Chapter 16: Payback Time
"Hey, sorry I'm late. Coach wanted me to stop by his office to talk about tomorrow's game for a few minutes," Beca said as she walked inside the music room. The brunette set her stuff down and then joined Chloe, who was sitting at the piano. "So, where did we leave off?"
"We were trying to decide between me playing a classic piece by Beethoven or Mozart," Chloe mentioned, looking at the sheet music in front of her. "After that, I have to choose a modern piece, which is the one I'm more worried about. I can play these classic pieces in my sleep, but I've never really gotten into modern music."
"I have no doubt in my mind that you'll catch on right away to the modern piece. Sure, you're more experienced with classical music, but you're a great pianist, and I know you can adjust to something outside of your comfort zone," Beca replied in a genuine voice.
"I'm glad to know that you have faith in me," Chloe smiled, taking a deep breath as Beca sat beside her on her piano bench. "I know I've told you this a million times already, but thank you for helping me with this. It means a lot because I know you'd probably rather be writing music or practicing for basketball. So, thank you."
Beca shook her head. "You don't need to thank me. It's no big deal. And for the record, I wouldn't rather be writing music or practicing for basketball," she said with a small smile.
This made the redhead blush a little, and she looked down at the piano keys for a moment. "Well, thank you anyway."
Beca smiled. "Alright, then let's get started. Why don't you play a Beethoven piece and a Mozart piece, and then we decide which one you should go with?"
Chloe nodded and then pulled out the sheet music for the Mozart piece and played it first, doing it flawlessly of course. Then she played the Beethoven piece she had picked, also playing that one with perfection and unmatched passion.
After Chloe finished playing, Beca sat there and thought for a few minutes. "I think that both pieces sound great, and that either one would be great for your audition. The decision is yours," the brunette said.
"I'm still worried about the modern piece though, Beca. I don't know what to do," Chloe said, covering her face with her hands. "This audition is in less than three weeks. What if I screw up my modern song and they reject me?"
"Hey, you still have a lot of time to prepare for the audition. I know you're going to do great, Chlo. Three weeks might not seem like a long time, but I'll be here to help you, and we'll make sure you're prepared for your audition," Beca replied.
The redhead nodded and then leaned back against the wall behind her, taking a couple of deep breaths. "I'm so scared, Beca. Juillard has been my dream since before I could play a decent tune on the piano. I don't know what I'll do if I don't get in," She stated, biting her lip and looking down at her hands that rested on her lap. "What if I prepare as much as I can and I'm not good enough?"
Beca hesitated, not sure how to answer Chloe's question. "All you can do is give everything you have," she said finally, looking into Chloe's eyes. "And I'm not sure that's what you want to hear, but it's true. At the end of the day, if you try the hardest you can and do the best you can, then you have something to be proud of."
"I've never been so nervous for anything in my life," Chloe said, leaning her head on Beca's shoulder and linking their hands together. This happened from time to time, whenever Chloe was stressed about one of her pieces or her audition; she would lay her head on Beca's shoulder and hold her hand. For some reason, it always managed to lift the weight off of her shoulders.
Beca smiled softly and leaned her head against Chloe's, looking down at their hands as well. "You have every right to be nervous, Chlo. This is a big deal. You just have to believe in yourself, because you can do it. I know you can," she said.
"I don't understand why you have so much faith in me," Chloe said with a chuckle. She too looked down at their hands, noticing how perfect they molded together. It was almost magic, how easily they fit like two pieces in a puzzle. "But thank you, for having that faith in me, it makes me stronger."
"How could I not have faith in you, Chlo?" Beca asked the redhead. "You're one of the most talented people I've ever met. I'd be crazy to not have faith in you."
"Thank you," Chloe murmured, staying where she was and just listening to Beca speak. "Can we just, stay here for a minute?" She asked, biting her lip as she awaited an answer. "This just helps me calm down."
Beca nodded her head. "Yeah, of course," she said, noticing how Chloe bit her lip. "You know that if you need someone to talk to, you can come to me, right?"
The redhead nodded after Beca finished talking, and she held on tightly to the girl's hand, not wanting to let go. "Yes, I do know that. I trust you more than any of the people I've met here, besides Chic of course. But I'd rather be around you than anyone else in our friend group," She mentioned, taking a deep breath before continuing. "If I need someone to just talk to, you're always there to listen, and you never judge me."
Beca just shrugged her shoulders. "It's the right thing to do. I don't judge you, and you don't judge me. Friends don't judge each other. Simple as that," she replied.
Chloe wrapped her free arm around Beca and held her friend close. Something about Beca just made her feel safe, it and made her feel warm and at home. "You're my anchor, Beca. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you in my life."
Beca smiled at Chloe's words and put her arm around Chloe's back. "The same goes from me to you, Red. You're a great person, and an even better friend. I'm so lucky to have you in my life."
After sitting there for awhile longer, Chloe spoke up again. "Can I get a ride home from you? Aubrey offered to give me a ride, but she's gonna be at her study group for a few more hours, and I kinda just want to go home and hang out with you."
"Yeah, sure. I have to go to a team meeting for about half an hour, but I can drive you home after that," Beca said, standing up and grabbing her backpack and basketball bag.
"Thanks, just text me when you're done and I'll meet you outside," Chloe said, smiling up the brunette, gazing into her dark blue eyes. She'd never really noticed this, but Beca's eyes were the color of the night sky, and they were absolutely beautiful. Chloe was brought back to reality when Beca spoke again.
"Alright, sounds good. I'll see you in a bit," Beca said, smiling and waving as she walked out of the music room and headed for the gym. The team meeting didn't take as long as Beca thought it would, so she and Chloe were hanging out at the redhead's house about twenty minutes later.
"So, what did you want to do? We can keep talking about your Juilliard audition or watch a movie or something. I don't really care what we do," Beca said, sitting down on the couch in the living room.
"But don't you hate movies?" Chloe asked, sitting next to Beca as she turned on the television then grabbed a blanket for her and Beca to share.
"I don't hate all movies. I just don't like a lot of them. It depends on what we watch," Beca said, pulling the blanket over the two of them.
"Okay, let me see if I can find one that you like," Chloe said before getting up and looking at the movie that they had. "You told me a while back that you read the Harry Potter books, do you like the movies? Because we have all of them."
"I actually haven't seen any of the movies, but I do like the books. Are the movies like the books?" Beca asked. "I hate movies that are based off of books but aren't like the book at all."
"Well, the movies don't totally follow the books, but they do for the most part. There is just so much in the books that a movie with everything in it would be six to ten hours long," Chloe said with a chuckle. "I'll put the first one in, it follows the book really well," She said before putting the disc in the DVD player. She then sat down next to Beca and got under the blanket, pushing play once the menu showed up.
A couple previews played before the movie actually started. Beca smiled and scooted a little closer to Chloe as the opening scene began so they could share more of the blanket. "Thanks for inviting me over, Chloe," the brunette whispered softly to the redhead.
"Thanks for coming over, it's nice to just spend an afternoon with a friend," Chloe mentioned, smiling as Beca moved closer. "You should know that I do love cuddling during movies though, no matter who I'm watching them with. I just thought I should warn you so you don't get freaked out by it when it happens."
Beca playfully furrowed her eyebrows at these words. "Well, I'm not the world's biggest cuddlebug, so don't be surprised if I move to the opposite side of the couch," she joked with a chuckle. "Just kidding, Beale. I don't really mind cuddling."
Chloe let out a laugh as well before she responded. "Even if you did mind cuddling, I don't think you could escape me," She said in a joking manner. She then bit her lip and smiled as the movie started. "I hope you enjoy the show," She mentioned.
"If it's as good as you say it is, then I think I will," Beca replied, smiling back at Chloe before turning her attention to the TV.
Around the time in the movie where Harry receives his letter from Hogwarts, Chloe got up and made some microwave popcorn for the two of them. She then got them both a glass of ice water before heading back into the movie room.
The redhead set the popcorn on the table and then got back under the blanket, this time initiating a cuddle session by sitting really close to Beca and leaning head on the girls chest. Chloe wrapped her arms around the brunette and made herself comfortable. She had to admit, Beca's body was in good shape, toned and healthy from basketball. The redhead then grabbed the popcorn bag and put a single kernel in her mouth before feeding one to Beca.
Beca chuckled and shook her head when Chloe fed her a popcorn kernel. "You are so weird, Beale," the brunette said, chuckling when Chloe fed her another popcorn kernel. "But I love you for that," she added.
The redhead smiled and then fed herself another kernel before focusing on the movie. Even though she'd read and seen it a million times, she still loved these stories. A sly smile crept onto her face when she felt Beca's hand trace soft shapes into her arm.
Beca was doing this absentmindedly, so when she looked down and saw what she was doing, she immediately pulled her hand away. "Sorry about that," the brunette said, looking down and blushing.
"You don't need to be sorry," Chloe said, smiling at Beca. "I liked it, actually," She added with as she put another two kernels of popcorn into her mouth.
"Oh, really?" Beca asked, surprised by Chloe's answer. "I thought you'd think it was weird or something."
Chloe shook her head softly. "No, I don't think it's weird at all," She mentioned, linking her hand with Beca's.
Beca smiled and squeezed Chloe's hand gently. "Well, that's good. I'm glad I didn't make you feel weird or anything," the brunette said with a chuckle.
The redhead squeezed back before returning her attention to the movie. "I trust you, Beca. There's little you could do that would make me uncomfortable."
"I trust you too, Chlo," Beca said, smiling and then turning her attention back to the movie as well.
As the movie went on, Chloe could tell Beca was into it. She smiled and snuggled even closer to Beca, enjoying having her close. Beca was so kind and gentle around her, so safe and sweet.
About halfway through the movie, Beca got up from the couch to go to the bathroom. She chuckled a little when Chloe held onto her arm. "I hate to interrupt the cuddle session, but I really have to pee," the brunette said with a laugh.
"Go ahead, I'll pause it," Chloe said, smiling before grabbing the remote and pausing the movie. She smiled when Beca scurried off and then she took another sip of her water.
Beca came back a few minutes later and sat back down on the couch, pulling the blanket back over herself. "Alright, let's continue watching this movie, shall we?"
"As long as the cuddle session get to continue as well," Chloe said, pushing play and resuming the cuddling position they were in once Beca got situated on the couch.
The movie ended about an hour later. As the credits rolled on the TV screen, Beca looked over at Chloe, who was resting her head on her shoulder with her eyes closed. "Hey, Chlo, the movie's over," she murmured softly, gently nudging the redhead.
"Hmm?" Chloe answered in a groggy yet adorable tone, opening her eyes and seeing the credits rolling."Oh, yeah it is," She then got up and stretched a little bit before hitting the stop button on the remote. "Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep on top of you," She said, giggling a little bit and fixing her hair. "You're really nice to cuddle with."
"Thanks," Beca said, smiling and blushing a little. A few moments later, she stood up from the couch. "Well, I should probably head back home now. Thanks for having me over."
"Alright, I probably should get some homework done anyways," Chloe said, fixing her hair quickly by putting it up in a messy bun. "I can't wait for the game tomorrow."
"Neither can I. I've been looking forward to this game for a long time," Beca said, grabbing her bags and walking towards the front door.
"I'll have Stacie make sure to have the cheer squad cheer louder when you score than anyone else," Chloe said, smiling as she walked with Beca. Once they got there, Chloe hugged Beca, but they stayed in the hug for awhile. Chloe had a sudden urge to want Beca to stay, but she knew that tonight wasn't the night. Still, she held onto Beca for as long as she could, not really caring if Beca thought it was weird.
A few moments passed, and Chloe's arms were still around Beca. "Uh, Chlo, I have to get going," Beca said with a chuckle, managing to pry herself out of Chloe's arms. "I do appreciate the hug, though," she added after the embrace ended.
"Yeah, yeah of course," Chloe said, smiling as a blush creeping up on her face. "I'll see you tomorrow," Chloe added, tucking her hair back as she tried to hide her red and rosy cheeks.
"See you tomorrow. I'll make sure to play my best to impress you," Beca said, smiling and making Chloe blush even more. "Goodnight Chlo," she said, opening the door.
"Goodnight Beca," Chloe said, smiling. She held the door for Beca and then watched to make sure she got inside her own house before closing the door and locking it. She then turned around and leaned against the door, smiling to herself. Why? She didn't know. One thing she knew for sure was that she enjoyed spending time with Beca, and that she enjoyed that time a lot.
The next day, Beca woke up early and went on a run. Going on a run was one of Beca's game-day routines. She would also practice her dribbling and shooting for awhile, as it got her in the right frame of mind for the game.
Nothing was going to stop Beca from kicking ass today. Not only were her parents and siblings coming to the game, but she had to impress Chloe as well. Something about hanging out with Chloe the day before made the brunette extra determined to play well.
Beca ran her three mile run a minute and a half faster than usual, and her shots and dribbling were on point once she got to the school. She went to the locker room and took a shower, and school was about to start by the time she was done.
The school day went by quickly, and Beca immediately went home to start getting ready for the game. The game was at seven that night, but the players arrived a couple hours early so they could get warmed up and go over the game plan with Coach Jefferys.
"Alright ladies Everett is going to come out fast and furious, just like state last year," He started off. "They still have Emma Lancing, who set the record for most three pointers made in a season. Beca, you're our best bet for defending her since you two are around the same height. Make sure that she doesn't shoot the ball, and if she does, make sure that her shots are bad."
Beca nodded. "Got it, Coach. What does the rest of their lineup look like? If I remember correctly, last year they had three juniors in their starting lineup, meaning that they'll be on the team again this year."
"That's correct. All of their players can score, but their seniors are especially prolific at scoring. We won't beat them at their game, which is why defense is the key to victory. If we can make them take bad shots and cause turnovers, they'll be thrown off their game and we'll be able to execute our offense. If we do all those things, then this game is ours," Coach Jefferys said, looking around at the players. He then turned to Beca. "Lead us in a cheer, captain."
Beca smiled and then put her hand in, prompting everyone else to do the same. "Hawks on three! One! Two! Three! HAWKS!"
After that, the players got ready for the game. Once they had their uniforms on, they put on their warm-up shirts and grabbed a few basketballs, going out onto the court to start their warm-ups. "Alright, guys, let's do layup lines," Beca called out. "My line will be the layup line, and then the other line will be the rebounding line. Let's do this!"
The big home crowd cheered for their team as they began doing layups. It was safe to say that Hartford High had a skilled and talented team, and they weren't going to go down easily.
Chloe stood beside Stacie in her cheerleading uniform, cheering as smiling as she watched the team warm up. When Chicago walked into the gym, the redhead blew a kiss to him and waved as he took a seat next to Jesse, Benji, and Aubrey in the student section.
Emily was on the team two, and she was in the starting line-up with Beca. The two of them had become a force to be reckoned with the previous year, and they planned on being even more unstoppable than the year before.
"You ready for this, Em?" Beca asked the sophomore, grabbing one of the basketballs and dribbling it around.
"Hell yeah, let's show these guys who's going to win state this year!" Emily said enthusiastically as they dribbled and passed the balls around.
Soon, the buzzer sounded and the players from both teams went to their respective benches. Cynthia Rose sang the national anthem for the game and got a standing ovation from the crowd. After that, it was time for the starting lineup introductions.
After the starting lineup for Everett was announced, the room went dark and a spotlight went to the Hartford bench, where the five starters received thunderous applause.
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Let's hear it for the starting five of your Hartford Hawks!" The announcer called, making the crowd go wild. "At forward, a five-foot eight sophomore, number seventeen: Emily Junk!" Emily stood up from the bench and jogged towards the center of the court, smiling and high-fiving her teammates as she did so. "At the other forward, a five-foot seven junior, number thirty-three: Delaney Woods!"
The crowd continued to cheer consistently for their team, which made Beca smile. The announcer read off the names of the Hawks' center and shooting guard before it was Beca's turn. "And finally, at point guard we have a small but mighty five-foot two senior, number twenty-two: Beca Mitchell!"
When her name was called, Beca stood up from the bench and jogged out to meet the rest of the starting five, high-fiving her teammates as she passed them. The Hawks then got in a huddle, with Beca standing in the middle and giving a pep talk. "We got this, guys. We can do this. All we have to do is follow the game-plan. Let's get out there, give it everything we got, and get this win! Hawks on three! One! Two! Three! HAWKS!"
The crowd got even louder as the girls took their positions on the court for the jump ball. Beca looked over to the stands and smiled when she noticed her family sitting right behind Chicago's family. She waved to her parents and then got focused as Emily went to the center for the jump ball that would start the game.
Chloe smiled as she watched Beca mark up on one of the other teams players. The Hawks' home uniforms were white with blue names and numbers that were outlined in red.
"Alright, you all know the drill by now. We don't want to see any unnecessary fouls or anything like that. Let's have a good game, ladies," One of the referees said. Another referee passed him the ball, and he walked to the center of the court, holding the ball between Emily and the opposing team's player that was doing the jump ball. The referee bounced the ball once, blew his whistle, and then tossed the ball up in the air.
Emily jumped up tapped the ball backwards, causing it to land in Beca's hands. The crowd cheered and then Beca began to dribble, calling out one of the plays that they had worked on in practice. Delaney ran up from the low post and set a pick on Beca's defender, allowing the brunette to dribble down the middle. She weaved through the defense and stepped to the left, making an easy layup. After making the basket, Beca turned around and jogged back down the court, getting in her defensive stance once she crossed the half-court line.
While the Hawks did get back on defense quickly, the Ravens came down on offense quicker. Before Beca could even blink, the Ravens had made a three-pointer and were now winning the game by a point.
It was a really close game throughout the first half. Beca and Emily were on fire; both had over fifteen points each—Emily had sixteen, and Beca had twenty. However, the Ravens were putting up a good fight, and they were ahead by five points with less than a minute left in the first half.
The Ravens made another basket, extending their lead to seven points. Emily inbounded the ball to Beca, who ran down the court and quickly shot a three-pointer to test her luck. The shot went in, and now the Ravens were only up by four. Beca stayed back on defense when the Ravens were inbounding the ball and got a steal, going up for a layup and cutting the lead to two with about thirty seconds left in the half.
Chloe turned to the crowd and gestured for them to cheer louder for the Hawks. At the end of the first half, the score was 41-39. The Hawks still had some work to do, but it was a good first half.
The second half was much like the first, and it was still a close game in the fourth quarter. The Hawks had taken the lead and were now winning by two points, the score being 76-74. The Ravens had the ball, and Beca was locked-in on defense as Emma Lancing, the Ravens' star point guard, brought the ball up the court. The Hawks defense wasn't fast enough and Lansing made her three pointer shot with ease. 77-76.
Emily threw the ball in to Beca, who looked at the clock. There were twenty-eight seconds remained. It was now never. Emily read Beca's defender and then ran over, setting a pick for her and allowing her to get past just like she had done before. Beca threw a pass, but it was intercepted by Emma Lancing, who started dribbling down the court towards the basket.
Fourteen seconds left.
Beca busted her ass to get back, diving in front of Lancing and knocking the ball out of her hands. The crowd erupted as Emily grabbed the ball and dribbled down the court.
Five seconds left.
Emily drove past two defenders as she dribbled to the basket. She went up with her right hand for a layup, making the shot with ease as the buzzer sounded. The crowd went nuts with cheers and applause: the Hawks had done it. In the last seconds of the fourth quarter, the Hawks had pulled off a huge upset against the former state champions.
The student section rushed onto the court, followed by the rest of the crowd. Beca ran over to Emily and embraced her tightly. "You did it! You did it, Em! You did it!" She exclaimed happily.
"No, we did it, captain! We did it!" Emily said, hugging her friend.
After their embrace, Beca saw Chloe running at her. The brunette smiled and opened her arms to give the redhead a hug. "I told you I'd play lights out," She mumbled in Chloe's ear with a chuckle as they embraced.
"You said that you would play like LeBron James, and you did," Chloe said with a giggle. "Although, LeBron probably would've been the one to make the game-winning shot. Still, you were great, Becs. I'm so proud of you."
"Hey, I got the steal!" Beca pointed out with a chuckle. "Yeah, LeBron has made a lot of game-winning shots, but I think he would've went for the steal like I did if it meant winning the game," When the two girls pulled away from the hug, Beca turned to see Hailee and Henry running towards her with her parents following behind. "Woah, guys. You seem to be excited. Thanks for coming."
"It was our pleasure, Beca," Jacob said to his daughter with a wide smile on his face. "You played well tonight, kid. You certainly made us proud."
"Thank you, Dad," Beca said, smiling and giving her father a hug. "You have no idea how happy I am that you guys are here."
"I'm so glad that we came," Cala said, giving Beca a hug after she hugged her father. "You were awesome, sweetie. I knew that you'd be good because of the amount of time you spent practicing, but I didn't know that you were as good as you are."
"Let's go out and celebrate at your favorite pizza place," Jacob said with a smile. "It'll be my treat," He then turned to Chloe, who was talking to Chicago nearby. "Would you two like to come with us to dinner at Cal's Zone? My treat!"
"Sure, Mr. Mitchell," Chloe said, smiling. "That would be great!" She then turned to Beca. "Can I get a ride with you, Becs?"
Beca nodded. "Yeah, of course. We might get there a bit later since I have to go to the locker room and change, if that's okay with you."
"That's alright. I need to change too, so I'll be occupied," Chloe said, smiling before she turned to Chicago and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you there, okay, babe?"
"I'll see you there," Chicago said, leaning in and giving Chloe a quick kiss on the lips. "Great game, Beca. You killed it out there tonight," he said, turning to his best friend and giving her a high five.
"Thanks, Chic. I'm always happy to have you here," Beca said, hugging her best friend before she and Chloe made their way to the girls locker room to change.
Beca took a quick shower to wash off her body before changing into some nice jeans, a tank top, and a black leather jacket. She then put on her white vans and dried her hair while she waited for Chloe.
About ten minutes later, Chloe had finished getting ready. She too taken a quick shower and changed into some jeans and a tank top. Chloe was also wearing Chicago's letterman jacket. The boy had given the jacket to her months ago, but the redhead hadn't gotten around to giving it back. "Alright, I'm ready to go. Cal's Zone here we come!"
"Nice jacket," Beca said with a chuckle as she slung bag over her shoulder and started to walk with Chloe out of the locker room.
"What? Are you making fun of me?" Chloe asked, giggling cutely. "If you are making fun of me, I'll tell Chicago," she jokingly threatened.
"No, I'm being genuine," Beca said, smiling and wrapping her arm around Chloe's shoulder in a friendly way. "Aren't I allowed to compliment you?" She asked as they walked towards the doors that lead to the parking lot.
"You are allowed to compliment me. The way you said it and then laughed made me think you weren't complimenting me," Chloe explained, smiling and leaning her head on Beca's shoulder.
Beca leaned her head on Chloe's. "I think the jacket looks amazing on you. I just didn't know that the cheerleaders got them," She said, earning a playful slap on the arm.
"You'd know that this isn't my letterman if you looked at the name on the back," Chloe said, giggling at the look on Beca's face after she slapped her arm.
Beca looked and saw "Walp" on the back and chuckled. "Yeah, I figured it was his," She said as they made it to her car. "You look better in it than he does."
Chloe chuckled at Beca's words. "I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment for myself or be offended for Chicago."
"Take it as a compliment. Chicago doesn't have to know I said that," Beca said with a smirk before unlocking her car door. "Here, I'll put this in the back," she said, taking Chloe's cheerleading bag from her and setting in the back of the car next to her own.
Chloe opened the passenger side door and climbed into the seat, closing the door and putting on her seatbelt. "Thanks again for giving me a ride, Becs. I appreciate it."
"Yeah, of course. It's no big deal. I just figured that it would be convenient for both of us," Beca replied, shrugging her shoulders.
"So, what is Cal's Zone like? It must be pretty good if it's your favorite pizza place," Chloe said.
"You haven't lived until you've been to Cal's Zone," Beca said, smiling as they left the parking lot and headed towards the restaurant. "It's authentic New York style pizza, and it's the best pizza west of the Mississippi if you ask me."
"Well, it must be really good then," Chloe said with a chuckle. "I hope that it lives up to all the hype that you've given it."
Once they made it to the restaurant, they saw that Chicago and the rest of Beca's family had already gotten a table. "Hey babe," Chicago said, kissing Chloe's cheek once she sat next to him.
"Hi," Chloe said, smiling and blushing when Chicago kissed her cheek. "Beca was telling me all about this place while we were driving here. She said that it's the best pizza west of the Mississippi. Do you agree?"
"I have to agree with Beca on that one. It's amazing," Chicago said, earning a high five from Beca. "You'll just have to wait and see once our pizzas get here," He stated, smiling and putting his arm around her shoulder.
"I can't wait until then. What kind of pizza did you order?" Chloe asked, smiling and leaning her head on Chicago's shoulder.
"We ordered a pepperoni pizza, which is Henry and Hailee's favorite, and then a chicken alfredo pizza, which Beca and I really like," Chicago answered, taking a sip of water. He then turned to Beca. "You had a great game, buddy. Well done. That turnover you caused which lead to Emily making the winning shot is a play that colleges will definitely look at," he told his friend.
"Do you think record labels will look at that play?" Beca joked, chuckling. "Because if so, then I think I've got a pretty good chance at getting a job in LA."
"Record labels would probably rather look at one of Trio's halftime shows or other performances," Chicago said with a smile. Then, an idea hit him. He leaned forward so that Chloe and Beca were the only ones that could hear him. "What if you did that at one of your games?" He suggested. "If your dad was there, he could see you play."
Beca thought about Chicago's idea for a few moments. "That's not a bad idea," the brunette said with a small smile. As she continued to think about it, her smile faltered. "I don't know how I'd make it work, though. Coach wouldn't want me to do it because I'd need to rest for the second half. On top of that, my dad might get mad and leave the game. I don't think it's worth the risk."
"Well, it's just a thought," Chicago said, shrugging his shoulders as the pizza arrived at the table. "You never know what could happen," He then took a sip of his water and put a slice of pizza on each of their plates.
Chloe smiled and took a bite out of her piece of pizza, instantly understanding what Chicago and Beca had said. "Oh my god, this is so good!" She said, taking another bite after she swallowed the first one.
"I told you it's amazing," Beca said, smirking before she took a bite out of her piece of chicken alfredo pizza. "Can you see why it's my favorite pizza?"
"Oh, definitely," Chloe replied with a smile. "I'll be coming back again, that's for sure."
After pizza, Chloe gave a goodnight kiss to Chicago and exchanged "I love you's" before climbing into the passenger's seat of Beca's car. "Thanks for giving me a ride," She said as she buckled her seatbelt. "Dinner was amazing. I can't believe I hadn't been there yet."
"I told you that it was gonna be good," Beca said, buckling her seatbelt and starting her car. "Which did you like more: the pepperoni pizza or the chicken alfredo pizza?" She asked curiously.
"Oh, the chicken alfredo pizza for sure. It was so damn good," Chloe said, making Beca chuckle.
As they drove towards their, the two girls got lost in their conversation. "What place in the world would you like to go most?" Beca asked.
"Hmm, I don't know," Chloe said, running her fingers through her hair as she thought of an answer to Beca's question. "There are so many places that I want to go to. I'd definitely like to go to Paris. That sounds cliche, but it's true. I've always wanted to go see the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre and everything else that's there."
"I've always wanted to go to Paris too," Beca said, smiling as she drove. "But the number one place in the world I want to go to is probably Ireland," She stated. "I want to see all the beautiful green hills and get drunk off my ass."
Chloe chuckled at Beca's words. "Why am I not surprised that being able to get drunk is the main reason you want to go to Ireland?" The redhead asked, shaking her head and chuckling a little more.
"Well, it's not the main reason. Ireland is such a beautiful country, with so much history and so much to see," Beca said, smiling to herself. "It's a place that everyone should be able to see."
"Well, once you make it big in LA, you'll have enough money to go anywhere you want," Chloe said, smiling as well.
"Yeah, yeah I will," Beca responded, looking at Chloe as she stopped at a stop light. She then smiled and put her hand on the center console next to Chloe's, biting her lip a little bit. "You always amaze me with your positivity towards other people, Chlo. I mean, you have more faith in me than my own father."
Chloe smiled and then looked down at their hands, blushing a little as well. "I guess I'm just an optimist who wants everyone to feel good about themselves. I've been in positions where it's felt like nobody was on my side or believed in me, so I try to be positive and friendly so other people don't feel that way."
As the light turned green, Beca slipped her hand into Chloe's, linking their fingers together while her other hand stayed on the wheel. "Well, thank you for believing in me," Beca responded in a soft, genuine voice.
"Thank you for believing in me too. You've been the most supportive out of anyone when it comes to me applying for Juilliard. If it weren't for you, I think I would've chickened out of auditioning by now," Chloe said, smiling and giggling in a cute way.
"I mean, Chicago would probably be more helpful if he could actually play an instrument," Beca said, smiling at how adorable Chloe's laugh was.
"You do have a point there," Chloe said, giggling again. "Still, I really appreciate everything that you've been doing for me. It means a lot to me."
"I'll always do whatever I can to make sure that you're happy, whether that's helping you with Juilliard auditions, or cuddling with you during a movie. I'll always want the people I care about the most to be successful and content," Beca said as she pulled onto their street.
"Thanks, Becs. The same goes from me to you," Chloe said, smiling at the brunette. Once Beca had pulled into her driveway, the redhead unbuckled her seatbelt and then turned to face her. "I know I've said this a million times today, but thanks again for giving me a ride. I appreciate it."
"It's no big deal, Chlo. I enjoy your company," Beca said, turning to face Chloe with a smile on her face. "I am still so excited about our win tonight," She said, leaning her head against the head cushion.
"And you should be. You had a great game tonight, Becs. I'm so proud of you," Chloe said, biting her lip and smiling even more.
Beca closed her eyes for a moment and then took a deep breath. She then opened her eyes to look at Chloe's hand, which was still entwined with her own. There was a silence between them, and Beca gave off a small, half smile at the left corner of her mouth. "Thanks for being there tonight," she murmured.
"I wouldn't rather have been anywhere else," Chloe murmured back, looking at their hands and then looking down, still smiling.
Beca ran her thumb along the back of Chloe's hand, in awe of how smooth Chloe's skin was. "I have a question, just out of curiosity," She said. When Chloe nodded, she continued. "Did you think I was a good kisser? You know, that night at Stacie's party?"
"I, uh…" Chloe trailed off, surprised by Beca's question. Her face started to turn red, and she looked down so Beca didn't see that she was blushing. "I, uh...I guess?" This answer resulted in a confused look on Beca's face, so the redhead quickly spoke again. "Y-yes, I did think you were a good kisser," she stuttered.
"I'm sorry, I don't want to make you uncomfortable. I guess I just had never asked you, so I was thinking out loud," Beca scrunched up her face a little bit. She knew asking Chloe that was going to have a cringe-worthy reaction, so she wasn't really disappointed when Chloe seemed hesitant to answer.
"No, it's okay. You didn't make me uncomfortable. I was just surprised by the question, that's all," Chloe explained, although she still wasn't making eye contact with Beca.
"Can you look at me and tell me that?" Beca said, offering a little chuckle to try and lighten the mood. "It won't hurt my feelings if you tell me it made you uncomfortable."
"It didn't make me uncomfortable," Chloe said, looking up into Beca's eyes for a few moments before looking back down again.
"I just wanted to make sure," Beca lifted her hand from Chloe's and moved it to lift Chloe's chin up. She didn't say anything, she just wanted to looking into the redhead's eyes for a moment. The brunette couldn't help but notice how blue Chloe's eyes were, and how they made her heart race.
Chloe looked back into Beca's eyes, raising her eyebrows in confusion. "What are you doing?" She asked in a quiet voice.
"Nothing, I just-" Beca started before words seemed to catch in her throat. She removed her hand from Chloe's cheek and looked away. What Beca had really wanted in that moment was to lean in and kiss the girl sitting next to her, but she knew that wasn't an option, so she turned to look at the steering wheel.
Chloe turned away from Beca and then put her hand on the door handle. "I should probably go now," she said, turning and reaching to the backseat to grab her bag. "I'll see you on Monday."
Beca nodded her head and unlocked the the doors so Chloe get out. "Yeah, I'll see you Monday." She then saw that Chloe had forgotten to grab her house keys from the center console. "Chloe, wait," Beca called after the redhead as she got out of her car. "You might need these," She stated, walking over to Chloe and chuckling with the keys in her hand.
"Yeah, I might need those," Chloe said, smiling and taking her house keys from Beca. "Thank you for bringing these to me. I would've had to sit outside the whole night if you hadn't," she said with a chuckle.
"Well, that jacket may have kept you warm," Beca said, putting her hands in her pockets and shrugging awkwardly. "Goodnight, Chlo," she said softly, smiling as she got lost in Chloe's eyes again, this time more discreet than the previous one.
"Goodnight, Becs," Chloe said, smiling and waving at her friend before she turned around, unlocking the front door and going inside, closing the door behind her.
Beca made sure Chloe got inside before walking towards her porch, climbing up the stairs as her parents' car pulled into the driveway. Beca went inside the house and up to her room, groaning and falling onto her bed once she had closed the door behind her.
Why couldn't she just banish her feelings for Chloe to some far off land where they couldn't return from? Little did Beca know, next door Chloe was feeling those same things.
Chloe sat down on her bed and held her head in her hands, closing her eyes and sighing. She could tell that Beca didn't believe her, but she truly wasn't made uncomfortable by the brunette's question. In fact, the question made her anything but uncomfortable. When they were gazing into each other's eyes, Chloe couldn't help but feel the temptation to lean in and kiss Beca, a temptation that she didn't want to feel but couldn't help feeling.
Her heart wretched inside her; she felt terrible for having the temptations she had been having recently. Over the last month or so, Beca was constantly on Chloe's mind. At first, the redhead thought it was because she felt bad for breaking Beca's heart that night after Stacie's party. But as the days went by, she started wonder what it would be like to be with Beca.
Chloe had agreed to let Beca help her out with her Juilliard pieces because she wanted to spend more time with the brunette. And she had invited Beca over the day before so she could spend even more time with her. She also had to admit that her heart was racing as Beca held her in her arms. You shouldn't be having these feelings for Beca, Chloe told herself. You have a boyfriend. Chicago is a great guy, and he's been kind and loving to you since day one. But no matter how many times the redhead repeated these things to herself, part of her still longed for Beca.
Well, well, well... looks like Chloe is in a dilemma. But will she ever act on these feelings? Keep reading to find out! The Hawks had a huge win, and Beca's family came to watch her play for the first time. Hopefully they can convince her father to come to one of her bands concerts!
Until next time!
