Chloe was exhausted. Bella rehearsals had recently intensified due to their coming close second to the Sockapella's which Aubrey was mortified by. The redhead understood her friends frustration but at least they had got through. They weren't out of the game yet. The Bella's had had their free time cut, rehearsals extended and study time greatly reduced. To say Chloe wanted a break would be a massive understatement and she knew her teammates felt the same way. Even Aubrey. But she was going to stay strong not only for Aubrey and the rest of the Bella's, but for herself. Losing last year was such a let down. They had worked so hard and built such great bonds only to have their dreams crushed. Chloe didn't blame Aubrey though, unlike the rest of the old Bella's did. Aubrey suffered from stress vomiting, it was no secret. She had done it a few times that year even before the final performance. However much Chloe hated to admit it, the Treble Makers were going to win whether Aubrey had puked or not. They were better. They are still better. Their music was music people loved, not music people's mom's loved. Their dance moves were fun, not overly synchronised and boring. And of course they have Bumper, who the crowd adore. Nobody really stood out in the Bella's. These were the facts.

However, this year the Bella's had a secret weapon. That weapon was Beca. Beca had a real passion for music, though she never really showed it unless she was on the spot or you came across her when she was mixing. Her mixes were amazing. Chloe couldn't get enough of them and had even forced Beca to send her some which the redhead had tried to show Aubrey but the blonde wasn't having any of it. "We're sticking to the set list and that's final" she had said. Every time. Beca is like a boat literally sitting there totally capable of saving the Bella's from drowning at the UCLA's but Aubrey insists on swimming through the tides. It's ridiculous. Just as ridiculous as Aubrey's unfounded hate for Beca was. From the moment Aubrey lay eyes on the shorter girl she had decided she wasn't good enough. Chloe loved her best friend but she could be a bit judgemental sometimes. Over the past few months Chloe and Beca had gotten a lot closer and the redhead counted her among her closest friends. The younger girl had confided in Chloe with her deepest secrets such as how she was bullied in high school for her height and her sexuality, how her parents had a divorce that seemed to come out of nowhere in her eyes and how Beca had never really had many friends and she was so grateful for Chloe's kindness.

Due to all the late night rehearsals, endless practising and overwhelming school work Beca had decided that she and Chloe would go for a walk. It seemed the only times they ever saw each other was in rehearsals and chit chat was kept to a minimum there by Aubrey. Plus, it was a nice day so why not?

"Where'd you get that?" Beca asked, gesturing to Chloe's faint scar on her forehead.

The redhead immediately covered it with a hand, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "Is it obvious?"

"No, no. Calm down, I was just curious" the younger girl reassured with a light laugh as they walked past some local shops.

Chloe reluctantly retracted her hand from her forehead. "Right, of course. I got it when I was like four. I don't really remember. My mom said I tripped over one of my brother's toy trucks and fell face first on the corner of a wall" Beca winced as Chloe explained. "I know, it's no heroic story. Just clumsy minnie me I'm afraid" the redhead laughed.

"I bet your brother felt bad."

"Not really, I think he was more bothered about his truck which broke a little" the older girl chuckled at the memory.

Beca turned to her in shock. "That's awful" she laughed along with the redhead. "Didn't he care he cracked his lil' sis' head open?"

"Well yeah I guess it would be awful and I think he was a little bit worried but he was only 5 so his truck was more important than me" the redhead continued to laugh.

"Beca?" The two girls were brought out of their laughter as they looked up to see who had called the brunette's name. The voice belonged to a girl who looked about the same age as they were with jet black hair and piercing blue eyes which were boring into Beca's navy ones. She was accompanied by three other girls who all looked as if they answered to the one who had interrupted Chloe and Beca's moment. The older girl turned to look at her friend to see if she recognised any of the girls before them and saw fear. Complete and utter fear. Beca's mouth hung slightly open, her usually relaxed eyes were wide as if they belonged to a prey and her entire body looked tense as if she were prepared to bolt at any moment.

"Flora" Beca finally spoke and Chloe knew that name. It belonged to the girl that had tormented Beca for three years for who she was and how high she stood. The redhead immediately sent a glare to the group in front of her.

"You look good. Still like a fucking oompa loompa but at least you've tossed out those retarded sneakers you never took off. I swear, they were so dirty you'd think they had a life of their own growing inside of them" the group all laughed approvingly at Flora's comment.

Chloe took a step forward trying to show dominance in the situation, feeling a little bit of power with her one year age gap. "What the fuck is your problem? Leave her alone you pathetic assholes. Don't you have something better do other than pick on people weaker than you?" The redhead spat out.

The four girls all turned their attention to Chloe at her sudden outburst. "And who the fuck are you, ginger? Her dyke lover?" Once again the girls all laughed in approval, even patting her back as Flora smiled in pride.

"Yeah" Chloe said without hesitation, not really thinking about the consequences. She just wanted to shut these bullies up.

Beca stood level with Chloe as she took her arm in one hand. "Chlo-"

"Yeah I am. Is that a problem?" The older girl interrupted, not wanting Beca to reveal the truth and give them the satisfaction.

The bullies stopped laughing immediately and looked between Beca and Chloe in shock. "Bullshit" Flora spoke up. Again. "This fugly bitch couldn't get any if she tried" she gestured to Beca and Chloe snapped.

The redhead abruptly turned to face the shorter girl and wrapped her hand around the back of Beca's neck as she slammed their lips together. Her other hand made its way to the younger girls cheek and she felt hot tears trailing down them and wiped them away softly. All the rage that had led her to kiss her friend just to anger the bullies further had suddenly melted away in that moment. Though she had not expected it, Chloe started to enjoy the contact. It didn't take long for Beca to move her lips against Chloe's which reassured the redhead that this was okay. Petit hands found their way to Chloe's waist and firmly griped them as if she feared losing her. They were impossibly close now as Chloe ran her tongue along Beca's bottom lip, requesting access and being granted it immediately. The whole situation was causing the older girls heart to flutter and she felt butterflies in her stomach. She had never felt this with anyone before. Slowly, Beca pulled away from the kiss and looked into Chloe's eyes questioningly but the older girl only smiled back with a smile that reached her eyes.

The two girls were pulled out of their moment by and audible gag sound and Chloe rolled her eyes. "Fuck you" she said as she stuck her middle finger up at the girls. The redhead twirled around, placing her hand on Beca's lower back, leading her in the opposite direction of her former bullies.

The two walked in silence for a few moments before Beca cleared her throat. "So...um...Just so you know, you don't have to justify that or anything. I know it was nothing."

Chloe stopped in her tracks and the shorter girl turned with a questioning look. "That wasn't nothing, Beca" she said with a slight frown. "I mean it certainly wasn't for me" she added.

Beca stared into Chloe's eyes for a moment, seeing if their was any lie to what she was saying and she saw none. "You mean it?" She asked hopefully.

The redhead shook her head a little. "I mean I won't lie, I didn't expect to feel anything but God did I feel something. I mean did you?" She took a step forward and held both of Beca's hands in her own. "I have never felt anything like that with anyone. Ever" the older girl explained. "So yeah, I mean it. Even though I didn't expect it, that kiss meant everything to me."

A smile found its way across the younger girls face at Chloe's confession and she looked to their interlocked hands and back to those clear blue eyes she had adored for months. "Same. And you totally showed those bitches whose boss too" the DJ laughed.

"Yeah well, they were ignorant assholes. Don't let them bother you. You're perfect as you are and there's nobody else like you out there, okay?" Chloe said completely seriously.

Beca nodded in return, feeling tears begin to build up in her eyes again but this time they were happy tears. "Can I kiss you again?"

The redhead nodded back and connected her lips to Beca's for the second time that day, only this time a lot slower and a lot more loving.