Chloe Beale is in love. Head over heels in, no doubt about it, you're the only one for me, love. And Beca Mitchell is the one who has won her heart. She can't believe that she found the love of of her life all because of a bet.
They've known each other a little over 3 months and have been seriously dating for not quite a month. And what a wild and wonderful time it has been. They saw each other every day and make dates out of everything - getting coffee, grabbing lunch between classes, and even going to the Post Office. They flirted like crazy during Bellas rehearsals, much to Aubrey's dismay. They laughed and they loved. And the sex was mind blowing, again, much to Aubrey's dismay.
Chloe had hoped to bring Beca home to Tampa for Christmas to meet her family but she had already planned to spend it with her mom, in Portland. Beca promised to make it to Tampa a few days after Christmas and spend New Year's with Chloe. Chloe couldn't wait for her family to meet Beca.
Chloe and her mom were out Christmas shopping. It was 2 days before Christmas and she still had to get something for her dad and brother. Chloe was smiling and humming the whole day. Her thoughts were filled with Beca.
"Someone's happy," Mrs. Beale says with a smile at Chloe.
"I am," Chloe said. "It took 6 years but I can't believe that I actually found someone who helped to mend my broken heart. I can't wait for you to meet Beca. She knows she's attractive since she never had a problem with getting women. But she's also beautiful and she doesn't know how beautiful she really is. She's sarcastic, talented, funny, smart, and so sexy."
Her mother chuckled. She knew all about how the bet and how they came to fall for each other. "She sounds amazing," Mrs. Beale says. "I can't wait to see the woman who put that smile on your face."
"You're going to love her as much as I do," Chloe told her mother. "She'll be here in a week."
Meanwhile, in Portland, Maine, Beca Mitchell was having an almost identical conversation with her mother. They were also out shopping for last minute Christmas gifts.
"Shit," Beca's mom says as they walk out of yet another store.
"What's wrong?," Beca asks, a look of concern washing over her face.
"Don't look now," her mother says, "but public enemy #1 is heading this way."
"Fuck me," Beca says.
"Don't say that too loudly," her mother snickers. "The way she's looking at you, she may take you up on it."
Beca glares at her and before she can say anything she hears, "Beca?"
Beca turns stone-faced and faces the girl who spoke. "Amanda," she says.
"Oh my God," Amanda says. "I can't believe it's you."
"Yep," Beca says. "It's me. Now if you'll excuse me, my mom and I have a lot more shopping to do."
Beca turns to her mother and they start to walk off.
"Beca, wait!," Amanda says and grabs Beca's arm.
Beca snatches her arm away and sneers, "What do you want, Amanda?"
Amanda takes a step back and flinches at Beca's tone. She looks at Beca's mom who is looking back at her with a raised eyebrow and frown on her face.
"Can I talk to you?," Amanda says. "Privately."
"Anything you need to say to me, you can say in front of my mother," Beca says coldly. "She knows all about you."
Amanda looked uncertain. She bit her lip and looked at Beca and then at her mom. She took a deep breath and finally said "I miss you."
Beca laughed at her. "You miss me?," she says. "That's funny because the last time I saw you you were hugging Danny Johnson and laughing along with all his friends and calling me a dyke."
Amanda looked down at the ground. She knew she hurt Beca. Beca was her first love and she was Beca's.
"I'm sorry," Amanda says looking at Beca. "I had to do something to make sure that you wouldn't want to see me again." She started crying.
Beca looked at her and shook her head. "You broke my heart," Beca said softly.
"I know," Amanda said back. "I hate myself every day thinking about what I did to you. I didn't want to but my parents threatened to send to some church camp to help "pray away my gay." I had to break it off with you because I couldn't let them send me to that camp. I'd heard about some of the stuff they did and I was scared."
"You could have told me that," Beca said. "I would have understood."
"I knew you would," Amanda said. "But I also knew you would still want to be with me. I couldn't do that to either of us, so I did the only thing I could to make sure you stayed away."
Beca sighed. She looked at her mother.
"Maybe you two should talk," her mother said. "I'll continue shopping and you we'll meet up for dinner in about an hour. Okay?"
"Yeah," Beca said. "That might not be a bad idea. Thanks, mom. I'll meet you at the diner in an hour."
Her mother turned and walked away. Beca turned and looked at Amanda. "Do you want to grab a coffee and talk?," she asked.
"I'd like that," Amanda said with a small smile.
They walked off towards Starbucks and got their coffee. They sat at a table and neither one said anything for a few minutes.
"You really hurt me," Beca said.
"I know, and I can't apologize enough for that," Amanda said. "I really loved you and I still think about you all the time."
"I couldn't love anyone after what you did to me," Beca said. "I wouldn't let myself go through that again."
Amanda teared up again. "I wish I could make it so that it never happened," she said. "I know I don't have the right but I still love you, Beca."
"Mom," Chloe asked her as she came into the kitchen. "How much longer until dinner? I want to call Beca."
"It should be done in about 20 minutes," her mom said. "Why don't you wait until after? I know you'll talk longer and we are having guests."
"Who?," Chloe asked. "We usually have a big dinner on Christmas Eve."
"I ran into your friend, Cindy Davis, and her parents the other day," her mother said. "She said she hadn't seen you in years and so I invited them all to dinner while you were home. Cindy's bringing her fiance with her."
"Wow," Chloe said. "That's great. I can't wait to see them!"
Right then, the doorbell rang and Chloe said she'd get it. She opened the door and she and Cindy both squealed and hugged each other. They entered the house followed by Cindy's parents.
"Oh my God," Cindy said. "I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too," Chloe said.
"What are we chopped liver," Mr. Davis says with a laugh. Chloe laughs and hugs Cindy's parents.
"It's so good to see you both," Chloe said taking their coats. "So, where's this fiance my mother was telling me about?"
"He's grabbing the wine we brought," Cindy responded.
Suddenly, a voice came from behind them. "Chloe?"
Chloe turned and saw who was standing there and said, "Kevin?"
