So yea, this is a prompt I promised I'd do like a million years ago and I've only had time to finish now. So for that I'm super sorry, but here it is.
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You can count on me like 1 2 3
I'll be there
And I know when I need it I can count on you like 4 3 2
And you'll be there
The First Time:
"Loser!" It was around the age that kids started to realize the power of a negative comment that life could start to become difficult.
"Shut up!" Aubrey had never been the kind of person to let people get the better of her, even at age seven.
"Or what? You'll be more of a loser?!" Even for a eight year old this kid's insults were rather basic. "Just go back to where you came from new girl," he added, a smug grin tugging his features.
"Leave her alone or I'll tell my dad that you're a bully Alvin." Aubrey hadn't seen the red haired girl appear behind her attacker, and she couldn't help but giggle as the young boy jumped.
"Why do you care?" Alvin spat, not really appreciating a girl trying to get the better of him.
"Cos Aubrey's my friend," Chloe informed him as firmly as someone so used to smiling could. "So you better leave her alone." Both girls watched then as Alvin stuck out his tongue once more in Aubrey's direction before stalking off.
"Thanks…" Aubrey wasn't really sure what else to say to the girl she'd never really spoken to before. "That was nice of you."
"I hope it's okay I said we were friends," Chloe replied instead with a sudden look of apprehension. "You gave me your yellow crayon yesterday when we were doing art so I guess I just thought we were."
"Well I guess I only give my yellow crayons to my friends then." If there was one thing Aubrey knew it was that anyone who'd stick up for you like that on a whim was someone worth keeping around.
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The Second Time:
"Shit!" The PG cuss was pushed out from between Aubrey's gritted teeth as she sat poker straight on the edge of Chloe's bed staring at her phone.
"What's up buttercup?" Chloe shimmied across her bedroom floor where she'd been sorting through her shoes so she was sitting at Aubrey's feet, her elbows resting on the blondes lap.
"I've just lost my prom date." Aubrey dead panned, throwing her phone forcefully into the mattress as she sent a glare at Chloe.
"Wait, what?" Chloe's jaw dropped.
"Apparently his parents caught him doing weed," Aubrey explained, rolling her eyes. "He's been forbidden to leave his house for a month," she concluded with a sigh.
"That idiot." Chloe dragged herself up onto the bed next to her best friend and wrapped an arm around Aubrey's shoulder, drawing the blonde into her side.
"I should have known better than to date someone that… rebellious, just to get back at my father," Aubrey shrugged, choosing to simply accept her disappointment. "Eh well, I'll just call mom in the morning, tell her not to send my dress to get altered," she added with a resigned sigh.
"No you won't," Chloe scoffed; shaking her head defiantly as she turned to face the blonde.
"Chloe I'm not going to the prom on my own, and there's only two days left… what do you think my chances are of getting a date?" Aubrey challenged.
"I'd say about one hundred per cent," Chloe smiled knowingly.
"Ew Chloe no. I'm not telling you again, I am not letting Paul take me to prom. He's got that 'I'm going to kill you and I'm going to like it' glint in his eye every time he looks at me," Aubrey shuddered. "And," she added, not giving the red head a chance to counter her argument. "Let's not forget the time he said 'when I go on a killing spree' as opposed to 'if I go on a killing spree'… I mean, just no."
"Not what I was going to suggest," Chloe reassured her friend. "I mean you're a pain in my ass sometimes, but I wouldn't wish that on you," she laughed.
"I'm glad," Aubrey smiled weakly. "Then what's your bright idea to guarantee me a date?"
"Me." Chloe's reply was so simple Aubrey actually waited for a moment, expecting her to elaborate.
"You?"
"Me," Chloe nodded.
"Chloe… you have a date?" Aubrey reminded her friend hesitantly, suddenly fearful the red head had had a knock to the head.
"And I'm sure he'll be fine without me… Prom's not as big a deal for guys anyway," Chloe shrugged unapologetically.
"Yea but… but you were looking forward to the whole prom thing, and getting your photo taken with your date and being voted cutest couple and all that jazz…" Aubrey countered again.
"No I wasn't."
"Yes you were!" Aubrey fought. "There's no need to be a martyr Chloe… I'll be fine."
"I'm not being a martyr," Chloe sighed, rolling her eyes. "And I wasn't looking forward to all that stuff. I was looking forward to spending my prom night with the funniest, coolest, smartest, and definitely the hottest, person in the school."
"If you say that person's me I'll know you're lying," Aubrey dead panned.
"Well tough. It is." Chloe lifted both the blondes hands into her own. "Why, oh why would I want to go to some stupid high school dance if you weren't going to be there with me?"
"Yea but…" Aubrey started, though this time she wasn't allowed to finish.
"Yea but nothing Bree. You want to go to prom, and I want you to go with me. End of discussion." Chloe smiled warmly at her friend.
"You don't have to be here for me like this you know…" Aubrey commented, trying to hide her blush.
"I want to be," Chloe informed her, leaning in and placing a soft kiss against the blondes cheekbone. "And I always will be," she added, her words ghosting across Aubrey's creamy skin.
"Good." Aubrey bit her lip as Chloe's breath tickled her cheek. "I don't know what I'd do otherwise."
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The Third Time:
"Aubrey breath," Chloe whispered in her best friends ear. "Just breath."
She could feel the stare of the crowed on them. She could feel the glares from her fellow Bellas on her back. Chloe didn't care though. Right now al she cared about was that her best friend was puking, and in tears, and that she was so close to nailing the biggest solo of her life.
Aubrey needed her, and Chloe didn't care how many looks she was getting right now, or how much vomit was caked into her skin, she was going to be there.
"Jesus Chloe get off her," Alice snarled from behind, trying to pull the red head away. "You're just embarrassing us more."
"I'm helping her out Alice," Chloe replied, trying to keep her tone even, although she wanted more than anything to slap the older Bella for how nasty she was being.
It was another minute before Chloe was able to drag Aubrey gently to her feet and prop her up as the pair walked bravely off stage together, having long since been abandon by their fellow Bellas.
"I messed up…" Aubrey whimpered as she clutched desperately to Chloe's side.
"You did no such thing," Chloe soothed, running calming circles across the blondes back as she scanned back stage for tissues. "Alice messed up by putting too much pressure on you."
Chloe meant every word, even if Aubrey didn't believe her.
-.-.-.-
The hotel had been tense thus far. The Bellas had all been given double rooms, yet for tonight they were all packed even tight into the one room, as it was supposedly the "right of passage" ceremony, where Aubrey and Chloe would be given charge of the group.
"You're both pathetic." Had been Alice's opening line.
"I'm so sorry…" Aubrey begun, but was cut off as Alice's harsh tone sliced through her.
"Oh save it you aca-loser. You ruined everything today. You both did. You humiliated yourselves, and more importantly you've humiliated your Bella sisters. I seriously don't know why I'm even bothering to give you this scarf. No one will want to be a Bella next year anyway."
Aubrey whimpered, for the first time in her life failing to rise to a fight. Chloe on the other hand, for the very first time, felt something stir inside her. All of a sudden she felt angrier than she'd ever felt before. Something about the vulnerability of Aubrey had apparently tripped a switch in her, so she stood up.
"We're not aca-losers, or any kind of loser," she spat back (granted, not a great opening line, but she wasn't really used to this whole arguing thing). "We're the only true Bella sisters here, because we're the only ones that actually look out for one another. So whatever Alice. Seriously just whatever. I don't care if it'll be tougher to find Bellas next year. At least with you lot gone we'll be true Bellas, and not a bunch of preppy, stuck up bitches, that find more concern in the way other people look than the fact that they're a bunch of rotten, horrible human beings." She kind of just stood there when she was done, not exactly knowing what her next step should be.
"Sorry, I couldn't hear you there Chloe," Alice smirked. "I was just overwhelmed by the stench of your breath."
Chloe could have slapped Alice in that moment. Could have, but didn't. She knew it'd only make things worse, and in the back of her mind, in spite of how much she wanted to defend Aubrey's honour also just wanted to get her friend out of there.
Instead she grabbed the blonde's hand and pulled her out of the room, refusing to look back as laughter erupted behind them.
"Bitches," Chloe fumed, still dragging Aubrey behind her down the hall to their shared room.
"You didn't have to defend me like that you know," Aubrey whispered, tears audible in her voice.
"I did," Chloe disagreed, stopping in front of their room and swiping the key card. "What kind of best friend would I be if I hadn't?" She added without turning as she pulled both of them into the room and shut the door. "What kind of girlfriend would I be if I hadn't?" She whispered then, turning quickly to pin the blonde against the door and press their lips together softly.
"I'm pretty sure…" Aubrey murmured her lips still toying gently with Chloe's as she spoke. "You'd still be the best," She concluded, feeling Chloe's lips curve into a smile against her own as the red heads hand went to her waist.
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The Time Aubrey Was There For Her:
They'd been celebrating for a week and a half already. Not constantly, but near enough. They'd had a two day party after their win at nationals, and since graduation the Bella's had made the (drunken) decision to spend two weeks together in Amy's parents beach house before going their separate ways for summer.
The celebrating had been intense thus far, and Amy had even managed to pull a plethora of men out of the woodwork to celebrate with them (and by men, she meant Greek Gods of course). Not that Aubrey was all that fascinated by them, what with being gay and having a girlfriend and all, but turns out one of them was majoring in law as well, and she'd been so wrapped up in conversation it took her longer than it should have to realize her girlfriend was no longer by her side.
"Oh, sorry Jan, I've got to go find my girlfriend," Aubrey apologised, sliding off the seat and smiling at Jan, who was merely nodding knowingly.
"Only you…" Stacie muttered as Aubrey passed her, the dark haired girl having pushed two guys off her to come talk to the blonde.
"Only me what?" Aubrey questioned, scanning the room for re hair as she spoke.
"Only you would be talking to the single most attractive human being on the planet and not try to make a move," Stacie clarified, nodding in the direction of Aubrey's new friend, who was now being (not so subtly) hit on by Amy.
"Stacie… I'm gay…" Aubrey told the other woman slowly, shocked that the dark haired girl didn't know already.
"No you're not," Stacie replied instantly. "You so can't be… I didn't have you pegged," she explained further.
"Afraid so," Aubrey couldn't help but laugh (the alcohol having loosened her up considerably). "I've got a girlfriend and everything," she added, aware that said girlfriend was still missing.
"What?! Who?!" Stacie's jaw almost hit the floor.
"Uh… Chloe." Aubrey could have sworn people knew.
"Chloe's gay?!" Stacie now looked like she was suffering some form of seizure.
"Stacie… we made out after we won nationals. We hold hands all the time. We're sharing a room here," Aubrey pointed out, trying to light the bulb in her friends head.
"I thought… I thought you were just making out cos you were happy. I mean I make out with people all the time, it doesn't mean I'm dating them," the dark haired girl shrugged.
"Coming from you that's actually a valid point," Aubrey shrugged. "Though as much as I've loved coming out to you, do you by any chance know where Chloe is?"
"She went outside a while ago," Stacie nodded towards the screen door before sliding back into her man sandwich.
The breeze hit Aubrey like a slap across the face when she stepped out onto the porch that led onto the golden beach. It took a minute for her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the night, only lit by the moon and the light trickling though the windows. When they did, she spotted Chloe almost instantly, curled up on the step looking out into the ocean.
"Hey there you…" Aubrey whispered, sliding in behind her girlfriend and wrapping her arms around Chloe's and her head resting on the red heads shoulder as her legs stretched out either side of her.
"Hi," Chloe smiled in response, her slender fingers wrapping around Aubrey's forearms once she felt the other womans presence. "Oh, you're warm," she sighed happily, leaning into the blonde's embrace.
"And you're not," Aubrey added. "You're going to freeze if you stay out here you know?"
"It's so nice though…" Chloe sighed. "It's really peaceful."
"I dunno Chloe, this beach house is pretty big, there's probably like ten rooms in there that'd be just as peaceful, and twice as warm," Aubrey pointed out, already feeling the cold slice through her as she huddled closer to her girlfriend.
"I still like it here though," Chloe shrugged off, continuing to stare out to sea.
"I'm not going to convince you to come in, am I?" Aubrey sighed.
"No, not just yet anyway," Chloe smiled. "Sorry."
"It's cool… I just wish I'd brought a blanket out with me," Aubrey huffed, pulling Chloe against her until there was no room between the two, trying to use her as a human blanket.
"You don't have to stay with me…" the red head began, her sentence being cut short quickly.
"I want to. I missed you in there for ages," Aubrey reasoned. "So I'm more than happy to sit in silence and freeze to death as we watch the waves."
That's exactly what they done for a while; sat shivering together on the porch steps, listening more than watching as the waves crashed against the pebbled shore and crept back out to sea again. It was Chloe that eventually disrupted the ocean.
"I'm scared you know…" She whispered; her voice almost swallowed whole by the world around her.
"For what?" Aubrey murmured into the skin just below the red heads ear.
"Everything from now on I guess…" She sighed in reply. "We're officially grown-ups now Bree. We don't have school or our parents to hide behind, we don't get summers off, and we don't get to see our friends every day in class or at Bellas rehearsal. It's like a whole new life."
"It's not a whole new life Chlo'," Aubrey tried to reason.
"It is though," Chloe cut in. "We're going to move an hour away from Barden so we're going to see the Bellas way less. We're both getting our first real jobs, and we're going to be stressed like all the time, and working all the time, and we're only going to see one another for like ten minutes in the morning, and then maybe at night if one of us doesn't just fall asleep on the couch. Then before you know it we'll either be split up or we'll be twenty years down the road with three kids wishing we had split up," she vented.
"You really think that?" Aubrey's voice remained neutral, knowing Chloe's words were stemming from fear and not an actual desire for any of it to come true.
"Yea… I mean no. I mean… I don't want to believe it. Part of me thinks we're better than that. Part of me knows we're better than that, and that we've been together for so long, and we've been best friends even longer so something like us falling apart would never happen… I just… it's like a nagging fear I just can't shake."
"Well for the record I agree," Aubrey muttered. "We are better than that, and I swear to you I'll make it my personal mission to make sure no matter what happens over the next twenty years, I'll make you as glad to be with me when we're forty, or fifty or sixty years old as you are now."
"You're the best," Chloe told the blonde, pressing a kiss into Aubrey's hand.
"I mean it too," Aubrey continued. "You've always been there for me, since we were both tiny kids, and this is me finally returning the favour, because I'm going to be here for you forever now. No matter what, I'll be here."
"God you're going to get the best sex later for saying that," Chloe laughed, none the less holding Aubrey just that bit tighter.
"Does that mean we can go back inside now?" The blonde questioned hopefully, chuckling at her girlfriend.
"I guess… wouldn't want to die of pneumonia," Chloe finally relented, standing stiffly along with Aubrey, both woman remaining hand in hand and close to one another's sides as they walked back in doors to their friends.
Wooooh, Wooooh
you can count on me cos I can count on you.