"Hey there, Chloe." Louis greeted the redhead as he was passing by her in the staff locker room, but didn't hang around like he used to. Usually, he'd lean on the closed locker next to Chloe's, flashing his charming smile and hug his clipboard on his chest, making him look all buff with those muscled arms he got in going to the gym. Instead, his head is bowed down looking at his clipboard and was walking towards the door.

Chloe, though, was so in to her deep thoughts that her mind only caught up to her seconds after Louis greeted her, who was now holding the knob of the door to exit the locker room. Chloe blinked for a moment before moving fast and following the brown-haired boy. "Louis, wait!" she called out but he was already out.

She exited the locker room and saw him walking down the hallway, still looking down on his clipboard.

"Louis!" she called again, jogging to catch up to him. "Hey, wait up."

This time, Louis stopped on his tracks, turned to get a glance at her, furrowed his eyebrows and then once again looked at his clipboard.

"Uhh, sorry Chloe, I gotta go. I have an emergency with a patient." He said with a sorry smile pointing behind him with his thumb, then turned around and walked away. Chloe wasn't able to say anything else and just see Louis' figure walk further down the hall. She blew an air out then rolled her eyes and went back to the locker room.

Chloe admits that she has been blowing him off since he started to ask her out, but she doesn't want that to be the reason for him to hate her…the guy's pretty cool. He's a friend of Chloe's and it will be such a downer if he's going to not treat her nicely just because he couldn't take a hint that she doesn't like him that way, or she's simply not interested. But alas, maybe Chloe's just over thinking things. Maybe he really just needed to get to that emergency. He's a doctor after all.

It has been a few days since the reunion at Aubrey and Jesse's house. That's the last time since she saw Beca, the new Beca. The Beca who is now happily moved on and the Beca who wants to be her friend again. Just friends.

In all honesty, she could go on and on and on in thinking about how much she has missed about the brunette, and how she fucked it up with everything. Heck, she's been doing that the moment she walked out from that apartment of theirs, almost two years ago.

Up until now, she still can't believe that a simple fuck up has ruined the most beautiful life she had, what should've been her life now, if nothing ever did happen. But, she thinks, if this is the toll for everything she has caused for Beca to be in pain, then so be it. She'd rather be the bad guy in this story.

Months ago, she told Aubrey the very reason why she left Beca. It wasn't actually Beca's fault for her to leave – it was hers all along. She never intended on anything, but when life happens, you gotta do what you gotta do. Or what you think is right to do.

Aubrey gave her a solid lecture about it – typical Aubrey Posen, really - about how stupid it was for her to not speak about it, and how it should've been handled properly if only she spoke up in the first place. And Chloe was only able to realize all of those stupid mistakes when things were already beyond repair. She has been pretty stupid, but the idea in her head those times seemed to be the perfect way for her to make an exit from the brunette's life. Because she doesn't deserve Beca's love – it'll only bring her guilt and pain, and she doesn't want Beca to know any of it.

Now, it's too late for all of that.

Although, even if she thinks that keeping things to her-self is something she should endure, a girl could only take too much and the only solution she could think at the moment is to have someone to talk to. Not Aubrey, though, because not only that blonde is busy being a wife and a mother, but also because she already knows the story of her and Beca.

What Chloe needs is someone who doesn't know anything about the situation she's in; someone who would give her a fresh opinion; someone who can also be trusted…and in her opinion, that person is Louis.

Louis, like said earlier, is a pretty cool guy. He has a good head between his shoulders, and Chloe knows for a fact that he would be able to give her a piece of advice that she hasn't heard before. Or probably an advice she has already heard before – but from a new perspective.

The hours at work passed faster than Chloe thought, given that she's been deep in her thoughts most of the time, and not on the work at hand. It was pure luck that she wasn't able to let a patient die at times she was thinking how she could tell Louis everything. Soon, she was again by her locker when she got a glimpse of Louis in front of his locker, taking off his lab coat, and getting his stuff from the locker. She actually didn't have the chance to speak to him during work time, but seeing that their shift is over, she couldn't let this opportunity pass.

"Hey, Louis." She said, and the guy looked at her and smiled.

"Hey there, Chloe." He said then closed his locker and put the strap of his messenger bag over his shoulder, then walked up to Chloe. "What's up? Sorry I wasn't able to get back to you today…I've been pretty busy."

"No, it's okay. I just…I actually have a favor to ask…if that's okay?" she asked, quite nervous.

"Sure." He nodded. "Yeah, sure. Anything." He said as he tugs lightly the strap of his messenger bag on his shoulder, just so there's something he could fiddle with.

She smiled. "Uhm, are-are you free tonight? Or tomorrow, after work?" Chloe asks Louis, which got his eyebrows raised. If there's anything he learned about Chloe from the past months he's been asking her out, is that she is not really into him – if the endless turn downs were a dead giveaway – and he was sure that he's already accepted his fate in Chloe's terms. Although this happening, right here, right now in the locker room, was something he never predicted. Never did it enter his mind that Chloe would one day, ask him out.

He clears his throat before thinking of what could he possibly say, this was still sinking in his mind. "Um…" was all he could really get out from his mouth.

Chloe panicked a little bit, seeing the inner turmoil the guys was having. "Oh, please don't overthink anything. I just…I need someone to talk to. Someone I trust." She bit her lip in nervousness in thinking that he might refuse her request. "It's okay, though. If you're not – y'know. I mean I get it. If you don't want to." She stumbled.

"No, no ,no" Louis said, with a small smile. "I'm fine with it. I just…wasn't expecting you to ask me out."

"I'm not" Chloe stopped for a moment, thinking how she could say this without sounding like an asshole. "I mean, don't get me wrong…this isn't a – uhm – a date."

"Oh…"

"Yeah."

Awkward silence ensued.

"Can I ask why me?" Louis asked.

"Well, first you're a pretty cool guy." Chloe said with a smile. "You're a pretty good friend of mine, and I know you can give me a clear advice about my situation."

Louis tilted his head in confusion. "What situation?" he asked.

"We'll talk about it somewhere. Not here." Chloe said a bit softer, looking around just in case if someone was around. "I'll explain everything. I promise. So, are you free tonight or tomorrow night?" This made him narrowed his eyes at her.

"Tonight's good."

…

Louis drove them somewhere downtown, where a cool 24-hour pizzeria place is located. They found themselves a good seat, and Chloe was more than grateful that the place was quite empty – quite understandable since it's nearing midnight.

Before they started talking though, Chloe headed for the ladies room while telling Louis to order their food, her treat, which was a pain to Louis' – and to any other guy's, unless one's a douchebag – manly ego and insisted that he'll be the one paying tonight. He told her that he managed to get a friendly dinner with her at last – kidding of course – and he wouldn't let this be the time when he'll let her pay their food. Chloe wasn't able to argue that one, so she complied.

She washed her hands, and pressed her cold, wet hands on her face to keep her cool and collected. She's just about to share the whole 18 chapters of her story to someone, and she does pray that trusting him with her story is the right decision, hoping he'll be able to catch on. She just needed someone out of the whole picture of the whole Beca-Chloe love story. If she can still call it that. She blames the author, anyways.

As she was about to exit the rest room after drying her face and hands, she bumped into someone.

A blonde, same height as her, wearing eye glasses, and is a photographer – she guesses, based on the DSLR hanging around the girl's neck. "I'm sorry" the blonde said with a pretty smile, and she only responded with a shy smile and a nod, before heading outside while the blonde went inside the restroom.

When she came back to her and Louis' booth, the food was still not there. Unfortunately.

"Have you ordered?" Chloe asked lightly.

"Yeah, thin crust Garlic Cheese Pizza and a pitcher of iced tea." He stated. "I hope that's okay?" he asked nervously, but was met by a chuckle from the redhead. "If there's anything else you'd like to order, just tell me."

"It's fine, Louis. Don't worry. I'm not a really big eater."

They shared another silent moment, not really know what to do next. Louis was waiting for the redhead if she's ready to spill everything, while Chloe was waiting if he's ready to listen.

"Alright." Chloe decided to stop the bullshit, and just head on for the chase. "I'm not gonna beat around the bush, so I need your ears to be ready." Her face showing determination.

"Yes ma'am." Louis said. He doesn't know, but he became scared all of a sudden. Maybe this is the first time he saw the redhead looking so serious.

"So, for the past months that I have stayed here, you guys don't have any knowledge about who I am before going here. Right?"

"Yeah, you never say anything about yourself." Then he narrowed his eyes. "Wait, are you a criminal?" he hushed, and Chloe widens her eyes with how his thoughts escalated.

"What? No! Of course not." She shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous, Louis. I f I were a criminal, I would be a terrible one. Believe me." She was chuckling for a moment, and then her demeanor turned solemn when her thoughts went to what she has done. "Although, I really did something terrible to someone who I loved the most. Someone who I was pretty sure I would end up marrying someday."

Louis sat there quietly, waiting for the redhead to continue on. "But now, it's pretty impossible for that to even happen."

"Have you heard about DJ BM?" Chloe asked, and Louis furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head.

"Sorry, no…I'm not really into the music scene." Chloe smiled at this. "So who is this person?"

"She was once a producer, and she was very good. She's worked with a lot of artists, and later on, she was given the opportunity to run a club by herself." Chloe explained. "She was having the dreams she was dreaming about. She was getting out there, being the amazing person she is in what she does.

"I've known her since I was in high school, and we were the best of friends. Senior year was when I knew that there's something more than what we are. From then on, she became the love of my life." This got a reaction from Louis. She looked at him, his mouth agape and both of his eyebrows shot up, for like a lot of times now in just one night. "Before anything, I want to make it clear that I'm bisexual."

"I-I just didn't realize." He said, looking away. "Not that I'm against it or anything. Just surprised."

Chloe smiled. "You don't have to explain anything. It's okay."

Louis nodded silently. "So, what happened to you and this DJ BM?"

"So…like I said, she was living her dream. Being the producer of some well-known artists, being a DJ in her club and all…and things were pretty busy for her. We've been together for 7 years, and 4 years of that, she was probably the busiest person I've known my whole life. She's been sleeping late, or worse, going home late. Soon, we never get the chance to bond. We never see each other in the same day. Whenever I leave for work, she's sleeping. And when I come home, she's gone. At the first few times, I understand that, that is the nature of her work, and I should support her all the way. We were able to talk about it for a few times, and we've been nothing but understanding with each other. We worked through it, like even though our schedules don't match, we always managed to leave things around the house that make us remember that we love each other. It was when I started to miss her a lot when I realized that we were drifting apart. The sweet notes, the little things of comfort…it all started to disappear.

"There was even a time that I was very suspicious about her, and it led me to think that she's been cheating on me with some other girl, probably one of those hot models who cling around her during the events of their company. I always go run to Aubrey, my best friend, and tell her everything. That I've been hurting, and there's a huge possibility that Beca's cheating on me…but all she says is that Beca's just being busy, and that we should talk. I was really frustrated because there's absolutely no chance to talk since she's always gone! She's always working, and she doesn't even remember the fact I'm there wanting her attention, even just for a little bit of time, from her.

"March 8th, the night before my birthday, I went out. I was pretty sure Beca wouldn't be home anyways, because she's too busy and exhausted from work to notice that she went home to an empty bed. So I went out alone to have a couple of drinks at a local bar." Chloe stopped talking when the waiter brought their food on the table. It was a good break too, since she's getting to the part where it hurts the most.

"You went out alone?" Louis asked. "Why?"

"Because I don't want to hear anything about me being stupid from any of our friends. I don't want them to tell me that I'm being stupid, for thinking that Beca's cheating on me. I don't want them to say that being in a relationship for 7 goddamn years is a no joke – which is the truth, it really isn't a joke. But the most hated reason was also me knowing that they're probably right. I know Beca inside and out, and she wouldn't do that to me. But really, being frustrated and hurt could lead you to being unreasonable and stupid – so that time, I went out alone." Chloe said, getting a slice of the pizza.

"Hey, you were frustrated and hurt, and I think that's understandable." Louis said. "But I don't think drinking out alone is the greatest solution, ever. I've known for a fact that that only leads to disaster."

"You read my mind, Louis." Chloe stated. "Because that's what happened that night. A total disaster.

"I was too drunk to go home, and I don't believe that bullshit that you don't know what you're doing when you're drunk – because that's not even close to the truth. The truth is, you are perfectly aware of what's happening to you and your surroundings, it's just that your body is too intoxicated for you to do anything properly.

"So I was drunk, and there's this guy who I'm talking to. He's a pretty decent guy, I could say, but that's all he is to me. Some decent stranger. The next thing I knew, I was being laid down on a bed, and I'm too drunk to do anything."

"Wait, Chloe, are you telling me you got raped that night?" Louis asked the inevitable in a hushed voice, with his eye wide.

"No." Chloe shook her head. "I thought I was, but I learned that nothing really happened. Him, being a decent human being, took me home because sleeping in the bar isn't actually a pretty good idea. He took me home, took good care of me, then slept in his living room while me in his bed room."

"How did you know?" Louis asked, as he took a bite from his pizza. "Because, he's too good to be living in this world full of shitheads."

Chloe laughed at Louis' statement. "I agree, but I am lucky he's not one of those shitheads. So I woke up the next day with a blasting headache, and I woke up in a bed - which is not mine – in a room I'm not in any way familiar with. But I still have my clothes from the previous night on. Imagine me, my hair tousled, my clothes wrinkled from sleep, but my eyes wide looking at my surroundings. And then he came inside the room carrying a tray of breakfast, and said he was glad I was awake.

"I really was ready to lunged at him and let him experience the wrath of a redheaded female, but instead I jumped from the bed and yelled at him. Asking him where he brought me, why did he bring me there…and I could tell that he was scared of me." Chloe chuckled, remembering the look on the guy's face. "He explained everything to me, and then told me he'll help me to take me home.

"That time, it was a little past 2 in the afternoon, I was sure that Beca's already gone to work. I looked at my phone and I was bombarded with a bunch of missed calls from Aubrey and Beca. A bunch of 'where the hell are you's' filled my inbox. When I came home, Beca's gone…and I was panicking. I don't know what to tell her or Aubrey about where I've gone last night, because sleeping in a stranger's house isn't the best image. I don't want them to think that I've cheated, so the next thing that came into my mind was the most logical – that time – and apparently the stupidest idea I've ever had in my life."

"What did you do?" Louis asked, then took a bite.

Chloe looked at him for a moment, then looked down at her unfinished food. In a very soft tone, she answered, "I left".

She looked up at Louis, and he saw the glossiness of tears pooling in the redhead's eyes. "I left a note to Beca that only says I'm left. I packed enough of my stuff that I could carry, and then left the house. I threw my sim card and bought a new one, so that no one would be able to contact me. I went to my sister's home in Florida and stayed there for 7 months. I moved back to LA, but nowhere near Beca nor Aubrey and Jesse's place. I even dyed my hair blonde and cut it short, for good measure that they won't be able to notice me if ever we would walk right into each other. I found a new hospital to work in, but weeks later before Christmas, I got an invitation from Aubrey, hoping to see me in her and Jesse's engagement party.

"I was really hesitant to go, for a lot of reasons. Mainly because I wouldn't think they would give me the warmest welcome with open arms when they see me, because of what I did especially Beca would be there. I casually mentioned the invitation to one of my colleagues in work, and Kyle, said he'll accompany me. He's just someone who has a crush on me. I turned him down, but he's a good friend of mine."

"Kyle knew about your past with Beca?" he asked. Chloe shook her head.

"I just mentioned that I don't think I'll be able to go to engagement party knowing that I'll be alone with the reasons in my head. He insisted, and again I thought it would be a good idea."

"Huh, so what happened in the engagement party?" Louis stated in amusement.

"Not what I was expecting, really. Aubrey welcomed me with the tightest hug compared from the hugs she has given me in the years we have known each other. Same with Jesse and Stacie." Chloe said.

"And Beca?" Louis waited.

"I was actually avoiding her." Chloe said and saw Louis leaned back on his side of the booth. "It's because I still have no idea what to tell her! She was getting her ass drunk – and it's not even close to midnight, may I add – then I found her throwing up in the rest room. Our interaction was nothing but awkward, and nerve-wracking in my part."

"Yeah? But what do you think it would have been in Beca's part?" Louis was raising an eyebrow, and Chloe can't help but feel embarrassed because even he can now see her bullshit decisions. "You left for like months, without a word and not a single reason said. After all of that, she saw you there with another guy, nonetheless – what do you think she would have feel?"

"I know, okay?" Chloe said defensively. "I know that it has cost her so much pain that I can only imagine what has happened to her the past months I was gone! I know that now."

Louis became quiet after seeing the dejected redhead in front of him. He wasn't sure why he said those things, but he felt like it was needed. "I really am sorry, Chloe, but what I think right now, from what I've heard from your story…a 7-year relationship ending in nothing but a note is seriously – excuse me for the word – pretty fucked up." Louis said. "And nothing actually happened between you and that decent stranger from the bar, so there's nothing to be guilty about. I mean, it would've been much easier if something happened, but no, nothing happened! If only you just told Beca everything from the very beginning, then you wouldn't be here in front of me, crying your eyes out, explaining everything to me, and telling me that you had lost your chance with Beca."

Chloe became quiet, letting Louis' words sink in. Yeah she has realized a lot of her mistakes from the past years, but actually hearing it has a certain amount of impact to her head and heart, that made it more real.

"What happened after the engagement party?" Louis then asked, cutting off the silent moment.

"I was starting to get back on their terms, and Beca and I were starting to get along just fine as well…until she couldn't take it anymore. Because there was this time when we almost kissed, and I was being stubborn saying that it was a mistake. She felt that I was leading her on, that I was just playing with her emotions because she thinks I was with Kyle…we fought in Aubrey and Jesse's wedding night, and that was the last time we had a conversation. That happened last year. Recently, she came back. All happily and moved on with someone, and she wanted us both to forget about our past, and just be friends like we were in high school. And the sad part is, I'm still here suffering, and still in love with her."

"That night, on Aubrey and Jesse's wedding…Beca asked me a question." Chloe said after a few seconds of silence, and Louis make sure he listened carefully.

"What did she asked?"

"She asked me if I was still in love with her." Louis raised his eyebrows, but before he could say anything, Chloe continued talking. "I was actually ready to say that I am! I still love her so much it kills me that I left. But I was scared." Chloe paused.

"I was bat shit scared that I might hurt her again along the way, and something that could even hurt us both more than what I'm facing now. So I didn't say anything."

"What?!" Louis asked, his eyes wide. "Chloe, that was your chance!"

"Yeah, I know. But I was messed up, remember? And it's thanks to Stacie for interrupting that time."

Their food was close to empty. Louis couldn't talk, giving the silence to the redhead so she could sob her feelings out. It really was a good thing that they're the only ones left eating at the pizzeria. He doesn't actually know what to say next. He's not even sure why she picked him to talk to, but maybe it is for the good since the girls in work are pretty gossipy. Chloe couldn't trust her story with them.

He wants to comfort her, he really does, but it seemed to him that the root of her suffering was her all along. The proper solution he could only see as logical is for her to move on – but she made it clear that Beca is the love of her life. That Beca was it, and the girl has moved on.

Maybe a talk with Beca is a good advice, but then again, Beca said that they should forget about the past and just be friends just like what they used to be in high school.

"Chloe, in all honesty, I have no idea on what to tell you…but I do have something that might help you move on." Chloe looked at him, tears still falling from her eyes. "Distract yourself with moments with your friends and family. If you think about Beca, and began sulking, just think that she's happy – and since you love her, you should be happy for her. And I'm sure, she'll be happy for you if you too, are happy. You deserve all the happiness in the world, Chloe. We all do. If I knew better, I know there's still hope. If you believe that your love for each other is real, if your love for each other is what the both of you wanted, you'll always find the way back to each other." Louis said. "And this is not me telling you these things just for the sake of being able to say something. I've had my fair share of heart breaks, but it's really on your side of the court whether to give up on the ball, cry your heart out if you lose, or get up and win the ball back."

"Are you telling me that I should try to win her back?" Chloe asked quietly.

"If you think she's the one, Chloe, I don't think there's anything wrong with that too. All I'm saying is that, you should do what makes you happy the most."

…

A/N: Sorry for the long wait on this one. I know that it might have been such a drag with the past chapters, and I don't blame you, really, because I know that I've been lost with this story…just lost that spark, y'know?

But anyways, I am not abandoning this fic, and I am determined to finish this. I am going to stand by this story plot line. Screw your judgments.

If there are mistakes, I am so sorry.

And to those who are still reading this, to those who still want to know the ending of this story, to those who followed, who made this favorite, and who waited for every chapter – I give all my heartfelt thanks to you guys, because seriously, I am one of those kinds of readers who get frustrated when the author left me hanging – and throughout my years of writing fan fiction, I have understood them – the hard way. But really, thanks for the patience and love for this story. I seriously wouldn't be able to write/ figure this story out if it wasn't for you, guys.

Review your thoughts, kind criticisms – I hope Chloe's answers have given justice for your questions, so you can lash out too, if you want. All of them are appreciated, except for asshole comments.

PM me for anything. I'll be patiently waiting, dearests.

Tumblr: capleton27

Disclaimer: I don't own Pitch Perfect or Pitch Perfect 2. This is fanfiction, people.

P.S. See what I did there somewhere in the chapter? LOL. My trademark.