~AW GUUYS! I loved reading all your comments on the last chapter! I'm not sure if you guys have noticed but the chapters are getting longer and longer. I started out with CH.1 somehwere around 1.5k words, but this one is hitting 6.8k words! Lots of important stuff in this one but had to slow it down cause I gave y'all too much with CH.20. lol Enjoy
"Hey." Beca's voice was calming through the phone, it was deeper and softer somehow. Like she had just woken up from a nap. And Chloe noticed, because she's heard it in the mornings when they would wake up together. And she's heard it whenever Beca was done mixing her songs after hours of silence in front of her laptop and mixing equipment. And she's heard it whenever Beca was half asleep next to her, trying to stay awake just to talk to her, to keep her company when she couldn't sleep. It was Chloe's favorite sound. And hearing it made her happy. Happier than she has been all day, if she wasn't counting when Beca let her kiss her that morning.
"Hi." Chloe sighed contentedly as she laid on the bed in the guest bedroom of Aubrey's house.
The couple had already gone to bed after an entire day of endless phone calls and frustrating discussions about colors and flowers and themes and guests that normally Chloe would love, if she wasn't constantly analyzing every single interaction between the couple.
She was exhausted but she could never turn down a phone call with Beca.
".. Jesse came over again, he just left like an hour ago."
The redhead sat up and leaned against the headboard. She hugged her legs close to her chest, bracing herself for what was to come. ".. Oh yeah?"
".. Yeah, we kind of made up."
She tensed up and bit her bottom lip, trying to stay calm as fear jump started her heart.
What does that even mean?
"Um-What does that.. What do you mean made up?" She shut her eyes tightly as she rested her forehead on her knees. Her breath slowed in anticipation for Beca's answer.
"We're.. I guess.." Beca paused for what seemed like forever. "Friends."
"Friends?" The redhead breathed out.
"Yeah.. best friends? I don't like saying that out loud. Long story short, he came over, we talked and hugged it out and we're okay now, I guess. You know, I never realized how much I missed him.. as a friend." Chloe felt the tension release as she finally remembered how to function as a human again. This was a good thing. Great, even. Beca's relationship with Jesse was fixed so that means that Beca is happy and that makes Chloe really fucking happy, ecstatic even. "He said he still needs time, though."
"Just like that?"
"Yeah, just like that. He um..he helped me with something."
"Oh yeah? What's that?"
".. I don't think it's something I should tell you over the phone."
"Fine then." She feigned offense. "Don't tell me."
"Look Chlo, just know that it's something good, okay? Good for me. Don't worry about it. It's all good."
"Well anyways, I think that's really great, Beca. I'm happy for you two."
"Thanks, Chlo.. That reminds me, he wants to talk to you. He'll be at the wedding so that means he'll be at the engagement party too. Will you be okay with that?"
"Why in the world would he want to talk to me?"
"Well, he-"
"And why would I not be okay with that?"
".. Umm.."
Beca was stuck again, like always whenever Chloe was involved. Why would Chloe not be okay with that? Jesse and Chloe had always gotten along relatively well considering Jesse's ability to put on a smile whenever the redhead was within ten feet of Beca. But Chloe wasn't Beca's new fling or anything like that. It wasn't like there should be a lot of tension expected between the two right? Tension between the ex and the woman she was not so secretly swooning over? Never heard of it. There's no drama there. No tension at all. Or at least none Chloe should be concerned with, according to Beca.
And now that she thought about it, Beca realized that she wasn't quite ready for Jesse to apologize to Chloe just yet. Because if he did, then Chloe would know what hurtful things he said about her behind her back. And if Chloe found out about that, then she would be heartbroken. And a heartbroken Chloe Beale is a heartbreaking thing to witness, that's something Beca knows all too well. She's seen it once before when Chloe found out that guy Tom had cheated on her way back in their first year. It was as dreadful for Chloe as it was for Beca- okay, not really, but still- she watched the redhead cry herself to sleep for two days in a row and even then, Chloe wasn't back to her bright, peppy self until they had spent the summer together with the redhead's family. But during those days, those heart wrenching days where Chloe Beale was in fact not Chloe Beale, Beca was there for her. Granted, she didn't know what the hell she was doing, but she was there, offering the little condolence she could, which was pretty much everything she had to give.
Plus, Jesse had reasons for saying those things behind Chloe's back - horrible, shitty reasons that don't justify anything he said- but still.. reasons. And Beca knows that Chloe would go to the ends of the Earth for those reasons, because she's the type of person that everyone loves and she would go out of her way just to understand why that one person, out of hundreds, just might not like her as much as everyone else did. And if Chloe knew of those reasons that made Jesse say those things, then everything else will unravel. Secrets will be out in the open. The beans will be spilt. The cat will be out of the bag.
And Beca was not ready for that.
Not by a long shot.
So maybe Jesse shouldn't apologize after all.
"Becs?" Chloe's voice snapped her out of her daze.
"What?"
"You okay?"
"Yeah why?"
It was the truth. Beca was fine. Yeah, she just realized she's gay, but a few hours of constant hyperventilation and a shot of hard liquor can calm down a raging bull.. if that bull was as much of a lightweight as she is, of course.
"You sound kinda different. Like you're speaking softer than usual. Do you have a sore throat? Are you getting sick? We have nyquil in the-"
"What?"
"Are you getting sick?"
"No I'm not.. I don't have a sore throat, I'm not getting a cold.. It's summer, Chlo. I don't think I'm getting a cold anytime soon."
Chloe laid back down onto the bed and began to trace the comforter pattern with her fingertips. "Good." She sighed.
"How's the wedding planning with Aubrey going? God, that sounds so awful, I have a headache just thinking about it."
"It was okay. I couldn't really focus. What are you doing?"
"I'm working on the song. Just keep talking to me, sometimes when I'm distracted, my body goes into autopilot and it does things on instinct that I would never think of doing and it usually turns out great."
"So.. distract you?"
"Yeah. How was your day?"
"It was busy.. Yours?"
"Busy but in a boring way. I kinda wish I saved that spa day for myself."
"We could always go together." Chloe teased.
"No thanks, you came back high last time." Chloe breathed out a chuckle as her phone beeped indicating a notification. It was a text from Aubrey.
11:48 pm
Breezy: I can hear you flirting your face off. I'm trying to sleep here. Tone down that toner
Chloe smiled at the text, she quickly sent back a "sorry" to the blonde before continuing her conversation with Beca.
"Have-" Her phone beeped again. This time it was an email. "Hold on.." She sat up to look at it.
"Mhm." The brunette happily hummed, tapping away on her laptop.
She clicked on the notification and quickly skimmed the email. It was from one of the elementary schools that she sent out her applications to. She scanned the email as fast as she could and her eyes fell on two specific words.
"Interview" and "Wednesday".
"Beca.."
"Yeah?"
"I have an interview next week."
"Really?!"
"Yeah." She huffed out in relief.
"That's great, Chlo."
"I really want to scream right now but Aubrey is sleeping."
"So?"
"So she needs her rest."
"Okay I'll scream for you. You ready?" She braced herself as she heard the brunette take a deep breath. "Chloe, oh my god you have an interview next week, that's amazing and wonderful and I'm really fucking happy for you!"
"Okay, okay.. nothing happened yet, it's just an interview."
"..You-you're gonna nail it, Chlo."
"Thanks, beb." Chloe bit her lip as she twirled her hair on her finger.
"You're going to get a job and we're gonna pay all our bills on time and build up our credit, and we'll be domesticated adults, and stay in on friday nights and it'll all be so damn boring but it's going to be so great. We could have game nights and play scrabble cause I'm so fucking good at scrabble, Chlo.. Chlo, I'm so good at scrabble. Don't worry, I'll let you win sometimes just to keep you coming back but once you think you're finally better than me- BAM! I'm back on top."
"It kind of sounds like you're going to propose to me." Chloe teased through a wide smile that made her grateful that they weren't skyping.
"Bitch please, we're practically married already."
".. Are you drunk?" Chloe couldn't think of any other explanation for that sentence.
"I m-might have taken a shot or two to calm my nerves.. What of it, woman?!"
"Nerves?"
"Yeah.. nerves." Beca sighed.
"You gonna tell me what you're doing, being all nervous for?"
"I wouldn't call it being nervous.. more like in shock."
"Well, why are you in shock?"
".. It ain't none of your business, little lady."
"Little lady? I could beat you up."
"You probably can, no one's arguing that point, but just 'cause you're bigger than me, doesn't mean you're still not tiny as shit, ya' tiny shit."
"Maybe not, but it does mean that you don't get to call me little lady. In fact, I should be calling you little lady.. little lady. Or maybe tiny shit. Yeah, I think I like tiny shit better."
"I'm not complaining.."
"Tiny shit? You're going to accept that? You're not thinking straight."
Chloe was confused when Beca laughed loudly.
"I'm totally not." Beca giggled. "..Guess what."
"What?"
"I think I just finished the song."
Chloe hopped off the bed and darted to Aubrey's dining room looking for her laptop that she had left on the table. After spotting it on the dining table, she quickly snatched it and retreated back into the privacy of the guest bedroom. She dove back onto the bed and swung the laptop lid open after quietly shutting the door behind her.
"I'm skyping you right now, pick up."
"We don't need to skype, Chlo."
"I want to see your face, shut up." Chloe grinned widely when Beca's face popped up on the screen. "How do you feel about it?" She quickly brought up her email on another tab and waited for the email to arrive.
Beca hung up and set her phone aside before scratching her head.
"I don't know what to think anymore. You know when you work on something for so long, you can't even formulate a real opinion on it anymore 'cause.. I don't know, you know what to expect from it? I don't know, I just need a fresh mind to tell me what's up, and guess who that is?"
"Your one and only?"
"If you want to call it that." After receiving the email, the redhead hastily downloaded the file and plugged in her headphones. "Can you stop being so excited? What if it's not as good as you expect it to be? I feel like you're setting the bar awfully high."
"Beca, nothing you will ever do can ever disappoint me, okay? Now can you please shut it while I listen to this."
Beca watched closely as Chloe listened to the song, but it was hard for her to make out her opinion since the redhead hasn't stopped beaming since her face popped up on her laptop screen.
She smiled when Chloe shut her eyes to fully appreciate the music.
She could watch her forever, she thought. She could make songs for Chloe for the rest of her life just to be able to watch her listen to them. And she could be happy doing just that, would be happy. Because when Chloe feels, she feels. It's in her smile and her eyes and her body language, and it leaves its mark. Chloe emits her feelings. She spreads her emotions and it's always so contagious, you can't avoid it to save your life, no one really can, especially not Beca. All Beca can really do is put on a blank face and pretend like Chloe doesn't in fact have that effect on her. But just because she wears that smug look pretty much every day, it doesn't mean she doesn't want to watch Chloe lose herself to her music every single chance she gets. She secretly loves it- making Chloe feel all these different emotions through her songs, it was like her superpower and she would use it as much as she could if she was guaranteed it would have the same effect on Chloe every single time, and so far, it hasn't faulted once.
The song didn't last long enough for either of them.
"Becs.."
"What do you think? Good enough for the boss?"
"Good enough for the boss?!" Chloe quickly caught herself and lowered her voice into a passionate whisper. "This-this is Grammy worthy!"
"Okay, I think you're just trying to boost my confidence with that one."
"Beca, this is.. this is magical.. Euphoric! Orgasmic!"
Beca smiled as she shyly picked at something Chloe couldn't see. "Orgasmic?"
"Yeah.. Multiple times. Like when it slowed down, I got goosebumps."
The brunette nodded, eyebrows quirked. "Multiple times?"
"Yeah, multiple times."
"Fan-fucking-tastic." She turned away from the screen and whispered quietly to herself behind a hand. "This is going great, me. Being gay is so easy.. four hours in and I'm already giving multiple orgasms? High five, Beca Mitchell." She clapped her hands. "Fuck yeah!" She screamed, slapping her knee.
"What in the hell are you yelling about?"
"Nothing. Forget about it." She cleared her throat nervously. "I'm just kind of drunk and I'm probably going crazy. It's fine, really."
Beca woke up the next morning with the laptop next to her. They had stayed up past 2 am, talking to each other like some sad teenagers mutually swooning over each other. She wanted to go back to sleep, she always does, but it was Friday and she had to turn in what she had to her boss.
She quickly copied the audio file onto the flash drive before going to wash up and getting dressed. After an extra long pep talk in front of her mirror, she headed out.
"Reggie, you're late." Her boss jabbed a finger in her face. "Wait. Are you late? Who the hell keeps track of these things?!"
"I'm not late sir, I'm about twenty minutes early."
"Oh.. Damn it, Dax! Get your shit together!"
She turned to find Dax sitting in a corner by himself.
"I'm sorry, sir!" Dax yelled back, his entire right arm buried in a giant bag of cheese cheetos.
"Okay Reg, let's see what you got." Beca followed him into the booth and waited patiently as he booted up his laptop. "How do you feel about it?"
"Um.. pretty good."
"That's good." He held out his hand and Beca quickly placed the drive in it. She stood there nervously as he plugged it in and put on his headphones.
She was slapped in the face with deja vu as he listened. Just a few months ago she was standing in this very spot with Emily waiting for his opinion on Flashlights. It was a good memory she thought. He liked it then, he was impressed. But it could be totally different this time. He could hate this. And it didn't help that he was as still as a statue.
Her palms started to sweat and she nervously began to bite her lip.
She jumped a little when he pulled off the headphones and stood up after about five minutes of complete silence.
"Kid.." He stepped closer to her and held out his hand. Hesitantly, she took it in her own and she smiled when he shook it. "You're gonna go places."
A long breath of relief escaped her lips.
"Thank you, sir."
"See, Dax?! This is how you make music!" He screamed over her head, making her flinch hysterically.
She jumped again when Dax's head popped into the room.
"I'm sorry, sir." Dax glanced at Beca nervously.
"You shut up, you crusty, incompetent tomato!" Her boss yelled.
"Yes, sir."
He turned back to her as Dax left. "Take the rest of the day off, Reg."
"Really?"
"Hurry up, before I change my mind!"
"Yes, sir."
Beca didn't even get to sit down before she heard a knock at the door.
"What's up Chewbacca! Oh wait.. Okay, I was trying to say chihuahua, but with Beca at the end but Chewbacca just came out."
The bellas stood in the hallway, patiently waiting for Beca to let them in.
"Where the hell do you come up with these nicknames, Amy?"
"My mind.." Amy spoke softly as she pointed to her head. "Where else?"
"What are you guys doing here?"
"What, we can't come hang out with you?! We're all ready to go. We came to pick you up.. Let us in already, we brought ice cream and Stardust!" Amy whined and slumped her shoulders before Beca stepped aside to let them in.
"I didn't need you guys to come pick me up, I bought a car."
Everyone gasped but Beca assumed they didn't care enough to ask about the details since they didn't even look up.
"No worries, you could follow us out there, Beca." Stacie offered.
"You guys are early though, I was going to leave later. I haven't even packed yet."
"We know, that's why we brought Stardust and ice cream. We'll only be there for the weekend, it's not like there's a lot to pack." Stacie replied. "Someone put the movie on."
"We don't even have a tv here." Beca gestured to the living room.
"But you have a laptop!" Amy suggested, bouncing her brows up and down.
"No! You guys absolutely cannot use my laptop. I use that for work, I don't want ice cream on it. Who do you think you are, even asking to use it? How dare you?"
"Wow, I didn't know she would be so crazy about it." Amy muttered to Cynthia Rose behind a hand.
Stacie perked up. "Good thing I brought mine just in case!" The tall brunette reached into her bag and pulled out her macbook.
Cynthia Rose stepped back and pointed to the laptop, squinting her eyes. "Yo, I do not want to see any porn on that thing.. I don't trust it."
Stacie rolled her eyes as she sat on the couch and loaded the disc in.
Beca shook her head before heading to the kitchen and grabbing a stack of paper plates and a handful of spoons.
"Don't worry guys, I keep all that locked up. You learn things when you're in the game as long as I've been." The long legged brunette teased.
"What is this game you speak of?!" Amy dropped herself next to Stacie on the couch as Beca approached.
The brunette tossed the utensils onto the coffee table before heading into her room. "Save some ice cream for me please."
"Hurry up! We need to pick up Legacy too!"
The banquet hall was small but Chloe could tell the expenses spared in size were poured into extravagance instead. It was beautiful. Between the lavish chandeliers that hung high over each table and the polished, white marble dance floor, Chloe was stunned.
"Four years, Chloe!"
Chloe jumped when Aubrey yelled at her from the other side of the relatively empty hall.
"I get it!" She hollered back as the blonde approached.
"I don't think you do! Aren't you tired?"
"I'm not talking about my love life right now, Bree. Do you like this place or not?"
Aubrey smiled as she laid a hand on Chloe's shoulder. "Oh, I already made the reservation a week ago. I just wanted to show you it. Nice right?"
"It's gorgeous." Her eyes were glued to the sparkling crystal chandeliers as she nodded in agreement.
"Oh um by the way, I have a little bad news." Chloe's smile disappeared as she watched the blonde wrinkle her nose. She's never been a fan of bad news, but then who is?
"What is it?"
"..I kind of need to kick you out because Luke's mom is coming over and it would rude of us not to offer her the guest bedroom. You understand, right?"
"Oh okay, that's fine I'll just get a motel room with Beca, they're all on their way anyways." Aubrey's wide grin went unnoticed by the redhead who had turned around to admire the dance floor. "Beca's going to lose it when she sees this place."
"She's going to lose it when she sees the farm we're having the engagement party at on Sunday. It has a corn maze."
"Oh my God, she's going to freak."
"Hm.." The blonde sucked on her teeth mockingly. "I recall you saying that you didn't want to talk about Beca about twenty seconds ago."
".. No. I said I didn't want to talk about my love life."
"Beca is your love life."
"No, she's not."
Aubrey seemed to tower over Chloe as she glared down at her. "Look me in the eyes and say that again. I dare you." Aubrey smiled widely. "Go on, give it a shot, Chloe." She said softly.
"I- no.. that's not- she's-.." Chloe sighed. "Okay, I'm done."
"That's what I thought.." Aubrey glanced around the empty room before speaking again. "I think we're done here. Do you want to get some smoothies?"
"Smoothies?" Chloe squinted at her.
"Yeah smoothies, come on Chlo, since when are you the sour puss between the two of us?" Aubrey frowned, trying to guilt trip Chloe. "Has hell frozen over? Are the pigs flying? Is it Y2K all over again? I don't remember getting an email."
".. Sure, fine. We'll get smoothies, but then it's back to phone calls and wedding catalogs got it?"
"Of course! Do you know me at all? I am Aubrey Posen, I get shit done when shit needs to get done. But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a smoothie with my best friend slash maid of honor who I haven't seen in months." Aubrey smiled when Chloe looped their arms, she happily led her back to her car.
The drive was quick, Aubrey had always been a scarily good driver, speeding just enough to move things along without going too fast to where she would get pulled over. Chloe was a bit envious of her eagle eye for police cars. But her constant lane changing always had Chloe on the edge of her seat. And no one knew road rage until they had gotten into a car with Aubrey Posen.
"So, how's it going?" Aubrey smiled as she sipped her smoothie.
They sat outside of a Jamba Juice under the bright Georgia sun that they gladly hid from, under a giant patio umbrella that stuck at an angle out of the table.
Chloe perked up with a wide smile. "I have an interview-"
"I mean with Beca." The blonde happily interrupted.
"Oh.."
"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that you have an interview, bravo, you're going to get the job. I already know that but.. come on, Chlo." Chloe could see the blonde's eyelashes batting away behind her sunglasses. "You've been working at this for four years."
"I have not."
"Yes, you have."
"No, I'd say more like three.. and a half."
"More like a good, solid four years.. Chloe, just 'cause you were with Tom, that doesn't mean you weren't pining over Beca. Just admit that what happened with Tom was bittersweet. You knew it wasn't going to last, I think we all did.. no offense. Yeah, what happened was probably the worst possible way to end things but it had to end sometime, right? Tom wasn't good enough for you and I think that him cheating on you made you finally realize that."
"I don't think you realize how cold hearted you can be sometimes."
"It's called tough love. And I have a lot of it to offer you. You should know that by now."
"Oh trust me, I do."
"I told you not to touch the stove but you did and you got burned."
"Okay but how did you even know that Tom was a stove to begin with?"
"He looks like a stove. He has a stove face."
"I don't even know what you're talking about anymore!"
"Okay, so back to Beca. How is it going?"
"I don't know, Bree."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I don't know how it's going.. I have no idea." Chloe shrugged, lips wrapped around the straw of her drink, staring at her feet through the grill of the table.
"How have you gone this long without making a move yet? Seriously, you two are together all the time and you still haven't done the diddly yet? I am.. stunned."
"Thanks for rubbing it in."
"Oh come on, you know I don't mean it like that.. I think you just need to kiss her, take the chance. It's like what father always used to say-"
"Noo.." Chloe whined, burying her face in her hands.
"If the bungee rope is strong enough, jump, and if it isn't, then be prepared to die. Though, I choose not to take that second part into context, it still applies though."
"Jump? What if I don't even have a bungee rope to begin with? Or any equipment for jumping off of metaphorical bridges."
"Then let Beca know and she'll use her short little legs to run down to the bottom and catch you.. or better yet, she'll buy a gondola and fill it with flower petals for you to land in once you jump.." Aubrey chuckled and leaned closer. "Can you imagine her in a beret, a striped shirt and a pencil mustache, standing in a gondola filled with flower petals, singing for you to jump, from the bottom of a bridge as she paddles in the water. Chloe, can you imagine?! That visual is hilarious. That's something she'd totally do for you. You just have to ask-"
"That's hilarious, Bree." Chloe took a long swig of her drink, grimacing at the brain freeze that soon followed. "You're so funny."
"Trust me, Chlo.. Beca will be at the bottom to catch you."
Chloe perked up when the doorbell rang through the house. She had been waiting for Beca for hours. The sun had already set and Luke's mother had already taken the guest bedroom as soon as she arrived so she was left by herself with her single pack in the living room, slumped over on the couch, browsing every single social media app she had on her phone while Aubrey spoke to the woman in the other room.
She hopped to her feet and dashed to the door to open it for Beca but not before making sure it was her tiny alt-girl first.
Beca grinned widely when she spotted Chloe's face in the window beside the door. "Hey, hey, h-"
Chloe wrapped the smaller girl in her arms the instant she could fit through the crack. She pulled back, flush faced. "Sorry, let me get my bag."
Beca followed her into the house but stayed near the door as Chloe walked off. She was shuffling her feet on the welcome mat when Aubrey emerged from the kitchen.
"Beca!" The blonde approached with her arms stretched out.
"What's up, Aubrey?" They quickly hugged as Luke approached.
"Becky!"
Beca thought her eyes were going to fall out from rolling them too hard.
"Hey, Luke." She recoiled when he came at her, arms wide. He lifted the brunette into the air as he hugged her tightly. "Okay! Jesus! Put me down!" She was happy when he complied and took a step back.
"You ready to be my wedding DJ? First gig, eh? I'm honored to be your first." She smiled when Aubrey punched his arm. "Oi! Bloody hell, that hurt. Why do you hit me like that?"
"It doesn't hurt, shut up."
"I'm sorry, are you me? Do you feel what I feel? If I say it hurts, then it fuckin hurts, babe."
"I didn't even hit you that hard."
"Hard enough for it to hurt.." He muttered.
"Okay fine, I'm sorry I hurt you. I won't do it again." Aubrey forced a smile at Beca who stared wide eyed back.
"You don't mean it." He mumbled under his breath.
"Luke, really? We have guests."
Beca was feeling awkward, like she was physically shrinking. She couldn't tell if the fight was serious or not. They seemed playful but serious at the same time. It was confusing her and she prayed for salvation. And luckily, that salvation came in the form of the lovely Chloe Beale, struggling with her bag as she turned the corner.
"Oh, Chloe! Do you like.. need help with that? Let me help." Beca spoke loudly over the couple in hopes to get them to stop. She was relieved when they both took a step back as she was stepping between the two very tall blondes.
"Um.. sure. Thanks, beb." Chloe smiled sweetly as Beca swung the duffel bag over her shoulder and strode out the door. She quickly bid her farewell to Aubrey before following the brunette out to her car.
"So, I guess Legacy is bunking with us because she's a baby and we're the responsible mama bears. She's waiting for us with Amy and CR."
"That's fine. How is she? I miss her."
"She's okay, I don't know. She's also spending the next week with us at our place. Just cause.. you know, the wedding. Plus it's summer, and she doesn't have anything else to do.. I don't think she has friends that are her age." Beca wrinkled her nose at the thought of Legacy being lonely over the summer.
Chloe on the other hand, had other things on her mind. 'Our place'. They're two painfully simple words but that didn't stop Chloe from getting all giddy whenever they floated from Beca's lips into her ears.
"Sounds fun."
"Do you wanna follow me or should we just take my car?" Beca swung the bag into Chloe's trunk a lot easier this time around. Maybe she was subconsciously stalling the last time, she didn't know.
"I'll follow, I don't want to have to come back here to pick up the car. By the way, we're going dress fitting tomorrow at noon. We're pretty much going to be there all day since Aubrey still needs to choose her dress."
"Her wedding is in like a little over a week and she still hasn't chosen a dress yet? She's losing it, Chlo."
"I know.. Maybe I'll have a talk with her tomorrow." Chloe poked her nose before getting into her car.
"Mm.. good luck with that."
"Thanks, I'll need it."
Beca knocked on Amy and CR's motel room door before burying her hands in her pockets again.
"Psst.." Chloe nudged her with her shoulder as they waited.
"What?"
Chloe's lips slowly curled up into a smile. "Hi."
"Really?"
"Don't be rude! I was trying to be cute, say hi back."
Beca rolled her eyes and knocked on the door again. "But why?"
"Come on, Becs. Why do you have to be so grumpy all the time?" Chloe reached out to pinch the brunette's cheek but Beca quickly turned away, out of reach. "You grumpy butt."
"Cause the world doesn't deserve a happy version of me."
"But.. don't I deserve a happy Beca?" Chloe grinned when Beca tried and failed to hide the smirk forming on her lips. "Hi, Becs." She nudged her with her shoulder again.
"Hi." The brunette rolled her eyes again when Chloe threw an arm over her shoulder. "What the hell is taking so long?" She knocked on the door again, this time banging on it. "Can you call them?"
"Sure."
The phone rang and rang and rang before going to voicemail.
"Amy didn't pick up. I'll try someone else."
Beca untangled herself from the redhead to walk over to window and peered in the cracks of the curtain. She sighed when she couldn't see anything inside.
"They're really going to pull this shit on us today?"
Chloe frowned when the call went to voicemail again. "No luck."
"I am not in the mood for this."
"Come on, Becs. Deep breaths, happy Beca. Let's go find her. Okay?" Chloe held her hand out for Beca and smiled when their hands easily slid into each other's. "Do you know what rooms everyone else is in?"
"No. Amy just texted me their room number." Beca muttered through her frown.
"Okay, hey." Chloe squeezed her hand. "Happy Beca." Chloe pulled on her hand and led her along the rooms.
"Oh look, happy Beca is leaving again. Her appearances are very rare so you should be thankful she even showed today.. Look there she goes!" Beca pointed to the sky.
"No, she better stay."
"Too late, she's gone. Bye happy Beca! See you next year!" Beca waved towards the sky with her free hand. "Was fun having you here!"
"Noo, tell her to come back."
"She's gone.. What can I do about it? Nothing, I tell you."
"She'll be back soon."
"You seem pretty confident about that."
"That's because I am confident about it." Chloe pointed over at a truck parked few rooms down. "That's Stacie's truck right?"
"Yeah."
They stopped when Stacie shot out of one of the rooms with Flo behind her and turned to them, arms wide.
"There you guys are! Please! Take the child!" She gestured back into the room as they approached.
"I'm sorry, guys." Emily emerged from the room with a sheepish smile on her face.
"What happened?" Chloe questioned.
"Amy and CR thought it was a good idea to hide from you guys. I was outvoted.."
Beca squinted at her. "..But why?"
"Because-"
"Shut up, Legacy!" Amy shouted from somewhere inside the room.
"Amy, you need to stop being such a bad influence on Legacy!" Beca yelled back. "Her baby brain is too pure for you!"
Amy's head popped up from behind one of the beds in the room. "Well, excuuse me for doing you a favor and trying to get you some alone ti-"
"Shut up, Amy! And please go to your rooms! Everyone!" Stacie gestured Amy and CR forward. "Leave. I drove here, I'm tired, I need to shower and sleep." She glared at the two who slowly emerged from her room.
"Damn, Stace.. Why you gotta be so mean?" Cynthia Rose whined.
"Maybe if you guys would grow up and mind your own business for once, I'd actually respect you."
"Whoa!" Amy shouted, bringing her hands up to hold her head. "Damn, shots fired, CR. Come on, I think we're done here. Someone's in a mood!"
Both Chloe and Beca watched wide eyed as the two walked off.
"Holy shit, Stace.. that was kind of shitty, don't you think?" Beca turned back to the long legged brunette.
Stacie sighed. "I know, fuck. It just came out.. I'll apologize tomorrow, they didn't even really care, look at them."
They turned back around and spotted Amy twerking in the distance with CR cheering her on as she unlocked their door.
"They're fine." Stacie chuckled.
"Still.. shitty." Beca shrugged.
"I know.. Look, I'll see you guys tomorrow, okay?" She turned around and disappeared into the room and Flo quietly followed, shutting the door behind her.
Chloe didn't waste another second to pull Emily into a tight hug.
"Em! I have missed youu!"
"Hi, Chloe." The younger girl chuckled.
"How are you, my baby child? You baby.. Aw you're such a baby.." Chloe squealed. "Look at that baby face. Aw you're so cute."
"I'm.. I'm eighteen, Chloe."
Chloe turned to Beca beside her. "Becs, she's eighteen, she's such a baby! Aw look at her, she's so tall."
Beca played along. ".. A fucking tall baby." She frowned. "Fuck, why did I have to be so damn short?" She turned to find their room and the other two followed close behind.
"Because.." Chloe skipped forward and wrapped her arm around Beca's neck. "If you were any bigger, you'd be too awesome.. and no one would be able to handle it."
Beca smiled at her before pointing to the sky. "Oh look! Happy Beca is back! Yay!"
"Yay!" Chloe chuckled as she bounced, clinging to Beca's neck.
"Wait what?" Emily asked from behind them.
Beca sighed, too lazy to explain their little inside joke. "Long story, Legacy. Don't worry about it."
Chloe snatched the key card from Beca's back pocket and skipped ahead to unlock their door. She grinned and waved back at them before floating inside.
"You guys want to watch a movie?" She chirped as the two brunettes finally arrived to the room.
"No." Beca frowned.
"Yes."
"Two against one! Sorry, beb."
Beca groaned in response as she dragged her backpack into the bathroom, not bothering to pick it up.
She emerged, 5 minutes later in pajamas and her hair in a bun.
"Finally." Chloe joked.
"Shut up." Beca crawled onto the bed and wrapped herself in the comforter as the redhead got up to change.
"What movie do you guys want to watch?" Emily asked, flipping through the boring infomercials about sippy cups that never spill and stuffed animals that light up. She stopped and snuggled into her blanket on her bed after finding a channel with an actual movie on. "Too late, we're watching Pan's Labyrinth."
"What is this?" Beca yawned.
"You'll see."
Emily had fallen asleep an hour into the movie and Chloe was surprised Beca was still even awake, let alone paying attention to the film.
"Becs-"
"Did you see that shit, Chlo? The mouth.. and the cut.. but he drank the whiskey anyways." Beca whispered, not taking her eyes off the tv. "This is not a kids movie, Chloe.. Oh man this is daaark."
"I think you should turn it off. You're going to get nightmares." Chloe said, watching Beca from under the blanket.
"Oh, shut up."
"Come on, Becs. I'm going to sleep."
"No wait.. I just.." Beca trailed off.
"Beca, you didn't even want to watch a movie an hour ago."
"This is a movie I have never seen before that I actually kind of think is interesting enough for me to waste my time on. Please let me have this."
"You can watch it later, Beca. Please? I'm tired and I don't know how Emily is doing it, but I cannot sleep with a movie like this on."
"Oh, so you're not worried about me having nightmares, you're worried about you having nightmares." Beca teased before turning off the tv.
"No."
"Mhm.. I hope you know I see right through you."
"Whatever."
Beca turned to turn off the lamp and quickly settled herself beside Chloe under the sheets.
"Oh wait, shh!"
"What?" Chloe froze as the brunette held her shoulders tightly.
"Do you hear that?"
Chloe slapped Beca's hands off her shoulders before glaring at the brunette. "Stop it."
Beca chuckled quietly. "Do you need me to hold you through the night?"
"Shut up."
"Okay well, I offered. No take backs."
"No wait-"
"Too late. Night, hoe." Beca turned away from the redhead and curled into a ball. "You fucking wimp." She giggled.
"You're so mean." Chloe whispered as she wrapped her arms around the brunette. "You suck, Beca Mitchell."
"You take that back right now."
"Make me."
Beca quickly pushed Chloe's arms off of her waist to turn around and face her. "I hope you have nightmares." She whispered closely.
"If I do, you'll be the one waking up in the middle of the night.. I know how much you need your rest. You might as well hold me now so I'll feel safe falling asleep."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah, it'll like.. carry into my dreams. It's basic psychology, Beca."
"Because you actually know what you're talking about right now, right?"
"Exactly. Don't you want a good night's sleep? I want you to have a good night's sleep. It'd be a shame if you woke up because I was having nightmares.. all because you didn't want to hold me."
Beca rolled her eyes.
"..Should I turn around now?" Chloe asked. "So you can spoon me? I think we fit better that way."
Chloe grinned when she saw Beca's nostrils flaring in the darkness.
".. Hurry up."
~ "You crusty incompetent tomato." the greatest insult I have ever come up with.