Beca was tired. Tired of the competition, tired of the pressure, tired of everything. All she wanted was to go home and sleep for a week straight. But she couldn't, not yet.
She walked down the hallway, her shoulders hunched and her head down. She was lost in her thoughts when she suddenly collided with someone. She stumbled backwards, but strong arms caught her and steadied her.
"Careful there, Mitchell," a voice said. She looked up and found herself face to face with Kommissar, the leader of the German a cappella group.
"Oh, sorry," Beca muttered, trying to step away. But Kommissar didn't let go of her.
"Are you okay?" Kommissar asked, concern evident in her voice.
Beca looked at her, really looked at her, for the first time in a while. She was struck by how beautiful Kommissar was, with her blonde hair and sharp features. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Beca said, taking a step back. "Thanks for catching me."
Kommissar didn't let go of her hand. "Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?"
Beca hesitated. She had been keeping everything bottled up for so long, she wasn't sure if she could even articulate what was going on in her head. But something about Kommissar's gentle touch and concerned eyes made her want to open up.
"It's just... everything," Beca said, her voice breaking. "The competition, the pressure, the fact that I'm supposed to lead this group and I don't even know if I'm doing a good job."
Kommissar squeezed her hand. "I know how you feel," she said softly. "It's hard to be in charge of something so important, and it's even harder when you're not sure if you're doing it right."
Beca looked up at her, surprised. She had always seen Kommissar as a formidable opponent, not someone who could relate to her struggles.
"But you're doing great," Kommissar continued. "Your group is amazing, and you're an incredible leader. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
Beca felt a warmth spread through her chest. She hadn't realized how much she needed to hear those words.
"Thanks," she said, smiling for the first time in days. "That means a lot."
Kommissar smiled back at her. "Anytime, Mitchell."
As they walked away from each other, Beca couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, there was more to Kommissar than she had originally thought. And she couldn't wait to find out.