| When Words Fail | Jesse Swanson x Reader

Duet [11]

  Making her way down the dorm building hallway, Claire let out a heavy sigh. She felt terrible for snapping on Jesse the way she had, but she hadn't seen her grandfather in over three years, and Jesse went out on a whim calling him. Turning to her right, she stuck her key in her dorm room key hole, quickly unlocking the door and swinging it open.

  "Surprise!" Her friends called. They were piled together on her bed, while Beca sat at her desk. Claire smiled and raised her hands up.

  "What up, shawshank!" Amy smiled. The group began asking her questions as she chuckled.

  "You guys waited up for me?" Claire asked as she threw her back down next to her bed.

  "Well, of course we waited up for you." Beca smiled, giving Claire a teasing wink.

  "Claire, I'm glad you're here." Aubrey told her as she stood up. "I'm calling an emergency Bella meeting."

  "No.." Amy and one of the girls whined from the back of the group. Aubrey ignored them and took her place in the front of the room.

  "First up, our score sheet revealed that the Sock-Apellas almost beat us. And, Fat Amy, you need to do it exactly how we rehearsed it, no surprises." Aubrey scolded lightly. Amy rolled her eyes.

  "We should be taking risks, it's not enough to be good. We need to put ourselves out there, be different." Claire announced with a bit more sass in her tone than she expected.

  "Claire's right, the Trebles never sing the same song twice." A girl in the back said.

  "The audience love the Trebles, they tolerate us. We could change the face of A-Capella..." Claire started to say before slurring her words.

  "Oh my god, that sounded so horrible, what is happening to me." She mumbled, letting Beca take over the argument.

  "Guys, let me show you this arrangement I'm working on, I do beats." Beca started, turning her chair to face the desk. She opened her laptop and began logging in. Chloe stood up with her eyebrows furrowed.

  "I didn't know you were into that stuff?" She smiled lightly.

  "Yeah, I've been doing it for awhile." Beca answered, although she wasn't fully paying attention.

  "Why's all those gadgets in Claire's room?" Amy asked.

  "I do poetry and writing in general, we're working on writing something together." Claire responded with a nod.

  "You guys are collaborating? That's so cool!" Chloe smiled cheerfully. Beca smiled a glanced back at Claire.

  "Yeah, it really is." Claire smiled at her. "Okay, here-" Beca tried to play something on her computer, but Aubrey chimed in.

  "Okay, I've got the pitch pipe, and I say that we focus on the set list as planned." Chloe crossed her arms awkwardly as Beca and Claire shared a glance. "From now on, there will be no more wasting time with work, or school, or boyfriends, or partners, sorry Cynthia Rose." Aubrey corrected herself. The girl next to Amy looked up and gave Aubrey a look before continuing what she was doing.

  "But, Aubrey, this stuff is pretty cool, maybe-" Chloe started to object, but Aubrey cut her off.

  "Okay! Rehearsals tomorrow, 8 AM sharp!" Aubrey smiled, making her way towards the door to leave. Claire blew a strand of hair out of her face as Aubrey walked past her, imitating her walk and making the girls giggle. Everyone but Beca stood up to leave, following Aubrey out and shutting the door behind them.

  "We're never going to win this, Bec."

 
  
  Claire quietly sung along to the music erupting from her headphones as she made her way across campus. She knew the song well, although it was a fast song, and she made a few heads turn as she sung.

  "Hey!" Someone shouted making Claire jump and whip around with her fist reeled back. She let out a breath as she realized it was Jesse and dropped her arm down.

  "Jesse, I almost punched you in the throat!" She scolded, making him chuckle.

  "I would have taken it. Hey, you know what you should totally do with me right now?" Jesse asked, making Claire raise an eyebrow in both confusion and interest.

  "Duet with me! Come on, we'll find a nice echoey place, we'll both sound awesome, it'll be awesome!" He pleaded lightly. Claire started to object, but Jesse persisted.

"I have somewhere to be, Jesse. Aubrey is gonna kill me because of you." Claire glared at him, but she wasn't truly upset.

  "Just one duet with me, please. Right now, real quick, you'll love it!" He pleaded, clapping his hands together and lowering himself to his knees. Claire looked out among the students running about the college campus before closing her eyes and heaving out a heavy sigh.

  "Fine, but not loud, or Aubrey is going to throw a fit that I'm with a Treble." She told him as she pressed a stern finger against his chest. His eyes lit up as a grin made it's way to his face, and he hopped up as he took her hands in his own.

  "Come on, follow me." He smiled before he pulled her forward, making her giggle.

 

  Being led into what looked like an old building by Jesse's quick pace, Claire struggled to keep up.

  "Jesse, slow down, I'm not that fast. Where even are we?" Claire asked as he shut the door behind her.

  "It's the old gym that the school used before remodeling. I came across it while exploring the area. No one ever comes in here anymore, it's the perfect spot." Jesse smiled, making Claire smile back.

  "Yeah, for me to get kidnapped and killed by a college student such as yourself." She teased, making him chuckle. He grabbed her hands and pulled her into the middle of the building as he started a beat. She raised an eyebrow at him as he smiled. He let go of her hands as he started singing softly. Claire immediately knew the song.

  "Wise men say, only fools rush in." He flashed her a silly face, making her giggle. "But, I can't help," Claire took a breath as she prepared to join.

  "Falling in love with you." They sung together. Jesse kept the beat going as Claire took over.

  "Oh, shall I stay, would it be a sin, if I can't help falling in love with you." She smiled, trying to keep herself from giggling. Jesse started to sing as she held the beat.

  "Like a river flows, surely to the sea. Darling so it goes," He sung as Claire enjoyed listening to his voice. She knew he was talented before, but she'd never heard him sing along.

  "Some things, are meant to be." They sung together.

  "Take my hand, take my whole life too. For, I can't help falling in love with you." They sung together, Claire adding a riff to the end. She sung the chorus again as Jesse kept the beat.

  "Take my hand take my whole life, too. For, I can't help falling in love with you." Jesse sung as he looked into Claire's eyes. Claire stared back, smiling lightly.

  "No, I can't help falling in love with you." They sung together, Claire's voice higher than Jesse's. Claire smiled, making Jesse smile too. Claire flinched as her ringtone for Beca went off, interrupting their moment. Reaching in her back pocket, she pulled out her phone and answered the call.

  "Hello?" She asked cautiously, giving Jesse a nervous glance.

  "Claire, where are you? Aubrey is gonna snap if you don't get here soon! She already thinks your lazy for being late on the first day, do you want to make it worse?" Beca scolded.

  "I know, I'm sorry! I'm on my way, see you soon." Claire breathed as she adjusted the bag on her shoulder. She ended the call and looked up at Jesse. "I've gotta go, I'm pretty sure Aubrey's gonna hang me when I get there anyway, I don't want to make it worse." She chuckled. Jesse grinned and grabbed her wrist, yanking her towards the door. "Ah, Jesse!" She laughed as they continued to run.

  "I'm getting you there faster, come on!" He shouted back as they pushed through the sea of students. She laughed, and wrapped her hand in his so they wouldn't be separated, but she noticed the smile on his face, making her smile too.