Chapter One – Welcome to Barden

Lexa

Lexa Woods had been waiting for this day since she turned sixteen, her first day of college. Barden University was never her first choice but considering her past it was the most logical choice to make. Plus Beca would be here with her. Beca Mitchell was many things to Lexa. She was her cousin, best friend, sister, and now her roommate. Beca's dad and Lexa's mom were siblings and the two girls were inseparable since birth. Like seriously, since both girls were born on the same day only hours apart. They had always told people that they were twins since they were already related and had the same birthday. Little did they know they would actually end up being "sisters".

Lexa's parents died when she was fourteen and she was taken in by Beca's dad. The only thing Lexa ever wanted was to make sure she kept her last name because it was the one thing that tied her to her parents even after their deaths. Well that and literally everything they had ever owned they left to her, but that's another story. "Dude when are they getting here? We called like an hour ago?" Lexa and Beca were sitting on the stoop of their house in the suburb outside of Atlanta, Georgia waiting for a taxi. Beca didn't even acknowledge her question as she had her headphones on and was mixing away on her laptop like almost every other moment of the day. Beca was more into music than life itself; it became her escape when her parents got divorced when she was only eight. Music was always there for her like when her mom eventually got sick and died from cancer, or when Lexa's parents died, even when her dad got remarried to the 'bitch-who-shall-not-be-named'. Okay so she was named you just better not say it around Beca unless the woman or her father were present. A car horn honked and Lexa saw a yellow taxi pull up to their house. "Finally," she sighed and gave Beca a slap on the arm and pointed when she finally looked up.

They loaded their things into the trunk and were in the back before they even knew what happened. Lexa had the chance to play professional lacrosse or softball right out of high school but she figured playing a few years on a college team could get her on more skilled teams. They spent most of the ride in silence mainly due to the fact that Beca left her headphones on but also because Lexa didn't want to talk about her first day of college. Milestones in her life became hard for her after her parents died. She always wanted them there for everything and she would never get that. They arrived on campus in about a half an hour. Beca handed the driver his money and they both got out heading to the trunk.

"I got it," Beca stated as flat as she could. The fearless fleet of guys in yellow shirts and flat beds had already flanked both girls out the back of the taxi. One of them made the extreme mistake of trying to carry Beca's mixing equipment and Lexa thought they guy was lucky he didn't lose his arm. Lexa chuckled to herself and went to place her stuff on the other guy's cart. Some perky girl in a BU polo came around to talk to ask Beca which dorm the girls were in. Lexa kept unpacking things from the trunk onto the two flat beds waiting for them. The girl finished her speech and handed each of them a silver whistle.

"These are your official BU rape whistles. Don't blow it unless it's actually happening!" Beca proceeded to place the whistle between her teeth. Lexa let out a laugh at that. Plus the look on the girl's face was priceless. They followed the path the girl had pointed out to Beca and made their way up to their room.

Beca

Beca and Lexa started unpacking their things on their respective sides of the small room. They never shared a room at their house, but they figured they would rather live together then with random people they may hate. Plus Bea knew Lexa wouldn't be caught getting near her mixing equipment. They were about finished unpacking when there was a knock on the door. Beca rolled her eyes, knowing that Lexa had done the same, when she heard the voice that followed the knock.

"Campus police, hide your wine coolers," seriously who drinks wine coolers anymore. The door flung open to reveal her middle aged father in all his college professor glory. Jacket, tie, and his doctorate in literature. "Just your old man making a funny."

"Chris Rock everybody." Lexa's feeble attempt to stifle her laugh brought a huge smile to her face.

"So…" her father continued. "When did you get here? How did you get here?"

"Took a cab, didn't was to inconvenience you and Shelia. How is the step-monster?" Lexa laughed again then coughed to cover it up. Dr. Mitchell shot a look at both girls before answering.

"She's fine. She is actually at a conference in…"

"Oh no dad I don't actually care, I just wanted to say step-monster." As Beca turned to look at her father she saw Lexa slam her face into her pillow to stifle yet another laugh. Her dad started to drone on and on about the school and students, Beca couldn't help but think about the man he was before the divorce, let alone before Shelia. Richard Mitchell had been a loving, caring father who always wanted what was best for her. Though he never supported her music and that was a problem for her. "I don't want to study on the Quad. I need to move to LA and join a record label and start paying my dues." She knew his response before he said it.

"DJ-ing is just a hobby." Beca couldn't contain her anger any longer.

"That's not what I…UGH…I want to make music! I want to produce music dad!"

"But you are going to get a college education first, for free I might add…" Beca was fuming.

"Lexa's education was free regardless of your job here! The only reason you had to get me in here for free is because my scholarship was for a school in LA and you will not let me go!" Beca would have snapped if Lexa hadn't stepped in at that point.

"I'm going to the activities fair, and you are coming with me," she grabbed Beca by the arm and lead her out the door. "See you later Uncle Rick." Beca was glad for the help but she was still pissed off at her dad. "Look I know that everything you said was true but you need to calm down for now. At least you aren't in his class."

"Thank God for that!" she let out a sigh of relief and decided Lexa was right and she did need to let it go for now her dad would come around. "Why are we here exactly it's not like you can join anything with all of your practices and shit anyway." She thought about it as a smirk found its way across Lexa's face. "Oh no…no…I'm not joining anything!" Lexa just laughed and threw her arm around Beca's shoulders as they walked into the heart of the quad where hundreds of booths were set up.

Clarke

"You guys we are officially college students!" Octavia would have literally done a flip if there was enough room.

"I can't wait to tear a whole through this campus!" Raven's sexual energy couldn't be matched or stopped. It was hard to be around her at times.

"Sounds like you are going to be spending a whole lot of time in my room O!" Clarke still couldn't believe that her two best friends decided to room together and leave her to get some random foreign exchange student that hardly even gave her the time of day when she moved in. Octavia and Raven's room was only about four doors down from her own, though at times it feels like a mile. "So let's figure out what we are joining this year."

"Griffin how do you seriously think we will have time for something else?" Octavia made a good point. "For real I mean I have lacrosse practice and Raven has that job at that garage. Plus you have a shit ton of classes and your mom breathing down your neck to pass at the top of the class. What do you think we are going to do, join one of the many acapella groups on campus?" They all laughed at that.

"Look I want to have one thing fun to fall back on when I get to much school in my head and you guys are busy like you said you would be," Clarke needed one thing that could be her own and help her get through life. Well through exams.

"Well why don't you just find one fun person to do for the year?" Raven asked completely stone faced.

"Really Raven, do you only think about that anymore?"

"What a girl has needs?" Octavia and Clarke looked at each other and rolled their eyes and kept on walking. There were booths on everything here from those crazy acapella groups to a group of deaf Jewish students (how many of those can honestly be in the Atlanta let alone the country). There was an over enthusiastic frat storming around the fair chanting some ridiculous rhyme, and they got Clarke thinking. She really wanted people to be close to and yes Raven and Octavia were like her sisters. They had been her friends since middle school and they were always there for her, even when she wasn't there for them. They had a past that revolved around each other and knew they would always have their bond to fall back on. The worst time for Clarke was when her dad died but, the worst time for their friendship was with Finn. If they could get past him they could get past anything. Clarke still wanted more, it was selfish yes but she had this feeling that it would help her.

"I'm going to join a sorority you guys!"

"Why?" both the questions and the looks on Octavia and Raven's faces were identical.

"Think about it. It will work around classes and there will be tons of girls to talk to about anything and maybe even some that have keys to classes I'll be taking." Clarke knew she would have to give them more to get that stupid look of their faces. "Plus there will be major access to frat parties!" There are those smiles she loves!

"Dude I'm totally in! Which one are we joining?" Octavia asked more than willing to join in. "But I'm only doing it as long as we end up in the same one."

"Well I'm gonna pass. Like you said I have a job already and Sinclair said I could use the garage for anything I needed for classes too." Raven bowed out but told them she would still help them decide. They went from booth to booth of sororities (there were a total of five on campus) and picked out their favorites before rush in a month.

As they headed back to their dorm they chatted about sororities, classes, Clarke's strange roommate, and basically college itself. Clarke was so caught up in the conversation that she missed a pair of girls walking right toward her. Her shoulder collided with one of the other girls rather hard so she turned to apologize and got lost in the greenest eyes she had ever seen. The soft hand on the back of her arm didn't help the swoop of her stomach either. The girl muttered a sorry and kept walking as Clarke and her friends did, Clarke now walking backwards to watch after the girl who was doing the same. She was breathtaking to Clarke. Literally because she stopped breathing as a smile fit for the gods crossed her face. Okay so it was less of a smile and more of a smirk that made Clarke flush and almost swoon at the same time. She felt a hand shake her shoulder and turn her back walking forward with her friends. She already missed the eyes she got lost in.

"Dude, Clarke breath." She finally released the breath she didn't know she was holding. "What was that? You haven't been so fixed like that since Finn." Octavia pointed out. Clarke was at a loss for words but knew she needed to give the two an answer because they would keep at it until she did. She went with the only thing she could think of.

"Green is officially my new favorite color!"

Chloe

Finally Aubrey and Chloe were in charge of the Bella's and could bring them to their first victory. Though, they had a long way to come after Aubrey's puke incident on stage last year. They were having trouble finding anyone to say they would audition or even take their fliers and not throw them away. Chloe was beginning to panic. She needed her last year to be the most memorable yet and leave something good behind besides her trail of suitors. "Seriously Bree, if we can't even get Bologna Barb we can't get anybody!" her voice cracked.

"Just take the dramatics down a notch. I'm sure we can find eight girls with bikini ready bodies that can harmonize with perfect pitch okay?" Aubrey acted as though that was all that walked this campus at times.

"Why don't we just get good singers?" the question was answered with a question that was not from Aubrey. They chatted with 'Fat Amy' for a while and Chloe was sure she would be at auditions. Chloe loved her voice and her confidence, but could tell Bree was on the fence about the blonde Australian.

Once Fat Amy left and they started looking around again for potential recruits Chloe's eyes fell on a figure that would be burnt behind her eyelids forever. There was a small brunette girl that looked totally badass (and sexy) to Chloe. Aubrey said she was to "alternative" for their group but Chloe just had to talk to her. "Hi, any interest in joining our acapella group?"

"Oh right this is like a thing now?" the girl looked up from the flyer being handed to her. Blue eyes locked with blue eyes and Chloe's breath caught.

"Oh," the word was a whisper full of affection that Chloe hopped the other girl didn't hear. "Totes! We sing covers of songs but without any instruments. It's all from our mouths!" Chloe didn't mean to wink but she did. She went on to explain the different acapella groups around campus and asked the girl if she was interested. When said girl called it "lame" all Chloe could do was look down at her clipboard with like four names on it. She knew the girl had set Aubrey off. This girl put up a good front even when Aubrey called her a bitch. Now Chloe had to jump in.

"What Aubrey means to say is that, we are a tight knit talented group of girls whose dream is it to return to the National Finals at Lincoln center this year." She locked her eyes with those deep blue beauties across from her again. "Help us turn our dream into a reality?" She thought she saw a small hint of something change in those eyes before she got an answer.

"Sorry but we don't even sing."

"We?" Chloe asked since the girl was actually alone in front of them.

"Shit," the girl turned as if looking for someone and kept talking to herself. "Where the fuck did you go?" She turned back to look at Chloe again. "It was really nice to meet you but I have to go find my sister now." Just like that she was gone and Chloe could breathe again. She felt Aubrey tense next to her.

"What are we gonna do?" Chloe didn't answer her but she knew what she was going to do. She was going to go back to dating girls again. Starting with that alternative brunette girl.