Calm before a Storm

Chapter Two: Three Years Later

Beca shook her head at Benji's antics as she exited his car. He had driven her, with many playful complaints of course, to Barden University, where both would be freshmen this year.

"Dude, seriously, that was so lame. I'm surprised we didn't fall asleep."

"Maybe you sleep with your eyes open, Angelo." he quipped back before turning slightly serious. "How's your new mix coming along?"

"It's okay. I can't figure out what it's missing though." she answered. He nodded and led her to her dorm.

"Well, I'm off to set up my dorm. See you later, Angelo." he said, walking off. She laughed softly and hauled her belongings into her dorm. Her roommate was asleep on their bed, their stuff long since set up and her brunette hair fanning in little trails on the sheets. She quietly set up her DJ stuff and put her clothes away before turning to her sword with a frown. She had eventually told Benji the truth about it and he had responded with so much enthusiasm, Beca had thought he would've died from excitement. She told him about her mythological side of the family as best she could and he had understood what she had told him with nods and winces as she told him about the war. They had become closer after that, and he helped her with her nightmares often enough when she had them. He had, after the third nightmare in a row one night, turned on her mixes for her to sleep. Since then, he helped her figure them out and they would jam for hours to her music. She shook her head and slipped the sheathed sword under the bed just as her roommate sat up and stretched. Beca saw her look around blearily before waking up at the sight of another person's belongings in her room.

"Dang it. Must have missed them." she heard the brunette whisper to herself.

"Actuallly," Beca smirked as the brunette's head whipped around so fast it was a miracle she didn't get whiplash, "I'm still here."

"How long have you been here?" her roommate asked quietly.

"About half an hour. I'm guessin' you want my name?" Beca asked as her roommate cocked her head to the side, much like Percy had, before nodding. "Beca Mitchell."

"I'm Stacie Conrad." she introduced. "It's nice to meet you, Beca."

"Same." Beca responded before a text cut her off. She looked down to see it was from Nico.

Percy proposed to Anna. It's about time. I'll tell you when the wedding is.

She smiled before responding. When are you gonna propose to Thals?

We're not that close yet. Maybe a couple years from now?

Kay. Talk to you later, bro.

 She looked back to see Stacie watching her. 

"Was that your boyfriend?" She asked.

"Nope. My brother. Our cousin finally proposed to his girlfriend." Beca informed. "They deserve this. They keep getting separated and crap like that."

"Well, congrats to them, I guess. You wanna come to the Activities Fair with me?" Stacie asked her.

"Sure. But if you drag me along, I swear it won't be pretty." 

Beca followed Stacie out onto the quad and they split up after a few minutes. Beca spotted Benji across the quad, watching an a capella group with another boy. She wandered around before getting dragged behind a tree. She looked up at her would-be attacker to be met with Nico's bright face. 

"What's up, little sis? I haven't really heard from you recently." he asked as she bear hugged him.

"I literally just texted you half an hour ago. Plus, I'm only two minutes younger than you." Beca grumbled, punching his shoulder. "But nothing is really 'up' as you put it."

"How's the adoptive brother? Ben, wasn't it?"

"Benji, and he's good." Beca answered. He nodded before looking down at his phone.

"I gotta go or Thals is gonna throw a fit and electrocute me for being late. Talk to you later, sis."

He melted into the shadows the tree cast and she went back around the tree to be met with a redhead and a tall blonde.

"Hi." the redhead chirped happily. "Any interest in joining our a capella group?"

A flyer was thrust in her face and she caught it, looking it up and down in confusion. The words were spiralling off the paper.

"Right. This is a thing now." She answered lamely. Beca slowly put the flyer down.

"Oh totes. We sing covers of songs, but without any instruments. It's all from our mouths." the redhead said, bubbly blue eyes shining.

"Yikes." Beca murmured.

"Any interest?" the blonde cut across unhappily.

"Sorry, it sounds kinda lame." Beca apologized.

"Aca-scuse me?! Synchronized lady dancing to a Mariah Carey chart topper is not lame." the blonde defended. You just made it sound even more lame, blondie. Beca thought.

"We sing all over the world and compete in national championships." the redhead cut her friend off.

"On purpose?" she asked worriedly. The last time her friends had gone overseas, they almost died every day.

"We performed at the Cobb Energy Center, idiot."

"What Aubrey means to say is that we're a close-knit group of ladies whose dream is to return to the Lincoln Performing Arts Center this year. Help us turn our dreams into a reality?" the redhead asked, almost pleadingly.

"Sorry, I don't even sing, But it was cool meeting you guys." Beca told her softly before turning away. As she walked off, she threw a comment over her shoulder.

"See you around, Rosso, Bionda." She found her way over to Benji and his roommate. Benji looked dejected and the brunette boy was trying to cheer him up.

"What happened?" She asked him. His blue eyes were full of pained embarrassment.

"I think I came on too strong with the Trebels." Benji mumbled. She looked to his roommate.

"Bumper insulted the crap out of him." he summarized. Beca breathed in slowly as to not go over and pummel the snot and life out of the boy who had insulted her adoptive brother. Nico, who had met him once or twice, was also very protective of him. He would've already been stomping off to deal with the jerk.

"Beca, don't. He's not worth it."

"Both of us, and Nico, know that's not true. Nico would be halfway to killing this 'Bumper' by now." Benji smiled at the mention of Nico. She patted his curls and walked off towards her dorm. She got back and found Stacie nowhere in the dorm, so she slipped on her headphones and started playing around with her mix.