Chapter 27
A/N: Whelp, this took me a little longer to post than I wanted, but hopefully it's better late than never!
Beca closed her eyes, leaning back against the small couch in the corner of the studio and listened to the sound of her polished, finished track. When it ended, she opened them to see Luke grinning back at her. It was the last session and they'd officially finished three songs. Beca couldn't have been more thrilled, and had loved every second in the booth with Luke. She had learned more in those ten sessions than all her years in school, and reminded herself to thank her parents for the millionth time when she returned home.
"It sounds fucking amazing," Beca said, leaning forward as the next track played.
Luke nodded in agreement. "You picked everything up way faster than I thought you would, Becky," he teased, knowing how much she hated the nickname.
"Don't ruin it," she replied, still on a high from all that they'd accomplished.
Luke's studio was small, but his equipment was top notch, and he knew his stuff. Although the superficial goal was to record a demo with a more professional sound, he'd taken the opportunity to teach Beca as much as possible about every aspect of working in a studio. In a little over a month she'd learned all kinds of techniques and ways to enhance her music, Luke patiently guiding her through the process from start to finish. They were able to make quick progress due to the fact that Beca knew her music back to front, only taking two weekends to lay down the music, leaving plenty of time to record the vocals, and mix and master the tracks. It was a bittersweet moment for her, having developed an easy partnership with the British producer.
Luke paused the music, spinning around in his chair to face her. "Beca, have you given any thought to my offer to produce a single?" he asked, suddenly all business.
Beca noticed the change, running her fingers through her hair thoughtfully. "Honestly, yeah. I've thought about it a little. I've really liked working with you, but I don't know if I'll be able to afford to record a single right out of school," she said honestly.
Luke waved her words away, quickly replying, "Don't worry about that. I'll cover the costs."
Beca stared blankly back at him, asking, "Why?"
Luke gave her a strange look, tapping his fingers rhythmically against his knee. "'Cause you're fucking good, Beca," he said finally, leaning back in his chair. "You're easily the most talented artist I've worked with in years. I might not be a big time label, but I know how to recognize talent when it gets dropped into my lap. I'd be a fool not to try and lock you into something before you disappear and the next time I see you is on my television screen performing at the Grammy's."
"Shut up," Beca said, shaking her head. "It's not nice to mess with young, impressionable musicians," she joked.
Luke shrugged. "Say what you will, but I'd have a contract drawn up right now for the rights to produce your first single."
Beca remained silent, studying his face and knowing he was dead serious. "Okay, let me think about it some more," she said, trying to wrap her brain around the fact that someone with as much industry experience as Luke honestly thought she was talented enough to make it.
Luke got to his feet and handed her his business card along with a flash drive that contained her finished tracks. "Call me when you make a decision. I've always got time for you, Becky," he said, giving her a fist bump.
She rolled her eyes and nodded, replying, "I will. Thanks again for everything. This has been amazing."
He grinned and walked her to the door, waving as she got into her car before disappearing back inside the building. Beca took a deep breath and thought back over the conversation in her mind, still not quite believing Luke's offer. Checking her watch, she realized it was still early enough to try and sneak in a visit to Chloe's. Starting the engine, she tapped a few buttons on her iPhone as it switched it to Bluetooth, and set the device into the cupholder when it started to ring.
"Hey, baby! How was your last session?"
Beca grinned instantly at the sound of Chloe's voice. "Incredible. I've got a flash drive in my pocket with three finished tracks. What are you doing right now?"
"Getting ready to meet Jesse and Aubrey for dinner. Why?"
Beca frowned. Of course Chloe had plans. She sighed, answering, "I finished earlier than expected and my parents aren't expecting me home until like ten. I was gonna offer to pick up Chinese...I kinda miss you."
There was silence on the other end, causing Beca to facepalm and wonder when she became such a sap.
"Aw, I miss you too. Let me call Aubrey and take a rain check. Come on over."
At Chloe's words, Beca felt her heart swell, joy spreading through her. It was ridiculous how happy that simple statement made her, combined with the fact that Chloe chose to cancel her other plans so that they could spend time together.
Suddenly feeling guilty, she said, "No, Chlo, don't do that. You should hang out with your friends. I'm just being selfish."
"Beca, I saw them yesterday. We went to lunch and an early movie. I have barely gotten to spend time with my girlfriend because she's been busy being a music star. Get your ass over here...but don't come without food."
Beca chuckled, replying, "Yes ma'am. I love you."
"Love you too baby!"
The phone clicked off signally Chloe had hung up, and Beca dialed her favorite Chinese place, before putting the car in gear and pulling out of the parking lot.
Beca grabbed her guitar case from the trunk, closing it with her elbow and began walking up the path, the bag of takeout clutched firmly in her other hand. Glad to see the door slightly ajar, she pushed it open with her shoulder and quickly stepped inside, letting it close behind her. Realizing Chloe was not in the room, she set her guitar case by the door and placed the bag of food on the table. Moving easily around the small kitchen, she grabbed plates and utensils to set the table.
"Chlo, I'm here!" Beca called out, moving a stack of homework assignments to the end of the table. "And I brought food!"
Chloe appeared from her bedroom, casually dressed in shorts and a tank top. "Perfect, I'm starving," she responded, making her way over to give Beca a quick kiss. "Thanks for grabbing dinner."
"I'd never let you go hungry," Beca replied, kissing her back.
Chloe swooned playfully, quipping, "My hero."
Beca laughed, setting down the plates to slide her arms around Chloe's waist. "Do I get a hero's reward?" she asked, her eyes trailing slowly down her girlfriend's body.
Chloe hummed thoughtfully, before answering, "You'll have to wait and see."
"Tease," Beca muttered, stepping aside to swat Chloe's ass playfully.
"You love it," Chloe retorted, moving to open the fridge and grab the water pitcher. "And I always deliver in the end."
Beca raised her eyebrows, recalling the one time Chloe most certainly had not delivered. Unless she meant delivered her to her parents to get grounded. As she opened her mouth to remind Chloe of just that, her girlfriend cut her off.
"And don't even think about using your little karaoke adventure against me. Not my fault," Chloe said, her back to Beca as she filled two glasses of water.
Beca sputtered, "Um, I can most definitely use that against you. You didn't have to drag me into the backseat to get off and then leave me high and dry."
Chloe winked as she returned to the table, replying, "No, but it was fun."
"Maybe for you." Beca rolled her eyes as she sat down and started pulling out containers of food. "What excuse did you tell General Posen to get out of dinner?"
Chloe sat down too, looking slightly guilty as she said, "I told her I wasn't feeling well and I wanted to get some rest before school tomorrow. I hate lying to her."
Beca sighed and reached over to lock her fingers with Chloe's. "Join the club, babe. I've been lying to my parents for months now. It sucks. But soon we won't have to anymore," she finished with a comforting smile.
Chloe nodded, returning the smile and started spooning rice onto her plate. "So tell me about your last day in the studio!"
Beca grinned, thinking back over the day and Luke's offer. "It was incredible, as always. I've learned so much...it's crazy. And get this...Luke wants to produce my first single after I graduate!" she said.
"Oh my God, Becs, that's amazing!" Chloe replied excitedly. "Are you going to do it?"
Beca shrugged, taking a sip of water as she thought about her answer. "I'm not sure yet. It was amazing working with Luke, and he definitely knows his stuff. I'll probably look at all my options when the time comes and figure out what the best move is. It's looking like a yes though, considering he said he'd cover all costs."
Chloe raised her eyebrows, saying, "That's kind of a big deal right? For a small company like his..."
"Yeah, it's a big deal. Major record labels have to entice artists that they want, because they're hoping to get a big return on that investment. Luke can't afford to do that, and he mainly works with smaller bands or artists who pay him for studio time," Beca explained.
She honestly wasn't sure what to do about Luke's offer. On one hand, it was the opportunity to work with a professional and produce a real single. On the other hand, Luke's studio was not a label, and he would not be able to help market or sell that single. Beca told Chloe as much, and they discussed the pros and cons, ultimately leaving Beca as undecided as when they began.
Rising from the table, Chloe cleared the dishes and set them in the sink as Beca packed up the leftovers and put them in the fridge. Chloe rolled up her sleeves and stole Beca's phone to play some music, plugging it into a speaker in the corner of the counter. Faint music from the bedroom caused both their heads to turn towards the door, Beca instantly recognizing Chloe's ringtone and snickering to herself.
Chloe didn't move from behind the sink where she was elbow deep in soapy dishwater, asking, "Baby, can you go see who that is?"
Beca nodded, putting the last of the food away and headed into the bedroom. She grabbed Chloe's phone off the nightstand, seeing that she had one missed call from 'Aubrey Posen.'
"Gross," Beca murmured, swiping at the phone curiously, stunned to see it unlock without a passcode. She scrolled through Chloe's apps as she walked back into the main room, casually saying, "Babe, you should really have a passcode lock on your phone. Anyone could snoop through it."
Chloe looked up from the sink, replying, "You mean like you?"
Beca smirked, replying, "Yeah, exactly like me. Seriously though, someone could see all our calls and texts."
"They could, but they wouldn't know it was you," Chloe replied, seemingly unconcerned. "It's not like you're in my phone under your real name."
"Oh yeah...totally forgot about that. What am I in your phone anyways?" she asked, figuring the fastest way to find out was by clicking open Chloe's texts.
She needn't have, as Chloe responded, "Trouble."
Beca saw it a split second after Chloe answered, looking up at her confused. "Trouble? Why?"
"You don't remember?" Chloe asked teasingly, finishing the dishes and wiping her hands dry on a dishcloth.
Beca thought back through their interactions, almost giving up before the light bulb went on. Laughing she said, "Because in our first detention together I told you Posen thought I was "trouble." She was right."
Chloe grinned, moving out of the kitchen to take her phone from Beca's hand, switching it to silent and placing it on the table. "She was absolutely right," she said, her voice dropping as she stepped closer.
Beca swallowed hard, her hands coming up to rest on Chloe's hips as her girlfriend leaned in closer. Before she could say anything, Chloe surprised her again by singing playfully in her ear, "I knew you were trouble when you walked in..."
Beca groaned as Chloe started laughing, pushing the redhead away and shaking her head. "That was bad," she said, before cracking a smile at the cheesiness of it all.
"Then why do you look so pleased, hmmm?" Chloe asked, her eyes bright with amusement. "Are you secretly a T. Swift fan, Becs?"
"No, absolutely not," Beca replied immediately, shaking her head to further emphasize the point.
Chloe sighed, replying, "Oh baby, you're a terrible liar. How many of her albums do you have?"
Beca glared at her, refusing to answer the question. There was no way in hell she was going to admit to Chloe that she had all of them. Deciding to change the subject, she countered, "Don't you want to know what you are in my phone?"
Chloe paused, studying her for a moment before nodding. Beca pulled her phone out of her pocket and unlocked it, swiping her text messages open to her window with Chloe and handing it to her girlfriend. She could sense the switch in the room the second Chloe's eyes flitted down to the screen and back up to meet her own.
"Really?" Chloe asked, taking a step forward.
Beca nodded, taking her phone back and locking it before tossing it lightly onto the table. "For a long time now actually," she admitted. "What can I say, you inspire me," she said, smiling lamely, keeping her eyes trained on her girlfriend.
Chloe closed the distance between them, pressing her body against Beca's as she kissed her. Pulling back a fraction, she whispered, "I love you," before connecting their lips again.
Beca hummed her approval and kissed her back, her hands clutching at Chloe's hips as the redhead guided them into the bedroom.
Jesse glanced nervously at Aubrey, making the final turn into the apartment complex. He slowed down, navigating around the buildings until he found the right one, parking in one of the visitor spaces. He knew tonight was the night. By some miracle Chloe had fallen sick and was unable to meet them for dinner. He was determined to put his feelings out there and ask Aubrey on a real date.
They both climbed out of the car, Aubrey clutching the bag containing chicken noodle soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Jesse walked around to the front of the car and leaned against the hood, saying, "Bree, why don't I wait here while you take it up to her. If she's not feeling well she probably doesn't want me in her apartment..." he trailed off, seeing Aubrey nodding in agreement.
"You're right, Jess. I'll just drop it off. Give me five minutes," she said, heading up the path.
Jesse breathed a sigh of relief, murmuring to himself, "Christ, Swanson, get a grip." He pushed off from the car as Aubrey disappeared into the building, glancing around trying to distract himself from the nerves.
Suddenly, he noticed the car parked next to his, recognizing the guitar charm hanging from the rearview mirror. Frowning, he walked around to the back and muttered, "Weird. Beca has that exact charm and drives a..." he trailed off, his eyes going wide as he noticed the music note decal in the bottom right corner of the back window. Thinking quickly over the past few months, he connected the dots, realizing exactly what was about to happen.
"Oh, shit!" Jesse cursed, rounding the car and breaking into a run as he tried to catch up to Aubrey. "Bree!" he shouted, feeling his stomach drop as he neared Chloe's door, seeing it slightly ajar. He pushed it open and stepped inside just in time to hear Aubrey scream.
Beca leaned up, kissing Chloe furiously before she was pushed back down on the bed. Chloe straddled her waist, hands coming up to cover her breasts as her lips moved over Beca's neck and shoulder.
Beca gasped as Chloe's teeth nipped a little harder over her pulse point, letting a hand trail down between her legs. "Fuck...Chlo..." she moaned, as Chloe slid a finger inside her, her hips rising up off the bed.
Chloe paused, leaning back to look down at her curiously. "Did you hear something?" she asked, slightly out of breath.
Beca groaned, "No...don't stop..." and moved her hands up to tug at Chloe's hips, needing to feel that friction again.
"Aw, are you all hot and horny baby?" Chloe teased, moving her thumb over Beca's clit.
"Fuck..." Beca swore, her head falling back at the new sensation as Chloe's lips returned to her neck. Her girlfriend knew exactly how to get her worked up, and Beca felt the pleasure coiling low in her stomach as Chloe's fingers started to move faster.
Beca sucked in a deep breath, so close to the edge when Chloe froze, her head whipping around to stare at the doorway. "I could have sworn I heard something, Becs," she said, her lips forming a hard line.
Beca whimpered, desperate for release and to regain her girlfriend's attention. "Please...Chlo...nothing's there," she begged, moving a hand behind Chloe's neck and pulling her back down into a kiss. "Please, I'm so fucking close babe..."
Chloe smirked down at her, but before she could move another muscle, a hesitant voice from the doorway said, "Chloe?"
For Beca, it was like time stopped. She knew that voice. She would recognize that voice anywhere. It was the same voice that grated on her last nerve almost every morning for just under an hour. Beca swore her heart stopped as well, like everything just froze. It was probably only about five seconds of real time, but to her it was an eternity as she looked at the horrified look on Chloe's face, sure that she wore a matching one.
As if the situation couldn't get any worse, Chloe twisted around, leaning back slightly to look at Aubrey standing in the doorway, not realizing that her movement allowed the blonde to see exactly who was in bed with her.
Beca's gaze met Aubrey's, and before she could say anything, Aubrey's eyes widened and she let out a high-pitched scream before turning and disappearing from the doorway. Beca covered her face with her hands and groaned, knowing that there was no way out of this disaster. She couldn't believe that of all people to walk in on them, it was the teacher that hated her the most. Beca wondered for a split second what Aubrey was even doing at Chloe's apartment when she was supposed to be out to dinner with….
"Bree!"
Beca shook her head in disbelief, hearing Jesse's voice shouting from somewhere close by. She looked up as Chloe twisted back around, saying, "This is really happening right now, isn't it."
It wasn't a question, but a statement, and Chloe could only nod worriedly down at her.
"Shit, we are so fucked," Beca mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "We should probably get dressed. There's no way they're just going to leave."
Chloe still hadn't spoken, and she remained silent, only nodding as she got up and searched for her clothes. Beca pulled the sheet up, waiting patiently for Chloe to toss her something more comfortable to wear.
She heard Jesse and Aubrey talking in low tones in the main room as she grabbed the clothes Chloe threw to her, wondering what was going to happen now. Chloe ducked into the bathroom and splashed some water on her face as Beca got dressed, before they slowly walked out of the bedroom together. Jesse and Aubrey fell silent when they appeared, and Beca felt even more nervous when Chloe left her side to go lock the door.
Spinning around, Chloe leaned against the door and met Aubrey's gaze, looking uneasy. Beca glanced between her girlfriend and the two other teachers, realizing no one had any idea what to do next.
Aubrey found her voice first, asking, "How long?"
Chloe hesitated, her eyes flicking to Beca's. After a few long moments, Aubrey spoke again, this time with a little more emotion. "Jesus Christ, Chloe, how long have you two been sleeping together?"
Beca glanced between them again, frowning as she looked back at Chloe, realizing her girlfriend was on the verge of tears. She quickly crossed the room, slipping her hand into Chloe's, whispering, "It's gonna be okay."
Facing Aubrey, Beca fought to keep her expression neutral and said, "Uh…a few months now."
Aubrey kept her gaze trained on Chloe, ignoring Beca as she asked a third time, "Chloe, how long has this been going on?"
Beca started to worry a little, but before she could do anything, Chloe spoke up. "Aubrey, we can explain…"
"You're damn right you're going to explain! What the hell, Chloe? Sleeping with a student? Are you insane? Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?" Aubrey's voice got louder with each question until she was shouting.
Beca had seen Aubrey get upset many times, usually because she was the culprit of whatever was making her upset. She thought she'd seen Aubrey at her worst, and it took a moment as serious as this one for her to realize that Aubrey at her maddest was fucking terrifying.
At the same time, Beca was starting to get furious herself at the way Aubrey was speaking to Chloe. They were adults, and Aubrey was lecturing Chloe like she was a teenager who'd gotten drunk and stayed out past curfew. Beca felt her own anger surge past the boiling point, stepping in front of Chloe and shouting back, "That's enough!"
Aubrey fell silent, finally looking at her, and she saw Jesse's jaw drop out of the corner of her eye.
Beca narrowed her eyes at Aubrey, saying firmly, "You have no right to yell at her like that….to speak to her like that. She offered to explain, so you can either sit down and shut up and let her, or just leave right now."
"Baby," Chloe murmured, her hand coming to rest on Beca's shoulder.
"Baby?" Aubrey repeated incredulously, looking at Jesse for help, but the man looked at a complete loss.
Beca spun around, looking carefully into Chloe's eyes as her girlfriend said, "Thank you."
Chloe moved around Beca and approached Aubrey, asking, "Want to sit down?" Aubrey shook her head no, so Chloe took a deep breath and began speaking.
"Bree, Beca and I have been dating for about five months," Chloe explained, and Beca clenched her teeth together to keep from laughing at the shocked expression on Aubrey's face. "We've kept it a secret for obvious reasons, but we're really happy together."
Aubrey frowned, replying, "How? How have you kept it from her parents?"
Beca coughed, mumbling, "I'm right here, you know."
"Yes, I'm well aware," Aubrey snapped, and Beca suddenly wished she'd stayed silent. "Do your parents know?"
Beca snorted, earning a fierce glare from Aubrey. "Ah…no, they don't," she answered, reminding herself again to try not to aggravate Aubrey even more.
"You need to tell them."
Beca's blood ran cold at her words, looking up into her teacher's serious expression. She couldn't tell her parents, knowing her dad would flip. Beca wasn't even sure how Sheila would react to this news, and she was usually able to nail her stepmom's feelings.
Chloe stepped in, her tone turning serious as she said, "Bree, you have no right to come in here and dictate what happens in our relationship. What are you doing here in the first place?"
At that question, Aubrey crossed her arms over her chest. "Jesse and I thought it would be nice to bring you some soup and a grilled cheese sandwich since you said you were sick and couldn't make dinner," she said accusingly. "Which was obviously a total lie."
Chloe nodded, not bothering to deny it. "I'm sorry, Bree. I hated have to lie to you…to both of you," she said, glancing at Jesse. "We didn't have a choice though, if we wanted to spend time together," she finished, her voice apologetic.
Jesse finally found his voice, asking, "How did you guys manage to spend time together? How'd you keep it from Beca's parents?"
Beca replied, "Stacie covered for me a lot, but they've still been suspicious. I'm pretty sure they know something's up, and are just waiting for me to come clean."
Aubrey nodded grimly, saying, "It's their lucky day then, because you're going to tell them. Tonight."
"Bree," Chloe warned, but Aubrey interrupted her.
"No, Chloe. You're my friend and coworker, but this is serious. You're sleeping with a student. You're lucky I haven't turned you in already," Aubrey said firmly. "You need to tell her parents."
Chloe looked nervous again, pleading with her friend. "Come on, Bree, can you just try to understand? This will end with us being forced to break up and me getting fired."
"Better than arrested!" Aubrey exclaimed. "Chloe, I'm doing you a favor here. Think about how much worse it would have been if someone else had found out!"
"But someone else didn't find out, Bree. You and Jesse did, and you're supposed to be my friends! You're supposed to help me, not ruin my relationship," Chloe retorted, starting to get angry.
"I'm not jeopardizing my career for your stupid crush!" Aubrey shot back, throwing her hands in the air. "If her parents find out they could have us all fired! You for sleeping with her, and Jesse and I for knowing about it and not doing anything."
Chloe took a step forward, shouting, "For fuck's sake, Bree, this isn't some stupid crush. I'm in love with her!"
Beca's jaw dropped, as once again time froze. She couldn't believe Chloe had said that, and by their reactions, neither could Aubrey or Jesse. She took a small step forward and slipped her hand into Chloe's, locking their fingers together.
Aubrey stared at their hands for a second, before looking seriously at them. "I'm sorry, Chloe. Either tell her parents tonight, or I'll be meeting with Dr. Williams first thing tomorrow morning."
"Bree, be reasonable…" Jesse started, but froze at one look from the blonde.
"No, Jesse. This could cost us all our jobs," Aubrey said firmly, turning her attention back to Chloe and Beca.
Beca could tell Chloe was pissed off, as her girlfriend replied irritably, "Why is it so important to you that we tell Beca's parents? What difference will that make?"
Aubrey retorted, "If I go to Dr. Williams first thing tomorrow, you get fired and Jesse and I will have followed the appropriate steps once finding out about your relationship. If I kept your little secret, Beca's parents could get us all fired for it when they find out. It's absurdly inappropriate, Chloe. They could also sue the school, but the accusations of impropriety alone would put a major dent in Barden's stellar reputation. So," she said, placing her hands on her hips. "What'll it be?"
Beca took a deep breath and said, "We'll tell my parents." At Chloe's look of concern, she tried to give her an encouraging smile. "It'll be okay, Chlo….maybe." Not her best effort.
Aubrey stared at her for a long moment, before nodding. "I'll be calling them tomorrow evening to make sure you do," she said, moving swiftly for the door. "I'm sorry Chloe, really, but I won't jeopardize my career over this. Jesse, I'm not hungry anymore. I'll wait by the car."
Beca quickly stepped aside as Aubrey passed, looking worriedly at her girlfriend. Tears were already starting to slide down Chloe's cheeks, and without another word she walked into her bedroom and shut the door. Beca's eyes followed her, before turning slowly back to Jesse.
"So, uh…not exactly how I thought tonight would go," she said awkwardly, looking up at him nervously.
Jesse sighed, glancing at the door as if Aubrey would magically reappear with a change of heart. "I'm sorry, Beca, but Aubrey has a point. Now that we know, we're obligated to say something, or risk our own careers. Your parents could flatten the school for this, you know."
Beca hung her head, moving to pull a chair out from the table and sit down. "I know. But you can't help who you love," she said, looking up at him sadly.
"Don't I know it," he sighed, moving to place a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be okay, Beca," he said softly, before slipping quietly out the door.
Beca heard Chloe's sobs through the door, sitting up and feeling a tightening in her chest. How had everything gone to shit in a single moment? She and Chloe had been perfect, and it was all crumbling down around them. And it still wasn't finished, she reminded herself, knowing that she needed to tell her parents if Chloe had any chance of keeping her job.
"Fuck," Beca muttered, knowing her dad was going to go through the roof when he found out.
Thirty minutes later, Beca had managed to calm down Chloe and they were currently sitting in the car in her driveway. She turned off the engine, glancing over at her girlfriend, who'd been silent for the entire drive. Beca had a sinking feeling in her gut, but knew that she had to do everything possible to make sure Chloe wouldn't get fired.
Placing her hand on Chloe's knee, she asked, "Ready, babe?"
Chloe covered her hand with her own, meeting her gaze nervously. "As I'll ever be," she replied, before taking a deep breath and exiting the car.
Beca got out too, walking up beside Chloe as they made their way to the front door. "Okay, so don't freak out, but my dad's gonna flip out. I'm not sure what Sheila will do, but my dad's definitely gonna lose his shit. It's where I get my temper from," she said with a small smile. "The trick is to tough it out until he gets over the initial news. Then he's calmer and more likely to actually listen to us," she explained, waiting until Chloe nodded her understanding.
"Also, um…he's not going to want to listen to a word you say after he finds out we've been sleeping together. Guess it's a dad thing," she shrugged, climbing the front steps. "He flipped when he found out I wasn't a virgin."
"Can't imagine why," Chloe mumbled, shooting Beca a look. She raised her hand towards the doorbell, but Beca stopped her.
"What are you doing?" she asked curiously. "This is my house. I'm bringing my girlfriend home to meet my parents, even if it's not totally voluntary. I don't ring the bell at my own home," she said, giving Chloe a grin and opened the door, letting her girlfriend enter first.
Beca stepped inside after Chloe, closing the door behind her and shouted, "Dad? Sheila?"
"Kitchen, Becs! We're baking!" her dad called back, causing her to quirk an eyebrow at Chloe.
"Hmm...okay," she muttered, taking a deep breath. "Let's go."
Beca led the way down the hall and into the kitchen to find her parents baking. The kitchen was a mess, with flour and measuring cups and random ingredients strewn about, Beca shaking her head at the clutter of it all. Ben and Sheila were wearing their aprons, her stepmom looking like she'd fought bravely to turn the ingredients into something edible.
"Whoa, aprons," Beca said, taking in the scene in front of her. "What's the occasion?"
Sheila was currently clutching a rolling pin and staring intently at the dough in front of her, answering in a single word without looking up. "Pie."
Beca snorted, looking at her dad for confirmation, before realizing he was staring curiously over her shoulder. Remembering that Chloe was behind her, along with the reason why they were there, Beca cleared her throat nervously and said, "Uh, I've gotta tell you guys something."
Ben sighed, brushing his hands off on his apron before removing it and hanging it back on its hook. "Ms. Beale," he said by way of greeting, before looking back at his daughter. "I take it this isn't going to be good news?"
Beca hesitated, glancing at Sheila for a moment before answering, "Well...um...I guess that depends."
Ben shook his head, gesturing to the living room. "Go on. We'll be there in a moment. Just let us wash up."
Beca nodded and moved into the other room, pulling Chloe onto the couch beside her. "You okay?" she whispered, feeling her heart start to race in anticipation.
Chloe rolled her eyes, answering, "No, of course not."
"Right, stupid question," Beca said, looking up to see her parents enter the room and sit down on the loveseat. Sheila raised her eyebrows at them sitting side by side, but thankfully said nothing.
'Sack up, Mitchell,' Beca thought, and steeled herself for what was about to happen.
"Okay, Beca. What'd you do this time?" her dad asked, his gaze shifting between the two of them.
Beca took a breath and said, "Right, There isn't really a good way to tell you guys this, so...remember a while ago when you thought I was dating someone? And I told you I wasn't?" At their nods, she continued, "Well, uh...I lied. I started dating someone a while ago, but I wasn't ready to tell you."
Ben looked hurt as he said, "But why, Becs? You know we love you for who you are. Why did you feel you couldn't tell us? Did you tell Ms. Beale? Is that why she's here?"
Beca hesitated, realizing what her dad thought and knowing she needed to just say it before she chickened out. "I know you guys don't care that I'm gay, and it really had nothing to do with you at all. I..." she trailed off, glancing nervously at Chloe before saying, "I couldn't tell you because...it's Chloe. I'm dating Chloe." She reached over and took Chloe's hand, her girlfriend giving a little squeeze to try and reassure her.
Ben and Sheila looked blankly at the pair of them, clearly shocked by the news. Sheila's face remained blank, but Ben started to frown as he processed Beca's words and rose to his feet. Pointing a finger between the two of them, he said slowly to Chloe, "You...you're...you're dating my daughter?"
Beca knew this was bad, possibly worse than any reaction she'd ever seen from her father. "Dad..." she said hesitantly, but shut up instantly at his glare.
"Are you out of your mind?!" Ben yelled, his face turning red. "She's in high school! What the hell kind of teacher are you?! What kind of person are you?! She's eighteen, for Christ's sake." He started pacing, trying and failing to get a handle on his emotions.
Beca stood up, saying, "Dad, just listen to me for a second. This isn't Chloe's fault..."
"Shut up, Beca," Ben interrupted her, stopping his pacing to stare at his daughter.
Beca froze at his tone, feeling like she'd just been sucker punched. He'd never spoken to her like that before, so dismissive and full of anger. Tears formed hot behind her eyes, as Sheila stood up and placed a hand on his arm only to have him pull away immediately.
"Ben..." Sheila started, but he didn't hesitate to interrupt her as well.
"No, Sheila," he said, his voice low and full of warning. "Don't even think about it," he said to her, before turning his attention back to Chloe. "Don't even bother showing up at school tomorrow. I'll have your job for this...what you've done to my daughter. You'll never teach again. I don't know how you can look at yourself in the mirror every morning, taking advantage of a young girl like that."
That was the last straw for Beca, as tears started to fall from Chloe's eyes. She yelled, "ENOUGH! What the hell is wrong with everyone tonight?"
Beca marched over to her dad, who was temporarily shocked at her outburst, poking a finger into his chest. "Dad, listen to me very carefully. This isn't Chloe's fault," she said, forcing her voice down to a normal volume. "Can you stop freaking out for five minutes and just listen to me? Please?"
Ben glared past his daughter at Chloe, still fuming, before turning to look at Beca. Nodding, he returned to his seat on the loveseat beside Sheila, who instantly put a comforting hand on his knee.
Beca took a deep breath, saying, "Okay, can we talk about this like adults? Please?" At everyone's nods, she continued speaking. "Dad, Sheila, I'm sorry I lied to you, but now I think you understand why. What you don't understand, is that she's the reason I've been so happy this year. Her, that woman right there," she said, pointing at Chloe.
"Neither of us planned this, it just happened. She didn't seduce me like some weird teacher pedophile. We got to know each other during a bunch of my detentions, and realized we had a lot in common. And I made the first move. That's right, I kissed her first," Beca clarified, giving Chloe a small smile.
"And it was the best thing I've ever done because she's incredible. We knew it was wrong, and believe me, we tried to stay away from each other. The thing is, we couldn't. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me these past months? To fall for someone that you shouldn't be with, and know that it could all end in a moment if the wrong person found out?"
Beca sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, thrilled that her dad was actually listening. It might not seem like it to Chloe, but Beca knew this was going about as well as it possibly could. While she could tell her dad wasn't convinced yet, his face was returning more to it's normal color, and his breathing had slowed. Progress.
"It was so hard to know that I'd found someone who makes me happier than I possibly thought I could be, who encourages me to try and be better, who supports my dreams...to know that I'd found that person and I had to keep it a secret when all I really wanted was to shout it from the fucking roof. You say that you want me to be happy...prove it! She makes me happy!"
Ben shook his head, still struggling with it. "Beca," he said weakly, glancing at Sheila before speaking. "Beca, she's your teacher. She's too old for you..."
"You mean like you're too old for Sheila?" Beca shot back, knowing that there was a seven-year age difference between her parents.
"That's different," he said, though he didn't sound as confident anymore. "You two are in completely different stages of life. Age matters less the older you are."
Beca stood firm, replying, "Bullshit! Age doesn't matter when you love someone!"
Ben scoffed, "You don't know anything about love, Beca. You're eighteen..."
"I'm in love with her," she said quietly, the whole room going silent as Ben stared at her. "Dad, I'm in love with her. And I might not know what love is, and I might only be eighteen, but I know that she's the first thing I think about when I wake up. I know that when I'm with her, it feels like putting the last piece of a puzzle in place. She accepts me for who I am, and doesn't try to change me into something I'm not. I might not know what love is, but I know what it feels like to be loved, because she loves me."
Beca felt the tear slip down her cheek as Chloe's hand slipped into hers, letting her know she wasn't alone. Ben had a completely torn expression on his face, while Sheila remained mostly expressionless, though her eyes flitted down to their joined hands.
Sheila finally spoke, asking, "Why are you telling us now? Obviously you've kept this secret for a while, so what changed?"
Beca answered, "We were hanging out at Chloe's apartment tonight after I finished up at the studio, and two of her coworkers came over and surprised her. They gave us an ultimatum to either tell you or they'd be forced to tell the school about our relationship."
Sheila hummed for a few seconds before asking, "So this is where that hoodie came from?"
Beca shot her a confused look for a moment, before realizing what her stepmom was asking. "Yeah, I stole that from Chloe before she left for Christmas."
"I knew you didn't know anyone who liked Vanderbilt," Sheila said with a smile,
Beca shook her head, a small smile playing across her lips. Looking up, she said, "Dad, I know you're trying to wrap your head around this, but please don't get Chloe fired. What's happened between us has been consensual from day one, and she loves Barden and teaching. We were very careful at school and no one knows."
Ben sighed, looking up at the pair of them. "Can you two give us a few minutes, please?"
Beca quickly agreed, replying, "I'll show Chloe my room."
Ben nodded, before his eyes widened and he said, "No, uh, go wait in the kitchen,"
Beca raised her eyebrows at her dad, asking, "Seriously?"
Chloe tugged at her hand gently, saying, "Becs, it's fine. We'll wait in the kitchen."
"Fine," Beca grumbled, giving in and leading the way to the kitchen, sitting down at the table.
Chloe sat down beside her and said with a small smile, "So, I think that went well."
Beca snorted and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes. "I'm not sure it could have gone any better, to be honest. I've never seen him that mad before, but he also calmed down a lot faster than I expected." Opening her eyes again, she got up and moved to sit on Chloe's lap, slipping her arms around her girlfriend's neck.
"What are you doing," Chloe hissed nervously, looking over her shoulder for Beca's parents.
Beca pressed her face into Chloe's neck, murmuring, "I just wanted to be close to you for a second...especially if this all goes south and I'm forbidden to see you again."
Beca's tone signaled she was trying to lighten the mood with a joke, but Chloe's heart dropped at the thought. She wrapped her arms around Beca's waist, replying, "Not funny."
"It was a little funny," Beca chuckled. "Besides, they'll call us back in when they're ready to lay down the law."
She was right, and it wasn't more than a minute or two later when they heard Sheila call out, "Okay, come on back in here ladies."
They returned to their original positions on the couch, Beca keeping her fingers locked with Chloe's as she looked nervously at her parents. She tried to put on a brave face, but wasn't sure what she would do if her parents forced them to break up. It was something she didn't want to think about, not being able to be with Chloe.
Ben cleared his throat, looking at them for a long moment. "I'm having a very difficult time wrapping my head around this situation. It's inappropriate on a variety of levels, and everything in me is telling me it's a bad idea for everyone involved, which now includes Sheila and I."
"But," he continued, "Sheila sees it differently. This is one of the only situations we've come across in our relationship where we don't see eye to eye. She believes that since you're eighteen now, Becs, you're a consenting adult in a committed relationship. While it's slightly unethical due to the fact that Chloe is your teacher, that will only be the case for another two months, and after that there's nothing anyone can do or say to keep you apart if you don't let them."
"I want you both to know, if it were solely up to me, I'd be calling the school and the police. I'm not happy, Beca. You knew this was wrong and you did it anyways, and you'd have to live with the consequences of the trouble you caused one of your teachers. However," he paused, looking seriously at the two of them, giving Beca hope.
"It's not solely my decision, and that fact actually makes me happier than anything else in this world," he said, his voice catching with emotion. "Sheila is as much your parent as I am, and we've both noticed the changes in you this year. You've grown up and matured more than I thought possible, and have been happier than we've ever seen you. Sheila has also pointed out that forcing you to end things will only damage my relationship with you, and that you're such a stubborn rebel you'll find a way to see her anyways," he said, a smile forming despite the resigned shake of his head.
Beca smiled too, knowing it was true. She looked at Sheila in time to see her wink, before turning her attention back to her dad.
"Chloe, I'd like to apologize for what I said to you earlier. I was angry and upset and feeling very protective of my daughter. While I'm still not happy about this, if you make Beca as happy as she claims you do, I won't be the one that comes between you," Ben said, not breaking eye contact with Chloe.
"It's okay, Dr. Mitchell. It's not how we wanted to tell you both, but I appreciate your honesty and know that you only want what's best for Beca. I hope you believe me when I say we want the same thing. I...I love her, despite all the odds against us, and she makes me happier than I've ever been," Chloe said, turning to smile at the brunette as Beca squeezed her hand.
Ben huffed, still clearly getting used to the idea of his daughter in such a serious relationship. "Right, well...that's...good," he said lamely, averting his gaze for a moment. "Let's set a few ground rules. I think I'm starting to understand why Beca's been spending so many nights over at the Conrad's house," he said, looking at Beca suspiciously. "That stops now. Beca, you might be eighteen, but as long as you live under this roof, you will spend the night here. That is non-negotiable."
Beca's jaw dropped. "Dad! You've basically grounded me for the rest of my senior year! Plus, I spent some of those nights at Stacie's house..." she trailed off at her dad's stern look. Rolling her eyes, she couldn't help herself from adding, "It's stupid anyways...you know that's not going to stop us from having...oof."
Chloe's elbow connected firmly with her side, knocking the wind out of her.
Sheila chuckled at that, shaking her head a looking curiously at Ben. "Honey, she's right you know. Where there's a will, there's a way," she said teasingly, rubbing her hand over his back at his exasperated look. "I cannot imagine how hard it must be to know that your daughter is sexually active, but you've known this for a while and I think it's time to treat her like the adult she's become, don't you?"
Ben shook his head emphatically. "No, I most certainly do not. And I thought we put a stop to that when we stopped the sleepovers?" he asked, his voice coming out in almost a whine.
Beca snickered and glanced at Chloe, whose face was now bright red. She leaned in, whispering, "What, you don't want to discuss our sex life with my parents? What could possibly be wrong with that?" she asked sarcastically, as Chloe shook her head and covered her face with her hands.
Sheila took pity on her, saying sympathetically, "See, Ben, now you've gone and embarrassed the poor girl." She shot Beca another wink, and the brunette grinned back at her.
Ben opened and closed his mouth a few times, finally finding the words he was looking for. "She's embarrassed? This is my daughter we're talking about. She's never supposed to have sex...I'm supposed to kill anyone who even thinks of touching her," he reasoned, rubbing his eyes as Sheila laughed at him.
"Okay killer, take it easy. This isn't the eighteenth century where you need to protect her honor," Sheila quipped. "I think the most important thing is just that we know Beca is safe. I don't think she's in any imminent danger when she's with Chloe, do you?"
Ben's eyebrows furrowed in frustration before he relented. "No, no I don't."
Sheila nodded, saying, "Good. Beca, we expect you home on school nights, and to check in with us honestly about where you are on weekends. Deal?"
"Deal," Beca agreed immediately, before her Dad could object.
"Oh, and although Chloe is welcome in our home during respectable hours, Beca, your 'no girls sleepover except Stacie' rule still applies," Sheila added, knowing that there would be no argument.
Beca smirked, replying, "Yeah...no worries there. Speaking of that rule...Stace is spending the night this whole week. Her parents are out of town and her grandparents are there to help with the twins, so naturally she's going to run away."
"That's fine," Ben agreed, slowly coming to terms with the situation in front of him. "Well, I suppose the polite thing to do would be to offer you some coffee and a slice of Sheila's apple pie? If you dare to try it," he added in teasingly, earning himself a light swat to the back of his head.
Beca saw Chloe's nervous look return and quickly said, "That sounds great, dad. We'd love to get food poisoning together with you guys."
Ben nodded and rose from his seat, his gaze settling on Chloe. "So Chloe, tell me a little about yourself," he said, clearly making a peace offering as he gave her a smile.
Beca hung back with Sheila as Ben accompanied Chloe into the kitchen, watching the interaction hesitantly. Looking over at Sheila, she said, "I don't know what you said to him, but you're my hero."
Sheila smiled at her, moving to wrap her in a hug. "Kid, I just told him that the quickest way to lose you was to force you to end it. He kinda loves you, you know? Plus, a blind man could see the chemistry between the two of you," she added nonchalantly. "How have you two kept it a secret at school? I figured it out from one look at the two of you when you came in."
Beca shrugged. "I guess no one at school is looking for it. She's really professional and we keep our interactions to a minimum, and Stacie's almost always there to help if things start to slip."
Sheila slipped an arm over her shoulders as they walked into the kitchen, leaving her side to grab a pie off the cooling rack beside the stove. Beca grabbed four plates, forks, and something to serve with, while Chloe and Ben stood chatting by the Keurig. It wasn't long before the four of them were seated at the table, Beca looking warily at the pie in the center.
"Dad, you were supervising right?" she asked, watching Sheila cut the first slice.
Ben shrugged, replying, "I was in the kitchen. It was touch and go there for a moment, but I think she did a pretty good job. Those cooking classes are really paying off."
Beca wasn't convinced, and she looked over at Chloe, saying "If I die, I just want you to know that I expect you to pine over me for the rest of your life."
Ben chuckled as Chloe rolled her eyes and accepted a slice of pie from Sheila. "Thank you, it looks great!" she said as she set the plate down and took a sip of coffee.
When everyone had been served, Ben looked around the table for a moment, before saying, "Well this has certainly been an interesting evening. Beca, I can tell you really care about Chloe, and that she makes you happy, but it's still going to take me some time to get used to….this," he said lamely, clearly struggling with what was happening. "But I love you, and I'm going to try."
Sheila gave them both a warm smile, before turning her gaze to Ben. "Okay, dig in and let me know what you think!" she said excitedly.
Beca hesitantly sliced off a bite, bringing it to her mouth and chewing slowly, her dad and Chloe doing the same, as Sheila watched them hopefully. As if on cue, three sets of eyes widened and bits and pieces of half-chewed pie went flying back towards the plates. Beca coughed violently, struggling against the urge to throw up, and put a hand over her mouth.
The blonde frowned, staring at the pie for a long moment before sighing, "So...not good then?"
Beca glanced up, her eyes watering as she saw her dad and Chloe having similar reactions.
Ben finally caught his breath, and shook his head, saying, "Honey, I love you. But never again."
Sheila chuckled at his words, and asked, "Better or worse than the lasagna fiasco?"
Beca immediately answered, "Nothing will ever be as bad as the lasagna fiasco?"
Chloe looked curiously around the table, finally asking, "What happened?"
Beca and Sheila both looked at Ben, Chloe following their gaze as the man took a sip of coffee and said, "Well, what happened was, Beca and I had taken a day trip to the zoo..."
A/N: All mistakes are my own.
Getting closer to the end, everyone! Thanks for sticking with me through this crazy journey!