I wanted to try something a little darker. I don't want this story to be more than 20 chapters long, maybe it'll have like 11, 12, I don't know, it won't be very long. I hope you like it, though I have to say it will contain strong contents. You've been warned.

The Bellas were pacing. Nervous.

Chloe was talking to herself. Again (She developed this habit after their second ICCA's win). She was walking back and forth from side to side, telling herself that it would all be okay even though deciding to put Amy up in the slings probably wasn't her best idea, but now there was nothing to do about it.

Stacie was checking herself out in the mirror, sometimes smirking while she made sure her cleavage showed a lot but not that much, after all, she didn't wanna flash the President.

Flo was talking in Spanish, warming up her ankles and wrists sitting in a corner.

Lily was being weird, whispering things and practicing her beatboxing while she combed her bangs for the thousandth time.

Amy was just sitting quietly probably for the first time in her life. Sometimes she'd make a funny comment but she was quiet for the most part.

Cynthia Rose was practicing while she pretended not to check out Stacie but really, everyone noticed.

Jessica and Ashley were talking to each other excitedly, going over the steps and the songs over and over to make sure they wouldn't forget everything.

And Beca.

Beca was just sitting with one leg over the arm of the chair and the over supported her head. She was watching Chloe pace back and forth while talking to herself. She was chuckling quietly though.

"Chloe, stop that, you're gonna burn the sole of your shoes." Beca said.

"This is for the President, Beca! On his birthday, how can you not be nervous?" Chloe asked.

"Well, we performed for thousands of people already, we're just gonna do it how we've always done." Beca said before grabbing her phone and texting Jesse.

Chloe rolled her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

"You girls are gonna psych yourselves out. We're gonna be fine." Beca said.

"What if something goes wrong? What if we forget the song? Or the steps?" Chloe asked, starting to hyperventilate.

"Chloe, we've rehearsed this a million times, we sing this in our sleeps, we can do this." Beca said.

There was something about how Beca was all 'I don't care', sitting back, her leg up, texting, it was ironic. She wasn't even close to being a little nervous. It was like she was singing for a kid's birthday party, not for the President. Chloe did not get how she did that.

Well, I guess that was a good thing. Beca had always been the laid back, relaxed one. She rarely got nervous. Chloe was the opposite. This was her seventh year of being a Bella and she still got nervous every single time. They balanced each other that way because Beca's laid back nature made Chloe feel secure about their performances.

"Bellas? You're on in 10 minutes." the stage manager popped his head inside the dressing room and left.

The Bellas all got up and got out, going to the wings to wait so they could go in.

It was all going well. Right up until Fat Amy did something wrong with the slings and ended up upside down with her legs spread. Worse. Her pants ripped and she wasn't wearing any underwear. Really Fat Amy?!

Chloe could feel her eyes watering in nervousness of watching the disaster unfold and not being able to do anything to stop it. She watched the President with an unamused face and she wished the floor would swallow her.

Beca was trying to do something too, but there was nothing she could do. She heard the crowd's gasp and she shut her eyes.

Crap.

oO0Oo

During weeks the Bellas went through some name calling and glares. They were hated by the entire university, except of course, the Trebles, which helped a little bit.

Again, Beca didn't show any worries. She kept making her mixes, didn't show any signs of being at least a little afraid. Not even when the Collegiate A Cappella Association announced they had a meeting with the dean about them.

The Bellas held their heads up high as they walked across campus to go meet the dean and the Collegiate A Cappella Association.

Okay. They couldn't compete in the ICCA's anymore and they were out of their own victory tour. It wasn't that bad. At least it didn't seem like it for Beca. She never changed her expression. Maybe this is her way of coping, thought Chloe.

They headed back to the Bellas house, with no idea what to do. They were gonna compete in the World Championships of A Cappella, which was even more terrifying than being out of the ICCA's.

Beca wasn't home for even 5 minutes before she was out again without mention anything to the Bellas, not even to Chloe, her co-captain.

"Anyone else thinks the midget is acting weird about this whole thing?" Stacie asked while she put a huge box of what would usually be fan mail on the kitchen counter.

"I thought I was the only one! She hasn't even.. what is up with her?!" Chloe said.

"Well, Beca's always been closed off." Fat Amy shrugged. "Let her be, she'll come around when she notices this is probably the end of the Bellas."

"I hope so." Chloe said with a sigh.

"Ugh!" Stacie said. "It's been months and we're still getting hate mail?"

Chloe rolled her eyes.

Stacie just put letter after letter on the trash beside her, handing some stuff to Amy or Flo every now and then.

Flo grabbed a box of razors and a letter with a puzzled look.

"'For your hairy situation'?" she read out loud. She then eyed the razors and then her mouth formed an 'o' as she quietly put the letter away but kept the razors because well.

oO0Oo

Beca smiled as she saw her boyfriend and ran up to him, giving him a kiss before looking around, confused.

"What kind of party is this supposed to be?" she asked.

"Well, we're just celebrating the beginning of the year before the initiation party next week." Jesse said. "You know the drill."

Beca nodded.

"So why are you here alone? Why didn't you invite the Bellas?" Jesse asked.

Beca shrugged.

"Well since everything is about the World's and stuff everyone in that house is maxed out with stress, especially Chloe." Beca said.

"Well, I'm glad you're taking a break." Jesse said. "You're always with them."

"Yeah but they're my best friends." Beca said.

"I know." Jesse said.

Okay so maybe they have been dating for 3 years, but lately, they've had fight after fight and it was always about the same thing: the Bellas. Though in the last few weeks their fights were directing towards Chloe. Beca still didn't get why Jesse would always start something whenever the girls came up.

"Wanna have a drink?" he offered.

"Oh, please!" Beca said and he grabbed her hand, taking her to the table where all the drinks were.

"So? What's it gonna be? Something strong to start the year?" Jesse asked. "We have a lot of red fruits here tonight. You might like it."

"Is this like a really bad reference to Chloe's hair?" Beca asked. "Dude, why do you always have to bring her up?"

"I was just saying! And hey I'm your boyfriend, you don't need to call me 'dude' all the time." Jesse said calmly.

"I call everyone that, dude, so suck it up." Beca said, filling a cup of vodka and cranberry juice, putting more vodka than juice.

"Come on, Becs, I don't wanna start something. I'm just saying it's weird." Jesse said.

Beca shrugged, not meeting his eyes. He frowned.

"Becs, come on, I don't wanna start a fight." he pleaded, grabbing her arm.

"Then why did you bring Chloe into this?" Beca asked.

"I didn't, I just said that because I know you love red fruit!" Jesse said. "Lately all you've talked about was her, you know."

"Jesse, I'm not doing this." Beca said, finally looking up at him. "I'm not fighting with you."

"Good, thanks." Jesse said.

The couple stood in silence for many moments, barely dancing to the song playing in the background.

Beca suddenly groaned and grabbed Jesse's wrist, taking him inside the house, running through the crowds before they finally made it upstairs to Jesse and Benji's room, Beca locked the door behind her before she attached her lips to Jesse's.

oO0Oo

Beca hugged herself and shivered from the cold, mentally slapping herself for not bringing a jacket or something warm. She stopped to take off her shoes as she approached the Bellas house and saw the lights out. She gently opened the door with her key and made her way inside.

She felt disgusting, maybe because she was all sweaty, smelled like Jesse (not just Jesse, sweaty Jesse) and could feel her jeans wet from the boy's cum. She didn't even clean herself after they had sex for the fourth time, she just put on her jeans and came home when she saw it was past 4 in the morning.

"Where were you?" a voice said in the dark.

Beca jumped high in the air, putting her hand on her heart to steady it as she took a few deep breaths.

"Damn it Flo do you have to hide in the dark like that?" Beca said, though she still couldn't spot the girl.

"Sorry. We've been worried about you. Especially Chloe." Flo said. "Why do I smell men's cologne?"

"I was with Jesse." Beca explained. "I'm gonna take a shower, I feel gross."

"You smell like vodka, beer and Jesse." Flo said.

"Thanks, Flo." Beca said sarcastically as she ran upstairs. She grabbed a T-shirt and shorts from her room before she headed to the bathroom.

After she had washed all the various smells from herself, she put on her pj's and went back into her bedroom. She sighed as she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Keyword being try.