Thank you so much for all of the support last chapter! You all are amazing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters.

Chapter 5

Beca stares cautiously up at the house in front of her. Besides the fact that the lawn is perfectly manicured, and the grass looks so soft and green that it seems fake, the craftsmanship of the light brown stones seriously makes Beca reconsider coming here. The house is bigger than any that she's ever been in before, and she's lived in quite a few places. What could Chloe's parents possibly do to be able to afford this place?

Taking a nervous breath, Beca shoves her hands into the pocket of her sweatshirt, fiddling with her bracelets under the cover of the fabric. She didn't get much sleep last night, her mind swimming with everything that could go wrong today. She's never had to worry about this before. Sure, she's had to do group projects and she's gone over to a few other peoples' houses, but never within the first week of knowing them. Beca is used to having a little bit of time before throwing herself into even more vulnerable situations.

She should have pushed harder to do it in a more neutral location. She should've rejected Chloe's offer to join her group. She should've done something that would allow her to not be here right now.

God, she is such an idiot.

This morning was rough. Macy clung to her like there was no tomorrow, and only let Beca out of her sight when she needed to take a shower. Even afterward, Macy was back at her side, asking her time and time again if Beca was sure that Macy couldn't come with her.

As much as it killed Beca to look at her little sister's face and question her reasoning for having her stay at Fig's, she knew that she had to stick to her guns. Macy needs to become comfortable with being separated from Beca, even if it's only for a little while. They have to start moving forward.

That doesn't mean that Macy didn't cry when Beca had left her in Cynthia Rose's office, begging her not to leave. CR had waited patiently, standing off to the side and observing Beca do her best to calm her sister down, the amount of emotions in the room only making her feel slightly uncomfortable. Beca learned a while ago that it was fine if she didn't want to be touchy-feely with other people, but Macy was the exception. Whatever she needed – a hug, a kiss on the forehead, a hand to hold – Beca was going to be there to give it to her.

Eventually, Beca had to leave, much to everyone's dismay (Macy for obvious reasons and CR because she was terrified about what Macy would do once Beca was out of the building. She has watched Macy before, but everything about this time around just seems different). Beca wrapped Macy in one more embrace, promised to keep her phone on her, and then practically ran out of Fig's before anyone could stop her.

Now, facing Chloe's house, Beca knows that she has to face her own fears, just like Macy did.

Before her mind can tell her otherwise, Beca forces herself to make her way up the driveway. Her legs feel like lead as they maneuver through the row of cars parked in the driveway, and down the front walkway before she's face to face with a brass knocker on the pristine white door. She tentatively raises her hand to grasp the cool metal, before bringing it down after three, succinct knocks.

It takes a moment, with Beca's heart pounding the entire time, before the door swings open, revealing a middle-aged woman standing in the front entryway. Beca doesn't have to look long to figure out that this woman has to be Chloe's mom. Her hair is slightly lighter than her daughter's, but she has the same breathtaking eyes, laden with compassion that seems to be a hallmark of Chloe's personality. When the woman sees Beca standing there, she grins, and, sure enough, it's remarkably similar to the same grin that Chloe has given her countless times this week.

"You must be Beca!" The woman brings her cardigan tighter around her torso, her excitement never once wavering. "It's so nice to meet you! I'm Chloe's mom, Lisa. Come in, come in."

Forcing a tight-lipped smile onto her face, Beca steps into the house, standing off to the side as Chloe's mom closes the door behind her. She's never been good with talking to adults, especially with introductions.

If Lisa is discouraged by Beca's lack of talking, she doesn't show it. Instead, she walks back so that she's within Beca's line of sight, before starting again. "I didn't hear your car pull up. If I had, I would've had the door already open for you!" She laughs lightly, the melodic sound drifting into Beca's ears and filling her with a sense of calm. "Did you find the house alright?"

Not bothering to inform the woman that Beca took a bus and walked the remaining distance to find her house, Beca just nods. "Yes, thank you."

"Chloe told me that you just started at Barden this week. How are you liking it so far?"

Beca's hands find their way to her backpack straps, seeking the comfort of the scratchy fabric under her sweaty palms. "It's been good." She pauses, wanting to leave it at that, but figures she should acknowledge the fact that Chloe hasn't really left her alone all week. "Chloe's been great."

Lisa's eyes twinkle at the mention of her daughter. "I'm so happy to hear that." The older woman watches as Beca shifts from foot to foot, clearly not the most comfortable in their current situation. "Well, the girls are all upstairs in Chloe's room. It's the second door on the left once you make it past the landing. Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything, alright?"

Beca gulps, glad that the conversation is ending. "Great, thank you, Mrs. Beale."

"Oh please," she scoffs, waving off Beca's comment. "Call me Lisa."

The corner of Beca's mouth quirks up in a small smile. "Okay. Thank you."

The older woman offers her a small wink, before making her way back down the hallway towards whatever she was doing before Beca arrived.

Standing in the front entryway of Chloe's house, Beca feels infinitely more nervous than she was standing out on the driveway. But, since she can't stand in the front entryway forever, Beca lets out a sigh, before making her way up the stairs.

As she makes her way towards Chloe's room, Beca can't help but let her eyes wander to the numerous framed photographs that are hanging on the wall. Some are bigger than others, and there's a wide variety of subjects, but most of them depict the same seven people: Chloe, her mom, and five other males that all look remarkably similar. What surprises Beca, though, is that some pictures also include other people that bear no resemblance to the Beale's, including Aubrey and Stacie.

Imagine having a family that large and still wanting to include your children's friends in special occasions?

Although Mrs. Beale had given her directions to Chloe's bedroom, Beca is still hesitant to approach the one room upstairs that has its light on, voices drifting into the hallway. She knows that she has to do it. She knows she just has to rip off the band-aid. The faster she gets into the bedroom, the faster she can work on the project, and the sooner she can go back to see Macy.

She can do this.

Mustering up the last remaining bit of courage that she has, Beca takes the last few steps required to reach the threshold of Chloe's bedroom. She instantly takes in the scene in front of her: Stacie, Aubrey, and Chloe are sprawled out on the floor in front of Chloe's bed, laughing about something. There is a bowl of popcorn in between the three of them, their copies of Death of a Salesman pushed off to the side, and three different laptops open and waiting to be used.

Beca takes the last few seconds of freedom that she has to glance around Chloe's bedroom, not surprised at all by the presence of at least five throw pillows, pictures of her and the girls lining her room, and hints of pink all over the place. It's homey, and, oddly enough, Beca feels as though the room is so, perfectly, Chloe.

"Beca! You made it!" Chloe's perky voice breaks Beca from her concentration, the brunette looking up just in time to see Chloe hopping up from her spot on the floor and advancing quickly to where Beca is still standing in the hallway. She reaches out for Beca's hand, giving it a little tug before Beca can even think about pulling away. "Come in!"

Stacie glances up at the brunette, "Hey, Beca."

When Chloe gets back to her seat, she finally releases Beca's hand, who shoves them back into the pocket of her sweatshirt. "Hey."

"Have a seat! We haven't started yet." Chloe pats the spot on the floor between her and Stacie, causing Beca to sit directly in front of Aubrey, who has barely acknowledged her presence. "Did you find the house okay? I didn't see your car pull up."

Beca has to keep herself from smirking at the fact that Chloe's mother basically said the same exact thing. "I did. Thanks." She tentatively takes her bag off her back, placing it firmly in her lap as the other three girls watch her get comfortable. Her mouth stretches into a tight-lipped smile, navy blue eyes flicking between each person, waiting for someone to say something – anything – to take the attention off of herself.

Chloe clears her throat. "So, we were thinking about using a trifold board so that we can display all of the character charts at the same time. What do you think?"

Pulling out her own copy of the play, in addition to the cell phone that was tucked in the front pocket for safe-keeping, Beca just shrugs. "Fine by me." After placing her cell phone down beside her (only after double-checking to make sure the ringer is on), she takes a notebook from the bag, as well, trying not to pay attention to the way Chloe and her friends are still watching her every move.

Aubrey pushes herself into a seated position, sitting with her legs tucked to the side, and her back as straight as it can possibly be. To Beca, she almost seems regal, with her perfectly curled hair and tendency to act like she's better than everyone else. Even with only knowing her for a week, Beca can see that Aubrey's stiff personality is a complete contrast to Chloe's welcoming and kind-natured spirit. "There are five characters that we have to do. How do we want to split it up?"

"Whoever does Willy should only have to do one. He's going to be the most complex." Stacie rolls over on her back, planting her feet on the carpeted floor, and perching her laptop on her thighs. "And I call not doing him, so I can do the two brothers."

"I can do Linda," Chloe says. "Bree, why don't you do Willy and Beca can do Charley?"

Beca, not really caring what she has to do or who she has to analyze, gives Chloe an affirming nod. It isn't like the assignment is going to take much effort, so why would it matter what character she has to do? She opens the book, getting ready to start, before she's interrupted.

"We can type up everything on the Google Doc and then we can just print it out and mount it on some construction paper. It will make it look better than it being handwritten."

There's something about the tone of Aubrey's voice that causes Beca to look up from the book. Sure enough, the blonde is staring pointedly at the notebook that Beca has open beside her. Beca's head quirks to the side, her eyes challenging Aubrey to say something else. Chloe and Stacie had both murmured their approval of the plan, and neither one of them are aware of the tension growing between the two other girls in the room, but it's not like Beca can make a laptop appear out of thin air.

Instead, she holds up her phone. "Don't worry, Aubrey, I have my phone and can type just fine on that." There's a little bit of a bite in Beca's tone, causing one of Aubrey's eyebrows to arch upwards, as well as bringing Stacie and Chloe back to the conversation. Whether it's because of how she said it or if it's because Beca really hasn't spoken more than a few words at a time since meeting them, she isn't sure.

If Macy had been there, she would have tugged on Beca's hand, warning her to keep the attitude reigned in. As much as the younger girl loves her sister, she knows that sometimes, what comes out of her mouth, can be a little problematic.

Chloe gives her best friend a warning glance. Even if Aubrey didn't say anything, Chloe is fully aware that her face gives away everything that she's thinking. Always. She doesn't want Beca to feel unwelcomed in her home, and Chloe certainly isn't going to let Aubrey make her feel that way. "Beca, I can go see if we can borrow my mom's laptop. It might be a little easier."

"I'm fine. Thanks."

On that awkward note, the group starts to get to work – Stacie, Aubrey, and Chloe all rereading sections of the play to find supporting quotes, and then typing for brief periods on their laptops, while Beca pretty much knows what quotes she wants to use, and jots them down on her notebook before opening the app on her phone.

Beca is the first one to finish her assigned portion of the work. It didn't take her long to think back to her previous lessons surrounding the play, and to manipulate that information into a few thought bubbles about the character, Charley. It's not like he's that difficult of a character to wrap her head around, and with her prior exposure to the content, it's even less of a challenge.

When she puts her phone to sleep, though, she realizes that all three of the other members of her group are still focusing intently on the work at hand. Stacie looks the most relaxed out of the three of them, maybe bored even. Aubrey's face is scrunched in concentration, and Chloe's lip is tucked beneath her tooth, neither one of them having spoken in the past half-hour. Beca could very well just sit there and do nothing, waiting for everyone else to finish, but again, the quicker that they finish the group project, the quicker she can go back to Fig's to pick up Macy.

"Can I help anyone with their part?"

Chloe is the first to turn to her, a soft smile already on her lips. "No, that's alright. Thank you." Stacie, too, says she's almost done, but Aubrey just glares at her over the top of her computer screen.

"You're already done?"

Beca's fingers go straight to turning her bracelets over and over again in her hand. "Yeah, I am."

"How?"

Shrugging, she finds herself glancing to the redhead for support. Why, Beca isn't entirely sure, but there's something about Chloe that is calming for her, especially when going up against Aubrey. "I don't know… Charley was pretty easy I guess."

Still not convinced, Aubrey turns her attention to the computer screen. Beca, along with everyone else in the room, knows that she's checking everything that Beca's done on the project and reading over it for accuracy. There's no way that Aubrey Posen is going to get a bad grade on a group project because one alt-girl couldn't pull her own weight.

But, sure enough, everything is there. From quotes, to explanations, to a well-written introduction about Charley's character.

More to herself than anyone else, Aubrey mutters, "I'm still trying to find the supporting evidence."

Beca reopens the document on her phone. "I could help. Which one are you looking for?"

Chloe watches as Aubrey's face seems to twitch. The blonde has never liked accepting help from anyone – let alone a girl that she hardly knows. So, Chloe isn't surprised when Aubrey says, "I'm fine."

Silence once again falls over the bedroom, with Beca not really sure what she's supposed to be doing. She isn't going to beg to help Aubrey finish her part, and neither Chloe nor Stacie seem to need it either, so Beca sits there. Wishing the time would go faster.

After about a half hour more, Stacie and Chloe both finish their portions of the characterizations, closing their books at almost the same time. Stacie groans, rolling over on her side and taking a handful of popcorn, chewing slowly as Aubrey continues to work on the information necessary for Willy's part.

Unbeknownst to Beca, who has since returned to her cellphone and is scrolling through the document, watching as Aubrey struggles to fill in the remaining sections, Chloe struggles to keep her attention off of her. At first, the redhead had hoped that, by being away from school, Beca would open up a little bit more. But, if anything, it seems as though Chloe's bedroom is making her feel more self-conscious.

Chloe sits up straighter, tossing her phone to the side, and automatically commanding the attention of the room. "How are you liking Barden so far, Beca?"

Stacie, who has been waiting for Chloe to make her move, also turns to look at Beca for an answer. Aubrey couldn't care less.

Beca's heart starts to beat harder in her chest. Not because the question is hard, but rather, because this question typically leads to others that Beca would much rather not answer. "It's fine."

Chloe rolls her eyes, laughing a little. "Oh, come on, you must have some thoughts about it."

Honestly, Beca hasn't thought about it much. It's a lot bigger than some of the other schools that she's been in – but not the biggest. She likes the fact that Macy is in the same building but is finding that her brain is more occupied with thoughts about her than the content of her classes. The food is lackluster but Beca isn't one to complain. The other students are normal high schoolers and haven't really said anything to Beca, which she appreciates. But really, it's just school, and she wouldn't be surprised if she has to go to another one before the end of her senior year.

Shrugging, Beca starts to pick at the inside of her pocket. "I don't know… it's high school."

Stacie scoffs, "Ugh, tell me about it. I hate high school."

Thoughts from last night drift back to the forefront of Chloe's mind. "I don't know… I kind of like it. The routine and everything."

Aubrey doesn't bother looking up from her laptop, wanting to squash Chloe's fears as soon as they appear. "You can have a routine anywhere. It just takes a little while to get used to."

Stacie glances briefly between Aubrey and Chloe, knowing that something is going on that neither one of them are talking about. Instead of getting involved in all of that, she brings the questioning back to Beca. Stacie has seen the way Chloe has looked at the brunette ever since she introduced them in Mr. Harrington's class. And, as much as she loves being Chloe's wing-woman, she wants to learn more about Beca, too. "You said that you transferred from another school in the city, right?"

Beca's throat starts to tighten. Here we go. "Yeah, uh, Lincoln."

"Was it hard transferring a month into the semester?" Chloe's voice is soft, almost as if she's afraid to ask.

At her question, Beca makes the mistake of locking eyes with the redhead. Besides CR, no one has ever really asked her whether or not it's difficult transferring. Sure, Beca always checks in with Macy, but other than that, everyone else pretty much expects Beca to just deal with it.

Despite herself, as she stares into Chloe's shimmering, cerulean blue orbs, and Beca feels a small flutter inside of her chest that gives her the courage to answer.

"I mean, I guess." After going to nine different schools, Beca wishes that it wasn't as hard as it is, but, in all honesty, it sucks. Readjusting to new classes, meeting new people, having to constantly worry about who knows what, and who she can trust. It's frustrating, especially when she has a little sister who is at the age where bullies are everywhere and love to pick apart ever insecurity that she has, no matter what school they go to.

Stacie finally pushes herself into a seated position, leaning up against Chloe's closet door. "I couldn't even imagine. I've been going to, basically the same school, with the same people, since kindergarten." Chloe – and even Aubrey – nod in agreement. "And to transfer during your senior year? That sucks."

Lincoln was one of the schools that she was at for the longest, but that doesn't necessarily mean that she misses it. In fact, she would be fine if she never saw it again. "It is what it is."

"But you still keep in contact with your friends, right?" Chloe can't help herself. She wants to know more about Beca, and this is the longest they've talked. She can't just stop now.

Despite the content of the conversation, Beca snorts. Her gaze falls to the carpet in front of her as she raises her shoulders in a noncommittal shrug. "Not really, no."

"What?!" Beca jumps slightly at Chloe's exclamation, while Stacie and Aubrey just look as though they've seen Chloe's outbursts on more than one occasion. "What do you mean? Why don't you stay in contact with your friends?"

With Chloe staring her down, Beca finds herself turning to Stacie and Aubrey, looking for some sort of way out of the conversation, which neither of them gives her. Stacie is watching her just as intently as Chloe, and Aubrey, while acting as though she couldn't care less about the conversation, is still paying attention with her eyes trained on the computer screen. It's as though Beca doesn't have any way out of this without telling Chloe what she wants to hear. "I don't know… it's not the first time I've transferred schools. Kind of hard to make friends when you're not there for a while."

Chloe's shoulders slump. That has to be the saddest thing she's ever heard. No wonder she doesn't talk much. It's as though she doesn't want to let people in so that she doesn't have to say goodbye.

With Beca's statement weighing heavily on her mind – and heart – she pushes herself off of the ground, and practically crawls over to where Beca is sitting. She startles the brunette; whose head turns around so fast that her curls fly to the other side of her back. Watching Chloe carefully, Beca isn't sure what to do as the effervescent senior wraps her arms around her, keeping her in a tight embrace before sitting back down beside her. Chloe gives her another one of her signature smiles. "Well, I think we're going to be fast friends, so you don't have to worry about that anymore."

For some reason, Beca is compelled to believe her.

Aubrey eventually finished finding the information necessary for Willy's character chart, and Chloe quickly printed out the papers so that the group could put them onto the trifold board in a manner worthy of an 'A.' Some light conversation eventually returned to the bedroom, but Beca's mind couldn't stop swimming with what the redhead had said to her, so she keeps to herself.

Well, as much as she can keep to herself when they're working on a project together.

"Chlo! You have to make sure they are straight before they go down on the board. If we keep lifting them up after you glue them, it's going to look all messy."

Chloe sighs, trying her best not to bite off the blonde's head. "It's fine, Aubrey."

Sitting off to the side, Beca continues to cut the quotes and their information into perfect little boxes that live up to Aubrey's expectations. It's gotten slightly more chaotic as the afternoon has gone on, with paper scraps and glue sticks covering the carpet. She gathers the finished products into her hands, before making her way over to where the other girls are standing over the trifold board. Beca has to admit, it's coming along well.

As they continue to put the pieces together, Beca's ringtone sounds from where her phone lays abandoned on the ground beside her bag. The sudden noise startles the group, but Beca doesn't waste any time in moving to pick it up. Sure enough, CR's contact photo is flashing at her as Beca quickly excuses herself, closing the bedroom door lightly behind her, and leaving Chloe and the other girls left in a state of utter confusion - and concern.

Beca's heart pounds as she makes her way down the hallway, trying to find a little bit of privacy as her phone continues to ring in her hand. When she finds the window seat that is behind the stairs, Beca tentatively makes her way over to the cushion, finally answering the call. "Hello?"

"Hey, Bec, is now a good time?" Much to Beca's surprise, it's CR's voice that comes through the phone. Beca had just automatically assumed that Macy would have been the one calling.

"Yeah, what's up? Is Macy okay?" It's almost four o'clock. Beca had been hoping that Macy would be able to make it through the last hour but isn't necessarily surprised that she didn't.

"She's fine. She's been hanging out in the office for most of the afternoon, but she came out front like ten minutes ago and said she wanted to call you. She looked like she was starting to get upset."

Beca leans her head up against the window, trying to keep her voice down. "It's okay. You can put her on."

There's some shuffling on the other end of the phone as Beca listens to CR finding her sister, before Macy's sweet voice fills her ears. "Beca?"

"Hey, Mace. How're you doing?" Beca's tone immediately softens at how quiet Macy's greeting is. She can almost hear the tears collecting her eyes.

"When are you coming back?"

Beca pulls one leg up onto the cushion, resting her free hand on her ankle. "Soon. We're finishing up the project now. Are you doing alright? How's Fig's?"

On the other line, Macy lets out a small sniffle, her throat tightening with emotion. "It's okay. I wish you were here, though."

"I wish I was there, too, munch. But you're doing so good… How's CR? Is she driving you crazy yet?"

"She's good. She let me sit in her office instead of at the counter."

"That's pretty cool. Have you done any of your homework?"

"Some of it. I need help with my math."

"Okay, we can work on it when I come to pick you up, alright?"

Macy falls silent, before whispering, "Okay. Promise?"

"I promise." Beca starts to pick at the frayed end of her jeans, worried about how the next part of the conversation will go. "Do you think you'll be okay for the next hour or so? I'm going to try and finish up this project as fast as I can, but I still have to take the bus so it may be a little longer." When her sister doesn't respond, Beca tries again. "Mace? It's just a little longer. I'll be back before you know it."

She sniffles again. "Okay."

Letting out a soft sigh, Beca can't help but feel a smile growing on her face. "Why don't you put the homework to the side for now and just read for a little bit? It'll help pass the time faster."

"Okay."

"That 'a girl." Beca shifts again, "Alright, you go chill out in CR's office, and I'll see you in a little while, okay?"

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too, munch. I'll see you soon."

This time, Macy doesn't answer. Instead, there's more shuffling on the other end, before CR comes back on the line. "Hey. Everything good?"

Beca pulls her hand through her curls, feeling relieved that she could even get Macy off the phone. "Yeah, she should be fine."

"Is there anything else I can do?"

The brunette thinks for a second before responding. "She shouldn't, but if you think she's going to start having a panic attack, just call me. I'll try and get there as fast as I can."

"Okay. Anything else?"

"No, CR, you've already done so much. Thank you, again." After they exchange their own goodbyes, Beca hangs up the phone, mentally preparing herself to go back into Chloe's bedroom.

Chloe had tried her hardest not to follow the brunette out into the hallway. But, after Beca had left in such a hurry, with a worried expression on her face, Chloe couldn't help but be curious. She had waited a few minutes, and, after ignoring Aubrey's protests, crept into the hallway to find where Beca had gone.

It doesn't take long for Chloe to hear another voice in the hallway. Even without being able to see past the wall that separates the hall from the staircase, she knows that Beca has to be over by the window seat. Chloe takes a few steps in that direction, listening carefully as Beca continues to talk on the phone.

"I love you too, munch. I'll see you soon." Beca pauses, most likely listening to whatever the other person is saying. Chloe knows that she shouldn't be eavesdropping, but she also wants to make sure that the brunette is alright. She still can't wrap her mind around what Beca had told them about her lack of friends. It breaks her heart, and there's something in Chloe that wants to make sure that Beca doesn't feel the same way about Barden. "She shouldn't, but if you think she's going to start having a panic attack, just call me. I'll try and get there as fast as I can." There's another pause. "No, CR, you've already done so much. Thank you, again."

When it's silent for a couple of moments, Chloe conjures up the courage – and battles the warnings in her own mind – to peek her head around the corner. Sure enough, Beca is sitting with her head leaning against the window, her eyes closed, and her phone abandoned on the cushion beside her. "Hey, are you okay?"

Beca jumps slightly, her hand flying to her chest. "Jesus Christ!" Her eyes finally open, looking across the stairs to where Chloe is standing behind the banister, smiling meekly. "How long have you been standing there?"

Chloe shrugs, making her way over to the window seat. "Not too long." Chloe gestures to the cellphone, "Is everything okay?"

Beca's eyes widen, her heart starting to pound a little faster as thoughts of what Chloe did and didn't hear start racing through her head. "Oh. Yeah. Everything's fine."

"Who was on the phone?" Chloe already has a little bit of an idea of who it could have been, but doesn't want to just blurt it out.

Beca watches the redhead carefully. Normally, if someone asked her a question like that, she would think the person was being incredibly nosey and that they need to back the hell off. But with Chloe… she just seems genuinely curious. And concerned.

That doesn't mean she's just going to abandon all of the rules she lives by, though.

Beca's main priority – above everything else – is ensuring that Macy is safe. Whether it be from foster parents, social workers, kids at school, nightmares, or honestly, just herself, Beca is supposed to be there for her through it all. That includes not putting Macy in situations to be scrutinized, which is typically what happens when she tells people that she has a sister. Especially when they realize that said sister faces challenges that tend to set her apart from kids her own age. They ask questions, questions that Beca really isn't comfortable answering for complete strangers.

So, Beca settles for part of the truth. "It was just my boss."

Chloe's smirk quirks a little bit. "You tell your boss that you love them?"

Beca's face pales. Well, that explains how much she heard. "Oh…um…" She searches for the right words, her brain racing to come up with an acceptable lie as she scratches at the nape of her neck.

"Would this have anything to do with the cutie that was looking for you on Wednesday?" The sentimental 'I love you too, munch' had been Chloe's first clue, but when Beca went on to say something about a panic attack, Chloe quickly put two and two together. She's not a psychologist by any means, but she knows that the little girl that she had met Wednesday in the hallway was definitely showing signs of anxiety.

Beca's heart stops beating, her breath getting caught in her throat. "What are you talking about?" When could she possibly have met Macy? And, more importantly, why didn't Macy say anything to her about it?

Chloe takes a seat on the cushion beside Beca. "There was a girl that was looking for you on Wednesday in between sixth and seventh period. When you were in Mrs. Abernathy's office."

Any walls that had previously fallen while talking with the other girls, are automatically put back up. As much as she hates answering questions, there's a big difference about Beca answering questions about herself and having to talk about her sister.

It takes everything in Beca not to slam her own head through the glass of the window. Of course, someone had seen Macy when she went looking for her. Of course, Macy had started panicking as soon as she couldn't find her. But, what Beca doesn't understand, is how Chloe knew that Macy was related to her, because Beca is almost 100% certain that Macy was not in any state of mind to talk if she couldn't find Beca. "How did you –"

"Know that you guys are related?" Chloe laughs quietly. "You guys could be twins if she were a little older. And, Stacie saw you talking with her outside of your physics class."

"Stacie was there too?" This just keeps on getting better and better. Have they talked to Macy since then? Have they told anyone else what happened?

Chloe's smile falters at the sight of Beca's expression. She doesn't look angry, but she also doesn't look happy. There's a slight crease in between her eyebrows, and her eyes are wide. The brunette almost seems scared. "Well, yeah… we were walking to class together when we saw her. She was pretty upset. She didn't go and see you? We told her you were in guidance."

Beca runs her hands through her curls, before cradling her head with her elbows perched on her knees. It's no wonder Macy was so upset; she was angry at Beca, most likely embarrassed about breaking down during the passing period, and she had two strangers trying to calm her down.

She shakes her head slightly, blowing out a puff of air from her mouth, before sitting up again to face the redhead. Well, there's no going back now. "I guess I owe both you and Stacie a thank you, then. Macy didn't tell me that she had talked to anyone."

"Macy?" Chloe's grin returns.

Beca gives her a small nod, and, against all of the alarm bells going off in her head, answers. The words feel like sludge rolling off of her tongue. She really does not want to be having this conversation, but can't really find a way out of it. "Yeah, her name's Macy. She's my little sister."

"Aw! That's adorable!" As Chloe's excitement skyrockets, Beca's stomach churns. The redhead doesn't seem to notice this, though. "Was she okay? She seemed really upset when she couldn't find you."

Beca wipes the palms of her hands on her jeans. If Chloe thinks she's getting any more information right now, she's sadly mistaken. "She was fine."

Chloe motions to the phone, "Was that who you were talking to?"

"Yeah. It was." With nerves racing through her body, Beca reaches out a shaky hand and brings the phone back into her possession. She taps it against her thigh a couple of times, before coming up with what she can say to end the conversation. "She was just wondering when I would be back. So, we should probably go back and help finish the project."

Chloe, taken aback by Beca's short tone, frowns. Beca won't even make eye contact with her, a stark contrast from earlier in the conversation, and earlier in the afternoon when Chloe actually thought they were getting somewhere. "Oh. Okay."

Beca doesn't give her the opportunity to ask any more questions. She simply pushes herself off the cushion, and makes her way back into the bedroom, expecting Chloe to follow eventually.

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