[Chloe]

When the dark-haired girl with too many piercings and an air of disinterest turned to face me, grey-blue eyes flicking to meet mine like a switch-blade, I felt a cascade of memories hit me all at once, full force.

"Beca?" I managed to gasp, as I watched her features contort into an expression of shock and pain. She looked so different. Gone was the smiling girl I once new, and in her place was a closed off remnant of her beauty, an echo of her happiness that was smothered by her dark eye makeup and heavy clothing. Several piercings adorned her ears, and I even noticed a tattoo on her left wrist. Aubrey was asking me for an explanation, but it was all I could do not to burst into tears right then and there. Luckily it seemed that Beca had already regained composure, because she was the one to break the tension.

"Chloe and I used to, uh, know each other in high school." She sounded so sarcastic and disinterested. I watched Aubrey's eyebrows reach a record hight as she turned to analyse my response. I nodded quickly, hoping to satisfy her doubts. It seemed to work, for Aubrey turned back to Beca and began telling her about the Bellas. My head was still spinning as I watched the face of the girl that I had never expected to see again there right in front of me. After that terrible night 3 years ago, I had finally left all thoughts of her behind me, and somehow she'd come back to haunt me. It was truly overwhelming, and as she turned and walked away, I almost called her back. I almost apologised. I watched her leave and suddenly became acutely aware of how she must have felt watching me do the same thing all those years ago. Beca.

"Beca, I can't do this anymore." It was dark, but even so the look of pain and terror on her face was evident.

"What do you mean?" I could hear the fear lacing her voice, and bit back my own tears as I watched one escape her eye, trickling down her face. She made no move to wipe it away.

"I just... I love you Beca, but I can't take the way people see us anymore. My parents can't stand the fact that I'm dating a girl and not the perfect dashing quarterback-doctor-to-be of their dreams, everyone at school makes fun of me and when people shout at us in the street it makes me so scared Beca, I'm scared." I saw her physically blanch, her brow furrowing desperately.

"You're afraid to be seen with me? You're ashamed of our love?" she sounded bitter, and god, she made it sound so much worse.

"No, Beca, why would I be ashamed of what we have? It's perfect, you're perfect, but I don't know if I can deal with it right now..." I trailed off, biting my lip hard. I knew that I was making a mess of this, and I saw that in my girlfriend's flood of tears, the way she seemed to collapse in on herself where she stood.

"So you're leaving me?" I heard her voice break, but she refused my touch, shaking her head violently.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, feeling my own tears hot on my cheeks, rivers of shame marking my face. Her face went blank as she completely shut off.

"Just go then." She said, and although her eyes were begging me to stay I did just that. I turned and sprinted away, leaving the girl that I loved alone in the park where we had first met a year ago. I didn't turn back for fear of breaking down, and I never saw her again.

until now.

Exhausted, I fell into my bed in my shared dorm room with Aubrey that evening, my head racing. I had yet to admit to her what had really transpired between me and Beca, and although she knew that I wasn't telling her everything she didn't push me for details, instead sensing that I needed to tell her when I was ready. I curled up under the duvet, and began to follow a dangerous train of thought. What if I tried to make up with Beca? Not necessarily in a romantic way, but it'd be nice to befriend her once again. That would be the mature thing to do, right? I turned the idea over in my head, wincing at the possible worst-case scenarios, in the end deciding that I wouldn't seek her out, but if I bumped into her again I would definitely try to patch things up again. I smiled at another memory, and allowed myself to fall asleep on it, preferring it to the nightmare that was our breakup.

She pushed me back onto the bed, our kisses growing more and more passionate, her hands leaving burning trails across my skin. She gazed adoringly into my eyes.

"I love you." She whispered, a smile tugging at her lips. I kissed her softly before replying, trying to convey it all in that one perfect moment.

"I love you too" I replied, smiling into her mouth as she pressed into me, desperate to get as close as possible. Our bodies melded together as if they were made to lie with each other in this way, and my fingers traced the perfect skin of her back that I knew I wanted to be mine forever. That night was one of heat and love and secrets whispered under kisses to collarbones and when she left in the morning still smelling of joy, I couldn't see anything that stood in our way.

I jolted awake in the night, sweating as I relieved the memories. I let phantom tears slide down my cheeks as I wondered for the millionth time, "why did I let her go?"