The last full day of the camping trip had begun and Beca and Chloe had spoken only 'hello', 'goodbye' and 'goodnight' to each other since the high ropes incident, the memories of their past still haunting their minds.
At exactly 8 AM the sound of voices and cutlery filled the atmosphere waking Beca up. Last night Beca had made a vow to herself to not look, speak or stand near Chloe today, she didn't want to give her the wrong impression.
Slowly, she got out of bed, rushed to the bathroom, stepped outside breathing in the fresh air and then started to make her way to the breakfast stand only to be stopped as she felt a tap on her shoulder. It was Fat Amy.
"What's going on with you two?" Fat Amy nodded in the direction of the fire where Chloe was sitting. "You've been getting on really well lately, we've all been happy to see you finally bonding." Beca nodded and shrugged as she slipped past Fat Amy and continued making her way to breakfast.
After breakfast, Lycombs and Co. Finance department gathered together around the list of activities for the day ahead. Archery for the whole morning, a game of predator in the afternoon where you hid behind trees trying to spot them from the top of the hill, then finally a talent contest and songs around the fire in the evening. Fortunately for Beca these activities were not in teams.
The morning and afternoon passed by very quickly as everyone was having fun. Those who wanted to take part was given 30 minutes to prepare. Beca decided to give it a pass but Chloe eagerly raised her hand to volunteer.
One by one the acts came up to perform. Finally, it was Chloe's turn. Chloe had decided she was doing this for Beca, she had tried to get her attention all day but with no success, she wanted to prove to Beca that they could be friends again, whether singing this song was the right thing for that or not.
"Hi, I'm going to be singing Titanium by David Guetta and Sia." Chloe's eyes drifted over to Beca, the look of recognition all over her face.
All too suddenly, the music kicks in and Chloe sings it perfectly.
"Chloe, a new song just came out! Titanium by Sia." Beca started playing it to Chloe through her earphones. "It's like my new favourite song now. I think i'm going to sing it at the school's talent show!" Chloe snorted.
"You? Singing? At a talent show? Wow this is a miracle! Beca, I've never heard you sing normally in your life. Do you have a hidden voice!" Chloe laughed and was actually being very serious.
"Chloe, I sing a lot! I've just been too awkward to sing normally, you'll see. If I'm really bad then I buy you an ice-cream, if i'm awesome and you're wrong, then you buy me an ice-cream. Deal?" They both knew this was the stupidest bet to ever exist but it was their thing. They had both gained something off the other plenty of times before.
"Deal." They smiled at each other before standing up and going off to their lessons. The talent show was in 2 weeks time, Beca knew she had to win this bet, maybe then she would be able to tell Chloe about her true feelings with an emotional performance. In her eyes, it was her only chance until she had a breakdown over it.
2 weeks later and Beca was waiting nervously backstage, she had memorised the song well and was aiming for it to be pitch perfect. Not only to satisfy herself but also for Chloe to be proud of her.
"Beca. Would you like to come up to the stage please." The headteacher, Mrs Rutherford, beckoned her towards the microphone.
Stumbling and nearly falling up the stairs, Beca made it onto the stage. As she looked out to all the eagerly watching students, Beca immediately snapped her eyes towards her best friend. Chloe was nervously chewing her fingers, a habit Beca always told her off for, until she turned to face Beca and then gave the thumbs up and a 'you go Beca!' expression. This was the sign Beca needed, suddenly full of confidence she nodded to the guy in charge of music and her stage presence became all you could feel.
"Beca! You were fantastic! I guess i'm buying you an ice-cream." Chloe smirked and bounced towards her, enveloping Beca in her arms. "Why did I never know you were this good? Sing for me more? Please?" Chloe begged, wanting to get to know her best friend even more than she already did.
Beca, taken aback by the sudden force that Chloe had surprised her with, slowly wrapped her arms around Chloe.
"I'll try, but you better buy me that ice-cream." Beca laughed, beaming at Chloe's bright smile before her.
A roar of cheers erupted around Beca, Chloe thanks the crowd and makes her way over to her stunned colleague to sit back down, Beca had never heard Chloe sing properly before, and to choose that song now had silenced her.
"Beca..." she began, getting no response but Beca's hand raising to stop her.
Chloe attempted several more times to talk to Beca before eventually giving up and walking back towards their cabin. Beca stayed till the end, witnessing the applause for Chloe's 1st place and then confusion amongst the crown as to her whereabouts.
"Where's Chloe?" Dan asked, a look of concern on his face. He started wandering around the team, nearly standing on Stacie's hand causing a loud groan to erupt from her mouth as it was pitch black with the fire dying down.
Of course, Beca knew exactly where Chloe was but she made no attempt at showing her concern for the safety of her co-worker or the worry of her boss and camp leader. All she wanted to do was go to bed but no-one could move until Chloe had been found.
"Guys! Think! Where did you last see her?" Stacie shouted from the front, now stood up with worry plastered all across her face.
"She may have gone back to the cabin?" Fat Amy said, "Beca, you were the last to see her weren't you? I saw you talking once she'd finished her performance."
"Why are you asking me? We aren't even friends." Beca was desperately wanting to clear this 'friends' thing between them, not wanting anyone else to think they had a friendship either. Beca knew that after the uncalled for kiss she didn't want to get hurt again, Chloe was so unpredictable when it came to feelings.
"Beca." Fat Amy took her aside, "What has happened between you two? One minute you were teaming up for the high ropes, the next you are hardly looking at one another. Do you have a history?" Genuine concern and interest was shown in her eyes.
"Look, Chloe and I... We went to school together, we got on pretty well, things happened, and now we are working together. That's it. Nothing more to it." Beca said simply, pushing herself up off the floor and walking back to the cabin leaving Fat Amy stumbling behind her in her wake.
When Beca got to the cabin Chloe was nowhere to be seen. She checked everywhere, behind the doors, in the bathroom and under the beds. In a panic she quickly turned around only to be greeted with the missing girl herself. A small greeting was passed between them but nothing more, Chloe brushed against Beca's shoulder as she headed towards her bed and climbed in.
"Beca?" Chloe whispered. "I'm sorry."
