Beca was in the audience watching her two fellow Bella's graduate, screaming loudly as first Chloe walked across the stage to get her diploma and then again for Aubrey. As Beca sat there watching both girls, she felt like she had everything with Jesse beside her, the Bella's, it was like she finally had her family right there. But it felt like she was losing part of her family again and that thought made her chest tighten because she could not deny how close she had become to Chloe during the year, and even Aubrey had grown on her, now like her dad once had done they were leaving her behind.
She watched as the graduating class turned their tassels and tossed up their caps into the air, cheering with her fellow Bella's loudly. Fat Amy was of course the loudest of the group, but even Lily was shouting loud enough to be heard. Everyone was so happy with the recent win and summer right on his or her doorstep. Then as the caps fell to the ground, the two graduates came running to the group.
Chloe immediately pulled Beca into a tight embrace, " I'm so glad you could be here Beca it means a lot, I know you don't do the social thing."
"Oh shut up of course I would be here," Beca said gently pushing Chloe back.
Fat Amy shouts for the group to huddle up, "I think this calls for a celebration, party tonight at the pool where it all really began, but before we do let's try this ahh on three thing one more time."
"1, 2, aaa," all the girls finally managed to be in sync this time.
The group dissipated quickly to finish packing and to get ready for the party happening later. Beca had told goodbye to Jesse promising to meet up before the party. She found herself sitting in her seat reflecting over the year, how it didn't turn out anything like she planned. And how now here she was staying for another year in the fall, and that strangely she was happy with getting a college education before running off to L.A. and how she was even looking forward to her time at Barden.
Deep in thought, Beca didn't notice when Chloe arrived by her side, until Chloe finally spoke, "what are you thinking about so deeply over there? The next hit mix from Beca Mitchell?"
Beca, jolted out of her thoughts, laughing she simply said," no not exactly."
"What's on your mind, everything ok?"
"Yeah, I was just thinking about this year, how it turned out better then I thought it would. And well, how much of that I owe to you and you invading my shower singing."
Laughing Chloe replies, "Yeah I am not sure I will ever forget singing my lady jam with you that day. It definitely is one of the top ten memories I have here at Barden. I just knew we needed you to join, I'm glad I invaded." Chloe places her hand on Beca's arm pulling Beca into an embrace as Beca says, "I'm secretly glad too."
Releasing Beca, she notices that tears have formed, "what's really eating you Beca?"
"It just feels like everything is ending when it just got started. I don't make friends easily; I don't make friends in general really. And now everything is changing, you are leaving and you won't be back in August. You were, well are my closest friend, I can't imagine coming back without you."
"Beca, sweetie I will always be your friend, you have my number you can text or call anytime, honest. And well, I wasn't suppose to say anything until the party tonight, but Aubrey and I decided we weren't quite ready to leave Barden completely, we decided to do grad school at our second picks, which for both of us were the same, so we will be about an hour away. Not nearly as far as we originally planned. The Bella's really left an impression on us, you left an impression, and I wasn't ready to leave my friends who felt like my sisters."
"What are you serious? Really?"
"Yes, I'll be around, Beca."
"Well, that is a lot better, thank you for sharing early that makes getting ready for the big party seem a lot easier. I better be going to finish packing, you probably have a ton left to do too."
"See you later Beca."
As both walked off to their dorms to finish packing for the summer break, Chloe couldn't help but feel relieved that Beca was happy to have her staying close. After all Beca was a huge reason why Chloe had chosen to stay behind instead of moving to some new place and starting over entirely. Chloe just had to decide when to tell Beca how much she really meant to her, and with the Jesse development she didn't know if it would be happening sooner or later.
The party at the pool was much like the first one Beca went to when she first had been initiated into the Bella's, only this time with Bumper being gone there seemed to be more of a bond between the treblemakers and the Bella's. A stranger would never be able to guess the rivalry that was between the two groups earlier in the year.
Chloe was buzzing around being the social butterfly that she was always. Beca swore she caught Chloe watching her more than a few times, always quickly dropping the gaze when Beca noticed. Beca felt like even earlier that day there was something else Chloe had wanted to say, but wasn't. She just couldn't figure out what other surprises could be lurking.
Just then Jesse returned with Beca's drink, laughing, "I remember that first party like it was yesterday."
"Oh yeah, that is surprising."
"Why do you say it like that? How could I forgot my drunken almost proposal to you? I knew we would hit it off eventually."
"You were pretty confident that night for sure, even mentioning our future children."
They both laugh before sipping from their red solo cups. Beca looks at the groups and smiles, closing her eyes thinking that it is funny how sometimes the things we want least end up being exactly what we need. Just as she finishes her thought she feels someone grabbing her wrists and pulling her close.
Opening her eyes she sees it's Chloe almost like déjà vu. "Is this where you tell me we are going to be fast friends?" she sasses Chloe.
Chloe throws back her head in laughter, clearly tipsy, her hair messy, "Seems we've already done that before, crazy how time flies by. But just like that night I am glad I've met you and that we are such good friends." Chloe is pushing herself closer to Beca, she longs to just tell her how she hasn't been able to stop thinking about her, about them, about how her heart races when Beca walks into a room. Instead she pulls away and sips from her cup.
"I can't believe this chapter of my life is over. I don't know who I am without all of this. I mean I know I still have Aubrey, the Bella's, you," she seems to linger on that last word in a way that Beca can't help but notice.
"Chloe, you will always have all of these moments from this year and the rest. They are your memories, and no one can take those away from you. I never understood why my dad pushed so hard for me to stay until today when I was watching the graduation ceremony."
"Why's that?"
"I think he wanted me to be able to always have these memories, memories that I think will always be so livid in my mind. It wasn't about it being ideal or practical for what I wanted, but it was about it being memorable. If I get to go to L.A.…."
"You mean when you go."
Laughing, "Yes when I go to L.A. I may not have a chance like this, to just live it up and make real memories, I may be living life too fast there trying just to survive, but here surviving is about living slow and soaking up all these moments, because they all belong to me."
"And they always will."
"Exactly, so they will always be there for you too," looking around, "I should probably go find Jesse."
"Thanks Beca," Chloe says while grabbing Beca's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.