We just won Regionals. The Bellas are reigning champions and I'm co-captain this year." She took a sip of her beer. "I'm Chloe, by the way."

Beca stared at the extended hand before awkwardly clutching it in her own, not noticing the expectant look on the redhead's face.

"Do you sing…?" She trailed off in an obvious attempt at fishing for a name.

"Beca." She replied throwing her a bone as she pulled her hand out of the other girl's clutches.

Chloe smiled at her. "Well Beca, we could always use more girls on the team. If you sing that is."

"I don't." She stated simply and swore a hint of disappointment passed through Chloe's eyes.

They stood awkwardly silent for a moment until Beca couldn't take it anymore. So rather than engaging in normal yet idle conversation, she blurted out "Jesse!"

Chloe gave her a look of confusion.

"I gotta go find Jesse. Bye!" Beca said as she slunk away and disappeared in the crowd.

0000000

Beca was stacking CD's at the campus radio station. She hated the job, but loved the unlimited access to music it allowed her. Since the school year started, she nearly tripled her music library and made tons of awesome mixes. Too bad her dad didn't view that as trying. She sighed out of frustration.

"What's on your mind?" Jesse asked as he sidled up to her. "Is it a certain redhead that I saw you talking to last night?"

Beca threw him a glare as she stuffed a few CD's into the bins. "Speaking of last night, I can't believe you ditched me?!" She shoved him as she made her way passed him.

He held his hands up in surrender. "Sorry, but it was a party Becs. I wanted to enjoy it with you but…you were sulking in a dark corner and refused to have fun. I couldn't take it anymore."

Beca calmed down. She saw his point. Why was it so hard for her to just…talk to people?

"You didn't have to leave me alone though. I didn't know anyone."

He eyed her seriously. "And whose fault is that, Beca? You never let anyone in."

She groaned at his words. "Now you sound like my dad."

"You told me that your dad won't let you move to LA unless you give Barden a real shot. Going to one college party and sitting alone in the corner isn't giving it a shot."

"I was only alone after you left me!" She emphasized. She hated the feeling of being ganged up on.

They stood in silence before Jesse quietly spoke again. "The redhead, from last night, I saw that you actually approached her. So…it wasn't so bad…right? Making friends doesn't have to be difficult."

Beca fumbled around with a few more CD's before answering. "I…She…" She took a deep breath before continuing. "She not only was the worst singer I ever heard…but she sang a Britney Spears song. The only way that could have been a worse performance was if it had been a Taylor Swift song. Plus, she's bubbly and outgoing…and everything I'm not."

"Then why'd you talk to her?"

"Because she sang so horribly that I sort of felt bad for her…but then she said she was on some lame a cappella team and…"

"But you made the effort to willingly talk to someone." He offered with an encouraging smile. "Were you sarcastic?" He asked knowingly.

"Only moderately." She deadpanned.

He smiled proudly. "That's a start!"

"Or not." She rolled her eyes with a smirk. "Let's just blame it on the alcohol, okay?"

Jesse shook his head but kept his mouth shut.

0000000

After her shift at the radio station, Beca headed back to her room. When she got there, she survived five very long and awkward minutes with her roommate, Kimmy Jin, before she decided that she needed to get out of there.

As she made her way to the shower, she started happily singing to herself. This time of night the communal showers were usually empty, so she allowed herself to enjoy the isolation. The acoustics in the bathroom were awful, but it was far better than singing in her dorm room having her roommate catch her.

Before she could even wet her hair, her shower curtain was ripped open. "You do sing!"

Startled beyond belief, Beca practically dove into the wall to hide herself. She glanced back at her intruder. "What the hell?!"

Chloe stood behind her as naked as Beca was herself. She tried averting her eyes but the redhead was talking to her. "And I love that song too. It's my jam." She leaned in closer. "My lady jam."

"Gross." Beca mumbled as she snapped her eyes closed.

"I can't believe you lied to me." Chloe continued undeterred. "Sing for me." She demanded.

"No way." Beca said. Her eyes were still tightly closed.

"Not for that reason." Chloe stated as she leaned in to shut the water off. "I'm not leaving until you do."

Beca's eyes shot open. Was this girl serious? Averting her eyes again, she whispered. "Will you please cover your junk? I can't even…"

"I'm very confident with my…assets." Chloe stated as her eyes freely roamed over Beca's body.

"Cleary. As you should be." Beca conceded.

Chloe beamed at her as she rocked on her toes in anticipation. "Will you sing, please?"

Beca faced away from the other girl and without conscious thought she began to sing the chorus to Titanium. Without warning, Chloe joined in. Beca couldn't help turning to face the other girl. Chloe could sing. She could sing really well. When the chorus was done, they let the last note ring out before Chloe smiled brightly in triumph.

"You'd make a great Bella!"

"Not happening."

"Please. Just come to the riff off tonight. See what we're all about."

"If I say yes, will you leave?"

Chloe looked slightly hurt but nodded her agreement.

"Fine."

Chloe clapped proudly. Before Beca could move, the redhead lunged at her and their naked bodies collided into the most uncomfortable hug Beca ever received. She quickly shoved the girl away from her. "Can we not do this now…seriously?" She motioned to their naked bodies.

Chloe got the hint and even blushed a bit. "Sorry." She quickly turned around and began to walk away. "Be at the pool yard tonight. 9 o'clock!"

She was gone before Beca could reply. Sighing, Beca turned the water back on and tried desperately to wash away the uneasy feeling she got whenever she was around the redhead. She shook her head free of any and all unwanted thoughts as she tried to figure out what the hell a riff off was.