A/N: Sorry for the delay and sorry this is kinda short.
But I'm super happy with life right now and hopefully there is enough fluff in this chapter to make up for the length :P
I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters
Beca spent the next few days in a happy daze that she wasn't familiar with. Not even dealing with ungrateful customers or her bad tempered boss could get her down.
Sam noticed it too. He watched her preparing his dinner one night. She was happier, there was no question about it. He watched as she danced slightly in the kitchen, her lips moving, saying something he couldn't hear.
Maybe she's singing, he thought, laughing slightly as he watched her from the kitchen table.
She turned to see him laughing, and grinned at him, before scooping him up and sitting him on her hip as she danced around the kitchen.
"Okay, and what is going on in here?" Stacie said, letting herself in as she usually did.
"Just having a dance," Beca said, sitting Sam on the counter. She grabbed Stacie's hand, pulling her into the kitchen before dancing with her too.
"Have you finally snapped and lost it, Mitchell?" Stacie, asked, unable to stop herself from grinning.
"Just enjoying life, Stace," Beca said.
"Is this because you finally got laid by someone you actually like?" Stacie asked, finally being released so Beca could carry on cooking dinner.
"I did not get laid, I just had a very nice date," Beca said. Making sure Sam couldn't lip-read what she was saying.
"Which ended in...?"
"Ten minutes of making out," Beca said, grinning even harder. "And the promise of a second date, tomorrow night. This time, at an actual restaurant."
"Which is why you're inviting me over for dinner because you want me to babysit?" Stacie said.
"Yes please," Beca said, piling food onto three plates.
Stacie watched with a smile as Beca helped Sam from the table before putting down the food, and then sitting with her own plate for once.
"Okay," Stacie said. "But just so you know, this cheerfulness is unnerving."
"Noted," Beca replied.
The next day, Beca was once again faced with a stressful day at work. After dropping Sam off at school, she hurried to work, only to be confronted by a group of obnoxious freshmen who had taken over a corner of the shop.
"Can't we kick them out?" Beca asked Benji, the other barista.
"Not when they're drinking their body weight in coffee we can't," he said with a sigh as he went over to clean another spillage.
They stayed there for Beca's entire shift. As her finishing time approached, she went to clean up their empty cups.
"Are you done with that?" She asked, pointing to a cup half filled with cold coffee.
"Yep," the guy said, popping the 'p'. She took the cup and added it to the tray. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "Hey you wanna tip?"
"Sure," Beca said, hesitantly.
"Get a better job," he said, before flipping the tray from her hand, sending cold coffee everywhere, covering the front of Beca. The guy's friends started laughing and high-fiving as Benji kicked them out.
Beca checked her watch and groaned. If she stayed to clean up, she'd be late to pick Sam up. If she left, she'd have to walk down the street covered in coffee, plus she'd be leaving Benji to both clean up and serve on his own. If her boss found out she'd done that, she'd be fired for sure.
"Beca, go, I've got this," Benji said, coming over.
"I can't leave you to do this," she said. "It'll take me two minutes."
Fifteen minutes later than she usually left, Beca was hurrying out of the coffee shop.
"Shit shit shit shit," she muttered, walking as fast as she could towards Sam's school.
Sam was sitting on the kerb, his teacher near by, as they waited for Beca. He looked around nervously.
His mom was never late.
Chloe was walking past his school, and caught his eye.
Hey Sam. Remember me?
He nodded.
You're Chloe.
Why are you sitting here on your own?
Mama's late picking me up.
Chloe frowned slightly. She looked up at his teacher.
"Can I wait with him?" She asked. His teacher nodded, keeping a careful eye on them.
Chloe pulled out her phone and sent Beca a text.
Chloe: Waiting with Sam at the school. Hope everything's alright? xx
Beca, who was almost full out running, sent a rapid reply.
Beca: Got covered in coffee at work. Be there in two minutes xx
An extremely out of breath Beca arrived at the school gates a few minutes later.
"So... sorry..." she said, trying to get her breath back.
Sorry, buddy, she signed when she felt she could use her hands again. Got caught up at work, are you okay?
I thought something bad had happened, he replied, his bottom lip quivering the way it did whenever he was about to cry.
She kissed him on the head and squeezed him into a hug.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled, more to herself.
He felt the vibrations of her speaking and felt comforted, not needing to know what she said.
"You okay?" Chloe asked when they stood up and began walking back.
"Yeah," Beca said, embarrassed by her appearance. "Just a nightmare of a day."
"If you want to cancel-"
"I don't want to cancel," Beca interrupted, almost too eagerly. Chloe grinned at her.
"Me neither," she said. "I have to run home and make myself pretty."
"Should take you 30 seconds, right?" Beca said, smirking.
"Smooth, Mitchell," Chloe winked, before kissing her on the cheek, and walking towards her apartment.
Sam was looking up at her, a puzzled expression on his face.
You remember Aunt Stacie is looking after you tonight?
He nodded, still looking slightly confused.
She kissed you, he signed eventually. But she's a girl.
That's right, Beca said, not expecting this conversation. Girls can kiss girls. Boys can kiss boys. Boys can kiss girls.
Okay, he said, smiling again, seemingly satisfied with the conversation.
A few hours later, there was a knock at the door, and once again Chloe was standing there, looking stunning.
"Pick your jaw up Becs," Stacie said from the living room.
"Thank you for that, Stacie," Beca said, cringing.
"So, are you having a nice time?" Chloe asked as they finished off their desserts.
"The best time," Beca said, swallowing a mouthful of ice cream and immediately getting brain freeze. "Oh," she said. "That was dumb." Chloe laughed. "Are you having a good time?" She asked, her face still slightly contorted.
"Mhm," Chloe said, slowly eating whipped cream from her spoon.
"That's not fair," Beca said. "You can't do the sexy cream eating thing after I've just inhaled a bowl of ice-cream."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Chloe said, innocently.
Beca jumped slightly as she felt Chloe's foot moving up her leg.
"Everything okay?" Chloe asked.
"We should get the bill," Beca said, her voice strained. "My place is empty, if you wanted to come for coffee?"
"Sounds like a plan," Chloe said, reaching into her bag for her purse.
"I've got this," Beca said.
"No, you got the pizza last time," Chloe said, "I've got this."
"Chloe, pizza is like ten bucks," Beca said.
"Either I pay for this, or you don't get to see what underwear I have on," Chloe said, raising her eyebrows.
Beca swallowed.
"Okay," she said, putting her purse away in defeat.
They were heading out of the door, Chloe's arm around Beca's waist, when they bumped into someone.
"Sorry," Beca said.
"Hi Beca," a British voice replied.
"Luke," She said, shocked.
"Haven't seen you in a while," he said. "I should have called after last time. I'm sorry about what happened."
"It doesn't matter," Beca said, eager to leave. "I'll see you at work tomorrow."
"And... after? I hope I haven't ruined things between us," he said, totally ignoring Chloe.
"There isn't an us," Beca said, moving away now. She felt his hand close around her upper arm.
"Don't forget who your boss is, Beca," he said in a low voice.
"Touch her again," Chloe said, pulling his arm off, "and you'll regret it. Come on Beca." She took her hand and lead her away. "Okay?"
"Yeah," Beca said. "What he said... We don't have a relationship. We had a sort of fling I guess, but I ended it ages ago."
"It's okay, Beca," Chloe said, squeezing her hand. "He's a jerk. Even if he is sexy and British."
