Chapter 2: The First Game
A few days had past since Chloe's first day of school, and it was now Friday. The redhead woke up at the usual time and took a shower, going downstairs to eat breakfast with her mother and father before she left for school. Chloe made herself a bowl of oatmeal and then went to sit down at the table next to her mother.
"Are you excited for school today, Chloe?" Her mother asked. Cindy Beale was a kind woman who had been hired to teach fourth grade at a nearby elementary school. Chloe got her friendly and outgoing personality from her mother, who was always welcoming to people she did know and people she didn't.
"I'm excited that it's Friday," Chloe said, smiling and eating her her oatmeal that had strawberries and blueberries in it.
"Have you thought about joining any clubs? Do any of them look interesting?" Cindy asked, taking a sip of her coffee before sitting down next to Chloe's father, Patrick Beale.
"Well, the school does have a good performing arts program, so I definitely want to get involved in that," Chloe replied, taking a sip from her own cup of coffee. "I'm not sure about any of the other clubs. I might join the book club or something like that."
"What about cheerleading? You always had so much fun with that, do they have tryouts for that anytime soon?" Patrick mentioned, reading the newspaper. "Surely they'll let you tryout since you just got here."
"I think I heard that the tryouts are going to be sometime next week. I'm not sure about cheerleading though. I mean, I did have fun when I was a cheerleader before. I'm just not sure if I should do it this year. I might not make the team even if I do try out," Chloe said.
"Don't worry sweetie, it's your decision." Cindy mentioned. "But if you decide to try out and you make the squad, your father and I will come to every football and basketball game that you cheer at." She said, smiling at her daughter
"Thanks mom." Chloe said, smiling.
Next door, Beca was trying to get her little brother and sister ready for school. "Come on, guys. Mom and Dad are going to kill me if you two don't get to school on time." She said, sitting Hailee down to help him put his shoes on.
Beca was the oldest of two children. Her parents had her and thought she was enough for about twelve years. It was a decision that her parents, Jacob and Cala Mitchell, spent months talking about until they finally decided to have a baby. When they did, it wasn't hard to get pregnant since they had Beca fairly young and they were still in their mid-thirties. Henry and Hailee came along just as Beca turned thirteen, and she'd been their babysitter for the five years they've been alive.
Hailee and Beca had their mother's brown hair, but Hailee had their Aunt Rena's eyes and Beca had her father's eyes. Henry had his father's blue eyes and blonde hair. They really were a beautiful family, and Beca loved her little brother and sister with all of her heart. She was very protective over them and treated them sweetly like an older sister should.
After much struggling, Beca finally got Henry's shoes on, then grabbed his coat. They were about to leave when Beca noticed Henry didn't have his backpack. "Dude, where's your backpack?" Henry just looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. Beca sighed, setting down her stuff and walking to Henry's room, finding his backpack sitting on his bed. "Make sure that you have all your stuff before we walk out the door, okay? You know how mad Mom and Dad will be if we're late."
Henry grabbed his, Hailee's, and Beca's lunch from the kitchen fridge and then waited by the door as Beca walked out to the front door with Henry's backpack. "Mom, Dad we're heading out. See you after school."
She made sure their car seats was secure backseat of her car and then helped him into it, pulling out of the driveway once they both had their seatbelts on. As she pulled out, she noticed Chloe walking out of her house and walking to her car. Beca shook her head and sped off, driving to Henry's and Hailee's school. He had one more year before heading to their mom's school, which was first grade through sixth grade.
Beca parked on the side of the road and helped Henry with his stuff, handing him his lunch and putting on his backpack. "Have fun today, okay?" She said, kneeling down so that she was eye-to-eye with her little brother and sister. "I love you two."
"Love you Beca," Hailee said, hugging Beca tightly. Beca always loved receiving hugs from these two.
"Love you too." Henry said, smiling at his sister and hugging her. After they embraced, he and Hailee turned around and started running towards the main doors of the school. Beca waited to make sure that Henry and Hailee got inside the building before getting back in her car, pulling out of the parking lot and heading down the road towards Hartford High.
She parked in her spot and headed to the library to check out a book. Beca was sort of a bookworm, and she loved to read. So the librarians always told her what books she should read next. Plus, she was an aide for them during first hour so she always just headed up there and made coffee for Gina and Hadley, the two librarians. Once she had that done, she would find whatever book she was going to read next and read it throughout the hour if she had nothing else to do.
She sat there in a lounge chair, reading the newest book in the "I Am Number Four," series. As she read, there was silence that fell over the library once the bell for first hour had rung. She sighed happily and continued to read. The brunette continued to sit there and read her book, occasionally pausing to help the librarians with small tasks. After the hour passed and the bell rang, the brunette gathered up her belongings and headed for her next class, which was in the Music Wing.
When the bell rang, Chicago stood up and walked out of class, smiling when he saw Chloe exiting the classroom across the hall. "Hey! Chloe!" He called out to get the redhead's attention.
Chloe heard the now familiar voice calling her name and she turned to him, smiling and waving at him before walking over. "Hey, long time no see." Chloe said smiling at the charming teenage boy.
"Long time no see," Chicago repeated, smiling as they started walking down the hall together. "So, how has your first week at Hartford High been?" He asked.
"I mean, it's still such a confusing school to navigate, but I'm slowly getting it locked into my brain." She said chuckling. "The first home football game is tonight, how are you feeling?" She asked.
"I will admit that I'm a bit nervous. It's the first game of the season along with the first home game, so we want to do well tonight in front of our home crowd," Chicago replied. "Are you going to come to the game tonight? The games are always fun to watch, and the student section is known to get pretty rowdy."
"I am coming, just so I can get an idea of how good you actually are." Chloe chuckled, nudging him playfully.
"Oh, and Beca's performing a few songs at the halftime show. She's kind of a big deal here at the school with her band." Chicago mentioned.
Chloe raised her eyebrows curiously at Chicago's words. "Really? She plays in a band?"
Chicago nodded. "Yeah, she plays with two other guys named Jesse and Benji. Last year, a guy named Luke was also in the band, but he graduated so now it's just the three of them. They're really good because they all can sing, but Beca is the main singer. Jesse is the drummer, and Benji plays the bass. Beca plays guitar and piano."
"Wow, that's pretty cool actually. No wonder Beca acts the way she does, she has to keep her badass reputation." Chloe said with a chuckle.
"You know, as much of a jackass as Beca can be, you've got to give her some credit for sticking with her dream. Her parents, well her father at least, aren't very supportive of her interest in music, and you've got to give credit to her because she still chases her dreams even though she's constantly told that she won't be able to achieve it," Chicago said.
"It still doesn't explain why she can't stand me." Chloe sighed, kicking at the floor as they walked. "I mean, yeah I should've been paying more attention, but usually people are over it after four days. What have I done to her in four days that makes her hate me so much?"
Chicago shrugged his shoulders. "I honestly don't know. Sometimes Beca just acts weird. I'm sure that she'll be over whatever is bothering her by next week. And if she keeps acting rude to you, I wouldn't take it personally. Sometimes that's just how she is. She doesn't really let a lot of people in, and she tries to push other people away so she doesn't get hurt."
"Then why does she trust you? If she has a hard time letting people in, how come you guys are best friends. Usually people like her just hang out by themselves all day." Chloe said as they got closer to her next class.
Chicago again shrugged his shoulders. "I was just really persistent in being friendly to her. Eventually, she got tired of it and said that she'd give being friends with me a try. The rest is history after that," he said.
"Oh," Chloe said. "So you're saying that I should be nice to her, even though she's kind of being a bitch to me?" She asked with a confused look.
"Yup, my mom always says to 'kill them with kindness,' and I live by that motto everyday." Chicago said once they reached the Science Wing. "It'll be difficult at times with Beca, just don't let her get to you."
"Okay," Chloe replied, uncertainty still in her voice. "Well, if you say that'll work, then I might as well give it a try. It's not like she can hate me much more anyways."
"She doesn't hate you, she's just trying to figure you out." Chicago mentioned, shrugging his shoulders. "Besides, you're pretty to have anyone not like you." He said with a small smile, trying to hide his blush. "Sorry, I know you have a boyfriend. It's just, you really are beautiful. Like, really, really beautiful."
Chloe couldn't help but blush at Chicago's compliments. "You don't need to apologize. It's nice to hear things like that," she said, looking down at the floor and smiling to herself. "I appreciate everything you've done for me, Chicago. You've gone out of your way to welcome me this week, and I really appreciate it."
"Really, it's not been out of my way at all. I just want to make sure everyone feels welcome here. And you're a part of this school now, you should treated as one." Chicago said before they stopped in front of her Anatomy and Physiology class. "And tonight, if I make a touchdown catch, I'll point to you in the stands as an official welcome to Hartford. Sound good?"
The smile on Chloe's face grew wider, and she eagerly nodded her head. "Yeah, that sounds great. I'd really like that," she said, smiling at Chicago.
Chicago smiled and nodded at her. "Alright well, I uh," He said, stuttering over his words a little bit. "I'll see you next hour." He said waving before walking away.
"Yeah, see you then," Chloe said, smiling once more at Chicago before she turned away from him to walk into her next class.
At the end of the day, Chloe was walking towards her car when she saw Beca talking to a girl. So she decided to go say hi and tryout what Chicago told her, to just be nice, even when Beca is being crabby.
"So, I'll call you tonight after the football game." Beca said to the girl, smiling flirtatiously as the girl handed Beca's phone back to her. The girl, who had blonde hair and brown eyes nodded shyly and smiled before walking off the other way. Beca smiled herself and then looked up to see Chloe. "Oh uh, hey Red." She said, awkwardly placing her hands in her pockets.
"Hey," Chloe said, looking down at the ground as well. "So, uh, I heard from Chicago that your band is playing during halftime of the football game tonight?"
"Yeah, we are." Beca mentioned, nodding her head. She stood there for a moment, thinking of what to say next. "I suppose that means you're coming to the game tonight. Am I correct in assuming so?"
Chloe nodded. "Yeah, I figured that I might as well go. Maybe I'll get to meet some more people while I'm there. I do think that it's really cool your band is playing tonight. I've heard that you're a really great singer, as well as a guitar player and keyboard player."
"Well, you'll get to see for yourself tonight." Beca said, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.
"So, who was that girl you were talking to?" Chloe asked curiously.
"Just a girl I have a date with tomorrow night." Beca said, putting her phone away.
"Oh, so you're gay?" Chloe asked in surprised tone.
"Yeah, I am." Beca said, trying her best not to roll her eyes. I mean, was it that hard for this girl to see that. Beca mostly wore clothes that weren't something a straight girl would wear. She wore a lot of flannels and black skinny jeans, and a lot of mascara. Plus she had two tattoos on her right forearm. I mean, Chicago was her best friend out of all people. "Is that a problem?"
"No, that's not a problem at all. I'm glad that you feel so comfortable being yourself. There's a lot of people who aren't able to accept themselves, let alone be ready for others to judge them, so it's great that you can do that," Chloe replied in a kind voice.
"Okay," Beca chuckled before grabbing her keys out of her bag. "I really think one thing you should know about me is I don't really give a shit what people think or say. Yes, that was nice and all, but everyone says that. I've heard it a million times from other people, and it doesn't make me like you anymore than I already do." She said, catching Chloe by surprise with her negative tone. "I know Chicago likes you, so I'm going to do my best to tolerate you for him. Don't make it hard for me, okay?" She said before putting on her sunglasses and walking away without another word.
"Okay," Chloe said, sighing as she watched Beca walk away. Chicago wasn't kidding when he said that it would be hard when talking to Beca. The redhead stood there for a few more moments before heading over to her car, getting in the driver's seat and pulling out of the parking lot.
That night Chloe showed up about half an hour before the football game and got a seat in the front row with some of the friends she'd made during her first week at Hartford. Aubrey, a senior who had a rich family that lived just outside of town. Emily, a sophomore who was dating Benji, one of the members of Beca's band. And then there was Stacie, who was only sitting there until the game started since she was one of the head cheerleaders.
As it got closer to the start of the game, the bleachers gradually began to fill up with fans, and the stands were completely full by the time the game was set to start. Cynthia Rose sang the national anthem before the game and the school's marching band performed a few songs before the football players gathered at the tunnel, ready to run onto the field for the first time that season.
One of the cheerleaders came running up to Stacie she was talking with the other three girls. "Stacie, Michelle hurt her foot in the warmup and she can't do the routine." She said with a bit of panic on her face.
"Shit, are you serious? She's supposed to do all the big stunts." Stacie said shaking her head and groaning. "We need to find someone to fill in."
Aubrey turned to Chloe while Stacie was talking with her fellow cheerleader. "Chloe, didn't you cheerlead at your old school?"
"Yeah, I was a cheerleader when I was a freshman. Why do you ask?" Chloe said. A few moments later, the redhead then realized what the blonde was suggesting. "You think that I should fill in for Michelle?"
"Well, they kind need someone to fill in." Aubrey said. "You should do it." She said in an encouraging tone.
"No, no, no. I can't do that, it's been like two years since I did anything related to cheerleading." Chloe answered nervously.
"I don't think they'll have you do anything too hard. They just need someone to go out there and fill in for Michelle. You should do it, Chloe. I don't know if there's anyone else that would be able to do it, much less be willing to do it," Aubrey said, trying to convince her.
"Stacie just said that this Michelle girl was doing flips." Chloe said, her eyes wide with fear. "I-I can't do that." She said, shaking her head.
"Just help them out, you said you were thinking about trying out anyways." Aubrey added, looking back at Stacie before turning to Chloe. "You're going to do this." She then tapped Stacie on the shoulder. "Chloe will do it."
Before Chloe could object, Stacie squealed and clapped her hands. "Oh, that's great! I was afraid that we were going to have to scrap our whole routine and start from scratch. Here, let's go find you a uniform that you can wear," Stacie said, standing up and taking Chloe's hand.
Chloe looked back at Aubrey and shook her head and mouthed "I'm gonna kill you" before turning to go with Stacie and the other girl to get a uniform.
Down on the football field, Chicago and the other football players were doing some stretches to get ready for the game, which was starting in a little under five minutes. He looked up and saw Chloe walking out of the stands towards the cheerleading locker room with two cheerleaders, and he raised his eyebrow curiously at this but focused back on the stretches.
Beca walked over to Chicago when she saw Chloe walking with Stacie. "Hey, do know what's going on with that?"
Chicago shrugged his shoulders. "I don't have a clue. I can't let that distract me, though. The game is going to start any minute now. Speaking of which, you should probably be in the stands, right?"
"We just got done with our sound check, plus I can't kick off the year without wishing you good luck. Lucky number thirteen," Beca said, giving Chicago a short hug.
Chicago smiled and hugged Beca back. "Thanks. I'm honestly kinda nervous about tonight's game. I don't know why, though. Maybe it's just because it's the first game of the season."
"Also your new girlfriend is going to be watching you," Beca said, rolling her eyes sarcastically at Chicago.
"First of all, she's not my girlfriend. And second of all, please at least try to be nice to her. I know that you don't like her, but she's been at this school for only a week, and you constantly being rude to her won't help her feel welcomed," Chicago said.
"This is why you're senior class president and I'm not, I don't really give a shit about making people feel welcome." Beca scoffed as she saw Chloe going into the locker room. She then turned back to Chicago, and sighed. "Look, because you're my best friend, I'll try to be nice to the new girl since you have a mad crush on her." She said smirking.
"Thank you. That's all I'm asking you to do. Just try to be nice to her, and if you can't do that then just try to tolerate her," Chicago said, grabbing his football helmet and putting it on.
"Trust me, I've been tolerating her all week." Beca said chuckling, she then started to walk off to the stands. "Try not to mess up in front of your girlfriend." She yelled back as she walked away.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Chicago yelled back as he walked over towards his teammates, who were standing on the sidelines and getting ready for the opening kickoff.
Chicago then turned to see Chloe walk out and his jaw dropped. She had her hair up in a high pony, courtesy of Stacie and she was dressed in their red, white, and blue uniform. Chicago had to shake his head and focus before the game started. Even when Beca saw the redhead, she had to admit that the girl looked really hot.
Chloe stood there in the uniform shyly. "How do I look?" She asked Stacie.
"You look hot," Stacie said bluntly, giggling afterwards. "But seriously, Chloe. You're rocking that uniform right now. If the boys weren't falling left and right for you before, they sure will now. Just check out our friend Chicago over there." She said, pointing at Chicago, who was once again gazing at her with a cheeky and adorable look on his face.
Chloe blushed a little bit and waved at Chicago, who waved back as she gazed upon her. "You should totally tap that." Stacie said with a straight face.
"I have a boyfriend Stacie, I told that like twenty minutes ago." Chloe said laughing at her friend.
"Still, that doesn't mean that you can't test the waters a little bit. At least, I've never let a relationship stop me from doing that," Stacie replied with a shrug of the shoulders. "Plus, Chicago is so damn sexy. A straight A student who's captain of the football team. He has eyes like a dream and he's sex on a stick, you could do a lot worse that Chicago Walp, milady."
"I mean, I guess you're right. But like I said, I have a boyfriend that I love very much and who I'm really happy with," Chloe said. "If you're so attracted to Chicago, why don't you go after him?"
"I don't go after guys like Chicago, they're too perfect for me." Stacie said as they started to walk towards the rest of the cheerleading squad. "I did date a guy named Luke who used to be in Beca's band, he was a more scruffy and rough kind of guy. That's more my type." She mentioned. "All I'm saying is, if you ever broke up with your man, and I'm not saying you will; Chicago would probably be the perfect boyfriend for you, he's sweet, he's smart, he's funny." Stacie said. "I mean, look at him."
Stacie point over at the boy, who now getting ready to walk out into the center of the field with the rest of the captains.
Chloe looked out at Chicago and couldn't help but agree with Stacie. "I guess you're right. He is the perfect guy, if you think about it. He's got everything that any girl could possibly want."
"Yeah, I bet probably you have checked him out a couple times. Maybe not as much as he's checked you out, though." Stacie said as she gave Chloe some pom-poms.
"Oh come on, he doesn't like me. He's just being nice." Chloe said innocently.
"Believe me Chloe, I'm very good at telling when someone has a crush on someone else, and it's blatantly obvious that Chicago has feelings for you," Stacie told her.
The redhead sighed and then watched as Chicago put his helmet on before walking to the center of the field. He did have dreamy eyes, and such a warm and comforting smile. Not to mention really strong arms that would be great for cuddling. Wait, stop it Chloe. You have a boyfriend, and he's the one want you to be with. Chicago is the one you want to be wi- no! Stop it!
The game then started and Hartford's defense made an easy stop before the offense took the field. Beca cheered for her best friend as he went out on the field for the first play. The players gathered in the huddle before getting set for the play to start. The quarterback called out to the other players a few times before the center snapped the ball to him, and the first offensive drive of the season for the Hartford Hawks had begun.
They started by running the ball a few times and getting a first down. Then, the coach called a pass play, and everyone knew that the ball was going to Chicago. Chicago lined up on the far side of the field near the opponent's sideline, waiting for the quarterback to snap the ball so he could start running his route.
The whole crowd began to cheer as the ball was snapped, and Chicago ran his route. Their quarterback, Timothy Bales threw it to him and Chicago caught it with ease before juking a safety and heading towards the touchdown. It was a thirty yard touchdown run and the crowd went nuts as Chicago scored the six points. Then, as he promised earlier, Chicago looked over at Chloe and pointed her way.
Chloe smiled when she saw Chicago point to her like he promised, and she clapped her hands and cheered loudly. Stacie took notice of this and smirked at Chloe, leaning in and whispering an "I told you so" to the redhead, making her start to blush.
"That didn't mean anything." Chloe tried to insist.
"Uh huh, and I'm still a virgin." Stacie said, winking not so slyly at Chloe.
Beca saw where Chicago was pointing and once again she scoffed and rolled her eyes. What did he even see in this girl? To Beca she just seemed like some privileged snob who just acting nice to fit in. Yeah she was pretty and all, but Beca wasn't buying her whole act.
At halftime, Hartford was up 28-7 and Chicago had scored two of their touchdowns. Beca, Jesse and Benji all worked on setting up their stage while the football team headed towards their locker room. Once the stage was set up, they brought their instruments up onto the stage and hooked them up to the speakers. Beca turned on the microphone and tapped it a couple times to make sure that it was working before she started speaking.
"Alright everyone, my name's Beca and the two people behind me are Jesse and Benji. We're going to be starting the show in a few minutes but we have to warm-up first." The crowd cheered for the band as they got ready for the show, excited for the best band in the school to perform.
While this was happening Stacie and Chloe were watching on. Stacie was teasing Chloe about the fact that Chicago looked Chloe's way both times that he scored, dedicating it her. "All I'm saying, Chloe, is that Chicago definitely likes you. Based on what you've told me, he's flirting with you. Guys don't just go out of their way to compliment girls that they don't like," Stacie said. "Do you think you might be denying that he likes you because you kind of like him too?"
Chloe didn't know what to say, because Stacie was pretty on point. Yeah, she had kind of grown to like Chicago. He was sweet, charming, smart, good looking. Sue her. And yes she had a boyfriend who she loved, but there was something was drawing her closer to Chicago.
Stacie was about to say something else when the sound of drums stopped her. "Look, they're about to start their set!" She said excitedly, pointing towards Beca's band.
Jesse had started to play the drums and Benji was playing the bass. Beca started a little melody on the keyboard and put it on loop, then going over to the microphone and waiting for her cue to sing.
"Modern Day Cain"- I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME
"A modern concussion,
The room is on fire.
You're an upstanding model of a modern day Cain
With impeccable style.
So now you've done a little wrong and you need to be forgiven
By the vicar and the company you keep.
And then you conjure up a fiction
To get the pretty girl to listen.
This is the sin that I
Will confess to release myself
From consequence, and everyone can tell."
The fans in the stands cheered as the band performed, clapping along to the beat of the drums at one point during the song. Beca and Benji took turns playing the guitar before the brunette went into the next verse.
"The moral ejections
To something so profane.
Oh but the deepest of convictions are the darkest positions
In the remissions for the lower coast veins.
So now you've done a little wrong and you swear you didn't do it.
But at least you left your burden with a curse.
And you conjure up a fiction
To get the pretty girl to listen.
This is the sin that I
Will confess to release myself
From consequence, and everyone can tell.
This is the sin that I
Will confess to release myself
From consequence, and everyone can tell.
Everyone can tell, everyone can tell.
And everyone can tell."
Chloe cheered for the band, and she had to admit that Beca was super talented. And an incredible singer. She danced along with the music as the crowd continued to cheer for the band once the song ended. Chloe then turned to Stacie. "Wow, they're really good." She said with a smile.
"That's an understatement. If Beca wasn't going to Los Angeles to produce music after graduation, I have a feeling that their band would be able to do some pretty big things," Stacie said.
"So Benji and Jesse aren't going with her?" Chloe asked, and Stacie nodded. "Why not?"
"Both Jesse and Benji got into different colleges around the country. Jesse is going to University of Evansville in Indiana and Benji is headed to NYU for musical theatre. They're all going their separate ways." She said.
"That's too bad, they're really good." Chloe said as the band began to play their next song.
"Yeah they are, maybe after college they'll reunite." Stacie replied, shrugging her shoulders. Chloe nodded and watched Beca as she rocked out and sang, and Chloe couldn't keep her eyes off the girl. She was a natural performer, she made it look easy to have the time of your life up there.
"Ain't It Fun"- Paramore
"I don't mind
Letting you down easy, but just give it time.
If it don't hurt now just wait, just wait a while.
You're not the big fish in the pond no more,
You are what they're feeding on.
So what are you gonna do
When the world don't orbit around you?
So what are you gonna do
When the world don't orbit around you?
Ain't it fun living in the real world?
Ain't it good being all alone?"
The second song of their set was filled with more energy than the first, and the crowd started to cheer louder and jump up and down. Beca smiled at this and then went into the next part of the song.
"Where you're from
You might be the one who's running things. Well you can ring anybody's bell and get what you want.
See it's easy to ignore trouble
When you're living in a bubble.
Beca looked over at the cheerleaders and spotted Chloe as she sang the first part of the second verse. The lyrics kind of played into the situation these two girls were in. Beca just had this feeling that Chloe wasn't the nice girl she thought she was, and that she got whatever she wanted.
"So what are you gonna do
When the world don't orbit around you?
So what are you gonna do
When nobody wants to fool with you?
Ain't it fun, living in the real world?
Ain't it good, being all alone?
Ain't it good to be on your own?
Ain't it fun, you can't count on no one?
Ain't it good to be on your own?
Ain't it fun, you can't count on no one?
Ain't it fun, living in the real world?"
Everyone crowded on the field to get close to the stage as they jumped and danced to the music. Benji then began to clap and got the crowd to join in with him while Beca and Jesse chanted the next part.
"Don't go crying to your mama,
'Cause you're on your own in the real world.
Don't go crying to your mama,
'Cause you're on your own in the real world.
Don't go crying to your mama,
'Cause you're on your own in the real world.
Don't go crying to your mama,
'Cause you're on your own in the real world.
Ain't it fun, ain't it fun?
Baby now you're one of us
Ain't it fun, ain't it fun, ain't it fun?
Ain't it fun, living in the real world?
Ain't it good, being all alone?"
Ain't it good to be on your own?
Ain't it fun, you can't count on no one?
Ain't it good to be on your own?
Ain't it fun, you can't count on no one?
Ain't it fun, living in the real world."
This time the crowd chanted with the band as they waved their hands with the crowd. Chloe being one of those people kept her eyes on Beca but her mind on Chicago as she cheered.
Beca repeated the chorus one last time as the drums and guitar slowly faded out. "Thank you everybody!" She called out into the microphone, making the crowd cheer again. "Unfortunately, halftime is almost up so we'll have to end the show here. Thank you so much for coming out tonight! Go Hawks!"
The crowd cheered them off the stage and Chloe turned to Stacie. "Wow, they're awesome. The whole school loves them, I didn't know a band could be so popular at its own high school. It's a shame that they won't continue to make music after high school," she said.
"Well, that just means that we should try and see them play as much as possible." Stacie said. "They sometimes play at one of the local diners here in Southern Seattle." She mentioned before grabbing her pom-poms. She then turned back to the redhead. "I know you're focused on your music and all, but I think you should add cheerleading to your daily routine. You're really good at it."
"I have been thinking about trying out for the team. I just don't want to get my hopes up and then be let down if I don't end up making the squad," Chloe said, looking down a little. "Do you think I could make the team?"
"After seeing what you can do so far, I think you're already on the team." Stacie mentioned. "Seriously, your round off into three back handsprings and then a backflip was insanely good. You had perfect form."
Chloe smiled at Stacie's words. "Thanks, it means a lot to hear you say that." The redhead was silent for a few moments as thoughts raced through her head. Then her smile grew even wider. "You know what? I will try out for the team."
"I don't think you need to," Stacie said smiling. "I'm one of the head cheerleader's and I talked to the other captain, Bailey Corners. She was really impressed with you Chloe. She and I agreed that if you decided to join, you'd be on the team. You've proved yourself tonight."
Chloe smiled and clapped her hands excitedly. "Sorry, that might've been a little too enthusiastic," The redhead said with a laugh. "But thank you so much for letting me on the team. It means a lot."
"It's really no problem, we could another cool drink of water like you on the squad." Stacie said smiling.
The second half then started and the Hawks nearly doubled the amount of points that they had, scoring three more touchdowns and a field goal. Chicago scored one of those touchdowns and was named "Player of the Game."
After showering the locker room, he saw Chloe and Stacie walking to the parking lot and he smiled before running over to them. "Hey you too, nice cheering tonight."
"Nice footballing tonight," Chloe said back to him with a cute giggle. "Seriously, Chicago. You were awesome. No wonder why all those colleges want you to play for them."
"Nah, I wasn't that great." Chicago said, running his hand through his hair and looking down at the ground blushing.
"You had three touchdowns and were named MVP, Chicago. You were pretty great." Chloe said smiling at him.
"Are you a cheerleader now?" He asked, referring to Chloe's cheerleading uniform.
Chloe nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I am. I never would have predicted that I'd go to one football game and end up watching a concert and joining the cheer team," the redhead said with a laugh.
"Well you look great," Chicago said before biting his lip a little.
Stacie noticed how Chicago was totally flirting with Chloe. "You know what Chloe? I forgot my phone in the locker room, I'll be right back." She lied smiling deviously. "See you Chicago, great game tonight." She said before winking at Chloe and slyly nodding for her to flirt a little.
Chloe watched Stacie walk away and then looked down at the ground, smiling softly to herself. "So, uh, I should probably get going soon. Will you walk with me to my car?" She asked shyly.
"Yeah sure," Chicago said, nodding his head. He then started walking on Chloe's left side and for a moment it was silent, as Chicago was trying to think of what to say. Before he could say anything though, Chloe spoke up.
"Do you ever just look up at the stars and wonder what it's like up there?" The redhead asked. It was pretty dark out so there was a pretty good view of the sky above. "Sorry, that was a weird question. Nevermind," Chloe said, mentally facepalming.
"No, no it's not a stupid question at all." Chicago said smiling the redhead as she cringed a little. "I love looking up at the stars, and I love to wonder which one's are planets, and which ones are a wormhole to another galaxy." He stated, putting his hands in his pockets as they walked through the school's large parking lot.
There was another brief period of silence, during which the two finally reached Chloe's car. Chloe didn't get in her car right away though, instead leaning against the side of it and looking up at the sky. "Yeah, I like imagining if there are other galaxies up there, and what they're like if they exist."
Chicago leaned against the car with her. "It is pretty amazing to imagine such things." He said as he gazed up at the star. "Thanks for coming tonight, you being on the sidelines kind of made me work harder so you could see what a badass football team we have here at Hartford." He added, getting a laugh from the redhead.
Chloe looked from the sky over to Chicago and smiled. "Well, now I'm going to be on the sidelines at every game, so you're gonna have to keep working hard so we win," she replied. There was a cool breeze that went by, so Chloe moved a little closer to Chicago, leaning her head on his shoulder.
When this happened, the young boy smiled and then leaned his head on her shoulder for a moment. He then noticed Chloe was shivering. "Here, take this." He said, taking off his letterman jacket and putting it on Chloe. "So, what did you think of Beca's band?"
"I wasn't expecting them to be as good as they are. They're really, really good. Beca's just as talented as you said she was," Chloe said, smiling as she wore Chicago's letterman jacket.
"They're pretty awesome, huh?" Chicago said. "They're called 'Trio,' and they rock. Beca writes all their songs, she's pretty amazing at it too. They play at a lot of school dances, so you'll definitely hear them at Homecoming."
"That's so cool. Do you think that they'll ever get together for a reunion or something, since they're all going their separate ways after graduation?" Chloe asked.
"I don't know, that would be cool though." Chicago answered. He then turned to look at Chloe. "I would really like to hear you play your piano at some point though, if it's not too much trouble."
"Yeah, of course. Maybe sometime next week we could meet up in the music room and I can play a couple songs for you then," Chloe suggested.
"That sounds perfect." Chicago said smiling, bouncing his car keys in his hands a little bit before looking back up at Chloe. Why do all the perfect girls have to be taken? He thought to himself. "Well, I should probably get going. I'll see you on Monday?" He asked.
"See you on Monday," Chloe said, walking forward and giving Chicago a hug. Before she pulled away, she turned her head and gave him a little kiss on the cheek. "Have a nice weekend!" She called over her shoulder, walking back towards her car and getting in the driver's seat.
"You too," Chicago called back. He placed his hand on his cheek where Chloe had kissed it and he smiled, looking back at the girl as she drove off into the night.
"Yo, lover boy!" Beca called, leaning against his car and taking a sip of a beer out of a case she'd stolen from her dad. "I need a ride home."
"Alright, I'll give you a ride," Chicago said with a chuckle. When he noticed the bottle of beer, he looked at her with a confused look on his face. "Where'd you get that?"
"Snuck it out of the fridge." Beca said chuckling and taking another sip. "He always has the fridge filled with Dos Equis, and I figured it'd be a good way to end the night." She said smiling as Chicago put his football bag in the back of his car. She then noticed his jacket was missing. "Where's your letterman?"
Chicago then realized that he had forgotten to get his letterman jacket back from Chloe before the redhead left. "Uh, I gave it to Chloe because it was cold out. I guess I'll get it back from her on Monday," he answered.
Beca nodded and finished her beer before getting into the passenger's seat of the car. They were silent for the first few minutes of the drive. "You really like her, don't you?"
"Yeah, I really do. It's no use though. She has a boyfriend, and even if she didn't, she probably wouldn't see me in the way that I see her," Chicago said with a sigh.
The brunette nodded and sat there, wondering what he saw in this girl. "What do you even see in her? I mean, yeah she's hot, but she seems so self-centered."
"She's not self-centered at all. You just have to get to know her. She's honestly the perfect girl to me," Chicago said, keeping his eyes on the road as he drove to Beca's house.
"You haven't even known her for a week," Beca stated. "She could be a complete psycho." Beca mentioned, shaking her head. "All I'm saying is, don't get attached too easily. Sometimes a pretty face hides an ugly soul."
"Instead of constantly judging Chloe when you don't really know her, why don't you get to know her first and then judge her? I'm tired of hearing you constantly complain about her. Yeah, I know that you don't like her, but at least give her a chance before you write her off for good," Chicago said.
"I'm sorry, but you know I don't just like anyone. You, Benji and Jesse are the exceptions." Beca said, crossing her arms. She then looked at Chicago, and bit her lip. "I am trying to like her, for your sake. But after all I've been through, you can understand why I don't trust people very easily."
"I know. I'm not faulting you for not trusting people easily. I'm just asking you to try and be pleasant around Chloe, and to not complain about her when I'm around. Does that sound fair?" Chicago asked.
"I'll try," Beca said.
Once they got back to her house she turned to Chicago, and gave him a hug. "Thanks for the ride home." She said grabbing her stuff.
"Don't thank me. You know I'm always happy to give you a ride," Chicago said with a smile. "By the way, you and Jesse and Benji were awesome tonight. You guys killed that set."
"Thanks, you played a great game tonight as well. Bye Chic," Beca said, getting out of the car and walking into her house. She went up to her room and noticed Chloe in her bedroom, sitting down and taking her hair out of her ponytail and brushing it softly. It was a simple yet beautiful sight to see, and it made Beca smile.
Even though it was hard for her to tolerate this girl, Beca did have to admit to one thing. This girl truly was beautiful.
So, why is it so hard for Beca to trust people? And do you think she's being mean to Chloe because she secretly likes her? Let us know! Anyways, Chloe is now cheerleading at Hartford High and the Hawks won their first game, with Beca's band rocking out at halftime. What a way to end Chloe's week. Keep reading to find out.
