After

“A Macchiato please”, on a peaceful Saturday Beca Mitchell entered her favorite coffee shop in L.A., a rustic old Italian place where they served the best coffee in town – that is if you asked her. She’d been coming here for the last five years and the baristas had never let her down. Neither had their customers, who always left her alone so she could work without any distraction. “Thanks”, Beca grabbed her cup and went to her usual table in the corner. There she opened her laptop, connected her headphones and she was ready to start her work day. In theory she only worked during the week, but she had this big deadline coming up in two days and there still were some adjustments she wanted to make on this set. Plus she didn’t mind working in the weekends. It was not like she’d something better to do anyway.

Ever since she’d moved to L.A. Beca had become her old, introvert self again. Without the Bella’s she’d no reason to leave her apartment except for work and the grocery store. She hadn’t made any new friends, nor did she want to. Not after what happened five years ago. Social contact had become a rare concept, once a year with Thanksgiving she saw her mom and with Christmas it was her fathers’ turn. That was it. She thought it more than sufficient. So her life was pretty boring with all work and no play.  But Beca didn’t mind. She was okay with the ways things were going. She was actually in pole position to score a huge promotion by the end of the month. Hence she really wanted to make this set mind-blowing. But first she had to check her mailbox.

Seven years had passed since she’d graduated from Barden, five years since she’d last spoken to any of the Bellas, nevertheless when she opened her mailbox, Beca found an invitation to a Bella Reunion.

Bam, there it was. It felt like the world stopped spinning.

The cup of coffee slipped out of Beca’s hand, but she didn’t even notice it. She just sat there. Shocked. For a moment, the only thing that existed in the world of Beca Mitchell was that email.

Until her thoughts were interrupted by a barista who – as she noticed now – was cleaning up the mess she made. “Are you all right miss? Want a new cup?” “Ow eh… yeah would be nice”, she stumbled. Beca was astonished she could even produce a decent sentence at this moment.

Wow. She had not expected that.

Of course, she kind of always had known that sooner or later anyone would want to organize a reunion. But that didn’t mean she was prepared. Quite the opposite actually.

She was staring at her screen for a while and her mind was going in so many directions. Though one thought, one image came out the strongest: Chloe Baele’s enchanting smile. And it hurt her so much. Unconsciously her fingers stroke over her neck tattoo. 

Tears welled up in Beca’s eyes, she couldn’t care that she started crying in a public place. She didn’t even try to smile when the barista put her coffee down. Beca just hoped he would walk away without questioning her or giving her pity. Which he luckily did. Now she knew again why this was her favorite spot in town. After a while, Beca wept her face, took a deep breath and started reading the whole mail.

Hey girlssssss,

It has been ages since we last saw each other! And that hurts my poor Bella heart! I miss you guys! And I know you do to! So when I saw Cynthia Rose yesterday, we decided it is time for an OFFICIAL BELLA REUNION. Save the date, next month, Saturday November 12 at 7 p.m. at my place, Walnut Street 32 Cincinnati. I’ll make sure y’all have a great time and comfortable place to sleep.

No escape possible! Everyone who dares to skip this will be haunted forever!

Love,

Stacie

P.S. seriously Beca Mitchell I know where you live, so if you refuse to come, we’ll all be at your door by November 13.

Beca knew Stacie wasn’t kidding. She totally would come to her apartment if she missed this reunion. Hence she had no choice.

She took a sip from her coffee, mmm… one thing in the world she could still count on: the wonderful taste of Macchiatos.

No, she shouldn’t overreact. It was just a little reunion of a bunch of girls who used to sing together. Not that big of a deal. Though it felt like it was. All those years Beca had tried not to think about those blissful Barden years, but now the memories were all coming back. It was way too painful.

Not that she’d ever mastered avoiding thinking about the Barden Bella’s, about Chloe. She’d had plenty of nights were she’d cried herself to sleep with those images on her mind. In the beginning Beca thought it was only temporary but after a while she’d given up on that thought and started to push away her feelings. Nonetheless, reading about them at an unprotected moment ripped her heart open once again.

Desperately in need for something to make her feel better, she searched her laptop for a cheerful mash-up, though she knew she wouldn’t find one. Nothing was strong enough to take away the pain that filled her heart.

The pain she’d been trying to store away for five years.