The next morning, Emily strolled along the beach, deep in thought. Oddly enough for someone getting married the very next day, her wedding was the last thing on her mind. Her thoughts instead were preoccupied by Chloe and Beca, on what they had been to each other fifteen years ago, and what they perhaps still were now. She knew that Beca still felt the same way about Chloe, but did Chloe still feel that way too? It would certainly explain why in the entire time that Emily had known her that Chloe had never dated anyone, never even had so much as a one night stand. She knew that Chloe had been lonely, it's why she had invited the Bellas to her wedding in the first place, but for some reason Emily had never thought it was anything more than Chloe working too hard.
"Emily!"
A familiar voice pulled Emily from her thoughts with a huge grin, her eyes scanning the cliffs around her for that familiar crop of curly brown hair that she loved so dearly. Benji bounced into view, a broad smile on his face as he wrapped his arms around Emily's waist, pulling her close.
"I missed you Em, where have you been?" He pressed butterfly kisses along Emily's cheeks and nose as she giggled helplessly.
"Just around the island." She shrugged, arms around his neck as she played with his hair, "I needed to think and clear my head."
"You're not getting cold feet are you?" Benji teased, but Emily could see the worried glint in his eyes.
"No, of course not!" Emily shook her head, pressing a soft and reassuring kiss to his lips, "It's this Chloe thing, I think there's still something between her and Beca but it's not my place to say anything, but I also want Chloe to be happy…"
"I know." Benji frowned softly, "And you did a really kind thing this weekend Em. But you can't force love on people, even if they're both feeling it."
"You're right." Emily sighed softly, "I know you are it's just- she's done so much for me y'know?"
"I do." Benji nodded with a smile, "And things will work out for Chloe. They always work out for people that deserve good things."
"I like that." Emily grinned, "You're always so wise."
"You just bring out of me." Benji laughed, "You turned my whole word upside down Emily."
"Oh really?" Emily raised her eyebrow, "In a good way?"
"In the best way." Benji pulled away from his fiancée, striking a dramatic pose (much to Emily's amusement) before he began to sing, "I wasn't jealous before we met, now every man that I see is a potential threat. And I'm possessive, it isn't nice, you've heard me saying that smoking was my only vice."
Emily giggled, watching as Benji began to dance. Music was the first thing they had bonded over when they met last year, and it was the way they had always communicated their feelings. Benji spent most of his time in New York where he lived with his parents and so a lot of their relationship had been online, sending songs back and forth that made them think of each other.
"But now it isn't true… now everything is new… and all I've learned has overturned, I beg of you!" Benji pulled Emily against him, her back to his front as the two of them danced in unison.
"Don't go wasting your emotion. Lay all your love on me!" Emily took over the lyrics as she beamed at Benji, lips hovering a mere centimetre from his before she span away, Benji watching her with nothing but love in his eyes.
"It was like shooting a sitting duck. A little small talk, a smile and baby I was stuck. I still don't know what you've done with me, a grown-up woman should never fall so easily." Emily shook her head, biting her lip a little as she looked at the love of her life. God she loved this man.
"I feel a kind of fear… when I don't have you near… unsatisfied, I skip my pride, I beg you dear…" Emily giggled softly as Benji took her hands and pulled her back into his arms, the two of them dancing as they continued to sing to each other.
"Don't go wasting your emotion. Lay all your love on me! Don't go sharing your devotion. Lay all your love on me!" Benji took the chorus line this time, grinning as he danced with the woman he would soon be calling his wife.
"I've had a few little love affairs, they didn't last very long and they've been pretty scarce." Emily had her forehead pressed against Benji's singing happily as Benji's friends swarmed the beach, unnoticed by the happy couple.
"I used to think that was sensible, it makes the truth even more incomprehensible" Benji's lips brushed against Emily's, their hips swaying in time.
"'Cause everything is new, and everything is you… and all I've learned has overturned… What can I do?" They sang together, about to enter into a deep kiss but Benji's friends had quickly swarmed the beach, pulling the two of them apart as they laughed, ready to cart Benji off to his bachelor party.
"Don't go wasting your emotion. Lay all your love on me! Don't go sharing your devotion. Lay all your love on me!" Benji's friends picked up the chorus line as Benji dramatically reached for Emily, as he was tugged down the beach.
"Don't go wasting your emotion. Lay all your love on me! Don't go sharing your devotion. Lay all your love on me!" Emily chuckled as she waved Benji off, sighing happily as she sank onto the soft sand and stared out at the ocean.
She was marrying the love of her life tomorrow and then heading off on the biggest adventure of her life. Benji was right, everything would work out like it was meant to. Emily wondered what Beca and Chloe were doing right now, whether they were avoiding each other still or they were finally talking to each other. Maybe the other Bellas would help them see how they both clearly felt about each other.
"Alright Bellas, let's get down to business." Aubrey clapped her hands together, the Bellas exchanging eye rolls and sly looks as Aubrey quickly slid back into captain mode with very little prompting.
"Anybody else suddenly eighteen again?" Beca raised an eyebrow, throwing her hair into a loose ponytail as Aubrey shot her a dark look. Beca caught Chloe's eye as she shook her head a little, and for the briefest moment they shared a smirk that was reminiscent of their college years before Chloe caught herself and looked away.
"Now listen up ladies." Aubrey stood with her hands on her hips, "I know it's been a little while since we've done this but-"
"A little while?!" Amy scoffed, eyebrow raised, "Fifteen years is what you class as 'a little while'?!"
"BUT…" Aubrey persevered with a roll of her eyes, "I think we'll slip back into it really easily. The Bellas are for life, and I'd like to think that the four years we spent competing together left an impression on you ladies."
"Oh it definitely did that." Stacie chuckled, mimosa in hand as Aubrey cocked an eyebrow, "Oh, what? I'm on vacation! Mimosas are a breakfast drink!"
Aubrey shook her head, an affectionate smile on her face as she shot Stacie a look that was gentler than any glare she'd give anyone else, even Chloe, "You cannot do choreography whilst juggling a mimosa."
"Oh honey…" Stacie purred, biting her lip a little, "You clearly underestimate how flexible I am."
"Alright maybe you should put the mimosa down." Beca reached over and took the drink from Stacie who pouted, "Let's at least get through this rehearsal before you get drunk enough to release the Hunter."
Aubrey blushed a little at the mention of the Hunter, quickly shaking it off as Chloe nudged her playfully, "Right, anyway, I hope you guys remember the Super Trouper arrangement, because we need that nailed by tonight."
"Tonight?" Cynthia-Rose raised her eyebrow, "But the wedding is tomorrow…"
"Yes it is. But we're giving Emily a surprise taster performance at her bachelorette party later." Aubrey's smile was slightly threatening, all the Bellas squirming a little as she instilled the same fear that she had a decade and a half ago.
"Alright." Chloe beamed, used to being the ying to Aubrey's yang, "Let's see what we do remember and work from there!"
"I'm having college flashbacks." Beca shook her head again, noticing the way that Chloe smiled at her a little but decided not to make anything of it, "Can we all agree that this is going to be far less stressful than the ICCAs? Because I have no desire to relive that again."
"It depends how much you've forgotten." Aubrey's smile was a warning and Beca knew it, Beca pursing her lips together to smother a snicker and a sarcastic comment as Chloe caught her eye again with an affectionate shake of her head. Maybe this weekend wasn't going to be too bad after all.
"Alright, places ladies!"
They practiced all morning and most of the afternoon, remembering a surprising amount of the routine as they laughed and joked like they did when they were college students. Aubrey was significantly less uptight about Bellas practice now they weren't competing, but that was a very low bar to clear. By the time the bachelorette party rolled around the Bellas were as good as they had been at their fourth ICCA final win, maybe even better (Aubrey was always a little biased when it came to how good they were).
The party was in full swing, Emily laughing happily with her friends but had noticed that Chloe was missing from the festivities, as were Jessica and Ashley. Before she had a chance to ask anyone where they were, Aubrey's voice could be heard echoing around the foyer of the hotel where they were partying.
"Ladies if I could have your attention please? For one weekend-"
"And one weekend only! I'm too old for this!" Amy's voice interrupted Aubrey's, Emily and her friends laughing as the bride-to-be's eyes glittered with excitement.
"Hush!" Aubrey's tone was clipped as she cleared her throat again, "For a one weekend reunion, former pride of Barden University, the a cappella team that took the world by a storm-"
"Oh my god, will you just get on with it?" Beca could be heard groaning loudly, "These heels are incredibly uncomfortable."
A heavy sigh was the next thing to be heard along with giggling before Aubrey continued, "Now I remember why it's been fifteen years since we've done this… Ladies please put your hands together for the Bellas!"
Emily squealed loudly as thunderous applause and whistling echoed around her, the Bellas walking through the fog from the cannon that Aubrey has set up ("You never skimp on showmanship, have I taught you nothing?!") and into their places. Aubrey grinned as she looked to her left and to her right, the Bellas clad in 80s inspired outfits complete with the platform heels and mad hair, and ready for their performance. She blew into the pitch pipe as she had done so many times before.
"One… two… three… four."
"Tonight the super trouper lights are gonna find me, shining like the sun… smiling, having fun… feeling like a number one." Chloe, Aubrey and Flo lead the Bellas into a soft opening for the song, Emily frowing a little but still grinning from ear to ear. It was hardly a party beat, but she had a good feeling about this.
Her faith was rewarded as Lilly laid down a beat, the mouth percussions of Ashley, Jessica and Cynthia-Rose bringing the song into an upbeat party tune as the choreography took of too. Emily cheered wildly as Chloe stepped forward with the microphone in hand.
"I was sick and tired of everything, when I called you last night from Glasgow." Chloe sang, feeling that familiar rush that came with performing with the Bellas, not even clocking how weird it was to be dancing so closely to Beca after all that had happened, Beca's had on her waist as she smirked at her.
All I do is eat and sleep and sing, wishing every show was the last show." Beca had really missed singing with the Bellas, loving every minute of her solo career but always feeling like something was missing. Having Chloe dance by her side, hip bumping against hers as they alternated solos felt normal, felt like the missing piece.
"Wishing every show was the last show!" Flo and Jessica echoed, grinning as they swayed in time with each other. Emily was about to scream herself hoarse already, delighted by the surprise performance from the Bellas, and even more delighted to see how happy Chloe looked.
"So imagine I was glad to hear you're coming." Chloe was so wrapped up in her performance that it didn't occur to her for a second that dancing with Beca like this was weird given their history, Beca's back pressed against her front as their hips swayed. It had always been choreographed like this, they had done this as the regionals performance in their second year, so why would this be weird?
"Glad to hear you're coming!" Aubrey and Stacie echoed, Stacie raising her eyebrow at Aubrey as they watched Beca and Chloe perform. Aubrey simply winked a little; she knew what she'd done.
"Suddenly I feel all right." Beca's head rested in the crook of Chloe's neck for the briefest of seconds before she subtly pulled away, catching herself blurring the boundary between the agreed upon choreo and old habits. Not now, not the right place.
"And suddenly it's gonna be…" Flo, Jessica, Aubrey and Stacie moved together as they sang back up, each grinning as the familiar feeling of joy at performing with their sisters swamped them.
"And it's gonna be so different when I'm on the stage tonight…" Chloe and Beca duetted like old times, grinning at each other before they span away to dance with the Bellas.
"Tonight the super trouper lights are gonna find me, shining like the sun…" The Bellas sang with the exception of:
"Sup-p-per troup-p-per!" Ashley and Cynthia-Rose who continued the percussion line with amused grins on their faces.
"Smiling, having fun…"
"Sup-p-per troup-p-per!"
"Feeling like a number one. Tonight the super trouper beams are gonna blind me, but I won't feel blue…"
"Sup-p-per troup-p-per!"
"Like I always do…"
"Sup-p-per troup-p-per!"
"'Cause somewhere in the crowd there's you."
The Bellas were having the time of their lives as they performed together for the first time since they had graduated, grinning as the crowd cheered and whooped and whistled for them. Emily'd had the best idea inviting them here.
"Facing twenty thousand of your friends, how can anyone be so lonely?" Aubrey sang, Stacie twirling her into her arms and against her hip with an arm around her waist.
"Part of a success that never ends, still I'm thinking about you only…" Stacie rested her hand on Aubrey's cheek as they danced, not missing the way Aubrey blushed a little but kept her cool as they performed.
"Still I'm thinking about you only!" Flo and Jessica echoed swaying and clicking as they grinned at each other. They'd missed this.
"There are moments when I think I'm going crazy…" Aubrey found her hand resting on Stacie's hip, a little outside of the original choreography but that didn't seem to stop the rule bound former a cappella captain.
"Think I'm going crazy!" Beca and Chloe echoed sharing a stolen look of amusement as Aubrey and Stacie twirled from each others arms with a little reluctance, their fingers still intertwined as Aubrey sang:
"But it's gonna be alright…"
"You'll soon be changing everything…" Flo, Jessica, Beca and Chloe moved together with Aubrey and Stacie in the centre, all the Bellas banded tightly together as they sang as they had before.
"Everything will be so different when I'm on the stage tonight! Tonight the super trouper lights are gonna find me, shining like the sun…"
"Sup-p-per troup-p-per!"
"Smiling, having fun…"
"Sup-p-per troup-p-per!"
"Feeling like a number one. Tonight the super trouper beams are gonna blind me, but I won't feel blue…"
"Sup-p-per troup-p-per!"
"Like I always do…"
"Sup-p-per troup-p-per!"
"'Cause somewhere in the crowd there's you!" Per the choreography, Beca and Chloe pointed to each other, a soft grin on their faces as they did. Stacie had plied all of them with a cocktail before they performed (much to Aubrey's protest) and it was certainly helping to relieve the initial stress of being around each other.
"So I'll be there, when you arrive, the sight of you will prove to me I'm still alive and when you take me in your arms, and hold me tight, I know it's gonna mean so much tonight." Beca took the solo, the Bellas beaming at their talented, Grammy award winning sister as she proved why she had earned every piece of hardware that she had been given.
Chloe was perhaps grinning the widest, emotion in her eyes as she realised that Beca leaving the island was the best decision for her. It would have been selfish of Chloe to keep her here, even if it hurt that Beca left her the way that she had. Maybe it was the second cocktail that Stacie had slipped her behind Aubrey's back to ease her anxiety at performing again and at dancing with Beca again, but she was actually feeling comfortable around Beca again.
"Tonight the super trouper lights are gonna find me shining like the sun…" The Bellas sang together again as they danced in perfect choreographed time, perfect down to the last note and step.
"Sup-p-per troup-p-per!"
"Smiling, having fun…"
"Sup-p-per troup-p-per!"
"Feeling like a number one. Tonight the Super Trouper beams are gonna blind me, but I won't feel blue…"
"Sup-p-per troup-p-per!"
"Like I always do…"
"Sup-p-per troup-p-per!"
"'Cause somewhere in the crowd there's you!" Chloe, Beca, Aubrey and Stacie sang, pressed together with grins on their faces as they held the last note.
"Super trouper, lights are gonna find me…" The rest of the Bellas hummed getting softer and softer until the song ended, the foyer exploding into rapturous applause and cheering as Emily shot forward onto the makeshift stage that they had set up and pulling Chloe into a tight hug.
"You guys are amazing!" She yelled over the noise, Chloe giggling as she hugged Emily, "I loved that! I can't wait to see what you have planned for tomorrow!"
"I'm so glad you loved it!" Chloe grinned as she pulled back from the hug and cupped Emily's face in her hands, "Thank you for this, for bringing them here."
"Of course!" Emily beamed, "I want you to be happy Chlo, especially after everything you've done for me."
Chloe shook her head a little and hugged Emily tighter, "I love you weirdo, you didn't have to do this for me."
"Alright Legs stop hogging Chloe, we see her once in a blue moon!" Amy slung her arm around Chloe's shoulders as Emily giggled and held her hands up.
"You're right, you're right!" Emily's grin was infectious, "I'm not getting in the way of your reunion or the open bar."
"Oh they might be my two favourite words in the English language…" Stacie was quickly scrambling off the stage with Amy, Cynthia-Rose and Flo close behind.
"Forgive them, it never takes them more than the promise of a free drink to disappear." Aubrey chuckled, smiling warmly at Emily.
"Are you kidding?" Emily laughed, "They're on holiday and it's a wedding, if they want to take advantage of the free bar then let them at it."
"Easy to say when you're not the one that has to buy in the booze to replace it after the wedding is over." Chloe raised her eyebrow, Emily wincing a little as concern crossed her face, "Hey, hey, it's a joke! I'll be fine!" Chloe cupped Emily's face in her hands again for a moment, "Now go enjoy your party, it is your last night of freedom after all!"
Emily hugged Chloe again before racing over to join her friends, Jessica and Ashley linking an arm each as they joined her. Aubrey put her arm around Chloe's shoulder, a soft kiss pressed to the top of her head as she did, concern on her face as Chloe turned to look at her.
"Will you be okay though Chlo? Because I can-"
"Don't even!" Chloe pointed a finger at Aubrey, eyebrow raised, "I am absolutely fine, I have been running this place by my self for fifteen years, that is not going to change just because you guys are here for the weekend."
"Alright, alright!" Aubrey knew better than to argue with Chloe at this point, making a mental note to talk to the Bellas later when everyone was sober. Stacie had seemed concerned about Chloe earlier, her family was going to help her out whether she liked it or not.
"I'm going to get you a drink, you can't be the only one not celebrating Chlo." Aubrey grinned at her best friend, knowing she was leaving her alone with Beca and not minding one bit. Time for her favourite idiots to get their heads out of their asses.
There was a brief pause, Beca shuffling her feet awkwardly as she looked at the back of Chloe's head, not sure if Chloe even knew she was still there. It was confirmed when she put her hand on Chloe's shoulder and she lept out of her skin, clutching her chest as Beca winced, unhelping to help the soft chuckle.
"Sorry Chlo, I thought you knew I was still here." Beca smirked as Chloe shook her head a little.
"I thought you'd gone to prop up the bar with Stacie, that's usually where I'd find you on a Bellas night." Chloe's tone was teasing as she raised her eyebrow, Beca scoffing in mock indignation as she put her hand on her chest.
"I- I can't argue with that." Beca laughed, shaking her head a little, "I have lost count of the number of times I have ended up literally under the bar because of Stacie. That girl can drink…"
"Yeah and you're like half her size, of course she can drink more than you." Chloe giggled as Beca gave her an indignant shove.
"I can still drink you under the table, remember Berlin?" Beca raised her eyebrow as Chloe blushed a little, shaking her head.
"Is it bad if I say barely?" Chloe laughed nervously.
"It's definitely for the best." Beca grinned, the two of them walking through the foyer as the music blasted loudly, the crowd dancing and singing as they headed to where the rest of the Bellas were at the bar.
"I um…" Chloe looked at her feet for a moment before looking at Beca again, "I am glad you're here Becs. With the Bellas I mean. It would've been weird if you hadn't been here."
Beca smiled easily, running a hand through her hair instead of reaching for Chloe's hand like she wanted to, "I'm glad too, even if I wasn't expecting you to fall into my arms after fifteen years apart."
"Oh shut up." Chloe shoved Beca as she laughed, taking the cocktail that Aubrey offered her as Beca took a beer from Amy.
"Well ladies, I propose a toast." Aubrey raised her glass, smiling fondly at her family, "To the first proper Bellas reunion in fifteen years, and to proving no matter how long it's been, or how old we get, we always crush a performance."
"Here here!" Beca grinned, the Bellas clinking glasses before they quickly blended into the party with everyone else.
It never took much to get the Bellas to party, a drink or two and some music and they were raising the roof with the best of them. Chloe's ears pricked as the music changed, now four cocktails deep (despite insisting earlier that three was her cut off because she had things to do tomorrow), a broad grin spreading over her face. Her eyes searched for the familiar brown waves that she needed right now.
"Half past 12 and I'm watchin' the late show, in my flat all alone, how I hate to spend the evening on my own…" She sang as she pushed her way through the crowd, Beca's eyes meeting hers through the throng of people with a quizzical look on her face.
"Autumn winds blowin' outside the window, as I look around the room and it makes me so depressed to see the gloom…" Chloe was still singing as Beca shook her head with an affectionate smile on her face; having had another three beers and a very colourful cocktail that Stacie had insisted that she drank Beca was feeling less than rational right now.
"Is there a man out there, someone to hear my prayer?" Chloe grabbed Beca's hands and pulled her towards her, Beca rolling her eyes as she (and the rest of the party guests) began to sing the chorus.
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A man after midnight, won't somebody help me chase the shadows away? Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A man after midnight, take me through the darkness to the break of the day!"
Beca blushed a little as Chloe's arms wound around her neck, pulling her close as they danced in time to the music. Her hands found their way onto Chloe's hips and all of a sudden it seemed as if time was in reverse, they were fifteen years younger and all of the mess that had happened between them had never happened.
"Movie stars find the end of the rainbow, with a fortune to win, it's so different from the world I'm living in…" Beca was smirking as she sang, heart pounding in her chest as Chloe pressed her hips against hers, the two of them swaying and grinding in time to the music.
"Tired of TV, I open the window and I gaze into the night, but there's nothing there to see no-one in sight…"
As Beca sang the Bellas shared looks of triumph and amusement. News of Beca and Chloe's summer romance had spread through the group like wildfire (in fairness you should never tell Stacie anything after she'd had a drink, they all knew this by now) and under Aubrey's guidance they were gently trying to push them back together after a brief confusion as to why Aubrey of all people was trying push an engaged Beca into someone else's arms until Aubrey had explained what had happened. Not that they were interfering, it's just that throughout rehearsals today they had seen the stolen looks that Beca and Chloe had not seen the other give her, and clearly there was still something between them that needed to be aired.
"Is there a man out there, someone to hear my prayer?" Chloe turned in Beca's arms, hand cupping her cheek as she ground her hips against Beca, her head resting in the crook of Beca's neck. If Beca had not been as drunk as she was she would have pushed Chloe gently away and talked about this, but right now Beca was enjoying this trip back to the past and simpler times as her hot breath tickled Chloe's ear.
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A man after midnight, won't somebody help me chase the shadows away? Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A man after midnight, take me through the darkness to the break of the day!" Chloe rested one of her hands on Beca's that rested on her hip as they danced, no space between them as their eyes met, breath hot and heavy, the tension between them palpable as their smirks were identical.
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A man after midnight, won't somebody help me chase the shadows away? Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A man after midnight, take me through the darkness to the break of the day!" Beca's hand slid up the arm that Chloe used to rest her hand on Beca's cheek, their fingers intertwining as Chloe's head lifted from the crook of Beca's neck to rest against her forehead, noses brushing against each other as their breaths mingled together.
"Is there a man out there, someone to hear my prayer?" Beca could hear her heart thumping in her chest as Chloe slowly turned in her arms, the dancing, the music, the bachelorette party, their whole messy history, all of it forgotten as they stood pressed against each other, Chloe's fingers once again on the back of Beca's neck as she played with the baby hairs she found there. Chloe was pulling her closer, Beca's hand on her hip sliding down to rest just above Chloe's left ass cheek.
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A man after midnight, won't somebody help me chase the shadows away? Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A man after midnight, take me through the darkness to the break of the day!"
Chloe's lips met Beca's during the final chorus, lost in how right this felt as the song drew to a close. Because after fifteen years and despite the copious amounts of alcohol in her system, this was the rightest thing that Chloe had done in a very long time. Her hands ran into Beca's hair as she pushed her body into hers, Beca's hand moving to cup Chloe's ass as she pulled her closer, the other hand on the small of her back.
It was as Beca slid her tongue along Chloe's bottom lip that something seemed to click in Chloe's mind. She was kissing Beca. Oh no.
No no no.
This was all wrong.
The beat changed as the song came to an end and Chloe pulled away, shock and panic making her eyes glitter as she swallowed hard.
"People everywhere, a sense of expectation hanging in the air. Giving out a spark, across the room, your eyes are glowing in the dark." The new song was thumping around them as the boys from the bachelor party decided to crash their party as Beca seemed to sober up too.
"Chloe I-" Beca mumbled, trying to hold onto Chloe's hand as her ex-girlfriend shook her head a little and pulled away, running a hand through her hair as she tried to push her way through the thickening crowd in the foyer.
"And here we go again, we know the start, we know the end… masters of the scene! We've done it all before and now we're back to get some more, you know what I mean!"
"Chloe!" Beca tried to yell over the noise as Chloe got herself lost in the crowd. Whether she hadn't heard Beca over the ruckus that swelled around them now that the boys had joined them, or Chloe was choosing to ignore Beca didn't know, but she did know that she had just royally messed things up.
"Voulez-vous (ah-ha), take it now or leave it (ah-ha), now is all we get (ah-ha), nothing promised, no regrets! Voulez-vous (ah-ha), ain't no big decision (ah-ha), you know what to do (ah-ha), la question c'est voulez-vous."
Chloe pushed through the singing and dancing, heart pounding, palms sweating as she looked around her. Why the hell had she done that? She had kissed Beca. This was perhaps one of the worst decisions she had ever made whilst drunk, and there were plenty of competitors for that position. Who kisses their ex of fifteen years at their little sisters bachelorette party? This was such a mess…
"Voulez-vous..."
"Have you seen Chloe?!" Beca yelled over the noise as she leant in close to Aubrey's ear, Aubrey frowning in concern as she shook her head. Hadn't she just seen them kissing?
"No, why, what happened?"
"I know what you think, 'The girl means business, so I'll offer her a drink'. Looking mighty proud
I see you leave your table, pushing through the crowd. I'm really glad you came, you know the rules, you know the game… master of the scene! We've done it all before and now we're back to get some more, you know what I mean!"
Chloe saw Emily dancing with Benji and turned on her heel. She had been looking for her, knowing that Emily's sunny optimism would help pull her out of her spiral but she couldn't pull her away from her soon to be husband. God this was how it was going to be know wasn't it? Emily was going to the States to go to college, she was going to be married, she wouldn't be here anymore… Chloe had never been here without Emily. After Beca left her she had met Catherine and Emily Junk, her first job had been babysitting Emily whilst she saved money for renovations on the hotel. She was going to be here alone. How was she going to manage that?
"Voulez-vous (ah-ha), take it now or leave it (ah-ha), now is all we get (ah-ha), nothing promised, no regrets! Voulez-vous (ah-ha), ain't no big decision (ah-ha), you know what to do (ah-ha) La question c'est voulez-vous..."
"We kissed, I was such an idiot… I think she's freaking out…" Beca hated having to yell such an intimate secret over the noise, but she was sure that only Aubrey could hear her in all this chaos anyway.
"I'm on it." Aubrey gave Beca's shoulder a soft squeeze, "It'll be okay Becs, you go that way, I'll check over here."
Beca nodded, giving Aubrey a grateful smile as she started to push through the crowd. She had to talk to Chloe about this.
"And here we go again, we know the start, we know the end… masters of the scene! We've done it all before and now we're back to get some more, you know what I mean!"
Chloe headed for the bar instead, a drink would help calm her down. But she saw the look the bartender gave her and suddenly remembered that not only had she yet to pay him for tonight and tomorrow, but she was a week behind on his wages in general. Nope. Not going over there right now. She didn't have the money to pay him right now. Her beautiful hotel was on its knees and she was turning down every offer of money that came her way because how could she admit to her friends that the dream she had given everything up for, including the love of her life, was turning into a nightmare because her business was drying up? This whole thing was a mess, why had she agreed to do this wedding for free, it wasn't that she didn't love Emily to death, of course she did, but she could not afford this kind of hit right now… what was she going to do?
"Voulez-vous (ah-ha), take it now or leave it (ah-ha), now is all we get (ah-ha), nothing promised, no regrets! Voulez-vous (ah-ha), ain't no big decision (ah-ha), you know what to do (ah-ha), la question c'est voulez-vous…"
Aubrey felt guilt gnaw at her as she pushed through the singing crowd. She pushed them together all day, chosen choreography that would keep them close, gotten the other Bellas to help her… she shouldn't have gotten involved. And more to the point she should have been more involved with Chloe since the break up anyway. Distance was no excuse for her to be this out of touch with her best friend. She was doing better from now on.
"Voulez-vous..."
Chloe had gotten lost in the throngs of people, her mind racing with all the chaos going on in her life. Emily was leaving her and she'd be on her own, in a hotel that was falling apart and that she could barely keep up with the bills for, left to deal with her apparently unresolved feelings for the woman who had broken her heart without anyone to talk to because the people she would call family lived thousands of miles and several timezones away. What the hell was she supposed to do? How could she have made such a freaking mess of all of this? Why did Beca have to come this weekend, it had made everything worse, so much more complicated than it had to be… god everything was so messy now…
"Voulez-vous… ah-ha, ah-ha, ah-ha… voulez-vous… ah-ha, ah-ha, ah-ha…"
Chloe felt her heart beat faster and faster as her chest tightened, breaths coming in small gasps. She had somehow found herself in the centre of the dancing, everyone twirling and dancing and singing around her, only serving to make her even more dizzy than she already was. Her thoughts were spiralling out of control as she ran her hands through her hair, sweating as she looked around her. What was she going to do? Why was this so messy? Why, why, why did it have to be like this?
"Voulez-vous… (ah-ha), take it now or leave it (ah-ha), now is all we get (ah-ha), nothing promised, no regrets!"
"Chloe?" Aubrey pushed her way forward through the spinning dancers, frowning as she saw the way she was hyperventilating.
"Voulez-vous (ah-ha), ain't no big decision (ah-ha), you know what to do (ah-ha), la question c'est voulez-vous..."
"Chlo?" Chloe spun on her heel to see Beca heading her way too. No, not right now. Not Beca.
"Voulez-vous!"
Chloe's world faded to black as her legs crumpled underneath her. Aubrey raced forward, managing to catch Chloe as she passed out before her hit the paved floor beneath her. Beca went pale as everyone crowded in to check on Chloe, hands running through her hair.
"Fuck."
Beca knew she shouldn't have come.