12:00:00

Chloe loved sleepovers. Especially the ones with Beca. Her best friend would never admit it, but she had no filter when she was half-asleep and tended to open up during late night conversations. Currently, they were on their 43rd sleepover since meeting three years ago in high school when they were freshmen. (Chloe was totally not counting. Oh, who was she kidding?) She was still learning more about the tiny brunette beside her.

"Would you rather… be a square or a circle?" Beca's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"What kind of question is that?" Chloe giggled, wrapping an arm around her best friend.

"It's my question." Beca pouted, nuzzling into Chloe's pillow.

"A square." Chloe replied with a snort, internally rolling her eyes as she answered Beca's ridiculous question. She thought for a moment before asking, "Do you think soulmates exist?"

"Typical Beale," Beca groaned. "Asking such a girly question."

"Hey!" Chloe slapped the brunette on the arm, glaring into her mirth-filled eyes.

"As cheesy as it sounds… Yes." Beca reluctantly answered.

Chloe's shoulders shook with silent laughter.

"Oh, and I never said that." The girl winked at her.

"Ask me something else," Chloe prompted.

"I dare you to tell me your biggest secret, something that you've never told anyone and something you are scared of." Beca thoughtfully scrunched up her nose, anticipating her best friend's answer.

Chloe turned away from the tiny brunette, letting out a contented hum when the brunette spooned her. "Do I have to?" Chloe whispered.

"I won't tell." Beca promised.

Chloe sighed. She was usually an open book, but recently, she discovered something about herself, and she was afraid. So afraid.

"Beca."

She swallowed the choking feeling in her neck, finally gathering enough courage to say it.

"I.. I think I'm bi."

She could feel the girl's warm breath on her neck, and Chloe bit her lip as she wondered if this would be their last sleepover.

"Cool."

Even if they weren't facing each other, Chloe could hear the smile in Beca's voice.

"I'm gay."

Chloe felt her eyes widen as she took in the new piece of information. Beca likes girls.

"Wow." Chloe squeaked, pressing her freezing hands to her burning face.

"I have this… girl I've liked for quite a while." Beca confessed. Chloe felt her heart sink. Of course. "She's perfect. A sweetheart, kind and generous and beautiful. I'm trying to figure out how to ask yo— her out."

Chloe frowned as she pondered over Beca's words. Beautiful and amazing. She would never be that girl in Beca's heart. "Just be yourself." Chloe whispered, fighting through the dark jealousy burning their way through her veins. "She'll love it."

"Kay." Beca blinked sleepily, before letting out a huge yawn. "Night Chlo." She hugged the redhead even tighter, breathing in the scent of her soft skin.

"Night Beca."

10:00:00

Chloe stared at the photos on her bedroom walls. Suddenly, she gasped. Why hadn't she noticed this before? Beca was in all of the pictures.

That brilliant white smile. The way her lips curled up at the corners. Enchanting.

That smirk, the way it makes her stomach flutter and her heart race. It should be illegal.

Her face. Sculptured to perfection. Flawless.

I love you, she thought.

And then, it hit her.

It was so sudden, unmistakable feeling of realisation, of knowing, fluttering in her stomach.

I love her.

"Shit. Shit," Chloe whispered, twisting around to look at the motionless brunette by her side.

Everything made sense now. The world made sense. She stared out of the window, cars passing by every once in a while. Nothing in their world had changed, yet everything in her's had.

Chloe hesitated, her eyes drifting back to the sleeping brunette. She wanted to taste the words in her mouth, to feel her lips saying those words to the person she loved.

"Beca, I think I've always been in love with you."

She buried her head in her pillow, unaware of the dark blue eyes that shot open and stared back at her.

03:00:00

"Hey Becs." Chloe shot her best friend a grin when she noticed her leaning on her locker.

"Chlo." Beca grinned at her. "I have something for you." And with a shy smile, the brunette handed over a piece of scrunched up paper.

"Really?" Chloe laughed. "I'm right in front of you."

"Really." Beca smirked. "Just open it, Red."

Go out with me? ;)

Becs

"Beca." Chloe blinked back her tears.

"Oh, shit," The brunette gasped. "Did I got it wrong? Sorry, I'm so sorr—"

"No, it's perfect. It's adorable. You're adorable. You're perfect." Chloe rambled as she slipped the paper into her pocket. She wrapped her tiny friend in a fierce hug.

Beca let out a sigh of relief and returned the embrace, just as tightly.

"I really really really really really really really like you,"Chloe sang softly, with a stupid grin on her face.

"Chloe..." The girl moaned, embarrassed.

"You are the best thing, that's ever been mine." Chloe hummed, the song popping into her head as soon as she meet her best friend's eyes.

"Stop this," Beca felt the flush creeping up her cheeks.

"You belong with meeeeeeeeeee-"

"Chlo." Beca's voice, suddenly husky, sent a shiver down Chloe's spine. "Your voice." She shifted slightly so they were pressed flushed together, her nose brushing Chloe's. "It's beautiful."

"Beca." Chloe replied, unable to say anything else. Beca slid her hand on Chloe's waist in reply, the other wrapped around her back. Chloe's eyes flickered down to Beca's soft, pink lips.

"Not now, Becs." She gave Beca (her best friend? Girlfriend?) an apologetic grimace. "This isn't the place." She could feel the curious gazes on their backs, silently watching, judging.

Unwanted attention, she thought.

Beca nodded slightly. She gave the redhead a shy smile and stepped back, before grabbing her books and making her way towards her next class.

(Chloe didn't care that people were staring at her. Her eyes were locked on Beca's back as she disappeared.)

00:30:00

Beca picked up her pace when she saw her friends waiting for her by Chloe's locker.

"Hey Beca!" Stacie gave Beca a lopsided grin when she finally saw the brunette.

"Hey Stace, 'sup nerds." Beca gave Stacie a playful push and the others a grin, before slipping her hand around Chloe's waist. "Hey Red."

"Hey." Chloe ducked her head shyly when she saw the brunette arrive.

("They're acting weird. Are they finally together?" Beca ignored Fat Amy's not-so-subtle whisper.)

Beca slipped her hand into Chloe's and led them into the cafeteria.

(They both ignored the weird look from Aubrey and the high-five Stacie and CR shared.)

00:15:00

Stacie stared at her friends, who were being abnormally quiet. "Bree." She nudged the blonde slightly, before nodding towards the pair sitting on the opposite side of the table.

"Hmm," Aubrey replied, before looking at Beca and Chloe, noting the dreamy look in Beca's eyes and the way the redhead's head rested softly on Beca's shoulder.

"Blondie stick!" Another whisper, louder this time. Aubrey whipped her head around to glare at Fat Amy, only to see the plump blonde looking under their table with an excited look in her eyes.

Sighing, she bent her head slightly to see. "Oh my—" Cythina Rose cut her exclamation off with a hand over her mouth. "Mph!" Aubrey protested.

"Our ship!" Jessica held her hand up for Ashley to slap.

"They're holding hands!" Cynthia Rose grinned at the oblivious pair sitting across them.

(Even Lily joined in on the fangirling.)

00:05:00

The excitement of their ship (kind of) becoming canon was over. Aubrey shifted uneasily in her seat. The atmosphere was weird. It felt as if the school was holding its breath, waiting. For what, she didn't know. But waiting.

She didn't notice the person, dressed in black and walking silently towards the cafeteria.

She didn't notice him missing from his usual lunch table.

Two gunshots.

One scream.

And all hell broke loose.

00:03:00

They followed the panicking crowd and ran away from the sound of the gunshots.

"If anything happens, just remember I love you guys!" Stacie panted.

"Nothing will happen to us," Aubrey replied over the roar of the brawl, a glint in her eye. "We will be okay, Stace."

Suddenly, Beca, who was leading the way, stopped. The students behind them sprinted past the group and scattered into the labyrinth of corridors.

"Here," she said, pointing to a window near the ceiling. "We climb out here."

Chloe allowed herself a small sigh of happiness when she realised where Beca was pointing. Beca had discovered the exit with her when they were wandering through the corridors on one of her bad days.

Since then, they've escaped school a few times. Beca would do anything for Chloe, and Chloe used it to her advantage sometimes. A small pout, a flash of her puppy eyes and Beca would be leading her through the window and away from school (even though she was secretly a huge nerd and loved her lessons). Even Stacie and Aubrey didn't know about the exit until now.

By the way Beca's eyes shone with amusement, she was thinking about the same thing.

"But the rest of the Bella's!" Aubrey exclaimed, peering anxiously up at the window.

"They'll be safe. Cynthia Rose and Fat Amy would never let anything happen to the rest of them." Beca gave her a grim smile. "But we have to leave, right now."

Beca gave Chloe a reassuring peck on her cheek, before making a cradle with her hands. "Come on Stace," she said. "Go up."

"What about you, Beca?" Stacie asked.

"I'm good at climbing." Beca reassured her.

"Be careful." Stacie was gone within a few seconds.

"Come on Bree." After watching the leggy brunette disappear from sight, Beca turned towards the blonde waiting by her side.

"I would be very much displeased if you kill yourself." Aubrey frowned. Beca only grinned up at her, nodding towards the window. Aubrey gave her a quick kiss on her forehead before she jumped out of the window and into Stacie's waiting arms.

00:02:00

"It's your turn, Beale." Beca glanced at the redhead, her voice softened, losing the previous edge of commanding leadership.

"Wait," Chloe whispered. She pressed a chaste kiss on the corner of Beca's mouth. "For luck." She let out a tiny giggle when she saw the dumbstruck expression on Beca's face.

Beca finally recovered from her shock.

"I need you more than you think," she managed.

To the person who brightens my darkest days.

To the person who makes the best days better.

To the person she can't help but love.

To Chloe.

Her Chloe.

Chloe smiled softly. "I love yo— " She began.

And then, Beca heard the footsteps, thundering through the corridors. "GO!"

00:01:00

The footsteps became louder. Their escape route would be revealed if she climbed out. Judging from the clear tap of shoes on the polished tiles, Beca wouldn't have time anyway. She let out a shaky breath, and she knew what she had to do.

And then, she saw him.

"Beca!" He gave her a sickening smile. "Beca Mitchell!"

"Jesse." She looked him straight in the eye, her eyes blank and her face void of emotion.

"Beca, I didn't want to do this." Jesse gave her a pleading look.

"Then don't," she replied. Maybe she could get out of this encounter.

"No!" Jesse screamed, shaking his head wildly, anger and heartbreak written clearly on his face. "They won't stop! They won't stop calling me a fag! Calling me the beard of a dyke!"

"Jesse-" She said, fear knitting itself into her words.

"You're not a lesbian, are you?" He laughed, the chilly sound creeping down her spine and making her shiver involuntarily.

And then, he froze.

Slowly, menacingly, he shuffled towards Beca.

"A dyke." He shook his head. "YOU BROKE UP WITH ME FOR THAT STUPID LESBIAN!" He roared, slamming his fist into the wall next to Beca's head.

Beca flinched. "Jesse, please."

00:00:15

"Jesse, please." He mocked. "Jesse this, Jesse that." He glared at her with hate-filled eyes. "But you love Chloe, don't you! You never loved me."

Beca stared at the her ex-boyfriend, stared at the empty shell of the once-forgiving boy whom she used to love.

"Jesse."

0:00:05

"No." He lifted his gun with shaking hands. "No."

0:00:03

I love you so much more than I can say.

00:00:00

Beca closed her eyes, her final thoughts on the redhead whom she would so gladly die for.

And she never opened them again.

(And Chloe would never see Beca climbing out of the window, or that stupid smirk for one last time.)