A/N: I know, I'm late again. It seems that Zap was right to want to kill me for trying to maintain three days between chapters. But, hey, I'm still going to try. Anyway, thanks to everyone who's read and left reviews, they are the inspiration that keep me writing. Please take time and tell me what you love, or hate, or what needs fixing. Enjoy the chapter, guys!
Chapter 14
Two weeks later.
Beca was currently being distracted. It wasn't anything intentional, but it was being done, and the brunette wasn't sure whether to grin about it or feel annoyed. Her headphones were firmly fitted over her ears in an attempt to isolate herself with her music, her monitors were all set up, the mixing deck powered on and ready to create something fun and new, or at least finish up her work on the Bellas Semi-Final set. Of course, all the prep in the world couldn't counteract the distraction currently lounging on the narrow, slightly padded shelf that they called a bed in the dorms at Barden University.
Red hair splayed out over her pillow, feet kicked up over the top of the footboard and bouncing in time to a tune that no one else heard, and with a text book held open above her head Chloe Beale was most definitely at the heart of the distraction for the brunette DJ. The redhead had barged into her room about an hour ago, backpack slung over her shoulder and an amazingly innocent smile plastered on her face. Her excuse was that she had wanted to study between classes while Beca worked on her "DJ'ing stuff", but the brunette was starting to think that Chloe's ulterior motive involved driving her to distraction. Despite the chilly weather, for Georgia at least, the redhead was wearing a frilly pink skirt and a low-cut top, all revealed once Chloe had removed her long coat and draped it over the other bed. And, with the way the redhead's legs were angled up over the footboard of her bed, the skirt was a lot shorter than the designer had originally intended.
Of course, judging by the smirk that Chloe was currently wearing, she knew exactly the effect she was having on Beca, and was loving every glance that the brunette shot at her. But the redhead was maintaining the façade that they were just studying and mixing, so Beca was trying hard to keep up appearances. Turning back to the screens she grabbed a couple of songs, hardly paying attention to which, and tried to get lost in the chord progression. It worked, for a minute or two, until Chloe shifted on the bed. Glancing over Beca saw that, with the new position the ginger was in, she had a great view down, or rather up, that low-cut top she was wearing.
With a soft grunt Beca resolutely turned back to her computer screen and realized she'd completely lost the thread of her mix. Sighing, she scrolled back on both tracks and tried to pick up her lost thread. Another couple of minutes went by before Beca caught sight of the redhead shifting again, this time turning her head nearly upside down to look at her. Sliding the cups off her head she raised a questioning eyebrow at Chloe and said, "What are ya looking at, goofball?"
"You were humming. I just wanted to know what the song was." Chloe said, rolling over and sitting up on the bed.
"I'm not telling. It's something I'm still playing with, and I don't know if it's going to work yet, but we'll see. If it does work, I'll let you hear it then."
Adopting the most adorable little pout, Chloe flounced, was the only word Beca could use to describe it, back into a laying position on the bed. This time she had chosen to lay on her stomach, though propped up on her elbows with the book below her she could still pretend to read. Smiling at Chloe, Beca turned back to her screens and resumed the mix. Though when she looked back at the redhead a minute later and saw that she was still on the same page, Beca saved her work and removed her headphones completely.
As soon as she had them off, a flurry of movement on the bed resulted in a brightly beaming redhead climbing onto Beca's lap as the brunette had her chair spun around by Chloe. Smiling up at the girl now straddling her, Beca stretched upwards and was met halfway by Chloe leaning down. Capturing the redhead's soft lips with her own, Beca let her hands roam up and down Chloe's back, knowing that the redhead loved it when she did so. As if to prove her point, she felt a deep purr emanate from Chloe's throat and smiled into the kiss.
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Chloe asked innocently when both girls finally broke apart for breath.
"Nothing I can't work on later. How's the studying coming?" Beca asked, just as casually as she slid her hands down until she was holding Chloe by her ass.
"Mmmm, what studying?" The redhead asked distractedly.
"I thought as much. You didn't really seem to be churning through the book that quickly, I noticed." Beca pointed out, leaning back away from the redhead though she didn't relinquish her grip. "In fact, if I didn't know better Miss Beale, I would hazard a guess that someone might have come here with ulterior motives in mind."
Chloe grinned as she stood up and went back to lay on the bed where she held up an arm, inviting Beca to join her. Unable to refuse such an invitation, Beca stood up and quickly joined Chloe on the bed. She couldn't help but let out a small chuckle as the redhead, once Beca was settled, quickly shifted her position and snuggled tightly against her side. It was nice, as cuddling with Chloe was always nice, something that the pair had greatly indulged in over the past couple weeks. In fact, it had started the night of the party.
Two weeks earlier.
The party was basically starting to wrap up. Aubrey had gone to her room an hour ago, claiming a need to be up for an early study group. Of the others, Denise and CR as well as Stacie and Miranda were gathering up their stuff and starting to head towards the door. Fat Amy, Ashley, and the others were all gathering up pillows and blankets, planning to just crash in the living room. Beca, who had fallen asleep about a half an hour into the movie, jerked suddenly when a certain redhead jabbed her, rather rudely if one was to ask her, in the ribs to wake her up.
"Wha..?" Beca mumbled sleepily, one eye glaring at the redhead.
"Everyone's crashing or leaving. Let's go and get you into bed." Chloe whispered, taking Beca's hand and starting to try and drag the brunette up off the couch.
"Oh… Sorry. I, uh, I guess I'll head back to my dorm then…" Beca said still sleepily, but waking up a bit as Chloe finally got her onto her feet. As she turned to head towards the door, however, a tug at her arm and a giggle turned her back towards the redhead.
"Don't be silly. There's plenty of room in my bed for the both of us. And it's a much shorter walk. Come on." Not accepting no as a response, Chloe just kept pulling until Beca finally shrugged and gave in, following the redhead down the hall.
Opening the door Chloe pulled Beca inside and shut it, locking it before she headed towards one of her dressers and started fishing through it. As she dug through the drawers she said, "I should have something in here to fit you, though it might be big on your midget-sized frame."
"I'm not midget-sized, I'm just optimal height, that's all. I grew till I was perfect, then I stopped." Beca grumped as she took a seat on the edge of the ginger's bed.
"Uh huh. A likely excuse… Here, this ought to work." Chloe said as she stood up, holding a pair of shirts and shorts for each of them. Beca couldn't help but laugh as she rolled her eyes at the matching sets of PJs, purple for her and pink for the redhead. Chloe shrugged as she dropped the clothes beside Beca and started taking her own clothes off. "What are you…? I mean, um, just gonna, uh, change right there?" Beca asked, trying to sound casual as Chloe's shirt hit the floor, leaving the redhead in a very sexy lace bra and her jeans, which the ginger was just starting to remove.
"Jeez Becs, you act like we haven't seen each other naked before. I mean, I saw you checking out the goodies when you were protesting my presence in your shower last year." Chloe said with a wink as she wiggled out of her tight jeans. Beca's wide open eyes took in the matching pair of panties to the bra appreciatively as Chloe picked her pink shirt up off the bed. Pausing with the shirt in one hand, she raised an eyebrow at the brunette and giggled as she said, "Might want to get you a towel too, I think you're drooling."
"I am so not drooling, and I didn't… I mean, maybe a little. But Jesus, Chloe what would you do if a naked, super-hot girl jumped into your shower?" Beca asked, standing up and modestly turning around before the redhead could get completely naked. She heard Chloe laugh again as she started to take her own clothes off, and when the lacy bra the redhead had so recently been wearing sailed over her shoulder. "Damnit Chloe! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
"Nope, but if you want, I can do some CPR to make sure you're ok…" Chloe's voice said from far closer than where Beca had remembered the redhead was standing before she'd turned around. When she felt arms slip around her waist, and felt Chloe's warm breathing on her neck, she almost jumped out of her skin. "Want some help with the rest of those?"
Beca laughed as she slapped Chloe's hands away from where they had started lifting her tank-top over her head. "I think I can manage it Chlo. But I'll let you know as soon as I need some help." Beca said, hoping that Chloe would get the hint that, while she enjoyed the closeness and cuddliness of the redhead, there were still a few lines yet to be crossed. Whether or not Chloe understood the full meaning of Beca's unspoken gesture, she seemed to know enough to back off, because as Beca finished her changing and turned around she saw that the redhead had plugged in both of their phones and was now lying in bed.
Climbing in beside the redhead, Beca awkwardly positioned herself carefully on one half of the bed. She wasn't sure how to broach the subject, but as usual the redhead burst right through the awkwardness as she scooted right over to Beca and wrapped her arms and legs around the brunette's.
"Hey, sorry about that. I, uh, I know you said slow, but you're just so… sexy." Chloe whispered, her breath tickling Beca's collarbone as the redhead apologized.
"No. It's, it's ok. You just startled me. I do like having you touch me." Beca said just as softly, giving the redhead a squeeze to indicate that she did in fact like to be touched by Chloe.
"I know, I like touching you too. So, talk or sleep?" Chloe asked sleepily. Beca could feel the redhead snuggling in closer, one of her arms snaking underneath her neck, the other draped over her stomach
Beca wasn't able to stifle her yawn before she replied to Chloe, and she could feel the redhead imitating her though Chloe did use her neck to muffle a quiet squeak as she yawned. Wrapping her arms even tighter around Chloe, Beca replied just as sleepily, "Sleep, definitely sleep. We can talk later…"
Feeling Chloe kiss her neck softly and nod, Beca let the long, exhausting day wash over as she relaxed into the warm, comforting embrace and felt sleep overtake her quickly. She knew they'd have to address all of this sometime, but tomorrow, in the light of day, seemed like a much better plan to Beca just at that moment.
Beca smiled as she pressed herself into the redhead, remembering how it had felt to wake up the following morning tangled up with Chloe to the point where she wasn't sure where she ended and Chloe started. It was like old times in a way, when Chloe used to show up in her room, generally when Kimmy Jin was away with friends, with a movie or her textbooks and the pair would study or watch the flicks late into the night. She never really felt it was that weird afterwards, when the redhead would make herself at home in Beca's bed and the brunette would sigh and acquiesce to the requisite cuddling and sleep.
"You know," Beca spoke up after enjoying the feel of Chloe's hands rubbing light circles over her stomach for a few minutes, "We never did have that talk…"
"Oh. Uh, yeah, we didn't, did we? I guess, well I guess I thought you'd bring it up when you were ready…" The redhead said, lifting her head to look Beca in the eyes.
"Well, yeah, and considering that just after we woke up there was a group of Bellas barging into the room asking about breakfast, I guess it kind of got pushed aside, huh?" Beca asked, leaning down to kiss Chloe's forehead.
"So… The talk," Chloe started, but paused, unsure what exactly needed to be said. After a minute she continued, "Well, um, I think it's obvious that I like you. Like, a lot. And I think the feeling is mutual?"
At Beca's nod, Chloe placed a soft kiss on the brunette's shoulder and smiled before going on. "I, uh, also think that, maybe this is still fairly new for you?"
"Well yeah, sort of. I mean, I had a couple boyfriends, back in high school, and …" Beca started to answer, but didn't feel like saying Jesse's name. She hadn't really seen the Treble since her and Chloe had become unofficially official two weeks ago, and was dreading seeing him and his reaction to his fears having come true. "But I, uh, haven't ever… You know, with a girl especially."
"Awww, I'm the first?" Chloe asked softly, touched that she was Beca's first girlfriend, but in a way it scared her to be with someone so inexperienced. She didn't let it show, however, as she stretched up to kiss Beca when she noticed how red the brunette's face was at the topic. "Don't worry, sweetie, you aren't the first one to try new things in college, nor the first to come to college a little, uh, inexperienced. You should have seen me when I first showed up here."
Beca nodded slightly, relieved that Chloe was so easy with her inexperience. Hell, everything seemed easier with Chloe, and it brought a small smile to Beca's face as she realized how much safer it made her feel. It was one thing that had always grated her during her time with Jesse, he always seemed to want more than she was willing to give, but Chloe just seemed happy with anything she got. After a minute of quiet cuddling, Chloe spoke up again, "You just let me know if I cross any lines, ok? If it bothers you, it bothers me and we won't. But right now, I'm gonna kiss you till you can't breathe, is that ok?"
In answer Beca leaned down and captured the redhead's lips, initiating the kissing and moaning a little as she felt Chloe kiss her back. She had to admit, even after two weeks of Chloe nearly kissing her senseless, she still couldn't get enough of her lips. The delicate flutter of Chloe's lips, combined with the strawberry flavor of her lip gloss made for an intoxicating mixture that Beca seemed not able to get enough of. Deciding to be a little bold, Beca suddenly rolled to her side, throwing one leg over Chloe's hips and rising up to straddle the older girl. Somehow she even managed it without breaking the kiss, though Chloe grunted in surprise at the move, and moaned when she felt Beca's weight pressing down on her.
Looking down at Chloe, Beca saw how the redhead's pupils had dilated with desire. She couldn't help but feel proud that it was her actions alone that caused the brilliant smile, the flushed cheeks and the heavy breathing in Chloe. Leaning down, Beca touched the tip of her nose to Chloe's, rubbing them together briefly before again stealing a long, deep kiss from the redhead.
"You know," Chloe said, her voice breathy as they finally drew apart, "I have to admit that I enjoy the view from down here…" As if to emphasize her words, Beca saw Chloe's head tilt down to look down the exposed cleavage that the brunette displayed while bending over.
"I'm aware of that…" Beca said, leaning her head back a bit more to give the redhead a better view. "In fact, I think it's part of the reason I like wearing these tank tops so much."
"Well, just so you know, I think it goes all the way back to auditions. Do you know how difficult it was to concentrate on that thing you did with the cups when you were wearing that shirt? I'm surprised I wasn't drooling all over my clipboard." Chloe confessed before leaning up and kissing Beca again.
Beca couldn't help but chuckle as she remembered the day she'd seen Chloe watching her audition while the redhead sat in the quad. "Speaking of. Did you ever manage to get it down? I can give you lessons, if you want… The cups thing."
"How did you…?" Chloe asked as Beca sat back up so that she was rising above her. "I mean, I … Well, I kept getting distracted."
"I saw you. A few weeks back, in the quad. You were watching a video of me…" Beca confessed.
"Who's the creeper now, eh? Why didn't you come say hi?" Chloe asked, pouting slightly.
"Well, you were just too adorable, and besides there was everything with Jesse going on…" Beca admitted, moving off the redhead to lay beside her again.
"Ah. Well, yeah. I, um, never really got it all down, but if you want to help…" Chloe said with a sigh as Beca moved off her. In a way, though, the redhead was glad as she was having a hard time resisting the urge in her body to just flip them over and have her way with Beca right then and there. Of course, that desire was getting stronger and stronger as she spent more time with Beca, but she really wanted things to go right with Beca, so she was willing to wait till the young DJ was ready.
Even as she was pulling Beca in closer to her side, a sudden beeping from the desk signaled that the alarm on her phone was going off. With a groan she reached blindly behind her until she was able to grab her phone and shut it off. Leaning down she gave Beca another kiss before starting to extricate herself. "Sorry, Becs. Much as I would love to stay, I have a class to go to. Meet me after for dinner at Beth's?"
Beca sighed, but let the redhead go as she got out of bed. Watching as Chloe moved around the room gathering her stuff, Beca answered, "Yeah. That sounds good. Text me when you're out."
"You know what Luke says about that desk, Mitchell…" Bentley's voice called out, though the brunette knew he wasn't entirely serious because she heard him laughing as he went back into the booth. Chloe though wasn't aware of the joke and looked a question at her girlfriend.
"Don't worry about him, he's making a reference to something that Luke tells all the interns here. 'Please, just no sex on the desk. I've been burned before.'" Beca said laughing as she slapped a hand to the desk underneath her ass. Chloe had deposited her onto it a few minutes earlier as she gave Beca a hello kiss and when the redhead had lifted her off the ground in a hug Beca had taken it upon herself to wrap her legs around Chloe's waist.
"Damn. And here I was hoping for some public sex. Maybe we could have brought one of the mics out here and left it on, given Bentley a new segment for his show." Chloe said, chuckling before she leaned in and kissed Beca on the nose.
"Yeah, well. Rules are rules, right?" The brunette said, giving the redhead's waist a squeeze with her thighs before leaning back a little. "So, what brings you by the station? I thought you had your Instructional Leadership class until 6."
"Oh, Professor Murphy was sick so class was canceled. Since I had some free time, I figured I'd come visit you at work. You said we wouldn't need to worry about Jesse today since he's off for the day and I doubt Bentley cares…" Chloe answered, smiling at Beca as she ran her hands over the younger girl's legs. Chloe was honestly surprised at how much she wanted to be in Beca's company now. As Aubrey had so helpfully pointed out numerous times, it was almost as though she lived alone because Chloe spent almost all her free time, and most of her nights, with Beca now. Of course, the blond girl had said similar things during their last year at Barden as well when Chloe was spending a lot of time with Beca then.
With one last kiss Beca released her grip on Chloe's waist and the redhead stepped away, moving to one side of the long table after helping the brunette down. Seeing a plastic cup with some pens sitting off towards the far edge, Chloe walked over to it and held it up so Beca could see it. At the brunette's curious look she said, "You know, you still owe me those lessons you promised last weekend in your dorm…"
"Oh yeah. You know, I kind of thought you'd forgotten about that promise." Beca said with a sheepish look on her face. "Mind if we don't do it here? I have a reputation to maintain, you know?"
"Fine, but you owe me a lesson later. Speaking of things you've been meaning to do… Did you tell your dad about us?" The redhead asked, the pout on her face morphing into a look of concern. Ever since they had gotten together she knew that the younger girl had been slightly panicking about how to break it to her father. The redhead was fairly sure he'd accept her, he seemed like a fairly progressive teacher based on the curriculum for his class which she had taken back in her sophomore year, but being in Georgia it was hard to tell.
"Uh, no." Was Beca's quick reply as she turned back to one of the crates on the table and grabbed a handful of CDs and before moving off to the shelves to put them away. After a minute Chloe heard her speak again, "I just… Well, I haven't found the right time, you know? I've been busy with school, and Semis are coming up in like three weeks and we're trying to get the new choreo down… It's been crazy."
The redhead moved off towards the sound of her girlfriend's voice as she heard Bentley's voice from the speakers mounted on the roof of the sound booth. "Alright Barden, that was 'Whiskey In the Jar' by Metallica, and thanks Charlie for that request, I never can get enough of the boys in black. It's now 4pm on Friday, and everyone knows what that means. Wheeze of the Week is coming up after the break. You guys know the rules, keep the jokes clean and funny or I will hang up on you. Give us a call here at (404) 845-3847 and let Garry know you've got a wheeze and we'll get to them after we come back. You've been listening to 95.7 WBUJ, Music for the Independent Mind."
Chloe found Beca sliding the last of her handful of CDs onto a shelf just as the DJ was finishing his spiel and took hold of Beca's waist, turning the brunette to face her. "Hey. It'll be alright. I'm sure your dad will be cool with it, I'm sure he'll be there for you Becs. If you want, I can even go with and be there if you need me."
Beca, after putting a hand on Chloe's arm and giving it a gentle squeeze, broke out of the redhead's embrace and moved back into the main room. As she walked towards the crate she was working on, she spoke up softly, "I dunno. I mean, he left my mom and never really told us why. People leave, Chlo. It's something that… Something that terrifies me about this, about us. What if …"
Before the brunette could even get the question out Chloe had covered the distance to her and drawn her into a tight hug. Running her hands up and down Beca's back, Chloe whispered over and over that she wasn't leaving, that she wasn't going to go anywhere. She could feel Beca trembling in her arms, no doubt on the verge of tears, and she knew how much the young DJ hated being so emotional, so vulnerable in public and hoped that Bentley was too busy with screening phone calls to notice.
"Hey, hey now, Becs. It's ok. I told you, I'm not leaving. You're stuck with me now, whether you like it or not, alright? And if your dad has a problem with this," the redhead gestured to the pair of them with her chin, "Then he can go to hell. I'm serious though, I mean, I don't know what it was like back then for you, but I think he can handle this."
Watching the panic recede from Beca's eyes, seeing the tears that had in fact welled up there dissipate as the brunette took hold of herself, Chloe couldn't resist the trembling lips that struggled to contain sobs. Leaning in, she lightly took hold of Beca's chin and whispered, "I'm here for you, Beca. Always."
When she finished she closed the small gap between them and kissed the young girl. At first Beca seemed to fight, to try and resist the comfort and the embrace, but eventually she relaxed in Chloe's arms and started kissing her back. Until a voice that wasn't Bentley's spoke up over the sound of one of the callers for the "Wheeze of the Week".
"Huh. I guess I wasn't wrong about the breakup after all, eh?"
The two girls broke apart at hearing the familiar voice, Beca going so far as to step back away from Chloe and spin towards the door. Standing there, just inside the doorway from the outer room, was Jesse. He had obviously come from some class because he was still wearing his backpack, but his eyes were locked on Beca as the brunette stared wildly at him.
"Jesse… I… I mean." Chloe felt herself starting to panic a little, wondering if this was when Beca was going to tear apart the bridge that they had been carefully building over the last three weeks. Steeling herself for more misery, Chloe was surprised when she saw Beca visibly take hold of herself and then step back towards her, though not as close as they had been. "You were wrong about why we broke up, this is … something new."
Expecting an angry outburst from the Treble, Chloe was again surprised as he calmly nodded and took another step in, a young girl walking behind him. Based on her description, Chloe would have to guess that this was "Alice" the new intern that had taken a liking to Jesse. And judging by the way she linked their arms once they were in the door, he hadn't waited too long after Beca broke things up to let her pick up the pieces.
"It's ok, Beca. I get it, now. I mean, it took a while, but I get it. We were better as friends." He said, smiling at Alice, before turning back to watch as Beca took hold of Chloe's hands. Chloe's eyes moved from the Treble to her girlfriend and saw that Beca was looking back at her as she gave her hand a soft squeeze. "You look … better. If that's Chloe's doing, well, good. Anyway, I need to talk to Bentley, that's why I'm here. We'll, uh, see you guys around?"
The pair watched as Jesse and Alice walked to the booth, stepping wide of where they stood, but neither really felt able to move as the dreaded confrontation turned out to be so … So anticlimactic. As the other couple stepped into the booth and Bentley went to a commercial break, Chloe stepped a little closer to Beca and whispered, "Well, that, uh, that was easy."
"Yeah. Yeah it was. And here I've been avoiding him, or at least avoiding really talking to him, for three weeks…" Beca said just as quietly with a look of wonder on her face. It made Chloe smile as she watched Beca see that yes, some things did work out alright in the end. Pulling Beca's hand drew the young DJ to her so she could place a soft peck on the younger girl's cheek before Chloe stepped back.
"Well, you should get back to stacking your CDs, I guess. I'm thinking I can do some homework while you work, if I won't be too much of a distraction?" Chloe asked, gesturing to her bag where it lay forgotten where she had dropped it once she'd entered the stations back room.
"Yeah… Yeah, I think I'd like that." Beca said, having looked back at Chloe as the redhead spoke. With another amazed glance towards Jesse, Beca shook her head and went back to grab some more CDs as Chloe cleared off a small space on the desk to work. Before heading out to file the latest bunch, though, Beca tilted Chloe's head back and gave the ginger a kiss on the lips and a grin. And apparently planned to make a habit of it as she kept it up each time she returned for more CDs and albums that needed stacking, and Chloe loved every minute of it.
Chloe hated Mondays. She really just didn't like Mondays, though not for reasons that most people didn't like Mondays. Chloe hated Mondays because they were actually her lightest day for classes. Only two classes on Monday for the bubbly redhead, one at eleven in the morning and the second at three in the afternoon. Now, those weren't bad times for classes, considering that on one day she had a class starting at 8:45 in the morning, and another day she had a class starting at 6:05 at night. No, time-wise, those classes weren't bad at all.
What really grated the redhead about Mondays was the way they completely conflicted with Beca's schedule. The DJ had a class that started at 9 in the morning on Mondays and that let out at just after 11, right when Chloe started her class. Of course, in a perfect world Chloe would be out of class at 1 in the afternoon and free for two hours. Well the world is anything but perfect, because starting just after 1pm the Bellas held their afternoon practice, and some of Chloe's classmates usually liked to schedule a study group meeting for 1pm on Mondays. That, naturally, made the bouncy redhead have to choose between going to the study group and doing well in her class, or going to visit Beca and the rest of the girls at practice. Now, since the start of their budding relationship, Chloe had been forced to choose the study group each week in preparation for an exam, and then to work on projects.
Of course, Bellas practice let out just after 3:30pm, right in the middle of Chloe's Leadership, Professional Responsibilities & Ethics class. That didn't let out till 5pm, but by then Beca was at work at the radio station until almost midnight. Hence, why Chloe really hated Mondays.
But, today Chloe had other plans. She was going to be irresponsible and blow off her study group and join the Bellas at practice. It also helped that her School Law professor had been called out by the Dean for something and let class out twenty minutes early. So that was how Chloe found herself sitting on the quad near the Bellas regular rehearsal hall, ear buds tucked into her ears and a series of Beca's mixes playing on her phone to keep her busy while she waited.
A hand falling on her shoulder startled her so suddenly that Chloe couldn't keep back the scream that burst from her lips. Jumping up and spinning, she was already pulling her can of mace from her purse when she finally recognized the person who had snuck up on her. Recognized the person, and was decidedly unsettled at seeing a face she'd thought long gone from her life. Tucking the can back into her purse, Chloe pulled out her ear buds and tried to calm her breathing as she said, "Wow. Uh, Tom. Hi. Um, long time no see…"
"Huh. I guess that's kind of the best response I could have expected, considering how we parted, Chloe. But I at least expected a hug for your ex." The brown haired boy said, opening his arms slightly as though hoping it might still be a possibility.
"No. I mean, of course I'll…" Chloe started to say before slowly moving in and giving a hug to the man who, for the last year and a half or so of her time at Barden had been an on-again/off-again part-time boyfriend and full-time fuck buddy. Quickly backing out of the embrace, Chloe stood kind of awkwardly. Last time she had heard from Tom was the day after graduation when he had told her he was going down to Florida to work at his uncle's surf shop. Speaking her thoughts aloud, Chloe asked, "What are you doing back in town, Tom? I thought you were going to Florida to teach surfing, or something, to tourists…"
"Well, I was down there, and it was fun for a while. But, you know, something was missing, you know?" Tom said, stepping in closer. Chloe resisted the urge to step back, but only just.
"Well, I have heard that sometimes, after college people have a hard time adjusting to life in the real world." Chloe supplied, hoping he wasn't implying what she was afraid of.
"Well, yeah, that was a bit tough. But really when I realized that what I'd missed most from Barden was something I'd left behind…"
"Don't, Tom. Just… Just don't." Chloe said, interrupting him before he could finish what he was saying. "I can't… We broke off our … whatever we had, months before graduation. You were happy about it at the time, in fact I think the weekend after we broke up I saw you hooking up with Sandy from one of Aubrey's classes."
"We're all only human, Chlo. I made a mistake, and now I want to fix it. I want you back, Chloe, I've missed you." The tall brunette said trying to reach out a hand to put on Chloe's shoulder. "I got an apartment down in Smyrna, so I'm not that far from campus. My dad set me up with a job at his company downtown and, well, I want you back, Chlo…"
Chloe was so startled by his admission that she didn't even react as he reached out to take hold of her and pull her in. It wasn't until his lips were pressed against hers, lips so rough and hard compared to the soft, delicate touch she'd grown used to, that Chloe stepped back in shock, one hand pressing against her lips in shock.
"Oh my god. I so can't do this. I'm with someone now, Tom. Someone serious, and... And I just can't do this." Chloe said, panic welling up inside her at everything.
"Seriously, Chloe? You don't do serious… Come on, baby. We were good. We can be good again. Just give me a chance." Tom stepped forward again, arms raised to try and kiss her again. Chloe reacted instinctively, her right arm reaching out and slapping him across the face, hard. As he reeled from the blow, Chloe turned and practically ran across the quad, heading for comfort, heading towards home. She heard him calling her name, heard words that didn't register as she fervently hoped she was having a nightmare.
Beca slowly made her way across the quad from her dorm room heading towards the Bellas' rehearsal space, headphones on and music playing as was her general mode of conveyance across campus. She was a little early, but since it was Monday and Chloe was in class for another fifteen minutes at least, Beca hadn't had anything else to do but sit in her dorm and think about the upcoming meeting with her dad.
The redheaded devil woman she had seemingly attached herself to had proved to have a silver tongue indeed, and after only another two or three conversations over the weekend had persuaded Beca that she needed to let her dad know what was up. She had wanted to do it this week, but between her packed full schedule and Chloe's, who had offered to be there for support which Beca greatly desired, Beca didn't think there was a day that would work until Sunday. She had gotten a text from her dad just before she'd left her dorm telling her that the step-monster would be leaving for Colorado Springs for some conference on Sunday and wouldn't be back until three days before the Semis. Now as soon as Beca had heard that, she had gotten excited, preferring to tell her dad and only her dad, but she had a feeling that the vixen would want her to wait until her stepmom could attend as well.
Well, she'd send Chloe a text once she got to the rehearsal room and had things setup for practice. The redhead probably had her study group again today, but she usually answered texts when she was there, as opposed to during class. Walking in the backdoor of the small theater that the Bellas used for practices with the key she had inherited from Chloe upon taking up her captaincy, Beca moved through the room and started turning on the lights. A quick stroll through the room showed her that the drama classes that met here occasionally throughout the week when the room wasn't being used by them or the BU Harmonics for their practices had left the place in relative order, and after only a couple minutes she had things setup as the Bellas would need. A quick glance at the clock showed her ten minutes to start time, and so Beca moved off towards the front door, the door through which most of the girls would enter, to unlock it so they could all get in.
A quick flip of the lock did the trick, and Beca decided to poke her head out to see if any of the girls had shown up early like she had. The soft, afternoon Georgia sunlight streamed in through the open door as Beca poked her head out and looked left and right. Spotting no familiar Bellas, the brunette was about to duck back inside when a sudden movement from the grass caught her attention. Raising her head, Beca looked up to see the beginnings of a nightmare. Chloe, her back towards Beca, stood a little ways off into the grass near one of the large oak trees that dotted the campus. Standing in front of her, partially blocked from view by the redhead's breathtakingly beautiful body, was a face that the brunette DJ recognized only too well. Tom, the shower guy, and from what she had been able to gather, sometimes boyfriend of Chloe, stood before her girlfriend smirking his trademark grin at the redhead. As Beca watched, she saw the tall brown haired boy step forward and embrace Chloe, his lips pressing against the redhead's in a very familiar manner.
Panic, pain, anger, and shame all converged into a gigantic ball of lead that dropped through her stomach to crash somewhere around her ankles. Not wanting to watch any longer, especially as the redhead hadn't immediately slapped the asshole across the face, Beca backed hastily behind the door, pulling it shut behind her. She felt her world starting to crack and fray at the edges as emotions boiled inside her, waves of anger crashing into cliffs of hurt and betrayal. Fighting back a sob and the accompanying tears, Beca hurried inside the building farther until she found herself standing by the piano that usually occupied the rehearsal area. Not wanting to face the Bellas in her current state, Beca panicked again as she thought she heard voices coming from the front of the building. Grabbing her bag and cell, the brunette dashed quickly out the backdoor, heading straight to her dorm to hopefully work out what the hell was happening, tears starting to fall as she ran across the campus.