It has been five years since graduation. Five years since the Bella's (minus Aubrey) lifted their green caps and hoisted them in the air celebrating the end of college life and the beginning of adulthood. Beca never really thought she'd make it to that day in the first place. She was persuaded in part by a certain Bella co-captain. Not that she'd admit that. She stayed for all the Bella's. Not any one in particular. She would swear it.
(Beca was never known or praised for her honesty.)
But in those five years she managed to make a name for herself. She had produced several big name albums and had a matching number of 5 Grammys sitting on a shelf in her walk in closet. She didn't like displaying them for all to see, it felt weird. Made her feel like she was more of a star than the hermit she really wanted to be.
With those Grammys and albums came certain responsibilities. Responsibilities like tonight. Hosting a New Years party at her LA mansion. It felt gross and slimy, having to wine and done these big names and show them a good time just to make sure she kept up her rep in the business.
But she only agreed to host said party if she was in charge of the maximum number of guests (9 of which were required to be her Bella sisters.) Debating the guest list with her publicist was almost as migraine-inducing as her most recent contract negotiations.
It all didn't matter now as she beamed with delight as each of the Bella's filed into her not so humble abode, making their arrival known with squeals and laughter and more often than not violent hugs for Beca.
She counted each of them as they arrived. Stacie, Fat Amy, Flo, Jessica and Ashley, CR, Emily, and Aubrey. Just one left.
She nervously hovered by the bar nursing her drink and avoiding social interaction as much as she could despite being the host. Her eyes never left the front door for more than a few seconds at a time waiting for the last and most important Bella (not that she would admit that) to arrive.
"Guess who?!"
The words were excitedly whispered in her ear as soft and slender fingers covered her eyes. And even if she hadn't been keeping close tabs on when and which Bella arrived throughout the evening, she'd know that voice anywhere.
But she always liked the game she played with Chloe. So she played dumb.
"Emily?" Beca asked, hiding her growing grin.
"Guess again."
"Stacie?"
"No, you dork!"
And Beca would have rattled off names of every former Bella she knew if she could've kept Chloe that close and her hands on her. But Chloe released her hand blindfold and spun Beca around.
Beca wished she could've had just a little more time to prepare to be face to face with her favorite person in the world and favorite shade of blue staring back just inches from her.
"It's me!" Chloe beamed before tugging Beca closer into a hug that made Beca's lungs feel tight.
"I missed you." Beca said quietly as her arms circled loosely around Chloe's waist almost by muscle memory.
"I missed you more." Chloe leaned back to look at Beca.
There was always a chemistry with them. Even Beca couldn't deny it. But she always chalked it up to being that good of friends. Nothing more. But the way Chloe was looking at her in the dimmed light of her house surrounded by so many people, it felt like something more.
"Beca!" Their reunion moment was cut short by the demanding call of Becas agent.
"God, her voice has become like nails on a chalkboard." Beca muttered for only Chloe to hear before said agent appeared beside her. Chloe let out a knowing giggle, keeping eye contact with Beca as Karen started shuffling her away.
"You can catch up with your college friends later, there's a couple artists you need to meet."
Beca grumbled as she made sure her drink didn't spill before flashing Chloe an apologetic smile.
"I'll be here!" Chloe waved until Beca was lost in the sea of well dressed Californians.
Beca was about to scream in frustration after the fifth small talk chat she "needed" to have with some smooth talking elitist. These people were fake. Her music was real. And she hated that the two sides of a coin had to coexist.
She begged her agent to give her half an hour to just breathe at her own party. Karen reluctantly agreed but made a show of setting the timer on her Apple Watch.
Beca ordered another drink from the bartender that someone had hired to work in her home. After one sip, she heard the familiar soothing voice behind her.
"You seem pretty in demand tonight."
"Not by choice." Beca turned around to face Chloe, giving her a weary smile.
"Your balcony seems pretty empty right now?" Chloe moved next to her, closer than what was really necessary. She motioned for the bartender to give her another mojito.
"Seems like a good place to hide." Beca nodded in agreement as she watched Chloe wrap her fingers around her new glass.
"I'd be happy to keep you company."
Beca didn't need any further suggestion than that. In a swift motion she snagged a bottle of wine from behind the bar and smirked at the man dressed in a tuxedo.
"My party. My rules." She shrugged and led Chloe as discreetly as possible to the sliding doors to her balcony.
It went from chaotic, unwanted noise to peaceful quiet once the glass doors slid shut behind Chloe. Beca looked around at her infinity pool making soothing trickling noises, to her patio furniture and grill she never used. It all felt so wasteful. So extravagant. Someone she never thought she would be.
"You have a really nice house." Chloe broke the silence as she sat down to let her feet slip into the cool water. Her heels being discarded by the door.
"Its not really me, though." Beca set the wine bottle down and awkwardly shucked her flats to the side and rolled her jeans up to join Chloe by the pool.
"Are you happy?"
The question seemed to come out of nowhere and it startled Beca. She never really asked herself that. Of course she was happy. She was doing what she had wanted to do since she was a young teenager. Why wouldn't she be happy?
"Yeah…I- I guess so."
"Guess so?" Chloe finished her mojito with one long sip before unscrewing the bottle of wine.
"Yeah. I mean…I'm making music. I have a nice house. I have money. Why wouldn't I be happy?"
Chloe didn't answer the question but just filled her small glass to the brim and took a sip.
"That's not an answer."
It was both aggravating and thrilling how Chloe could read her like a book. Even after months apart. No one knew her the way Chloe did. No one could push her the way Chloe did while being so gentle about it.
"I don't know." Beca mumbled, taking the bottle from Chloe's hand and refilling her own glass.
"Are you seeing anyone?"
Another question to throw her off guard. Chloe wasn't playing easy tonight.
"No." Beca took a long sip.
"Me neither." Chloe answered.
And for what felt like an eternity the only sounds on the balcony were the small infinity pool waterfall and two pairs of feet sloshing around lightly in the water.
"I'm really glad you came." Beca broke the silence. "I know how hard it is traveling across the country. And just for my party. It means a lot."
"I didn't come for your party." Chloe giggled softly, bringing the glass to her lips again. "I came for you."
"I'm glad…for that." Beca replied, trying not to sound as caught off guard as she was.
"Beca!" The sliding doors opened to let the sound of the party drift onto the balcony. Karen's hissing voice made Beca roll her eyes and reluctantly get to her feet.
"You realize this is your party, don't you? You can't just hide away and expect no one to miss you." Karen scolded as Beca grudingling rolled her pants back down and retrieved her shoes.
"Well the party wasn't my decision, so-"
"I'm sorry, do you not want to be the top music producer in the country? Do you not want music you create to be listened to by millions of people? Because to accomplish those things you have to shake the right hands and smooze the right people.
"Okay." Beca said tersely. Chloe gave her a small squeeze on the arm to try to give her a measure of comfort. It always worked.
"Just a couple more hours. You can make it." Karen rolled her eyes, clearly as exasperated with Beca as Beca was with her.
"I'll be here whenever your duties are finished, I promise." Chloe smiled, instantly relaxing Beca. "I wouldn't leave without the chance to really catch up with you." And with a wink, Chloe disappeared back inside into the music, noise, and bustle of people Beca wished weren't even there.
Throughout the night, despite being yanked into awkward introductions and small talk, Beca had a decent time. She got to catch up with all the Bellas in sporadic moments. Chloe seemed to be hovering in the background. Waiting patiently as always.
Beca couldn't help but notice the lingering glances and little touches shared between the two of them throughout the night. It was as if there was some unspoken agreement that they would have their time - alone time - once the party ended. Beca would be lying if she said every touch and every glance that seemed to last a second or two too long didn't give her goosebumps.
It felt like something was building up. Like something had been building up between them for years. With each drink consumed Beca gained a little more hope that maybe, just maybe, in some crazy alternate universe, Chloe liked her the same way.
"God, you look amazing in professional mode." Chloe managed to sneak up behind Beca once a musician finally moved away to talk to someone else. The tone of her voice sent shivers down Beca's spine.
"How much have you had to drink?" Beca turned around to see Chloe looking at her so intensely she thought she might turn into a small puddle right there on her newly waxed floor.
"Not much." Chloe draped her arms around Beca's neck and guided her backwards to where the Bellas had created an impromptu dance floor. "Dance with me?"
"Of course." Beca grinned, arms moving around behind Chloe's back as they had done so many times throughout college.
The rest of the night, Chloe was pretty much draped around Beca. Her flirting had reached new heights, making the hostess more and more flustered. The red tint in her cheeks having little to do with the alcohol consumed.
Karen had finally given up on forcing Beca into job duties, letting her enjoy the last hour of the year to actually enjoy herself. And Beca chose to spend the rest of her time with her beloved Bellas, Chloe of course always at her side.
In came time for the countdown and all the guests enthusiastically counted down as they watched the New Year's special on the big screen TV. Everyone cheered, a few couples kissed, and then it was back to the normal party. Chloe leaned in close and kissed her cheek, her lips lingering longer than what was typically considered friendly.
"Happy New Year, Bec."
"You too, Chlo." Beca could only grin dumbly at her best friend who dragged her back into another dance.
It was just past 1am when the final guests were trickling out. It was down to Chloe and Aubrey, along with a few workers cleaning up.
"Do you want to share an Uber? I can have them drop you off at your hotel." Aubrey suggested as Chloe walked her to the door.
"I um…" Chloe nervously glanced over her shoulder at Beca who was giving a few instructions as well as a generous tip to the caterer. "I didn't get a hotel room." She whispered conspiratorially.
"Oh my God." Aubrey deadpanned. "Tonight's the night? You're finally going after Beca?"
"Shh!" Chloe hissed through a smile, making sure Beca didn't hear the slightly tipsy Aubrey.
"You need to text me in the morning." Aubrey pointed as she backed down the front steps. "I want the details. I mean…not ALL the details…you know…but text me!"
"I will!" Chloe whisper-shouted and watched until Aubrey was in the uber and being driven off. She locked the door and turned around to lean her back against it. She was delighted to see that Beca was already looking at her. All the workers seemed to have filed out quietly through the garage.
And suddenly it was just the two of them. Like the both knew it was going to end up all night.
"So…guess its time we really catch up, huh?" Beca waved two open bottles of wine with a waggle of her eyebrows.
"About time." Chloe smirked, grabbing two glasses and following Beca to the couch.
It was the most at home Beca had felt in her house since she moved in. Sitting on the couch, in front of a fake fire, drinking wine with Chloe Beale, the secret love of her life.
The longer they talked, the more they laughed. It was refreshing, reminiscing about fun past times, and new stories they had yet to share with each other. Beca felt herself heating up, despite lack of heat from an actual fire, with every touch, flirtatious comment, and every inch Chloe moved closer with each glass of wine they shared.
"So, Beca." Chloe tipped the remnants of the last bottle evenly into her glass and then Beca's. "Do you have any regrets?"
Beca smirked, recalling the last time the subject of regrets came up. She had a brief thought of repeating the words Chloe had whispered to her in that tent years ago back at her but thought better of it.
"I try not to live with regrets. I don't think I'd ever be content."
"That's a good way to live." Chloe nodded, finishing the last few sips of wine and setting her glass down. When she sat back up, she managed to move herself even closer to Beca, yet again. Her hand dropped to the back of the couch and she found herself tracing patterns along Beca's forearm that rested beside her's on the couch.
Beca watched Chloe's delicate fingers move gracefully along her skin, leaving little goosebumps in their wake. The touches, simple as they may be, were making it harder and harder for Beca to breathe normally. She quickly downed the rest of her glass and set it down beside Chloe's.
"What about you? Any regrets?" Beca questioned, trying and failing from keeping her eyes from drifting down to Chloe's lips.
"Just one." Chloe's voice was just above a whisper and she scooted closer to Beca, so close there was no space left between them.
"Are you gonna tell me?" Beca managed to squeak out, letting herself hover beside Chloe, waiting to see what was going to happen in this charged moment. More charged than any of their moments in the past.
"Not doing this a long time ago." Chloe's hands reached up to cup Beca's cheeks and pulled her forward. Her lips, perfectly smooth, pressed gently against Beca's, her thumbs absentmindedly stroking Beca's cheek bones. It was a simple, almost chaste, kiss. But it was all it took for that invisible wall between them to easily come crumbling down to rubble.
They parted briefly, Beca's brain catching up to what was happening. And before Chloe could make a move again, Beca surged forward and kissed her like she had wanted to kiss her for years. The little whimper that escaped Chloe only spurred Beca's confidence. One hand held Chloe's neck, the other curved around her back, nails digging harder as her desire to have Chloe close started overtaking her.
It happened in a flash. Chloe had slipped her tongue into Beca's mouth, making her let out a noise she would have been embarrassed about with anyone else. And then there was a flurry of movement, and before Beca knew what was happening, Chloe was straddling her on the couch.
They both pulled back, taking just a moment to catch their breath. Chloe's eyes were closed, palms resting on Beca's shoulders, knees bracketing Beca's hips, forehead resting against Beca's.
"I've wanted to do that for so long." Chloe smiled before leaning back in.
"Me too." Beca managed to mumble against Chloe's lips, hands winding around a slim waist to pull her closer.
They sat like that for an unknown amount of time, both women lost in the haze of finally giving into the want and need to be with each like this for years. Chloe was the one to finally break their heated kiss only to attach her lips to Beca's jaw, then neck, and then boldly sucked at her pulse point making Beca's fingers claw harder into the skin just under Chloe's shirt.
"Fuck." Beca gasped, tilting her head to allow Chloe the space to do whatever she wanted.
"I don't…" Chloe murmured, placing kisses along Beca's neck, moving to the opposite side. "Want to move too fast." She breathed out before trailing open mouthed kisses along Beca's neck and jaw.
"It's been almost a decade." Beca's hips involuntarily jerked upwards as Chloe's lips landed on a particularly sensitive patch of skin. "I don't think moving too fast would be our problem."
Chloe sat back, smiling insanely brightly down at Beca below her. Their chests both rising and falling rapidly. Both seemingly curious and eager to see where else the night would go.
To Beca's disappointment, Chloe slid off her lap. It seemed far too early to be ending the most amazing make out session of her entire life. Chloe just giggled at the pout on Beca's face and held out her hands.
"Do you want to…" She glanced down, suddenly almost shy. "Take this to the bedroom?"
"God yes." Beca groaned, almost leaping up to kiss Chloe again. Chloe's hands flew to the back of Beca's head, holding her close as Beca guided her backwards, down the hall to her bedroom. It was like a perfect dance. Their bodies, their tongues, hands moving in perfect sync with each other, teasing out all the little sounds they never thought they would share together.
Chloe's back hit the door and Beca blindly reached around her to smack the door handle open. They stumbled through the bedroom door and Beca managed to lead Chloe to the bed where they collapsed with heavy breaths and smiles.
"Are you sure?" Beca asked, hovering above Chloe.
"Yes." Chloe nodded confidently. Her hands reached up and slowly started undoing the buttons on Beca's classic flannel shirt. "I've wanted this for years, Beca." Her voice was shaky, like she was nervous. And in Beca's mind there was nothing for Chloe to be nervous about.
"Me too." Beca said as Chloe undid the last button. She sat back for a brief moment and shrugged the shirt off and tossed it to the floor. "I've never wanted anyone the way I want you."
"You're so hot." Chloe said in awe. They spent a moment admiring each other in the newfound light. Beca grinned shyly at the compliment before leaning down to place wet kisses along Chloe's neck. Chloe just squirmed beneath her, letting out little groans and whimpers with each touch. She was fairly certain she wasn't going to last long this night, but she was fairly certain she wouldn't have to soak in all the pleasure of this one night. There would definitely be encore performances.
It was the best night of both of their lives. They undressed each other slowly, soaking in each new piece of skin being revealed. Their touches were soft and almost unsure, but grew bolder as the night grew on. They took turns kissing and touching to elicit new sounds from each other. While they wanted to make the first time last as long as possible, and soak in each new moment for all it was worth, their bodies still worked on their own.
As sweat-slicked skin moved against each other and hands explored new territory, the sounds became more and more desperate. Neither woman would forget what it sounded like the first time the other came undone under their touch. As much as Chloe had imagined this moment, it was far better than her best dreams. The sight and sound of Beca reaching the pinnacle of pleasure under her hands and mouth was something she wasn't fully prepared for.
And Beca never thought in a million years she could bring Chloe to that brink of ecstasy and send her over the edge. The way Chloe's mouth fell open and she let out a gutteral moan as Beca pushed her into a mind-blowing orgasm was almost enough to make Beca come again.
They laid side by side, catching their breaths, stealing curious and almost awe-struck glances at each other. Chloe reached over and pulled Beca against her, kissing her forehead.
"That was amazing." Beca whispered, pulling Chloe down for a real kiss. "Better than I ever imagined."
"Way better." Chloe nodded in agreement before slipping her tongue inside Beca's mouth, intensifying their kiss almost immediately. She seemed to be pretty much recovered. At least recovered enough for another round…or two. "And we're not even done yet." She smirked wickedly as she swung her bare leg over Beca's hips and bracing her hands on either side of Beca's head. Beca could only bite her lip in anticipation, more than ready to see how long they could make this night last.
Beca woke the next morning to an empty bed, and she shot up in a panic, worried Chloe had snuck out in shameful regret. The panic slowly calmed down when she realized Chloe's clothes that had been hastily disregarded the previous night were still scattered around her bedroom floor. She couldn't help but smile at the memories of the previous night. The new skin she touched, tasted, marked. It was beyond everything she had ever wanted. But the best part was Chloe wanted it too.
She slid out of bed, looking for her own clothing, but unable to find her shirt. She decided to pull an oversized t-shirt and boy shorts from her dresser. She stretched her arms above her head and groaned and the sweet soreness from all her muscles. She ached in the absolute best way possible. After a moment of stretching and convincing herself that the previous night actually happened, she went in search of Chloe.
Of course her best friend - girlfriend now? - had made herself at home in her kitchen. Chloe was busy making a batch of pancakes and eggs on Beca's island stove.
"Good morning, sleepyhead." Chloe glanced up when she sensed Beca in the archway.
"Good morning indeed." Beca smirked and slid herself onto one of her barstools to watch Chloe cook.
"Coffee?" Chloe placed a pod in Beca's keurig and got it started before she received an answer. The answer would obviously be yes.
"You're the best." Beca accepted the mug from Chloe and took the first and best sip.
"Yeah." Chloe's tone was clearly smug as she flipped a pancake on the frying pan. "You made that opinion pretty clear last night."
"Don't be cocky." Beca shook her head as she took another sip.
Chloe made them both a plate with pancakes and eggs and took her first bite in comfortable silence. There was little conversation while they ate. They just enjoyed each other's company, basking in the new atmosphere of their new relationship.
Chloe stood to make herself a second cup of coffee. After adding her milk and sugar she turned to find herself being watched and her lips curved into a smile.
"What are you thinking?" She asked.
"Just…" Beca paused and stood up, still taking in the sight of Chloe. "That last night was the best night of my life. And…I know it's really early to know where this is gonna go. But I can't wait to find out. And I can't wait to find out with you." She tugged the hem of her own shirt that was loosely covering Chloe's upper body. They shared a quick kiss and Chloe let out a little hum, sliding her free arm around Beca's waist.
"The one thing I do know?" Beca's eyes wandered down Chloe's body, lingering on her ample cleavage on display through the flannel. She made no attempt to make it even seem subtle.
"What's that?" Chloe giggled as she tapped Beca's chin to make her look her in the eyes again.
"You look ridiculously good in my shirt."