Packing, Coffee, and Karaoke
Beca stood in her room in the Bella House, looking at the side of the room her things occupied. Fat Amy was over by her bed, placing clothes in suitcases as she hummed. She was moving into the apartment Bumper lived in on campus as a security guard, and the whole household could tell that she was extremely happy. Everyone, while surprised that Amy was finally settling down and making plans, had known that she was falling for Bumper, especially after she carelessly admitted her love for him at the Lodge of Fallen Leaves. A couple weeks of dating and Bumper had confidently asked Amy to move in with him as soon as the school year ended. The blond had responded to singing a love ballad to him as they made out. Again.
The corner of Beca's mouth lifted into a smile at the memory, but quickly vanished as she sighed and looked back at all of her things. Amidst graduation preparations and training for the Worlds, she had seemed like the only Bella to be thinking about life after college. Which meant moving out of the house and away from her friends, and having to work full-time. Beca had found an apartment about fifteen minutes away from Residual Heat where Mr. Key had promoted her from lowly assistant to a producer-in-training position that was a paid job. Which was perfect, because Key had also offered Emily Junk, the Bellas' Legacy and new leader, a record that Beca was going to co-produce. Emily was to write and record in the summer, and then in the late fall Residual Heat was going to drop her album. Emily, of course, was ecstatic. A sophomore in college who was going to have an album, and she got to work with Beca Mitchell. The new Bella leader had been glowing ever since, and got even more excited when Beca walked into the room
"Beca effin Mitchell," Beca said under her breath as she reluctantly grabbed a cardboard box and began putting books into it. It wasn't that Beca didn't like Legacy; the girl was full of spunk and charm and had lots of potential that would take her far. And getting a job within half a year at Residual Heat was a dream come true for Beca. It was what she had wanted to do at the end of her freshman year. The only reason she had stayed was because of the Bellas.
And therein lay the problem. While Beca was ready to continue with the next chapter of her life, she also couldn't bring herself to leave her family. And while they had all promised to stay in touch, she knew that inevitably they would grow apart as they lived out their lives.
"Earth to Beca!" someone shouted, snapping Beca out of her deep thoughts. She jerked her head up and saw Chloe standing by her bed, arms crossed and hip cocked, lips pursed and eyebrow raised; the Classic Chloe Look.
"Sorry, what did you say?" Beca asked, an empty box still at her feet and a single book in her limp hand.
"I asked if you wanted to go for a coffee run. All this packing is making me exhausted. And clearly you need some energy," Chloe said, looking Beca up and down.
Beca didn't really want coffee at the moment. It was nearing evening and she already had a hard time falling asleep as it was. But looking back at all her unpacked stuff, she had the sudden need to get away and clear her head.
"Yeah," she said, placing the book back onto the shelf. She grabbed her purse and slid into her well-worn black Converse.
"Fat Amy, do you want anything?" Chloe asked, one foot already on the stairs.
Amy didn't even look up. Just kept on humming some sappy love song as she folded a shirt.
"I guess not," Chloe said, winking at Beca as she continued down the stairs. Beca followed her, watching the older girl's red curls sway back and forth. As much as Beca was going to miss living with the Bellas, she was going to miss Chloe so much more. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought the ginger would become her best friend, especially after that shower stunt four years ago. Beca smiled at the memory and blushed at the same time. That had been the most awkward time of her life, and yet one of the most important moments too. It was the start of an unbreakable friendship and her career as a Bella.
The two girls walked out of the front door, leaving behind the warm glow of the house and the laughter of the girls cherishing one of their last nights together. There weren't that many people out. Either everyone was inside their dorm rooms, eating Chinese take-out and pizza as they packed, or otherwise people had already left campus to get an early start on summer vacation.
"You know, I never thought I would miss this place," Beca said as she and Chloe slowly walked down the sidewalk to the nearby cafe.
"Oh yeah, and why is that?" Chloe asked, slipping an arm through Beca's. The brunette tensed slightly, even though she was comfortable with Chloe's touch by now. It was still weird for her at times; she had grown so accustomed to putting walls up and refusing contact with everyone after her parents' divorce. That meant no friends, no sociable chit-chat with teachers, and definitely no communication whatsoever with the her mom and dad. And with no talking also came no touching. After years of growing used to physically refraining from coming into contact with anyone, it was still a surprise when she was hugged, or an arm brushed against her, or the Bellas decided to try a double cartwheel (which ended up with a twisted ankle and a throbbing head). It had taken Beca until freshman year of college to finally begin breaking down those barriers, all thanks to one Chloe Beale.
"Well, you know, before coming to Barden, all I was focused on was moving the hell away from here and getting to L.A., finding a job at a recording studio, and start making music. But then, this annoying, persistent redhead just happened to hear me singing one day and forced me to audition for a lame a capella group that became my whole world."
The girls had stopped walking and were now standing in front of a fountain. The setting sun hit the water just right, and drops of orange and gold sprayed across the concrete like artwork. Chloe was looking at Beca with a tight smile, realizing that her best friend never did the mushy-gushy stuff, and she should just be silent for now.
"And then, I realized that college could be fun for me, and I should enjoy it, like Dad had said. Of course he was right," she rolled her eyes and sighed, setting her gaze on Barden's library out in the distance. It had always been one of her favorite places on campus; quiet, undisturbed, a perfect place for her to do her mixes, get away from the stress of life, or occasionally pick up a book for an hour.
"That was all because of the Bellas," Beca continued, looking back at Chloe. "You guys taught me everything about friendship and trust and family. I would still be a moody distant girl right now, fighting my way through life in L.A., if you guys hadn't intervened."
Chloe still had that sappy smile on her face, and Beca could feel the beginnings of tears coming, so she cleared her throat and kept walking to the coffee shop, pulling the redhead with her.
"So, yeah, that's why I'm going to miss this place."
Chloe didn't say anything. She knew her friend well enough to understand that Beca rarely got that vulnerable; she never cried in front of people or talked about feelings. It made the redhead feel special when Beca opened up to her like that.
They finally walked up to the shop and stepped inside, greeted by the smell of ground coffee and, it smelled like cinnamon rolls today.
Gary, the shop owner, both gave the girls bright smiles when they entered. "Beca! Chloe! How are my two favorite Bellas?" he asked, winking at them before starting on their usual drinks.
"Gary, we both know that you tell all the Bellas that," Chloe chastised, sitting down at one of the counter stools while she waited.
"Ah, but I only mean it when I say it to you girls," Gary responded as he steamed some milk.
"We know you tell all the girls that too. Fat Amy just doesn't have a quiet bone in her body," Beca said, sitting down next to Chloe.
Gary snapped his fingers. "Darn, well, it was worth a shot anyway." He pulled a double shot of espresso and dumped the swirling liquid into the milk before pumping the drink with caramel flavor. Beca's mouth watered at the thought of her drink. Chloe frowned though, not agreeing with the amount of caffeine and sugar the petite brunette requested in her latte. It wasn't healthy at all, and was undoubtedly the reason the girl never slept.
Gary finished the latter by spraying whipped cream onto it, and then handed it to an eager Beca., who watched the cream melt into the drink with a grin. Chloe slightly smiled, loving this habit of her friend's; she never missed a chance to see that transfixed look on Beca's face, the way her eyes lit up, and she leaned her head to the right slightly.
"Alright Beale, one skinny soy milk latte with half a shot of vanilla coming up," Gary said, starting on the next drink.
Beca rolled her eyes at the order, it was just so complicated and long and gross. Soy milk? Really? The stuff had a funky taste and ruined the whole coffee experience. But Chloe swore up and down that it gave her that energetic boost and helped maintain her figure. Which, of course, Beca couldn't deny. Chloe did have a nice body, whereas she was tiny, thin, and had the smallest of curves. It didn't help that she had plain brown hair to match. Chloe, on the other hand, was fit and toned, had long legs and copper red hair that caught everyone's attention. And her eyes; Beca had never seen bluer eyes until she met Chloe. They were so big and bright and looked like they were made out of the sky itself.
"Beca, you're staring at me. Do I have something on my face?" Chloe said, reaching a hand up to feel her cheek.
"What? Oh, no, you look fine, I was just lost in thought," Beca said, looking away from her friend and taking a sip of her drink.
"Alright girls, here you are," Gary said, handing Chloe her drink. The girls went for their wallets to pay, but the friendly man held both hands up and chuckled. "No charge, as a thank you for brightening up my days for the past couple of years. I'm going to miss seeing you girls."
Chloe felt the tears coming again, and Beca had to look away from Gary, afraid that she would start crying too.
"We're going to miss you too, Gary," Chloe said, giving the man a hug across the counter.
Beca nodded in agreement, and looked up to smile at him quickly. There was another person she was going to miss when she was gone.
As Beca and Chloe stepped back outside into the rapidly approaching night, Beca felt a weight fall on her shoulders at the thought of her room with all her unpacked stuff. She didn't want to mess with it, because doing so would mean that she was really leaving, and she just wasn't ready for that yet. She thought she had been, but now the thought of going into the real world and working all day and supporting herself was just depressing. No more late night studying sessions with Jessica and Ashley, or hours of gossiping with Fat Amy, or parties at the Treble House. With every step she took to the Bella House, the more she felt heavier, until finally Beca just stopped walking altogether. The click of Chloe's leather boots hitting the sidewalk stopped, and she turned to look back at the small girl.
"Beca? Are you okay?" she asked in a gentle voice.
"I just can't this, Chloe. I can't leave. I thought I was ready, but I'm not. I don't want to leave Barden, or the Bellas. I don't want to leave you. I can't leave you." She widened her eyes at the realization of what she had just admitted.
Chloe's eyebrows furrowed together. "What-what do you mean, exactly?"
"I mean that I finally met the perfect best friend, and I'm not ready to go days without seeing her face or talking to her every morning. Chloe, my life changed when I came to Barden, and part of it was the Bellas and Jesse, but really, most of it was all you. You pushed me to become a better person, and to enjoy all life has to offer. And-and, I'm just really going to miss you." Beca's voice cracked and she couldn't keep the tears back anymore. They started sliding down her cheeks, coming faster and faster. And Beca just stood there, letting them come, because while she hated crying in front of people, she knew Chloe wouldn't judge her, and it felt good to let all her pent up sadness leave.
Chloe walked over to the small girl and wrapped her arms around her. "Beca, I didn't know. You always seem so put together and in control. . . I've been feeling the same way. Who am I supposed to make 2 o'clock Taco Bell runs with now?"
That got a laugh to come out of both of them, and Chloe pulled away to look into Beca's deep blue eyes. They looked like the night sky, and Chloe remembered having never seen that eye color before until she met Beca.
"I know you put money down for that apartment," Chloe started, and Beca's tear-stained face turned into a look of confusion. "But, what if we got an apartment together? I was looking at a complex right in between the studio and that school I got a job at. I should have asked sooner, but would that be something you'd want to do?"
Beca stared at her friend, and a wide smile slowly took over her face. "Yes, I would love that, Chloe. I would love that a lot."
Chloe returned Beca's wide smiled and pulled the petite girl in for another hug. "Oh, I'm so glad! This is going to be so much fun!"
"Thank you, Chloe," Beca whispered to the girl, kissing her cheek.
"Okay, let's go get your things packed! We can't move without your stuff!" Chloe said, grabbing Beca's hand and pulling her into the Bella House.
Inside, the girls had started up a game of karaoke, and were jamming out to a Miley Cyrus song. Which Beca frowned at, because bad things always seemed to happen with Miley on. Like, how their bus ran out of gas on the way to competition her freshman year. Or, Fat Amy unfortunate wardrobe accident earlier this year. That really was a wrecking ball. . .
Chloe pulled Beca up the stairs and onto her floor. Fat Amy was no longer there, and most of her stuff was packed away in boxes and suitcases. Chloe picked up the box Beca had left by her book shelf and started placing books into it. Beca just stood there, looking at all of her things. She still felt sad about it all, and if she were given the option, would continue to stay here with the Bellas. But she also felt a new excitement at starting the next phase in her life, and having Chloe in it.
"Becs, come on. Are you going to help me or not? Cause I'm pretty sure you don't want me touching your DJ stuff."
"Um, not way is that happening." Beca strode over to her desk and began packing her speakers up. Within two hours, the girls managed to get all of Beca's things packed away, and most of her clothes into a suitcase and a duffel bag.
"Phew!" Chloe said, blowing red hair out of her face and placing her hands on her hips. "See, that wasn't so hard."
Beca didn't respond. She was sitting on her bed, looking through her photo album. It was filled with pictures from over the years, mostly of the Bellas. There were some photos of her and Jesse, taken by Chloe or Stacey when the couple weren't taking notice. They would be looking at each other, laughing, hugging, kissing. There were also photos of Beca with various members of the Bellas, taken at the house, competitions, or their a capella boot camp at Aubrey's retreat earlier that month. And while Beca was disappointed that the pictures added would become fewer, she was happy that she got to help create all those memories and be apart of something that made a difference.
Chloe walked over to Beca and sat down next to her. She glanced at the album, and saw a picture of the Bellas, taken after they had finished their performance at the Worlds.
"That's one of my favorite pictures too," Chloe said. "You know why?"
Beca looked at her. "Because it captured the moment when we won, and when we were reinstated?"
Chloe cracked a smile and shook her head. "While both of those things were great, I love that picture because it captures how happy we all were, at finding our sound again and performing for ourselves."
Beca smiled back and then jumped off the bed and closed the album. "Okay, let's go karaoke!"
Chloe jumped up too, and they ran down the stairs to join the other Bellas. Chloe slid to a stop when she saw what song was about to play on the TV and she gasped. "Oh. My. Gosh! Beca and I are so taking this song!" She grabbed the microphones from Cynthia Rose and Stacie, and gave one to a confused Beca, who still hadn't seen the screen.
"Chlo, what song are we singing?"
Chloe wiggled her eyebrows and did a booty dance. "My lady jam."
Beca's eyes widened and she felt her face flush. "No, Chloe, no. I'm not doing this again!"
All the other girls giggled, knowing what the situation had been the last time Chloe and Beca sang this song.
"Please Beca. You're not leaving until you sing with me." And there went the Classic Chloe Look.
Beca sighed, and then held the microphone up as the first verse of Titanium played. How could she say no to the song that had changed her life?
"At least we're not naked this time," Beca said, starting to sing.
"That was the best part though!" Chloe cried, and Beca choked on her words.
The other girls burst up in laughter, and Chloe just wrapped Beca in a hug.
Oh yeah, Beca thought. Definitely the best song ever.