They stepped out of the car reluctantly. Beca helped Stacie take out her duffel bag of clothes. And the other bag of makeup. And the other-other bags of toiletries. The girls really had everything she could imagine for the one week trip for only an interview. As Beca stuffed the last bag in the Uber, she took a step back with her head down. "When I get a phone, you'll be my first contact, okay?"

"Of course, Mitchell," she looked down at their feet while a understanding silence fell on them. "But please, let Chloe help you. I can see it that you guys get on real good. Please don't tell her to fuck off or anything 'Beca'-y."

She continued staring at her shoes, but chuckled. "Damn it, Conrad. Just go before I cry in front of you," the petite brunette looked up to give her a watery, forced smile, telling that she didn't mean what she said in a negative way.

Their hug lasted as long as the Uber driver would let them. "Alrighty..." he implied as the two sniffled into each other's shoulders. When they let go Stacie had let the tears fall, but Beca on the other hands, swallowed her emotions and pulled back away toward Aubrey's car.

"Bye, Mitchell."

"Yeah," she croaked, not looking in the direction of the other car. "Bye." As soon as the car was out of sight, she smashed her hands on the pavement of the empty Market Basket parking lot where they had met up with the driver. "Argh!" she half yelled to no one. She got in the car, sobbing. She turned on the radio to attempt for a distraction.

'Cause I don't wanna lose you now

I'm lookin' right at the other half of me

The vacancy that sat-

She hit away at the radio, turning it off. Her face was still wet when she got off the highway about an hour and a half later. She arrived at her apartment feeling gloomy. The cold room sent shivers through her ribs as she shut the door behind her room. An ache set itself into her chest. Her bones felt too heavy for her to carry any longer. She lay back on her bed, which was barely a bed, and relaxed into her sorrow. She gazed up at the water-stained ceiling to allow her thoughts to rush through her mind, freely. Why won't I just go to bed and not wake up in the morning. It happens to some people. Why can't one of them be me? Why do I have to stay any longer? Beca drifted off into a light nap, but awoke when she heard a knock at the door. Uneager, she made her way to the door. "Coming. Who's it?"

"Chloe."

"Chloe who?" she tried to joke, but it sounded more tired than jokingly, making Chloe think she was serious."

"Uh, Chloe Beale? Your neighbor? We went out to lunch the other day?" Beca opened the door with a droopy smile.

"You're no fun. I thought it would be my one and only chance to live out a knock knock joke." The redhead at the door smiled as the brunette let her through. "So what brings you to the great upstairs?"

"I don't know. I just wanted to see you," she kept her bubbly vibe going through the room.

"Stacie told me. You don't have to, really."

"I want to. Initially, she asked Aubrey you know."

"Oh," Beca sighed. she was exhausted from everything going on in her head. "Are you like, trying to get to know me or something?"

"Of course, silly!" she said maybe a little too loud for the other girl's mood. "I want to know everything about you. At the coffee shop we were going places, it was-" Chloe stopped herself from saying "perfect," because that might come off as super weird. "It was great!"

"Oh- okay."

Chloe took a step toward Beca. The fragile stopped breathing, she didn't even notice, but the taller girl did. "I want to know about you. Like why you hold your breath when someone's too close." Beca put her hand up to her nose to take a quick breath in. "Or why your finger or so proportionately long." The girl felt cornered. She cracked her knuckles nervously. "Or why you never look me in the eye when we talk." Damn, Beca thought, She had noticed. Hell, she notices a lot of things about me. That's... oddly caring.

"Um. As you can tell, I'm uh... a very awkward person," she cleared her throat and looked to the side to take a few breaths.

Chloe took her hand and led her out the door. "Come on. It's getting kind of late. Let's play a game at mine."

They made their way down the building. The brunette could believe she just let the red take her hand like that. It felt so natural. It felt right. They sat on Chloe's bed in her room. The clock said 10:00 PM with a bright green light. "So what game?"

"Twenty questions, because that's easily the best game to get to know someone," she smiled. Her smile, Beca thought, was perfect. The way it seemed to light up her whole face- no, the whole room was perfect. "Do you wanna go first?"

"Sure," she took a moment to think of a question. "Where'd you get that lasagna recipe? 'Cause it's fucking awesome."

Chloe giggled at the other girl's antics. "My mom used to make me cook with her all the time. I used to hate it, but now I find it really handy." Beca nodded her head as she smiled, still a little tired from before. "My turn, I'll start with the ones from earlier. Why do you hold your breath around people?"

She thought hard, not really knowing the answer herself. "I'm not sure. I've always done it. It's not like you smell bad or anything," she laughed a bit. "It's just a habit. You got any weird habits like that?"

The redhead looked up at the ceiling with a thoughtful look. "Sometimes I crack my toes to the point they're sore the next day." The girl in front of her laughed an airy chortle.

"That's good to know. Often?"

"Well, when I'm super stressed I just... I have to!" They shared a moment of laughter, but soon continued. "You want a drink? I have some vodka if you want." She got up from the bed they were sat at to adjust her pants back up her waist.

"Nah. I don't really drink outside bars. Thanks though."

"Not even a shot?" Chloe pouted. "It'll make this easier."

With the lip jutted out like that, Beca could not say no. "Fine, fine, fine. But this is an exception, okay?" They each took a shot, instantly feeling a little lightheaded. "So what's the next?"

"Oh, right. Uhh... Oh, yeah! Why're you're fingers so damn long? Like a fucking spider." She had already taken another shot.

Beca chuckled a little at the red. "I have arachnodactyly. It's like when my fingers and toes are a lot longer and skinnier than they're supposed to be. Helps me play piano and guitar anyway." She shrugged. "It's weird that I'm legit barely over five feet, but have it."

Chloe reached out and grabbed her hand, examining every finger. "That's so... I don't know. Cool, but weird, but awesome, but strange. What the hell." She took a moment to look up at her friend who was awkwardly smiling at her. Chloe got really close to her face out of nowhere. Once their noses were almost touching, she registered that Beca looked extremely uncomfortable. She couldn't help but look down at the brunette's lips. They looked so soft and touchable. "Can I see your toes? What size shoe do you wear?"

"Um," Beca looked to the side of them to take a few chuckling breaths. "I wear a size nine and a half." She ducked her head in embarrassment. She used to get made fun of because of the deformity. She always knew that it shouldn't have been such a big deal and that the kids who were harassing her didn't actually mean to be rude, they didn't know better.

"What the hell," her breath smelled like the alcohol just a little. "I'm like, two inches taller than you and I wear eights."

Beca allowed and uneasy, sober laugh. "Yeah, people would call me a monkey if I ever wore any shoes that they could see my toes," she said trying to imply that the questions should stop.

"Well that's not real nice," Chloe frowned. "I like that you're different." She genuinely smiled.

"Thanks," she said small, beginning to rise. "Hm. I know we didn't get through twenty, but maybe we should finish them later." She made her way to the bedroom door and was out in a jiffy.

As she was almost out the apartment door, Chloe called out to her. "Beca, wait." Beca stopped, one long foot out the door. "Do you wanna stay the-" She trailed off quietly into a stop.

"What'd you say?" Beca questioned, really not hearing what the older girl had mumbled.

"Nevermind, it's nothing. Have a good night. Work safe tomorrow!" Beca snickered at the wording.

"Will do. Bye!" She hurried up the stairs, two steps at a time. Her mind rushed through what had happened. One moment she looked like she was going to kiss her, the next she was talking about shoes. Chloe was definitely "ADHD Crazy," as she would call it, but it was almost adorab- no people are not adorable. Animals, maybe, but not people. People are cruel and go out of their way to make you feel terrible about yourself. Although Chloe looked so likeable, she might just be a monster inside, Beca thought. She couldn't really imagine Chloe abusing anyone, not even being disrespectful to anyone. Beca could never trust anyone though, including her kind neighbors. Aubrey was chill too, but it was something about the redhead that the blonde didn't quite have. It wasn't clear to her what the attraction was, she never took the time to think hard enough about it. Her life was work at the moment. Go to work, sleep, work, eat, work, sleep, work... the same pattern infinitely.

Beca lay in her bed, still thinking about the event. Her skin tingled at the dream-like way Chloe had studied her hands. "I like that you're different," rung in her ears. The barely a whisper made her ear feel like the could twitch. A numbness made it's way from her face toward her neck. She realized she'd been think about her drunkenly friendly neighbor a lot that night. To rip her mind away from the nonsensical thoughts she made a decision to play her guitar outside for a bit. It was around one in the morning at the time, so maybe there would be a few dollar bills waiting for her in the familiar streets.

Her spider-like fingers crawled up and down the neck of the guitar while the other elongated fingers picked at the strings near the bottom. Her voice and instrument were the only sounds in the dark night of December.

Where'd all the good people go?

I've been changing channels

I don't see the on the TV shows

Where'd all the good people go?

We got heaps and heaps of what we sow

A now normal discomfort in her stomach of hunger told her to go back to the apartment. As she made her way back, three more dollars richer than before, she barely smiled. The days of freezing limbs and sickness were over. Well, sickness was still partly there. She was pretty sure there was something wrong, but she could never go to a doctor. Not until she at least could afford heated water. It was like she was so depressed sometimes and wanted to die, but other times she could fly through the day without thinking. It was when autopilot was turned on the Beca would be on top of the world. She knew that that wasn't alright, but it was better than being a drug addict or weed enthusiast. She'd tried a small portion of weed in her two month stupid idea, but didn't end up getting hooked. She was glad because even through that tiny time period, she looked a few years or so older than she was. At 21 she was much more mature than most her age. The fact that she looked around 25 and the maturity made people not believe she was her age. Chloe and Aubrey were definitely in their mid twenties and they both thought Beca was the same, but it was an easy mistake. Everyday, Beca thanked the universe for Stacie. If it wasn't for her, she would most likely still be on the street with meth and crack in her blood. Stacie was an exception to the "don't trust anyone" rule. She was her best friend, someone special. With Chloe around all the time then trying to keep and eye on the rehabilitated tiny brunette, maybe she would turn to someone important also. Maybe Aubrey too.

First song was Mirrors by Justin Timberlake, second was Good People by Jack Johnson. Love them both :) Thanks for the reads and other things!