Chapter 24: All hell lose

Author: Now who is going to be rambling today,huh? Beca don't you want to tell them to fuck off? Aubrey, don't you want to strangle Beca? Amy? No one huh? Come on, guys.

Chloe: No we are fine. Let's just finish it off. Shall we?

Days are going well for everyone lately. Everyone is keeping their business to themselves until they do not anymore. You know the saying about making right what was wrong before. So the days all are facing is nothing but silence before the storm and this storm is going to hit them hard. Oh, believe me so hang on tight everyone. So let's go to the hell of the ride.

Tom marches into Michael's room wearing his black tux and bow tie, a banquet of roses.

"Mike I need that perfume which you borrowed from me and never gave me back." He barged into Michael's bedroom and looks expectantly.

"Well, I was going to give you back." Michael stands up and begins searching in his cupboard. When he found the perfume he turned and walk back to Tom, "well, where are you going? Someone you met and didn't tell me?"

"I am meeting Chloe. I'm gonna surprise her at her work." Tom says spraying an unhealthy amount of perfume to his body.

"And she's expecting you? I mean you told her you are coming right?" Michael asks suspiciously.

"No. I told you it's a surprise. She's gonna be surprised." Tom says feeling giddy.

Oh lord. She's going to be surprised. No doubt he half whispers to himself. "But Tom. She told you that she isn't interested in you anymore." Michael says trying to sound very calm.

"Yesss. But what is your point." Tom tries to play innocent.

"You know you should just let it go. You have hung onto this for long enough now you have the closure you should just move on." Michael said.

" I know and I will move on but not until I put up a fight. I'll give my 100% before I give up." Tom replays while fixing his bow tie for 100th time already. Michael just stares at his brother tired of repeating the same thing over and over but having no effect at all. So he this time saved himself from drama. He has a company to run because his idiot brother is distracted so much lately.

Michael reached the office and sighs. Their business is not going well. No celebrity wants to tie up with them. Not a single hit song they have released from the past 6 months. They need to attract people to themselves or else the company will be doomed. While he checks his pending works he stumbles upon a flash drive which Beca gave him to listen. He decides to listen to it and this is what they need. The beat was a little rough but he knew it can be fixed so he called Beca.

"Hey, Beca." He greets unnecessarily enthusiastically.

"What is it." She knows she shouldn't be talking like this to her boss but she is not up for friendly talking right now.

"Hey, umm...I listened to your sample which you gave me last week. Well, I'm impressed its ...its new..fresh I mean. It needs some alterations but we can work on that. So when do you think you are going to free?" He dives straight to the point. Maybe sensing her mood. Good decision.

"You heard it?" She pauses for her next line trying to digest everything in before answer further, "I'll see it when I can work on that. But thank you for listening."

"Yeah, no problem but can you tell me when's your that competition thing is going to end. I mean Chloe told me it'll take 6 months but I'm asking you when can I have you like full time to my company...you know you have talent Beca..." he goes on and on not knowing what slips through his mouth but he was telling her the truth.

"How do you know Chloe?" Beca asks him catching him off guard.

"Ummm...you didn't know?" He didn't know if he can cover up his slip up now. Covering up, lying, making stuff is Tom's area of specialization. So he does what he does, telling truth. And boy is he feeling guilty now whereas he can easily the subject, could lie not saying name Chloe, making stuff like yes Chloe his assistant Chloe Adams anything but telling truth.

Beca was fuming is an understatement. She needs answers right now.

Before Michael can wallow in his own pity party his phone vibrates flashing Stacie's name on it which makes him smile and forget about the situation.

"Hie.." he answers.

"How do you feel if someone wants to spend time with you?" Stacie asks right away.

"Depends upon who is that someone. If it's the tall beautiful brunette then I'm all in." He replied in giddiness.

"Meet me in 1 hour?" Asks hopefully.

"Send me the address and I'll be there," he answers wide grin on his face.

Maybe something good will come out from this eerily quiet day.

Chris was relaxing on his big cushion-y Chair seeping his coffee. He likes these kinds of days soothing, comforting, and less stressful. Chloe peeks through the gape of the door after knocking.

"You want to see me," Chloe asks nervously.

"Yes actually. Sit down please." He says turning into his seat so he can face her properly.

"You know that our school is not doing very great. We have very tough competitions seeing A class high schools are nearby vicinity..." Chris says stalling for a moment. He doesn't want to do this. I have known Chloe for not that long but she is a good teacher just because of some technicalities he doesn't want to take this step.

"Stop beating around bushes I know where this is going. This is about fund thing, right? See Chris I know you can't give us more funds but what we actually getting for the music department is already so low I'm only asking for once above that to buy some props that are it. It can't be so hard." Chloe feels like she was on edge.

"See Chloe, education is what more important our funds are too low right now. I want to save it for the important stuff in case we don't get more funds." Chris tries to explain his point.

"Yeah like this isn't important?" Chloe asks incredulously.

"Chloe I will give you if we get more funds next month. I promise." Chris says wanting to dismiss the subject because truly he can't do anything about it.

"Yeah whatever I have a class to attend." If she was on edge before she is definitely falling from the edge now. Her day can't be worse than this she thought. If she only knew.

Aubrey wakes up in a fairly good mood. She knew she hasn't been on her right mind lately. She blames that on Chloe because Chloe was always the one who grounds her, guide her in the right direction very subtly, and lately Chloe wasn't that person to her anymore. She didn't blame Chloe entirely but she misses her. She wants everything to be normal. She has seen hurt in Chloe's eyes and she can't face that. Sad Chloe is her weakness. She wants her old days again when they can talk about everything and anything she wants Chloe to be happy again. She knew she is trying to postpone the inevitable. She needs to talk Chloe down, needs to confront her. Maybe she will suck it up today and finally talk to Chloe.

Chole didn't thought for once that today was the day when she will loose her politeness. She was so sure that day would never come, her mother taught her well that words are the greatest weapon on the earth which can heal as well as hurt people. So choose them wisely and Chloe may be a uncontrollable force which barrelled through everyone's personal space quite literally, but she always think before speak that left her with thousands of words tumbling inside her brain but never comes out from mouth ultimately everyone thinks she is weak.

After that very eventful meeting with Chris Chloe tries to bury her frustration by focusing her job as soon as possible and go to her room watch some corny movies while eating tub of icecream alone because Aubrey doesn't care anymore eventually cry of course due to movie and finally sleep.

Stacie on the other hand was in very good mood today. So she decided to make it more perfect by plucking up some courage and ask out the man she has been pinning after lately. They decided to meet up at the restaurant around the corner which is happens to near Chloe's School. She was waiting outside the restaurant behind the tree for Michael to arrive. She doesn't want to go first and wait for him that makes her desperate although she asked him out that two are different things. Michael enters into restaurant and settles down on very far end in the corner. After counting three, meditating, fixing her makeup last time ahe enters and greets him.

"You look beautiful. " Michael comments blushing slightly.

"You are not bad either. " Stacie replies which rewards her with his tentative smile and melts her beating heart. Her date was perfect until she realises how much time has passed by and she is going to be late. Aubrey is going to kill her.

"Oh shoot! I have to go. I'm really late for the practice. Bellas practice." She tries to explain frantically while Michael gestures to waiter for bill.

"No, it's ok. I'm sorry I took up your so much time. And please keep an eye on Beca today. She will be in a bad mood not that it really make different. " he said while paying the bill.

"What do you mean?" She asked

"Ummm..I...it was an accident and I didn't knew that she didn't knew or supposed to knew...but I slip up Chloe's name to Beca." He confessed avoiding Stacie's eye.

Stacie's eyes went wide. She need to go like really now before it gets too late. So she grabbed Michael's hand and dragged him out of the restaurant pushed him into her car.

Chloe's last class fades out of room taking up her extra 15 minutes. She starts cleaning the room when someone enters through the door.

"Extra class huh?" She tries to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, it is a tourture. I thought there wasn't a punishment for teachers but I guess I was wrong. " Chloe sighs done with her day.

"I guess never goes like we plan." She says softly but that doesn't affect Chloe. "Look Chlo, I am sorry for acting dick_"

"To me or to everyone?" Chloe interjects momentarily retiring herself from cleaning to have a 'talk' with Aubrey.

"To you." Aubrey states as matter of factly. I mean she's her father's daughter after all.

"Aubrey...I love you sweetie but you gotta stop act like a dick while apologising for the same." Chloe touches her arm tried to communicate with her. She knows Aubrey worked up too easily which is no good for anyone. "Look_"

"Chloe?" Someone enters the door now adding the third person into the tension filled room.

"What do you want?" Chloe feels slightly irritated now, she just wants to go home already.

"I came to pick you up for our date." Tom offers bouquet of roses with his charming smile.

"Tell me again What part of 'I don't love you Tom' you don't understand" Chloe huffs.

"I'll make you fall in love with me again. " Tom further pushes.

"Look_"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Chloe was cut off shrill of voice followed by a door open and slammed close by a force of angry human body.

Both best friends were too stunned to respond the sudden intruder. "You?"jabbing the finger to Chloe's chest,"who gave you the permission to actively control my life you fucking bitch?"

"Beca?" Chloe tries to back away but her legs wouldn't respond she never seen beca this angry before not towards her anyways.

"Yes Chloe explain it to me?" Beca jabbed one more.

"What are you talking about?" Chloe asks confusingly.

"I'm talking about your plan about getting me hooked up with your boyfriend's company. What do you want from me. Isn't it enough for you already to crush my heart? What else do you want?"

"Look_" Chloe gets cut off again by now running pair of couple.

"We are late. Shit. She got her." Stacie bends down keeping her hands on knee trying to catch her breath.

"Beca it isn't her fault." Michael begins not knowing where to lead.

"She just wanted to help you. " Stacie finishes.

"You knew about this and never told me. That's not important why the hell you want to help her Chloe?" Aubrey screams suddenly.

"Let_" maybe with starting another word she won't get cut in midsentensce.

"Why the room is filled with thick air?" Bellas one by one started to gather around.

"Hey Tommy boy, what's up?" Fat Amy exclaims.

"Is there any betting going on?" CR asks hopefully.

"Chloeeee" legacy greets completely missing the scene.

After everyone settles in room everything went into silence. " I sense the dead air here." Evryone heard what Lily said.

"Well_" Chloe again cut off by a sudden movement by door frustratingly she shouts,"Oh for God's sake who else is there. Show yourself. " Chris stumbles through door. "What you want from me now? Want to fire me?"

"No...no I... I was just passing by your door...thought I should...could..I mean want to just check on...I'll see you on Monday. " he hurriedly scurried back out from door.

"Okayyyyy...now let's get one by one, shall we?" Chloe circles through stops infront of Aubrey, "No Aubrey I didn't tell you because I knew what you would say. I'm a grown up woman and not everything is about you. I stand by you as long as I know you but when one time when I need my best friend you couldn't keep difference aside and just be there for me once?" Aubrey felt guilty is a understatement of the century maybe thousands of them. "Tom, you should respect a women's wishes when she said a hard 'NO'." Chloe walks forward to Beca now. "Beca first Tom is not my boyfriend. I di hook you up in his company to help you. It's that simple I don't think so I should explain myself any further." Chloe walks further,"Stacie, you may have been little late but you shouldn't bring Michael here he is Beca's boss after all." Chloe moves forward," I am a good person I think a good friend I'm sure. I have had everyone's back when they needed it. But when Beca was getting on my throat last month no one ever said a word. Everyone is like Let Chloe take the bullets and die. Friends don't do that. But I don't blame you guys really. It's all results of lack of communication. Let's just get over with this and move forward. I'm done with this and I'm serious. " Chloe storms out of the room.