Welcome to the SEQUEL of Business Manager. I know I left it on a bit of a cliffhanger so I hope that this will do itself justice. I'm super excited for the second instalment of this and I hope you are too. I want to thank everyone for the great reviews on my previous story and I hope we can keep that up!
There are a few time jumps so just watch out for those!
Chapter 1
"Thank You, LA!" Beca shouted to the hundreds of thousands of people who were clapping and screaming her name.
It had been a year since Chloe left her, and after a long time of torturing herself over it, she went back to the place she felt most at home, music. She had so many emotions running in her mind that she began writing, she had always done it but never decided to record them professionally. But now, she had changed, she had released a lot of built up troubles and memories and put them onto paper. After 5 months she had a full album which she had also produced. She released it and it had hit the top of the charts, she had millions on downloads and the album itself had gone multi-platinum.
She was now on tour and in her final month of performing, she loved it! The screams and cheers from the crowd, filled her with happiness, getting to perform to all these people more or less every night was such an honour for her.
The album was based around her and Chloe's relationship, from the beginning to the end, she still loved her, with all her heart and she would do anything to get her back. There wasn't a day that went by that she didn't miss her, she missed her laugh, her smile, her cuddles late at night, it didn't feel right without her.
As she walked off stage she was surrounded by a flurry of people, she had beads of sweat dripping down her forehead, people were adjusting her mic and touching up her makeup and outfit when the crowd began chanting her name calling for an encore.
"Beca! Beca! Beca! Beca!"
Beca laughed, took a sip of her water after every performance she had given the crowd had called for an encore and she had normally played one of the songs from the album but this time she had a brand new one. She was scared to play it for everyone as it meant so much to her, it was about Chloe, like all her songs, but even after it being a year Beca still had hope. Hope that she could get Chloe back.
She ran back on stage and was met with screams from the fans. She waved at them which only made them cheer louder.
"How about one more song?" She asked with a grin. The crowd screamed in response which Beca took as a yes.
"Now this song is brand new, as in I wrote it 2 days ago," Beca said with a chuckle remembering how quickly she had written it, it was probably the quickest song she had ever written yet it may be one of her best. "I wrote this for someone who was, is very special in my life. I messed up, badly, a lost her. I still have hope that I can get her back., it's called you are the reason. I hope you enjoy." Beca said. The whole crowd had gone quiet while she took her seat at the piano.
A spotlight held on Beca and she began to play the opening melody.
You are the reason - Callum Scott
There goes my heart beating
'Cause you are the reason
I'm losing my sleep
Please come back now
There goes my mind racing
And you are the reason
That I'm still breathing
I'm hopeless now
I'd climb every mountain
And swim every ocean
Just to be with you
And fix what I've broken
Oh, 'cause I need you to see
That you are the reason
Everyone was waving their phones in the air with their torches on which enlightened the atmosphere in the stadium, bringing everyone together.
There goes my hand shaking
And you are the reason
My heart keeps bleeding
I need you now
If I could turn back the clock
I'd make sure the light defeated the dark
I'd spend every hour, of every day
Keeping you safe
Chloe was her reason for everything, her reason for smiling, for laughing, and even the reason for her album. She had called it 'Red' for obvious reasons but it also meant that, for Beca, she still had a part of Chloe with her, no matter what happened.
And I'd climb every mountain
And swim every ocean
Just to be with you
And fix what I've broken
Oh, 'cause I need you to see
That you are the reason, oh
(I don't wanna fight no more)
(I don't wanna hurt no more)
(I don't wanna cry no more)
(Come back, I need you to hold me closer now)
You are the reason, oh
(Just a little closer now)
(Come a little closer now)
(I need you to hold me tonight)
I'd climb every mountain
And swim every ocean
Just to be with you
And fix what I've broken
'Cause I need you to see
That you are the reason
Beca wiped a tear that fell as she finished, this song meant so much to her, and getting to perform it to all her fans and hopefully Chloe if she was watching, she had decided to live stream the song and it would be released across the world as soon as the show ends.
As soon as she stood up she was given a massive applause, people were cheering and Beca could even see a few people crying. She took centre stage and bowed in front of everyone, the audience kept applauding even as she walked out.
Once she reached backstage she took a deep breath, one she didn't know she needed. She removed her mic from her clothes and walked over to her dressing room. She collapsed onto her sofa, loving the feel of the cool fabric on her sweaty and hot skin. There was a beeping noise coming from her laptop, she turned her head tiredly, and saw Stacie's face lighting up on the screen. She tried to reach it from where she was laying but her arms just a bit short, and by a bit, she means very far away.
"Eughhh," Beca groaned as she had to drag herself the whole metre distance to her dressing table, she hit a key on her laptop and Stacie appeared on the screen, she had tear tracks down her face and Beca became immediately concerned.
"Stacie! What's the matter?" Beca asked worriedly.
"That was beautiful Becs," Stacie said tearing up again.
"Oh," Beca said blushing and looking down.
"It really was, I think Julian had a tear in his eye as well, we were both watching you as well as my Mum and Dad. We phoned them straight after quickly, and you could hear how emotional they were. You are doing really well Becs, I'm proud for you, for coming this far, and I know that when Chloe sees this because she will, she will be in tears as well. She will come back to you Becs, I know it." Stacie said, neither girl was holding it together anymore, both had tears freely running down their faces.
"Thanks, Stace," Beca said wiping the tears away, trying not to mess up her makeup too much. Stacie had been there for her so much when Chloe left, she would never be able to repay her for what she has done for her.
The month that Chloe left
Beca hadn't been at work for almost a week, Jesse had phoned her again and again but he wasn't getting any answer. He was dealing with lots of things at work, and people were asking where Beca was and there was not much he could tell them. But, with artists asking where she was he knew he had to do something. He'd also phoned Chloe multiple times as well, and she wasn't picking up, he had no clue who he was supposed to phone, he'd been down to HR to see if anyone had called in, nothing. He was at a total loss. So he went for his last resort.
He scrolled through his contacts, and pressed the call button, it ringed a few times before someone picked up.
"Jesse?"
"Hey, um, have you heard from Beca at all recently?"
"No...why has something happened?"
"I...I don't know, she hasn't been in all week. She isn't answering her phone, nor is Chloe, nothing has come into HR. I just have a bad feeling that something has happened."
"Okay, I'll go check on her now, we normally talk at least once a week and I haven't heard anything either, I didn't think much of it, you know how busy she can get. Thanks, Jesse, I'll let you if I find her."
"Okay thank you, bye."
Meanwhile, Beca was asleep on her sofa, in a three-day-old t-shirt and dirty jogging bottoms, she hadn't showered in….well she can't remember and her apartment looked more like a bar than a home. There were takeout boxes all over the place and cans of alcohol were littering the floor so much you could barely see it.
The elevator binged indicating the arrival of someone, Beca didn't stir though, she was way too hungover to be coherent, her arm was dangling off the sofa and she looked practically dead.
The person from the elevator walked over, carefully stepping over the rubbish, they were holding their nose to avoid breathing in the smell as they were pretty sure could cause a hangover just by inhaling it.
"Beca?" The person called out, no answer.
They walked around and finally saw her on the sofa, "Oh Becs," they said sadly. They rounded over to her, and lightly tapped her on the shoulder, waiting until they got a response. Finally, they did, but it was very sleepily and barely audible.
"C-Ch-Chloe?" Beca whispered out. Her sight was still a bit blurry but she could make out what looks like a woman.
"No I'm sorry Becs, it's just me," the girl said.
Beca adjusted her eyes more and was able to see a wave of raven hair, "Oh, hey Stace."
"What's happening, where's Chloe?" Stacie asked looking around, she had known Chloe for around a year and there was no way she would ever let the apartment or Beca be like this, and that fact alone made her worried for what Beca was going to answer her with.
"Gone." Was all Beca said sadly managing to sit up and curl underneath a strewn blanket that had been left on the floor.
"Gone? What do you mean, gone?" Stacie asked, but she already had a feeling of what Beca meant.
"She's left. I fucked up Stace, badly. Like really bad, I hate myself for it, and now she's gone, forever probably," Beca said, a tear slowly rolled down her cheek.
"What the hell did you do? You love that girl more than anything, what could have possibly happened?" Stacie asked Beca had confessed to her so many times who much she loved the redhead so this whole situation was making much sense to her at the moment.
"I cheated on her, well kissed someone else."
"You what?!" Stacie exclaimed, standing up. How could Beca do something like this? But she knew Beca, well, and she knew that there was way more to the story than Beca just kissing someone else.
"Explain," was all Stacie said.
"It...It was Olivia," Beca said hanging her head in shame.
"Olivia, as in crazy Olivia!?" Stacie said confused.
"The one and only."
"Beca! She's crazy! You know what happened last time, why the hell did you let her in?"
"I didn't let her in!" Beca said angrily. Her hangover was still weighing heavily on her and thinking about Olivia just made her blood boil.
"Then what happened?" Stacie asked crossing her arms over her chest. She couldn't believe Beca right now, she knew how dangerous Olivia was and she had no idea how things got to where they had. Beca had been so happy with Chloe, she'd never seen the girl smile so much, and now to see Beca like this, drunk, depressed, a mess, it broke her heart.
"I walked into my office…" Beca told Stacie the whole story of what happened that night, by the end, Beca was crying her eyes out and Stacie was next to her engulfing her in a hug, and for once Beca didn't refuse it.
Stacie had never liked Olivia, even when Beca was dating her. There had always been something...off with her. She would always be way to nice or cold and mean. She could see that it was having a toll on Beca as well, she would always be stressed and work was hard enough for her.
Olivia was sometimes just pure evil as well, Beca would mostly keep to herself but she once came to her and told her about an argument that they'd had. Beca had arrived late home from work, even though she had texted Olivia to let her know, and she had been furious. She'd shouted at her for 2 hours and said many hurtful things to Beca, about her work and her family. But Beca had walked out when Olivia had grabbed a picture that she had at the time of her parents and her and threw it at the wall, smashing it to pieces. Stacie had never felt the urge to hit someone so bad once Beca told her.
Despite Stacie and her Aunt and Uncle's concerns Beca stayed with Olivia wanted to give her a second chance, and she tried to be a better girlfriend, she thought that maybe it was her fault, so she got home from work earlier, took Olivia out on dates, and it stressed her out beyond belief. She had mountains of work to be getting done, and her name was starting to get out there and it was demanding a lot of her time.
But one night, Beca had to spin at a club, ever since she got back into music, she had taken to Djing and clubs here and there to earn herself some money and she enjoyed it as well, seeing people dance to her music and then coming up to her after thanking and praising her on her work made her remember the reason she fell in love music in the first place, to make people happy, she believed music could heal anything, whether you were sad because of a broken heart or the loss of someone special and even if you were living your best life, music could always make you feel better, well that's what she believed.
She returned home at it was around 2 in the morning, she hadn't meant to be out so late but she got talking to the owner of the club and had managed to set herself up with a few more permanent gigs there, he said it had been his busiest night in almost 2 years since she had played.
She walked through the door and quietly took her shoes off but what she didn't realise was Olivia sitting in the shadows of the lounge, watching, waiting, listening. When Beca crept past still unaware of the girl's presence, she was suddenly thrown back against a wall, her hands were held above her head and she couldn't move. She saw Olivia and her eyes widened, she had no idea what was happening, but her face was suddenly stinging, Olivia had slapped her. Beca struggled against Olivia but her grip was way too strong.
"I told you, to get home earlier," Olivia growled.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realise how long I was out," Beca said struggling to breathe, Olivia had now put her forearm across her throat and was pressing down.
"Yeah, you will be fucking sorry, especially when I'm done with you," Olivia said getting closer to Beca. They were inches apart when Beca fell on the floor clutching her stomach, Olivia had kneed her just below her rib cage. Beca was in a lot of pain, she couldn't believe that Olivia was capable of doing a thing towards her.
For Beca, she just tried to ignore all the bad and horrible things that Olivia would say or do because she loved her, or she thought she did. After her parents died she almost felt incapable to do anything and then she found music and she became more herself, and then Olivia came along and she made her smile. Made her laugh, and that was something she didn't want to lose, even though it pained Beca and stressed her out, she felt like if Olivia left she would lose again, and she couldn't lose anyone else. So she put up with it, kept trying and kept trusting, trusting that it would work out in the end. But it didn't.
The next morning Beca turned up to Stacie's house with her face covered in cuts and bruises where Beca had been beaten by Olivia. That day both Stacie and Beca cried, just sitting in each other's arms. Beca stayed the night at Stacie's and every time Olivia phoned her Stacie declined the call and tried to take Beca's mind off of it, and in the end she left Beca in the lounge with her laptop and a pair of headphones, she sat there for hours, Stacie wasn't even sure if Beca slept that night, and that worried her.
That next week she went with Beca to her and Olivia's apartment, where Beca broke up with Olivia. There was a lot of shouting and arguing but Beca said what she needed and then left an envelope on the coffee table. It was a placement at a place called 'The lodge of Fallen Leaves', it was a rehab centre which helped people with anger issues and any other mental health problems. It was Stacie's idea. She knew the lady who owned it and managed to secure a spot at the last minute. Beca thought about going to the police but decided against it, however, she did make a deal with Olivia. She had to go to the rehab centre and if she didn't then she would go to the police and file what she'd done and then press charges.
It was fair to say that Olivia was furious and Stacie had almost had to step in and control the situation as it nearly got out of hand, but in the end, Olivia had agreed. Beca gave Olivia the afternoon to clear out her things and move out, Olivia again shouted about that but Beca didn't care anymore, she was done with the whole situation.
Part of her felt bad, but that was just who she was, she didn't like hurting people but she knew it would be better for her and that was what she needed to focus on, her music and her own well being. It had been hard for Beca, but she did it and she wouldn't have been where she was if it hadn't been for that. She never would have had the courage to leave Olivia if it hadn't been for Stacie and for that she was forever grateful, this is why they called themselves sisters because they were so close that they may as well be, they looked out for each other and couldn't live without out one another.
There would always be more to her and Olivia's story, but for now, she was going to focus on her.
Present time
Chloe was at her parent's house, she had been staying there for the past year, after she left LA she had nowhere to go and her life was in pieces. She was lost, she was alone and she didn't know what to do. So she went to the only place she could think of, home. The flight to Florida was the worst one she had ever been on. It had brought back so many memories of when Beca had brought her to her house and they had visited her parents, God, Beca. Even just thinking about her made Chloe want to cry, she still loved her. A year later, she loved her, she always would. She knew that before they were dating, it had always been there, in the back of her mind, no matter how bad her insecurities were she knew that Beca was the one.
She hadn't spoken to her since she stepped into the elevator for the last time, she had stood with the phone in her hands so many times, her finger would hover over the brunette's number, but she could never do it. She would never ring her, Beca had rung her, multiple times and Chloe had just sat there and watched it ring, and ring and then as the months went on it slowly stopped ringing.
Chloe knew exactly what Beca was doing, well everyone knew, she couldn't go and pick up a bottle of milk without seeing Beca's face splashed across a magazine. The girl had done amazing things for herself, producing and writing her own album and then going on world tours, it really was incredible and Chloe knew she could always do it.
It still hurt, but now the pain and anger had gone and she was just left with love. She missed Beca like crazy, she missed her hair, her laugh, her eyes, her music and even her awful cooking, but what she missed most was the way Beca would hold her and kiss her. It would always make her feel safe like she could do anything as long as Beca was with her.
But now she was sitting on her bed listening to 'Red'. Chloe had nearly broken down in the shop when she saw Beca's album for the first time. She knew it was about her, and that made it even harder to for Chloe, knowing that Beca still cared about her, still loved her. But she had bought it and then had sat and listened to it for hours on end, so much so that her parents and brother and become concerned for her well-being.
Listening to it made Chloe feel closer to Beca like she was sitting right next to her, she knew all the words and it never made failed to make her cry. Every time she would put it on she would get tears in her eyes and then she couldn't hold them back. It was the story of their relationship, from before they dated to the very beginning and even to after they broke up. It was an intimate and very personal insight into their relationship and that only made Chloe's emotions worse being able to hear Beca being so vulnerable and open.
Chloe was clutching her pillow while the sounds of Beca's voice filled her room, she knew all the songs and she could hear the emotions pouring out of Beca as she sang, it was powerful and pure, the way Chloe knew Beca could do, she didn't know why the brunette hadn't done this before. Her name was all anyone would talk about, every time Chloe heard someone say it pulled on her heartstrings making her miss her small producer that much more. She didn't know what she would do if she saw Beca again, would run back to her? Would she cry? She had no clue, and that scared her.
The next song came on and just from the opening notes Chloe immediately held the pillow tighter and pulled her legs closer to her body, this was the saddest song on the whole album for Chloe yet it was her favourite because it captured the love they shared when they were together.
Over and Over again - Nathan Sykes
From the way you smile to the way you look
You capture me unlike no other
From the first hello, yeah, that's all it took
And suddenly we had each other
Beca had told her how the minute she met her that she knew there was something special about her, and that she was captivated by her smile and her eyes, it was like she knew she was in love the second she met her.
And I won't leave you
Always be true
One plus one, two for life
Over and over again
So, don't ever think I need more
I've got the one to live for
No one else will do, and I'm telling you
Just put your heart in my hands
Promise it won't get broken
We'll never forget this moment
Yeah, we'll stay brand-new 'cause I'll love you
Over and over again
Over and over again
Hearing Beca say that she will love her over and over again gave her hope that in the future they will find their way back together because despite everything that happened Chloe still loved Beca she knew that much and she there would always be things in their way but the important thing was that they were together.
From the heat of night to the break of day
I'll keep you safe and hold you forever
And the sparks will fly, they will never fade
'Cause every day gets better and better
And I won't leave you
Always be true
One plus one, two for life
Over and over again
Chloe knew the moment that those elevator doors closed that she had lost someone special in her life but she couldn't be there, couldn't be around Beca at that moment. Tom had cheated on her many times when they were together, the only reason that she never left was that she was told she could never find anyone better and after being told that so many times she believed it, and it was only down to Beca who showed her that she was so much more than what Tom told her she was that she was able to get out.
So, don't ever think I need more
I've got the one to live for
No one else will do, yeah, I'm telling you
Just put your heart in my hands
I promise it won't get broken
We'll never forget this moment
Yeah, we'll stay brand-new 'cause I'll love you
Over and over again
Over and over again
When she saw those pictures of Beca kissing Olivia her whole world crashed down, she had put all her trust in Beca and knowing what happened it hurt her more than the things Tom used to say and do to her because she never truly loved Tom, she thought she did but then she met Beca and she realised what loving someone truly felt like.
Girl, when I'm with you I lose track of time
When I'm without you you're stuck on my mind
Be all you need till the day that I die
I'll love you
Over and over again
So, don't ever think I need more
I've got the one to live for
No-one else will do, yeah, I'm telling you
Just put your heart in my hands
Promise it won't get broken
We'll never forget this moment
Yeah, we'll stay brand-new 'cause I love you
Over and over again
Yeah, over and over again
Over and over again
Chloe was in tears as the sound of Beca's voice faded out but a soft knock at the door caused her to quickly wipe her tears away and tell them to come in.
It was Alex.
"Hey Chlo-Bear," he said softly coming to sit down on her bed, she immediately moved to hug him, and Alex wrapped his arm tightly around her.
"Listening to her again are you?" He asked kindly, he knew how much his sister missed Beca, and he hated her for breaking Chloe's heart and he almost went to LA himself to talk to her but Chloe had begged him not to and he had to abide by Chloe's wishes. He knew how much the small brunette meant to her and it did make him sad to see the smile gone from her face. Whenever Beca was around Chloe was happy, her smile would light up a room and her eyes would shine. But now she was sad, she would sit in her room and cry.
It had gotten so bad after the first 2 months that he made her take a holiday to Europe and she did. She was gone for around a month exploring places she never dreamed of visiting and it seemed like she was going to be alright and then Beca's album was released and Chloe went right back to the start. She worked here and there for some companies, mostly she worked from home but it just didn't feel right. She missed being in the office with Jesse and Beca, they always made her laugh and being able to see Beca in her element was something not many would get the privilege of seeing because it truly was an incredible thing to witness. There was something about seeing someone so immersed in their work and their passion that made Chloe fall in love with Beca just that little bit more. Beca's song captured it perfectly because she as well would fall in love with Beca over and over again.
"I miss her," Chloe said quietly.
"I know you do," Alex replied knowingly.
"Do you think we will ever get back together?" She asked turning her head to look up at him.
Alex took a deep breath and thought for a minute. "People always return home, it may take some time and some serious thought about what you really want from life. But, I think that Beca is your home, not here. Beca made you smile, she made you laugh, and she made you feel safe. That is what home is, it doesn't have to be a place, it can be a person, and Beca is that person for you. All you need to do is return home. You guys lost your way Chlo, you just have to follow the road and you will always find your way back, even if you don't believe it."
"I never told you how Steph and I broke up at one point," Alex said.
"What?!" Chloe said shocked, she never knew that her brother and his wife had split up before.
"We had a really bad argument, we were going very different places in life and we were struggling. So, I did the worst thing I've ever had to do, I told her we should end it, save ourselves the pain and get it over and done with. We split for about 2 months, but I never told you guys because I was ashamed, I still loved her. So I got my shit together, made some choices about my life and realised that if we loved each other we could get through anything. I phoned her up and we met in a small shop off the university, we talked for hours way into the night and by the end, we vowed to never let each other go, because those 2 months were the hardest of my life, and look where we are. Happily married as in love as were back then, I will always remember that day. When we promised to find our way back together no matter what. And I believe that you and Beca will find your way back together as well because as cheesy as it is, you two were meant for each other," Alex said wiping a tear from his eye, this talk was getting way too emotional for him right now.
"Thank you," Chloe said burying her head in his shoulder.
"Always Chlo, always," he whispered.
"What do I do now though?" Chloe asked.
"Find your way home."
I hope you enjoyed chapter 1 of this story, lots more to come for these two! What were your thoughts?