Beca had always hated films. There was no greater reasoning behind it, or deep rooted meaning relating to childhood trauma. She just didn't like films. She didn't see the point in spending however many hours of your life sitting watching a screen when you could be doing something productive instead, like making a new mix.
Anyway, it's not like films were anything unique. Girl meets boy. Girl loves boy. Boy realizes he loves girl. They're happy for a while until a pre-existing conflict tears them apart. In the end they realize they can overcome said conflict and they live happily ever after.
That's it. That's the million dollar plot that's churned out en mass by Hollywood production companies. Even she could write that.
She'd stuck to this belief the entire time Jesse had attempted to broaden her horizons as well. I mean sure, The Breakfast Club was good (and the fact that Clare and John's relationship was ultimately what was described above could even be over looked) but in the end it whittled down to same old, same old.
Sometimes she genuinely wondered if people were just brainwashed into this kind of conformity and she'd somehow managed to avoid it.
Anyway, in the end Jesse apparently couldn't love someone that didn't love movies (not that it bothered her that much, she'd been dumped over things far more trivial in the past) so they'd called it quits.
The only problem with being single however was this had led Beca to be honest with herself on a few matters. Primarily the fact that there'd always been someone she'd found infinitely more attractive than Jesse the entire time, when it came to looks and personality.
She'd probably have let this personal revelation stay shoved down in the deepest, darkest alcove of her brain if she'd had her own way. Of course she didn't though. The minute she'd changed her relationship status back to single she'd gotten a phone call (no really, within a minute). Aubrey had shouted at her for the better part of five minutes before she'd managed to get a word in edge ways and tell the blonde that she had no fucking clue what she was being shouted at for.
"You need to be with Chloe. You and Chloe need to be together. Talk to her. She loves you and I know you love her back." Had literally been the only words Aubrey had said that had registered, after that it'd been white noise. "Beca? Beca are you still there? You best not have hung up on me you aca-bitch." The shrill screaming through the phone had drawn Beca back to the present.
"I gotta go… I need to talk to her." She was sure she'd actually heard Aubrey's grin through the phone before she hung up.
It was so spur of the moment, and it was so cliché, and thank god no one was filming her because this is exactly the kind of thing that'd happen in a movie that would make Beca turn off the TV without hesitation.
The sudden realization that she did in fact love Chloe and that she didn't want to lose her. The spur of the moment drive to the red heads new apartment (which unlike the films was completely within the speed limit, because another thing she never got in movies was just how reckless characters were). Before she knew it she was knocking on the other woman's door (again, not pounding, because there's no need to be rude, especially if you're about to declare your love).
"Beca?" Chloe was in pyjamas, and the brunette instantly realized that this was more like the movies than she'd thought because she never even checked the time before she left.
"Can I come in?" Oh my god she was lame.
"Uh yea… sure, come on in." Chloe stepped aside, rubbing sleep from her eyes and trying not to look too confused. "Can I ask to what I owe the pleasure?" The red head queried, watching as Beca lingered awkwardly half ways between the door and the couch.
"I wanted to talk…" Beca mumbled; having presumed her intent would be obvious at this hour.
"Oh good. I thought you wanted to kill me." Chloe teased (apparently her intent had been clear). "I meant specifically though, because you know a chat about the weather could have waited until tomorrow."
"I uh… I broke up with Jesse a few days ago." Beca felt like an idiot saying it, like she was boasting or hinting about being single again.
"Oh…" Something Beca couldn't distinguish flashed in Chloe's crystal blue eyes, but it was gone just as quick. "Want to talk about it?"
"Kinda…" Beca felt like even more of an idiot now as she finally chose to walk over to the couch and sit down, watching as Chloe followed her lead.
"Okay…" The red head looked as if she were expecting Beca to sprout a second head at any point. "Spill." She made herself comfy, coiling her legs under herself and sliding close to Beca, allowing her arm to rest over the back of the couch and her fingers to graze the brunettes shoulder.
"I changed my relationship status today…" Beca began, ignoring the way blood rushed to her cheeks at the slightest physical touch (Christ she was a loser). "And um… Aubrey called." This was where things were going to get awkward.
"Aubrey was offering you of all people condolences?" Chloe barked out a laugh in spite of herself, stifling it quickly in her shoulder. "Sorry… continue." She tried not to break a smile.
"Actually no… she kinda shouted at me for ages." Beca frowned, still not sure what the hell that had been about. "She um… She told me to talk to you." Beca could see the red heads eyes widen, and braced herself.
"She did what…" Chloe's jaw hung agape and Beca swore a pink blush crept to her cheeks.
"She told me you loved me." Chloe looked scared now, and Beca felt her fingers fall still on her shoulder. "Almost as much as I love you." There it was; the clichéd line that would get her a magnificent on screen kiss.
"Wait… what?" Chloe was dumbfounded (of course the only part of this Beca wanted to be like a movie wouldn't work out for her).
"Uh yea…" Beca nodded awkwardly, suddenly not so sure of herself. "I um… well I don't have any big fancy speech or anything, but yea, I love you. I don't know why I wasted time with Jesse when you were there, but I'm an idiot so I did. I guess you're just the prettiest and funniest and kindest nerd I've ever met and I'm just really, really in love with you for it." She wanted to crawl into a hole and die that was so lame.
"You are such a loser." Chloe laughed, like full on laughed at her. "But that is by far that cutest thing anyone's ever said to me anyway." She added quickly when a look of hurt flashed across Beca's face. "And, I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you too. You're smart, and funny and sexy with all your tattoo's and piercings, and an amazing artist. So yea, I'm pretty sure I love you too." She added with one of her honest smiles that made Beca's insides turn to mush.
It was then that the red head closed the gap between them. When their lips met it was like fireworks erupting in all Beca's nerve endings (finally, a cliché she understood). Chloe's lips were softer than anything she'd ever felt, and when the red heads hands moved to the back of her neck to pull their faces closer Beca's mind went blank as her senses focused only on the feeling of their mouths together.
They were both panting when they pulled back. Smiling, but panting.
"Do you have to go right away?" Chloe smiled, their faces only inches apart as her hands rested on Beca's shoulders, the brunette having placed her own hands on the red heads waist.
"No… I definitely have no immediate plans." Beca smiled and her answer was rewarded with another kiss.
"Wanna watch a film?" Chloe sighed happily.
Beca felt something drop in the pit of her stomach. Film? A film? As in a movie? Well shit, there was just no escaping it was there. This was it; she was going to end up a lonely old cat lady, except she was allergic to cats, so she'd just be a lonely old lady. Maybe she'd have a dog, or a hamster?
"Hello, Beca? You still there?" Chloe looked worried when Beca snapped back to the present.
"I uh… I don't really like films." Now she felt like an idiot, surely she could sit through one (though that would just lead to false pretences she'd either have to play along with for the rest of their lives, or disappoint Chloe at some point a few years from now and rip away the entire foundation of their relationship… or something melodramatic to that effect).
She was expecting Chloe to be shocked, or offended even like Jesse had been. She was expecting a lecture on how she was wrong, or a long, detailed story about what Chloe's favourite film was and why she'd love that even though she loved no other films. She got none of it though.
"You just haven't been watching the right movies…" Chloe nodded, as if she were a doctor diagnosing an illness.
"What?" Now it was Beca's turn to be confused.
"Let me guess, you hate clichés and silly rom-coms, and dramatized action films? You think Jennifer Aniston's over rated and the muscle to fat ratio The Rock has just scares you?" She waited until Beca nodded before continuing. "Yea you've just been watching the wrong films. Let me educate you?"
"You're convinced you can convert a non-believer?" Beca was smirking, and she had to admit, Chloe seemed pretty self-assured (not that that was anything new).
"One hundred and ten per cent." Chloe nodded. "Popcorn's in the middle shelf of the third press in the kitchen. Put some on and when you get back I'll be all ready with my spell book and prayer beads to convert you to the ways of film." She teased.
Beca wasn't sure how, but even without the shaman magic Chloe managed to convert her. They lay on the couch, curled into one another's sides with a blanket draped over them and watched films that Beca for the life of her couldn't find a cliché in.
The Children's Hour (this had thrown her because Beca wasn't even aware there was lesbians in the fifties), Beasts of the Southern Wild (Chloe had claimed victory when she'd witnessed Beca shed a tear) and of course Forest Gump (the only one Beca had actually heard of before).
They were going to watch another one but by the time Forest sent Forest Jr. away on that school bus it was nearing half five in the morning (seriously, how late had she been coming over here?).
"Have I converted you?" Chloe mumbled, her breath tickling the back of Beca's neck as she spooned the brunette.
"I kind of want to watch more." Beca admitted, stifling a yawn. "Though I don't think I have the stamina for it."
"Well hey, stick with me and I promise a lifetime of non-clichéd movies." Chloe smiled, placing a delicate kiss behind Beca's ear.
"Sounds good to me." Simple as that, she was converted.