Chapter Seven

After Christmas day, the rest of the break seemed to fly by. The two women soon settled into a routine, where Chloe would go for a morning run, and return with coffee and muffins. After eating breakfast together, they would make plans for the day – one day was spent studying in the library (more so for Chloe; Beca was more occupied on the beats in her headphones that she was mixing at a desk across from Chloe), another day was spent at the local ice skating rink (which Chloe nearly had to drag Beca to, after which Beca admitted she had a great time).

Chloe also learned that, while not a fan of movies, Beca had a secret obsession with Greys Anatomy. They spent every evening holed up in Beca's bed with popcorn, tequila, and multiple seasons of Grey's Anatomy on DVD.

Beca learned that Chloe had trouble when it came to staying quiet during the show. She often interrupted to share an opinion or thought, but Beca found she didn't mind it. In fact, she shared just as much, and when the conversation turned to other topics during the week, she didn't hold back like she normally would. She opened up, and Chloe responded just as much, if not more.

All in all, Beca had to admit that she really enjoyed spending the week with Chloe. Despite not being one for having 'best friends', or even many girls who were close friends, she had really gotten to know Chloe, and care for her. It was definitely making her experience at Barden a lot more enjoyable.

Chloe was also feeling quite similar. She had come to really appreciate and respect the brunette, and was really disappointed at the end of the Christmas vacation and she had to move back into her own dorm room. She was also becoming more aware that some of the feelings she had towards Beca were developing into something more than just a platonic friendship, but this was something she tried to brush off. She wasn't going to lose this friendship on a chance.


After vacation, Aubrey wasted no time in scheduling Bella's rehearsals. She kept the girls working to the grind, insisting that they had to be perfect for semi-finals.

"The semi's will be on us before we realise, so we have to be perfect, you understand!" she yelled at the group at the end of a particularly harrowing rehearsal.

And, although no one wanted to admit that Aubrey was right, she was correct in one sense. The few weeks they had flew past, and the next thing Chloe realised, she was getting on a bus to go to semi's.

The bus ride was so quiet. Too quiet. Chloe didn't deal well with silence, so she turned to her saviour – music.

She hit shuffle on her music player, and allowed herself to zone out to her music.

Zone out, that is, until Miley Cyrus started playing.

Chloe had a firm belief that you couldn't really zone out to Miley Cyrus, and especially not a song like Party In The USA. It was too upbeat and fun and addictive to listen to while dozing; it deserved to be enjoyed and sung in the shower, and played in a car while on a long road trip, and blasted in a dorm room at 1am on a Saturday night.

So Chloe did the only logical thing. She started to sing along.

Softly at first, through the first line, and then she heard Cynthia Rose chime in.

Before she knew it, the whole bus was rocking out to the song – almost.

Beca sat in her seat, staring straight ahead, but Chloe could see the corners of her mouth tugging upwards ever so slightly. Chloe leaned towards her, singing right at her, and she felt Stacie standing behind her and leaning towards the silent Bella also.

Beca glanced back, caught Chloe's gaze, and burst out laughing. The whole group paused at the end of the verse, waiting, and Beca grinned. Surely one song wouldn't hurt her street cred.

"So I put my hands up!" she sang out, closing her eyes and letting the energy of the group envelop her.

Chloe flashed a huge smile at her friend before getting back into the groove of the song. This was what the Bella's needed. To let loose, have fun, and just listen to how awesome they could sound.


Somehow, the Bella's managed to survive the dramas of Amy getting hit by a flying burrito, running out of gas, and needing to hitch a ride with the Treblemakers – who were also booked into the same hotel for the night to crash after the semi-finals.

Chloe sat beside Beca in the bus, and subtly slipped her hand in the brunettes. Beca didn't pull away, and Chloe was immensely grateful for this. She really needed Beca right then, because all she could think of was how right she thought Beca was, and how frustrating it was that Aubrey wouldn't listen to her input for the Bella's. And, simply put, she was just incredibly nervous.

Beca seemed to sense what she was feeling, because Chloe felt her hand be squeezed softly.

As the bus arrived outside the building that the performances were being held, Aubrey released an audible sigh. She pushed her way to the front to be the first one off the bus, leaving Beca free to send an eye roll and a shrug towards Chloe.

Chloe reluctantly let go of Beca's hand, and they filed off the bus.

This was it.

Chloe felt butterflies in her stomach all the way through walking inside, and standing in a group back stage. They intensified as the Bella's watched another group perform, because that group was amazing, and Chloe did not like their chances at all. But, come hell or high water, she was going to sing her best, and hoped that every other Bella was thinking the same thing.


It turned out that yes, Chloe was right; ever other Bella was thinking the same thing. They sang their best. The only issue with that, was it wasn't enough to keep the audience interested, and Chloe could tell immediately, just a couple bars into her solo, that they weren't going to win.

And then Beca broke out with Bulletproof.

And it sounded amazing.

Chloe shot a brief glance at Beca, but wasn't sure if the brunette caught her smile. She turned back to the audience, and noticed straight away the smiles and nodding heads that looked up at them. Right then, Chloe knew that Beca was what the Bella's needed to take the next step.

There was only one problem with that.

Aubrey.


Chloe had barely gotten off the stage before Aubrey came storming past and began verbally tearing into Beca. This killed Chloe, because Aubrey and Beca were probably the two most important people in Chloe's life, and it felt a little like Chloe was going to have to choose her future, right then and there.

And it seemed like the moment was there, when Aubrey forced Beca to find out what the rest of the Bella's thought.

Chloe knew what she had to do. She had to stand up to Aubrey, because she believed in her heart that Beca was doing the right thing; she was trying to move the Bella's forward – that's what they needed. She glanced upwards, drawing in a deep breath, and –

"Amy?" Beca asked.

She missed her chance. But Aubrey was still berating Beca, and she tried to get Aubrey to stop – not that it worked.

"Don't worry, it's not like you need to pretend you're allowed to have a say in the group, right?" Beca said harshly to her.

Beca immediately regretted the words as soon as they passed her lips, and wished she could take them back. But it was too late, she saw the hurt flash across Chloe's face.

And of course, Jesse chose that moment to show up and make things worse. Seriously?

Beca sighed, and felt herself deflating. She couldn't deal with this anymore. "If this is what I get for trying," she said, shrugging, before turning away. She could hear Benji calling after her, but she ignored him and kept going, intent on finding an exit so she could get some fresh air and breathe for a moment.

"Aubrey, that actually went really well-" Chloe started, but was cut off by the blonde.

"Chloe, don't!" Aubrey stormed off angrily.

"Oh my gosh," Chloe said to herself, feeling incredibly overwhelmed as the Trebles brushed past her, not being particularly careful.

There was only one person she could think of at that moment. Beca. She had to speak to her, so Chloe took off in the direction she saw Beca leave in, as fast as her heels would allow. Reaching the start of the hallway, she saw Benji calling out to the brunette, who was ignoring him.

"Beca, wait!" Chloe shouted.

Against her better judgement, Beca stopped, but didn't turn around. She sighed, hating herself in that moment for treating Chloe so horribly.

Chloe hurried down the hallway, shooting Benji an apologetic smile but slowing only when she reached Beca. Looking into the brunette's eyes, she saw sadness, defeat, guilt, and disappointment.

Chloe prayed the disappointment wasn't because of her, although she probably deserved it for not standing up to Aubrey.

"Beca…" Chloe began, running a hand anxiously through her hair. "I…no. Let's go and get coffee, and sit down somewhere, because I need to say some things to you, and I want us to do this properly, because I don't want to lose you."

Beca was surprised, and reached out to touch Chloe on the shoulder. "Chloe. You won't lose me. I was a bitch just then, and I fucked up our group. You should hate me right now. I'm the one who lost you. And god, I am so sorry." She bit her lip, wishing she could take back her earlier sentence.

Chloe sighed in relief, and pulled Beca into a hug. "You haven't lost me, I promise. Come on, we really need to talk. Coffee?"

"Coffee," agreed Beca.

They walked out into the crisp, cool air, and immediately spotted an all night café across the road. Quickly, they made their way over, chose a booth in the corner, and ordered coffees from the bored, bubblegum-snapping waitress.

Before either of them could talk, Beca's phone buzzed. She glanced down at the text, and sighed. She passed it over to Chloe to read.

Hey B. Sorry this shit is going down, I thought you were good. I saw Chloe following you, hope she caught you. Results were just announced; we placed third so we're out of nationals. CR.

Chloe gave a barely audible sigh, and a resigned smile, before handing the phone back to Beca. The brunette immediately stashed it in her pocket, and brought her hands to the table to play with a sugar packet.

"Can I start?" Beca asked hesitantly. Chloe nodded, smiling at her reassuringly. "Okay. I want to start by apologizing for what I said to you back there. That was so uncalled for."

Chloe shrugged. "It's completely true though. I don't get a say. Aubrey says we're partners in this, yet completely steamrolls me for every decision. And I take it, because she's my person, and the Bella's are her whole life. But when she told you to ask the rest of us what we thought of your Bulletproof addition, I wished you asked me."

"You looked away though," Beca stated. "And I wouldn't have, anyway. Aubrey's your best friend. I wasn't going to put you in a position to have to choose, I couldn't do that to you."

"Beca," Chloe said gently, reaching out to brush her fingers against Beca's hand, resting on the table. "I looked away, but it wasn't because I was avoiding you asking me. I was taking in a breath, because I was gathering the courage to tell Aubrey how wrong she was. Properly tell her, not like my useless attempts at rehearsals. Seriously. I mean, how could she not have seen the yawns in the audience?"

"Exactly! I didn't do it to screw up the Bella's, I swear. I know I haven't always been the best part of the group, but I am honestly trying here," Beca told her.

"I know. And yeah, it caught me by surprise, but it's not like you could have warned us mid-song. I think you made the right move," replied Chloe. "Everyone perked up when you started singing. You were amazing."

Beca smiled faintly. "Well, I guess you're the only one who thought so. But honestly, I can admit it was a dick move on my part to spring it on everyone, and I feel the worst for you."

"For me?" Chloe asked, surprised.

Beca nodded. "Yeah. The Bella's might be Aubrey's whole life, but I also know how important it is to you. I wanted us to win for you, Chloe, I like because you light up when you're singing, and I know how much you wanted to go to finals."

"Beca," Chloe said softly. "That is one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me."

Beca groaned lightly, blushing. "Please don't go getting all girly on me. I'll be honest, I am new to the whole express your feelings things. I just, I want you to feel appreciated. Because I do appreciate you."

Chloe beamed, but tried somewhat unsuccessfully to settle it down to a small smile. "Thanks."

"And, Chloe, I want you to know I am really sorry for what I said before. I was frustrated by Aubrey, and I took it out on you, and that's not okay. I hate that I hurt your feelings, and I promise I will try to never let that happen again," Beca told her sincerely.

Chloe couldn't help but smile at the worried expression on Beca's face. She didn't blame the brunette for reacting badly, and felt really touched at how heartfelt Beca's apology was. She gave her hand a gentle squeeze and a reassuring smile. "I forgive you, we're good. I promise. I trust that you care about me, you're okay."

Beca's immediate relief almost wiped away all her guilt. "So, what now?"

"Nothing." Chloe shrugged. "We're out, so that's it for the Bella's. But maybe it doesn't need to be the end for us? I want us to stay friends, even without the Bella's. Because when I'm with you, we have fun, and it's relaxed and carefree and we're equal. I need that. I want us to stay friends, Beca, okay?"

"Of course, Chloe," replied Beca, relieved. Wow. Looks like she had made a real, true friend. This was a first.

At that moment, her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she pulled it out to read the incoming text.

Hey, wanted to let you both know that we're heading back in a few. Are you two coming on the bus with us? Hope you're both okay – CR

"It's Cynthia Rose," she told Chloe. "She's checking that we're okay, and to let us know that they're leaving in a few, and are we coming?"

Chloe sighed. "I can't deal with Aubrey right now. I know she's my best friend, but I just can't. If you're up for it, I'd rather crash in a motel tonight, and then rent a car tomorrow for the drive back. Does that sound okay?"

"Actually, it really does. Cool. I'll just text her back and tell her we're set to get back ourselves."

Chloe nodded, slipping a few bills on the table. They exited the café, and managed to flag a taxi down fairly quickly.


TBC...