Chapter 21
A/N: Wow! This story just passed 175 Favs, 350 Follows, and over 200 Reviews! You guys are seriously awesome, and continue to blow me away with the support for this fic. I've got a couple of extra long chapters in the works, starting with this one. Enjoy!
Beca yawned widely and slouched down in the uncomfortable seat in front of their gate, headphones firmly in place as she waited for their flight to start boarding. Her parents had just ventured off in search of coffee, promising to bring her back something good. Pulling out her phone, she slid her headphones off her ears and called Chloe, keeping an eye out for her parents. Beca grinned when she heard the redhead's bubbly voice on the other end of the line.
"Hey! I thought you'd be on the plane by now!"
"Nope, just sitting in the airport," Beca replied, thankful the area around their gate was almost empty. "Our flight leaves in about an hour. Whatcha up to?"
"I'm at school, silly. Where else would I be on Monday morning?"
Beca kicked herself for that one, having lost track of the days. "Shit, I'm sorry, Chlo. Do you need to go? I already forgot what time it is there."
"It's a little after eleven, and it's my planning period while the students are in electives or goofing off on their free period...like some people I know."
"Hey, what Stacie and I get up to during our free period is none of your business. That's why it's 'free,' so we can be free from your judgment," Beca retorted defensively, knowing exactly what her girlfriend was referring to.
Beca heard a long sigh before Chloe spoke again. "Just leave Aubrey out of it. I don't know why you insist on pushing her buttons all the time."
"Um, because it's hilarious. Also because she's wound so tightly that I think some laughing would do her good. It's not my fault she has zero sense of humor," Beca explained patiently, as Chloe let out a frustrated groan. "Admit it babe, she needs to loosen up. Maybe if Jesse wasn't such a coward he could fu..."
"BECA!" Chloe whisper-yelled through the phone, cutting her off.
Beca replied sheepishly, "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I forget sometimes that you actually like her. Also, I don't think it's fair that I have to censor what I say to my girlfriend," she added with a sigh.
"These are people I work with and have a lot of respect for. As my girlfriend, you should understand and support that by not talking about them so rudely."
Beca surrendered, knowing Chloe was right. "You're right, Chlo. I'm sorry," she said sincerely. "I don't want to talk about them anyways. I'd much rather talk about how excited I am to see you tonight."
"Just how excited are you?"
Beca hummed low in her throat, her body responding to Chloe's tone as she replied, "I've missed you...a lot. These past five days have felt like forever, especially after those pictures you sent me from the beach."
"I wish you could have been there. Jess and Ash had a great time. It was so beautiful."
"You're so beautiful," Beca shot back smoothly, smirking as she heard Chloe's breath hitch. Before she could say anything else, she saw her parents turn the corner with coffee cups in hand. "Shit, my parents are coming. I gotta go, babe."
"Okay. I'll see you tonight, right?"
"Yep. I'll text you when we land, and come over as soon as I can," Beca answered, her foot tapping anxiously as her parents neared the seating area.
"I can't wait!"
"Me either. Bye!" Beca said quickly, hanging up just as her dad and Sheila arrived, both looking at her suspiciously. "What?" she asked nervously, taking the cup Sheila offered her.
"Who were you talking to, Becs?" Sheila asked curiously, as she and Ben sat down opposite their daughter.
"Stacie," Beca replied automatically, taking a sip of coffee and letting the warm liquid calm her nerves.
Ben shook his head. "You and Stacie seem to have gotten a lot closer lately," he mused, glancing at his wife.
Beca swallowed, wishing she were an infinitely better liar. "What are you talking about?"
Sheila smiled at her, answering, "Beca, we're not idiots. Give us some credit. If you don't want to tell us what's going on, and it's not putting you in danger, that's fine. But don't lie to us. We know something is up, and we'd like to hear about it from you, when you're ready to tell us."
Beca looked guiltily at them, and apologized immediately. "I'm sorry. I don't really want to talk about it."
Sheila pressed on. "Does it have anything to do with our conversation last week?"
Beca took another sip of coffee, remaining silent.
Ben jumped in, asking, "Are you dating someone, Becs?" At her wide-eyed expression, he quickly continued, "Because that's okay! We support you, and we don't want you to feel like you have to hide it. We'd love to meet her."
Beca grimaced at the awkwardness of it all, knowing that, no, she actually couldn't introduce them to her girlfriend, and she also couldn't tell them why. She remained silent, thinking through some of the thoughts that had plagued her since her confrontation with Jess. Although she had worked things out with the blonde, Beca was struggling with some of the truths that had been laid bare that night. The separation and distraction of being on vacation hadn't helped at all, allowing her to sink deeper and deeper into her own thoughts and insecurities.
Her dad's voice drew her back into the moment. "Would you rather talk to Sheila about it? Is it….a….girl thing?" Ben asked uncomfortably.
"No! Geez, dad, just….just stop. This is worse than all of our past awful discussions put together," Beca groaned, covering her face with her hands. Looking back up at her parents, a light bulb went off in her head. "Okay, fine. I've been spending a lot of time with Stacie lately because she's talked me into applying to a few colleges after all, and she's been helping me with my applications."
Ben's face brightened in shock, a grin stretching across his lips as he exclaimed, "That's wonderful news, Becs!"
Sheila also gave her a warm smile, though she didn't seem totally convinced. "What made you change your mind?"
Beca thought back to her conversation with Stacie at the diner, responding, "She told me how she was feeling about all the changes that were coming, and said that applying didn't mean I had to go, but it at least gave me the option. I thought about it and realized she was right, that there was no harm in applying and keeping my options open," she finished with a shrug.
Ben shook his head, his smile betraying the irritation in his words as he said, "I'm so glad I haven't been saying that same thing for months...years even! But Stacie comes along and says it what, once? And poof, college is back on the table. You know what, I don't care. Where are you applying?"
Beca thought quickly, naming a few state schools that were nearby, slipping in UCLA at the end.
Sheila moved to sit beside her, wrapping her arms around Beca pulling her into a hug. "I think that's great, kid. I'm really proud of you for reaching this decision, no matter how you got there."
Beca pulled back, stunned. "Wait, you think this is the right decision? Why did you support me when all I wanted to do was go to LA?
Sheila answered, "Because your father had spent a year or two telling you that and had gotten nowhere. I believe that's the definition of insanity," she said, shooting Ben a sly grin. "Plus, I didn't go to college right away either. So it'd be pretty hypocritical of me to try and force you to, dontcha think?"
Beca nodded, hugging her stepmom again happily. She felt bad about having to lie to her parents, made a tiny bit better by the fact it wasn't a total lie. She was applying to colleges, and Stacie was helping her with her applications, but she couldn't shake that twisting feeling in her stomach that had been nagging at her the whole trip. The feeling that no matter how careful they were, someone was going to find out.
A loud voice over the intercom announced their flight was boarding, and Beca gathered up her stuff, moving to toss her empty coffee cup in the trash. She smiled as she thought about finally getting to see her girlfriend in a few short hours, and moved to join her parents in line to board.
Six hours later, Beca stumbled off the plane behind her parents, headphones snugly in place over her ears. She didn't mind flying, but was extremely happy to be on solid ground again. Their flight had hit some turbulence as it approached to land, and none of the passengers were wasting any time in walking as far away from the plane as quickly as possible. Beca yawned and followed her dad and stepmom to the baggage claim, collapsing into a nearby chair to wait. Grabbing her phone, switched it off airplane mode, hearing the pings that signaled incoming messages. Glancing up at the slow moving carousel, she slid one earphone down and clicked the messages from Stacie first.
Stacie [3:41PM]: Hey loser. COME HOME! School sucks without you
Stacie [3:42PM]: I can't believe I just said that...
My Muse [12:45PM]: Can't wait to see you tonight!
My Muse [4:02PM]: I miss you
Beca smiled, typing out a quick reply to Stacie.
Beca [6:04PM]: I'm never coming back!
Beca [6:05PM]: JK...at baggage claim with the parents. You home?
Stacie [6:06PM]: YES! Come over and bring me my present
Beca snorted, shaking her head at her cell phone.
Beca [6:07PM]: What makes you think I got you a present?
Stacie [6:08PM]: Because no friend of mine would go to HAWAII and not bring me back a hula dancer
"Becs! Let's go!"
Beca looked up, spotting her dad and Sheila waiting with their suitcases. Rising to her feet, she joined them and grabbed the handle of her bag, asking, "How are we getting home?"
Sheila winked at her, responding, "They sent a car."
Beca smirked at that, saying, "Oh, right. Totally forgot you were working this week. Must have been such a tough week for you, taking pictures of all those half...well, mostly naked dudes with more muscles than brains."
"It was a dirty job, but someone had to do it, kid," Sheila replied, her tone somber. Beca snickered as her dad shot them both a pained look.
"Are you two finished?" he asked grumpily. "There's our guy," he added, pointing at a sharply dressed man holding a sign with Sheila's name on it.
Beca rolled her eyes and put her headphones back on as Sheila hugged Ben's arm with both of her own, whispering something into his ear. "Gross," she mumbled, putting some music on to drown out the loudness of the airport. Their driver promptly took the handles of both Sheila's suitcases, but her stepmom declined the offer to take her shoulder bag, preferring to carry her most expensive camera herself. Beca grinned thinking of the time Sheila showed it to her, calling it "The Moneymaker." At the time, Beca had no idea just how much money Sheila was talking about, and figured she probably still had no idea how much people paid her stepmom to take pictures, but she knew it was a lot. Beca didn't completely understand why that was the case, but who was she to judge? If people wanted to pay her stepmom an ungodly amount of money for a few pictures, then kudos to Sheila.
The driver led them to a special area where his limousine awaited them, safely parked where tow trucks couldn't touch it. Beca glanced at Sheila with raised eyebrows, asking, "Seriously? Why have I never traveled with you on a job before?"
Sheila rolled her eyes, answering, "Um, because it's work, kid. Also because then you'd expect fancy limos and executive suites all the time, and we're not raising an entitled brat. You can have all this on a regular basis when you've got Grammys sitting on your mantel."
Beca shook her head, wondering if one day she would win a Grammy. It had seemed possible, a long time ago, and the hope that had disappeared when her mom died was slowly returning. She felt good about her music, the songs and melodies she'd produced on her own. She could feel it, inside her, that she was meant to make music. It was when she was at her happiest, her best, when she was playing the piano, guitar, or mixing it all together into one cohesive melody, and all the worries and stress just melted away while the music took over. Nothing had ever made her feel the way a good song could. Beca knew that music could be life changing, the way it was for her, and she wanted more than anything to make music that affected people like that.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she pulled it out to read the latest text from Stacie.
Stacie [6:19PM]: Are you coming over?
Beca [6:21PM]: Yep. We're leaving the airport now. Be there in an hour
Before she locked the screen, a new text came in from Chloe. Beca glanced at her parents, who were busy helping the driver load bags into the trunk, and climbed into the limo.
My Muse [6:21PM]: Are you back yet?
Beca [6:23PM]: Yeah. We just got to the limo and are about to leave the airport. I'll be over in a few hours
My Muse [6:24PM]: Limo?
My Muse [6:25PM]: Glad you're back safe. How was the flight?
Beca [6:26PM]: Lotta turbulence at the end. Never been happier to get off a plane. The stepmonster travels in style ;-)
Beca [6:27PM]: I miss you too
My Muse [6:28PM]: I wish you were here now
Beca [6:30PM]: I'll be there soon. Just gotta swing by Stacie's and then I'm all yours
Beca looked up as her dad and Sheila slid into the limo, the car pulling away from the curb a moment later. "Ready to be home?" she asked.
Sheila nodded, answering, "God, I miss my bed. It's been over a week."
Beca smirked, replying, "Right, well, I figured I'd stay at Stacie's tonight. I'm gonna head over there anyways to give her the present I got her, and tell her how awesome Hawaii was."
Ben nodded his approval. "Perfect! We won't mind having the house to ourselves, right honey?" he asked teasingly.
Beca groaned, closing her eyes. "Dude, gross. At least wait until I'm gone!"
Her parents laughed at her as she shook her head and looked back down at her phone, tuning out Sheila's response.
My Muse [6:32PM]: What happened to "you're my first stop"
Beca [6:40PM]: Thought you'd rather be my last stop
My Muse [6:42PM]: Don't take too long Mitchell. And I promise you'll be too exhausted to go anywhere after I'm done with you
Beca swallowed hard, feeling her face flush at the thought. She was so tempted to put off seeing Stacie until tomorrow, but pushed the thoughts away. Stacie was her best friend and had always been there to support her, and she wasn't going to take a backseat now just because Beca was dating someone. Even if that someone was an unbelievably hot redhead who, after another quick glance at her phone, was not above sending dirty texts to get her way.
"Fuck," Beca mumbled, glancing up again with wide eyes. Thankfully, her parents were deep in conversation about the upcoming election, and hadn't noticed her at all. She quickly locked her phone, ignoring the way it buzzed in her pocket with a new text. She leaned her head back against the seat and turned her music up louder, trying to think about anything except Chloe.
After the longest hour of her life, the limo finally pulled up to their house, and Beca scrambled past her parents and out as soon as the car stopped. She ignored the curious glances and grabbed her suitcase from the trunk, opening the front door and heading quickly to her room.
A quick shower and change of clothes later, Beca yelled out a goodbye to her parents before heading out the door with a small bag of gifts and her backpack with a change of clothes. She drove to Stacie's house in a few minutes, parking by the curb like always. Beca didn't even make it halfway to the door before her best friend came charging out to meet her, wrapping her in a giant hug that always ended with Beca's face pressed into Stacie's generous cleavage.
"If you smother me with your boobs you'll be alone at school forever," Beca shouted, her voice muffled by the taller brunette's chest.
Stacie pulled back with a wink, replying, "But what a way to go, right?"
Beca shook her head, retorting, "I'd rather not go at all, if you don't mind."
Stacie laughed, hugging her again. "I let you breathe, didn't I?"
Beca squirmed away and took a deep breath. "Only to try and finish the job!" she accused, pointing a finger at her friend accompanied by a dangerous stare. "Not another step closer if you want your present," she threatened, causing Stacie to freeze mid-step, hands in the air.
"Okay, you win, Mitchell," Stacie conceded. "Gimme my present!"
Beca rolled her eyes, tossing a small package wrapped in brown paper to her friend. Stacie squealed as she ripped the paper away, revealing a small dancing hula girl, standing on a small platform with the word 'HAWAII' printed across the front in block letters. "I love it!" Stacie exclaimed, holding figure up in her palm and watching the girl sway back and forth. "I could teach her a few things though," she added with a grin, shaking her hips suggestively.
"Dude, we're in your front yard," Beca said, her eyebrows rising up her forehead. "Keep it in your pants, at least until we get inside."
"Oh, you're actually staying? I thought you'd be jetting off to your girlfriends, seeing as you haven't gotten laid in days," Stacie said slyly.
Beca huffed, mock offended. "Firstly, don't say the word jetting, or any word that has to do with planes. Our flight home had enough turbulence to keep me away from planes for a long time. Second, you're my best friend, Stace. I'll always want to spend time with you, and that's not gonna change whether I have a girlfriend or a wife or whatever," she said roughly, the words coming out more sentimental than she'd planned.
"Aww, Becs! That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me," Stacie said with a grin, pulling her into a gentler hug. "But seriously, we both know where you want to be right now."
Beca pulled away, looking up at her best friend. "Come on, Stace. Do you have a guy in there or something? Seems like you want to get rid of me," she said, putting on a hurt expression.
Stacie rolled her eyes. "Save it, Mitchell. You'd make a terrible actress. And it's okay, go see your girlfriend. I'll get you all day at school tomorrow and at dinner when you buy me a pizza," she finished with a wink.
Beca hesitated, asking, "You're sure?"
"Fucking hell, yes, I'm sure!" Stacie said, rolling her eyes again. "You know I don't play those passive aggressive games. Besides, if I were you, I'd have gone straight there. So I'm already feeling special that you came here at all. Now, I have my present, and you should go see your girlfriend. So get outta here! Go! Git!" she shouted, holding back her laughter.
Beca raised her eyebrows incredulously. "Are you seriously quoting White Fang right now? Are you White Fang'ing me?"
The dam burst as they both started laughing, Stacie ending up doubled over with her hands on her knees.
"You're ridiculous, Conrad," Beca gasped, running a hand through her still-damp hair.
"Yeah, maybe, but you love me anyways," Stacie replied, still catching her breath. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Beca nodded, adding," Oh yeah, almost forgot." She tossed a second small package at Stacie, who unwrapped it to find a blue t-shirt with the words 'My wife went to Hawaii and all I got was this stupid t-shirt.'
Stacie read the words, before bursting out laughing again. "Love it. I'm totally wearing it tomorrow," she said between breaths.
Beca grinned, replying, "Thought you would. Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."
Stacie gave her one more hug and said goodbye, and Beca watched her walk back inside the house before hopping in her car. She shot off a quick text to Chloe to let her know she was on the way, and eased the car away from the curb, taking only a few moments to exit the neighborhood.
Ten minutes later, she parked in front of Chloe's apartment and made her way along the familiar path until she reached the door.
Just as Beca raised her fist to knock, the door swung open and she was engulfed in a tight hug. She wrapped her arms around Chloe and closed her eyes, breathing in the familiar vanilla scent that always seemed to surround the redhead. As quickly as it began, the hug ended and Chloe dragged her inside the apartment, asking excitedly, "How was your trip?!"
"It was good," Beca replied, grinning at her girlfriend's eagerness. "It was nice to get away and relax. And Hawaii is awesome, of course."
"I can only imagine," Chloe responded wistfully. "I've never been, but would love to go." Switching gears, she asked, "Was the flight okay?"
Beca shrugged, answering, "It was fine until we got closer to LA. I think the plane was pissed it had to leave Hawaii and threw a fit. The turbulence was terrible for the last twenty minutes."
Chloe chuckled as she slowly crossed the room, her voice sympathetic as she said, "That sounds terrible. I'm glad you made it here safely."
Beca nodded in agreement, momentarily captivated as she finally took a good look at her girlfriend. All the negative thoughts that had been running through her mind during her vacation vanished as she ran her eyes up Chloe's legs to her faded, frayed jean shorts and loose tank top, finally meeting the clear blue eyes she loved so much, framed by tendrils of hair that had escaped the redhead's messy bun.
"Fuck...I totally forgot how hot you are," Beca murmured, her eyes dropping lower again as Chloe chuckled and stepped closer, slipping her arms loosely around the brunette's neck.
"I missed you, too," Chloe said, her voice laced with playful sarcasm as Beca met her eyes again.
Beca leaned up to connect their lips, the kiss quickly growing heated as Chloe pressed fully against her. At the touch of Chloe's tongue to her lips, Beca snapped out of her haze, pulling quickly away. She felt a stab of hurt at Chloe's confused expression, and stepped back a few more paces.
"Chlo, I...I haven't been totally honest with you," she started, her voice wavering nervously. "I've never done this whole, relationship thing before, but I want to do it right. I need to tell you something."
"Beca," Chloe started, but the brunette quickly cut her off.
"No...just...please let me get this out?" she asked desperately, her hands curling into fists. "I'm seventeen," Beca said quickly, before she could chicken out. "I'm so sorry, I know I should have told you from the beginning and I never should have kept it from you after that. I just knew you wouldn't want to be with me anymore if you knew, and you could get in so much trouble..."
"Beca!" Chloe shouted, stopping her rambling. "I know."
Beca froze, looking hesitantly at the redhead. "You knew? The whole time?"
Chloe sighed, moving to pull a chair out from the table and sit down. "I think a part of me knew from the beginning and just didn't want to accept it. Jess told me a few days ago."
Beca leaned silently against the back of the couch, her stomach plummeting at the look on Chloe's face. Finding her voice, she asked, "What do you want to do?"
Neither spoke for a few minutes, glancing awkwardly around the apartment as they thought about their impossible situation. Chloe looked up and waited until Beca met her eyes. "We both say it out loud, on three." At Beca's nod, the redhead quietly counted, "One...two..."
"I think we should break up," Beca said, eyes on her feet, not waiting for Chloe to get to three.
"I was going to say we need to be really careful until you turn eighteen, Becs," Chloe responded, the hurt evident in her tone.
Beca looked up at the shocked expression on the redhead's face. Feeling a sharp stab pierce her, she crossed the room quickly, grabbing Chloe's hands.
"Chlo, I can't be the one who ruins your life. I don't want to be responsible for you losing your job, or getting in serious trouble, or going to jail. If someone finds out, or something happens...we would both regret it," Beca pleaded. "I don't want you to end up hating me," she added softly.
Chloe felt the tears start to fall down her cheeks at Beca's words. Her eyes widened in realization, and she looked up into her girlfriend's dark eyes, full of pain. "Stacie was right about you," she sniffled, and Beca moved her hands to Chloe's cheeks, gently brushing away her tears.
"What do you mean?" Beca asked, confused.
Chloe shook her head, pulling away and giving the brunette a small smile. "I'm not letting you go, Becs. We can do this...your birthday isn't too far away. I'm not letting you make this decision for me," she said firmly.
Beca frowned, replying, "Chlo, you could end up in jail. This isn't a game...this is serious."
"I'm serious about you," Chloe responded firmly, rising from the chair and easing her arms back around Beca's neck. "Do you really want to break up?"
"Of course not," Beca said sadly, looking into Chloe's eyes. "But I'd rather you hate me for doing the right thing than forever blame me for losing your dream."
Chloe sighed, "I could never hate you. Becs, we can figure this out. We'll be really careful, okay?"
Beca quickly replied, "What if that's not enough? What if someone catches us? What if someone finds out?"
Chloe gave her a small grin. "What if a giant earthquake flattens the whole city? What if I get hit by a bus tomorrow?"
"Stop it," Beca retorted, refusing to think about it. "This isn't a joke."
"Baby," Chloe said, her low tone causing Beca to shiver. "I'm not going to live my life worried about 'what ifs.' What we have is real, and I'm not going to let something as stupid as age keep us apart. Are you?"
Beca returned her stare, losing herself in Chloe's eyes. They were so full of hope and promise and determination and confidence. All the things Beca was struggling to hold onto. "How am I supposed to do the right thing when you're so damn convincing," she muttered, covering her face with her hands.
"Because there's no right thing in this situation," Chloe replied simply. "Do you want to be with me?" she asked, pressing her body against the brunette's.
"You know I do," Beca answered, moving her hands to rest on Chloe's hips. "I have since the moment I met you."
"Then just be with me," Chloe whispered, leaning down to kiss her.
Beca's resolve was weakening by the second as Chloe kissed her softly over and over, the brunette meeting her lips each time. She wasn't sure what the right thing was anymore. What they had was real, and they both felt it. Happiness spread through her as she realized Chloe wasn't going to give up on her so easily.
She tightened her grip as Chloe whispered against her lips, "I really missed you."
Beca smiled as Chloe's forehead rested gently against her own, replying sincerely, "I really missed you too."
Chloe kissed her again, pulling away to say, "I know you're trying to do the right thing, and that means more to me than you can possibly imagine. But right now, I don't need you to do the right thing..." she trailed off, her eyes fluttering down to the brunette's lips.
Beca watched her, biting down on her bottom lip before asking, "What do you need?"
Chloe met her gaze and Beca swallowed as the redhead stepped back into her personal space, pressing against her. "You...I need you," she whispered, her hands resting lightly on the back of Beca's neck, her fingertips easing into her hair as she leaned in, pausing inches from the brunette's lips.
Beca closed the distance, crushing her lips against Chloe's. Heat rushed through her, pooling low in her stomach as they kissed. Beca trailed her hands up Chloe's back, sliding them down over her ass as the redhead broke away, panting heavily. She leaned back as Chloe whipped her tank top off, not wasting any time reconnecting their lips.
This time it was Beca who pulled back, taking a deep breath as she ran her eyes down Chloe's body. "Bedroom," she muttered, her gaze fixed on Chloe's breasts, encased in her favorite dark blue, lacy bra.
Chloe gently shoved Beca a few steps back, slowly undoing the button and zipper of her shorts, revealing the matching panties. "Like what you see?" she asked coyly, and Beca could only nod dumbly, drinking in the sight of her girlfriend in front of her. If she could have described her ideal woman, Chloe's body would put that woman's to shame. She was all firm muscle and supple curves, and Beca's gaze was again drawn to her breasts, threatening to spill out of the lacy blue cups.
"God, you're gorgeous," Beca murmured, taking the offered hand and letting Chloe lead her into the bedroom. Her eyes were trained on Chloe's legs, watching the toned muscles flex as she walked, eventually settling on the blue lace that covered her ass. Chloe spun around, catching her staring shamelessly, and Beca stepped forward to push her down so she was sitting on the edge of the bed.
Remaining standing, Beca quickly stripped off her own shirt, loving the way Chloe's eyes darkened as she watched. Her shorts came next, winking at her girlfriend as she let them fall to her ankles revealing her own lacy black underwear, kicking them to the side.
Chloe inched forward, sliding her hands up Beca's thighs and pressed her lips against her stomach. She surprised Beca by kissing higher, up between her breasts until she stood to reach the brunette's lips.
Beca hesitated, pulling back slightly to look into Chloe's eyes. "You're sure?" she asked for the last time.
Chloe met her stare, answering confidently. "I'm sure, Becs. It's gonna be okay."
Beca took a deep breath, leaning in to rest her forehead against Chloe's. "I'm scared," she admitted.
"What scares you the most?" Chloe asked, her hands gripping Beca's hips a little tighter.
"How strongly I feel about you," Beca whispered. "I've never wanted anything as badly as I want you."
Chloe's eyes closed for a moment before meeting Beca's deep blue stare. "Show me."
Beca didn't hesitate again, connecting their lips and kissing Chloe firmly. She could instantly feel the shift, knowing this time was different. It consumed her, making her feel as if her heart would explode from the overload of emotions coursing through her. Beca pushed Chloe back onto the bed, settling easily on top of her and reconnected their lips. The pace was slow, knowing they had all night to savor each other, and neither wanted to rush.
Beca took her time worshipping Chloe's body with gentle kisses and caresses, paying special attention to all her most sensitive spots. She trailed her lips over Chloe's firm abs, tracing each defined muscle. At the redhead's moan she moved lower, kissing down over her lacy underwear, soaked through with Chloe's arousal. Beca licked over Chloe's clit through the lace, smirking as her hips bucked at the contact.
"Take them off," Chloe breathed, leaning up to look down at her girlfriend.
Beca sat up a little, hooking her fingers into the waistband, slowly dragging them down Chloe's legs and off. Tossing them to the side, she kept her eyes locked on Chloe's as she moved back between her girlfriend's thighs. Beca pressed her tongue back against Chloe's clit, reveling in the resulting gasp as her girlfriend collapsed back into the bed. She felt fingers tangle in her hair as she continued to move her tongue in a slow rhythm, letting Chloe's moans fill the room.
Beca shifted her arms under Chloe's thighs and placed her hands on her hips, holding them firmly down against the bed. Moving lower, she licked teasingly at Chloe's entrance, the redhead's hips fighting against her hold. Giving in, Beca thrust her tongue slowly inside her girlfriend, keeping her pace steady.
Chloe's grip tightened as she whimpered, "Oh…God…don't stop, Becs…"
Beca had no intention of stopping, moving her left hand to rub Chloe's clit with firm strokes. Chloe responded instantly, crying out Beca's name as the pleasure built. She swirled her tongue with each thrust of Chloe's hips, one hand not enough to keep them still, knowing her girlfriend was close and wanting to push her over the edge.
It was barely another minute before Chloe cried out Beca's name as her orgasm hit, her thighs closing tightly around Beca's head. Beca curled her tongue, trying to prolong Chloe's pleasure, her fingertips still applying gentle pressure. Finally, Chloe weakly pushed her away, unable to take anymore.
Quickly wiping her mouth on the corner of the sheet, Beca slid up the bed and wrapped her arms around Chloe as she tried to catch her breath. She held her close, cherishing the feeling of having Chloe pressed against her. Sex with Chloe was incredible, but these were the moments Beca lived for. She loved it when Chloe curled up against her with her face pressed against Beca's neck, the brunette able to feel her soft breaths against her skin.
After a few minutes, Chloe stretched out along Beca's body, sliding a leg in between her own. Beca let Chloe push her the rest of the way onto her back, the redhead starting a slow kiss that quickly turned heated. She returned the kiss, allowing Chloe's tongue entrance to battle with her own. Nimble fingers ghosted over her breasts, and Beca moaned as she arched up, searching for more. A moment later, she felt the clasp of her bra release, Chloe's hand slipping under it to cup her breast. Beca ripped the straps down her arms, flinging the article away just in time.
Chloe pulled back with a smirk, dropping down to capture an aching nipple between her lips, flicking it with her tongue. It was Beca's turn to collapse against the bed as Chloe moved her mouth to her other breast, giving it the same attention. She was almost too distracted to feel Chloe's hand tracing patterns up the inside of her thigh, coming to rest between her legs. Beca sucked in a deep breath, spreading her legs a little wider as Chloe began to rub her through her underwear. Her head fell back in pleasure, her eyes closing as she concentrated on the skillful fingers touching her.
As good as it felt, it wasn't enough, and Chloe knew it. She focused two fingers right on Beca's clit, letting her lips roam over her breasts, occasionally nipping the supple flesh.
Beca keened at the added pressure, her hips thrusting up in rhythm. "Fuck Chlo," she gasped. "I need more…" she trailed off as Chloe's fingers slid under the lace.
"Look at me, Becs," Chloe commanded, though her tone was soft. Beca met her gaze as Chloe ripped her underwear down her legs, fingertips returning to dip inside her. She gasped again as Chloe's fingers probed deeper inside her, fighting to keep from closing her eyes at the sensation.
She managed to slide her underwear off her feet as Chloe only increased the pace of her fingers, bringing her thumb up to circle Beca's clit. Beca couldn't help but close her eyes when Chloe curled her fingers inside her, searching out and finding that spot. Instantly, the fingers stopped moving, and Beca's eyes shot open, groaning in frustration.
"Look at me, baby," Chloe murmured. "I want to see you when you come apart for me."
Beca whimpered at her words, not daring to look away as Chloe's fingers found that spot inside her again, her hips thrusting up desperately to meet them. She bit down on her bottom lip as Chloe added more pressure against her clit, determined to keep her eyes open. It made everything so much more intense; the pleasure combined with the heated look Chloe was giving her was enough to push her over the edge, unable to hold the eye contact as her orgasm crashed through her.
Beca collapsed into the pillow and sighed contentedly as Chloe snuggled against her side, placing a soft kiss on her shoulder. Somewhere in the back her mind lingered the worry that someone would find out about their relationship, but she was no longer focused on it. Happiness flooded her as she realized that her age wasn't going to come between them, at least not now. Chloe wanted her anyways, and believed she was worth the risk. While Beca herself wasn't so sure, she knew that Chloe made her too happy to question it. Her girlfriend was right, you can't spend your whole life worrying about things that may or may not happen and forget to actually live.
Being with Chloe was more incredible than she ever imagined a relationship could be, and it gave Beca hope that she could have it all one day. She used to wonder if having a family was in her future, or even just a wife. She wasn't sure she would ever trust someone enough to reach that point, to commit herself fully to one person only, and let them see her at her most vulnerable. While Chloe had slipped past a lot of her walls, Beca knew that there were still plenty of things they had yet to learn about each other. She hugged Chloe a little tighter, smiling when her girlfriend hummed happily into her neck.
"Becs?" Chloe murmured, her fingertips drawing gentle patterns over the brunette's stomach and side.
"Yeah?" Beca answered, closing her eyes and savoring each touch.
"What was your life like after your mom died...before your dad married Sheila?" Chloe asked curiously.
Beca froze, taking a minute as she wondered where that question came from. "Uh, why do you ask?" she deflected, stalling for time.
Chloe leaned up on one arm, looking hesitantly at her. "Just the comment you made about moving in there after they got married." As if sensing her hesitation, Chloe continued, "You don't have to answer..."
Beca frowned and ran her fingers through her hair, before rubbing her eyes. Finally meeting Chloe's gaze, she sighed and began speaking. "I think you have magic powers, Beale," she started, giving the redhead a wry smile. "I can't help but tell you things. No, it's okay," she said quickly, stopping Chloe before she could speak again.
Taking a deep breath, Beca focused on the photos lining Chloe's dresser and began speaking slowly. "I didn't understand this at the time, but as mom got worse, the medical bills started piling up. Cancer, or illness in general, will take everything from you, you know? It didn't stop with my mom, but ate away at all of us emotionally and financially," she said bitterly.
"Then after she died, there were funeral costs and it was too much for us. Dad started selling anything we didn't need to help cover the bills. I found out eventually that the one thing my mom made him promise not to sell was the piano. We sold our house and moved into an apartment nearby. I'd been enrolled at Barden for a few years at that point, and the school gave me a scholarship so I could stay," Beca continued, idly playing with her fingers as she spoke, refusing to meet Chloe's eyes.
"Eventually it got better. My dad had...has a good job at the university, and he got us back on our feet. I believe he met Sheila soon after that," she said thoughtfully, looking up at the ceiling. "Obviously Sheila has tons of money, and this beautiful house, so it wasn't too much of a stretch for us to move in. As if she'd go from that house to our apartment," Beca scoffed. "It all worked out in the end. I couldn't believe she lived so close to Stacie," she said, finally cracking a smile.
"I didn't want my dad to date," Beca said softly, finally looking into Chloe's eyes. "I didn't want to forget about my mom, and I didn't want him to either. But I got older, and I got sick of him being sad. He'd always try to hide it when I was around, but I caught him a few times. Probably the way he would catch me being sad, or playing the piano. And then he started acting more like how he used to, before my mom got sick, and I realized it was because of Sheila. How could I hate her when she gave me my dad back?" Beca sighed, giving Chloe a small smile and shook her head. "Got more than you bargained for with that question, Beale," she joked, trying to put a smile on her girlfriend's serious face, feeling relieved when it worked.
Chloe felt the corners of her mouth turn up in a smile, replying, "You're amazing. You've been through more than some deal with in a lifetime. I'm so lucky to have you," she whispered, leaning in and kissing Beca softly.
Beca shook her head. "I'm the lucky one."
"We'll just have to agree to disagree. Every time you open up to me about your past, or your mom, you make me feel like the most special person on the planet. I know how hard it is for you to talk about, but hearing things like that only makes me like you more," Chloe said, bringing a hand up to tuck a strand of hair back behind Beca's ear.
Beca gave her a hesitant smile. "If you say so. It's not easy, but...you make me want to try," she said, reaching over to lock her fingers with Chloe's. "Except for Stacie, I've never talked to anyone about my mom, or that time in my life. Not even my dad."
Chloe laid her head back down on Beca's shoulder, sliding her arm over the brunette's stomach, pressing tightly against her. "Why me?" she asked, the hesitation apparent in her voice. "You seem to have so many people in your life who care about you..."
Beca glanced down at her, her lips curling into a smirk as she answered, "You wouldn't leave me alone, Beale. You kept bugging me and bugging me, so eventually I just said 'Fuck it' and succumbed to your persistence. Also, you're pretty hot and I wanted to see you naked...hey!" Beca squirmed as she felt a pinch on her side, settling back against the pillow laughing.
"Way to ruin the moment," Chloe huffed, pulling away and rolling onto her back, slapping at Beca's hand as she reached over to touch her arm.
Beca looked at her girlfriend for a moment, quickly making up her mind. Before Chloe could react, she moved to straddle her, sitting comfortably atop her hips. "Okay then, let's talk," she said, smirking as Chloe's eyes moved over her exposed skin, lingering on her chest.
"That's not fair," Chloe murmured, her hands coming to rest on Beca's thighs.
Beca replied confidently, "How the tables have turned. My eyes are up here, Beale."
Chloe's gaze slowly trailed up to meet her girlfriend's stare, the deep blue irises growing darker as she said, "I'm well aware."
Beca laced her fingers through Chloe's, leaning forward to bring their joined hands over her girlfriend's head, pressing her lips below her ear. "Why you?" she whispered, placing another kiss over that spot.
Chloe shivered at the touch, her voice breathless as she answered, "Yes."
Beca hummed, nuzzling against Chloe's skin, before slowly shifting her position atop her girlfriend. She was finally satisfied, laying comfortably between Chloe's thighs, their bodies flush together. Testing out the new position, she swiveled her hips in a quick circle, smirking at Chloe's sharp intake of breath, feeling the redhead thrust up against her seeking more contact.
Returning her lips to Chloe's neck, Beca murmured, "Because you're kind. You see the best in everyone, including me...especially me." Gently moving her hips again, she felt a leg come up to wrap around her hip and momentarily closed her eyes at the pleasurable sensation that shot through her with the closer contact. She heard the change in girlfriend's breathing, and she continued circling her hips as she spoke again.
"You never judged me, despite the fact that I was breaking the rules the moment we met," Beca said, chuckling softly at the memory. "Even with Posen telling you I was the devil, you were nice to me." She kept the pace tortuously slow, focusing intently on Chloe's reactions to each movement.
"You're honest," she continued, adding a little more pressure with her hips. Chloe whimpered under her, squeezing her hands tightly, reminding Beca their fingers were still intertwined. She let go with her left hand, using it to help steady herself, and Chloe immediately tangled her free hand in Beca's hair. "I know that you will always tell me the truth, not just what I want to hear, and you're not afraid to call me out when I deserve it. You're unbelievably smart, and an incredible teacher...the best I've ever had. You have this crazy passion for teaching and your students, and it's easy to see how much you really care about us."
A thin sheen of sweat covered their bodies as Beca continued to move her hips, switching the rhythm to a gentle thrust, smirking at the resulting moan that came from Chloe's lips. "I trust you," she said, feeling Chloe's other leg come up to wrap around her hip. "You make me feel like I can do anything," she added, panting slightly with the effort of holding back as she kept the pace slow.
Chloe couldn't take anymore, forcefully pulling Beca into a bruising kiss, her hips urging her girlfriend on. Their tongues dueled, Beca still pinning Chloe's other hand to the mattress over her head as she started to thrust faster. Beca broke away, gasping for air and dropping her head to Chloe's shoulder, the pleasure building inside her.
"Chlo…" she groaned, the redhead meeting her every thrust.
"I know, baby…I'm almost there," Chloe gasped, gripping Beca's fingers tightly.
Beca pressed her lips to Chloe's neck as they worked together, the bed frame knocking against the wall with each thrust. If she had thought round one was intense, Beca was quickly becoming overwhelmed at the amount of emotions piling up inside her.
Chloe was panting heavily, letting out little cries with each breath when Beca felt her legs tighten around her hips. She ground down hard against Chloe's clit, letting her go herself and burying her face into the crook of Chloe's neck. Beca collapsed on top of her girlfriend, both women breathing hard as Chloe wrapped her arms around the brunette.
"Wow…" Chloe breathed, trailing off as she took in another gulp of air. "That was…"
"Mmmm," Beca mumbled, pressing a kiss to Chloe's shoulder, every muscle feeling like jello.
"You're incredible," Chloe murmured, her fingertips stroking over Beca's back. "I've never…It's never been that good before."
Beca nodded silently, trying to catch her breath.
Chloe smiled, running her fingers gently through Beca's hair, asking, "You okay, baby?"
Beca nodded again, leaning up to press her lips to Chloe's. "Mmm, better than okay," she hummed, kissing her again, before slowly rolling off her girlfriend. She grinned as Chloe curled up against her, and slipped an arm around the redhead.
"Stay," Chloe mumbled, her arm coming up to wrap around Beca's stomach.
Beca's free hand grabbed the sheet and pulled it over them as best she could, settling in with her girlfriend, completely at peace in the moment. She knew that there was no place else she'd rather be than with Chloe.
"Don't worry," Beca whispered. "I'm not going anywhere."
A/N: As always, a huge thanks to my beta, Ravenclawsome33, for never being too busy to proof my chapters! You da best ;-).
Thanks to everyone who continues to faithfully follow this story and leave me awesome comments/reviews! I read and respond to them all. Unless you're a guest (except my usual guest), in which case I cannot distinguish one from the other. Sorry! :-D.
I don't usually give previews, but here's something for reaching 20 Chapters: Parent-Teacher Night!