Chapter 7 – Almost
It has been 2 days since Beca went back to Barden. As much as she likes being back, she also misses her Holiday break which she is surprised because she doesn't do that before. Her classes' starts tomorrow and she's actually glad that she will have more distractions. She's currently finishing her paper's that she didn't notice that she had a text message. Hours has passed and Beca already finished her paper, she's about to head to the radio station when she looked at her phone she saw that Chloe has texted her 5 times. She looked at the time and it was already an hours ago.
"Oh holy crack 'o' dawn! Why did I silent this phone!?" she berated herself. She opened the message.
Hey, how are you doing there? – Chloe (9:45am)
I'm guessing you're busy. Don't forget to rest. – Chloe (10:00am)
Hey, is everything okay there? – Chloe (10:18am)
Great now Chloe's worried Beca thought. That's the least she wants, to make Chloe worry. I'm an idiot.
Hey again, Beca did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me? :( - Chloe (10:40am)
Oh great now Chloe thinks I'm mad at her. Way to go Beca. Beca was getting frustrated at herself for not seeing Chloe's messages earlier.
Maybe I'm just reading too much on this but if I did something, I'm sorry. I hope you're not mad. I'll buy you dinner when I get back, okay? Your pick. That is if you want to, of course. Don't forget to eat lunch. – Chloe (11:40am)
Chloe really knows how to guilt trip people Beca thought. "Okay here we go. How the hell do I do this?" she was totally lost on what to do.
Hey Chloe I'm so sorry I just checked my phone. Been busy on my term papers, I'm really sorry. No I'm not mad at you, you didn't do anything wrong. Yes, let's definitely have dinner when you get back. I'm not mad at you, I'm really sorry. – Beca (12:30nn)
Beca went to the diner where she got her lunch and after that she went to the radio station to start her work. She has been checking her phone from time to time but Chloe hadn't reply to her. She was getting worried thinking that maybe she made Chloe upset. But why would Chloe be upset with her she just haven't texted her in what, 3 hours. Okay that was bad but still it was just a mistake. She didn't hear her phone it was silent and she was doing school work. But why does she feel like she did something wrong. "Urgh! Why do I feel like crap over this?" she was exasperated and they weren't even fighting. "What have you done to me Chloe Beale!?" by that Beca started playing the last song for her shift
Build a wall of books
Between us in our bed
Repeat, repeat the words
That I know we both have said
Relax into the need
We get so comfortable
Remember when I was
So strange and likable
I just want back in your head
I just want back in your head
I'm not unfaithful but I'll stray
When I get a little scared
When I get a little scared
When I get a little
When I jerk away
From holding hands with you
I know these habits hurt
Important parts of you
Remember when I was
Sweet and unexplainable
Nothing like this person
Unlovable
I just want back in your head
I just want back in your head
I'm not unfaithful but I'll stray
When I get a little scared
When I get a little scared
When I get a little scared
When I get a little
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
I just want back in your head
I just want back in your head
I'm not unfaithful but I'll stray
I'm not unfaithful but I'll stray
I'm not unfaithful but I'll stray
I'm not unfaithful but I'll stray
(Back In Your Head by Tegan and Sara)
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Back in New York Chloe was busy organizing her report for her bosses tomorrow. She left her phone at her room so that she will stop looking at it and waiting for Beca's reply. That really bothered her if she did anything wrong. Or that maybe Beca was just really busy. She doesn't know what to think anymore so she just decided to separate herself from her phone. Aubrey just entered their place carrying dinner. "Hey 'Brey, how was work?"
"It's a good day at work actually. I just put a guy behind bars." She smiled sweetly at Chloe.
Chloe looked at Aubrey wide eyed "Really!? What did he do?" she asked curiously.
"He planted bugs on his tenants carpet then he sues them saying 'They don't clean their places' that turns the tenants being evicted from the place and the landlord earning money. It's sick what other people do just to get money from people who can barely make it." Aubrey scrunched her face. Her phone rang that alerted her that she has a message. She smiled when she saw who it was from.
"Who got your face light up like a Christmas tree?" Chloe was curiously to know who this lover is. Whoever this is definitely is something else. She hasn't seen her bestfriend like this before, so jolly and relaxed. Whoever this is she wants to meet them as early as possible.
Even if I'm not there please don't forget to eat your dinner. I miss you Hottie - Stacie
"My face doesn't light up." Aubrey argued and made a serious face trying to contain the coming smile. "It was just a friend." Aubrey felt bad telling her bestfriend that and referring to Stacie as her friend. And she knows that Chloe know that she has someone special. But Aubrey wanted to tell Chloe about her and Stacie but she wants Stacie to be there as well, so that they can do it together.
"Okay." Chloe said not wanting Aubrey to say anything more that she doesn't want to. "Alright let's eat I'm starving."
After they ate Chloe remembered her phone so she run to her room and when she checked it she saw that Beca texted her. Great! Now Beca is probably mad at me. Chloe told herself. Why did I even left my phone here!? What was I thinking! Of course she was busy, she's in school you ass. Urgh! Now what do I do? She internalized.
While at the kitchen Aubrey was texting Stacie.
I just ate dinner, did you already had yours? Did you finish that paper you were working on? I miss you too Angel, wish you were here. :( - Aubrey
Just then Chloe was back from her room looking at her phone confused.
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Beca walked in the diner to get her dinner when she spotted Stacie at one of the table at the window. She walked up to her "Hey Stacie!" she called.
Stacie was startled and holds her phone closely at her so that only she can see the messages Aubrey was sending her. "Hey Boss, what you doin' here?" she asked playing it cool.
Beca didn't know what to make of Stacie's reaction so she just let it go. "You sitting with anyone? Did you have your dinner already?" she asked away at her. She wanted to have dinner with someone tonight, it gets lonely sometime in her room. Specially that Chloe isn't with her this time and she doesn't know if Chloe is mad at her.
"Nah, go ahead. I'm just about to order." She smiled at Beca. "So…how was your Holiday?"
"It was great, yours?" Beca reminisced and she automatically smiled at her time during the Holidays and most of it contains Chloe. Then her phone just rang with her Doctor Who theme alerting her that it was Chloe who texted her. She looked at her phone under the table not wanting to disturb her conversation with Stacie.
Beca! I'm sorry I didn't text you back immediately. I left my phone at my room. We are definitely having that dinner. Can't wait to be back there with you. – Chloe
"Who's that?" Stacie asked, smiling at Beca.
Beca looked up and saw Stacie smiling at her like she knows something she don't "Oh! It was just Chloe." She said and Stacie raised her eye brow at the information. "What you say how your holiday went?" Beca asked diverting their conversation.
"Oh, well I had an aca-amazing time." Stacie beamed at the thought. Stacie and Aubrey had spent their entire time together after Christmas. In the apartment, on the shower, at the bed, couch, at the kitchen table. She sighed at the memory.
"Okay, looks like someone had a lot of fun." Beca and Stacie laughed. Then their dinner finally arrived.
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Aubrey's phone rang again telling her it was another message from Stacie she was sipping her wine and when she opened the message she chocked on what she read.
I remember our little adventure on your kitchen table. Can't wait to do it again Bunny. By the way I'm wearing that blue lacy lingerie you liked so much that you made me wear around the apartment for the entire day, only in that. :p – Stacie
Chloe was immediately at Aubrey's side trying to help her and Aubrey quickly hide her phone from Chloe. "I'm okay Chlo, I'm fine. Thank you." Aubrey informed her bestfriend and looking directly at their kitchen table and remembering the memory that Stacie just reminded her. "I'm gonna go lie down. I'm tired and I need to be early tomorrow. You gonna be okay?" She asked her.
"Yeah I'm fine. Go ahead 'Brey I'm sure you have a long day tomorrow. I gotta finish this tonight anyway." She hugged her bestfriend.
"Alright, goodnight. Don't stay up too late." With that Aubrey went to her room and shut her door. She was leaning against it and let out a deep sigh "Stacie you are going to kill me."
When Chloe went back to her chair her phone rang telling her that it was Beca. She smiled automatically.
Can't wait. See you soon :) - Beca
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Chloe is finally back at Barden and when she situated her belongings at her apartment she went straight to the radio station knowing Beca will be there. She stopped by a café and ordered Beca's favorite. She can't wait to see the brunette. It felt like it's been years that they haven't seen each other.
There was a knock on the door just after Beca played the song on the list. When she opened it she beamed as she saw Chloe holding a paper bag and coffee. "Hey! When did you arrive? I could have picked you up at the airport." She told Chloe.
"I wanted to surprise you, anyway I just arrived today. Here I figured you hadn't had your break yet." She hugged Beca and gave her the food. While Beca arranged their food Chloe situated herself at the DJ's chair looking at the equipment in front of her.
Beca looked intently at Chloe then she sat down next to her "Wanna learn how some of it works?" she asked.
"Oh no, you're working I don't wanna be a bother." She smiled at Beca while giving Beca her coffee.
"You're not a bother Chloe. You will never be." Beca told her sincerely letting her know that it's okay.
By the rest of her shift she taught Chloe some things that she does at her work. "Okay just increase it a little." She instructed at Chloe. But Beca was not satisfied by the sound. "A little bit more." It was still not working so she put her hand above Chloe's and guided it to the right amount of power.
Chloe stiffen at the movement of their hands. Beca's hand is really warm. She smiled at this notion, she felt safe and secure. Can that be possible? Can someone make you feel like that, just by their hands? Well, whatever it is Chloe liked it. And she liked it that it was Beca's hands. They were soft but hard around the edges. Just like the owner of the hand. It was perfect.
Beca looked at Chloe, she can smell her. They were so close to each other that they didn't realized how close their proximity is until they looked at each other. When they did their nose was almost touching but neither moved away. Beca was always fascinated by Chloe's eyes. Those crystal blue eyes now seemed deep blue, like the ocean and it's becoming darker. They were beautiful and Chloe's scent, wow! That scent that can last for days and she can't move. She doesn't want to move. She looked at Chloe from her eyed to her nose to her lips. What a beautiful red tender lips.
Chloe's breath hitched at how close they were. She doesn't mind being this close to anyone. She doesn't have boundaries and most of the people she encountered know that. But this is different. She feels different about this and she liked the change. She was looking directly at Beca as she was to her. Chloe felt that she doesn't have the energy to move so she didn't. They just stayed like that for a minute but it felt like a life time. They both moved closer nose finally touching.
Beca heard the song ending and just like that she was back from her trance. She pulled away from Chloe making a standard proximity distance from her. "Hey, my shift is almost done. Why don't I drive you back to your place? It's the least I could do with the coffee and everything." She told Chloe.
Chloe didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to feel. Is she gonna be angry? Relieved? Frustrated? On what? She doesn't know. So she just nodded. "I'm just gonna wait for you outside." She smiled at Beca.
Beca arranged the last song to play while she cleans her station. One thing she was sure on what happened today. She didn't mind on what was about to happen between them. She press play for the song to play.
I want to hold the hand inside you
I want to take the breath that's true
I look to you and I see nothing
I look to you to see the truth
You live your life, you go in shadows
You'll come apart and you'll go black
Some kind of night into your darkness
Colors your eyes with what's not there
Fade into you
Strange you never knew
Fade into you
I think it's strange you never knew
A stranger's light comes on slowly
A stranger's heart without a home
You put your hands into your head
And then smiles cover your heart
Fade into you
Strange you never knew
Fade into you
I think it's strange you never knew
Fade into you
Strange you never knew
Fade into you
I think it's strange you never knew
I think it's strange you never knew
(Fade Into You by Mazzy Star)
Chloe was outside the booth thinking on what just happened inside it and she told herself Oh wow I think I was actually waiting for it to happen. She smiled "That would have been nice."
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Barden has started school for 3 weeks and everyone was already getting busy. The Bellas has been having rigorous rehearsals that resulted to Fat Amy creating a party at Friday night. In which majority agreed. "Hey you gals don't forget tonight's party." Fat Amy pointing at each and every one.
"Sorry I'm not sure I'm gonna be there. I'll try though." Beca informed them. Tonight was Beca and Chloe's dinner date.
"Woah! You're the Bellas Captain. You have to be there." Cynthia Rose exclaimed.
"I'll try to be there. I promise. Where is gonna be anyway?" she assured her friends.
"This club called Lush." Fat Amy informed her. "Be there short stuff or I'm gonna drag you and Red myself." She taunted.
"Okay, Geez." Beca said "now scram people. Go have fun." She ordered everyone. Again she was the last to leave arranging the chair and Stacie stayed behind helping her. Now Beca was curious that Stacie wasn't the first one to leave for the party. "Everything okay there Stacie?" she asked.
"Hmmm… Oh yeah, just you know. It looks like you need help." Stacie reasoned.
"Is there anything you want to talk about?" Beca asked "You know you can talk to me. Anytime."
"I know." Stacie took a deep breath "How do you assure someone that you're serious about them?" she asked Beca "I mean, in a relationship." She cleared to Beca.
Beca was taken aback by this, she did not expect that at all. Stacie was serious about someone and she's asking Beca for advice which is not the best decision she made. "You're serious about someone? That's great Stacie but I don't think I'm the one you should be asking about relationship advice. Maybe you should ask Chloe."
"NO!" Stacie immediately answered. "I mean, it's okay. I'll figure it out." She just smiled at Beca.
"Okay but if you need us we're her for you. You know that right?" Stacie just nodded and smiled at her. "So who's this lucky guy anyway?"
Stacie light up like a firework and gave Beca the biggest smile she can. "What are you up to lately?" She diverted.
Beca is not gonna push Stacie if she doesn't want to reveal who this lucky person is. "Some guys in L.A. wanted me to do more mixes. They said producers are really looking forward to it." She smiled when she remembered the phone call she received 2 days before telling her that her remix of Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes are being played by a couple of radio stations in L.A. made her week. "How about you?" she asked her while they walk out of the rehearsals area.
"Oh, there's this paper I'm working on about…" Stacie looked really pleased with her current work that Beca barely understand what Stacie was saying. "Musk represents an integral scent for the industry of fragrance chemistry and can be found in nearly 40% of personal hygiene and perfume products. This scent is often described as warm, sweet, and animalistic. There are four main classes of compounds that make up musk odorants: macrocycles, steroids, poly-nitro benzene derivatives, and non-nitro aromatics. 19 SOR data on these classes have provided insight into derivatives of musk odorants as well as the design and synthesis of new, unrelated, odorants with a wide variety of scents" Stacie beamed at Beca as she finished.
"Wow! That was interesting. What you say your major was again?" She asked Stacie because she completely can't remember. She didn't even know if she asked before.
"Didn't I already tell you that?" Stacie looked at Beca but she answers the question anyway. "I'm a chemistry major." She shrugged "I like to make perfumes when I graduated. Or create them either way. Something that has to do with perfumes." She bounced on her feet while looking at the sky imagining.
"Wow! That is amazing Stacie." Beca was so amazed by Stacie that she didn't realized that someone was in front of them. She bumped at the said someone "Sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there." When she looked she was shocked at who she saw. "Aubrey! What are you doing here!?" she hugged her just to irritate Aubrey and they heard Stacie laughing at them.
"Yeah, yeah. Okay you missed me, got it." Aubrey stepped away from Beca's embrace. "We're you two heading?" she asked looking only at Stacie.
"At our places. Oh, ahh, there's this party that Fat Amy invited us. It's this place called Lush. You gonna be there?" Beca asked Aubrey but Aubrey was not looking at her.
"Sure, if it's okay? That is." She said not taking her eyes of Stacie.
Stacie answered immediately "Of course your free to come. Maybe we could even go to the VIP room." Stacie winked at her.
Unfortunately Beca was busy looking at her phone "Okay, I gotta go, I'm gonna see you around. Bye!" she hugged Aubrey again just to see her former Captain winced.
They waited for Beca to be long gone then they started walking towards Stacie's place. "This was a surprise. What made you come down here?" Stacie asked her girlfriend.
Aubrey put her arm around Stacie's shoulder "Because I miss my beautiful angel and I wanna see her."
"I miss you too." Stacie looked lovingly at her green eyed blondie. "I wanna pin you to the door right now and make love to you till the sun come up."
"Easy there tiger. We'll get there." Aubrey kissed her at her temple while no one was looking.
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Beca and Chloe are having their dinner at some Italian restaurant and their conversation was from Chloe's plan on her project to Beca's mixes in L.A. to Chloe's current TV show obsession to Bellas rehearsal. It was all light conversation. Luckily there was no awkwardness between the two since their almost kiss. If ever there were, they did not show it. Or maybe it's because they both wanted it and they are not saying anything at the moment because they did not wanna push it. If it does happen they want it to be meaningful, fully aware, sure, and solid.
"I saw Aubrey earlier. She looks great." She informed Chloe.
"Yeah, she is. She stopped by the apartment earlier." Chloe said.
"Hey did you know that Stacie is Chemistry Major?" Beca beamed at the information to Chloe.
"Oh, really. Wow! That's amazing. I didn't know that." Chloe was looking intently at how Beca was so amazed by Stacie.
"You okay there Chloe?" Beca was curious to know why Chloe seemed upset.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm great." She said trying to produce a smile on her face but failing.
"By the way some of the Bellas are having a party at this club called Lush." Beca stated "If you wanna go, we could." Beca smiled at Chloe trying to make her smile.
"Yeah, sure, why not. Let's go have a few drinks and unwind." Chloe agreed. But disappointment at her voice was evident. Why does she feel this way? Is she jealous? Why, they are not together anyway.
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Aubrey and Stacie entered the club and they easily spotted the Bellas. They went straight to them and Aubrey ordered some drinks for them. Everyone was having a good time, they were dancing and drinking. While the Bellas are gone Stacie and Aubrey went to the bathroom.
"Miss me?" Aubrey asked while hugging Stacie from behind. Kissing her neck.
"Hmm. You know I do." Stacie gave Aubrey more access to her neck. She massaged Aubrey's scalp. The blonde moaned holding Stacie closer to her, squeezing her. Caressing her rear end. "I miss you Hottie." Stacie turned and put her arms around Aubrey's neck and they started kissing. Intimately, they're both panting. Aubrey caressed Stacie's ass and the brunette let out a moan. She pinned Aubrey at the wall and started kissing the blondes neck.
"I miss you so much Angel." Aubrey stated while she felt Stacie's legs rest between hers. Aubrey cupped the brunettes face and lead her back to her lips. Tongues dancing with each other. It was getting heated fast. They haven't seen each other for almost 3 weeks. All the pent up sexual deprivation was torture to them. But tonight is their night.
.KNOCK
"What the!" Aubrey said. There was a loud knocking again. "Dammit!" she looked at Stacie apologetically "Just a minute!" she shouted.
"I guess we have to do this someplace else." Stacie said while removing her underwear.
Aubrey's eyes went wild "What are you doing?" she asked.
"Giving you something to think about." By that she placed her panties at Aubrey's jeans pocket. Then she opened the door to whoever was at it.
Aubrey following close behind her. "I swear your main purpose in earth is to kill me." She whispered to the tall brunette.
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Chloe and Beca just arrived at the club after Aubrey and Stacie's Bathroom Adventure. "Hey" Chloe shouted at her bestfriend.
"Hey, you guys made it!" Aubrey hugged Chloe. "how was dinner?"
"I'm gonna get us some drinks." Beca told Chloe.
"I'll go with you." Added Stacie. She got up and sashayed her way to the bar with Beca beside her.
Aubrey couldn't take her eyes away from the tall brunettes swaying hips and she had to cross her legs to stop it from throbbing. "'Brey you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine." Aubrey smiled at her bestfriend. "So, the dinner?"
"It was fine, we had fun. You know our usual." She smiled but it wasn't her usual 'I'm happy' smile. Apparently Aubrey didn't pick up on it immediately. She was too busy looking at her girlfriend, making sure nothing happened to her.
Beca and Stacie arrived just in time. "Here you go." Beca gave Chloe her usual drink which Chloe drank straight up. This startled Beca, she was really confused by the redheads demeanor all night. She doesn't know what is happening with her. "Are you okay? Do you wanna talk about something?" she asked her.
"I wanna dance." Chloe got up and drag Aubrey with her to the dance floor. They started dancing around, letting lose. Having a couple more drinks. They were having fun. The other Bellas joined them. Stacie walked to the blonde and they started dancing, Beca finally headed to where the Bellas are at the dance floor and joined them dancing. After 2 songs Beca went back to their table and ordered another drink. Aubrey and Stacie went back to the table as well trying to catch their breaths.
Beca's phone started ringing and she looked at her phone thinking if she should answer it or just let it go. She let it ring a couple more time until Aubrey told her to answer it "Oh Beca would you just please answer the damn phone." and she did.
"Hello….yeah…hey it's okay…..where are you?...I'll be there, don't go anywhere." Beca ended the conversation. "Hey could you make sure Chloe gets home safely." She told Aubrey who just nodded at Beca.
"Where you going?" Stacie asked.
"Jesse doesn't sound so good. I'm just gonna check up on him. Take care of Chloe for me." She told the pair while she was walking away.
A few minutes after Beca went out Chloe arrived at their table looking for the DJ. "Hey have you seen Beca?" she asked her bestfriend.
"Yeah she went out. There seems to be an emergency about Jesse." She informed her bestfriend "Don't worry we'll take you home, okay." Aubrey assured her. "Want another drink?" She just nodded at Aubrey. Then another song played at the dance floor and she headed to the pool of bodies again to dance the night away.
Why can't you want me like the other boys do?
They stare at me while I stare at you
Why can't I keep you safe as my own?
One moment I have you the next you're gone
Rehearsed steps on an empty stage
That boy's got my heart in a silver cage
Why can't you want me like the other boys do?
They stare at me while I crave you
I walked into the room dripping in gold
Yeah dripping in gold
I walked into the room dripping in gold
Dripping in gold
A wave of heads did turn or so I've been told
Or so I've been told
My heart broke when I saw you kept your gaze controlled
I cannot solve
Why can't you want me like the other boys do?
They stare at me while I stare at you
Why can't I keep you safe as my own?
One moment I have you the next you're gone
Rehearsed steps on an empty stage
That boy's got my heart in a silver cage
Why can't you want me like the other boys do?
They stare at me while I crave you
It's true I crave you
Crave You
It's true I crave you
Let's just stop and think, before I lose face
Surely I can't fall, into a game of chase
Around his little finger, that boy has got me curled
I try to reach out, but he's in his own world
This boy's got my head tied, in knots with all his games
I simply want him more because he looks the other way
Why can't you want me like the other boys do?
They stare at me while I stare at you
Why can't I keep you safe as my own?
One moment I have you the next you're gone
Rehearsed steps on an empty stage
That boy's got my heart in a silver cage
Why can't you want me like the other boys do?
They stare at me while I crave you
I am craving you
(Crave You by Flight Facilities)
