"Hey Jess, you are right on time. Dinner is ready!" Beca stepped aside to let Jesse in.
Chloe cocked an eyebrow at the brunette, folding her arms across her chest "Are you going to welcome our guests too now? Whose house is this, yours or mine?"
The shorter woman turned around to face the redhead. "Jenny told me to make myself at home when I got in, so that's what I'm doing." The brunette winked with a smile.
Chloe rolled her eyes and forced a smile on her face. "Welcome Jesse, it's this way." She gestured to the dining room, leading the friends to the dinner table.
Beca helped Jennifer putting the final things on the table and joined the rest as she took a seat in between Jesse and Lily. She couldn't help but notice the sad look on the little girl's face who was watching her grandmother squeeze Benji's cheeks, showering him with love. Beca knew exactly what was going on. She could feel the pain the little girl was feeling as she decided to give her the love the girl longed from the old woman. The brunette gave all her attention to Lily, wanting to make her feel special. It caught Chloe's eye as well, seeing the other woman and her sister sword fighting with their spoons. She smiled inwardly, but a few words close to something like childish and boyish left her lips.
Nobody talked much during the rest of the dinner, so Beca decided to loosen them up a bit. "I'm going to tell you guys a funny story!" she began, drawing everyone's attention. "A few years back on Thanksgiving, when Jesse and I were around 16, I was invited for dinner at his place." Jesse knew exactly what his best friend was about to tell and covered his face in embarrassment. "Knowing how gullible Jesse was, his mom decided to play a trick. She told him that she needed something from the store. When he left, his mom took the turkey out of the oven, removed
the stuffing, stuffed a Cornish hen, and inserted it into the turkey, and
re-stuffed the turkey. She then placed the bird, well, birds back in the oven." She paused to smirk at Jesse before she continued.
"When it was time for dinner later, his mom asked him to pull the turkey out of the oven and remove the stuffing. So Jesse did what his mother asked him. When his serving spoon hit something, he reached in and pulled out the little bird. You guys should've seen that look of total shock on his face. His mother was like; 'Jesse,
you've cooked a pregnant bird!'. And at the reality of this horrifying news, he started to cry. It took us two hours to convince him that turkeys lay eggs!
Beca managed to make everyone laugh except Chloe again. The woman only shook her head and went outside. The brunette got up and went after her.
"You know, normal people would at least smile at a story like that." Beca commented, still laughing.
It was getting dark outside. The lightly breezy air made the redhead fold her arms.
"Are you trying to say that I'm not normal?" the woman scowled, with her eyes still locked at the sky filled with stars..
"If you are normal, then I'm.. um.. the Statue of Liberty." Chloe turned around this time, facing the other woman as she cocked an eyebrow. Beca raised her hand to imitate the statue, trying to hold her laugh.
"Well according to me, you're the one who's not normal." The redhead exclaimed. "Since this morning, you have been behaving like you've known us for years, not knowing what boundaries are."
"Not years, darling. For eons!" Beca remarked. "In fact, I feel like we've met in several past lifetimes." The brunette threw an arm around the other woman's shoulders but it was pushed away immediately by the redhead.
Chloe raised a finger. "Listen.. You are our new neighbour, so please behave like one!" she yelled.
"Okay." Beca said as she pressed a finger on the redhead's nose. "Ding dong. May I please borrow a cup of milk?"
Chloe felt frustration towards the other woman. "What the hell are you doing?!"
"Didn't you just tell me I should behave like a neighbour?" Beca threw an innocent look. "So may I have a cup of milk?"
"Ha-ha. So funny." Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Please take this 'happy-go-lucky' nature of yours and knock on someone else's door, because we are genuinely not interes…."
Beca stopped laughing and let out a sigh. "Shush." She interrupted, this time serious. "What's your problem?" the brunette huffed.
The redhead furrowed her eyebrows. "Problem?"
"Yes.. Why do you feel like the entire weight of the world is on your delicate shoulders?" Beca remarked, pressing her hands on the older woman's shoulders. "Who are you?"
Chloe raised her finger, preparing to speak as the brunette slapped her hand away, leaving her speechless. "What's the point of praying to God, when you don't know how to value the life that has been given to you?"
"Excuse me, what do you know about my life anyway." Chloe grunted.
"I may not know much, but enough to say that through your eyes perhaps you don't have much." This time Beca raised her finger. "But look at your life through someone else's eyes and you'll know you have a lot!"
Chloe threw her hands up in defence. "Great, now I have to listen to a lecture." She said before turning around and walking away.
Beca grabbed the woman by her wrist to make her stop. "Listen.. just live.. be happy.. smile.. who knows, tomorrow may never come."
Chloe shook her head again, rolling her eyes as she folded her arms again.
"Okay, then I will teach you how to smile." Beca said. "It's a simple 3 parts process.." The brunette counted to three and shot a smile at the redhead. "Try it. 1, 2, 3.."
"Are you crazy?"
"Oh God, poor thing has forgotten how to smile." Beca sighed. "But don't worry, just keep practicing and it will come back."
Chloe pressed her finger against the brunette's collarbone. "You know, your problem is that you think…" she got cut off by Beca again.
"I know, I am very sexy." She grumbled as the other woman's eyes widened. "But you are not my type, I'm sorry. For now, just practice."
Chloe's eyes shot skyward. "Just forget it." She sighed, walking back inside.
….
That night Chloe stared into the mirror after brushing her teeth, thinking about what the brunette had said earlier. Had she really forgotten how to smile? She conjured a smile on her face, but her eyes didn't express the same emotion. Thinking back, the last time she could remember smiling, was when she was with her father.
….
"Such a beautiful woman." Jesse smirked, as he sat down next to his best friend on the couch.
Beca's eyes didn't leave her laptop. "Who?"
"Stacie of course, who else?" he said, raising the picture he was holding so Beca could see what he was talking about.
The woman looked up this time. "Oh, yes. That picture was taken at the wedding." She smiled. "Where did you find it?"
"It was in a folder in your room." He put the picture away and turned to face his friend. "I spoke to Stacie this morning. She said you were meeting her today."
Beca nodded, checking her watch. "Actually, I was just gonna leave after finishing this mix, but I think that would be too late. I should go now." She closed her laptop, putting it away before getting up.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Jesse asked.
The woman shook her head. "What are you going to do there? Besides, I want to speak to her in private."
Jesse's expression changed to worry. "Are you scared?"
Beca laughed lightly. "I'm not scared." She lied, as she crossed her fingers behind her back. "You always worry over nothing. There's no need to be worried, everything will be fine." She leaned over to hug her best friend before leaving. "Thanks for being there for me though."
Jesse faked a smile. "Anytime."
…..
"Will you stop eating? You will never find a boyfriend this way." Chloe asserted. She and Amy had decided to go to Central Park and enjoy the sun, but the blonde kept eating and whining about her blind date. As if that wasn't enough, the park was very crowded. The redhead couldn't watch the city and think about her father like she usually did. Everything was annoying her at that moment. The people around her who were talking too loud, the gulls that were flying around, the wind that was throwing her hair in front of her eyes and of course her friend's muttering.
In the meantime, Beca was also walking through Central Park after meeting Stacie. She noticed the redhead in the distance. Even if it was crowded, how could she not stand out when she was shining brighter than the sun. The brunette walked their way as she decided to sneak up behind them.
"I'm sad, Chloe. My blind date stood me up! I would've finished him like this burger, but I don't know what he looks like." Amy fumed, taking another bite from her Double Burger when she noticed a cute guy with a bandana tied through his dark blonde hair. It was the same guy she saw at Starbucks a few days ago. He was leaning against the gate with his headphones on, whistling and bobbing his head to the music.
"Oh my god, it's him again. He's so cute!" She squeezed the redhead's arm in excitement.
Chloe raised an eyebrow. "That is cute?"
"You don't find any guy cute." Amy stated.
"I can't hear anything, speak up a little!" Beca interrupted the two women, making them jump.
"You?! Were you eavesdropping?" Chloe grunted hotly.
"I was trying, but I couldn't hear much." The brunette moved over to sit next to Amy. "We haven't met. I'm Red's new neighbour, Beca."
"I am also Red'sneighbour, Fat Amy." She smiled.
"Do you mind? We were talking." Chloe interrupted.
Beca rattled her tongue. "Do you mind? Now we are talking." She turned back to the bigger woman. "Look Amy.. Any guy who looks at your figure, and loves you…."
"..Will be blind.' Chloe cut off.
"..Will be wrong.. Ignore her." Beca said. "He should look into your heart, not your figure."
"You're right!" Amy smiled.
"I am always right." The brunette shrugged. "So tell me, which guy do you like here?"
The blonde pointed at the guy with the bandana. "That one."
"Yikes.. I mean.. John?"
"Do you know him?" Amy's eyes widened.
"No, but he looks like a John type of guy, you know." She stated, waving at the guy. "John! Over here. Hey, John!"
Chloe cringed, taking a book out of her handbag as she opened it to pretend like she was reading and didn't know them. The guy noticed the gestures and took off his headphones. "Are you talking to me?" he asked confused.
"Yes, I'm talking to you John." Beca shouted.
"The name is Luke." The guy replied.
"Well, Luke.." the brunette sat up straight. "My friend is really into you. She wanted to talk to you since the moment she saw you, but she was so swept off her feet that she couldn't walk. If I was you, I wouldn't miss a chance like this."
A frown found its way to the guy's face.
"Just get over here!" Beca shouted.
Luke raised his eyebrows as he made his way to the three women. "Hi, I'm Luke." He reached out his hand.
Amy raised her arm and shook his hand. "Hi, I'm F.. I mean.. Amy." She smiled.
"Nice to meet you. I DJ at Club Nirvana. Tonight is Retro night, so why don't you guys come along?"
"We'd love to!" Beca rushed out.
"Great, I'll see you there then." The guy turned around and walked away.
Amy watched after him before turning around to hug Beca. "Awesome!" She exclaimed happily.
"Awful." Chloe murmured curtly.
Beca glanced at the redhead. "You are just jealous because Amy's got a boyfriend and you don't, Red."
"I do have a boyfriend!" Chloe rushed out, immediately regretting it. Why did she say that?
Amy frowned. "You do? Who's he?"
"Um.. Tom." The redhead persisted.
"You've never mentioned him before, mysterious woman. Who knows what else you're hiding." Beca teased, moving her eyebrows up and down.
"That's because I don't talk about my personal life with everyone." The redhead stated.
"But you could've at least told me." Amy whined.
"Don't mind her Amy.. We will go to the club tonight, and Red won't be there so you can have fun."
"Of course I'll be there, and I will bring Tom with me, you'll see."
….
Chloe wished the ground would split in half and swallow her up. What was she going to do? She had no boyfriend, and she didn't know any guy named Tom. It was all because of Beca. She didn't understand how everyone liked the brunette so easily. That annoying happy attitude, thinking she knows everything. At least, that was what she made her out to be. Maybe she wasn't that bad if she would allow herself to let her in. Why did she want to hate her so much? Was it because she was afraid to let someone new into her life after her father's death, or was is because she was afraid to love?
Chloe shook her head, as if the movement could somehow shake the thoughts away.
Right now, she had to focus on finding someone for tonight.
A/N: I would like to thank Inkstainedpinky, the author of my favorite fanfic 'Stone Hard as Bulletproof Glass' for taking his time and give me some tips on a few things :) Hope you guys are enjoying it so far !