Chapter One "New Love Jitters"
Yearning—the swift Guide that prodded her tonight.
With a gesture—one breath-taking step, a time-ceasing second—she was there.
It was as if the tide rushed back to sea, and all was calm again. Still. Silent.
How silent it was.
She couldn't hear her own breath. Perhaps she wasn't breathing at all. Perhaps she was dreaming it. Nothing in hand, not even a coat on her shoulders. She left so suddenly. She had to reach her. She blinked, and she had arrived at this point. The point. Nothing goes accordingly to plan—after all.
Beca did not notice her standing in the frame—not yet.
It was unusually nippy for a summer evening, Beca thought. She wrapped her arms around herself as she stepped outside onto the porch. She looked over to her left, for she was not familiar with her surroundings. Jesse had invited her over to the Treble House after the "big win." She was hoping to meet back up with the girls tonight, but seeing as she found herself in a new relationship with a great guy, she felt as if she was supposed to revel in this moment.
Beca had a hard time letting people in. That was a fact. That is what she knew about herself. She had a hard time accepting that she was a pretty girl and a hard time accepting that guys were intrigued by her. She never seemed to commit, and never seemed to follow through with any of them. It was hard for her—however she wasn't sure why. Of course, that couldn't be normal, could it? At this age, at this time of her life, she was supposed to have the boy and have her friends. At least that is what everyone seemed to be doing at this stage of life. Why did she suddenly care about the "expected" side of things?
Beca shook the confusion from her mind and attributed it to "new love jitters."
She needed a breath after all of the excitement. The Barden Bellas had just won the competition—and things had gotten wild. Jesse wanted to grab a few things before he took his girl out to celebrate the victory—one in which she had a great hand in gaining for the girls. She was his tonight, after coordinating a song to reach him. After a "movie moment" kiss, she thought—and then raised her eyebrow at herself. Movie moment? The fuck? What is going on with you?
She chuckled at herself quietly. She stepped slowly, continuing to look left along the long porch. It was nothing special, however the night seemed to allure. It was an overall good feeling. Still—something was a bit electrifying. She couldn't place this feeling.
Beca raised her hands and ran them through her hair. She let out a long sigh, looking up. She then connected to her right line of vision.
On this crisp evening, it was as gentle as the subtle air.
"Hi…"
The word came from her lips as if she was a small child meeting Tinker Bell. Chloe was always so humble in that regard. Her demeanor was relaxed—as if she was realizing for the first time that she was safe. It was inexplicable—the serenity that she presented.
Beca was absolutely stunned, yet in a peaceful way. How was that possible? No other thought came to mind—not just yet. She took in the sight of her best friend, as if she were expecting this. Nothing seemed to make sense to Beca tonight.
"Hey you."
The red head took in Beca's simple reply with a widening grin—slow to form. She paused.
Beca watched her with curiosity, and noticed how the red head was gleaming at her. Chloe's eyes were glazed over with a sense of the "all-knowing." Chloe was silent, and still. She looked wise—perhaps that was the word for it. Becca battled this vocabulary moments before Chloe took a few steps forward, sliding her hands into the pockets of her knee-length emerald dress.
"I was going to wait until…I was going to see you later tonight…but…but now that I'm here…Now that I'm here, what I wanted to say really…what I want to say…"
Even as Chloe worked through her jumbled thoughts, she spoke with clarity, with confidence. She spoke softly, as she always did. But she had a strong guidance in the way she was stringing these thoughts together. Beca was swept in to her, wanting to know what it is her best friend seemingly needed to say.
"Was that…"
Chloe stopped one last time. She let herself smile one quick time before she opened her lips. It was funny, with all of the urgency, all of the guidance, she found herself taking her time. Elated, and in a foggy haze.
"I'm in love with you."
Chloe let out a small, breathy laugh.
She shook her head. "I've been in love with you—forever."
The tears that began to well in the red head's blue eyes remained unnoticed. They never poured out—but rather added a sparkle to her gaze. Her shoulders rose as if to say "sorry" for her blunt, quiet delivery.
Beca's lips parted, her jaw unhinged. Her eyes stayed fixed on her best friend, locked.
How silent it was, indeed.