Beca knocked on Aubrey's bedroom door around 11:00 am the next morning.
"Come in," she heard Aubrey say, and she opened the door.
"Hey," Beca said. "I'm getting ready to leave for the diner because I want to pick something up for Chloe on my way."
"Do you want to ride with Stacie and me?," Aubrey asked.
"Thanks, but I'm going to Chloe's after," Beca said. "We have plans later."
"You can still ride with us," Aubrey said. "Invite Chloe to dinner tomorrow night, and she can bring you back home. I know my mom would love to see her."
"Let me text her and see," Beca said. She pulled out her phone and sent the text to Chloe. She walked over and sat on Aubrey's bed. "What are you doing?"
"Just studying for a test we have on Wednesday," Aubrey replied. "I'm sure I'll do fine, but I don't want to take any chances. Plus, basketball season is coming up, and they have more games so we'll be cheering a lot. I don't want to get behind in my studies. It's hard to catch up."
"I hear you," Beca said. "I'm going to go tell Carol I invited Chloe to dinner tomorrow. Give her and my dad a heads up."
"Okay," Aubrey said. "I'll get ready so we can leave if she agrees to dinner."
Beca leaves and goes to find Carol. Her phone pings as she's walking down the stairs. She looks to see the text is from Chloe accepting her dinner invitation. She walks into the kitchen to find Carol wiping her hands. Her father is sitting at the counter with a glass of juice.
"Hey, Dad. Hey, Carol," Beca said. "I hope you don't mind, but I invited Chloe for dinner tomorrow, and she said yes. I'll go home with her tonight after we do our double date thing with Stacie and Aubrey and she'll bring me home tomorrow afternoon."
"Sounds good to me," Carol said with a smile. "We haven't seen her here in a while."
"It's still nice outside," Ben said. "Why don't we grill some burgers or steaks or something?"
"Mmm, a cookout," Beca said. "I'm in."
"Me, too," Carol said. "We'll throw together a few sides, and we should be all set. I'll tell Aubrey to invite Stacie."
"I'll tell her," Beca said. "We have to leave to meet Chloe at the diner."
Beca left and ran upstairs to Aubrey's room. Aubrey was just coming out the door.
"Chloe's in for dinner tomorrow," Beca said. "Carol said you should invite Stacie. We're going to have a cookout."
"I'll tell Stacie on the way," Aubrey said. "Are you ready?"
"Let me just grab my overnight bag," Beca said. She went into her room and grabbed the bag and met Aubrey in the hallway. "Let's go."
The two girls head for the stairs. "Where did you need to stop on the way to the diner?"
"I want to get Chloe some flowers," Beca said.
"Oh, what's the occasion?," Aubrey asked.
"None, really," Beca replied. "We've been together almost three months, and I just wanted to do something nice."
"That's sweet," Aubrey said. "Let's go to the florist first. I'm stealing your idea and getting Stacie flowers, too."
Beca smiled as they climbed into the car. Aubrey drove off as they chatted about the flowers. They arrived at the florist and went inside. Once the bouquets were done, they got back in the car and went to pick up Stacie. Aubrey parked in front of the house and grabbed the flowers for Stacie from the back seat. She walked to the door and knocked.
"Hey," Stacie said and gave Aubrey a quick kiss.
"These are for you," Aubrey said handing Stacie the flowers.
"What did I do to deserve these?," Stacie asked with a big smile.
"I just wanted to let you know how much you mean to me," Aubrey said.
Stacie kissed Aubrey and thanked her. "Let me just put these in water and then we can go."
Beca had moved to the backseat so Stacie could sit in front with Aubrey. Aubrey got behind the wheel and drove off. They arrived at the diner about twenty minutes later.
Beca looked around as she got out of the car. "I don't see Chloe's car," Beca told Aubrey. "Why don't you two go in and get us a booth. I'll wait for Chloe out here so she can leave her flowers in the car."
"Okay," Aubrey said taking Stacie's hand.
Beca leaned against the front of Aubrey's car so she could watch for Chloe. Stacie led Aubrey to "their" booth and sat down. She looked out the window to see Chloe pulling into the parking lot.
"Chloe's here," Stacie told Aubrey.
"Hello, girls," Melissa said. "You two here by yourselves?"
"No," Aubrey said. "Beca was waiting for Chloe outside. They'll be just a minute."
"Good," Melissa said. "Can I get you girls the usual to drink?"
"Yes, please," Aubrey said. "Where's Alex?"
"She's not feeling well," Melissa said as she went behind the counter. "I'm handling the diner today and tomorrow. Hopefully, she'll be better by Monday."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Aubrey said. "Give her our best."
Melissa brought the drinks over. She noticed Stacie looking out the window with a furrowed brow. She looked out the window as well.
"Everything okay, Stacie?," Melissa asked.
"What?," Stacie said turning to look at Melissa. "I'm sorry. What was that?"
"I just asked if everything was okay," Melissa said.
"Um, with me, yeah," Stacie said. "It just looks like Chloe's crying. But it doesn't look like a happy cry."
Melissa leaned forward a bit and grew concerned when she saw Beca holding Chloe tightly. "I'm going to go check on them."
Melissa went outside as Stacie and Aubrey watched out the window. Melissa walked over; Beca saw her and gave her a small smile.
"Everything okay?," Melissa asked.
"I'm sorry," Chloe said with a half laugh, half cry. "I'm just being overly emotional. I had to cancel our date for tonight because my grandma's sick and we're taking dinner to her and Beca gave me flowers. It was all a bit much."
"Okay, I was just worried," Melissa said and gave Chloe's arm a gentle squeeze. "I'll leave you to it and see you inside."
"I feel like an idiot," Chloe told Beca as she wrapped her in another hug.
"Don't be silly," Beca said. "I'm sorry we aren't going to have our date, but we'll see each other at my house tomorrow. Okay?"
"Okay," Chloe said and wiped her face.
Beca reached up and wiped a tear from Chloe's face. She kissed the redhead and said, "Let's go in. Stacie and Aubrey are probably worried."
"Okay," Chloe said and held up the flowers Beca had given her. "Let me put these in the car first. It was almost like you knew I was upset."
"Just wanted to do something nice for you," Beca said and blushed slightly.
Chloe kissed Beca. "Thank you. You really are the best girlfriend ever."
Chloe and Beca sit across from Stacie and Aubrey. Chloe assured their two friends that she was okay and was just overly emotional. They sat chatting about Chloe's grandmother, just making sure she was okay.
"Enough talk about sick grandmas and overly emotional redheads," Chloe said with a small laugh. "Let's talk about why we're really here."
"Something tells me you've already given this a lot of thought," Aubrey said.
"That's because I have," Chloe said with a big smile.
"Oh, no," Beca said. "What do you have planned for us?"
"Well," Chloe said and looked from one girl to the other and stopped when she landed on Aubrey and pointed at her. "You have to wear the Crestfield Cavaliers mascot uniform, and you two," she points between Stacie and Beca, "have to wear Crestfield hoodies and walk around your neighborhoods in Barden singing 'We Are The Champions!'."
"No way!," Beca squealed.
"I'm with Beca on this," Stacie said. "They'll kill us."
Aubrey sat with her mouth agape. "Why do I have to wear the mascot uniform?"
"I thought you'd all feel this way," Chloe said. "So, I'm offering to wear a Barden Raiders cheer uniform and walk around my neighborhood in Crestfield singing the Barden fight song IF Barden should win."
The three girls glared at Chloe. "Give us a minute," Beca said. "Go talk to my mom or something while we discuss this."
"Okay," Chloe said cheerily and grabbed her empty soda glass. She walked over and sat at the end of the counter. "Hey, Melissa."
"Hey, Chloe," Melissa said. "Can I get you something?"
"Another drink, please," Chloe said handing her glass to Melissa.
Melissa refilled the drink and set it on the counter in front of Chloe. She looked over at the booth where the others were in, what looked to be, a serious discussion.
"What's going on over there?"
"They're discussing our bet for the Barden-Crestfield championship game. I told them the stakes, and now they have to decide whether to accept or come up with a counteroffer."
"What was your bet?"
Chloe told Melissa what she had come up with and Melissa started laughing. The three girls looked over at Melissa and Chloe; Chloe smiled and waved at them. They ignored her and went back to their discussion.
~oOo~ ~oOo~ ~oOo~
"I don't like it," Beca said once Chloe was out of earshot.
"Neither do I," Stacie said.
"I'm not that thrilled with it either," Aubrey said. "I mean our Barden schoolmates would not take kindly to us prancing around in Crestfield outfits singing about how Barden lost."
"We have to come up with something else," Stacie said.
"That's all good in theory," Beca said. "But, what would we counter with?"
Aubrey shook her head and chuckled. "You have to admit; it's a pretty good bet."
Beca smirked and said, "You did say she was shrewd and cunning."
"Guys, let's focus here," Stacie said. "If we take this bet and Barden loses, we are going to be the laughingstock of Barden."
"Honestly," Beca said. "I think most of the student body will think it's funny. I'm just worried about Chloe if we take this bet. It's just her. At least we have each other."
"I agree," Aubrey said.
They heard Melissa laugh loudly and all three heads turned to look at her. Chloe looked back at them with a big smile and waved.
"What if we counter with," Beca started and paused thinking for a minute. "I got it. The loser has to wear a shirt for the opposing team to school for the entire week after the game. AND, they have to take a picture of them wearing said shirt in front of their school."
"That might work," Aubrey said. "We can express our concerns for her and tell her this seems like a fair trade. Right?"
"Right," Beca said.
Stacie looks back at Chloe and then turns back. She lets out a sigh. "Okay. I agree we should make the counter-offer."
~oOo~ ~oOo~ ~oOo~
Chloe sipped at her soda and looked back over at the table. She smiled when she saw how seriously they were discussing the bet. She let out a sigh when she Beca smirk at something.
"God, I love that stupid smirk," Chloe sighed.
"Ah, to be young and in love," Melissa said causing Chloe to jerk her head back around. Her cheeks were pink.
"Sorry," Chloe said.
"Don't be," Melissa said. "You look at my daughter the way I look at Alex. Like she's the only person you see."
"They sure are being serious about this bet," Chloe said changing the subject. She really wanted to spend time with Beca and was still a little upset that she had to cancel their date.
"I think you have them running scared with your proposal," Melissa said with a smile. "Head up. Here comes Beca."
Just then Beca's arm reaches in front of Chloe as she places three empty glasses on the counter. "Hey, mom," Beca said. "Could we get some drink refills, please?"
"Me, too, please," Chloe said pushing her glass toward Melissa.
"You got it," Melissa said and cleared the dirty glasses.
Beca moved between Chloe's legs and leaned in to kiss her. "Mmm, thank you," Chloe said with a grin. "So, what did you guys decide?"
"We'll discuss it when we get back to the table," Beca said. "Until then…" Beca kissed Chloe again and hugged her.
"Here you go," Melissa said setting the sodas on the counter.
"Thanks, mom," Beca said as she reached for two of the glasses.
"Thanks, Melissa," Chloe said and grabbed the other two.
Beca and Chloe walked back to their table and sat down. Melissa watched for a few seconds and then walked over to the table as well.
"We have a counteroffer for you," Aubrey said. "We thought that since it's just you that it wouldn't be fair to make you wear a Barden cheer uniform and sing by yourself."
Melissa was at the table now and asked, "Before you get too involved, did you want to order some food?"
"Yes, please," Beca said quickly.
The girls were giving their orders when April came from the kitchen. "Hey," she said to the girls.
"Hey, April," Beca said.
"So, what do you think about Crestfield and Barden having to play each other for the Conference Championship?," April asked Beca.
Beca laughed. "We were just discussing that."
"I hope you don't feel too bad when Barden loses," April said with a smile.
Chloe held her hand up for a high five. "Yes!"
"Don't be so smug," Beca said. "We already beat you guys once."
"You got lucky," April said unimpressed.
"We won because we're the better team," Aubrey said.
April let out a snort-type laugh. "Keep telling yourself that."
"Ooo-ooo," Chloe said teasingly. "Maybe we should include April in on the bet."
"What bet?"
"We were just discussing it." Chloe went on to explain to April what she had suggested for the bet.
"Yeah, but we have a counteroffer," Beca said.
"Let's hear it," Chloe said, turning to look at her girlfriend.
"We only came up with it to make it easier for you, Chlo," Aubrey said.
"Yeah," Stacie said. "We didn't think it was fair that you had to do it by yourself when it was three of us."
"Okay," Chloe said. "Thank you for your consideration. Now, what's your counteroffer."
"Wait," Melissa said. "I want in on this. I think Crestfield can easily beat Barden."
"I want in, too," April said. "It will be fun."
"My own family," Beca said putting her hand over her heart. "Fine. Our offer is that the loser, sorry, losers have to wear a shirt for the opposing team to school for the entire week after the game. AND, they have to take a picture of them wearing said shirt in front of their school."
"Give us a minute," Chloe said and stood and motioned April and Melissa away from the table.
"I like it," Melissa whispered.
"Me, too," April said. "It's just embarrassing enough that we won't get killed in the off chance Crestfield loses."
"I agree," Chloe said. "Let's make them sweat a little though and act like we're really discussing it."
"Okay," Melissa said with a grin.
"So, my boyfriend's band is changing their name again," April said.
"Isn't this like the fifth time in a month?," Chloe asked.
"Something like that," April said.
"I think we should go back to the table," Melissa said looking over Chloe's shoulder. "Aubrey and Stacie keep glancing back here, and they look a little nervous."
Chloe glanced over her shoulder and laughed. "Okay. I think we've made them suffer enough. Game faces, ladies."
The three turned with a serious look on their faces and looked down at the girls sitting in the booth. Chloe took a deep breath and let it out.
"After careful consideration," Chloe said and looked at April and Melissa. The two nodded solemnly. "We have decided." Chloe paused and looked at her three friends who were holding their breaths waiting for an answer. "Your counteroffer is accepted. It's a bet!"