Beca's hand hovered over the mouse pad on her laptop as she tried to muster up enough confidence to click the button. She'd just spent the last three hours working on a mixed cd for Chloe and was nervous for the redhead's reaction, not that she'd ever know what it is if she didn't burn the playlist to a cd.
"Get yourself together," the deejay whispered to herself. "It's just a cd. You've done this for her before. It's not a big deal." But it was a big deal. All the other cds were just a bunch of fun mashups that meant nothing. This one was different, this one was important.
Beca looked over the track list for the hundredth time. She had blended all the clichéd love songs together that Chloe adored so much. "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None The Richer intertwined perfectly under "Kiss Me" by Ed Sheeran, and even she couldn't deny how easily "The Only Exception" by Paramore fit in the spaces of "The Story" by Brandi Carlile. Some tracks didn't need a partner song; "She Is" by The Fray conveyed everything on Beca's mind so eloquently that she didn't dare spoil the melody with a contrasting bass line. She pulled samples from "We Found Love" by Rihanna and Calvin Harris and coupled them with "State of Grace" by Taylor Swift, getting over her irrational disdain for the country popstar for the sake of the mashup. It was the perfect mix tape, and it scared Beca to death.
"For the love of God, just burn the damn cd already," Kimmy Jin huffed, the annoying light from Beca's laptop preventing her from falling asleep. Beca complied immediately, her roommate scaring her into clicking the "Burn CD" button on her computer. She slipped the disc into its sheath, scribbling Chloe's name on the front before shutting her laptop and sinking into her bed. She'd give the mix to the redhead tomorrow, hoping her intended message would resonate and Chloe would pick up on the younger woman's feelings for her.
Beca was on edge as she walked into the rehearsal hall the next day, her cd for Chloe tucked safely in her duffel bag. She reached inside and wrapped her fingers around the paper case, her heart skipping a beat as she spotted Chloe standing by the piano. In one quick motion she procured the disc from her bag and placed it in Chloe's pink tote, tucking it safely into the front pocket with the older girl's cell phone. The first part of her not-so-elaborate plan was complete, all she could do now was wait patiently and attempt to keep her nerves under control.
She managed to survive the rehearsal, missing only a couple of steps in the choreography despite the anxiety that built up steadily in her mind as she struggled to focus on the music and not the redhead that stood a couple of feet in front of her. The way Chloe swayed her hips as she moved was distracting, intoxicating even. Beca had never been more grateful for the end of practice, practically sprinting out the door the second Aubrey told the girls they were done for the day. She holed herself up in her dorm, pouring her energy and focus into mixes that didn't make her think of Chloe every five seconds.
Beca passed out on her bed after hours of working on the same project she had started a few weeks ago. No matter how much she tweaked the mix, something was lacking. Being her stubborn self, though, she always came back to the project and worked some more on finding a way to make it perfect. A soft knock came from the door, causing Beca to stir from her sleep. She pulled her headphones off of her (she had a terrible habit of accidentally falling asleep with them on) and made her way to the door, her feet shuffling sleepily against the hardwood floors of her dorm. She cracked open the door, the light from the hall nearly blinding her.
"Chloe? What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" Beca mumbled, shock evident in her tired voice.
"I listened to your mix," the older girl replied, her eyes cast downward at the floor.
"So you decided that right now was the best time to come over and tell me this…" Beca trailed off, confused by the other woman's crypticness.
"More or less..." Chloe's voice was barely above a whisper, her hands fidgeting by her side as she avoided Beca's face.
"You've got to be kidding me." Kimmy Jin's voice was agitated, cutting through the tension like a knife. "I'm spending the night elsewhere." She left the room quickly, shooting a menacing glance at Beca before exiting.
"She is such a pleasure," Beca muttered caustically. "Well come in, I guess." She moved from her spot in front of the door, turning on the light switch as Chloe walked past her and sat on her bed. Beca sat next to her, searching the redhead's face for some sort of expression that would reveal her thoughts.
"Seriously Chloe, what are you doing here? Your blank face is starting to freak me out a little," Beca prodded timidly.
"I listened to your mix," Chloe repeated again, her voice more confident than the first time.
"You hated it, didn't you? I knew I shouldn't have burned that cd. It was stupid of me to put it in—" Beca was cut off by Chloe's lips against her own.
"You talk too much, you know that?" Chloe joked, a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth as she pressed her lips to Beca's a second time. The younger woman melted into the kiss, groaning softly as Chloe tangled her hands in her hair. They pulled away after a few moments, desperately in need of air.
"I take it you liked the cd?" Beca chuckled.
"More like loved it," Chloe smiled. "I've been waiting for forever for some sort of sign, and I finally got it. I really like you Beca, like in a 'let's hold hands and smile stupidly at each other' and other cliché relationship things kind of way. I wanna kiss you all the time, text you stupid emoticons throughout the day, and cuddle with you at the end of a long day. Does that sound okay to you?"
"I can't think of anything more perfect than that, Chlo." Beca grinned, grabbing the taller woman's hands and leaning in close enough so their foreheads were touching. "I'm all yours."