A/N: This is just a little something to remind me how to write again. It's been a long time since I've written for something other than school (not including my fetus-fics that I wrote when I was just 12-13. Ugh. Haha). But tell me what you think in the comments below if you want me to continue or not. :) Or if this is totally bad or just a little on top the borderline for good. I don't have much faith on my writing lately. *sigh* I miss it. Sorry if it starts out a bit angsty, I had to do it so you'll have some insight on what happened to Chloe (or what's happening to her).
Disclaimer: Not mine. Only the plot (and OCs) is mine. You guys know Bechloe is going to be canon since PP1 if I ever did have rights of ownership on the movie. *wink* And I know you would too. *secret Bechloe fandom handshake*
Summary: Chloe broke up with Beca during 9th grade - for reasons unknown to Beca. But when Chloe returns to school two years later, what will happen? Would Beca take Chloe back? Would Chloe even try to win Beca's heart again?
PS: I don't have a beta, English isn't my mother tongue, and I just wrote this on my phone since I'm currently travelling and unable to use my laptop. So if you want to point out my mistakes, go ahead so I'll know. ;) Thank you. Now let the aca-games begin!
Contest entry for YoYoYo25's challenge. If you want to join, go check her profile out. ;)
Moving Closer (Prologue)
"How are you today, Chloe?"
Such a common question, which means it should just be simple to answer, right? But why can't Chloe bring herself to reply? The redhead looked at Ms. Collins, her psychologist, with a distraught look on her face.
And Miss Collins gets it. The question is supposed to be simple, but the answer is complex. When she looks at Chloe's eyes, she gets it. She knows. She knows what Chloe is feeling, how she's feeling right now. It's the same eyes that haunted her before every single time she looks at a mirror. But that was a long while ago.
Chloe looked down and shrugged her shoulders, "I'm okay."
Bianca Collins has treated enough patients during her entire sixteen years on the job to know the difference between words and feelings. She knows the difference between what her patients say and what they really mean. And right now, what Chloe actually means is that she's not okay. But Bianca knows she will be. The twenty-eight year old psychologist just hopes it doesn't take Chloe that long, like she did before.
She tried hard to mask her shudder and looked at Chloe with a smile on her face. Chloe has been like this for a while now, three months and two days to be precise, and yet it seems like... Wait. Bianca just had an idea.
"Chloe, how do you feel about going to the carnival today?"
A certain light flickered in Chloe's eyes for a split second, and a grin overtook her face.
"Judging by your expression, I'm going to take that as a yes."
Chloe gave a sheepish look and slowly said, "staying at home can be boring at times."
Chloe chose her words carefully, but Bianca thinks it's progress.
"Okay, let's go. My treat."
"You don't need to do that, Miss. Mom left me some money on the counter."
"Oh, don't be silly. I've got it covered."
"But, miss..."
"How about a deal, Chloe? I'll be paying, but I'm going to ask a favor from you in exchange. Sound better?"
Chloe thought of it for a second, but she ended up nodding.
"I'll pay, but you have to call me Bianca. Stop calling me Miss Collins. I feel really old. And this sexy lady still has a long way to go," Bianca said and playfully wiggled her butt in front of the younger girl.
Chloe smiled at Bianca's attempted humor. It's probably the most genuine smile she has seen on the fourteen year old girl so far. She hopes this carnival will make Chloe forget how to fake a smile.
"Good! Let's go, I'm already excited," said Bianca while picking up her purse. They went out of the Beale's manor and into Bianca's car.
Bianca forgot to press the unlock button on her remote due to her excitement at Chloe's progress and just opened the car door immediately. But instead of the car door opening, it was Chloe's mouth that opened. Chloe screamed when she heard the beeping of the car.
Bianca was shocked. Chloe never screamed.
"Ch-Chloe, CHLOE! WHAT'S WRONG?"
"MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!"
Bianca remembered that certain sounds could trigger the memory of the person that has PTSD. How could she be so foolish? Of course Chloe would react that way. Her dad died in a car crash after all! Not to mention, Chloe was in the car when it happened eight months ago.
"MAKE IT STOP! M-MAKE IT STOP! PL-PLEASE! PLEASE!"
Only when Chloe screamed again did Bianca remember where they were. When Bianca saw the girl kneeling on the floor with her hands covering her ears and tears flowing freely from her eyes, she regained movement in her muscles and stopped the loud beeping using the unlock button on her remote.
But Chloe was still on the floor, and so Bianca kneeled down as well and hugged the girl. She let the redhead cry on her shoulders. She comforted Chloe as best as she could. The redhead kept on mumbling, but Bianca wasn't sure she heard correctly due to the heavy sobs that overtook the usually quiet redhead.
When the girl in her arms finally calmed down, she asked her if she still wanted to go to the carnival.
Chloe sniffed and shook her head.
"It's okay. Come on, let's get you back inside. Your mom's going to be home any minute, anyway. And our two-hour session was supposed to be over twenty minutes ago."
Chloe nodded weakly and stood up. "Sorry."
"For what, Chloe?"
"I, I know tha-that w-we, that I was supposed t-to, to-"
"It's okay, Chloe. It's not your fault. We still have tomorrow, anyway," Bianca smiled. And with that, they went back inside the mansion.
Even if Chloe wasn't able to properly formulate her sentence, the kind psychologist was still able to understand what she meant to say. Chloe wanted to apologize because they were already making progress, but then it was like everything crashed and burned just because of one sound.
Bianca has been through that before. Even if the British psychologist wants to blame herself for what happened, she knows she can't blame her own self as well. That's what her psychologist twenty years ago told her when something akin to what happened today happened to her before.
When they arrived in Chloe's room, Chloe weakly climbed inside the covers of her queen-sized bed.
Bianca sat down for a while and tucked a stray hair behind the teen's ear.
When Chloe looked up to her, she said, "it's not your fault, Chloe. What happened eight months ago wasn't your fault either."
Chloe played with the hem of her blanket. When the older woman saw this, she told Chloe to rest. She kissed Chloe's forehead and went out after saying goodbye.
When Bianca descended down the stairs, she saw none other than Delilah Beale come in. Apparently, she just came in because she still has her keys on her hands.
"How was work, Del?"
"Tiring. But it's my job, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I just wish I could spend more time with Chloe. But the hospital is short of doctors. How's my baby girl?"
"She... Well, we were supposed to go to the carnival; but... I think you should sit down for this," Bianca said while holding up a chair for the older woman.
The redhead was bemused with Bianca's seriousness and resigned tone. but she sat down anyway and waited for the beautiful blonde to elaborate.
When the younger woman finished telling Chloe's mother, the latter had a distraught look on her face while the former watched her with concerned eyes.
"I'm sorry, Del."
"It wasn't your fault, B. Besides, now we know that car-related things somehow affect Chloe," Delilah said while putting her hand on top of the psychologist.
Bianca smiled and said, "I wouldn't say 'car-related' things. But rather, things that would remind her about the accident. Of course, the car is obvious. But Chloe never reacted before the beep a while ago even when we were near the car. She only reacted when she heard the noise."
"I hope my baby girl is okay."
"She will be," Bianca told the concerned mother with an air of determination - like she was sure Chloe really is going to be okay. For now, that's the hope Delilah clings on to.
"Where would I be without you, B?"
"Let's talk about that some other time. For now, I think you need to talk with Chloe."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Delilah said while standing up and hugging her friend.
Delilah's eyes followed her on the way out. When Bianca reached her car, she smiled and waved towards Delilah - which was benevolently returned by the latter. Once the widow wasn't able to see her friend's car anymore, she went upstairs to talk to her princess.
TBC