Senior Year

The Tent

As Beca lay her head down between Chloe's and Lily's own precariously placed heads, Flo let out a heavy sigh.

"I don't understand camping, she said. "We're voluntarily living like dogs."

"This is the worst." Beca couldn't think of anything worse than sleeping like sardines in a tent. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she remembered the apparent lack of talent she had for the job she'd always wanted. Maybe sleeping in a tent with her closest friend wasn't that bad after all. Just as she closed her eyes, a whiff of something other than oxygen travelled past her nose. "The air we're breathing right now is at least ninety percent fart."

"That reminds me," Fat Amy said, getting up and ruining the strategically placed sardine positions everyone else had finally got sorted. "I need to see a man about a horse."

After clearing up the fact no-one had bought loo roll, Amy decided that the side of the tent would have to do. The moment the flap of the tent closed, Chloe turned to face Beca, the brunette doing the same; this was the redhead's idea and it really wasn't working so far.

"What are we doing here?" Beca said, trying to figure out in her mind why Chloe had ever thought that sleeping in a tent and singing basic songs would get the Bellas into shape for the worlds.

"We're bonding," Chloe said, grinning at the brunette.

Bea couldn't help but look up to Chloe's shimmering smile, her gaze holding for a moment, curious as to how a smile could warm her heart so much.

"You seem so tense. Do you need a back rub?" The redhead reached out to Beca, a hand resting on the worried girl's forehead.

Beca's reaction was to flinch, pushing away the contact as if it were a spider. The moment Chloe removed her hand, the brunette regretted acting on instinct alone and her mood soured further.

"Several body parts are rubbing my back right now."

Although she'd snapped, Beca hadn't got rid of Chloe's smile; she was still happy about the entire situation.

"Thank you," the brunette said sheepishly. She felt bad now.

"You know Beca," Chloe whispered. "We're very close but I feel like this retreat is really gonna let us discover everything about each other." She beamed at the end of her statement, her eyes glinting in the low light.

"Is that right?" The brunette was skeptical, but was also curious as to what Chloe was talking about. How much more did they need to know about one another? Was sharing a shower not enough?

"You know," the redhead said, the shinning blue eyes staring right into Beca's. "One of my biggest regrets is that I didn't do enough experimenting in college."

"You're so weird," Beca retorted, unable to avoid glancing at Chloe's grin; the girl was truly unique in how happy she could be.

"Thanks."

"I wanna go home," Beca grumbled, turning over to face Lily. Life was a lot easier back in the Bella's own house where everyone knew what they were doing and, most importantly, there was always somewhere else Beca could go to be by herself. The girls were wonderful but everyone needs time to themselves once and awhile.

Just as Beca was finally wracking her head around having to sleep like a sardine, Fat Amy started to mumble from outside the tent.

"Can you sing something? The pipes are blocked," she said, her voice echoing slightly around the canvas tent.

None of the girls seemed to have any idea of a song to sing until the redhead started; "I'm all outta faith, this is how I feel."

"Thanks Chlo," Fat Amy said as Beca put her fingers in her ears. This really wasn't how she'd imagined her evening would go.

"I'm cold and I am shamed, lying naked on the floor."