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“Mitchell! You gonna get involved this practice or not?” Dylan Junk called from across the small garage attached to his parents home. Being twenty-two meant you didn’t really have the money to be renting out actual rehearsal spaces. They made do pretty well. “We didn’t set up this practice so you could waste all this time talking to my sister.” He rolled his eyes fondly, “Get the guitar set up dude.”
Emily Junk. Now Beca knew she shouldn’t really be blurring the lines between her and Emily’s relationship. They should just know each other as sort of friends. Only spoke when Beca was over seeing Dylan and maybe just left it at that. But Beca had been left alone with the younger Junk a lot more regularly when she was over and well it was hard for her not to start having feelings.
“I was the one that got here like a damn hour early! I’ve been waiting on you all the whole damn time.” Beca shot back, turning her attention away from Emily to look over at her best friend - flashing him a cheeky grin. “Plus I finished work on that track last night and I must say, I am a master with a production board since your rhythm guitar could use a lot of work.” With the comment came a flood of plectrums thrown her way, using her arms to cover her face which only caused Emily to laugh at the sight.
“You should go and get started before Dylan throws something else like a child.” Emily hummed, leaning around Beca to glare at her brother. The older Junk was well aware of Emily’s crush on his best friend and while he knew it was probably wrong of him he was going to try to keep them apart. He was well aware of Beca’s string of easily forgotten exes - he wasn’t letting Emily get added to the list.
“He’s a giant child, it’s super embarrassing. Why is he even still my friend?” Beca joked, reaching out to give Emily’s arm a soft squeeze.
“Mitchell, come on. We’ve got a show in like a week, we gotta at least look like we know what we’re doing.”
Beca couldn’t help but roll her eyes, glancing over at Emily once more who was giggling silently at her. Why was she so damn adorable? The older girl had to focus, really focus, even on stupid things like plugging in her guitar to the amp, fine tuning the strings. Anything. There was no getting rid of Emily, all the Junk’s were musical and the youngest of them had always insisted on songwriting with them. The younger girl just enjoyed hearing how her songs sounded complete with music.
However for Emily, sitting in on her brother’s band rehearsal had become less about the music and more about learning all about Beca’s little quirks. The way her feet would shuffle to the beat, when they weren’t tapping away at loop pedals or synthesisers, or how her head would bop as she sung into the microphone. Emily was glad Beca had beat Dylan in the argument for her to be lead vocals on tracks, her voice was much more suited for the vibe that the band had created. Beca’s vocal was a lot more husky, rough. It was probably all those cigarettes she had smoked and Emily would usually lecture someone on that but she just couldn’t help but think Beca looked somehow even hotter with a cigarette hanging limp between her fingers…
“Em!” Beca said for the third time, snapping her fingers in front of Emily’s face. “You need a ride?”
Emily blinked slowly, her brow suddenly furrowed. Had she zoned out for the full hour? And where was she going that she needed a ride? How was her brain suddenly mush? “What? A ride?”
“Yeah…don’t you have like a study group or something? I’m heading home, I’ll swing by the library to drop you off?” Beca hummed, reaching into her back pocket for her usual pack of cheap cigarettes, holding one between her lips as she lit it - taking a single drag before blowing the smoke; leaving Emily mesmerised by the way the smoke passed through Beca’s barely parted lips. “Or you could blow it off, go hang out with me? Hang out in the bed of my truck and listen to music?”
“Your option sounds so much better. I’m in.” The youngest Junk replied all too quickly, pressing her lips together to hide her nervous yet excited smile - she was sure the emotions were radiating off her as Beca offered up a laugh at her expression.
“Just don’t tell your brother yeah? He doesn’t seem to happy about me talking to you like alone.” Beca shrugged, turning to snatch up her keys from the amp she had left them on, twirling them in her fingers. “Keeping stuff a secret is much more fun anyway.” She shrugged.
Emily could only nod sheepishly getting up from her position perched on the edge of a giant plastic storage box to follow after the older girl; her hands rubbing on her thighs to dry up the nervous sweat off her hands before climbing into the passenger seat of Beca’s truck; frowning at confusion as Beca handed over collection of CDs, all blank with the DJs handwriting scrawled across the front. “Did any of these actually come from a music store or are they all burned from your laptop?”
“Laptop. I only make music I want to listen to. And I need to listen to the music I make daily since your brother has sorta got me working on the bands stuff literally all the time cause he promised some girl we’d have a record out like next month.” Beca sighed, trying not to roll her eyes too much as she started the truck and drove off; heading for the small lake on the edge of town. “I tried to tell him it doesn’t work. I tried and tested that line just got me dumped on my ass when she found out there was no record coming.”
Beca’s confession left Emily in her thoughts as she put in the first CD handed to her. The comment might have been throw away to Beca, but to Emily is was partly a reminder of how quickly and easily Beca went through girls. How easily she got bored of them or how they got bored of her. She didn’t want to just be one of those girls yet here she was sucked into a makeshift date in the back of Beca’s truck. And she was excited to spend the whole evening here; lying side by side with Beca until the sun went down, music still playing from the CD player in the front.
The drive had been quiet except the sound of the music; Beca’s fingers tapping the steering wheel just like her feet would if she hadn’t been driving, her lips curling into a smile every time Emily sung a line she knew. The younger girl’s gaze was fixed out the window watching the familiar scenery until the truck began to slow as it pulled into the parking lot; the engine cutting out once she had parked. “Hardly anyone comes out here. So I’m pretty sure no one will complain about the music.” Beca chuckled as reached over to turn the volume dial on her stereo up before motioning for Emily to get out the car with her. “Or bother us for that matter.”
“Makes a difference from being around Dylan. I swear he still treats me like I’m twelve. Constantly bothering me, making it seem like he’s just ‘looking out for me’. I’m pretty sure I’m old enough to look after myself. I don’t need protection.” Emily huffed, as she got out the car, easily manoeuvring to the back of the truck to climb onto the bed once Beca had lowered the back; her hands immediately slipping on the wet metal; calloused hands immediately grasping her waist so she didn’t completely fall flat.
“Maybe I should still do a little protecting. Don’t want you hurting that pretty face.” Beca chuckled, keeping an unnecessary hold on Emily’s waist as the younger of the two climbed into the back. Beca was quick to follow suit, her back pressed up against the side of the truck, eyes drifting to her own tattered converse tapping on the floor. She wasn’t so good with words at times like this, alone with Emily - too embarrassed she was going to say something stupid. She was just thankful that Emily could come up with enough conversations starters to keep them going.
In fact Emily has enough topics that Beca hadn’t even noticed the sun go down. Or worse, to her at least, notice they had gone through nearly every CD in her truck. “Sunset. Best time of day.” Beca hummed, her side now pressed up against Emily as the younger girl relaxed lazily against her; Beca’s arm draped around her shoulders. They had fallen into the comfortable position easily, fingers slowly trailing up and down the other’s arm as they cuddled closer together due to the cold breeze blowing around them.
“Surprised no one has started blowing up your phone wondering where you are.” Beca hummed, keeping her voice quiet so she didn’t burst this bubble they appeared to be in. Everyone else forgotten. Dylan Junk’s silent disapproval at their will they won’t they relationship forgotten. They can just be content hanging out without any sort of judgement. No needing to be what they aren’t.
“It’ll happen now you’ve said it. I was kinda hoping they all just assumed I was being quiet in my room. I don’t want this ruined.” The younger girl’s words brought a careless smile to Beca’s lips. It was reassuring to know Emily wanted to be here as much as she did.
After a beat of comfortable silence, the guitarist spoke up. “Hey. This might be kinda weird. I dunno. But I finished that song you helped me with. In fact, I kinda changed it a lot but you really helped me. I actually recorded it. Can I play it for you? I’d really like your opinion.” Her words were careful, pressing her lips together now she had gotten her words out.
Beca could remember their first time writing together. Beca had shown up at the Junk household only to find out Dylan had gone out forgetting she was coming round. All worked in her favour since she got to spend the whole day with Emily instead. Messing around and goofing off. She had come up with some of her best lyrics that day. She had left and immediately gone home to write down her feelings; ultimately creating this song - the underlying meaning no longer feeling quite like it fit. Beca had begun to realise this crush wasn’t one sided. That she wasn’t falling alone and it was reassuring. Emily was different to the other people she’d dated. It didn’t feel like a fleeting emotion. It felt real.
After Emily’s soft nod, Beca took out her phone, scrolling through the ton of unfinished work she had recorded before finding the song in question. She turned her phone volume up loud enough for what she deemed perfect to appreciate the music. Soon the start of her track began filling their ears, soft guitars playing out a melody she had tried to perfect for weeks. Trying to come up a perfect beat to accompany the emotion she wanted to convey.
The two girls sat in blissful silence, letting the emotion of the song wash over them. Emily focused on the lyrics like she always did. Listening out for anything that stuck out, that she related too. She couldn’t help it as a song writer. She wanted to hear the parts she wrote, hear her work come to life and then she heard it.
I think I’m falling, I’m falling for you.
Beca’s completion of her words. Finding exactly what she wanted to say. And now what she knew the other girl wanted to say in return. They were falling for each other. A friendship now with extremely blurred lines. Lines they wanted to cross. Lines they were both scared to cross. Yet being alone together in this moment, there was no fear, no need to worry about what anyone else thought. It was the two of them. They could do what they want.
Wordlessly, Emily adjusted her position, now perched on her knees to look at the guitarist properly. The smaller girl pushing herself up a little, in slight anticipation for what could possibly happen next. Her eyes flickering down to gaze at Emily’s lips before rushing back up so she wasn’t caught. Yet she wanted to be caught, wanted the younger girl to know what she was thinking without having to say anything.
Just as Beca started to prepare herself to speak up, unconsciously, the two girls began inching towards each other. Breaths catching, eyes fluttering closed as two braced for their lips to touch - the moment was short lived. Both girls pulled apart immediately as Emily’s phone begun to ring, her brother’s personalised ringtone bringing them both back to reality. The smaller girl pulled away first, beginning to scramble off the bed of her truck to give the other a little privacy as she spoke on the phone - she always hated when other people listened into her calls so she gave others the same courtesy.
“Uh, yeah. I think it’s best if you drive me home. Dylan’s starting to freak out. Well not freak, but since I never asked him to pick me up he’s like being weird about where I am.” Emily explained, disappointment evident in her tone. If she had just found her nerve a few seconds before they wouldn’t have this awkward air hanging around them now.
“Uh yeah. Yeah cool. Just hop in the front. We’ll go.” Beca smiled softly, her scuffed toes covered in dirt from where she had focused her attention on kicking the ground. “We can totally do this again though, right?” Beca asked, her usual confident air disappearing which caused Emily to smile softly; watching Beca’s bad ass persona break down in front of her.
“Of course we can.” Emily hummed in return her soft smile turning to a smirk as she climbed into the front seat, “Well I mean. As long as you survive the grilling you’re gonna get from Dylan.”
Beca could only audibly gulp. Getting into a relationship with Emily was going to be the death of her.