Beca and Stacie entered the swanky hotel. It had modern decoration that would be attractive to millennials, or so at least Beca thought. It definitely wasn't her style though. Stacie pointed to a sign indicating the party location and Beca followed suit.
Stacie clasped her hands enthusiastically at the elaborate holiday adornment, "It's like a winter wonderland!" The large ballroom was decorated with white Christmas trees evenly spaced out through the room. Stacie's favorite were the hanging snowflakes and mistletoes. The room had a blue tint to it and was made to seem like the entire area was made of ice. The last touches of decor included a multiple moving projectors of snowflakes and a snowflake ice sculpture.
"Seriously, it looks like you guys got Mr. Freeze to decorate," Beca commented, in awe of how much money corporate workers were willing to spend on party decorations while she was the type to get the window decal stickers and call it a day.
Stacie tapped her best friend's shoulder and informed her there was a rooftop bar. They didn't hesitate to make the bar their first stop before going back to the ballroom for catering. The two ordered their drinks as they mingled with a few of Stacie's coworkers. It wasn't a surprise Stacie was being surrounded by a few of her friends because she was always the sociable and extroverted one. Beca, on the other hand, was introverted and events like these would cause her to become socially exhausted. It wasn't that she hated being around people, she just preferred it in small doses dispersed throughout the week.
The pair returned to the ballroom for food and dancing. Well, for Beca it was just the food and sneaking cake pops into her clutch purse when she could. Damn those snowman funfetti cake pops and their deliciousness! It took about half an hour and a beer for Stacie to drag Beca out on the dance floor. Beca would never admit it, but she was having a good time letting loose and forgetting all her adult responsibilities for the night.
"I'm gonna get some air," Beca pointed upwards indicating she was heading towards the rooftop bar to Stacie while she was slow dancing with a guy. It was nice to escape the drunk madness downstairs to be alone for awhile. Her body leaned forward with her forearms resting against the railing as she admired the city view. The night sky was clear but bright with lights from the surrounding buildings. Beca enjoyed this type of view- busy but calm. Enough time had passed and Beca figured it was time to rejoin Stacie before she had to catch her red eye flight to Maine.
The brunette was just about to push the door open until her eyes landed on a black baby grand piano. Beca had an affinity for musical instruments, but the piano and guitar were her absolute favorites. There was no one currently playing and Beca figured it didn't hurt to touch, so she sat down and made herself comfortable on the piano bench. Pressing gently on the keys, Beca played the song she kept hearing in her head for the past few months.
"Darn, no more cake pops," Chloe announced to Aubrey who was sipping on a glass of champagne at one of the tables.
The two were having a great time- dancing, enjoying the free food and open bar. Aubrey introduced Chloe to a few of her close coworkers and one of them was immediately smitten by the redhead. He was maybe around six feet, blue eyes, and a muscular build. Chloe, being polite as ever, accepted his number, but had no intentions to put it to use.
Shortly after meeting Aubrey's coworkers, Chloe followed the sign upstairs of the venue to the rooftop bar. It was less crowded than the ballroom and the added warm lights gave it a cozy atmosphere. She heard someone playing the piano and decided to take a seat at the bar. Chloe watched the woman effortlessly move her hands across the piano. As the notes hit her ears, she was transfixed on the beauty of the woman's fingers dancing across the white keys.
The woman hit the last beautiful note and Chloe could feel tears starting to form. She took a deep breath and searched for a few dollar bills for the tip jar that was placed on top of the piano.
"Oh, that's not mine," the woman finally met Chloe's gaze, "I mean- I don't-"
Chloe quickly eyed the woman. She was wearing an all black paint suit without a blouse in the middle of the jacket, leaving the parts that were covered to Chloe's imagination. "I'm sorry, I thought this was yours," Chloe pointed to the glass tip jar.
"Well," the mystery woman replied confidently with a smirk, "I appreciate it, really. But how about you use that money to buy me a drink?"
Chloe raised an eyebrow at this woman's boldness, but secretly enjoyed it. "I was only going to tip you three dollars, but sure".
"I'm Beca," the brunette woman offered her hand to Chloe.
The redhead returned Beca's handshake, "Chloe".
The two sat next to each other at the bar as Beca ordered two beers, quickly forgetting Chloe was supposed to buy her a drink. Beca reminded herself not to drink too heavily for she still had to drive to the airport later that evening. She glanced at the clock behind the bar and read "9:45 PM". Beca at least more than hour to spend with the gorgeous woman who was now sitting next to her.
"So Chloe," Beca took a sip from her beer and turned to face the other woman, "Are you also a resident doctor like the people downstairs?"
"No," Chloe smiled at Beca, "I'm a nurse, but same hospital".
Beca nodded and instantly regretted what she said afterwards in a matter of seconds, "Nurses are hot". Her eyes widened and shifted glances all across the room, avoiding making eye contact with Chloe. "I mean-," the brunette stuttered and took a deep breath to form a coherent sentence, "Nurses are great".
"Thanks, we are pretty great," Chloe bit down on her lip, suppressing a laugh that wanted to escape so badly. She was clearly amused, "What about you?"
Beca seemed to calm down after her awkward moment, "Nothing too serious. I dj at a few clubs right now for bills. I want to start my own club one day and have it expand though".
Chloe admired her boldness for this dream. She found it incredibly attractive. Maybe it was the alcohol that was already in her system, but she found herself staring at Beca's lips, "What would you name it?"
Beca took another sip of her cold drink and was deep in thought, "I haven't thought about that yet".
The pair continued getting to know each other. It was clear Beca was smitten by Chloe. Every laugh and smile that was shared between the two made Beca feel warm and fuzzy. But if you asked her if she felt that way, she'd quickly deny the idea. Beca glanced at the clock again, she frowned at the time since it was almost time to leave. The brunette's flight was in an hour and a half but considering LA traffic even in the evening, she didn't want to risk it. Beca wished she didn't have to leave at this very moment. There was something special about Chloe that drew Beca in. If Beca heard this story from anyone else, she'd think they were out of their mind. How could you have a connection that instant within a couple hours of meeting someone? She was definitely becoming one of those people that Beca would silently mock in her head.
"Is something wrong, Beca?" Chloe asked noticing the way Beca's eyebrows were knit together.
Beca glanced at the ticking clock once more before returning her attention to Chloe and sighed, "I have to go soon".
"It's time?" Chloe simply asked and Becca nodded.
Chloe leaned forward towards Beca, "Random question, but do you believe in serendipity?"
The brunette quickly glanced up from Chloe's full lips to her electric blue eyes, "Remind me again what that means".
"Finding something good without looking for it," Chloe confidently answered.
Beca grabbed the wet napkin that her beer was placed on and asked the bartender for a pen before directing her piercing eyes to the redhead, "Are saying I'm your serendipity, Chloe?"
Chloe playfully shoved Beca, "I guess we just have to wait and see".
"What do you say," Beca passed over the cocktail napkin and a borrowed pen from the bartender, "We continue this conversation in a few weeks?"
"I would love that," Chloe happily wrote down her number on the napkin and slid it back to Beca. "You know I could've just put my number in your phone".
"My battery died," Beca shrugged her shoulders and tucked the napkin in one of her pockets of the jacket, "I'll keep this safe".
Beca stood up from her seat and sighed, "I guess I should leave now". She desperately wished her flight back to Maine was on another day, but became excited at the thought of talking to Chloe again.
"I'll walk you," Chloe rose from her seat as well, not wanting to leave the stranger she had met a few hours ago and strongly felt a connection with.
The elevator ride down seemed a little too quick for Beca and Chloe's liking. The redhead wished she could pause this moment. A few seconds later, Beca was handing her car ticket to the valet. "I had a good time tonight," Beca admitted to the redhead. "I definitely wasn't expecting…" The brunette lost her train of thought when she was what was hanging above them as they stood in the archway of the building.
"Me," Chloe whispered loud enough only for Beca to hear. "You weren't expecting me," Chloe set her gaze Beca's deep blue eyes. The redhead also seemed to notice the mistletoe they were standing under. Chloe could feel the butterflies erupting in her stomach. Was this really happening right now? Was Beca going to kiss Chloe even though they had just met a few hours ago?
Beca took a double take from the mistletoe then to Chloe. The way Chloe was looking at her with hooded eyes and a shy smile confirmed to Beca she wanted this as much as she did. Neither of them moved for a moment. Beca felt the pull between them since she caught Chloe staring at her while she was playing the piano earlier in the evening.
Chloe's gaze flicked down to Beca's lips. Beca found herself leaning in until their lips met. The kiss was slow and tentative, both pulling back after a few seconds. Chloe searched for resolve in Beca's eyes, wondering if Beca felt the same sparks she was feeling when their lips touched.
A tap on Beca's shoulder by the valet driver brought her attention back to the present. Her vehicle was pulled up on the curb and Beca was dreading this goodbye.
"That's me," Beca pointed with her thumb over her shoulder towards her car. She took one last look at the redhead and placed a soft kiss on her cheek, "I'll see you again".
Chloe returned home later that night, replaying the events that happened with Beca. The redhead laid in bed, unable to stop smiling because of a certain someone. She touched her lips once more, reminding herself of the sweet kiss under the mistletoe. Sure the kiss didn't last long, but the effect it had on Chloe would be with her until she was able to reunite with Beca.
No matter how long it took.
Beca sat comfortably in the window seat of the plane. The perks of being small she thought to herself. The brunette made it to the airport with time to spare to change into comfier clothes but the line at security cut it close! Beca took in the breathtaking evening view of Los Angeles and thought of the past few hours. She tried to keep her smile at bay so the elderly woman sitting next to her wouldn't think she was creepy for smiling at nothing. But it certainly wasn't nothing, it was Chloe. The woman who could possibly make Beca feel like she was in a Christmas Hallmark movie within the last few hours compared to her exes.
She pulled out her backpack from under the seat in front of her and took out her phone and portable charger. The cellular device was now at half of the battery percentage and Beca wanted to take this moment to save Chloe's phone number. She reached in the backpack once again to look for the jacket she wore to the party. Beca gasped at the large hole of the pocket in the jacket when reached in once more.
What. The. Fuck.
Beca was now frantically digging through her backpack, removing items and placing them in her lap in search of the cocktail napkin with Chloe's phone number. Her heart was beating uncontrollably and felt her hands becoming sweaty at the thought of losing Chloe's number. The brunette took her empty backpack and shook it upside down, hoping the napkin would reveal itself.
No, no, no. This can't be, she thought to herself.
"It fell out," Beca accidentally said aloud causing her seat mate to lean over with concern.
"Are you okay, dear?" The elderly woman asked.
"Yeah," Beca gulped and felt her eyes starting to water, "I'm...I'm fine".
During the duration of the flight, she racked her brain of all her footsteps once she left the party to the airport. How could she have not noticed her pocket had a hole in it?
Beca thought this was some kind of twisted joke the universe was playing on her. How cruel it was to meet the right person at the wrong time. The brunette sat on the plane to Maine distraught over the lost phone number and the fact that she may or may not ever see Chloe again.
But surely, the universe had other plans for Beca and Chloe. It would just take its time, for it knew what was meant to be.
A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. What can you possibly guess what happens next? Or what would you like to see? I'm officially done with college, so I'm celebrating! Hope every one has a great day/evening where you are! Good luck on final exams if you're studying! I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. Let's get this bread. Apologies in advance for grammar errors.