I GUESS I DO

Chapter 11

One thing Beca had learned early on in life was that being objective and thinking ahead were not her strong suits.

Punching that kid in the face in third grade rather than asking him to get out of her seat? Not thinking ahead. Screaming at her father until she lost her voice when she could have just sat down and had a civil conversation about why he was being a dick for leaving her? Not thinking ahead. Being dumb enough to tell her parents her plans for after high school when she could have just snuck to LA? Not thinking ahead.

Calling Aubrey Posen to talk about Chloe when she could have just formulated some plan to get information out of Adam (or talk to Chloe again, or ya know, just not be so nosey)? Probably the pinnacle in her life that was disastrously barren of forward thinking.

"Hello? Aubrey Posen speaking." Aubrey sounded busy, though then again, Aubrey always sounded busy (probably even when she talked in her sleep).

"Uh hey Aubrey… it's uh… it's Beca. Could I talk to you for a sec?" No point in backing out now (she'd probably get called back the second the blonde realized who it was anyway, and then there really would be a problem).

"I'm in the middle of a paper Mitchell and I have to get it done tonight because I'm going on a hike with my mother tomorrow." Beca could practically feel Aubrey's frustration at her (great start). "This better be the most important conversation of my life."

"Uh…" (rip off the band aid Beca. Just rip it off). "I really like Chloe and I need to ask you a question." (well that was one way of doing it).

"You have my attention." On paper Aubrey's sentence sounded calm, cool, and collected as usual, though Beca had heard the sharp but subtle intake of breath in the deathly silence that'd followed her admittance.

"Well I guess I've liked her since I joined the…" Beca began awkwardly (already about 500% unsure on how to continue the conversation).

"No!" Aubrey all but screamed. "No, no, no, no. I do not need the nasty details of why you have the hots for my best friend," she scolded. "Just…" She sighed. "Just what is it you want to ask?"

"Oh right… well… uh," Beca wasn't entirely sure how exactly to ask the question (the way she'd brought it up with Daniel hadn't been her most genius move).

"Spit. It. Out." Apparently even when she was interested in the topic being discussed Aubrey didn't have time for Beca.

"I wanted to ask you about her dad." There was no point in trying to sugar coat it, at least not with Aubrey.

"No." Aubrey's refusal was firm and to the point. "We're not talking about that, and to be honest, you shouldn't even be bringing it up."

"No, but Aubrey…."

"But nothing Beca. I'm not having this conversation with you," the blonde cut her off. "I'm going to go finish this paper before I lose my train of thought completely."

"I think I'm in love with her." Beca could practically hear her heart skip a beat in the silence that followed (maybe she should just get her tongue surgically removed?).

"What did you just say to me?" Aubrey questioned after a moment, sounding like she'd just woken from a coma.

"I'm not repeating it Aubrey." Beca shuffled awkwardly on the tiled floor of the toilet cubicle, thankful that she'd heard no one coming in.

"Well Beca you can't just say a thing like that." Aubrey sounded angry. "You can't just go around throwing words like "I love you" into conversation. She's my best friend, and I swear to god if this is just some way for you to find out about her family I will do things so unspeakable to you, you'll wish you were never born." (yea, she was definitely angry).