Author's 1st Note: Hey, everyone! Hope you and your families are staying safe and healthy during these crazy times!
I'm lucky to be able to work from home, though that hasn't left me much time for writing, so apologies for the late updates.
But do not fear, the new chapter is here!
For this one, all I'm going to say is...
Brace yourselves.
It wasn't easy resisting each other in the shower. In fact, it was probably the most amount of effort Beca and Chloe had both put into keeping each other's hands off of one another. They wanted nothing more than to have their lustful way with each other, but the unfortunate time crunch they were given didn't allow for such luxury.
After their joint shower was over, Chloe put on a white bra and matching underwear and sat down on the toilet to re-bandage her wound.
Once Beca had dressed in her own undergarments, she noticed what Chloe was doing and knelt down to assist her.
"I got it," she said, her eyes focused on the injury, unable to see the smile that slowly curved on Chloe's lips.
"Thanks."
Chloe had already spread some fresh anti-bacterial cream over her cut, courtesy of the small first aid kit she found under the sink cabinet. She had also taken out two gauze pads and a roll of white medical tape, and had them laid out and ready on the sink counter.
After making sure the wound was properly covered in Neosporin, Beca took the gauze pads and carefully placed them over Chloe's cut. She didn't intend to hurt Chloe, but she accidentally pressed on the material a little too hard and Chloe flinched at the sudden sting.
"Ah," she hissed, startling Beca.
"Shit!" Beca yelped, gritting her teeth and looking up at her apologetically. "I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?"
Chloe's leg relaxed as the slight pain quickly subsided. "No, it's okay. I'm fine," she said, breathing a short laugh. "Just wasn't expecting it to sting. Didn't mean to scare you."
Beca huffed a sigh of relief, "Fuck, okay," and then she was laughing. "That did scare me a bit. Not gonna lie."
Chloe laughed in return but eventually fell silent as she watched Beca intently as she grabbed the small roll of white medical and cut a few pieces to finish securing the bandage.
It was cute but it was sonot like Beca. If someone would have told Chloe that Beca would be dressing a wound of hers with care, Chloe would have laughed bitterly and told them that they were insane.
Yet there Beca was, securing the white tape as gently as she could, making Chloe fall deeper into the pit of amorousness she had unwittingly dug up for herself.
"There," Beca said, grounding Chloe back to the present and smiling as she looked up at her, her hands still on Chloe's thigh. "All good."
Beca pushed herself up to stand and turned to leave the bathroom but was stilled when Chloe reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"Hang on," she said, grinning as she pulled Beca back to her. "This patient would like to thank her doctor." She could feel Beca smiling against her as they kissed and Chloe wished she could freeze time and stay in the moment forever.
But alas, such wish could not be granted.
They separated all too soon and moved on to carry out their usual dressing routines.
For dinner, Beca chose to wear a black, loose fitting shirt that slanted on one side, exposing her shoulder. Her hair was curled as usual, but she tied the top half of it into a small ponytail. That, combined with her choice in tight, ripped dark jeans and high heeled boots, and Beca made for one hot looking alt girl.
The same could be said for Chloe. Well, accept for the "alt" part. She wanted to wear something that would accent her necklace, so she went with a sleeveless, aqua colored blouse, a white skirt and tan wedge sandals. She decided to straighten her hair, and though she knew it would ultimately go to waste– considering the humidity in the night air would eventually ruin it– Chloe still wanted to look especially pretty this evening… for no particular reason.
Beca came out of the bathroom, running her fingers through her hair to loosen her curls, and stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted Chloe applying her lipstick in front of the mirror. Her eyes fell to take Chloe in and when her gaze came back up, Beca's breath hitched in her throat.
Chloe was staring right back at her through the reflection and smirked.
"Like what you see?" she asked, turning around with a glint of mischief in her eyes.
Beca licked her lips, "I mean," and shrugged. "I guess." She grinned and took a slow step forward. "Ya know. If you're into that sorta thing."
Chloe grinned back and her eyes became hooded once Beca came up to stand right in front of her.
"Are you into this sort of thing?"
Beca didn't answer right away, her eyes pointedly flitting back and forth over Chloe's as her gaze grew stronger in intensity.
A tight knot started to form in Chloe's throat as she stared back at Beca. She assumed Beca was going to kiss her, but to her surprise, when Beca leant forward, instead of pressing her lips against Chloe's, she tilted her head and dipped lower to press a soft kiss on Chloe's neck, just below her jawline.
The gesture shot a surge of electricity through Chloe's body and her eyes fluttered as a quiet gasp escaped her.
She smiled when Beca separated from her. "What was that for?" she asked, noticing the way Beca's cheeks were flushed.
"Didn't want to ruin your lipstick," was her response, but her gaze was playful and her impish smirk made Chloe's heart race.
Chloe chuckled, breathlessly. "Well, thank you."
"You're welcome." Beca smiled at her before turning away to walk over to her makeup bag and finish creating her look for the night.
Chloe forced herself to look back at the mirror and she inhaled deeply, realizing just how deep she really was in that pit of affection and wondering if she was ever going to find a way out of it.
After dinner, the Bellas were feeling good and were ready to hit the night scene. Together, they decided to visit one of the clubs they still hadn't been to and were glad to see it was already packed with people.
They huddled around the bar to get a few shots in before letting loose on the dance floor, and when the second round was poured, Stacie held her small glass up into the air.
"Here's to two more crazy nights with you aca-bitches!" The rest of the girls cheered and raised their shots as well. Well, except for Emily, who instead was holding up her shirley temple.
They tipped their heads back and swallowed the burning liquid, some of their expressions cringing as the bitter taste registered on their taste buds.
"Seriously, you guys," Aubrey said, trying to speak over the loud music. "This trip has been amazing. I'm so happy we were all able to do this together."
Jessica and Ashley's eyes became watery and they both had a hand held to their chest as Aubrey spoke. Flo, Emily, Chloe and Cynthia-Rose were nodding in agreement while Beca and Fat Amy snickered and mumbled some sarcastic comments to each other.
As for Lily… wait. Where the hell was Lily?
"I can't believe it's almost over already, but–" Aubrey smiled. "I know the memories we've made on this cruise are going to last a lifetime."
Beca snorted. "I'll say," she muttered, quietly, her gaze dashing over to Chloe, where she found the redhead already smirking back at her.
How exhilarating it was sharing the dirty little secret they had. It was something that was theirs and only theirs… well, okay, and Jesse and Stacie's, but that was different. And Stacie's knowledge of such secret was still something Beca had yet to discover.
"Alright, well I don't know about y'all," Aubrey said, grinning widely. "But I'm ready to hop onto that dance floor. What do you girls think?"
"Shit, I been ready," Cynthia-Rose said, some of the other Bellas hollering in agreement behind her.
"Me too!" Flo said, grabbing Emily's hand and spinning around to start heading towards the dance floor. "¡Vamonos, chicas!"
With another collection of whoops and hollers, the Bellas made their way towards the flashing lights.
The air was suddenly hotter and mustier the moment the girls reached the large sea of writhing bodies. Aubrey led the way, making her sisters hold hands until they all reached an open spot.
Once they located an opening, the Bellas instantly fell in tune with the music and started to dance with each other. As the songs passed some of the girls turned to dance with other people, while others grew tired and went back to the bar.
Chloe had been dancing with Aubrey and Stacie, though for a few strange moments she felt like she was nothing but a third wheel. When Stacie's thirst for alcohol eventually returned, she easily convinced Aubrey to grab another drink with her, and they excused themselves while Chloe opted to stay by herself on the dance floor.
One of her favorite songs was on and there was no way she was going to miss it.
She closed her eyes and brought her hands up until they disappeared into her hair, swaying her body and hips in time with the tempo of the beat and getting lost in the music.
She smiled as she let the melody take over her actions, but her blissful moment was abruptly disturbed when Chloe unexpectedly felt a pair of hands curving around her waist.
Fucking men. Why did they always think a girl dancing alone on a dance floor was an open invitation for them to grab her and grind their boners against her?
Chloe was about to spin around and politely refuse the person's invitation, but instead she stilled when their voice suddenly appeared next to her ear.
"Wanna dance?"
Chloe knew that voice.
She grinned as she slowly turned around. "Depends who's asking," she said, instantly recognizing Beca, despite the terrible lighting.
Beca tightened her grip around Chloe's hips and tugged her forward. "I'm asking," she smirked, her eyes hooded. "So what do you say?"
Chloe was flattered by the gesture, but worry started to creep it's way into her mind. "Beca," she said, her eyes glancing to the side. She wondered if Beca had already had one too many drinks. "Aren't you worried that we're in public?"
Beca's brows rose and her eyes went wide as she took a moment to look left and right. "We're in public?!" she mocked, slowly smirking as Chloe gave her a deadpan expression and playfully smacked her arm. "I'm pretty sure most of these people are already half drunk. And as for the Bellas–" Beca pressed her thigh between Chloe's legs as she pulled her impossibly closer. "I think we can manage at least one dance before any of them come looking for us."
Chloe's tongue licked over her lips as her gaze danced over Beca's. She was really enjoying this new version Beca, and if it was a dance that she wanted, then a dance was exactly what she was going to get.
"Okay," Chloe said. She wanted to say more, but with the way Beca was pressing into her, Chloe just couldn't manage any other words. Luckily her short response was enough for Beca and as a new song began to blend with the last, Beca grinned and pressed her forehead against Chloe's.
Their eyes stayed locked on each other's as Chloe draped her arms over Beca's shoulders and their bodies began to move to the loud music.
The bass vibrated in their chests and the colored lights blurred everyone around them. It felt like just the two of them in the moment. Just like it had the first time they danced together. And the second.
And like every moment they shared together since they boarded this magical ship.
Chloe tangled her fingers into Beca's hair as their hips swayed to the beat. It was hot and humid on the dance floor, but when Beca pressed her body perfectly against Chloe's, Chloe swore she felt goosebumps rise all over her skin.
The song eventually changed and when Chloe pulled away, thinking their dance was over, Beca surprised her by spinning her around and tugging her back so that her backside was pressed up against Beca's front.
"And where do you think you're going?" Beca asked, her lips brushing against Chloe's left ear.
"I… thought our dance was over," she admitted.
"Do you want it to be over?"
Chloe's eyes suddenly widened. Was Beca still talking about the dance, or was Chloe picking up on something else hidden in her tone.
Do you want it to be over?
The dancing? No. The sex? Hell no.
Their relationship? Whatever it may be at the moment…
"No."
Moving on impulse, Chloe turned around and placed a hand on Beca's cheek to pull her into a kiss. It was a huge risk, Chloe knew that, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to kiss Beca. She needed to.
Her worries melted away when she felt the tip of Beca's tongue graze against her lips. The gesture instantly triggered the memory of the first kiss they had ever shared, and it was almost like deja vú.
Chloe opened her mouth to Beca and breathed a moan through her nose as they tasted each other. It had become so easy for Chloe to get lost in moments like this one with Beca. Moments she thought would never in her wildest dreams come true.
Chloe was lost in it all.
When they separated, Beca was wearing a lazy smile and her eyes were hooded again. "You want another drink?" she asked, brushing the tip of her nose over Chloe's.
"Sure," Chloe said, already feeling drunk, but on something entirely different.
Beca smiled, "I'll be right back," and turned to disappear into the crowd.
Chloe grieved Beca's absence, but knowing it wasn't going to be for long kept her excitement up. She danced solo as she waited, fending off two different guys that had approached her in the process, until she suddenly felt hands on her hips again.
That was fast, Chloe thought, turning around to face Beca.
"What happened to the–" She stilled and her eyes went wide in fear. "Chicago?!"
He kept his hands on her hips, and with Chloe too stunned to remove them just yet, a confident grin curved on his lips as he brought her closer.
"Well would you look at that," he said. "We meet again." His eyes raked over Chloe's body and his hungry gaze made Chloe sick to her stomach. "Shall we dance?"
"Uh- Umm…" Chloe's throat felt dry as she stared at Chicago with her mouth hanging open. Her heart began to race as the panic settled in, and the very first thing that came to her mind... was Beca.
Beca, she thought.
She needed to get to Beca.
"Hi, Chicago," Chloe finally said, nervously. She grabbed his hands, which were still resting on her hips, and calmly removed them. "You actually caught me at the wrong time." Her smile was forced, but it looked real enough. "I'm taking a break from dancing. I was actually going to go meet up with my sisters at the bar, so–"
She stepped away to leave, hoping her quick excuse was enough to escape him, but Chloe was disconcerted when Chicago stepped with her.
"Oh, that's perfect," he said, smiling brightly. "I could use a drink. My treat."
Shit. Chloe wasn't going to shake him. At least, not alone. She had to get to the bar. She hoped Beca would still be there and could help her get away from him.
If it were under any other circumstances, Chloe would have been more than thrilled to have the attention of someone like Chicago. But with everything that had happened between her and Beca, Chloe couldn't imagine herself being with anyone else.
Chloe smiled, reluctantly. "O-Okay." She turned and squeezed her way through the thick crowd, silently praying that she would find Beca quickly and be rescued from her predicament.
By the time she made it to the bar, Chloe was defeated to find that Beca was nowhere in sight. She did, however, find Aubrey and Stacie sitting at the farther end of the bar, so Chloe quickly pushed her way over to them before Chicago had a chance to catch up to her.
"Guys!" Chloe said, slightly out of breath. It was really hot in this club.
Aubrey was taking a sip from a martini glass when she spotted Chloe and her eyes sparkled as she smiled at her.
"Chloe!" she said, waving at her with her free hand. "Come sit with us."
"Guys," Chloe said again, stepping closer to them.
"Hey, were you still dancing all this time?" Aubrey asked, noticing the sweat glistening on Chloe's cheeks and forehead. "We couldn't see you out there."
"Aubrey, wait stop–" Chloe had no time for small talk. "Listen, I just ran into Chicago. I don't have time to explain, but when he shows up can you guys please–"
"There you are."
Fuck.
Chloe was out of time.
"Chicago! Hi," Aubrey said, smiling widely as she greeted him. "What are you doing here? Are your other friends here, too?"
"Hey, ladies," he said, coming up to stand next to Chloe.
While Chicago and Aubrey conversed, Chloe made eye contact with Stacie and tried her best to convey her feelings through her gaze.
Stacie looked back at her with a raised brow. It was clear she was confused, until Chloe widened her eyes, flicked her gaze over to Chicago and shook her head as she mouthed a silent "Where's Beca?"
Stacie's mouth dropped in an 'O' shape and shook her head as she shrugged. She hadn't seen Beca since their first few drinks.
"Yeah, Jesse, Benji and Luke should be somewhere around here," Chicago continued. He lifted his head up into the air to see if he could spot his friends, but when he couldn't find them, he shrugged and slipped an arm around Chloe's lower back, making her flinch. "But I ran into Chloe on the dance floor and she said she wanted a drink so…" He grinned. "Here we are."
"Oh, really?" Aubrey smirked and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at Chloe. "Well that's lucky."
Ugh… If only Aubrey knew.
"I'll say." Chicago waved down one of the bartenders and Chloe swallowed hard as she tried to think of a way out. "What do you want to drink?" Chicago asked, snapping Chloe out of her thoughts.
"What?" she blinked, releasing her lower lip from it's previous snare. "O-Oh, uh… surprise me?" She could really care less what kind of drink he got for her, because in all honesty, she didn't even want it!
"Alright." Chicago continued to run his order with the bartender, and when Aubrey turned her body to look out at the dancefloor, Chloe tried to silently communicate with Stacie once more.
She mouthed the word "Help" but Stacie brought her hands up as she mouthed back a "How?"
Chloe was seriously stuck. She wished Stacie could help her, but she knew there was really no way for Stacie to get Chicago away from her. Chloe was going to have to get out of it all on her own.
And preferably before Beca saw them together.
The bartender placed their drinks on the counter and Chloe stared at them with apathy. An opened bottle of heineken and a cosmo.
Such a guy's choice.
"So how'd I do?" Chicago asked, smiling as he grabbed his beer. Chloe actually hated cosmos and pressed her lips together in a reluctant smile.
"Great," she said, warily taking the pink drink in her hand.
"Cheers!" Chicago said, tilting his bottle towards Chloe and waiting for her to clink her glass against it.
Chloe's brow curved. "Cheers…" She lifted her glass and couldn't help the way her eyes continued to dart around, searching for Beca.
Chicago watched her closely as he slowly took a swig of his beer. "So, Chloe…" Chloe hummed in response, but her attention was elsewhere.
She really, really, really needed to find Beca.
"We've only got two more nights on this cruise and I gotta tell ya–" He put his bottle down and cleared his throat. "There's something I've been wanting to do since I first saw you in that store a few days ago."
With the loud chatter around them and her continuous thoughts about Beca's whereabouts, Chloe didn't fully understand what Chicago was saying and dismissed him, unaware of how much closer he was physically getting to her.
"Chloe." He still couldn't get her attention. "Look what I'm trying to say is–" He waited for her to look back at him, to acknowledge him in any way, but when it was clear her attention was focused elsewhere, Chicago decided to take action. He slipped his hand around the base of her skull and startled her when he suddenly turned her face towards him and planted his lips firmly against hers.
Chloe's eyes instantly widened and she brought her hands up to push against his chest. Chicago didn't take the hint and instead of separating and backing away, he pulled Chloe closer and pressed himself further into her.
Aubrey and Stacie had been silently watching them and when Chicago made his bold move, Aubrey gasped while Stacie choked on her drink.
"Oh, shit!" Stacie sputtered, coughing and wiping her mouth as her eyes then shifted to the side and landed on something much more harrowing. "Oh, no…"
"Chloe?"
Despite the loud surroundings, Chloe could hear her name loud and clear.
No.
With a new found strength, Chloe finally shoved Chicago away and stared at him angrily. "Get off me!" She quickly turned to face her left side and Chloe could feel her stomach sink the moment her eyes landed on Beca's face.
Her eyes were just as wide as Chloe's but they were glazed over in a way that made Chloe's heart ache. Her brow was curved and her lips were parted while her hands held the two drinks she had originally gotten for her and Chloe.
No. This wasn't supposed to happen.
"Beca," Chloe said, taking a cautious step towards her.
Beca's stunned and hurt expression suddenly morphed into one that Chloe hadn't seen since the beginning of this trip, and it made Chloe panic.
She knew this was not going to end well.
"Wow," Beca said, shaking her head as she started to take a step back.
"No, Beca. Wait, please–" Chloe said. She didn't want to lose Beca. Especially not like this. "I swear it's not what it looks like!"
Beca chuckled bitterly and it made Chloe's chest feel tight. She knew that sarcastic snicker all too well.
It was never a good sign.
"Sure." Beca smiled bitingly and nodded, turning to a couple chatting beside her and handed them the drinks that were in her hands. "Here. Free drinks."
The man looked at her, confused. "Uh… no thanks," he said. "We're good."
Chloe bit down on her lower lip as she watched the exchange, nervous as to what was to come next.
Beca pouted her bottom lip with a shrug, "Fine," and dropped the drinks to the floor, watching them shatter into a handful of pieces.
"Beca!" Chloe gasped, getting her attention but flinching when Beca only scowled back at her before whipping around and pushing through the crowd to head for the exit. "No, Beca! Wait!"
Chloe immediately chased after her and Aubrey stood up from her chair to follow.
"Wait. What the hell just happened? What is going on?" She looked to Stacie for an answer, but Stacie wasn't sure how she should respond.
Was it her place to out them? Definitely not. So she had to try a different approach.
Stacie grabbed Aubrey's hands, "Maybe we should just let them sort it out. It's probably just another one of their fights."
Aubrey's eyes narrowed, "I don't know," and she turned her head to look back over her shoulder. "That didn't seem like a normal fight." She shook her head. "I'm going to go see what's going on." She slipped out of Stacie's grasp and quickly headed for the exit.
"Aubrey, no! Just let them–" Stacie tried to get her to stop, but Aubrey had already disappeared into the crowd. "Shit."
Chicago was still looking dumbfounded and came up next to Stacie. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked.
Oh, the fool.
Stacie glared at him, "You have no idea," and shook her head before following behind Aubrey.
By the time Chloe made it out of the club, Beca was already a few feet away from her, power walking away. "Beca!"
Beca hesitated and her head turned slightly, but she quickly resumed her walking, forcing Chloe to jog up to her.
"Beca, stop!" She grabbed Beca's hand to stop her and Beca turned to yank her hand out of her grasp.
"Don't fucking touch me!" Her eyes were glossier than they had been before and Chloe felt like her entire world was crumbling around her.
"Beca, please listen to me," Chloe pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes. "I know how that looked but I promise you I didn't kiss him."
Beca snickered. "Oh, really?" she said, her expression morphing into an angrier one. "Cause it sure looked like you were kissing him to me!"
"No! He kissed me! I swear. I-I tried to push him off," Chloe tried to explain, taking a cautious step closer to her. She could see in her peripherals that their argument was drawing a crowd, but she didn't care. All she cared about, in this moment, was Beca.
"Oh, yeah. You were really putting up a fight back there, Chlo," Beca replied, sarcastically.
Chloe wasn't sure how she could right this wrong, but she knew she had to keep trying.
"Beca, please," she said, taking another step and lowering her voice. "I swear I'm telling you the truth. Please believe me. I wouldn't do that to you. I…" Chloe paused and she could hear Beca take in a sharp breath as her cobalt eyes desperately flicked back and forth over hers. "I lo–"
"Hey, what's going on?"
Damn Aubrey's terrible timing.
Aubrey suddenly appeared by the exit of the club with Stacie, and they were both abruptly joined by Chicago and Jesse.
Chloe carped the moment Chicago appeared. He seriously needed to go. But when she turned back to look at Beca, Beca's brow was deeply curved in anger and a tear had fallen from her left eye.
Beca gritted her teeth and shook her head as she glared at Chloe. "You're just like your mother." Her bitter comment made Chloe's jaw fall and before Chloe could stop her, Beca swiftly turned away and ran in the opposite direction.
"Beca!" Chloe tried once more, but she knew she wouldn't get Beca to come back. It was then that Chloe allowed her tears to fall, and she curled forward, into herself as quiet sobs started to escape her.
"Chloe, are you okay?" Aubrey asked, gently placing a hand on her back. "What happened?"
Chloe's sobs slowly turned into short breaths as a flash of anger suddenly took over and she straightened herself up before spinning around on her heel.
"Chloe?" Aubrey said, watching her march right up to Chicago.
Before Chicago could get a word out, he– along with everyone else watching– was completely stunned when Chloe unexpectedly reeled her hand back and smacked him hard across the face.
"Ah!" he yelped, in pain, staring at Chloe in shock as he brought a hand up to hold his burning cheek. "What the hell was that for?"
Chloe looked absolutely furious and she poked her finger roughly against his chest as she snapped at him. "Next time you feel like kissing someone, make sure you fucking ask for their permission first!"
She could see four red finger marks radiating on his cheek and she groaned before turning away. Chloe knew her relationship with Beca had just taken about ten steps back, and although Beca may have been upset with her, Chloe was not about to give up on her that easily.
She chased after Beca in hopes that she would find her, leaving her friends with nothing but shock and confusion.
"Okay, will somebody please tell me what's going on!" Aubrey shouted. She wanted answers and she wanted answers immediately. "Are you okay?" she asked Chicago, who was still holding his hand against his face.
"No, actually," he said, looking at her. "I'm not. What the fuck is her problem?" He was upset, that was clear. Though there was one person in the bunch who was glad that he was.
"You deserved that smack, Chicago. Don't act so surprised."
Chicago slowly turned around and gawked at Jesse. "What?"
Jesse wasn't feeling any sympathy towards Chicago and he crossed his arms over his chest as he challenged him.
"You wanna tell them why we're on this cruise?" Jesse asked, firmly. "Or should I?"
Chicago's eyes widened. "Jess…" he said, a warning laced in his tone as he lowered his voice. "What are you doing? What happened to Bro-Code?"
"Screw your 'Bro-Code,' dude!" he said, loud enough for everyone around them to hear.
Chicago had never seen Jesse angry before and he certainly wasn't expecting this kind of betrayal. Though, it was really only a matter of time.
Jesse pushed Chicago aside and approached Aubrey and Stacie.
"You want to know why we're on this cruise?" he asked.
Stacie and Aubrey just looked at each other awkwardly.
"Jesse, don't," Chicago tried, but Jesse continued anyway.
"It's because we're celebrating Chicago's engagement."
"Dude!" Chicago groaned, covering his face and shaking his head.
Both Aubrey and Stacie's jaws dropped.
"This trip was supposed to be his bachelor party," Jesse added. "Luke is his best man and Benji and I are his groomsmen." He felt Chicago grab his shoulder.
"Jesse…" He didn't look angry anymore. He looked hurt. Disappointed, even. But Jesse didn't care. "Why are you doing this?"
Jesse frowned at him. "Because you crossed a line and they deserve to know the truth."
"You're engaged?" Aubrey asked, coming up behind Jesse, looking very upset. "And you still slept with Chloe?!" She pushed him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Jesse and Stacie's eyes widened and Chicago brought his hands up in defense, furrowing his brow.
"Woah! Hey. What are you talking about?" he asked, before it suddenly hit him and he chuckled. "Wait a minute. I know what you're talking about." He smiled and shoved his hands in his pockets as he shook his head. Yeah, uh… Chloe and I never slept together."
Stacie pressed her lips together, fighting the urge to speak while Aubrey was left even more bewildered than before.
"Hang on," she said, focusing her eyes on him. "Chloe told us that you two slept together on our first night here. We even saw the bite mark that you gave her!" Which was partially true. Aubrey did see the mark. "She's been disappearing with you every night and has been acting weird ever since she met you." She snickered, thinking she had just backed him into a corner. "There's no point in lying any further, Chicago. I know you've been fooling around with her."
"Bite mark?" Chicago said, tilting his head.
"Oh, shit…" Stacie quietly muttered.
"Look I don't know anything about a bite mark, but I do know that I'm not lying," Chicago continued. "I've been trying to hook up with her every night since we met you guys but you're right when you said she kept disappearing because she kept disappearing on me, too!" What he was saying wasn't making any sense to Aubrey. "Chloe and I never slept together. Trust me. I wouldn't lie about that."
Aubrey's expression softened as her mind reeled with a million new thoughts. Chicago did sound sincere, but it still didn't make sense. "But..." Her eyes darted around as her brain tried to process everything at once. "If Chloe didn't sleep with you that night then–" She turned to look back at Stacie. "Who the hell did she sleep with?"
Stacie knew it was too late to salvage the situation. There was no way she could lie to Aubrey now.
Stacie sighed in defeat before walking up to place a hand on Aubrey's shoulder. "Why don't we go somewhere else to talk, Bree," she said. "There's something I gotta tell you."
Author's 2nd Note: What goes up, must come crashing down in burning flames...
Yikes. I'm so sorry to be doing this to you guys, but it must be done. *wipes tear*
Follow me on Tumblr for sneak peeks and other work: not-so-average-fangirl
Stay tuned!