Chapter 4

"Chloe…"

"Hmm… Five more minutes, Becs…"

"Chloe."

"Becs, I swear, I'll be up in five… Just give me—"

"Chloe! Seriously! Get up!"

The red head abruptly got out of bed when she heard her scream - Aubrey. Chloe's head felt like it was hammered a hundred times from last night. After she saw Beca walking away, everything blacked out. She wondered how she even got to bed.

"Aubrey, do you not cut anyone some slack like ever? Not even on spring break? Jesus Christ, my head hurts like—"

"She's gone.", Aubrey quickly said it but Chloe knew exactly what she meant. "I mean, she's going; she might as well be gone…" It was true. Chloe looked beside her closet where Beca's luggage settled, it was empty now. She ran outside her bedroom not caring what she looked like, she figured she probably looked so wasted from last night.

As Beca stepped down from the last staircase, the door bell rang. Since she was leaving anyway, she might as well get it. As she opened, she was kind of startled by the boy smiling that pretty boy smile at her. "Hey… I'm Tom. Remember me?", he said cockily. Right. That guy Chloe was having sex in the shower when she forced me to sing Titanium. Wait, why is here? I thought he and Chloe aren't together anymore?-, no wait, why do I care?

"Becs, wait…-, Tom?"

Beca and Tom both looked up the stairs when they heard Chloe. The red head quickly fixed her hair, kind of embarrassed by her morning look. She didn't seem to mind though that she was just wearing a thin silk night gown. But that was Chloe – she's just confident on all.. All of that.. Beca thought as she looked at Chloe looking wasted but hot in her morning face; like she hadn't seen that before.

"Hey, Chlo… Uhm… Good Morning?", Tom snorted when she saw Chloe's overall look.

"What are you doing here?", Chloe looking a lot startled. I was just asking him the same question. Beca said in her mind as she watched the two in conversation.

"Oh… Aubrey sent me a text that you wanted me to come over before the spring break ends and that you missed me…", Tom said shyly and a little confused as Chloe doesn't seem to recall why Tom had come. "Was it all a joke?"

"No, Tom.. Of course it wasn't. Chloe is just surprised to see you.", and here she comes – Ms. Posen ready to save the world. Oh joy.

As Aubrey dragged an almost bare naked Chloe to Tom, Beca couldn't bear to see, she walked out the door with all her luggage and without saying goodbye… As Chloe saw Beca go, her mind was split – to stay with Tom or to go chase Beca? She had to decide.

"Tom, will you excuse me? You can sit down if you want…", as the red head took a step, Aubrey's hands were already on her wrist.

"What are you think you're doing, Chloe? Tom is right here.", Aubrey said in gritted teeth but Chloe only pulled her hand away the control freak and stormed out to follow Beca. The brunette was already in the middle of their porch stairs when Chloe caught up with her.

"Beca… What are you doing?"

"Oh nothing, just bringing my luggage out your house for fun."

"Really Becs? There's no need to be sarcastic right now… Why are you leaving?", Chloe's expression was full of confusion. Beca was looking closely at the red head's face. There were shadows under eyes clearly from lack of sleep mixed with her smudged up eyeliner. Chloe's pores and wrinkles obvious in the bright daylight. She looks so beautiful, Beca thought. I just want to kiss her right now. Beca then snapped herself out.

"Ugh. Like you don't know what's happening, really… Don't play dumb, Beale.", although the brunette said this more softly than she expected. Slowly, she turned around from the red head but she already grabbed her shoulders.

"Beca, please… You don't have to go. I dragged you all the way here and I'm not kicking you out. I want you to stay. This is exactly what I meant when I said I don't want to ruin our relationship because something like that happened. I am so sorry I kissed you; I don't want to lose you, Becs. You're so important to me… Please just stay.", Chloe's eyes were full of tears that she was holding back. Beca could not resist seeing Chloe this hurt; even if she didn't have the reason why Chloe would at all get hurt (she doesn't even like me, Beca thought).

"Chlo, you're not kicking me out… I'm just leaving. We can talk about this back at Barden. And, my taxi's waiting. I'm sorry."

"Beca, I'll pay for your taxi, just don't go!", Chloe was now gripping Beca's wrist tight it hurt, and the tears she kept holding back have now fallen.

"Chloe, just let me go okay? Jesus, woman! You're just—ugh! I don't want to hurt you, Chlo! Let me go!", Beca's shouting lured Tom and Aubrey to the front door; she looked up to them, "Chlo, your boyfriend's here. You'll do fine, I know that. I have to leave but I'll talk to you soon…", Beca then gave Chloe's a hand a quick squeeze and got inside the taxi; looking once more to the girl she's falling in love with through the window.

In the taxi, Beca tried to drown everything in her head with music but it wasn't working; she gave up and put her headphones back inside her bag and just allowed the memories of her conversation with Aubrey last night run through her mind.

Last Night…

Beca was in Chloe's room after Aubrey had kissed her. A knock on the door came, as she was expecting to be Chloe, Beca opened the door and saw a sober Aubrey.

"I'm sorry; my lips are off limits at this time. Please try again next century.", a very pissed Beca said.

"I'm not here to kiss you, Beca. I wanted to talk to you…" Beca began to shut the door, really not wanting to talk with Aubrey right now or ever, when she continued, "…about Chloe."

Hesitantly, she let the blonde inside, and as soon as the door shut behind them, Aubrey started, "Beca, I want you to stay away from Chloe."

"What? Who are you to tell me who to stay or stay away from?"

"I've known Chloe for a long time; I know when something is bad or good for her, Beca. I know you don't understand; but you care for Chloe as her best friend, you'd listen to what I would say, for her sake.", Aubrey said confidently.

I care for her as more than a best friend, shitface. Beca only stared at the blonde, but meant for her to continue; and she did. "Chloe's been in this situation before, and it broke her a lot. It was like this, she was in a party and I caught her making up with some girl; not long, Chloe fell for her. Believe me Beca, I once supported Chloe and was totally happy for her then guess what that aca-bitch did? Me and Chloe caught her having sex with another girl at a sorority house party. Later we found out Chloe's ex-girlfriend made things official with that other girl; Chloe then begged me to help her get revenge. And so we did. I made out with that other girl so Chloe's ex could see and then she dumped her.", as Aubrey said the last part, she got goose bumps on the memory.

Beca only stared blanky, taking up Aubrey's story in disbelief.

"I don't know if she likes you, Beca. But it's better if you'd just stay away to prevent things that will hurt Chloe from happening again; if you don't want to ruin anything between the two of you, you'll do as I say."

When Beca did not respond, Aubrey turned and left the room, knowing she has already succeeded in making Beca realize…

When Beca's taxi had left Chloe's view, she was accompanied by Tom back inside the house. Although the red head didn't care about personal space that much; that time, it seemed like it was all she ever wanted. Chloe went back to her bedroom to change and fix herself leaving Tom in the living room with Aubrey. As she was looking at herself in the mirror trying to catch up what happened 5 minutes ago, her phone rang, snapping her out.

It was Jesse. Her eyebrows creased in confusion before answering the call, "Hello? Jesse?"

"Hey, Chloe.. Yeah it's me… I- I just wanted to ask, is Beca with you?"

Chloe's heart beat faster at the mention of the brunette's name. What did Jesse want? She wants Beca back now? No way I'm giving Beca back to that asshole! Instead of telling Jesse the truth, she said, "Uhm, Yeah… She's still asleep though, we had a lot of fun and alcohol last night, so…", Chloe said trying to make it sound bright.

"Oh… Good. I really wanted to talk to you about something. Can you go somewhere Beca can't hear in case wakes up?", Jesse had a hint of excitement in his voice.

Chloe was a little disappointed; her lie meant to hurt Jesse. She wanted to put down the phone, the sound of Jesse's voice only made her irritated; but then, she couldn't help thinking what Jesse was calling for… "Sure Jes, I'm in the living room right now. Shoot. I'm all ears."

"Well, I wanted to ask for your help to get Beca back…"

What!? I could kill you right now! Chloe wanted so badly to reach inside the phone and choke Jesse to death. It took a moment before she could sit on her rage and answer Jesse, "Uh, yeah, but I have to tell you Jesse, I got a little disappointed with what you did to Beca. You know she's my best friend and I hate to see her hurt. But if you promise me to be sincere this time, I'll help you out." You fucker.

"Oh yeah, cool. You have my word, Chlo. I promise I will do anything for you, I owe you one.", Chloe couldn't help but think of Jesse's smug face. Gahd. I want to break his nose right now.

"It'll take a lot of convincing but I'll do my best to talk Beca into getting back with you… Bye Jesse.", and she put down the phone. Clearly, she couldn't talk to Beca and she gave false hope to Jesse. Way to screw things, Chloe.

Chloe came back out properly dressed and tried to settle Tom in for the night and tomorrow, thanking God that tomorrow will be their last day here and they'll be back in Barden and she can avoid Tom again, and most especially, see Beca again. Chloe may have masked to turn his attention to Tom but her thoughts were with Beca.

That afternoon, The Bellas chilled at Chloe's backyard drinking milk shakes Fat Amy made to cure their hang over. Chloe and Tom were out on the field riding horses. All the other Bellas were looking at them from where the girls had settled.

"Awwwe, they are just so in love.", Aubrey spoke while staring at Chloe and Tom with hearts in her eyes.

"Ugh. Yeah, right… Like, I know I'm supposed to be the hot one and not know a lot of things but, I know love when I see one. But that…", Stacie gestured a hand to Chloe and Tom while shaking her head. "No spark."

Aubrey scowled up at Stacie who stood next to her with a strawberry shake in her hand. "Aca-scuse me? They obviously are in love. Look at how Tom looks at Chloe and how she smiles back."

"Nooo. Stacie's right. If this whole house would be on fire, you could throw in Chloe and Tom and they could put it out with their dullness… There's no love. Especially Chloe… And well, she smiles back more sweetly to dogs than to Tom. She's just forcing it with him.", it was Fat Amy who said this.

Aubrey turned to Fat Amy and scowled at her too with mouth dropped open. "What is the matter with you pitches? Can you not see how happy Chloe is with him?"

"Nope. Not as happy as she is with Beca.", answered Cynthia Rose. And everyone agreed in chorus except Aubrey.

"Yeah, you want to see real love Aubrey you should see how Beca and Chloe look at each other, but I'm pretty sure you've noticed.", Stacie shrugged.

Aubrey cocked her head slightly to the side as if to question while looking at Tom and Chloe again. Everyone seemed to be nonchalant about the brunette and red head loving each other; like it was right there all the time, like it wasn't such a shocker. So Chloe loves Beca? And they pretty sure meant love as in more than friends or best friends. Aubrey then knew what she had to do next. She has to stop Chloe from loving Beca before she hurts herself again.