YOU REALLY GOT A HOLD ON ME

chapter.one

It was one of those mornings.

"Chloe! I don't think I could go all the way there. It's right across town!"

It came out a little louder than she meant. A few people in the coffee queue turned to stare at the tiny brunette who was surrounded by bags and a pet carrier. A cat inside that pet carrier was mewling piteously. Beca Mitchell squashed her phone in between her ear and shoulder, pulled her bag higher up her shoulder and stared back unapologetically.

Chloe was still squawking at the end of the line and Beca Mitchell rubbed her temples. She loved her best friend and room mate but right at this moment, she felt like strangling her. "I know. I know I promised but Snowball's vet appointment ran late," Beca said, in a slightly lower tone. "And this was before I got that Mick Jagger interview. Chloe, it's Mick Jagger!"

The queue shuffled forward and Beca edged the pet carrier forward slowly with her foot. Snowball was not amused.

"Ok! Ok! I'll work something out. You owe me, Red!" Beca whispered-yelled, admitting defeat. She crossly cut the call but she could not help smiling at the squeal of happiness at the end of the line. Beca tossed the phone into her enormous bag and walked up to the counter.

"The usual, Adam," she said to the barista. "No. Make it a large one with an extra shot. Something tells me I am going to need it."

"One of those mornings, huh?" Adam said, sympathetically.

Beca sighed and nodded, handing over the money for the frappe and adding a dollar note into the tip jar. She shuffled down to the waiting area, wondering how did the morning turned out so badly. She had everything planned to a T. The vet ran late, then she remembered she promised Chloe she would run an errand for her and of course, right at that moment, Mick's people called to say could she come earlier because Mr. Jagger was free and if she could not come now, it would be too bad since he would only be available sometime next year.

Now she was trying to juggle her appointments at opposite ends of town, laden with bags and a pet carrier and having to sneak into work with a cat. Somehow when she was dreaming about her ideal job as a music journalist, this was not how she pictured it.

Beca glanced at her watch and cursed under her breath. She was running more than a little late now. Beca grabbed the frappe as son as it was placed in front of her and rushed towards the door. She was just about to push the door open when her phone rang shrilly. Beca shifted the pet carrier, her bags and coffee to one hand whilst the other rooted round her enormous bag for her phone.

It was her editor.

"Noah."

"Where are you, Beca?"

"Umm..just on my way. Cat emergency."

"Get your ass over to West 57th immediately. We've got to rush a story." 

"But I got an interview with Mick Ja...."

"This is more important! Bieber's sporting a new platinum look and I want you there now."

"What? You are not serious?" Beca nearly yelled out as she pushed through the door and propelled out of the shop. "You want me to drop Mick over...oh what the...Oh fuck!"

That stupid man walked straight into her.

Straight into her and her enormous cup of frappucino.

Which was now flying all over her front.

Snowball was yowling ferociously and Beca dropped her bags, quickly checking the cat was ok. He's ok. The cat was ok. He was probably upset at being jostled by that incredibly stupid man. The coffee cup was rolling drunkenly on the floor and Beca was still cursing as she futilely wiped at the sopping stain on her tshirt.