STRONGER
Chapter 1
NOTE: Set during the first Pitch Perfect movie, this story mentions anxiety and panic attacks; it also talks of an assault (not sexual). I don't write anything graphic but wanted to make you aware in case you are easily triggered when reading about these things.
Beca Mitchell was at Barden Mall with her mom, Sarah, when they heard someone calling her mom's name.
"Sarah?" the voice said. "Sarah Mitchell? Is that you?"
Sarah looked at the woman, and her eyes suddenly widened in recognition.
"Oh, my God!" Sarah said. "Charlotte Beale! I haven't seen you in 15 years."
The two women hugged. Beca stood back and smiled at her mom when she noticed a girl standing behind Charlotte Beale. She tried not to stare, but the girl was gorgeous. She had red hair and obviously took really good care of herself.
"Oh," Charlotte said. "I don't know if you remember her, but this is my daughter, Chloe."
Charlotte took Chloe's arm and pulled her over to stand next to her. Chloe gave them a small smile and looked down at the ground.
"Oh, my gosh," Sarah said. "She was, what, 5 or 6 when we last saw her? She's grown into a very beautiful young woman."
"Thank you," Chloe said, glancing up briefly and looking around before looking back down at the ground.
Beca only got a brief glimpse of Chloe's eyes when she glanced up, but she was mesmerized. They were the bluest eyes she'd ever seen on another human being.
"This is Beca," Sarah told Charlotte. "Beca, the Beales used to live next door to us when we lived in Tampa. You were only three when we moved to Atlanta, but you and Chloe used to play together all the time. Chloe was like your big sister, always looking out for you."
"Nice to see you, Mrs. Beale," Beca said. "You too, Chloe."
"Hey," Chloe said quietly.
"What are you doing in Barden?" Sarah asked Charlotte.
"Chloe goes to Barden University," Charlotte said. "She's a Senior this year and just moved into an apartment off-campus. We're just picking up a few things she needs."
"Beca is going to Barden, too," Sarah says excitedly. "Her dad's a professor there. We live practically on campus but she wants to try dorm living to get the true college experience. We're also picking up a few last-minute things for school and the dorm. Why don't you two join us and then we can have lunch? We can talk and catch up."
"That sounds wonderful," Charlotte said.
Charlotte and Sarah started walking and chatting. Beca looked at Chloe who rubbed her arm and started to slowly follow the two older women. Beca started walking beside her.
"So, Chloe," Beca said. "How do you like Barden?"
"It's a good school," Chloe said, smiling at Beca. "You'll like living on campus."
~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~
The four women had been shopping for a couple of hours when they decided to find a place for lunch. Sarah suggested a diner that's just outside the mall, and they head for it. Just as they are sitting down, Chloe's phone rings.
"Excuse me," Chloe said as she looked at her phone. "I have to take this; it's Brey."
Chloe answered her phone and walked outside to talk. Beca watched Chloe and noticed she seemed to be getting upset. She also noticed that she was constantly looking around like she was searching for something. Or someone.
"Do you think everything's okay?" Beca asked Charlotte, nodding her head towards Chloe.
"Aubrey is her best friend and roommate," Charlotte said, looking toward Chloe. "I'm guessing it has something to do with the Bellas. Aubrey and Chloe are co-captains this year."
"I haven't been to any of their performances," Beca said. "But, my dad said they're pretty good. My mom thinks I should try out."
"I think you'd enjoy it," Sarah said. "Don't be such a music snob."
"I'm not being a snob," Beca said. "It's just kind of lame."
"Don't let Chloe hear you say that," Charlotte said with a laugh. "They are very serious about their acapella."
"Well, Beca has a beautiful voice," Sarah said. "We'll just have to ask Chloe when auditions are."
Just then, Chloe came back to the table looking very anxious and nervous.
"What's wrong, dear?" Charlotte asked.
"Brey won't be here for two more days," Chloe said, nearly in tears. "Her dad has some stuff he needs her to take care of before she can come. What am I going to do, mom?"
Charlotte got up and hugged her daughter.
"We'll figure something out," Charlotte said softly.
"But, you leave tonight," Chloe said, her voice muffled from speaking into her mother's shoulder.
"Go wash your face and calm yourself down," Charlotte said. "We'll talk and figure something out when you get back. Okay?"
"Okay," Chloe said and headed toward the restrooms.
"Is everything okay?" Sarah asked as she watched Chloe walk away.
"Chloe is, um," Charlotte said, sighing. "Not too many people know, but something happened to her when she came home for the summer. She used to be so lively and friendly, but now she's withdrawn and is scared most of the time. She gets panic attacks and doesn't like staying by herself. If Aubrey isn't here, Chloe will have to stay in her apartment alone. Outwardly, Chloe seems to be fine most of the time, but in a flash, she becomes this shy, withdrawn girl that I hardly recognize."
Charlotte rubbed her forehead and looked back towards the restrooms. She wanted to check on Chloe, but she didn't want to upset the girl more than she already was.
"Do you want me to go check on her?" Beca asked, seeing Charlotte's concern.
"Would you mind?" Charlotte said, relieved. "I'm afraid she might have a panic attack, and she hates it when I baby her."
"My cousin gets panic attacks," Beca said and got up. "If Chloe is having one, I know a few things I can do to help."
~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~
Beca walked into the bathroom and saw Chloe standing at the sink. She was breathing heavily, and tears were streaming down her face. Chloe's head jerked up, and her eyes looked panicked. Beca hurried over to Chloe and turned her, so she was facing Beca.
"Chloe, look at me," Beca said. "Just look at me. I need you to breathe slowly."
She grabbed Chloe's hand and put it on her chest, and held it there. She then took Chloe's chin in her other hand and made Chloe look at her.
"Breathe with me," Beca said. "In and out. In and out. Just like I am. Feel it? In and out. It's okay. Just breathe in and breathe out. That's it. Just like that. Now tell me three things you can see around you."
Beca continued breathing in a steady rhythm and waited for Chloe to speak.
"Um, I, um, see a mirror," Chloe said while breathing with Beca. "I see a door."
"Good," Beca said. "One more thing. What else can you see?"
"I see a faucet," Chloe said, her breathing less frantic.
Beca then asked Chloe to name two things she could smell and then one thing she could hear. Chloe responded, and her breathing was close to normal.
Once Chloe was breathing normally, she pulled her hand away from Beca's chest.
"I'm sorry," Chloe said, wiping her tears.
"Don't apologize," Beca said. "Anxiety attacks can happen to anyone. It's not like you can help it."
Chloe turned away and grabbed a paper towel. She wet it and wiped her face.
"Thank you," Chloe said quietly.
"Um, your mom told us about you being nervous alone," Beca said. "I know we just met, but if you need someone to stay with you in your apartment until your friend gets here, I'll do it."
"You'd do that?" Chloe asked. "For someone you just met?"
"You forget," Beca said with a mischievous grin. "You're like my big sister. What kind of sister would I be if I let you enjoy the freedom of your own apartment all alone all weekend? With no parents?"
Chloe actually smiled. Beca's heart started beating faster. Chloe Beale was a sight to behold, but when she smiled, Beca swore she could hear angels singing.
"I'd like it if you'd stay with me," Chloe said. "Thank you, Beca."
"Consider it done," Beca said. "Now, I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Let's go eat."
"Can we wait a minute?" Chloe asked. She breathed in deeply and then let it out slowly a couple of times. "Okay, let's go."
Beca smiled and turned to open the door. Chloe grabbed Beca's arm, stopping her. Beca looked at Chloe.
"Thank you. I'm sorry you had to see that," Chloe said, looking at Beca. "I can usually control it before it gets that bad."
"Stop apologizing," Beca said. "It's not like you can help what happens."
"How do you know how to do all that?" Chloe asked. "That stuff that helped calm me down."
"My cousin has anxiety and gets panic attacks," Beca said. "She's my best friend, so I learned what to do in case I was around when she had one."
"Well, thank you again," Chloe said.
"Do you like pizza?" Beca asked as she opened the door and waved Chloe through before she followed.
"I do like pizza," Chloe said. "Especially Pizza Oven pizza. They have the best pizza."
"No way," Beca said. "Luigi's has the best pizza."
"You are so wrong," Chloe said.
As they walked to the table, Beca and Chloe continued to argue over the best place to order pizza from.
"No way is the Pizza Oven pizza better than Luigi's," Beca said. "Luigi's has a thin crust, and they cook it in a real brick oven."
"But the Pizza Oven has Hawaiian pizza," Chloe said. "With pineapple and ham. It's delicious."
"Ew, gross," Beca said as they sat down. "I may just have to disown you."
Chloe slapped Beca on the arm. Charlotte and Sarah watched the two girls with surprised looks on their faces as the girls took their seats.
"Is that any way to talk to your long-lost sister?" Chloe asked and laughed.
Beca let out a laugh as well. Charlotte was amazed at the sudden change in Chloe's behavior. Charlotte couldn't hide the big smile on her face as she watched Chloe be like the old Chloe. Beca may just be what Chloe needs.
"Long-lost sister?" Sarah said, looking at Beca.
"Long-lost older sister," Beca said with a laugh as Chloe slapped her on the arm again. "Who seems to like to beat up on her younger sister. Mom, make her stop."
"You started it," Chloe said.
"Did not," Beca said.
"Did too," Chloe said and stuck her tongue out at Beca.
They both started laughing, and Sarah and Charlotte just looked at each other and then back at the girls. Just then, the waitress came by.
"Hey, Beca," the waitress said, looking at Beca with a smile.
"Oh, hey, Lisa," Beca said and smiled back.
"Would you like to order now?" Lisa asked the group.
"Yes, please," Sarah said. "Sorry it's taken so long, but we had to wait for these two children to get back to the table."
"No problem," Lisa said as she looked at Beca again. "What can I get for you?"
Everyone gave their orders. Chloe was last and quietly gave her order; Beca glanced at her to make sure she was okay. Chloe gave her a small smile, and Beca turned back to Lisa.
"I'll be back in a few minutes with your drinks," Lisa said and walked away.
Beca watched her for a minute. She looked back, and Charlotte and Sarah were looking at her.
"What?" Beca asked.
"Who's that?" Charlotte asked her.
"Lisa Matthews," Beca said. "We went to school together."
"The way she looked at you," Sarah said. "I think she likes you."
"Mom, please," Beca said. "Just because a girl looks at me doesn't mean she likes me."
"Beca," Sarah said. "Not all girls are like she who shall not be named. You have to forget about her and find someone who will love you for you."
Chloe glanced over at Beca and started listening to the conversation.
"Can we not do this here?" Beca said, nodding her head toward Charlotte and Chloe.
"Fine," Sarah said. "But we will talk about it tonight."
"Sorry, gonna have to pass on any talking with you tonight," Beca said and smiled. "I promised Chloe I'd stay with her until her roommate got here. You know, so she wouldn't have to be alone."
"Really?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah," Beca said. "Is that alright?"
"That's fine," Sarah said.
"I think it's a wonderful idea," Charlotte said with a smile.
"So, sis," Beca said and nudged Chloe's shoulder. "What are you majoring in?"
"Education," Chloe said. "I want to be a teacher."
"When do you go back home, Mrs. Beale?" Beca asked.
"Please, call me Charlotte," Charlotte said. "My flight leaves at 6:00 tonight. We drove here from Tampa so Chloe could have her car with her."
"Would you like me to ride to the airport with you?" Beca asked, looking at Chloe. "Then you won't have to go back to an empty apartment alone."
"That would be nice," Chloe said, looking at Beca. "Thank you."
Lisa came back with their drinks and slid a piece of paper to Beca. She smiled and walked away.
"What's that?" Sarah asked.
"It's her phone number," Beca said, looking at the paper.
"I told you she liked you," Sarah said. "Are you going to call her?"
"Um, I don't know," Beca said. "I'll think about it."
"I don't mean to be rude," Charlotte said. "But, are you gay or bi?"
"Mom!" Chloe said. "You can't just ask someone that."
"It's okay," Beca said with a chuckle. "I'm gay. I came out to my parents three years ago when I was fifteen. It was never a big deal with my mom, so we don't even think about it when we talk. I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable."
"Oh, no," Charlotte said. "Chloe's bi, but we don't talk as openly as you and Sarah do. It's quite refreshing, actually. I was just thinking that it's too bad you two hadn't met sooner. You would make such a cute couple."
"Mom!" Chloe said, blushing.
Beca was also blushing. Sarah laughed.
"You made them both blush," Sarah said. "Good job, Charlotte."
"Mom!" Beca said. "You're supposed to be on my side."
"Oh, hush you," Sarah said. "You know, as a parent, I live to embarrass you."
"Kill me now," Beca said and slumped down in her seat as Chloe chuckled.
~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~
Their food came, and Lisa flirted with Beca a bit. Beca flirted back, and Sarah was smiling the whole time. They finished eating, and Beca promised to pack a bag and meet Chloe at her apartment around 3:30. Beca and her mom went to their car and headed home.
"So, what do you think of Chloe?" Sarah asked as they drove home.
"She seems nice," Beca asked. "It was weird, though when I found her in the bathroom, she was in a full-blown panic attack. I talked her down, but I was really worried about her."
"Her mom told me that whatever happened really changed her," Sarah said. "Charlotte thinks you'll be good for her. She needs someone to just be her friend."
"I can do that," Beca said.
"Plus, she's not bad on the eyes, huh?" Sarah said.
"She's gorgeous," Beca said. "And, don't start. I'm not looking for anything right now. I'll be her friend, and that's it."
"That's a good place to start," Sarah said.
Beca packed some clothes and necessities in a duffel bag and went downstairs. Her father was sitting at the kitchen table going over some papers for his classes.
"I hear you're spending a few days with a friend," her father, Ben, said.
"Yeah," Beca said. "Just until her roommate gets here."
"You're not planning to do anything with this girl, are you?" Ben asked. "Your mom told me how pretty she is."
"God, dad," Beca said, getting angry. "I'm not some guy who can't keep it in his pants. She doesn't like being alone, so I offered to stay with her; that's it. Get your head out of the gutter."
"Don't speak to me like that, young lady," Ben said. "I am still your father."
"That doesn't give you the right to assume that I'm out screwing every girl I meet," Beca said. "I know you can't handle the fact that your daughter is gay, but I am. You need to accept that I'm not going to change just because you want me to."
With that, Beca stormed out of the kitchen and headed for the door. Sarah stopped her.
"God, I can't deal with him anymore," Beca said. "When Chloe's roommate gets here, I'll be going to my dorm. All my stuff is already there, so I won't be coming back here."
"Beca," Sarah said. "Give him time. You're being gay is hard for him to accept."
"It's been over three years, mom," Beca said. "And, he hasn't tried to accept it. He keeps bringing all these 'nice young men' home for me to meet. I can't stay here if he can't accept me for who I am. I don't feel comfortable here, so maybe you and I can meet for lunch or dinner once a week. And I mean just us."
"That'll do for now," Sarah said. "But, you're going to have to come home sometime."
"Not if I can help it," Beca said and left the house.
~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~
Beca drove over to Chloe's apartment building. It was just a little after 3:00 when she arrived. She grabbed her duffel bag from the backseat and found Chloe's apartment. Charlotte answered the door and invited her in. Beca entered and set her bag next to the door. Chloe came out of a room and walked over to Beca and her mother.
"Hey," Chloe said and smiled.
"This is a nice place," Beca said as she looked around a bit.
"Thanks," Chloe said. "My mom helped decorate."
"I enjoyed doing it," Charlotte said. "I'm going to go finish packing."
'"Um, what time do you need to leave for the airport?" Beca asked Chloe.
"As soon as my mom's done packing," Chloe said. "It's almost an hour's drive, and she'll need time to get through security and still make her flight."
"Oh," Beca said, looking around.
"Everything okay?" Chloe asked.
"I was hoping to get in a run before we left," Beca said. "I just need to blow off some steam."
"It's okay if you don't want to go to the airport with us," Chloe said.
"No, I want to," Beca said. "I'll just do my usual morning run. I'll be fine."
"Want to talk about it?" Chloe asked.
"It's just some stuff with my dad. I don't really want to talk about it now," Beca said. "Maybe later?"
"Okay," Chloe said. "Would you like something to drink?"
"I'll just have water, thanks," Beca said.
"Come with me, and I'll give you the grand tour," Chloe said.
Beca followed Chloe.
"This is the living room," Chloe said, waving her hand around. "This is the kitchen. Help yourself to whatever you want."
Chloe went to the refrigerator and pulled out two bottles of water. She handed one to Beca and then motioned for Beca to follow.
"This is our dining room," Chloe said.
She then went to some sliding glass doors and slid the door open.
"And, this is our view."
The view was of the woods that surrounded most of Barden University. You could also see a lot of the campus over the treetops. It was very calming.
"Nice," Beca said as she stepped out and looked out over the balcony. "I bet when the leaves start changing color, it will be awesome."
"I had the same reaction when I first saw it," Chloe said. "The furniture out here is the first thing we bought."
The balcony was larger than most apartment balconies Beca has seen. There was a table with six chairs and a gas grill set up. There was still plenty of room to walk around.
"I've never seen an apartment balcony this big before," Beca said. "I can see sitting out here with a cup of coffee in the morning or even working on my mixes. Not to mention having some kickass cookouts."
"We will definitely be having some kickass cookouts," Chloe said. "And you're always invited."
"Thanks," Beca said with a small smile.
Beca sat at the table, and Chloe joined her. They didn't say anything as both were admiring the view and lost in their own thoughts. They both looked back when Charlotte came out the door.
"Isn't this view magnificent?" Charlotte asked as she joined them at the table.
"It is," Beca said and looked back out over the trees. "I think that's my dorm over there." She pointed it out as Charlotte and Chloe looked in that direction.
Beca started thinking about her dad and felt bad because avoiding her dad meant she'd also have to avoid her mom. Beca hadn't realized she had spaced out until Charlotte put her hand on Beca's arm.
"Is everything okay?" Charlotte asked. "You kind of spaced out on us."
"I'm sorry," Beca said, looking at Charlotte. "I just had another fight with my dad. He can't accept that he has a gay daughter. And, he thinks I'm some kind of slut who goes around having sex with every girl I meet."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Charlotte said.
"Hey, I meant what I said earlier," Chloe said. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here."
"Thanks," Beca said. "I appreciate it."
Everyone was quiet for a few minutes when Charlotte spoke up.
"What are you studying, Beca?" Charlotte asked.
"I'm leaning toward music studies," Beca said. "I hope to be a music producer."
"Do you sing?" Chloe asked.
"Um, yeah," Beca said. "My mom's already told me I should try out for the Bellas. I hear you're Co-Captain this year."
"Yeah," Chloe said. "And we need to fill out an entire group since Aubrey and I were the only non-Seniors last year."
"I just hope after last year's incident," Charlotte said. "That you can get girls to even sign up."
"Mom," Chloe said. "Don't scare Beca away. We need all the help we can get."
"Don't worry," Beca said. "I heard about what happened. A bunch of my friends were watching a video of it. I'm not good when people are throwing up, so I didn't look at it. I hope it doesn't stop people from signing up."
"Well, we do have one person signed up," Chloe said, looking at Beca with wide eyes and a pout on her lips. "Right?"
"Oh, my God," Beca said with a laugh. "Put the pout away. I'll audition. I need some extracurriculars, so my resume doesn't look so lame when I start looking for a job."
"Great!" Chloe said, clapping her hands in excitement. "Auditions are next month on the 15th at 2:00. We'll be in the Auditorium."
"Maybe we should head to the airport," Charlotte said. "You know how Atlanta traffic is this time of day."
Beca grabbed one of Charlotte's bags and carried it down to the car. She handed it over to Chloe to place in the trunk. She got into the backseat, and Chloe drove to the airport. Chloe was teary-eyed when she said goodbye to her mother. Beca hugged Charlotte as well, promising her she'd look out for Chloe.
~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~
The ride back to Chloe's apartment was done mostly in silence. Beca was the one to break it.
"Do you have anything at the apartment to cook for dinner?" Beca asked.
"Yeah," Chloe said. "My mom and I went grocery shopping yesterday."
"Cool," Beca said. "I can make us something when we get back."
"You cook?" Chloe asked, surprised.
"Don't sound so shocked," Beca said with a laugh. "I have an endless list of talents. Cooking just happens to be one of them."
"Well, we're friends now," Chloe said. "So, I'll just have to keep you around so I can learn more of the many talents that make up Beca Mitchell."
Beca laughed and looked out the window, watching the scenery go by. They pulled into Chloe's apartment complex and went into the apartment. Beca headed for the kitchen to see what she could find to make dinner. Chloe came in behind her and leaned against the counter, watching the young brunette.
"What's your favorite dinner?" Beca asked Chloe looking over her shoulder at the redhead.
"I don't really have a favorite," Chloe said. "But, I do like fettuccine alfredo with chicken a lot."
"Let's see," Beca says, looking around in the fridge. "You're in luck. You have everything we need to make it."
"You're seriously going to make fettuccine alfredo?" Chloe asked.
"With chicken," Beca added. "Now, where do you keep your pots?"
Chloe showed Beca where everything was, and Beca got everything started. Chloe sat at the counter and watched.
"I know it's none of my business," Beca said as she was seasoning the chicken to put into the pan. "But, do you want to tell me what happened to you? I'm only asking because I witnessed your panic attack, and it might help if I knew some triggers to look for."
Chloe bit her bottom lip and looked at Beca.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to talk about it to anyone," Chloe said quietly.
"Fair enough," Beca said. "Does anyone at Barden know? Is there anyone you can talk to about it?"
"No," Chloe said. "I haven't even told Aubrey, and she's my best friend."
"Maybe you should tell someone," Beca said. "It might be good for you to have someone here that knows what you're going through. It doesn't have to be me; just someone you can trust."
"I'll think about it," Chloe said. "I'm going to make a salad to go with dinner."
The two girls worked well together, and the food was ready. Chloe set the table and got out a bottle of wine. Beca raised an eyebrow at her.
"I didn't think you were twenty-one yet," Beca said.
"I'm not. I turn twenty-one at the end of November," Chloe said. "It's just us, and I won't tell if you don't."
Beca just smiled and held up her glass. Chloe poured the wine and sat down. She took a bite of the fettuccine and moaned.
"Oh, my God, Beca," Chloe said. "This is amazing."
"Thank you," Beca said.
The two girls ate and chatted, learning a little more about each other as they did. They were finished eating and on their third glass of wine.
"Let's go into the living room," Chloe suggested.
Beca grabbed her glass and followed Chloe, plopping down on the sofa next to her. Chloe laughed and took a sip of her wine.
"Let's play twenty questions," Chloe said.
"Let's not," Beca said.
"Come on, Beca," Chloe whined. "We'll learn more about each other. It'll be fun."
Beca just scrunched her nose at Chloe and shook her head no.
"I'll go first," Chloe said, ignoring Beca's negative response. "I'll start easy. Um, what's your favorite season?"
"Salt," Beca said.
"What?" Chloe said and then started laughing. "No, not your favorite seasoning. Your favorite season. Like Summer or Spring."
"Oh," Beca said, giggling. "Um, I'll pick Fall. I like when the leaves change color. What season do you like best?"
"I like Winter," Chloe said. "I want to live somewhere where there's snow. It's so peaceful when it snows. Your turn."
"What's your favorite color?" Beca asked.
"Blue," Chloe said. "What's yours?"
"Blue," Beca said, staring into Chloe's eyes. "Like your eyes. They are so blue."
Chloe blushed and took a sip of her wine to try and hide it.
"My turn," Chloe says. "Tell me something about yourself that no one else knows."
"That's not a question," Beca said, smirking.
"Fine, miss smartypants," Chloe said. "What secret do you have that no one else knows?"
"Um," Beca said, thinking for a moment. "I know. I lost my boy and girl v card at the same party."
A/N: I want to give a shoutout and a big thank you to AnotherBechloeShipper for being my beta for this fic. She is awesome!