"What's up with you?" Stacie asked.
Beca was stood alone in the kitchen next to a pile of empty shot glass, clutching a beer so hard it seemed like it might shatter at any moment. She just raised her eyebrows at Stacie incredulously.
"Becs? Are you all right?" Stacie seemed slightly more concerned now.
"Ugh," Beca groaned. "She's not even here."
Stacie frowned a little confusedly while Beca stood there with her arms folded tight.
"Who?"
"Who do you think?" she retorted.
"All right babe no need to get sassy."
Beca exhaled hard and unfolded her arms.
"Sorry."
She sipped the bottle of Heisler bitterly, sending death glares to all of the Bellas that were dancing in Chloe and Aubrey's living room. The music was too loud and it was too dark. The thought of the night she could've had was so sweet in her mind that the reality of her night was just disgraceful.
"Where is she?" Stacie asked.
"With Tom."
"Ah."
An uncomfortable silence fell over the two of them and Stacie reached for a bottle of beer, then shuffled over and put a comforting hand on Beca's hunched shoulders.
"Becs I'm sorry it's my fault."
"No it's mine," Beca said harshly, shrugging off Stacie's hand. "I was stupid for believing you."
"Beca I'm sorry..."
"Fuck it, I'm going home. I didn't want to go anyway this is a pile of shit."
"Don't go."
But Beca was already leaving. As she swept across the room and out into the hall a memory popped into her mind and she had trouble shutting it out.
"Beca, you know you're amazing, right?" Chloe asked, while Beca put down her guitar.
"I can't help it," she said quietly, blushing.
Beca and Chloe were sat on the floor of Chloe's bedroom, Beca's acoustic guitar on the ground next to her. It was five pm on November the twentieth and Chloe had invited her over to hang out.
"You literally give me goosebumps when you sing. You're perfect."
Beca had to bite her lip to stop herself from grinning, and Chloe's crystal eyes were locked on hers with some kind of intensity that Beca couldn't quite place.
"You're not too bad yourself," Beca whispered.
She was suddenly very aware of the fact that Chloe's leg was pressed against hers and they were still looking at each other, Beca felt some kind of magnetism pulling her towards Chloe-
"Hey you two, cardio, now!"
Aubrey's face appeared from behind the door, and Chloe and Beca stood up, flustered, their moment shattered.
That day had ran circles in Beca's conscious and subconscious mind, from the day it happened to that very moment, and maybe she was wrong but it certainly felt like well something that meant something. It meant something to Beca, sure as hell it did. The way Chloe looked at her with her big blue eyes, the way Beca's heart pounded in her chest, and she felt happy but terrified all at the same time, something that she had never ever felt before. It meant something. But clearly it shouldn't have.
Beca stormed out of the apartment building, grabbing her phone to ring Jesse, he was her only friend left in the world that didn't make her want to rip her heart out.
"Oh, hey B, what's up?"
Jesse's voice sounded distant through the phone, and there was a faint dum-tiz dum-tiz of a club beat in the background.
"I, uh, I'm not having a great night," Beca admitted, running a hand through her hair.
"Huh? Sorry I can't hear you, I'm in a club! Call me tomorrow!"
He hung up and Beca stared at her phone in disgust.
She didn't know where to go next, she was just stood in the cold dark street, as cars drove past, lighting up the sky with red and white lights. Beca weighed up her options, and then headed in the direction of a bar.
Beca went in and sat down at the bar, ordering a double gin and tonic with her fake iD. She looked around at the busy bar, with the groups of students chatting excitedly, checking their watches, and she downed the drink and ordered another. It was loud but there was alcohol and she could easily dissolve into the background.
"Um, hey."
Beca snapped around. If there was one person Beca wasn't expecting to sit down next to her on the adjacent bar stool it was Chloe Beale.
"Hi," Beca couldn't stop a smile creeping onto her alcohol lips.
Chloe's blue dress was slightly lopsided on her shoulders, there was a ladder in her tights, and her eye makeup streaked down her face. She looked the way Beca felt, but even so Beca's eyes couldn't help wandering to her pink lips.
"Why aren't you at the Bella party?" Chloe asked, drinking the rest of Beca's gin and tonic.
"Hey!" Beca protested, and Chloe's classic flirty grin emerged, even though it was a little half-hearted.
"Sorry," Chloe lied.
"So what are you doing, drinking alone on New Year's Eve?" Beca asked her.
"I could ask you the same thing madame."
"Touche."
Chloe was looking at her and Beca couldn't figure out why.
"It's touché," Chloe said and Beca looked baffled. "Like toosh-ay, not toosh."
"What?"
Chloe was laughing at her now and Beca couldn't help blushing, hiding her face behind her hands.
"You're a dork oh my gosh," Chloe giggled.
"Hey can I get another double g&t?" Beca asked the bartender. "I think I'm gonna need it tonight."
"I think you are," Chloe chuckled.
They were silent for a moment and Beca looked at the clock- it was eleven forty five.
"So, uh, what are ya doing here Chlo'?" Beca asked in a low voice, looking at Chloe with concerned stormy blue eyes.
"Um," Chloe bit her lip pensively, like she was deciding whether to tell Beca or not.
"You can tell me Chloe," Beca felt the alcohol reach out and take Chloe's hand.
"Um, just had a massive fight with Tom...we were sort of together but no he's...well..."
Chloe started crying.
Beca hugged her and Chloe hugged her back tight.
"Sorry Beca, I'm sorry, I uh, just drunk," she laughed tearfully, and Beca brushed a tear from her cheek.
"It's okay," Beca smiled at her. "You're eyes look really pretty right now."
Beca was laughing fondly, and Chloe smiled too.
"Thanks," Chloe said in a small voice. "You're being so..."
"I'm drunk," Beca shrugged.
"Right."
They both drank their drinks. It was eleven fifty three now.
"So you never told me why you're not at the Bellas party," Chloe reiterated. "I guess I left before you turned up."
Beca looked away and shrugged, turning back to the bar.
"I uh, just wasn't feeling it."
"Bec," Chloe raised her eyebrows. "C'mon."
Beca looked down at her hands.
"I...No...It doesn't matter."
She reached for her glass.
"I told you, so you better tell me," Chloe insisted, but Beca shook her head.
"I can't."
"It's just me."
"That's exactly the point," Beca sighed, avoiding her gaze, running a hand through her hair.
"Huh? Talk to me."
"I..."
Eleven fifty five.
"C'mon," Chloe said.
"You weren't there and...I wanted you to be there..."
"That's nice," Chloe smiled.
"No it's not nice. D'you not see what I'm saying? I wanted you to be there on New Year's Eve drunk at a party with me, drunk on New Year's Eve, at a party."
Chloe's mouth opened and closed a few times but no sound came out.
"Beca..."
"I'm sorry."
Beca downed the rest of her drink and put her head in her hands on the bar, waiting for the rejection.
Beca wondered how quickly she could get back to her dorm to avoid the count down to midnight, but it was eleven fifty eight already, the bar was packed and there was no way to avoid the rejection.
Then she felt Chloe's hands on her own, gently pulling them away from her face.
"Well, it's nearly midnight," Chloe whispered.
"Um...so it is," Beca frowned confusedly.
Chloe was looking at Beca with her wide eyes, and their faces were inches apart.
Then the whole bar started counting down.
"Ten," Chloe whispered. "Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four...three..."
Chloe's arms snaked around her neck and she pressed her lips to Beca's, and Beca thought she might die, and her hands found Chloe's waist and she pulled her closer. Chloe's tongue brushed Beca's lips and she let her tongue slide in, instantly melting into one another. There was yelling and fireworks outside, but the two of them were caught up in the moment so much that Beca barely even heard.
"Happy New Year," Chloe said between kisses.
"Thanks."
"So, should we carry on the festivities back at yours or mine?"
"Mine," Beca said breathlessly.
"Awesome."
A/N merry christmas, was that okay guys? I hope you all have magical new years lol
please review
love you xxx