The Basketcase and The Princess

Chapter 29

Aubrey - come pick me up

Stacie - a please would be nice

Aubrey - please xxxx

Stacie - and a destination

"Yeah umm great night..." Aubrey muttered, as she looked up, into Stacie's review mirror and saw Chloe in the back. Was that smirk really on Chloe's face or was she just imaging it? Aubrey used to love that smirk. Fuck, maybe she still did. Of course she still did. It's Chloe.

"Great."

"Yeah great." Aubrey nodded. Wished she hadn't. The slight movement made her head spin and her stomach churn.

"My night too, most of the Bellas turned up, great to see you're night out was more important than," Aubrey closed her eyes tight. Head spinning. Wishing she had just rang a cab. Wishing she had remembered Stacie's big night. How the utter fuck had she forgotten? No she hadn't forgotten. She was going to go but then she had seen the sad mess of Chloe and knew Chloe needed her. Turned out she was right. "my presentation, it's not like I needed you there or-"

"Shit. Fuck. Stace. I-I-"

"-just forgot?"

"...no?"

"...No? Or just didn't care?"

"...no."

"Whatever I don't wanna talk about it right now," Stacie glanced up at Chloe in the back. Chloe. Some random night out, a few drinks with Chloe was more important to Aubrey than her? She had so much she wanted to say. To both of them. But she needed to process the feeling she was getting off of Chloe. The smirk. Chloe's smirk. "Anything interesting happen? Anything to warrant missing my-"

"-No." Stacie was just asking a simple question, right? So then why did Aubrey feel the accusation behind it. She was just paranoid. Right? Stacie didn't know shit. Right? Stacie was angry at Aubrey missing her big night. Nothing else.

"Chloe?"

"Hmmm?"

"Anything interesting happen tonight?"

"Oh," A small nod. Did Aubrey hear a little giggle from Chloe? Stacie sure did. "...yeah."

"Yeah?" Stacie's eyes met Chloe's through the mirror. Chloe just nodded again, drunken looking smile on her face, as she turned her head and stared out the window. Smile still on her face. No not smile. Smirk.

"No." Aubrey said firmly beside her. Stacie glanced at Aubrey, watched Aubrey's eyes big. Staring. Ahead at the road, as her beams hit the white lines as they drove home. "Nothing... just a few quiet drinks."

"Yeah, no, totally," Chloe giggled, low, in the back. "Nothing. At all interesting."

Aubrey wanted Chloe to shut up. Aubrey wanted that look to fade from Stacie's eyes. Aubrey wanted to not be here. With both of them.

Chloe wanted to feel. Something. Other than dirty. Wanted to feel happy. Buzzed. Wanted Beca. No Aubrey. No Beca.

Stacie wanted to wipe the smirk off of Chloe's face.

Stacie woke, felt for Aubrey in the bed. Their bed. Empty. They had gotten home and Aubrey had passed out on the couch in the front room whilst Stacie had been in the kitchen making Aubrey some coffee to sober her up. Stacie had left her there. Thought Aubrey would wake and follow her up in her own time. Thought Aubrey would wake her and they would argue and-and what? Stacie would find out, get it out of Aubrey her suspicion. Shit she didn't even want to go there. In her mind. Think about all she could think about. That Aubrey was still in love with Chloe. Or fuck? Was always in love with Chloe. Or loved Chloe. Did love Chloe. And whatever her and Aubrey had would never compare to Aubrey's long history with Chloe. That if Aubrey was given the choice, she wouldn't make the cut. Fuck. This. Her and Aubrey was meant to be simple. Fun. For now. Not this? When did it get to this. Complicated and honestly? No longer fun.