Hey guys, I am so sorry this took forever. With going to Georgia for a funeral, and school... life has been crazy right now. But here it is, chapter 7!
Chapter 7
Chloe's POV
I walk into Comparative Lit with a fake grin plastered on my face. I have this class, then Chemical Biology right after, and after I can finally get some sleep. Dr. Mitchell shakes my hand at the door, saying a brief welcome as I take his hand in mine.
"Thanks." I move past him and sit in the first empty seat I see, not caring to pay attention to who's next to me until their voice is ringing in my ear.
"You stalking me, Beale?" It's obvious she means it as a joke, but my heart beats a little faster as I turn to look at Mitchell. I have to remind myself that I'm in the middle of a class, the urge to end everything here and now suddenly overtaking me. I involuntarily gasp at the sudden notion, and Mitchell furrows her eyebrows at me. "Chloe?"
"What? Sorry, I zoned out there." I fake a smile, but it seems to be enough for her sarcastic smirk to turn a little more genuine. This is exactly how she traps her prey, I can't help but observe. I wonder how she knew my dad. I swallow the lump in my throat, hoping she doesn't notice.
Thankfully, she doesn't. "Yeah, I could tell. I asked you why you've suddenly joined this class over three weeks late."
"Oh." I shrug, hoping it comes off as nonchalant. "I just wanted something different." Suddenly, something hits me, and my eyes widen slightly as I ask Mitchell,"by the way, how do you know my last name?" She offers no response save for an eye roll and a small point at my folder. I glance at it and see 'CHLOE BEALE' written across the top in bright pink Sharpie, and I feel my cheeks redden with embarrassment. And here I was, getting worried for nothing. But then again…
"Good morning, class!" Dr. Mitchell claps and starts class. Mitchell audibly groans next to me, and the professor shoots her a glare. "Apparently my daughter doesn't agree with me."
"Of course not. Today sucks." The class laughs at her cheeky response, but Dr. Mitchell just rolls his eyes.
"You say that every day."
"That's because every day sucks." Mitchell deadpans immediately, and Dr. Mitchell groans again. Before he can respond though, Mitchell adds, "I'm stuck here." This earns some cheers, and Mitchell's whole demeanor inflates at the praise.
"Ok Becs, that's enough." He has a hint of a smirk on his face, and Mitchell narrows her stare into a glare.
"I told you not to call me that." She crosses her arms across her chest.
"And I told you I don't care." He looks away and addresses the rest of the class before she can respond. "Sorry about that." Mitchell scoffs next to me and mutters something under her breath. Something that sounds a lot like something along the lines of I want to kill him.
I feel my face pale, and that's when it hits me that I'm scared of Beca Mitchell. I can't help but scoff slightly at the realization, although it's a totally normal fear, especially knowing what she did to my dad all those years ago.
She must have been so young, part of my brain thinks. Almost too young… becoming annoyed with my own thoughts, I do the math in my head. Fours years ago… Mitchell had to be, like, 14 at the time. The thought alone makes me want to throw up, and I instinctively take in a deep breath to hold it back.
"You ok, Beale?"
"I'm fine." I snap, seeing her face fall in my periphery. "Sorry. I'm ok. Thanks." I give her another fake smile, but this time she doesn't seem convinced.
"Ok, I'll believe that when Hell freezes over." Suddenly, a grin spreads across her face. "Hey, you want to get lunch today?"
I do my best not to blanch at the thought- or at the fact that I can't really say no, considering the mission. "Umm, sure. My next class is right after this one and ends at 2:30; I can meet you at your dorm after?"
"How do you know where my dorm is?" She looks a little scared, further fueling my fire.
"Oh, you have no idea." I giggle and wink at her, and a small blush colors her cheeks. I take pleasure in this, realizing that harmless flirting might just be the way to get past her walls. Just might help me get close to her, so General Posen can get the answers he deserves. So I can get the answers I deserve.
"I… actually, don't tell me." her face goes from red to pale at the mere thought.
"Your loss." I joke, and she rolls her eyes, grabbing a Sharpie and doodling on her arm, letting me know the conversation is over.
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"What the hell am I going to do, Bree?" I ask Aubrey as I walk to Chemical Bio, my phone pressed to my ear.
"You're going to meet her at her dorm, and you are going to get lunch with her." I sigh dejectedly, knowing perfectly well she's right.
"Why did I even agree? What if she wants to kill me, like she did-"
"Chloe Ann Beale, listen to me." She cuts me off. "I get that you're scared. But I'm not letting you go unarmed; you will be ok." After a second, she adds, "although it does seem odd and random."
"Thanks for making me feel better." I bite sarcastically, and she sighs on the other end.
"Sorry."
"It's ok. Listen, I just got to class. I'll stop at the apartment before lunch, ok?"
"Yeah. I love you."
I can't help but grin as I say "I love ya too," and hang up, shoving my phone in the back pocket of my jeans.
Aubrey and I got lucky with having to keep an eye on Stacie Conrad; we already had Chemical Biology together before she became part of the mission. I just never paid attention to her before. As I walk into the classroom and see her laughing with some other girls, though, it's pretty easy to see how Aubrey has a secret crush (that I cannot, for the life of me, get her to admit to) on the freshman. To call her beautiful would be an insult, and she has the perfect body.
This time, I intentionally sit next to Stacie. She turns and gives me a slightly shocked look, so I grin reassuringly to her.
"I'll catch up with you bitches later." She says, then sits in her chair and looks at me. "Hi. Uh, Chloe, right?" I nod. "Cool. No offense, but why are you sitting here, exactly?"
I laugh at the bluntness of her question, it reminding me slightly of Aubrey. "I figured that, since you may or may not- and I'm not confirming it yet- be a Bella, I should get to know you. You know, just in case we say yes." I give her a playful wink not unlike the one I gave Mitchell earlier, and her expression turns from one of confusion to a delighted grin.
"Oh, yay! I was wondering how I did on that audition." She gives me a hopeful look, making me laugh again.
"You did good. And your perfect body definitely helps." She smiles with pride at my words.
"I don't do a thousand sit ups for nothing."
"A thousand?!" I gasp, and she nods, lifting her shirt to reveal a perfectly toned six-pack. Aubrey's going to love this, I think to myself. "Dang, and I thought my 350 was a lot." She just chuckles.
"You know, I could help you raise that number, if you'd like." She offers, and my grin widens. Unlike with Mitchell, though, the smile has almost nothing to do with the mission- although it is a small part of it. Stacie just happens to be a nice person.
"Awes!" I exclaim, bringing out another laugh from the tall brunette. "Here, put your number in here." I hand her my phone, and she puts it in. I laugh when I see she put herself in my contacts as "Sexy Mama Long Legs." "That's amazing." I tell her, and she laughs. Before she can respond, though, Mr. Wiggins walks in and starts class.
As soon as class gets out, I say a quick goodbye to Stacie and make my way to the apartment. It doesn't take long to get there, and I immediately go to the weapons room, not even saying hi to Aubrey as I pass.
"Hello to you too!" She calls to me, and I hear her footsteps following me. "You know you're going to be ok, right?"
"You never know." I reply, then grab a small pistol and check to make sure it's loaded. Once I see that it has three bullets, I untuck my shirt and slide the gun under my waistband on my back, then let my shirt fall over it. "Can you see it?"
"No, you're good." Aubrey responds, and I stand up, facing her. "You got this. This is good."
"I know." I shake my arms out nervously, letting out a puff of air. "Now I wait by her dorm."
"Here." She hands me an ear com. "Just in case."
I nod as I slide it in my ear. "Thanks." She wraps her arms around me in an unexpected hug, but I gladly return it. "I'll see you after."
"Go kick butt." She slaps my butt playfully as I walk away.
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It doesn't take me long to get to Mitchell's dorm room. What shocks me, though, is that she's already waiting outside, leaning against the wall. She immediately smiles when she sees me, and I force myself to smile back.
"You finally made it." She says sarcastically, and it takes a lot of strength to keep in the massive eye roll I want to let out.
"I got held up in class, sorry." I easily lie. Thankfully, she accepts it with a nod.
"Understandable." With that, we take off. "Where I wanna go is on campus. You ok with walking a little?"
"Sure." I respond cheerfully, albeit being slightly annoyed with the facade I have to keep up. But, it's the mission.
"So…" Mitchell says awkwardly, fiddling with the headphones wrapped around her neck.
"Why did you ask me to eat lunch with you?" I blurt out, and I press my hand to my mouth.
"Really, Chloe?" Aubrey hisses in my ear.
"Um. I actually don't know." Mitchell doesn't make eye contact as she responds, but she holds the door open for me on our way outside. "You just seemed so upset earlier. I didn't like it."
"Oh." I respond in shock, looking over at her. She glances up at me, then looks back down when she sees I've noticed. "Well, thanks."
"Anytime." She grins at the floor in response. "So, do you wanna… maybe, I dunno…"
"Are you asking me out?" I tease, and Aubrey laughs in my ear as Mitchell starts coughing.
"Oh my gosh, no." Her face turns bright red. "I was gonna ask if you wanted to talk about what's wrong with you."
"You're saying there's something wrong with me?" I allow my lip to fall into a pout. Aubrey's chortling in my ear isn't helping, though.
"NO!" Mitchell becomes more flustered, and she rests her head in her hand, looking at the ground again. "I'm just going to shut up now, because I obviously can't say anything right."
"I knew what you meant, I was teasing you." She just shrugs her shoulders in response. "To answer your question though…" I sigh for dramatic effect. "It's a long story."
"I have time." She offers, looking back at me.
"Tell her about Asher." Aubrey says, and I hiss involuntarily in response.
"Are you ok?" Mitchell asks, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"Yeah, sorry. I've been on my feet all day, they're kind of sore." I cover it up with a smile, and she slowly nods.
"O...k. You're avoiding the question, you know." When I don't answer, she says, "You don't have to tell me."
This time, I don't hold back the sigh. "I… maybe another time?"
She nods. "Sure. I get it. I don't exactly do this whole 'friends' thing." She says.
"Wonder why."
"Shut up!" I say, and Mitchell gives me another confused look. "Uh, how can you not have friends?" I swear, if Aubrey keeps laughing, I might shoot her in the leg when I get home. Not enough to kill her, but enough to get her to shut the hell up.
"No one really likes me."
"I cannot see how that's even remotely true." I lie through my teeth. But then again, not many people know what I know.
She just sighs. "I'm sort of a terrible person? I've…" she shakes her head. "I've done terrible things, Chloe."
My heart starts racing at those words; maybe this is it. If it only took me this long to get her to open up, then I must be really good at my job.
"What terrible things?" I whisper.
"I…" she shakes her head again. "Maybe another time?"
I internally sigh as Aubrey not-so-internally groans; of course it wasn't going to be that easy. "Sure. Another time."
We finally get to the little diner, and I must say, it's not bad. I can see why Mitchell likes it. Lunch goes by pretty smoothly, with us talking mostly about Comparative Lit and majors the whole time. Any serious talk of mistakes or being upset is left in the wind. I know I still have time, but I can't help but feeling as if I've already failed, somehow.
